"..."

"Or did the fate of the Jinju Kang family not matter, so long as that one man was protected?"

"You dare lecture a senior Cultivator? Did you think you could kill a blood relative of the Jinju Kang family and escape unscathed?"

Yise let out a faint sigh. He had expected as much, but this was not someone he could settle things with through civil conversation.

"I achieved Foundation Establishment in seven years."

"And what of it?"

"How many years do you think it will take me to reach Core Formation and become a Hall Master? Will you be able to answer for persecuting me today?"

Killing intent instantly filled the courtroom. Fierce spiritual pressure surged from every direction, as though its owners would tear the insolent offender apart at any moment. Yet Yise did not so much as blink.

"What? Persecution? Your insolence knows no bounds. I could very well take that as a threat, couldn't I?"

That was enough harsh talk. If reason would not work on them anyway, he would change tactics. Warmth always felt warmer after a chill.

"Honored Hall Master Seol Baek. Cultivator Kang Ihyeon."

Still maintaining a respectful demeanor, Yise continued.

"I have no wish to make an enemy of the Jinju Kang family. I also personally hold Hall Master Kang Itae in high regard."

The mention of Kang Itae calmed the atmosphere considerably. Evidently, he was that family's pride.

"I regret what happened to your son. I am an orphan, and I lost the people who raised me before my very eyes. That is why I envy and respect your love as a father."

"..."

"However, I believe a child who obstructs a parent engaged in great work commits a worse act of filial impiety than dying before them. Had I been your son, Cultivator Kang, I am certain I would have devoted myself to cultivation and brought glory to the family rather than lived in such debauchery. Please do not let an inevitable outcome cloud your judgment."

Kang Ihyeon looked stunned, apparently at a loss for words. Lashing out at someone who had bowed first would look utterly petty. As he stood scowling, seemingly unable to find anything more to say, a voice came from the entrance.

"What a silver tongue."

Somehow, Chief Administrator Sugyeom had heard and was making his way to the front of the courtroom.

"Stand down, Cultivator Yise. These are not people you can twist around your little finger with a few clever words."

Yise bowed and stepped back.

'If I'd known he was coming, I would have just kept quiet.'

The regret came too late. Still, getting everything off his chest had felt good.

"I imagine I was the real target of this commotion anyway."

With the Chief Administrator's arrival, Kang Ihyeon quietly retreated, and Seol Baek stepped forward.

"What brings you here, Chief Administrator? You were not invited."

"Let us dispense with the tedious formalities. As you likely suspected, I sent Cultivator Yise. I selected people I was certain would kill Kang Gyuyoung, and I was the one who ultimately authorized his death."

Sugyeom admitted it calmly. Seol Baek glared daggers at him.

"Chief Administrator. We cannot simply let this pass."

"Then what do you intend to do?"

"All of Black Tortoise Hall and the pureblood Cultivators will refuse your orders until a new Lord is chosen."

It was an open declaration of rebellion against the main mountain's administration. Black Tortoise Hall and the pureblood Cultivators refusing the Chief Administrator's command effectively meant splitting the main mountain in two. Sugyeom's eyes darkened slightly.

"How unfortunate. These are troubled times. Doing this at a time like this makes it look as though you have ulterior motives."

"Hah, ulterior motives?! We have sacrificed everything for Daemudo!"

"What have you sacrificed?"

A new voice cut in. Its tone was so natural that no one in the Law Enforcement Hall could pinpoint its source. But the immense spiritual pressure that washed over them a moment later instantly revealed his identity.

It was Hae Il.

"Azure Dragon Hall Master...!"

"Seol Baek. I can't say I know what you've sacrificed."

Hae Il withdrew the finger he had been digging into his ear and blew on it.

"The Lord's seat has been empty for too long, I suppose. Fine, I'll take it, just as you want."

"What has brought on this sudden change of heart...?"

