Samaseung quietly gazed at Hyunjong, the head of Hwasan, who sat across from him. 'Hyunjong.' He was the one who had managed to hold onto the declining Hwasan, preventing it from completely falling apart.
The head of Jongnam evaluated Hyunjong, saying that if it weren't for these times, he would have become an outstanding leader. 'Overrated.' Hyunjong had never once shown any exceptional talent.
If one were to attach a family name, no one would receive a poor evaluation.
A person's greatness is judged not by their character but by their achievements.
Samaseung subtly turned his head to look around.
To the left and right of Hyunjong sat the wise men of Muga and Jaegyeong, as well as the Yunja members, including Unam and Ungeom.
All the key figures of Hwasan had gathered to welcome him.
Though this was not the first time he had seen this scene… 'Indeed.' It felt a bit different from before.
The people he had seen during the previous Jonghwa gathering had all been worn down by life, somehow suppressed.
But now, there was no sign of suppression among them; instead, a subtle sense of ease could be felt.
'This is displeasing.' Samaseung's eyes narrowed slightly.
The source of their confidence was not particularly important.
Whether it was wealth, martial prowess, or mere baseless bravado, Hwasan could not possess anything that surpassed Jongnam.
Samaseung was simply displeased by the fact that the upper echelons of Hwasan had gained confidence.
"Do you find the tea to your liking?" Hyunjong casually asked, to which Samaseung lightly nodded.
"The fragrance is deep."
"I’m glad you like it."
Samaseung smiled faintly.
"It is indeed fragrant, but I have never particularly enjoyed the scent of plum blossoms."
Hyunjong's eyes twitched slightly.
However, he soon regained his composure and spoke in a gentle tone.
"Is there a reason for that?"
"In the forest, various scents arise. The smell of earth, the fragrance emanating from trees, and even the scent of dew. But in a place where plum blossoms are in full bloom, only the scent of plum blossoms remains. It is so strong that it masks all other fragrances."
Just as Hwasan had been in the past.
"The world is a place where harmony exists. Therefore, I prefer the subtle scent of leaf tea over the overpowering scent of plum blossoms."
The wise men maintained a calm demeanor, but the Yunja members could not hide their flushed faces.
Criticizing the tea of a rival sect's leader was akin to openly provoking them.
However, the wise men interpreted Samaseung's words somewhat differently. 'Does this mean that the past Hwasan, which pursued tyranny, rejected harmony?' The fact that he brought this up at this moment implied that Jongnam had not forgotten the grudges of the past.
Such words were not something a mere elder could utter in front of a sect leader.
Yet, no one present dared to point out Samaseung's words.
As Samaseung said, manners depend on the intentions of those who uphold them.
The moment rudeness goes unpunished, manners become mere facade.
With just a few words, Samaseung had steered the atmosphere in the direction he desired and smiled as he spoke.
"Leader."
"Speak."
"After this Jonghwa gathering, we at Jongnam have no intention of continuing this event."
Hyunjong narrowed his eyes.
"May I ask why?"
"It's simple."
Samaseung slightly curled his lips.
"The martial arts competition with Hwasan does not help Jongnam's development at all. The gap has already become too wide, hasn't it?" Hyunjong closed his eyes slightly.
It was an utterly humiliating statement to hear with his own eyes and ears.
The elders seated beside him could not hide their anger either. 'This guy…' Hyunyoung's beard trembled.
This was nothing short of blatant disregard.
How could he speak like that in front of the sect leader?
At that moment, Hyunjong, who had been quietly closing his eyes, slowly opened them.
"The Jonghwa gathering is not merely an event for martial arts competitions. Originally, the Jonghwa gathering was meant to foster friendship between Hwasan and Jongnam…" "Isn't that just a facade?" Samaseung interrupted Hyunjong's words.
"This…" Just as Hyunyoung was about to explode, Hyunseong pressed down on Hyunyoung's knee.
It was a signal not to act rashly.
Hyunyoung, alternating his gaze between Hyunseong and the sect leader, bit his lower lip. 'Isn't this crossing the line?' Who among them did not know that the current Hwasan and Jongnam were sects that could not even be compared? Even the disciples of Hwasan were painfully aware of this fact.
However, even so, Hwasan was a sect that boasted history and tradition.
Though not now, until a hundred years ago, it had proudly held its name among the Nine Great Sects and once aimed to be the number one sword sect in the world.
Even if it were a mere sect leader of a third-rate sect without disciples, behaving like this in front of them was not proper etiquette.
Samaseung, who could not be unaware of this, was openly committing rudeness.
Samaseung glanced at Hyunyoung and grinned maliciously.
Understanding the meaning behind that smile, Hyunyoung could only grip his thigh and endure.
The martial world is merciless.
Those without power can only endure.
After scanning the faces of those gathered in the room, Samaseung continued in a low voice.
"Jongnam and Hwasan have never had a good relationship. To be honest, it would be more accurate to say we are closer to enemies. I believe everyone here would like to chew me up right now." "…Not to that extent."
"Then, is there anyone here who has good feelings towards me? No, does anyone have good feelings towards Jongnam?" No one answered.
It would not be difficult to respond.
