#133. Proving Himself: The Black Flame Dragon (3)
“Everyone is waiting for you at Hwamwolru right now.”
Hwamwolru was one of the top-class brothels not just in Muhwan, but throughout Hubei Province. It was so extravagantly luxurious that even the sons of high-ranking officials couldn't enter freely, yet the academy students from the Murim Academy made every effort to show their faces there from time to time. Since it was frequented by high-ranking Murim Alliance executives like division heads and hall leaders, they strained themselves to build connections with them somehow.
“We've also prepared a separate table for your group, so please come along.”
Ilgak turned and started walking as if it were the most natural thing, and his companions moved to follow just as naturally.
“I'll pass.”
“……!”
“!”
Not only Seong Moran and Namgung Seonhwa, but even Ilgak looked at me with wide-eyed surprise.
“I have a prior engagement.”
“…….”
Ilgak's face twisted ever so slightly.
“I told you the elders of the Jeongdo Council have invited you.”
“You should've said so earlier.”
“…….”
“Isn't it rude to suddenly summon someone like that without any notice?”
In their minds, anyone not from the Nine Great Sects or Five Great Families wasn't even human—just a mongrel. A dog might be fine as a disciple of Tae-eul Gate, but never a stray.
“I know the elders are fine, upstanding people. But that doesn't mean they can order around the academy's representative—who's not even a lowly student—like a servant, does it? Or are they meeting me as fellow martial artists of the jianghu, senior to junior?”
Ilgak's face scrunched up. At this rate, wrinkles would crawl all the way to his scalp. Oh, teasing a monk like this—am I headed straight to hell?
I'd bet my little finger that before I entered the academy as top student, those elders didn't even know Tae-eul Gate existed. In my previous life, while cramming intel into my head at the Mantongbu, the elders would drop by out of curiosity now and then. Some even saw us as a sect wiped out long ago.
“Even looking at it from the perspective of jianghu seniors and juniors, regardless of their positions, it seems improper for Donor Jin to refuse so one-sidedly.”
Ilgak spoke with his still-unrelaxed face... no, head.
“Those 'seniors' treated me like a spy from the unorthodox sects.”
“…….”
“Are you perhaps planning to apologize for that this time?”
Ilgak, clearly unprepared for this, showed an awkward demeanor without managing his expression. They would never apologize. Especially not to a mere disciple of Tae-eul Gate.
“Then there's even less reason for me to go.”
Ilgak let out a long sigh.
“I know there are many misunderstandings between you and us.”
From behind, Seong Moran whispered, 'When did "misunderstanding" turn into something else?' but Ilgak pressed on.
“But if Donor Jin acts so arrogantly, it won't be good for you either.”
“…….”
“Like it or not, those people support the Murim Alliance.”
“You're threatening me quite gently.”
“…….”
“I don't care, so tell them I can't make it.”
“…….”
I stopped walking and called out to Ilgak as he turned to leave.
“Oh, and one more thing……”
Ilgak looked at me with a 'Of course' expression.
“Why do you keep calling a Daoist Gate disciple 'Donor'? It's uncomfortable.”
Ilgak's face turned to stone, like one of the Four Heavenly Kings at a temple entrance. Damn, hell really might be calling now……
“Are you really okay with this?”
After Ilgak left, Namgung Seonhwa—who had watched his changed demeanor with the most shock—spoke with her voice full of worry.
“Not only the division heads, but they have absolute support within the Murim Alliance too. If you're thinking about your future career, opposing them isn't wise.”
“I'm not thinking about promotions.”
“Why not?”
Because that distant future wouldn't come in the first place. With death threats looming dozens of times right now, who had time to worry about the far-off tomorrow?
“I have plenty to do with the people right by my side at the moment.”
“……Mm.”
Namgung Seonhwa nodded slowly.
“Well, it's not just the Jeongdo Council—the Namgung family has plenty of influence in the Baekdo Council too.”
“Pardon?”
“Nothing. Anyway, that's that.”
After the meal, I took Moyong Jaehwa to the smithy. He had been practicing archery with a bow taken from Guigungmun, but it broke quickly, and none of the academy-provided bows were decent enough for training.
“The bows made by our artisans here are famous for their durability.”
The bow the blacksmith handed over was a sturdy reinforced bow with ox horn for the frame, but Moyong Jaehwa's expression didn't brighten after testing the string a couple times.
“It feels like it'll snap right away……”
The blacksmith burst into laughter at Moyong Jaehwa's words.
“This white bow has never broken, even when peak masters pour their full inner strength into it. Give it a try. If it breaks, I won't charge you.”
At the blacksmith's words, Moyong Jaehwa nodded and infused the bow with his par-gung energy, pulling the string with all his might.
Kigigik-
The horn bow made a strange screech before crack—the wood and frame separated and shattered.
“Wha……? What the……”
The blacksmith stared in bewilderment, while Moyong Jaehwa sheepishly held out the broken bow, his face full of apology.
