Chapter 420: Omen of Destruction (3)
After the meeting ended, Baek Sang-ah once again collapsed in the middle of her bedroom.
"Life, seriously…."
As a child, she wanted to become a sword mistress respected in the murim.
Like the Azure Moon Sword Mistress of the Southern Sea's Botaham or the Lotus Sword Mistress, a former master of Emei—she wanted to become a female expert who commanded the Central Plains.
And now.
Though the title had the prefix “Heaven-Slaying” attached, she had succeeded in earning the honorable title of Sword Mistress at a young age.
Of course, the process was far from what she had ever wished for.
‘I want to throw it all away.’
Baek Sang-ah suddenly thought so.
She had already reached a point in her life where a sage’s moment often visited her.
But with a much heavier burden pressing down on her shoulders than before, her mind was gradually beginning to sink somewhere deep.
It was an early symptom of inner demons.
It was then—
"Is it hard?"
“……”
Before she realized it, So Cheon was watching her with worried eyes.
Lying on her bed, Baek Sang-ah glanced sideways at So Cheon with a feeling akin to a headache.
This place was meant to be the exclusive space of the Alliance Leader.
Wasn't the man before her stepping into such a space far too easily?
Where had her privacy gone…?
What made it even more absurd was the fact that So Cheon wasn’t even sneaking in.
When So Cheon came to her chamber, the guards at the entrance just opened the door for him automatically.
It spoke volumes about how So Cheon was regarded within the Northern Murim Alliance now.
‘Should I say something?’
She considered scolding the guards severely, but eventually lost the will and buried her face again.
For some reason, she didn’t want to do anything at all right now.
“……”
“……”
A silent stillness lingered in the room for a while.
Baek Sang-ah quietly buried her face in the bedding, and So Cheon wordlessly watched over her.
Perhaps after nearly a quarter of an hour had passed—
So Cheon opened his mouth in a quiet voice.
"If it’s really so hard that you feel like you absolutely can’t endure it."
“…?”
So Cheon’s voice thundered in her ears.
"Then you can just throw everything away and run."
Her eyes wavered.
"Wherever it is, I’ll go with you."
What she wanted to hear most at this moment—those words came from none other than So Cheon.
"That’s surprising. I didn’t expect you to say something like that."
So Cheon scratched the back of his neck with an awkward smile.
"Ah, well… my life has been a series of escapes, you see… So maybe I can kind of see what you’re feeling… or something like that…"
"That’s not what I meant."
An expression void of clear emotion, yet meaningful, was directed at So Cheon.
"Young Master So Cheon, can you truly give everything up?"
"Yes."
So Cheon answered without hesitation.
"Status, honor, wealth. And… even martial arts?"
"Even if I had to bury myself in some secluded valley in the Outer Regions and live as an ordinary man for the rest of my life—if you were by my side, I’d gladly do it."
So Cheon’s expression was sincere.
To begin with, martial arts had never meant much to So Cheon.
He had learned them simply to survive, and later, had merely inherited the robe because Dao Zun took an interest in him.
Baek Sang-ah chuckled softly and sat up.
"If the world really goes to ruin someday, that kind of option might not be so bad."
"You mean…"
"But not right now."
Her once softened expression hardened once again.
"I’ll do everything I can. Again and again. That damned master who forcibly implanted this power in us—it was undoubtedly for a time like this."
So Cheon nodded.
"I’ll stay by your side, no matter what. Anyone who tries to harm you—I’ll kill them, whatever it takes."
Before too, he’d stirred up a fuss about killing the Southern Murim Alliance Leader and whatnot.
But this time, So Cheon’s words carried a different kind of weight.
Baek Sang-ah could feel it and let out a small laugh.
"If, by any chance."
"Yes?"
"Really, just if—we lose this war…"
It was a hypothesis that must never come to pass.
Still, if such a thing were to happen—
"Then, shall we go around the Central Plains as a pair of assassins?"
So Jeong, the teacher who once taught assassination to the two of them, had said.
