Chapter 271 - Ours Have Arrived Too

Seo Baekjung, master of the Heavenly Harmony School, gazed out the window.

Martial artists crossed the training grounds, laughing—a scene no different from any other day.

A good while had passed since his son's release, yet the Demonic Cult remained quiet.

'Just as I thought! What an impressive man.'

Seo Baekjung recalled the man in the bamboo hat. He had asked for his help because he believed the man could do it, but he had never expected him to resolve everything so cleanly.

His days of walking a tightrope between the orthodox, unorthodox, and demonic factions were over. Now that he owed the orthodox factions a debt, it was time to join hands with them and move forward. Naturally, he would have to do so in whatever way benefited the Heavenly Harmony School most.

Just then, his trusted aide Yu Maeng entered.

"You called for me?"

Seo Baekjung gave him a confidential order.

"Send this invitation to the Demon-Slaying Squad commander, and pass word to the gangs and sects that follow us as well."

He intended to hold a secret banquet.

He knew that the leaders of the sects following him were unhappy about his recent alliance with the orthodox factions. He needed to soothe their discontent as quickly as possible. Gathering them together took forever, but their alliance could fall apart in an instant.

His own powers of persuasion would not suffice. Jin Hagun, commander of the Demon-Slaying Squad and future Martial Alliance Leader, needed to come in person and reassure them.

'Now, I'll gather the people. Show me what you're capable of.'

* * *

Jong Yeom, leader of the Small Sword Gang, was more nervous than ever.

Though he led one of Hunan's ten foremost gangs and sects, he had never been this tense. He paced the main hall, drank water, then tea, sat down, then stood up, went in and out of the privy, and repeatedly walked around the courtyard before coming back inside.

His son, Jong Tae, found this side of his father utterly unfamiliar. His father had always cut such a dignified figure, yet now he was this nervous. He was even breaking out in a cold sweat.

"Who on earth is coming today?"

His father had sent all the gang members away on one pretext or another. Only a handful of trustworthy martial artists remained inside. Clearly, he intended to receive his guests in secret.

Someone important was certainly coming, but his father would not tell him who.

"Knowing beforehand will do you no good. Even when you find out who they are, you must not let it unsettle you. Just quietly follow my instructions."

Just then, an aide reported from outside.

"The guests have arrived."

The door opened, and a man stepped into the main hall.

Jong Tae froze at the sight of him. A terrifying scar marked the young man's face. Not only that, he was emitting a faint unorthodox qi.

'An expert from the unorthodox factions!'

The newcomer was Bi Sain, successor to the Unorthodox Alliance. Thirteen martial artists followed him inside—the Thirteen Wolves of the Unorthodox Path, who guarded him.

They spread throughout the hall, taking control of the space. Every one of them possessed an extraordinary presence.

They alone were enough to leave Jong Tae breathless, yet the most frightening men entered last.

The final two radiated a truly terrifying qi, so it was only natural that Jong Tae's knees trembled. They were supreme masters counted among the Seven Great Masters of the Unorthodox Path.

Monstrous Evil.

He had taken the Iron Man's Cleaving Strikes, a form of physical combat using the entire body, to its utmost limits. He was said to crumple iron swords like sheets of paper with his bare hands.

Eccentric and cruel, he was infamous throughout Murim. Known for inflicting excruciating pain as he killed anyone who got on his nerves, he was an unorthodox expert no one wanted to meet even in a dream.

Light Flash.

He was renowned as the foremost master of swift swordsmanship among the unorthodox factions. His Three Thunder-Chasing Sword Strikes were said to be the fastest swift sword technique on the unorthodox path.

So taciturn was he that no one knew what went through his mind. A man whose sword was swift but whose tongue was slow, he too ranked among the unorthodox factions' seven greatest experts.

Taking Geom Mugeuk's advice to heart, Bi Sain had brought two truly terrifying experts.

"Greetings, Young Sovereign. I am Jong Yeom, leader of the Small Sword Gang."

"A pleasure to meet you. I have heard much of your reputation, Gang Leader Jong."

After exchanging greetings, Bi Sain introduced Monstrous Evil and Light Flash.

Learning who they were, Jong Yeom and Jong Tae turned deathly pale and bowed deeply. The supreme unorthodox masters they had only heard of now stood before them.

At last, Jong Tae understood why his father had been so nervous—and why he had refused to tell him who was coming. Had he known beforehand, he would have been trembling beside his father.

