Chapter 250: Eastern Emperor (1)
The opening ceremony of the New Justice Association swept through the entire Central Plains like a tempest. No matter which tavern one entered, the topic of conversation was always the New Justice Association.
The Embroidered Uniform Guard’s sudden appearance and declaration of the establishment of Palace of Heavenly Worship were briefly mentioned, but the focus was overwhelmingly on the audacity of the New Justice Association, which showed no signs of shrinking even in the presence of the Commander-in-Chief. The appearance of the Embroidered Uniform Guard had ironically served to elevate the association’s prestige.
“If the New Justice Association actually hosts a tournament, it will surely be the largest in history. Honestly, the Gathering of Dragons and Phoenixes was mostly just their own private festival, wasn’t it?”
“True. And since everyone would covet treasures or spiritual elixirs of that caliber, I wouldn’t be surprised if even members of the unorthodox sects showed up.”
It was exactly as the tavern patrons said.
The prizes offered by the New Justice Association were coveted by orthodox and unorthodox martial artists alike.
Muk Hui-yeong had wanted the opening ceremony to capture the attention of everyone in the Central Plains, and his strategy had succeeded perfectly.
It was a divine scheme that, in a single day, caught up to the trust and recognition the Martial Alliance had spent decades building.
And along with the New Justice Association, the most talked-about figure was undoubtedly its leader, Muk Hui-yeong.
In truth, the name Muk Hui-yeong had already become known to everyone during the Gye-yu Shipwreck. That was only natural, given that the Imperial Palace had branded him as the mastermind behind the disaster. Since he was labeled as the main culprit behind an incident that claimed the lives of numerous peak masters, it was impossible for his name not to spread.
Public opinion of Muk Hui-yeong was split between two extremes.
A great hero who sacrificed himself to save the masters of the orthodox sects, or a traitor to the orthodox path who murdered multiple peak experts.
The former referred to him as the Eastern Emperor, while the latter called him the Eastern Calamity. It was extremely rare for a single individual to have two titles that were so diametrically opposed.
Because he was presumed dead, the debate had remained relatively quiet. Yet now, he had suddenly returned from the grave and spectacularly seized the seat of the New Justice Association’s leader.
Consequently, Muk Hui-yeong was currently the most controversial martial artist in all of murim.
“Wait, the leader of the New Justice Association is really the Eastern Emperor?”
“My word. How on earth is he still alive?”
The disciples of the sects belonging to the New Justice Association and the members of the Namgung Clan were equally astonished. This was because only the sect leaders had known beforehand that Muk Hui-yeong would lead the association.
The news of Muk Hui-yeong’s survival spread like wildfire across the Central Plains.
In a way, Hui-yeong’s original intention had gone slightly awry. He had wanted the New Justice Association to receive the spotlight, but he, the leader, had become the center of attention instead.
Naturally, this news also reached the Hebei Peng Clan.
“…Master Muk is alive?”
“So it seems. I was surprised as well,” Peng Gyeong-seung said.
Having dinner with his daughter, Peng Chae-hyang, was always an awkward affair. Part of it was his own discomfort as the patriarch, but he could also feel Chae-hyang’s unease. Though both found it awkward, they forced themselves to sit together in an attempt to mend their relationship.
“I see.”
Peng Gyeong-seung stole a glance at Chae-hyang. During their meals, Chae-hyang rarely showed any emotion. It wasn’t that she was cold, but rather that her face tended to stiffen from awkwardness.
But how was she now? Though Chae-hyang herself might not realize it since she couldn’t see her own face, her expression was brighter and more animated than ever before.
Seeing this, Peng Gyeong-seung felt a slight pang of awkwardness and spoke up.
“As you well know, it will be difficult for our family to join the New Justice Association.”
“I know.”
That was a given. During the opening ceremony, the Embroidered Uniform Guard had openly branded them as a gathering of unruly martial artists—a tale that was already famous.
The Hebei Peng Clan was located right next to the Imperial Palace, and both Peng Gyeong-seung and Peng Chae-hyang held honorary positions within the Embroidered Uniform Guard, minor though they were.
“I suppose… I won’t be able to see him as I am now,” Peng Chae-hyang murmured, her voice laced with a deep, lingering yearning.
Peng Gyeong-seung was slightly taken aback. To think she had reached an age where she could express such feelings. Having always regarded her as merely a young daughter, this change felt strange to him.
Regardless of that, Chae-hyang’s words accurately reflected their reality. Currently, the Hebei Peng Clan was one of the families receiving the closest scrutiny from the Imperial Palace.
Although they had sealed their gates in protest of the Hwangbo Clan’s destruction, officials from the palace visited them almost daily. Because of their geographical proximity to the palace, they were bound to be subjected to greater interference.
