Moyong Gang.

The golden age of Jianghu, a time when martial arts experts were as numerous as grains of sand on a beach.

An absolute expert who proudly placed his name among the Ten Venerables (十尊), transcending both the Underworld and the Orthodox faction.

During the chaotic Orthodox-Demonic Great War, instead of the Murim Alliance that was causing internal strife, he raised warriors to protect Jiangbei and revealed his family's martial arts to encourage resistance against the Demonic Path.

Although the name of the Moyong Noble Clan disappeared after the Orthodox-Demonic Great War, he remained forever in people's minds as an entity worthy of respect.

'He was definitely the type of person whose merits covered his faults.'

An unpredictable thought process.

A vortex of emotions he didn't even try to control.

An omnipotent ruffian who possessed the martial prowess to direct his neurotic anger straight at his opponents, along with the massive Moyong Noble Clan.

What if people knew that this was his true face?

He wouldn't have been respected to such an extent.

Let alone paying attention to that old geezer's words...

"Why aren't you answering? Is the name of the Moyong Noble Clan not satisfactory to you?"

I stopped my train of thought and let out a sigh.

"Haa... How could that be?"

To be honest, 'Me, from the Taiyi Sect, becoming the son-in-law of the Moyong Noble Clan?'

It was a story that would get cursed at immensely for lacking probability even if it were written as a novel.

It was such a nonsensical opportunity, so there was no way I wasn't satisfied.

However, just like when the Namgung Clan had asked before, I could not make the choice to marry a branch line woman and become subordinated to that family.

I had many people to protect, including the Taiyi Sect and the Minor Orthodox Unit.

'Besides, Lady Seol is also in the Moyong Noble Clan...'

Moyong Seol was a woman who held a very special meaning to me even in my past life.

Keeping such a woman close while marrying someone else was not the right thing to do, neither for me nor for the person I would marry.

At that moment, Moyong Gang's voice dug into my ears.

"Or, does Seol look ugly in your eyes?"

"Yes?"

What kind of...

Oh my god, was he talking about Moyong Seol just now?

"Because of the endlessly visiting matchmakers, we had to reinforce the doorway with iron, and we use the marriage proposals flying in every day as kindling."

Moyong Gang narrowed his eyes and slightly gestured toward me with his chin.

"If you're a man too, you must have heard about our Seol, right?"

Moyong Seol... Moyong Seol... To think he meant Moyong Seol...

S-So.

She is my wife?

I am her husband?

Oh my goodness...

Then doesn't that mean my wife is the Sword Empress (劍后)?

As I imagined having a wedding with Moyong Seol, having children, seeing those children's grandsons and granddaughters, and finally facing my deathbed while holding Moyong Seol's hand in my mind...

I suddenly recalled her voice.

["Because that's how you want to live. Survive like that..."]

The words she said when she was disappointed in me for running away to the mountains and rivers after fleeing the Minor Orthodox Unit.

I vividly remember her cold face and gaze from that day, and the sight of her turning around coldly.

Following that, the sight of her approaching me with an exhausted body after a battle to talk about her father...

The sight of her missing her brother, who died as the Breaking Bow after losing their family...

They vividly came to mind one after another.

'Heh.'

A sneer unconsciously leaked out from the corners of my mouth.

Just what kind of illusions was I having.

Hadn't I desperately wished for the past not to repeat itself in the first place?

If she didn't lose everything and join the Minor Orthodox Unit, gaining the title of Sword Empress would be delayed a bit more.

If she didn't lose her family, there would be no reason for her to join the Minor Orthodox Unit either.

And above all—

I did not want to infringe upon her free will.

I simply wished for her to meet someone she truly liked in a peaceful world.

Yes, that was what I wished for.

Having organized my thoughts, I tilted my head askew.

"What on earth are you talking about?"

"...?"

"An arranged marriage in a world like this. Aren't you sorry to your granddaughter?"

"What did you say? How dare you!"

I hurriedly blocked his mouth.

"What I'm talking about is something else."

"Something else?"

Moyong Gang was definitely a person you couldn't reason with.

If he was the type who couldn't be reached by reason and logic...

Wouldn't shaking his emotions be enough?

"Is the Moyong Noble Clan even a sword sect in the first place?"

