Chapter 55 Unification (3)

Chapter 55 Unification (3)

* * *

Several days later.

“We greet the Grandmaster of Huashan!”

Bai Danxian had to forcefully hide a subtle expression at the greeting from the Taoists, who had always walked with their heads held high until now.

Paradoxically, however, he also felt a strange sense of satisfaction.

‘Until now, they were juniors who pretended not to see me…’

With the collapse of the Zhongwan Sect, the central pillar among the scattered small and medium-sized Taoist sects throughout Shaanxi, the balance had shifted decisively.

He had been defeated by Gu Yangjie, a late-stage cultivator, both in personal character and in martial prowess.

Though minor grievances lingered, the tide had turned long ago.

The power map of Shaanxi gradually simplified under the two sects, Huashan and Zhongnan.

But did they know?

That Zhongnan was currently conceding ground to Huashan because of events just days prior…

Baidanxian smoothed the folds of his robe.

“You must have traveled far to come here.”

“Not at all, Sect Leader.”

“Have you been well these past days? Heh heh.”

A dignified demeanor.

To any observer, he was the very picture of a sect leader.

And yet, they were flattering him.

‘Must be burning inside.’

Baek Dan-hyeon smiled faintly.

Their words were polite, their faces clearly showing admiration, but their true feelings must be different.

Having built an independent sphere of influence alongside local leaders, only to see it shattered in one fell swoop—how could they not harbor resentment?

Once their current prestige faded, they would surely turn on him as if nothing had ever happened.

These were men more accustomed to the ways of the martial world than the rules of the Daoist order.

Before they arrived, Song Muk had warned him.

“It would be wise not to assume they will remain allies forever, Grandmaster.”

It was a polite way of drawing a line.

Song Mu advised that it was the right of the Sect Leader to avoid disaster, even if it meant abandoning them if necessary.

The incident at Zhongwanmen, where Gu Yangji nearly fell victim, surely influenced this stance.

‘Those present here are likely of a similar sort, having neglected Master Chezhu…’

Leave things as they are, and betrayal will come again.

Recalling Song Mok’s cold, unflinching gaze fixed upon him, Baek Dan-hyeon stiffened the smile that had played on his lips.

‘But I cannot bring myself to do that.’

How foolish.

Some might call him a stubborn fool.

Yet he was a Daoist.

Baek Dan-hyeon, the Daoist, was forged by the teachings passed down from his master, his grandmaster, and the senior disciples above them.

‘Guiding them to the right path is precisely the duty of a Taoist.’

Clarity of mind precedes clarity of body; one must first cultivate the mind to forge the body.

Baek Dan-hyeon’s gaze swept over them.

They were still mired in greed and ambition, unable to see the true path.

They simply hadn’t mastered their minds first.

Thinking thus, Baek Dan-hyeon spoke.

“You may harbor dissatisfaction with your current circumstances.”

“…….”

“How could the Head Master utter such words? It is disappointing.”

Yet, at those words, the atmosphere, which had felt entirely warm, suddenly sank.

There was nothing there that could be called hostility.

Only a certain sense of incongruity tickled the surface of the skin.

A false unity.

It was no exaggeration to say they were merely a group temporarily united by the monstrous Black Dragon Sect.

The events that had brought them together were also utterly monstrous.

But. Even so.

Baek Dan-hyeon was not a sage who judged people by self-interest.

Moreover, what experiences had he accumulated until now?

He closed his eyes briefly.

Countless phantoms flashed through the pitch-black shadows before vanishing.

The Golden Ring Society, Ha Jin-ak’s fallen face, Cheolgum Mountain’s betrayal.

Each was a tragedy he had never experienced before.

What he had believed in, the people he had trusted, the sworn brothers he had kept by his side for so long.

Every single one had either stabbed him in the back or fallen.

They say Ha Jin-ak’s condition is hopeless. Even Cheolgeum-san is said to have mastered demonic arts.

How laughable—a volcano sect elder practicing demonic arts.

“……Hmph.”

A hollow laugh escapes him.

