Chapter 70

Chapter 70
The Prime Begins with the First Snow (1)

The following day, staying true to his word, Yeom Hwa-sin granted Baek So-cheon his freedom.

“You originally claimed you would keep me detained for five full days. Why change your mind now?”

“Once chaos breaks out, I will end up slaughtering everyone anyway. What purpose is there in keeping you confined here?”

Though it was an acknowledgment of their connection, he displayed not an ounce of warmth toward his own kin. If anything, the bitterness between them had only festered deeper.

Yeom Hwa-sin stepped into the carriage alongside him.

“Since I was the one who brought you here, it is only proper that I see you on your way.”

“Do you really have nothing better to do? Then again, having so much idle time must be why you are orchestrating an entire war. You should keep yourself occupied. Perhaps pick up a hobby.”

Baek So-cheon purposely spoke with an irritated edge.

“Are you still bitter over that secret manual? Is this how a grown man ought to behave?”

“Those words suit you better. Is this how a man acts? When a promise is made, it ought to be honored.”

Yeom Hwa-sin merely brushed off the jab, calling out toward the subordinate handling the reins up front.

“Depart. Listening to all these grievances, it seems our guest is eager to return home.”

The wheels began to roll at his order.

“What is your real motive for coming along? Do you have another mistress hidden away out there?”

“I certainly wish that were the case, but no. I am accompanying you strictly for your own protection, boy. My son is not the type to let you slip away without interference.”

“You did not lay a hand on her, did you?”

He was concerned that Cheon-geuk, having departed earlier, might have walked into an ambush.

“Put your mind at ease. That fool lacks the courage to throw his life away so cheaply.”

Put simply, he did not possess the nerve to antagonize the head of the Sal-su Yeon-maeng without thinking. Or perhaps, operating under the assumption that Baek So-cheon was devoid of internal energy, he simply viewed him with contempt.

In truth, Yeom Hwa-sin’s intervention was framed as an aid to Baek So-cheon, but it ultimately spared his own offspring. If Yeom Sa-won had personally marched in with his underlings to assassinate Baek So-cheon, the young man would have perished by Baek So-cheon’s own hand. While concealing his true cultivation remained a vital priority, he could never permit an arrogant whelp to cut him down.

“You intervened for your son’s sake, not mine.”

Even so, it seemed improbable that Yeom Hwa-sin would shed tears over his child’s demise. Instead, he would likely pursue retribution with terrifying fervor, using the bloodbath as a shroud to disguise the hollow void within his heart.

“Why not simply execute me right here?”

“Is that truly what you wish for?”

“Hardly. It is merely a question. Previously, you recognized my utility and preserved my breath solely to strike a blow against our alliance leader. What justification do you hold at present?”

“Being in your presence is simply entertaining.”

This entire encounter had illuminated one truth beyond all doubt.

The man was consumed by an overwhelming, bottomless solitude. It was precisely that desolation that rendered him so terrifying. To him, waging war was merely a desperate attempt to drown out the internal silence, an impulse far more hazardous than petty greed for dominion. Even seizing ultimate triumph might fail to pacify such a fractured spirit. In its wake, an even more terrifying abyss of emptiness might swallow him whole. When that time came, the genuine catastrophe would begin, eclipsing the devastation of war itself.

Yeom Hwa-sin brought Baek So-cheon to a halt right at the boundary separating Honam Province and Hobuk Province.

“Go well.”

“Farewell.”

“A moment, So-cheon.”

Baek So-cheon paused and glanced back over his shoulder.

“The hour when your life ends under my own palms draws ever nearer. Ensure your affairs are settled.”

The declaration was devoid of deceit. It seemed he desired nothing more than to extinguish with his very own grip the one person capable of piercing his core.

Baek So-cheon gave his chest a firm pat.

“I have no clue where your own heart lies, but mine remains right here. Be certain to strike without hesitation.”

With that, Baek So-cheon walked off into the distance.

‘My apologies, but my story is nowhere near its end.’

After verifying that not a soul trailed behind him following their parting, Baek So-cheon began to circulate and practice Pung-sin Haeng-gong.

The arts of lightness demanded relentless, unyielding running to achieve true mastery. Pung-sin Haeng-gong was never designed for nimble exchanges within close-quarters clashes; rather, it was a pure, unadulterated running art. Once pushed to the peak of mastery, its user could outstrip the flight of airborne birds through explosive bursts of sheer acceleration. A brief blur, disappearing into a minute speck on the horizon, moving with the velocity of an arrow of light.

Cultivating it from its very foundation felt notably smoother than wrestling with the other three supreme disciplines. It resonated with him on an elemental level. Every martial art possessed a natural affinity with its practitioner, and this art aligned with him to a remarkable degree. His arduous, brutal conditioning in sheer stamina bolstered every form he practiced, yet it served this technique above all else. He held a distinct conviction: this would be the supreme art he would bring to grand completion first.

Adhering strictly to the principles of the manual, he drove his inner qi through his meridians as his feet struck the earth, running mile after mile without pause. His momentum only swelled with each passing stride.