If they were together, they could dye the Central Plains in blood.
"The two of us…."
So Cheon smiled brightly at those words.
"That sounds wonderful."
Whether it was a killing journey or a good deed, as long as he was with her, So Cheon didn’t care what it was.
Baek Sang-ah's decision to extend the frontlines to save the people caused severe strain on the Northern Murim Alliance in less than a month.
"The trading companies in Luoyang are reluctant to fund us."
"Others feel the same. At this rate, the Alliance's treasury will soon run dry."
Her gaze shifted sideways at the more dire financial state of the Northern Murim Alliance than anticipated.
There, Ji Jae and Jegal Eun were hanging their heads like criminals.
Strictly speaking, they were essentially the top administrators of the Northern Murim Alliance, so the blame partly lay with them.
‘Strategy and finance are separate matters…’
This blunder was the result of the rapid expansion that occurred when the Black Lotus Hall evolved into the Northern Murim Alliance.
Baek Sang-ah let out a self-deprecating chuckle.
"Do we have to worry about self-destruction before we even win?"
"My apologies, Alliance Leader."
"……."
Most of the Northern Murim Alliance's early operational funds came from donations and investments by trading companies.
Because it had gathered for a righteous cause, major sects were also shouldering a substantial burden, but with the continuous regional skirmishes, that too was reaching its limit.
Baek Sang-ah frowned at the petitions coming from all sides.
‘…Do I have to ask Grandfather for help after all?’
The Namcheon Baek Clan was one of the wealthiest families in the Central Plains.
Though they had chosen to shut their doors due to a series of missteps, it also meant they had the confidence in their wealth to do so without hesitation.
‘I’ve yet to receive a reply from the main house.’
The Namcheon Baek Clan had not responded to Baek Sang-ah’s formal request to join the Alliance.
Given the Sword King’s personality, he was likely calculating the pros and cons carefully while observing the shifting situation in the Central Plains.
Or perhaps, displeased that she had decided the clan's participation on her own, he remained silent.
Either way, it wasn’t a pleasant matter.
‘I can’t lower myself to approach. Knowing Grandfather, he’ll definitely try to meddle with the Alliance’s structure.’
As Baek Sang-ah struggled with her inner conflict—
Good news arrived at the Northern Murim Alliance.
"Alliance Leader!"
The Saber King burst into the hall with a delighted face.
"The Bukcheon Geom Clan has arrived!"
"……!"
At last, the Bukcheon Geom Clan had joined the Northern Murim Alliance's headquarters with five hundred martial artists.
"It has been a while, Alliance Leader. I’ve heard much about you."
A middle-aged martial artist with a mane-like beard that gave him a lion-like presence.
The man before her was one of the top five saber masters in all the world.
"It’s been a while, Lion Saber Lord Geon Wiyang."
Baek Sang-ah no longer wore the Black Sky Master Mask.
Which was why Geon Wiyang used the word ‘a while’ when addressing her.
"……."
The warriors of Bukcheon who had accompanied their Clan Head frowned deeply at Baek Sang-ah’s attitude.
From the outside, it looked like a mere girl—a woman, no less—was sitting stiffly at the same table as their master.
In terms of rank alone, as a daughter of the Namcheon Baek Clan, Baek Sang-ah was in no position to even raise her head before Geon Wiyang, Clan Head of Bukcheon.
But—
She had not come to greet him as a daughter of Namcheon.
"Good."
Geon Wiyang instead smiled with uplifted corners of his mouth.
"Old Hyung-nim wasn’t wrong. He kept praising you endlessly, saying that times have changed and a great roc has appeared to sweep over the Central Plains."
"Thank you for the compliment."
"Who would've thought that little girl would grow up this much."
Geon Wiyang’s hand moved toward the saber at his waist.
"Clan Head! What are you doing?!"
The leadership of the Northern Murim Alliance panicked at his sudden movement.
He made Baek Sang-ah an offer.
"Five breaths. How about it?"
"If that’s your wish."
