Episode 481

The Age of Storms Begins (1)

 

It had already been a month since the Dragon Heaven Valley entered the Mad Martial Sect.

 

The warriors of Dragon Heaven Valley quickly blended with the warriors of Mad Martial Sect. Having lost their home to the Celestial Demon Troupe, their hearts were filled with venom.

 

Determined to avenge themselves against the Celestial Demon Troupe, they practiced martial arts and strove to regain their former strength. Their poisonous spirit naturally spread to the Mad Martial Sect warriors as well. Many of those who had joined the Mad Martial Sect were warriors from the Jade Heaven Alliance who had also lost everything to the Celestial Demon Troupe and carried deep resentment in their hearts.

 

Bonded by the sense of camaraderie from sharing a common enemy, they united tightly, achieving a synergistic increase in strength. Thanks to this, the morale of the Mad Martial Sect was sky-high.

 

“Good.”

 

A look of relief appeared on Lim So-bo’s face as she received the reports from the strategists of the Strategy Pavilion.

 

Among the warriors of Mad Martial Sect, none was more anxious than her. Since she was effectively leading Mad Martial Sect, the pressure she bore was inevitably great.

 

Lim Sobo sought to maximize Mad Martial Sect’s strength while keeping a keen eye on Celestial Demon Troupe’s movements.

 

Fortunately, Celestial Demon Troupe had shown no particular activity so far. Having destroyed Dragon Heaven Valley, it was expected they would spend some time reorganizing their forces.

 

“Whew! At least that’s a relief.”

 

Just as Lim Sobo let out a sigh and set down the booklet detailing Celestial Demon Troupe’s movements—

 

“A big problem has occurred.”

 

Someone burst through the door.

 

Lim Sobo frowned instantly. It was Nam Woo-gyeong, who had entered without permission. She had been about to scold him, but closed her mouth when she saw his expression—it was far too grave for a mere breach of manners.

 

“What is it?”

 

“Myriad Merchant Troupe…”

 

“What about the Myriad Merchant Troupe?”

 

“Those damned merchants seem to have sided with the Celestial Demon Troupe.”

 

“What? What do you mean…?”

 

Lim Sobo sprang to her feet without realizing it, that’s how shocked she was.

 

“There are clear signs that the Myriad Merchant Troupe has been supporting the Celestial Demon Troupe.”

 

“That’s impossible. Is it true?”

 

“That impossible thing has happened.”

 

“My god!”

 

Lim Sobo’s lips trembled so hard they looked pitiable. Her legs gave out and she collapsed back into her chair.

 

Myriad Merchant Troupe was the great merchant coalition of the world. Their funds were so immense they could influence the entire martial realm from the shadows. They had stubbornly resisted the Jade Heaven Alliance by relying on their immense wealth.

 

Even the Jade Heaven Alliance, for all its might, could not completely annihilate them, being forced to settle for seizing only part of their wealth. During that process, however, their leader, Eun Won-ho, was killed.

 

His successor, Eun Il-myeong, knew he could never avenge him through ordinary means. So he chose to secretly support the Celestial Demon Troupe, the great enemy of Jianghu.

 

It was an act that could rightly be condemned as treason against the Jianghu. Eun Il-myung knew this. Yet, the fact that he secretly supported the Celestial Demon Troupe meant he was either confident he wouldn’t be discovered, or he was willing to risk becoming an enemy of the Jianghu.

 

BAM!

 

Nam Woo-gyeong slammed his fist on the table with all his might and spoke.

 

“They’ve clearly changed their alignment.”

 

“But to side with the Celestial Demon Troupe? Leader Eun must be out of his mind.”

 

“That’s not the important thing now. Will the Myriad Merchant Troupe really stop at this? If their alliance with the Celestial Demon Troupe is exposed, they’ll have no place left in the Jianghu. In that case, they’d rather…”

 

“Help the Celestial Demon Troupe settle firmly in the Jianghu, as that would be more beneficial for them.”

 

“Right! Once they’ve crossed that line, there’s no going back for them. They’ll definitely act that way.”

 

Lim So-bo and Nam Woo-gyeong agreed.

 

“Have you detected any other movement by the Myriad Merchant Troupe?”

 

“Isn’t there a place in the most urgent situation right now?”

