Chapter 57

Chapter 56

A letter flew in from the Sima Clan.

Thus, Wu Huang was reading the letter, which bore the clear seal of the Sima Clan's patriarch, in one swift motion.

His eyes, trembling as if he had encountered an earthquake.

"Hmm..."

He could not understand.

No, he could not comprehend at all.

Just a short while ago, those who had been actively demanding the position of Deputy Alliance Leader had suddenly sent a firm refusal.

Due to the Sima Clan's demand for the Deputy Alliance Leader position, there had already been several in-depth meetings.

After such a long period of persuasion, they had finally achieved unanimous agreement.

But now, to nullify everything—what an absurd situation!

Wu Huang's head throbbed again.

"Pathetic. After being secluded for so long, have they forgotten how to live in the world?"

"That's not something to take lightly, Lord Alliance Leader."

Zheng Lang, the strategist of the righteous faction and the Chief Military Officer of the Wu Lin Alliance, added a solemn voice.

"Though they are renowned throughout the land, they are only able to maintain their seclusion with the regular care of the alliance!"

Wu Huang's eyes were filled with even more anger.

"Even if the Sima Clan were to break their seclusion and step into the world, it would take a long time for them to establish and set up their business premises. You argued that, with their limited resources, they had no choice but to ally with the alliance. What is this all about now!"

It was indeed himself who had argued that the Sima Clan would not be able to shake off the alliance's hand.

However, as the Chief Military Officer of the alliance, Zhuge Chanhui could not rule out all possibilities.

In his predictions, the Sima Clan's refusal was a clear variable.

"There are three possible scenarios."

Wu Huang, barely suppressing his anger, stroked his long beard.

"Go on."

"The first is the possibility that they have been hiding an enormous fortune all along."

Wu Huang looked as if he could not understand.

"If they had wealth, would they have lived in hardship for so long, relying solely on the supplies sent by the alliance?"

"There could be various reasons. Each family has its own rules, do they not? With the lifting of the seclusion order, the patriarch might have regained the right to sell the family treasures."

"Hmm..."

Zhuge Chanhui, holding his fan, his eyes gleaming.

"On the surface, they may seem to be joining the alliance's righteous cause to counter the Zhao Family Trading Company, but in reality, they are likely laying the groundwork to regain their power. However, if they have hidden wealth, the situation changes. As the 'First Under Heaven,' they have the capability to rise on their own."

"And the second?"

"The second is that their long seclusion was a lie from the beginning. The Sima Clan's apparent hardship was just a facade, and if they have been plotting something in the shadows of the martial world, they might not feel the need to cooperate with us."

If Zhuge Chanhui's second prediction were true, it would mean that the entire world had been deceived by them for hundreds of years.

A martial family, the Sima Clan, had been deceiving the world for hundreds of years while plotting something in seclusion?

That was a truly terrifying prediction.

"And what about the third?"

Suddenly, Zhuge Chanhui let out a faint sigh.

"The third is the worst-case scenario, even more so than the first two."

Wu Huang's head tilted to the side, his face full of doubt.

Even if he set aside the first prediction about hiding wealth, could there be an even worse scenario than the second prediction that their long seclusion was a lie?

"What makes the third prediction the worst of all?"

"Preemption by others. Judging from the outstanding mind and strategy of the Little Sword God, it is entirely possible."

"Preemption? By whom?"

The Little Sword God, Zhao Hui.

He had preempted the alliance and secured the Sima Clan?

"Based on the fact that the negotiations with our alliance were derailed, it seems he might have intervened during the talks."

The alliance with the Sima Clan and the Zhao Family Trading Company!

Wu Huang was far from foolish; he understood the implications of those words.

"The Zhao Family Trading Company is taking both the Sword God and the Martial God's reputations!"

Zhuge Chanhui nodded solemnly.

"Yes. That's why I said it's the most terrifying prediction. If things are progressing that way, our alliance will gradually lose its presence and the leakage of power will accelerate."

"Hmm..."

"Ultimately, the entire righteous faction will revolve around the Zhao Family Trading Company. The worst-case scenario is if one of the Nine Sects withdraws from the alliance and joins their ranks. If the legend of the Sword God and the Martial God becomes the center of the martial world, the sword sects of the Nine Sects will not be able to remain stable."

Wu Huang closed his eyes tightly, as if he did not want to imagine it.

This was because the Wu Dang Sect, one of the Nine Sects, would also be included.

"What a despicable move!"

But there were signs that their gloomy predictions were becoming reality.

"Attention! I have urgent news to report!"

The person who rushed into the alliance leader's office, panting, was the inspector, Duan Baiwu!

Wu Huang greeted him with a surprised look.

"What is the state of your appearance?"

His eyes were sunken, and his complexion was pale, indicating the arduous journey he had endured.

Clearly, he had not eaten or slept properly for several days and had rushed to the alliance city without rest.

"Ah... I returned alone to report this urgent news, leaving my subordinates to gather and follow."

"Speak quickly!"

Duan Baiwu prostrated himself on the floor.

"The Little Sword God is learning the Body Transformation Technique."

"The Body Transformation Technique (易體變容術)?"

