Chapter 213

Chapter 213
Chapter 213. An Unwelcome Summons (2)

Sichuan Province, the historical seat where Liu Bei famously established the Shu Han kingdom—only for it to be dismantled by Cao Cao’s subordinates and reduced to a mere administrative district under the imperial court—was currently undergoing an unexpected surge.

This region, often recognized by the public for its winding waterways and unique culinary traditions, was enduring a rather unwanted boom.

The complication was that this growth came in the form of a devastating war.

“How much longer is this infernal conflict expected to last?”

“Winter is practically at our door, yet they act as though this fighting will continue indefinitely.”

“They claimed the Murim Alliance cowards would finish this in one strike… Is the Blood Cult truly that much more powerful than anticipated?”

“Or perhaps the Murim Alliance is simply inept.”

Initially, the local traders had beamed with delight at the massive influx of people arriving in Chengdu, but as the chaos of war engulfed the entirety of Sichuan Province, strangling logistics and commerce, their expressions soured rapidly.

However, the members of the Murim Alliance were not entirely without a defense for their performance.

For starters, the Blood Cult forces were far more numerous than anyone had predicted.

Their sheer volume was significant enough that the Qingcheng Sect, the Emei Sect, and the Tang Clan—who had previously stood on the sidelines watching the Murim Alliance bleed from the safety of their own borders—were suddenly forced into a frantic, chaotic response.

Furthermore, the Iron Corpse Puppets, which appeared sporadically within their ranks, were objects of pure terror to the average Murim Alliance warrior.

The mere arrival of those ghastly, pale-skinned monstrosities on the front lines caused the collective spirit of the Murim Alliance to plummet.

While crushing opposition through sheer numbers was traditionally the forte of the Murim Alliance and its affiliates, neither Iron Corpse Puppets nor complex illusion arts could be easily mitigated through mere manpower.

The Iron Corpse Puppets, now infamous under monikers like “Alliance Member Grinder” and “Corpse Maker,” only began to lose their momentum once the Poison King of the Tang Clan, the Sect Master of Qingcheng, and the Elder Council of Emei finally intervened.

Even so, significant hurdles remained.

The witchcraft utilized by the Unorthodox Path was far more bizarre and grotesque than the briefings from their external instructors had suggested.

It almost always resulted in lingering, dangerous side effects.

Additionally, the Warding Off Evil and Suppressing Spirits techniques, which were mandatory for all new Murim Alliance recruits, proved entirely ineffective.

Admittedly, those who had foolishly sold off their Spirit-Suppression Beads had no ground to complain.

Yet, even the diligent members who had spent their first month in the Alliance cradling their Spirit-Suppression Beads as if they were fragile treasures eventually witnessed their peers descend into madness due to the Blood Cult’s illusions.

After witnessing such tragedies, even those who still possessed their Spirit-Suppression Beads resolved to discard them immediately upon their eventual return.

Given that few of the Alliance commanders possessed any real expertise or background regarding the Unorthodox Path or dark sorcery, they were left with no choice but to rely rigidly on the outdated military manuals of the Murim Alliance.

The more they relied on these manuals, the louder the cries and curses from their subordinates grew.

However.

Amidst this downward spiral, one organization stood out for its remarkable efficiency.

“Wait, why on earth are those Victory Tiger Hall fools fighting their own private war?”

“Is Hall Master Gu Jeong-ryong working for the Blood Cult? How else can one explain such a massive disparity in casualty rates?”

“That seems unlikely, given the number of Blood Cult enemies they are slaughtering.”

As spectators watched Victory Tiger Hall rack up military successes with striking ease, beginning to harbor suspicions, Gu Jeong-ryong dismissed the chatter as if it were trivial.

“Because I consulted with my friend Jin So-un from the beginning.”

“Jin So-un?”

“The Black Flame Dragon?”

The moment that name echoed, people instinctively began investigating what set Victory Tiger Hall apart from the rest.

To do so, they naturally sought out anything linked to the name “Jin So-un.”

“What is this?”

As everyone searched with desperate intensity, those on the front lines discovered the source of their answers within the “Jin So-un Report,” a file previously marked as strictly confidential.

The rescue procedures and tactical responses to Blood Cult assaults documented in the “Jin So-un Report” deviated sharply from the Alliance’s standard manuals, sparking immediate concern regarding their validity.

But for the Alliance warriors who were losing friends daily, the choice was between certain death and trying a new, uncertain method.

