With our blood and our lives! (4)

A bead of cold sweat trickled down Yoon Jong’s forehead.

Despite having faced countless battles and crises, he had seldom experienced such intense anxiety. The suffocating pressure made him feel as though he might collapse at any moment, and he wanted to bolt from the scene immediately.

It wasn’t just him. The expression of Jo Geol, who was usually nonchalant and playful, was now equally tense. This indicated how grave the situation they were confronting truly was.

A chilling silence, and a tension so acute that it made his fingertips numb.

Amid this, a voice cut through with a cold edge.

“Once more… I must say.”

The face, that looked to be carefully sculpted by a master craftsman, was now strangely contorted.

“What Sect Leader said… is merely the Sect Leader’s position… It does not represent the stance of all Jongnam’s people…”

He stumbled over his words, only to clamp his mouth shut and grit his teeth, as if realizing that what he was saying held no real meaning.

There is one immutable law throughout history: when reason collapses, only stubbornness remains.

“Anyway! Don’t think that something will change just because that happened! If you cling to such delusions, you will learn the harsh reality!”

It was a sharp, almost murderous threat. Yet, the man sitting opposite, who resembled him too closely, simply curled his lips into a smirk.

“What are you saying? You petty thief of secret techniques.”

“Ugh…”

Feeling the sharp pain, Jin Geumryong clutched his chest. His veins bulged, and his hands trembled uncontrollably.

On the other hand, Baek Cheon, exuding calmness, shrugged his shoulders.

“Well… there’s no need to worry so much, Brother.”

“…What?”

Jin Geumryong questioned his own ears in disbelief. After all, how could Baek Cheon casually address him as ‘Brother’ while seemingly trying to provoke him?

Indeed, Baek Cheon was being true to his nature.

“Being weak and lacking skill, what can you do? If there was no way to win against Hwasan fairly, I understand your feelings. How frustrating…”

“Stop, Sahyeong! Don’t draw your sword! If you draw it here, it will all be over!”

Without hesitation, Jin Geumryong reached for his sword, but Lee Songbaek threw himself at him, desperately trying to hold him back. His face had turned pale, drained of all color.

“Ugh…”

Jin Geumryong, his eyes blazing with rage, looked as if he might devour Baek Cheon at any moment. Yet Baek Cheon’s composure only seemed to grow more assured.

“Oh dear, you might end up stabbing me if you’re not careful. But I suppose… it’s within the capabilities of your sect.”

“Sahyeong! You mustn’t draw your sword here!”

Seeing this, Yoon Jong let out a long sigh, almost sounding like the release of a deflated balloon.

“Is this right, Geol-ah?”

“…It does seem like something is seriously wrong here.”

Baek Cheon’s smirking face overlapped with Cheong Myeong’s image in Yoon Jong’s mind. Jo Geol looked at this scene and clicked his tongue.

“But Sasuk’s feelings are a little… Should I say I understand?”

…Even Yoon Jong could sympathize with that perspective. The high-headed Jongnam had lowered their heads – it would indeed be a missed opportunity to let this chance slip by.

Jin Geumryong, who had been grasping his sword and panting for a long time, finally let out a deep breath as if he had calmed down. However, seeing that annoying (but strikingly similar) face again made something surge up from within him once more.

“Anyway…”

Having barely calmed himself, Jin Geumryong suddenly straightened his posture. Then, with a serious expression, he deeply bowed his head toward Baek Cheon. Baek Cheon, having wiped the smile off his face, widened his eyes in surprise.

“Although this happened in the past, I know that this sin is one that all of Jongnam’s disciples must bear together. I may not be someone who can represent Jongnam, but…”

“There’s no need for that, Jin Sohyeop.”

Baek Cheon interrupted Jin Geumryong’s words with a resolute voice.

“Just as you cannot represent Jongnam, I am not someone who can represent Hwasan either. I merely wear the guise of a Vice Sect Leader. In the first place, it wouldn’t be right for us to dig up a matter that the Sect Leader of Jongnam and the retired Sect Leader of Hwasan had already concluded.”

A calm yet powerful voice continued.

“If you truly feel that way, then as retired Sect Leader said, repay it to the world.”

The gazes of Jin Geumryong and Baek Cheon met head-on. Although brief, a complex emotion flashed in Jin Geumryong’s eyes.

“…Thank you, Baek Cheon Dojang.”

“Think nothing of it.”

Had he ever imagined facing Baek Cheon in such a manner? Jin Geumryong sighed softly to himself.

‘I don’t want to admit it, but…’

He thought. If he were in Baek Cheon’s position, would he have been able to nod his head in agreement like that?

No. He would never have done so.

Even if the senior generation had amicably settled the matter, he would have pursued the opponent’s guilt to the end. To the point where they could never face him again. No, he might not have even acknowledged the agreement made by the elders.

But Baek Cheon was different.

He showed consideration by treating all this calmly. Of course, to Jin Geumryong, this action was even more burdensome, but whether it was intentional or not, it was clear that it was something Jin Geumryong could not have managed.

It was time to admit it. The younger brother sitting in front of him… No, the fact that Hwasan’s Baek Cheon had grown beyond his capacity to handle.

“But that’s the stance of Baek Cheon, the great disciple of Hwasan.”

“…What?”

A slightly bewildered Jin Geumryong let out a dazed sound. Baek Cheon, by now, was leaning back fully with an unbearably arrogant look in his eyes as he gazed down at him.

