chapter 512

"...Have I ever seen such a crazy person?"

A voice, laden with disbelief, cut through the thick darkness. A glimpse of red hair flashed even in the shadowy light.

My eyes widened in surprise upon encountering this figure.

"Huh? What brings you here?"

"That's..."

Jeok Cheon-Gang faltered, his words tapering into silence.

"I got seasick, so I stepped off for a bit."

"Ah, seasickness. Grandfather's seasick."

He's not just any Transcendent Master, but the Fire King himself.

It seemed less plausible than Spider-Man retiring due to a fear of heights. Jeok Cheon-Gang, the revered Fire King, afflicted by seasickness?

"What's that smile about?"

I hadn't realized my smile had widened until his question caught me off guard, prompting me to suppress it quickly.

"My face just tends to smile."

"Shall I use that smile for the statue commemorating your death?"

"No."

"If you have a complaint, say it. Don't be sneaky about it."

"What? When did I ever say I had a complaint? But what are you hiding behind your back?"

"What, hide? What do you think I've hidden?"

"What's in your hand behind your back? Are you embarrassed? Are you a high school girl or something?"

"I'm not hiding anything!"

Challenged by my pointed question, Jeok Cheon-Gang reluctantly showed his hands.

In them was an object wrapped in a large leaf. [Note: in many Southeast Asian countries, you can find many types of dishes that are wrapped in leaves, with the most popular being banana leaves. This method likely originated as a technique to store and preserve food. Over time, it has evolved into an essential element of the region's culinary practices. While the leaves themselves are not consumed, their use in wrapping imparts distinctive aromatic flavors to the food, enhancing its overall taste.]

'It looks like food, and it smells amazing.'

The aroma of meat wafting on the breeze was tantalizing. After a half-day filled only with sashimi and grilled fish, my stomach naturally stirred.

Rrrrr.

"Is it pork?"

"Beef."

"You didn't catch it in a fishing net, right?"

"Of course not. It was prepared in advance. The pirates roasted it with spices, so it turned out quite delicious."

"That looks delicious."

"Two people could eat it, and even if five people die, they wouldn't know." [Note: this is a Korean proverb meaning that the situation is so engrossing or enjoyable that those involved are completely oblivious to anything else happening around them.]

"That's incredibly dangerous."

"It's incredibly delicious."

"Then let me try some too. Let's see how it tastes."

"Ha, really. You're funny. Did you think this old man brought this for you?"

"Ah, you brought it for yourself to eat?"

"Of course."

"So, Grandfather was suffering from severe seasickness on the fast ship. The fast ship left him in the middle of the river, and he still made sure to bring food..."

I gave Jeok Cheon-Gang a slow, thoughtful nod.

"That does make sense."

"…!"

"Please."

Jeok Cheon-Gang's voice was gruff as he responded.

"Here. Eat it."

"Oh, thank you."

"This old man was going to eat it, but I lost my appetite, so I'm giving it to you."

"I know, I know. Why do you keep repeating yourself?"

"…Damn it."

I tuned out Jeok Cheon-Gang's grumbling and plunged into the meal with gusto.

As the short but intense feast drew to a close, both the four sharks that had been circling warily and the fast ship, once just a faint outline on the horizon, had vanished from view.

"Ah, I missed it."

"Are you talking about the sharks?"

"No. I was planning to let them go soon anyway."

"The fast ship?"

As I licked the sauce from my fingers, I replied.

"Yes."

"You don't seem too sorry about it?"

"There's no reason to be."

"What a strange guy. Weren't you using the sharks to follow and catch up to the fast ship?"

Yes, that's true. I cannot deny it.

But...

"I was starting to regret it."

"Regret?"

"Yes, regret."

"Why?"

"Doing it this way... it's meaningless."

I had justified capturing sharks under the guise of replenishing my Qi, but as the fast ship loomed closer, I couldn't shake the discomfort enveloping me.

And perhaps, it was this contradiction to the life I had led until now that unsettled me.

'I became soft without realizing.'

With powers beyond my wildest imaginings now at my disposal, my name had amassed considerable wealth, honor, and global attention.

Perhaps I was... becoming intoxicated by these rewards.

'If it had been the old me, I wouldn't have done this.'

To gain something, one must pay a corresponding price.

As an F-rank hunter, once relentlessly partaking in raids to afford our house in an expensive safe zone and cover my mother's medical bills, I wouldn't have stooped to using sharks.

Nor would my past self, who withstood a year of intense training on Mount Jiuhua and never fled back to the modern world.

"I should have just held onto a rock in the river."

At my grumbling joke, Jeok Cheon-Gang frowned.

"Then the distance from the fast ship would have increased."

"What does it matter if it got a little further? There would have been something to learn while covering that distance."

"You might never catch up by the time we reach Henan."

"It doesn't matter. Catching up is not the goal."

Jeok Cheon-Gang's stern expression softened.

"You've realized the most important thing in just half a day."

I bowed my head, too ashamed to meet his gaze.

"It took me half a day. I'm sorry."

"At first, I waited because I was worried, and then I intended to scold you severely."

From Jeok Cheon-Gang's perspective, it must have been infuriating. The guy he sent to training resorted to tricks and assembled a makeshift shark water ski team instead.

Yet now, his voice was gentle.

"I had intended to do so... but this is enough. Try to catch up on your own strength from now on."

Jeok Cheon-Gang finished his reflections and advanced a step. The ripples emanating from his toes spread with a tranquility that surpassed anything I could muster.

