Chapter 140: Harmonic Sword Jang Cheon (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 140: Harmonic Sword Jang Cheon (2)
When it came to the Harmonic Sword, Jang Cheon…
You could call him the most ideal Leader the Murim Alliance could have asked for.
As the Alliance Leader, he skillfully managed the various clans and factions of the Orthodox Faction, and after succeeding the retired Sword Venerable, Wi Hyogun, the state of public order saw a marked improvement.
When he first took office, there were debates over whether the position should have gone to Shaolin’s Head Abbott or Mount Hua’s Celestial Plum Blossom instead. Yet, Jang Cheon’s capable leadership silenced those discussions within just a few years.
He possessed not only a commendable character but also formidable martial talent, earning a reputation as a man of near-perfection.
At least, in the eyes of the public.
“I apologize for intruding so suddenly.”
He was a handsome middle-aged man with a gentle demeanor. The slight downward curve of his eyes gave him a perpetual semblance of a smile, even when his expression was neutral.
“…Greetings, Alliance Leader.”
I carefully knelt on one knee before him. Seeing this, Jang Cheon quickly waved a hand.
“There’s no need for such formality. I am the one who barged in unannounced.”
“How could I not pay my respects?”
He was the Alliance Leader, after all. While his martial arts might not surpass the Celestial Plum Blossom or the Three Venerables, the authority of his position was undeniable. In terms of sheer influence, he wielded more power than the Four Noble Clans or the Ten Sect Alliance combined.
“I knew it… I should have planned this visit properly. It was a mistake on my part, but I was in a hurry.”
His arrival had been abrupt, and the timing was rather inconvenient. It seemed the saying about first impressions held true here as well.
“I apologize once again for the sudden visit, Young Master Gu.”
“It’s no trouble at all.”
As I observed Jang Cheon, a question nagged at me: Why was he here? Why would the Murim Alliance Leader come to me personally when he could have simply summoned me?
Countless possibilities flashed through my mind, but one stood out as the most likely. To be precise, I was about fifty percent certain.
The Dishonored Venerable.
That had to be it. The recommendation letter from the Dishonored Venerable that the Second Elder had given me—that was the only plausible reason for the Alliance Leader’s unexpected appearance.
Though I wonder if that’s really enough to warrant a personal visit.
The name of the Three Venerables carried immense weight, but was it truly sufficient to bring the Alliance Leader to my doorstep?
Does he have some issue with the Dishonored Venerable?
The Alliance Leader retrieved an item from his pocket. As expected, it was the recommendation letter I had brought.
Incidentally, the servants had already been dismissed before our conversation began. I had instructed Hongwa to proceed to the meeting with Gu Jeolyub and the others if I were late. I’d also told her to punish Wi Seol-Ah by making her hold her hands up until the meeting time, so Hongwa would be fine.
“Young Master Gu, I rushed here so impolitely because I wished to ask you something.”
A slight tingling sensation ran down my spine. I felt a subtle shift in the air around my shoulders, so I circulated my Qi and confirmed that a barrier had been erected within the room.
“This recommendation letter… Did the Dishonored Venerable give it to you directly?”
As I thought. That damned letter was the reason for his visit. At this point, it felt like the Second Elder was pushing me off a cliff under the guise of doing me a favor. Things always seemed to turn out this way.
“I did not receive it directly.”
“So you obtained it from someone else.”
Huh. There was something strange about the Alliance Leader’s expression and tone. It felt less like a conversation and more like an interrogation. The feeling was far from pleasant. To barge into my room and treat me like a criminal…
“If I may ask, Alliance Leader, why are you inquiring about this?”
I posed the question as respectfully as I could, masking my true feelings. No matter how annoyed I was, I couldn’t afford to bare my fangs at the leader of the Murim Alliance.
[You become so quiet in front of strong people … how shameless.]
It was crucial to know when to bark and when to hold back. Life was precious—one of the few lessons I’d learned in my past life.
“…”
The Alliance Leader let out a light cough, as if realizing his earlier misstep, and adjusted his tone. “I apologize. I behaved poorly just now due to my haste.”
An apology, and a swift one at that. The Alliance Leader was bowing his head to a mere young prodigy? Was this an act? Was he being sincere, or was it a performance? I had no way of knowing.
While I appreciated the apology, I was more concerned with how things had escalated to this point.
What did that old man give me this time?
I’d thought it was for my benefit, but was there more to it? Nothing about him was ever straightforward.
Before explaining further, the Alliance Leader handed the recommendation letter back to me. “The contents of this letter… have you read them?”
“No, sir, I have not.”
I hadn’t felt the need to. It was unnecessary, and frankly, disrespectful to pry. Besides, I still held a sliver of trust in the Second Elder. I believed his actions were ultimately for my good, even when they led to complications.
“Please read it now.”
Following his instruction, I unfolded the letter. The handwriting was rough and unrefined, with only a few sparse lines—a perfect reflection of the Dishonored Venerable’s character.
The content started out as one might expect from a recommendation letter.
-I, Bijuu, have my eyes on this child.
Since when? The Second Elder claimed to have received this letter two years ago. Back then, I had never even met the Dishonored Venerable. Moreover, he wasn’t in a position to make public appearances at the time.
The real issue lay in the next line.
-Even someone as lazy as myself raised him with full sincerity, so there shouldn’t be any room for disappointment.
