Chapter 385

Chapter 385 – When the Way is One Foot High, the Devil is One Zhang Tall… (1)

The Namgung Family was situated on the outskirts of Hefei, the capital of Anhui Province.

Behind them, a fairly large mountain stood like a folding screen, and in front flowed a large river. Perfect feng shui with mountains behind and water in front. Moreover, there was only one bridge crossing the river as the passage into the village.

By guarding just the bridge, no enemy could invade – it was a naturally blessed terrain. In the center of it all was the Namgung Family.

The houses surrounding the Namgung Family all belonged to branch families. The entire village was composed of Namgung Family blood relatives.

The atmosphere of the Namgung Family was grave.

Though they said the family had greatly weakened now, they were still the Namgung Family that claimed to be the leader of Anhui Province. The influence they had built up in Anhui Province over hundreds of years was truly extensive.

There wasn't a single military post in Anhui Province unrelated to the Namgung Family, and numerous merchant groups and escort agencies were also established by affiliated disciples in Anhui Province.

Though the Namgung Family had suffered great damage from Dam Ho and gone into seclusion, the external forces associated with them still remained intact, serving as their eyes and ears.

The expression of Namgung Jang-woon, an elder of the Namgung Family, was graver than ever. Around him were positioned the leadership of the Namgung Family and the heads of affiliated sects.

It was Namgung Jang-woon himself who broke the heavy silence that had settled in the hall.

"How could we have been completely unaware of the Demon Cult members penetrating so deep into Anhui Province? Even if the main family was in seclusion, to not notice until it came to this."

"We're sorry. It's all our fault."

"We have no face to show."

The heads of the affiliated sects couldn't lift their heads with devastated expressions.

They had only noticed the Demon Cult's presence after several military posts were annihilated. Even until then, they had been completely unaware that the Demon Cult's forces had entered Anhui Province.

By the time they realized, the Demon Cult's elite forces had already reached near Hefei.

"Detestably, they infiltrated by dispersing their numbers in small groups."

"That's right. They came in disguised as merchants or wandering warriors, so we failed to recognize them. Please kill us."

The heads of affiliated sects banged their heads on the table pleading for death, but it was already too late.

Namgung Jang-woon's expression darkened further.

Though he tried not to show it, as successive disasters continued, darkness inevitably crept into his expression.

After the death of the family head Namgung Cheon, they had also lost Namgung Chang, the strategist of the Martial Alliance who had been the Namgung Family's strongest supporter. Their absence led to a deterioration in the Namgung Family's power.

Especially the death of Namgung Chang was painfully felt.

With Namgung Chang's death, the connection and support from the Martial Alliance was almost completely severed. Though threads still remained, they were so minimal as to be of almost no help.

That's when it happened.

"When have we ever relied on the Martial Alliance's support? We are the Great Namgung Family. We have the power to overcome this level of crisis at any time."

"That's right, elder brother. Don't make such a deathly expression over just this much. The Great Namgung Family won't collapse from this level of turmoil. All our blood relatives are already prepared to fight to the death."

Namgung Gyeong and Namgung Se-hu, direct blood relatives and elders of the Namgung Family, raised their voices. Their faces showed clear signs of righteous indignation. It wasn't just them.

The reaction of most of the Namgung Family's direct lineage was the same as the two men. They were angry that their inner courtyard had been violated.

Their anger was natural. There would be no problem. At least if the Namgung Family had been intact.

Namgung Jang-woon couldn't make any decisions.

The former family head Namgung Cheon had led the entire Namgung Family with truly tremendous presence. With one word from him, the entire Namgung Family would move in perfect unison.

None of the many elders of the Namgung Family could challenge his decisions – his authority, presence, and martial power were that overwhelming. When Namgung Cheon was alive, they just had to believe and follow him unconditionally.

There was nothing to think about, nothing to worry about. Since there was nothing to take responsibility for separately, they just had to swing their swords to their heart's content. Looking back, it was the most comfortable time.

Conversely, with such a powerful presence absent, the adverse effects were too severe. They had to rely on their own judgment and make unwanted decisions. Namgung Jang-woon was suffering such severe mental conflict that he was on the verge of losing all his hair.

It was while Namgung Jang-woon was agonizing like this.

"Uncle!"

Suddenly a quiet voice was heard from the entrance of the great hall. Namgung Jang-woon, who had unconsciously looked toward the entrance, opened his eyes wide.

