Chapter 103

Martial Alliance Assembly (武林盟會).

It is, as the name suggests, a massive gathering held under the leadership of the Martial Alliance.

When the Martial Alliance was first established in the wake of the Blood Sect’s calamity, the Martial Alliance Assembly was a grand festival for the entire martial world, regardless of the White Path, Middle Path, or Black Path. It was the highest decision-making body to discuss the future of the martial world.

Even now, with the Black Martial Alliance and the Black Path having split off, the prestige of the Martial Alliance Assembly remains high.

When the Martial Alliance Assembly is held, not only the Black Martial Alliance, which shares the martial world, but even the Imperial Family holds its breath and watches its progress.

If even they, who are practically outsiders, do so, there’s no need to mention the movements of the participants of the Martial Alliance Assembly.

The White Path martial world gathered around Luoyang.

Even the Nine Sects, notorious for their reluctance to move, descended from their remote mountain hideouts, and the Seven Great Families had long since sent their representatives to Luoyang.

Are they the only ones? No.

While the core of the Martial Alliance Assembly is undoubtedly the Nine Sects and One Gang and the Seven Great Families, the role of filling the gaps between the pillars to form the wall is played by the smaller sects and various martial families.

It was common for those who were usually overshadowed by the Nine Sects and One Gang and the Seven Great Families to make a name for themselves at the Martial Alliance Assembly. In fact, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that they are the true protagonists of the Martial Alliance Assembly.

Those who discuss grand causes. Those who seek fame. Those who desire growth. Those who chase money.

People of all kinds gathered in Luoyang.

But they could be broadly divided into two groups: those aiming for the Assembly and those aiming for the Martial Duel Tournament.

The Assembly, where the leaders of the White Path martial world gather to decide the Martial Alliance’s policies. The major sects generally put more weight on this side.

On the other hand, the smaller sects, with relatively weaker voices in the Assembly, tended to stake their lives on the Martial Duel Tournament.

That said, the major sects didn’t neglect the Martial Duel Tournament either. In fact, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that almost all of the younger generation, known as Late Blooming Prodigies, came to Luoyang aiming for the Martial Duel Tournament rather than the Assembly.

Luoyang was bustling with all sorts of stories, to the point where the phrase “the talk of the town” seemed forgotten.

The topics of conversation changed rapidly with each passing day.

Just the other day, people were buzzing about someone from the Sichuan Tang Family arriving, and yesterday they were talking about a celebrity from the Jongnam Sect coming. Today, they were chattering about people from yet another place.

But this whirlwind of rumors didn’t reach the annex of the Changmu Inn.

This was because the place had cut off external communication and transformed into a kind of secluded training ground.

“Think about how a swallow flies. How is it?”

“Fast!”

“And?”

“And? Uh… really fast!”

In the training ground in front of the annex, a girl was engrossed in practicing her footwork and swinging her sword, panting heavily. It was Namgung Sol.

And the man talking to Namgung Sol beside her was, without a doubt, Namgung Woo.

Namgung Woo, frustrated by Namgung Sol’s answer, ran his hand through his hair and said:

“The characteristic of a swallow’s flight is its ability to make sharp turns. And it can do so without losing much speed. Don’t force yourself to brake. Just go with the flow and open up the path.”

“Ugh…! How do I… hyah!?”

Thud! Whoosh-

Namgung Sol, her footwork tangled, fell to the ground and rolled around the training ground.

Fortunately, Namgung Sol, who had trained hard in internal energy techniques since childhood, had her protective energy always active. Thanks to that, she wasn’t hurt, but she was still dizzy as she staggered to her feet.

“My Swallow Spin Step is still awkward…”

Namgung Sol, who had recently started learning the Swallow Spin Step, a footwork technique more suited to the Azure Sky Flying Swallow Sword Technique, made excuses as if complaining, then slowly began practicing her footwork again.

Knowing that Namgung Sol would never stop despite her struggles, Namgung Woo didn’t hold back his advice.

“A martial artist from Dongying once created a secret sword technique to catch flying swallows. That martial artist was said to be one of the top swordsmen in Dongying. A swallow is so agile and capable of sharp turns that only a swordsman of that caliber could even touch it. The Azure Sky Flying Swallow Sword Technique and the Swallow Spin Step are martial arts created with the swallow as their inspiration. If you master them properly, no one will dare to bring a sword against you at a similar level.”

Was that person not yet born? Namgung Woo thought as he recalled a story he had heard.

But Namgung Sol was fixated on something else.

“There’s martial arts in Dongying too?”

As Namgung Woo was about to say, “I don’t know either,” the answer came from someone else’s mouth.

“Yes, there is. The Divine Wind Gang, one of the predecessors of the Nine Dragons Association, was a faction founded by martial artists from Dongying.”

