Chapter 73
A lone figure suddenly appeared, slicing through the Zhang River.
What most caught the eyes of both Jaseong and Lee Rin about this person's appearance was the martial robes he wore and the pattern embroidered upon them.
The martial robes were a deep indigo, embroidered with golden thread. On his chest was a pattern of a dragon parting the clouds as it soared upward.
But more striking than anything, on the jade belt around his waist, eight dignified characters were engraved: "Alliance Leader of the Righteous Murim Alliance."
The instant they saw this majestic attire, both Jaseong and Lee Rin immediately realized the truth.
The Murim Alliance Leader, Namgung Cheon-rui, had appeared.
'Why would the Murim Alliance Leader suddenly show up here...?'
Lee Rin's face filled with bewilderment.
Unlike her, Jaseong had a vague guess as to why.
'... I beat the third son of the Namgung family into a bloody pulp, then verbally sparred with the family head, humiliating them in front of everyone... He must have come in pursuit.'
While Jaseong was guessing as such, Namgung Cheon-rui gazed at him and asked,
"Are you the branch leader of the Hao Sect?"
Next, he shifted his gaze to Lee Rin.
"And you, you are the Young Mistress of the North Sea Ice Palace. Am I correct?"
Namgung Cheon-rui's voice was gentle, but the energy contained within it was anything but ordinary.
True to the renowned name of the Murim Alliance Leader, just him standing there radiated an unimaginably powerful aura.
It felt as if a towering mountain range stood before their eyes.
Because of that, both Jaseong and Lee Rin felt cold sweat trickling down their backs of its own accord.
"We greet the Murim Alliance Leader."
At once, Lee Rin offered a cupped fist salute out of courtesy.
Jaseong also followed and offered a cupped fist salute.
Then Namgung Cheon-rui let out a hearty laugh.
"So the Young Mistress already has a lover. I broached a marriage talk with the Ice Palace Mistress for my third son, completely in the dark about it.... Hahaha."
Namgung Cheon-rui's smile appeared friendly, but beneath that smile, there lay a hidden depth that could not be fully grasped.
Jaseong, quick to sense things, instinctively tensed.
He immediately activated his Samadhi Eyes to observe the energy of Namgung Cheon-rui, the Murim Alliance Leader.
And in that moment—
'?!'
An astonishing sight unfolded before him.
The hundred zhang around them was dyed a crimson hue.
Namgung Cheon-rui's intention completely covered this space. Even the spot where Jaseong and Lee Rin were standing was dyed red.
That meant that, if Namgung Cheon-rui so wished, he could turn this place into a sea of blood at any moment.
'What an incredible state. His intention utterly surpasses the limits of humanity....'
Since entering the martial world, Jaseong had never once felt such awe.
That was just how much a monster the Murim Alliance Leader Namgung Cheon-rui was.
Decades earlier, during the Great War of Righteous and Demonic, he battled the Evil Path Association leader one-on-one and beheaded him; during the Great Heavenly Demon War, he led the final resistance and stood up to the Heavenly Demon.
It was even said that, against the Heavenly Demon—whom no one else even dared to face—he fought hundreds of bouts alone.
That's why, whenever one speaks of the World's Greatest, Namgung Cheon-rui is always mentioned.
"You do indeed have perceptive eyes, just as they say."
Whether he sensed that Jaseong read his intention, Namgung Cheon-rui spoke.
"And that attitude, I heard about from my own son."
"?"
"To stand so boldly before the Alliance Leader of the righteous Murim... Most people shrink away, yet you brim with spirit."
"......."
"But let me tell you this."
"?"
Swoosh!
Suddenly, Namgung Cheon-rui moved right up to Jaseong's nose.
The speed was so fast it was as if he had teleported, causing both Jaseong and Lee Rin to flinch in surprise.
"Courage without strength is just reckless bravado."
Namgung Cheon-rui whispered in Jaseong's ear.
Tense, Jaseong quickly reached for his sword hilt.
But in the next moment, Namgung Cheon-rui did something unexpected.
He stepped back, pulled something from his robe, and handed it to Jaseong.
"No need to be so tense. I came to see you to commend your achievements in disposing of the leaders of Three Souls Hall and the Demonic Cult."
"...?"
"The seven elders of the Hainan Sect made a fuss, insisting that you should be officially commended by the Murim Alliance. But since your Hao Sect isn't part of the Righteous Faction, we couldn't recognize your achievements openly in public—otherwise, the other sects would complain. That's why I came to you out of the blue like this. My apologies if I startled you. Hahaha."
Namgung Cheon-rui once again smiled in a way that made him seem like a genuinely good-natured person.
