Chapter 058
The first day of the Dragon Gate Gathering featured intense matches in both the men's and women's divisions. With competitors divided into eight groups—Heaven, Earth, Wind, Cloud, Dragon, and Tiger—there weren't many mismatched fights between skilled and unskilled practitioners, partly because no massacre of the weak had occurred. It was almost a miraculous balance.
With multiple matches happening simultaneously, it was disappointing that one could only watch a single venue at a time.
Baek Sugyeong checked his notes while observing a martial artist ascending the arena.
"Cloud Plum Sword... a martial artist from Mount Hua Sect. A notable talent along with Qingcheng Sect's Clear Stream Blade. Young Master Ahwi, do you happen to know the Elder Young Master's title?"
"I don't really know. Since my brother went to Mount Hua, I haven't paid any attention..."
"I see. Understood."
Baek Sugyeong nodded at Yi Jonhwi's honest answer.
It wasn't hard to understand. The Elder Young Master and Third Young Lady were so talented that Yi Jonhwi was overshadowed. Having been constantly compared to them, Yi Jonhwi had no reason to know what they were doing, what titles they were known by, or what martial arts they practiced.
Yi Jonhwi said,
"It's notable how many martial artists from the Nine Major Sects and One Clan are participating in this Dragon Gate Gathering. The proportion is significantly higher than in previous years."
"I heard skilled martial artists from the Eight Great Clans are also participating in large numbers."
"Are you referring to Lady Tang from the Wind Snake Group and Lady Zhuge from the Earth Character Group, Old Master?"
Baek Sugyeong nodded.
The Tang Clan's characteristics weren't much different here—they specialized in poisons, hidden weapons, and whips. Their unique position as the only orthodox faction that handled poisons remained unchanged.
The Zhuge Clan, which emphasized martial arts, was a rather unusual case. Apparently, Hai Erhua was the first talent in the Zhuge Clan since Jegal Yu who excelled in both literary and martial arts. That's what Namgung Somin had said.
"By the way, I heard that after this Dragon Gate Gathering, the hosting rights will be transferred to the Eight Great Clans, turning it into the Dragon Phoenix Gathering?"
"It seems my father had secret meetings with the heads of the Eight Great Clans. Apparently, in exchange for transferring the hosting rights of the Dragon Phoenix Gathering, he secured firm guarantees for control over the Luoyang region."
"So the Eight Great Clans will become the Nine Great Clans."
"Haha... that remains to be seen. Our main family has merely maintained close relationships with the imperial court and merchants, without much influence in the martial world."
Baek Sugyeong smirked at Yi Jonhwi's words.
"But isn't the Dragon Gate Gathering an event that even the imperial court takes interest in?"
"It seems he concluded discussions with the Princess about that matter successfully. Though our family may not have much influence in the martial world, we still have considerable sway in the court."
"That's fortunate then..."
Honestly, in a world where martial masters with titles like "King" or "Venerable" openly existed, Baek Sugyeong sometimes wondered why the imperial court left them alone.
Of course, the answer was already established: non-aggression between Officials and Murim. Like river water doesn't try to overflow into a well, the imperial court turned a blind eye as long as the martial world didn't directly challenge the government.
At least there existed a balance that wouldn't collapse. The masters in the imperial court—the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Eastern Depot, and Imperial Guards—were certainly not lacking in skill. Even the lightness technique Ju Geumye demonstrated when disappearing before Baek Sugyeong proved that.
"How does Young Master Ahwi see it?"
"It's fierce. Despite the random group assignments, there are hardly any one-sided matches. Though some individuals do stand out..."
"Hmm."
"By the way, seeing how the Huangbo Clan came looking for you with complaints, it seems some participants came for reasons beyond just participating in the Dragon Gate Gathering."
Baek Sugyeong gave a bitter smile.
"First the Namgung Clan, and now the Huangbo Clan..."
"They're probably bothered by how the Huangbo Clan was portrayed in Volume 7. Given the high status of the Wudang Sword Hero..."
"That might be the case."
In Volume 7, the Huangbo Clan displayed typical behavior of a powerful local clan—exploiting labor and extorting from common people to live luxuriously, actions that even the imperial court couldn't overlook.
That was the world of the "Wudang Sword Hero." On the surface, they spoke of justice and chivalry, but inside, orthodox factions were thoroughly corrupt.
The Huangbo Clan in Wudang Sword Hero was one such clan.
Most likely, the martial artist from the Huangbo Clan harbored resentment toward Baek Sugyeong for such portrayals.
Even the Namgung Clan couldn't escape criticism. If the Huangbo Clan thought they could avoid it, they were greatly mistaken.
"Of course, I have only one thing to say."
"What is that?"
"Even though Wudang Sword Hero is revered as a martial classic among martial artists, its essence is nothing more than fiction."
Baek Sugyeong's words were cold.
"Finding something in Wudang Sword Hero is entirely up to martial world practitioners. But to hold me accountable for those who become overly immersed in applying fiction to reality..."
Yi Jonhwi saw it—the cold smile spreading across Baek Sugyeong's lips.
