Chapter 7 — The Elder’s Coercion
I was soaring through the air, slung over Elder Jin Gwang-ung’s shoulder.
When I looked down, the people at the Martial Training Hall were staring up at us with dazed expressions.
I, too, blankly watched their faces grow smaller and smaller in the distance.
‘Damn it… Kidnapped again.’
In my previous life, the kidnapping had been the work of the Orthodox Alliance’s Shadow Corps. After that, I spent decades as a living test subject before meeting a miserable death.
Of course, this time was different.
Strictly speaking, it couldn’t even really be called a kidnapping.
It was simply one of Kunlun Sect’s First Elders suddenly appearing and taking me away.
The problem, however, was—
“Kwahahahaha! The wind feels great today! Perfect weather for chopping off someone’s head! Kwahahahaha!”
—that this ‘great elder’ was a completely insane madman who spouted such nonsense without any hesitation.
Just why was he kidnapping… no, taking me?
“The sound of the wind is so nice! It’s just like the breathing of a person about to die! Kwahahahat!”
Laughing like a maniac, Jin Gwang-ung sliced through the sky.
The fierce wind mercilessly slapped my face, and the surrounding scenery gradually turned more and more unfamiliar.
The familiar buildings of Kunlun Sect had long since disappeared from view.
Instead, steep canyons, rocky cliffs, and dense forests covering the mountainsides spread out beneath us.
‘Just how far is this crazy old monster planning to go?’
Not knowing our destination, I remained draped over Jin Gwang-ung’s shoulder as we flew through the sky for a long time.
Roughly two quarters of an hour later.
Jin Gwang-ung gradually slowed down and finally landed on a mountain ridge.
“Alright, we’re here! This is where you’ll be rolling around with me from now on.”
He tossed me to the ground like a piece of luggage.
“Ugh!”
I rolled across the dirt a couple of times before coming to a stop.
I barely managed to push myself up, suppressing the urge to vomit as my stomach churned.
My entire body—including my face—was now covered in dirt and dust.
“Ptoo! Ptui ptui!”
I spat out the clump of dirt in my mouth and quickly checked my condition.
Thankfully, I didn’t seem to be seriously injured.
‘Damn old geezer. He really is just a stupid bear with monstrous strength.’
I inwardly hurled every curse I could think of at Jin Gwang-ung.
Of course, only in my mind.
‘If I say something weird and he decides to cut my head off…’
Once I regained my senses, the surrounding situation slowly came into focus.
The first thing that caught my eye was a shabby pavilion.
It looked like it hadn’t been maintained in years. Half the roof tiles had collapsed, and the entire wall was covered in thick moss—an old, worn-out structure.
Right next to the pavilion was another building that appeared to be a warehouse.
Strangely, the warehouse was two to three times larger than the pavilion, and its entrance was secured with a heavy iron lock.
‘What the hell is he hiding that needs such a massive lock?’
Who would even come all the way out here to steal anything?
As I stared at the suspicious warehouse, a strange feeling creeping over me—
“Keh heh heh. What are you staring at so intently? Why? Think there’s gold hidden inside?”
Jin Gwang-ung chuckled as he looked at me.
Only then did I fully realize my current situation.
I had been kidnapped.
And by a crazy old monster who could snap the neck of someone like me without breaking a sweat if he felt like it.
The most urgent thing right now was to understand the exact situation.
And the person who could give me answers was standing right in front of me.
I carefully opened my mouth, addressing Jin Gwang-ung in a cautious voice.
“Elder Jin Gwang-ung. I’m sorry, but may I ask you a few questions?”
“Keh heh heh. Ask whatever you want. You’re the seed who’ll be serving me for the rest of your life. Why wouldn’t I answer a few questions?”
‘This insane old monster! Seed? Who the hell decided that?!’
I was dumbfounded by his nonsense, but—
I kept my expression neutral and continued with the next question.
“Elder, where exactly is this place?”
“What a worthless question. Are your eyes just for decoration? Can’t you read what’s written over there?”
