Chapter 237: Shining the Light (1)
Having mastered the Buddha’s Palm, So-so felt reassured. It was as if she possessed the entire world.
“Hehe. Now I’m ready.”
With energetic steps, she descended Mount Yangzhu and headed into the fortress.
Having been so absorbed in training her martial arts, she had completely lost track of time.
Although half a year had passed since she last saw her friends, it felt as though barely ten days had gone by.
The headquarters of the Black Rabbit Sect in Chang’an Fortress.
As expected, she sensed three presences inside.
With a joyful heart, So-so flung the door open.
“Guys!”
At her welcoming voice, Yeong-yeong and Baek-sang both ran over to her at once.
The children hugged one another, jumping up and down in excitement.
“What happened, So-so?”
“I heard you were training in martial arts up in the mountains. We missed you.”
A bright smile formed on So-so’s face, displaying her dimples.
“Hehehe. I missed you guys too!”
The guardians of the Black Rabbit Sect, Yeong-yeong and Baek-sang, had not been idling either.
Judging by their refined gaze and light movements, it was clear they had not neglected their martial arts training. Of course, since their realm was entirely different from So-so’s, a comparison was out of the question.
And Yang So-cheong, the Chief Administrator who had been sitting at the desk, also approached to welcome So-so.
“It’s been a while, So-so. Have you been well?”
“Yeah! Have you been well too, sister So-cheong?”
Although Yang So-cheong was two years older than the other children and behaved maturely, her small stature made her look the same age.
“Of course. You’ve come at a good time. Everyone, come over here and sit down.”
In the meantime, the headquarters had been furnished with more items, including a small table where the children could gather.
Meeting after a long time, the children enjoyed their reunion while sharing snacks.
Once the atmosphere warmed up, Yang So-cheong spoke in a serious tone, “I heard from the kids of the Beggars’ Sect that the rising stars of the orthodox sects are gathering here.”
“Huh? What does that mean, sister?”
“Rising stars?”
The children blinked in confusion, not understanding what she meant.
“A major battle will break out near Luoyang soon. They said lower-generation disciples are going to perform auxiliary duties to gain experience.”
“Really?”
“I’m so jealous…”
The children looked envious. After all, it was a task that would help their parents who were stationed there.
Baek-sang’s father, Adjutant Baek Yak, and Il-gwang, whom Yeong-yeong looked up to as her adoptive father, were there alongside So-mu.
In addition, most of the men from the Yeon Family Manor, where Yang So-cheong resided, were also deployed there.
“I don’t know the details, but the upcoming battle won’t be easy. That’s why I think it would be a good idea for us to help indirectly as well.”
Yang So-cheong was the daughter of the premier physiognomist in the Central Plains, and she was a genius who had mastered astronomy and the Four Books and Five Classics. Even though she did not practice martial arts, the spirit flashing in her eyes was like a deep lake.
Yeong-yeong, formerly of the Emei Sect, asked in confusion, “Can we join them too?”
“We cannot participate under the name of the Black Rabbit Sect.”
“Then what do we do?”
“It should be possible if we have a renowned figure of the Jianghu act as our sponsor.”
“A sponsor? Who could we possibly find?”
Yang So-cheong grinned and pointed behind the children.
“Right over there. Our Sect Leader.”
The children turned around in surprise.
A man clad in pitch-black robes stood silently at the entrance.
The Assassin King, Baek Ri-hyeon. He was a figure who was always mentioned when discussing the top ten masters of the Murim.
Although he did not belong to the orthodox faction, the reputation he had built while maintaining neutrality was enough to shake the Jianghu.
“Sect Leader!”
“When did you get here?!”
“We missed you!”
So-so, Yeong-yeong, and Baek-sang ran forward simultaneously and hugged the Assassin King around the waist.
To the people of the martial world, he was an object of dread, but to the children of the Black Rabbit Sect, he was simply a dependable adult.
Without a single change in his expression, the Assassin King murmured quietly, “I heard everything you were discussing. What are you plotting?”
The children tugged at his sleeves.
“Be our sponsor, Sect Leader!”
