Entrusting the Future
“Has the young one calmed down now?”
“Yes. I apologize for my unseemly display, Elder.”
“I thought you had grown, yet your heart remains that of a child.”
“...”
Baekri Hyeok wiped away his tears and looked I Cheolhyeok straight in the eye. Though a faint smile lingered on his face, the sorrow beneath it was plain for anyone to see.
“Will that child be participating in this Dragon-Phoenix Gathering?”
“He will. I figured it was time he gained some experience in the wider world, so I brought him along.”
“It won’t be easy. My master’s descendant and my own son will both be there.”
“If it’s Biryang’s descendant, perhaps. But I doubt your son will lose.”
“That’s unlikely.”
Baekri Hyeok spoke with a trace of mockery, and I Cheolhyeok’s interest was piqued. For Baekri Hyeok, who could assess a person’s true strength with objective precision, to offer such an evaluation meant his son possessed power beyond common sense.
“Shall we make a wager?”
“Pardon?”
“I asked whether you would bet on whose disciple will emerge victorious—mine or your child.”
“Elder.”
“Hm?”
“Are you planning to hand everything over to me in your final years? If so, I accept.”
“Hahahahaha! Look at this madman!”
I Cheolhyeok laughed off Baekri Hyeok’s impertinent remark. In his younger days he would have risen and struck him across the face, but age had tempered him, so he settled for laughter.
“I have no objection. Still, my disciple won’t be an easy opponent either. If I had to guess… he’ll surpass Biryang’s descendant in skill.”
“He is your last disciple, taken in your twilight years. My brother will surely win.”
“We shall see.”
Not a single trace of unease showed on I Cheolhyeok’s face as he chuckled. It spoke volumes of his faith in his disciple’s martial prowess.
The unprecedented event of the four successors of the Murim Five Sovereigns all participating in the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering had come to pass. Since Cheon Hwangyeol had also infiltrated the Murim Alliance, the total number of heirs present reached five—an absurd coincidence.
Is it truly possible that the Demonic Cult will attack during the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering…?
Baekri Hyeok had received a letter from Cheon Yonghyeon not long ago and had been brooding over its contents. The message claimed the Demonic Cult would strike the gathering hosted by the Alliance. When pressed for the source, Cheon Yonghyeon had admitted it was merely a hunch, so Baekri Hyeok had dismissed it. Yet if the warning proved true, the Murim Alliance would suffer catastrophic losses. Even if it was not the Hubei Alliance’s concern, watching another orthodox faction fall was far from pleasant.
“What troubles you so deeply?”
“Pardon?”
“I do not know where your gaze is fixed, but the heavenly omens are shrouded in darkness. From this, I foresee a storm of blood approaching soon.”
“..!”
“Be cautious. Even as a member of the murim, you are no longer young enough to protect yourself alone.”
The Strong Sovereign had issued his warning. With the heavens so grim and a bloody wind foretold, the Demonic Cult’s assault could now be considered all but certain.
“I will heed your words, Elder.”
“Have you reached a conclusion?”
“Yes. I believe the Demonic Cult will strike during this Dragon-Phoenix Gathering.”
“The Demonic Cult… It has been a long time since I heard that name.”
I Cheolhyeok’s brow furrowed at the mention. How could he ever forget it? The days he had drenched himself in the blood of countless enemies on the battlefield, acting as a hellish yaksha—how could he forget? Hearing that hateful name again after so many years made his blood boil. Yet alongside that fury came despair at his own helplessness. If his body were even slightly younger, he would have stood against the cultists himself. Perhaps they had deliberately conserved their strength, relying on the passage of time as their strategy.
“How frustrating. To be forced to sit here, powerless… It is truly maddening.”
“Do not despair. You are a hero. A hero who protected the very ground I was born to stand upon, long before I drew breath.”
“...”
“Rest easy. It is our turn now to safeguard the land you once defended.”
Baekri Hyeok’s words carried weight. The senior had protected their world first; now it was the junior’s turn to protect the senior’s. The sentiment stirred something deep within I Cheolhyeok, prompting him to speak more gruffly than before.
