Cheol Jiak, Commander of the Black Tortoise Unit.
Within the Martial Alliance, he was a famous man.
Unfortunately, not for particularly good reasons.
He placed his own convictions above his superiors' orders and had never learned when to bend.
While those who had entered the Alliance alongside him rose to the ranks of commander and hall master, he remained a unit commander year after year.
Naturally, a man of his temperament had never bothered to visit Beili Tian, the Martial Alliance Leader and his former superior.
What reason would a mere unit commander have to meet the Alliance Leader in person?
As far as Cheol Jiak was concerned, all he needed to do was carry out his duties faithfully, without making a fuss.
So when that very man appeared at the Alliance Leader's hall, everyone was understandably astonished.
An attendant responsible for various duties within the hall stared at him with wide, startled eyes.
"Huh? Commander? What brings you here?"
"Is the Alliance Leader inside?"
The attendant narrowed his eyes.
Something was unusual.
Cheol Jiak seemed to be in an exceptionally good mood.
And behind him stood a handsome young martial artist.
"Yes, he's inside, but..."
"I need to see him."
"May I ask why?"
Cheol Jiak considered the question for a moment.
Then he answered solemnly.
"To uphold the justice of the Orthodox Path."
"...Ah. I see."
The attendant bowed and disappeared into the hall.
A short while passed.
Then a hearty laugh rang out from within.
The attendant emerged again.
"The Alliance Leader says you may enter."
"Sounds like the Alliance Leader has received some good news."
At Cheol Jiak's remark, the attendant smiled gently.
"The justice of the Orthodox Path is always good news to the Alliance Leader."
"Well said."
Cheol Jiak gave him an approving thumbs-up.
And so, with Cheol Jiak leading the way, Cheon Woojin entered the Alliance Leader's hall.
For the first time since entering the martial world, Cheon Woojin felt his neck stiffen with tension.
It wasn't because he was about to meet someone important.
It was because of the tremendous presence he could sense beyond the still-closed door.
It feels similar to White Master...
Of everyone Cheon Woojin had encountered since leaving the mountains, the Martial Alliance Leader, Beili Tian, possessed an aura closest to White Master's in terms of sheer internal energy.
Cheol Jiak spoke respectfully.
"Alliance Leader, may we enter?"
At that moment—
Rattle.
The sliding door opened by itself.
The room beyond came into view.
Beili Tian sat behind a desk at the far end of his office, nowhere near the entrance.
In other words, he was accomplished enough to open the door using Void Object Manipulation.
Cheon Woojin turned his attention toward the Martial Alliance Leader.
Beili Tian looked to be a little over forty.
Yet his hair and eyebrows were almost entirely white.
His eyes, however, shone with intelligence, and even while seated, he carried himself with unmistakable dignity.
Everything about him—his appearance, expression, bearing, and presence—radiated confidence.
Beili Tian studied the two visitors for a moment.
Then he sprang from his seat and burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Well, if it isn't our Black Tortoise Unit Commander! I'm quite certain the sun rose in the east today, so what extraordinary event has brought you to see me?"
Cheol Jiak scratched his head and laughed awkwardly.
After all, this was the first time in decades of service that he had come to the Alliance Leader's hall of his own accord.
Beili Tian moved to a guest chair and gestured toward the seats opposite him.
"Don't just stand there. Come in and sit down."
Cheol Jiak and Cheon Woojin seated themselves across from the Alliance Leader, with a tea table between them.
Beili Tian looked them over for a moment before speaking.
"Jiak, you're far too rigid. Too upright for your own good. That's why you're still a unit commander. What are you doing, staying in the same position while all your contemporaries have become commanders? If you lacked ability, I wouldn't find it so frustrating."
"Haha... In that case, perhaps you could arrange a special promotion for me."
"Not a chance. Personnel appointments fall under the General Commander, not me. Besides, since when did you become the sort of man who asks for special favors?"
Of course, even if someone offered Cheol Jiak a higher position, he would likely refuse it.
Beili Tian knew that perfectly well.
That was why the two could exchange such jokes so comfortably.
Then the Alliance Leader's expression grew serious.
"Jiak, bamboo that refuses to bend will eventually break. Is that what you want? Do you enjoy breaking?"
He paused.
"Just kidding."
Then he waved a hand.
"Enough of my nagging. Tell me why you've come. Let's see what we can do to uphold the justice of the Orthodox Path together."
Cheol Jiak was secretly astonished.
Truthfully, he hadn't expected the Alliance Leader to remember him.
Decades had passed since they served together, and even then, it had only been for a fortnight.
Beili Tian had been a commander.
Cheol Jiak had been a newly recruited martial artist.
Yet not only did the Alliance Leader remember him, he knew his personality and circumstances in remarkable detail.
So he really does keep an eye on the entire Martial Alliance.
