One day a treasure map appeared. It said that the martial arts of Cheon Gija, the greatest martial artist in the history of the Murim, were hidden inside Mount Hangsan, along with the secret weapon he had left behind. That was the spark that set the Murim ablaze, after it had been quiet for so long.
Then one of the mountains split in half, and a boy came out of the wound in the rock, saying that he had finally escaped that cave.
The sky was blue, just like before, at least. He thought that maybe it was the shock of leaving the place, because no matter how much he tried, he could not remember his life before entering there. Even so, he needed to remember, in order to obtain his revenge.
His first memory was from when he was ten years old.
An old man introduced himself as Cheon Gija, saying that they might not understand or believe it, but that in ten years they would have to save the world. A hundred children were gathered by Cheon Gija, and the boy was one of them. He still remembered the calm eyes of that old man who ordered them to obey everything he said.
He also explained that the next day they would begin martial arts training. The boy did not feel fear, because he was an orphan and had nothing to lose. Cheon Gija warned that for those who tried to escape, he had sealed the entrance of the cave with a rocky cliff, and that it would also be very bad if someone tried to enter.
Everything, from eating to sleeping, was controlled by him. They could not do anything on their own. The first martial art they learned was how to breathe: the Art of the Three Energies, a technique that absorbed the energy of the heavens, the earth and man. After that came how to use a sword, the Sword of the Three Energies. Then how to move the body, with the Step of the Three Energies. In other words, everything had to be learned under the instruction of Cheon Gija. Even how to walk.
Perhaps three years had passed when he called them again and explained that those martial arts could reach the realm of the martial gods. For the next seven years, each of them would master these arts so that all of them could open that door and enter there. To prevent the calamity that would threaten this world, they had to train without hesitation.
Then they entered that cave, and were sealed inside.
The boy knew the reason why they had to survive in that hellish place. Everything was because of Cheon Gija. As he had ordered, they trained tirelessly inside the cave. The mist that filled the place was actually condensed energy, and because of that the arts improved day after day. But the energy became so dense that even space itself began to give way, and strange portals started to open. Demonic creatures invaded the cave. On that day, they saw the gate to hell.
They fought against it, but it was a nightmare, a brutal fight for survival. The martial arts of the three energies were truly useful. But even so, no one besides that boy managed to survive. That was why he was the chosen one.
He remembered his name. It was Dan Hyunwoo.
Later, at the Cloud Pavilion, Dan entered a restaurant, and a woman from an important family paid attention to him. Her guard commented that he was carrying a sword without a sheath. Another man observed that the sword looked exceptional.
Dan sat down to have a meal after a long time. He had no idea how much time had passed without a proper meal. He ate with such appetite that even the other customers ordered noodles as well. But that young lady wondered why that man caught her attention so much.
When he finished the meal and the waiter came to charge him, Dan realized that he had forgotten about that thing called money.
The waiter said that it was a problem, and that if he ate, he had to pay. Dan replied that he had nothing. The waiter then asked for the sword as payment, but Dan said he could not give it. It was the sword he had traded for the life of his last friend. The waiter asked if he had planned to eat for free from the beginning, and people were already getting up to collect the debt.
Then that young lady approached with money, saying that she would pay. She got close to Dan, who asked why she had done that, thinking that he should say something in that situation. Seeing him up close, she was certain that his eyes were like those of a child seeing the world for the first time. Dan tried to say something, but simply left.
She noticed it. People commented that he had not even said thank you. How strange. The young lady's brother said that he was a vagabond with no sense of gratitude. She noticed that his sword was incredible, a hand-crafted sword, but that walking around without a sheath could bring trouble. So she decided to follow him, because he needed a sheath.
On the streets, Dan remembered that he should have said thank you back then. He only realized it now.
Later, back at the Cloud Pavilion, the place was full of martial artists. That young woman from before was introduced as Jo Seolyeon. She commented that the influence of the Murim Alliance was incredible. Jo Inhyeon, the son of the clan leader and her brother, agreed, saying that he never imagined the leader of the alliance himself would make a move.
Sima Chal, the leader of the Jo escort agency, said that the alliance, the Orthodox faction and the forest bandits were all heading to Mount Hangsan, and that this was only part of the reason. The true reason so many people were following was probably the reputation of the leader. The greatest and most powerful martial artist in the Murim, Cheon Gija, possessed extraordinary knowledge, countless hidden weapon techniques, powerful martial arts, and the ability to read the flow of celestial energy.
In his final years, Cheon Gija created a martial art called the Shadow Lightning Blade, and drove the world into madness using unique hidden weapon techniques. He passed his art to a mere beggar and turned him into an absolute martial master in just three years. That martial artist was eventually considered a public enemy and met a miserable death. But the incident only drew even more attention to Cheon Gija and his techniques.
After that, many groups of the Murim went in search of him, but he disappeared without a trace. Sima Chal thought that the Jo clan leader had discovered the treasure map with Cheon Gija's martial art, and that it was natural for the entire Murim to covet it as well. He said that since he was accompanying the leader at the request of the Jo clan, nothing serious should happen.
But even so, they should remain cautious. Sometimes things that no one can predict happen in this world.
It was at that moment that Dan entered the restaurant, and everything happened.
Jo Inhyeon asked if she was really going after that strange beggar, saying he was against it, and that the man had nothing to do with her, no manners and no decency, and that her kindness would be wasted. Sima Chal agreed. Walking separately from the group at that moment was dangerous, and besides, the leader was also arriving. So Seolyeon replied that it was fine, and that she would stay there.
Meanwhile, Dan was a bit lost in that busy and crowded city, seeing various merchants and street performers. Everything was calm and peaceful. There were happy children, and mothers happy with their children.