Chapter: 767
Three days.
Three days have passed since the assault in Hanam.
The past three days have truly been eventful.
A grand festival held by the Alliance to bless peace and a new era.
As the Heavenly Dragon Martial Arts Festival aimed at selecting a new Dragon Lord was nearing its climax.
Suddenly, a being claiming to be the leader and head of an organization called the Demonic Cult appeared, declaring himself the Heavenly Demon and turned Hanam into a wasteland.
Not only did he bind the feet of the greatest masters in the palace with wicked sorcery, but he also amassed a tremendous force to raid Hanam.
The results of such an assault were catastrophic.
The power of the Great Demon, Cheonma, was formidable.
With the so-called mainstays restrained, they couldn’t effectively counter the attack, and the enemy transformed the area into a complete mess.
Buildings were left in ruins, and people lost their homes.
And that’s not all.
What was lost in the raid wasn’t just the land, but also a multitude of lives.
Not only did three of the eight major lords of the Alliance perish, but the most significant loss was…
The head of the Hebei Peng Clan, one of the four major families.
It was reported that the Sword King, Peng Zhou, had died.
The assault began while the martial arts tournament was in full swing. The Sword King, who had just wrapped up his combat, was attacked unexpectedly while moving with his son, Bisungdo.
He attempted to confront this along with the Murim Alliance, but things took a turn for the worse when Gwiakchang, a high-ranking member of the Demonic Cult captured by the Alliance, escaped and intervened.
Gwiakchang was a powerful master who obliterated the entire Ilryongdae, including Ilryongdaeju, during his escape.
He ultimately killed the Sword King and at the same time, dealt a severe wound to the opposing warrior from the Alliance as well as to Bisungdo, who was trying to protect his father, before disappearing into thin air.
That was the reason why the Six-Seat Sword King met his end.
The organization known as the Demonic Cult, which is said to have orchestrated the recent assault on Hanam.
The head of that organization killed both the leader of the Alliance and the Sword King.
While the leader’s demise is one thing, the death of a king-level martial artist must be quite shocking.
King-level martial artist.
In the Central Plains, they are referred to as the Six Seats.
Among these, some have not learned martial arts, and others have a long way to go in terms of skill.
What this means is that this position cannot solely be attained by realm alone.
King-level denotes symbolism.
It refers to figures of significant influence in an era.
Sword Kings, Tao Kings, or Sword Marquis. These are not just individuals who influence through martial arts and ideology, but also those who’ve spread various forms of influence.
Among them, the Sword King was a symbol of the martial arts world and the individual who rose to become the head of the Peng Clan.
This person was killed in the attack.
It’s only natural that people would be confused if a seat among the six suddenly became vacant.
In truth, however, few seemed to be particularly bewildered.
Even though the king’s seat was empty, at the same moment, two new kings emerged.
One of them was Hwangbo Yeolwi, the head of the Hwangbo Clan, who fought against the enemy leaders on behalf of the masters restrained by sorcery.
The Fierce Tiger Nine Fists, Hwangbo Yeolwi.
Not only was he past his prime, but he also was said to be in a worse state of health, keeping his presence hidden.
However, the fierce tiger’s performance during this raid was quite different from what was rumored.
The sight of him pushing the enemies with overwhelming strength was much more agile and powerful than in his prime.
Some suggested that the reason he hadn’t shown up beforehand wasn’t due to health issues, but rather that he was achieving profound enlightenment.
Such was the strength of the fierce tiger, and along with the tremendous contribution made by the Hwangbo Clan in this assault, he was highly regarded and earned the title of Tiger King.
Last but not least, recalling that the last person to rise to the rank of king in the Hwangbo family was the previous head, Kwon Wang, it represents a reputation regained after a century.
Thus, originally, Hanam would have been brimming with discussions about the Tiger King… but surprisingly, discussions regarding him were quite scarce.
The reason is that all the focus was directed not towards the Tiger King but to the other newly ascending royals.
Alongside the Tiger King, the seventh king emerged.
He burned himself at the moment the attack erupted, saving hundreds of lives.
Not only did he assist in the evacuation, but he also hunted down the curse unleashed by the Demonic Cult, referred to as a breathing calamity—a hundred-level monster.
