Red Light District's Martial God

After the battle, the forest was quiet.

Only then did Jaseong finally let down his guard, staggering as he leaned on his sword.

"Great hero! Are you alright?!"

Lee Rin hurried over and supported Jaseong.

Her face was full of worry.

It was only natural, given Jaseong's wretched state.

His outer robe was soaked in blood, and blood continued to seep from his shoulder, side, and thigh.

Jaseong considered taking another Azure Spirit Pill, but soon gave up the idea.

He knew well that taking them consecutively rendered them ineffective.

It could even become poisonous.

"Don't worry. I won't die from wounds like these."

"How can I not worry? You're so badly hurt...."

Following Lee Rin, Gu Janghu also showed a worried expression.

"Leader, you look terrible. Let's hurry back home."

But Jaseong shook his head.

"Before we return home, let's check on the slash-and-burn folk first. Though I've defeated the Heavenly Demon's disciple, his subordinates may still be here."

Jaseong remembered the promise he had made to the acorn girl.

'Today, not a single person from this village's slash-and-burn folk will die.'

He hoped that this village of slash-and-burn folk would meet a different end than his own Red Light District.

* * *

After that, Jaseong and his group headed east through the forest.

There, the four guardians of the Northern Sea had already cleared the way and were waiting.

Han Soweol and the other guardians sighed in relief when Jaseong's group appeared.

"Little palace lord! You're safe!"

Han Soweol ran up to them.

But her face hardened when she saw Jaseong's battered appearance.

"Ansun branch leader... are you alright?"

"Don't worry. My life isn't in danger."

Jaseong replied nonchalantly.

It was a response befitting his bold personality.

Behind Han Soweol, the rescued slash-and-burn folk were gathered.

As soon as Jaseong appeared, there was a stir among them.

Soon, one by one, they bowed their heads and greeted Jaseong.

"Great hero... thank you so much."

A middle-aged man said in a trembling voice.

"I can't believe you risked your life to save people like us..."

An elderly woman wiped her tears and continued.

"Thank you, great hero. I will never forget this kindness for the rest of my life...!"

Other slash-and-burn folk also expressed their thanks in turn.

"Thank you, great hero! *Sob!*"

"Thanks to you, my family was saved...!"

"You are truly a hero of this martial world!"

Voices filled with gratitude and respect erupted here and there, echoing through the forest.

The slash-and-burn folk repeatedly bowed toward the blood-soaked Jaseong.

Watching this, Jaseong felt a warmth growing in a corner of his heart.

Perhaps, besides vengeance, this was why he had trained in martial arts all this time.

To protect those on the lowest rungs of society, just as he once had been.

"Um... great hero."

Just then, a girl wearing a mask approached Jaseong.

It was the same girl who had once said, "Slash-and-burn folk should help each other out," and had given him a handful of acorns.

"Please tell me your name, great hero. So that one day I may repay this kindness...."

Jaseong replied succinctly.

"The kindness has already been repaid."

"Huh? What do you mean...?"

Inside Jaseong's pocket was an acorn the girl had given him that day.

It was no ordinary acorn.

In this harsh, turbulent world, it was a rare purity—a token of a person's goodwill.

'I'm glad everything turned out well.'

Jaseong murmured inwardly and closed his eyes.

In his own Red Light District, his family and neighbors had died helplessly.

Unlike that place, the slash-and-burn folk here had found a happy ending.

* * *

Meanwhile, on the other side of Mount Giryeong.

There, a beggar was knocking down the demonic cultists.

"Double Staff Strike!"

The great cudgel swept through the air, raising a wild gust.

Following the heavy staff's path, a demonic cultist clutched his throat and collapsed.

"Urgh!"

A middle-aged beggar, rampaging through the forest like a wild beast, was knocking down demonic cultists.

His identity was none other than Zhang Cheonhu, the chief of the Luoyang Branch of the Beggar's Gang, who had arrived after hearing the commotion.

He was the very person who had previously informed Yun-hyeon and Yun-hak of the Zhongnan Sect of the demonic cult's appearance.

As befitted a candidate for next sect leader, his martial arts were extremely strong.

The internal energy he exuded from his swinging great cudgel was enough to overwhelm even orthodox experts.

"You filthy beggar...."

"Do you dare interfere in the affairs of our cult?!"

The demonic cultists drew their swords and charged at Zhang Cheonhu.