"Some people have started getting ideas now that their bellies are full and their backs are warm."

"You're always too busy wandering abroad to have any hand in running the sect anyway!"

"That's true enough, but it's fine. I'm only one step away now. I'll still entrust full authority to the Chief Administrator, as before, but things will be different. From now on, Sugyeom's orders will be my orders as Lord."

"You speak as though you've already become Lord."

"You think I won't?"

Under the sect's rules, becoming Lord of Daemudo required only the approval of a majority of the Hall Masters. However fiercely the Hall Masters rebelling against Sugyeom objected, it would accomplish nothing. Even without that rule, if Hae Il, the strongest of them all, decided to take the Lord's seat, no one in this sect—no, on this continent—could stop him.

"I'm starting to think you're getting a little too full of yourself."

The intimidating force of a great Nascent Soul Cultivator infused Hae Il's words.

Seol Baek knew Hae Il could never harm him. Hae Il, too, knew all too well how valuable a great Core Formation Cultivator was to Daemudo's fighting strength. Even so, the pressure of a great Nascent Soul Cultivator was more than Seol Baek could easily bear.

He backed down. Yet, desperate to preserve his last scrap of pride, he managed to force out a few words.

"If you treat the pureblood Cultivators with such contempt... you will regret it."

"When have I treated you with contempt? Besides, everyone I beat up says that before they leave. Is it a fashionable line?"

"..."

Seol Baek hurriedly kicked open the courtroom door and left, as though afraid someone might chase him. The Black Tortoise Hall members bowed silently to the two men and followed him out.

"Will this be all right? I fear they may make the wrong choice."

Difficult as that faction was to control, it accounted for thirty percent of Daemudo's strength. Was that not precisely why Sugyeom himself had struggled so hard to remain neutral?

"It'll be fine. They monopolize too many lucrative interests by staying with Daemudo. They're not the sort to seriously consider anything else. Hey, young rooster."

Dismissing the concern, Hae Il called to Yise. Startled by the unfamiliar address, Yise answered.

"Do you mean me?"

"Yes, you. You're no longer a chick, but you're not quite grown enough to be a full-grown rooster. That makes you a young rooster. Come here."

Yise took a step closer. Hae Il took out the middle volume of the Twin Principles Reversion Art and showed it to him. Yise's eyes lit up.

"One volume left now. You've reached Foundation Establishment, I see. Show me your primordial energy."

'He already knew.'

Apparently, Hall Master Hae Il had also known Yise would gain early use of primordial energy upon reaching Foundation Establishment. Sweating profusely, Yise produced a single drop.

"Exactly the same, as expected. Even its nasty temper. But is that all?"

"... I still have much to learn."

"How many years did it take?"

"Seven years."

"You pass. By that calculation, thirty years or so should get you to Core Formation. You haven't forgotten your other assignments, have you?"

Yise hesitated briefly before answering.

"... No. I haven't forgotten, but..."

"Why the hesitation? Don't have anyone?"

Yise's expression froze for an instant. Hae Il curled up the corners of his mouth and glanced aside.

"How about someone four hundred and fifty years older? Sugyeom, has Hong Mihui said anything about wanting descendants? Geniuses becoming Dao companions would be ideal."

"Say that to her and she'll slap you."

"That would be a problem. She hits awfully hard."

Hae Il threw his head back and laughed freely.

Yise was sure he had felt tremendous pressure and majesty from the man the last time they met... Yet now, somehow, he felt at ease. Was it because his own realm had advanced?

He asked comfortably, "Hall Master Hae Il, why are you searching for the Twin Principles Reversion Art?"

"Me? To break through to Spirit Transformation. There aren't any cultivation methods on this continent that lead to Spirit Transformation, so I don't know how. An unfortunate state of affairs. Unlike the other lower realms, the Benevolent Realm has a short history of Cultivation."

That was news to him. Then again, with so few people having reached Spirit Transformation, it was only natural that methods for doing so would be rare.

