Childhood Friend of the Zenith -
Chapter 366: Gathering of the Orthodox Faction (7)
Gathering of the Orthodox Faction (7)
Two months had passed since the ambush
Early spring had turned to summer, and a great deal had happened in Henan and at the Heavenly Dragon Academy at that time.
The biggest event was the Heavenly Dragon Academy closing.
News of the ambush on the Heavenly Dragon Academy by the Unorthodox Faction spread quickly throughout the Central Plains.
The Murim Alliance tried to suppress the rumors, but with so many people involved, and even with help from the Beggar’s Sect, it was impossible.
Ultimately, the Heavenly Dragon Academy faced numerous issues and had to shut down.
Officially, the Academy was closed temporarily for repairs to buildings damaged in the ambush, but many speculated it wouldn’t reopen for a few years.
There was even the possibility that it would never reopen.
The chances of holding the Dragons and Phoenixes tournament or any other martial arts events this year were already slim.
That’s how deeply this incident disrupted everything.
The second most significant development was the Murim Alliance’s response.
This happened after the Alliance sent reinforcements.
They assembled doctors to treat the injured, and it was reported that the bodies of the deceased were placed in a cold basement room within the Murim Alliance headquarters.
Those who had attacked the Academy were taken to a torture chamber, while the survivors of the ambush were provided shelter by the Alliance.
Everything seemed under control up to this point, but then problems began to arise.
No matter how much aid the Alliance offered, it couldn’t compensate for those who had perished in the ambush.
Moreover, the ones who died in the ambush mostly consisted of Young Prodigies at lower levels who were mostly from merchant associations that gave a ton of donations to the Alliance.
With the bloodlines of these merchant families lost in the attack, the Murim Alliance was bound to face financial difficulties.
Though some merchant associations would likely continue their support, it was possible that others would withdraw entirely.
This was going to influence the Murim Alliance.
Additionally, several blood relatives from noble clans and members of the Ten Sect Alliance had died in the ambush, making it nearly impossible for the Murim Alliance to resolve all these issues.
As a result, the Alliance canceled all upcoming festivals and plans.
They already had enough problems to deal with.
-What did the Alliance do while the poor young martial artists were dying?
*
**-They were too late to respond to the ambush, despite it happening in Henan, right where their headquarters are.*
-Just what were the martial artists of the Alliance doing for this to happen, let alone the Alliance Leader?
Rumors like these had circulated for two months, fueled by the Murim Alliance’s apparent incompetence.
Originally, the merchant associations that supported the Alliance, along with the Beggar’s Sect, would have worked to stop such rumors, but given how far things had gone, it was likely that these merchants had turned their backs on the Alliance.
It had once been said that the Murim Alliance existed to uphold the Orthodox Faction, and that peace was preserved because of the Alliance’s presence.
However, that saying started to crumble after the ambush led by the Black Dragon.
An ambush that didn’t even last a day was enough to break everything apart.
It may have lasted just a day, but the horrors of that ambush were not easily forgotten.
Even after two months of the incident,
“The Qinghai Sword lost, how could that be…”
People were still intensely curious about the incident.
Many spent their days drinking and chatting, but there was only one topic on everyone’s mind.
“Didn’t he lose because he had to protect the students?”
“Even so, losing to just some Unorthodox Faction martial artist… Tsk, tsk. Looks like the Kunlun Sect’s glory days are over.”
“Hey, you gave up learning how to use a sword because you couldn’t even reach Third-rate, so you shouldn’t be the one saying that.”
“Hey! Didn’t I tell you I had no other choice because I injured my leg?”
“Oh, right, that leg injury you got when you tripped running from a boar? You were fine a few days later!”
“…Ahem.”
The middle-aged man clicked his tongue, while the other man held his tongue at the rebuke.
“Ugh, anyways…! Murim Alliance may have been respectable in the past, but it’s not anymore!”
“This guy is at it again. Hey, bring us some cold water!”
-Coming right up!
The cheerful female servant left to fetch cold water at the man’s call.
“If the Murim Alliance were so great, they would’ve stopped the ambush.”
“They are the ones keeping us safe, so you should stop complaining about them.”
“Keeping us safe my, ass. They failed to protect their own children and had to do a funer- …Ufgh!”
Just as the middle-aged man was about to cross the line, the younger man clapped a hand over his mouth.
“Is this man seriously crazy…!? What will you do if the Alliance hears you!”
“Ptooey! What are they going to do about it if they hear me! I’m not wrong in any way!”
“Ugh…”
The young man rubbed his forehead.
In truth, the middle-aged man wasn’t entirely wrong.
The Alliance had, in fact, held a funeral for those who died in the attack.
“Moreover, they announced the meeting because they themselves know that this is a huge problem.”
The middle-aged man spoke angrily.
The Murim Alliance had announced to the whole region that there would be a meeting of the Orthodox Faction in a week.
As a result, people from outside Henan had begun appearing in the streets.
Many had arrived in Henan two months ago, notified of the meeting by the Alliance before the general public.
There were people from great merchant associations that left people in awe, and a Sect from the Ten Sect Alliance was seen in the streets as well.
