Chapter 265: Talent (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 265: Talent (3)
Pae Jin-gwang’s lecture, which had kicked off with a resounding "You have no respect for your elders," dragged on for quite a while.
You have no respect for the established order, you’re arrogant, your behavior is no different from a Great Archdemon, you cause trouble every single day—well, okay, for someone of your caliber, that’s not so much arrogance as it is just the right amount of confidence, but still, do you have any idea what the age gap between us is? You say it’s fine because we look similar on the outside? Then why do you act like that to everyone else? That’s not being cute; that’s called being a total brat. But don’t you dare start acting all polite to me now, it’ll just piss me off. What do I want you to do then? Just do whatever the hell you want, blah blah blah…
Surprisingly, that long-winded rant could be boiled down to a single sentence:
‘You disrespectful little shit!’
Seo-jun scratched his head.
"No, forget all that. Is there nothing wrong with me from a martial arts perspective?"
Seeing Seo-jun dismiss the lengthy lecture by lazily picking his ear—further proving his utter lack of manners—Pae Jin-gwang let out a deep, heavy sigh.
"Martial arts? Flaws in your martial arts?"
"Yeah, something like that."
"You’d have to ask someone stronger than you for that. And as far as I know, there isn't a single person alive who surpasses you in martial arts."
"What about my father-in-law?"
"Mmm..."
Pae Jin-gwang crossed his arms and tapped his foot against the ground.
"Namgung Jin-cheon… he is a great man, of course. To say a talent like his appears even once in a thousand years wouldn't do him justice."
Namgung Jin-cheon. The Family Head of the great Namgung Clan and the man once hailed as the Strongest Under Heaven.
Despite being a relatively young martial artist who hadn't even lived three hundred years, no one ever questioned his right to that title.
Even if compared to the Martial God Ju Un-cheon, Namgung Jin-cheon would likely not fall far behind.
Pae Jin-gwang looked at Seo-jun with a strangely contorted expression.
"But you… damn it."
"What?"
"It’s incredibly annoying to admit, but honestly, even Namgung Jin-cheon can’t compare to you."
As far as Pae Jin-gwang knew, this brat Lee Seo-jun hadn't even been practicing martial arts for three years.
Yet look at him now. Pae Jin-gwang couldn't read his level at all.
He had always been someone whose depths were hard to fathom, but… lately, it was different.
Up until recently, Pae Jin-gwang felt like he was at least a step ahead. But before he knew it, Seo-jun had leaped forward, leaving him entirely in the dust.
What could he possibly say to a monster like this?
"If I absolutely had to nitpick something, it would be your physical execution."
"Ah, that’s true. Like my swordplay."
"Yeah. Honestly, even that is better than most martial artists. It’s just that your other talents are so utterly nonsensical that your physical technique pales in comparison."
The day after receiving Pae Jin-gwang’s less-than-helpful advice (and subsequently causing the old man to fly into a rage), Seo-jun held a contest within the Namgung Clan.
Its name: the ‘Finding Seo-jun's Flaws Contest.’
The Namgung Clan was immediately turned upside down.
* * *
The Namgung Clan had been turned upside down quite frequently as of late, but by nature, it was a quiet place.
It was more modest than flashy, more silent than boisterous.
Right now, however, the clan was noisier than ever before.
"Did someone dare speak insolently to the Grand Master?"
"Who would? You'd have to be insane to do that."
"Then why would he suddenly hold something like a 'Finding Flaws Contest'..."
"Don't try to understand it. How could we possibly follow the thought process of a genius like him?"
Even among the elders, the sudden contest sparked endless confusion and debate.
The Medicine Hall Master, Namgung Yeong-bo, was particularly agitated, stomping his feet in a fit of indignation.
"This is sacrilege! There is no way the Young Master has any flaws! Flaws in the Yak-seon?! If you asked the Wudang Taoists to find flaws in the Three Purities, what do you think they would say?!"
"Yak-seon? What are you talking about now?"
"Hmph…! This simply won't do!"
Regardless of Namgung Yeong-bo rambling about the life story of the future Yak-seon Lee Seo-jun, the impact of Seo-jun’s casual whim on the Namgung Clan was profound.
Namgung Myeong, who was slowly adjusting to his role as Acting Family Head, also heard the news.
"Ah, so Brother did..."
Hwangbo Hye-ji, who stood beside him, asked with a worried expression.
"Did something happen?"
"Well, something did happen, but..."
Namgung Myeong had also heard about Seo-jun’s Inner Demon.
His brother, having an Inner Demon. He had rushed to see him in an absolute panic, only to feel a wave of relief upon finding Seo-jun looking far more normal than expected.
"Brother probably didn't put much weight behind this contest."
"Pardon?"
"He has always been a very unpretentious person."
By nature, the status of an expert in the Transcendent Realm was akin to that of a god. They could even be considered walking natural disasters.
There was nothing they could not achieve in the Central Plains.
Their will took precedence over any law or custom.
No mortal, save for fellow Transcendents, dared to voice a complaint against them.
It was the same logic that dictated no one would seriously draw a sword against the sea just because a tsunami destroyed their home.
Furthermore, unlike a tsunami, a martial artist in the Transcendent Realm had eyes, ears, and a will.
The sea wouldn't react if you screamed curses at its waves, but a Transcendent was different.
One's life could be snuffed out in an instant, swatted away like a noisy bug.
"But Brother seems to view the Transcendent Realm as simply being a slightly stronger martial artist. He has never cared for authority, and he is infinitely generous to his own people."
