"Aaaaargh!"
A desperate scream came from outside the door. Startled, Tang Gunak peeked outside to see. It seemed as if a familiar voice was mixed in with the scream he just heard.
But he soon returned his head to its original position.
"…Are you alright?"
When Hyun Jong asked gently, Tang Gunak gave a bitter smile.
"I'm fine."
"Still, it can't be an easy task to accept."
"It's something I've long hoped for."
Tang Gunak reached out and picked up the teacup before him. Confirming the tea had cooled slightly, he gently drew up his internal qi. The cooled tea soon began to emit white steam curling upward.
Savoring the aroma, Tang Gunak smiled faintly.
"As I always feel, plum blossom tea has a truly wonderful fragrance."
"Thank you."
Tang Gunak took a sip of the tea and set the cup down on the table, then spoke.
"In truth, this is something I've been thinking about for quite some time. At this rate, a day will inevitably come when we can no longer keep up with Mount Hua."
"You are too humble. Who would dare compare the Sichuan Tang Family to Mount Hua?"
Tang Gunak gave a wry smile.
Surely, the world might still place the Tang family slightly above Mount Hua. Even when the Heavenly Friends Alliance was formed, except for a few who knew the intimate details, most believed the Sichuan Tang family had put Mount Hua at the forefront and held the real power, didn't they?
But once their deeds in the south spread, even that mistaken perception will change.
'Above all…'
What matters is not perception. Isn't it how Tang Gunak views the current situation?
Mount Hua grows stronger day by day, but the Tang family remains in the same place. Until now, the Tang family was the one waiting for the day Mount Hua would stand beside them. But from this incident onward, that position has reversed.
"Alliance Leader. No… Sect leader."
Hyun Jong looked at Tang Gunak with deep eyes at the changed title.
"If things continue like this, the gap between Mount Hua and the Tang family will widen."
"…Tang family lord."
"Refusing to acknowledge that is neither pride nor anything else; it's merely the stubbornness of a petty person ignoring reality."
Hyun Jong quietly met Tang Gunak's gaze.
Though Tang Gunak spoke calmly, entrusting the training of the disciples to others is no easy matter. In fact, even Hyun Jong himself doubted he could do it.
Seeing Tang Gunak speak so calmly about it naturally inspired respect.
"Tang family lord, if you had the will, wouldn't it have been possible?"
Tang Gunak gave a bitter smile.
"I appreciate your high regard… but if it had been possible, there would have been no reason for me not to have strengthened the Tang family's forces until now."
"…I have been rude."
"Not at all."
Tang Gunak calmly shook his head.
"I also learned from observing the Mount Hua's Sword Saint that exceptional martial arts skill and the ability to teach others are entirely separate matters."
This was Tang Gunak's sincere truth, without addition or subtraction.
Of course, from the first time he saw Chung Myung, he suspected he was a talent who would elevate Mount Hua. At that time, Chung Myung displayed martial prowess and a chilling mindset beyond his years. But…
'Even that underestimated the Mount Hua's Sword Saints; true skill.'
Even Tang Gunak never imagined Mount Hua would become this strong.
Watching Chung Myung develop Mount Hua, even Tang Gunak, who held only goodwill toward him, sometimes felt inferiority and self-doubt.
An ordinary person might express that inferiority as hostility toward the Mount Hua's Sword Saint, but Tang Gunak was no fool. He knew the best way for him and for the Tang family.
"If it were something I could do, I would have done it. But if I step in now and push the disciples, it will only sound like the Tang Family Lord's is pressuring the Tang family members out of fear of Mount Hua's growth, both internally and externally."
"Hmm."
Hyun Jong was silent. Upon reflection, it made perfect sense.
"So I believe this is the right approach."
"But lord…"
"At least outwardly."
Tang Gunak smiled slyly.
"Inwardly, it's a bit different. If I personally step in and push the kids but no results come, won't I be the only one embarrassed?"
"…"
"Face and pride are a useless thing, but sometimes it must be kept. Outwardly, it looks like I am commanding the Mount Hua's Sword Saint as an instructor, so for me, it couldn't be better."
Seeing Tang Gunak's sly smile, Hyun Jong sighed.
"…That kid makes things difficult for many people."
"It's quite meaningful coming from the Alliance Leader."
Hyun Jong gave a wry smile at Tang Gunak's words.
That remark implied that Hyun Jong himself might be the one having the hardest time.
"It's hard to deny."
Chung Myung's existence was like a blessing to Hyun Jong. But at the same time, it was like a dagger pointed at his throat.
An outstanding subordinate is always like that. Someone as excessively talented as Chung Myung always stabs those above. Therefore, those in power must always reflect on themselves and question whether they are thinking correctly.
Overcoming that burden was certainly no ordinary matter.
"Thank you, family lord."
Lost in thought, Hyun Jong bowed his head toward Tang Gunak.
"Ah, no. Why are you doing this all of a sudden?"
Tang Gunak waved his hand in embarrassment. Then Hyun Jong raised his head and looked at Tang Gunak with deep eyes.
"Though it was an incredibly bold request, you accepted it without anger… As the Sect leader of Mount Hua, I cannot do anything but thank you."
"I think there is some misunderstanding, Alliance Leader."
"…You say misunderstanding?"
"Yes."
Tang Gunak smiled faintly.
