Chapter 417
Chapter 417
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 417
Chapter Title: Cheongha Realm
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Having fled the Tang Clan Fortress, Jang Song and Hyeong-geuk led their men and immediately headed for Yunnan.
Jang Song, half a corpse, rode in a carriage, while Hyeong-geuk stared out the window with a bewildered expression.
The sudden retreat of Jin Cheon-gon.
Dang Gon's outstanding martial prowess, which completely defied expectations.
And the assassins who were supposed to infiltrate the Tang Clan during the duel had been annihilated by someone.
Only then did they realize that an immensely powerful faction had intervened and ruined their plan.
—It couldn't have been the work of that young Grand Commander.
The series of events that had just unfolded was not something a First-Class Commander of the Martial Alliance could pull off.
It was something you would hesitate to believe even if a Martial Alliance Division Head had orchestrated it.
Especially blocking all communication networks around the Tang Clan Fortress. That was something only possible by simultaneously mobilizing a massive intelligence organization and division-level forces operated by an alliance.
In other words, it was impossible without the active intervention of the Martial Alliance's high command.
‘Anyway, everything has gone wrong. We have no choice but to retreat quickly and await their command again.’
Just as Hyeong-geuk, clutching his head, lowered his gaze and shook it,
*Heeeeeigh.*
Suddenly, with the sound of a horse's cry, the carriage screeched to a halt.
"What is it?"
In response to Hyeong-geuk's shout, a subordinate's trembling voice was heard.
"Clan Head, I think you should come out for a moment."
Sensing something was wrong, Hyeong-geuk stepped out of the carriage and saw a figure standing tall on the narrow path.
It was a man wearing a mask that shimmered with a strange luster.
Waves of true energy, like a heat haze, flowed from his entire body, making his form appear blurry.
"Envoy."
Realizing the masked man was an envoy of the Three Realms, Hyeong-geuk quickly clasped his hands together.
"I don't know what's happened."
Hyeong-geuk, with a bewildered expression, continued to speak without pause.
"Clan Head Jin of the Venomous Demonic Sect suddenly fled in the middle of the night. On top of that, a massive intelligence organization intervened around the Tang Clan Fortress, cutting off all outside communication."
"..."
"Fearing everything would fall apart if we retreated, we requested a duel to break their momentum, but..."
As the silence continued, Hyeong-geuk felt something was amiss but kept speaking.
"Young Lord Dang Gon was a far more outstanding individual than expected... so much so that the Heavenly Venom Blood Arts you passed down had no effect..."
Hyeong-geuk, who was speaking, suddenly fell silent.
His head was suddenly twisting at a bizarre angle.
It was as if a large, invisible hand had seized his neck.
*Crack, crack, crack.*
As his neck gradually twisted, Hyeong-geuk's gaze was forced to look behind him instead of forward.
"What?"
In that moment, his eyes widened.
The subordinates standing behind him were all lying dead on the ground, and in their place stood dozens of assassins.
"Wh-what is this?"
Hyeong-geuk shouted, his neck still twisted.
"Envoy, what is the meaning of this?"
"Among the people of the Three Venom Sects, all those related to the Tang Clan have been cleanly dealt with."
"What do you mean? Dealt with?"
"You are the last."
Hyeong-geuk's eyes widened.
What did he mean? After they had provided them with immense wealth and martial arts.
Why were they trying to kill them?
"It would be troublesome if someone else started digging into our background."
*Crrrack.*
With those words, Hyeong-geuk's vision turned toward the blue sky.
*Thud.*
His neck completely broken, Hyeong-geuk fell like a log.
The masked envoy remained silent for a while, then suddenly looked at a distant tree and spoke.
"Are you done watching?"
And he narrowed his eyes, visible above the mask.
"Spirit Lord of Martial Souls, Bu Eun-seol."
At those words, a faint shadow seemed to fall from the tree, and in the next moment, it stood tall before the envoy.
It was Bu Eun-seol, who had removed his disguise.
"You knew."
"There is only one person who can mobilize the Demonic Path's intelligence organizations with a single command to shut down all information networks within the Tang Clan Fortress."
