So even a day like this really comes after all. (3)
“Branch Leader!”
“Hm?”
“This is serious. Hwasan has requested that we send out formal invitations.”
The Branch Leader of the Hwaeum branch of the Beggars Sect.
Gwan Cheol [관철(管喆)], who had been promoted to Branch Leader after Hong Daekwang, clicked his tongue briefly.
“What’s so serious about that? Do it. Just do it and be done with it.”
“No…….”
“Didn’t you hear that when it comes to Hwasan, we’re to cooperate as much as possible, even if it bankrupts the branch?”
“That’s not it…”
“Good grief. Why do you have so much to say? Just send it!”
Gwan Cheol understood his position better than anyone. Because when his predecessor, Hong Daekwang, who had now become the Sect Leader, had repeatedly warned him when entrusting the branch to him.
– If news from the branch is late, you’re dead. If Hwasan has any complaints, you’re dead. If nothing happens, you’re dead, and if something does happen, you’re dead too. You’re going to croak anyway, so just think of yourself as already dead and work hard.
It was nonsense that could hardly be called advice, but Gwan Cheol knew for certain. That it was not exactly wrong. And what he had to do in order to survive, too.
“Do it no matter what. No matter what. Don’t sit there weighing this and that.”
“The thing is… There are rather a lot of places we have to send these to.”
“How many are we talking about?”
“Even at a rough estimate, it seems to be more than three hundred.”
“…What? How many?”
“Three hundred.”
Gwan Cheol’s eyes spun in circles.
“B-By when?”
“They say the sooner the better, but not to let it exceed seven days and nights at most. And…”
“What else?”
“This was conveyed separately by Hwasan Geomhyeop. He says if it takes more than three days, he’ll send a formal invitation to the main headquarters as well.”
Clear tears gathered in Gwan Cheol’s tightly shut eyes.
“That worthless thug bastard that not even a dog would drag away, seriously… What’s Paegun even doing? If he’s dead, he should at least become a ghost and drag that bastard away.”
“No, Branch Leader. That remark is a little…”
“Enough! Sort these out immediately. And send them to each branch.”
“Pardon? The branches?”
“What, do you think we’re going to send all of these out one by one from here? Send them to the Beggars Sect’s branches and they’ll redistribute them themselves. Hurry up. Since they’ll be passing through an extra stop, it’ll take even more time. We’ll have to cut down even on the time we spend breathing.”
“Even then, we don’t have enough carrier pigeons…”
“Ask the nearby merchant guilds for cooperation, and for the closer provinces, send them by courier. What are you going to do with perfectly good feet? You beggar bastards, run! I said run!”
“Yes!”
Before long, dozens of carrier pigeons, each with messages tied to both legs, soared high into the sky. Then, they began to fly busily to every corner of the world.
❀ ❀ ❀
“Sect Leader. You should take a look at this.”
“Hm, what is it?”
“It is a letter delivered by the Beggars Sect. They say it was sent from Hwasan.”
“Hwasan?”
A peculiar light appeared in the eyes of Seomjeon-gak* Gwak Pyo [곽표(郭慓)], the Sect Leader of Sohamun** of Henan.
“A formal invitation sent to us from Hwasan, is it. Give it here.”
Gwak Pyo tore open the invitation handed to him by his disciple and read it carefully, then soon let out a small snicker. The disciple, who had been watching his expression with curiosity, quickly asked.
“May I ask what this is about?”
“They’re proposing an alliance meeting.”
“An alliance, you say……?”
“What else could it be? It means they intend to gather the Sect Leaders of all the sects under heaven in one place.”
Gwak Pyo clicked his tongue, shaking his head slightly.
“It is written politely, yet it is not polite at all. They are limiting accompanying attendants to two, and say they will not accept separate gifts. Limiting the number of people is one thing, but not accepting gifts? How is that any different from saying we should naturally bring them anyway?”
“…”
“On top of that, speaking plainly, they suddenly tell us to come to Hwasan within seven days and nights, just like that. Is this truly an invitation sent to different sects from every corner of the world? Now that Shaolin has closed its gates, it seems Hwasan’s neck has grown rather stiff. To think they would say something even Shaolin never dared to say. Tsk, tsk, tsk.”
The criticism he had no intention of concealing was plainly evident in both Gwak Pyo’s tone and expression.
