Episode 451

The Blood Wind Blows from the West (1)

 

“Hyung! Let’s go together.”

 

At the cheerful voice of a young boy, the slightly older boy beside him flinched. Turning his head, he saw the younger boy staring back at him with a bright smile.

 

“Young Master!”

 

“Aww, hyung! Don’t call me that.”

 

“But…”

 

“Just call me Cheong. Try it once.”

 

“Well…”

 

The older boy, Pi Jin-ui, stammered.

 

The boy looking at him with a bright expression was Lee Cheong,  the son of his master, Lee Gwak.

 

Lee Gwak was someone Pi Jin-ui revered like the heavens. Naturally, he treated Lee Gwak’s son with utmost respect while maintaining a certain distance, believing it was the proper etiquette toward his master.

 

But despite his efforts, Lee Cheong clung to him relentlessly.

 

Pi Jin-ui was grateful for Lee Cheong’s friendliness, but it also weighed on him. The biggest reason was, of course, that Lee Cheong was his master’s son.

 

As if sensing Pi Jin-ui’s thoughts, Lee Cheong spoke up.

 

“Hyung! Don’t mind my dad. He’s him, and I’m me. I just want you to treat me comfortably. Can’t you do that?”

 

Lee Cheong blinked his large eyes as he stared at Pi Jin-ui.

 

Seeing the innocence in those eyes, Pi Jin-ui couldn’t refuse any longer.

 

“O-okay. I’ll call you comfortably from now on.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Yeah!”

 

“Yay!”

 

At Pi Jin-ui’s answer, Lee Cheong jumped around excitedly. Knowing the boy’s joy was genuine, a smile naturally formed on Pi Jin-ui’s lips.

 

Lee Cheong liked Pijinui.

 

It wasn’t just because he was his father’s disciple.

 

He admired Pi Jin-ui’s maturity, dependable aura, and considerate nature. He had always wished for an older brother like that, and Pi Jin-ui fit perfectly.

 

Perhaps that was why he felt so drawn to him.

 

“Hyung!”

 

“Yeah! Cheong-ah.”

 

“Hehe! I like it.”

 

Lee Cheong laughed with the pure innocence of a child. Pi Jin-ui let out a quiet sigh.

 

‘Cheong is too pure. How will someone this innocent survive in the Jianhu? This won’t do. I have to protect him.’

 

The only ones who had ever shown him genuine kindness were the Lee Gwak family. And among them, Lee Cheong had been especially warm toward him.

 

Pi Jin-ui vowed to do his best to support Lee Cheong.

 

He never once entertained the thought that he could become the next leader of the sect just because he was Lee Gwak’s disciple. He harbored no such greed.

 

Lee Gwak had been the benefactor who opened a new path for him. The best way to repay that debt, he believed, was to take good care of Lee Cheong.

 

 

Han So-cheon treated Pi Jin-ui and Jo So-hye as if they were her own children.

 

She had heard the circumstances under which Lee Gwak took them in as disciples, but more than that, she admired their upright and steadfast characters.

 

Even after returning to the sect, Han So-cheon rarely stepped forward publicly.

 

She wasn’t particularly close to Lim So-bo. They hadn’t had much time to build a friendship. But she was well aware of Lim So-bo’s exceptional abilities and respected and trusted her for them.

 

She entrusted everything to Lim So-bo and lived almost like a recluse in her quarters, believing that was the best way to support her.

 

Moreover, involving herself in matters she didn’t fully understand didn’t suit her temperament. She’d rather spend that time digesting even a single insight gained from the Steel Hell Blood Training Hall.

 

Because of this, most of the sect members didn’t even realize Lee Gwak’s wife existed in the sect.

 

After returning from Soju, Lee Gwak spent most of his time with his family.

 

They had been separated for an extremely long time. Of course, that didn’t dilute their familial bonds, but they knew well that such peaceful moments together were rare.

 

Even while spending time with his family, Lee Gwak focused most of his energy on martial arts. He dedicated much of his time to creating techniques for his disciples.

 

He had already devised several martial arts for them, but that wasn’t enough. As time passed, disciples with rapid progress emerged. For them, he needed to create techniques that could lead to higher realms.

 

While developing these techniques, Lee Gwak constantly refined his own martial arts.

 

His battle with Ja Hong-cheon had given him another opportunity to reflect on himself.

 

Lee Gwak repeatedly recalled that duel, thinking deeply.

 

That alone had been a great help to him.

 

Moreover, creating martial arts for others deepened his insights day by day.

 

Lee Gwak was happy during this time, surrounded by his beloved family and immersed solely in martial arts.

 

 

 

In his entire life, no period had been as peaceful as this, except for the time he left the Jianghu to live in seclusion. But his happiness didn’t last long.

