That was only natural.

For now, at least, Unhwi had effectively joined hands with the overwhelmingly powerful Gongsun Family.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that he had become a force capable of moving Murim itself.

...He truly is extraordinary.

Han Seokhyeon could not help but marvel.

He remembered the first time he had seen him.

The branch leader of a backwater place called Seolap.

A man practically abandoned even within the Snow Palace.

And yet when that same man had suddenly begun his slaughter, Han Seokhyeon had known at once.

That man was exceptionally skilled at hiding himself.

The kind of person who exploded all at once when the moment to erupt finally came.

What made that truly terrifying was this: even while you were being struck again and again, it was difficult to foresee it.

Then what would Unhwi do now?

There was no longer any reason for the Murim of the Central Plains to make an enemy of him.

To turn Unhwi into an enemy meant facing the Murim Alliance, the Sacheon Alliance, and the Heavenly Alliance, and beyond that, even the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Palace.

A perfect lull.

Under the name of Unhwi, an age of complete peace had firmly taken root.

...Since when had he been drawing a picture this vast?

Han Seokhyeon did not consider himself a fool.

This was no exaggeration. Han Seokhyeon was capable enough that Unhwi entrusted work to him without hesitation.

There had been that book Unhwi had once given him before he first departed for the Heavenly Alliance—The Azure Cloud Record.

It was a compilation of all kinds of secret writings and documents, filled with the secrets and history of the martial world, along with a wide range of knowledge. Over the course of half a year, Han Seokhyeon had read that book no less than ten times.

Yet even in The Azure Cloud Record, there had never been a case like Unhwi.

In both name and truth,

Unhwi had gone beyond the word genius. He was an “arbiter” of Murim.

Han Seokhyeon’s expression darkened as he stared out the window.

But there was a problem.

Knock, knock. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Someone rapped on the door.

“Come in.”

The door opened, and a man entered.

Shin Suje.

As a martial artist in the Five Qi Origin realm, he also held the post of deputy commander of the Yangryeong Corps.

The Yangryeong Corps had been reduced and compressed again and again until its two battalions were merged into one. Its commander was Ju Soa, its field leader was Namgung Wonyang, and its deputy commander was Shin Suje.

Other systems had been changed as well, but what mattered was that this man, Shin Suje, was trusted by both Namgung Wonyang and Ju Soa.

Of course, Han Seokhyeon trusted Shin Suje as well. He was someone reliable. He was always the one who stood at the front, and he had never feared shedding blood.

“What is it, Deputy Commander Shin?”

“...As always, it’s that problem.”

Han Seokhyeon let out a sigh, and Shin Suje did the same.

“He still refuses to listen?”

“...Yes.”

Han Seokhyeon frowned.

“Dongbang Jin, leader of the Fifth Unit of the Thirteen Heavenly Snow Companies.”

The moment that name was spoken, Shin Suje’s face hardened as well.

“To be frank, I don’t understand it. The Commander sent the Fifth Unit of the Thirteen Heavenly Snow Companies to Yangryeong Province in order to protect Yangryeong Province.”

“That is correct.”

“But that man is not protecting Yangryeong Province. He is watching it.”

Han Seokhyeon closed his mouth.

Shin Suje was right.

At one point, Unhwi had said this: Yangryeong Province was a far larger city than anyone realized, and because of that, it needed support from the main palace of the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Palace.

Whether it was the Seolcheon Guard or the Baekryeong Guard,

some force or other would have to be deployed.

In truth, that had been the correct judgment. There were at most thirty martial artists under the Yangryeong Corps.

With only those thirty men, they could not properly defend even Yangryeong Province itself, much less the four cities under its authority.

It was only being held together because of Noh Cheonmyeong’s prestige. If they intended to manage it systematically, reinforcements were necessary, and these support troops had arrived for exactly that reason.

Dongbang Jin.

The leader of the Fifth Unit of the Thirteen Heavenly Snow Companies.

He did not belong to the Baekryeong Guard or the Seolcheon Guard, but to the Heavenly Snow Sect.

And what was the Heavenly Snow Sect?

