Chapter 103
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 103
Chapter Title: Don't You Know About Collective Responsibility?
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As the fierce close-quarters battle dragged on, my breathing grew increasingly ragged by contrast to Baek Geon's relatively steady breaths. Even though our exchanges had been quite intense from the start, when there were sixty of us.
I resolved that I'd have to increase my stamina training time once I got back to Mount Hua, then squeezed out every last ounce of strength for one final strike.
'...Huh?'
It got blocked...? I bit my lip hard at the sight of my sword—my carefully aimed killing blow—caught by Baek Geon's defense.
In that instant, my hand moved so naturally I wasn't even aware of it, tracing a feint. I deflected Baek Geon's sword and struck hard at the wrist gripping it.
Damn, the importance of training.
The moment I relaxed my grip on my sword, I didn't miss the opening and smacked Baek Geon's blade flying from his hand with all my might.
"Argh, I lost. What a shame."
Baek Geon raised his empty hands and smiled with crinkled eyes. He glanced down at my hand, still holding the wooden sword, then turned to the referee. The referee cried out the result of our long, drawn-out match.
"The final winner is... Mount Hua's Biyeon!"
I flashed a grin at my cheering senior brothers, who were stomping their feet and whistling in relief, then clasped hands with Baek Geon for a light handshake.
And in front of everyone, I proudly returned after receiving the Taecheong Pill—preciously contained in a small box—from the Wudang Sect Leader.
Now that I'd gotten the Taecheong Pill, surely they wouldn't scold me when we got back to Mount Hua?
Yeah, that's what I thought at the time. And we did return to Mount Hua without getting scolded.
"Have some shame! Dragging Mount Hua's name through the mud like this? Is this what we taught you?"
The moment we got back to the lodgings, we got an earful—from Muryang Subul.
I'd noticed something was off from the way he kept a stiff expression behind the cheering Bija seniors, but whatever. Now, the Taecheong Pill was utterly useless.
Thirty of us lined up in the corridor, bowing our heads in unison—a sight that must've been quite the spectacle for anyone watching from the side. Being one of those bowing heads myself, I could only regret not getting to see it.
It's scarier when someone who usually laughs heartily gets angry, and Uigang—furious to the tips of his hair—was truly terrifying, sending chills down my spine. The other Uija seniors were glaring at us with equally icy stares.
And they had every right to. A disciple's failing is the master's failing.
The Uija seniors had just come back from meetings one after another with the elders and Doja seniors.
My body, fatigued from the long sparring session, began trembling after barely an hour—when I could've easily held a double hour under normal circumstances.
"We've emphasized time and again to grasp the meaning of martial arts through sparring and grow your skills! Afraid of a little tough training, you rig the match? Weren't you ashamed of that victory, that defeat? How can you even call yourselves martial artists?!"
Bihwan flinched with every word that dropped.
"Biyeon!"
Uigang bellowed my name like thunder. Gone was the warm, affectionate tone from when he called me "Yeon-ah, my Yeon."
"Yes."
"You were the senior brother—why didn't you stop your juniors? Do you think that position is just for wearing the hat of 'top dog' and looking down on those below you? You were fourteen, not seven—you should've known the responsibility on your shoulders!"
I did try to stop them. But what could I do when those adorable little juniors clung like bulldogs, refusing to listen, making me want to bite their heads off?
I knew speaking up here would only pour more fuel on the fire, so I shot a quick glance at Bihwan, who was peeking at me, signaling him to explain fast.
"Master, at the time, only the senior brother and Bireung junior sister opposed the idea and tried to stop us. So please hold me accountable instead—the one who ignored the senior brother and pushed through that cowardly spar."
Bihwan spoke in a calm voice. Once he finished, the piercing glares aimed at me softened a bit.
Uigang let out a heavy sigh, the anger in it somewhat abated.
"You all gave your all in today's matches and seem truly remorseful, so I'll end it here without further punishment. What you did back then was too shameful to even call a spar, and you've learned from my words today. But!"
I snapped my sneaking head back to position at the shout.
"If anything like this happens again, be prepared. Everyone, rise!"
I rubbed my throbbing crown and staggered to my feet. Damn Wudang bastards. Couldn't even keep a secret, and now we're getting reamed because of it.
And damn those junior brothers. I clearly warned them we'd get hell if we got caught. They could've just fought like beasts and won—what were they so scared of that they rigged it?
"Our little guy's got it rough."
Uiseong chuckled, resting his chin on my already battered crown.
"You tried to stop the rigging, went all out alone in the last Dragon-Tiger Assembly spar, even brought back the Taecheong Pill this time—and still got chewed out."
