Chapter 401: The Time When the Sky Turns Red (1)
The official name of the newly established alliance in Luoyang was the Murim Alliance of Justice and Evil.
Centered around the Black Lotus Union, the Bukcheon Geom Clan, Shaolin, Wudang, Mount Hua, and Gongdong took the lead.
Numerous sects that followed them participated, and the new alliance rapidly expanded in scale.
In response to this movement, the Murim Alliance did not stay idle.
They issued a declaration vehemently condemning the sects that withdrew from the Murim Alliance, and at the same time, declared the formation of their own new Murim Alliance in conjunction with the Evil Path Castle, with which they were at war.
Coincidentally, the name they came up with was also Murim Alliance of Justice and Evil.
Southern Murim Alliance and Northern Murim Alliance.
It was, in effect, a massive incident where the Central Plains Murim was split into South and North.
***
Two months had passed since the official inauguration of the new alliance.
Fortunately, the main division of the Black Lotus Union was large enough to serve as the headquarters of the new alliance without any shortcomings.
The new alliance slightly revised the structure of the former Murim Alliance and quickly established its organizational chart.
Despite many unstable elements, it achieved stabilization at a pace faster than expected.
Naturally, behind the scenes were endless nights of overtime from the military division, including Jegal Eun.
“Unfortunately, the Tang Clan and Emei are not responding to our Northern Murim Alliance's invitation.”
“Those two sects must be too busy seeking revenge on the Evil Overlords of Heaven. Leave them alone for now.”
“Yes, Alliance Leader.”
After suffering massive bloodshed from the assault of the Evil Overlords of Heaven, the Sichuan Tang Clan and Emei Sect, upon hearing of the Evil Overlords' defeat by the Black Lotus Union, immediately charged out of Sichuan and advanced into Qinghai.
In particular, the Tang Clan, having taken the most damage, had practically turned into vengeful spirits and swept away the unorthodox factions across Qinghai, putting immense pressure on the still-chaotic Evil Overlords of Heaven.
“What about the movements of the Southern Murim Alliance?”
The names Southern Murim Alliance and Northern Murim Alliance, coined by gossipers, were gradually becoming widely used even among the factions themselves.
“No change.”
Plum Blossom White Sword shrugged.
“They keep denouncing us daily, calling us traitors to righteousness because of our ties with the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.”
“Is that so?”
In truth, there was little to say in response to that.
Right now, Luoyang was teeming with nearly two thousand so-called ‘cult members.’
Plum Blossom White Sword, who had assumed the position of Vice Leader of Inspection in the Northern Murim Alliance, voiced his concern.
“The problem is, because of that, other small- and mid-sized righteous sects are reluctant to join us.”
Among those sects were many secular branches from the Nine Orthodox Sects that comprised the Northern Murim Alliance.
Baek Sang-ah, who had been elected as the first Alliance Leader of the Northern Murim Alliance, shook her head.
“It doesn’t matter. Our power is sufficient as it is.”
Still, Plum Blossom White Sword remained wary of her reaction.
“The biggest issue right now is… they’re relentlessly attacking the Alliance Leader’s identity.”
It was an open secret that she used demonic arts.
And the Southern Murim Alliance was openly publicizing that fact, using it to question the Northern Murim Alliance’s legitimacy.
“What is the internal atmosphere like?”
“The senior leadership remains steadfast in their support. They joined the alliance fully aware of everything. But… the overall mood within the alliance isn’t good.”
To have someone using demonic arts as the one above their heads was enough to utterly destroy the pride of being part of the righteous path.
Baek Sang-ah faintly smiled.
“…Interesting.”
“…….”
The Black Sky Master Mask, a symbol of high-ranking officers within the Black Lotus Union.
At first, it had quickly become the emblem representing the Hall, symbolizing mystery and a merit-based structure.
But now, it had become a destabilizing element shaking the legitimacy of the Northern Murim Alliance.
Baek Sang-ah softly spoke.
“Dispersing the anxiety of the alliance members is also one of the Alliance Leader’s duties, don’t you think?”
“What do you mean?”
Her hand reached for the mask.
The Black Sky Master Mask, which she had never taken off except in front of her true inner circle.
‘Surely not?’
Click!
Without hesitation, she removed the mask in front of Plum Blossom White Sword.
“Huh?!”
Seeing Baek Sang-ah’s bare face for the first time in his life, Plum Blossom White Sword could not contain his astonishment.
