Chapter 440

Last June, in Taihua County, Jiangxi Province, around fifty million (according to Sado Sect’s estimate) Sado Geon-a gathered to unify their hearts in the Martial World Tournament.

They selected honorable juniors among the ten Sado Yongbong (young heroes of the Sado Sect) to lead the next Sado Alliance and organized a martial arts contest.

These days, the southeastern Sapa sects, which had been rapidly growing in power, also held a ceremony for their new signboard and intermediary base.

The warriors reverently honored the martial way, unwilling to be swayed by political factors, denouncing orthodox Zhengpai martial artists for trying to disguise their true nature as armed bandits.

However, compared to Zhengpai’s tournaments, this event had almost no spectators outside the insiders.

Zhengpai tournaments always had crowds of onlookers because they never had to worry about being harmed.

But in a city filled with the infamous Sapa guys, who would want to come and watch? It was a perfect recipe for being called crazy.

There were even rumors that during the entirety of the Sado Sect’s Martial World Tournament, parents with daughters in Taihua County were in a state of emergency, keeping their children locked up at home.

The festival of Sado Geon-a’s spirit resonated during the “Proclamation to the Martial World,” where participants expressed their aspirations.

The main attraction in this proclamation was none other than the third son of the Green Forest Leader, Wang Dae-yang.

Right from the entrance, he was quite a sight, arriving in a long, yellow mourning robe with a large flag hoisted behind him.

And on that flag were four golden characters:

“Maeshin Changbu!”

This phrase came from the legendary filial son Dongyoung from ancient Han times.

Dongyoung was renowned for his filial piety, but seemed to lack abilities as his family remained in poverty.

When his father passed away, Dongyoung sought to cover the funeral expenses by selling himself into servitude at a wealthy family, thus holding his father’s funeral.

One might imagine that his father would have shed tears of blood looking down at the son who sold himself for his burial.

But if Dongyoung were clever enough to think that way, he wouldn’t have been too poor to sell himself in the first place.

In any case, Dongyoung, lacking both intelligence and ability but overflowing with devotion, managed to go through with the funeral.

It’s said that thanks to the daughter of the Jade Emperor being smitten with his character, he escaped a lifetime of servitude.

A dimwit like him wouldn’t have any other hope unless someone like the daughter of the Jade Emperor stepped in.

In conclusion, being called Maeshin Changbu meant you were committing the ultimate act of filial piety by selling yourself to provide for your father’s funeral.

Notably, this kind of filial devotion, where old parents even in death manipulate their living children with funerals and the mourning period, is exactly what defines the Eastern Asian concept of filial piety—a proven tool for maintaining the status of commoners.

But here we are at the Sado Geon-a’s Martial World Tournament.

What kind of Maeshin Changbu is relevant among the brazenly rebellious children of the world?

“Ladies and gentlemen, I must confess something embarrassing and tragic! The Green Forest has, I say, lost! We fell prey to that vile Cheonhwa-geom, the schemes of that wicked and cowardly woman!”

Surprisingly, not a single word of that was false.

Is it tragic and embarrassing? Yes.

Did the Green Forest truly lose? Yes.

Is Cheonhwa-geom wicked and cowardly? Absolutely.

The Sado Geon-a swallowed hard at that astounding truth.

What? A twenty-one-year-old girl at the time named Wang Cheol-gun killed and burned down the den of the notorious Dou Sam, known for his prowess in the Green Forest?

Seriously?

What made that believable was the work of the strategists from the Sado Sect.

Thus, the ridiculously outrageous story played out, leaving everyone unable to contain their fury.

One day, the elder brother introduced his lover from Zhengpai, the lovely Cheonhwa-geom.

However, unlike the utterly pure elder brother, Cheonhwa-geom stared at the second brother and Dou Sam with all her wickedness.

This villainess sowed discord among the brothers, lured Dou Sam, and created a deadly mess.

She cruelly slaughtered a sister, leading the Great Chief to collapse in horror.