If Chung Myung had seen it, he would have said, ‘There he goes again, that insufferable guy.’

“As a person, Jin Dongryong, I need to get an apology from you.”

“…What?”

“What? Hwasan, a worthless place? A sect like Hwasan? That kind of ruined sect?”

“…”

“Oh, Jongnam is such a grand sect, is it? So you stole the secret techniques of that ruined sect so lovingly? Wow, it seems the word ‘grand’ has a different meaning for you than it does for me. Well, I guess it’s so grand that you even make up words, huh? So proud to be the great. disciple. of that grand sect…”

Bang!

Jin Geumryong, having slammed the door shut, panted heavily. If he had stayed there a moment longer, he would have ended up drawing his sword.

“That damned…!”

Where on earth had he learned such an insufferable expression and insolent tone? At least when he was at home, he maintained a semblance of decorum.

As he struggled to calm his seething anger, the door quietly opened again, and Lee Songbaek followed him out. Jin Geumryong glanced back at him and then, without hesitation, began walking towards his quarters.

“Let’s go together, Sahyeong.”

Lee Songbaek quickly matched his pace. An awkward silence hung between them as they walked to their quarters.

“Sahyeong, about this matter…”

“I know. I was not mature about it.”

“…”

“I know, so don’t say any more.”

Lee Songbaek let out a deep sigh.

“Still, it’s fortunate.”

“What is?”

“Baek Cheon Dojang.”

Jin Geumryong cast a sidelong glance at Lee Songbaek. Lee Songbaek spoke quietly.

“Actually, if Baek Cheon Dojang had sternly reprimanded us, the relationship between Hwasan and Jongnam would have turned as cold as ice. But since he approached it playfully, at least we have a chance to talk things over.”

How could Lee Songbaek not understand the gravity of this situation?

Coveting another sect’s secret techniques is an act that could easily lead to a war until the last person standing.

To brush aside such a grave matter in this way, how remarkable must he be?

“The disciples of Jongnam are also at a loss as to how to face the disciples of Hwasan now. In such a situation, Baek Cheon Dojang…”

“Yes, he must know what he’s doing.”

“…I suppose he does?”

Baek Cheon’s influence was stronger than expected. In terms of internal influence within the sect, it was likely incomparable to the influence Jin Geumryong had on Jongnam.

By easing the atmosphere in such a manner, it was clear that there would be no major problems between the sects for some time. Baek Cheon must have aimed for this when he shared a sit and displayed such behavior with Jin Geumryong.

“So, a bit of the burden on my mind has been eased.”

“Do you truly think so?”

“Huh?”

Jin Geumryong suddenly stopped and stared intently at Lee Songbaek, almost glaring.

“I asked if you truly think so.”

“…Sahyeong?”

“What have we done to ease that burden? What did we do? Just bowed our heads once in front of them?”

Lee Songbaek’s face stiffened as he realized his mistake.

“Put yourself in their shoes. Would you understand if someone who wished for Jongnam’s downfall and seized our secret techniques during a crisis simply bowed their head for a moment?”

“That’s…”

Jin Geumryong bit his lip firmly.

“Forgiveness is something you can only hope for when you have paid an appropriate price and compensation. Forgiveness received without conditions is nothing more than seeking mercy. What you said was essentially that you are grateful for Hwasan’s pity on Jongnam.”

Lee Songbaek bowed his head silently. Jin Geumryong, who had been berating him, let out a short sigh and looked up at the sky. He felt a growing frustration.

He knew he was being immature, yet he struggled to control himself. He had lashed out at Lee Songbaek, even though it wasn’t his fault.

Lee Songbaek asked cautiously,

“Then… what should we do?”

“We must repay them.”

Jin Geumryong looked him in the eye and said firmly,

“Instead of feeling justified by receiving such forgiveness, we must repay them until both we and they feel it is enough. True dignity is earned that way, not by relying on the tolerance of others.”

“Can we really atone for the wrong we did?”

“If we can’t make amends in our generation, then the next generation will, and if that’s not enough, then the generation after that. It will be hard, but it’s a thousand times better than having Jongnam known as a dishonorable sect.”

Lee Songbaek nodded heavily in agreement.

“Make sure to convey this clearly to the other disciples. If anyone acts recklessly, I will never forgive them.”

“I will, Sahyeong.”

After looking at Lee Songbaek for a moment, Jin Geumryong turned and started walking again.

‘Fortunate, indeed…’

He thought about why he had poured his anger onto Lee Songbaek. It was probably because Jin Geumryong himself had the same thoughts that made his anger boil over.

What would have happened if this matter had not come to light now?

If he had become the sect leader and then learned about it, would he have had the courage to openly reveal everything and bear the consequences?

He wouldn’t have been able to. Not just Jin Geumryong, but no one in the world would readily dare to touch such an explosive matter.

So Jin Geumryong would have simply buried the unavoidable guilt inside him, letting it fester secretly. Anyone… yes, anyone would have done the same.

At that moment, Jin Geumryong thought of one person and chuckled to himself.

‘If it were him, he would have brought it out without hesitation and bowed his head.’

Thinking of his younger brother who resembled him so much, he shook his head.

‘Am I now in the position to pursue him?’

A bitter smile formed on his lips, but despite that, he felt a sense of relief.