chapter 213

There are those who are content with less 1

As if the entire space was hostile towards Lee Gwak.

Lee Gwak raised his head slightly and looked at Seok Pa-Cheon. Standing a few steps behind, Seok Pa-Cheon’s expression was incredibly serene.

Although they were in the same room, Seok Pa-Cheon was unaffected by the fact that he was just a few steps away. It was proof that the hostile intent was directed at Lee Gwak alone.

Lee Gwak took a deep breath and looked straight ahead.

There he was.

An elder whose age was indiscernible.

He was the owner of this space and the ruler of the Jianghu, the Limitless Sword Emperor, Ja Hong-Cheon.

Ja Hong-Cheon looked at Lee Gwak with a bland expression.

His gaze, devoid of any discernible emotion, unsettled those who met his eyes. Not many martial artists who faced Ja Hong-Cheon could withstand his indifferent gaze.

When Lee Gwak was a member of the Jade Heaven Alliance, he had only seen Ja Hong-Cheon once. At that time, Lee Gwak saw a huge mountain in Ja Hong Cheon.

A colossal mountain that had withstood the test of eons.

Its overwhelming presence, seemingly unshakeable by any storm, had once crushed Lee Gwak’s spirit.

Ja Hong-Cheon’s imposing aura hadn’t changed.

It was still overwhelming and immense, as if Mount Tai was standing before him.

Yet, the fact that Lee Gwak’s heart did not waver as before meant he had grown much through the harsh years.

Lee Gwak did not avoid Ja Hong-Cheon’s gaze.

He endured the look he once could not dare to face.

Ja Hong-Cheon’s normally impassive face cracked a smile at Lee Gwak’s demeanor. The corners of his tightly shut lips curved upwards. He was smiling.

‘Master.’

Seok Pa-Cheon’s eyes fluttered at the sight.

Having observed Ja Hong-Cheon for many years, this was the first time Seok Pa-Cheon had seen him express his emotions so clearly.

Suddenly, Ja Hong-Cheon spoke.

“A rather bold fellow, aren’t you? Lee Gwak, was it?”

“Are you the alliance leader?”

“Yes, I am Ja Hong-Cheon, the leader of the Jade Heaven Alliance.”

“I, Lee Gwak, pay my respects to the alliance leader.”

Only then did Lee Gwak perform a martial salute to Ja Hong-Cheon.

Ja Hong-Cheon silently observed Lee Gwak.

A moment of silence enveloped the two.

Suddenly, Ja Hong-Cheon turned to look at Seok Pa-Cheon.

“You’ve done well. Elder Seok, you may leave us.”

“Understood.”

Seok Pa-Cheon nodded readily.

Without another word, he promptly left the room.

Now alone, Ja Hong-Cheon asked Lee Gwak.

“Do you know why I’ve called for you?”

“It seems out of curiosity?”

“Correct.”

Though Lee Gwak’s reputation had only recently spread far and wide, Ja Hong-Cheon had been aware of him much earlier.

Ever since Yong Cheon-Myeong returned defeated with a scar on his face, Ja Hong-Cheon had been curious about the individual who had made the first dent in his accomplished disciple’s life.

“I heard you were once part of the Jade Heaven Alliance. Is that true?”

“Yes, this place used to be my home.”

“And now?”

“I no longer consider Jade Heaven Alliance my home.”

“That’s regrettable. Had you remained with the Jade Heaven Alliance, you would have been a formidable force. Have you considered changing your mind?”

“Bringing back an independent child would only cause more trouble.”

“Your tongue is quite sharp.”

“I often hear that.”

Lee Gwak showed no signs of intimidation.

At that moment, Ja Hong-Cheon’s gaze shifted.

“Certainly, Cheon-Myeong would have found you difficult to handle.”

“You flatter me.”

“No, I’m merely stating the truth. It’s not about martial arts prowess. The difference in mental strength is significant. Cheon-Myeong has strong martial arts but is like a flower in a greenhouse. His mental strength does not support his robust physique. That’s why I’ve been pushing him hard, but he still hasn’t met my expectations.”

Lee Gwak didn’t miss the flicker of contempt in Ja Hong-Cheon’s eyes when he mentioned Yong Cheon-Myeong.

When Yong Cheon-Myeong was young, Ja Hong-Cheon had high hopes for him. Indeed, Yong Cheon-Myeong delighted Ja Hong-Cheon with his extraordinary martial talents and unbelievable achievements.

He grew even faster while competing with his fellow disciple, Woon Dae Yon. However, that was all there was to it. Despite his formidable martial arts, Yong Cheon-Myeong’s mental strength was significantly lacking.

