“Many will die.”
“Yes. I sensed it the moment I saw them withdraw so readily.”
It was the calm before the storm.
Though lightning would be replaced by human shouts and rain by blood, it was no different from a typhoon.
“That too is the martial world. Human greed.”
Jin Cheonhee suddenly recalled when he died.
Earth is still at war.
Only a few countries enjoy peace; throughout human history, there has never been a time without war.
For a single diamond mine, rebels mobilize and the area becomes a sea of blood. Child soldiers take up guns.
Earth and this place are no different.
Just that there, it’s diamond mines; here, it’s the Eight Great Divine Arts manuals.
“Can’t we stop it?”
“I wonder… if one of the Three Venerables were here, perhaps it could be stopped. But those figures have no interest in such battles over secret manuals. You met the Heavenly Demon, so you should know better.”
She… was preparing to ascend to heaven.
If anything, she would prefer the human world to be in greater chaos. She wasn’t the type to get involved in such matters.
The other Three Venerables would likely be the same.
“If I were stronger… could I have stopped it? If I were just a little more…”
“Enough.”
Master stopped his disciple’s words.
“All people are born and live by their own will. Even their deaths are their choices. Wouldn’t it be your arrogance to forcibly try to prevent that?”
In short, there was no need to worry about those determined to die.
It was also advice from a master concerned about his disciple’s temperament.
Jin Cheonhee’s heart stirred momentarily, but eventually he nodded.
“I was almost caught in delusion.”
“That’s right. We are physicians. If they want treatment, we provide it. We cannot interfere in their lives. Nor do we have the means to. You’re not planning to walk the Path of Domination, are you? Besides, the Path of Domination inevitably forms rivers of blood.”
Jin Cheonhee thought of Yeo Ha-ryoon.
Why?
Considering the blood and screams he shed in the original work, he’s someone who should never come to a place like this, but suddenly Jin Cheonhee missed him.
Zhuge Rin said:
“Hee, I worry that you’re too young. Sometimes you try to carry too large a burden…”
‘No, Master. If you look at my mental age, I’m not that young.’
Jin Cheonhee felt somewhat guilty.
***
‘Now all that’s left are the two younger brothers.’
Cheon Woo and Hyeon.
In Cheon Woo’s case, he had helped him achieve some progress by giving martial arts advice throughout their journey here.
Of course, he hadn’t reached the stage of enlightenment.
That would be impossible through these methods.
Still, it should have helped him enough to save his life in dangerous moments.
Jin Cheonhee thought that far and stepped out of the tent.
Suddenly, he began to see groups leaving from both the Martial Righteous Alliance and the Unorthodox Alliance. The way they were packing up their heavy belongings, it seemed they were completely leaving this place.
“Oh, there are groups leaving even now?”
“Isn’t it common to change one’s judgment at the last minute? From the Martial Righteous Alliance, the Wudang Sect and Hwangbo Clan people have left. From the Unorthodox Alliance… it’s the Five Poison Sect[1] and Sea Sand Manor.”
“If the Wudang Sect is leaving, Cheon Woo should be safe. But I’m worried about Sama Hyeon.”
“Hahaha, that fellow will survive better than the Demonic Cult’s wastrel, so don’t worry.”
Somehow Yeo Ha-ryoon had become “waste.” There was no point in pointing it out each time; Master would just be displeased and suggest cutting ties with him.
‘But he’s sincere about Sama Hyeon surviving well.’
Jin Cheonhee was no stranger to Master’s insight being genuine.
In the end, he nodded.
“You think so…?”
“Yes. We just need to observe.”
***
“Masteeer~ Do we really have to do this? The cost-benefit analysis doesn’t work out.”
Sama Hyeon grumbled, looking at the female leader of the Golden Blood Chamber, one of the Hao Sect’s branch.
Unknown to anyone else, the Golden King was secretly here.
She had her face covered with a face veil and was reclining slightly in a palanquin that appeared ordinary on the outside but was incredibly luxurious inside.
“What doesn’t work out in the cost-benefit analysis?”
