'This is hell.'

'I have been dragged to hell.'

Dong-rae and Yeong-jeon stood in front of the sect leader, bowing their heads, frowning internally but hiding it with a forced smile.

The man behind them spoke.

"Sect leader, I had just encountered these children who had climbed our mountain."

Dong-rae, who had been bowing his head low until now gave Yeong-jeon a side eye. Yet, he didn't muster up any courage to speak up.

Yeong-jeon caught this and replied with a glare that fired off the same fierceness as Dong-rae. His true goal is to reach the sect. So, he didn't care what Dong-rae thought.

This place wasn't just a shadow of its former self; it was a complete ruin. To call it a sect was an insult to even the smallest martial schools in the land.

They brought their heads up when the sect leader spoke.

"In-su, please prepare a room for both of them at the boarding house. There is one more empty room at the edge."

In-su expected the sect leader to at least oppose the idea. Although he brought the two beggars in, he didn't really know if the two would be accepted. In those words, he stuttered.

"A-Are you sure? Sect leader, were alread—"

Before In-su could finish his words, the old man spoke with a calm ordering voice.

"We won't deny a bird that had come specifically to us for shelter. Please, do as told."

Yeong-jeon listened to those words pretty well. The old man's words gave out a calm tune, almost calming his frustration. But still, he was lacking something, something he couldn't put a finger on...

'He speaks like a nurtured leader...'

He took a good look at the man, inspecting and analyzing the sect leader.

'Frail body... Wrinkled skin... Thin...'

He came to a conclusion.

'The sect leader doesn't know any advanced martial art!'

This was a revelation to him. Every leader, may it be from the best martial school or a small group of thugs, must possess the necessary strength to rule the many. Of course, strength isn't always the key to ruling; charisma and great decision-making come with it, too. But without the strength to control, a man might stab your back.

Looking at In-su, came another conclusion.

'Everyone here is hopeless in martial arts.'

'ah, a sect without a signboard and everyone barely able to swing a sword...'

A vein popped on his head.

'Curse whoever made this place as is!'

If a lower-class disciple of one year from his time came here, he would already possess the ability to win against the sect leader and In-su with eyes closed and hands tied.

'If a pack of wolves came here, they would definitely have a difficult time fending them off.'

How low has this sect dropped to? Hell, this is the only word Yeong-jeon can describe this place with.

Unlike him, Dong-rae only needed one glance to evaluate the man.

'This geezer is a bum! How can you call a geezer thinner than a normal civilian sect leader?! Sect leader? Right...'

'This 'sect' doesn't even have a signboard. Then... It's nothing more than a ruined school!'

'I've been dragged into the heart of a mess.'

The sect leader, oblivious to their internal turmoil, simply gestured for In-su to proceed. "Go on, take them to their quarters. Tomorrow, they will learn what it means to be part of this sect."

Yeong-jeon barely held back a scoff. He couldn't believe how far the Thunderous Sky Sect had fallen. In his past life, it was a symbol of power, known for producing fearsome warriors who could command the heavens. Now, it looked like a place where even a stray dog would hesitate to stay.

Soon enough, In-su bowed and clasped his hands.

"Excuse us, sect leader."

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The old man nodded gently.

"You're free to do so."

"Thank you for your patience, sect leader."

Even though the sect leader was weak, In-su still respected him. For Yeong-jeon, this was commendable.

'It seems so that respect still runs here.'

He tugged a slight smile.

But there was someone who was the opposite of him.

Dong-rae nudged Yeong-jeon as they followed In-su down the worn-out path toward the boarding house.

"I regret following you."

He wanted to scream, but he also didn't want to be disrespectful to the man they were following.

In-su led them to a white building with peeling paint and wooden beams that creaked with every gust of wind. The structure was no better than the rest of the crumbling sect. Yeong-jeon and Dong-rae exchanged glances, their frustrations simmering beneath their forced smiles.

