NOVEL NEXT Ch 67
Chapter 66
Man Ba Zha’s writing, with a single stroke, was so elegant and graceful that anyone who saw it would inevitably marvel and sigh in admiration.
But as Zhao Hui read through the flowing sentences, he became so embarrassed that he could no longer maintain his composure.
The draft for the *Gonghu Fengyun Lu* (The Chronicles of Martial Heroes) featuring Little Sword God was nothing less than the biography of a great hero.
A savior destined to save the world.
Little Sword God’s appearance as a merchant, rather than a martial artist, was due to his realization that the path to securing the safety of the people lay not in martial arts, but in the ways of commerce.
He was a hero who would illuminate the lives of the people, a future destined to transform the barren wilderness of the Nine Provinces into a paradise.
The first and last light of the Central Plains.
With the will contained in his sword, storms would arise across heaven and earth, and his steps would mark the path of a giant walking through the ancient history of the continent.
“Ah, this is a bit too much…”
Ah, my hands and feet…
Just reading the preface, Zhao Hui felt goosebumps rise and kept scratching himself in embarrassment.
“This is practically a myth. This doesn’t make sense. Do you really think this will resonate with the martial world?”
Man Ba Zha had turned all of his actions into near-mythical achievements.
Such exaggerated praise would undoubtedly be met with ridicule from the martial world.
Yet, there was no sign of unease on Man Ba Zha’s face.
“It will certainly work.”
“This… this will work?”
Man Ba Zha smiled faintly.
“Because no one can defeat time.”
“Time?”
Man Ba Zha gently stroked the pages of the hero’s chapter he had written in one swift motion.
“When this new edition is published and the first generation sees it, they might mock and dismiss it. But what about the second generation? The third?”
Man Ba Zha adjusted the golden feather hanging from his head and spread out a phoenix golden thread with elegance.
“Time passes much faster than one can imagine. I guarantee it, your fame will surpass that of the Three Gods in just one generation.”
“What…?”
The influence of the Three Gods in the martial world was truly legendary.
And yet, Man Ba Zha claimed that Zhao Hui would surpass that legendary fame in just a generation, or around twenty years?
“*Gonghu Fengyun Lu* is precisely that kind of thing.”
Zhao Hui gave Qingyun Jin a confused look, as he continued to smile while lightly patting his own shoulders.
“Come on, even so…”
“You still don’t fully understand the power of the *Gonghu Fengyun Lu*, do you?”
Still smiling, the Martial Emperor gazed out at the vast landscape of Po Yang Lake.
“Do you know anyone in the martial world who hasn’t read *Gonghu Fengyun Lu*?”
“Hmm.”
Zhao Hui thought for a moment, then his expression stiffened.
“…No.”
“*Gonghu Fengyun Lu* is like a holy book to the people of the martial world. A light that illuminates history, a book filled with sacred truths. Especially the *Hero’s Chapter*, which attracts the most attention. Being listed in the first page of such a hero’s chapter is like inhaling the essence of the heavens and earth.”
As Qingyun Jin explained this, Man Ba Zha began to elegantly continue his writing once again.
At that moment—
*Clang!*
The door to Zhao Hui’s office suddenly swung open, and a young man entered, looking both overjoyed and shocked. It was none other than Zhao Hui’s older brother, Zhao Xie.
Zhao Xie was someone whose admiration for *Gonghu Fengyun Lu* ran so deep that it had become ingrained in his bones.
“Ahhhhhh… M-M-M-Man Ba Zha!”
Zhao Xie looked as if he had seen a living god, his face full of emotion as he prostrated himself, spilling out the full set of *Gonghu Fengyun Lu* he had kept all his life.
“M-M-Man Ba Zha, I beg you, could you leave just one line of text in the *Gonghu Fengyun Lu* I own? But… I suppose that’s impossible, isn’t it?”
Zhao Hui let out a long sigh as he noticed Zhao Xie nervously glancing around, carefully trying to gauge the situation.
“Ah, Brother, please…”
This was too embarrassing!
Though Man Ba Zha was interrupted in his intense writing, which could have understandably made him upset, he unexpectedly smiled warmly and nodded cheerfully.
“Sure.”
It was as if Zhao Xie were on the verge of tears… or rather, Zhao Xie was actually shedding tears like a waterfall.
“Ahhh…!”
It was truly the overwhelming admiration of a fan.
Zhao Xie cautiously approached Man Ba Zha, holding out his personal copy of the *Gonghu Fengyun Lu*.
At that moment, there was a gleam in Man Ba Zha’s eyes.
