The Alliance Lord's Sword
The Lord’s Hall of the Murim Alliance.
An old man sat in the master chair, stroking his beard as he recalled what had happened a few days earlier.
Baek Mugeuk, who had walked alone into the Murim Alliance and gone on speaking without a trace of fear.
At that age, and already at the pinnacle. Is this the arrival of a prodigy blessed by heaven?
From what Namgung Cheon had seen, Baek Mugeuk’s level was a fully matured peak realm. That was why, the moment the boy stepped into the Lord’s Hall, he had been stunned. No, stunned was too weak a word; astonished was closer to the mark. Such people did sometimes exist in this world, gifted with talent bestowed by the heavens. But they were usually heirs of powerful houses. The reason was simple. Martial talent alone, even if granted by heaven, did not easily let one cross the wall.
Why were all those legendary masters the descendants of great clans? Because martial arts were not completed in a single generation; they were built layer by layer. Only when one life became the fertilizer for the next did martial arts evolve, improve, and reach fruition.
And yet someone without that foundation suddenly rose to an extraordinary level on his own? That was no longer the kind of thing one could call human. It was better described as the incarnation of martial force itself.
Should I take this as a blessing for the righteous sects, or...
There was one more thing that troubled him. The way Baek Mugeuk had behaved upon entering the Lord’s Hall did not feel like the behavior of a novice entering the martial world. The first impression Namgung Cheon had received was not of a young newcomer, but of an old man worn smooth by something far beyond his years.
Young in age, yet a newcomer to the martial world. Power and reflexes that did not suit that age. Taken together, what Namgung Cheon felt was uncertainty, and anything uncertain could not be controlled. That was why he could not welcome the boy’s appearance with simple pleasure.
Namgung Cheon casually read through the information on the Baek Clan laid out on the desk.
The Baek Clan’s martial arts shouldn’t allow someone to reach the peak realm in such a short time. Just how did he...
In his memory, the Baek Clan was a declining house in Jiangxi, one that had little to merit attention beyond Baek Hwang, one of the Hundred Great Masters. On top of that, the Baek Family’s Seven Sword Arts were not a set of superior martial arts.
To Namgung Cheon, the limit of that martial art seemed to be the early stage of the superlative peak that even his grandfather, Baek Hwang, had reached. And even that had clearly been the result of painstaking effort and enlightenment accumulated over a long span of time.
As his thoughts deepened around Baek Mugeuk, a voice broke into them.
"Alliance Lord?"
Namgung Cheon lifted his head at the sound. Before him stood the long ranks of elders from each sect and the upper echelon of the Alliance. Je Gal-jin, who had been presiding over the meeting, watched Namgung Cheon’s expression carefully before speaking.
"May I continue with the next matter?"
"Go ahead."
"It seems that Baek Mugeuk of the Baek Clan has been in continual conflict with the fighters of the Alliance."
"Conflict..."
Namgung Cheon frowned in confusion, and Je Gal-jin continued.
"Since being summoned, Baek Mugeuk has crossed hands with fifteen Alliance fighters over the past ten days, and all of them suffered injuries."
No sooner had Je Gal-jin finished than the elders of the various sects began speaking one after another.
"That brat Baek Mugeuk doesn’t know his place and keeps picking fights with Alliance fighters. He should be punished at once!"
"I agree. At this rate, I fear the Murim Alliance’s honor will be dragged through the mud. I believe swift measures are necessary."
Most of the voices followed that line. To them, Baek Mugeuk’s appearance was like a loach stirring up clear water into mud.
When all their complaints were finished and every eye turned to Namgung Cheon, he looked at Je Gal-jin and spoke.
"You say Baek Mugeuk is picking fights... Je-gal, I heard a rumor."
"Pardon?"
"I heard that when a new fighter joins the Murim Alliance, they sort out rank among themselves."
"..."
At Namgung Cheon’s words, Je Gal-jin fell silent and avoided his gaze. That alone made it clear the rumor was true.
