39. The Spring and Autumn Period of Martial Arts

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Nangong Hyuk and his party, having returned to the Nangong Family’s main residence, were able to hear the news that Zhejiang Province had been half-occupied by the Harem Palace, led by Yoo Eun.

Although the Harem Palace and Im Seo-hyun came down under the pretense of being vanguards of Goryeo, aiming to destroy the Ewha Palace and divide the Orthodox and Unorthodox Murim, they felt a bit awkward when things actually unfolded that way.

 

 

“Anyway, you came at the right time. I was just about to send a messenger pigeon to call you, you rascal.”

 

Righteous Gentleman, Nangong Geo-hwi.

Praised as one of the Ten Greatest Masters of the World, he was a man who received the support of not only martial artists but also ordinary people, thanks to his gentlemanly and benevolent actions and constant generosity.

 

As soon as he heard the news that the Harem Palace had risen greatly in Zhejiang, he summoned his disciples and retainers from each branch and business and made thorough preparations.

He was determined to raise an elite force and enter Zhejiang at any moment, if necessary.

 

 

“I dropped everything and rushed here, hyung-nim.”

“Good. It’s good to see you.”

 

 

Geo-hwi nodded and then turned his gaze to Yoo-i.

 

 

“Yoo-i, have you been well?”

“Yes, Father.”

“Any achievements?”

“…Nothing much to speak of. I’m sorry.”

“There’s no need to rush. Other people’s words mean nothing. It’s important to go in the right direction, even if it’s slow.”

“Thank you, Father.”

 

He asked his daughter, whom he was meeting after a long time, about various things, but in the end, he closed his mouth when he was about to ask one last thing.

His wife, Peng So-ryeon, who was next to him, guessed something and opened her mouth instead.

 

 

“Yoo-i, I heard you met Geom… no, Jan Sal-ma. Were you harmed in any way?”

 

Geo-hwi was startled, and Nangong Hyuk shook his head as he looked at him.

Yoo-i thought for a moment and nodded.

 

 

“Yes… she only took Gongcheong Seok-yu and the elixirs made from it from the Blood Cult’s vault, but she didn’t do anything to me. Rather… it seemed like she was trying to give me something.”

“Trying to give you something?”

“Yes.”

 

A fleeting memory.

Seryeon had definitely told her and her members something cryptic.

 

 

“‘The movement of Qi is breathing, inner energy is nature, the body is nature, and nature is existence.'”

“?!”

“That’s what she said to me… but I am lacking and couldn’t understand anything.”

“…Such dangerous words!”

 

 

Geo-hwi, who had been silent since the story of Jan Sal-ma came out, suddenly became angry and punched down.

 

 

“F, Father?”

“…It’s nothing. Yoo-i.”

“Yes.”

“There’s no need to dwell on that bitch’s words. Forget about it.”

“…I understand.”

 

 

She was surprised by the violent reaction that she had never seen before, but Yoo-i complied with his words and answered that she would.

But how easy is it to forget something you’ve heard once?

The human brain forgets what it should remember and remembers what it should forget.

Contrary to Geo-hwi’s intention, Seryeon’s advice became an opportunity for Yoo-i to engrave it in her mind.

 

 

 

 

 

After a brief greeting, Geo-hwi dismissed everyone else, leaving only his younger brother, Hyuk-man.

 

 

“Judging by the timing, my messenger pigeon wouldn’t have reached you yet, so what’s the reason for returning so quickly? And with all your family.”

 

 

When Hyuk briefly explained what had happened at the Murim Alliance, Geo-hwi nodded with a serious face.

To subdue even a Jangro of the Hwasan Sect with a single move. He’s no ordinary powerhouse.

 

 

“Hyung-nim.”

“?”

“A woman named Im Seo-hyun is a person of interest.”

“Yes… she’s already famous anyway. They say she’s being called the Golden-Haired Enchantress.”

“Golden-Haired Enchantress…”

 

 

Her beauty, which was clearly noticeable even from afar, and her overwhelming martial arts prowess. Thanks to that, she was already being called by a plausible Murim name in Zhejiang.

 

 

“The Alliance Leader’s expression wasn’t very good when he looked at her. Perhaps…”

“Are you saying she might be stronger than the Alliance Leader?”

“…I doubt that’s the case, but there’s a high possibility that she’s comparable.”

“Heo-heo… this is truly worrying. To think she’d be such a powerhouse.”

“Still, it’s as if all the power of our Nangong Family has been gathered, so we should be fine if we’re careful.”

“It’s not quite like that. There are too many powerhouses. There are already three women suspected of being at the Transcendental Realm.”

“T, Transcendental…?!”

 

 

Nangong Hyuk was startled by the unexpected words.

 

 

The Transcendental Realm is not something to be taken lightly.

Even the head of a decent great sect usually stops at the late stage of the Supreme Realm, and the vast majority of martial artists die without even touching a hair of the Transcendental Realm.

 

But there are at least three people with such skills?

