Chapter 274
Chapter 274
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 274
Chapter Title: What is the Justice of the Orthodox Factions?
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What is the justice of the Orthodox Factions?
Typically, those who possess the will to uphold justice and chivalry were called members of the Orthodox Factions.
It wasn't wrong.
In the broadest sense, all those who held such ideals were classified as Orthodox Faction members.
However.
'That's not all there is to it.'
For a traditional Orthodox sect like the Mount Hua Sect, there were things that accompanied their ideals of justice and chivalry.
Helping the weak through moral actions.
Stepping forward when there was rightful cause and justification, moving for the greater good.
Abstaining from cowardly tricks or tactics during battle, confronting enemies head-on without shame.
And also.
'Realizing justice through loyalty and cooperation rather than personal feats of valor.'
Such things were exceedingly important as well.
The Mount Hua Sect was a sect accompanied by a long history.
As such, they were accustomed to communal living, and when facing external threats, they would unite their strength with their comrades.
Thus, in places like the Nine Great Sects and the Great Clans, the importance of the group sometimes superseded that of the individual.
Those comrades who had always stood back-to-back as one group had been more reliable than anyone else.
Yet now, they had all become enemies.
Whiiiuuung—
A cold wind chilled the nape of his neck.
There wasn't a single tree or blade of grass on the summit.
There was nowhere to hide anywhere, and everyone was under the same conditions.
In that state, with them seated in a circle, a single water bottle lay at the center.
Just one water bottle.
And thirty second-generation disciples surrounding it.
Hyeok Mulin gazed steadily at their breathing and eyes.
Gulp.
They had scaled the sheer cliff for a full four hours without a single drop of water.
And that under the scorching sun, sweat pouring like rain.
Long ago, their throats had been filled with burning thirst.
Yet none of them moved first easily.
At the base of it all lay the ideals of consideration and cooperation that they had heard drilled into them endlessly while growing up as Orthodox Faction members.
Thus, they merely stole glances at one another.
At that moment, seeing that no one was moving, Hyeok Mulin picked up the water bottle on the ground.
He gulped down the water inside and nodded.
"Refreshing."
Having quenched his thirst, Hyeok Mulin set the bottle back down, leaving about half the water.
As the Mount Hua disciples sent envious gazes at the sight, Hyeok Mulin added.
"We're conducting training for three days, yet this is all the water you brought?"
"……!"
They had thought they just needed to endure a moment, but this was the only chance to quench their thirst in a three-day training session?
At Hyeok Mulin's soliloquy that wasn't quite a soliloquy, their gazes began to change.
A burning desire unlike before filled their pupils.
"I suppose my throat will get thirsty again in about half an hour."
The meaning of Hyeok Mulin's words was clear.
Half an hour remained.
If they wanted even the remaining half bottle, they needed to move right now before it was too late.
With time now limited, those who had been watching each other began to move one by one.
The first to act was a man with somewhat thick eyebrows.
"Ahem. The saying 'elders before juniors' isn't there for nothing."
His name was Hwe Mun.
He was the oldest among the second-generation disciples.
Clearing his throat, he slowly stepped forward.
"Since we've all exhausted ourselves so much, let me just take a sip first to wet my throat. I'd appreciate your understanding."
But the moment he finished speaking, a tall youth from the opposite side stepped forward.
"Hold on. Wouldn't it be cleaner to decide the order based on when we joined the Mount Hua Sect?"
His name was Hwe Seok.
He was the first among the second-generation disciples to join the Mount Hua Sect.
The moment he finished speaking, voices rose from various places.
Each claiming their own advantageous points, insisting why they should drink first.
They all shouted for just one sip, exactly one sip, but there was no one willing to yield.
Unable to reach a consensus, a sudden silence fell among them.
And in that instant, without anyone leading, they all lunged toward the water bottle, hands outstretched.
From then on, the place turned into utter chaos.
"Put it down!"
"Where is it?!"
"This one?"
"That's my arm!"
Amid the cloud of dust, they shoved and collided to seize the invisible water bottle.
Hyeok Mulin watched the spectacle from a step away with a dry gaze.
'In the end, it came to this.'
He had anticipated this outcome.
He had harbored a faint hope that, being from Mount Hua, they might be a bit different, but in the end, where people lived, it was all the same.
And Hyeok Mulin didn't think this was simply the result of their youth and lack of training.
If the Martial Alliance's martial force unit were isolated in the heart of enemy territory, with only one water bottle left among them.
They would meet the exact same end.
No matter how righteous, the desires and fears as humans were all the same.
"When you first accepted this proposal, I wondered if it was even necessary."
Looking at the rampaging second-generation disciples, Cheon Su-myeong continued with a satisfied expression.
"Now I see you had it all planned out. Well, when else would we get to see the Mount Hua Sect brats in such a pathetic mess?"
Cheon Su-myeong, demonic to the bone, simply enjoyed watching the Mount Hua disciples fight among themselves.
They didn't draw swords as if avoiding crossing the final line, yet emotional brawls were already unfolding.
'As expected of the Heavenly Demon. Making those righteous fools expose their ugliness right in his palm.'
He could only admire Hyeok Mulin for naturally leading the Mount Hua disciples into this scene.
But Hyeok Mulin merely watched their struggle without a word.
In truth, his intent differed from what Cheon Su-myeong imagined.
Hyeok Mulin's eyes clearly captured the movements of the second-generation disciples, and through them, he gauged Mount Hua's future.
This was an opportunity to measure Mount Hua's strength, and Hyeok Mulin didn't miss it.
After observing them for a long while, Hyeok Mulin suddenly began to move slowly.
At the center of the battlefield, he effortlessly seized the water bottle and gulped down the remaining water.
