Chapter 25
「The only people a man should kneel to are his parents, his monarch, and his teacher.」
So said the ancient sages.
To be honest, I don’t know if they actually said that or not, but it’s not important, so let’s move on.
Anyway, that’s why I never knelt to anyone other than the Cult Leader in my previous life.
Even then, I only knelt when I received ‘orders’ in official settings. When we were drinking together, we got along like friends, so there wasn’t really a need for that……
Besides, I became the leader of the Assassin’s Guild so early that it was hard to find anyone above me in the entire Heavenly Demon Cult.
Of course, the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demonic Cult and some old geezers in the Council of Elders were higher in rank than me, but the Cult operates on the principle of strength, doesn’t it?
So, I never bowed to the Heavenly Kings or the old farts in the Council of Elders who were weaker than me, let alone greet them first.
And yet, I……
knelt naturally before Master Yi Si-jin.
Well, I don’t want to attach any special meaning to kneeling, but I was surprised myself, so even while kneeling, I pondered that part to myself.
‘……’
Yes.
After becoming a reincarnator, I.
Perhaps I had recognized Master Yi as a teacher-like figure.
Indeed, Master Yi has taught me many things besides saving my and So-yun’s lives.
For example, he taught me how to chop firewood and manage a furnace, how to soothe and discipline my daughter, how to treat people, and how to navigate the world, even though I knew nothing but how to kill people.
So, if you think about it, Master Yi is no different from a teacher to me.
Therefore, knowing the principles of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, and wisdom, and always choosing what is right, it is a virtue, not a humiliation, for me to kneel before Master Yi.
“Huh……! Get up, man. You’re the leader of a sect. You must maintain your dignity.”
At that moment, Master Yi helped me up with an awkward smile.
Only then did I realize that Master Yi’s face had become even younger than before.
“Master. You’ve gotten younger since I last saw you.”
“Ahem. I couldn’t just come down the mountain to see So-yun without doing anything. I used some methods.”
“Are there methods to become younger?”
“There are. There’s something called cosmetic surgery and beauty treatments…… It’s complicated to explain, so just think of it as a valuable skill that only physicians who have reached my level can perform.”
“Ah…… I see.”
Cosmetic surgery and beauty treatments.
Did such things exist in this world?
◈ ◈ ◈
The founding ceremony of the Dawn Heaven Sect ended simply.
We had a meal with the guests and discussed the small and medium-sized sects and martial arts schools operating in Chang’an. Occasionally, large sects representing Shaanxi, such as Mount Hua and Mount Zhongnan, were also mentioned.
During the conversation, the guests learned that Seok Yeon-u was the eldest son of the Seokga Estate. Seeing their surprise, I realized that Yeon-u’s status was quite significant.
It felt like the status of the Dawn Heaven Sect, which had no foundation whatsoever, had been elevated, thanks to him.
Anyway, Yeon-u’s visit was definitely a welcome event.
“Brother. Now that the visitors have left, how about a drink?”
Even after the founding ceremony, Yeon-u stayed behind.
He said he had to see So-yun’s face, so he insisted on sleeping at our house today. We had plenty of spare rooms, and I was glad to have him, so I agreed.
“Alright.”
Soon, I told the kitchen to prepare a table with 10 bottles of expensive Golden Bell Liquor and seafood dishes like abalone and sea cucumber.
To be honest, neither I nor the Dongdong brothers like seafood, but it was a table setting that considered Master Yi Si-jin, who might be craving seafood after living in the mountains for so long.
“Greetings once again. I am Kang Il-dong, serving under Brother So-cheon.”
“I am Kang Yi-dong.”
“I am Kang Sam-dong.”
As the drinking party began in earnest, Il-dong, Yi-dong, and Sam-dong bowed to Master Yi once again and greeted him.
I found out later that they were shocked to see me kneel before Master Yi.
They said that I, who seemed like I would hold my head high even in front of the King of H*ll, suddenly knelt down, so they thought I had met my long-lost father or something……
“Master. I also greet you once again. I am Seok Yeon-u of the Seokga Estate.”
When Yeon-u also greeted Master Yi once again, Master Yi smiled and lightly returned the greeting with a bow before asking me.
“Haha. You’re truly amazing. It hasn’t been long since you left my house, and you’ve already taken in these younger brothers?”
“I met Yeon-u when I saved him from those idiots from the Black Society, and I got to know the three big guys after beating them up a bit.”
“Chuckle. You mean relationships built through violence?”
“Well…… something like that.”
For a moment, Yeon-u, Il-dong, Yi-dong, and Sam-dong glared at me with venomous eyes.
It was as if they were protesting, ‘Why are you making us look bad by saying unnecessary things!’ But that’s their problem.
I didn’t want to lie to Master Yi, so I couldn’t help it.
“Haha…… Brother So-cheon, you’re quite the joker. When was I ever getting beaten up by the Black Society……”
At that moment, Seok Yeon-u, seemingly embarrassed, blushed and glanced at Master Yi before making excusesargumentsto me. I chuckled and continued.
“Yeon-u, don’t be ashamed. When unavoidable things happen in life, people get beaten up and grow. So there’s no need to make excuses.”
“Ah, Brother! Are you really going to do this to me?”
Then,
“So-yun’s father is right.”
Master Yi, who had been silent, spoke.
