The Supreme Good is Like Water (Because It Does Not Contend)
Un Hak gazed at the middle-aged man standing before him.
His sturdy inner energy made him appear younger, but he was already well past fifty—the head of the Sacheon Dang Clan, Dang Yeong-jung.
Dang Yeong-jung's cold face bowed low.
"I apologize on behalf of my father."
The clan head lowered his head.
What greater apology could there be?
Un Hak let out a small sigh.
"We didn't come here to receive an apology from you, Clan Head."
"I know. But this is how it must be."
The Kunlun Taoists' minds flashed with rumors about Dang Yeong-jung.
'Poor man, having such a father must be a real ordeal.'
Dang Yeong-jung was a martial artist of exceptional talent, counted among the Fifteen Lords—the generation below the Ten Supremes—and hailed as the Poison Lord.
Unlike his icy demeanor, he was also a celebrated hero, renowned for countless acts of xiaoxing.
But there was a problem. No matter how many heroic deeds he performed, what did it matter?
His other nickname was the Low-Headed Gentleman, earned from his daily routine of bowing and apologizing to those victimized by his father.
In the jianghu, father and son were dubbed the Dog Father, Tiger Son, a testament to the Poison Venerable's outrageous villainy.
Un Hak clicked his tongue inwardly as he recalled the Poison Venerable throwing his tantrum.
'The rumors might be true—that Dang Yeong-jung keeps up his heroic acts to restore the family name tarnished by his father, the Poison Venerable.'
In any case, with the clan head himself giving his firm assurance, even the Poison Venerable wouldn't dare show up again.
"Then we'll take our leave. Clan Head, will you not attend the Murim Alliance conference?"
"I must see my father first. Allow me to see you off, at least a little."
As Un Hak moved to decline, a commotion erupted from outside.
"Halt! Your robes mark you as a Kunlun disciple, but you can't just barge in!"
"It's an emergency! Where are your elders?"
"What on earth is this about?"
"There's trouble between your clan's Supreme Elder and our sect's disciple!"
"Trouble?"
"An ambush! No time to explain—guide me quickly!"
The Kunlun Taoists in the room paled.
'An ambush! We told him not to, but Jeong Gwang went and did it anyway!'
Unlike them, Dang Yeong-jung calmly opened the door.
There stood Dang O-gun facing off against a young Taoist.
"Explain in detail."
The young Taoist, Jeong Hyeon, replied in an agitated tone.
"The Poison Venerable ambushed our sect brother Jeong Gwang with poison!"
Color returned to the Kunlun Taoists' ashen faces.
'He wasn't the ambusher—he was the victim!'
'What a relief! Truly a relief!'
Worries about Jeong Gwang's safety came belatedly.
'Even for Jeong Gwang, his opponent is the Poison Venerable!'
Un Hak asked urgently.
"How is Jeong Gwang faring?"
"We moved him to a room. I only saw him start qi circulation and breath regulation before rushing here, so I don't know his current state."
"And the Poison Venerable?"
"Our senior brothers are blocking him from laying hands on Jeong Gwang again."
The Kunlun Taoists burned with rage.
'When the disciple refused to take him as master, he attacked? What kind of shameless old wretch is this!'
Of course, there were questions too.
'Even so, he has his pride. To ambush a much younger junior?'
Whatever the truth, they had no time to dawdle.
Dang Yeong-jung felt the same.
"I just asked you to trust us, and now this happens—my deepest apologies. I'll go with you."
Un Hak decided he'd confirm the full story first before venting anger or demanding explanations.
"Very well."
They dashed off like arrows.
Along the way, they passed many people, all chattering about the Poison Venerable and Jeong Gwang.
"Heard the Poison Venerable ambushed a Kunlun disciple with poison?"
"You don't know the details. The senile old fool ambushed a young Kunlun disciple with poison and then beat him senseless."
"No! The senile Poison Venerable was smearing shit on the wall when a Kunlun kid pitied him and tried to help, but the old man shat himself, ambushed the kid with poison, beat him, and buried him!"
