Chapter 234

Mang Ryo finally arrived in front of the Martial Alliance’s main headquarters.

He was neatly dressed and had trimmed his beard. His unkempt hair was also well tied up.

He walked carrying a travel bag on his back while leaning on a staff.

Thunk, thunk.

Standing before the Martial Alliance’s massive iron gate that was several times his height brought renewed emotions.

He had finally made it here.

To meet the greatest figure who encompassed the current martial world.

“No matter who it is, today is the day fate will be decided, isn’t it?”

Mang Ryo stood there smiling.

As he waited in front of the wide-open iron gate, a Martial Alliance warrior came out from inside. Mang Ryo handed the warrior both a wooden token indicating his affiliation with the Inspector General’s Office and an introduction letter written by Sim Hak.

While Mang Ryo waited briefly in a guest room inside the iron gate, one of the strategists assisting the Alliance Leader came to meet him. He was a dignified scholar about forty years old.

“I am Strategist Yi Suk. Follow me.”

Entering the interior of the Martial Alliance, martial artists of all ages and genders dispatched from sects throughout the Central Plains could be seen everywhere.

Particularly many young rising stars were visible. Some were having pleasant conversations, some engaged in heated debates, some practiced light sparring. Others were hurrying along on business.

Groups of several young martial artists could be seen leaving the Martial Alliance for missions. They seemed disciplined with high martial skills. Some with particularly outstanding bearing, seemingly disciples of famous orthodox sects, occasionally caught the eye.

“Ah.”

Mang Ryo briefly stopped and exclaimed in admiration.

“Every one of them is a fine young man or woman. The men have excellent bearing and the women are beautiful, truly making the Martial Alliance’s future bright.”

Strategist Yi Suk stopped walking briefly without answering and waited for Mang Ryo.

Mang Ryo apologized.

“Ah, sorry. I was briefly lost in emotion.”

“Let’s go.”

But Mang Ryo continued stopping several times along the way, continuing to express admiration.

“What is that hall?”

“That fellow over there has very sharp eyes. Whose disciple is he?”

“Ho, the calligraphy on that plaque is quite impressive. Whose work is it?”

Once or twice was understandable, but constantly stopping while walking caused delays, and Yi Suk’s expression began to sour.

“Please be moderate. You didn’t come here to sightsee, did you?”

“Sorry. This is my first time at the main headquarters… Actually, I’ve had fantasies about the martial alliance since I was young. I thought someday I too would roam the martial world among those rising stars.”

“Advisor Mang!”

“Oops, I got carried away without realizing. I understand. I won’t stop anymore, so please go straight ahead.”

“Hmph.”

After being quiet for a while, Mang Ryo struck up conversation again.

“Someone like Strategist Yi Suk must have been a prodigy from childhood, so entering the Martial Alliance must have been very easy?”

“Not really. Originally I dreamed of a central government position, but lacking connections in the capital, I failed and ended up coming here.”

“Oh. Is that so? Well now… those of us without money or background always lead hard lives.”

“Thank you for understanding. Then before I get scolded by the Alliance Leader and my already hard life becomes even harder, please hurry.”

“Hehe, that’s right. We must help each other survive. I won’t cause you trouble. Ah… but I’m sorry about this.”

Mang Ryo frowned as he spoke.

“I need to use the toilet…”

Yi Suk’s face turned red and blue. Most martial artists know how to control their bodily functions.

“Good grief! What unseemly behavior from someone who’s an advisor to the Inspector General’s Office.”

“Please understand. I’m so nervous about meeting the highest person in the martial world that I can’t help it. Hehe. I can’t let myself give off a foul smell by mistake, can I?”

Yi Suk looked annoyed.

“Please hold it.”

“I understand.”

Mang Ryo followed Yi Suk while uncomfortably rubbing his stomach. Since quite some time had already passed, Yi Suk deliberately walked quickly.

After walking about one more watch period, they arrived at an estate. Yi Suk, who had guided him to the garden, said.

“We’re here. He’ll be waiting inside.”

“Aren’t you coming in together?”

“My job ends here.”

Mang Ryo looked around. There wasn’t even a single guard in front of the hall. Only occasional servants and maids attending to duties could be seen walking around.

“But when meeting the Alliance Leader, don’t they do body searches or anything like that?”

Yi Suk chuckled.

“When meeting one of the Three Martial Supremes? Unless someone at the level of One Master, Two Buddhas, Three Taoists, Two Kings comes, I wouldn’t know.”

One Master, Two Buddhas, Three Taoists, Two Kings.

A term referring to the eight supreme masters of the current martial world.

King of Hell Tang Qing was also one of the Two Kings.

The Three Martial Supremes were treated separately from the One Master, Two Buddhas, Three Taoists, Two Kings because they were the leaders of the three forces that divided the martial world into three: orthodox sects, evil sects, and demonic path. It was also meaningful not to divide them by martial arts in terms of respect.

However, Alliance Leader Taoist Haewol had occupied one of the Three Taoists positions even before becoming one of the Three Martial Supremes. After becoming Alliance Leader, a Wudang master simply inherited the Three Taoists position.

So frankly speaking, it was laughable for someone like Mang Ryo to mention body searches. There was no reason to fear someone like Mang Ryo and conduct body searches.

“It’s unpleasant but true.”

“I’m more surprised that you find it unpleasant. Now hurry up and go. I…”

“Then please hold this for me.”

Mang Ryo grabbed Yi Suk who was about to leave. He took off his travel bag and forcibly entrusted it to him.

“Snacks and jerky I packed to eat on the way home.”

Yi Suk was flabbergasted.

“I say, do you think I’m someone who holds such things?”