But Zhang Cheonhu didn't even blink.

"Filthy, you say... That's not a word I need to hear from you demon dogs."

Zhang Cheonhu's great cudgel swung horizontally, smashing the first demonic cultist's chest.

With a sound of breaking bones, the man flew several jang and crashed headfirst into a rock, dying instantly.

"Heaven Without Dogs!"

Then the second move.

The great cudgel described a writhing, dragon-like trajectory as it hammered the second demonic cultist.

*Crack!!*

"Aaaagh!!"

And so, in a short while, over ten demonic cultists were left in ruins.

Only then did Zhang Cheonhu sling his great cudgel over his waist and catch his breath.

"Phew... Am I getting old? In my younger days, I wouldn't have tired from just this... tch."

Zhang Cheonhu muttered as he looked around.

Then he wore a puzzled expression.

'They say the Heavenly Demon's disciple showed up... but where have all the other orthodox experts gone?'

Unlike the other orthodox experts who had tucked their tails and run at the news of the Heavenly Demon's disciple, Zhang Cheonhu was famous for his strong sense of chivalry.

So when he heard the Heavenly Demon's disciple had appeared, rather than flee, he headed toward the root of the commotion.

Then, as Zhang Cheonhu was running along the forest path—

"Ugh...!"

A groan came from up ahead.

Zhang Cheonhu ran toward the sound, and found a familiar-faced man leaning against a tree.

It was none other than Yang Cheonmok, the head disciple of the Jungcheon Sect—a man abandoned after chasing the Seven-Star Cloud Blade with the disciples of the Zhongnan Sect.

If Jaseong hadn't disposed of Yun-hyeon and Yun-hak of the Zhongnan Sect, Yang Cheonmok would certainly have died by Yun-hyeon's sword, but thanks to that, he had survived.

"Aren't you the Jungcheon Sect's head disciple, Yang Cheonmok?"

Zhang Cheonhu approached and asked.

In response, Yang Cheonmok slowly raised his head.

"It's been a while.... Luoyang Branch Leader, Zhang Cheonhu...."

"Your injuries are severe. Where did you get hurt? Was it the Heavenly Demon's disciple?"

"... No. *Cough.* I never even met the Heavenly Demon's disciple."

"Then who was it?"

"Yun-hyeon, head disciple of the Zhongnan Sect, and his junior, Yun-hak. The two of them did this...."

Zhang Cheonhu's eyes widened.

"What...? The Zhongnan Sect's experts would attack disciples of the same orthodox faction?"

His expression was one of disbelief.

The Zhongnan Sect was one of the Nine Great Sects, and it was unthinkable that their disciples would attack those of other orthodox sects.

Looking at Zhang Cheonhu, Yang Cheonmok spoke, deep resentment in his eyes.

"The Zhongnan Sect massacred disciples of the minor sects to monopolize the Seven-Star Cloud Blade. They ruthlessly crushed even those who begged for their lives...."

"......!"

"And that's not all... Just as they finished off the minor sect disciples and were about to claim the Seven-Star Cloud Blade, the Murong Clan appeared."

"The Murong Clan too...?"

"They slaughtered the Zhongnan Sect, stole the Seven-Star Cloud Blade, and fled...."

The color drained from Zhang Cheonhu's face.

This was no ordinary incident.

It was a disaster that would ignite a great war among the orthodox sects.

"How... how could this happen...!"

"Branch Leader Zhang... be careful... no one in this place can be trusted right now."

Stunned, Zhang Cheonhu saw Yang Cheonmok's critical condition, so he focused on emergency treatment first.

He let Yang Cheonmok rest comfortably on a wide rock, then ran down the forest path again.

But before long, he was forced to stop again.

"... What now."

A sigh escaped Zhang Cheonhu's lips.

Beneath the shadow-cast trees, corpses were strewn about.

"These people... Murong Hwang, young head of the Murong Clan, and his guards...?"

A gasp escaped Zhang Cheonhu.

Murong Hwang was the Murong Clan head's only heir.

With his only bloodline dead, the Murong Clan was sure to go berserk now.

"Who could have done this...?"

Zhang Cheonhu looked around.

But there was not a trace to be found.

It was as if seasoned assassins had orchestrated it—everything was immaculate.

