Chapter 1: Baek Moo-jin 1

Baek Moo-jin, the young head of the Snow Mountain Baek Clan, was descending the mountain path, escorted by fewer than ten family members. A stooped old man asked in a concerned tone.

“Must you go to the Northern Heavenly Alliance?”

“What’s wrong with the Northern Heavenly Alliance?”

“Wouldn’t it be better to travel the vast Jianghu once and return? There’s no need to go to the Northern Heavenly Alliance.”

“I need to earn money.”

“Master, the North River Alliance has changed even more from before. They’re no different from the Black Path, just pretending to be righteous on the surface. They abandoned chivalry long ago.”

“I’m not going to become a hero myself, so it’s fine. I’ll just earn a lot of money and send it back. I need to gain experience too, don’t I? The Northern Alliance is close, and it’s suitable for gaining experience.”

“Still, why the North Heaven Sect of all places… It worries me that you’re going to a place Grandfather disliked so much, after he helped you with such a kind heart.”

“Do you think they even remember Grandfather? I’m not going to fight. Anyway, the North Heaven Alliance is a large organization, isn’t it? I’ll learn how such organizations operate, and going on missions to gain experience will yield plenty. If the North Heaven Alliance does something wrong, I’ll learn that too. I’m twenty-two now. I must earn my keep and support the family. What harm could come from staying in the Snow Mountains? It’s not like I can go stealing. Don’t worry so much.”

Baek Moo-jin was explaining this to the old man, who could be considered the sole remaining elder of the family, using respectful language throughout.

Having managed the affairs of the Baek family of Seolsan since Baek Moo-jin’s grandfather’s time, he was not merely a relative to Baek Moo-jin but practically an elder of the family.

The others, who remained silent, shared Elder Won’s sentiments. After the death of the previous head of the family, Baek Cheon-gyeong, Baek Moo-jin’s father, it was essentially the family members themselves who had raised Baek Moo-jin. During that time, the family’s fortunes had steadily declined, and fewer than ten people remained in the Snow Mountain Baek Clan.

Yet Baek Moo-jin had been rigorously training his martial arts on Seolui Peak since before Baek Cheon-gyeong passed away. When asked why he insisted on training on the treacherous Seolui Peak, Baek Moo-jin only replied, “It’s the head of the family’s business,” and said no more.

Yet, as he passed twenty, Baek Moo-jin’s demeanor changed day by day.

With few martial artists remaining, no one knew exactly how powerful the young master had become. Finally, as soon as he turned twenty-two, Baek Moo-jin declared he would venture into the martial world. Shortly after, he bid farewell to his family and was now descending the snowy mountain.

Baek Mujin said.

“They say the Northern Heaven Alliance is the martial world within the martial world. It’s a fitting place for a novice like me. I’ll think about what comes next after gaining experience. Now, this is as far as you need to see me off. The road is treacherous; please return.”

Baek Moo-jin glanced back at his teary-eyed family and urged them again.

“Hurry back up the mountain.”

Baek Moo-jin, now grown tall, had shed all traces of youth. He had become a master whose every word carried weight, making it difficult to disobey.

The old man, nodding with tears welling up, grasped Baek Moo-jin’s arms and said.

“Master, you needn’t send money. Use it well for yourself. Instead, send us letters often to let us know how you fare. If we hear nothing, we might come looking for you at the North Heaven Alliance.”

The others chimed in.

“Yes. Master, please do send letters often.”

“Take care not to get hurt. Don’t push yourself too hard in the exams. Just aim for around the seventh rank. The higher you aim, the harder the exams get.”

Hearing these well-known truths repeated through his family’s words, Baek Moo-jin smiled.

“Goodness, why so many worries? Just wait and see. I’ll figure out the exams and decide for myself.”

“Master!”

“Oh dear! We’ll be late if this continues. If you don’t go up now, I’ll be wasting my trip. Even though Bukcheonmyeong is close, you still need to register… Please go up now.”

“Yes, please be careful not to hurt yourself. If it gets too hard, just come back anytime. You’ve grown up so well, Master. Why on earth would you need to go somewhere else to do such hard work?”

“I understand. I know. Don’t worry.”

“Yes, we’ll be waiting for good news.”

As the old man led his people upward, glancing back repeatedly, Baek Moo-jin smiled and waved, saying,

“Stay well, everyone…”

Baek Moo-jin found himself unable to utter the next words.

Baek Moo-jin turned his back and descended the snowy mountain.

This was the first journey into the martial world for Baek Moo-jin, the twelfth head of the Snow Mountain Baek Clan—a clan now too shabby to even be called a clan.

After walking only a few steps, a path appeared where the snow had melted, and Baek Moo-jin felt his own footsteps were unfamiliar.

He had always walked on snow until now. But now, Baek Moo-jin’s feet needed to adapt to solid ground.

A cold wind swept down from the snowy mountains, swirling around Baek Moo-jin’s body once before passing.

2.

The North Heaven Alliance was a righteous faction of the Northern Martial World that had grown in strength through continuous conflict with the Sammao faction.

The Northern Martial Alliance faced enemies on all sides: the heretical forces spreading like weeds, the dark forces biding their time in the shadows, and the black-clad forces.

Even among the righteous factions, competitors were numerous when viewed through the lens of ‘hegemony’.

Despite this, the Northern Heavenly Alliance survived.

Such were the times.

Survivors were the strong.

Those who came to take the initiation exam for the North Heaven Alliance filled the place. They were the crowds challenging the Alliance Exam, held only once a year.

Moreover, with the irregularly held Fourth-Grade examination also taking place, the number of examinees was even greater than usual.

Among them was Baek Moo-jin, who had come from Seol Mountain for the initiation trial. Baek Moo-jin was a fair-skinned, handsome young man with a perfectly symmetrical face. He held a long sword in his left hand, one that looked almost too good for an examinee to wield. Yet, he didn’t attract much attention here.

The attention was mostly focused on the young masters from prominent families who had flocked here, each harboring dreams of ascending to the Qingyun.

Baek Moo-jin was busy observing the crowd.

‘I never dreamed so many people would gather.’

The people’s attire, expressions, the weapons they carried, even the brothers and families they had brought with them…

It was a feeling entirely different from the loneliness he had felt when training martial arts alone on Seolui Peak.

As each person’s name was called, the examinees entered through the massive East Gate of Bukcheonmun.

“I’ll be back!”

“Do your best! You’ll pass! Don’t be nervous.”

Words of encouragement overflowed. Moreover, in the bustling, noisy gathering, words like “clan,” “young master,” “young master,” and “pass” inevitably flowed frequently.

Baek Moo-jin stood alone within that crowd. He couldn’t help but feel lonely. It even struck him that perhaps he would never truly belong among them.