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“What did you say?”

Il Cheonggeom, upon hearing my response, looked at me with disbelief.

I reveled in that expression and replied,

“I said, I won’t.”

“May I ask why?”

“Why…?”

I pondered; while there were countless reasons to provide, I struggled to select one to share.

The newly formed Great Lord position.

The suggestion of being placed there as its lord.

On the surface, it didn’t sound bad. In fact, it was an astonishing proposal.

To be the Great Lord of the martial alliance was a rank only attainable through immense skill and a solid foundation.

Each region has a branch leader.

They hold power sufficient to oversee their region, yet even those branch leaders cannot exert power over the main branch’s Great Lord.

Remembering that commands regarding branch leaders lie within the Great Lord’s authority, one could grasp the magnitude of that position.

Moreover, to even receive a proposal regarding the Great Lord position, considering the evaluations I would gain in the Central Plains and the benefits from the martial alliance, was undoubtedly impressive.

“That’s all in the past.”

For me now, it was a meaningless endeavor.

Actually, regarding the current state of the martial alliance, I’d argue it holds little value…

“More accurately…”

Thud.

I set my teacup down and lifted the corners of my mouth.

“The part about it being a ‘proposal’ is amusing.”

“Excuse me?”

Il Cheonggeom narrowed his eyes at my words.

It seemed my comment had struck a nerve, but I had no intention of softening my stance.

It was downright laughable.

“It’s not something one brings up as a proposal.”

“What do you mean…?”

Creak.

Leaning back into my chair, I continued speaking to Il Cheonggeom.

“It’s a request you should be asking me.”

“…!”

The moment he processed my words, Il Cheonggeom’s expression crumpled.

“…Great Lord. What does that mean right now?”

“Did I say something indirect? I don’t think so. It’s just as you heard it.”

It was not some ridiculous jab at proposals.

“It would be an understatement to say you should have respectfully requested. Isn’t that what I’m saying?”

“Great Lord—!”

Thump—!

Il Cheonggeom rose violently, causing the table to shake.

Seeing his flushed face, it was evident he was truly enraged.

Ah, this feels great.

I was pleased to see the situation unfold so splendidly.

Suppressing a smile that wanted to break free, I glanced at him and then cast a quick look toward the door.

“More remarkably than your achievements, I’m aware of the kindness you’ve displayed in Hanam.”

As the Qi filled the room,

Il Cheonggeom spoke to me with an intimidating gaze.

“Knowing that, the martial alliance made an unprecedented royal assessment before any thorough investigation. You’ve become extraordinarily arrogant. Do you find the martial alliance amusing?”

“Yes.”

“…What?”

My nonchalant reply seemed to bewilder him further. I found that reaction amusing.

“Then, is it not entertaining?”

“You—!”

“Anyone would think you were offering me something precious. It’s utterly ridiculous.”

As I spat those words, I grabbed the teacup on the table.

And then…

Swoosh.

Tilting it slightly, I let tea spill onto the floor.

An unexpected action, yet I cared not. Il Cheonggeom diverted his gaze momentarily.

In that brief moment, I injected my words.

“Do you think I don’t realize it’s a desperate bid to garner favor since public perception is plummeting?”

“…!”

“Since I’m about to gain a bit of notoriety, perhaps they thought the youngest king would be hailed as a hero for a time, distracting everyone, and then they’d ponder how to resolve the situation… What? You want me, a Great Lord?”

I wore a smirk full of mockery.

In that instant,

“Damn it, you bastards should temper your nonsense!”

Whoosh—!

“…Ugh!”

I unleashed my Qi, suppressing Il Cheonggeom’s energy. It was good up to that point.

Crack—!

‘Ah, this is bad.’

I felt pain shooting from my heart, blood surging upwards.

‘I didn’t accurately assess my internal injuries.’

Engrossed in other matters, I had neglected to check my own condition. This was worse than I anticipated.

If I continued to release my Qi as usual, my Blood Qi might twist out of control.

Thus, I needed to gradually retract the Qi I was emitting.

“Why would the Heavenly King think I’d suddenly accept your glorious offer? Just hand it over to me—what? Thank you very much. I’ll do as you please. Is that how it should be? Don’t joke with me.”

Even while pulling back my Qi, I kept my mouth running.

“Do you think of me as a fool?”

