I Shouldn't Have Joined the Martial Arts Alliance - Chapter 110

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Foolish to join the Murim Alliance — Chapter 110
The Cheongryong Murim Tournament loomed five days away.
Today marked the beginning of the tournament’s official events, starting with the Banquet.
Not only martial artists competing in the Cheongryong Murim Tournament gathered, but also future leaders of merchant houses and regional representatives—all coming together to become acquainted and strengthen their bonds.
In essence, it was a Banquet for the rising generation who would one day lead Gangho. Yet tension hung thick in the air, with the tournament itself drawing near.
Who would truly claim the champion’s seat?
Would this year’s victor again emerge from the Nine Sects and One Gang or the Five Great Clans?
For the past hundred years, champions had come exclusively from their ranks. Perhaps it was inevitable.
Their ancient traditions and accumulated experience sustained and guided them.
Still, people occasionally harbored hope that a victor might arise from outside those powers.
Yet it remained wishful thinking.
A century ago, the Baekri Family had miraculously won the Cheongryong Murim Tournament. Since then, victors had consistently emerged from the Nine Sects and One Gang or the Five Great Clans. Though such had been true even before that triumph.
The position of the Nine Sects and One Gang and the Five Great Clans remained perpetually unshaken.
The Banquet reflected this reality.
Crowds converged on the Nine Sects and One Gang and the Five Great Clans, seeking to gain their favor and cultivate connections. One’s future depended on remaining in their shadow.
To fall from their grace was to invite obscurity—never knowing when, how, or where one might vanish from Gangho entirely.
Yet this year’s Cheongryong Murim Tournament Banquet was different.
Sa U-rin was here.
The talk of the tournament—Sa U-rin of the Jang Family Manor.
More precisely, the son of Jang Ryeo, the Patriarch of the Demonic Sect, stood at the center of attention.
Though the Jang Family had not yet secured a place among the Nine Sects and One Gang or the Five Great Clans, all agreed that soon it would become the Six Great Sects or dethrone one of the Five—one of those outcomes was imminent.
And Sa U-rin himself had emerged as a formidable contender for the tournament’s champion.
Yet Sa U-rin himself found this gathering unbearable. Too many eyes fixed solely on him, and furthermore…
“Dok-hwa, what’s gotten into you today?”
Dok-hwa clung to Sa U-rin’s side, showing no intention of leaving.
“Just for today—can’t you stay like this with me?”
On a day like this, Dok-hwa wanted to make clear to every woman casting glances at Sa U-rin who he belonged to.
That he was her man, and no other should harbor designs on him.
It was born of anxiety.
Dok-hwa knew the truth—how Sa U-rin felt toward her. Which made her all the more anxious, frantic even.
“…All right, I understand.”
What choice did he have?
She had only asked for this one day.
Yet in that moment, a tremendous surge of Honwon-gong energy washed over him.
“…Dok-hwa, wait.”
Someone was entering the Banquet hall.
A young woman, delicate and frail in appearance. Yet profoundly powerful.
No one else sensed it, but Sa U-rin did. Because of his Honwon-gong.
It was an aura only Sa U-rin could perceive.
Aside from a few men who turned their gaze toward the young woman, she drew little attention.
Had she belonged to a renowned sect, she would never have escaped notice. But she appeared to be from a small regional faction.
And that was correct.
After all, Cheon Hoon Mun was unknown in Gangho.
Yet Sa U-rin recognized the woman instantly.
“Seol-yeon…”
Yes.
The childhood friend.
The girl who had been abducted and vanished.
Without doubt, it was her. Her childhood features remained unmistakable.
Of course, it could have been mistaken identity. He wanted confirmation.
He knew this much.
That the seemingly fragile woman belonged to Cheon Hoon Mun. Which only deepened his desire to know more.
“Where are you going?” Dok-hwa called after him.
“Stay here. Understand?”
“But…”
She wanted to refuse. Yet Sa U-rin seemed drawn to something else—consumed by it.
And that something else was a woman.
But Sa U-rin had no interest in women, did he?
“…Fine.”
And so Dok-hwa was left alone.
Sa U-rin approached a delicate-looking woman enjoying food alone in a corner of the banquet hall.
At last, his eyes met those of the woman who appeared to be Seol-yeon.
“Seol-yeon?”
The woman who seemed to be Seol-yeon also recognized Sa U-rin.
“You’re still handsome, I see. But I’m not Seol-yeon anymore—I’m Seol-yeon now.”
“……Ah.”
So Seol-ru had changed her name too, hadn’t she.
“Still, I’d like to call you by your old name.”
Because there were memories tied to it.
“Sure, whatever you’re comfortable with. But I never imagined I’d see you here.”
“I didn’t expect it either.”
He hadn’t thought of it until now. Seol-yeon was no longer a girl barely past her teens, yet he could sense an enormous Honwon-gong emanating from her.
And, as expected.
Seol-yeon didn’t seem to sense Sa U-rin’s Honwon-gong.
“Shall we step outside and talk for a moment?”
“Why? Can’t we talk here?”
“I thought somewhere quieter would be better.”
“I actually prefer it noisy. Besides, I’m a bit hungry.”
“……All right then.”
Seol-yeon seized the moment and put some food in her mouth.
“……You must have been quite hungry?”
Did Cheon Hoon Mun not feed her?
