An Unexpected Welcome
Kunlun Sect Leader Ha Seung-ji was an easy man to read.
‘He's just a simple, doting father.’
The fact that I, standing right in front of him, was the Young Sect Leader of the Sun and Moon Sect—which the orthodox factions branded as the Demonic Cult.
The fact that the Kunlun Sect under his command had just set up a dragnet to capture me.
The fact that the madman known as Gwangheo Sanin had, for some bizarre reason, fallen into the delusion that he was a devout follower of the Sun and Moon Sect.
And the fact that the leader of a massive sect, a man who looked to be in his fifties, was currently weeping pitifully in front of juniors young enough to be his grandchildren.
None of these things seemed to hold any meaning for him at this very moment.
"Sniff... hic... Uuugh..."
Ha Seung-ji didn't even think to wipe away the tears and snot streaming down his face. He was simply overwhelmed with emotion, weeping tears of pure gratitude that his daughter was safe and sound, without a single scratch on her.
"This child is my only daughter, whom I was blessed with after so much hardship... sniff... Young Sect Leader. I do not know how I can ever repay... hic... the grace of saving my Yeon-ryeong..."
Is this what a father's heart is like?
Come to think of it, his reaction wasn't all that strange.
How must he have felt when he realized that a madman—who had slaughtered three of his disciples for no apparent reason—had kidnapped his precious daughter?
And then, the very Young Sect Leader of the Demonic Cult whom he had plotted to capture had revealed the madman's location and rescued his daughter from his clutches.
Moreover, he was sharp enough to realize that when Gwangheo Sanin had charged at me in a blind rage, I had chosen to take the attack head-on instead of dodging specifically to protect his daughter.
Even if his prejudices and hostility toward the Demonic Cult had melted away like spring snow, leaving only profound gratitude toward the Young Sect Leader, who could possibly point a finger at him?
"Ugh... sniff...!"
"Father, please stop already!"
Unable to watch any longer, Ha Yeon-ryeong stepped in to stop her father.
For a while now, she had been repeating a restless cycle: staring at the ground, glancing at her father's face, and then peeking at mine.
"Ahem."
Feeling a bit awkward, I cleared my throat and turned my gaze toward Baek So-cheong, Yeongho Bin, and Namgung Eon.
"Sister, and brothers Yeongho and Namgung. Are any of you injured?"
"No, Young Sect Leader. We are just relieved that you are safe."
"You all did an exceptional job. Thanks to your efforts, both the Kunlun Sect and our group have escaped that madman's clutches."
In all honesty, the biggest reason this plan succeeded was because they had followed my lead without question.
No matter how insane he was, the opponent was still one of the Guardian Dharma Kings of our Sect.
It would have been entirely natural for them to feel repulsed by my plan to eliminate him by borrowing the strength of an orthodox sect—an enemy of our Sun and Moon Sect.
Yet, not a single one of them had hesitated to follow my decision.
Granted, it was bothersome that Yu Gwan-ji had managed to escape alive.
And I couldn't help but worry about how the Sect Leader would react once news of this reached his ears.
But that's a political problem for me, the Young Sect Leader, to handle from here on out.
For now, it was enough to celebrate the fact that we had escaped his grasp.
"Young Sect Leader! Young Sect Leader!"
‘Sigh, this guy is old enough to be my grandfather. How long is he going to keep bawling like a baby?’
Unable to bear it any longer, I spoke to Ha Seung-ji.
"Sect Leader Ha. I merely did what was natural, and I am simply overjoyed that your esteemed daughter is safe. Please, dispense with such excessive formality."
"No, it is not so!"
But Ha Seung-ji shook his head vigorously, shouting even louder. This time, he abruptly dropped to his knees and bowed his head to the ground before me.
"Our sect was plotting to capture you and hand you over to the Murim Alliance! Yet, far from blaming us for our treachery, you have bestowed such immense grace upon us! Sniff... I, Ha Seung-ji, am so thoroughly ashamed that I cannot bear to lift my face before you!"
‘Ah, so that's what this was about.’
It was a bit sudden, but I had been planning to ask about that dragnet anyway. It was actually better that he brought it up first.
But wait, the Murim Alliance?
"Did you say the Murim Alliance?"
"Indeed. Word reached us that the Alliance Leader has been paying close attention to the Sun and Moon Sect of late... My humble sect happens to be held by a major weakness by the Murim Alliance, and we foolishly believed that capturing and delivering you would resolve our plight. Ah! This poor Taoist is a petty scoundrel of the lowest order, a shameless, thick-skinned hypocrite!"
