Chapter 84
Chapter 84
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 84
Chapter Title: Private Audience, Resolve (2)
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With just over two days left until his private audience with the Alliance Leader.
Dang Hwa-seo nodded with a satisfied expression.
“Perfect.”
Mok Ri-won’s table manners had become flawless.
Not a single flaw to be found anywhere.
“It’s all thanks to you, little sister. Thank you!”
“It’s nothing. Young Hero Mok just learned well.”
These weren’t empty words.
Dang Hwa-seo was genuinely surprised by it.
‘His head seems sharp enough….’
She felt it in moments like this—Mok Ri-won had a real knack for studies.
His adaptability was even better.
So why did his actions remain so childlike?
‘Hmm, personality and intellect must be separate things.’
That could be it.
Beyond that, the only other explanation she could think of was that Mok Ri-won was truly someone who had never once descended from the mountains, utterly ignorant of worldly affairs.
As Dang Hwa-seo mulled this over, Mok Ri-won picked up a chicken leg and held it right up to her mouth.
“Here! Eat this!”
“Huh?”
“Doesn’t one do this with their closest friends? It’s my way of showing gratitude!”
Dang Hwa-seo flinched.
Her conscience pricked her instantly.
But it didn’t last long.
Dang Hwa-seo cleared her throat with a ‘ahem’ and swiftly took the meat in her mouth.
“…Thank you.”
Mok Ri-won beamed at her words, spoken with a hand covering her mouth.
“As I keep saying, I’m the one who’s grateful! Table manners aren’t something you learn in some special place, right? I would’ve been in real trouble without you!”
“No need to mention it.”
“Ah, for dinner tonight, I should feed Jegal-hyung a bite too! I’ve been in his debt so mu—.”
“No, you mustn’t.”
Dang Hwa-seo’s eyes widened.
A trickle of cold sweat ran down her back.
“Huh?”
“Th-that… um….”
What excuse could she make?
Admitting now that it had all been a lie felt awkward after eagerly accepting the food.
A brief moment of fluster followed.
In the end, Dang Hwa-seo decided to be a bit more shameless.
“…Men shouldn’t do this to each other, no matter how close they are.”
“Why not?”
“It’s unseemly. Looks bad too.”
“Ah, so only with women one’s close to….”
“That’s not allowed either.”
Dang Hwa-seo’s face heated up.
Of course it did.
She’d taught him nonsense without any logic to begin with, and now tacking on reasons made her words anything but normal.
“Only! Only for the absolute closest person! Does Young Hero Mok plan to make an even closer friend than me?”
It sounded like a child’s stubborn tantrum.
As Dang Hwa-seo inwardly mocked herself, Mok Ri-won startled and shook his head vigorously.
“No! I won’t make any friend closer than you, little sister! Don’t say such things!”
His indignant protest, delivered in an exaggeratedly shocked tone, stabbed at her conscience like a dagger.
But the words were already out, so with no choice, Dang Hwa-seo nodded in resignation.
“I’ll believe you.”
A touch of shamelessness could smooth out life.
Dang Hwa-seo was someone who knew that truth.
But for Mok Ri-won, unease still lingered in his heart.
He’d made Dang Hwa-seo anxious, of all people!
Feeling pangs in his chest at the thought, Mok Ri-won shot to his feet and declared.
“I’ll be closest to you, little sister! I have been until now, and forever into the future!”
Thump!
Dang Hwa-seo gasped and drew in a breath at his emphatic words, pounded home with a fist to his chest.
Her cheeks flushed slightly.
“Th-that….”
At a loss for words momentarily, Dang Hwa-seo soon nodded with a pouty smile.
“…I’ll believe you.”
The same words again.
Mok Ri-won grinned broadly.
Dang Hwa-seo smiled shyly in return.
Behind the door.
Jegal San, who had been watching the two out of worry—even deploying a simple formation—narrowed his eyes and clicked his tongue.
‘What kind of situation is this?’
One thing was certain.
If left like this, Mok Ri-won’s common sense might get warped by Dang Hwa-seo’s insidious ways.
Jegal San clenched his fist.
‘Brother Mok! Don’t worry!’
Warped common sense—what a terrifying prospect!
Vowing to rescue his brother from Dang Hwa-seo’s clutches, Jegal San turned and fled.
‘Later for now!’
Approaching now might provoke a shame-crazed Dang Hwa-seo to unleash a poison-coated fist!
*
One day left until the private audience with the Alliance Leader.
This time, Namgung Jincheon came calling.
“Mukryong.”
“Ah, Sword Dragon-hyung!”
“I told you not to call me that.”
Namgung Jincheon frowned.
He didn’t like Mok Ri-won suddenly acting chummy with ‘Sword Dragon-hyung.’
But Mok Ri-won remained brightly cheerful, oblivious to Namgung Jincheon’s mood.
“What brings you here? You never visit first!”
“I heard you’re having a private audience with the Alliance Leader.”
“That’s right.”
“Deliver this to him.”
Namgung Jincheon pulled a sealed letter from his bosom and held it out.
“What’s this?”
“A request for spirit elixirs.”
Mok Ri-won startled.
“Sp-spirit elixirs…!”
His eyes sparkled.
Pure anticipation.
“D-does this letter lead to spirit elixirs?! How?!”
“The Nine Sects and Great Clans send elixirs to the Alliance every year, as a gesture of goodwill… But with us here, I judged we could claim a share without much issue.”
“Ah! So it’s like taking back what they gave!”
“Crude phrasing.”
He scolded Mok Ri-won, but Namgung Jincheon knew it wasn’t wrong.
“But will he allow it?”
“No reason not to. We’ve produced results.”
