Truly regrettably, there was not a single court minister who did not know King Undeok’s condition, so everyone had been preparing themselves.

Crown Prince Unmu, who had already been handling the regency, declared at once that he would hold an enthronement ceremony soon.

That enthronement ceremony was being held here today, at the royal castle.

Officials dispatched to every region, of course, but also officials who had been residing in the royal castle, and even military officers.

Hundreds upon hundreds of subjects were lined up in formation inside the royal castle’s grand hall.

Along both sides of the vast hall, laid with a red carpet, the civil and military officials took their places according to rank, and at the far end a majestic dragon throne, adorned in gold, stood looming.

“Crown Prince Unmu enters the palace!”

The herald’s shout filled the grand hall.

A moment later, Unmu, wearing a splendid dragon robe, walked in slowly.

At twenty-eight years of age, his handsome features and calm bearing blended together, naturally radiating the dignity of a king.

The subjects dropped to their knees all at once.

“We greet the new king!”

The thunderous shout shook the grand hall.

When Unmu ascended the dragon throne, the ministers, in order, raised up the royal seal and the ceremonial crown. The rite proceeded solemnly and magnificently.

“From this day forward, I become the king of Un Kingdom, and I swear to devote my body to the peace of the people and the prosperity of the nation.”

When Unmu’s declaration ended, the grand hall was once again filled with cheers.

However, Unmu’s gaze lingered on one spot among the assembled ministers.

There stood Seol Unhwi in a black robe with the Heavenly Alliance insignia engraved in gold, and Flame King Hwa Munyeom wearing the same robe.

They had not yet begun the enthronement ceremony for his position as Alliance Lord of the Heavenly Alliance, but considering that the relationship between Un Kingdom and the Heavenly Alliance was not an ordinary one—

In one way or another, Seol Unhwi and Flame King Hwa Munyeom had to be present here.

Unmu met Seol Unhwi’s eyes.

The two men did not bother to open their mouths or use voice transmission.

Anything either of them had to say could be said after this event ended, once a separate meeting had been arranged.

The ceremony lasted for fully three shijin, and the moment that time ended, Unmu dismissed every subject, then summoned only Seol Unhwi and Flame King Hwa Munyeom separately.

Seated upon the throne, Unmu looked at the two of them and spoke.

“It has been a long time, Unhwi.”

“Congratulations on Your Majesty’s enthronement.”

Seol Unhwi offered a respectful salute.

“Congratulations? If not for you, would I have been able to sit here today?”

Deep gratitude was woven into Unmu’s voice.

If Seol Unhwi had not eliminated the chancellor and the royal prince during the Gumunhoe affair, the current Unmu would not exist.

Even if Seol Unhwi had acted for his own benefit, Unmu could not help but be grateful.

That day, Unmu had even considered striking Seol Unhwi from behind, and if he had failed to grasp the deeper intent behind the board Seol Unhwi had laid out, Unmu’s fate would have ended in death that day.

“It was only possible because Your Majesty possessed virtue and prestige.”

“You are still humble.”

Saying that, Unmu smiled and looked at Flame King Hwa Munyeom.

“I cannot forget what happened that day.”

Unmu’s manner of speech changed when addressing Flame King Hwa Munyeom.

This was not because he viewed Seol Unhwi lightly.

It was because Flame King Hwa Munyeom was a man of that caliber.

“Your figure while wearing a mask was dignified as well, but the figure after removing it—truly lives up to its fame.”

Flame King Hwa Munyeom gave a small smile.

“Your words leave me at a loss. I have not yet held an enthronement ceremony like Your Majesty’s, but I am Flame King Hwa Munyeom, who will take charge as the Alliance Lord of the Heavenly Alliance.”

“Haha… I truly never imagined I would see that great Flame King in person. Your fame has spread widely, not only through Un Kingdom but even to the neighboring enemy nation… It is an honor.”

“It is also an honor for me to meet King Unmu.”

The two, more courteous than expected, did not forget to exchange well-wishes.

