Star Instructor, Master Baek

TL: FoodieMonster007

Breaking News! Calamity Strikes the Namgung Clan!

Tragedy befell the Namgung Clan last night as a mysterious force launched a deadly raid on their estate. The attack resulted in massive casualties and left half the buildings reduced to smoldering ruins.

The next day, when news of an assault on the Namgung Clan first began to spread, even gossipmongers who thrived on sensational stories refused to believe it.

"What? The Namgung Clan?"

"This must be the most absurd rumor I've heard lately."

"Tsk, tsk. There should be a limit to exaggeration…"

In the current murim, the only sects comparable to the Namgung Clan were the Shaolin Temple, the Wudang Sect, and the Mount Hua Sect. For them to be almost wiped out overnight by an unknown force? Even snot-nosed kids from the local martial arts academy would scoff at such a tall tale.

"Well, I'm a merchant, and I'm telling you that the Namgung Clan has closed their gates for the first time in twenty years! Something really serious must have happened for them to do that!"

"…Is that true?"

"That's not all. I saw burn marks and signs of destruction on the buildings from afar."

"It seems that at least the fire was real."

"Ahh, why won't you believe me? The problem isn't just the fire!"

"Watch your tongue, my friend. Speaking carelessly about the Namgung Clan in Anhui Province could land you in hot water…"

"I smelled blood."

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"What?"

"The stench of blood was overwhelming, even from five kilometers away. Something terrible must have happened."

"Gulp…"

The Namgung Clan's influence was far-reaching, extending not only across Anhui Province but throughout the entire murim. With the constant influx of merchants, martial artists, and workers into their estate, the ominous rumors quickly gained credibility.

More alarmingly, within a day, news that every physician in Anhui Province had been summoned to the Namgung Estate started to spread like wildfire. The news from them was grim—half of the Namgung Clan's martial artists were dead or injured, and the remaining half had lost their minds.

Even the Ironblood Swordsman Namgung Cheon sustained severe internal injuries and lost an eye, and the Blue Sky Sword King was missing.

But that wasn't the most shocking news. The real shocker… was that the culprit was the Blood Cult.

FWOOOSH!

FWOOOSH!

The Beggars' Sect and the Rogues' Guild sprang into action, sending hundreds of carrier pigeons soaring into the sky. Even for these two sects with the most extensive information networks in the world, the Namgung Clan's tragedy came as a complete surprise.

Naturally, the news soon reached the Murim Alliance.

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CRASH!

"THE BLOOD CULT ATTACKED THE NAMGUNG CLAN? WHAT IN THE WORLD?!"

The Fist King, Yayul Hwang, Chairman of the Murim Alliance, a member of the Ten Supremes, and the man who considered the eradication of the Blood Cult remnants his destiny, smashed a solid ebony desk in anger and disbelief. In his hand, which was as big as a wok lid, he clutched a crumpled report.

"Those damn Blood Cult bastards… Dispatch an investigation team immediately! No, I'll go there myself right now!" he bellowed, radiating killing intent.

However, as the colossal Fist King was about to storm out of his office, a petite woman blocked his path.

Jaegal Sojin, the Chief Strategist of the Murim Alliance, said coolly, "Calm down, Chairman. We haven't yet confirmed that the Blood Cult is responsible for this tragedy."

"Who else would do something like this?!"

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"We've already dispatched an investigation team. The Hurricane Swordsman should have arrived at the Namgung Estate by now. You going there now will only create more chaos, Chairman."

"Ugh!"

Dissuaded by Jaegal Sojin, the Fist King sat back down, his tightly clenched fists trembling. If the Blood Cult had truly attacked the Namgung Clan, then he would have to put the entire Murim Alliance on high alert, which in turn meant that he needed to be stationed at the Murim Alliance headquarters.

"After so many years of hiding like sewer rats, those Blood Cult swine are showing their true colors again," Yayul Hwang muttered through clenched teeth.

Fifty years ago, he had lost both his master and his elder brother in the war against the Blood Cult. Though they ultimately won the war, he was left with nothing but resentment and a thirst for revenge against the Blood Cult.

Spurred on by his hatred, Yayul Hwang eventually became the Fist King and rose to the position of Murim Alliance Chairman.

"Weren't you tracking the Cult's movements, Chief Strategist? How could you miss such a large-scale operation?"

"I apologize." Chief Strategist Jaegal Sojin lowered her head. She could have offered dozens of excuses, but she chose to accept the blame.

"……" After glaring at her for a moment, Yayul Hwang finally sighed, "What good does it do to dwell on the past? It's what we do from now on that matters."

