Chapter 7

He had openly criticized the Ten Precepts, the tradition Wudang had upheld all this time, but every word rang true. There was no refuting him.

“Senior Brother, we must discard what needs discarding and change what needs changing.”

When Myeongjin’s scathing words ended, Myeonghyeon remained silent for a long while.

At last, after prolonged deliberation, he spoke softly.

“Myeongjin.”

“Yes.”

“Even so, there are principles we must uphold.”

“…”

“If we change for the worse simply to survive, how can we call that the righteous path?”

“But I’m not suggesting we change for the worse.”

“I understand what you mean. But how can you guarantee the outcome?”

“It isn’t a matter of guarantees…”

“Enough!”

Myeonghyeon’s sharp command cut off any further protest.

Their conversation was like two parallel lines.

With each arguing a different point, the distance between them never narrowed.

Wudang’s Ten Precepts.

An age-old tradition.

It could never be changed easily.

The Ten Precepts were the very history and identity Wudang had preserved and passed down.

Myeongjin was not wrong, but as the current sect leader, Myeonghyeon naturally had a duty to protect Wudang’s traditions.

Of course, Myeongjin understood his position and knew he himself had gone too far.

He should never have spoken to the sect leader that way before the elders, with Jinmu and Cheongu watching as well. But his pent-up frustrations had burst out, sweeping propriety aside.

“Sect Leader. We cannot let this pass.”

“Indeed. Even if Senior Brother Myeongjin’s health has improved as a result, our rules must be upheld. Senior Brother Myeongjin, Jinmu, and Cheongu must all be punished for violating the Ten Precepts.”

Myeongseon and Myeonggong spoke in turn, pressing the issue.

But Myeonghyeon merely looked at Myeongjin without a word.

“Sect Leader!”

“That is enough from you, too.”

His expression stern, Myeonghyeon cut them off and looked at Myeongjin.

Myeongjin.

Wudang owed him a great debt.

He was the great Taoist who had defended Purple Firmament Palace against Sapacheon’s attack, refusing to yield to the very end.

Though he had lost his martial powers, his noble spirit was an example to every Taoist of Wudang.

The change he spoke of.

Myeonghyeon had considered it, too. He had wrestled with the question countless times since becoming sect leader.

Uphold the righteous path and ward off the wicked path. Guide the wicked toward righteousness by doing what is right.

That was Wudang’s long-held tradition, its idea of justice. The Ten Precepts were the means of preserving it.

But was it truly right?

They had acted in the belief that it was, yet it had led them into decline, and all those who had once crowded their gates had left.

How could they regain their former prosperity?

After hearing Myeongjin’s pointed words and seeing how eating meat had restored his strength, Myeonghyeon’s feelings were more conflicted than ever.

“You may go. I shall decide how to handle this myself.”

“Sect Leader!”

Myeonggong called to him again, but Myeonghyeon turned away and closed his mouth.

“Understood. We shall take our leave for now.”

With a stiff expression, Myeonggong bowed and turned.

Then shot Jinmu a fierce glare.

They had come filled with pleasure and excitement over Jinmu’s progress, but that did not excuse his breach of the precepts.

Still, the sect leader had ordered that the matter be left to him. There was nothing to be done.

After the door to Myeongjin’s hermitage closed and Myeonggong and Myeongseon left with heavy steps—

“Um, Martial Uncle… What do we do now?”

Jinmu narrowed his eyes at Cheongu’s anxious question.

But really, was this such a big deal?

They had just eaten some meat.

All this talk of precepts and change… These damned Taoists would stake their lives on the most trivial things.

Still, he was uneasy.

Jinmu’s mind grew tangled.

He had thought his master’s protest would work, but matters had taken an odd turn.

Damn it. What are those two talking about?

Afraid his dream of becoming head disciple might go up in smoke, Jinmu cautiously strained to hear what was being said inside.

---

The next day.

All of Wudang’s elders had assembled at Purple Firmament Palace.

“Jinmu, step forward!”

At the command of Myeonggong, the elder responsible for the sect’s precepts, Jinmu, who had been summoned that morning, stepped before the sect leader and knelt.

Myeonghyeon regarded Jinmu calmly, while the elders fixed their eyes on him.

Everyone looked curious to hear the verdict.

“Jinmu, you have committed three offenses.”

What? Three?

Wasn’t this just about eating meat?

As Jinmu looked up in puzzlement, Myeonghyeon continued quietly.

“First, although it was for your master’s sake, you broke one of our sect’s Ten Precepts. Second, without the sect’s permission, you arbitrarily altered a sword art passed down by our predecessors and taught it to a disciple of the next generation. Third, you inflicted serious injuries during a sparring match between martial brothers. Do you admit to these offenses?”

“Pardon?”

Fine, the first one. But why the second and third?

Last night.

Myeonghyeon had asked Myeongjin several questions and answered a few himself.

Mostly useless talk like, How have you been training him?

Or, How has your health been lately?

There had been nothing about how he intended to deal with these three offenses. Jinmu could only feel anxious.

“I ask you again. Do you admit to them?”

Damn it. With everyone looking so solemn, he couldn’t exactly say no and tell them to do their worst.

“…Yes.”

Jinmu bowed his head respectfully.

“Very well. For these three offenses, I shall impose a sentence under my authority as sect leader. Jinmu, you are to spend the next month repairing the wooden stands at Haegeomji.”

“…”

Surprise appeared not only on Jinmu’s face, but on the elders’ as well.

“Sect Leader! What do you mean?”

Myeonggong stepped forward in disbelief.

Surely that was far too lenient.

Repairing the wooden stands.

However one looked at it, it was merely a token punishment. A warning to behave himself.

