A Bold Proposition
Dokgo Jin, Master of the Dragon Tiger Plaque.
Once more, his name was on everyone's lips, setting the training grounds and mess halls of the Northern Heaven Alliance abuzz.
"Did you hear? Word is that Dokgo Jin had a private audience with Grand Elder Yong of the Elders' Council."
"What? A private audience with the Grand Elder himself?"
"No matter that he holds the Dragon Tiger Plaque, at the end of the day, he's still just an ordinary member of the Iron Soul Unit. Isn't that an absurdly excessive honor?"
Martial artists gathered in small clusters, whispering back and forth.
Because Dokgo Jin's rescue of Grand Elder Yong's granddaughter, Yong Chae-rin, remained strictly classified, his sudden prominence seemed utterly bizarre to the rank and file.
"He was never an ordinary fellow to begin with, was he? From the moment he entered the alliance, several of the Five Banners were clamoring to recruit him. And lately, rumor has it that even the Vermilion Bird Banner has taken a keen interest in him."
"Hah, the Vermilion Bird Banner too? The man really must be something special."
"Think he'll be transferred out of the Iron Soul Unit to an upper division?"
"Come off it. You know that once you're assigned, nobody can just pluck you away."
"Who knows? If the Banner Leaders reach an agreement between themselves..."
The murmurings held a mixture of awe and envy that went far beyond mere curiosity.
In truth, the title of Dragon Tiger Plaque Master was largely symbolic—a mark of honor. But a private audience with Grand Elder Yong, one of the alliance's true power brokers, was a different matter entirely. It was tangible proof that Dokgo Jin had ceased to be merely a promising newcomer and was setting foot into the very corridors of power.
And that fact had captured the attention of another figure.
Inside the Iron Soul Unit's mess hall, the atmosphere was as boisterous as ever.
The coarse air hung heavy with the mingled scents of sweat and hot food, punctuated by the clatter of tableware and the exchange of rough jokes. It was the peak of the dinner rush.
Dokgo Jin sat alone in a secluded corner, eating his meal.
Normally, meals in the Iron Soul Unit were taken alongside one's squadmates. But their recent mission had made that impossible. Five men were still receiving treatment in the medical pavilion, while the rest were confined to their quarters, nursing their injuries. As a result, Dokgo Jin was left to dine by himself—a solitary arrangement that suited him just fine, allowing him to eat in quiet peace.
Then, someone slipped into the seat across from him like a shadow.
"Pardon the intrusion."
The voice was smooth, yet beneath its gentle cadence lay a peculiar weight.
Dokgo Jin looked up. A man who appeared to be in his mid-thirties had settled naturally into the opposing bench.
"..."
Dokgo Jin paused his meal to take measure of the stranger.
Unlike the grime-caked, sweat-soaked warriors around them, this man wore refined blue silk robes that radiated nobility. His skin was fair as white jade, his nose sharp and dignified, and a leisurely smile played upon his lips—yet his gaze was as stillness itself, deep as a secluded lake.
Dokgo Jin's eyes narrowed slightly.
Who is this?
The man's cultivated presence was far from ordinary.
At least at the level of a squad commander... no, higher.
Even within the Northern Heaven Alliance, where masters gathered like clouds, those possessing such formidable martial prowess at this age could be counted on one hand.
Paying no heed to Dokgo Jin's probing gaze, the man lifted the pitcher from the table and poured water into Dokgo Jin's empty cup.
"Forgive me for interrupting your meal. My curiosity simply got the better of me."
The stream struck the bottom of the cup with an abnormally heavy, dull sound.
This was no ordinary act of pouring water. Infused within the stream cascading from the pitcher's spout was internal energy as dense and weighty as a boulder. For an ordinary martial artist, the moment their fingers touched the cup, their wrist would snap, or the vessel itself would shatter under the immense hydrostatic pressure.
This single display was enough to gauge the man's terrifying depth of skill.
"A cup of water with a meal does wonders for digestion. Care for a drink?"
"..."
Instead of answering, Dokgo Jin reached out with practiced ease and took the cup.
