Chapter 8
Chapter 8
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Entering the Alliance
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The main road leading to the village was lined on both sides with mulberry trees, and behind the green foliage stretched vast expanses of rice paddies.
"If only our village had fields and paddies this expansive, we wouldn't have to worry about the next hundred years..."
A sigh escaped Se Yeong's lips as he gazed out at the endless fields and paddies.
Haah...
"Whoever owns all these fields doesn't have to worry about putting food on the table."
Haha.
Paeng Se Gi chuckled at Se Yeong's sigh.
"Brother, all these fields and mulberry trees belong to the Murim Alliance."
Even Se Yeong, who rarely batted an eye at anything, was stunned by those words.
He had assumed the Murim Alliance was wealthy.
But these endless fields far exceeded his expectations.
"The Murim Alliance... has always been rich, then."
"Not at all, Brother. The Alliance only grew wealthy after the great war with the Demonic Cult. The Infinite Sword Immortal began buying up fields bit by bit each year and planting mulberry trees along the roads leading to the Alliance. Thirty years later, all the surrounding farmland belongs to the Murim Alliance."
Se Yeong felt envious.
There was a saying about your stomach hurting when your cousin bought land, and now his actually ached with jealousy.
The Infinite Sword Immortal had been securing the Alliance's future by purchasing fields and planting mulberry trees thirty years ago.
'Grandfather's proxy hero or not, the man had real talent.'
As dusk began to settle, the towering walls of the Murim Alliance came into view in the distance.
The surrounding area was still dominated by vast fields, and the mulberry trees lining the road to the main gate persisted.
"Brother, it's getting late. Why not head in tomorrow morning?"
Paeng Se Gi hesitated to enter the Alliance so late in the evening.
"They say strike while the iron is hot. Let's just go in."
Se Yeong strode toward the Murim Alliance without hesitation.
Paeng Se Gi followed reluctantly, then spoke up with difficulty.
"I... have something to say, Brother."
"Out with it."
"The truth is... I've caused a lot of trouble since I was young. If I join the Murim Alliance, I'll definitely end up in the Tenth Squad of the Elusive Squadron."
Se Yeong didn't understand.
What did it matter if it was the Tenth Squad or the First?
"Is that a problem?"
"Yes. The Elusive Squadron didn't originally have a Tenth Squad. It's where they stick all the troublemakers. So we don't get treated as well as the other squads."
Hooh...
A small exclamation escaped Se Yeong's lips.
Being assigned to such a squad sounded ideal.
No tedious duties, and plenty of freedom to build his strength.
"What kind of trouble did you cause?"
"Well... I messed up several times. At sixteen, I fell for a courtesan and stole a family heirloom to give her as a gift. They eventually got it back, but I got beaten half to death for it."
"You deserved it."
Paeng Se Gi's face grew redder as he spoke.
"Yes. After that, I got into fights with young masters from other families, and Father thrashed me every time."
Haha...
Se Yeong laughed merrily as he listened.
"Keep going."
"At seventeen... I got cocky and charged into a bandits' mountain stronghold alone. I cut down five or six at first and got all full of myself, but then they just shot arrows at me from a cliff. I couldn't get close. I tried finding a detour and ended up lost in the mountains. Starved for days until Father came and got me out."
Hahaha...
Se Yeong burst into laughter.
He'd once gotten lost in the mountains as a child himself.
But he'd stayed calm, hunted for food, and made it out safely.
Paeng Se Gi continued, his face flushed.
"The bandits gave me the nickname Mountain Beast Blade after that."
"Mountain Beast Blade? You mean like a wild mountain animal?"
"Yes. The name spread far and wide... Now everyone in the martial world knows the Mountain Beast Blade."
"Oh no..."
It was a sad story in the end.
A young prodigy destined to command the martial world, branded a wild beast.
"It's fine. Mountain Beast Blade or Mountain Heaven Blade—what's the difference? I like it, actually. Sounds fierce and bold."
Paeng Se Gi's sullen face lit up instantly.
No one had ever said that to him before.
"Thank you, Brother."
As Se Yeong and Paeng Se Gi approached the gate, Murim Alliance warriors blocked their path.
"State your business."
"He's my brother."
Paeng Se Gi stepped forward on Se Yeong's behalf.
"My apologies. Go on in."
The warrior recognized Paeng Se Gi and stepped aside.
The two entered through the massive gate, dozens of paces wide.
"Who is that guy that they let through so easily?"
"Paeng Se Gi of the Paeng Family."
"Ah... the Mountain Beast Blade..."
"Shh. Don't run your mouth, or you'll lose your jaw. That guy's got a temper like you wouldn't believe."
Paeng Se Gi trembled as he overheard while walking inside the gate.
'I can hear you, you bastards.'
They whispered, but an expert's ears could pick up anything.
Normally, a fight would have broken out.
But with Se Yeong beside him, he barely suppressed his rage.
Se Yeong smirked at the sight.
