Chapter 79
At the same time, in Anhui Province.
Namgung clan estate.
Only the gentle light of candles flickered in the vast study.
Namgung Hui-yeon, head of the Namgung clan, was scowling as he perused a newly arrived piece of correspondence.
"Blood Forest has suffered a defeat... I paid a great fortune expecting their top assassins, yet their blades couldn't even capture the leader of the Hao Sect."
Namgung Hui-yeon's cold anger filled the study.
Under his aura, the candlelight in the room fluttered violently—whoosh!—and the books piled on the desk quivered ever so slightly.
It was at that moment.
"Patriarch, even setting aside Blood Forest's failure..."
An elder with white hair, seated nearby, spoke cautiously.
"Please, read the next letter."
"... You mean the rumors about the Seven-Star Cloud Blade?"
"Yes, sir. Rumor has it that the Seven-Star Cloud Blade has appeared in Yinyang County, Sichuan Province, and word is spreading rapidly throughout the martial world."
"Is this credible information? There is no evidence."
"However... all the major sects in the Central Plains are already on the move. Mount Hua, Zhongnan, and Qingcheng are all heading to Sichuan. Furthermore..."
"Furthermore?"
"There is information that both the Murong Clan and even the Tang Clan have dispatched secret agents."
Namgung Hui-yeon's eyebrow twitched slightly.
A mix of anger and complex emotions flashed across his face.
'Not long ago, he was so eager to join forces and hire Blood Forest's assassins to crush the Hao Sect's Ansun branch, but the moment something major like the Seven-Star Cloud Blade comes up, not even a single carrier pigeon... That cunning Murong bastard. As expected, untrustworthy.'
As Namgung Hui-yeon became lost in thought, the white-haired elder continued.
"According to ancient records, each of the Eight Mystical Treasures of the martial world is enough to shake heaven and earth. Except for the Azure Dragon Sword of Wudag's Abbot, grandmaster Jinmu and the Heaven-Opening Blade owned by the head of the Hebei Peng Clan, all of them were lost after the Great Heavenly Demon War, their whereabouts unknown. If the Seven-Star Cloud Blade truly has resurfaced, our Namgung clan absolutely must obtain it—for the honor and the future of our clan."
At the elder's words, Namgung Hui-yeon finally nodded silently.
After pacing the study for a moment, he asked:
"So, who would be best to send?"
"Do not entrust this to half-baked assassins any longer. This is a matter that concerns the fate of our Namgung clan. Send the young master."
The Namgung clan's young master, Namgung Ak.
He was regarded as the most talented successor in the family's entire history.
An expert at the late-peak level, one who had entered the state of Three Blossoms Gathering at the Crown, and even rumored by some as the next alliance leader of the martial world.
His sword had already left countless legends across the martial world, and wherever he went, all eyes followed.
"Very well. Summon the young master."
At Namgung Hui-yeon's response, the white-haired elder bowed his head, a satisfied smile emerging on his face.
* * *
Late at night.
Outskirts of Yinyang County, Sichuan Province.
The faint crescent moon shone upon countryside fields wrapped in silence.
A thin mist lay over the village outskirts, and beyond shabby thatched houses, only the occasional barking of dogs could be heard.
Yet in one of these rural homes, eight people clad in black clothes and masks were gathering.
Martial experts whose presence could never be sensed by ordinary ears.
Their identities: the party of Jaseong who had arrived from Ansun in Guizhou City.
"Mist falls in Sichuan."
When Jaseong spoke the code word in a low voice, the door to the house creaked open cautiously.
Inside, informants disguised as commoners greeted Jaseong.
"We greet you, leader."
Acknowledging the agents' greeting, Jaseong entered the inner room,
where he checked the records of martial artists who had recently shown up in Yinyang County.
"Based on what we and nearby informants have confirmed, over a hundred martial artists have already arrived in this county."
"That's quite the crowd."
"However, I must apologize—there is an issue."
"Issue?"
"Almost all the martial artists who've come here are wearing black clothes, so we've been unable to identify their sects."
At these words, Lee Rin let out a dry laugh.
"So much for 'upright sects' of the martial world; they're acting like petty thieves."
But Jaseong wore an expression that suggested he'd expected exactly this.
Observing him, the informant continued his report.
"Still, we did manage to identify some individuals. Here is a list of the experts spotted onsite."
[Yin Tianhou: Ranked high among the Hundred Demonic Villains. Nicknamed 'Venomous Palm Ghost Throat.' If you are struck even once by his hand, the powerful poison is nearly impossible to neutralize with internal energy. Betrayed the Death Gate's Poison Valley, hunted for killing over a dozen senior brothers via poison, current whereabouts unknown.]