"Even confusion between subject and object has its limits. If they had accumulated good deeds, they would be free from such criticism. It's simply karma."
"M-Master."
"That's just my opinion."
Including real clans in a novel that was close to fiction and fantasy was clearly Baek Sugyeong's choice, so they would have their say. From their perspective, their clan and sect had been insulted, so they would have accumulated plenty of arguments.
The cold smile soon changed to a bitter one.
"However, I'm in no position to criticize them. I can't turn away those who come to protest. I'll have to make time to meet them."
"Then..."
"In the end, it's my shortsightedness. What can I do? I should have clearly marked it as fiction and fantasy from the beginning."
Of course, even if he had, people's reactions might have been similar.
Baek Sugyeong took out his book and turned his attention back to the arena. An intense match was taking place.
...
"The Hao Sect rats have hidden in Luoyang..."
"I apologize."
The eyes of the man in blood-red martial attire narrowed as he looked down at his subordinate who bowed his head.
The shameful war that orthodox factions called the Great Demon Cult War. Since then, the martial world had forgotten them. The sun moon lost its light, and the stars abandoned them. The fall of the Sun Moon Divine Cult that worshipped the sun, moon, and stars.
Despite their collapse, they didn't give up, but unable to endure the hardship, the Sun Moon Cult split in two.
One became the Blood Cult, worshipping the Blood God.
The other became the Sun Moon Cult, inheriting the legitimate lineage of the old martial world's Sun Moon Divine Cult.
More than two hundred years had passed since that split.
"The Hao Sect rats have hidden in orthodox territory... do they think they'll survive?"
"It seems so."
"We should have killed them all on the spot."
The voice that escaped the man's mouth was filled with killing intent.
When the orthodox trash called them demons and insulted them, they should have wiped them all out from the martial world.
Killing the Hao Sect people was just the foundation for that.
Already, one division of the Crazy Blood Unit—five hundred men—had entered Luoyang. Apparently, the younger generation of the orthodox factions were now gathering for a martial arts tournament, forgetting the seasons.
It was a good time.
"If it weren't for that strange fellow from Mount Tianshan, we wouldn't have been delayed like this..."
The subordinate kept his head bowed, unable to look up.
Tianshan was vast territory. It was a large mountain range one had to cross to enter the Central Plains from Urumqi.
But after the old martial world's history was severed by the Great Demon Cult War and the new martial world emerged, Tianshan had no master.
That was certainly the case.
Until that strange man appeared before him.
'That guy…'
He used bizarre martial arts never seen before.
Perhaps he inherited the martial arts of the extinct Tianshan Sect?
The three major martial lineages of Tianshan—the Tianshan Flying Bird Palace, Tianshan Ice Palace, and Tianshan Sword Sect.
After the old martial world's history was severed, the Tianshan Sect was never rebuilt.
That must have been the case.
Erasing these thoughts, the man turned to his subordinate.
"Where is the book written by that insignificant writer?"
"Here it is, sir."
The subordinate took out Volume 8 of "Wudang Sword Hero" from his breast and presented it.
Taking it, the man wore a cold smile.
"They say the orthodox factions treasure this like a sacred relic."
"Yes, sir."
"I didn't understand why they valued it so highly until I read it. But if it contains the principles of military strategy, then this is not just a mere collection of words. It deserves to be called a divine book."
It contained martial arts principles and the art of commanding troops.
It was not something to be dismissed as mere words.
Beyond that, it even covered strategies and tactics—should this even be considered a novel?
"They say the author is just a literary man?"
"Yes, sir."
"He unraveled the forgotten sword of Wudang. The old martial world's Wudang was destroyed, and its insights were long ago cast into the abyss and burned."
The man's eyes glowed with an excited, mysterious blood-red light.
"The orthodox factions, the Hao Sect trash, and even the arrogant princess of the Zhou Imperial Court all gathered in one place—this is a perfect offering for our Cult Leader."
"Do you intend to capture them alive?"
"The Luofeng Princess of the Zhou Imperial Court is there. This is a good opportunity to remind the martial world that our cult has not disappeared."
The man smiled while holding "Wudang Sword Hero."
The Hao Sect was just the first step, merely a pretext and reason for him and the Crazy Blood Unit to set foot in the Central Plains.
They were the Asura Blood Cult, worshipping the Blood God Asura.
The blood of the Zhou Imperial Court's legitimate daughter, Princess Luofeng, would surely satisfy Lord Asura.
"And make sure to keep that literary man alive."
"Do you intend to use him for our cult's strength?"
"Of course."
He was skilled in martial arts and had even mastered the art of military strategy.
The Zhuge Clan, said to be the successors of Zhuge Liang who dominated the world before the Zhou Imperial Court was established, were all blockheads.
Yet strangely, a mere literary man seemed to have inherited that legacy.
The man licked his lips.
"Send word to the Demon Wolf Unit as well. We will exterminate all the orthodox factions who have set foot in this martial arts tournament. All of them. Understood?"
"Yes, sir!"