428 - The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

Wish upon a falling star. If you can make a wish before the starlight vanishes, it will surely come true. Chang Bong-Dae realized the reason for this superstition as he watched the sword of Moyong Sang-Ah unfold before him. The star shines. With each flash of the sword, a fleeting life would fall. If one could luckily evade that sword, they should consider it a second chance at life and strive to live earnestly. Many have surged forward, glowing with their last light, but Moyong Sang-Ah's sword remained unstoppable. Meteor Sword Technique. The millennia-old swordsmanship of the Moyong family, which Chang Bong-Dae watched, eyes filled with reverent admiration. A family that has weathered countless upheavals for a thousand years. Though they had lost much of the martial skills they had built and their influence was closer to the ground than the sky, the star still shone bright. No. Even if that starlight started from the ground, it will soar high into the sky and shine brilliantly. The hearts of the martial artists were stirred by the sword they aspired to achieve. Moyong Sang-Ah's sword shines. When fleeting lives fade away, and only one star is left to end its dance. "This is the sword of the Moyong family..." No one doubted that the woman before them must lead the Moyong family in the future. ———— "Thank you! Truly, thank you!" "If not for the Moyong family, what would have become of us...?" "My son would have been left in a horrible state because of those men... boohoo." The bandits who killed many commoners and robbed their properties were crushed overnight. Once the band's assault was settled, the villagers wept, continuously praising the Moyong family. "We can't stand by! Let us throw a feast!" "Hurry, get the pig! The plumpest one!" The villagers, as if venting their frustration, spat on the corpses of the bandits and hurried to prepare a feast for their saviors. Chang Bong-Dae politely declined as if he were troubled, but when his lord and Chang Bong-Daeju accepted, he joined the celebration with a smile. "Did you see our lord's sword? Was it like this or like that?" "As if you could ever imitate it." "You're a master at ruining the mood." "I thought a fairy with a sword had descended." "My thoughts exactly." The highlight of the feast was naturally Moyong Sang-Ah's swordsmanship. Both veteran and new members of Chang Bong-Dae couldn’t stop praising her swordsmanship with faces filled with emotion. "Warriors of the Moyong family! Please, have a drink!" "I'll gladly drink to that!" "A first sortie clearing bandits, I'm glad I came." "Indeed. Seeing everyone so happy, it lifts my spirits too." It was a day spent resolving the worries of many. The new recruits of Chang Bong-Dae savored their first victory, while the veteran members joyfully joined the festive mood in a gratifying endeavor. Villagers. Veteran and new members of Chang Bong-Dae. Many gathered to celebrate the feast joyously. Yet, there were some who watched from afar, not fully stepping into the merriment. "Is that Chang Bong-Daeju?" A little offset from where the party was held. From a place where the bonfire was visible in the distance, Moyong Sang-Ah inquired aloud toward the presence she felt behind. "Are you here alone?" Chang Bong-Daeju asked with a hint of regret in his voice, as if wondering why she wasn’t partaking in the feast with the others. "Let them enjoy themselves." She had to be their guiding star. Moyong Sang-Ah wasn’t about to sit and blush at praises for the brilliance of the star right beside her. "It's been a long time since I've seen such genuine smiles on the faces of the Chang Bong-Dae members." Chang Bong-Daeju said, looking fondly at the members, reddened with drink around the bonfire. "It's because everyone is struggling to survive." Rebuilding the declining Moyong family is an unimaginable task. Externally, they must contend with other ethnicities, while internally they face the Demonic Cult and her own brother. They strive to not lose their cause amidst political struggles. Unlike other martial families, the Moyong family, as a quasi-military organization facing other ethnicities, wielded great power in Yodong Fortress but had to endure endless checks from officials and other sects. It's truly challenging even when wholly dedicated, to merely maintain what they have. So much so that they have to set aside the crucial values of the orthodox faction. "If not for your lordship's efforts, those smiles would not have been seen." Moyong Sang-Ah turned her gaze towards the bonfire. "Cheong-Un Sohyeop! We get things done when we do!" "I saw it all. The Chang Bong-Dae of the Moyong family. They were impressive." "See? Even the Daoist of the Wudang Sect acknowledged it!" "Hahaha!" "I hope today's events stay long in their hearts." Moyong Sang-Ah said with a curious expression, speaking to Chang Bong-Daeju. "It will. My first sortie with the Master of the family still lingers vividly within me from long ago." Moyong Sang-Ah nodded silently. The first sortie. The sword that the Moyong family warriors aim for. Extending a hand to the innocent. The joy of victory. Much will remain etched in memory. Today's experience must become sustenance. It should not merely end with defeating the Demonic Cult. It is essential to show that it is the orthodox faction that triumphed over the Demonic Cult in the end. The downfall at Yodong Fortress. The Moyong family must proudly demonstrate as a