After Cheon Woojin left, Martial Alliance Leader Beili Tian sank back into his chair.
A long sigh escaped his lips.
"Hah. To think that at my age, even as the Alliance Leader, I'd find myself watching a young brat's every expression."
But Cheon Woojin possessed enough potential to warrant such attention.
Beili Tian had heard that the young man had single-handedly killed the Asura Demon Lord, a disciple of the Dark Heavenly Son, and brought the West Heaven Society to its knees.
Even among the great masters who defined the present era, not one had attained such heights at Cheon Woojin's age.
And the possibility that someone of his caliber might turn toward the Black Path or even the demonic path was something the Martial Alliance Leader could never afford to overlook.
"Senior, just what in the world did you find and raise...?"
Beili Tian gazed into empty space before closing his eyes tightly.
For some reason, he could almost hear White Master's carefree laughter.
It was then.
"Alliance Leader."
A voice sounded from outside.
It was deep, composed, and carried an unmistakable air of intelligence.
Beili Tian straightened in his chair, composed his expression, and spoke.
"Come in."
The office door opened, revealing a middle-aged man with neatly combed gray hair.
Seeing the undisguised dissatisfaction on the man's face, Beili Tian gave a wry smile.
"General Commander, what's troubling you this time? Come, have a seat first."
The newcomer was Sima Pyeong, General Commander of the Martial Alliance.
Within this great coalition of the Orthodox Path, he wielded authority second only to the Alliance Leader himself. He was a man who enjoyed the power of standing beneath one person and above ten thousand.
Sima Pyeong approached but made no move to sit. Instead, he stood before Beili Tian with his hands respectfully clasped.
It was his usual posture whenever he had a complaint to raise.
And, sure enough, he soon began.
"It's about applicant Cheon Woojin. I recognize that he's exceptionally strong. His potential is extraordinary as well."
Beili Tian nodded.
The General Commander's office and the Alliance Leader's office were separated by only a single wall. Unless someone erected a sound-blocking barrier, there was little chance of a conversation in one room escaping the other's notice.
"Indeed. It's only natural, considering that Senior White Master took in and raised a child with perhaps the greatest talent in the world."
"Even so, I believe you're being far too accommodating, Alliance Leader. You stand at the pinnacle of the countless martial artists of the Orthodox Path."
"Hoho..."
Beili Tian scratched his head, looking rather troubled.
He knew Sima Pyeong's loyalty well.
To the General Commander, seeing the man he respected above all others practically courting a mere rising talent must have been difficult to stomach.
More importantly, part of Sima Pyeong's responsibility was to preserve the dignity of the Alliance Leader.
The man who represented the entire Martial Alliance could not afford to lower his head before others so readily.
"Alliance Leader."
Apparently, Sima Pyeong had no intention of letting the matter pass with an awkward laugh.
Beili Tian sighed and tapped his desk lightly.
It was an invitation to sit.
Only then did Sima Pyeong take a seat.
Beili Tian's expression grew serious.
"You never knew Senior White Master personally, did you?"
"No. I've heard a great deal about him, of course, but by the time I became deeply involved in the Alliance's military affairs, he had already withdrawn from the martial world."
Beili Tian nodded.
A wistful look entered his eyes, as though he were remembering a cherished past.
"He was a remarkable man. Had he wished it, he could have become the Alliance Leader himself and built the greatest Martial Alliance the martial world had ever seen. In seniority, martial prowess, and character, he lacked nothing."
Sima Pyeong listened intently.
Although their active years had never overlapped, he had heard so many stories about White Master—the White Flower Sword Saint—that he could practically recite them.
Everyone in the Orthodox Path respected Martial Alliance Leader Beili Tian.
And the martial artist whom Beili Tian respected above all others was none other than the White Flower Sword Saint.
"Had he taken command of the Alliance himself, the Demonic Cult and the Black Path would never have grown as rampant as they are today."
"...Then why didn't he?"
Sima Pyeong's question was only natural.
He could not understand why a master of the Orthodox Path, one who possessed the strength to suppress the unorthodox factions, would choose not to exercise that power.
Especially when the White Flower Sword Saint's chivalrous spirit was so renowned.
Beili Tian smiled gently.
"That's precisely what I'm getting to. Senior White Master was not a man who acted without reason. If he set aside the affairs of the Martial Alliance and withdrew from the world, it means there was something he considered more important."
No one understood White Master more deeply or sincerely than Beili Tian.
