Chapter 134

The King and the Alliance Leader Share a Drink

“Master Kwangshin cannot defeat all the senior masters.”

“All? You’re talking down to me?”

Cheolmyeongho frowned, and Gwangma added.

“…is what I believe.”

“Tsk.”

Cheol Myeong-ho pointed a finger at Gwangma as if warning him.

“I won’t let you. It won’t work. I won’t fall for it.”

Kwangma closed his eyes as if his soul had left him for a moment. The skin beneath his eyes was trembling.

Danwooseong spoke.

“So? Keep talking.”

Gwangma replied with his eyes still closed.

“······The current Lord of Ten Thousand Horses studied under the same master as the previous Heavenly Demon, so they are peers. During the Five Tombs War, the Three Gods charged to kill that previous Heavenly Demon, so the Lord of Ten Thousand Horses is no easy opponent either. However, the Lord of Ten Thousand Horses is lazy, fond of women, neglects martial arts training, and drinks heavily. He is widely regarded as superficial both inside and out. Yet, regardless, he is the leader of the Ten Thousand Horses Palace. It would be correct to see him as a man who deceives everyone around him. Personally, I feel he possesses a talent that makes him seem insignificant to anyone who sees him. Even if he changed clothes and entered an inn pretending to be a waiter, no one would recognize him. I too looked down on the Manmagung leader for a long time, but as time passed, I had no choice but to reevaluate him. After all, he is the leader of Manmagung. Therefore, if you ask me who is closer to the path of darkness between the Grand Master and the Manmagung leader, I would say the Manmagung leader. The Grand Masters give off a feeling of transcendence, beyond the path of darkness.”

The madman took a sip of water and said.

“Does that answer your question somewhat?”

Cheolmyeongho sighed.

“It’s a mountain of problems.”

Gwangma’s grasp of the situation was more precise and sharp than Danwooseong had anticipated. Danwooseong nodded as if to say he would remember.

Gwangma continued.

“But seeing how Master Gwangshin’s skill is beyond what I could ever predict, it means he’s become incomparably stronger than he was twenty years ago. From my perspective, Master Gwangshin is also beyond compare.”

This time, Cheolmyeongho replied.

“Of course. He is our master.”

“Perhaps they might be on par with some of the Grand Masters, or even surpass them. The problem is that the Grand Masters of the Ten Thousand Horses Palace outnumber the three gods. If all the Grand Masters were to attack, I honestly expect that both the righteous and the black factions would be annihilated. That’s why I said I would die there. Even if the Martial Alliance, the Emperor’s Association, the black factions, and the Nine Sects all joined forces, they wouldn’t be able to handle it. This is my assessment of the Grand Masters’ strength.”

Dan Woo-seong asked.

“Impressive. Just how many Grand Masters are there?”

Madman held up five fingers.

“The known members are the Five Element Demons.”

Then he folded one finger at a time.

“The great masters called the Dog Son, the Boy, and the Gentleman, bringing the total to eight.”

Cheolmyeongho said.

“That’s a hell of a lot.”

“The Five Element Demon Masters are each called the Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth Masters. If there were more, it would be a headache, but this is what I know.”

Dan Woosung nodded.

“The reason his alias is ‘Child’ surely isn’t…”

“I heard they performed the Reversal of Aging, yet they still aged again. They appeared to be middle-aged. You could say they are beings who have departed from the human path.”

Cheolmyeongho muttered.

“This is serious. Seriously serious.”

At that moment, Kwang-shin’s voice drifted down from the upper floor of the lodging.

“This should be interesting. No matter how strong the enemy is, a white sword remains a white sword. We simply do what must be done. Disciples, continue your training day by day without change. We do our best and leave the rest to fate—there’s no need to be anxious.”

Danwooseong and Cheolmyeongho immediately responded.

“Yes.”

“Yes, Master.”

Dan Wooseong nodded at Gwangma, as if to say he understood.

Who could possibly be a master capable of facing the Grand Master?

Even adding Samshin Ilseong, Yoo Jeonghong, Dan Wooseong, and Geomje, there were only seven.

That was Dan Woosung’s assessment.

The heads of the Sega clan, the head of the Tang clan, and the Wudang Supreme Sword all came to mind, but since he had never witnessed their skills firsthand, he felt somewhat uneasy.

Moreover, Dan Wuxing didn’t seem likely to lose to Ximen Long or Dugu Ming, who had come to the Martial Alliance together. That meant he anticipated masters beyond them would probably be of a lower caliber, unable to compete with the Grandmasters.

If anyone was truly certain, it would be Bai Yao…

Therefore, if all the Grand Masters were truly such high-level masters, it would be an extremely difficult fight. As the Madman had said, there would also be that man, the Palace Master of Ten Thousand Demons…

Dan Woo-sung fell silent for a moment, his chin resting on his hand.