"There’s nothing wrong with fighters proving their skill against each other. But Baek Mugeuk is still a guest I invited, not someone who belongs to the Murim Alliance. I’m not sure since when the Alliance has treated guests this way."
"Alliance Lord, that is not what we—"
Namgung Cheon said no more. He simply rose to his feet, stepped down from the master chair, and walked past them. When he reached the far end of the Lord’s Hall, he gently pushed the door open.
Aside from the creak of hinges, there was no sound at all. It was as though time itself had frozen; no one there could easily bring themselves to speak.
"The discipline has gone slack. So many fools they can’t even recognize a strong man when he’s standing in front of them."
Namgung Cheon’s voice was low, almost muttered to himself. Yet everyone in the hall heard it. Then, with that cold gaze of his, the door to the Lord’s Hall shut. Only silence remained inside.
* * *
Namgung Cheon began moving discreetly through Henan with only one fighter at his side. It was far too meager a guard for the face of the righteous martial world, but Namgung Cheon did not care in the slightest.
They were still within Henan, the headquarters of the Murim Alliance, and if there was some fighter he could not handle, then what use would a few more guards be?
"Grandfather. Where are you going so secretly?"
At the fighter’s voice, Namgung Cheon, who had been moving ahead, turned his head slightly and shot him a glance.
"Namgung Mu. This is the Murim Alliance. Use the proper address."
"Yes... I will keep that in mind, Alliance Lord."
Namgung Cheon turned forward again, ignoring Namgung Mu’s question.
He spread his senses wide. As he moved, his qi sense expanded little by little, and before long...
Found him.
He sensed Baek Mugeuk’s presence.
"Namgung Mu. Move faster."
"As you command."
The moment Namgung Cheon finished speaking, his form vanished in an instant. So quickly did his vision shift that the word “moment” felt almost meaningless. When he stopped, he was on the roof of a large estate that overlooked the surrounding area.
He glanced around. It was an ordinary, everyday scene. Yet his eyes saw something else.
Baek Mugeuk, lightly clasping his fists in greeting, and the martial artist standing opposite him.
"Hah... I wondered where you were going so urgently. So this is what you came to see."
Namgung Mu, who had arrived shortly after, also turned his gaze in the same direction as the Alliance Lord and continued.
"And the one opposite him is... Gwak Pung of the Ten Guests."
"..."
At Namgung Mu’s words, Namgung Cheon watched them with growing interest. The name Ten Guests was well known in the righteous martial world.
The Ten Guests. They were ten young fighters, from the age of twenty-one to twenty-nine, renowned as men of righteousness. Of course, they did not operate as a single group under that name, but it was close enough to a collective title.
"Gwak Pung of the Ten Guests..."
As Namgung Cheon recalled it, Gwak Pung was a fighter who had reached the early stage of the peak realm. More than that, he was not even a member of the Murim Alliance. That was what made this strange.
He was supposedly having trouble with Baek Mugeuk because of some internal ranking game in the Alliance. So why is he with one of the Ten Guests?
From the information reaching Namgung Cheon, most of the conflict between Baek Mugeuk and the Alliance fighters had been the fault of the Alliance fighters themselves. Still, that did not mean they lacked grounds to complain. There had apparently been an incident with Jin Mu-heon of the Hyeonmu Guard, and the fact that Baek Mugeuk had no real reputation made his behavior in the Lord’s Hall something people could reasonably take issue with.
Even so, the awkward standoff with the Ten Guest did not make sense. The Ten Guests were not the sort to make a fuss unless someone crossed the line of righteousness. That only made him more curious. What exactly were the two talking about?
Ordinarily, eavesdropping from this distance would have been impossible. But the Murim Alliance Lord had already reached the Transformed Realm. Listening in on their conversation was hardly any trouble at all.
"I heard you were some lawless brute who didn’t even know your own limits, but I suppose rumors are not so easy to trust after all."
"Rumors tend to be like that, don’t they?"
"Still, it seems not all the rumors were wrong. It appears the part about your arrogance was true."
Gwak Pung smiled faintly and clasped his fists in greeting.
"I am a man named Gwak Pung."
