Chapter 313

Huashan’s Lone Crane, Baek Museong.

There was no one in Shaanxi—or in the entire Murim—who didn’t know that name.

Baek Museong was the direct Disciple of Heavenly Sword True Person, and he had been called Huashan’s future since childhood.

Among the sharp-eared, gossip-loving busybodies, rumors circulated about the Sword Saint’s youngest Disciple. Even they never doubted that Baek Museong would one day become the Sect Leader of Huashan.

“I hear the Huashan Divine Dragon’s martial prowess has already surpassed that of the Elders of the Nine Sects and One Gang. He’s truly a genius who appears once in a century, if that.”

“Even so, no matter what anyone says, the next Sect Leader is obviously Huashan’s Lone Crane. Baek Museong is made of different stuff. He was born with everything a Sect Leader needs.”

“That’s true. Is he lacking in martial arts? Or as a person? If not him, then who could possibly become Sect Leader?”

The people drinking and chatting on the first floor of Xi’an Tower did not know that the subject of their conversation was passing behind them.

“I’ve heard plenty about your renown, Great Hero Baek. It’s an honor to meet you.”

“Great Hero? You flatter me.”

“Not at all. I’m merely calling a Great Hero a Great Hero. What could possibly be excessive about that?”

In response to the head guard’s fervent gaze, Baek Museong merely gave an awkward smile.

The attention people paid him was nothing new.

As Huashan’s standing rose after having faltered following the Sword Saint Mae Jonghak’s withdrawal from the world, so too did the burden on Baek Museong’s shoulders grow heavier.

The Sect Leader.

For Baek Museong, who was barely into his thirties, it was a distant and weighty title.

He was inwardly shaking his head at the thought when the head guard stopped walking.

“This is the place.”

“This is…?”

“Even in our Xi’an Tower, which proudly calls itself the finest in Shaanxi, this is the only private annex.”

Baek Museong looked around at the garden decorated with jade and the interior filled with all kinds of luxurious furnishings. His expression grew troubled.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t have enough money on hand to use a private annex. Could you provide me with a quiet room instead?”

“Haha, you’re as frugal as I heard.”

The head guard continued with a hearty laugh.

“Please don’t worry. The owner has repeatedly instructed us that whenever a guest from Huashan arrives, we are to provide the utmost hospitality and charge nothing at all.”

“The owner said that?”

“Yes. There was some sort of trouble with the Zhongnan Sect last autumn, but it was resolved thanks to Huashan’s assistance. The other two members of the Three Plum Blossom Elites—your Junior Brothers—played a major role.”

“Ah, I see. It happened while I was in secluded training, so I didn’t know much about it.”

“Actually, I only heard about it myself. I’ve only been working here for barely a month. Haha.”

Only then did Baek Museong nod as if he understood.

It wasn’t as though he had spent the past year doing nothing.

Meeting Cheongpung, a peerless prodigy, and Jin Taekyung had been a tremendous shock to Baek Museong, as well as a fresh source of stimulation. That was why he had decided to enter secluded training for a year.

It was a meaningful time.

The enlightenment he gained during his training had made Baek Museong stronger and more profound than before.

And that wasn’t the only thing that had changed. Huashan’s position was incomparable to what it had been a year ago.

Even the government offices heavily staffed by Zhongnan’s lay disciples had begun seeking Huashan first whenever trouble arose.

If Master’s letter is true, they have no choice.

Five days earlier, a messenger eagle sent by his Master, Heavenly Sword True Person, had brought astonishing news.

The blood calamity at Shaolin. The death of Dharma King Hong Dao. And the report that Sword Saint Mae Jonghak was being considered as a candidate for the Alliance Leader of the new Murim Alliance, which was being revived after decades.

“In any case, everyone around me is in an uproar. Even my friends have been asking me about it. They say their children seem to have a talent for martial arts, and they wonder if they might be able to enter Huashan as lay Disciples, at least.”

Baek Museong recognized the meaning concealed in the head guard’s pointed gaze and gave a bitter smile.

The man looked well past forty. He, too, must have been a parent who wanted to send his child into Huashan.