‘Huh! What an extraordinary beauty. The term ‘peerless beauty’ is not wasted on her at all!’
Even the famed Four Beauties of the Central Plains paled in comparison to the Alliance Leader before him.
Plum Blossom White Sword began to understand, if only slightly, why the hastily formed Black Lotus Union had shown such incredible organizational strength.
However.
Beautiful was beautiful.
‘……Who is she?’
Even after finally seeing the face of the Alliance Leader he had long wondered about.
He still had no clue who she was.
“…….”
Seeing his bewildered expression, Baek Sang-ah gave a faint wry smile.
It was understandable.
Now, there was no one left who would associate her with Southern Mist Sword Flower, Baek Sang-ah.
Even if it were family, perhaps her biological father or mother, her grandfather or nanny?
Aside from them, even if they were household members of the Namcheon Baek Clan, they would not recognize her.
“Surely, you’re not thinking of revealing your identity?”
Dao Zun blinked as if surprised.
She lightly shook her head.
“If I reveal my identity now, it would cause too much trouble for my main family.”
“Then?”
“Sadly, in the world of Jianghu, if one possesses strength, justification doesn’t pose much of a restriction.”
Even if one belongs to the orthodox sects.
“That’s true…”
“Above all, revealing my identity now is likely to be a poor move. It would be better to wait for a more decisive moment.”
“Don’t be so vague—speak clearly. What are you planning to do?”
“I intend to declare it before all the members of the alliance are gathered.”
Her eyes slowly narrowed.
“To show them that their current unease is utterly meaningless.”
Another month passed since the declaration of the new alliance’s formation.
The crowd of the Northern Murim Alliance gathered in Luoyang had exceeded twenty thousand.
In addition to the five thousand original forces of the Black Lotus Union, another fifteen thousand people had gathered from the various orthodox sects.
Considering that the Bukcheon Geom Clan had not yet joined and that the Nine Sects and their secular branches had only sent a portion of their members, the current scale of the Northern Murim Alliance was not inferior at all to the former Murim Alliance.
Such a crowd of twenty thousand had gathered at the Black Lotus Union’s main division.
Now the main division of the Northern Murim Alliance, it was densely packed with people summoned by the Alliance Leader’s command.
However, an awkward air still lingered among them.
On one side were the unorthodox members from the Black Lotus Union.
On another, the so-called noble orthodox sects.
And finally, even the rumored cult members had gathered there.
“We came here to fight, not to play politics…”
Ma Chulsoo, at the forefront of the Divine Cult’s expeditionary force, muttered discontentedly.
In truth, once the Black Lotus Union safely returned to Luoyang, their expedition had lost its purpose.
However, the creation of a new alliance centered around the Black Lotus Union was not something the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult could easily overlook.
“Be quiet. Looks like it’s about to begin.”
Pa Yeongyeong scolded Ma Chulsoo as she kept her eyes on the front.
Just as she said, not long after the crowd had fully gathered, the leadership of the Northern Murim Alliance, nearly twenty strong, began to appear one by one.
Each and every one of them was either the Sect Leader of a Nine Sect or Great Sect, or a master who had reached the realm of flower awakening.
“Well, that’s all good, but…”
Ma Chulsoo tilted his head as he looked at someone wearing a mask.
“What’s that guy doing there?”
“Huh? Who?”
“That guy, that one. Just look at him—he looks damned unpleasant with that mask on.”
Ma Chulsoo pointed with his chin at a young man wearing a mask at the front.
While Pa Yeongyeong didn’t recognize him, Ma Chulsoo instantly saw through his identity.
“What? That’s him!?”
Pa Yeongyeong was startled and raised her voice, but Ma Chulsoo quickly pressed a finger to her lips.
“Keep it down. Others might hear.”
“……”
“Seeing he’s wearing a mask, he must be trying to hide his identity… but why?”
Ma Chulsoo didn’t know of his dual identity as the First Strategist Black Thunder, which led to his confusion—but there was no one here to answer that question.
He simply let it pass, thinking there must be a reason.
Their thoughts didn’t linger long.
“Huh?”
At someone’s foolish murmur,
“Huh?”
“Gasp?!”
Similar reactions suddenly began to ripple throughout the venue.
A young woman of such beauty that she could be called the supreme beauty under the heavens appeared, striding between the Sect Leaders of the Nine Sects and the high-ranking officers wearing the Black Sky Master Mask.
