Chapter 13
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: Character Prison (3)
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The Master said, "Without knowing propriety, one has nothing with which to take a stand."
The Master said.
"How can one cultivate virtue without knowing etiquette?"
Originally, etiquette stems from overwhelming physical power.
According to historical records, the Master's physique was an astonishing nine feet and six inches tall.
In modern measurements, that's over two meters—a giant of a man!
Truly, one could call him benevolence incarnate.
That's how, in the brutal Warring States period, he transcended mere sword debates to survive countless life-or-death duels, ultimately becoming the king of kings among the Hundred Schools of Thought.
Why was I swallowing such nonsense inwardly?
"Uh... so, um, this is dong—"
"...music."
I was craving a good spanking of love.
Every mistake made me want to smack her butt—no, her palm...!
I should have spotted the Ratatouille meta from the start, even with her perfectly fine head.
Myo Narang wasn't great with memorization.
Well, that didn't make her stupid.
She had the ability to intuitively deduce how traditional characters evolved into simplified ones.
The content being what it was, she even showed glimpses of reasoning based on her own knowledge.
However, there were plenty of simplified character changes that defied any rules, leaving pure memorization as the only option.
That's why the precision of incantations is so crucial.
What if she mixed up a character and messed up the qi circulation path?
The moment that happened, Qi Deviation would saunter over like, "What's this?" and viciously squeeze her dantian dry.
I'm living proof, having barely escaped the gates of that hell myself.
"Ugh... Young Master? Could you maybe just record the incantation for me...?"
"No."
Of course not.
No business ethics at all.
"I haven't fully mastered the Heavenly Beast Heart-Returning Art myself. If I misinterpreted the incantation and passed it on wrong, it could cause major problems. Doesn't that kind of story pop up on Mutube all the time? Like downloading illegal incantation MP3s and ending up with twisted meridians."
"Eek...!"
"Squeak...!"
Myo Narang and Dalami shuddered in unison.
Well, most of those cases were due to flaws in the incantation itself.
But blowing a golden opportunity for regular, legitimate meetups? That wouldn't be the act of a true man.
"This one... rang?"
"Correct. Well done."
Surprisingly, Luri was showing interest in simplified characters too.
True to form as a woman who had everything except my chest, height, and me, Geum Sihyeon of Shaanxi Province.
She'd thumb-scroll her smartphone with a perpetually sulky expression.
But just a glance my way, and she'd absorb ten times more than Myo Narang.
Damn, Nangong Heavenly Demon.
Are even your brains top-tier...!
Anyway, praising Luri would make.
Poofy Narang puff her cheeks in competitive fury, striving to memorize even one more character.
She was fulfilling her role perfectly as a walking motivation buff totem.
There's an old saying that the total brainpower a person can use in a day is fixed.
I personally agree with that theory.
Therefore.
One hour of intense study, followed by a break.
Myo Narang looked like she wanted to step outside for some air.
But I steadfastly pretended not to notice and stuck to the room.
Because.
Relations between the orthodox sects and the Demon Cult weren't even politely cordial yet.
It was a bit sorry to say this to Luri, but.
The moment I started hanging around her openly.
People's views of me and my family could turn problematic.
From that perspective, Myo Narang made for a decent buffer.
No roommate would stick that closely otherwise.
There had to be some reason or excuse.
While Luri was briefly away, I subtly asked Myo Narang.
"Um... well..."
With a slightly heavy expression, Myo Narang briefly spilled the story.
To sum it up.
Cheon Luri would hole up in her room staring blankly at her smartphone if she had no reason to go out.
Plus, her position as the Demon Cult's young leader gave off an unapproachable vibe.
Even when other inn girls mustered the courage to talk to her, she'd remain silent.
So why had she come to Cheonun Pavilion?
"I knew it was rude, but I thought maybe if I dragged her around, she'd adapt a bit... She's just like my little sister that way? Super cute, but her personality's totally different... Hehe..."
She and I were both owners of hearts as vast as sacks of virtue.
Of course, from a shut-in hikikomori's perspective, being dragged around might feel like torture.
Still, it was better than drifting aimlessly with no one looking after her.
I couldn't help but admire that ocean-like kindness, sneaking a glance at her grand virtue sack.
"Squeak, squeak!"
"Huh? No way, Young Master wouldn't. Dalami, no bad words."
"...?"
"Ah."
Luri's eyes sparkled.
"Our Dalami's a spirit beast! Hehe. We grew up together at the Beast Palace, so we understand each other a bit."
"So that time was definitely cheating..."
"That time? When? Hmm, I don't remember~?"
