The Impending Storm
I decided I should head straight to Sohye and Hyewon. On my way down to the dining hall, I heard a commotion coming from the main gate.
'Is something happening?'
"The Eldest Young Master has arrived!"
At the booming announcement, I looked toward the gate. A man was leading a group of attendants inside. He looked to be about 180 centimeters tall, and his unique beard was quite striking. That strange beard? Could it be? As far as I knew, there was only one person with a beard that bizarre...
Right! I remembered. He was the last survivor of a sect that had been wiped out by the Blood Sect, an extra character who appeared in the middle of the novel. Yes... his name was—
Just then, the Eldest Young Master spotted me and approached rapidly. "Gihu, you're up! How is your body? Are you alright?"
"Brother Jeri, I apologize for causing you worry. I feel perfectly healthy now."
— Son Jeri. The first son of the Sa-geom Sect, a promising rising star in the Murim Alliance, and a talent who had already reached the initial stage of the Peak Stage at a young age. Looking at him up close, he was handsome, taking after our father, but he somehow gave off the impression of a field mouse. It might sound strange, but his overall features were just like a mouse. And that unique fox-like beard and his name... even so, he was just an extra I remembered, one who would die shortly after meeting the protagonist.
'If Jeri was the first son of the Sa-geom Sect, he was originally destined to die, too.'
Only after seeing Jeri did the mystery of why the Four Gods Body never appeared in the novel resolve itself. He must have died while undergoing the transformation into the Four Gods Body, or he was wiped out during the Blood Sect's raid.
'In any case, there was never a chance for this guy to appear on the main stage of the story.'
Was he some kind of MacGuffin?
"Haha! Your internal energy is solid; your momentum feels like that of a First-Class martial artist. Congratulations, little brother."
"Thank you, Brother Jeri."
Jeri was genuinely happy that his younger brother's cultivation had improved. He looked like the ideal older brother.
"I'm glad to hear you're healthy. You seem to have more confidence than before, which is good to see. Where is the second brother? I came to visit personally, but I don't see him. I was truly worried when I heard you had coughed up blood... Regardless, I'm just glad you're safe, Gihu."
His sincere concern for Gihu made me feel a bit better. 'I guess this is a family with deep brotherly bonds.'
As I nodded, accepting the situation, Jeri lowered his voice so only I could hear, his expression turning dark. "...Gihu, just in case, you should follow me."
Jeri told his attendants to take a rest and led me toward Father's room. What was this? He didn't just come to see me, did he?
Father and Mother opened their arms, clearly delighted to see us. "Our son! You've come! Are you eating well? Nothing wrong, is there?"
"I'm doing well. I'm just glad to see both Mother and Father look healthy and unharmed."
"Oh, Jeri! You've returned. But what brings you here? I received your letter, but aren't you the Department Head of the Murim Alliance's Hebei Branch? Is it alright for you to be wandering around like this?"
Thank you for the clear explanation, Father. Mother served tea to the family members sitting there and then stepped outside. Jeri continued with a grim face.
"It's nothing else... I came here personally because I have important information to share."
At those words, Father asked back with a serious expression. "What is it? Didn't you say in your letter that you would come soon? Don't stall, just tell me."
Jeri opened his mouth cautiously. "The recent behavior of the Black Path factions is quite ominous."
"What do you mean? When have the Black Path bastards ever been quiet?"
Jeri shook his head. "It's not something you can think of so simply. Even if it's not the entire Evil Sect alliance, we've captured movements of some factions colluding with the Blood Sect. The Black Path forces are already running wild in the Anhui and Shandong regions, and damage has begun to spread."
"Hmph... aren't those just some incompetent Black Path nobodies? It's been over a decade since the Blood Demon died... there's no need to worry about such small fry. The sect leader of the Tianjin Sect said something similar recently... If those Black Path nobodies or the remnants of the Blood Sect dare to run wild in this vicinity, I will personally take their lives!"
Should I say he was truly the sect leader of the Sa-geom Sect? My majestic father, who had one foot in the Transcendence realm, was overflowing with confidence. However, even after hearing Father's confident reply, Jeri's expression remained dark. After hesitating, Jeri finally spoke.
"Father, this... this is truly critical information."
Perhaps sensing his son's unusual reaction, the Sect Leader asked cautiously. "What is it?"
