Chapter 14
Chapter 14
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: A Tiger Appears at an Auspicious Hour
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Scenes scattered wildly once more, flashing past Han Ibi's vision. The Taoist's name was U An-mok. None other than an elder of the Qingcheng Sect.
He was short and unimpressive in appearance, but he held a prominent position as a prodigy of the Qingcheng Sect with exceptional martial talent.
The two had to travel a long way. The Qingcheng Sect was located on Qingcheng Mountain in Sichuan Province.
U An-mok didn't even ride a horse.
Sometimes they walked together, sometimes he carried Song Myeong-cheon on his back, and other times he unleashed his lightness skill at speeds that made one's head spin.
In that manner, U An-mok and Han Ibi finally arrived at Qingcheng Mountain.
His master, the Qingcheng Sect Leader Bok Yeong-jeon, was displeased with U An-mok for bringing an uninvited guest.
How could a Taoist pick up a stray like some alley cat?
Didn't he see the ominous glint of "Horizontal Calamity Star" in his eyes? He scolded him harshly.
U An-mok silently endured the rebuke. And from that day, Song Myeong-cheon became a menial worker for the Qingcheng Sect.
Just like that, the scenes flashed by again. It was dizzying.
Song Myeong-cheon's situation was utterly wretched, no better than a beggar's.
He was called a menial worker, but he was no different from a servant.
The conversion of status hierarchies into wealth was a relatively recent development.
In this era, the gap between a formal disciple and a servant was as vast as heaven and earth.
Yet Song Myeong-cheon was different from ordinary servants.
He harbored ambitions.
He performed cleaning and odd jobs with the skill of a craftsman.
Unexpectedly, menial workers could freely pass through forbidden areas.
He diligently, fervently stole and learned the Qingcheng Sect's martial arts that the disciples practiced.
All while taking pains not to get caught.
But one day, disaster struck.
While practicing the Qingcheng Sect's palm technique, Fierce Tiger Palm, in the back courtyard at dawn, he was spotted by Gil Bok-geon, a formal disciple of similar age.
Song Myeong-cheon begged, but it fell on deaf ears with Gil Bok-geon's cold temperament.
Stealing another sect's martial arts was a grave taboo in the jianghu. It was akin to high treason if judged by official standards.
There was no room for excuses.
Thus, Song Myeong-cheon was brought before an emergency assembly of the sect leader and elders as a criminal for disciplinary action.
And there...
Han Ibi connected once more with the "young Song Myeong-cheon" from that time.
'Ugh! Why does it skip the easy parts and dump me into the tough spots? This damn system really wants me dead.'
It was dark.
They had dimmed the lights on purpose.
To instill fear.
Han Ibi felt like a criminal from the old Justice Bao drama being interrogated in the yamen.
One wrong move, and it'd be the executioner's blade.
Of course, Justice Bao wasn't there. Instead, the Qingcheng Sect Leader Bok Yeong-jeon sat with his eyes bulging fiercely.
Flanking him were several elders seated in a row.
The eldest among them, Elder Yun Seo-o, flicked his white beard and bellowed at Han Ibi.
Han Ibi flinched involuntarily.
"In the 500-year history of the Qingcheng Sect, no one like you has ever existed! How dare you entertain the foolish notion of learning our core martial arts without permission?"
Han Ibi bowed his head deeply, feigning utmost remorse.
Right now... this was his only option.
Another elder, the one with the most venomous appearance, Ji Seung-rip, shouted loudly as well.
"This meeting is utterly absurd. He should have been struck down on the spot—no room for argument!"
'Ow, come on. Even so... skipping a trial altogether is barbaric.'
Then Han Ibi noticed Elder U An-mok sitting silently with his eyes downcast, expressionless.
Tsk tsk. How agonizing it must be for him, like sitting on pins...
Suddenly, Han Ibi felt a twinge of fear wondering how Song Myeong-cheon had endured this crisis.
But... he had made it through in the end.
So could he.
Yun Seo-o spoke loudly again.
"Sect Leader Bok, there's no need to deliberate. We should shatter his lower dantian, seal away all the stolen martial arts, sever his right arm and left leg, and cast him out."
Then Yun Seo-o turned to the junior elder U An-mok.
"U An-mok! You have no defense, even with ten mouths. This all stems from you bringing in this rootless stray cat..."
"No!"
The shout came from Han Ibi.
Naturally, all eyes turned to him.
'Gasp. Oh no. I got too heated and blurted it out...'
But it was too late. He had to say something, win or lose.
"It's wrong for a stray cat to steal fish, but how can you blame the great Heavenly Venerable who governs its life for that?"
Kuh. The Heavenly Venerable was the supreme deity in Daoist faith, where the Dao was deified.
Who knew his casual wuxia knowledge would come in handy here.
At those words, Yun Seo-o's face flushed red with rage, and he bellowed even louder. The contrast with his long white beard made for quite the dramatic effect.
