The Heavenly Lord's Insight
Cheon Yong-hyeon spoke with measured courtesy. “We shall return to the Baekri Clan now. Though our stay was brief, I am grateful for the generous hospitality you have shown us.”
“It is I who should offer thanks,” Baekri Hyeok replied. “You have raised my only son to the Hwajing realm. If it were up to me, I would have you take even more in return.”
“This is already more than sufficient. Any further gifts might invite rumors of collusion between Sapaecheon and the Hubei Alliance. Should our friendly relations become public knowledge, it would spell disaster for both sides.”
Baekri Hyeok shook his head at the sight of the carriages laden with treasures. He had firmly refused, yet Cheon Yong-hyeon had insisted until the wagons overflowed. In truth, the lord of Sapaecheon had wished to give even more, but Baekri Hyeok had declined with quiet dignity. That refusal had revealed to Cheon Yong-hyeon that the man known as the Sword Sovereign was not only a peerless swordsman but a person of true character.
With that realization, Cheon Yong-hyeon declared without hesitation, “Kahahaha! I like you more with every passing moment. I swear it here and now: so long as the Hubei Alliance does not strike first, Sapaecheon will never bar your path. The Murim Alliance, however… will continue on its present course.”
“I am grateful for your consideration, Lord of Heaven.”
Baekri Hyeok clasped his hands in salute, and Cheon Yong-hyeon nodded in satisfaction. With this, the Hubei Alliance had secured a favorable relationship. Not only had they diminished the Murim Alliance’s influence, but they had also created a political climate in which open opposition to the Murim Alliance was now possible. Whatever Sapaecheon chose to do, the Hubei Alliance would focus on protecting the common people, allowing territorial disputes to arise freely.
Cheon Yong-hyeon decided to offer one more piece of information they would soon discover anyway. “Ah, and the Murim Alliance has a new leader.”
“Is that true? Has Namgung Yeong stepped down?”
“A succession struggle took place. Moyong Gwang, patriarch of the Moyong Clan, emerged victorious. Much will change once you return.”
Baekri Hyeok fell silent. The Murim Alliance’s leader, long thought unchangeable, had been replaced—and by Moyong Gwang, the very man renowned for his integrity. What would become of the Hubei Alliance, founded on the premise that the Murim Alliance was corrupt? It seemed their return to the clan would be anything but quiet.
The moment the Baekri procession departed Sapaecheon’s main fortress, Seo Su-yeon, who had been observing the exchange, asked sharply, “Did you accept my proposal because you already knew how they would act?”
“Everything you said was correct. We have already lost a great deal of strength. We need allies we can rely on.”
“It is unlikely that only the Pa Cheon Fist Sect has fallen to the Heavenly Demon Cult. The underworld is the most fertile ground for the Cult’s infiltration. When people hear of nameless wanderers from the black path, they simply accept it. The martial world is vast, sects are numerous, and the number of annihilated clans easily exceeds several hundred. Thus, the black path offers the perfect environment for the Cult to operate in secret. That is how one of the Ten Great Masters, Neunghogun, was able to act as a spy for the Cult.”
“Su-yeon.”
“Yes.”
“Summon the chief of the Seventy-Two Green Forest Strongholds and the chief of the Eighteen Yangtze River Strongholds at once.”
“Under what pretext?”
“One of the Four Heavenly Gates stands empty. Tell them that if they wish to ascend, they had best hurry.”
The Green Forest and Yangtze River Strongholds were alliances of mountain bandits and river pirates. Though they operated in different spheres from Sapaecheon, they were still part of the unorthodox path and maintained close ties. Even combined, however, they could never surpass Sapaecheon’s fortress. They had long coveted a seat among the Four Heavenly Gates, and now that the opportunity was being offered, they would come running.
“A bloody wind is coming,” Cheon Yong-hyeon murmured. “A storm of blood that no one can stop.”
“…What shall we do?”
Seo Su-yeon chose her words carefully. Cheon Yong-hyeon occasionally displayed insight beyond even his own expectations. No matter how absurd his words might sound, she never dismissed them lightly.
