Chapter 532

Did Kang Cheonwoo…… act according to a plan?

After that.

Kang Cheonwoo had not come straight to Kongling.

He stopped by the Sichuan Alliance.

Before coming here to fight, what had he done at the Sichuan Alliance?

Wait.

He changed his line of thought.

What was Unhwi to Kang Cheonwoo?

Kang Cheonwoo had no children.

When the figure known as Unhwi began making a name for himself in the martial world, what had Kang Cheonwoo done?

He had given him the True Flame Heavenly Spirit Sword, one of the Ten Great Swords Under Heaven.

And now, Thunder Emperor, his own sword, was also highly likely to end up in Unhwi’s hands.

The symbol that represented Kang Cheonwoo belonged to Unhwi.

If.

If this had truly been the end of it, there would not have been much cause for concern.

The martial arts of the Overlord who ruled Sichuan.

That was what mattered most.

As far as Gun Mugeol knew, Unhwi had never used Kang Cheonwoo’s martial arts.

He had never learned them.

He had never received them.

But.

What if he had also handed over his martial arts?

What if Kang Cheonwoo had already completed every arrangement before coming to the Murim Alliance?

There would be no problem with Unhwi inheriting the Sichuan Alliance.

Legitimacy was truly important.

There was no way Gun Mugeol did not understand that.

For a moment, Gun Mugeol’s face turned pale.

He did not even want to consider this.

It was something that could not be allowed to happen.

But his thoughts continued.

He could not stop them.

Unhwi was the Blood Heaven Arbiter of the Blood Heaven Sect.

If the Sichuan Alliance went to Unhwi, the Sichuan Alliance would enter the sphere of influence of the Blood Heaven Sect.

Then.

The Blood Heaven Sect.

The Sichuan Alliance.

Heaven’s Will Alliance.

The Eternal Snow Palace.

These four would become connected around Unhwi.

Then what did that mean?

It was obvious.

Gun Mugeol’s isolation.

He could not move.

Absolutely not.

Gun Mugeol’s hand began to tremble.

To move, he would have to face all four at once.

But those four organizations were not easy opponents individually.

To face all four simultaneously and still unify the martial world?

It was absolutely impossible.

Veins rose on Gun Mugeol’s forehead.

Every plan had gone astray.

It was over.

Because of one man’s death.

Everything.

The physician’s hand was pressing against his wound.

“Alliance Leader, please endure a little longer……”

Gun Mugeol’s hand moved.

Fast.

The physician’s voice was cut off.

Thud.

A dull sound.

Gun Mugeol’s fist struck the physician’s head.

No.

It was not a strike.

It sent him flying.

The physician’s body flew into the wall.

Crash—!!

He struck the wall and slid down.

He did not move.

He was dead.

The inner chamber of Alliance Leader’s Hall became silent.

Gun Mugeol was still sitting in the chair.

Blood flowed from his shoulder.

Because treatment had stopped, the bleeding had started again.

Gun Mugeol did not notice.

He had no room to notice.

Because one name was echoing inside his mind.

“Kang Cheonwoo.”

Gun Mugeol murmured.

His voice trembled.

Rage.

Pure rage.

“Kang Cheonwoo.”

He called the name again.

Louder.

“Kang Cheonwoo……!”

He rose from the chair.

Abruptly.

Blood sprayed from his shoulder.

He did not care.

He slammed his fist down on the table.

KRAAANG—!!

The table split in two.

Documents scattered.

Ink spilled.

The brush rolled away.

Reports on pressuring the Sichuan Alliance and countless pieces of information sent from the Primordial Pavilion scattered across the floor.

Papers that no longer had any meaning.

“Kang Cheonwoo!!”

Gun Mugeol shouted.

His roar carried the internal power of a Mixed Origin Sovereign.

Alliance Leader’s Hall shook.

Cracks spread across the walls.

The windows shattered.

Fragments scattered everywhere.

Martial artists outside rushed in.

“Alliance Leader! What happened—!”

“Get out!”

The martial artists were thrown backward.

Pushed away by his energy.

Out of Alliance Leader’s Hall.

The door closed.

No.

It had not closed.

It had shattered.

Gun Mugeol remained alone.

Before the broken table.

Bleeding.

And trembling with rage.

I was deceived.

Gun Mugeol ground his teeth.

He deceived me.

No.

This was not deception.

Kang Cheonwoo had been an honest man.

The duel to the death had been genuine.

The battle had been genuine.

But within that sincerity, there had been calculation.

A move that allowed him to win even in death.

A move that could overturn the board even while losing.

Gun Mugeol had thought Kang Cheonwoo was a simple man.

A man whose fists moved first.

A man who had only walked straight beneath the name of domination.

That was true.

But hidden within that straight path was a curve.

A man who thought while striking.

A man who saw the next move while throwing his fists.

Gun Mugeol had only seen Kang Cheonwoo’s fists.

