Chapter 129: Chapter 129
Alliance Leader Bukli Cheon and Chief Strategist Sima Hwi were sitting across from each other.
Seeing that the teacups placed between the two had cooled cold, one could tell how long they had been conversing.
“Alliance Leader, you must speak to me honestly. This is the most important part among the duties of the Military Strategy Department.”
Sima Hwi wore a more serious expression than ever.
Ever since he was young, he lived with the modifier ‘genius’ attached to him.
At merely the age of fifteen, he became a strategist of the Martial Alliance, and at the youngest age in the alliance’s history, he became the Chief Strategist. Furthermore, he was also the man who had maintained the position of Chief Strategist for the longest period.
Even with such a brain, there was an aspect Sima Hwi could not understand at all.
It was none other than Cheon Woo-jin.
“Just how strong is the Hidden Dragon Squad Leader?”
As the Chief Strategist, he had the obligation to accurately grasp the alliance’s military strength.
However, there were those whose martial prowess could not be measured at all.
They were none other than those called the Realm Beyond the Heavens. In warfare, they were regarded as so-called asymmetric forces.
During a war, no matter how many martial artists there were, if a master of the Realm Beyond the Heavens existed on only one side, the outcome could never be changed.
To deal with a master of the Realm Beyond the Heavens, a fellow martial artist of the Realm Beyond the Heavens was absolutely necessary.
On a large scale, the Heavenly Demon Cult, the Martial Alliance, and the Black Overlord Castle.
On a smaller scale, each noble clan and sect.
Even when discussing their strength, what was considered with top priority was precisely how many martial artists of the Realm Beyond the Heavens they possessed.
It was Cheon Woo-jin who had exterminated the Qingcheng Sect, one of the Nine Great Sects, in half a day. Naturally, one among Zun, Emperor, King, and Wanderer, which symbolized martial artists of the Realm Beyond the Heavens, was attached to his moniker.
Heartless Wanderer Cheon Woo-jin.
Already in the current martial world, they had recognized a man of merely twenty years of age as a martial artist of the Realm Beyond the Heavens.
That a new martial artist of the Realm Beyond the Heavens had been born in the Martial Alliance was truly a joyful matter as the Chief Strategist. However, the problem was comparing martial prowess among martial artists of the Realm Beyond the Heavens themselves.
“I gathered all intelligence and pondered through the night, but I could not reach an answer at all. A martial artist who reached the Realm Beyond the Heavens in such a short period and through so few battles is rare to find even in martial arts history. However, wouldn’t you know, Alliance Leader?”
Even if it was merely a spar, he had exchanged blows in person.
Harboring such expectations, the Chief Strategist waited for the Alliance Leader’s answer.
The Alliance Leader picked up his teacup without a word. Soon, heat began rising from his fingertips, and the cold tea boiled and bubbled up.
The rising vapor seemed to represent his complicated state of mind.
“Alliance Leader.”
Letting out a sigh at the Chief Strategist’s urging, the Alliance Leader finally opened his mouth.
“I don’t know either.”
“…Pardon?”
Sima Hwi wore a dumbfounded expression, a rare sight. He never imagined such an answer would come from the Alliance Leader’s mouth.
Soon, the Alliance Leader’s words continued.
“Truthfully, I thought I knew. At first, I considered that the fellow would surpass me before ten years passed. It was truly astonishing, but Senior White Flower Sword Immortal had praised that fellow incessantly, so I thought that could happen.”
“…”
“Yet each time the seasons passed, my thoughts changed. In spring, he killed an elder of the Demonic Cult and the Lust Demon, and even faced the Blood Immortal. In summer, he killed Zhuge Seong. Even that was astonishing, but before autumn had fully passed, he killed Gu Yong-baek and exterminated the Qingcheng Sect.”
The Chief Strategist blinked his mouth. Hearing it like this, it was astonishing anew. Just what would happen in the coming winter?
Around the time he was thinking such thoughts,
Putting down the teacup with a clack, the Alliance Leader spoke in a voice mixed with a sigh.
“To be honest, now I don’t know either. Perhaps not ten years from now, but already…”
The Alliance Leader trailed off.
Even so, the omitted words behind it were clear.
