Seo Baek-jung, the Master of the Heavenly Flower Sect, was looking out the window.
It was an ordinary scene of martial artists smiling as they passed by the training grounds.
Even after a long time had passed since his son was released, the Demon Sect remained quiet.
‘As expected! He is incredible.’
Seo Baek-jung thought of the man in the bamboo hat.
He had asked the favor believing the man could do it, but he hadn't known it would be handled so cleanly.
The days of walking a tightrope between the Righteous and Unorthodox Factions were over.
Now that he owed a debt to the Righteous Faction, it was time to join hands with them and move forward.
Of course, he would have to join hands in a way that benefited the Heavenly Flower Sect as much as possible.
Just then, his trusted subordinate, Yu Maeng, entered.
“You called for me?”
Seo Baek-jung gave him a secret order.
“Send this invitation to the Demon Slaying Branch Master and also inform the sects that follow us.”
He planned to hold a secret banquet.
He knew that the leaders of the sects who followed him were displeased with his decision to join hands with the Righteous Faction this time.
He had to appease their dissatisfaction as soon as possible.
It takes an eternity to gather them, but only a moment for them to fall apart.
This was not something he could achieve with his own persuasion.
Jin Ha-gun, the Demon Slaying Branch Master and future leader of the Martial Alliance, had to come in person to soothe them.
‘Now, I will gather the people, so show me what you are capable of.’
*
Jong Yeom, the Small Sword Sect Leader, was more nervous than ever before.
As the leader of a sect that ranked within the top ten in Hunan, he had never been this nervous.
He paced back and forth in the great hall, drank water, then tea, sat down, stood up, went in and out of the privy, and walked around the courtyard only to come back in, repeating this several times.
To his son, Jong Tae, his father’s behavior was utterly unfamiliar.
For his father, who always showed a dignified appearance, to be so nervous.
He was even breaking out in a cold sweat.
“Just who is the guest coming today?”
His father had sent all the sect members outside for various reasons.
Only a few trusted martial artists remained within the sect’s grounds.
It was clear that he intended to welcome the guest in secret.
An important person was definitely coming, but his father wouldn't tell him who it was.
“It does you no good to know in advance. Even when you learn their identities later, you must not show any agitation. Just quietly follow my instructions.”
Just then, a report from a subordinate came from outside.
“The guests have arrived.”
The door opened, and a man entered the great hall.
The moment he saw him, Jong Tae froze.
The young man's face bore a terrifying scar.
Not only that, but he was exuding a faint evil energy.
‘An Unorthodox Faction master!’
The one who entered was none other than Bi Sa-in, the successor of the Unorthodox Alliance.
Thirteen martial artists followed behind him.
They were the Thirteen Wolves of the Unorthodox Path who protected Bi Sa-in.
They scattered to the four corners of the great hall, taking control of the space.
Each one of them had a formidable presence.
They alone were enough to make Jong Tae feel breathless, but the truly scariest people entered at the very end.
The two who entered last exuded such a terrifying aura that it was only natural for Jong Tae's knees to feel weak.
They were absolute masters belonging to the Seven Great Masters of the Unorthodox Alliance.
Gwae-ak.
He was known to have mastered the Iron Body Annihilation Technique, a form of hand-to-hand combat using the entire body, to its extreme, and it was said he could crumple an iron sword like a piece of paper with his bare hands.
With an eccentric and cruel personality, he was infamous in the martial world.
He was known for killing his opponents who got on his nerves by inflicting excruciating pain, making him an Unorthodox Faction master that people didn't want to meet even in their dreams.
Gwang-seom.
He was known as the foremost master of the fast sword technique in the Unorthodox Faction.
The Chasing Thunder Three Swords he had mastered was known to be the fastest among the swift swords of the Unorthodox Path.
His personality was taciturn, making it impossible to know what he was thinking.
A man whose sword was fast but whose mouth was slow, he too was a master who ranked among the top seven in the Unorthodox Faction.
Following Geom Mugeuk's advice, Bi Sa-in had brought two truly formidable masters with him.
“Greetings, Young Lord. I am Jong Yeom, leader of the Small Sword Sect.”
“A pleasure to meet you. I have heard much of your reputation, Sect Leader Jong.”
After exchanging greetings, Bi Sa-in introduced Gwae-ak and Gwang-seom.
Upon learning their identities, Jong Yeom and Jong Tae turned pale and bowed deeply.
The absolute masters of the Unorthodox Faction, whom they had only heard of, were right before their eyes.
Jong Tae finally understood why his father had been so nervous.
He also understood why he hadn't been told who the guests were.
Had he known in advance, he would have been trembling beside his father.
“This is my son.”
Jong Tae greeted them politely, cupping his fists.