Following this, he visited the Alliance with his body in ruins and worked with the Wind Dragon Lord to lift the sorcery that hung over the palace.
Furthermore.
In the aftermath, the incident that emerged showed that the monster was capable of neutralizing the Tiger King in a single blow and was untouched by the attacks of the Celestial Lord.
He was someone who even received recognition from the Great Demon, Cheonma.
Perhaps because of these achievements, people in Hanam commonly referred to him by name alone.
A hero found in troubled times. A saint sent from the heavens.
All kinds of glorious titles were attached to him, showering him with praises that flirted closely with adulation.
This person is, of course, the official seventh king being mentioned.
He is the youngest martial artist in history to ascend to the throne.
A figure who has succeeded Shinryong and become the representative of the current generation of meteors.
Thus, he was referred to as the King of the Stars.
They called him by that name.
Star King.
People began to address him as the Holy King, showing various respects.
And the famous Star King, whom so many praised, was…
“Your Majesty.”
“…”
“I hope you enjoyed your meal.”
“…”
“Your Majesty, why are you not responding? Do you not like my voice? Oh no…! It seems I’ve upset you somehow…”
“… Ugh… Please, just stop….”
From the morning, I had been nothing but a source of entertainment.
When I first caught wind of this mess, it was likely two days later.
After barely gathering myself, it was around then that I finally regained my senses.
Upon waking, the news I received was astonishing.
I, of all people, had been designated as a king-level martial artist.
Honestly, when I first heard it, I didn’t give it much thought.
Youngest this, youngest that—just a bunch of fluff. I was past the point of caring about such things.
Once things escalated to this level, I somewhat expected to hear something like that.
Even if I wasn’t at the king level, I would definitely catch something.
That’s what I presumed when I figured this would happen, but…
‘But I genuinely didn’t expect them to actually give it to me.’
I truly hadn’t imagined I’d be granted the title of king.
A king is a symbol.
A living force and emblem of an era.
Who would have thought they’d ink that onto someone as young as me?
So, I thought perhaps the Alliance had gone a bit loopy due to the earlier assault.
Tsk.
‘In any case, there’s nothing straightforward that’s given here.’
The moment I laid my eyes on the name they conferred upon me, it hit me.
Star King.
Literally, it means the king of the stars.
So, at first glance, it doesn’t seem like there’s an issue with it.
‘Those blasted fools.’
Digging deeper into the meaning, it was a name I absolutely couldn’t appreciate.
Currently, when geniuses are the talk of the town, dubbed as the generation of meteors.
In that context, calling someone a Star King essentially makes them a mere representative.
To rephrase:
‘Though they may call me king, I’m just regarded as the king of lesser talents.’
So no need to get cocky.
That was the crux of it.
It’s absurd.
‘If you’re going to do this, why even bother giving me the title?’
You could sense from just the name that they didn’t want to.
Even so, the fact that they bestowed it upon me meant…
‘It also indicates there was a significant hurry on their part.’
Three days have passed since the raid. It’s been a day since I awoke, and hence I still hadn’t gathered proper intel.
Yet, even with just small snippets of information, I could grasp why the Alliance was so eager to enact this.
‘They were trying to shift focus, weren’t they?’
I can only assume that now they are probably scrambling in their own thoughts.
The raid’s aftermath aside, the most pressing concern is—
‘The state of public sentiment.’
How is the public currently perceiving the Murim Alliance?
Judging by the rash bestowal of the title of Holy King upon me, it didn’t seem like it was going too well.
It was obvious even before the disturbance occurred.
In order to mend the shredded public sentiment, they needed something to draw attention away.
Why do you think the Heavenly Dragon Martial Arts Festival was initiated?
It was essentially a scheme to subtly project the idea that the Central Plains were peaceful and to blend the Sword Masters and the Alliance together appropriately.
This also involves the dragon.
With the martial arts festival falling into chaos and Hanam suffering an attack, the state of the Alliance is a prognosis we can all easily foresee.
‘And so.’
Tap, tap.
I raised the corners of my mouth as I drummed my fingers on the table.
‘So you’d like to utilize me for this, huh?’
This time, their crafty machinations were directed at me.
