About two months since Jeong Cheol’s actions became known throughout the Martial World.
Sacheon was suffering from an influx of Outcast rabble from all directions. The major factions of Sacheon couldn’t split their forces since the major Outcast factions from Yunnan weren’t moving, so the remaining Righteous factions in Sacheon were struggling to fend off the incoming Outcast forces from various regions.
Why were these Outcast rabble pouring into Sacheon even when the major Outcast factions of Yunnan remained dormant?
This phenomenon stemmed from the difference between the Outcast sects and the Righteous sects.
The core of the Righteous sects is martial arts, not people. The sect is run based on the martial arts it champions. Those who have mastered the key martial arts become the center of the sect.
However, the Outcast sects are different. The Outcast sects gather around the strongest. They resemble an assembly or faction led by the mightiest expert.
That was precisely why the Outcast rabble were flocking to Sacheon. If they could push out the Righteous factions just enough to maintain a foothold in Sacheon, they could later align themselves as subordinate forces when the major Outcast factions from Yunnan made a move on Sacheon.
Even if they couldn’t join the ranks of the subordinates, it wouldn’t be a bad deal. After all, Sacheon was a plump and tasty region, and just taking a few bites would be a profitable venture.
If the Righteous martial artists viewed Sacheon as a land of opportunity, the Outcast rabble perceived Sacheon itself as a land ripe for profit.
Even in regions devoid of Outcasts, the most common stories in the Martial World were about the conflicts between the Righteous and the Outcast. Therefore, the Righteous factions in Sacheon expected the Outcast rabble to congregate towards them, but the scale of the influx was far beyond their imagination.
Moreover, peace tends to rust the sword.
The long-standing peace enjoyed by the Righteous factions of Sacheon without opposition from Outcasts meant they were paying the price for such tranquility.
While the entirety of Sacheon was suffering from the invasion of the Outcasts, Jeong Cheol was observing the five attendees at the conference.
In the world, there are numerous Outcast factions as formidable as the Righteous factions, but none wield the symbolic influence of the Nine Great Sects or the Five Great Clans.
Initially, the nature of the Outcast sects is to repeatedly gather and disband, and even if they retain a name, it’s rare for them to pass on martial arts alongside it.
Thus, while it’s termed a Yunnan Outcast alliance, only five sects had actually teamed up with Jeong Cheol.
Odokmun.
Black Serpent Sect.
Trench Faction.
Sokryeong Sect.
Dark Dragon Sect.
Odokmun and Black Serpent Sect had solid strength in Yunnan and were trustworthy names in the sect world, while the Trench Faction, Sokryeong Sect, and Dark Dragon Sect were gathered around the high martialists of Hyeong-gyeong.
“Seems everyone has gathered.”
Looking over the representatives of each faction, Jeong Cheol got straight to the point.
“I believe the time for the conflict is ripe. What do the other factions think?”
The representatives of each faction exchanged furtive glances. Observing them, Jeong Cheol clicked his tongue internally.
‘It’s hard to expect a favorable result from today’s meeting.’
The Trench Faction, Sokryeong Sect, and Dark Dragon Sect were each led by Hyeong-gyeong experts. The Trench Faction was spearheaded by Blood Road’s Sabok Seol, Sokryeong Sect by the Eerie Dwelling’s Ak Gyeong-cheol, and Dark Dragon Sect by the Black Cloak Dokgo Yeongcheon. No, the term ‘spearheaded’ wasn’t quite right.
They were everything.
In the end, the representatives of the Trench Faction, Sokryeong Sect, and Dark Dragon Sect were mere messengers sent to relay the words of the three high experts, lacking true authority.
With them in silence, it meant that the three high experts had no intention to engage in conflict yet.
After an intense game of glances, the first to speak was the representative from Odokmun.
“I don’t think this is the right time.”
“However, it’s about time we, the Sadoryeon, show some action. The Outcast comrades are gathering in Sacheon; we must respond.”
What could be the reason for the influx of Outcasts into Sacheon? Ultimately, it was due to the hope that the major factions from Yunnan would eventually move. Fanning that hope would make the conquest of Sacheon much easier.
For that, the movement of the major Yunnan factions would be ideal.
However.
‘They want to gain rewards without any sacrifice.’
From the perspective of the factions that would have to step up, it wasn’t appealing at all. The true power of Sacheon, the major factions, had not yet diminished.