"Yes."

"Now that the Blood Cult has revealed themselves, we must prepare as well."

"By prepare, you mean…"

"We must prepare for war."

The Fist King's eyes gleamed fiercely and eagerly, like those of a predator.

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After five decades of peace, a wind of upheaval was once again stirring up the murim.

"Hurry!"

Using movement arts, one hundred elite martial artists from the Anhui branch of the Murim Alliance sprinted to the Namgung Estate at top speed. Leading them was Hurricane Swordsman, a peak expert.

Who in their right mind would attack the Namgung Clan? It's the Namgung Clan, the world strongest martial family. The Hurricane Swordsman couldn't help but wonder as he ran. As a native of Anhui Province, he knew the strength of the Namgung Clan better than most, so he simply couldn't believe that they had been attacked.

Was it really the Blood Cult? Even if it was… wouldn't the battle have ended with the Namgung Clan's overwhelming victory?

A short while later, as the Namgung Estate came into view, the Hurricane Swordsman was forced to change his mind.

"This can't be…"

The buildings were burned and destroyed, and evidence of a fierce battle could be seen everywhere. Additionally, even though most of it had been washed away by the rain, the lingering stench of blood still clung to the air.

"Good heavens…"

"What on earth happened here last night…?"

"Is this truly the Namgung Estate?"

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The other Murim Alliance warriors were equally shocked.

Just then, one of the members pointed in the distance, his face pale as if he had seen a ghost. "L-Look at that mountain over there! Was there a landslide?"

The Hurricane Swordsman gaped in shock. Behind the devastated Namgung Clan, he could see the devastated Mount Tianzhu.

Can such a scene could be created by humans? Just what on earth happened here?

In any case, it was clear that something catastrophic had happened to the Namgung Clan.

"Everyone, steel yourselves!"

"Yes, sir!"

The Murim Alliance warriors tensed nervously as they approached the Namgung Estate.

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"Who goes there?!" someone shouted.

From inside the Namgung Estate, about a hundred martial artists in Namgung Clan uniforms poured out and formed a defensive line, exuding killing intent.

The Hurricane Swordsman hurriedly shouted, "We're not enemies! We're from the Murim Alliance! We came here to help the Namgung Clan!"

Fortunately, one of the martial artists recognized him.

A Namgung Clan elder stepped forward, his face pale and drawn. "Master Hurricane Swordsman," he greeted.

"Are we too late? We rushed here as soon as we heard the news…"

"…Please come inside. I'll inform the Patriarch of your arrival."

The Hurricane Swordsman and the Murim Alliance members followed the elder into the Namgung Estate.

To their horror, the interior of the Namgung Estate was even more devastating than what they had seen from the outside. The stench of blood and medicine permeated the air, and the groans of the injured and the sobs of those who had lost their families rang out incessantly.

Is this truly the Namgung Clan that I know of?

Leading the stunned Hurricane Swordsman to the courtyard, the Namgung Elder said, "Please wait here. As many of the buildings have been burned down, I'm afraid we're in no condition to receive guests properly. Please bear with us."

"What exactly happened here?"

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"…It would be better for you to hear it directly from the Patriarch."

Fortunately, it wasn't long before the Hurricane Swordsman was able to meet the Ironblood Swordsman Namgung Cheon.

"Long time no see, Master Hurricane Swordsman."

"Patriarch…" The Hurricane Swordsman stared at Namgung Cheon, dumbstruck. The bandage over Namgung Cheon's eye was only the beginning. His pale face and shadowed eyes indicated that he had recently sustained crippling internal injuries.

How did this happen to the Patriarch of the Namgung Clan? Just how fierce was the battle…

Smiling bitterly, Namgung Cheon said, "My apologies. I can't offer you tea right now."

"Please don't worry about that. If there's anything we can do to help, feel free to tell us."

"Thank you."

"Before that, could you tell me what happened last night? Has the culprit been identified?"

Namgung Cheon hesitated for a moment, then replied, "…Last night, we were attacked by the Blood Cult."

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Forgetting his manners, the Hurricane Swordsman shouted loudly, "The Blood Cult! So the rumors were true!"

So it really was the Blood Cult! Has the wicked cult that was destroyed by the Murim Alliance fifty years ago truly resurrected?!

If the Blood Cult had truly returned, then this was an event that would shake the murim to its core.

Anxious, the Hurricane Swordsman confirmed once more, "Was it truly the Blood Cult?"

"Yes. Moreover, the Night Emperor and the Asura Demon Sword were the ones who led the assault."

