In Gongchang Prefecture, at the private courtyard of the Cheongwon Inn.
In front of a beautiful garden planted with exotic flowers stood a small pavilion.
Inside, two middle-aged men sat facing each other: one with sharp, commanding eyes, the other bald.
They were Heo Unchang, leader of the High Sword Sect, and Baek Do-gwang, leader of the Falling Blossom Sect, second-rate sects in the Gongchang Prefecture.
The two glared at each other in silence.
Soon, the sound of footsteps Emissaryed the arrival of a man in white robes.
It was Cheon Hwain.
"Thank you for accepting my invitation."
With the help of Elder Gu Injeong, a Mount Hua Sect elder, Cheon Hwain had received advance details about the mission. He had arrived in Gongchang Prefecture promptly and summoned Heo Unchang and Baek Do-gwang to the inn.
Arrogant brat.
Despite being an hour late for the appointment, Cheon Hwain wore a leisurely expression, causing veins to bulge on the sect leaders’ foreheads.
Even as second-rate sect leaders, they were the heads of their respective factions.
For a mere first-generation Mount Hua disciple to summon them to an inn as if issuing a command?
They were quietly fuming.
If their sects weren’t within the Mount Hua Sect’s sphere of influence, if Cheon Hwain weren’t a prominent new-generation master from a great lineage, they wouldn’t have attended this meeting, even with a blade to their throats.
"So, why did you call us here?" Heo Unchang asked.
Cheon Hwain smiled and spoke.
"I heard the two sects, which had been getting along well, recently started clashing?" Glancing between Heo Unchang and Baek Do-gwang, he continued. "And as the conflict escalates, it’s causing harm to merchants and civilians."
The sect leaders cleared their throats and responded.
"Our disciples got emotional and had some skirmishes."
"I’ll ensure my disciples are more careful in the future."
Cheon Hwain nodded. "That’s good, but wouldn’t the best solution be for you two to fully reconcile?"
"Reconcile?" Heo Unchang and Baek Do-gwang said simultaneously, their faces incredulous. "What do you mean by reconcile?"
"I heard your sects weren’t on bad terms originally."
"…"
"But when your heirs’ relationship soured, it led to your disciples hating each other." Cheon Hwain spoke gently, as if admonishing elders. "Two sects in the same region, following similar paths—there’s no need to be at odds, is there?"
When the two remained unresponsive, Cheon Hwain adopted a stern expression.
"If you two publicly reconcile, your disciples will stop fighting. That’s what I’m here to request."
Heo Unchang and Baek Do-gwang inwardly cursed.
What the…
The conflict between their sects stemmed from complex circumstances.
Yet this Mount Hua disciple, without understanding the situation, was brazenly demanding they reconcile.
"We’ll handle our sects’ affairs internally," Heo Unchang said.
Baek Do-gwang, suppressing his anger, nodded. "I’ll caution my disciples again. There’s no need for the Mount Hua Sect to concern itself."
"You’ve misunderstood me," Cheon Hwain said, rubbing his forehead. "I want this conflict fully resolved immediately. Don’t you understand?"
At his near-threatening tone, Heo Unchang and Baek Do-gwang fell silent. Though they didn’t speak, their displeased expressions conveyed their refusal.
'They won’t listen to reason.' Cheon Hwain sighed inwardly and shook his head.
"Do you really want me—or rather, my sect—to intervene?"
He deployed his final card.
If second-rate sects like the High Sword Sect and Falling Blossom Sect fell out of favor with the Mount Hua Sect and faced its pressure, their status and dignity as martial factions would be at risk.
"…Understood," Heo Unchang and Baek Do-gwang reluctantly nodded.
"You’ve made a promise to me," Cheon Hwain said, pleased. "Please make a public pledge of reconciliation as soon as possible."
Without looking back, he stood and left.
"Then, I’ll see you next time."
Heo Unchang and Baek Do-gwang bit their lips, watching Cheon Hwain disappear into the distance.
A few days later, rumors spread in Gongchang Prefecture that the two sects had signed a reconciliation agreement.
Cheon Hwain promptly sent a message to the Martial Alliance, reporting the resolution.
But something unexpected happened.
Unable to fight directly due to Cheon Hwain’s pressure, the sects mobilized underworld factions to encroach on each other’s commercial territories and interests.
This is worse than open fighting!
