Chapter 366: Gathering of the Orthodox Faction (7)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 366: Gathering of the Orthodox Faction (7)
Two months had passed since the ambush.
Early spring had yielded to summer, and in that time, Henan and the Heavenly Dragon Academy had been rocked by a series of significant events.
The most consequential was the closure of the Heavenly Dragon Academy itself.
News of the Unorthodox Faction’s attack had spread like wildfire across the Central Plains. The Murim Alliance had attempted to suppress the rumors, but with so many witnesses—and even the Beggar’s Sect adding to the chatter—it was a futile effort. The academy, beset by myriad problems, had no choice but to shut its doors.
Officially, the closure was temporary, for repairs to the buildings damaged in the assault. But many whispered that it would be years before the academy reopened, if it ever did. The chances of holding the Dragons and Phoenixes tournament, or any other major martial arts event that year, had evaporated. The incident had shattered the normal order of things.
The second major development was the Murim Alliance’s response. After their reinforcements finally arrived, the Alliance had mobilized doctors to treat the wounded. The bodies of the deceased were laid to rest in a cold basement chamber within the Alliance headquarters. Those who had carried out the ambush were thrown into the torture chambers, while the survivors—the students and staff who had lived through the attack—were given shelter.
On the surface, the Alliance had things under control. But beneath the facade, troubles simmered. No amount of aid could bring back the dead. And most of those who had perished were young prodigies from the lower ranks, scions of merchant families who had donated vast sums to the Alliance. With their bloodlines severed, the Alliance was poised to face severe financial strain. Some merchant associations might continue their support, but others were likely to withdraw completely.
To make matters worse, several noble clans and members of the Ten Sect Alliance had lost kin in the ambush. The Murim Alliance found itself navigating a political minefield, with no easy solutions in sight. Consequently, the Alliance canceled all upcoming festivals and public events. They had more than enough to handle.
-What was the Alliance doing while those poor young martial artists were dying?
—The attack happened right here in Henan, practically on their doorstep, and they were still too slow to respond.
—What were their martial artists even doing? What about the Alliance Leader himself?
Such rumors had festered for two months, fueled by the Murim Alliance’s perceived incompetence. Normally, the merchant associations and the Beggar’s Sect would have helped quell such talk, but given the circumstances, it seemed even they had turned their backs on the Alliance.
It was once said that the Murim Alliance was the bedrock of the Orthodox Faction, that its very existence ensured peace. But the ambush led by the Black Dragon had shattered that illusion. An attack that lasted less than a single day had been enough to tear everything apart. The horrors of that day were not easily forgotten, even after two months.
“The Qinghai Sword was defeated… how is that possible…”
The incident remained a topic of intense public fascination. People spent their days in taverns, drinking and talking, but the conversation always circled back to the same event.
“Didn’t he lose because he was protecting the students?”
“Even so, to be defeated by some martial artist from the Unorthodox Faction… Tsk, tsk. It seems the Kunlun Sect’s glory days are behind them.”
“Hey, you gave up on the sword because you couldn’t even reach the Third-rate level. You’re hardly one to talk.”
“Hey! I told you, I had no choice after I injured my leg!”
“Oh, right. That leg injury you got when you tripped running away from a boar? You were fine again after a few days!”
“…Ahem.”
The middle-aged man clicked his tongue in annoyance, while the younger man fell silent under the rebuke.
“Ugh, anyway! The Murim Alliance might have been respectable in the past, but not anymore!”
“This guy is at it again. Hey, bring us some more cold water!”
“Coming right up!”
A cheerful servant girl hurried off to fetch the water at the man’s call.
“If the Murim Alliance were so great, they would have prevented the ambush.”
“They’re the ones who keep us safe. You should stop complaining.”
“Keep us safe, my ass! They failed to protect their own students, and then they had to hold a funer—…Ugh!”
Just as the middle-aged man was about to cross a line, the younger man clapped a hand over his mouth.
“Are you insane!? What if the Alliance hears you!”
“Ptooey! What are they going to do about it? I’m not saying anything wrong!”
“Ugh…”
The young man rubbed his forehead in frustration. In truth, the middle-aged man wasn’t entirely wrong. The Alliance had, in fact, held a large funeral for the victims.
“Moreover, they’re the ones who called for this meeting because they know how big a problem this is,” the middle-aged man said angrily.
The Murim Alliance had announced to the entire region that a meeting of the Orthodox Faction would be held in a week’s time. As a result, people from outside Henan had already begun to fill the streets. Many had arrived two months prior, notified by the Alliance before the public announcement. There were representatives from great merchant associations that inspired awe, and even a sect from the Ten Sect Alliance had been spotted. They came from different regions and followed different martial paths, but they all shared one common trait.
