Under Martial Deity Heaven, Rank Twenty-Seven: the Heaven-and-Earth One Origin Gate.

Gate Master Wi Sang had just received a visitor and was leaping out of his skin.

“W-what are you saying? That we sent men to sabotage the Divine Dragon Tournament?”

“The Heaven Lord ordered me to bring you in for that matter.”

“T—the Heaven Lord?”

“Yes. Make ready, now.”

“U-understood.”

Wi Sang felt wronged, but an order was an order, so he hurried to prepare.

While he did, he wondered if his son had done something behind his back and asked:

“You ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ didn’t do anything, did you?”

His son jumped as if scalded.

“What are you talking about? I haven’t left this place.”

“Right. You’ve never stepped outside.”

“Someone’s impersonating me to push our sect over a cliff.”

“Damn it... is that it?”

“Father, this is the greatest crisis since our founding. You have to get us through it.”

“Damn it, I know. In the meantime, keep the sect in hand.”

“Understood.”

The thought of meeting the Lord of Martial Deity Heaven in person made cold sweat bead nonstop on Wi Sang’s back.

And it wasn’t even for something good—so it was worse.

He had done nothing wrong, and yet the guilty feeling gnawed at him.

The summons didn’t go out to the Heaven-and-Earth One Origin Gate alone.

Rank Twenty-Nine, the Golden Immortal Gate, and Rank Thirty-One, the Dao Forest Gate, were also visited—and thrown into chaos.

Hearing that, before the Heaven Lord’s very eyes, they had shamed Martial Deity Heaven, those Gate Masters likewise sprang up in outrage.

Told the Heaven Lord was calling for them, the two Gate Masters went pale, rushed their preparations, and set out.

The three Gate Masters met on the road.

Even so, it was a relief to see fellows in the same boat.

“I have no idea what bastards are framing us.”

“Do you have any suspects at all?”

“None.”

“If we learn anything later, we’ll share it at once.”

“I’d be grateful. I’ll dig too—if I find which rats did this, I’ll share immediately.”

They agreed to pool information and swore that when the culprits surfaced, they would not let them go.

*****

Arriving at Mount Hua, the Gate Masters of the Heaven-and-Earth One Origin Gate, the Golden Immortal Gate, and the Dao Forest Gate drew deep breaths, accepted their escort, and pushed open the hall doors they were led to.

Creak—

Only a hinge-squeal, yet why did it sound so ominous?

A chill ran through them.

Inside, a face they knew all too well sat in the chair.

The instant they saw him, the three ran forward and dropped to the floor.

“L-long life! Ten thousand years! Ten thousand— We... we greet the Lord of Martial Deity Heaven!”

“That’s enough—what’s with the long-life chant. Stand.”

“Yes!”

When the three sprang up and stood at attention, Yeon Cheon Baek regarded them through half-lidded eyes.

“You’ve heard why I called you.”

“Yes!”

“There’s something you’re going to explain today.”

“It absolutely was not us! We can clear this up beyond doubt.”

At their booming voices, Yeon Cheon Baek nodded.

“Good. I believe you. It’s the Central Plains lot who don’t.”

They were just about to sigh in relief at the thought that he didn’t seem truly angry—

“They used your sects’ martial arts. How do you explain that?”

At Yeon Cheon Baek’s words, the three went wide-eyed.

“Pardon? U-using our arts?”

“I saw them clearly. The Heaven-and-Earth Invincible Fist of the Heaven-and-Earth One Origin Gate; the Mixed-Primordial Return-to-One Sword Formula of the Golden Immortal Gate; and the Soul-Chasing Heaven-Severing Saber of the Dao Forest Gate.”

“T-that’s impossible.”

“He’s right. Those three are heir-only secrets passed to the next successor.”

“These brats? Are you saying I’m lying?”

When Yeon Cheon Baek narrowed his eyes, the three hastily bowed their heads.

“N-not at all.”

