chapter 241

Despair changes people (1)

Inside the Jade Heaven Alliance, countless supplies were delivered

Those who were informed knew that these supplies would be used for the Heavenly Assembly scheduled for the following day..

“Will everyone really come?”

“Of course. The invitations were sent in the Alliance Leader’s name”

People looked at the Jade Heaven Alliance with eyes full of expectation.

They could not hide their anticipation that they would be able to see the supreme lords of the Ten Sects in just one more day.

Indeed, over the past few days, many individuals who seemed to be martial artists of the Ten sects had entered the Jade Heaven Alliance. Consequently, people assumed that the supreme leaders of the Ten Sects had also arrived.

Amidst this excitement, the day of the Heavenly Assembly finally arrived.

In the grand hall, mountains of delicacies were piled high, and countless bottles of wine were neatly lined up.

Around a long table carved from purple sandalwood, there were ten chairs. However, only three were occupied.

The eyes of Ja Hong Cheon, who sat in the seat of honor, were indifferent as he gazed ahead.

“Gulp.”

Three of his disciples, standing behind him, swallowed nervously.

Not only did Yong Cheon-myeong, who had sent out the invitations, look pale, but so did Woon Dae Yeon and Dan Li Yeon.

Of the nine seats besides Ja Hong Cheon’s, only two were occupied.

“Tsk.”

“Keh, what a mess.”

One seat was occupied by a middle-aged man in green robes, and the other by an older man in his late fifties, dressed in a white tiger skin coat. They were sipping their drinks while the rest of the seats were conspicuously empty.

Ja Hong Cheon gazed at the empty chairs for a long time.

The chairs had been meticulously carved by the artisans of the Jade Heaven Alliance to welcome the supreme lords of the Ten Sects. These chairs, made from a massive tree, were a seamless display of craftsmanship. But without anyone to sit in them, they appeared desolate.

Ja Hong Cheon’s gaze shifted to the two who were seated.

“Thank you for coming such a long way. Master Namgung and Lord Po.”

The middle-aged man in green robes was Namgung Jin-geom, the leader of the Thousand Kingdom School, known as the Dark Heavenly Lone Star. The elderly man opposite him was Po Cheon-wol, Lord of Sky High Castle, also known as the Green Forest Emperor.

Of the nine Supreme Lords he had invited, only these two had responded and appeared in person.

Namgung Jin-geom spoke first.

“What a pity.”

“What do you mean?”

“I didn’t expect the gathering to be so lonely. I thought at least half would attend.”

Namgung Jin-geom raised his glass, looking at the empty seats.

Ja Hong Cheon nodded indifferently.

“I thought so too. I figured at least out of respect for me, they would attend. Perhaps I was too naive, or maybe I placed too much trust in my disciple.”

“Yet, you don’t seem very angry.”

“What makes you think so?”

“So, are you angry?”

“I am. Very much so.”

“Hmm.”

At Ja Hong Cheon’s cold response, Namgung Jin-geom let out a faint sigh.

At that moment, Po Cheon-wol, the Green Forest Emperor, spoke up.

“People naturally tend to avoid places where they gain nothing. It seems the other supreme lords of the Ten Sects see no benefit in coming here.”

“Is that what you think, Green Forest Emperor?”

“I don’t care about such benefits. Hehe!”

Po Cheon-wol laughed, revealing his white teeth.

Apart from Namgung Jin-geom and Po Cheon-wol, the other supreme lords of the Ten Sects had either declined to attend or sent representatives in their place.

Some sent their heirs, while others sent the most powerful figures under them, but Ja Hong Cheon did not permit their participation.

Only the supreme lords of the Ten Sects were allowed to sit in these seats, not their proxies.

Ja Hong Cheon poured more wine into his cup as he continued speaking.

“Come to think of it, the Ten Sects have always been like this. They’ve always just used our Alliance.”

“That is…”

“It was the Jade Heaven Alliance that ended the Great Heavenly Blood War a hundred years ago. There were no Ten Sects back then.”

“……”

“After the Jade Heaven Alliance ended the Great Heavenly Blood War, the so-called ‘Ten Sects’ began to emerge in the Jianghu, declaring themselves the rulers. They started to refer to themselves as the ‘Ten Sects.”

Ja Hong Cheon’s voice was as bleak and desolate as a cold winter landscape.

Namgung Jin-geom and Po Cheon-wol exchanged uneasy glances. At the center of the chilling atmosphere was none other than Ja Hong Cheon.

“The Second Great Heavenly Blood War was no different. While the martial artists of our Alliance were dying in droves, the Ten Sects didn’t even show their faces. Then, as the war neared its end, they slyly began to intervene again. The Ten Sects have always been like that. The Jade Heaven Alliance shed the blood, but the glory was shared.”