His principles and even his martial arts had been profoundly shaped by the elder's influence.
"Is there truly anything more important for a martial artist of the Orthodox Path than suppressing the Demonic Cult and the Black Path?"
"There is. No... there was. Surely you don't need me to tell you what it was?"
For a moment, Sima Pyeong's mouth fell slightly open.
One name had immediately surfaced in his mind.
An existence more terrifying than all the masters of the Black Path and the demonic path combined.
An absolute being who had once plunged the entire martial world into fear.
"The Dark Heavenly Son..."
Beili Tian nodded.
"More than fifty years have passed since the Dark Heavenly Son last showed himself in the martial world. The prevailing belief is that he's already dead. But don't you find something strange?"
"..."
"With the martial attainments of Senior White Master and Black Master, they should have been able to live another thirty or forty years at the very least. Yet the two of them died on the very same day, at the very same time, almost as though they'd arranged it beforehand. I cannot shake the suspicion that someone else's intentions were involved in their deaths."
Sima Pyeong nodded gravely.
A deep furrow appeared between his brows as he considered the implications.
After a moment's contemplation, he spoke.
As he did, a sudden chill of fear swept through him.
"Are you suggesting that the Dark Heavenly Son is still alive?"
Merely saying the possibility aloud was enough to frighten him.
Sima Pyeong had never encountered the Dark Heavenly Son personally.
But considering the identities of the countless masters from the Orthodox Path, Black Path, and Demonic Cult who had fallen at his hands...
The Dark Heavenly Son had truly been a being who transcended the limits of humanity.
And if that monstrous evil had survived until now, prolonging his life long enough to kill White Master and Black Master, two of the greatest masters of their respective paths...
What would happen next?
"Who knows? The possibility that he's still alive is exceedingly small. But it's not something we can simply dismiss. Now, if we consider the matter from another angle..."
Before Beili Tian could finish presenting his next hypothesis, Sima Pyeong, a man renowned for his extraordinary intellect, had already pieced the situation together.
"The greatest masters of the Orthodox and Black Paths, who had lost so many of their own to the Dark Heavenly Son, found a once-in-an-age prodigy and devoted everything they had to raising him. And the fact that they sent him to the Martial Alliance means..."
Beili Tian nodded.
"Precisely. It's no more than conjecture, of course. But suppose the Dark Heavenly Son is still alive, and the Black and White Twin Elders raised an absolute master specifically to oppose him. It's a possibility we cannot afford to disregard."
"If those absurd assumptions were true... even if the odds were one in a thousand, or one in ten thousand..."
"Then Cheon Woojin is both the hope and the warning that Senior White Master has sent to the Martial Alliance."
Sima Pyeong sprang to his feet.
The look in his eyes was entirely different from when he had first entered the office.
"I'll summon the Dragon Head and convene a meeting. This is an extraordinary matter, but I'll also request the cooperation of the Beggars' Sect if we can establish contact with them. We must search the entire martial world once again."
Beili Tian nodded.
Even if they searched the entire world and discovered no more than a single fingernail belonging to the Dark Heavenly Son, the effort would have been worthwhile.
After Sima Pyeong departed, Beili Tian sank deep into his chair once more.
Another long sigh escaped him.
"Then again, perhaps it was all just a playful wager between two extraordinary old men."
******
The regular meeting of the unit commanders.
Even under ordinary circumstances, commanders who were not away on missions generally attended these gatherings.
This time, however, nearly every unit commander was present.
Strangely enough, everyone wore a tense expression.
The wine cups placed before them remained untouched.
Sensing the peculiar atmosphere, the Commander of the White Dragon Unit burst into laughter.
"Oh, come now, everyone. There's no need to look so nervous. It's not as though there's anything we can do about it, is there?"
The top five successful applicants would soon be choosing which units to join.
The Martial Alliance had gathered the most promising young talents from across the country and selected the five most outstanding among them.
Every single one of those five would make an invaluable addition to the Alliance's fighting strength.
Of course, everyone expected them all to choose the Heavenly Tiger Unit.
Nevertheless, the other commanders could not quite bring themselves to abandon every last shred of hope.
Because, on very rare occasions, an eccentric applicant would appear who chose somewhere other than the Heavenly Tiger Unit.
The White Dragon Unit Commander slipped an arm around the shoulders of Cheol Jiak, the Black Tortoise Unit Commander seated beside him, and grinned.
