Chapter 120

Chapter 120
## Chapter 120: Chaos Begins (2)

“They ought to have reached their destination by this point, shouldn’t they?”

Namgung Hu shifted his gaze as he posed the question.

“Indeed. Given the pace they maintained on the journey, they must have arrived already.”

Namgung Seon answered, his mind returning to the sight of Namgung Kyung’s profound grief upon learning of Ha Hu Gok’s passing.

“I truly should have made the trip myself. My mind is far from settled.”

Namgung Hu let out a heavy breath, his voice laced with regret.

Despite the gap in their years, Namgung Hu had shared a deep and enduring bond with Ha Hu Gok. The news of his friend’s death had struck him with such force that he had lost his appetite for days.

“There was no other way. Events are moving with much more urgency than we originally anticipated.”

“I was informed that the cost in lives has been significant.”

Namgung Seon’s features tightened momentarily at the mention of the losses.

“It has. Today alone, we’ve received five separate accounts of operatives who have vanished. Over the last two weeks, we have lost more than thirty of our own.”

“That many?”

Namgung Hu’s voice rose in genuine shock.

The total strength of the Azure Cloud Pavilion, the intelligence backbone of the Namgung Clan, was roughly one hundred members. Losing thirty meant that nearly a third of their force had been wiped out.

“In exchange, we have successfully purged more than double that amount of Heavenly Demon Cult infiltrators.”

“The body count of the enemy is secondary. It is the blood of our own that weighs on me.”

Namgung Hu felt a pang of sorrow for the dedicated vassals who had laid down their lives in service to the Namgung Clan.

“The primary forces of the Heavenly Demon Cult have initiated their advance. Brother, the moment has come for us to choose a path.”

“The Beggars’ Gang is tracking their movements as well. What is their assessment?”

Following the fall of the Divine Dragon Iron Beggar, the Beggars’ Gang had vowed retribution. They were operating independently to gather data on the Heavenly Demon Cult, disregarding the formal stance of the Murim Alliance. However, because their individual martial prowess lagged behind that of the Azure Cloud Pavilion, their death toll was significantly higher.

“The Beggars’ Gang shares our perspective. An assault is imminent.”

“Let us be precise. What is their intended mark?”

Namgung Seon found it difficult to give an immediate answer. Namgung Hu did not push him, allowing the silence to linger.

“The Beggars’ Gang is convinced they are targeting the Ha Hu Clan, but my intuition suggests a different motive.”

Namgung Seon stood up and paced toward the expansive map displayed on the chamber wall.

“The trajectories we have been monitoring are split into three primary routes. One is here, the second is here, and the final one is over here.”

As Namgung Seon indicated each specific location on the parchment, Namgung Hu’s expression grew increasingly grim.

“If you follow the extension of these three lines, they do not remain separate. They all meet at a single coordinate.”

Namgung Seon brought his fist down hard against a specific location on the map.

“Right here. Their true objective isn’t the Ha Hu Clan—it is our ancestral home.”

“They are moving upward from the southern regions?”

Namgung Hu asked, mentally cataloging the various schools and sects situated along those specific Heavenly Demon Cult paths.

“It appears so. They intend to sweep the path clear in advance to facilitate a direct strike on our main estate. We must seize the initiative before they reach us.”

“Is the Murim Alliance showing no inclination to act?”

“None. They are wallowing in a state of dangerous apathy. The majority believe this is merely a show of force against the Ha Hu Clan. A few fools even express sympathy, claiming that even a full attack would be a fair act of vengeance.”

“They fail to grasp the magnitude of the threat entirely.”

“Or perhaps they are intentionally ignoring it despite the evidence.”

“What are you implying?”

“It implies that the Heavenly Demon Cult has been lavishly distributing bribes. Our sources suggest the scale of corruption is far greater than in previous years. Furthermore, we alienated many factions during the recent contest for the Alliance Leader position. This seems to be their way of settling the score.”

“The whole institution is decaying! What is the Alliance Leader’s role in this? The Cheongsan Ilhyeon I once respected would never have permitted such a lapse in judgment.”

A cynical smirk touched Namgung Seon’s mouth at his brother’s frustration.

