Once only the officers had gathered, I had the main hall doors shut.

“Call for Chief Byeok too.”

“Yes, sir.”

While we waited for Chief Byeok to arrive, Cha Seong-tae, curiosity in his voice, asked,

“Isn’t it strange that the Martial Alliance suddenly requested our support?”

Honestly, it was a strange move.

But there’s always a gap between what I think and what Cha Seong-tae thinks.

“What’s strange about it?”

Cha Seong-tae glanced at the other officers and said,

“Doesn’t the Martial Alliance have the power to deal with Mokryeong Stronghold and the Southern Peaks Green Forest Alliance on their own? Maybe they’re just pulling everyone together to reduce damage? But if that’s the case, it feels kind of underhanded.”

“That’s not it.”

While Cha Seong-tae was asking his questions, Chief Byeok arrived and took his seat.

“Our Chief Byeok.”

“Yes, Pavilion Lord.”

“Explain to Cha Seong-tae why the Martial Alliance would ask for help from a remote sect like ours.”

“Understood.”

Chief Byeok looked around at the officers and spoke.

“The request for support is perfectly natural.”

“What part of it is natural?”

“If you consider us allies, then reaching out in times of trouble and asking for assistance is the proper thing to do. If we help now, we can later ask the Martial Alliance for help without shame. What the Alliance wants is solidarity among the sects. That unity is built on shared experiences like this. In fact, the sects not receiving such requests would feel excluded. The Alliance is probably reaching out to as many sects as they can. A lot of sects still haven’t fully joined. They need opportunities like this to draw people together and build connections. There are more than enough reasons for it.”

“So there’s plenty of logic behind it.”

Then Chief Byeok turned to me and asked,

“Is it true Mokryeong Stronghold and the Southern Peaks Alliance joined forces?”

I nodded, and Chief Byeok continued.

“If the Green Forest and Waterway factions grow stronger, even the military might have trouble suppressing them. So from the Alliance Leader’s perspective, reaching out to every available ally is as natural as flowing water. The real question is how much Pavilion Lord plans to support them.”

I folded my arms and looked at Chief Byeok.

‘What kind of life would this old man have lived if I hadn’t come back?’

“Chief Byeok.”

“Yes, Pavilion Lord?”

“Your strategy, insight, perception, and analytical skill remind me of Jiang Ziya.”

Chief Byeok looked at me with suspicion in his eyes.

“That’s too much praise, isn’t it?”

“Didn’t work?”

“No.”

“Chief Byeok, you’ve grown—again.”

This time, Chief Byeok chuckled.

“Thank you.”

…

Thinking again how easily flattered he was, I turned to the officers and said,

“I was planning to crush the Southern Peaks Alliance anyway, so this is lucky.”

“Indeed, very lucky.”

“This isn’t Haomun helping the Martial Alliance. Haomun won’t be helping at all.”

“…Huh?”

“Shut it.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Listen up. Let me make this very clear. This isn’t Haomun aiding the Martial Alliance. It’s the Martial Alliance aiding me, Yi Zaha, in my personal revenge.”

Cha Seong-tae blinked.

“Isn’t that the same thing?”

“It’s not. Haomun will stay here and continue its rigorous training. I’ll be using the Martial Alliance as leverage to take revenge on the Green Forest Alliance—for starving, beating, twisting the ankle of, and trying to extort toll money from my disciple, Geum Hae. Got it?”

Cha Seong-tae nodded.

“Understood. So in short, you’re going alone.”

With a stern look, I shook my head.

“No, no. I’m not alone. I’ll be with the Martial Alliance. What a reassuring and powerful force.”

“Wow… the way you said that made it sound majestic.”

“So-gunpyeong, Seong-tae, White Tiger Disciple.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Train like hell every day. Doesn’t matter if I’m here or not—your effort should be the same. Next time something like this happens, at least one of you should be able to represent Haomun in my place. Skill equals weight. You’re all working hard, but you’ve still got a long way to go.”

“Understood.”

“And Chief Byeok.”

“Yes?”

Scratching my cheek, I said,

“Make sure I’m well funded, and prepare my outfit so I don’t look like some countryside «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» bumpkin. We can’t have Haomun looking like the Beggars’ Sect among the elites of the orthodox faction.”

“Absolutely.”

