“I greet you, benefactor!”

The sudden appearance of the assassin, addressing him as “benefactor,” left Mu-hui momentarily taken aback. But only for a moment, as a dangerous glint soon returned to his eyes.

“That’s quite an original approach.”

Mu-hui assumed it was a ploy to catch him off guard. The assassin drew a straight sword and a curved blade from his sleeves, the same pair of weapons used by the infamous Shadow.

Yet, the assassin didn’t point the blades at Mu-hui. Instead, he crossed his arms, aiming the sharp edges at his own neck. Just the touch of the blades had already drawn thin lines of blood.

“Please, hear me out, benefactor. You can kill me afterward if you wish.”

Mu-hui lowered his hand at the assassin’s words. Instead, petals from Mu-hui’s sword technique began to fall around the kneeling assassin. If he tried anything foolish, the hidden serrated edges of the petals would reveal themselves instantly.

“My name is Moon-young. I was one of the Ten Shadows of the Heavenly Assassins.”

As Moon-young introduced himself, he removed his mask, revealing the face of an ordinary man in his thirties. The past tense in Moon-young’s words made Mu-hui raise an eyebrow.

“And now?”

Moon-young sighed deeply before answering.

“Now, I lead the Heavenly Assassins.”

“Wasn’t the leader the Shadow?”

“He was, until that wretched Shadow allied with the demonic sect.”

It seemed the Shadow was known as Am-yeong within the Heavenly Assassins. Moon-young spat as he recounted the state of the Heavenly Assassins, summarizing that the group was now split in half.

“So, the Heavenly Assassins refused to turn to the demonic path, and only those who followed the Shadow left?”

“Yes. After the internal conflict, the Shadow’s followers, including three of the Ten Shadows, left the Heavenly Assassins.”

The internal strife had taken a heavy toll on the Heavenly Assassins. Many assassins had perished, and the previous leader, who had fiercely opposed the demonic turn, was killed by the Shadow.

“Even though we are assassins who live by the sword, the Heavenly Assassins have their own code and laws. But the Shadow trampled on our traditions and even killed our master, the previous leader, with his own hands.”

“Yet you survived. I doubt the Shadow would leave any threats alive after killing his own master.”

“There were many who opposed the Shadow’s will, and the previous leader was no ordinary man. Before retiring, he was known as the King of Assassins.”

If the previous leader had managed to hold his own against the Shadow and was once called the King of Assassins, he was likely a master of extraordinary skill.

“The Heavenly Assassins… Their martial arts are unusually advanced for assassins. It seems the Shadow wasn’t just an assassin but a master who also learned assassination techniques.”

The martial arts of the Heavenly Assassins appeared to have a depth uncommon among assassins.

Even Moon-young, standing before him, was not lacking compared to the Shadow or the King of Assassins, having reached an exceptional level despite appearing in his late thirties.

The martial prowess of the assassins from this group was enough to earn them the title of the greatest assassin clan under the heavens.

“Why do you call me benefactor?”

“I heard you broke the Shadow’s twin blades.”

When Mu-hui nodded, Moon-young bowed his head again.

“The Shadow’s twin blades are legendary weapons passed down through the leaders of the Heavenly Assassins. The previous leader left a will to either retrieve or destroy the blades if they were used for evil. But my skills were insufficient.”

Hearing Moon-young’s words, Mu-hui finally understood the situation.

“A task I might never have accomplished in my lifetime. You achieved it for us, so how could I not call you benefactor?”

Moon-young glanced at Mu-hui’s eyes briefly before shaking his head.

“You still don’t trust me.”

Mu-hui didn’t hide his distrust of Moon-young. It sounded plausible, but it could also be a well-crafted story.

Anticipating this, Moon-young took out two items from his robe. One was a thick scroll, and the other was a secret manual. The manual was titled “Moonlit Twin Dance.”

“I came prepared to reveal everything for trust.”

Mu-hui drew his sword and carefully examined the scroll and manual with its tip, wary of any hidden poison or weapons.

