Chapter 128. White Path Martial Alliance (3)
That night.
“Haha.”
Moyong Gun was thoroughly drunk.
It was the first time he'd gotten this plastered since his drinking bout with Yeon Hojeong.
No, even during that session with Yeon Hojeong, he hadn't drunk like this.
“It's an era of peace, yet beneath the surface, blood and death are licking their chops. That's why the martial world is always an age of warlords dividing the land.”
Moyong Gun burst into cheerful laughter.
“That's what makes the world so interesting. Even bonds on the verge of snapping due to the flow of the times can be rekindled.”
At that moment, a heavy voice rang out.
“Are you sure about this?”
“About what?”
“Mo Yong Woo.”
“Haha, you don't know that child.”
Moyong Gun's eyes gleamed.
Even drunk as he was, his gaze remained clear.
As time passed, his thunderbolt qi was growing more vigorously.
“There's a reason I spared the youngest even in that brutal power struggle. He's pure. So pure he can't betray anyone.”
“People can change at any time.”
“Personality can shift, but innate nature doesn't. I've seen the boy's roots. They haven't changed from past to present.”
Moyong Gun's eyes deepened.
“But……”
Ziiing.
A menacing blue bolt of lightning enveloped his entire body.
Foosh.
In an instant, the room filled with the smell of alcohol.
He'd expelled the alcohol from his system in one go.
“At the same time, I know my own roots well.”
“……”
“A vicious heart that can't even trust blood kin. No, precisely because they're kin, I suspect them all the more. The reason? Because betrayal from those closest hurts far worse.”
“You don't trust Mo Yong Woo? Then why accept him if you don't believe in him?”
“You wouldn't know how grateful I am to the boy. I do trust him.”
“……”
“But I don't trust his environment. How can I casually promote him without knowing what he's seen or who he's mingled with all this time?”
“Then what will you do?”
“Because I know his abilities.”
Moyong Gun smiled.
“Those gained lightly vanish lightly. Take Mong Ui, whom I sent just a couple months ago, for example.”
“……”
“Surprisingly, even those gained with great difficulty can slip away easily. I reclaimed the youngest after twenty years. I can't just lose such a precious card so readily.”
“What do you plan?”
“He's weak to affection. So I have no choice but to bind him with another layer of it.”
A chill shadow fell over Moyong Gun's face.
'No matter how harsh the task, I'll follow without complaint.'
Recalling Mo Yong Woo's resolute gaze, Moyong Gun smacked his lips.
“It's a bit heartless to call this 'work'……”
“……?”
“The eldest daughter of the Central Plains Money House's master hasn't married yet, has she?”
The man widened his eyes.
The Central Plains Money House was one of the top three massive financial institutions in the martial world.
With the deepest history among them, its connections were beyond imagination.
It even hired countless masters to guard its wealth, so its martial might alone rivaled a major sect.
And its master was quite close to Moyong Gun.
“The boy's already thirty. Even with enemies in the martial world, failing to marry at that age is a serious issue.”
“But…… the master's eldest daughter is only eighteen.”
“Heh, what does age matter in marriage? He's one of the top geniuses I know. As the future head of the Moyong family, they should be thrilled.”
Moyong Gun grinned like a mischievous child.
“Send word to the Central Plains Money House master. Invite him for a visit to the Martial Alliance.”
“We've arrived.”
“Yes.”
The Martial Alliance had four massive gates.
People called them the Four Divine Beasts Great Gates.
Yeon Hojeong's expression turned peculiar.
“Four Divine Beasts……”
The gate they approached was the Azure Dragon Great Gate among them.
An enormous gate bore a vividly embossed azure dragon motif.
The walls encircling it loomed four times taller than the gate itself.
Impressive.
Yeon Hojeong inwardly clicked his tongue.
He had seen the Martial Alliance before—in his past life.
But back then, its outer walls were half-ruined from the war with the Saneumgyo.
Crazy bastards. They breached walls like these.
You couldn't even scratch them without overwhelming numbers.
It hit him anew just how insanely powerful the Saneumgyo's fanatic might had been.
“Let's go in.”
The Yeon family warriors headed toward the Azure Dragon Great Gate.
“State your identity.”
“The Yeon family of Bi-san in Jiangsu Province.”
After a simple verification, the Azure Dragon Great Gate opened.
Ku-gu-gu-gung!
The majestic sight of it slowly parting left and right was awe-inspiring.
Yeon Hojeong smacked his lips.
Black Emperor Castle lacked this grandeur.
Black Emperor Castle had been far smaller.
Instead, they'd poured fortunes into internal structures for rapid troop mobilization.
“Wah……”
“Huh?”
Muk Bi stared at the gate, entranced.
“I-It's my first time seeing something like that.”
“……Me too.”
Yeah, first time.
But for some reason, it pissed him off.
You were the one who insisted on scaling down the fortifications, you damn woman.
Back then, Muk Bi had argued against expanding Black Emperor Castle.
Funds were plentiful, but for future wars, they needed to stockpile military resources.
So Black Emperor Castle pursued minimal cost for maximal efficiency.
Of course, Yeon Hojeong had agreed.
Still, seeing her like this irked him.
