Chapter 100: Thirty-Six Stratagems: Muddle the Water to Catch the Fish (3)
Chapter 100: Thirty-Six Stratagems: Muddle the Water to Catch the Fish (3)
The Minor Snow had passed, and a clear winter day had arrived.
The Murim Alliance was now fully occupied with the imminent preparations for the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering. Massive crowds had gathered, the guest pavilions for VIPs were overflowing, and every inn within Wuchang was bustling with business.
Large and small banquets were held daily for the throngs of people. It was a grand festival that occurred only once every few years. The commoners and martial artists of Wuchang alike roamed the streets in high spirits.
And in the most crowded area of all—the cluster of guest pavilions where the visitors from the great Orthodox sects of the Central Plains resided—a peculiar sight unfolded.
“Wh-what on earth is that?”
“Is that man… him?”
“Why does the Alliance stand by and watch such insolence!”
A young man was strolling leisurely, leading a small group of attendants.
He had three servants, each holding a brilliant, fluttering flag, and he walked with an air of ease as if he were merely out for a walk.
—Black Path Demonic Alliance (黑道邪魔聯)
—Hebei Dragon Slaying Alliance (華北屠龍盟)
—Great Hebei Peng Family (大河北彭家)
A flag where a red demon glared gloomily.
A flag where a massive dragon seemed to scream in agony.
And even the family crest of the Peng Family.
These were the most famous symbols of the Black Path within the Orthodox Murim. Now, they were fluttering in the winter wind right in the heart of the Orthodox Murim, before the very eyes of every Orthodox sect member.
It was a profound insult. At least half of those present were deeply entangled in the various grudges, large and small, born from the Righteous-Demonic War.
The sight of the young man walking before them as if flaunting his presence was arrogant beyond belief.
“How dare a seed of the Black Path be so insolent in this place!”
A martial artist’s shout was followed by a chorus of angry cries. Masters classified as accomplished masters of the Orthodox sects also glared at the young man from the Peng Family, their displeasure plain to see.
Killing intent gathered. A tension settled over the area, feeling as though it would spiral out of control if even a single person made the first move.
In the midst of it all, the young man from the Peng Family actually smiled.
“Do you people of the Orthodox Faction know how to do anything other than bark in anger?”
The crowd fell silent. The martial artists who had been growling at his heels stared at him, lost for words. Looking back at them, the young man from the Peng Family drew his saber, rested it on his shoulder, and laughed savagely.
“Those of you with steadfast righteousness, come at me. This young master shall show you the proper courtesy of the Black Path Demonic Alliance.”
“You little—!!”
One martial artist lunged forward. However, at that exact moment, warriors from the Alliance Leader’s residence rushed in to intercept and restrain him. Many accomplished masters denounced the Alliance warriors.
“Why on earth are you shielding him? Look at that lawless attitude!”
“He is an envoy of the Demonic Alliance, Great Hero.”
The Alliance warriors didn't look pleased either. They glanced at Peng Hyeon-hwi with expressions of extreme distaste and let out deep sighs.
We’re only doing this because we were ordered to. Please understand. Their entire bodies radiated that non-verbal plea.
“Executing him would be an easy task for the many heroes gathered here, but if that happens, it will trigger a massive conflict between the Orthodox and Demonic factions.”
“Since when did the Murim Alliance start acting while walking on eggshells around the Black Path!”
“A suspicious event on such an auspicious day would be ill-omened, would it not? Please, show some magnanimity.”
The martial artist who had scolded the Alliance guards had no choice but to back down, gnashing his teeth. This situation had to be viewed as a geopolitical issue to some extent.
Resentment toward the Hebei Peng Family ran deeper the closer one was to the Hebei region. It was only natural. During the last Righteous-Demonic War, the Orthodox sects in the vicinity of Hebei were the first to be wiped out.
Conversely, those far removed from Hebei—such as the Kongtong Sect, Emei Sect, Qingcheng Sect, and the Sichuan Tang Family—did not harbor as much hatred for the Peng Family. During the war, they had been too busy fighting the Ten Thousand Ghosts Alliance of Chongqing right next door.