“Is it possible to make a bow out of iron, by any chance?”
Recalling the bow Par-gung used in my previous life, I asked. The blacksmith, staring at the wreckage in dismay, furrowed his brow as if it were absurd.
“Who in the world makes a bow out of solid iron? It wouldn't even have draw strength to begin with, and even if it did, the string couldn't hold.”
In the end, Moyong Jaehwa left the smithy empty-handed, his shoulders slumped. He had resolved to walk the path of archery, but without a bow to practice with.
“If I talk to my family, they might make something similar…… but then Grandfather……”
Placing such a suspicious order with the clan would cause an uproar. Moyong Gang might even fly straight to Muhwan in a single bound.
“Don't worry. I'll handle it.”
“Y-you, Brother?”
I was planning to visit Jang Dowon soon anyway. He could probably craft an iron bow. One of the Fifteen Divine Artifacts he made in my previous life was a bow.
“Oh, and I've arranged an archery instructor, so you need to focus on training.”
“Really?”
There were few sects specializing in archery in the jianghu, so finding a foundational instructor took time. The only reason I could assign one exclusively to Moyong Jaehwa was my position as academy representative.
The issue was the instructor's affiliation, which felt a bit awkward.
It'll be uncomfortable, but…… it'll be fine.
I shook off the stray thought. What mattered was improving Moyong Jaehwa's skills. Once he grasped archery basics, his growth would skyrocket. Then the Par-gung who made even demons tremble would appear sooner.
Moyong Jaehwa, unaware or not of the situation, couldn't hide his joy.
The Murim Alliance's Elder Hall wasn't an organization for executing actions. Unlike other divisions, it had no authority to gather intelligence or mobilize people directly. Yet it was called one of the three great power centers alongside the Alliance Lord's Hall and Mantongbu because it held the power to enact laws.
Considering the Alliance's laws were the laws of the entire jianghu, it wasn't strange that countless people lined up to curry favor for their interests. Even those camping out at the Alliance for months with bribes disguised as gifts could count on one hand the number who actually met the elders.
For such lofty elders to gather at Hwamwolru just to meet a disciple from some rootless sect—and have him blow them off while they sipped expensive silk wine worth a low-rank warrior's monthly salary—left a bitter aftertaste no matter how fine the drink.
“And the bastard said he 'won't come'?”
Myeonghyeon nearly dropped his cup in shock. The others showed their discomfort openly too.
Even the head of the Inspection Hall would probably attend such an invitation. But to refuse citing a prior engagement?
“The punk's gotten all high and mighty with that little academy badge.”
Myeonghyeon and the other elders' rage reaching the heavens was only natural.
“What an end of days. Academy brats treating Murim Alliance elders like dogs.”
“It's all because we let a rootless nobody sit in that seat—he's lost all sense of his place.”
“We need to drag him from the representative position and expel him ASAP.”
They wanted not just to oust him, but expel him and his sect brothers from the academy, even yank Tae-eul Gate from the 108 Peaks. But somehow, the Alliance Lord's Hall and Mantongbu seemed to be shielding him. In the old days, this wouldn't have been such a big deal, but Mantongbu expelled the culprit of the Muryangbulgolmokhonjin incident and billed Jeongdo Council for damages.
When Jeongdo Council fiercely protested, Mantongbu's cold threat to deploy the Inspection Hall for a full investigation forced them to swallow their anger and shut up. The academy's atmosphere was hostile to Jeongdo Council too. The cheeky Baekdo Council and Twelve Bongseong were scheming to poach from the shaky 108 Peaks.
They desperately needed a chance to turn the tide.
“In the end, he has no intention of revealing what he knows about the formation.”
No matter how high the damage costs, they were trivial compared to Jeongdo Council's funds. What mattered was seizing the narrative and justification—which meant publicly disclosing the formation to the students and Alliance.
“He probably wants to see us grovel on our knees.”
The other elders burst into incredulous laughter at one elder's words.
“What an insolent little shit.”
“Better to use his unorthodox ties as an excuse to kick him out.”
“How about pressuring Tae-eul Gate directly?”
Various opinions flew, but everyone knew none solved the problem. They were just ways to vent frustration at Jin Sowoon.
Sensing the mood ripe, Myeonghyeon nodded.
“Calm down. Bringing up unsolvable issues will just inflate his ego.”
“Ahem……”
“Mm……”
Though Myeonghyeon spoke, the faces showed reluctance. How many mistakes was this now? It was time to consider replacing the Jeongdo Council leader. Myeonghyeon knew the mood but pressed on without showing it. Having reached this position, he wouldn't yield easily—especially over something trivial like this.
“Does Elder Myeonghyeon have another plan?”
“Would I bring it up if I didn't?”
“Let's hear it.”
He disliked their swagger, but now was the time to endure.
“It's not a big deal. We just need to shift the mood.”
