Chapter 131: To Chongqing (2)
Chapter 131: To Chongqing (2)
Chongqing’s Sword King Pavilion, the heart of the Ten Thousand Swords Hall, was bustling unlike its usual self.
It had been over sixty years since the sect leaders of the Great Martial Gates belonging to the Chongqing Ten Thousand Ghosts Alliance had gathered like this. Consequently, the warriors of the Ten Thousand Ghosts Alliance suppressed their auras and swallowed hard, bracing themselves for any potential incident.
The warriors of the Ten Thousand Swords Hall, the Ghost Gate Meridian, and the Jongri Family were men used to acting as kings in their own domains.
With such individuals gathered in one place, even a minor verbal spat could escalate into a catastrophe. Given the current state of affairs, any spark would inevitably lead to a bloodbath.
Thus, the current stillness was a clamorous silence—a tense standoff where they measured each other’s spirit, influence, and power while quietly glaring at one another.
Inside the inner hall of the Sword King Pavilion, the rulers of the Ten Thousand Ghosts Alliance were assembled.
"Is it true that the Bloodhound Asura was not among the experts of the Dragon Slaying Alliance when they struck the Jinju Eon Family?"
"It is, Sword King."
Sa Mun-jeon, the Leader of the Chongqing Ten Thousand Ghosts Alliance, Master of the Ten Thousand Swords Hall, and the Dew-Slaying Sword, slowly scanned the room.
The faces present were illustrious. Even the one with the lowest cultivation was a veteran of the Martial World who had long since earned the right to challenge the wall of the Upper Dantian.
One could say that the current Chongqing held the greatest concentration of martial power in the history of the Central Plains.
And yet, Peng Ik-jin was not at the vanguard of the Dragon Slaying Alliance?
"Do those fools have a death wish?"
Chongqing was a place that had held its ground for decades against the onslaught of the Wuchang Martial Alliance and the Sichuan martial circles without losing an ounce of influence.
The warriors of Chongqing were like venomous insects in a jar; only the most exceptional of each generation survived.
The current martial strength of Chongqing was more than a match for the entirety of Hebei.
It was clear that if things continued into the next generation, the Hebei Dragon Slaying Alliance would no longer be able to claim leadership over the Unorthodox Faction.
Aside from the current Peng Family Head, who else did the Dragon Slaying Alliance even have?
The Mad Blood Saber Demon, Peng Wi-cheon? He had been blocked by the wall of the Upper Dantian for years. The Soul-Chasing Flying Dagger, Seong Ryang-ha? He was growing so old that if he didn't reach the Harmony Realm soon, he would lose his martial prowess entirely.
In other words, the present era was the Dragon Slaying Alliance's final golden age.
In contrast, the leaders of the Great Martial Gates in this room were a full generation younger.
Time was undoubtedly on their side.
"What about the July Society?"
"It has been six months since the Hao Clan Leader went missing. Who knows? Perhaps she perished along with the Blood Ghost in Yunnan. Besides, could the July Society ever act as one without their 'Ghost Teacher'? The July Society warriors staying in Chongqing have all agreed to support our sects, and the rest of the rabble have sworn not to dare cross into Chongqing."
"I suppose even the lowly know how to read the tides," the Ghost Gate Meridian Lord said with a smirk.
He was right. Now that the Dragon Slaying Alliance was pouring their final strength into breaking Chongqing, if their attempt failed, the Ten Thousand Ghosts Alliance would take over the leadership of the Sima Alliance.
To survive under the roof of the Black Path Demonic Alliance, every Unorthodox sect in the world would soon have to walk on eggshells around the Ten Thousand Ghosts Alliance.
"Still, I don't know what they're thinking. Even that old man, the Heavenly Thunder Alliance Leader, hasn't joined the fray. Are the rumors true? There's talk that the Heavenly Thunder Alliance Leader has passed away."
"We can't take that at face value. After all, the Six-Armed Rakshasa is still very much alive."
"If their vanguard is led by a mere Six-Armed Rakshasa, they won't even be able to cross the threshold of Chongqing. The Blade Emperor is no fool. He must have something up his sleeve."
The Sword Demon tapped the table, lost in thought.
What was the intent? With that level of martial power, they could never break the Chongqing Ten Thousand Ghosts Alliance. Especially since this was their home turf.