This was where the problem lay. Those with the deepest grudges were willing to risk a Righteous-Demonic War to slaughter Peng Hyeon-hwi, but the other sects, remembering the devastation of the previous war, had no desire to incite such a conflict over a mere provocation.
Therefore, unless the general consensus of the Orthodox Murim Alliance was unified—meaning, unless they were ready for a full-scale Righteous-Demonic War—they would have to bear the full brunt of the Hebei Dragon Slaying Alliance’s wrath if their envoy was killed. Ironically, those living near Hebei with the deepest grudges were the ones who had to be most wary of the Dragon Slaying Alliance.
If Peng Hyeon-hwi had heard this, he would have called it the downside of democracy.
Regardless, things had turned out this way.
There were now only three days left until the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering.
During those three days, Peng Hyeon-hwi strolled through every corner of the Alliance daily as if taking a walk, even accompanied by a kisaeng, laughing as he went.
Now that everyone in the Murim Alliance had witnessed this, what would happen next was obvious.
*
“Damn it! Damn it all!!”
Zhuge Jeong-yeong entered his room that day, thoroughly drunk. As a regular warrior of the Murim Alliance belonging to the Office of the Grand Strategist, he had his own quarters, so no one questioned his behavior.
It was infuriating. He trembled, seized by a crushing sense of defeat.
Murong Cheong.
His first love and former fiancée had her heart set on another man. This was infuriating, of course, but he couldn't speak of it after the engagement was broken. That was the business of the Murong Family.
But for the object of her affection to be a direct descendant of the Hebei Peng Family, a member of the Black Path Demonic Alliance… even that made him grind his teeth, but—
“Curse it!!”
Because he belonged to the Office of the Grand Strategist, he knew more about the internal affairs of the Murim Alliance than others. That playboy who wandered around with a kisaeng every day was clearly under the protection of the Alliance Leader.
The reason was obvious. He was officially the first friendly envoy dispatched by the Hebei Dragon Slaying Alliance. They could ignore him if they wanted, or kill him if they chose, but the price would undoubtedly be paid in blood.
The Divine Spear Yang Family of the Shanxi Murim had suffered critical damage during a scheme by the Office of the Grand Strategist. The Beggars' Sect had protested strongly against this, and the Hengshan Sect had left the Murim Alliance to rally the Shanxi Murim.
The Hengshan Sect was one of the Five Sacred Mountain Sword Sects. Though weaker than the Nine Great Sects and One Alliance, it was an ancient sect respected for its long history and recognized as a prestigious gate in the Murim.
One such sect had abandoned the Alliance. Taking responsibility for this, his uncle, Zhuge Yun, had been ousted from the Office of the Grand Strategist and confined to the family estate, causing the Zhuge Family’s influence to shrink significantly.
That had happened only six months ago. The Office of the Grand Strategist could no longer rashly attempt schemes against the Peng Family or try to check the Alliance Leader.
So, they had no choice but to protect Peng Hyeon-hwi according to the Alliance Leader’s wishes.
That detestable man who had stolen his former fiancée, yet paraded around with a kisaeng while she watched, openly mocking them and dragging the reputation of the Office of the Grand Strategist through the mud.
“Master Jeong-yeong. Are you in?”
A low voice came from outside the door. Zhuge Jeong-yeong tried to suppress his intoxication and steady his expression. As the eldest son of the Zhuge Family, he was currently in a pathetic state he couldn't show to others.
When he suppressed his anger and opened the door, the person who entered was someone he knew well.
In fact, because it was someone who shouldn't be in the Murim Alliance, even the lingering effects of the alcohol seemed to dissipate on their own.
“Great Hero, you should not be in the Alliance right now. I will pretend I didn't see you today, so please leave.”
“Haha, with such resentment in my heart, how could I flee even if a thousand Buddhas stood before me?”
The man who entered laughed, pulled out a bottle of liquor, and whispered as he handed it to Zhuge Jeong-yeong.
“I believe your heart has been heavy lately.”
He made a proposal that could never be refused.
No, a proposal he didn't want to refuse.
“There are righteous men who are more than willing to help you.”
*
“Their patience is better than I expected.”
I found it hard to hide my disappointment. Should I call this a cultural difference? If I had walked in front of the Hebei Dragon Slaying Alliance headquarters in Tianjin with a Murim Alliance flag, I would have been reported missing within fifteen minutes.