In-su opened the door and entered in, revealing many rooms that extended along a narrow, dimly lit hallway. The interior was just as dilapidated as the exterior—cracked walls, flickering lanterns, and the faint smell of damp wood.

"Uh?"

"Who is that..?"

Heads of the other disciples peeked out of the door, glaring at the two newly added disciples.

In-su saw this and halted his steps, turning his gaze left and right.

"These two will be your new sect brothers. Please treat them with respect."

"..."

"..."

No response was given back to In-su. And the door closed as they went in after hearing In-su's words.

"I'm sorry. The children just hadn't adjusted yet. Apologies."

In-su turned his head towards Dong-rae and Yeong-jeon.

Yeong-jeon gave a quick nod.

'It seems I have to beat some discipline into them.'

But something felt strange at In-su's words. Why is an older disciple apologizing to them? Well, of course, Yeong-jeon was older, but physically? No. Plus, no one will suspect anyone of reincarnating all the time.

'It also seems that they had honed their skills in lowering their heads...'

He bit his lip.

'Don't worry. I will make you all raise your heads high even against the ten great sects.'

"It is no problem, older brother. We understand."

Dong-rae clasped his hands and bowed like a respectable junior.

"Eh?"

Yeong-jeon turned his head toward Dong-rae. He was surprised. He thought of beggars as nothing more than beggars. But now, he had been proven wrong. Seeing this made him feel like he needed to do this, too.

He slowly bowed his head and smiled slightly.

"It was really no problem, superior."

Dong-rae gave Yeong-jeon a quick side glance, his smirk barely concealed. He seemed to enjoy throwing Yeong-jeon off balance.

In-su, not noticing the silent exchange, nodded approvingly.

"Good. Tomorrow, be prepared as training will start."

As In-su led them deeper into the hall, the faint sounds of the creaking boards beneath their feet echoed eerily, amplifying the dilapidated state of the place. Each step only confirmed Yeong-jeon's belief that this sect had fallen far below even his worst expectations.

Dong-rae, now walking beside him, sighed heavily.

'I'm forced here. And I can't even descend the mountain... Well... Might as well just live here.'

At the end of the hallway, In-su stopped and turned to the empty room on the side. He opened it and was met with surprise.

"Oh?"

"Hm?"

In-situ expected a dusty, old room that had nothing in it other than a bed and a table. But the room appeared to be clean and had clothes of someone hanging on the corner of the room.

"It seems that the other disciples are keeping well of the boarding house."

"Ah, you two, this is your room. You'll get your robes tomorrow."

Yeong-jeon and Dong-rae both peeked inside the room. The surprise on their faces was evident. Though it wasn't luxurious by any means, it was far better than the rest of the sect. The bed, albeit small, was clean.

Yeong-jeon stepped in first, taking in the surroundings. The air still smelled faintly of incense, which clashed with the otherwise damp and musty atmosphere of the building. He turned to Dong-rae, who was eyeing the room with suspicion.

'Traditions are still being practiced, good.'

Back then, the lower-class disciples would share rooms to build relations before ascending to the second class and having their rooms.

Yeong-jeon graced the middle part of his chest as if reminiscing about something.

'I almost got stabbed by my roommate before...'

'Anyways... I didn't see any other disciples...'

"Ahem!"

Dong-rae cleared his throat.

"As I am forced here, I am authorized to claim the bed as my own."

Yeong-jeon frowned and crossed his arms. The room and bed were meant to be shared by two people; this was the system back then.

"We either share the bed or I use unconventional tactics for us to share it!"

Dong-rae flinched as he remembered what happened to those beggars earlier. He knew he couldn't fight such a madman because he never even swung his fists against someone before.

"Instead, you should be grateful that you are even in the same vicinity as I am!"

"Huh?!"

"Ah, don't mind it."

Yeong-jeon realized that he was not the man he used to be. And that his title was nothing more than a fleeting memory. He had to adjust to this new reality.

As they settled into the room, Yeong-jeon leaned against the wall, crossing his arms as he regarded Dong-rae with a mixture of annoyance and amusement. "You do realize we're in this together, right? Sharing a bed means you won't get kicked out when the others decide to turn hostile."

