Yeon Hojeong regained consciousness close to midnight that day.

“Huh? Father?”

“You’re awake?”

Yeon Wi smiled as he drank his tea.

“I checked your condition earlier. I thought you would wake around now.”

Yeon Hojeong scratched his head.

“What time is it?”

“Midnight has just passed.”

“I see.”

Yeon Wi spoke with a proud look on his face.

“Congratulations. You have finally obtained the Divine Core.”

The Yeon Clan Divine Core.

It was the path toward the peak of the Yeon Clan’s martial arts, and the beginning required to learn the clan’s final secret art.

In the history of the Yeon Clan, no more than three ancestors had formed the Divine Core.

Of course, that was not because the other ancestors had lacked ability. Forming the Divine Core was an arduous task, but among the clan lords of each generation, there had been surprisingly many who gained enough enlightenment to reach for the Yeon Clan Divine Core.

In other words, it could be called a matter of choice: whether to form the Divine Core and head toward the secret art, or maximize the martial arts one had mastered and step onto the path of new creation.

Yeon Wi had chosen the latter, and Yeon Hojeong had chosen the former.

Even so, what surprised Yeon Wi was that forming the Yeon Clan Divine Core itself required extreme enlightenment into the Yeon Clan’s divine arts.

“The Divine Core is like an inexhaustible spring. However, because it follows a different track from an ordinary dantian, you will struggle somewhat for a while in handling it.”

“Yes. I thought that would be the case.”

Yeon Hojeong repeatedly clenched and opened his fists.

Definitely.

The flow of True Qi had changed.

A martial artist who learned Inner Qi trained the dantian. Among them, there were warriors who trained only the lower dantian, and there were warriors who trained all three dantian—the upper, middle, and lower.

And even among those who trained all three dantian, there were cases where one dantian was trained as the main foundation.

Yeon Hojeong was one of those cases. His upper dantian had bloomed fully through the enlightenment of the Dark Emperor, and because of that, he possessed momentary methods of disruption and an eye that allowed him to face masters several moves above him with even a small amount of power.

The Four Spirit Martial Art and Four Spirit Qi protected his body through the middle dantian as their foundation, while the Jade Wave Art had made his lower dantian firm and allowed him to stably manifest all the martial arts he possessed.

Now, it was different.

The Yeon Clan Divine Core, filled with Jade Wave True Qi and Dragon-Embrace True Qi, had made his middle dantian into an iron fortress together with the Four Spirit Qi. That energy was so solid that he even felt a stifling sensation, as if something were caught near his solar plexus.

On the other hand, his lower dantian was empty, exactly as it had been after being refined by Jade Wave True Qi.

It was not that he had lost his lower dantian. Whenever necessary, he could draw the True Qi of the Five Great Divine Arts from the Yeon Clan Divine Core and change the nature of his martial arts.

The range of change was freely adjustable. It would be difficult to handle precisely because it was so complex, but if he embodied it perfectly, he could even alter the overall traits of his martial arts through instantaneous circulation of power.

If the Four Spirit Martial Art was an outstanding weapon, then the Yeon Clan Divine Core was a forge of True Qi that could change the characteristics of that weapon in an instant.

As expected.

A satisfied smile appeared on Yeon Hojeong’s face.

My guess was right.

Once he mastered the rest of the Five Great Divine Arts going forward, the Yeon Clan Divine Core would become complete as well.

When that happened, he would be able to operate the secret art in which every aspect—speed, strength, endurance, destructive power, stabilization—had reached its extreme. Not refining Hongcheon Qi and instead preparing the field with the Jade Wave Art had truly become a divine move.

Yeon Wi patted Yeon Hojeong’s shoulder.

“Congratulations. Forming the Divine Core at your age is something unprecedented in the history of the main house.”

Yeon Wi treated Yeon Hojeong as if he had never heard about his past.

The past was only the past. Yeon Wi wanted to look at his eldest son’s present. Just because he had gained that level of enlightenment in the past, it made no sense to diminish his current achievement.

Yeon Hojeong also understood his father’s heart.

“Thank you.”

