The Shadow-Capturing Hand

Following behind the martial artist of Taehwa Hall, Dokgo Jin felt a quiet surge of surprise.

Did Vice Squad Leader Yoo—no, the Heavenly Mechanism Hall Master—truly wield this much influence?

In truth, Dokgo Jin had harbored doubts until the very last moment. No matter how formidable the Master of the Heavenly Mechanism Hall was, requesting an audience with the master of one of the Three Hidden Halls was no simple affair. Because the Three Hidden Halls held no formal administrative authority, no other branch of the Northern Heaven Alliance could dare interfere in their affairs. Even the head of the Heavenly Mechanism Hall—the most influential of the Three Great Halls—could not simply make casual demands of them.

Could the Hall Master have already aligned himself with the Master of Taehwa Hall?

Yet that possibility seemed remote. In sheer covert influence, the Heavenly Mechanism Hall rivaled and even surpassed the Five Banners of Northern Heaven. And with such sweeping authority came the strict obligation to maintain absolute neutrality.

Of course, if anyone possessed the power to disregard that duty, it would be the Heavenly Mechanism Hall.

Regardless, he would learn the truth once he met the Master of Taehwa Hall face-to-face.

Taehwa Hall was so modest that it was hard to believe it was one of the revered Three Hidden Halls. The grounds surrounding the pavilion were far from expansive, and rumor had it that the martial artists sworn to Taehwa Hall were less than half the number serving the other two halls.

Guided by the escort, Dokgo Jin arrived before the Hall Master's private study.

"Hall Master, the Dragon Tiger Plaque Master has arrived."

Instead of a spoken reply, the heavy wooden doors swung open without a sound.

At the same moment, the rich, pungent scent of ink met Dokgo Jin's nose. Beyond the threshold lay a room engulfed in books. Towering bookshelves lined every wall, while scrolls and bamboo slips stood stacked in layers across the floor like the intricate arrays of a tactical formation.

At the center of it all, seated behind a low desk, a man wielded a calligraphy brush. He was a handsome middle-aged scholar-warrior, his dark hair bound up neatly without a single stray strand out of place. Beneath his deep blue robes, his aura rested as serene as the sea before a tempest—yet with a depth impossible to fathom. He radiated an air entirely unlike that of the Limitless Hall Master.

So that is the Master of Taehwa Hall.

Do Euncheon.

He was the only person in the Northern Heaven Alliance who shared the Alliance Leader's bloodline. Having lived his entire life unwed, the Alliance Leader had no children of his own; Do Euncheon was not his son, but his nephew. Originally, the Alliance Leader had no intention of entangling his kin in the treacherous political currents of the Alliance. Yet upon witnessing Do Euncheon's extraordinary potential, he had ultimately accepted him as his second disciple. It was an honor made possible only because Do Euncheon possessed a martial genius that rivaled that of the Limitless Hall Master.

"You may enter," the escort said.

"Thank you."

As the warrior withdrew, Dokgo Jin stepped quietly into the chamber. As if waiting for that very cue, the heavy wooden doors swung shut behind him without a whisper. No servant attended the entrance; the Master of Taehwa Hall had moved them from afar through telekinetic true qi. It was an astonishingly precise display of inner energy.

The room was steeped in profound silence.

Do Euncheon did not stay his hand even after Dokgo Jin entered. Only the soft scratching of bristles sweeping across paper broke the stillness. Though he projected no overt aura, his mere presence exerted a peculiar weight that caused the surrounding air to sink heavy and taut.

Dokgo Jin waited without a trace of impatience, watching him calmly.

At last, setting down his brush, the Master of Taehwa Hall slowly lifted his head. A clear, fathomless gaze fell upon Dokgo Jin.

"Welcome, Dragon Tiger Plaque Master. I am Do Euncheon, master of Taehwa Hall."

Dokgo Jin clasped his hands in a respectful salute.

"Greetings, Hall Master."

"Take a seat."

"Thank you."

Dokgo Jin drew back a chair and seated himself opposite him. Do Euncheon observed his every movement with quiet scrutiny. Only when Dokgo Jin met his gaze did the Hall Master finally speak.

"With this, the Dragon Tiger Plaque Master has met all three of the Alliance's Hall Masters. Is that not so?"

A sharp glint flashed in Dokgo Jin's eyes at the unexpected question, but he betrayed no sign of agitation.

"I had heard the Hall Master was living in seclusion, yet it seems that is hardly the case."

"Remaining within these walls does not mean I have sealed my eyes and ears. How could I fail to take an interest in the Dragon Tiger Plaque Master, of all people?"