The Kunlun Taoists got chills.
"Jeong Hyeon! Your story doesn't match theirs at all!"
"Huff... huff... Granduncle! The tale's been twisted! It's not that bad!"
No comfort there—only heightened urgency.
They ran hard and soon reached the Kunlun sect's lodgings.
"Th-that's...!"
Around the front hall, Jeong generation disciples surrounded someone.
It was the Poison Venerable.
As they arrived breathless, his shrill voice rang out like a welcome.
"You damn pests! Won't you move?"
"Muryangsubul. Please calm down! Why go after lowly disciples like us?"
"Because you're blocking me! Step aside now!"
"We can't! Please just leave!"
"Oh ho. You need to see blood to listen, is that it?"
Seeing the Poison Venerable raging wildly, Dang Yeong-jung frowned.
Even he, tempered to extremes by his troublemaking father, could endure no more.
"Hah!"
Dang Yeong-jung leaped forward, landing atop his father's head.
From his hands spun eerie, shimmering Ami spikes.
* * *
"Jeong Gwang! Are you all right?"
The door burst open as Un Hak and the Taoists rushed in.
They gaped at Jeong Gwang, sitting on the bed sipping tea.
"......You, you......"
"You're here?"
No way.
It can't be.
They swarmed him, checking his body, taking his pulse, making a huge fuss.
And accepted reality.
'He's perfectly fine!'
'The Poison Venerable ambushed him, and he's like this? What trick did this kid pull now?'
Un Hak spoke for them all, sternly.
"Tell us honestly—very honestly—what happened."
"Nothing much. Actually......"
Soon, the Kunlun Taoists clutched their heads.
"......Couldn't you have held back a bit more?"
"I did, a lot. But it seemed endless. You said yourself he wouldn't give up, Granduncle."
"......Even so, framing him was wrong."
"Framing?"
Un Hak glared as Jeong Gwang widened his eyes in genuine bafflement.
"Wasn't it?"
"I only said 'Po, poison...' I never said he ambushed me."
"......So you just muttered to yourself, and people misunderstood?"
"Yep."
"......And because of his usual behavior, everyone jumped to conclusions?"
"Granduncle gets it right away. Love that about you."
"......I'm not thrilled. It scares me how well I understand you."
Jeong Gwang clasped his hands.
"Muryangsubul. All phenomena have their own principles—this is......"
"Enough. Let me sum up your story......"
Un Hak spoke with a hollow laugh, incredulous even to himself.
"It's all his karma."
Jeong Gwang marveled.
"Wow, Granduncle-martial uncle, how'd you know? You've really grasped the Dao."
* * *
No matter how willful the Poison Venerable was, he was still human.
When his son unleashed a killing assault, he panicked, flailed, and fled.
Dang Yeong-jung pursued, and the onlookers scattered.
Thus, the outside commotion settled.
But the real issue inside was just beginning.
"What should we do about this? Speak if you have a good idea."
At Un Hak's words, the Un and Heo generation Taoists furrowed their brows.
'Of all people, the infamous Poison Venerable.'
'If Jeong Gwang's right, it's all his karma...... Sigh. Let's set that aside.'
'At least neither was hurt—small mercy.'
'The Poison Venerable will rage about his innocence.'
'Few will believe him. Not even his own son, the clan head.'
'Even hating his father, would he fully disbelieve?'
'And he'll come back stirring trouble. What then?'
No answers came, no matter how they pondered.
Only Heo Jik raised his hand, as if struck by inspiration.
"May this disciple speak?"
Un Hak eyed him steadily before replying.
"Are you about to say since Jeong Gwang caused the misunderstanding, we go to the Dang Clan, explain the truth, and clear it up?"
"Yes. Your insight is as sharp as ever, Martial Uncle......"
"Rejected. Other ideas?"
"But Martial Uncle, by the righteous path, isn't that the proper way?"
"Sigh. I know you're inflexible, but this is extreme. What do you think would happen if we did that?"
