麻豆工作室

“Are you certain you do not want to go?”

“Yes, I wish to remain in Wudang.”

The one bowing before him was none other than Immortal Dragon Hyungong.

At his words, Taeheo Jinin expressed deep regret.

“I heard the other Dragons and Phoenix have all headed to the Martial Alliance. No… It is not my place to force you.”

Taeheo Jinin smiled bitterly, shaking his head.

He judged that it wasn’t right to further pressure the child who wanted to stay in Wudang.

“Hoho, with so little desire, you are indeed a Heavenly Daoist.”

While the other Dragons and Phoenixes were stepping out for fame, Hyungong’s focus on cultivating the Dao seemed truly wonderful in Taeheo Jinin’s eyes.

Hyungong just smiled.

Then a thought flashed across his mind.

Is there a need to restrict my movements?

Having lived his entire life as a spy, he was confident in deceiving others.

However, the Martial Alliance had too many eyes.

Hyungong didn’t feel the need to go there at the cost of abandoning the foundation he had built up.

After all…

He wasn’t the only one who had infiltrated the Orthodox Path, so he could leave the matters there to someone else.

* * *

The establishment of the Dragon Phoenix Squad.

This was undoubtedly news that would create a huge stir and also bring hope to the currently turbulent martial world.

However, aside from that.

“Creating a new group won’t be that easy.”

The Martial Alliance wasn’t some small neighborhood sect.

As a large organization, establishing a new group within required various preparations.

From the barracks where they would stay to the buildings where they would live, and the training grounds for practice.

It wasn’t enough to just provide an existing place.

Except for Mok Riwon, all the members of the Dragons and Phoenixes were from prestigious backgrounds.

It would be an embarrassment from the Martial Alliance’s perspective to give such people just any old building.

“It’s difficult...”

Mok Riwon tilted his head and furrowed his pretty eyebrows.

He couldn’t understand why they were so concerned about saving face, because for him, he could train well even on dirt and sleep anywhere as long as there was a roof.

Tang Hwa-seo didn’t bother explaining more to him.

She knew that the importance of reputation and the change in attitude according to position were the kind of things that were difficult to understand unless one experienced them firsthand.

“In any case, we will have to stay in this building for the time being.”

“What should we do in the meantime?”

“There’s nothing in particular to do. Ah, that’s right.”

Tang Hwa-seo raised her eyebrows as if remembering something.

“Would you like to visit the archive of the Martial Alliance?”

“The archive?”

“It’s the archive where secret manuals are given to the Alliance’s martial artists. Weren’t you curious about it, Young Hero Mok?”

Mok Riwon’s eyes lit up.

“We can go there?!”

“Of course. You’re now an official martial artist of the Alliance.”

“I want to go–!”

He sprang up.

Seeing his lively spirit that had now fully returned, Tang Hwa-seo simply smiled happily.

* * *

Tang Hwa-seo left Mok Riwon in front of the archive and said.

“Then I’ll go take care of some other matters and come back, so wait here obediently, okay?”

“Understood!”

He was constantly fidgeting, turning his body towards the archive as if burning with excitement.

At this, she felt a needless worry arise.

“Young Hero Mok, if a stranger tells you to follow them...”

“I should say I’m waiting for someone!”

“…Right.”

Although she wanted to stay with him, Tang Hwa-seo had many things to do as they were about to establish a group.

Tang Hwa-seo just hoped nothing would happen and turned away, leaving Mok Riwon behind.

After finally being left alone, he entered the archive.

And smiled.

It smells like books.

As soon as he went in, the musty scent of old books permeated his lungs.

It was a scent and atmosphere that calmed his head for some reason, so a bright expression formed on his face as he looked around.

The Alliance’s secret manuals...

There were truly a myriad of them.

From the Three Principles Sword Technique and Breathing Technique, which could be obtained even on the market street, to the secret manuals of small sects and even those related to the Alliance’s joint attacks, which couldn’t be found elsewhere.

There were originally some secret manuals that couldn’t be viewed right away just because one joined the Alliance, but the title of Dragon he possessed granted him the qualification to read even those.

Mok Riwon wandered around the archive for a long time before taking out a secret manual and opening it.

It was a sword arts manual called the Jade Thunder True Sword.

I need to know about as many swords as possible.

Mok Riwon wasn’t arrogant.

He also had a strong desire for self-improvement.

And he now had a reason to become stronger.

Fist Demon Pae Woongchu, whose name he now knew.

Mok Riwon felt that his training methods up to now were insufficient to face him properly.

I must learn everything that can be learned, and incorporate everything that can be incorporated into my sword.

Mok Riwon didn’t want to suffer such a miserable defeat again.

Swish.

The page flipped.

From then on, Mok Riwon read the secret manuals in the archive and etched those sword techniques in his mind.

* * *

In the training ground temporarily assigned to the Dragon Phoenix Squad, late into the night.

There, Mok Riwon drew his sword.

It was fruitful.

To be precise, he was about to reap the fruits from now on.

He moved his body while recalling the secret manuals he had been reading all afternoon, deconstructing the forms.

I will take only the necessary parts, and through that, I will create a new sword by weaving them together.

It was an arrogant thought.

Were it not Mok Riwon who had this idea, such words would surely come out.

It was natural to say.

What Mok Riwon intended to do was the creation of martial arts, an act of trying to become a grandmaster of martial arts.