The Soul-Reaping Brigade alone was nowhere near enough to block all communication networks around the Tang Clan Fortress.
Therefore, Bu Eun-seol had no choice but to mobilize the power of all available intelligence organizations.
Of course, he did so knowing the Three Realms would be able to detect it.
‘As long as Seon U-jin's identity isn't exposed, it doesn't matter.’
"What a remarkable friendship."
The envoy said in a low voice.
"To think you would come secretly to help the Tang Clan, all for a friendship forged in the past."
When Bu Eun-seol first befriended Dang Gon, he hadn't been using disguises or receiving significant help from intelligence organizations.
That was why the Three Realms was well aware of Bu Eun-seol and Dang Gon's friendship.
Thus, they didn't seem to think much of him helping the Tang Clan a little.
Of course, this too was part of Bu Eun-seol's calculations.
"Who are you?"
When Bu Eun-seol asked coldly, the envoy chuckled.
"You should already know."
"I won't ask twice."
A bloody glint appeared in Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
He was showing his intention to resolve the matter with force immediately if the envoy tried to change the subject or play games.
"Are you still so arrogant about your skills?"
"Are you trusting in your subordinates?"
"Interesting."
The envoy gestured for the assassins to step back, as if to make a point.
And he strode confidently toward Bu Eun-seol.
"Make your move. I will completely undo the Tang Clan's unity, which you barely managed to achieve."
He had suspected it.
That this entire plan was aimed at solidifying the Tang Clan's unity and awakening Dang Gon's potential.
But even so, he couldn't hide his surprise.
Why would the Three Realms support the Three Venom Sects for the sake of Dang Gon's awakening and the Sichuan Tang Clan's unification?
"I'll change my question."
Bu Eun-seol took a deep breath.
"What is your objective?"
"Due to Dang Pae's illness, the Tang Clan's unity crumbled, and their power weakened significantly. Furthermore, despite his outstanding talent, Dang Gon had yet to blossom."
The envoy spoke calmly.
"But thanks to this incident, Dang Gon has blossomed, and the Tang Clan will rally around him once more. That is our objective. Is that answer enough for you?"
And he slowly turned around.
Bu Eun-seol wanted to use force right then and there to capture the envoy of the Three Realms.
Even if he couldn't capture him, he wanted to clash with him to gauge the extent of the envoy's abilities.
But he couldn't.
The moment he used force, they could destroy the Tang Clan again.
Since Bu Eun-seol had to use the identity of Seon U-jin for the time being, he couldn't just stay at the Demonic Sanctum and command his subordinates.
He wouldn't be able to protect the Tang Clan.
"What is your purpose?"
Bu Eun-seol asked the envoy, who was turning away.
"If you're not from the Boundless Realm, couldn't you at least tell me your purpose?"
That the faction that had supported the Three Venom Sects was not the Boundless Realm, which he had constantly clashed with, but another faction of the Three Realms.
This was something he had already suspected since he wiped out the Blood Fiends.
Therefore, this was the best question he could ask.
"Quite impressive."
The envoy, who had turned back, narrowed his eyes.
"Indeed, there has never been anyone your age who has clashed with our main realm and survived."
The envoy, letting out a sound of admiration, fell silent for a moment before speaking.
"Cheongha Realm."
The envoy turned back again.
"If you wish to know more, find out the rest for yourself."
*Swoosh.*
In an instant, he vanished as if turning into mist. It was truly a ghost-like movement technique.
"Cheongha Realm..."
Bu Eun-seol's eyes wavered as he stared at the spot where the envoy had disappeared.
If it didn't simply mean 'clear river,' it must have been derived from *Hacheonghaean*.
*Hacheonghaean*. It means 'the Yellow River's waters run clear, and the seas are calm,' signifying the advent of a sage king and an era of great peace.
In that case, is the Cheongha Realm a faction related to the Imperial Palace? Or, unlike the Boundless Realm, are they striving to create a peaceful world?
—The Three Realms, as the name suggests, is a place divided into three factions.
