Even the Beggars’ Sect is under the lord’s banner?But that wasn’t the end of it.“Goodness. We’re late. We hurried, but still.”“We should have come sooner. Sorry to keep you waiting.”“We got to talking after so long apart, and the time ran away.”Following them in came the Head of the Qingcheng Sect, the Head of the Emei Sect, and the Head of the Kunlun Sect as well.“So Venerable Cheon Gi isn’t coming?”“He never attends the Divine Dragon Tournament in the first place.”Cheon Gi Jinin, too?Then how does this all add up?All Five Great Clans, and six of the Nine Schools and One Gang, had fallen under Yeon Woo Jin’s banner.With this, the lord’s seat of the alliance could be handed over for certain.One man alone wore a bleak expression—Su Cheon Kang.The orthodox martial world was already coalescing into one, while the heretical side would have to start from scratch.He felt, somehow, as if he were falling behind.Just then—“So you’re all gathered. Hahaha!”Three people came slowly inside.This time, Su Cheon Kang was the one who started.“Y-you three?”“We heard from the Venerable—that the lord’s people were to gather.”“Meaning… the Blazing Fire Shrine and Bukcheon Gate are under the lord’s banner? And the Green Forest as well?”“Green Forest? Come to think of it—aren’t you the Green Forest Grand Emperor?”“That’s right. A pleasure.”“Heh heh heh. To find that even the Green Forest Grand Emperor is family with us—truly astonishing.”“I’m astonished too. That so many people are all under the lord’s banner.”“There’ll be more yet. Why be so surprised? Soon the whole world will lie beneath the lord’s feet.”“Indeed. All we need do is follow his will.”Astonishing.Words like that flowed out of the mouths of heads of eminent powers as if it were nothing.“Seeing it here, our heretical side does seem a touch behind. But what of it? We’re family now.”“Gahaha. True enough. Without the lord, the heads of orthodox and heretical power would never be gathered in one place.”Those who would never share a room were gathered, laughing and talking.Then Venerable White Cloud clapped his hands, drawing every gaze.“All right, all right. I understand we’re glad to see one another and exchange greetings, but we’ve gathered to discuss a matter even more important today. Let’s focus for a moment.”“I’ve been curious. What is this important matter?”“As for that, the alliance leader will speak himself. Go on, Leader—please.”At Venerable White Cloud’s words, Eon Ho Baek, who had been sitting dazed, came to his senses.“Ah. Understood.”Eon Ho Baek steadied his breath, then looked one by one at every face present and spoke.“We intend to seat the lord as Leader of the Martial Alliance. For that, we need your help.”“What are you saying? To place the lord in the alliance leader’s seat all of a sudden?”“You who have come here will have heard about the Demonic Cult.”“We have.”“The reason the lord empowered us was to prepare against the Demonic Cult.”“That’s it. So what the Four Evils Alliance Leader and I conceived is to merge the Martial Alliance and the Four Evils Alliance into one. Then we will seat the lord as leader of the unified alliance.”“Merge the Martial Alliance and the Four Evils Alliance into one?”“Exactly. To properly prepare for the war with the Demonic Cult that lies ahead, we must unite under a strong leader and move with perfect coordination. We believe only the lord has the qualifications befitting that role.”At Eon Ho Baek’s words, people nodded.“Sound reasoning.”“Heh heh heh. Leader, that is a truly tremendous plan. I’m in favor.”“I’m in favor as well.”“If you need help, say the word anytime. We’ll give it full force.”“Then, to start with, are we saying we will acclaim the lord as Martial Alliance Leader and as Four Evils Alliance Leader?”“Yes. If he becomes leader of both alliances, the lord will be well able to meld their strengths into one.”