"Mu-jin!"

"It's the young master."

"Has the young master come out of seclusion?"

Suddenly the people gathered in the great hall began to stir.

The young martial artist who appeared at the entrance of the great hall was emanating sharp energy like a well-forged sword.

Namgung Mu-jin, the young master of the Namgung Family.

Everyone was surprised when he appeared looking perfectly fine.

Namgung Jang-woon unconsciously jumped up from his seat.

"Mu-jin! How are you? Is your body alright?"

"I'm fine now."

At Namgung Mu-jin's answer, Namgung Jang-woon and everyone else made expressions of disbelief.

Among those present, there was no one who didn't know that Namgung Mu-jin had fallen into qi deviation.

The attention and expectations people had for the peerless talent named Namgung Mu-jin were truly enormous. His comprehension was truly terrifying, and he learned all of the Namgung Family's martial arts at a frightening pace. Until he pushed himself too hard learning martial arts and fell into qi deviation.

Because of that, all the trouble began. To treat his qi deviation, they tried to kidnap the Divine Doctor Jong Ri-yeon, which consequently led to a major clash with Dam Ho. The clash led to injuries for the family head Namgung Cheon. And Namgung Cheon died as his wounds worsened.

That was the fact everyone knew. But the appearance of Namgung Mu-jin standing before them now looked more than fine – he was emanating tremendous presence incomparable to before.

Representing everyone, Namgung Jang-woon asked.

"The qi deviation?"

"I overcame it."

"How?"

"Why do you think father passed away?"

"Of course his internal injuries worsened…"

"His internal injuries worsened while trying to treat my qi deviation."

"Mmm!"

Namgung Jang-woon's pupils shook. Even he, Namgung Cheon's closest aide, had been completely unaware of such a fact.

"So father died because of me."

"Don't blame yourself, Mu-jin."

"I don't blame myself. I don't even have the right to blame myself. When my father died because of me, how could I have such a right?"

"The family head's death was all because of the Fist Demon. It's absolutely not your fault."

"We'll discuss that gradually later. That's not urgent now."

Namgung Mu-jin moved and entered the room. Then Namgung Jang-woon hurriedly vacated the grand chair.

From Namgung Mu-jin's entire body emanated presence that overwhelmed his surroundings. Tremendous presence comparable to the late Namgung Cheon.

'Did he really overcome the qi deviation?'

Though lights of doubt appeared briefly on people's faces, they soon understood. Overcoming qi deviation was never easy, but the opponent was Namgung Mu-jin, the Namgung Family's greatest talent. Moreover, if he had Namgung Cheon's help, it would be stranger if he hadn't overcome it.

Namgung Mu-jin sat in the grand chair.

"I heard all the talk. The main family is in critical danger?"

"That's right. Demon Cult members have already infiltrated throughout Anhui Province."

"Then full-scale war isn't far off."

"It's an unavoidable clash. In preparation, we've assembled all of the Namgung Family's forces and affiliated disciples."

At someone's words, Namgung Mu-jin nodded.

From his entire body naturally flowed the presence of an absolute ruler.

"What are the enemy forces?"

"That hasn't been completely identified yet."

"A situation where we can't guarantee victory."

"That's not the case. No matter how many forces they've gathered, they're nothing but a drop in the ocean compared to our main family."

"It's because of such complacency that the Martial Alliance lost their headquarters and our main family fell into decline."

"Mmm!"

At Namgung Mu-jin's ice-cold words, the martial artist who had been speaking passionately shut his lips tight.

Namgung Mu-jin continued with blade-sharp eyes.

"The family head is no longer here, and neither is the Sword King Corps. The current Namgung Family has the worst power in history. We need to coldly observe the current situation."

His voice was quiet, but it was clearly imprinted in the ears of those gathered in the great hall. The excited people regained their composure.

Namgung Mu-jin's gaze turned toward Namgung Jang-woon.

"Did you request help from the Martial Alliance?"

"We already made an urgent request."

"Do you think they'll help?"

"Naturally, if they consider the righteousness of the martial world…"

"They absolutely won't help."

Namgung Mu-jin spoke decisively. At this, Namgung Jang-woon was at a loss for words.

"If I were them, I absolutely wouldn't help either. Unless they planned to use us as bait."

"What does that mean?"

"Wouldn't the Demon Cult's Yueyang headquarters be weakened as forces are drawn to Anhui Province? If I were the Martial Alliance leader, I would never miss this opportunity."

