Chapter 1820. Side Story – Journey Outside (1)

❀ ❀ ❀

※ This side story is one of the extra chapters included in Volume 2 of the published edition.

"Cheong Myeong-aaaaaaaaaaah!"

Swoosh!

Like a streak of lightning, Cheong Myeong leaped over the wall and dashed down Mount Hua. Judging by the intensity of the shouting behind him, getting caught would mean at least three days in the Repentance Hall.

"Stop right there! You rascal! I'm really not going to let this slide today! Not stopping? You won't stop? Hey, you little punk!"

"You're just going to hit me if I stop!"

"Have you not considered that running away will only get you beaten even more?"

"That's future me's problem!"

"Stop! Just stop! I'll talk to you nicely, I swear!"

"Liar!"

"If I catch you, I'll really break your legs this time!"

Without even glancing back, Cheong Myeong picked up speed.

"Whew."

Reaching the foot of the mountain, Cheong Myeong rubbed his face with both hands.

"Seriously, such nagging."

What was the big deal, really?

Visitors who climbed Mount Hua offered donations, and the Taoists of the sect lived off those donations. In a way, those visitors were practically giving money to Cheong Myeong.

"Skipping the unnecessary middle steps and taking it directly— so how can they treat people like this! They're being so absurd!"

Of course, using that money to buy alcohol…. well, maybe that was a tiny bit of a problem.

And getting caught hiding the leftover booze in the Ancestral Hall… yeah, that was also slightly problematic.

But looking at it another way, hadn't he simply treated the elders—who only ever ate ascetic food—to some fine liquor?

"Seriously, they just don't get it."

Cheong Myeong clicked his tongue.

At this rate, if he returned to Mount Hua, he wouldn't even get to see a scrap of meat, let alone alcohol. He'd probably be stuck in the Repentance Hall, gnawing on nothing but bland fasting pills.

He reached into his robe and pulled out an elegant silk pouch.

Not long ago, an old man had been harassing a young woman traveling alone. Cheong Myeong had kindly talked him out of it, earning himself this pouch filled with gratitude.

Aah, see? A true Taoist is naturally recognized and rewarded by the people.

Since things had already turned out this way, he might as well enjoy himself before heading back. It was always better to take a beating later rather than sooner. 

"Since it's like this, I should have fun before going back. It's better to get beaten up later. "

Whistling, Cheong Myeong made his way to a tavern.

"You're not allowed."

"…What?"

"I can't sell you alcohol, Dojang."

"Why not?"

Cheong Myeong's eyes widened.

"The elders of Mount Hua personally came and ordered us not to sell alcohol or even food to Mount Hua's Cheong generation disciple—especially you, Cheong Myeong Dojang."

"N- no, you misunderstand. This isn't for me. It's for my master—"

"That's not allowed either. The elders made it clear that none of the Cheong generation disciples will be running errands anymore, so we are not to give you anything."

"T-This is outrageous…!"

This was too much! How could people be so cruel? If those vicious devils had seen this sight, they would have been shocked by such mercilessness!

"Are you really serious?"

"Yes. Absolutely no exceptions."

Groaning in frustration, Cheong Myeong subtly shifted his approach.

"Hehe, come on now."

"Huh?"

He pulled out a silver coin from his pouch and gently placed it in the owner's palm, clasping the man's hands over it.

"How's business these days? You should hold on to this. And I'll just take a couple of bottles of cheap liquor and maybe a few dumplings…"

"Hey!"

But before his 'warm' (bribing lmao) touch could take effect, the firm-handed merchant shook him off.

"Don't even think about it! If the elders of Mount Hua find out, I won't be able to do business in Huayin ever again!"

"Wait, no—"

"I guarantee you, not a single tavern in Huayin will sell to Mount Hua disciples. Especially not to you!"

Cheong Myeong took a step back, wounded by the rejection.

"But… I've spent so much money here!"

"That doesn't matter. Even Master Cheong Mun gave strict orders about this."

"A demon must have passed through town."

"Maybe you should've behaved yourself a little better."

"What?! What did I even do?!"

The tavern owner's face twisted in disbelief.

Did this brat seriously not know? A punk who frequently sneaked down the mountain to drink himself silly… the fact that the elders tolerated him at all was a testament to their patience.

"In any case, I can't sell you anything. If someone sees you here, who knows what kind of trouble I'll get into? Now, shoo! Shoo!"

"'Shoo'?! What am I, a bird?"

"Come on, just leave already!"

With a firm shove, the tavern owner pushed him out.

Bang!

The door slammed shut in his face. Staring blankly at it, Cheong Myeong began trembling.

"Hmph! Do you think this is the only tavern around?"

With a huff, he turned on his heel. There were at least five other taverns in Huayin where he'd been a loyal customer. Surely, one of them would welcome him…

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

"…None."

The moment he turned his gaze toward them, the other tavern owners panicked and slammed their doors shut.

A hollow laugh escaped him.

"Even bandits wouldn't be treated this harshly! You bastards!"

A wave of betrayal washed over him. All the money he had spent at these places, and this was how they repaid him?!

No, wait. This wasn't their fault.

This was all because of those damn elders at Mount Hua!

So Wicked, Truly Wicked! How could they do this after all the good relationships he had built with the tavern owners in Huayin? Driving a wedge between people like this—what an evil act!

