Episode 479

People in Crisis Seek Something to Rely On (1)

The Jade Heaven Alliance had fallen.

 

The alliance walls that had protected the world for a century were utterly destroyed, and countless pavilions were reduced to rubble or burned down.

 

The surface of Lake Dongting was stained red with blood, and countless bodies floated buoyantly on its water. So many people had died that corpses were piled like mountains on every street, and the stench of death was overwhelming.

 

Naturally, the ones most shocked by the news of the collapse were the Seven Major sects. Among them, the Thousand Kingdom School, located closest to the League, felt a sense of crisis beyond description.

 

The Thousand Kingdom School recalled all disciples stationed outside and fortified their defenses.  The same was true for the Heaven High Castle and the other major sects.

 

They prepared their defenses and vigilantly watched the movements of the Celestial Demon Troupe. However, the Celestial Demon Troupe, having settled at Lake Dongting, did not budge an inch.

 

Although they had destroyed the Jade Heaven Alliance, the damage they had suffered was by no means small. Numerous masters had died or been injured, and their leadership had also suffered significant losses.

 

The Celestial Demon Troupe also needed time to tend to its wounds. So, they stopped external activities and focused on consolidating their strength.

 

Some wise individuals urged the martial sects, including the Seven Major Sects, to attack the Celestial Demon Troupe. However, the Alliance’s power was too great to recklessly attack.

 

No one wanted to be the first to experience that tsunami-like force that had even toppled the Jade Heaven Alliance, the foremost power under heaven.

 

No one wished to be the first to test it.

 

Thus, the perfect opportunity to deliver a critical blow to the Celestial Demon Troupe slipped away.

 

Months passed since Jade Heaven Alliance’s downfall.

 

During that time, the Mad Martial Sect focused solely on expanding its power.

 

Strengthening one’s forces in such a short period was never easy. Internal cultivation alone had its limits. However, the Mad Martial Sect defied those limits and grew dramatically in strength.

 

They absorbed a great number of warriors who had fled the defeat of the Jade Heaven Alliance.

 

The Seven Sects had also tried to recruit these warriors, but opposition within their ranks was too strong. How could they accept as comrades those who had been their enemies, their blades still wet with blood?

 

Namgung In, the new leader of the Thousand Kingdom School, could not simply dismiss these concerns. He judged that preventing internal division was more crucial than hastily strengthening their ranks with outsiders.

 

The other sects thought much the same.

 

Thus, a great number of displaced warriors from the Jade Heaven Alliance flocked to the Mad Martial Sect. Lim Sobo and Cheong Wunsan accepted them after careful screening.

 

As a result, the Mad Martial Sect experienced a dramatic increase in power within a few months.

 

The interior of the Mad Martial Sect, which had been spacious relative to its scale, was now filled with people, and the streets overflowed with vitality.

 

As the Mad Martial Sect’s scale grew, many merchants also came to conduct business. Particularly, many merchant groups from nearby areas who were not under the protection of the Seven Major Factions visited.

 

They hoped the Mad Martial Sect would become their protector.

 

Lim So-Bo gladly accepted their proposals.

 

To become the hegemon of a region, one needed not just military might but also vast financial backing. They already had contracts with several merchant groups and were relatively wealthy, but more money was always better.

 

Especially in times like these, when chaos under heaven had reached its peak.

 

Thanks to the numerous daily visitors, the Mad Martial Sect’s coffers were filled with money. And many people, chasing money, migrated to the vicinity of the Mad Martial Sect.

 

Since the Black River blocked the way, one absolutely had to take a boat to enter the Mad Martial Sect. Naturally, there was no space for a village to form. But as so many people gathered, a village naturally formed at the downstream pier on the Black River, built for boarding boats.

 

In a short time, inns, numerous shops, and hamlets sprang up around the pier.

 

Among them were many people unrelated to the martial world. It seemed that as the entire world was swept into war, many had come seeking a safe place.

 

The Mad Martial Sect, located in a place detached from the Jianghu and rumored to possess powerful strength, became a preferred destination for many people.

 

While the Mad Martial Sect rose as a new power, another name was also on people’s lips:

 

Heavenly Martial Sect.

 

Its master was unknown. Yet, whispers spread about its considerable martial strength.

 

However, it was not its warriors that drew the most attention, but its staggering wealth.

 

Those fortunate enough to visit claimed that the sect’s size left them stunned, and its splendor left them in awe.

 

For some reason, the Heavenly Martial Sect kept its gates closed and rarely engaged in external activities. That only fed curiosity. Word spread through the rare visitors who had glimpsed inside.