As the underworld factions, backed by the two sects, clashed, the damage fell squarely on civilians again.
"Are you mocking me?" Cheon Hwain, enraged, confronted the sect leaders, but his threats no longer worked.
"We signed the reconciliation agreement and mediated as you demanded. What more do you want?" the sect leaders said.
Cheon Hwain exploded with anger.
"Are you joking? Why haven’t you stopped your disciples from manipulating underworld factions to fight?"
"That’s not our concern," they replied.
"You call that an answer?" Cheon Hwain’s eyes blazed as he exuded a menacing aura. "Or did you find my request laughable?"
As his expression and tone grew increasingly disrespectful, the sect leaders could no longer tolerate it.
"We humored you out of respect for the Mount Hua Sect, but this is too much." They spoke in unison. "Are you the supreme ruler of the martial world? Or is the Mount Hua Sect? Let’s take this to the Martial Alliance and settle it."
Cheon Hwain flinched.
'How did the Martial Alliance come up?'
The fact that the sect leaders mentioned the Alliance meant they knew he was here on its mission.
'Could it be that guy?'
Cheon Hwain suddenly recalled the unassuming face of the Sunflower Merchant Guild’s heir.
A merchant who should stick to selling goods, yet dared to vie for the Alliance’s grandmaster position—Seon Woojin.
"What will you do?" the sect leaders asked sharply.
Cheon Hwain had no choice but to back down.
"Let’s discuss this again later."
As he stepped outside, sparks flew from his eyes.
'Fine. If I fail, I’ll make sure you can’t succeed either.'
If he couldn’t complete the mission, he’d ensure his rival failed too.
But he had no idea.
Having focused solely on martial arts, he was woefully unprepared to handle the intrigues and complexities of the martial world.
And no matter if a hundred years passed, he could never match the merchant heir he had always dismissed as insignificant.
***
At the banquet hall of the Floating Flower Inn in Gongchang Prefecture.
Bu Eunseol, Tae Muryong, and Jeong Jongdo sat at a large table.
"You were right, Grandmaster," Tae Muryong said. "Though it appears the conflict stems from the sect leaders’ discord, leading to clashes among disciples, the truth is entirely different."
He was reporting the findings of their investigation to Bu Eunseol.
"The heirs of the High Sword Sect and Falling Blossom Sect fell in love and were secretly meeting. As a result, the two sects grew so close that there was talk of a merger."
For sects with entirely different histories and martial arts to merge was unthinkable.
But since the High Sword Sect and Falling Blossom Sect shared the same roots, it was possible.
"Being nascent sects with less than two hundred years of history and sharing the same martial origins, if their heirs were betrothed, a merger would only be a matter of time." Tae Muryong continued calmly. "But for some reason, the lovers had a major falling-out and became enemies. In their anger, they attacked each other, both sustaining severe injuries. This turned the High Sword Sect and Falling Blossom Sect into bitter rivals."
"I see. Did you find the cause of their dispute?"
"From what we uncovered, it seems an external force was involved," Tae Muryong replied. "Near the High Sword Sect and Falling Blossom Sect, in Ankang, is a demonic sect called the Poison Toad Sect. They’ve been eyeing Gongchang Prefecture to expand their influence."
"Hmm."
"But with the High Sword Sect and Falling Blossom Sect standing in their way, they couldn’t easily extend their reach. If the two sects merged, they’d become an untouchable powerhouse, and the Poison Toad Sect would never gain a foothold in Gongchang Prefecture." Tae Muryong said gravely. "From the Poison Toad Sect’s perspective, they’d do anything to prevent the merger. It’s highly likely they’re behind the conflict."
"Is that certain?" Bu Eunseol asked.
Tae Muryong shook his head regretfully.
"We didn’t have enough time to find definitive evidence of the Poison Toad Sect’s involvement. But with more time, we’ll definitely uncover it."
Having heard the full explanation, Bu Eunseol nodded.
In truth, he had secretly mobilized the Death Spirit Corps’ intelligence network to investigate the cause of the sects’ feud.
Yet Tae Muryong and Jeong Jongdo had gathered information through direct inquiries, quickly and accurately analyzing it.
Aside from failing to secure evidence against the Poison Toad Sect due to limited manpower and time, their ability to handle information and predict outcomes rivaled that of a grandmaster in a covert intelligence branch.
