Dark and Light Martial Emperor

Chapter 129. The White Path Martial Alliance

It took almost half a si to reach the inner city from the outer city. If a master exerted their full speed without rest, it would take about a quarter of an hour.

Although the inner city was not as large as the outer city, it was still expansive. As the central area of the Martial Alliance, the layout of the buildings was strategically denser and more magnificent.

“This is where we will stay.”

In the inner city, Yeon’s group stayed at the Pagun Pavilion. The exteriors of the buildings looked particularly antique and sturdy.

Yeon Wi, after unpacking, spoke.

“Father will head straight to the Musung Hall. You should rest.”

“Be careful.”

“Don’t cause any trouble.”

“I won’t.”

Yeon Wi glanced at Gadeuk Sang.

He was lingering outside the building, pacing around nervously with his hands behind his back, licking his lips.

Yeon Hojeong cleared his throat loudly.

“I’ll make sure he’s tightly secured.”

After a moment’s hesitation, Yeon Wi said.

“If necessary, you may use force.”

This meant that if Gadeuk Sang went berserk, he should be subdued immediately. Yeon Hojeong chuckled.

“He’s not that unreasonable. Don’t worry.”

“Got it. I’ll trust you.”

“Yes.”

Yeon Wi left the Pagun Pavilion.

Watching him off, Yeon Hojeong frowned and said,

“This is driving me crazy. Why do you keep acting so erratically?”

Gadeuk Sang hurried over.

“Let’s drink, drink. I haven’t had a drop of alcohol in six months.”

“Drinking is fine, but…”

Yeon Hojeong looked Gadeuk Sang up and down.

“But you’ve changed a lot in the past six months.”

Though he was acting somewhat foolishly, Gadeuk Sang’s aura was vastly different from the last summer.

‘His inner strength has exploded.’

At the very least, it had increased three to four times since the last time he saw him.

It was truly a tremendous amount of inner strength. Comparable to the latent inner strength of Mok Bi, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call him an exceptional master in terms of inner strength alone.

Of course, he could only use half of it properly. This was because Gadeuk Sang lacked enlightenment.

‘Enhanced combat power. Did Yongdu Bangju pass on some of his inner strength?’

It was highly likely. The unmastered energy was extremely wild, yet refined to a high degree. It was a power that couldn’t be gained from medicinal herbs.

‘It’s not just his inner strength that has increased.’

Crucially, the thickness of the aura Gadeuk Sang emitted had changed.

Although it had only been six months, he must have lived every day like hell. Yeon Hojeong suddenly felt a competitive spirit rising.

“How about a match before drinking?”

Gadeuk Sang shouted.

“Crazy bastard! I ran away because I didn’t want to train, and you want a match? Set the table first!”

“Don’t you think you’re being too shameless when this isn’t even your house?”

“Bring me alcohol! Alcohol!”

“If you agree to a match.”

Gadeuk Sang grabbed Yeon Hojeong’s fist and started hitting his own face with it.

“Oh no, I lost! I lost! Yeon Hojeong, you bastard, you’re too strong! I can’t win!”

He then lay down and started rolling around, clutching his face.

Yeon Hojeong felt deflated. Not because he felt sorry for him, but because he seemed out of his mind, making him lose interest.

“Damn it, let’s go inside.”

“Hehehe.”

Gadeuk Sang went inside their quarters ahead of Yeon Hojeong, acting as if it were his own home.

Mok Bi, who had been watching from the side, spoke with a reluctant expression.

“There are really many strange people in the martial world, aren’t there?”

“That guy is a standout among them. It’s hard to find a nutcase like him.”

“Everyone you know, except for your family, seems to be abnormal.”

“Indeed. You’re not exactly normal either, are you?”

“What did I do?”

“Never mind, are you going to have a drink too?”

Mok Bi shook her head in disgust.

“Do you expect me to deal with that horrible hangover? No thanks. I’d rather rest.”

“You just need to drink moderately.”

“I said no.”

“Alright. Get some rest.”

“See you later.”

“Don’t forget to wash up before resting.”

“I’m much cleaner than you are!”

Mok Bi grumbled as she entered her quarters.

Yeon Hojeong smirked. Teasing her is always fun.