I had to conceal that I was in poor condition.

“And a new Great Lord position? The justification is nice. But listen closely.”

Thud, thud… thud, thud.

I tapped the table four times.

That concluded my thoughts.

“Let’s be honest. That situation could only unfold if I were involved.”

“…!!”

“But you describe it as a proposal? One ought to respectfully and kindly request. Is that not true?”

As if struck with the truth, Il Cheonggeom’s expression fell apart.

That was enough.

“Am I correct?”

“…You bastard.”

I nodded at Il Cheonggeom’s reaction.

“Your words are short, uncle. Shall we keep it brief together? That would make it easier for me.”

“…Crackle!!”

His face suggested he wanted to draw his sword immediately.

Honestly, if Il Cheonggeom drew his sword now, it would be a bit dangerous.

If he aimed to kill me, it would be possible. But otherwise, it would just hurt me.

However, I had no concern about that.

The protagonist was about to make an entrance anyway.

“Indeed… we may need to see blood—!”

“Cheongryong Great Lord.”

He froze.

At the sudden voice, Il Cheonggeom’s body came to an abrupt halt.

A rather frail voice echoed from outside the door. I didn’t bother to think about who it was.

With the alliance in this state, there was one person who would definitely be called.

“Cough.”

A cough was heard, and at that moment,

Creak—!

The door opened as someone entered.

The first sight was an elder with a colossal physique.

No, it wasn’t that he merely had a large frame. It was more accurate to say his presence was grand.

‘Geomje.’

In Hanam, to be precise, he was a top figure among the Ten Masters guarding the martial alliance.

Rumor had it that he hadn’t ascended to the Three Eminent Beings just to protect the alliance, which was spoken of lightly.

So, was that elder calling for Il Cheonggeom?

That wasn’t correct either.

Geomje entered first, followed by another elder.

This new elder was small in stature, covering his mouth with cloth as he entered.

In essence, he had an aura similar to Shin Yi.

That was the person I had been waiting for.

“Please stop there.”

The weary-looking elder addressed Il Cheonggeom, whose face contorted.

“However, elder…! The Heavenly King disrespected the martial alliance. Are you saying I should sit idly by after hearing his words?”

Il Cheonggeom, clearly incensed by his admiration for the alliance, pleaded, but…

“There is no error in his words.”

“…Elder!”

“I gave the Great Lord a harsh task, and I apologize, but for the remaining matters, he will converse with the Heavenly King. Please leave for a moment.”

“…Ugh.”

“I kindly ask this of you.”

Upon hearing the elder’s request, Il Cheonggeom finally blushed with indignation and exited.

Even as he left, he maintained the utmost respect for the elder.

That speaks volumes about how highly regarded he was within the alliance.

That was a statement of the truth.

‘To survive now, that elder will be necessary.’

The martial alliance was deeply cracked at present.

The one to patch it up, to my knowledge, was that elder alone.

The moment Il Cheonggeom left,

The elder approached the seat he had vacated and turned to me, asking,

“May I sit?”

A cautious inquiry.

Upon hearing it, I nodded.

“Of course. The seat belongs to me now that you’ve allowed it.”

“Thank you for the consideration.”

Grateful for the permission, the elder sat down.

From that moment on, I straightened my posture.

This was where it truly began.

“Pleasure to meet you, Heavenly King.”

The air felt heavy.

It was not due to his energy. That elder lacked the strength to emit such a presence.

It was the intimidation originating from his presence.

A feeling akin to when Shin Yi wielded wisdom, or when Lady Mi was upset with my father.

To put it another way, that elder had evidently attained a significant status in his own field.

As evidence,

“You seem to know who I am, so I doubt an introduction is necessary.”

One thing was already out in the open.

“Well then. Yet, it’s best if we still introduce ourselves since it’s our first meeting.”

“If you wish for it… that’s fine too. Mutual introductions are indeed a good thing.”

The elder nodded shortly as if he understood.

“This old man’s name is Muk Yeon.”

As I listened to that introduction, I pondered.

“Unlike my appearance, I hold the position of strategist in the martial alliance.”

How would I rid myself of that elder?

That was the question at hand.

Muk Yeon.

I knew he was over eighty and not a product of any clan or sect.

A so-called independent.

In the alliance, that wasn’t particularly unusual.

