The Martial Saint's Barrier
Boom!
“Huff! Huff! Huff!”
Woo-gang slammed his spear into the stone floor.
The ground cracked, and the blade sank deep.
Leaning on the spear embedded in the floor, Woo-gang stared straight ahead.
The Murim Alliance's main gate loomed just sixty jang away.
On his way from his quarters, countless Murim Alliance warriors had appeared to block his path.
They had swung their weapons to hinder him, and he had done the same to press forward—neither side had suffered serious injuries.
But that relentless skirmishing had rapidly drained Woo-gang's stamina.
No matter how formidable his skills, breaking through nearly a thousand Alliance warriors alone was impossible.
Of course, not all had come at him at once, but handling hundreds single-handedly to reach this point was achievement enough.
And perhaps because of that.
The eyes of the Murim Alliance warriors who had formed an encirclement to grab his ankle were filled with awe.
They were elites with pride in their own prowess.
They brimmed with confidence that they could overcome any crisis in the Central Plains martial world, no matter how mighty the foe.
Yet they hadn't expected a mere youth in his twenties—even if he was the Flame King's successor—to push them this hard.
If it had been a life-or-death duel, it might have been different, but Woo-gang's displayed might alone made their heads bow involuntarily.
Woo-gang straightened his back, still eyeing the surrounding encirclement, then gripped his spear firmly and yanked it from the ground.
“Hoo…”
Sixty jang to the main gate.
Opening the firmly shut gates was a task ahead, but first, he had to reach them.
Tat-tat-tat! Thud!
As Woo-gang accelerated, he suddenly kicked off the ground and leaped.
The Alliance warriors, anticipating he'd leap over their lines, swiftly pulled back the encirclement.
But Woo-gang had never intended to jump over from the start.
He had already foreseen they'd retreat if he tried.
By now, he held his spear inverted.
At the peak of his arc, Woo-gang's form plummeted rapidly.
Right into the center of the retreated encirclement.
The startled warriors pulled back further from the landing zone.
A gap opened instantly.
Boom!
Woo-gang smashed into the ground.
That single strike shattered the tight formation.
And he didn't miss the opening.
Thud!
It was an incredibly swift move.
The moment he struck the ground, he used the rebounding force to propel himself forward.
Combined with Wind-Chasing Nine Illusions Step, it unleashed explosive speed in an instant.
The distance to the gate shrank by a dozen jang.
As Woo-gang burst through, those guarding the perimeter charged in anticipation.
Resolved to injure him if needed to halt him, their sword thrusts were sharper than before.
Woo-gang had no intention of dodging.
His spear whipped out fiercely in response.
Kwa-kwa-boom!
Perhaps because it was infused with true qi.
Unlike before, the clashes of sword and spear erupted in thunderous blasts.
And Woo-gang overcame the multitude.
He stood firm while the Alliance warriors, suffering minor internal injuries, were hurled back.
Woo-gang fixed his gaze on the gate and launched forward again.
Alliance warriors desperately blocked his path.
Their frantic expressions filled Woo-gang's vision, which had been locked solely on the gate.
What drove such desperation?
Loyalty to the Murim Alliance?
Or to Sa Ma-gang?
Just to check on his grandfather's fate—why throw so many lives to stop one man?
Such thoughts flickered through his mind.
Whoosh!
A fluttering robe and heavy aura approached.
Woo-gang instinctively unleashed Wind-Chasing Nine Illusions Step and thrust his spear.
A single sword slipped in.
A soft yet weighty energy suppressed Woo-gang's fiercely burning aura.
Then, along the sword's smooth arc, his spear was swept away; he resisted with all his might but couldn't overcome the pull.
Clack!
Woo-gang chose not to fight the force.
Instead, he struck the ground, letting it carry him in the redirected path, then yanked his spear with full power.
Sword and spear parted.
But the opponent pressed in at the perfect moment, thrusting his blade.
Faced with the razor-sharp incoming strike, Woo-gang swung his spear to block.
Clang-clang-clang!
Harsh metallic rings echoed around them.
The sword retreated, and Woo-gang, gripping his whirling spear, thrust swiftly.
Whoosh!
But the opponent rotated leisurely, evading the spear and clamping Woo-gang's wrist along the shaft.
Crunch!
Tremendous grip strength.
Yet Woo-gang didn't stay passive.
Thump!
In an instant, the opponent's hand flew back as if struck.
The qi gathered in Woo-gang's arm had repelled it forcefully.
With his hand free, Woo-gang charged again, swinging his spear.
The opponent countered with a sword swing, its power a notch higher than before.
Kwaang!
Spear and sword clashed violently.
A massive pressure wave unleashed a gale.
Woo-gang's body lifted slightly into the air.
The instant his feet left the ground, an irresistible force shoved him back.
Scraaape!
His feet finally touched down; he poured in all his strength.
But he couldn't resist the push and skidded back a good distance.
Impressive.
The one who repelled Woo-gang glanced at his faintly trembling hand.
If Woo-gang's attack had been a bit stronger, he might have dropped his sword or been flung back himself.