“Good. I know full well it wasn’t you. But you’ll want to clear the air with the people here, won’t you?”

“We’ll do everything we can.”

Rage boiled up at whichever scum had put them in this bind.

But they were not foolish enough to show it in front of Yeon Cheon Baek.

A short while later.

Huashan Sect Leader Cheongyang Jinin came in.

The moment he saw Cheongyang Jinin, Yeon Cheon Baek spoke:

“These are the ones.”

At the word “ones,” Cheongyang Jinin guessed at once who they were.

He had raised the matter yesterday, and in a single day they had run that long road to get here.

Well, whose order was it?

They had probably set out the moment they heard and hadn’t stopped to rest.

Their faces were etched with fatigue—you didn’t need to look closely to know.

A needless pang of guilt pricked him.

Cheongyang Jinin knew as well as anyone.

That they were not the culprits.

But Yeon Cheon Baek insisted they make it unequivocal, so he had called them; at least for form’s sake, he would ask.

“Thank you for coming all this way.”

At Cheongyang Jinin’s words, the three waved their hands.

“N-not at all!”

“We heard impostors used our name to sabotage the Divine Dragon Tournament and ambushed competitors. Your sorrow must be great that the tournament was ruined because of them.”

The sorrow was great—but what could he do?

This was Heaven’s will.

Perhaps Heaven was angry that a Daoist had neglected cultivation to chase profit.

He chose to think of it as Heaven handing out punishment.

“No. Thankfully no one was mortally hurt; the worst was averted.”

“That’s fortunate.”

The three let out the breath they’d been holding.

Yeon Cheon Baek asked:

“Are those bastards still alive?”

Cheongyang Jinin understood who he meant and answered politely.

“They’re still in the dungeon. We’re keeping them alive with treatment.”

“Take us.”

“As you wish.”

When Yeon Cheon Baek rose, Cheongyang Jinin moved to the front to lead.

“You three, follow.”

“Yes!”

At last, we’ll see what kind of dogs they are—the three thought as they went after him.

****

Mount Hua’s Secret Prison Cavern.

Unlike Mount Hua’s famed scenic beauty, this cave was thick with dark, damp air.

It was where Mount Hua confined its criminals—hence the name, the Secret Prison Cavern.

Deep within, they arrived to find three men bound in the wavering torchlight.

Beside them, those who looked like physicians were examining their condition.

At Cheongyang Jinin’s appearance, the physicians rose.

“What’s their state?”

One physician answered his question.

“The treatment went well. However...”

“However?”

“Their minds are gone.”

“What do you mean?”

“See for yourself.”

Only then did Cheongyang Jinin look closely.

All three bound men stared blankly, mouths open, drool stringing down.

“How did this happen?”

“We don’t know. They turned like this after declaring they belonged to Martial Deity Heaven.”

“You didn’t overdo the interrogation?”

“No. Once they confessed, we stopped and treated them.”

At the word “interrogation,” Yeon Cheon Baek chuckled behind them.

“Daoists doing torture—end times indeed.”

Cheongyang Jinin’s face flushed crimson at Yeon Cheon Baek’s remark.

“And who are you to speak so loosely?”

One physician bristled and stepped forward, but Cheongyang Jinin hurried to stop him.

“N-no. This isn’t for you to step into.”

“What do you mean, who is he to be so rude? There are things you do and don’t say to the Sect Leader of Mount Hua.”

“He’s someone who can say it. Be still.”

The physician tilted his head at Cheongyang Jinin’s words.

Someone allowed to talk like that?

Who in the world could that be?

“Out of the way.”

When Yeon Cheon Baek stepped forward, the physician barred his path.

“You may not.”

Cheongyang Jinin, flustered, grabbed the blocking physician and yanked him aside.

“P-please, look all you like.”

“You’re a nuisance.”

“I’ll... I’ll clear them out at once.”

Cheongyang Jinin told the physicians:

“Leave. Now.”

“Sect Leader?”

“Quickly. That’s an order.”

“Understood.”