"One of the Ten Guests."
"I’m flattered you’d call it by that title, though it’s a rather embarrassing one."
"Hm... I’m glad you knew. I was just wondering if you didn’t."
"..."
Baek Mugeuk gave Gwak Pung a quick once-over, then spoke.
"So why are you here?"
"I hear it’s become something of a trend in Henan for people to challenge you to sparring matches lately."
"Sparring?"
"Well, that’s the polite way to say it. From what I’ve heard, it sounds more like a one-sided beating."
"A beating... I don’t think I’ve ever been the one to pick a fight first."
"Whatever the case, your hand was too heavy. I can’t look kindly on someone who bullies the weak."
As soon as he finished speaking, Gwak Pung drew his sword.
"Gwak Pung of the Ten Guests. I request a sparring match with the martial artist Baek Mugeuk."
"Hm... what should I do?"
Baek Mugeuk seemed to think for a moment, stroking his chin. Then he slowly turned his head toward the rooftop where the Alliance Lord stood.
"!"
The distance between Baek Mugeuk and Namgung Cheon exceeded five hundred paces. Far if one called it far, near if one called it near. No, considering Baek Mugeuk’s level, it was certainly not a distance that could be called far. And yet, because he had hidden his presence and been watching them, it should not have been easy for Baek Mugeuk to discover him at once.
Still, Namgung Cheon felt for an instant as though their eyes had met.
Coincidence? Or did he notice I’m here?
As that thought arose, Baek Mugeuk turned back to Gwak Pung and lifted the corners of his mouth.
"I’m Baek Mugeuk of the Baek Clan. I’ll accept your challenge, Gwak Pung."
The words had barely fallen before both men took their stances at the same time. With one breath drawn in, both swords moved, colliding in a rapid exchange.
"Baek Mugeuk is being pushed back. So the Ten Guests really did earn their name."
Watching the duel, Namgung Mu admired Gwak Pung’s swordsmanship. It was no wonder; Gwak Pung’s fast sword was pressing down on Baek Mugeuk with tremendous speed.
"That’s how it looks to you?"
"Pardon? What do you mean?"
"..."
At the Alliance Lord’s words, Namgung Mu watched the duel again. But all he could still see was Gwak Pung overpowering Baek Mugeuk and gradually tightening the pressure. To Namgung Cheon, however, it looked nothing like that.
Like water.
Baek Mugeuk’s sword was like water. Water that could never be cut no matter how many times a blade tried to carve it. He deflected every one of Gwak Pung’s rapid strikes as though they were flowing around him. True, his body shifted backward a little, but even that was no issue. His clothes might be cut, but not a single sword stroke touched his body.
Unlike his movements, which looked rushed and defensive, he kept smiling without losing a shred of ease. The faster Gwak Pung’s sword became, the more obvious it was. Gwak Pung poured out every bit of speed he possessed, yet not a single strike reached its mark, and before long his desperation mounted until he began swinging at a pace even he could no longer control.
Blocking everything is impressive enough, but what’s truly remarkable is...
What made Baek Mugeuk’s sword truly astounding was not merely the act of blocking. He was parrying every strike with the bare minimum of internal energy. Energy that, at best, would be considered the level of a first-rate martial artist.
"Is this the fast sword the Ten Guests brag about?"
"..."
"If that’s all, then it’s my turn to take a swing."
The moment Baek Mugeuk finished speaking, the sword that had been focused on defense began slashing toward Gwak Pung one stroke at a time. The speed of the fast sword did not decrease, nor did the number of attacks shrink greatly, but Baek Mugeuk’s counterattacks kept increasing, and the number of blocks Gwak Pung had to make kept rising in turn.
"W-wait..."
Even Namgung Mu, who had said Gwak Pung was overwhelming his opponent, realized at some point that offense and defense had switched places and began looking baffled.
But such sounds no longer reached Namgung Cheon’s ears. All his attention was fixed on Baek Mugeuk.
The sword art Baek Mugeuk displayed was illusionary swordplay. Yet it was not the kind of dazzling illusionary swordplay that dazzled the eye. It was a subtle form that could almost be called plain.
