Chapter 394

The disciples of Gye-rim and Jang-san lined up in front of the government office, slaying every Sapa Warrior that dared to step out, and while some might point fingers calling it cowardly…

The official stance of Gye-rim and Jang-san is this:

“We came prepared to settle blood debts fairly.”

But what could we do when they trickled out one by one?

Should we have just stood there waiting for all our enemies to gather and line up like good little soldiers?

That’s hardly fair play; it sounds more like something a clueless toddler would do.

Alternatively, one could raise questions about the government’s sketchy collusion.

But still, the official word remains:

“Don’t you know about the Official Imposition of Non-Interference?”

The government must’ve made a judgment and split them up instead of releasing them all at once.

After all, they were a bunch of troublemakers when gathered together, so they might not have wanted them all in one spot.

And what, pray tell, do mere martial arts instructors have that could control the government?

The fact that only a select few knew that the Sect Leader of Gye-rim, Kang Su-yang, received a directive from Prince Suswi is just that— a fact. So really, the idea of some grand scheme from Gye-rim is simply not true.

The prince kindly offered his grace, and we, common folks, are just grateful.

So for the past few days, the Sapa operations in Guangxi Province have sharply declined.

The top orthodox sects of every city in Guangxi have gone mad, declaring, “It’s time to expand our business!” and mounted a vigorous offensive.

No Sapa could be unaware that Sado Sect’s combat unit was utterly decimated, and that the Martial Alliance’s combat unit was on its way to provide support.

On top of that, the officials, who had been so chummy about pocketing cash, suddenly changed their faces to cold stones. They could still gather whispers from those officials they were emotionally closer to (or had some dirt on).

“Those high and mighty folks up there want to support the orthodox sects.”

Now is the time to lay low and ride out the storm.

Or maybe switch over to the gray area between orthodox governance and the Sapa.

Given the atmosphere, when Qing planned to visit the Gwangdong Jin Family in early February, Kang Su-yang nodded very cheerfully, albeit with a touch of disappointment.

“Isn’t it a shame we’re already planning to bid farewell without even properly treating our benefactor?”

“Eh, being treated as a guest only feels special for a day or two. If we keep this up, it’ll feel totally normal. They might start looking down on the Cheonhwa-geom and treat me like this without a care!”

Having experienced Qing’s casual nature, one could say Kang Su-yang was almost too laid back, resembling a beggar rather than a lord. He could only chuckle and respond, “You’re quite eloquent!”

“Sect Leader! Young Lady Woo Na-ram has something to say—!”

“No.”

The great disciple, Brother Da, interrupted Woo Na-ram.

“Yikes! It’s still not time for that!”

“Isn’t that the point of following the Cheonhwa-geom?”

“Exactly! You see right through your disciple’s heart!”

“Sigh. At any other time, I wouldn’t mind, but right now isn’t when Sapa folks should be looking for a chance. It’s not wise for a Gye-rim disciple, especially when this great disciple is heading to Guangdong.”

“Yes…”

Woo Na-ram’s shoulders slumped.

“Brother! Next time, absolutely! Definitely!”

Brother Da interrupted her, bowing deeply.

“Lady Seomun, we’ve received great kindness. We will send the support unit from the alliance to the Gwangdong Jin Family as soon as they arrive. While the Jin Gajang isn’t currently under physical threat, given how tricky the Sapa’s plots can be, please take precautions.”

Qing visited the top-tier guest hall of Gye-rim Sect.

“Hmm? You’re leaving?”

“I’ve tasted all the delicacies of Guangxi, so it’s time to try Gwangdong cuisine. They say Gwangdong and Hangzhou are closest to the best dish in the world!”

In the Central Plain, they divided delicacies into five distinct kinds.

If ever someone were to mention the Four Great Cuisines of the Central Plain, Gwangdong and Hangzhou would surely lead the list.

Even if the local folk like to boast that their region is the best, if you take a fair, unbiased point of view, it’s usually one of those two that stands out as the finest regional cuisine.

“Oh, Young Lady. Since you rarely have time together, where are you off to?”

“Did you just move to Namnyeong? Either way, Ja-yu’s got to head home.”

*Cough.*

Ja-yu felt a twinge of disappointment.

Here she was, popping by for a quick goodbye right before she left.

Qing had always been a very straightforward person regarding meetings and farewells, but didn’t she think to give a heads up?

“Well then, see you.”

“See you again!”

After exchanging such farewells, an eager figure rushed toward them.

“Oh my, if you leave now, when shall I see your enlightened eyes again? A little something to help you on your journey—”

But before Qing could even open the box, she was dragged out by Chang, the courtesan.

“This little scoundrel keeps scrounging up gold and silver to bribe people.”

“I just picked it up along the way; you needn’t worry about it.”

The voice of Gakdawi faded into the distance.

When Qing opened the box, she was astounded.

Inside was a dazzling hairpin adorned with seven treasures and coral, radiating all the colors of the rainbow.

This was a luxury item, hard to come by even with gold and silver.

Where on earth was she picking these up?

Could it be that there’s something like Merchant Shintu in the Central Plain, running around snatching stuff from other people’s homes?

Qing snorted in amusement, realizing that that couldn’t possibly be the case.

Ja-yu must’ve left it for her to give; she probably found it embarrassing to hand it over directly.

“My bear cub. I’ll see you next time.”

“Really don’t think that’s necessary.”

“I’m not that far from the Divine Maiden Sect in Nanjou, right? I’ll report back to the elders and come back to you. My love.”

“I don’t love you.”

Na Yang-gyeol didn’t join the battle purely out of a desire to protect Qing.

