#39. A First-Rate Warrior Stirring a New Wind
Murim Alliance had dispatched three formation masters through their Akyang branch. The people gathered at Ma-ryeong Plateau watched them with expectant eyes, only to be unable to hide their disappointment. Two fresh-faced youngsters barely past their peach fuzz stage and one middle-aged man. And to make matters worse, they learned these weren't the ones who had installed the Murim Alliance's formations, but merely the ones tasked with maintaining them. Their outrage only grew.
"Is this all they're sending?"
The crowd assembled at Ma-ryeong Plateau—spanning both the orthodox and unorthodox paths—were pressing the Murim Alliance's Akyang branch chief. From the orthodox sects' perspective, the unorthodox folk might have been an eyesore, but under the common banner of victims united, they no longer distinguished between foe and friend.
"We'll first assess the nature of this formation and then dispatch additional personnel."
"What about Yong So-a? We heard he survived and escaped from here. Where is he?"
"Hyeoncheong returned to his sect's headquarters after reporting to the Alliance, as he had urgent business there."
"What?! Is there something more pressing than the five thousand lives hanging in the balance right now?!"
Namgung Jinmyeong's fists trembled with rage. How could those he considered blood allies act this way?
"Even Hyeoncheong said he couldn't discern the formation's true nature, so his presence wouldn't have made much difference anyway."
The Akyang branch chief tried desperately to deflect, but everyone who mattered knew the truth. The prodigy most treasured by the Mount Wudang Sect. The sacred genius unlike any other in Wudang's history. They were scheming to avoid pinning the blame on him for abandoning five thousand souls to save his own skin.
"There were Mosanpa members among those who entered. We heard as much. Surely they could have figured out the formation?"
"...Hyeoncheong made no such claim."
The conversation dragged on in endless circles without resolution. At this rate, they'd just repeat the same arguments forever.
"Bring that bastard Yong So-a here now!"
"......"
The Akyang branch chief kept his head bowed, eyes darting side to side.
"If this ends in tragedy, Hyeoncheong, Mount Wudang, and the Murim Alliance will pay dearly, whether you realize it or not."
"......I."
Under the relentless pressure, the branch chief stammered on in fear. "The Alliance's stance is that this wasn't part of their original mission, so they bear no responsibility. Sending the formation masters was merely a courtesy to their allies. The accountability lies with those who entered......"
"What?!"
"Furthermore, any handling of Hyeoncheong and Mount Wudang is not the Alliance's concern."
"Where did that nonsense come from? The Elder Council? Mantongbu?"
"......It's the Murim Alliance's decision."
As a lifelong member of the Namgung family, Namgung Jinmyeong had never endured such utter powerlessness. His fury burned all the hotter for it. He turned and headed toward where the Mosanpa formation masters had gathered. Upon hearing the news, Mosanpa had sent ten of their own, who had arrived days earlier and were already studying the formation.
"How does it look?"
"......The entrance is just an ordinary natural formation. But with five thousand entering and none returning, it might be an elaborate trap."
"Can't you resolve it from this side?"
"The formation's axis isn't here. It's so vast we can't even gauge its scale from outside."
"So there's no way to save them."
"Yu Ji-ryang is one of our sect's top disciples in this art. If even he can't escape from inside......"
"We heard Hyeoncheong... no, Yong So-a made it out from here. How?"
"......He probably used a burst of destructive power."
"Destructive power?"
"If they were near the edge, not fully inside the formation's influence, a momentary explosion could force open a path. But generating that kind of force would require at least five gapja of internal energy—or something like a Thunderbolt Bomb."
"So the kid had one or the other."
"Five gapja of internal energy? That's the stuff of legends."
"Understood. Please keep at it."
"I'm sorry we can't be of more help."
Namgung Jinmyeong ground his teeth. If only they knew what had happened inside, it might ease the frustration—but the one who knew, Hyeoncheong, had fled to Mount Wudang via the Alliance.
Every warrior knew life in the jianghu came with mortal peril. But accepting such an absurd death? That was another matter entirely.
"San-a."
"Yes, Father."
"Take Changgung Unit, Daeyeon Unit, and Thunderbolt Unit to Mount Wudang at once."
"......"
