Chapter 61
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 61
Chapter Title: The Shame of Righteousness -1
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Unlike the second round where the Righteous Faction alliance held the advantage thanks to the regressor's carry, the first round's Righteous-Demonic War ended in a crushing defeat for the Righteous Faction, as stated in the novel.
If things proceeded as in the first round, Mount Hua, one of the pillars of the Nine Great Sects, wouldn't emerge unscathed either.
So please, Primeval Lord, let this be the second round.
I couldn't be sure if I'd get a "next" like the protagonist, so even if the world I lived in was the first round's, I had to twist the story to avoid its tragic end.
In that case, what I needed to do from now on...!
Nothing. A third-generation disciple who wasn't even an adult couldn't do jack. It'd be fortunate if I didn't get labeled a Demonic Cult spy for going around saying the Demonic Cult was on the move.
Just safely become the strongest peak expert at twenty, join up with the protagonist, figure out if it was the first or second round, and if it was the first, reference the original work from the sidelines to chart the optimal path to make it like the second—that was about it....
Suddenly, protagonists who possessed extras and changed the original story seemed respectable.
And next, the Demonic Cult showing signs of movement, whatever that entailed.
I could hear about it while wandering around Shaolin. Good, let's go take a look.
After a good night's sleep, I stepped out of the guest hall feeling much more refreshed than yesterday.
And got lost. Where should I go?
Of course, getting lost didn't mean actually wandering around in the wrong place like Namgung Seheon would. It was just a metaphor for not knowing where to head in my current situation.
Standing still in front of the guest hall, lost in thought, I sensed a presence behind me.
"Hey, Biyeon, the little powerhouse who dodged the Penance Cave."
A voice brimming with mischief, followed by an arm draping over my shoulder. I didn't need to turn to know who it was.
"I heard you were grounded. Is it okay to roam around like this?"
"Of course I snuck out."
Namgung Seheon grinned mischievously. I'd never paid much attention to his smile before, but squinting only his right eye seemed to be his signature habit.
"Didn't get in much trouble?"
"I don't get in trouble much to begin with. Father's strict only with my sister."
His smug, arrogant smile made him look just like a purebred black cat strutting around.
From what I remembered, the Martial Alliance Leader at the start of the original story was the former head of the Namgung Family. And the current head was his daughter.
That meant Namgung Seheon's older sister, Namgung Seeun, would inherit the family head position. Since he wasn't the heir, just a son, that explained the leniency.
With that kind of background, he could pass as a side character, but since I didn't remember him, he was probably an extra like me.
The world is wide and full of geniuses, yet we couldn't even make the cut for named side characters.
Realizing this forcibly equipped me with humility.
Even as an extra, that guy would live it up as a playboy young master with solid backing. His sister as Namgung Family head, his dad as Martial Alliance Leader—what was there to fear?
"What's with that look? Like you're staring at your benefactor weirdly?"
For some reason, Namgung Seheon shoved his face close with a curt tone. At the sudden proximity, I unhesitatingly slapped my palm over his face and shoved.
Something soft, hot, and wet touched my palm. Freaking out, I yanked my hand away from his face and wiped it vigorously on his clothes.
"Agh! Are you insane!?"
"Serves you right for grabbing my face. And lower your voice, will you? They'll hear I snuck out."
This bastard licked my palm with his tongue and had the gall to act shameless. He even freaked out when I wiped my saliva on his clothes.
"So what was with that expression?"
"Like you were looking at something pathetic."
Pathetic, yeah. An extra whose very mention in the original was questionable. Not that I was any different, which was the problem.
"Anyway, benefactor?"
"You blocked the Penance Cave for me."
Intuition hit me. He'd milk this debt for years to come.
"Why'd you do it?"
"Huh?"
"We both messed up, but you took the fall alone without saying a word. Why?"
I'd been wondering since that moment in the hall when our eyes met and he shut his mouth. My attitude would change based on his answer.
Namgung Seheon, staring straight into my eyes, shrugged and spoke.
"Hey, people have a sense of righteousness. I saw the Peng Family kid laying the groundwork to let you slip away—how could I pour cold water on that?"
Unlike his boastful tone, he sheepishly ruffled his own hair and added,
"Plus, it's better for the one getting off lighter to take the blame. Like last time we fought—I raised my hands, but you banged your head."
