Episode 396

Spring Comes to Those Who Endure the Long Winter (2)

“So you’re telling me we haven’t found a single core member of the Secret Court?”

 

“My apologies.”

 

At Ja Hong Cheon’s reprimand, Joo Shin Yoon, the head of the Inner Court, bowed his head to the floor.

 

Last winter, a major incident occurred—the core members of the Secret Court vanished without a trace.

 

The unprecedented event sent shockwaves through the Jade Heaven Alliance.

 

Martial artists from both the Inner and Main Courts were mobilized for the search. They searched for fifteen days but couldn’t find a single clue.

 

Whether they had ascended to the heavens or sank into the ground, even the Jade Heaven Alliance’s vast intelligence network couldn’t locate them.

 

Ja Hong Cheon’s look at Joo Shin Yoon was icy. A cold sweat ran down Joo Shin Yoon’s back.

 

Since their defeat in the war against the Dragon Heaven Valley, they hadn’t had a single day of peace. Misfortune had followed one after another.

 

Among them, the mass defection of the Secret Court’s core members was one of the most devastating events—something no one within the Alliance had anticipated.

 

It was a clear sign that Ja Hong-cheon’s once unshakable rule was beginning to falter.

 

As a result, Ja Hong-cheon’s temper had grown razor-sharp. Though he had maintained his composure through multiple setbacks, he could not remain indifferent in the face of internal collapse.

 

No matter how superhuman his martial skills were, his essence remained human. And humans, by nature, grow sensitive to failure.

 

Ja Hong-cheon was no exception.

 

The repeated failures had left deep cracks in his prestige, and his nerves were on edge.

 

That’s why his gaze toward Joo Shin Yoon was cold. External affairs might be someone else’s concern, but internal control rested entirely with the inner court.

 

And Joo Shin Yoon was the head of the Inner Court.

 

“Damn it!”

 

Joo Shin Yoon bit his lip hard.

 

He had never imagined the situation would deteriorate so rapidly.

 

Clearly, these developments were beyond the Alliance’s control. It was a troubling sign.

 

And now, even Joo Shin Yoon was feeling a profound sense of crisis.

 

Something’s off. I need to get to the root of this quickly and deal with it.

 

As the head of the Inner Court he had faced countless ups and downs. The very fact that even he felt uneasy spoke volumes about the severity of the situation.

 

Just then—

 

“Alliance Leader!”

 

A subordinate guarding outside called out to Ja Hong-cheon.

 

“Enter.”

 

“Yes!”

 

With Ja Hong-cheon’s permission, the subordinate hurried inside.

 

“What is it?”

 

“A messenger has arrived.”

 

“A messenger?”

 

“Yes! A messenger from the Wudang Sect.”

 

“The Wudang Sect?”

 

Ja Hong-cheon frowned.

 

The name was so unexpected that it caught him off guard.

 

“Yes. A messenger from the Wudang Sect is here.”

 

Ja Hong-cheon and Joo Shin Yoon exchanged looks.

 

That’s how heavy the name “Wudang” was.

 

Before the Ten sects rose to power, the Jianghu had been ruled by the Nine Great Sects. Among them, Wudang had stood alongside Shaolin as one of the two strongest forces.

 

During the Great Heavenly Blood Heaven War, they had been pushed to the brink of annihilation and forced into seclusion.  For a hundred years, they had vanished from the Jianghu, people lumped them into the lowest rank of the Ten sects. But their potential was nothing short of terrifying.

 

Wudang was a sleeping giant. And now, Ja Hong-cheon had the feeling that this giant was beginning to stir.

 

“Bring the messenger in.”

 

“Yes, Alliance Lord!”

 

The subordinate rushed out.

 

Once they were alone, Ja Hong-cheon muttered,

 

“Wudang has returned?”

 

Unfortunately, it wasn’t good news for him.

 

He had hoped to end the chaos quickly before the Celestial Demon Troupe could mobilise again. The longer the chaos lasted, the greater the burden on the Jade Heaven Alliance.

 

Especially after the failed mission to Dragon Heaven Valley, Ja Hong-cheon’s influence had shrunk considerably.

 

While he still maintained control within the Alliance, his standing in the Jianghu had plummeted.

