The Gathering of Storms
Yang Gang, the branch leader of the Sadocheon in Tongseong County, had only one thought running through his mind right now.
'I'm going to lose my mind! I'm really going to lose my mind...! Aaaaah!'
The reason Yang Gang was in this state was because of the surreal sight unfolding right before his eyes.
This was the reception room of the Murim Alliance's Tongseong County branch, which had been seized by the Sadocheon.
And the three prominent figures seated in this room were the culprits torturing his sanity.
They were the representatives acting on behalf of the Sadocheon, the Murim Alliance, and the Black Hegemony Castle.
They were the agents sent to reflect the will of their respective factions in this Tongseong County crisis. At the same time, they were the martial power meant to enforce that will by force should negotiations fail.
In short, they were walking bombs that could detonate at any moment if things went sideways.
'Thank goodness. If I were the one sitting in the representative's seat, I would have fainted on the spot...'
Fortunately, Yang Gang was not the one representing the Sadocheon.
He was merely the adjutant accompanying the representative.
The representative of the Sadocheon was none other than...
Jang Bo-heum, the leader of the Gwi-mong-dae.
Although Yang Gang was the local branch leader of Tongseong County, Jang Bo-heum taking the lead was a matter of generational standing and status.
The status and standing of the representatives sent by the Murim Alliance and the Black Hegemony Castle were far beyond what a mere branch leader could receive.
'To think the Sword Star of Wudang, Daoist Hyeon-un, would actually come.'
"Shaolin in the North, Wudang in the South."
Among the Nine Great Sects and One Union, Wudang was a sect of immense prestige, always hailed alongside the Shaolin Temple as the twin pillars of the Orthodox faction.
Daoist Hyeon-un, an elder of the Wudang Sect, had graced them with his presence in person.
While serving as a Wudang elder, he was also the head of the Wuhan branch in Hubei Province.
Wearing his Daoist robes with a pine-patterned ancient sword fastened to his waist, his white eyebrows and beard made him look less like a martial artist and more like a transcendent immortal.
He looked like a gentle and benevolent Daoist master, but...
Yang Gang knew his true nature all too well.
The title of "Sword Star" was not something the Orthodox faction bestowed lightly.
Before earning that title, the Daoist master had cut down countless enemies of the Unorthodox and Demonic paths to protect the righteous way.
'And to have the Ghost Moon Mutilating Demon, Dan Gyo-ik, sitting right next to him...'
Seated next to Hyeon-un, who practically radiated the aura of a sage, was a figure of complete contrast.
He wore a brilliant black robe with curved lapels, made of fine silk and lavishly adorned with gold embroidery.
At a glance, it resembled a Daoist robe, but a closer look revealed the difference.
This was because Dan Gyo-ik was not a Daoist priest, but an occultist.
He was the First High Priest of the sinister Blood Moon Cult, the Ghost Moon Mutilating Demon, Dan Gyo-ik.
The Blood Moon Cult was one of the Seven Evils that comprised the Black Hegemony Castle. As the head of all their priests, Dan Gyo-ik was a titan among titans within the Black Hegemony Castle.
'A mad killer who doesn't yield to Daoist Hyeon-un in the slightest.'
*Gulp...*
Yang Gang swallowed hard and cautiously observed Dan Gyo-ik.
Dan Gyo-ik possessed an androgynous appearance that made it difficult to tell if he was a man or a woman.
Even a casual glance revealed a deeply sinister aura. What was surprising was that Dan Gyo-ik shared the same generational standing as Daoist Hyeon-un.
Yet, his youthful appearance, his gender-fluid grace, and the eerie energy pouring from his eyes made it clear that Dan Gyo-ik was an extremely dangerous individual.
'If these two start fighting...'
If Daoist Hyeon-un and the Ghost Moon Mutilating Demon clashed, a weakling like him would be swept away and killed without being able to do a single thing.
It wouldn't just be a case of a shrimp's back breaking in a fight between whales; he would be sent straight to the afterlife.