“Indeed—if we ourselves push to become one, the backlash will be great. But if it truly must be done, only the lord could make it happen.”“Then once the Divine Dragon Tournament concludes, let Mount Hua host a Martial Alliance convocation!”“Agreed. Strike while the iron is hot—let’s set it in motion while it’s on our lips.”“But won’t Mount Hua, the Gongdong Sect, the Zhongnan Sect, and Shaolin object?”“And if they do? The numbers present here already exceed a majority.”“Right. We could ram it through with just us.”“If we seat him by brute force, do you think the lord will be pleased? He’s the sort who would grieve that disorder came to the Martial Alliance because of him.”At Venerable White Cloud’s words, the once-boisterous hall fell quiet.“Therefore, we must persuade not only Mount Hua, the Gongdong Sect, the Zhongnan Sect, and Shaolin, but also the mid-sized and small sects within the Martial Alliance.”“And if we try to persuade them, will they listen?”To that, Venerable White Cloud said,“Have you forgotten the lord’s purpose in visiting each sect?”“Ah!”“The lord must meet with the remaining sects as well. I’ll guarantee this: once those sects meet the lord and receive his grace, they will surely follow.”“Then how about we arrange meetings between the lord and the remaining sects? That way the lord needn’t visit each one personally.”“An excellent idea. If he resolves it here at once, he won’t need to make arduous visits, will he?”“As it happens, the heads of eminent heretical families are here as well. If we advance their meetings at the same time, the lord won’t need to tramp all over the Central Plains.”“The sects belonging to the heretical side—we two will take charge and arrange their meetings.”At the Blazing Fire Shrine Lord Hwa Sogwang’s words, the Bukcheon Gate Master Sa Se Hwang nodded.“Good. Then let’s set the date.”“On the day the Divine Dragon Tournament ends, we’ll arrange the first meetings.”“Then after that, we’ll arrange the meetings on the heretical side.”“Let’s do it that way. I’ll go to the lord myself and relay today’s decisions.”“Gwangpung Shinga, by what right do you seek an audience with the lord?”“Heh heh heh. I have the right. I’ve acquired information on Ji-maho, the very thing the lord has been seeking. I was going to call on him regardless.”“Ji-maho! You truly found it?”“Yes. In fact, I meant to go to the lord with it today.”Those who didn’t know the details looked at Gwangpung Shinga with eyes full of envy.“Well then, I’ll be off first. I must hurry to deliver this joyous news to the lord.”Leaving those words behind, Gwangpung Shinga hurried out. People watched him go with envious eyes. ****Gwangpung Shinga sought out the Xi’an inn where Yeon Woo Jin was staying.“My lord! It’s me—Gwangpung Shinga.”“Oh? Come in. What brings you at this late hour?”“I’ve come with something urgent to report to you. I fear I may be disturbing your rest.”“Not at all. Please, come in.”Inside, Gwangpung Shinga prostrated on the floor.Yeon Woo Jin spoke.“Take a seat.”At his word, Gwangpung Shinga rose from his prostration and sat on a chair.Lifting his head in the chair, he noticed a man beside Yeon Woo Jin, seated with a bored expression.A face he felt he’d seen many times.Where had he seen him?Countless faces stored in his head flashed by at the speed of light.“—Ah!”Startled, Gwangpung Shinga sprang up and bent at the waist in a deep bow.“I—I pay my respects to the Martial Deity Heaven Lord!”“Oh? You know me?”“Y-yes. I live by information—how could I not know your august visage, Heaven Lord?”“Ku ku ku. I’m glad you recognized me. Sit.”“Yes! Thank you.”“Think nothing of me—go on. You said you had something to tell our Woo Jin.”At Yeon Cheon Baek’s words, Gwangpung Shinga nodded and looked to Yeon Woo Jin.“My lord! We found it.”At the word found, Yeon Woo Jin immediately guessed what it was and leaned forward.“You found Ji-maho?”“Yes.”“Where is it?”“The Northern Sea.”“The Northern Sea?”