"Are you insulting my family right now?"

I lightly ignored his words and scanned his body.

"Then where is your sword, Elder?"

Moyong Gang was a man crazy about martial arts.

His experimental spirit regarding martial arts was as outstanding as his bizarre temperament.

Just looking at the bizarre martial arts that distorted space a moment ago proved it.

His sensibilities weren't completely blocked off like an iron wall, at least when it came to martial arts.

Moyong Gang snorted with a 'Hmph'.

"A petty guy like you wouldn't know. When you reach my level, everything I hold, everything I do becomes..."

"If all the swordsmanship of the Moyong Noble Clan were to disappear, would the Moyong Noble Clan no longer be the Moyong Noble Clan?"

"...?"

He probably had never thought about it.

Before the Orthodox-Demonic Great War, no sect or family in the Murim Alliance would have thought about annihilation.

Let alone the great Moyong Noble Clan of the world...

I took another step closer toward him and asked again.

"If the Moyong Noble Clan could no longer wield the sword, would the Moyong Noble Clan no longer be the Moyong Noble Clan?"

Paradoxically, the existence that made the Moyong Noble Clan the most famous in my past life was precisely the Breaking Bow.

People highly praised the Moyong Noble Clan, which had already been annihilated and disappeared, saying like grandfather, like grandson.

"What are you talking about?"

Moyong Gang's eyes turned desolate.

The ruffian-like appearance he had shown so far was nowhere to be found.

It meant that I had seriously touched his emotions.

That was exactly what I wanted.

If I touched upon it one more time here—

"What is the Core Principle (空義) of the Moyong Noble Clan? Is it the Breaking Sword?"

"...!"

Breaking Sword was the alias attached to the Patriarchs of the Moyong Noble Clan for generations.

The Moyong Noble Clan had infinite pride in protecting the name of the Breaking Sword. And that pride would make my sarcastic provocation unbearable.

As expected.

Tremble.

Moyong Gang, who had lowered his head, stared at me with red-hot eyes.

"I misjudged you. To think you would commit a great fault just to hide a small flaw."

The distortion of space I had seen when I fled earlier.

Unlike when I saw it while quickly passing by, an immense pressure began to constrict my entire body.

"I looked favorably upon you, but there's nothing you won't say. I have already bestowed enough grace upon the Taiyi Sect, so I should be qualified to condemn you."

Crack, crack, crackle.

My skin began to swell as if blood circulation in my entire body had stopped.

It felt like blood would pour out of my seven orifices, and my eyes felt like they would burst.

Nevertheless, I maintained my composure over and over again.

"Is the Moyong Noble Clan's Core Principle that you, the Patriarch, think of... truly the Breaking Sword?"

"Hah? Are you still trying to wag that wicked tongue of yours? Yes, that's right. The Breaking Sword. That is what our Moyong Noble Clan has protected over the grueling years."

While barely catching my breath, I spat out my words clearly.

"... I-I don't think so."

"What?"

The sight of the Breaking Bow roaming the battlefield like an iron hawk in my past life vividly came to mind as if I had seen it yesterday.

Watching the divine majesty of the Breaking Bow blocking the Demonic Cult, I thought this.

A momentum that could even shatter the sky...!

I forced my head up, met his gaze, and said.

"Isn't the true Core Principle (空義) of the Moyong Noble Clan... keuhk, none other than Heaven-Shattering (破天)...!"

"...!"

In an instant, the pressure that was constricting me in real-time came to a halt.

It was still painful, but I no longer felt like I was going to die.

I barely exhaled hot breath.

"Do you think the Core Principle of our Taiyi Sect... is Ten Thousand Swords?"

"..."

"The Taiyi Sect has not been able to inherit the Ten Thousand Swords for five hundred years. Even so, the Taiyi Sect has continued to be passed down."

After catching my breath for a moment, I looked at Moyong Gang with an unwavering gaze and said.

"I have never forgotten the Core Principle of the Taiyi Sect that I learned when I first held a sword in my childhood, not even for a single moment."

[The Core Principle (空義) of the Taiyi Sect is change.]

Although he remained in the Second-Rate due to a lack of talent, Hong Mungi never lost the roots of his sect.