Suddenly, the words of the blue-eyed man who had once been his enemy in the Martial Alliance came to mind.
According to his story, even the artificial inner cores...
...were things created for the three factions to keep each other in check, or to wage war.
"So they're all active in the same era."
Until now, only the Boundless Realm had consistently shown itself in the martial world.
Bu Eun-seol had secretly speculated that the factions of the Three Realms might be appearing in the martial world in turns.
But looking at the current situation, didn't it seem like they were competing for different goals?
"Or perhaps there's a leading faction with a certain goal, and others are conducting secret operations to stop it..."
Whatever the case, what was certain was that the Three Realms were clashing and revealing themselves at the same time.
And from Bu Eun-seol's perspective, this wasn't necessarily a bad situation.
"In that case, the Three Realms faction that has infiltrated the Martial Alliance might not be the Boundless Realm either..."
Bu Eun-seol frowned, gazing at the distant sky.
The factions of the Three Realms were so deep and secretive... he still couldn't find their roots.
"No. In the end, are they not all the same, manipulating factions as they please to achieve their desired results?"
If the Cheongha Realm were a force of absolute good?
They wouldn't have threatened Bu Eun-seol using the Tang Clan as leverage.
A flash like the sun erupted in Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
"I will figure them all out and crush them."
His infiltration of the Martial Alliance was, after all, to find the commander from the Three Realms who killed his grandfather and the culprit behind it.
Whether they were united as one or split into three, the Three Realms were still the Three Realms.
In the end, they were beings with whom Bu Eun-seol could never coexist.
***
Martial Alliance, Dengwu Hall. Yuk Jang-cheon's office.
Yuk Jang-cheon looked down at the report on his desk with a peculiar expression.
‘I don't know what to make of this.’
It was an established fact that the Three Venom Sects had grown remarkably over the past decade and were planning to wage an all-out war against the Tang Clan.
And the Martial Alliance had all but ignored the Tang Clan's request for mediation.
While it may have seemed peaceful, the internal situation of the current Martial Alliance was quite complex.
If they were to step in under the guise of mediation?
It was as clear as day that they would never be able to pull out later.
Furthermore, because the Tang Clan had always walked its own path, the Martial Alliance felt no need to risk a conflict with the Demonic Sanctum.
In the end, they had half-heartedly assigned the mediation to a Third-Class Brigade, but the situation had taken a completely unexpected turn.
The Venomous Demonic Sect had suddenly fled in the middle of negotiations, and when the situation became difficult, the Venomous Flame Sect and Venomous Phoenix Sect had requested a duel.
The Soul of the Tang Clan. Dang Gon.
He was the man who had earned the moniker 'Soul of the Tang Clan' by conquering the Valley of Blood and Venom in the past, and had finally ascended to the position of Young Lord.
However, since then, he had been known as a recluse who showed no particular achievements or distinct martial prowess.
Yet, he had suddenly achieved a great victory against Jang Song and Hyeong-geuk, who displayed immense power using the Heavenly Venom Blood Arts.
As a result, the spearhead of the Three Venom Sects was broken, and it became difficult for them to challenge the Tang Clan again.
Furthermore, because of this incident, the Tang Clan was newly rallying not around Dang Pae, but around Young Lord Dang Gon as its new center.
In the end, the ambition of the Three Venom Sects was crushed, and the fame of Dang Gon and the Tang Clan was soaring.
This put the Martial Alliance in an awkward position.
By sending a Third-Class Commander for a clan mediation request, the Martial Alliance had, in effect, coldly turned its back on the Tang Clan's crisis.
Despite this, the Tang Clan had sent many treasures and hidden weapons to the Martial Alliance as a token of their gratitude.
—The Tang Clan will never forget the goodwill shown by the Martial Alliance and Grand Commander Seon U of the Apex Brigade.
They said that Seon U-jin, in particular, had played a major role in the negotiations with the Three Venom Sects, forcing the Venomous Demonic Sect to back down.
—Grand Commander Seon U risked his life to support our clan during the negotiations with the Three Venom Sects.
With the situation unfolding like this...