"Everyone, you ought to learn from Commander Cheol here. He's already given up and decided to spend the evening drinking. As expected, a man who's spent so many years commanding the Black Tortoise Unit knows how to handle these things."
"Get your arm off me, you bastard."
Cheol Jiak shrugged the offending arm away and took another drink.
This was one of the rare occasions when he could drink through the night without worrying about an assignment.
The White Dragon Unit Commander chuckled.
"Commander Cheol, don't tell me you're actually expecting something?"
"..."
Cheol Jiak remained silent.
Truthfully, he did harbor a tiny sliver of hope.
Cheon Woojin, who had ranked first, and Song Yiyeon, who had placed third.
His deputy commander, Zhuge Lin, seemed to have developed a fairly close bond with both young men.
Cheon Woojin, in particular, was already being hailed as one of the five most exceptional talents in the entire history of the Martial Alliance's selection examinations.
Considering how the other four individuals who belonged in that illustrious company had gone on to leave their names engraved in the history of the martial world, expectations for Cheon Woojin's future were enormous.
Well, it's a ridiculous hope.
Cheol Jiak knew that himself.
When he thought about it rationally, there was almost no possibility that either young man would choose the Black Tortoise Unit over the Heavenly Tiger Unit merely because of a friendship formed over a handful of days.
The Black Tortoise Unit was an entirely ordinary fighting force.
The Heavenly Tiger Unit, on the other hand, was the finest elite unit in the Martial Alliance, offering a virtually guaranteed path toward a successful career.
Seeing Cheol Jiak remain silent, the White Dragon Unit Commander's eyes widened.
"What? You're seriously hoping for something? Come on, you know what our situation is like. Even if some oddball decides against the Heavenly Tiger Unit, wouldn't he choose the Golden Wolf Unit or the Poison King Unit instead? Your Black Tortoise Unit and my White Dragon Unit don't stand a chance. Not a chance."
The Golden Wolf Unit was considered the finest elite force after the Heavenly Tiger Unit.
Occasionally, ambitious young martial artists who preferred being the head of a snake to the tail of a dragon would choose to join its ranks.
The Poison King Unit, meanwhile, had been founded by the Poison King, a legendary master of the Tang family.
Traditionally, its commander was always a martial artist from the Tang family, and the unit naturally specialized in poison and hidden weapons.
Because those arts were relatively uncommon, enthusiastic young martial artists sometimes applied in the hope of learning techniques they would otherwise have little opportunity to encounter.
Cheol Jiak cast the White Dragon Unit Commander a sidelong glance.
"Don't lump your unit together with mine just so you can look down on us both."
"Ahem. I was only lamenting my own situation. You're awfully sensitive today."
The White Dragon Unit Commander and Cheol Jiak were friends of roughly the same age.
Strictly speaking, however, Cheol Jiak had entered the Martial Alliance considerably earlier.
And although everyone else might regard the Black Tortoise Unit as an insignificant force, Cheol Jiak cherished it deeply.
The White Dragon Unit Commander quietly withdrew his arm from Cheol Jiak's shoulder, turned his head, and let out an odd little laugh.
It was unmistakably mocking.
The other commanders who witnessed the exchange clicked their tongues inwardly.
That snake is getting under Commander Cheol's skin again.
There were people like that.
People who pretended to be friends on the surface while subtly belittling others to bolster their own self-esteem.
The White Dragon Unit Commander was exactly that sort of man.
His own advancement had been stalled for years, but he found comfort in looking at Cheol Jiak, who had remained a unit commander for far longer.
Just then, the Golden Wolf Unit Commander, who had been quietly toying with his wine cup, glanced around the room.
"It's been quite some time. It seems the Heavenly Tiger Unit Commander won't be attending this meeting."
"Why would he bother worrying about anything? His appointment as the new hall master is practically confirmed, and every successful applicant will be clamoring to enter the Heavenly Tiger Unit."
The White Dragon Unit Commander clicked his tongue.
Although his words sounded somewhat dismissive, he could not conceal the envy written across his face.
He raised his wine cup.
"Anyway, enough of this. Let's drink like we always do."
After successfully getting under Cheol Jiak's skin, the White Dragon Unit Commander wore a noticeably more relaxed smile.
Everyone present suspected that, on the day Cheol Jiak finally left the Martial Alliance, he would give the White Dragon Unit Commander a thorough beating.
******
Everyone's attention was fixed on the futures of the five highest-ranked successful applicants.
