Episode 282: A New Dawn

The news of Geolseon’s murder was so shocking that Dang Mujin had to take a moment to process it.

He asked, a beat too late, “Geolseon has been killed? What do you mean?”

“Didn’t you know?”

“This is the first I’m hearing of it.”

“You seemed to know something… Anyway, it’s just as it sounds. He was killed in an unfortunate incident while fighting the vile forces of the demonic sect.”

Even as he listened, Dang Mujin found it hard to believe. But upon reflection, it wasn’t entirely impossible. The righteous warriors of the northwest had fought well, yet they had lost two of their leaders. If even Yeongheoja could die in the great battle, there was no reason Geolseon couldn’t have met the same fate.

While Dang Mujin was lost in thought, Hyeongong stepped forward.

The elder of the Beggars’ Sect eyed him with a hint of suspicion. He could only guess that Hyeongong was a Taoist from the Wudang Sect, but he didn’t recognize him.

“And who might you be?”

“I am Hyeongong, a humble disciple of the Wudang Sect.”

“Hyeongong… Ah, the Rising Dragon Sword.”

“That’s an overly grand title. Most people just call me Jeongeon.”

In Dang Mujin’s opinion, both the titles Rising Dragon Sword and Jeongeon were too grand for Hyeongong. Yet Hyeongong insisted on the latter, believing it was time to make it known since the former was already quite famous. Surprisingly, this strategy worked well, and near Sichuan, he was more often called Jeongeon than the Rising Dragon Sword.

Of course, the elder of the Beggars’ Sect was unaware of these nuances.

“Hmm… Young people usually crave flashy titles. You’re quite humble.”

“It’s not humility, just a matter of feeling burdened by it.”

The elder looked at Hyeongong with great satisfaction, like a senior admiring a promising junior with both character and skill.

“To have such character at a young age… The strength of Wudang is indeed formidable. So, what brings you here?”

“I have something important to ask.”

“Go ahead.”

“If Geolseon has passed, what happens to the leadership of the Beggars’ Sect? I heard the position of the deputy leader is vacant.”

Hyeongong hoped that Hong Geolgae would soon become the leader of the Beggars’ Sect. If the position was indeed vacant, Hong Geolgae might ascend to leadership overnight, becoming the head of the ten thousand beggars.

‘To be the next leader of Wudang and have the leader of the Beggars’ Sect as a sworn brother… Exciting.’

However, the elder’s response only partially met Hyeongong’s expectations.

“If both the leader and deputy are absent, the senior elder takes over.”

“And who is the senior elder?”

“That would be Hwahwa Nogae Heoheum. He’ll lead until a new leader is chosen.”

This was somewhat reassuring. It meant that once a new leader was found, Heoheum would step down.

Hyeongong naturally turned his gaze to Hong Geolgae, and the elder’s eyes followed, landing on Hong Geolgae with a curious expression.

“Hmm?”

Hong Geolgae stood quietly, his martial prowess indiscernible even to the experienced elder. But there was an undeniable aura about him. His confident presence among figures like Jeongeon and Dang Mujin suggested he was no ordinary person.

‘Could it be…?’

The elder approached Hong Geolgae and asked, “I am Seopgu. And you are?”

“Hong Jusan.”

Seopgu closed his eyes briefly, recalling a familiar nickname.

“I’ve heard of you. The Nine-Tailed Dog, Hong Jusan. I heard Geolseon taught you the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms. How far have you learned?”

“I’ve mastered up to the twelfth form.”

Seopgu nodded. The aura he sensed was no fluke; mastering twelve forms of the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms was no small feat.

Hyeongong chimed in, “He’s a remarkable friend. He recently defeated the Twin Polar Hermit and is on the verge of reaching the next level.”

“To be a supreme master at such a young age?”

“I was fortunate.”

Hong Geolgae bowed slightly, though Seopgu couldn’t see the slight lift of his cheekbones.