Was the brutal reality of the battlefield not enough to drive any man to extremes?

The Alliance fighters adopted Jin So-un’s tactical approach with the grim determination of men who had nothing left to lose.

And they voiced their frustrations more loudly than ever before.

“Damn it! Those idiots had such an effective method, why the hell did they keep it hidden all this time?!”

“Those heartless bastards! They probably buried it just because it was authored by someone from a minor group like the Taeul Sect!”

“They let our losses skyrocket; they must be spies for the Blood Cult!”

The Alliance command had its justifications for ignoring unverified manuals, but would the soldiers who had buried their fallen comrades ever accept that reasoning?

It became standard practice for Alliance members to copy the restricted Jin So-un Report, however clumsily, and disseminate it to other units, leading to handwritten copies appearing throughout the Murim Alliance’s deployed forces.

In response, the Murim Alliance attempted a crackdown.

“Reports suggest that Alliance members are fighting using a heretical report. Pavilion Masters and Hall Masters, you are ordered to strictly instruct your subordinates to adhere to the command center’s directives.”

However, this only served to further provoke the troops on the ground.

“Strictly instruct? Has that idiot lost his mind? Is he suggesting we walk into a deathtrap? If that is the case, we will not hesitate to strike back. If this continues, we will come for your heads first.”

“No, that is not what I meant! How will you answer for this once we return to the Murim Alliance headquarters?!”

Even within the command center, fierce arguments erupted over whether to adopt Jin So-un’s tactical strategies.

“Hmm… So this is the document authored by that youth, Jin So-un?”

“P-Poison King, sir… That is a restricted document…”

“It is a report that even the common warriors of our Tang Clan carry now; does ‘confidentiality’ even hold any meaning?”

“…”

Poison King Dang Hyeok-je produced an identical copy from his robes and waved it.

“If a method is effective, it is foolish not to employ it.”

“Poison King, sir… Nevertheless, we remain under the authority of the Murim Alliance…”

Before his subordinate could finish, Dang Hyeok-je raised a finger to his lips, signaling silence with a sharp “shh.”

“How much longer will you prioritize the orders of a Murim Alliance command located tens of thousands of li away? Will you only open your eyes once every single member of this unit is dead?”

“…”

Dang Hyeok-je tilted his head slightly and murmured in a low, dangerous tone.

“Is the Alliance Leader to be feared, but I am not?”

A chilling aura descended upon the command center.

Gulp.

If he so desired, he could end everyone in the room simply by brushing his fingers together.

They certainly had reason to fear him.

As if playing a melody, Dang Hyeok-je flicked his fingers through the air.

“I will accept responsibility for that Alliance Leader. What matters now is minimizing our losses until we locate the enemy.”

Through the Poison King’s persuasive (and intimidating) intervention, the Murim Alliance officially adopted the new tactical manual and slowly began driving the Blood Cult out of Sichuan.

The command center ultimately conceded that their previous doctrine was flawed, and from then on, they began to follow the directives found in Jin So-un’s report.

At the time when the conflict against the Blood Cult was reaching its zenith, winter was steadily drawing near.

—

“Um… Benefactor Jin, may I ask what this is?”

Honestly, he insisted on calling me benefactor no matter what.

“Come now, can you not tell? It is the prayer beads from the Treasury. Academy Student Il-gak.”

What was it called again? They claimed it was a Sacred Relic belonging to a Black Path figure known as the Demon Buddha.

Its dark energy was so potent that it had been kept in the most secure corner of the Treasury.

However, Il-gak’s expression was strangely conflicted.

“Benefactor Jin… This item is known as the Black Spirit Beads. It is infused with the genuine qi of the Demon Buddha from his lifetime. To handle such an object so carelessly…”

“But I had no other options, did I? It was the only Buddhist-themed relic in the Treasury.”

I had scoured every inch of the deepest vault, but there had been no sign of a monk’s staff or a gilded Buddha.

In any case, it was a mystery why the Murim Alliance even had a Buddhist Treasury. The Shaolin Temple would have surely claimed everything long ago.

“That thing, you know, if you cleanse the malevolent energy using the Tendon-Changing Classic, you can use it, right?”

“…That is technically true, but.”

Il-gak could not mask the complex, hesitant look on his face as he stared at the Black Spirit Beads.

It was evident he had no idea if he was even permitted to accept such a reward. That much was clear from the expression on his shining head.

