The Alliance's Fracture
The Murim Alliance's inner chamber erupted in heated debate.
"Lord! This is nothing short of a challenge to the Murim Alliance itself! We must impose sanctions at the Alliance level immediately!"
"Your tone is rather peculiar, Abbot. It sounds as though you believe the orthodox Murim should consist solely of the Murim Alliance."
"Lord Tang! The Sichuan Alliance was formed long before the Murim Alliance ever existed. It is an ancient and venerable coalition! But the Hubei Alliance? There is no precedent for it, even in the past!"
"Does that mean you would not have acknowledged the Sichuan Alliance either, had it lacked such deep roots?"
"Lord Tang!!"
The moment Baekri Hyeok proclaimed the founding of the Hubei Alliance and took his seat in the Alliance's guest chamber, the Murim Alliance's council convened an emergency meeting. The assembly quickly split into two factions. Centered around Alliance Leader Namgung Yeong, figures such as the Shaolin Abbot and the Huashan Sect Leader voiced strong opposition to the Hubei Alliance. In contrast, the Sichuan Alliance—led by the Tang Clan, Emei, and Qingcheng—supported its formation. Having long endured pressure from the Murim Alliance, they welcomed the birth of another coalition in a similar position. Even if the Tang Clan's past sins against the Baekri Clan could never be erased, they were prepared to back this new power now that it had emerged.
The Hubei Alliance might still lack a firm foundation, but it possessed the Jegal Clan, the greatest strategic minds in the martial world. Its martial strength was anchored by the Wudang Sect, second to none. Should the need arise, they could also call upon the North Sea Ice Palace, a gateway to the outer martial realms. Most importantly, the Alliance's leader was none other than Baekri Hyeok, one of the Five Venerables of Murim. The title "Venerable" was typically granted to those who had withdrawn from the martial world to cultivate in seclusion. Before Baekri Hyeok confined himself within his clan, his epithet had been Sword Hero. It was only after retreating into seclusion that he earned his place among the Five Venerables, thanks to the rumors that spread across the jianghu. Yet that system had now been shattered. The other Venerables could not possibly have missed news of Baekri Hyeok's return. The mere information that the Sword Sovereign had moved would plunge the current martial world into chaos.
"My clan, along with the Emei and Qingcheng Sects, supports the rise of the Hubei Alliance."
"We must stop it by any means necessary! If the orthodox faction fractures like this, who knows what the Demonic Cult will do!"
"As expected, the Alliance never truly regarded the Sichuan Alliance as part of itself. Of all words, you chose 'fracture'!"
A dark, venomous aura began to seep from Lord Tang, unable to contain his fury at the Shaolin Abbot's harsh words. The situation spiraled out of control. Even the Shaolin Abbot, who had lived his entire life as a Buddhist monk, could not tolerate such open hostility in the council chamber. Just as he prepared to unleash his Vajra Divine Strength, a voice cut through the tension.
"Everyone, stop this at once!!"
Alliance Leader Namgung Yeong, who had been silently observing until now, shouted. The explosive atmosphere instantly subsided. Never once had he shown anger in public, yet for the first time, he ground his teeth, his inner energy barely restrained. And it was none other than Namgung Yeong, the pillar of the Namgung Clan and the current Murim Alliance Leader.
"The Hubei Alliance is not something we can prevent, no matter what we do! Do any of you truly believe there is a warrior here capable of breaking the Sword Sovereign's will?"
"..."
Namgung Yeong's cry carried the bitter weight of his own powerlessness. There was no one who could bend the Sword Sovereign's will. In this vast jianghu, even within the Murim Alliance—the grand coalition of the orthodox sects—no one could guarantee victory against the head of a single clan. It was a humiliating truth.
"In fact, it is fortunate that they have appeared now. Had the Baekri Clan bared their fangs any later, the positions of the Murim Alliance and the Hubei Alliance might well have been reversed!"
"Then what does the Alliance Leader intend to do?" asked Unso, the Huashan Sect Leader, his eyes narrowed. Since they could not stop the Hubei Alliance from rising, he wanted to hear what path the Murim Alliance would take next. A single misstep here could shake both Namgung Yeong's position and the standing of the Namgung Clan. Yet Namgung Yeong trusted his own judgment.
