Chapter 232: The Princess's Banquet (1)
While Moyong Hyeon sought help from his clan to find a way into the imperial palace, Jin Seong-un headed to the Martial God Realm to bid farewell to his masters.
After hearing Jin Seong-un's explanation, the rchant King nodded and spoke.
“Hoo, the hot spring rights under the Crown Prince’s jurisdiction, you say. You've truly gained an excellent strategist. Whose descendant is he, I wonder—what a brilliant breakthrough.”
Beside him, the Divine Thief wore a look of exasperation. Regardless, the rchant King continued.
“If you can just get into the Emperor’s quarters, you’ll find the treasure without a doubt. Unlike other martial artists, Seong-un, you have a particularly sharp sense.”
“But that’s what troubles . Even if I do make it into the palace, how would I enter His Majesty’s chambers?”
Even the Sword Immortal and the Noble Enchantress nodded, agreeing with Jin Seong-un’s concern.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say the Emperor’s quarters were the safest place in all the land.
Just then—
“Hey!”
The Divine Thief suddenly barked out.
Everyone turned to look at him in surprise.
Standing with his arms crossed coolly, the Divine Thief let out a chuckle and said,
“Have you forgotten whose disciple you are?”
Then he mid putting on a mask, as if donning a disguise.
“……”
After resolving the grudge related to the Falling Fla Manor, Jin Seong-un had thought he would never need to wear a mask again.
As Jin Seong-un stood silent, the Divine Thief grinned and asked,
“Is there any other way?”
“……”
There wasn’t.
The Divine Thief's montum surged.
“Yes, after all, every so-called gentleman thief has a story. How many in this world steal simply because they want to?”
“…I'll be on my way.”
Fearing that lingering in conversation would stir his desire to steal—theft-heart (偸心)—from deep within, Jin Seong-un quickly took his leave.
While everyone urged him to be cautious, the Noble Enchantress emphasized her warning several tis.
“Seong-un, the palace is no different from a den of evil spirits. You must be truly careful.”
Jin Seong-un gazed quietly at her.
Unlike her usual gentle and serene deanor, she looked visibly anxious.
One thing was clear—his master, the Noble Enchantress, was sohow connected to the imperial palace.
Jin Seong-un buried the question deep within his heart, then bowed and said,
“Yes, I will be truly cautious, so please don’t worry too much.”
Only then did the Noble Enchantress smile and gently pat his shoulder.
A few days later, a letter arrived from the Moyong Clan. Upon reading it, Moyong Hyeon proudly declared, his shoulders seeming high enough to reach the ceiling.
“Her Highness the Princess is said to be hosting a banquet soon. Looks like she intends to invite that bastard from the Myriad Gold Manor and representatives of the orthodox Murim. It seems to be an effort to smooth over what happened at the Martial Palace…”
Even if one were a guest dragon or a righteous hero, there was no way a re innkeeper could attend such a banquet.
That was the common sense and logic of the world.
But Moyong Hyeon smiled confidently and added,
“My father personally requested Her Highness. He insisted that Jin Seong-un, the very man at the center of it all, be invited.”
The Moyong Clan Leader was treated nearly on par with a feudal prince. So it wasn’t unthinkable for him to make such a request to the princess.
Of course, whether or not the request was granted depended entirely on the princess’s will.
Moyong Hyeon went on.
“And so, even the innkeeper has been permitted to attend the banquet. The only regret is that we won’t be able to accompany you.”
As he said this, not only Lee Seowon, but also Seo Yu-gyeom and Seomun Ak wore similar expressions.
None of them had complete confidence in Jin Seong-un.
They fully acknowledged his martial ability and decisiveness—but at tis, he acted or spoke like soone missing a few screws.
While no one could quite define this phenonon, the astute Lee Seowon spoke seriously.
“The Innkeeper is an admirable person, but just one thing. He occasionally lacks social skills.”
Jin Seong-un blinked.
‘?’
His expression said it all.
Yet everyone nodded in vigorous agreent with Lee Seowon’s assessnt.
Encouraged, Lee Seowon continued in a firr tone.
“Yes. So far, that very trait has often pressured others or even helped resolve situations, but such things won’t work in the imperial palace. It would be best to speak as little as possible and avoid doing anything.”
Jin Seong-un protested, feeling wronged.
