Zhengzhou. The provincial capital of Henan Province.
Because Henan Province is called the Central Province, it's the center of the Central Plains. And the center of that Central Province is precisely this Zhengzhou. In other words, the core of cores. However, despite this geographical advantage, Zhengzhou had long not received much attention.
To the west is Luoyang, to the east is Kaifeng. Both places have prospered since ancient times as transportation hubs. Many dynasties throughout history established their capitals in those two places. Because of that, there was a strong perception that Zhengzhou was just a provincial capital squeezed between them.
That is, until this organization established itself here.
[Ping has the Imperial Palace, Zheng has the Murim Alliance]
In Pingzhou there is the Imperial Palace, and in Zhengzhou there is the Murim Alliance.
Murim Alliance.
The sky of the Murim. An organization tremendous enough to be compared to the Imperial Palace.
Especially in times like now, the Murim Alliance's prestige could truly be said to cover all under heaven.
Zhengzhou, where such a Murim Alliance existed, has been bustling lately.
Would it bustle this much even when there are civil service examinations in Beiping?
Hundreds of young martial artists were flocking to Zhengzhou every day. With all kinds of attire and peculiar dialects rampant in Zhengzhou, it could truly be said they had gathered from the Nine Provinces.
Heavenly Youth Martial Arts Tournament.
This tournament held by the Murim Alliance was igniting the hearts of young martial artists across the nation.
Just as scholars' success in life depends on civil service examinations, for martial artists such martial arts tournaments are the best opportunity to make their names known.
Moreover, while scholars have the triennial examinations held once every three years, for martial artists such opportunities might come once in a lifetime if at all. Regular exams and irregular exams differ vastly in value. Because of that, young martial artists had no choice but to stake their lives rushing toward this even more.
Also, in addition to that, simple spectators were also flocking to Zhengzhou. Such a large-scale martial arts tournament was a tremendous spectacle. Not only for martial artists, but for poets and scholars too, it was a grand event that could serve as conversation material for a lifetime.
If by chance a hero born from this martial arts tournament later became the greatest under heaven, wouldn't it remain in the Murim's history forever?
Today too, people were flocking through all passages—east, west, south, and north—of Zhengzhou.
Whether mediocre or masters, whether chivalrous warriors or villains,
Or....
Yet another, something else....
***
Murim Alliance. The heart of the Martial World. And a vast estate extending over three hundred meters north to south, with an east-west width exceeding two hundred meters.
This is another provincial capital existing within Zhengzhou.
If one follows the official road running through Zhengzhou's north and south all the way down south, one sees Cheongsin Mountain, and the Murim Alliance majestically overlooks downtown Zhengzhou with its back to this Cheongsin Mountain.
Although countless people were flocking to Zhengzhou, not everyone could enter inside the Murim Alliance. Since the martial arts tournament had not yet begun, only those who received official invitation cards distributed by the Murim Alliance could cross Muhwa Gate, the main gate of the Murim Alliance, and enter inside the Alliance.
And crossing Muhwa Gate didn't mean one could freely roam around inside the Murim Alliance either. Guests were basically assigned rooms in Jibin Pavilion according to their reputation, and likewise their range of activity was determined according to their reputation or allocation. The vast majority of guests had their activity area restricted to the Outer Court outside Jibin Pavilion, and only a very small number of special guests could enter the Inner Court.
The palaces, halls, and pavilions that are the center of the Murim Alliance are all inside the Inner Court, so in fact, this Inner Court could be said to be the real Murim Alliance. In other words, a person who could freely enter and exit the Inner Court could be called a true celebrity of the Murim.
However, like any large organization, the Murim Alliance also had places where entry was strictly forbidden. Regardless of who one was. Even if they were sect leaders of major sects or family heads of great families, such a place that couldn't be carelessly approached.
Cheontong Hall. That is, the Murim Alliance Leader's residence.
All power of the current Orthodox Murim emanates from precisely this place, and all kinds of martial arts and talents from the Central Plains flow into this place. Therefore, one who would become the sky of the Martial World must either surpass this place or become its master.
This imposing building is a dangerous and fearsome place as much as its exterior. With one command from the Murim Alliance Leader, various formations existing under heaven activate so that even a peerless master cannot escape.
That's why people also call this place by another name—the Fortress of Iron and Blood. Because in some ways, this place might be even harder to infiltrate than the emperor's residence.
However,
Right now inside that Fortress of Iron and Blood, there was someone who had entered without interference from formations or hindrance from martial artists guarding Cheontong Hall like iron.
No one here had ever met him, but no one stopped him from entering Cheontong Hall. Because there had been word from Murim Alliance Leader Hyeoncheon Jinin.
***
The Murim Alliance Leader's office.
A room that didn't match Cheontong Hall's splendid exterior, with only a table and bed placed and filled only with tea fragrance. Perhaps showing the master's unpretentious character.
