Chapter 155
Everyone's gaze instantly turned in that direction.
'Who is that?'
'To cut off the alliance leader mid-speech, especially when he's radiating killing intent... Either he's fearless or has a death wish.'
All present looked toward the spot, their eyes filled with suspicion and concern.
Standing there was a young man.
A youth clad in black martial robes, with an obsidian sword at his waist.
It was Jaseong.
At this moment, however, he was wearing a face-skin mask.
He had previously encountered alliance leader Namgung Cheon-rui in the Murim Alliance, when he went to meet the Ice Palace Mistress of the North Sea.
He now needed to look like a completely different person.
'Namgung Cheon-rui awarded me my master Eternal Divine Physician's command token for slaying the Demonic Cult Hall Lord. But he also told Master to kill me if I showed up, claiming that I would bring ruin to the world...'
Above all, it was the Murim Alliance leader, Namgung Cheon-rui, who had framed him—Jaseong—as the one who killed the Evil Path Association Leader in front of his own master, Eternal Divine Physician.
Thus, beneath the face-skin mask, Jaseong's gaze grew ice-cold.
"No fear at all, it seems. In a gathering of such great experts of the world, that young fellow dares raise his voice."
"Yet for one so young, his presence is remarkable. To which sect does he belong, I wonder?"
"... He's quite an expert. At that age, it looks as if he's reached the pinnacle's edge..."
The assembly stirred at Jaseong's appearance.
Particularly, the eyes of Mount Hua Sect Leader Feng Qingyun and Beggar's Union leader Meng Hojul flashed.
Both of them, seats among the Ten Great Experts of the Orthodox Faction, immediately sensed Jaseong's twin sixty-year cycle levels of inner power.
Alliance leader Namgung Cheon-rui's eyes also sharpened.
"And who might you be?"
To this question, Jaseong slowly opened his mouth.
"I am Jaseong, direct disciple of the Eternal Divine Physician."
At that moment, an uproar swept through the hall.
"Disciple of the Eternal Divine Physician?"
"That legendary healer... had a disciple?!"
Shock and awe rose simultaneously on the faces of sect leaders from the minor orthodox sects.
Eternal Divine Physician—
in the martial world, he was a godlike being.
Countless orthodox martial artists owed their lives to him,
a benefactor who would heal incurable illnesses and cure the deadliest poisons.
For one to claim to be his disciple...
But Jaseong did not stop there.
His gaze grew even colder.
"I have come here today to expose the hypocrisy of the orthodox martial world."
"What?"
"First, let me reveal the culprit who harmed my master."
Jaseong spoke in a low tone.
At that, Beggar's Union leader Meng Hojul asked in disbelief,
"Disciple of the Eternal Divine Physician, you say someone harmed your master? Are you saying the Divine Physician has... died?"
"Yes. My master has returned to the earth."
"......!"
"The one who harmed my master was Sect Leader Zhong Yeob of the Zhongnan Sect. He suddenly attacked and committed murder against my master."
Jaseong's bombshell caused even greater commotion in the auditorium.
Someone harmed the Eternal Divine Physician?
And it was the leader of the prominent orthodox Zhongnan Sect?
All around, faces showed utter disbelief.
"That can't be! Zhongnan carries the lineage of Taoist orthodoxy!"
"Yes! There's no way they would betray such a benefactor!"
Yet Jaseong's revelations had not ended.
"And the one who incited my master's murder was none other than Alliance Leader Namgung Cheon-rui."
"What...?"
"... You say the alliance leader ordered harm upon the Eternal Divine Physician?"
"But why?!"
"My master, disgusted with the hypocrisy of the Murim Alliance, wished to leave. And when the rumor spread among the unorthodox factions that it was an orthodox sect who killed the Evil Path Association Leader, there was a high risk the War of Orthodox and Unorthodox would erupt again. So the alliance leader framed Master as the killer, had him murdered, and thus erased the unorthodox factions' justification to attack the orthodox."
Jaseong's logic was so compelling that it left the assembly silent.
