Chapter 103 : Assembly (1)

Chapter 103: Assembly (1)

Two days later.

In the streets of Kaifeng, a joyful yet solemn atmosphere, two entirely opposite emotions, coexisted.

Beneath rows of brightly shining lanterns.

Children laughed and played while adults wiped away tears, all gathered together.

It was because the Murim Alliance was holding a Soul-Calming Ritual (鎭魂祭), to console the living and honor the spirits of the dead.

Amidst the crowd filling the streets of Kaifeng, Surin was walking.

She was wearing the Blood-Colored Robe that had been enclosed with the letter, along with a mask.

Just like the others, she hid every trace of her qi so as to appear as nothing more than an ordinary commoner.

Her mind was deep in thought.

‘……Why in the world would the Alliance Leader summon me?’

Surin had little to no connection with Alliance Leader Yoo Jinhak.

The most she had done was bow in greeting when her master met with him.

Yet the seal pressed upon the summons was unmistakably Yoo Jinhak’s.

The seal of the Murim Alliance Leader was like the emperor’s imperial seal—crafted with sorcery so unique that no one could ever forge it.

Since she belonged to the Shrine Maiden Sect, the faction most familiar with sorcery within the Murim Alliance, she recognized it at a glance.

And so, she had concealed her destination even from her master and secretly slipped away.

Sssk.

At that moment, Surin suddenly halted and subtly looked around.

Countless people passed by, paying no attention to the woman who had stopped.

To her surprise, every one of them wore the exact same mask she did.

‘Did they even arrange this Soul-Calming Ritual for the sake of today’s meeting?’

The item had been distributed by the Murim Alliance, said to help people refrain from showing tears before the departed.

But Surin was convinced its hidden purpose was to disguise the identities of those who had received the same summons.

To allow them to gather comfortably, they had gone so far as to prepare such a massive event.

‘This clearly isn’t going to be something ordinary.’

Her instincts, which had saved her in numerous crises, were once again ringing with danger.

Step.

Then, once again, she came to a stop.

At last, the destination appeared before her eyes.

Blue Ape Bookstore (靑猿書店).

The very name written in the letter was carved in large characters upon the shop’s signboard.

It was a tall, three-story building with wide breadth.

Though she had not been born in Kaifeng and did not know, Blue Ape Bookstore had long been a famous establishment.

It had begun business before the founding of the Murim Alliance itself.

Perhaps because of that, many patrons came and went.

‘……But can we really meet in secret in a place like this?’

The word “assembly” written in the letter implied that others besides her would also be gathering here today.

With that thought in mind, Surin pushed open the door and stepped inside.

“Welcome! Are you looking for a particular book?”

The old wooden door creaked loudly as it opened, and a polite shop boy greeted her.

On any other day, she might have smiled and exchanged a few words, but now Surin only gave a small nod and quietly stepped aside.

‘It’s much bigger inside than it looked outside.’

Inside, rows upon rows of bookshelves stretched out in several directions, filled to the brim.

They overlapped horizontally and vertically in such a disorderly fashion that it resembled a labyrinth.

Because of this, though there were many customers, each was hidden behind bookshelves, their faces obscured.

Moving slowly around the first floor, Surin carefully observed her surroundings.

‘I’ve come. Now how exactly are we supposed to assemble……?!’

Suddenly—!

The strength left her legs, and something from below tugged at her.

Before she could even cry out, her body plunged downward.

As she fell, she glanced upward to see the floorboards above closing shut.

‘So this is how they intended to gather us.’

In that instant, a spark of realization flashed in her eyes.

Flap!

Her Blood-Colored Robe fluttered, its long sleeves stretching out.

Like living serpents, the sleeves slithered through the air and coiled around protruding structures on the wall.

Whip!

The sleeves went taut, halting Surin midair.

Dangling there, she peered down to gauge the height.

‘Hmm, it’s about three stories deep.’

Fwoosh!

Qi surged forth from her entire body.

Having recently gained insight, her cultivation had risen sharply, advancing to Peak Mastery.

‘Well then.’

Whoosh!

Withdrawing her qi from the sleeves, she let herself drop once more.

Thud!

She landed with perfect balance.

Catching her breath, she immediately scanned her surroundings.

Faint light seeped out from cracks along the walls.

‘Looks like an old hidden base.’

Most likely, it was a secret chamber managed by the Alliance.

Yet since the Murim Alliance headquarters was already located here in Kaifeng, there should be no need for such a hideout. More likely, this had once belonged to another faction before the Alliance’s founding, and had simply been maintained as it was.

There was a passageway on either side.

Just like above, the underground had been designed like a labyrinth.

Swish.

At that moment, she removed her mask and tossed it to the floor.

Then she wet her finger with a bit of spit and raised it.

A breeze brushed past. It came from the passage on the left.

“Hmm, looks like I have no choice but to try that way first.”

Whoosh!

A whirlwind swept through the passage.

Surin was using her movement arts at full power, running at full speed.

‘……This path goes on without end.’

The underground was far vaster than the building above had suggested.

Judging by the distance she had already covered, it was nearly the size of the Alliance’s outer fortress.

Had such an expansive tunnel truly been dug, the buildings above would have collapsed.

There was only one explanation.

