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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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“Boss, I overheard something while talking with the other martial artists. They’ve identified the culprits behind the Beijing incident.”
Since leaving Nanjing, Namgung-Woo and his group had been out of touch with the news.
The same was true for the Clear Water Sect members.
A mid-sized sect’s information network was effective within its territory, but outside of it, they were no better than wandering mercenaries.
However, the Danmok Family members, who Yang Kwai had been gathering information from, had close ties to the Imperial Court and possessed superior intelligence.
“Who is it?”
“A group called the Wayseekers of the Mist [Gudomujung]. They’re usually called the Mujung, and Li Zi-long was apparently one of them.”
“Are they enemies of the Murim?”
Yang Jeong answered this time.
“It’s complicated. They weren’t considered particularly dangerous before, so they were just being monitored. But after this incident, they’ve been designated as enemies of the Murim. Both the Murim Alliance and the Black Blood Alliance seem to be waiting to see how the Imperial Court reacts.”
The name meant those seeking the Way in the Mist.
Were they a group of sorcerers?
Their abbreviated name was different from their official title.
The fact that they were simply called “shamans” suggested it was a derogatory term, not just an abbreviation.
“The Martial Governor’s Office has mobilized. Rumor has it that Martial Governor Han Won-chun is personally leading the operation. The Imperial Court is furious. I heard they even issued an edict to the Mosan Sect, mobilizing them as well.”
This incident was a turning point.
Could the Imperial Court assert its authority and control the Murim, or would the Murim break away entirely, creating a separate world?
The Murim factions, silent in this tense atmosphere, were watching closely.
“It’s a given that the Imperial Court will win, but the degree of their victory is what matters. If they crush the Wayseekers utterly, the individual sects won’t dare to defy them and will submit to the Imperial Court. But…”
“If the campaign drags on and they barely win, the Murim will no longer feel bound by the Imperial Court’s authority.”
The Murim was already stirring.
With the Imperial Court’s backing of the Greatest Warrior Under Heaven gone and the Emperor himself no longer able to command their obedience, the pressure that had been building up was about to explode.
The Murim was on the verge of eruption.
The first tremors had already begun, and Namgung-Woo had witnessed them.
The brazen attack on the Zhuge Family, a major righteous faction, was a clear sign.
“We have to consider the worst-case scenario.”
“Ah, Jeong-gwang.”
“And what would that be?”
“The campaign’s failure.”
What if the Imperial Court, despite its best efforts, failed to suppress the rebels who dared to threaten the capital and the Forbidden City?
“Then the Righteous-Unorthodox War will be unavoidable.”
Only two Transcendent Realm experts remained in the Imperial Court.
Even if they had a few more hidden masters, their numbers were limited.
Protecting the Imperial Family, sealing the Ghost Gates, controlling the Murim, defending against foreign invaders… they needed Transcendent Realm experts everywhere.
If they didn’t have any hidden masters, the situation was even more dire.
Yang So-hoo, the Family Head of the Xinzhang Yang Family.
Han Won-chun, the Martial Governor.
They were already stretched thin between protecting the Imperial Family and sealing the Ghost Gates.
Originally, Guo Duan protected the Imperial Family, Yang So-hoo sealed the Ghost Gates, and Han Won-chun controlled the Murim.
But that balance had been broken.
“We can only hope the Imperial Court succeeds.”
“With the Mosan Sect involved, they should be fine. They’re a quirky bunch, but their mastery of magic is among the best in the Nine Great Sects.”
With a Transcendent Realm expert and the greatest magic sect in the Murim involved, even the most elusive enemies couldn’t hide from the Imperial Court’s determined search.
It was nearly impossible to completely disappear from the world.
“But the real problem is the Zhuge Family…”
Jeong-gwang’s cautious words hinted at a request for help.
He was a seasoned martial artist, approaching the rank of elder.
In the Jianghu, old age meant either exceptional skill or excellent judgment and adaptability.
Jeong-gwang possessed both.
While not a Transcendent Realm expert, he was among the strongest Peak Realm martial artists and highly respected within the Hwangsan Sect, their first choice for external affairs.
He could foresee the inevitable future, regardless of the outcome of the Imperial Court’s campaign against the Wayseekers.
‘War is coming. Whether it escalates into a full-blown conflict depends on the Imperial Court, but the Zhuge Family and the Banun Clan have crossed the point of no return.’
Strictly speaking, Zhuge Seon-ah wasn’t a direct descendant.
But it was well known that the Zhuge Family Head treated her like his own daughter.
Knowing this, the Banun Clan had still sent two Transcendent Realm experts to attack them.