Seopgu, a bit excited, said, “As one star falls in troubled times, another rises. With such achievements, you could be the next leader, if not the one after. It would be wise to learn the remaining forms of the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms from the elders. Seek guidance from Hwahwa Nogae.”

Long ago, the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms were actually the Twenty-Eight Dragon Subduing Palms. But due to the deaths or disappearances of leaders, ten forms were lost, leaving the current eighteen. To prevent further loss, the elders had divided the forms among themselves.

‘I’ll seek out Hwahwa Nogae Heoheum to learn the remaining forms.’

With this in mind, Hong Geolgae asked Seopgu, “I’m not ready for such a responsibility yet. But I am curious about something else.”

“What is it?”

“Is the situation in the east dire?”

“The east? Both the Beggars’ Sect and Shaolin are in a bad state. With Geolseon gone… It’s no wonder we’ve come seeking help.”

So they had come to Wudang Mountain seeking aid.

Seopgu, unable to contain his excitement, urged Hong Geolgae, “There’s no time to waste. You should head to Kaifeng. Many people need you there.”

“Understood.”

Though he usually idled away his time at the Tang family estate, Hong Geolgae held a high position within the Beggars’ Sect. He couldn’t ignore their plight.

Hyeongong, planning Hong Geolgae’s future, thought, ‘He’ll make a name for himself in the great battle, impress the elders and beggars, learn the remaining forms from Hwahwa Nogae, and seize the leadership.’

Elder Seopgu subtly shifted the conversation.

“Do the Tang family head and the young man behind you have no desire to make a name in the martial world?”

Hyeongong, Hong Geolgae, and Namgung Myung all turned to Dang Mujin. Whenever the four of them were together, the final decision often fell to him. It had become a habit to seek his opinion.

Dang Mujin pondered for a moment.

He owed a great debt to Geolseon. When he first clashed with the Three-Eyed Buddha, it was Geolseon who, alongside Namgung Jincheon, saved his life. Yet he had never repaid Geolseon or the Beggars’ Sect. Now was the time.

He also felt a connection to Shaolin. Despite some tension due to the Three-Eyed Buddha, Dang Mujin and Shaolin shared a close relationship.

‘Is there any danger to the Tang family?’

The likelihood was low. The Northern Guard was monitoring the southern demonic sects, so an ambush seemed unlikely. The Tang family was well-protected, with several supreme masters, the Three-Eyed Buddha, and Jang Il-nam. If the Tang family were threatened, even the Emei Sect wouldn’t stand idly by, and the Qingcheng Sect had already returned to Sichuan.

Most importantly, his friends’ safety mattered more than any sect.

“I don’t seek fame. But I won’t send my friends into danger alone.”

Perhaps everything had been decided from the start.

Back at Wudang Mountain, Hyeongong needed to visit Hyuncheondang to see Elder Yeongbo.

But he didn’t go straight there, waiting for the right moment.

And then, the perfect moment arrived.

‘Now!’

Hyeongong entered Hyuncheondang, where Elder Yeongbo greeted him warmly.

Hyeongong bowed and said, “I took some time to compose myself after the long journey.”

“No matter. Did you achieve anything?”

As Elder Yeongbo asked, Hyeongong’s mind raced.

‘What should I mention? Martial arts? Inner strength? Connections? Or should I subtly imply I defeated the Twin Polar Hermit?’

As he pondered, he realized that wasn’t the answer. There was no longer a need to hastily showcase his achievements. He had done so to secure his position as the next leader of Wudang.

And now, he was promised that role.

Elder Yeongbo wouldn’t change his mind on a whim, so the situation was stable.

‘There’s no need to rush for points. It’s time to protect what I have.’

In other words, it was time to be humble.

Hyun-gong made all these judgments in a single breath and responded in a measured tone.

“I’ve traveled the world, faced many challenges, and strived to learn. Yet, the more I did, the more I realized my own shortcomings. It was merely a time to understand how foolish I truly am.”