"This is my son."

Jong Tae respectfully cupped his fist in greeting. Despite the difficult, dangerous nature of this meeting, his father had deliberately included him. He knew well what invaluable experience meeting such prominent figures would provide for a martial artist.

"Your son looks quite handsome and intelligent."

"He still has much to learn. Go and prepare some tea."

Thoroughly tense, Jong Tae brought the tea.

The cups trembled as he carried them. Both Bi Sain and Jong Yeom noticed, but neither said anything. It would have been stranger if he had not trembled while serving tea to the Unorthodox Alliance's successor, Monstrous Evil, and Light Flash.

After serving them, he stood a short distance away and listened to his father speak with Bi Sain.

"Please take the seat of honor."

Jong Yeom offered it to him, but Bi Sain declined.

"You should sit there, Gang Leader Jong."

It was as though Bi Sain were saying, I have not come to take your place.

Once Jong Yeom cautiously took his own seat, Bi Sain went straight to the point.

"You must know that the Heavenly Harmony School has joined hands with the Orthodox Martial Alliance."

"Yes, I do."

"Let me ask you plainly. Do you wish to follow the orthodox factions?"

Before hearing his answer, Bi Sain quickly added,

"Please do not misunderstand my bringing these two peerless masters as an attempt to pressure you. I brought them to show you that we will be the ones protecting the Small Sword Gang from now on."

Perhaps Bi Sain had spoken to them beforehand, for Monstrous Evil and Light Flash were quietly drinking tea without emitting any qi.

Their stillness made Bi Sain look all the more impressive. He was a man who could get these two—far better suited to making terrifying threats—to sit quietly and drink tea.

"Whatever your answer, our alliance will do the Small Sword Gang no harm. I pledge it on my name. So speak freely."

"Very well."

Jong Yeom knew that the Small Sword Gang's fate would change according to his answer.

"Our gang does not wish to follow the orthodox factions. The mere thought of them gives me hives. We have followed the Heavenly Harmony School until now because of their close ties with the Unorthodox Alliance."

Before making his decision, Jong Yeom calmly voiced his concern.

"Here in Hunan, the Demonic Cult has held great power for generations. We remained under the Heavenly Harmony School's shelter to avoid the Cult's blade."

Bi Sain answered firmly, his gaze reassuring.

"From now on, we will stop that blade for you."

Jong Yeom raised another concern.

"The Heavenly Harmony School will not look kindly upon us either."

Bi Sain replied even more firmly.

"Then the Unorthodox Alliance will not look kindly upon the Heavenly Harmony School."

Jong Yeom looked steadily into Bi Sain's face. Watching him, Jong Tae was inwardly surprised and impressed. Who would have thought his father, who had been trembling so badly, could be so confident? Without being cowed in the slightest, he was securing every promise he needed.

"Can you promise me that?"

"I promise it in my capacity as young alliance leader of the Unorthodox Alliance."

Jong Yeom did not prolong the matter. He rose at once, respectfully cupped his fist, and said,

"From this day forward, the Small Sword Gang will share the Unorthodox Alliance's fate."

Bi Sain rose and returned the salute.

"The Unorthodox Alliance will share the Small Sword Gang's fate."

In that moment, the Small Sword Gang's new destiny was decided.

Bi Sain immediately took his leave. There were still many sects he needed to visit.

Before leaving, he told Jong Yeom,

"Many sects will share the Small Sword Gang's resolve. You may proceed with confidence."

With that, Bi Sain, the Thirteen Wolves of the Unorthodox Path, Monstrous Evil, and Light Flash departed.

Only after they had gone did Jong Tae sigh in relief.

"Were you trying to frighten your son to death?"

"You will encounter situations like this many times as you make your way through Murim. When you do, you must handle them as calmly as you did today."

He had known his son would handle himself well. Had the boy been frivolous, he would never have let him attend today's meeting.

"But shouldn't we have gotten their promises in writing, at least?"

"If they decide to break their promises, what good would a mere contract do?"

Jong Tae was seeing a new side of his father. He had thought him a man who always bowed and scraped before the Heavenly Harmony School's master, forever smiling and laughing heartily.

"I'm truly surprised you made such a decision on the spot."

"I did not make it on the spot."

"What?"

"I haven't slept a wink since the day they sent word asking for a secret meeting."

Jong Yeom looked at his son.