However, he was the Heaven-Slaying Star.

He was one of the greatest martial talents to ever descend upon this land.

Therefore, his qualifications as a grandmaster were more than abundant.

As the Starfall Seven Swords progresses into the latter half, it will take on the unveiled form of reinforced qi arts.

He couldn’t rely on the Starfall Seven Swords in every fight.

In his one-on-one fight with the Fist Demon, didn’t his qi run out due to the excessive use of qi arts?

I need martial arts that can exert power with just the basic forms.

Mok Riwon’s sword descended, changed directions midway, and moved horizontally.

The sword unfolding at a very slow speed was a haphazard combination of the sword arts he had learned today.

Although there was an inevitable awkwardness in it, as the night deepened, the sword form gradually began to take on a natural and profound mysterious principle.

Reduce and refine. Fill in the awkwardness between the sword forms as the senses guide.

This wasn’t a sword for passing down.

It was a sword Mok Riwon was creating solely for himself.

Thus, he didn’t have to worry about the learning difficulty of having to pass it down.

A sword in the form most suitable for me.

A sword he could handle the best.

More variations.

A sword whose basic form the opponent couldn’t adapt to.

So I won’t use the same sword technique twice.

Mok Riwon gave a name to the sword he was laying the framework for.

Sword of a Myriad Principles.

A sword that weaved ten thousand sword forms to create a single law.

Even though only a dozen or so swords had been intertwined in it so far, Mok Riwon intended to incorporate ten thousand sword techniques into it someday.

The night deepened in the Martial Alliance.

* * *

About three weeks into their stay at the Martial Alliance.

Mok Riwon, who had been absorbed in training day after day to complete his new sword, went out for the first time in a long while.

“They’re coming today!”

They would be welcoming the other acquaintances they had met at the Dragon Phoenix Tournament today.

Tang Hwa-seo nodded.

“Yes, I heard the Fist Dragon and Sword Dragon are coming together, while the White Phoenix is coming separately.”

“What do you mean only the White Phoenix separately?”

“After all, aren’t they located at the opposite ends?”

Only then did he understand.

Since the Emei Sect in Sichuan was on the left of Hubei while Shaolin and Anhui were geographically on the right, there was no need for the White Phoenix to meet up with them and come back.

“Then...”

Who will arrive first?

The moment he had that thought, a figure in the distance waved her hand with a bright smile.

A tsk came from Tang Hwa-seo’s mouth.

“…The White Phoenix arrived first.”

The approaching woman in white was White Phoenix Hyeun.

She walked towards them with a truly refreshed face as if she had experienced something nice on the way here.

“It’s been a while.”

“It’s good to see you again!”

“Have you been well, Benefactor Mok? My goodness, you’ve become even more handsome?”

When Hyeun spoke while covering her mouth with her hand, Mok Riwon shook.

He wondered why she was suddenly acting so friendly.

And naturally, he hid behind Tang Hwa-seo. In response, Hyeun burst into laughter.

“I won’t eat you up. I really won’t. On the way here, I already…”

While excitedly speaking, Hyeun suddenly closed her mouth.

Then she looked around and smiled mysteriously.

“…Anyways, that’s how it is.”

Mok Riwon gulped.

Tang Hwa-seo proceeded to step on his foot with her heel as Zhuge San kept his mouth tightly shut.

He didn’t particularly like the unmarried and loose White Phoenix.

“…Brother Namgung is late.”

He thought that it would be more entertaining to see Namgung Jincheon get upset looking at Mok Riwon.

As if the heavens granted that wish, not much time passed before a monk and a noble young man with an impressive appearance walked over from a distance.

Zhuge San’s face brightened when they appeared.

“Monk! Brother Namgung! Over here!”

Their reactions were starkly different.

As soon as Il-woon saw Zhuge San, he trembled and smiled awkwardly, while Namgung Jincheon only glared at Mok Riwon without even glancing at Zhuge San.

“It’s been a long time! How have you been?”

Mok Riwon held no grudge against Namgung Jincheon.

After all, no matter what, he was a fellow martial artist of the martial world who was sincere about swordsmanship, and the last time they met, he seemed to be trying to consider many things besides martial prowess, so Mok Riwon felt like becoming friends with him.

“…Have you been well?”

Namgung Jincheon muttered expressionlessly.

“Yes, I’ve been well.”

He didn’t cower in the slightest.

Rather, he was burning with competitive spirit.

However, now wasn’t a good time.

Namgung Jincheon wanted to challenge Mok Riwon to a fight right away, but he wasn’t stupid enough to be consumed by that emotion and forget what he came here to do.

He brushed past the other Dragons and Phoenixes and headed towards the Alliance, saying.

“Follow me then. We need to report first.”

“He’s talking like he’s already the captain.”

Hyeun whispered to Tang Hwa-seo, who unknowingly nodded along.

Hearing their words, Namgung Jincheon retorted as if it were obvious.

“Isn’t it natural for me to be the captain?”

At his extremely arrogant attitude, the people present stiffened.

Meanwhile, only Mok RIwon clenched his fists tightly in anger and shouted.

“W-What are you saying?! The captain will be me!”

There was only one reason Mok Riwon wanted to become the leader of the group.

Because it was cool.

A tense atmosphere rose between the two.

Tang Hwa-seo blankly watched the ongoing scene with one hand holding her head.

This…

This was already starting to be a /genesisforsaken