"How unexpected. I was unaware I had drawn the attention of the Master of Taehwa Hall."

"As the second to hold the Dragon Tiger Plaque, it would be a lie to say I harbored no interest in the third." Do Euncheon's eyes narrowed slightly. "So, why did you seek an audience with me? Or should I ask why you have sought out all three Hall Masters in succession?"

Dokgo Jin had anticipated that someone would eventually ask this question, and he had prepared an answer well in advance.

"I was curious."

"Curious?"

Dokgo Jin nodded. "I wished to see what manner of men the Alliance Leader's three disciples were. I have heard the rumors, of course, but I prefer to judge with my own eyes."

"You sought out the three Hall Masters one after another out of mere curiosity? Do you expect me to believe that?"

Dokgo Jin's eyes flashed with deliberate resolve.

"It was to determine whom I should serve as my lord."

A spark of intrigue lit Do Euncheon's eyes. "Oh?"

"To be frank, I originally intended to observe the three of you only after rising higher through the ranks. But fortune favored me, and my standing grew faster than expected—quickly enough to catch the eye of the Cloud Sea Hall Master."

Do Euncheon offered a faint smile and nodded. "My junior brother has always had an insatiable appetite for young talent."

"The Cloud Sea Hall Master was indeed an exceptional man. Yet I could not pledge myself on the spot. If I am to serve, I believed it best to serve the man closest to becoming the next Alliance Leader."

An ambitious youth seeking to climb higher by personally vetting his future master—it was an answer adroitly woven from truth and deception. Even Do Euncheon could not peer into Dokgo Jin's innermost thoughts, and the explanation aligned seamlessly with his outward path.

Do Euncheon nodded. "An answer ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠much like what I expected. Given your past deeds, it is certainly plausible. And yet, I cannot shake the feeling that there is more to it than that."

Fortunately for Dokgo Jin, the Hall Master chose not to pry any deeper.

"So, now that you see me in person, what is your impression?"

At first glance, Do Euncheon exuded the detached elegance of a reclusive scholar, yet beneath that exterior pulsed the domineering force characteristic of the Northern Heaven Alliance's paramount experts.

"You are far more formidable than I envisioned."

"Heh, there is no need for empty flattery. Compared to my fierce, ambitious Eldest Senior Brother or my meticulous junior brother, I am hardly someone worth praising."

Dokgo Jin remained silent.

"If you truly seek a lord to serve, I would advise choosing between the two of them."

It was a startling recommendation. Dokgo Jin could not help but ask, "Does the Master of Taehwa Hall have no ambition for the Alliance Leader's seat?"

Do Euncheon shook his head. "Others may ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠think what they will, but I hold no such ambition. As long as I can contribute to the Alliance's hegemonic path, I am content."

Dokgo Jin could not easily determine whether those words were genuine or a calculated facade.

"By the way... how did you find the Stone Monkey Palm?"

Surprise flickered across Dokgo Jin's face at the abrupt change of subject.

"You know of the Stone Monkey Palm?"

"Of course. When Eldest Senior Brother constructed Mugeuk Gate, he asked me to test it." A subtle smile touched Do Euncheon's lips. "When I subdued the Vajra Bronze Golems, he threw quite a fit. I heard he even hounded Master Yu Byeok, the Divine Mechanist, to reinforce the chamber further."

The implication was unmistakable: though unofficial, the first person to breach Mugeuk Gate had been Do Euncheon himself.

Which means... the Master of Taehwa Hall also acquired the Stone Monkey Palm.

"Senior Brother is truly a genius," Do Euncheon continued. "Impressed by the sheer intricacy of the Stone Monkey Palm, I attempted to create something comparable. Yet it proved extraordinarily difficult."

Another piece of the puzzle fell into place for Dokgo Jin.

So that was why. I wondered why he granted an audience so readily—he already knew I had cleared Mugeuk Gate.

"And did you complete it?"

The corners of Do Euncheon's lips curved upward.

"That is precisely why I agreed to meet with the Dragon Tiger Plaque Master."

Before the words had finished leaving his lips, Do Euncheon's hand moved.

There was no sound, not even the whisper of torn air. Yet across Dokgo Jin's vision, the man's fingertips seemed to splinter into dozens of phantom hands, surging forward like a cresting wave. While the Stone Monkey Palm dazzled and misled opponents with eccentric, erratic trajectories, Do Euncheon's technique was like a meticulously woven net.

Instinctively, Dokgo Jin leaned back, but evading entirely from a seated position was impossible.

Have it your way, then.