He slipped the trembling hand into his sleeve.
Then, looking at Woo-gang, he said,
“That's far enough.”
Woo-gang glared at him.
But facing eyes that held pity beneath unyielding resolve, he couldn't press further.
As the tension eased, the surrounding Alliance warriors bowed in unison.
“We greet the Martial Saint!”
Only then did Woo-gang realize his identity.
This is Martial Saint Dok Go-yeong-mu.
He was meeting for the first time the man whose name he'd only heard from Jang Hak-jin.
“Worthy of that man's grandson. Your skills are remarkable.”
“This isn't the time for praise. I need to see Grandfather.”
Woo-gang met Dok Go-yeong-mu's gaze squarely, his will to exit through the gate now within reach burning clear.
[You’ll gain nothing from going.]
Though his lips were sealed, Dok Go-yeong-mu's voice echoed in Woo-gang's ear.
It was his first experience with sound transmission.
Even Woo-gang, rarely rattled, showed clear surprise and confusion.
“I was heading to see your face anyway. Since it's come to this, come to my room and talk.”
As if knowing Woo-gang's response, Dok Go-yeong-mu turned without waiting.
The Alliance warriors bowed and parted, making way.
Woo-gang watched his retreating back for a moment, sighed softly, and followed.
***
Despite the commotion, the Murim Alliance swiftly returned to normal, as if nothing had happened.
And Woo-gang sat silently in Dok Go-yeong-mu's office.
“What did you mean earlier?”
Unable to hold back any longer, Woo-gang asked.
“Just as I said. You’ll gain nothing from going.”
Woo-gang frowned.
He wanted more details, but only the same words came back.
“Think about it. Doesn't it seem strange?”
“Strange?”
“Yes. Why spread such rumors at this exact moment? As if someone planned it.”
“You mean someone deliberately started them?”
“Personally, that's how I see it.”
“Who would do such a thing?”
Woo-gang's irritation was plain.
“I don't know the details. Nothing's certain.”
Dok Go-yeong-mu placed a teacup before Woo-gang and poured as he replied.
“Don't get swept up in rumors. Stay calm, especially then. Believe only proven facts. Otherwise, you'll undermine yourself.”
Woo-gang stared at the teacup, clenching his fist until his knuckles whitened.
“Senior Flame King is safe.”
Dok Go-yeong-mu stated it with conviction, not mere comfort.
Woo-gang turned to look at him.
“And the corpse's identity, found not long ago, will soon be confirmed.”
“You're certain.”
“I am. I can't explain why—it's complicated.”
“That's reassuring.”
“Though it's partly to console you, there's more to it.”
“What else?”
Dok Go-yeong-mu only smiled, saying nothing.
“Sort your emotions and think clearly—there'll be more than one or two odd points. Even if you insisted on seeing the body yourself, we had no real grounds to stop you. You're his only family, and rumor or not, you have the right to confirm with your own eyes.”
Woo-gang stared at Dok Go-yeong-mu, whose response differed sharply from Sa Ma-gang's.
“Yet we stopped you. With hundreds of Alliance warriors. Was that necessary?”
It matched the thought Woo-gang had just before Dok Go-yeong-mu appeared.
Even conceding they might ask him not to go, it felt excessive.
“As if you absolutely mustn't go.”
Woo-gang recalled Sa Ma-gang.
Everything from Dok Go-yeong-mu pointed back to him.
“You mean the Literary Chief orchestrated this?”
Dok Go-yeong-mu pressed his lips shut again.
But Woo-gang took the silence as affirmation.
“Is the Literary Chief... a villain?”
“No. He's not.”
Dok Go-yeong-mu affirmed firmly.
Sa Ma-gang could be overzealous at times.
But every word and deed aimed solely at the Murim Alliance's prosperity.
To solidify its power more firmly than ever.
To prepare for lurking threats.
That was Sa Ma-gang's goal.
Knowing this well, Dok Go-yeong-mu checked him appropriately but never outright opposed.
Still, this time it felt too much.
“Think carefully. Whether Senior Flame King's death is true or not, whoever started this isn't the Literary Chief. It's some unknown villain's doing. Blocking you from going was excessive, but I don't think it wrong. A calm explanation might have convinced you.”
“Hoo... I understand. But you told me to believe only facts. The facts I face are the rumor of Grandfather's death and being blocked from confirming it. Nothing more. So I must go.”
Dok Go-yeong-mu slowly spoke.
“Senior Flame King is like an uncle to me. He was friends with my father, the Sword King, and I've known him since childhood.”
Woo-gang's eyes wavered.
Not just their closeness to his grandfather, but how much to trust these words was unclear.
“To me, he's more than a martial world senior—he's family. And I believe he's alive. Whether you trust me fully, if even a little, stay here and wait.”
Dok Go-yeong-mu spoke with sincerity.
Woo-gang stared into his eyes.
Then sighed deeply.
“Understood. But if things change even slightly, I'll leave at once.”
“Then I'll see you out myself.”
Only after Dok Go-yeong-mu's firm promise did Woo-gang take a sip of tea.