Chapter 35: The Fist King Joins Forces with a Murim Alliance Warrior
The Fist King Joins Forces with a Murim Alliance Warrior
Episode 35: The Fist King Joins Forces with a Murim Alliance Warrior
"The Murim Alliance has sent a summons."
Dan Woo-sung took the letter Lee Hwa-eon handed him and read it. Over ten days had passed since the dissolution of the Jeokye Union.
The contents of the letter were simple.
Since the Imperial Council had handed over Guyang Saeng, they needed direct testimony from Dan Woo-sung, who had been at the center of the incident, and thus demanded his personal appearance before the Murim Alliance.
Lee Hwa-eon asked with a worried expression.
"Well, I suppose you have to go?"
Dan Woo-sung replied.
"It's right for me to go. It seems they're struggling with the verdict. The Imperial Council is a third party, so that makes it even more complicated. But I won't go just yet."
"Is it really alright to refuse the Murim Alliance?"
"Send a reply first. Say that due to threatening circumstances at the merchant group, I cannot leave my post. Specifically, if the Guyang Clan were to attack, our forces would struggle to hold them off. If my presence is absolutely required, tell them to send first-class warriors from the Murim Alliance here. Then, while they guard the Silver River Merchant Group, I'll make the trip."
Only then did Lee Hwa-eon's expression brighten.
Having first-class warriors stationed wouldn't stop every master in the martial world, but their presence carried symbolic weight. Harming an Alliance member would mean declaring hostility against the Murim Alliance itself.
"I'll draft the letter and send it."
Dan Woo-sung nodded.
While the letter made its way back to the Murim Alliance and the first-class warriors traveled to the Silver River Merchant Group, Dan Woo-sung planned to focus on his training.
After consuming the Supreme Elixir, he had alternated between real combat and training, but more time was still needed.
It was time to prepare for the next stage. Dan Woo-sung hadn't relied solely on the White Lightning Ten Stages.
To face the pinnacle warriors, he needed to revisit the martial arts he had obsessed over in his past life. While refining the White Lightning Ten Stages to its ninth and tenth stages, he first intended to retrain in the Divided Mind Art.
This was to wield different martial arts in each hand simultaneously.
The reason for mastering the Divided Mind Art was for a secret technique called the Flower Transfer Divine Art.
The core of combat lay in alternating—or even simultaneously deploying—the White Lightning Ten Stages and the Flower Transfer Divine Art.
The Flower Transfer Divine Art originated from the concept of grafting flowering branches onto other trees. Its techniques were few, but it contained the profound mysteries of the highest martial arts. It required deep internal energy and was most effective when used in tandem with the White Lightning Ten Stages.
Flower Transfer referred to grafting a flowering branch onto another tree.
The Flower Transfer Divine Art involved repurposing an opponent's techniques, countering them, and even reflecting them back.
However, similar martial arts existed in other sects and clans.
The reason Dan Woo-sung sought to reclaim the Flower Transfer Divine Art was its ultimate secret: Void Grasping.
In the Flower Transfer Divine Art, this was expressed as the principle of "Grafting Flowers"—a seemingly peaceful concept meaning "to seize a distant flower."
But it was an advanced martial art requiring an immense level of internal energy.
Moreover, it was an essential technique when facing high-level masters wielding weapons.
Hence, the Divided Mind Art became crucial again.
With his right hand, he would unleash the White Lightning Ten Stages for offense, while his left would employ the Flower Transfer Divine Art to twist the trajectory of an opponent's weapon—or even seize it outright.
For Dan Woo-sung, this training was far more important than rushing to the Murim Alliance.
Even if he had known these arts in his past life...
He valued the body's muscle memory above all. Martial arts gained without enduring pain were prone to fatal mistakes in the heat of battle.
Cheol Myung-ho was busy, Chief Administrator Lee Hwa-eon was busy—but Dan Woo-sung, too, wasted not a single moment.
Dan Woo-sung only set out for the Murim Alliance after two months had passed.
His companion was a single man: Baek Han-gyeong, a member of the Murim Alliance. The man had only revealed his name and disclosed neither his affiliation nor rank.
Of course, as Dan Woo-sung had requested, elite warriors from the Murim Alliance remained stationed at the Silver River Merchant Group, guarding against a potential attack from the Guyang Clan. They had readily agreed, judging the threat plausible.
Dan Woo-sung spoke little, and Baek Han-gyeong was a man of even fewer words. Thus, their journey was one of silence.
The exchanges between them consisted of:
"Let's eat."
"Agreed."
"Let's go."
Only these three phrases were repeated. In a way, Baek Han-gyeong was quite an odd man himself. He showed little curiosity about how the young merchant prince had defeated the clan leader of the Guyang Clan—implying he didn't hold Guyang Saeng in high regard to begin with.
He was simply a man devoted to his duty.
Since they traveled by boat, they didn't use horses, nor did Baek Han-gyeong urge haste by employing Lightfoot Technique.
Yet, neither asked the other anything personal.
Baek Han-gyeong, however, remained constantly vigilant, as if accustomed to ambushes.
Dan Woo-sung quietly observed this behavior without comment.
Their uneventful journey changed on the third day at noon.
While walking down an ordinary street, Baek Han-gyeong suddenly stopped, muttered something under his breath, and froze mid-step.
"Lecherous Guest?"