And he never forgot to pass down those teachings to his disciples either.

That was why the Taiyi Sect had been able to carry on its name for the past five hundred years.

"..."

After a moment of silence swept through the space, Moyong Gang nodded with a peculiar expression.

"Heaven-Shattering... Heaven-Shattering... Heaven-Shattering..."

As if it were branded into his mind, he repeated that one word endlessly over and over.

It couldn't be helped.

A world that could not be seen with the Breaking Sword alone.

Because there was a world that could only be seen when it became Heaven-Shattering.

"Does it matter whether it's a sword or a fist to shatter the sky? What does it matter even if it's a bow?"

The hostility slowly faded from Moyong Gang's gaze.

Only a profound look remained, staring piercingly at me.

"Jaehwa made the Blood Cult tremble in fear with just a single bow. The comrades in Jianghu even gave him the alias One Bow Against a Thousand."

That was right. The divine majesty he had shown with his bow in Sichuan was truly astonishing.

"Jaehwa will use your family's martial arts to shatter the sky in the future, so would it be a problem even if it's a bow instead of a sword?"

"Hah! You are full of certainty."

I could be certain.

Since the Breaking Bow was born even in the harsh environment of my past life.

In this life, just as Jaehwa had said, he would be able to become the Heaven-Shattering Divine Bow.

I nodded firmly.

"I am certain that Jaehwa will surpass the alias of Breaking Sword and gain the alias of Heaven-Shattering."

"... Heaven-Shattering, you say."

"Then wouldn't you say the lineage of the Moyong Noble Clan hasn't been cut off?"

I looked at Moyong Gang and grinned.

"... A new martial art has been created."

Moyong Gang looked at me with complex eyes.

"You are truly..."

A complex gaze that made it hard to tell if he was sad or joyful.

Regardless, the fact that his anger had dissipated was clear.

There was no way Moyong Gang's heart didn't pound after hearing the word Heaven-Shattering.

"Could you release this now? Because I feel like I'm going to die if I stay like this any longer."

"... Ah, I'm sorry."

Huh? He's sorry?

At the same time as I heard a word I never thought I'd hear from him in my life, the pressure constricting my body vanished in an instant.

As the stopped blood circulation resumed, my whole body tingled as if an electric current was flowing through it.

"Ugh... My body..."

"A-Are you okay?"

Moyong Gang's attitude, having regained his reason, somehow became cautious.

As expected, after hearing the word Heaven-Shattering, he must have realized what a huge mistake he had made.

I purposefully patted my throbbing shoulder and said.

"What is this? I've been making choices for the Moyong Noble Clan all along anyway... And you didn't even listen to what I had to say."

"K-Khem. That's why you should have said it sooner, shouldn't you?"

"Did you even give me a chance to talk? No, what was that energy that constricted me to death while I was talking in the first place?"

Moyong Gang subtly avoided my gaze.

"Khem... I wanted to let you experience the martial arts of my lifetime..."

"Please don't spout such nonsense. I really almost died!"

At that moment, Moyong Gang's face turned stiff.

"So what do you want me to do about it?"

This guy, his ruffian side is coming out again.

His expression became even more shameless.

"Are you saying you'll pay me back as much as you were hit?"

If it were anyone else, they would have been intimidated by this appearance and backed away, but there was no way I would do that.

"Phew, whatever. How much could it possibly hurt even if my fist lands on you anyway? Just pay me settlement money."

"What?"

"Why? Isn't it natural to pay settlement money if you hit someone?"

Moyong Gang opened his mouth wide and looked at me with an absurd gaze.

So what if you look at me like that?

Besides, since I was hit in Moyong Jaehwa's place, it's only natural to demand double the settlement money. Yes, absolutely.

* * *

The rumor that Moyong Gang would appear at the Murim Academy's 'Special Guest Invitation' made the academy students excited.

"Oh my god! The Breaking Sword himself?"

"To think the day would come in my lifetime when I could see him in person!"

"T-Then is Lady Moyong Seol coming together with him?"

"Hey! I told you not to hang out with him. Why are you so tactless!"

"No, you were originally from the Orthodox Council, so you weren't fond of Jin Sowoon in the first place, right?"

