Chapter 77
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 77
Chapter Title: The Celestial Alliance Revealed
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Dan Hyeong-u's group was gathered in the largest room in the inn's rear garden. It had been over two days since they holed up back there, right around the time when restlessness began to set in.
"When the hell is it supposed to start?"
"No exact date was set, so we can't say for sure."
Tang Ho-gwan tilted his head as he answered the Sword King's question, then continued.
"The weird part is that no one even knows where the Celestial Alliance is located."
The Celestial Alliance's location was a complete mystery. They figured it was one of the large manors in Zhangjia, but no one knew precisely which one.
Founding a new alliance required extensive preparations, which inevitably meant moving people and supplies around. Everyone assumed the location would naturally come to light, but it hadn't. The Celestial Alliance hid like a dragon concealed in the clouds, revealing no trace of its true form.
"Here's another thing I'm curious about. Just who is the leader of this Celestial Alliance?"
Everyone nodded at Tang Ho-gwan's words. Little was known about the Celestial Alliance. Only that its founding ceremony was imminent, along with the names of a few participating sects and renowned martial artists.
What piqued people's curiosity most was that the alliance leader's identity remained unknown. Alliances typically elected their leader during the founding ceremony, but rumors said this one's leader had already been preselected.
"Word is, it's someone pretty impressive."
Jegal Rin slipped into the conversation with a faint smile, drawing all eyes before continuing.
"Among the known sects, the Tyrant Sword Sect seems the most likely."
"But the Tyrant Dragon isn't cut out to be alliance leader."
The Sword King stated it flatly, and the others agreed. The Tyrant Dragon might suit the title in name, but he lacked the stature for it.
Besides, after the humiliation he'd just suffered, even if he was preselected, pushing him into the leader's seat would be unlikely. They couldn't very well seat a flawed figure at the helm of a brand-new alliance.
The group murmured about the Celestial Alliance for a time. About the length of one incense stick later, someone opened the door.
All eyes turned to the entrance, where the scout who had gone to check the streets stood.
"It starts tomorrow."
His words lit up everyone's faces. The scout approached Umun Hye.
"They say a plaque has been hung at a massive manor in the heart of Zhangjia."
The group's eyes gleamed. It was finally happening. Gauging Umun Hye's reaction, the scout continued his report.
"People are flocking to the center of Zhangjia right now. Though I doubt we'll be able to get inside..."
No sooner had he finished than Umun Hye shot to her feet.
"Let's go see."
The scout panicked at her words.
"There are too many people right now. And even if we go, we won't be allowed in."
"We won't know until we try."
As Umun Hye spoke, the Sword King and Sword Demon rose as well.
"She's right. If we're curious, we have to go check it out ourselves."
With those three heading out, Tang Ho-gwan couldn't just sit there. In the end, he stood along with Tang Mun-yeong and Jegal Rin.
Dan Hyeong-u watched quietly as they filed out. Once everyone had left, he finally moved to follow.
To exit the rear garden, they had to pass through the inn, but the group's superior martial arts made that unnecessary.
A simple leap over the wall sufficed. Though the wall was quite high, no one in the group was hindered by it.
Once outside, they saw throngs of people all rushing toward what they assumed was the Celestial Alliance. It was crowded, but the group slipped through effortlessly. Their lightness skills were unmatched.
Dan Hyeong-u followed at a leisurely pace. Even at a moderate speed, he wove through the crowd without bumping anyone, as if the people parted for him naturally.
In the center of Zhangjia, a massive crowd stood gaping in astonishment. Dan Hyeong-u's group was no exception—they couldn't help but be shocked.
Just yesterday, it had been a street crammed with buildings. Now, everything was gone, replaced by a single enormous manor.
The walls stretched endlessly, and the main gate alone was so grand and massive that ordinary strength couldn't hope to open it.
"Wh-what the...? How is this even possible...!"
The crowd murmured in disbelief. Building such a colossal manor overnight was beyond comprehension.
"What in the world happened here?"
Tang Ho-gwan stared at the future Celestial Alliance manor in shock. Having scouted the area yesterday himself made it all the more astonishing.
Jegal Rin was the one to satisfy their curiosity.
"Truly astonishing. This has to be the work of a formation array."
The word "formation" made everyone's eyes light up. The foremost experts in formations were, naturally, the Jegal family. The group looked to Jegal Rin expectantly.
"They must have hidden this manor with some kind of illusion array all along. Incredible. To conceal a place this size right in the middle of such a bustling city."
Her explanation drew admiring nods as the group approached the manor. Their formidable auras unwittingly parted the crowd to either side.
Jegal Rin carefully examined the surroundings as she drew near but soon halted—just a few paces from the gate.
"It's truly remarkable. How did they create a formation like this...!"
Her words puzzled the others.
"They layered two illusion arrays. To reach that gate from here, you'd have to pass through another one."
She scanned the area intently before shaking her head.
"No good. I can't unravel it."
The group was stunned. The pinnacle of formation mastery was the Jegal family, and Jegal Rin was one of their top prodigies. Known as the White Phoenix, her prowess in arrays surpassed all others.
"Looks like the Celestial Alliance has formation grandmasters of its own."
Tang Ho-gwan's remark drew a nod from Jegal Rin.
"That's the only conclusion."
"Does it really require a grandmaster? Couldn't they just have set up an inherited formation? Like one procured from the old Heavenly Qi Master, for instance."
Jegal Rin shook her head at Umun Hye's suggestion.
"This is definitely his style. The Heavenly Qi Master loved layering formations to create new ones. A genius beyond words. But even if they obtained one of his, deploying it is an entirely different matter."
