“A letter has arrived from Mount Emei Sect in Sichuan. They have agreed to attend the assembly.”

The Chief Steward handed Namgoong Mucheon the letter from Mount Emei.

“It seems Shaolin sent someone personally. The letter states they will stand with Shaolin.”

Shaolin and Mount Emei both belonged to the Buddhist tradition and often exchanged visits.

Since they had a friendly relationship, it was only natural for Mount Emei to follow Shaolin’s lead.

“Now, only five sects remain.”

Namgoong Mucheon nodded after confirming the contents of the letter.

“Yes.”

Kunlun of Qinghai, Qingcheng of Sichuan, Hengshan of Hunan, Hainan Sect of Hainan, and Wudang of Hubei.

Of them, the most difficult were Kunlun, which was based at the farthest distance; Qingcheng, notorious for its poor relationship with the Sichuan Tang Clan; and the Wudang Sect of Hubei.

“If in the end, they do not reply, what will you do?”

“If they do not come, we will proceed without them.”

“Will that be all right? Should the Wudang Sect come forth to denounce the Martial Alliance, we could end up the laughingstock of the entire world.”

“They are few, and we are many. What does it matter? So long as Shaolin and Mount Hua Sect do not turn their backs, the Alliance will stand firm. However....”

Namgoong Mucheon lowered the letter.

His eyes sank into a cold sharpness.

“There is no need to cause noise from the very beginning.”

He gave the Chief Steward an order.

“Spread word of this assembly across the entire Central Plains.”

“Word, my lord?”

“If you wish to lure a beast hiding in its cave, whether by lighting fire or spreading the scent of blood, you must provide bait to stir it out.”

News of the assembly had spread, but the factions did not yet know which forces would attend.

Of the fourteen factions that had been invited, nine had replied with acceptance.

If the factions that had not yet responded learned of this fact, it would certainly influence their choice.

“You may mention which factions are attending, or even exaggerate the rumors. What matters is expectation.”

The expectation that this assembly would unite the martial world of the Central Plains.

The expectation that the flow of the martial world would change drastically.

“The greater the anticipation, the less they can avoid answering our call.”

Would they join in this beginning, or remain buried in their caves, turning their faces away?

Though there were two choices, Namgoong Mucheon believed that in the end, there was only one path they could take.

“So in the end, you mean to set fire.”

To endure and endure the smoke until they could no longer, forcing them to burst out of the cave.

“Something like that. They— cough... cough, cough!”

As he was answering, Namgoong Mucheon suddenly broke into a fit of coughing.

The light cough did not subside easily.

The Chief Steward hurriedly poured water and brought it forward.

“Are you unwell...?”

Namgoong Mun could not finish his words.

Between Namgoong Mucheon’s fingers, pressed over his mouth, crimson blood leaked out.

“L-Lord Gaju!!”

The sound of a cup shattering rang sharply through the Clan Head’s chamber.

Namgoong Mun rushed to support Namgoong Mucheon, who leaned on the desk to steady his breath.

In his hand, the water cup had already been replaced with a clean cloth.

“Lord Gaju, what has happened...!”

“Do not... cough... make a fuss.”

Namgoong Mucheon accepted the cloth and wiped the blood from his hand and lips.

The furrow of his brow revealed fatigue.

“Could it be because of Lord of the Flying Phoenix Unit’s treatment?”

“No.”

“Does the Lord of the Medicine Hall know of this?”

“They said it is nothing.”

“Then let me go to the Medicine Hall Lord at once—”

“Mun.”

Namgoong Mucheon grasped Namgoong Mun’s arm before he could rush out.

Namgoong Mun’s gaze wavered as he turned to look at him.

“How can you....”

“...”

“How can you call me so....”

Namgoong Mun shook his head.

“No. If it is your will, I am ready to obey anything... but not this.”

Namgoong Mucheon cleared his throat uncomfortably.

“I know what it is you fear. So I ask this of you. Pretend you have seen nothing.”

“...You are the pillar of the clan. How can you try to conceal this...?”

“Is this not an important time? I will recover quickly. I do not wish to cause a commotion.”

“...”

Namgoong Mun clenched his fist tightly.

For a martial artist without illness, coughing blood was proof of inner injury.

They had said the qi consumption had been severe during Seop Mugwang’s treatment—no doubt this was the reason.

Yet, with the Clan Head’s earnest plea, Namgoong Mun could not bring himself to defy him.

“...I will tell the Medicine Hall Lord to prepare a tonic to restore your strength. At least allow that much.”

Reluctantly, Namgoong Mucheon nodded.

“Very well. Do so.”

The Chief Steward turned his gaze aside with a deep sigh.

Because of that, he did not see it.

Namgoong Mucheon unconsciously clutching his chest.

****

High above the skies of Hefei.

An old man with a bent back and a face covered in age spots floated in the air with the Fifth Blood Lord, No Mun, overlooking Hefei Castle.

Though the castle was in full view beneath them, the Namgoong Clan estate was hidden, veiled as though by thick white fog.

