“Can you resolve it?”
“......”
“The head of the Jin family is at the Harmony realm. And recently, all Five Great Families entered the Murim Alliance. The Murim Alliance has Gun Mugeol. Yes, as all of you know well, he is a supreme master who has reached the pinnacle.”
“......”
“If we move rashly, we alone will die. We may become the tail that gets cut off.”
“...Master! Are you saying we should just sit still and wait to die?”
That was when Mak Hwicheon shouted.
With a heavy boom, the doors of the grand hall opened.
No.
They had not opened.
They had been pushed open.
Someone outside had shoved them wide.
Every gaze turned toward the doors.
The light came from behind.
Because of the sunlight streaming in from outside, their faces could not be seen. Only black silhouettes.
Not one person.
Four.
The one standing at the front took a step forward.
The light fell away.
He was a young man.
He wore a black robe. A single sword hung at his waist. His eyes were cold. His face was expressionless.
The Red Demon’s eyes widened.
He could not believe it.
That man had truly come.
He had not dismissed what had been said in the grand hall as idle talk, but he had never imagined the man would arrive this quickly.
And at the main headquarters’ grand hall back then, there had been only one person from Red Spirit Court.
The Red Demon.
That was why only he recognized him. The others did not.
“Who are you! Who dares interrupt this meeting—”
Mak Hwicheon could not finish his shout.
Because the man’s cold gaze had touched him.
It felt as though his very spirit were being wrung dry.
Then the middle-aged man behind the young man stepped forward.
“This is Lord Seol Unhwi, Blood Heaven Arbiter of the Blood Heaven Sect. Everyone, show proper respect.”
It was Chief Seong.
At his words, the grand hall froze.
Blood Heaven Arbiter.
The position directly beneath the Heavenly Wayfarer in the Blood Heaven Sect.
Everyone was stunned for a moment.
So their reactions came late.
The fastest among them was still the Red Demon.
He sprang up from his seat.
“Blood Heaven Arb—!”
“Please remain seated.”
The voice was calm.
But it carried a weight that could not be refused.
The Red Demon stopped mid-sentence, frozen in place. He shook himself out of it.
There was a more important question he had to ask.
“...What brings the Blood Heaven Arbiter here?”
“I believe I told you in the grand hall.”
Unhwi looked around the hall.
Twelve executives.
All of them stared at him with frozen expressions.
“I clearly said that once the Thunder Demon Cult’s matter was handled, I would handle Red Spirit Court’s matter next. Do you not remember?”
The Red Demon swallowed hard.
“...I remember. But have you already settled the Thunder Demon Cult’s matter?”
“It seems your news is very late.”
Unhwi looked around again.
“I understand. You must have had many concerns while facing off against the Murim Alliance. And...”
Unhwi paused for a moment, then continued with a faint, strange smile.
“Your subordinates likely had no room to turn their attention elsewhere. I understand all of it.”
Everyone lost the words to respond.
Unhwi continued slowly.
“I had not heard the details back then, so I gathered some information myself.”
“......”
“I’m asking to confirm. Is it true that the Jin family blocked the trade route?”
“...Yes.”
“For one month.”
“That is correct.”
“What exactly have you been doing all this time?”
The Red Demon’s face stiffened.
“...I submitted a petition to this seat.”
“And?”
“...There was no answer.”
“So you simply sat here doing nothing?”
Silence.
Unhwi let out a faint laugh.
It was not simple amusement.
It was mockery.
“Red Spirit Court is a branch of the Blood Heaven Sect.”
Unhwi began walking slowly into the grand hall.
“A branch is being pressured by the enemy. Its source of funds has been blocked. Its throat is being squeezed.”
One step.
Then another.
“And yet for nearly a month, you did nothing but sit here and submit petitions?”
“...But without this seat’s permission...”
“Permission?”
Unhwi stopped.
He stood before the Red Demon.
“Since when did Red Spirit Court become an organization that asks permission?”
“......”
“The Blood Heaven Sect is a group of the strong. Does the strong ask permission because it is difficult to deal with the weak? Does the strong bow its head to the enemy? Since when did a branch of this sect become such a spineless organization?”
Everyone clenched their fists.
The Red Demon did the same.
He glared at Unhwi with blazing eyes.
Unhwi glared back at the Red Demon.
“Master. Right now, you are bowing your head.”
The Red Demon’s face flushed red.
It was shame.
“...Am I supposed to apologize?”
“No. You do not need to.”
“Isn’t that what you want?”
Judging by the situation, it looked as if Unhwi were trying to seize the initiative and force an apology from the Red Demon.
But that was not it.
“Looking at your eyes, I’ve confirmed that your spirit has not been broken.”
“......”
“That is enough.”
Unhwi turned away.
“Where is the trade route?”
“...Pardon?”
“The place the Jin family is blocking. I asked where it is.”
The Red Demon stared blankly.
Mak Hwicheon answered in his place.
“The... the western Yellow Sand Pass. It is half a day from here by horse.”
Unhwi looked at Mak Hwicheon.
“Elder?”
“...Yes. My introduction is late. I am Mak Hwicheon, Third Elder of Red Spirit Court.”
“Guide me.”
“...Pardon?”
“Right now.”
Unhwi walked toward the door.
The Red Demon hurriedly called out.
“W-Wait, Blood Heaven Arbiter!”
Unhwi did not stop.
“The Jin family has masters. Their family head is at the Harmony realm, and beneath him...”
“So?”
Unhwi turned his head.
“Is that a problem?”
“...The fight may grow larger. The Five Great Families have entered the Murim Alliance, and in order to protect their reputation, they may pressure Red Spirit Court...”
