Converging Bonds (2)
Even as December rolled in, Baek Su-gyeong's daily routine hadn't changed much. Teaching Yi Jeon-hwi what he could, mediating the subtle tensions between the three women, and writing the next volume of Wudang Sword Hero. He squeezed in some light exercise now and then, but that was the gist of his days. He might stay at the Luoyang branch of Gyeongun Merchant Group or at the Yongmun Escort Bureau's annex, but the basic framework of his life remained steady.
But that was just until recently.
"You're talking about holding the Yongmun Assembly, sir?"
Baek Su-gyeong's question drew a nod of confirmation from Yi Jeon-hyo.
"It would be an honor beyond measure if Master Baek graced us with your presence..."
"...Hmm."
Baek Su-gyeong sipped his tea, his face twisting into a slight frown of discomfort. The Yongmun Assembly. He wasn't well-versed in murim politics, but having stayed with the Yongmun Escort Bureau while tutoring Yi Jeon-hwi, he couldn't claim ignorance of it. In short, it was like a grand martial arts tournament in the old capital region, hosted by the Yongmun Escort Bureau with the imperial palace as a sponsor. It didn't stop there—famous Luoyang merchant houses and escort agencies piled on as additional backers. The scale was anything but small.
Originally, it had been a modest gathering for the heirs of various clans to build camaraderie under Yongmun's auspices. Over time, it had evolved into this full-blown tournament format, or so he'd heard. But usually, it wasn't held in the dead of winter like this.
Reading the doubt on Baek Su-gyeong's face, Yi Jeon-hyo explained.
"Various matters kept pushing it back this year, so we're only managing to hold the Yongmun Assembly right at the end of December."
"In this weather? That must be no small ordeal."
"With Her Highness the Princess gracing us in person at the palace's behest, we can't afford any lapses in preparation."
Ju Geum-ye’s name dropped like a stone, and Baek Su-gyeong felt his stomach twist in knots. Why her, of all people?
As if sensing his turmoil, Yi Jeon-hyo continued.
"Her Highness specifically named Master Baek as the reason for this assembly. She decided to hold it purely to see you."
"Pfft."
Baek Su-gyeong spat out his tea and stared at Yi Jeon-hyo in disbelief.
"Sir, did I hear that wrong?"
"It sounds like a jest, but it's the truth. Her Highness seems to have taken a profound interest in you, Master Baek."
"Ha, haha..."
Cold sweat trickled down the back of his neck. This was bad. For the first time in ages, his stomach truly churned.
I need... Pingwei Powder...
***
Of course, even with the Yongmun Assembly looming, Baek Su-gyeong's routine wouldn't shift much. He'd felt it back at the Murim Alliance too—appraising martial arts with his untrained eyes was pointless; he couldn't track the movements anyway. What good was honing his eye for detail without knowing inner cultivation methods?
So this time, he planned to quietly skip observing the assembly. Besides, it was time to pick up the pace on his writing. People expected Wudang Sword Hero to wrap between ten and twenty volumes, but Baek Su-gyeong aimed to tighten the schedule and end it around the early-to-mid teens if possible. It had ballooned beyond the original eight-volume plan thanks to the overwhelming response.
The content had grown richer for it, but that meant Baek Su-gyeong was dying under the workload.
"Whew... I really need some solid references. Wonder if there's anyone who knows Wudang techniques inside out. Maybe head to Wudang Mountain?"
Since it was a novel starring Wudang, combining research with a trip back to Hubei to climb the mountain made sense, Baek Su-gyeong mused.
"Kinda scary, though."
Life had flipped completely since Wudang Sword Hero. Wudang's status had transformed too, of course. Plenty there saw him as a benefactor, but surely not everyone did. That worry nagged at him. Not that he was going right away—it was just a passing concern.
"...The first draft of volume nine is almost done. So stiff."
Baek Su-gyeong rolled his aching shoulders. Right after finishing volume eight, he'd jumped into volume four of Little Immortal Hero Chronicles, wrapping that up recently before tackling volume nine.