He was staring intently at a man walking casually.
Baek Han-gyeong had memorized the appearances and distinguishing features of wanted criminals.
Dan Woo-sung turned and followed his gaze. He caught sight of Baek Han-gyeong's back—emblazoned with the bold character "盟" (Alliance). Displaying one's affiliation so openly was a declaration: Enemies of the Murim Alliance, come at me anytime.
Baek Han-gyeong, still fixated on the man, spoke at length for the first time.
"Stay here. I believe I've spotted a wanted criminal. I'll either kill him or bring him back."
Dan Woo-sung asked,
"A rogue martial artist?"
"Likely, but it's speculation. If he runs when I approach, he's definitely the criminal. I noticed his discomfort as he passed. His alias is Lecherous Guest—the Lecherous Guest."
"I'll follow."
Baek Han-gyeong stared at him.
"Do as you wish. I can't guarantee your safety. The mission comes first."
Dan Woo-sung nodded.
Baek Han-gyeong suddenly leapt into the air, kicked off a wall, and shot forward. The man in the distance glanced back—then bolted.
Both the pursuer and the pursued were fast.
The Murim Alliance's wanted list wasn't compiled solely by the Alliance itself. Sects and other organizations could submit names, crimes, and descriptions for registration. After investigators verified the claims, the criminal could be executed on sight anywhere.
However, Baek Han-gyeong didn't dismiss the possibility of a trap—the man wasn't wearing a disguise, and his discomfort had been noticeable. As the Murim Alliance's methods grew harsher, so did the retaliation from opposing factions. Many rogue martial artists took pride in capturing and killing Alliance members.
Still, Baek Han-gyeong didn't slow down.
If the fleeing man was Lecherous Guest, he had no intention of letting him go. Several of Baek Han-gyeong's juniors in the Murim Alliance had recently fallen victim to him.
After swiftly leaving the crowded streets behind, Baek Han-gyeong halted abruptly—because Lecherous Guest turned around as if waiting for him.
Lecherous Guest's face was unmistakable, with eyes grotesquely large.
Seeing his calm expression, Baek Han-gyeong silently drew his sword and scanned the surroundings. The Silver River Merchant Group's Grand Prince was nowhere in sight, but one-armed middle-aged swordsmen approached from both sides.
The moment Baek Han-gyeong saw them, he understood.
The current Murim Alliance leader had an eccentric habit—preferring to sever arms over killing opponents. There was no need for further explanation.
Given the swordsmen's advanced age, this grudge was likely an old one. Nothing surprising.
Baek Han-gyeong raised his sword vertically and spoke.
"Seniors, I hope you've been well. If you still draw breath, shouldn't you challenge the Alliance Leader again? What pitiful state is this, targeting a junior? And using a wanted criminal as bait—how disgraceful. That I don't know your reputations speaks volumes."
His words dripped with sarcasm—No wonder your names are forgotten if this is how you live.
One of the one-armed swordsmen smirked.
"Severing arms is the Alliance Leader's hobby. Sending him the heads of his members is ours."
Then, from a short distance away, a voice chimed in:
"Nice hobby."
Baek Han-gyeong's eyes widened slightly as he looked at Dan Woo-sung.
Huh?
He could understand Dan Woo-sung catching up—but appearing from the opposite direction was baffling. In an instant, Baek Han-gyeong and Dan Woo-sung had surrounded the three men.
A swordsman asked,
"Who are you? You're not with the Alliance."
Dan Woo-sung smiled.
In the past, martial world masters would have recognized the Fist King on sight—either kneeling or fleeing immediately. But now, why would they know some young merchant prince?
How convenient the world had become.
Dan Woo-sung replied in a calm tone.
"Someone whose hobby is breaking people like you."
Lecherous Guest stifled a laugh, covering his mouth.
"Pfft— Ah, my apologies. In front of my seniors..."
He gave the swordsmen a slight bow.
It seemed Lecherous Guest had agreed to their request to lure out a Murim Alliance member. Yet, his demeanor suggested he feared no one present.
Giggling, Lecherous Guest taunted the swordsmen.
"What difference does one more make? I know your skills, seniors. Well then, settle your differences nicely—I have urgent business, so I'll take my leave."
As Lecherous Guest prepared to flee using his famed Lightfoot Technique, Dan Woo-sung suddenly asked:
"Lecherous Guest, off to jerk off?"
Lecherous Guest's face twisted instantly.
"What?"
The term referred to physical self-gratification. Given Lecherous Guest's infamous alias—linked to crimes against women—the question was deliberately offensive.
Dan Woo-sung continued.
"Why so touchy? If not, whatever. A healthy man might do that."
Dan Woo-sung was adept at handling rogue martial artists.
Lecherous Guest forced a smile.
"Seniors 'Twin Blades of a Single Hand,' leave this one to me. He's not even a Murim Alliance member."
A swordsman replied.
"Do as you please. And our alias isn't 'Twin Blades of a Single Hand.'"
Lecherous Guest responded rudely.
"Ah, right. Don't care."
"You disrespectful brat."
"Is that really important right now?"
Lecherous Guest and the "Twin Blades" shifted into formation—two against one, one against one.
Baek Han-gyeong, tense with focus on the rogue martial artists, suddenly noticed Dan Woo-sung's expression.
The usually stoic man was now smirking—the first smile he'd seen in three days.