After inspecting the items, Mu-hui’s eyes softened. There was no need for Moon-young to explain further.

The “Moonlit Twin Dance” manual seemed to be the martial art used by the Shadow, and the scroll contained maps with several marked locations.

“Are these the hideouts of the Heavenly Assassins?”

“Yes. It’s why I came to you personally.”

Moon-young raised his head and looked directly into Mu-hui’s eyes.

“Benefactor, please allow me to meet the leader.”

Mu-hui studied Moon-young’s unwavering gaze for a long moment before speaking.

“You kept calling me benefactor from the start because you wanted something.”

Moon-young, who had been serious, let out an awkward laugh and shook his head.

“No, benefactor. Regardless of this matter, I am truly grateful to you.”

Moon-young rubbed his hands together like a merchant, bowing his head. His uncharacteristically sly demeanor for an assassin made Mu-hui let out a light sigh.

* * *

Mu-hui introduced Moon-young to Kang Ho-baek.

However, he sealed Moon-young’s martial arts with acupressure and changed his assassin’s attire to new clothes. There was no telling what hidden weapons might be concealed.

Moon-young knelt like a criminal, flanked by Mu-hui and Yi Cheon-daeju, while Cheol San-gwon-wang and Do-je sat beside Kang Ho-baek. Even the Shadow himself would find it impossible to pull any tricks in such a situation.

Moon-young’s eyes trembled slightly as he took in the sight of the four masters.

“What brings the leader of the Heavenly Assassins to seek an audience with me?”

At Kang Ho-baek’s question, Moon-young, who had been glancing around nervously, wiped the expression from his face and answered in a calm voice.

“Please stop the attacks on the Heavenly Assassins.”

Under Kang Ho-baek’s orders, the Murim Alliance was searching and raiding the branches and hideouts of the Heavenly Assassins throughout the land. This was because the Shadow, known as the leader of the Heavenly Assassins, had allied with the demonic sect. There was nothing more threatening than a renowned assassin clan joining forces with the demonic sect.

Moon-young explained the situation of the Heavenly Assassins and added a few words.

“As I mentioned earlier, the Heavenly Assassins have nothing to do with the demonic sect. It was traitors like the Shadow who turned to the demonic path. Surely, you are aware of the code the Heavenly Assassins have upheld.”

The code of the Heavenly Assassins was well-known among the martial world, including the righteous sects.

They never accepted contracts against the weak or the innocent, only targeting the wicked.

This was the unique code of the Heavenly Assassins.

Other assassin clans criticized this as hypocrisy, but the Heavenly Assassins paid no heed.

“Then why come to us only now? It’s been three months since the campaign against the Heavenly Assassins began.”

“We had to deal with internal conflicts, and with my limited skills, it was impossible to breach the defenses around you. So I waited for this opportunity when you were outside.”

“Hmm.”

Kang Ho-baek pondered Moon-young’s words, perhaps to discern their truth. Mu-hui also felt no deceit in Moon-young’s words, but such matters required careful consideration.

“So, is your proposal simply to stop the campaign against the Heavenly Assassins?”

“Not at all.”

Moon-young’s eyes, which had been humble, now emitted a subtle killing intent. This refined aura showed he was indeed fit to lead the Heavenly Assassins.

“I understand the Murim Alliance’s Tianan Pavilion is already overwhelmed with gathering information on the Demonic Heaven and the Tyrant’s Castle. We will take on the task of gathering intelligence on the Black Night Palace and the Society, which the Shadow has joined. We wish to join forces with the Murim Alliance until the day the demonic sect is eradicated.”

Kang Ho-baek fell silent. Even with the help of the Beggars’ Sect, the information war was always lacking in manpower. The Heavenly Assassins’ assistance would undoubtedly be a significant boon.

Do-je, who had been listening quietly, spoke up.

“You’ve got guts. Didn’t you think we might just ignore you and kill you?”

