Secret Alliance
The Dark Sovereign's expression was quite grave.
"The martial world isn't ready? That sounds rather..."
"The Demonic Cult possesses more than enough power to subjugate the entire martial world. In fact, it far exceeds that. Especially..."
The Heavenly Demon.
The moment that bastard breaks his seclusion and takes a single step toward the world, a calamity on the scale of a natural disaster will sweep across the land.
The Ten Sovereigns of the Martial World?
Before him, they were nothing more than ants.
But if I said that much, the Dark Sovereign might end up doubting me even more.
So I fell silent.
"Especially what?"
"That's all you need to know. It doesn't matter if you don't believe me."
"Kuk kuk, what nonsense. You bring up something this serious, then tell me not to believe it."
The Dark Sovereign slid a cup toward me.
"Care for a drink?"
"If you're offering, I'd be grateful."
I'd been drinking since I was young.
Well, there wasn't anyone around to stop me.
As a result, my tolerance was quite high.
In my previous life, I'd even shared drinks with the Black Horn Lord a few times.
"Take it."
"Thank you."
I accepted the Dark Sovereign's drink.
And in private, no less.
It was the kind of honor that would make any martial artist die of envy.
I took the cup without hesitation and downed it in one go.
'Kuh...'
It was incredibly strong.
Unlike the refined wines brewed in the orthodox sects, the liquor from the unorthodox side had both high alcohol content and a sharp, rough flavor that was its own kind of excellence.
"I'll treat you to the Ju Family's Beautiful Wine sometime."
"Kek kek, your face didn't even change color. Looks like the rumors about you being the Ju Family's disgrace were true after all, eh?"
"Well, I can't really deny it. Not after everything I've done."
The Dark Sovereign raised his cup with a pleased expression and drained it in a single gulp.
In truth, the Dark Sovereign was quite fond of alcohol.
There was even a famous anecdote about him once setting down his sword mid-duel with the Sword Sovereign just to have a drink.
"So that's why you wanted your own information network."
"Yes. Because I can't trust anyone."
"Haha, so you've been fighting this lonely battle all by yourself. How did someone so small end up..."
"Right now there aren't any signs, so even if I told you, you wouldn't believe me."
Even if he would believe me, I didn't want to say it.
If the Demonic Cult's agents caught wind of it, that would only make things more troublesome.
"Ah, Dark Sovereign, sir."
"Haha, so it's 'sir' now?"
"You said you didn't like 'great hero.'"
"Does it matter? Well then, why did you call me?"
"There's something I'd like to ask."
Recalling what had happened during the day, I asked the Dark Sovereign.
"You've fought demonic practitioners before, haven't you?"
"Countless times. Those bastards have no lines. The orthodox have their lines, and even the unorthodox have their own boundaries. But they have none."
"Have you ever seen a demonic practitioner's eyes turn completely red?"
At my words, the Dark Sovereign's brow furrowed deeply.
"Hah, just hearing that sounds grotesque. Eyes turning red? I've seen plenty of cases where blood vessels burst and made them look that way."
"No. Not from burst capillaries or anything like that. Their eyes turn red because of demonic arts or some other reason."
"Hmm. Never seen it. The reason demonic practitioners are terrifying is because they're no different from ordinary people on the outside. Yet inside, they harbor filthy, destructive desires."
"......"
As expected.
Only I could see the red glow in the demonic practitioners' eyes.
With the Dark Sovereign's words, I could be even more certain.
"Anyway, this is troubling. I can't tell anyone about this insane story you told me... and on top of that, I have to prepare for war."
"You can prepare slowly. There's still time."
Five years until the Ju Family's annihilation.
And five more years after that until the Demonic Cult's full-scale invasion.
So at the very least, five years remained.
"Very well. I'll help you."
The Dark Sovereign had finally made his decision.
"This information network you said you'd build. How can I assist?"
"There's one place I've already marked."
There was a reason I had no choice but to tell him.
"I'll start from Gangseo, with the Black King Sect at the forefront."
"Oho, the Black King Sect's female sect leader is quite capable."
"She's a woman with excellent business acumen. Moreover, in the process of absorbing and expanding our forces, some sects aligned with the Black Horn might get hurt."
"Aha, so that's why you brought this up first. You want to fill the information network with only unorthodox people?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
I grinned at his question.
"Because of the methods, wouldn't you say?"
"Methods?"
"Unorthodox practitioners move more directly according to the logic of power than orthodox ones do. If you give them a goal, they'll use any means necessary to accomplish it without hesitation."
"Huhu, is that a compliment?"
"Yes, it is."
It might seem simple, but it created a rather significant difference.
The orthodox's sense of righteousness was far too broad, and there were many times when they ignored even the most valuable information depending on the situation.
On the other hand, the unorthodox...
If it was for money, they would do anything.
The only ones who would follow my words without any suspicion were the unorthodox practitioners.
"Very well. I'll allow it. I won't accept any reports coming from that side."
"Thank you."
A huge weight had been lifted.
I hadn't expected much, yet I'd obtained the Dark Sovereign's permission.
Since I'd minimized any potential friction with the unorthodox side, how could I not be pleased?
Thus, the Dark Sovereign and I continued raising our cups until dawn broke.
* * *
The next day.
Wooong!
I was circulating my energy in my quarters.
I expelled the lingering intoxication from last night's drinking and forced all the alcohol out of my body.
Because I had cultivated without missing a single day, my internal energy was already approaching two cycles of sixty years.