"What? To think both of those unorthodox masters were actually Blood Cultists… Could you tell me more?"

Namgung Cheon nodded and calmly explained the events of the previous night. He mostly told the truth, except for the part about the Namgung Clan martial artists suddenly turning into ghouls and going on a rampage.

I can't hide it forever, but I don't have to reveal it now.

After the Myriad Demons Nightmare Formation disappeared, all the ghouls regained their senses. However, all of them were traumatized by the truth of what they had done, and some had even taken their own lives in guilt.

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The Namgung Clan needed time to heal, so as Patriarch, Namgung Cheon couldn't allow the Murim Alliance to question or interrogate his family during this time of mourning.

Well, the rest of the story was enough to terrify the Hurricane Swordsman.

"…The Blue Sky Sword King passed away from the injuries he sustained from the Night Emperor."

"!!" The Hurricane Swordsman was shocked speechless. Taking a few deep breaths to steady himself, he whispered, "…Y-You're joking, right?"

"Do I look like someone who would joke about my father's death?" Namgung Cheon retorted curtly.

Cold sweat ran down the Hurricane Swordsman's spine from the Namgung Patriarch's ire. He quickly apologized, "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way. T-Then what happened to the Night Emperor? Was it mutual destruction…?"

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"He escaped."

The Hurricane Swordsman's face paled. The Blue Sky Sword King was dead, and the Night Emperor had escaped alive. This was an incident that would definitely cast doubt on the authority of the Ten Supremes, who had been considered the strongest in the murim.

Most importantly, not only had the Blood Cult returned, they were already strong enough to drive the Namgung Clan to the brink of annihilation.

For now, it was just the attack on the Namgung Clan, but who knew if the unorthodox sects and masters who had been lying low for decades would start to emerge one by one?

The Hurricane Swordsman felt dizzy just imagining the chaos that would ensue.

At the same time, several questions arose in his mind. He was part of the support troops sent by the Murim Alliance, but he was also tasked with investigating this incident thoroughly.

"I have a few more questions. On my way here, I didn't see the corpses of many Blood Cultists…"

"I've already told you everything I can," Namgung Cheon interrupted.

"Patriarch…"

"Thank you for coming all this way to help us, but as you can see, we are in no condition to receive guests," Namgung Cheon said dismissively.

"Then, could you allow us to help with the investigation…"

Namgung Cheon shook his head. "That's not possible, as our main family estate will be closed to outsiders for a while. I'm sorry, but please leave."

The Hurricane Swordsman frowned, troubled, but Namgung Cheon's attitude was firm.

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In the end, he sighed and backed down, saying, "I understand."

He couldn't go around poking his nose into the affairs of the Namgung Clan, which had just experienced a major incident, without their permission. Even though they had suffered great losses from the Blood Cult's attack, they were still the Namgung Clan.

"We'll be on standby nearby, so please don't hesitate to call on the Murim Alliance if you need any assistance."

"Thank you for your concern."

The weight of the Blood Cult's involvement in this incident settled heavily on the Hurricane Swordsman's shoulders.

This is going to be one long report…

Rising from his seat, the Hurricane Swordsman bowed. "Then, I'll be on my way."

"Wait. There's one more thing," Namgung Cheon called out.

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"Yes…?"

"I want to tell you about the Namgung Clan's benefactor."

"Benefactor?"

Nodding, Namgung Cheon thought of the benefactor who had handed the Demonic Soul Summoning Flute to Namgung Su, defeated a Blood Cult Elder, and lifted the Myriad Demons Nightmare Formation, allowing the ghouls to regain their senses.

On the other hand, that same person had also exposed his father's crimes and revealed the ugly truth hidden under the Namgung Estate.

At first, he wished he had known nothing and even resented that man, but now he felt only gratitude.

"If it weren't for that person's help, my family would have been doomed."

Startled, the Hurricane Swordsman's eyes widened. "What?! Who is it?"

A benefactor who saved the Namgung Clan from annihilation? Is one of the Ten Supremes staying at the Namgung Clan?

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However, the name which came out of Namgung Cheon's mouth took him completely by surprise.

"The Azure Dragon Hero."

"What? Who?"

"The Azure Dragon Hero Baek Suryong, an instructor at the Azure Dragon Academy."

"……" The Hurricane Swordsman tilted his head, wondering if he had misheard.

Staring firmly at the man, the Ironblood Swordsman Namgung Cheon declared solemnly, "The entire Namgung Clan owes a life debt to the Azure Dragon Hero."

"!!"

Thanks to the Namgung Patriarch, this was the moment when the Azure Dragon Hero's name became known throughout the world.

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