Chapter 150. Beginning and End

"Did you hear that rumor?"

"Namgung Jin got kicked out?"

"Yeah, I heard he was caught sneaking to see Young Lady Tang So-hwa."

The young men gathered in front of the wall chatted with interest.

"Wow, I didn't expect Namgung Jin to do that. I thought he wasn't interested in women."

"Isn't Namgung Jin human? He came back from closed-door training and found his brother and a woman were a couple! Anyone would lose their mind!"

"You're always losing your head, so it's nothing new to you."

"What?"

"Ah, still, I'm jealous. At least he left this frustrating headquarters."

"That's true. Ha, when will we ever get to leave?"

Zhuge In-hwi walked quietly, listening to the sounds around him.

All around, people were talking about the Young Lord being expelled.

Namgung Jin had been famous to begin with, and now, with the headquarters closed, he was the only one expelled outside.

Carrying the dishonor of being banned from the headquarters.

The Young Lord was expelled before the eleventh hour (11 a.m.–1 p.m.). Because the Deputy Alliance Leader handled it personally, the matter was dealt with quickly.

Namgung Jin did not strongly protest his punishment, and others remained quiet, suggesting that the atmosphere in the headquarters had long been poor.

With hot-blooded young martial artists confined, many incidents must have occurred.

Although many reports had been made to the returning Four Seasons Hall Lord , it seemed there were even more incidents left out.

'The Deputy Alliance Leader must have suppressed the internal conflict as an example.'

It had now become difficult to gather all fifteen members of the Alliance in one place.

Zhuge In-hwi continued walking through the headquarters, listening attentively to the stories he overheard.

Mostly from young voices.

No complaints from the middle-aged were heard.

They only tried to calm the confusion among the youth and did not easily reveal their true feelings.

'There must be even more complaints. They would have even more to worry about if they stayed in one place.'

Now that the Alliance Leader had returned, voices about reopening the headquarters were beginning to rise.

Moreover, since those remaining in the headquarters were key figures of each sect, the longer they stayed outside, the greater the risk to their sects.

The unity once forced by the Blood Sect had long since crumbled.

If those Blood Sect members could deceive them so meticulously, not only the headquarters but also other branches would be at risk. The same went for their own sects. They would be more worried about someone hiding in their sect than the Blood Sect members in the headquarters.

Perhaps because of this, even after returning from the battlefield, the Alliance Leader could not rest and had to continuously grant audiences.

Seeing that the Alliance Leader quietly called him to his quarters today, Zhuge In-hwi guessed that he wanted to discuss the matter.

Before meeting the Alliance Leader, Zhuge In-hwi checked the atmosphere in the headquarters and came to this expectation.

Zhuge In-hwi understood the members' unease.

Even in an alliance, each sect naturally comes first, since cooperation is only to help one's own sect.

What was unusual was that he himself did not feel any familial affinity.

After surveying and returning, he stopped walking.

Someone stood at the entrance of Four Seasons Hall.

Turning his head, a broad, commanding presence poured over him like a waterfall.

The Tai Chi Sword Saint asked in a voice mixed with a sigh,

"Hall Lord, do you have a moment?"

***

Tai Chi Sword Saint and the Four Seasons Hall Lord sat facing each other.

The first to speak was the Four Seasons Hall Lord .

"I wish to discuss a long matter, but actually, the Alliance Leader called me, so after an hour, I must go to the Alliance Leader's quarters."

"Do not worry. It is not a matter that requires long discussion."

'Though it is not an easy topic to bring up.'

The Sword Saint carefully chose his words and began.

"Um... regarding the prize for winning the Martial Arts Tournament. When will it be awarded?"

Zhuge In-hwi relaxed at the surprisingly straightforward question.

"I apologize, but I cannot give a definite answer as to when the ceremony will be held."

"I am well aware of the headquarters' situation. However, it seems everyone is anxious to return to their own sects. Even if the situation is settled... would they wait for an award ceremony that may or may not take place?"

"......."

"Cough. I am not criticizing Hall Lord. It is simply that the ceremony was disrupted; we both know that, everyone knows that. I merely meant to ask about the prize."

"I understand, Sword Saint. But this is not something I can decide. Perhaps the Alliance Leader wishes to celebrate Yeon-ah's achievement and award the prize in front of everyone?"

At that, the Sword Saint narrowed his eyes.

"...... Do you really think so? The Alliance Leader didn't even attend the Martial Arts Tournament."

Zhuge In-hwi had no answer.

He replied in acquiescence to the Sword Saint.

"...... I will ask the Alliance Leader."

"That is good. Since you said you are going to the Alliance Leader's quarters, can you confirm it today?"

"Today?"

