Chapter 159
Jingzhou, White Crane Temple.
A place of neutrality in the martial world and a tranquil temple untouched by any authority.
Yet today, the air in White Crane Temple was heavier and more murderous than ever before.
The thirteen hall lords of the Hao Sect had gathered in one place.
This was the first major assembly since the Sect Leader had disappeared.
The rules of the assembly were strict.
Each hall lord could only be accompanied by two elite experts.
This was a minimum safeguard to prevent unnecessary bloodshed.
Jaseong, adhering to these rules, entered White Crane Temple accompanied only by Lee Rin and Gu Janghu.
Inside the main hall, there was an overwhelming sense of tension.
Even though all thirteen hall lords had gathered, distrust and wariness toward one another kept anyone from speaking carelessly.
Behind each was an armed guard, radiating murderous intent, and it seemed as if the slightest slip of the tongue would lead to drawn swords at any moment.
At the center, in the seat of honor, sat the Right Protector, Gal Seo-ryeong, of the Hao Sect.
With the Sect Leader missing, and even the Left Protector having passed away years ago, she was now undeniably the highest authority and focal point within the Hao Sect.
Only the chilling force she exuded was barely maintaining this precarious balance.
"Let us begin."
Gal Seo-ryeong's calm voice shattered the silence.
At her words, Jaseong slowly rose from his seat. All the hall lords' gazes fixed on him.
The youngest and most recently appointed among them, a recent prodigy rocking the martial world—Red Light Calamity.
Jaseong stepped out to the center. In his hand, he held ropes, and bound to their end, being dragged along in a bloody mess, was a man.
"L-let me go!"
The man, struggling in a wretched state—none other than Chokhwa hall lord, bae Wigan.
"Everyone, this is Bae Wigan, Chokhwa hall lord, who betrayed the Hao Sect and sold out our headquarters to the enemy."
Jaseong's voice was calm, but the content was earth-shattering for those in the hall.
"Betrayal? What do you mean?"
"Chokhwa hall lord is a traitor?"
As the hall lords murmured in disbelief, Jaseong produced a piece of correspondence from his robes.
"This is the evidence—a secret letter exchanged with a Sichuan Tang Clan Elder. The time of the headquarters attack, the Sect Leader's movements, and details of internal security... all relayed in exchange for a vast amount of gold."
Jaseong handed the correspondence to Gal Seo-ryeong. Gal Seo-ryeong skimmed the letter, then looked coldly down at Bae Wigan.
"Is this true?"
Bae Wigan hung his head. Already broken in spirit from Jaseong's torture, he trembled and opened his mouth.
"S-spare me... Those Tang Clan bastards... threatened me. I had no choice...."
It was a clear confession. Before him, the hall lords' faces twisted in rage.
"Because of this bastard, our Sect Leader...!"
"To sell out your comrades, lower than a beast!"
"A traitor must be executed on the spot! Behead him now!"
The enraged hall lords moved to draw their weapons. At that exact moment—
Chuak!
A flash streaked by. No one caught the movement.
The Right Protector, Gal Seo-ryeong, was standing in front of Bae Wigan before anyone noticed.
Blood dripped from the unknown type of sword in her hand.
"K-keuk..."
Bae Wigan's eyes rolled back. A thin red line marked his neck.
Moments later, his head flew into the air.
Thud-thud-thud.
Blood geysered, soaking the main hall floor. Bae Wigan's body crumpled limply.
Gal Seo-ryeong flicked the blood from her sword and spoke icily.
"According to the Hao Sect's laws, a traitor is executed immediately."
Her cold gaze swept over the hall lords.
"If there is another traitor among you, you will end up like this."
The audience hall fell deathly silent, as if cold water had been poured over it.
In the face of the menacing warning of a supreme peak expert, no one dared open their mouth.
After a heavy pause, seven Star hall lord Wi Jiguang finally spoke.
"The traitor has been executed. However... The Sect Leader's will was clear. We must appoint a new Sect Leader, someone who can lead the Hao Sect into the light."
At this, celestial King hall lord Vajra Heaven folded his massive arms and asked,
"But who should become the Sect Leader? That is the question. None among us would acknowledge another."
The hall lords exchanged wary glances. Each desired the post, but to step forward recklessly would make one a public enemy.
At that moment, Jaseong spoke calmly.
"I will become the new Sect Leader."
Instantly, the air froze.
All eyes locked on Jaseong. Shock and disbelief mingled in every look.
"The Scarlet Lotus hall lord... wants to become the Sect Leader?"
"Hah, unbelievable. The rookie who joined last, now dares to covet leadership among the twelve?"
"Swallowed up the Tianxia Association and now thinks the world bows before him!"
Abuse was hurled his way.
By age and credentials, Jaseong was the youngest and least experienced among them.
For him to try for leadership was laughable from their perspective.
Yet Jaseong's expression did not change in the slightest.
At that moment, Gal Seo-ryeong raised her hand, demanding silence.
"Enough."
At her single word, the uproar subsided. Gal Seo-ryeong fixed Jaseong with a chilly look.
"Scarlet Lotus hall lord. To command the Hao Sect as Sect Leader, you must prove three things: intelligence, might, and power. Only one who possesses these three to the utmost degree deserves to be Sect Leader."
She asked, as if testing him,
"How will you prove it?"
Jaseong replied unhurriedly.