Moving across the land in this manner, Baek So-cheon made his way back toward the Murim Alliance, refining his mastery over Pung-sin Haeng-gong throughout the journey.

Upon reaching Mu-han, prior to presenting himself before the alliance gates, he stopped by Cheon-geuk’s establishment, the Daroo Tea House.

Patrons occupied the tables throughout the room, but surprisingly, she was stationed right inside the kitchen area, carefully steeping tea herself.

Noticing his entrance, she greeted him in an offhand tone.

“You have made it back? Carry those sets of tea over this way.”

“These ones here?”

“Not those, the pair sitting right next to them. That is the one.”

Baek So-cheon lifted the indicated set and brought it across to her.

She halted midway through pouring the brew, letting out a prolonged, heavy exhalation. Despite her attempts to present an air of calm indifference, she had failed to suppress the sheer anxiety she had harbored on his behalf. From the depth of that lone sigh alone, he grasped how thoroughly she had worried over his fate.

“Attending to the shop floor personally?”

“Whenever alliance affairs become an unbearable headache, I come down here to reset my thoughts. Simple, repetitive physical tasks have a way of silencing useless worries. Go take a seat out in the main room; I will bring your cup over shortly.”

Baek So-cheon took a chair positioned beside the window. In the meantime, the worker went about explaining the situation to the remaining patrons, declining their coin, escorting them out past the threshold, locking the entrance securely, and quietly departing the premises.

Shortly after, Cheon-geuk stepped out from the preparation room carrying a tray of tea.

“A freshly acquired batch. I deliberately held it back until you returned. The flavor profile and fragrance are both exceptional.”

Baek So-cheon drew in the soothing steam and offered an approving nod.

“It truly is remarkable.”

“You returned far earlier than I anticipated.”

“The man simply let me walk away. He is under the impression that taking my life is something he can accomplish whenever the mood strikes him.”

“That is fortunate.”

“Were you anxious?”

“Hardly. You are not the sort of fool who would perish in a place like that.”

Far from succumbing, he had managed to secure and cultivate a peerless lightness art. Without question, Yeom Hwa-sin must have handed the manual for Pung-sin Haeng-gong to her as well. The man possessed the means to inspect her progress, so she would eventually have to cultivate it, though certainly not at this very instant. He was confident she had yet to commit the entire text to memory. Once Yeom Hwa-sin was eliminated, he would instruct her in the technique himself. By all accounts, it belonged to her to begin with.

“I plan to linger around this area for the foreseeable future. The Daroo shall serve as the official forward base for our alliance.”

“Operating the Sal-su Yeon-maeng right at the doorstep of the Murim Alliance. The annals of history will surely preserve this development.”

“Does that imply I will be remembered as a historical icon? The thought is rather pleasing.”

A warm smile graced her features, and he answered with an amused grin of his own.

Outside the pane, the breeze carried a biting chill. Looking out across the pale, fading landscape framed by the glass, her voice dropped quietly.

“The season of snow approaches.”

It was the final winter remaining before open warfare would swallow the realm.

He needed to uncover some method to halt the coming disaster during this exact winter. One direct, indisputable solution existed.

Strike down the Black Heaven Alliance Lord and the Blood Cult Lord simultaneously.

Unpredictable complications might crop up along the way, such as Yeom Sa-won attempting some reckless disruption out of petty envy. Yet that was of minimal consequence; if he possessed the power to fell the father, disposing of the son would be trivial.

Other variables remained outside his control as well, specifically the rigid hawks within the righteous faction who were desperately clamoring to launch a preemptive strike against Black Heaven.

“Shall we gather again once the initial snow descends? It may very well prove to be our final chance.”

“Understood. That sounds fine.”

Baek So-cheon pushed back his chair and stood.

“Keep yourself unharmed until our next meeting.”

Her reply drifted toward his back as he stepped away.

“You should ensure the same.”

Stepping beyond the threshold of Daroo, Baek So-cheon made his way directly into the Murim Alliance.

Once inside, Baek So-cheon gave a detailed recounting of everything that had transpired within the territory of the Black Heaven Alliance to Ak So-gun and Je-gal Hyeon.

Having operated under the impression that his absence was spent entirely in isolated cultivation, the pair were thoroughly taken aback.

“That was far too reckless an endeavor!”

Je-gal Hyeon remained entirely unaware that Baek So-cheon had successfully rebuilt and retrieved his internal qi. Even Ak So-gun, who was privy to the secret, sternly reprimanded his actions, realizing the immense shock the strategist had suffered.

“Strategist Je-gal is entirely correct. Your conduct this time was terribly rash.”

“I offer my deepest apologies.”

Naturally, both men understood within their hearts that he had been left with virtually no alternative. Outright refusal to comply could have signed his death warrant. Furthermore, with the supreme ruler of Black Heaven delivering the demand in person right within their vicinity, any botched effort to strike him down covertly would only invite an insurmountable grudge.

Je-gal Hyeon lowered his torso in a deep bow before Ak So-gun.