But Baek Museong pretended not to notice and answered.

“Well, if fate brings them together, it may happen. But is there really any need for a child to learn martial arts? At that age, growing up healthy is enough.”

“……I see.”

As the head guard’s face fell, Baek Museong murmured inwardly.

If you knew about the bloody storm that will soon blow in, you wouldn’t be making that expression.

Rumors about the blood calamity at Shaolin had already begun to leak out here and there.

But the existence of Dark Heaven remained a top-secret known only to a very small number of people. As one of those few, Baek Museong had a premonition.

A bloody wind would soon sweep through the Murim. Dark clouds would cover the sky, and thousands upon tens of thousands of weapons would tumble across the ground alongside their owners.

The wails of children who had lost their parents and parents who had lost their children would echo from every direction.

I’ll stop that from happening. I will—and Huashan will.

Everyone in the Murim must have felt the same way as Baek Museong.

The head guard was tilting his head at the sudden heaviness of Baek Museong’s mood when—

“Where’s the chief manager? Chief Manager!”

“Young Hero, the chief manager has stepped away for a moment. So please calm down—”

“Calm down? After I’ve been treated this poorly, do I look like I’m in any state to calm down?”

“A-as I said, the private annexes are already full. We’ll show you to a special room, so please calm down.”

“Shut up! I absolutely must use a private annex today, so get out of my way!”

“Oh, Young Hero!”

Bang! Crack!

Shouts drew closer amid the clamor. The head guard knitted his brows and spoke.

“I apologize for showing you such an unpleasant scene. It seems my subordinates have failed to handle the matter properly.”

“Please, think nothing of it. I understand completely.”

No matter how carefully Xi’an Tower chose its guests, it was still a pleasure house. Wasn’t it only natural for every kind of bug to swarm a flower garden?

“Still, it’s barely noon, and he seems quite drunk.”

“It happens from time to time. He appears to be the son of some powerful family, but we’ll settle the matter and send him home. Great Hero Baek, you needn’t concern yourself with it.”

Baek Museong let out a hearty laugh and shook his head.

“Haha, I’m not so sure. You’d better stay here.”

“Pardon?”

“He doesn’t seem like an ordinary scion of a powerful family.”

“What does that—”

The head guard faltered. He had sensed the approaching footsteps amid the ceaseless uproar.

A martial artist!

As the situation grew more serious by the second, the cries of the guards protecting the inner courtyard rang out alongside hurried footsteps.

“Stop!”

“You can’t pass beyond this point!”

Xi’an Tower was frequented even by high officials and powerful nobles, so the quality of its guards was high as well. But even those First Rate martial artists, rich in practical experience, were no match for the drunkard’s rampage.

“You bottom-of-the-barrel Third Rate trash from wandering martial artist backgrounds dare…”

“Gah!”

Whoosh! Thud-thud-thud!

Short cries of alarm from the guards and the fast, powerful sounds of impacts rang out. In an instant, the area outside the private annex fell silent.

Then rough, unsteady footsteps began to approach, driving the silence away.

He took down six First Rate martial artists in an instant while that drunk?

A master—and not just any master. A Peak master.

Just as the head guard’s face hardened and his hand moved toward his sword hilt, Baek Museong gave a small shake of his head.

“I think I should handle this.”

“Great Hero Baek, that’s—”

“It’s all right. We know each other from several past encounters. He’ll back down for my sake, if nothing else.”

“What do you mean?”

“Our elders have a connection that has been passed down to us. Ah, of course…”

Baek Museong scratched his cheek and added one more thing.

“It isn’t exactly a harmonious relationship.”

“……!”

At that moment, a thought flashed through the head guard’s mind like lightning.

First came the words Zhongnan Sect. Then a man’s name followed.

“C-could it be?”

He had only been the head guard of Xi’an Tower for a little over two weeks. But he had heard so many rumors about that man that his ears ached.

A man whose temperament was as extraordinary as the sect he came from.

The head guard twisted his expression and was just about to say the man’s name when—

Boom!

The private annex’s door, made of sturdy blackwood, exploded. Splinters flew in every direction.