"The Hubei Alliance is united around the Sword Sovereign. Without him, it would be nothing more than an ordinary coalition."
"So you fear the Sword Sovereign after all. His very existence sustains the Alliance."
"The Murim Alliance has a system for electing its leader. That allows both checks on the leader's power and respect for the position to coexist. Do you all agree?"
At Namgung Yeong's words, everyone nodded in assent. The position of Murim Alliance Leader was never absolute. If the head of a single faction wielded unchecked power, it would be no different from tyranny. Moreover, the Murim Alliance existed as an independent coalition within the Ming Empire. Should an absolute ruler emerge here, the imperial court would intervene. That was why various systems had been established to restrain the Alliance Leader's authority.
"I will ask the Sword Sovereign. As the leader of his Alliance, would he willingly step down if the coalition strayed from the righteous path?"
"Wouldn't anyone give that answer?"
"If it is the Sword Sovereign, he will understand the weight of those words. He always has."
Namgung Yeong's confident reply left the council members with questions. None of them knew the full story of what had passed between him and Baekri Hyeok. The only known fact was that the relationship between the Namgung and Baekri Clans was as distant as that between the orthodox and demonic factions. Otherwise, the Alliance Leader would not have worn such a murderous expression. Yet not a single person present realized the truth: the true driving force behind the Hubei Alliance was not the Sword Sovereign, but his son. Baekri Hyeong's mere existence had swayed his mother's heart, bringing the North Sea Ice Palace into the fold. Through correspondence with Jegal Yujin, he had forged friendly ties with the Jegal Clan. With the Wudang Sect, he had even formed a direct connection with the Sect Leader. In truth, the Hubei Alliance would never have been formed without Baekri Hyeong. Of course, the Murim Alliance neither knew this nor would ever discover it. Not for all eternity.
**********
Meanwhile, in the guest chamber, Baekri Hyeong sat idly, itching to swing his sword. Yet his father had strictly ordered him not to reveal his true strength within the Alliance, and he had no intention of disobeying. So he simply sat in silence, gazing up at the sky.
"Haa... At a time like this, I'd rather be swinging my sword."
"That's an excellent idea! Would you care to cross swords with me?"
"...Who are you?"
A woman appeared before Baekri Hyeong as he lamented his situation. The sword at her waist made it natural to assume she was a swordswoman. From her attire and the aura she naturally exuded, he could tell she was the scion of a prestigious clan. But that changed nothing. This was the guest chamber granted to the Baekri Clan. Simply bringing a weapon inside without permission was a grave offense. Baekri Hyeong stirred his inner energy, intending to drive her away.
"Whoa, whoa. Is it proper for a young hero to chase people away like this?"
"I asked who you are. Answer me."
"You don't know me? That shouldn't be possible."
"Are you mocking me right now?"
"Of course not. I simply thought there was no need to introduce myself, but it seems I was mistaken."
The woman let out a hearty laugh. She looked no older than a promising junior disciple who had yet to reach adulthood. Yet she claimed to have already made a name for herself? All the young prodigies bearing the Dragon-Phoenix titles, except for Baekri Hyang, had already surpassed that age and lost their epithets. Baekri Hyeong could not guess her identity.
'Have I seen that face before?'
In his previous life, Baekri Hyeong had only entered the jianghu in earnest after passing the age of twenty. Jegal Yujin had such distinctive features that he could recognize her even from her youthful face. Even if he hadn't known her face, the Jegal Clan's banquet would have allowed him to deduce her identity. But this woman's face stirred no memories at all. If he had never encountered her in his past life despite her confidence, had she died before they could meet? Just as Baekri Hyeong's expression twisted with such strange thoughts, the woman opened her mouth and revealed her identity, leaving him utterly shocked. Her true identity was—
"I am Namgung Suryeon, who will one day lead the Namgung Clan."
"..!"
"I look forward to working with you, Young Lord Baekri Hyeong."
The precious daughter of the Namgung Clan, Namgung Suryeon. This meeting, which began in the Murim Alliance's guest chamber and was clearly intentional, would later become one of the most talked-about stories in the martial world.