The atmosphere in the Hubei branch was not good. With two sects that fought like cats and dogs living together, there had never been a truly good day, but ever since the Duel Tournament the mood had frozen over even more.
In particular, because word had spread that the Oseoksan collected at the Hubei branch could tamper with memories, the branch members had become all the more subdued.
Both the East Pavilion and West Pavilion were spending their days cautiously when, all of a sudden, someone arrived from headquarters. Because of that, the West Pavilion and East Pavilion opened a joint meeting for the first time in a while.
Once the Zhuge family men in charge of the East Pavilion and the Wudang Sect warriors in charge of the West Pavilion were seated together in one place, the West Pavilion branch leader spoke.
“As you have all heard, someone has arrived from headquarters. They brought us news that people suspected to be Demonic Sect cultists have appeared in Sichuan.”
Because the East Pavilion and West Pavilion had each already held their own internal meetings over this news, no one was surprised.
The Wudang branch leader continued.
“The Mount Emei Sect faced a group of about four hundred and suffered a heavy defeat, and they are currently closing their gates and defending their main sect. The only fortunate thing is that those bastards did not exterminate the Mount Emei Sect but mostly descended the mountain.”
The branch leader let out a low murmur.
“But the other bad news is that their objective is the Tang Clan. So, headquarters requested that those who responded to the mobilization order head to Sichuan. They also said that if the situation made it difficult, we should return to headquarters and discuss sending a second wave together. Our Wudang Sect has decided to go to Sichuan as support, and the Sect Leader has ordered us to draft personnel from the branch to accompany him.”
The branch leader looked around at those attending the meeting, then got to the main point.
“Thus, Wudang will be sending the Taeguk Sword Sovereign and ten warriors as support. Will the Zhuge family be accompanying us as well?”
As soon as the branch leader finished speaking, Zhuge Hyang replied.
“Though the situation in Sichuan is truly lamentable, it is difficult to send the branch’s manpower to Sichuan.”
Zhuge Hyang let out a sigh as he habitually covered the scar on his face.
“Not long ago, several dozen corpses were discovered near the Yangtze River, and it might be a ploy to turn headquarters’ attention toward Sichuan, so the Hubei branch should instead heighten its vigilance. In truth, instead of sending the branch’s members outside, we are in a position where we should be receiving support.”
“......We are drafting only ten men. Must you be so cold about it?”
When the Taeguk Sword Sovereign expressed his displeasure, Zhuge Hyang narrowed his eyes.
“The Taeguk Sword Sovereign alone is worth several hundred men. Can you really call that ‘only’ ten? In truth, it is no different from sending several hundred of the branch’s warriors outside.”
Once he said that, the Wudang warriors of the West Pavilion had nothing more to say.
Perhaps worried that more words would only make things worse, the West Pavilion branch leader carefully added on.
“Though the Taeguk Sword Sovereign will be accompanying us, most of the West Pavilion’s fighting strength will remain in the branch. Also, of the ten, five are disciples from Wudang’s main mountain who came down on errands, so the West Pavilion’s manpower will not be greatly thinned.”
At that answer, the East Pavilion’s branch leader frowned and cut in.
“Mm, if they are main-sect disciples, are they not far too young to accompany this sort of matter?”
The Taeguk Sword Sovereign quickly replied.
“In truth, when a fight like this breaks out, not every warrior takes up a sword and fights, do they?”
“Well, that is true, but......”
“We need people to evacuate the Tang Clan members, and also people who can send carrier messages to report the situation. We cannot pull an important warrior out of the line just to send messages, so we also need personnel who will give support from the rear.”
The Taeguk Sword Sovereign was worried that Zhuge Hyang might obstruct Wudang’s draft.
The Sword Sovereign very much wanted to take the Wudang disciples with him.
When he had once set out for the Blood Cult stronghold to rescue the Tang Young Lady, he had seen how the young warriors had grown.
Not to mention Tang Hak, the Young Clan Head of the Tang Clan; even the five brats the Zhuge family had sent just to test themselves against one another had grown.
The fact that those arrogant children had learned to read the room was astonishing. The Zhuge family’s warriors completely corrected their attitude of looking down on the Tang Clan’s Young Clan Head and would startle and flee whenever they saw Tang Hak on the streets of Wuhan.