Of course, there is a code about not killing envoys. The rule of not executing the messenger has been part of Chinese common sense since the Warring States period. But the fact that such a treaty has to be codified with names usually means very few people actually follow it.
Yet, the patience of these Orthodox sect members—elite athletes who have spent their lives learning nothing but how to swing swords and kill—is remarkably high. I expected them to take the bait by now, but they’ve done nothing but simmer with rage until this hour.
“I’m planning to be away starting today. Is that alright?”
“Yes, thank you for everything, Sister.”
“Oh, don't mention it. I had fun too. When else would I get a chance to scout the inside of the Murim Alliance?”
Dan So-hye stood up with a grin. The Dragon-Phoenix Gathering was set to open tomorrow. Wuchang was already celebrating the eve of the festival, and the night streets were bright and festive.
Fireworks were going off, and the air was filled with the cheers and laughter of the people. At a time like this, Dan So-hye’s disappearance wouldn't be particularly noticeable.
“I’ve mapped out the internal facilities of the Wuchang Murim Alliance headquarters, so it’ll come in handy someday.”
“Please give my regards to Brother Baek. He was a great help.”
“My, and what about me?”
“Of course, I’m always grateful to you, Sister.”
Dan So-hye chuckled and left the pavilion with a light step. I watched her back for a while before closing the window. It was time to prepare for the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering.
My condition, which had been a bit poor since the blizzard incident, was almost back to full strength, and the flow of internal energy through my acupoints was smooth. At this level, using the Middle Dantian five or six times a day shouldn't be a problem.
And at that level, I could consider myself virtually peerless among my age group. After all, the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering is a friendly sparring match for the younger generation, limited to those under twenty.
It’s basically a youth Olympics where those in the Peak Realm don't usually participate. Hwa-yeong, who reached the Peak Realm at sixteen, is an extremely rare case in Murim history; usually, even geniuses barely reach that stage well after turning twenty.
Most martial artists end their careers at the First-Rate level anyway. Just by opening the Middle Dantian, one is already in the top 5–10% of the entire Murim population in the Central Plains.
“Why isn't your brother here? Shouldn't he have arrived by now?”
“Hmm, based on the dates, he should arrive by tomorrow at the latest. He had to take a long detour to evade the Heavenly Roar Fist, so the route he took was a bit time-consuming.”
“Honestly, that old man is everywhere.”
Why does he keep popping up?
Anyway, I really don't get it.
“Why is it so quiet?”
“Perhaps everyone is being cautious? The Dragon-Phoenix Gathering is the biggest event for the Orthodox sects. It’s a gathering of the world’s accomplished masters, so causing a commotion wouldn't be easy.”
“That’s true, but then I don't understand Do-cheon’s actions in the first place.”
“…Do-cheon…”
Eon Do-cheon’s motive was very clear. He was trying to buy as much time as possible.
The ambush on the Grand Canal was exactly that. Even if he had managed to eliminate Murong Seo-jeong and Murong Cheong, the time he could have bought would only have been about twenty days.
As long as the Murong Family’s fleet safely entered Wuchang, all his efforts would be in vain. The Jinzhou Eon Family would inevitably be branded as public enemies of the Murim.
He had made too many enemies, and the evidence was overwhelming.
‘Like how he bribed “someone” in the Jiangnan White Forest Association.’
His attempts to exert influence within the Murim Alliance through Jiangnan were the same. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't avoid becoming a public enemy. The clans currently opposing the motion against him were, in reality, just buying time.
But why? It was a stretch to say he needed time to safely relocate his family to the Ten Thousand Ghosts Alliance in Chongqing.
—No unusual activity at the Jinzhou Eon Family estate.
—Location of the Heavenly Roar Fist unknown.
—One-Star Fist Lord Eon Se-jeong is acting as the family head's proxy.
The letter from Brother Baek Seo-ui, which I received through Dan So-hye, was the problem. Despite buying all that time, the Jinzhou Eon Family wasn't making any preparations to move.
That meant there had to be a reason for buying time itself. I couldn't figure out why. I lacked enough information to even make an inference.
“I should be heading in now as well. In the end, nothing happened before the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering.”