"It wasn't that the Mount Hua's Sword Saint asked me to let him teach the Tang family. I asked the Mount Hua's Sword Saint to take charge of the Tang family a little."
"…I see."
But Hyun Jong's expression did not change at all.
"Still, my gratitude remains. That means you, Tang family lord, understood the hidden meaning in Chung Myung's words and stepped forward so that the boy wouldn't have to speak unpleasantly, right?"
"…Alliance Leader, you are flattering me."
Tang Gunak smiled bitterly.
"You don't have to, Alliance Leader."
Then he glanced toward the door.
"In truth, I lack courage. Unlike the Green Forest King, I don't have the guts to do exactly as the Mount Hua's Sword Saint commands, so here I am, just drinking tea with you, Alliance Leader."
"That is… somewhat inappropriate…"
"Not really different. The truly remarkable one is the Green Forest King. If he asserts his authority, even Mount Hua cannot help but acknowledge him. Moreover, didn't he perform greatly in Hangzhou this time?"
"Indeed."
Hyun Jong nodded.
Setting aside Im So-Byeong's character, the title of Green Forest King alone grants him enough respect.
By steadily taking over the Green Forest inherited from his predecessor, he had already proven his qualifications as Green Forest King. Naturally, Im So-Byeong was respected everywhere as the leader of a world-dominating sect.
Yet such a person was rolling in the dirt like that.
"There shouldn't be a need to go that far…"
"That's to prevent any backlash."
Tang Gunak smiled faintly. He had been entangled with Im So-Byeong in the Yangtze for the past three years, so he had come to understand what kind of person Im So-Byeong was.
"Though the Evil Sect is a place where everything is decided by the logic of the strong surviving, that mostly applies within the Evil Sect itself."
"Hmm."
"No matter how strong the Mount Hua's Sword Saint is, after all, he is just a disciple, he is not even the sect leader of Mount Hua. No one would be pleased to follow such an order, even if he is no ordinary disciple."
Hyun Jong nodded. From the perspective of the Green Forest sect followers, it was only natural.
"But if the Green Forest King Im So-Byeong trains at the forefront without complaint, there will be no room for dissatisfaction. The Green Forest King is probably aiming for that."
"…He is a thoughtful person."
"Unlike how he appears on the surface."
Tang Gunak's eyes sank deeply.
"Of course, the Green Forest King also intends to strengthen the power of the Green Forest to solidify his control over it. At the same time, he is indebting the Mount Hua's Sword Saint."
Tang Gunak spoke gently, then smiled bitterly and sighed lightly.
"However, even with such intentions, it is certainly not an easy task."
"Yes. I think he is an extraordinary person."
Hyun Jong's expression was somewhat complex and subtle.
The more you get to know him, the more you watch, the more different sides you see in Im So-Byeong. Isn't it clear how much the evaluation has changed since he first joined Mount Hua?
"Extraordinary…"
It was then.
"I'm a patient, you damn bastard!"
"Patient? Patient? Oh yeah, you Evil Sect bastard! I'll show you what a real patient is! Come here, you punk!"
"Eeeek!"
Tang Gunak and Hyun Jong looked toward the door with sullen faces as if by agreement. After silently listening to the screams for a while, Tang Gunak quietly finished his words.
"…He is an extraordinary person."
"Yes…"
Strangely, his voice lacked strength.
"Ahem. Anyway."
Clearing his throat, Tang Gunak spoke again.
"Since the Green Forest King is working so hard, I cannot just sit and watch. The Tang Family intends to cooperate fully with the Mount Hua's Sword Saint's plans this time."
"Thank you, family lord."
Tang Gunak gave a peculiar smile.
"I've realized anew that people have their capacities. Setting aside whether something is realistically possible or difficult, the mere fact that the Mount Hua's Sword Saint can conceive such plans means they are no ordinary people."
"Hmm… In many ways."
"Yes. In many ways."
A subtle expression passed over both their faces.
It would be nice if they were only extraordinary in good ways…
"That's a grateful story."
"…Yes?"
"On the surface, it just means that other sects should share the responsibility for Mount Hua's defeat. But isn't the meaning contained within entirely different?"
Hyun Jong nodded with a heavy expression.
"That's right."
"Not just anyone, but the Mount Hua's Sword Saint…"
Tang Gunak hesitated briefly, then continued.
"Didn't the other sects belonging to the Heavenly Friends Alliance also declare that they would bear their share?"
Hyun Jong closed his eyes and nodded.
"When the Mount Hua's Sword Saint first formed the Heavenly Friends Alliance, the logic they presented to me was 'Those who benefit each other can become friends.' But… this time, the word 'benefit' was omitted."
"You knew that."
"That's why it's remarkable."
Tang Gunak laughed as if he couldn't handle it.
"Who in the world would dare say they will embrace all beyond profit and logic? Only… yes. Only the Mount Hua's Sword Saint can say such a thing."
"…"
"So how could one not respect them?"
Outside the door, the voice of a young friend was heard repeatedly. Within that sharp voice was a subtle affection that was hard to detect without careful listening.
"I always thought he didn't fit with the Taoists, but it seems I was mistaken. The great Tao is invisible to ordinary eyes, and if you call the Tao the Tao, it ceases to be the Tao…"
Tang Gunak finished his words with a gentle smile.
"Only now do I truly understand."
Hearing those words, Hyun Jong quietly closed his eyes.
"I think so too."