 

People no longer revered or feared him.

 

The failures of the Jade Heaven Alliance were seen as Ja Hong-cheon’s failures, and people began to realize that he wasn’t all-powerful.

 

Until now, the Jianggu had regarded Ja Hong-cheon as a flawless ruler. But that image was cracking, and people began to think—maybe he’s within reach.

 

That shift in perception was terrifying.

 

Ja Hong-cheon clicked his tongue and looked at Joo Shin Yoon.

 

“Do we have any intel on Wudang’s movements?”

 

“I’m afraid not.”

 

Ja Hong-cheon frowned again.

 

After the disaster at Dragon Heaven Valley, the Jade Heaven Alliance’s external operations declined rapidly. The intelligence-gathering Heavenly Intelligence Hall had also weakened, making it difficult to obtain high-quality information as before.

 

Under such circumstances, there was no reason to spend resources to monitor the secluded Wudang Sect.

 

Thus, they had completely missed the Wudang Sect’s movements. It might have been inevitable, but both Ja Hong-cheon and Joo Shin Yoon felt an acute sense of crisis. The erosion of the alliance’s strength was painfully evident.

 

“It seems we need to reassess the alliance’s strength. The Lord of the Inner Court prepare a plan.”

 

“I will do my best to find a solution.”

 

“You’ll need to do more than that.”

 

“Of course.”

 

Joo Shin Yoon bowed deeply.

 

Sweat trickled down his back.

 

Ja Hong-cheon’s tone made it clear that another failure would not be tolerated.

 

As the Lord of the Inner Court, he had wielded immense power—but only under Ja Hong-cheon’s protection.

 

If he fell out of favor, even his lofty position would melt away like snow in spring.

 

He bit his lip until it bled.

 

Just then, the subordinate’s voice came from outside.

 

“Alliance Leader, I have brought the messenger from the Wudang Sect.”

 

“Escort him in.”

 

The door opened, and the subordinate entered with a young Taoist.

 

He wore a sky-blue robe, his hair neatly tied up, and a sword bearing the Yin-Yang symbol slung across his back.

 

He appeared to be in his late twenties, with handsome features and a disarmingly gentle smile.

 

With a cupped-fist salute, he greeted Ja Hong-cheon and Joo Shin Yoon.

 

“Gyeon-un of the Wudang Sect pays his respects to the Supreme Leader of the Jade Heaven Alliance and the Lord of the Inner Court.”

 

His bow was respectful but not servile, and his voice was calm but confident.

 

More importantly, the immense aura radiating from him showed no sign of shrinking before Ja Hong-cheon.

 

Joo Shin Yoon’s pupils trembled slightly as he observed Gyeon-un.

 

‘So this is Wudang’s caliber?’

 

Few martial artists in the world could achieve such mastery at such a young age.

 

The only name that came to mind was Lee Gwak.

 

Whether Gyeon-un could truly match Lee Gwak was uncertain. But the fact that he reminded Joo Shin Yoon of Lee Gwak said enough about his strength.

 

Ja Hong-cheon observed Gyeon-un for a moment before speaking.

 

“I am Ja Hong Cheon, Lord of the Jade Heaven Alliance. It’s an honor to meet a rising star of Wudang.”

 

“The honor is mine. My master often said that the greatest martial artist in today’s world is Lord Ja Hong-cheon, and thus I was instructed to pay my respects first. However, my scattered mind led me to visit several places before arriving here. My lateness is my own regret.”

 

“You flatter me. By the way, I don’t think I caught your master’s name.”

 

“Not at all. The Wudang Sect has long been in seclusion—it’s only natural you wouldn’t know. My master is the Master Cheongsong, the current Sect Leader of Wudang.”

 

“Master Cheongsong? Then you must be the Sect Leader’s direct disciple?”

 

“There is one senior brother above me. I am the second disciple.”

 

“Looking at you, Wudang’s future seems bright. Now, what brings the second disciple of the Wudang sect to our alliance?”

 

Gyeon-un pulled out a red envelope from his robes and handed it to Ja Hong-cheon.

 

“An… invitation?”

 

“Yes. A personal invitation from my master to the Alliance Leader. Please read it yourself.”

