Chapter 14
Chapter 14
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Elder Assembly
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The next day.
"Jinmu."
"...Huh?"
What's up with my master?
Myeongjin, who usually wouldn't say a word until breakfast, had neatly donned the Taoist robes he'd been keeping folded away and was stepping out the door.
"What's the occasion?"
"We need to head to the Purple Empyrean Palace."
"..."
For a moment, Jinmu couldn't make sense of Myeongjin's behavior.
The early dawn wind was biting cold.
If the guy he'd barely saved caught a chill and fell ill again, it'd just mean more trouble for him.
"It's so chilly out here."
"I've bundled up well enough. Let's go."
Does this guy have some good news? Why's he grinning like that all the time?
Not liking it one bit, but mindful of all the watchful eyes, Jinmu dutifully supported Myeongjin and set off toward the Purple Empyrean Palace.
Every first day of the month.
The Wudang Sect held a regular elder assembly under the Sect Leader's guidance.
They discussed events to be held over the coming month, internal and external affairs, and the disciples' training.
As such, it was a gathering attended not only by the elders but also by the First Generation Disciples responsible for each palace's duties.
Myeongjin, his master, had no palace under his charge and had been secluded in his hermitage lately, so he hadn't attended any meetings until now.
Of course, this meant it was Jinmu's first time at an elder assembly too.
"Oh? Uncle Master!"
Jinhyeo, recovered from his injuries, spotted Myeongjin on his way to the Purple Empyrean Palace and approached with a joyful greeting.
"Oh, it's Jinhyeo. Long time no see."
"Yes. I'm sorry I haven't visited more often."
"No need. It's fine. Any progress lately?"
"Progress?"
Jinhyeo glanced at Jinmu supporting Myeongjin and grinned.
"Thanks to Uncle Master's disciple, I've had a major breakthrough lately."
"Ah, I heard. They said Jinmu went a bit overboard?"
"Overboard? It cleared my head right up. Your junior brother did well picking this one. Right?"
Jinhyeo playfully nudged Jinmu's side.
This guy gets beaten half to death and still grins about it...?
Jinmu gave an awkward smile at Jinhyeo's reaction.
"Well, let's head in."
"Yes. I'll escort you."
"Good, good."
All eyes widened in surprise at the sight of Myeongjin climbing the Purple Empyrean Palace steps, supported by Jinmu and Jinhyeo. They bowed their heads in unison.
Every one of them with utmost courtesy and eyes full of respect.
'What? This reaction? Wasn't he just some old guy tucked away in the back?'
In Jinmu's mind, Myeongjin had been nothing but a useless Taoist wasting away with his illnesses.
But the Wudang disciples thought differently.
Myeongjin.
He was one of the most revered Taoists in the current Wudang.
Before losing his martial arts, he had been a promising talent touted alongside Myeonghyeon as the next Sect Leader.
He was the embodiment of Wudang's defiant spirit, having fought to the end against the Lord of Evil Hegemony Heaven to protect his juniors.
The Sect Leader and elders had pooled their strength to save Jinmu, who had fallen from the cliff in critical condition, because he had been the Taoist boy who worked tirelessly to save Myeongjin.
Of course, to Jinmu, his past self had just been an insolent priest who dared to challenge him, and now he was an even more useless lump.
"No way! What brings you here?"
Someone must have informed them, as the Sect Leader and elders rushed out with joyful expressions.
There weren't many senior brothers left.
Of the Jade Generation Disciples, only the current Sect Leader, the elders, and Jinmu's master Myeongjin survived.
"Heh heh, I can't stay cooped up in Void Serenity Hermitage forever."
"Still, you should mind your health."
"I'm fine, Sect Leader."
"Sect Leader? Call me senior brother, you rascal."
Myeonghyeon waved Jinhyeo aside and personally supported him.
"Jinhyeo, go fetch a brazier for Uncle Master."
"Yes, Sect Leader."
Myeonghyeon fussed meticulously, lest his ailing senior brother feel the cold.
"Anyway, is it alright for you to come all this way?"
"It's fine. Thanks to this disciple lately, I've regained enough energy that moving around isn't an issue."
"Really?"
Myeonghyeon recalled the recent events.
Meat-eating, forbidden in Wudang.
It seemed to have helped.
'Breaking the taboo on meat was the right call after all.'
Myeonghyeon once again regretted failing to restore his senior brother's health due to his stubborn adherence to the precepts.
And he felt even greater appreciation for Jinmu's efforts in helping Myeongjin become mobile again.
"It's cold. Let's go inside."
As Myeongjin took his seat near the Sect Leader, the elder assembly began.
The main topic, naturally, was the silver and gold bullion delivered by the Qingyang Merchant Group.
After a long stretch of rock-bottom finances, this sudden windfall had each palace clamoring for funds, dragging the meeting on.
"Then let's settle it that way."
As the two-hour meeting neared its end with a compromise reached, Myeonghyeon subtly checked on Myeongjin.
He worried the long session might tax his frail senior brother.
"Sect Leader."
"Hm? Something to say?"
"Yes. I have words regarding the Qingyang Merchant Group."
"Oh! Speak up."
Myeongjin, silent throughout, finally spoke, drawing the Sect Leader and elders' full attention.
