---

Chapter 7: The Tension of Terms

Swoosh.

The words I blurted out chilled the atmosphere around me.

Especially the reaction of the elder in front of me, Muk Yeon, was quite unsettling.

“Are you talking about conditions?”

His gaze spoke volumes.

It seemed to say, “Does that even make sense?”

I chuckled softly in response to his piercing look.

“Yes.”

Exactly right.

I confirmed that what he heard was indeed true.

This made Muk Yeon narrow his eyes even further.

“Lord Star King.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Is it possible that there’s something about the conditions that didn’t sit well with you?”

The conditions offered in exchange for coming as the Great Lord were quite specific.

Was there something in them that he found displeasing? Muk Yeon wondered.

“No, the conditions were perfectly acceptable.”

How could they possibly be anything but favorable?

The terms put forth by the Martial Alliance were astonishingly advantageous.

I recalled the letter Muk Yeon handed to me yesterday.

The first condition.

-Although affiliated with the Martial Alliance, one can act autonomously without restrictions, exempting commands from the alliance leader.

It was a startlingly bold proposition from the start.

The Sword Team within the Martial Alliance.

Among them, the eight Sword Teams were like the pillars of the alliance.

While they were high-ranking members, they were ultimately still bound to follow orders.

There were five leaders within the alliance.

Aside from the leader and Muk Yeon, who was positioned among the elders, these were the governing figures of the alliance.

Normally, Sword Team Members would be compelled to follow their orders.

However, being able to act autonomously without compliance meant.

“Essentially giving me the authority to ignore them.”

Regardless of what they said, I would be able to decide my own course of action.

Then came the second condition.

-During the contract period as the Great Lord, the Mount Shan Clan is exempt from any sponsorship fees and transaction contracts paid to the Righteous Faction.

Honestly, this part was of little practical use to me.

The mandatory sponsorship fees imposed by the Righteous Faction were calculated based on the size of the clan.

Considering the Gu Clan is a prestigious family, they would undoubtedly be paying a hefty amount.

Furthermore, there were additional transactions carried out under the alliance’s name to skim some funds.

Exempting the Gu Clan from these extortionate fees was beneficial for them.

In the eyes of the clan leader, it was a great advantage, but.

“In the end, it just means they won’t be pulling any tricks while I act as the Great Lord.”

This part didn’t resonate much with me.

Next was the third condition.

-While acting as the Great Lord, one is granted command over a branch, excluding the Blue Dragon Team.

This might be the most appealing aspect.

As the Great Lord of the main sect, I would gain authority over another regional branch, and in addition to that.

“Command over another Sword Team.”

I would gain the ability to command one of the remaining eight Sword Teams, excluding the Blue Dragon Team.

This was undoubtedly a significant advantage.

Just becoming the Great Lord would remove the financial burdens owed to the alliance, and aside from the leader, I’d be free from commands while also gaining authority over a Sword Team.

There were many factors to weigh like the contract duration and monetary compensation, but reassessing told me these terms were remarkably generous.

Becoming the Great Lord would grant me all of this.

It wasn’t a deal where I’d come out on the losing end.

They must have realized I knew this, which explained Muk Yeon’s reaction when I sought to add more conditions.

I understood.

If I had been on his side, considering such a good arrangement and then asking for more would seem a bit brazen.

But still.

“What will you do if I don’t?”

While it’s unfortunate for the alliance, I had a firm grasp of my own worth.

As the Divine Sword was just beginning to be called the So Sword Sect in my previous life.

I had some knowledge about the conditions she got upon being affiliated with the alliance.

Hearing them left me dumbfounded.

“I was far too ignorant of the world back then.”

At that time, the So Sword Sect didn’t care about such trivialities.

Regardless of the terms, they were desperate to join the alliance to save people, which allowed the alliance to easily recruit them under ridiculous conditions.

How was I different from the So Sword Sect back then?

While it was hard to compare with the So Sword Sect showing off during the war, my current standing was undoubtedly several times higher.

Knowing this, I couldn’t help but think.

“I deserve terms a hundred times better than they received.”

At the very least, a hundred times.

Even if it means uprooting one of the pillars of the Martial Alliance.

Muk Yeon seemed to realize my intent as his expression darkened.

“Elder.”

But what of it?

“If you dislike it, you may stop. I’ll be fine without it.”

“…”

That took some audacity. It was a clear threat. If he had a problem, I was prepared to walk away.

Even though this could lead to a rift with the alliance and possibly bring about further troubles.

I knew it all too well, but as I mentioned earlier.

“Is there a better option available?”