As Umun Hye frowned in confusion, Jegal Rin elaborated.
"Handing the deployment manual to just anyone won't let them set it up. Without perfect understanding, it's impossible. You have to account for the surrounding environment, qi flows, and countless other factors. Lack of comprehension makes adaptation impossible, resulting in a useless array or runaway qi explosion."
Umun Hye nodded at the explanation. Jegal Rin smiled as she wrapped up.
"Which means the Celestial Alliance has formation grandmasters. Not just one, but several. Deploying something this massive solo is nearly impossible."
The group nodded in agreement.
"So there's no way in?"
Jegal Rin shook her head at the Sword King's question.
"Not unless they open it from inside."
The Sword Demon glanced at Dan Hyeong-u. His sudden gaze drew everyone's eyes to him as well.
"Think you can cut through it?"
The Sword Demon asked cautiously. Dan Hyeong-u nodded. Tension rippled through the watching group.
"Y-you can really slice open a formation?"
Jegal Rin's expression was incredulous. By her theoretical knowledge, it was impossible. She could imagine brute force destruction disrupting it, but slicing? Unthinkable.
Formations were woven from organic qi flows. No human could forcibly sever them. Disruption by destruction, maybe—but not this.
Dan Hyeong-u stepped forward to where Jegal Rin stood and lightly drew his sword.
She watched skeptically.
Swish.
His sword casually sliced the space before her. Her eyes widened impossibly at the simple stroke.
"N-no way!"
Jegal Rin witnessed the impossible. The space split open, revealing the true Celestial Alliance beyond the illusion array. One step, and they could pass through.
The rift sealed itself moments later.
"H-how is that possible?"
She demanded of Dan Hyeong-u in shock, but he stood silently, offering no reply.
Jegal Rin clutched her forehead in bewilderment. Nothing more could be done today. Time to head back to the inn.
"L-let's go back."
She turned unsteadily toward the inn. Worried, Tang Mun-yeong and Tang Ho-gwan followed.
The Sword Demon gazed at Dan Hyeong-u with a complicated expression. Asking him to cut the formation was to witness that sword stroke again—the one from Heavenly Center Mountain that cleaved an array.
But seeing it anew plunged him into deeper despair. It was a different world entirely. One he couldn't touch or even glimpse.
When he first saw it, shock had ignited his will. He'd vowed to reach that realm somehow.
But now, hope itself shattered. He felt nothing. Saw nothing. Only an overwhelming, insurmountable pressure crushing him.
The sensation was absolute, at least for him.
"Guess I'll head back too."
The Sword Demon turned away listlessly. The Sword King, in a similar state, followed. Though slightly different, he too faced an immense wall.
Even as his companions departed one by one, Dan Hyeong-u stood motionless, savoring that single stroke.
Today's cut differed slightly from the one at Heavenly Center Mountain, when he was trapped in the array.
Back then, he'd merely sliced the gaps between qi flows. Today, he'd forcibly severed the flowing qi itself—something impossible before, now achievable.
He hadn't trained specially. Yet he'd grown stronger. Dan Hyeong-u pondered why.
In the end, he shook his head.
"Can't quite figure it out."
But a faint thread tugged at him. Grasping it fully would complete what he'd yet to achieve: the perfect unity of the Three Talents Sword Art—Heavenly Thunder, Earth Dragon, and Human Soul.
He vaguely sensed it. Unifying the Three Talents Sword Art would propel him into entirely new territory.
Without a word, Dan Hyeong-u turned and walked away.
Umun Hye silently fell in beside him, gently linking her arm with his. She matched his steps with a radiant smile.
The onlookers stared as if entranced, remaining rooted until the group vanished completely.
The next day, Dan Hyeong-u's group headed to the Celestial Alliance.
"We came out a bit late, but I didn't expect it to be this quiet."
"Guess the novelty's worn off."
"Yeah."
Overhearing Tang Mun-yeong and Tang Ho-gwan's exchange, they soon arrived.
The formation around the Celestial Alliance had vanished. Jegal Rin confirmed the same vista Dan Hyeong-u had revealed yesterday and nodded faintly.
"He really did cut it open."
Her murmur was inaudible as she hurried forward, eager to inspect the former formation site.
But she shook her head helplessly. No traces remained. It was pristine, as if no array had ever existed. Undeniably superior to the Jegal family's craft.
"Unbelievable. Makes me wonder just who they are."
"That impressive?"
Tang Mun-yeong asked. Jegal Rin sighed softly.
"Yeah. Truly. A few levels above me, for sure."
Tang Mun-yeong was startled. She hadn't imagined it was that advanced.
"Really makes you curious about the Celestial Alliance leader."
Everyone felt the same.
The group passed through the wide-open main gate of the Celestial Alliance.
Its scale was staggering—far larger than the Martial Alliance, at least five times so by rough estimate.
The plaza just inside could hold thousands. Without the tightly laid stone slabs, it might pass for an open field.
"Incredible."
Tang Ho-gwan marveled. Even he had never seen a manor this vast. The Tang family was mighty and dominated Sichuan, but maintaining something like this was beyond them. It wasn't just about construction—upkeep demanded immense wealth.
"First time I've seen a manor this huge."
The Sword King nodded in admission. The Sword Demon agreed. Heavenly Demon Fortress was grand and hard to build atop Heavenly Mountain, but he had to concede the Celestial Alliance's superior scale.
"The scale isn't the only impressive part. This ground—it's a formation."
Tension laced Jegal Rin's words.