“First… there’s not much profit. Although our Unorthodox Alliance has the most people in terms of numbers, when it comes to elites, we’re less than half of the Demonic Cult and about seventy percent of the Martial Righteous Alliance, right?”
“Kukuku, how bold.”
She laughed with pleasure at Sama Hyeon’s answer.
Her new favorite disciple was this kind of person. He was the only one who would coldly analyze the Golden Blood Chamber and the Unorthodox Alliance in front of her.
“So what are you trying to say?”
“Weeeell, if we clash like this, the damage will get interesting. Setting aside the Unorthodox Alliance, it won’t be good for our Golden Blood Chamber either, right, Master?”
“You’re the type who hates anything that doesn’t make money.”
“That’s right.”
Sama Hyeon smiled playfully.
The Unorthodox Alliance.
The Unorthodox Alliance Leader and Ghost Spirit Sect Leader’s Technique Emperor, plus the Golden Blood Chamber Leader, Five Poison Sect Leader, and Yellow River Yangtze Pirates Captain Leader.
The leaders of a total of four forces had gathered.
Along with them came the direct military organizations of the Unorthodox Alliance and the forces of these four sects.
Additionally, various small and medium-sized sects belonging to these four powers had also joined.
Those who didn’t participate were the Sea Sand Manor, Assassin Sword Tower, Green Forest Eighteen Strongholds, and Blood Arts Sect.
Currently, the Unorthodox Alliance had a total of four absolute masters at the Transformation Realm.
“…right?”
The woman nodded at Sama Hyeon’s question after his explanation.
“That’s right.”
“And from the Demonic Cult, three families of the Six Demonic Families have directly led their forces here.”
Two Minor Cult Leaders had participated, and three of the six absolute masters known as the Demonic Cult’s Six Heavens had also joined.
That means the Demonic Cult had five masters at the Transformation Realm.
The Six Demonic Families had only brought their elite forces so far.
No more would come, but even these elite forces created considerable pressure.
“…Is this also correct~?”
“Yes. You’ve observed well, my cute disciple.”
“Finally, the Martial Righteous Alliance. They’re no joke either.”
From the Martial Righteous Alliance came the Martial Righteous Alliance Leader, the Jinzhou Eon Clan Head, the Qingcheng Sect Leader, the Sichuan Tang Clan Head, and the Kongtong Sect Leader.
Five masters at the Transformation Realm had gathered.
Additionally, there were the Martial Righteous Alliance’s direct military organizations and several small and medium-sized sects had joined.
“Among them, the Unorthodox Alliance Leader’s Technique Emperor is one of the Two Emperors. Martial Righteous Alliance Leader Spear King is one of the Two Kings. Two of the Ten Great Masters in the world are present here. However, seeing how the Demonic Cult’s Minor Cult Leader defeated the Spear King, it would be wise to consider her a master at the level of the Two Kings, right?”
“You’ve identified it correctly.”
“…”
Sama Hyeon paused to choose his words carefully.
His master was someone who had amassed more gold than anyone else in this world and whose true nature was difficult to discern, even for Sama Hyeon himself.
She had never once displayed her true power, and instances where she revealed her genuine intentions were extremely rare.
She seemed like an unfathomable obsession with money that had taken human form.
It was incredibly difficult to figure out her true intentions.
Trying to outsmart her was, my goodness, meaningless.
Sama Hyeon simply stated his conclusion directly:
“No matter how I look at it, fighting like this to obtain the Conquering Heaven Peerless Divine Arts, and then trying to master it, seems like it would result in massive losses~”
“Kahaha. From a short-term perspective, your words are correct.”
“Are you saying I’m wrong from a long-term perspective?”
In response to this, instead of answering, she briefly put the pipe she was holding to her lips.
Whoosh-
After creating a small cloud of smoke and exhaling it, she continued:
“That’s right. There’s the issue of our voice within the Unorthodox Alliance, but if we preserve our forces in this battle while increasing the damage to other Unorthodox Alliance members, wouldn’t that also be a gain?”
At those words, Sama Hyeon’s eyes widened slightly.
From the beginning, she had no loyalty or attachment to this Unorthodox Alliance.
Only profit mattered to her.
