Chapter 107
Jeung Yakcheon, the sect leader of the Zhongnan Sect, came out of his room and walked around the vicinity. The scenery inside the Zhongnan Sect was very different from before. It was excessively quiet. There was no sign of people.
"Well, I did send out that many people."
Elder Jo's faction had fallen. All their assets were confiscated, and some were imprisoned in the government office. So, while excommunicating them, he didn't cut their meridians or destroy their internal energy. He only received a vow that they would not use Zhongnan's martial arts.
"It was the right thing to do. If more blood was shed there, they might hold a grudge."
"That measure was too lenient."
When Jeung Yakcheon turned around, Pung Oksan was walking over. He was still unable to use martial arts, but moving around was fine.
"It's a real relief. I didn't think you would live."
Jeung Yakcheon quickly approached Pung Oksan. And he considered it a blessing from heaven that he could move like this.
"But what do you mean by that? That it was lenient. Then should I have cut their meridians?"
"Of course. And destroy their dantian too. Isn't that the natural thing to do when excommunicating someone from a martial arts sect?"
There are occasional cases where they are just sent out. But that's when they have to leave the sect due to special circumstances. In cases like Elder Jo, who harmed the sect, they destroy the dantian and cut the meridians.
So, at the time of the excommunication, Pung Oksan had repeatedly insisted that it should be done for sure. But what could he do when the sect leader said he would let them go with just a vow?
"And they will all already hold a grudge. I wonder if that won't cause problems later..."
At first, they might think it was their own fault. But such feelings easily disappear, and only resentment and hatred remain. It varies from person to person, but Elder Jo's faction were such people from the beginning.
Those who think self-centeredly. Those who move according to their own interests and make excuses later. Since they were such people, they were so confident even after betraying the sect.
"That might be so. But I couldn't do more than that."
I know. That the sect leader's disposition is gentle and he can't do cruel things. Then it can't be helped. If that's the sect leader's judgment, it should be respected. Of course, the sect leader would have to take responsibility for what would happen due to that action.
"By the way, is the training going well?"
The sect leader asked with a face full of expectation.
"We are preparing."
At Pung Oksan's answer, Sect Leader Jeung Yakcheon slowly nodded. Mok Wigun had definitely said there was a way. He had said it was a conclusion reached after consulting with Pung Oksan, who was standing in front of him. Besides, what about Mok Wigun's abilities that he had shown so far? It was truly unbelievable.
So the expectations were high. Moreover, what kind of situation was it now? It was a situation where the sect could survive only if they achieved a certain level of results at the Heavenly Martial Arts Assembly.
"We'll be able to advance to the main tournament this time, right?"
At those words, Pung Oksan's expression turned sour. He asked the sect leader.
"What do you think the probability of passing the preliminaries is?"
"Well. Wouldn't it be more than fifty percent?"
Fifty percent? Pung Oksan doubted his ears. Fifty percent meant half and half. If he was talking like that, he was thinking inwardly that they would almost certainly advance.
'Haah. The sect leader is so out of touch with reality.'
Still, Zhongnan had been able to endure because the sect leader was holding the center. That point was certainly worthy of respect. But his eyes for facing reality were lacking. On what basis could he make a judgment of fifty percent? So he told him his honest thoughts.
"Realistically speaking, with the children's current skills, there is no possibility at all."
Jeung Yakcheon was startled.
"What do you mean by that? Didn't you say there was a way?"
"I said there was a way, not that it would definitely work."
Pung Oksan thought it was necessary to tell him the current state of affairs coolly.
"There was no one among the first-generation disciples who was worthy of participating. I was going to participate, but I ended up in this state."
"So your younger brother is going, isn't he?"
That's right. Pung Chosan. A guy who was known to have given up martial arts seven years ago. Only that one guy is participating. But to think it's natural for such a person to get good results?
Of course, he was a genius who was once called the hope of Zhongnan. It's not just because he's his younger brother, he's a truly talented martial artist.
"But overcoming a long hiatus is difficult. And that's at least six years? If he hasn't performed martial arts for that period..."
It was said that if you rest for a day, you know, and if you rest for three days, the world knows. It's natural for it to show even if you neglect your training a little. But to think that a person who has given up for over six years will naturally pass? That's insane.
"Hmm... Thinking about it that way, it's not entirely positive."
It seemed he was finally recognizing reality a little. Pung Oksan continued to speak.
"Then the individual competition is not easy, and what about the sect battle? Have we passed recently?"
The competition called the sect battle, or group competition. After Zhongnan suffered a great blow from the incident ten years ago, the results of the Heavenly Martial Arts Assembly sect battle were truly terrible.
If it was the main tournament, he would say it could be so. Because it's a place where all the strong people of the martial world are gathered. But the results in the West Academy preliminaries, not the main tournament, were like that. So they had never once passed the preliminaries.
"There isn't. Not even once. Yes. I remember. It was just one time in the individual competition."
That's right. In ten years, the only thing was advancing to the main tournament once in the individual competition.