[Kang Mujin. Martial artist from Saoe. Nickname: 'Red-Eyed Flying Guest.' His eyes are always bloodshot, and he uses extraordinary movement skills and a unique art called One-Flash Pursuit Sword. His blade is swift as lightning, particularly deadly at night.]
[Cho Yunbaek. Of demonic background, known as 'Azure Blood Blade Guest.' His entire face is covered in blue tattoos, wields an unusual blue blade, and once drenched the southern martial world in blood. Exceptionally brutal temperament.]
Each one was famous for their prestige in the martial world.
And there were many more renowned experts besides these three.
This alone showed just how extraordinary the Seven-Star Cloud Blade must be.
'Even the Five Great Clans and major sects must be on edge at this point.'
Jaseong nodded to himself with a satisfied expression, murmuring inwardly.
Soon after, he, Gu Janghu, Lee Rin, and the four Guardians from the Northern Sea quietly left their safe house.
But as Jaseong donned his mask and stepped out into the village, the atmosphere in Yinyang County felt off.
"... Great hero, isn't it a little too quiet?"
Martial artists from all over the Central Plains—over a hundred of them gathered—should have been making a commotion, yet it was uncannily silent,
as though no one were there at all.
"Lee Rin. Let's use Seeking Light in the Darkness."
"Understood, great hero."
Jaseong, with Lee Rin and the Guardians' protection, climbed onto the roof of a house.
There, they used the Northern Sea hunters' secret art, seeking Light in the Darkness.
*Swish—*
In that moment, Jaseong and Lee Rin's senses revealed the entire surrounding forest and terrain.
Then, the presence of hidden experts in the woods became clearly perceptible.
[Great hero, there are over ten experts gathered in the forest about a hundred zhang ahead.]
[There are also experts lying in wait in the forest seventy zhang southwest.]
Like beasts stalking their prey, the experts waited for their chance.
When Lee Rin located them, she asked, voice trembling a little:
"But great hero, how are we going to make them fight each other?"
Jaseong replied in a low voice,
"We need to bring out the 'flower' we prepared."
Lee Rin tilted her head.
"Huh? Flower?"
* * *
Jaseong returned to the safehouse.
Immediately, he grabbed a black hawk and drew out a piece of correspondence to be sent to Hyang-I.
[Order the Ink Master to distribute the second page of the forged documents.]
The second page of the forged document.
Its content: 'The Seven-Star Cloud Blade has already fallen into someone's hands.'
The reason Jaseong had prepared this was simple.
If the experts currently assembled in Yinyang County heard that news?
They would become even more tense and frenzied.
No one would be satisfied to just turn back, having come all this way for a legendary treasure of the Eight Mystical Treasures.
'Of course, simply spreading such rumors wouldn't be enough to set all these factions against each other. That's why I prepared the "flower."'
Three days and nights later.
Jaseong began the second phase of his plan.
He wandered through the night in Yinyang County, mask on his face, and a replica of the Seven-Star Cloud Blade strapped to his back.
Though it was a fake, a fortune had been spent to craft it; even in its scabbard, it gave off a subtle, luminous glow.
Anyone who saw it would know it was no ordinary blade.
To carry such a thing all alone in the middle of the night was obviously dangerous, but Jaseong had his reasons.
'Without a flower, the bees won't swarm; and only if the bees swarm will a fight break out.'
The various martial artists lying in wait in Yinyang County would flock to the sight of the Seven-Star Cloud Blade.
That's when the real chaos would begin.
Of course, Lee Rin and Gu Janghu, upon hearing the plan, tried to talk Jaseong out of such a reckless operation.
But Jaseong paid them no mind.
'If I want to set off ruptures among the martial world's factions, this level of risk is unavoidable.'
But just as Jaseong murmured inwardly—
*Whoosh!*
Suddenly, a hidden weapon seething with murderous intent flew at his side.
Jaseong twisted his body and barely dodged in time.
The projectile embedded itself in a pine tree behind him, trembling.
Poison must have been smeared on it, as the bark rapidly blackened.
"To evade that... You're quite good."
Out of the darkness, an enemy made his appearance, approaching stealthily with the moon at his back.
It was the demonic expert Yin Tianhou, known as 'Venomous Palm Ghost Throat' among the Hundred Demonic Villains.
"I've heard the rumors. You must be the swordsman who took possession of the Seven-Star Cloud Blade."
Yin Tianhou's raspy voice sliced through the night air.
Evidently, he had caught wind of the Hao Sect's Ansun branch's second forged rumor, that 'a swordsman found and claimed the Seven-Star Cloud Blade'.