“No matter what, Hwasan is still Hwasan. Do they not know they cannot become Shaolin?”
“Then what do you intend to do?”
“Shaanxi is far away. Is there any need to go out of our way? It would be one thing if they came in person to invite us, but going all the way to Shaanxi after receiving only one flimsy invitation would be a blow to our dignity.”
“W-Wait a moment. Sect Leader.”
“Hm?”
“Wouldn’t it be better to reconsider? I think we must participate in this alliance meeting.”
Gwak Pyo asked his Head Disciple [대제자(大弟子)] with a puzzled expression.
“Is there something that bothers you?”
“Sect Leader. This is Hwasan we are talking about.”
Sohamun’s Head Disciple, Lee Jahong [이자홍(李蔗紅)], continued with an expression that said he could hardly believe what he was hearing.
“The very Hwasan that led the war against Sapaeryon to victory. Moreover, it is also the center of Cheonumaeng. If such a place requests an alliance meeting and we do not respond, what do you intend to do?”
“Tsk, tsk. You say that because you know one thing but not the other.”
“Pardon?”
Gwak Pyo smiled faintly. It seemed he would have to teach this young disciple, who still did not know what kind of place Gangho was, a little reality.
“As you say, if Sapaeryon still existed, then of course we would have to respond to this alliance meeting. But Sapaeryon no longer exists, does it?”
Lee Jahong looked at Gwak Pyo with a dazed expression.
“In other words, we no longer need anyone to rely on. So why should we concern ourselves with Hwasan’s opinion? Hwasan is all the way out in Shaanxi.”
Gwak Pyo quietly clasped his hands behind his back and chuckled.
“At a time like this, it would be right to do something more productive. Such as strengthening our grasp on Henan while Shaolin has closed its gates. Yes, who knows? Perhaps with this opportunity, our Sohamun may become the hegemon of Henan.”
A peculiar sense of anticipation bloomed across Gwak Pyo’s face.
Shaolin had sealed its gates to take responsibility for the things it had done, while Wudang had been driven to the brink of annihilation during the war against Sapaeryeon. The influence of those two sects, which had dominated the vast region stretching from Henan into northern Hubei, had effectively vanished, leaving Henan in a state of complete power vacuum.
It is the law of nature that an empty place will be filled. The sects that had held their breath until now in the face of the might of Shaolin and Wudang were now cautiously engaging in a silent struggle over the empty throne of Henan.
To leave Henan in the midst of this? It would be an act of utter stupidity. He could not waste time because of Hwasan…
“Come to your senses, Sect Leader!”
“Huh?”
Gwak Pyo flinched at his disciple’s sudden shout.
“That is exactly why we have to go, exactly why!”
“Jahong?”
“Sect Leader! Who do you think is the hegemon of the present Gangho?”
“Hegemon? Well, that would be……”
Gupailbang had declined, and Sapaeryon had been destroyed. That left only Cheonumaeng.
“Cheonumaeng, of course. But it is not in a perfect state either, is it?”
“Why are you saying something so frustratingly obtuse? The hegemon of the current Gangho isn’t Cheonumaeng. It’s Hwasan. Hwasan!”
“….Good grief.”
Letting out a hollow laugh, Gwak Pyo tried to reason with him.
“You fool, there you go saying things you do not understand once again. It is true that Hwasan played a decisive role in this war. Who would deny that? But the seat of Gangho’s Northern Star is not so easily granted. For one thing, Hwasan simply does not possess the capability or influence required for such a position.”
Gwak Pyo shook his head firmly and continued.
“Therefore, Hwasan may be able to become a hero, but it cannot become a hegemon. That is the natural order of things. Do not delude yoursel…”
“How can you be saying things that will ruin our sect, Sect Leader!”
“R-Ruin?”
Gwak Pyo blinked at the rough words he had never expected. Whether he did or not, Lee Jahong could not overcome his frustration and even pounded his own chest. Seeing his disciple throw such a fit for the first time, Gwak Pyo was more than a little flustered.
“Do you know who belongs to Hwasan? Hwasan Geomhyeop, Hwasan Geomhyeop! I mean THE Hwasan Geomhyeop who cut off Paegu’s head!”
“That… I know as well.”
“Who is Hwasan Geomhyeop? Isn’t he the greatest martial artist under heaven in Gangho of the current age?”
“The greatest under heaven?”
Gwak Pyo blinked blankly.
