Chapter 448
The headquarters of the Murim Alliance.
Due to the widespread attacks carried out by the Heavenly Demons across Murim, the heads and elders of various martial sects had gathered here.
Among them were Jinhyuk and the members of Veteran Corporation.
“They’re not to be taken lightly. The Heavenly Demons are one thing, but the high-ranking bloodlines they brought with them are just as monstrous.”
“We barely managed to escape with our lives, Master.”
“Yeah, yeah. And let’s not forget how a certain ‘devil covered in fur’—I mean, a certain ‘righteous citizen’—stabbed us in the back, nearly getting us all killed.”
Chun Yoosung and the spirit beasts threw in their comments.
Looking at Chun Yoosung, Jinhyuk had to admit—the guy really was something else for making it out of that hell alive.
“You did well. But… was this really necessary?”
One of his favorite outfits had been completely shredded.
That was the price of using Chun Yoosung as a sacrificial piece—he had to endure the man’s relentless rage.
“Be grateful I didn’t chop your head off. Or we can settle this right here and now if you’d prefer.”
“Eh-heh… I wasn’t trying to trick you! I just trusted you too much, that’s all!”
Jinhyuk took a cautious step back.
“More importantly, what about that Heavenly Demon, Beauregard? We went through the trouble of taking him prisoner, but you let him go so easily.”
Alice tilted her head in confusion.
To an outsider, it certainly seemed strange.
But Beauregard was a virus—one that had been planted inside Guntafer’s ranks to bring him down from within.
“Just wait. When the time comes, you’ll see something amazing.”
His real moment to shine would come much later.
And that timing would depend entirely on the cards both sides had prepared.
Right now, however, they didn’t need small, unpredictable variables.
They needed a decisive blow—something that would flip the entire board.
“As requested, everything is prepared.”
A man from the Wudang Sect stepped forward.
One of the slaves Jinhyuk had properly ‘educated’ the last time he was in Murim.
It seemed he had improved considerably since then—the aura radiating from his body was completely different.
“You only selected warriors at the peak level or higher, correct?”
“Yes. Only the finest of the finest. No matter what task you have in mind, they will not be lacking.”
“Good. This will be a dangerous job, so make sure they eat well before setting out.”
“I have already instructed the master chefs to prepare a feast.”
Right on cue—
A mouthwatering aroma filled the air.
It seemed they weren’t just all talk; they had actually prepared a proper meal.
Boom!
Alice stomped on the ground.
With the most solemn and dignified expression in the world.
“W-What now?”
“I must announce something.”
“Announce what?”
“I, too, must eat my fill before battle. So take me to wherever that delicious smell is coming from, immediately.”
They say a well-fed ghost looks better, but apparently, the same applied to vampires.
Alice, with drool pooling at the corners of her mouth, had clearly already lost her grip on reason.
There was no helping it.
Both his master and the Heavenly Demon were still recovering from internal injuries.
That meant Alice was one of the strongest fighters they had left, and it wouldn’t do to upset her.
—
One of the banquet halls of the Murim Alliance—Blue Lotus Pavilion.
Sizzle!
Crispy, golden Peking duck.
Fragrant and savory Yu Xiang Pork.
Melt-in-your-mouth Dongpo Pork Belly.
Spicy Sichuan-style sweet and sour pork.
An array of the finest delicacies from all across the land had been laid out.
“This… this is heaven.”
Alice’s eyes sparkled.
Every time she visited Murim, one thing was undeniable—the food was top-tier.
And then—
Chomp.
A sweet, rich liquid trickled down her fangs.
Jinhyuk didn’t often offer his blood, even when Alice needed to fight at full strength.
“Fufufu…”
Like a leech, Alice clung to his arm, a blissful smile spreading across her face.
“Just… please go easy, alright? You know the recommended blood donation limit, right?”
“I do not care for such trivial matters. Hold still, unless you want me to bite straight into your artery. My mana has not fully recovered yet.”
“…….”
This was getting worrisome.
If he wasn’t careful, he’d be completely drained before the battle even began.
At this rate, he might need to single-handedly hunt down every high-ranking bloodline member just to make up for it.
And just then—
Fwoosh!
Blue flames erupted in front of the pond.
Shiiing!
Chun Yoosung instinctively unsheathed his sword, assuming a battle stance.
Even Alice paused her feast for a moment.
This phenomenon—
“A demon….”
One of Guntafer’s bloodline had arrived.
“Hmm. So this is the so-called Murim Alliance.”
“Nice to see that even in the middle of a crisis, you people still find time to stuff your faces.”
A pair of figures emerged—one with long black horns and pale white skin.
Karlbander and Marianne.
Direct descendants of Guntafer’s bloodline.
“You dare to step foot here, just the two of you?”
“We will have our vengeance for the Namgung Clan!”
The rage toward the Heavenly Demons and demons was immeasurable—thousands of people had lost their families and friends.
“This is why I hate dealing with creatures who let their emotions control them.”
“Calm yourself, Marianne. Inferior races will always act according to their nature. But once they hear our proposal, I believe their opinions will change.”
“I hope so, Brother.”