"I would like it as soon as possible, even if not today. It seems Yeon-ah wants to gift the Cold Iron to someone else, and I hope it is delivered while that person is in Hubei. Cold Iron is precious; passing it through a courier would be costly, would it not?"

For someone of the Sword Saint's generation, favors were closely interwoven, so there likely existed someone whose merit warranted receiving the Cold Iron as a gift.

However, Yeon-ah was a young martial artist who had just turned twenty.

One might think she would gift the Cold Iron naively, but the one sent to deliver the request was an old expert of the Wudang Sect, who had endured countless hardships.

Zhuge In-hwi's gaze grew peculiar.

The only ones likely to owe Yeon-ah significant gratitude were the Divine Physician of Yeonju Group, who raised her, and the Tang Clan, who rescued her at Emei Mountain.

Zhuge In-hwi asked, almost in disbelief,

"Could it be that the one wanting the Cold Iron is Young Lady Tang So-hwa?"

At his words, the energy flowing from the Sword Saint surged dramatically.

"Ah, I have heard countless times that the Hall Lord can read a person's mind, but experiencing it firsthand gives me chills."

"Why would you give the Cold Iron to Young Lady Tang So-hwa? Has there been some deal between the Tang Clan and the Wudang Sect?"

As Zhuge In-hwi's voice turned cold, the Sword Saint laughed and waved his hand.

"No. This is entirely Yeon-ah's personal choice."

"Cold Iron is not an item a mere disciple can easily hand over to another sect. Are you truly permitted by the leader of your sect?"

"That is so. Haha, do not wear such a pitying expression. Right now, I am the one feeling most distressed."

The Sword Saint smiled wryly and rubbed the back of his neck.

"As you know, Yeon-ah went through great trials with the Blood Sect when she was young. So this situation is extremely difficult for her."

The Sword Saint recalled Yeon-ah kneeling and pleading to him.

Perhaps she did not know that the Martial Arts Tournament prize, once given to the sect, would be bestowed upon him, her master. Upon hearing it from the general manager, she rushed over immediately.

At her age, she was skilled at handling such delicate matters, and though the prize was made of fine minerals, it was not something she coveted.

To the Sword Saint, Cold Iron was simply a symbol of having raised a fine disciple.

As a martial artist devoted to the sword, it was an unparalleled honor—but he did not desire the Cold Iron for himself.

However, giving such a precious item to another sect was unthinkable, so the Sword Saint had opposed it as soon as he heard Yeon-ah's request.

『I am not opposing it out of desire for the Cold Iron. I had planned to forge a sword for you from it when you step into the Murim. Moreover, Young Lady Tang So-hwa is not someone desperate for Cold Iron. Isn't she more devoted to medicine than martial arts?』

Although the master refused firmly, Yeon-ah persisted, continuing to plead.

The Sword Saint had carefully chosen his words, knowing some things were inappropriate for a young disciple to hear, but he could not help giving her the uncomfortable truth.

『Young Lady Tang So-hwa was kidnapped by the Blood Sect and has only just returned, correct? Who knows when the remaining members might target her again? What would you do if the Cold Iron fell into their hands? While I trust Young Lady Tang So-hwa, there are those who claim she has ties to the Blood Sect. If you get involved with her, suspicion may fall upon you. Be cautious—the fallout could affect you.』

Yeon-ah, who had been silent, spoke.

『Even if others suspect Young Lady Tang So-hwa, I cannot.』

Her gaze had grown cloudy. The Sword Saint had never seen that look before, and he listened intently to his disciple's defiance.

『And she is absolutely not a remnant of the Blood Sect. Am I not a living witness to the Blood Sect's recklessness?』

The disciple shivered as past shocks resurfaced.

『... That day, the Divine Physician gave all the Yeonju Group's property and entrusted me to the Tang Clan. Young Lady Tang So-hwa, who was around my age, persuaded the Tang Clan to remain at Emei Mountain, instead of leaving quietly.』

As tears threatened to fall, Yeon-ah quickly wiped them away with the back of her hand.

『At the time, I was suspected by being a Blood Sect memeber and was about to be taken to the Murim Alliance. Not only the Namgung Clan but even the Alliance Leader doubted me. I do not resent that now; it was the situation, so I understand. But even amidst all that, the one who did not give up on me and the Divine Physician, who believed in us, was Young Lady Tang So-hwa. Everyone doubted us, and in circumstances where I myself might have doubted, she trusted and saved us.』

Yeon-ah fixed her reddened eyes on the Sword Saint.

『So how could I... worry only that some sparks might fall on me?』

The Sword Saint had nothing to say and simply watched his disciple, tears streaming down her face.

『I do not know exactly what Young Lady Tang So-hwa intends, but a person who would never have been targeted by the Blood Sect if she hadn't saved me is now standing against the Blood Sect. So I must help her. 』

Yeon-ah bowed her head to the ground and begged.