 

“Still no clue who the master of the Heavenly Martial Sect is?”

 

“I apologize. All we know is that he is just a young boy.”

 

Upon hearing her subordinate’s report, Lim Sobo frowned and folded her arms in thought.

 

Strange!

 

***

 

No matter how small a sect is, it cannot appear overnight.

 

First, there must be a martial artist with highly advanced skills. Second, that martial artist must have the will to establish a sect.

 

Second, there must be people who follow that martial artist.

 

Just like how Lim So-Bo followed Lee Gwak.

 

The third and final requirement was funding. No matter how outstanding the sect leader’s martial prowess, without funds to support his followers, the sect couldn’t survive.

 

These three elements were the fundamental requirements for establishing a martial arts sect. While there were other minor requirements, it was common knowledge that without these three, a sect could never be sustained. And these three elements never just materialized out of thin air.

 

That was Lim Sobo’s common sense. But the Heavenly Martial Sect fit none of those rules. Perhaps that was why it unsettled her so much.

 

There must be something hidden.

 

The problem was that she couldn’t pinpoint exactly what was unsettling her.

 

Lim So-Bo spoke to her subordinate.

 

“Continue to keep a close watch on the Heavenly Martial Manor. Especially, find out who the Manor Lord is, quickly.”

 

“Understood. I will cooperate with the Hao Clan and definitely uncover the identity of the Heavenly Martial Manor’s Lord.”

 

The subordinate gave a determined reply and withdrew.

 

Left alone, Lim So-Bo shook her head. She already had many headaches and didn’t want to think about this any further.

 

What she needed now was a bit of rest.

 

Lim So-Bo left her quarters and headed for the Sect Leader’s Hall. Then, Cheon-Wol followed alongside her.

 

“Oraboni!”

 

“Take it easy with your work. I’m afraid you might collapse.”

 

“I rest when I can. Don’t worry.”

 

Lim So-Bo smiled at Cheon-Wol.

 

She had been running non-stop since the death of her master, Yeo Jung-Wol.

 

The same was true for Cheon-wol.

 

Consumed by guilt over failing to protect Yeo Jung-wol, Cheon-wol threw himself into training. Except for eating and sleeping, he devoted nearly every waking hour to mastering martial arts.

 

Thanks to this, his martial prowess had grown beyond comparison.

 

Even Lee Gwak couldn’t help but marvel at his advanced skills. Particularly in stealth and mobility, he was unmatched.

 

The two walked shoulder to shoulder toward the Sect leader’s hall, Lee Gwak’s residence.

 

As they neared the Sect leader’s hall, the first thing to greet them was the enticing aroma of food.

 

“Wow!”

 

Lim So-bo let out an involuntary gasp.

 

Her expression instantly turned ecstatic.

 

Though Cheon Wol-do didn’t show it, the fragrant food aroma startled him. It was the first time in his life he’d ever smelled something this delicious.

 

“I was about to call for you, but you came on your own.”

Han So-Cheon greeted them with a smile.

 

“Sister, what is this?”

“Lady Bang has taken up the kitchen knife.”

“Ah!”

A bright smile bloomed on Lim So-Bo’s face for the first time in a long while.

 

As the Mad Martial Sect was so large, there was usually no need for Bang Ye-In to cook personally. The many chefs employed by the sect prepared the meals.

 

But occasionally, Bang Ye-In cooked herself. Those who had tasted her food even once could never forget its flavor.

 

Lim So-Bo was one of those people.

 

As she savored the anticipation, Han So-Cheon said to her,

 

“Let’s go quickly. Everyone else is already seated.”

 

“Yes! Sister.”

 

Lim So-Bo followed Han So-Cheon with skipping steps.

 

A smile also appeared on Cheon-Wol’s face as he walked with her. Seeing Lim So-Bo happy made him feel good too.

 

The three of them entered the Sect Leader’s Hall like that.

 

“Welcome.”

 

“Sit down quickly.”

 

As they entered the hall, many people, including Lee Cheong and Lee Soo-ah, greeted them.

 

Lee Gwak, Cheol Gwang-woo, Lee Cheong, Lee Soo-ah, Cheong Un-san, Seok Yi-cheon, and Ki Jin-hwi were all gathered in one place, along with Mok Cheon-gang and Dam Su-rin.

 

The person who opened the door and entered was a strategist from the Strategy Division Office.

 

Lim So-Bo asked on Lee Gwak’s behalf.

 

“What is it?”

 

“The Celestial Demon Troupe has made its move.”

 

Thud!

 

Everyone set their chopsticks down.

 

The happy feast was now over.