Episode 486

One Internal Enemy is Scarier Than a Hundred External Ones (2)

Lee Gwak and Cheol Gwang-woo did not look particularly happy.

 

It was because of the huge river blocking their path. The two had looked for a boat to cross the river, but couldn’t find one nearby.

 

Rumors had spread that the Celestial Demon Troupe would attack the Thousand Kingdom School, so the boatmen and fishermen were afraid to go out on the water. They didn’t want to get caught up in martial artists’ affairs and risk their lives.

 

In fact, many had lost their lives that way. In times of war and chaos like these, the best way to survive was to keep one’s head down.

 

They couldn’t even see any large boats, and the small boats were well hidden by their owners and were nowhere to be found.

 

Cheol Gwang-woo looked at Lee Gwak with an apologetic expression.

 

“Brother! It seems you should go ahead.”

 

“Gwang-woo.”

 

The problem was Cheol Gwang-woo.

 

Lee Gwak could use his lightness skill to cross the river, but Cheol Gwang-woo could not.

 

“My lightness skill isn’t excellent enough to cross the river, and I’m not a great swimmer either, so it seems I cannot go with you, brother. Please cross first. I will somehow find a boatman and cross by boat.”

 

“Let’s do that.”

 

Lee Gwak nodded.

 

Under normal circumstances, he would have waited and moved together with Cheol Gwang-woo. But in such an urgent situation, they couldn’t afford to waste more time looking for a boat.

 

Knowing this, Cheol Gwang-woo had told Lee Gwak to go first.

 

“Then let’s meet at the Thousand Kingdom School.”

 

“Yes! Brother. I will follow before it’s too late.”

 

“Alright!”

 

Lee Gwak picked up a few large branches nearby, and holding them in his arms, he leaped towards the river.

 

Lee Gwak’s body flew effortlessly for almost twenty Jang before gently descending towards the water’s surface.

 

At that moment, Lee Gwak threw one of the branches he was holding. Then, his figure lightly landed on the branch floating on the water.

 

Pat!

 

Lee Gwak kicked off the branch and leaped again. Though his feet got wet, he managed to cross swiftly.

 

“Wow…”

 

Cheol Gwang-woo couldn’t help but gasp in admiration.

 

He had known Lee Gwak was skilled, but hadn’t realized his qinggong was at this level.

 

After landing safely, Lee Gwak looked at Cheol Gwang-woo for a moment. Then, he turned around and activated his qigong.

 

Lee Gwak actually thought it was for the best.

 

If he went with Cheol Gwang-woo, their speed would inevitably be slower. Right now, it was important for even one person to reach the Thousand Kingdom School quickly.

 

Even at that moment, while he was delayed crossing the river, the Celestial Demon Troupe, led by Go Geom-wol, was probably attacking the Thousand Kingdom School.

 

Lee Gwak ran for two days and nights without rest. But no matter how strong Lee Gwak’s internal energy was, as a human, he needed rest.

 

Eventually, Lee Gwak looked for an inn not far from his destination. But finding an open inn was as difficult as plucking stars from the sky. Almost all inns had their doors closed and locked.

 

After striking out dozens of times, Lee Gwak finally managed to find an inn that was open. However, the inn was already packed with people.

 

It couldn’t be helped.

 

In these lawless times, keeping a low profile was the best way to protect life and property.

 

Lee Gwak made a troubled expression.

 

Just a glance told him there were no empty rooms in the inn.

 

In fact, the martial artists who had already arrived at the inn were also making a fuss because there were no rooms.

 

“No rooms? So we’re supposed to sleep on the street?”

 

“Do you know who we are?”

 

They were a varied bunch, from those who outright cursed to those who flaunted their status.

 

The innkeeper looked like he was about to cry. He had risked danger and opened the inn out of a desire to make money, but now regret washed over him; if he had known it would be like this, he would never have opened. Still, he managed to respond somehow and get through the crisis.

 

Fortunately, since all the guests were martial artists, they were wary of each other.

 

Of course, blades could be drawn over this, but so far, because they were sizing each other up, it hadn’t happened.

 

“Sigh”

 

Eventually, Lee Gwak gave up on finding a room.

 

Even those who had arrived earlier couldn’t get one. Offering extra money didn’t help either.

 

That’s when he heard a familiar voice:

 

“Isn’t that Master Lee?”

 

The familiar voice made Lee Gwak turn his head.

 

“Ah!”

 

He recognized her face instantly and gasped.

 

“Miss Sa, how…?”

 

A beautiful woman was sitting in the best seat, looking at Lee Gwak. She was someone he knew well.

 

Sa Yeon-hee

 

She had parted ways with him at the Dragon Heaven Valley and returned to the Martial Sword Alliance. Now, she had appeared in this unexpected place.

 

Lee Gwak’s eyes lit up.

 

He could see the experts positioned around Sa Yeon-hee. Among them were also familiar faces. They were the leaders of the Martial Sword Alliance.

