Chapter 67

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Translated by Seoulbound

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
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“I understand that this gathering was created to suppress the movements of the Six Great Evils and restore order to the Jianghu. Is that correct?”

At my words, the distinguished masters nodded.

It was such a standard answer that no further words were needed.

Here, I spoke a sentence that everyone knew but did not easily connect.

“However, one thing I am curious about… Did they not say that if you know your enemy and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles?”

The distinguished masters looked bewildered.

They were curious about what the young Taoist was trying to say. Receiving their gazes, I felt my middle dantian subtly rising and, at the same time, strove to remain as calm as possible.

Fortunately, after living with my master for a long time, that was not difficult.

I calmly continued my words.

“Before coming to the Murim Alliance, I fought against an unorthodox sect supported by the Black Society Alliance in Chibi. Since the Sichuan Tang Clan and the Beggars’ Sect fought together, you must know this well.”

Because the conflict between Wudang Sect’s affiliate branch, Cloud Sword Hall, and the Danyang Sect, along with the bloody battle with the Red Yang Demonic Immortal entangled in it, was something the leaders of the Tang Clan and the Beggars’ Sect also knew well.

Hearing my words, the elder of the Beggars’ Sect and the distinguished master of the Tang Clan expressed their agreement with their eyes.

Meeting their eyes, I said.

“At that time, the martial arts of the Danyang Sect members were insignificant, yet they were not easy to deal with. Do you know why that was?”

At my question, Elder Yun, one of the Beggars’ Sect’s Four Great Elders of Dragon, Tiger, Wind, and Cloud who attended this Murim Alliance meeting, answered in a low voice.

“It was because they had grasped the martial arts of the Beggars’ Sect, the Tang Clan, and the Wudang Sect in advance and brought appropriate countermeasures, Little Brother.”

“Yes. That is correct. The enemy is grasping our weaknesses and bringing appropriate countermeasures to them.”

It was knowing the enemy.

With that alone, the opponent was a step ahead.

My words must have served as a warning to the distinguished masters.

Because they must have experienced something similar to me to some extent.

Despite that, the reason they had not thought of this was due to the deep-rooted tradition of the righteous Murim. However, at this moment, that tradition had blocked the way forward as a bad habit rather than a beautiful tradition.

‘Here. I break the taboo.’

Throwing a shock amidst ordinary words.

It was a technique to attract people’s attention at an academic conference presentation.

“I believe we also need to supplement our own weaknesses. In a way that is different from before.”

Although it was an audacious remark to dare come out of the mouth of a young disciple.

My reputation and recognized talent softened the psychological resistance of the distinguished masters.

“So what is it that you want to do?”

To the question of Immortal Hyeon-gyeong, the elder of Mount Hua, I replied.

With the very words I had spoken to my master a few days ago.

“How about holding a Sword Debate?”

Discussing the sword.

The sword was not literally just a sword.

The sword was the Sovereign of All Weapons.

In other words, it was a symbol representing martial arts.

“A Sword Debate…?”

“I have heard that our ancestors held such a debate a very long time ago.”

A sword debate was not that unfamiliar.

Because the conversations commonly exchanged among fellow disciples within a sect were all sword debates.

But various sects gathering to hold discourses on martial studies?

In my short knowledge, there was no such gathering.

At least, there had been none since the nomads were pushed to the north.

Yet, the reason I could think of such a thing?

‘If I had not experienced something like an gathering of scholars, I would not have known either. If I had not known of the conference held by the Western company Solvay in the butterfly dream.’

The Solvay Conference was a historical symbol and a highly renowned academic conference.

It was the conference of conferences.

‘It was truly a place where all ten greatest masters under heaven gathered.’

‘From Germany’s grandmaster Einstein, to Madame Curie who won the award bestowed upon the world’s greatest scholars twice, to Bohr who presented the atomic model and advocated quantum mechanics, and so on.’

A place where numerous scholars who dominated the world gathered to debate ‘quantum mechanics,’ which had become the topic of the times, and held discourses to achieve the advancement of academic studies.

That place was the Solvay Conference.

Even stubborn scholars gathered to share their thoughts.

If so, was there any reason that Jianghu martial artists could not do it?

Creating the Solvay Conference of the current Murim.

That was my thought.

To provide a gathering to supplement each other’s weaknesses and develop each other’s strengths.

“The great evils are trying to analyze and tear apart our martial arts. We must strike first. If we tear apart our own martial arts, expose our weaknesses, and supplement them first, they will not be able to achieve what they want.”

Naturally, at my words, resistance appeared on the faces of most of the distinguished masters.