A short while later, a modest drinking table was set up in Yeon Hojeong’s quarters. It was thanks to the cooks and servants of Chilseong Pavilion, which now served as the residence of the Six Great Families instead of the Seven Great Families, who brought the table inside.

“Here, have a drink…”

Yeon Hojeong was about to pour when Gadeuk Sang grabbed the bottle and took a big swig.

‘Seriously…?’

It was pretty strong liquor. Won’t his stomach get upset?

Well, with a stomach that could handle twelve pounds of pork, he should be fine. Yeon Hojeong grumbled as he filled his own cup.

“Have you always liked alcohol this much?”

“Burp! What kind of beggar doesn’t like alcohol?”

“Still, this seems a bit extreme.”

“Enough. Whoa, drinking a whole bottle really hits you.”

Gadeuk Sang leaned back in his chair. His neck was gradually turning red. He was clearly suppressing his internal energy.

Yeon Hojeong smiled.

“At least you seem to be in good health.”

“Is being physically healthy all that matters? My mind is in pain, my mind.”

“That’s true. You weren’t always such a crazy beggar, were you?”

“……”

“Why are you so quiet?”

“You’ve changed quite a bit since I last saw you.”

“Have I?”

“Back in the day, you used to stab with a sword. Now you slap with a smile.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“Both are terrible!”

Gadeuk Sang grumbled.

“Anyway, you seem healthy too. You’ve been up to some dangerous things, haven’t you?”

“Hm?”

“Catching Myeong Heorim, dealing with Moyong Yeonhwa, taking on assassins, wrecking the Zhejiang traders, what else?”

“So you knew everything, huh?”

“Of course. Why do you think I gave you the Wujeong badge? You used my people well.”

“Thanks to that, things got much easier.”

Gadeuk Sang’s expression turned serious.

“Let’s talk about the past for a bit.”

After all the commotion about drinking, it seemed he had a lot to discuss with Yeon Hojeong.

“There’s something I want to ask first.”

“Go ahead.”

“The woman you came with, is she from Anhuijeolgung?”

It was best not to hide the truth from Gadeuk Sang.

“She’s not from Anhuijeolgung. But she is affiliated with Gwanil Valley.”

“Explain in detail.”

Yeon Hojeong explained everything about Mok Bi, or rather Baekhyang, her past, what Gwanil Valley was, and how the notorious Anhuijeolgung came to be known.

Gadeuk Sang’s eyes widened.

“Salshingyo, huh? Indeed, there are still many mysterious sects in Kangho we don’t know about.”

“I’ve heard it’s more like a religion than a sect.”

“So? To stop those guys, you borrowed the sword of the Namgung clan to destroy Gwanil Valley?”

“That’s correct.”

Gadeuk Sang clicked his tongue.

“How many lives do you have? Taking on the Namgung clan like that, if they caught you, you’d be in big trouble!”

“But they didn’t catch me.”

“…Well, when you put it that way, I have nothing to say.”

“And I’m not lying. Anhui Blood Palace was involved in the Ritual of Promised Ascension five years ago. Even the Golden Sword Sect was annihilated because they got caught up in that bizarre life-and-death battle.”

“Jeez.”

“In the end, it was good for the Namgung clan as well. They took down Anhui Blood Palace.”

Gadeuk Sang nodded.

“Anyway, the mystery is solved. So, the ones who killed your branch members were archers from Guanilgok.”

“I’m sorry about that. But I couldn’t give up on him.”

“It’s alright. We can’t redirect our resentment just because they were from the same group. Besides, that woman directly killed the culprit, so I’m actually thankful and sorry.”

Seeing this, it was clear that Gadeuk Sang was no ordinary person. Despite having a passionate heart, he could thoroughly distinguish between gratitude and resentment, which was never an easy task.

“Well, that’s the part that bothered me the most. If that’s the situation, I fully understand.”

At that moment, Gadeuk Sang poured a drink into his cup.

“What happened to the assassins? I told the boys to investigate, but we still can’t figure out where they came from.”

“I don’t know either. They seem to be assassins operating around Hubei, but I’m not certain.”

“Hubei? How did you know?”

“I just had a hunch. It’s too late to investigate now anyway, so it doesn’t matter.”

“That’s true, but…”

Gadeuk Sang’s eyes sparkled as he emptied his cup.

“Moyong clan?”

“They seem the most likely. But I’m not sure.”