Although it was a difficult and dangerous occasion, he had deliberately included his son.
He knew well what a great experience a meeting with such influential figures would be for a martial artist's life.
“Your son looks very handsome and intelligent.”
“He is still lacking in many ways. You, go and prepare tea.”
Jong Tae brought the tea, his body tense.
The teacup in his hand trembled.
Both Bi Sa-in and Jong Yeom saw the trembling, but said nothing.
It would have been more strange if one did not tremble while serving tea to the successor of the Unorthodox Alliance, to Gwae-ak and Gwang-seom.
After serving the tea, he stood a short distance away and listened to the conversation between his father and Bi Sa-in.
“Please, take the seat of honor.”
Jong Yeom offered the seat of honor, but Bi Sa-in did not take it.
“The seat of honor is for you, Sect Leader Jong.”
It was as if Bi Sa-in was saying, ‘I am not someone who has come to take your place.’
As Jong Yeom cautiously sat in his own seat, Bi Sa-in went straight to the point.
“You must be aware that the Heavenly Flower Sect has joined hands with the Martial Alliance.”
“Yes, I am aware.”
“I will ask you directly. Do you wish to follow the Righteous Faction, Sect Leader Jong?”
Before hearing the answer, Bi Sa-in quickly added.
“Please do not misunderstand that I have brought these two peerless masters to pressure you, Sect Leader Jong. I brought them to show you that we will be the ones protecting the Small Sword Sect from now on.”
Indeed, as if they had been briefed by Bi Sa-in beforehand, Gwae-ak and Gwang-seom showed no signs of their energy and quietly drank their tea.
Because they remained still, Bi Sa-in appeared all the more impressive.
He was a person who could make them, men more suited to terrifying threats, just sit and drink tea quietly.
“No matter what you answer, this Alliance will not bring any harm to the Small Sword Sect. I promise you on my name. So please, speak your mind freely.”
“Yes, I will.”
Jong Yeom knew that the fate of the Small Sword Sect would change depending on his answer.
“This sect does not wish to follow the Righteous Faction. I'm the type of person who breaks out in hives just thinking about the Righteous Faction. The only reason I have followed the Heavenly Flower Sect until now is because of their deep ties with the Unorthodox Alliance.”
Before making his decision, Jong Yeom calmly conveyed his concerns.
“Here in Hunan, the power of the Demon Sect has traditionally been strong. The reason this sect stayed under the shadow of the Heavenly Flower Sect was to avoid the Demon Sect's blade.”
At that, Bi Sa-in spoke resolutely, his eyes filled with trust.
“From now on, we will block that blade for you.”
This led to another worry from Jong Yeom.
“The Heavenly Flower Sect will not look kindly upon us either.”
Bi Sa-in replied even more firmly.
“Then the Unorthodox Alliance will not look kindly upon the Heavenly Flower Sect.”
Jong Yeom stared into Bi Sa-in's face.
Seeing this, his son Jong Tae was inwardly surprised and impressed.
To think his father, who had been trembling so much, could show such a confident side.
He was not intimidated at all and was securing the promises he needed.
“Can you promise me this?”
“I promise you in the name of the Young Alliance Leader of the Unorthodox Alliance.”
Jong Yeom did not delay any longer.
He immediately rose from his seat and said with a polite cupping of his fists.
“The Small Sword Sect will share its destiny with the Unorthodox Alliance from this day forward.”
Bi Sa-in rose from his seat and cupped his fists.
“The Unorthodox Alliance will share its destiny with the Small Sword Sect.”
It was the moment the new destiny of the Small Sword Sect was decided.
Bi Sa-in immediately bid farewell.
There were many more sects he had to visit.
Before leaving, Bi Sa-in said to Jong Yeom.
“Many sects will share the same will as the Small Sword Sect. So you may proceed with confidence.”
Thus, Bi Sa-in, the Thirteen Wolves of the Unorthodox Path, and Gwae-ak and Gwang-seom left the place.
Only after they left did Jong Tae let out a sigh of relief.
“Were you trying to see your son die of shock?”
“As you continue to live in the martial world, you will experience things like this many times. You must handle them as calmly as you did today.”
He knew his son would handle it well.
If he were a frivolous son, he wouldn't have been allowed to be present today.
“But shouldn't we have gotten the promise in writing, like a contract?”
“If they intend to break their promise, what meaning would a piece of paper like that have?”
Jong Tae was seeing a new side of his father.
Usually, he was all bows and smiles, always laughing heartily before the Heavenly Flower Sect Master.
He thought that was the kind of father he had.
“To make such a decision in an instant, I am truly surprised.”
“It was not in an instant.”
“Pardon?”
“From the day they secretly sent word for a meeting until now, I haven't slept a wink.”