 

Lim So-bo called for a meeting of the sect’s leadership.

 

Even though Lee Gwak was the Sect Lord, he was no exception.

 

Lim So-bo wouldn’t have summoned him unless it was urgent. If she had called for a meeting, something major must have happened.

 

Lee Gwak left his quarters and headed to the main hall where the meeting was being held.

 

Lim So-bo and the other leaders were already gathered there.

 

As Lee Gwak entered, everyone stood to greet him.

 

“Sect Lord, you’ve arrived?”

 

“We greet the Sect Lord.”

 

“Everyone, take your seats.”

 

Lee Gwak acknowledged their greetings and motioned for them to sit.

 

Once everyone was seated, he turned to Im So-bo.

 

“What’s the matter, Military Advisor?”

 

“My apologies. But the situation is too urgent to delay.”

 

Im So-bo, who usually maintained an impeccable façade, now wore an expression of urgency. That alone signaled the gravity of the matter.

 

“So, what happened?”

 

“We’ve just received urgent news from the Yunnan.”

 

“…”

 

Lee Gwak blinked silently.

 

He had a premonition of something ominous. And his premonition soon became reality.

 

“Seize Fortress has… fallen to the Celestial Demon Troupe.”

 

Crrack!

 

Without realizing it, Lee Gwak clenched the armrest of his chair so hard that it shattered.

 

“Gongseong has fallen?”

 

“Yes. This has been confirmed by the Hao Sect.”

 

“When… did this happen?”

 

“Truthfully, it seems the Seize Fortress was taken some time ago. But both the Heavenly Intelligence Hall of the Jade Heaven Alliance and the Hao Clan suffered heavy losses due to the events in Suzhou, which delayed intelligence gathering.”

 

At Lim So-bo’s words, Lee Gwak closed his eyes.

 

‘Hyungnim Jong-myeong!’

 

Seo Jong-myeong was in Seize Fortress.

 

He was one of the people who had profoundly influenced Lee Gwak’s life.

 

The leaders gasped in shock.

 

 

 

The Celestial Demon Troupe’s attack on Seize Fortress, a strategic stronghold of the Jade Heaven Alliance, was shocking enough. But a seven-day and night assault was on another level.

 

It was a declaration of their absolute determination to take Seize Fortress.

 

“There were roughly four hundred martial artists stationed in Seize Fortress. The Celestial Demon Troupe mobilized over two thousand martial artists to capture it.”

 

“Two thousand?”

 

“So they deployed five times the forces to take Seize Fortress…”

 

Lim Ji-mun’s expression hardened.

 

He knew exactly what it meant to deploy five times the forces to capture a single fortress.

 

This was no mere skirmish or localized conflict.

 

“Is… the Great Heavenly Blood War beginning?”

 

“Hmm!”

 

At Im Ji-mun’s muttering, the others fell silent. The weight of the words “Great Heavenly Blood War” was that immense.

 

For now, it might be limited to a war between the Celestial Demon Troupe and the Jade Heaven Alliance, but as time passed, the Seven Great Sects and other sects would inevitably be dragged in.

 

That was the nature of the Celestial Demon Troupe.

 

Its mere presence put all sects on edge, eventually pulling them into a quagmire of chaos.

 

There could be no exceptions.

 

Lee Gwak turned to Lim So-bo.

 

“Any survivors?”

 

“At this point, we don’t know.”

 

“Were they wiped out?”

 

“That’s also unknown. The intelligence is too scarce. But given the intensity of the battle, it’s unlikely there were many survivors.”

 

“…”

 

“They held out for seven days and nights against a force five times their size. No ordinary martial artists or group could have endured that. It was only possible because Master Seo Jong-myeong was leading the Shadowless Squad.”

 

Lim So-bo’s lips trembled slightly.

 

Having once been part of the Jade Heaven Alliance, she knew Seo Jong-myeong well.

 

 

 

He had the ability to rise high within the Alliance. Yet he took on the role of Seize Fortress’s lord, a position most avoided, and stayed in that remote outpost for years without complaint.

 

Because Seo Jong-myeong guarded Seize Fortress, Ja Hong-cheon could wage war against the Seven Great Sects with peace of mind.

 

It was precisely because of Seo Jong-myeong that they had been able to withstand such overwhelming odds for seven days and nights.

 

Without him, it would have been impossible.

 

Lee Gwak closed his eyes.

 

His eyelids trembled faintly.

 

Hoping for Seo Jong-myeong’s survival now would be foolish.

 

Lee Gwak could vividly picture Seo Jong-myeong fighting fiercely, swinging his sword like a demon and determined to take as many enemies down with him as possible.

 

There was no way the enemy would have spared him.

 

‘Hyungnim!’

 

Unconsciously, Lee Gwak bit his lip hard. Blood trickled down, but he didn’t even feel the pain.

