Justice for Resentment, Virtue for Virtue
If White Cloud City was the holy land in the hearts of the swordsmen of the North Sea Empire, then the Three God Islands were the sanctuary revered by the people of the sea. When the North Sea Empire was first established, there had been significant friction with the sea folk dwelling on the islands. These people were perfectly adapted to a life on the water. Eventually, however, a covenant was formed.
The Empire soon lost interest in the scattered islands, put off by their cramped geography, the sweltering heat, and a culture that differed vastly from that of the mainland. Consequently, they chose to maintain a peaceful relationship rather than pursue conquest. This long-standing exchange had evolved into a mutually beneficial partnership of trade and travel.
No one had expected that the man known as Elder Hae would be a figure from Dongryu Island, one of the legendary Three God Islands. It was only after learning of his origin that the crowd realized his appearance was far from ordinary. In particular, his long, flowing hair, which evoked the image of swaying seaweed, was a striking feature they had overlooked.
Regardless of the circumstances, for a martial artist, being invited into the tutelage of Dongryu Island was a miraculous opportunity that would never come again. It was an honor on par with becoming a disciple of White Cloud City itself.
Jo Pacheon initially felt a surge of shock and jealousy, but a sneer soon crept onto his face. "You mocked me for betraying my master, didn't you? Ha! Let's see what choice you make in the face of such temptation! The moment you accept Elder Hae as your master, you'll prove yourself to be the very 'small-minded coward' you claimed to despise!"
"Haha! Im Bukjin, you heard what Jeong Noe just said, didn't you? He claimed you aren't his disciple. Why hesitate now?" Baek Hae-geum laughed loudly.
At the front row, Im Gun-hyeon and Jin Ran-seo watched Bukjin with intrigued expressions. Their faces seemed to predict that the events of three years ago in this very garden were about to repeat themselves.
Watching the scene unfold, a strange light flickered in Im Ji's eyes. He was intensely curious about Bukjin's choice. Though the boy's decision had nothing to do with him, it felt strangely significant.
Suddenly, Im Ji felt a sharp pain in his arm and turned his head. Beside him, Im Jin was standing there, her grip on his arm so tight it was bruising. As for Cho Heun, he kept glancing back and forth between Bukjin and Jeong Sam-seok. Deep down, Cho Heun hoped Bukjin would refuse the offer, but he also knew such a thought was selfish. As an adult, he couldn't simply force his perspective on a fourteen-year-old boy and dictate his future.
Baek Geum-un watched with her hands clasped tightly to her chest, her expression tense. She didn't even know why she was so nervous, but her breathing had grown shallow and rapid.
At this moment, Bukjin was the sole focus of every person gathered in the government garden. Then, the corners of Bukjin's mouth curled into a smirk.
"I never imagined something like this would happen to me," Bukjin said, laughing as if he found the situation genuinely amusing. "Until now, I was one of the most unwelcome people in Unmong City. Not long ago, a mob was blocking the gates of the 3rd Academy, screaming for my head... and now, haha. I feel as happy as if a mountain of gold just fell into my lap."
Hearing this, a predatory smile spread across the lips of Baek Hae-geum and Jo Pacheon. Cho Heun felt an urge to stop him. Baek Geum-un took a sharp breath, her face pale with anxiety. "He's talking as if he's not unwelcome anymore! The only reason people aren't blocking the gates is because they're too terrified to try, not because they don't want you dead!"
Im Ji let out a heavy sigh and then gasped. "Ow, ow! Jin! That hurts!" His arm was being squeezed so hard by his sister it felt like the bone might snap. In contrast, Jeong Sam-seok's expression remained exceptionally serene.
It was then that Bukjin's gaze shifted toward Jeong Sam-seok. Wearing a sly, irritating smile that perfectly suited his reputation as Unmong City's greatest delinquent, he spoke.
"Hey, Old Man Jeong. You said all that just to make it easier for me to choose, didn't you? You're basically telling me to go ahead and join Elder Hae's sect."
Jeong Sam-seok replied, "You have the right to choose the path that is most advantageous for you."
Bukjin shook his head. "Old Man Jeong. Do you know why you were stripped of your position as one of the Five Great Swordsmen of White Cloud City and ended up as a teacher in this backwater town? Do you know why you had to watch with your eyes wide open as the disciple you poured your heart into was stolen by another?"
Jeong Sam-seok's brow furrowed. Bukjin didn't wait for an answer; he provided it immediately.