Despite bearing the ominous title of Evil-Annihilating Heavenly Lord, the man named Lee Seo-jun was surprisingly gentle.
He was full of mischief, but he never crossed the line—at least, in Namgung Myeong’s personal opinion.
If he ever did play a prank that crossed the line… it likely meant he didn't consider the victim one of his own.
"Then should we just treat this as a joke?"
"That… well. Brother likely has some intention behind it, but..."
Namgung Myeong couldn't begin to guess what that intention might be.
However, one thing was certain: his brother wasn't doing this to test anyone's loyalty.
"So, if Lady Hwangbo has anything in mind, why don't you try participating in the contest? Brother would probably appreciate it."
"Wh-what…? Point out his flaws?"
Namgung Myeong smiled and nodded at the startled Hwangbo Hye-ji. Then, he picked up a brush and began to write something on a piece of paper.
"Of course. As for me..."
* * *
"‘He tends to neglect himself too much for the sake of his family.’ Is this from Myeong-i?"
Seo-jun chuckled as he sifted through the entries for the 'Finding Seo-jun's Flaws Contest.'
"‘He doesn't play with me enough lately.’ This is obviously Chun-bu-i. ‘He’s a disrespectful brat.’ This must be from that old man Pae Jin-gwang."
The rest of the submissions were little more than a barrage of compliments thinly disguised as flaws.
"Man, being too perfect is a problem in itself."
As Seo-jun shrugged, Chun-bong, who was sitting beside him, snorted.
"Does it make any sense to ask the people of the Namgung Clan to badmouth their Grand Master? Who knows what would happen to them if they did?"
"What would I do? I wouldn't do anything to them."
"And how would people who aren't close to you know that?"
"Well..."
She had a point.
Come to think of it, how was this any different from the chairman of a massive corporation pestering his employees by saying, 'Ho ho, that's right. Everyone, write down one of my flaws and submit it to my desk'?
As Seo-jun scratched his head, Namgung Su-ah looked over at him.
"But why the sudden interest in your flaws? Are you trying to find your weaknesses so you can improve upon them?"
"No, not exactly."
If he had to put a label on it, it was a sort of search for self-discovery. It was a way to better understand the existence known as 'himself.'
Even if the Inner Demon hadn't originated from his own mind, it was undeniably an entity dwelling within his mental imagery—within his heart.
"So, I figured that to master this thing called the heart more perfectly, I needed to know myself better."
"Mmm… I see..."
Namgung Su-ah fell into deep thought. Chun-bong also began to contemplate Seo-jun’s flaws much more seriously than before.
"First of all, you."
"Yeah?"
"You don't use your head enough."
"What…?"
"It’s not that you’re stupid, you just have zero intention of using it."
Seo-jun’s eyes darted around guiltily.
"And… no matter what the situation is, you tend to try and solve everything with brute force."
"Really?"
"Yeah. You just assume everything will work out if you smash it first."
"But that’s usually true."
"Hmm. Fair point."
Chun-bong tapped her lips thoughtfully.
"Ah, right! You’re also incredibly forgetful. You only remember things way after the fact and go, 'Oh, right!'"
"Wait."
Hearing that, something suddenly clicked in his mind.
"Speaking of which, Chun-bong."
"Yeah?"
"I caught them."
"Them? Who?"
"The ones involved in the extermination of the Geum Family."
"…What?"
* * *
Seo-jun explained everything about Baek Yun and Geom-gwang.
He detailed the organization known as the God-Destroying Association and its goals, the reason they had targeted the Geum Family, the Yellow Cloud Divine Sword, and shared a bit about the Ice Palace. He finished by casually mentioning that he had shoved the culprits deep into his mental imagery space.
"……"
Chun-bong was silent for a long time. She merely stroked her chin with a complicated expression.
Seo-jun looked at her and asked cautiously, "Did you want to take revenge yourself?"
"Huh? Ah, no..."
Chun-bong snapped out of her daze and shook her head.
"I did, but since you did it, it’s fine."
In Chun-bong's mind, Lee Seo-jun and Geum Chun-bong were one and the same.
Blankly scratching her cheek, Chun-bong fidgeted, her hands clasped tightly in front of her.
"It’s not that, it’s just… it doesn't feel real yet."
A long sigh escaped her lips.
…Avenge her family. Honestly, she hadn't been as consumed by it lately as she used to be.
She had a new family now, and being by his side had made her forget the pain.
Every day was joyful. Thanks to her brother, who was kinder to her than anyone else in the world, even the deep scars left on her heart had almost entirely faded.
"Mmm…."
Perhaps because she had heard the news so suddenly, it didn't feel real yet. But for some reason, her heart felt like it was fluttering. Or maybe it just felt ticklish, or… it was just hard to describe.
As she sat there with a slight pout on her lips, a single tear slipped from Chun-bong’s eye.
Seo-jun’s eyes widened. He reached out, gently wiping the moisture from her large eyes with his thumb.
Chun-bong closed her eyes tight, leaning into his warm touch. Her eyelashes, which had been trembling slightly, slowly fluttered open.
"…Thank you, Brother."
She looked away shyly, a small, genuine smile gracing her lips. Seo-jun chuckled softly.
"Don't mention it. Your business is my business. Besides, it’s not over yet."
"Huh?"
"An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth."
Seo-jun placed his hand firmly on top of Chun-bong’s small head, ruffling her hair.
"A clan for a clan. Shouldn't we crush every last one of them?"
It would be much better for his own peace of mind to clear out annoying flies like the Divine Blood early on.