pillar of the orthodox faction that they have eradicated the Demonic Cult. To do so, she had to be their star. "I'll be heading in first." Moyong Sang-Ah rose from her seat. "My lord." "When the feast ends, ensure the villagers are compensated for the feast. I hope the village saved by the Moyong family can enjoy a warm winter." "I'll see to it without any shortage." Chang Bong-Daeju bowed his head to his lord, who continued to dedicate herself to the Moyong family. ———— “Mount Baek's sect?” Upon returning to the family residence, Moyong Sang-Ah heard the name of a sect from an herb gatherer who knew about the Taoist of Mount Baek. “Yes, it’s the name of a Taoist sect on Mount Baek.” “An unfamiliar name.” “Well, it would be. It’s a sect from Joseon, and Mount Baek is over a thousand li from the Moyong family. Plus, they aren’t active externally, so not many know about them.” “A sect from Joseon. I suppose we don't know much about the martial world of Joseon.” The domain of the Moyong family was in Liaodong Fortress. Though Liaodong was where Manchuria lay, the Moyong family's sphere of influence extended to the northwestern region of Joseon, including the area where the Liaodong Peninsula was located. In contrast, Mount Baek was in eastern Manchuria, a thousand li from Shenyang, the capital city of Liaodong Fortress. Moyong Sang-Ah nodded slightly, understanding the explanation. "I have heard about it from a friend from Joseon." "A friend?" Moyong Sang-Ah turned to Cheong Un in surprise at his unexpected mention. Cheong Un, referring to the Joseon friend he had previously mentioned, then looked at the herb gatherer. "I’ve heard it’s a sect managing Jangbaek Forest." "Yes! Yes! That's right! There are a lot of Jurchens and mountain folks in that area, being on the border with Joseon, causing frequent chaos. When Jangbaek Forest appeared, conflicts never ceased. A long time ago, it was the Jangbaek sect that resolved the chaos." "So there were such untold stories about Jangbaek Forest." Moyong Sang-Ah's gaze lingered momentarily on her left hand. "Since Jangbaek Forest is in Joseon, there’s not much that gets known here." Cheong Un, seeing the herb gatherer bowing his head, opened his mouth with a somewhat perturbed look. "Could that story possibly be true...?" "What do you mean?" "Those who speak of being unrivaled under the heavens. Come to Mount Baek." The words that Kang Yun Ho once mentioned escaped from Cheong Un’s lips. "What?!" "What did you just say?" "Who dares to utter such audacious words!" Everyone present widened their eyes, turning to Cheong Un. For martial artists who spent their lives honing their skills, the words of being unrivaled under heaven served as an extraordinary challenge. "Is there really such a rumor?" Even Moyong Sang-Ah couldn’t calm the surprise in her eyes as she asked the herb gatherer. "I'm not a martial artist, just an herb gatherer, so I don't know precisely, but I did hear that no martial artist dares to wander near Mount Baek." "Hahaha..." Who would dare to claim to be unrivaled under the heavens? A laugh escaped from Chang Bong-Daeju’s lips, expressing his incredulity. "It seems likely that Cheong Un Sohyeop has someone he is pursuing there." "Yes. Do you know where exactly in Mount Baek the Jangbaek sect is located?" A destination was finally in sight. Cheong Un nodded and pressed the herb gatherer for a response. "The people living in that area don't even know where the Jangbaek sect is." "But you said there was a way to reach it." "While I was gathering herbs, I slipped on a large rock and injured myself, unable to go anywhere. During that time, I was helped by a Taoist from the Jangbaek sect." "You received help?" "I’ve never entered the Jangbaek sect, but I know how to meet them." "That's fortunate." Cheong Un sighed with relief. Had it not been for the Moyong family, he might have wandered Mount Baek for days without finding them. "I didn’t suggest preparing beforehand for nothing. Something special is needed." "Is there perhaps an array in place requiring a special tool?" Moyong Sang-Ah asked the herb gatherer in a calm tone. A sect whose location was unknown even to nearby residents—could there be an array around it? "Sort of..." The herb gatherer nodded after gauging their reactions. "Speak up. The Moyong family can prepare everything." "As you go deep into the mountains of Mount Baek, there's a shrine-like place. If you place a special item there, sometimes you can meet them." "Surely you don't mean something as rare as Jangbaek ginseng?" "Oh, no, it’s not that precious." "Then what is it?" Considering how the information might be true, it must be a formidable sect indeed. The Jangbaek sect represents the martial world of Joseon. Not even the Jurchens dare invade Mount Baek, and even the tigers avoid the Jangbaek sect. It might indeed be a sect carrying the legacy of Taoism, just as Cheong Un Sohyeop mentioned. They are managing the precious Jangbaek Ginseng but cannot even touch it. And yet, those who speak of being unrivaled under the heavens call them to Mount Baek. What, then, is needed to find the Jangbaek sect? Everyone in the room looked at the herb gatherer with tense faces. "Bring something sweet." "Sweet?" Everyone in the room questioned their own hearing, but the herb gatherer continued speaking. "They especially like macarons." "...Macarons?" "A freshly steamed, traditional Joseon-style 'ddung-carons' should be enough to meet them." Silence enveloped the room momentarily.