Chapter 197

Afterward, Jaseong returned to the Central Plains, leading five hundred sword-wielders from the North Sea.

But ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍while he was making his way back, strange rumors began to circulate throughout the Central Plains.

At ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍first, it was nothing more than a bizarre tale that started in a remote frontier village.

"It's ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍a m-monster!"

"The ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍dead have come back to life!"

The ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍villagers' screams filled the night sky.

Corpses ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍with pale faces, stiff bodies, and terrifying strength began to attack the living.

They were jiangshi.

Though the Blood Cult Leader Chu Hyul-gwang had died, several high-ranking sorcerers from the Blood Cult who had joined the Demonic Cult still remained.

"What is... what is happening?"

"That— isn't that our village chief?"

"But the chief died last month... How...."

Terrified, the villagers fled.

But the jiangshi relentlessly pursued them.

Though they appeared slow, their power was beyond imagination.

Anyone unlucky enough to be caught had their bones crushed in an instant.

Those bitten by the jiangshi were immediately poisoned and then transformed into jiangshi themselves.

The disaster wasn't limited to the borderlands.

Simultaneous jiangshi outbreaks occurred in major cities of the Central Plains—Luoyang, Kaifeng, Chang'an.

At night in Luoyang, a hundred jiangshi wandered the streets.

"Close the city gates! No one is to go outside!"

"The imperial soldiers were all wiped out! How are we going to stop this?"

"The jiangshi have entered the government office!"

"What?! Gather all the troops!"

But regular soldiers were no match for the jiangshi.

Whether cut down by sword or pierced by spear, the jiangshi would not fall.

Instead, their severed arms and legs twisted and attacked, a grotesque sight that shattered the soldiers' morale.

What was even more horrifying was that the corpses of orthodox fighters slain in the War of Orthodox and Unorthodox had also turned into jiangshi.

Once a martial artist who had mastered martial arts became a jiangshi, the threat was doubled.

A single strike from a jiangshi imbued with internal energy could shatter city walls.

"This is divine punishment..."

"Heaven has forsaken us..."

"Orthodox and unorthodox alike, it's all over..."

Despair spread across the Central Plains.

Yet, even as the chaos from the jiangshi crisis was overwhelming, a greater calamity struck.

The Demonic Cult's massive army began to march south from the Ten-Thousand-Mountain Range.

"They say the Demonic Cult's forces are nearly a hundred thousand strong!"

"A hundred thousand?!"

Yu Un-geomgaek, the sect leader of Diancang Sect, was aghast.

A hundred thousand troops.

Greater in scale even than the Great Heavenly Demon War.

"And that's not all. The Demonic Cult's peak experts... they are defeating the weakened orthodox sects one by one."

"Which sects have fallen?"

"Qingcheng, Kongtong Sect, Emei... already countless sects have been trampled under the Demonic Cult's banner."

The messenger's voice trembled.

With Namgung Cheon-rui's death, the orthodox faction had lost its center and was now powerless against the Demonic Cult's waves.

Another messenger rushed in with even more urgent news.

"Even... the Zhongnan Sect has been wiped out."

"What?!"

The gathering erupted into turmoil.

That one of the Nine Sects-One Union, the Zhongnan Sect, had been annihilated was simply unbelievable.

"All of Zhongnan's experts stood against the threat... but the Heavenly Demon subdued them single-handedly."

"The Heavenly Demon...?! Didn't we shed so much blood trying to kill the Heavenly Demon in the last Great Heavenly Demon War, and now he appears again?!"

Everyone was struck by terror.

Decades ago in the Great Heavenly Demon War, the Heavenly Demon—alone—had fought against all of the world's Ten Great Experts.

He brought a bloodbath across jianghu.

Now, that nightmare had returned.

"Kunlun Sect is under attack, Emei is in crisis as well."

"At this rate... the orthodox sects will be annihilated."

In the end, the Luoyang Branch Leader of the Beggar's Union, Zhang Daebong, ran to see True Person Cheongho of Mount Hua, for with the death of Namgung Cheon-rui, True Person Cheongho was now the greatest expert of the orthodox sects.

"This disaster is unprecedented in the history of the Central Plains' jianghu."

With a grim face, the Luoyang Branch Leader, Zhang Daebong, spoke.

Urgent missives from all over the Central Plains were piled high in his hands.

"The jiangshi hordes began in the outer regions and are gradually spreading toward the center. It's as if they're deliberately closing in to form a siege."

At Zhang Daebong's words, True Person Cheongho let out a long sigh and took a sip of tea.

His body was entirely wrapped in bandages from his previous battle with Jaseong.

"Given the simultaneous hordes of jiangshi and the Demonic Cult's emergence from the Ten-Thousand-Mountain Range, the Demonic Cult is surely behind this crisis."

True Person Cheongho nodded silently.

"I've heard the Blood Cult has joined the Demonic Cult. The Blood Cult has a forbidden ritual that summons jiangshi by sacrificing humans. No doubt the Demonic Cult is using it."

"True Person Cheongho, there's no more time to waste. There's only one way."

"And what method has the Great Hero brought?"

"We must seek out the Evil Path Association Leader."

"The Evil Path Association Leader...?"

True Person Cheongho's expression said he had expected those words.

The Evil Path Association Leader, Jaseong.

He was the enemy of the orthodox faction and the murderer of Namgung Cheon-rui.

Yet, the orthodox sects had no choice but to seek help from such a person now.

Only someone of his caliber could stand against the Heavenly Demon.

"Unless we have someone of that caliber, how can we possibly face the Heavenly Demon who's said to have reached the profound realm?"

"......."

"This is not the time for pride. The fate of the Central Plains hangs in the balance."