“If the Flame King has become the Alliance Lord of the Heavenly Alliance, then the balance of power in the martial world will change greatly.”

At Unmu’s words, Flame King Hwa Munyeom nodded.

“That will be so, yet Un Kingdom as well will surely shake the balance of power. I am almost envious of the people of Un Kingdom, who have gained a monarch so upright and wise.”

The praise was so lavish it raised goosebumps.

As if remembering something, Flame King Hwa Munyeom spoke.

“The Heavenly Alliance wishes to maintain friendly relations with Un Kingdom at all times.”

“Of course it should. I, too, wish to form a friendly relationship with the Heavenly Alliance for a very long time.”

Saying that, Unmu rose from the throne and walked toward the two of them.

“In truth, I called you both today because I want to speak about the future.”

“The future, you say?”

Seol Unhwi asked.

“The future of the Heavenly Alliance and Un Kingdom.”

Unmu spoke while looking out the window.

“Until now, Un Kingdom has lived while keeping an appropriate distance from the martial world. But now it seems the time has come for that to change.”

“What sort of change do you mean?”

Flame King Hwa Munyeom asked with interest.

“If the Heavenly Alliance stands together with Un Kingdom, then we must face forces like the Martial Alliance and the Sichuan Alliance together. For that, should we not properly secure our inner foundations?”

“Inner foundations, you mean…?”

The bond between Un Kingdom and the Heavenly Alliance was already thick.

They cooperated in economics, and they cooperated in information as well.

For words like these to emerge meant he intended to speak of something more concrete.

Unmu sat back down upon the throne and said,

“At present, the Cheonsu Temple envoys dispatched across Un Kingdom are managing the martial world in each region. I want to systematize that further.”

“In what direction?”

At Flame King Hwa Munyeom’s question, Unmu answered quietly.

“Up to now, the Cheonsu Temple and the local officials have worked separately, each within their own domain. But from here on, I believe we will need closer cooperation.”

Seol Unhwi also watched Unmu with an expression full of interest.

Slowly, Unmu continued.

“First, I want us to hold a regular monthly meeting, share the situation in each region, and create a system for joint response when needed. Let the Cheonsu Temple handle the martial world’s affairs, and the officials of that region handle civil administration, but have them connected organically.”

Seol Unhwi immediately caught the true intent behind Unmu’s words.

“Organically… It sounds like you are asking the Heavenly Alliance’s martial artists to train the royal troops.”

Flame King Hwa Munyeom flinched, and Unmu’s eyes glinted.

“…Well then. It is newly striking, but there is no meaning in speaking indirectly to the Heavenly Arbiter. Is that not so, Alliance Lord of the Heavenly Alliance?”

Flame King Hwa Munyeom only nodded, without speaking.

To speak honestly, Flame King Hwa Munyeom understood the situation in his own way, but he had not fully examined Unmu’s intent.

This was not an easy matter.

Cheonsu Temple envoys of the Heavenly Alliance passing martial arts on to royal troops?

It had to be viewed a bit differently.

“You wish to form a new royal guard.”

At Seol Unhwi’s words, Unmu nodded.

“Would it be difficult?”

Seol Unhwi looked at Flame King Hwa Munyeom. Flame King Hwa Munyeom was the Alliance Lord, but he was the sort of man who believed the Heavenly Alliance’s full authority rested with Seol Unhwi.

When Flame King Hwa Munyeom nodded silently, Seol Unhwi opened his mouth at once.

“It is a good proposal. As Your Majesty says, we will make a slight change to the Cheonsu Temple’s duties. And as you well know.”

“If something goes out, something must come back.”

“Then what can you give?”

“Tell me first what you want.”

Seol Unhwi answered briefly.

“In five days, the enthronement ceremony for the Heavenly Alliance’s Alliance Lord will be held.”

“…Mm….”

“You must attend.”

Flame King Hwa Munyeom turned his head to look at Seol Unhwi, because he had never imagined Seol Unhwi would want something like that.

It was the same for Unmu.

The king of a nation appearing at the appointment of the head of some organization?

And at an event for martial artists?

This was unprecedented.