“The mood shifts after the problem's solved, doesn't it?”
No wonder he clings to the leadership—blind to politics like this, how could he lead Jeongdo Council in the Alliance?
“Problems fade from people's minds over time. And if another incident arises to change the mood, the current issue vanishes even faster.”
“……!”
“……!”
Foreheads wrinkling, they leaned into Myeonghyeon's words.
The Murim Academy's class schedule wasn't overly packed. This was to cultivate high-caliber talent suited for the Alliance while ensuring time for students' personal cultivation and private lessons, given their diverse martial arts backgrounds.
Moyong Jaehwa usually trained archery alone on the clearing behind the academy after morning classes. With all Guigungmun applicants failing this intake, he was the only one practicing.
But today, he wasn't alone.
“Ugh… well… uh……”
The long-awaited instructor's face left Moyong Jaehwa at a loss for words, the awkwardness overwhelming.
“……L-long time no see. I hope you've been well?”
His stilted greeting barely escaped. The instructor, holding a large bow, twitched his eyebrows.
“Well? That's a bad joke. After flunking the young master in the entrance exam, I lost my hall leader post and now do guest lectures at the academy. Not something you say to me.”
Moyong Jaehwa felt unjustly accused at the sharp retort. It made him sound like the villain.
Exams are pass or fail—it's not like I did it on purpose……
The instructor set down his quiver and spoke.
“Moyong Jaehwa, right? The Moyong family's eldest son?”
This was their second meeting, but they hadn't exchanged names.
“Y-yes. But instructor, your name is……”
“Yeo Samtong of Guigungmun.”
Indeed. He was the Guigungmun archer they'd crossed blades and bows with during the entrance exam—the hall leader who guarded the young master up close.
Brother…… why, why him……
By custom, entrance exam grudges were buried after enrollment, but human emotions didn't fade so easily.
“Being an academy student has perks—hiring instructors on a whim for fun. If our young master had passed, would the Moyong family have hired me instead?”
Moyong Jaehwa responded to Yeo Samtong's heavy sarcasm.
“It's not for fun.”
“What?”
“Archery isn't a pastime for me.”
“…….”
Yeo Samtong's eyebrow arched at Moyong Jaehwa's words.
“So you're abandoning the family sword for the bow?”
“…….”
“Did you get permission?”
“…….”
“No permission? Unbelievable!”
As Moyong Jaehwa nodded silently, Yeo Samtong picked up his quiver.
“You shouldn't even be here to begin with.”
“Why?”
“Don't you know? Who'll face Par-gung-nim's wrath if I teach you? Not interested.”
As Yeo Samtong turned to leave, Moyong Jaehwa blocked his path. Awkward as it was, this man was here to build his archery foundation. Brother Sowoon must have known no better choice, enduring the discomfort to hire him.
“I must learn archery.”
“Why would the Moyong heir take up archery? The family's sword is top-tier in the jianghu.”
“Th-that's……”
“No real intent to learn? Then I'm not risking it.”
As Yeo Samtong moved, Moyong Jaehwa grabbed his arm.
“In my view, the true King of Ten Thousand Armies is the bow.”
Yeo Samtong halted abruptly.
“You might be right. Maybe I'm turning to the bow because the sword failed me.”
“…….”
“But my sword saved no one. My bow saved everyone precious to me. That's when I knew—if I wield the bow over the sword, I need fear nothing. To me, the bow is a greater King of Ten Thousand Armies than the sword.”
Yeo Samtong turned to face Moyong Jaehwa.
“So please, teach me.”
“…….”
Even after Moyong Jaehwa finished, Yeo Samtong stared long and hard. Then he set down the quiver and approached.
“Trained alone? How far did you get?”
“P-pardon? You're teaching me?”
“How could I refuse someone who wants to protect the precious with a bow?”
“Th-thank you.”
“Oh, and if Par-gung-nim asks who taught you, don't mention my name.”
“Ah…… yes.”
“Also, my training's brutal. No quitting or running midway.”
“Yes! I won't run!”
“And don't worry I'll torment you over the entrance exam. I'm not that petty.”
“……Pardon?”
Moyong Jaehwa felt an odd unease at Yeo Samtong's words. Why add that unnecessary bit?
“Here, take this.”
Yeo Samtong handed over a tempting red apple. Feeling peckish, Moyong Jaehwa bit right in.
Crunch-
“……What're you doing?”
Yeo Samtong stared incredulously at Moyong Jaehwa mid-bite.
“Huh? Didn't you give it to eat?”
“Why're you eating the target?”
Moyong Jaehwa glanced between Yeo Samtong's face and the apple.
“……Target?”
“Yeah. Go put that on your head and stand still over there.”
“……Pardon?”
“The best archery lesson is getting shot yourself. Hurry—the sun sets, no more progress today.”
“…….”
Moyong Jaehwa strongly sensed something had gone terribly wrong.