“I was going to entrust it to a warrior if there was one, but I only see servants. Please help me out. There’s also silver for travel expenses inside, and if I entrust it to lowly people and it gets lost, wouldn’t that be a disgrace to the Martial Alliance?”

Mang Ryo nodded to the flabbergasted Yi Suk.

“Please take good care of it. And there’s a bottle of precious wine inside, so if you get thirsty, just take one sip. It’s wine I obtained very preciously, so just drink one sip and absolutely don’t drink more. If you’re bored, you can take out some snacks to eat.”

“Huh…”

Yi Suk wanted to refuse. But if he refused, Mang Ryo seemed determined not to go inside until someone agreed to hold it. Having already been delayed too much time getting here, Yi Suk had no choice but to accept while being annoyed.

“Fine. I understand, so go up. Geez, what a person.”

“Thank you. They say even brushing sleeves creates a connection, so isn’t this also fate? Let me try to make connections in the capital too. I’ll buy you a drink when I come out, so please wait.”

“Just go.”

Yi Suk sat in the pavilion of the hall holding the travel bag.

Mang Ryo gave Yi Suk a big grin and entered the inner quarters.

Thunk thunk.

* * *

Alliance Leader Taoist Haewol was sitting in a room in the inner quarters.

Mang Ryo politely cupped his fists.

“I would like to meet the master of the Martial Alliance.”

The small-statured Alliance Leader Taoist Haewol raised one hand and gestured for him to come. He called out in a friendly manner as if they were old acquaintances.

“Oh my, what master? There’s no one else to do it, so I’m just temporarily holding the position. Come quickly. You must have had a hard time coming here?”

“Not at all. I was so focused on the thought of meeting you that I came without knowing the hardship.”

“But why were you so slow?”

“Pardon?”

Mang Ryo was slightly startled and asked back.

He looked into Alliance Leader Taoist Haewol’s eyes, but couldn’t see his gaze properly due to his long eyebrows and wrinkles.

But soon Alliance Leader Taoist Haewol smiled with his wrinkled face.

“I’ve been wanting to see you so much, so why did you only come now?”

“Hehe, I’m sorry. I have a chronic illness, and as I age, my body isn’t what it used to be.”

“Tsk tsk. Someone much younger than me saying such things. That’s why you shouldn’t eat just anything because it tastes good. You suffer when you get old.”

Every word pierced like a blade to the vital organs.

Whether he was saying this knowing Mang Ryo’s physical condition or not, it was impossible to tell.

He could be swayed by such words if this continued.

Mang Ryo changed the subject.

“But the reason you wanted to see me…”

“Did I say I wanted to see you? I thought you wanted to see me?”

Mang Ryo answered ambiguously.

“Hehe, of course. I’ve always wanted to meet the Alliance Leader.”

“Really? Wait. Then I need to remember why I called you, don’t I?”

Alliance Leader Taoist Haewol swayed left and right while sitting cross-legged.

Then, as if he had just remembered, he said.

“Right. It was because Baek Li-jung said it was interesting. Someone who sent his wife’s severed arm and even touched his son, so he’s really angry?”

Alliance Leader Taoist Haewol laughed with the characteristic voice of an aged elder.

“Hehe. Right, right. That’s why I became interested in you. I wondered where some unheard-of fellow appeared from to toy with the great Baek Li-jung.”

“Saying I’m toying with him is too much.”

“Baek Li-jung needs to be taught a lesson. He’s been too successful, so he needs to fail and taste bitterness. That’s how people become great figures. That’s why I salted his wife’s arm and sent it back to him.”

“Hehe…”

Mang Ryo pondered how to respond and just met it with laughter.

“Did he come to his senses and enter closed-door training? He should have come to his senses earlier. Getting all worked up over nothing.”

“Getting worked up?”

“Don’t you know? That fellow wants to be Alliance Leader.”

“Hehehe.”

Mang Ryo laughed, then casually threw out a question.

“Was your saying you’re temporarily holding the position because you’ve marked the Sword Pavilion Master?”

Alliance Leader Taoist Haewol was pleased.

“My… you’re quite good at sounding people out, aren’t you? Good. Very good.”

Mang Ryo waited. There was no need to speak hastily.

Alliance Leader Taoist Haewol grinned broadly.

“Many fellows want me to step down from this position. But you know what? There’s something they don’t know. Do you know what that is?”

“Hmm… if I may dare to guess with my meager brain, are you speaking of qualifications?”

“Hoh, amazing. Would you like to try stepping forward as a successor once? I could nurture you.”

At the unexpected words, Mang Ryo shook his head.

“How could this body manage? I’m quite old too.”

“Is the Alliance Leader position there for fighting? No. It’s a position for creating positions. If you just do that well, you won’t get criticized.”

“Positions? You mean creating positions?”

“That’s right.”

Alliance Leader Taoist Haewol pulled over a tray containing tea utensils and placed it in front. Then he continued speaking while scooping out tea leaves.

“Generally, if you have the goal of rising to a high position, you must keep this in mind. Use the power of your current position to create the maximum number of positions. That’s most important.”

Rustle, rustle.

“What kind of positions are there?”

He continued speaking while adding tea leaves, pouring water, and stirring with a brush.

“Positions for those who follow you to make a living, positions to keep those who only oppose busy so they can’t think of other things, positions so attractive that talented people from afar will compete to come under you, positions that are useless enough to be evaluated as fair in employing people since it doesn’t look good to fill them only with your own people…”

Alliance Leader Taoist Haewol said with a smile.

“You must continuously create such positions for others to follow you saying the Alliance Leader does good work. For crumbs to fall, there must be something for them to fall from. Isn’t that right?”