60 - Martial Might, Foundation (3) - The Heaven-Slaying Sword

"Leader, you say?" Namgung Jincheon's voice was icy. Within it, a hint of belittling Mok Riwon could also be felt. From Namgung Jincheon's perspective, that made sense. Despite recognizing Mok Riwon's martial skills, he thought Mok Riwon's naive aspects were unfit for the position of a leader. Of course, there was also a personal desire not to follow the words of the other Dragon Phoenixes, but even excluding that, Namgung Jincheon considered himself to be the most suitable person for the leader's position here. "Do you even know how to lead a group? Do you possess any knowledge of administrative procedures? No, do you even know what the role of a group leader entails?" The words struck Mok Riwon hard. While his body shook slightly, he did not back down. To be a leader of the Martial Alliance was a position that Mok Riwon, in the adventure novels he cherished, believed should be reserved for a protagonist-level character. Mok Riwon did not want to relinquish such an esteemed position so easily. Moreover, Mok Riwon had his own rationale. "Am I not the strongest here? The leader is supposed to be the strongest!" Clack. Namgung Jincheon froze. His eyes were wide open to an unspeakable degree, a hurt expression seemingly mingled within. It was a nightmare reminiscent of the Dragon Phoenix Assembly's finals. The events of that day were resurfacing. Namgung Jincheon calmed his trembling fist, but his deep blue eyes were still shaking uncontrollably. Logic dictated he should remain calm, but it was clear. Namgung Jincheon was a man who could not be at ease unless he stood above others. "...Well, it’s been about two months. It’s time to reassess the rankings." Energy slowly began to emanate from Namgung Jincheon. In a display of defiance, Mok Riwon also released a dark aura of his own. What followed was predictable. Mok Riwon received a sharp thwack on his forehead, strong enough to produce a 'snap!' sound. It was Dang Hwa-Seo. "Mok Junior, is this where you show off your powers? Is it not!" "Oh, well, technically not but...!" "What 'but'! And Black Dragon! You too are problematic! Didn't you say provocation wouldn't work at the Dragon Phoenix Assembly? Why then are you reacting so childishly to every word Mok Junior says!" Both Mok Riwon and Namgung Jincheon closed their mouths tight. The rarely shouting Dang Hwa-Seo’s ruthless truth left them speechless. Even amid this, the glare they shared would cause Dang Hwa-Seo to hold their head in frustration. 'These kids!' Namgung Jincheon's true colors were starting to show. He was no different from Mok Riwon. Dang Hwa-Seo realized. The reason Namgung Jincheon had seemed so lofty until now was simply that he had kept his mouth shut! He was just like the reticent Mok Riwon! Dang Hwa-Seo looked around with a throbbing headache. Jegal San was doubled over in laughter, Hyeun had moved away to chat with one of the alliance's warriors, and Ilwoon, while smiling awkwardly, showed no intention of intervening. Dang Hwa-Seo's face paled. '...We’re doomed.' The Dragon Phoenix Group was doomed. Thoroughly doomed. There was not a single reliable person in sight. * Military strategist Jegal Muyeon made an indescribable face at the scene unfolded before him. First there were Mok Riwon and Namgung Jincheon. The two men responsible for the martial strength of the Dragon Phoenix Group were glaring in different directions, faces filled with anger for some reason. Jegal San seemed to be having stomach issues, laughing and groaning simultaneously, while Hyeun was amusing herself by playing with the bald head of Ilwoon, who appeared rather tense. Among them, Dang Hwa-Seo appeared relatively normal, yet even their expression was strange, worn down with fatigue as they looked at him with a vacant gaze. "What happened here?" "Nothing yet." Dang Hwa-Seo chuckled lightly. While Jegal Muyeon felt a flicker of curiosity, he quickly suppressed it. He wasn't the kind of person to leisurely indulge in the impetuosity of the youth. "Now that everyone is here, we should discuss the future. It seems White Dragon has decided to stay at Shaolin." "Yes, I wish to hear about the plans ahead." Dang Hwa-Seo, pressing their forehead, raised the question, prompting Jegal Muyeon to nod. "We've sorted out the initial arrangements for the facility. Once you exit, my deputy will guide you." "And...?" "However, administrative processes are still pending. It will take some more time until the founding ceremony." Dang Hwa-Seo tilted their head, confused. As far as they understood, the establishment of a new group within the Martial Alliance doesn't typically take this long. "I thought the approval of the alliance leader was all that was needed to establish a group. Is the alliance leader absent?" "That's not the case. On the contrary, the highest ranks of the alliance are actively working towards the foundation of the group." "Then why...?" "There will be a founding ceremony. And it will be grand." At Jegal Muyeon's words, all eyes turned to him. Meanwhile, Jegal San's eyebrows creased, showing his distaste for the bothersome event, typical of his aversion to making a fuss. "A founding ceremony? Why make it such a big deal..." In the middle of his complaint, Jegal San let out a realization with a 'ah' and nodded. "...Indeed, upon reflection, this is no ordinary group." No one failed to grasp his implication. Except for Mok Riwon. Dang Hwa-Seo generously provided him with a further explanation. "With the current state of the nation, it's intended to boost morale. Furthermore, gathering the descendants of distinguished families as part of the alliance warrants considerable attention." "Ah! So that was it!" Jegal Muyeon showed agreement to their conversation and then proceeded to ask. "Now, there’s something else you must inform us about." "What would that be?" "What will become of the leader and deputy leader?" At this, Dang Hwa-Seo's face turned pale, and the two men of similar mental age once again ignited their rivalry. Mok Riwon and Namgung Jincheon's gazes clashed. Biting