It was clear how much Zhao Xie had read and reread the book—each page was smooth and worn, a testament to how much it had been loved and cherished.
“Ah, the *Hero’s Chapter* entry of the *Sword Emperor* has been damaged.”
Zhao Xie blurted out an astonishing statement.
“I-I’m so sorry! It wasn’t intentional! My younger sister, Yan’er, used to play around with it when she was little…”
“I’m not scolding you.”
“Ah, thank you! It’s truly unfortunate, but it’s fine! I’ve already memorized it, so it’s no problem!”
Man Ba Zha’s face lit up with even more interest.
“Memorized it?”
“Yes! The Sword Emperor, Dao Tian A, originally from Guiyang County in Hannan, wandered from one fight to another as a young man, until he caught the eye of the leader of the Dragon Flying Blade Sect, Guo Yangshe…”
Zhao Xie’s long, flowing voice continued as he recited, word for word, the life story of Dao Tian A as written by Man Ba Zha himself.
He had memorized over thirty pages of content without missing a single word!
“Ha ha, truly impressive!”
Man Ba Zha couldn’t help but marvel at how well Zhao Xie knew the book.
But then, his expression shifted slightly, as if he realized something.
“Wait a minute, are you telling me that you’ve memorized the entire *Gonghu Fengyun Lu*?”
The *Gonghu Fengyun Lu* was a massive series of twenty-four volumes, chronicling martial history and notable figures over a thousand years. Its contents were vast and extensive.
“Hehe, I read it every day, so…”
Man Ba Zha chuckled in amazement.
“Hahahaha!”
Although the world was vast, there were certainly countless readers of *Gonghu Fengyun Lu*, but it was rare to find someone as immersed in it as Zhao Xie.
“What’s your name?” Man Ba Zha asked.
“Zhao Xie (曹赫), sir!”
“Zhao family?”
Man Ba Zha gave him a questioning look. Zhao Hui sighed and, feeling a little embarrassed, avoided his gaze.
“He’s my older brother.”
“Oh…?”
Looking closely at Zhao Xie’s features, Man Ba Zha noticed something strange—his eyes… his nose… How could two brothers be so completely different in appearance?
Moreover, Zhao Xie’s physique appeared quite average. The only remarkable thing about him was his strong build, but even that didn’t seem like the result of structured training.
He was a stark contrast to the young, extraordinary Little Sword God who had reached incredible heights at such a young age.
“I’ve been wanting to have someone like him as my personal scribe for some time… if you don’t mind, could I hire him as my scribe?”
Zhao Hui looked at Zhao Xie.
“You should ask him yourself, not me.”
To everyone’s surprise, Zhao Xie flatly rejected the offer.
“I-I’m sorry, Man Ba Zha! I am already working as a martial artist!”
Man Ba Zha shook his head with a sympathetic expression.
“It’s too late… far too late. Did you start training by yourself when you were young?”
“How… how did you know…?”
“Your bones have stiffened. Even if you receive intensive training or undergo the *Gaejeong Daebeop* (a method of reconditioning the body), it’s already irreversible.”
“Ahh…”
Zhao Xie felt as though he had just received a death sentence after hearing the confirmation from Man Ba Zha.
Unlike the Nangong family’s sword disciples, who were growing at an astonishing pace, no matter how hard he worked, he could never catch up to their level.
He had gone to the elders of the Nangong family, seeking advice, but all he received was the sound of their tongue clicking in disapproval.
They hadn’t dared to tell him the truth, fearing it would cause him more pain.
“I… I…” Zhao Xie trembled, his face filled with sorrow as tears streamed down like drops of water.
Seeing his brother in such a state, Zhao Hui couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of sympathy.
– Stupid orthodox people. Just because they can’t do it, they sentence that innocent boy to failure? This kid has potential! Martial power is possible!
It was the voice of the Demon God.
“Is that true?” Zhao Hui asked inwardly.
– Yes. In order to transform those with congenital disabilities into the *Moryeong Geogolche* (Demon Spirit Giant Bone Body), my sect has long perfected the *Moryeong Gyeokgyeokbyeok* (Demon Spirit Striking Barrier), a powerful martial technique. It should work on your brother.
“Teach me! Please, teach me!”
– You can’t do it alone. At least twenty or more top-tier demons are needed. Don’t you understand the required combat strength?
Damn.
How was Zhao Hui supposed to find over twenty demons right away?
In the end, wasn’t this simply impossible?
– *Why not just bring your brother to our sect? You, who are already revered as a Heavenly Demon, surely there’s nothing that can’t be done for you?*
Zhao Hui silently nodded, making a firm resolution in his heart.
