Chapter 140: Going to the Martial Alliance (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 140: Going to the Martial Alliance (1)
As evening descended, the grounds before the Palace of Supreme Clarity teemed with life.
A crowd had gathered to see off the First Generation Disciples participating in the Martial Demonstration Gathering. Given the significance of the event, even the Sect Leader had made a rare public appearance.
“Travel safely,” Song Jeong said, clasping Song Kwan’s hand and offering his encouragement.
Song Kwan, looking overwhelmed by the gesture, bowed his head deeply. “I will do my absolute best, Sect Leader.”
Song Jeong moved on to Seok Jun. “Show them the skill that made you the first among your peers to earn the title of instructor.”
“I shall not fail you, Sect Leader.”
Song Jeong stepped to the side, where Yeon-hui was waiting.
Though she was his own flesh and blood, he rarely showed her affection in public. In fact, he was usually harsher with her than anyone else, holding her to a much higher standard. Today, however, his demeanor was different.
“Be careful. Above all else, stay safe.”
“Of course, Father.”
Song Jeong nodded and moved to the next person. He now stood before Seok Jin.
“How does it feel to have mastered the new internal energy heart method?”
“I feel as though I could fly. I can feel power surging through my entire body.”
“I am proud of you. Many are pinning their hopes on your success. Whether the rest of Qingcheng can learn that martial art in the future depends on whether you can master and control that power.”
“I will keep that in mind! I will never forget it!”
“Good.”
Song Jeong nodded and walked a few more paces until he finally reached Seok Myeong.
“How are you feeling?”
“I feel excellent.”
Song Jeong’s gaze briefly swept over the weapon at Seok Myeong’s waist. Unlike his usual habit, he was carrying two swords.
“I see those are the blades you received from the Cheon family.”
“That is correct.”
“Mhm... I see.”
Song Jeong paused for a moment before speaking. “I won’t make this long. Go and show them the strength of Qingcheng.”
“Yes, sir!” Seok Myeong shouted at the top of his lungs.
He felt an indescribable fire stirring deep within his chest.
As Song Jeong stepped back, Song Hak approached. He walked up to Song Kwan and spoke in a low, weighted voice.
“The reason you were chosen for this gathering is because we believe you can maintain your composure, even amidst provocations from the Nine Sects.”
“Yes, I am aware.”
“Then I trust you know how to conduct yourself.”
“I do.”
Song Kwan nodded. Song Hak then stepped back without offering a single word of encouragement to his own son, Seok Jun.
After brief farewells with the elders and the rest of the sect, the group took their first steps toward the Martial Demonstration Gathering.
They headed toward the Martial Alliance—the place where the powerhouses of the Nine Sects and One Gang converged.
*
The estate where six magnificent pavilions stood was known as the Jangyukjeon of the Martial Alliance.
For the past few days, the surrounding area had been a cacophony of noise and movement as guests arrived for the Martial Demonstration Gathering. Inside a secluded wooden house within the Inner Court of the Jangyukjeon, a meeting was in full swing.
Five people were engaged in deep conversation. At the center sat Go Ju-gang, the Leader of the Martial Alliance.
“Who has arrived so far? Give me the names.”
Go Ju-gang spoke, his eyes appearing more sunken than usual. The weight of his anxiety was etched into his face, reaching down to his very brow.
“Shaolin and Mount Hua arrived fifteen days ago. Jongnam arrived three days ago, and Wudang arrived this morning.”
A middle-aged man with a prominent nose and a timid expression provided the report.
“Hmm.”
Go Ju-gang let out a low groan. Whether considering the individuals who had visited in person or the prestige of their sects, none of them were people the Martial Alliance could afford to treat lightly.
Go Ju-gang turned his gaze to the right, addressing Ji Jung, his right-hand man.
“When is the Diancang Sect scheduled to arrive?”
“They should be here by tomorrow at the latest. I received a report today that they are staying at an inn not far from here.”
“Then that’s settled...”
Go Ju-gang continued, his face relaxing slightly. “You said Emei and Jongnam wouldn't be sending any Rising Stars. Is that certain?”
A nimble-looking man standing behind him stood up to answer.
“Yes. To be precise, the Emei Sect stated it would be difficult to send anyone because the skill level of their Rising Stars isn't high enough. Jongnam said they couldn't participate because the sect is in turmoil over the selection of the next Sect Leader.”
“Tsk. Well, nothing can be done about that.”
Go Ju-gang nodded with a look of regret. “But what about Qingcheng? Has there been any word from them?”
“Qingcheng is also expected to arrive by tomorrow.”
“Good work.”
Having gathered the necessary information, Go Ju-gang let out a long sigh. He detested handling such troublesome matters personally.
The problem was that the gathering was happening here, at the Martial Alliance. He had ended up taking the lead, but it was an incredibly nerve-wracking and headache-inducing task.
While the Martial Demonstration Gathering was intended to be a prestigious venue for martial competition, such a heated environment was a powder keg for conflict. The stronger a warrior's martial arts, the stronger their pride in their sect; even a minor incident could easily spiral out of control.
The most important thing is to investigate Qingcheng's martial arts... but will it end there?
That was his primary concern.