The Sword Sovereign envied that. The younger a warrior was, the more they needed to learn that there were things more important than pride.
In particular, because Yeon-a had taken first place in the Duel Tournament, she would have to guard against arrogance going forward.
If she caused trouble within the main sect, he could teach her, whether physically or mentally, but if she showed improper behavior outside, she could lose her head.
Within ten years, Yeon-a too would often be coming down from the main mountain, so he wanted to use this opportunity to let her build experience.
The Taeguk Sword Sovereign had no doubt that Yeon-a would become one of the top experts in the world. He was not the only one who had recognized that talent; from now on, the number of people who would praise the child would grow, and there was a high chance Yeon-a’s disposition would change.
They said these were foes so strong that they had forced the Mount Emei Sect to close its gates, but the warriors traveling to Sichuan would be the Family Heads and elders of each family and sect. He himself would be there as well, so it would not be that dangerous for Yeon-a.
If she watched a truly great expert fighting from behind, she would naturally come to gauge her own level and learn humility.
Because Yeon-a was already itching with desire to go to Sichuan, she did not raise any objections to the Sword Sovereign’s decision.
On the contrary, having been born and raised on Mount Emei, she claimed she knew the mountain paths well and would be helpful, and she begged him to please take her along. When she heard that the Tang Clan could be in danger, she seemed to lose her mind out of worry for the Divine Physician.
The Sword Sovereign, in his heart, understood Yeon-a’s attitude but was also deeply worried.
It was absurd that she would rush in without regard for life or limb to go to such a place. She needed to understand that if she got caught up in a great battle, she could die, and that if she happened to survive by luck, it meant she had taken someone’s life. It was time she understood that killing was never something light.
As the Sword Sovereign sank into thought, killing intent scattered faintly around him. The East Pavilion branch leader, noticing it, cleared his throat.
“In truth, since it is a decision of the West Pavilion, it is not our place to say this or that. We understand well.”
“Will the East Pavilion not be accompanying us?”
At the West Pavilion branch leader’s question, Zhuge Hyang answered in his stead.
“We are in a situation where we have received no message whatsoever from our main estate, so it is difficult to even broach the subject. And up to now, the East Pavilion’s opinion has been that instead of going to support Sichuan, we should be further reinforcing the Hubei branch’s strength.”
“Understood. Do as you will. The West Pavilion will be sending the Sword Sovereign and nine warriors to headquarters within the day.”
“Yes, if we also receive a request for support from our main estate, we will let you know.”
“Very well.”
The West Pavilion branch leader wrapped up the conversation quickly.
They had held this meeting in name only in case someone tried to nitpick Wudang’s decision later, so an answer that they would not interfere was sufficient. The Wudang branch leader watched the departing East Pavilion members with tired eyes. Even though Oseoksan had come from the East Pavilion’s Medical Division, they seemed more composed than the West Pavilion.
He felt something weighing on his mind, but instead of voicing it, he turned his steps toward the West Pavilion.
***
While they waited for the Four-Directions Hall Administrator, sects other than Wudang also prepared to depart. If a bizarre formation existed, they could arrive in Sichuan within two days, but if that path did not exist, they would have to run for at least seven days and nights, so there were many other things to prepare. If they ran while carrying food and other baggage, they ran a great risk of exhausting their stamina. Thus, they identified places along the route where they could obtain food and rest.
In a way, these were such minor details that a Family Head did not need to know them. So, elder-level figures from each family went to Sagye Hall to receive the information. From the Namgung Clan, Elder Namgung Munseon and the Young Clan Head Namgung Jin devoted their time.
Namgung Munseon let out a dry laugh as he came out of Sagye Hall.
“To think Sagye Hall could be this cooperative, I am learning all sorts of strange things.”
There was no branch within the Martial Alliance that had good relations with Sagye Hall.
Seeing Sagye Hall readily share information they normally kept to themselves, Namgung Munseon felt his strength go out of him. And at the same time, a chill ran down his spine. Sagye Hall even knew the locations of small inns and farmhouses hidden in the mountains.
By contrast, Namgung Jin was not very surprised.
If anything, the Young Clan Head jokingly picked up Namgung Munseon’s grumbling.