What he offered was an identity plaque. Upon it, in silver thread, was inscribed the epithet 'Eternal Divine Physician'.
"This is...?"
"'Eternal Divine Physician'. The greatest physician of the Righteous Murim, and one of the most illustrious experts."
"......!"
"If you hold this plaque, you may seek help from the Eternal Divine Physician once—whenever you wish."
Presented with this unexpected gift, Jaseong was incredibly baffled.
'I thought he came to punish me, and instead he brings a present? And an identity plaque for the Eternal Divine Physician at that...?!'
The Eternal Divine Physician was said to bring even the dead back to life, known across the entire Central Plains.
He was as famous as Dongfang Hwabin, the previous executor of Heaven's Mandate who had taught Jaseong the Heaven Evading Alchemy.
Now that he possessed such a plaque, it was almost as if Jaseong had gained a second life.
Just then—
"Are you sure it is all right to bestow such a precious thing, Alliance Leader?"
A cool, dignified woman's voice rang out from behind Jaseong.
It was Lee Seol-hwa, the Ice Palace Mistress of the North Sea. Neither Jaseong nor Lee Rin noticed when she had arrived.
"The identity plaque of the Eternal Divine Physician can't be traded even for heaps of North Sea Snow Ginseng. To give such a thing—what a bold decision."
"To someone who has done great things for the Central Plains, what is there to withhold? I'm sure the owner himself, the Eternal Divine Physician, would rejoice at this as well. Hahaha."
"......."
"Well, the night is late, so I shall take my leave."
With those words, Namgung Cheon-rui once more employed his movement skill.
Then, with overwhelming mastery of the lightness skill, he strode across the vast Zhang River.
Jaseong gazed after him for a long time.
'Namgung Cheon-rui, the Swordmaster who is inscribed on the Kill List of the Celestial Realm... Can I really trust a plaque given by such a man?'
The previous executors of Heaven's Mandate had said as much.
To be named on the Kill List of the Celestial Realm meant to be someone utterly consumed by greed and duplicitous in nature.
Indeed, Lee Seol-hwa, the Ice Palace Mistress, was also twitching her eyebrow.
'The Murim Alliance Leader is not someone to withdraw so quietly... What is he scheming?'
* * *
The next morning.
The ferry port on the Zhang River was shrouded in dawn mist.
The water flowed gently, glimmering with silver scales in the morning light, and several ferries busily carried people from early dawn.
Amidst this peaceful atmosphere, Lee Rin and Lee Seol-hwa stood face to face.
Lee Rin's eyes were sparkling with excitement for her journey through the martial world, while Lee Seol-hwa looked deeply worried.
"Lee Rin, take care of yourself. The martial world is far more dangerous than you imagine. If things become too difficult, return to the North Sea at any time."
"Don't worry, mother. Hehe."
Seeing Lee Rin so excited, Lee Seol-hwa let out a sigh.
She looked utterly immature.
With another deep sigh, Lee Seol-hwa looked at Jaseong.
"Leader Jaseong. Once you've finished your business in the Central Plains, be sure to visit the North Sea Ice Palace. I will give you a rare gift you could not find in the Central Plains."
... A gift from the North Sea, was it?
What could it be? North Sea Snow Ginseng? The secret manual of the North Sea Ice Palace?
Whatever it was, it would be another opportunity for Jaseong to become stronger.
"Thank you, lady."
"And I will leave behind a few top experts from the Ice Palace."
"Experts from the North Sea Ice Palace?"
"They will act as guardians for the Young Mistress."
At her words, four women from the North Sea Ice Palace revealed themselves.
They were the same top experts Jaseong had seen at the Guangxi Province black market before.
At the forefront was Han Soweol, the nursemaid—her face was familiar to Jaseong.
He vividly remembered crossing swords with her before—her technique had clearly been at the peak expert's level.
'Thanks to Lee Rin, I've gained an unexpectedly powerful force.'
For the guardians of the Ice Palace Young Mistress, it was only natural their skill would be immense.
Jaseong was inwardly quite satisfied.
As they were about to depart, Lee Seol-hwa suddenly offered a peculiar warning.
"One last thing—"
"?"
"Don't ever let tears fall from the Young Mistress's eyes."
"What does that—?"
"If that ever happens, every sword of the North Sea will be pointed at you."
"Wha...?"
"Mother...!"
Lee Rin gasped, her face flushing red. Jaseong, too, was somewhat flustered.
'Isn't that the kind of warning you give to a son-in-law before marriage...?'
But why would she say that to me???
Jaseong looked after Lee Seol-hwa with a puzzled expression as she turned to leave.