For Taoists, who were supposed to promote harmony, to break human connections like this… what would become of Mount Hua's future?

"Ugh…"

But there was no one to hear his lament.

"What should I do?"

He had money but nowhere to spend it. His plan was to splurge today—eat, drink to his heart's content, stash away a few bottles of fine liquor inside Mount Hua, and enjoy them later.

What made money valuable? Its ability to be spent. In other words, money that couldn't be used wasn't really money at all. The heavy weight in his pouch was nothing more than useless chunks of metal.

Cheong Myeong slumped his shoulders.

"…Should I just go back?"

No, that was unacceptable. If he went back now, he'd be greeted with nothing but hellish nagging. Enduring all that without even a single drink? That was worse than hell itself. But what could he do…?

"Huh?"

At that moment, Cheong Myeong's eyes sparkled. He spotted familiar robes approaching the entrance of Huayin.

After quickly confirming who they were, he grinned and trotted over.

"Oh my, Sasuks!"

"Huh?"

"Eek!"

"C-Cheong Myeong…?"

The Baek generation disciples of Mount Hua, who had been walking together chatting cheerfully, shrank back in fear as Cheong Myeong approached with a wide smile. 

"Wow! You've just arrived?"

"Y-yes…"

"Hahaha, I can't tell you how happy I am to see my dear sasuks here in Huayin."

Their faces began to twist with unease. It wasn't like they didn't see each other often—frankly, they saw each other almost daily. So why the sudden, exaggerated joy? He was definitely up to something.

"S-so… is there something you need?"

The rabbit-like sasuks(?) trembled as they saw the tiger-like sajil(?).

[tl note: the question mark is indeed in the original text, it's not me who's questioning the meaning lmao]

"Oh, it's nothing much. I was just thinking… we may not always say it, but we're family, aren't we? Like one big happy family."

"….I suppose."

Normally, this kind of situation would be impossible.

Even though these Baek generation disciples were among the youngest in their rank, they were still older than Cheong Mun, who was a higher-level Cheong generation disciple. That meant there was at least a ten-year age gap between them and Cheong Myeong.

A ten-year difference in age was no small gap. No matter how talented one might be, it would take decades of training to overcome such a disparity.

That's why, in the world of martial arts, moving up even a single rank was like an insurmountable wall.

Of course, they thought so too. That is, until one day, when some of Baek generation disciples, who were angry at Cheong Myeong's misdeeds, beat up Cheong Mun.

Of course, Cheong Myeong's misbehavior should have been dealt with directly. However, because he was younger, it felt beneath them to scold him.

So instead, the youngest of the Baek generation disciples summoned Cheong Mun, the great disciple of Cheong generation, and scolded him, even giving him a few beatings, intending to set an example.

They had done this with the best of intentions—after all, they had endured similar discipline from their seniors in the Un generation disciples.

But the consequences were beyond disastrous.

Cheong Myeong, who usually laughed off scoldings, ignored warnings, and seemed indifferent to being mistreated, suddenly lost his mind.

He began attacking every Baek generation disciple he saw, like a rabid dog.

That day, they learned a painful truth: some people weren't just talented, they were freaks who could overturn heaven and earth—people who didn't just excel but terrorized others on a whim.

In the end, the sect leader himself had to step in and lock Cheong Myeong in the Repentance Hall for a month before things finally settled down.

Since then, most Baek generation disciples avoided making eye contact with Cheong Myeong altogether.

Especially…

"Oh! There's someone I know well."

"..."

There was no need to mention the case of Baek Wei [백외, (白猬)], who had mistakenly provoked Cheong Mun and had his face bitten off by Cheong Myeong.

"How have you been?"

"O-oh, I've been well…"

Sweat poured down Baek Wei's forehead. To think he'd run into this mad dog here.

The trauma of that fateful day still haunted him.

He could still remember it vividly—how the face of that devil had suddenly rushed at him, shouting, 'Did you hit my sahyung?!' before smashing a fist into his face.

And that was just the beginning.

From that day on, Cheong Myeong would appear out of nowhere and attack him.

Once, Baek Wei had been fast asleep when a wooden club crashed onto his face. Another time, he was kicked in the back of the head while heading out for dawn training.

One of the worst moments? He had been using the latrine when Cheong Myeong ambushed him, knocking him unconscious. He was found the next morning, pants down, sprawled on the ground.

His sahyungs tried to step in and discipline Cheong Myeong, but they ended up getting beaten instead.

If a senior disciple bullied them, they could at least cry about it, and if Cheong Myeong were older, they might have been able to complain. But getting beaten up by a rat-sized brat and whining about it? That was simply not an option.

Even when the sect leader finally intervened and locked Cheong Myeong up in Repentance Hall, the torment never stopped.

If it weren't for Cheong Mun finally stepping in and beating some sense into him, Baek Wei might have suffered permanent injuries.

Now, standing face-to-face with this monster, all those horrible memories resurfaced.

"Come on, why are you trembling? That was all in the past."

"Ha. Haha…"

"Are you laughing?"

"..."

Cheong Myeong's eyes narrowed. Baek Wei's lips trembled.

[Tl note: chapter 1820-1824 are side story, maybe I will upload 1 chapter a day until it finished]