"..."
"..."
"..."
Three people sat silently together.
One was the leader who had led a prestigious sect without wavering.
Another was the one who had silently supported him by his side.
And the last one was...
Twist.
As the "assistant" looked at the last person, his eyebrows twitched slightly. The shoulders of the last person involuntarily hunched up at the erratic movement of his thick eyebrows.
"Well..."
When a voice that seemed to be grinding something out flowed out, the shoulders that had always stood tall involuntarily slouched. In this moment, neither the usual dignified expression nor the elegance that made others turn around could muster any strength.
"Ahem."
With a discomforting cough, Jin Chobaek shot Baek Cheon a piercing glare. Baek Cheon's shoulders slouched even more at that cough.
Watching this scene silently, Jong Ligok smiled kindly and said, "That's enough. Aren't you feeling uncomfortable doing this?"
"..."
"When you act like this, it makes me feel embarrassed. Consider my position as well."
Finally, Jin Chobaek let out a deep sigh. Seeing Jin Chobaek's face relax slightly, Jong Ligok turned to Baek Cheon and gave him a sly smile.
"I'm sorry. I thought it would be awkward to meet in a hurry, but it seems to have made things even more uncomfortable."
A sect leader? Yet, he seemed to be quite amused? Was it possible for a sect leader's lips to twitch like that?
"Answer."
"Yes?"
At Baek Cheon's reflexive response, a vein popped on Jin Chobaek's forehead again.
"...When an elder speaks, you should answer! Why are you keeping your mouth shut?!"
"C-calm down."
"If a person has earned fame, they should also carry themselves accordingly! What did you learn from Mount Hua...?"
Jin Chobaek's body trembled. Maybe he was holding back the words "What did you learn from Mount Hua and come here?" that were about to burst out.
"Huff..."
Jin Chobaek exhaled a rough breath.
His eyes scanned Baek Cheon, who looked like a scared puppy... No, like a frightened tiger.
It was complicated. It was too complicated to figure out what to say about these feelings.
He had been like a troublesome finger, but that troublesome fellow had become a great success, gaining fame under heaven, being recognized as one of the top rising stars in the Martial Arts World, and even securing the position of deputy sect leader of Mount Hua.
Looking at him, there was a sense of pride... But at the same time, it was frustrating to see someone with such ability end up in Mount Hua. As a father, he was proud, but as an elder of Southern Edge, it was a situation that caused conflict.
"As I've said before..."
Jong Ligok, who was looking at the two with a mysterious gaze, spoke calmly. Of course, the subtle laughter mixed into his calm tone wasn't because Baek Cheon was sensitive right now.
"Elder Jin is like my eldest son."
"..."
"It's inevitable that there will be a lot of entanglement with you, the vice household head... Is something wrong with you?"
"...No. I'm fine."
"Why does your face look so pale?"
"I'm naturally... on the fair side."
"Is that so? Your brother is also fair, but he wasn't this pale. Well, brothers aren't always the same."
Seeing Jong Ligok chuckling, Baek Cheon ground his teeth unnoticed. This guy is clearly enjoying himself right now.
"Anyway."
At that moment, Jong Ligok became serious and changed his tone.
"It doesn't matter what your relationship was originally. No, it doesn't matter what your relationship is now. What's important is that you set aside all past grievances and cooperate. For the sake of guarding the Martial Arts World. Understand?"
"..."
"..."
"Don't you hear me, Elder Jin?"
At Jong Ligok's urging, Jin Chobaek let out a deep sigh.
"I understand what you mean, sect leader."
Having regained a sense of composure, Jong Ligok continued speaking, addressing Jong Ligok with a calm gaze.
"You need not worry. There won't be any deviation in our plans due to trivial emotions. I just hope my son won't cause trouble as he takes a position that doesn't suit him..."
"You misunderstand, Elder Jin. No. Jin Chobaek."
A chilly tone emanated from Jong Ligok's mouth. Jin Chobaek instinctively straightened up upon hearing the voice.
"The person in front of you right now is not your son, Jin Dongryong, but the Deputy Sect Leader of Great Mount Hua Sect, Baek Cheon."
"..."
"Distinguishing between personal and official matters doesn't depend on the other person's status, but on acknowledging and respecting their public position. Objectively speaking, the Deputy Sect Leader of Mount Hua is not only superior to you but also a hero of the Martial Arts World who has achieved more than both of us."
Jong Ligok jabbed again with coldness.
"If you truly were an elder of Southern Edge, you wouldn't make me ashamed."
"I apologize."
Jin Chobaek realized his mistake and nodded briefly.
"You need not worry, Sect Leader. I am only the Sect Leader's assistant. I will respect the commands of the Household Head, who is my superior."
Only then did Jong Ligok nod.
"That's how it should be."
Jong Ligok, withdrawing his gaze from Jin Chobaek, looked at Baek Cheon.
"Is it settled?"
"I, uh, didn't mean to imply any subtle requests. I'm just here because I was called, right?"
"That's true. However... it seems like you might have had some hopes. It's a bit awkward to be under Elder Jin's command."
