Chapter v14c20

**The Schedule of the Mount Hua Conference**

The fact that the resurrection of the Heavenly Calamity Spirit had been mentioned in public meant that it was being taken seriously. Even a hundred years after the Heavenly Calamity Blood God, the threat of the Heavenly Calamity Spirit was still a potent motivator.

“I’m not asking you to understand it right now. I don’t expect you to.”

Hyuk Jung’s words were blunt, but realistic.

“It’s impossible to change your entire worldview overnight, without a significant shock.”

His words had a strange undertone, as if he were implying that they would soon experience that “significant shock.”

“But I believe you’ll come around eventually.”

His voice was filled with conviction.

“Believe it or not, you’ll have no choice!”

He was implying that they would be forced to believe it, whether they liked it or not.

“Now, let me explain the schedule! You’ll be staying in your assigned lodgings for the next week. During that time, you’ll focus on your training and try to get to know each other.”

‘That’s impossible!’

A silent chorus of protest erupted. They didn’t need to speak for him to hear their thoughts. Humans had a sixth sense, a sensitivity to the thoughts and emotions of others, that was often underestimated. Elder Hyuk could sense their collective disbelief.

“Many of you are probably thinking, ‘That’s crazy! It’s impossible!'”

His words hit the mark, and they all flinched, as if he had poked them with a hot iron.

“Conversation is a good thing. It’s the best way to get to know each other and build relationships. And to promote friendship and harmony, you need to understand each other, don’t you?”

His words were logical, but they fell on deaf ears. They were not only illogical, but also offensive.

‘Who would want to talk to those people?’

They glared at each other, their eyes spitting fire. Invisible arrows of animosity flew back and forth. Both the white path and the black path disciples shared the same sentiment.

Hyuk Jung watched them silently. He had expected this reaction, so he wasn’t surprised or disappointed. In fact, his resolve only strengthened.

‘I need to make them understand the gravity of the situation.’

He said, his voice kind but firm,

“I’m afraid you’ll have no choice. Because there’s no other option.”

A faint smile touched his lips. This was the part he had planned most carefully.

He would force them to cooperate, to choose friendship and harmony over conflict. That was the theme, the core, of this year’s Mount Hua Conference.

“Let me explain. You’ll be moving to your official lodgings today, and you’ll be staying there for a week. It’s our way of giving you a chance to get to know each other. Because in a week, you’ll be forming teams of ten, regardless of your affiliations. The only rule is that each team must have five white path disciples and five black path disciples.”

They would be forced to work together. It was a new rule, introduced for the centennial anniversary of the Mount Hua Conference.

The announcement caused a stir, as they discussed the implications among themselves. They were confused, unsure how to react to this unexpected development. Elder Hyuk seized the opportunity to add fuel to the fire.

“Let me give you a piece of advice. It’s in your best interest to cooperate! Because… if you don’t, you’ll have a very, very hard time winning the Mount Hua Conference.”

Their confusion deepened. He continued,

“You’ll be facing five challenges, each representing one of the five elements: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. We call them the Five Element Gates. We chose the five elements because they represent the harmony, balance, and interconnectedness of the universe. You’ll have to work together as a team to pass through each gate, and your scores will be based on your team’s performance.”

“Gasp!”

They were shocked. It meant…

He nodded, confirming their suspicions.

“You understand correctly. Since your scores will be based on your team’s performance, the teams that work well together will have an advantage. Of course, if you have some magical ability to overcome your differences and work together seamlessly, then you don’t need to bother getting to know each other. But if you’re not so confident, then I suggest you start building some friendships and working on your teamwork.”

It was a devious plan. And then he delivered the final blow.

“I can guarantee you one thing. If you don’t do well in the Five Element Gates, you’ll never win the Mount Hua Conference. I trust you’ll make the right decision.”

He finished his speech, but they remained silent, still reeling from the shock.

“Do you really think it will work?”

Bi Ryu-yeon asked, raising his hand. But his voice was devoid of skepticism. He sounded curious.

“We’re confident that it will!”

Hyuk Jung said, his voice filled with conviction. He was determined to make it work.

“We’ve tried many different methods over the past hundred years. But none of them worked. They only created more problems. No matter what we did, people refused to cooperate. They clung to their prejudices and rivalries. We started to wonder why. It was a long and arduous process, a hundred years of trial and error. But we finally found the answer! It was a hard-won discovery, the result of a century of research!”

“A hundred years to find a single answer? That’s not very efficient.”

Bi Ryu-yeon said, his politeness impeccable.

“I won’t deny that. But it was worth it! Because once we found the cause, we could find the solution! It was a worthwhile investment.”

“What was the answer?”

It was a question they all wanted to know.

“The force that drives people to conflict and rivalry, the most insidious form of selfishness, is group egoism.”

He said, his voice firm and resolute.

“And that led us to another conclusion. As long as we divide ourselves into groups, into us versus them, we’ll never achieve true harmony. And the deeply ingrained prejudices, the mental barriers that separate us, can’t be broken without a significant shock.”

“Is it that dangerous?”

Mo Yong-hwi asked. Hyuk Jung nodded emphatically.

“It’s very dangerous! There’s no form of selfishness more dangerous than group egoism. It creates the illusion of self-sacrifice, of a noble cause, of a higher purpose. It’s like the mindset of a martyr… And people tend to believe that their group’s righteousness is the only righteousness. They lose sight of the bigger picture, focusing only on their group’s interests.”

His words were sharp and insightful.

“From a Buddhist or Taoist perspective, it’s all pointless. But I can’t deny that it’s a useful tool for maintaining and developing society. To deny it would be to deny reality.”

It was a difficult concept for Mo Yong-hwi, with his rigid sense of morality, to accept.

“As long as we’re divided into black and white, groups become stronger the more they unite. But it also means that they become more exclusive, more hostile towards other groups. Especially in a competition, where there can only be one winner. From the very beginning, there’s a loser, a designated underdog. And one of the two groups will inevitably end up in that doghouse.”

“…”

“And you’re not just fifty individuals! You represent the two halves of the martial world, the beliefs and aspirations of thousands of people! It’s not a simple matter of right and wrong.”

They remained silent.

“But in our obsession with competition, we overlooked a crucial problem. We lost sight of the bigger picture, the well-being of the entire martial world. We ignored a greater threat, focusing only on our petty rivalries. We realized the danger of our actions. So we racked our brains, searching for a solution. And we finally found one!”

His voice was filled with emotion.

“What is it?”

“Are you curious?”

“Of course.”

Mo Yong-hwi nodded gracefully.

The old man smiled mischievously.

“I’m afraid I can’t tell you yet!”

“What?”

Mo Yong-hwi’s eyes widened in disbelief. What was the point of this long speech, then? Was he just toying with them?

“But don’t worry. You’ll experience it soon enough. Slowly, and thoroughly.”

His playful expression vanished, replaced by a solemn look. He raised his right hand.

“As the overseer of the tenth Mount Hua Conference, appointed by both the black path and the white path, I hereby declare the commencement of the tenth Mount Hua Conference! May all participants compete fairly and honorably, upholding the Three Great Principles of friendship, harmony, and peace! This concludes the opening ceremony!”

His voice, though low, was strong and commanding, his eyes flashing with a steely glint. The tenth Mount Hua Conference had begun.