In Sacheon City, a certain rumor was circulating in secret.
The faces of the Sect Leaders that Ho Cheon-an had visited were filled with worry, suggesting he had made an unreasonable request.
And that request was none other than something related to the Heavenly Demon Sect.
Of course, this rumor hadn’t spread widely.
Ho Cheon-an was extremely popular in Sacheon City, so negative rumors about him couldn’t gain traction.
However, following Wi Ji-cheon’s comments during a banquet in Shaanxi, rumors began to circulate about what Ho Cheon-an had requested from the Sect Leaders, throwing the people of Sacheon City into chaos.
He was trying to bring the Heavenly Demon Sect, which wanted to establish its influence over the world, into Sacheon City!
As suspicions about Ho Cheon-an arose, the rumors began to spread uncontrollably.
From his rapid growth to his bloodline, there were so many suspicious aspects about Ho Cheon-an’s actions.
Baseless gossip and absurd speculations about him began to run rampant.
It was rumored that he was able to defeat Jeong Cheol in a short period because he had learned the dangerous demonic arts of the Heavenly Demon Sect.
Some even claimed that the Sokryeong Sect fell apart so easily because of the Heavenly Demon Sect’s influence.
It was said that the Blood Sect revealed itself out of the anger of a Blood Ancestor who had been robbed of his successor by the Heavenly Demon Sect.
They even claimed that the outcast known as Ho Cheon-an had vanished, and a demonic entity from the Blood Sect took his place.
Such rumors and the chaotic sentiments of Sacheon City reached the ears of the Martial World sects that were keeping an eye on Ho Cheon-an’s actions.
The Martial World sects were able to draw one conclusion from the news from Sacheon City.
Though they didn’t know the truth surrounding Ho Cheon-an’s identity and the Heavenly Demon Sect, ultimately, Ho Cheon-an was merely used as an excuse for the Heavenly Demon Sect’s attempt to invade the Central Plains.
He was trying to persuade the sects of Sacheon City to accept the Heavenly Demon Sect.
No matter how one thought about it, it was an unlikely prospect, and in light of that slim chance, Ho Cheon-an had far too much to lose.
Who would support someone advocating for the acceptance of external forces? Anyone could guess that the relationship between Ho Cheon-an and the sects of Sacheon City would worsen.
Thus, the Martial World sects concluded that the current situation was a directive from the Heavenly Demon Sect.
If the sects of Sacheon City were persuaded, it would obviously be a good thing, and even if they weren’t persuaded, Ho Cheon-an’s reputation and support would diminish, which wouldn’t be a loss for the Heavenly Demon Sect.
In fact, it might even be a gain.
Through this incident, they could clearly communicate their intentions to the sects who were unsure about the Heavenly Demon Sect’s true motives.
The sects across the world planned their strategies based on their understanding of the Heavenly Demon Sect’s true goals.
If the Heavenly Demon Sect’s declared purpose was the eradication of the Blood Sect, then a combined attack from the Martial Forest Alliance and the Heavenly Demon Sect would mean the Blood Sect was a candle in the wind.
However, since it was revealed that the Heavenly Demon Sect’s objective was expansion, cooperation with the Martial Forest Alliance became impossible.
The Blood Sect, the Heavenly Demon Sect, and the Martial Forest Alliance would find themselves in a state where nobody could predict who would seize control of the world.
As the sects across the world made this judgment, the Blood Ancestor wore a furrowed brow.
“How strange.”
When the messenger from the Blood Sect visited the camp of Ho Cheon-an, Wi Ji-cheon was meeting with Ho Cheon-an, mediating between the Heavenly Demon Sect and Ho Cheon-an, so it was easy to infer that there was a deep connection between the two.
The Blood Ancestor assumed that the relationship between Wi Ji-cheon and Ho Cheon-an was quite solid.
But what was the current situation like?
It seemed that Wi Ji-cheon was squeezing Ho Cheon-an for his own ambitions.
Because of this, the Blood Ancestor couldn’t shake off his doubt.