Hearing Ha Seung-ji's explanation, I felt a sense of relief rather than anger.
I had secretly worried that the Murim Alliance itself was directly orchestrating my kidnapping, but it turned out that wasn't the case.
‘Then again, if the Murim Alliance had been directly involved, things wouldn't have been handled this sloppily.’
‘They might have sent a master so powerful that even Yu Gwan-ji couldn't have stood a chance.’
"Then, from whom did you obtain the information that I would be passing through here?"
"We received an anonymous letter. Thus, even I could not fully trust it and was half-doubting the information."
Only now did the full picture of this incident begin to take shape.
The Kunlun Sect had received an unverified tip that the Young Sect Leader of the Demonic Cult would soon pass through Mount Kunlun. Though they didn't fully believe it, they deployed their disciples to wait just in case.
And in the process, two of their second-generation disciples and one first-generation disciple had been slaughtered by Yu Gwan-ji.
Under such circumstances, I had revealed the location of their mortal enemy and even rescued their kidnapped daughter. It was no wonder he felt an overwhelming mixture of guilt and gratitude.
I could completely understand why he said he was too ashamed to lift his head.
‘Though I still don't know what kind of weakness the Murim Alliance has over the Kunlun Sect...’
Some time passed.
The Kunlun elders and disciples who had set out to track down Yu Gwan-ji returned to the cave one by one.
As expected, their pursuit had yielded nothing. Returning empty-handed, they bowed to Ha Seung-ji with deeply apologetic expressions.
"Do not let it weigh on you. Since that scoundrel fled with his tail between his legs, if he has even a shred of shame left, he won't dare show his face near our Kunlun Sect again."
By then, Ha Seung-ji had composed his wild emotions after recovering his daughter and spoke with an air of dignity.
Of course, with his eyes still bloodshot and his voice hoarse from crying, he looked more comical than dignified.
Once things were settled, Ha Seung-ji clasped his hands and bowed to me once more.
"Young Sect Leader. Since you have bestowed such a great favor upon us, we cannot simply send you on your way now that you have come to Mount Kunlun. Moreover, wandering outside in such a turbulent situation is highly dangerous. Please, allow our sect to host you as our honored guests."
To be completely honest, I didn't care about being treated as a guest; my only desire was to return to Gwangmyeong Peak and rest.
Besides, entering the headquarters of the Kunlun Sect as the Young Sect Leader of the Demonic Cult felt a bit like walking straight into a tiger's den.
‘But if I part ways with the Kunlun Sect right now, I might run straight into Yu Gwan-ji again.’
I had already chosen the Kunlun Sect over Yu Gwan-ji, and there was no turning back now.
In fact, I was in a position where I had to build a relationship with them, even if I had to initiate it myself.
If only to prove to the Sect Leader that my decision to choose the Kunlun Sect over Yu Gwan-ji was the correct one.
"I thank you for the invitation, Sect Leader Ha."
And so, the Young Sect Leader and his entourage visited the Kunlun Sect—not as enemies, but as honored guests and saviors representing the Sun and Moon Sect.
To the Kunlun Sect, one of the prestigious Ten Great Sects of the orthodox Murim.
‘Live long enough and you'll see everything, I guess.’
This was likely an unprecedented event in the three-hundred-year history of the Sun and Moon Sect.
The headquarters of the Kunlun Sect was situated in a vast basin nestled deep within Mount Kunlun.
Upon our arrival, the Kunlun Sect generously provided an entire large guest house for our exclusive use.
That evening, they even hosted a grand banquet.
My companions and I sat at the same table as the Kunlun Sect Leader and his daughter, Ha Yeon-ryeong.
Although the Kunlun Sect was a Taoist sect focused on spiritual cultivation, the dinner table was laden with meat and alcohol, making the atmosphere quite lively.
"I never imagined that the Young Sect Leader of the Sun and Moon Sect would be a hero of such magnificent virtue."
"You flatter me."
From the Sect Leader and the high elders down to the lowliest disciples, everyone took turns approaching me to offer similar words of praise.
Above all, they seemed deeply moved by the fact that I had refused to turn a blind eye to someone in distress, braving danger to help them.
After all, that was the very definition of 'chivalry and righteousness'—the core values that the prestigious orthodox sects held in the highest regard.
"Please forgive us if our hospitality falls short of what you deserve."
"On the contrary, I am overwhelmed by such lavish treatment."
Spending half a day with them made me realize that the mindset of these orthodox sect members was entirely different from those in the Sun and Moon Sect.