Yeon Hojeong ruffled Muk Bi's hair wildly.
“Aaaack! Why?!”
“Dunno, damn it.”
“Ugh, seriously. You've been so grumpy lately.”
“What'd you say?”
“Earlier, you could've just stayed quiet but picked a fight instead.”
“When did I?!”
“With the Namgung family.”
“Hey, you gonna let that slide? Anyone could see it was a forced apology!”
“Then just ignore it. Why provoke more?”
“Scary talk. Being ignored hurts pride more than insults.”
“Anyway, you could've avoided it. You're a real pro at stirring trouble.”
“This damn mouth of yours……”
Then Yeon Wi spoke.
“Muk Bi has a point.”
“……Urgh.”
“It holds true anywhere in the jianghu, but since we're here to discuss major affairs, we must be especially mindful of our conduct.”
“Don't worry.”
Muk Bi eyed Yeon Hojeong skeptically.
Yeon Hojeong glared fiercely.
Muk Bi turned away with a 'good grief' look.
Thud!
Finally, the Azure Dragon Great Gate fully opened.
Yeon Wi's eyes flashed.
“The Martial Alliance at last.”
Yeon Hojeong's gaze sharpened in turn.
He knew Mo Yong Woo had already arrived.
Considering distance and speed, he'd gotten here at least a day ago.
I trust he probed properly.
Clop clop.
The Yeon procession entered the Martial Alliance.
Its interior was another Central Plains unto itself.
Winding paths mingled with straight ones.
Hmm.
Yeon Hojeong's eyes swept the surroundings in an instant.
Well-built indeed.
Vast territory, yet buildings and towers were placed with exquisite precision.
Structure optimized for defense warfare. Even the outer walls alone……
Yeon Hojeong inwardly marveled.
No joke. Like Black Emperor Castle expanded several times over.
The intact Martial Alliance exuded the might of an impregnable fortress.
Yeon Wi asked.
“Impressive, isn't it?”
“Yes.”
“Totally different from our family's layout. Ours prioritizes warrior assembly and counterattacks.”
“While the Martial Alliance is tailored for pure defense.”
“You see well.”
“Probably due to its symbolic role. Even if everything else is safe, if the Martial Alliance falls, the White Path loses its strength. An unparalleled iron fortress no one can conquer. Just seeing it reveals the White Path martial world's history.”
Yeon Wi looked at Yeon Hojeong.
Yeon Hojeong blinked innocently.
“Why stare like that?”
He'd been astonished by his eldest son many times.
He thought nothing could surprise him anymore, yet here it was again.
Truly frightening.
His son's words struck the core.
The White Path differed from the Black Path.
The Black Path used every vile trick for survival, but the White Path burned with righteousness even in death.
Thus, the Black Path remained scattered, unable to unite.
Had they, they wouldn't be this weak now.
The White Path's power, however, was solidly coalesced.
Most sects rooted in the Central Plains regions, the Nine Great Sects, and Six Great Families allied with it.
All centered on the Martial Alliance to fight foreign foes.
The White Path had teetered on extinction but never fully collapsed—not once.
The name, existence, and fortress of the Martial Alliance held such power.
“You excel at everything. Where'd you learn this?”
Yeon Hojeong scratched his head.
“Books. I've always been interested in this stuff……”
Yeon Wi trusted his son.
But he didn't buy this.
You couldn't learn this from books.
Not even diagrams.
Only by seeing, observing, living it.
Genius existed in martial arts or scholarship, but tactical fortification and strategic placement demanded pure experience.
“Your words……”
Then—
“Heeeyyy!!”
A thunderous roar.
Volume that turned every head.
It brimmed with overwhelming liberation.
“Shiiit! Young Master Yeeon!!”
Yeon Hojeong's eyelid twitched faintly.
He glanced at Yeon Wi.
His father's expression was grim—as if scolding him for befriending such a vulgar lout.
But Yeon Wi knew the man's identity.
So he said nothing.
“Long tiiiime no seeee……!!”
“Ugh, shut it, you crazy beggar!”
Gadeuksang, charging at full speed, screeched to a halt.
Yeon Hojeong, about to unleash another barrage of curses, faltered.
He'd seen Gadeuksang's eyes turn red.
Drip.
A single tear streamed down, and he collapsed wailing.
“Waaah! Waaaah!”
It was a spectacle.
No act—this was real.
He wept so pitifully it reddened onlookers' eyes.
Muk Bi sniffled, not even knowing who he was.
“Waaaah! Freeeedooom!!”
Even Yeon Wi had to speak.
“Something bad must've happened to Huigae.”
He forced calm.
Yeon Wi was flustered too.
Yeon Hojeong grumbled.
“What bad could happen to that beggar bastard? Probably ditched training and ran.”
“Mind your words.”
“It's fine for him.”
Yeon Hojeong chuckled.
Still, it was nice seeing him after so long.
“Stop crying and get up.”
“Sniff.”
“Long time no see. You good?”
“Nope.”
Gadeuksang approached with a heartbroken look and seized Yeon Hojeong's hand.
Yeon Hojeong's face twisted.
Gadeuksang's hands gripping his were smeared with tears and snot.
“Have a drink with me tonight!”