They must also understand that utilizing me was the best possible solution.

The issue was that they didn’t realize I was fully aware of that fact.

“Your conditions are truly remarkable. It’s rare to receive such bold terms for the position of Great Lord, isn’t it?”

“Indeed. However, are you truly suggesting additional terms, knowing this?”

“Yes. While it’s uncommon, it simply doesn’t meet my standards.”

“…”

“If you disapprove, feel free to say so.”

I said with a bright smile.

After I finished speaking, Muk Yeon continued to glare at me, his expression clouded.

His eyes were directed towards me, yet I could tell he was intensely calculating. A few seconds passed.

“Lord Star King.”

“Yes?”

“The conditions I presented you with also contained significant opposition, and this old man put forth considerable effort to obtain them.”

I could decipher the subtle meaning within his polite wording.

“In other words, consider this an invitation to acquiesce.”

It seemed to be roughly that kind of sentiment.

“Hm.”

Is this how it’s going to be? Just as I pondered this, I reflected his tactics back at him.

“Indeed. You must have faced great hardships.”

-That’s not my problem. Try saying something else.

“If the terms don’t meet your satisfaction… I can explore possible adjustments. How does that sound?”

-That’s impossible. I’d rather offer you what you desire.

“Haha. Thanks for the offer, but what I want isn’t an adjustment.”

-Don’t waste my time with trivialities.

“…”

“…”

We volleyed veiled meanings back and forth numerous times.

The conversation wasn’t advancing at all. If things continued like this, I feared an end would not be in sight.

Recognizing this, I decided to take action.

Creak.

I pulled my chair back, preparing to stand.

“It seems we may not be able to proceed further with the discussion.”

I wasn’t inclined to prolong the game.

We were simply back to square one.

“Thank you for the good offer. I hope to meet again under better circumstances.”

If you don’t like it, then don’t. My stance remained unchanged, and sensing that our conversation could endlessly circle, I turned my back without hesitation.

As I stepped away and reached for the doorknob.

“…Understood.”

I paused momentarily.

At Muk Yeon’s words, I slightly turned my head.

“…May I at least hear your statement first?”

The elder seemed to cradle his head as if it were throbbing.

Upon seeing him, I couldn’t help but smirk.

“Of course. I can speak freely to my heart’s content.”

I had won.

Swoosh.

I penned a line upon the letter.

After I finished, I handed the letter to Muk Yeon, who sat across from me.

“I’ve written it all down.”

In terms of pages, it equated to three letters.

On those letters, I had penned my name.

Though it was called a contract, it was merely verbal for the time being.

To formalize it, I would need to have discussions with the clan, but for now, I inscribed only my intent.

I could persuade my family later.

“Though there are many factors affecting the timing, I believe it’s likely.”

The contract for being Great Lord was for five years.

Whether I would re-sign after that depended on how things were then, but.

“Five years? No way.”

I hadn’t intended to uphold the entire duration from the start.

Just within a year, I’d achieve everything I sought.

“A year is sufficient.”

I would manage to gain everything I needed within that time.

Any longer would be excessive.

In fact, attempting to stretch beyond that would be a problem.

Because it wasn’t just about the clan; ‘time’ itself was critical for me.

“With that said, I’d like to thank you for your support moving forward.”

After handing over the letter, I truly turned to leave this time.

There was no longer any reason for me to stay, and nobody would stop me even if I tried.

Thud-!

With that, the door closed firmly behind me.

“…Hmmm…”

Muk Yeon exhaled the breath he’d been holding.

His head was throbbing as he pressed his brows together and struggled to suppress a cough.

After taking a brief moment to gather himself, Muk Yeon remarked.

“…Ha ha…”

Finally, he chuckled, seemingly resigned.

“What an impressive child you are…”

It had been quite some time since he had to exert such mental energy in a conversation.

Perhaps it was one of the few times since his retirement.

He recalled the intense discussion with a sip of tea to quench his thirst.

“It’s not easy, is it?”

It was truly challenging.

If circumstances had been normal, this wouldn’t have been so difficult, but the situation and the other party were both unfavorable.

The one he needed to capture was fully aware of his own worth.

The more they talked, the more the truth became clear.

“No matter what I say, you lot need to oblige.”

Their responses rang with such certainty.

Of course, it wasn’t an easy task despite that unwavering certainty.

“…You handled it far too calmly.”

Rather than feeling burdened, it seemed he was enjoying the play.

Even while continuing the dialogue, he exhibited no intention of relinquishing control, not budging even an inch.

“Perhaps they realized I might take a misstep and be compelled to concede.”