They seemed to live their lives constantly worrying about how others perceived them and whether they were meeting societal standards of flawless conduct.
If the members of the Sun and Moon Sect lived under the oppressive weight of a terrifying Sect Leader and strict dogmas, the disciples of the Kunlun Sect seemed to live striving to embody an idealized, shameless version of themselves.
"I was utterly shocked when Gwangheo Sanin swung his blade at you, Young Sect Leader. To possess such remarkable martial achievement at such a young age is truly astounding."
Since I was attending as the guest of honor, all I had to do was sit there and politely respond to the greetings offered by the Kunlun disciples.
Yet, in some ways, this was far more exhausting than being back at the Demonic Cult.
"However, had the Sect Leader not intervened, I would have faced a dire situation. I thank you once again."
As the Young Sect Leader of the Sun and Moon Sect, I had to maintain impeccable manners and etiquette.
As is always the case for an introvert forced into social gatherings, my energy was rapidly draining, leaving me utterly exhausted. Still, the overall atmosphere remained warm and harmonious.
It was just as the banquet was reaching its peak.
"Ahem. Yeon-ryeong, stand up for a moment."
A thoroughly tipsy Ha Seung-ji suddenly made Ha Yeon-ryeong, who was sitting across from me, stand up.
"It is somewhat embarrassing for a father to boast about his own daughter in front of guests, but Yeon-ryeong is the spitting image of my younger self. She is highly accomplished in both literary and martial arts, and possesses both beauty and grace. She turned thirteen this year. What do you think, Young Sect Leader?"
‘What do you mean, 'what do I think' all of a sudden?’
The timing and the subject of the question were incredibly bizarre, but it was more than enough to show just how much Ha Seung-ji doted on his daughter.
At thirteen, she was a year older than the current Baek Yeon. Looking at her as she stood, she had a slender build but was quite tall for her age—even slightly taller than me.
Of course, to someone like me whose mental age was already in his mid-twenties, she was just a kid.
With her innocent yet sharp eyes and firm lips, she would undoubtedly grow into a striking beauty in a few years.
My gaze naturally drifted from Ha Seung-ji, who was rambling on with pride, to her face.
‘Hmm. Her mother must have been an incredible beauty.’
As I was randomly concluding that her late mother must indeed have been gorgeous, something unexpected happened.
"Sob... sniff..."
To my utter bewilderment, Ha Yeon-ryeong suddenly burst into tears.
With everyone's attention already focused on her, she began to weep, fat tears rolling down her cheeks as she repeatedly wiped her eyes. Soon, every single person in the banquet hall, down to the last man in the furthest corner, was staring at her.
"Yeon-ryeong, what is the matter now?"
"Sob... sniff... Ugh, this is so embarrassing..."
"First, calm down and stop crying..."
"I don't care! Dammit... sniff... Father, I'm going back to my room."
Muttering her frustrations in a tone rather unbefitting of a noble young lady, she abruptly turned to leave the hall.
Then, as if suddenly remembering her manners, she turned back and clasped her hands to bow to me.
"Ah... Young Sect Leader, and the esteemed guests of the Sun and Moon Sect. Please forgive this maiden for her rudeness."
"Do not pay it any mind. You seem exhausted, so it would be best for you to retire and rest."
With her face flushed bright red, she hurried out of the banquet hall and retreated to her quarters.
"Sigh... Young Sect Leader. I apologize for showing you such an unseemly sight."
"Not at all. I am sure she has her reasons."
‘And I'm sure those reasons have absolutely nothing to do with me.’
My response was meant as a polite hint that he didn't need to explain—or rather, a plea for him not to tell me.
But Ha Seung-ji completely misread my intention. Letting out a sigh that seemed to shake the very earth, he began to explain the details I really didn't need to hear.
"Sigh... The truth is, as Yeon-ryeong is approaching marriageable age, I recently arranged a betrothal with a suitable match for her. However..."
The moment dizzying terms like "marriageable age" and "betrothal" entered the conversation, a heavy weight settled in my chest.
I had an ominous premonition that a deeply draining story—one that an introvert's mind was ill-equipped to handle—was about to unfold.
Besides, I knew absolutely nothing about such matters.
However...
"And then? What happened next?"
‘Sister?’
Sitting right next to me, Baek So-cheong reacted in the exact opposite way, her eyes sparkling with intense curiosity as she leaned in to hear the rest of the story.
Her ears were practically perked up, and her eyes shone with absolute delight.