The Beggar Sect's Disciple and the Brewery Raid
Gae-gwal-gae, a member of the Beggar Sect, had been dispatched to the Murim Alliance to guard the testing grounds for guest martial artists. This Yongbongjihoe—the Assembly of Dragons and Phoenixes—was, in essence, a demonstration of the Cheonmu Academy, an institution founded to refine the rising stars of the orthodox Murim.
It was a venue for exchange, created to prevent the sects scattered across the land from stagnating like still water. The Cheonmu Academy was built so that the successors of each sect could interact, engage in rigorous training, and learn from one another’s strengths. The youth of those who would carry the future of their respective sects were poured into that place.
If they could not prove that those times were not spent in vain, then the alliance of the orthodox factions would end right there.
'The problem is that satisfying the higher-ups of the orthodox factions isn't enough. We must demonstrate our achievements to other powers, including the demonic cults and the heterodox factions.'
To do that, the Yongbongjihoe had to be open to everyone. It was a period that was bound to be more vulnerable to security breaches than ever before, which meant security had to be even more thorough.
Among the martial artists who had flocked to Hubei for the assembly, there were many wandering swordsmen who hoped to become martial artists of the Murim Alliance. Gae-gwal-gae stood his ground among those wanderers to ferret out spies from the demonic or heterodox sects.
"There's nothing worth seeing among the ones who show up. Is it really necessary for you to be out here, Brother?"
"The Beggar Sect observes the whole world from the lowest places. If a beggar tries to avoid the dirty work, it will only invite great disaster."
"I suppose that's true for me, but is it necessary for you to be doing this too?"
His junior asked, looking around. Around them, a vacant space with a radius of ten jang had formed. Gae-gwal-gae had sat in the middle of the testing ground and emitted his Qi Aura, causing the entire crowd to retreat beyond the edge of his influence.
The Murim Alliance's guest martial artist test. It required the applicant to pierce through the Qi Aura of Gae-gwal-gae, a master of the Beggar Sect, and approach him to submit their application.
"The number of successful applicants is too low so far. At this rate, will we even be able to fill the positions?"
"If they can't even pierce my Qi Aura, then it's only right that they lack the ability."
It wasn't as if they were being asked to fight and defeat Gae-gwal-gae; if they couldn't even penetrate his aura, the Murim Alliance couldn't entrust them with any missions. However, it was also true that there were few people in the world who could face a master of the Beggar Sect head-on. Being a member of one of the top sects in the world meant being a talent of a different dimension compared to those merely praised as geniuses or prodigies in their local villages.
"I shall challenge you!"
With those words, a burly man who looked like a mountain bandit stepped forward. Perhaps he had mastered a powerful external martial art, as the dirt floor sank with every step he took. He walked forward like a charging wild boar, but as he drew closer to Gae-gwal-gae, he slowed down, and—
"Ugh...!"
In the end, he could not reach where Gae-gwal-gae stood and fell to his knees.
"S-stop!"
"Ten steps was his limit, after all. He didn't make it to twenty, so it's my victory."
People watched the scene, drinking and placing bets. In the midst of this, Seong-jin arrived at the testing ground.
"Have you reached adulthood? You look like you've barely passed the age of fifteen."
"Your physique is also pitifully weak compared to the man before. Seems like a greenhorn who came to take the test for the experience."
"Well, it's not often one gets the chance to show off their martial arts in front of a master of the Beggar Sect. Even getting a word of advice would be an experience worth a thousand pieces of gold."
None of the spectators gathered at the testing ground expected Seong-jin to succeed. It was understandable. In reality, Seong-jin was still at an age where his bones and muscles had not yet fully matured.
"I intend to become a guest martial artist."
"Then come to me and write your name on this document."
At Seong-jin's follow-up words, exclamations erupted among the spectators.
"Is that all it takes?"
It took only an instant for the betting to resume.
"What a bold boy! I'm betting on him passing!"
"Don't make me laugh! I'm betting everything I've won so far that he won't make it past ten steps!"