Thus, Yang Gang could not shake the feeling that his mind was about to shatter.
Contrary to Yang Gang's anxieties, however, the atmosphere in the room was relatively calm.
First of all, this meeting had been proposed by the Murim Alliance out of concern over a potential all-out war between the three major factions.
Although news of the Sichuan Dang Clan falling into chaos after Dang Maeng's death was spreading like wildfire, the Alliance's military council was observing the situation with caution.
As for the Black Hegemony Castle, with their Geukrak Island branch wiped out and their sacred relic missing, they seemed to have agreed to the meeting to gauge the Sadocheon's strength.
Naturally, Jang Bo-heum had accepted the proposal simply because Jeok-un had not yet returned, and he wanted to buy as much time as possible.
*Gulp...*
Just as Yang Gang swallowed his dry saliva once more...
"It seems neither of you is particularly fond of tea," Jang Bo-heum spoke up first.
"I prepared quite an expensive blend, yet you haven't taken a single sip."
Unlike Yang Gang, Jang Bo-heum showed no signs of trembling.
Even when the gazes of the two absolute masters fell upon him the moment he spoke, he remained unfazed.
Jang Bo-heum met their eyes with an air of nonchalance.
'Wait, does he possess such immense mental fortitude?' Yang Gang marveled inwardly at Jang Bo-heum's bold demeanor.
But he wasn't the only one.
'I heard he was the most cunning and cowardly among the Ten Squad Leaders.'
'As expected, rumors in the Jianghu are not to be trusted.'
Daoist Hyeon-un and Dan Gyo-ik thought similarly.
Since the information they had on Jang Bo-heum differed from reality, they internally raised their estimation of him.
However, Jang Bo-heum was also adjusting his own thoughts.
'Strange. Why aren't they scary at all?'
He pondered for a moment, but it was actually a simple matter.
Having endured the tyranny of a tiger every single day, why would he fear the howling of wolves?
It was all because he had been spending time with Jeok-un, who was far more ferocious and terrifying than both Daoist Hyeon-un and Dan Gyo-ik combined.
In other words, Jang Bo-heum's courage had grown immensely.
At that moment, Daoist Hyeon-un spoke in a low voice.
"Your words are somewhat misleading."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Everything in this place originally belonged to our Murim Alliance. For you to say you prepared it... does that not sound absurd?"
To Hyeon-un's sharp remark, Jang Bo-heum calmly retorted.
"Hmm, I find it hard to agree. This place now belongs to our Sadocheon, so whatever lies within it is naturally the property of the Sadocheon, is it not?"
"...!"
Perhaps he hadn't expected someone like Jang Bo-heum to talk back without yielding an inch. Just as Daoist Hyeon-un showed a hint of fluster...
"Pfft, ahahaha!"
Dan Gyo-ik burst into a chilling laugh.
He swayed his upper body gently, letting out a coquettish laugh.
It was a sight that made one feel uncomfortable just by looking at it.
"Your three inches of tongue are truly remarkable. It has been a long time since I saw that old Daoist make such a face."
"..."
Daoist Hyeon-un's gaze turned ice-cold.
Although Wudang was highly renowned as a sword sect, it was first and foremost a temple of Daoist priests.
Therefore, the Blood Moon Cult, which deceived the world with sinister sorcery and occult arts, was an object of utter loathing for Wudang.
"How dare a mere slave of an evil god...!"
As Hyeon-un gnashed his teeth, Dan Gyo-ik, seemingly amused by the reaction, smiled slyly and spoke.
"Hehe. You get slapped by the Sadocheon, yet you vent your anger on us. How pathetic."
"Silence!"
*Rumble!*
The space trembled at Hyeon-un's roar.
A massive wave of energy erupted from the Daoist master.
*Crash!*
Naturally, Dan Gyo-ik released his own energy to counter it, causing the room to vibrate violently.
"I only called something pathetic what it is, yet you rage so. It seems you, too, realize how pathetic you look, yes?"