They hailed from different regions and followed different martial paths, yet they shared one common trait.
“They all look like the life’s been sucked out of them.”
“Of course they do. This situation is enough to sour anyone’s expression.”
Everyone had dark and heavy expressions.
It was bound to be that way.
How could they not look that way when their children or siblings had been killed in a sudden ambush at the famed Heavenly Dragon Academy?
They were exercising considerable restraint by not letting their anger erupt.
The middle-aged man, using the conversation as a side dish to his drink, turned to the young man across from him.
“Who are the ones coming this time again?”
“I don’t know. How would I, when I’ve got my own life to worry about?”
The young man replied with a smirk.
“Oh, but I did hear about Wudang Sect coming.”
Only a few Sects from the Ten Sect Alliance were expected to attend the meeting.
There weren’t many clans or Sects from the Ten Sect Alliance that had a close relationship with the Murim Alliance to begin with.
For that reason, only martial artists from the Wudang Sect and Mount Hua were sent to the Heavenly Dragon Academy.
Wudang Sect was closely allied with the Murim Alliance and routinely sent martial artists to the Academy, but Mount Hua’s involvement was unprecedented.
According to the rumors, it was because of how the Qinghai Sword stood as Head of the Academy this year.
“So does that mean Mount Hua won’t be attending the meeting?”
“I’m not sure.”
Wudang Sect’s attendance made sense given their ties to the Murim Alliance, but Mount Hua was another story.
“But anyway… this is a serious mess. I just hope we’re not in for any more bloody storms.”
“Isn’t it nice for us? We get to see a fun show.”
“Well, true…”
The Lord of the Four Noble Clans would be arriving soon as well.
To ordinary people, the Lords and their bloodlines seemed as if they stood above the heavens.
They weren’t people that one could see every day in life.
“Of all people, the bloodlines from the Four Noble Clans were involved in the incident…”
Many believed this to be one of the most significant events in recent history, as it took place at the Heavenly Dragon Academy, where the talented young prodigies of the Meteor Generation had gathered.
“Sigh.. tsk, tsk…”
“But it’s not like we got nothing from this you know.”
The middle-aged man immediately knew what the young man was referring to.
“Are you going to bring that up again?”
“You do that as well, Chu.”
“Only because you bring it up every single day. At least I talk about other things, too.”
“I can’t help it when I don’t get tired of it.”
There was one thing that they gained from the incident.
Among the martial artists who fought to protect the Young Prodigies during the ambush, one stood out above the rest.
When people needed him the most, he appeared.
“You and your True Dragon obsession… don’t you get tired of it?”
“It’s more interesting than how you complain about the Alliance every day.”
“Haha, you rotting bastard.”
The True Dragon.
As news of the Academy ambush spread, so did rumors of the True Dragon.
He was already famous.
He was the final member to join the prestigious Meteor Generation group known as the Six Dragons and Three Phoenixes.
Not only had he reached Peak Realm at a young age, but he was also celebrated for his exceptional talent, outshining other Young Prodigies.
He was the protagonist of this rumor.
“Isn’t he impressive? He hasn’t even reached the age of twenty yet.”
“…I mean, sure he is impressive.”
They said he’d fought half of the Unorthodox Faction’s martial artists single-handedly and even captured the one who defeated the Qinghai Sword.
The middle-aged man shook his head, addressing the young man in a tone of disbelief.
“How can you believe such a rumor at your age?”
“You’re going to say it’s just a false rumor again, aren’t you?”
“No matter how many times I hear it, I can’t help but think it’s too unrealistic.”
The middle-aged man continued, setting down his emptied cup.
“If the Qinghai Sword was defeated, that means the enemy must’ve been a martial artist at Fusion Realm. So does that mean this True Dragon, this young prodigy, has reached Fusion Realm too?”
“…”
“Think about it! Even if he somehow managed to bring that enemy down, he probably just showed up at the last moment, when the guy was already exhausted, and finished him off.”
A Young Prodigy who’s not even twenty, reaching Fusion Realm?
Something like that would happen when the sun rises from the west.
“Moreover, he killed all the enemies from the Unorthodox Faction by himself? How ridiculous is this going to get?”
“Hey, it could be true, you know. Why do you always see it in a negative way?”
“I’d believe it if it made any sense, you bastard! I never thought Gu Clan would pull this, but it’s worse than I imagined.”
The middle-aged man was convinced the Gu Clan of Shanxi was behind the True Dragon rumors.
He knew the True Dragon was talented, but he couldn’t believe the rumors were entirely true.
No matter how often he heard them, he found the rumors impossible to believe.
The young man frowned, clearly displeased with the middle-aged man’s response.
“Oh? What’s with that expression of yours?”
“Are you still going to call him by that name?”
“Now you are going to hold that against me now?”
“Names are important, you know.”
The middle-aged man’s face twisted in annoyance at the young man’s words.
“It has been quite a while ever since he got a new title.”
“Why are you so worked up about it? You’re leaving me speechless here.”
After the incident, the True Dragon earned himself a new title.
In recognition of his feats, those who heard about him naturally coined a new title.