At that moment, she wore a mysterious smile on her lips.
* * *
After parting from the North Sea Ice Palace Mistress, Jaseong and Lee Rin returned to Guangxi Province.
Black Wind Society—the largest criminal syndicate of Guangxi.
Its headquarters, the Black Wind Pavilion, had now completely changed.
The imposing three-story pavilion still proudly displayed its red-tiled roof, but a new signboard now read "Hao Wind Hall".
"We greet the master!"
"We greet the master!"
"We greet the master!"
As Jaseong entered, the Dark Path, clad in black martial robes, lined up in perfect formation and bowed deeply.
[Being the leader of the dark path syndicate is rather amusing too, isn't it, great hero.]
Seeing their disciplined salutes, Lee Rin stifled a laugh.
When he entered the leader's office at the top floor, Gu Janghu was waiting.
"You're here, leader."
Gu Janghu stood to greet Jaseong and Lee Rin.
At that moment, he was sharpening the blade of his willow-leaf flying blade, making him look all the more dangerous as the head of the syndicate.
"Gu Janghu. Thank you for your effort during our absence. Has anything happened?"
"There's always things happening. There are two reports for you."
"Two?"
"First, I've taken care of the remnants of the Black Wind Society. When you disappeared, some executives tried to rebel."
"And?"
"I crippled their dantians and expelled them. There is now no one left inside who could challenge your leadership."
Truly worthy of his Killing Valley roots, Gu Janghu handled things thoroughly.
"Well done. And the second report?"
"In your absence, I assassinated the leaders of the remaining Guangxi criminal factions: Viper Hall and the Iron Blood Corps."
"What...?"
"They're the same Dark Path you would have come to swallow up eventually anyway, so I took care of it early."
Gu Janghu made the report calmly, but it was an impressive accomplishment.
The leader of Viper Hall was renowned for his mastery of poison art—a man known as Salmok.
The Iron Blood Corps was led by a disciple of Guiyeong, a figure once called the Number One Fiend of Shaanxi Province.
In other words, they were formidable experts within Guangxi.
"I happened to see the two leaders of Viper Hall and Iron Blood Corps meeting at an inn. They probably wanted to join forces, seeing as we took Black Wind Society so quickly. I thought it best not to let them be, so I assassinated them at night."
Jaseong nodded in satisfaction.
'As expected of a Killing Valley man, he truly knows his way around assassination. Thanks to him, the conquest of Guangxi ended far sooner than expected.'
Jaseong then produced a small bottle from his bosom.
Inside was a sparkling silver powder.
"What's this, leader?"
"This is an elixir called Meridian-Clearing Powder."
"Elixir...?"
"It opens up the fine veins, stimulates the energy channels, and increases the speed of energy circulation—a miraculous elixir."
"......!"
"This is your reward for your hard work."
Gu Janghu's eyes lit up as he received the bottle.
'The Leader... gave me such a precious elixir...'
For Gu Janghu, it was a most touching moment.
Unlike Lee Rin, who had tasted rare elixirs since childhood as the Young Mistress of the North Sea Ice Palace, he was a Killing Valley man who had clawed his way up from the very bottom.
He never imagined he'd get the chance to taste an elixir.
Most martial artists never lay eyes on an elixir in their entire lives unless they get supremely lucky or are prodigies of great sects.
To be given one so generously...
"... I swear my absolute loyalty, leader."
Gu Janghu immediately knelt on one knee to express his gratitude.
Jaseong couldn't help but smile wryly at his reaction.
'For him, that's quite the dramatic response.'
After receiving all the reports, Jaseong stood from his seat.
He girded his waist with a single sword and headed alone to storm Viper Hall and the Iron Blood Corps.
As he had done with Black Wind Society, he swept through the resisting Dark Path with overwhelming strength and speed, forcing every last member of Viper Hall and the Iron Blood Corps to their knees.
Swoosh! Thwack! Crash!!
"Gaaaah!!"
"Urgh?!"
'Thanks to Gu Janghu dealing with both their leaders, this went even smoother than expected.'
Standing atop the crumpled bodies of Viper Hall and Iron Blood Corps thugs, Jaseong muttered expressionlessly.
Thus, all the criminal forces of Guangxi Province had fallen into his hands.
Then it happened.
—Student. Uphold Heaven's Mandate.
Suddenly, a majestic voice rang in Jaseong's mind.
Next—
Flap— flap—
A translucent slip of paper fell before Jaseong's eyes.
There were words written upon it.
[6th Heaven's Mandate – Cause a Rift in the Martial World]
-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
Already?
(ㆆ.ㆆ )