“That’s not all. The probability of obtaining the Conquering Heaven Peerless Divine Arts is low, but if we get it, it’s a jackpot. Even if we don’t get it, it doesn’t matter. There’s much to gain from those who will die in this war.”
“We have many bad debtors on the books, don’t we?”
“Yes. Right now, they’re delaying payments through force, but once a few of them drop dead, they’ll have no choice but to sell their assets to pay back. Moreover, the weapons they carry, while not at the level of divine weapons, are at least precious weapons of each family. What comes from the corpses of the Demonic Cult or Righteous faction, the unorthodox faction will sell for us, and what comes from the unorthodox faction’s corpses, we’ll acquire directly.”
It was madness.
From the beginning, she saw Orthodox, Unorthodox, and Demonic all as money.
But Sama Hyeon felt his mind becoming clearer. He too had shared her sentiment and found this expedition distasteful.
However, if this was what his master wanted, it aligned with the direction Sama Hyeon sought.
“So from the beginning, you’re planning to profit on the premise that we won’t succeed?”
“Exactly so. This is how business should be done. I’ve already made various preparations. Didn’t the old saying go that war is the biggest marketplace?”
Whoosh-
She exhaled smoke again.
The veil swayed, but her face remained hidden.
“Our goal is just one. To make money. The Conquering Heaven Peerless Divine Arts is just a bonus, like in a game of Go.”
Sama Hyeon laughed with joy. Seeing this, his master’s veil stirred slightly.
“You seem relieved now.”
“I was foolish for not trusting Master.”
“It’s fine. Continue to distrust. That’s your strength. Remember, gold doesn’t come to those who trust, but to those who doubt.”
She said this and smiled with lips as red as blood.
***
The Unorthodox Alliance and the Martial Righteous Alliance.
Both are coalitions, but that doesn’t mean that their military units are dispatched to and operate within each sect.
Of course, there are organizations created through dispatches, but more than eighty percent are separate direct military organizations.
These direct military organizations basically recruit young people and teach them internal martial arts exclusive to the Alliance or League, which they have either secured or developed themselves.
The Unorthodox Alliance’s Seven Warriors Group that tried to kidnap Jin Cheonhee earlier is a prime example.
Naturally, such organizations exist in the Martial Righteous Alliance as well.
Among them, an organization called the Defense Sword Group is a representative example.
It consists of 365 members.
The large-scale defensive sword formation they deploy is known for being extremely solid and powerful.
There’s just one problem.
The leader of the Defense Sword Group is a spy from the Blood Immortal Sect.
‘If I complete this mission well… Heavenly Commander Dong has promised to personally bestow the Blood Immortal Fruit[2]…’
The Blood Immortal Fruit.
It was an object treasured even within the Blood Immortal Sect.
While the Demonic Blood Pill[3] transforms one into a non-human being in exchange for immortality and immense power, this Blood Immortal Fruit helps one gain formidable strength while maintaining human form.
It doesn’t enhance internal energy, but it has the effect of making the physical body itself more powerful.
It’s said that even the top executive of the Blood Immortal Sect, the Ten Heavenly Commander, has only consumed one.
In some ways, it’s more precious than the Demonic Blood Pill.
The Defense Sword Group Leader muttered inwardly, maintaining an expressionless face.
Currently, he stood at the very front of the Martial Righteous Alliance, having deployed the sword formation with the Defense Sword Group members.
Behind the Defense Sword Group, the Martial Righteous Alliance elites were moving.
The formation wasn’t completely organized yet, and although it had been internally decided to attack the Unorthodox Alliance,
The problem was that the Martial Righteous Alliance Leader, the Spear King, was standing firm like an absolute rock.
Although the Martial Righteous Alliance is a coalition rather than a hierarchical relationship, when the Alliance Leader stands firm like this, naturally there will be delays.
The distance from the Unorthodox Alliance’s formation was only about fifty jang (around 150 meters).
‘Hehehehe… Blood Immortal, I offer you their blood. Please look upon me favorably.’
Defense Sword Group Leader Hyeok Cheon-wi[4].
He drew his sword.
“The Alliance Leader has commanded! Everyone, draw your swords!”