The youngest king-level martial artist.
The representative of the meteor generation.
It seemed that the Alliance was keen on redirecting attention toward me, dressing me up in a noble facade.
Ah, but of course.
‘It’s not entirely bad.’
Rather, this is the scenario I was hoping for.
It may be a little frustrating, yet this was something I could accept.
‘It was also a necessary front.’
A mask or a title.
When something like this is thrust upon you because you needed it, there’s no reason to refuse.
A showy figure? That didn’t bother me.
After all.
‘I don’t plan on settling for this.’
Whether it be a mask or a title, if I thought of it as an endpoint, I would never have consented to it all.
Right now, I seek merely to utilize the position that has been granted to me.
Although, there is one expletive thing.
“Look, the Holy King smiled.”
“Seeing your smile, it seems you’re quite happy.”
“I suppose the tea must have been delicious enough to please the Holy King… It must be exceptional tea.”
“Oh, I brewed the tea myself.”
“Oh….”
The incessant chatter from before creeped heavily into my ears.
I had to scowl the moment I heard it.
“Could you both kindly leave?”
I frowned and attempted to voice my annoyance.
“Oh dear, it seems the Holy King is angered.”
“Goodness… How dare we… not even know our place…”
“…”
What the hell, stop already!…
I couldn’t muster a curse, and simply rubbed my face dry in irritation.
Before me, Paejon and Mo Yonghee were sharing a conversation, and amid their banter, they were continually making fun of me.
This mess came to be right when I heard the tidings of my new title.
Along with my already simmering annoyance, being teased all day long leaves little room for sanity.
So, I barely managed to stifle a sigh and asked Mo Yonghee.
“… You told me to eat, right?”
“Yes, I did.”
“Are you seriously telling me to eat in this situation?”
“Why?”
Why, you ask?
Because at any attempt to take a spoonful, I was relentlessly ridiculed, rendering me unable to enjoy a single bite.
Even now, I hadn’t eaten and was only sipping on tea.
“We merely thought the Holy King might feel lonely and wanted to keep you company…”
“… Even you would do that, Confucius?”
“I did… but it seems you’re not in a very good mood today.”
“…”
Total disregard, huh?
Even among the two, Mo Yonghee was worse.
As soon as this old fellow caught wind of my new title, he came bouncing forward, wearing the brightest expression I’d seen in years.
It seemed he was thrilled to have the opportunity to poke fun at me.
Oh for crying out loud.
Holding back my mounting annoyance, I put down the spoon.
It just looked like my appetite was shot, leaving little chance of consuming anything now.
“… So, how are the kids doing?”
“Oh my… Am I even worthy to report such matters to the Holy King…?”
“Am I angry?”
“I’ll stop.”
After issuing that warning, Mo Yonghee immediately switched her expression.
She must have detected that continuing would truly provoke my ire.
She quickly answered the question I had posed.
“According to the physician, there’s no major issue. However, Miss Wyeseol’s wound has opened a bit… but due to her incredible healing abilities, she’ll be fine shortly.”
The Wyeseol who was injured during the battle with the dragon.
Worried she might be in danger from fighting in that state, I felt relieved to find there weren’t any serious complications.
“Moreover, Miss Dang isn’t facing any major issues either… Miss Namgung has slightly overexerted herself, resulting in a little exhaustion… but this too, with time, should also be fine.”
“Exhaustion… huh.”
This happens when excessive energy is used abruptly.
Namgung Bia still wasn’t fully healed either. I wondered if the issue arose from her briefly using her Brain arts in that moment.
…I really should go check on them.
This wasn’t merely about the children.
It was crucial to understand the overall situation.
Before I lost consciousness, I had tried to wrap up all possible scenarios.
But I needed to clarify what exactly transpired afterward.
“First off, I should start getting ready to—”
“You haven’t finished your meal!”
“Do you really think I could eat right now?”
Initially, I didn’t even plan on eating, but that was Mo Yonghee barging in once again.
Even when she entered, she just kept teasing me.
If I remained here, I’d likely end up heaving rather than eating anything.
Thus, the moment I planned to move to check on my condition—
“Then, Holy King.”
“Hmm?”
“Take this.”