The Martial Alliance, which had been trying to gradually sever ties with the Tang Clan, had no choice but to change its stance.
The frozen relationship had thawed thanks to the efforts of Grand Commander Seon U-jin of the Apex Brigade.
‘Hmm.’
Closing the report, Yuk Jang-cheon let out a low groan.
‘I can't understand it.’
In truth, he had completely cut off his expectations and favor for Seon U-jin this time.
A mere commander of a Third-Class Brigade volunteering to handle a clan mediation case? Such an act was sheer madness.
And yet, whenever Seon U-jin was sent out with a mission, he returned having achieved unexpected merits.
At this point... Yuk Jang-cheon himself was feeling extremely confused.
‘Could it be that Grand Commander Seon U... is a man of such great caliber that he cannot be judged by ordinary standards?’
Great figures, after all, are always viewed strangely by many people.
This is because, unlike ordinary people, they possess great ambition and ability, and accomplish unexpected things.
*Knock, knock.*
Just then, the sound of knocking came from outside the door, along with a servant's voice.
"Hall Master. Grand Commander Seon U has arrived."
"Let him in."
*Creeak.*
The door opened, and a man in white robes approached and politely clasped his hands.
He was tall, but his frame was slender. His eyes shone brightly, yet he looked somehow weak and powerless.
He had the appearance of someone who would be perfectly suited to flicking an abacus in a merchant guild.
But in reality, he was a peerless genius who possessed martial arts that rivaled a Great Master of Justice and outstanding intelligence.
‘Is that why Division Head Baekri said that?’
—Once the Apex Brigade becomes a Second-Class Brigade, I'm thinking of having them work directly under my division. Would that be acceptable?
Those were the words of Seongwi Division Head Baekri Mujo, whom he had met at the general assembly a while ago.
He was a man who pursued perfection, with a personality that would never allow anyone who wasn't outstanding to be under his command.
Yet he was coveting a Third-Class Brigade that had become a white elephant, existing in name only?
‘Absolutely not.’
Yuk Jang-cheon shook his head.
The creation of the Apex Brigade was a project initiated by the Dengwu Hall and the Hall of Elders in the first place.
It was just that the Hall of Elders had abandoned the project, and due to the nature of Dengwu Hall, it couldn't have a Third-Class Brigade under its command.
After much deliberation, they had simply placed it under the Seongwi Division.
Besides, hadn't Dengwu Hall always been responsible for the brigade's missions and management? And now the Seongwi Division wanted to take it?
It was absolutely unacceptable.
"Grand Commander Seon U-jin of the Apex Brigade greets the Hall Master."
As Bu Eun-seol clasped his hands, Yuk Jang-cheon came to his senses and corrected his expression.
"You've worked hard."
And with an unusually friendly expression, he gestured with his hand.
"Please, have a seat."
As Bu Eun-seol sat down, Yuk Jang-cheon had a servant bring tea.
"I didn't expect anything from this matter, but it brought an unexpected result."
Yuk Jang-cheon pointed to the report.
Guessing Yuk Jang-cheon's complicated feelings, who couldn't be entirely pleased, Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
"I did nothing this time. Young Lord Dang handled everything."
"There's not much to see in the report on this matter. I suppose the negotiations with the Three Venom Sects were held in private."
Yuk Jang-cheon pointed to a book on the table.
There, another book was placed next to the one Bu Eun-seol had submitted.
‘Is it always like this?’
For a moment, a gleam flashed in Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
Was it because he was a Third-Class Commander? Or because he had no clear affiliation?
Every mission Bu Eun-seol completed was always followed by another investigation from the Martial Alliance to verify the facts.
"The Head of Mangyeong Hall was certain that the Three Venom Sects were determined to strike the Tang Clan. What on earth happened?"
"Young Lord Dang Gon is a very extraordinary person. He had long anticipated the rise of the Three Venom Sects and had made various preparations."
Bu Eun-seol calmly explained the contents of his report once more.
Yuk Jang-cheon, listening silently, stroked his chin.
"So, you arbitrarily... bluffed that our Alliance would definitely intervene in the fight between the Tang Clan and the Three Venom Sects. To the clan heads of the Three Venom Sects, no less."