In fact, the lowest ranks of the alliance often had indies over those from prestigious houses or well-known families.

However,

‘That elder is exceptional and uniquely different.’

Muk Yeon was one of a kind.

Despite being an independent, he had risen to the upper echelon of the martial alliance.

What’s more, he neither possessed martial arts nor had a robust physique; yet, he once held the third highest position in the history of the martial alliance.

That was when the Sword Sovereign concurrently held the position of leader.

Back then, while Woo Bongchwiga acted as the mouth and ear of the Sword Sovereign, and Cheonan his eyes, the elder who was in charge of brain work was this Muk Yeon.

A genius who never forgets a sight once seen, capable of evaluating strengths in a heartbeat.

Zhimugwiin (知墨晷人) Muk Yeon.

That was the name of the most esteemed strategist in the alliance’s history.

And that strategist was right before my eyes.

More accurately,

‘At least not at present.’

It would be more accurate to call him the (former) strategist.

After the Sword Sovereign stepped down from leadership, a few years later, Zhimugwiin also retired and left the alliance, I had heard.

Decades had passed since then.

In that long stretch of time, he hadn’t shown up; how could Zhimugwiin possibly appear in the alliance now?

That should be a strange matter, but it wasn’t all that shocking.

‘…It was the same in my previous life.’

After the Heavenly Demon revealed his presence foreseeing the Blood Calamity.

At that time, Muk Yeon had also reemerged. Despite being an old man, he offered to lend a hand and swiftly joined the alliance… but…

‘In the end, he died.’

Zhimugwiin was killed shortly thereafter.

Why?

‘Because Cheon Yul-Rang was the first to deal with him.’

Called the brain of the Demonic Sect, Cheon Yul-Rang set out to eliminate Muk Yeon using all forces at his disposal.

With three months of strategic warfare, he ultimately succeeded in slaying Muk Yeon.

Had I mentioned that Cheon Yul-Rang managed to escape while slaughtering three peak martial artists?

That feat was accomplished thanks to that old man.

That underscored just how formidable his strategic mind was.

“Gu Yangcheong.”

Hearing such an introduction from him, I pushed myself to introduce as well.

“It’s an honor to meet the hero of Hanam.”

Muk Yeon smiled as he acknowledged my introduction, and I returned that smile in kind.

“I’m nervous meeting the man once dubbed the brain of the martial alliance.”

“Haha, that’s all in the past… merely the glory of days gone by.”

“Glory from the past…”

I mulled over Muk Yeon’s words and then remarked,

“For that kind of glory, you don’t seem unhealthy at all considering the situation you’ve found yourself in.”

In response to my words, not a flicker of emotion appeared on his face. He merely intensified his smile slightly.

“May I ask why you feel that way?”

Ah, this won’t do. Just a few meaningless exchanges of dialogue were enough for me to be assured.

This elder,

‘I really can’t stand him.’

He was precisely the sort of person I found most distasteful.

If possible, I wished to eliminate him on the spot.

“Initially, the moment you revealed your intention to yield the seat of power was when I felt something was off.”

I barely managed to suppress my internal tensions and continued explaining to the elder.

“This… is excessively pressing to the point that it starts to seem desperate. I thought maybe I’d overlook that.”

Thud, thud.

I tapped the table twice.

“Yet, to think the Blue Dragon would come to retrieve me? That stirred up some concern.”

“What is the reason?”

“It’s simply a matter of reasoning.”

It wasn’t an extraordinary reason by any stretch.

If anything, it could be summarized as follows.

“Although the alliance appears vast, it’s a constricted space, prone to rapid circulation of information.”

“That’s correct.”

“But, do you believe the martial alliance would be so incompetent or busy that they’d genuinely not know?”

To present my core argument, I raised my eyes.

“Il Cheonggeom and I had a minor conflict. In this delicate situation, not only did you bring me together with Il Cheonggeom, you even served me up on a platter as an excuse for investigation…? Doesn’t that strike you as odd?”

Even if I considered the minor conflict merely small sideshow, it was known, at least to a few in the alliance.

Yet, could they possibly arrange such weighty talk, conveniently setting us against each other?

That made no sense whatsoever.

Were they really foolish enough to ignite a situation like this without any foreknowledge of the circumstances?