But the smile vanished in an instant.
Hum...
The sword at his waist had begun to vibrate faintly.
'You've sensed your other half is nearby, haven't you?'
After finishing his solitary dinner, the Alliance Leader picked up the Demon Lord's Sword.
Warming up after a meal was a long-standing habit of his.
He used to use other swords, but since becoming Alliance Leader, he reviewed his techniques solely with the Demon Lord's Sword.
'What a fine blade.'
There were many famed swords in the world.
But only the Demon Lord's Sword had captured his heart.
When it cleaved the air, he imagined himself as the supreme warrior under heaven, slaying the Demonic Cult Leader.
Fuu...
Shing.
He exhaled deeply and slowly drew the Demon Lord's Sword from its sheath.
As the half-bisected blade emerged, it emitted a strange vibration.
Hummm...
The Alliance Leader rejoiced at the sword's resonance.
Kehahaha!
"Finally, you accept me as your master."
He believed the sword sang because it recognized him as its owner.
Whoosh... whoosh...
The Alliance Leader gleefully sliced through the air, dancing his sword forms.
The busiest person in the Murim Alliance—nay, the entire martial world—was Jegal Hyeon.
His favorite time of day was after dinner, sipping tea.
But today, unwanted guests had ruined that precious time entirely.
"Here again."
The Strategist glared sharply at Paeng Se Gi, who stood there blankly.
Paeng Se Gi showed no remorse whatsoever.
Grind.
The Strategist ground his teeth before turning to Se Yeong.
A young man holding an iron rod in one hand and swords at both hips—clearly the one Paeng Se Gi had mentioned.
"What brings you here?"
Se Yeong silently withdrew a sealed letter from his robes and handed it over.
'Tight-lipped, or just disrespectful?'
The Strategist took a poor first impression of Se Yeong.
He looked decent enough, but his demeanor seemed utterly insolent.
His eyes wavered slightly as he opened the letter.
'A personal recommendation from the Forest Lord of Healing Forest.'
The Forest Lord was someone he deeply respected.
Righteous in character and warm-hearted, most martial experts admired her.
All the Alliance's physicians had learned from her, as had disciples from the Nine Great Sects, the Five Great Families, and various clans.
His initial disdain flipped completely upon reading the recommendation.
If the Forest Lord herself had written it, the man must be of excellent character and solid skill.
"Han Se Yeong, is it? From the Han Family of Hubei? Or Shanxi?"
The Strategist's tone softened considerably.
"The Han Family of Yellow Gate Mountain."
Se Yeong replied while studying the Strategist's face.
If the man knew anything, he'd be shocked.
Yet he showed no surprise at the family name.
'The Strategist doesn't know Grandfather is on Yellow Gate Mountain.'
"Yellow Gate Mountain? Where's that?"
The Strategist felt a twinge of irritation at Se Yeong's tone but didn't show it yet.
"You wouldn't know it even if I told you."
'This punk...'
He'd tried to think well of him because of the recommendation, but there was nothing likable here.
When selecting people, the Strategist valued character above all.
There were plenty of skilled fighters in the Alliance already, so personality mattered.
He glanced at the brazen Paeng Se Gi.
'Birds of a feather. How do they even find each other?'
One glance told him everything.
'Why would the Forest Lord recommend someone like this?'
His expectations shattered, anger rising.
Their destination was set.
"No spots in other squads right now, so you'll stay with the Tenth Squad for the time being. We'll move you when space opens up. Stipend is four taels of silver a month."
Se Yeong saw right through the Strategist's intent.
It sounded temporary, but once in the Tenth Squad, they'd be stuck there forever.
"I don't need the stipend."
'Hm?'
The Strategist eyed Se Yeong curiously.
No one in the martial world had ever refused a stipend before.
Not even from wealthy clans.
As Se Yeong declined, Paeng Se Gi chimed in.
"I don't need one either."
The Strategist looked at them in bewilderment, then asked Paeng Se Gi.
"Why refuse... the stipend?"
"If my brother won't take one, how can I?"
'Cheeky brat.'
The Strategist glared at the seemingly thoughtless Paeng Se Gi, then turned to Se Yeong.
"Fine. And you? Why refuse?"
"Instead of a stipend, pay me for each job I do."
Pffft... hahaha!
The Strategist roared with laughter at Se Yeong's response.
He hadn't laughed like this in ages.
Pay per job?
The punk thought he was one of the Five Absolutes or something.
The Strategist wasn't the only one laughing.
Kekeke...
The guards couldn't hold back either.
Pffft...
"Very well. We'll pay you, of course. What are you waiting for? Escort these two to the Tenth Squad."
"Understood. Follow me."
One of the guards led the way, and Se Yeong and Paeng Se Gi followed.
The Strategist stared blankly at Se Yeong's retreating figure.
The sight of him striding out with swords at both hips was utterly ridiculous.
Pffft... haha!
"Haven't laughed that hard in a while."