Back in My Day, It Wasn’t Like This! Back in My Day! (1)
"Thirty-two…."
Beop Jeong stared at the bracket with a strange expression on his face.
"The result turned out to be very different from what I first expected."
At those words, Beop Gye, the Shaolin elder standing beside him, looked a little uncomfortable.
"I did expect Wudang to struggle somewhat. Wudang's martial arts are the kind that ripen late. The younger disciples still lack the time to show their true power. So there were limits."
"Hmm."
One thing Wudang and Shaolin had in common was that the longer their arts were studied, the greater their power became.
That was why, when practiced by those below thirty and with only a short span of training behind them, they often failed to stand out against other sects.
"And I thought Namgung and Peng Family would also make their mark. Whatever anyone says, those are sects fit to lead the present martial world without the slightest lack."
"Indeed."
The Nine Sects and One Gang.
The two great pillars leading the orthodox factions of the present age.
However, just because they were grouped under the same name did not mean the strength of everyone within those groups was equal.
The Nine Sects were roughly centered around Shaolin and Wudang, with Zhongnan and Beggars’ Sect following behind them. The Five Great Families were centered around Namgung Family and Peng Family, with the Tang Family supporting them from behind.
From the very start of the tournament, it had been expected that these factions would perform well.
The problem was…
"When Zhongnan collapsed, the balance tipped completely. There are barely more than ten disciples from the Nine Sects left among the Thirty-Two Strong."
"Mm."
Beop Jeong let out a low groan.
People often spoke of the Nine Sects and the Five Great Families together as the great names of the world, but in truth they were not especially close. A family linked by blood and a sect linked by shared conviction were different from the very foundation up. In the end, they were bound to clash in all the large and small places that mattered.
So for the Nine Sects to appear weaker than the Five Great Families in a martial tournament hosted by Shaolin was by no means pleasant.
"The disciples of the Nine Sects and the Five Great Families differ by nearly double. And there are four who belong to neither the Nine Sects nor the Five Great Families…."
Beop Gye, speaking as he was, let out a long sigh.
Among the remaining fighters, there was only one place that belonged to neither the Nine Sects nor the Five Great Families.
"To be honest, I never expected Mount Hua to perform like this."
There were four Mount Hua disciples remaining in the Thirty-Two Strong.
Four might not sound like many, but Mount Hua was the only sect that had managed to leave four disciples standing in the Thirty-Two Strong. Even Shaolin, the greatest sect in the world, had only managed to leave three.
"What were the tickets originally assigned to them?"
"They were silver tickets. It seems Hye Bang, after receiving a complaint, personally gave them gold tickets instead."
Beop Jeong exhaled in relief.
"If not for Hye Bang, we would have suffered a major humiliation."
If Mount Hua had come to Shaolin holding silver tickets and achieved this result, the martial world would certainly have pointed at Shaolin for failing to recognize Mount Hua's strength.
They would have sneered that Shaolin had granted Mount Hua silver tickets while holding gold itself, despite being inferior to Mount Hua.
Just escaping that disgrace was enough to make Beop Jeong feel fortunate.
"It is fortunate, yes, but at the same time, it is unfair. Who could have imagined, before the tournament even began, that Mount Hua would perform so brilliantly?"
"That is true."
Beop Jeong smiled faintly.
"Especially that child Chung Myung. The more I look at him, the more astonishing he becomes. Perhaps Hye Yeon may struggle against him."
"To that extent? He was certainly impressive, but to my eyes he did not seem comparable to Hye Yeon…."
"You have not seen everything."
Beop Jeong narrowed his eyes.
And perhaps even what I have seen is not all there is.
It was an amusing thing.
To look at a child who had not yet even lived half his years and find that one could not see through his depths at all.
If Hye Yeon was a clear stream whose mere sight lifted one's spirit, Chung Myung was more like a pond so deep that one did not dare peer into it.
"Heaven may at times be endlessly cold, but at the end of that coldness it surely bestows warmth. The fact that that child appeared at Mount Hua was not unrelated to Heaven's will."
Beop Jeong murmured a soft Daoist chant.
Does the one who believed in righteous spirit, practiced loyalty, and never hesitated to throw himself away not know what became of such people?
The voice of Zhongnan's sect leader suddenly flickered through his mind, and Beop Jeong's body tensed slightly.
How could I not know?
How could he not?
It was this very martial world that had made them that way.
He had wanted to look away. He had wanted not to look back.
And yet Mount Hua had ultimately returned by its own strength and stood before them once again, as though to say that those who truly followed righteous spirit might suffer hardships, but they would not break.