Jong Yeom looked at his son and said.
“When all of our lives are on the line, how could I have made the decision so lightly?”
Realizing his father's remarkable qualities anew, Jong Tae respectfully bowed his head.
The fact that this moment felt so moving must have meant he had not truly respected his father until now.
“Thank you for allowing me to be here.”
And even in this moving moment, one worry above all else was the Demon Sect.
“Will the Demon Sect really do nothing?”
“Of course they won't do nothing. Now that the Unorthodox Alliance has made its move, they will start to move as well.”
Jong Yeom's gaze turned to the door through which Bi Sa-in had walked out.
“With the Young Cult Master of the Demon Sect appearing in the Central Plains, the martial world, which had been sleeping, has begun to stir like a dragon.”
“Whatever comes our way, I will handle things with the flexibility of a bamboo.”
It was what his father always used to say.
But now, his father's thinking had changed.
Just as the successor of the Unorthodox Alliance came here today, from now on, his son would have to lead the Small Sword Sect.
Jong Yeom wished for his son to live his life safely rather than become a hero of the martial world.
Just as he himself had lived.
“Your father survived by acting like bamboo. But even bamboo eventually breaks in a strong wind. You should live like flowing water.”
This was the advice he wanted to give his son in the face of the tides of change.
*
The gatekeeper of the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect's Hunan Division was guarding the main gate of the division, same as always.
Standing guard like this all day, the hardest thing to endure was boredom.
So, he would often chat with those on duty with him, and today, a subordinate on guard with him shared a rumor.
“It seems the Heavenly Flower Sect is secretly planning to hold a banquet.”
“A banquet? Where did you hear that?”
“I know the person who supplies the food for the Heavenly Flower Sect's banquets. There are also rumors that some incredible masters from the Martial Alliance will be coming.”
That wasn't the only rumor.
“There are also rumors that masters from the Unorthodox Alliance have entered Hunan. The atmosphere feels unusual.”
Both rumors were unwelcomed from the Demon Sect's perspective.
The gatekeeper told his subordinate.
“The mood isn't great these days, so don't go running your mouth unnecessarily.”
“But are we just going to back down to those Righteous Faction bastards like this?”
“Enough!”
“Yes, sir.”
The gatekeeper said after a brief pause.
“From what I've seen, the Young Cult Master is not one to simply back down.”
All the subordinates nodded.
They had personally witnessed the process of him dealing with the Hunan Division Lord and capturing the successor of the Heavenly Flower Sect.
The Young Cult Master was certainly a person who defied their expectations.
Just then, one of the martial artists shouted.
“Someone is coming.”
In the distance, two people were walking towards them.
They were just walking slowly, but the feeling was chilling.
The gatekeeper wondered if he was the only one feeling this way and looked at his subordinates, but they too had tense faces.
One subordinate was already gripping the hilt of his sword tightly.
The gatekeeper's gaze returned to them.
They're just walking slowly, so why am I trembling like this?
Gradually, their figures became clearer.
One of the subordinates said in a trembling voice.
“Should we sound the alarm?”
Normally, this would be absurd.
Someone is visiting the division, and you sound the alarm without even knowing who they are? A demonic practitioner getting scared? This was something that warranted punishing the subordinate who suggested it with a beating.
But the gatekeeper hesitated.
Should I sound the alarm?
In the meantime, the two came even closer.
As they approached, the feeling of fear grew stronger.
Now, all of his subordinates had their hands on their swords.
To think there were martial artists who exuded such a presence.
He had a premonition that if they were enemies, they would all die.
“Sound the alarm!”
One demonic practitioner ran inside, and soon, the sound of a bell rang out.
Clang! Claaang!
Even as the emergency bell rang out, the two people continued to approach at the same pace.
They came right up to the main gate.
The old man, with a gaunt appearance and cold eyes, carried a huge great blade on his back.
The other man was a muscular giant, with a face so fearsome that one hardly dared to meet his eyes.
Feeling that the energy emanating from the two men was demonic energy, the gatekeeper finally felt a sense of relief.
Even so, his heart was pounding like crazy, and his body trembled.
Overwhelmed by their suffocating presence, the gatekeeper finally realized.
‘They are Demon Sovereigns!’
Only then did the demonic practitioners guarding the gate realize who the two were.
They hadn't seen them in person, but weren't they the Demon Sovereigns they had heard about countless times? That large great blade and that enormous fist, and the powerful demonic energy and presence that no one could imitate.
They were none other than the Blood Heaven Blade Demon and the Fist Demon.
The martial artists at the main gate all bowed their waists in unison to show their respect.
They rejoiced and shouted in their hearts.
‘We're here too!’
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon asked in a low voice with his small, sharp eyes.
“Where is the Young Cult Master?”