Cheol Jiak felt a renewed sense of respect for the man.
He gestured toward Cheon Woojin.
"This young man wanted to meet you, Alliance Leader, so I brought him here."
Beili Tian's gaze shifted to Cheon Woojin.
Their eyes met.
For a moment, an unusual silence settled between them.
Then Beili Tian asked, his expression faintly curious.
"And who might he be?"
"He's an applicant taking part in this year's selection examination."
"Really?"
Beili Tian found that rather peculiar.
Any applicant seeking to join the Martial Alliance was, in a sense, a distant junior and a youngster deserving of his affection.
He would have welcomed any of them who wished to meet him.
Yet none had ever dared request an audience with the Alliance Leader.
Cheon Woojin rose from his seat.
He clasped his hands respectfully and bowed to Beili Tian with impeccable courtesy.
"I've heard a great deal about you."
"From whom?"
Beili Tian had been famous long before becoming the Martial Alliance Leader.
Countless stories circulated about him throughout the martial world.
But something about this young man's manner suggested he wasn't referring to ordinary rumors.
Cheon Woojin raised his head and met his gaze directly.
"Alliance Leader, are you the one known as Sword Slower Than a Turtle?"
Cheol Jiak looked startled.
Beili Tian's expression went rigid.
"...Who are you? How do you know that nickname?"
"My name is Cheon Woojin. I am White Master's disciple. It's an honor to meet you."
Cheon Woojin bowed again.
The Alliance Leader shot to his feet.
"W-what did you say? Where is he now?"
He extended a hand.
A white robe that had been carelessly tossed onto the desk flew through the air and landed in his grasp.
He hurriedly began putting it on, looking for all the world as though he intended to rush out and find White Master immediately.
"...He has passed away."
Beili Tian froze.
His hands stopped moving.
For a moment, even his breathing seemed to cease.
"I see..."
A deep sadness slowly settled over his face.
He lowered himself back into his chair, released a long sigh, and took a sip of tea.
"How did it happen?"
"He passed away peacefully, with me and his old friend beside him."
Beili Tian smiled faintly and nodded.
"So he sends word of his passing more than a decade later, and through you, at that. Even in death, he's still himself."
Cheon Woojin nodded.
He knew better than anyone what sort of men his masters had been.
"He was a good man. I'm sure he ascended to heaven."
"I'm sure he did."
Cheon Woojin answered without hesitation.
White Master was certainly the sort of person who could become a divine being.
Of course, unfortunately, the same could hardly be said for Black Master...
"Ahem."
Cheon Woojin cleared his throat for no particular reason.
Beili Tian watched him for a moment, then asked,
"What became of the Blue Feather Fan your master used to carry?"
Cheon Woojin tilted his head.
White Master's weapon hadn't been the Blue Feather Fan.
It was the Crane Feather Fan, a white fan decorated with three cranes.
Then their eyes met, and he understood.
He's testing me.
Despite his friendly appearance, the Alliance Leader was an exceedingly cautious man.
White Master's history was tangled with many secrets of the martial world, along with old grudges and complicated relationships.
It made sense that Beili Tian wouldn't accept a stranger's claim so readily.
Cheon Woojin reached into his robes, withdrew the Crane Feather Fan, and placed it on the tea table.
"He never used a Blue Feather Fan in front of me. He always used this Crane Feather Fan."
"Hoho! So you really are that child. Cheon Woojin."
Beili Tian laughed playfully.
Cheon Woojin blinked in surprise.
"Did my master tell you about me?"
"Tell me about you? I spent several nights coming up with your name, Cheon Woojin!"
"...Pardon?"
"The last time I saw him, he mentioned that he was raising a little boy. So I gave the child a name. Apparently, he'd spent the first three years of the boy's life calling him nothing but 'little one.'"
Beili Tian looked exasperated even at the memory.
He had found it unbelievable back then, too.
How could anyone raise a child for three whole years without thinking to give him a proper name?
Cheon Woojin's eyes widened.
Now that he thought about it, he couldn't remember when he had first been called Cheon Woojin.
He had simply assumed his masters had given him that name when he was very young.
"Woojin. I chose it in the hope that you would reveal your talents to the world and grow into a great man."
Beili Tian smiled.
"Looking back, I think I chose rather well."
He studied Cheon Woojin more closely.
He was so proud of the boy's talent...
Back then, Beili Tian had assumed his senior was simply exaggerating out of affection for his disciple.
Yet now, seeing the young man sitting before him, he found himself unexpectedly calm.
After a moment, Beili Tian spoke again.
"Perhaps there's little point in asking at this stage, but it wouldn't hurt to be certain."
"What do you mean?"
"Prove that you're my senior's disciple. The way a martial artist should."
Cheon Woojin had already presented his name and the Crane Feather Fan as proof.