Considering my age, the speed at which my internal energy accumulated could truly be called the best in the world.
'No wonder the demonic practitioners went mad.'
This was the advantage of demonic arts.
Not only did they recover internal energy quickly, but the amount of true qi accumulated after each circulation was incomparable to any other martial art.
Of course, there was a fatal drawback.
The Dark Sovereign had told me to rest for a few days.
But there was nothing worth doing here.
I couldn't even watch the Black Horn warriors train, and more than anything, there were far too many sects that held grudges against the Ju Family.
Just walking around was enough to start a fight.
So as soon as the sun rose, I finished preparing to leave.
"You're leaving already?"
The Dark Sovereign had come to see me off personally.
"I have a lot to do. Thank you for your hospitality these past few days."
At my words, the Dark Sovereign nodded with a reluctant, regretful expression.
"Huhu, if you're set on leaving, it wouldn't be right to keep holding you back."
"I'll see you again in the future."
"What reason would we have to meet again? It'd be fortunate if we don't meet as enemies. Wait, before that."
The Dark Sovereign soon took out a letter from his robes and handed it to me.
"What is this?"
"Deliver it to the Sword Sovereign. It says that the Black Horn will be busy rooting out traitors internally for the time being, so we'll unconditionally yield."
"......"
"The matter with the Broken Arm Water Pavilion is ultimately the main sect's fault. I must take responsibility for failing to manage my subordinates."
Normally, this would have caused an enormous uproar.
But the Black Horn's general atmosphere of wanting to punish the Ju Family had been quelled by the Dark Sovereign's order to find the spies.
The Dark Sovereign turned away without any lingering attachment.
He gave nothing more than a single wave of his hand as farewell.
We immediately boarded the prepared carriage.
"Let's go."
It was time to return home.
* * *
The Ju Family's Sword Soul Hall.
I reported everything that had happened at the Black Horn to my youngest uncle.
Of course, I left out anything regarding Sa-an Gwi-gun.
"Hahaha! Well done! Truly, you've done magnificently!"
After reading the Dark Sovereign's letter, the Blood Sovereign's face was filled with laughter.
Though not servile, the Dark Sovereign had still expressed an apology to the Ju Family.
The Black Horn had bowed its head to the Ju Family.
Regardless of the reason, the mere fact that he'd obtained an apology from the Black Horn made Ju Tae-hwi's mood soar.
"Uncle. I have something to ask."
"Anything. What is it?"
"The Dark Sovereign referred to the Family Lord as 'elder brother' and called you 'younger brother'... Were you close?"
"Kuk kuk, close? Hardly. We've been beating each other up since we were young, whenever and wherever. I suppose some twisted affection developed."
Ju Tae-hwi said this while examining my body here and there.
"You weren't hurt anywhere, were you?"
"No. The Dark Sovereign took good care of me."
"Even so, unorthodox practitioners are usually quite vicious. It's impressive you came back in one piece."
Ju Tae-hwi pondered for a moment, then nodded as if he'd made a decision.
"Alright. As a reward this time, I'll give you a gift."
"Ah, a gift?"
"Yes. How about I personally give you a hundred-year-old fleeceflower root..."
Fleeceflower root was a type of ginseng.
A hundred-year-old fleeceflower root referred to ginseng that had absorbed nutrients from the earth for over a hundred years.
It was a spiritual medicine, but in truth, one couldn't expect great effects from it.
It was more like a medicinal herb for general nourishment?
"Uncle, please use that for someone else."
"Someone else? Who?"
"My guard."
"Oho, so you're talking about that Muyoung fellow."
After thinking it over, Ju Tae-hwi readily nodded.
"Very well. I'll do that. What a thoughtful child. Already looking after the people around you?"
"......"
Now he was interpreting everything I said or did in the most positive light.
If it had even the slightest effect on me, I would have taken it myself.
But honestly... a hundred-year-old fleeceflower root wouldn't do anything for me.
It was just a bitter piece of ginseng.
"By the way, the Family Lord still hasn't returned?"
"Ah."
At my words, Ju Tae-hwi's expression hardened slightly.
"I've been troubled about that as well."
"Did something happen?"
Ju Tae-hwi's face darkened.
Could something have occurred at the Zhushan Archipelago?
Ju Tae-hwi tapped the desk with his finger and continued.
"We've lost contact. We received a report that he was returning to the main house, but..."
It had already been over two weeks.
Since I'd received the report before heading to the Black Horn, it had been roughly that long.
Normally, the Ju Family required that any warrior on a mission must contact the main house at regular intervals.
This was done through messengers, carrier pigeons, or messenger hawks.
Not even elders or the Family Lord were exempt.
Yet the Sword Sovereign, who knew the family's rules and mission protocols better than anyone, had violated them?
Ju Tae-hwi believed this was definitely no ordinary matter.
"I'll go."
Hah, I couldn't just sit still.
Normally, Father should have returned by now.
In my previous life, it had been Father who handled the Black Horn affair.
But in the end, I had gone to the Black Horn, and Father still hadn't returned from the Zhushan Archipelago.
The future had changed.
Every single one of my actions was having a definite impact on the future.
"I've already dispatched warriors at top speed. You don't need to worry."
"......Then I suppose there's no choice."
That's what I said, but my true thoughts were different.
'I'll move alone.'
No matter what I said, my uncle would never let me go.
The Zhushan Archipelago was that dangerous.
Thus, as soon as I returned home, I finished preparing to secretly depart for the Zhushan Archipelago.