“Watch your tongue, boy. If I trusted you completely, I wouldn’t need to say such things. Are you making promises you lack the strength to keep?”
“Even if our strength falls short, we will overcome it together. That is what the murim and the jianghu are, is it not?”
“A foolish yet wise answer. Well, an old man like me has no right to dictate terms. Do your best.”
“Understood. Then I shall take my leave.”
Seeing I Cheolhyeok beginning to tire, Baekri Hyeok rose from his seat. It was remarkable enough that a man past a hundred years still moved with such vigor, but it was clear his stamina would soon be exhausted. As Baekri Hyeok turned to go, I Cheolhyeok’s voice called him back, and he paused.
“I believe in the jianghu.”
“..!”
“So there is no need for you to bear everything alone, Hyeok. The path you walk is the right one.”
“Elder.”
“Do not doubt the road you have chosen. Such doubt is more poisonous than any toxin in existence.”
Baekri Hyeok nodded firmly at I Cheolhyeok’s counsel. The old man was telling him to act according to his convictions, for in the end, the one who chose the conclusion would be himself.
“Baekri Hyeok, Patriarch of the Baekri Clan, receives the Strong Sovereign I Cheolhyeok’s guidance.”
“Guidance, my ass. It was just an old man’s ramblings. Think on it yourself.”
“Yes. Then… farewell.”
Baekri Hyeok offered a respectful salute and truly departed for the Murim Alliance. I Cheolhyeok watched his retreating figure, his eyes dark with unspoken thoughts.
“Why must it appear only now…”
The Demonic Cult should have been eradicated in the last war. Yet for various reasons the attempt had failed, and the burden had fallen upon their descendants. By allowing the seeds of evil to grow unchecked, they had invited this very crisis.
“If only this body were a little younger…”
He could have stormed Mount Tian alone and shattered at least one of their sects. Now his aged, frail frame could no longer move properly even when burning his innate true qi. To think he would spend his final years lamenting the cruelty of time.
“From here on, it is your fight.”
As a martial artist, I Cheolhyeok’s grudge against the Demonic Cult had ended in the past. Now was the time to entrust everything to the next generation.
“So, Hyeok… no matter what trials come, never despair.”
There was only one piece of advice he could offer regarding the Demonic Cult: advance with unwavering confidence, never doubting your own path. If it was Baekri Hyeok, he would surely succeed.
**********
The preliminary matches progressed swiftly. From the first to the third round, several promising young talents drew attention, yet most merely displayed the level of strength expected from their age group. The matches continued, and just as the eighth preliminary bout was about to begin—
“Hmm. This bracket looks rather interesting.”
Baekri Hyeong smiled faintly as he examined the four names listed on the bracket: Jegal Yujin, Myeong Hon, Seomun Jiseung, and Hyeonhwan. They hailed from the Jegal Clan, Mount Hua, the Seomun Clan, and Shaolin respectively. While he personally wished to support Jegal Yujin, the other three were no ordinary opponents. All four had been renowned martial artists even in their previous lives. If he had to name the surest qualifier for the main tournament, it would be Hyeonhwan. As the final direct disciple of Abbot Gongho, the current Shaolin abbot, he was destined to become the youngest abbot in Shaolin’s history. The Hundred-Step Divine Fist he wielded was a technique even Baekri Hyeong acknowledged; given enough time, he might have reached the level of the Murim Five Sovereigns.
One spot in the main tournament was already secured. The remaining three—Jegal Yujin, Myeong Hon, and Seomun Jiseung—would compete for the last place. Though his support naturally went to Jegal Yujin, whether she would truly advance was uncertain. While the Jegal and Seomun heirs specialized in strategy, Myeong Hon of Mount Hua focused on the sword. Even if Jegal Yujin and Seomun Jiseung joined forces, overcoming Myeong Hon would not be easy. The key lay in how much each had grown, but barring any major upset, Myeong Hon seemed the most likely to claim the final main-tournament berth.
Still… win and meet me in the main tournament, Yujin.