Jin Gwang-ung jerked his chin toward the warehouse.
I turned my head and looked at the warehouse again. At first I saw nothing, but when I followed his gesture and raised my gaze higher, I finally noticed it.
Hanging crookedly from the eaves above the warehouse entrance was a single old, weathered signboard.
On the wooden plaque, cracked from years of wind and rain, faint characters were carved:
― Abandoned Martial Hall (廢武堂)
‘Abandoned Martial Hall…? A place to discard martial arts?’
It was a name I had never once heard during my time in Kunlun Sect.
Seeing the unfamiliar name for the first time, I unconsciously muttered to myself.
“Abandoned Martial Hall…”
“So you’re not completely illiterate after all. That’s right. This is the Abandoned Martial Hall. It’s a very important place that this old man personally manages.”
Jin Gwang-ung let out his signature creepy chuckle, apparently having heard my mutter.
I couldn’t help but tilt my head at his reaction.
‘If it’s a place even Jin Gwang-ung manages personally, it can’t be some random worthless spot…’
In Kunlun Sect, the position of First Elder wasn’t merely an honorary title given to retired masters out of respect.
Each First Elder individually oversaw one of the sect’s major organizations.
They were the actual heads of those organizations.
Whether it was the Heavenly Defense Corps (乾天衛), which handled external defense, or the Martial Constitution Bureau (武憲), which enforced internal laws and discipline—the core pillars of Kunlun Sect were all led by First Elders, each operating with considerable independence according to their own style.
The Abandoned Martial Hall should be the same.
If it was an organization headed by a First Elder, it must have its own significant purpose.
‘Abandoned Martial Hall… The name is strange enough, but why is it located so deep in the mountains, so far from the sect?’
Organizations or facilities run by First Elders were usually located inside or near the main sect grounds.
Yet this place was hidden deep in the remote mountains, far removed from Kunlun.
‘Something feels off…’
I wanted to dig deeper into the questions filling my head, but Jin Gwang-ung didn’t give me any time to think.
“Well, that should be enough to satisfy your curiosity, right?”
He was suddenly trying to end the conversation.
I hurriedly spoke up.
“O-one more! Just one more question, please!”
“Ugh, what a nosy bastard. So annoying…” Jin Gwang-ung grumbled with an irritated expression. “This is the last one. Spit it out quickly.”
‘He’s the one who told me to ask anything…’
Curses rose in my throat, but I had to ask before the old madman’s mood changed again.
“I’d like to know why someone as great as you, Elder, would bring a mere low-ranking servant like me all the way out here.”
“Hmm… Now that’s a proper question. Indeed, it’s rare for a trivial servant like you to catch the eye of someone like me. Keh heh heh.”
Apparently pleased by the slight flattery, Jin Gwang-ung’s mouth loosened easily.
“Fine, I’ll tell you. Why this old man—the great pillar of Kunlun—brought a mere Affairs Hall servant like you all the way here.”
“Yes…”
“You’ve been in Kunlun for quite a while now, so I don’t need to explain how important the position of First Elder is, do I?”
“I know. Out of the nine elders in the sect, there are only four First Elders.”
“Well, to be honest, if you exclude me, the other three are just so-so, but yes, there are four.”
“…”
I ignored Jin Gwang-ung’s self-praise and waited for his next words.
“As you know, as both a First Elder who supports Kunlun’s foundation and a Taoist cultivator, this old man lives every day immersed in rigorous training.”
Lie.
In my memories from before the regression, Jin Gwang-ung was infamous throughout the sect as a madman who spent every day indulging in alcohol and meat, committing all sorts of eccentric acts.
“Training as a Taoist and reviving the sect as a First Elder. Because of these two duties, this old man has not had a single moment of rest… but recently, one annoying problem has arisen.”
“An annoying problem? What kind of problem is it?”
When I showed curiosity, Jin Gwang-ung’s eyes glinted slyly.
After a brief pause, he stroked his chin and casually dropped a bombshell.
