Chapter 94

He thought back to the young man he had met in Seolap. He knew better than anyone.

Just how extraordinary Seol Unwi truly was.

No—he’d set the wrong standard for “extraordinary.”

Unwi wasn’t merely extraordinary. He was beyond exceptional. Transcendent.

“...Even seeing him in person, I didn’t realize it was to this extent...”

Cheonsugang examined the game record once more in detail.

“Wang Muha of the Golden Path... To think he played a game like this against a master of Union of Heaven and Man.”

There was no doubt in his mind. This record would shake the martial world.

After all, among those who called themselves martial artists, there were very few who didn’t know how to play Go.

Some played for leisure, while others used Go to kill.

There was a reason Go tournaments were second only to martial arts tournaments in frequency.

“Chief, should we inform the other Beggars’ Union branches of this?”

“Of course. This isn’t just a game record. It’s the herald of a new era.”

Cheonsugang’s gaze deepened.

At this moment, the man named Seol Unwi had begun to move the entire martial world.

Cheonsugang instantly understood the kind of ripple effect this single game record would create.

And in that instant, he recalled the promise he had once made with Seol Unwi in Seolap’s branch.

It had been a formal gesture, a promise to aid him in the future.

But this—this couldn’t be ignored.

“If anyone doubts the authenticity of this record, tell them I guarantee its truth with my name.”

“...Understood.”

Even if the Golden Path Chess Hero himself had certified it, there would still be those who doubted.

But if Cheonsugang also vouched for its authenticity, and if someone else who received the record did the same...

There would be no room for doubt.

And so, that single game record spread like wildfire across the entire martial world.

***

Time passed.

In the inner palace of the Everlasting Snow Palace, Seol Jungcheon quietly read through the game record.

The movements of the black and white stones felt alive.

These weren’t mere stones.

They were a battlefield, bound by one person’s life, will, and clashing realizations.

A smile curled at Seol Jungcheon’s lips.

“As expected... a genius is a genius.”

He recalled the game of Go he had once played with Unwi.

Unwi’s Go skills were not something that could “grow” anymore.

It would be stranger if they could grow.

He was already complete.

The world he saw was wide—unimaginably so.

His method of playing was unusual, but the moves were undeniably close to perfection.

What amazed Seol Jungcheon wasn’t that Unwi could make such moves—

—but that this game record itself was Unwi’s next move.

He chuckled softly.

“No one in the Martial Alliance will be able to respond easily to this. To move the martial world with Go... Truly, he is my son.”

Seol Jungcheon had recognized it instantly.

There was a reason Unwi deliberately created and distributed this game record.

And that reason could only be one.

Unwi had once said:

“The Martial Alliance will bow of their own accord. The Sacheon Alliance will beg for mercy. And the Central Blood Sect will reach out to us in the near future.”

Ha.

Hahahahahahahahahaha!

Seol Jungcheon burst into laughter.

He was speechless.

To think he would be this reassured.

Truly...

Magnificent.

Then, he suddenly wondered—

Would those fools in the Martial Alliance even understand the true meaning of this move?

***

At the Martial Alliance's main base, Wang Muha stood composed as he faced two men.

One of them wore a curious smile, the other stared at him in disbelief.

They were none other than Gun Mugyeol and Jegal Yeonghyeon.

Jegal Yeonghyeon spoke.

“...Is it true you lost?”

His voice was laced with disbelief, but Wang Muha answered without hesitation.

“It’s true.”

Wang Muha, known throughout the Alliance as the Eccentric of the Upper Wisdom Pavilion, possessed Go skills beyond compare. Few could match him.

That such a man had lost to someone not even of age yet—it was a hard pill to swallow.

Wang Muha continued calmly.

“It was a wagered game. I set three conditions: withdrawal from Yangnyeong, prohibition from claiming any territory on the Central Plains’ outskirts, and a formal apology from the Palace Lord of the Snow Palace. He accepted all of them.”

“...He’s the youngest of the northern heirs and a mere illegitimate child. Even if he accepted, could he truly carry out those conditions?”

“Whether he does or doesn’t is not what matters.”

Jegal Yeonghyeon fell silent at that.

“If you’re the strategist I believe you to be, Vice Lord, then you already understand. In that moment, what mattered most was legitimacy.”

He wasn’t wrong.

In the framework Jegal had set, legitimacy was crucial.

Wang Muha went on slowly.

“The northern heir made a promise. If he fails to fulfill it, the Snow Palace’s honor will be disgraced, and the Central Plains will rise to criticize them. That was what you wanted, wasn’t it?”

“...”

“I understand why you sacrificed Sugwangho of the Upper Wisdom Pavilion to rein in the Snow Palace. He committed crimes too severe to erase. He had only two options: die honorably for a greater cause or be executed in disgrace. I have no complaints about that.”

Wang Muha’s eyes bore into both men.

“No matter how peaceful the times may seem, danger lurks everywhere. We don’t need too many hands on the helm. That’s why I agreed with your strategy. You gave me full authority. And with that authority, I made my decision as the loser... and as one who received a favor. Do you have a problem with that?”