But to demonstrate his identity as a martial artist could only mean one thing.
He would have to let his martial arts speak for him.
Understanding immediately, Cheon Woojin picked up the Crane Feather Fan.
He gave it a gentle wave.
A soft breeze began to gather.
Beili Tian's eyes lit up like stars.
It had been so long since he had last witnessed his senior's martial arts.
The gentle wind gathered along the edge of the fan and drifted toward the teacup before the Alliance Leader.
Then—
The breeze enveloped the cup.
Without the slightest resistance, the teacup split cleanly in two, as though sliced by a peerless sword.
But before the tea inside could spill, the wind curled around the liquid and held it suspended.
"Hah..."
An involuntary sound of admiration escaped Beili Tian's lips.
Such exquisite control at such a young age!
Even compared to White Master in his youth, Cheon Woojin had reached this level decades earlier.
Then the gentle breeze suddenly transformed.
It swelled into a fierce, overwhelming current.
The suspended tea burst into countless tiny droplets, scattering through the air and forming a fine mist that filled the office.
Cheon Woojin waved the fan once more.
The office window swung open.
In an instant, the mist was swept outside, leaving the room clear again.
Tap.
Cheon Woojin folded the Crane Feather Fan and slipped it back into his robes.
Throughout the entire demonstration, Beili Tian hadn't stopped smiling.
"Did my senior live long enough to witness how much you've grown?"
"Yes, he did."
"Hahaha! How happy he must have been! How proud! I can almost picture his kind smile."
Beili Tian's voice softened.
"I miss him. I truly miss him."
He smiled like a child.
For a long while, the Alliance Leader simply sat there, laughing quietly to himself.
Then he suddenly spoke.
"By the way, that was my favorite tea."
An awkward silence descended upon the office.
Cheon Woojin looked faintly embarrassed.
"...I'm sorry. I couldn't think of another suitable way to demonstrate."
"Hahaha! I'm joking!"
Beili Tian waved away the apology.
"Now then, why did Jiak have to accompany you? If you're my senior's disciple, you could have come to see me directly."
Cheol Jiak glanced around uncertainly.
He had been wondering whether it was appropriate to raise the matter of justice and corruption in the midst of such a cheerful reunion.
Beili Tian noticed his hesitation.
"It doesn't sound like good news."
"Well... not entirely."
"That's all right. If it's unpleasant, that's all the more reason I should hear it."
Cheol Jiak steeled himself.
Then he began recounting the entire affair.
He started with the conflict between Cheon Woojin and Gu Jinseok during the examination's individual assessment.
He explained what had happened during the second examination and the subsequent incident involving the West Heaven Society.
He described the discovery of the secret ledger and how Ink Guest, Gu Jinseok's bodyguard, had been identified as the man responsible for commissioning the assassination.
Finally, he recounted the investigation conducted under the Righteous Will Unit Commander and the suspicious haste with which it had been concluded.
He was particularly thorough—and emotional—when describing that last part.
As Cheol Jiak spoke, Beili Tian's expression changed several times.
By the time he finished, the Alliance Leader's face had hardened.
"Hah. The announcement ceremony is tomorrow, isn't it?"
"Yes. Applicant Cheon Woojin will probably be disqualified for causing such a disturbance. Though, to be fair, trying to tear out someone's collarbone with his bare hand was a little excessive."
Cheol Jiak glanced at Cheon Woojin as he spoke.
Cheon Woojin's expression remained unchanged.
Beili Tian nodded.
Then he said coldly,
"Leave us."
Cheol Jiak studied his expression for a moment.
He bowed respectfully and withdrew.
Cheon Woojin rose to follow him.
"Wait."
He stopped at the doorway and turned.
Beili Tian's voice had softened.
"Welcome, Woojin. I truly am glad you've come."
He paused.
"But I'm ashamed that this is the side of the Martial Alliance you've had to see. I'll look into the matter personally, so don't trouble yourself over it."
Cheon Woojin bowed his head slightly.
"It's all right. I've already accomplished everything I came to the Martial Alliance to do. I've delivered the news of my master's passing to you."
The implication was clear.
Whether he passed the selection examination no longer mattered to him.
Beili Tian frowned.
"No, what are you talking about? Of course you must join the Martial Alliance! If my senior's disciple doesn't belong here, then where else should he go?"
"Hmm..."
But Beili Tian had already made up his mind.
And it wasn't simply because Cheon Woojin was White Master's disciple.
The young man possessed extraordinary talent, the kind any organization would covet.
Beili Tian also wanted to root out the corruption festering within the Martial Alliance.
And above all...
"Woojin."
He looked straight into the young man's eyes.
"You're planning to kill applicant Gu Jinseok, aren't you?"
"..."
Cheon Woojin stared at the Martial Alliance Leader without answering.
A heavy silence settled over the office.