Chapter 256: New Justice Festival (2)

Behind the quarters of the participants, in a shaded area of the Wudang Sect’s compound, stood two individuals. They were lookouts, scanning their surroundings warily to ensure no one was watching.

“This has turned into a complete mess.”

“To think the Fighting Exalt would interfere there.”

Surprisingly, these were the very same individuals who had been shouting at each other with veins popping on their necks just before entering Wudang Mountain this morning.

Sangguan Ri, known as the Gust of Sword Wind.

Yin Daoguang, known as the Soul-Chasing Fighting Demon.

Sangguan Ri, an orthodox master, and Yin Daoguang, a master assassin of unorthodox origin, in truth harbored no grudges against each other. They were simply acting on the orders of the Private Martial Alliance Lord, who had commanded them to ruin the New Justice Festival.

As for why Sangguan Ri, an orthodox master, had accepted a commission from the Private Martial Alliance Lord, it was because money carried no distinction between orthodox and unorthodox.

“At this rate, I wonder if they will realize we have no actual grudge.”

“Why are you worrying about such a thing? You are far too timid. How many grudges in this world are actually public knowledge? If we say we have a personal vendetta, then we do.”

“I suppose so.”

Sangguan Ri continued to look around anxiously. If rumors spread that an orthodox master was colluding with an unorthodox assassin, it would deal a fatal blow to the reputation for chivalry he had painstakingly built.

“Still, since we have accepted the money, we must do our best.”

“That is also true.”

Currently, the attention of the entire martial world was focused solely on the conflict between the Martial Alliance, the Imperial Palace, and the newly established New Justice Association.

What was more terrifying than notoriety was anonymity. Although they had launched with the grandiose banner of the Private Martial Alliance, they had failed to carve out a distinct presence and were gradually being forgotten by the world.

They now carried two primary objectives. First, to suppress the momentum of the rapidly growing New Justice Association, which had shown unprecedented moves. Second, to spread the name of the Private Martial Alliance far and wide.

“We were told to spare no means, correct?”

“Indeed. In fact, we were even told to kill the leader of the New Justice Association if we encountered him during a spar.”

True to their nature as a loose coalition of private organizations, they possessed no meticulous strategy. They had simply left the execution entirely to the two masters.

Sangguan Ri and Yin Daoguang were masters whose names carried weight throughout the Central Plains. Under normal circumstances, they were individuals capable of executing any mission.

In fact, before arriving at the New Justice Festival, the two had bragged that the most effective method would be to sweep the tournament and then mock the New Justice Association. After all, there was no better picture than having other masters become the protagonists of the New Justice Association’s own festival.

However, looking at the roster of participants, there was not a single name that paled in comparison to the Gust of Sword Wind and the Soul-Chasing Fighting Demon. With a giant like the Fighting Exalt participating, the probability of them winning and claiming the treasures was virtually non-existent.

That was why they had tried to stage a noisy feud to cause a scene, but even that had been blocked by the Fighting Exalt, rendering their efforts futile.

“Sigh.”

Their worries grew deeper by the moment.

Since it seemed difficult to distinguish themselves through martial arts alone, they considered instigating the participants by claiming that the New Justice Association was incompetent.

Because it was a tournament hastily organized by a young leader, they believed it would surely be riddled with flaws.

Yet when they actually opened the lid, what did they find? The New Justice Association appeared to have prepared far more meticulously than the Martial Alliance had for the Gathering of Dragons and Phoenixes in the past.

Accommodations, dining, treatment—nothing was lacking. Normally, they should have been able to whip up a crowd of discontented voices to ruin the festival, but with everyone thoroughly satisfied, instigation was next to impossible.

“Since it has come to this, we will have to force a scene even if we must stretch the truth.”

“A scene?” Sangguan Ri asked.

Yin Daoguang shrugged. “Come to think of it, we were far too polite. Do we really need a logical reason to create a chaotic mess?”

“That is true.”

The two found themselves in agreement once more.

Ultimately, their goal was to ruin the New Justice Festival. They could not allow it to conclude peacefully.

An orthodox-unorthodox alliance, the first of its kind since the invasion of the Demonic Sect, was taking shape within the New Justice Association.

* * *

With the arrival of merchants and tourists, the New Justice Festival officially began in earnest. The atmosphere was nothing short of a grand celebration.

Merchants, commoners, and martial artists alike were thoroughly dazzled, yet they couldn’t help but ride the festive tide.

“Come, come! Freshly roasted sparrows!”

“Taste some sugar-coated hawthorn berries before you go!”

“The cricket fighting tournament is about to begin!”

The cries of the merchants and the chatter of the dense crowd created a lively, bustling cacophony. Martial artists who carried a traditional perception of the Wudang Sect could only stare blankly.

“…My word.”

“Is this truly the Wudang Sect I know?”

The Wudang Sect was traditionally a place of profound silence. While Shaolin monks would at least chant sutras, Wudang disciples quietly practiced embryonic breathing, sitting in forgetfulness, and internal contemplation without a sound.

To hear such a noisy din echoing within the Wudang Sect was a concept that those who had visited the sect in the past found utterly impossible to adjust to.