"That's correct. The Young Lord of the Tang Clan already had the firm intention to wage an all-out war with them. The one who requested mediation from the Alliance was the Outer Court Master of the Tang Fortress."
"But if things had gone wrong, it would not have been something you could handle, would it?"
Yuk Jang-cheon looked at Bu Eun-seol with a sharp expression.
"If an all-out war had truly broken out and the Demonic Sanctum had intervened, how would you have taken responsibility? Our Alliance had no such intention."
"Merchants are sensitive to even the smallest profits and losses. That's why in negotiations, one analyzes all the cards the opponent might play."
Bu Eun-seol looked into Yuk Jang-cheon's eyes and spoke in a low but firm voice.
"After a thorough analysis of these negotiations, my conclusion was that the Demonic Sanctum could absolutely not intervene in the Three Venom Sects' fight."
"Why not?"
"Because the heir of the Demonic Sanctum, the Spirit Lord of Martial Souls, has a considerable friendship with Young Lord Dang Gon."
In that instant, Yuk Jang-cheon's eyes widened, and he slapped his knee.
"So you knew."
The reason this mediation request from the Tang Clan came all the way down to the Hall Masters' meeting...
...was because the Mangyeong Hall had already grasped the relationship between Spirit Lord Bu Eun-seol and Dang Gon.
—No matter what the Three Venom Sects do, the Demonic Sanctum will not intervene. We can handle the Tang Clan's mediation request perfunctorily.
On the Mangyeong Hall Master's confident assertion, the high command had sought out a low-level organization to handle the Tang Clan's mediation request casually.
But to think he already knew that fact?
"I see."
With all his questions answered, Yuk Jang-cheon showed a bright smile.
This matter would surely be brought up at the Grand Council, where they would request another explanation.
For Yuk Jang-cheon to comfortably take full credit for this achievement, he needed an explanation that would convince the high command.
"I'll say it again, but I did nothing."
Then, Bu Eun-seol added another word.
"I merely guessed the Young Lord's intentions and bluffed to lend strength to his opinion."
"Nonsense. A good result came about because you acted confidently and wisely as our Alliance's special envoy."
With all suspicions cleared, Yuk Jang-cheon praised Bu Eun-seol's achievements to the fullest.
"The Tang Clan showed great sincerity to our Alliance because of this. That achievement must certainly be recognized."
"The Young Lord of the Tang Clan is a man of great character. Unlike the rumors, his martial arts were also outstanding. And I believe he took a slight liking to me."
"I see."
Yuk Jang-cheon had no interest in the Tang Clan's affairs.
His biggest concern right now was how to keep Bu Eun-seol under his command.
"In any case, it's not just my hall; several other key figures have begun to take notice of you. Perhaps if you handle a few more matters well..."
Yuk Jang-cheon said, letting his words trail off.
"You'll be promoted to a Second-Class Commander before long. Then you'll have a chance to be formally assigned to a position."
Thinking he had revealed too much of his intentions, he quickly changed the subject.
"Anyway, you've worked hard. There will be no missions for a while, so rest easy."
"I have a favor to ask of you, Hall Master."
"Speak."
"I believe there may be some faction behind the Three Venom Sects' attempt to attack the Tang Clan."
"That can't be. The Three Venom Sects have had a long-standing feud with the Tang Clan and have wanted to advance into Sichuan. Having grown their power so much, they must have wanted to avenge their past defeats."
"That may not be the case."
Bu Eun-seol calmly explained.
"They are called the Three Venom Sects, but they are three different sects. It troubles me that they all expanded their power significantly at the same time."
"Hmm. So your favor is..."
As Yuk Jang-cheon stroked his chin, Bu Eun-seol spoke cautiously.
"I would like to go out into the martial world and investigate who was behind the Three Venom Sects."
He said this, but he had another motive.
‘I've been away for too long.’
To maintain his current dual identity, another mechanism was needed.
Bu Eun-seol planned to take this opportunity to go out into the martial world and execute his plan to create a perfect dual identity.