It was natural.

Since what I was saying now was no different from suggesting that we share the secret arts of our respective sects, I had to lower the level of their resistance.

That was why my master stepped forward.

“My disciple seems to have spoken too radically because he is young. What this child is saying is not to share the secrets of secret transmissions.”

“Then what are you saying?”

Despite the sharp reaction, my master calmly continued speaking.

“The ultimate techniques of each sect are already widely known. We are suggesting that we examine those ultimate techniques once more and supplement their weaknesses. Let us witness each other’s martial arts again and make up for the parts we missed.”

If I was the whip, my master’s words were the carrot.

He lowered the barrier to the term ‘sword debate,’ which used to refer to sharing intimate secrets.

The faces of the distinguished masters, which had been filled with stubborn refusal, relaxed a little.

And my master drove in a wedge there.

“Who knows? Perhaps there will be cases where the lost martial arts of each sect are restored through the Sword Debate.”

When he said that, my master glanced at Immortal Cheong-in, the elder of the Qingcheng Sect, as if unconsciously, and continued speaking.

“If that happens, it will be a precious resource in dealing with the unorthodox sects in the future.”

“?!”

At my master’s words and small gesture, the eyes of the distinguished masters scanned the ‘Sword Tree’ Immortal Cheong-in.

The Qingyun Chixia Sword.

It was as if a real case had proven that the martial art lost during the past nomad empire’s invasion of the Central Plains was restored through ‘sword debate.’

Looking at Immortal Cheong-in and me, the resistance that had first appeared on the faces of the distinguished masters faded, and a strange expression began to emerge.

‘Greed.’

No matter how distinguished they were, they were still human.

They could not be without greed.

Rather, when it came to the desire to improve their martial arts, Jianghu people possessed a level of greed that ordinary people could not comprehend.

To such people, my master had essentially thrown an irresistible bait.

And everything began to flow exactly as my master and I had thought.

“Excellent! That is truly a great idea!”

“If you know your enemy and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles! Since they know us, I like this strategy of striking back by knowing ourselves very much!”

The distinguished masters, deliberately refraining from mentioning the restoration of lost martial arts, merely reacted by agreeing with the logic I had first presented, hiding their own greed.

Since they could gain both justification and practical benefit, no one expressed refusal. Well, even if there were some.

“Ahem. Since everyone agrees like this.”

“What else can we do? We also agree.”

The righteous masters, who valued honor and face, were not foolish enough to go against the atmosphere once it was formed.

Those who had first raised questions about my scandal were of that sort.

Thus, when my master and I bumped fists under the table.

“In that case, as for holding the Sword Debate…”

“Holding it here in Shaolin, the Mount Tai and Beidou of the Murim…”

Discussions went back and forth regarding where the Sword Debate would be held. At that moment, I saw the eyes of Zen Master Goeng-song, the Manjusri Bodhisattva, and my master meet.

And Zen Master Goeng-song opened his mouth.

“Did our Shaolin not host this Murim Alliance? Above all, since the one who first mentioned the Sword Debate is the young bodhisattva of the Wudang Sect, I think it would be good to conduct the upcoming Sword Debate at the Wudang Sect.”

I did not fail to notice that when I told my master about my plan a few days ago, the very first place my master visited was the room of the Head of the Eight Guardian Courtyards.

I looked at my master with fresh eyes.

-He is not the Manjusri Bodhisattva, but the Manjusri Fox.

‘I do not think you are in a position to say that, Master.’

Just as that thought arose, the eyes of the distinguished masters began to turn toward me again.

“If that is the case, will we be able to see that young grandmaster of the Wudang Sect at the newly held Sword Debate?”

“I highly look forward to that discernment of his, which corrected the disciples’ flaws even without knowing the secret arts of each sect’s martial arts. Hehe.”

“Will you also be participating in the Sword Debate at that time, Young Hero?”

Even the distinguished masters of each sect, who had previously expressed resistance, met my eyes.

That gaze, felt through the Tai Chi Diagram Exposition.

Within the gentle tone of the distinguished masters, a subtle desire could be felt.

‘They are hoping for something like the case of the Qingcheng Sect’s Qingyun Chixia Sword.’

However, they were not the only ones who wanted something from me.

‘Rather, it is I who am.’

If they come to the Sword Debate?

‘Does that not mean I can legally see all the martial arts of each sect?’

I flashed a broad smile and nodded.

“Of course.”

**

Leaving the meeting, Mu Jung-o, the Always Drunk Beggar and elder of the Beggars’ Sect, brought the gourd at his waist toward his mouth but hesitated.

