Chapter 85
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 85
Chapter Title: Kunlun Sect Confrontation
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Seol Hwa-un's expression turned icy cold.
"There were not only warriors from my palace at that place, but also numerous Martial Alliance warriors. It sounds like you're calling them all fools."
Hwang Ho-ja flinched inwardly but soon spoke as if nothing had happened.
"I heard about it too. Most of them were from mid- and small-sized sects."
"......"
"Even among Martial Alliance warriors, there's a difference in skill level. I figured they wouldn't have the insight to detect sorcery."
It was a blatant insult to the mid- and small-sized sects.
'To say something like that so openly...'
Hwang Ho-ja might have spoken without much thought, but it perfectly revealed the current state of the Martial Alliance.
"Then I suppose I'll have to show you myself."
Paaa!
As Seol Hwa-un unleashed his qi, an immense aura surged outward in all directions.
"Kuh!"
"Ugh!"
The Kunlun Sect disciples involuntarily staggered back.
'No, no way!'
'Is this the qi emanating from a late-stage disciple?'
'Does that mean the rumor about him defeating the Blood Yin Four Evils is true?'
"That was my mistake, trying to resolve this with words."
Seol Hwa-un's eyes gleamed sharply.
"To dare call my palace's martial arts sorcery. It truly disgusts me."
As he exuded intense killing intent and took a step forward, the Kunlun Sect disciples retreated in unison, as if by prior agreement.
Cold sweat beaded on Hwang Ho-ja's forehead, who was directly facing Seol Hwa-un's aura.
"Th-this is inside the Martial Alliance! Do you intend to attack a Martial Alliance warrior here?"
"Let me ask you the reverse. If the other side insulted the Kunlun Sect, would you hold back just because it's inside the Martial Alliance?"
"......!"
"Come at me all at once if you like. I'll make you all engrave in your minds what the North Sea Ice Palace's martial arts are truly like."
Seol Hwa-un took another step forward.
'This bastard...!'
Hwang Ho-ja, who had reflexively started to retreat, forced himself to hold his ground. His pride wounded, he glared at Seol Hwa-un.
'Full of openings. He isn't even guarding himself.'
Gulp.
He slowly reached toward the sword hilt at his waist.
'No matter that he defeated the Blood Yin Four Evils, he's letting his guard down. If I unleash a sword-drawing technique at this range...'
He might even become famous as the master who beheaded the North Heaven Dragon in one strike. That thought gave Hwang Ho-ja courage.
Grab.
He finally succeeded in grasping the sword's hilt.
"......"
Whether aware or not, Seol Hwa-un expressionlessly took another step forward. He was now within sword range.
Hwang Ho-ja's eyes flashed.
'Now!'
The moment he tried to draw his sword.
"......!"
Terrifying killing intent constricted around him. He couldn't help but freeze.
'Kuh!'
From the atmosphere, it seemed only he could feel this killing intent.
'Ugh...!'
One thing Hwang Ho-ja could be certain of, at least, was this.
'If I draw my sword... I'll die!'
It was a sensation he'd never experienced before. In the end, with a face drained pale, he had no choice but to retreat.
"......"
As Seol Hwa-un advanced step by step, the Kunlun Sect disciples, overwhelmed by his presence, kept retreating.
Before long, a crowd had gathered to watch them.
"What's going on? Hey, isn't that the North Heaven Dragon?"
"The warriors opposite him are from the Kunlun Sect."
"What's this? Why do they keep retreating?"
"Could they be getting overwhelmed by just the North Heaven Dragon?"
Having grasped the situation, Hwang Ho-ja gritted his teeth.
'Kuh! At this rate, it'll just be utter humiliation. If one-on-one won't work, we have no choice but to gang up!'
He raised his voice.
"Everyone, the North Heaven Dragon..."
"Stop!!"
A thunderous roar that made the surroundings ring drowned out his words by force.
"......!"
It was a familiar voice to the Kunlun Sect disciples. Turning their heads, they saw a flushed-faced Kunlun elder standing there.
"E-Elder!"
Joy lit up their faces. They thought the elder had come to rescue them.
"You arrived just in time! This guy is tormenting our sect's disciples right now!"
"......"
"He's arrogantly spreading rumors after defeating Senior Elder with sorcery, so we were protesting about..."
The red-faced Pung Jin-ja bellowed.
"Shut your mouths!"
"E-Elder!"
"What? Sorcery? I was there too! Do I look like a dimwit who couldn't detect sorcery?"
"Th-that's..."
The Kunlun Sect disciples couldn't properly respond and averted their gazes.
"The match between Senior and Han Dae-ju was a fair spar! Both Senior and I acknowledged it, so why are you acting so recklessly!"
"Th-that!"
"......"
The Kunlun Sect disciples were struck dumb like bees that had eaten honey. While Pung Jin-ja scolded them, Seon Jin-ja approached Seol Hwa-un.
"I'm sorry, Young Palace Lord. This is all our oversight. I sincerely apologize."
The Kunlun elders certainly knew propriety. Seeing an elder over sixty bow his head softened Seol Hwa-un's heart.
"Understood. I accept your apology."
"Thank you."
Seon Jin-ja turned to the Kunlun Sect disciples and muttered.
"How did our sect's disciples become so narrow-minded?"
"It's not particularly the Kunlun Sect's fault alone. Probably..."