"... What are you talking about! After seeing him save the members of the White Path Council, I decided to recognize him as a true hero."

For the first time, the academy students transcended their affiliations and sects, submitting their participation applications with the sole desire to attend the event.

As a result, except for those who couldn't attend due to individual training sessions, the majority of them showed the impressive feat of participating in the event.

And this news was also delivered to the nearby Murim Alliance.

As the battles in Sichuan dragged on, the widespread tension inside had eased a bit, and there were some Alliance members who wanted to participate in the academy's event, but the academy did not allow it.

Because of this, complaints arose within the Alliance, questioning whether they had shown favoritism to the academy by inviting such a big shot(?).

"Tsk, tsk. True to a guy who lived his whole life as he pleased, you're causing thorough damage this time as well."

At Zhuge Somyeong's words, Moyong Gang heavily furrowed his brow.

"What are you saying, you narrow-minded fool! What damage did I cause!"

As their voices grew louder, Hyuk Mugang stepped in to mediate.

"Haha. Stop it, both of you. The kids outside will hear you."

"Hmph! Seeing you sit in the Murim Alliance Leader's seat and acting all inappropriately dignified is as awkward as it gets."

When Moyong Gang's attack turned toward him, the corners of Hyuk Mugang's eyes twitched.

Seeing him, who rarely ever showed his emotions, reveal his feelings, it seemed that the bond they had built since their youth was certainly not something that easily disappeared.

"Just what change of heart did you have to suddenly attend the event? Furthermore, you said it was at Jin Sowoon's request?"

At Zhuge Somyeong's words, Moyong Gang flinched and quickly brought his tea to his mouth.

"Khem. Considering my relationship with that guy, I can easily grant this level of favor."

"..."

The light of suspicion did not easily fade from Zhuge Somyeong's gaze.

"A guy who didn't even come to his own grandson's entrance ceremony came all the way here to grant the request of another sect's disciple?"

"Kheum! Kh, keuhk!"

"Besides, how did your hand get so swollen?"

It wasn't just his hand.

There were small scratches on his neck and face, and bruises could be seen faintly all over his arms.

Zhuge Somyeong shook his head and clicked his tongue.

"Tsk, are you still going around fighting like that at your age?"

"Who said I was fighting! T-This is... Right. It's all from imparting teachings."

"Teachings? To that guy Jaehwa?"

Moyong Gang's brow furrowed.

"That damn grandson... No, not him, the other damn guy."

"Jin Sowoon?"

"Yeah."

At Moyong Gang's words, Zhuge Somyeong and Hyuk Mugang exchanged peculiar glances.

Just what kind of relationship did Breaking Sword and Jin Sowoon have for them to exchange teachings and favors?

And as if to resolve that question, Moyong Gang added.

"He's the guy I'm going to take in as my son-in-law."

"Son-in-law?"

"...!"

Moyong Gang raised his head as if he was satisfied.

"He's the guy who will raise the Moyong Noble Clan to greatness in the future. Uwahaha."

Hyuk Mugang and Zhuge Somyeong barely held back from spitting out the tea they were drinking.

Because it was the first time they had seen Moyong Gang, who was as incredibly arrogant as anyone in the world, acknowledge someone like that.

"No, listen, that guy effortlessly dodged my Mutual Destruction Fist! A guy who just passed his twentieth year! Furthermore, he was even thinking about our family's future that I hadn't even considered. Where else in the world would you find a guy like that? Muhahaha!"

Seeing Moyong Gang smile as if just thinking about it was good, Zhuge Somyeong tilted his head.

"A son-in-law, yet he's going to raise the family... Are you perhaps talking about taking him in as a son-in-law to your household?"

"Yeah."

"Pfft...!"

In the end, Zhuge Somyeong and Hyuk Mugang spat out their tea water.

They were surprised not just because they knew well how much Moyong Gang cherished Moyong Seol, but also because they knew he wasn't the type to so easily make a decision to bring an outsider into the family.

Then suddenly, Zhuge Somyeong felt something strange in Moyong Gang's story.

"... Do you know that the guy is the head disciple of the Taiyi Sect?"

Moyong Gang nodded proudly.

"So I heard."

"The Taiyi Sect's traditions are mostly passed down by the head disciple."

