vstars Chapter 442 : The Martial Family of the World
Chapter 442 : The Martial Family of the World
Chapter 442: The Martial Family of the World
After that, Cheonjoongmun began to be called Cheonjoong Yongmun.
Following the annihilation of Iron Response Sect, Cheonjoongmun immediately turned toward Muhuomun and Songcheon Sect.
Though this was the widely supported Ten-Year Closed-Door Crusade, if dragged on too long, it could be condemned—so they moved swiftly.
When the Ten-Year Closed-Door Crusade was launched, Yong Biyang stayed behind at Cheonjoongmun.
To prepare for potential attacks by other factions, Cheonjoong Eunryongdae was stationed on Mount Cheonjoong.
With the elites dispatched, Cheonjoongmun ironically grew even busier.
Nan Myeonggak and Jong Munhye bustled about installing even stronger formations in the surroundings, while Yong Biyang had no time to spare as she reorganized the clan.
Even if another power attacked Cheonjoongmun, it would take three or four days just to dismantle the formations, during which time Yong Hwarin could return from the expedition—so Yong Biyang wasn't overly concerned.
Moreover, with masters from the Bloodgreen Battalion guarding Cheonjoongmun inside and out, there was no fear regardless of who might come.
In addition, Duk Sang and Baek Seom were always on standby for reinforcement.
If Yong Hwarin, who had gone on the expedition, were to face danger, support could be dispatched immediately—thorough preparation had been made.
Less than a day after Iron Response Sect collapsed, people began flocking to Cheonjoongmun, leaving Yong Biyang bewildered.
Many martial artists and masters came on their own accord.
Seeing Cheonjoongmun even crush Iron Response Sect, the murim believed Cheonjoongmun would become the dominant force in the future.
Murim was a place that revered strength, and where strength gathered, martial artists naturally followed.
As a result, Yong Biyang grew even more overwhelmed.
“I agree to the Ten-Year Closed-Door Crusade!”
As the Sect Leader of Muhuomun answered with a trembling voice, Yong Hwarin spoke slowly and clearly.
“If your sect’s affairs are not yet in order, then be prepared for full-out war with the Main Family. This is your final warning.”
“I understand!”
As Cheong Yeong of Muhuomun weakly responded, a voice suddenly shouted from behind.
“Father! Why are we agreeing to the Ten-Year Closed-Door Crusade?! We should fight! We should kill them all!”
The one who shouted furiously was none other than Cheong Geommin.
Though his limbs had been severed, his complexion was rather good.
That was only natural, as his internal energy had actually improved compared to before.
“We must fight to the end, even if only one person remains! Are you telling me we should suffer such humiliation from bastards like them?!”
Looking at Cheong Geommin, Yong Hwarin spoke slowly.
“Seems it was a mistake not to cut off his tongue. Sect Leader Cheong, you can still refuse my offer, if you wish.”
What he meant was that they could refuse the Ten-Year Closed-Door Crusade and choose to fight instead.
Cheong Yeong could not forgive Yong Hwarin for turning his son into such a state.
However, he had no strength to overcome Yong Hwarin or Cheonjoongmun.
They had easily defeated the allied forces of the Daebyeol Sect.
They had razed Daebyeol Sect to the ground and annihilated Iron Response Sect.
And they did it all without a single loss of strength.
Fighting such a force would only lead to the same fate as Daebyeol Sect or Iron Response Sect.
Even if Muhuomun was strong, it wasn’t stronger than those two.
‘Foolish brat! If you're going to stir trouble, at least gauge the opponent first.’
Cheong Yeong resented his dim-witted son.
“Make the proclamation!”
At Yong Hwarin’s words, Cheong Yeong sighed and then shouted with qi imbued in his voice.
“Muhuomun will enter the Ten-Year Closed-Door Crusade! Fellow martial artists, please understand our circumstances and refrain from visiting Muhuomun!”
Cheong Yeong declared the closed-door decree toward the gathered crowd, who had come to witness the clash between Cheonjoongmun and Muhuomun.
That proclamation clearly signaled Muhuomun’s surrender to Cheonjoongmun.
Among the crowd, there were some who had close ties with Muhuomun.
One martial artist, unable to bear witnessing such humiliation, shouted out.
“I have a question for Master Yong of the Cheonjoong Sword Alliance!”
Yong Hwarin gave a nod.
“Speak your mind.”
“Cheonjoong Yongmun has now forced five martial clans into closed-door decrees. Two sects have been annihilated and erased from murim. Is Cheonjoong Yongmun aiming for dominance over murim? Or do you seek to rule it?”
It was a question meant to stir hostility toward Cheonjoong Yongmun among the gathered warriors.
Regardless of how one answered, the outcome would be disadvantageous. Not answering at all would’ve been better.
Knowing this, Jeong Minji spoke up from beside him.
“Lord Sang, please don’t respond. No matter what you say, it’ll put us at a disadvantage.”
But Yong Hwarin shook his head.
“If I don’t answer, many martial artists will grow uneasy about our path. I must answer.”
Yong Hwarin slowly stepped forward.
Standing before the hundreds of gathered warriors, Yong Hwarin roared like a lion.
“Everything this Main Division does is already contained in what I have said. We will act accordingly and walk that path as stated!”
After declaring this, Yong Hwarin shouted aloud:
Great wisdom is not just one's own, Great strategy is not just one's own, Great courage is not just one's own.
Great gain is not just for oneself.
One who brings benefit to the world—
The world opens the way for them.