The elder brother trusted her enough to introduce her to the younger brother, but from that meeting, Wang Dae-yang could feel an ominous foreboding of how things had spiraled out of control…

And so, as the household fell completely into the villainess’s hands, Wang Dae-yang cried out in despair, tears of blood pouring down.

“Why! Why have you done this to us?!”

Cheonhwa-geom only coldly sneered in response.

“Because. It looks really cool to take down the Green Forest, doesn’t it? You Sapa fools are just stepping stones to my fame.”

“For such a trivial reason?!”

Wang Dae-yang grasped his sword for revenge.

“Master! You must survive!”

“You have to reveal this truth and deal with that vile witch! The enemy! Please, the enemy!”

“No! Let go! Let go!”

As his subordinates rushed towards Cheonhwa-geom and he was dragged out by his followers, the story faded to black.

“How can there be such a wicked woman in the world?”

That was the predominant reaction.

But some quipped, “She’s pretty, isn’t she?” Nonetheless, the Sado Sect strategists crafted a story about the fall of the Green Forest that managed to make sense.

Hadn’t a mere junior, in that same year, charged in boldly to kill two in the Realm of Transformation and slew numerous bandits while confidently setting everything ablaze?

“Thus, I beseech the esteemed Sado Geon-a! If you would just deal with Cheonhwa-geom, I would willingly sell myself and be your servant, whether as a common laborer or a son-in-law, and follow you for life!”

At that moment, the Sado Sect’s leader, who had been sitting atop the high platform, started clapping his hands!

Clap! Clap!

Wait, why is he clapping like it’s a grand martial art?

Liuhe Zhensheng is a method that makes sounds whisper like the first and last notes echoing simultaneously in all directions.

From the high throne, that applause resonated clearly in everyone’s ears, whispering from all around.

That was truly a shocking divine presence!

And not stopping there, the Sado Sect leader’s voice, though not loud, rang clearly through everyone.

“I truly must admire your filial piety. However, since you didn’t deal with the enemy, you cannot yet call yourself a true filial son.”

He paused for a moment and continued, “If you eliminate the enemy and perform your father’s funeral rites, wouldn’t it echo the act of Dongyoung in ancient times, and the heavens would surely help you! Thus, I shall also assist in the reconstruction of the Green Forest, esteeming your genuine filian devotion! I swear on my name as Bu An-pyeong that this is my promise!”

The warriors of the Sapa Sect were shocked.

If they defeated Cheonhwa-geom, they could have Wang Dae-yang as their servant.

If they dealt with Cheonhwa-geom, the greatest Sado master would aid in the Green Forest’s rebirth.

The property of a servant belongs to the master.

Which means they would effectively own the Green Forest!

While some thought Cheonhwa-geom was evil, others shook their heads, thinking why the daft ones had suffered.

A final push, combined with the argument of filial devotion!

The Sapa warriors’ spirits lifted as they exchanged devious glances.

Seeing all this from his platform, Bu An-pyeong remarked softly, “Hey, Chief, hasn’t the crowd thinned out quite a bit? Did everyone go home since the contest ended? Didn’t I send a notice saying they should stay till the end?”

The place was once brimming with a dense crowd during the Martial World Tournament, but now it seemed sparse, with noticeable gaps between people and parts of the square completely empty.

“I sent out the notices, but some just deserted us. I guess being out for too long does cause a burden.”

“Tsk. How are we so disunited? The Zhengpai guys stick together at the drop of a hat, but we’re all preoccupied with our own interests.”

Bu An-pyeong grumbled.

Yet Chief Su Nung had a point. Unlike the Zhengpai warriors, who could leave without worry, Sapa were far more anxious about being away so long.

Days later, in early July, the closing ceremony marked the end of the Sado Sect’s Martial World Tournament.

For the record, the finale proposed by the Supreme Apostle Bu An-pyeong, which brought tears to all the officials, was this.

Taking a bite of a white peach, declaring his dedication to the Sado world!

What’s a peach?