Changgung and Daeyeon made sense, but Thunderbolt Unit was the Namgung family's elite strike force. They weren't to cross the family walls unless its very survival was at stake. Namgung San's face paled at the order to mobilize them.
Was war with Mount Wudang brewing?
"If they won't hand over Yong So-a, cross Sword Abandonment Valley without sheathing your blades."
Passing Sword Abandonment Valley without laying down arms meant open conflict.
"In all the jianghu, only the Namgung family can demand truth from Mount Wudang."
"......"
Mount Wudang wasn't the only problem here. Next would come the Beggars' Sect, then Haomen. Haomen straddled orthodox and unorthodox, so they might dodge scrutiny, but two of the Nine Great Sects? This wouldn't end with words.
In the worst case, the Murim Alliance will surely step in.
Yet Namgung San couldn't voice the thought circling his mind. His father, Namgung Jinmyeong, surely knew. This might even be a decision already discussed with Grandfather, the Sword Sage of Creation.
The situation is dire.
It wouldn't have escalated this far over just Namgung Seonhwa. But with collateral branch matters piled on, the rage had doubled, tripled.
"Are you afraid?"
"No, sir!"
"......I'm afraid."
"Pardon?"
"I wonder if I can ever forgive myself for letting things come to this."
Namgung Jinmyeong blamed himself more than anyone.
"Father......"
"Thinking of what that child endured inside tears my heart apart."
"I'll bring Yong So-a back myself."
"......"
Namgung Jinmyeong stared at a shadowed wall of the cave instead of answering.
"Even if we drag that kid here, can we save Seonhwa......?"
A self-mocking murmur, unclear whom it was for. Namgung San gazed at the same spot, holding back hasty words.
Then.
"Huh?"
He wondered if he'd seen wrong. Dozens of torches already lit the cave interior like daylight.
Yet.
"Did you see that, Father?"
A black shadow writhed.
"I saw it—I saw it!"
At Namgung Jinmyeong's shout, the Mosanpa formation masters scrambled back, fearing the formation might devour them. But instead of lunging, the black shadow parted to the sides.
From between, it spat out a skeletal figure barely human. On his back was slung an equally emaciated woman.
Namgung Jinmyeong and Namgung San cried out in unison.
"Seonhwa!!"
"Namgung Seonhwa!!"
Behind the man carrying Seonhwa came a line of others, each bearing someone in poor shape. Oddly, they followed the lead man's footsteps precisely, heads bowed even after entering the cave.
As Namgung Jinmyeong and Namgung San took Seonhwa, the lead man rasped.
"W-water. F-food......"
The startled crowd hurriedly offered food and hidden flasks from their bosoms.
The man shoved it all into his mouth without looking, chewing laboriously before gulping it down.
"Puha. Thought I was done for."
In that instant, shouts erupted from all sides without regard for who started it. The first survivor from the presumed-dead five thousand had appeared.
# Upon Jin Sowoon's emergence, the Murim Alliance's Akyang branch chief tried to isolate him for questioning about what had happened inside, but Namgung Jinmyeong and the unorthodox masters wouldn't stand for it.
"Didn't the Alliance say they bear no responsibility?!"
"B-but......"
"Right now, I'm barely holding onto reason for my daughter's survival. Don't make me lose faith in the Alliance entirely."
Under Namgung Jinmyeong's chilling threat, the Alliance members dared not press further.
The first survivors had emerged, but the crisis wasn't over. Thousands remained inside.
"That is the Infinite Buddha's Indestructible Soul Formation?"
The Mosanpa formation masters paled at the revival of a legendary formation lost three hundred years ago. The follow-up words stunned them further.
"You claim you found a path through the Infinite Buddha's Indestructible Soul Formation?"
The Mosanpa masters could scarcely believe Jin Sowoon, who had led the survivors out.
"I've confirmed it."
The gaunt Yu Ji-ryang added his testimony from the side. With that, doubt was impossible.
"But how......"
"Your Mosanpa formation masters were calculating paths from the start. Then that bastard Yong So-a interfered......"
Even with luminaries from orthodox and unorthodox gathered, all united in cursing Yong So-a.
"So how did you escape mid-calculation?"
Jin Sowoon answered while stuffing his mouth with porridge—jerky-boiled mush from the camp outside. His tenth bowl already.
