Chapter 314. The First Apology I Ever Made.

I may be the only person in the jianghu who could receive praise from the Alliance Leader and not feel happy about it.

A singular, one-of-a-kind existence in every sense—that is me.

After the meeting ended, I, having become an outstanding martial artist, strode out of the Alliance Leader’s Hall with confidence.

To be honest, I know full well that Gongsun Yue is beautiful, since I do have eyes. However, Gongsun Yue is a woman who will become the chief strategist of the Murim Alliance, assisting Im Sobaek, while I am a martial artist who is not yet complete and, on top of that, I am dragging Haomun along with me.

I believe there is a proper time to meet a woman, and now is not it. Then why, in my past life, did I live so alone, lonely, and desolate?

If I knew that, would I have lived alone?

I do not really know either.

Sometimes, even when you know, it is better not to know.

On my way to Wolhagwan, a scrawny Alliance member called to me in a cautious tone.

“Sect Leader.”

I looked at the young Alliance member. Since the lights were bright, I could see his face fairly well, but I could not recall who he was. In any case, he was an Alliance member, so I nodded and answered.

“What is it?”

Why does this guy look like that?

Several emotions crossed his face, and unexpectedly, there was even a glimpse of overwhelming feeling. Only then did I feel that I had seen those eyes before.

“Hm. You, don’t tell me.”

It was not a cold day, yet goosebumps suddenly rose on my forearms.

The Alliance member smiled and asked.

“Do you remember who I am?”

I nodded.

“I do.”

When I suddenly turned my head and looked behind the Alliance member, three or four people were waiting for our reunion to finish.

I said to the subordinate who was smiling with a face burnt dark by the sun.

“You have lost so much weight that I did not recognize you right away.”

“Yes.”

I said with a smile.

“You look good. Zhang Shan.”

“You remember me.”

Before my eyes, Zhang Shan, the young bandit who had once belonged to the Southern Peak Green Forest Alliance, was looking at me.

To be honest, I had memorized the names of the bandits who survived back then once, but the only name I still remembered now was Zhang Shan’s.

How could I possibly know, one by one, the fate of all the people I had taken in? I had brought him to the Black Cat Gang, but since I had not gone there often in the meantime, I had no way of knowing what had happened to Zhang Shan.

“How did you end up here?”

Zhang Shan answered.

“While training at the Black Cat Gang, I said I wanted to enter the Murim Alliance.”

“And?”

“Gang Leader So Gunpyeong supported me in every way, both materially and otherwise, and somehow I managed to get in.”

“I see. You passed all the entrance tests as well?”

“The tests are extremely long. I had the experience of being worked to the bone every single day at the Black Cat Gang before that, so I held out well. And for identity guarantee, I suppose you could call it, Gang Leader So wrote a letter saying that I belonged to Haomun, so I also received your help, Sect Leader.”

Only then did I look Zhang Shan up and down, who had changed beyond recognition. Because of his training, he looked entirely different from when he had been a bandit.

“The Murim Alliance is a hard place. Do you have no regrets?”

Zhang Shan answered while giving me a cupped-fist salute.

“No, I have no regrets. Allow me to greet you formally. Zhang Shan of the Nine Swords Unit greets the Sect Leader of Haomun.”

I returned the greeting and nodded.

“Good. Martial Artist Zhang, let us meet again. Stay healthy.”

Since the Alliance members were waiting behind him, it was only right to let him go quickly. It must have been difficult for him to act on his own, but it seemed he had asked his seniors for permission to come find me.

Zhang Shan answered with a smile.

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

I stared quietly as Zhang Shan returned to the swordsmen of his unit. It suddenly occurred to me again that I had not wiped out all the bandits of the Southern Peak Green Forest Alliance. In my past life, they were probably bastards who would have all had their limbs cut off and died at the hands of Alliance Leader Im Sobaek, so it was only natural that I felt strange.

Zhang Shan turned back with the Alliance members and silently paid his respects to me again. Since I dislike the greetings of the jianghu, I merely waved my hand a few times.

When I was heading to Wolhagwan again.

Perhaps because I had reunited with Zhang Shan, Nosin, the disciple of the Beggars’ Sect Leader, also came to mind. Judging by Im Sobaek’s personality, if Nosin had been doing well, he would have said a few words to me. Since he had said nothing, I had a hunch that unlike Zhang Shan, Nosin was not doing well.

In truth, it would be absurd for Im Sobaek to make important use of someone who had tried to betray his master.

I did not go looking for Nosin.

Because of Zhang Shan, I was swept up in an inexplicable emotion and wanted to go to an inn for a drink, but since I was staying in the Murim Alliance, I simply entered Wolhagwan. Just in case, I went to the dining area, and perhaps because it was a place for entertaining honored guests, it seemed one could have a late dinner or drink there as well.

I asked for a simple dish to go with the liquor and some wine, then sat alone at a table and rested.

