CHAPTER 447: HERE AND NOW (1)

Dawn broke on the day of the unorthodox conference. A golden sunrise illuminated Zhurong Peak, the highest of Mount Heng's seventy-two mountains. Below, the magnificent mountainscape unfolded, proving why Mount Heng was considered the greatest of the Five Great Mountains. The strangely shaped cliffs and the mystical sea of clouds were reminiscent of a paradise where immortals dwelled.

Countless painters, calligraphers, and martial artists had found enlightenment simply by standing here and taking in the view. Faint traces of the Mount Heng Sect, which once rivaled the Nine Sects One Gang, remained scattered across the mountains.

However, an unusually heavy atmosphere hung over this place today.

"It seems we're the first to arrive, Senior Brother," the Viridian Scholar remarked. His green robes fluttered in the wind, blending so perfectly with the scenery that he could have been mistaken for a local earth deity.

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"Damn unorthodox sect bastards. Always picking fights over pointless shit," Baek Suryong chuckled. He could sense the auras of the Giant Spirit Boss, the Tiger Pass Boss, the Blue-Eyed Freak, and the Phantom King nearby, deliberately delaying their arrival.

The Black Snake Alliance Chairman hasn't arrived yet, huh?

"Huh? Why does it matter who comes here first?" Jang Geol asked.

"It's more prestigious to make others wait than to wait for others," Baek Suryong explained. "That's why they're all taking their own sweet time."

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"What? Then shouldn't we leave and come back later too?" Jang Geol exploded in anger.

THWACK!

Baek Suryong smacked the back of the idiot's head. Recently, he had started to treat the two bandits the same way he treated Hyonwon Kang.

"Didn't you hear me say it was pointless? It's better to arrive early and assess the situation."

"Senior Brother is right. We should prioritize substantial benefits over petty pride."

"Ads?" Ak Yeonho complains, his voice dripping with disbelief. "What ads?"

Jang Geol rubbed his stinging head and nodded. "As expected, my hyung-nims are so smart."

"By the way, Hyung-nim, Where did you go alone at dawn?" Gu Gil asked.

Baek Suryong shrugged. "I had to meet someone," he replied. smiling mysteriously.

The Viridian Scholar smiled faintly, too. Everyone would soon find out what they had prepared for this meeting.

"Nyaah!" Silver Tiger scurried around the area, seemingly pleased with the energy of Zhurong Peak. Its belly was rounder than usual after eating a ton of sweet potatoes all night.

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"Here they come."

The next groups to ascend the peak were the Giant Spirit and Tiger Pass Keeps. Six menacing bandits and several prowling predators followed them.

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"Look how close those guys are! I wish them all a happy ending," Baek Suryong taunted playfully.

The Giant Spirit Boss's eyes flickered, and he growled like a wild beast. "You insolent scoundrel! Keep running your mouth and I might just rip it off!"

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Baek Suryong paid the threat no mind and called over Silver Tiger, forcing the tiger cub to open its mouth. As expected, the creature was chewing on a spiritual herb it had found somewhere. "You little rascal! I told you not to eat just anything you find."

The Giant Spirit Boss's face turned beet red. "How dare you ignore me...!"

"Don't fall for his provocation," the Tiger Pass Boss said, restraining the Giant Spirit Boss. He glared at Maeng Ryonghwi, then turned to look at the Viridian Scholar. "You'd better hope the results of this meeting are favorable. Otherwise, a few bastards will die here today, and it's usually the ones with the big mouths who die first."

The Viridian Scholar snickered. It was a grim warning, but one based on a total lack of information about their opponent.

From the moment dawn cracked over the horizon, the air itself felt like punishment. The training grounds were still soaked in dew, but Demon Instructor Wiji Cheon stood there already, arms crossed, waiting like a specter of discipline. "You’re late, he said.

Baek Suryong feigned curiosity. "Hey, Boss. Does the Giant Spirit Boss have a talking monkey among the beasts he raises?"

"I'm not sure, but it wouldn't be strange if he did," the Viridian Scholar replied in perfect sync with his Senior Brother.

"Kkh!" The Tiger Pass Boss bared his fangs and ground his teeth in frustration. His attempt at provocation had been for naught. They simply could not defeat the Viridian Scholar in a war of words.

Go ahead and act cocky. I'll kill you all when the conference's over.

Mimi sniffled quietly, her round eyes glistening. "They said there were pop-ups," she whispered, her cute voice trembling. "But... we don’t have any!"

Next, the Valley of Evil appeared.

"That must be the new Lord of the Valley of Evil..."