Now Myo Narang winked stone-faced, invoking her right to silence.
Well.
Bickering over past events wasn't the way of a gentleman.
Our eyes met for a moment.
In the silence, we mutually agreed to pretend it never happened.
That said.
This Dalami squirrel.
Sharp one...
Released from Schrödinger's character hell, where fortune and misfortune overlapped in quantum superposition.
I trailed behind at a distance, while Narang chattered nonstop into Luri's ear up ahead.
The long-awaited first class.
'Understanding the Classics.'
My eyelids already drooped, my body twisting in preemptive seizure-like agony.
Traditionally, first-week classes self-canceled in true Korean etiquette fashion.
- Young Master... You can't do that...
- Squeak...
Even this Ratatouille duo eyed me like a delinquent.
- Sounds good...
Worried my words might hinder Luri's belated socialization training, I'd come along grudgingly, tears in my eyes.
The path led to Jipyeon Hall.
The large building where most theory classes took place.
Regrettably.
And disappointingly after coming this far.
Myo Narang and Cheon Luri were in different sections from me.
With tears in my eyes, I waved them off from afar.
"What took you so long? Sit here."
"Ah, damn, screwed again. This is rigged..."
Instead, filling the seat beside me were a beggar and a gambler.
The temperature drop nearly brought tears.
A moment later.
The class instructor—no, more like a professor—thrust in his unpleasant, ugly mug.
"Hm? That face is definitely..."
Moyong Taek, surprisingly knowledgeable, popped up a question mark over his head.
The obnoxious man at the podium snapped open his fan and spoke.
"Pleased to meet you, fellow martial artists. I'm Geum Sirang of Hanlim Academy, here to teach you 'Understanding the Classics' this semester. Looking forward to it."
Look at him emphasizing 'Hanlim Academy' on purpose.
All vanity and showmanship—a terrible habit.
"Still... I doubt you'd want a full schedule on day one, right? Haha, having attended Hanlim myself, I fully understand your struggles."
My brother through and through.
The second son of the Geum family, brimming with magnanimity and humanity.
"Thus, today's class will be replaced by homework. Oh, and every class comes with homework."
Sighs erupted here and there, but my bro ignored them, continuing with a wicked grin.
"To truly engrave the sages' words, transcription is the ideal method. So, copy the first twenty pages of the Dao De Jing's primary edition by next class. Paper, bamboo slips—whatever. But no tablets."
More sighs burst out.
Many in the MZ generation of the martial world took notes on tablets, after all.
Our eyes met with Bro.
What?
Why's he smirking?
"Also, write only in regular script. Cursive like clerical script won't count. That's it for today."
....
The Geum family's magnanimity and humanity seemed to have been obliterated by a meteor long ago.
Seeing Bro's smile deepen.
Even charitably, this targeted my 'Sihyeon script' perfectly.
The world's biggest asshole had no equal.
To think he's family...
Deep in character hell with simplified lessons and traditional transcription.
I trudged out of the classroom, feeling it viscerally.
"Hey, Geum Sihyeon."
The total scrub I'd beaten 1-0 recently called out.
Honestly, I could guess the follow-up without hearing it.
"Rematch."
Called it.
No reason to humor his 'fight me again' cup.
"Sadly, today's unicorn fish walking day, so tough."
Unicorn fish walks were serious business.
Moyong Taek shot me a 'what's wrong with this idiot?' look from the side, but I ignored it.
Moyong Wicheon up front did the same.
Moyong series.
Is this okay?
"Thinking back, your skills are truly abysmal. That's why you're dodging spars."
Who got wrecked by that skillless punk?
I held back from saying it aloud to avoid fists flying.
"So, sword debate. Sword debate's fair enough."
Sword debate meant.
Just online argument?
The steam went out of me.
"Just now, after dodging Moyong young master's 10-dan power Heaven-Earth whatever twin swords effortlessly, I shattered his meridians perfectly with Extreme Realm Like-Coming Divine Palm. My win. Bye."
Moyong Wicheon's face twisted in bewilderment.
I hadn't even pulled out the Filial Piety Infuser Plum Blossom Full Bloom, so this was polite enough.
But.
An unexpected reaction popped from the wrong place.
"Oho, no way! Mind-Image Sword Debate officially approved at Hundred Flowers Academy?"
Unhak stepped forward abruptly, eyes sparkling.
"Oh? The Beggars' Sect beggar, eh. Yes. Verified by the Martial Alliance, officially permitted for cadets starting this year."
"Indeed. That should be fair enough!"
What was Mind-Image Sword Debate?
Was this the same sword debate I knew?