Chapter 257: New Justice Festival (3)
“I wonder if this is truly alright,” Myeong-hye sighed.
The disciples of Wudang’s Myeong generation were all running here and there to manage and control the New Justice Festival. Some were managing stalls, while others were conducting patrols.
The New Justice Festival wasn’t merely an event for the New Justice Association. Since this festival also served as an occasion to open Wudang Mountain, a holy land of Daoism, to the commoners, an immense crowd had gathered.
“Even if it isn’t alright, what can we do? The Sect Leader himself has already permitted it,” Myeong-il replied quietly from his side.
Myeong-hye stared blankly at the crowd, then suddenly dashed forward upon spotting someone attempting to enter a restricted area.
“Wait! You cannot enter there.”
“Ah, is this not the washroom?”
“The washroom is on the opposite side. This is the ancestral hall where the founding patriarchs of Wudang are enshrined.”
“Ah, damn it. Can I not simply relieve myself in the bushes?”
“Are you saying you wish to defile the Wudang Sect with filth?” Myeong-hye glared fiercely. Cowering under his sharp aura, the martial artist grumbled and scurried off to find the washroom.
“To think they possess so little decency.”
With all kinds of people gathering, there were indeed far too many who behaved in such an absurd, common-sense-defying manner.
Watching these vulgar individuals, Myeong-hye looked so thoroughly exhausted that it seemed he might draw his sword at any moment. However, if he were to lash out here, it would appear as though he was rebelling against the Sect Leader, who had permitted the opening of the gates.
“Since Daoist Master Sanfeng first established our sect on this mountain, today is likely the loudest day in Wudang’s history.”
“Indeed. Uncle Master Cheongyu’s face looked absolutely terrifying earlier.”
“True. It was blood-chilling.”
Particularly in the case of the conservatively minded Uncle Master Cheongyu, he had gone so far as to enter closed-door seclusion, declaring that he couldn’t bear to witness the defiling of Wudang with his own eyes.
It was understandable why the senior priests looked so uncomfortable. It wasn’t just merchants who had arrived, but also those hosting cricket fights, people attempting to gamble on the outcomes of the spars, and various other individuals who felt completely out of place in a Daoist sect.
Although Muk Hui-yeong had assured them that because Wudang’s space was limited, he had thoroughly vetted the merchants permitted to set up shop on the mountain, Myeong-hye was left wondering what kind of criteria he had actually used.
“Regardless, it is truly extraordinary. He has completely transformed the Wudang Sect.”
“Strictly speaking, it is the New Justice Association’s event. Our sect is merely combining it with our own temple-opening ceremony.”
“Still, I doubt anyone ever imagined they would witness such a scene within Wudang.”
“That is true.”
The commoners walked around in wide-eyed wonder, fascinated by the open temples of Wudang, while the martial artists stared in astonishment at the bustling marketplace that had materialized within the Daoist sect.
The mission of the Myeong generation disciples was to patrol their assigned sectors and prevent any potential commotions, while keeping a check on the ill-mannered individuals like the one from earlier.
“Myeong-il. How long does our patrol duty last?”
“Until 5:00 PM, the beginning of the Rooster Hour. Our relief will arrive then.”
“That is soon, thankfully.”
Accustomed to the quiet of Wudang Mountain, both Myeong-hye and Myeong-il felt their energy drained and their bodies fatigued by the sheer presence of so many people.
“I wish it would end quickly so I can rest.”
“Me too. Still, I am glad it has concluded without any incidents.”
Before Myeong-hye could finish his sentence, a booming voice infused with internal energy utilizing the Six Harmonies Voice Projection echoed across Wudang Mountain.
“Is this not a complete scam?!”
“You bastards, give us our money back!”
Hearing the massive roar, Myeong-hye and Myeong-il stared at each other in blank surprise before rushing toward the source of the commotion.
“Wait! What is happening here?” Myeong-hye shouted, squeezing through the dense crowd.
What met Myeong-hye’s eyes was a golden-painted cricket, lying on its back with its legs twitching weakly.
“…What is this?”
Having spent his entire life in the mountains, Myeong-hye had no idea what a cricket fight even was. Cricket fighting was entirely a worldly amusement. To those who knew nothing of it, gambling on such a thing was completely incomprehensible.