 

“You don’t mean…?”

 

“Exactly. Funds and personnel are being poured into the Thousand Kingdom School. What reason would those who joined the Celestial Demon Troupe have to invest in the Thousand Kingdom School otherwise?”

 

“Sigh…”

 

Lim So-bo let out an involuntary sigh.

 

The place in the current Jianghu with the most urgent situation was precisely the Thousand Kingdom School.

 

Because the Celestial Demon Troupe’s next target was the Thousand Kingdom School.

 

Even now, movements of the Celestial Demon Troupe’s elite forces towards the Thousand Kingdom School were being detected everywhere.

 

If they annexed just the Thousand Kingdom School, there would be no sects nearby that could threaten the Celestial Demon Troupe for the time being. After crushing the Thousand Kingdom School with their full strength and steadily reinforcing their own, the Celestial Demon Troupe would establish their own impregnable fortress within the Jianghu.

 

Once the Celestial Demon Troupe was firmly entrenched in the Jianghu, no sect would exist that could threaten the Myriad Merchant Troupe. With the Celestial Demon Troupe  as their backer, what sect would dare risk threatening the Myriad Merchant Troupe?

 

“Once that order solidifies, no amount of effort will change it in the short term.”

 

“That must be what the Celestial Demon Troupe and Myriad Merchant Troupe want. Once they establish that system, they can slowly strangle the remaining sects over time.”

 

“What shall we do?”

 

“We must move. If things continue to flow as they wish any longer, we’ll never restore balance.”

 

“My thoughts are the same as yours.”

 

Their opinions aligned.

 

The one who broke the heavy atmosphere and spoke was Lee Gwak.

 

“Something worse than expected has happened. However, this was an eventuality.”

 

“Hmm!”

 

“Staying here like this won’t change a thing. No, as time passes, the Mad Martial Sect will clearly become isolated and wither away.”

 

Everyone’s expressions hardened.

 

The same picture had formed in their minds.

 

At that moment, Lee Gwak continued.

 

“More time would have been good. We could have prepared more perfectly. But the event has already occurred, and we have no time left. Rather than sitting still waiting for their offensive, it’s slightly more advantageous for us to move first.”

“……”

 

Everyone held their breath and looked at Lee Gwak.

 

As their gazes focused on him, Lee Gwak smiled a slightly embarrassed smile.

 

The tense atmosphere melted away as if by magic at his smile.

 

“I don’t know strategy, and I know even less about military tactics. The reason theMad Martial Sect could grow to this size is because many people helped devotedly.”

 

Lee Gwak’s gaze swept over the faces of theMad Martial Sect’s leaders one by one.

 

His wife, Han So-cheon; Cheol Gwang-woo, who always provided strength; Seok Yi-cheon, who always believed in him and was his support; Ki Jin-hwi, who energized the atmosphere; Im So-bo, who enabled theMad Martial Sect’s rapid growth, and her brother Im Ji-mun; and many others who had helped.

 

Without them, today’sMad Martial Sect would not exist.

 

Many others came to mind as well.

 

Mok Seon-wol and the martial artists of Yongcheon Valley who lost their home to the Celestial Demon Troupe; and Mok Cheon-gang, Dam Su-rin, and even Bang Ye-in, who joined to help him.

 

Lee Gwak bowed his head to them.

 

“And today, I must ask another difficult favor of you all. To end the turmoil in the Jianghu, I need your help. I…”

 

“You don’t need to ask me, Lord Lee. I merely joined temporarily to help you anyway.”

 

The one who finished Lee Gwak’s sentence was Mok Cheon-gang.

 

Following his words, everyone spoke up one by one.

 

“There’s no need to ask. Just give the order.”

 

“If the Sect Leader commands it, we must naturally follow. There’s no need for you to feel burdened at all.”

 

“The very purpose of establishing the Mad Martial Sect was to fight the Celestial Demon Troupe. Fighting them is actually what we desire.”

 

The martial artists of the Mad Martial Sect each spoke.

 

Their faces showed no sense of burden.

 

They had expressions and determined eyes that seemed ready to willingly leap into hellfire if Lee Gwak gave the order.

 

Those who met Lee Gwak’s eyes all nodded in unison.

