Chapter 73
Chapter 73
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: Songgye Sect of Bayang, Honam
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Songgye Sect. A righteous white path faction situated on Pine Stream Mountain.
Six disciples in total. A place tormented by the tyranny of the Crimson Bandit Sect, the preeminent black path sect.
Even today, as they wrapped up their day, the group looked utterly exhausted.
The Crimson Bandit Sect's harassments against Songgye Sect were both childish and brutally primal.
At the base of Pine Stream Mountain. The single narrow path leading up to Songgye Sect. Piles of excrement dumped there in massive quantities.
So much had been poured out that it completely blocked the road.
The Songgye Sect disciples who saw it wore utterly dumbfounded expressions, at a total loss for words.
That was why the six disciples of Songgye Sect had spent the entire day from morning until sunset shoveling away the filth, barely catching a break.
Sect Leader Song Jongdae had rolled up his sleeves to help clean as well, but his disciples desperately held him back and managed to send him away.
No matter how short-handed they were, that wouldn't do.
If the sect leader showed himself doing such a thing, it would play right into the Crimson Bandit Sect's hands.
Sect Leader Song Jongdae spent the whole day feeling deeply uneasy.
His disciples were suffering, yet he could do nothing because of his position. That gnawed at him.
So even on the night I came to visit, he was furrowing his brow heavily, lamenting the frustrating situation.
"Pardon the intrusion."
I spoke up in front of his room.
"Who is it?"
A calm tone, but unmistakably startled. The panic was palpable.
It was only natural. No presence had been detectable, yet a voice came from right outside the room. Anyone would jump.
A martial artist might think they wouldn't, but their shock would be even greater.
The higher one's attainment, the more impossible the situation would seem.
The door opened, revealing Sect Leader Song's face full of suspicion.
Tension and doubt filled his expression.
The doubt was understandable. If it were someone sent by the Crimson Bandit Sect, they wouldn't come so openly.
In that case, a blade would already be buried in his body somewhere—that would be the norm.
If they had gotten this close without him sensing a thing, it was only natural for that to happen.
"Sorry to bother you so late at night. I was hoping for a cup of tea. May I come in?"
His tension hadn't eased a bit.
But as the leader of a sect, he quickly regained his composure and spoke.
"Come in."
"Then, pardon me."
As I entered, Sect Leader Song closed the door, turned, and gestured for me to sit.
"Please, have a seat."
He prepared the tea set, brought boiling water, sat down, and slowly brewed the tea.
A late winter night. A room with a faint warmth. Two silent men.
I hadn't even revealed who I was, but Sect Leader Song had fully regained his calm.
Relaxed movements. Steady hands pouring tea.
Seeing that, he truly was no ordinary man. It wasn't easy to do.
Accepting one's own shortcomings was incredibly difficult.
Especially when countless others failed because they couldn't.
"I hope it suits your taste."
Sect Leader Song offered me a cup, and I took it, savored the aroma, then took a light sip.
"Excellent. It clears the mind. Pine needles?"
"The pines of Pine Stream Mountain have long been renowned. Since spring, I've personally climbed the peaks to pick and dry the young shoots."
"The leader's sincerity makes it this good."
It wasn't empty flattery—it truly was.
Among the teas I'd had since coming to this world, it would rank in the top five without hesitation.
"Who might you be, visiting unannounced so late?"
The question came at last. A tone feigning mild reproach.
But there was no real blame. If anything, it carried more curiosity.
"What do you think great justice is?"
My abrupt question should have flustered him, but he answered without missing a beat.
"Having not a shred of shame before the heavens."
Ah. That matched what the locals had told me.
Truly one and the same inside and out.
"What is shameful?"
"Deceiving others, deceiving loved ones, deceiving oneself."
"Then, if one commits unjust acts without deceiving others, without deceiving loved ones, without deceiving oneself, and does so boldly—is that great justice?"
Sect Leader Song smiled faintly and replied confidently.
"That is deception. It cannot be called great justice. Only the utterly shameless would do such things."
"I suppose so."
He stared at me intently after my response.
An expression hoping I'd say more. But when I stayed silent, he spoke again.
"What are you trying to say?"
"Nothing. Just curious about your take on great justice."