Large drops of sweat continued to fall from Baek Cheon's forehead.
To Baek Cheon, Jong Ligok was someone he didn't want to encounter even if he met him on the street. But Jin Chobaek, his father, was someone he didn't even want to meet in his dreams.
"So I want to ask you too. Please focus on your role and set aside personal feelings."
"..."
"Sometimes, you need to be able to wield a flying dagger if necessary. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
At that, Baek Cheon reflexively turned his head towards Jin Chobaek. And the moment their eyes met, Jin Chobaek instinctively lowered his head.
There was a hint of discomfort on Jin Chobaek's face.
Why bother being so apologetic...
"Well..."
Jin Chobaek was about to say something when Baek Cheon interrupted.
"Human connections are not easily severed."
"...Yes?"
"Especially in the martial world."
Jong Ligok interjected with a detached tone.
"Once connections are thought to be severed, they come back together. Once thought to be forgotten, they come back to mind. So... there's no need to refuse just because you think a connection has been severed. Do you know? There's nothing that can't happen in human affairs..."
"No."
At that moment, Baek Cheon raised his head and met Jong Ligok's gaze. Seeing the look in Baek Cheon's eyes, Jong Ligok was taken aback.
There's something different in his gaze.
The youth who was trembling at the thought of how his father would scold him a moment ago was nowhere to be found. The one standing here now was Baek Cheon, the young deputy sect leader leading the revival of Mount Hua.
"Reconnecting with someone doesn't change the path you're walking. I am a person of Mount Hua, and I will forever be a person of Mount Hua."
"..."
Baek Cheon stood up from his seat.
"You don't need to worry. I will never let personal emotions interfere. Whether it's my father, my brother, or another person from Southern Edge. There's no reason for it. While I feel sorry towards my father, I take more pride in what I've achieved at Mount Hua."
Jong Ligok smiled as he looked at Baek Cheon.
"Is that so?"
"Yes."
Baek Cheon nodded briefly.
"I have a lot to do, so I'll take my leave first. Sect Leader, and Elder. Please take care."
As Baek Cheon saluted with his fist, both Jong Ligok and Jin Chobaek stood up and returned his salute. Then Baek Cheon, with a confident expression, turned towards the door and walked out.
"Well."
"Look, Deputy Sect Leader."
"What more could he..."
"He left his sword behind."
Baek Cheon's head whipped around, his eyes landing sharply on the sword placed on the table.
"Eek!"
Baek Cheon exclaimed in surprise as he rushed forward to grab the sword placed on the table.
"Why is this here?"
Baek Cheon, his face flushed with sweat as if it were raining, glanced around nervously before hastily rushing towards the door.
"I'll see you later."
"Take your time..."
Thud!
As the door closed with a loud bang, Jin Chobaek clicked his tongue.
"Oh dear... he's in such a hurry."
Seated again, Jin Chobaek cupped his face in his hands.
"Are you alright?"
"I don't know what to do... It's just... I find it hard to trust."
"A parent worries about their child, that's natural."
"Sect leader... But where can you find a sword master who doesn't carry his sword? That's what worried me. And then, to not even accept the house and leave..."
"Didn't I make it sound good?"
"What do you mean?"
Jin Chobaek narrowed his eyes as if to ask what he meant by that.
"Don't you know? Now, the boy's skills and reputation have surpassed yours."
"..."
"That's usually cause for pride. To show off how good you've become. To say, 'Look how skilled I am now. Father, you were wrong to think I couldn't surpass my brother.' Why don't you give it a try?"
"But..."
But it wasn't wrong. Anyone would feel that way.
"But you're still tense, aren't you? And you're not apologizing. It shows that you care more about watching your son excel at Mount Hua than your own position. That's a natural talent. It's hard to change with effort alone."
"..."
Jin Chobaek sighed once again.
If only he had been a bit more understanding...
"He's a talented individual."
"..."
"Perhaps even more so than Geumryongtan."
At that, Jin Chobaek looked at Jong Ligok with a slightly surprised expression. Something had been bothering him since earlier.
"Sect leader... Could it be?"
"It's just a thought. Nothing more."
"..."
Staring intently at Jong Ligok, Jin Chobaek shook his head.
"He won't come back. And now, isn't he no longer a disciple of Mount Hua?"
"He's still young. At that age, it's not too late to start over and become the best expert in Southern Edge. Surely he won't sever his ties with Mount Hua over something like this."
"No, that's not the issue. The problem lies with the situation."
"What do you mean?"
Jin Chobaek smiled faintly.
"The secret vault is still sealed, isn't it?"
"The secret vault... What are you referring to?"
"Yes. Inside, there should still be a bottle of Celestial Elixir. It's practically a priceless treasure, that spiritual medicine."
"...The elixir? Yes, there should be one bottle left. There hasn't been anyone injured severely enough in the past hundred years to require its use. But why do you bring this up now?"
"You'll find out soon."
His eyes shifted towards the door that Baek Cheon had just exited.
"When goodwill and self-interest align, there's no need to avoid that path."
A faint smile tugged at the corners of Jong Ligok's lips.