ALL NOVEL Ch 40
As soon as Jo Hwi mentioned the relocation of the Namgung family, Namgung Jang-ho’s brow furrowed deeply.
The Namgung family was not a small estate but a massive family that dominated Anhui—how could he casually bring up moving it?
However, the source of the conflict was clear: Jo Hwi had dangled the carrot of martial arts instruction.
Jo Hwi had reached a level comparable to the top-tier masters of the Seven Martial Masters, and he was now known as the “Little Sword Saint” in the martial world. He had surpassed even his father in martial skill.
Moreover, as the head of his family, he could freely demonstrate his martial arts, making him the ideal master to learn from. It would be hard to find a more perfect teacher anywhere in the martial world.
“Namgung-hyung, don’t frown and get angry right away. Think about it calmly. The land I gave to your family—where is it? It’s Yeilpo, Yeilpo! Haven’t you heard of the ‘Great Day of Nanchang’?” Jo Hwi said, pressing the issue.
Namgung Jang-ho had to admit, Yeilpo was the largest commercial area by Poyang Lake, and the most prime land there.
The fact that Jo Hwi had given up such a prime piece of land was almost unbelievable.
“Think about it, Namgung-hyung. Are you properly using Yeilpo now? You only have a small estate there. That’s because you haven’t invested the right manpower!” Jo Hwi continued.
“Hmm…” Namgung Jang-ho hummed, considering Jo Hwi’s words.
“Imagine if you invested the right manpower—military officers, inns, brothels, taverns, merchant guilds, and couriers. Do you know how much money that prime land would bring in? At least double what Hefei earns!” Jo Hwi urged.
“…” Namgung Jang-ho remained silent.
“The Namgung family has now become powerful enough to have a separate faction and business group. It’s time to stop playing the role of the local king in Anhui. How long will you keep pretending to be the ruler of just this one area?” Jo Hwi pressed.
Watching all this unfold, Dan Baek-woo was astonished.
To so casually encourage the formation of a separate faction! Did he not realize the consequences of that?
Such actions were no different than declaring an intention to break away from the alliance.
The Martial Alliance (Murimmaeng) would never allow it.
The Namgung family was one of the leading families in the Five Great Families. If some families, including Namgung, joined forces and broke away from the Martial Alliance, the righteous faction would be split in two.
Given that the Namgung family had a monopoly on the attractive products of the Jo Family Grand Conference, such a situation was entirely possible.
Jo Hwi had already formed an alliance with the isolated Sicheondang family, which was known for its exclusivity.
Dan Baek-woo could not just watch this unfold.
He stood up, setting down the cold tea that had been brought to him by Sibi.
“You all… are proposing a very dangerous idea,” he said, his voice grim. “How can you casually talk about forming a ‘faction’ in my presence as a high-ranking member of the Martial Alliance?”
To which Jo Hwi nonchalantly replied, “That’s exactly what I wanted you to hear.”
“Eh? You wanted me to hear it?” Dan Baek-woo raised an eyebrow in disbelief.
“Yes, because it’s clear that if our Jo Family Grand Conference wants to manage the Jiangxi region, we have no choice but to declare ourselves a faction. It would be impossible to manage land previously governed by the Three Emperors under the name of a mere family or guild,” Jo Hwi said, confidently.
While his words made sense, the underlying meaning was undeniably dangerous.
“And if we don’t declare ourselves a faction, people like you, the officials of the Martial Alliance, will keep coming to bother us. It’s only natural that we’d call ourselves a faction to avoid that hassle,” Jo Hwi added, casually.
Dan Baek-woo’s eyes darkened.
This was the truly frightening part about Dan Baek-woo.
Even though the situation could have easily made him jump to his feet and shout in anger, he never lost his composure.
“Even if you form a ‘faction’, do you think a ragtag group like the Hwitcheonryeon (Black Heaven Alliance) could be a serious force? Do you think you can really maintain a faction with a makeshift force like Jo Ga Cheonmu?” Dan Baek-woo asked.
For Jo Hwi, this was a painful criticism.
In truth, while the Jo Family Grand Conference might seem formidable at first glance, there were still many shaky aspects to it. It wasn’t yet strong enough to be called a proper faction.
“What about the Heavenly Evil Society, who are right next to you? While Hwitcheonryeon was caught off guard, they will surely focus on targeting your weaknesses now,” Dan Baek-woo continued.