"All our lives were at stake. How could I have made the decision lightly?"

Having discovered anew his father's remarkable qualities, Jong Tae bowed respectfully. That he felt so deeply moved now suggested he had never truly respected his father before.

"Thank you for letting me be here."

Even in this moving moment, however, his greatest concern remained the Demonic Cult.

"Will the Demonic Cult really stand by and do nothing?"

"Of course not. Now that the Unorthodox Alliance has made its move, they will begin moving too."

Jong Yeom looked toward the door through which Bi Sain had left.

"With the Demonic Cult's young lord venturing into the Central Plains, the sleeping dragon of Murim has begun to stir."

"Whatever comes our way, I will respond with the flexibility of bamboo."

That was what his father had always told him. But now his father's thinking had changed. Just as the Unorthodox Alliance's successor had come here today, his son would have to lead the Small Sword Gang into the future.

Rather than becoming a hero of Murim, Jong Yeom wanted his son to live his own life safely, just as he himself had.

"Your father survived by behaving like bamboo. But even bamboo will eventually break in a great wind. You should live like flowing water."

That was what he wished to tell his son as they faced the tide of change.

* * *

The chief gate guard of the Divine Cult of the Heavenly Demon's Hunan branch stood watch at the main gate as always.

When standing guard all day like this, boredom was the hardest thing to endure. He often passed the time chatting about this and that with his fellow guards. Today, too, a subordinate on duty with him shared a rumor.

"It seems the Heavenly Harmony School is planning a secret banquet."

"A banquet? Where did you hear that?"

"I know someone who supplies food for their banquets. There's also a rumor that some extraordinary experts are coming from the Orthodox Martial Alliance."

That was not the only rumor.

"They say experts from the Unorthodox Alliance have entered Hunan too. Something about what's going on doesn't feel right."

Neither rumor was welcome news for the Demonic Cult.

The chief gate guard told his subordinate,

"Things are tense enough these days. Don't go running your mouth."

"But are we just going to back down before those orthodox bastards?"

"Enough!"

"Yes, sir."

After a pause, the chief gate guard said,

"From what I've seen, the young lord is not a man who simply backs down."

All his subordinates nodded. They had witnessed him deal with the Hunan branch head and arrest the Heavenly Harmony School's successor. The young lord was certainly someone who defied their expectations.

Just then, one of the martial artists called out,

"Someone's coming."

Two figures were walking toward them in the distance.

They were merely walking slowly, yet something about them was chilling. Wondering whether he alone felt it, the chief gate guard glanced at his subordinates. Their faces were taut with tension too. One already had a tight grip on his sword hilt.

The chief gate guard looked back at the approaching men.

They were only walking slowly. Why was he trembling so badly?

Their figures gradually grew clearer.

One of his subordinates asked in a shaking voice,

"Should we sound the alarm?"

Normally, that would have been absurd. Sound the alarm when someone was visiting the branch, before they even knew who it was? A demonic martial artist, frightened? The subordinate who had suggested it deserved a beating with a club.

Yet the chief gate guard hesitated. Should he sound the alarm?

Meanwhile, the two men drew closer. The closer they came, the greater his fear grew. Now every subordinate was gripping a sword. To think martial artists could possess such a presence. He had a premonition that if these men were enemies, they would all die.

"Sound the alarm!"

One demonic martial artist ran inside, and a bell soon rang out.

DONG! DOOONG!

Even as the alarm bell rang, the two continued toward them without changing their pace.

They reached the main gate.

The gaunt old man with the cold eyes carried an enormous saber on his back. The other was a massive, muscular man with a face so frightening they scarcely dared meet his eyes.

Only when he sensed that the qi radiating from their bodies was demonic qi did the chief gate guard feel relieved. Even so, his heart pounded wildly and his body trembled. Faced with their suffocating presence, he finally understood.

'Demon Supremes!'

Only then did the demonic martial artists guarding the main gate realize who the two men were. They had never seen them in person, but had heard of these Demon Supremes countless times. That enormous saber, those enormous fists, and the powerful demonic qi and presence no one could imitate.

They were the Blood Heaven Saber Demon and the Fist Demon.

The martial artists at the main gate bowed in unison. Jubilantly, they cried out in their hearts,

'Ours have arrived too!'

With his small, piercing eyes, the Blood Heaven Saber Demon asked quietly,

"Where is the young lord?"