『Master, please allow me to assist her.』

The Sword Saint was struck not by her lack of desire for the Cold Iron, but by the fact that she had not yet moved on from that day's memories.

'I thought she had forgotten after all these years.'

Always carrying a bright, clear aura, he had never realized the child still bore scars.

Now, though recognized as a rising star talent of Murim, Yeon-ah wished to return her achievements to the one who had aided her in her early years.

Seeing Yeon-ah's monstrous persistence, he considered it a mark of genius, though perhaps it was driven by some other reason for her growth.

Unable to ignore her resolve, the Sword Saint discussed the matter with the Sect Leader.

He had feared the Sect Leader might scold Yeon-ah for still clinging to worldly attachments, but the Sect Leader said something completely unexpected.

『Didn’t the Grand Elder say, ‘To understand the ancient beginning is to grasp the essence of the Dao’?』

Seeing the Sect Leader suddenly recite the Dao, the Sword Saint immediately regretted speaking. At least two hours of lecturing seemed imminent. He could have simply said no.

『The Dao cannot be seen, heard, or touched; it is abstract. Yet, just as all things have a beginning and an end, one can, through the origin of the primordial, comprehend the entirety of the Dao.』

『Sect Leader, I am pressed with urgent matters, so I shall return later. Ah, before handling that matter... could you release this?』

Though younger than the Sword Saint, the Sect Leader possessed a deeper understanding of the world. He grasped the Sword Saint's robe as if to insist he hear the words to the end.

『Today, Yeon-ah's recognition as a rising star talent of Central Plains likely stems from the tragedy at Emei Mountain. We do not know what she realized that day or what thoughts she held. Therefore, it is natural if we fail to understand her choice.』

The Sect Leader spoke with a weighty voice.

『Yet, what seems impossible to us may be desperate to Yeon-ah. If her choice is the result of a tragedy, then helping her tie up that past and step onto a new path is precisely the duty of a master, is it not?』

The Sect Leader granted approval for Yeon-ah's decision. Moreover, he removed the lingering doubts in Tai Chi Sword Saint's mind.

If one cannot even tie up the small beginnings and ends in the mundane world, how could one ever hope to comprehend the vast beginnings and ends of the Dao?

Avoiding the past while claiming virtue is not focusing on the source; it is mere escapism to absolve oneself.

Furthermore, the Dao is not simple goodness but the natural origin of all things.

Suppressing the natural benevolence in Yeon-ah's heart merely for sect politics is hardly the conduct a master teaching the Dao should display.

The Sword Saint felt ashamed at the Sect Leader's response.

This was a matter that required no deliberation in the first place.

『Didn't you know, Sword Saint, that Yeon-ah is different from other children? Her ambition to make the world better may have begun with the one who saved her. If you force her to ignore her benefactor, she may lose that clarity and spirit you admired.』

『I admired her talent, not her excessive attitude. You, the uniquely discerning Sect Leader, seemed to like that...』

『Let her act as she wishes. I will explain to the elders.』

The Sect Leader interrupted the Sword Saint with a friendly expression.

The Sword Saint, the conversation concluded, did not insist on disputing. He also approved of the Sect Leader's decision.

Though the Sect Leader suggested having Yeon-ah personally receive the Cold Iron, the Sword Saint, being her only master, felt concerned.

So he came to speak with the Hall Lord personally.

Of course, sending the young disciple alone could complicate matters and require a messenger, but he also disliked wasting the opportunity for a direct approach.

Why take the long route when there was a faster way?

The Sword Saint cleared his throat.

“Yeon-ah seems deeply unsettled, as if she believes it is her fault that Young Lady Tang So-hwa is being harassed by the Blood Sect.”

He sighed.

“I have decided to support Yeon-ah's choice. This seems the path to erase the wounds she gained in the mundane world. As long as it is delivered before the headquarters' doors reopen and the Tang Clan returns, it will suffice. I leave it in your care.”

Zhuge In-hwi thought the Alliance Leader would prevent Young Lady Tang So-hwa from leaving the headquarters, but he did not speak that thought aloud.

“Yes, I will ask him as soon as I have my audience with the Alliance Leader."”

It wasn't that he intended to hide it. In the morning, the Namgung Young Lord used the headquarters' internal rules to get out, and in the afternoon, the winner of the Martial Arts Tournament requested the prize even before the ceremony.

Both rising star talents were using the headquarters' rules for their own purposes, and the common link, coincidentally, was Young Lady Tang So-hwa.

Within that current, the Four Seasons Hall Lord  sensed that the Alliance Leader would be unable to stop Young Lady Tang So-hwa.