“They all look like the life has been sucked out of them.”
“Of course they do. This situation is enough to sour anyone’s expression.”
Their faces were dark and heavy. How could they not be, when their children or siblings had been killed in a sudden ambush at the famed Heavenly Dragon Academy? The fact that their anger hadn’t already erupted was a testament to their restraint.
The middle-aged man, using the conversation as a side dish for his drink, turned back to the young man. “So, who’s coming this time?”
“How should I know? I’ve got my own life to worry about,” the young man replied with a smirk.
“Oh, but I did hear the Wudang Sect is coming.”
Only a few sects from the Ten Sect Alliance were expected to attend. There weren’t many clans or sects within the Ten Sect Alliance that maintained a close relationship with the Murim Alliance to begin with. For that reason, only martial artists from the Wudang Sect and Mount Hua had been sent to the Heavenly Dragon Academy. The Wudang Sect was a close ally and routinely sent students, but Mount Hua’s involvement was unprecedented. Rumor had it it was because the Qinghai Sword was serving as Head of the Academy that year.
“So, does that mean Mount Hua won’t be attending the meeting?”
“I’m not sure.”
The Wudang Sect’s attendance made sense, but Mount Hua was another story.
“But anyway… this is a serious mess. I just hope we’re not in for any more bloody storms.”
“Isn’t it interesting for us? We get to see quite a show.”
“Well, true…”
The lords of the Four Noble Clans would be arriving soon as well. To ordinary people, these lords and their bloodlines seemed to exist on a different plane—beings one rarely saw in a lifetime.
“Of all people, the scions of the Four Noble Clans were involved in the incident…”
Many believed this to be one of the most significant events in recent history, precisely because it had taken place at the Heavenly Dragon Academy, where the talented young prodigies of the Meteor Generation had gathered.
“Sigh… tsk, tsk…”
“But it’s not like we got nothing from this, you know,” the young man said.
The middle-aged man immediately knew what he was referring to. “Are you going to bring that up again?”
“You talk about him too, you know.”
“Only because you bring it up every single day. At least I talk about other things.”
“I can’t help it. I never get tired of it.”
There was one thing that had emerged from the tragedy. Among the martial artists who had fought to protect the young prodigies during the ambush, one name now stood out above the rest. When people were in greatest need, he had appeared.
“You and your obsession with the True Dragon… don’t you get tired of it?”
“It’s more interesting than you complaining about the Alliance every day.”
“Haha, you rotten bastard.”
The True Dragon.
As news of the academy ambush spread, so did the legends of the True Dragon. His fame was already widespread. He was the final member to join the prestigious Meteor Generation group known as the Six Dragons and Three Phoenixes. Not only had he reached the Peak Realm at a young age, but he was also celebrated for his exceptional talent, said to outshine all other young prodigies. He was the protagonist of these rumors.
“Isn’t he impressive? He hasn’t even reached twenty yet.”
“…I mean, sure, he’s impressive.”
They said he’d fought half of the Unorthodox Faction’s martial artists single-handedly and even captured the one who defeated the Qinghai Sword.
The middle-aged man shook his head, addressing the young man in a tone of disbelief. “How can you believe such rumors at your age?”
“You’re going to say it’s false again, aren’t you?”
“No matter how many times I hear it, I can’t help but think it’s unrealistic.” The middle-aged man set down his emptied cup. “If the Qinghai Sword was defeated, the enemy must have been a Fusion Realm expert. So does that mean this True Dragon, this young prodigy, has also reached the Fusion Realm?”
“…”
“Think about it! Even if he did manage to take down that enemy, he probably just showed up at the last moment when the guy was already exhausted and finished him off.”
A young prodigy under twenty, reaching the Fusion Realm? Such a thing would happen when the sun rose in the west.
“Moreover, he killed all the enemies from the Unorthodox Faction by himself? How ridiculous can this get?”
“Hey, it could be true. Why do you always see things in such a negative light?”
“I’d believe it if it made any sense! I never thought the Gu Clan would stoop to this, but it’s worse than I imagined.”
The middle-aged man was convinced the Gu Clan of Shanxi was behind the rumors about the True Dragon. He acknowledged the True Dragon was talented, but he found the stories impossible to believe.
The young man frowned, clearly displeased. “Oh? What’s with that expression?”
“Are you still going to call him by that name?”
“Now you’re going to hold that against me?”
“Names are important, you know.”
The middle-aged man’s face twisted in annoyance. “It’s been a while since he got a new title.”
“Why are you so worked up about it? You’re leaving me speechless.”
After the incident, the True Dragon had earned a new title. In recognition of his feats, those who spoke of him had naturally coined a new name—a title that signified he was no longer just a young prodigy.
“What was his title again…? I heard it last time.”
