The news that the Sword Saint is stepping down from Hongseong has already circulated through the Murim Alliance. Is that why?
On the day of the succession ceremony, Seomhwa City began to bustle with people.
The inn, which usually has a lot of guests, has been overcrowded these past few days to the point where it’s hard to find a moment to relax.
“There are probably many who can’t enter Hongseong directly.”
Given Hongseong’s tendency to be closed off, not many people could gain entry. Of course, now that they could repel any malevolent spirits, it wasn’t entirely off-limits, but the rules hadn’t been eased.
Nevertheless, many guests sought out Seomhwa City.
They were there to witness the succession ceremony and to see the newly appointed leader of Hongseong, Hongryeon, along with the disciples of Hongseong.
People in the Murim were keenly watching to see how they would behave.
“Hey there.”
“Hano, you’re here too?”
“With the change in the leader of Hongseong, how could I possibly sit back? Now, hand me a bottle of liquor.”
“…You didn’t come just for the liquor?”
“Oh come on~.”
Grinning, Hano caught the bottle of liquor I tossed him. As he sipped it, he looked me up and down with admiration.
“Nice outfit. Where did you get that?”
“I didn’t buy it. It was a gift.”
Unlike my usual black robe, I was wearing the outfit Hongryeon had crafted for me long ago.
It was an important occasion, so I had to dress appropriately.
Hano, still grinning at me, glanced around and remarked, “Quite a few famous faces have shown up.”
“That one over there is the swordsman known as the Ghost Scoundrel from the Evil Faction. And next to him is O Sang from the Black Veil.”
“…Aren’t those all familiar faces?”
“I know roughly who the important figures are.”
Those were characters who had appeared in Heavenly Bright Moon.
At my reply, Hano shrugged.
“I think they’re trying to establish connections with us through this event.”
“That doesn’t concern me. It’s just that the Evil Faction lingering in Seomhwa City seems a bit…”
“Oh, it wouldn’t be that way. What kind of crazy faction leader would want to enter a place with Hongseong, Moonjeong branch, and Murim Alliance branch all situated together?”
People only act when there’s something in it for them.
Sure, Seomhwa has grown compared to before. But with those three sects present, the rewards for the Evil Faction wouldn’t be worth the potential risks, so they probably wouldn’t want to step in.
Nonchalantly, Hano waved at Chaejin, who was coming down the stairs.
“Wow! Look who we have here, a truly remarkable person!”
“What’s going on now?”
“The daughter of the azure tiger born of Cheongho and raised by Moonjeong. It’s the Moonlight Swordwoman, Chaejin, of course…”
“Ugh!”
Chaejin nearly had a fit.
It must have reminded her of that incident when she visited Moonjeong last time. Hano laughed heartily at her dismay while Chaejin turned away in frustration.
He chuckled while Chaejin, wearing a sulky expression, suddenly turned her head away.
Chae-ran, who was the focus of her gaze, was whistling and pretending not to notice.
“You… But how do you know about that from Hao-mun?”
“Goodness. With all that chaos, how could anyone not know? Even Gaebang probably knows.”
“…Ugh…”
Just as Chaejin was getting grumpier, the atmosphere in the inn grew more lively. I turned my gaze in that direction and forced a bitter smile.
Once again, it was a familiar face. We had never actually met, though.
Walking in was a monk dressed in worn-out robes that were tattered here and there. With striking white eyebrows and beard, he approached us while rolling his prayer beads and smiling gently.
“Namu Amita Bul.”
With his simple phrase, the crowd fell silent. I inclined my head towards him.
“Nice to meet you for the first time, Murim Alliance Leader.”
“I’ve heard much about you. I’ve always wanted to visit, but the fight with the demonic sect has been intense, so I couldn’t just leave my post.”
The Murim Alliance Leader.
The beggar-like monk before me was another pillar of the righteous faction known as Shinsung.
Elected as the head of Shaolin Temple, he fought for many years on behalf of the Murim Alliance.
In Heavenly Bright Moon, there were several events where I escaped peril thanks to Shinsung’s assistance.
Chuckling softly and rolling his prayer beads, he glanced over to the side. There stood Namgoong Cheon, who was devouring the night.
“What are you looking at?”
“Namu Amita Bul. I didn’t expect to see Lord Namgoong here.”
“Well, I could be here.”
Just as he spoke nonchalantly while stuffing his face with food…
“What the heck? Why is there so much?”
His gruff voice drew my, Chaejin’s, and Chae-ran’s attention. Standing there was…
“Long time no see, Father-in-law.”
“Hehe. Son-in-law. It’s been a while. Have you been well?”
A middle-aged man casually holding a black jade was swaggering in. It was Doje.
Shinsung, Doje, Thunderbolt Sword King.
And now, with Chaejin becoming an extraordinary person, there were four transcendent figures in this inn.
Perhaps due to the sheer number of legends gathered, some could not hold back their anxiety and rushed out of the inn.
“Seeing everyone together brings back old memories.”
Doje said with a relaxed smile, sitting in front of Namgoong Cheon. He then raised a hand towards Jeomsoi and shouted.
“Bring me a bottle of Cheonilmaehwa wine!”
“Yes!”
Jeomsoi, looking thrilled, brought him the wine she had presumably become friendly with during Doje’s last stay.
Receiving it, Doje downed it in one gulp and gestured to me.
“Son-in-law, it’s time for you to have a drink too, after such a long time?”
“Having a drink sounds good, but I think I should be on my way soon.”
“Oh really? Then I’ll reserve dinner for tonight. You know, it was so boring drinking alone at Moonjeong.”
