Chapter 68: Entering the Righteous Alliance
To think I'd hear my title here.
I focused on the passersby's conversation with a strangely excited heart, curious about what they would say.
“Kunlun's Young Hero? Ah, that Taoist from Kunlun?”
“That's right. Didn't he defeat the Thousand Poisons Old Demon, one of the Hundred Great Poisoners Under Heaven, all by himself at Black Spirit Valley? And at such a young age, before even reaching twenty.”
One of the men tilted his head.
“Hmm. Still, calling someone a genius based on just that one achievement seems a little...”
The man opposite him immediately added,
“You think that's all?”
“Rumor has it he even inherited the martial arts left behind by True Immortal Cheongun, the former strongest under heaven.”
“If that's true, then... I suppose calling him a genius isn't an exaggeration.”
Another man rubbed his chin.
“But we can't judge everything based on rumors alone.”
“Other than what happened at Black Spirit Valley, almost nothing is actually known about him.”
“And as for the claim that he inherited True Immortal Cheongun's martial arts...”
He shrugged.
“Who knows if that's really true?”
The other man immediately argued back.
“Then why do you think Kunlun is participating in the Dragon-Phoenix Awakening Tournament for the first time in twenty years?”
“They must have something worth believing in.”
“Well...”
Someone else nodded.
“We'll find out once the tournament begins.”
“Whether Kunlun truly has a new hero.”
My expression remained calm on the outside.
But inside...
I felt strangely ticklish.
...What the hell?
Am I more famous than I thought?
I barely managed to stop the corners of my mouth from rising.
Tang Soyeon, standing beside me, glanced at my face.
“Young Master Mujin, your name really has spread quite far already.”
“They're only exaggerated rumors.”
I answered with the composed expression of a humble Taoist.
Or at least...
I tried to.
Then another voice suddenly came from the group ahead.
“You're all wrong.”
A man who had been quietly listening spoke firmly.
“The winner of the Dragon-Phoenix Awakening Tournament won't be one of the Five Dragons and Two Phoenixes.”
He shook his head.
“Nor will it necessarily be someone from the Nine Great Sects.”
Everyone turned toward him.
“Then who?”
“Who is this strongest person you're talking about?”
The man slowly opened his mouth.
“There's someone who stands at the very peak of the younger generation.”
His voice lowered.
“Someone even the Five Dragons and Two Phoenixes cannot casually compare themselves to.”
"...?"
After deliberately pausing...
he finally said,
“Have you all forgotten?”
“The Heavenly Origin Star.”
The moment he said the title...
everyone's expression changed.
“Ah... if it's the Heavenly Origin Star.”
“Then there's nothing more to argue about.”
“Yeah. That one is difficult to deny.”
Heads nodded here and there.
They all looked as though someone had finally given the correct answer.
Heavenly Origin Star?
Who's that?
It was a title I had never heard before.
And before I could think any further...
the answer came from the conversation.
“You mean Moyong Seong?”
“Exactly.”
“The only son of Moyong Cheonhwi, the Righteous Alliance Leader and strongest under heaven.”
Moyong Seong.
The instant that name entered my ears...
my thoughts turned cold.
...Moyong Cheonhwi's son.
The people around us continued talking excitedly.
“I heard Moyong Seong is learning Moyong Cheonhwi's personal martial art, the Sovereign Heaven Sword.”
“That's right.”
“They say he's an unparalleled genius.”
“There are even rumors that his martial arts at the same age have already surpassed Moyong Cheonhwi's.”
Another man quietly added,
“So what?”
“Seeing the Heavenly Origin Star is harder than plucking a star from the sky.”
“He's already been in closed-door training for about a year.”
Someone else replied,
“Who knows?”
“Maybe he'll enter the Dragon-Phoenix Awakening Tournament this time.”
“Exactly.”
“If Moyong Seong appears, this year's tournament will really be worth watching.”
Moyong Seong.
Sovereign Heaven Sword.
Moyong Cheonhwi.
The conversation around me grew hotter.
But my heart only became colder.
I remembered Moyong Cheonhwi's cold fingertips against my neck before my regression.
The flash of blue light.
The sensation of my head being severed....
I closed my mouth and simply kept walking.
Before long...
our group reached the end of the main road.
An enormous stone wall blocked the path.
The entrance to the Righteous Alliance.
The front gate was already packed with people.
Righteous Alliance martial artists stood at the entrance, controlling who entered and left.
“Stop.”
One of them blocked our path.
Yu Gwangcheol stepped forward.
He pulled a letter from inside his robe and handed it over.
The martial artist checked it.
Then immediately lowered his posture.
“You are from the Kunlun Sect.”
He gave a martial salute.
Then stepped aside and opened the way.
We began walking forward.
But then...
“Please wait a moment.”
The Righteous Alliance martial artist spoke politely but firmly.
His sharp gaze settled on Tang Soyeon.
“This person does not appear to be from Kunlun.”
Tang Soyeon showed no sign of panic.
Instead...
she pulled another letter from inside her robe.
“Please check this.”
The man's eyes shook slightly as he read it.
Then he hurriedly gave Tang Soyeon a martial salute.
“You may enter.”
And so...
Tang Soyeon entered the Righteous Alliance with the rest of us.
The moment we were inside...
Yu Gwangcheol turned toward her.
“You said you were from a branch family.”
His eyebrow rose slightly.
“I didn't expect you to possess an invitation to the Dragon-Phoenix Awakening Tournament.”
Tang Soyeon answered calmly.
“I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity reach me as well.”
“Hm.”
Yu Gwangcheol's eyes narrowed.
“Fortunate, you say....”
Tang Soyeon smiled.
“You will be registering for the tournament now, correct?”
“We will.”
She nodded.
“Then I should move separately for a while.”
Yu Gwangcheol looked at her.
“Hm?”
“As you know, I'm only here to observe the Dragon-Phoenix Awakening Tournament.”
She explained,
“While the Kunlun group handles registration, I have somewhere else to visit.”
“Do you know someone inside the Righteous Alliance?”
“Yes.”
“Someone close to me.”
Yu Gwangcheol nodded.
“Understood.”
“Then we'll meet back here later.”
Tang Soyeon gave a martial salute.
Then walked in the opposite direction from us.
Yu Gwangcheol watched her retreating figure with a meaningful look.
“Hm...”
He muttered,
“A branch family member who received an invitation to the Dragon-Phoenix Awakening Tournament....”
His tone clearly carried suspicion.
Jin Gwangung waved one hand dismissively.