"Sugyeom. Make preparations for my inauguration as Lord."

"Yes. How long will you be staying this time?"

"Thirty years or so. I hear someone in the Jeong Empire reached Nascent Soul."

"Yes."

"His Nascent Soul should stabilize in four or five years. He'll probably start getting ideas around then. I'd better stay and guard the main mountain for a while."

"A wise decision."

For once, his senior, who cared about practically nothing beyond his own cultivation, had come up with a commendable idea. Sugyeom kept that thought to himself.

* * *

With his business at the Law Enforcement Hall finished, Yise headed straight for the Mission Pavilion. He had received word that the hand axe he had commissioned from a Foundation Establishment ritual-implement artisan was finally complete.

"Senior. Here you are."

While he waited in the area reserved for Foundation Establishment Cultivators, the Mission Pavilion's most junior Cultivator brought him a hand axe wrapped in cloth. As the cloth came off, the imposing weapon was revealed, its jet-black blade gleaming.

'Beautiful.'

Yise let out an exclamation of admiration. Its grip, weight, and length were almost identical to those of the axe he had submitted as a reference. Below the blade was inscribed the name Black Phosphor Axe. Even the name suited his taste.

"That will be five hundred and fifty spirit stones in total."

"The commission was five hundred."

"Pardon? Requests placed through the Mission Pavilion carry a ten-percent fee..."

"You should have told me that from the start."

"It's such a basic matter... Besides, Cultivator Guk was the one who helped you then..."

"Are you blaming Senior Guk now?"

"Ahhh! No!"

As the junior Cultivator floundered helplessly, Cultivator Guk gently interjected.

"Cultivator Yise. Stop tormenting the youngster."

"Yes, Senior. Since this was your mistake, give me a discount."

"Seniooor..."

Seeing the junior Cultivator on the verge of tears, Yise had little choice but to take out another fifty spirit stones and pay the full five hundred and fifty.

As he stepped outside the Mission Pavilion, a message talisman from Seol Ryeong flew over. The Yellow Grand Parasol's repairs were complete.

'Perfect timing.'

His weapon and shield had both been restored at once. Once he procured the primordial-energy-related talismans, his preparations would be complete. From then on, he could focus solely on cultivation.

And so, four years passed.

* * *

Yise opened his eyes, feeling as though his bed was shaking.

WAAAAA!

A sound that should never have been heard on Daemudo's main mountain wailed in the distance.

'What is that noise?'

He straightened his clothes and stepped out into the yard. For a moment, he doubted his eyes. Dozens of message talismans were flying frantically back and forth overhead.

'...'

Before he could make sense of what was happening, one of the airborne talismans dropped down to him. Yise unfolded the message.

-Under attack. All Winged Dragon Hall members assemble at the main mountain entrance.

For a moment, he stopped breathing. The brief message stilled his swirling confusion. At last, he understood the cause of the uproar shaking the main mountain.

Yise immediately sprang into motion, heading for the assembly point named in the talisman. Not only Winged Dragon Hall members but many of the legacy disciples residing on the main mountain had already gathered there, with more arriving one after another.

RUMBLE.

Another powerful tremor shook the ground. What on earth was happening to make the entire mountain range shake?

U Yuhee arrived last, landing lightly. She gathered the Winged Dragon Hall members and explained the situation.

"The bastards from the Jeong Empire have made their move."

"Those sons of bitches. So they finally...!"

"The Three Great Sects and the Seven Great Clans have all mobilized at once. It's all-out war."

They had feared it, but what they had scarcely believed possible had finally happened. With its newly ascended great Nascent Soul Cultivator at the center, the Pill Refining Sect had reorganized the Jeong Empire's order. Now it was finally attacking Daemudo of the Three Kingdoms of the Peninsula, that persistent thorn in its side, in a bid to unite the Eastern Continent's cultivation world.