It was the maternal family sect of Seol Horyeong, the Young Palace Lord. Its elite force, the Thirteen Heavenly Snow Companies, was renowned not only throughout the snowy mountains but across the martial world of the Central Plains as well.

That was ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) the real problem.

It had been over a week since Dongbang Jin had been dispatched to Yangryeong Province, and in all that time, he had not cooperated properly even once.

No—forget cooperation.

“He did it again yesterday. When the Yangryeong Corps went out on patrol, that man tailed them.”

“....”

“He did not help with the patrol. He just watched from behind. As if he were monitoring them.”

Shin Suje ground his teeth.

“Chief Administrator. This is a clear abuse of authority. That man did not come here to protect Yangryeong Province. He came to monitor and control it.”

“I know.”

Shin Suje fell silent, and Han Seokhyeon did as well.

In context, the next thing that should have been said was something like, Then why not throw him out? Why are we doing nothing? But there was no point in saying it.

“Dongbang Jin belongs to the Heavenly Snow Sect.”

“That is correct.”

“And the Heavenly Snow Sect is the maternal family sect of Young Palace Lord Seol Horyeong.”

“...I know.”

“And the relationship between the Young Palace Lord and the Commander is very good.”

Han Seokhyeon continued in a slow voice.

“If I—or rather, if we—were to deal with Dongbang Jin carelessly, what do you think would happen?”

“......”

“The Heavenly Snow Sect would never stay quiet. And they would say this: ‘We merely acted in accordance with the Young Palace Lord’s command. Yet Seol Unhwi’s subordinates attacked us.’”

Shin Suje bit his lip.

“Then a crack forms between the Young Palace Lord and the Commander. Whether that is what he is aiming for, or whether this is merely his own abuse of authority, the one thing we must do now remains the same.”

“......”

“Watch him. Uncover the hand behind him. That is our best option.”

They could do nothing beyond that.

Because they lacked the authority.

This was on an entirely different level from the earlier friction with the Sacheon Alliance.

That had been an outside force.

This was an internal one.

“I am frustrated too, Deputy Commander Shin. But for now, we must endure.”

“How long are we supposed to endure it?”

“Until the Commander returns.”

Han Seokhyeon’s gaze turned cold.

“When the Commander returns, everything will be settled.”

“...I suppose it will.”

It was then—

Knock knock knock.

Someone knocked on the door. Han Seokhyeon tilted his head and said,

“Come in.”

The door opened, and one of the martial artists of the Yangryeong Corps rushed in.

“Chief Administrator!”

“What is it?”

“Leader Dongbang Jin has once again...”

“...Again?”

Han Seokhyeon’s brow furrowed.

“What has he done this time?”

“He is inspecting the merchants of Yangryeong Province. And he is being extremely coercive about it...”

Han Seokhyeon clenched his fist tightly.

Dongbang Jin, this bastard really...

He was crossing the line.

It was not enough that he was failing to protect Yangryeong Province. It was not enough that he was merely monitoring it. Now he was trying to control it directly.

But that was not the end of it.

“And the moment Leader Ju heard about it, she beat down three martial artists of the Thirteen Heavenly Snow Companies.”

“...What...?”

“...They are all seriously injured.”

“......”

“And she ran straight toward the place where Dongbang Jin is.”

At those words, Han Seokhyeon shot to his feet. Shin Suje rose as well.

In the end, Ju Soa had finally exploded.

“We go there at once!”

***

Near the gates of Yangryeong Province.

Dongbang Jin stood there at ease.

Several merchants were kneeling before him.

“Th-this is truly unjust!”

One of the merchants cried out.

“We are a merchant company that received official permission in Yangryeong Province!”

“Permission?”

Dongbang Jin sneered.

“How unfortunate. Circumstances are always changing, and the one who granted that permission back then was not me.”

“......”

“In other words, you need my permission.”

“But...”

“Silence.”

His voice was cold.

The merchant shut his mouth.

Dongbang Jin glanced around.

The people of Yangryeong Province were watching this place with frightened eyes.

Good.