The instant his hand made contact with the ceramic, a subtle tremor rippled through it. The cup quivered faintly in resistance, but that was all. The surging surface smoothed out until it was as calm as a mirror, without a single droplet spilling over.
Dokgo Jin lifted the cup to his lips. In that brief span, the domineering energy coiled within the water dissolved away like spring snow.
"Oh?"
The man's eyes narrowed. He let out a brief murmur of admiration and nodded.
"Indeed. The rumors did not exaggerate."
"..."
"Forgive my sudden test. It was simply hard to believe that someone so young could achieve such feats, and before I knew it... Hahaha!"
His clear, resonant laughter carried a curious charm that put those who heard it at ease.
By now, Dokgo Jin had a fair idea of the man's identity. Still, he feigned ignorance, asking impassively,
"Who might you be?"
"Ah, where are my manners? Allow me to introduce myself. I am Sagong Wun, Master of Cloud Sea Hall."
Within the Northern Heaven Alliance existed the Three Hidden Halls, institutions occupying a peculiar standing. Even the Leaders of the Five Banners of Northern Heaven treated the masters of the Three Hidden Halls with deep deference, addressing them with honorifics. Yet their direct subordinates numbered barely twenty each, and they possessed virtually no administrative power within the alliance.
Even so, every martial artist yearned to be affiliated with them. The reason was simple: the three hall masters were the personal disciples of the Alliance Leader of the Northern Heaven Alliance.
Sagong Wun, Master of Cloud Sea Hall, was the Alliance Leader's third disciple.
Dokgo Jin began to rise, preparing to cup his fists in salute.
"I pay my respects to the Hall Master."
Startled, Sagong Wun waved his hands dismissively, gesturing for Dokgo Jin to remain seated.
"Good heavens! What need is there for etiquette over a meal? Sit, sit, I say."
"As you wish."
Dokgo Jin settled back onto his seat.
"Ahem."
Sagong Wun cleared his throat and glanced around the room.
A few warriors had caught the title 'Hall Master' and glanced in their direction, but not a single person dropped their utensils or rushed over to curry favor.
Sagong Wun let out a chuckle.
"The Iron Soul Unit is truly one of a kind. I suspect in the entire alliance, this is the only place where men would react like this after learning who I am."
As he said, in any other division, warriors would have dropped everything to scramble over, desperate to leave a favorable impression.
But not the Iron Soul Unit.
They recognized only two things: their direct commanding officers, and the sheer martial strength of comrades they could trust with their lives on the battlefield. Even if a hall master was a candidate to succeed the Alliance Leader, he was not the commander responsible for keeping them alive tomorrow. To them, there was no reason to let their dinner get cold just to flatter someone of high station.
This is precisely why I like the Iron Soul Unit.
Grinning, Sagong Wun shifted his gaze back to Dokgo Jin—only to shake his head in disbelief.
Dokgo Jin had already picked up his chopsticks and resumed eating.
...Ha. He truly is an Iron Soul man through and through.
He must have felt Sagong Wun's gaze, yet Dokgo Jin continued his meal with utter nonchalance.
"..."
Whatever his thoughts were, Sagong Wun rested his chin in his hand, watching Dokgo Jin with quiet amusement.
Only when Dokgo Jin had finished his meal did Sagong Wun finally speak.
"Hahaha! What tremendous gall. Aren't you the least bit curious as to why I came to see you?"
"If you had business with me, you would have spoken already. Since you said nothing, I simply carried on with what I was doing."
"You're not wrong. Truth be told, I intended to wait until you finished eating, but seeing you in person made me too eager."
"..."
"Now that you've finished, would you care to join me for a short stroll?"
Dokgo Jin followed Sagong Wun out of Iron Heart Hall.
The moment Sagong Wun stepped through the threshold, two shadows fell into step behind them like ghosts.
Escorts from Cloud Sea Hall.
Their presence and footwork were on par with the White Tiger Elite Guards—no, truth be told, they were superior.
Sagong Wun offered an apologetic grin.