 

Sa Yeon-hee looked at Lee Gwak and smiled brightly.

 

Although he had only seen them in passing, Lee Gwak remembered their faces clearly.

 

Sa Yeon-hee smiled bitterly.

 

“A lot has happened since then. The biggest event is that the Alliance Leader of the Martial Sword Alliance has changed.”

 

“So Miss Sa became…”

“Yes! I am the new Alliance Leader.”

“Hmm!”

 

Lee Gwak unconsciously let out a thoughtful sound.

 

He had already heard from Nam Woo-gyeong that Sa Yeon-hee had become the Alliance Leader of the Martial Sword Alliance, but hearing it directly from her mouth carried a different weight.

 

Only then did Lee Gwak understand the nature of the strange feeling he got from Sa Yeon-hee.

 

It was the aura of someone who had become a supreme leader.

 

The aura that naturally comes to someone responsible for the lives of thousands was now flowing naturally from Sa Yeon-hee as well.

 

Lee Gwak asked no further questions of Sa Yeon-hee. Just hearing her answer, he could roughly guess what had happened.

 

Instead, he asked something else.

 

“Does that mean you are now heading to the Thousand Kingdom School with the full force of the Martial Sword Alliance?”

 

“Correct.”

 

“……”

 

“You seem surprised?”

 

“Frankly, yes. Having become the new Alliance Leader, managing internal affairs must be challenging enough.”

 

“But if I do that, I’ll miss the timing. If even Thousand Kingdom School falls, the Martial Sword Alliance will be completely isolated. We might hold on for now, but as time passes, we will inevitably wither. This is pretty much the last chance to counterattack.”

 

Sa Yeon-hee had also agonized endlessly before moving the Martial Sword Alliance.

 

She asked herself repeatedly if it was truly right to move troops rashly when the internal situation wasn’t stable yet.

 

But the answer that came back was always the same.

 

It had to be now.

 

If she missed this opportunity, the Martial Sword Alliance would eventually be unable to overcome the difference in strength and would be destroyed.

 

Finally, Sa Yeon-hee decided to march.

 

Like the Mad Martial Sect had done, she dispersed her forces and sent them towards the Thousand Kingdom School. And she herself also moved out with the leadership and some troops.

 

“That was a tremendously difficult decision.”

 

“Hero Lee made the same decision. Still, I’m glad our thoughts align.”

 

“Likewise.”

 

A look of relief also appeared on Lee Gwak’s face.

 

The Martial Sword Alliance was a hegemon of the south.

 

Although the internal situation must be chaotic due to the change in leadership, its military strength was among the top even among the former Ten Sects. If such a powerful sect joined them, they might not be at such a disadvantage against the Celestial Demon Troupe.

 

Sa Yeon-hee spoke as if she had just remembered something.

 

“Oh, it’s not just us.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“It’s not just us; quite a lot of people are moving.”

 

“What does that mean?”

 

“According to our intelligence, many sects are heading to Thousand Kingdom School to lend their strength. We saw it with our own eyes on the way here, so it shouldn’t be false.”

 

“That’s a relief. Whew!”

 

Lee Gwak let out a sigh mixed with relief.

 

Nam Woo-gyeong had been running around frantically because of that very issue. Using the information network of the Hao Clan , he had contacted many sects and acted desperately to mobilize them.

 

While not everything could be credited solely to Nam Woo-gyeong, he had undoubtedly exerted significant influence.

 

Not just Nam Woo-gyeong, but everyone had been working fiercely behind the scenes. The results were now showing.

 

Sa Yeon-hee looked at Lee Gwak for a moment, then handed him a wine bottle.

 

“You must be thirsty. Please, have a drink.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

Lee Gwak accepted the wine bottle without declining.

 

He filled his own cup to the brim and downed it in one go.

 

The leaders of the Martial Sword Alliance watched Lee Gwak with complex emotions in their eyes.

 

Many of those present did not know Lee Gwak’s face.

 

Although Lee Gwak had visited the Martial Sword Alliance once before, he was not famous at the time, so his face wasn’t known. But they knew his reputation well. And they also knew how much damage he had inflicted upon the Martial Sword Alliance.

 

The one who single-handedly destroyed the Nine Shadows Fleet, which was the financial lifeline of the Martial Sword Alliance, was none other than Lee Gwak.

 

Because of that, the Martial Sword Alliance had suffered a great blow.

 

It was such a shameful affair that only a very few knew about it, but after Sa Yeon-hee became Alliance Leader and disclosed the information, many came to know.

 

‘That guy is Lee Gwak!’

 

He was a towering star of the Jianghu. To attack him without cause would isolate the Martial Sword Alliance entirely.

 

So they swallowed their anger and watched.

 

Lee Gwak and Sa Yeon-hee’s drinking continued into the night.

 

***

 

Wood Willow Manor was a fairly large estate.