Defending a castle generally provides a threefold advantage over the besiegers. One didn't even need to cite Sun Tzu’s Art of War to know that.
Common sense dictated they should have stopped at the Jinju Eon Family. If they had settled for consolidating their interests across Hebei, it would have been regrettable, but the Ten Thousand Ghosts Alliance would have had no immediate way to touch the Dragon Slaying Alliance.
The distance between Chongqing and Hebei was that vast. Between them lay Henan, where Northern Revered Shaolin stood firm; to the north were the Jongnam and Mount Hua sects; and along the Yangtze River was the Martial Alliance.
One had to pierce through all those perilous regions to reach Hebei. Even if the Ten Thousand Ghosts Alliance and the Dragon Slaying Alliance had the power to vie for supremacy, their geographical positions meant they actually had to cooperate to survive.
It was a case of 'if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold.' If one side collapsed completely, the Orthodox Faction would no longer be kept in check from both sides.
"Which direction are they coming from?"
"According to a secret report from the Hao Clan, they are passing through Shaanxi. They are following the exact path the Heaven-Destroying Blade Hegemon took in the past. They should have crossed Shanxi by now."
"What about the Jongnam Sword Immortal?"
"There were rumors that he split the Blood Cult’s headquarters in half, but both the Beggar Immortal and the Sword Immortal have been missing since then."
"Yunnan must be a living hell. And since Sichuan has to help with the destruction of the Diancang Sect, isn't this quite fortunate for us?"
The gathered heroes each offered their input. Amidst them, the Jongri Family Head, who had remained silent, suddenly spoke up.
"The Zhuge Family warned that they might enter via the Yangtze River. There have been rumors lately that the Murong Family is secretly allied with the Dragon Slaying Alliance. If those bastards launched their Forbidden Sea Fleet along the Yangtze, it wouldn't be impossible."
"Unless the Murong Family Head has gone mad, why would he transport the Dragon Slaying Alliance's forces on his own ships? Hahaha!"
"Even so, we cannot be careless. Wouldn't entering the Yangtze via the canal be the fastest route for them? They can't afford to leave Hebei empty for too long."
"Then what, are you saying the Sword Empress of the Namgung Family will welcome them in Nanjing and see them off?"
"Ghost Gate Meridian Lord. If you think that way, do you really believe it makes sense for them to cross Shaanxi?"
"I'd rather believe that!"
The voices of the leaders grew louder. Both routes were simultaneously possible and impossible.
Passing through Shaanxi meant bypassing Mount Hua and Jongnam, while going through Jiangnan meant passing the Namgung Family and the Martial Alliance.
"Why don't you just say they're coming through Henan!"
"There were... rumors of that as well. Such talk has been subtly circulating among the beggars of the Beggars' Sect in Henan."
"Bwahahaha!"
"Hahaha!!"
The room erupted in boisterous laughter.
Passing through Henan, where Shaolin and Wudang were located, would be the fastest land route, but there was no way Shaolin—which loathed the Unorthodox Faction, and the Dragon Slaying Alliance in particular—would let them pass unhindered.
Furthermore, the Songshan Shaolin Temple was a Great Martial Gate considered the strongest single power in the Central Plains.
Even if Peng Ik-jin himself appeared, he wouldn't be able to overcome the Divine Monk. There was no way the Divine Monk, who remembered the last Righteous-Demonic War, would stand by and watch the warriors of the Dragon Slaying Alliance pass.
The Sword Demon, who had been watching them laugh and chatter for a while, finally spoke.
"Are you all enjoying yourselves?"
"..."
Everyone fell silent. The Sword Demon looked at each of them with disdain before continuing.
"You don't know their scheme, you don't know their direction, and even though it looks like they're making an obvious blunder, you're still uneasy. Because the Dragon Slaying Alliance isn't that stupid. Am I right?"
"...That is true."
"Then what is so funny? The Fist King may not have been a brilliant man, but he was the one who single-handedly held back the rise of the Dragon Slaying Alliance for the past twenty years. Such a man collapsed overnight. Now, what do you think will happen to the world?"
The expansion of the Dragon Slaying Alliance had been the Martial Alliance's greatest concern for years.
They had reacted convulsively to stop the Dragon Slaying Alliance every time it tried to cross Hebei.
