Chapter 100
“Great Hero Yuk.”
“Welcome!”
“It’s good to see you!”
Moyong Baek and all the members of the family greeted Yuk Seon-dal warmly.
They had been waiting for news from the Martial Alliance.
It was a moment when everyone’s attention was focused.
‘I wonder?’
‘How was it decided?’
‘It has to be Grandma Hong-ryeon!’
Although they didn’t say it, the hearts of Moyong Baek and So-ah were in perfect sync.
The Sword Empress, Hong-ryeon.
They were earnestly hoping for the birth of the first female Alliance Leader in the history of the martial world.
“Great Hero Yuk. What happened? Has a new Alliance Leader been elected?”
A slight tremor could be felt in Moyong Baek’s voice.
Yuk Seon-dal shook his head.
“It has not been confirmed yet.”
“…”
“But.”
Gulp—
Just as So-ah swallowed, trying to calm his nerves.
“Public opinion has already tilted towards the Sword Empress. Of course, the confirmation hearing process still remains. Hahaha!”
Yuk Seon-dal said with a good-natured smile.
The expressions of Moyong Baek and So-ah also brightened.
“Kekeke! That’s great, that’s great!”
“But, Family Head! This is still confidential. This matter is to be announced through the mouth of the former Alliance Leader in time for the Hero Tournament, so please maintain secrecy!”
“Hoho. I will do so.”
For a moment.
A gentle ripple spread through So-ah’s heart.
‘Grandfather. With this, I’ve kept my promise, right?’
The promise Moyong Cheon had made to Hong-ryeon in the past.
So-ah felt a sense of elation, feeling that he had contributed, even if just a little, to his grandfather’s promise to help her become the Alliance Leader one day.
‘By the way, what’s a confirmation hearing?’
Suddenly, a question arose, and So-ah asked Moyong Baek.
“Uncle. What’s a confirmation hearing?”
“Hmm. A confirmation hearing is a process of making a final judgment by comprehensively considering the candidate’s morality, martial arts, influence, and background in electing the Alliance Leader.”
“Aha! In that case, Grandma Hong-ryeon will pass easily.”
“Of course. Because she has an upright character.”
“And her martial arts are amazing.”
“Yes. Although the confirmation hearing is said to be quite strict, there will be no problem for the esteemed Sword Empress.”
Moyong Baek accepted Hong-ryeon’s election as a foregone conclusion.
The Sword Empress was like a fierce god of death to the wicked, but she was a person of upright character and justice.
He believed she would pass the confirmation hearing without difficulty.
Then he turned to Yuk Seon-dal and spoke again.
“But Great Hero Yuk. In what way is the Hero Tournament held?”
At that, Yuk Seon-dal replied with a smile, as if it were no big deal.
“Haha! Actually, it’s called a Hero Tournament, but it’s just a formality. Of course, befitting its name, there might be a light duel or sword dance by the new officials. Also…”
“Also?”
“It’s unlikely to happen, but if someone who cannot accept the election of the new Alliance Leader appears, as you know, a primitive event may occur.”
Depending on how one heard it, it was an ambiguous statement.
But Moyong Baek quickly understood the hidden meaning in his words.
‘That’s right. When the former Alliance Leader was elected, there were challenges from groups that couldn’t accept it.’
That was certainly true.
Not only for the former Alliance Leader, Ha Won-sang, but whenever the new election of all past Martial Alliance Leaders was announced, there had always been fierce opposition or checks from forces trying to disrupt the tournament.
Moyong Baek smiled faintly.
“Hoho. That could happen. These are the processes one must go through to become the Alliance Leader. Please prepare well, Great Hero Yuk, so that no unfortunate incident occurs.”
“Of course. I must do my best. By the way, when do the heroes of the Moyong Family plan to depart?”
“Currently, our family is quite busy, but how can we neglect the matter of electing a new Alliance Leader for the Martial Alliance? We plan to prepare immediately and set out tomorrow. To pay our respects to the Sword Empress in advance.”
“Aha! Then I will see you at the Alliance.”
“Are you leaving already, Great Hero Yuk? Since you’ve come all this way, you should at least have some grain wine.”
“How many sects must I visit in Liaoning? I will gratefully accept your kind heart.”
“Then!”
“Take care!”
After Yuk Seon-dal’s visit, Moyong Baek immediately hurried to prepare to set out.
