Chapter 306: Martial Alliance (1)
The heart of Luoyang.
The heads of various sects symbolizing the Nine Schools were gathered here.
Since the Heavenly Demon Cult had declared a massive war and announced their advance into Central China, all the sects were on high alert.
From the Wudang Sect, there was ‘So Yoohyun’.
From Mount Hua, ‘Ha Ryeohwa’.
From Kunlun, ‘Dan Mokil’.
From the Beggar Sect, ‘Geol Junggil’.
From Shaolin, ‘Hye Myung’.
All of them were high-ranking masters from their respective sects.
It wasn’t easy to gather such figures in one place, but considering the gravity of the situation, it still felt insufficient.
“Where is the Alliance Leader?”
“He is on his way after finishing some business. He should arrive within a day or two at the latest.”
“It’s troublesome. Of all times, he had to be in Hebei for business.”
“Apologies. Our leader is quite unpredictable… We barely managed to locate him in Hebei.”
“Haha! Isn’t it all according to Buddha’s will? Let’s not rush and wait patiently. Amitabha.”
Various opinions flowed from everyone’s mouths.
At that moment…
“Waiting for days will be too late. The Jiangshi prepared by the Heavenly Demon Cult are strong and fast. They’ve already taken over Qinghai Province, and the Northwest region is also in danger. Soon, Luoyang here will fall into their hands.”
Someone spoke up.
It wasn’t from someone seated, but from an outsider’s position.
A woman with short hair and a pure appearance.
It was Chu Hon Sayeong.
Next to her were Chun Yoosung with a blank expression and Teresa looking a bit nervous.
So Yoohyun, who had been listening to Chu Hon Sayeong quietly, let out a long sigh.
“So, Lady Chu Hon Sayeong, do you want us to accept your previous proposal?”
“Yes, I believe it is the only way.”
“You know our position well.”
“Of course, but I urge you to listen to reason rather than emotion once more.”
Chu Hon Sayeong had repeated the same proposal several times, but the Martial Alliance had flatly rejected it.
It was a natural response.
The proposal Chu Hon Sayeong mentioned… was to seek help from the players.
Indeed, some players had reached a level where they could be considered valuable allies.
Like Chun Yoosung and Teresa, who were present here now.
However, the problem was that the key figure at this moment had a significant grudge with the martial world.
“The Five Great Families will soon be here, but many of them have suffered at his hands. Some have even lost their disciples.”
Dan Mokil of Kunlun added a word.
“Elder Dan is correct. We have already made a significant concession by lifting the Pursuit Order.”
Many precious disciples of their sects had been lost on the lower floors of the tower.
It wasn’t something they could simply forget and move on from.
“Oh my. So, are you saying that even if the entire martial world turns into a sea of fire, there’s nothing we can do?”
“Chu Hon Sayeong!”
“Turning into a sea of fire is an exaggeration.”
“Haha! This isn’t the first time the Heavenly Demon Cult has invaded the martial world. We also have hundreds of formidable masters.”
“Besides, according to the intelligence division, Tae Moo Dae, the Heavenly Demon himself has disappeared. While it’s true that we shouldn’t let our guard down, we can defeat them with the Martial Alliance’s strength alone.”
The Heavenly Demon Cult without the Heavenly Demon couldn’t even display half of its power.
That was a shared belief among all those affiliated with the Martial Alliance.
Then, at that moment…
Creak…
The door opened.
There were still a few hours left until the representatives of the Five Great Families would arrive.
Who could it be at this hour?
As all eyes turned…
“Excuse me. I seem to be a bit late.”
Jinhyuk appeared, smiling sheepishly.
“No way…!”
“How dare that guy show up here!”
“What were the guards outside doing?”
“Ho…”
“Haha!”
The representatives of the Martial Alliance inside shouted.
“You… don’t seem very welcomed here, do you?”
Alice shrugged her shoulders.
“They’re just pretending not to like me. I’ll handle this, so just watch.”
I never expected things to go smoothly anyway.
Honestly, there was no reason to get along with these guys in the first place.