“Of course. With such a twisted personality, they must have more than a few enemies.”

“That would be dangerous.”

“I’m not an enemy. Don’t misunderstand.”

The two men laughed heartily. Despite the serious conversation, they remained relaxed.

But only for a moment.

“Speaking of the Moyong clan.”

“Go on.”

Gadeuk Sang’s expression grew serious. He no longer looked like the beggar who had been clamoring for a drink earlier.

“Tell Yeon Hojeong to be cautious of the Moyong clan.”

“Why suddenly?”

“Some of the masters from prominent families imprisoned by the Martial Alliance have disappeared.”

Yeon Hojeong’s eyes sparkled.

“I’m not certain, but it seems that a few were taken out secretly by some from the Nine Great Sects and Six Great Families.”

“As allies?”

“Most likely.”

Yeon Hojeong nodded.

“If they have the capability, it could be beneficial.”

Gadeuk Sang frowned.

“Do you even hear yourself? Regardless of their reason, every member of the old renowned families should be sent to prison and punished according to the Alliance’s laws. Secretly rescuing criminals is a grave crime, even if they’re pillars of the White Path.”

“Yes, it’s a grave crime, but who’s going to report it?”

“…”

“Moreover, the current Martial Alliance is temporary. Judging by the atmosphere, it seems like it will be rebuilt, but if we push without evidence, we’ll be the ones to suffer.”

Gadeuk Sang let out a deep sigh.

“I’m frustrated too. No matter how much one craves talent, secretly taking people without following the proper procedures is…”

“Human greed often surpasses law and order. That’s why there is no perfect law. Even after thousands of years, the law will continuously change.”

“Huh.”

“And I’ve benefited from it too.”

“What? Benefited?”

Yeon Hojeong refilled their cups as he spoke.

“On the day of the assassins’ attack, there was an assault by quite a powerful master.”

“A master? If you say so…”

“He was using the Four Killing Swordsmanship of the Mount Heaven Sect.”

“…!!”

Gadeuk Sang’s eyes widened in shock.

“Are you serious?”

“Absolutely. Thanks to Mok Bi, we were able to catch him easily, but considering my martial arts at the time, it might have been tough to gain the upper hand in a direct confrontation.”

“…!”

“He was in his late thirties to early forties, with a strong scent of blood. He’s probably killed an incalculable number of people…”

“Mongui.”

“Hm?”

Thud!

Gadeuk Sang slammed the table.

“It must be Mongui. He’s the top disciple of the previous head of the Mount Heaven Sect and the one who obtained the Four Killing Swordsmanship. He killed the previous head and disappeared.”

The two men exchanged glances.

Yeon Hojeong spoke up.

“Is he affiliated with the prestigious families?”

“It’s not certain, but our headquarters believes so.”

“Hm, he was very tight-lipped. He’s still locked up in our main prison.”

Gadeuk Sang’s eyes turned cold.

“Then if we track who took Mongui, we can find out who tried to kill you.”

“Exactly.”

“Starting today, I’ll investigate immediately…”

“Forget it.”

“Huh?”

Yeon Hojeong chuckled.

“If Moyong Gun sent Mongui, he would have erased all traces. Prodding needlessly will only make Moyong Gun more cautious.”

“What if it’s not Moyong Gun? What if it’s a new enemy?”

“We’ll think about that when the time comes. Who knows? We might have another use for him.”

Gadeuk Sang pounded his chest in frustration.

“You haven’t changed a bit, have you? Listen! Moyong Gun recently acquired a powerful sword! It’s like putting wings on a tiger. At the very least, we need to keep him in check!”

“Wings?”

“Moyong Woo! The hidden genius of the Moyong clan! Even the monster who was the head of the Zhejiang branch is now under Moyong Gun’s command!”

“Really?”

“You don’t know Moyong Woo, do you? That man is a genius among geniuses, unknown to the world. It’s like having two Moyong Guns. Considering his nature…”

“…”

“…What? You know?”

“That’s what I want to ask you. Didn’t you know? Thanks to the Hangzhou branch head of your clan, things went smoothly.”

“I hadn’t heard of that. Are you seriously collaborating with Moyong Woo?”

Yeon Hojeong sighed with relief and leaned back in his chair.

“Now I can stop worrying about it.”