“The cold is bitter. On the other hand, the snow has stopped. The moonlight is beautiful as well, so if I followed my feelings, I would like to help you even a little in embodying the Divine Core’s energy through a spar with your father. But there is something I must discuss with you, so I think we should put the spar off for later.”

Yeon Hojeong’s eyes gleamed.

“Did something happen?”

Yeon Wi told him everything that had happened today.

Yeon Hojeong’s eyes deepened.

“So that’s what happened. I meant to tell you separately, Father.”

“That is all right. Whether I learned late or early, what matters is that I learned in the end.”

“So what did the Divine Maiden of the Western Regions say?”

“That is...”

Yeon Wi smacked his lips.

“She said she would give an answer by tomorrow morning.”

“Oh?”

The corners of Yeon Hojeong’s mouth rose.

Leaving aside the fact that the Divine Maiden of the Western Regions was a spy of the Divine Flame Cult, her nature itself was extremely kind and soft.

She had a certain resolve in her own way, but that resolve was bound to be almost useless before the Clan Lord of one of the Six Great Clans. In particular, Tang Gwan’s oppressive presence was so great that even masters of the same level would grow tense. With the Divine Maiden of the Western Regions’ level of mental strength, it would not have been easy to endure. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

“And the Tang Clan Lord just watched that?”

“He did.”

“...Huh?”

Yeon Wi smiled.

“That man, Clan Lord Tang, has changed greatly from before. Of course, his unique pride and oppressive nature are still the same, but he no longer pushes things through recklessly the way he used to.”

He did not push things through recklessly before, either.

Tang Gwan’s oppressive side was only one of the countless masks he wore to make outside activity easier. In fact, he was a man with a record of using sharp presence and terrifying arrogance to accomplish impossible tasks successfully.

In other words, Tang Gwan was also a nine-tailed fox. He was merely a fox wearing the mask of a venomous snake.

“And he told me to pass these words to you.”

“Please tell me.”

Yeon Wi hesitated for a moment. No matter how much it was a message, the person receiving it was his son. He felt somewhat embarrassed to pass on these words without changing a single syllable.

Yeon Hojeong smiled.

“It’s fine. I would rather hear direct words without embellishment.”

“Then I will tell you.”

“Yes.”

“He said he would set the fire himself on that side, so whether you put it out or make it burn even larger, handle it according to your ability.”

“Oh-ho.”

Yeon Hojeong stroked his chin.

“I expected as much when I heard that he went to the Divine Maiden of the Western Regions without saying anything, but it seems he really has no intention of simply sitting still.”

“He is a man who hates being swayed by someone else. Just accepting your proposal and stepping forward as a candidate must already have been a major concession for him.”

More precisely, it was not a concession but a transaction.

However, Tang Gwan could have negotiated directly with the Divine Maiden of the Western Regions even without making a transaction with him. When he thought that far, as his father had said, it was indeed a concession.

That concession, too, was probably his final test to confirm whether he could operate within the Martial Alliance.

That was how the world worked. Before the greater cause, protecting one’s own life and proving one’s value came first.

Looking at it from that perspective, Tang Gwan was indeed a remarkable figure.

“I understand what he means. Then I will go see the Divine Maiden of the Western Regions.”

Yeon Wi asked in surprise.

“At this hour of the night?”

“Of course. What will we do if she says tomorrow morning that she will not step forward as a sponsor?”

“It is late at night. Would it not be better to visit her early at dawn instead?”

“No. Now is better.”

Yeon Hojeong’s eyes blazed.

“We brought in a beast full of worms, and if she starts acting up without even knowing the grace she received, that will not do. I should take up the switch.”

*****

SHHHK.

Gi Uhui’s face hardened.

“Hidden Shadow One.”

“...That is correct.”

She turned around.

In the shadowed corner, at some point, a black-clad figure wearing a mask was kneeling.

Gi Uhui’s eyes trembled.

“What happened?”

“What do you mean?”

“I know your stealth arts are extraordinary, but... this is the Martial Alliance.”

“I know.”

Hidden Shadow One’s stealth arts were comparable to those of assassins counted among the very best even in the Central Plains martial world.