“This year happens to be the year when the special meeting that only the First Elders attend is held.”
“A special meeting?”
“That’s right. In two months, the The Great Assembly of Elders will take place.”
For a moment, my eyes widened involuntarily.
‘The Great Assembly of Elders?!’
***
The Great Assembly of Elders (長老講會).
One of Kunlun Sect’s long-standing traditions.
Literally, it was a gathering where the elders came together to discuss and exchange their learnings.
Throughout the generations, Kunlun had always stood on the border facing the Heavenly Demon Cult. Although it was a Taoist sect that supposedly pursued the Dao, its unique geographical position prevented it from focusing solely on cultivation and ideals.
More than any other sect in the Jianghu, Kunlun had no choice but to obsess over strength.
On the surface, it claimed to be a breakwater protecting the Central Plains from the Cult’s invasions, but in reality, it was a desperate struggle to survive the constant threats from the Heavenly Demon Cult.
This obsession with power ran just as strongly among the elders.
No, it was even more intense.
Whether in martial arts or cultivation, the elders constantly competed over who had reached a higher realm.
Sometimes the competition went too far and escalated into severe conflicts between the various elder factions.
The compromise that emerged from this was the ‘The Great Assembly of Elders’.
Once every five years, the elders would gather in person to display the results of their training and exchange teachings, using it as a stepping stone for further growth.
While the official purpose was ‘growth through the exchange of teachings,’ in truth, it was a battlefield of pride and face-saving contests between elders.
Only the elders and a very small number of selected individuals could participate, and the results were shared only with a limited few.
‘Why does the fact that the The Great Assembly of Elders is being held this year have anything to do with me?’
Jin Gwang-ung’s answer made no sense to me.
I had asked why he brought me all the way here, yet he suddenly started talking about the The Great Assembly of Elders.
Wasn’t that just a meeting where the elders bickered among themselves?
I was utterly confused.
Perhaps my expression gave it away, because Jin Gwang-ung chuckled again.
“It seems you still don’t understand why this old man personally came to pick you up.”
He stroked his chin and continued.
“The The Great Assembly of Elders being held this year has been specially decided to only involve the First Elders. And it will be conducted in a very different, special format compared to the past.”
“Special format?”
“Instead of the elders stepping forward themselves, this time the The Great Assembly will be fought through representatives.”
“Representatives? What do you mean…?”
Jin Gwang-ung looked at me with a meaningful smile.
“The First Elders have decided that each will select one disciple from their own faction who has not yet reached their mid-twenties to compete as their proxy in the Symposium.”
“Then, where is the disciple who will serve as your representative, Elder Jin Gwang-ung? With the The Great Assembly not far away, they must be busy training right now.”
At my question, the corners of Jin Gwang-ung’s eyes and mouth curled up slightly.
An ominous feeling washed over me at that expression.
“Keh heh heh… The disciple is already here with this old man.”
“Here?”
I looked around.
However, there wasn’t a single person near the Abandoned Martial Hall — not even an ant.
Aside from Jin Gwang-ung and myself, there wasn’t a single soul in sight.
“They must be training somewhere else then.”
At my words, Jin Gwang-ung clutched his stomach and burst into loud laughter.
“Kwahahahaha! This guy says such funny things! ‘They’?! A disciple?!”
After laughing for a long while, he suddenly shoved his face right in front of mine.
“You are far stranger than I thought.”
“Strange…? What do you mean by that?”
“I mean you’re a strange fellow who keeps referring to yourself in such a respectful, elevated way.”
“…Yes?”
A terrifying premonition suddenly crawled up my spine.
One horrifying thought pierced my mind.
‘Surely not… No way. That can’t be possible.’
Before I could finish the thought, Jin Gwang-ung’s voice struck my ears.
“The disciple who will participate in this The Great Assembly of Elders is none other than you. Han Mujin, you are this old man’s representative.”
For a moment, my mind went completely blank, as white as a sheet of paper.