By Zephyria 
Witnessing the absurd sight, Seong Mu-yeon wore a stunned expression. Baek Ryeo-il had managed to achieve something that had been impossible the last time he was tied with those ropes.
He should have realized it when Baek Ryeo-il threw that giant stone statue with sheer strength…
Now that the restrictions were gone and he was free, Baek Ryeo-il began to run wild, eventually forcing tears out of Seong Mu-yeon.
Despite being severely punished every time he provoked Baek Ryeo-il, Seong Mu-yeon learned nothing and repeated the same mistake.
“Ugh, ngh…! Ahh.”
However, Seong Mu-yeon would never give up the opportunities before him until the day he could finally land a massive blow on Baek Ryeo-il.
“Whew…”
Ma Jin-cheon took a moment to compose his breathing in front of the door. Inside the room, his Junior Brothers were waiting for him. Hearing their whispering voices through the thin paper door, Ma Jin-cheon’s heart shrank.
‘…They’ll probably try to eat me alive.’
His head throbbed at the thought of his Junior Brothers throwing a fit, claiming he had unilaterally decided on something as important as an alliance with the Demonic Cult.
After finishing his meeting with the Young Master of the Demonic Cult, Ma Jin-cheon notified the orthodox sect members of Mount Hua’s decision. Even though they had overheard the conversation and knew how the situation was unfolding, the orthodox sect members were shaken and stirred.
The Junior Brothers remained quiet, unable to argue in front of everyone, but one look at their expressions was enough to tell how agitated they were.
After notifying them to let him know by tonight if their sects intended to join, Ma Jin-cheon maintained a facade of composure until he returned to the inn after dismissing the crowd.
But internally, it was a different story.
‘Have I truly gone mad? To join hands with the Demonic Cult… why on earth did I do such a thing?’
If no one were watching, he felt like tearing his own hair out.
Of course, it wasn’t a decision made impulsively or without thought. The alliance with the Demonic Cult was the result of considering the current state of the martial world and the unfolding situation from various angles.
The longer they delayed, the stronger the Divine Demon Sect would become. He had reached a firm conclusion that they must nip it in the bud now, while they had secured the troops and the justification, before the enemy became too powerful to handle.
Since Ma Jin-cheon had been delegated full authority by the Sect Leader for activities outside of Mount Hua, he had the qualification.
Yet, despite making the decision based on various grounds, his confidence vanished the moment he turned away.
He was simply that kind of person.
Becoming a successor disciple and being designated as the next Sect Leader wasn’t something he had wanted. It was simply that he was next in line after his Senior Brother and Senior Sister died.
Compared to the great people like the current Sect Leader leading a Great Sect, the elders, and the martial uncles, he was nothing more than an infinitely lacking ordinary man.
He never had ambitions he wanted to achieve or a grand purpose. Naturally, he lacked confidence in himself.
‘I’ve lost my mind…’
He felt as if he were losing his sanity more and more.
Hadn’t he even raised his voice against his boisterous Junior Brothers a few days ago?
Since then, feeling ashamed to face them, Ma Jin-cheon had been subtly avoiding them. The Junior Brothers, whom he expected to confront him immediately, didn’t seek him out. It seemed they were also embarrassed and preferred to pretend it never happened. It was a relief.
But this time, a direct confrontation was unavoidable.
Just imagining how much they would grill him was exhausting. They might even bring up that previous incident.
‘Nothing is wrong. I made the right decision. Yes… it was something that had to be done.’
After steeling his heart, Ma Jin-cheon opened the door.
Slide. As Ma Jin-cheon entered, the room became as silent as if cold water had been poured over it. He still hadn’t adjusted to the experience of everyone’s gaze focusing on him at once. The sharp glares of his Junior Brothers made his skin prickle.
“Ahem.”
Maintaining a nonchalant expression, Ma Jin-cheon went to the seat of honor and sat down. He then scanned the faces of the Junior Brothers sitting around him.
As expected, their expressions were not good.
‘As if having one disciple who causes enough trouble isn’t enough, do you all have to be like this to feel satisfied?!’
Ma Jin-cheon wanted to grab his Junior Brothers and wail. However, they were despicable fellows who would run wild with even more vigor if Ma Jin-cheon showed any weakness.
Still, Ma Jin-cheon and his fellow disciples had lived and bumped into each other for decades; they were closer than family. As the saying goes that “affection born of hate is the scariest,” considering the years they had spent together, he didn’t truly hate them.
He just had to do better in the future.
“Right… if you have something to say, speak.”
When Ma Jin-cheon opened his mouth, a chilly voice flowed out.
‘T-this isn’t it!’
Ma Jin-cheon was flustered internally as a voice colder than intended escaped. At a time when he should have been coaxing them, he looked like he was about to provoke them further.
“You seem to have many complaints, so why is everyone silent? If you have something to say, don’t hold back and say it now. I will listen to as much as you want.”
