Chapter 83
Early morning.
The atmosphere of the Martial Alliance was quite chaotic. Because the biggest festival held once every three years was just around the corner.
The leadership held a rather long meeting because of the ominous things that had happened before the festival.
There was a strong clash of opinions between those who said, 'What kind of duel is this in this atmosphere?' and those who said, 'The more this happens, the more grandly we should hold it to show the alliance's strength.'
The winner was the side that wanted to hold the festival grandly.
Because the Commander-in-Chief, Sima Hui, had raised their hands.
For that reason, all the attention of the Martial Alliance was directed at the new alliance members who had joined this time. To be precise, it was directed at Cheon Woojin.
"Young hero Cheon, who are you going to choose?"
Song Yiyeon asked as soon as he returned to the Black Tortoise Pavilion after finishing the morning jog. At that question, the other Black Tortoise Unit members also secretly listened while pretending not to.
Cheon Woojin tilted his head.
"What do you mean?"
"..."
Song Yiyeon had a dumbfounded expression. During the morning jog, the others had been whispering so much about who Cheon Woojin would choose, but was he so uninterested?
"The duel is opening soon. It's a place where new alliance members point out an opponent and compete. You can point out anyone in the Martial Alliance. In principle, you can even have a duel with the alliance leader."
Of course, there had never been a new alliance member in history who had pointed out the alliance leader. Above all, in the white path martial world where etiquette was highly valued, it was something that could never happen.
However, Cheon Woojin's eyes sparkled unusually.
"With the alliance leader?"
"Oh my, did I say something I shouldn't have?"
Song Yiyeon scratched his head with a strange smile. At that, Zhuge Lin, who had come up, roughly wrapped her arm around Song Yiyeon's neck.
"You did that on purpose, didn't you? If I look closely, you're always egging him on from the side."
"D-deputy Commander! I can't breathe...!"
Song Yiyeon tapped Zhuge Lin's arm.
Zhuge Lin, whose blocked meridian had been cleared by Cheon Woojin, had recently been unable to properly handle her overflowing energy.
She was also a martial artist who had been called a genius in her family when she was young. Although her body could not keep up, she had gained countless enlightenments in her head.
The enlightenments she had accumulated came all at once as soon as her blocked meridian was cleared.
Thanks to that, her whole body was overflowing with strength even without her intending it.
Unlike before, when even a thin, soft sword felt heavy, she could now wield a thick, heavy sword as lightly as a brush.
Her steps had become much more vigorous, and for some reason, she would often get up in the middle of the night and go for a walk.
Cheon Woojin had said that she would need at least three months to adjust.
"Ah, sorry. I can't control my strength today either."
"...You did it on purpose."
"You're unnecessarily smart."
Zhuge Lin patted Song Yiyeon's shoulder.
Song Yiyeon looked at Zhuge Lin with an displeased look and then asked Cheon Woojin again.
"So, who on earth are you going to choose? No. It doesn't matter who you choose, but at least don't choose me. My father is coming to watch."
The duel was also open to the common people. Thanks to that, all sorts of merchants, duel gamblers, families who had come to watch with their children who admired martial artists, officials who were very interested in martial arts, and even local officials who were politically involved with the Martial Alliance.
All sorts of people would gather and make the vicinity bustling for a while.
As everyone waited for his answer, Cheon Woojin scratched his chin with his index finger and then answered nonchalantly.
"I guess with the alliance leader..."
"Ah, Unit Commander!"
Zhuge Lin quickly cut off Cheon Woojin's words. Because if she heard those disrespectful words to the end, she would become an accomplice.
Cheol Jiak, who had finished the meeting with the unit commanders and had returned to the Black Tortoise Pavilion late, saw the members in the training ground and grinned.
"What are you all talking about so interestingly..."
"U-unit Commander! I have something to report. Shall we go inside for a moment?"
Zhuge Lin dragged Cheol Jiak into the Black Tortoise Pavilion.
Recently, Zhuge Lin had been very busy.
She could not neglect her training to fully adapt to her newly acquired energy, and she had to take care of Cheol Jiak, who was trying his best to smile in front of the members even though he had been backstabbed by the White Dragon Unit Commander.
Also, she would occasionally catch the guys who were spreading strange rumors out of jealousy of Cheon Woojin and Song Yiyeon and have a physical conversation with them, and she was always on edge in preparation for the Dragon and Phoenix Society to check the two.
Of course, no one had asked her to do it. However, she considered all those things as her duty as a deputy commander.
And so, as Zhuge Lin disappeared with Cheol Jiak, the Black Tortoise Unit members, for some reason, returned to their training with relieved expressions.
Suddenly, Cheon Woojin asked.
"So, who will young hero Song point out?"
"Who do you think?"
Song Yiyeon grinned. Although he was deeply worried because he had recently been entrusted with the White Dragon Unit Commander's money, he had not neglected his training.
Rather, he was pushing himself in his training more than ever.
