When Taishan Yiquan was killed by Tianhui's strike, the Bawang Men disciples, including the Taijing Unit members, all surrendered to the Bifeng Shangdan.
And as the blaze was quickly suppressed under Gao Jiying's orders, the Bifeng Shangdan began to regain its stability.
The Bawang Men's onslaught, which initially seemed like it would completely destroy everything, ended with an ease that felt almost absurd.
However, the wounds and sacrifices the Bifeng Shangdan sustained remained unhealed.
Not only the expert warriors they had painstakingly recruited, but even more than half of the servants had all become guests who would never return.
That was not all.
No matter how well the blaze was suppressed, the pavilions of the Bifeng Shangdan were either burned down or smashed to pieces, creating a scene of absolute chaos, and the surroundings were filled with the scent of blood and corpses.
It would take at least half a year, requiring an astronomical amount of time and money, just to sort out the internal affairs. The damage was so severe that Gao Jiying and Yan Suran felt their insides burn with bitterness.
However, there was no particular way to break through this situation.
Demand compensation from Bawang Men?
It was impossible unless they were crazy.
They were an evil sect of the Murim. The moment compensation was demanded, they would take it as a justification and launch an all-out attack.
Even so, they couldn't ask the government office for help just because they were attacked.
They would surely cut ties, claiming they were not their subordinates.
Was it the first or second time they had experienced this?
Their goods had been stolen by the Lulin several times, but they had always turned a blind eye.
It was a clumsy tactic obvious to anyone, but they had no choice but to fall for it every time.
Because the government office, which did not want to get involved in Murim affairs, accepted their words.
'If it happens like that again this time...'
Gao Jiying's face contorted.
If the same result occurred this time, the ones with the headache would be them.
Not only would the compensation be gone, but they would also end up giving Bawang Men a justification.
"Furthermore, Baigui Cheng is behind Bawang Men... Sigh."
Sighs kept escaping from his mouth, as he had somehow become deeply entangled in the Murim.
In the end, there was only one thing to rely on.
An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
Force for force, the laws of the Murim for the laws of the Murim.
"Only the help of the Huashan Sect."
* * *
In one of the relatively intact rooms among the shattered pavilions of the Bifeng Shangdan, Tianhui, the Plum Blossom Swordsmen, Gao Jiying, and Yan Suran sat around a table.
At that moment, Gao Jiying, who had been sitting, stood up and politely bowed his head.
"I will never forget the grace you have shown in helping this Shangdan."
At his action, the Plum Blossom Swordsmen, including Xue Lan, panicked and all stood up.
"It's nothing."
"It's fine."
"It was something we naturally had to do."
"If it's Senior Chijian's business, it is our business as well."
Gao Jiying smiled softly as he watched the flustered Plum Blossom Swordsmen.
Normally, Murim martial artists did not leave a very good impression on merchants.
This was because Murim martial artists were all haughty and highly prideful.
Moreover, the Murim martial artists they frequently encountered were the Lulin or the Changjiang Shulu Shibazhai (Yangtze River Waterway Eighteen Strongholds), which might have created a prejudice.
'They were the kind of people who thought they could order around even the largest Shangdan at any time.'
Gao Jiying smiled bitterly.
Because to them, the blade right before their eyes was closer than the imperial laws.
But now, that prejudice was shattered.
'So this is the Righteous Sect, the Huashan Sect.'
Looking at these people who felt awkward receiving gratitude despite having fought with their lives on the line, a delighted smile continued to linger on his lips.
'It was a good decision to send Xian to the Huashan Sect.'
It wasn't for nothing that the Daoists of the Huashan Sect were respected by the common people.
Then he looked at Tianhui.
Tianhui, as if he couldn't care less, just sat there with an expression showing not even the slightest interest.
It was a quite rude attitude, but he didn't say anything to him.
The help they received was too great, and he had already heard about him from Chijian.
'Did he say he was free-spirited?'
While he was scanning Tianhui like that.
"Father."
Chijian, who had stood up from the opposite side, signaled Gao Jiying to sit back down.
"Haha."
Gao Jiying, who laughed, sat down and then murmured in a low voice towards Tianhui.
"Could you tell me how many reinforcements will be coming next?"
Tianhui glanced at Gao Jiying.
Seeing Gao Jiying's eyes filled with immense expectation, Tianhui shattered his expectations.
"There are none."
"...Is that so?"
Gao Jiying's face darkened.
"Do you, benefactor, know who is targeting this Shangdan right now?"
"Isn't it Bawang Men?"
Tianhui answered immediately as if asking, 'Why ask something so obvious?'
"So you do know. Then do you know what kind of place Bawang Men is?"
"I know roughly. Well, I heard it's a rising new sect recently."
As soon as Gao Jiying heard Tianhui's answer, he spoke quickly as if he had been waiting for this.
"It is an evil sect that has been making a name for itself within Shaanxi recently. Lately, it has been closely following Baigui Cheng and expanding its power..."
The moment he scanned the Plum Blossom Swordsmen while speaking, Tianhui grasped his intent.
"In other words, what you're saying, Shangdan Master, is that you're anxious that our strength won't be enough to stop their attacks."
"To be honest, yes."
Gao Jiying made a troubled expression.
It was a rude thing to say, but it was the truth.
Bawang Men was a rising sect displaying its might recently. Yet, the reinforcements from the Huashan Sect were only six people.
And that too, five Plum Blossom Swordsmen who had just passed twenty, and their young commander.
Bawang Men versus six young Daoists of the Huashan Sect.
Who could look at this and not think it was a foolish act of trying to smash a rock with an egg?
Of course, he knew that the Plum Blossom Swordsmen were a top-tier fighting force within the Huashan Sect, and that Tianhui, who commanded them, was outstanding.