The problem was his insistence on walking only on perfect paths.

In life, especially in Jianghu, one had to know how to throw oneself into the mud and walk through swamps, not knowing what was there.

The life of a martial artist should rightly be so.

When Ja Hong-Cheon first joined the Jade Heaven Alliance, he was nothing more than a third-rate martial artist. But he had immense ambition.

The ambition to stand at the pinnacle of the Jade Heaven Alliance.

He pursued his ambition like a beast. He practiced martial arts instead of sleeping and tenaciously worked to make connections.

As a result, he came to the attention of high-ranking officials within the Jade Heaven Alliance and was able to learn their superior martial arts. But he was never satisfied with that.

He was like a hungry ghost, never satisfied no matter how much he consumed.

He eliminated numerous rivals and sought out even stronger martial arts to master.

His current position was the result of such a fierce life, a throne he had seized with his own strength.

In contrast, his disciples tended to seek only the easy paths. But that way, they could not lead the vast Jade Heaven Alliance.

The moment Ja Hong-Cheon saw Lee Gwak, he recognized.

‘This young man is like me.’

From the depths of the world’s abyss, from the deepest part of the unfathomable pit, he had risen on his own strength, a reflection so strikingly similar to himself.

It was like looking into a mirror.

That was why he was drawn to him, and yet, felt wary.

Ja Hong-Cheon suddenly asked.

“How far do you aim to reach?”

“Excuse me?”

“What is your ultimate goal?”

Lee Gwak furrowed his brow.

Ja Hong-Cheon was trying to gauge the extent of Lee Gwak’s ambition. Depending on Lee Gwak’s answer, Ja Hong-Cheon’s decisions and attitude would change.

Lee Gwak honestly shared his thoughts.

“At the very least, my ambitions will not stay within the Jade Heaven Alliance.”

“Do you aim for something higher?”

“I do not aim for higher or lower places. I simply dream of peace.”

“Ha! To have mastered such martial arts and to dream merely of that?”

Ja Hong-Cheon clicked his tongue.

It was hard to believe, but he could feel that Lee Gwak was sincere. This puzzled him.

It was his belief that a man, especially a martial artist, should naturally aspire to reach higher.

“Dreaming of romance in a world dominated by violence. Is it because you are still young?”

That was Ja Hong-Cheon’s assessment of Lee Gwak.

The curiosity that had filled his eyes rapidly dissipated.

What Ja Hong-Cheon needed was a martial artist full of ambition, aspiring to reach the heights. He had no need for someone content with the present and looking down at lower grounds.

“If you truly seek peace, it would be best for you to leave the Jade Heaven Alliance as soon as possible.”

“What do you mean?”

“Jade Heaven Alliance is a battleground for victors. There is no place for those seeking peace here.”

“We are in an era of peace now.”

“A false era of peace. Soon, the maelstrom of change will engulf both the Jianghu and the Jade Heaven Alliance. If you do not wish to be swept away by the wave, depart to a place far removed from the Jianghu.”

Lee Gwak clenched his lips tight.

His instincts whispered of danger.

Ja Hong-Cheon’s gaze was perilous.

The vast ambition hidden behind his indifferent eyes warned Lee Gwak of danger.

It was then that Lee Gwak realized.

Ja Hong-Cheon was not merely a mountain. He was a colossal wave seeking to engulf the world, a wave so immense it could sweep away even Mount Tai in a single surge.

His ambition sent shivers down Lee Gwak’s spine.

Chills ran down his skin.

Since his return to the Jianghu, Ja Hong-Cheon was the first to make him feel such trepidation.

Lee Gwak’s hands tensed involuntarily.

If possible, striking down Ja Hong-Cheon here and now seemed like it would be for the greater good.

Sensing the shift in Lee Gwak’s emotions, Ja Hong-Cheon’s lips curled into a smile.

As if knowing what Lee Gwak’s next action might be, he laughed.

In an instant, Lee Gwak felt as if ice water had been poured over him, experiencing a chilling coldness.

He realized that showing turmoil was exactly what Ja Hong-Cheon wanted. Now was not the time to confront Ja Hong-Cheon. To put it bluntly, he was not yet a match for Ja Hong-Cheon.

Lee Gwak instinctively felt Ja Hong-Cheon’s strength. However, he did not despair.

He possessed youth, something Ja Hong-Cheon did not have.

Though Ja Hong-Cheon stood in unreachable heights at the moment, time would eventually bring them to a point where they could stand on equal footing.

Whether Ja Hong-Cheon had intentionally provoked him knowing this fact was unclear.

Noticing Lee Gwak had regained his composure, the smile on Ja Hong-Cheon’s lips gradually faded.

