Demon Yin Blood Shadow (2)
The clash between Namgung Som-in and the Peng family warrior gave Baek Su-gyeong considerable inspiration. It was especially striking to witness in person the collision of the hegemonic aura of the Northern Peng family's martial arts—long depicted only in wuxia novels—with the Namgung family's techniques that seamlessly blended soft sword, quick sword, heavy sword, and hard sword.
The Murim Alliance disintegrates into chaos, the Five Great Families and Nine Great Sects reorganize... and amid that, the Heavenly Pole Divine Church advances, allied with factions from the Nine Heavens Demon Palace invading the murim world...
Starting from volume 11, the Mixing Heaven Realm enters its full-fledged phase. They'd already transitioned from the Turbid World to the Mixing World, and the plan to advance to the End Times was steadily progressing under the hand of the Heavenly Pole Divine Church's leader, the Heavenly Demon.
In that process, scenes would depict Jin-un and his loyal Jinmu Pavilion disciples repelling the vanguard of the Heavenly Pole Divine Church targeting the headquarters of the Five Great Families and Nine Great Sects.
The first target should be the Northern Peng family.
He planned to build the plot around the Heavenly Pole Divine Church's offensive systematically dismantling the Five Great Families, starting with the Northern Peng stronghold. The Northern Peng would tenaciously resist, buying time until Jin-un arrived. In the dire crisis of the Peng family headquarters on Dang Mountain—their impregnable fortress—being besieged, a hero would appear like a comet, ignoring the petty rivalries between the Five Great Families and Nine Great Sects.
Of course, building up to that would require some setup, so volume 11 might end up thicker than expected.
I should jot down the plot outline in advance.
"Teacher. Are you thinking about your work?"
At Namgung Som-in's question, Baek Su-gyeong nodded.
"I was pondering the developments for volume 11."
"Volume 10's shocks alone are no small matter... Are you sure it'll be okay, Pavilion Master?"
Her worried expression made him wonder if this was the same So Ssaang-a who'd seen the manuscript of Wudang Sword Hero. And understandably so—even if he'd labeled it mere fantasy, there was no guarantee the events of Wudang Sword Hero wouldn't unfold exactly in the jianghu. The Ilwol Church, positioned as the Heavenly Pole Divine Church equivalent, had firmly nested in Xinjiang, and aside from the Kunlun Sect on Kunlun Mountain near the Tianshan range in Qinghai Province, no other sects played a significant defensive role. Since the Tianshan Sect, which had once nested in the Tianshan Mountains, was wiped out in the old Great Murim Demonic Cult War, no new sects had taken root there.
Baek Su-gyeong said, "I hope Wudang Sword Hero is read as just a simple novel, not some prophetic scripture."
That was his earnest wish. If something like the Murim Alliance's disintegration actually happened, the righteous faction's territory would plunge into utter chaos. The Alliance vanishing due to infighting between the Nine Great Sects and Eight Great Families? Even a stray dog would laugh at that. It was a development premised on fictional scenarios that could only occur in imagination.
But if fools took it as prophecy and acted on it, it wasn't entirely impossible to realize.
That was what Baek Su-gyeong truly feared.
"It's nothing but fantasy. Purely. It's strange to take it as reality."
"But still..."
Baek Su-gyeong gave a wry smile at So Ssaang-a's words.
"Of course, I know that too. It won't be that easy. That's what makes it so tough."
"Because Teacher's writing influences the Central Plains too strongly..."
"That's the problem. Trouble brews in places I never imagined. My head's killing me."
Baek Su-gyeong sighed and shook his head.
The success of Wudang Sword Hero was a good thing. But the side effects were more severe than anticipated. Word had it that blind devotees of Wudang Sword Hero were emerging. And ever since writing it, he'd become entangled with the murim world.
For Baek Su-gyeong personally, success had become akin to poison.
Still, he had no intention of stopping his writing.
"Waaaaah!"
"Mysterious Immortal Young Hero! Mysterious Immortal Young Hero! Mysterious Immortal Young Hero!"
"He's not even past thirty, yet how is he so strong...!"
Baek Su-gyeong halted at the cheers drifting from near the sparring stage hosting the Dragon Bracket matches. Mysterious Immortal Young Hero. Curiosity piqued at the unfamiliar title.
Namgung Som-in smiled, noticing Baek Su-gyeong's gaze shift to the stage now that he'd stopped.
"There's still time before Lady Gal's match, so it should be fine to watch, Teacher."
"Ahem. It's not that I particularly want to watch or anything..."
"It's obvious, Pavilion Master."