One who harms the world—
The world shuts them out.
Those who bring harm to the world—
The world shall stop them.
Heaven, not being of one person, but of all under Heaven. “Cheonha (天下) is not the possession of one man, but the possession of all under Heaven.”
Heaven does not belong to a single person. It belongs to all the people of the world.
“To seize the world is like chasing a deer in the wild— and all under Heaven desire a share of its meat.”
Taking over the world is like pursuing a wild beast, and all people of the world harbor the desire to share its meat.
“If crossing together in the same boat, all shall share the gains when successful, but all shall suffer when the boat breaks.”
Crossing together is like sharing a boat— when it floats, they all share in the benefit, but when it breaks, they all share in the harm.
“Thus, all open the way forward, none shut it off.”
Therefore, there may be those who open the path, but none who block it.
Yong Hwarin, using a quote from the Six Secret Teachings and Wu Dao (Art of War), expressed the meaning of the Ten-Year Seclusion Departure.
Yet the saying was so profound that even without further explanation, every Murim person understood.
Yong Hwarin, who had proclaimed the Revelation of Martial Dao, looked at the silent martial masters and spoke.
Every word he uttered carried a true Qi that could shake the earth and pierced straight through their ears.
“The Main Division seeks to make the world belong to all who live in it! This campaign is to punish those who try to make the world their own! Henceforth, the Main Division shall raise its sword against any who would claim the world as theirs! If you find Yong Mo’s actions improper, I implore you to rebuke me!”
Even with those words, not even those who had personal ties with the Muhuomun dared step forward.
If they acted rashly, they could be misunderstood as trying to reign over the martial world.
“Those who serve the world are friends and comrades of the Main Division!”
Once again declaring this, Yong Hwarin looked at the satisfied disciples of the Heavenly Central Sect and said,
“Now, we have punished all those who plotted to annihilate the Main Division! We return to the Main Division!”
As Yong Hwarin gave the command, the warriors of the Heavenly Central Sect withdrew with disciplined order. The martial masters could only click their tongues in awe.
Their very presence was the ideal image of martial artists they had once dreamed of.
To punish those who harmed them without deviating from the righteous path— this was no easy feat.
And yet, the Heavenly Central Sect had shown it.
The will and spirit of the Heavenly Central Sect spread throughout Murim, and they were granted the honorable title of Heavenly Martial Household (天下武家).
For a single clan to bear a title before its name was an extraordinary matter.
Some went as far as to call the Heavenly Central Dragon Clan the Greatest Clan Under Heaven, but as they had only recently emerged into Murim, the term had only been mentioned, not formally acknowledged.
To establish a great reputation in Murim, a long time was required.
However, considering no clan had ever received the title of Heavenly Martial Household,
it was effectively another way of calling them the Greatest Clan Under Heaven.
The name Heavenly Martial Household, Heavenly Central Dragon Clan
was now known to all who bore a sword.
Such was the storm the Heavenly Central Dragon Clan had stirred in the Jianghu.
Though they punished other clans under the pretext of a Ten-Year Seclusion, they never strayed from the righteous path.
To those in Murim who revered strength and chivalry, this could not fail to stir their blood.
The Ten-Year Seclusion Departure of the Heavenly Central Sect rekindled the long-lost romance of the martial world.
On the return journey, leading his elite from the Heavenly Central Dragon Clan, Yong Hwarin was approached by the Azure Messenger Rat.
He immediately scattered powder across the table.
Opening the letter sent by Elder Masa, Yong Hwarin furrowed his brows.
The contents were more serious than expected.
‘As I feared… so the Heavenly Demon Sect had the Rogues’ Guild behind them.’
Thinking back, there were several suspicious points— but he had overlooked them too easily.
‘If I’d thought more deeply back then, I would have noticed. When the Four Vajras were so easily defeated at Dongwolru in Imyeong County, I should’ve found it odd. It’s highly likely that place is a base of the Rogues’ Guild.’
His thoughts continued.
‘It was strange how the courtesans there attacked with skills rivaling First-Rate Martial Artists. Even the laborers working there were all capable martial artists. Back then, I took it lightly, but now I realize— only the Rogues’ Guild could gather so many varied elites.’
Even if Dongwolru wasn’t the base, Yong Hwarin believed he could trace the Rogues’ Guild’s origin from there.
‘Besides, it’s on the way back to the Main Division. We can simply pass through.’
Still, Yong Hwarin revealed none of this to his close aides.
There was a high possibility
that spies from the Rogues’ Guild had infiltrated among the guests.
The five women never left Yong Hwarin’s side.
Until they reached Imyeong County, they followed him like ducklings chasing their mother.
Since they were drawn to his affection, it was a natural thing.
But Yong Hwarin had gained a lesson from this.
‘If I take in any more women here, I may well die of exhaustion.’
Even embracing each woman only once every five days meant he was virtually engaging in intercourse every day.
He suddenly felt his energy being drained.
‘I suppose I must live content with just these five women.’
If any more joined, he doubted he could endure it.
But Yong Hwarin was utterly happy.
Seeing Hoi Unkyung, who had lived an unhappy life with him in his past life, filled him with deep emotions.
Jeong Minji and Bukri Sehee, though bound to him by fate, were more devoted to him than anyone.
And Mo Biyoung, who in his past life had merely been a blunt martial instructor, was now an irreplaceable woman to him.
She was the most passionate and ardent one, who became blazing hot every night.
And Namgung Yoo was a considerate and friendly woman, like a dear companion.