Jeri replied in a depressed tone. "Half a year ago... the current Blood Demon appeared, and the Blood Sect is praising him as the strongest Blood Demon in history, calling him the Blood Demon Great Emperor."
Father was shocked. "What? Is that true? The Blood Demon has reappeared?"
"Yes. That's not all. The Murim Alliance monitoring team that was watching the Blood Sect's main palace in the Tianshan Mountains has been completely wiped out. It's not certain yet, but isn't it obvious that the Blood Sect bastards will bring a bloodbath to the entire Murim world again? The Murim Alliance headquarters is currently preparing for war. Official documents were sent to each branch a while ago. The leadership of the Nine Sects and One Clan, including the Beggars' Sect, is controlling the information, but... it won't be two months before the news spreads across all of Murim."
Hearing that, Father sighed and replied. "Hoo, you're right. Those Blood Sect lunatics aren't the type to stay still... But why are you telling me this? Is there more?"
Jeri, his face pale, continued. "Yes, Father. Originally, I intended to come and visit the second brother and Gihu as well. But on my way here, I checked on the Dujeong Sect and the Tianjin Sect, and..."
For some reason, I felt like I knew what Jeri was going to say next. Given this flow, it was obviously...
"Is that so? You did well. I don't know about the Dujeong Sect, but the Sect Leader of the Tianjin Sect is a man of upright character and integrity. Isn't he a close friend of mine? What did they say when you went there?"
"Th-that is..."
"Why can't you speak! Just say it clearly. Hurry!"
Perhaps Father also sensed something from his son's tone? He urged his son to answer.
"Both places have been wiped out."
"Wh-what...? Wiped out?" Father was so flustered he couldn't continue.
"Furthermore, judging by the circumstances, I believe all the sects in this vicinity have been wiped out..." Jeri couldn't continue.
"What kind of nonsense is that? I received liquor sent by the Tianjin Sect Leader just last week!"
Hearing that, Jeri looked determined as he spoke to Father. "Father, please listen to me carefully from now on. The Hebei region is already dangerous. There will likely be an attack on the Sa-geom Sect within a week. It's almost certain. I brought the Earth Sword Unit as guards on my way here, so please, let's take only our family and escape."
"What are you talking about? Jeri... the Sa-geom Sect is where you were born and raised. And if we leave, what will happen to our disciples and servants?"
Jeri gritted his teeth and replied. His eyes looked truly sorrowful. "Why wouldn't I know that? But this is the best option. If we try to take all the disciples, it will only become more dangerous..."
I watched the two father and son argue for a long time. But in the end, Jeri couldn't persuade Father.
"I would rather die in this Sa-geom Sect, where our ancestors established their roots, than leave."
"Hoo... Father, if that is what you say, I understand. I will go to the Hebei branch now and send reinforcements, so please wait for three days."
As soon as he finished speaking, Jeri bowed to Father and me and quickly ran out of the main gate. Watching his son's retreating figure, Father gave me a money pouch and said, "Gihu, go to the village below right now and buy everything that might help with treatment, like Golden Wound Medicine or Gold Protection Pills. Hurry!"
Perhaps realizing the danger of the top-tier information, Father, like the head of a sect, began to issue orders to his disciples and servants in an orderly fashion.
"Father, it's not too late even now. As Brother said, you should at least evacuate..." I trailed off, trying to persuade Father once more, but it was useless.
"You rascal, Gihu! Why are you so scared already? ...There's no need to worry that much. Jeri said he would send reinforcements soon, so nothing will happen. You just go and buy the medicine."
According to my eldest brother Jeri, it was clear that the Black Path bastards would attack the Sa-geom Sect in a short time. Looking at the circumstances in the novel, even if they managed to fend them off this time, it was obvious they would eventually be wiped out... There was no proper way to persuade a typical righteous-sect-old-man father.
But if I thought about it positively, couldn't we stop them this time? For now, the Sa-geom Sect was the largest mid-sized sect in the vicinity, so many Black Path members would be deployed, but since Father was here and there were many disciples who had reached the First-Class level, it didn't seem like something to worry about too much. Even Peak Stage masters weren't common, and if it was a master like Father who had one foot in the Transcendence realm, it would be hard to find anyone to oppose him.
Even if things went poorly by bad luck, there were several escort agencies and branch offices of merchant groups in the nearest village below, so they wouldn't refuse if I asked for help.
'For now, I should move too.'
I decided I should head straight to Sohye and Hyewon.