'Their insight and intellect are exceptional.'
"You’ve worked hard," Bu Eunseol said, nodding. "But there’s no need to investigate further."
He handed two scrolls to Tae Muryong and Jeong Jongdo.
"What are these?"
"Evidence of the Poison Toad Sect’s involvement in the heirs’ dispute."
Tae Muryong and Jeong Jongdo, shocked, opened the scrolls. They detailed how the Poison Toad Sect had cunningly schemed to drive a wedge between the heirs.
"They framed one heir for attempting to steal the other sect’s secret techniques," Tae Muryong said, mouth agape after reading the scroll. "With this evidence, we can convince the heirs to stop the conflict immediately."
Jeong Jongdo, equally stunned, asked, "How did you obtain this information?"
"Merchants are the most sensitive to information," Bu Eunseol said with a faint smile. "As soon as I received the mission, I enlisted the help of the intelligence network aiding our guild."
Tae Muryong and Jeong Jongdo exchanged bewildered glances.
If he already had this evidence, he could have summoned the heirs, presented it, and resolved the conflict. Doing so, he would have quickly passed the Martial Alliance’s test and secured the grandmaster position. Yet he had spent time and money tasking them with the investigation?
"You were training us," Tae Muryong said, nodding as if realizing something.
"To resolve an issue, you must first verify accurate information, understand how to obtain it, and how to process it."
Bu Eunseol smiled warmly. "Exactly. You’ll handle many tasks on my behalf in the future. It’s not a bad idea to practice now, is it?"
Tae Muryong and Jeong Jongdo’s eyes widened.
They realized the man before them wasn’t just a merchant heir but possessed the acumen and intellect to outshine most sect leaders.
"But even with this evidence, convincing the heirs won’t be easy," Bu Eunseol said calmly. "From now on, you two will secretly contact the heirs of the High Sword Sect and Falling Blossom Sect. If you can arrange a meeting for them to clear their misunderstandings…"
He smiled.
"This mission will be a success."
***
At the Martial Alliance’s Grand Assembly Hall.
This was typically where the Alliance Leader and top executives gathered to discuss critical matters.
But now, only those involved in establishing the new branch were present: Yuk Jangcheon, hall leader of the Ascendant Martial Hall, and Gu Injeong, an elder from the Mount Hua Sect.
"The temporary branch led by Seon Woojin, heir of the Sunflower Merchant Guild, has cleanly mediated the conflict between the High Sword Sect and Falling Blossom Sect," Yuk Jangcheon said, looking at Gu Injeong. "It turns out the Poison Toad Sect was behind their dispute, manipulating the heirs, who were lovers, into becoming mortal enemies."
Gu Injeong showed no reaction to the report.
"It seems Seon Woojin is the right person to lead the Supreme Branch," Yuk Jangcheon said, driving the point home.
Finally, Gu Injeong spoke. "But this wasn’t resolved by his ability alone, was it?"
"What do you mean?"
"Cheon Hwain summoned the sect leaders and had them publicly reconcile, didn’t he? Yet the conflict persisted, and Seon Woojin merely capitalized on that with his information." Gu Injeong spouted another absurd claim. "If Cheon Hwain hadn’t first revealed that the conflict wasn’t simple, Seon Woojin couldn’t have resolved it so easily."
Yuk Jangcheon barely suppressed a laugh and spoke.
"Elder Gu, let’s be honest."
"What?"
"I acknowledge you put the most effort into establishing the Supreme Branch, making it directly under the Elder Council."
"…"
"But isn’t the purpose of the Supreme Branch to handle the miscellaneous affairs the Alliance’s sword branch can’t? It requires not just martial skill but wit and adaptability."
Sighing, Yuk Jangcheon continued.
"I know you had Cheon Hwain in mind for the Supreme Branch’s grandmaster from the start. I agreed he, as a great master, was a promising candidate." With utmost sincerity, he went on. "But if someone even more exceptional appears, shouldn’t we give the grandmaster position to them?"
Gu Injeong, after a brief pause, nodded.
"Of course. If he’s truly superior to Cheon Hwain, he should be grandmaster."
"Then…"
"But this incident doesn’t clearly show he’s better than Cheon Hwain," Gu Injeong said, avoiding eye contact, clearly uneasy. "The mission was to end the conflict between the High Sword Sect and Falling Blossom Sect."