"I had hoped to walk with you in private... My apologies. No matter how many times I tell them to stand down, they insist on tailing me. Please overlook it."
"It is of no consequence."
The terrain around Iron Heart Hall was all jagged rock and sprawling training grounds; there were no scenic garden paths to speak of. Consequently, Sagong Wun and Dokgo Jin had no choice but to walk along the outer perimeter of the martial field.
"The White Tiger Camp is as bleak as ever. For a proper walk, the Azure Dragon Camp offers far better scenery. If you ever wish to transfer divisions, just say the word. I possess at least enough sway for that."
"I am satisfied with the Iron Soul Unit."
"Haha, I imagine you are. That is why you turned down all those lucrative offers to come here in the first place. Still, experiencing reality is quite different from theory. Have you truly never once regretted choosing the Iron Soul Unit?"
"Never."
At Dokgo Jin's unequivocal reply, Sagong Wun nodded slowly.
"I see. Your intentions are clear."
"..."
"Can you guess why I came to see you personally?"
It was not a difficult deduction.
"I presume you wish to bring me under your banner."
Sagong Wun scratched the back of his head, looking slightly sheepish.
"Was it that obvious?"
"It is hard to imagine any other reason."
"You speak the truth. I coveted your talent so greatly that I could not help but come in person."
Sagong Wun halted his steps and turned toward Dokgo Jin.
"Do not misunderstand, however. Even if you were to accept today, it does not mean you could join my side immediately."
As mentioned, the masters of the Three Hidden Halls held no official military command. They could not even choose their own retinue. The sixty warriors stationed across the Three Hidden Halls were randomly assigned by the Elders' Council, and aside from two or three personal confidants, the rest were rotated out after a set period.
"I am aware of that. Then your seeking me out... is an investment in the future?"
A subtle smile touched Sagong Wun's lips.
"Precisely."
Fully eighty percent of the alliance's leadership backed one of the three hall masters, and of the three, the Master of Cloud Sea Hall commanded the smallest share.
"Given my lack of supporters, I must recruit promising talents early on."
The first disciple, the Master of Limitless Hall, was a genius among geniuses—chosen on sight by the notoriously discerning Alliance Leader.
The second disciple, the Master of Supreme Harmony Hall, was the Alliance Leader's own kin, possessing terrifying martial talent that stood shoulder to shoulder with the first disciple.
And then there was the third disciple: the Master of Cloud Sea Hall.
By common consensus, his martial aptitude lagged behind his two senior brothers.
Despite this, Sagong Wun commanded considerable presence and influence within the alliance. That power stemmed from his pedigree—being the grandson of Sagong Cheok, the preeminent scholar of the age, and the maternal grandson of the guild master of the Ten Thousand Prosperity Merchant Guild, the wealthiest man under heaven—as well as his personal charisma.
Yet in the Northern Heaven Alliance, an organization that pursued the martial path of supremacy, martial prowess reigned above all else. Most assumed that the next Alliance Leader would inevitably be either the Master of Limitless Hall or the Master of Supreme Harmony Hall.
And yet.
Sagong Wun exuded an unexpected confidence.
"Support me, Dragon Tiger Plaque Master. Do so, and when I assume the mantle of Alliance Leader, you will sit at my right hand in the highest of offices."
Dokgo Jin asked,
"Do you truly possess the confidence to surpass the Masters of Limitless Hall and Supreme Harmony Hall?"
"Of course."
"From what I have heard, there is a vast gulf between your martial prowess and theirs."
Though it was a direct jab at his greatest vulnerability, Sagong Wun answered with complete composure:
"I concede the point. Even if I were to toil for a lifetime, I could likely never match the martial arts of my two senior brothers."
"...?"
"Did you think I was claiming I could beat those monsters in a fight? Heaven forbid, certainly not."
Sagong Wun broke into a broad grin.
"And yet, I shall become the Alliance Leader."
Dark Sky Martial Emperor
Author | Jeong Cheon
Publisher | Samyang C&C Co., Ltd.
Managing Editor | Editorial Department
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