That was understandable, as he had likely never expected to receive anything beyond his standard stipend for his service to the Alliance.

Once not receiving extra compensation becomes a habit, one eventually starts to view oneself and the organization as inseparable.

The remarkable mental gymnastics: I am the Alliance, and the Alliance is me.

Of course, this was not a major issue for individuals like Il-gak.

Those with connections could often secure rewards through promotions or influence.

But what of the lower-ranking Alliance members, for whom their meager stipend was everything?

Living in a system where extra effort yielded no additional reward, they naturally began to believe that receiving their stipend without any effort was their birthright.

To correct such a mindset, the thought process of the leadership had to be dismantled first.

“If you are uncomfortable, please return it. I will sell it to cover the expenses of the representative delegation. I will consider Academy Student Il-gak’s service as a donation to the Alliance.”

“N-no, that is not what I meant…!”

When I reached for the beads, Il-gak quickly snatched them away.

Wait, did he just evade my hand with the Guanyin Blue Steel Hand?

Il-gak, having subconsciously utilized the graceful martial arts of Shaolin, spoke, his shiny head turning a deep shade of red.

“S-sell it? If such a dangerous, demonic artifact were released into the world, the chaos would be…”

How much simpler would this be if he had just been this direct from the start?

A corner of my mouth turned up.

“So you are planning to make personal use of it?”

“…Amitabha.”

Il-gak clutched the Black Spirit Beads tightly and pressed his palms together.

What a dishonest man.

But it was not as though the others reacted any differently.

Yeo Sam-tong was holding a new bow.

Namgung Seon-hwa had a new robe crafted from Heavenly Silkworm Thread.

Cheol Sun-jik held a promissory note.

To relieve their guilt, I offered:

“If any of you feel burdened by these rewards from the Alliance, you are free to return them at any time.”

“…”

“…”

“…”

Not a single soul stepped forward.

Then.

“Um… Brother.”

“Hmm? What is it, Jae-hwa?”

Murong Jae-hwa stepped forward, looking hesitant.

“Um… Why did I not receive anything?”

“Ah! You mean you? I already secured your gift.”

Instantly, color flooded back into Murong Jae-hwa’s face.

“Wh-what is it?”

“Black Iron!”

“B-Black Iron, you say?!”

I gave him a wide, confident nod.

“That is right. I acquired the materials and sent them to a master craftsman. Once the rest of the supplies are gathered, it will be forged into a magnificent bow.”

A divine weapon called the Solar Bow, to be precise.

Murong Jae-hwa, unaware of the intricacies surrounding the Fifteen Divine Weapons, became completely fixated on the phrase “Black Iron,” and his jaw dropped in sheer astonishment.

What a truly endearing fellow.

“Ah, right! And take this, too.”

“Yes?”

Murong Jae-hwa accepted the promissory note, his eyes widening as he read the figure.

“B-Brother! What is this?! One hundred gold taels?”

“Exactly! Use that to go out, take a break, and buy whatever you need.”

“…N-no. This is too much…”

I patted his shoulder with the most saintly smile I could muster.

“Nonsense! It is fine. Your brother is giving it to you, so just put it away.”

This brother of yours feels like he will have plenty to apologize for later on.

“Th-thank you, Brother!!”

How incredibly naive.

He was already making me feel guilty. Ahem.

At any rate, the issue regarding the Two Principles Eight Trigrams Myriad Phenomena Formation and the drama with the Orthodox Path Association were effectively resolved.

Jegal So-myeong stood before his grandson, Jegal Jeong-gi, not as a family member, but as the Murim Alliance’s Grand Strategist, and threw him into the Prison.

He was effectively expelled from the academy, and even after his release, he would never again hold a position of authority.

The Orthodox Path Association’s representative delegation, having nearly caused mass casualties through their negligence, was in the process of disbanding.

As agreed, I absorbed the office they had established and left behind.

And…

‘Hehehe… One hundred and thirty blossoms.’

As soon as I entered my new quarters, I checked my supply of Seven-Colored Flowers.

Wow, just think of the market value of all this.

It was an outrageous waste of wealth, but the thought of consuming all these Seven-Colored Flowers made my affection for the Orthodox Path Association flare up intensely.

“Representative Jin, what did you receive?”

Cheol Sun-jik, who had neatly tucked away a promissory note for two thousand gold taels, asked.

I answered as if it were a matter of no importance.

“I am simply having the Medical Hall prepare a tonic.”

“Medicine?”