Seol Hwa-un swallowed the rest—that it was the Martial Alliance's doing. Even if they knew, there was nothing to be done about it.
The Kunlun elders probably sensed it vaguely as well.
Seon Jin-ja wore a bitter expression.
'If even one of those kids had a fraction of the North Heaven Dragon's caliber...'
Of course, not all had come. Some disciples had stayed away out of shame.
But even those silent ones didn't sit well with him.
'In contrast, the North Sea Ice Palace...'
Not only the North Heaven Dragon, but even Dong Ho-won and Eom Mu-hwi, whom he'd glimpsed briefly, were no ordinary figures. The North Sea Ice Palace's depth felt all the more profound anew.
'Now I understand why the North Heaven Dragon made such a demand.'
It was more than comparable to the Nine Great Sects.
"Then, we'll take our leave."
Soon, the Kunlun Sect disciples withdrew, and the gathered crowd dispersed as well. Seol Hwa-un was left alone.
'One thing remains now.'
His eyes gleamed.
'How did the Kunlun elders learn of that matter?'
Seol Hwa-un had demanded equal standing with the Nine Great Sects as a condition for joining the alliance.
Only Myeong Hyeon-ja and Sima Won knew of it. Since it had already been rejected, there was no reason to discuss it further.
Thus, no one else should have known.
'The conclusion is that one of them deliberately leaked it.'
In Seol Hwa-un's view, only one of them was capable of such scheming.
'It must be Myeong Hyeon-ja, who forced a bold facade while barely managing his expression.'
It might be difficult for ordinary people, but Seol Hwa-un, with his vast experience, could read Myeong Hyeon-ja's character even from a single encounter.
'I could keep associating with him...'
In the Martial Alliance, Myeong Hyeon-ja wielded influence rivaling the Alliance Leader. There was no need to clash with him here.
'For now, I'll let this slide since I can't do anything about it immediately.'
* * *
Sima Won said.
"There was a minor friction between the Kunlun Sect and the North Sea Ice Palace group. Did you hear about it by any chance?"
Myeong Hyeon-ja asked with an expressionless face.
"Was it a big enough deal that I should know?"
"No, it wasn't. Fortunately, it was resolved without any major issues."
"Then good."
"......"
Sima Won, already aware of the truth, gazed at him with a peculiar look.
'Your acting is still awkward, Wu Sang. At a time like this, you should have feigned curiosity and asked.'
His tone was utterly transparent.
'Don't pretend to be bold on the surface—be truly bold. How will you accomplish great things like this?'
The words rose to the tip of his tongue, but he held them back. Speaking them would only irk Myeong Hyeon-ja without changing anything.
"I'll try to soothe the North Sea Ice Palace group."
"Didn't you say it was already resolved well?"
"Yes. But just in case any resentment lingers, it wouldn't be good."
Myeong Hyeon-ja nodded indifferently.
"Do so."
"Then I'll go."
"Go ahead."
After Sima Won left the office, not long passed before a warrior knocked on the door.
Knock knock.
"Wu Sang, a message from the External Affairs Hall."
"Come in."
The warrior detailed the message he'd received from Sima Won.
Myeong Hyeon-ja's expression changed upon hearing the report.
"The North Heaven Dragon group has left? Already?"
"Yes, the External Affairs Hall just saw them off moments ago."
"Is he lucky, or quick-witted...?"
"Pardon?"
Myeong Hyeon-ja waved his hand at the warrior's question.
"Nothing. I understand, so leave."
"Yes, Wu Sang."
After the warrior left, Myeong Hyeon-ja remained alone in his office.
"If they leave Shaanxi Province like this, they'll head straight to the North Sea."
His face hardened coldly.
"Arrogant brat. You dare reject my proposal? Did you think you'd get away unscathed?"
As Seol Hwa-un had surmised, it was Myeong Hyeon-ja who had secretly leaked the demand for equal standing with the Nine Great Sects to the Kunlun Sect.
He knew well how the Kunlun Sect viewed the Outer Realm. Naturally, his intent was to put Seol Hwa-un's group in a difficult spot.
'I figured those stubborn old fogeys would stir up a storm, but they backed down more than expected.'
There had been a brief commotion, but Myeong Hyeon-ja wasn't one to be satisfied with that.
A sinister smile curled at his lips.
'But was leaving the Alliance headquarters really the wise choice?'
Snap!
He flicked his fingers, and a shadowy figure appeared behind him.
"You called, my lord."
A warrior emerging from the darkness.
His identity was hard to guess, but he was clearly not affiliated with the Martial Alliance.
"Pass this to the Latent Shadow Pavilion Lord."
His eyes narrowed.
"Tell those in Shaanxi Province to rest for about three days."
"......!"
He showed brief surprise before bowing his head.
"Yes, my lord."
Latent Shadow Pavilion.
One of the Martial Alliance's secret organizations, so secretive that even most Alliance warriors were unaware of its existence.
They were scattered across the Central Plains, handling covert missions, intelligence gathering, and rooting out spies.
Originally under the Martial Alliance Leader's direct command, it was now controlled by Wu Sang Myeong Hyeon-ja.
Thanks to them, he knew the Central Plains' situation better than anyone.
Myeong Hyeon-ja smirked sinisterly.
"It'll be your last gift from the Central Plains, brat."