Gossips always hoped for the appearance of new masters, and gamblers always hoped for a big score. A new wind appearing in a testing ground that had grown dull with a lack of challengers was welcomed by both sides of the audience. Amidst the clamor of them all, Seong-jin stepped into the range of the Qi Aura.
Walking with steady strides, Seong-jin passed the previous man, his gait as light as if he were out for a stroll.
'A Beggar Sect member.'
Though he was draped in rags, his eyes shone like those of a bird of prey; he was undoubtedly a member of the Beggar Sect. 'Those who have inherited the will of my masters and protected the world until now.'
As Seong-jin approached Gae-gwal-gae, he released his own Qi Aura. In front of a genuine member of the Beggar Sect, he, who had only learned the sect's martial arts for a few years, could not be considered a very significant existence. 'To be arrogant in front of those who have spent their whole lives mastering the Beggar Sect's arts would be insolence.'
The two men's Qi Auras collided, and a storm raged across the testing ground, but Seong-jin did not care.
'Even in the midst of the collision, he is limiting the range of his aura to within ten jang. It must be because he doesn't want the common folk to be swept up in it.'
He was truly a member of the orthodox Murim. As he pushed through the aura, Seong-jin looked for openings, but Gae-gwal-gae, despite his loose appearance befitting a beggar, allowed not a single gap. He felt certain that if he struck out rashly, he would be countered immediately.
'Indeed, as a descendant of the Beggar Sect, even his basics are on a different level.'
Seong-jin smiled contentedly as he looked at the first member of the Beggar Sect he had met since leaving Mount Bongnae. And then.
'He's smiling while receiving my Qi Aura?'
Gae-gwal-gae was inwardly shocked. Seong-jin had thought he was holding back in front of the people, but in truth, Gae-gwal-gae was not holding back at all.
'To be so composed even within an aura of this magnitude. It means he is perfectly deflecting my energy.'
Seong-jin did not stop there; he was even extending his own aura back toward Gae-gwal-gae. With every step he took, a murderous intent as sharp as a blade grazed his skin. It was the sensation of his entire body being shredded. Gae-gwal-gae, facing Seong-jin, felt the pressure of facing a wild beast.
A master of martial arts could predict an opponent's movements just by the twitch of a muscle or a moment of breathing. Therefore, Gae-gwal-gae, a first-rate master, felt as if he were actually exchanging blows with Seong-jin just from the steps the boy took while probing for openings—and that sensation was so vivid that he even felt the pain of being struck by a blade.
'This is a murderous intent that can only be emitted by someone who has stood on the brink of life and death many times.'
It was an aura that made him feel as if his throat would be slit the moment he looked away. Yet, even within that blade-like aura, Gae-gwal-gae felt a sense of familiarity. The wall of the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms that had blocked him for years. Watching Seong-jin's aura rising against his own, the profound principles of the divine art, which he had been unable to grasp no matter how hard he tried, suddenly felt within reach.
'Like a carp swimming up a waterfall to ascend the Dragon Gate...'
The Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms was an orthodox martial art that followed the principles and flow of the world. However, to truly become a dragon and soar, one had to realize not only the principles of following but also the principles of reversing.
'This is the mystery of the dragon.'
The moment Gae-gwal-gae achieved enlightenment.
"Is this enough?"
Seong-jin's voice, now right in front of him, awakened his spirit.
"Hah, this is something. I was completely lost in thought. Yes, you pass."
Gae-gwal-gae asked Seong-jin for his name, filled out the register, and pressed his thumbprint.
"Take this certificate to the General Affairs Office, and they will provide you with your identification badge and other necessities."
"Thank you."
Watching Seong-jin bow and turn away, Gae-gwal-gae sent a telepathic message to his junior.
-Make inquiries about the name Joo Seong-jin.
As a successor of the Beggar Sect, he could not let the information of a young master of that caliber go unverified.
-It seems a new star is about to rise in the Jianghu.
Good Deed +1 (Provided a clue to enlightenment)
Current Score: 84 points
***
Seong-jin, who headed to the General Affairs Office, received his identification badge and his first mission there.
