Chapter 425
## Chapter 425. The Price of Fame (5)
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From the moment Jegal So-myeong took the reins of the Murim Alliance by utilizing the Mantong-bu, his primary objective had been the decoupling of sectarian origins.
Wudang remained Wudang, Shaolin remained Shaolin, and Mount Hua remained Mount Hua.
He had dedicated three decades of his life to stopping these factions from forming alliances, backing one another, organizing into monolithic groups, and establishing internal coalitions. His ultimate goal was to solidify a centralized authority focused entirely on the Murim Alliance. He understood that if individual martial pavilions within the Alliance fell under the sway of a single clan or sect, the collective interests of the Murim Alliance would be fractured and exploited for private gain.
Even so, this doctrine of decoupling faced intrinsic restrictions.
To begin with, it was impossible to obstruct the professional trajectories chosen by individual martial artists. Furthermore, because of the inherent disparity in the pool of available personnel, practitioners would inevitably congregate and splinter into distinct factions regardless of how thoroughly he tried to segregate them.
Though the premier vanguard units of the Murim Alliance—such as the Cheongryong-gak, Jeokryong-gak, and Jeokbong-gak—featured a somewhat integrated membership, they could never entirely erase the distinct flavors of their founding sects. Consequently, it was only natural that the subordinate martial pavilions stationed beneath them mirrored the heavy characteristics of their respective parent organizations.
The ultimate manifestation of this systemic reality was the First Hall of the Jujak-gak.
This was the core of Cheongsu-jinin’s political leverage.
An exclusive enclave where only martial artists of Wudang lineage could enter and operate, it functioned essentially as the Wudang sector’s embassy inside the Murim Alliance. In this facility, a mere hall-level entity commanded resources that rivaled an entire martial pavilion, serving as the central hub where the disciples of Wudang stationed within the Murim Alliance gathered in the highest concentrations.
Outsiders mockingly referred to it as the “Wudang-gak,” yet to the members of the Wudang Sect, it stood as a monument of ultimate prestige.
Presently, however, a heavy and chilling tension permeated the halls of that very Wudang-gak.
“……Entry is strictly forbidden.”
This lockdown was triggered because the investigations into the attempt on Dam-ak’s life and the subsequent pursuit pointed directly toward Wudang, pressing a metaphorical blade against their throats. Under normal circumstances, gaining access to this place was exceptionally difficult unless one possessed deep ties to the Wudang Sect, but the current crisis had rendered the environment entirely impenetrable, barring all external visitors without exception.
Be that as it may, an unbidden guest arrived at the thresholds of the First Hall of the Jujak-gak.
“Are you truly claiming that I cannot pass?”
She was a personage whom one could not easily turn away without consequence.
“Have I not made myself clear? We are currently restricting access to all external parties.”
“I am a formally recognized operative of the Murim Alliance.”
“……That is not the issue here.”
The most effective method to dominate an adversary relying on rational argumentation is through the assertion of raw authority and physical dominance. Yet, the diminutive woman standing before the guard…… was not someone who could be subdued by such measures. Setting aside the formidable reputation of her family, her personal martial prowess was far beyond what a common sentry could hope to impede—even a sentry belonging to Wudang.
“It is simply that the current political climate is highly volatile, making the presence of external individuals highly inconvenient for us. For that reason, I must ask you to turn back…….”
“Volatile? Has the pavilion become haunted by a spirit?!”
“No…… that is hardly the case…….”
The situation was doubly frustrating when dealing with a visitor who utterly disregarded conventional reasoning.
“Haa…… very well. Please remain here for a brief moment.”
Defeated, the sentry dispatched a message regarding the standoff to the inner chambers. Though he anticipated a protracted delay, the authorization was granted with surprising speed.
“You are permitted to enter.”
“Where can I find Yong So-ah?”
“Follow me, I shall escort you.”
The moment she stepped across the threshold, every eye in the structure locked onto the arriving outsider. Dang Seo-hui advanced with an unbothered composure, completely unaffected by the scrutiny, while the guard led the way with a visibly exhausted demeanor.
Threading through the pavilion’s corridors and skirting the edge of the communal training grounds, they eventually arrived at an isolated courtyard. There, standing dead center with his blade unsheathed in a display of supreme confidence, was Yong So-ah.
“You are dismissed.”
The guard offered a profound bow and retreated.