Moreover, it was all true.
Shaken by the heavy weight of truth, one after another, the orthodox representatives' eyes began to tremble.
"My master devoted his entire life to the martial world. He saved countless martial artists and never sought recompense. But how did those who received his kindness repay him?"
"......!"
"Look at the affair with the Hebei Peng Clan and the Sichuan Tang Clan. Two major noble clans of the orthodox created the Soul-Bewildering Powder drug for profit? Is this what my master spent his life's skill for?!"
Jaseong's voice echoed throughout the hall.
His gaze fixed upon Namgung Cheon-rui.
It was then—
"Heh, heh."
Suddenly, Namgung Cheon-rui, occupying the seat of honor, chuckled, then his face turned grim.
"A rat from the unorthodox factions dares stir up trouble before the orthodox right in the open."
Goooo—
"Everyone! Look! Has the orthodox martial world grown so weak? That you tremble at such nonsense? You accuse me of inciting the murder of the Eternal Divine Physician? He was my closest friend! From the War of Orthodox and Unorthodox through the Great Heavenly Demon War, we stood together!"
"......!"
"And as far as I know, the Eternal Divine Physician never took in a disciple. He never wished to pass down his martial arts to anyone! You—popping up like this and calling yourself his disciple? What baseless nonsense!"
Namgung Cheon-rui roared like a lion, deeply curious about the true identity behind Jaseong's face-skin mask.
However, he could not afford to press the issue here.
If he started arguing, his past misdeeds would only become clearer.
'So I must kill him in a single blow and end this situation.'
Namgung Cheon-rui's gaze was fierce with murderous intent.
KWAANG—!
A burst of blue enhanced energy exploded from Namgung Cheon-rui's body.
His famed inner power as the "Central Plains' Number One Sword" instantly weighed down on the assembly.
Imperial Sword Form Seventh Move, divine Thunder of Punishment!
A blue electric arc flashed from Namgung Cheon-rui's hand, followed by a downpour of ki.
He would slay Jaseong in a single strike.
If this youth were truly the Eternal Divine Physician's disciple, Namgung felt he must silence him before the truth was revealed.
KWA-KWA-KWANG—!
The air where the sword aura passed exploded, sending shockwaves everywhere.
Orthodox representatives hurriedly threw themselves aside to dodge.
"What are you doing, alliance leader?!"
Jaseong did not move.
Instead—
SWAAAA—
Hundreds of silver needles burst from his sleeve.
The fine needles spun in the air, forming a perfect circle.
Heavenly Physician's Needle Technique.
A martial art unique only to the Eternal Divine Physician.
Jaseong's inner power infused each needle.
Threads of ki linked needle to needle, instantly transforming them into a single sword.
Thousand Needles Sword!
Hundreds of silver needles woven by ki formed a massive sword to meet Namgung Cheon-rui's sword aura head on.
KWA-KWA-KWANG—!
With a thunderous crash, energy scattered in all directions.
The flagstone floor cracked, and pillars split.
Yet Jaseong did not budge an inch.
The Thousand Needles Sword absorbed and diffused Namgung Cheon-rui's attack perfectly.
"......!!"
A deep silence descended upon the hall.
"Th-that's...!"
"It's the Heavenly Physician's Needle Technique! The Eternal Divine Physician's unique martial art!"
"That youth—could he truly be the Divine Physician's disciple?!"
Mount Hua Sect Leader Feng Qingyun's eyes widened.
He himself had seen the technique when the Eternal Divine Physician had once treated Hua Sect disciples.
"There's no doubt. That's the Heavenly Physician's Needle Technique!"
Beggar's Union leader Meng Hojul nodded.
"To bind needles together with ki to form the Thousand Needles Sword... No one but the Eternal Divine Physician could ever perform such a feat."
Even Shaolin abbot Cheon Heo Dae-sa murmured, rolling his prayer beads.
"Namo Amitabha. The young man was telling the truth."
After deflecting the strike, Jaseong lifted his head to look at Namgung Cheon-rui.