“If it were the Tyrant’s Castle or the Demonic Heaven, I wouldn’t have shown up. But I believe it’s worth risking the fate of our clan with the righteous seniors who know honor.”

Kang Ho-baek, observing Moon-young’s steady gaze, spoke.

“Leader Moon, I understand your intentions. However, regardless of the pros and cons, it’s difficult for our alliance to openly join hands with an assassin clan.”

“I understand. That’s why I also bring you a justification for forming an alliance with us.”

“A justification?”

“The name of the Heavenly Assassins has been tainted by the Shadow. Therefore, we have decided to add a new code and start anew under a different name.”

Moon-young continued, looking at the bamboo hat symbolizing the righteous path.

“The first principle of our code was to spare the innocent and the virtuous. Now, with the rise of dark forces, a second principle has been added: to lead the charge in eradicating them. If the leader accepts this proposal, I will add a third principle in honor of the great leader, once known as the Grand Hero, to watch over and assist the heroes of future generations. With these three principles, we shall announce the new name and beginning of our sect.”

Moon-young spoke with confidence, as if he had rehearsed his response.

“And what is this new name?”

“To distinguish between acts of killing, to choose the righteous path, and to remember the significance of our name change, we propose to include the character ‘택’ (choice) and call it Cheonsal Taekmun.”

“Cheonsal Taekmun…”

Kang Ho-baek repeated the name, savoring its sound, and nodded in agreement.

“I understand your intentions. However, to make a decision on this matter and verify the truth of your words, we will need to discuss it within the alliance. Would you accompany us to the main headquarters?”

Though Kang Ho-baek seemed inclined to trust Moon-young, he wanted to ensure everything was handled with precision and care, leaving no room for future complications.

“Of course.”

Moon-young replied with a satisfied smile, then turned serious again.

“There are spies from the dark sects lurking around this branch. Although we’ve cut off their trail, our assassins will guard us from the shadows until we reach the alliance.”

Hearing about the spies, Kang Ho-baek nodded with a stern expression.

* * *

In an unnamed cavern, a series of deafening roars echoed, and powerful energy waves violently shook the surrounding stalactites.

Boom!

A massive, yellow force lashed out like a dragon’s roar, only to be swallowed by an all-consuming darkness that spread like the night sky.

“To think the Dragon’s Dance could be countered so easily!”

The Wind King, who had unleashed the ultimate move of the Eighteen Dragon Palms, was stunned and reached out again, but his efforts were in vain, leaving him flailing in the air.

“Ugh!”

He looked down at the black arm piercing his chest, then glared at the man shrouded in a mask of darkness.

“Wind King, you lived up to your reputation as the fastest under the heavens. It was quite entertaining.”

The man, his face hidden in shadows, extracted the Wind King’s heart and crushed it to dust. The Wind King, eyes wide open, fell backward.

“The sect will manage without you. Rest in peace.”

As the man turned away, a figure kneeling nearby, the Shadow Lord, shivered at the display of power.

“Shadow Lord, you did well to lure the Wind King. Your efforts have paid off.”

“Thank you, Black Heaven. Your praise is too generous.”

“The sect’s plans didn’t go as the Lady intended, but with the Wind King gone, it’s a decent outcome.”

The Shadow Lord, still bowing, asked the man called Black Heaven, “What should the sect do now?”

“Having proven your worth, the sect, or rather the Shadow Sect, is yours to command. Do as you see fit.”

As Black Heaven’s voice faded into the distance, the Shadow Lord lifted his head. The man was gone, leaving only the receding darkness.

“What kind of dark arts are these?”

Now recognized as the leader of the Shadow Sect, the Shadow Lord clenched his fist and stood up.

As he turned, three shadows emerged. They were his loyal followers from Cheonsalmun.

“The eyes we placed on the leader have been cut off.”

“Leave it be. With four grandmasters there, it’s best to divert our attention elsewhere.”

“Understood.”

With that, the Shadow Lord and his followers melted back into the darkness.