At that moment, the atmosphere in the room darkened. All of Jo Hwi’s companions, including Je-gal Un, had already been warning him about the potential threat.
Since the fall of the Hwitcheonryeon, agents suspected to be from the Heavenly Evil Society had been spotted all over the Jiangxi region.
Now that the Hwitcheonryeon was gone, they likely saw the area as an empty land ripe for exploitation.
It was only a matter of time before the Heavenly Evil Society revealed their ambitions.
Yet Jo Hwi showed no sign of unease, and in fact, appeared more at ease than ever.
“Can I say something now?” he asked, his voice calm.
“Go ahead,” Dan Baek-woo replied.
Suddenly, Jo Hwi looked out the window to the north.
“I will make full use of the reputation of ‘Sword God’ that is engraved in my title. Every year, I will gather all the sword factions of the martial world and hold a sword competition, and I will grant the title of the ‘Greatest Sword Sect of the Martial World’ to the sword faction that demonstrates the best skill,” Jo Hwi declared.
“What…?” Dan Baek-woo suddenly became extremely flustered.
Jo Hwi’s words were a declaration that he would place all the sword factions of the Central Plains under his, or rather, the Sword God’s, authority and influence.
Dan Baek-woo knew all too well how terrifying those words were.
Right now, Jo Hwi was trying to emulate the Martial Emperor’s (Mu-hwang) overwhelming fame, where experts gathered like clouds under the banner of the Martial Alliance.
“No, wait…!” Dan Baek-woo began to protest.
“Furthermore, I will give all the sword factions the opportunity to learn the Sword God’s sword intent. Each faction will send their most promising disciples. Do you know what will happen to our Jo Family Grand Conference, or rather, Jiangxi?” Jo Hwi continued.
In order to inherit the legacy of the Sword God, all the sword factions of the Central Plains would gather in droves.
The more they gained, the more Jiangxi would become the holy land of sword factions!
The Wudang Sword Sect, the Huashan Sword Sect, the Zhongnan Sword Sect…
Every sect that claimed to be a sword faction from the old school admired the legendary reputation of the Sword God.
The authority of the Sword God over the sword was absolute.
Dan Baek-woo’s face twisted like that of an evil spirit.
“Are you planning on waging war against the Alliance?” he asked.
Jo Hwi’s transparent gaze turned toward Dan Baek-woo.
“And the justification?” Jo Hwi asked.
“Justification?”
Jo Hwi smirked.
“Isn’t it obvious? From the perspective of the sword factions in the Central Plains, learning from the Sword God is a great blessing. If the Alliance tries to stop that, there must be a justification, right? I just can’t understand what justification you’d use to stop us,” Jo Hwi said.
“…” Dan Baek-woo finally realized why Jo Hwi had been able to become a dominant figure in Anhui and Jiangxi.
On the surface, he appeared as just another promising disciple, but in truth, he was deeper and far more dangerous than anyone Dan Baek-woo knew.
He had to stop him—by all means necessary, even using the Alliance’s power!
It seemed as though Jo Hwi had read Dan Baek-woo’s inner thoughts, as he revealed his martial intent, which had been hidden behind an aura of calm.
The pressure of his martial energy felt like a gigantic mountain crushing down on Dan Baek-woo, overwhelming him.
In an instant, Dan Baek-woo’s martial robe became drenched with sweat.
“Ugh!”
Dan Baek-woo staggered as he tried to resist Jo Hwi’s immense energy.
It was an unimaginable force!
The energy he had cultivated over three years was drained in an instant, and his inner strength began to flow out uncontrollably.
A sensation of weakness hit him, and it felt like he might faint.
Just when it seemed that Dan Baek-woo could not hold on any longer, Jo Hwi withdrew his martial energy behind a veil of calm.
Dan Baek-woo managed to grab the table and gasp for breath.
“Huff… huff!”
Jo Hwi politely acknowledged him.
“Sorry, I have a tendency to react quickly to killing intent.”
“…” Dan Baek-woo froze, feeling a sense of helplessness.
He had momentarily forgotten that Jo Hwi was a master of the absolute techniques, the kind that could control martial intent.
Revealing such intent before a master of the absolute techniques—how foolish of him!
Now, after personally experiencing the overwhelming power, Dan Baek-woo could no longer calm his agitated heart.