"It's because you're too damn nice. You're as soft as a Blessed Mother."
"A Blessed Mother?" Jeong Sam-seok looked bewildered. "What on earth is he talking about?"
The crowd looked on with varying degrees of confusion. Baek Hae-geum almost burst out laughing. "Is this beastly brat already insulting Jeong Noe to curry favor with Elder Hae?" He desperately wanted to know what was going through Jeong Sam-seok's mind right now.
Bukjin continued, "If I were you, do you think I would have let a piece of trash like Jo Pacheon just walk away and join someone else? If it were me, I would have broken his legs first before we even started talking. You don't need to live your life constantly being considerate of others. At the very least, you should weigh whether the person is even worth your consideration. He committed an act that defied all morality by betraying his master—why did you just stand there and let him go without a proper thrashing?"
"Huh?" Baek Hae-geum's smile began to stiffen.
Bukjin spoke again. "Rules are rules. Morality is morality. Those who fail to uphold them must be punished. It was wrong of you to try and understand or forgive him from the start. In my eyes, your greatest weakness is that you are far too benevolent. Let me ask you one thing. There is a saying: 'Repay resentment with virtue.' It means covering the wrongs done to you with kindness. If you do that, then tell me... what will you use to repay virtue?"
Jeong Sam-seok looked as if he had been struck by a physical blow. Silence descended over the garden.
Repay resentment with virtue. It meant smothering the malice directed at oneself with goodness. This was the core tenet pursued by the swordsmen of the North Sea Empire. It was considered a noble, high-level virtue—a spiritual posture to strive for. At this moment, the question Bukjin posed shook the hearts of everyone present. Indeed, if one repays resentment with virtue, what is left to honor actual virtue?
Jeong Sam-seok's heart trembled violently. Bukjin's words flew like a sharp dagger, embedding themselves deep within his soul. They pierced through the shackles he had hidden in his darkest corners. A shock, like a massive earthquake, rattled his mind. His body began to quiver. The impact, which started as a small ripple, began to transform him. The values he had held as most sacred for his entire life began to crack. Emotions he had painfully suppressed for years began to surge uncontrollably.
Then, Bukjin shouted at the top of his lungs.
"The answer is simple! Repay resentment with justice, and repay virtue with virtue!"
BOOM!
In Jeong Sam-seok's pitch-black mind, a massive explosion of light illuminated everything. It was as if a sun had risen. The Sword of Virtue in his hand began to vibrate and hum, as if sensing its master's heart. The emotions he had struggled with for sixteen years, the feelings he had stayed awake countless nights trying to cast away—the answers to gain and loss, to advancing and retreating—became clearer and more brilliant than ever before.
In this instant, his mind reached a state of unprecedented clarity. Even the Mystic Energy within his body began to surge and churn of its own accord. Baek Hae-geum was the first to notice the change. For a moment, it felt as if the Jeong Sam-seok of sixteen years ago had returned. Baek Hae-geum felt an involuntary shiver run down his spine.
Im Gun-hyeon and Jin Ran-seo also sensed the shift. The subtle pressure radiating from Jeong Sam-seok felt as if a seal that had suppressed him for a long time had finally been broken. It was the sensation of a razor-sharp sword intent splitting the heavens and shaking the earth. However, that overwhelming pressure appeared only for a fleeting second before being pulled back into his body and vanishing.
Bukjin, standing right there, also noticed. He could tell his words had had a profound effect on Jeong Sam-seok, though even he couldn't gauge the true scale of it. He decided to keep the momentum going.
"Repaying resentment with justice and virtue with virtue is the only way to make those who disregard the laws of this world fear them! And it allows those who know the truth to feel the true value of virtue! I, Im Bukjin, am already a student who has received your teaching. I have taken you as my master. Therefore, I cannot betray my master for personal gain! To abandon the basic morality a human must uphold just because a 'better' opportunity comes along is utterly absurd!"
Having finished his speech, Bukjin turned and bowed politely to Elder Hae.
"I am deeply moved by the interest you have shown me, Senior. However, I already have a great master, and I cannot abandon him."
A faint shadow of disappointment crossed Elder Hae's face. He was a man notorious for his exacting standards when choosing disciples. Despite his long life, he had never taken a successor. Bukjin was, without a doubt, the most desirable talent he had ever encountered. Yet, Bukjin's choice at this moment only made the Elder hold him in even higher regard.