Author's Preface
As Blue laid still on the bed, he listened to the conversation being had inside his tent.
"Thank you for helping them, I am grateful." Wu Jin bowed to Kang.
Kang raised his hand. "Stop, I did what anyone would do. I'm glad I did as well, now I can do more than fulfill a promise... I can start to be a grandfather."
Wu Jin looked at So-Yeon. "Wait, the legendary wandering swordsman is your-"
"Yes." She cut him off.
"Is there any other crazy secrets I need to be made aware of? Is one of your siblings secretly Buddha walking on earth?" Wu Jin sighed and sat against the wall beside Blue's bed. "So Kang, Shenwu, what are your plans now?"
Shenwu took a seat. "So-Yeon has filled us in with the workings of Murim the last few days. Though we haven't discussed what that means for us."
"We could use your help." So-Yeon acknowledged.
Kang looked down at Shenwu. "How would we help? We aren't known for our political maneuvering."
"We need the strength from the stories." Wu Jin paused. "We have a strategist who is brilliant. What we need now is strength."
"So you are suggesting what, exactly?" Kang sat on the foot of Blue's bed.
"Join Silent Edge, become elders, help us fight against the corruption of the Martial Alliance. Help us rid Murim of these monsters once and for all." Wu Jin looked at Blue. "As you already witnessed, we do not have the strength necessary to handle everything. We are fighting a war on two fronts."
Wuxing Ye and Shan Tie walked into the tent as they spoke. Wuxing Ye stepped in front of Wu Jin and loomed over him. "I'll join, only if you allow me to train Sa Gwan and Ilho. Ilho has the chance to become a greater shadow than even myself."
"If that's the case, let me train Mu Jang and runt junior. I'll turn them into mountains that the demon himself won't be able to stand against." Shan Tie took a step forward. "All i require is liquor, the elder position works too."
Shenwu smiled and looked at Wu Jin. "You realize what they are asking right?"
"I do, but that's dangerous. They want them to throw away their cultivation and start from scratch. It will take decades to even get back to where they are now. We don't have decades anymore." As Wu Jin finished, a puff of black qi filled the room as Wuxing Ye disappeared. Moments later he appeared as quickly as he left. He stood in front of Wu Jin holding a large box. He opened the lid and light poured out and filled the room. Wu Jin got onto his knees and scooted toward the box. He stared at its contents for a moment, then he looked at Wuxing Ye. "How is this possible?"
"I was an assassin, but I was also a thief. I took these from various clans and sects over the years. I had them carefully preserved with an array." Wuxing Ye gestured to the other 3 legends in the room. "We have no use for them. We are all on a level these wont do much for us. But, for your men, they will do wonders."
Shan Tie stepped forward. "If we teach them our breathing techniques, they won't be wasting the qi these ten-thousand year old ginsengs hold."
Kang stepped forward. "I will become an elder, and I will teach a person of my choosing to inherit my technique."
"I'm not sure what to say." Wu Jin stood. "I don't believe the choice belongs to me alone. The answer needs to come from those you wish to train." Wu Jin walked toward the door.
"Sect... l..leader. t-t-tell t-them not to be fu-fu-fucking stupid and say yes." Blue coughed as the word's struggled to leave his mouth.
Wu Jin turned and smiled at Blue. "I'm glad to see you're still yourself and you're up now. I will pass on your wisdom."
Wu Jin stepped toward the fire where the men were eating and talking with the 15 shadows. "Mok, can you and your men give me a moment with them alone?" Wu Jin asked.
Mok stood and bowed. He looked back at the other shadows and they vanished. Wu Jin sat on a log and grabbed a leg off the roasted boar. He took a bite and looked between Jinhu, Ilho, Mu Jang and Sa Gwan. "I'm not sure what kind of luck we have, or what gifted us this fortuitous encounter, but I am going to give all of you an option. The answer is completely up to you."
"What are you talking about Sect Leader?" Mu Jang leaned forward.
"As you are all aware I'm sure, these four men are myth ranked legends. We all grew up fearing their names. Kang is the wandering swordsman, and Blue and his siblings maternal grandfather."
"Are you serious?" Ilho took a swig of the liquor.
Wu Jin nodded. "I have offered them positions as elders in Silent Edge, we need their strength to free Murim from the Monsters and from Namgung Hyeon and the Alliance."
"That's awesome! So we can just sit back and let them destroy everything." Jinhu laughed.
"A fool's dream, Jinhu. They said they would join only if they could train you four."
Sa Gwan and Mu Jang looked at each other and stood. In unison they both shouted. "We accept."
Ilho and Jinhu looked at each other and their masters. "Wait, you mean destroy our cultivation and start over... again? You want us to go through hell, for what?" Ilho looked at Wu Jin.
"I don't want you to do anything. I want you to make your own decisions. And yes, you will destroy your cultivation and start over, but you will gain techniques that can carry you far beyond what Silent Edge or any other sect can. They have ten-thousand year old ginsengs. So it will not be a long arduous road. If you can master their basic techniques and consume the ginseng, who knows what level you'll be."
"Can't we just eat them as we are now then? I'm not sure my door can take much more." Jinhu looked at the ground.
Wu Jin smiled. "If you were to take them now, you may only be able to absorb twenty percent of the qi within them. But, with their techniques, the heavens are the limit. You two have done things most only dream of. Reaching master in a year is almost unheard of. With these men teaching you and the boost from the ginsengs, you may reach ascendent rank in a few years. Maybe higher."
Ilho and Jinhu stared at each other for a moment. Then they both looked at their masters again who were nothing but smiles. Ilho stood. "This is going to suck isn't it?"
"Yes, the pain from destroying your cultivation is immense."
"Fuck it, I'm in. If it helps me keep up with Blue and his system, then I will do whatever it takes." Ilho stood by Sa Gwan who patted his head.
Jinhu kicked a rock. "Fuck, fine. I guess I'll do it too. I can't let him leave me behind. But," Jinhu pointed at Mu Jang. "leave my fucking door alone for now on."
Mu Jang billowed out a laugh that shook the fire. "We didn't have doors in the mountain fortress. So, no promises."
Wu Jin stood. "Very well, just remember. No matter how strong you become, the rod will always be stronger."
All four men straightened their backs. They all bowed.
Wu Jin walked over and picked up the liquor bottle and took a drink. "Now I'm going to have to work ten times harder as to not make it easy for you all to surpass me."
"I would've surpassed you anyway." Jinhu said.
Everyone laughed as the rod came crashing down on Jinhu's head, leaving another knot next to previous one. Wu Jin turned to walk away. "By the way, Blue is up and talking now."
Ilho heard those words and took off, he tripped and slid through the dirt stopping at Wu Jin's feet. He turned his head as Jinhu retracted his leg, pointed and laughed. Then he leaped over Ilho and Wu Jin and ran into the hut.
"Can I borrow the rod?" Ilho looked up at Wu Jin. Wu Jin simply stared down at him and shook his head back and forth. "Ugh, fine... be stingy." Ilho stood and dusted himself off and followed Jinhu into the hut.