“Wow… the world of martial arts is so vast!”

“More importantly, your footwork is going to get tangled again. Little sister.”

“Huh? Ah!”

As Namgung Sol demonstrated another impressive fall, Namgung Woo turned his eyes away and spoke to Paeng Ha-ryeong.

“It’s hard to receive guests right now…”

A closed-door training session for Namgung Sol.

That’s what could be said about what was happening in the small training ground of the Changmu Inn annex.

For this, Namgung Woo had boldly thrown away his guest tokens to those who sought him out, but this time, he made an exception and spoke at length.

“…I’ll have to receive them today.”

The reason Paeng Ha-ryeong personally came to the training ground was that the guest who had arrived was someone she couldn’t possibly send away on her own.

“You said you’d come back after forging a sword… I never thought we’d meet again in Luoyang.”

Paeng Ja-ryeong.

He was the representative sent by the Hapbuk Paeng Family to this Martial Alliance Assembly.

By the way, today’s hot topic in Luoyang was the Hapbuk Paeng Family.

§

After giving Namgung Sol her homework and entering the annex, Namgung Woo brewed some Huangshan Maofeng tea, which he kept for entertaining guests, and served it to Paeng Ja-ryeong.

“Huangshan Maofeng! That’s quite precious. Just the aroma tells me it’s top quality. I’ll enjoy it gratefully.”

“I got it thanks to some connections with the Hwang Mountain Sect. But did you come alone, Young Master? Where are the others?”

Though he said “others,” it was clear that he was referring to Paeng Ye-ryeong, who was practically Namgung Woo’s first disciple. Paeng Ja-ryeong smiled wryly and said:

“Don’t even mention it. I had to sneak away in the middle of the night to shake off Ye-ryeong, who was trying to follow me no matter what. I don’t know if I’m the young master or a stray dog being kicked out of the house.”

“Why not just bring her along? The Blade Sovereign should be here by now.”

“It seems he’s decided not to let her out until this year. He’s busy trying to turn the Paeng Family’s Five Tigers into Six Tigers.”

“Could it be a new blade technique?”

“Yes. Since Ye-ryeong has to train in martial arts based on the Void Spirit Divine Art taught by our benefactor, the existing five blade techniques of the Paeng Family don’t suit her. He’s planning to create a new blade technique centered around the Upper Dantian. Although her celestial gate has narrowed, weakening her five stars, she’s still at an exceptional level.”

Paeng Hu-sang, a peerless master, and Paeng Ye-ryeong, born with exceptional celestial stars.

If the two of them put their heads together, they would surely create something extraordinary.

It seemed that Namgung Woo wasn’t the only one in the midst of secluded training.

Just as Namgung Woo was teaching Namgung Sol, Paeng Hu-sang was also teaching Paeng Ye-ryeong, preparing to build a secret martial art from the ground up.

“By the way… I heard from Ha-ryeong…”

Paeng Ja-ryeong’s voice, which had been straightforward, became unusually cautious.

It was obvious what topic he was about to bring up.

On the day he revealed his true name to Paeng Ha-ryeong, Namgung Woo had allowed her to inform the Paeng Family. He believed it was morally right to reveal his name, as they could be dragged into the Sword Family Blood Feud because of him.

Paeng Ha-ryeong had waited until arriving in Luoyang to deliver the news, fearing it might leak out, but it seemed Paeng Ja-ryeong had heard about it on the way to Luoyang.

“I didn’t read the letter Ha-ryeong sent separately, but if it’s about my name, it’s true.”

“Hmm… I thought so.”

Paeng Ja-ryeong accepted Namgung Woo’s origins surprisingly calmly.

He had already suspected that Namgung Woo had some extraordinary background, and Paeng Ja-ryeong’s temperament was remarkably calm and collected for someone from the Paeng Family.

“If my father had known about this, he would have been here instead of me.”

“Didn’t you inform the Blade Sovereign?”

“I planned to confirm it myself before sending word. I destroyed the letter I received midway.”

As the young master, Paeng Ja-ryeong had the authority to act first and report later.

“But even if my father had come instead of me, what I have to say to our benefactor would have been the same.”

That Namgung Woo was of the Namgung Family, that he aimed to rebuild the Namgung Family, and that the Paeng Family could be dragged into the Sword Family Blood Feud.

Despite all that, the Hapbuk Paeng Family owed too much to forget.

“Paeng Family Never Forgets Gratitude (彭家不忘恩).”

They were still on Namgung Woo’s side.

Seeing Namgung Woo momentarily speechless, Paeng Ja-ryeong chuckled and joked:

“If it really doesn’t work out, come to Tianjin. Our Paeng Family is also open to taking in sons-in-law.”