‘He’s just like the Alliance leader!’
No, even more ruthless than the Martial Emperor himself.
Dan Baek-woo had no choice but to admit that Jo Hwi was the kind of man who could lead a “faction.”
“…I apologize,” Dan Baek-woo said suddenly, bowing deeply.
And with that, a heavy atmosphere of respect filled the room.
Finally, a powerful figure within the Martial Alliance had acknowledged Jo Hwi as the supreme ruler of the martial world.
Jo Hwi’s eyes gleamed sharply.
Someone who could lower themselves so easily was far more terrifying than someone who would merely lash out in anger.
After all, Jo Hwi was the powerful Inspector-General of the Martial Alliance.
Jo Hwi decided not to provoke him further.
“No, it’s fine. I was just curious about the Alliance’s position.”
Dan Baek-woo stood silently for a while, organizing his thoughts, then calmly spoke.
“…Please reconsider your plans to unite the sword factions under the name of the Sword God. Such a radical move could cause great chaos in the martial world.”
“Hmm.”
Jo Hwi let out a slight groan, clasping his hands together as though deep in thought, before turning his gaze back to Dan Baek-woo with a subdued look.
“In exchange for not provoking the sword factions of the Central Plains, what carrot will the Alliance offer me?”
Dan Baek-woo fell into deep thought, pondering what the most he could offer under his authority might be.
After a long internal struggle, when he looked up at Jo Hwi, he was almost speechless, as though Jo Hwi could see through all his possible options.
“Well… is there something you want?” Jo Hwi asked, nodding casually.
“Yes. Three things.”
“…Three things?”
“If you think my demands are unreasonable, feel free to leave. There’s no need to waste energy on something that benefits neither of us.”
This was a matter involving the potential unification of the sword factions of the entire martial world. As long as the negotiations weren’t finished, Dan Baek-woo had no choice but to stay.
“I will listen,” Dan Baek-woo said, nodding calmly.
Jo Hwi finally spoke.
“The first is an absolute alliance between the Jo Family Grand Conference and the Martial Alliance.”
An alliance is one thing, but what did “absolute alliance” mean?
“Please explain it more clearly,” Dan Baek-woo requested.
“A long-term alliance with no set expiration. It cannot be unilaterally broken,” Jo Hwi explained.
The answer was too abstract.
Dan Baek-woo pressed on with a more direct question.
“Is this simply a military alliance, or is it an alliance that shares life and death together?”
“Of course, the latter. It is a relationship where we face all threats together and share the spoils,” Jo Hwi replied.
“Share the spoils?”
In fact, the Jo Family Grand Conference, which controlled both Anhui and Jiangxi, was a massive commercial power, almost as large as the Martial Alliance.
Furthermore, the Jo Family Grand Conference was not a sect but a merchant guild.
This meant that the Jo Family would be the ones to lose more in the alliance.
“I don’t understand. If we share the profits, won’t the Jo Family Grand Conference, which controls the commercial territories of Anhui and Jiangxi, be at a disadvantage?” Dan Baek-woo asked, baffled.
Jo Hwi looked at him with a surprised expression.
“Why would Anhui and Jiangxi even be part of this? Those territories were obtained with the Namgung family, so don’t get any ideas about them,” Jo Hwi retorted.
“Then…?”
At that moment, Jo Hwi pointed to a map of Central Plains hanging on the wall of the conference room.
“I’m talking about the territories of the Alliance—Hubei, Henan, Shaanxi, and Shanxi. I’d like to discuss advancing into those areas with the Alliance.”
“Heh!”
Even now, the scale of the Jo Ga Daehang is enormous, and he intends to expand it further? This seems like a plan to fill the entire Jianghu with Jo Ga Daehang’s shops.
“Impossible!”
If Jo Ga Daehang expands into Hubei, Henan, Shaanxi, and Shanxi, the Alliance’s influence will undeniably shrink.
“I said we will share the profits. Why are you jumping to conclusions? Think about it carefully. It won’t be a loss for you.”
No, it definitely will be a loss!
For the time being, there may be significant profits, but in the long run, the Alliance will undoubtedly become subordinate to Jo Ga Daehang!
With such enormous demands right from the first request, what will the second and third demands be?
“What are your second and third requests?”
Jo Hwi smiled politely and continued speaking.