They’d captured one of the Six Demons, no less.
In the process, they’d saved common folk and elevated the Alliance’s prestige.
Such achievements warranted a few elixirs as reward.
“Hmm….”
Mok Ri-won hummed as he eyed the letter, then accepted it.
“Got it for now.”
Setting other matters aside, yes.
Spirit elixirs were among the things he needed most right now.
After leaving Anhui, various events had pushed his enlightenment toward the next realm, and his swordsmanship deepened accordingly.
Only his internal energy lagged, so he had to pursue ways to bolster it.
Mok Ri-won wanted to grow stronger.
“I’ll strongly advocate for it with the Alliance Leader.”
“No need to advocate. Just deliver the letter.”
With that, Namgung Jincheon turned to leave.
His usual curt demeanor.
Mok Ri-won watched his back for a moment, then chuckled and turned away.
*
The day of the audience was bustling from morning.
Even Hye-un of the Dragon-Phoenix Squad stayed glued to Mok Ri-won outside, nagging endlessly.
“Young benefactor Mok, you understand, right? Absolutely! Do not mention anything about the squad members in front of the Alliance Leader!”
“I know!”
“That doesn’t look like a face that knows!”
Hye-un nagged for one reason.
The Murim Alliance Leader Sa Baek-un shared a deep bond with his master.
In short, he feared Mok Ri-won’s nonsense reaching his master’s ears via her conduct.
The other squad members watching thought:
Just don’t do anything questionable to begin with.
Listen when told not to and train quietly.
Why cause all the incidents and then dodge responsibility?
Of course, none voiced it.
Except Dang Hwa-seo.
“Why not just behave properly all the time?”
“I do! I complete my daily training before going out to play!”
“And that play is the problem.”
Hye-un glared at Dang Hwa-seo resentfully.
But Dang Hwa-seo scoffed it off.
Naturally—Hye-un accounted for 30% of the squad’s incidents, so she inwardly relished it.
For reference, Mok Ri-won and Namgung Jincheon each took 25%, Jegal San 15%, and Il-un 5%.
“Enough already. Young Hero Mok will handle it fine on his own.”
“Little sister…!”
Mok Ri-won’s eyes shone with emotion.
Dang Hwa-seo smiled sweetly and pulled him to his feet.
She straightened his clothes and said.
“Come back safely.”
“Brother Mok! I’ll cheer for you!”
Il-un smiled behind Dang Hwa-seo and Jegal San’s encouragement.
Namgung Jincheon stared elsewhere, lips sealed.
Hye-un persisted.
“Just try spouting nonsense.”
Still uneasy, she whispered to Mok Ri-won after a pause.
“If something strange reaches my ears.”
“Y-yeah…?”
“Your sleeping arrangements will need caution.”
Brr!
Goosebumps erupted across Mok Ri-won’s body.
His mouth let out a ‘heek!’.
“I-I’ll be off!”
Mok Ri-won bolted away.
“What did you say to him?”
“You’ll find out if you must know.”
Il-un tilted his head.
*
Having fled, Mok Ri-won dashed straight to the Alliance Leader’s Hall for the audience.
Strategist Jegal Mu-yeon awaited at the main gate.
“Ah, you’ve arrived.”
“Strategist! Hope you’ve been well!”
“I have. And you, Mukryong… yes, you look well too.”
Jegal Mu-yeon chuckled at Mok Ri-won’s bright demeanor.
“Shall we go in right away?”
“Ah! Sure!”
Jegal Mu-yeon knocked, and the door opened from within.
Mok Ri-won’s eyes widened.
“Whoa…!”
It felt like an immortal’s abode.
The serene garden with conifers, artfully placed rocks, and a modest lotus pond evoked that impression. The refreshing energy upon entering deepened it further.
“This is….”
“The Alliance Leader’s Hall. Impressive, isn’t it? They say it accumulated treasures from visitors since the Alliance’s founding.”
“Wow….”
Mok Ri-won marveled nonstop as he walked, gazing around.
He remarked.
“A perfect place for training!”
“A true warrior’s impression.”
Jegal Mu-yeon chuckled.
He stopped and pointed.
“There it is.”
At the end of his gesture stood a cozy pavilion blending with the scenery.
In its center, a small table with Alliance Leader Sa Baek-un seated.
Eyes closed.
A profoundly serene face.
Seeing it, Mok Ri-won inexplicably felt his heart calm.
The reason…?
‘One with nature.’
Due to the aura subtly emanating from Sa Baek-un.
Transcendent Realm experts could conceal their presence.
It harmonized closer to nature’s qi—that was why. Mok Ri-won now grasped the meaning fully.
His enlightenment had refined enough to faintly glimpse Sa Baek-un’s prowess, hidden like a mirage.
‘This is the Transcendent Realm.’
The absolute being, one of only ten in the orthodox martial world.
‘Master too….’
He’d appear thus if seen again now.
As Mok Ri-won pondered this.
“Ah, he’s meditating….”
“No.”
Sa Baek-un spoke.
He slowly opened his eyes.
His head turned toward Mok Ri-won and Jegal Mu-yeon, eyes crinkling with wrinkles.
“Come in. Mukryong.”
Mok Ri-won’s fingertips trembled faintly, then he clasped his hands in salute and bowed.
“I greet the Alliance Leader.”
“Yes, sit first?”
“Then I’ll take my leave.”
“Ah, good work, Strategist. Tend to your duties.”
“Understood.”
Jegal Mu-yeon bowed and departed.
As Mok Ri-won stood frozen like a statue, Sa Baek-un asked in a playful tone.
“Not sitting?”
“Ah, no!”
Mok Ri-won scrambled to the pavilion.