Chapter 109 Martial Arts Alliance

Chapter 109: Martial Arts Alliance

Martial Alliance Military Council.

After being deep in thought for quite some time, Zhuge Zhijiang suddenly slammed his fist down on the table and shouted.

“It wasn’t the Sima family! Qingyan! It was that child!”

Zhuge Zhijiang’s tightly clenched fist trembled violently.

All his doubts were finally resolved.

The incidents at the Zhengxie Pavilion and the Mountain Sword Sect, no matter how he thought about them, had felt off somehow.

The sword master who kept moving unpredictably, the sudden report about the Eight Generals of the Shadow Army being wiped out after reporting on the Giant Demon and the Zhengxie Sect, and the story of the Five Brothers of the Poisonous Eagle who suddenly appeared in Zhejiang Province, performed absurd feats, and vanished—all of these.

Therefore, Zhuge Zhijiang even harbored suspicions that the figures from the Sima family he had brought down were beginning to stir once more.

Yet, despite thorough surveillance, no movement could be detected within the Sima clan.

Then, unexpectedly, a clue surfaced when he heard the names of those individuals known as the Five Poisonous Eagles.

‘Iron God Meteor Bae Jong-gwan, Swift Sword Mystic Heavenly Grace? I’d definitely heard those names somewhere before…’

But all he could recall was having heard the names somewhere before; he couldn’t remember where at all.

It was probably just a name that had crossed his path briefly, something not particularly important.

Then, the memory of where he had seen their names finally came back to him when he heard the news that the Sword Saint had begun compiling and managing a roster of discharged soldiers.

So just as I was thinking that assassinating discharged soldiers from the Safana or Rogue factions wouldn’t be easy, Seolpung, the leader of the Thirteenth Division’s Seventh Squad, suddenly came to mind.

‘Seolpung, was it? I never even tried to recruit someone with that kind of skill, and now I can’t even eliminate him.’

It was while he was thinking this.

Suddenly, their names flashed through Zhuge Zhijiang’s mind.

‘Bae Jong-gwan! Cheon Ju-eun?! So that’s it! It was them!’

Now he could finally remember.

They were members of the Thirteenth Division, Seventh Squad.

When Sak Muheun, the squad leader of the Shadow Corps’ Fifth Squad, reported on them, I suddenly recalled glimpsing the names of the squad members in passing.

He hadn’t paid them any mind, considering them mere second-rate individuals, but Zhuge Zhijiang’s exceptional memory had made him remember even their names.

And through that, Zhuge Zhijiang could immediately deduce the rest.

‘If two of the Five Poisonous Eagles are Bae Jong-gwan and Cheon Ju-eun, then the man called Chang-hyeok, the Second Dragon, must be Seol-pung. And if the woman called Yu Geom-seonja is the deputy leader, then the child named Cheon Sang-mi-hee must be…’

She was as beautiful as a fairy descended from the heavens—there could be no other woman but Hae Cheong-yeon.

She was the only girl he had ever considered more beautiful than his own daughter, Zhuge Xueyu—the third daughter of the Sword Saint, Hae Unbaek.

Of course, while Hae Cheong-yeon had one blue eye, there were no such rumors about the heavenly beauty Yeon Hae. But concealing one’s eye color couldn’t have been that difficult.

And assuming she was alive, everything made sense.

Hadn’t the Sword Saint’s actions begun to deviate completely from expectations after he ordered her death back then?

“More precisely, it probably started with that letter.”

The letter to the Sword Saint he had asked to be delivered at the Blood Pact Summit. It was likely meant to test him.

And the place where the Sword Saint, supposedly in seclusion at the time, was actually located…

Zhuge Zhijiang finally muttered with an exasperated expression.

“I was completely toyed with. By that child.”

The feeling of emptiness was beyond words.

He had heard countless times from the Sword Saint that the child possessed talent surpassing even his beauty, but he had dismissed it as nothing more than a father bragging about his daughter.

To be toyed with like this? It was utterly mind-boggling.

But that was only the story up until now.

Now that I understood the cause, surely I could find a solution.

Zhuge Zhijiang chuckled bitterly and muttered to himself.

“If everything was because of that child, then eliminating that child must be the first order of business.”

Of course, with the initiative on the front lines now firmly in the hands of the Sword Saint, it wouldn’t be easy.

Moreover, he could no longer move the Shadow Legion, nor could he even trust them.

But a way could be found.

After all, the front lines were where she was—a place where being killed by the Blood Cult was only natural.

‘I must lure the Blood Demon in. And first, I must deal with the Sword Saint.’

Zhuge Zhiqiang now realized he could no longer leave Jiancheng alone.

Whereas before his thought had been, ‘I must eliminate him when the opportunity arises,’ it had now changed to, ‘I must eliminate him no matter what.’

If Zhuge Zhiqiang’s suspicions were correct, then he already knew far too much.