Baek Su-gyeong cleared his throat awkwardly at So Ssaang-a's words. There was plenty of time before Gal Ye-ryeong's match, so watching So Seon-ha's wouldn't hurt. Having broadened his horizons at the Murim Alliance Sparring Tournament, this Yongmun Conference would surely benefit him too.
Baek Su-gyeong moved to a spot with a good view of the stage, followed by Namgung Som-in and So Ssaang-a.
VIP seats.
Ju Geum-ye gazed down at the sparring stage with somewhat dissatisfied eyes. Spotting the displeasure in the gaze of the current dynasty's sole crown princess, the Fallen Phoenix Commandery Princess, wasn't hard. Her expression openly broadcast her discomfort.
"......"
Sometimes, silence cuts sharper than a blade. This was one such moment.
What was she pondering? What had soured her mood so?
When it was none other than Fallen Phoenix Commandery Princess Ju Geum-ye in a foul temper, it meant unwanted sparks could fly. Thus, the Yongmun family warriors guarding the VIP seats and the Imperial Guard warriors assigned to her protection couldn't help but feel anxious.
"I don't like this situation."
Was it the low level of the tournament? No, that wasn't it. The warriors gathered at the Yongmun Conference were excellent. There were even a few she'd love to recruit straight into the Imperial Guard.
The only pity was that most such talents belonged to the Nine Great Sects or Eight Great Families. Luring away members of the so-called prestigious sects of the jianghu wasn't easy. Even Mu Sang Sword Marquis Kyung Jo-yeom, the chief instructor overseeing the Imperial Guard, was a renowned powerhouse in the jianghu, yet dismissed and belittled somewhat due to his ronin origins.
Ju Geum-ye's voice reached the ear of Jin Yeong-ban, the leader of the scheming Imperial Guard warriors.
"Jin Yeong-ban."
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Why do you think Baek Su-gyeong is avoiding me?"
Mystery solved. Her interest was, as expected, fixed on Baek Su-gyeong. Jin Yeong-ban felt deep relief that it wasn't dissatisfaction with the tournament or the Yongmun family's hospitality. When royals started nitpicking, it never ended. Having served other enfeoffed royals besides the Fallen Phoenix Commandery Princess, he knew that all too well.
"He seems burdened."
"Is it my status that's the issue?"
"Your Highness."
Ju Geum-ye gave a wry smile at Jin Yeong-ban's words. It was true that being a princess of the Ju imperial house felt like such a massive shackle.
"The palace has far more to offer Baek Su-gyeong than anyone else. I can't fathom why he'd want to remain a hidden sage of the murim."
"Those immersed in the murim are hard for us to understand."
The Imperial Guard—a elite group mastering various palace-originated martial arts, protecting the emperor, royals, and high officials. They didn't stop at protection; they handled arrests, interrogations, and surveillance. Essentially, they were the emperor's personal guard and police force.
Thus, murim folk naturally harbored deep doubts about their conduct.
At Jin Yeong-ban's words, Ju Geum-ye turned her gaze to the vast sparring stage below.
"Is that so..."
Jin Yeong-ban said, "I don't understand why you insist on bringing him into the palace."
"Hehe..."
Ju Geum-ye smiled wryly. No one but her father, Emperor Myeongjeong, could comprehend it. People are drawn to others without grand reasons. Of course, her feelings toward Baek Su-gyeong were at the stage of fondness, not yet love.
Moreover, bringing him into the palace would leverage his immense influence in the murim to shift the power dynamics between the court and the jianghu. That calculation was part of it, but truthfully, she was more eager to read the next volume quickly.
"It's a secret."
Jin Yeong-ban fell silent at her words. What was the point of pressing further? She was royalty. If she said so, it was so.
"Still, considering Baek Su-gyeong's personality... bringing him into the palace won't be easy."
One thing was clear: having rejected her once, Baek Su-gyeong wouldn't bend no matter how many times she pressed. That was the report from the investigation he'd ordered through the Eastern Depot.
Baek Su-gyeong was peculiar—strong against the strong, weak against the weak.
In short, coercion through authority or power wouldn't win his heart, as confirmed by the Eastern Depot's report.
Ju Geum-ye rested her chin on her hand, lost in thought.
The report said he appears to be someone who never learned martial arts...
Coming from the Eastern Depot, no less, it was likely accurate. If true, had he never learned martial arts, or had he lost them? That was a crucial question.
If he'd lost them, she could keep him close under the pretext of aiding his recovery. But if not...
Suddenly, Ju Geum-ye snapped her head up.
"!!"
Whiiiiiing.
A spear hurtled toward her with terrifying speed, shattering into fragments under her vermilion aura-infused hand. The object scattered into iron shards and wooden splinters, whirling everywhere.
As Ju Geum-ye rose, screams flooded her ears, followed by shouts.
"It's the Blood Church!!"