Each to Their Own Purpose
The Hidden Dragon Martial Library. Situated at the very heart of the Wulin Alliance Headquarters alongside the Alliance Leader's Hall, its security was even tighter than that of the hall itself. Led by the Zhuge Clan, various formation masters had laid down intricate arrays, while first-generation disciples sent from each major sect took turns standing guard.
There was only one reason they went to such lengths: the treasures stored within the Hidden Dragon Martial Library were none other than martial arts manuals.
Back when the Wulin Alliance was still known as the Orthodox Alliance, various sects had voluntarily contributed their own manuals. For the future of the Orthodox Jianghu. Under that banner, numerous martial arts were gathered, and upon this foundation, countless righteous heroes were born.
Later, as the Alliance gained the recognition of the Imperial Court, manuals bestowed by the Emperor were added. Even the heterodox and demonic arts recovered after defeating the Sun Moon Sect and other wicked factions were stored in the library. Thus, the heavy security was only natural. Naturally, entry was strictly restricted, and no one could pass without authorization from a select few high-ranking officials.
"Hello."
And a young woman, So Yeong-yeong, was one of the exceptions to this rule. At her polite bow, the two martial artists guarding the library reacted. Both were Taoists clad in robes, but their attire differed. The one who gave a half-hearted nod was from the Jongnam Sect, while the man who waved back warmly was from the Mount Hua Sect.
The Mount Hua warrior is always so kind. Though she never had the chance to hold a proper conversation with them, she had become familiar with their faces from her frequent trips back and forth. The same went for the other martial artists who took shifts. However, most of them either brushed off her greetings or ignored her entirely.
Is it because I don't know martial arts and come from a humble family? She often found herself spiraling into such gloomy thoughts. Yeong-yeong did not realize that their coldness was not born of arrogance, but was rather a deliberate effort to avoid forming personal attachments. She simply grumbled to herself and headed inside to do her work.
"Ah."
Upon entering the library, she noticed an earlier visitor. Amidst the thick scent of paper and ink, a cascade of black hair swayed like the fine bristles of a brush. The visitor's partially revealed face was strikingly pale, seeming to radiate light whenever it caught the dim illumination. A beauty recognizable even from behind. As Yeong-yeong watched, her attention shifted from the stranger's appearance to their actions.
That section is for sword techniques. The young woman standing before the bookshelves was repeatedly pulling out hand-copied manuals, flipping through them, and sliding them back in. What is she doing? Yeong-yeong's mood soured. As the caretaker responsible for organizing and maintaining the Hidden Dragon Martial Library, she worried that the precious manuals might get damaged. The fact that this visitor looked quite young only added to her concern.
Right. I should say something. This was not a place just anyone could enter. Anyone allowed inside the Hidden Dragon Martial Library had to be either an outstanding martial artist or the child of a highly prestigious family. She would have to be as polite and respectful as possible. Intending to ask her to handle the manuals with care, Yeong-yeong took a step forward. Step by step, she approached. But as she drew closer, she sensed something unusual. It took a few more steps before she realized what it was.
A scent. Cutting through the musty smell of old books was a crisp, refreshing fragrance. It was said that the scent of Yang Guifei, the legendary beauty of the Tang Dynasty, had utterly captivated Emperor Xuanzong and thrown the capital of Chang'an into a frenzy. The young woman standing before her possessed a similar allure. It was like standing in a snow-covered bamboo forest in the dead of winter. The clean, cool fragrance instantly cleared Yeong-yeong's mind. She approached with a dazed expression as the stranger slid another book back onto the shelf. At that moment—
"Excuse me."
"Ah."
A voice called out to her. Snapping out of her reverie, Yeong-yeong turned her head.
"Kyaaaah!"
She shrieked. Standing in the shadows was a monstrous figure looking down at her. A giant of a man, easily two heads taller than Yeong-yeong. He had fierce, bulging eyes and lips that looked like two thick caterpillars pressed together. His skin was so pitch-black, as if smeared with charcoal, that he was barely distinguishable from the surrounding darkness. Having never seen a Kunlun Slave before, Yeong-yeong saw him as nothing less than a demon. Terrified, she lost her balance and began to fall. Or rather, she would have fallen.
"Ah."
Yeong-yeong froze in shock. Strands of unfamiliar hair brushed gently against her face. It was the young woman she had intended to speak to. The woman had reached out to catch her, her other hand sliding smoothly around Yeong-yeong's waist to support her.
"Are you alright?"
Enveloped in that sudden rush of fragrance, Yeong-yeong could only stare. Like a pale blue moon rising in a silent night sky, a pair of brilliant blue eyes gazed down at her.
From that day forward, a strange rumor began to circulate among the servants of the Wulin Alliance. The topic of conversation, discussed eagerly by men and women alike, was a beautiful martial artist of unknown origin. As more eyewitness accounts were added, the tale grew larger and larger. They called her the Jade-Eyed Sword Princess.
It was quite some time before this rumor reached Yoo Jeong's ears. It also happened to be the very day a storm of swords swept through the Phoenix Squad.
"I didn't expect to run into you here."
"Indeed, Lady Yoo."
Having stepped out of the Hidden Dragon Martial Library, Yoo Jeong spoke first, and the giant beside him nodded. The man possessed a highly familiar face. His unforgettable appearance played a part, but they had also been traveling companions, if only for a short while.
"Young Hero Byeok."
Byeok So-gun. The world called him a Kunlun Slave. With his dark skin and curly hair, the adopted son of the Byeok Clan was a connection forged through Goegelgae.
"So your business was here at the Hidden Dragon Martial Library?"
