Deep within the Murim Alliance.
In a room with a serene atmosphere, a middle-aged man was wielding a brush on the white paper placed before him.
Swoosh— Swoosh—
How many times did elongated lines appear on the paper following the middle-aged man's gentle hand movements?
A short while later, an orchid overflowing with vitality was completed on the white paper.
The middle-aged man looked at the completed orchid painting and held a satisfied smile at the corner of his mouth.
"Hmm. This time it's quite good."
The face of the middle-aged man as he put down his brush and raised his head was truly impressive.
A slender jaw and a high nose bridge.
Not only that, his gentle eyes indicated that he must have been a handsome man renowned throughout the world in his youth.
His identity, exuding an extraordinary impression and aura, was no ordinary man.
The Lord of the Murim Alliance, Xin Yi Jian Xia!
A phenomenal figure who rose to the position of Murim Alliance Lord with only a single sword, he was a hero that even the Nine Sects and One Clan would yield to.
Whooosh—
Hair neatly tied up flowed down through the hairpiece and brushed against his face at the blowing wind.
And that further amplified his already extraordinary aura.
Simultaneously, his lips slowly parted.
"You may come out now."
As soon as those words ended, a man appeared in the empty courtyard.
The man, whose age was impossible to gauge with half white and half black hair making it unclear whether he was an old man or a middle-aged one, looked at the drawn ink painting with indifferent eyes.
"It overflows with more vitality than before."
The man scanned the orchid painting in detail.
An ink painting drawn solely with ink was so full of vitality that it created the illusion of being a real orchid.
The Alliance Lord formed a wrinkled smile.
"It's thanks to you. I took your advice to try using the brush like a sword, and such a good result came out."
"I am glad it was of help, Alliance Lord."
A man who personally visits and faces the Alliance Lord alone, who hasn't stepped out of his room for several years.
He too was no ordinary person.
The Strategist of the Murim Alliance, Zhuge Kong.
A figure who remained alone in the Alliance even when the Zhuge Clan all defected, he was a man called the brain of the Murim Alliance.
"But isn't it quite interesting?"
The Alliance Lord, who was speaking, dropped the brush.
Roll, roll—
The brush, still stained with ink, rolled across the paper and dirtied the completed ink painting.
However, as if he had lost interest in the ink painting, he paid it no attention.
Instead, he raised his head and stared into the air.
Gazing at the location of the sparring arena, he let out a low voice.
"To think the Huashan Sect, not the Jian Ge or the Qingcheng Sect, has produced a master of the Heavenly Martial Realm. Who in the world would have expected it?"
"It is all due to my negligence."
The Strategist quickly bowed his head.
"I hastily predicted that the Huashan Sect would now decline and withdrew my attention."
"Not at all. I would have done the same."
The Alliance Lord brushed it off with a gentle smile.
"If the Strategist had predicted this situation, I would have suspected you of being an immortal."
The Alliance Lord uttered words mixed with jest.
If a master of the Heavenly Martial Realm had appeared from the Jian Ge, the Qingcheng Sect, or the other Nine Sects and One Clan, anyone would have understood.
Since they had accumulated power for a long time, they would be in the situation closest to their peak prosperity right now.
On the other hand, the Huashan Sect was not.
A state where it wouldn't be strange if they collapsed at any time.
It was a place walking the path of decline after experiencing the tragedy of the Yulin Blood Tragedy, where they lost the outstanding rising star, the Plum Blossom Sword Hero, and the Plum Blossom Sword Guards all at once.
That was why he too had not completely excluded the Huashan Sect.
"They say even a rotten mackerel is still a mackerel, so it's the Nine Sects and One Clan after all. We cannot ignore the accumulated potential built over a long time."
The Alliance Lord, who had been muttering quietly, asked the Strategist.
"I see the Beggar Sect has made contact with the Huashan Sect."
"That is correct."
"Does the Strategist think the Huashan Sect can fulfill the role of the Jian Ge or the Qingcheng Sect?"
"As you know, by tying with the Zhongnan Sword Saint this time, the reputation of the Huashan Divine Sword pierces the sky. Not only that, but the Plum Blossom Seven Swords, led recently by Yi Hong Mei, are also building their reputation by showing formidable skills..."
The Strategist's eyes narrowed.
"Not right away, but if given time, it is deemed sufficient. Furthermore, since they formed an alliance with the Beggar Sect, that time would have been further shortened."