“Of course, it is true that Hwasan Geomhyeop defeated Paegun, but… is it not a little unreasonable to call him the greatest under heaven?”
“Please stop saying such frustrating things! Then is there anyone in Gangho right now who can defeat Chung Myung Dojang?”
“….None come to mind immediately.”
“Yes, fine, let us say there is. There may be one somewhere. Some hidden eccentric master who can defeat Chung Myung Dojang right now. Then tell me – how long would that person be able to keep defeating him? Five years? Ten?”
Gwak Pyo, rendered speechless, shut his mouth.
“Whether that person is the greatest under heaven right now is not what matters. As far as I know, Hwasan Geomhyeop has only just passed the age of twenty recently. Then, one way or another, he will soon become the greatest under heaven. At the very least, he’ll sit on that throne for decades and refuse to budge. Then what do you think will happen?”
“…”
“Hwasan will possess even greater authority than Shaolin ever did! What is history? It’s simply what remains after time has passed. And what is authority? If no one dares challenge you, that’s authority. Influence? What influence? It is obvious without even looking how many people would flock there if Hwasan were to say they were accepting disciples right now.”
Unable to offer a single word in response, Gwak Pyo nodded again and again as if bewitched.
“At least Shaolin had a rival called Wudang and enemies called Shinjuopae. What rival or enemy does Hwasan have now?”
“Uh…. none?”
“Meanwhile, we’re celebrating because a patch of land called Henan has been left vacant. But Hwasan has already swallowed the entire Gangho. And yet, what exactly are we supposed to do with an invitation from a sect like that? Have you thought about how long a sect that has made an enemy of Hwasan could last, even if it managed to seize Henan?”
“….. A-Alright, I understand, so slow down a little…”
“Enough!”
“Huh?”
“Pack your things at once. We have to go to Shaanxi!”
“A-All right.”
“Hurry up! We need to reach Shaanxi as soon as possible!”
“I said I understand……”
Watching Gwak Pyo go off in a daze to pack his belongings, Lee Jahong bit down on his lip.
‘If that were all, it would make no sense.’
If Hwasan had only Hwasan Geomhyeop, even Lee Jahong would not have made such a fuss. But Chung Myung was not the only one at Hwasan.
Was there anyone in Gangho who did not know how greatly his fellow disciples, known as the Five Swords of Hwasan, had distinguished themselves in this war?
‘I can’t say for certain that they will one day shape the fate of the world, but it is obvious that among the younger generation there is no one who can truly compare to them.’
Even if there were, there would be only one or two at most. Was there any need to think hard about the future of a sect where so many talents of that caliber had gathered?
“Phew.”
Lee Jahong let out a deep sigh. The sect leader was too old to notice such changes immediately.
‘A generation has passed. With this war as the turning point, Gangho will change.’
Now every sect had to prepare for the age that was coming. And Lee Jahong had no intention of missing this opportunity. Somehow, they had to establish a good relationship with Hwasan. That would decide the next several decades of Sohamun.
“I am going as well, Sect Leader!”
After shouting loudly, Lee Jahong ran towards his own quarters.
⠀
That day, conversations similar to the one in Sohamun were taking place all across the world.
Some set out on the road to build a relationship with Hwasan, just like Lee Jahong.
Others set out on the road to see for themselves the momentum of Hwasan, which they had only heard of through rumors.
The thoughts each of them harbored were all different.
Some sought to suppress their twisted resentment, some harbored hostility towards the name Hwasan, some believed they owed Hwasan a great debt. And others simply wished to see the notable figures from all across the world who would gather there.
Countless people set out on the road all at once.
Their destination was Shaanxi, the place where the most rugged mountain under heaven stood.
Special Spinoff Chapter 47 >>>
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*섬전각(閃電脚) – flashing/lighting fast foot(leg)/foot technique. Basically meaning his kicks are supposed to be top tier.
*소하문(溯河門) – Sohamun (like Haomun) is a name of a sect. So(溯) means to go upstream/against the current; ha(河) means river.
Also biga made a typo in this chapter. He called the new branch leader Gwan Cheol on the first page, with corresponding hanja that reads like guan in Chinese. But on the other pages biga kept calling him Gwak Cheol… So since hanja for the name is guan/gwan he was left as Gwan Cheol.
The sect leader of Sohamun is the actual Gwak here.
________
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