It’s a symbol of loyalty from the beginning of the Central Plains, more so than anything else.

At this moment, everyone in the Sado Geon-a coalition would become brothers, pledging unity.

Plus, that white peach meant they intended to chew through Zhengpai!

It was, in essence, a magnificent expression of the Sado’s unity and aspirations.

If Qing was aware of this, he would think it amusingly similar to a certain two-character corporation that chewed an apple on the peak of Samsung Mountain.

It was the same promise of squashing Samsung underfoot while gnawing on an apple!

He would laugh and say they were just wasting time.

—

Men always say, “I don’t need a beauty like Seossi; I just want a simple woman I can communicate with and live happily together like friends for a hundred years.”

Of course, that’s not simple at all.

Especially for scholars of the Hall of Literature.

Looking at the current situation, the Confucian scholars have been exiled to Taiyuan, so the future for those who study here isn’t exactly bright.

Had Qing been somewhat acquainted with the history of China, he might’ve recalled how no one tried to stop the Emperor Gao from burning Mengzi in the world of martial arts, and that could remind him of a peculiar historical moment.

This episode involved Emperor Gao’s furious reaction to a line in the text stating, “If a ruler treats his subjects with contempt, then the subjects will see the ruler as an enemy.”

Why would anyone be furious at such an obvious statement?

Well, because he’s the Emperor.

An Emperor can burn and torture the families of ministers simply out of boredom, meanwhile, ministers must love their Emperor as if he were their parent.

In other words, no matter how wicked the Emperor, he must always be respected absolutely without any conditions.

This concept doesn’t just apply to Emperor Gao but is the fundamental mindset of all past, present, and future rulers in the Central Plains.

In any case, this explains why the future is not so bright for the scholars of the Hall of Literature.

What they’ve learned throughout their lives comes down to mere quotes.

This means that even if he wishes to have in-depth conversations with that simple woman he wants to live happily with for a hundred years, all he can offer are the words of the sages like Mengzi and Confucius.

And while he might claim to not want a beauty like Seossi, he certainly didn’t say that he wouldn’t mind someone plain.

He’s basically asserting that unless she’s as smart as Zhuge Liang, he won’t be able to marry even a plain woman like the notorious Hwang Wol-ryeong.

So, the ideal type of a Hall of Literature scholar is, in fact, rather sparse throughout history.

At max, just Chae Yeom.

There are no records of her being a beauty, but considering that many men were mesmerized by her throughout her life, it was taken for granted that she must’ve been extraordinary.

If he had to name another, it would definitely be Seomun Qing.

She is the fairy that pierces the hearts of the Hall of Literature scholars.

She listens patiently to their tedious scholar talks, interjecting with praises like, “Wow, you’re such a smart friend!”

Plus, her charming demeanor brings smiles to faces just by being in the vicinity, as she willingly approaches the shy scholars who only dare to roll their eyes.

The flaw? She’s so beautiful it makes others feel inadequate.

If she were just a bit more ordinary, perhaps he could muster the courage to try, but her appearance is of such celestial caliber that he feels a thousand times smaller.

After the morning lecture at the Hall of Literature, their lunch is an even more intense competition for discussions on who has the most entertaining stories to share with Cheonhwa-geom.

“Seomun Qing, do you know the saying ‘Seojaseosa’?”

Nope.

“There’s a phrase ‘Mu Yong Ji Yong’…”

Never heard of it.

“Do you know the tale of the Danggang Pocheon? It goes…”

Of course, not.

However, Qing thought, “But why do they keep talking to me at a meal? I’m not bored listening to new stories or anything.”

Nonetheless, her cheerful personality lets her listen to all their stories.

Of course, while they endlessly chat, no one seems to show any interest in the food, making it beneficial yet again for Qing.

But those with less sunny dispositions clearly preferred not to endure boring scholarly talks at the dinner table.

“What’s this? Are the esteemed scholars not eating but just chatting? Are we in a restaurant or a scripture library discussing lofty ideas?”

Like this.

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