Catching my gaze, he spoke in a bitter tone.

"The martial arts of this Clan are particularly rough. I wasted years trying to calm these storms on my own."

"Years..."

"You probably already know. It's not something you can learn overnight."

"I know I won't learn this overnight, but at least I have ten days."

I shrugged and added,

"And I have two incredible Masters by my side to show me the way. So it will be much easier than what Grandfather went through."

The Fire King and the Dark Saint — both titans in their own rights - were already well-versed in the path I was about to tread.

Surely these circumstances were more favorable than those Jeok Cheon-Gang faced, forging his path in solitude without any guidance?

At this, Jeok Cheon-Gang let out a chuckle.

"Look at this guy. You have the audacity to tell me that you'll use tricks again."

"If you call that a trick, I'll be disappointed. Usually, such things are called guidance."

"Now your words are like a mountain stream."

"Yet, you do not deny it."

"That's because you're right, when you think about it. But that's not the only difference between you and this old man."

"…?"

"Martial talent. With your extraordinary body and talent, you might be able to sprout one seedling before even reaching Henan."

Both the mighty tree and the dazzling flower start from a single sprout.

It took Jeok Cheon-Gang years to blossom, but I will be different.

After a contemplative pause, he broke the silence.

"I can't see the boat anymore. I better chase after those damned bastards."

"Take care. If you come across a shark on your way, try riding one."

"That means you won't be coming with this old man?"

This mischeivous old man; he was teasing me. I couldn't suppress a smirk, having anticipated his playful baiting.

"I will follow shortly after."

"Shortly? It might take half a day."

"I still feel a bit of regret. I'll follow later."

"Tsk tsk. There are many ways to invite hardship."

Despite his words, a smile betrayed his facade as it crept warmly across his face.

Jeok Cheon-Gang, who had been staring at me intently, suddenly turned and vanished into the dense shadows of the night.

Long after his figure had diminished to a mere speck and faded away, I remained rooted to the spot.

Finally, as dawn broke and the first rays of sunlight warmed the river,

Splash.

I set off, the turbulent waters churning behind me.

My destination: the fast ship, and ultimately, Henan.

* * *

The martial world was simmering like a pot on the brink of boiling over.

What began as whispers had ballooned into widespread tales, fanned by the chatter of rumor-mongers. Then, one day, from Mount Song in Henan, a flurry of carrier pigeons took to the skies, each carrying a message that cemented the whispers into stark reality.

I declare to all of Murim...

The terse proclamation spread like wildfire across the globe, and those who received it understood:

A tumultuous new era was upon them.

The New Murim Alliance.

Seasoned warriors of the Jianghu, their bodies etched with scars, reminisced about the Great Faction War — a time when corpses mounted into hills and rivers ran red with blood. Meanwhile, the younger generation, raised in an era of relative peace and unaware of such brutal histories, were swept up in a whirlwind of emotions.

"The time has come."

"Finally...!"

Such tumultuous times are fertile grounds for heroes to emerge.

Some reveled in the opportunity to carve out their fame.

"This can't be happening!"

"After all this time, they've come back for us?"

Others quivered, haunted by the specter of impending doom.

However, the Orthodox factions of Murim were the proven victors of history.

Even the once-formidable Demonic Cult, which had failed to dominate the Central Plains and had been subdued decades earlier, did not deter them.

Despite the bloody conflicts that had once ravaged Shaolin and Sichuan, for most martial artists, this was a call to arms — a reason to strike back with ferocity rather than cower in fear.

"Those who are armed with weapons and with spirit, come stand under the banner of the Murim Alliance!"

A cry that echoed throughout the world.

And many heeded the call.

"Shaolin at Mount Song. We request to join the Alliance."

"Mount Hua will also join the Murim Alliance."

The Nine Great Sects and the Five Great Families.

The fifteen foundational pillars of the current martial world began to stir. [Note: quick reminder - sometimes in Wuxia fiction, the Beggar Sect is included as a Great Sect, in which case there are "10 Great Sects". This seems to be a novel which counts them as a Great Sect in reality, but not in name, hence the term "Nine Great Sects" recurring in both the manhwa and novel. This is why there are "15 pillars", with the unamed pillar being the Beggar Sect. However, the "Nine Great Sects" translation that I have carried over from the manhwa is actually a mistranslation, as the raw Korean translates to "Nine Sects and One Gang".]

At the forefront, Shaolin Temple and Mount Hua Sect swiftly hoisted the banner of the Murim Alliance, with other esteemed sects quickly following suit, eager to align themselves.

The streets, brothels, and inns buzzed with incessant chatter from gossipers who relished in the unfolding drama.

"Did you hear? The Nine Great Sects and the Five Great Families have all joined the Alliance."

"It's only been a day since it was announced, and they've already joined?"

"The news travels slow. It's quite expected. The problem is with the other sects."

"I heard that the Yue family of Shandong is also planning to join."

"That's somewhat unexpected. Their position between Murim and the government has always been a bit ambiguous."

"What about the Xiahou Sword Family?"

"I know the former Family Head died during the Great Faction War. Probably the current head will join to avenge his father's death. By now, everyone knows that Dark Heaven is the successor to the Demonic Cult."

"The Murim Alliance is a symbol of all Orthodox Murim. Of course all of the Orthodox factions will join. The real question is if the practitioners of the Path of Demonic Heresy and the Outsiders will join."

Amidst these exchanges, currents of change rippled through the martial world.

And as these discussions spread like wildfire, igniting fervor everywhere, ten days swiftly elapsed.