Under these circumstances, if a member of the Peng Clan were to head toward the New Justice Association, there was no telling how the Imperial Palace might react.
“Do you wish to go?” Peng Gyeong-seung asked.
Peng Chae-hyang hesitated.
An elder of Peng Gyeong-seung’s experience could easily see what was happening. At this moment, Chae-hyang’s instinct to go was in violent conflict with her reason, which told her she shouldn’t.
Finally composed, Chae-hyang lowered her head and whispered, “I am fine—”
“Go.”
Chae-hyang’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Pardon?”
“Should a parent not support and help their child do what they truly wish?”
In truth, the one most surprised by those words was Peng Gyeong-seung himself.
Under normal circumstances, this was an action he never would have taken. Peng Gyeong-seung had always walked the path of an iron-blooded patriarch, making decisions solely for the benefit of the Hebei Peng Clan. Yet now, for the first time, he had made a choice that completely contradicted that principle.
What was even more baffling was that he didn’t even know why he had said it. The words had simply slipped out of his mouth before he could stop them.
“R-Really? May I truly go?”
Peng Chae-hyang’s eyes shone brightly. By now, even Peng Gyeong-seung understood her feelings toward Muk Hui-yeong.
In this regard, he could sympathize with his daughter. He, too, had once suffered from the fever of youth, a time when love blinded him to everything else.
The people of the Hebei Peng Clan were known for their fiery temperaments, often charging forward with single-minded devotion once their minds were set. Though Chae-hyang had always been unusually calm and composed compared to the rest of the family, the look in her eyes now proved she was a true Peng through and through.
“Yes. Go. Of course, it would be best if you were not caught.”
“Th-Thank you.”
Peng Chae-hyang stammered, still seemingly dazed by his permission.
Quickly finishing her meal after that, Chae-hyang immediately prepared to depart and slipped out of the Peng Clan’s estate.
However, Chae-hyang was not the only one heading out to see Muk Hui-yeong. As the saying went, fame always demanded its price. Countless martial artists curious about Muk Hui-yeong were currently making their way toward Hubei and the New Justice Association.
* * *
Though I was the host of the tournament, I also intended to participate as a martial artist. Like any other warrior, I naturally coveted the spiritual elixirs and the Eighteen Famous Swords.
Since it was a tournament decided purely by martial skill, there was no room for underhanded tricks to interfere. I left the preparation, scheduling, and venue selection in the hands of Jo Chung-heon. After all, the Radiant Crystal Merchant Company was practically idle at the moment.
Still, since I made sure to pay him his salary regularly without fail, Jo Chung-heon seemed rather delighted to have work to do.
“Then, I leave it in your hands.”
“I will do my absolute best.”
Since the organization, scheduling, and planning of a tournament were administrative matters, Jo Chung-heon could handle them without any issues.
Nonetheless, since it was still an affair of the martial world, my senior brothers, including Myeong-yeop, decided to stay by his side to assist.
So, what would I be doing in the meantime? I was preparing for the tournament in a different sense—specifically, preparing to win it.
Actually, the preparations were already complete. For me, preparation simply meant purchasing talents from the Martial Talent Shop.
Among the treasures gifted by the Nine Great Sects and the Namgung Clan, there was only one item I did not offer as a prize. It was Dancheon, the one of the Eighteen Famous Swords possessed by the Zhongnan Sect.
As the leader of the New Justice Association, I thought this level of embezzlement was fairly moral. Besides, if I won, it would be even more beneficial to the New Justice Association. Isn’t that a win-win for everyone?
The reason I deliberately excluded Dancheon was to progress to the next level.
[ Mangryang — Grade 3 ][ Price: Eighteen Famous Swords, Dancheon ]
Since the names of the talents became abstract from Grade 4 and above, I had reached the point where I had to infer what kind of talent it was just by looking at its name.
However, among them, ‘Mangryang’ was easy to access. What was Mangryang? It was a goblin. And if we think of a goblin, isn’t its representative trait the speed of appearing in the east and flashing in the west?
As I had felt from long ago, talents related to speed were the most helpful for a short-term increase in combat power. That was why I had gone out of my way to keep Dancheon.
Although I had purchased ‘Mangryang’ for that reason, I had not tested it yet. As I had realized back in Hainan, if my speed became too fast for me to handle, I might end up tripping over myself. To properly test my lightness art now, I needed a vast, open field.
“Association Leader.”
Just then, someone called out to me from outside.
“Come in.”
Though I already recognized the voice, the person who entered was Yu Cha-ryeon, Jo Chung-heon’s wife.
She had originally been an employee of the Radiant Crystal Merchant Company, but since the merchant company had nothing to do, she had decided to help with the affairs of the New Justice Association as well.
“What is the matter?”
“There is a martial artist who wishes to see you.”