back a headache, Dang Hwa-Seo raised a hand in declaration. "I will take the position." "Ahh! Lady!" "I will do it. I won't accept objections." Jegal Muyeon simply crossed his arms, listening to their argument. After all, every member of the group was a peak-level master, and the position of leader did not solely require strength. Thus, he believed it didn’t matter who consolidated their opinions as long as someone did. The outcome was decidedly one-sided. "Mok Junior. Please refrain from acting impulsively." With just a word from Dang Hwa-Seo, Mok Riwon backed down in shock. "Black Dragon, do not even consider the position of leader. Are you willing to take on all administrative procedures? Are you prepared to support the other members and sacrifice your training time to participate in meetings and other matters?" Namgung Jincheon's spirit diminished with Dang Hwa-Seo's continued remarks, mostly because he did not enjoy being responsible for others. "Jegal San, Baek Bong. Neither of you were interested, to begin with. Master Ilwoon wouldn’t want to say harsh words to others." The three nodded in agreement. Dang Hwa-Seo finally turned to Jegal Muyeon. "It’s settled." "Excellent. And the deputy leader?" "Master Ilwoon will take that position, as per the leader’s discretion." Before anyone could object, Dang Hwa-Seo made a decisive statement. From their perspective, the least troublesome and most competent among them was Ilwoon. "Very well. Let us proceed with this understanding and prepare for the founding ceremony. I will inform you of the details later." Jegal Muyeon rose from his seat. Then, the deputy waiting outside called them over. "Please follow me." Dang Hwa-Seo finally let out a sigh of relief. '...Managed to dodge a bullet for now.' Though unsure of the future, they had at least surpassed one immediate hurdle. Dang Hwa-Seo turned to look at the problematic members with a wary gaze. 'Absolutely....' They must not allow these individuals to cause any trouble. This thought fully occupied their mind. * The residence for the Dragon Phoenix Group was splendid. A glance was enough to tell it was markedly different from the other buildings nearby, replete as it was with signs of lavish expenditure. "Jegal Hyung! There's Night Illuminating Pearl embedded here!" "Oh! If we take that out, it could fetch a good sum!" "Jegal Hyung! Surely this isn’t...!" "That’s jade! This piece is pure jade!" "Wow!!!" The level of financial support was astounding, considering how much was spent on just one building. However, understanding their backgrounds provided some context. Three scions of the Five Great Families and two leading successors from the Nine Sects – apart from Mok Riwon, each one came from a renowned family. The support came both from their family affiliations and various trade guilds. Naturally, the bulk of the funding came from the extravagantly wealthy Five Great Families, as exemplified by the Night Illuminating Pearl and jade artifacts scattered about. Dang Hwa-Seo looked at the Night Illuminating Pearl with subdued eyes, knowledgeable of its origin from the Sichuan Tang Clan. '...Surely, this couldn't have been without controversy.' It was a journey back from Anhui's Xuan City, where Dang Hwa-Seo had clashed with Tang Wunying, leading the Tang Clan to decisively distance themselves from the Martial Alliance. And yet, despite this, they had extended support – Dang Hwa-Seo could not fathom the leader of the Tang Clan's intentions. 'No, let's not dwell on it now.' Intentionally averting their gaze from the Night Illuminating Pearl, Dang Hwa-Seo decided it was best to focus on the present tasks. Given their situation within the Martial Alliance, they could not reveal any ulterior motives, whatever they might be. Clap, clap. Dang Hwa-Seo gathered attention with a round of applause. "Let's end the tour here and proceed to allocate the rooms." Despite the grand size of the Dragon Phoenix Group's residence, there weren’t many sleeping quarters. With only six martial artists in total, the space that could have been used for additional rooms had instead been dedicated to training areas and other facilities. "There are three rooms in total. I plan to assign them for two-person sharing. Obviously, I'll be sharing with Baek Bong, leaving you as..." Narrowing their eyes, Dang Hwa-Seo made a mental note. 'Mok Junior and Black Dragon will be separated.' If they were put together, disaster was inevitable. Given their numerous clashes throughout the day, imagining the havoc they could wreak if left together overnight was unacceptable. That was out of the question. Dang Hwa-Seo decided to allocate them to different rooms, then pondered further. 'Two considerations remained: Jegal San and Master Ilwoon.' Ideally, Dang Hwa-Seo wanted to pair Mok Riwon with Ilwoon. Having Mok Riwon stay with Jegal San might risk him picking up bad habits. However, it wasn't as simple as that because leaving the willful Namgung Jincheon with Jegal San would mean there was no one to keep him in check. "Sigh..." It was a tug of war between emotion and logic. After much deliberation, Dang Hwa-Seo finally made a decision. "Master Ilwoon, please share a room with Black Dragon." "Ah, I shall do so." Dang Hwa-Seo assigned Namgung Jincheon to Ilwoon. While Mok Riwon and Jegal San cheerfully accepted this arrangement, Dang Hwa-Seo felt uneasy. It was then Hyeun approached stealthily and whispered. "Why not give each of us our own room and throw the four men together?" Dang Hwa-Seo snorted derisively while maintaining a poker face at Hyeun. "That's absurd." As if anyone wouldn't know that leaving Hyeun with her own room would hardly mean she'd be alone in it. Day in, day out, men would likely be visiting her quarters. Dang Hwa-Seo considered this arrangement a personal sacrifice for the greater good. "Don't even dream of bringing outsiders." The intention was clear: to limit the opportunities for Hyeun to attract male attention as much as possible. Hyeun clicked her tongue in response. "Too quick to notice, aren't you?" Her remark was loud enough for everyone to hear.