As Dang Seo-hui stepped forward to close the distance, Yong So-ah offered a subtle shake of his head.
“I am currently in the middle of my forms, so grant me a brief interlude.”
“Is it wise to exhibit your techniques before me?”
“This is hardly an unprecedented occurrence, is it?”
Commencing with the Yang-ui-geom, he systematically executed the entire martial repertoire of the Wudang Sect from his fingertips, progressing seamlessly through the Sam-jae-geom, O-haeng-geom, Chil-seong-geom, and Tae-cheong-geom. Erasing any trace of hesitation between the transitions, his blade flowed through a fluid, breathtaking sequence that mirrored the continuous movement of running water.
“Ah……!”
Even Dang Seo-hui, typically renowned for her unshakeable stoicism, found herself captivated by this masterclass of swordsmanship.
It was an exhibition of pristine, alabaster elegance.
A mesmerizing display that effortlessly commanded the observer’s absolute focus.
Advancing through the intricate patterns of the Gugung-yeon-hwan-geom and the Hyeon-cheon-chil-seong-geom, he finally initiated the profound principles of the Tae-geuk-sip-sam-se.
“…….”
Dang Seo-hui found herself utterly speechless.
Just as the mounting momentum reached its absolute zenith, promising a spectacular and definitive climax—
*Swish—*
Without warning, the magnificent martial intent that had blanketed the courtyard and the surrounding air dissolved into nothingness.
*Clack.*
His prized weapon, the Seon-pung-geom, slid cleanly back into its sheath. With his pristine white martial vestments whispering against the wind, he walked toward Dang Seo-hui. Despite having cycled through numerous complex sword styles without a single moment of respite, his respiration remained perfectly calm and unhurried.
“Why…… did you halt prior to the conclusion?”
Dang Seo-hui knitted her brows in irritation. She had been so captivated by the performance that she had completely neglected her favorite confections.
“Because the form has not yet attained ‘perfection’.”
The practitioner who had just conjured that mesmerizing display offered a tranquil response. He was stating that it had not yet met his absolute standards.
“……And when exactly will it achieve ‘perfection’?”
Confronted with Dang Seo-hui’s inquiry, Yong So-ah maintained his customary, unreadable expression.
“The day is not far off. Regardless, what purpose brings you to this place?”
“Are you genuinely asking, or merely feigning ignorance?”
“When I pose a question, it signifies that I genuinely seek the answer.”
His posture remained entirely dignified, devoid of any self-doubt. He stood like a monumental white tree (Baek-mok) that refused to let even a solitary leaf tremble, as if denying the very wind the right to move him. Dang Seo-hui peered up at this man who, despite their familiarity, always felt entirely distant.
“What possessed you to submit my registration to the Cheongryong-gak?”
“…….”
Yong So-ah looked down at the visibly disgruntled Dang Seo-hui with impassive, cool eyes.
“Given that I was required to file my own documentation regardless, I processed yours simultaneously to streamline the task. Does this present an issue?”
“My question is why you took it upon yourself to act without consulting my desires.”
“Because your path was inevitably bound for the Cheongryong-gak regardless.”
“Did you ‘see’ that outcome as well?”
“…….”
An uncharacteristic quiet settled over Yong So-ah. Watching his face closely, Dang Seo-hui raised an inquisitive eyebrow.
“You failed to see it, didn’t you?”
“…….”
He offered no reply to her pointed interrogation. He simply maintained his silent, unblinking gaze upon the compact frame of Dang Seo-hui. In response, Dang Seo-hui deliberately channeled a subtle gust of internal energy.
“Word has reached me that you suffered a clean hit from Jin So-un.”
“……That event was a product of an anomaly.”
A solitary leaf on the white tree trembled—*flutter*. A faint, sharp grin tugged at the corner of Dang Seo-hui’s lips. It was a peculiar expression, one that left the muscles around her eyes entirely cold.
“Did your sight fail to predict it?”
The eyes of Yong So-ah, which typically exuded absolute composure, suddenly flashed with a rare, piercing sharpness.
“No mortal being possesses the capability to react to an absolute anomaly. I am no exception to that rule.”
“Is that truly the case?”
“…….”
As an abrupt breeze swept through the courtyard, the foliage of the white tree seemed to rustle in a silent, chaotic frenzy.
“In any case, I have no intention of joining the Cheongryong-gak. Take note of that and retract the registration on your own accord.”