“Yes. Do you know the Frontier Martial World?”“Yes, I do. Don’t tell me—it’s at the Northern Sea Ice Palace?”“That’s right.”“You’ve done well. How did you find it?”“A tip came from the Afternoon Gate. They asked for our help because it was a region they couldn’t enter.”“From the Afternoon Gate?”“Yes. The ones who found Ji-maho were the Afternoon Gate, my lord. All we did was go and verify it.”At Gwangpung Shinga’s refusal to claim the credit and his frank report, Yeon Woo Jin chuckled.“The Beggars’ Sect’s credit is great for going to confirm it yourselves. It must have been extremely dangerous—that’s why the Afternoon Gate °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° asked the Beggars’ Sect for help.”Gwangpung Shinga nearly wept.He was so grateful that Yeon Woo Jin recognized the Beggars’ Sect’s hardship.“You staked your lives to confirm it and return. You’ve done well.”“Thank you, my lord.”Yeon Woo Jin held out a silk pouch to Gwangpung Shinga.“What is this?”“Inyeondan. Please distribute them to those who suffered at the Northern Sea.”“M-my lord, there’s no need to go so far.”“No. They are my people, too. They risked their lives for me; proper reward is only right. Go and tell them: they worked hard—and I am truly grateful.”“U-understood, my lord. Those fellows will be overjoyed.”Once more, Gwangpung Shinga was moved by Yeon Woo Jin’s care even for those little better than the lowest ranks.He thought again: this is the true lord to whom I should devote my life.“You as well, Shinga—you’ve worked hard.”“Thank you, my lord.”Then Yeon Cheon Baek asked,“By the way—what is this Ji-maho?”“It’s an instrument that reacts to magi (demonic energy). More precisely, it points to locations where powerful magi can be sensed. You can think of it like a compass.”“Powerful magi… If it’s palpable enough to register, then it must be a boundary connected to the Demon Realm.”“Yes. We need it to find that boundary. We can’t search every span of this vast Central Plains one by one.”“I see. Then this old man will go.”“Pardon?”“Why the surprise? My grandson is working so hard—his grand-sire should at least help to that extent.”“Would you truly do that for us?”“Of course. In the meantime, you set about forming the Central Plains Alliance.”“Yes, Grandfather. Thank you.”“Thank me? For my own grandson—how could I do any less? Just say the word. I’ll do anything.”Watching Yeon Cheon Baek gaze at Yeon Woo Jin with the gentlest smile and say those words, Gwangpung Shinga felt a strange dissonance.It wasn’t the Martial Deity Heaven Lord he thought he knew.As he stared in a daze, Yeon Cheon Baek’s voice came.“You—come with me.”“Sir?”Gwangpung Shinga jolted.Why had the development suddenly turned like this?“Do you refuse?”“Th-that is…”Gwangpung Shinga looked toward Yeon Woo Jin,hoping he would intercede.But Yeon Woo Jin didn’t understand Gwangpung Shinga’s desperate heart.“Grandfather, I’ll be in your care.”“I receive your order, my lord.”Perhaps he liked how Gwangpung Shinga accepted the command without a word?Yeon Cheon Baek grinned.“I like you very much. Ku ku ku. On the way to the Northern Sea Ice Palace, I’ll tune up your martial arts a bit.”“Th-thank you.”Gwangpung Shinga couldn’t tell whether to be pleased or to cry.But what else could he do?The lord had given an order.Whether he liked it or not, he had to follow.He had already made up his mind to do so.“Grandfather—avoid friction with the Northern Sea Ice Palace as much as possible.”“Why? Are you worried for this grand-sire?”“No. I’m worried for the Northern Sea Ice Palace.”“Ku ku ku. Why worry for them?”“If they pick a fight with you and get their clan wiped out, then what? That’s why I’m worried. You know this, right? Your realm now is one humans simply can’t touch.”“Ku-ha-ha-ha! Very well. I’ll hold back where I can and try to resolve it with words.”

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