The Martial Alliance officially proclaimed the Wudang Sect an enemy of the Central Plains.

After word spread that the Wudang Sect had thrown those sent by the Alliance into the dungeon, the Martial Alliance repeatedly demanded their release and an explanation.

What came back were only incomprehensible pretexts and excuses.

At last, when the Alliance’s envoy sent to Mount Wudang returned with both arms severed, the Martial Alliance resolved to go to war with the Wudang Sect.

In front of Alliance Headquarters.

The Azure Dragon Division, with Mount Hae swordsman Il Jirang at its head, and the Vermilion Bird Division, with Yu Pyo of Mount Hua—pulled from training—at its head, formed up in ranks before the main building.

Soon, Alliance Lord Namgoong Mucheon and Chief Division Lord Seop Mugwang emerged from the headquarters, with several Alliance elders following in their wake.

As they appeared, silence fell over the forecourt.

Standing atop the stairs, Namgoong Mucheon slowly swept his gaze over the Azure Dragon Division and the Vermilion Bird Division and spoke.

“Our foremost goal is to bring our brothers, detained by the Wudang Sect, safely home.”

The faces of the martial ranks were set with resolve.

Though they had left sect and household to come under the Alliance banner, those taken remained their brothers—family.

“We demanded clarification time and again, yet their words were naught but excuses and prevarication. Therefore, after conferring with the elders of the Alliance and receiving the will of the leaders—!”

Namgoong Mucheon extended his sword, Heaven’s Decree.

The sword of the one called the Sword Emperor carried weight heavier than any oath.

No martial man failed to understand that, and tension rippled across the assembled faces.

“To bring our detained brethren back alive, the Martial Alliance will not shy from a clash of arms! Steel yourselves to fight to your last breath!”

When Heaven’s Decree struck the ground with a boom, a vast resonance rolled through the entire forecourt.

“Do not fear! The fear of our detained brothers is greater than yours! Do not yield! There must be no hesitation in your blades!”

Under the rising pitch of tension, the gathered ranks drew themselves even straighter.

“I will stand at your head.”

The words of Namgoong Mucheon—Alliance Lord and the Heavenly Dragon Sword Emperor—lifted the spirits of all who looked to him.

Even for those who balked at fighting fellow orthodox martial men, even for those cowed by the grand word war.

The sight of the Alliance Lord stepping to the fore awakened both fighting pride and sober alarm.

“Please wait!”

Just as Namgoong Mucheon was about to proclaim the march.

The great doors of the Alliance’s inner hall opened, and a dozen-odd people entered.

Recognizing them, Namgoong Mucheon’s expression briefly hardened.

“What is it, Clan Lord Namgoong?”

Those °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° arriving were the Namgoong Clan’s Black Dragon Unit and White Dragon Unit, led by Namgoong Cheongun.

Namgoong Cheonghae’s son, Namgoong Woong, followed close behind Cheongun.

“We greet the Alliance Lord.”

The Namgoong Clan Lord, Namgoong Cheongun, stepped forward, cupped his fists, and spoke.

“We would add the Namgoong Clan’s strength to this fight with the Wudang Sect. Please permit us to take the vanguard.”

Namgoong Mucheon answered, face still set.

“This battle has been proclaimed by the Martial Alliance. There is no need for the Clan to step forth.”

“The leader of the party that went to Mount Wudang is of the Namgoong Clan—and he is my younger brother. When a blood brother’s life hangs by a thread, how can I, as Clan Lord, stand by and watch? This is the will of the entire house. I beg you to consider it.”

Namgoong Mucheon regarded Namgoong Cheongun in silence.

Not long after he had risen to Little Clan Lord, the boy had abruptly become Clan Lord; now he stood, in every respect, representing the house as a proper lord.

The sight filled him with boundless pride.

Thus, both as Alliance Lord and as Cheongun’s father, to dismiss the Namgoong Clan’s will here would be against propriety.

“I permit it. But the vanguard is already set—fall in behind.”

Namgoong Mucheon granted the Namgoong Clan’s request to join.

“Chief Division Lord.”

As the Namgoong Clan merged into the ranks, a realization struck Namgoong Mucheon, and he called to Seop Mugwang.

“Yes, my Lord.”

“I’m sorry, but you must set out for Songshan at once.”

****

News of armed conflict between the Martial Alliance and the Wudang Sect spread swiftly across the Central Plains.

Because it was the first war between orthodox forces since the Alliance’s founding, countless people ignorant of the reasons condemned the Alliance.

But centered on the Hao Sect, the truth of Wudang’s high-handed conduct spread quickly, and public sentiment soon reversed.

And so, just as all eyes in the Central Plains fixed upon the impending clash between the Martial Alliance and the Wudang Sect—

Mount Changam, about one hundred li (around forty kilometers) from Shijiazhuang.

In a ravine hemmed by cliffs on both sides, a secret meeting finally took place.

Tak, tak, tak—

The one who came tapping along with a long staff was the Beggar’s Union Elder, So-and-so. His disciple, Chunpal, followed behind.

Opposite the two waited five Beggar’s Union elders with Hugae Cheon Guiho at their head.