“Who is it?”
“He introduced himself as Yeom So-cheon of the Zhongnan Sect.”
“Ah. The Gentleman Sword.”
Yeom So-cheon was a famous master even within Zhongnan. If the current sect leader, Cho Seo-gi, the Autumn Wind Guest, were to step down from his position as the strongest of Zhongnan, Yeom So-cheon was one of the figures most frequently mentioned to succeed him.
“Why would he suddenly come here?”
“I am not sure. He only said he wished to meet you.”
“There is no reason to refuse.”
I was about to nod when a thought suddenly occurred to me.
“Ah, by the way, Lady Yu.”
“Yes?”
“Is it really alright for you to help with the New Justice Association’s work? The Shanxi Yu Family Estate is quite an influential family of officials…”
I let my voice trail off. Among the people I knew, Yu Cha-ryeon was the one closest to the Imperial Palace. If it became known that she was helping the New Justice Association, the palace might harass the Yu Family Estate, which made me feel uneasy.
However, to my relief, Yu Cha-ryeon laughed heartily, brushing my worries aside.
“Ah, that is perfectly fine. I have been removed from the family registry.”
“Pardon?”
“They asked me why someone who wasn’t even a merchant leader would remarry the grand foreman of a ruined merchant company, accusing me of bringing shame upon the family. So, I simply told them to strike my name from the registry.”
“My word.”
As expected, she was truly something. I had sensed it before, but Yu Cha-ryeon possessed the temperament of a genuine heroine.
“You are incredibly bold.”
“So, you do not need to worry about it.”
“Understood. Please let him in.”
Shortly after Yu Cha-ryeon stepped out, a gentle-looking, middle-aged man appeared in the leader’s room. Upon seeing me, Yeom So-cheon clasped his hands in a polite martial salute.
“It is a pleasure to meet the renowned Eastern Emperor. Greetings.”
“I am Muk Hui-yeong. It is an honor to meet the Gentleman Sword as well.”
“The Gentleman Sword? Please, do not mock me.”
Though Yeom So-cheon showed humility, his scholar-like demeanor made it clear why he was called the Gentleman Sword. Before long, Yu Cha-ryeon brought in some tea.
“Thank you,” Yeom So-cheon said.
“It is nothing.”
Once Yu Cha-ryeon left, Yeom So-cheon smiled warmly.
“You speak politely even to your subordinates. That is a character trait rarely seen in the martial world.”
“She is someone helping me with my work, so I must show her the utmost respect.”
“Haha. That is indeed the correct way. However, in this world, there are far too many who simply look down on those below them.”
“Indeed.”
I quietly observed Yeom So-cheon. He certainly hadn’t traveled all the way from Shaanxi to Hubei just to engage in idle chatter. Although it was only a matter of crossing a single province, the Central Plains was incredibly vast.
“You seem curious as to why I have come.”
“Yes. Did you perhaps bring a message from the Zhongnan Sect?”
Currently, we communicated letters and opinions strictly through foot couriers. If we sent letter hawks, there was a risk that the messages might be intercepted midway.
Usually, disciples were sent as couriers, so it was puzzling to me that an elder had come in person.
“It is nothing of the sort. In fact, I came without even telling my Senior Brother Sect Leader.”
“Is that so?”
This made the situation even more puzzling. Was there a reason for the Gentleman Sword to seek me out without reporting to his sect leader?
“May I ask the reason, then?”
“It is nothing grand,” Yeom So-cheon said, slowly stirring his teacup before speaking in a leisurely tone. “I have only heard of you through rumors. Since Senior Brother Yeon, who went as Zhongnan’s representative, passed away, I only heard things third-hand.”
“Ah.”
“Of course, I believe you are the Eastern Emperor, not the Eastern Calamity. I trust martial artists more than the people of the Imperial Palace. And seeing you in person, you do not look like someone who would deliberately lure people to their deaths.”
A serene smile played on Yeom So-cheon’s lips.
I was beginning to understand why he had sought me out.
“What I am curious about is the martial strength of the New Justice Association’s leader. I know you possess the qualities of a great hero, but in my view, to lead a massive power like the New Justice Association, the leader’s martial prowess must back it up.”
“I agree. In the martial world, the strongest always leads the power.”
“I respect and admire you, Eastern Emperor. What you achieved was something no one else could have done. However, that is separate from martial strength. That is why I have taken the liberty of visiting you unannounced, despite the rudeness.”
I nodded. While the sect leaders recognized my symbolic value, it was only natural for those below them to harbor doubts.
Why was I, rather than the legendary sect leaders of the Nine Great Sects or the Patriarch of the Namgung Clan, chosen as the leader of the New Justice Association? I had fully expected such challenges.
“Very well.”
I nodded.
For those who doubted me, the time had come to prove myself.