Chapter 525

Early fifties.

Broad shoulders. A square jaw.

His eyes were sharp, his mouth set in a hard line. A golden sash was wrapped over the uniform of the Sichuan Alliance.

A mark denoting the rank of elder.

Left Elder Liu Zhenheng of the Sichuan Alliance.

Kang Cheonwoo did not stop walking.

But his eyes narrowed.

Liu Zhenheng stepped forward.

He gave a clasped-hands salute.

“Alliance Leader.”

Kang Cheonwoo answered calmly.

“What is it?”

“There is something I wish to ask.”

Liu Zhenheng’s gaze shifted to Unhwi.

From top to bottom.

Sizing him up.

“I heard that the Blood Heaven Arbiter of the Blood Heaven Sect entered Overlord Hall and spoke with you in private.”

“He did.”

“May I ask what you discussed with the Blood Heaven Sect?”

Kang Cheonwoo’s eyes narrowed faintly.

“An elder is asking the Alliance Leader what was said in a private meeting?”

“I ask because of the circumstances.”

Liu Zhenheng’s voice was respectful.

His gaze was not.

The same was true of the dozens of martial artists standing behind him.

They held clasped-hands salutes, but their eyes were different.

Suspicion.

Unease.

Dissatisfaction.

Several emotions were tangled together.

Liu Zhenheng continued.

“Alliance Leader. Surely you are aware of the Sichuan Alliance’s current situation.”

“I am.”

“The Murim Alliance has branded the Sichuan Alliance as a force colluding with the Demonic Path and is applying pressure. Fourteen of our martial artists have died in minor clashes, and more than thirty have been wounded.”

“......”

“Ten subordinate sects have already withdrawn. Public opinion throughout the Central Plains has shifted entirely in favor of the Murim Alliance. And today, two more sects withdrew.”

Liu Zhenheng’s voice grew louder.

“And in the middle of all that, a man from the Blood Heaven Sect enters Overlord Hall and speaks privately with you. What do you think will happen if word of this gets out?”

Liu Zhenheng pointed at Unhwi.

“The Blood Heaven Sect. An outside martial faction. In the eyes of the Central Plains, it stands among the most unorthodox of unorthodox factions.”

“......”

“The Sichuan Alliance is already being falsely accused of colluding with the Demonic Path, and now you secretly meet with someone from the Blood Heaven Sect? If that becomes known, the false accusation will harden into seeming truth.”

Liu Zhenheng’s voice rose even further.

The martial artists behind him were nodding.

“Alliance Leader. Forgive me, but this concerns the entire Sichuan Alliance. This is not merely my own opinion.”

Liu Zhenheng turned.

He indicated the dozens of martial artists behind him.

“Everyone here feels the same.”

Kang Cheonwoo was about to speak.

Unhwi spoke first.

“That is an interesting thing to say.”

Liu Zhenheng’s gaze snapped toward Unhwi.

“What?”

“I said it was interesting.”

Unhwi gave a faint laugh.

Almost a scoff.

Liu Zhenheng frowned.

“This is hardly a situation to laugh about.”

“I find it amusing. Are you truly certain it is not?”

Unhwi took one step forward.

The distance between him and Liu Zhenheng narrowed.

Liu Zhenheng flinched.

Instinctively.

Because he had felt something flowing from Unhwi.

Too faint to call overwhelming pressure.

But enough for instinct to react.

And strangely enough, throughout all of this, Alliance Leader Kang Cheonwoo said nothing.

He merely watched.

As though he had planned for something like this.

Unhwi looked at Liu Zhenheng.

“Elder Liu.”

“......”

“You said the Sichuan Alliance is in a difficult position.”

“That is so.”

“The Murim Alliance is pressuring you. You are being falsely accused. Martial artists have died. Sects have withdrawn.”

“All true.”

“Yes. Every bit of it.”

Unhwi nodded.

“But there is one thing I am curious about.”

“......What?”

“During this difficult situation, what have you done, Elder Liu?”

Liu Zhenheng’s expression stiffened.

“What do you mean by......”

“You said there were three minor clashes. Fourteen martial artists died.”

“That is so.”

“Did you personally go out and fight?”

Liu Zhenheng’s mouth closed.

“Did you personally move to bring back the two additional sects that withdrew?”

“......”

“You said public opinion throughout the Central Plains has turned against you. Did you do anything to correct that public opinion?”