Jeong Cheol recalled the attack on the Tang Clan that happened two months ago and sighed inwardly.
‘How did Dok go and Sacheon Outcast end up there of all places…’
This had deviated significantly from the original plan. Dok Go, who hadn’t visited the Tang Clan in years, happened to be there at that moment, causing all their stored poisons to become useless while facing the artisans they intended to eliminate, coincidentally running into the Sacheon Outcast.
If Dok Go hadn’t been there, he could have dealt a significant blow to the Tang Clan, who were hastily retreating.
If he could take out the artisans, the surviving Tang Clan martial artists wouldn’t have been much of a threat.
Had that happened, many regions the Tang Clan controlled would have turned into Empty Land, and the five factions present would not be showing such a lukewarm attitude but rather a very proactive one.
Just as Jeong Cheol was soothing his troubled insides and trying to garner cooperation from the other factions.
“Oh right, have you heard this news, Jeong Cheol?”
Suddenly, the representative of Sokryeong Sect brought something up.
“What news?”
“Recently, there are reports of Podalap Palace’s experts prying around the borders of Yunnan and Sacheon.”
“…Is that so?”
“Podalap Palace has come all the way here…”
“There have already been several minor clashes with the Outcasts in Yunnan, apparently.”
Jeong Cheol looked at the representative from Sokryeong Sect. Why did he suddenly bring up this news while remaining silent before?
Sokryeong Sect still wanted to keep their distance.
If this topic had come up at the beginning of the meeting, it would have formed an atmosphere of rallying against the Outcasts attacking Sacheon, yet why bring this up now, attempting to stir things?
“The practitioners from Podalap Palace might have affairs to attend in the Central Plains. It’s common for conflicts to arise in Yunnan.”
“The Outcasts have never been shy about their boldness, but this time it’s a bit serious. Among the martial artists of Podalap Palace are those who have shown prowess at the Hwa-gyeong level.”
Jeong Cheol’s expression hardened slightly. A Hwa-gyeong expert is akin to a senior member of a sect. The fact that a senior expert from such a sect mixed with practitioners from Podalap Palace and clashed with the Outcasts of Yunnan was not something to be taken lightly.
“…This is dire indeed.”
“Shouldn’t we also take action from our Sadoryeon?”
Jeong Cheol felt a headache coming on as he observed the representatives bringing up Podalap Palace as a guise to delay the conflict.
“Haha, the heroes of Sadoryeon seem mighty spirited, it’s truly reassuring.”
“The world speaks of a rising tide! How could we, as part of the Central Plains, stand idly by while these barbarians glance our way?”
“Correct. This is an issue that cannot be taken lightly.”
Oh no, it’s Podalap Palace again. It’s like things can’t go my way.
Jeong Cheol sighed while watching the five faction representatives bask in their idle chatter.
“It would be best to act quickly in the name of Sadoryeon.”
“I agree with the Black Serpent Sect.”
Everyone nodded in agreement. While the representatives pretended to be serious on the outside, they were inwardly laughing at their cleverness. It’s a chance to respond to an external invasion while avoiding confrontation with the Outcasts in Sacheon.
‘Though Podalap Palace is a well-known sect in the West, they are ultimately just a sect established by the outlying barbarians.’
‘Even if there’s a Hwa-gyeong expert among them, they are merely martial artists without proper martial arts from the outskirts. If they were an expert trained in the profound martial arts of the Central Plains, overcoming them would be as easy as breaking a chicken’s neck.’
While the representatives of each faction were conceiving such ideas, attempting to downplay the seriousness of the situation.
“Haha, it is a relief that the heroes of Sadoryeon are recognizing the gravity of the situation. We from the Sokryeong Sect have already taken measures, so do not worry.”
The expressions of the representatives seemed to harden. Jeong Cheol’s face also turned serious as he stared at the representative of Sokryeong Sect.
“What do you mean?”
“Our Sect Leader has stated that he will personally address the incident where the practitioners of Podalap Palace dared to harm the martial artists of the Central Plains. As of now, he’s likely pursuing the practitioners from Podalap Palace to issue an immediate lesson.”
Everyone fell silent. A high expert from Hyeong-gyeong was moving to repel the practitioners of Podalap Palace?
“And he also mobilized the practitioners from our sect to ensure there are no more such incidents, asking them to guard the borders of Yunnan and the West.”
“Whoa…!”
“Indeed!”