Even though she had removed her mask, there was no one who didn’t know who she was.
“L-Lady Ryonju!?”
“Call her the Alliance Leader, you fool.”
“No, that’s not the issue right now!”
“T-The Alliance Leader took off her mask!”
Until now, the Black Lotus Union Leader, Demonic Sword Flower, had kept her identity tightly concealed.
Now, as the Northern Murim Alliance Leader, she opened her mouth to address the crowd.
“This woman is the Alliance Leader of the Northern Murim Alliance.”
Murmur murmur!
Even though she had removed her mask, her refusal to reveal her name caused whispers to erupt.
“Even now, many among you must be curious about this woman’s identity.”
The hall grew quiet.
“But this woman has circumstances that prevent revealing her name just yet.”
“One thing, however, I will make clear. This woman belongs to the orthodox sects… a blood relative of a family that is considered a noble clan.”
“……!!!”
Orthodox, Unorthodox, and Demonic.
No one could believe their eyes at her sudden confession.
She slightly lowered her gaze and gave a bitter smile.
“Born into the orthodox sects, I learned demonic arts and turned to the unorthodox, raising the Black Lotus Union. Indeed, there must be no other mongrel like me in this world.”
“…….”
“…….”
“It is true that there has been an uproar regarding the Alliance Leader’s identity!”
At that moment, someone near the front suddenly shouted loudly toward the podium.
“But how can we believe that you are of orthodox origin?!”
“W-What, is he insane?”
Many stared at the man in shock.
Regardless of doubts about the Alliance Leader, voicing such objections aloud was an entirely different matter.
Countless renowned figures of the murim had already pledged support to the Alliance Leader, and her authority was as firm as Mount Tai.
To say such words in such a situation was not something one could do without extraordinary courage.
Then.
As if she had been waiting, a woman of similar age and beauty to the Alliance Leader stepped forward.
“I, Dao Zun Jin Ryeong, one of the Three Sovereigns of the Central Plains, vouch for her.”
Fwoosh!
Dao Zun Jin Ryeong unfolded the Ten Thousand Phase Tai Chi and asserted her presence.
“D-Dao Zun?!”
“The last of the Three Sovereigns of the Central Plains!”
“The one who recently upturned the Wudang Sect…!”
At those words, the expressions of the Wudang elders among the orthodox crowd twisted into dismay.
Each of those elders bore dark bruises on their faces, but there was no one daring enough to ask Wudang’s elders the reason why.
Starting with Dao Zun Jin Ryeong, others began to step forward.
“The Guardian of the Black Lotus Union, Ten Thousand Evil Saber Emperor, guarantees the Alliance Leader’s identity.”
“Mmm…! Ten Thousand Evil Saber Emperor!”
“The one said to be the actual strongest of the Black Lotus Union….”
Next to step up was Plum Blossom White Sword.
“I, Plum Blossom White Sword Jo Gongmyeong of Mount Hua, also vouch for her.”
“Plum Blossom White Sword Jo Gongmyeong of the Eight Armies!”
“At this point, I’m all the more curious.”
“Just what is the Alliance Leader’s true identity…?”
While the major figures of the Northern Murim Alliance one by one vouched for the Alliance Leader’s identity, finally, Myeong Un of Shaolin stepped forward.
“Shaolin will unconditionally follow the Alliance Leader’s authority, regardless of her identity.”
“……!!”
The hall was in an uproar at Shaolin’s unilateral declaration of support.
At this point, whether the Alliance Leader was from the orthodox sects or the demonic path no longer mattered.
“B-But! How can we bring in the Demonic Cult, with whom we’ve fought for over a thousand years in the Central Plains?! Even if we bury our grudges, how can we possibly trust them!”
“W-Whoever that is, they are absurdly brave.”
To make such a remark in a place swarming with cultists!
Whoever that person was, it would be no surprise if they were assassinated by tonight.
Then it happened.
“The Northern Murim Alliance and the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult shall form a blood alliance.”
“……?!?!”
Blood alliance!
Ordinarily, a blood alliance refers to sworn brotherhood, but when used between groups or factions, it usually implies…
‘M-Marriage?’
Between whom and whom?
“There is something more important than the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.”
More important than that?
Just as many were wondering that,
Baek Sang-ah’s next words followed.
“Behind the murim, there exists a group known as the Heaven-Defying Society.”