Step.
Jinhyuk walked confidently and sat at the table.
“Mr. Jinhyuk.”
“Tsk. Move quickly.”
“Hehe. We meet again, Mr. Kang.”
The three of them greeted Jinhyuk with relative friendliness.
“Who… allowed you to come in here?”
So Yoohyun’s eyebrows furrowed into an inverted V.
Rumble!
The teacups on the table shook violently.
The cups cracked and splintered.
Breaking through the peak of power and entering the supreme realm at a young age was no bluff.
Jinhyuk was also quite surprised by So Yoohyun’s murderous aura.
In a completely different sense, though.
Is this the best a Wudang elder can do…?
‘This is serious.’
Even though he was at the same supreme level, compared to the Heavenly Demon Cult, he was still at a novice level.
He’d be finished in five moves against my master…
At best, that was his level.
If I raised the Black Heaven Demonic Art to 7 stars or more, I could clearly envision him turning to dust.
‘Even for me, twenty moves would be enough.’
How could a Wudang Taoist be so weak, have they been soaked in peace for so long?
But suddenly, something crossed his mind.
‘No, it’s not that the opponent is weak.’
To other players, So Yoohyun would still appear as a monster beyond the sky.
So formidable that a main attack squad of a guild would have to raid him.
It’s just…
‘I’ve grown stronger.’
Overwhelming growth and monopolizing opportunities.
He had grown stronger and stronger beyond comparison.
Moreover, recently, he had fought against formidable opponents like Yaksha and Abigail.
Their feeble threats sounded like a child’s tantrum to him.
“…You bastard…!”
Failing to intimidate with his aura, So Yoohyun’s face turned red.
Meanwhile, Geol Junggil looked at Jinhyuk with an interested expression.
“Interesting fellow. It doesn’t seem like you came all the way here just to provoke us. What do you have to say?”
“Reason? We should cut off his head right now!”
Srrrng!
Unable to contain his anger, So Yoohyun half-drew his sword.
“Calm down, Taoist. The fact that he came despite expecting this reaction means he has something to say, doesn’t it?”
“Thankfully, there are still reasonable people here. Yes, I came here to make a proposal.”
Jinhyuk pulled out a map from his coat.
It was a map that encompassed not only Luoyang but also the headquarters of the Heavenly Demon Cult in the Ten Thousand Great Mountains and the entire Central China.
However, what made everyone gasp in shock were the numerous arrows and words written on the map.
Main strongholds and transport routes.
Classified information of the sects and the imperial family was revealed without filters.
Although some parts were erased, it was clear that the remaining content was of significant importance.
“This is…”
“No way, this is impossible!”
“How do you know all this?”
How, indeed.
You guys have only fought in the righteous war three times at most?
‘I have fought in the righteous war in this stage 27 times.’
After going through countless wars, my mind and body naturally remembered.
How the enemy would act, and how they would attack this place, all of it.
But I couldn’t say that outright.
“We captured a spy from the Heavenly Demon Cult in the Martial Alliance. His name was something like… Ma… Anyway, he knew a lot. Thanks to his kind information, we had a warm conversation.”
It was true that he was still alive.
It was true that I got the information.
Except for the warm conversation part, most of what I said was accurate.
“A spy? Who are you talking about?”
“When you say captured, does that mean you have him with you?”
“Answer immediately!”
“We are asking you!”
Everyone pressed for answers.
Of course, Jinhyuk wasn’t one to get intimidated by such words.
“Listen.”
It was absurd to be the guest and act like the host.
Shouldn’t you at least say ‘thank you’ for giving you this information instead of demanding more?
You don’t seem to understand the situation, so let me make it clear who’s in charge here.
“I’m the one giving the information, and I’m the one deciding how much to reveal. Don’t ask for more. Frankly, whether the martial world perishes or not is none of my concern.”
“In other words… you want us to follow your script?”
“Precisely.”
Should I give him a ‘Good job’ stamp?
I’m glad there’s someone who understands quickly.