That was why, whenever Beop Jeong saw Mount Hua's disciples, he could not help feeling a thorny prick in some corner of his heart.
"Amitabha."
Using a low Buddhist chant to sweep away his stray thoughts, Beop Jeong shook his head.
"This tournament is already nearing its end. I had hoped it would become a place of harmony where everyone came to know one another better."
"They will have learned more about each other, at least. Especially Mount Hua—by now it will become a sect no one in the world can ignore."
"Hmm."
"And if that child Chung Myung reaches the finals, the honor of the Nine Sects will be smashed to the ground. Of course, the Five Great Families would also have cause to blush."
"That is likely."
"And if that happens…."
Beop Gye glanced at Beop Jeong's face, then lowered his eyes again.
"We may have to reverse a decision from the past."
"If it must be done, then it must be done."
Beop Jeong offered another chant.
The past decision Beop Gye referred to was Mount Hua's expulsion from the Nine Sects.
"However, you cannot decide something like that based only on a tournament among the younger disciples."
"That is true, but…."
"Yes. I understand what you mean. In the end, it is something that will need to happen, so we must prepare in advance."
"Yes, Abbot."
Mount Hua's return to the Nine Sects.
That was not a small matter. It might well become a major event that shook the entire balance of power in the martial world.
"If that is the natural course, then so be it."
Beop Jeong nodded.
"For now, let us watch a little longer. It is not too late to discuss it after the tournament ends."
"Yes, Abbot."
"Amitabha."
Beop Jeong closed his eyes and sank into thought.
Beop Gye hesitated for a moment, then, instead of leaving, spoke up again.
"I am a little envious."
"Hmm?"
"Right now, Mount Hua must be feeling as though it could fly away with joy. Thinking of it that way, I feel a little sick to my stomach as well."
At that blunt admission, Beop Jeong smiled faintly.
"They are receiving the return for their efforts. Let us simply congratulate them."
"Yes, Abbot."
* * *
"So then…."
A faintly choked sound leaked from Hyun Jong's mouth.
"For the ancestors as well, to have achieved the feat of placing four disciples among the Thirty-Two Strong…."
"Grrrr…."
"Everyone must be delighted…."
"Grrrrr…."
He broke off and stared at the disciples with dazed eyes.
Every one of them was looking at him with expressions fit for a house of mourning. And then….
He turned his head slightly to one side, toward the source of the problem.
In the center, Chung Myung was being held down by Baek Cheon and the others, all four limbs pinned, while he growled like an angry hound.
And why is he acting like that again?
Hyun Jong let out a long sigh.
No matter how many good words he spoke, they apparently would not reach the disciples' ears. Despite all the encouragement he offered, Mount Hua's disciples only wore the hollow-eyed faces of schoolchildren waiting for their furious parents behind them.
"Ah… hmm."
Hyun Jong cleared his throat.
"Then I shall go and discuss a few matters with the elders first, so you all can rest a—"
"S-Sect Leader!"
"Sect Leader, where are you going? Please take us with you!"
"Don't leave us here! Sect Leader!"
Suddenly, desperate cries burst from the disciples who had been sitting there in blank despair.
But Hyun Jong merely lifted his chin a little and turned away from their pleading gazes.
Of course it would not be difficult to protect them for the moment, but in the end, unless that Mount Hua mad dog was kept far away, this would only happen again someday.
Better to take the blow first, as the saying went. Perhaps it was wiser to get it over with quickly.
"Th-then, I shall be going."
As Hyun Jong hurried toward the second floor, Mount Hua's disciples let out cries of despair.
"Seeeeect Leaaaaader!"
"Sect Leader, where are you going! Elder Hyun Sang! Elder Un Geom, s-sasukjo!"
"Don't leave us behind! Take us too…! Please!"
But Hyun Jong vanished without looking back, as though he had not heard their screams at all.
"…."
The remaining Mount Hua disciples slowly, very slowly, turned their heads to the side.
It was time to face the devil.
"…Feat?"
A voice carrying every ounce of resentment and bad temper in the world seeped from the demon's mouth.
"Feaaaaat?"
Chung Myung twisted his body. Yu I-seol and Yoon Jong, who had been holding down his arms, now wisely let go of him.
"I taught you all like precious jewels, too afraid you'd die if I breathed wrong on you, and this is what happens—you all get knocked out. And you call that a feeeat?"
His eyes began to roll upward.
The Mount Hua disciples looked at one another in panic, then at Baek Cheon.
Please do something, Sasuk!
Look at him! His eyes are turning inside out!
Receiving those earnest looks, Baek Cheon cleared his throat loudly and spoke.