How could the disciple of the Sword God, that man, learn the despicable technique of the Sima Sect?

"I saw him transform into his own appearance right before my eyes. It was a truly hair-raising and precise Body Transformation Technique."

The Body Transformation Technique is extremely difficult to master, to the point of being called a demonic art.

The Little Sword God learning such a remarkable skill of the evil sect?

That meant he could now become anyone.

"So what? What did he do while impersonating you, Inspector?"

Zhuge Chanhui, jumping up, interrogated Duan Baiwu.

"He bound my body with a strange technique. At first, I thought it was poison, but since there were no abnormalities in my body over time, it seems to be his unique martial art. However..."

"However?"

"He took out the order and the alliance letter from my robes and infiltrated the Sima Clan."

"Ah!"

Zhuge Chanhui, who rarely showed any agitation, was pulling his hair out and screaming.

The Little Sword God had discovered that the alliance was plotting behind their backs while proposing an alliance.

His next move was obvious.

He would not help the alliance's events. He would certainly have caused all sorts of trouble while impersonating Duan Baiwu.

Wu Huang's face also twisted in shame, as if his secrets had been exposed.

"So that's why things went wrong."

"Hmm..."

Duan Baiwu's gaze, looking at Wu Huang and Zhuge Chanhui, was even more ominous.

"There is one more thing to report."

"Speak quickly!"

At Wu Huang's urgent command, Duan Baiwu hesitated for a moment before speaking again with difficulty.

"It seems that Wu Jun's carriage is heading to the Zhao Family Trading Company."

"Wu Jun (武君)?"

Wu Jun Sima Zhong, wasn't he the young master who would carry the future of the Sima Clan?

"Yes. However, instead of the Sima Clan's flag, a white flag was hanging on his carriage."

"White flag?"

A white flag signifies only two things: surrender or an apology.

What could it mean for the 'First Under Heaven' Sima Clan to send their young master as a messenger with a white flag?

Thud.

When the worst-case scenario he did not want to think about finally arrived, Zhuge Chanhui could not help but collapse weakly.

Wu Huang also shouted irritably.

"Damn it!"

It's over.

Especially with the swordsmen of the north constantly wavering, if the Zhao Family Trading Company accepts the Sima Clan's white flag and reveals it to the martial world?

Moreover, if Wu Jun, like the successors of the other Five Great Clans, settles into the Zhao Family Trading Company as a mainstay?

The biggest problem is that it is impossible to predict what the Little Sword God, who feels betrayed by the alliance, will do.

'Impossible!'

Suddenly, Zhuge Chanhui shuddered.

If the letter, which declared an alliance with the Zhao Family Trading Company but secretly laid out numerous checks, were exposed to the martial world?

Especially since it was an alliance order, Wu Huang's authority would inevitably be undermined.

Zhuge Chanhui's mind began to race.

"We can't just sit here! We must quickly seek other options before the Little Sword God takes further action!"

"What kind of strategy do you have?"

"We must do something before the Zhao Family Trading Company draws the attention of the martial world! Hold a martial arts conference! No matter the cost, we must hold the grandest martial arts conference in the history of the martial world to draw the attention of all righteous forces to the alliance! If that doesn't work..."

"If it doesn't work?"

"We must engage in a conflict with the Sichuan Association to draw all the attention and legitimacy to the alliance (盟)!"

"Hmm..."

The Chief Military Officer, who had always opposed the use of force against the Sima Sect, was now speaking of war without hesitation, which made Wu Huang's expression even more serious.

This indicated how seriously the Chief Military Officer was taking the current situation.

However, Wu Huang spoke in a more solemn tone.

"We cannot recklessly incite chaos. The turmoil in the martial world would provide an opportunity for the Demon Sect to rise. We cannot awaken a tiger while trying to catch a fox."

But Zhuge Chanhui shook his head roughly.

"We might lose our home before the tiger even attacks. I fear the Zhao Family Trading Company more than the Demon Sect."

The Zhao Family Trading Company, with its vast commercial network in the south, the reputation of the Sword God, and the glory of the Martial God, was unimaginable.

Most importantly, the problem was that the Little Sword God of the Zhao Family Trading Company had a temperament closer to a merchant than a martial artist.

In the history of the martial world, no one with the absolute reverence of martial prowess had the same temperament as the Little Sword God.

Zhuge Chanhui knew better than anyone what terrifying things could happen if someone at the high moral ground of the Eight Great Seats viewed the martial world through the lens of commerce.

"Would he just sit idly by if we attacked the Sichuan Association? Jiangxi is right next to the Sichuan Association, isn't it?"

"We must clearly announce that it is a fight of the entire alliance. We must thoroughly prevent the Zhao Family Trading Company's intervention beforehand."

At that moment,

Duan Baiwu, who had been listening to all the conversation, was twisting his lips strangely.

Zhuge Chanhui was momentarily taken aback by his strange expression.

Duan Baiwu, known for his upright character, showing such a strange smile in this critical moment?

But the words that followed from Duan Baiwu burned Zhuge Chanhui's brain white.

"You guys are really going crazy, aren't you?"