“They coerced a man ready for retirement into staying—a man who serves their interests. The Leader is a mere figurehead now; the real decisions happen in the shadows beneath him. Lacking any political base of his own, he appears to have washed his hands of the entire affair.”

“So, we cannot count on any support from the Murim Alliance for the time being.”

“Correct. Not unless we present them with undeniable proof or until the flames are literally at their doorstep.”

“Hmm.”

Namgung Hu drummed his fingers against the wood of the table, deep in reflection, until Namgung Seon spoke with renewed intensity.

“We have to invoke the Blue Sword Command.”

The Blue Sword Command.

As the preeminent power of Jiangnan, this command carried the weight to mobilize every martial sect within the province.

In the distant past, the Namgung Clan had stood as the final bulwark against the Heavenly Demon during the Great War of Righteousness and Evil. Though the clan was nearly wiped from existence, history credited them as the primary reason the Heavenly Demon failed to conquer the entire murim.

In the aftermath, the various sects of Jiangnan established the Blue Sword Command to honor the Namgung Clan for upholding the region’s honor. It served as a sacred oath to congregate under the Namgung banner should a catastrophe on the scale of the Great War ever return.

While not strictly legally binding, it had remained a powerful symbol until it was first put to the test one hundred and fifty years ago against the Blood Cult.

Rallying under the Blue Sword Command, the Jiangnan martial world defeated the Blood Cult with remarkably few casualties compared to other territories.

Now, Namgung Seon was calling for its second activation in history.

“The Blue Sword Command is not a tool to be used casually.”

“The peril is that great. We require its weight to force the Murim Alliance to acknowledge the reality. Regardless of the Heavenly Demon Cult’s machinations, the Alliance cannot turn a blind eye once all of Jiangnan mobilizes under the Blue Sword Command.”

Namgung Hu could not simply brush aside his brother’s desperate plea. The mere mention of the command was a testament to how dire the situation had become.

“Call a council. I cannot authorize the Blue Sword Command on my own authority. We must seek a collective agreement.”

“I will see to it.”

Namgung Seon stood abruptly and exited the room with purpose.

Left in the quiet, Namgung Hu stared out at the moon as it drifted behind a veil of clouds.

“Is a deluge of blood truly upon us?”

The light of the moon seemed to take on a sinister, crimson hue, as if reflecting a dark omen of what was to come.

—

“How were you able to identify me as the Sword Empress?”

The woman of middle age, Sword Empress Baek Ok Sang—renowned as the top-ranked figure in the Record of the Powerless—inquired with a soft smile.

“A presence of that caliber is not easily mistaken. Furthermore, since you arrived alongside Neung Sojeo, the conclusion was obvious.”

“Fair enough. It’s a pleasure. I realize it is quite forward to arrive without notice, but given the intensity of the current rumors, I couldn’t restrain my curiosity.”

“It is no trouble.”

In contrast to Sima Geon’s composed smile, Cheol Woo’s face was etched with clear irritation.

“Hah! You claim it’s forward, yet you start by challenging us—what kind of logic is that?”

Jin Lim shot a worried look toward him but lacked the courage to intervene or move forward.

“My energy slipped out unintentionally. It is a lingering habit that surfaces when I encounter formidable warriors. A stubborn trait I haven’t quite mastered, even at my age. It wasn’t meant as a provocation—just a subtle introduction.”

With her indirect apology, Cheol Woo found he had no room to continue his protest.

As the pressure in the air began to dissipate, Neung So Hwa and Jin Lim, who had been watching with bated breath, finally relaxed.

“Please overlook his manner. He has been preoccupied with a trivial sense of competition lately and isn’t quite himself.”

Sima Geon cast a warning look at Cheol Woo before offering a respectful bow of apology. The Sword Empress’s smile returned.

“A sense of competition is vital for any martial artist who wishes to ascend. Though, naturally, an obsession can lead to one’s downfall.”

Cheol Woo looked away, his expression souring at the unsolicited advice.

“Please, have a seat. We are guests here ourselves, so we can only offer tea.”

Sima Geon motioned toward the seating, but the Sword Empress declined with a slight movement of her head.