“Hmm. The next leader shouldn’t be foolish…” murmured Elder Youngbo, causing Hyun-gong’s heart to skip a beat. But he steadied himself, refusing to be swayed.

This was merely a test. If he spoke rashly to defend himself, he might fall into a hidden trap.

“I will strive to improve.”

Hearing Hyun-gong’s calm reply, a glimmer of interest flickered in Youngbo’s eyes. Hyun-gong’s demeanor was clearly different from before.

Youngbo asked another question.

“I heard you defeated the Twin Blood Hermit?”

For a moment, Hyun-gong almost replied, “Yes, I did.”

But once again, his mind raced.

‘If he’s bringing up the Twin Blood Hermit, it means someone from the sect who returned with me has already told him about the events at Mount Gireon.’

‘They wouldn’t have left out the details of Hong Geolgae’s achievements or the full story we shared.’

‘This is another test.’

‘Claiming I killed the Twin Blood Hermit could have led to big trouble. Humility was the right approach.’

Hyun-gong spoke calmly.

“How could that have been my doing? It was my friend, Hong Jusan, who played the biggest role. If anyone else deserves credit, it would be Tang Mujin, who severed the right arm of the Twin Blood Hermit. Everyone present would agree.”

“Hmm. Is that so,” Youngbo replied, sounding slightly indifferent, but Hyun-gong detected a faint satisfaction in his voice. He had successfully navigated all the traps.

‘Now it’s my turn to make a move.’

Carefully managing his expression, Hyun-gong asked Youngbo, “On my way here, I noticed the atmosphere at the Wudang Sect seemed unusual.”

“Indeed. From the east—”

Just then, a faint presence was felt outside the hall.

Creak.

The door opened, revealing a familiar face. It was Elder Seopgu from the Beggars’ Sect, who had been conversing outside.

“The old beggar greets the Wudang Sect leader… Oh, I see there’s a guest. My apologies, Jeong-eon.”

“It’s no problem. I’ll step out for a moment. Please, continue your conversation.”

As Hyun-gong rose to leave, Youngbo asked curiously, “Jeong-eon?”

Seopgu chuckled. “You don’t know your disciple’s nickname?”

“Nickname? Wasn’t it Rising Dragon Sword?”

“Well, around Sichuan, everyone calls him Jeong-eon.”

Hyun-gong’s heart pounded.

He suddenly thought of Tang Mujin. Just as a thrown boomerang returns to strike an unsuspecting target, the nickname he had left behind was coming back to him.

Youngbo asked, “Hyun-gong, what’s this about?”

“Feeling burdened by the title Rising Dragon Sword, I kept silent. The people of Sichuan gave me a new nickname. It’s still more than I deserve, but I prefer it to one involving dragons. Asking people not to call me that felt awkward…”

Hyun-gong bowed his head slightly, his ears turning red as if he couldn’t overcome his embarrassment.

A brief silence followed.

Then Youngbo smiled contentedly and said, “A nickname reflects one’s deeds. While I idled away on Wudang Mountain, you’ve shed your last flaw. Today is truly a joyous day.”

A thought suddenly crossed Hyun-gong’s mind.

Was Youngbo’s promise of the next leader position genuine?

It wasn’t entirely empty words.

But in hindsight, it was a precarious promise, a verbal agreement that could be overturned at any moment.

Yet at this moment, Hyun-gong felt certain of everything.

With a trembling voice, he replied, “You’re too kind.”

“It’s fine. We’ll talk more later.”

“Yes.”

With his head bowed, Hyun-gong slowly backed out of the hall.

Now, only Seopgu and Youngbo remained inside.

Hyun-gong glanced around to see if anyone was nearby. As expected, there was no one.

Finally, he clenched his fists and quietly celebrated.

“At last!”

After a long wait, Hyun-gong had achieved a perfect victory in his strategic battle with Youngbo.

This, too, was a testament to surpassing the master.