A little while later, as I drank with dried snacks, I celebrated Zhang Shan’s entry into the Alliance by myself.

I poured a cup as well for the foolish bastards who had died by my hand back then and had not received the chance at a new life like Zhang Shan, and I drank it in their place.

I also drank a cup on behalf of the bastards who had died by my hand before, and the bastards who would die by my hand in the future.

Just as I thought the drunkenness was rising, the interior of Wolhagwan was briefly dyed purple before vanishing at once.

It seems I mastered the Divine Art of Drawing Qi without even realizing it.

I got drunk quickly today of all days.

I do not know when it happened, but after crawling back to my room and lying down in the bedding, I closed my eyes. When I opened them to the sound of commotion, the day had already grown bright.

It was so absurd that I wondered if I had truly slept at all.

When I opened the window and looked out, it was not morning but broad daylight. I gained a piece of life wisdom: if I ever feel a little short on sleep while living, I should come to the Murim Alliance and sleep. Thanks to the airtight security meant to protect the august Alliance Leader, deep sleep comes naturally.

By the way, did I really sleep only one night?

There were far too many people gathered in front of Wolhagwan. Since I had just woken up and found everything bothersome, I simply kept watching. As I observed, more people were leaving Wolhagwan. Amid the confusion, I heard this conversation.

“Who did you say came?”

“The Nangong Sword Emperor, the Ximen Martial Emperor, those belonging to the Five Tigers and the Six Dragons, and even spectators. They say a woman counted among the One Phoenix and Two Immortals has come as well.”

Was it because they could watch a sparring match involving the Alliance Leader or the Emperors?

I listened to the sound coming from the room next door. Was it just my imagination? The moment the words One Phoenix and Two Immortals were heard, the Lecher moved and opened his door.

“……”

Only then did I wake up a little.

I understood why they had all come at once. The later-generation talents among the Six Dragons or the One Phoenix and Two Immortals also belonged to the Nangong Clan or the Ximen Clan. They were people vying to stand at the forefront of prestigious martial families, and while rumors were rife that one of them would produce the next Alliance Leader, they were all suppressed by Im Sobaek’s might, so even up to the point in time I knew, the Alliance Leader had never changed.

Of course, since I knew from my past life that these Emperors had challenged the Alliance Leader, there was a high chance that day was today.

‘Now that I think about it, playing the role of Alliance Leader sure is exhausting.’

Such is the way of the world.

To remain at the top, one had to keep proving oneself. Moreover, Im Sobaek was not quite at the level of “the greatest under heaven” like the Samjae, so the Emperors likely had a tendency to look down on him.

In any case, the purpose of this visit was to annoy the Emperors, so I washed my face as well and prepared to head out to the dueling platform.

I was also curious, since I had never seen the Sword Emperor or the Martial Emperor.

I was curious about the younger days of the One Peak and Two Immortals as well, aside from Wi Soseon. I left Wolhagwan and headed for the dueling platform.

Perhaps the alliance members had prepared things in advance last night, because chairs had been placed around the dueling platform, and unlit torches were fixed here and there to posts.

There were not all that many spectators.

As I stood beside the Lust Demon and looked around, the Ghost Demon and Sword Demon were already sitting in chairs, staring at the empty dueling platform.

Only then did I notice the two men who were doing particularly nothing. The Sword Emperor of the Nangong Family and the Martial Emperor of the Ximen Family were seated side by side in what looked like seats of honor, while everyone else stood waiting like attendants.

I wondered why they looked so ill-tempered, and then realized they seemed older than Im Sobaek.

With my hands clasped behind my back, I climbed onto the dueling platform and made a broad circuit around it.

If I strolled around this leisurely and confidently, they would not be able to tell whether I was the Hao Sect Master or an officer of the Murim Alliance.

I walked along the edge of the empty dueling platform and slowly looked over the faces of those who had gathered. I could not rule out the possibility that someone had slipped in with impure intentions.

Suddenly, my eyes met the Lust Demon’s, and he frowned as he opened his mouth.

“……What are you doing?”

I brought a finger to my lips.

“Shh.”

They should have put name tags on everyone so I could tell who was who, but there were quite a few people mixed in whose identities I could not make out at all. As I circled the platform, I stared for a moment at a man who was particularly conspicuous for lightly covering his face with a white fan.

He was exchanging whispers with the person beside him, but I could not hear what they were saying.

Since I had nothing in particular to do, I stopped and waited until the man lowered his fan.

As I stood on the dueling platform and kept watching one man, people’s gazes fixed on me, then interest gathered around just who it was I was glaring at. In the end, the gazes of the crowd followed my eyes and gathered on the man holding the fan.

‘Let’s see how long you keep hiding your face with that fan.’

When I did not move, the fan suddenly folded with a snap, and the man, his eyes filled with killing intent, glared at me.

“…….”

It was the first time I had seen this bastard look so flustered. The White-Robed Scholar, practically stunned out of his wits, was staring at me.

