"Uh…"
As soon as Baek Cheon regained his senses, terrible pain came over him. He could barely get up as he groaned in pain from his head which felt like it was splitting open.
'How long have I been out?'
It felt like a long time had passed as Baek Cheon awoke. As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw the dark sky. Fortunately, it seemed like it had been less than half a day at the most.
"Ack."
When he turned his head to the side, he saw Yu Yiseol slowly wielding her sword in the distance.
'It doesn't seem like much time has passed.'
Of course, it wasn't possible to infer the time from her form alone. A person experiencing enlightenment sometimes doesn't return to reality for several days or more.
Suddenly, Baek Cheon's ears were greeted with the sound of an eerie voice which was both familiar and unfamiliar.
"Up already?"
"…"
Baek Cheon's head reeled around.
The figure of Chung Myung squatting, with a wooden sword draped over his shoulder, came into his view.
Flinch.
Baek Cheon's body tensed and screamed to retreat before he could calm down and hurriedly move back.
"I guess you are a bit surprised."
Chung Myung smiled.
Baek Cheon stared at Chung Myung with shocked eyes.
'I lost.'
No, it wasn't that he lost.
The fight from before was so embarrassing that it bordered on laughable to discuss victory and defeat. He still didn't understand how it happened; there was only one conclusion he could arrive at.
He was completely outclassed.
Baek Cheon raised his hand and touched his head. His head, which was beaten by Chung Myung, was still ringing like a bell.
But it wasn't something to be embarrassed about. The scoundrel who knocked him out cold was watching him with eyes wide open.
"Can I ask you one thing?"
"Sure."
"… how are you so strong?"
"What?"
Chung Myung looked at Baek Cheon.
'Interesting.'
Usually, people who experience such nonsensical things are unable to accept reality. Even when the result was clear and obvious, they would kick and scream in denial and lash out like a wild boar.
In particular, those overly boastful types that are full of pride never seem to admit defeat until they've been beaten again and again.
However, Baek Cheon managed to acknowledge reality rather quickly, despite his prideful nature.
That's at least one thing that deserves to be praised, but…
"It's not that I'm strong, it was sasuk that was weak."
"Me?"
"Yes."
Baek Cheon's eyes trembled a little.
"I'm…weak?"
"Yes."
Baek Cheon staggered and rose to his feet, glaring at Chung Myung with eyes that could kill.
"Don't ignore me. I am Baek Cheon. The great sahyung of the Baek disciples and the person who will one day lead the Mount Hua sect."
"Uh, right."
Chung Myung politely nodded his head. There didn't seem to be anything wrong with Baek Cheon's words.
There was just one thing.
"But that doesn't mean that you aren't weak."
"…"
As Baek Cheon couldn't refute, Chung Myung raised his finger and pointed to his senior.
"A frog in the well."
"…"
"That's the right phrase for sasuk right now. A well so narrow that even passing frogs wouldn't think of entering it, and a frog with its inflated ego trapped at the bottom."
Baek Cheon's face was distorted.
"And I'm the frog?"
"Yes."
"Me?"
Chung Myung grinned at Baek Cheon, who couldn't admit the truth and continued to ask the same question.
"You are the frog, Sasuk."
"…"
"Sasuk should already know that Mount Hua is on the verge of ruin."
"… of course."
It was harsh to say that it was on the verge of ruin, but there was no denying that it had fallen.
And it was Baek Cheon's role to resurrect Mount Hua. At least, that was what he had believed until now.
"That's why I've been trying so hard till now. To somehow make Mount Hua…."
"Sasuk?'
Chung Mung looked at Baek Cheon with absurd eyes.
"When did you try hard?"
"…"
Baek Cheon was at a loss for words at Chung Myung's question.
"It doesn't seem like that to me at all. It looks like a bunch of kids left to go play house and close up together, before returning and partying at a restaurant. Drinking and congratulating one another on a job well done. Even now, when the conference is fast approaching, aren't you and the other sasuks wasting time bullying the third-grade disciples? What effort? What 'trying hard' are you doing?"
Baek Cheon went silent.
Until now, he never thought that he lacked effort. However, he couldn't say anything when Chung Myung pointed out his inadequacies.
"It seems like sasuks don't know what hard work truly is. Doing everything you want to do and investing the remaining time to train isn't working hard nor is it effort."
"…"
"Sasuk didn't really try till now, you just wanted to rule over a small kingdom called Mount Hua. There was no competition for you around and no one who could nag you. It was a comfortable setting for you, right?"
Baek Cheon bit his lip.
"No, No. Don't make such a face. I am not criticizing Sasuk. But if you refuse to be compared to others and want to live like a king here, you shouldn't be talking about how hard you've tried."
Chung Myung said sullenly.
"Have you ever had a proper fight with anyone?"
"…"
"At best, you would have confronted the Southern Edge Sect. Sasuk, the Southern Edge sect may be treated like the grim reaper here, but the Southern Edge sect is likely near the bottom of the Ten Great Sects. The disciples of the other Nine Great Sects are soaring through the sky, are you strong enough to fly with them? You think you're strong? Sasuk?"
Chung Myung had a smirk on his face.