"Haha. Seems you're under some misconception. The man before you is neither just nor righteous. He's merely the pathetic leader of a sect too weak to stand properly against injustice."
"Quite humble. No one else sees you that way."
"I already said it. I don't deceive myself."
Sect Leader Song, saying that, was like a straight pine tree.
Songgye Sect, pine needle tea, pine trees... He was an easy man to read.
If everyone in the world were like him, conversations would be far simpler. No need to probe for hidden motives.
Of course, it might get boring too.
"You have every qualification to uphold great justice, but your personal cultivation hasn't caught up yet. Such a pity."
"I always feel my inadequacies. But that doesn't mar this body. Do you know of the pine moth? It must eat pine leaves. Eating oak leaves would kill it."
His words made it clear.
Peak Supreme Realm, late stage. A man on the cusp of Transformation Realm.
But his excessive humility was blocking that final insight.
Too rigid, and there's no breakthrough.
Too humble, and there's no ambition.
What he needed was one step beyond the upright path.
A cup already full. On the verge of overflowing. All it took was one drop.
"Shall we take a short walk? Care to step outside?"
I drained my cup and stood. He looked at me curiously.
But soon enough, he emptied his own cup, rose, and led the way.
"Do you have a favorite pine tree? One you've taken to heart. I bet you do."
"...I do."
"Far? If it's close, shall we go there?"
"Yes."
He led on, heading to the pine grove right behind Songgye Sect.
"This is it. The pine I planted when I first entered Songgye Sect as a boy."
Pride shone in Sect Leader Song's smile.
Even in the dark night, it was unmistakably massive.
He seemed in his fifties, so the tree had to be at least forty years old.
"Impressive. It's grown well."
A towering pine.
Straight toward the sky, untwisted and unbent.
Nearby pines were gnarled and contorted in various ways, but not this one.
Just like Sect Leader Song. No wonder he cherished it so.
Since we're on pines, let's go all the way.
I plucked a nearby pine needle and held it.
It looked hardly dashing, like holding a toothpick.
But it didn't matter. I could do it barehanded; the needle was just for show.
"I hope you gain something from this. Hm... Yes. This technique is called Red Pine. It suits you perfectly."
With that, I coated the pine needle in sword aura.
Nearly a chi long. Sect Leader Song's eyes widened.
Holding it, I swung straight toward his beloved pine.
Straight pine. Straight sword. Straight technique.
The stroke slashed upward from below, soaring as if to pierce the dark night sky.
But that wasn't the end. My body spun once, slashing upward again from below.
It looked the same as before, but it wasn't. I hoped he'd notice the change.
What Sect Leader Song needed was unchanging change.
Uprightness. A fine trait. A man needs that steadfastness.
Rejecting petty changes, tricks, or deviations from the path.
Good. But he couldn't blindly shun them either.
Humility is virtuous, but sometimes one must reveal their strength.
Humility and evasion are different. Utterly so.
The sword soared. A technique subtly shifting. Yet still straight.
The sword soared. Splendidly scattering at the end. Yet still straight.
The sword soared. Slowing then accelerating. Yet still straight.
Again and again, the sword soared. And it remained straight.
I finished the demonstration and flicked away the pine needle.
Turning to Sect Leader Song, he still gaped, eyes wide, staring at the sword strokes I'd swung.
Imprinted on his retinas and mind. To him, it must have looked like I was still swinging.
A good sign.
Conditions already overflowing. For such a man, only a slight hint beyond the veil was needed.
Not showing the answer. Revealing how to solve the problem.
Making those who already know their own answer look inward.
"Ahh..."
Admiration. A martial artist's awe. The thrill of discovery.
Sect Leader Song dropped into a cross-legged seat right there.
A sharply surging energy. Like a valley swelling in the rain.
And amid it, three distinct energies clearly felt.
Three Blossoms Converging at the Crown.
The stage of ascending to Transformation Realm.
Seeing it, I smiled with satisfaction.
Yes. I provide the opportunity. Whether one seizes it is up to them.
Sect Leader Song had grasped his chance beautifully.
Not an easy feat. Worth celebrating.
That was why I stood guard over him through the night.
With considerable pleasure.