“Do you truly mean to turn your back on the Great Cause?”
“Who among us can truly evade that destiny? Furthermore, is it truly a matter one can simply cast aside by mere choice?”
“…….”
“I intend to invest my expectations into alternative prospects.”
A mysterious, subtle smile seemed to play across Dang Seo-hui’s features. Without another word, she whirled around and strode out of the training grounds. Watching her form recede into the distance, Yong So-ah stood entirely alone in the vacant courtyard, silently sorting through his thoughts. He required no elaboration from her to deduce exactly what she meant by ‘alternative prospects.’
‘Jin So-un.’
This was a man who had persistently occupied a corner of Yong So-ah’s mind ever since their initial encounter upon the Maryeong Plateau. Back during the standard evaluations at the Murim Academy, Yong So-ah had extended a hand of alliance to him, only for the man to make a reckless, inexplicable decision and reject the offer entirely. Ever since, he had consistently shattered every prediction made about him.
“What manner of entity are you truly?”
The mental image of Jin So-un materialized before him, wearing a mocking, malicious smirk as he delivered an absolute declaration as though he had witnessed it with his own eyes.
[The future of the Murim Alliance under your stewardship holds nothing but absolute ruin.]
It was an incredibly bold assertion to make regarding an unwritten future, far too confident to be dismissed as a simple curse. He was undeniably a man with an extraordinary gift for deception, precisely as the accounts suggested.
“Naturally, it is nothing more than baseless deception. Jin So-un.”
Exhaling softly, he dismissed the inconsequential thoughts of the man from his consciousness.
“For the destiny I forge represents the sole path of salvation.”
A massive, sweeping political purge commenced within the ranks of the Murim Alliance.
Beginning with the officials tied to the Hall of Enshrinement, every single operative connected to the search party for Dam-ak was stripped of authority and ordered to pack their belongings. Furthermore, though shielded from public knowledge, a significant contingent of Wudang Sect operatives tied to the operational failure at the Wuhan estate were likewise summarily discharged and ordered back to Mount Wudang.
For a considerable duration, the thoroughly congested thoroughfares of the Murim Alliance were packed with transport services moving storage crates. Because of this sweeping removal of Squad Leader-level personnel, the subordinate officers immediately beneath them were advanced by a single tier. Given that climbing the ranks typically required years of agonizing patience, a vast number of operatives viewed this sudden upheaval as a miraculous stroke of luck.
Conversely, the White Wolf Pavilion remained entirely untouched by these personnel shifts, having possessed zero involvement in the entire affair. Consequently, the disgruntled members of the White Wolf Pavilion directed bitter resentment toward an innocent individual as they observed their former classmate peers from the Murim Academy leap ahead of them in rank and status.
“This is entirely the fault of that miserable Commander!”
“Do you comprehend the sheer disparity in compensation that comes with a higher tier!”
“Jin So-un, snap out of your delusion!”
Their vitriol drifted directly into my quarters, but I saw no reason to offer a reply.
“Who forced any of you to enlist with the White Wolf Pavilion in the first place?”
“Dae-sa-hyeong, I implore you to refrain from uttering such things aloud……. It could invite catastrophic repercussions.”
Eun-ho cautioned me with an expression that looked thoroughly exhausted, though his concerns fell on deaf ears. Why waste energy blaming others for a path you walked down voluntarily? At the end of the day, a person’s life choices are entirely their own burden to bear.
In any case, I lacked the leisure to track down every complaining member of the White Wolf Pavilion and thrash them for their insolence. My own schedule had been utterly overwhelming over the past few days.
To begin with, my administrative placement, which had been left hanging in limbo, was finally set in stone.
Yuseong-dang (Shooting Star Hall).
This completely obscure entity, an organization I had never encountered in my past life bearing an incredibly juvenile title, was designated as my new headquarters.
“In all my recollections, no department by the name of Yuseong-dang ever existed. Where exactly does this group belong?”
“It is a specialized branch engineered specifically for this occasion. It operates as an autonomous entity answering directly to the Mantong-bu.”
An autonomous department positioned directly under the Mantong-bu?
“So that explains why I was designated as the Dang-ju (Hall Master).”
The authority granted to me was equivalent to that of a Hall Master. Naturally, looking at my track record and combat capabilities up to this point, the rank was entirely justified, yet such a meteoric rise naturally invited skepticism.
“Did the Jeongdo Association or the Baekdo Association raise any objections to this?”
