A Rolling Stone Gathers No Moss (3)
"Huh, Elder?"
Still dumbfounded, Baek Cheon looked at Hyun Young, only to find the finance elder staring back at him with a displeased expression.
Did I say something wrong?
Baek Cheon hurried to clean up the mess.
"A third-generation disciple going down to Hwaeum alone to drink is a serious offense. No matter how much authority the Sect Leader gave that boy to go down there alone, surely that wasn't permission to go drinking. I think he should be punished accordingly."
At that, Hyun Young’s head tilted slightly.
So he does understand after all.
Then they ought to deal with that brat right away…
"You really don't understand a damn thing, do you."
"…Pardon?"
Hyun Young said it without bothering to hide his irritation.
"Do you set Mount Hua's rules?"
"O-of course not."
"Then where in Mount Hua's rules does it say a disciple can't leave the mountain gate and drink?"
"…."
Baek Cheon could not bring himself to answer.
No, there wasn't such a rule.
That was because what sect in the world would put in its regulations that its disciples couldn't drink outside the mountain gate?
That was the sort of thing everyone simply understood without it needing to be written down.
"And."
Hyun Young looked Baek Cheon straight in the eye.
"So what if he did?"
"…Elder?"
"So what if he drinks a little?"
"…."
Was it just Baek Cheon’s imagination, or did Hyun Young’s face seem to be growing redder and redder?
No. It wasn't his imagination.
Before long, Hyun Young's face had turned beet red as he pointed a finger at Baek Cheon and barked, "There are idiots all over this place who can't even earn the rice they're shoveling into their mouths! And the one actually keeping all of you fed wants to buy himself a little drink with his own money! And you're here as his martial uncle, tattling on him like this? Huh? Acting like a damn martial uncle and running your mouth about it, huh?"
What? Mar- martial uncle?
"You filthy gluttons who eat meat with the money your martial nephew earned! The boy saved up every last coin and wanted to spend a little of it on liquor, and you couldn't even stand that? So you ran straight here to snitch? You pathetic little worm who can't even pay for the rice he eats!"
Baek Cheon stood there slack-jawed, making incoherent noises.
He could barely understand being scolded for reporting that the third-generation disciple had been drinking, but what was even harder to understand was Hyun Young's reaction.
This was Hyun Young—the man who was usually so calm and cold that people said he should have joined the North Sea Ice Palace instead of Mount Hua, where his talent was wasted?
Seeing him with his eyes practically popping out and his finger jabbing the air made it hard to tell whether this was reality or a dream.
"Your martial nephew goes out and earns money down in Hwaeum… no, he goes out and earns merit, and what do you even do as a martial uncle? Just wave your sword around and gobble up the food? What gives you the right to criticize anyone, huh? Should I crack your skull open? Don't eat it, you fools! What have you done that lets you stuff yourselves with meat—"
Bang!
At that moment, someone violently shoved the door open and stormed in.
"Hahaha! Junior Brother, so you were here!"
With a very strange smile plastered on his face, Martial Hall Leader Hyun Sang rushed in and wrapped Hyun Young from behind, clamping a hand over his mouth.
"Mmph! Mmmph! Let go of me— mmph!"
"Hahaha. Come on, let's step outside for a moment. Somewhere the children aren't around. Ah, hold still for a second!"
Thud.
The sound of the door closing was the final note, and the hall was filled with an eerie silence. No one dared speak.
Chomp, chomp, chomp, chomp.
In that strange stillness, the only sound to be heard was Chung Myung stuffing his face.
"What in the world…."
Baek Cheon muttered without thinking.
"What's going on here?"
It was the one line that expressed the feelings of every second-generation disciple present.
* * *
"Isn't this all a little strange, Senior Brother?"
Even after the question was directed his way, Baek Cheon simply set down the teacup in his hand without saying a word. It was the same old, worn-out cup he had used for years. Before his retreat, he had thought it had a certain rustic charm. But now that he saw it again, it didn't seem charming at all—it just looked shabby.
Come to think of it, that had always been Mount Hua's standard.
Old utensils, old buildings. And old people.
The only hope left for that worn-out sect was the second-generation disciples, and among them, the greatest hope of all had been Baek Cheon.
But the sect he had returned to after one year had changed so much that the old saying about rivers and mountains being utterly transformed hardly did it justice.
"It's strange enough that new buildings are going up all over the place, and that areas neglected for over ten years are being repaired. No, I mean… all of that's fine. If money that wasn't there before suddenly exists, then of course you start doing what you couldn't do before. But!"
Baek Sang spoke with the air of someone barely suppressing his frustration.
"Aren't the attitudes of the sect elders strange? We came back after a long retreat, and the Sect Leader barely said anything…."
"Didn't the Sect Leader praise your hard work enough?"
"Still, after a whole year…."
"He is an extremely busy man."
Baek Sang lowered his head slightly. By his own judgment, he had gone too far when even he had dragged the Sect Leader into it. But that didn't make it any easier to accept.
"Setting the Sect Leader aside, isn't Elder Hyun Young and Martial Uncle Un Geom strange too?"
Baek Cheon didn't answer. Whatever he said, it would sound strange. If he spoke his mind, it would seem like he had grievances against his superiors; if he denied it, there was too much that didn't fit.
"Didn't you notice? The elders have been coddling that kid."
"Baek Sang."
"Yes, Senior Brother!"
"I'm not so oblivious that I wouldn't notice that much."
"…."
Hadn't he just been insulted to his face? How could he not notice?
"Senior Brother. Doesn't that brat seem a little arrogant?"
"Hmm?"
"Even if the elders are indulging him, if you show up like this, he should at least bow his head first, shouldn't he? But that guy just…."