He had failed to see his mind.

Just as the Celestial Law Immortal had only seen Unhwi’s realm and failed to see what lay beyond it.

Just as the Primordial Sage had only seen Gun Mugeol’s cunning and failed to see the ambition beneath it.

Gun Mugeol had only seen Kang Cheonwoo’s simplicity and failed to see the calculation within it.

Arrogance.

The same kind of arrogance.

Gun Mugeol sank to the floor.

He held his wounded shoulder.

Blood flowed between his fingers.

I made the same mistake.

I underestimated my opponent.

Kang Cheonwoo.

Gun Mugeol’s eyes were fixed on the floor.

The scattered documents.

The papers that had become nothing more than scraps now.

Gun Mugeol’s blood fell upon them.

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

Outside, rain poured down.

Kang Cheonwoo must be standing.

Even in death, he must be standing.

Because he was the Overlord.

Gun Mugeol had won.

In the duel to the death.

But on the board, he had lost.

A complete defeat.

His second complete defeat.

The first was against Unhwi at the Murim Alliance.

The second was against Kang Cheonwoo now.

“……Kang Cheonwoo.”

Gun Mugeol murmured.

The anger was fading from his voice.

Something else was rising instead.

A bitter smile.

“You were an incredible man.”

Gun Mugeol raised his head.

Beyond the broken window, he saw the sky.

A dark sky.

Rain poured down.

Lightning flashed.

The sky split open, then darkened again.

In the flash of lightning, it seemed as if he saw Kang Cheonwoo’s smiling face.

Gun Mugeol closed his eyes.

He clenched his teeth.

It was an enormous dream.

There could be no path without obstacles when trying to achieve something.

Only by overcoming them one by one did it have meaning.

He decided to think that way.

Facing four organizations at once?

That was certainly difficult.

But there was no problem in this world without an answer.

There had to be a way.

Gun Mugeol did not give up.

Nor did he intend to.

Blood flowed from his shoulder.

Rain poured down.

In the darkness, Gun Mugeol’s eyes flashed.

***

The rain stopped.

It was dawn.

The sky was growing faintly bright.

Thin rays of light descended through the clouds.

After the rain that had poured throughout the night stopped, the world was quiet, as if it had been washed clean.

Two people were walking along a mountain path.

Unhwi and Ju Soa.

There was something on Unhwi’s back.

A person.

Kang Cheonwoo’s corpse.

His massive frame was being carried by Unhwi.

Unhwi supported his body with the internal power of the Boundless Manifestation Realm, but saying it was not heavy would have been a lie.

The man named Kang Cheonwoo had been heavy even in life.

And he was heavy even in death.

The weight on Unhwi’s shoulders did not feel like merely the weight of flesh and bone.

It felt as though the weight of Sichuan, the weight of the name Overlord, and the weight of a final promise all rested there together.

Two swords hung at his waist.

The True Flame Heavenly Spirit Sword.

And Thunder Emperor.

Both were swords Kang Cheonwoo had given him.

Ju Soa walked beside Unhwi.

She said nothing.

She had not spoken a single word since leaving the Murim Alliance.

Because she had seen Kang Cheonwoo die.

Because she had seen Unhwi carry Kang Cheonwoo’s corpse.

Because she had walked while watching Unhwi’s back beneath the pouring rain.

The sun rose.

Morning came.

The mountain path continued.

Toward Sichuan.

Ju Soa opened her mouth.

“My lord.”

“Mm.”

“……Are you all right?”

Unhwi answered.

Briefly.

“I am fine.”

Ju Soa knew he was not fine.

Because Unhwi’s voice was different from usual.

It was not his usual calm and measured tone.

It was dry.

She did not ask further.

They walked.

For a long time.

When the sun reached the middle of the sky, Ju Soa spoke again.

“My lord.”

“Mm.”

“I am asking because I am truly curious, but are you going to become the Alliance Leader of the Sichuan Alliance?”

Unhwi’s steps slowed slightly.

Ju Soa continued.

“Alliance Leader Kang left his final will, after all. As his successor. The True Flame Heavenly Spirit Sword, Thunder Emperor, and the martial arts records. He left everything to you……”

“…….”

“Even I think your legitimacy is sufficient. And he publicly declared before the martial artists of the Sichuan Alliance that you were the person he trusted most.”

If he wished to become Alliance Leader, there would be no problem.

The only issue would be internal division.

But that would be resolved before even half a month passed.

It was Unhwi’s specialty.

“Then you will become Alliance Leader?”

Unhwi stopped walking for a moment.

Kang Cheonwoo on his back felt heavy.

Then he walked again.

“I will not become Alliance Leader.”

His decisive answer made Ju Soa’s eyes widen.

“You won’t?”

“That is right.”

“……Why? You have the legitimacy, and you have his final will.”

“Think about what my current position is.”

Ju Soa thought for a moment.