“Why do you think the Heavenly Demon Cult revealed itself at this moment?”
“On the surface, their goal appears to be demonstrating their continued strength by destroying the Baekri Clan and thereby unsettling the entire martial world. When people grow wary, they become sensitive, and even minor disputes can escalate into uncontrollable conflicts. If the Cult’s agents within both orthodox and unorthodox factions deliberately sow division…”
“They intend to spark another Great War between the Orthodox and Unorthodox factions, thereby creating an opportunity to reduce the martial world’s overall strength.”
“Yet the Sword Sovereign, a man who defies common sense, survived, and their plan failed.”
“Yes. According to the Hao Clan’s investigation, the Baekri Clan was defended by two Hwajing masters and numerous Transcendent Peak experts at the time. Furthermore, Young Lord Baekri Hyeong’s martial prowess was said to rival that of the Cult’s most elite demonic masters.”
“Hmm… So that is the extent of it.”
When Cheon Yong-hyeon had first learned that Baekri Hyeong was the one who had elevated Cheon Hwangyeol to the Hwajing realm, he had been astonished—not merely because the boy had reached that level, but because every flaw in the Silent Dragon Mixed Origin Fist had vanished. That could only mean Baekri Hyeong had guided Cheon Hwangyeol into a state of selflessness and corrected the technique’s forms. It was an unfathomable talent. And now it turned out the boy’s strength was comparable to the Cult’s top demonic experts.
“In other words, the current Baekri Clan possesses three Hwajing masters and the calamity known as the Sword Sovereign… and even after mobilizing over a hundred Transcendent Peak experts alongside one of the Ten Great Masters, the Cult still failed.”
“Yet another thought occurred to me. Perhaps they also wished to gauge the true strength of the so-called Murim Five Sovereigns while revealing their own power.”
The Heavenly Demon Cult had once invaded the martial world only to be shattered by the masters who rallied around the Heavenly Sovereign. That Heavenly Sovereign had reached the Life-and-Death realm, a feat so rare in martial history that it bordered on madness. His current status was unknown, but if alive he would be over one hundred and fifty years old. In short, the Heavenly Sovereign could no longer fight.
“They wished to determine whether any warrior of Heavenly Sovereign caliber still exists in the present martial world. This incident was their way of testing the Sword Sovereign’s strength.”
“I see.”
Cheon Yong-hyeon clicked his tongue. Listening to Seo Su-yeon, he felt an inexplicable sense of dissonance. Even if the Cult had wanted confirmation, would they truly sacrifice one of the Ten Great Masters in such a reckless scheme? It made no sense. Yet they had sacrificed the formidable Neunghogun, which could only mean one thing.
“The Cult’s experts… that is the key.”
“Pardon?”
“They may well possess multiple masters on par with Neunghogun.”
Seo Su-yeon was startled by the cold light in Cheon Yong-hyeon’s eyes. Whenever he wore that expression, he spoke of impossible things—yet those impossible things invariably came to pass. She closed her mouth and waited.
“Su-yeon.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“How many Transcendent Peak experts are there among the Hegemon Fist Squad?”
“Combined… roughly thirty, I believe. Why do you ask?”
Cheon Yong-hyeon hesitated, clearly wanting to speak yet lacking full confidence in his own conclusion. Seo Su-yeon sought to reassure him.
“My lord.”
“What?”
“You are the ruler of Sapaecheon, and I stand at your side. Give the order. I will see it done, no matter the cost.”
“…Heh.”
Cheon Yong-hyeon realized he had trusted others more than he trusted himself. Heartened by her words, he spoke.
“The Dragon-Phoenix Gathering next year.”
“Yes.”
“The Heavenly Demon Cult will strike then. Tell Hwangyeol to prepare the Hegemon Fist Squad to infiltrate the Murim Alliance alongside him, in case the worst should occur.”
“My lord…!”
“This is my command. Understood?”
It was an absurd order, one that could easily spark conflict. But when the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering arrived one year later, Cheon Yong-hyeon’s foresight would prove its worth.