The Martial Alliance headquarters stood a fair distance from the city center—yet the crowds heading there were so vast that even the downtown streets overflowed with people.“Cough, cough.”Choking on the heavy dust in the air, Tang Hae-han frowned.“Are there always this many people?”“I wouldn’t know, this is my first time too.”The young martial artist beside him, equally bewildered, shook his head.“Of course there are,” said the Heukcheon Amgui, clicking his tongue. “There are fifteen branch members of the Alliance alone, and now every onlooker in Hubei’s come to see the show. That’s why merchants here don’t dare leave even with sky-high rent. Between the Zhuge Clan, the Hubei Branch, and the Alliance headquarters—all it takes is one event a year and the place floods like this.”“Oooh, so all these people gathered just for the duel tournament? Cough, cough.”As Hae-han spoke in awe, he inhaled another gust of dust and began coughing again. Heukcheon Amgui gave him a withering glance and turned away.The noise from the throngs filled the streets. Local merchants shouted offers to hold customers’ places in line if they wanted to step inside for a drink. Every inn and tavern along the road was packed with people taking a short rest.Those perched along balconies were all staring in one direction, their gazes following the same point of interest—as if listening to some storyteller’s narration.Sohwa raised her head toward where everyone was looking, though the dense crowd made it impossible to see who was ahead.Since their gazes weren’t shifting, it seemed likely that a major sect or clan was passing through.Perhaps the storyteller was explaining who each person in that procession was.'So this is what they call a spectacle, Sohwa thought.'Her eyes caught the faces of patrons, brimming with excitement, and the smiling innkeeper who played along with them.The jovial atmosphere felt stifling, so Sohwa lifted her gaze higher.There stood a white marble building towering over the rest—the headquarters of the Anguk Merchant Group, the richest trading house in the Central Plains.It also happened to belong to her so-called ally from the Blood Cult—the Baekgeumgak Pavilion.'So it was this close to the headquarters all along.'She couldn’t begin to imagine how many Blood Cult members were embedded within the Martial Alliance’s main stronghold.As her expression grew grim, the surrounding noise abruptly died down.Finding it strange, Sohwa looked back toward the shop below—only to meet dozens of eyes staring directly at her.***The Wuhan Inn was already bursting with people even in broad daylight. It was an old hotspot, famous for being the perfect vantage point to watch those entering the Alliance grounds while exchanging the latest martial world gossip.“Look there! The Qingcheng Sect’s arrived!”“Oh? But who’s that one in white robes? His insignia’s different from theirs. Which sect’s pattern is that?”“Don’t you know? That’s Seol Jin. I heard his skill rivals Ilseong’s, and his sect’s secret arts are so abstruse that no one’s ever managed to break through them.”“So he’s stronger than Ilseong of Qingcheng?”“Well, they supposedly once fought to the brink of life and death. Both walked away alive, so I’d call it a draw.”“Then why’s he traveling with Qingcheng if he’s not one of them?”“Well, rumor has it...”The middle-aged traveler drew out the moment, sipping his wine as if savoring the suspense. The others leaned closer, hungry for gossip.Sensing all eyes on him, the traveler finally swallowed a bite of food and spoke again.“You know how the Blood Cult’s been hiding all this time to evade the Alliance’s pursuit? Word is, one of them recently attacked a pursuit squad.”“What? You mean the Blood Cult actually defeated a pursuit team?”His companion frowned in disbelief.“That’s impossible. Only elite warriors are chosen for pursuit teams—no way they’d be ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) beaten.”“That’s why the Alliance is keeping it quiet. I even heard that Blood Cult bastard was a master of Yeolyanggong, the Scorching Yang Art.”“Yeolyanggong?”“Yes. Said to be from the vanished Sun Palace.”Listeners from the next table turned fully toward them.The traveler, delighted by their intrigue, chuckled as he watched their faces twist in skepticism.“Ha, I get it. Sounds like some tall tale about a lost manual, doesn’t it? I didn’t believe it either—but seeing that Seol Jin heading to headquarters with Qingcheng, I’m starting to think it’s not pure fiction.”“What does Seol Jin have to do with that?”“Why, there’s talk he came from the Northern Sea Branch, isn’t there?”The older man stroked his beard.“They say the Blood Cult’s Scorching Art is so vicious it lingers in the body, burning a person alive from within. To extract it, you’d need an extreme yin force. The Alliance doesn’t share their findings with common folk like us, but if they’re desperate enough to hunt for yin-based herbs like Binggeukjicho or Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng, there must be truth to it.”Someone snorted.“Come on, that makes no sense. Seol Jin’s never trained in the Northern Sea Ice Palace’s arts. Maybe he’s read one of their leftover manuals, but his body couldn’t withstand it.”At that sudden interjection from an old monk, the mood cooled instantly.“And how would you know that?”“Then how would you know* he’s from the Northern Sea Branch?”The traveler’s mouth flapped open, unable to answer.The chatter continued along the balcony—amusing but baseless gossip all the same.Realizing that, the patrons downed their drinks with awkward smiles.“Still, whatever’s going on, something must have happened in the Martial Alliance,” the monk said, half like a warning, half like a tease.The traveler scowled.“What’s that supposed to mean? You think I’ve been lying all along?”“No, not lying—just curious where you heard it from. I’d like to know who told you that story.”The traveler’s brows furrowed.