He had decided that one day, he would bring his brother to the demonic sect.
Man Ba Zha, with a sympathetic look, watched Zhao Xie and then carefully set aside the *Gonghu Fengyun Lu*.
“I’m sorry for bringing up unnecessary matters. Instead of just writing a calligraphy inscription in your *Gonghu Fengyun Lu*, I’ll replace the damaged pages with new ones.”
Zhao Xie, who had stopped crying, shuddered and trembled all over.
“M-Master Man Ba Zha, you yourself… are saying this?”
Man Ba Zha smiled warmly.
“Just give me some time. I’m currently in the process of creating a new hero.”
“O-oh!”
With that, Man Ba Zha’s face grew serious, and his elegant handwriting resumed.
He wrote feverishly about the brilliant life story of Little Sword God.
The legendary hero’s journey had swept through Anhui, conquered Nangong, and reached its peak in Jiangxi.
Little Sword God’s conquest of Jiangxi, where he defeated the Black Heaven Murderer, was a story of legend.
But who was Little Sword God?
Indeed, he was the rising hero of the orthodox sect!
His character was so kind that he left a moment of mercy for the Black Heaven Murderer, allowing his life to continue.
However, would the leader of the demonic sect understand mercy?
After secretly recovering his martial abilities, the Black Heaven Murderer finally escaped under the cover of night.
The Zhao family’s network quickly spread its traps, but in the end, they failed to catch him.
“That’s all for now,” Zhao Hui murmured as he finished reading.
Man Ba Zha nodded silently.
“Well, I’ll proceed as you’ve written?”
“That’s right. Now, let him go.”
“Yes.”
Zhao Hui’s silhouette faded as he vanished.
* * *
Under the full moon, a few of Zhao Hui’s companions surrounded the Black Heaven Murderer, who lay collapsed on the ground.
With his skull cracked open by Zhao Hui’s sword, the Black Heaven Murderer had been teetering on the brink of death for several days.
But what was it that made his recovery so extraordinary?
His indomitable willpower was far beyond that of an ordinary person.
“Ugh… Where… am I?”
The Black Heaven Murderer slowly raised his head, frowning, when Zhao Hui’s ominous voice reached him.
“Trash. I’ll let you go. Try to escape from our net. Come on, see if you can break through our *Tianlazhang* (Heavenly Net).”
“*Tianlazhang*…?”
No matter how much he looked around, there was no sign of any *Tianlazhang*.
The Black Heaven Murderer’s expression turned frantic.
“W-What do you mean by that? *Tianlazhang*?!”
“Don’t you see the three of us?”
The Black Heaven Murderer looked around confusedly.
Three people? What kind of *Tianlazhang* could three people form?
Moreover, the way they were poised, ready to leap as if they were about to unleash artillery—this didn’t seem like any kind of *Tianlazhang* at all! It looked more like a rat trap.
“If you don’t move, I’ll kill you! I’ll guide you where to go! Now, run!”
“What the hell is going on here, you bastards?!”
*Chaeng!*
Ignoring the Black Heaven Murderer’s cries, Zhao Hui drew his sword and released an aura of killing intent, forcing the Black Heaven Murderer to immediately activate his movement technique and flee for his life.
Zhao Hui had chosen three people to form the team for this *Tianlazhang*—Jin Gaihui, Yeon Sangrok, and Kang Biwoo.
Their martial abilities, suited for pursuit, made them the perfect fit for this mission.
In addition, these three didn’t hold significant positions in the Zhao family’s network, so they were perfect for being organized into a separate team.
“AAAHHH!”
*Shwaaa!*
The Black Heaven Murderer, desperately leaping across the ground, was utterly flustered.
Behind him, a crazed figure was chasing him relentlessly.
A shadow, white as a ghost and indistinguishable from her white robes, was pursuing him like a mad spirit.
The Black Heaven Murderer immediately recognized Jin Gaihui’s fighting style and realized she was the disciple of the Poison Whip King.
However, seeing her chase him like a mad demon under the eerie moonlight, he couldn’t help but feel a chill down his spine.
The fact that he was being hunted by these fledgling young martial artists made him even more infuriated.
Soon, he attempted to activate his powerful spiritual energy to unleash his *Huihui Salcheonjolye* technique, but with a simple gesture from Zhao Hui, his attack was completely neutralized.
At that moment, a cold voice rang out.
“Trash! You need to run to Mount Alok within a day. Do you really have the luxury to waste your energy like this, at a time like this?”
Mount Alok (岳麓山)?
