"Today's events have made me realize something. It's that I truly am weak and lacking."

Oh-Tae continued.

"Therefore, after the field trip ends, I'm going to retire from my role as a teacher."

Kang-hyuk raised his eyebrows.

"Did you just say… retirement?"

"Indeed, I have lost all honour. I feel ashamed to even look at the students, and so I cannot be their teacher henceforth."

"...."

"I wanted to give you an apology, and to thank you before I left the school."

Kang-hyuk sighed.

"Did you say you've lost all honour…? To say something like that, you really are a man with no shame."

"What, what do you mean?"

Oh-Tae lifted his head to look at Kang-hyuk.

"It means that you're being irresponsible."

Kang-hyuk continued.

"The students that are being taught by you haven't even gone beyond their second year of study. To think of retiring when your students haven't even finished their course of study! Do you have no sense of responsibility whatsoever?"

Despite Oh-Tae becoming fl.u.s.tered at Kang-hyuk's scolding, Kang-hyuk continued.

"People aren't perfect. Everyone has their short-comings. It's not as though you're the only person in the world that is lacking in some way. There are thousands, tens of thousands, millions of people who have imperfections! We're all making up for each other's shortcomings."

Oh-Tae hung his head.

"If you're ashamed of being lacking, then you should put in your utmost efforts to fill that lacking area. If you've identified yourself as having weaknesses, then you should work on growing stronger."

Oh-Tae's self-esteem had fallen to the extent that he felt as though it would soon be swallowed by the earth itself.

But of course, Kang-hyuk knew that it was important to not push him too much.

He now wanted to focus on uplifting Oh-Tae's spirits.

This was the only way that he could prevent Oh-Tae's imminent ruin.

"But amidst all of this, you must remember who you are, and that you are living for yourself, not for others."

"...?"

"Please come to your senses! Only if you come to your senses now will you be able to reach a transcended level of cultivation by next year!

"Is-is that really true?"

Oh-Tae blinked at what Kang-hyuk had just said.

It was evident that Oh-Tae was a man of Moorim by his enthusiastic reaction at the prospect of raising his cultivation.

"Also, seeing as you ate the Heavenly Spirit Restoring Pill earlier, it's highly likely that you'll reach a transcended cultivation level even before the time I've predicted."

"...!"

Astonished, Oh-Tae's was agape.

'Th-the Heavenly Spirit Restoring Pill! Isn't that the pill made by the head of the Mysterious Medicine Valley? I've heard that it heals all injuries, internal and external in one stroke, and raises one's cultivation by a season without any ill-effects!'

The Heavenly Spirit Restoring Pill was also famed for its ability to easily raise one's Qi, and maintain it at a high level for an extended period of time.

This was the reason for the pill's glorified name, and for Oh-Tae's dumbfounded smile.

"Do-don't joke around! Even if I am lacking, this kind of joke would be a little too far, don't you think!"

"I'm not someone who would joke around with something like that. If you think back, at the moment you ate the pill, did you not feel a special effect?"

"...."

"Even if you forgot the immediate effects of the pill, I would have thought you could realize its effects by your Gyeonggong pace at the very least?"

This was indeed so.

Kang-hyuk's Gyeonggong was at such a pace that even Yun Hseong, a warrior with transcended cultivation, struggled to keep up with him.

Yet Oh-Tae, as a warrior with peak cultivation, managed to somehow keep up with Kang-hyuk, with the only side effect he experienced was being out of breath.

"Th-that pill was really the Heavenly Spirit Restoring Pill?"

"Yes."

Oh-Tae was in a state of confusion.

The first thing he was unable to comprehend was how Kang-hyuk even had such a precious item in his possession, and secondly, why he would casually give such a treasure to him.

He could somewhat make sense of his first confusion.

'If he's a warrior of the Clan Leader, perhaps its befitting that he has such treasures in his possession.'

Oh-Tae had completely believed the lie that Kang-hyuk was the Clan Leader's secret envoy, owing to Kang-hyuk's open show of power, and Yun Hseong's words.