“Hehe, my second request is to find the descendants of Guan Yu and the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden Scripture.”
Jo Hwi’s malicious intent to reap the benefits while offloading all the troublesome tasks onto the Alliance!
All the elders watching this from the Spirit Realm could only click their tongues in disbelief.
Dan Baek Woo, frozen in a strange expression, was unable to comprehend Jo Hwi’s request. It didn’t make sense.
“Is he testing me?”
Jo Hwi, the great merchant who had absorbed Anhui and Jiangxi, now coveted the Alliance’s territories. It made sense up to that point.
But then he suddenly requested the descendants of Guan Yu and the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden Scripture? What does that have to do with the alliance?
Dan Baek Woo’s thoughts were in disarray as he considered it all.
Was there anyone in the Alliance with the surname Guan, perhaps a hero who had helped the martial world? Maybe Jo Hwi was criticizing the Alliance’s bias toward the Huashan and Wudang sects?
He decided that, when he returned to the Alliance, he would have to check if anyone had been overlooked for rewards.
But the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden Scripture—what was that?
He’d heard it was an ancient Daoist scripture sought by Taoists for generations.
The Alliance had long been criticized for favoring Huashan and Wudang sects over others.
Perhaps Jo Hwi was mocking the situation?
Dan Baek Woo couldn’t make sense of it.
“You seem to be looking for meaning behind it, but there isn’t any. Think simply. I just don’t have the resources, you know how vast the Alliance’s manpower is.”
“Manpower?”
“Ah, I apologize. I meant the Alliance is much larger than Jo Ga Daehang.”
What?
So the second and third requests were just personal wishes from Jo Hwi? It was unbelievable. The Alliance wasn’t some small sect that handled trivial matters!
“If you don’t like it, then just say so.”
“This brat…”
For a moment, Dan Baek Woo almost drew his sword, forgetting that Jo Hwi was a supreme martial artist.
“Ugh…”
Dan Baek Woo, who had never shown emotion in his life and was known as the “Stone Buddha” of the Alliance, could not contain the chaos of emotions he felt after visiting Jo Ga Daehang.
If he added up all the emotions he had ever expressed in his life, it still wouldn’t compare to the storm of feelings he had experienced today.
Finally, after regaining his composure, Dan Baek Woo spoke again.
“…I told you, the Alliance is not an organization that works so easily. How could you mix personal matters with such important alliances?”
“Well, if that’s the Alliance’s stance, then I understand. Thank you for your time.”
“You’re… this brat!”
Unable to hold back, Dan Baek Woo jumped to his feet as if he were about to draw a weapon. However, Nam Gung Jang Ho and Je Gyal Un quickly stood up and grabbed him.
“Please, Chief Inspector, calm down!”
“No, don’t do it! Drawing your sword means you’ve lost!”
Jo Hwi stared at Nam Gung Jang Ho and Je Gyal Un, alternating between them, confused.
“Whose side are you on?”
At that moment, Jin Ga Hee, with eyes shaped like a crescent moon, stared at Dan Baek Woo intently.
“Hehe, if you just give a bit of your blood, I might be able to persuade Jo Hwi Oppa for you.”
“Blood…?”
A chill ran down Dan Baek Woo’s spine as he looked at Jin Ga Hee’s pale face, which was smiling ominously.
Suddenly, Jang Il Ryong clenched his delicate hands into fists.
“Jo Hwi, what’s with this? Why do we need all these complicated power struggles? Why not just have a friendly arm wrestling match, share some drinks, and talk things over? Why drag everything into these ridiculous schemes?”
Yum Sang Rok chuckled in agreement.
“That’s the limitation of small-minded merchants! Even though he seems like a monster, he’s still just a typical merchant at the core, hahaha!”
Jo Hwi’s eyes gleamed, and with a thought, he lifted Yum Sang Rok into the air.
“Hey, you little brat.”
“Y-you bastard! Using air control like this?”
Suddenly, Yum Sang Rok was lifted into the air, causing the round table to tilt toward Jang Il Ryong.
“Oops!”
Then, Nam Gung So So’s sharp scream filled the air.
“Stop it already! You’ll hurt my brother Il Ryong! Why is everyone acting like children?”
Nam Gung Jang Ho chuckled softly.
“You seem like the most childish one here.”