“Could we perhaps have a word in private?”

Sima Geon hesitated for a heartbeat, searching her eyes, before nodding in agreement.

“I was beginning to feel a bit restless indoors anyway.”

Sima Geon gestured for Cheol Woo—who was visibly agitated—to remain where he was, and then he stepped out of the room.

“You two should stay here as well.”

Following the Sword Empress’s instruction, Neung So Hwa and Jin Lim stayed behind, feeling out of place.

“Do you have any suspicion about what this is regarding?”

Noe Jeon, unable to stay silent, whispered his question.

“I’m not sure… I really don’t know.”

Neung So Hwa shook her head, looking concerned.

“It’s annoying, isn’t it? The reason is plain to see.”

“Do you understand the motive, Deputy Leader?”

“She wants a duel.”

“What?”

“She was testing us from the moment she walked in. A master of the Sword Empress’s caliber would recognize the boss’s strength immediately. Do you think she’d just sit still? Not a chance. Especially not someone with her reputation for being competitive.”

“How can you be so certain she’s competitive?”

Jin Lim whispered urgently.

“Does the title ‘Sword Empress’ not say enough? You don’t climb to that position without a burning desire to be the best.”

Cheol Woo shifted his focus toward Neung So Hwa.

“The fact that she was willing to interfere even during the old man’s funeral rites proves that the current Sword Empress is not one to overlook a challenge.”

—

“The Heavenly Demon Cult is making its move.”

The Sword Empress kept a close eye on Sima Geon’s face as she delivered the news.

“Were you aware?”

“I had received word that they were exerting force upon the Ha Hu Clan.”

“It has progressed far beyond mere force.”

Sima Geon’s face darkened at the gravity in her voice.

“Are you saying they might launch a direct assault on this location?”

“As I said—they have already begun their mobilization.”

“Manchu—that is, the contact in the Beggars’ Gang. I haven’t received any unusual reports from him yet.”

“No. The Beggars’ Gang will be aware of the shift by now.”

“How can you be so certain, Sword Empress?”

She met Sima Geon’s inquiry with a question of her own.

“Are you familiar with the background of the Sword Pavilion?”

“Not extensively.”

“Its roots go deep. Much deeper than the public realizes. With a history like ours, even if one remains secluded, a great deal of information finds its way to our ears.”

“That is a fair point.”

Her brief smile at his measured response quickly vanished, replaced by a look of concern.

“The issue at hand is that this conflict extends far beyond the Ha Hu Clan.”

“I have heard that the Alliance Leader of Jiangnan will not remain passive.”

“Do you truly understand the implications of that?”

Sima Geon paused for a moment of reflection, then gave a slow nod.

“The Great War of Righteousness and Evil is returning.”

“Precisely. The carnage that the Heavenly Demon orchestrated in the past is about to be reenacted.”

“Will the Murim Alliance not attempt to negotiate a peace before it escalates?”

“That remains to be seen. Their recent behavior doesn’t offer much hope. But let me ask you something, Sima.”

“Go ahead.”

“Even if the Alliance tries to step in—or if the Ha Hu Clan offers the apology they are demanding—do you believe the Heavenly Demon Cult will truly halt their advance?”

Sima Geon found it difficult to provide a simple answer. He ran through the sequence of recent events in his mind before finally shaking his head.

“No. The Ha Hu Clan was merely a pretext from the very beginning.”

“What leads you to that conclusion?”

“I witnessed it. The various demonic sects, which had been fractured for centuries, have finally coalesced under the Heavenly Demon Cult. Tremendous blood was shed to achieve that unity, but it resulted in the demonic faction becoming more powerful than ever before. Now, a new leader has taken the helm—one whose temperament is vastly different from his predecessor. He undoubtedly has loyalists, but there must be those who oppose him as well. To suppress internal friction and cement his authority, he will redirect that internal pressure toward an external enemy.”

“My thoughts align with yours. Conflict is unavoidable for those reasons. The concern is that another shadow is stretching across the murim.”

“A shadow…?”

“Are you acquainted with the history of the Blood Cult?”

Sima Geon’s expression turned stone-cold at the mention of the name.