But then, this impression of Yeom-jung's changed as soon as he received Kang-hyuk's blows via the attendance book.
'Ow. That hurt.'
It really was painful.
He was dizzy, having the feeling that he could hear the voice of the G.o.d of death calling out his name from the underworld.
"Shut up! This b.a.s.t.a.r.d!"
*Pok!*
"amidabuddha…"
Ji-myeong chanted the name of Buddha out loud.
Despite Ji-myeong's renown as a Buddhist master, he didn't really chant much. However, when he did chant the name of the Buddha, it was in situations where he felt emotionally shaken.
He unconsciously chanted out loud in situations where he felt a strong sense of fear.
'It-it is my elder Hyung-nim…'
Ji-myeong looked over at Kang-hyuk beating Yeom-jung with an attendance book. He was beating him with full voracity.
Of course, Ji-myeong was struck with fear as he witnessed the sight.
'H-hyung-nim used to beat me like that as well…'
His mind began to wander off, recalling his past with Kang-hyuk.
Even before Kang-hyuk had become the Clan Leader, his methods of training and education were known for their effectiveness.
However, there had been a master that looked down on Kang-hyuk as a result of his humble origins. Kang-hyuk endured the man's mockery until he had crossed the line by dragging Kang-hyuk's parents into his insults.
Kang-hyuk had dragged the man into the forests behind Juncheong. The following day, he couldn't even look Kang-hyuk in the eye.
Ji-myeong had foolishly acted up in front of Kang-hyuk.
He was, in fact, the troublemaker amongst the shaolin monks.
His personality was simple, but a little twisted, most likely due to his time in the blood fighting arena.
He didn't attempt to extinguish situations of conflict with calmness, plus he had a cra.s.s way of speaking.
He had the potential to have become the greatest a.s.sa.s.sin of Moorim if he hadn't been taken in as a disciple of the Shaolin temple.
His behaviour had slightly improved after the former head monk of the Shaolin temple had taken him in, but alas, he was still a troublemaker.
This was why the head monk had decided to send him to the Hwacheon Clan- in the hopes that him meeting the masters of the Clan would shatter his ego and turn him into a decent human being.
But as the saying goes, a container that leaks on the inside also leaks on the outside. Ji-myeong ended up causing issues within the Clan, and was sent to Kwaepungdae, which was headed by Kang-hyuk at the time.
Ji-myeong answered back to Kang-hyuk in every instance, frequently making sarcastic remarks.
In the end, Kang-hyuk dragged him to the forests by the neck, and gave him an unforgettable beating.
He didn't think anything would hurt more than the pain he had experienced in the blood fighting area, but Kang-hyuk's fists actually hurt like h.e.l.l.
He called out for the Buddha, whom he usually didn't remember, crying and begging.
"Please let me off this one time! I'll never do it again!"
But once Kang-hyuk's 'education' began, it didn't stop prematurely.
"Shut up! I don't usually beat my men. But when I do, I do it right."
"Arghhh! Buddha! Save me!"
"If you wanted to find the Buddha, you should have done so earlier in your day to day life. It's too late now. b.a.s.t.a.r.d!"
"I've wronged! Please forgive me!"
"Congratulations. You're the first fellow that works under me that I've beaten. Taking this into consideration, I think we can extend the beating by another six hours."
"B-but I'm a monk! How can you beat up a monk?"
"I don't feel good beating a monk either, but what can I do? Before being a monk, your position would be my lovable subordinate."
"You're a fellow that doesn't even have blood flowing through your veins, or even tears that you can shed."
"You've only realized that now, troublemaker?"
*Pok!*
"I'll pluck out your intestines and strangle you with them…eeeehh!"
*Po-ok!*
"Can you really do that?"
Ji-myeong was astounded. No matter how many insults Ji-myeong spewed out, Kang-hyuk was totally unaffected, calmly continuing on swinging his fists with a smile.
Nevertheless, the strength of his punches increased as time went on.
It suddenly occurred to Ji-myeong that he may even die from being beaten to death by Kang-hyuk.
Fortunately, he didn't die.
This was as a result of Kang-hyuk's elevated ability of controlling his power. He merely gave Ji-myeong a taste of death.
Ji-myeong returned to the Hwacheon Clan early the next morning after having been taken by Kang-hyuk the evening of the day before.