Dongbang Jin laughed inwardly. In his mind rose the order of the Heavenly Snow Sect Master, Sa Cheonuk.

—Dongbang Jin, leader of the Fifth Unit. Go to Yangryeong Province, observe the situation there, and protect it.

On the surface, there had been nothing problematic about that command.

But Dongbang Jin had not received orders from Sa Cheonuk alone.

Seol Cheonhwa, head of the Elder Council.

—Think on this. The more the value of the Mysterious Snow Palace rises, the more the power of the Heavenly Snow Sect and of the Young Palace Lord weakens in relative terms. Here in the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Palace, we must reduce the influence of the Mysterious Snow Palace. First, make Yangryeong Province belong to the main palace. If you become the one who manages that place, it will benefit the Heavenly Snow Sect as well, and the authority of the Young Palace Lord will naturally grow stronger. Keep only one thing in mind: this place is not the Central Plains. His position in the Central Plains cannot become the same as his position within the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Palace.

The words had been long, but the core of them was simple: weaken Seol Unhwi’s power and narrow his footing inside the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Palace.

And if the Heavenly Snow Sect came to manage Yangryeong Province directly, then by that fact alone, the Heavenly Snow Sect’s influence over the martial world of the Central Plains—and the Young Palace Lord’s influence as well—would grow stronger.

Not to do it would have been stranger.

The Young Palace Lord of the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Palace was the Great Snow Palace Heir, Seol Horyeong.

The eldest son of the Polar Heirs.

Dongbang Jin was convinced.

What he was doing was, in the end, for the sake of the Young Palace Lord.

No matter how outstanding Seol Unhwi might be, he could never stand above the Young Palace Lord.

Dongbang Jin looked down at the merchants.

“I will let it end here for today. But if you display suspicious behavior again, I will not let you off.”

“Y-yes, yes.”

The merchants hurriedly withdrew.

Just as Dongbang Jin turned his body—

something flew toward him.

His brow tightening, he snapped his head to the side.

Shhk!

It grazed past the side of Dongbang Jin’s face and embedded itself in the wall across from him.

When he glanced over, he saw that it was a sword.

“What kind of lunatic...”

Turning his head with a savage look, Dongbang Jin let out a hollow laugh.

“Well now, not a lunatic bastard—a lunatic bitch.”

“......”

“What exactly are you doing right now?”

Ju Soa asked coldly.

“That is what I should be asking.”

“...Your tongue is short.”

“No reason to make it longer, is there?”

Dongbang Jin gave a dry laugh.

“Ju Soa. I know you are the commander of the Yangryeong Corps. But I am the leader of the Fifth Unit of the Thirteen Heavenly Snow Companies. A martial artist formally dispatched from the main palace of the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Palace.”

“So?”

“So there is no reason for you to act carelessly toward me.”

Dongbang Jin slowly walked forward.

“Besides, aren’t you merely in the Harmony realm? I’m in the Divine Transformation realm.”

“......”

“You fall short in realm, and you fall short in status, yet you dared throw a sword at me? Are you insane?”

Ju Soa’s gaze turned glacial.

“Have you been swallowing pills?”

“...What?”

“Pills. I asked if you’ve been swallowing pills.”

Ju Soa began to walk forward slowly.

“You said you came here to protect Yangryeong Province, didn’t you? Then what exactly does what you’re doing now have to do with protecting it? Inspecting merchants, threatening residents, monitoring the Yangryeong Corps.”

Ju Soa’s voice grew colder and colder.

“You are controlling Yangryeong Province right now. Not protecting it.”

“Controlling it?”

Dongbang Jin scoffed.

“Do not be ridiculous. I am acting in accordance with the order of the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Palace—”

“The order of the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Palace?”

Ju Soa sneered.

“The order of the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Palace was to protect Yangryeong Province. Not to control it.”

“......”

“Heavenly Snow Sect or whatever, just because it’s the maternal family sect of the Young Palace Lord doesn’t mean you get to swagger around without knowing your limits. You should know where the line is, Senior Dongbang. Did age rot your brain from the back forward?”