“The leader of the New Justice Association is indeed an extraordinary fellow.”

“The Eastern Emperor? Just look at how he returned from the dead. How could he possibly be an ordinary man?”

Among the current generation of martial artists, there was not a single person who did not know the name of the Eastern Emperor. Just as the Gentleman Sword had predicted, people now naturally referred to me as either the Eastern Emperor or the Association Leader.

“As expected, Gege is truly a remarkable person.”

Beside me, Peng Chae-hyang, who was wearing a human-skin mask, seemed to swell with pride.

Even though she usually preferred a veil, wearing a human-skin mask was far more convenient amidst such a dense crowd. A veil carried the risk of slipping and revealing her identity.

I was also wearing a human-skin mask. If someone recognized me and drew a crowd, it would only become a massive hassle.

The reason I had stepped out of the office, where I usually handled internal affairs, was because I wished to teach Chae-hyang about administrative field operations.

Only by seeing how the venue operated with one’s own eyes could one draft better plans in the future.

If Chae-hyang was to lead the Hebei Peng Clan in the future, this experience would prove highly beneficial.

“How does it feel to see it in person?”

“It is wonderous.”

Just as expected, Chae-hyang was looking around in wide-eyed wonder.

“To think the New Justice Festival I helped design is drawing such an immense reaction. It feels a bit bizarre, yet wonderful.”

“That is true. But also pay close attention to what people are saying about the festival. Only then can we identify and mend the flaws we failed to anticipate.”

“Yes.”

Chae-hyang nodded with a serious expression. Although her human-skin mask could only project a neutral face, I knew the face underneath carried the exact same gravity.

“Let us go see the area you designed.”

With that, I turned around. However, Chae-hyang caught my sleeve.

“Hm?”

“…Excuse me.”

Chae-hyang stood with a blank expression, fidgeting restlessly. She seemed to have something to say, but because the human-skin mask hid her emotions, the sight was incredibly bizarre.

“About… the form of address.”

“The form of address? What about it?”

“Speaking comfortably…”

“Ah, did you find it uncomfortable? Should we go change it back…”

“No, no! Not that!”

Waving her hands frantically while maintaining a completely expressionless face, Chae-hyang looked even more bizarre. Yet it was too embarrassing to tell a woman that she looked strange.

“I… I was hoping you could address me in a slightly more intimate manner…”

The only parts of the human-skin mask that were open were the eyes. Her large, beautiful eyes stared up at me pleadingly. Although it was a bizarre sight due to the mask’s lack of expression, I did my best to mentally overlay Chae-hyang’s true face.

“More intimate.”

Despite the bizarre appearance, Chae-hyang’s request was quite a difficult challenge.

In my past life, I had been a workaholic with no experience with women, and the only female friend I had, Guan Xiye, had been addressed roughly by name or simply as ‘you.’

“Should I call you Xiang-mei, then?”

“No… what you called me right after we decided to speak comfortably…” Chae-hyang’s voice trailed off.

What had I called her right after we agreed to speak comfortably? Realizing that asking her would likely result in disappointment, I racked my brain at lightning speed. It felt like the fastest my mind had operated all year.

“Ah. Chae-hyang.”

The answer was simple and honest: her name. As if I had hit the bullseye, Chae-hyang clapped her hands.

“Yes! Please address me by my name.”

“That is easy enough. Chae-hyang.”

“Yes, yes!”

Chae-hyang stood up as straight as a soldier at attention. I had no idea why she was behaving so stiffly if she was the one who had requested it.

“Let us go.”

“…Yes.”

Lowering her head slightly, Chae-hyang stepped close to my side. Our arms brushed lightly as we walked, but she didn’t seem to mind.

“Aaargh!”

“Whoa! To think he actually turned that around!”

As we drew closer to a dense crowd, a chorus of wild shouts echoed. This was the area Chae-hyang had designed.

Despite her shy and timid behavior around men, Chae-hyang was indeed a member of the Hebei Peng Clan.

Squeezing through the crowd, we saw two men with rolled-up sleeves clutching each other’s hands, their faces flushed red with exertion.

“It is a pleasant sight.”

“Really?”

“Since I designed it, I cannot help but feel proud.”

What Chae-hyang had envisioned was a arm-wrestling tournament for martial artists. While commoners often arm-wrestled to test their strength, martial artists preferred to duel, so arm-wrestling was virtually non-existent in the martial world. Yet Chae-hyang had brought the concept to life.

“Wait! You used internal energy just now, didn’t you?”

“What are you talking about? I did no such thing!”

“Do you take me for some novice who cannot even perceive energy projection right in front of him?”

Myeong-yeop bellowed, his eyes glaring fiercely. He was serving as the referee for the arm-wrestling tournament.

The rules were incredibly simple. Only martial artists could participate, but they had to rely solely on physical strength without utilizing internal energy.

It was a simple concept, yet it simultaneously stimulated the curiosity of the spectators regarding the physical limits of martial artists, while triggering the competitive drive of the warriors themselves. The cash prize for first place was also quite substantial, making it the perfect entertainment for martial artists before the main tournament began.

