Yilu Lok places his wooden sword back into its place. Hwang Seong-min leaves the crowd and cupped his fists at Yilu Lok.
"It's all thanks to the third young master that I became a third class warrior."
Yilu Lok smiles and says.
"I have done nothing it is all because of you. All I did was have a spar nothing more."
Hwang Seong-min is moved by Yilu Lok.
"Even so I will never forget your kindness."
"Do whatever you want."
Yilu Lok waves his hand leaving the training ground.
"Look how generous the third young master is, he is not even taking the credit."
"Thats right."
Some of Yilu Lok supporters started to sing songs about Yilu Lok's brilliance in order to suckup to him.
"I have gained a lot from today's sparring. It's as they say fighting is the best way to know about your body. Now I have to take a left from here and after walking for a few minutes I will arrive at the archive of the Yilu family."
In a good mood Yilu Lok walks towards the archive. About a minute later in front of Yilu Lok there is building with a signboard saying "Yilu Archive".
From the outside, it looks more like a shrine than a library. It is long with sweeping eaves it look like it is made from dark lacquered wood, and heavy stone foundations. Weathered talismans hang from the corners of the roof, fluttering in the wind, each inscribed with ancient calligraphy to ward off intruders and preserve the scrolls within.
Thick ironwood doors guard the entrance, reinforced with bronze studs shaped like coiled dragons. Two stone guardian statues, one tiger and one crane, sit silently by the stairs chipped by age, but still watching.
Yilu Lok climbs the stairs and reaches the thick ironwood door. There are two guards wearing a dark robe lined with the embroidered crest of the house :a burning sun and they are protecting the thick ironwood doors. Yilu Lok can feel that both of them are very strong, at least first class warrior or above.
Yilu Lok walks past the two guards and enters the archive. Because of his status except for a few areas Yilu Lok can go anywhere in the entire Yilu Mansion.
After entering the archive Yilu Lok starts to look around. The archive has five floors and it is filled with many books and manuscripts. There are also various types of martial arts here.
As Yilu Lok is looking around, the receptionist notices him and quickly walks toward him.
"How can I help you third young master."
The receptionist asks Yilu Lok in a polite tone.
The receptionist appears more like a martial artist than a clerk. An older man with a calm, unreadable face, his gray hair is tied in a simple topknot, and his dark robes are spotless, lined with the embroidered crest of the house : a burning sun. His posture is straight, but not stiff — like someone who has trained in martial arts for decades but now lives in stillness.
"I am looking for some historical records but the archive is so big I can't find the historical section."
Yilu Lok looks at him and says.
"Can you tell me young master what kind of historical records do you want to see?"
"Records related to the history of murim."
The receptionist thinks for a second.
"Hmm.. if you are looking for history of murim.. follow me young master I will show where you can find them."
The receptionist leads the way and Yilu Lok follows him. He take Yilu Lok into the third floor and shows him a bookshelf and says.
"Young master here contains the history of murim recorded by the Yilu family."
Yilu Lok looks at the bookshelf and nods.
"You can go now."
"As you wish young master."
The receptionist bows and leaves Yilu Lok alone.
Yilu Lok looks at the back of the leaving receptionist and recalls what he has said. Among what the receptionist said the part 'recorded by Yilu family' catches the attention of Yilu Lok.
Yilu Lok walks towards the bookshelf filled with various historical records. Yilu Lok looks at the title of the books on its cover one by one and reads the book he finds useful.
Yilu Lok skims through many books which contain the history of murim all day long.
At night the receptionist comes to Yolu Lok.
"Young master, it has been night you should call it a day."
Yilu Lok looks outside the window and sees that the sun has set and the stars are shining in the night sky and decides to stop.
"I was so immersed in reading that I forgot about time thank you for reminding me."
"It is my duty young master, you should also take care of your health."
Yilu Lok nods and leaves the archives and walks toward his room. After returning he has today's dinner and goes to his bed.
Laying on his bed Yilu Lok tries to summarise what he understood.
"Lets see from what I understood in ancient times hundreds of years ago there were three empires who used to rule over central plains those were Wei, Shu and Wu."
"Second is that the Wu empire was the strongest and both Shu and Wei were similar in strength. All Shu, Wei and Wu empires feared the strength and potential of martial artists so martial artists were oppressed.
"Inhale!"
Yilh Lok takes a deep breath.
"Then final martial artists can't take it any more and all the martial artists joined forces and overthrew all the empires. After that central plain was divided in twenty regions."
"Haa.. this is all I was able to find today it seems it is going to take me a long time before I can find something useful."