Kang-hyuk's method of 'education' proved to be a success.
"Ughhh."
Ji-myeong unconsciously shuddered as he recollected his past beating.
"amidabuddha…."
Kang-hyuk's voice suddenly rang out, cutting through Ji-myeong's stream of thought.
"Listen."
"Yes?"
Ji-myeong was puzzled by Kang-hyuk's sudden remark. Kang-hyuk pointed at the now unconscious Yeom-jung.
"Tie him up, then we'll leave."
"Ah! Yes, understood!"
A few moments later.
Yeom-jung had come to consciousness.
He found that he had been tied up. Looking around, he saw the warriors he employed, kneeling on the ground, also tied up.
"Don't miss a single b.a.s.t.a.r.d!"
"Arghhh!"
"Huh!?"
"Kill any man that tries to run away!"
Yeom-jung realized that everything he had worked so hard to accomplish had now turned to ashes.
"I…I…worked so hard to set this place up, d.a.m.n it! d.a.m.n it! d.a.m.n it!"
He cried out loudly, but there was no one present that felt sorry for him.
Even those that often visited the blood fighting venue didn't dare to even glance towards him, fearing they would be the recipient of his rage.
Ok-bae, the Hanam branch head, came into Yeom-jung's line of vision.
"Branch head Ok-bae! How could you do this!"
He yelled at Ok-bae.
"I gave so much money to you! How could you do this to me!"
*Pok!*
Frightened by Yeom-jung's open slander, Ok-bae quickly kicked him, and yelled back, "s.h.i.t! What kind of rubbish are you spouting? When have I ever received bribes from you?"
"You received ten thousand silver coins a few days ago!"
"I have not!"
Yeom-jung was telling the truth.
Of course, Ok-bae couldn't admit this under any circ.u.mstances. Beads of sweat were dripping down Ok-bae's back.
'Oh my! f.u.c.k! The Demon Exterminating Grandmaster is even here!'
Ji-myeong was also an elder of the Clan.
He was also among the three elders that were infamous for their vicious personalities.
He wasn't known as a rabid dog for no reason.
Ji-myeong was really a mad dog.
He was only meek before the head monk who had rescued and received him as a disciple, and the retired Clan leader, Kang-hyuk.
At that moment, a woman came rushing in. All eyes were pulled towards the beautiful young woman with flaming red hair.
Byeok Ae-rin was indeed a beauty.
"You're here?"
Kang-hyuk, who was standing further away, approached her. Byeok Ae-rin handed him a ledger.
"There's evidence from the letters I found in his office that Ok-bae, the Hanam branch head, has been receiving bribes."
Kang-hyuk had instructed her to search Ok-bae's office, and she had successfully found conflicting evidence against Ok-bae.
Kang-hyuk had suspected that there was a rat somewhere among the higher powers as soon as he had found out that there was a blood fighting venue in Hwagyeong Village.
No matter how hard a person of Moorim tried to cover up their crimes, the evidence of their misdeeds would usually be more apparent than that of an ordinary person.
There wasn't a chance that someone would fail to notice.
As Yeom-jun had said, Ok-bae had been receiving his bribes. Yeom-jung sent letters along with the bribes.
Ji-myeong, who had been listening to Kang-hyuk's conversation with Byeok Ae-rin, glared at Ok-bae.
"Hey b.a.s.t.a.r.d."
"...."
"Are you going to admit to your charge of receiving bribes or not?"
Ok-bae began to deny the accusation with all the strength within him.
"N-no, it's not true! I would never have done such a thing! This is an act of falsification!"
Kang-hyuk smirked at Ok-bae. He then pulled the ledger out of his sleeve and presented it to Ji-myeong.
After examining the ledger, Ji-myeong felt compelled to begin chanting Buddha's name.
"Amidabuddha, amidabuddha."
He was chanting in an attempt to swallow the anger that was rising up within him.
"This is the ledger you found here, right? The donor's name is Yeom-jung, right? You've bribed just about everyone, haven't you? And here, clearly marked down as a recipient is the Hanam branch head, Ok-bae!"
Ji-myeong spoke with a smile, "Are you still going to try and deny it? Branch head b.a.s.t.a.r.d."
