Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 61

061. The Visitor from the Murim Alliance

The North Sea Ice Palace’s carriage made its way towards the Murim Alliance on the morning of their fifth day in Hangzhou.

During that time, Unhyun had thoroughly enjoyed the serene scenery of West Lake and the relaxed atmosphere of Hangzhou.

One of Unhyun’s favorite pastimes was training every morning in the empty lot he had discovered on the first day, followed by a leisurely stroll along the misty shores of West Lake.

It might seem unremarkable, but for Unhyun, it was a rare moment of peace he hadn’t experienced in a long time.

Clatter, clatter.

The Murim Alliance, where the North Sea Ice Palace group was headed, wasn’t far from West Lake.

Before long, after the carriage departed from the inn, the ornate roofs of the Murim Alliance came into view.

One might have expected someone to marvel at its scale and grandeur, but the inside of the carriage remained quiet.

The North Sea Ice Palace group was generally taciturn, and Unhyun, who had seen enough magnificent buildings in the Forbidden City to last a lifetime, felt no particular excitement.

‘The Murim Alliance…’

Unhyun felt a slight thrill as he looked at the Murim Alliance’s buildings over the wall.

He wasn’t particularly interested in grand buildings. However, the masters he would meet inside were a different story.

‘There are real masters inside, right?’

Unhyun was inwardly excited.

He had seen enough martial arts demonstrations in the Golden Uniform Guard to be tired of them.

But he had never seen a so-called real master.

‘According to storytellers, you could bump into a master just walking down the street…’

It was also said that in the Jianghu [the martial arts world], one should be especially wary of women, children, and the elderly.

They might be hidden masters.

But after venturing out, masters were hard to find even when actively searching.

Even at the Moyong Family, which he had gone to the trouble of visiting, he had only found a young man with outstanding talent.

So, Unhyun had great expectations for the masters beyond the high walls and the martial arts they would display.

Swish.

Unhyun stealthily reached out and checked his luggage.

His preparations for recording the martial arts demonstrations were perfect. He had bought new brushes and ink, and he had prepared particularly good paper.

‘Good.’

Unhyun looked at the Murim Alliance, filled with anticipation.

Clatter.

The seemingly endless walls of the Murim Alliance came to an end after a while.

Click.

“Welcome. Welcome to the Murim Alliance.”

As the carriage door opened, a middle-aged man with a gentle face greeted the group.

As if he had been informed in advance, the middle-aged man in luxurious clothes bowed to the North Sea Ice Palace group with a soft smile.

“I am Kwan Jibu. I have been given the humble task of welcoming the honored guests who come to the Alliance.”

“Thank you for the welcome.”

The Young Palace Master bowed lightly and replied with a calm expression.

“I am the Young Palace Master of the North Sea Ice Palace. I have come to visit the Murim Alliance after being invited to the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering.”

“Thank you for accepting the Murim Alliance’s invitation. We will serve you with all our heart.”

The middle-aged man, who introduced himself as Kwan Jibu, bowed again with a smiling face. Then, he suddenly noticed Unhyun and wore a puzzled expression.

“Excuse me, but who is this…?”

Kwan Jibu’s question was natural. It was strange to see a scholar in familiar literary attire among the unique group from the North Sea.

“He is assisting us. Is there a problem with him accompanying us?”

Kwan Jibu smiled at the Young Palace Master’s nonchalant answer.

“No. There is no problem at all. Please, come this way.”

The group began to walk towards the Murim Alliance.

The wide-open grand gate of the Murim Alliance and the intense gazes of the warriors lined up on the left and right created a rather imposing atmosphere.

“This gate is the main gate of the Murim Alliance. It is usually closed, but it has been opened today to welcome everyone from the North Sea Ice Palace.”

Kwan Jibu spoke proudly, but no one seemed impressed.

Unhyun felt the same way.

The Murim Alliance’s main gate was large and magnificent, but how could it compare to the Forbidden City?

Besides, Unhyun, who had grown accustomed to the gazes of the Golden Uniform Guard, wasn’t intimidated by the warriors’ stares.

Kwan Jibu, slightly embarrassed by the lukewarm reaction of the North Sea Ice Palace group, including Unhyun, grumbled inwardly.

‘Tsk, these country bumpkins are receiving excessive treatment and don’t even know how to be grateful.’

Opening the main gate to welcome guests was the highest courtesy.

Even though they were giving such excessive treatment to a new foreign sect like the North Sea Ice Palace, they didn’t even show gratitude or surprise. Kwan Jibu, who was full of pride in the Murim Alliance, naturally couldn’t understand it.

‘I wondered what the Plum Blossom Sword Younghojun was thinking when he made this suggestion…’

It was Plum Blossom Sword Younghojun who suggested opening the main gate to welcome the North Sea Ice Palace.

Younghojun, who was in charge of the practical affairs of this Dragon-Phoenix Gathering, insisted that the North Sea Ice Palace should be treated as lavishly as possible.

The intention was to showcase the Murim Alliance’s generosity to other foreign sects through this.

In some ways, it seemed reasonable, but he thought something was suspicious. Now, he seemed to understand the reason.

‘Anyway, Plum Blossom Sword is…’

Kwan Jibu glanced at the Young Palace Master of the North Sea.

In fact, who wouldn’t want to win the favor of such a beautiful woman?

‘Tsk, tsk.’

No matter what, could he have opened the Murim Alliance’s main gate just to win the favor of a beautiful woman? Kwan Jibu, who knew Plum Blossom Sword Younghojun’s usual behavior, clicked his tongue inwardly.

It was something that would be understandable if it were Younghojun, even if it wouldn’t be for anyone else.