Could he be referring to the Mount Alok in Hunan?
The Black Heaven Murderer knew all too well what that damn mountain held.
His face twisted with a strange expression.
“You filthy bastard!”
“Yep, reflex,” Zhao Hui replied.
Only then did the Black Heaven Murderer understand what his opponent was trying to do.
On the middle slope of Mount Alok, after passing through a valley called Qiwang Valley (祈望谷), a massive mountain lodge would appear.
That place was none other than the headquarters of the Sichuan Association!
It was the home of the damned Four Sovereigns.
Realizing this, the Black Heaven Murderer stopped his movement technique and stood still in shock.
He bit down on his teeth and glared at Zhao Hui with a murderous look.
“I’d rather make this my tomb!”
Zhao Hui smirked.
“Well, that’s not such a bad idea. Personally, I’ve got a long way to go, so this is a bit of a bother.”
“…Bother?”
Was he really saying “bother” after playing with someone’s life like this?
A demon!
That guy was pure evil!
And his demon friends weren’t much better either.
*Shwaaaa!*
Jin Gaihui lashed her whip and flicked her tongue.
“Well, this works out for us! We can take the corpse too. After all, we just need to publicly display the head of that ash-covered bastard, right? Ho ho!”
“A-ash-covered?”
Jin Gaihui tilted her head in a strange manner.
“You didn’t know your own nickname? That’s what we all called you.”
That crazy woman had once been known as Ghost Slayer (鬼殺).
When she said “we,” it was clear she meant the Ghost Slayers of the Black Heaven Sect.
So, the people under his command had been calling him “ash-covered” behind his back, even though he was their leader?
To think that even the Ghost Slayers, the most numerous faction within the Black Heaven Sect, hadn’t been fully loyal to him…
The Black Heaven Murderer was filled with regret.
Perhaps the fall of the Black Heaven Sect was something bound to happen sooner or later.
As the Black Heaven Murderer’s face twisted with mixed emotions, he suddenly fell to his knees as if plunging into the flames of hell.
He then gazed up at Zhao Hui with empty eyes.
In his gaze, there was no longer anger, but a desperate plea.
“Still, I was the leader of the Black Heaven Sect. Isn’t this humiliation too much? Please, just end it here. Kill me now.”
Zhao Hui smirked.
“Hey, trash. I do have a conscience. I’m not the type of person who would do this sort of thing lightly.”
“But why…?”
Zhao Hui’s eyes darkened as he stared at Jin Gaihui.
“Trash. Don’t you remember her?”
“What…?”
“This woman, she’s from your Donghwa Pavilion (童花閣).”
The Black Heaven Murderer had a nasty hobby.
He had a twisted obsession with young girls who hadn’t yet reached puberty—around the age of twelve or thirteen.
His subordinates would kidnap such girls and bring them to a place called Donghwa Pavilion, where they were kept under his watch.
Jin Gaihui, known as Poison Whip Red (毒魅紅), looked at the Black Heaven Murderer with a dead expression.
“When that ash-covered bastard was drunk and causing a frenzy, his subordinates would come to get young girls to calm his disturbed mood.”
It was only then that the Black Heaven Murderer realized that when Jin Gaihui had referred to “us,” she wasn’t talking about the Ghost Slayers, but the “young girls.”
“Some of the girls, covered in blood, managed to escape the building and climb up onto the roof. Once they reached the roof, they could survive. His subordinates were idiots who didn’t know how to manage their people.”
“…”
“I always climbed to the highest ridge. Unlike the other trembling girls, I wasn’t afraid of heights. And then I waited endlessly for my father, mother…”
Jin Gaihui’s gaze cut through the air as if looking at a distant memory.
“All my memories are of that ridge. My father, mother, and my younger brother, Dukhong… I kept drawing their faces in the night sky so I wouldn’t forget. It’s been ten years since I was kidnapped when I was six.”
Hearing her detailed past, Yeon Sangrok’s face began to twist like a demon’s.
“Most of the little girls I knew are gone now. At first, there were only a few graves in the Donghwa Pavilion’s yard, but by then, there were hundreds. But they weren’t even proper graves. They were just shallow dirt holes hastily covered up.”
Although Zhao Hui had heard about it from Jin Gaihui before, hearing the details like this made his expression grow increasingly sinister.
“There was no longer room to bury them in the yard. In the end, they set the children’s bodies on fire. After that, the few remaining girls began calling you ‘Ash-covered’ out of fear. You’ve probably never smelled the scent of burning flesh, have you?”
Jin Gaihui clearly remembered the dead children, the red handprints around their necks.