“Namu Amita Bul. It seems you have a bit too much of a close relationship with alcohol, Doje. Alcohol can only confuse the mind and hinder one’s intentions.”
“Are you really going to inform the Murim Alliance about that? If they find out you’re secretly stealing and drinking alcohol, the elders would have a field day with that. Right?”
“…Ahem. What I drink is just grain tea. Cough. And, um, let’s not push it. Just a little moderation, okay?”
“Look at that change in attitude.”
While the three superhumans exchanged greetings and chatted, Chaejin tilted her head in confusion.
“I think my father has changed a bit.”
“Really?”
“Yes. He seems more relaxed than before.”
Probably because he has the Imugi’s precious orb. Maybe that stability brought him some peace of mind.
Anyway, the important thing is the succession ceremony.
I addressed the superhumans who were chatting away.
“I’m planning to leave now. As for you elders…”
“I’m not going.”
Namgoong Cheon replied dismissively, but the other two were different.
As they stood up, Namgoong Cheon tilted his cup.
Is he really not going?
“Then can I leave the inn in your hands?”
“Well, I guess.”
If Namgoong Cheon stays at the inn, there won’t be any unnecessary conflicts. I looked around.
“Alright. Let’s go.”
Near Hongseongsan, which is gearing up to head to the Hongseong Sect, merchants from Seomhwa Fortress were boldly setting up their stalls, seizing the opportunity of the day.
Whether climbing up Hongseongsan or not, they were likely targeting the Murim folks who would be watching Hongryeon come down after the ceremony.
Of course, there were even some rogue folks, and figures from the prestigious sects of the Murim.
Seeing these characters munching on skewered meat or lining up for sweet rice cakes was quite fascinating; they could easily be protagonists in Heavenly Bright Moon.
“Isn’t that the alliance leader?!”
“Whoa, is that a Doje?!”
“Is that girl a Moonlight Divine Art user?”
“Unbelievable. How amazing to see so many superhumans in one lifetime!”
The chatter around us grew louder as we made our way up Hongseongsan.
There were quite a few people on the road leading to Hongseong, but with such impressive companions, we didn’t have to worry about getting stuck in a crowd.
Especially since Chaejin was right next to me, crossing her arms and growling at anyone who tried to approach, there was nothing to worry about.
And then.
As we reached the front gate of Hongseong, I smiled upon seeing the woman standing there.
“Busy, are we?”
“Seems so. It’s the first time Hongseong has had this many guests.”
As she organized the invitation letters, Ryuhyun sighed. But having many guests also meant the influence of Hongseong was growing.
Knowing how much the Sword Saint and Hongryeon worked to elevate Hongseong’s name, Ryuhyun could smile happily.
“Sayoon, is it tough?”
“Not at all!”
Sayoon, who was helping Ryuhyun, beamed.
Hmm. Such enthusiasm. Impressive.
“So, you’re a female hero?”
“Um…”
“Namu Amita Bul. I’ve heard a lot about you, lady hero. You hope to become a heroic figure, right?”
“Did you say you wish to become a guest?”
“Yes. I want to live by practicing the teachings of my Master and the Hongseong Sect…”
“Excellent. Then you must embark on a journey to the Murim soon… How about joining the Murim Alliance then?”
“I was already thinking about it. If I go to the Murim, I plan to head straight to the Murim Alliance.”
“Namu Amitabul. That’s wonderful. Then let’s share a cup of tea when that time comes.”
As he politely bowed and presented an invitation, Sayoon was taken aback. Shinsung, smiling at her, caused Doje to frown.
“That monk always tries to act mysterious. He should just reveal who he is from the start.”
“Hahaha… I never expected to meet the Murim Alliance Leader like this.”
“Well… Even so, it wouldn’t hurt to join the Murim Alliance. If you’re a prominent martial artist of the righteous faction, you should know how to use the Murim Alliance. Ryuhyun.”
“Yes.”
“Please help well. She’s your friend, after all.”
“Hehe. Of course! We agreed to go together. Since I’m the senior, I should take good care of her.”
“Hahaha… Thank you.”
We smiled at the friendly pair. Truly harmonious.
“Now, please go on up. It’s about time to start.”
As Ryuhyun checked the time and spoke, we went straight up.
Many people had already entered the Hongseong.
Most of those sent from other sects were female. They seemingly made some effort to adhere to the rules of the men’s zone.
“Did I come here for nothing?”
Perhaps because of that, I felt a bit awkward, and Hyunhwi, guiding the guests, chuckled at me.
“The Innkeeper is not a stranger to our Hongseong, so it’s fine. And I hear you’ve decided to welcome your Master and Senior Sister? Then it’s even more so.”
“Haha. That’s true.”
“Over here, please.”
When we arrived at the dining hall, there were quite a few familiar faces.
There was Yujeong from the Amifa, the Princess from the Cheonhwa Palace, and several connections from the Murim Alliance, including Hongryeon besides the Alliance Leader.
No matter where I looked, it was only those with notable names in the Murim, yet I found myself seated at the most prestigious spot.
The seats for the Murim Alliance Leader, Doje, and Chaejin.
It was a bit daunting, but with my name attached there, I couldn’t very well sit elsewhere.
“Puuh.”
As I let out a low sigh and sat down, the Sword Saint walked out.
The current leader of Hongseong.
Dressed not in the usual attire but in a finely tailored ceremonial outfit, she stepped onto the platform and looked around until our eyes met.
The gentle smile she formed was directed solely at me.
“Oh…”
And then it happened.
A woman in white was coming up onto the platform.
Wearing attire that accentuated her slender figure, the leader of Hongseong walked up lightly but with confidence.
Today.
The leader of Hongseong will change.
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