The Chief Strategist’s body flinched and shuddered once.
‘Don’t tell me he could be stronger than the Alliance Leader?’
A young man of barely twenty years of age?
No matter that he was the disciple of White Elder and Black Elder, no matter that he was born with heaven-bestowed martial talent, was that even possible?
In an instant, those who had engraved their names deepest into martial arts history flashed through the Chief Strategist’s mind.
Zhang Sanfeng of Wudang, Bodhidharma of Shaolin, the First Heavenly Demon who single-handedly dyed the martial world in blood, and the First Alliance Leader who blocked him alone.
Truly, those who had caused the current martial world to exist.
For some reason, in the Chief Strategist’s mind, Cheon Woo-jin’s name was placed beside their names.
It was right when rather awkward silence flowed like that.
From outside, a familiar yet unwelcome voice was heard.
“Alliance Leader. It is Heo Jin.”
At that, the Chief Strategist and the Alliance Leader met each other’s gazes.
Heo Jin was an elder of the Zhongnan Sect who had dreamed of the Righteous Heavenly Alliance alongside the Tang Clan and the Qingcheng Sect.
Furthermore, the energy felt was not from Heo Jin alone.
“Ahem, it is Murong In.”
The Murong Clan was also a clan that had dreamed of the Righteous Heavenly Alliance.
A visit from the two following the downfall of the Tang Clan and the extermination of the Qingcheng Sect.
The timing was truly coincidental.
.
.
.
The two men who entered the Alliance Leader’s office hung their heads deeply. They truly looked as if they had lost all will to fight.
Remarkably, they confessed with their own mouths to the fact that they had dreamed of the Righteous Heavenly Alliance. And even the misdeeds they had committed for that purpose.
Elder Heo Jin of the Zhongnan Sect continued speaking in a voice full of sighs.
“Alliance Leader, Chief Strategist. I was truly foolish, and I regret it so deeply.”
The misdeeds they confessed were by no means small. However, as luck would have it in misfortune, unlike what the Qingcheng Sect or Tang Bi-cheon had done, it was before they had crossed the final line that should never be crossed.
Because the Zhongnan Sect was a Daoist sect, collecting protection fees was impossible. Therefore, they had created an unorthodox faction on their own and sucked the blood and sweat of the common folk. It was far too sleazy to be considered the act of a member of the Nine Great Sects.
What was amusing was that because the Xi’an underworld and Chang’an underworld originally situated in Shaanxi were very fierce and formidable, they had unintentionally fought a turf war and inadvertently wiped out a portion of the unorthodox underworld.
Of course, the Zhongnan Sect’s casualties in that process were also not small.
Elder Murong In of the Murong Clan wore an even more ashamed expression. They had not even taken up swords like the Zhongnan Sect. They had sold cheap wild ginseng cultivated on their own in Liaoning by falsely claiming it was top-grade Goryeo wild ginseng.
Because they had deceived mainly local wealthy gentry, the revenue was by no means small. The rich people who bought the wild ginseng would never have imagined that the Murong Clan would pull such a low-class fraud.
Furthermore, because all the physicians in Liaoning were from the Murong Clan, properly appraising the wild ginseng was also virtually impossible.
Chief Strategist Sima Hwi, who had been listening all along, suddenly flared in anger.
“How could those calling themselves prestigious families of the Righteous Path commit such acts!”
The two elders hung their heads deeply. It was truly a shameful matter.
The first to speak was Heo Jin of Zhongnan.
“In the current era, the Zhongnan Sect gained superiority over Mount Hua. It was the first time in Shaanxi’s history. Therefore, wanting not to miss this opportunity, we wished to solidify it further and remain the number one in Shaanxi for the next several hundred years.”
Yet, the Alliance Leader, wary of vested interests, always hindered that.
Because the Alliance Leader was always vigilant against the power of the Nine Great Sects and One Clan and the Five Great Clans growing disproportionately large.
That was why they accepted the proposal of the Righteous Heavenly Alliance.
“Never in our wildest dreams did we think the Tang Clan and the Qingcheng Sect would carry out deeds like that. Had we known, no matter how blinded by greed, we would never have participated.”