However, he couldn't help but feel anxious.
'I can't send Xian to the slaughterhouse. Moreover, for the sake of the Bifeng Shangdan, reinforcements from the Huashan Sect are absolutely necessary.'
Having finished his calculations quickly, he poured out the information he had just obtained.
"Of course, I am well aware that the skills of you, benefactor, and the Plum Blossom Swordsmen are outstanding. But..."
Gao Jiying stopped speaking midway, gathered their attention, and lowered his voice.
"Bawang Men has a backer."
"A backer?"
For a moment, the Plum Blossom Swordsmen flinched.
Bawang Men alone was already a massive sect, so if they had a backer...
"Don't tell me..."
Gao Jiying said, his eyes sinking.
"It is Baigui Cheng."
"...!"
The Plum Blossom Swordsmen groaned.
It was exactly as they had suspected.
'Of all things, Baigui Cheng.'
Their faces were stained with despair.
They could consider taking on Bawang Men, but Baigui Cheng was a different story.
The six pillars supporting the Sihei Lian.
One of the Liuhuang Men, a great sect second only to the Nine Sects and One Clan, was Baigui Cheng.
Furthermore, wasn't Baigui Cheng ranked among the top in the Liuhuang Men in the past?
Of course, due to an incident thirteen years ago, their power had diminished, and they maintained a silence close to sealing their doors, but who could ignore Baigui Cheng?
Even the Huashan Sect, their sworn enemies, could never ignore them.
Rather, they were even more vigilant.
Because they knew their strength well.
"Is it really Baigui Cheng?"
Chijian asked again to confirm.
"It's hard to believe, but it is true."
"Good heavens."
"Baigui Cheng..."
As the Plum Blossom Swordsmen hung their heads.
'What's the big deal about Baigui Cheng?'
Tianhui showed a lukewarm reaction.
He, of course, also knew about Baigui Cheng, but he didn't think much of it.
'They're a sect that could be cleaned up just by sending the Sword Demon, so why are they so scared?'
His standards were different from others.
That was only natural, for he was the Cult Master of the Cheonma Divine Cult, a force that no sect throughout history could challenge as a single power.
No matter how much Baigui Cheng wielded its infamous reputation in the Central Plains, to him, it was just another ordinary sect.
While letting it go in one ear, words he had heard before crossed his mind.
'Come to think of it, wasn't Baigui Cheng the place that had bad blood with the Huashan Sect?'
As he recalled the bad blood with Baigui Cheng, which Xiandao and Xianqing had passionately lectured about until their mouths went dry, Gao Jiying spoke up.
"Now that we know Baigui Cheng is behind Bawang Men, we must send a letter to the Huashan Sect requesting reinforcements."
Tianhui made eye contact with Gao Jiying, who was looking at him while speaking, and parted his lips.
"Well, do as you please with that."
Tianhui was completely uninterested.
Requesting reinforcements from the Huashan Sect, or whatever.
What did that have to do with him?
He just needed to do what he had to do.
"Thank you. Then I will send a letter to the Huashan Sect, so in the meantime, you can rest comfortably at this Shangdan."
As Gao Jiying spoke with relief.
"But when are we eating? My stomach is going to stick to my back at this rate."
Tianhui casually threw out.
While everyone was flustered by Tianhui's sudden remark, Gao Jiying came to his senses.
"Hahaha, I will prepare it right away."
Laughing, he whispered to Yan Suran, who was fidgeting beside him.
"Dear."
"I understand."
As Yan Suran stood up to go outside.
"While you're at it, I'd like a meat dish, please."
"Yes? A meat dish?"
"...!"
Chijian and Xue Lan squeezed their eyes shut, and the rest of the Plum Blossom Swordsmen were terrified.
"Martial Uncle!"
"Eating meat, what do you mean..."
"Hahaha."
Gao Jiying, watching the Plum Blossom Swordsmen desperately trying to stop Tianhui, also asked urgently.
"Even though the Huashan Sect is close to the secular world, don't they still abstain from meat?"
"Well, they say that, but."
"Then eating meat is..."
"It's fine as long as we don't get caught."
The Plum Blossom Swordsmen, seeing Tianhui answering nonchalantly as if it were no big deal, lost their words and turned pale.
Startled, Yan Suran glanced at Chijian, but he was nodding his head.
'Accept it.'
Yan Suran briefly questioned his gesture, but accepted the request.
"Ah, I understand."
After she left, a strange silence flowed through the room until the food arrived.
* * *
Inside the room where darkness had fallen.
"It's been a while since I've had a meat dish."
Perhaps because he was eating a properly cooked meat dish, unlike the simply roasted meat at the Huashan Sect, he was in a good mood.
"Plus, there's even a bed."
He flopped down onto the bed.
Feeling the soft texture of the bed instead of a hard floor, a satisfied smile naturally formed on his lips.
"But it's a bit of a shame."
Tianhui fidgeted with his hands.
"They all died before I could even properly unfold some martial arts to my heart's content..."
Muttering, Tianhui suddenly recalled the mission the Sect Master had earnestly entrusted to him.
'He told me to protect the Bifeng Shangdan so it wouldn't fall into danger, right?'
As he reminisced, he came up with a way to solve this mission.
A way to cut off the buds of threat against the Bifeng Shangdan, and to satisfy this fierce craving.
"That should do it."
Smiling sinisterly, Tianhui rose from the bed.
Along with that, he hung the Bailian Sword, which he had placed on the wall before washing, back at his waist, and stared blankly at the moon hanging outside the window.
The bluish moon was split in half, scattering moonlight in all directions.
"The timing is just right too."
He grabbed the windowsill and leaped.
"Let's do some post-meal exercise."
In an instant, his Daoist robes and the red plum blossoms slowly began to be dyed in the darkness.