"Is that your answer?"
The Alliance Lord stared intently at the Strategist, who quietly nodded instead of answering.
How long did he look like that?
"Hahaha."
The Alliance Lord burst into a hearty laugh.
Subsequently, he withdrew his aura and swept his long, beautiful beard once.
"My thoughts are the same as yours. The current Huashan Sect shows the momentum to soon catch up with the Jian Ge and the Qingcheng Sect... However."
In an instant, the atmosphere of the room changed.
The warm atmosphere from just a moment ago vanished, and air as cold as ice began to envelop the standing Strategist.
"But there is something wrong."
The Strategist's eyebrows twitched slightly.
"What is it?"
"The Zhongnan Sword Saint did not fight with all his might in the duel."
"...Are you saying the Zhongnan Sword Saint went easy on the Huashan Divine Sword?"
"Exactly."
The Alliance Lord's voice was calm.
"And the rumors circulating around are likely different from what is known."
His two eyes deepened like an abyss.
He knew about Bai Sha Shen.
His level of martial prowess, and the master who taught him.
Because of that, he didn't believe the rumor that the Huashan Divine Sword killed Bai Sha Shen at all.
"From the looks of it, there must have been someone who helped the Huashan Divine Sword from the shadows when defeating Bai Sha Shen."
The Strategist, grasping what the Alliance Lord was trying to say, spoke low.
"...I will look into it in detail."
At the Strategist's words, the Murim Alliance Lord erased his thoughts and held a faint smile.
"Haha. For the Strategist to move personally, it is truly reliable."
The Alliance Lord slowly rose from his seat.
Walking toward the courtyard where flowers bloomed, he fiddled with an orchid and asked.
"What about the Xie Hei Lian?"
"They are not budging at all."
"Hmm, as expected, the fall of Bai Gui Cheng is not enough to shake the Lotus Lord."
The conversation continued in a way that would leave anyone who knew the two well in bewilderment.
That was because the Murim Alliance Lord was a figure who had not stepped outside his residence for several years since becoming the Alliance Lord.
And what about the Strategist?
He was a man who had gone into hiding, leaving everything to his disciple and Vice-Strategist, Xue Jian.
Yet now, the two were conversing as if they knew everything about how the situation outside was unfolding.
"Do you think there will be a hitch in the plan?"
The Strategist shook his head.
"No. There were some twists and turns, but it is flowing smoothly. At this rate, the Nine Sects and One Clan will splinter into pieces within ten years as planned."
The Alliance Lord put his hands behind his back and straightened his posture.
"Haha, it's going well."
Having muttered that, he looked at the Strategist.
The Strategist's expression was indifferent.
However, the Murim Alliance Lord was reading it.
The deep resolve and determination hidden beneath the expressionless face that stood firm like a mask.
"Then proceed from now on."
* * *
Late at night, the corners of Tian Hui's mouth twitched as he practiced the Plum Blossom Divine Art and absorbed the cold energy remaining in his body.
The effects of daily Qi circulation while staying at the Murim Alliance began to show.
'Yes, it should be at least this much.'
A satisfied smile appeared on Tian Hui's lips as he observed his roughly accumulated internal energy.
The Yin energy of the Spiritual Physique of the Supreme Yin, which he had only encountered in texts, was purer and cleaner than anything else.
'What's left is only about half. In two or three days, I should be able to absorb it all.'
Feeling the cold energy still unabsorbed and lodged in the corner of his lower dantian, Tian Hui ended his Qi circulation and slowly opened his eyes.
Hehe—
The corners of Tian Hui's mouth rose even higher than before as he looked at the spacious room.
Just a day ago, he had stayed in a shabby room, but now a classic, antique-style room welcomed him.
The match with the Zhongnan Sect.
It was a draw, but the pavilion he gained as the Zhongnan Sword Saint withdrew was on a completely different level compared to his previous lodging.
"Now it feels like I'm staying in a place where people actually live."
As he was looking around the room in the changed pavilion, blue moonlight beautifully shattered from the window.
As if bewitched, his gaze turned outside the window.
Looking at the silver river that appeared in the dark sky, a scene from the duel he had showcased today came to mind.
The internal energy resembling the river of the Milky Way and the footwork that seemed to cross that river.
Tian Hui's eyes, comparing the martial arts displayed by the Zhongnan Sword Saint to the galaxy, grew deeper as they embraced the darkness.
