Chapter 49
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: Running Away from Someone Else's House?
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“Uiseong Sasuk… lost…?”
At my mutter, Uihyeon sat me back down and patted my head.
“Yeon-ah. Look here. Victory and defeat can flip at any moment. So don’t take a loss too much to heart.”
No, how am I supposed to teach my disciple when my first defeat is being used as a lesson?
Uijin, who had been sitting there with arms crossed, saw Uiseong’s utterly shocked face and let out a snicker.
“Cheonghwi, that guy’s something else. To actually claim victory against Sasung Uiseong.”
“Probably the first time in twelve years? A true human victory.”
“Uiseong needs to get his act together after this loss…”
“Sasung Uiseong? It’d be a miracle if he doesn’t hole up on some Mount Hua peak in a fit of madness.”
Uiseong, who had shaken hands with Cheonghwi and trudged down from the stage, plopped wordlessly into his seat. Do-un, sitting beside him, clapped him on the shoulder.
“No one wins forever. Just don’t lose when your life’s on the line.”
Do-un Sasukjo, that doesn’t sound like much comfort.
Masters and disciples alike, they’re all terrible at consoling people. Seriously.
I wanted to go to Uiseong, but he was radiating such a strong “leave me alone” vibe that I gave up.
The oddly heavy atmosphere around the Mount Hua Sect side had us lowly third-generation disciples keeping our mouths shut, eyes darting nervously in case any sparks flew our way.
I really need to learn transmission arts…
The matches dragged on until the sun set.
The moment we got back to the lodging, the third-generation disciples burst open like a dam breaking.
“Uwaaaah, I thought I was gonna die…”
“He lost, but it’ll be okay, right? Master’s face looked kinda stiff, though. Ha…”
“The mood between the senior disciples and Uiseong Sasuk was no joke.”
“Exactly. I felt like I was suffocating. Is Uiseong Saback’s defeat really that big a deal?”
“Overheard it was his first loss after twelve straight years of wins. Gotta hit hard. Even the grand senior disciples before…”
At the mention of my own defeat, I shot a glare, and Biyun hurriedly clamped his mouth shut.
Biyun let out a deep sigh, his face troubled with ‘I’m worried about you’ written all over it, prompting Bihwan to scold him.
“What manners is that, dredging up bad memories for someone who’s already got enough worries?”
I waved off Biyun as he came over apologizing profusely, then flopped onto the bed and muttered.
“I hope I don’t end up losing to that Namgung Seheon bastard for twelve years straight.”
“So he wasn’t worried about Uiseong Sasuk, just his own future!”
Bihwan yelled, clutching his forehead.
Yeah, who’s the one inviting misunderstandings? Besides, even if Uiseong turns dark from the loss, what’s he gonna do? Hole up in Wudang’s Jaso Pavilion like he is?
But that prediction of mine shattered spectacularly after a little time passed.
Uihyeon flung open the door to our lodging in a rush, asking for me.
“Yeon-ah, has Uiseong been here by any chance?”
“No? He hasn’t come by.”
Seeing the sweat beading on Uihyeon’s forehead and his anxious expression, I asked with a ‘no way, no way.’
“Did something happen, Master?”
Forcing his usual smile to reassure me, Uihyeon stroked my head.
“That guy went out and hasn’t come back yet. You stay put in the lodging, alright?”
He ran off right after losing? At someone else’s sect? This is insane. I lost my mind from defeat shock too, but I at least went to the Jade Maiden Peak, not run away.
Uihyeon scooped up my body, which was leaning forward like I’d bolt out any second, sat me on the bed, and tucked me in.
“Ah, why!”
“Kids should be sleeping. Bihwan-ah, make sure Biyeon doesn’t go anywhere.”
“Got it. Don’t worry, Sasuk.”
Patting Bihwan’s reliable nodding head a couple times, Uihyeon left the third-generation lodging with a relieved look.
The instant Uihyeon’s footsteps faded, I threw off the blanket and jumped up. As I headed for the door, Bihwan stood there blocking it, arms crossed.
“You know I’m going out. So move, quick.”
“Since I’ve been asked by Uihyeon Sasuk, I have a duty to stop you from wandering Jaso Pavilion and going missing alongside Uiseong Sasuk, turning not just Mount Hua Sect but Wudang Sect upside down in the middle of the—”
“Too wordy.”
I grabbed his collar, struck the opening with a hand chop to the neck, and successfully knocked Bihwan out.
Dragging his collapsing body to the bed, I turned at the sound of Biyeong sneaking up.
“What, want me to knock you out too?”
“Hahaha, no way. Just in case, take your sword.”
I took my sword from Biyeong, dumped the unconscious Bihwan on him.
“Biyeong Sajae, you really don’t want to tell the grand senior…?”
“Leave him be. He won’t snap out of it unless he gets lost and flips Wudang upside down.”
