A Reason to Become Strong
Woo-gang wondered if he'd ever felt this way in all his years.
He was completely absorbed in his conversations with Ak So-cheon.
His reason for getting through the day had become those talks after all his duties were done.
Dok Go-seol-ran watched him with a gaze tinged with concern.
Her unease had grown since their late-night conversation the other time.
Ak So-cheon's ideas might seem like mere youthful bravado from a later-generation disciple full of hot blood, but they were undeniably dangerous.
Just to be sure, she'd even checked the list of later-generation disciples, and there it was: Ak So-cheon, clear as day.
Unfortunately, Dok Go-seol-ran lacked the deep insight to balance Woo-gang's mind as he increasingly fell into Ak So-cheon's stories.
So she'd casually mentioned it to Dok Go-yeong-mu as well.
He seemed to take it somewhat seriously but concluded they should trust Woo-gang and watch a bit longer for now.
At least with Dok Go-yeong-mu aware, some safety net was in place—but the anxiety lingered all the same.
Time passed, and soon the day came for the later-generation disciples to depart.
Regret filled Woo-gang's face, mirrored on Ak So-cheon's.
In that short time, their bond had grown remarkably close.
But it didn't lead to lingering handshakes or tight embraces.
It ended simply, with Woo-gang watching Ak So-cheon from a distance as he left.
Once Ak So-cheon and all the others had gone from the Murim Alliance, Woo-gang's routine returned to normal.
Yet it couldn't be entirely the same as before.
His talks with Ak So-cheon had changed how he saw the world.
And that shift showed in his martial training.
Thwack! Boom!
Woo-gang thrust his spear with full force.
His eyes fixed on the tip were more serious than ever, each motion deliberate and savored.
He'd always trained with focus, but now it was several times more intense.
As if embedding unyielding will into every form.
Like stabbing toward a clear goal.
For a martial artist, this attitude was ideal.
The Cheonwi Dan warriors, now training alongside him again, marveled and stuck out their tongues in admiration.
Whoosh! Thud! Thwack!
"Hoo…."
Finishing a sharp whirl with a long thrust, Woo-gang exhaled softly and withdrew his spear.
He turned to Dok Go-yeong-mu, who had approached with a grave expression.
"You've come."
"Impressive. Training this hard."
Woo-gang gave a faint smile at Dok Go-yeong-mu's words.
"Care for some tea in my room?"
"Yes."
Woo-gang wiped his sweat with a prepared cloth and followed.
Dok Go-yeong-mu brewed the tea deftly, set it before Woo-gang, sat, and eyed him for a moment before speaking.
"Meeting those later-generation disciples seems to have spurred you quite a bit. I figured with the gap in skill, it wouldn't be much."
"Less a spur… more like opening my eyes to something new."
"Opening your eyes?"
"Yes. Someone awakened thoughts I never had—or never reached—about the world."
"Ah, right—you made a friend? Ak So-cheon?"
"Yes."
Woo-gang replied with a faint smile.
"Ak So-cheon… of Shandong's Ak Family, right? A spear-using house like you."
"That's how we started talking."
"Common ground makes bonding easy. So, what new eyes did you open?"
"I found a reason to grow strong."
"A reason to grow strong…."
Dok Go-yeong-mu trailed off.
Woo-gang continued without hesitation.
"He said strong power can prevent conflicts and threats that haven't—or might—happen."
"True. The Murim Alliance's role is much like that."
"So I thought: if I succeeded Grandfather, and his arts were called strongest… couldn't I be the same?"
"Entirely possible."
"If you say so too, I'll grow strong."
"To prevent countless conflicts and threats?"
"Yes. At least, so no one endures what I did."
"What you endured…."
"Being persecuted for others' wrong thoughts despite no fault. Someone profiting at another's expense. That sort."
Events from Woo-gang's childhood.
And what he had witnessed while fighting the Black Dao upon his return to the Central Plains.
He wanted to stop such things.
But he couldn't roam seeking them out, fighting each one.
He wanted to deter them simply by existing.