The title reflected that he was no longer just a young prodigy.
“What was his title again…? I heard it last time.”
Losing patience with the middle-aged man’s struggle, the young man finally spoke up.
“You can’t even remember that? It’s obviously C- “
Creak.
Right as the young man was about to respond, someone entered the inn.
Everyone in the inn turned instinctively toward the newcomer.
Normally, they wouldn’t have paid much attention, but a sudden chill accompanied the opening of the door.
“Ah…”
The young man fell silent as he took in the figure standing in the doorway.
It wasn’t just the young man. Everyone in the inn fell silent, gasping as they caught sight of the woman who had just entered.
“…Tsk.”
The woman clicked her tongue when she felt the gazes towards her after entering the inn.
Normally, she would have worn her mask, but she’d forgotten it this time.
A female servant hurried over to the visibly uncomfortable woman.
“W-Welcome.”
“Could you bring me the stuff from last time?”
“Ah…! Yes, I shall bring it right away!”
The servant dashed to the kitchen and returned with a steaming dish.
It was dumplings.
The woman inspected the dish, handed the servant a silver coin, and made her way toward the exit.
A silver coin for a few dumplings? What in the world…?
While murmurs filled the room, the woman continued toward the door without a glance back.
As she left and the door closed behind her, everyone kept their eyes fixed on her retreating figure.
Thud.
After the door was closed, everyone let out the breath they were holding in.
“Woah, she’s unbelievably beautiful. How can someone look like that?”
“…She’s obviously from some noble family, but what’s she doing in a place like this?”
As the young man spoke with curiosity, the servant refilling side dishes leaned over to answer.
“Oh, she comes here now and then.”
“Hmm? This is the first time I’ve seen her. I’m here every day during the day, but I’ve never noticed her.”
“That’s because you’re only here during the day. She only comes at night.”
“Oh? During the night?”
“That’s right. She comes here only to buy dumplings.”
“Dumplings…?”
The young man tilted his head in confusion.
Perhaps she’s into cheaper food despite her background? Why does she come during nighttime to buy dumplings?
Besides, couldn’t she just send a servant rather than coming herself?
Noticing his confusion, the servant continued.
“Apparently her husband loves dumplings which is why she comes here often.”
The others started to lament after hearing the female servant.
“So she’s taken, huh…”
“Man, I’m jealous…”
While the other men drowned their disappointment in their drinks, the young man fell into thought.
“What are you doing? Aren’t you going to drink?”
“That woman from earlier… I feel like I’ve seen her somewhere before.”
“Stop spouting nonsense and eat. How would guys like us ever cross paths with someone like her?”
“Well… I didn’t necessarily see her… but I felt like her outfit seemed familiar.”
It was a sky-blue outfit with a memorable braided embroidery.
The young man felt like he’d seen that embroidery somewhere before.
“Ah…?”
The young man remembered.
“…Moyong Clan?”
The symbol on her outfit was the same one as Moyong Clan’s businesses in Henan.
It was said that the clan’s blood relatives often wore clothing with braided embroidery.
That means…
The beautiful lady who just bought dumplings was a blood relative of the Moyong Clan?
The young man considered the thought for a moment,
“Nah, there is no way.”
But he quickly shook his head, dismissing the thought.
No one believed him when he talked about the True Dragon, so there was no way anyone would believe that the woman buying dumplings for her husband was a Moyong Clan blood relative.
With that conclusion, the young man started drinking again.
The woman who left with the dumplings had already reached her destination.
She was halfway up the mountain.
Before her was a cave that looked artificially carved.
It seemed as if it was made by someone punching it through.
The woman—Moyong Hi-ah—stepped inside naturally, as if familiar with the place.
The cave wasn’t very deep, and the walls were lined with torches providing ample light.
After a few steps, Moyong Hi-ah caught a distinct smell.
She didn’t need to wonder. It was unmistakably the scent of sweat.
Noticing the smell, Moyong Hi-ah shook her head rather than covering her nose.
It seemed like he couldn’t stop himself from moving around even though she told him to rest.
“I told him that he might collapse if he continues to do that…”
Despite her warnings, he hadn’t listened.
Moyong Hi-ah continued walking, reaching her destination a moment later.
Slam-! Slam, slam-!
Great impactful sounds were being echoed inside.
The entire cave shook with each blow, small rocks falling from the ceiling.
As this was happening, Moyong Hi-ah spoke.
“I brought you food.”
Slam-! Slam!
Her voice wasn’t soft, but he didn’t seem to hear her.
Moyong Hi-ah knew shouting wouldn’t get his attention.
She wrapped the dumplings in a cloth, set them on the ground, and cupped her hands around her mouth.
She prepared to amplify her voice.
She knew exactly what would get through to him.
“Lesser King of Hell, you must eat, my Great Expert.”
Pause…
At her words, the pounding and rumbling instantly stopped.
A figure emerged, visibly irritated.
He strode out at an impressive pace, his ears flushed red.
“Hey! I told you not to call me that!”
A young man with jet-black hair and fierce eyes stood before her.
It was Gu Yangcheon.
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