It was slightly less refreshing than before, but enough to quench his thirst.
Afterward, Hyeok Mulin opened his mouth.
"Enough."
In an instant, all movement ceased.
All eyes focused on Hyeok Mulin.
"Unfortunately, time's up."
At his words, they couldn't hide their dazed expressions.
"As I said earlier, there's no more water. Now, let's begin the next training."
Finishing his words, Hyeok Mulin walked to the edge of the summit.
Looking down at the second-generation disciples from there, he glanced at the sun and said.
"Return to the main sect before sunset. Anyone who doesn't make it in time or falls behind won't be able to join training from tomorrow."
"Yes...?"
As the second-generation disciples' eyes filled with confusion at his words, he lightly stepped back one pace.
Seeing Hyeok Mulin descend the summit, Cheon Su-myeong chuckled and followed behind.
Thus, only the second-generation disciples were left stranded on the peak.
"This..."
"We have to go back down?"
"Before sunset?"
Alternately checking the base of the peak and the sun's position, despair shadowed their faces.
"......Impossible."
For ordinary gentle slopes, descending required more strength and stamina than ascending.
But for sheer cliffs like this?
Descending was at least twice as hard as climbing up.
It had taken a full four hours to barely reach the summit with all their effort.
'To accomplish something even harder in just the time before sunset?'
With only two or three hours left, no matter how they thought about it, it felt impossible.
In the end.
"I'm giving up."
"Me too."
They plopped down one by one, declaring their abandonment of the training.
From the start, the training so far had deviated greatly from their expectations.
What was the point of inviting an outside swordsman?
To broaden their perspectives with swordsmanship different from Mount Hua's, right?
Yet all they'd done was climb treacherous cliffs barehanded and brawl over water.
'What enlightenment or insight can we gain from this?'
'Let's just give up and relax.'
'There's nothing to learn anyway.'
Their wills and motivations were already thoroughly broken.
As the disciples sat down one by one, thinking to rest and descend slowly, only one person remained steadfastly standing.
Seeing him refuse to sit until the end, those around asked.
"Hwe Gang?"
"What's wrong? Are you hurt?"
At the voices, the hitherto silent Hwe Gang finally spoke.
"Do you truly not understand the profound intent behind the trials that Hero Hyeok has given us?"
"What?"
"What are you suddenly talking about...?"
They couldn't comprehend Hwe Gang's words.
It was hard to accept that tasks that seemed mere pointless toil held deep meaning.
"What does some nameless guy think he is, making us do such meaningless training..."
"Actually, I've witnessed that man's prowess before."
"What?"
"Is that true?"
At their reactions, Hwe Gang nodded with a slightly trembling voice.
Recalling that moment, he still found it hard to believe, but it was an undeniable fact, so he needed to share it.
"Hero Hyeok sparred with Elder Sangseo at the Shaanxi Sword Assembly. And he emerged victorious."
"......!"
At those words, all the second-generation disciples' eyes widened enormously.
"Elder Sangseo?!"
"Yes. And it was an overwhelming victory, extinguishing the elder's plum blossoms in just one exchange."
Craaaack—
Their jaws dropped open in unison, showing no sign of closing.
In the narrow world of Mount Hua where they had lived their entire lives, the elders' dignity and presence were immense beyond compare.
Yet such an elder had been defeated in just one exchange?
Their gazes toward Hyeok Mulin completely reversed.
Hwe Gang's voice didn't stop.
"Would a man like that assign each training without meaning? Absolutely not. In today's training too, you just failed to notice, but Hero Hyeok's deep intent was hidden within."
Cooperation was certainly an important element in the martial world.
Just as disciples united to form the Mount Hua Sect, and sects united to uphold the Martial Alliance, cooperation was indispensable for building groups.
However.
Today, they faced the truth.
To seize the water bottle, they couldn't trust others. The only one they could trust was themselves.
"It's a trial given to teach us that when facing true hardship, the only thing reliable in the end is one's own power!"
At Hwe Gang's shout, everyone's eyes flew wide open.
"Such a profound meaning...!"
"Moreover, he told us to descend the peak within our short remaining time. The true intent behind this seemingly impossible training."
Closing his eyes tightly, Hwe Gang recalled Hyeok Mulin and continued in a reverent tone.
"It must surely be testing not our abilities, but our wills."
It's not a question of whether it's possible or not.
It's clearly a question of whether we attempt it or give up.
As that sank in like lightning striking their minds, Hwe Gang headed to the edge of the summit.
"Therefore, I will descend. To show Hero Hyeok my will."
Clack.
Gripping the edge with his hand, Hwe Gang began descending the cliff.
As his figure vanished, the remaining ones silently looked at each other.
"......"
And shortly after, the disciples rose from their seats one by one.
And without anyone leading, they began to move.
All descending the cliff, deciding once more to follow Hyeok Mulin's training.
As Hwe Gang said, since it came from a great swordsman, there must be important meaning here too.
And after overcoming today's training, from tomorrow they would surely move beyond physical conditioning to wielding swords.
With that thought, they gritted their teeth and moved.
And fortunately, the next day, as anticipated, they finally got to hold swords.
However.
"Again."
Whoosh!
The one standing before them was not the figure the second-generation disciples had expected.
The one now watching them was not a man, but an elder.
"Again."
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whooo...
"Again."
And it was already the three thousandth time.
The second-generation disciples had repeated the exact same motion three thousand times.
Simply raising the sword and bringing it down from above.
Yet Cheon Su-myeong, watching that simple downward chop, merely detached his lips mercilessly toward them with a still stern face.
"Again."
The second day of training.
What unfolded before them was an endless cycle of repetition—an infernal hell without end.