On top of that, the Martial Alliance was too vast to be called a mere federation. It would not be an exaggeration to call it a small nation.

The outer district, in particular, was so broad that it could be said to contain several large villages. Not everyone living in the Martial Alliance was a master, so if one could simply cross the fortress wall, infiltration would not be all that difficult.

But the inner district was different.

The inner district was the region where more than seventy percent of the Martial Alliance’s strength was concentrated.

That was not in terms of numbers, but the level of the martial artists. The place where the supreme ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) masters of the Nine Sects and One Union and the Six Great Clans were densely gathered was none other than the inner district.

There were masters at every step, yet Hidden Shadow One had infiltrated such a dangerous place.

Hidden Shadow One lowered his head.

“Except for this one time, unless there is a special situation, it will be difficult for me to see you again for a while.”

He took a small wooden box from his robes.

“Please take it.”

“...What is this?”

“We have placed our Cult’s people in the medical office, stables, smithy, and other places in the Martial Alliance’s outer district.”

“...!”

“What is inside the wooden box is colorless and odorless incense that only those who have received special training can smell. Once every forty-five days, write down only the major points among the Martial Alliance’s information and deliver them to the spies in the outer district.”

“...”

“When you pass along the information, apply that incense in your quarters. The trained spies’ sense of smell can detect that scent even from fifty li away. They will come within half a day, so you may hand the information to the spy.”

Gi Uhui swallowed.

“You are... telling me to do this?”

“It is an order from above.”

“...”

“This does not suit your nature, Saintess. So please return to the Cult.”

“...”

“If you make up your mind, Saintess, you may return to the Cult at any time. Once you return, you will obtain power that places all people beneath your eyes.”

“...Hidden Shadow One.”

“It will be difficult to see you again for some time, so allow me to commit rudeness once more on this occasion.”

Gi Uhui sighed.

Hidden Shadow One continued.

“It is true that there are people who talk about your origins. However, that is nothing more than gossip. If they knew how deeply the Cult Leader cherishes you, there would be no reason for you to fear their eyes...”

“Hidden Shadow One.”

“...Yes, Saintess.”

“I’m sorry, but I have finally made my choice.”

Hidden Shadow One’s eyes trembled.

“Saintess!”

Gi Uhui’s eyes filled with sorrow.

“It was you, wasn’t it?”

“...What do you mean?”

“The person who killed my mother. It was you, wasn’t it?”

“...!!”

“Your pity for me was real. But tell me. Is the reason you are trying to turn my heart back really so pure? Are you not trying to persuade me for your own sake, to climb back onto the seat of power where you once sat?”

“S-Saintess!”

“The reason I never gave much of a reply to your words until now was because I knew that fighting with you would bring me no benefit.”

Gi Uhui’s eyes, which had been soaked in sorrow, gradually cooled.

“But not anymore. I have made my choice too.”

“...”

“I don’t know how it will end, but I’m going to fight in my own way.”

Hidden Shadow One spoke in a slightly lowered voice.

“...Saintess.”

“...”

“Please do not misunderstand, and listen...”

That was when it happened.

...!!

Hidden Shadow One’s eyes flew wide, as if they would tear open.

THUMP!

His mouth would not open. In an instant, strength drained from his body, and he could not move even a finger as he wished.

Wh-what is this?!

Why had this suddenly happened? Had he been poisoned?

That was when it happened.

“Well, I suppose that’s how it was.”

Hidden Shadow One felt gooseflesh rise across his entire body.

“Our fights were always like this. They didn’t start only after a bell rang with a ding. Prepared or not, the side that strikes first takes the advantage. It’s no different from a back-alley brawl between thugs.”

The voice was tinged with laughter, and yet tremendous Killing Intent boiled inside it.

Huff.

A black shadow covered Hidden Shadow One’s vision.

Chiriring. Chiririring.

The sound of clashing chains evoked a terrifying fear.

The shadow, Yeon Hojeong, smiled with madness in his eyes.

“You should have come after ringing a bell instead. What are you, a moth to a flame? Aren’t you a little too brave?”