 

Lee Gwak felt a fresh wave of gratitude toward them.

 

 

Without them, he couldn’t have come this far. Thinking he would be with them until the end made his heart feel secure.

 

Lee Gwak called Im So-bo.

 

“Strategist!”

 

“Yes! Sect Leader.”

 

“Tell us what we must do.”

 

“Yes! I will explain now.”

 

Lim So-bo rose from her seat.

 

All eyes turned towards her.

 

***

 

Lee Gwak sharpened his blade for the first time in a while.

 

Swish! Swish!

 

Each time Star Soul moved across the whetstone, a chilling sound echoed. Even without special maintenance, Seonghon always maintained its sharpness.

 

Lee Gwak felt grateful anew to Eun Gwang-ho, who had forged Star Soul for him. That made his heart ache even more.

 

Eun Gwang-ho was the younger brother of Eun Won-ho, who was killed by Ja Hong-cheon.

 

Although he was practically driven out of his family due to differing views, his affection for the Myriad Merchant Troupe remained strong.

 

He had asked Lee Gwak to keep an eye on the Celestial Demon Troupe if possible. Perhaps he had foreseen this outcome.

 

Lee Gwak’s heart was heavy.

 

Because he might have to turn his back on Eun Gwang-ho’s request.

 

The mistake they had made was too great to simply look out for the Myriad Merchant Troupe.

 

“Sigh…”

 

Lee Gwak steadied his mind and finished sharpening the blade on the whetstone.

 

The already sharp blade gleamed even more fearsomely.

 

Lee Gwak wiped the blade with a dry cloth and sheathed it.

 

When he came out, a woman was waiting for him.

 

“So-cheon!”

 

The woman waiting for him, unchanging as always, was Han So-cheon.

 

In her hands was a neatly prepared set of clothes.

 

Han So-cheon handed the clothes to Lee Gwak and said,

 

“I’ll help you put it on.”

 

“I can dress myself.”

 

“I know! But I want to help.”

 

“Alright.”

 

Lee Gwak nodded and took off his clothes.

 

As he shed his clothes, his well-trained, naked body was revealed. His physique, honed to the extreme, was covered in countless scars that looked like armor.

 

Although they were married and intimately close, Han So-cheon was still embarrassed to see her husband’s naked body in broad daylight.

 

Her face slightly flushed as she helped Lee Gwak get dressed.

 

Lee Gwak normally preferred simple martial arts attire.

 

It was simply more comfortable for practicing martial arts.

 

But the clothes Han So-cheon was helping him into now were proper formal wear. A proper top and bottom, with a separate brown outer robe.

 

At a glance, it seemed like it would restrict movement, but upon wearing it, it was incredibly comfortable.

 

One could tell it was clothing made with great skill.

 

Pat! Pat!

 

Han So-cheon patted Lee Gwak’s chest with her palm and said,

 

“Handsome!”

 

“Thank you!”

 

“I always wanted to dress you in clothes like this. You are the leader of a sect, after all, and you only wore such shabby clothes.”

 

Han So-cheon leaned her head against Lee Gwak’s chest.

 

Lee Gwak gently embraced her head. Han So-cheon hugged Lee Gwak’s waist and looked up.

 

Lee Gwak softly met her lips with his.

 

After the sweet kiss ended, Han So-cheon spoke,

 

“You must be careful.”

 

No one knew Lee Gwak’s martial prowess better than Han So-cheon. In the current Jianghu, almost no one could injure Lee Gwak. Yet, she was worried because the path Lee Gwak was about to take was that dangerous.

 

He had to fight someone who might be the strongest in the world—no, the strongest martial artist.

 

Not only the outcome of the battle, but even life and death could not be guaranteed.

 

She had to send him off into such a fatal situation.

 

In her heart, she wanted to go with him. But she had her own separate duties to attend to.

 

Lee Gwak spoke to her.

 

“You should be careful too.”

 

“Don’t worry.”

 

“Once all this business is settled, let’s return to the Misty Mountain.”

 

“What about the Mad Martial Sect?”

 

“It will function fine without us.”

 

“I hope so.”

 

“Then it’s a promise?”

 

“Yes! Let’s return to the Misty Mountain together.”

 

At Han So-cheon’s answer, Lee Gwak smiled.