“Isn’t that enough enjoyment for you? Why did you always strangle them to death in the end?”
Yeon Sangrok’s grim smile gleamed.
“The pleasure that perverts like him seek through strangulation is obvious. When a woman struggles to survive, her body tightens in a certain way. He couldn’t give up that thrill.”
“Hah! So that was it?”
“Probably.”
“You bastard!”
Zhao Hui gritted his teeth.
“In the end, Gaihui had her first menstruation. She finally protected herself.”
“…”
“You, who never chose the girls left behind in Donghwa Pavilion, simply gifted them to your subordinates. Gaihui was your best gift to the Poison Whip King. That’s how she became Poison Whip Red.”
Zhao Hui’s eyes glowed with intense sharpness.
“Now explain. Why should I kill you gently?”
The Black Heaven Murderer only smiled strangely with his eyes closed.
Jin Gaihui spat a thick wad of saliva onto the Black Heaven Murderer’s face.
“You idiot color-obsessed bastard. This guy is a pure conman, you know? If he really wanted to die, he would’ve slit his own heart long ago, this ash-covered bastard.”
For a moment, Yeon Sangrok showed a strange expression.
“Huh? Wait, what?”
Blood began to flow from the Black Heaven Murderer’s mouth, just as Jin Gaihui had said.
He had indeed been trying to slit his own heart.
Zhao Hui smirked and used his spiritual intent to dig into the Black Heaven Murderer’s insides.
Zhao Hui’s spiritual force, easily suppressing the Black Heaven Murderer’s formidable internal energy, seized the torn heart vessel and reconnected it.
However, a severed heart vessel could never truly be restored.
Zhao Hui shifted his gaze and carefully observed the night sky before tossing his sword into the air.
The ultimate sword technique, *Yi Qi Yu Jian* (Using Qi to Control the Sword).
*Whoooosh!*
The sword, fired at an unimaginable speed, reappeared in front of Zhao Hui in an instant.
The two night birds impaled by the sword trembled violently.
Taking the two night birds from the sword, Zhao Hui pulled out some old glutinous rice from his sleeve and scattered it on the ground.
He then pressed his right thumb and index finger to his forehead and uttered a casual chant in a calm voice.
“Ji ji ru lü ling (急急如律令). Nuwa Taihao Shangtian (女媧太昊上天). Tianlai Rushi Zunhou (天來如是尊候). Nengdao Gongwuliangxin (能道空無量心)…”
As Zhao Hui chanted a sutra for about a moment, the scattered glutinous rice transformed into a strange formation, and soon a dazzling beam of light shot up from the ground.
The two night birds, touched by the light, instantly vaporized.
The energy from the vaporized birds, now transformed into a dark red orb, began to seep into the Black Heaven Murderer’s body.
Slowly, his heart vessel began to heal!
Despite coughing up a mouthful of blood, the Black Heaven Murderer’s face was filled with shock.
What he was witnessing was not a martial technique but a legendary method from the immortal realm.
That exalted technique, thought to be only a myth!
Could it be that the small sword master had reached the level of immortality?
The Black Heaven Murderer, in a daze, looked up at Zhao Hui as if in a trance.
For the first time, he realized that there was nothing he could do.
“Die by my judgment. That is your fate, trash.”
At this moment, Kang Biwoo, who had been silent until now, stepped forward to demand the fulfillment of their contract.
“Teach me that technique.”
“…You madman.”
For a human who hadn’t undergone the transformation of ascending to immortality, using such a technique would require learning to convert spiritual energy into martial power.
This was a very dangerous method, one that should never be attempted by anyone who hadn’t reached a higher spiritual state, like Zhao Hui, whose spiritual energy had dramatically increased.
“Stop spouting nonsense and spread the Tianlao Net (天羅地網) properly.”
Eventually, the Black Heaven Murderer gave up everything and, in a state of resignation, began to walk toward the west, dragging his feet.
—
Sichuan Association (邪天會) Headquarters.
A group of figures entered the vision of the guards protecting the iron fortress.
At the forefront, a man stumbled forward, barely able to stand, swaying as he walked.
His appearance was so ragged that it resembled that of a beggar.
His back, exposed through tattered clothing, was covered in numerous whip marks.
*Crack!*
Every time he collapsed, a crimson whip would lash at him without fail.
He stumbled several times over stones, struggling to rise again.
When he finally reached the front gate, the most well-dressed among the group looked up toward the spire on top of the iron gate.
“I’ve come to meet the leader of the Sichuan Association.”
The guards of the Sichuan Association frowned in unison.
“Who are you?”