Cheon Woojin nodded his head.
"It's something you have to go through at least once."
Anyone born and raised in Anhui would revere and at the same time fear the Nangong family. It was the same for Song Yiyeon, the eldest son of the Song family.
In Cheon Woojin's view, Song Yiyeon's martial talent was by no means inferior to Nangong Jin's. It was just that he was cowering in front of Nangong Jin because he had not been able to shake off the fear in the abyss of his heart.
Song Yiyeon smiled coolly and drew his longsword.
"In that sense, how about a duel? I feel like my White Flower has become much sharper lately."
The white longsword that Song Yiyeon had stylishly drawn sparkled even more in the sunlight.
"White Flower? You've already given it a name?"
"Of course. Since people have been calling me the White Flower Sword, I gave it a name that suits it. Aren't martial artists a tribe that lives and dies for style?"
Regardless of the facts, that was what Song Yiyeon thought.
Every night before going to bed, Song Yiyeon was the only martial artist who would stand in front of the mirror in his room and practice how to draw his sword stylishly and the smile he would make after defeating his opponent.
Cheon Woojin let out a smirk. Because every time he heard Song Yiyeon's nickname, he was reminded of his White Master.
"Alright."
Cheon Woojin drew the Crescent Moon Staff.
At that, Song Yiyeon hurriedly put away the White Flower and said.
"Let's fight with hand-to-hand combat. I've also improved my achievement in the Black Tortoise Iron Shell Art recently."
In fact, it was because he felt that if it collided with that dark iron staff, the stylish White Flower would be shattered. Cheon Woojin also nodded his head without a word and then put away the Crescent Moon Staff.
* * *
Around a rather long table, martial artists of all ages, men and women, were sitting facing each other.
The person sitting at the head of the table, shining his unique dark green light, looked at the faces of those he had called.
"As you all know, there hasn't been a day of peace in the Martial Alliance recently. Also, you know who is at the center of all that chaos."
"..."
Everyone nodded their heads. Except for the three people sitting at the very end of the round table, Nangong Jin, Jin Yun, and Tang Soyeon.
Tang Bicheon looked at the three with a displeased look and then continued.
"The purpose of our Dragon and Phoenix Society is just one. We gathered to set the justice of the Martial Alliance straight. We tried to embrace and guide the two alliance members who cause trouble every time with a broad mind, but they ended up refusing our offer. They're arrogant. And conceited."
"You are absolutely right. We can't leave those guys as they are anymore."
The second-generation disciple of the Cheongseong sect, Un Seongjin, nodded his head vigorously.
His master, Cheong Hyeonjin, was a person who had a deep friendship with the head of the Gu family and the deceased elder Zhuge Seong. Naturally, he was also the one among the respected elders of the Martial Alliance who disliked Cheon Woojin the most.
As Un Seong vigorously agreed, Tang Bicheon had a satisfied expression.
"That's right. It's something we can't just watch. I know that the seniors who have retired from the society are also very worried. How can I, as the president of the era, just watch this?"
The Dragon and Phoenix Society elected a president every 10 years.
Tang Bicheon's term was for another 2 years.
At the time when his power was strongest, the troublemakers, Cheon Woojin and Song Yiyeon, had appeared.
No one could deny the fact that they were geniuses of a rare kind. Because he had not been able to recruit such geniuses into the Dragon and Phoenix Society, the respected elders who had retired from the front line were also doubting Tang Bicheon's ability.
All special people in the Martial Alliance must join the Dragon and Phoenix Society. Even if they retire from the front line, they will pull their juniors as officials of the alliance.
The fact that the most outstanding rising talents, alliance members, and officials were all members or from the Dragon and Phoenix Society was their true power.
From that perspective, Cheon Woojin and Song Yiyeon, who were revealing their prominence with all their might and yet not joining the society, could not help but be a sharp stone.
A sharp stone is bound to be hit by a chisel. The Dragon and Phoenix Society had convened a meeting to personally hold the chisel.
Under Tang Bicheon's leadership, various opinions came out.
The first opinion was to use the power of the hall masters and commanders from the Dragon and Phoenix Society to cut off all their missions.
"That's impossible. Have you forgotten the recent incident with the Black Tortoise Unit Commander? If we touch the Black Tortoise Unit again in this situation, the alliance leader will intervene directly."
The current alliance leader, Beili Tian, hated the Dragon and Phoenix Society. Because he was a person who extremely guarded against the corruption of power.
As soon as he was inaugurated, he had cut off one-third of the personnel from the Dragon and Phoenix Society. Because of that, he had bought the opposition of the Nine Sects One Gang and the Five Great Families who had invested heavily in the Dragon and Phoenix Society.
The current Martial Alliance was a tightrope walk between the Dragon and Phoenix Society, which represented the vested interests, and the alliance leader, who paradoxically represented the anti-vested interests.