It was a Qimen Formation (奇門陣式).

Even she, the Young Sect Leader of the Shrine Maiden Sect, found it difficult to discern the Life Gate (生門) in this advanced formation.

‘I’ll be fine, but I worry for the others.’

It was difficult, but not impossible.

Since sorcery and formations shared many similarities, she had studied methods of breaking them extensively within the Shrine Maiden Sect.

Still, anyone who had not prepared as thoroughly as she had would only circle endlessly in place until their mind collapsed, eventually fainting.

It was a brutal formation to use as a test.

After moving for quite some time, Surin—

Step.

Finally reached the end of the passage.

A gleam appeared in her eyes.

A gate blocked her path.

‘No, can this even be called a gate?’

As she thought, it was no ordinary gate.

In the air hovered an opaque liquid, taking the shape of a door.

The formation had ended, only for sorcery to unfold.

‘There it is.’

In an instant, Surin deciphered the principles and structure of this Water Gate (水門).

Normally, to dispel sorcery one had to twist its principles and structure in exact reverse.

Yet uniquely, this Water Gate required no such principle to break.

Flap!

Her long sleeves once again flared out with force.

‘This one can only be opened with strength.’

If the path until now had tested intellect, this one tested martial strength.

By pouring out power greater than the gate’s durability, it could be shattered.

As though it were saying: if you cannot break through, turn back.

Fwoosh!

The energy of the Shrine Maiden Sect’s secret art, the Nine Heavens Divine Art (九天神功), poured into her sleeves.

At the same time, Surin spread her arms wide.

Like the wings of a bird, they unfurled through the air.

Flap!

The transformation continued.

Like the heavenly robe of an immortal, her long sleeves suddenly wrapped around her entire body.

Leaving room to move freely, a shield manifested, enveloping her body.

‘The martial arts of the Shrine Maiden Sect lack only lethal techniques.’

Flash!

Then, Surin charged forward like a thunderbolt.

Turning her entire body into a shield, she dashed headlong.

Flawless Heavenly Garment (仙衣無縫)

Second Move.

Circular Wing (圓翼)

Wham!

She kicked off with full force and hurled herself at the Water Gate.

Like a cannonball fired from a great gun, her momentum was fierce and destructive.

Boom!

Crashhh!

A massive shattering sound erupted as ripples surged across the Water Gate.

Crack!

Crackkk!

With the sound of glass breaking into pieces, Surin’s body burst straight through.

Suddenly, her darkened vision lit up.

‘Huh? Wha—?’

She couldn’t help but be flustered.

“Uwaak!?”

For a startled man appeared before her eyes, looking even more bewildered than she was.

Boom!

Thud!

With the force of her charge, she collided with the figure inside.

A noise like the Water Gate breaking rang out again.

“Ouch, ouch……”

Lying on the floor, Surin hurriedly got up, wide-eyed in shock.

“Kyaah! I-I’m so sorry!”

The man she had struck was pinned beneath her.

Meanwhile, the half-shattered Water Gate restored itself as if nothing had happened.

The man slowly rose. His burly, muscular body was clearly that of a martial artist.

“Nggh, that was a refreshing blow, Lady Seo.”

“P-Peng Gongja??”

Surin blinked in astonishment.

It was Peng Daeho, the Young Master of the Peng Clan, whom she had met once before.

“Most people sliced their way through with a sword or saber, but this is the first time I’ve seen such a splendid body charge.”

“Aaah, I-I’m sorry.”

“Wow, Sister Seo, you came too!”

“Huh? So-hye?”

Just as she kept bowing her head in apology, Peng So-hye approached her with excitement.

The moment she saw Surin, she jumped for joy.

Bewildered, Surin looked around the chamber.

Inside the Water Gate was a room set up like an ordinary conference hall.

Shaped like the character 冂, with one main seat at the head,

and five chairs lined up on each side.

“Hm, that makes two still missing.”

“Yes, that’s correct, Senior!”

“Good grief, stop with that ‘senior’ business.”

“Understood, Master!”

“…Ha, just call me senior.”

On one side, Kaifeng Beggars’ Sect successor Jang Sopyeong was conversing with Nam Mujin.

“It seems our guess was right—they’ve gathered the Young Successors.”

“Yes, but we should wait and see who else arrives.”

“Yes, indeed.”

On the opposite side, Tang Serin, eldest daughter of the Sichuan Tang Clan, was speaking with Do Yecheon of Mount Hua Sect.

Surin found herself surrounded by people she had never expected.

‘But that one…….’

Among them, one figure stood out most.

Everyone else had removed their masks.

But one person sat firmly in a chair, still wearing his mask.

Judging by his build he was a man, but beyond that, nothing could be discerned.

“Hehe. Still the same as ever, Surin.”

From behind, a familiar voice rang out.

Surin turned quickly, her eyes wide as lanterns.

“Ha-yeong!!”

Spotting Do Ha-yeong, Surin rushed to embrace her.

Among the current Nine Dragons Four Phoenixes (九龍四鳳), Silver Phoenix (銀鳳) and Spirit Phoenix (靈鳳).

The two were famous throughout the martial world as closest friends.

And thus, nine Young Successors, each summoned by a mysterious letter, assembled in the hidden chamber.