“You…”

“If the Ten Sects had supported us in time, we could have definitely won the second Great Heavenly Blood War. We could have achieved true peace, not this half-baked peace.”

The wine overflowed from Ja Hong Cheon’s cup, but he did not stop pouring.

Sensing the rising tension, Namgung Jin-geom and Po Cheon-wol exchanged concerned looks.

Yet, Ja Hong Cheon continued speaking.

“I endured it when the Jade Heaven Alliance was degraded to just one of the Ten Sects. I endured it when they interfered with various interests. I even endured it when they approached my disciples. I kept enduring, thinking it was for the good of the Jianghu… The first Alliance Leader, Cho Yeon-un, also endured, gathering people and establishing the Jade Heaven Alliance to end the Celestial Demon Troupe with the help of the Allied Forces. I believed that if I endured as he did, I could destroy the Celestial Demon Troupe and bring peace to Jianghu.”

“……”

“But after going through the Great Heavenly Blood War, I realized one thing: to bring peace to the Jianghu, we must first address the internal threats. We must eradicate the false powers that each claim to rule over a region.”

When Ja Hong Cheon realized that no matter how hard he tried, the situation wouldn’t change, he despaired. And that despair changed him.

On the outside, he looked the same, but inside, he was no longer the man he once was.

“What are you planning?”

Namgung Jin-geom’s voice rose involuntarily. However, Ja Hong Cheon continued, unperturbed.

“The Heavenly Assembly was my last chance for them. No matter what sins they had committed or what intentions they harbored, I planned to forgive them if they attended. But now, I see it clearly. It is impossible to undertake any great task with them.”

“And so?”

This time Po Cheon-wol asked.

Ja Hong Cheon turned his gaze to Po Cheon-wol.

Despite Ja Hong Cheon’s icy gaze, which could paralyze those who met it, Po Cheon-wol did not waver. Instead, he stared back with burning eyes.

At some point, the air in the grand hall began to stir. It was as if the entire atmosphere was filled with hostility, targeting Namgung Jin-geom and Po Cheon-wol.

Both Namgung Jin-geom and Po Cheon-wol were absolute masters of their time, but the killing intent they felt now was unlike anything they had ever encountered.

‘Was Ja Hong Cheon always this formidable?’

‘Hmm!’

The two of them gritted their teeth.

Until now, they had thought Ja Hong Cheon’s martial prowess was not much different from their own.

Even though Ja Hong Cheon was the leader of the Jade Heaven Alliance, they believed he couldn’t be much stronger, given that he had learned martial arts later than they had.

If Ja Hong Cheon was born with extraordinary talent, so were they. While the martial arts of the Jade Heaven Alliance were formidable, those of the Thousand Kingdom School and Sky High Castle were equally impressive.

Because of this, they saw Ja Hong Cheon as a competitor, not as a threat. But now, as they faced his killing intent head-on, they realized just how arrogant they had been.

Ja Hong Cheon was strong.

So strong it sent chills down their spines.

The intense sense of danger they felt at this moment was proof of Ja Hong Cheon’s strength.

“What do you plan to do?” Namgung Jin-geom asked again.

“Exclusion.”

“Exclusion from what?”

“Are you afraid?”

“What?”

“Your eyes are shaking. Don’t worry. The two of you who attended today will not be excluded.”

“Ha!”

Bang!

Suddenly, Po Cheon-wol slammed his palm on the table. The sturdy sandalwood table exploded as if hit by a thunderbolt. However, the wooden fragments did not even touch Ja Hong Cheon, falling harmlessly to the ground. An invisible barrier was protecting Ja Hong Cheon.

“How arrogant, Ja Hong Cheon! The position of the Jade Heaven Alliance Leader is to protect the people of the world, not to harbor ambition.”

“Do you think I’m doing this out of personal ambition?”

“Silence.”

“The first Lord of Sky High Castle, Mook Il-gwang, was part of the Green Forest, but he had great righteousness. He fought alongside the first Alliance Leader during the Great Heavenly Blood War and achieved great merit. After the war, he returned to his roots, unified the Green Forest, and established Sky High Castle. He enforced strict rules to ensure that the Green Forest did not harm innocent people. His achievements were truly remarkable. But what about you?”

“You…”

“Do you enjoy being hailed as the ruler of the Green Forest? Sitting on your throne, indulging in your power while doing nothing? Where did the righteousness of the first Lord go?”

“That’s enough, Ja Hong Cheon. If you cross this line, I won’t hold back.”

“And if you don’t hold back?”

This time, Ja Hong Cheon asked.