“Yeah, have a good night.”
“You too.”
Murong Cheong put down her tea and stood up. She gave a bright smile, said her goodbyes, and walked toward the door.
As I followed her with my eyes, organizing my thoughts, the sound of fireworks erupted loudly outside the window.
—Wheeeeeee—
—Boom!
The paper window was dyed in bright colors. It was a night that reminded me of Tianjin, the city of peace and love.
Especially in the sense that it was a bit noisy, fireworks were going off, and it was very bright.
—Wheee, bang!
“I don't know if I’ll be able to sleep peacefully tonight. Every time I see a Han festival, I can't help but feel they’re far too noisy.”
Just as I was about to return her joke before she closed the door…
Wheee, bang. The window lit up brilliantly.
“Isn't that… a bit close?”
The thought struck me.
“Pardon?”
“The fireworks. They’re a bit too close.”
They were too close. The pavilion cluster of the Murim Alliance was large and tall, as befitting a place for martial artists. And almost all structures in this era were wooden.
Wooden buildings are vulnerable to fire, and fireworks in this era don't have things like safety gunpowder. Aside from differences in quality and quantity, these things are structurally identical to the gunpowder used in cannons.
In other words, they are incendiaries.
Incendiaries shot toward the sky. Sparks fly, and there is a risk of fire. Even in the city of freedom, Tianjin, they only fire them in streets with few or low buildings; they never fire them near a cluster of pavilions like this. If a fire starts, we’d take the arsonist’s head.
Would it be any different for the Orthodox sects?
—Wheeeee—.
I could see the window glowing brilliantly from the fireworks' flames.
Time began to fragment into points. In the thread-like flow of time, even a single speck of dust floating in the air seemed to move slowly.
My mind, heated to the point where I could feel the warmth, began to stack logic piece by piece. I started to synthesize the information I had received so far.
—Eon Do-cheon took on an excessive burden just to buy time.
—Despite that, the Jinzhou Eon Family hasn't made even the slightest attempt to move from Shandong Province.
—Eon Do-cheon joined hands with the Ten Thousand Ghosts Alliance of Chongqing.
—Those colluding with the Jinzhou Eon Family are operating secretly within the Murim Alliance.
—The Alliance Leader is attempting to hunt them down.
—Fireworks are being set off close enough to set the pavilions on fire.
In any festival of this era, it wouldn't be strange for a wealthy region to set off fireworks.
And wooden buildings in winter catch fire easily to begin with.
“Oh, no.”
I quickly turned around. There was no time to hesitate. In this moment as the window grew brighter and brighter, my left hand moved over my heart—
Crack. I struck my acupoints, forcibly guiding my internal energy to the Middle Dantian.
—Wheeeeeee—
—BOOOOOM—!!
Time regained its speed. Just as I pulled Murong Cheong into my arms and dove over the stair landing.
An explosion roared behind us.
“Wh-what on earth is happening?!”
“He wasn't trying to buy time to relocate his family.”
“What do you mean by that?!”
I punched the wall while holding Murong Cheong. The inner wall of the pavilion crumbled, creating a hole. I hooked my foot on the railing and looked down.
I threw myself into the deep darkness that followed the burst and fade of the fireworks in the dark night.
“I misjudged him.”
The twenty days Eon Do-cheon needed weren't for moving his family to Chongqing.
It was time to prepare for the start of the Righteous-Demonic War.
“Because once the Righteous-Demonic War breaks out, no one will have the luxury of worrying about branding the Jinzhou Eon Family as public enemies!”
“What? What?”
“They’ll have to face the Black Path Demonic Alliance immediately. There’s no way they’d brand an Orthodox envoy on the front lines of Hebei—a member of the Fifteen Armies—as a public enemy!”
Massive crowds had gathered throughout Wuchang. It wouldn't be difficult for members of the Chongqing Demonic Alliance to disguise themselves and slip in among them.
They would have to avoid the eyes of the Beggars' Sect, but even that was fine now. Like our Hao Clan, the Beggars' Sect was currently focused on the bloody incident occurring in Yunnan.
The Beggar Immortal, the Sword Immortal, and the Hao Clan Leader had all moved to that region. While the Murim Alliance might not have noticed the Hao Clan Leader’s movement, the departure of the Beggar Immortal and the Sword Immortal would inevitably draw all eyes.
