Chapter 271: We Have Arrived Too
Chapter 271: We Have Arrived Too
Seo Baek-jung, the leader of the Heavenly Flower Sect, stood by his window, gazing out at the grounds below.
It was a scene no different from any other day—martial artists laughing and talking as they crossed the training fields. Even though a significant amount of time had passed since his son’s release, the Demonic Cult remained strangely quiet.
As expected. Truly remarkable.
Seo Baek-jung thought of the man in the bamboo hat. He had made the request because he believed the man could succeed, but he hadn't expected him to handle the matter so cleanly.
The days of walking a tightrope between the Orthodox, Unorthodox, and Demonic factions were over. Now that he owed a debt of gratitude to the Orthodox Faction, it was time to join hands with them and move forward. Of course, he would ensure the resulting alliance was as beneficial to the Heavenly Flower Sect as possible.
Just then, his right-hand man, Yu Maeng, entered the room.
"Did you call for me, Sect Leader?"
Seo Baek-jung gave him a covert order.
"Deliver this invitation to the Demon Extermination Squad Leader, and spread the word to the sects that follow us."
He intended to host a secret banquet.
He knew that the leaders of the sects under his influence were dissatisfied with his recent decision to align with the Orthodox Faction. He had to soothe their frustrations as quickly as possible. While building an alliance took ages, its collapse could happen in an instant.
This wasn't something he could achieve through persuasion alone. Jin Ha-gun, the Demon Extermination Squad Leader and future Murim Alliance Leader, had to appear in person to reassure them.
Now then, I shall gather the people. Show me your capabilities, Jin Ha-gun.
*
Jong Yeom, the Master of the Small Sword Guild, was more nervous than he had ever been in his life.
As the head of one of the top ten guilds in Hunan, he had never felt this level of tension. He paced restlessly across the main hall, drinking water then tea, sitting then standing, visiting the latrine repeatedly, and wandering the courtyard only to retreat back inside.
His son, Jong Tae, found his father’s behavior utterly bizarre. His father, who always projected a dignified and composed image, was now a bundle of nerves. He was even breaking out in a cold sweat.
"Just who is this guest coming today?"
His father had sent all the guild members away on various pretexts. Currently, only a few trusted martial artists remained within the guild. It was clear he intended to receive the guest in absolute secrecy.
It was obvious someone important was coming, but his father refused to say who.
"Knowing beforehand won't do you any good. Even when you find out who they are, you must not lose your composure. Just follow my lead quietly."
At that moment, a report came from a subordinate outside.
"The guest has arrived."
The door opened, and a man stepped into the main hall.
The moment Jong Tae saw him, he froze. The young man’s face was marked by a terrifying scar. Not only that, but he radiated a faint, sinister aura.
An Unorthodox master!
The one who entered was none other than Bi Sa-in, the successor to the Unorthodox Path Alliance. Following him were thirteen martial artists—the 13 Wolves of the Unorthodox Path who served as his personal guard.
They fanned out across the hall, taking control of the space. Each one of them possessed an imposing presence.
Jong Tae found it hard enough to breathe just from them, but the truly terrifying individuals entered last.
The two men who brought up the rear exuded such a horrifying pressure that Jong Tae’s knees nearly turned to jelly. They were Absolute Masters belonging to the Seven Great Masters of the Unorthodox Path.
Goe Ak.
A master of the Slashing Iron Man Technique—a form of body cultivation that turned the entire physique into a weapon—he was known to be able to crumple steel swords like scrap paper with his bare hands.
His eccentric and cruel personality had earned him infamy throughout the Murim. He was famous for killing his opponents through agonizing torture if they so much as touched a nerve, making him an Unorthodox master no one wanted to meet even in their nightmares.
Gwang Seom.
He was known as the greatest master of the Fast Sword within the Unorthodox Faction. The Chasing Thunder Three Swords he practiced was said to be the fastest among all Unorthodox techniques.
He was a man of few words, making it impossible to tell what he was thinking. A man whose sword was fast but whose tongue was slow, he was also one of the top seven masters of the Unorthodox Path.
Bi Sa-in had taken Geom Mu-geuk’s advice and brought these two fearsome masters with him.
"I greet the Young Alliance Leader. I am Jong Yeom, leader of the Small Sword Guild."
"A pleasure. I have heard much of your reputation, Guild Master Jong."
After exchanging greetings, Bi Sa-in introduced Goe Ak and Gwang Seom.
Upon learning their identities, Jong Yeom and Jong Tae turned pale and bowed deeply. The legendary Absolute Masters of the Unorthodox Faction were standing right before their eyes.