‘And to kill him…’

Zhuge Zhiqiang immediately stepped out onto the battlefield.

His bodyguards immediately followed him.

“Sir, where are you headed?”

“To the Myeongju Palace.”

“Yes! Understood!”

The current martial arts leader, Prince of Alliance Murong Jian, could be considered a shared destiny with Zhuge Zhijiang.

But even so, Jegal Jigang didn’t particularly enjoy going to see him.

It was because of the voices that began growing louder as they approached the Mansion Hall.

“Oh dear, Lord Meng, it’s broad daylight now…”

“Ha ha ha! What difference does it make if it’s broad daylight? Who dares criticize the actions of this King of the Alliance, Murong Jian?”

“Oh my, Lord Mansion Master, ah!”

The sultry voices of a woman and the Lord, along with moans, drifted from within the Lord’s chambers.

Zhuge Zhijiang finally halted before the Mansion of the Alliance Leader and shouted loudly at his escort warriors.

“Tell the Lord that General Zhuge Zhijiang has come to discuss urgent matters!”

The moment the words were spoken, the chamber fell silent.

A moment later, the leader’s voice came from within.

“Enter, General!”

As soon as he entered the leader’s chamber, the first thing that caught Zhuge Zhijiang’s eye was the sight of the leader, Murong Jian, his clothes completely disheveled.

His appearance made it impossible not to wonder what had just transpired. Seeing this, Zhuge Zhijiang sighed inwardly.

He felt torn—should he feel sorry for this, or should he be relieved that at least the woman had been sent out the back door?

At that moment, Prince Murong Jian greeted Zhuge Zhijiang with a bright smile and said,

“Welcome, General Zhuge! You seem to have been quite busy lately?”

He was probably saying that because it had been so long since he’d visited.

Truthfully, he hadn’t always been busy, but since they rarely saw each other even though they were nearby, it was only natural for him to say so.

But Zhuge Zhiqiang decided not to correct his misconception.

“Yes, as always, there were many trivial matters to attend to.”

Murong Jian nodded happily in response.

“Oh, you can’t keep a busy soldier waiting like that. Well, what is it?”

It seemed to imply he should state his business quickly and leave.

Zhuge Zhijiang forced back another sigh and lowered his voice to speak confidentially.

“A matter has arisen that requires the Lord’s permission.”

Sensing something was amiss, Murong Jian’s expression stiffened in turn.

“…What is it?”

“Huuu, it’s that…”

Zhuge Zhijiang first let out a deep sigh to set the mood.

It was a matter of striking down the Sword Saint, the very pillar of the righteous faction.

It seemed it would take a great deal of time and effort to convince the leader of its necessity.

After a moment’s pause, Zhuge Zhijiang finally spoke to Murong Jian with a grave expression.

“Lord, it seems we must kill the Sword Saint.”

Murong Jian looked startled and retorted.

“…Jianxing, you say?”

“Yes, that is correct.”

Zhuge Zhijiang nodded and immediately proceeded to explain.

“Right now, the Sword Saint…”

But his words could go no further.

Murong Jian had cut him off with his reply.

And upon hearing that answer, Zhuge Zhijiang too was momentarily unable to continue speaking.

Murong Jian had spoken as if it were perfectly natural.

“I see.”

This left Zhuge Zhijiang feeling flustered instead.

“…Excuse me?”

Murong Jian nodded, looking deeply regretful yet resigned, and spoke again.

“Kill the Sword Saint. If my trusted general, whom I trust completely, has made that decision, there must be good reason for it, right? I will grant whatever you need in my name, so do as you see fit.”

“……”

“Well, now that we’ve finished talking, you may go. We shouldn’t keep the busy General Zhuge any longer. Thank you for your efforts.”

Zhuge Zhijiang stared at Murong Jian for a moment, his expression uncertain.

It was a roundabout way of saying he should leave now.

It seemed that to Murong Jian, even the life or death of the Sword Saint now felt less important than the time spent flirting with women.

After a moment of silence, Zhuge Zhijiang bowed deeply and turned to leave.

“Understood. I’ll take my leave then.”

Everything had gone according to his plan, yet Zhuge Zhijiang could not tell whether he should rejoice or grieve.

That Murong Jian, once a proud warrior and the legendary swordsman of the previous generation, had fallen so low.

He felt only emptiness and bitterness.

But Zhuge Zhijiang soon resolved to shake off his melancholy.

If the leader was in such a state, wouldn’t he inevitably become the de facto master of the Martial Alliance?

In that case, there was no need to refuse.

Stepping outside the leader’s chamber, Zhuge Zhijiang went straight to the outer hall and issued his orders.

“This is the Grand Master’s command! Find out the whereabouts of the Demon Sword, Seo Il, and make contact!”

Seo Il, the gambler known as the Demon Sword of the Five Great Monsters.

He was the very blade chosen by Zhuge Zhijiang.

For such a beast, obsessed solely with victory, would not hesitate to tear into the wounded sword spirit.