“If Sagye Hall had gathered all the inns with good food and shared that, they would have won the branch members’ favor. It’s a shame.”
“What sort of nonsense is that?”
Namgung Munseon frowned as if to tell him not to make light jokes.
Namgung Jin only gave a small smile and did not answer.
The atmosphere in the Namgung Clan was not good. Unfortunately, the route passed through Mount Emei. It was that mountain from a few years ago where the Blood Cult’s rampage had become known.
Because they knew what the Namgung Clan had gone through over that matter, the household members’ attitude toward this affair was unlike any other.
They certainly had the desire to eradicate the Demonic forces that had attacked an allied sect, but they also had a strong desire to clear their grievances.
Though it was now all forgotten, there was a time when the Namgung Clan had been misunderstood as having turned a blind eye to the Blood Cult’s rampage.
Thus, everyone was serious, and perhaps because of that, their vitality seemed to be draining faster.
Namgung Jin, worried by the household’s attitude, had tried to ease the mood with a joke, but instead he had only managed to aggravate Namgung Munseon’s sensitive temper.
Just then, Namgung Jin, who was stepping into the Namgung residence hall, stopped in his tracks. He had happened to run into Namgung Hyun, who was coming out of the hall.
Without a sound, Namgung Hyun brought his hands together first and bowed in greeting to the Young Clan Head and the elder. But as if he had urgent business, he tried to pass right by them.
“Where are you going?”
Namgung Jin asked. Namgung Hyun, forced to halt his steps, turned back.
“I’m going to get some air.”
“At a time like this?”
Namgung Munseon furrowed his brow sharply.
He seemed to think Namgung Hyun was trying to shirk.
With Namgung Jin already taking the situation lightly and getting on his nerves, he lashed out at Namgung Hyun with an unnecessarily sharp rebuke.
“This is an urgent and dangerous situation. You should be refining your inner energy and conserving your strength even one day more, not going out for air. The Clan Head himself is organizing internal affairs without rest, and you, as a Young Master, not only fail to set an example but act recklessly?”
Namgung Hyun looked like he had something to say, but he swallowed his words. His pale face flushed slightly red.
“Hurry and go in to train your mind and body.”
At Namgung Munseon’s words, Namgung Hyun turned back into the hall.
Once Namgung Munseon had gone up to the floor where his room was, the Young Clan Head turned his head. At that, Namgung Hyun, who was following behind, flinched.
“I have something to talk about. May I go to your room?”
“......Yes, please do.”
The Young Clan Head did not go up to the floor where his own room was, but instead entered Namgung Hyun’s room. When Namgung Hyun closed the door, the Young Clan Head sat down and spoke.
“I noticed that no sound leaks from your room. Could you make it so that no sound escapes now as well?”
“......”
Namgung Hyun, who had been about to sit, lifted his gaze. There was something peculiar in his eyes. But the Young Clan Head paid it no mind and continued.
“If sound leaks, it won’t be good for you, so I’m saying this ahead of time.”
Namgung Hyun stretched his hand toward the window. He turned the body of a wooden doll that was sitting on the window frame. Then, strangely, all sound within the room vanished.
“What is it you wish to talk about?”
“Where were you about to go just now?”
“As I said, I wanted to get some air.”
“Have you also heard that the Tang Young Lady was locked up in the dungeon?”
“......”
Namgung Jin stared at his younger brother with an expressionless face. His look said he already knew everything. But the mood was different from usual.
“There’s no need to hide the reason I sought you out. There’s a lot of talk that she defied the Clan Head’s orders even at the cost of being locked in the dungeon. The elders of other sects did not say it outright, but they seemed to think the Tang Young Lady was trying to conceal her collusion with you.”
“That’s not what happened.”
“I know.”
When Namgung Hyun quickly refuted him, Namgung Jin readily agreed.
“I also know you can draw formations, so I can roughly guess why the Tang Young Lady came looking for you.”
Namgung Hyun pressed his lips tightly together and did not answer. He did not like the way Namgung Jin made it sound as though he knew everything about him and Tang Sohwa.
But as always, Namgung Jin paid no attention to Namgung Hyun’s feelings. Without hesitation, he went on.
“Did she ask you to create a Passage for her?”