What should he do?

Suddenly, Dan Woosung rose, thinking of taking a solitary stroll. Stepping outside, he walked slowly with his hands behind his back, taking in the everyday scenery of the Martial Arts Alliance.

Reflecting on himself, he assessed the Ten Thousand Horses Palace.

The Heavenly Demon and Sword Demon he had killed were skilled fighters, yet they somehow lacked the aura of truly accomplished martial artists. It stood to reason that their grandmasters, who had trained them, would be of a much higher caliber.

Suddenly, Dan Woo-sung stood somewhere within the Martial Arts Alliance, staring blankly at the darkening night sky.

A thought crossed his mind.

How would Jin Sohwan, the Black Path’s greatest master, have responded?

If the enemy camp was filled with masters like Samshin, Jin Sohwan would have been powerless. He would likely have engaged in a fight where both sides were completely destroyed, grinding away at the black path, before reading the situation and then, with improvisation and ever-changing tactics, gradually whittling down the grandmasters one by one.

What if it had been Baek Moo-jin?

He would have had it a bit easier.

He would have killed them all single-handedly.

Recalling the martial prowess and methods of both men, the Fist King pondered once more how he should respond.

He asked the night sky, which held no answers.

He also searched for answers while gazing at the moon and stars.

Danwooseong had no other reason for his deep contemplation. If Samshinilseong fell after vowing to kill the Grand Masters, and the clan heads and heads of the major sects fell, even victory would not feel like victory.

‘Is there truly no solution?’

As he gazed endlessly at the night sky, searching for an answer, the voice of Myeongju Yoo Jeong-hong reached him.

“Deep in thought, aren’t you?”

Dan Woo-seong turned and replied.

“Yes, Lord Myeongju.”

“I heard from the clan heads. There’s a faction called the Ten Thousand Horses Palace, they say.”

Dan Woo-sung nodded.

According to the sinner, there are about eight masters in Cheonwicheon. From what I’ve heard, some of them seem to be slightly inferior or on par with Senior Gwangshin.

Suddenly, Yoo Jeong-hong smiled and grabbed Dan Woo-sung’s shoulder.

“Why are you worrying about that problem alone? It’s not like you have to face them all yourself. Let’s go have a few more drinks. Just the two of us…”

“Yes.”

He wondered where they were going, but the leader was walking toward the leader’s quarters. Of course, this was the place where Leader Yu Jeong-hong felt most at ease.

Danwooseong, being new to the Myeongju Hall, followed Yoo Jeonghong while slowly surveying his surroundings. He noticed the tense expressions of the guards, most of whom had just paid their respects to the Myeongju before staring blankly at Danwooseong.

“Come in.”

The place the leader guided him to was the leader’s office, which wasn’t very spacious. Yoo Jeong-hong placed his sword on the table first, then examined the shelves here and there. Large and small containers were displayed, all seemingly filled with liquor.

Dan Woo-sung asked.

“Do you drink a lot?”

Yoo Jeong-hong replied while selecting a bottle.

“No. It’s a gift I received. Since it’s impolite to keep receiving gifts without giving them to others, I’ve been saving it little by little and drinking it occasionally myself. Sometimes I give it as a gift to my friends who enjoy liquor. Today, let’s drink some Du Kang wine.”

Yu Jeong-hong brought the Du Kangju and cups, set them on the table, and began filling Dan Woo-seong’s cup first as he spoke.

“Have you ever considered the position of Myeongju?”

The question was asked so casually that Dan Wooseong answered comfortably and directly.

“No, I have no such thoughts.”

Yu Jeong-hong filled his own cup as he spoke.

“Right. You are a bit young, though. Let’s drink.”

The two men looked at each other before quietly downing their drinks. When Yoo Jeong-hong gestured toward the bottle, this time Dan Woo-sung filled the cups.

Yoo Jeong-hong raised his cup and said.

“Anyway, I’m retiring.”

“Yes.”

“The Eight Heavenly Masters of the Ten Thousand Horse Palace… I don’t know how strong they are, but I’ll kill one of them. Even if they’re vastly stronger than me, I’ll give up this old life and cut off one of their arms. I will.”

Yoo Jeong-hong smiled with a rare expression and downed his drink. Yoo Jeong-hong said in a peculiar tone.

“Then seven remain.”

Danwooseong’s words seemed to ease his worries, and it also appeared as if they were suggesting a back-and-forth dialogue, so Danwooseong answered immediately.

“The Three Deities will handle the three of them.”

“That leaves four of us.”

