Chapter 719: I Intend to Bring Down the Entire Cheonmu Alliance
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 719: I Intend to Bring Down the Entire Cheonmu Alliance
Click. Clack.
Joo So-yang began to walk with elegant, measured steps.
After walking for some time, she came to a halt.
Stop.
She stood before a massive gate.
"Whew."
With a tense expression, she took a deep breath, trying to steady her fluttering heart.
Once her nerves had settled somewhat—
Knock. Knock. Knock.
She curled her small hand into a fist and tapped on the door.
"Who is it?"
An elderly man’s voice drifted out from inside the gate.
"…It is I."
Joo So-yang spoke, her voice trembling slightly.
"Is that you, So-yang?"
"Yes..."
"Come in."
Creeeeeak.
As soon as the man gave his permission, Joo So-yang pushed the gate open.
As the doors parted, the view of the interior entered her sight. The first thing she saw was a man who bore the clear marks of time upon his features.
"It has been a long while. Have you been well?"
As Joo So-yang stepped inside, the dignified-looking old man spoke with a gentle smile. He seemed genuinely pleased to see her after such a long time.
"…It has been too long, Great Hero."
Joo So-yang spoke with utmost politeness.
She had no choice but to be respectful. The old man before her was a long-time friend of her father—the former Palace Master of the Heavenly Moon Palace and a former leader of the Murim Alliance.
"Great Hero? You are being far too distant… Call me Uncle, just as you used to."
The old man continued with a soft smile. His eyes were filled with deep affection for Joo So-yang.
"How could I possibly… to someone of your stature, Great Hero…"
Joo So-yang replied with a look of humble reservation. This man had once stood even higher in rank than her father, a legendary master of the previous generation. How could she treat him with anything less than the highest regard?
"I am hurt… Many years may have passed, but I still think of you as my own daughter. It seems you do not feel the same."
The old man spoke with a trace of disappointment on his face. Though they shared no blood, he had always cherished her as his own. Seeing her act with such stiff formality made a wave of sadness wash over him.
"It’s not… like that at all…"
Joo So-yang shook her head quickly.
"If it’s not like that, then call me as you did before."
"…Uncle."
Joo So-yang finally stammered out the word, just as he wished.
"Hahaha! That’s more like it!"
Hearing her, the old man burst into a hearty, jovial laugh. He seemed quite satisfied with the situation.
"Uuuu…"
Joo So-yang felt a flush of embarrassment at using such an intimate title for a grand senior of the Murim.
After his laughter subsided, the old man’s expression turned curious.
"By the way, what brings you here?"
He asked, his eyes searching hers.
"…I have something to tell you."
"Something to tell me?"
The old man asked back, puzzled. He couldn't begin to guess what she wanted to say.
"…Uncle."
"Speak."
"Uncle… you are on my side, aren't you?"
Joo So-yang asked, her expression tight with tension.
"Of course I am. Whose side would I be on if not yours?"
The old man answered without a moment's hesitation. He had viewed her as a daughter for a long time. If he wasn't on her side, whose side would he be on? The very idea was preposterous.
"Even if I say something completely unbelievable… will you still take my side?"
"You are the wisest child I know. Even if what you say doesn't make sense at first, I believe there must be a reason behind it."
The old man spoke in a calm, steady tone. He had watched her grow since she was an infant. Because of that, he knew better than anyone how wise she was. He could trust her choices.
"…Whew."
Hearing his certain words, Joo So-yang lowered her head and let out a long, deep sigh. Then, she slowly raised her head and met the old man’s gaze with clear, sharp eyes.
"Uncle."
She slowly parted her lips.
"I intend to bring down the Cheonmu Alliance."
Joo So-yang spoke with eyes sparkling with grim determination.
"…Will you help me?"
Her voice trembled. It was such an outrageous thing to say that she feared he might refuse.
"I will help you."
The old man answered immediately, without any hesitation.
"It is a request from a girl who is like a daughter to me. How could I ignore it?"
"…Aren't you going to ask why?"
Joo So-yang asked, looking surprised.
"I’m sure you’ll tell me in your own time."
To the old man, the reason for destroying the Cheonmu Alliance wasn't what mattered. What mattered was the fact that Joo So-yang—his precious, daughter-like girl—had asked for his help.
"…Thank you, Uncle."
"Did I not tell you? If it is a request from someone as wise as you, I have no reason to hesitate."
Hearing his words, Joo So-yang felt her heart warm. The feeling of being completely trusted filled her with an overwhelming emotion.
"…Are you not even curious about the reason?"
"To be honest, I am curious…"
The old man finally let a bit of his inner thoughts show. He was indeed curious about why she suddenly wanted to tear down the Cheonmu Alliance. However, he had no intention of prying. Whatever the reason, it was the decision of a wise and prudent woman.
"You can tell me when you’re ready."
He spoke with a kind, fatherly smile.
"I want to tell you now."
Joo So-yang looked at him with steady eyes.
"Because you, Uncle… are someone who deserves to know."
The old man was more than qualified. He was a core figure of the Alliance who had officially declared the Cheonmu Alliance as the successor to the Murim Alliance while serving as its Vice Leader—a position he had held until it recently became vacant.
"Deserve to know, you say? Even though I abandoned the Alliance and left?"
The old man gave a self-deprecating smile.
"More than enough. In a way, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say the history of the Cheonmu Alliance began with you."
Joo So-yang’s eyes glittered as she spoke. If the old man hadn't formally recognized the Cheonmu Alliance as the successor to the Murim Alliance, it never would have grown to its current size. Countless power-hungry sects would have established their own organizations under the pretext of succeeding the Murim Alliance.