Because while drunkenness might increase martial power, it clouded a clear mind.

‘This Murim Alliance will soon be disbanded.’

It was a Murim Alliance convened to suppress the movements of the Six Great Evils and to establish a unified response.

The intention was successful.

Since most of the Murim Alliance mobile units from Group Jiazi to Group Shinzi played their parts well, many of the activities carried out by the Six Great Evils were disrupted.

All Hahuang region branches, which had been the footholds for the Dawn Sky Blood Cult’s advance into the Central Plains, were destroyed, and all the imitation poison production bases of the Tang Clan built in Guangxi were demolished.

The blood cult’s advance into the Central Plains was delayed, and the conspiracy of the Chaotic Heaven Green Forest was crushed.

That was not all.

The jiangshi warrior production facilities of the Ghost Immortal Valley, and a large portion of the unorthodox forces following the Black Society Alliance, were wiped out.

A significant portion of the military power prepared by the unorthodox sects to face the Nine Sects and One Association and the Seven Great Families was lost.

It was the natural course of action for the Alliance to disband after achieving its purpose.

The meeting just now was the final meeting before the disbandment.

Since a surprising decision had been made in such a meeting, it had to be quickly reported to the main headquarters of the Beggars’ Sect.

‘A Sword Debate.’

The schedule was confirmed for the Double Ninth Festival of next year.

The location was Mount Wudang.

Until then, each sect would have time to inspect the ultimate techniques they would present at the Sword Debate.

In addition, as they also carried out the Murim Alliance branch activities, which were adopted as a ‘formal’ agenda item of this Murim Alliance meeting.

‘I will be too busy to catch my breath.’

From the ‘Sword Debate’ next year to continuously dealing with the wickedness of the Six Great Evils.

There was a lot of business.

Therefore, Always Drunk Beggar Mu Jung-o hurriedly moved his steps.

Even in the midst of that, there was a person who did not leave his mind.

‘Wudang Sect’s Bringer of Chaos.’

It was the face of an extremely young, baby-faced Taoist.

Of course, it was a name registered in the Jianghu directory compiled by the Beggars’ Sect. Moreover, it was a name treated in quite a detailed, concrete, and important manner.

Naturally.

Because individuals corresponding to the dragon class of potential were targets of close observation.

For that reason, whenever Yeon Baek-jung went on a mission, they had attached a disciple to closely observe his tracks, but…

‘It became considerably lax due to the business of the Murim Alliance.’

As they were in charge of all information for the Murim Alliance, they had no leeway to attach capable personnel to a single person.

In the brief moment they took their eyes off him, he contributed to defeating the Young Spirit Slayer and the Great Sage Who Overturns Seas. This was impossible with the level of martial power that had been reported.

‘This means he has made a giant stride in his martial arts during that time.’

This means his martial arts are growing at an unprecedented speed throughout ancient and modern times.

Above all, the item to be revised in the mental directory this time was.

‘It was not just his martial arts that I should pay attention to.’

This was a part he had overlooked, as the information log compiled under the lead of Gold-Knot Wandering Beggar, the Hall of Rectitude Master, did not specifically note anything regarding the intellect of Wudang Sect’s Bringer of Chaos.

‘He casually made a proposal that would draw backlash from the various sects of the Jianghu. His guts, calculations, and eloquence are all out of the ordinary.’

Since drunkenness clouded memory, Elder Yun Mu Jung-o revised the directory in his upper dantian with a clear mind.

-Special Note: Worthy of being a disciple of Wudang Sect’s Hye-song, his intellect is also above average.

No matter how wide the world’s Jianghu was, talents possessing both literary and martial arts were rare.

‘It is necessary to observe him more closely and build a deeper friendship. Slowly and properly, even if it takes time.’

Around the time he organized his thoughts like that.

A pigeon landed on his shoulder.

Always Drunk Beggar Mu Jung-o untied the string bound to the pigeon’s leg and read the small bamboo scroll.

And soon.

Whoosh.

He threw the bamboo scroll, which burned up with the Samadhi True Fire, onto the ground.

Before it burned completely, the bamboo scroll had the following written on it.

-Zhuge ■■ Great ■■ Recovery.

**

Yi Chae-yang visited the quarters of her Group Jiazi comrade.

“Taoist Nun Baek-song.”

The woman lying on the bed greeted Yi Chae-yang with a pale face.

It was Zhuge Yun, a rising star of the Zhuge Clan who had been active together in Group Jiazi.

“I came by because I was worried about you. Are you alright?”

It was the appearance of visiting a comrade who had suffered hardships after being captured by the Dawn Sky Blood Cult. Zhuge Yun nodded with a pale face.