I nodded calmly and gestured to my wound, which had nearly vanished.

“My body took quite a beating during this ordeal, you see.”

Sighs of sympathy rippled through the room.

“Young Master Jin. For something so minor… Could it be that you were looking after us all along…”

As Namgung Seon-hwa looked prepared to hand over her treasure robe at any second, I shook my head.

“Not at all. Did you all not suffer greatly because of me? It is only natural that I take care of you.”

I looked at the group gathered around me and offered a warm smile.

“I am satisfied simply knowing that all of you received your fair share.”

Because the tonic Sama Jeong was preparing would eventually become a rare, spiritual medicine that only the Murim Alliance Leader would be entitled to. Huhu.

Not only did it boost internal energy, but it also heightened the intensity of the Five Phases Qi.

The recipe was kept as a guarded secret, so in the future, no amount of wealth would allow someone to purchase it.

That was exactly what I intended.

Once I ingested that tonic, the firepower of my Demon-Destroying Hand would reach the level of the legendary Blood Jade Hand.

Oh my, at this rate, would I be suspected of being a Demonic Practitioner who had mastered the Blood Jade Hand? Mwahahahaha.

Just as I was presenting myself as a man who had transcended material greed,

“Representative Jin. The Orthodox Path Association has arrived.”

An unexpected guest appeared.

The former occupants of this office entered, looking uncertain.

They were the individuals who had held seats in the Orthodox Path Association’s delegation and had barely survived the encounter inside the Two Principles Eight Trigrams Myriad Phenomena Formation.

They had come to collect their belongings.

I affected a generous air.

“Ah, tell them to take whatever they wish.”

I had already moved all the Seven-Colored Flowers into my private cabinet, so they wouldn’t dare try to claim those.

Still, feeling cautious, I stood firmly to protect my stash.

The Orthodox Path Association members, having gathered their small boxes, walked straight toward me instead of leaving.

‘What is this? Are they planning to take the Seven-Colored Flowers?’

Determined not to let that happen, I hardened my face and gave them a sharp look.

But then.

Starting with the leader, they began bowing with their hands clasped.

What was going on?

“Representative Jin. We have acted with terrible rudeness toward you until now.”

“Hmm?”

While I stood stunned by their sudden change in behavior,

the Orthodox Path Association member continued.

“I believe that, due to our limited perspective, we viewed Representative Jin through a very biased lens.”

He then bowed his head even lower.

“From this point forward, that will not happen again, and we will surely repay the debt of you saving our lives.”

Following his lead, the others bent their waists as well.

Oh.

So not everyone in the Orthodox Path Association was a heartless monster.

After confirming that the Seven-Colored Flowers were safe, I gave a slow, benevolent nod.

Admiring looks filled the faces of those standing around at my sudden display of magnanimity…

“So, how exactly do you intend to repay that debt?”

“Pardon?”

The members, still bowing, raised their heads with blank expressions.

No, were these people actually planning to settle their debts with empty words?

When I twitched an eyebrow, one stepped forward and laughed awkwardly.

“Is… is there something you require?”

They were breaking into a cold sweat, clearly caught off guard.

As if struck by an epiphany, I flicked my finger.

“Ah! Why not do it like this? With Jegal Jeong-gi currently in the Prison, the position of Association Head is vacant, is it not?”

“Pardon? Ah… yes, that is true.”

Ak Ju-pyeong, whom I had expected to step in once Jegal Jeong-gi left, had strangely not appeared, and the Orthodox Path Association was in a state of leadership confusion.

Now was the perfect moment.

“Why not take this opportunity to install a proper Association Head?”

“A proper Association Head… What do you mean by…”

I draped an arm around the member’s shoulders and turned him toward Namgung Seon-hwa.

If I had given him this much of a clue, he had to understand.

As expected, he looked surprised.

“L-Lady Namgung, you mean?”

“Ah! Well! I am not forcing you. This is, in every sense, an internal matter. However! Is it not precisely at a moment of such fragmentation that someone with legitimate qualifications should lead?”

Namgung Seon-hwa was a direct descendant of the Namgung Clan, and an elite who had navigated the academy through her own strength.

There was no qualification more legitimate than that.

‘Jegal Gi-pyo? Where would I even utilize that weasel?’

After pondering my words, the member exchanged looks with his colleagues.

After a tense silence, the Orthodox Path Association representatives finally spoke.

“Th-then we will discuss this matter.”