Jegal Yeonghyeon, pale-faced, had no response.

By now, rumors were swirling throughout the martial world:

There is a genius in the Snow Palace.

One who ascends realms just by playing Go.

Even Wang Muha, master of Union of Heaven and Man, lost to him by nine and a half points.

Sim Munryong, the infamous Southern Mad Dog, reached the Mythic Realm after a game with him, and declared that anyone who opposes him will be his enemy.

Gun Mugyeol watched the scene unfold, a faint smile on his lips. Since he hadn’t orchestrated this scenario, he could observe it with more clarity.

“I heard you gained an insight during the match. Is that true?”

“Yes. It is.”

Wang Muha’s tone was markedly heavier than when addressing Jegal Yeonghyeon. But his words flowed without pause.

What a story.

“A master of Union of Heaven and Man gained enlightenment from a game with a cultivator at Three Flowers Gathering Purity... Even seeing it, I can’t believe it.”

“Do you believe I’m lying, Lord?”

Gun Mugyeol shook his head. He could see it too—Wang Muha had changed.

Only one who had stood at the brink of Grand Void Formlessness could recognize it. Wang Muha’s aura was transformed, his eyes deeper than ever.

“What was your impression of Seol Unwi?”

“A prodigy of the ages.”

There was not a trace of hesitation in his answer.

Gun Mugyeol smiled slightly.

He agreed.

To his eyes, this match was Seol Unwi’s flawless victory.

What is the essence of the martial world?

Power reigns supreme, yes—but that isn’t its true nature. The martial world is a tangled web of ties, grudges, and karma. Even the Martial Alliance is not exempt.

In that context, this game with Wang Muha meant more than mere victory or defeat. Especially since the game record had spread across the realm. Even now, renowned figures were flocking to Yangnyeong.

The most astonishing part: some were actually achieving enlightenment.

In the half-month /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ Wang Muha traveled back, three among the many visitors to Yangnyeong had broken through—and all three were members of the Martial Alliance.

“To turn a contest of strength into a gateway to enlightenment... Truly incredible...”

Gun Mugyeol’s gaze sharpened.

It was like in Go, when your opponent aggressively expands their territory, only for you to suddenly reverse the board from the opposite side.

Now the Martial Alliance was being condemned instead.

How could they try to kill such a talent?

Has there ever been anyone who raises cultivation just through Go?

Even the Golden Path Chess Hero lost. Even the Mad Dog Sim Munryong was reformed by him. How could they seek to eliminate a genius among geniuses?

A martial treasure like no other—what was the point of provoking such a conflict?

It was overwhelming.

No wonder Jegal Yeonghyeon looked so pale.

He’d had many schemes.

He’d tried to pressure Seol Jungcheon and damage the Snow Palace’s reputation.

But every one of those plays had collapsed.

No—collapsed wasn’t even accurate. They had become unplayable.

When your entire strategy becomes meaningless, when you can no longer see your next move, when defeat descends upon you unexpectedly...

There are moments like that in Go.

“A move that doesn’t simply win, but transforms the nature of the game...”

A glimmer flashed in Gun Mugyeol’s eyes.

“...A divine move.”

It had been so long since he’d seen one.

Whether it was luck or skill, those capable of playing such a move always leave their name in the annals of the martial world.

To Gun Mugyeol, this was a thoroughly calculated move.

He let out a laugh.

“This is why people fear Go.”

Wang Muha agreed.

“You’re right, Lord. I’ve played countless matches... But never have I been so completely overwhelmed.”

Gun Mugyeol slowly rose from his seat.

“Go is a curious thing. Every hero and warlord under heaven seems to love it. I wonder why.”

“Well...”

Wang Muha started to respond, but Gun Mugyeol raised a hand to stop him.

“Tell me what Seol Unwi said to you. Why he loves Go.”

“...He said that Go is a fight between people. That no matter one’s cultivation, status, whether they’re a scholar or a king, it allows you to battle on equal footing. That’s why he loves it.”

“I see...”

Gun Mugyeol’s eyes darkened.

“So that’s what enlightened you. Not merely the Dao of Go—but the logic of the world itself.”

Jegal Yeonghyeon still shook his head in disbelief.

“But my lord... This must be a trap. It’s impossible to raise your realm just by playing Go. They must’ve been bribed. Even if it’s true, we can bribe them too...”

“Vice Lord.”

Gun Mugyeol’s gaze turned icy in an instant. Jegal Yeonghyeon flinched.

“You’ve crossed a line.”

“...I... apologize.”

“Enlightenment is sacred to a martial artist. To desecrate that is to deserve punishment. And you are the Vice Lord of the Martial Alliance. How could someone in your position tarnish something so sacred?”

“...It was a careless remark... I’m sorry.”

“I can see your emotions are shaken. I’ll pretend I didn’t hear it.”

Gun Mugyeol looked up toward the heavens.

“The future holds a truly remarkable talent.”

And though he smiled gently like a noble gentleman, inside, his thoughts were different.

Because the future was promising—

“He must be killed as soon as possible.”