“And what exactly do you take
for?”
“I believe I just told you. An admirable man… who sotis lacks social grace.”
“……”
Jin Seong-un found Lee Seowon annoyingly sharp at tis. But since what he said was usually correct, there was little room for protest.
“…Understood. Besides, I’ve got nothing to discuss with Her Highness or Ha Joo-myeong anyway, so you needn’t worry.”
Only then did Lee Seowon look truly relieved.
Suddenly, Jin Seong-un asked,
“Oh, Seo Sohyup. Do you still have that mask?”
“I do.”
Without hesitation, Seo Yu-gyeom pulled a mask from his robes, as if it were only natural. Everyone silently wondered why a chef was carrying such an ominous item—but no one asked.
“Thanks.”
Just as Jin Seong-un reached out to take the mask—
Seo Yu-gyeom instinctively tightened his grip.
And so the two of them began an impromptu tug-of-war over the mask.
An awkward silence and tense air filled the room.
Seo Yu-gyeom asked,
“You’re going to the palace. What do you need this for?”
“It’s winter.”
“…Are you insane?”
Moyong Hyeon and Seomun Ak looked at Jin Seong-un with baffled eyes. Lee Seowon half-gasped in disbelief.
“…No, seriously. What exactly are you planning to do?”
“I told you, I’ll stay quiet. Really.”
With that, Jin Seong-un absurdly used the Golden Net to snatch the mask. Seo Yu-gyeom stared dumbfounded at his own wrist.
Lee Seowon voiced his concern again.
“You must stay quiet while you’re there.”
“I said I will.”
After all, all thefts are quiet by nature.
So, technically, he wasn’t wrong.
Jin Seong-un soon set off for Beijing.
At the outskirts of the imperial palace, he encountered a familiar face.
“Chief Strategist.”
Chief Strategist Sama Baek welcod Jin Seong-un with a warm smile.
Apparently, the other Myeongsuks were already inside waiting, and Sama Baek had co to greet Jin Seong-un, who was unfamiliar with the palace.
After a brief process at the gates, the two strolled the palace grounds together.
Jin Seong-un couldn’t hide his awe as he glanced around. Everywhere he looked was extravagant and majestic.
It truly felt like the place where the ruler of this vast land resided.
One could only imagine how much history had been written and lost within these walls.
“The wind has turned sharply cold. Seems winter has truly arrived.”
At Sama Baek’s words, Jin Seong-un nodded.
“Indeed.”
A mont of silence passed.
Sama Baek looked at Jin Seong-un with eyes full of affection, like a grandfather gazing at his grandson, and said,
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
Jin Seong-un turned his gaze from his surroundings to look up at Sama Baek. Though aged, the man was so tall that Jin Seong-un had to lift his head slightly.
With a kind smile, Sama Baek said,
“This past year, you’ve done far more than the Murim Alliance should have asked of you.”
“Most of it was my own burden to bear.”
His tangled fate with the Southern Black Lotus father and son, the Food Butcher who ca to the inn, resolving his master the Divine Thief’s grudge in Qinghai by confronting the Demonic Cult, and even clashing with Hanma Heaven again over the Myriad Gold Manor incident.
Then, as if he’d just rembered sothing, Jin Seong-un asked,
“By the way, has the Demonic Cult made any moves?”
"Indeed. From what I hear, the grand art that Hanma Heaven and the eldest daughter of the Myriad Gold Manor were attempting to perform is one strictly forbidden even within the Demonic Cult. Because of that, it seems the other Seven Demon Heavens are launching political offensives."
"So they're too busy fighting amongst themselves."
"That's a good thing."
The two n nodded together.
"You seem to know a lot about the internal affairs of the Demonic Cult."
"That’s because it concerns both the Murim Alliance and ."
"You’ve gone through a lot."
Sama Baek paused briefly before he spoke again.
"Ever thought about joining in on that hardship?"
"Not at all."
"You’re too wise. Sotis to the point of being a bit annoying."
"Is that so? Still, I have no desire to step deeper into murim affairs. Even now, I can't run my inn in peace—how many more enemies would I make if I got involved?"
"You already have too many enemies. A day will co when you’ll need the Murim Alliance's help."
The Demonic Cult, which had lost two elders of the Seven Demon Heavens, was now the most dangerous potential enemy.