I smiled in satisfaction and gestured toward Namgung Seon-hwa.

“That is what they say, Lady Seon-hwa. Why not join them and discuss it?”

“Pardon? Pardon?”

As I sent the bewildered Namgung Seon-hwa out with the Orthodox Path Association members, I added:

“Please choose carefully! This is, in every sense, for the betterment of the Orthodox Path Association! Even if you disappoint me or betray me, I will only be hurt a little. Just a very, very little!”

“A, a little…”

I had made my point clearly enough; they would handle things properly.

They could imagine for themselves just how much my “little” truly meant.

If they still failed to act correctly after this many hints, then they truly deserved a different kind of judgment.

A bloody one.

As the crowd exited, quiet returned to the office.

“Huh… So you just swallowed the Orthodox Path Association like that?”

Seong Mo-ran, who had observed everything, let out a hollow laugh.

I looked at her and shook my head.

“Swallowed it? I simply handled an inevitable situation.”

Seeing my calm reaction, Seong Mo-ran adapted quickly and shifted the topic.

“What about the ‘Distinguished Guest Invitation’? You still haven’t mentioned who is coming. Can we use the person the Orthodox Path Association invited as-is?”

“That likely will not work. There will certainly be those who resent that the Association has fallen into my hands.”

“Then what will you do? You mentioned you invited someone separately.”

“Invited?”

Wait, would anyone actually show up if I sent an invitation?

Among those who would respond to my request, the most prominent name would be Bang Du-chil.

Uh… hmm…

I probably shouldn’t invite the Green Forest Fighting King to the Murim Academy, right?

When I hesitated, Seong Mo-ran’s brows furrowed.

“What… You didn’t invite anyone? This is meant to be a symbolic event for our delegation. We cannot let it fall flat.”

I nodded in agreement.

Of course.

There was no way I would let the symbolic debut of the Jin So-un Delegation, which had just dismantled the Orthodox Path Association, end in failure.

“Hmm… I did send a different letter.”

“A different letter?”

“He would never respond to a formal invitation, but there is someone who will arrive on his own feet if he receives a letter.”

“Mm?”

Seong Mo-ran tilted her head, confused, but I could not explain further at the moment.

I simply felt a pang of sympathy for Murong Jae-hwa.

—

“…Hmm?”

Eun-ho looked suspiciously at the promissory note Murong Jae-hwa held out.

“You said Eldest Senior Brother gave this to you?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“He said he was just giving it to me and told me to buy something delicious to eat.”

Deep skepticism appeared on his face.

“Just… giving it to you?”

At some point, Murong Jae-hwa and Eun-ho, who had become the closest of friends, put their heads together over the single note.

“I sense… a conspiracy.”

Murong Jae-hwa looked at Eun-ho’s face anxiously.

“…Why, why do you say that?”

“No. There is a hidden agenda. Eldest Senior Brother is not the type to casually toss around such a large sum of money.”

“But he also robbed the Murim Alliance Treasury and gave us gifts.”

Eun-ho shook his head firmly.

“That is different. I do not know why, but strangely, when it comes to money, Eldest Senior Brother becomes… how should I put it… completely unhinged.”

To be precise, it felt like his eyes rolled back into his head.

“And yet, a man like that is just handing out such a large sum?”

“…”

As Murong Jae-hwa listened to Eun-ho, he began to feel that something was deeply wrong.

Beyond that, the antenna of his sixth sense began to twitch.

“D-don’t tell me…”

“Why? What? What are you suspecting?”

“No, surely not. No way, surely not… No matter what, it couldn’t be… He is involved too…”

Within the Murong Clan, there was a sixth sense that only Murong Jae-hwa possessed.

A sense he had evolved to survive his days of constant torment and suffering.

Commonly known as the Grandfather Sense!

That sense was screaming warnings in alarm.

His whole body trembled, and cold sweat poured down his face.

“E-Eun-ho! W-we have to run!”

“Hey, hey! What is wrong? All of a sudden!”

Before Eun-ho could respond, Murong Jae-hwa, who had been heading out, shot out his Flying Dragon Claw and vaulted onto the dormitory roof.

Seeing that, Eun-ho, caught in the panic, followed him onto the roof.

And just as he approached the shaking Murong Jae-hwa,

-Murong Jae-hwa!!!! You damned brat!!!! Where are you hiding!!!!

“Keugh!”

A fierce Lion’s Roar, unlike anything he had ever experienced, ripped through his very core.