Hwa Munyeom nodded, rose from his seat, and turned his body.

As he began to walk away at an unhurried pace, the man stopped him.

“But—”

Hwa Munyeom turned his head.

“When will you strike the Soul Demon Flame Palace?”

“I intend to coordinate the timing.”

At that answer, the man snorted.

“Fine, then go.”

Hwa Munyeom stared at the man for a long beat and thought:

An ill-mannered son of a bitch.

If not for the Preceptor’s trust, he would have ripped his neck out and crushed it on the spot.

***

Having arrived at the Heavenly Alliance’s main headquarters, Unhwi headed for the Heavenly Archives.

The Heavenly Archives were one of the Alliance’s most important places, recording not only the Alliance’s martial arts but also its history and intelligence.

Unhwi’s reason for going there was simple.

He had heard that Alliance Lord Mae Wuidong spent a great deal of time in the Archives.

And that he was there now.

So when Unhwi made for the Archives, he happened to catch Mae Wuidong just then coming out.

He cupped his fist in salute.

“I pay my respects to the Alliance Lord.”

“Haha, our Heavenly Arbiter. It’s only been four days, and you’re still as dashing as ever.”

Just as Unhwi was about to answer the Alliance Lord’s friendly words, something beyond the Archive entrance looked off.

Unhwi was no fool; when he first became Heavenly Arbiter he had taken a turn around the main headquarters.

The Archives as well.

He remembered roughly which shelves were inside and what books were where, and something… was wrong.

Has it narrowed a little?

He wasn’t certain, but it seemed the two shelves just inside the entrance had edged closer together.

It was no illusion.

“For what business have you come this time?”

Mae Wuidong’s calm voice was so natural it felt almost affected.

Unhwi lowered his fists and smiled gently.

“You’ll have heard the news.”

“And by news, you mean…?”

“We cut the cord between Un’guk and the Nine-Gate Assembly.”

“If that, yes… I heard. But who were ‘those people’?”

Unhwi regarded Mae Wuidong briefly and replied short.

“They are people who help me.”

“People who help you…”

“Moving through the martial world, you make ties here and there. Cherishing those ties, I’ve found there are people who will come when I ask.”

“Hmm…”

“As I said before, this is the roster for Chief Heavenly Commanders to be appointed to the four vacant regions.”

Taking the small slip Unhwi handed over, Mae Wuidong’s eyes lit.

“These people… are you saying they’ll enter the Heavenly Alliance?”

“Yes. They agreed readily to help.”

“But… they’re all former-generation masters. They’ve even undergone the Gold-Dust Ablution Rite.”

“Is that a problem?”

“…Hmm, you must have your reasons. I will accept them all.”

“And as for the Eight Celestial Seats, I said I would bring three into the Heavenly Alliance, but I persuaded only one—Dukgo Hyun.”

“The other two said they wouldn’t come?”

“No. I didn’t even meet them.”

Mae Wuidong’s brow twitched slightly.

“Looking into it separately, I found we would have to pay a heavy price to bring those two into the Heavenly Alliance.”

“I see… is that so?”

“They were people tied more deeply to the Martial Alliance and the Four-Heaven Alliance, and to the Five Sword Sects.”

“I understand.”

“Oh, and though he is not of the Eight Celestial Seats, I want to nominate the Bright Lord of Cheonrim, Seo Hyo, to a seat as an Elder of the Heavenly Alliance.”

Mae Wuidong’s gaze brightened.

“The Bright Lord among Cheonrim’s Four Guardian Gods… I know he holds a very high position even within Cheonrim. Heavenly Arbiter, am I thinking what you’re thinking?”

“Yes. You are.”

Unhwi smiled faintly.

“The Sect Master of the Ihwa Sword Heaven Sect is also the Forest Lord of Cheonrim. I intend to take Cheonrim from him.”

“…You will not be able to take it whole…”

“I will take it as whole as possible.”

Convinced, Mae Wuidong nodded.

“The pace is truly astounding. Then you came to me to make a report?”

“No.”

He had a clear reason for coming.

“I need your official seal.”

“My seal…?”

Once again Unhwi took a letter from his breast.

Mae Wuidong accepted it, read down the lines, and halted.

Then he looked back at Unhwi.

“…Is this… for real?”

“Yes.”

“…”

“It seems it doesn’t please you.”

“It’s not that it displeases me so much as…”

Trailing off, Mae Wuidong drew out a letter case from his breast, then took from it more than twenty letters and handed them to Unhwi.

“Letters from both the Five Sword Sects and the Outer Demonic Sects. How will you take responsibility, what on earth are you doing—such contents in abundance.”

Unhwi read them all in silence and lifted his head.

As if waiting, Mae Wuidong continued.

“…But this letter you have just given me…”

He stopped and let out a sigh.

“I’m not certain this is the right choice.”

It was a thing one could well say.

—

To all members of the Nine-Gate Assembly.

Concerning the sequence of events that have recently unfolded at the court of Un’guk, the Heavenly Alliance intends to hold the Nine-Gate Assembly to account.

At the outset, when the Heavenly Alliance fell into crisis, we sought aid from the Five Sword Sects and the Outer Demonic Sects; not only did they refuse, they provoked needless strife.

In the process they failed, and using the resulting loss of life as a pretext, they formed the Nine-Gate Assembly, and further, by bribing the Chancellor and the Prince of the Blood of Un’guk’s court, attempted to expel the Heavenly Alliance entirely. Such conduct departs from the warrior’s code and, beyond a mere struggle of forces within the martial world, amounts to grave interference in the internal affairs of a state.

Therefore the Heavenly Alliance demands an explanation and an apology from the Nine-Gate Assembly.

If the Nine-Gate Assembly has objections or anything to clarify, then to avoid the trouble of exchanging letters, dispatch an envoy delegation directly to the Heavenly Alliance’s main headquarters.

In a forthright ‘warrior’s parley,’ we will discern right and wrong and hold the Nine-Gate Assembly to responsibility. Do not evade—answer.

Co-signed: Alliance Lord Mae Wuidong of the Heavenly Alliance; Heavenly Arbiter Unhwi

—

In sum, it demanded responsibility from the entire Nine-Gate Assembly and, finding it tedious to bandy words by letter, told them that if they had complaints they should send a delegation to the Heavenly Alliance; there, in parley, they would sort out where responsibility lay.

If the Nine-Gate Assembly accepted this, how would they react?

They would surely run mad.

“…Can you handle it?”

“I can handle it fully.”

“Huh…”

“My seal is already affixed. I need the Alliance Lord’s seal as well.”

“You mean to show the stance of the entire Heavenly Alliance.”

“Exactly.”

Scratching his head, Mae Wuidong hesitated a moment, then slowly nodded.

“Very well. I’ll stamp it.”

“And clear the Alliance’s training arena. I will be holding the parley with all of them, and whichever way I look at it, I don’t think the arena will remain intact.”

It was stated plainly in the letter.

Let us hold a parley as warriors.

That did not mean merely to fight with words.

It meant ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) to fight with strength, and in that place, much blood would flow.

With a complicated sigh, Mae Wuidong nodded.

“I’ll trust you with it again this time.”

“Thank you. And—”

A peculiar smile touched Unhwi’s lips.

“We’re in the same boat, aren’t we? It’s time for you to step to the front as well.”

Mae Wuidong’s brow twitched ever so slightly.

It was only for an instant, but Unhwi certainly saw it.

He showed nothing.

The two men regarded each other with unreadable eyes.

Unhwi does not take losing fights.

This time was no different.

It will be no different henceforth.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep