Late at night, in a quiet village inn on the outskirts of the martial world, a gathering was taking place. In a spacious room, those disillusioned by the established factions—both the Righteous and the Unorthodox Sects—had gathered, dreaming of an independent force that would forge a new path. This meeting was the beginning of what would become a new chapter in the history of the martial world.
At the head of the gathering was Yu Cheon-rin. Once a promising talent within the Righteous Sect, he had been pushed aside by internal power struggles. Disillusioned by the corruption and the monopolization of power by the strong, Yu Cheon-rin now led this group with a burning determination in his eyes—a vision for a new future.
Standing by his side was Seol Yeon-hwa, a wandering martial artist once recognized as a formidable expert within the Unorthodox Sect. She, too, had grown dissatisfied with the brutal, might-makes-right ethos of her former faction and left, seeking a new beginning. Together, they aimed to build something that transcended the old ways.
Yu Cheon-rin broke the tense silence in the room, his voice firm."Everyone, we have gathered here today to break free from the chains of the Righteous and the Unorthodox. The Righteous Sect shouts of justice while hoarding power for the few, and the Unorthodox preaches strength yet tramples the weak beneath them. Can we truly call that a system worth preserving?"
Someone in the room nodded heavily."Exactly. They're all the same. The Righteous and the Unorthodox—just names. Their supposed ideals of protecting the weak have long since vanished. All they care about is their own gain."
Yu Cheon-rin nodded as if to confirm their thoughts, his voice rising with conviction."We align with the ideals of Cheonwoohoe (The Thousand Rain Society)—to protect the weak, to stand for justice. But Cheonwoohoe lacks strength. Good intentions alone are not enough to survive in this chaotic martial world. We must fill in the gaps they cannot. We will lead with clarity and power."
Seol Yeon-hwa added gently,"We'll borrow the name of Cheonwoohoe, claiming to help the weak. But our true goal goes beyond that. We aim to reorganize the martial world's structure, placing ourselves at its center. Through this, we will strengthen and expand our power."
Several in the room exchanged glances. There were traces of doubt, hints of unease in their eyes, but those feelings were quickly overshadowed by a shared sense of determination. For them, the founding of Cheongpunghoe was a new opportunity—one they were determined to seize.
Yu Cheon-rin pounded the table with finality, his declaration echoing in the room."From this moment on, we are Cheongpunghoe. We will follow the ideals Cheonwoohoe speaks of, but we will forge our own path with strength. Our goal is to protect the weak, yes—but also to establish a new order in the martial world. You, here today, are the first members of Cheongpunghoe. Together, we will shape the future of the martial world."
Seol Yeon-hwa smiled faintly, her words laced with calculated intent."Like Cheonwoohoe, we'll speak of unity and justice, but our unity will make us stronger. If needed, we'll fight both the Righteous and the Unorthodox. On the surface, we'll raise the banner of justice and protecting the weak, gathering support for our cause."
In the room, the mix of doubt and expectation settled into a unified momentum. They rallied around Yu Cheon-rin's determination, their voices rising together:"For Cheongpunghoe! For our new beginning!"
With that, they set out, fueled by a vision of ideals on the surface—but with an agenda far more ambitious than they let on.
******
Chapter : Between Welcome and Suspicion
When Kang-hyuk entered the headquarters of Cheongpunghoe (Azure Wind Society), the reception he received was quite different from what he had expected. The leader of Cheongpunghoe, Yoo Cheon-rin, welcomed him warmly and treated him like an honored guest. A comfortable room was prepared for Kang-hyuk, and he was even granted the privilege of attending the core meetings of the organization.
Yoo Cheon-rin personally greeted Kang-hyuk, saying,"Kang-hyuk, your arrival from Cheonwoohoe will be a great help to us. No one knows their structure and plans as well as you do. Our Cheongpunghoe aims to build a more practical order in the martial world, filling the gaps they cannot."
Kang-hyuk nodded and tried to accept his new position, but a storm of mixed emotions swirled within him. Cheongpunghoe treated him kindly, yet there was an unspoken tension, a subtle undercurrent of suspicion and caution in the air. He could feel it even during sparring sessions with the Cheongpunghoe masters. They were less interested in his martial prowess and more focused on extracting information from him.
One day, while Kang-hyuk was casually practicing a basic sword form he had learned in Cheonwoohoe, a Cheongpunghoe master named Jang Yeong-hwa approached him and asked,"Kang-hyuk, is this the kind of basic training they do in Cheonwoohoe? I'm curious about the sword techniques they use there—what kind of martial arts do they emphasize?"
Kang-hyuk detected the sharp intent behind Jang Yeong-hwa's casual tone. He smiled faintly and replied,"Cheonwoohoe focuses primarily on defensive swordsmanship. The master always said that protecting the weak was more important than seeking aggression."
Jang Yeong-hwa smiled, but the glint in his eyes revealed a calculating mind. Kang-hyuk was becoming increasingly certain: they had no intention of truly welcoming him—they were only interested in extracting information about Cheonwoohoe.
A few days later, Yoo Cheon-rin summoned Kang-hyuk for a private meeting. Several core members of Cheongpunghoe were present, and while Yoo's smile seemed warm, the atmosphere in the room was anything but light.
"Kang-hyuk," Yoo Cheon-rin began,"A confrontation with Cheonwoohoe might become unavoidable. As you know, their ideals don't align with ours. But if you help us, we can resolve this without unnecessary bloodshed."
Kang-hyuk already knew what they wanted: details about Cheonwoohoe's internal structure, the personalities and weaknesses of key members, and their training methods. He hesitated for a moment, then slowly spoke.
"Cheonwoohoe is indeed an idealistic organization, but they have weaknesses. For instance..." Kang-hyuk intentionally listed trivial information, avoiding anything crucial. He elaborated on minor details, trying to satisfy their curiosity without actually giving away anything of importance.
Yoo Cheon-rin nodded as he listened, but a faint trace of doubt lingered in his gaze. Cheongpunghoe had approached Kang-hyuk with the intention of using him as an informant, but Kang-hyuk was determined not to give them everything they wanted. Deep down, he couldn't entirely sever his feelings for Cheonwoohoe.
At night, Kang-hyuk lay alone in his room, lost in thought. He had left Cheonwoohoe because he believed their ideals were too naive to survive in the martial world. But Cheongpunghoe... they seemed to be going down an even darker path. Though they claimed to stand for the weak, they were using "solidarity" as a front for power consolidation—exploiting the weak while depending on the strong.
Kang-hyuk stood at a crossroads. Should he continue feeding information to Cheongpunghoe, or should he return to Cheonwoohoe? His choice would have a profound impact on both groups. As Cheongpunghoe continued preparing for an eventual attack on Cheonwoohoe, it was clear that whichever path he chose, the balance of the martial world would shift accordingly.