Chapter 122: Chapter 122

“What is that noise!”

A loud shout resounded from the Martial Alliance Leader’s Residence.

The room where he was staying was filled with a thick fragrance, and several women lay sprawled around, soaked in sweat.

Moreover, there was the Alliance Leader, who could be called the original master of this place.

Murong Hyeok-mun’s appearance was also in a terrible state.

His naked body looked haggard, like someone who had not eaten proper food for a long time; he had lost a noticeable amount of weight compared to just a few months ago, and even his eyes were so hollowed out that one might think he was sick.

However, as if he did not care about his physical condition at all, he stood up, hurriedly put on a white robe, and opened the door.

The fierce sound of clashing swords echoed from outside.

“Did I not ask what was going on?”

“F-Father, we have a b-big problem!”

“So what is it!”

Murong Hyeok-mun frowned as he pressed Murong Gwan-cheon.

Had the Demonic Cult or the Unorthodox Faction launched a surprise attack?

The screams heard from here and there were surely from people killing each other, and the strong scent of blood had already drifted all the way here.

“The… The Nine Sects and One Gang are trying to take control of the Alliance!”

“W… What! Those wretched insects!”

Thump!

Murong Hyeok-mun’s anger erupted at those words.

He did not harbor a single question or doubt regarding his son’s words; the only thought in his mind was that the Nine Sects and One Gang, whom he had been looking after, were entering the Alliance Hall with swords in hand.

Murong Hyeok-mun reached out his hand.

A loud crash resounded from his quarters, and his favorite weapon flew into his hand.

“No matter who they are, I will not leave a single one of those who rebelled against me alive!”

Boom!

Murong Hyeok-mun’s shout reverberated through the entire Martial Alliance.

His powerful internal energy and strength as the Sword Saint carried an unknown, sinister aura.

Even Murong Gwan-cheon, who was beside him, could not hide his astonishment.

His father’s cultivation had risen even higher than it was a few months ago.

Under the circumstances, he wondered if his father might have surpassed even the Sword Emperor.

As expected of his father!

It had not been long since he became the Alliance Leader, yet he had already increased his cultivation and gained this much power; even though he chased women every day, he had not neglected his training and mental discipline.

Murong Gwan-cheon grinned.

‘Those foolish bastards of the Nine Sects and One Gang! I will show them exactly what happens when they defy my father!’

To Murong Gwan-cheon, who had lived entirely relying on Murong Hyeok-mun without ever escaping his shadow since childhood, Murong Hyeok-mun was truly the heaven above heavens.

As long as he leaned on him, everything went well.

Look at now.

Just by following his father’s words, he held the tremendous power of the Martial Alliance in his hands.

And now, he would kill everyone who dared to defy that power. Murong Gwan-cheon drew his sword and caught his breath; he was already laughing at the thought of the famous elders of the Nine Sects and One Gang kneeling before him.

“Man Hu-ryang! Where is that guy? He failed to manage those underlings properly, so he must be punished.”

“Well… I went to look for him, but he was nowhere to be seen.”

Murong Hyeok-mun stared at his son with an absurd expression. Gone? Did that make any sense? He was the Chief Administrator of the Martial Alliance.

Was he supposed to believe that the man who had to manage everything was absent in this situation?

The moment he frowned.

Swish!

A group of figures descended in front of Murong Hyeok-mun.

Judging by the startled expression on Murong Gwan-cheon’s face, he did not seem to have noticed their presence at all until they appeared right before his eyes.

“Who is it!”

He shouted and quickly grabbed his sword.

He was ready to strike at any moment, but the slimmest man among them did not even glance at Murong Gwan-cheon and bowed to Murong Hyeok-mun.

“The Chief Administrator sent us. He ordered us to protect the Alliance Leader.”

“Hmph, so he has not completely lost his mind.”

Murong Hyeok-mun nodded readily.

Judging by their presence, they seemed to belong to a fairly strong class. After all, Man Hu-ryang was practically the wealthiest person in the Central Plains, so it was not strange for him to have guards of this caliber.

Crash!

At that moment, the door leading into the Alliance Leader’s Residence shattered.

The people rushing inside in a swarm were definitely familiar faces. Just as Murong Gwan-cheon had said, the famous elders of the Nine Sects and One Gang had gathered to invade the Alliance Leader’s Residence.

Murong Hyeok-mun slowly drew his sword.

“Alliance Leader! You must step down from that position now!”

And he snorted at the booming voice that rang out.

Excluding Ma Jang-gang, Gwon Mu-jin, and Jang Sam-tae, who were guarding Dan So-mi, the three individuals stood before the wall of the Martial Alliance as they listened to the sound resembling a fierce battlefield.

“Were we not going to use the secret passage?”

Sa Do-hak grumbled with a frown.

Had they not said there was a secret passage to enter the Martial Alliance? He thought nothing could be better if they could see such a thing.

Yet Namgung Cheon had led them to stand right in front of the wall.

What was the reason for that?

Naturally, it meant they should climb over it like thieves in the night.

‘Do I really have to climb a wall at my age? How embarrassing.’

Sa Do-hak grumbled, pouting his lips.

“How could we go all the way there in this situation? Climbing the wall is faster.”

“Even so! We have our reputation and position to think about, so does it make sense to climb over a wall?”

In response, Namgung Cheon tapped the mask covering his face, as if to ask what was the use of keeping appearances when wearing something like this.

Sa Do-hak, lost for words, snorted.