At the point where I was cornered, they remained fully attentive to keep the conversation going.

In other words…

“Hmmm.”

It was a situation where I felt utterly cornered.

“How disappointing.”

Muk Yeon had no offspring.

Even if he had a grandchild, they would be older than the Lord Star King by quite a stretch.

While he felt a sense of having been completely outmatched by a mere child, he found no displeasure in it.

How many would manage to steal the spotlight from him, engaging in a dialogue without caving?

Across the Central Plains, Muk Yeon could recall precisely three individuals who had done so.

One was the Sword Sovereign from his youth, another was the male Shin Yi, and finally, the first leader of the Baekhwa Sect.

And now, another name joined that list, albeit perhaps not with the fondest of memories.

“…I never thought someone could extract that much.”

He felt utterly stripped bare. Most of the conditions presented were simply outlandish.

Yet, he had to concede to two of them while having to amend one of the original terms.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to secure that individual at all.

“Hmmm…”

Was this the right path to take?

His thoughts deepened.

It had been about seven days since he returned as a temporary adviser.

During that time, he had been bombarded with numerous tasks.

To be precise, one could say the original tasks should have been significantly fewer, a reality he had inflated.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to endure it.

A chaotic mess.

That’s exactly what the current alliance represented.

After the Sword Sovereign departed, he left an empty chair behind. What had transpired while he was away?

Had he known it would become this disastrous, he would never have vacated his seat.

The weight of regret was heavy.

Therefore, it was crucial to procure the Lord Star King, considering the circumstances.

If the conditions were this lax, the other Great Lords would likely protest, and bringing him into the fold was a tall order.

Indeed, it would have been more fitting to use the title of Great Lord as a form of leverage rather than include him outright.

“I’m indeed getting old.”

Muk Yeon accepted his mistake.

This was a decision lacking in rationality and dictated by stubbornness.

An instinctive choice motivated by a sense of urgency to secure the individual he felt should be obtained.

Despite having met him only twice, how could he have such confidence?

Without hesitation, the solution popped into Muk Yeon’s mind.

“It’s because I lack information.”

Not due to ignorance, but rather because he had not grasped who the Lord Star King was.

While one could never understand a person fully after just two encounters, it would take far less than that to deduce their true nature.

Muk Yeon’s insights had always been sharp, and that hadn’t changed up to now.

The Sword Sovereign would have called him the Bear Eye for that remarkable perception.

Yet, this time, surprisingly.

“I can’t see the Lord Star King.”

It was impossible to gain complete insight into him—his character, traits, or convictions—all remained shrouded.

Everything felt heavy and obscured.

Or perhaps…

“Was there so much concealed that I couldn’t see his true essence?”

Whatever it was, it was clear something was awry.

That’s why it became even more concerning.

“If that child weren’t a Martial Artist…”

Had he been entirely uninformed, Muk Yeon would have wanted to guide him and teach him many things.

Like a raging bull, he concealed a serpentine disposition under his bulk.

At times, he seemed poised to strike, ready to rend its prey.

Though it was hard to believe he hadn’t yet matured fully, he exhibited levels of skill that felt oddly seasoned.

“What could the heavens possibly want with someone like him, granting me so much talent?”

Muk Yeon had never focused on martial arts, so he didn’t know the intricacies of the skills involved, but he could surely surmise how incomprehensible the Lord Star King was.

With someone like him possessing exceptional intellect and cunning, he was bound to carve a significant path in the annals of history within the Central Plains.

“So please….”

Thud.

The wine glass in Muk Yeon’s hand met the table with a resounding sound.

Simultaneously, he cast his gaze to the sky outside the window, letting his anxieties settle.

“I hope I’m mistaken.”

That the Lord Star King is not as he imagines.

That he is not affiliated with the Demonic Sect or the Heavenly Demon.

So that he may become the hope for the crumbling Righteous Faction.

While Muk Yeon held this wish close to his heart.

Ultimately, the reason he had gone through such trouble to bring in the Lord Star King under the title of Great Lord was to confirm those very doubts.

Days later, the Martial Alliance would announce its position regarding the Sword Team through the Beggar Clan.

At the time when three Great Lords fell, they declared they would bolster the ranks of the Sword Teams.

The newly chosen Great Lord? Enter the Lord Star King.

Currently traversing Hanam and having ascended to the Seven Seats, the Lord Star King, although his name had yet to be conferred, was appointed as the Great Lord of a newly formed Sword Team, which would historically see the revival of the greatest Sword Team, the Divine Dragon Team.

 

---