"Are you telling me to catch a wanted criminal?"
"The people working as guest martial artists are all very different. Since their martial arts levels and their ways of handling tasks are all different, the missions we can give until trust is built are limited."
How could one use someone chosen solely for their martial prowess for important tasks? A person who could be trusted was more precious than a competent one, so they meant they would have him do various tasks at first to build that trust.
"Since you passed the guest martial artist test, your martial prowess must be sufficient. However, catching a wanted criminal is more about tracking than beating the culprit up."
"I see. That makes sense."
It would be no exaggeration to say that Hubei, where the Murim Alliance was located, had the most chivalrous warriors in the world. There was no shortage of people to catch criminals here.
"It seems there's no one to find. Could you explain the details of the mission? I heard a place called Dokjak-dang was raided last night; what happened?"
"Dokjak-dang is the name of a brewery. Do you know that you need government permission to establish a brewery? Dokjak-dang is the only brewery in this vicinity, and its scale is so large that all the alcohol distributed in the local inns and taverns, unless it's imported, is from Dokjak-dang."
"Then was it a raid targeting money?"
"No, what the culprit stole was alcohol."
"...Alcohol?"
"Considering the price, it's not a small amount, so one might think they were after money, but if that were the case, cracking the safe would have been easier. In that they targeted the alcohol instead, we view this as the act of a true booze-hound."
"I don't think a real booze-hound would raid a brewery, though."
"Haha, you must have come from a good place. Hubei is a place where this many martial artists gather. When this many Murim people gather, accidents are bound to happen, even if they aren't necessarily from demonic or heterodox sects."
It was common for drunken martial artists to cause trouble in a fit of drunkenness or anger.
"In these cases, even those who are usually called chivalrous warriors go quiet. They think it might have been done by a friend, so they want to let it slide. If someone had died, we would catch and punish them, but if there's no murder, even if we report it, it just fizzles out."
Because of this, the people of Hubei usually made connections everywhere to protect themselves, and if that wasn't enough, they eventually requested help from the Murim Alliance.
"For the details, if you show your guest martial artist badge at Dokjak-dang, they will explain it to you."
"Thank you."
Seong-jin followed the path indicated by the General Affairs Office and visited Dokjak-dang. The brewery was located near Dongting Lake, and the sight of the brewery against the backdrop of the misty lake was truly a scene whose beauty Li Bai and Du Fu might have sung about.
"Hey, this isn't a place for kids to play, so turn back."
"I'm here from the Murim Alliance."
The man who had been waving his hand at the sight of the young Seong-jin let out a grunt when he saw the guest martial artist badge Seong-jin held out.
"I asked them to send someone, and this is what... Does the Murim Alliance have no intention of catching the culprit?"
"Well. I don't know the intentions of the Alliance leadership either. But whoever it is, isn't it enough if they just catch the culprit well?"
At Seong-jin's words, the man realized it wasn't something he should say in front of someone who had come to help, and scratched his head in embarrassment.
"Ahem, I am Do Il-ho, the owner of Dokjak-dang. First, would you like to see the scene? I will guide you to the scene."
The place Do Il-ho called the scene was a warehouse attached to the brewery. The warehouse was in disarray, proving the raid from the night before, and there were footprints clearly belonging to the raider.
"These are the culprit's footprints. They say outstanding Murim people can tell what kind of person someone is just by looking at their footprints; can you find the culprit with this?"
"Well. It seems difficult to find the culprit with just this."
Seong-jin said to the disappointed Do Il-ho.
"I only know that the culprit uses the Seven-Step Snake Walk, has had the little finger of their left hand severed, and is a man about seven chi and five cun tall who does not drink alcohol. Since there must be more than one or two such people in Hubei, it would be difficult to find the culprit with just this."
"W-what?"
"There is only one conclusion from this."
Do Il-ho's expression turned blank in an instant, and Seong-jin added to him.
"The raider is not an ordinary thief. A professional assassin is targeting Dokjak-dang."