With nothing left to say, the two men quietly drank another cup of wine. Yoo Jeong-hong, the leader of the Myeongju, had already drunk quite a lot with the heads of the royal family at the Imperial Council meeting, and he was unusually tipsy. However, his deep internal energy prevented him from acting like a drunken fool.

Dan Woo-sung also felt the effects of the alcohol.

Rather than the alcohol itself, it was the leader’s expression that made him feel drunk. He had resolved to retire, yet all that awaited him was the Grand Master of the Ten Thousand Horse Palace. The fact that he was declaring he would kill one of them even at the cost of his own life made him feel both sad and pitiful.

Dan Woo-seong felt an urge to comfort Yoo Jeong-hong.

“I forgot about the Hwasan Sword Sect. Senior Sword Master was here too. With the martial prowess of both of you, you should be able to handle the Grand Masters.”

Yoo Jeong-hong chuckled heartily as he spoke.

“Hwasan Geomseong is a genius beyond compare. He should be able to handle one opponent. And Geomje, though much younger than me, is a master who participated in the Five Tombs Grand Tournament and has never known defeat. Geomje should also be able to handle one. Now there are two left.”

Yu Jeonghong took another sip of wine, lost in thought as he recalled the masters of the White Path.

“The Shaman’s First Sword has grown old. The head of the Tang Sect is far too young. Neither Ximen Long nor Dugu Ming seem capable of handling it. There’s a rumor that Hua Yueyue’s father is a master, but he’s likely only slightly stronger than Ximen Long or Dugu Ming. Could the Half-Moon Sect Leader step forward? What do you think?”

Dan Wuseong asked as he filled the leader’s cup with wine.

“Should I try meeting him?”

“You? Sending a member of the Alliance might be more appropriate, but you going seems more fitting.”

It didn’t look good for the Martial Alliance leader to ask the Black Path’s top expert for help. Of course, this wasn’t the time to be concerned about appearances. In any case, the Half-Moon Sect leader was a mysterious figure, and even the Martial Alliance couldn’t accurately gauge his true strength.

Dan Woo-sung said.

“Then I’ll go and investigate. For your information, I’ve already subdued the Jiyameng faction of the Southern Black Path.”

The experienced Alliance Leader Yu Zhenghong stared at Dan Wuxing with genuine astonishment.

“You? The Jiyameng?”

“Yes.”

Leader Yu Jeong-hong said, sounding half-joking.

“So you were the Black Path leader all along, junior.”

It wasn’t an incorrect statement. After all, Jipyamang leader Ha Jeong-hak was in a position to follow Dan Woo-seong’s orders.

“Yes.”

“Let’s have one more drink, fellow leaders.”

The two men exchanged a sly grin before downing another cup of liquor.

Leader Yoo Jeong-hong spoke.

“Let’s think positively. If the Half-Moon Sect Leader takes care of one, that leaves just one more.”

Dan Woo-sung said.

“Of course, I’ll have to deal with him.”

For a moment, Yoo Jeong-hong, the leader, was silent.

“······.”

Dan Woo-sung looked at Yoo Jeong-hong. He expected gratitude, but Yoo Jeong-hong avoided his gaze, lost in thought as he scanned the office.

Yu Jeong-hong spoke in a subdued tone.

“I hope you survive, if possible.”

“Huh?”

“Even if not this time, when you have more juniors in the martial world, lead the Martial Alliance once. It’s right for us old men of the righteous path to die. You’ve already grown this strong; with more time, I believe you could easily become the next era’s greatest under heaven… There will be more to do if you survive.”

Yu Zhenghong expressed his thoughts with some difficulty.

Yu Zhenghong predicted Dan Wuxing would become the next generation’s peerless martial artist. There was simply no one among his peers who could be considered a worthy rival.

Therefore, he was hinting that he hoped to survive even when facing a formidable foe like the Ten Thousand Horse Palace.

Dan Woo-sung unconsciously crossed his arms out of habit.

“Senior.”

Yoo Jeong-hong nodded as if urging him to speak, and Dan Woo-sung continued.

“With strength at my disposal, how could I stand idly by? If I avoid battle until I become the greatest under heaven, I would be no different from the grandmasters of the Ten Thousand Horses Palace. My strength comes from the elixirs given by the Alliance Leader, the elixirs given by my father’s friend, and the provisions arranged by Senior Gwangshin. I owe so much to the martial world. This power wasn’t gained solely through my own merit, so I will use it where it is needed. Surviving to become the greatest under heaven is something to worry about later.”

Yoo Jeong-hong wore a complex, troubled expression before finally answering with a smile.

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

Yoo Jeong-hong nodded vigorously, then looked at Dan Woo-seong with slightly reddened eyes.

“Consider it something I said while drunk. You’re right.”

Dan Woo-sung looked at Yoo Jung-hong with a faint smile, as if to say not to worry.