'But….'

Oh-Tae couldn't make sense of his second confusion.

He was a man who had attempted to expel Kang-hyuk from his post at the Academy.

'Why would he show me such favour by bestowing the Heavenly Restoring Pill upon me?'

He then spoke up cautiously.

"Wh-why did you give me the pill?"

"Well…."

The reason for Kang-hyuk of course, was because the situation had been bothersome.

Oh-Tae had held onto his trouser legs, begging to come with him, and as Kang-hyuk was in a hurry to rescue the others, he had just thrown him the pill.

Rescuing the kidnapped students was obviously the more pressing matter at hand.

But there was also another reason.

For Kang-hyuk, the Heavenly Spirit Restoring Pill was neither precious nor mysterious.

His friend from the Mysterious Medicine Valley, Ho-seong, had forcibly given him them, and so he had piles of the pills stacked up in his warehouse, so many that he couldn't fathom what he was going to do with all of them.

He also wasn't able to just freely hand them out to anyone, as this would just cause further problems to arise.

But this truth wasn't a truth he could reveal to Oh-Tae.

"Do you really think of me as a narrow-minded person? I'm disappointed that you would think I would be so petty."

"No, that's not it!"

Oh-Tae immediately jumped up, but Kang-hyuk continued talking.

"I just wanted Oh Seonsaeng to be a better teacher, and it was with these thoughts that I gave you the pill."

"a better teacher?"

"Yes, so please don't disappoint me."

"O-of course."

"That's why…."

"...?"

Kang-hyuk's face became serious.

"I wish to give you some teachings."

"Is-is that really so?"

"But seeing as both of us are still working as teachers, we don't have a lot of spare time…how about this?"

"What?"

Kang-hyuk then stroked his chin. His old habit was still ever present, despite the absence of his beard.

"Once every two weeks, I'll give you a teaching, or a.s.sign a task to you."

Oh-Tae tilted his head to the side in confusion.

"a task? But how could you a.s.sign a task to a teacher…."

"Tsk tsk. The truth of being human is that we are a.s.signed tasks from the day we are born, till the day we die. Oh Seonsaeng, you are like my disciple, so how could you oppose being a.s.signed a task?"

"I-I apologize."

"So, do you accept my proposal?"

"I accept."

"Then, please sign this."

Kang-hyuk promptly took out some ink, a brush, and a piece of paper, then wrote a contract.

He then handed the contract over to Oh-Tae, who began to read it.

'Whilst I Oh-Tae, am being taught by Kang-hyuk, I will fully receive those teachings, and act in total sincerity. If I fail to upkeep these conditions, I will receive ten beatings from Kang-hyuk.'

It was a contract that seemed simple, yet its contents were rather absurd.

Oh-Tae then spoke carefully.

"But why have you included the part that I will receive ten beatings if I fail to upkeep the conditions?"

"It's a mere formality, indicating what will occur if the conditions of the contract aren't maintained. It's a section that all contracts have, there's no need to worry yourself about it, Oh Seonsaeng."

"I see."

"If you have no further issues, please sign."

Oh-Tae unwaveringly signed the contract.

His reasoning was that he had no reason to oppose being taught by such a master who was an envoy of the Clan Leader himself.

In truth, Oh-Tae should have pondered over signing the contract a little more.

Kang-hyuk wasn't a man that took care of his affairs carelessly, and especially not affairs that had been drawn up in writing.

Oh-Tae had no idea of the effects he could potentially face as a result of the clause within the contract of 'being beaten ten times.'

"You should go to bed now. It's quite late into the night now. Is our night watching duty not as promised before?"

He was referring to the bet that Oh-Tae had made with him in regards to the rain. The result of that was that Oh-Tae had promised to undertake half of Kang-hyuk's night-watching duties.

Oh-Tae nodded.

"A man never goes back on his word….. Of course…."

"Then, you should go to bed."

"When will the task be set?"

"My teachings will officially begin when we return to the Academy, so don't concern yourself with that for now, and just go to sleep."