"Yah! Because you forced me!"

Yeong-jeon smiled.

"A life with your own room is better than a beggar's life, no?"

"..."

Dong-rae fell silent, contemplating Yeong-jeon's words. The room, while humble, was a significant step up from their previous existence as beggars. Yet the thought of sharing a bed with someone who seemed more volatile than ever left him feeling uneasy.

Yeong-jeon approached the corner of the room where clothes were hung. He inspected it thoroughly. After that, he glanced at Dong-rae for a moment.

'Don't worry. I'll bring this sect back to its former glory and you won't even think of leaving. Just wait.'

At the thought of the sect, he remembered about the disciples who had peeked.

'Discipline.'

'Right, they lack a hefty amount. It is my duty to hone them.'

A mischievous smile appeared on his face as he rubbed his hands together.

There were two ways to teach discipline: a normal way, where you're going to start gently, and the Yeong-jeon way, where only he could implement without remorse.

'Hehe. I have never had a junior to teach before. But now, I can do everything!'

-Please contemplate this...

'Don't worry, father. You're a great teacher but I believe that I have a better method.'

Yeong-jeon's mind swirled with thoughts. The sect was in ruins, its disciples undisciplined, but in his mind, this was an opportunity—a chance to mold the weak into something greater.

"Uh?"

Dong-rae, who saw this strange behavior, narrowed his eyes and backed away a little, cautious of Yeong-jeon's sudden shift in demeanor. He couldn't believe that he had followed such a man.

'I sense something bad coming...'

He looked around the room as he sat on the bed, feeling the mattress's hard surface.

'This is a tad bit better than sleeping in a cramped area full of beggars. Like this much...'

He slightly parted his thumb from his finger, barely noticing a gap in between.

'Yeah. That much.'

He breathed a deep sigh as if the entire world was on his shoulders. He slowly slumped on the hard mattress; no, it was a mistake to even call it that; it was more like a cloth placed on a hard molten rock.

Just then...

"Who is in my room?!"

Bang!

The door shot open as if it were about to break. Well, it was already on the brink of breaking and maybe, if a little more force was given, the entire door would've come off.

The disciple at the door, though thin and disheveled like the others, held an air of indignation. His eyes were wide with disbelief, darting between Dong-rae, who lay on the bed, and Yeong-jeon, who stood by the corner inspecting the room.

"Who are you two?! Why are you in my room?"

Yeong-jeon straightened his back, not in the least fazed by the outburst. His mind had already settled on his new role as someone who would whip this sect back into shape. If anything, this was the perfect opportunity to start.

Before Yeong-jeon could speak, Dong-rae stood up and spoke.

"We're the new disciples, it is a pleasure to meet y—"

"Pleasure, my foot!"

"..."

Dong-rae frowned but the disciple kept talking.

"Can't you see the cleaned room and the furniture?! Didn't you think that maybe, there was someone in this room? You two just barged in!"

Without warning, Yeong-jeon stepped forward with a calm, yet authoritative voice.

"Is this how you greet your new sect brothers?"

The disciple turned and opened his mouth.

But before he could utter a sound, a large fist appeared in front of him.

'Ah... A fist.'

'Wai—'

Thwack!

The loud impact of Yeong-jeon's fist echoed through the dilapidated room, cutting off the disciple mid-sentence. The shock reverberated in the air as the disciple stumbled back, clutching his now-swelling cheek in disbelief.

"The sect leader stated it himself, this room is empty and unoccupied. So why are you claiming that this is yours?"

The disciple rubbed his forehead, which had grown a lump.

"It is not my fault! I'm just forced to be here..."

The disciple's voice dwindled as he muttered the last word. From the looks of it, he feared whoever forced him. Yeong-jeon didn't mind that, that's just another disciple to mold.

"Take me to whoever that is."

"..."

'I fear whoever that is.'

Another sigh came out of Dong-rae's mouth.