"A grand goal. You could wield that influence. But could you truly achieve it…? I'd have to shake my head."
"I know."
It had come up in talks with Ak So-cheon too.
Yet Woo-gang wanted to try.
"You can't shoulder the whole world alone. No single faction can touch everywhere."
"What if I made the whole world my faction?"
Dok Go-yeong-mu was momentarily speechless.
The whole world as his faction?
He'd never considered it.
Impossible, no need to.
Yet Woo-gang was seriously pursuing it.
"Such attempts existed. In long Central Plains history, many outer forces rose to seize it all."
"All failed."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Resistance from those opposing their uprising. That's how our Murim Alliance grew."
"Why stop their uprising?"
"They were evil. In their hands, countless would suffer."
"Can you declare that so surely? What about now? No one suffers?"
Dangerous.
Dok Go-yeong-mu hadn't taken Dok Go-seol-ran's concerns too seriously at first.
But hearing Woo-gang, he couldn't shake the sense of peril.
Woo-gang's intent was purely good: a world without suffering.
Yet past forces eyeing the Central Plains had claimed the same.
They were deemed evil for justifying any atrocity to achieve it.
Dok Go-yeong-mu didn't think Woo-gang would commit evils.
But his thinking teetered on a knife's edge.
"Hoo… Hard to know where to start. But surely, now is far better than their world."
Woo-gang made no reply.
Meaning he wouldn't bend his will.
"Not saying your thoughts are wrong or bad. A world without suffering? I wish it too. Pursue it—I support you."
"Thank you."
Dok Go-yeong-mu decided to step back for now.
He couldn't gauge how to handle Woo-gang's sudden shift.
Rash action might backfire.
"You may go."
"Yes. Then."
Woo-gang downed the remaining tea and rose.
Ak So-cheon and Shandong's Ak Family. Time to investigate.
The man who'd planted dangerous ideas in Woo-gang: Ak So-cheon.
He needed details on him and his house.
The known Shandong Ak Family was past glory; nothing on the present.
"Should consult that friend too."
Dok Go-yeong-mu muttered of Sa Ma-gang.
They checked each other, often disagreed—but on this, Sa Ma-gang's skills outshone his.
Dok Go-yeong-mu sighed softly.
After the talk with Dok Go-yeong-mu, Woo-gang threw himself into training even more fervently.
Watching from the side, Dok Go-seol-ran sighed often.
He's completely erased it from his mind.
Before, watching Woo-gang, she'd felt his head full of thoughts of Siu.
Now, no trace of Siu's shadow.
He hadn't fully forgotten.
But it was pushed aside, clearly.
Then one day, a visitor came for Woo-gang.
Han Seo-yeon.
Though the later-generation disciples had all left, she remained at the Murim Alliance.
As Bing Palace's young palace lord, coordinating with them on the Ice Essence and Siu's disappearance.
Exchanging info, discussing better paths—that's why she stayed.
Appearing with chill aura wafting, Han Seo-yeon stood before Woo-gang, who was resting after his duties.
"What is it?"
"You seem free."
Woo-gang frowned at her question.
Did his relentless training look idle to her?
"Do I look free to your eyes?"
"Holed up in the Murim Alliance just training—what else is that but free?"
"Your words go too far."
"No. Not at all. Martial artists train—that's given. What else do you do? The missing Flame King—I'm searching harder than you."
Woo-gang had no retort to her bluntness.
He'd sidelined Siu-related matters for training, it was true.
"You told me to trust you. But from what I've seen, there's nothing to trust. Do you find me and Bing Palace laughable?"
"That's not it."
Han Seo-yeon glared sharply at his reply.
"Last warning. Ignore it, and prepare for the consequences."
Leaving those words, she whirled away from his quarters.
Watching, Dok Go-seol-ran let out a small sigh.
Not frustration or worry, but relief.
Thank goodness for the young palace lord.
She could do little, but Han Seo-yeon was different.
Unclear the impact, but this visit might pull Woo-gang back on track.
Relief mixed with faint bitterness crossed Dok Go-seol-ran's face.