Ignoring the conversation behind me, I steadfastly stuffed a pillow under the blanket to make it look like someone was there, then strode confidently to the door.
Before leaving, I slung my sword over my shoulder, turned back, and asked.
“If any Mount Hua elders come looking for me, say I’m sleeping!”
“That excuse’ll really convince them.”
Crying Biyeong Sajae sees the world way too negatively.
* * *
Just like Mount Hua’s upper halls, Wudang Mountain’s Jaso Pavilion was pitch dark at night.
There were lanterns here and there, but don’t expect streetlight-level brightness.
I’d come out, but…
‘Where do I even go…?’
I scratched my head and stood there blankly. Not from Mount Hua, first time here this year—how would I know where Uiseong might’ve gone?
Of course, unlike Namgung Seheon, I’m no pathfinder, but I had the way back to the lodging memorized. Still, turning back just minutes after leaving would bruise my pride too much.
“Out looking for Uiseong Dojang?”
Then, a low voice from behind made me jolt and turn.
My hand instinctively went to the sword at my waist, but I relaxed upon seeing who it was.
The speaker was the very guy who held major responsibility for Uiseong’s runaway at someone else’s house.
I nodded, and Cheonghwi smiled brightly, offering his hand.
“Perfect timing. Wasn’t keen on fetching him myself. I’ll guide you to where Uiseong Dojang is—bring him back?”
Without a second’s hesitation, I grabbed his hand and rapid-fired questions.
“You know where Uiseong Sasuk is? Did he say where he was going? Why tell only you and leave? Is it far from here?”
“No, he didn’t tell me, but there’s only one place in Jaso Pavilion Uiseong Dojang would go. And it’s not far.”
He said it was the secret spot Cheonghwi had once told Uiseong about. Makes sense—where else would he go in someone else’s sect?
‘A secret spot only the two of them know…’
See? If you two aren’t friends, then I’ve got none. Who shares a secret spot one-on-one if not friends?
Our footsteps—mine and Cheonghwi’s—were the only sounds echoing in the night air. To break the awkward silence, I asked.
“Was this really the first time Uiseong Sasuk’s ever lost to you?”
“Yeah, today was the first.”
“So you’ve only ever fought Uiseong Sasuk?”
Cheonghwi shook his head briefly at that.
“First match was with Uigang Dojang. Embarrassing to say myself, but back then, I had the best skill among Wudang’s third-generation jade disciples.”
“Uigang Saback? Who won?”
I could easily guess the winner from his wordless smile. Whoa, Uigang Saback lost.
“And in the next match, I got nicely beaten by Uiseong Dojang, the one I’d dismissed.”
“Dismissed?”
No way, like that Namgung Seheon bastard, did he look down on Mount Hua’s sword…?
“Said since I’d beaten your grand senior brother, no need to bother with a guy like you, and then, ahaha… ended up ruining my ‘undefeated in three’ nickname somehow…”
As expected, a sensible guy doesn’t scorn another sect’s sword, even if it’s hard. Take notes, Namgung Seheon, you punk!
Cheonghwi smoothed his slightly upturned lips and muttered at the air.
“It was a huge shock. First defeat, after all.”
“How’d you get through it?”
At my blunt question, Cheonghwi’s gaze met mine. I stared straight back, slowly closing and opening my eyes.
“Whenever it fades, that moment of defeat pops up out of nowhere, driving you mad.”
Reading the name of my bottled-up emotion, Cheonghwi smiled with crinkled eyes.
In those half-covered eyes floated a faint sense of kinship.
“Want some advice from this senior to a young little dojang?”
Letting go of my hand, he picked me up and patted my back.
“When that moment of defeat comes to mind, instead of recalling the instant your sword slipped from your hand, remember the moment your blades clashed and you were pushed back.”
“Why?”
“The former just brings anger, but the latter yields plenty.”
It was advice akin to Doseon’s conviction. Analyze the victor’s sword.
His large, callused hand ruffled my hair as I sank into thought.
“Experience of defeat isn’t so bad. Toughens the mind—”
Slipping through a narrow gap in the wall barely wide enough for one person, he strode up the mountain path, continuing his paused words.
“And when you finally seize victory, the sense of accomplishment is something else. The wins you’ve had so far as a little dojang mean nothing, right?”
“Ugh, you know it.”
“Comes with experience.”
Under the hazy moonlight, the handsome long-haired beauty’s smiling face gleamed. Free counseling from a hot guy? Glad I came out.
I won’t charge you for the counseling your disciple got before. Call it even.
While I pretended not to stare and ogled his profile from my perch, he asked first this time.
“Did you meet up well with Geon? He was really looking forward to this Dragon-Tiger Assembly.”
I sheepishly shook my head at that knowing smile.
Thing is, he grew so fast I didn’t recognize him.