A man with small, slanted eyes project his voice once more using internal energy.
“This fellow pulled a trick on the cricket!”
“W-What do you mean? I swear to heaven I did no such thing!” the merchant who had organized the fight cried out in an aggrieved voice. However, there was no way a martial artist would simply believe his words and let it slide.
“That single cricket has been winning continuously since earlier. Did you feed that thing Stalactite Fluid or something?”
“No, did I not explain to you? This cricket is the fiercest fighter in all of Hubei Province.”
“You cannot deceive the senses of a martial artist like me. That golden cricket clearly possessed far stronger energy. You must have poisoned it or done something else to weaken it!”
“What profit would I gain by doing such a thing?”
“Surely there is someone among those who bet on the winner who is colluding with you. Is that not so?”
“Stop making such baseless accusations!” the merchant bellowed back, thoroughly aggrieved.
Myeong-hye hesitated, unsure whether the merchant had actually cheated or not. However, judging by the martial artist’s attire, he was clearly a rogue of the unorthodox wicked path, which naturally inclined Myeong-hye to trust the merchant more.
Yet just then, a man who appeared to be an orthodox martial artist chimed in.
“I, too, witnessed it. The merchant kept gesturing to someone in the crowd.”
“What did you say?” the merchant gasped in horror.
Myeong-hye turned his gaze toward the speaker. It was Sangguan Ri, the Gust of Sword Wind, whom Myeong-hye had met briefly during his past travels in the jianghu.
“Great Hero Sangguan. Is this true?”
“Ah, Priest Myeong-hye. Yes, it is. I saw it clearly with my own eyes.”
Sangguan Ri nodded naturally. Only then did Myeong-hye begin to harbor doubts about the merchant.
Regardless of the truth, the festival had to continue. The Wudang Sect and the New Justice Association had invested an immense amount of effort into this celebration. They could not allow a single bad apple to ruin the atmosphere.
Whether the accusation was true or not, Myeong-hye was about to expel the merchant temporarily when Myeong-il caught his sleeve.
“Senior Brother.”
“Hm?”
“Instead of relying on our own judgment of character, let us place our trust in Muk Hui-yeong’s judgment.”
Myeong-hye gasped inwardly. Reflecting on it, all of these merchants had been personally vetted and selected by Muk Hui-yeong.
Compared to a stranger like Sangguan Ri or a vulgar unorthodox rogue, the merchant was far more trustworthy.
“Calm yourselves. Until we can verify the truth of the matter, we cannot take any immediate action,” Myeong-hye declared.
In that instant, Myeong-hye caught a brief gleam in the unorthodox rogue’s eyes. It was as though he had been waiting for those exact words.
“Aha! So the Wudang Sect is now defending a swindler?”
“A swindler? If you had presented clear evidence, I would have sided with you.”
“Oh, indeed. Perhaps the merchant has colluded with the Wudang Sect as well. After all, any merchant permitted to operate here must be close with Wudang.”
The unorthodox rogue spoke in a mocking tone. Instantly, Myeong-hye’s eyes flared with anger.
“Are you accusing the Wudang Sect of pulling a scam?”
“Seeing how defensive you are, it seems to be the truth.”
Myeong-hye’s face flushed red. Compared to a rogue who had been tempered by the harsh winds of the streets, Myeong-hye had spent his life studying the Dao in the peaceful mountains. His debating skills were naturally no match.
For a moment, Myeong-hye was tempted to strike him, but he recalled the warning Muk Hui-yeong had given them: no matter how much they provoke you, do not react.
“Oh? The Wudang Sect has indeed changed. In the past, if anyone insulted the sect, they would immediately draw their blades, yet now they merely endure? It seems that in tasting worldly wealth, you have lost even your pride.”
By this point, even Myeong-hye could see what was happening.
That rogue was desperately trying to provoke a violent scene, no matter the excuse. If they reacted here, they would lose.
Yet because the rogue was uttering words that no Wudang martial artist could afford to ignore, they were trapped in a complete stalemate.
Myeong-hye’s fists trembled with rage as he stood torn between the honor of the Wudang Sect and Muk Hui-yeong’s warning.