The physicians filed out, heads cocked as if to say, what’s gotten into the Sect Leader?

When they were all gone, Cheongyang Jinin exhaled in relief.

Meanwhile, Yeon Cheon Baek examined the three mindless men.

“Hm. Looks like someone laid a grand technique on them.”

After checking here and there, he clicked his tongue and straightened.

“They’re completely broken.”

“B-broken?”

“They’re little better than idiots now. They won’t even be able to speak properly.”

“T-that can’t be... They said they treated them properly.”

“I’m sure they did. The problem is the ones who sent these dogs.”

“Then—don’t tell me—the senders set something up?”

“Right. They’ll have rigged it so that spitting out a particular word shatters the mind.”

“They might not believe us.”

At Cheongyang Jinin’s words, Yeon Cheon Baek smiled thinly.

“By now the rumor will be spreading across the Central Plains, quietly or not. That these are men sent by Martial Deity Heaven, sent to wreck the Divine Dragon Tournament.”

“Will people believe it?”

“They will. Because the arts they used really are these sects’ heir-seals.”

“Pardon? How many could even recognize them?”

“Recognition isn’t the point. Whether the arts are genuine or not isn’t what matters. What matters is the ‘fact’ that Martial Deity Heaven pulled a petty stunt.”

“They won’t buy it. This is Martial Deity Heaven we’re talking about...”

“People are simple. It’s Martial Deity Heaven and the Central Plains—no one else. The ones who like their gossip spicy will add meat to the tale and spread it spicier still.”

“Then shouldn’t we stop it at once?”

“No. Let it go.”

“Sir?”

“Let it roll the way they want.”

“How?”

When Cheongyang Jinin looked baffled, Yeon Cheon Baek grinned.

“That way the rats crawl out faster. Should we put on an act that relations between the Central Plains and Martial Deity Heaven are sour?”

He chuckled as if amused.

“Isn’t it funny? They’ll be pleased, thinking their scheme worked.”

“I... suppose so.”

Yeon Cheon Baek looked at the Gate Masters of the Heaven-and-Earth One Origin Gate, the Golden Immortal Gate, and the Dao Forest Gate.

“Seal your sects for a while.”

“Pardon?”

“That’ll make the rumor feel even more certain.”

“B-but...”

“I’ll make it worth your while.”

“Worth...?”

“While your gates are sealed, I’ll arrange matters so you grow stronger. How about it?”

“What arrangements?”

“I’ll assign you someone exceptional. Do exactly as he says and your sects will grow stronger without effort.”

“Who is he?”

“You brats—do you doubt my word? If you don’t like it, say so. I’ll close your gates with my own hands.”

Crack—

At the sight of Yeon Cheon Baek clenching his fist until his knuckles creaked, the three shut their mouths.

Another word here, and it wouldn’t be a closure—it’d be extermination.

“Silence will count as consent.”

“Yes.”

The three Gate Masters answered, faces sagging.

Cheongyang Jinin couldn’t help feeling sorry for them.

They hadn’t done anything wrong, yet they were about to take the full blame.

“Let’s go.”

“You won’t look any longer?”

“That’s enough. What use is staring at idiots.”

“Understood.”

“You have work to do as well, don’t you.”

“What work?”

“You brat—did you forget the promise you made with my grandson?”

“Ah! I know.”

“Do you? If you’d said you forgot, I wouldn’t have let it pass.”

A chill ran down his spine.

What would have happened if he had forgotten?

That fist from before would have been aimed at him.

“W-what do you mean? G-grandson?”

A startled voice came from behind.

Turning, he saw the three Gate Masters gaping at Yeon Cheon Baek.

“Heh heh heh. You didn’t know, did you? I have a grandson. I’ll introduce him soon.”

“N-no, there’s no need to go so far...”

“No, you need to meet him. He’s the one who’s going to make you stronger.”

“Pardon?”

“That child will raise you up. Heh heh heh. So spare me the chatter and follow well.”