Losing patience with the middle-aged man’s struggle, the young man finally spoke up. “You can’t even remember that? It’s obviously C—”
Creak.
Just as the young man was about to respond, the inn door opened. Everyone instinctively turned to look. Normally, they wouldn’t have paid much attention, but a sudden chill accompanied the newcomer.
“Ah…”
The young man fell silent as he took in the figure standing in the doorway. It wasn’t just him; everyone in the inn gasped and fell silent at the sight of the woman who had entered.
…Tsk.
The woman clicked her tongue softly, feeling the weight of their stares. Normally, she would have worn a mask, but she had forgotten it today. A servant hurried over to the visibly uncomfortable woman.
“W-Welcome.”
“Could you bring me what I ordered last time?”
“Ah…! Yes, right away!”
The servant dashed to the kitchen and returned with a steaming dish. It was a plate of dumplings. The woman inspected the dish, handed the servant a silver coin, and turned to leave without another word.
A silver coin for a few dumplings? What in the world…?
As murmurs filled the room, the woman walked out, the door closing behind her. Everyone kept their eyes fixed on her retreating figure until the door shut with a soft thud. Only then did the room collectively release the breath it had been holding.
“Woah, she’s unbelievably beautiful. How can someone look like that?”
“…She’s obviously from a noble family. What’s she doing in a place like this?”
As the young man spoke with curiosity, the servant refilling the side dishes leaned in to answer. “Oh, she comes here now and then.”
“Hmm? This is the first time I’ve seen her. I’m here every day, but I’ve never noticed her.”
“That’s because you’re only here during the day. She only comes at night.”
“Oh? At night?”
“That’s right. She only comes to buy dumplings.”
“Dumplings…?” The young man tilted his head in confusion. Perhaps she has a taste for simple food despite her background? But why come herself at night? Couldn’t she just send a servant?
Noticing his confusion, the servant continued. “Apparently, her husband loves dumplings. That’s why she comes here often.”
The other men in the tavern began to lament upon hearing this.
“So she’s taken, huh…”
“Man, I’m jealous…”
While the others drowned their disappointment in their drinks, the young man fell into thought.
“What are you doing? Aren’t you going to drink?”
“That woman from earlier… I feel like I’ve seen her somewhere before.”
“Stop spouting nonsense and eat. How would guys like us ever cross paths with someone like her?”
“Well… I didn’t necessarily see her… but her outfit seemed familiar.”
It was a sky-blue robe with a distinctive braided embroidery. The young man felt like he had seen that specific embroidery somewhere before.
“Ah…?”
Then he remembered. It was the same symbol used by the Moyong Clan’s businesses in Henan. It was said that the clan’s blood relatives often wore clothing with that braided embroidery.
That means…
The beautiful woman who had just bought dumplings was a blood relative of the Moyong Clan? The young man considered the thought for a moment, then shook his head.
“Nah, there’s no way.”
No one believed him when he talked about the True Dragon; there was no chance anyone would believe that the woman buying dumplings for her husband was a Moyong Clan blood relative. With that conclusion, the young man returned to his drink.
* * *
The woman who had left with the dumplings had already reached her destination. She was halfway up a mountain, standing before a cave that looked as if it had been carved out by brute force—as if someone had punched their way through the rock.
The woman—Moyong Hi-ah—stepped inside naturally, as if she were familiar with the place. The cave wasn’t very deep, and torches lined the walls, providing ample light. After a few steps, Moyong Hi-ah caught a distinct smell. She didn’t need to wonder; it was unmistakably the scent of sweat.
Noticing the smell, Moyong Hi-ah shook her head rather than covering her nose. It seemed he couldn’t stop himself from training, even though she had told him to rest.
“I told him he might collapse if he continues like this…”
Despite her warnings, he hadn’t listened. Moyong Hi-ah continued walking, reaching her destination a moment later.
Slam-! Slam, slam-!
Great, impactful sounds echoed through the cavern. The entire cave shook with each blow, causing small rocks to tumble from the ceiling. Amidst the din, Moyong Hi-ah spoke.
“I brought you food.”
Slam-! Slam!
Her voice wasn’t soft, but he didn’t seem to hear her. Moyong Hi-ah knew that shouting wouldn’t get his attention. She wrapped the dumplings in a cloth, set them on the ground, and cupped her hands around her mouth. She knew exactly what would break through his concentration.
“Lesser King of Hell, you must eat, my Great Expert.”
Pause…
At her words, the pounding and rumbling instantly stopped. A figure emerged from the depths of the cave, visibly irritated. He strode out at an impressive pace, his ears flushed red.
“Hey! I told you not to call me that!”
A young man with jet-black hair and fierce eyes stood before her.
It was Gu Yangcheon.