But who did not know that it would be a lie? They all knew, and so did Samaseung.
"There is nothing more futile than trying to mend a thread that has already been severed."
Samaseung's voice was firm.
It was as if everything had already been decided, and this was merely a notification.
For a sect elder to declare such a thing meant that the discussion with the sect leader had already concluded.
Thus, this was not just Samaseung's intention but the intention of all of Jongnam.
Furthermore, Jongnam was now officially stating that they would place Hwasan beneath their feet.
It was a declaration that they would no longer regard Hwasan as a rival.
It was a humiliating matter.
So very humiliating.
While no one dared to speak, Unam cautiously broke the silence.
"Isn't this a bit sudden?" "This should have been done long ago."
"Elder."
As Unam did not back down, Samaseung looked at him with a hint of disdain.
"Do you think Hwasan qualifies as a rival to Jongnam?" Unam fell silent.
He could not answer that question.
Samaseung chuckled softly and continued.
"Jongnam has already done its part by treating Hwasan well until now."
"Treating? That seems a bit harsh!" Unam raised his voice, and Samaseung grinned maliciously.
"What is harsh about it?" "…."
"Jongnam has forgotten the grudges of the past and has consistently helped Hwasan. In fact, isn't it unfair that the Jonghwa gathering has always been held at Hwasan? Yet, Jongnam has even provided a certain amount of resources every time the Jonghwa gathering was held at Hwasan. And now you wish to blame Jongnam?"
That was not the case.
Unam gritted his teeth.
The reason the Jonghwa gathering had only been held at Hwasan was obvious.
It was to come and mock the declining Hwasan directly and to show all of Hwasan's disciples the sight of Jongnam winning the martial arts competition.
And the resources they had offered under the pretense of support were merely bait to ensure Hwasan could not refuse the Jonghwa gathering.
"Leader."
Samaseung firmly spoke, suppressing the voices of others.
"If you find it difficult to understand, I will make it clear. After seeing the results of this Jonghwa gathering, Hwasan will be the first to say they will no longer hold the Jonghwa gathering. If you do not wish to ruin the children, think carefully."
Samaseung stood up.
Then, without waiting for the guest's farewell, he strode towards the door.
As everyone was bewildered and unsure of what to do, Hyunjong casually asked Samaseung's back, "Is Jongnam walking the path of tyranny?" Samaseung stopped in his tracks.
He turned his head slightly to look at Hyunjong.
There was no expression on Hyunjong's face, making it impossible to discern his intentions.
"That is not for me to decide."
Finally, Samaseung opened the door and left.
The faces of those left behind filled with anguish.
"How can he be so shameless?" Hyunyoung could not contain his anger and slammed the table.
The table cracked, and drinks spilled onto the floor.
Yet no one thought to blame Hyunyoung for his outburst.
Ungeom spoke heavily.
"Every time the Jonghwa gathering was held, they have always acted recklessly, but this time is the worst."
"That's right. This has crossed the line!" "How can a mere elder speak like that in front of a sect leader!" "Shouldn't we directly protest to Jongnam?"
Everyone could not contain their anger and added their voices.
But among them, only Hyunjong shook his head with a somewhat sorrowful expression. "…Let it be."
"Leader!" "Words can sometimes be meaningless. What significance would it hold if we spoke?" Unam lowered his head.
The others also bowed their faces twisted with anger.
Hyunjong spoke.
"I can endure humiliation as much as needed. Even if they spit in my face, I can smile without a care. What I worry about now is not that." "…Then?" "I worry about the children."
"Ah…" Unam's eyes trembled.
"Seeing him speak like that, this martial arts competition in the Jonghwa gathering will be exceedingly perilous. I can endure being harmed and humiliated, but what should I do about the suffering the children will face?"
Agony filled Hyunjong's face.
The burden he had to bear as the leader of a weak sect was too heavy.
"Then even now…" Unam began to speak but then fell silent.
Originally, what he wanted to say was, 'How about stopping the Jonghwa gathering now?' But before he could finish, he realized how absurd that suggestion was.
For a martial artist to give up a match out of fear of their opponent was a humiliation worse than death.
Moreover, were they not all from the same sect? If they surrendered without even fighting against someone from the same sect, that disgrace would follow their disciples for a lifetime.
"My sins are too great."
Hyunjong let out a deep sigh.
The others could not find words to comfort him and remained silent.
At that moment, Ungeom, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, spoke up.
"Leader, you should not think that way."
Hyunjong's gaze turned to Ungeom.
"They will use this martial arts competition to clearly show the gap between Hwasan and themselves, spreading the word that Hwasan no longer qualifies as a prestigious sect throughout the entire region of Seongseo. For the main sect, whose status has already fallen to the ground, it would be a decisive blow. Perhaps that is their intention?" "That may be true. But is there any other strategy?" "There is no strategy. If we do not suffer in the martial arts competition, that is all there is to it." "…."
"Leader."
Ungeom smiled slightly at Hyunjong, who was at a loss for words at such a ridiculous answer.
"Trust the children. Perhaps there may be good news." "…."
Under the suspicious gazes of everyone, Ungeom smiled brightly. 'Now it is your turn to prove it, Cheongmyeong.'