Seven years ago, Pung Chosan had participated in the individual competition and had caused a sensation. Because he had been the runner-up in the preliminaries and had also entered the top eight in the main tournament. Moreover, he had met a strong contender for the championship in the round of sixteen and had won after a fierce battle. The protagonist of the upset.
But after that, the checks and vile tricks of Elder Jo's faction were concentrated on him. Pung Chosan, who was pissed off by that, had quit martial arts.
"Yes. So we are preparing Chosan. Because he's the only one who can go. But there's no answer for the sect battle. Don't you know just by looking at how it was before?"
"Ahem..."
The sect leader coughed, as if he remembered the past results. It was truly, literally, disastrous. It was at the level of a punching bag. How bad must it have been for even sects with almost no name to think it was worth a try if they were matched against Zhongnan?
"I know well because I've seen it myself."
Pung Oksan had often accompanied them to the Heavenly Martial Arts Assembly, so he knew the situation well.
"There were also cases where we couldn't win even once. There were a few cases where we were lucky to win against an unknown sect. That's all."
Still, they had lost all the duels against sects that were a little known. In duels against such sects, it was rare to win even three out of nine.
"So to pass the preliminaries now would have to be called a miracle."
"But didn't you and Young Master Mok conclude? That you could do it."
"We did. It was a statement that we could increase the possibility."
It was a statement made to have as much hope as possible.
"But I can't be sure. No. I should say it's difficult. So it's better not to have high expectations."
At those words, Jeung Yakcheon's face darkened. He had thought that after driving out Elder Jo's faction, everything was solved, but a bigger problem was waiting.
"Still, it's a relief that we've avoided the sealing of the gate. Who would have thought we could drive out Elder Jo just a few days ago? So let's have some expectations."
"I also wish that were the case."
Pung Oksan was also hoping for that. But since he knew how difficult it was, he couldn't just think optimistically.
"Yes. That guy will do it somehow."
Wasn't it Mok Wigun who had saved him, who was as good as a corpse? So he thought he could also save the dying Zhongnan Sect.
At that time, Mok Wigun and Pyon Juksu were heading to the training ground and saw the second-generation disciples fighting among themselves.
"Do you think you have the skills to go there?"
About ten people were surrounding the eight who had been selected and were pushing them.
"Tell me honestly. What was it?"
"Yeah. Does it make sense? There are many people who are much more skilled than you guys."
Jang Sogun stepped forward to try to stop them.
"What's wrong? We don't know either. Didn't Physician Pyon select us?"
"Physician Pyon, my foot. It was all Mok Wigun who did it."
They seemed to have a lot of complaints about the eight who had been selected.
"To be honest, it seems all the people who are close to Mok Wigun were chosen. Isn't that right?"
"That's right. Jeonghak and Deungroe are like that, and Sogun and Wol. They're all kids who are close to Mok Wigun."
But the eight of them couldn't really refute it. Because they also didn't know why they had been chosen. But even considering such circumstances, they were excessively passive and intimidated. At least Jang Sogun was trying to stop them somehow.
"This competition is so important. There's no way he would have chosen based on personal connections."
But the other second-generation disciples couldn't accept that.
"No. Then what's the criteria? It's strange. It's not like they held a selection match."
"That's right. He made us do something strange and then just said he would go with you eight."
The other seven couldn't even speak properly and were cowering.
"Mok Wigun is also about the same age as us. He may be good at martial arts, but you can't say his eye for seeing is also accurate."
"That's right. How important experience is. And to be honest, there's also a story that his fame is because of the Light Wind Unit."
As he listened, all sorts of stories came out.
"Will that be okay? Isn't he too passive?"
Pyon Juksu said as if he was not at all pleased. Mok Wigun was also displeased with the response of the selected children.
In fact, the people he had trained so far had all been active. Because they were people who had come to receive training with determination. But it was the first time he had seen guys who were scared or afraid like now.
"This won't do."
Time was also short until the Heavenly Martial Arts Assembly. So in a situation where it was uncertain whether they would succeed even if they were active, to have such a mental state. There was no possibility with this.
Mok Wigun and Pyon Juksu went down to the training ground. When they were discovered, the children stopped what they were doing and gathered near the two.
"On my way here, I saw that there seemed to be a complaint about the selection criteria..."
Mok Wigun said that and then looked over the second-generation disciples. But no one readily stepped forward. It seemed that although they had complaints, stepping forward was burdensome.
"No complaints?"
"I want to know the selection criteria."
A guy stepped forward.
"Criteria?"
"Yes. What is the selection criteria for choosing the people who will participate in the Heavenly Martial Arts Assembly?"
He spoke with quite a bit of backbone. A few others also seemed to have complaints. Such guys were thinking that they were more skilled but had been eliminated.
"You have a complaint about the selection?"
At the question of whether they had a complaint, everyone was quiet again. Mok Wigun chuckled and said.
"You shouldn't have a complaint. Then let's choose again!"
(End of Chapter)