Zhuge Zhijiang gazed toward the southern sky where the sword spirit resided and smiled faintly.

The sunset, staining the sky crimson, seemed like he was seeing his own friend.

Meanwhile, Murong Jian, the warlord who seemed eager to dismiss Zhuge Zhijiang quickly and summon the women back, sat still for a moment after Zhuge Zhijiang left, wearing a faint smile.

Then, suddenly, he spoke.

“Even so, to think you’d kill a friend like Sword Saint so easily—it seems there’s no affection in the hearts of strategists after all. Isn’t that right, Yeoryang?”

Then, a voice answered from somewhere.

“A true strategist has no greed, and without greed, there is no need to betray loyalty. That man discards people so easily because he is consumed by greed, not because he is a strategist.”

Murong Jian countered with an amused expression.

“Didn’t you come to me out of greed, after all? If so, isn’t that no different from him?”

His greed is for his own wealth and glory, while my ambition lies in fulfilling my purpose in the world. Thus, they are entirely different.

Unmoved by his unyielding rebuttal, Murong Jian chuckled softly and nodded.

“Very well. I may not grasp that distinction, but if you, the wise one, say so, then so be it. I shall look forward to seeing it. What, then, distinguishes the strategist of the Sima clan from that of the Zhuge clan?”

Then a voice answered firmly.

“You will not be disappointed.”

Listening to that voice, Murong Jian smiled with satisfaction.

Zhuge Zhijiang was an excellent tool, but does not the value of a tool vanish the moment it creates secrets behind its master’s back?

Murong Jian had resolved to remove Zhuge Zhijiang long ago.

***

Jianchang Mountain, Yunnan Province.

Seated in the office of the Zhenchang Sect’s leader, Xue Ma Zhenwuguang finished reading the letter from Zhuge Zhijiang and murmured with a faint smile.

“Zhijang seems quite desperate. Not only does he lack a sword master, but now he’s even asking for his daughter.”

Then, a voice echoed from the void.

According to the spies’ intelligence, control of the front lines seems to have completely shifted to the Sword Saint. Most of the Shadow Corps members active near the front lines have either been killed or joined the Sword Saint’s forces. So it’s only natural he’s growing desperate.

Blood Demon nodded in understanding at those words, then suddenly asked again as if something occurred to him.

“Come to think of it, how is Yoo Sang’s operation within the Yun Clan? Is he sowing the seeds well? He needs to establish his position before the Sword Saint’s power grows any stronger, right?”

Then the voice answered again.

“Yes, the report stated that the Yun Clan had been completely taken over. Furthermore, although they hadn’t yet touched the recently troublesome Mountain Sword Sect, it seemed they had already planted seeds within the other Guizhou Eight Clans—the Xianwu Clan and the Six Ghosts Sect.”

The Yun Clan Manor was the very place where, not long ago during the Zhengxiefang incident, the Eleventh Master, the Vicious Bandit Man Jong-im, and the entire Eleventh Division had been annihilated.

It was the very place where Man Jong-im, falling for Gu Yu-sang’s scheme involving the White Jade Dragon, infiltrated thinking it was the Blood Sect’s forward base, only to be slaughtered along with his entire group.

The Yun Clan, having exhausted its strength fighting the Demon Slayer Man Jong-im, was ultimately devoured by the Blood Sect, ambushed from behind by Gu Yu-sang.

It was all part of Gu Yu-sang’s scheme.

Satisfied with the news, the Blood Demon smiled faintly and said.

“Just as I expected of that bastard Yousang. Excellent work. They say he was even called the ‘White Jade Dragon’ in the righteous sects?”

“Yes, it seems he was even called the ‘First Gentleman of Sichuan’ due to his outstanding appearance. Since he received the teachings of the Supreme One, perhaps it was only natural.”

“Hmm.”

After smiling contentedly and nodding for a moment, the Blood Demon suddenly spoke again.

“Come to think of it, I heard the Sword Saint’s daughter is also said to be that beautiful. Have you ever heard of her?”

Then, the voice came again.

“Yes, according to the information gathered while investigating the Sword Sect, it seems the third daughter, Hae Cheong-yeon, was quite a prodigy. Rumor had it she was not only exceptionally beautiful but also possessed an incredibly sharp mind and immense talent in martial arts. What was peculiar was that one of her pupils was blue.”

At those words, Blood Demon paused briefly, then repeated them.

“Beauty, wisdom, martial prowess—and on top of that, one blue eye?”

“Yes, that’s what they say.”

At that, Blood Demon’s eyes flashed sharply.

“I see.”

He then gave an order with the expression of a predator that had spotted its prey.

“Find out more about that child. His current location and martial arts level too.”

“Yes, sir!”

As the aura of Gu Yueyinma Jigiyin vanished at the Blood Demon’s command, the Blood Demon stroked his chin and murmured again.

“Perhaps… I’ve found the vessel after all.”