After a moment, his mouth opened.
"So, what brings you here?"
At that moment.
Swoosh—
A silhouette appeared under the blue moonlight.
It was none other than the Zhongnan Sword Saint.
"I hid my presence, yet you noticed?"
"Ah, was that supposed to be hiding it?"
The Zhongnan Sword Saint's two eyes widened.
"Are you saying you already knew?"
"Isn't it stranger not to know?"
Surprise filled the Zhongnan Sword Saint's eyes.
Having reached the Heavenly Martial Realm, he was already in a state of melting into and becoming one with nature.
But for a youth who seemed to have just passed the age of twenty to have grasped his presence from the start, admiration beyond admiration flowed out.
"Long Zhu Gai praised you until his lips were dry, and it was no empty praise."
"What? Who?"
Tian Hui's eyebrows drew the character for 'eight' as he frowned.
'This is different from the terms of the previous deal.'
He recalled the deal with Long Zhu Gai.
In exchange for clearing the past between the two sects, they would erase his information.
But now the Zhongnan Sword Saint was saying he had heard about him from Long Zhu Gai.
'That sly old fox of a man wouldn't have just handed over information even if it meant breaking the deal...'
Tian Hui's eyes narrowed as he recalled the Beggar Sect Leader, who was like an old fox.
"What did the Beggar Sect Leader say?"
"He said you were a talent who might compete for the best under heaven in the future. Of course, it felt a bit excessive..."
"Well, that's true."
The Zhongnan Sword Saint lost his words for a moment.
The best under heaven in the future acknowledged by the Beggar Sect Leader.
If these words leaked elsewhere, it would cause a massive stir.
Therefore, it was natural to normally act modest and deny it.
'Haha, he's admitting it.'
Tian Hui in front of him readily admitted it.
No, he said it as if it were a matter of course.
"Haha."
A chuckle slipped out momentarily.
'His confidence is the best under heaven.'
Before being a Taoist, he was a martial artist of the Jianghu.
Plus, perhaps because he was young, showing such spirit felt favorably.
'It's exactly as the Beggar Sect Leader said.'
The Zhongnan Sword Saint, who exclaimed in admiration inwardly, recalled what happened this morning.
Long Zhu Gai, whom he met after the duel ended, handed over information about this matter and subtly dropped a story about Tian Hui.
As if asking him to take note.
Thinking he was trying to use him again, he initially let his words slip by.
'The one in the Huashan Sect you need to pay more attention to than the Huashan Divine Sword is that kid.'
He was completely swept away by that following single remark.
And up until now, the words the Beggar Sect Leader had said seemed to be right.
The skill to detect his presence.
And the overflowing confident attitude.
If, along with this, he also possessed the martial arts skills as the Beggar Sect Leader had said...
'The movements of the Xie Hei Lian and the Feitian Hui recently have been unusual. Heaven is helping.'
The annihilation of Bai Gui Cheng and the movements of the Feitian Hui.
A crack was occurring in the balance of the Nine Provinces and Three Hegemons that had been maintained for a long time.
'A war will break out someday.'
The Zhongnan Sword Saint sensed that a war would break out. No. He was convinced of it.
The Jianghu is a world where the strong rule.
Peace could not last forever.
'In this situation, the appearance of a divine star in the Alliance is a good omen. But...'
The Zhongnan Sword Saint's eyes flashed.
There was one thing left.
"Then, I wish to see for myself if you truly have such power."
He looked at Tian Hui as he spoke.
A Taoist wearing the Daoist robes of the Huashan Sect.
However, his actions and tone were closer to a martial artist of the Jianghu than a Taoist.
'Will his heart truly be righteous?'
Skill was also important, but the most important thing in the Orthodox Faction was a righteous heart.
"See for yourself?"
Meanwhile, Tian Hui's eyes half-closed.
He thought it made sense.
He already had an interest in the Zhongnan Sword Saint through their duel then.
His martial prowess and the martial arts he had learned.
And yet he was bringing it up first.
Tian Hui grinned.
"Alright. Shall we have a sparring match?"
The Zhongnan Sword Saint's expression softened considerably as he watched Tian Hui accept immediately.
"No, a sparring match is too much."
He refused the sparring match.
"Then what will we do?"
The Zhongnan Sword Saint smiled softly.
Then, he let out a low voice.
"By any chance, do you know of the Sword Discussion Sparring?"