“I’ll leave once I’m ready. In the meantime…”

The subordinates stood and offered formal bows.

“Pavilion Lord, travel safely.”

“Oh, enough with the corny…”

The other officers chimed in, cutting me off.

“Return safely, Pavilion Lord.”

“Raise Haomun’s reputation—ah, maybe not the best phrase, but still, safe travels.”

“Don’t get into fights with other sect leaders, alright, Pavilion Lord?”

They were starting to get naggy.

“Alright, alright, shut it.”

Cha Seong-tae added one more thing.

“Pavilion Lord, please don’t kill any allies.”

“Watch yourself.”

“Yes, sir.”

I looked around and saw that all the subordinates were staring at me like I was some little kid heading to the river alone.

Hmm…

I nodded a few times to reassure them.

“It’s me. Don’t worry. It’s just a bit of bandit-smashing and waterway-pounding. What could go wrong?”

“Yes, sir.”

The officers walked out of the hall muttering among themselves.

“He’s not worried about the enemies. He’s worried about hitting the allies.”

“Shhh, he can hear you.”

I heard them as I passed and nodded.

“Good. I like this atmosphere… this warm, open, honest atmosphere.”

Chief Byeok nodded beside me.

“Indeed.”

About one hour later, I left for the Martial Alliance’s Hengshan branch with a full send-off from the subordinates.

***

To train in light footwork, you have to run like hell. Using my qinggong again after a long time gave me a bit of a rush. This was the first time I’d really tested it since training both yin and yang-based martial arts.

After running full speed for two shijin straight, I paused on a quiet road. My light footwork felt faster than usual, and I couldn’t figure out why.

‘Why the hell am I so fast?’

Was it because my internal energy had deepened, drawn from the power of the Heavenly Pearl?

I couldn’t pinpoint the exact reason for the sudden increase in speed. But even while running, my body felt… comfortable. Smooth.

Was it because of Moonlight Cold Heart Technique?

Normally, after running this hard for that long, my body should feel like it’s burning up. But I wasn’t even using that technique, and the heat inside had settled naturally.

“Maybe my body’s tier has leveled up.”

After a short rest, I set off again for Hengshan.

When I first came back to life, I never imagined I’d be heading out to assist the Martial Alliance.

Now that I think about it… if some of these Martial Alliance members stick around long enough…

They become the ones who eventually deploy the Celestial Net to hunt me.

That thought alone gave me goosebumps down my arm mid-run.

…

Come to think of it, some of the Martial Alliance members I killed in my past life might be among them. Even as the Crazy Demon, I never killed orthodox family masters or hypocrites of the White Path lightly. But during the insane escape from their Celestial Net, I had no choice.

If I got caught, it was death—or decades locked in a dungeon.

The rumor that I’d killed Alliance members while escaping…

That’s what finally got the Demonic Cult interested in me.

Thanks to that, they started hunting me too.

Anyway…

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

As I sprinted toward the Hengshan branch, a strange feeling filled me. Like a thorn I couldn’t see had lodged itself somewhere inside me.

Slightly unpleasant.

If I’d had the strength in my past life to escape the Celestial Net with ease, maybe I wouldn’t feel this way now.

Once again, it hits me—skill really does determine everything in this world.

Swept up in a tide of unspoken emotions, I pushed my light footwork even harder.

Right now, I was sprinting with everything I had… to help the very people who once surrounded me and tried to end my life.

A martial artist led me into the main hall and called out,

“The Master of Haomun has arrived.”

The leaders of the gathered sects all turned their heads at once to look at me. I covered my mouth to cough lightly.

Mixed among them were experts from the orthodox factions whom I had beaten to a pulp in my past life.

‘Damn, that stings. This is awkward...’

Why does the flow of life always accelerate so suddenly?

Even though this was a closed meeting for sect leaders only, the sheer number of people was overwhelming. I normally get overwhelmed even on my own, but now I was surrounded by people whose relationships with me ranged from karmic ties to outright bad blood in a past life. All of them staring at me.

At the head of the hall sat the Alliance Leader, Im Sobaek, who looked at me.

“Master Yi, you’ve arrived? Much faster than I expected. We’re not exactly in a welcoming mood, so please, have a seat.”

I took the last empty seat near the end of the row, folded my arms, and exhaled deeply.