A more righteous reason than expected. I'd been thrilled to escape scot-free, but to think my righteousness gauge was lower than this guy's.
Oblivious to my inner sting, Namgung Seheon tilted his chin up and spouted nonsense.
"You're grateful, right? So I win this bet—"
"That's that, and this is this, you punk."
Trying to snag the bet result for free?
No way. Beyond the pride sting from righteousness levels, I couldn't stomach being the lesser one here.
"Hey, where you going?"
"To restore my righteousness gauge."
As I marched resolutely back to the guest hall where Mount Hua was staying and flung the door open, the Sect Leader's tongue-lashing voice rang out crystal clear.
"Smashed the floor and chipped the Buddha statue? Don't know whose kids they are, but damn...."
"They pulled off a real disaster. Tarnished their family name proper too. Word is Shaolin went easy calling it kids' pranks, but the family didn't even punish them separately."
"Sigh, this is what happens when you raise kids too soft these days. If it were Mount Hua brats, we'd drag 'em straight to the Penance Cave."
Cold sweat poured down. Before I could restore my righteousness, I'd end up not just in Mount Hua's doghouse but Shaolin's Penance Cave.
I quietly slammed my head to the floor first.
Preemptive head-bang confession technique. This method showed full-body remorse upfront, slightly softening the adults' anger.
Thud. As the head-bang echoed, the conversing elders' gazes snapped to me.
"Why suddenly head-banging? You're making people anxious for no reason."
Even as the Sect Leader scolded, I kept my mouth shut and held the position. Sensing something off, the adults began denial.
"No way...."
"Hahaha, no, right, Yeon? Our boy wouldn't pull something that crude."
"We heard it was the Peng Family youngest and Namgung Family youngest?"
"Yeah, Yeon. Being there is fine. As long as you didn't swing, it's none of your business."
At Uihyeon's kind words defending me to the end, I confessed in a shrinking voice.
"Not that... Namgung Seheon and I did it... The Peng kid took the blame...."
"I told you not to cause trouble!"
The Sect Leader bellowed like thunder.
"Uihyeon, I brought your disciple to keep him out of trouble...!"
As arrows flew at Uihyeon too, I sprang up.
Ignoring the scolding for lifting my head when I did nothing right, I raised my chin steadfastly and declared seriously.
"I don't regret it."
"What?"
"It was just an accident in the process of restoring the shame Mount Hua's sword suffered two years ago."
The shame from two years ago. The Sect Leader couldn't have forgotten how Mount Hua's sword was humiliated by some mere clan kid.
His voice and expression softening considerably, the Sect Leader asked,
"Did you win? If you did, it's fine."
"No, it was a draw."
"You caused that mess and didn't even win?"
As he clutched his neck, I quickly head-banged the floor again. Furious bellowing followed.
"You'll head straight to the Penance Cave the moment we return to Mount Hua!"
"Thinking back, it feels like Namgung Seheon dropped his sword juuust a tiny bit faster."
Did I poke the bear? No, but how was I supposed to know the sword would fly that way?
"Still, the Penance Cave is too harsh for a ten-year-old kid, isn't it?"
No, but I'd restored my righteousness gauge that nearly lost to Namgung Seheon—no regrets....
"Agreed. How about a month cleaning the Ancestral Hall, Lotus Hall, and main assembly hall instead?"
"Yeah, that beats the Penance Cave."
"Add the Sect Leader's office too."
"That'll be too much for Biyeon alone. The main hall's no small feat... and the Ancestral Hall requires polishing every single spirit tablet."
"If he can't handle that, is it real remorse?"
...How about neatly wrapping it up with two days in the Penace Cave instead?
* * *
"You spilled everything just because your pride stung from me covering for you? That's your reason?"
As I half-heartedly mopped the pristine hall floor with a dry rag, Namgung Seheon recoiled beside me.
"That's your reason? I can't stand being the lesser party, no matter the cause."
"This guy's nuts, right?"
Seeing him twirl his finger by his temple, I got pissed and chucked the rag at his face.
One causes trouble together and skates free, while the other takes the full punishment solo. Relative deprivation hits again. Sect vs. clan discipline gap, right on cue.
Namgung Seheon lightly snatched the incoming rag, tossed it dust-free, caught it, and asked,
"But this is Shaolin's punishment? Why are we cleaning the hall we trashed?"
He tossed the rag back and forth as he spoke.