"You wicked bastard...!"
Both of them were masters who had surpassed the Transformation Realm and reached the threshold of the Profound Realm.
They were prominent powerhouses representing the Murim Alliance and the Black Hegemony Castle.
If such masters clashed in earnest, anyone caught in the crossfire of their energy waves could have their internal pathways ruptured and die.
Naturally, the original purpose of the meeting would vanish, replaced by a bloody battle to the death.
In this touch-and-go situation...
"I, too, wish to take your head, but let us stop here," Dan Gyo-ik said, withdrawing his pressure first with his signature unpleasant smile.
"We cannot allow others to reap the benefits of our conflict."
"...!"
'If the two of us fight, the Sadocheon will only benefit again.'
That was what Dan Gyo-ik was implying.
Though he wanted nothing more than to strike down the sinister bastard before him right this instant...
'...Infinite Amitabha.'
Daoist Hyeon-un chanted a prayer in his mind and slowly withdrew his energy.
"By the way," Dan Gyo-ik said, shifting the mood after defusing the tension with a single sentence.
He looked at Jang Bo-heum with a meaningful gaze.
"How is it that no matter how long we wait, your leader has yet to show his face?"
At the mention of Jeok-un's absence, Jang Bo-heum's expression faltered for the first time.
But it was only for a brief moment. Jang Bo-heum calmly delivered his prepared response.
"...As I have already explained, our leader has stepped out briefly to attend to some business. We have sent word, so he should be returning in haste..."
"Oh? You say that, but it feels more like he will never return. Am I wrong?"
"—!"
Dan Gyo-ik cut Jang Bo-heum off, speaking with absolute certainty.
A cold smile played on his lips.
'Jeok-un is not here.'
That was the conclusion Dan Gyo-ik had reached after secretly ordering his subordinates to investigate upon entering the premises.
He believed Jeok-un hadn't just stepped out, but had fled entirely.
"Hmm..."
Daoist Hyeon-un also seemed to have realized this, slowly stroking his beard.
"It appears this fellow named Jeok-un, who supposedly killed Dang Maeng, is either gravely injured and recuperating, or has fled back to your headquarters..."
Dan Gyo-ik unleashed a sharp aura, thrusting it toward Jang Bo-heum.
It was as sharp as a piercing dagger.
"Do you lot honestly think you can withstand our onslaught?"
"..."
Jang Bo-heum could say nothing. Confirmed in his suspicions, Dan Gyo-ik intensified his pressure, cornering him further.
"If you hand over the sacred relic now and pay reparations, we might be inclined to show mercy, but..."
Before Dan Gyo-ik could finish his sentence...
*Whoosh!*
*Swish!*
A colossal presence suddenly manifested in the hallway, and a chilly breeze swept into the room as if reacting to it.
As if the very atmosphere was being forcibly cleansed, Dan Gyo-ik shut his mouth and stared down the hallway.
'What is this?!'
'Who is—'
*Step. Step.*
Just as the two of them harbored doubts, a voice echoed alongside the sound of footsteps.
"Tsk. I told them to put the front gate back up, but they still haven't done it. They never listen."
As the voice grew clearer, the faces of Jang Bo-heum and Yang Gang brightened.
*Creak—!*
The door swung open, and a man stepped inside.
"...!"
'Is that him—!'
Everyone's eyes locked onto him.
Jang Bo-heum, Yang Gang, Daoist Hyeon-un, and Dan Gyo-ik.
The gazes of the four men were entirely different.
In Yang Gang's eyes was deep emotion.
In Daoist Hyeon-un's was bewilderment.
In Dan Gyo-ik's was curiosity.
And in Jang Bo-heum's eyes was absolute trust.
Receiving their various emotions and reactions with indifference, Jeok-un curled his lips into a smirk.
"Oh? What do we have here?"
His gaze shifted toward the two men sitting in the seats of honor.
Daoist Hyeon-un and Dan Gyo-ik.