And yet Namgung Cheon could feel the profundity of illusionary swordplay in Baek Mugeuk’s blade.
A sword that misleads, yet is not itself misleading.
Baek Mugeuk’s illusionary sword had no feints. No, more precisely, the moment one thought it was a feint, it became a true strike, and the moment one thought it was a true strike, it became a feint.
Interesting. If it were me...
The Alliance Lord found himself imagining, from some point onward, how he would respond to Baek Mugeuk’s sword.
But the thought did not last long.
Thud.
Before much time passed, Gwak Pung lost his sword and dropped to one knee.
"I learned a fine lesson. Gwak Pung."
Baek Mugeuk raised the corner of his mouth and looked down at him. Gwak Pung stared back at Baek Mugeuk, stunned. He could have flared in anger at such arrogance, could have demanded another round, but after crossing hands with him himself, he found he could say nothing.
He had never even heard of an illusionary sword like this in the world. The moment he opened his mouth to say something, a round of applause sounded from behind him.
At the same time, Baek Mugeuk clasped his fists.
"I greet the Alliance Lord."
Gwak Pung also tried to rise and return the salute, but the knee he had driven into the ground would not come up so easily.
"I greet the Alliance Lord."
"At ease."
"My apologies, Alliance Lord."
Gwak Pung lowered his head, ashamed of his own state and the fact that he had lost without being able to properly receive the Alliance Lord. But Namgung Cheon did not care in the slightest; he stepped forward and examined Gwak Pung’s condition.
"No trouble moving. Namgung Mu, escort Martial Artist Gwak."
"As you command."
At the Alliance Lord’s order, Namgung Mu lent him his shoulder. Gwak Pung took it and slowly got to his feet.
"Well now, this was almost the same as directing a sparring match."
Namgung Cheon murmured softly. Seeing Gwak Pung’s condition made his interest in Baek Mugeuk grow even stronger.
There were sword wounds all over Gwak Pung’s body from Baek Mugeuk’s blade. Most of them had been aimed at vital points. Yet none were fatal.
It was as if Baek Mugeuk had withdrawn the sword the instant before the strike could deliver a blow to a vital point.
Namgung Cheon turned toward Baek Mugeuk. Then he began to release a powerful pressure. But the words that left his mouth were calm, unlike that pressure.
"How have you been holding up?"
"Thanks to your concern, I’ve been doing well."
"Doing well, you say... I see. Good."
Namgung Cheon studied Baek Mugeuk. As expected, there was not a single scratch on the boy, let alone a sword wound. Looking at him, Namgung Cheon felt curiosity. No, perhaps it was not curiosity. Perhaps it was the fighting spirit one feels for the first time after entering the highest reaches of the realm.
"Speaking of which, Alliance Lord, what brings you here?"
"I heard the noise while passing by, so I came. More importantly, you seem to be doing something amusing."
"Ah. Lately, fighters from the Murim Alliance have often come by to show me a thing or two about martial arts. Today I got carried away without realizing it."
"Is that so?"
Baek Mugeuk lifted the corners of his mouth as though it were nothing. Watching that, Namgung Cheon could understand why the Alliance fighters kept picking at him.
His smile was a sneer. It seemed to say, What, the Murim Alliance is only this much?
With his hands clasped behind his back, Namgung Cheon slowly spoke.
"Come to think of it, didn't you say the other day that you wished to observe my sword? How about trying it now?"
"Hm... if you’re willing to grant me the chance, I’ll gladly accept it."
"Good. I’ll give you five moves."
"Baek Mugeuk of the Baek Clan!"
"Namgung Cheon of the Murim Alliance."
After a brief introduction, the Alliance Lord drew his sword. No, the moment he did, Baek Mugeuk’s form shot forward and his blade thrust out toward the Alliance Lord.
"First move!"
Namgung Mu and Gwak Pung both stared with their mouths open. In a sparring match, and especially in a sparring match with the Murim Alliance Lord, no martial artist had ever behaved with such rudeness and shamelessness.