“The Jeongdo Association is currently far too preoccupied with their own survival to meddle in such affairs. Furthermore…….”
Eun-ho paused mid-sentence, ultimately choosing to suppress whatever thought he was about to voice.
“No. There is little utility in uncovering those details at this juncture anyway.”
“What are you implying by that?”
“Regardless, it is not as though you will be assuming your operational duties immediately.”
His words directly tied into the second major development on my agenda.
The official date for the opening ceremony of the Tai-eul Sect had been finalized.
The leadership of the Tai-eul Sect had previously reached out to gauge my perspective on how to navigate the current political climate, and believing the opportune moment had arrived, I signaled them to proceed with ending their isolation. Since the Daicheon Merchant Group had already successfully broadened its commercial footprint, they had extracted every conceivable advantage that a Closed-Gate Seclusion could offer. To further scale their operations from this point forward, re-emerging into the world was an absolute necessity.
There could be no better window than the present to fling open the gates of the Tai-eul Sect once more.
A few days after my correspondence was dispatched.
The Tai-eul Sect formally committed to the public reopening. As a consequence, my fellow Sa-jes and I were sorting through our approved leave authorizations, organizing our return to Hefei after a prolonged absence.
“Young Lady Namgung Seon-hwa and Young Lady Seong Mo-ran make perfect sense as invited guests. But what is the meaning behind these names appearing on the register?”
While reviewing the registry of attendees for the opening ceremony to allocate the appropriate number of transport carriages, I frowned at several names belonging to contemporaries I barely associated with.
“Well, I imagine they simply wish to offer their congratulations.”
“This is a reopening ceremony, not the initial founding of a sect. What exactly is there to celebrate?”
“Perhaps they are simply concerned that your event might suffer from a lack of attendance?”
“It seems far more likely that they are merely arriving to consume our provisions for free.”
Eun-ho reached out and swiftly plucked the document from my fingers.
“Leave the logistics to me. More importantly, it is time you enlightened me.”
“Enlighten you about what?”
“Regarding the item you extracted from the Alliance Leader.”
I had to admit, his instincts were remarkably sharp.
“Extracted? Have you forgotten that we explicitly agreed to suppress the details of this incident and proceed quietly?”
“Oh, come now! As if someone of your character, Dae-sa-hyeong, would ever let a matter drop without securing a handsome compensation.”
What was the meaning behind this irreverent, insolent tone? Was he perhaps feeling a sudden craving for a brutal, private training session?
“Ah, my apologies. I have been exposed to so much absurdity lately that the words slipped out entirely unbidden.”
Rather than feeling astounded by his instantaneous shift in demeanor, I found myself entirely at a loss for words, unable to comprehend the bizarre persona I occupied within his imagination.
“Very well, I did indeed receive a compensation.”
“Is that the truth? What manner of treasure is it? Did you gain access to the Gold Treasury? Or perhaps the Silver Treasury?”
“Since when did you harbor such an intense fascination with material riches?”
“Hyung Geum-pyo was granted the Vajra Tablet, and Dong-ryong came into possession of the Black Dragon Sword! Meanwhile, I am stuck wielding a common, low-grade iron blade!”
I had assumed his passion for the martial path had waned ever since he redirected his ambitions toward administrative work within the Mantong-bu. Evidently, I had misjudged his priorities.
“The asset I secured on this occasion is fundamentally different from those items.”
Eun-ho failed to conceal the sudden wave of disappointment that washed over his features. I could only imagine the sheer shock that awaited him down the line. I offered a reassuring pat on his shoulder.
“I intend to procure a fitting weapon for your use in the near future, so exercise a bit of patience.”
Securing the exclusive services of Jang Do-won, a legendary master smith capable of forging divine armaments, was a massive triumph, but sourcing the exotic materials required was putting a serious strain on my finances.
“Do you truly mean that?”
“Indeed.”
Eun-ho’s face instantly lit up with renewed excitement, and he pushed the issue once more.
“I shall hold you to that promise. But returning to the topic, what exactly did you receive?”
Revealing the surprise prematurely would utterly spoil the entertainment.
“All will be unveiled during the opening ceremony.”
“During the opening ceremony?”
I simply offered him a knowing, silent smirk. The look on your face will be priceless, Eun-ho, but the collective expressions of every single guest attending that opening ceremony will be an absolute spectacle to behold.