Having spoken so, Heo Jin suddenly knelt on the floor.
He had seen the sight of the Qingcheng Sect being exterminated. If this continued, the Zhongnan Sect would also suffer an immense blow, and there was no way the Mount Hua Sect would miss that opening.
Therefore, Heo Jin wished to settle this matter.
With his own life.
“Please punish the Zhongnan Sect, which has lost the righteousness of the Righteous Path, by taking my life.”
Murong In, who was beside him, was greatly flustered.
There was no talk like this before coming here, was there?
“Uh, no, as for me, my life is a bit…”
At that, the three men looked at Murong In.
Flustered, Murong In held out his finger.
“As for me, my neck is a bit much, so could it not be settled with a finger? Honestly, compared to the Zhongnan Sect, our Murong Clan’s crime is lighter…”
The Chief Strategist let out a sigh. It was true that one could not execute an elder of the Murong Clan just for falsely selling wild ginseng.
Of course, that was the same for the Zhongnan Sect. They should be disciplined, but not to the extent of taking lives.
“Both of you, faithfully submit to the alliance’s investigation. If no greater crimes are revealed, we will recover the profits gained through misdeeds and compensate those who suffered harm because of them.”
Of course, compensation money would also be necessary, and that money would be extracted from the pockets of the two factions.
“We will do so.”
The two elders bowed their heads. What else could they say in this situation?
Watching that entire process in silence, the Alliance Leader suddenly asked.
“By the way, what about the Peng Clan?”
Tang Bi-cheon was dead. The Qingcheng Sect was exterminated, and Zhongnan and Murong came on their own feet to confess their sins.
What remained was the Hebei Peng Clan and the Myriad Gold Manor. Leaving aside the Myriad Gold Manor since it was not under the alliance’s banner to begin with, why was the Hebei Peng Clan observing this situation from the sidelines?
Watching the atmosphere, Elder Murong In answered.
“…Would Elder Peng come?”
“Indeed.”
In truth, the ones who feared the Martial Alliance the least were neither the Namgung Clan, foremost of the Five Great Clans, nor the Tang Clan, said to be no inferior to Namgung.
It was the Hebei Peng Clan.
That was because their backing lay in the military under the Imperial Palace.
Even the Alliance Leader found it difficult to treat the Patriarch of the Hebei Peng Clan carelessly.
The majority of generals in the current era had personally learned the martial arts of the Peng Clan, or at least had individuals from the Peng Clan as their masters.
* * *
A rather lavishly decorated office.
A man of massive physique barely sat perched on a chair half his size.
While he was drinking from a liquor bottle, a goat-bearded old man who cautiously approached spoke.
“Elder. It is said that the elders of Zhongnan and Murong went to the Alliance Leader and confessed their sins. Now the target of the Inspection Hall will become our Hebei Peng Clan, so what should we do?”
Bang!
Elder Peng Myeong-ho of the Peng Clan roughly slammed down the liquor bottle.
Then, clearly revealing an unpleasant air, he spoke.
“What do you mean, what should we do? Are you telling me to go to the Alliance Leader and bow my head like those unmanly bastards?”
“Th-That is not it…”
“Stop talking nonsense and get out immediately.”
Because he looked ready to swing a fist right away, the goat-bearded old man trembled in fright and hastily left the office.
Hot-tempered, hearty, ignorant, valorous…
All were words describing the Peng Clan.
Martial artists of the Peng Clan were born with magnificent frames, and due to their characteristically fiery and valiant temperament, they always shone on the battlefield.
However, in places that were not battlefields, that personality often became a problem, and right now was precisely such a time.
Clatter.
When the sound of the door was heard once again, Peng Myeong-ho breathed fire from his mouth.
“You bastard! I clearly told you to get lost…”
However, Peng Myeong-ho’s words could not continue.
It was because the one who entered the office was not the goat-bearded old man, but a pale-faced, exceedingly tall, scrawny man.
A man clad in dark green silk robes looking at him with an expression like a ghost. Peng Myeong-ho knew that man very well.
The Peng Clan’s power came from the military. Yet even the Great General, head of that military, walked on eggshells around that man.
“D-Director of the Eastern Depot, what brings you here…”
Peng Myeong-ho rose from his seat as if taking flight.