“Of course. I am just a bit dizzy, there is no problem.”

Zhuge Yun, rising up, lowered her head and said.

“I am sorry. Because of my uncle, the junior brother you cherish almost fell into trouble.”

This was an apology she made because the one who took the lead in this scandal was her relative, the Wind-Water Divine Dragon, Zhuge Beom.

At Zhuge Yun’s apology, Yi Chae-yang shook her head and said.

“It is fine. The misunderstanding was resolved well, and thanks to that, our sect will host a major event next year. We can just think of it as a blessing in disguise.”

At her reaction, Zhuge Yun relaxed her stiffened face and let out a sigh.

“Whew. Thank you. I was so nervous that our relationship would become awkward because of this incident. By the way, what brings you here?”

“Because they say the Murim Alliance will be disbanded soon.”

“Did you really come to say goodbye? We will meet again anyway as we participate in the Murim Alliance branch activities.”

Just as Zhuge Yun said, since the Zhuge Clan and the Wudang Sect belonged to the same region, they would naturally run into each other as they participated in the Murim Alliance branch activities.

Nevertheless, the reason Yi Chae-yang came to Zhuge Yun was none other than this.

‘There is definitely something bothering me.’

According to what she found out.

Among the mobile units, the only ones that were attacked were Group Jiazi, to which she belonged, and Group Bingzi, to which her junior brother belonged.

In other words, a situation where the possibility of internal information leakage from the two groups was worrying.

Yet, coincidentally, as soon as they returned to the Shaolin Temple, the rumor that came to their ears was the scandal regarding her junior brother, Yeon Baek-jung, who belonged to Group Bingzi.

‘The problem was that it was the Zhuge Clan of Zhuge Yun, her Group Jiazi comrade, that took the lead in following that scandal.’

That made Yi Chae-yang’s heart feel uncomfortable.

However, the basis for suspicion was too weak.

Yi Chae-yang, hiding her true feelings, exchanged greetings with a smiling face.

This was because she thought she might obtain information as they conversed.

They exchanged such ordinary conversations, but there was no particularly suspicious circumstance.

‘Was I simply being oversensitive?’

Around the time that thought arose.

The two arrived at the person who was the most talked-about in the Shaolin Temple recently.

They arrived at the story regarding Yeon Baek-jung.

“I know because I saw Young Hero Yeon’s martial arts that day, but my uncle seemed unable to believe it easily. Besides, if you say ‘the qualities of a grandmaster,’ it means the talent to create martial arts beyond simply having outstanding martial arts… Did Young Hero Yeon really create martial arts?”

“Haha. Junior Brother Yeon is indeed extraordinary. One day, he even revised a training fist method and used it in actual combat!”

“Wow! Really?”

“Of course! As for what kind of things he did…”

Yi Chae-yang threw some information about Yeon Baek-jung that was somewhat revealed to the public to Zhuge Yun. Since there had to be giving to receive.

Thanks to that, Yi Chae-yang was able to ask about the somewhat private news of the Zhuge Clan.

Even if that news was not directly related to her suspicion, there was no harm in having a lot of information.

Moreover, since it was information treated as important even in the Sea Fog Pavilion, it had value.

“By the way, has the First Young Master recovered? I have not heard any rumors since the news that his injury was critical. I was surprised because such a healthy person suddenly fell ill.”

At Yi Chae-yang’s question, Zhuge Yun’s expression stiffened for a moment.

It was a question regarding the condition of the First Young Master, the number one rising star of the Zhuge Clan. Naturally, it was a sensitive question.

However, Zhuge Yun quickly relaxed her expression and answered.

Since it was not polite to shut her mouth here after asking plenty of questions about Yeon Baek-jung.

“Well, I also found out after returning, but they said he has escaped the critical condition.”

At Zhuge Yun’s words, Yi Chae-yang was startled but clasped her hands while pretending to be surprised and said.

“Oh my! Congratulations!”

It was a statement mixed with a certain amount of sincerity.

Not only did Yi Chae-yang herself have acquaintance with the First Young Master, but since this news itself was important information, it was even more so.

“It is thanks to your concern.”

After that, a few more words of greeting were exchanged.

Yi Chae-yang left Zhuge Yun’s quarters.

In any case, although the circumstances raising suspicion that information had leaked from the Zhuge Clan in this incident were not clear.

‘I have still reaped a harvest.’

Because the information that the successor of the Zhuge Clan was recovering from his critical injuries was an important one.

She immediately reported this fact to Immortal Gangwon, the Lord of the Sea Fog Pavilion.