“Unbelievable. I wasn’t even going to say this, but... that man injured by the Scorching Art was none other than Myungdan of Mount Hua! Everyone in the martial world knows him—the youngest Plum Blossom Sword they’ve ever raised!”Silence fell again.Mount Hua. The Plum Blossom Sword.Names no martial artist could fail to recognize.Now the man’s chest swelled as attention returned to him.“You know the Tang Clan’s Divine Physician, right? The whole Central Plains was buzzing about him. He personally traveled to Shaanxi to examine Myungdan. Everyone thought the boy was dying of internal wounds, but the Divine Physician discovered it was actually the lingering effects of Yeolyanggong! So, Wu So took Binggeukjicho, infused his own yin qi, and drew the heat out of Myungdan’s body—but the boy’s mind was already damaged beyond repair... Ah, I shouldn’t have said that.”He clapped a hand over his mouth mid-sentence, but it was too late.Now that his story matched known details, people began to believe him again.And then—“Wait, isn’t that Mount Hua over there?”A man by the window pointed.“It is! That’s Wu So! And the man beside him—could that be Myungdan?”Someone from Shaanxi or familiar with Mount Hua recognized them at once. Everyone rushed to the window to look.“Oh, it really is! That’s Myungdan! I saw his portrait on the tournament roster at the betting hall!”Others nodded—clearly Mount Hua experts who confirmed it was him.Disappointment flickered through the crowd as they turned back to the traveler.“Even if you’re starved for gossip, how could you slander Mount Hua with lies?”“Exactly. Watch your words, sir. The great orthodox sects don’t take kindly to rumors about their own.”“But... but that can’t be...”The braggart scratched his head, at a loss. Yet it truly was Myungdan.'They said he’d lost his mind. So how is he already competing in the tournament?'The story had come from someone inside the Alliance headquarters itself. The traveler had even spent his life savings sending men to the Northern Sea to track down Binggeukjicho.His thoughts tangled; he could only sit there speechless.Meanwhile, the tavern grew louder than before.Those who’d been anxious at the mention of the Scorching Art relaxed again, dismissing the tale as mere exaggeration. They resumed drinking, eagerly watching the participants arrive.“Wow, look over there! That must be the Zhuge Clan’s young lady!”“You mean Zhuge Cheonyu? Where?!”At the name Zhuge Cheonyu, everyone’s eyes widened.In the Zhuge Clan’s procession stood a young woman—round-faced like a polished egg, her large eyes brimming with warmth.“She looks like a celestial maiden.”Someone murmured in awe.Her crescent-moon smile and ever-gentle expression only deepened her angelic impression.“So the rumors were true—Hubei’s foremost beauty indeed. How can anyone look like that?”“Well, direct heirs of great clans are always striking.”“Huh? Why’s that?”“When people gain wealth and fame, they naturally seek out beauty. The great martial clans have had both for generations, so their bloodlines are full of handsome men and beautiful women. It’s inevitable their descendants turn out this way.”“Hmm... I suppose that makes sense.”“Haha, of course it does.”“But by that logic, wouldn’t celibate sects produce uglier disciples?”“Think about it—between us, take the Taeguk Sword Sovereign of Wudang, for example—”The man chuckled, but his friend nearly spat out his drink.“Are you mad? You want to die mocking the Taeguk Sword Sovereign’s looks here in Hubei?”“Mocking? I haven’t even said anything yet.”“Damn it, you’ve already dug your own grave.”The two drunks shut their mouths at once—but several others nearby silently agreed.The noble scions of the great families were indeed dazzling. Yet that illusion soon shattered—ironically, by Wudang itself.As Wudang’s disciples passed by, the crowd collectively fell silent.Beside a burly Taoist built like a bear walked another, carved of white jade—so graceful it took their breath away.“Wait... is she perhaps a noble-born lady who joined Wudang?”The man who’d theorized about clan beauty scratched his head.“Never seen her before.”“Standing beside the Taeguk Sword Sovereign—she must be his personal disciple.”“His direct disciple? The one everyone says is the tournament’s top contender?”Gasps spread through the tavern.The rumor that the Taeguk Sword Sovereign had taken a direct disciple had shaken the entire martial world—and the tale that the disciple was a heaven-sent prodigy had spread with it.Most had imagined a towering, broad-shouldered warrior, befitting the giant master himself. No one expected that disciple to be such a small, delicate woman. Only those who had seen the participant sketches beforehand were unfazed.Of course, swordsmanship wasn’t determined by physique—but even so, this contrast was extreme.“...She looks even smaller next to him.”Regardless of gender, she simply appeared far too frail.A stunned silence hung over the spectators—until one man finally chuckled.“Well, this year our eyes are blessed indeed.”Her face, pure and radiant like a white magnolia, shone with the vitality of sunlight.The beauty of orthodox disciples—Namgung Hyun, Zhuge Cheonyu, Zhuge Jihwi, Wudang’s disciple Yeon-a—was something to behold.'This is the grace of the righteous sects, they thought. The beauty born of purity itself.'Basking in that serene admiration, they cheerfully raised their cups once more—Until someone pointed suddenly.“Huh? What’s that over there?”“Why’s that spot in shadow?”A passing tree swayed, casting darkness across a section of the road. To the half-drunk crowd, it looked as though a black cloud had descended.But soon the shadow receded—revealing the group approaching beneath the sunlight.Their robes shimmered deep green—darker than the forest itself.

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