“Uh… I’m with the small sword master and his companions, and also Black Heaven Sect’s Black Heaven Murderer?”
Are you drunk, fool? Is it really that bad to be out in broad daylight drinking?
“Pffft! Are you trying to make us laugh to death?”
However, the madman drew the sword strapped to his waist and threw it, causing it to freeze in midair.
“Huh?”
“What… what is that?!”
The sword, suspended in mid-air, hovered silently before them.
The madman (or so he appeared) landed lightly on the iron sword and rode it up to the spire.
In the blink of an eye, he appeared directly in front of them!
“A-Ah! What is this?!”
“Could it be the *Divine Sword Fusion*?”
“Wait, it’s *Sword Flight*!”
The guards, in utter shock, began to panic, and Zhao Hui flashed a subtle smile.
However, with that warm expression, he was clearly issuing a threat.
“Tell the Sect Leader to come out quickly, or should I just break down this iron gate and come in?”
The guards, who were standing watch over the gate, froze, their expressions blank.
*Sword Flight* was an astonishingly divine technique.
At that moment, one of the guards spotted Kang Biwoo and grew even more astonished.
“Mi-Missile Sword Lord?”
Why was the second-highest ranking member of the Sichuan Association, leader of the Missile Sword Group, here with the orthodox small sword master?
Kang Biwoo smiled awkwardly.
“Guard Kwak, how have you been?”
Kwak Unyeong, the leader of the guards, jumped down from the spire with a surprised look on his face.
*Thud!*
Despite jumping from such a high spire, Kwak Unyeong’s movement remained impeccable. Zhao Hui couldn’t help but be impressed.
How could someone like a mere gatekeeper have such remarkable light-body skills?
Could it be that the Sichuan Association’s strength was truly formidable?
“I greet the Missile Sword Lord!”
With perfect form, Kwak Unyeong gave a salute, and the guards atop the spire simultaneously lowered their bodies.
Zhao Hui released the *Sword Flight* technique and landed on the ground.
“Now that I think about it, it’s quite annoying. If you had just stepped forward on your own, I wouldn’t have had to ride the sword and go through all this trouble… Why aren’t you doing your part?”
“But you flew ahead using Sword Flight yourself, didn’t you?”
“Heh, isn’t it the duty of a subordinate to anticipate the will of their superior?”
Yeon Sangrok, who had been watching the exchange, furrowed his brow.
“Enough, both of you. There are many eyes watching. What are you doing, really?”
Kang Biwoo must have been marked by Zhao Hui, the terrifying figure.
Despite arriving here, Zhao Hui had continuously taunted Kang Biwoo, unrelenting in his provocation.
But Kang Biwoo was no easy target either.
Though he appeared to be a typical martial arts fanatic, he turned out to be quite a sharp-tongued man.
However, that only served to provoke Zhao Hui further.
Kwak Unyeong, the guard captain, was carefully observing the ragged old man.
“Is that really…?”
Kang Biwoo nodded confidently.
“I vouch for it. He is indeed the Black Heaven Murderer.”
The endorsement of none other than the Missile Sword Lord!
No one in the Sichuan Association would dare question that statement.
The hesitation quickly faded, and the guards atop the spire immediately activated their light-body techniques, leaping down in unison.
*Thud-!*
*Clang! Cling!*
In a flash, they drew their specialized weapons, surrounding the Black Heaven Murderer.
For the guards of the Sichuan Association, the Black Heaven Murderer was no different than a mortal enemy.
Zhao Hui, with a meaningful smile, surveyed the guards.
“You shouldn’t be stepping in here, should you? I clearly told you I came to negotiate with the Sect Leader, didn’t I?”
“Hmm…”
Kwak Unyeong swallowed deeply.
If this really was the Black Heaven Murderer, this situation was well beyond his authority. It was something he needed to report to the Sect Leader.
“Please wait just a moment.”
“I can’t give you too much time. As for us, we can be guided by the Alliance.”
Zhao Hui’s blunt words caused the guard captain’s face to turn pale.
Sending the Black Heaven Murderer to the Martial Alliance?
Of course, Zhao Hui had no intention of actually sending the Black Heaven Murderer to the Martial Alliance, but to anyone hearing it, it would be enough to make them feel anxious.
Anyway, it seemed that the small sword master had come to the Sichuan Association primarily to negotiate the fate of the terrifying Black Heaven Murderer.
Punishing the Black Heaven Murderer was the greatest wish of the Sichuan Association!
If he acted arrogantly or got too cocky, and the small sword master took it the wrong way, the responsibility would fall squarely on him.