"If we apologize where due and question where needed, the Dang Clan will accept it. Spreading the truth would also protect their honor."
Stubborn or just naive? Un Hak nearly blurted, 'Now I see why your sister despises you.'
"We'll talk privately later. Any other opinions?"
The deflated Heo Jik aside, the others racked their brains fiercely but found no solutions.
As they sighed deeply, one voice cut in.
"You're overcomplicating it. We just pried off the tantrum-throwing geezer."
"......When did you sneak in?"
"Just now."
Un Hak sighed earth-shatteringly and glared at Jeong Gwang.
"We're discussing practical matters here."
"Overthink it, and you can't follow the Dao. Hmm. Guess I'm still too green."
"......Then share your Dao. What would you do?"
"Two ways."
As all eyes turned to him, Jeong Gwang held up one finger.
"First, no one knows I wasn't ambushed—except us."
"......So we do nothing?"
"Yes. Supreme good is like water; because it does not contend, it flows freely without strife."
"......And the second?"
Jeong Gwang raised another finger.
"The first follows the Dao; the second engraves it in the body."
"......Beat the Poison Venerable?"
"In summary, yes."
"......Feasible?"
"With you martial granduncles here, who's to fear?"
"......I fear you."
As Un Hak eyed him complexly, Jeong Gwang spoke earnestly.
"It's the Poison Venerable. Right or wrong aside, if an innocent suffered misunderstanding because of me, I'd have no defense—but my heart holds no shame."
"......Excellent mindset. But listen."
Un Hak's gaze sharpened.
"He only harassed you with words. Did you have to go that far? You went too hard. Your thoughts?"
All thought Jeong Gwang was cornered, but he was Jeong Gwang.
A bold voice rang out.
"The Poison Venerable tried to strike me."
"......How do you know?"
Having rolled through the demonic cult's hell for over a century in his past life, Jeong Gwang could sense the intent the instant an opponent moved.
"Felt it."
Truth, but Un Hak couldn't just say 'I see.'
A youth not yet thirty sensing a Ten Supremes' attack intent?
No proof—who'd buy it?
All shared Un Hak's sentiment.
Except one.
"So that's how it was."
Heo Cheong nodded, and Jeong Gwang grinned.
"As expected, Master believes me."
"Of course. If I don't believe you, what in the world would I?"
The onlookers sighed. Heo Cheong's blind faith in his disciple was nothing new.
Frustrated, they glanced out the window into pitch darkness mirroring their moods.
"My head aches. We'll talk tomorrow."
Un Hak ordered them back to their rooms.
But then.
The Poison Lord, Dang Yeong-jung, arrived.
"I'd like a private word with the youth called Jeong Gwang."
"That's problematic."
"I swear on the Dang Clan name—no harm will come."
"What do you intend?"
Dang Yeong-jung replied expressionlessly.
"I have something to say."
* * *
Having received stern transmitted warnings from Un Hak, Jeong Gwang sat across from Dang Yeong-jung.
'Like a wooden log.'
True to the impression, Dang Yeong-jung betrayed no expression or emotion.
'One of the Fifteen Lords under the Ten Supremes, eh? Seems competent.'
The capable Dang Yeong-jung finally parted his firmly shut lips.
"I heard the rough story from Father."
"What'd he say?"
"That you framed him."
"You believe it?"
Dang Yeong-jung's eyes deepened.
As if reminiscing the past.
"Father always acted on whims."
Even in old age, he'd mellowed somewhat—to this extent.
"But he never lied to me. And I doubt he has now."
Jeong Gwang clicked his tongue inwardly.
'Sharp.'
Supreme good like water, no contending? Bullshit.
Only fighting left.
'No killing intent, though. Why's he here?'
As Jeong Gwang tilted his head, Dang Yeong-jung murmured.
"Just like the kids said. You're peculiar."
"Me?"
"Who else? I came because I had to tell you something."
"What?"
A crack appeared on Dang Yeong-jung's face.
It was.
An exceedingly awkward smile.
"Thank you. You've done us a great service."