"Sigh.."
Yilu Lok sighs and goes to sleep.
For next two weeks Yilu Lok followed the same routine waking up then going for a spar. All of the trainees were delighted to spar with him after the incident of Hwang Seong-min.
Then Lok goes to Yilu Archives and reads about history.
After reading for more than two weeks what he finds out is after overthrowing three empires murim was divided into two parts orthodox and unorthodox and both of them were at throats of each other looking for a chance to exterminate the other.
Orthodox murim has nine great sects and five noble families. And unorthodox murim has four assassin guilds, three evil sects and three valleys.Both of them occupied half of central plains.
After continuous fighting for three hundred years about a hundred years ago a sect called the Heavenly demon divine cult appeared and started the conquest of Murim.
The heavenly demon divine cult was very strong it was able to push both orthodox and unorthodox murim. And after the Heavenly Demon divine cult reached Yunnan the reclusive Yilu family joined the fight.
To everyone's surprise the Yilu family was not weak, it was able to fight the heavenly demon divine cult on equal footing and thirty five years ago a great war involving entire central plains that lasted about ten years broke out.
"Heavenly Demon divine cult hmm.. it seems I have to go there to get what I need. Heavenly Demon divine cult must have it. Ten years of great war huh. Let's see where it is?"
Yilu Lok tries to find the book containing history of the great war but he is unable to find it in the bookshelf.
"Old Yuan."
Yilu Lok calls the receptionist. After coming here for a long time he found out that the receptionist's name is Yilu Yuan. In the past he had an accident so he is currently working as receptionist at Yilu Archive. Both of them have gotten close so Yilu Lok calls him old Yuan.
"Is there anything you need young master?".
Yilu Yuan politely asks.
"Yes, I want to know where is the book that has the record of the great war."
Yilu Yuan's eyes sharpen for a second and then return to normal.
"Why are you looking for that young master?".
Yilu Lok finds something amiss but does not say anything.
"I have read all the history of central plains only the great war is left."
"I am sorry young master but I need permission from the head of the family if you want to look at the record of the great war."
Yilu Lok is taken aback Yilu Lok can read any book and manuscript in the library but in order to read about the great war he needs permission from the family head. Yilu Lok thinks for a second.
"Can you tell me something about the great war."
Yilu Yuan shakes his head.
"Without the permission of family head I can't young master."
"Just tell me something that everybody knows".
Yilu Yuan thinks for a second and says.
"After the great war the unorthodox and orthodox murim has great losses. Unorthodox murim disappeared and orthodox murim formed an alliance called Central Martial Alliance."
"Centeral Martial alliance."
Yilu Yuan nods.
"After the war the remaining forces of Orthodox murim united. The major forces in Central Martial alliance are five noble families, four great sects and three mountains and the leader of alliance is Heavenly Sword, one of the three heavens of central plains."
"Three heavens, what are those?"
Yilu Lok asks with curiosity.
"Three heavens of Central plains are three strongest man of murim. One is Heavenly Demon Yeon Mo, Second is Heavenly Sword Namgung Young, and lastly the family head Heavenly Sun Yilu Yan."
"The three heavens control three great powers of central plains the Heavenly demon divine Cult, Central Martial alliance, and Yilu family."
"This is all I can tell you young master."
Yilu Yuan tells everything he can to Yilu Lok.
"Can't you tell me more about the great war."
Yilu Yuan shakes his head.
"Forgive me young master."
"It's ok."
Yilu Lok thinks for a second and asks.
"Old Yuan, how is the relationship between the Yily family and the Heavenly Demon divine cult these days?"
Yilu Yuan pauses and replies.
"All the three great forces are in alliance with each other."
Yilu Lok smiles and says.
"So they are on good terms on the surface at least."
Yilu Yuan does not say anything, simply nods.
Yilu Lok ends the conversation and leaves the Yilu Archives.
"What is the secret of the great war? and why did the unorthodox murim disappear. Now I am curious, let's just go and ask father."
Yilu Lok turns around and walks towards the direction where the office of the family head is located.
Yilu mansion is very large and the office of Yilu Yan is situated in the heart of it so it takes him few minutes to reach there.
In front of Yilu Lok there is a magnificent building. The office of the family head stood apart from the other buildings within the noble clan's compound, exuding quiet authority without the need for ostentation. From the outside, it was a structure of refined elegance—solid wooden beams darkened with age, their polished surfaces etched faintly with intricate carvings of clouds, cranes, and flowing rivers and sun in the sky that symbolized prosperity and longevity.