Chapter 521
“In light of this joyful reunion, have you considered taking on the role of Alliance Leader?”
…?
A group project leader announcing their resignation would naturally cause chaos among the members.
Ma Jong-hak’s completely unexpected words left Thunderblade King gaping, while Azure Sky Sword King and Nameless stared at him in utter disbelief.
– ‘What does that have to do with anything…?’
– ‘This guy is supposed to be the Murim Alliance Leader?’
They didn’t say it out loud, but their expressions said it all.
Among them, the only one who remained surprisingly calm was Jeok Cheon-Gang.
“A lesser man would be at a loss for words in this situation. But I am different. I have encountered more than my fair share of lunatics lately.”
Our eyes met for a brief moment.
I turned to look behind me.
Perhaps by sheer coincidence, there was no one there—except for a single sparrow pecking at the ground.
Ah. So that’s why Jeok Cheon-Gang was looking this way.
“I had no idea you liked birds. Well, sparrows are cute, I suppose.”
“I was looking at you.”
“Me? Why me all of a sudden?”
“Do you really need to ask?”
“Most people ask because they don’t know. Why would I ask if I already knew?”
“The way you run your mouth makes me want to bury you.”
Hmm. That would be a problem.
After a brief moment of thought, I cautiously asked,
“Just to clarify, purely for the sake of discussion—am I, by any chance, included in the list of lunatics you’ve recently encountered?”
“Without a doubt. Unquestionably. Your name is right at the very top.”
I had come in first in things before, but never like this.
Even in school, I had always been at the top from the back, not the front.
And yet, here I was, ranked above even Cheongpung in madness.
The realization hit me like a brick, and my vision wavered slightly from the psychological damage.
I looked at Jeok Cheon-Gang and sighed.
“I have an acquaintance—he once gave me some advice. He said, ‘Know thyself.'”
“You’re saying that to me?”
“Are you asking because you don’t know?”
“You little—”
Halfway through raising his fist, Jeok Cheon-Gang hesitated.
Sensing the growing number of onlookers, he let out a weary sigh and turned to face Ma Jong-hak.
“Anyway, to be clear—I refuse.”
“Oh? Why?”
“It’s too much of a hassle.”
What a brilliant answer.
At the very least, one might have expected him to hesitate for a moment. But he rejected the Murim Alliance Leader position simply because it was bothersome.
“Hah. That is an undeniable truth.”
No, please don’t agree with him.
Do you not see how people are gathering around?
‘Damn it.’
If this conversation spread, the Murim Alliance—no, the whole group project—might just fall apart.
Unfortunately, neither of these two men cared about such trivial matters.
“A title like that doesn’t suit me, and I hate dealing with people.”
“Oh, same here.”
“Then step down.”
“That would be a problem.”
“And why is that?”
Ma Jong-hak stroked his chin before casually replying,
“Because someone has to do it.”
He was just a man who picked up the sword because he was skilled at it. A man who had earned the title Sword Star through merit alone.
After the devastating war, he abandoned wealth and status to retreat into the mountains, choosing a life of solitude—a true martial artist.
But Ma Jong-hak was more than just a martial artist. He was a great hero.
His acceptance of the Alliance Leader title was not out of some shallow desire for recognition.
It was because he was a warrior—and a hero.
‘Because someone has to do it.’
A short yet deeply meaningful phrase.
Jeok Cheon-Gang smirked as he stared at him.
“All these years have passed, and yet you remain unchanged. It feels like just yesterday we met at Nine Flowers Mountain.”
Ma Jong-hak’s eyes widened.
“Yesterday? What nonsense is that? That was decades ago.”
I want my emotional moment back.
I wasn’t the only one feeling cheated.
The uncomfortable silence that followed was filled with skeptical stares from everyone around.
Ma Jong-hak tilted his head.
“Did I remember wrong?”
Jeok Cheon-Gang, now devoid of any amusement, muttered,
“…You really haven’t changed. My insides feel like they’re rotting away.”
“Are you still unwell? I heard you were cured of the poison.”
“Shut that mouth of yours. If you keep talking, who knows what I might do.”
“For what it’s worth, you were the first person to ever say that to me. That’s why I like you, Jeok Dae-hyup.”
“…Are you sure Cheongpung is just your disciple? You two don’t happen to be related by blood, do you?”
Now that was a genuine Murim-level mystery.
I wasn’t the only one curious—everyone around was waiting with bated breath for Ma Jong-hak’s answer.
And then, at that moment—
A deep, aged voice called out from behind us.
“To my knowledge, there is no blood relation between Alliance Leader and Mount Hua’s Divine Dragon.”
A familiar old man walked toward us, limping slightly on his prosthetic leg.
Thousand-Faced Fox, Song Ho.
The former Hidden Shadow Pavilion Master of the Murim Alliance, now reinstated as the head of the New Murim Alliance’s intelligence network.
He gave a slight nod before speaking.
“Let’s head inside. Tea has been prepared.”
—
The Murim Alliance Headquarters was bustling with activity.
Men wearing uniforms embroidered with the silver character 盟 (Alliance) roamed everywhere.
Among them were not only armed warriors but also well-dressed scholars and officials.
‘So these people…’
The Hidden Shadow Pavilion Master definitely didn’t win his position by playing cards.
Thousand-Faced Fox, walking beside me, seemed to immediately notice my curiosity.
Without missing a beat, he gave a brief explanation.
“They are directly under the Alliance Leader’s Office.”
“They don’t seem to be affiliated with the Nine Great Clans or the Five Noble Houses.”