As Mo Yonghee spoke, she pulled out something—a letter.
Wondering why she was handing this to me, she immediately followed with an explanation.
“I initially intended to give you this, but… I apologize. I got a bit carried away while teasing you.”
“…”
Lost for words by her blatant admission.
Yeah, it’s better this way than her trying to act all pretentious… Sure.
Receiving the letter, I glanced at it, spotting a familiar seal—the seal indicating the Alliance.
Confirming that, I promptly opened the letter.
“Hmm?”
A few short lines were jotted down.
It looked like someone had crafted the message, mingling it with all sorts of formal etiquette, yet upon interpreting its meaning, it contorted my features.
“… Huh?”
“What’s wrong?”
“No, I was just about to head out, but it seems something has come up.”
“… Are you going out now?”
Upon hearing this, Mo Yonghee’s expression hardened.
“Where do you think you’re going in that condition?”
Wow, what an intense gaze she had.
I thought I’d grown accustomed to it, yet every time Mo Yonghee narrows her eyes like that, I couldn’t help flinching.
That meant she had a notably fierce demeanor.
“… No, I’m not going anywhere for long, I simply have something I need to tend to.”
“What could possibly be so important that someone in your state feels the need to go out?”
“Heh, it’s simple really.”
I answered with a slight smirk.
“To be summoned by none other than the esteemed Murim Alliance, of course. I’d best honor their request personally.”
“…”
The Alliance itself.
After realizing I had awakened, they had sent me a letter indicating they wished for my presence. The message ultimately urged me to stop by.
Why?
Naturally, I could think of a few theories, but I wasn’t overly concerned about any of them.
’I was going anyway, even without their invitation.’
Receiving an invitation immediately after waking up felt like a stroke of luck.
“So, I’ll just be stepping out for a bit.”
As I rose and stretched, Mo Yonghee hastily attempted to stop me.
“No, there are still people who are hurt…!”
She adamantly tried to deter me, citing my own injuries.
Swooosh.
“Hmm?”
As the bandages unraveled, revealing my body, she was suddenly at a loss for words.
The wounds I bore were long healed up.
“I’m off for a bit. Confucius, let’s discuss later.”
Seizing the opportunity brought on by Mo Yonghee’s shock, I dashed forward to leave. In a delayed hurry, she tried to catch up.
“…Him again…!”
I had already made my escape.
“Again with the fleeing? Especially in your state?”
Mo Yonghee huffed at the sight of Gu Yangcheon’s retreat.
Paejon, watching the situation, sipped the tea Gu Yangcheon had left behind and asked.
“Should I chase after him?”
“No, it’s fine.”
Upon hearing her sigh, Mo Yonghee chuckled lightly.
Normally, she would have provided a warning before pursuing me.
She would have attempted to explain why leaving now would be a problem.
“The guy… truly deserves a reprimand!”
I felt annoyed and thought it best to leave it at that.
With a quick snort, Mo Yonghee exited the room, and Paejon also shared a brief laugh, adding his agreement.
“Quite right.”
He echoed her sentiment about needing a well-deserved scolding.
“Phew.”
Stepping outside, I began to walk.
Given the absence of any pursuit, it seemed I had evaded capture quite successfully.
I’d likely have to face some consequences when I return later… But that was a concern for another time.
With that in mind, I turned my head forward.
I hadn’t brought a differentiated guard with me.
It’s how I typically roll—just wandering about solo, so I had intended to do the same now.
As I began to tread towards the Alliance along the already ravaged path.
“Eh…!”
“Th-that person…!”
“Huh?”
I sensed a presence nearby.
Adjusting my gaze in response, I spotted individuals clearing the debris.
At that moment.
“Holy King, is here!”
“The Holy King has come!”
“What!? The Holy King is here?!”
Those who laid their eyes on me began to shout in disbelief.
“…uh…?”
I wondered what the commotion was all about when it hit me.
“Your Majesty—!!”
“Your Majesty—!!!”
“The Holy King is among us!”
“…Are you serious?”
A swarm of people began to converge toward me.
And as I took in their reaction, it dawned on me.
Clearly, something had drastically changed over the course of a few nights.
And it seemed to be quite the peculiar switch at that.
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