"Hand over the Seven-Star Cloud Blade and vanish quietly. Do that, and I'll let you keep your life."
Once again, Yin Tianhou spoke, his murderous intent thick.
True to his reputation as a top-tier demonic villain, his aura was enormous.
Yet, Jaseong simply stared at him with an impassive face.
Then, in the next instant—
*Swish!*
He performed the unexpected.
Suddenly, he turned and began to run.
"Where do you think you're running, rat?!"
With a furious roar, Yin Tianhou gave chase.
But he could not easily catch up.
'How can this guy's movement skill be so fast?!'
This was thanks to the secret movement skill of the martial world's legendary thief, Shadowless Divine Thief.
With his Shadowless Body Technique mastered to the third level, Jaseong's speed was unimaginable.
Even Yin Tianhou, one of the highest-ranked demonic villains, couldn't keep up.
As Jaseong and Yin Tianhou's wild chase raged, other martial artists began to emerge ahead of Jaseong.
"Sir, seems you're in some trouble—would you like our assistance?"
A group of black-robed men appeared, their tone immediately recognizable as orthodox Taoists.
But Jaseong knew well there were ulterior motives behind their polite words.
'They're all here craving the Seven-Star Cloud Blade, yet they offer help? Laughable.'
Once again, Jaseong used Shadowless Body Technique, this time escaping toward the east.
"He's escaping with the Seven-Star Cloud Blade!"
"After him!"
Now, taoist experts joined Yin Tianhou in the chase, making the commotion in Yinyang County all the more intense.
Jaseong could only grin a satisfied smile. Because, hearing the commotion, ever more martial artists began to swarm.
'Perfect. The plan is unfolding as intended.'
But then, a problem arose.
As he sprinted, pursued by a horde of martial artists, a towering cliff suddenly appeared before Jaseong.
At least a hundred zhang tall—a truly enormous vertical cliff.
As Jaseong stopped at its base, well over a hundred martial artists surged in behind him.
"Enough running—hand over the Seven-Star Cloud Blade!"
The demonic expert with a face covered in blue tattoos shouted, none other than Cho Yunbaek, the Azure Blood Blade Guest who once stained the southern martial world red.
As he stepped forward, orthodox experts in black clothes shouted out,
"A treasure this grand will only bring you disaster! Hand over the artifact!"
"Nonsense! The Seven-Star Cloud Blade belongs to us!"
Hundreds of martial artists surrounded Jaseong and the cliff, watching each other warily, a standoff forming.
It was a moment straight out of the expression "besieged on all sides"—
And yet, strangely—
*Grin—*
Jaseong curved his lips into a chilling smile.
Then,
*Srrrrk—*
He suddenly drew the Seven-Star Cloud Blade replica from his back.
The sword blade shone with a blue light, illuminating the surrounding area.
"Oooh... That's the legendary sword itself?"
"How resplendent..."
"We cannot let such an artifact fall into demonic hands!"
[... It must be brought to Zhongnan. The sect leader must see it!]
Over a hundred martial artists gazed at him with greedy eyes, edging closer and closer toward Jaseong.
Taking them all on was, of course, impossible.
Besides, they were all the elite chosen from various sects.
But Jaseong didn't care.
At that moment—
*Whoosh!*
He did the unthinkable, leaving all the martial artists present agape:
He grasped the Seven-Star Cloud Blade and began to run straight up the vertical cliff.
"What the...?!"
His movement was that of a super-peak-level expert.
The secret was the third stage of Shadowless Body Technique—Divine Seamless Movement, a step technique unfettered by the limits of space.
Thanks to it, Jaseong could now dash up vertical cliffs as well.
'An incredible expert...! I've never seen movement skills at such a level...!'
'To think I chased such a master all alone... I nearly died!'
The hundred-odd martial artists could only gape in stunned silence.
Not a single one of them could scale the vertical cliff as Jaseong had.
'But we can't give up... These are the sect leader's orders!'
'We have to find another way up!!'
Unwilling to let slip the miraculous artifact, the martial artists began searching for an alternate route up the cliff.
Eventually, someone discovered a steep mountain path behind the deep woods.
"Senior brother! There's a path here!"
But the moment a black-clad man shouted this,
"Out of the way! I'll be first up!"
"What? You demonic bastard, how dare you—!"
"Who are you calling demonic? Do you even know who I am?!"
Yelling and curses broke out over who would ascend first.
Finally, a demonic expert drew his sword with a snarl.
*Clang!*
In an instant, everyone else unsheathed their blades.
*Clang—clang—clang!*
Like a spark setting a wildfire, murderous intent spread uncontrollably.
The schism Jaseong induced had finally begun.
Of course, this was only the prelude.