Guard Captain Kwak Unyeong hiccupped and swallowed nervously.
“Please, wait just a moment!”
After the guard captain left, Zhao Hui’s group took turns practicing their breathing techniques to relieve their travel fatigue.
However, after quite some time passed without any word from the Sichuan Association, Zhao Hui frowned and turned to Kang Biwoo.
“What’s going on? Why is the Sichuan Association moving so slowly?”
Kang Biwoo let out a small laugh, seemingly amused.
“With your incredible cunning, sometimes you can be quite foolish. Are you doing this on purpose?”
“What do you mean?”
“Can’t you realize it? The person you’ve brought to the Sichuan Association is none other than the Black Heaven Murderer. One of the Four Overlords of the Heretic Faction, comparable to your Six Pillar Lords. Do you really not understand how significant this is?”
“Hmm…”
Kang Biwoo clicked his tongue as Zhao Hui, pretending to be oblivious, just shrugged.
“You’ve come to negotiate with the Sichuan Association with the Black Heaven Murderer’s fate at stake. Surely, from their perspective, there will be countless discussions about how to handle this situation?”
Zhao Hui responded with a question of his own.
“Do you think they’ll even be able to discuss this? They have no cards to play. They’ll have to move according to my intentions.”
“You don’t understand the Four Overlords.”
Zhao Hui laughed lightly.
“Really? Is that so?”
From the perspective of the Zhao Family, the Sichuan Association was the most pressing enemy.
Since the Zhao Family’s power was still relatively weak, they had always kept their ears sharp for any movements from the Sichuan Association, and Zhao Hui had never once relaxed his surveillance over them.
But it was starting to frustrate Zhao Hui.
Thinking about the vast sums of money he had paid to informants just to keep track of the Sichuan Association’s movements made him furious.
When Zhao Hui first launched the Zhao Family’s Secret Pavilion, he had been burning with ambition to build an intelligence network just as formidable as the infamous informant group, the Yajeob.
But that wasn’t something that could be solved by money alone.
The essential element of an intelligence network was “a vast human network.”
Creating such a tightly woven network couldn’t be achieved by capital alone.
Building deep trust among the members was critical, and to establish a web of information like a spider’s web, arranging agents in the right places with the proper qualities, skills, and dispositions took not just experience but also time.
Furthermore, gathering and verifying all the information quickly, identifying the most valuable parts, establishing an efficient reporting system, and maintaining security—all of that was vital to sustaining an intelligence network.
How frustrated must Zhao Hui have been that he had considered buying the entire Yajeob organization?
But the woman obsessed with money would never sell it.
Still, from Zhao Hui’s perspective, the money spent on gathering information about the Black Heaven Murderer far exceeded what he had spent on the Sichuan Association.
Now, it was time for that huge financial outlay to finally pay off.
“But didn’t we agree that we would just hand over the ashes and end it with a letter? Why are you suddenly trying to meet with the Four Overlords?”
As Jin Ga-hee pointed out, at first, Zhao Hui had no intention of taking such a prominent role in the affair.
However, after thinking about it, he realized that it would be too wasteful to just gain fame while giving away the Black Heaven Murderer for free.
Considering the effort and money he had put into securing the Black Heaven Murderer’s safety, he couldn’t let this opportunity slip away.
It was time to negotiate with the Sichuan Association and secure as many benefits as possible to at least ease his mind.
“It would be too wasteful to give him away for free.”
“Hmm… I suppose so. After all, several employees have died because of that mess.”
At that moment, a group of figures appeared in Zhao Hui’s line of sight, walking toward the outer city gates.
“Oh? They’re all coming out.”
At a glance, Zhao Hui could sense the men of the Heretic Faction, their eyes glowing with intense purpose, walking steadily toward them.
They didn’t even glance at Zhao Hui’s group. Their piercing gaze was entirely focused on the Black Heaven Murderer.
“The Four Overlords are personally coming. And the Grand Masters and various powerful leaders too… Hmm? Are those old, heavyset men also coming?”
It wasn’t surprising that Kang Biwoo was shocked, as the Eight Elders of the Heretic Faction, representing its senior members, rarely appeared in public.
They were all experts of an age that defied estimation, figures who had once dominated the martial world and were absolute forces of the Heretic Faction.
Among them, one in particular, the Elder known as the “Monster Elder,” was of legendary status.
He had once been the leader of the Sichuan Association, Tian Gui, a figure whose influence surpassed even the righteous sects’ leaders like Mo Huang or Zaha Jianse.
Only five people in the entire martial world could even remotely be compared to him.