Pausing, he continued.
"Since the Poison Toad Sect is the true culprit, unless they’re dealt with, the conflict could resurface."
Understanding his intent, Yuk Jangcheon frowned and shook his head.
"Elder Gu, these are temporary branches not even fully staffed. How can they defeat them?"
"Even if they can’t defeat them, they could push back the Poison Toad Sect’s influence in Gongchang Prefecture, couldn’t they? Handling matters without force is part of the Supreme Branch’s role." Gu Injeong said shamelessly. "Let the one who secures a pledge from the Poison Toad Sect to withdraw from Gongchang Prefecture and never encroach again be the grandmaster."
Yuk Jangcheon fell silent.
It was a baseless demand, but he hesitated for one reason: Gu Injeong’s proposed mission was an excellent test of a grandmaster’s capabilities.
'The Poison Toad Sect is indeed the root of the conflict between the High Sword Sect and Falling Blossom Sect…'
After a moment’s thought, Yuk Jangcheon nodded.
"Fine. This is the last time." With a serious expression, he added. "At the next meeting, we won’t discuss selecting a grandmaster but how to guide the Supreme Branch."
Gu Injeong nodded as if it were obvious.
"Of course."
The conflict between the High Sword Sect and Falling Blossom Sect was orchestrated by the Poison Toad Sect.
Secure a pledge from the Poison Toad Sect to withdraw their influence from Gongchang Prefecture and never encroach again.
The one who achieves this will complete the mission.
Another order came from the Martial Alliance.
The root of the High Sword Sect and Falling Blossom Sect’s conflict was none other than the Poison Toad Sect. Thus, the Alliance declared that securing a pledge from the Poison Toad Sect to never extend their influence into Gongchang Prefecture was the mission’s completion.
"Here we go again," Tae Muryong and Jeong Jongdo said, biting their lips upon receiving the Alliance’s order. "Elder Gu is deliberately sabotaging us."
Even though the Poison Toad Sect was a minor demonic faction, it had over three hundred disciples.
With just three members, they had no way to threaten or persuade the sect.
But Cheon Hwain had twenty skilled Alliance warriors and the Mount Hua Sect’s backing.
"This mission was designed with the Mount Hua Sect’s influence in mind, wasn’t it?" Jeong Jongdo spat bitterly. "On the surface, twenty branch members are going to the Poison Toad Sect, but it’s as if the Mount Hua Sect itself is behind them. The Poison Toad Sect’s leader would never dare defy Cheon Hwain."
Tae Muryong, equally grim, added, "Exactly. It seems the Alliance is determined to make Cheon Hwain the Supreme Branch’s grandmaster."
Their expressions darkened.
Seon Woojin was exceptional in martial skill and intellect. But no matter how outstanding, he couldn’t overcome the pressure of those with immense power alone.
"Why not report this unfairness to the Alliance’s other leaders?" Tae Muryong said, clinging to a sliver of hope. "The Alliance has the Law Enforcement Hall and the Inspection Hall. If we report these injustices…"
"Impossible," Bu Eunseol said, shaking his head. "This can’t be Elder Gu Injeong’s unilateral decision. It must have been agreed upon by the leadership."
At his resolute words, Tae Muryong and Jeong Jongdo lowered their heads.
They knew it too.
No matter how hard they tried, there was no way out. All their efforts had been futile struggles.
But they had hoped that with Seon Woojin, a miracle might happen.
Now, even that hope had vanished.
"Why bother joining such a corrupt, petty Martial Alliance?" Jeong Jongdo said, trying to console Bu Eunseol. "Why not establish a Sunflower Sect instead? With your ability and resources, you could make it a leading faction in the martial world within ten years."
"Exactly. Then we could serve you for life," Tae Muryong agreed.
Bu Eunseol smiled warmly.
If they were grandmasters of Majeon, they would have schemed to strike back at the leadership, even if it meant mutual destruction.
But as orthodox martial artists, their thinking was upright.
Moreover, despite working together for less than half a month, they already showed deep loyalty to Bu Eunseol.
"Don’t worry," Bu Eunseol said, standing. "That won’t happen."
"What?"
"I’ll resolve this mission and become the official grandmaster."
"How?" Jeong Jongdo asked.
Avoiding his gaze, Bu Eunseol looked out the window. "If the enemy uses power to create injustice, we can resolve it by matching their methods."
