Chronicles of the Mad Demon - Chapter 191
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Chapter 191. Broken Chains (6)
Heo Do Jin In closed his eyes.
There was truly so much he wanted to say, yet at the same time, he didn’t want to say anything at all.
Though it was an irresponsible thought, he wished this moment could be a dream.
‘That cannot be.’
He was living in reality.
When he witnessed the merciless attacks of the Sacred Blood Palace and couldn’t stand the injustice, leading the Taoist Priests of Wudang into battle – that too was reality, and now, twenty years later, this was also reality.
There were no dreams. Only the ever-burdensome reality had always existed.
‘Heavenly Venerable. Please look down upon this incompetent failure who is too ashamed to even be called a Taoist Priest, just once.’
When he opened his eyes again.
The six disciples had arrived.
“Seong Geom pays respects to Uncle Heo Do.”
“We pay our respects to Uncle.”
The disciples’ movements as they respectfully bowed were without fault in etiquette.
At that moment, Heo Do stood at the boundary between reality and dreams.
“You’ve come.”
“We have been negligent during this time. Please punish us disciples for not visiting you more often.”
“I was already thinking of doing just that, but I was troubled about how to punish you. Since you’ve already made up your minds, my burden feels much lighter.”
Seong Geom Jin In was inwardly flustered but didn’t show it.
“Being busy with official duties, we have caused trouble for Uncle…”
“Is causing me trouble what’s important?”
“Pardon?”
Heo Do Jin In spoke without moving an eyebrow.
“Though Jo Geom may have led it, you were swept along without properly examining yourselves and forcibly made the elders step down. This deserves punishment as the crime of deceiving masters and destroying ancestors.”
The faces of the other elders, except for Seong Geom Jin In and Winter Sword Immortal, changed drastically.
Heo Do Jin In shook his head and continued speaking.
“However, my martial brothers and I have buried the sins you committed against us. I don’t wish to question the crime of insulting and forcing out the previous generation at this late hour.”
“…Uncle.”
“Where is Jo Geom?”
“He has temporarily descended the mountain for external affairs.”
“What a truly coincidental moment. I don’t know whether I should be happy or disappointed about this.”
“…”
“Seong Geom.”
“Please speak.”
“How is your achievement in Taiji Quan?”
Seong Geom Jin In’s eyes deepened.
“I have mastered it.”
“You haven’t learned it properly.”
“Pardon?”
“There is no concept of mastery in Taiji Quan. If you hadn’t neglected Taiji Quan training for even a single day, you would have long ago glimpsed the ultimate principles of Wudang martial arts.”
Seong Geom Jin In maintained his composure. It was a moment when he had to.
“You were the one who said that individual differences exist in all martial arts beyond Wudang martial arts, Uncle.”
“Are you cursing my eyes as being like knotholes?”
“What?!”
“Even if individual differences exist, there are countless cases where people follow the same or similar paths according to their individual talents and inclinations. And I saw such a path in you and several other disciples.”
A stern aura began to gradually settle on Heo Do Jin In’s face.
He who had felt pity seeing his disciples after so long was now regaining his dignity as the former sect leader.
“If you hadn’t been more absorbed in worldly martial arts, Taiji Quan would surely have opened that path for you. Just as it did for me in the past.”
“…!”
“You discarded the teachings given with sincerity long ago and advanced while being buried only in visible strength and flashiness. Your power may seem impressive, but you’re still only walking at the level of a mid-level practitioner.”
Seong Geom Jin In felt unavoidable displeasure.
It wasn’t because he was told his martial arts were lacking. He was displeased because he heard those words in front of all his martial brothers.
Was that why? He who was usually more composed and advised even Jo Geom Jin In to exercise restraint began to say things he shouldn’t have.
“Uncle, you haven’t mastered all martial arts either, nor do you have the eye to see all people correctly.”
The elders looked at Seong Geom Jin In in bewilderment.
Emotion began to gradually disappear from Heo Do Jin In’s face.
“You’re right.”
“If there’s anything that has disappointed you about us during this time, let’s clear it up using this opportunity…”
“Back then, you were a timid but good child. In such a you, I discovered talent worthy of inheriting the martial arts of the Wudang Sect. That’s why I paid especially more attention to you.”
“…!”
“My eye for people wasn’t correct. What good is talent if you have it? Your character is rotten. It’s my fault for forgetting that Taoist and Buddhist martial arts are completed through self-cultivation before innate martial talent.”
Heo Do Jin In let out a bitter smile.
“I bought a toy sword first for someone I should have taught manners to first.”
“Uncle.”
“What do you teach your disciples?”
Seong Geom Jin In unconsciously gritted his teeth.
It was an elder bringing up a topic similar to the conversation he’d just had with his martial brother Winter Sword. He couldn’t help but react sensitively.
“…We are elders.”
“So?”
“For someone who has already retired from active duty to ask how we manage disciples is overstepping bounds.”
Heo Do Jin In was dumbfounded.
“Are you saying that asking how you teach children as an elder is itself overstepping bounds? Then, are you telling me to just watch quietly even when you bring demonic outsiders into Wudang?”
“That’s not what I mean.”
“Unless your ears are defective, you couldn’t have failed to properly understand my question. I asked how you taught them, not said that you were teaching them wrong, so why do you speak of overstepping bounds?”