The Sword Empress, Hong-ryeon, was a pro-Moyong Family figure no matter what anyone said, so her election as Alliance Leader was a great blessing for the Moyong family as well.
It was a natural human feeling to be excited and elated.
In addition.
‘I want to see Hwa-ah and Su-ya! I wonder if those kids are doing well as officials.’
What more could be said about the fond heart of a doting father?
***
“Uncle. You know, right? When you arrive at the Martial Alliance, please look for ‘Gu-yang Seon.’ He belongs to the Cheonmun-gwan and works under the military strategist Je-gal Hyeok, so you’ll find him easily.”
“You little rascal. Don’t worry. You think I wouldn’t know that?”
“Haha! I’m just asking again, that’s all. And Elder Baek, when you meet Brother Gu-yang, please check if he is your disciple. It’s just my thought, but I think it’s certain…”
So-ah decided not to join the Moyong Family’s procession heading to the Martial Alliance.
Of course, he planned to attend the Hero Tournament, but there was still a lot of time left, and he had things to take care of, such as the matter of the external disciples and the completion of the annex.
Instead, Baek In-hwa decided to accompany Moyong Baek to meet Gu-yang Seon, who might be his disciple, and also to discern the situation of the Jianghu and the flow of the world.
“Young Master Jin. Anyway, come as soon as things are settled.”
“Yes, Elder. I brought you here and couldn’t even take care of you… I’m sorry.”
“What are you talking about? Thanks to you, not only am I living comfortably as a guest of the great Moyong family, but it has also become much easier to grasp the Jianghu. You are a benefactor to me, young master.”
“Elder…”
“Then I’ll see you later.”
“Yes!”
“By the way.”
“Yes?”
“The Book of Changes and exorcism I mentioned before.”
“Yes, Elder!”
“I will start teaching you in earnest after this Hero Tournament is over.”
“Really?!”
For a moment, the gazes of the Moyong family members turned to the two.
“That’s right. After watching Young Master Jin for a while, I realized that his intelligence pierces the heavens. If he has that much brainpower and the intuition and understanding to see the true nature of things, Young Master Jin will be able to achieve remarkable growth in just one month. After all, the Book of Changes and exorcism are entirely in the realm of talent.”
One might think it was no big deal, but in fact, this was no small matter.
The Book of Changes was one thing, but exorcism was a very useful skill.
Recently, finding a Taoist who had properly learned exorcism was like plucking a star from the sky, and even if there was such a Taoist, his price was considerable.
So-ah couldn’t help but be happy because it was clear that his experience and knowledge would greatly increase if he could learn such a precious skill from a top-class Taoist like Baek In-hwa.
“Elder! Thank you. Then from after the Hero Tournament, you’re not an elder but a master? Hahaha.”
“Keke! What’s so important about a title? By the way, I hope that the Taoist named Gu-yang Seon that Young Master Jin knows is my disciple, U-chi.”
“He must be! I don’t know what twists and turns there were that made him hide his name.”
After finishing his conversation with Baek In-hwa, So-ah performed a polite cupped fist salute to the Moyong Baek and Yeon So-so couple and said his goodbyes.
“Uncle. Aunt. Stay well. I will follow soon.”
“So-ah. You’ve been through a lot. Follow as soon as you’re finished.”
“So-ah. You have to come carefully, okay?”
Baek In-hwa, watching the three, couldn’t help but smile warmly, as if he were watching a mother, father, and son.
‘Hoho. Great Hero Moyong. Your son cherishes your top disciple so much, you must be so proud.’
Just then.
Moyong Baek, as if remembering something he had forgotten, snapped his fingers and said to So-ah.
“Oh! So-ah.”
“Yes, Uncle.”
“The day after tomorrow, the first-round selected external disciples will come to enter the family. As the family head, I will temporarily delegate to you the authority to decide on all family matters, including the admission of external disciples, so take care of it.”
“Uncle!”
So-ah’s eyes widened.
It wasn’t because he was surprised that he had more work to do.
But he couldn’t help but be surprised that his uncle, as the family head, would temporarily delegate all his authority to him, an external disciple.
“Why? Is it burdensome?”
“Of course… to give me such authority…”
“It’s only temporary, temporary.”
“Ah…”
“Of course, it’s also for practice.”