Yet, they had stood by and watched the fall of the Jinju Eon Family. It was obvious that many deals had been made beneath the surface.
"Jongri Family Head."
"Yes, Sword King. Please speak."
"Guard the threshold along the Yangtze River. If those bastards really show up with the Murong Family's fleet as the rumors say, make sure the Three Gorges of the Yangtze become their grave."
"I shall do so."
"And Ghost Gate Meridian Lord."
"Yes, Sword King."
The Sword Demon tapped the table and stood up.
"Lay out formations on every path coming down from Shaanxi. Ensure that we know if even a single ant crosses the mountain trails into Chongqing. Work in cooperation with the Hao Clan."
"Understood."
"Sword King, then what do you intend to do about the Henan direction?"
"Are you going to be swayed by every word from the Beggars' Sect now that the Beggar Immortal has vanished? Even if they are lucky enough to pass Shaolin... they would still have to pass through Wudang to reach this land."
Wudang Mountain was situated at the edge connecting Henan and Chongqing.
Among the Great Martial Gates of the Central Plains, its history spanned only about 200 years, similar to the Hebei Peng Family.
However, they were the ones who had perfectly preserved the lineage of a founder who could arguably be called the greatest of all time.
They were the foremost line of defense blocking the Chongqing Ten Thousand Ghosts Alliance.
Since the day they established themselves, the Ten Thousand Ghosts Alliance had never once succeeded in expanding past Wudang.
They were stubborn traditionalists who were immune to any persuasion, temptation, or negotiation. Would those eccentrics, who forced even royalty and high officials to 'disarm' upon visiting, really overlook the march of the Hebei Dragon Slaying Alliance?
Everyone present nodded in agreement and dispersed. They believed that whether the enemy struck from the north or the south, there was no way for them to survive.
Amidst the general warmth, only the Jongri Family Head, Jongri Seong, returned with a joyless expression.
As soon as he returned to his clan, he gathered his vassals and commanded:
"Establish contact with the White Lotus Cult."
"What should we tell them?"
"That we will help them achieve their revenge from ten years ago."
Few were unaware of the bloodbath that had occurred in Beijing about ten years prior.
The story went that the White Lotus Cult, which usually didn't show itself in the Central Plains, had risen in Beijing and clashed with the Peng Family, only to be defeated and forced to retreat.
It was said that the Peng Family Head himself had appeared to lead the situation. If so, there was no way they could have resisted unless the White Lotus Cult Leader herself had stepped in.
But what about now?
'The martial force they dispatched for this war of extermination amounts to half of their Outer Hall. If so, it's safe to assume the Peng Family has lost almost all its control over Hebei.'
The reason Peng Ik-jin hadn't led them personally, even while distributing the Black Command Tokens, was clear.
If even he left, there would be no one left to protect their main castle.
In the first place, the last Righteous-Demonic War should be seen as an extremely peculiar situation.
The Peng Family Head of that era, who marched while leaving his family estate almost empty, must be considered a madman.
No martial sect would ever do such a thing.
The great wars of martial history are often just romanticized fictions.
Commonly, no matter what conflict arises, a sect will only dispatch a small portion of its strength while retaining enough power to maintain its core.
An event like the Righteous-Demonic War of that time would never happen again.
Because all the martial sects in the world are content to simply reign as rulers of their own lands, keeping their heads down.
That era must continue. In the meantime, the best outcome is for them to clash and struggle among themselves, whittling down their own power. Meanwhile, Chongqing will survive alone and stand firm.
Since the Dragon Slaying Alliance has made such a massive blunder, they will have to bleed heavily to defend against the White Lotus Cult's encroachment.
There was no need to figure out their plan right now.
A successful strategy ultimately boils down to making the opponent bleed more than yourself, and a grand army needs no clever tricks.
With both the Blood Cult and the White Lotus Cult—two of the Three Evils Beyond the Great Wall—potentially on the move, what could the Peng Family Head from that distant land possibly do?
*
"Family Head."
Zhuge Yeon-seon put his brush down on the inkstone and looked up.
The person who entered the room spoke with an extremely apologetic expression.
"The Alliance Leader has moved."
"And the Dragon Slaying Alliance?"
"The news is that they are just now leaving Luoyang."
"Isn't it truly surprising?"
Zhuge Yeon-seon chuckled softly and nodded.