Right now, two people sat facing each other at the square table in the center.
Slurp.
Hyeoncheon Jinin lightly lifted his teacup and brought it to his mouth. That appearance was extremely gentle and soft. Perhaps because of that, his transcendent atmosphere like an immortal stood out even more. Though tea water might touch his beard whiter than white snow, not a bit of moisture appeared on his beard.
He slowly lowered the teacup onto the table and looked at the 'uninvited guest who wasn't an uninvited guest' sitting before him.
A young man.
Shabby to the point of being filthy, yet emanating a heavy energy that quietly filled this room.
Could the presence of the Twenty Great Masters under Heaven be this much? It was difficult to be certain. Just because one is the Murim Alliance Leader doesn't mean one can meet all the masters existing in the Martial World.
But one thing was certain....
None of the Two Divinities Three Eccentrics, Five Supremes, Ten Greats would have shown such presence when they were the same age as that shabby young man sitting across from him now.
Hyeoncheon Jinin lifted his teacup again, moistened his lips once more, and then parted his lips for the first time.
"Ascend to the Void Way. Your presence, Dao friend, seems about to send Cheontong Hall flying."
Hyeoncheon Jinin's voice quietly reciting the Dao epithet was very gentle, matching his appearance.
"...."
Clack.
The young man silently lifted his teacup, fidgeted with it here and there, and then put it back in place. Was it because he had never tasted tea in his life? Perhaps to him, tea was merely water with a slight smell.
"This poor Daoist uses the arrogant and untalented Dao epithet called Hyeoncheon."
Watching that appearance carefully, Hyeoncheon Jinin spoke again. Only then did the young man open his mouth.
"Jong...Ji-hang.... Probably...."
The young man was Jong Ji-hang.
Jong Ji-hang's manner of speech was not only stuttering, but the formality of his words was also extremely crude. Moreover, probably? Does that mean he doesn't even know his own name accurately? Or does it really mean that?
Either way, in today's Murim, who could speak to Hyeoncheon Jinin in such a manner?
Hyeoncheon Jinin instead laughed heartily and said,
"Haha. Hearing 'probably' makes it seem certain you're the Lone Sword's disciple."
"...."
"He also did that decades ago. He couldn't remember his own name either and said so. Probably...."
Jong Ji-hang still didn't reply and only looked straight at Hyeoncheon Jinin. Hyeoncheon Jinin took another sip of tea and continued speaking.
"But why did you come alone?"
At Hyeoncheon Jinin's words, Jong Ji-hang gripped Heavenly Rigid Sword in his left hand even tighter. Then he answered in a heavy voice.
"He went. My master...."
Had the expression for passed away not come to mind? Jong Ji-hang's word choice was very different from ordinary people.
However, that was enough. For Hyeoncheon Jinin to understand.
"Ascend to the Void Way. I see.... Well, whether the Lone Sword or this poor Daoist, it's all about time to return to our roots."
Hyeoncheon Jinin recites his Dao epithet again as if regretful. But whether what was really regretful was ambiguous, hard to tell. Was it regretful that he died, or was it unfortunate that one master to oppose Heavenly Demon Castle had disappeared?
Jong Ji-hang and Hyeoncheon Jinin's eyes lightly met in midair. Only then did Hyeoncheon Jinin notice that his opponent's eyes were very clear. Jong Ji-hang's eyes were transparent like a thousand-year lake so clear and deep its depth couldn't be known. At that, Hyeoncheon Jinin's white eyebrows slightly twitched.
"Do you know why this poor Daoist called your revered master here?"
This time too, Jong Ji-hang didn't reply and just waited for Hyeoncheon Jinin's answer. Anyway, he knew well that the question wasn't asked expecting an answer.
Hyeoncheon Jinin thought that was Zhongnan's tradition. The Lone Sword in hazy memory whom he had met before was also that wordless. No, it would be more correct to say it wasn't necessary. If he inherited everything of his, naturally he would become like that....
"I called him to lift Zhongnan's gate sealing. Well, since the gate sealing was lifted, you could be sitting here, but...."
Precisely, the moment Hyeoncheon Jinin sent out the Murim missive, Zhongnan's gate sealing was lifted. There were various reasons why he sent the Murim missive all the way to Zhongnan Mountain, and among those reasons, bringing Zhongnan Lone Sword to the Murim Alliance was the biggest.
Jong Ji-hang had no relevance to that plan at all. That's why he was an 'uninvited guest who wasn't an uninvited guest.' An uninvited guest because he wasn't directly invited, but also not an uninvited guest because he came in place of the one invited.
Hyeoncheon Jinin still couldn't draw any conclusion about Jong Ji-hang. His transparent eyes weren't properly telling him any information....
Just then, Jong Ji-hang, who had been sitting quietly, opened his mouth.
"The gate was never... sealed.... Zhongnan... was simply... exercising forbearance and prudence on its own...."
"...!"