Huh…?
-This child will destroy the sky one day. You may have high hopes because I’ll make sure of that.
Something was off. Very off. Many of the lines were incomprehensible to me.
This…
I had a growing suspicion that this letter wasn’t written for me. No matter how I looked at it, the contents didn’t seem to reference my situation. Yet, my name was clearly written on it.
It felt as though a story I knew nothing about was slowly unraveling before me. An uneasy, ominous feeling began to well up inside.
Then I read the final line, and it stole my breath.
-P.S. I made good use of the treasure. I’ll send it to you through my disciple, so I hope that you’ll keep it discreet.
Oh, fuck.
My eyes shot up to meet the Alliance Leader’s, trembling slightly. Now I understood why we were in this situation.
“…”
I was at a complete loss for words.
You really shouldn’t have included that postscript, you damned old man…
Those words were bound to cause a massive misunderstanding. This letter didn’t even appear to be intended for me.
The Alliance Leader studied me intently before asking, “Are you the disciple of the Dishonored Venerable?”
“No, Alliance Leader, I am not.”
Disciple? My fucking ass. I’d never even seen his face, let alone received training from him. Maybe such a thing could happen in the future, but it certainly hadn’t yet.
That old man called it a recommendation letter… Did he just take a letter the Dishonored Venerable wrote for someone else? What were these people playing at? And I was the one left holding the bag.
I felt like crawling into a rat hole and disappearing.
To make matters worse, the Alliance Leader was now looking at me with a deeply concerned expression. “…The handwriting does appear to be genuine, but I am uncertain how to interpret this.”
“Could we perhaps pretend the recommendation letter never existed?” I ventured, since I already had an invitation anyway. It would be far better to avoid getting tangled in this troublesome affair.
“I’m afraid not. This was written by the Dishonored Venerable himself, and your name is on it.”
“What if it’s impersonation…?”
“I doubt anyone would dare impersonate a Heavenly Venerable. The stamp and the aura imbued in the paper are authentic.”
He had examined the letter thoroughly, leaving me with no room for escape. How utterly pointless.
“I understand your concerns, but if you claim not to be his disciple, then there is no need for you to worry.”
Finally, some reassuring words. I began contemplating how to navigate this situation.
“…It’s just that, if you were truly his disciple, I wondered if you might know his current whereabouts.”
Was it because of the treasure mentioned in the letter?
“Judging by your reaction, you seem to be unaware. Is that correct?”
“…Yes.”
That was a lie. I did know. I knew the Dishonored Venerable was hiding somewhere in the west, and I even knew why. But I had absolutely no intention of revealing that.
He’d probably end up questioning the Second Elder anyway.
“…I see.”
He seemed disappointed, as if he’d lost his only lead. Yet, there was also a hint of relief in his expression, as though he’d found a new clue altogether.
“Is this about the treasure mentioned in the letter?” I asked.
The Alliance Leader paused for a moment. “I am certainly concerned about the treasure the Dishonored Venerable took, but that is not the only reason.”
There was something else. That was enough for me. I didn’t plan to inquire further. He likely wouldn’t answer, and if he did, it would only drag me deeper into this mess.
I already have a goal here. I’d rather not add more tasks to my list.
If I’d known this recommendation letter would cause such chaos, I never would have used it.
As our conversation drew to a close, the Alliance Leader rose to his feet. “I apologize for taking up your valuable time.”
“It’s no trouble, Alliance Leader. I am honored to have met you.”
“I’m grateful to hear you say that.”
It certainly wasn’t the most ideal first meeting, but I had to maintain civility. Honestly, the Alliance Leader was in a position where he couldn’t easily take my words at face value. Yet, he had backed off when he could have pressed for a more intrusive investigation.
Still, it doesn’t feel like things ended well.
I had a feeling his suspicions hadn’t fully dissipated. There was a chance he might make a move behind the scenes. After all, that was the Murim Alliance’s specialty.
The world was divided into Orthodox and Unorthodox Factions, but most knew the line between them had long since blurred. The Orthodox Faction pretended not to notice the changes, while the Unorthodox Faction didn’t seem to care.
The Alliance Leader I’d just met had a kind demeanor that made him seem like a good person… but I didn’t buy it. I didn’t know much about him, and that was precisely what made judging by appearances so dangerous.
The fact that he’s that bastard’s father is reason enough.
Just the thought of that man made my blood boil. Whenever I pictured his damned face, I’d unconsciously clench my teeth.
“Thank you for speaking with me. I won’t take up any more of your time; I shall take my leave now.”
The Alliance Leader moved toward the door, then glanced back at me. “I must admit, I was surprised when you said you weren’t his disciple.”
I looked at him, wondering what he meant.
“If you were the Dishonored Venerable’s disciple, I would have ranked your talent highly. But since you claim you aren’t… it’s surprising, to say the least. It seems a new star is on the rise.”
“…Thank you.”
“When I met your elder sister, I thought the Gu Clan had produced another tiger, like the legendary Tiger Warrior… but it seems they were hiding an even greater dragon.”
So, he had assessed my martial level. It wasn’t surprising; he was a martial artist who had reached a high realm himself. But his words settled on me like a heavy weight, tightening my stomach.
“I’ll be expecting a remarkable performance from you in the upcoming tournament.”
With those final words, the Alliance Leader left. His presence vanished the moment the door closed behind him.