The two of them paid no attention to the hostility around them and continued speaking.
Needless to say, their arrogance only made them more detestable.
“Strike them down!”
“As you command!”
Weapons were drawn in unison.
“We will halt our invasion of Murim. On one condition. If you agree, not a single more life will be lost.”
“Furthermore, as compensation for this incident, we will grant Murim dominion over the 29th floor.”
The 29th floor—the boundary separating the middle and upper levels of the Tower.
If they secured control over that layer, no one in the middle levels would dare challenge Murim’s authority.
“……!”
A stunned silence filled the room.
“Surely, you’re not seriously considering their vile words! We must execute them at once!”
A voice from the Namgung Clan broke the silence, filled with fury.
—
The loss of a family head—what sweet words could possibly sway them now?
However, as the leader of the Murim Alliance, the situation demanded more than just revenge.
‘If the higher powers move in full force, even if all of Murim unites, we won’t stand a chance. The Heavenly Demon, as powerful as he was, has already been defeated.’
They were fighting merely to survive.
But if there was a way to avoid total annihilation…
As the leader of Murim—
It was his duty to ensure that as many people as possible lived.
“What are your terms?”
“Abandon Kang Jinhyuk and the Heavenly Demon.”
“…That is a difficult request. He is Murim’s benefactor.”
“Yes, I’ve heard as much. That he saved Murim once before. But tell me—if clinging to one so-called hero leads to the total destruction of Murim… can you still call him a benefactor?”
Karlbander shrugged.
It was nonsense, a blatant falsehood.
But when spoken from a position of power, even nonsense could become an undeniable truth.
However—
“Wow, that’s some next-level bullshit. So if they throw me away, you’ll leave Murim alone?”
A voice cut through the discussion.
Jinhyuk had arrived.
“We’re simply relaying Lord Guntafer’s offer.”
“As long as we kill you, we don’t care what happens to Murim.”
“Sure, that makes sense for you. But what about the Heavenly Demons you made a pact with? Do you think they’ll agree to this?”
Their goal was to conquer Murim.
This so-called “deal” was something the Heavenly Demons would never accept.
No, more than that—
“You don’t even believe in this offer yourselves. From the very start.”
Then why bother with this entire charade?
There was only one reason.
To stall for time.
More specifically, to delay the hatching of the ancient species’ egg.
Jinhyuk had a pretty good idea of what Guntafer was up to right now.
Currently, there was only one place in Murim that provided the ideal conditions for hatching the egg.
They were putting on this act just to secure that location.
“Take them out. They’re worthless.”
“Wait, we’re not here to fight—”
Thunk.
Tch.
Chun Yoosung and Alice moved simultaneously.
A sword strike aimed straight at Karlbander’s neck.
Clang!
Karlbander barely managed to draw his blade in time to block.
“I am an emissary! What kind of lunatics attack an envoy?!”
“Did you think being an envoy made you untouchable? Throughout history, people have always executed envoys they didn’t like.”
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Alice’s crimson whip lashed out mercilessly.
Now that she had absorbed pure mana through blood, its power was overwhelming.
One strike was enough to completely reshape the landscape around the pond.
Chun Yoosung, already brimming with pent-up fury from dealing with the bloodlines, was just as relentless.
This was much tougher than they had expected.
“Alliance Leader! Will you really entrust Murim’s future to these people?!”
“…….”
The leader of the Murim Alliance remained silent.
Karlbander had assumed he would take the bait, but things weren’t going as planned.
“You’ll regret killing us. If you knew what was happening right now—”
“I know.”
“What?”
“Guntafer and the rest of your main forces are heading to the Gray Mist Valley, aren’t they? And from the looks of it, you also know I have the Eternal Campfire in my possession.”
“You… You couldn’t have…?”
“Yet instead of stopping me right away, you stayed here playing this little charade. Why?”
Karlbander and Marianne’s pupils trembled.
Yes, their actions made no sense.
Unless—
Jinhyuk had deliberately stayed put to lull Guntafer into a false sense of security.
That explanation tied everything together perfectly.
—
Gray Mist Valley.
A treacherous terrain, shrouded in mist.
Even the most skilled herbalists and mountain seekers avoided this place.
“As expected, the energy here is exceptional. The mist blanketing the valley prevents mana from escaping.”
Guntafer murmured in admiration.
This was undoubtedly the perfect place to hatch the ancient species.
And it was also the ideal environment for utilizing the Eternal Campfire.
Had they overlooked this location, another ancient species could have been born without their knowledge.
“You truly provided useful information. It has put my mind at ease.”
“Think nothing of it. I’m just glad I could be of assistance.”
Guntafer turned to Beauregard with a satisfied expression.
The two bloodline members were keeping the Murim Alliance occupied, buying them valuable time.
With this, the enemy’s only viable card would be rendered useless.
“…Giiiii.”
A strange sound echoed.
It was faint, but it reverberated across the valley, making it impossible to dismiss as mere hallucination.
“Did you hear that just now?”
“Hear what?”
“I swear I just—”
“Mooiiiiii—giii!”
This time, the voice rang out clearly.