The Eastern Depot was an organization of eunuchs. They were not mere palace attendants. They always stayed by the emperor’s side, and their words and actions were identical to the emperor’s will.
Therefore, even officials of very high rank, the Great General of the military, and the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard feared the Eastern Depot, and the head of that Eastern Depot was precisely the Director Gong Han.
The Director looked steadily at Peng Myeong-ho. Fundamentally, he disliked people of the military. It was because they were needlessly bulky and ignorant. And the people of the Peng Clan were precisely like that.
Frowning as if he found merely looking at his face unpleasant, the Director spoke.
“I wish to find a person. Not going straight to the Alliance Leader was consideration for you, who are the Great General’s nephew.”
“Th-Thank you!”
Peng Myeong-ho shouted resoundingly.
At that, as if growing even more displeased, the Director waved his hand as if shooing away a bug.
“Where is the Heartless Wanderer?”
“…Pardon?”
Peng Myeong-ho blinked his eyes for a moment. That arrogant moniker of Heartless Wanderer meant Cheon Woo-jin, so why on earth was the Director of the Eastern Depot looking for that fellow?
“B-By any chance, for what matter…”
“The Son of Heaven wishes to meet a subject, so must I report the reason to you? What, because you are called the Saber King, do you truly think you have become a king?”
“H-How could that be!”
Inhaling sharply, Peng Myeong-ho knelt on the floor. Although martial artists routinely attached all kinds of things to their monikers, if the Eastern Depot set its mind to it, it could use that as a pretext to charge him with treason.
Above all, he never thought the reason for finding Cheon Woo-jin would be an imperial command.
When he bowed his head and cried out for them to spare his life, the Director spoke in a cold tone.
“Stop saying words not in your heart and just tell me where he is. Ah, you do not follow.”
He did not wish to stay stuck with this ignorant bastard for even one moment more.
Having obtained the location of the courtyard used by the Hidden Dragon Squad from Peng Myeong-ho, the Director was about to head out immediately when he stopped.
Soon, after looking closely at Peng Myeong-ho, he spoke.
“By the way, are you going to continue?”
“…Pardon?”
“That thing you and your clan are trying to do, I mean.”
Peng Myeong-ho kept his mouth shut. To think the Eastern Depot even knew about the plan to establish the Righteous Heavenly Alliance.
Looking at such a Peng Myeong-ho, the Director clicked his tongue and left the office.
* * *
The Director headed straight for the Hidden Dragon Squad.
On the way, the Courier Hall Master and Chief Strategist, who learned of the Director’s visit, hurriedly caught up.
Thus, he swung open the gate of the manor, and a clamorous, disorderly scene was unfolding.
‘The eldest sons of the Namgung Clan and Song Clan.’
The taxes collected from Anhui Province were immense, and thirty percent of that was paid by the two clans.
Taxes were loyalty toward the emperor.
Looking at the children of two clans with high loyalty, the Director’s expression softened slightly.
‘Then that side is…’
In an instant, the Director flinched as his eyes met Cheon Woo-jin’s.
In those emotionless eyes, it felt as though an abyss was visible. Yet he could not tell whether that abyss was his own or that fellow’s.
He had received such a feeling once before as well…
Soon, the Director shook his head and cast away the thought. It was because it was truly an irreverent thought.
Approaching Cheon Woo-jin, the Director went straight to the point.
Saying that because the Son of Heaven wished to see him, they must go to the Imperial Palace together.
Naturally, he expected him to kneel in joy and prepare to depart immediately. For every subject living under this heaven had done so.
However, the answer that returned was completely different from expectations.
“I don’t want to, though.”
The Director blinked his eyes for a moment.
Did I hear wrong?
Such a thought arose.
Yet, as if to confirm he had heard correctly, a decisive blow flew and struck from the mouth of that fellow named Cheon Woo-jin.
“If you wish to take someone away, explain a proper reason.”
“…”
The Director looked around with an expression that asked, ‘Is this right?’ However, everyone in the vicinity wore the same expression.
In truth, His Majesty the Emperor held great favor and curiosity toward Cheon Woo-jin, who had exterminated the Qingcheng Sect and uncovered the corruption of the local official.
