Chapter 520

Jo Hyun-ryang is subtly busy.

You might think that being the esteemed leader, just sitting around greeting guests and sharing pleasantries isn’t a tough gig, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

By the time you reach the next level, you really ought to block off a few days for deep meditation in the cross-legged position, diving into the mysteries of martial arts.

Just a few appointments in a day could lead to utter chaos.

So while outsiders might see the leader lounging around, he’s got his hands full.

Just look at today.

Wasn’t that the firstborn of the Tang family?

Rumor has it a concoction that can neutralize the Blood Sect’s poison has been brewed.

Why report that to me directly?

They could just hand it to the scholars, and it would surely come in handy when we face those Blood Sect bastards down the line.

But, such is the life of a leader.

As the head of the Martial Alliance, acknowledging accomplishments directly is part of the job.

“Great work! The future of the Martial World shines bright, and look at the talent emerging!” and all that jazz.

You might wonder what the point is, but these ceremonial gestures are what forge the bonds necessary for the orthodox sects to unite.

“Your praises overwhelm me.”

The Tang family’s junior head bows politely.

Next to him is their gem, the strongest youngest one, the invaluable flower of the family, the infamous Tang family prodigy, also bowing her head.

One might wonder why they sent a kid who usually runs around the family, but hey, maybe they are just considering potential matches?

At that moment, the head of the escort guards, Ma Jeon-sang, walked in and quietly delivered his news.

“Apologies for interrupting the meeting, but the head scholar from the Hall of Literature has requested an audience with you. What shall we do?”

He didn’t even whisper it.

This wasn’t a question for the leader but rather seeking understanding from the Tang guests.

It seems the chief strategist thought it necessary to make the introduction.

Jo Hyun-ryang’s expression shifted.

What is this? Am I supposed to meet someone important? Is there a will behind this meeting?

There isn’t any.

The Martial Alliance is supposed to endure quietly.

So while the Tang guests step out for a moment, Jo Hyun-ryang observes the middle-aged man entering the audience chamber.

He’s from the Realm of Transformation? A master, right?

What’s a mere scholar doing in the presence of a Transformation master?

Of course, at the level of a head scholar, he’s far beyond a teacher at a local academy.

He’s a great master of Confucianism.

Depending on the sect, he could be considered a master instructor, and in the Martial Alliance, he might as well be ranking just below the leader.

A scholar’s master being a Transformation master?

That has Jo Hyun-ryang’s brain doing somersaults.

Even if the Confucian scholars have grown distant from the imperial family, isn’t that still their spiritual home rooted in the Central Plain?

And with the imperial family looking suspicious, could there be some unknown means to cultivate masters?

And let’s not forget the recent trouble caused by the Golden Guards from the Sicheon Tang Family.

Rumor has it, they had created a horrendous being out of people’s blood, transforming them into monstrous shapes.

So what does the Martial Alliance do in response?

What can we do?

We simply lament, “Oh, what a grim world we live in.”

Are we supposed to suddenly put on hoods and wave flags saying “Down with the imperial family!”?

Or can we dare to confront the imperial family and scold them for creating such monsters?

Not a chance.

Or what, are we supposed to blackmail the Martial Alliance to allow us to bring in gunpowder if we want to keep this dreadful fact hidden?

That’d be totally unreasonable.

Yes, we’ve discovered some shocking and horrifying truths, but so what?

Just another day knowing that the current officials are squeezing the people dry.

Along with the awful, tangible realization that these monstrous creations fed on the blood of the citizens?

So when Jo Hyun-ryang gazes at the head scholar from the Hall of Literature, his mouth goes dry.

Are those officials trying to pull some strings with the Martial World?

If this head scholar is a Transformation master, how many more masters are hidden in the government office?

Maybe the Martial Alliance needs to stand up against the imperial family like those Demon Cultists do.

“Why has the esteemed guest requested an audience?”

“Please don’t refer to me as ‘esteemed.’ I am merely a master visiting as a mentor, not the head scholar of the Hall.”

“Ah.”

Jo Hyun-ryang lets out a sound of seriousness.

What this means is quite clear:

What are you talking about? How could the head scholar, who manages the lectures at the Hall of Literature, be visiting as a mentor and not as a disciple?

