In just a few days, over ten martial arts sects had been completely wiped out.
There are countless sects in Jungwon. It may not be something special in the world of Evil Sects, where fights and destruction are commonplace, and where winners devour losers on rare days.
However, those who heard the news could not dismiss it so easily.
First, the wiped-out sects did not just collapse, they didn’t leave even a single survivor behind.
Second, the one responsible for wiping out those sects was none other than Jang Ilso himself.
Paegun Jang Ilso, Bangju of Myriad Man Manor, and Ryeonju of Evil Tyrant Alliance.
This person immediately united Evil Sects that had been at odds with each other for a long time and brought about a humiliating treaty from the Ten Great Sects and the Five Great Family who had dominated Kangho for the past hundred years.
The one who realizes something that no one would dare dream of.
His fame soared to unprecedented heights, and the fear that his name gave also increased incomparably compared to the past.
The implication of Jang Ilso personally taking action to annihilate these sects was clear.
His declaration of Evil Faction Unification was not just lip service. And the fact that only blood-soaked death will remain for those who disagree with his will.
Kangho began to boil like a furnace.
Evil Sects in Gangnam were forced to make a choice.
As Shaolin, Wudang, and Namgung Family did the other day, they too had to choose between humiliating survival or extinction.
Of course, they tried to protest. To question and bare their teeth.
However, after seeing the sects that reduced to ashes without leaving even a single ant cub behind, they had no choice but to hold their tongues in silence.
They felt it. The direction of Jang Ilso’s madness is by no means limited to Righteous Factions. To him, everything in the world existed only to be trampled upon and burned.
Righteous Factions were also equally perplexed.
If it had been before, they would have immediately shouted to advance south. Everyone would have said with one voice that a major war could only be avoided if they stepped on Evil Sects before they unified their strength.
But now they can’t.
The very people who should be at the forefront and annihilating Evil Sects couldn’t head south.
What one doesn’t know is often clearer than what one does know.
It wasn’t until Jang Ilso came to the front that people realized just how much the Ten Great Sects and the Five Great Family had done. And the realization soon turned into a terrible hatred for Wudang, Shaolin, and Namgung Family, who had cut off the limbs of that very faction.
The same was true even inside the Ten Great Sects.
Whenever such events occurred, they rallied around Shaolin, Wudang, and Namgung to form a united front. They had done the same when Magyo invaded, and when the Outer Clan invaded Jungwon. Therefore, it should have been the same when the Evil Sects were howling.
However, it was impossible this time. This is because the hatred towards the four sects that arbitrarily concluded a non-aggression pact while also dragging other sects in it in order to save their own sects, was burning within the Ten Great Sect and the Five Great Family.
Hating each other, they couldn’t gather; unable to gather, they couldn’t talk. Unable to talk, they couldn’t ally, and without an alliance, no countermeasures could be prepared.
Things would have been different if Jang Ilso had declared his march northward and crossed the Yangtze River. They could have gone on a rampage saying that they could not recognize treaties concluded independently by a few of the sects. If so, perhaps the treaty itself might have been invalidated.
However, Jang Ilso solidified the territory he had gained.
Breaking an unreasonable treaty to protect one’s turf may be acceptable, but ignoring a treaty to attack someone else’s land is denying the foundation of the Righteous Sect.
Therefore, as long as Jang Ilso didn’t cross the Yangtze River first, the Righteous Faction had no choice but to watch as he gradually swallowed up the southern Evil Sects.
“Was this his intention from the beginning?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. How far ahead are you saying he’s seen? These Evil Secst punk aren’t Jaegal Gongmyong, there’s no way he foresaw this! The situation just fell into place.”
“Damn it, if only Wudang hadn’t pulled that stunt!”
Those who were powerless to change the situation were tortured by extreme anxiety.
The public knows. The accumulated power is bound to be used. For now, the chaos is only sweeping the south, but once the south is completely reorganized, they will surely head north with greater power.
Nevertheless, they could not stop the sword named Evil Tyrant Alliance from being sharpened.