Yum Sang Rok, now cornered and trembling in humiliation, drew his scythe with an angry shout.
“Damn it! I’d rather be sucked into a hole and become a handful of blood than suffer this disgrace!”
Jo Hwi smirked.
“Don’t make me laugh. Why bother with something grand like the ‘World’s Public Alliance’? Come at me!”
“AAAHHH!”
With a furious roar, Yum Sang Rok charged toward Jo Hwi, but suddenly a wall of white ice appeared in front of him.
*CRACK!*
The ice wall shattered as Han Seol Hyeon’s dignified face turned toward the fallen Yum Sang Rok.
“Don’t move. I’ll freeze you completely if you don’t stop.”
“Wow! What the hell?!”
Yum Sang Rok, now sitting dejectedly, glanced back and forth between Jo Hwi and Han Seol Hyeon, looking frustrated, before suddenly running to Jin Ga Hee and embracing her tightly.
“Ga Hee! Your brother is so sad!”
“Ugh, let go of me! Let go now!”
Dan Baek Woo, who had been staring at the chaotic scene in the conference room, looked on with a blank expression.
His face twisted into a grimace of frustration.
“These bastards… how dare they… insult the Alliance… insult me, Dan Baek Woo!”
Dan Baek Woo longed for the days when the disciplined officers of the Alliance would greet him with proper etiquette.
How could they disrespect him like this after all he had done for them?
Unable to control his rising anger, Dan Baek Woo shook off the hands of Nam Gung Jang Ho and Je Gyal Un and spun around.
At that moment, Jo Hwi’s voice rang out once again.
“Let’s see. When should we hold the Grand Sect Opening Ceremony? We could get everything ready in a month. We’ll start by sending out invitations to every sect in the Jianghu.”
Jo Hwi blinked his eyes playfully as Je Gyal Un eagerly nodded.
“Should we do that?”
*Creak.*
Despite his best effort to ignore it, Dan Baek Woo couldn’t resist any longer.
Standing frozen, trembling in place, Dan Baek Woo clenched his fists and stared at the group.
“Now that you mention it, let’s also send invitations to the Sapa factions. We don’t care if they’re orthodox or unorthodox, as long as they’re willing to share their territories with us. Hunan and Guizhou are good markets to tap into.”
The mention of Hunan and Guizhou, regions under the control of the Sapa faction, made Dan Baek Woo whirl around again, exhaling sharply as he marched toward the table and took a seat.
“Alright, let’s see where this ends. You think you can go this far, huh? What? Hunan and Guizhou?”
Nam Gung Jang Ho and Je Gyal Un’s mouths hung open in shock.
Jo Hwi’s manipulation had turned even the proud Alliance’s chief inspector into a mere pawn, making Dan Baek Woo almost want to respect him for his cunning strategies.
Jo Hwi, on the other hand, appeared pleased.
“Finally, you’re acting like a real person. Now that the pretense is gone, how about we have a real conversation?”
With a warm, friendly smile, Jo Hwi looked at Dan Baek Woo, who had now become rigid in despair. He had realized too late that everything had been a game in Jo Hwi’s hands from the beginning.
He had lost all control and knew this negotiation was already a lost cause.
* * *
Outside the conference hall, Jo Hwi’s colleagues waited in the courtyard for the outcome of the negotiation.
“What? That was all just an act?”
Yum Sang Rok, rubbing his forehead, grinned.
“Aww, that hurts. Yeah. We were watching silently when suddenly that guy sent out a signal.”
“Heh, he sent one to me too.”
Nam Gung Jang Ho frowned and looked between Yum Sang Rok and Jin Ga Hee.
“Did he send signals just to you guys?”
Jang Il Ryong burst out laughing.
“Hahaha! He sent me a signal too!”
Je Gyal Un raised an eyebrow, clearly confused.
“What did Jo Hwi say in his signal?”
Yum Sang Rok, Jin Ga Hee, and Jang Il Ryong all responded at the same time.
“Chaos!”
Yum Sang Rok licked his lips and grinned maliciously.
“The moment I heard those two words, I knew right away. It’s obvious, isn’t it? He’s trying to stir up trouble within the Alliance.”
Nam Gung Jang Ho and Je Gyal Un, now feeling a bit left out and disappointed that they had been kept in the dark, exchanged glances.