“Is that man not the Soul-Chasing Fighting Demon?”
“It seems so.”
The whispers of the crowd drifted into Myeong-hye’s ears.
Yin Daoguang, the Soul-Chasing Fighting Demon. He was an unorthodox master so famous that even Myeong-hye, whose knowledge of the jianghu was limited, had heard of him.
—Do not strike.
Just then, a voice echoed directly in his ear. It was a telepathic transmission.
Myeong-hye nearly made the mistake of looking around in surprise, but managed to maintain his composure. That smooth, leisurely voice belonged to Muk Hui-yeong. No other disciple in Wudang possessed such a unique tone.
Yet in that brief moment, Myeong-hye wondered why Muk Hui-yeong didn’t step forward to resolve the situation himself.
“Who on earth are you bastards?!”
That question was soon answered. Although the Soul-Chasing Fighting Demon possessed a terrifying countenance, individuals with far more menacing expressions began to appear one by one.
“Hey, you’ve completely ruined the atmosphere, you bastard.”
“Why don’t you get lost right now?”
“We were having a splendid time until you came along, you absolute nuisance.”
The speakers were none other than the other martial artists who had been thoroughly enjoying the New Justice Festival. And surprisingly, the crowd that had gathered did not make any distinction between orthodox and unorthodox.
“W-What do you mean? I am the victim here. Are you threatening a victim?”
“We do not care whether you are a victim or not. We care that you are ruining our fun.”
The martial artists, already deeply enthralled by the pleasures of the festival, had formed their own vigilante group. Judging by their shouts, similar commotions had apparently occurred elsewhere.
“Earlier, someone tried to disrupt the hidden weapon throw, and now it is this place?”
“You absolute trash!”
“They seem to be acting in a coordinated manner.”
The crowd slowly began to close in, surrounding the Soul-Chasing Fighting Demon and the Gust of Sword Wind.
No matter how formidable the two masters might be, the martial artists enjoying the festival were masters in their own right. Faced with such overwhelming numbers, they stood no chance of resisting.
“Hey, hey. Do not resist if you do not wish to break your bones before the tournament.”
“D-Do you know what you are doing?! I am Sangguan Ri, the Gust of Sword Wind.”
“We know, we know. So shut your mouth.”
The martial artists closed in and began to unleash a merciless beating. The sound of fists hitting flesh echoed like leather drums tearing apart.
“Aaargh! Ow! Argh!”
“We won’t kill you, so just endure it. If you use internal energy, we will too, alright?”
Fortunately, the martial artists still possessed a sense of limits, refraining from lethal force. Killing someone in front of the commoners would throw a cold dampener over the festival. They seemed to cherish this celebration far more than the Wudang Sect or Muk Hui-yeong did. After all, to them, this was a unique pleasure they had never experienced in their lives, and they were determined to protect it.
Before long, the vigilantes tossed the Gust of Sword Wind and the Soul-Chasing Fighting Demon into the bushes. Having been beaten by a crowd of fellow martial artists, their appearance was thoroughly wretched.
“Whoa! They caught another troublemaker!”
“This festival truly has so much to offer!”
Even the commoners were now enjoying the spectacle without fear. After all, there were few things more entertaining in this world than watching someone receive a beating. Unintentionally, a new form of entertainment had been added to the festival.
“The festival is quite entertaining, isn’t it, Senior Brother?”
Just then, someone stepped up to Myeong-hye’s side. Myeong-hye flinched at the unfamiliar face, but soon recognized Muk Hui-yeong’s voice beneath the human-skin mask.
“Junior Brother.”
“I fully expected such annoying flies to gather.”
“Did you hire those vigilantes beforehand, then?”
“No. They were simply won over on their own. I suppose our efforts have borne fruit,” Muk Hui-yeong chuckled.
“We simply created a dream-like, entertaining festival. However, if anyone attempts to wake them from that dream, they will naturally react in that manner. It is only logical.”
Hui-yeong laughed softly. Myeong-hye couldn’t help but feel that his laugh sounded far more like that of an unorthodox rogue than the Soul-Chasing Fighting Demon’s had.
And so, the celebration of the New Justice Festival continued.
And now, the climax of the festival.
The martial arts tournament was finally about to begin.