Even organizations like the Martial Alliance or the Sichuan Alliance were normally congratulated by no more than the direct arrival of each nation’s delegations.

“If I go in person, then…”

“It means making it absolutely clear that the relationship between Un Kingdom and the Heavenly Alliance goes beyond being close, and is that of one body.”

“…”

“What will you do?”

The reason the Heavenly Alliance had been able to enter the three great powers was because its relationship with Un Kingdom was so strong.

The sense of crisis that to touch the Heavenly Alliance meant touching Un Kingdom as well had provoked the martial world; if they now showed, beyond doubt, that they had become one body, then except for the Heavenly Daoist of the Original Blood Cult, no one would be able to easily touch the Heavenly Alliance.

After thinking for a moment, Unmu nodded.

“Fine. I will do so.”

Today, one more figure was added to those who would attend the Heavenly Alliance’s enthronement ceremony for its Alliance Lord.

***

Time passed.

The central plaza of the Heavenly Alliance, located in Cheonsu, was exuding an atmosphere more majestic than ever.

Upon a tall platform adorned with red silk, an ornate dragon gate had been erected, and below it hundreds of martial artists stood in formation.

Judging by the faces of those gathered for the enthronement ceremony of the Heavenly Alliance’s Alliance Lord, it was a magnificence worthy of being recorded in the history of the martial world.

On the left side of the platform sat the sect masters of the Five Sword Sects.

Shin Gang, who was appearing at an official gathering for the first time since the death of the previous sect master, Yeon Songbaek, had a very peculiar look—half white hair, half black hair—and at a glance he was emitting a sharp aura as if steeped in the sword.

Beside him sat Cheon Yeongho, the sect master of the Pure-Heavens Sword Sect, followed by Eum Museon, the sect master of the Heavenly Sound Sword Sect.

And next to them sat the Bluecloud Daoist, the sect master of the Bluecloud Sword Sect, who had the bearing of a Daoist, while Seong Mujin, the sect master of the Divine Slaying Sword Sect, seemed to be on good terms with the Bluecloud Daoist and was quietly speaking about something.

On the right sat the sect masters of the Four Demon Sects.

The new Palace Lord of Soul-Dao Demon Flame Palace, Dong Murin, was the youngest by age, but his fame—after wiping out Shin Jueon’s entire family—had already spread across the entire martial world.

Heuk Mucheon, the Palace Lord of Black-Heaven Demon Beast Palace, was unleashing an overwhelming momentum that matched his massive frame, and Sim Muryeong, the leader of the Heavenly Demon Yin-Spirit Gate, observed the surroundings with a gloomy smile.

Do Musim, the leader of the Heart-Demon Dao Sect, was the quietest of all, but anyone could feel the danger contained within that stillness.

Farther forward than them, in the VIP seats, sat the true giants.

Moyong Namcheon, the Vice Alliance Lord of the Sichuan Alliance, was a master who, in his mid-forties, had already reached Unity of Heaven and Man.

Behind his handsome appearance lay the face of a cold strategist who truly led the Sichuan Alliance.

Jegal Yeonghyeon, the Vice Alliance Lord of the Martial Alliance, was a bit older than him, and though his realm was lower, he was highly regarded for being the sole surviving descendant of the Jegal Clan that had ruled the martial world before the Thousand-Year Chaos, and for being the brain that led the Martial Alliance as an organization.

To put it plainly, the fact that both the core of the Sichuan Alliance and the core of the Martial Alliance were present meant that the Heavenly Alliance’s status itself had surged that much.

And beside them sat Seol Horyeong, the young Palace Lord of Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Palace.

Before even reaching thirty, he was already a powerful figure who had reached the Realm of Martial Divinity, and he was smiling brightly—something that also had good reason.

At the Snow Palace, the youngest younger sibling who had been dispatched to the Heavenly Alliance had raised that Heavenly Alliance into one of the three great powers of the martial world.

He had always thought it was impressive, but was this not beyond imagination?

Seol Horyeong, who had been smiling, met Seol Unhwi’s eyes.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep