“Thirty-two…”

The Abbot looked curious.

“It turned out to be a lot different from what I had thought.”

At those words, the elders of the Shaolin Sect had a bit of an uncomfortable expression.

“I expected to some extent that Wudang wouldn’t stand out. The martial arts of Wudang are something that ripens with time. It is unlikely that the younger disciples would exert much at such a young age. There is a limit to these things.”

“Umm.”

The shared characteristic of the Wudang and Shaolin Sect’s martial arts was that both martial arts took time and experience to become powerful.

Therefore, it was common for the third and second-class disciples, who weren’t given much time to train, not to exert much strength.

“And I thought the Peng and Namgung families would stand out. No matter what anyone says, they are not lacking even a little bit when compared to the other sects which will lead kangho.”

“Right.”

The Nine Great Sects One Union and the Five Great Families

The two factions which led the world.

But just because they were related by the same concept, didn’t mean that they were all the same.

The Nine Great Sects were in a close situation where the Southern Edge and Beggars Union were centered around Shaolin and Wudang. On the other hand, the Tang Family followed behind the Namgung and Peng families.

From the start of the competition, they had already predicted the flow to some extent.

The problem was….

“As the Southern Edge Sect collapses, the three families are still left. There are barely more than ten disciples of the Nine Great Sects now.”

“Umm.”

The Abbot let out a low sigh.

Many said that, usually, the Nine Great Sects and the Five Great Families were close-knit for the sake of the world. But the truth was that both factions were simply close to one another. The purpose of a disciple leading a sect and a child leading a family of the same bloodline was completely different.

So, once in a while, both sides bumped heads. So it wasn’t nice to see the Nine Great Sects be so weak compared to the Five Great Families, especially with Shaolin having arranged this meeting.

“The number of disciples remaining from the families is about twice as much as the sects. There are also four people who are neither of the Nine Great Sects nor of the Five Great Families,” said an elder, who let out a sigh after.

Of those who remained, there was only one organization that was neither of the Nine Great Sects nor of the Five Great families.

“It is Mount Hua, which is unexpected.”

Of the thirty-two who passed, four were from Mount Hua.

Four might seem like a small number now, but Mount Hua was the only sect to have four of its disciples remaining, even Shaolin had just three.

“What was their original place?”

“It was silver. Hae Bang, who had received a complaint from them during his visit, immediately gave them a gold letter.”

The Abbot sighed in relief,

“If it weren’t for Hae Bang, we would have been pointed at.”

If Mount Hua came with a silver letter and achieved such a feat here, people would have pointed their fingers at Shaolin for not recognizing the power of Mount Hua.

They would be ridiculed for giving Mount Hua silver when they actually had to be given a higher invitation.

Abbot felt glad that such a situation hadn’t happened.

“It is fortunate, but it is also unfair. Who would have thought Mount Hua would be this active before the competition even started?”

“Right.”

The Abbot smiled,

“Especially that child Chung Myung is more shocking than I thought. Maybe even Hae Yeon will struggle.”

“That good? Of course, he was great, but in my eyes, he didn’t seem that strong…”

“What we saw wasn’t everything.”

The Abbot narrowed his eyes.

‘Maybe what we all saw wasn’t even the start.’

It was fun, the feeling he got when he looked at that child, who hadn’t yet lived even half his life, yet still had such depth.

If Hae Yeon was like a stream that flowed around, making one feel excited, then this Chung Myung guy was so deep that one wouldn’t dare try and peer within.

“The sky is sometimes too relentlessly cold, but the warmth comes at the end of the cold. It wouldn’t be against the will of the heavens that the child fell into Mount Hua,” quietly mumbled the Abbot.

-Is there anyone who doesn’t know what happened to those who believed in their path and practiced their teachings yet didn’t hesitate to throw them out?

He remembered the words of the Sect Leader from Southern Edge, and his body felt stiff.

‘How could I not know?’

It was life inside Kangho that turned them into this.

He wanted to stay far from such things and never look back. But Mount Hua would eventually bring back its power and stand in front of them again. It seems as if those who truly pursue their will cannot be destroyed despite facing hardships.

For this reason, every time Abbot saw the disciples of Mount Hua, he felt his heart being stabbed.

“Amitabha.”

The Abbot tried to take down the mess of thoughts from inside his head.

“This competition seems to be nearing the end. It would have been nice if this places becomes harmonious, where we all get to know each other.”

“That would be better. In particular, Mount Hua will turn into a sect everyone knows about.”

“Hmm.”

“Especially when that child, Chung Myung, makes it to the finals, and the honor of the Nine Great Sects will crumble. Of course, this will make the Five Great Families blush.”

“Right.”

“And if that happens.”

The elders looked at the Abbot,

“We might have to undo the decision of the past.”

“It has to be done,” mumbled the Abbot.

The decision of the previous heads to expel Mount Hua from the Nine Great sects.

“However it is impossible to decide what to do by ourselves.”

“It is but…”

“I know what you mean. It will happen eventually, so we need to be prepared for it.”

“Yes, Abbot.”

Mount Hua’s return to the Nine Great Sects.

This wasn’t some light matter. Perhaps this would shake the entire world again.

“It will happen if it should happen.”

The Abbot nodded,

“Let’s wait a little longer now. It isn’t too late to discuss this once more when the competition is finished.”

“Yes, Abbot.”

“Amitabha.”

The Abbot closed his eyes and fell into thought.

The elder hesitated for a moment, and instead of leaving the room, he said,

“I am a bit envious.”

“Um?”

“Perhaps Mount Hua is feeling the joy of flying in the sky and thinking about it hurts my stomach.”

At those candid words, the Abbot smiled,

“That is the reward for their effort. Let’s just celebrate it.”

“So…”

A clogged voice came from Hyun Jong.

“The ancestors…”

“Uh….”

“Will be happy…”

“Uhhhh….”

Without speaking, he looked at the disciples. Everyone was looking at him like they were seeing a new painting and…

He tilted his head to one side. To the place where the root cause of the problem was.

At the composition of his disciples, all holding a limb of Chung Myung, who was growling.

‘Why again?’

Hyun Jong took a deep breath.

Even if he wanted to say something nice occasionally, the disciples weren’t able to hear it. Despite the many encouraging words, the disciples of Mount Hua only showed soulless eyes with expressions like kids whose angry parents were waiting behind them.

“Uh… ahem.”

Hyun Jong sighed,

“I will come back after discussing a couple of things with the elders, you people should rest….”

“S-Sect Leader!”

“Sect Leader, why are you leaving? Take us too!”

“Don’t leave us alone in here, Sect Leader!”

A desperate response suddenly erupted from the disciples, who were sitting in disbelief.

However, Hyun Jong turned his head away from the disciples. Of course, it wasn’t too difficult to protect these children now, but eventually, it would happen at some point unless the one behind them was kept under constant watch.

Letting this happen first may be better than trying to deal with it.

“T-then, bye.”

As Hyun Jong moved away, the disciples of Mount Hua all screamed,

“Sect Leaderrrr!”

“Sect Leader, don’t leave! Elder Hyun Sang! Un Geom sasukkkk!”

“Don’t leave us alone here! Take us too….! Please!”

But Hyun Jong disappeared without even looking back at them.

“…”

The other disciples who were there then slowly turned their heads to one side.

Now was the time to face the devil,

“…happy?”

A voice that seemed to have held all the pain in the world came out.

“Are you happy?”

Chung Myung swung his body and Yu Yiseol and Yoon Jong, who were holding him, let go.

“Gold or Jade, one doesn’t have a value until it gets battered down. But are you happy?”

His eyes were wide and angry, and the disciples all looked at Baek Cheon.

‘Sahyung, what do we do?’

‘Look at him. He is doing that! He is going wild!’

Baek Cheon, who received their earnest gaze, coughed and said,

“Chung Myung, of course, we have failed, but we still have the most people left. This is something we should celebrate…”

“Sasuk.”

“Uh?”

“Anyone who hears this will think sasuk passed.”

“…”

“Don’t try to sneak into this topic and head to the side where the dropouts are gathered. I will lose if I breathe the same air as you all.”

“…”

Baek Cheon went to the place where the losers were gathered and sat on his knees.

“Sahyung?”

“… what!”

“…. Don’t bother.”

Everyone looked at him with pitiful eyes and gulped.

‘So sad!’

‘Are there no exceptions to that forsaken bastard!’

But whatever they thought, Chung Myung was going to do what he wanted.

“You lost to the Nine Great Sects? I cannot live any longer since luck seems to be running out! You had no one else better to lose to and had to do it in the hands of the Nine Great Sects? I am going to rip all your nails off!”

“That!”

Someone raised their hand and stood up,

“What is it?”

“But I lost to the Five Great Families.”

“Sit down if you don’t want to die.”

“Yes.”

And the revolt was suppressed.

“But… I think we did well.”

“Did well? Did what well?”

“Still, the boys packed their thoughts and went out to do well, this much…”

“Kuak. Right.”

The expression on Chung Myung’s face, which looked like a vicious soul-stealing goblin, changed,

“Did you see those bastards lose? Wow! It is a sight I would never forget in my life!”

“Shoulders drooping down!”

“Not even looking back!”

“Right! Right! They didn’t look back!”

The sahyungs didn’t miss the chance and kept speaking. They knew that if they wanted to receive one less hit, they would have to speak such things.

Baek Cheon smiled at this atmosphere,

“Isn’t this a complete funeral?”

“Right. Sasuk’s family funeral.”

“…”

And immediately regretted it. And the sparks which were extinguished came roaring back to life,

“You have become a person who couldn’t even join a group of thirty-two! Losing to everyone else is fine, but no, you had to go and offer them your heads!”

When Chung Myung screamed and ran for Baek Cheon, so Yoon Jong and Jo Gul grabbed him again.

“Chung Myung! Hold it! It is sasuk! Sasuk!”

“He is injured! Hit him after he recovers!”

Baek Cheon felt like his soul was betrayed when he heard that, and Baek Sang, who was next to him, grabbed his shoulder and smiled,

“Sahyung, I know what you must be feeling.”

“…don’t bother to understand, you brat.”

Baek Cheon wanted to cry.

Chung Myung glared as he looked at the disciples.

‘You cannot do this!’

With the exception of Baek Cheon and his party, the rest of the disciples didn’t spend much time with Chung Myung and his training. Even so, they had managed to come this far, so it was great.

For example, aren’t the disciples of Mount Hua now something the other sects fear?

If the disciples who failed now continue to grow at the same pace, they will be able to reach a point of smashing people down with their toes.

But Chung Myung wasn’t the kind to feel satisfied by such things.

‘Because I aim to win.’

What can sect leader sahyung say is the reason for this?

-Hehehe. You don’t seem to have the talent to teach others.

“Ackkkkkk! I am so done!”

Yoon Jong hurriedly grabbed Chung Myung, who was silent for a moment but began to get crazy again. Yu Yiseol and Jo Gul also did their best to hold him.

“Please don’t go crazy, Chung Myung!”

“Get yourself together! Calm down!”

Chung Myung clenched his teeth and looked at the three holding him back. Coincidentally they were the three who managed to pass along with him.

“Now, there will be no defeat for Mount Hua!”

“…”

“If we four don’t make it to the end, we will all crawl to Mount Hua! You get it? Especially if the loss is to the Nine Great Sects, you will roll on your body to Mount Hua! So lose to someone other than the Nine Sects!”

Baek Cheon, who was watching this, began to tremble and asked Baek Sang, who was next to him,

“Who is the next opponent?”

“…. Namgung family’s Namgung Dowi.”

“… he is done.”

“Is that so?”

Baek Cheon closed his eyes and prayed for the safety and peace of Namgung Dowi.

At the same time, he prayed for their own well-being too.