The Heavenly Poison Alliance, which had lost its Grand Elder Sa Ryeong-geuk and heir, might have already marched to Yichang if not for the Sichuan Tang Clan.
Recently, Jin Seong-un’s position had rapidly risen even within the comrcial world, drawing close attention from several of the Ten Great Trading Companies.
And ever since the Namok Trading Company—one of the Ten—was annihilated by Jin Seong-un, those gazes had only grown sharper.
‘Not to ntion the Myriad Gold Manor. Honestly, setting aside factions of justice and evil, nearly every sizable murim force is watching Seong-un.’
Not all of them were friendly. Even Sama Hwi, his own grandson, and the Sword Dragon of the Moyong Clan had initially been hostile toward Jin Seong-un.
It was only natural for those in power to harbor resistance toward rising stars.
Then Sama Baek suddenly said,
"Up until now, I was speaking as the Chief Strategist of the Murim Alliance. May I offer a word as a senior in life?"
"Of course."
"It doesn’t have to be the Murim Alliance. Even if you don’t directly involve yourself in murim affairs, keep at least one foot in the water."
"Why is that?"
With a more solemn tone, Sama Baek replied,
"You’ll need people willing to draw their swords for your sake. The Sichuan Tang Clan, which most actively looks after its own, would be ideal. Or, you could follow the White Cloud Sword and the Wudang Sword Immortal, who treat you like a grandson, and choose Mount Wudang. While this isn't sothing I should say as a strategist, relying on the Hao Sect would be fine too. The current Hao Sect Leader is a man who abhors seeing his people hurt. There's a reason the Lingbo Immortal Maiden chose the Hao Sect."
"Is that so."
"But still, the best choice would be our Murim Alliance—"
"Oh, looks like we've arrived."
Jin Seong-un hurried his steps.
Sama Baek let out a groaning sigh.
What a clever and infuriating fellow.
He was undeniably strong in martial arts, with a composed and calm disposition that made him unlikely to fall to corruption. Young as he was, he could serve the Murim Alliance for decades to co.
With such ability, there would be countless ways to use him—and that ant that if he joined the Alliance, he'd go through hell, so to speak.
And the boy seed to know it. Every ti the Alliance was ntioned, he practically shut his eyes and ears.
As he watched Jin Seong-un’s retreating figure, Sama Baek felt a stubbornness rise within him.
As a descendant of Sima Yi, the greatest strategist in history, there had never been a talent he failed to recruit.
He vowed he would one day win over Jin Seong-un as well.
Just as martial artists obsessed over martial arts, strategists were destined to obsess over talent.
As these thoughts flowed, the na of the young strategist at the Seong-un Inn suddenly ca to mind.
‘Lee Seowon, was it?’
Since his arrival, the Seong-un Inn's trajectory had clearly shifted. The choices that strategist made were often exactly what Sama Baek himself would have done.
A scene of the current generation's finest hero and the strategist at his side—it reminded him vividly of his younger days with the Alliance Leader.
At that mont—
From the clear sky, delicate snowflakes began to fall. Catching the sunlight, the flakes sparkled like shattered jade. And amidst them, Jin Seong-un's back shone the brightest.
"How radiant youth can be."
Sama Baek murmured quietly.
He could feel the generational shift more keenly than ever.
And so, Sama Baek and Jin Seong-un arrived at the banquet hall under escort.
The representatives of the Nine Sects One Gang and the Five Great Clans were already present.
Instead of their leaders, elders representing each faction were attending on behalf of the Murim Alliance.
Sama Baek and Jin Seong-un entered the hall side by side. They took in the interior briefly, and then froze in place.
They had already known Ha Joo-myeong was invited. But the seating arrangents were utterly bizarre.
The long banquet table.
At the head, the most prestigious seat remained empty—clearly the princess's seat.
To the right sat Ha Joo-myeong, casually fanning himself at a luxurious private table.
anwhile, to the left—directly opposite him—was utter chaos.
Elders of the orthodox factions were lined up side by side like folding screens, seated so tightly that their sleeves brushed and it looked difficult even to stretch an arm.
It was as if Ha Joo-myeong alone carried the sa weight—or more—as the entirety of the orthodox Murim.
Sama Baek furrowed his brows.