"Just like the rumors, his eyes are a ghastly blue."

Baek Suryong regarded the group from the Valley of Evil. Behind Blue Eyed Freak stood Hell Axe and Wolf Fang Blade, whom he recognized, as well as one other martial artist he had never seen before.

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Blue Eyed Freak stood between the Viridian Forest factions and greeted them politely: "I'm Blue Eyed Freak. I extend my gratitude to the Viridian Forest heroes for attending this conference."

"Greetings, Valley Lord. I am the Viridian Scholar."

"I'm the Giant Spirit Boss."

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"Tiger Pass Boss."

The Viridian Forest bosses responded to the greeting in their own unique ways. Officially, none of them had met the Lord of the Valley of Evil before, but they had all communicated with him behind the scenes.

"I believe we've given you enough time to preserve your pride. How much longer will you watch from the sidelines?" the Viridian Scholar demanded, raising his voice and staring at a certain spot.

SHAAAAAAA!

Amidst a chilling wind and ghostly wails, the Phantom King appeared, riding in a four-person palanquin. A ghastly energy, different from a martial artist's aura, instantly enveloped Zhurong Peak.

[So he came, after all...] the Divine Azure Dragon Sword grumbled disdainfully.

"Holy shit, he's riding in a palanquin."

From the moment dawn cracked over the horizon, the air itself felt like punishment. The training grounds were still soaked in dew, but Demon Instructor Wiji Cheon stood there already, arms crossed, waiting like a specter of discipline. "You’re late, he said.

"What a show-off... W-Wait, what is that?"

At first, the martial artists standing behind their leaders glared at the palanquin with disdain, but when they saw the attendants carrying it, they froze.

While the bearers' faces were hidden by iron masks, the exposed skin was a deathly ashen color. There was no vitality emanating from their bodies, and they weren't breathing.

"Ads?" Ak Yeonho complains, his voice dripping with disbelief. "What ads?"

"So they really do create jiangshi..."

"The rumors were true."

Jiangshi were rare even in the unorthodox sects. Most martial artists, even those with extensive experience in the jianghu, would never encounter them in their lives.

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"Stop," the Phantom King commanded.

The palanquin stopped, and the man inside rose to his feet. "I am the Mount Mo Sect Leader."

His face was completely obscured by a jade mask, from which a clear, resonant voice boomed. The ornate, loose purple robes he wore made it difficult to guess his gender, but his frame was so small he could've been a twelve-year-old child.

He scanned the surroundings. For an instant, his gaze met Baek Suryong's, but he quickly averted his eyes.

"Don't you intend to get out of the palanquin?" Blue Eyed Freak asked pointedly.

"Ads?" Ak Yeonho complains, his voice dripping with disbelief. "What ads?"

Cackling laughter erupted from behind the Phantom King's mask. "I haven't set foot on the ground outside my home in ten years. Why should today be any different?"

"This is a gathering of unorthodox leaders. Show some proper courtesy."

Mimi sniffled quietly, her round eyes glistening. "They said there were pop-ups," she whispered, her cute voice trembling. "But... we don’t have any!"

"Are you ordering me around, greenhorn ? It's funny how you act like you're the host just because you planned this little gathering.

"I wonder if you'll still find it amusing when this greenhorn makes a fool of you."

"Oho. You seem confident, eh?"

From the moment dawn cracked over the horizon, the air itself felt like punishment. The training grounds were still soaked in dew, but Demon Instructor Wiji Cheon stood there already, arms crossed, waiting like a specter of discipline. "You’re late, he said.

KWAKWAKWAKWA!

The auras unleashed by the Blue-Eyed Freak and the Phantom King collided, generating a violent whirlwind.

KUNG!

Unable to watch any longer, the Viridian Scholar stepped in to mediate. "That's enough, both of you. There's no benefit in fighting each other."

From the moment dawn cracked over the horizon, the air itself felt like punishment. The training grounds were still soaked in dew, but Demon Instructor Wiji Cheon stood there already, arms crossed, waiting like a specter of discipline. "You’re late, he said.

The Giant Spirit Boss and the Tiger Pass Boss looked on with anticipation, as if hoping for chaos.

They were sorely disappointed. The Phantom King withdrew his aura without ever leaving the palanquin, saying, "Hmph! Consider yourself lucky, little boy."

"It's a shame I couldn't show you who the actual lucky person is," Blue Eyed Freak lamented, but he didn't press the issue. He wasn't afraid of a fight, but now was not the time for confrontation.

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"Damn... everyone here is ruthless," Jang Geol muttered, swallowing dryly.