"What do you know, you wretch... How dare you, how dare you utter the Heavenly Venerable's name! Not content with stealing martial arts, now you commit blasphemy? This is intolerable..."
That was when it happened.
Sect Leader Bok Yeong-jeon's brow furrowed.
"Elder Yun. The proceedings are presided over by the sect leader."
Yun Seo-o retreated a step, his beard trembling with fury.
But he couldn't hide his dissatisfied expression.
Sigh. That rigid old coot without a shred of flexibility...
Bok Yeong-jeon spoke.
"What do you mean by that?"
Han Ibi had deliberately avoided blinking, letting his eyes redden fully.
Nothing beats this for fake tears.
With reddened eyes, he kowtowed deeply toward U An-mok and said,
Everyone was startled.
"I am deeply, deeply sorry. Instead of repaying the grace of sheltering a homeless wretch like me, my greed led me to commit this grave sin. This fool shall atone with his life right away."
Bok Yeong-jeon snorted derisively.
"How amusing. You see no one but Elder U, it seems? You regard the Qingcheng Sect—the holy ground of pure cultivation and famed house of martial arts—as less than the dirt under your nails. Your fate will be decided solely by this assembly, so cease your babble and sullying of justice. Not even suicide will be at your whim until then."
Han Ibi bowed his head toward Bok Yeong-jeon again.
He had no idea how Elder Song Myeong-cheon had escaped this, but the "fearless child ignorant of the world" angle was worth a shot.
"Sect Leader, Elder. This is all my fault. I... I acted solely out of a single-minded desire to repay Elder U's grace. It's been but a day or two since I entered the Qingcheng Sect, yet I sought to become a true member in this way, to aid when needed unawares. Never have I sought personal glory, not for a moment."
Bok Yeong-jeon said,
"Hmph. How can we believe such glib words?"
"It's not a matter of belief. I... speak from the heart."
At that moment, Bok Yeong-jeon and Han Ibi's gazes locked.
True to a grandmaster of the jianghu, his eyes were clear, transparent, and piercingly intense.
'In times like this, push forward boldly.'
Han Ibi held the gaze without flinching, projecting utter confidence.
"Hahaha!"
Suddenly, Bok Yeong-jeon burst into hearty laughter.
In this incongruous situation, everyone in the room widened their eyes and stared at the sect leader.
Bok Yeong-jeon said,
"Just as Elder U described. Excellent talent, sound mind, and that brazenness too. But I said his impulsive nature would be the issue. What say you, Elder U? Hasn't it come to this?"
Han Ibi looked up at Bok Yeong-jeon in bewilderment, clueless as to the meaning.
Bok Yeong-jeon turned to U An-mok with a triumphant expression.
"Elder U, though your name means 'keen eye,' wasn't my judgment superior this time?"
U An-mok lowered his head.
"My narrow vision has caused this disturbance. I am ashamed."
Then Bok Yeong-jeon addressed Han Ibi.
"Song Myeong-cheon. Demonstrate it. We must verify the level of the martial arts you stole. If I detect any half-hearted attempt... forget the assembly—I'll turn you into a cripple and let you taste lifelong imprisonment. You'll regret not dying instead."
Suddenly, a "ding-ding" rang in Han Ibi's ears.
N-No way...?
Perform the Qingcheng Sect's Fierce Tiger Palm Technique.
Han Ibi realized this was his moment to shine.
But how? He calmly checked his status window.
It was real. An eagle's head with glaring eyes.
'That's Eagle's Eye Technique, huh.'
Then Bok Yeong-jeon's roar echoed.
"What are you doing? Defying the sect leader's command?"
Oof, Grandpa. My ears are ringing. I hear you loud and clear.
In his haste, he activated Eagle's Eye Technique outright. The world turned green.
And there, miraculously, a simplified figure appeared before him like a first-person game character.
A virtual dummy moving slightly ahead of him, it seemed.
The dummy appeared to guide his movements.
'Aha! I just need to follow that.'
Han Ibi took a deep breath and stood. He began circulating the internal energy he had learned so far.
Gently, without touching the core of his true qi.
Since young Song Myeong-cheon hadn't properly cultivated internal arts back then.
If done right, even with somewhat sluggish movements, he could produce a far more refined display.
The dummy assumed a starting stance and began to move.
Han Ibi followed.
His sleeves fluttered, capturing some elders' attention.
"Oh ho!"
A martial art he'd never done before, but what couldn't he manage!
Using the basics of what he'd learned, he pursued it.
The Fierce Tiger Palm Technique was the Qingcheng Sect's foundational palm method, created by linking the mysteries of the auspicious hour of Yin (dawn, 3-5 AM) with the tiger of the zodiac.
Simple and concise to learn, it was widely used for novice practice in the Qingcheng Sect.
Yet it incorporated various miscellaneous techniques.
In any case, from the first two forms, Han Ibi realized they symbolized the tiger's ferocity.
The palm strikes were straightforward yet powerful, embodying the orthodox principles of linear, domineering martial arts.
'Good. Let's do this.'
(Continued next time)