Seeing this, those representing the minor sects flinched.

If this truth were to leak out, they might not just face public scorn—the Martial Alliance itself might come hunting them down.

Amidst this, Baek Dan-hyeon, the core figure, seemed slightly different.

It might be a temporary phenomenon.

But… he had changed.

The Daoist Baek Dan-hyeon, if it were the old him, would have raised a ruckus here.

Even if it was just a fleeting change, like a spring breeze passing by at noon.

The fact that the core of Baek Dan-hyeon had changed was undeniable.

Baek Dan-hyeon opened his eyes, which had been closed.

“I won’t force you to stay forever.”

“Is that true?”

Many eyes turned to the one who asked such a petty question.

What if those words changed his mind?

These were worries born from past mistakes of disrespect.

“Yes.”

Baek Dan-hyeon’s magnanimity had grown wider than anyone realized.

People make mistakes.

It is precisely because of such shortcomings that they strive to correct them, struggling desperately not to repeat their errors.

Baek Dan-hyeon had learned this through experience.

He had grasped it profoundly in the short span of less than two months.

“Are we not fellow disciples learning the same Way?”

“………….”

Silence flowed through the gathering.

As if taken aback by the unexpected words, eyes pierced Baek Dan-hyeon, sizing him up to gauge if he was lying.

That peculiar standoff didn’t last long.

‘Was Baek Dan-hyeon… truly such a great man?’

Gulp.

Master Nodo felt his sleeves dampen.

It was undoubtedly shame.

When the Huashan Sect had established a grand estate in the capital, claiming to cure fools, what thoughts had he harbored?

‘I sensed ulterior motives… but was I wrong?’

The Baek Dan-hyeon standing before him now showed no desire to stand above others.

Friend.

It meant, before anything else in the martial world, showing respect as fellow seekers of the same path.

From the man facing him wafted the scent of bamboo.

Not the rigid integrity forged by a pseudonym like Master Iron Bamboo, but a steadfastness emanating from his very being.

Over two months.

Baek Dan-hyeon had changed.

“Therefore.”

The hermit who had once looked down on and doubted people based on trivial, everyday behavior had, unbeknownst to him, broadened his horizons.

Despite the shocking tragedies that had unfolded, Baek Dan-hyeon did not despair.

He would stand firm in that place, becoming a steadfast shade for the disciples of the Huashan Sect who would watch from behind.

Recalling Ha Jin-ak, who now lay ill in bed, Baek Dan-hyeon wiped away the resentment that had clouded his eyes.

‘Watch from there, Jin-ak. ‘

Recalling the disciple who had borne the danger to punish the Black Dragon Sect’s evil deeds.

“As fellow cultivators of the same Dao, let us not bow our heads. We are Daoists born and raised in the same Shaanxi.”

Baek Dan-hyeon clenched his fist tightly, then released it. At that moment, Yu Jang-myeong entered carrying a tea tray.

A momentary tension rippled through the group of Taoist masters.

Some, sensing a possible show of force, raised their spirits.

Then Baek Dan-hyeon spoke.

“The tea aroma is splendid. Please, drink up.”

“……”

At his words, the old Taoists picked up their cups with reluctant expressions. Of course, inwardly, they also harbored the thought that this might be half a threat.

However, as Baek Dan-hyeon continued speaking, they had to reconsider their stance.

The reason was that more doctors were flocking to the manor house within the capital.

While it was currently treating the sick, if the situation changed, it could be repurposed as a supply depot or shelter.

Baek Dan-hyeon subtly hinted at this. He added that Yu Jang-myeong, who had just been shown, would also be drafted when it was converted into a shelter.

“Wouldn’t it be wise for you gentlemen to lend a hand and get involved?”

Naturally, Baek Dan-hyeon’s casually tossed remark sounded incredibly appealing.

“If there are sections along the route where we can stop by, that would be ideal.”

“If circumstances are unfavorable, we could send a messenger pigeon here.”

“……?”

“Since everyone has a stake in it, Taoist priests will always be on standby. Wouldn’t that mean we could receive assistance?”

“Ah!”

The Taoist priests slapped their knees in realization.

Located on the border of Shaanxi, and with few members in the sect, there were indeed vulnerabilities to invasion.

But what if they established a foothold in Chang’an, located in the heart of Shaanxi?

It would mean having more cards to play in responding to crises.

But this also secretly revealed another fact.

“You’re right, Sect Leader Bai. It’s an offer we can’t help but accept.”

One elder’s eyes flashed.

“But is that how you plan to expand your influence?”

Despite the provocation, Bai Danxian maintained his stiff, frozen smile.

“I’m afraid I don’t quite understand what you mean.”

“Hmm…”

He’s become intimidating, the old Taoist thought to himself.

The Baek Dan-hyeon he saw after half a year was undeniably different.

His capacity had broadened, yet he still carried the dignity befitting a sect leader.

It was as if the approaching storm in the martial world had transformed him.

Baek Dan-hyeon swept them aside with a leisurely smile.

“Well, what do you say?”

Faced with an irresistible, fatal proposal, the elders fell silent.

Then, as if suddenly remembering something, one of them spoke up.

“Indeed… we too don’t know when a heretical sect like the Black Dragon Sect might appear.”

Splash.

The elder carefully poured tea into Baek Dan-hyeon’s cup.

“Please accept a cup, Sect Leader.”

“Very well.”

Baek Dan-hyeon nodded readily.

* * *

“Damn it…”

Baek Un-hwan spat out the bitter words.

It had been barely a month.

In that short time, the Black Dragon Sect faced an unprecedented catastrophe.

Baek Cheong-il, once marked as a strong candidate for the next sect leader, was dead.

‘He fought fiercely against the secular masters of Huashan and the Open Sect, but from the perspective of a martial artist of the heretical sect, it was nothing but a dog’s death!’

That wasn’t all.

The fact that the Black Dragon Sect’s Shaanxi branch was extorting nearby villages was rapidly coming to light.

It was even said they had massacred innocent civilians while dressed in Taoist robes.

Once the mouths of the open sect were sealed, they were quickly loosened and began blabbering incessantly.

“At least the youngest one wasn’t captured… that’s a relief.”

But hadn’t he also led the enemy to the place where the Black Dragon Sect’s secrets were hidden?

In every way, he was a useless son.

‘If I’d known this would happen, I should have cast him out earlier.’

Baek Un-hwan clicked his tongue in disapproval.

Instead, he thought of Baek Cheong-il.

“I miss you today, more than usual.”

When he was alive, he seemed only interested in taking my position, so I kept my distance.

Only after he was gone did the emptiness become so glaring.

Baek Un-hwan closed his beast-like eyes for a moment and gazed at the ceiling with a melancholy look.

Just then.

” “Master, it’s Elder Hyang.”

“…Yes.”

Hyangjeoksan tilted his head at the somewhat damp reply and opened the door.

Squeak.

The door swung open with an unpleasant sound.

Inside, Baek Un-hwan watched Hyangjeoksan with an utterly unyielding expression.

“What is it?”

‘Was it a mistake after all?’

After all, showing weakness in a crisis like this…

‘He’d tear me apart.’

That was welcome news from Hyangjeoksan’s perspective too.

The Black Dragon Sect was already slowly declining.

If he weakened, they could simply suck out the marrow they needed and declare independence.

‘Besides, who knows what his true intentions are?’

Xiangjie Shan smiled faintly and unfolded the letter he had brought.

“I have investigated.”

“……Hmm.”

Snatching the letter from Xiangjie Shan’s hand, Bai Yunhuan untied the string and glanced at the first page, the portrait sketch.

“Is this him?”

At those words, the corners of Xiangjie Shan’s eyes curved upward.

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

“So it is.”

Baek Un-hwan growled in a voice thick with hatred.

“This bastard ruined our grand scheme…”

– Plum Blossom Sword Hero, Gu Yang-jeok.

– Current age: eighteen.

Rip!

After reading every word, Baek Un-hwan tore the letter to shreds with a single, light flick of his wrist.