"Then…" Tae Muryong and Jeong Jongdo exchanged wide-eyed glances.
They assumed Bu Eunseol would use the Sunflower Merchant Guild’s connections to resolve the matter.
Can a merchant guild’s network pull that off?
They had doubts but weren’t overly worried, given the results Bu Eunseol had shown so far.
"But Cheon Hwain likely rushed to Weinan Mountain, where the Poison Toad Sect is, as soon as he received the mission," Tae Muryong said, recalling something. "Even if you seek help from other forces, they’ll be faster."
"It’s fine," Bu Eunseol said, smiling with crescent-shaped eyes. "They’ll come up empty-handed."
Standing, he continued.
"I’ll handle this mission alone. You two, return to the Martial Alliance immediately." He pulled three thin booklets from his robes and handed them over. "Study these when you return. And the third one, teach it to the new members we’ll recruit later."
Tae Muryong and Jeong Jongdo, opening the booklets, were stunned.
They contained martial techniques and movement skills to compensate for their weaknesses.
The techniques for the new members were far superior to those typically taught to Alliance warriors.
"How did you get these techniques?"
"Wealth can accomplish more than you think," Bu Eunseol said with a faint smile. "Return to the Alliance and train. I’ll handle this matter."
Tae Muryong and Jeong Jongdo realized something.
Their leader wasn’t just exceptional in martial arts and intellect—he had some mysterious backing.
"We obey your command."
Without realizing it, they bowed deeply and clasped their hands.
***
The Poison Toad Sect.
A demonic faction located in Weinan Mountain, Shaanxi. Despite its name suggesting the use of poison, it primarily employed swift saber techniques.
It was a second-rate saber sect in Majeon.
The name "Poison Toad Sect" came from two reasons.
First, they always coated their blades with potent poison.
Second, they used the Earth-Crawling Saber Technique, deploying saber moves while lying flat on the ground. Their crouched stance before executing the technique resembled a venomous toad, hence the name.
Having dominated the Weinan Mountain area with their bizarre poison and versatile Earth-Crawling Saber Technique, the Poison Toad Sect constantly sought to expand into Gongchang Prefecture. But the presence of similarly sized sects, the High Sword Sect and Falling Blossom Sect, repeatedly thwarted their attempts.
At the Poison Toad Sect’s Shadow Pavilion.
This was the residence of the sect leader, Gwak Gu, known as the Poison Sword of Submission.
As a man fond of women, he never slept alone. After a night of indulgence, Gwak Gu was in a deep sleep, embracing his concubine.
Ping.
Something was off.
A faint whistling sound rang out, and the soft body of his concubine stiffened like a log.
"Who’s there?!" Sensing something amiss, Gwak Gu sprang from the bed like a coiled spring.
In the darkened bedroom stood a black shadow, looking down at him.
"Who are you?!" Gwak Gu’s thunderous shout, infused with internal energy, was enough to shake the entire Poison Toad Sect.
His subordinates should have rushed in upon hearing it, but strangely, the surroundings were deathly silent.
"Don’t waste your hopes. No matter how loud you shout, no sound will reach outside."
Only then did Gwak Gu sense the faint ripple of energy surrounding his quarters. The shadow had astonishingly created a barrier of energy to block sound.
'An opponent I can’t handle.' Creating an energy barrier to block sound required the power of three cycles (180 years) of mastery.
Realizing the shadow was an unparalleled master he couldn’t touch, Gwak Gu gritted his teeth. But as a sect leader and a seasoned veteran who had survived countless life-or-death situations, he spoke with commanding authority despite knowing the shadow’s prowess.
"A formidable master. What do you want?"
Step.
Instead of answering, the shadow took a step forward from the darkness.
Moonlight streaming through the window revealed a young man’s face.
His beauty was so striking it could make the moon blush.
But his dignified eyes glowed with a red aura, and his presence exuded a force capable of holding up the heavens.
"The Martial Soul Command Lord…?"
Gwak Gu’s eyes widened to the point of popping out.
As a sect leader, he was well-versed in the appearances and details of major demonic path figures.
The young, new-generation master who had overturned Majeon’s structure and forged his own path—the Martial Soul Command Lord—was a terrifying figure no demonic path member could ignore.
Why had such a fearsome figure suddenly invaded his quarters?
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