True Person Cheongho closed his eyes.

The blazing palace halls of Mount Hua flickered in his mind.

His disciples' screams echoed in his ears.

"... Understood."

True Person Cheongho opened his eyes.

Determination burned in his gaze.

* * *

Later, when Jaseong returned to the Central Plains with the swordsmen of the North Sea, late at night, True Person Cheongho came to see him.

Under the moonlight, the heavy gates of Black Union City swung open.

True Person Cheongho walked in slowly.

Behind him, two disciples of Mount Hua bowed their heads and followed.

Everyone in Black Union City watched True Person Cheongho and his two disciples with tense eyes.

He was once the greatest expert of the orthodox sects and an enemy of the Evil Path Association, having fought a bloody battle with Jaseong.

The Black Star Sect's master, Heavenly Black Sword Venerable, and the Poison Valley Lord, Lord of Ten Thousand Poisons, glared at them, exuding murderous intent.

But Jaseong sat calmly in the grand hall and greeted True Person Cheongho.

"It's the first time since that day, True Person Cheongho. What brings you here?"

Jaseong asked in a toneless voice.

At that, True Person Cheongho opened his mouth slowly.

"I am ashamed, but... I've come to ask for help."

His voice was heavy.

He had set aside all the pride he had as Mount Hua's sect master.

"You must already know the situation in the Central Plains. The jiangshi crisis, the Demonic Cult's southward march... At this rate, the Central Plains will fall into the hands of the Demonic Cult."

"......."

"Especially, orthodox sects are being targeted and annihilated. We need support—urgently."

"Urgent support, hmm... but isn't that the orthodox faction's problem?"

Jaseong spoke coldly.

"We are the Evil Path Association. Whether the orthodox faction perishes or not, it has nothing to do with us."

At those words, True Person Cheongho flushed.

But he held back.

Now was not the time for pride.

"The jiangshi make no distinction between orthodox and unorthodox. The Demonic Cult, too, has made everyone in the Central Plains their enemy."

"......."

"For now, the orthodox sects are being destroyed, but next it will be the unorthodox ones. In the end, everyone will perish."

In truth, Jaseong knew this as well.

The reason he didn't immediately accept True Person Cheongho's offer was the hypocrisy the orthodox faction had repeatedly shown.

Even True Person Cheongho, the so-called greatest hero, had sided with Namgung Cheon-rui in the past, despite knowing all of Namgung Cheon-rui's secret evil deeds at Soul-Bewildering Powder.

So he couldn't simply join hands with the orthodox faction. The sects under his Evil Path Association wouldn't want that, either.

Then, in the next moment, True Person Cheongho did something unexpected.

Thump.

True Person Cheongho knelt before Jaseong.

And he bowed his head deeply.

"This old man is on his knees, begging you. Please send us reinforcements. Only you, Evil Path Association Leader, can stop the Heavenly Demon."

True Person Cheongho looked up at Jaseong.

His eyes were filled with desperation.

Seeing this, the two disciples of Mount Hua were stunned.

For the Sword Immortal of Plum Blossom to kneel and beg the leader of the evil faction—such a thing was unimaginable.

"......."

A heavy silence fell.

The atmosphere in the grand hall grew tense and suffocating.

Jaseong looked at True Person Cheongho.

The white-haired old man had cast aside his pride and was kneeling.

All for the Central Plains.

And in that moment, Jaseong was reminded of the Eternal Divine Physician.

'... Master. If I hadn't met you, I would have refused this request without hesitation tonight.'

Slowly, Jaseong rose from his seat.

"Stand up, True Person Cheongho."

"......."

"Very well. But I have a condition."

"Speak. I will listen to anything."

"When this is over, I no longer want the Central Plains to be divided along orthodox and unorthodox lines."

"Then...?"

"I want all the orthodox sects to come under the Evil Path Association."

"......!"

"If the name Evil Path Association is unpalatable, we can propose a new name to represent the Central Plains martial world."

It was not an easy condition.

The elders of the orthodox sects would surely oppose it.

But....

For True Person Cheongho, there was no other choice.

If he did not receive help from Jaseong and the Evil Path Association here, the orthodox faction would certainly be annihilated.

"... Understood. Evil Path Association Leader, I will do as you wish."

"Are you sure you can convince the orthodox sect leaders?"

"I will try. I stake my name as a taoist."

"Good. Then let us fight together."

Jaseong took True Person Cheongho's hand.

The hands of two giants gripped each other.

An alliance between orthodox and unorthodox.

A truly unprecedented occurrence in history.

This was the moment the great union for survival was born, overcoming centuries of conflict and hatred.

* * *

That night,

Jaseong gazed at the night sky, lost in deep thought.

'The union of orthodox and unorthodox... It was a sudden idea, but for the peace of the Central Plains, maybe it really is the better path. There will be fewer families devastated, like mine was in the past, because of martial world conflict.'

But as Jaseong muttered to himself,

Fwoosh!

A mysterious phenomenon appeared in the night sky over Black Union City.

The pitch-black darkness parted, and a multicolored radiance began to flood the sky.

It was neither moonlight nor starlight.

It was as if the curtain of the heavens had been torn open and another world was pouring down beyond, a mystical and overwhelming scene.

"This is..."

Jaseong leapt onto the roof and looked up at the sky.

A massive swirl of golden and silver immortal light mixed, cascading over Black Union City.

"Wh-what is that?"

"The sky is splitting open!"

The gatekeepers on the wall and people in the street pointed at the sky in shock.

As the night turned as bright as day, sleeping birds startled awake and took flight, and beasts howled.

But in Jaseong's eyes, he saw something else.

Sssss—

As he activated the Samadhi Eyes, a figure emerged distinctly within the downpour of light.