Liu Zhenheng’s face reddened.

“Are you now......”

“You did nothing.”

Unhwi spoke calmly.

“You did nothing, yet you stand here questioning the Alliance Leader about what he has done.”

“......”

“And when the Alliance Leader meets someone who came to offer help, you gather people and block his path like this.”

Unhwi’s eyes pierced Liu Zhenheng.

“Elder Liu. Is what you are doing right now truly for the Sichuan Alliance?”

“Of course it is for the Sichuan Alliance!”

Liu Zhenheng shouted.

“The Sichuan Alliance’s justification is already collapsing! If we join hands with the Blood Heaven Sect, even what little remains will collapse with it!”

“Justification.”

Unhwi repeated the word.

“Justification.”

He gave another faint laugh.

Another scoff.

“That justification you speak of.”

Unhwi continued.

“Do you know who created it?”

Liu Zhenheng froze.

“Gun Mugeol did.”

Unhwi spoke calmly.

“The false accusation of collusion with the Demonic Path. Gun Mugeol created it. And the justification you are so desperately trying to protect exists within the board Gun Mugeol created.”

“......”

“You are playing on Gun Mugeol’s board.”

Liu Zhenheng’s face went red, then pale.

“Gun Mugeol said the Sichuan Alliance colluded with the Demonic Path. So now, because you are afraid the accusation will grow worse, you say the Sichuan Alliance must not meet with the Blood Heaven Sect.”

“......”

“Who established that standard? Who decided that you were forbidden from meeting with the Blood Heaven Sect? Gun Mugeol did.”

“......”

“You are acting according to standards set by your enemy.”

Liu Zhenheng closed his mouth.

There was nothing he could say.

Because Unhwi was right.

Unhwi looked over the martial artists behind him.

Dozens of them.

“The same applies to everyone here.”

Unhwi’s voice rang across the courtyard.

“The Sichuan Alliance is in trouble? Yes. It is. But have you ever stopped to consider what is actually causing that trouble?”

“......”

“Is the Murim Alliance’s pressure the cause? No. That is only the surface.”

“......”

“The true cause is that the Sichuan Alliance is playing on Gun Mugeol’s board. You are moving according to rules created by the enemy, on a board constructed by the enemy.”

Unhwi looked at Liu Zhenheng.

“And that is exactly what you are doing now, Elder Liu.”

“......”

“Do you know what Gun Mugeol wants? He wants the Sichuan Alliance divided. He wants it torn apart from within. The Alliance Leader and the elders clashing. Martial artists doubting their Alliance Leader. People blocking the road before their own mountain gate.”

Unhwi pointed to the martial artists standing behind Liu Zhenheng.

“This scene before us is exactly what Gun Mugeol would most like to see.”

The courtyard fell silent.

The dozens of martial artists looked at one another.

Their eyes wavered.

Liu Zhenheng’s lips trembled.

Unhwi continued.

“You said martial artists of the Sichuan Alliance died.”

“......”

“Were their lives worthless?”

“......They were not.”

“You say they were not, yet instead of blaming Gun Mugeol, who caused their deaths, you blame the Alliance Leader?”

Liu Zhenheng lowered his head.

“I understand that you are frustrated because the Alliance Leader did not step forward. Everyone here must feel the same.”

Unhwi’s voice softened.

Slightly.

“But the Alliance Leader did not remain still because he was afraid.”

“......”

“He did it to protect all of you.”

A murmur spread through the dozens of martial artists.

“Because if he swung his fist recklessly, he would be dancing to Gun Mugeol’s tune. More martial artists of the Sichuan Alliance would die. That is why he endured.”

Unhwi looked at Kang Cheonwoo.

Kang Cheonwoo stood silently.

He said nothing.

He was listening to Unhwi.

Unhwi looked back at Liu Zhenheng.

“And you would point your blade at an Alliance Leader who endured all of that for you?”

Liu Zhenheng raised his head.

He looked at Unhwi.

For a long while.

Then he bowed his head.

Deeply.

“......I went too far.”

His voice was low.

“Alliance Leader. Forgive me.”

Kang Cheonwoo looked at Liu Zhenheng.

For a long while.

“Enough.”

Kang Cheonwoo spoke.

“I understand how you feel. You were frustrated. I was frustrated too.”

Kang Cheonwoo looked around at the martial artists in the courtyard.

“But that ends now.”