 

“Yes. In particular, the Explosive Fist Peak and the Cherry Blossom Divine Maiden, who practically destroyed the Ewha Palace, are reported to be at least at the Middle Transcendental Realm.”

“…”

 

 

Nangong Hyuk lost his words at the more serious situation than he had expected.

He had come down with the determination to risk everything he had for Im Seo-hyun, but it turned out that there were two women who were comparable to her, or even more so.

 

The average of the Ten Greatest Masters of the World is the Middle Transcendental Realm. The supreme realm of freely manipulating Sword Qi and cutting anything.

Form is meaningless, there are only lines and dots, and standing outside the realm of humanity to the extent that one can be called a one-man army is the Middle Transcendental Realm.

 

 

And there are two of them?

I can’t believe it.

 

 

“And this is confidential…”

 

 

As if that wasn’t the end, Geo-hwi looked around at the empty surroundings and lowered his body.

 

 

“There’s information that Jan Sal-ma is cooperating with them.”

“Yes??!”

 

What kind of nonsense is this?

The Harem Palace destroyed the Ewha Palace, but Jan Sal-ma, the Palace Lord of that Ewha Palace, is cooperating with the Harem Palace?

 

Of course, he had set up such a hypothesis.

The Harem Palace is the vanguard of Goryeo, and Yeo Seryeon vacated her position under the pretext of Black Sky Journey when the Ewha Palace was in danger in exchange for receiving information about the Blood Cult’s vault from the Harem Palace.

 

 

But that was just a lump of delusion hastily made up to come down south, not a deduction based on thorough facts.

 

 

But when he actually came and looked at the situation, what he thought was a delusion was almost becoming a reality.

 

 

 

“It’s not just Jan Sal-ma. The entire Ewha Palace is moving with them.”

“Then… you’re saying they weren’t destroyed.”

“That’s right. Only the buildings were burned.”

“Why would they do that…?”

“There’s one thing that comes to mind.”

 

Geo-hwi was silent for a moment.

An extremely heavy atmosphere settled down.

 

 

“It seems that the Ewha Palace has allied with Goryeo to create a new force.”

 

 

A thought that was similar to Nangong Hyuk’s delusion, yet different.

He believed that the Ewha Palace, especially Jan Sal-ma, had joined hands with Goryeo to build her own power.

 

 

Coincidentally, looking at the geographical conditions, the Ewha Palace can communicate with Goryeo as much as it wants.

Of course, the Bota Sect is a bit of a problem, but frankly, the Bota Sect is insignificant compared to the Ewha Palace, so it won’t be a big obstacle.

 

 

“The way they’re moving right now is exactly like that. The Harem Palace and the Ewha Palace have joined hands and are spreading throughout Zhejiang, sweeping through government and Murim alike. Perhaps…”

“A rebellion?!”

 

Geo-hwi nodded heavily.

 

 

A rebellion.

The worst crime that would result in the extermination of nine generations if even slightly involved.

 

Throwing everything away for the sole purpose of replacing the imperial family and becoming the emperor oneself is like a moth flying into a flame.

 

 

“The timing is very delicate. The Murim of Goryeo formed an alliance at this time. And the Ewha Palace and the Harem Palace are rampaging in Zhejiang.”

“Hmm…”

 

 

Nangong Hyuk let out an unpleasant groan as his delusion roughly matched.

Did it feel like things weren’t going as he wanted? It felt like it was creaking before it even started properly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next day.

 

 

Geo-hwi, judging that most of the forces that had been out in the provinces had returned, gathered the family’s military power in the training grounds.

 

Transcendental Realm – 2 people (including Nangong Geo-hwi)

Supreme Realm – 31 people

 

Top-Tier – Approximately two hundred people

First-Rate – Approximately seven hundred people

Second-Rate – Approximately twelve hundred people

Third-Rate – Approximately three thousand people

 

A tremendous force of about five thousand three hundred.

Considering that the total number of warriors directly under the Orthodox Murim headquarters, the Murim Alliance, is 30,000, this is truly an enormous scale.

Literally, the greatest family in the world.

 

The warriors in the front row were holding the Nangong Family’s flag in their right hands, maintaining a motionless posture.

The huge flag fluttering in the wind created a strange sense of impending war.

 

 

The atmosphere made it seem like they were about to go to war right away, but in fact, it was just a place to announce the future direction of the family and convey messages such as bracing themselves for a big war and engaging in training.

 

 

 

Finally, the Family Head, Nangong Geo-hwi, ascended the platform, and the eyes of the five thousand warriors turned to him.

Just as he was about to open his mouth, a warrior who had hurriedly flown in from the distant gate using lightness skill crossed the five thousand warriors and went straight to Geo-hwi.

 

 

Normally, he would have waited until his speech was over and delivered it when they were alone, but it seemed to be a very urgent matter.

 

 

“What’s going on?”

“…”

 

 

The warrior prostrating before him was silent for a while.

Cold sweat was flowing.

 

 

“What’s going on that you’re taking so long?”

 

His mouth finally opens at Geo-hwi’s urging.

 

 

 

“The Bota Sect… has been destroyed…!!”