“…”
“…”
This time, a slightly softer voice flowed out, but his relief was short-lived. The Junior Brothers flinched, and then they all lowered their heads deeply, avoiding his gaze.
Ma Jin-cheon let out a sigh.
They must be very angry.
“Do you intend to not even speak with me now?”
Please, just let it slide this once.
“…”
“You may do as you please, but doing so will be a loss not only for me but for you as well.”
Wouldn’t that be frustrating?
“Keeping it bottled up inside will only make you sick, so it’s better to pour it out and forget it while I’m giving you the chance.”
It’s okay, so if you want to scream, you can scream.
Yet, strangely, the more gently Ma Jin-cheon tried to soothe them, the more the Junior Brothers’ heads dropped like ripe stalks of rice.
“Ma Senior Brother, we were wrong… Please, stop being angry now.”
Huh?
“I—I have never once thought that Ma Senior Brother is lacking as the next Sect Leader or that he is unreliable!”
“Everyone here probably thinks the same! Isn’t that right, everyone?”
“That’s right, that’s right.”
“There is no talent like Ma Senior Brother.”
The Junior Brothers each nodded and responded enthusiastically.
Uhhh?
Ma Jin-cheon was bewildered. The Junior Brothers, who usually bared their fangs like poisonous snakes looking for any excuse to bite, had become gentle lambs.
“Why is Sang Senior Brother staying quiet? Please say something.”
Someone poked Sang-geol in the ribs. Sang-geol merely glared at the desk with a stubborn expression and kept his mouth shut, not attempting to flatter Ma Jin-cheon like the other disciples. Sang-geol was the person who clashed with Ma Jin-cheon the most.
“It’s alright. Even if you say nothing, I know your hearts well.”
Ma Jin-cheon stopped the Junior Brothers with a faint smile.
“I am very lacking, but I will do my best, and if you all help me in the future…”
“That is exactly why the Eldest Senior Brother won’t do.”
“Huh…?”
Sang-geol finally looked up and glared at Ma Jin-cheon.
“Do you truly think it is right for the head of a sect, and specifically the person who will become the Sect Leader of the Great Mount Hua Sect, to humble himself and cater to others?! It’s absolutely sickening!”
“…”
“I thought the Eldest Senior Brother had finally come to his senses! I thought, ‘Now he finally possesses the qualifications of a Sect Leader I can serve’!”
“S-Sang Senior Brother. Why are you doing this? You weren’t talking like that a moment ago…”
One of the Junior Brothers tried to stop Sang-geol with a darkened face. At that, Sang-geol’s face turned bright red.
“Shut up! W-what nonsense are you talking about! When did I…!”
“You’re the one who should shut up!”
Ma Jin-cheon, who had been watching them quietly, suddenly slammed the desk and stood up abruptly.
“How dare you raise your voice in front of whom! I’ve been too indulgent, and now you’re climbing right over my head!”
“…”
“…”
Startled by the sudden shout, the people stared at Ma Jin-cheon with wide eyes. They looked terrified.
“…Like this?”
“Senior Brother! Is this the time to be joking!”
Ma Jin-cheon burst into laughter. It seemed that without him knowing, they had also been suffering quite a bit behind his back.
“I know well that I am an infinitely lacking person to become the Sect Leader. But if you all help me by my side, won’t it work out somehow? I’ll be counting on you in the future.”
“Senior Brother…”
“Since raising my voice doesn’t seem to suit my aptitude, I’d appreciate it if you all behave yourselves so that such a thing doesn’t happen again.”
There was a certain edge to those words. Behind Ma Jin-cheon’s gentle smile, a chilly aura lingered, as if showing the possibility that he could turn fierce at any moment.
“Then, there are no objections, right? From now on, regardless of whether they are disciples traveling abroad or disciples on dispatched missions, issue a summons to everyone within a distance where they can arrive on time.”
“Yes, Senior Brother!”
“Yes, Senior Brother!”
“The sects and families that join by midnight, along with our Mount Hua, will execute the Third Young Master in the name of the Sect Gate.”
“By your command!”
Though it started awkwardly, the meeting concluded in a harmonious atmosphere.
‘It would be absolutely perfect if only that fellow Ryeo-il would come to his senses.’
Just as Ma Jin-cheon let out a secret sigh, thinking of the heartless disciple who had chased after Seong Mu-yeon again, the outside became noisy and someone screamed at the top of their lungs.
“Where is Mu-yeon! Give me back my nephew!”
…
What kind of fuss was Jegal Yeom-gang making now, causing a commotion in the front yard of the Mount Hua lodgings? Ma Jin-cheon felt fatigue wash over him just by hearing his voice.
‘Was Jegal Clan Head always a person like that?’
Since he didn’t appear often in official settings, they weren’t close, but the Jegal Yeom-gang he knew wasn’t such a fool for his family.
Strangely, it seemed that everyone who got entangled with Seong Mu-yeon became weird, as if a screw had come loose.