It was the protective formation that shielded the Namgoong Clan.

“Mangwol, are you certain matters are proceeding correctly?”

At No Mun’s anxious question, Mangwol, master of the First Moon Medallion, let out a drawn-out laugh.

“What makes you so restless? The Young Lord you fear so much just left the Namgoong estate a while ago.”

“Fear, you say...!”

“Is it not so? Was it not because the Young Lord was at Songshan that we decided to strike the Namgoong estate while it lay empty?”

With mocking eyes, Mangwol glanced at No Mun and chuckled again.

Though No Mun seethed, he could not refute it.

“Since when did we start skulking away from the Young Lord? We are not cowards, are we? Heh heh....”

“Watch your tongue. Things go smoothly now only because the Young Lord is absent. Had she been within the Namgoong estate, not only would we have failed to poison the Sword Emperor, we would have been caught by the scruff of our necks.”

“...Very well. I will be cautious.”

Perhaps it was because poisoning the Sword Emperor had been easier than expected.

Despite his words, Mangwol, laughing ceaselessly, showed not the slightest trace of caution even at No Mun’s warning.

No Mun, watching him, could not rid himself of unease.

‘Namgoong Seolhwa ....’

No matter that she was away from the Namgoong Clan estate, could things truly unfold this easily?

She, who knew the Blood Demon Cult more thoroughly than anyone, who kept constant vigilance—would she really have left such an opening?

Even that great undertaking he had prepared for so long, the one no one else had ever perceived—had she already seen through it?

“Heh heh, the estate is vast indeed.”

Unlike himself, Mangwol was even humming a tune in ease.

The look of unease never left No Mun’s face as he watched him.

****

“Welcome. The road here was not too difficult?”

“Thanks to Lord Hall Master’s consideration. It has been a while, Lord Hall Master.”

Seolhwa and Maeng Deungho exchanged a brief greeting.

For a moment, Maeng Deungho studied Seolhwa quietly.

“You have grown much.”

“Four and a half years is not such a short time.”

“And Soyak...”

He must have changed beyond recognition.

During the four and a half years since Jin Soyak had left Surochae, Maeng Deungho had not seen him once.

If word spread that he, the Chief Hall Lord of Surochae, had been visiting the Namgoong Clan, it would have brought trouble to them.

Since he had entrusted Soyak to the Namgoong # Nоvеlight # Clan, he could never do anything that might bring them harm.

“Soon, Soyak will come to you himself. You may not even recognize him—he’s grown so imposing.”

“No. However he may look, I will recognize him.”

“Then that is a relief.”

I only hope he will not be too shocked.

“But Lord Hall Master, you too have changed much in these four and a half years.”

In longing for Soyak, Maeng Deungho had thrown himself into expanding Surochae’s domain.

The result was his current stature.

“Congratulations on becoming the Chief Hall Lord.”

“I only did what had to be done. Was it not you who told me that only with strength could I protect Soyak?”

“Well....”

Though now Soyak seemed more than capable of protecting himself.

“Yes, I did.”

“So, I strove to gain the greatest strength I could. That is all.”

As ever, his love for his son was no less in this life than in the last.

Seolhwa suddenly thought of Cheongun.

What is parental love, that it can drive one to such devotion to a child?

As she recalled that endless devotion and love, she could not help but smile.

“You are remarkable. Truly.”

After once more giving her applause for his resolve and perseverance, Seolhwa broached the true reason for her visit.

“My visit today is not only to bring news of Soyak, but for another purpose.”

“Speak. If it is something I can do, I will do anything.”

“Have you heard of the Sado Union?”

“The alliance of the unorthodox?”

“That’s right.”

After absorbing the Fortress of Ten Thousand Demons, it had now become the true alliance of the unorthodox.

“As you know, the growth of the Sado Union is alarming. And the Namgoong Clan believes their expansion will not end with simply uniting the unorthodox.”

“There is no more room left for them to expand, is there?”

“Soon, the Sado Union will approach you.”

Maeng Deungho’s expression hardened instantly.

“So the Sado Union... is targeting our Surochae.”

“Most likely.”

His aura flared.

Even if the Sado Union had become the great unorthodox alliance of the Central Plains, the river stronghold of Surochae was still an ancient, independent power.

“Do not worry. Surochae will not kneel to a pack of whelps.”

He believed she was warning him to be wary of Surochae joining hands with the Sado Union.

“No.”

Seolhwa shook her head firmly.

“If the Sado Union proposes an alliance, do not reject it. Accept.”

“?”

“And pass along to the Namgoong Clan any information you gain from them.”

Maeng Deungho stared at Seolhwa in surprise.

The unwavering gaze of the girl was sharper and more resolute than it had been four and a half years ago.

With a low sigh, Maeng Deungho said:

“You want me to become a spy.”

Seolhwa nodded.

“Yes.”

To bring Surochae naturally under the banner of the Sado Union, while at the same time linking the Namgoong Clan and the Sado Union’s intelligence networks.

That was why Seolhwa had come all the way here to Surochae herself.