“Hmph!”

“Let us go in. It looks somewhat interesting.”

At that moment, Dan Woo-hyun’s eyes flashed as he leapt, lightly vaulting over the high wall in a single bound to land on the roof.

His light movements were like a feather.

Sa Do-hak and Namgung Cheon quietly watched Dan Woo-hyun before following him; though they did not know the reason, he seemed to be quite amused.

Indeed, was it not said that watching a fight was the most entertaining thing in the world?

They climbed onto the roof and surveyed the surroundings.

It was a complete mess.

While some brandished their swords fiercely, others surrendered; the majority did the latter, as they were martial artists belonging to the same Martial Alliance, lacked loyalty to the Alliance Leader, and their opponents were the famous elders of the Nine Sects and One Gang.

Unless they wanted to die, throwing away their weapons was the right choice.

Watching this, Dan Woo-hyun wore an indifferent expression.

He had thought it would be bloodier and feel more like a battlefield, but despite the noise, the situation was worse than a small-scale skirmish.

“Disappointing.”

“They are the famous elders of the Nine Sects and One Gang, after all. Most of those affiliated with the Martial Alliance consist of outer or inner disciples, with only a few skilled vagabonds among them.”

Naturally, it could not be a proper fight.

This was different from those who plotted rebellion to become the Emperor; while there would be people risking their lives to protect an Emperor, in the case of the Alliance Leader, it would only be his own family’s faction at best.

The source of the clashing swords heard now was likely mostly the warriors of the Murong Family gathered to protect Murong Hyeok-mun.

Dan Woo-hyun leaped again and moved forward swiftly; although it was unclear where he was going, he seemed to be heading toward something after sensing a presence.

Was he heading to the Alliance Leader’s Residence?

Even though he could not know the way, he was finding it remarkably well.

“This side seems slightly more interesting.”

“Excuse me… but we did not come here to seek amusement…”

Namgung Cheon broke out in a cold sweat.

His ultimate goal was to meet Murong Hyeok-mun, the Alliance Leader, and speak with him; however, since such an unexpected event had occurred, Namgung Cheon found himself in an extremely awkward position, wondering whether he should mediate or just leave things as they were.

Dan Woo-hyun looked down from where he stopped.

A fierce battle was in full swing.

It felt distinctly different from the place they had seen earlier; those defending were clearly using the Deity Descent Method to completely overwhelm their opponents, and the elders of the Nine Sects and One Gang who were attacking seemed to struggle even to block a single one of their moves.

“How could such an absurd thing happen… Who are they!”

Namgung Cheon also lost his words as he watched.

There were always guards around the Alliance Leader; when Namgung Cheon was at the Alliance Leader’s Residence, there were also groups of hidden guards protecting him.

However, the people visible now were different from those guards.

The momentum flowing from their bodies was sharp.

It felt like looking at a blade itself, and it was certainly not an illusion that their Deity Descent Method appeared far more perfect than those he had seen last time.

Their eyes were not bloodshot, nor did they look as though they had lost their will; like dolls, they silently brandished their swords and held off those who rushed at them.

Right in front of the Alliance Leader’s Residence.

Even though the elders of the Nine Sects and One Gang had easily made their way inside, the reason they had not yet reached Murong Hyeok-mun was precisely because of them.

Many people lay around the area.

People with familiar faces.

Some did not move in the slightest, while others writhed in agony.

Namgung Cheon could not bear to look at the sight and turned his head away; witnessing the deaths of those who had followed him was far too painful.

“Is that man Murong Hyeok-mun?”

Dan Woo-hyun asked as he stared at a certain spot.

Namgung Cheon forced himself to turn his head and look; in front of the door leading to the Alliance Leader’s Residence, he saw the figure of his friend standing blankly.

And soon, he lost his words, his eyes widening.

The man before him was not the person from the past.

He had become incredibly pitiful; he was as thin as a dried mummy, as if he had not eaten properly, to the point that it was a miracle he could even stand holding a sword with that body.

His eyes were also hollow.

He looked like someone who had not slept for a long time.

Was that really Murong Hyeok-mun?

Even if one were to pass by him, they would not be able to recognize him as such.

Look at that, even.

Through the wide-open door, the figures of naked women were faintly visible; it seemed he could guess what had been happening inside.

That sight proved that the rumors were not false.

Namgung Cheon closed his eyes tightly.

Drawing the sword in his hand, he leapt into the air; he intervened right in the center of the ongoing battle, and the moment he landed, flashes of light burst in all directions.

Slice!

Those he cut down were the ones protecting Murong Hyeok-mun; the flashes of light that spread out were countless, and the bodies of those who failed to avoid them were split in half and fell to the ground.

The entire battle ground to a halt in an instant.

It was due to the person who had suddenly intruded upon the scene.

The expressions of the Martial World elders trembled violently, and Murong Hyeok-mun frowned.

“Who are you? Do you know where this is, to dare enter and swing your sword so recklessly?”

Murong Hyeok-mun spoke with a somewhat displeased expression; the moment he saw the opponent’s swordsmanship, he realized that he was no ordinary person, making his identity highly intriguing.

At the weakly spoken voice, Namgung Cheon caught his breath for a moment; behind his hidden mask, he let out a dumbfounded laugh and gripped his sword repeatedly.

Eventually, as if he had made up his mind, he looked at Murong Hyeok-mun and muttered.

“I… am called the Gentleman’s Sword.”

His single sentence quietly echoed around.

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