Song Yiyeon, who had suddenly found himself among those celebrated young talents, could scarcely contain his excitement.
"Young Hero Cheon, doesn't it feel strange?"
"What does?"
Cheon Woojin, who was standing by the window and looking out over the Martial Alliance grounds as usual, tilted his head.
Seeing how calm and composed he remained, Song Yiyeon shook his head.
"Everywhere we go, people keep stopping us to ask questions. We're getting an incredible amount of attention."
"It's bothersome."
Song Yiyeon clicked his tongue at Woojin's indifferent response.
"Hah. You really know how to take the excitement out of things. By the way, did you hear? People have started calling me the White Flower Sword. It's rare for a man's nickname to include a flower... but I suppose everyone recognizes the same qualities when they see them."
"It's a good nickname."
White Master's epithet had been the White Flower Sword Saint.
Imagining how fond his master would have been of Young Hero Song if the two had ever met, Woojin could not help smiling.
Song Yiyeon, who completely misunderstood the reason for that smile, beamed with satisfaction.
"Your nickname is even more incredible, Young Hero Cheon. Though you might find it a little upsetting when you hear it. Still, if you're really curious, I suppose I could tell you..."
It was then.
Creeeak. Thud.
The door to their residence swung open smoothly.
Naturally, both Song Yiyeon and Cheon Woojin turned to look.
A middle-aged man stood in the doorway.
His features were rather severe. Although his build was slender, his frame was sturdy, and his gaze was as sharp as a finely honed blade.
The instant Cheon Woojin saw him, an intuition struck.
"Are you the Heavenly Tiger Unit Commander?"
Song Yiyeon's eyes widened at the question.
The Heavenly Tiger Unit Commander's reputation extended far beyond the confines of the Martial Alliance.
Unlike Woojin, who had addressed him without ceremony, Song Yiyeon immediately lowered his head in a respectful bow.
"I am Song Yiyeon, known as the White Flower Sword. It is an honor to greet the Commander of the Heavenly Tiger Unit."
The Heavenly Tiger Unit Commander merely glanced at Song Yiyeon without offering much of a reaction.
Song Yiyeon might have placed third in the examinations and received invitations from numerous unit commanders, but even that was not enough to particularly interest the Heavenly Tiger Unit Commander.
His attention was fixed solely on Cheon Woojin.
Noticing the man's expression, Song Yiyeon discreetly sidestepped twice, moving away from Woojin with an awkward, crablike shuffle.
A silent contest of gazes had begun between Cheon Woojin and the Heavenly Tiger Unit Commander.
The two seemed to be studying each other.
How long did they remain that way?
"Cheon Woojin."
"Yes."
A brief summons.
An even briefer reply.
Song Yiyeon felt as though he had forgotten how to breathe.
Young Hero Cheon was a man of few words, and his quiet demeanor carried a certain weight.
But the Heavenly Tiger Unit Commander was no less imposing.
As the two men faced one another, the very air seemed to grow heavy.
After studying Cheon Woojin for another moment, the Heavenly Tiger Unit Commander finally spoke.
"Will you join the Heavenly Tiger Unit?"
Song Yiyeon's eyes widened even further.
He had heard that the Heavenly Tiger Unit Commander had never personally extended such an invitation to anyone.
There had simply never been any need.
Even without an invitation, promising young martial artists would come seeking him of their own accord.
Cheon Woojin inclined his head politely.
Seeing the gesture, the Heavenly Tiger Unit Commander allowed a faint smile to appear on his lips.
As expected.
He had interpreted Woojin's gesture as acceptance.
But the words that followed were entirely different from what he had anticipated.
"I've already made my choice."
"What...?"
It was then.
A thunderous voice rang out from outside the building, loud enough to echo throughout the Martial Alliance.
"Hey, you lovable little brats! Get out here this instant! Song Yiyeon! Cheon Woojin!"
The voice belonged to none other than Cheol Jiak, Commander of the Black Tortoise Unit.
The moment he heard that two of the five highest-ranked successful applicants had chosen the Black Tortoise Unit, he had rushed over at full speed, using his movement techniques to their utmost.
The sour expression on the White Dragon Unit Commander's face had put Cheol Jiak in an exceptionally good mood.
Hearing that rough, overpowering shout, the Heavenly Tiger Unit Commander frowned slightly.
"An unwise decision."
With those parting words, the Heavenly Tiger Unit Commander turned and walked away.