“Fate is such a strange thing, unpredictable in its weave. The thread of master-disciple connection was knit at the end of that celestial net, and the name of the disciple is Seomun Qing.”

“Huh? You mean the girl, the one with the Most Beautiful Sword?”

“Yes, indeed. Although I haven’t led martial arts myself, I still managed to establish a mentor-disciple bond.”

Jo Hyun-ryang’s eyes blink in surprise.

“Er, are you perhaps mistaken, esteemed guest? Seomun Qing already has a master in the clan, and that master certainly isn’t someone who would allow a second master, especially not an older man or any man at all.”

To which Cheon Yu-hak chuckles softly.

“The Great Master is well aware.”

“Great Master?”

The term originally refers to a grandmaster or head teacher but can also be used by a junior master when addressing a senior.

“Oh, is that so?”

A smile forms on Jo Hyun-ryang’s face.

If the infamous Ye Gwang-gyeon acknowledged it, then it must be true.

That realization eases his heart and a smile blossoms.

Even if Ye Gwang-gyeon has a horrible reputation, she is still a respected elder of the Martial World, a revered female warrior, and above all, a proper martial artist.

If someone like Seomun Sulin recognizes her as a second mentor, then she’s definitely not tied to those dirty events surrounding Blood Spirits.

There might even be martial arts techniques passed down in scholarly lineages.

In fact, it’s not odd for a scholarly family to possess a couple of martial arts skills, even if they can’t operate a manor like popular local families because they work within the government.

If they’re a renowned lineage, they’ll likely have a few martial secrets on hand.

“So, what brings you here, esteemed guest?”

“Ah, well, I was just traveling with my disciple and No Mountain.”

“Wait, did you say No Mountain?”

Jo Hyun-ryang’s eyes nearly pop out.

Cheon Yu-hak thinks that the head of the Martial Alliance is a wonderfully expressive person, especially for a master ranked as the second best in the Martial World.

Of course, why would Jo Hyun-ryang need to hide his surprise?

He had been tense, preparing for possible government matters, and just as that tension eased, the mention of No Mountain sent him into shock.

Rumors have been swirling about No Mountain and the Heart Consumption Technique, right around the same time they were calling the Martial Alliance to action.

The rumors have been rather blatant, though, so they’ve been taking their time to investigate rather than jumping into chaos.

And that’s the difference between the heterodox sects and the orthodox ones.

While the unorthodox sects hear rumors about Heart Consumption Techniques and immediately rush in sending hired muscle to tackle the situation out of desperation for the power it could bring.

The orthodox sects want to confirm if the rumors are true, if some plot is afoot, and how they can minimize potential damage to their community before taking action.

They’re not in a rush like the sectarians are; they may already have divine skills, so what’s the haste?

“Erm, excuse my rudeness. So, about that Heart Consumption Technique…?”

Cheon Yu-hak nods solemnly at that.

Jo Hyun-ryang lets out a long sigh.

Cheon Yu-hak explains carefully.

No Mountain is famed for its majestic peaks, and while traveling, they encountered wicked rumors about the Heart Consumption Technique circulating.

His disciple expressed indignation saying that such a dreadful demonic art should not exist in the world. As a member of the orthodox sect, it is their duty to pursue and eradicate it.

“Right! Exactly! You’re truly the Spirit Dragon! That’s the spirit of the orthodox sect!”

Let’s be real, the patriarchs of the orthodox sects were already blind with greed, and if they were to show their faces in hell, they’d likely be lamenting how they never acknowledged the folly of their arrogance.

Cheon Yu-hak warned against the dangers involved.

With that said, his disciple’s determination to chase down those demonic arts had become too fierce to dismiss, and as a mentor, it’s not easy to stifle that kind of spirit.

“That’s right. You have a point. Being a mentor is truly challenging in such circumstances. If a disciple is determined to follow a hard path, how can a mentor suppress that will, especially if their argument is backed by camaraderie?”

Jo Hyun-ryang shows vigorous agreement, a habit from dealing with people as the leader of the Martial Alliance but also because he genuinely resonates with this.

And upon that, he finds himself envying both Ye Gwang-gyeon and the head scholar in new light.