"Chung Myung. Of course we lost a lot, but still, we left the most people standing. This is something to celebrate…."
"Sasuk."
"Hm?"
"Anyone listening would think you made it into the bracket."
"…."
"Don't just stand there acting like you belong here. Go over to the people who got eliminated. If we breathe the same air, defeat is contagious."
"…."
Baek Cheon trudged over to the group of eliminated disciples and sat down, wrapping his arms around his knees.
"Sahyung?"
"…what?"
"…Never mind."
Seeing his forlorn face, no one could say a word. They only swallowed back their tears.
How pitiful.
Why the hell is there never an exception in that bastard's life?
Whatever they thought, Chung Myung did not relax his rolled-back eyes.
"You idiots lost to the Nine Sects? I am so pissed I could die! Pissed! You had nowhere else to lose to, and you lost to those Nine Sects bastards? I’m going to break every one of your wrists! All of you, come here!"
"Wait!"
At that moment, someone raised a hand and stood up.
"What?"
"I got eliminated because I lost to the Five Great Families, though?"
"Sit down. If you don't want to die."
"Yes, sir."
The rebellion was put down quickly.
"But… I think we did pretty well too."
"What kind of crap is that?"
"Still, the Zhongnan bastards packed their bags and left, and for us to get this far…."
"Hah. That's true."
Chung Myung's face, which had seemed as though it would remain twisted forever like a vengeful evil spirit, softened in an instant as if the snow had melted.
"You saw those bastards carrying their bundles and trudging down the mountain? Ha! That was a scene I'll never forget as long as I live!"
"Their shoulders were slumped so low."
"They didn't even look back."
"Exactly, exactly! They couldn't look back!"
The brothers and sisters seized the chance and chimed in eagerly. They knew from experience that if they didn't soothe him somehow, they'd get hit at least once.
Baek Cheon, watching the mood, cautiously joined in as well.
"It was a complete house of mourning."
"Right. Sasuk's wrist nearly became part of that mourning too."
"…."
And immediately regretted it.
He should have kept his mouth shut.
He had only made the dying spark fly up again.
"How embarrassing is it that you're the great disciple and you can't even make it into the top thirty-two? And everyone else is fine while you alone nearly lost a wrist? I'm so pissed, I—argh!"
As Chung Myung shouted and lunged toward Baek Cheon, Yoon Jong and Jo Gul hurriedly grabbed all four of his limbs and hung on.
"Chung Myung, hold it in! He's your s-sasuk!"
"He's injured! Hit him after he heals!"
Baek Cheon, drained of soul in an instant, swayed on his feet with a ghostly white face. Baek Sang, standing beside him, steadied his shoulder and gave a small, sympathetic smile.
"Sahyung, I understand how you feel."
"…Don't understand, you brat."
Baek Cheon only wanted to cry alone.
Chung Myung glared at the Mount Hua disciples, growling.
This won't do!
In truth, aside from Baek Cheon and his group, the other disciples had not spent that long training with Chung Myung. Not only that, their innate talent was not especially high either. Getting them this far was already remarkable enough.
Hadn't the other sects themselves failed to comprehend Mount Hua's performance?
If the disciples eliminated this time continued to grow, they would eventually rise to a level where they could crush those who had lost today underfoot.
But Chung Myung could never be satisfied with this.
I am seriously pissed.
If he saw this result, what would his senior brothers in the immortal realm say?
Heeheehee. Looks like you don't have the talent to teach after all.
"Aaaaaaagh! I'm going to kill that old geezer—!"
Just as Chung Myung seemed to calm down for a second before rolling his eyes again, Yoon Jong rushed in and seized him. Yu I-seol and Jo Gul also threw themselves into subduing him with all their strength.
"Please, go mad nicely, Chung Myung!"
"Get a grip! Get a grip!"
Clenching his teeth, Chung Myung looked at the three who had pinned him down.
By coincidence, the four who had made it into the Thirty-Two Strong had all formed a single cluster.
"There will be no more defeats for Mount Hua!"
"…."
"If the four of us here can't make it into the top four, then all of us will crawl our way back to Mount Hua! Got it? Especially anyone who loses to the Nine Sects—I'm going to roll you all the way back to Mount Hua myself! So go ahead, lose! Go on!"
Seeing Chung Myung begin to flail in earnest, Baek Cheon quietly asked Baek Sang, who was squatting nearby, "Who does that brat face next?"
"…Namgung Do-wi of the Namgung Family."
"…He's dead."
"He should be, shouldn't he?"
Baek Cheon closed his eyes and sincerely prayed for Namgung Do-wi's soul to rest in peace.
And, as a bonus, his own as well.