After Kang-hyuk gestured out his hands towards the sleeping quarters, Oh-Tae finally walked over to his sleeping spot, and lay down.

Kang-hyuk then stroked Deuk, who had been sitting beside him, and sent out a telepathic message.

-Ae-rin-ah, aren't you going to come down?

-Sorry? Oh…well, about that…..

Nestled in the branches of a nearby tree, hidden thanks to an invisibility technique, was Byeok Ae-rin. She had been watching over Oh-Tae and Kang-hyuk's conversation, and was startled by Kang-hyuk's sudden message.

-Why are you so fl.u.s.tered?

-I-I'm not fl.u.s.tered, I was just surprised.

-Yes, so why are you surprised?

-Well, it's a given, seeing as you sent the message so abruptly.

-Hahaha.

Byeok Ae-rin smiled at the sound of Kang-hyuk's laughter.

-So what are you intending to do with that guy, Oh-Tae?

-Seeing as things have unfolded differently now, you'll have to cancel the plan. I'm sorry.

-It's nothing. I'll follow your orders, my Lord.

Byeok Ae-rin cancelled the operation she would have most likely put a lot of planning into without a second thought.

This was why Kang-hyuk felt such grat.i.tude towards her.

-I'm always thankful for you.

-Sorry?

Byeok Ae-rin's eyes widened.

-Thinking about it, you've already done too much for me.

-Wh-why are you talking like this?

Byeok Ae-rin's expression became enveloped with fear.

-Ar-are you going somewhere far away?

-No. I've just spoken to Oh-Tae about being irresponsible, how could I be so irresponsible by going somewhere else?

-Th-then, are you dismissing me?

Kang-hyuk grinned.

-It's just something I've wanted to say for a while now.

-Do you want to cause my death by making my heart pound so much that it bursts?!

-Hahaha, what a joke!

-Anyway, my Lord, were you serious about relaying teachings to Oh-Tae?

-Why do you ask?

-He's a man that dared to plot against you! So why are you deciding to forgive him? As if it wasn't enough to bestow him a Heavenly Spirit Restoring Pill, you're even going to give him teachings?

Kang-hyuk smiled widely.

-Are you talking about me? You joke once more!

-What do you mean?

-When have I ever simply let go of a fellow that dared to bare their teeth at me?

-Of-of course, there has never been such an instance.

-Exactly. That's why I said I would give my teachings to Oh Seonsaeng, and even drew up a contract. Well, I had said this with the intention of building him up bit by bit so that he could be a great pillar for Baekdo, but….

There was a coldness in Kang-hyuk's laughter.

"Well, should I just kill him? It would be slightly, just ever so slightly inconvenient, but that's all."

A chill ran down Byeok Ae-rin's spine.

'If-if he's talking about teachings…'

She unconsciously shuddered just from simply recalling the training she had received from Kang-hyuk in the past.

'Lo-lord! Those times were definitely not slightly challenging!'

Kang-hyuk smiled, and gestured at her.

-It's late into the night, go to bed!

-Okay, but what are you thinking of doing?

Kang-hyuk tilted his head at Byeok Ae-rin's question.

-About what?

-About the fact that everyone thinks you're the Clan Leader's secret envoy.

-I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing.

- ...?

-If there's anyone who tries to scheme against me in the future, those present in the cave who are under this impression will now defend me.

- ....

-What are you waiting for? Why aren't you going to sleep?

-I get it, I'm going to sleep! Good night.

Byeok Ae-rin bowed, and withdrew after. She then set about disa.s.sembling her setup for the operation against Oh-Tae.

It had taken her quite a while to set it up, but this was irrelevant to her.

Since she was acting upon her Lord's orders.

Byeok Ae-rin was well aware of how much Kang-hyuk had deliberated on asking her to cancel the operation, and how sorry he felt about it.

This was why she was following his orders so unhesitatingly.

His decisions were always correct.

'My Lord said that I've done too much for him, but it's the opposite of that. From my perspective, my Lord has done too much for me. In the past, in the present, and in the future as well.'