"Who could have predicted the day the Peng Family would join hands with the Songshan Shaolin? Even I, who am seeing and hearing this happen, find it hard to believe."
The times were changing. The distinction between friend and foe was becoming so blurred.
Old grudges were fading under the dust of time, and the powerful who basked in their past glory were crumbling while blindly trusting their common sense.
"Dispatch the Dark Dragon Unit with them, but tell them to withdraw if the situation becomes too chaotic."
"If we just stand by and watch the Ten Thousand Ghosts Alliance fall, won't the Dragon Slaying Alliance's influence grow too large?"
"Haha, you underestimate the Sword Demon too much. Even if the Ten Thousand Ghosts Alliance crumbles like that, how can a great mountain burn without anyone bleeding?"
Zhuge Yeon-seon waved his hand, dismissing the Dark Dragon Unit warrior.
Alone again in the quiet room, he picked up his brush and smiled as he wrote on a blank sheet of paper.
"Alliance Leader. Go as a heroic knight."
If he died after taking down the Ten Thousand Ghosts Alliance and falling together with the Sword Demon, he would be revered for a long time as a hero who would remain in the history of the Orthodox Faction.
Isn't it the ambition of every warrior to leave their name in history and depart?
All the righteous men of the Alliance would be deeply moved by his heroic deed and come to trust the Alliance.
They would rise as one in the face of the disasters burning through Yunnan and Sichuan.
And the newly rising Martial Alliance above them would now...
"Devote oneself heart and soul until death (鞠躬盡瘁死而後已)."
...be refined under his hand.
In a world of black and white where the colors had faded under the dust of time, his hand would sweep away that thick layer and make it shine white once more.
The Martial Alliance of the Orthodox World would endure forever. Along with the name of the Zhuge Family that reigns over it.
*
"No, I'm telling you, this isn't a sword! It's a saber! This is a 'Disarming Zone' (Hae-geom). Since it's not a sword (Geom), why don't you explain why I have to put down my saber (Do)? Hey, don't take that! This? These are gauntlets. They're armor, not weapons! They're for self-defense!"
There's no pepper spray in the Martial World, so a fragile noble will die without these protective tools, you know...?
"The blood hasn't even dried in the gaps of the iron plates on these gauntlets... and you're still trying to claim these aren't weapons?"
"No way! I definitely wiped them clean earlier!"
"So you did kill someone."
"Was that a leading question?"
That's illegal.
"Wudang will guarantee your safety in its name. As long as you do not first encroach upon Wudang's mountain gate. So, we ask that you also respect Wudang's traditions."
"Fine, take them. Use them comfortably and just return them in one piece."
I grumbled as I watched my gauntlets and saber being carried away.
It couldn't be helped. If the healthy young men of our Dragon Slaying Alliance wanted to use this route, we had to at least pay our respects to Wudang Mountain.
"Do not worry too much. Fortunately, Wudang's Daoist Un-hak is a close friend of the Abbot. What is there to worry about when this monk is going with you?"
"Right, and Lady Sima and I are with you too. If you think about it, we could look like a group of Orthodox rising stars escorting a villain from the Peng Family."
"I think it's about time you figured out whose side you're on."
Why do you keep pretending to be part of the free world when you've already transferred to the Black Team?
"Well... I guess so. When else would someone from my family get to hike Wudang Mountain?"
Let's think positively.
I am a rising star of the Orthodox Faction, recognized by the Alliance Leader at the Martial Alliance Dragon-Phoenix Gathering and even given a nickname by the Poison Dragon of the Sichuan Tang Family.
On top of that, I beat those wicked Eon Family bastards to death, I'm 'gganbu' with the Murong Family, and I have a Shaolin monk and a Zhuge as friends.
Wow, now that I think about it, it's true.
Most of the people who want to kill me belong to the Sima Alliance. Wow, incredible.
"Am I really going to end up being an Orthodox hero at this rate?"
"Are you that afraid? To the point of losing your mind?"
"It's not that, Little Arhat. The Beheading Blood Wolf occasionally loses his sanity like this. You can just ignore what he says at times like these."
"Aha. Thank you for the teaching, Benefactor Zhuge."
Ignoring the chirping of the small fry, I crossed the gate of Wudang Mountain.
Surrounded in a circle by warriors dressed in identical Daoist robes.