That scholar’s junior is busy chasing after girls, while that sword-wielding child, Seomun Qing, is diving headfirst into danger without any hesitation, unable to be stopped by her mentor.

What’s going on? Did he just get a lucky take on a good kid?

Or is it time to implement something from Ye Gwang-gyeon’s philosophy on discipline: “Beat them until they learn”?

In any case, with his disciple along with them, they met some kid named Mo Yong something and Namgung something too.

Oh, those kids? They should be reaching their family homes by now.

Then they inadvertently ended up visiting the cursed grave where the blood sect had built their Den of Solitude instead.

“That was an impressively grand name—Blood Cheering Underground.”

“Honestly, that sounds exactly like what the Blood Sect would name it. So, what happened?”

Fortunately, they confirmed that the Heart Consumption Technique doesn’t exist.

Just when they thought they’d made a clean escape, a girl named Unyeonjeong flew in on her coffin out of nowhere, clinging to Qing and demanding that they atone for her offending her.

The innocent child felt embarrassed for using someone else’s name to cause trouble and ended up accepting the offer to atone.

Even the usually thick-skinned Cheon Yu-hak turned a shade of red.

As charming as his beloved disciple might be, there’s a limit to how far a lie can stretch; given how Outrageously infamous Qing had behaved, Cheon felt a bit off about it all.

But then?

“Well, if it’s Seomun Qing, I can see why. Ha. It’s admirable, but how does she plan to navigate this harsh world? That said, I can’t advocate committing wrongs, so it’s quite a dilemma for you, esteemed guest. Tsk, tsk.”

What’s the deal? Cheon Yu-hak was taken aback.

Are we seriously discussing the same person here?

Could it be that there are two Seomun Qings, or two who are named Most Beautiful Sword, and this Jo Hyun-ryang is referring to someone entirely different?

Cheon Yu-hak is thrown into confusion.

What’s going on? Why would that make sense? What has Qing done to provoke this?

In the midst of this, Jo Hyun-ryang stands up suddenly,

“Wait! If I understand correctly, Seomun Qing is being pursued by those disgusting villains, and oh my, I must send the combat unit, no, I need to speak to the chief strategist first…”

Cheon Yu-hak is shocked.

No matter how much of a Spirit Dragon you are, does the dire situation call for the Martial Alliance leader to rush out immediately?

Considering the chaos, this isn’t merely an excuse to jump the gun.

He could see Jo Hyun-ryang clutching a spear, ready to charge out.

“No! I didn’t come to ask for help! I came to convey my disciple’s message to you—that it might be better for the Martial Alliance to be cautious!”

“Huh? Cautious? How can we remain calm when the future of the Martial World is under threat from those vile beings? I apologize for not properly welcoming you, but I must take my leave—”

And he steps forward with urgency.

Jo Hyun-ryang believes that it’s a serious matter because even if it’s about Seomun Qing, if there’s a real crisis, it could spell disaster for the Martial World.

The so-called top ten masters of the Martial World could easily tip the scales, so it wouldn’t be wise to act recklessly to invite bloodshed.

Isn’t it a sort of unspoken agreement to lay low, lest they stir the pot?

In that way, it falls upon him to step up.

As the leader, he might manage to end this with dialogue, but if the crazed dog gets loose?

He can’t let that happen!

At that moment, Cheon Yu-hak shouted.

“Wait, calm down, esteemed official!”

Jo Hyun-ryang stops in his tracks.

“Esteemed official? What do you mean by that?”

“The witch only mentioned that she’d set a time for our meeting, so we’re finally reaching out to the government for assistance. The soldiers will escort us to Hangzhou, so the situation you fear won’t occur.”

“Oh. Thank goodness.”

Jo Hyun-ryang lets out a deep breath of relief.

And then, he’s once again overwhelmed.

What sort of depth does Seomun Qing have?

Despite being in danger, she even requested to restrain from escalating the situation, prioritizing the peace of the Martial World over her own safety!

It seems Ye Gwang-gyeon’s way of educating her worked after all.

Spoiling her as a precious granddaughter won’t help; it looks like it’s time to toughen up that junior head of the family a bit.

Jo Hyun-ryang steels his resolve.

Otherwise, Jo Hak-che will end up getting the raw end of the deal.

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