“……The Blood Heaven Arbiter of the Blood Heaven Sect?”

“That is right.”

“Ah.”

Ju Soa understood.

The Blood Heaven Arbiter of the Blood Heaven Sect serving as the Alliance Leader of the Sichuan Alliance.

It sounded impressive.

But in reality, it was complicated.

The Blood Heaven Sect was part of the outer martial world.

The Sichuan Alliance was part of the central martial world.

If one person led both worlds, there would be opposition from both sides.

The martial artists of the Blood Heaven Sect would question why their own affairs were being handled by someone holding another position.

The martial artists of the Sichuan Alliance would question why someone from the outer martial world was leading them.

“Then what happens to the Sichuan Alliance?”

“I accepted Senior Kang’s final will.”

Unhwi spoke.

“He told me to protect Sichuan. He did not tell me to take the Sichuan Alliance. He told me to protect Sichuan.”

“……What is the difference?”

“Becoming Alliance Leader of the Sichuan Alliance means taking the Sichuan Alliance. But protecting Sichuan is different.”

Unhwi continued.

“I only need to make it possible for the Sichuan Alliance to protect Sichuan.”

“……How?”

“I will serve as acting Alliance Leader.”

Ju Soa tilted her head.

“Acting?”

“Yes. Not Alliance Leader, but acting Alliance Leader. I will lead the Sichuan Alliance until a new Alliance Leader is established.”

“Who will become the new Alliance Leader?”

“That is for the martial artists of the Sichuan Alliance to decide. They must find someone within the Sichuan Alliance who can inherit Senior Kang’s will.”

Ju Soa looked at Unhwi.

“……My lord, do you truly have no intention of becoming Alliance Leader?”

“No.”

His answer was firm.

“But if Sichuan is in danger, I will step forward. That is Senior Kang’s final will.”

“…….”

“And.”

Unhwi paused.

As if organizing his thoughts while walking.

“I intend to change the direction of the Sichuan Alliance.”

“The direction?”

“The Sichuan Alliance has always been an independent force. An organization separate from the central martial world. That was its strength, but it was also its weakness. This time proved that it cannot withstand pressure from a massive force like the Murim Alliance by itself.”

“…….”

“I intend to connect it with the Blood Heaven Sect.”

Ju Soa’s eyes widened.

“With the Blood Heaven Sect?”

“The Blood Heaven Sect has branches. The Thunder Demon Cult is one, and the Red Spirit Court is another. If the Sichuan Alliance becomes connected to the Blood Heaven Sect in a similar manner, Gun Mugeol will find it difficult to reach out again.”

“Are you saying the Sichuan Alliance becomes a branch of the Blood Heaven Sect?”

“The name ‘branch’ will not be acceptable to the pride of the Sichuan Alliance.”

Unhwi gave a faint smile.

“The form will resemble a branch, but the name will be closer to an alliance. The Sichuan Alliance will preserve its independence while entering the protection of the Blood Heaven Sect. That should be something the martial artists of the Sichuan Alliance can accept.”

It would also calm dissatisfaction within the Blood Heaven Sect.

A massive organization like the Sichuan Alliance entering beneath the protection of the Blood Heaven Sect?

That meant the Blood Heaven Sect itself had grown stronger.

If someone complained about that, they would only make themselves look foolish.

Realistically, this was the most ideal arrangement.

Of course, there would also be opposition from the Sichuan Alliance.

No matter how much legitimacy existed, reality was not so simple.

But it was fine.

It could be resolved.

As always.

“……It is complicated.”

“There is no need to think of it as complicated. I am only protecting the Sichuan that Senior Kang tried to protect in his place. The method is simply different.”

Ju Soa looked at Unhwi’s back.

The back carrying Kang Cheonwoo’s corpse.

His shoulders were not broad.

Compared to Kang Cheonwoo’s mountain-like shoulders, they were narrow.

But those narrow shoulders were carrying Kang Cheonwoo’s weight.

Walking.

Without staggering.

Without stopping.

“My lord.”

“Mm.”

“Your shoulders seem to be getting broader.”

Unhwi gave a faint laugh.

“When you carry many heavy things, that happens.”

“……Isn’t it difficult?”

“It is.”

Unhwi answered.

Honestly.

“But I cannot put it down.”

“…….”

“If I put it down, I would betray the expectations of those who trusted me.”

“…….”

“More than the eyes of others, it would make the path I have walked until now meaningless. That is why I do not put it down. No, I cannot put it down.”

Ju Soa closed her mouth.

Certainly.

This man was different from ordinary people.

He was great.

He was immense.

How could anyone not trust a man like this?

The mountain path continued.

Soon, the mountains of Sichuan came into view.

High mountains.

The land Kang Cheonwoo had loved.

Unhwi looked toward that land and continued walking.

Kang Cheonwoo on his back was heavy.

But he did not stop.

He walked.

One step.

Another step.

Toward Sichuan.