"Firstly, as for intelligence, I already proved myself by capturing the traitor fastest. Not even when the entire Hao Sect's network was mobilized could anyone find him, yet we of Scarlet Lotus Hall found and executed the traitor."
Some hall lords wished to object, but fell silent.
It was undeniable.
Though they had all tried desperately to find the traitor, it was ultimately Jaseong who succeeded.
"Second, might: I will now defeat each of the twelve present hall lords one by one to prove myself."
"...!"
The hall lords could hardly believe their ears.
He meant not just to accept a challenge, but to individually defeat all twelve—a declaration of training hall-breaking arrogance.
"You arrogant bastard!"
Flying Dragon hall lord Dokgo Pae leaped up.
He was known as one of the foremost martial artists in the Hao Sect. His face reddened with fury.
"Dare to insult your seniors? Fine—I'll be your opponent first! I'll rip your cheeky mouth apart!"
Dokgo Pae strode out to the center, his entire body radiating fierce presence.
"Flying Dragon Eight Wilds Palm!"
With a shout, Dokgo Pae unleashed his force.
A massive, dragon-shaped force barreled toward Jaseong, shattering stones and tearing the air.
Yet Jaseong didn't move. He only eyed the approaching dragon coldly.
In that instant.
Sreureung—
The Heaven Evading Way was drawn halfway from its scabbard.
It was a lightning-fast draw, invisible to the eye.
'Heaven Evading Flash Sword First Form, Heaven Evading Flash Radiance.'
Kwaang!
Dokgo Pae's force was split with a single blow.
The dragon image was dissipated meaninglessly. A second sword light grazed Dokgo Pae's shoulder.
"Kuuk!"
Dokgo Pae screamed in pain, thrown backward.
Blood spurted from his shoulder. He fell to his knees, looking up at Jaseong in disbelief.
Only three seconds. That was all it took for the match to be decided.
"Next!"
Jaseong flicked his sword and spoke.
Moonstar hall lord Zhang Baekwoon stepped forward.
He was a sword expert, famed for his cold, razor-sharp technique, like moonlight.
"My sword is not so easily bested."
Zhang Baekwoon drew his sword.
"Moonlight Blade Art!"
His sword moved like a dance.
Dozens of sword ki rained down like moonlight, encircling Jaseong in an inescapable net.
But Jaseong activated his Samadhi Eyes. In slowed time, the trajectory of the Moonlight Blade Art was exposed.
Whiiik.
Jaseong's sword drew a circle in the air. Heaven Evading Flash Sword's Second Form, ultimate Heaven Evading Shadowless Slash.
Changlang!
Zhang Baekwoon's sword was knocked out of his hand. His sword ki was shattered by Jaseong's sword pressure.
A third slash stopped at the nape of Zhang Baekwoon's neck.
Feeling the cold blade, Zhang Baekwoon held his breath.
"I... surrender."
Zhang Baekwoon withdrew, face pale. Again, it had taken less than five seconds.
The audience was in shock.
Flying Dragon hall lord and Moonstar hall lord, two experts, had been defeated in a matter of seconds—and by an overwhelming margin.
"I will take you on next!"
Seven Star hall lord Wi Jiguang stepped forward.
He was a master of hidden weapons, specializing in unorthodox attacks rather than frontal duels.
"Seven Star Dart!"
Seven darts flew from Wi Jiguang's hand, forming the pattern of the Big Dipper, flying in unpredictable trajectories.
What's more, the darts were coated in poison.
Yet Jaseong did not dodge. He only raised his sword.
Chang! Chang! Chang! Chang!
Four metallic sounds rang out. Jaseong perfectly parried four of the darts.
The remaining three—
Ting! Ting! Ting!
Ricocheted off Jaseong's blade, returning at invisible speed to Wi Jiguang.
"Ugh!"
Wi Jiguang twisted his body, but the darts buried deep in his shoulder and thigh—his own hidden weapons.
"Aaargh!"
Wi Jiguang collapsed, writhing in agony.
Jaseong calmly sheathed his sword and surveyed the room.
"Next?"
A deathly silence fell over the chamber. No one stepped forward. No one could.
What Jaseong displayed was beyond the normal realm of martial arts—it was overwhelming might.
The dignity of an absolute master.
Jaseong looked down on the twelve hall lords, his gaze arrogant—but he had the strength to back up that arrogance.
* * *
At that moment.
"Kuuk..."
Flying Dragon hall lord Dokgo Pae, clutching his bloody shoulder, spoke with difficulty.
His eyes were filled with defeat, yet also an indomitable refusal to accept it.
"I acknowledge your might... To defeat all twelve hall lords at your age, it is unprecedented."
"...."
"But might alone is not enough for a Sect Leader. Power is also needed."
Dokgo Pae looked around the room, raising his voice.
"Scarlet Lotus Hall is the Hao Sect's newest hall. No matter how prominent you've become in the martial world lately, your foundation is shallow and your reign short, is it not? You may have conquered the Tianxia Association, but is that truly your own achievement?"
It was a valid point.
Even if one's personal might was unmatched, leading a vast organization was something else entirely.
To feed thousands of disciples and defend the sect from outside threats required overwhelming power as support.
But Jaseong simply gave a cold, dismissive smile.
"Power, you say...."
However, just as Jaseong was about to speak—
Kwaang!
The heavy main gate of White Crane Temple was smashed open with a crash.
Wooden fragments flew everywhere, and a bloodied Hao Sect member tumbled inside.