“Yes?!”
At So-ah’s question, Moyong Baek just smiled faintly and closed his mouth.
Because of that, So-ah was just left with a pile of work.
‘Phew… I guess I’m destined to work like a cow!’
So-ah resolved that when he learned the Book of Changes from Baek In-hwa, he would first carefully examine his own four pillars of destiny, physiognomy, and palm lines to gauge the total amount of work in his life.
***
—Teachers! Please have some of this!
—Now, now! It’s a snack, a snack. You have to have a full stomach to work well.
—Take a nap in the afternoon and take it easy. If you overdo it and hurt yourself, it will only slow things down.
So-ah’s encouragement continued endlessly.
It was directed at the workers who were constructing the new main building and annex.
“Young Master Jin! I’ve been doing this for over a decade, but I’ve never seen anyone as kind to the workers as you.”
“Kekeke! That’s right, that’s right. A hero is a hero!”
“Ah, you man! Is it only Young Master Jin? The great men of the Moyong Family have been famous for being good people since ancient times. From the former family head, the esteemed God of War, to the current family head, Great Hero Moyong Baek. They are all people who can live without laws.”
“What more can be said? Moreover, Young Master Jin is one of the Ten Great Masters of the Orthodox Path at a young age? Anyway, he’s in a totally awesome position.”
“There’s no such success as that.”
“Kuhahaha!”
The workers’ reaction to So-ah was also explosive.
As they said, a martial artist of the Jianghu.
Moreover, a great disciple of a prominent martial family, even if he didn’t wear official robes, boasted a prestige no less than that of a high-ranking official.
But the So-ah they saw was completely different.
Wasn’t So-ah being mentioned not only as the great disciple of the Five Great Families but also as one of the Ten Great Masters of the Orthodox Path?
Such a So-ah’s friendliness, attentiveness, and in addition, his simple and non-authoritarian appearance, were exactly like Moyong Baek’s.
“Hey! Teachers. What are you talking about? If you gild my face like that, I might become a golden Buddha.”
“Hahaha! You’re good at joking.”
“Young Master Jin is a really interesting person! Keke!”
Amidst the beads of sweat of the workers and the thick dust, a flower of laughter bloomed.
‘Traveling the Jianghu is a wonderful thing, but.’
His heart calmed down, and it was a pleasant feeling.
‘Living while working like this doesn’t seem so bad either.’
Isn’t this the small happiness of daily life?
Just as So-ah was having that thought.
“Ahem! Come here!!!”
A huge voice, loud enough to cover a radius of a dozen zhang, echoed as if to burst the eardrums of the crowd.
“Keoheung…!”
The sound was so loud that even Huin-dung-i, who was playing in the backyard, roared in response.
As a white tiger, a king of the mountains who was much more sensitive than humans, how surprised he must have been.
“What?!”
“I almost had a heart attack!”
“My goodness… I thought a thunderbolt had struck!”
The workers, startled, turned their gazes in the direction from which the sound had come.
So-ah also furrowed his brow and stared in the same direction.
‘What bastard is it?’
Whoever it is, it better not be a big deal.
Damn it.
But.
“O… Older Brother!!”
What came into So-ah’s sight was none other than.
“Kuhahaha! Have you been well? Younger Brother!”
One of the Ten Great Masters of the Unorthodox Path, and the General Fortress Lord of the Eighteen Fortresses of the Green Forest, the Green Forest Demon Emperor, Jang Beon-pal.
“Older Brother!”
As soon as he saw the face of his sworn brother, So-ah ran out.
Then he grabbed Jang Beon-pal’s hand and expressed his pleasure, but soon, as if realizing his carelessness, he corrected his posture and performed a polite cupped fist salute.
“Older Brother! What brings you all the way here? Haha.”
“What brings me! I came to see my younger brother.”
“Hahaha!”
“Kuhahahat!”
Feeling it once again, Jang Beon-pal’s laughter was closer to that of a beast than a human.
Also, the sight of the two, who looked like grandfather and grandson, let alone father and son, calling each other older brother and younger brother, confused everyone’s minds.
Regardless of that.
“Please come in, Older Brother! Welcome.”
“Yes, yes, shall we have a drink with my younger brother after a long time?”
The two, with the corners of their mouths raised, stepped into the family residence.
(End of Chapter)