If they slipped into Wuchang during that gap…
‘And traitors from within responded.’
That small number of people couldn't cause significant damage to the Wuchang Murim Alliance. That was obvious. The accomplished masters of the great sects were all gathered here.
Any disturbance could be quickly suppressed. The Murim Alliance was a group with that much power. However, the surprise attack itself was feasible—
“The… the fire will be put out soon anyway. There are many masters among the accomplished masters in the guest pavilions! There’s nothing they can do here…”
“This is a basic ‘Make a Sound in the East, Strike in the West’ tactic.”
“Pardon?”
“A fire large enough to burn down a pavilion draws everyone’s attention! And there are no young geniuses in the guest pavilions right now!”
The primary purpose of the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering wasn't to compete in martial arts. It was more of an exchange meeting, led by the Alliance to allow the future pillars of the Orthodox sects—who usually had no reason to interact—to build connections.
I might not know, but Murong Cheong had probably been invited to several such banquets over the past few days. In fact, on the day we first arrived, weren't the young geniuses of the Jiangnan White Forest Association drinking at a tavern!
The eve of the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering. Now that ‘all’ the young geniuses were gathered.
Warriors who were at best First-Rate. Yet, they were people with high self-esteem. Wuchang was safe ground for Orthodox martial artists, so naturally, they didn't carry guards with them.
Martial artists of that age group never would. Carrying family guards would be a blow to the pride of young warriors dreaming of their debut in the Murim.
Their sects didn't worry much about it either. The Murim Alliance exerted almost absolute influence in Wuchang. During this period, the Alliance had been on high alert for days to protect the city!
“If even a few of those kids are killed, what do you think will happen?”
Even if they killed all the spies and assassins who had slipped in, the Alliance’s pride would be severely wounded.
The Alliance would have to demand a price for this. That was the face of those who represented the Orthodox Murim.
If the Heavenly Roar Fist provoked the Hebei Dragon Slaying Alliance during that process, any chance of peace between the Murim Alliance and the Demonic Alliance would be gone forever.
He had destroyed the Grand Canal because it was the Dragon Slaying Alliance’s most core business.
Because the Dragon Slaying Alliance’s warriors would be dispatched.
If he eliminated them and framed the Demonic Alliance for the charges against him…
“The Murim Alliance cannot cast out Eon Do-cheon until this situation is resolved.”
They couldn't brand a member of the Orthodox envoys monitoring Hebei—one of the Fifteen Armies of the World—as a public enemy when a Righteous-Demonic War was imminent.
And once the war ended… would anyone who tried to accuse Eon Do-cheon even be left alive in that chaos?
I landed on the ground with Murong Cheong. The pavilion we had been in was blazing. And beyond it, the fire was spreading to the entire pavilion cluster.
The Alliance guards were nowhere to be seen. Servants belonging to the Alliance Leader’s residence were running around in panic, screaming and carrying buckets to put out the fire.
That chaos was being drowned out.
Drowned out by the fireworks and cheers erupting from the city of Wuchang.
The bloody incident in Yunnan, the Five Poisons Sect attempting an offensive into Sichuan, the Jongri Family attempting an invasion of Hebei from Qinghe County.
The Jinzhou Eon Family, who had joined hands with them to research the Jiangshi technique.
And even Eon Do-cheon, who had destroyed the Grand Canal.
If I assumed all of that was a setup for this one move, everything seemed to click into place.
I looked at Murong Cheong, who had turned pale. She was also looking at me. Her eyes, dyed red by the flames, were shaking violently.
“Then… then what do we do now…? If things have already come to this, then what…?”
“We have to save them.”
I let out a sigh and shook my left hand. The gauntlet that slid down from my sleeve wrapped around my hand.
“As many as we can.”
It was almost enough to make me laugh. Here I was, in the very heart of the Orthodox Martial World, forced to run around saving their young talents from the clutches of the Black Path and the Unorthodox Faction.
Indeed, they say it is a chaotic age when the line between friend and foe is blurred.
Muddle the water to catch the fish. Truly, now that the water was murky, the fish were starting to leap.