"How'd you know I was the only one fighting seriously?"
"Like you'd accept a rigged result with your personality, kid."
"If you know, why not tell Senior Uncle Uigang and get me off the hook."
"Brat, don't you know about collective responsibility? Can't just weasel out alone."
Nope, no clue. I shook my head, dislodging Uiseong's heavy noggin.
"Ughhh, body aching, dead tired. What the hell was that baseless sparring format anyway... Were they that desperate not to hand over the Taecheong Pill...?"
At my grumbling, Uiseong lightly ruffled my hair.
"In the Dragon-Phoenix Assembly, a good number of late-generation disciples gather, so they hold group preliminaries beforehand to thin the herd before drawing up the brackets. Like what you did today—toss 'em all in one spot and find the last one standing."
So it was a legit format after all?
"You've got the experience of sixty people piling on at once, so you won't panic at the Dragon-Phoenix Assembly—"
"Biyeon."
Uihyeon's interruption cut Uiseong off, and the two syllables of my name triggered a reflexive stiffening. It was like when parents use your full name.
"Come with me."
I shuffled along like a petty criminal headed to the slaughterhouse at his stern tone. I shot Uiseong a pleading look, but he waved me off with a beaming smile.
"What can a mere junior uncle say when a master is disciplining his disciple? Master and junior uncle are different, kiddo. Aigoo, can't even receive filial piety—how could I interfere?"
That guy's got a filthy lingering aftertaste!
* * *
"So yeah, after getting another harsh scolding from my master, that was it."
"We were running laps on the training ground till we puked. Mount Hua got off easy, huh."
Of course. Wudang proposed it first—if they'd punished us the same as the proposers, we'd be the ones hard done by.
"How'd you get caught anyway?"
"Two of my juniors were blabbing about rigging this spar too, and it reached Cheongja senior's ears."
The reason was so pathetic, I was speechless.
"How bad was your opsec?"
"Haha, sorry. Our side's screw-up. I'll apologize on their behalf."
Baek Geon bowed lightly in apology. Watching him, I rested my chin on my hand and asked.
"So, why'd you have to survive the spar no matter what? Got me curious enough to get chewed out."
"One, because we promised a one-on-one beforehand. And the other..."
Baek Geon paused, grinning brightly.
"Since you beat me, wanna bury it as a lifelong secret?"
"Argh, I lose sleep over secrets like that."
"You losing sleep over me is kinda tempting."
I recoiled, and Baek Geon burst into clear laughter. As he giggled, he arched his eyebrows slyly.
"Let me have at least one secret. And having you think of me constantly? Even better."
"Were you trying to get the Taecheong Pill to give to me?"
Baek Geon's laughter cut off at my listless question. I smirked, meeting his round eyes.
I'm not really clueless or slow—I just don't bother thinking or reading the room because it's a hassle.
"Well... I probably wouldn't have been thrilled to get it, but I appreciate the sentiment."
At his questioning look, I shrugged and added.
"It's not something I earned with my own strength."
Does it mean anything if I didn't seize it myself and just got it out of someone else's kindness? Sure, it's a fortuitous encounter, but getting something I lost by defeat? Bruises the pride. Of course, I would've taken it anyway.
Baek Geon smiled like a sigh, gazing at me with clear eyes.
"Well, the Taecheong Pill was an excuse... This once, I wanted to beat you."
Tap, tap. His fingers drummed the training ground sand, then stilled.
"I wanted to prove to you that I'm not that weak, bullied junior apprentice from back then anymore."
"Why?"
"Because I'm most afraid of you remembering me only that way."
Baek Geon lowered his eyes slightly, his long lashes casting shadows beneath.
I carefully examined the grown, changed Baek Geon—so different now from our first meeting—and told him the truth.
"Ever since Baekyun couldn't even squeak at you, that old image flew away."
"Living long enough to see the day Baekyun senior proves useful."
Baek Geon chuckled, but a shadow fell behind him, followed by an irritated voice.
"Why's my name coming up again?"
"Why crash someone else's cozy break time, senior?"
"Cozy my ass. Everyone from Baekdan up to the top senior brother—assembly called. You're the only one missing."
Baekyun, spotting me next to Baek Geon, smoothed his furrowed brow and waved dismissively.
"You're heading back to Mount Hua tomorrow, right? Safe travels."
"Did you eat something bad...?"
My jaw dropped at Baekyun's plain farewell instead of his usual snark. To my cautious question, he sighed loudly enough to make sure I heard.
"Sigh, as the adult over twenty, I'll endure. You grow up quick too. Don't keep living like that."
Ah, the usual Baekyun. Good. For a sec I thought he'd gone weird from hitting his head last time.