“Threatening Yunnan and disrupting the endeavors of Sadoryeon will be thwarted by us from Sokryeong Sect. So, the heroes of Sadoryeon, please leave the rear threats to us and focus on the matter in Sacheon.”
Jeong Cheol then realized why the representative of Sokryeong Sect had not brought this up earlier.
It was a plan to appropriately cast Podalap Palace as bait to elicit cooperation from the other factions while solidifying a rationale to withdraw from the conflict with the Righteous factions.
It also meant they had plotted from before entering the meeting to stab the other factions in the back.
Which faction would need to fill the void left by Sokryeong Sect now?
As each representative recognized Sokryeong Sect’s intentions, their gazes turned sharp and hostile.
“Then shall we discuss how to support the heroes who are bravely fighting in Sacheon?”
At the mention of Sokryeong Sect, the mood in the meeting hall grew frostier.
“Phew.”
Jeong Cheol sighed deeply as he witnessed the self-satisfied representative of Sokryeong Sect.
*
Ak Gyeong-cheol strode confidently towards the abandoned temple, which was devoid of any presence.
“There are monks here?”
“Yes! There are said to be a total of seven!”
As Ak Gyeong-cheol contemplated the recent events, he gazed at the abandoned temple based on his subordinate’s report.
‘That Jeong Cheol fellow made an enticing proposal, but…’
The half-success of the operation that assaulted the Tang Clan had rendered the situation ambiguous. Though they dealt a significant blow to the Tang Clan, they didn’t weaken it enough to push deep into their territory.
One could take a shot at Sacheon if they were willing to pay the price, but Ak Gyeong-cheol had no intention of doing so at all.
‘How can I trust those guys?’
He grimaced at the names of the factions comprising Sadoryeon, a bunch of poisonously ambitious rabble from Yunnan, who had climbed to the top.
Even within the same alliance, if they saw a weakness in those they deemed inferior, they would snack on them without hesitation. Even thinking of bearing losses with such beasts behind their backs was out of the question.
‘Jeong Cheol might scheme something later…’
Grinning at the thought of Jeong Cheol, he realized that their interests diverged. As time went on, Jeong Cheol’s justifications would wane, and his chances to build influence dimmed, yet the Outcasts of Yunnan had nothing to lose.
‘The thirsty one must dig the well; there’s no need for me to step forward.’
The thirsty one was inevitably Jeong Cheol, so watching him sacrifice himself from behind was the best course of action.
The drawback was that there was no justification to choose that course of action.
“Seems like luck is on my side today.”
An excellent opportunity had arisen where the experts from Podalap Palace were prying at the outskirts of Yunnan, serving as a powerful justification to gain leverage against the Outcasts.
If he could effectively drive the practitioners of Podalap Palace out from Yunnan by dealing with them here, the Sokryeong Sect would be able to take a position of advantage with no losses whatsoever.
“Even heaven must recognize the hero known as Sect Leader!”
“Hahaha!!”
Ak Gyeong-cheol burst into laughter as he stepped over the threshold of the abandoned temple, noticing the eight practitioners from Podalap Palace standing lined up.
“Are you the ones from Podalap Palace, daring to harm the warriors from the Central Plains?”
“We are indeed from Podalap Palace, but we did not harm any warriors from the Central Plains; we are merely practitioners.”
“I have confirmed that you harmed the warriors from the Central Plains! You lot should not speak such brazen lies!”
“They attacked us first; it was merely unavoidable self-defense.”
“Such audacity!”
Though Ak Gyeong-cheol yelled fiercely, he was surveying his enemies. There was one more than he expected, and the strength of the Podalap Palace side couldn’t be dismissed outright.
Among the Podalap Palace representatives, save for the one at the front, six were at Peak Stage and one at Hwa-gyeong.
Ak Gyeong-cheol tried to assess the representative stepping forward. Was this an individual strong enough to represent them?
‘Looks like they’ve learned some sorcery from the outlying regions.’
Though he couldn’t have 100% confidence due to the difficulty of sensing their qi, the movements he displayed appeared to indicate that he was at Hwa-gyeong.
“The Central Plains is not a place you lot can covet, and I, Ak Gyeong-cheol, will show you this personally!”
“Haha… if you really want blood, we shall oblige.”
Ak Gyeong-cheol found the sight of a middle-aged practitioner displaying courage against a high-level expert like him absurd.
They were like thunder-stripped naturals who didn’t even gauge the gap between them!