This bastard was someone who would later enter the Murim Alliance, so he likely had not come here today for assassination or a duel.

Rather than me being surprised, it was the White-Robed Scholar who was surprised.

There are times when you can read emotions just from someone’s eyes, and this was one of those times.

‘Why are you here?’

I spoke briefly to the White-Robed Scholar.

“……You came?”

The White-Robed Scholar tried to choose his answer, but in the end merely nodded once. I looked over the people with him and guessed that the one beside him was likely an expert belonging to the Five Tigers. In any case, since the Heavenly Evil Scholar was not there, it was fortunate in its own way.

Without saying anything more to the White-Robed Scholar, I resumed walking across the dueling platform. The White-Robed Scholar’s face was turning bright red, but I did not bother speaking to him.

In that case, I needed to rearrange the order of events and time again.

In other words, it seemed the White-Robed Scholar would personally witness Im Sobaek’s Yukjeon Great Sword in today’s duel. After that, he would probably look into a way to enter the Murim Alliance while hiding his identity. In truth, rather than hiding his identity, he likely already had several identities.

I simply left the White-Robed Scholar alone.

Only now was I passing the place where the Ximen Family and Nangong Family had gathered, when someone asked me,

“Who are you, to wander around the dueling platform like that?”

The man who asked was neither the Sword Emperor nor the Martial Emperor, so I answered roughly.

“I am checking to see whether any masters of the wicked or heretical paths are present.”

Was the answer fairly appropriate? The man who had asked the question said nothing further. At that moment, from behind the Ximen Martial Emperor, the young family head I had seen before at the Hengshan branch whispered something. Then the Ximen Martial Emperor said to me,

“Hao Sect Master, stop making a fuss on the dueling platform and come down.”

I bowed my head slightly toward the Ximen Martial Emperor.

“Yes, Senior.”

When I suddenly turned my head, I saw the Army Sword King, Saber King, Fist King, and their group approaching together from the direction of Wolhagwan. Since everyone’s eyes turned that way, no one said anything to me. I kept walking around the dueling platform as before and examined the audience in detail. This time, regardless of whether the Army Sword King’s group was approaching or not, there was a man glaring at me as though he wanted to kill me.

“…….”

I thought that bastard was looking at me quite savagely, but I was not afraid. Judging from the way they were gathered as a group, this side was also a murim family.

I offered a greeting to the family head, who looked somewhat older than me.

“……This is our first meeting. Do you have a grudge against me?”

The man rose from his seat and answered while looking straight at me.

“I am Sima Yun, head of the Sima Family.”

The gazes that had been fixed on the Sword King’s group all returned to me at once. I looked steadily at Sima Yun, then showed courtesy first.

So he seemed to be the son or successor of Sima Hak, whom I had gravely injured at the Hengshan branch. If he was Sima Hak’s son, then he had every right to look at me like this. He must be seething with rage.

I spoke in an even tone.

“Family Head Sima, you have come.”

I did not particularly feel like making excuses about the duel.

Sima Yun said to me,

“I do not know why you are here.”

If things went wrong, I might end up gravely injuring both father and son, so I did not provoke Sima Yun.

“That is how it came to be. If the duel left you troubled, then I will apologize.”

After I said it, I was quite surprised inwardly. Since when had I become such a polite person? Perhaps time truly was medicine, because I, too, was slowly undergoing change.

Sima Yun said,

“The previous family head has been unable to recover his original martial arts since then. Was that a duel of the righteous path? From what I heard, it was not.”

Standing on the dueling platform, I was harshly scolded by Family Head Sima Yun. I did not particularly find it frightening. But because I understood Sima Yun’s feelings, enduring it was not very difficult either.

“……Rather than a duel of the righteous path, it was a duel mixed with emotion. I went too far, so I apologize to you, Family Head, and to everyone of the Sima Family.”

I quietly stared at Sima Yun’s angry face, and for some reason, it overlapped with the old image of Jang San I had seen last night.

There was likely no particular connection, but what lies in one’s heart is not always something that can be clearly understood.

Moreover, Sima Yun’s martial strength seemed weaker than even the previous family head, Sima Hak, so if he were to engage in a revenge duel with me here, the Sima Family’s reputation would fall to the ground.

Sima Yun seemed to barely suppress his anger before sitting back down.

Surprisingly, Sima Yun said this to me.

“……I know that my current skill is inferior to yours, Sect Master. I will train rigorously, and later, I will formally request a duel with you.”

I nodded and accepted Sima Yun’s request.

“Let us do that. I will wait.”

Strangely, a deep breath escaped from within me. When I looked around anew, all the experts of the Orthodox Path were staring at us.

Only then did I have no choice but to step down from the martial arena. In the end, without acknowledging the White-Robed Scholar again, I returned to where the Four Great Villains were and quietly sat down.

The Murim Alliance Leader would be arriving soon.