Baek Museong smiled faintly at the young man approaching with a staggering gait and a face flushed red with alcohol.

“It’s been a long time. Have you been well?”

At the same time, the young man snarled.

“Why are you here?”

The face of Hyuk Sopyung, the Zhongnan One Dragon,¹ twisted like that of an evil spirit.

“Wow! Wowww!”

“Please stop shouting. Everyone’s staring.”

“Benefactor! Candied fruit over there!”

“That damn candied fruit. Aren’t you sick of it yet?”

“No!”

“Then just open a shop!”

“Can the candied-fruit vendor come with us all the way to Sichuan?”

“No, you lunatic…”

“They sell thin noodles over there! They say the broth is made with beef!”

Cheongpung, you little bastard. You were like a rubber ball that could bounce anywhere without warning.

I quickly grabbed Cheongpung by the back of his neck as he scampered toward a roadside food stall.

“Please, let’s just live like human beings—no more, no less. Like human beings!”

“Candied fruit… thin noodles…”

“Just wait a little longer, and I’ll feed you until your belly bursts!”

“Really?”

“How many times do I have to say it? So please shut your mouth and follow quietly, okay?”

Of course, I wasn’t feeding him with my money. It was Huashan’s money. But either way, same difference.

We should have passed straight through here, too.

According to our original schedule, there hadn’t even been any need to stop in Xi’an.

But before we left, the Sect Leader of Huashan, Heavenly Sword True Person, had asked us to stop by Xi’an. Since it was Cheongpung’s hometown, we decided to pass through while we were at it.

We had been pushing ourselves for nearly seven days and nights without eating or washing properly. I also wanted to be hosted properly and rest for at least one day.

I was told Huashan’s Lone Crane, Baek Museong, would be waiting for us.

It had already been more than a year since I’d last seen him.

Before leaving for Anhui with Jeok Cheongang, Baek Museong had said this to me.

“Contact me whenever you come to Shaanxi. I’ll treat you properly. Haha.”

When he said he would treat me to a full course, I wondered if the guy was from Busan, but apparently it hadn’t been empty talk.

At least, judging by the fact that we were meeting like this today.

“By the way, where’s Xi’an Tower?”

According to a passerby I’d stopped to ask, we just had to follow the main road straight ahead. But why was this street so crowded? I couldn’t see an end to it.

I was looking around when a finger covered in black grime pointed toward a building in the distance.

“That is Xi’an Tower.”

“Where? Oh, you’re right. How did you know?”

Gung Gibang, the future beggar boss, answered with a proud expression.

“It is the finest place to beg. The food they leave behind and throw out is on the level of a sumptuous feast, and because people of high status come and go, they give plenty of alms. No beggar could fail to know this place.”

“……”

So it was a Beggars’ Sect hotspot.

I shook my head and walked toward Xi’an Tower.

When we reached its enormous main entrance, wide enough for ten people to pass through at once, a guard who appeared to belong to Xi’an Tower bowed his head.

“I’m sorry, but we’re closed today.”

“……What? Is it a day off?”

“Not exactly. There was a slight problem during business hours.”

“Oh.”

I hadn’t expected that.

I turned my head slightly and saw Cheongpung looking as though he was about to burst into tears.

Scratching my head, I spoke to the guard.

“Isn’t there any way around it? We had an appointment today. His name is Baek Museong. I was told you’d know him if I gave you his name.”

“Again, I’m sorry, but at the moment— Excuse me? Did you say Great Hero Baek Museong?”

“Yes. Baek Museong, Huashan’s Lone Crane.”

Cheongpung called out in an earnest voice.

“Martial Nephew Baek! Where are you, Martial Nephew Baek? Can you hear my stomach growling?”

The guard looked back and forth between us before flinging open the tightly closed main gate.

“I’ll escort you to the private annex immediately!”

What the hell?

Why the sudden change in attitude?

Did Baek Museong stand us up?

My guess was wrong. Following the guard as he raced ahead almost as if he were flying, we arrived at a nearly devastated private annex.

Baek Museong was waiting for us there, sword drawn.

Wow. This is really the full course.

This kind of shit makes me sick of being a martial artist.