Seeing their expressions, Yum Sang Rok’s face twisted into a mischievous grin.
“Are you upset? It’s funny, isn’t it? You two were so eager to cause chaos in front of the Alliance’s elders, but now you’re the ones feeling left out. And…”
Yum Sang Rok’s curiosity was piqued.
“Did the one known as Han So Jeon hear the signal?”
Han Seol Hyeon shook her head gently.
“No. I didn’t hear anything.”
“Wow, seriously? So that was for real?”
Han Seol Hyeon bit her lip and avoided Yum Sang Rok’s gaze.
“Wow, I really thought I was going to crack my head open on that ice wall!”
Yum Sang Rok’s face was full of frustration and resentment.
Suddenly, he looked at Jin Ga Hee.
“Ga Hee, how about we start dating? You’ve gotten even prettier after drinking my blood?”
“Shut up. I’ll crush your balls if you don’t stop.”
“Ha…”
The empty gaze of Yeom Sang-rok split through the air.
A pigeon flying high in the distant sky, a rising sun, a high mountain peak — ugh… everything is one.
Is my fate to live alone and lonely for my entire life?
He didn’t seem to have been seriously injured by the blow, but Yeom Sang-rok was feeling increasingly resentful toward Nam Gung-so-so, who was incessantly nursing(?) Jang Il-ryong.
Why does that muscle-bound piglet get all the attention?
Hmm, should I also work on my external energy and build my body?
As Yeom Sang-rok’s face darkened with bitterness, Han Seol-hyun revealed a feeling of regret.
“I’m sorry. I really thought you were trying to harm Jo Hwi.”
For a moment, Yeom Sang-rok glared at her fiercely.
“Hah! That guy would allow my attack? A man who could blow me into the air with a single strike of his internal energy—are you really worried about him?”
“I-I’m sorry.”
Han Seol-hyun, with a humble and graceful demeanor, apologized, and even though Yeom Sang-rok was angry, he lost himself in a dazed state.
Ah, please don’t furrow that beautiful brow of yours.
What if that pretty face gets hurt?
Did I really cause you pain?
“Ugh! The fault is mine! I have sinned more by making Miss Han sad!”
“No, it’s not like that.”
Jang Il-ryong clicked his tongue and made a sympathetic face.
“Tsk, tsk. That guy has been acting strange for a while now.”
Jin Ga-hee snorted and frowned.
“Hmph, it’s because Jo Hwi hyung wiped out all the competitions. He went crazy because he couldn’t meet any women. If it’s that hard, he could at least indulge in some self-pleasure.”
“Hey, damn it! How long has it been since I quit that!”
“Pfft, how can a dog stop eating poop?”
“You pale bitch!”
At that moment, in the distance, from the direction of the Jo Ga Conference Hall, Inspector General Dan Baek-woo was walking out with a lost expression.
Jang Il-ryong’s face immediately brightened with joy.
“Haha! In the end, our hyung won!”
Jo Hwi also followed Dan Baek-woo, bowing respectfully as he greeted him.
“Please take care, Sir Inspector!”
However, Dan Baek-woo didn’t respond and simply walked away with a fearful expression, as if he never wanted to see them again.
Once he had seen him off, Jo Hwi approached his colleagues.
“What happened?”
At Je Gae-un’s question, Jo Hwi smiled meaningfully.
“Well, you know…”
Everyone swallowed nervously, waiting for his answer.
“Tell us quickly!”
“What happened?!”
Jo Hwi’s smile grew even wider.
“There will be a branch of the Murim Alliance established in Gangseo.”
For a moment, Je Gae-un stared in shock, his eyes wide as if he had seen a rabbit.
“A branch of the Alliance? That’s strange.”
“Oh, don’t misunderstand. It’s not about turning Gangseo into the Alliance’s territory. It’s purely to confront the Sichuan Association head-on. I’ll hold the banner of the Murim Alliance that controls them.”
Currently, the reason Jo Ga Daesang-hwe couldn’t claim to be a true force was because of their lack of military power. However, Jo Hwi had filled that gap by borrowing the strength of the Murim Alliance.
“Hoho! As expected!”
“Impressive, hyung!”
At that moment, Jo Hwi’s eyes gleamed sharply.
“And the Alliance has approved our faction war.”
“What?!”
“The Alliance accepted our faction war?!”
Je Gae-un and the others were astounded.