"The reason the alliance leader is watching the Dragon and Phoenix Society is simple. Because he has not been in office for long, he has not gathered enough power to strike us down. But if we give him a reason, the story will be different."
There was already a public opinion in the Martial Alliance that sympathized with the Black Tortoise Unit Commander. If they were to use their power to cut off the Black Tortoise Unit's missions in this situation, the alliance leader would be happy and would dance with a sword.
"Are there any other opinions?"
"When they go out on a mission, we can just send people and..."
Un Seongjin's words trailed off as he was about to say something. However, everyone present felt as if they had heard the rest of the words.
"Un Seongjin!"
Jin Yun, who had been quiet all along, jumped up from his seat. Before joining the Martial Alliance, he had been told countless times by the elders of Huashan that he must belong to the Dragon and Phoenix Society.
The only hope of the weakened Huashan was Jin Yun. Naturally, the closer Jin Yun got to becoming the alliance leader or something close to it, the closer Huashan would get to its former glory.
So Jin Yun had kept his mouth shut. To be precise, he was suffering, recalling the faces of his senior uncles and the faces of Cheon Woojin and Song Yiyeon at the same time.
However, what Un Seong had just said had truly crossed the line.
"Are you saying you are not a martial artist of the white path!"
"W-what! What about you! How great are you to raise your voice at a senior of the martial world!"
Contempt was openly mixed in Jin Yun's two eyes.
In the meantime, Un Seong raised his voice even more.
"Yes, if you're so great, why don't you say something? I see you've been hanging out with those two lately. Your senior uncle, Ziqing Zhenren, asked me to take good care of you, but you're doing a fine job."
"..."
As his senior uncle was mentioned, Jin Yun bit his lip.
If the shadow of the Nangong family was what bound Song Yiyeon, what bound Jin Yun was none other than the Huashan sect itself.
Jin Yun had lived his whole life under the name of a talent who would raise Huashan, receiving the expectations of his master and senior uncles, and the jealousy of his junior brothers.
As Jin Yun could not say anything and just trembled with his fists lowered, Un Seong let out a smirk.
"You seem to know your fault, don't you? Yes, at your age, you can enjoy a little deviation. It's a law that you can turn your eyes when the situation is frustrating. You can reject power as evil, and you can resolve to become a hero who changes the chaotic world. Yes, you can. It's the right age for that. But."
Un Seong's voice, which had been continuing softly, suddenly became colder than ever.
"But. You shouldn't, should you! I also have a deep connection with the elders of Huashan. How can you, who knows better than anyone how special and pitiful their expectations for you are, do that!"
Jin Yun felt as if he were running out of breath for a moment. He even felt the urge to draw the sword at his waist and stab it into his own chest.
Even if others didn't know, Nangong Jin and Tang Soyeon, who were sitting right next to him, noticed that subtle emotion. The two exchanged glances. They had to stop Jin Yun before he did something.
Un Seong, who thought he had completely shut Jin Yun's mouth, added in a low voice with a curled lip.
"In the Taoist sect, there is a common saying that you should face the rain when it comes. A Taoist should follow the natural order. The natural order given to you, Jin Yun, is to meet the expectations of your predecessors."
Although Un Seong had said it to mock Jin Yun, rather, the moment he heard those words.
Jin Yun's trembling subsided.
Because a single voice from his memory came to mind.
- It's so heavy. When your clothes get all wet from the rain.
It was what Cheon Woojin had said to Jin Yun when he had saved his life when he had almost died in the trap of the horse bandits.
When everyone was putting a load on Jin Yun's shoulders, Cheon Woojin was the first person to tell him to take off that load.
He was the only person who had told him that it was okay to avoid it sometimes, to run away, and to hide behind someone.
Soon, Jin Yun, who had regained his composure, let out a low breath.
"It's unbearably heavy. I have to stop."
"What are you saying now?"
Jin Yun looked at Un Seong with clearer eyes than ever.
To the extent that if he could put a sword in his gaze, he could have cut him to pieces several times.
Soon, Jin Yun said with force.
"You heaven-punished bastard!"
"W-what did you say?"
It was not a particularly harsh curse.
However, since the one who had said it was Jin Yun, who was usually more gentle than anyone else, it sounded rougher than any other curse.
Also, everyone knew that he was not just saying it to Un Seong.
"Young hero Jin Yun. Will you have no regrets?"
Tang Bicheon, who had been watching the situation from the head of the table, asked.
Jin Yun looked straight at his dark green pupils and said.
"From today, I am not a member of the Dragon and Phoenix Society. Also, I will point out Un Seongjin in the upcoming duel."
"T-that...!"
Un Seong, who had been pointed out, pointed his finger in bewilderment, but Jin Yun did not even look at him.
Soon, Jin Yun took the Plum Blossom Sword that he had placed on the table and left the meeting room. The plum blossom-shaped ornament on the sword hilt jingled more cheerfully than ever.
(End of Chapter)