Yoo Jeong was secretly surprised as he asked. The Hidden Dragon Martial Library housed many excellent martial arts. Because of this, entry was permitted only with the Alliance Leader's explicit authorization. When Yoo Jeong had first entered, he had sensed another visitor besides the guards inside, but he never imagined it would be Byeok So-gun. Seeing Yoo Jeong's surprised expression, Byeok So-gun gave an embarrassed smile.
"No, actually, I went to visit an acquaintance of my father's, and he introduced me to this place."
"I see. Ah, I didn't mean to sound condescending or question your presence here."
"I know. I know you are not that kind of person, Lady Yoo."
"How long have you been here?"
"It has been about three days."
The Hidden Dragon Martial Library was a place meant for studying and mastering manuals. Naturally, copying them or taking them outside was strictly forbidden. This meant everything had to be done within the library, and memorizing and understanding a manual took a considerable amount of time. To accommodate this, a small training room was set up on one side, and fasting pills were provided so visitors could stay for extended periods. In that light, three days was actually a relatively short stay.
"I hope I didn't disrupt your focus."
"Not at all. I was already planning to get some fresh air soon. Besides, I was the cause of the commotion just now, so please don't worry about it."
A commotion, indeed.
Byeok So-gun gave a bitter smile as he spoke. Perhaps he felt the lingering stares directed at him. He spoke in a calm, measured tone.
"I consider myself a member of the Byeok Clan, and I speak the language fluently. But I know that to others, my appearance is unfamiliar. What happened just now is something I am well used to."
It was exactly as he said. Byeok So-gun drew the attention of those around him, albeit in a completely different way than Yoo Jeong did. Many must have been terrified or viewed him as an ill omen. The very reason the two of them had left the library was because the young maid had been frightened out of her wits upon seeing him.
"..."
Faced with his quiet resignation, Yoo Jeong found it difficult to find the right words. Yet, it felt awkward to simply turn around and leave. Sensing his hesitation, Byeok So-gun was the first to change the subject.
"Were you looking at sword techniques?"
"Yes. I thought they might be of some help."
"It seems you didn't find the martial art you were looking for."
"Pardon?" Yoo Jeong asked back.
"You seemed to just glance through them before putting them back."
Byeok So-gun mimicked the motion of pulling out and replacing a book. Yoo Jeong let out an understanding "Ah" and nodded.
"I only came to expose myself to various martial arts, so I was simply memorizing them."
"What?"
This time, the roles were reversed. Byeok So-gun asked again, wondering if he had misheard. But realizing it was no joke, he asked in sheer astonishment, "You memorized all of them?"
"Yes."
Even as Byeok So-gun had spotted Yoo Jeong and walked over, Yoo Jeong had been putting back one manual, pulling out another, and then replacing that one too. She memorized an entire book in that brief span of time?
Unaware of—or perhaps indifferent to—Byeok So-gun's shock, Yoo Jeong sighed.
"I've looked through about a hundred volumes, but they weren't of much help."
Byeok So-gun stood with his mouth agape, utterly dumbfounded by the absurd claim. Yet, Yoo Jeong was entirely serious.
In heroic tales, people always stumble upon peerless martial arts in places like this.
There were indeed some decent techniques. But they were only decent. Collecting martial arts for the future of the Wulin was a noble sentiment, but martial artists were notoriously obsessive about keeping their techniques secret. There were even rumors that the great sects deliberately avoided writing down their ultimate secrets, passing them down solely through word of mouth to prevent leakage. In the end, the martial arts they contributed to the Alliance were above basic techniques but far below their true secret arts. It was only natural. A secret art was the very foundation of a sect; if it were leaked, the sect's survival would be threatened.
The martial arts bestowed by the Imperial Court were no different, and any truly dangerous heterodox or demonic techniques would have been filtered out beforehand and stored elsewhere. While what remained would still be of immense help to a rising young star of the Jianghu, Yoo Jeong was far beyond the level of a mere rising star.
At best, these might be useful when I'm teaching So-eun.
To think he had made that promise just for this. Yoo Jeong was deeply disappointed.
He tricked me just to drag me into the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering.
Though Abbot Goeng-ryo appeared to be a wise and venerable monk, he possessed the slyness of an old fox. He must have anticipated this outcome. Even if Yoo Jeong went to confront him, the monk would surely play dumb.
In short, he had been played.
Letting out a heavy sigh, Yoo Jeong looked at Byeok So-gun. He had mentioned gaining access to the library through an acquaintance. Come to think of it, Yoo Jeong didn't actually know what kind of martial arts Byeok So-gun practiced.
"What were you looking at, Young Hero Byeok?" he asked.
"Ah."
Only when those blue eyes turned back to him did Byeok So-gun realize he was still staring like an idiot. He quickly composed himself.
"I was examining internal cultivation methods."
"That is unexpected."
"Haha."
Like any other martial art, every cultivation method possessed its own unique nature and mental imagery. Therefore, the harmony between one's primary martial art and their cultivation method was of utmost importance. For instance, what would happen if one tried to perform the gentle, yielding techniques of the Wudang Sect using the fierce and domineering cultivation method of the Paeng Clan? Not even half of its true power would manifest.
Aside from pride, it was for these practical reasons that the martial artists of the great sects and noble clans never lightly practiced other martial arts. Even if they studied them, it was merely for reference.
Yet, why was a member of the Byeok Clan looking into other internal cultivation methods?
As the question arose, a memory flashed through Yoo Jeong's mind.
—Isn't that martial art incomplete because its oral mnemonics were lost?
It was what Goegelgae had said back at the tavern where they first met.
Seeing the shift in Yoo Jeong's gaze, Byeok So-gun nodded.
"You are correct. It is to restore my family's martial art, the Thunderbolt Divine Art."
As he spoke, the proud, imposing demeanor Byeok So-gun had shown at the tavern was gone, replaced by a faint, self-deprecating smile.