Baek Sang trailed off and shut his mouth.
It would have been one thing if Chung Myung had sneered back at them; then he could have lashed out directly. But trying to criticize someone who had just sat there eating with complete indifference left a sour feeling in his mouth.
"Hah."
Baek Cheon’s brow furrowed.
"And I don't understand why Junior Sister Yu would show such interest in that kid either. Why would Yu Senior Sister…."
A tiny ripple moved through the teacup in Baek Sang's hand.
"Isn't that simply Yu Junior Sister's own feelings?"
"She's hardly the sort of person who talks to any of us, though. That's the first time I've ever seen her actively strike up a conversation with anyone. We've been around Yu Junior Sister for more than a day or two, haven't we?"
"…."
"I can let myself go on that point, but at least to Senior Brother…."
"Baek Sang."
"…Yes, Senior Brother."
"Don't get too worked up."
Baek Sang lowered his head again. Then he kept sneaking glances at Baek Cheon.
He had tried to keep his expression under control, but Baek Cheon’s discomfort was written all over his face. His brow kept creasing again and again.
That brat, talking to me like that.
And not even a junior brother, but a junior nephew?
In a sect like Mount Hua, the difference between generations was literally heaven and earth. Just as he could never disobey the Un generation no matter what happened, Chung Myung should naturally have been the same.
Arrogant punk.
Baek Cheon bit his lip slightly.
Then the subdued Baek Sang quietly continued.
"I'm upset because it's unfair, Senior Brother. We came back after enduring all that grueling training, and the seniors don't even acknowledge us, while some little chestnut-headed brat who appeared out of nowhere has all the elders eating out of his hand."
"The time when we could be called cute is long past."
"You know that's not what I mean."
He knew. He knew very well.
Baek Cheon let out a low sigh.
It's like he's even taken the lead somehow.
Was it because they had been away for so long?
Back in the day, the elders of the sect would have come looking for Baek Cheon the moment he returned, asking about Hwajong Jihoe and training. Instead, they were showing almost no interest in him at all.
Everyone was looking for Chung Myung instead.
Baek Cheon found that deeply annoying.
He didn't know exactly what Chung Myung had done to earn such overwhelming expectations from the elders, or why he seemed to have won their quiet protection, but Mount Hua was his sect.
It should be Baek Cheon who carried Mount Hua's expectations on his shoulders, and he who would bring the sect its glorious light once more.
"Are you just going to leave that brat alone?"
"And if I don't?"
"…Then shouldn't you at least give him a good dressing-down? If you leave him be, Mount Hua's whole order will be turned upside down. You should be the one to step in and set the strict rules straight."
Baek Cheon gave a bitter smile.
What he was really saying was that he didn't like the brat running around acting up, so could Baek Cheon please beat him senseless once.
"For now, calm down."
"Senior Brother!"
Baek Sang raised his voice, and Baek Cheon’s brow furrowed. Seeing that expression, Baek Sang realized his mistake and quickly lowered his eyes.
Only then did Baek Cheon nod with satisfaction.
"It's not that I don't feel the same way."
"Then why…."
"First, we need to know."
"Pardon?"
Baek Cheon slowly shook his head and set down his teacup.
"There is a proper order to things. We need to find out why the martial uncles are coddling that boy like this."
"Ah, of course. Yes, of course."
"Here he comes."
"Pardon?"
Just as Baek Cheon's words ended, someone knocked at the door.
"Come in."
Creak.
The door opened, and the person who entered clasped his hands respectfully.
"This disciple, Yoon Jong, greets my martial uncles."
"Come in, come in."
Baek Cheon pointed toward the seat in front of him.
"Sit down."
"Yes, martial uncle."
Yoon Jong sat down carefully, the entire posture of his body conveying the thought that he hardly dared sit here. He was, as always, unfailingly polite.
Baek Cheon liked that about him.
That's how a junior nephew ought to be.
Not like that arrogant little mudskipper brat.
Feeling somewhat better, Baek Cheon softened his voice.
"Yoon Jong."
"Yes, martial uncle."
"While I was away, you must have had a difficult time as the senior disciple, attending to the elders of the sect."
"I merely did what any Mount Hua disciple ought to do."
"Yes, that's right. It is what you ought to do. But…."
Baek Cheon paused, and Yoon Jong lifted his head slightly to study his expression. The words that followed were exactly as expected.
"It seems things in Mount Hua are happening that are anything but ordinary now."
"…Are you referring to Chung Myung?"
Baek Cheon gave no answer either way. But there was no way Yoon Jong couldn't guess what he meant.
"As the senior brother, it's my fault for not properly guiding my junior brother. If my behavior has offended you, please punish me, martial uncle."
"No. This is not something you can handle. Which is why I'm asking."
"Yes, martial uncle."
A faint smile played at the corners of Baek Cheon's mouth.
"While I was away, tell me exactly what happened in your own words. After hearing it, I will decide the direction we should take from here."
Yoon Jong let out a deep breath.
It’s only natural to explain things to my martial uncle, but somehow it feels like I’d be betraying Chung Myung.
Before coming here, Yoon Jong had already asked Chung Myung whether it would be all right to tell his martial uncle everything that had happened so far. Chung Myung's reply had been very simple.
- Go ahead.
"…."
If he would only tell him what to do, that would actually be easier.
Yoon Jong cast a quick glance at Baek Cheon and steeled himself.
"First, I think I should start from when Chung Myung first entered Mount Hua."
As Yoon Jong slowly began to unfold the story of the past months, the second-generation disciples listened in silence, holding their breath.
And as the tale went on, Baek Cheon's expression grew darker and darker by the moment.