Looking around…

I immediately recognized the head of the Hengshan Sect, the young master of the Namgung Clan, the young master of the Seomun Clan, and the head of the Jeomchang Sect.

Some I knew. Some I didn’t. I was scanning to see which sects had responded to Im Sobaek’s summons when my eyes landed on someone at the opposite end of the room.

“…!”

The damn Pervert was staring at me wide-eyed.

I flinched and glared back at him.

“Pisspants?”

Alliance Leader Im, mid-sentence, turned and looked at me.

“Master Yi, what did you say?”

“Ah, nothing, sir.”

The Pervert’s face turned beet red the moment he heard me call him Pisspants.

Why was this bastard here? After thinking about it, I realized he was probably representing the Wind-and-Cloud Mong Clan.

Of course. That clan is part of the Martial Alliance.

I scratched my forehead briefly.

The Pervert mouthed at me:
‘Do you want to die?’

I shook my head and silently mouthed back:
‘Idiot.’

Two of my past life's biggest martial nuisances were now seated right here as allies of the Martial Alliance. And the room still wasn’t full. Just then, the same martial artist from before opened the hall doors again and announced:

“The Patriarch of the Sima Clan has arrived!”

At that moment, everyone turned to gauge Im Sobaek’s expression. He remained perfectly still.

When Sima Hak of the Sima Clan entered the hall, several people stood up from their seats.

“Patriarch, welcome.”

Even the Pervert got up and clasped his fists in greeting.

Im Sobaek remained seated and said,

“Patriarch, you’re here.”

Sima Hak replied with a slightly amused tone.

“Alliance Leader, why the sour face when I’ve come to help?”

Im Sobaek responded bluntly,

“My face is always like this. Sit down.”

I quietly studied Sima Hak. It was my first time seeing him directly, but I already knew how he would die. He was an ambitious bastard who caused a lot of problems within the orthodox factions.

In short, Sima Hak had always been coveting the Alliance Leader’s seat.

And he didn’t hesitate to break the rules to get closer to it…

He was eventually caught by Im Sobaek, challenged to a one-on-one duel, and killed. In my past life, he died trying to take the position he’s now pretending to support.

Looking around, I realized again how tangled my past life’s connections were in this room.

‘Damn… this alliance is just a festival of chaos hiding under the word “unity.”’

I got goosebumps just thinking that I was the only one here who knew all this.

Then Sima Hak walked up to me and said,

“Young man, give up your seat. I see nowhere else to sit.”

“…!”

I looked up at him in surprise. Suddenly, the concerned expressions and words of my subordinates flashed through my mind.

[Pavilion Lord, please don’t kill our allies.]

I’m not an idiot.

Sima Hak tilted his head and repeated,

“Young man…?”

I snapped out of my thoughts and replied,

“If there’s no seat, then stand and listen.”

Im Sobaek sighed and ordered a subordinate,

“Go fetch a chair from inside.”

“Yes, Alliance Leader.”

Sima Hak looked a little stunned, half confused and half amused, as he stared at me.

“I haven’t seen you before. Who are you?”

Before I could answer, Im Sobaek barked,

“Sima Hak!”

Sima Hak turned toward him, looking perplexed. Im Sobaek narrowed his eyes and said,

“You came here to help. So act like an ally. Don’t mess with the mood. Sit down when the chair comes. Are you here to cause a stir or to assist?”

Though it seemed like Sima Hak was technically the elder, Im Sobaek was speaking firmly from his position as Alliance Leader.

Sima Hak was speechless for a moment, then the subordinate returned with a chair.

“Patriarch, please sit here.”

And of course, they placed the chair right next to mine.

Sima Hak quickly calmed his expression and gave a light laugh.

“The Alliance Leader is right. That was my mistake. Please, continue.”

I crossed my arms and looked around the main hall again.

Suddenly, I realized—I was now a member of the White Path.

It was oddly entertaining to see this familiar, chaotic, sanctimonious atmosphere unfold before my eyes in real-time.

One thing was clear: being the Alliance Leader is no easy job. It seems like a prestigious seat in the martial world, but with people like Sima Hak around, it’s no wonder Im Sobaek’s hair keeps turning white.

Then I glanced to the side and locked eyes with Sima Hak.

‘Shit—!’

I snapped my gaze forward again—only to find the damn Pervert staring at me too.

“……”

Ah… this is chaos. Pure chaos.