“This way.”

Kwan Jibu led the group to their lodgings.

Even though the Murim Alliance had specially opened the main gate to welcome them, foreign sects were just objects of curiosity, unlike the giant sects with direct influence.

Kwan Jibu’s face, as he guided them to the outskirts of the Murim Alliance’s lodgings, wore a perfunctory smile, simply fulfilling his duty.

***

Thump.

The wide-open main gate of the Murim Alliance began to close with a heavy sound.

The warriors who had stepped aside to the left and right stood guard in front of the gate again, and the heavy main gate slowly returned to its original position.

Thud.

With a heavy sound, the gate closed, and the front of the main gate returned to its usual routine.

But that routine did not last long.

“Huh?”

The warrior guarding the main gate frowned at the sight of a person who had appeared before him.

A dignified old man with a white beard was standing near the main gate.

He had a noble air, like an old scholar, but the aura emanating from his sturdy physique indicated that he was not someone to be treated carelessly.

‘When did he…’

The problem was that the warrior hadn’t noticed him approaching so closely.

Perhaps it was because he had been distracted by the process of closing the Murim Alliance’s main gate?

The warrior quickly dismissed his doubts and spoke in an imposing voice.

“Sto…”

Step.

There was no need to tell him to stop.

The old man stopped walking on his own and looked up at the Murim Alliance’s main gate.

“Hmm. This place is still the same.”

That didn’t sound good.

The warrior guarding the main gate frowned.

“What is your business?”

The warrior’s tone was curt, as if he had a slight emotional edge.

But the old man was still looking up at the Murim Alliance’s main gate.

“Do you know where this is…?”

It was when the ignored warrior was about to say something.

Whoosh.

Suddenly, an enormous aura poured out of the old man.

“Ugh.”

The warrior groaned involuntarily at the enormous aura that pressed down on his entire body.

“W-What is this…?”

The warrior, whose knees were buckling, raised his head and spoke as if squeezing out the words.

And he realized that the old man’s gaze was still directed at the Murim Alliance’s main gate.

The target of his aura was not the warrior himself.

‘I-Impossible…’

Even so, he couldn’t handle that enormous aura.

He had only been caught up in it from the side.

“Kuh.”

A groan flowed from the warrior’s mouth again.

As a warrior guarding the Murim Alliance, he should naturally draw his sword. But he couldn’t bring himself to draw his sword.

A vague fear that something irreversible would happen if he drew his sword was weighing him down.

The other warriors were the same.

The elite warriors guarding the Murim Alliance’s main gate were all unable to move.

“Hmm, this is…”

It was at that very moment.

Swoosh.

The pressure that had been weighing down on the warriors disappeared as if it were a lie.

“I wasn’t thinking clearly. I’m sorry.”

The old man turned to the warriors and continued.

“Are you alright?”

But the warriors couldn’t answer.

How could they forget the terrifying experience they had just faced?

The warriors stared at the old man with astonished expressions.

But they couldn’t sense anything threatening from the old man anymore.

Rather, he exuded a transcendence, like an elderly scholar or Taoist.

“T-This is the Murim Alliance. W-What is your business…?”

The warrior squeezed out his courage and spoke.

The old man frowned slightly.

“I know where this place is.”

“Huk.”

The warriors reacted sensitively even though he had only slightly furrowed his brow.

“I-Identify yourself.”

The warrior’s voice was trembling faintly.

It was like a weak herbivore facing an animal that could turn into a beast at any moment.

The old man laughed as if he was dumbfounded at the sight.

“Haha, really…”

But he couldn’t blame the warriors. He was the one who had unleashed his aura first.

“Okay, it will be easier for you to understand if I say it like this.”

The old man turned to the warriors.

“Tell them inside. Tell them that Sword Saint has come to see his friend, the Mad Monk.”

The old man spoke casually.

But the faces of the warriors who heard it were filled with astonishment.

***

The Dragon-Phoenix Gathering is primarily intended to strengthen the bonds and sense of belonging of the Murim Alliance’s younger generation.

People are interested in the fierce martial arts competitions of the younger generation, but the purpose of the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering isn’t solely that.

Therefore, the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering was beginning not in a martial arts arena, but in one of the Murim Alliance’s halls.

Clink.

Along with the teacups, the subtle fragrance of Yongjeong tea [a type of green tea] wafted through the hall.

The atmosphere was quite comfortable, but the younger martial artists gathered here clearly understood the significance of this occasion.

The Dragon-Phoenix Gathering was about to begin.

Their eyes, as they pretended to be calm and lifted their teacups, flickered with excitement and fervor that they couldn’t hide.

‘Hmm.’

Unhyun looked around the hall and tilted his head.

‘There aren’t as many people as I expected. Aren’t all the Murim Alliance’s sects attending?’

Unhyun looked around the hall, a bit surprised by the turnout.

The large hall wasn’t even half full.

In fact, if you included the servants and attendants who accompanied them, there would be many more people present, but most of those present were only the younger generation of each sect.

It was a special case for someone like Unhyun to accompany them.

But Unhyun had no choice but to come in order to avoid any missteps when the North Sea Ice Palace group interacted with the younger members of other sects.

‘Even if the number is like that…’

What disappointed Unhyun the most was that there was no one among them who immediately caught his eye.

Unhyun, who had been expecting the most prominent figures of the Jianghu Murim [martial arts world], couldn’t help but feel let down.

‘But maybe I’m mistaken.’

Perhaps everyone is simply conserving their energy right now.

Unhyun calmly looked at the younger martial artists in the hall one by one.

Then he soon discovered familiar faces.