“Hahahaha! Blood? If you lay even a finger on me, I’d grant you the courtesy of retreating in good faith!”
The middle-aged man took up a stance without responding. Seeing this, Ak Gyeong-cheol casually crossed his arms behind his back.
“You don’t require a weapon?”
“Ah, the mouse is worrying about the cat!”
Ak Gyeong-cheol had no intention of drawing his primary weapon, his staff. The notion that using his staff against outlying barbarians would tarnish his reputation had crossed his mind.
“Very well.”
Lastly, the middle-aged man introduced himself.
“I am Rano Jingbu.”
“Such a long tongue for one about to spill blood! Come at me!”
Rano Jingbu smiled softly.
“Then, I shall proceed.”
Taaak!
Ak Gyeong-cheol leaped up like an arrow, but Rano Jingbu descended slowly like a feather. That was a technique that could only be shown through advanced mastery of body control alongside deploying qi.
‘Turns out he’s stronger than I thought!’
“Hahaha! You have some skill!”
Nevertheless, Ak Gyeong-cheol burst out laughing. Though Rano Jingbu’s martial arts were more potent than he expected, the choice had been ill-fated. In a situation where the gap in levels is something to consider, even keeping up with minimal Pressure against a higher realm expert was an unlikely scenario.
Thus, even without using his primary weapon, trying to fight back against the Hwa-gyeong level expert with a long-range spiritual burst or breath dance was nonsense.
In an instant, however, Ak Gyeong-cheol’s amusement gave way to shock.
Because clusters of strong qi were emerging one after another around Rano Jingbu, now slowly descending from several dozen heights.
Gang-hwan!
“Y-you have attained Hyeong-gyeong!”
Shocked, Ak Gyeong-cheol hurriedly reached for his staff. Rano Jingbu’s Gang-hwan rushed in without allowing Ak Gyeong-cheol to equip his staff.
Kwahhhhh!!
The ruthless barrage of Gang-hwan pounded into Ak Gyeong-cheol. The subordinate from Sokryeong, who had been wrestling over how to curry favor with the now-winning Ak Gyeong-cheol, stood agape.
“T-this fellow…!”
The scene that greeted Ak Gyeong-cheol, who escaped from the barrage of Gang-hwan, was far from presentable. Though he narrowly avoided mortal wounds, he wasn’t able to completely fend off the Gang-hwan’s assault as his clothes were torn apart, and a trickle of blood ran from his lips.
Landing lightly, Rano Jingbu smiled broadly.
“Since I merely brushed against you, perhaps you ought to withdraw, as per our agreement!”
Ak Gyeong-cheol, crimson-faced and trembling all over…
“Remember the day you let us go lightly because I foolishly spoke too much!”
The situation was evidently dire. In the ranks of Podalap Palace’s practitioners stood a Hwa-gyeong expert, while the subordinates that Ak Gyeong-cheol had brought were barely at Peak Stage. Considering his injuries, confronting them further would mean definite defeat.
As he watched Rano Jingbu’s figure retreating, Ak Gyeong-cheol thought of Ho Cheon-an’s plan.
‘We are truly grateful for protecting our safety; however, at this rate, when will we achieve our grand ambitions?’
Excluding any collisions that could endanger the practitioners, it would take quite a while for the entire Yunnan Outcast faction to emerge as a noteworthy threat.
Thus, Rano Jingbu stepped forward to showcase the presence of a Hwa-gyeong expert from Podalap Palace, aiming to raise the Outcasts’ alarm to a whole new level in Yunnan.
‘Looks like you underestimated my level of mastery in Hwa-gyeong.’
Remembering Ho Cheon-an’s insistence to thoroughly avoid Hwa-gyeong level fighters during their operation, Rano Jingbu chuckled.
Imagining the confused expression Ho Cheon-an would sport if he heard the news now brought him joy.
‘You devoted yourself wholeheartedly until the final moment for Sara; I will also do my utmost for you, without hiding anything.’
“Now that we’ve stirred the hornet’s nest, let’s retreat to West City for now.”
“Yes, Lord of the Palace!”
Having fully revealed the level of his mastery to ensure safety for all, Rano Jingbu turned towards the exit.
“May our efforts yield fruitful results.”
With his concluding words, the monks of Podalap Palace vanished from the abandoned temple, sending the entirety of Yunnan into chaos.
And at that moment…
“I found it!”
Ho Cheon-an was thrilled at having excavated a secret manuscript.