But because he had acknowledged them, the Cheonmu Alliance was able to easily seize everything the Murim Alliance had built. In that sense, the current Cheonmu Alliance truly did start with the man before her.
"Hahaha… Put that way, I suppose I can't say I lack the qualification."
The old man chuckled and conceded. He couldn't deny his role in the birth of the Cheonmu Alliance.
"Fine. Then let us hear the reason. Why do you wish to destroy the Cheonmu Alliance?"
He asked, his curiosity piqued.
"…Because Chivalry has completely vanished from the Cheonmu Alliance."
Joo So-yang spoke with a bitter expression. She had been part of the Cheonmu Alliance for nearly twenty years. Exposing its filth was not an easy task for her heart.
"Chivalry has vanished?"
The old man asked, looking puzzled. For Chivalry to have vanished so suddenly—what could that mean?
"Currently, the Cheonmu Alliance is no longer an organization for justice and Chivalry. It has degenerated into a political entity serving the interests of those in power."
Joo So-yang’s expression grew heavy.
"To maintain their power, they frame the innocent and do not hesitate to kill. It has become a gathering of the lowest dregs of humanity…"
Her voice was thick with discomfort. The Cheonmu Alliance was the legitimate successor to the Murim Alliance. For it to have fallen into being a playground for corrupt politicians was nothing short of an insult to the Murim Alliance’s legacy. It pained her deeply, as the Murim Alliance was the organization her father had spent his entire life building.
"…Is that the truth?"
The old man asked, his face etched with disbelief. He could hardly believe that a place claiming to uphold Chivalry and succeed the Murim Alliance could commit such foul and petty acts.
"It is the truth… Uncle."
Joo So-yang spoke with a grave expression. She began to tell him everything that had happened.
She told him how Lee Jae-won and the leadership, in their greed for power, had framed their own top disciple as a rapist and murderer, and later branded him a Public Enemy of the Murim to utterly destroy his reputation.
She told him how they had used a fake Jang Sam to stage a performance to quiet negative public opinion, and how they had taken two innocent lives in the process. She recounted everything she had experienced, without leaving out a single detail, adding the weight of her own anger and sorrow.
After some time, Joo So-yang fell silent. She had said everything she could. Now, the choice was the old man’s. Would he cooperate in bringing down the Cheonmu Alliance, or would he turn a blind eye and let it pass?
"…It is rotten."
The old man finally spoke. He expressed his feelings without filter. There was no other word to describe them but 'rotten.'
"Yes… it is rotten to the core."
Joo So-yang nodded in agreement.
"That is why the water needs to be changed. The rotten parts must be completely excised."
"…If that is the case, wouldn't it be better to just replace the leadership rather than destroying the entire Alliance?"
The old man asked, still trying to understand her full intent.
"Uncle, I cannot tolerate the very existence of the Cheonmu Alliance anymore."
Joo So-yang’s eyes flashed with a coldness like the bitter cold northern wind. She could not accept it. An alliance that neither revered nor practiced Chivalry—its very existence had become a disgrace. How could she leave such a place alone? It was unthinkable.
"…I see."
The old man nodded in understanding. Her point was valid. New wine should be put into new wineskins; only then can the flavor and aroma truly deepen. This logic aligned with the reason for destroying the Cheonmu Alliance. If everything she said was true, the Alliance was stained with irredeemable sins. Even if it were forcibly maintained, the people would never look upon it with favor. It was better to erase it entirely.
"What would you have me do?"
The old man asked, his curiosity now focused on the plan. She had already made up her mind. What role did she need him to play?
"Please summon all the former leaders who once belonged to the Murim Alliance."
"All of them?"
"Right now, I desperately need their help."
The current leadership would be purged. In their place, a new union would be born to drive out the Cheonmu Alliance and truly succeed the Murim Alliance. And those former leaders would take their places as the officials of this new union. Everything was about to change.
"…I will do my best."
The old man nodded. Most of the former leaders of the Murim Alliance had either gone into seclusion or retired from the martial world. Being asked to recruit them was a daunting task.
"I trust you… Uncle."
Joo So-yang spoke, her eyes sparkling like starlight. She felt the stage was being set, piece by piece, for Sun-woo to run wild to his heart's content.
'Please come quickly… Sun-woo… Your So-yang is waiting only for you.'
Longing began to fill her gaze.
*
"Then I shall take my leave… Uncle."
Joo So-yang bowed politely as she spoke.
"Yes, get home safely."
The old man nodded as he saw her off.
Creeeeeak.
Thud.
The sound of the hinges meeting signaled that the door was fully closed. She had vanished from his sight. The old man stood silently, staring at the door where she had been.
After a long silence—
"Incredible."
The old man spoke, his expression turning incredibly cold. He looked like a completely different person from the one who had welcomed Joo So-yang so warmly.
"Lee Jae-won… just how low can you sink?"
His eyes flashed with a chilling light. He had never imagined that Lee Jae-won’s depravity would be so bottomless.
Step. Step.
The old man slowly walked toward his desk.
Thud.
He sat in his chair, picked up a brush, and began to write on a sheet of paper. He started recording everything he had heard from Joo So-yang.
Snap.
Once he had written down all the facts, he slowly folded the paper. He took an envelope from his desk drawer, placed the letter inside, and sealed it. He was about to tuck the sealed letter into his robe.
"…I forgot the name."
He paused and pulled the envelope back out. He picked up the brush again and began to write a name on one side of the envelope in a bold, elegant script that exuded an air of antiquity.
On the envelope, the name Yoon Je-gyeom was written.