The air seemed to burn from the intense auras of the unorthodox martial artists. Despite the silence, the tension in the air felt almost tangible.

The leaders of each faction quietly assessed each other's strengths. They used everything at their disposal to size up the opposition, whether it was the nature of their inner qi, the perfection of their external arts, their atmosphere, or the look in their eyes. Everyone understood that even the slightest error in judgment could result in total annihilation.

Despite the suffocating atmosphere, Baek Suryong grinned in excitement.

Namgung Su’s back is turned to you, shoulders tense as he scrubs the already spotless pan. His voice is calm when he speaks, but it cuts like frost. "You fed a thief, he says. "With my food."

It's been a while since I've felt like this.

For the first time in years, he felt like he was walking on thin ice. Of course, unless there were any major surprises, the outcome of the meeting was already decided.

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"By the way, where's the Black Snake Alliance Chairman? Is he coming here or not?"

"How arrogant. Does he still think he's the unorthodox's strongest?"

"Never mind the Chairman, the Black Snake Alliance hasn't even arrived yet..."

From the moment dawn cracked over the horizon, the air itself felt like punishment. The training grounds were still soaked in dew, but Demon Instructor Wiji Cheon stood there already, arms crossed, waiting like a specter of discipline. "You’re late, he said.

"What the fuck? Are you kidding me?"

"Shouldn't we just start without them?"

Complaints about the Black Snake Alliance, the only group that hadn't arrived yet, slowly grew louder. Two hours had passed since the Viridian Forest, the Valley of Evil, and the Mount Mo Sect had gathered, and everyone was getting impatient.

"Hm?" Suddenly, Baek Suryong's eyes widened, and his face darkened.

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"What the..."

Silence descended upon Zhurong Peak, as if all sound had ceased. All of a sudden, the world appeared to lose its color and vitality.

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"My apologies. I'm late," a man dressed in jet-black robes stated casually.

His mere presence imposed silence upon his surroundings.

Everyone stared at him, but no one dared to speak. Even the unorthodox leaders stared at the man in disbelief, overwhelmed by his commanding aura.

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Baek Suryong was the only person present who could calmly meet the man's gaze.

So he's the current greatest bladesman and the Black Snake Alliance Chairman.

The Blade Demon was the giant of the unorthodox murim who conquered the Black Snake Alliance with a single dao and remained in power for decades. He was the unorthodox's strongest in both name and reality until he suddenly entered seclusion and the Night Emperor appeared.

Damn, he far exceeds my expectations. I expected him to be strong, but I assumed he went into seclusion because of illness or injury...

Baek Suryong peered behind the Black Snake Alliance Chairman. He had only one attendant, a woman as tall as him who carried a large bow on her back.

"Ads?" Ak Yeonho complains, his voice dripping with disbelief. "What ads?"

While bows were a rare weapon in the murim, that wasn't why she caught his attention.

Could it be...?

Baek Suryong's expression became complicated.

"I'm the Black Snake Alliance Chairman," the Blade Demon announced, his voice resounding with the weight of transcendence.

Blue Eyed Freak belatedly realized it was a greeting and clasped his hands together. "...I'm the Blue Eyed Freak, Lord of the Valley of Evil. I've heard a lot about you, Senior Blade Demon."

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"I'm the Viridian Scholar of the Yama Keep."

"I-I'm the Giant Spirit Boss."

"Ho, I'm the Tiger Pass Boss."

The Black Snake Alliance Chairman nodded in acknowledgement, then looked at the Phantom King, the only leader who had yet to greet him. "And you?"

From the moment dawn cracked over the horizon, the air itself felt like punishment. The training grounds were still soaked in dew, but Demon Instructor Wiji Cheon stood there already, arms crossed, waiting like a specter of discipline. "You’re late, he said.

"...I am the Mount Mo Sect Leader."

"I see, but why are you riding in a palanquin by yourself?"

The Phantom King was stunned speechless. The pressure the Blade Demon exerted upon him was on a completely different plane compared to that of the Blue Eyed Freak.

Baek Suryong landed without a sound, his crimson eyes glinting in the silvery moonlight. "So this is what siding with the Cult reduced you to. Repenting like a sinner before an altar of rice bowls. Pathetic. You think remorse will cleanse your folly?”

"Didn't you hear me?" the Blade Demon snapped, impatient.

Trembling, the Phantom King stammered, "I-I haven't stepped out of my palanquin outdoors even once in ten years..."

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The Black Snake Alliance Chairman nodded. "That doesn't sound like a very important reason. Get down."