163 - Gathering, Meeting (5) - The Heaven-Slaying Sword

Only a few among the great Four Saints and Six Kings had not yet arrived, and the last one remaining was Moyong Geol, the Grand Elder of the Moyong Clan and known as the Fist King. Even that was enough to cause a stir, but the real event hadn't even begun. This meeting wasn't just for the Four Saints and Six Kings; it was a gathering for all the prominent clans of the Central Plains martial world. "Is it appropriate for the master of Namgung Clan to be late?" "Yes. The master said it would take more time to attend as he’s finishing up clan affairs." "Good. White Phoenix, what about the Ami Sect?" "They’ll be arriving tomorrow." In the office of the Dragon Peak Sect leader. Namgung Jincheon was calm, while Hyewon was visibly upset. Dang Hwa-seo could finally relax after finishing the report, marking the completion of the duties for the Dragon Peak Sect. 'Thank goodness, the tedious preparation for the meeting is over.' Since the meeting would scatter everyone according to their affiliations, it was effective to not have their work pile up. Dang Hwa-seo only needed to organize the members of the sect. "Alright. You both may leave now." "Understood." "Thank you…" After they trudged out, Dang Hwa-seo immediately grabbed a new set of documents. Speedily moving her brush, she tackled issues that needed to be managed as the leader of the Sacheondang Clan. 'After all, I’ve overhauled everything, including the elders. Our power is undoubtedly weaker… It'll be hard to expect any significant influence at the conference.' However, this fact did not bother her. She had personally destroyed the clan, so there was no reason to regret such matters at this point. She simply had to attend and return. That was why Dang Hwa-seo memorized the minimal essential information about the meeting and the notable individuals from each clan, though her concentration only broke after some time. -Miss, are you there? Mok Riwon’s voice came from outside the door. Dang Hwa-seo immediately looked up. 'What brings him here at this late hour?' Curious about his late visit, Dang Hwa-seo responded, “Yes, come in.” The door opened. Mok Riwon was smiling broadly, clutching steamed potatoes. "I thought you might be hungry, so I prepared these!" Mok Riwon approached with quick steps, offering the potatoes. Dang Hwa-seo, slightly flustered, accepted them and soon burst into laughter. "Thank you. I was just getting hungry." It was endearing how he always seemed to do the cutest things. Mok Riwon pulled a chair and sat down opposite Dang Hwa-seo, asking, "How’s the meeting preparation going?" His smiling face was quite lovely. Dang Hwa-seo felt her mood improve just by looking at him. "Yes, since I don’t have much of a reason to contribute, I'm just trying to grasp the flow of events." "It must be tough. I can’t handle such headaches myself." "Master Mok, you won’t have to worry about such affairs in your lifetime." I'll handle everything for you, she almost said unintentionally, causing Dang Hwa-seo to internally panic as Mok Riwon tilted his head. "Hm?" "Ah, my mistake." Was she too excited after receiving approval from Mok Seon-o? Dang Hwa-seo chastised herself for saying something unnecessary. "Moreover, Master Mok, you should attend the meeting too." "Ah, as the disciple of Sword King?" "Yes, don’t you need to prepare anything?" Mok Riwon’s expression turned odd – somewhere between reluctant and uncomfortable. "What’s wrong?" "I’m troubled about one thing." "Hm?" "To be frank, it's about lying. Lying about my master and my school." Mok Riwon scratched the back of his neck. Dang Hwa-seo immediately understood. Perhaps Mok Riwon's affection for his master was deeper than she thought. Mok Seon-o was a man who saved Mok Riwon’s life and taught him martial arts and principles, as well as love. A parent, a teacher, and a benefactor. To betray such a person, even out of necessity, must be burdensome for Mok Riwon. Nonetheless, in this situation, Dang Hwa-seo agreed with Mok Seon-o's view. "Master Mok." "Speak." "I’m not sure if it’s my place to say this." Mok Riwon blinked as Dang Hwa-seo continued in a careful voice, "Sometimes, I think it's necessary to suppress such feelings. After all, having support in this martial world is an undeniable fact." Mok Riwon’s shoulders twitched. Dang Hwa-seo pressed on more firmly, "For example, in my case with Sacheondang. I absolutely detest this clan. But having it as a backing brings certain benefits that my personal feelings cannot simply brush aside." Even in a martial world that values martial virtue, righteousness, and moral codes, it's an inescapable part of human society where power and influence play crucial roles. "That's why it's done this way. For instance, in Master Mok's case, such deception could be more beneficial to the Sword Saint. At least, in the situation where the Sword King is protecting Master Mok, it would surely be reassuring for the Sword Saint who loves you." Mok Riwon fell into thought as Dang Hwa-seo's words, spoken in a gentle tone, lingered in the air. His expression still didn't seem entirely convinced, but Mok Riwon smiled anyway. "...I understand that. Yes, that would be for the best." "If my interjection was unwarranted..." "No. It was a good point." With a bright smile, Mok Riwon stood up from his seat. "Thank you! It's quite late, so I should be going. Miss, please take it easy and get some