"Facing one of the two powers that divide the world, I don’t plan on going easy."
Though in a duel, it was customary for a senior to give the junior the initiative, like offering the first move or three to five breaths’ time, Geon Wiyang deliberately refrained.
And in the blink of an eye—
Kaaaang!
Before anyone realized it, Geon Wiyang's Lion Saber had already clashed with Baek Sang-ah's twin swords.
"……?!?!"
"H-How did they even draw their blades…?"
The martial artists in the hall hadn’t even seen the moment they drew their weapons.
Only about five people inside had clearly sensed the drawing of their blades.
"…Fast."
"They say the Lion Saber Lord is a master of heavy blades, and his speed truly lives up to the name."
"Keh keh keh, Clan Head… if you let your guard down, you’ll pay dearly."
With someone’s sinister mutter—
Crack! Creak!
Geon Wiyang’s muscles suddenly expanded explosively across his entire body.
"……!"
It was the manifestation of Geon Wiyang’s Sword Intent—to overwhelm directly with brute force.
Under such pressure—
"Sorry, but."
Baek Sang-ah smiled faintly.
"There are now no more than three martial artists in all the Central Plains who can overpower me with strength alone."
"……!"
Baek Sang-ah then poured her qi into her twin swords in earnest.
Pure, black demonic energy spiraled up, wrapping around the blades.
And immediately after, her twin swords began to push back Geon Wiyang’s Lion Saber!
"T-This can’t be!"
"That Lion Saber Lord is losing in strength?!"
Martial artists with some insight realized just how outrageous the situation was and stood agape.
Not only was Geon Wiyang physically trained, but the Bukcheon Geom Clan's representative technique, Northern Dipper Soul Emperor Qi, was one of the most famous power-based martial arts in the murim.
Yet even that Northern Dipper Soul Emperor Qi couldn’t match the Heaven-Slaying Qi in terms of strength.
Boom!
The moment his foot was pushed back a single cun, Geon Wiyang hastily detonated his energy.
With that, a repulsive shockwave burst forth, and the figures of the two were flung to opposite sides.
Murmurs rose.
There was no need for even five breaths.
In just a single second, many had realized who held the advantage between them.
"Alliance Leader, this old man has been truly enlightened today."
"You flatter me."
Geon Wiyang sheathed his saber and gave a slight bow.
No further fighting spirit was visible in him.
"The Bukcheon Geom Clan will spare no support, be it manpower or resources, for the Northern Murim Alliance. We shall also do our utmost to pacify this chaotic murim under the guidance of the Alliance Leader."
"As the Alliance Leader, I am simply grateful for Bukcheon’s resolution."
Only then did Baek Sang-ah bow to express her gratitude.
However—
‘Something feels off.’
Though she bowed, her expression had, for some reason, sunk into coldness.
What kind of man Geon Wiyang truly was, Baek Sang-ah didn’t know.
After all, she had last met him when she was just seven.
But the combative nature of the Bukcheon Geom Clan was said to rival even the House of Extreme Saber of the Divine Cult.
It was none other than the Saber King, a member of Bukcheon himself, who had confirmed it several times.
‘He’s not the type to test the waters and back off.’
Knowing well just how insane the Pa Clan was, it made no sense that the head of a clan known to be their equal would retreat so easily.
If someone like Pa Uryang of the Pa Clan were standing there, he would have risked any loss for a life-or-death duel.
‘Injury? No. At least not at this point—he's not injured.’
She had heard that the Clan Head had been seriously wounded during the Heaven-Defying Society's assault on the Bukcheon Geom Clan.
But that was already some time ago.
‘What is this? Why is it different from what I’ve heard?’
In truth, this was minor enough to dismiss as trivial.
However—
For some reason, her instincts, honed through training under So Jeong as an assassin, kept issuing a warning to her body.
Never, ever let your eyes off the one before you.
And then, for a split second—
‘……Huh?’
It lasted only a fleeting instant.
But in Geon Wiyang’s eyes, she thought she saw—something red shimmer briefly.