For the Heavenly Demon Sect, Ho Cheon-an was the only friendly celebrity in the Central Plains; would they really ruin their relationship with him for a possibility as slim as conquering Sacheon City?
No matter how he thought about it, it just didn’t add up, so the Blood Ancestor regarded the current activities of Ho Cheon-an and the Heavenly Demon Sect as a deception.
‘What’s their scheme?’
What are they hiding, and what kind of plot are they planning?
While the Blood Ancestor continued to investigate the schemes of the Heavenly Demon Sect and Ho Cheon-an, he picked up on something strange.
“The Sokryeong Sect is showing signs of pulling away?”
“Yes. They’re clearly displaying an atmosphere that they do not want to be associated with our Blood Sect.”
The Blood Ancestor thought deeply as he looked at the Blood Person who was completely unfazed.
As the Heavenly Demon Sect subtly revealed its ambitions towards the world, most of the allied forces of the Blood Sect started to reconsider their options.
On top of that, various entities were already being attacked by the Array Formation Teams affiliated with the Martial Forest Alliance, which added to the tension.
Those who had no choice but to side with the Blood Sect, or those who initially allied with them because they were a force that held sway over the world, now found themselves keeping an eye on things to either raise their value or potentially switch sides to the Heavenly Demon Sect.
Considering that most allied forces already had this attitude, the movements of the Sokryeong Sect didn’t seem too surprising.
However, the Blood Ancestor instinctively sensed something.
Ak Gyeong-cheol, who led the Sokryeong Sect, was so obsessed with profit that even the Blood Ancestor was astonished. If his interests were guaranteed, he would actively intervene in anything.
Thinking of Ak Gyeong-cheol’s tendency to not hold back in the pursuit of profit, it would be normal for him to engage in negotiations with either the Heavenly Demon Sect or the Blood Sect to maximize his gains.
From a long-term perspective, he was not the type to miss out on short-term profits either… So why was Ak Gyeong-cheol suddenly calm?
The Blood Ancestor felt an ominous sense rising.
“Get complete details on everything related to the Sokryeong Sect! Right now!”
“Y-Yes, Honor!”
The Blood Ancestor scowled as he reviewed the documents the Blood Person had gathered. The Sokryeong Sect was undoubtedly a major sect based in Yunnan, and compared to the initial collaborators who wanted to rely on others, they were a far more useful ally.
‘They’ve been involved in more matters than I expected.’
Because they pursued profit in every little detail, they hadn’t provided full cooperation, but looking at the evidence collected here, the Sokryeong Sect had certainly lent their strength more than once.
If Ak Gyeong-cheol was trying to dig into the Blood Sect’s affairs, he might have gained access to confidential information.
Realizing that fact, the Blood Ancestor bit his lip.
‘That rat has leaked our information to the Heavenly Demon Sect!’
The Heavenly Demon Sect now knew where the Blood Sect’s base was!
Only then did the Blood Ancestor understand the actions of Ho Cheon-an and the Heavenly Demon Sect. They had been creating a smokescreen to cover up the location of the Blood Sect’s base in Xi’an.
In the end, the Heavenly Demon Sect was resting in Shaanxi, close to Xi’an, to preserve their strength, while Ho Cheon-an was also moving in a Bicheongmacha, making it possible for him to rush from Sacheon City to Xi’an in no time.
“They were thinking of lulling me into a false sense of security with their smoke and then charging straight into Xi’an!”
Realizing this, the Blood Ancestor sent a message to the allied forces.
The current actions of Ho Cheon-an and the Heavenly Demon Sect were a smokescreen operation aimed at taking over the base in Xi’an, and he was requesting support.
As the Blood Ancestor dispatched messages in all directions, he clenched his fist.
The Heavenly Demon Sect and Ho Cheon-an must be viewing the Blood Sect’s main force as defenseless, so if they could plan their operation properly, they could deal a significant blow to Ho Cheon-an and the Heavenly Demon Sect.