Accepting Jo Ga Daesang-hwe’s faction war meant acknowledging them not as a mere ‘assembly’ but as a true force in the martial world.
Jo Hwi gazed at the sunset with a calm expression, as the sun began to dip behind the mountains.
Je Gae-un stared at him, now looking at him as though he were a monster.
The Little Sword God (Xiao Jian Shen).
In less than ten years since his debut, he had now ascended to become the new ruler of the martial world.
***
After the preparation for the faction war began, Jo Hwi’s subordinates were eagerly waiting for the news when Nam Gung-su from the Changcheon Sword Association came running in.
“Jo Bong-gong! Jo Bong-gong!”
Jo Hwi, who had been sharpening two swords of the Jo family, greeted him respectfully as Nam Gung-su entered the conference hall.
“Ah, you’ve heard the news as well, Lord?”
As soon as Nam Gung-su entered, he shook his head violently.
“It’s impossible! Absolutely impossible! A faction war? How could Jo Ga Daesang-hwe claim to be the ruler of the martial world?!”
It was obvious that the martial artists of the central plains would find this situation absurd.
Anyway, outwardly, Jo Ga Daesang-hwe is an association under the Nam Gung family.
However, this association, which is under the Nam Gung family, was boldly claiming itself as a “force,” a higher concept than the Nam Gung family itself.
It was inevitable that people would gossip, saying that the Nam Gung family was secretly manipulating Jo Ga Daesang-hwe, revealing their ambition to dominate the martial world.
For the honorable Nam Gung-su, he had to stop the faction war at all costs.
However…
“It has already been agreed upon with the Alliance.”
“With the Alliance?”
Nam Gung-su couldn’t easily understand.
The Alliance would surely view Jo Ga Daesang-hwe and the Nam Gung family as equals.
For Jo Ga Daesang-hwe to claim itself as a force and initiate a faction war would imply that the Nam Gung family was opposing the Alliance. How could the Alliance allow this?
“Indeed. I’ve already completed the agreement with the Alliance, so please don’t worry. Moreover, the Alliance has promised to send two military units to establish a branch in Gangseo. I will also hold command of the units.”
“A branch? And command?”
“Yes, so please do not worry.”
“Huh?”
What was the Alliance thinking?
This was the man who had consumed all of Gangseo with only a single sword and an uncanny mind.
Allowing such a person to claim leadership of the martial world would surely bring about unimaginable consequences.
If he were in the position of Mu Hwang, he would never have allowed it.
“I don’t have much of a connection with the major families, like the Five Great Families or the Gu Pae Il Bang. I want to make this event as grand as possible. Please, I need the prestige and reputation of the Nam Gung family.”
“…”
The person who had even formed ties with the closed-off Sichuan family was now saying he lacked connections.
At that moment, Nam Gung-su’s eyes became serious.
“What exactly is Jo Bong-gong’s grand plan?”
“Grand plan?”
“To claim yourself as a force is not a simple matter. What is the justice that Jo Bong-gong holds in his heart? What is his grand cause? What do his subordinates see in him that makes them follow him? If you truly wish to ascend to the position of a leader, then show me that conviction.”
Jo Hwi’s expression became serious at Nam Gung-su’s sincere words.
The conviction and grand cause of a leader.
In truth, Jo Hwi didn’t have any grand conviction.
At first, he only wanted to make a huge fortune to escape the suffocating poverty.
But over time, that desire had shifted to something like “I want everyone to live well together.”
His intense anger towards the Black Heaven Alliance’s exploitation of farmers showed that he wasn’t an evil man.
So, the first thing he did when he took over the warehouse was to return the grains stolen by the Black Heaven Alliance to the farmers.
For now, that was all.
He couldn’t call it a grand cause, though.
“For now, I won’t turn a blind eye to the tears of the common people.”
Nam Gung-su stared intently at Jo Hwi’s calm face.
“Well, I won’t make any flowery speeches about not ignoring injustice or living as a righteous hero. Trying to wrap up a heart that doesn’t truly rise with words of belief will soon show itself in action. But…”
“…But?”
“I will surely protect and care for my family, friends, comrades, subordinates, and employees. If anyone harms them, I will not hesitate to eliminate them, even if it costs me my life. That is the one promise I can make.”
For a moment, Nam Gung-su chuckled.
