The Unorthodox Alliance (邪道盟).
A banner inscribed with powerful, vigorous script fluttered fiercely in the wind, held high by a group that stormed the gathering of orthodox martial artists like a sudden tempest.
"The Unorthodox Alliance..."
"I've never heard that name before. Could someone who knows more about this explain who those people are?"
"There is no other group in the world that calls itself an Alliance besides our Murim Alliance! How dare these unorthodox bastards..."
Martial artists who had climbed onto the fortress walls, fences, and rooftops muttered among themselves in bewilderment as they stared at the Unorthodox Alliance's forces.
They could hardly believe their eyes. Every member of the Unorthodox Alliance seemed to be an expert. Most shocking of all, of course, was the divine might the man at the forefront had just displayed.
"Who in the world is that man?"
"That Lion's Roar was packed with a terrifying amount of qi!"
"He's a master who has reached the pinnacle."
The Unorthodox Alliance Chairman scanned the crowd with arrogant eyes, as if ready to take on the world. Although he was looking up from below, everyone felt as if he were looking down on them all.
He smiled lazily. "Didn't you hear me tell you to open the gate? Or have you all gone deaf?"
"...!"
Everyone who met the man's fierce grin flinched. The hairs on the backs of their necks stood on end, and they unconsciously rubbed their forearms and swallowed dryly.
"Amitabha. How can the unorthodox sects have yet another master of that caliber?"
"Haa... As if the Three Blights weren't enough, another absolute master has appeared."
The Supreme Buddha and the Sword Sage sighed as they descended from the sky almost simultaneously.
"Reverend, is that the Unorthodox Alliance Chairman that the Beggars' Gang Chief mentioned?"
"It seems so. I was curious what kind of person the world-renowned Blade Demon, So Jigwang, would yield his position to..."
"He doesn't even bother to hide his presence. Truly, his aura is like that of a tyrant."
The absolute masters of the orthodox conversed within a sound-blocking barrier. Even though they sized up the man leading the Unorthodox Alliance with seemingly calm eyes, their trembling pupils betrayed their shock
The Heavenly Martial Principal descended after them. Unlike everyone else in the orthodox, he regarded the Unorthodox Alliance Chairman with excitement and fascination. "Amazing..."
"Hah! What was he thinking, inviting unorthodox scoundrels to the Festival?"
Meanwhile, as everyone reeled from the shock of the Unorthodox Alliance's appearance, Namgung Su wrestled with his inner demons for an entirely different reason. A vein bulging on his temple, he snarled under his breath, "That... That shameless son of a...!"
"Young Lord Namgung, what distresses you so?" the Beggars' Gang Chief asked worriedly.
Namgung Su quickly straightened his expression and clasped his hands together respectfully. "Greetings, Beggars' Gang Chief."
"Indeed, it's been a while. By the way... who did you just say was 'shameless'? You don't look too well either."
Namgung Su forced an awkward smile as his mind raced, quickly mixing truth and lie. "How shameless must that man be, to bring a gang of unorthodox followers to an orthodox event? Please pardon my coarse language, I suppose my anger got the better of me."
"Hah. You're right, of course, but didn't you know?"
"Has his desire for revenge against the Blood Cult clouded his judgment?"
"...Know what?"
Even the Murim Alliance Chairman seems to doubt whether the Unorthodox Alliance's assistance is truly necessary. I can't let that happen.
The Beggars' Gang Chief glanced around, then deployed a sound-blocking barrier, whispering, "Yayul Hwang himself invited the Unorthodox Alliance Chairman, Maeng Ryonghwi, to the Heavenly Martial Festival. I thought you would have known."
"So that man's name is Maeng Ryonghwi."
Namgung Su had heard the name before. On his first day in Hubei, he recalled, the Supreme Buddha and the Chairman had mentioned Maeng Ryonghwi worriedly, noting that he was a mysterious figure who didn't belong to the Three Blights.
Of course, Baek Suryong had been there, too.
Namgung Su quietly ground his teeth, his golden, electrifying eyes fixed on Maeng Ryonghwi. "What a scoundrel..." he muttered icily. "Not only is he villainous, he's also thick-skinned."
"...I didn't realize you hated the unorthodox so much."
The Supreme Buddha and the Sword Sage visibly stiffened.
The Beggars' Gang Chief cleared his throat, flustered, as Namgung Su glared at Maeng Ryonghwi as if he wanted to devour him.
"Anyway, he looks almost exactly like I'd heard, except for his hair color. I was sure they said he was blonde...maybe his hair color changes when he uses his divine martial art, like the Blood Demon's Heaven Defying Divine Art?"
"......"
The Beggars' Gang Chief scrutinized Maeng Ryonghwi's every move. Of course, he could never have imagined that his benefactor and brother to the beggars was standing right there, transformed into a great unorthodox villain.
Namgung Su furrowed his brow, a stabbing pain coursing through his stomach.
"Hah! What a noisy entrance!"
He united the villains with his powerful martial arts and leadership, beheaded the most heinous criminals to make an example of them, and sent their heads to the authorities.
Laughing boisterously, Yayul Hwang emerged from the orthodox camp and leaped from the fortress wall without hesitation. As he strode toward the Unorthodox Alliance's forces, his immense aura pushed back against Maeng Ryonghwi's.
Finally, the weaker orthodox martial artists could breathe easier.
"Hey, Unorthodox Alliance Chairman. I sent you a summons, so shouldn't a guest show some courtesy?"
One of them tilted his hat back, revealing a man with piercing blue eyes.
The Murim and Unorthodox Alliance Chairmen faced off for the first time.