Chapter 87
Chapter 87
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 87
Chapter Title: Rest (1)
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Step, step.
On the path back to Mount Hua, Ouyang Jue looked up at the towering peaks.
Mount Hua, dense with pointed trees and its terrain so treacherous it was sometimes called the Mountain of Plank Roads.
Perhaps because they inherited its spirit, the Daoists of the Mount Hua Sect were as sharp as blades themselves.
They cultivated themselves by observing countless rules and principles.
And he, a disciple of this very sect, was on his way back after killing members of the Zhenzhou Yan Clan and Sang Won-gyeol.
He had asked Cheol Pung-gae to keep it a secret, but he himself had already sent a message to Bai Duanxian via carrier pigeon, detailing what had happened.
The reason was nothing special.
*I don't want to hide it. At least in this life, I want to be honest with my sect brothers.*
That was all there was to it.
Ouyang Jue did not regret his actions. But he held no optimistic thoughts.
*'How will Master, my sect brothers, and my sect uncles react?'*
Even without this, the other Daoists were already talking a lot about his sudden growth and the subsequent bloody battles.
Amidst all that, Ouyang Jue, a renowned rising star of Mount Hua, had dealt with the Zhenzhou Yan Clan in the mountains using gunpowder and had cut down Sang Won-gyeol in broad daylight.
Afterward, he had listed their crimes, judging the Jungwan Mun even in death.
Would he be condemned as cruel?
Or would he be given time to cultivate, confined once again in the Wall-Facing Cave or a hermitage?
He didn't know. And so, Ouyang Jue shook his head with a bitter smile.
It was because of that strictness that he had wanted to remain at Mount Hua and pursued the strengthening of the Mount Hua Sect.
He also knew that this was a selfish desire that disregarded his existing sect brothers, an act for his own satisfaction.
*'Perhaps Master and my sect uncles will not look kindly upon my actions.'*
Ouyang Jue walked at a leisurely pace.
Step, step.
Before he knew it, he reached the end of the mountain path. Above it lay countless stairs.
Stone steps, cut to a uniform size and stacked with an almost obsessive neatness.
Walking up them, Ouyang Jue was struck with fresh surprise.
"The junior brothers must have worked hard."
Even though it was late winter, there must have been flurries of snow. How had they managed to sweep it all away, leaving not a single flake behind?
Ouyang Jue reached out and brushed a spot where some warmth still lingered.
It seemed someone had sat here for a long time this morning, perhaps because their back ached from sweeping snow.
Ouyang Jue sat there for a moment.
He was a bit tired from running diligently all the way from the Martial Alliance to Shandong, and then to Shanxi, without the aid of a carriage.
He remembered the words of Cheol Pung-gae, who had watched him from the side.
"You madman... my ankles are about to fly off! Just go on ahead!"
When he had replied that he would, since he had to go to the Golden Ring Merchant Guild first anyway, Cheol Pung-gae's expression had twisted strangely.
A hollow laugh escaped him. His vision filled with trees that were nothing but bare branches.
*'Now, the path will surely diverge.'*
He couldn't keep running around while hiding his actions forever.
That was why Ouyang Jue intended to gauge their reaction by revealing that he had used gunpowder, something not condoned in the history of the martial world.
Would Mount Hua remain a rigid Daoist sect as it had in his past life, or would it aim to become a great tree that would contend for supremacy over the world?
*'The former is fine too.'*
For Ouyang Jue, either way was acceptable.
He had already laid the groundwork for the Mount Hua Sect and had saved Ha Jin-ak.
Even if he were expelled, the sect would not be disgracefully annihilated as it was in his past life.
So, it was fine.
*Hooo—*
Ouyang Jue cupped his hands and blew into them.
"This is the first time I've seen you looking so sorry for yourself."
Hearing a voice from above his head, Ouyang Jue turned.