'Something's very suspicious... Not only did the rare Seven-Star Cloud Blade suddenly appear, but now a massacre between the Zhongnan Sect and the Murong Clan?'

It felt as though someone was deliberately scheming to ignite inner conflict in the orthodox sects.

As though summoning a great storm to the once-calm Central Plains.

* * *

After that, Jaseong stayed for half a month in a secret hideout in Yinyang County.

There, he operated the Heaven Evading Soul Transformation Formula to heal his internal and external wounds.

Afterwards, with his wounds fully healed over the two weeks, he finally returned to his base—the Ansun Red Light District in Guizhou City.

"Leader. You've returned."

On Ansun's night street, dim red lanterns swayed.

A finely dressed woman greeted them with a beautiful smile.

It was Hyang-I, the core strategist who managed all information for the Hao Sect's Ansun branch.

"How have you been?"

"Yes. We've just been waiting for you to return safely, leader."

Hyang-I respectfully greeted Lee Rin, Gu Janghu, and the Northern Sea guardians as well.

"Young palace lady, hero Gu, and the guardians have all returned safely. What a relief."

"Hyang big sis! I missed you! *Sob!*"

"Me too. Hehe. I even piled up all kinds of sweets for the young palace lady. And I prepared a bath—do you want to wash up first?"

"How about a bath and some sweets for the first time in a while???"

"Yes, I'll go and have everything ready."

The group, weary from their long journey, went off to rest.

But Jaseong did not.

He stayed with Hyang-I, as there were things they needed to discuss.

"How are things in the martial world?"

Sipping a hot cup of tea in White Fragrant Pavilion's inner room, Jaseong asked.

"Everything is proceeding according to your plan, leader. There's a major rift inside the Orthodox Alliance."

Hyang-I pulled out over a dozen letters from her sleeve as she answered.

"Thanks to your Murong Clan deception, the Zhongnan Sect and Murong Clan have become sworn enemies. The Zhongnan Sect lost its prized top and first disciple, whereas the Murong Clan lost its only young head. As a result, one major clash has already occurred."

"A clash?"

"According to our informants in Shaanxi Province, disciples of the Zhongnan Sect and Murong Clan sword guards engaged in a bloody battle disguised as a duel. Dozens have already been killed and wounded because of it."

"Oh ho."

An interested light flickered in Jaseong's eyes.

"In addition, Mount Hua, Qingcheng, the Hwangbo Family—they're all fighting with each other. All are sects that participated in the Seven-Star Cloud Blade scramble, and bear grudges from it."

"What about the minor sects?"

"Ah, just the same among the minor sects. Jungcheon Sect, Tohyeon Sect, Cheongpung Sword Sect... their disciples were killed by Yun-hyeon and Yun-hak of the Zhongnan Sect. So resentment toward the major sects like the Nine Great Sects is finally erupting."

Listening to Hyang-I's report, Jaseong examined the letters she handed him.

They contained a dense web diagram showing the relationships between sects that had become sworn enemies because of the Seven-Star Cloud Blade incident.

"Finally, the Evil Path Association has begun to show itself in the martial world again as a result of this."

"Evil Path Association?"

"Yes. The demonic factions also bear grudges over this. The influential figures of the demonic cults, who had remained hidden, are now making suspicious moves."

A faint excitement tinged Hyang-I's voice.

She too sensed the massive shift that Jaseong had triggered.

"The shape of the martial world will change. The Orthodox Alliance will fragment, and the demonic cult will reemerge in the martial world."

"And in that chaos, opportunities will arise."

Jaseong put down his teacup with a satisfied smile.

Everything was proceeding as, or even faster than, he had planned.

With this, the sixth Heaven's Mandate, "Cause a Rift in the Martial World", had been accomplished.

As proof, in the next instant—

Whooooosh―

A pure white mist unfurled before Jaseong's eyes.

Soon after, an imposing voice thundered in his ear.

〈Disciple. You have accomplished the sixth Heaven's Mandate... In the celestial realm, six restrictions have been released.〉

Jaseong's smile grew deeper.

He had now unlocked a new martial art in the Heaven Evading Way.

Swish!

A translucent manual, the Heaven Evading Way, unfurled before Jaseong's eyes.

Inside, there was a new chapter he had never been able to see before.

And at the sight of that new chapter,

"?!"

Jaseong's eyes widened unconsciously.

[Ninth Chapter Sword Technique—Ultimate Move]