Only then did Jong Tae understand why his father had been so nervous. He also understood why his father hadn't told him who was coming. If he had known beforehand, he would have been shivering uncontrollably by his father's side.
"This is my son."
Jong Tae offered a respectful fist salute. Though it was a difficult and dangerous occasion, Jong Yeom had intentionally had his son present. He knew well how much of a learning experience it was for a martial artist to be in the presence of such giants.
"Your son looks very dashing and intelligent."
"He still has much to learn. You, go and prepare some tea."
Jong Tae prepared the tea, his body stiff with tension.
The teacups rattled as he carried them. Both Bi Sa-in and Jong Yeom noticed the trembling, but neither said a word. It would have been stranger if he hadn't trembled while serving tea to the successor of the Unorthodox Path Alliance and the likes of Goe Ak and Gwang Seom.
After serving the tea, he stood a short distance away and listened to the conversation.
"Please, take the seat of honor."
Jong Yeom offered the head seat, but Bi Sa-in did not take it.
"You should sit there, Guild Master Jong."
It was a subtle gesture, as if Bi Sa-in was saying, I am not here to usurp your authority.
Once Jong Yeom cautiously took his seat, Bi Sa-in got straight to the point.
"I presume you are aware that the Heavenly Flower Sect has joined hands with the Murim Alliance."
"Yes, I am aware."
"I will ask you bluntly. Do you wish to follow the Orthodox Faction, Guild Master Jong?"
Before waiting for an answer, Bi Sa-in quickly added:
"Do not misunderstand and think I brought these two peerless masters to pressure you. I brought them to show you that we are the ones who will protect the Small Sword Guild from now on."
As if they had been briefed beforehand, Goe Ak and Gwang Seom sat quietly sipping their tea, showing no signs of aggression.
Because they remained so still, Bi Sa-in seemed even more impressive. He was the man who could make these monsters, who were more suited to terrifying threats, sit quietly and drink tea.
"No matter what your answer is, this Alliance will not harm the Small Sword Guild. I give you my word. So, speak freely."
"I shall."
Jong Yeom knew that the fate of the Small Sword Guild rested on his answer.
"This guild has no desire to follow the Orthodox Faction. I am the type of person who gets hives just thinking about them. The only reason we followed the Heavenly Flower Sect until now was because of their deep ties with the Unorthodox Path Alliance."
Before making his final decision, Jong Yeom calmly expressed his concerns.
"This region of Hunan has traditionally been a place where the Demonic Cult’s power is strong. Our guild stayed under the shadow of the Heavenly Flower Sect to avoid the cult's blades."
Bi Sa-in spoke with firm conviction, his eyes full of sincerity.
"We will be the ones to block those blades from now on."
Jong Yeom added one more worry.
"The Heavenly Flower Sect will not look kindly upon us either."
Bi Sa-in’s response was even more resolute.
"Then the Unorthodox Path Alliance will not look kindly upon the Heavenly Flower Sect."
Jong Yeom stared into Bi Sa-in’s face. Watching this, Jong Tae was inwardly shocked and impressed. He hadn't expected his trembling father to show such a dignified front. Without being intimidated at all, he was securing the promises he needed.
"Can you promise me that?"
"I promise you in the name of the Young Alliance Leader of the Unorthodox Path."
Jong Yeom didn't drag it out any longer. He stood up immediately, offered a respectful fist salute, and said:
"The Small Sword Guild will share its fate with the Unorthodox Path Alliance from this day forward."
Bi Sa-in stood up and returned the salute.
"The Unorthodox Path Alliance shall share its fate with the Small Sword Guild."
It was the moment the Small Sword Guild’s new destiny was decided.
Bi Sa-in immediately bid them farewell. He had many more sects left to visit. Before leaving, he said to Jong Yeom:
"Many sects will stand with the Small Sword Guild. You may walk with your head held high."
With that, Bi Sa-in, the 13 Wolves, Goe Ak, and Gwang Seom departed.
Only after they were gone did Jong Tae let out a long sigh of relief.
"Were you trying to see your son die of fright, Father?"
"As you live your life in the Murim, you will encounter situations like this many times. You must handle them as calmly as you did today."
He knew his son would handle it well. If he had been a frivolous child, Jong Yeom wouldn't have had him present today.
"But shouldn't we have gotten the promise in writing, like a contract?"
"If they intend to break their word, what meaning would a mere piece of paper have?"
Jong Tae was seeing a new side of his father. He had thought his father was someone who just bowed and scraped to the Heavenly Flower Sect Leader, always laughing and jovial.
"I'm truly surprised you could make such a decision so instantly."
"It wasn't instant."
"Pardon?"
"From the day they sent word that they wanted a secret meeting until now, I haven't slept a wink."