The first thing he saw was a wide Daoist robe. But he couldn't see the face, which made Ouyang Jue tilt his head in confusion.
"...A belly?"
"You brat! It's Sect Uncle Gwak!"
"Ah."
*Plop.*
Gwak Un-pae, who had plopped down next to Ouyang Jue, shifted his bottom back and forth.
It was because his body was too large for the narrow steps. Seeing this, Ouyang Jue let out a small laugh.
"Wouldn't it be better if you lost some weight?"
"How can a Daoist be skinny all the time!"
"It'll get harder later on. You'll get sick, too."
"Want to see just how healthy I am?"
Gwak Un-pae tried to draw his sword while sitting, but it seemed the awkward posture made it difficult.
Ouyang Jue pretended not to notice.
"It's fine."
"...Hmph! Fine. As long as you know."
After that, Gwak Un-pae led the conversation with his characteristic wit.
Most of the topics were about the Martial Alliance, or more precisely, the food prepared by the Martial Alliance's cooks.
*'I thought he was just chubby and not much of a glutton.'*
Ouyang Jue chuckled at this unexpected side of Gwak Un-pae.
Then, Ouyang Jue's expression turned serious.
"Am I allowed to go up?"
"What are *you* doing here?"
Gwak Un-pae wiped the smile from his face.
"Are you hesitating to come up just because you killed a few martial artists? Or is it out of guilt for using gunpowder?"
"...No."
Ouyang Jue shook his head.
He had experienced far too much to feel regret over such things.
Looking back on his time as the Bloodhound in his past life, he had done far crueler things.
He was only hesitating because he didn't know how the Mount Hua Sect would react.
...And the fact that he couldn't reveal this truth was a bit stifling.
Ouyang Jue let out a deep sigh.
"I'm just a little tired. So you don't need to worry too much."
Perhaps sensing the sincerity in his words,
Gwak Un-pae averted his gaze from Ouyang Jue and pointed to a distant spot.
"Do you see that over there?"
It was the location of the hermitage that Ouyang Jue had destroyed in the past.
It was so far away that it looked tiny. But Ouyang Jue blinked his eyes for a moment.
"Yes. I see it."
"It's thanks to you."
A new building, sturdy even at a glance, now stood there. A painter had even elegantly drawn the crest of a plum blossom on it.
What had Ouyang Jue said there?
*'If a child like Jo Hun were to train there, who knows what disaster might befall him? The current Mount Hua is not acceptable. It must change.'*
What must Liu Zhangming, who had heard those words directly, have thought?
He could have felt that Ouyang Jue, a mere second-rate warrior, was being arrogant. It would have been perfectly reasonable for him to say not to speak so carelessly of the Mount Hua Sect.
But Liu Zhangming remembered those words. So, while Ouyang Jue was away, measures were taken.
Gwak Un-pae explained, looking at Ouyang Jue with warm eyes, that laborers, aided by money from the Golden Ring Merchant Guild and the reputation gained from recent events, had rebuilt that hermitage.
As they talked about various things, noon had passed and it was now early evening. The setting sun cast its surging, orange light.
Then, Gwak Un-pae spoke.
"It's getting cold."
"Yes."
"Let's head back now."
As he said this, Gwak Un-pae saw his past self in Ouyang Jue.
His younger self, when he was still lean.
A time when he would cut down villains without hesitation, using the martial arts he had mastered at an early age.
Now he was called the Clear Profound Sword, but back then, he was known as a veritable butcher.
Then, at some point, he realized.
"It's okay to rest sometimes. You don't have to do everything by yourself."
"..."
"Isn't that what a sect is for? How many sect brothers do you have? And what about dependable sect uncles like me?"
Gwak Un-pae misunderstood because he didn't know what kind of existence the Ouyang Jue before him was. He didn't know what worries Ouyang Jue was currently facing.
So Ouyang Jue thought that it wouldn't be much of an answer.
But, for some reason... his heart felt heavy.