"I calculated the rest alone inside."
The claim strained belief.
"You're a Tae-eul Gate disciple, right?"
The Mosanpa master's mention of Tae-eul Gate drew grumbles from the unorthodox masters listening nearby.
"Fuck! What does Tae-eul Gate have to do with anything here?!"
"You idiots still judging by sect origins in a place like this?!"
"Yeah! If they can pull our disciples out, bring 'em even if it's the Demonic Cult!"
Yu Ji-ryang chimed in agreement. "Uncle Master. We don't have time for this. People are still dying inside."
"......R-right. S-sorry."
Bowed by the unorthodox masters' ire, the Mosanpa master stepped back and glanced at Namgung Jinmyeong.
Namgung Jinmyeong asked Jin Sowoon again. "Any precautions for the way out?"
"Follow my footsteps exactly, and you won't get lost inside. One misstep, and you're trapped."
"Tough for those still in there."
"That's why I only brought ten out first."
"What's the max you can lead?"
"A single path lasts about one gak. Safely, twenty at most."
"The Namgung family will prepare warriors."
"Sahuang Peak will provide too. Better than your orthodox weaklings."
"You've heard of Black Sand Room, right?"
Everyone vied to send their own warriors first.
"Think carefully. One wrong step, and the formation hides the path forever. I've gone in and out multiple times but never met anyone who entered first."
The eager crowd deflated. Finally, Namgung Jinmyeong asked, "What's best?"
"First, twenty peak warriors who've trained together—not from mixed groups. They enter with food like I did, then exit carrying twenty survivors first. Station healers at both cave mouths for immediate treatment. Prepare the next group and cycle it."
"Sounds optimal."
Namgung Jinmyeong and the unorthodox masters nodded.
"But won't you have to keep going in? You okay?"
Among survivors, Jin Sowoon looked the most wrecked. His blue uniform, soaked in blood turned black, hinted at massive blood loss.
"It's a race against time now. To save even one more, we can't delay."
"Got it."
With that, people sprang into organized action.
# The unorthodox masters raided Akyang, dragging nearby physicians to Ma-ryeong Plateau by force. Orthodox ones swept inns and taverns, cooking up every ingredient available and hauling it over. Starting with Namgung's Thunderbolt Unit, twenty entered laden with food. Hours later, they emerged, each carrying a survivor.
Regardless of path, hands flew to treat and aid recovery. Corpses went to command for kin identification.
"You holding up?"
Near ten thousand experts mobilized, so manpower wasn't an issue. But Jin Sowoon was the worry. He entered the Indestructible Soul Formation most often since emerging, three sleepless days straight. He looked worse than on day one.
"I'm fine. A quick meditation session......"
He filled sleep deficits with brief qi circulation. Pitiful in the warriors' eyes. Peak masters could go a month without rest, but a Tae-eul Gate disciple? No chance.
Namgung Jinmyeong, unable to watch, pulled a jade box from his bosom.
"Take this and meditate."
"What's this?"
"Dae-yeonnan-dan."
"What? How can I accept something so precious......"
"Precious? Compared to you saving our family? It's nothing. The real price comes later. Eat this first, recover your energy. Sorry, but you're the only one who can save those inside now."
Namgung Jinmyeong's lead spurred the unorthodox masters.
"Our Black Sand Room's elixir might not suit your Taoist heart method, so take this instead. Jahwaran. You know what that is, right?"
"Wish we could give Sahuang Peak's Sahuangdan, but alas. Here's Cheongsimdan from Black Market, just in case."
"Heard of Hyeonyangsu? We gathered it for our sect's elixirs......"
"Gu-yeop-sincho......"
"Cheonji-cho."
Somehow they'd all stashed spirit medicines everywhere. Soon, elixirs and pills piled before Jin Sowoon. None matched Dae-yeonnan-dan, but ample for vital recovery.
From then, Jin Sowoon fueled on elixirs instead of food, plunging back in. Four more days passed. As masters tired amid endless day-night blur.
The final survivors emerged.
"It's over."
"Total: four thousand two hundred eighty survivors."
Command's announcement unleashed cheers. Orthodox and unorthodox embraced, roaring till heavens shook.
"Wooooaaahhhh!!"