Chapter 168
Chapter 168
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 168
Chapter Title: Must Be Righteous (3)
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My maternal grandfather, who had handed me a single iron coin, paid his respects to the Beggar Sect Leader Manbok and returned to the Yi Family Manor.
After seeing him off, Manbok, the Leader of the Beggar Sect, led me along.
"Walk with me a bit."
Following behind Manbok, we arrived at a small training ground.
Standing before the training ground, Manbok closed his eyes gently.
Then, he offered words of apology directed at me.
"I'm sorry."
However, Manbok's apology struck me as a bit odd.
Instead of responding right away, I posed a question.
"Hm? Wasn't the apology given when you visited the Yi Family Manor?"
In response to my words, Manbok firmly shook his head.
"That was a matter between our sects. The incident caused by the letter from the Shanxi Branch Division is something you have every right to demand an apology for."
"Strictly speaking, that's true."
"Indeed. I felt that I needed to wait until the Beggar Sect had settled on a disposition for the Shanxi Branch before properly conveying those words, so the apology came late."
Listening to Manbok, it made a certain sense.
I nodded deeply and asked once more.
"So, what have you decided?"
In answer to my question, Manbok began listing out the dispositions in order of lightest punishment first.
"The disciples who merely stood by will each be demoted one rank from their current status. As for the executives who signed the letter sent to you and Old Three, they will be demoted to White-Clothed Beggars and reassigned as liaisons to remote mountain villages."
When it came to Deok-geun, the former Branch Leader, he openly expressed his difficulty.
"As you know, that fool Deok-geun is tied to the Yi Family incident involving the Demonic Cult, and he held a rather high position among the disciples, so there are procedures we must follow. At this point, it's hard to say exactly."
But soon after, he cautiously made one promise.
"What I can promise is this: First, I'll take that fool Deok-geun to the Murim Alliance and make him confess his errors at the White Council. Afterward, he'll face severe punishment from the Enforcement Hall, and I'll personally oversee the entire process."
Then, he asked for my thoughts.
"That's the Beggar Sect's position so far. What do you think, Yong-un?"
At Manbok's words, a voice came from the sword at my waist—my master.
- Crabs stick up for crawfish. Isn't that old beggar defending the righteous faction scum?! Back when I roamed the world, I'd crush insolent fools like them on sight. Tch!
'If it were just their faults, I'd fully agree with Master, but they have merits in this case.'
The actions of the Shanxi Branch beggars were indeed outrageous.
But it was also true that they had merits.
'What would have happened if the Shanxi Branch beggars hadn't helped when the Demonic Cult invaded the Yi Family Manor?'
In the extreme, the manor might have fallen before Father or Paeng Mu-hyeok arrived.
Even if not that far, the damage would surely have been much greater.
'Considering their merits and faults, the nature of the Beggar Sect, Manbok's authority, and the fact that the Demonic Cult is starting to stir, this is probably the best they can do.'
In any case, the big picture was the Beggar Sect's reform.
Manbok had shouldered the political burden to show his resolve for that reform.
Having Deok-geun die here would be less helpful than properly following the procedures Manbok described, for the sect's renewal.
There was no reason to refuse this apology.
However, I had one suggestion.
"I'll accept the Leader's apology. But."
"But?"
Deok-geun's impending severe punishment and the One- and Two-Decree Beggars who had stood idly by—that was fine.
But the disposition for the Three- and Four-Decree Beggars needed a tweak.
"About sending those executives who signed the letter to remote villages. It seems like exile, but how about sending them to the Righteous Martial Academy instead?"
"The Academy?"
"Yes. I... trained them for three days, and those three had higher skills than the other beggars but even looser reins on their minds. I think three days of training wasn't quite enough. Since exile is already planned, why not send them to the Academy?"
At my proposal, Manbok tilted his head and spoke.
"...Sending them to the Academy where you and Old Three are is better than remote villages, but entrance exams are next year. Passing isn't guaranteed just by applying. Bok-cheol was a graduate to begin with..."
"Send them as graduate students under him, not regular cadets."
"Ah! Come to think of it, Old Three doesn't run a research lab like the other professors, so we could send them under that pretext?"
"Yes. They could assist Professor Old Three and also train at the Azure Bamboo Hall at the same time?"
As my words ended, the head that had been tilted now nodded as if it had never been otherwise.
A short moment passed.
Manbok continued staring at me intently, so I felt a bit awkward and spoke first.
"So, is that all you had to say?"
"......"
"If you're done, I should head back. There's a clear difference in training volume with and without me. Today being the last training day, I need to wrap it up properly."
But Manbok shook his head and spoke.
"Not yet. What I just said was as Leader of the Beggar Sect. As the Nine-Decree Beggar Manbok, I still have something to say."
Come to think of it, I recalled Manbok telling my grandfather that his business would take a bit longer.
As I thought that.
Manbok stepped onto the training ground and opened his mouth.
"I like you, kid. But you'll refuse to become a beggar, and my pockets are empty otherwise, so I suppose I should teach you a few forms of the Dragon Subduing Palms."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ I had already memorized fifteen out of the eighteen palm forms.
For him to teach me three more forms of the Dragon Subduing Palms meant he was imparting the complete set.
'It's something to welcome, but.'
Is this okay?
The incident had blown up because I'd learned fifteen forms from Old Three.
I wondered if it was fine for me to receive the full Dragon Subduing Palms.
'Isn't the rule to teach outsiders only up to fifteen forms?'