Ouyang Jue forced a smile, holding back the tears that welled in his stinging eyes.
"It seems you've rested so much you've gained some weight, Sect Uncle."
"Hey! You little brat!"
*Huhu, hahaha!*
Joyful laughter spread over the stairs.
***
Facing Bai Duanxian, Ouyang Jue conveyed the entire story through telepathic messages from the start, worried that their voices might leak out.
As the telepathic conversation continued, Ouyang Jue constantly observed Bai Duanxian's expression.
Regarding the events at the Martial Alliance, he showed a proud smile; at the Yan Clan's movements, he looked grave; and when it came to the gunpowder, the finishing touch, his face hardened.
But the words that finally came were unexpected for Ouyang Jue.
-From now on, the use of gunpowder is strictly forbidden!
-...Yes!
He had expected Bai Duanxian to fly into a rage at the mere mention of gunpowder, but he only emphasized repeatedly not to use it ever again.
Yet, he didn't forbid him from killing anymore either.
It was a truly ambiguous response, but Ouyang Jue understood it in his own way.
Just as Bai Duanxian had emphasized since he was young.
*'When you deem it just, draw your sword without hesitation. And realize the Righteous Path.'*
It was also Bai Duanxian who had said he would take Ouyang Jue's life if that standard ever warped into that of a villain.
Having recalled that much, Ouyang Jue suddenly asked Bai Duanxian.
-I have returned from the Martial Alliance and have told you everything that happened. May I meet with Grandmaster now?
-I will ask him myself.
-Must you?
To that, Bai Duanxian replied euphemistically.
-At least, that is how it has been until now.
-I see.
Ouyang Jue's lips twisted slightly. He had tried to subtly probe the relationship between the Plum Blossom Grotto and the Mount Hua Sect with his last question.
But, as expected, Bai Duanxian seemed to have noticed his intention.
Thinking it was now awkward to press further, Ouyang Jue took out a golden plaque from his robes.
-This is the golden plaque issued by the Martial Alliance.
-...Hmm!
-With this, one can enter the various meetings held by the Martial Alliance and exert influence over the sects belonging to the Alliance.
Bai Duanxian's wrinkles deepened considerably.
-So we've gained many inscrutable, unfriendly allies.
His understanding was certainly quick.
Ouyang Jue answered slyly.
-At least it's better than unknown faces. Depending on the situation, we could even become quite close.
After examining the golden plaque for a long while, Bai Duanxian looked at Ouyang Jue with pride.
-Thank you.
-Not at all, Master. It was my duty.
-But do not use dangerous items like gunpowder anymore. We must not give the authorities a reason to intervene.
For Ouyang Jue, who knew the future, these words were not particularly frightening, but he nodded readily.
-I will keep that in mind.
-Then, since you've been away for a while, go and greet your sect brothers.
-Yes.
As Ouyang Jue rose from his seat and headed outside, Bai Duanxian hesitated for a moment before leaving him with one last message.
-...More than anything, thank you for growing up so wonderfully.
-...
To Ouyang Jue, Bai Duanxian was the master and adoptive father who had taken him in when he was just an orphan on the battlefield, and despite the opposition of others, had made him a disciple of the Mount Hua Sect.
And that man had just thanked him for growing up wonderfully.
Ouyang Jue's hand, gripping the doorknob, trembled.
*'In this life, I will surely make you happy.'*
*Grit.*
Ouyang Jue clenched his jaw, holding back tears. But his telepathic message was tinged with laughter.
-How could a disciple of the Mount Hua Sect be anything but wonderful?
*Creeak, thud.*
After stepping out the door, he looked up at the sky, which seemed unusually blurry today. As if it were bruised.
*'There were so many things I forced myself to turn away from, so many things I refused to see.'*
*I was such a fool in my past life.*
Ouyang Jue stood there for a long time, until the bruise in the sky faded, before retiring to his chambers.