“So in the end, you are worried about the Murim Alliance’s intervention.”
“...If they intervene...”
“If they intervene?”
Unhwi turned fully around.
“If they intervene, will war break out?”
“......”
“Or will the martial world be overturned?”
Unhwi looked around and continued in a firm tone.
“If it overturns, then it overturns.”
The grand hall fell silent.
“If war breaks out, then it breaks out.”
Everyone lifted their heads.
“I have no interest in the unification of the martial world. This seat feels the same.”
Unhwi stepped closer.
“Master.”
“...Yes.”
“As I said in the grand hall, I am fully aware that within the sect—and of course among the branches—there are many voices calling for the unification of the martial world.”
“......”
“But everything moves according to this seat’s will. If this seat dislikes it, then it becomes something that must not be done. But if you spend your time watching for signs and fail to do what must be done, that is disloyalty among all disloyalties.”
“...Then you mean...”
“Yes. I know what you fear, Red Demon. You worry that this may become a fuse that drags not only the sect but even the other branches into conflict.”
“......”
“But you are thinking about this incorrectly.”
“...Pardon?”
“The enemy has come. And they are strangling you. Yet you lower your head? That is not the Blood Heaven Sect.”
Unhwi’s eyes shone coldly.
“In a world governed by the law of the strong, how can the strong fear the weak? If the weak dare to crawl upward, you take up the rod. If they act to protect their reputation, then you make them realize they chose the wrong opponent.”
Silence.
No one could speak.
“If that leads to war between the Blood Heaven Sect and the Murim Alliance, then war will simply happen. If that results in the Blood Heaven Sect’s victory and the unification of the martial world, then that is what will happen. You said this seat gave no answer. Is that correct?”
“...Yes.”
“No. This seat already gave an answer.”
“...What do you...”
“You already know what you must do as Blood people.”
“......”
“That is why you are hesitating. This seat answered with silence because someone who already knew the answer asked the question. The answer is already inside you, so realize it yourself.”
The Red Demon’s eyes widened.
“And war is not something that breaks out so easily.”
“...Pardon?”
“How many times must I say it? The unification of the martial world depends on this seat’s will.”
Everyone who had been interpreting those words soon opened their eyes wide. Some even sprang up from their seats.
“I am not speaking only of the Blood Heaven Sect. The entire Central Plains lies in his hand. Even at this very moment.”
Unhwi’s eyes remained firm.
“Even if the Murim Alliance wishes to start a war, it will not happen unless he permits it. Even if it does happen, it will not last long before being suppressed. If that is what he decides.”
“......”
“That is enough talk. We leave at once. Elder Mak Hwicheon.”
“...Yes!”
“Come out and guide me.”
Unhwi left the grand hall as he was.
Chief Seong, Ju Soa, and Namgung Wonyang followed behind him.
The Red Demon stood blankly in place.
Second Elder Son Baengnyeong asked quietly.
“...Master. What will you do?”
The Red Demon opened his mouth.
“...What else?”
He rose from his seat.
“I have to follow.”
“Master!”
Great Elder Ha Sangryun tried to stop him.
“This is dangerous. The opponent is the Jin family. Without knowing their full strength...”
“Great Elder.”
The Red Demon looked at Ha Sangryun.
“Did you not hear what he just said?”
“......”
“He asked how the strong could fear the weak.”
The Red Demon drew the blade at his waist.
A heavy sound rang out.
“I am the master of Red Spirit Court. And I stand as the head of one of the five great branches that serve the Blood Heaven Sect, the greatest organization in the Central Plains. Yet for a month, I was frightened by those Jin family bastards and did nothing but submit petitions.”
He rested the blade on his shoulder.
“I am so ashamed I feel like biting off my own tongue and dying.”
“......”
“Yes. That man’s words... no, the Blood Heaven Arbiter’s words are correct. How can the strong be afraid? How did one of the five pillars supporting the great Blood Heaven Sect become a rabbit, cowering in advance before worries about the future?”
He walked toward the door.
“I intend to do what must be done, even if it is only now.”
His eyes shone with clarity.
***
Yellow Sand Pass.
It was a key point along the trade route leading to the Western Regions.
A road ran through a narrow canyon. Cliffs rose on both sides. If this place was blocked, the detour took three more days.
The Jin family had encamped here.
Roughly three hundred men.
They had erected a wooden barricade at the entrance to the canyon. There were watchtowers as well.
It was organized.
The Jin family’s banner fluttered in the wind.
There was a command tent in front of the barricade.
A man sat inside.
He was middle-aged. A sword rested across his knees, and his eyes were closed.
A guest master of the Jin family.
Iron-Resolve Sword Emperor Maeng Jeung.
At the very edge of the Manifestation of the Boundless realm.
He was one of the strongest masters personally dispatched by the head of the Jin family.
“Guest Master Maeng.”
A voice came from outside.
Maeng Jeung opened his eyes.
“What is it?”
“From Red Spirit Court... a group is approaching.”
“Red Spirit Court?”
Maeng Jeung rose from his seat, puzzled.
He stepped out of the command tent.
Dust could be seen in the distance.
A mounted group.
There were about fifteen of them.
“...Huh.”
Maeng Jeung snorted.
“They’ve been holed up like frightened mutts for a month. How rare.”
It truly was rare.
“What should we do?”
“What else? Drive them away, of course.”
Maeng Jeung walked to the front of the wooden barricade.
The Jin family martial artists lined up.
Three hundred men.
Killing intent surged from them.
The group drew closer.
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