“I permitted that fiend to advance unchecked right to our front steps. The fault is mine alone.”

Ak So-gun raised an arm, brushing the admission aside. It was common knowledge that Ak So-gun himself was equally capable of standing unseen right at the entrance of Black Heaven whenever he willed it. Such was the terrifying reality of supreme experts contesting one another under the canopy of the martial world.

“I express my gratitude for your understanding, Alliance Lord.”

“Set it from your mind.”

Baek So-cheon shifted their focus back to the primary threat.

“The lord of Black Heaven is not an adversary to be taken lightly. Despite being fully aware that I had planted a tracking sigil on him, he pushed forward with his pact with the Blood Cult regardless.”

He then imparted a far more devastating revelation.

“Moreover, there is a strong possibility he has completed the Geum-gang Bul-goe Ji-che.”

“What did you say?!”

Ak So-gun bolted straight out of his seat.

“Are you entirely certain of this?”

“Every instinct I possess tells me it is so.”

“This is an absolute catastrophe.”

Ak So-gun collapsed back into the wooden chair behind him. If that terrifying form of martial invulnerability had truly been perfected, he lacked any confidence in his ability to cut Yeom Hwa-sin down.

Confronted with such a crushing revelation, Je-gal Hyeon immediately grasped where his own duties lay.

“I shall dedicate myself to driving a wedge between the factions of Black Heaven and the Blood Cult, shattering their collaboration.”

“See that you do.”

Baek So-cheon then offered an encouraging detail.

“I managed to extract another crucial observation.”

“What might that be?”

“The young heir of Yeom Hwa-sin possesses a temper he cannot begin to control.”

Baek So-cheon had deliberately phrased the assessment with restraint, yet Je-gal Hyeon immediately decoded the meaning: the heir was little more than a reckless, short-fused brute.

“I have made note of it. That will prove exceptionally useful.”

Baek So-cheon then turned toward the strategist.

“Would you mind granting us a brief moment alone?”

“Of course.”

The moment the strategist’s footsteps faded beyond the chamber doors, Ak So-gun brought up the matter regarding On Byeok-hwa.

“I understand the situation now. You have my sincere sympathies.”

“It is utterly humiliating.”

In all honesty, the aged warrior felt deeply abashed facing Baek So-cheon. Developing romantic entanglements past the age of seventy was absurd enough, yet Baek So-cheon had not even been without attachments at the time.

“Because of this, you must reclaim your position as the Bi-gak Lord.”

“My current station serves me far better.”

“It does not serve my purposes at all. What is more, she intends to relinquish the mantle regardless.”

“Allow me a bit more time. I still require further personal training.”

Assuming the mantle of the Bi-gak Lord once more would only drag far greater scrutiny onto his person from both Yeom Hwa-sin and the agents of the Blood Cult.

“Very well. I shall respect your timeline.”

“Furthermore, should we succeed in stopping this impending war… I will be coming to you with a single request.”

Baek So-cheon held a firm, private intention to sever his ties with the Murim Alliance altogether once the dust settled. He wished to roam the vast expanse of the jianghu without a single restraint, lingering where his whims guided him and wandering off whenever the mood struck. Though Ak So-gun and Je-gal Hyeon would undoubtedly strive to hold him back, his conviction on the matter was unshakeable.

Ak So-gun offered a slow, deliberate nod.

“I harbor things I must express to you as well. We shall address everything when that time arrives.”

Unbeknownst to the young man, Ak So-gun had already arrived at his own conclusion: the seat of the Alliance Lord was meant for Baek So-cheon alone. In his eyes, not another soul under the heavens possessed the qualification to hold it.

Just as Baek So-cheon prepared to take his leave, Ak So-gun retrieved a decorative container and pushed it across the table.

“Accept this.”

Resting quietly within were two whole roots of millennium ha-su-o.

“I cannot possibly continue to receive treasures of this caliber from your hands.”

“It represents the very limit of what I can provide for you right now.”

Ak So-gun’s expression carried a bittersweet edge.

“It pains me to admit it, but consider this a calculated investment. An investment meant for you, meant for our alliance, and meant for the entire future of the martial realm. Does that make me an unscrupulous old man?”

“Not in the slightest, Alliance Lord.”

Even without receiving such lavish gifts, Baek So-cheon had every intention of executing his duties, yet the sheer depth of the elder’s generosity was overwhelming.

Baek So-cheon took hold of the wooden box with profound reverence.

“I offer my deepest gratitude.”

Parting from the private quarters of the Alliance Lord, he set his steps directly toward the Cheon-ryong Secret Realm.

Elevating his martial strength was an inherently welcome path, yet the weight resting upon his shoulders grew steadily heavier with every breakthrough. If these burdens were an unavoidable part of his destiny, he would confront them head-on without flinching.

He resolved himself fully. These tribulations laid out by fate were merely the furnace intended to temper his absolute resolve.

‘Stand strong, So-cheon!’

Whispering words of encouragement to his own spirit, Baek So-cheon crossed the threshold into the depths of the Cheon-ryong Secret Realm.