 

The interior scenery of Wood Willow Manor was splendid. An artificial hill resembling a small mountain, a pond so large it reminded one of a lake, and the rare flowers and exotic herbs and beautiful trees covering the hill—these were not things that could be created in a day or two.

 

This showed that Wood Willow Manor had a long history.

 

According to local knowledge, Wood Willow Manor had no connection to the martial world. The owner of Wood Willow Manor, Master Jang, was famous for his gentle character and his generosity towards the poor.

 

Because of this, many people respected Master Jang.

 

Master Jang was an elderly man in his late sixties and was obese. He was kneeling on the floor, looking up at someone.

 

It was absolutely unthinkable for Master Jang to kneel before anyone under normal circumstances. But on the face of the kneeling Master Jang, not a trace of shame could be found. Instead, he was looking up at the person with a pleading gaze.

 

The person Master Jang was looking up at was a man who appeared to be in his early to mid-thirties. He had neat features and an impressive, sharp gaze.

 

Master Jang spoke cautiously to the man.

 

“Alliance Leader. Wouldn’t it be better to change your decision, even now?”

 

“I will never go back on a decision I have made.”

 

“But if things go wrong, the Myriad Merchant Troupe could fall.”

 

Master Jang’s expression was desperate.

 

He so desperately wished for the man to change his mind. But despite Master Jang’s earnest advice, the man’s expression did not change.

 

His name was Eun Il-myeong. He was the one who had succeeded the Merchant King, Eun Won-ho, and become the supreme leader of the Myriad Merchant Troupe.

 

His face was as cold as frost. The former Eun Il-myeong had not been like this.

 

He had been thoughtful and discerning, and though cool-headed, he wasn’t someone who showed no emotion. Eun Won-ho’s death had changed Eun Il-myeong into a cold and ruthless person.

 

Although rumors in the world said it had no connection to the martial world, Wood Willow Manor was one of the secret strongholds of the Myriad Merchant Troupe.

 

Among the many secret strongholds of the Myriad Merchant Troupe, Wood Willow Manor boasted the safest and most ironclad security network.

 

After the death of the Merchant King Eun Won-ho, Eun Il-myeong had almost secluded himself in Wood Willow Manor for precisely that reason.

 

Wood Willow Manor was practically the only place where Eun Il-myeong felt safe. Countless mechanical traps and numerous experts were deployed throughout Wood Willow Manor.

 

It was impossible for any expert to break through all those barriers and reach Eun Il-myeong.

 

After Eun Won-ho’s death, Eun Il-myeong had holed up in Wood Willow Manor, pondering only how to take revenge on the Jade Heaven Alliance. The method he found was to support the Celestial Demon Troupe.

 

To eliminate his enemy, he had joined hands with another enemy.

 

Master Jang and the elders of the Myriad Merchant Troupe had desperately tried to dissuade Eun Il-myeong from this decision. They believed that no matter the reason for revenge, allying with the Celestial Demon Troupe was absolutely the one thing that must not be done.

 

One misstep could turn the entire Jianghu against them. Because of this, Master Jang and the elders offered their advice with hearts feeling as if they were coughing up blood. But in the end, Eun Il-myeong rejected everyone’s dissuasion and joined hands with the Celestial Demon Troupe.

 

“It’s still not too late. If we sever ties with them now, we can somehow manage the situation. Alliance Leader!”

 

“Don’t make me say it twice. I have no intention of going back on my decision.”

 

“Alliance Leader! If it becomes known that the Myriad Merchant Troupe has joined hands with the Celestial Demon Troupe, all our business will be shattered.”

 

“That will never happen. Victory is already in the hands of the Celestial Demon Troupe.”

 

“Just what are you trying to achieve…?”

 

Master Jang bit his lip.

 

He couldn’t believe Eun Il-myeong change. No, he couldn’t accept it.

 

While it’s said that a person can change in an instant, he truly hadn’t known the brilliant Eun Il-myeong could change to this extent.

 

Once the revenge was over, it would be right to cut ties with the Celestial Demon Troupe, but foolishly, Eun Il-myeong was deepening his relationship with them instead.

 

Master Jang made one last plea.

 

“This old man begs you like this. Alliance Leader! Please sever ties with the Celestial Demon Troupe. If you continue this relationship with them, even if we win the war, we will be rejected by the other paths of the Jianghu. A merchant who loses trust loses everything.”

 

“History is always written by the victors. We might face some criticism now, but in the end, the Myriad Merchant Troupe will survive and quickly regain its former glory. You may not understand my decision now, but future generations will eventually revere me.”

 

“Ah!”

 

Master Jang could only close his eyes.

 

He intuited that the time for persuading Eun Il-myeong with words had passed. Yet, he couldn’t use force to deal with Eun Il-myeong either.

 

After all, Eun Il-myeong was the master of the Myriad Merchant Troupe. As a servant, he had no choice but to follow his decision.

 

‘How did it come to this?’

 

The disastrous future of the Myriad Merchant Troupe seemed to unfold before his eyes.