rest." Saying so, Mok Riwon left the office. Dang Hwa-seo silently sighed with a hint of regret. * Time passed quickly. The Martial Alliance became busier, and with it came various incidents, but none of them were of much concern to Dang Hwa-seo and Mok Riwon. It was best to say that these were merely trifling matters. "The relationships between the nine sects and the family clans are really not good." Indeed, the relationships between the sects and the clans were strained. The friction within the current Martial Alliance mostly stemmed from these conflicts. One sect fought against another clan, and these fights grew so much that the grounds could not sustain them anymore. While these were incredibly frustrating matters for those involved, they were merely entertaining to onlookers. As the eventful preparation period came to an end, the day of the meeting finally arrived. "That person there is Fist King." At Dang Hwa-seo’s words, Mok Riwon's eyes widened. Those from the Moyong Clan, whose arrival to the Martial Alliance was delayed until the day of the meeting, were quite the striking group with their sharp, ferocious demeanors. Among them was one who stood out as particularly notable at first glance. 'Fist King Moyong Geol.' Compared to Mok Riwon, this man was a giant, towering over him by at least a head. Not only was he tall, but his muscularity was also evident, accentuated by his robe with torn sleeves. His face, lined with wrinkles, was fierce like a tiger, and his unkempt hair resembled a mane. Above all, his aura was oppressive. 'I can hardly breathe.' Surely, reaching transcendence would enable one to conceal their aura, yet Moyong Geol seemed to have no intention of hiding it, flaunting his presence indiscriminately. Those who came to see him were visibly trembling. Mok Riwon recalled what Ma Il-seok had told him about the man. -Fist King? He’s insane. Completely obsessed with fisticuffs. If something doesn't sit right with him, his fists fly first. Even if he likes someone, he still swings first. -So, he hits everyone he sees? -Exactly. His temperament is fiery, and his love for fighting is unmatched. If he had been any less fortunate, he might have died in a sparring match and become a lost soul. -He sounds... remarkable. -Lucky, that's what he is. According to Ma Il-seok, he was the luckiest man in the martial world. He had voted against Mok Riwon's survival, and his reason was singular. -Having just ended a blood feud, keeping him alive would leave a bad taste. Fist King opposed for that reason. It wasn't personal animosity; just a fleeting discomfort. That simple-minded man has probably forgotten about your existence by now. It was a somewhat bitter reason. Yet, having no personal resentment was something to be thankful for. Mok Riwon dispelled his gloomy thoughts and continued to observe Moyong Geol. "Meeting Fist King." Baekgom Daechief Kwon Pyowol greeted him with a formal salute. Moyong Geol stopped and looked down at him, then spoke. "Oh, look at the scholar." Moyong Geol’s grin revealed his yellow teeth. "You've grown quite nicely." "That's very generous of you." As Kwon Pyowol laughed awkwardly, Mok Riwon exclaimed in surprise. "Incredible! Miss, Daechief Baekgom knows Fist King personally!" "Yes, it's a famous story. Daechief Baekgom served under Fist King during the blood feud." "Is that so...!" Mok Riwon was overly excited as Dang Hwa-seo chuckled. Meanwhile, the conversation between Kwon Pyowol and Moyong Geol continued. "I'd like to catch up more, but... as you know, the meeting is starting soon, so you should head that way." "Eh? Am I late?" "The meeting hasn't started yet, so you're not late." "Then, let's be on our way." Moyong Geol began to move, followed by a robust middle-aged man whom Dang Hwa-seo identified as the current head of the Moyong Clan. "Head of the clan…" Mok Riwon imagined facing off against this clan head in a duel. 'I would win.' Unless he deliberately lost, victory would be certain for Mok Riwon, a hundred times out of a hundred. Was the clan head so lacking in martial prowess? 'No.' It was an indication of his own strength. The journey so far had allowed Mok Riwon to grow significantly, to the point where he could match the heads of the Five Great Clans. 'It's time for further diligence.' Once, even upon reaching the summit of Dragon Peak, Namgun Woon, wielding his supreme swordsmanship, seemed an insurmountable wall. But now, Mok Riwon had caught up to that level. Continuing on this path, even transcendence, seemingly far off, appeared within reach. This realization stoked the flames of ambition within Mok Riwon. "Master Mok?" "No, it's nothing." Shaking his head, Mok Riwon cleared his thoughts. "Let's go." Leading Dang Hwa-seo, Mok Riwon headed toward the conference hall. * The conference room was so vast, it could be described as even larger than a martial arts competition arena. And within it were the true powerhouses of the current martial world. The leaders of the nine sects and the family clans, as well as the Four Saints and Six Kings... though now, they had become the Three Saints and Five Kings. In the midst of them all, Sa Baekwoon, with a voice bearing significant weight, declared, "Everyone has assembled." The gentle demeanor he usually portrayed was nowhere to be found, replaced by a stern expression. "Let the grand conference begin." Thus, the meeting that would decide the future of the Central Plains commenced.