As he saw Ji-myeong's smile, Ok-bae finally came to a realization.
'It's the end.'
But then, he felt that he couldn't be caught like this.
He would face complete humiliation being arrested as a branch head.
'I have all the money I've stored up over the years, as well as the tenacity to withstand!'
With that thought, Ok-bae did something he shouldn't have done. He attempted to make a run for it.
"Arghhh!"
He swung his sword around, then ran off. As a warrior with peak cultivation, his gyeonggong abilities were excellent.
Unfortunately…
*Whoosh!*
*Pok!*
He was knocked out by the force of a flying attendance book.
"..."
Unperturbed, Kang-hyuk coolly approached the unconscious Ok-bae, and retrieved his attendance book.
He then promptly spoke up.
"What are you looking at? Why aren't you going about your work?"
"Ahem, ahem ahem."
The surrounding people began to move upon Byeok Ae-rin and Ji-myeong's instruction.
Kang-hyuk looked at Ok-bae in front of him.
The Hwacheon Clan was his students' future workplace. Kang-hyuk wasn't particularly pleased about the corruption present within the Clan.
'When I get back, I'll have to get Mu-jin to start an inspection. I can't have my students working at a place dirtied by corruption!'
Now, Kang-hyuk had nothing more to do there.
He leisurely left, heading towards the inn. He had a white vase in his hands.
After Kang-hyuk finally made it to the inn entrance, he sighed, and looked to his side.
"What are you doing?"
"Me? What you mean?"
Standing beside him was Ji-myeong.
"You had work to do there, no? Why have you followed me?"
"Oh…that…well, I was curious about where you were going, Hyung-nim."
"Stop being nosy."
"Don't be like that. Once a member, always a member, right?"
"Haha. I guess you want to be beaten."
"Huh! N-no that's not it…"
He trembled as Kang-hyuk raised his fist.
But then.
*Dadadadada!*
Someone ran out of the inn with great vigour.
"Why are you here?"
"Oh? Who's this? Isn't this Blackie?"
Blackie.
Kang-hyuk was amused by the nickname. That Blackie was none other than Shim-gu, who was nicknamed as such due to his constantly black clothing.
"Why are you here?"
"Why? Whose area is this? Fool, don't you know that much?"
"You should have cleaned up your area earlier if that's the case. Due to your incapability, things reached this extent."
"Shut up! Things have been cleaned up now anyway, so its fine!"
Their exchange was a little violent, but it wasn't unexpected behaviour.
"Phew."
Kang-hyuk sighed. He felt that it was necessary to quieten down Shim-gu and Ji-myeong's conversation, keeping in mind that they were in a public place.
*Ppak!* *Ppak!*
Kang-hyuk slapped the back of their heads.
"Ow…"
"Ah…"
They rubbed their heads in an attempt to soothe the pain.
"Be quiet. Do you intend on waking the students up?"
"Sorry."
"Apologies. amitabuddh…."
Kang-hyuk looked back at Shim-gu.
"So, did anything happen?"
"No. Everything was fine."
"You've worked hard."
Kang-hyuk went up to the second floor of the inn. All of a sudden, a door opened, and Baek-gap emerged from within it.
"Seonsaengnim, you're back? Go-jun is having breakfast right now."
"Is that so?"
Kang-hyuk entered the room that Baek-gap had emerged from.
"Ah!"
Go-jun, who had been eating porridge, immediately stood up at the sight of Kang-hyuk, prostrating before his feet.
"Tsk tsk, you overreact. Henceforth, you can just bow or lower your head to greet me."
"Bu-but…"
"No buts. If I'm telling you, just follow what I say."
Kang-hyuk sat down in front of the tea table.
"Sit down."
"Yes."
Ha Go-jun sat down beside Kang-hyuk. Kang-hyuk then looked at him.
Thanks to the medicine he had given to Byeok Ae-rin for Ha Go-jun's treatment, the scars that had once covered his entire body had now disappeared.
He had washed, and was wearing proper clothing. He now looked like his true age of nineteen. Now that the dirt and scars were gone, an elegant, handsome looking face had emerged.
Kang-hyuk could see the face of his deceased friend Ha Du-gyeong in Ha Go-jun. As Ha Du-gyeong had once boasted, his grandson really did take after him.