“Once your mind is settled, feel free to leave this place. Until then, no one within the Jade Heaven Alliance will hinder your stay here. Consider it a small gift from me.”

Lee Gwak then realized why no one from the inner court or the main court of the Jade Heaven Alliance had bothered him – it was because Ja Hong-Cheon was watching over him.

No matter how brave, no one would dare touch someone under the watch of the leader of the Jade Heaven Alliance.

Lee Gwak suddenly remembered something and asked.

“Are you not already in a high enough position, clan leader?”

“I am but a Kun still.”

“Kun?”

Lee Gwak’s expression stiffened at that remark.

That single word made him realize the extent of Ja Hong-Cheon’s ambitions.

Kun was a giant fish said to live in the deep north sea. After growing in size in the deep sea, Kun would ascend to the surface and transform into a Peng, a giant bird.

With a single flap of its wings, it could cause waves to surge for thousands of miles, and it could fly for ninety thousand miles, resting only after six months.

Ja Hong-Cheon was someone who could already be called a Peng. Yet, he humbly referred to himself as a Kun.

The magnitude of his ambition was palpable.

‘The clan leader dreams not just of ruling over the Jade Heaven Alliance but of being the supreme overlord of the entire world.’

Ja Hong-Cheon’s bland eyes lingered in Lee Gwak’s mind.

The look in his eyes suggested that he would not hesitate to sacrifice countless lives for his ambition.

Ja Hong-Cheon gestured for Lee Gwak to leave.

“That’s all for now, Lee Gwak. Our time together ends here.”

“I shall see you again.”

Lee Gwak saluted Ja Hong-Cheon with a martial bow.

Ja Hong-Cheon, with his back turned, did not even look at Lee Gwak as he departed.

Lee Gwak’s back was soaked when he left. Being in Ja Hong-Cheon’s presence had kept him on edge all the time.

Suddenly, Lee Gwak looked back.

The doors to Ja Hong-Cheon’s residence were firmly closed.

To Lee Gwak’s eyes, the large door looked like the bars of a cage holding a ferocious beast.

When that door eventually opened, a savage beast would burst forth.

The wind blew, whisking away the sweat clinging to Lee Gwak’s body, but he could not feel refreshed.

Lee Gwak sensed a bitter scent of blood in the wind.

‘Troubled times are not far off.’

No one had to tell Lee Gwak this. He instinctively felt and reacted to it.

Lee Gwak raised his head, looking in the direction from which the wind blew.

***

Even after Lee Gwak left, Ja Hong-Cheon remained motionless.

Standing still as if turned to stone, he gazed at the wall. Hung on the wall was a complete map of the Jianghu.

Created with great care by a renowned master, the map depicted eleven forces occupying various territories.

The largest territory in the center was occupied by the Jade Heaven Alliance, while the vast area to the southwest belonged to the territory of Celestial Demon Troupe.

The remaining areas were amicably divided among nine sects.

Ja Hong-Cheon’s cold gaze swept over the territories occupied by the nine sects.

“Vermin.”

A voice filled with contempt slipped from his lips.

The world grouped the Jade Heaven Alliance and the nine sects together as the Ten Great Sects, but Hong-Cheon couldn’t accept it.

It was the Jade Heaven Alliance that ended the Great Heavenly Blood War a hundred years ago.

None of the sects referred to as the Ten Sects had shed as much blood as the Jade Heaven Alliance.

The same was true for the recent wars.

The Jade Heaven Alliance bled at the forefront and ended the war. The other sects were merely bystanders.

Yet, they received the same treatment as the Jade Heaven Alliance, which was unfair.

Ja Hong-Cheon’s fists clenched.

Then, someone entered his residence, opening the door.

It was Seok Pa-Cheon, who had escorted Lee Gwak.

Approaching Ja Hong-Cheon, Seok Pa-Cheon asked,

“Leader, what about that young man?”

“I let him go.”

“Just like that?”

Surprised by Ja Hong-Cheon’s response, Seok Pa-Cheon saw a brief smile flash across Ja Hong-Cheon’s face.

“Did you think I would kill him?”

“No, it’s not that…”

“I have no interest in picking unripe fruit. My taste lies elsewhere.”

Ja Hong-Cheon’s gaze returned to the Jianghu map.

After a long silence, Ja Hong-Cheon finally spoke.

“Elder Seok.”

“Speak.”

“Summon the Heavenly Martial Squad.”

“How many?”

“All of them!”

“Everyone?”

“Yes! Summon them all.”

Seok Pa-Cheon’s beard quivered.

He understood the implications of summoning the entire Heavenly Martial Squad.

‘So, it has come to this, after all?’