However, the Blood Ancestor’s plan was shattered as responses from the allied forces began to flood in.
“Ha.”
Dozens of rejections arrived in succession.
At first, the Blood Ancestor was furious, but as the stack of responses declaring refusals grew high on his desk, the sense of crisis made his head clear.
“Cough… Cough…!”
The Blood Ancestor burst into laughter. Now that his head was clear, he realized what he had overlooked.
The actions of the Heavenly Demon Sect and Ho Cheon-an, and the claims made by the Blood Sect regarding Ho Cheon-an and the Heavenly Demon Sect preparing a smokescreen operation to attack their base— which side seemed more believable?
Naturally, it was the activities of the Heavenly Demon Sect and Ho Cheon-an.
Rather than concluding that the Heavenly Demon Sect had decided to repay the kindness shown by Ho Cheon-an by breaking their long silence to come to the Central Plains as an honorable faction, it was far more plausible that they were using Ho Cheon-an for their own expansion.
On the other hand, what about the claims of the Blood Sect?
That Ho Cheon-an and the Heavenly Demon Sect were deceiving the world with a smokescreen operation?
They needed to make sense.
Look at Ho Cheon-an’s actions.
He had ruined all the reputation and goodwill he built up in Sacheon City by advocating for the acceptance of the Heavenly Demon Sect.
And yet, this behavior was merely a smokescreen for an attack on the base?
Who would engage in a smokescreen operation while throwing their reputation into the mire?
Unless they had no choice but to act as a puppet to secure the power of the Heavenly Demon Sect.
Seeing the absurd claims and asking for reinforcements, it seemed evident that the Blood Sect was either terrified of the movements of the Heavenly Demon Sect or was planning to use their allies as shields.
Thus, it was reasonable to keep a distance from the Blood Sect until the conflict between the two forces unfolded and their relative strengths became clear.
With that thinking, the Blood Ancestor finally understood Ho Cheon-an’s true intentions.
“Ha ha ha… You weren’t trying to deceive me but the entire world.”
What Ho Cheon-an had done wasn’t to deceive the Blood Ancestor and the Blood Sect, but rather to mislead the entire world.
The reputation and influence he had built up until now were his stakes.
And using the Heavenly Demon Sect, which was more or less an unknown entity to the people of the Central Plains, he made them believe a lie as truth.
Since everyone believed that the true intention of the Heavenly Demon Sect was to expand their influence in the Central Plains, who would believe that the Heavenly Demon Sect would suddenly raid the main base of the Blood Sect?
The Blood Ancestor thought.
Ho Cheon-an had successfully played his hand.
Revealing the base was akin to signaling his own weakness, and would the allied forces truly stand with the Blood Sect?
Even if they were to abandon the base and flee, it would end up worsening their relationship with their longtime allies, the Mosan Sect, and expose the Blood Sect’s weakness to the entire world, effectively leading them to their own destruction.
For a time, the Blood Ancestor laughed in disbelief.
“Alright.”
There was only one way to break through the current situation, and he had solidified that determination.
A face-to-face showdown.
He would take down Ho Cheon-an and the Heavenly Demon Sect. Even if he couldn’t completely defeat them, he would either match their strength or inflict substantial damage!
If he could achieve that kind of outcome, he could overturn the current crisis.
The momentum of the Heavenly Demon Sect would also surely weaken, and if they suffered considerable damage, it might cause Ho Cheon-an to reconsider his promise to take down the Blood Sect. Even if that didn’t happen, it would prove that the Blood Sect had the power to resist the Heavenly Demon Sect, and the allied forces would likely come back.
Determined, the Blood Ancestor decided to muster all available strength for a confrontation with the Heavenly Demon Sect and Ho Cheon-an.
There was enough time until the Heavenly Demon Sect and Ho Cheon-an would reach their base.
During that time, they would have to prepare for every possible scenario and welcome them.
“The Martial World ultimately speaks through strength. Let’s find out who the real strong one is.”
Mosan.
There, the Blood Sect began to move to face the inevitable showdown.