“I missed meals while training.”
“……I see. But what about your family?”
Seol-yeon paused her eating.
“Do you really have to ask about that?”
“I’m just curious. You were kidnapped back then, weren’t you?”
“It wasn’t a kidnapping. I left of my own will.”
“……You did?”
“I did. So I’d prefer you didn’t ask about such things.”
“……All right.”
“But you’ve become quite famous, haven’t you?”
“You knew?”
“Of course. Everyone’s in an uproar—how could I not know?”
At Cheon Hoon Mun, they had already learned all about the tournament favorites. Moreover, wasn’t Sa U-rin the center of attention right now?
Even at this moment, countless eyes were fixed on him.
“That’s actually why I’m uncomfortable.”
Too many eyes were turning his way.
“Ah, I’m sorry. Enjoy your meal then.”
“Thank you.”
And so Sa U-rin left Seol-yeon’s side. Since she was uncomfortable, he couldn’t stay any longer.
And Seol-yeon watched his departing figure.
No—Seol-yeon.
‘……I missed you.’
U-rin.
As much as Father and Mother.
The only friend in childhood who had listened to her, who had played with her.
‘U-rin…….’
Hot tears seemed ready to spill from Seol-yeon’s eyes any moment.
‘No…….’
I can’t let myself grow weak.
‘You and I…….’
We may soon become enemies and face each other in battle.
* * *
Jegal Su-yeon asked Sa U-rin again with a bewildered expression.
“……Is it really that girl?”
Sa U-rin recounted what had happened at the banquet to everyone gathered.
They all wore expressions of astonishment.
“Yes.”
“And she’s that strong?”
“Yes.”
“How strong, exactly?”
“I won’t know until I face her.”
“……Fair enough.”
“But I have a strong feeling the Fengyun Sword won’t be enough.”
At that, the Witch Jang Ryeo stepped forward.
“Son.”
“Yes?”
“Why do you lack confidence like that?”
“It’s not that I lack confidence—I’m saying Seol-yeon’s Honwon-gong is simply that strong.”
“That amounts to the same thing.”
“How is it the same? I’m just stating facts.”
“Are you really going to keep contradicting me?”
“You keep picking at me for no reason.”
“This boy! Honestly!”
Unable to bear it any longer, Patriarch Dang Mo-jun interjected.
“Both of you, enough. Are you trying to provoke the boy?”
“I’m not provoking him—he’s the one trying to provoke me!”
“Alright, alright. Let’s hear more from Sa U-rin.”
“There’s nothing more to hear. He said he lacks confidence!”
“Still, Sa U-rin—do you truly lack confidence?”
“Not confidence—my odds of winning have decreased. Though of course, I won’t know until we cross blades.”
“Then you’re saying you could still take the championship?”
The Witch Jang Ryeo spoke up again.
“Is it age? Hmm? Goodness, how optimistic.”
“Optimism beats pessimism any day.”
“Well, isn’t that something—wisdom flows in abundance.”
“……Mind your tongue in front of the children.”
“Children? They’re all grown.”
“Enough. Engaging with you was my mistake.”
Damn it all.
He couldn’t fathom what had possessed her at her age.
After exhaling a long sigh, the Patriarch turned back to Sa U-rin.
“So this girl Seol-yeon—she never asked for help like Dok-hwa did?”
“No. Her family doesn’t seem to care much either.”
“Then she’s become a true daughter of the Cheon Hoon Mun.”
“That would be accurate.”
“Still, one never knows. What if So Seol-ru approaches this girl Seol-yeon? It might prove useful.”
Everyone’s eyes turned toward So Seol-ru, who spoke up.
“Why is everyone looking at me?”
The Patriarch replied.
“Isn’t that exactly who we’re discussing?”
“I’ll do whatever Sa U-rin tells me to do, or not do, as he wishes.”
At that, Dok-hwa cried out sharply.
“Hey! You don’t have thoughts of your own! Why are you always deferring to him like that! This is ridiculous!”
“What?! What do you want from me?! It’s my choice!”
Sa U-rin stepped in.
“Both of you, stop.”
The shouting ceased abruptly.
The Patriarch, Cheol-gae, Chu-yeop, and Hyeon-wi all stared in astonishment.
They’d only just realized, after all these years, how commanding a single glance could be.
Cheol-gae turned to his men.
“You already knew, didn’t you?”
Their composure had given it away.
“Knew? We’ve witnessed it so many times we’ve grown numb to it, sir.”
“……Is that so?”
“Yes, sir. And if I may speak plainly—that one could single-handedly build another Murim Alliance with nothing but his face.”
“……That’s rather an exaggeration.”
“You don’t believe it?”
“Of course I don’t, you fool!”
“But what if it’s actually feasible?”
“Bah, you fool. Talk sense. And if that were truly the case, wouldn’t this girl Seol-yeon have already fallen to him by now?”
“Well, there are always exceptions.”
As the boat turned toward the mountain, Dok-hwa stepped forward again.
“Sa U-rin, what will you do?”
So Sa U-rin’s gaze shifted to So Seol-ru.
“Will you be all right?”
“I will. If that’s what you want.”
“Good. But you won’t push yourself too hard?”
“I understand. Thank you for worrying about me.”
At that, Dok-hwa bounded up with a huff. And watching his granddaughter, Dang Mo-jun felt his insides burning away.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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