“Sharp observation. Since they work directly under the Alliance Leader, individuals from external sects or those whose identities are not thoroughly verified were excluded. This way, please.”
The Murim Alliance Headquarters was as vast as an open plain yet structured like a labyrinth.
Wherever I turned, I saw towering buildings densely packed together. In the distance, loud shouts echoed from the training grounds, where warriors were hard at practice.
At first, I had assumed the place where the carriage had stopped was merely part of the inner city, but the deeper we moved inward, the tighter security became. The number of visible people also noticeably decreased.
‘Or rather, they haven’t disappeared—just hidden from sight.’
No matter how well they suppressed their breathing or utilized high-level stealth techniques, I could sense them.
The walls. The ceilings. Shadows cast in the dim corners.
Silent figures lay in wait, watching, their energies faint but undeniable.
“I’ve been wondering—are those people from Hidden Shadow Pavilion?”
At my sudden question, Thousand-Faced Fox slightly widened his eyes.
“When did you notice?”
“Since we passed the fifth gate.”
“Can you still sense them now?”
“Yes.”
“Incredible. Truly remarkable. Those individuals are some of the most elite assassins in Hidden Shadow Pavilion. And yet, you sensed them all perfectly.”
Hearing his words of admiration, I scratched my chin.
“Are you really asking because you don’t know? Or is this a test?”
“Hmm? What do you mean?”
“If it’s a test, it’s a boring one. There aren’t four of them. There are five.”
Ssshh.
The torch on the wall flickered ever so slightly before settling again.
A subtle reaction. But to trained eyes, it was proof—proof that those in hiding had momentarily wavered.
And Thousand-Faced Fox, their leader, had gone completely still, his eyes darkening.
“So it wasn’t just a coincidence after all.”
“I guessed.”
“…I’m joking. Your subordinates are truly skilled. I almost failed to notice them.”
A glint flashed through Thousand-Faced Fox’s gaze.
Unlike earlier, when he was merely testing me, this time, his look carried genuine admiration and curiosity.
“Astonishing. I thought I had an accurate estimation of your abilities based on the intelligence I’ve gathered, but… have you recently reached a new enlightenment?”
A enlightenment, huh.
I recalled my ten-day training along the Yangtze River and nodded.
The greatest gain I had acquired during the training Moon Kyung had prescribed was my mastery over Qi, the very foundation of martial arts.
Before, I had wielded Qi like a thick rope. Now, I could manipulate it like a delicate thread.
As a result, my control over internal energy had improved dramatically, and my Qi perception had sharpened even further.
“Maybe a little.”
“Your growth rate is terrifying. Almost unbelievable.”
At those words, Thunderblade King, who had been eyeing me since earlier, muttered to himself.
“Indeed… In all my years, I’ve never seen a monster like you. You’d be a fine rival for my grandson.”
“Ah, and what is your grandson’s name?”
“Pang Do-jin.”
“…Piplup? I agree, that’s a good starter Pokémon. Cute and—”
“What nonsense are you spouting?! I said Pang Do-jin! You fought him during the Sacred Martial Assembly!”
At Thunderblade King’s outburst, Jeok Cheon-Gang, who had been lazily strolling like some back-alley thug, added helpfully,
“The one who fought you for a while before getting beaten like a stray dog and surrendering. He’s around thirty now.”
“Ahh. Now I remember. He started using his sword as a cane towards the end, didn’t he?”
“Y-you…!”
“It’s fine. Young warriors should expect to take hits and suffer losses here and there.”
As if receiving the best Christmas present, Jeok Cheon-Gang beamed and responded,
“That’s right, Pang Clan. But don’t expect that to change with age. No matter how hard you try, you won’t be able to reverse age like me.”
“You damn—!”
Ahem.
Honestly, the biggest victim in this situation was Azure Sky Sword King.
Even though he hadn’t said a single word, the sheer amount of indirect damage he was taking made his eye twitch uncontrollably.
And then, Ma Jong-hak delivered the finishing blow.
“Let’s not be too hasty, everyone. If you just go with the flow, things will come naturally.”
Uhh.
What kind of nonsense is that?
If Reversed Aging was something that just happened naturally, half the martial artists in Murim would be walking around in their prime forever.
Neither Thunderblade King nor Azure Sky Sword King could find it in themselves to be angry.
Just as they were at a loss for words, the tallest and grandest structure in the entire Murim Alliance finally revealed itself before us.
“Please, enter.”
At first, I thought it was the Alliance Leader’s residence or something along those lines.
But before I could even step inside, I realized that assumption was completely wrong.
Tap, tap, tap!
“A message from Jiangsu has arrived!”
“Urgency level?”
“Earth-class!”
“Sort through the related cases. So-pyeong, Hwang-so, and Jang Il-pal—prepare your reports within fifteen minutes.”
Swish, swish, swish!
People moved rapidly. Documents and bamboo slips zipped through a complex system of tubes, carried from one section to another.
Watching the sheer chaos unfold, Thousand-Faced Fox finally spoke.
“Hubei, Wudang, Heaven-class.”
At his words, a scholar in traditional attire pulled a lever.
And then—
Shoo! Thunk!
A bamboo slip shot out from a nearby scroll tube and unfurled.
“This is why I brought you here. A classified report from Wudang Sect, received five days ago.”
I barely heard him.
Because my eyes were locked on the content of the bamboo slip.
No—the illustration on it.
‘The Water God Dragon… wasn’t the only one.’
The inked image depicted something unknown, something unfamiliar to some—but dreadfully familiar to others.
A monster.