Although his hand was tingling from the force, he didn't let it show.
At that moment, Namgung Cheon-rui's eyes trembled violently.
It was appalling enough that such a young expert had withstood the famed sword aura of the "Central Plains' Number One Sword"—but to manifest Heavenly Physician's Needle Technique, the long-lost martial art of the Eternal Divine Physician!
Now, the situation had reached the point of no return.
"Take a good look, everyone! This is the true face of the Murim Alliance that claims to represent the orthodox martial arts world."
"......!"
"Whether you continue to follow such a hypocrite or not, the choice is yours. But if you do, you should change the 'Orthodox' in your banners to 'Demonic'."
"......!!"
With those words, Jaseong darted from the hall.
His body vanished leaving afterimages as he employed his lightness skill.
Namgung Cheon-rui wanted nothing more than to give chase and slay him,
but it was impossible.
Mount Hua Sect Leader Feng Qingyun, Beggar's Union leader Meng Hojul, and Shaolin abbot Cheon Heo Dae-sa were all glaring at him.
* * *
'Everything has gone according to plan.'
Jaseong's lips twisted into a grim smile as he left the Murim Alliance.
Everything had unfolded just as he intended.
The rift between the orthodox factions had now crossed the point of no return.
Of course, by provoking them so openly, Jaseong had put himself in danger.
The Murim Alliance would surely set all its power to hunting him down.
That's why Jaseong had brought Mansul with him in his robe.
A small, white fox poked its head out from inside his clothes.
Creak—
'Once I cross the Zhang River by ferry, the Murim Alliance's pursuit will begin in earnest. At that time, I'll hide my presence using Mansul's concealment technique, and with Shadowless Body Technique, even a supreme expert won't be able to track me.'
Jaseong's plan was meticulous.
But at that moment—
"Great hero! Please, wait a moment!"
Hurried footsteps sounded behind Jaseong.
Turning, he saw sect leaders of the smaller orthodox sects running up, panting for breath.
At their head was a man in his mid-fifties.
He wore a gray robe and a blue treasured sword at his waist.
"I am Jin Mugyeol, sect leader of Cheong-un Sword Sect Sect."
Cheong-un Sword Sect Sect—a mid-tier orthodox sect in Jiangxi province,
small, but famous for its chivalry.
"To be able to meet the disciple of the honored Eternal Divine Physician... I owe my life to your master."
Jin Mugyeol deeply cupped his fists.
Long ago, he had been dying from poisoning—until the Eternal Divine Physician saved him.
Next to him, another sect leader rose to speak.
"I am Seok Hosan, sect leader of Taihang Sword Sect."
He was a man in his early sixties, with a large frame and a rugged air.
"I too have never forgotten the Divine Physician's kindness. After being gravely injured in the Great Heavenly Demon War, I thought I'd never use martial arts again, but thanks to the Divine Physician's treatment I recovered. If you are his disciple, then I and the Taihang Sword Sect will naturally follow you."
Thus, one after another, the small and mid-tier orthodox sect leaders expressed their gratitude to Jaseong.
Hakyung-ryong, leader of Namyang Sect.
Yubaeksan, head of Sangsang Sword Sect.
Bang Cheon-u, leader of Taehwa Sect.
Seol Bong, valley lord of Cheongmyeong Valley.
All had received favors from the Eternal Divine Physician.
To them, he was their benefactor.
And now, that benefactor's disciple stood before them.
The chance to repay that debt had come.
Thus, supporting the Divine Physician's disciple was only natural for them.
"Please, great hero, tell us your name and title. We will stand behind you, as the disciple of the Eternal Divine Physician!"
Together, the leaders all cupped their fists toward Jaseong.
Amidst them, Jaseong suddenly recalled his master's face.
'Master... your benevolence was not in vain. The chivalry you sowed has come back around.'
So Jaseong, even as he accelerated the fracturing of the orthodox factions, also gathered his own strength within them.
But even now, he did not know—
that the schemes of the Sichuan Tang Clan had already nearly reached the Hao Sect.