When Zhao Hui saw this legendary figure, his eyes widened in surprise.
At first glance, he could tell that this person did not exude the typical aura of a Heretic Faction practitioner—there was no malice or wickedness.
Rather, it had a purity akin to the renowned figures of the righteous sects.
This was the first time Zhao Hui had encountered someone from the Heretic Faction with such an aura.
—Incredible. To think that there is another person with spiritual power nearly on par with yours. I can’t believe it, even after seeing it with my own eyes.
Oh! Spiritual power that rivals a Master’s?
So, are you saying that this strangely aged man has spiritual power comparable to the Three Gods?
That can’t be true, can it?
However, even during his active years, Tian Gui had been the subject of countless rumors, but very few actually knew much about him.
Even in the book “Rivers and Winds of the Martial World” by the renowned Man Baek-ja Jeong Geol-yun, he was only mentioned briefly, in a mere five lines.
“I have come to meet the Small Sword Master.”
The person who greeted Zhao Hui respectfully was Qin Shuhan, the chief of the Sichuan Association.
Just as the Zhuge clan is the brain trust of the righteous sects, the Qin family is the mysterious clan of the heretic factions.
It was widely believed in Jiangnan that whoever took control of the Qin clan would dominate the heretic faction.
Just ten years ago, Qin Shuhan had been a wandering vagabond, but he was now renowned as the foremost strategist in the field of tactics.
He was the mastermind behind the design of the Iron Fist King’s territory, which used a canyon as its natural fortress.
As a result, Qin Shuhan had long desired to meet the Small Sword Master, for it was this very person who had single-handedly destroyed the canyon fortress he had so meticulously designed.
It had been the most shocking event in his life after he had joined the Sichuan Association at the behest of the Four Overlords.
“I have long wished to meet you. This is my sincere desire.”
Although he said these words with respect, the emotions in his face revealed strong distrust and even resentment.
Zhao Hui didn’t understand why he was showing such an expression upon meeting him, but he decided to accept the greeting.
“I would like to speak with the one who has full authority.”
As Zhao Hui glanced towards the Four Overlords and the elders, Qin Shuhan frowned lightly.
“I am the chief of the Sichuan Association…”
Just as Qin Shuhan was about to protest, the sinister voice of the Four Overlord, Sa Huang, interrupted.
“His words are my will… But what are you doing there?!”
Kang Biwoo, who had been hiding his face, awkwardly looked up at Sa Huang.
“Haha, it’s been a while, hasn’t it?”
“You…!”
Sa Huang had suspected something was amiss when he heard that the Small Sword Master had come to meet with them, but seeing Kang Biwoo so naturally integrated into the group, a foreboding feeling began to settle in.
“It can’t be, right? Still, there are boundaries humans must respect. Surely, he has conducted himself appropriately?”
“I don’t quite understand what you mean…”
Sa Huang’s face contorted like that of a demon as he glared with wide eyes.
“Why are you still in the enemy’s camp? Mil-sabeomju! Return to the conference immediately!”
Zhao Hui nonchalantly pulled something that looked like a letter from his robes.
“I made sure to carefully examine the contract between your association and this man to prevent such situations…”
Zhao Hui then showed the contract to the Sichuan Association side and continued.
“Clause 10: Party B shall not be subjected to restrictions or control regarding personal matters. However, Party B must seek the approval of Party A. From what I’ve heard, it was none other than Sa Huang who sent Mr. Kang here to our Zhao Family Martial Alliance…”
“Mr. Kang?”
“You mean the position of our Zhao Family’s ‘Mil-sabeomju.’ We’ve treated him very well.”
“Th-this…!”
Sa Huang’s face turned bright red, as if it would explode in anger.
Kang Biwoo, who was actually a disciple of Sa Huang, had naturally been integrated into the enemy camp, and this revelation made Sa Huang seethe with fury.
At that moment, Chief Qin Shuhan quickly signaled to his subordinates.
If Sa Huang continued to show weakness due to this insolent, uncontrollable fool, they would lose control of the situation to the Small Sword Master.
His subordinates grabbed him, but despite his angry protests—“Let go of me, you bastards!” and “Is that bastard even human?!”—he had no choice but to retreat.
He understood that Qin Shuhan’s intention was to avoid further disruptions.
“Ah… I apologize for the commotion. Let’s discuss the issue with Mil-sabeomju later…”
Qin Shuhan’s eyes gleamed.
“Why did you bring the Black Heaven Murderer to our association in such a state?”
Zhao Hui’s smile twisted into a strange expression.
“I’m planning to sell him for a high price.”