"... Huh?"

Zhuge Somyeong let out a sigh, as if to say 'I knew it'.

"... You didn't consider Jin Sowoon's intentions or situation at all, did you."

"Khem... Well, he can just hold both positions simultaneously. It's the position of the Moyong Noble Clan's son-in-law, for crying out loud!"

"Hmph!"

Zhuge Somyeong sneered at such a Moyong Gang.

"As expected, you haven't changed one bit from the old days."

"W-What are you talking about! He was definitely happy when I brought it up!"

"Happy my foot...! You probably beat him with your fists and threatened him again!"

Unable to contain his anger, Moyong Gang kicked off his seat and stood up.

"You bastard! Do you want to be persuaded by my fist too?"

"Oho! It seems you'll only come to your senses after being trapped in the Seven Stars Seven Catch Array and starving for half a month like before!"

Eventually, Hyuk Mugang stepped in.

"Stop it, the two of you. They'll hear everything outside..."

"You stay quiet!"

"Murim Alliance Leader, please stay out of this!"

It didn't work at all.

These men, who were now the renowned elders of Jianghu, bared their teeth and growled at each other as if they had returned to the past.

After squabbling like that for a while.

"By the way, from what I heard on the way here, it seems things are quite noisy in Sichuan."

At Moyong Gang's words, Zhuge Somyeong also let out a long sigh.

"It's because the state of peace has lasted far too long."

"Shouldn't you send more warriors?"

Zhuge Somyeong lightly shook his head.

"The tide of victory is turning our way. We'll win the war anyway. It's just taking a little time."

"I heard those Underworld bastards are acting smug about forming an alliance. How about I go and stir things up a bit?"

At Moyong Gang's shrugging attitude, Zhuge Somyeong shot a blazing glare.

It was, without a doubt, the start of round two.

"Just try pulling a stunt like that! I'll immediately drag my warriors to your family and uproot everything down to the very last blade of grass!"

"What the, I'm offering to help and you're throwing a fit!"

Zhuge Somyeong tapped his head with his finger and sneered.

"Do you not know how dangerous it is to divide the frontline into two? I'm asking if you're even using that thing attached to your neck to think."

"Hmph! As you got older, your guts shrank to the size of a rat's. So you're just going to leave them to form their alliance?"

"You must know about the demonic practitioners too, right?"

Zhuge Somyeong brought up the incident when Moyong Sangwon was attacked.

Only then did Moyong Gang's voice calmly sink.

"Are you looking at it seriously?"

"Neither the incident that occurred during the standard exam nor the one in Sichuan is ordinary in any way. An darkness even greater than the Underworld will probably come swarming in."

"Are you thinking of using enemies to fight enemies (以夷制夷)?"

"That's not it."

"Hm?"

Moyong Gang's head turned to the other side.

The answer came from Hyuk Mugang.

"When the darkness covers the world, both we and the Underworld will likely have to fight together."

Moyong Gang, who had a stiff expression for a moment, let out a chuckle.

"Would that even be possible?"

"We must try our best. If that's impossible, we'll end up shedding that much more blood."

Since the creation of Jianghu, had there ever been a time when the black and white paths hadn't fought?

Moyong Gang somehow felt an anticipation that he might see many things he had never seen before in his life.

"Jianghu is going to get interesting from now on."

Moyong Gang said with a strange smile.

"If you're thinking of an alliance, you'll have to send a delegation."

Moyong Gang shifted his gaze back to Zhuge Somyeong.

"Who are you going to send? Isn't this an opportunity for you to dispose of your political opponents? Are you going to send those disobedient Wudang Sect guys?"

"..."

A peculiar silence grated on Moyong Gang's nerves.

"... Don't tell me you're planning to send the Dragon-Phoenix Summit?"

Because it was customary for the most symbolic figures to attend such gatherings.

The problem was that Moyong Seol was included in the Dragon-Phoenix Summit.

And the place they were attending was right in the middle of the Underworld factions.

Zhuge Somyeong cleared his throat and answered.

"No..."

"Then?"

"Jin Sowoon, along with..."

"Huh? You're sending our Sowoon?!"

At Moyong Gang's words, Zhuge Somyeong furrowed his brow.