The man, who had been prostrated, calmly stood up.

"No matter how much I try to understand, I can't. Why are the righteous faction so obsessed with their honor?"

Wu Huang and Zhuge Chanhui were frozen in shock.

"Isn't it normal to feel ashamed and apologize when you're caught plotting to harm someone? But you're talking about war? Is human life a joke? Is it a joke?"

"Who, who are you?"

Suddenly, Duan Baiwu's face rippled and transformed into the appearance of the Little Sword God (小劒神).

"Who else? The Little Sword God you've been trying to torment so much."

Grinning,

As the Body Transformation Technique manifested before his eyes, Zhuge Chanhui collapsed.

A Body Transformation Technique of unimaginable skill!

Even after observing Duan Baiwu for decades, they were completely deceived. How much easier would it be to deceive others?

Zhao Hui took out the bundle of letters from his robes and scattered them toward Wu Huang and Zhuge Chanhui.

Rustle!

Zhao Hui sneered again.

"As you can see, these are copies of the alliance order. There are thousands more outside the alliance city. So don't even think about calling your subordinates to do something to me. I'll plaster them all over the city."

"What do you want?"

Zhuge Chanhui's trembling voice reached Zhao Hui's ears.

Zhao Hui calmly laid out his demands, which he had already thought through.

"Complete sharing of the Extermination Demon Secret Pavilion."

Wu Huang's eyes widened in shock.

"The Extermination Demon Secret Pavilion (滅魔秘閣)?"

The mere existence of the Extermination Demon Secret Pavilion, the alliance's secret intelligence organization, was astonishing.

But to request the sharing of its information?

"Unthinkable! The Extermination Demon Secret Pavilion is where all the information of the land converges! Do you think the Zhao Family Trading Company has the qualifications for that?"

Zhuge Chanhui's stern eyes fell on the scattered alliance letters.

"Qualifications can be created. I think you have more than enough of them."

If these letters were made public, the alliance's reputation would certainly be ruined, but giving away the Extermination Demon Secret Pavilion was a different matter. It was the most important asset of the Wu Lin Alliance.

"If you need information, seek cooperation with the Beggar Sect. I'll personally send a letter to the head of the Beggar Sect."

At this, Zhao Hui chuckled.

The head of the Beggar Sect, who is so proud, is in our hands at the Zhao Family Trading Company.

"Trust the Beggar Sect's information?"

If you don't trust the Beggar Sect, which is a proud wing of the righteous faction, who will you trust?

Suddenly, Zhuge Chanhui folded his fan and spoke in a serious tone.

"Whether the letters are made public or not, I cannot tolerate any further disrespect to the Alliance Leader. If you continue with this insolent attitude, you will have to face the entire Wu Lin Alliance here and now."

Faced with this unexpected threat, Zhao Hui gritted his teeth.

Damn!

How could the people who tried to stab the alliance in the back be so shameless!

With a fierce look in his eyes, Zhao Hui had no choice but to suppress his anger and steady his breathing.

"Since you are the leader of the righteous faction, I'll ask you one question frankly."

Zhuge Chanhui, who had suddenly become serious, straightened his posture and stroked his long beard.

"Go on."

Zhao Hui's blunt question followed.

"Have you ever heard of the existence called the Divine Throne (神座)?"

Zhuge Chanhui only tilted his head, but Wu Huang's face was extremely surprised.

"...How do you know about the Divine Throne?"

"Ah? You know about it?"

Indeed, Wu Huang is Wu Huang.

Wu Huang, after a moment of solemn contemplation, dismissed Zhuge Chanhui.

"Chief, please step out for a moment."

"Ah, I understand."

After Zhuge Chanhui left, Zhao Hui sat opposite Wu Huang and quietly shone his eyes.

"I didn't expect the alliance to be aware of the existence of the Divine Throne."

But Wu Huang only shook his head slightly.

"Not the alliance, but only I know about it."

"Is that so?"

Zhao Hui placed the Iron Sword of the Zhao Family on the table, straightened his clothes, and continued.

"Then you probably don't have any preparations for when the Divine Throne appears in the martial world, do you?"

Wu Huang looked dejected for a moment.

"How can we prepare when we can't even believe the legend of the Divine Throne?"

"A legend?"

Wu Huang nodded solemnly.

"I didn't even know of its existence until I accidentally discovered the diary of the ancient alliance leader, Tianzhao the Great Hero (天照大俠), in the alliance's archives. Moreover, the content was so absurd that I couldn't even share it with the leaders."

"Can you tell me the content of the diary left by Tianzhao the Great Hero?"

"Hmm..."

Wu Huang half-opened his sleepy eyes as if lost in thought.

"In his youth, Tianzhao the Great Hero once stayed at Shaolin. One day, a remarkable divine being came and demanded Shaolin's treasures. Moreover, his martial arts were beyond human."

"Hmm."

It seemed like a story Zhao Hui knew, and he looked a bit bored.

"You're talking about the one who demanded the 'Dharma Treasure of the Jade Stone Heaven' from Shaolin."

"Ah, you knew about it?"

It was a legendary story that even the ancient alliance leader,