He himself had been the one tormented by the Sapa Warriors.

Although technically classified as part of the expedition, he wasn’t officially part of the Martial Alliance.

Therefore, to protect both his own and the sect’s honor, he had to jump into the fray, hands down.

Otherwise, he would effectively end up benefiting from the Martial Alliance.

On the same note, it was quite difficult to follow her all the way to Gwangdong.

Of course, he tagged along with a special unit, pledging to protect her, which was either incredibly brave or outright foolish given he volunteered without knowing the strengths of the royal guardians.

That could earn him some credit for reckless affection, perhaps.

“Well then, see you again.”

Na Yang-gyeol puckered his lips, and Qing responded by flicking his away with her hand.

And only then did their farewells conclude.

“Lady Seomun, take care!”

“Do come visit next time!”

“Should we not have another bout over the number one position in Guangxi?”

After waving goodbye to the crowd that came to see her off, Qing turned her back and marched onward without a second thought.

—-

The Gwangdong Jin Family.

While they didn’t rank among the Five Great Families, they certainly fell into the top ten of the Central Plain, and if you considered their fame, they never lagged behind the Great Families.

All thanks to the illustrious Tai Chi!

The founder of Tai Chi, Jin, would take it upon himself to teach anyone who knocked on the Jin Family’s door.

This is how the Wudang Sect’s Zhang Sanfeng gained profound insights from Jin’s Tai Chi and, in turn, invented the Wudang Tai Chi and sword style.

Of course, Jin didn’t impart all the deep meanings of Tai Chi.

What he did share leaned more toward gentle exercises for health rather than true martial applications.

It’s a mystical exercise that draws out the body’s latent potential and cultivates flexibility and strength while enabling Qi to flow through the body.

But even with dedicated practice, one would need about ten years to see any significant effects.

Still, since it became so widely practiced, even commoners developed a habit of practicing it every morning and evening for their health.

So we’re talking about the Gwangdong Jin Family here?

Ah, the very family known for Tai Chi?

You see, this is a household known to everyone across the world.

So why, despite such fame, weren’t they included among the Five Great Families?

It all comes down to the limitations of martial artists.

Despite their lack of tools, foolish monkeys would still dare mention either Shaolin or Great Master Muhak.

Didn’t they reach the pinnacle of martial arts?

I could easily disprove that through scientific, logical, philosophical, and even mathematical arguments.

While some might spout such nonsense once attaining mastery, it is a notorious fact that true martial artists are extremely rare, and should one somehow survive the trials of life and death…

Which of the formless techniques would hurt more— the formless fist or sword strikes? It’s hardly a question worth asking.

Must one lose an arm to deliver the formless arts?

But the true weakness of a martial artist lies not only in being ineffective alone but in becoming even more incompetent when grouped together.

The scenarios involving martial artists versus swordsmen differ drastically.

While it’s conceivable for a martial artist to dodge well and hit effectively in one-on-one encounters, group fights are where chaos reigns.

When together, they hinder each other’s evasion, leading to wounds.

And if they disperse?

Usually, in a group fight, dispersing equates to death.

Thus, regardless of the individual strength these masters possess, giving solid evaluations for the Jin Family’s combat units becomes a challenge.

In fact, if you factor in the chaotic footwork from their Tai Chi, it could lead to absolute chaos.

Despite these grave shortcomings, they still ranked among the top ten families, which could be seen as them reaping the benefits of their fame.

However, that won’t last long.

When the Jin family returned from the Martial World Tournament, all that remained were the decaying members of the manor.

Homes without occupants quickly lose vitality.

It would be fortunate if no one lived there at all; if a corpse lay about, the decay would only worsen.

Tangled with the Blood Sect, not even petty thieves dared to enter the forsaken manor, which lay more or less in shambles.

But the Jin Family did not perish.

With a long-awaited trip back to the Central Plain for a major event, all direct descendants turned out, so while the loss of life is sad, it’s recoverable.

They could refurbish the dilapidated manor and accept many disciples, regaining their former glory.

Then, the Sado Sect intervened.

Regardless of being Sapa, none would dare assault the grieving Jin Family that had suffered such tragedy.

Out of pity or perhaps compassion, one would think twice, but anyone who attacked would surely face the wrath of the orthodox martial world.

So the Sapa took a different route.

The beginning was marked by laborers sent to restore the manor mysteriously vanishing one by one, turning up as corpses.

One day, then two, and then three…

As laborers kept dying, restoration halted until the massacre faded as if it had never occurred.

And when restoration work resumed, laborers began to drop like flies once again.

No matter the reward, few are willing to risk their lives in such situations.

Even the Jin Gajang, facing cash flow disruptions, could scarcely provide enough funds for someone to gamble with their life for mere restoration work.

So what transpires?

Restoration efforts cease.

The Jin Gajang remains a half-ruin.

Who would want to join a sect that’s half in shambles?

Of course, not that there weren’t prospective disciples who sought to train under the famed Tai Chi.

However, the Sapa were consistently waiting to snatch them up, proclaiming, “Join us today, and you’ll get one plus one, divine skills plus elixir, all for free!”

They can’t even restore their manor.

They can’t even hire new people.

Here they are, sitting in the prime location of Guangju, looking dilapidated.

What comes from the mouths of the townsfolk are tsk-tsks and chatter about how the Jin Family has fallen apart.

In the past, even the common folk hesitated to speak the name of the Jin Family.

Thus, the glory of the once-great Jin Family diminished.

Even the gold-plated plaque now droops.

As these rumors swirl, the Jin Family has become a laughingstock.

And now, a woman was crossing through Guangdong.

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