As I stepped onto the training ground, I pointed that out.
"Is that alright? Hasn't even Cheon Jang-ho learned them yet?"
"That guy's not ready yet."
"And I am?"
To my question, Manbok nodded slowly.
"In the events that unfolded in Tae-won this time, your actions showed the resolve to sacrifice for others and the spirit of a true wanderer. I sensed you were ready then, and this conversation confirmed it."
"This conversation?"
"Yes. Beggars must be righteous. You didn't just accept my apology as words from a superior; you pondered it deeply on your own. That is righteousness unbending to authority."
"......"
"In that pondering, your personal resentment likely tugged against concern for the world's peace. By quelling your resentment in the end, that is righteousness that worries for the world. Your actions and thoughts embody the Beggar Sect's spirit, so you are a disciple in clean robes."
Finishing his words, Manbok smirked and spoke.
"Don't like it? Should I not teach you?"
"I don't dislike it."
"See? Even this proves it. You could be burdened since the trouble started after learning fifteen forms, but you accept readily? That alone shows you're suited to be a beggar..."
"......"
"Ahem. Anyway, watch closely."
The conversation ended there.
Manbok began demonstrating the three forms I hadn't learned yet.
The remaining three forms were advanced versions of the fifteen I'd already memorized.
Memorizing the basic forms wasn't difficult.
"The last one is Dragon Battles in the Wilds. It's a palm technique that unleashes palm force using both hands."
"Like Twin Dragons Emerge from the Sea?"
"Yes. But the key is deploying one hand as a feint. You must hide substance in the void and place void in the substance to use it properly. Ultimately, you shouldn't be bound by the forms, but memorize the basics first."
After engraving the eighteenth and final palm form in my memory.
"Did you memorize all three forms well?"
"Yes."
"Really? After seeing them just once?"
"Yes. I'll need practice and real combat to master them, but I've got the basic forms down."
"Then, show me Dragon Subduing Swings Its Tail."
Manbok suddenly told me to use Dragon Subduing Swings Its Tail, the very first form I'd learned.
"Not the ones I just memorized, but Dragon Subduing Swings Its Tail?"
"Yes."
I tilted my head but followed Manbok's instruction obediently.
I drew internal energy from my dantian and circulated it as taught.
'A dragon ascending to the high heavens regrets that there is nowhere left to climb and must descend.'
I infused that energy exquisitely into a single palm strike through rotations of my lower body, waist, and hands.
'And at the moment the palm force bursts forth, withdraw it all!'
Then, from my hand, an ink-black dragon shot out like swimming through rapids.
Swaaaaaaaaak!!!!
But its power was utterly different from when I'd battered the Shanxi Branch beggars just days ago.
Kwarung!!!!!!
If the palm force that had just shot from my hand was a true dragon, then what I'd produced before was a head of a dragon with the tail of a snake...
It seemed the Dragon Subduing Palms only achieved perfection upon memorizing all eighteen forms.
"!"
Seeing my widened eyes, Manbok let out a hollow laugh.
"This guy's really memorized them after one look, huh? Well, anyway."
He ended his words with a grin stretching to his ears.
"That's the true Dragon Subduing Swings Its Tail."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Bok-cheol was a promising beggar.
Having become a Four-Decree Disciple at a young age, it was acknowledged by all that he was next in line after the current Leader for the Enforcement Hall position.
Deep down, he dreamed that if he could just surpass Cheon Jang-ho—who disliked hassle and lacked resolve—he could aim even for Leader.
But those dreaming days had turned into a three-day pipe dream.
Beep! Bweeep! Beep-beep-bweeep!
Now, Bok-cheol's dream was simply to escape this hell as soon as possible.
'I was wrong. I knew it was wrong but was blinded by favor and power. Buddha, Confucius, Heavenly Lord—anyone listening, please just end this hell...'
At that moment, Bok-cheol faintly overheard the Enforcement Disciples and Jeon-gal Seol-ja chatting.
"Heading back tomorrow?"
"Yes, that's what I heard."
"You've helped with work that should have been ours at the Enforcement Hall—much appreciated, and we've learned a lot. It's the first time I've seen such remorse and enlightenment in the disciples' eyes in such a short time."
"Tell that to Yong-un. I'm just doing what I was taught."
Eon Yong-un is leaving tomorrow?
'Just endure a bit more, and it's over!'
That news planted such a thought in Bok-cheol.
Yes. I did wrong, but this is enough!
Finally, the end!
'Eon Yong-un, that demon, is leaving Tae-won!'
A sly smile crept onto Bok-cheol's lips.
Seeing it, Eon Yong-myeong furrowed his brow.
"Hey, Jang-ho. That Bok-cheol guy's suddenly grinning like an idiot."
"Leave him be. Probably dreaming something nice."
Meanwhile, Manbok and Eon Yong-un, who had vanished toward the back of the Shanxi Branch, returned to the large training ground.
The returning Eon Yong-un halted hell with a single command.
"All rise!"
Then Manbok began announcing the dispositions for the Shanxi Branch in a booming voice.
"I will now announce the dispositions for this incident. Primarily, all beggars of the Shanxi Branch will be demoted one rank."
At this point, the smile on Bok-cheol's lips hadn't faded yet.
But it ended right there.
"Bok-cheol, Gye-chun, and O-bok, who actively participated in this incident, will be demoted to White-Clothed Beggars and dispatched to Elder Old Three's research lab."
It was the moment the sky caved in for the three beggars.