He was originally a person with much interest in martial artists. Since a martial artist of twenty years of age had shown such achievements, he would naturally be curious.
However, there was no need to explain such things one by one.
“It is an imperial command. Do you require more reason?”
Even so, Cheon Woo-jin was unenthusiastic.
To him, who had grown up in the mountains, an emperor was a being far too distant and detached. Furthermore, power was completely unrelated to the strength in Cheon Woo-jin’s world, making it all the more so.
Cheon Woo-jin, who looked at the Director as if observing him for a moment, suddenly recalled the mission. The next target of inspection was the Peng Clan.
Yet the Peng Clan’s location was precisely Beijing.
Because it was Beijing where the Imperial Palace was situated, a clear justification was required for a martial artist to enter there.
Where could there be a better justification than this?
– Shall we start the mission?
Hearing Cheon Woo-jin’s voice transmission, the Chief Strategist was astonished.
To think there was a bastard in the world who would exploit an imperial command as justification for a mission.
Even so, the Chief Strategist could not deny that there was no better justification than this.
– It, it is an opportunity indeed. Head to the Imperial Palace first. I will soon issue an official mission and have the Inspection Hall follow behind.
– If I remember correctly, half a month of rest is guaranteed upon finishing one mission.
Not much time had passed since finishing the Qingcheng Sect mission.
– When it ends, will you give me a month, including the rest I missed this time?
– O, of course.
The Chief Strategist felt it once again.
As an alliance member, Cheon Woo-jin’s martial prowess was one thing, but it was simply difficult to grasp what kind of person he was. At times he seemed uninterested in everything in the world, yet at other times he would be surprised by trivial things or show great excitement.
While the Chief Strategist was looking at Cheon Woo-jin with new eyes, Cheon Woo-jin spoke casually to the Director.
“Let’s go.”
“You exchanged voice transmissions with the strategist. What conversation did you share?”
“A personal story.”
“I am asking about that personal story.”
As if he had no intention of answering, Cheon Woo-jin merely shrugged his shoulders and walked past the Director.
Around the time the Director was staring at his back with a dumbfounded face, Cheon Woo-jin, who had suddenly stopped walking, turned around and asked.
“By the way, which direction is Beijing?”
“…”
Letting out a sigh, the Director began walking ahead.
At any rate, his mission was to bring the master of the Realm Beyond the Heavens named Cheon Woo-jin to the Imperial Palace.
What kind of beings those of the Realm Beyond the Heavens were, and how difficult it was to move their footsteps, the Imperial Palace also knew.
That was why the Director, head of the Eastern Depot, had personally moved.
Rebuking and punishing this arrogant bastard would be sufficient even if started after the task bestowed by His Majesty concluded.
Of course, it did not take even several hours for that thought to change.
* * *
The Director felt as if his windpipe would burst.
Although he was also a master counted among the few in the Imperial Palace, matching that bastard’s speed was far too burdensome.
Because of imperial pride he did not show it outwardly, but he desperately wanted to drink even a single cup of water.
Lightness arts were a measure of martial prowess.
Merely by running together, he realized that Cheon Woo-jin’s martial prowess was distant beyond measure for himself.
Before heading to the Martial Alliance, he had investigated all information on Cheon Woo-jin.
He had no family, and his masters were dead. In other words, it meant he had no particular weakness.
Furthermore, the martial prowess of his body was abnormal like this.
‘If I were to punish this bastard?’
No matter how much he deliberated, no method came to mind at all.
No, before that, doubt arose as to whether it was even acceptable to stand such a person before His Majesty.
Naturally, the emperor’s safety was a matter to be considered with top priority, but if this fellow resolved to exert force, no way to stop him came to mind.
‘…I must summon Patriarch Peng, the Great General, and the Commander.’
The Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the Great General of the military, and himself.
They were the three individuals called the top masters within the Imperial Palace.
If he additionally summoned Patriarch Peng, head of one of the Five Great Clans in the martial world, he would be somewhat reassured. For no matter what kind of master it was, they would not be able to face the four simultaneously.
* * *
The two people who arrived in Beijing wore contrasting expressions.
