The Murim and Unorthodox Alliances dramatically concluded their pact, announcing it with great fanfare. Spectators gathered in Hubei for the Heavenly Martial Festival were astonished.
"I can't believe I'm seeing the orthodox and unorthodox factions join forces!"
"But for an alliance, doesn't the atmosphere seem a little too hostile?"
"Man, you're behind on the news. Don't you know why? The Unorthodox Alliance Chairman humiliated the Qingcheng Sword Saint, defeating him in a single strike."
"Shh! Watch your mouth. Don't you know how sharp a master's ears are?"
The alliance hadn't come together under friendly circumstances. It was a temporary pact, a simple joining of hands born of mutual necessity.
The leaders of both factions knew they would become enemies again as soon as the war with the Blood Cult ended. Hence, even as they officially signed the joint statement and announced it to the world, a nervous tension hung in the air.
Still, an alliance is an alliance.
The two Alliance Chairmen rode side by side down the main street like generals on a military campaign. Behind them, key figures from both alliances followed in a long procession.
The sight of these giants from the orthodox and unorthodox sects standing shoulder to shoulder was a spectacle storytellers would recount for a decade.
""WOOOOAH!""
Most of the crowd cheered enthusiastically. Many harbored doubts and disapproval, yet no one openly voiced their dissatisfaction with the decision.
Only after circling the city to display their new alliance did the two Chairmen return to Murim Alliance Headquarters.
"I'm completely drained..." the Murim Alliance Chairman Yayul Hwang grumbled as he dismounted his horse. He had the stamina to fight on the battlefield for weeks without faltering, but he never wanted to parade around the city while being cheered on by a massive crowd ever again.
"You're not quite the outgoing type, are you, Murim Alliance Chairman? I, on the other hand, found it quite amusing." Maeng Ryonghwi smiled as he dismounted his black steed. As he said, he did not look the least bit tired.
Yayul Hwang shook his head helplessly. "Of course you would."
Unlike himself, who had ridden stiffly with his eyes fixed straight ahead, Maeng Ryonghwi had looked around leisurely, even waving at people occasionally. The man had showed none of the dignity expected of a supreme master, but by now it was pretty clear that he wasn't someone who cared what others thought.
The key figures of the Unorthodox Alliance and the dignitaries of the Nine Sects One Gang dismounted as well, most of them showing clear signs of fatigue.
"Hoo! Is it all over now?"
"It seems so..."
Since the alliance was decided upon quickly due to the approaching Heavenly Martial Festival, only the broad details were agreed upon. From here on, the working-level staff, rather than the leaders, would coordinate the finer details.
"Head Strategist, can we hold a meeting right away?"
"The conference room is already prepared."
Head Strategist Jaegal Sojin represented the Murim Alliance, while the Viridian Scholar Ju Pyo spoke on behalf of the Unorthodox Alliance. His experience managing the Seventy-Two Viridian Forest Keeps, coupled with his outstanding scholarship, were deemed sufficient to compete with the Murim Alliance's most brilliant minds.
Maeng Ryonghwi glanced at Ju Pyo. [I'll leave the rest to you, my friend.]
It was time for the Unorthodox Alliance Chairman to take his leave.
He turned to Yayul Hwang. "Let's leave the tedious work to our subordinates. How about we Chairmen share a drink to commemorate the alliance?"
Yayul Hwang narrowed his eyes. Despite his brutish appearance, he was intelligent. He immediately realized that the Unorthodox Alliance Chairman had another agenda beyond celebrating the alliance.
"A drink... Good timing, I was just feeling thirsty. Let's go to my office."
The two Chairmen left the supreme masters and their suspicious glances behind and headed for the Murim Alliance Chairman's office.
"I'll treat you to some liquor I've been hoarding."
"Should I look forward to it? I'd prefer something strong, if possible."
"Don't worry. It's the kind of stuff that helps even a supreme master get a good night's sleep."
A short while later, the two men sat facing each other, clinking large mugs. The liquor was so strong that it felt like their throats were on fire.
Maeng Ryonghwi chugged down the potent drink. "Wooo! This is good stuff."
"Kekeke!" Yayul Hwang chuckled.
Maeng Ryonghwi frowned. "Why are you laughing like that? It's creepy."
"Because a remarkable man is a remarkable man."
Yayul Hwang meant what he said. Maeng Ryonghwi was arrogant and rude, but he was an incredibly powerful martial arts master who had left a stronger impression than anyone else in a short time. In particular, the tale of how he shattered the Qingcheng Sword Saint's weapon in a single strike would be retold for a long time.
He asked curiously, "Do you have any other alias besides 'Unorthodox Alliance Chairman'? With a temper and martial arts like yours, you must have one."
"Sword Devil, Gangster King, Ice Moon Evil God, Mad Demon."
"...What?"
"I was going to pick one of the four, but I gave up. If three out of four got sulky because I played favorites, I'd be the one suffering the most."
Yayul Hwang was stunned speechless. A strong scent of alcohol tinged Maeng Ryonghwi's breath, and his words sounded like a drunkard's ramblings. Still, he had a feeling that the man was hiding a keen intellect and secretive nature beneath a playful exterior.
"Keke!" he laughed. "I don't know what you're going on about, but you're a greedy one. I've never met someone who came up with four aliases and then agonized over them."
"I am a bit greedy. Some other guy said the same thing not too long ago."
Maeng Ryonghwi shrugged and held out his cup, clinking it against Yayul Hwang's once more.
After that, the two men drank the strong liquor in silence for a while.
Suddenly, Yayul Hwang blurted, "Thank you... I don't know how much of this you intended, but..."
"I need the Murim Alliance to be united."
"Do you have a grudge against the Blood Cult as well?"
Maeng Ryonghwi's deeply sunken eyes gleamed with a chilling light. "My grudge runs much deeper than you can imagine."
"Kekeke... Right. No wonder I took a strange liking to you right from the moment I first laid eyes on you!" Yayul Hwang burst out laughing, his shoulders shaking with mirth.
Unlike his smile, however, his eyes were profoundly somber.
Maeng Ryonghwi scowled. "Why are you staring at me like that? You're ruining the tasty drink."
"......" Finding it difficult to answer, Yayul Hwang quietly filled Maeng Ryonghwi's cup.
"The more I look at you, the more I see a resemblance between you and our Chief Instructor."
Maeng Ryonghwi frowned.
The statement could be interpreted in many ways, but Maeng Ryonghwi scoffed lightly in response. His ability to deceive an opponent was far too refined to be revealed by such a simple probe.
"The Azure Dragon Hero? I wanted to see his famously handsome face for myself. It's a shame I have to leave without meeting him."
"...Leave? Are you planning to depart without watching the Heavenly Martial Festival?"
Maeng Ryonghwi stood, let out a long yawn, and nodded. "I have no interest in the squabbles of fledglings who haven't even shed their baby fat. My business here is done."