“It has been a long time, Elder So-and-so.”

“I greet the Hugae of the Beggar’s Union.”

“Why has it become so hard to see your face? Must we go through outsiders just to meet you?”

“Quite. Each time we meet, you demand my head—how could I not be too scared to show my face?”

At So-and-so’s light retort, Cheon Guiho’s expression turned cold.

“If you feared death so much, you shouldn’t have done what you did.”

“Do you think I fear death?”

So-and-so’s smile faded as he curled his fingers around the staff.

“I do not fear dying. I fear only a grievous misunderstanding hardening into ‘truth’ that cannot be undone!”

“You killed him!”

Cheon Guiho’s voice rang through the ravine.

It was a voice laden with resentment long piled up.

“Did you covet the Dragon-Head’s seat so badly? Badly enough to kill the Lord and steal the Dog-Beating Staff to flee?”

“I’ve said it more than once: I did not kill the Lord.”

“Can you not hear the fury of the tens of thousands of our beggar-disciples! The sound of their hatred for you shakes the world—how can you brazen it out!”

As Cheon Guiho’s voice rose, the faces of the elders behind him grew ever harsher.

At any moment they looked ready to hurl themselves at So-and-so and Chunpal, malice bared.

“If you are so innocent, why did you spirit away the Union’s Sacred Object! Was it not because you coveted the Dragon-Head’s seat!”

“Mind your tongue, Hugae!”

Boom!

The staff smashed down, a dull report that seemed to swallow every sound in the ravine.

Under that oppressive note, the momentum of Cheon Guiho and the elders faltered.

Then So-and-so’s voice thundered through the gorge.

“I hid the Sacred Object to protect the Beggar’s Union! Did you think I did not know you meant to entrust the Union’s safety to a mere pleasure-house along with the former Dragon-Head!”

The sole reason he had never revealed that the Hugae and the Dragon-Head had joined hands with Hwaoru was to preserve the Hugae’s standing.

The one who would lead the Union henceforth—if, for a single mistake, he were stripped of the Hugae’s title or lost power and was tossed about—that was what So-and-so had feared.

But driven to this pass, he could no longer simply shut his eyes; So-and-so resolved to lay bare the truth.

“However wretched our Beggar’s Union’s lot, we are men who know faith and accord! How could we seek shelter with a mere pleasure-house!”

Contrary to his expectation, Cheon Guiho let out a thin sneer at those very words of appeal.

“!”

Startled by the unexpected reaction, So-and-so stared as Cheon Guiho spoke.

“Rivers flow and grass withers—that is the way of things. Since when did the Beggar’s Union split hairs over black and white as it clung to others?”

“...What?”

“Hwaoru is the rising sun of the Central Plains, a new wind. Can you not see that it only crouches behind the name of a pleasure-house?”

Shock washed across So-and-so’s features.

To hear Cheon Guiho himself speak, with no compunction, of placing themselves under Hwaoru—and to see the elders’ composure at those words—was beyond belief.

“Don’t tell me...”

“It was not I alone who decided to join with Hwaoru, Elder So-and-so.”

“...!”

Six months since the Dragon-Head’s death.

While So-and-so was away, Hugae Cheon Guiho had already persuaded the elders of the Beggar’s Union to borrow Hwaoru’s strength—

On the grounds that while the Union excelled in intelligence, its martial strength was relatively weak and thus required protection.

“You... are you serious...? Are you truly going to hand our Beggar’s Union... into the hands of such vile people?”

Instead of answering, the elders averted their eyes from So-and-so’s question.

“Good and evil are not ours to decide.”

“....”

“Those who survive will lay claim to ‘good.’”

Cheon Guiho lifted his hand.

At that signal, scores of masked fighters with their lower faces wrapped in black cloth stepped out behind them.

At their center stood a man in a black long-coat, face hidden behind a gold-ornamented mask.

Recognizing him, So-and-so knit his brows in disbelief.

“...Shadowless Demon God?”

The Sado Union Lord—the Shadowless Demon God.

He stood on Cheon Guiho’s side.

“This is not what you promised!”

Chunpal yanked out his cudgel and shouted.

“You said you wouldn’t kill him! You said you wanted to clear things up! You lousy beggars!”

“Lousy beggars.”

Cheon Guiho let out a brief, derisive snort.

“Is calling beggars ‘beggars’ an insult? You fool.”

Cheon Guiho looked to So-and-so.

“It seems you have no intention of surrendering the Sacred Object. Then we will take it—by killing you if we must. Elder.”

“You cur...”

“Blame your own stubbornness for failing to keep pace with the times.”

Pointing at So-and-so, he shouted:

“Kill them!”

In that instant—

Shrring—shrrring—

For a heartbeat, the hiss of dozens of blades leaving their sheaths filled the ravine.

Cheon Guiho stared down, bewildered, at the gleam of steel poised at his own throat.

The Sado Union blades that should have leveled at So-and-so were leveled instead at his and the elders’ necks.

“Wh-what is this...?”

Step. Step.

Heavy footfalls stole Cheon Guiho’s voice.

The Shadowless Demon God came forward and spoke to So-and-so.

“Did I not say it? That I would protect you.”