At Ja Hong Cheon’s emotionless gaze, Po Cheon-wol flinched briefly. But only briefly.

Po Cheon-wol then unleashed his killing intent as he spoke.

“Then we’ll have to settle this.”

“Hmph!”

Ja Hong Cheon smiled.

It was a smile filled with various meanings. While others might not understand, Po Cheon-wol read the meaning behind it.

‘Contempt’ or ‘Mockery.’

Ja Hong Cheon was looking down on Po Cheon-wol.

Po Cheon-wol glared at Ja Hong Cheon with wide eyes, his killing intent intensifying like a stormy sea.

Po Cheon-wol was the ruler of the Green Forest.

He did not become the ruler by mere luck or by birthright. He fought his way to the top, defeating countless competitors. In the process, he killed or purged many.

Even though he momentarily felt intimidated by Ja Hong Cheon, there was no way his spirit could be broken. Instead, it fueled his determination.

Ja Hong Cheon stared intently at Po Cheon-wol.

“Are you sure you can handle it?”

“What do you mean?”

“Would you be okay if Sky High Castle were engulfed in bloodshed?”

“Are you threatening me, Ja Hong Cheon?”

“I don’t make threats.”

Ja Hong Cheon’s voice was icy.

At that moment, Po Cheon-wol felt a chill in his chest. He realized Ja Hong Cheon was serious. But it was too late to show weakness now.

“The strength of Sky High Castle is greater than you think.”

“Then I’ll see for myself if it’s truly beyond imagination.”

“You…!”

Unable to contain his anger any longer, Po Cheon-wol released his power.

Rumble!

A storm-like wave of qi swept through the grand hall.

“Ugh!”

“Hmm!”

Ja Hong Cheon’s disciples groaned.

They felt the vast difference in power between themselves and Po Cheon-wol.

Secretly, they had believed their martial skills were not far behind those of the supreme lords of the Ten Sects or the Eight Great Martial Artists. However, Po Cheon-wol’s qi wave came as a massive shock to them.

It was as if a powerful storm had been compressed and was raging within the grand hall. The pressure was so intense that even breathing became difficult.

But despite facing this overwhelming energy head-on, Ja Hong Cheon’s expression remained unchanged. To him, the fierce qi seemed no more than a gentle breeze.

At that moment, Namgung Jin-geom stepped forward.

“That’s enough, Lord Po.”

“Don’t stop me, Namgung Jin-geom. This is a matter of my pride.”

“Whatever the outcome of this fight, all that will remain is a war between the Jade Heaven Alliance and Sky High Castle. Is that really what you want?”

“Can’t you see? Ja Hong Cheon is already set on waging war against the Ten Sects. The Heavenly Assembly was just an excuse for him. Even if all the supreme lords of the Ten Sects had attended, he would have found another reason to start the war.”

Namgung Jin-geom turned his gaze to Ja Hong Cheon.

Ja Hong Cheon did not deny Po Cheon-wol’s words. He simply watched the two in silence.

Namgung Jin-geom asked.

“Is it true? Are you really planning to wage war against the entire Ten Sects?”

“……”

“I see you are serious.”

Namgung Jin-geom gritted his teeth.

He had his doubts even as he came to this place.

Although Ja Hong Cheon’s demeanor was unsettling, he had hoped there wouldn’t be any major issues.

Perhaps it was more a matter of wishful thinking. But contrary to his hopes, Ja Hong Cheon was now revealing the ambitions he had kept hidden.

Namgung Jin-geom tried to persuade him.

“If we fight each other, only the Celestial Demon Troupe will benefit. Are you okay with that?”

“You don’t understand.”

“What do you mean?”

“Sometimes, it’s only after a fierce battle that you truly come to understand one another.”

“What are you saying?”

“You may not understand, but I’ve had countless conversations with Jin Gwang-hon, the leader of Celestial Demon Troupe.”

You don’t always have to speak face-to-face to understand each other’s intentions.

When the war was at its peak, and difficult decisions had to be made, Ja Hong Cheon felt a strange emotion.

It was as if the Celestial Demon Troupe’s military strategies were speaking to him. So, as a test, he altered his own strategies. The Celestial Demon Troupe responded in kind.

In this way, Ja Hong Cheon and Jin Gwang-hon communicated.

They spoke in a way that their closest aides couldn’t comprehend, in a language only they understood.

Through this process, they came to deeply understand each other’s situations and made a pact.

“I will unify the Jianghu within three years.”

“You’re insane!”

Namgung Jin-geom’s eyes widened at Ja Hong Cheon’s audacious words.

“Step aside!”

Po Cheon-wol pushed Namgung Jin-geom aside and stepped forward.

His fists were already encased in a bright aura of powerful qi.

Boom!