In Gangnam, Evil Tyrant Alliance sparked a war (??(戰火)) under the pretext of Unified Evil Path, and in the Yangtze, countless people suffered because of the Evil Sect who lost control and ran wild.
Yet those responsible for all this are securely locking their doors and remaining tight-lipped.
Only then did everyone truly realize.
The fact that Kangho’s peace, which has been going on for more than a hundred years since the war against Magyo, has now come to an end at this moment.
The world is now clearly entering an age of turbulence.
And in this whirlwind of turbulent times, it was not only the Ten Great Sect and Evil Tyrant Alliance that attracted the attention of the world.
* * *
“Damn it all...”
Faces gathered in the tavern were flushed with anger.
“That damn honor this, honor that! What happened to those who were talking about a good cause and honor? They abandoned the powerless commoners to save themselves! But these guys don’t care about losing face; they’re gathering power to protect the commoners! Tell me, what is the true ‘Righteous’ (?(正))?”
“When, when you put it that way, that’s right.”
“If it weren’t for Heavenly Comrade Alliance, Yangtze would be hell now. It’s because of them that people can still remain there.”
“Hoo....”
Everyone who listened to the man sighed.
“....I thought all those who claimed to be Righteous Sect were all talk.”
“That’s what I’m saying. Who would’ve thought that there are people who could hold their ground in the middle of that perilous Yangtze.”
Then someone tilted their head again.
“But I don’t understand at all. Are you sure that Mount Hua and Heavenly Comrade Alliance are fighting against the Evil Tyrant Alliance? It’s just a small and medium-sized sect.”
“You, never say that when you go to the Yangtze River.”
“Why?”
“You’ll get beaten to death.”
The one who advised seriously clicked his tongue.
“Right now, to the people of the Yangtze, Mount Hua is the greatest sect in the world. And... it’s not necessarily because they’re grateful.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“This is news that even came from Gangnam.”
“Huh?”
“Bits and pieces of the situation are leaking out from the mouths of the Evil Sects people who were involved in the Yangtze incident.”
“Is there something special about that?”
“Nothing special, except for one.”
“Yes?”
“Do you know who fought against Paegun during the war? Who took on Jang Ilso one-on-one and made Paegun suffer defeat?”
“Heo Dojin... or is it Namgung Gaju?”
“You’re wrong.”
“Huh? Then is it Qingcheng?”
“No! Didn’t I tell you, it’s Mount Hua.”
“Mount Hua? Mount Hua’s who?”
“I heard that Mount Hua Divine Dragon faced Paegun.”
Upon hearing this, the listener scoffed as if he had nothing more to hear.
“What nonsense are you spouting! Mount Hua Divine Dragon is just a rising star! Does it make sense that a rising star confronted that Paegun?”
“Who did I say this news came from?”
“That....”
The man who was arguing shut his mouth.
It was clear that this news came from the Evil Faction in Gangnam. Evil Tyrant Alliance is already a symbol and pride of the Evil Faction. They wouldn’t have directly disparaged their leader’s reputation.
“It came from the mouths of those who survived the fights. Also from those who crossed over to Gangbuk through the newly secured trade route. They’re all saying the same thing.”
Those who were listening to the story looked at each other and swallowed dry saliva. They held their breath, curious about what would be said next.
“Mount Hua Divine Dragon faced Paegun Jang Ilso, and they were neck and neck. It is said that the sword of Mount Hua Divine Dragon covered the sky and his will shook the cliffs. But just as they were about to decide the match.... Heo Dojin attacked Mount Hua Divine Dragon, blocking the match’s outcome.”
“That, that... damned!”
“So stop spewing nonsense. Right now, if there’s a sect that can stand against the Evil Tyrant Alliance fearlessly, it’s only Mount Hua.”
The man could no longer argue and just laughed bitterly in disbelief.
“Good heavens, Mount Hua... that Mount Hua Divine Dragon...”
“Ah, right. It’s not Mount Hua Divine Dragon anymore.”
“What? What do you mean?”
“A title given to rising stars no longer suits him. He’s been given a new title. There’s even a saying that this is a title given by the Evil Sects guys who participated in the war!”
“Wha- What’s the title?”
“That’s....”