For now, they would deny their involvement, but…
‘Actually, who knows? They might just openly admit it.’
Either way, if the Zhuge Family and the Banun Clan went to war, the conflict would engulf the entire Hunan-Hubei region and beyond.
The Wudang Sect, protectors of the Hubei Murim alongside the Zhuge Family, would surely join the fight.
And the Hengsan Sect, who had just as much animosity towards the Banun Clan as the Zhuge Family, would also participate.
The Hwangsan Sect would also send support to the Zhuge Family.
While their contribution might be smaller than the other two sects, their involvement was inevitable.
And the Banun Clan?
As evidenced by the Black Sword Devil and Myeol Seom-ma, they had already rallied most of the unorthodox experts in the Hunan-Hubei region.
They would also receive support from the Ilwol Clan of Sichuan, another of the Seven Gates of the Black Blood Alliance, and the Gangseo Hwang Family, one of the Four Great Families.
They might even enlist the help of the Dugu Family to disrupt the Zhuge Family’s rear.
It would be a difficult fight.
A massive fight.
And a fight they had to win.
‘North, east, south… our Hwangsan Sect is surrounded by major unorthodox factions on three sides. If the Zhuge Family falls, the western route will also be cut off, and we’ll be completely isolated. Then, the Hwangsan Sect might never regain its former glory.’
While the main players in this conflict would be the Zhuge Family and the Banun Clan, the stakes were the dominance of the entire central and southern Murim.
And perhaps the key to victory lay with this young man.
“Young Master Nam…”
“First,” Namgung-Woo interrupted, aware of his rudeness, “let’s return to Mount Hwang. Even though they retreated, we can’t be certain they’ve given up.”
“…You’re right.”
Jeong-gwang conceded.
“By the way, Sir, do you enjoy hot springs?”
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Mount Hwang.
While not one of the Five Great Mountains, no one considered it inferior.
The Five Great Mountains were said to make all other mountains pale in comparison.
But Mount Hwang was said to make even the Five Great Mountains seem insignificant.
It was a truly magnificent mountain.
Renowned for its breathtaking scenery, it was said to be a collection of all the world’s wonders, attracting artists and scholars for centuries.
Those who had visited Mount Hwang spoke of its four unparalleled wonders: the mystical sea of clouds that filled the valleys, the wondrous rock formations that formed its peaks, the ancient pine trees that accentuated its beauty, and finally…
“The hot springs!”
Mount Hwang’s hot springs were among the most famous in the Central Plains.
Not only was the water of the highest quality, but the open-air baths on the mountainside, with their stunning views, elevated the experience to new heights.
Namgung-Woo submerged himself up to his neck.
While the body of a Transcendent Realm expert was impervious to heat and cold, even approaching immunity to fire and water, the comfort of a hot spring was a different matter.
The water, maintaining a constant temperature of around 40 degrees Celsius year-round, soothed his body and mind.
“Ahh… this is the life.”
He had enjoyed every luxury during his stay with the Peng Family, but those experiences had all been new to him in this world.
And even those luxuries paled in comparison to the comforts of his modern world.
But soaking in a hot, open-air bath was something he had experienced in his original world, evoking nostalgia while offering the fresh delight of even more picturesque scenery.
“Haa…”
He scooped up some water and splashed it on his face.
The warmth relaxed him even further.
‘I guess even I get tired.’
While he felt little physical fatigue, his mental exhaustion was another matter.
He had also experienced his first kill.
While the man deserved to die, and it was a necessary rite of passage, it hadn’t been easy.
He hadn’t realized it, but he needed this rest.
Feeling refreshed, he leaned back against the stone wall of the bath, his arms resting on the edge.
Looking up, he saw the sky painted in the complex hues of twilight.
The darkening blue of the fading sunlight mingled with the fiery orange of the last embers, creating a swirling tapestry of color.
It reminded him of two forces locked in a struggle, and he murmured without thinking,
“War…”
His mind, cleared by the hot springs, clouded over again.
He knew. He couldn’t be oblivious.
Those expecting him to join the fight were hoping for his help.
“Do I really have to go?”
If he fought, he would kill many.
His hands, which didn’t need to be stained with blood, would be dyed red.
He had resolved not to shy away from killing if necessary, but he didn’t want to seek out such situations.
“Oh, Boss, you’re already here?”
“First time in a hot spring. Sir, do we just go in?”
He chuckled, looking at the two identical faces with their contrasting speech patterns.
He sometimes forgot that he didn’t have to bear his burdens alone.
“Wash up first, wash up.”
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