“You’ll do it, right?”
“We want to go too. We’ve been training so hard!”
The children whined, but he did not budge in the slightest.
“Stop acting foolishly and focus on your training.”
An aloof figure by nature, he had no desire to get entangled with the Murim Alliance as a sponsor. However, the children were just as stubborn as he was.
Watching from the side, Yang So-cheong stepped forward and spoke, “Since the next generation of talents who will lead the Murim will be gathering, being able to broaden our horizons through this opportunity will be a highly valuable experience for us.”
“Is that truly the only reason?”
Yang So-cheong instinctively realized that she had to speak with absolute sincerity to persuade him.
She shook her head and replied with intelligent eyes, “Since we will only be performing auxiliary duties and not engaging in direct combat, it won’t be dangerous at all. We simply wish to be of some small help to our parents who are on the battlefield. Please, help us.”
Only then did the intensity in the Assassin King’s gaze soften slightly.
After pondering for a moment, he gave a subtle nod.
“On the condition that you do not cause any trouble.”
Once permission was granted, the children jumped around in joy.
“Hehe. You’re the best, Sect Leader.”
“Let’s go quickly!”
“The Black Rabbit Sect is on the move!”
Excited, the children immediately put on their black robes embroidered with the rabbit emblem, the symbol of their sect.
Yang So-cheong pulled out the flag and handed it to Baek-sang.
“It’s the symbol of our sect, so guard it well.”
“Sister, aren’t you coming with us?”
“My martial arts are weak, so I’ll only get in the way. Besides, I have many things to organize here.”
Above all, since she was dependent on the Yeon Family Manor, she was not in a position to act freely in public.
So-so also bid farewell with a regretful look.
“Sister, I’ll bring back something delicious when I return.”
“Alright. Have a safe trip.”
***
The assembly point for the auxiliary personnel gathered by the orthodox sects was a massive manor containing twelve pavilions. It had been rented in its entirety using the financial resources of the Murim Alliance.
At the entrance of the manor, a middle-aged man with an extraordinary aura sat holding a brush. He was a high-ranking official of the Murim Alliance, equivalent to a vice hall leader, and his sharp eyes and controlled gestures immediately marked him as a first-class expert.
His role was to screen the volunteering sects and draw up the roster.
“Hello, Mister! I’m from the Black Rabbit Sect of Shaanxi.”
A young girl was smiling brightly in front of the desk.
Without even looking up, the middle-aged man muttered, “This is not a place for children’s games, so run along home. Before you get scolded.”
“Why? I’m not playing. I’m So-so, the Vice Sect Leader.”
Clutching his brush, he glanced at So-so’s face.
A girl who looked ten years old at most was staring at him with a deadpan, serious expression.
He couldn’t help but burst into hearty laughter.
“Hahaha! If you’re the Vice Sect Leader, then I’m the Leader of the Murim Alliance. Little one, I’ll let it slide because you made me laugh. Stop joking and go home!”
“It’s true. I’m also really good at fighting.”
The middle-aged man laughed so hard he clutched his stomach and even dropped his brush.
Normally, anyone who practiced martial arts would show some trace of it, unless their mastery had reached the state of Return to Simplicity and Truth.
Never in the history of the Murim had a child reached such a level at such a young age.
After laughing for a while, he was about to scold her when he froze with a blank expression. Two more children had appeared without a sound.
Their feather-light steps, which only first-class experts could possess, and their profound internal energy were in no way inferior to those of disciples painstakingly nurtured by prestigious clans.
The playfulness vanished from the middle-aged man’s face, replaced by a serious look.
“Which sect do you represent?”
“We are the guardians of the Black Rabbit Sect. We came to help.”
Despite spending his entire life in the Jianghu, he had never heard of the Black Rabbit Sect. Furthermore, how could all the officers of a sect be young children?
Twirling his brush with a bewildered look, he sighed.
No matter how skilled they were, he couldn’t just let any random, unknown sect join.
“If nothing else, I pride myself on having the widest knowledge of the Jianghu. Unfortunately, I have never heard of your sect. Go build your reputation first.”