Everyone held their breath at Namgung Mu-jin's words.

Originally called the Namgung Family's greatest genius, Namgung Mu-jin was outstanding in martial arts, but his eye for grasping situations and reading circumstances was even better. Even Namgung Chang, who had been dispatched as a strategist to the Martial Alliance, would defer to him in this regard.

The hall became quiet at Namgung Mu-jin's words. It was such a shocking prediction. The problem was that Namgung Mu-jin's words felt true.

Indeed, after Namgung Chang's death, the connection with the Martial Alliance had weakened, and support was no longer being provided.

A Namgung Family elder couldn't bear the silence and exploded.

"How can the Martial Alliance? When the Namgung Family provided the greatest help when the Martial Alliance was founded."

"Without us, the Martial Alliance couldn't even have been born. We must hold the Martial Alliance accountable for this sin. Absolutely."

"To think the dog we raised to guard the house would betray its master."

The elders competed to denounce the Martial Alliance.

Namgung Mu-jin looked at such elders with pitying eyes. He had seen through such facts even while sitting in the training ground, but the fact that these so-called elders who were supposed to be well-informed about external news couldn't recognize reality like this was just pathetic.

The fact that he had to face the Demon Cult with such people made him feel deflated. But he forced himself to regain composure.

"Quiet!"

"……"

At his single word, the people who had been chattering chaotically shut their mouths like clams.

"Now is not the time to talk about revenge against the Martial Alliance. Overcoming this crisis is the top priority."

"H-how do you mean?"

"If they won't help us, we must make them help us by force."

"So how?"

"Expand the battlefield limited to Anhui Province to all of southern Central Plains."

Namgung Jang-woon blinked his eyes. He couldn't understand Namgung Mu-jin's words for a moment.

The others were the same. They couldn't comprehend what Namgung Mu-jin was saying and were just waiting for his explanation.

Namgung Mu-jin got up from the grand chair and walked to the wall. A map of Anhui Province hung on the wall.

He pointed to Hefei in the center of the Anhui Province map. It was where the Namgung Family was located.

"The fact that the Namgung Family is the leader of Anhui Province is something everyone knows."

"R-right."

"It's true that all righteous sects within Anhui Province are under our family's influence. All of you present here are heads of sects related to our family in one way or another. In other words, those here represent all of Anhui Province's forces."

People made puzzled expressions. What Namgung Mu-jin was saying was something they already knew, but they couldn't understand why he was bringing it up again now.

Thud!

At that moment, Namgung Mu-jin pointed to a location in southern Anhui Province. It was where a massive mountain stood south of the great river that cut through Anhui Province – the Yangtze River.

Those present immediately recognized the mountain's identity.

"Mount Huang?"

"That's right. Where Overlord's Fortress, the headquarters of the Green Forest, is located."

Everyone's pupils shook.

As Namgung Mu-jin said, Mount Huang housed Overlord's Fortress, the main stronghold of the Green Forest. A massive mountain fortress that reigned at the pinnacle of tens of thousands of Green Forest outlaws.

If the Namgung Family represented the orthodox martial world of Anhui Province, Overlord's Fortress symbolized the Green Forest. They could have subjugated it if they wanted, but the Namgung Family would also have had to accept great losses.

For that reason, they had kept postponing subjugation using the Yangtze River crossing the middle of Anhui Province as an excuse. They had been watching each other warily.

Namgung Mu-jin continued.

"We drag Overlord's Fortress into this fight."

"What do you mean?"

"If Overlord's Fortress gets swept into the war, tens of thousands of Green Forest outlaws will move. Though each individual's martial prowess is insignificant like ants, that enormous number can't be ignored. The Demon Cult's attention will inevitably be divided. We strike back using that gap."

"However, if that happens, the Green Forest outlaws' casualties will be… No, more than that, what reason would they have to participate…"

"Overlord's Fortress is next after the Namgung Family falls anyway. They know that fact too. And you're worried about Green Forest outlaw casualties?"

"No, that's…"

The elder who had voiced his opinion blushed at Namgung Mu-jin's rebuke.

Namgung Mu-jin's cold voice continued.

"They're just Green Forest outlaws who live by plundering anyway. There's no reason to care about those completely unnecessary to the world. For us to survive, their sacrifice is absolutely necessary. Worry about atonement after we survive. Right now, focus only on saving our main family."