Even while gasping for rough breaths, the Director had a face that said he had survived at last. How could a person run so fast without resting?
On the other hand, Cheon Woo-jin had his eyes and mouth wide open, a rare sight since entering the Imperial Palace.
“…This is a house?”
The walls, gates, pavilions, grounds, and pillars of the Forbidden City…
Not a single thing was not huge.
No, the word ‘huge’ was insufficient.
It was truly as if an entire village had been locked within walls. Furthermore, so many people packed it densely…
The Director looked at that sight with a dumbfounded face. In all his life, this was the first bastard to describe the Imperial Palace as a house.
Strictly speaking, it was a house indeed.
Regardless, Cheon Woo-jin eagerly toured the interior of the Imperial Palace as if it were fascinating.
Did the Director know? That Cheon Woo-jin was truly touring even the deepest recesses of the Imperial Palace.
Through the sensory perception he spread widely, every single person situated within the Imperial Palace was felt in detail.
Naturally, what drew his interest most were the martial artists.
Those training in the training grounds were practicing martial arts close to orthodox sects. Since their skills were similar to masters of rather large clans or sects, they would be those called the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
Also, there were chilly gazes felt from various places.
Seeing that they held energy resembling the eunuch walking beside him, they would be martial artists of the Eastern Depot.
Their martial arts were quite interesting. While resembling those of assassins, they also mixed in the aura that escort warriors would exude.
Around the time he had grasped how many Embroidered Uniform Guards there were in the Imperial Palace, how many Eastern Depot martial artists there were, and how many masters of a level worth paying attention to there were,
Cheon Woo-jin and the Director stopped before the most massive pavilion even within the Imperial Palace. Its majesty was truly as if crimson pillars reaching the heavens were supporting clouds dyed in gold.
“Do not roll your eyes about carelessly like that before His Majesty. Also, do not open your mouth to words you are not asked. And above all, never mention His Majesty’s dragon countenance.”
Dragon countenance meant the emperor’s outward appearance.
Around the time the Director gave such a warning, an approaching Embroidered Uniform Guard warrior demanded that Cheon Woo-jin leave the Crescent Moon Staff slung on his back. For they could not dare send him in carrying such a crude weapon while having an audience with His Majesty.
Tension settled over the face of the demanding Embroidered Uniform Guard martial artist. Rumors that Cheon Woo-jin had single-handedly smashed the Qingcheng Sect were already widespread.
A martial artist of the Realm Beyond the Heavens with ‘Wanderer’ attached to his moniker at an age of barely twenty.
As a fellow martial artist, the Embroidered Uniform Guard was simultaneously filled with awe, fear, and curiosity.
With an unbothered expression, Cheon Woo-jin took out the Crescent Moon Staff and Crane Feather Fan and handed them over to him. Since the fact that Cheon Woo-jin was the disciple of the White Flower Sword Immortal was already famous, everyone watched the Crane Feather Fan curiously.
As martial artists routinely treasured their weapons more than lovers, incidents frequently occurred in places demanding weapons, such as the Sword Relinquishing Pond of the Wudang Sect.
Of course, there was no need for Cheon Woo-jin to do so.
For everywhere his sensory perception reached was precisely his domain.
Thus, when Cheon Woo-jin entrusted the two weapons,
The Embroidered Uniform Guards guarding the front opened the doors.
The massive doors opened with a heavy sound,
And an interior where the word vast was insufficient came into view.
‘The emperor’s room is truly spacious.’
The moment Cheon Woo-jin had such a thought and gradually raised his gaze to look at the emperor situated high upon the imperial throne,
“So you are Cheon Woo-jin.”
“Hah.”
Cheon Woo-jin let out an empty breath.
A truly absurd picture was unfolding.
Soon, as he stretched his hand into empty air, the entrusted Crescent Moon Staff was pulled in as if reeled in by a thread.
At that sight, not only the Director beside him, but the Great General, the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and Patriarch Peng, who had been waiting in advance,
All flared their energy in great shock.
Whether they did or not, Cheon Woo-jin, holding the Crescent Moon Staff, looked directly into the emperor’s face.
The silver-haired man he had met in the Green Forest.
Was he not sitting on the imperial throne?