"Forming ties with the Qingyang Merchant Group is good, but it does raise concerns."
"Concerns...? Why so?"
"Even introduced by Jinhye, not knowing their exact intentions or origins and spending the money freely seems unwise."
Jinhye, standing behind Myeonggong, furrowed his brow slightly.
"Hrm."
But it was a valid point, so the Sect Leader and elders nodded in agreement.
"You're right."
"I was thinking of sending disciples to keep an eye on them."
Eh? No way?
Jinmu's eyes flashed, boredom forgotten.
"Disciples?"
"Yes. Under the pretext of assisting them, we observe discreetly."
Myeongjin glanced at Myeonggong, overseer of precepts.
"Hrm. Myeongjin has a point. We've sent First Generation Disciples as guests to longstanding merchant allies before..."
"True. But what would we have them do? They might take offense at being monitored."
As Myeonghyeon frowned worriedly, Myeongjin shook his head with a faint smile.
"Would they? They have escorts, but none match Wudang disciples. If we say we're just staying as guests for a while, they'll welcome it."
"Guests, huh..."
Myeonghyeon pondered briefly, then nodded.
"Not a bad idea. What do you all think?"
"Sound advice. From what I saw, he won't ask for help outright even if needed."
"I agree."
The elders backed Myeongjin without opposition.
Only then did Jinmu grasp why Myeongjin had attended the assembly since morning.
Ha! Look at that?
I thought only that dimwit Cheongu was useful. Myeongjin too? Worth extending the old man's life.
"All in agreement, then. So, who to send? Elders are too much, Jade Generation too green. Must be a First Generation Disciple."
Murmurs rose among elders and First Generation Disciples as Myeonghyeon spoke.
As Jinhye, watching from behind, moved to speak to his master Myeonggong, Myeongjin cut in.
"Why deliberate? We've got Jinmu right here."
"Jinmu?"
All eyes turned to Jinmu; Jinhye's brow twisted visibly.
You punk. My master's making perfect sense, and you dare nitpick? Should I gouge your eyes out with Finger Extinguishing Claw?
Jinmu stared straight at Jinhye and smirked secretly.
'That damn brat...'
Jinhye's face crumpled further at Jinmu's infuriating expression. The guy horning in on the opportunity he'd nurtured for so long was a thorn in his side.
"Uncle Myeongjin's words are spot on. The other First Generation Disciples are busy with palace duties. Send Jinmu."
Jinhyeo backed Myeongjin.
You rascal, you're a good one, huh?
I'd have gone easy on you if I'd known...
The thorny issue unraveled smoothly.
"Hm, I agree. Jinmu's already acquainted with the Qingyang Merchant Group leader and seemed interested."
Even his master Myeonggong concurred, turning Jinhye's face pitch black.
"Acquainted with the Qingyang leader?"
"Yes. I'll report separately on that, Sect Leader."
Myeonghyeon nodded at Myeonggong and eyed Jinmu.
"All settled, then. Jinmu, prepare at Void Serenity Hermitage despite the trouble."
"Yes."
Jinmu inwardly cheered.
A well-raised priest beats ten evil sect mooks... Heh heh, what luck.
"Senior Brother! Will you just stand by?"
Jinhye's voice filled the room.
"Hm."
Jingung, hit by Jinhye's glare, frowned.
Jingung, second of the Wudang Seven Heroes, oversaw external affairs at Encounter Truth Hall.
Excluding Jinhyeo away on duties, he was the most senior First Generation Disciple present.
After the elder assembly, in the First Generation Disciples' follow-up practical meeting, Jinhye raised Jinmu's issue.
"Think about it. He's under discipline for breaking precepts. Sending him on an excursion?"
The First Generation Disciples nodded in agreement with Jinhye.
"Not wrong, but it's already decided in the elder assembly, no?"
Jinso of Pure East Hall, burly in build, spoke; Jinhye looked incredulous.
"Senior Brother, elder assemblies aren't always right. They can err."
"Hey! Mind your words, Jinhye."
Jingung frowned and cautioned at the overt distrust of elders.
"Am I wrong? Don't you know? He's leading disciples to eat meat."
"..."
"He deserves harsher punishment."
"Even so, the elder assembly..."
"Enough nonsense, Senior Brother Jinso."
"Hey, you."
"He was just a Taoist boy. Son of peasants. Lowborn scum. Don't you see? The Sect Leader and elders acknowledge him only under Uncle Myeongjin's name. Will you let him be?"
"Hm..."
"You don't want to end up like a dog chasing chickens, do you?"
Harsh words disparaging a fellow disciple, but not unfounded.
Jinhye had a point.
First Generation Disciples of each palace were the elite.
Born to renowned families, bearing heroic ambitions, blessed with Wudang's Taoist name, vying in friendly rivalry to become next-generation leaders.
Thus, when Jinmu committed three offenses and was assigned to repair Sword-Shedding Pool.
Not assigning a guard was agreed by all present except Jinhyeo.
"I can't understand the elders' decision. To that guy destroying Wudang's traditions..."
As Jinhye spat blood, the door burst open.
"You really get fired up over nothing."
In strode Jinhyeo of Origin Harmony Hall.