Without some sort of underlying motive, I couldn’t begin to fathom the rationale behind such chaotic arrangements.

There were likely only two possible explanations for creating a mess like this.

“Either to provoke intentionally or to… create some scenario.”

“Hmm.”

“Then another question arises, right? If provocation wouldn’t serve any purpose, assuming there was an objective then—what situation were they eager to create?”

Unraveling the intricately tangled dealings before me,

I uncovered a pivotal issue.

“I find it more likely you’re using Il Cheonggeom to test the waters. But why?”

By now it might have shifted from certainty to speculation. I didn’t care.

For the moment, presenting it as certainty held paramount importance.

Unless I dropped that act entirely.

“You likely don’t know much about me. How I’ll react. How I’ll respond to most scenarios. Those would be things you might seek to understand. A provocation yielding the most vivid reaction could yield the clearest insight.”

“Is it your suggestion that this old man carefully gauged his own value to witness your response?”

“Not quite. The essence of your motive might align with that, yet it’s far deeper.”

If the purpose was to test me for a response, that was partially true, but…

What mattered more was that…

“When I was conversing with the Great Lord, you were standing outside the door.”

“That’s correct.”

“From what I gather, you haven’t devoted much to martial arts.”

“Indeed. I only practiced a bit for self-defense purposes.”

“Yet an elder who has been active in the alliance for decades wouldn’t anticipate me detecting your presence just outside.”

“…”

Muk Yeon, initially speaking, fell silent.

I noticed a slight change in his gaze.

“You likely knew that all along. Yet, you waited outside. While Geomje hid your presence with his energy… you wouldn’t have expected that I might perceive it given what I know of my own capabilities.”

“…Mmm.”

“Yet you chose to remain stationed outside deliberately.”

Thud.

I tapped the table with a single finger.

“It must be that you wanted to comprehend the nuances of my character, the state of my body, my sentiments towards the alliance, and how exactly I stand as a person.”

Your presence just outside, testing if I could perceive the stimuli. That reflects the inquiry you had on hand.

Half of it—nay, most of it was rhetorical.

To assume Muk Yeon summoned me solely for that reasoning would have been outrageous.

This was purely a result of the experience from my previous life, and the beliefs it fostered regarding his arrival.

The Blue Dragon arriving to fetch me?

Despite the absurdity of the situation, I could understand if it pertained solely to the mission.

Il Cheonggeom attempting to propose or interrogate?

Although we had our differences, I could reconcile that.

However, if I placed Muk Yeon, the elder, in the context of this situation, it took on a different light.

He had quite purposefully woven a web of circumstances.

Having laid that out, I said,

“Haha.”

Muk Yeon’s silence broke as he began laughing.

The deepening of his smile was conspicuous.

Once that laughter subsided,

“Cough!”

He quickly covered his mouth with the cloth again, appearing as if he were indeed suffering.

Yet, even so, his laughter wouldn’t cease.

Then a moment later,

“Goodness, Heavenly King.”

Muk Yeon addressed me.

“Yes.”

“Would you, perhaps, consider taking this old man’s place here?”

What a ridiculous joke. But I genuinely replied to that jest.

“I appreciate the sentiment, but I’m no brilliant mind like you, so I find it much more comfortable to engage in physical work.”

Reactively, the elder tilted his head in confusion.

“Hmm… Hmm? Hmm. Is that so?”

Ignoring Muk Yeon’s reaction, I seized my chance to press on and ask,

“Then elder, what business do you have for meeting me this way?”

If Muk Yeon sought me out, there must surely be a reason for it.

I inquired, eager to learn his intentions.

“First and foremost, I sought to meet the Heavenly King, and that was indeed my aim. I owe you an apology for that.”

Surprisingly, Muk Yeon acknowledged that it was indeed his goal.

To see him easily concede that made me chuckle.

‘Well, I guessed at least a fraction… or even less, just shot in the dark and it landed.’

It seems I was on the money.

Feeling content with that, I lightly nodded, but the elder continued,

“However, I certainly hadn’t planned to meet you directly…but this turned out even better. After all, asking questions is best done by looking into the other person’s eyes, wouldn’t you agree? Therefore, I’d like to ask what I must.”

“That’s right. So, what do you wish to ask—”

“What is your relationship with the Heavenly Demon?”

“…”

At once, I found it hard to breathe.

 

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