 

Jahongcheon broke the seal and unfolded the letter.

 

As he read, his expression became visibly hardened.

 

“The Wudang Sect is reopening its gates after a century of seclusion and wishes for me to attend the celebration?”

 

“That is correct.”

 

“Hmm.”

 

Ja Hong-cheon let out an involuntary sigh.

 

The contents of the letter were anything but trivial.

 

The Wudang Sect—one of the former Nine Great Sects—was announcing its grand return to the Jianghu.

 

While its current reputation might lag behind the Ten Sects, its latent strength was not to be underestimated.

 

Most martial artists who received this invitation would undoubtedly attend. After all, who wouldn’t be curious about the return of a slumbering giant?

 

Ja Hong-cheon’s eyes turned cold.

 

The Wudang Sect’s reemergence was an unforeseen variable in his plans.

 

Even the rise of a minor sect could send ripples through the Jianghu. And now, the opponent was Wudang—one of the greatest orthodox sects.

 

The repercussions of their return were incalculable.

 

The timing was the real issue.

 

The Wudang Sect had decided to reopen its gates just as the Jade Heaven Alliance was showing signs of decline.

 

It was impossible not to suspect their intentions.

 

Ja Hong-cheon asked,

 

“Why now?”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“Why reopen now, of all times? There were countless peaceful periods. Why choose a time of such chaos? Would it not have been better to wait for peace?”

 

Gyeon-un answered calmly.

 

“Because the Jianghu is in chaos. My master has long lamented its corruption. In the era of the Nine Great Sects, such disorder was rare. Thus, even if only modestly, the Wudang Sect wishes to serve as a small beacon in these dark times. That is why we expedited the reopening ceremony.”

 

“Hah! You must be confident in the strength accumulated over a century.”

 

“As the saying goes, ‘Even a ruined noble can last three years.’ Thanks to the legacy of our predecessors, we have recovered some of our former strength.”

 

“Impressive. But remember, the Jianghu has also progressed over the past century. Do not underestimate it.”

 

“We would never dare. We are preparing the ceremony with humility. We only hope you will attend and enjoy the festivities.”

 

In this battle of words, Gyeon-un didn’t yield an inch.

 

His tongue was as sharp as his blade.

 

Watching this, Joo Shin Yoon’s eyes darkened.

 

The Wudang Sect… the return of a giant?’

 

Gyeon-un was still far from Ja Hong-cheon’s level. But given his youth, talent, and the backing of the Wudang Sect, it wouldn’t be long before he rose to terrifying heights.

 

‘Wait. If he’s the second disciple, where is the first?’

 

Typically, for such a major event, it was the sect’s direct disciple—who delivered invitations to the most important figures.

 

The fact that the second disciple had come to the Jade Heaven Alliance meant the first disciple had gone to someone even more significant.

 

‘Who in the current Jianghu would the Wudang Sect consider more important than the Alliance Leader? Unless…’

 

Joo Shin Yoon’s lips trembled.

 

He considered voicing his thoughts—but held back.

 

Even speculation would be disrespectful to Ja Hong Cheon.

 

***

 

Kreee! Kreee!

 

A small boat was making its way upstream along a river with unusually dark, murky water.

 

Surprisingly, the boat wasn’t steered by a ferryman, but by a young Taoist.

 

Wearing a simple Taoist cap and a dark-blue robe, the young man rowed effortlessly.

 

Though he didn’t seem to exert himself, each stroke of his oar sent the boat gliding dozens of yards against the current.

 

Even a veteran boatman couldn’t hope to perform such a feat, but this Taoist did so with ease.

 

He looked down at the black river below and murmured,

 

“So this is Blackwater. They named it well—dark as ink.”

 

He reached down and scooped up a handful of water.

 

Normally, water would slip through fingers like sand, but in his palm, it formed a perfect sphere, retaining its shape.

 

Though the river appeared filthy, the water in his hand was crystal clear.

 

Such was the way of the world.

 

Truth could never be discerned from a distance. Only by facing it directly could one see its real nature.

 

“What about you, Lee Gwak?”

 

The Taoist’s name was Jinghae.

 

He was the first master the Wudang Sect had released into the world after a century of seclusion.

 

And he was heading straight for Lee Gwak.