His offenses clearly warranted confinement in the Punishment Cave. Everyone looked bewildered.

But Myeonghyeon raised a hand to silence them.

“I said I was exercising my authority as sect leader.”

“But…”

“There will be no further argument.”

“…”

At Myeonghyeon’s words, Myeonggong withdrew with a strained expression.

“Furthermore, for the time being, eating meat will no longer be punished.”

“Sect Leader!”

“You cannot!”

Alarmed cries rose from every side.

As though the lenient sentence were not enough, he was lifting the ban on meat, one of the Ten Precepts?

Temporary or not, this was utterly unacceptable.

“Sect Leader, this is an age-old tradition. How can you so easily…”

“Enough!”

Myeonghyeon’s shout thundered through the great hall, silencing every murmuring voice at once.

“Jinmu, you may leave.”

“…Yes.”

A heavy atmosphere filled the great hall, but Jinmu’s heart was light. His fear that this incident might prevent him from becoming head disciple had melted away like snow.

Once Jinmu had left, Myeonggong stepped forward, face set.

“Sect Leader! Lifting the ban on meat, one of the Ten Precepts, is unthinkable.”

“Indeed.”

“Please reconsider!”

Following Myeonggong’s lead, the elders rushed to voice their opinions.

“Elders, hear me.”

“…”

Myeonghyeon’s voice subdued the murmuring in the great hall.

“I anticipated considerable opposition and concern. But this once, I ask you to abide by my decision.”

Though his voice was low, his words held a warmth that seemed to embrace them all.

Myeonggong fell silent, still looking displeased. In that silence, Myeonghwa, the master of Jeongdong Palace, cautiously spoke.

“Sect Leader. Once an order has been given, it is only right that we elders obey. But what led you to this decision? Was it because Myeongjin regained his strength by eating meat?”

“So you have heard.”

“Yes. They say he has recovered enough to go for walks?”

“That is right.”

“Well, he has been eating meat…”

Myeonghwa looked remorseful.

As Wudang’s physician, Myeonghwa had cared for him for years and understood all too well.

Though his martial powers could never be restored, Myeonghwa had known that eating meat would be necessary for his strength to recover over time.

But it would directly violate the Ten Precepts, and so Myeonghwa had never dared recommend it.

Bound by tradition, unable to act despite knowing what was needed, Myeonghwa could only feel sorry toward the junior martial brother, Myeongjin.

“Jinmu has done what I should have done. Nothing is more precious than a human life, yet I let our precepts prevent me from acting. I am ashamed.”

“Indeed. I feel the same. But that is not my only reason for lifting the ban on meat.”

“Pardon?”

“You have heard about Jinmu?”

“Yes. He modified the Thirteen Spirit Gate Swords and defeated Jinheo, I believe?”

“He did. But when I asked Myeongjin, he said he had not taught him to do that.”

“What?”

“He said he had merely passed on the essentials of the martial arts through spoken instruction.”

“Good heavens! How is that possible? You mean the boy saw through the weaknesses of cultivation methods and martial techniques he had learned solely through spoken instruction, and even altered them?”

“Exactly.”

As Myeonghyeon nodded, the elders could not contain their astonishment.

“If that is true, his martial talent is heaven-sent. To display such ability after only a year…”

“Indeed. As you all know, Jinmu has lived solely at Chungheo Hermitage, contemplating, learning, and practicing on his own, outside our prescribed training.”

Everyone nodded at Myeonghyeon’s words.

“A thought struck me. Have we been stifling our disciples’ independence by confining them within the framework we have maintained for so long? Have we kept talented children from fully developing their abilities?”

Each time Myeonghyeon’s voice, tinged with self-reproach, spread through the hall, it weighed heavily on the elders’ hearts.

“Myeongjin told me that Wudang must change.”

“…”

“I intend to try. We cannot know whether it will lead us in the right direction. That is why, instead of changing everything at once, I have lifted just one of the Ten Precepts. I hope you will all understand that this is more than permission to eat meat. It is an expression of my resolve to change.”

The sincerity in Myeonghyeon’s calm, measured voice eased the burden on the elders’ hearts.

“Myeonggong.”

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

“I apologize for making this decision against your wishes, when the precepts are your responsibility. I ask for your understanding.”

At Myeonghyeon’s gentle words, Myeonggong sighed.

“What can I do? This is all your will, Sect Leader.”

“Thank you.”

There was still a trace of grumbling, but Myeonggong seemed considerably mollified. Myeonghyeon smiled brightly.

Wudang.

Unlike other sects, Wudang had no internal factions.

Its members were more closely united than those of any other sect.

Part of that came from being a sect devoted to pursuing the Tao, but Sapacheon’s attack had also strengthened those bonds.

With the matter of Jinmu’s punishment settled and everyone in better spirits, Myeongchung, the master of Ujin Palace, changed the subject.

“By the way, Sect Leader. The Cheongyang Merchant Guild will be visiting soon.”

Apparently this was the news Myeonghyeon had been waiting for. He asked with a pleased expression,

“Have they sent word?”

“Yes. They said they would come in fifteen days.”

“Hmm. Excellent.”

Myeonghyeon nodded and addressed the elders.

“You are all well aware of how important these dealings are to us.”

Of course they were.

Even the merchant world had turned its back on them.

All the business interests around Mount Wudang had already passed to the Jegal Clan, and Wudang’s finances were gradually running dry.

It was not as though they conducted no activities outside the sect, but those alone could barely support a single palace, let alone all of Wudang.

Establishing ties with the Cheongyang Merchant Guild was their only way out of their present difficulties.

“As they will be arriving soon, each palace must see that nothing is lacking in our hospitality.”

“Understood.”

With respectful replies, the elders withdrew from the great hall.