“The main Jiangshi forces of the Heavenly Demon Cult are coming through seven paths in total. I can tell you the fastest route. Of course, you will have to pay a proper price for that information.”
“Pay a price?”
“Of course. Nothing in this world is free. I heard Wudang’s elixir, Jasodan, is highly effective… Is that true? Ah! And Mount Hua’s Plum Blossom Sword is also a renowned sword. Moreover, my pet loves jewels, so please prepare a lot of those as well.”
An outrageous demand.
The atmosphere inside the meeting room grew even more hostile due to the absurd request to hand over the treasures and vast wealth of the sects.
However, only Geol Junggil alternated his gaze between the information on the map and Jinhyuk.
He repeated the process several times.
“…….”
The silence didn’t last long.
Geol Junggil seemed to have made a decision, biting his lips.
Even with part of the information erased, the remaining details should be enough to verify its authenticity.
“Alright. Once the Alliance Leader arrives, I will bring this matter directly to him.”
“Wait a moment!”
“Are you serious?”
“Calm down. I am not making a decision; I am merely stating that I will discuss it with the Alliance Leader.”
“That’s a wise decision. In the meantime, I’ll be sightseeing around the Imperial City. Let me know when a decision is made. Let’s go, Alice.”
“Okay.”
Jinhyuk and Alice leisurely walked out the way they came.
At a place where a gigantic waterfall merged with nature.
While watching the moonlit scenery, Sama-ja slowly opened his mouth.
“Shimmasha Ryung. Do you know about the Blue Dragon?” [1]
The Blue Dragon.
One of the Four Divine Beasts symbolizing the four cardinal directions, the Azure Dragon of the East. [2]
“Of course… I’ve heard of it.”
Shimmasha Ryung nodded.
Even he had grown up hearing about the mythological and legendary creatures.
They were mostly stories that stimulated children’s imaginations.
“But, Your Excellency, isn’t the important thing right now how to penetrate the enemy’s heart? Shouldn’t we be focusing on that?”
While he understood reminiscing about the past due to the beautiful scenery, now was not the time.
However, despite Shimmasha Ryung’s urgency, Sama-ja continued to smile.
“You fail to see the essence. While our forces are strong, breaking through the defense net they’ve set up like a beehive will be difficult. Especially since the Martial Alliance Leader broke through our wall.”
“You mean he is at the same level as Your Excellency.”
“Indeed. Thus, pointless attrition battles will not only fail to change the tide but will also waste our strength.”
“So, Your Excellency, what plan do you have in mind?”
“I already mentioned it, didn’t I? Do you know about the Blue Dragon?”
Just as Sama-ja finished speaking.
Whoosh!
The direction of the torch flames subtly shifted with the wind.
Then, the scenery began to change gradually.
What had seemed like a massive mountain…
Was not a mountain.
“No way…”
Indeed.
The enormous object standing tens of meters tall was a majestic and fearsome dragon statue.
Its appearance suggested it might move at any moment.
It wasn’t merely a statue; every detail seemed alive.
“Could it be… Your Excellency…?”
Shimmasha Ryung’s voice trembled violently.
“Isn’t it interesting?”
Having the Azure Dragon, which controls rain and clouds with its dragon ball, roam the martial world?
Sama-ja’s lips curled upwards.
“The existence of the Heavenly Demon is inconsequential.”
Both Yaksha and the Jiangshi were mere parts of the plan.
“From now on, the history of the martial world will be rewritten by my hands alone, by Sama-ja.”
A unified martial world that no one had ever achieved.
The impossible challenge would be ended by one person.
“Kuhuhu… Hahahahaha!”
Facing the gigantic dragon statue, Sama-ja burst into mad laughter.
Footnotes:
[1] *Shimmasha Ryung (심마사령): A title meaning “Commander of the Inner Demons,” signifying a high-ranking position of control over powerful malevolent spirits or internal struggles.
[2] In Korean culture and folklore, the Azure Dragon represents the East, the element of wood, and the season of spring. It is a powerful and benevolent guardian that controls the rain and embodies strength, protection, and authority.