"Don't get me wrong, you frog. It isn't that I'm strong, you are weak."
An alarm rang loudly in Baek Cheon's head.
'Am I weak?'
He didn't want to admit it.
However, there wasn't a single mistake in Chung Myung's words.
Mount Hua was struggling to contend with the Southern Edge Sect. Actually, even if he took part in the conference and managed to defeat them, there were other sects stronger than them.
"…then does that mean there are people stronger than you in the other great sects too?"
"What bullshit. I am the strongest!"
"…"
'You aren't making any sense, you bastard!'
"But it's not because I am stronger than Sasuk. Right now, Sasuk wouldn't even be able to beat over the Southern Edge sect. Of course, it's not even worth comparing you to the Shaolin and Wudang sects."
Baek Cheon bit his lip.
However, Chung Myung threw another sharp word at Baek Cheon without mercy.
"So, even if it wasn't me, there are plenty of people that could defeat Sasuk. Do you understand?"
'I understand…. but I don't want to understand.'
Who would ever want to acknowledge that they were just another grain of sand in this world?
But Baek Cheon clenched his teeth without protesting.
"I know."
"…"
"You think that a disciple of Mount Hua doesn't understand that? I know. I certainly know. But it doesn't matter. I am not a disciple of the Wudang sect, so I have no choice but to work hard with what I have!"
"But you didn't work hard, Sasuk."
Chung Myung said with a sullen face.
"You didn't try enough, and the direction of your effort was wrong anyway. Do you think someone can become a master just by working hard? Then you should give this up and try to do that. After five hundred years of beating up scarecrows, maybe you'll finally be able to properly use your sword."
Chung Myung had refined pissing people off with his words to an art form.
While frowning deeply, Baek Cheon asked.
"So, you know how I should train?"
"I think I at least know better than Sasuk."
Chung Myung smiled.
At that, Baek Cheon sighed.
'Goblin-like bastard.'
Baek Cheon couldn't understand this child. How could he be strong and bold? How did he still have that relaxed expression on his face? He couldn't understand.
'That's why he can confidently act so cocky.'
In Chung Myung's eyes, the Baek disciples are nothing more than fools with no skills that argue and harass others with their authority.
Even if their situations were reversed, he would have only acted worse than Chung Myung.
Just one thing was certain now.
Chung Myung was stronger than Baek Cheon could imagine. He didn't know how, but he was stronger than the Baek disciples.
Even if Baek Cheon sparred with Un Am or Un Geom, he wouldn't be defeated as disastrously as this.
After a moment of hesitation, Baek Cheon looked at Chung Myung with determined eyes.
"Then, can you make me strong?"
"Huh?"
Chung Myung narrowed his eyes.
'I knew it! This guy is definitely strange.'
Baek Cheon had great pride yet remained aware of reality. Usually, when one thing goes wrong, everything goes wrong.
Putting that bluntly, this bastard was a prideful person who knew his situation very clearly.
Wasn't this the most terrifying aspect of a human?
But it wasn't bad, especially not for a martial artist. In the end, such a person will become strong. Or perhaps his pride could drive him to become the strongest.
"Of course, that's possible."
Baek Cheon quietly nodded his head.
"Then…"
Bowing, with both hands outstretched to beg,
"Uh?"
Baek Cheon spoke in a serious tone.
"Please, make me strong. I will do anything you ask of me."
"…"
Baek Cheon lifted his head and continued.
"If I can become strong, I wouldn't hesitate to learn from Sajae. If our relationship as Sasuk and Sajae is a burden to you. I will not treat you as one—"
"Don't want to."
"—As a teacher… Huh?"
Chung Myung answered again.
"No, I don't want to."
"… Why?"
Baek Cheon asked.
Wait, wasn't he saying all that nonsense to Baek Cheon because he wanted this to happen?
"Why should I? It's bothersome."
"…"
"And you seem to be mistaken, Sasuk."
"What?"
"It isn't over yet."
Chung Myung stood up, raised the wooden sword, and spun it around.
"There is something very strange about humans. They don't think about what they've done and come to compromises in their own minds. They always think they've done enough to repent for their crimes."
"…"
"Yep, right, that's right. You must pay for your sinful actions. Have you paid? Bullshit! Maybe you paid enough for how much you harassed the third-class disciples, but!"
Chung Myung's eyes were blazing.
"My anger will not subside with just that!"
'No, you idiot!'
Baek Cheon stepped back, terrified.
However, Chung Myung slowly approached Baek Cheon with a reaper-like smile.
"You still don't get it, right?"
"No! I get it. I'm already convinced too!"
"No, No. Sasuk doesn't understand yet. It's clear from what happened just now."
'Why do you get to decide whether I understand or not!?'
He said he gets it!
"Don't worry. The night is long. I'll make sure to convince you tonight. Why, just why my Sasuk is so weak and why my Sasuk's sword is wrong. And…"
Chung Myung's eyes shone again.
"Why you shouldn't touch me."
"…"
"Ehehehehe! I am coming!"
"Eikk!"
Sadly, Baek Cheon's screams couldn't reach Mount Hua.
Unfortunately for him.