His voice changed.

The voice of the Overlord.

“I will crouch no longer.”

The martial artists raised their heads.

Fire burned in Kang Cheonwoo’s eyes.

The eyes of the Sichuan Overlord.

“The situation will change soon. And when it does, I will step forward myself.”

The courtyard stirred.

The Alliance Leader will personally step forward.

“Hold on until then. I will protect you. No matter what.”

Kang Cheonwoo’s power flowed outward.

Mixed Origin Sovereign Realm.

The entire courtyard resonated.

The ground trembled faintly.

His power brushed across the bodies of the martial artists.

Warm.

The Alliance Leader’s power was warm.

The eyes of the martial artists changed.

Their wavering gazes steadied.

Their doubt began to disappear.

“And.”

Kang Cheonwoo’s gaze turned toward Unhwi.

“Unhwi is a man I trust °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° absolutely.”

Another stir swept through the crowd.

“Perhaps there is no one in this world I trust more than this man.”

Even the sound of breathing stopped.

Everything fell silent.

Because those words were truly unexpected.

“Do not doubt us. Neither me nor this man.”

At Kang Cheonwoo’s firm words, Liu Zhenheng was the first to give a clasped-hands salute.

“I will follow you, Alliance Leader.”

One after another, the martial artists behind him gave clasped-hands salutes.

“We will follow you, Alliance Leader!”

“We will follow you!”

Their voices spread.

Filling the courtyard.

Kang Cheonwoo nodded.

Then he glanced sideways at Unhwi.

Unhwi silently met his gaze.

What in the world is this man thinking?

It was Unhwi’s thought.

And Kang Cheonwoo’s.

And at the root of it all—

Why did Liu Zhenheng move like this in the first place?

The fact that he had gathered people and blocked the road almost certainly meant Gun Mugeol’s hand had reached him.

Of course, Liu Zhenheng himself might not know it.

Someone may simply have incited him.

Information leaked from the Murim Alliance.

Rumors that meeting with the Blood Heaven Sect was dangerous.

Things like that may have fed Liu Zhenheng’s unease.

But Unhwi had brought the situation under control.

And Kang Cheonwoo had finished it.

“Let us walk.”

“Yes.”

Kang Cheonwoo walked.

Unhwi walked beside him.

Ju Soa followed behind.

The mountain gate came into view.

It stood open.

As Unhwi passed through it, he spoke.

“Senior.”

“Mm.”

“I will contact Heaven’s Will Alliance. The same goes for Viper Valley.”

“Good.”

“There is only one thing you need to do.”

“What?”

“Keep the Seven Stars Sect’s transaction ledgers safe. I will contact you when the time comes.”

“I will.”

Unhwi gave a clasped-hands salute.

Kang Cheonwoo returned it.

“Unhwi.”

“Yes.”

“Today.”

Kang Cheonwoo spoke.

“I incurred a debt.”

Unhwi shook his head.

“I repaid one.”

“No.”

Kang Cheonwoo smiled.

“Even if you say you repaid yours, I still incurred mine. A man decides the weight of his own debt.”

Unhwi gave a faint grin.

“Then I will give you a chance to repay it.”

“Good.”

Kang Cheonwoo smiled meaningfully.

“Perhaps that chance will come sooner than you think.”

“......What?”

“I look forward to it.”

Even Unhwi could not tell what Kang Cheonwoo was thinking.

Kang Cheonwoo waved a hand.

Unhwi turned away.

Together with Ju Soa, he left through the mountain gate.

They walked.

Toward the mountain paths of Sichuan.

He could feel Kang Cheonwoo’s gaze on his back.

He did not turn around.

Ju Soa spoke quietly beside him.

“......My lord.”

“Mm.”

“......Doesn’t something feel strange?”

Unhwi turned his head, and Ju Soa continued.

“That man, Liu Zhenheng. Something about him felt strange. He was probably incited by someone.”

“Most likely.”

“Not directly. It probably passed through several hands. But leaving that aside, the Alliance Leader of the Sichuan Alliance......”

Ju Soa trailed off for a moment.

“......Something about him...... feels different.”

Unhwi had felt it too.

“It seems as though he is planning something, but for some reason, I have a strange feeling about it.”

Ju Soa had good instincts.

So did Unhwi.

But for now, he still could not tell.

“Pay it no mind.”

Unhwi clasped his hands behind his back and walked on slowly.