Only then did Seong Geom Jin In realize. He had thought of excuses before even receiving the question as a question.
According to his own logic, there was no need to make excuses at all, yet he made excuses first, which meant he unconsciously felt that he himself was wrong.
Seong Geom Jin In was flustered, and Heo Do Jin In gradually became more relaxed.
“Winter Sword.”
“Yes, Uncle.”
Winter Sword Immortal’s voice was much more cautious.
“Your senior brother seems to have something bothering him. We can’t even have a proper conversation. So you tell me. How are you teaching the children?”
“…Using what the Uncles and martial uncles taught us as a foundation, we teach the children similar things.”
“Who oversees the education?”
“I do, Uncle.”
“Winter Sword. Do you remember what we taught you?”
Winter Sword Immortal unconsciously closed his eyes.
“I remember.”
“Then, do you think that you, who teach children using our teachings as a guide, are on the right path?”
When Winter Sword Immortal opened his eyes again, his face was shadowed.
“I… don’t think so.”
“Martial brother!”
Even at Seong Geom Jin In’s sharp voice, Winter Sword Immortal didn’t waver.
“I can no longer teach the children, Uncle.”
Heo Do Jin In’s eyes deepened.
“If you’ve realized your own wrongdoing, you should naturally strive to correct your mistakes. Have you done so?”
“I floundered in anguish and didn’t act.”
“Enlightenment is realization. Not moving despite being enlightened is no different from a scabbard without a sword. Do you agree with my words?”
“…I agree painfully.”
Before long, tears began streaming down Winter Sword Immortal’s face.
The disappointment in my pathetic self was far greater than any regret toward the elders.
And Heo Do Jin In saw that such an attitude from Winter Sword Immortal was truly the right one.
Being more sorry to the adults who taught you properly than to your current self is not right. Such people always live their lives for show.
What matters is myself.
I must maintain what I did well so it becomes even better, and reflect on and correct what I did wrong.
Sincere regret and gratitude toward others ultimately starts from within me. If I am not happy, I cannot truly be grateful to those who brought me joy, and if I don’t realize my own wrongdoing, I cannot truly feel sorry for others who suffered from my mistakes.
“You have finally stood at the starting line.”
Winter Sword Immortal could properly understand the meaning of those words.
Heo Do Jin In turned his gaze toward Seong Geom Jin In.
“I ask again. How do you teach the children of Mu Dang?”
Seong Geom Jin In’s face flushed red.
He could not answer easily. Whatever he said, it seemed his logic would be blocked.
Suddenly he felt angry. He wanted to burst out asking what was the point of talking with someone who was prepared to scold them no matter what they said.
But he could not do that.
His last conscience, the remaining thread of human Seong Geom’s pride would not allow it.
To say “Why are you scolding us when you know we’re wrong, why are you angry, are you just going to rebuke us without even thinking of having a conversation?” would be the petty stubbornness that only children with improper character formation would display.
“Do you not intend to answer?”
“I am…”
“If you’re thinking of committing again the sin of Gi Sa Myeol Jo that we have already forgiven and erased, I want to tell you please do not do so.”
“…!!”
“Fine. Since you speak of overstepping authority, it’s absurd but I’ll set aside this question. There must be some difference between our generation and yours.”
Seong Geom Jin In unconsciously swallowed his saliva.
Not only that, but the other elders also felt their hearts tighten with anxiety.
“Then, I want to discuss absolute truths that never change regardless of generation.”
Heo Do Jin In’s eyes grew increasingly intense.
It was not simply a gaze meant to intimidate others. His eyes held the gaze of one who had properly established himself as a Taoist Priest, as an adult.
To someone who had properly examined life, it would be a wonderful gaze, but to someone corrupted by stubbornness and self-obsession, there could be no more frightening gaze.
“Seong Geom.”
“…Yes.”
“Is it right to thoroughly trample on another’s life just because you want to obtain something?”
“…!!”
“Is it truly right to cast another family’s life into the abyss solely for personal or family gain?”
Seong Geom Jin In’s face turned pale.
Conversely, Winter Sword Immortal’s face showed bewilderment. He didn’t understand why the Divine Physician was asking such questions.
“You find even this obvious question burdensome. Fine, I’ll ask an easier question for you who have become unimaginably foolish.”
“…”
“Can it be considered right for someone who already has enough to trample on the powerless person’s life and destroy their family in order to have more?”
Seong Geom Jin In could not easily open his mouth.
The faces of the other elders except Winter Sword Immortal turned white.
Heo Do Jin In, who had been silently watching Seong Geom Jin In, suddenly shouted loudly.
“How can you not answer!!”
One of the elders gasped and trembled.
Even with weak internal energy, it was a voice that gave off a terrifying sense of intimidation. At this moment, Heo Do Jin In was not showing himself as a retired Taoist Priest, but displaying the dignity of the former Jang Moon In of the Great Mu Dang Sect.
Seong Geom Jin In gritted his teeth and spoke.
“It depends on the situation…”
“What kind of case could there possibly be where that would not be a sin?”
“…”
“Have you truly become corrupted to be worse than even a demonic heretic!”
“D-Divine Physician.”
“Do not test my patience.”
“…!”
“I ask again. Is that righteous conduct?”
“…It is not.”
“Of course it is not. Then, have you ever committed such a sin?”
Seong Geom Jin In’s face crumbled beyond description.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