It was a clear rejection, but it was somewhat expected.
The children directed their expectant gazes behind the middle-aged man. From there, a deep, quiet voice drifted out, “I begin to doubt if you are indeed the Yang-Eum Scholar Dong Hak-seung. To think you wouldn’t even recognize that man’s daughter.”
Dong Hak-seung leaped to his feet and assumed a defensive stance.
“W-Who is there?!”
“Who do you think?”
The moment he saw the black figure leaning against a tree right in the shadow behind him, he felt goosebumps all over his body.
An elite assassin far beyond first-class. No, it was a man who exuded an aura that even those assassins couldn’t dare approach.
Examining the man’s appearance, Dong Hak-seung’s face turned pale.
“The A-Assassin King… What brings you here…?”
A legendary assassin stood before him. A man ranked first among those one must never make an enemy of in the Jianghu, a renowned giant of the martial world.
“When gathering to aid the nation, what does the sect matter? Their identities are fully verified.”
“…What is your relationship with these children?”
“Let’s just say we share a bond. I will guarantee the Black Rabbit Sect under my name.”
Dong Hak-seung looked at the young girl once more. Although there was no trace of martial arts, he felt an inexplicable, warm energy. It was a mysterious presence, like the gentleness and mercy of the Buddha.
“Would you hold my hand for a moment?”
“Your hand?”
So-so’s small hand met Dong Hak-seung’s palm. Instantly, his eyes widened in shock. He felt a profound internal energy whose depths were as unfathomable as an abyss. It was a level that required one to be at least at the Flower Realm.
“W-What did you say your name was?”
“I’m So-so.”
Now that he thought about it, he recalled hearing the name of the most famous little general in Chang’an.
“Write your name here and go inside. The person standing over there will guide you to your quarters.”
“Hehe. Thank you, Mister!”
So-so and her friends grinned from ear to ear.
He stared blankly at the backs of the children as they happily walked inside.
The Assassin King, who had appeared undetected, had already vanished like the wind.
Just then, a warrior who had been watching from a distance approached and asked him, “Brother, why did you let a sect we’ve never heard of join? Isn’t the purpose of this gathering to give experience to the young rising stars of our orthodox faction?”
Dong Hak-seung let out a deep sigh and snapped back in annoyance, “Then should I kick out the Commander-in-Chief’s daughter? Can you handle the consequences?”
“Huh…? The Commander-in-Chief’s daughter?”
“It’s certain. I remember that name.”
“…But there is no ‘Black Rabbit Sect’ on the orthodox registry. Doesn’t that violate the rules?”
He looked at the warrior before him as if he were an idiot.
“What is that head of yours for, decoration? Just think. If the Black Rabbit Sect, which includes the Commander-in-Chief’s daughter, joins our Murim Alliance, we won’t have to worry about surveillance from the government forces anymore.”
“Ah… Then it’s a win-win deal. To think you saw that far ahead, you are truly amazing, brother.”
“Officially register it under the Assassin King’s guarantee, and make sure those children want for nothing during their stay.”
“Yes, brother. Also, there is an urgent matter I must report.”
Grasping his brush, Dong Hak-seung muttered as he wrote the Black Rabbit Sect in the register, “Spit it out quickly. I’m busy.”
“It seems there was a clash between some sects a moment ago.”
“They’re still at a hot-blooded age, so it’s normal for them to bicker. Which kids caused trouble?”
The young sprouts of the Murim gathered from various sects already numbered close to five hundred. Minor skirmishes could break out at any time.
However, what had occurred moments ago transcended common sense.
“They say some Daoists of the Kunlun Sect were indiscriminately assaulted by a single nun of the Emei Sect. In the process, several were severely injured and remain unconscious.”
Dong Hak-seung put down his brush. If what he said was true, this was not a dispute that could be overlooked.
“Absurd. Could it be that girl?”
“Yes. It’s the girl you’re thinking of.”
“Whew, this is going to turn into a major issue. Elder Geum-hye came as Emei’s leader, right? Tell her I want to see her this evening. I must lodge a formal complaint.”
“Understood, brother.”