The plan was to provoke the Qingcheng disciples before the sparring began to reveal the true nature of the martial arts they had learned. It sounded good on paper, but Go Ju-gang had seen many such schemes fail spectacularly.
What if they failed to uncover the truth and the incident just fizzled out? Or worse, what if it turned into a battle of pride between sects and escalated beyond their control?
In the end, the Martial Alliance would be the one left to suffer the consequences. That was the source of his headache.
But it's not like I can do nothing...
“Ensure there are no setbacks in the plan. The priority of this gathering is not to gauge the skill of the Rising Stars, but to determine whether the martial arts Qingcheng has learned are related to demonic arts.”
Ultimately, there was nothing Go Ju-gang could do except double-check the details and urge his subordinates once more.
“Yes, sir!” everyone answered in unison.
Grumbling, Go Ju-gang set off to check on other matters. He felt once again that the position of Martial Alliance Leader was a truly bothersome and burdensome role.
*
Three days later.
The Inner Court of the Jangyukjeon was bustling from early morning.
A report had come in that all the invited guests had arrived. Go Ju-gang ordered only the heads of each sect to be brought into the Inner Court.
“Tell the Rising Stars to stay in the Outer Court. It’s too crowded and chaotic with so many people.”
“Yes, sir.”
After exchanging a secret glance with his subordinates, he gathered the elders who had led the elites of each sect into one place.
“Oh, isn't that Elder Gu Jong-myeong?”
From a three-story pavilion overlooking the Inner Court, Ji Jung looked at Go Ju-gang and spoke with admiration.
Go Ju-gang nodded as he looked at the well-built middle-aged man. Gu Jong-myeong was an elder ranked within the top five of the Mount Hua Sect. He was known for his youthful visage and his reputation as a keen listener.
“Hmm. Since this is a gathering where many elders of the Nine Great Sects are meeting, they must have chosen someone with an active personality rather than someone taciturn.”
Since Go Ju-gang himself hailed from the Mount Hua Sect, he immediately understood the reasoning behind the selection and the moves they were likely considering.
“The one speaking with Taoist Gu Jong-myeong right now is...”
“Taoist Unyang of Wudang.”
“Could it be... the one said to have mastered the Taiji Wisdom Sword?”
“That’s right. He became an official priest after demonstrating the Taiji Wisdom Sword at the Wudang Sect three years ago.”
“Ah...”
Hearing this, Ji Jung looked at Taoist Unyang once more.
The old man was listening to Gu Jong-myeong with a faint smile. Despite his white hair and white Taoist robes, his eyes were remarkably clear. The scabbard tucked against his right hip did not look like an ordinary weapon.
Ji Jung slowly turned his gaze elsewhere and chuckled.
“My, Abbot Hye Seon still looks as serene as ever, even in a place like this.”
The one he was observing now was Hye Seon of Shaolin. He was sitting in a corner of the Inner Court, silently gazing at a man-made pond. The peaceful smile on his face, devoid of a single worry, was striking.
“That’s just his nature. The fact that an elder of Shaolin even visited a place like this is a rare honor.”
Go Ju-gang muttered in a nuanced tone before turning to Ji Jung.
“What about your people?”
“They are near the entrance.”
At those words, Go Ju-gang looked toward the main gate. Two old men were sitting there, wearing robes with dragon patterns on the sleeves and Eight Trigrams symbols on the chest.
However, despite being members of the Orthodox Faction, their aura seemed somewhat sinister.
“I recognize one of them. Nok Gwi-bo of the Light Splitting Twenty-Eight Swords. Is that right?”
“Correct.”
“This is the second time I’ve seen him since you introduced him to me.”
Go Ju-gang’s eyes moved to the other old man. He was wearing the same style of clothing, but the color was different. If Nok Gwi-bo’s robes were gray, this man's were black.
“Who is that? I don’t even see a sword.”
To this, Ji Jung replied, “That is Gwi Cheon-neung.”
“Gwi Cheon-neung... Gwi Cheon-neung... Ah! Gwi Cheon-neung of the Ghost Gate!” Go Ju-gang said, his voice laced with surprise.
The Ghost Gate was a collective term for a specific branch of the Diancang Sect. It was a place where those who rarely revealed their existence even within Diancang gathered—people who only emerged when blood needed to be shed or when the sect was in dire straits.
They were hidden talents of the same caliber as Qingcheng’s Azure Sky Pavilion or the Sichuan Tang Sect’s Tang Clan Dagger.
“Heh.”
Go Ju-gang furrowed his brow. He had only heard of the Ghost Gate in passing; he had never actually seen one of their members.
“Listen, Ji Jung. I understand how you feel, but don’t go making a scene just because of some past grudge.”
“I won’t.”
“I’m not just saying this for no reason. You always have to be prepared for things to go sideways. Do you have any idea how precarious my position is right now? Hmm?”
“I know. I’ve made my own preparations, so you don’t need to worry.”
“Ugh...”
Ji Jung told him not to worry, but seeing the look on his face only made Go Ju-gang feel more stifled. For some reason, he just wanted to avoid this entire event if he could.
“Anyway, what about Qingcheng?”
“They are over there. Ah, it looks like they’re moving now.”
Ji Jung flashed a smile that looked far too villainous for a member of the Martial Alliance.