 

He wanted nothing more than to run to Seize Fortress right then. But he knew he couldn’t.

 

The Mad Martial Sect was in the far northeast, and Seize Fortress was in the far southwest.

 

Even on a fast horse, the journey would take over two months.

 

It was too late.

 

Suppressing the rage boiling inside him, Lee Gwak opened his eyes. His gaze was as cold as ice.

 

He called out to Lim So-bo.

 

“Military Strategist!”

 

“Yes, Sect Lord.”

 

“What developments do you anticipate from this incident?”

 

“Now that the Seize Fortress has fallen, the Jade Heaven Alliance can’t remain passive.

To demonstrate its strength, the alliance will probably mobilize a large force to retaliate against the Celestial Demon Troupe. Of course, there may be smaller skirmishes first to gauge the enemy’s strength, but ultimately, it will escalate into a full-scale battle.”

 

“So a direct clash is unavoidable?”

 

“The Alliance can’t back down from this fight. Having already suffered heavy losses due to you, Sect Lord, another defeat would shake its position as the leader of the Jianghu. It will have to stake its survival on this war.”

 

“Meaning it will spiral into the Great Heavenly Blood War.”

 

“It’s inevitable. The first to get caught up will be the Dragon Heaven Valley, which is closest to Seize Fortress. The Celestial Demon Troupe will need to eliminate Dragon Heaven Valley to avoid threats to its rear while focusing on the Jade Heaven Alliance. So even as it fights the alliance, it will divert some forces to attack Dragon Heaven Valley.”

 

Lim So-bo spoke with certainty.

 

She and the Intelligence Pavilion had drafted countless scenarios in preparation for the Great Heavenly Blood War. But no matter how they played it out, the conclusion was always the same, Dragon Heaven Valley would be hit hard.

 

And if the Dragon Heaven Valley suffered, the Martial Sword Troupe, located closest to it, would inevitably feel threatened.

 

It was only a matter of time before the Martial Sword Troupe, too, was engulfed in the flames of war.

 

Though Dragon Heaven Valley and the Martial Sword Troupe had extremely strained relations with the Jade Heaven Alliance, they would have no choice but to unite against the Divine Demon Alliance’s threat.

 

“Once Dragon Heaven Valley and the Martial Sword Troupe join the war, the other sects will have no choice but to follow.”

 

“Which sect will be in the greatest danger if the War breaks out?”

 

“Undoubtedly Dragon Heaven Valley and the Martial Sword Troupe.”

 

“Hmm!”

 

“But their foundations are formidable, so they’ll hold out for quite a while.”

 

“How long do you estimate they’ll last?”

 

“Dragon Heaven Valley, at least a year. The Martial Sword Troupe, three years.”

 

“That’s all?”

 

“That’s the maximum.”

 

“Hmm…”

 

Lee Gwak exhaled heavily.

 

A heavy silence filled the hall. The leaders were at a loss for words.

 

Yet Lim So-bo’s voice continued relentlessly.

 

“Had the Jade Heaven Alliance remained intact, and had their alliance with the Seven Great Sects been solid, the war would have been decided early on. But the Jade Heaven Alliance’s strength has deteriorated, and their reckless wars have left them with no reliable allies. That’s why this war will absolutely not end quickly.”

 

“Are you saying it will be a prolonged war?”

 

“Based on our projections, yes.”

 

“The casualties will be catastrophic.”

 

“Sect Lord! Bloodshed is unavoidable. The only silver lining is that our sect is far removed from the heart of the Jianghu”

 

“So what are you suggesting?”

 

“Sooner or later, we will have no choice but to join the war. But until then, we must distance ourselves from the conflicts of the Jianghu and accumulate as much strength as possible.”

 

“Are you saying we should turn a blind eye to the bloodshed in the martial world?”

 

“If we recklessly involve ourselves with our current strength, we’ll be crushed before we can even make a difference. Precisely in times like these, we must remain cold and rational.”

 

“From this moment on, our sect will shift to wartime position. In principle, external activity will be restricted, but we must remain prepared to intervene if necessary. Focus all efforts on gathering external intelligence. Also, make contact with the Dragon Heaven Valley and Martial Sword Troupe, find ways to support them.”

 

“Understood, Sect Lord!”

 

“All of this will be the Strategist’s responsibility. I will devote myself fully to training our disciples’ martial arts. Before Dragon Heaven Valley and Martial Sword Troupe fall, we must more than double the strength of this sect. Bear that in mind, and act accordingly.”

 

“By your command!”

 

At Lee Gwak’s orders, Lim Sobo and the leaders responded in unison.

 

***

 

From that day onward, the Mad Martial Sect shifted to a wartime stance and began strengthening its forces.

 

And across the Jianghu, the winds of blood began to blow.