Without hesitation, Dokgo Jin unleashed the Stone Monkey Palm.

His bizarre, shifting palm forms collided head-on with Do Euncheon's precise assault.

A sharp vortex of qi whipped through the study, causing the books and scrolls on the desk to flutter frantically in the violent draft. Yet the clash did not halt there.

In a mere fraction of an instant, dozens of exchanges flashed back and forth. Countless hand shadows intertwined in midair, blurring together in a dizzying storm.

Do Euncheon's hand returned smoothly to its place. As if he had never moved at all, his blue robes hung perfectly motionless.

"You did not earn the Dragon Tiger Plaque for nothing. You have truly mastered it." Do Euncheon nodded with clear satisfaction. "This is what I devised after dissecting the Stone Monkey Palm—the Shadow-Capturing Hand. How does it seem to your eyes?"

Dokgo Jin did not answer immediately. During the exchange, he had managed to seize a strand of the Hall Master's true qi, and deciphering its nature demanded his full concentration. After a brief pause, Dokgo Jin spoke before the silence stretched awkward.

"...Astounding. It is a supreme art fully worthy of rivaling the Stone Monkey Palm."

If the Stone Monkey Palm was a martial art of ever-shifting 'points,' the Shadow-Capturing Hand was an art of a dense, interlocking 'plane.'

A technique born specifically to counter the Stone Monkey Palm.

The eccentric, unpredictable trajectories of the Stone Monkey Palm were systematically hemmed in and smothered by the oppressive spatial pressure of the Shadow-Capturing Hand. Had Do Euncheon not stayed his hand just now, the Stone Monkey Palm would have inevitably been suppressed.

His competitive spirit is undeniably real.

Yet that did not mean the Shadow-Capturing Hand was the superior martial art. It was simply a matter of conflicting natures.

In terms of sheer martial perfection, the Stone Monkey Palm stands a level above.

Though elaborate and dazzling, the Shadow-Capturing Hand lacked the transcendent ingenuity of Jin Cheonseong's creation. The internal energy economy told the same story: the Stone Monkey Palm could be unleashed with a mere wisp of inner strength, whereas the Shadow-Capturing Hand consumed far greater reserves.

Still, Do Euncheon appeared thoroughly gratified merely by having seized the upper hand.

"My business with you is concluded. Whom you choose to follow is entirely up to you, but do ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠not forget: choosing neither is also a path."

It was a parting remark heavy with implication.

"Understood, Hall Master."

Clasping his hands in a respectful bow, Dokgo Jin took his leave.

With his meeting with the Master of Taehwa Hall concluded, Dokgo Jin had at last confronted all three Hall Masters. Curiously, none of the three resembled the succession contenders he had vaguely imagined.

Not one of them betrayed blind greed for the position of Alliance Leader.

Even the Cloud Sea Hall Master, who had openly proclaimed his ambition for the seat, had shown neither anxious desperation nor ravenous hunger for power.

Perhaps the three Hall Masters themselves never wanted a battle for succession in the first place.

Three towering trees stood firmly rooted in their soil, yet harsh winds from all sides battered their branches, artificially whipping up a tempest. To Dokgo Jin, however, who became the next Alliance Leader was a secondary matter.

When Do Euncheon had deployed the Shadow-Capturing Hand, his qi net had cast wide in all directions, allowing Dokgo Jin to absorb a trace of his true qi without difficulty. The Hall Master's inner energy was a biting Yin-Cold Qi. It had momentarily frozen Dokgo Jin's blood vessels, which had been the real reason he could not answer Do Euncheon's question right away.

Yang qi, Yin qi, and Lightning qi.

To an outsider, one would have assumed the three disciples hailed from completely different sects.

Then what kind of martial art does the Alliance Leader cultivate?

Curiosity stirred within him, but now was not the time to dwell on it.

There was no demonic qi within Do Euncheon's true qi, either.

With this, it was proven beyond doubt that all three Hall Masters were untainted by demonic arts.

"Hmm."

He had suspected as much deep down. From the perspective of the Kunlun Demon Palace, forcing traitors to cultivate demonic arts was the most foolproof method of keeping them under absolute control. Yet looking at it from the other side, doubts remained. Would men striving to stand ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠at the pinnacle of the Northern Heaven Alliance truly cultivate demonic arts, taking on the mortal risk of exposure and the constant danger of qi deviation?

None of the three Hall Masters Dokgo Jin had met were foolish enough to make such a clumsy gamble.

Cutting short his fruitless contemplation, Dokgo Jin resumed walking. His destination was none other than the Cloud Sea Hall.