If Jo Hwi had declared in grand terms that he would conquer the martial world or eradicate the evil factions, Nam Gung-su might have been disappointed.
Given that he had already consumed the upper regions of Anhui and Gangseo, it would not have been surprising if he had indulged in such a delusion.
But Jo Hwi gave a very realistic, honest answer.
In fact, Nam Gung-su was more satisfied with this.
“Youth is pure and green. I hope that spirit remains with you for a long time.”
“Pardon?”
Nam Gung-su’s eyes were filled with nostalgia.
“I sincerely hope that the initial spirit with which Jo Bong-gong vowed to support and protect his comrades will remain intact until the end.”
“That’s the most natural thing to say.”
Nam Gung-su’s face quickly turned troubled.
“How many relatives of major families do you think I lost to reach the position of the head of the family?”
“Hmm…”
“I lost more than a hundred. Isn’t that surprising? Why would I have to exile over a hundred family members just because of a dispute over the position of family head?”
It was a shocking statement.
The Nam Gung family consisted of around five to six hundred members. To lose over a hundred members due to a dispute over the position of head? That was unbelievable!
“Because of that, even when the family elders urged me to have more sons, I was content with Zhang Ho and So So. I didn’t want the family to experience another tragedy due to my actions.”
“Ah…”
“When people age, they inevitably become obsessed with rank, wealth, and honor. Jo Bong-gong’s comrades and subordinates won’t maintain their purity forever. There will be infighting and struggles for power.”
Jo Hwi could not imagine such things at this moment.
Jang Il-ryong and Je Gae-un fighting over key positions?
The faction leaders fighting for control over crucial interests?
Just imagining it made Jo Hwi feel irritated.
“The human heart is naturally inclined to one side. But favoritism among the leaders only brings bloodshed. You can’t get too close or too distant from anyone. That’s the burden of a leader. Do you truly believe you won’t regret it?”
“Hmm…”
Nam Gung-su’s stern expression made the conversation even more uncomfortable.
Je Gae-un, immersed in studying martial arts and divination.
Jang Il-ryong and Peng Gak, always boasting about their muscles.
Yeom Sang-rok, joking around and making silly remarks.
Han Seol-hyun, always embarrassed and unable to make eye contact.
These were the images of his comrades in Jo Hwi’s mind.
But imagining such childish people fighting for power? It was unimaginable right now.
As Jo Hwi’s face filled with confusion, Nam Gung-su continued with his usual bitter expression.
“Your youth is not yet over. One day, you too will live by your head, not your heart.”
Living by the head, not the heart.
At those words, Jo Hwi strangely felt a pang in his heart.
It was as though he had glimpsed a secret of life.
“It’s troublesome. I just want to keep living like this, recklessly and happily.”
“Haha, I wish I could too. But look at me. I’m already like this. Jo Bong-gong wants to hold a faction war, and now, like a scared little bird, I’m keeping an eye on the Murim Alliance.”
“…”
“Already, this old man has no heart left to beat alongside Jo Bong-gong’s grand ambition.”
Jo Hwi found that Nam Gung-su, for some reason, seemed like a powerless old man—pathetic and sorrowful.
It was almost laughable.
How could the great swordsman of the martial world, who had reached the rank of Seven Masters and was the head of the Nam Gung family, appear so pitiable?
Suddenly, Jo Hwi clenched his fist and shouted.
“Ah, what’s with that deathly expression, as if you’ve already received your death sentence! Come on, pull yourself together! Be strong!”
“Hahaha!”
“That’s how you should laugh! Laughter brings good fortune! Hahahaha!”
Jo Hwi, who had been laughing energetically, suddenly turned serious as he grasped his sword.
“In front of the proud and aloof Shaolin, Wudang, and Mount Hua, I will boldly reveal my ambition and martial arts. Although my surname is different, I am half a Nam Gung, after all. I will never bring shame to the family’s name, so please, don’t worry, head of the family!”
“Heh, hehehe!”
Nam Gung-su’s laughter was full of warmth. He couldn’t help but admire Jo Hwi’s ambition and youth.
Before long, as Jo Hwi poured a few rounds of the cold wine, the atmosphere quickly transformed into one of shared camaraderie.
Amidst the turbulence Jo Hwi had stirred in the martial world, the Nam Gung family had now fully joined in, setting forth to advance together.