Chapter 79 Martial Alliance (1)

Chapter 79 Martial Alliance (1)

“The recent movements of the authorities… …”

“Yesterday, you see. They crushed the Green Forest’s Houwang Camp…”

Buzz, buzz.

The banquet hall set up in the rear garden of the Martial Alliance was packed with countless martial artists.

Yet, their auras were anything but ordinary. They were far removed from typical Late-Stage cultivators.

Observing this, Gu Yangji scanned the martial artists with a look that said, “Well, well.”

‘Oh? Are they trying to dampen my spirits by summoning me alone now?’

A sneer formed on his lips. Indeed, late-stage cultivators like Ling Hezhe, Yang Zhixian, and Ye Qing were nowhere to be seen.

Surely someone was holding them back for a discussion.

Gu Yangjie shrugged his shoulders.

Ignoring it was the answer.

“Perhaps I’ll enjoy taking the lead for once.”

That single remark instantly silenced the bustling banquet hall.

An artificially created silence.

That manufactured quiet felt like it was deliberately pressing down on Gu Yangjie. It was likely agreed upon that way.

It was absurdly childish and pointless. But for a late-stage cultivator, this was the best they could do.

The dream of storm and cloud.

To achieve greatness with just one body venturing into the martial world—that was the very dream of a martial artist!

Therefore, he wouldn’t want to antagonize the Martial Alliance. The same applied to befriending the masters present here.

‘If things go sour, I’ll just avoid these guys and live my life.’

No matter how powerful the Martial Alliance was, it wasn’t the ultimate authority. If they played this way, he could simply take another route.

Gu Yangji swallowed the wine with a relaxed expression.

“Kuh!”

True to its premium quality, it felt like it was scorching his throat.

On top of that, there were grilled meats and vegetables that practically melted in the mouth. Among them were delicacies tailored to the tastes of the Jiangbei region.

“Excellent.”

Gu Yangji let out a satisfied sound and smiled faintly.

The martial artists watching exchanged whispers.

-Isn’t this a bit much?

-I don’t recall him being called ‘Iron-Faced’. Isn’t this just the same as what the Open Sect does?

Their flustered expressions were plain to see, and Gu Yangji glanced at them.

Seeing such a bold and arrogant junior must have been absurd to him. Especially since he belonged to the prestigious Huashan Sect.

But they were about to learn something.

That even Huashan occasionally produced oddballs.

Gu Yangji raised his voice.

“Thank you for inviting me here today, seniors.”

“Seniors? Ha ha.”

“Well, there’s no need to be overly grateful.”

Though they said that, they clearly disapproved of being beaten to the punch. Gu Yangji pressed them relentlessly.

“But I heard this was a banquet for late-stage cultivators. Why do I only see seniors here?”

Then, one of the martial artists seated at the head table retorted with a flurry of words.

“Isn’t that all the better? We get to see a promising late-stage cultivator like you, and you get to learn the ways of the world from your seniors.”

“The ways of the world?”

Gu Yang-jeok gave a faint smile.

“I’ve already learned plenty of that from the elders at Huashan. I don’t know who you are, but I can’t take lessons from an outsider.”

“In the end, worldly affairs—do they ever stay confined to one place? They all interconnect.”

“……”

At those words, Gu Yangjeok stopped drinking his wine and stared intently at the warrior.

Even at a glance, the man clad in white robes seemed like someone well-versed in the ways of the world.

If he answered rashly here, he’d be branded as a junior who speaks recklessly to his seniors, and an unfavorable rumor would spread.

‘If that happens, the Huashan faction that sent me here will also face harsh scrutiny.’

Gu Yangjie blinked his eyes briefly, then steeled his resolve.

“Then what is the purpose of the seniors who summoned me here?”

“……Hm?”

A head-on confrontation out of nowhere.

The martial artist in white robes thought Gu Yangjie had made a truly youthful choice. A smirk formed beneath the briefly unfurled sword sleeve.

Then, using telepathy, he whispered to the fellow disciples nearby.

-This time, I’ll step forward myself.

The assembly tacitly agreed to that telepathic message.

Simultaneously, the banquet hall, which had grown quiet, came alive again.

The white-robed warrior, Zhuge Xian, was a man with considerable influence.

He decided to first test whether he could handle matters amicably by goading Gu Yangji.

But Gu Yangji preempted him.

“I’ve heard your reputation well. The White-Robed Sage Dragon, they call you.”

“You knew of me?”

‘I thought this was his first appearance in the martial world.’

Zhuge Xian studied Gu Yangji closely.

Judging by his features, he didn’t appear particularly intelligent. Above all, his face showed a fondness for worldly values.

‘Did I misjudge him…?’

Zhuge Xian stroked his patchy beard.

He couldn’t possibly know. That Zhuge Xian had glimpsed a little of the life Gu Yangji had lived in his previous incarnation.

Gu Yangji flashed a cheerful smile.

“Though this is our first meeting, Senior, I’ve long admired you. I’ve heard you made significant contributions to the suppression of the Green Forest.”

“Well, yes. Though much of the Waterway Sect remains, you know.”

As they exchanged a few more words, Zhuge Xian sensed Gu Yangji was unexpectedly well-read and possessed a certain wisdom.

Unaware that this was all part of Gu Yangji’s plan.

His favor grew steadily. Even his initial actions began to be seen as the courage of a late-stage cultivator.

Especially when he recited his predictions about the future trends of the martial world, Zhuge Xian found himself genuinely coveting Gu Yangji.

“Once the Green Forest, the Waterway Sect, and the Black Dragon Sect are wiped out, the weakened Black Path will unite? How could such things ever come to pass so easily?“

”It is possible.“

Gu Yangji was predicting future events by skillfully blending several occurrences from his past life with incidents he himself had orchestrated.

If he merely hinted at the parts where the Martial Alliance could be conveniently exploited, everything would proceed smoothly.

Gu Yangji’s lips curved into a subtle smile.

” It is said that the Eighteen Green Forest Sects and the Yangtze River Water Sects actually stemmed from the same root. Even when the Nine Demon Sect was first exposed, they joined forces.“

”……“

”Not to boast, but this time, our Huashan Sect, by joining forces with Zhongnan, completely shut down the Black Dragon Sect. Word has likely spread that the Wudang Sect also lent a hand.”

Slurp.

Gu Yangjie downed his wine in one swift gulp.

“The Daoist sects of Shaanxi Province are only superficially divided between Huashan and Zhongnan. In reality, they are one body. Black sects that cannot harmonize with each other cannot form alliances like the heretical sects either.”

In that regard, Bai Yunhuan, the Black Dragon Sect Leader, was indeed cunning, yet an outstanding figure.

He was a master of the heretical sects who walked the path of the Black Sect himself, establishing a massive faction.

“With the precedent of the Black Dragon Sect, the heretical sects will likely involve themselves even less in the Black Sect. So they should just stick to their own kind.”

Indeed, such circumstances were emerging here and there, so Zhige Xian folded the sword he had drawn.

“Huh, indeed! You’re right! “

Of course, he already knew this himself.

But who would have thought a late-stage cultivator like this, lacking such knowledge, could see through the entire martial world’s scheme!

His initial goal of suppressing Gu Yangjie had already vanished.

Wouldn’t it be better to just reveal the Martial Alliance’s true intentions and get it over with?

‘This junior might just understand.’

Stick to your own kind.

In truth, the Martial Alliance had strictly divided sects by rank according to that ironclad principle. And when ranks differed, they were thoroughly separated and utilized differently.

The major sects were entrusted with elite forces, wielding orthodox martial arts.

The smaller sects were stirred by the grand cause championed by the majority, placed at the forefront to boost morale.

But there was something Gu Yangji hadn’t mentioned here.

Zhuge Xian made a meaningful remark to Gu Yangji.

“Then how do you think the heretical sects are moving now?”

“……Well.”

Gu Yangji paused his words deliberately, wearing a subtle expression.

‘That sly bastard. The way he’s probing like this, there must be something going on with the heretical sects too.’

Even Gu Yangji didn’t have eyes in the back of his head.

While he might know about events destined to occur in the future, Zhuge Xian was far more informed about what was happening across the martial world right now.

When Gu Yangji let the conversation drift as if he didn’t know, Zhuge Xian chuckled softly.

“Not knowing isn’t a fault. They’re acting with extreme caution, you see.”

“So summoning the Late-Stage Index this time is related to that matter, I suppose.”

“Correct. Your insight is sharp.”

Zhuge Xian motioned for the attendants waiting nearby to step back.

“Indeed, besides the Huashan Sect, there have been cases where other prestigious orthodox factions or influential figures in Zhejiang Province have been targeted.”

“…The Black Dragon Sect.”

“Yes, the Black Dragon Sect, of course. But wasn’t Bai Yunhuan originally from the heretical sects?”

This was a completely different development.

Through Zhuge Xian, Gu Yangjie gained access to new information he hadn’t known in his previous life, information that had been obscured by someone.

The fact that various groups, starting with a martial academy founded by a martial artist of dark sect origin, had attacked orthodox and neutral factions.

He also learned that a mysterious master of unknown origin had been involved in the middle.

Gu Yangjie knew one such figure.

“You mean that fellow, the Demon’s Celestial Dragon…”

“We were also searching for that man. We’ve also heard that you pursued him through the Open Sect.”

Hearing all these stories, it seemed he wasn’t just trying to intimidate him, but genuinely wanted to gather various pieces of information.

Gu Yangji only told Zhuge Xian what he deemed appropriate to share.

Zhuge Xian was greatly pleased and satisfied.

“If only the righteous factions had more late-stage cultivators like you!”

“You flatter me.”

“So, to return to the story, this time the late-stage cultivators pledged their friendship while simultaneously…”

Gu Yangji quickly picked up the thread.

“You intended to unite them under the name of the Martial Alliance to foster a sense of solidarity.”

“That’s exactly what I meant.”

Although that plan had been slightly derailed by Gu Yangji’s actions.

Zhuge Xian remained silent on the matter and attempted to move on.

But then.

A ruddy-faced, angular man bellowed angrily.

“But some clueless fool had to butt in and ruin it all!”

“…Now, now.”

“Zhuge, you bastard! Step aside for a moment!”

Gu Yangji quickly assessed the appearance of the man who was gradually approaching.

Not a monk’s robe, but casual attire.

A long sword hung at his waist, swaying loosely. The deliberately slack grip suggested he’d mastered an unusual sword technique.

The man, now within inches of Gu Yangji, wore a menacing expression.

“Why bother treating minor sects like they’re chosen ones? How will you establish proper hierarchy with them later?”

“That’s precisely why we must uphold proper righteousness and justice…”

“Tsk! That’s why late-stage cultivators are like this!”

The man, his eyes blazing, finally uttered the words he shouldn’t have.

“Even after twenty years, Huashan hasn’t changed! That’s why a capable man like Ha Jin’ak was sacrificed!”

“……….”

“You’ve all become useless, spouting empty platitudes until you’re nothing but blockheads! That bastard Ha Jin’ak is pitiful, tsk tsk.”

At those words, Gu Yangjeok exhaled deeply, then composed himself.

His eyes, which had seemed bright, sank into a deep, tranquil place.

Then he tilted his head up defiantly.

“Let’s go.”

“……What?”

“You must take responsibility for your words. A man with both sides attached, I mean.”

Beneath the guise of a Taoist, Gu Yangji revealed his true feelings for the first time, not merely bottled-up anger.

“Cut the talk. Let’s go.”

The murderous intent radiating from Gu Yangji alone was enough to fill the banquet hall to bursting.