Jong Yeom looked at his son.
"The lives of everyone here were at stake. How could I have made such a decision lightly?"
Having confirmed his father’s exceptional qualities once again, Jong Tae bowed his head respectfully. Seeing how moved he was by this moment, it seemed he hadn't truly respected his father until now.
"Thank you for letting me be part of this."
Even in this moving moment, one concern remained above all else: the Demonic Cult.
"Will the Demonic Cult really just sit still?"
"Of course not. Now that the Unorthodox Path Alliance has moved, they will begin to move as well."
Jong Yeom’s gaze turned toward the door through which Bi Sa-in had walked.
"With the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult entering the Central Plains, the sleeping Murim has begun its dragon's surge."
"No matter what comes our way, I will handle it with the flexibility of bamboo."
It was something his father always said. But now, his father’s thoughts had changed. Just as the successor of the Unorthodox Path had come today, the future of the Small Sword Guild would be led by his son.
Jong Yeom hoped his son would live his life safely rather than becoming a hero of the Murim. Just as he had lived.
"I survived by acting like bamboo. But in a great gale, even bamboo eventually snaps. You... live like flowing water."
This was what he wanted to say to his son in the face of the changing tides.
*
The gatekeeper of the Demonic Cult’s Hunan Branch was guarding the main gate today, just as he always did.
When you stood guard all day like this, the hardest thing to endure was the boredom. That was why he often chatted with his fellow guards. Today, a subordinate on duty with him shared some rumors.
"It seems the Heavenly Flower Sect is planning to host a secret banquet."
"A banquet? Where did you hear that?"
"I know the person who supplies the food for the Heavenly Flower Sect. There are rumors that some incredible masters from the Murim Alliance will be attending."
That wasn't the only rumor.
"There are also rumors that masters from the Unorthodox Path Alliance have entered Hunan. The atmosphere feels quite unusual."
Neither rumor was pleasant from the Demonic Cult's perspective.
The gatekeeper said to his subordinate:
"The atmosphere is tense lately, so don't go wagging your tongue for no reason."
"But are we really just going to back down before those Orthodox bastards?"
"That's enough!"
"Yes, sir."
After a brief pause, the gatekeeper spoke again.
"From what I've seen, the Young Cult Leader is not the type of person to just back down."
The subordinates all nodded. They had personally witnessed him deal with the former Hunan Branch Leader and capture the successor of the Heavenly Flower Sect. The Young Cult Leader was certainly someone who defied their expectations.
Suddenly, one of the martial artists shouted:
"Someone's coming!"
In the distance, two figures were walking toward them.
They were just walking slowly, but the feeling was chilling. The gatekeeper looked at his subordinates to see if he was the only one feeling it, but their faces were also tight with tension. One subordinate was already gripping his sword hilt tightly.
The gatekeeper’s gaze returned to the figures.
They were just walking slowly, so why was he trembling like this?
Gradually, their forms became clearer.
One of the subordinates asked in a trembling voice:
"Should we sound the alarm?"
Normally, it would have been a ridiculous suggestion. Sounding an alarm just because someone was visiting the branch, without even knowing who they were? A Demonic Cultist showing fear? It was an offense that would usually earn the subordinate a beating.
But the gatekeeper hesitated. Should I sound the alarm?
In the meantime, the two figures drew closer. The closer they got, the greater the fear grew. Now, every single subordinate was gripping their sword. To think there were martial artists who could project such a presence. He had a premonition that if they were enemies, they would all die.
"Sound the alarm!"
One cultist ran inside, and soon the sound of a bell echoed out.
Clang! Clang!
Even as the alarm bell rang, the two figures continued to approach at the same steady pace.
Finally, they reached the front of the main gate.
An old man with a gaunt appearance and cold eyes carried a massive great blade on his back. The other man was a muscular giant with a face so terrifying it was difficult to even meet his eyes.
Only when he felt the energy radiating from them was Demonic Energy did the gatekeeper finally feel a sense of relief. Nevertheless, his heart pounded wildly, and his body shook. From the suffocating presence, the gatekeeper finally realized who they were.
They're Demon Lords!
Only then did the cultists guarding the gate realize the identity of the two men. They hadn't seen them in person, but hadn't they heard of the Demon Lords countless times? That massive blade, those enormous fists, and that powerful Demonic Energy and presence that no one could imitate.
They were none other than the Blood Heaven Blade Demon and the Fist Demon.
The gate guards bowed in unison to show their respect. They rejoiced, shouting in their hearts:
We have arrived too!
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon asked in a low voice, his small, sharp eyes scanning the area:
"Where is the Young Cult Leader?"