Volume eight depicted the chaos on Wudang Mountain: the creation of the Jinmu Thirteen Swords and Hyeoncheon Wugeuk Divine Art, amid assaults from the Cheon-geuk Divine Cult and the lurking third force, the Nine Heavens Demon Palace.
Volume nine would flip the tide, with Jin-un and his Wudang allies turning the desperate situation around through heroic feats.
"It'll cover the clash between Nine Heavens Demon Palace and Cheon-geuk Divine Cult too, but the real stars are the Wudang disciples' exploits."
Wudang Sword Hero was thoroughly a tale of Wudang, by Wudang, for Wudang. He'd built Jin-un's circle almost entirely from Wudang figures. Up to now, Jin-un had shone as the lone hero smashing the cult's foothold to save the jianghu. From here, it would show Wudang and the righteous sects backing him.
It might irk Shaolin or other sects, but the plot held water logically.
"The murim always forms righteous alliances against threats. Hmm, not sure if that fits the current Central Plains, though."
Baek Su-gyeong gathered intel in his spare time. He'd read records of major past incidents, like the righteous coalition against the Demonic Cult that decided the old murim's fate. But had such alliances truly formed? He wasn't sure yet. Time to ask Namgung So-min or Gal Ye-ryeong.
"Should inquire ahead. Amazing how the story rolls on with such slapdash work."
He marveled at how his half-baked inventions kept the narrative spinning. Back in the modern world, he'd never drawn panels himself, just directed the big picture, earning "genius author" labels. Genius? If he were one, his debut novel wouldn't have flopped so hard.
After stretching out his stiff body, Baek Su-gyeong sat back down.
"This next part is crucial."
The rise of Cheon-geuk Divine Cult, Nine Heavens Demon Palace's surge, Murim Alliance's fall. From here, the righteous-evil-unorthodox-demonic balance shattered into chaos. Enter the Huncheon Scheme.
The plan of the cult leader—Wudang Sword Hero's final boss, the Heavenly Demon. It aimed to drag the jianghu from a turbid world through chaos, to end times, to annihilation. The Huncheon Scheme was the spark.
"The cult's push into the Central Plains was set before Jin-un's debut, with periodic raids sowing disorder. That turned the murim into a turbid world."
Baek Su-gyeong's brush dotted the reference book. The Huncheon Scheme sealed the shift to chaos. And it tied directly to the cult and Heavenly Demon's dream: forging a new murim.
"Chaos sparked by the Heavenly Demon's overwhelming might and schemes... The power drain from Nine Heavens Demon Palace forces clashing with the righteous coalition, plus the Alliance's infighting and collapse."
It was a gripping setup, all too plausible. People splintered under pressure, and power grabs via coups weren't rare.
So volume nine onward would accelerate.
"Need to outline the plot properly, or it'll be trouble."
His brush flew across the plotting ledger. Plots were vital for writers—big-picture frameworks or chapter skeletons.
Baek Su-gyeong sketched major arcs, filling gaps on the fly. He ad-libbed interstitial events.
Setting the brush down, he crossed his arms in thought.
"Even accelerating from nine, unpacking this theme fully will take time. Can't wrap it in one or two volumes."
He needed tweaks. The story ramped up with the cult as a massive threat, Nine Heavens Demon Palace rising, and Alliance strife hitting the righteous factions hard. Detailing it all would eat pages.
After pondering, Baek Su-gyeong decided.
"Guess I'll have to grind harder."
No duping readers, and cramming it into standard volumes wasn't feasible. More work for him.
A writer's duty was entertaining readers, nothing else.
"From nine on, bulk up the volumes. They'll get thicker."
After reviewing volume nine's draft, he'd copy it for So Ssaang-a. He jotted the outline, then stood.
Holed up finishing the draft, his body ached. Stretching wasn't enough.
"Too focused. Need a walk."
Rubbing his stiff shoulders, Baek Su-gyeong stepped out of the room.