This was not rely an insult—it was a blatant display of hierarchy. He had expected the princess to favor Ha Joo-myeong, but not to such an overt degree.
Just then, Ha Joo-myeong spotted Sama Baek and Jin Seong-un and smiled. As always, it was a mysterious smile that revealed nothing.
A eunuch noticed Sama Baek and gestured for him to take his seat.
It was the seat imdiately to the princess’s left—the highest among the orthodox side, directly opposite Ha Joo-myeong.
As a seasoned strategist, Sama Baek quickly masked his expression and followed the guide to his seat.
The eunuch then turned to Jin Seong-un and pointed with his index finger.
To the farthest end of the table.
A seat far removed from both Ha Joo-myeong and the elders of the orthodox sects.
It was a ssage: “We’ll let you in as a favor to the Moyong Clan Leader, but don’t you dare speak. Just sit quietly and watch.”
Several mbers of the orthodox faction, including Sama Baek, showed signs of displeasure.
Jin Seong-un was the most rising prodigy in the orthodox Murim, a righteous hero, and an accomplished martial artist.
To treat him this way was an open insult to both him and the entire orthodox community.
The elders coughed awkwardly, casting anxious glances toward Jin Seong-un.
‘With how he usually acts, who knows what he might do.’
It was the sa concern voiced by the Seong-un Inn mbers—now shared by the elders as well.
For Jin Seong-un had a tendency to speak out against injustice, regardless of who stood across from him.
Sama Baek and the other dignitaries of the orthodox factions were nervous that he might cause an incident, giving the Myriad Gold Manor a pretext.
At that breath-holding mont—
Jin Seong-un did the unexpected. With a delighted look, he plopped right down into the seat.
‘Even better, actually.’
He had co to the imperial palace to seek out the rchant King’s treasure.
To spread his sensory qi and focus, this secluded spot was far superior to the bustling center.
Ti passed as everyone took their seats.
“The Princess is arriving!”
At the eunuch’s announcent, everyone rose to their feet.
Jin Seong-un blanked out briefly, then stood up as well.
Soon, a woman adorned in elaborate royal robes entered.
She seed not yet thirty.
Her steps from the entrance to the head seat were confident and unhesitating. Her posture was straight and upright.
Her skin was smooth and vibrant, though her expression was cold, like one wearing a mask.
As she appeared, the noise in the hall was sliced cleanly away.
It wasn’t just her status—her chilly presence dominated the atmosphere.
As she sat down, she casually glanced over the Murim Alliance mbers to her left, then turned to Ha Joo-myeong.
She nodded slightly and smiled.
Seeing that, Sama Baek and the other Murim Alliance mbers braced themselves for what would clearly not be an easy gathering.
After scanning the room, the princess spoke in a composed voice.
“Is it the heavy air of the palace? Everyone’s faces look stiff. Don’t just stand there—please, be seated.”
Her voice reminded everyone in the room exactly who held the real power in the current palace.
As people cautiously sat down, the princess looked over each face with a composed gaze—until her eyes landed on Jin Seong-un.
Unlike the others who bowed or averted their gaze, Jin Seong-un t her eyes directly, as always.
Their stares locked, and then—
“Are you the so-called Guest Dragon?”
“Yes. I run the Seong-un Inn in Yichang.”
“Seong-un, is it. Did you na the inn after yourself? Then who gave you your na?”
“I looked up at the sky and nad myself. I had no parents, you see.”
“An orphan, then.”
“Yes, an orphan.”
The two of them nodded in unison.
Everyone else watched nervously as their exchange continued.
Then the princess stared deeply at Jin Seong-un, glanced at Ha Joo-myeong, and returned her gaze to him again.
As confusion spread among the crowd, the princess's lips curled into a smile.
“You’re acceptable.”
Many present caught the aning of her words and were internally shocked.
It was well known that the current princess placed great weight on a man's appearance when judging them.
Jin Seong-un didn’t quite know what she ant by "acceptable," but he nodded anyway.
“Mm, thank you.”
“Haha.”
At his bold reply, the princess let out a soft laugh.
The more she laughed, the darker the faces of the orthodox elders beca, and even Ha Joo-myeong’s gaze grew faintly displeased.
Jin Seong-un simply watched the princess’s strange behavior and thought to himself.
‘So what Master Dalgi said about this place being a den of evil spirits was true.’
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