“M, Master……”
“Seok So-hyeop, and you Kang brothers too. Anyone can get beaten up. The important thing is to remember that humiliation and grow from it. Making excuses will only become poison. Well, in any case, now that you’ve formed a connection with So-yun’s father, assist him and learn a lot from him. So-yun’s father may be a heartless person, and you might be bewildered at times, but as far as I know, he’s the best in the world when it comes to mental strength and willpower. Understand?”
Receiving Master Yi’s serious gaze and tone, Yeon-u and the Dongdong brothers made long faces and,
“Yes…… Master.”
“I’ll keep that in mind……”
“Understood.”
“I will do so.”
They only mumbled obedient answers.
They were probably thinking all sorts of things inwardly.
They might resent Master Yi, who, from the first meeting, has been saying things without thinking, but they wouldn’t dare talk back rudely because I’m being respectful to Master Yi.
Well…… that’s their problem, so I don’t care.
“Master. By the way, how have you been? And how did you come down the mountain?”
I asked Master Yi casually while pouring him a drink.
“What could have happened to me? I just picked herbs, refined my medical texts, and made salves. And the reason I came down the mountain was simply to see So-yun’s face.”
“So-yun will be delighted to see you, Master.”
“Haha. I’m already excited to see So-yun. I’m sure So-yun is doing well, right?”
“Yes. She takes walks with me by the lake every night and is learning to read from the writing teacher.”
“This won’t do. I think I need to go see So-yun soon. Here! Each of you, grab a bottle of liquor.”
“……???”
“When are we going to take turns drinking one glass at a time? We’ve already introduced ourselves and know each other’s circumstances, so there’s no need to waste time here. Let’s just chug a bottle each and go to your house.”
As expected.
Perhaps it’s because he’s reached the level of a divine doctor.
This old man was definitely different from others and had a faster side to him.
◈ ◈ ◈
“So-yun! Have you been well?”
“Grandpa! Grandpa! So-yun has been well! How about Grandpa?”
“Kkkkkk. This grandpa has been well too.”
“So-yun. I’m here too! Do you remember me?”
“Oh? It’s the guest! The guest!”
“Hahaha. You should call me uncle now, not guest.”
“Yeah. The guest is So-yun’s uncle now!”
Chaos?
Uproar?
I don’t know which word is accurate, but anyway, that’s roughly the situation at our house right now.
So-yun, who saw Master Yi after a long time, clung to him and wouldn’t let go, and honey was dripping from Yeon-u’s eyes as he watched So-yun.
“Grandpa. We’re going to live together now, right? Right?”
“Haha. So-yun, that’s not something I can decide on my own.”
“Why?”
“Because your father is the owner of this house. If your father allows it, grandpa might not be able to live here, but he can stay for a long time.”
“Hehe! Grandpa, don’t worry about that.”
“Huh?”
“Dad listens to So-yun, so I’ll tell him. Grandpa can live in our house as much as he wants! Live here forever!”
“Hahaha! Is that alright?”
“I said it’s alright!”
“Alright. Let’s do that then. By the way, our So-yun has become more talkative, hasn’t she?”
“Yeah. So-yun studied hard, so now I can speak well and write too.”
“As expected, our So-yun is the best, the best.”
“Hehehe.”
“Hahaha!”
Something……
Seeing So-yun and Master Yi talking affectionately, an unknown sense of alienation welled up within me.
But that alienation wasn’t bad, so I watched the sweet moments between Master Yi and So-yun, and Yeon-u and So-yun for a while.
‘I’m envious.’
I soon grasped the essence of the ‘alienation’ that had seeped into my heart.
Yes.
I guess I was envious of So-yun, who was loved by many people.
My pitch-black childhood, surviving as an orphan, being kidnapped by the Demonic Cult, and then growing up like a weed in h*ll.
That was my life, and all of my childhood, so I must have been envious of So-yun, who was laughing happily.
But soon, that ‘envy’ was completely erased in the face of a much larger wave of emotion.
‘I’m also proud.’
It was ‘pride’.
From the beginning until now.
I’ve always felt sorry for So-yun.
No matter how well I treat her, So-yun will always be a ‘child without a mother’, and the absence of a mother is a void that’s hard to fill with anything else.
But with Ye-rin, the writing teacher, Il-dong, Yi-dong, Sam-dong, and now Master Yi Si-jin and Yeon-u.
As the number of people who cherish So-yun increases one by one, I feel like a burden has been lifted from my heart.
‘Hmm……’
It seems I’ll have to work harder to rob villains, accumulate wealth, and make the Dawn Heaven Sect prosper.
The better I do in this ruthless world of martial arts, the more people will cherish So-yun.
“Master.”
“Speak.”
“Instead of that, how about settling down here permanently, as So-yun said?”
“Thank you for your kind words, even if they’re empty.”
“They’re not empty words. It’s not because of the debt I owe you, Master. It’s just that if you stay here, So-yun will be happy, and that would be good for me too.”
That’s why I needed Master Yi Si-jin.
If he’s here, So-yun will have the most reliable grandfather in the world.
“And one more thing.”
As for me,
“I want to have you as the Medical Hall Master of the Dawn Heaven Sect, Master.”
It would be like gaining an invaluable asset.
“Huh…… You, really.”
“Please, Master.”
Well……
According to Sam-dong, this kind of luck is called ‘honey’ these days……
Can’t I try sucking on that honey or whatever this time?
I can try sucking on it, can’t I?