“He is doing a fine job.”

Amusements directly operated by the New Justice Association were managed by the Wudang disciples of the Myeong generation. I resolved to take my senior brothers out to a splendid place later. I was incredibly grateful for their hard work.

—Thank you for the hard work, Senior Brother.

I sent Myeong-yeop a telepathic message. He looked around in confusion, unable to recognize me due to my human-skin mask. I lightly waved at him when our eyes met. Recognizing me, Myeong-yeop smiled and nodded.

—Ah. You are working hard yourself, Junior Brother.

—It pales in comparison to your efforts, Brother.

—Not at all. It is actually quite entertaining. Where else would I get to see such prominent masters engage in arm-wrestling?

—That is true.

As Myeong-yeop paused his referee duties and smiled to himself, the participants stared at him in confusion.

Lest the atmosphere cool down from further conversation, Chae-hyang and I quietly slipped away.

Of course, we had also prepared entertainment for the commoners. Since commoners made up the vast majority of the visitors, we had designed even more amusements for them.

“Ah! Missed by a hair!”

“To think he actually hit that!”

Beside the arm-wrestling area, commoners had gathered to throw hidden weapons.

The rules dictated that hitting a target with a hidden weapon would yield a prize.

For a martial artist, hitting a target three zhang away was child’s play, but for a commoner, it was a different story. Those with good coordination could land eight out of ten throws, while those without would miss every single one.

At ten copper coins for ten hidden weapons, the price was highly reasonable, drawing an immense number of participants.

“Little Priest! There is something strange about this weapon!”

“It was crafted by the Tang Clan, though.”

“…Is that so?” the commoner scratched his head in embarrassment.

The disciple of the Myeong generation managing the hidden weapon throw was Myeong-gyeong.

Having nearly reached fifteen years of age, Myeong-gyeong was more than capable of managing the simple task of collecting money and distributing weapons.

The hidden weapons were indeed provided by Tang Se-ui, who resided in Jun County. Since the weapons didn’t simply vanish, they only had to be collected from behind the targets. Since a cliff lay behind the targets, recovery was incredibly easy.

“The response is truly extraordinary,” Chae-hyang remarked from behind me.

I smiled. “Commoners always harbor a yearning for the martial path. They simply cannot pursue it due to practical realities.”

“Is that so?”

“It is. Even I, who possessed no talent whatsoever, attempted to learn martial arts multiple times. Before I actually learned, I truly believed I might be an unprecedented genius.”

I had imagined shattering boulders with a single fist and soaring through the sky on a sword like an immortal.

While I couldn’t fly on a sword yet, I was capable of shattering boulders with my fists, so I supposed it was a half-success.

“My word, I have never seen such a festival in my entire life.”

“Even if we do not watch the tournament, this is incredibly entertaining.”

“True. But since we traveled all this way, we must watch it.”

“Did you purchase a ticket?”

“Ah, they were a bit expensive. But they designed it clever. The Heaven-Earth-Human pass that allows you to watch all groups is two and a half silver liang, while a pass for a single group is one silver liang. It is a scheme you fall for even while knowing it.”

“Come to think of it, I heard the leader of the New Justice Association was a highly successful merchant.”

“Perhaps that is why. They have made it so you cannot help but spend money at every turn.”

“Indeed. He is a rare thief.”

Hearing the word ‘thief,’ Chae-hyang bristled and was about to charge forward, but I caught her wrist.

“I am fine.”

“But they called you a thief, Gege…”

“In business, that is the ultimate praise. I am actually quite pleased.”

“Praise?”

“Yes.”

Indeed, the children of prestigious families possessed quite an innocent side, taking such words entirely at face value.

Although Chae-hyang didn’t fully comprehend my words, she calmed down since I had stopped her.

Having completed a full lap, the response was indeed burning hot. Although I had expected some success when designing it, I never imagined it would be this successful.

An amusement where martial artists and commoners mingled in harmony. Commoners cheered while watching the martial artists arm-wrestle, while the martial artists laughed while watching the commoners throw hidden weapons.

We had also prepared orchestras and theatrical plays that both martial artists and commoners could enjoy together. At this moment, the boundary between the martial world and the common world vanished in a grand, unified celebration.

“Still, because it is going so well, I cannot help but feel anxious.”

“Is success not a good thing?”

“There will surely be those present who despise seeing our success.”

“Ah. That is true,” Chae-hyang nodded.

We had placed no restrictions on entry to the New Justice Festival. This meant there were undoubtedly spies sent by the Martial Alliance or the Imperial Palace to monitor us.

Seeing such a burning response, our enemies would surely feel highly uncomfortable. However, we had prepared countermeasures for that as well.

And true to form.

“You absolute scoundrels! Do you know who I am to pull such a scam on me?!”

A booming voice using the Six Harmonies Voice Projection echoed across the entire Wudang Sect compound, instantly throwing a cold blanket over the lively atmosphere.

“It wouldn’t be a festival without them,” I grinned.

To be completely honest, I had been wandering around waiting for this exact moment more than anyone else.