The Regressor of Mount Hua-Chapter 323. The Enemy of the Murim (1)

"But if we don't act now, we may never get another chance to punish them."

After the decisive battle with the Dark Heavens Association, it would be too late.

Whether it was Nangong Weiwu, the elders, or Jing Bai, they would all be too old by that point to accept the consequences.

"Even if they weren't old enough to die yet, they might die in the coming war, not as disgraced men, but as heroes remembered for defending the murim. Their past crimes would be buried in darkness."

Putting things nicely, Jing Bai believed in the strength of the Righteous Faction martial artists. However, putting it badly, he was just completely ignorant of reality.

On one hand, he believed that even if the Martial Alliance were to split, victory was still possible.

On the other hand, he was convinced that if the corruption within the leadership of the Martial Alliance wasn't punished now, justice would never be served.

"..."

"..."

The conversation between the two Absolute Masters couldn't continue.

Their opinions were incompatible and clashed.

Neither was wrong. They were just different.

The only question was which one to prioritize.

Zhou Xuchuan wanted to save more people. Jing Bai wanted to end the cycle of sacrificing others for the so-called greater good—and ensure those responsible were held accountable.

"So you really are quite stubborn, Elder."

It was just as Nangong Weiwu said. If the Juvenile Fist Emperor were someone who could be persuaded, this problem wouldn't have even arisen in the first place.

Jing Bai's conviction was firm.

No matter what Zhou Xuchuan said, the elder would not be swayed.

He had come with a sliver of hope, hoping they could resolve this with words. But the result was clear.

"It's too bad we couldn't resolve this through conversation."

"Are you planning to subdue me with force?"

Jing Bai's expression turned fierce in an instant.

"Elder, would you like to make a bet with me?"

"A bet?"

"Yes. We'll make a conditional bet on a spar, and depending on the result, the loser will grant the winner's request."

"A spar... I've missed that word."

In the past, Jing Bai had gained both experience and enlightenment by observing countless martial artists. And when faced with disagreements like this, he resolved them through martial arts.

"If you win, elder, I will acknowledge and follow your opinion."

"That's not that interesting of a concession."

It wasn't that he didn't care about earning the acknowledgement of an Empyrean Overlord.

For an ordinary person, something like that would be a lifelong honor. However, that didn't hold much value to someone with as little greed as Jing Bai.

"And, as the Sword God, I will officially support the Juvenile Fist Emperor's actions and carry on his legacy."

"Are you serious?"

Jing Bai's eyebrows twitched.

"Yes."

It was an offer he couldn't help but accept.

He had devoted his entire life to eradicating the corruption and hypocrisy of the Righteous Faction. However, in the end, it hadn't disappeared.

The old generation disappeared, and the new generation, those called heroes, had taken their place, but the murim never changed. During his seclusion, he had heard unbelievable rumors, and what he had hoped for turned into disappointment, leaving him no choice but to return to the murim once more.

It was then that he deeply regretted never taking a disciple.

Even if he solved the problem now, it would arise again in the future.

But who would fight the corruption in his place then?

Human life was not infinite. It was the same even for the Absolute Masters known as the Seven Empyrean Overlords.

He had wanted to eradicate hypocrites within his lifetime. However, as that wasn't possible, he had to leave his legacy to someone else.

To a hero of the same level and a fellow Absolute Master of the Seven Empyrean Overlords.

Zhou Xuchuan was the perfect person to take on the job.

But...

"I don't think I can accept that offer."

"Why?"

"If you win the bet, Sword God, aren't you going to tell me to pretend not to see the hypocrisy? I'm sorry, but I have no intention of doing that."

For those in the murim, the stronger the master, the more pride one had. However, Jing Bai didn't show any such uncouthness.

Even though the opponent was a child who could have been his grandson or rather his great-grandson, he still responded with the possibility of defeat in mind.

"If my beliefs could be bent by the outcome of a spar, I would never have stepped into the gangho in the first place."

"I haven't even mentioned my demands yet, aren't you making a hasty judgment?"

"...?"

The Absolute Master in the form of a boy tilted his head.

Weren't the demands already set?

"I don't understand. What other request could you possibly make, aside from asking me to look the other way and step back?"

Why else would he come all this way in person?

"The solution is a little different."

"By different, you mean...?"

"That's..."

Zhou Xuchuan began to speak, and Jing Bai's eyes widened.

***

The Dark Heavens Association Lord frowned at the spy's report.

"Zhou Xuchuan went to see the Juvenile Fist Emperor."

"You don't have to worry." Blessed Existence, prostrated on the floor, smiled calmly.

"No matter what he does, he won't be able to shake the Juvenile Fist Emperor's convictions. If that man's beliefs were so easily broken, he wouldn't have caused such an uproar fifty years ago."

Fifty years ago, the Juvenile Fist Emperor had been an enemy of the Martial Alliance's leaders.

Yet, even then, there had been a chance for reconciliation.

The Martial Alliance's leadership had tried to mend their relationship by offering him power, wealth, and honor.

However, the Juvenile Fist Emperor rejected all of the offers and chose the path of asceticism. That choice had led to a civil war.

"When people experience the absurdities of society, they usually compromise within reason. However, there is no such thing as compromise for the Juvenile Fist Emperor. He is just a stubborn child who doesn't know reality and only cares about power."

The Dark Heavens Association Lord sighed in relief, but he couldn't hide his anxiety in a corner of his heart.

Zhou Xuchuan, what are you planning to do next?

The plan he had dedicated his entire life to was ruined by a single person. While there had been other saboteurs, none had matched the scale of Zhou Xuchuan's interference.

That experience had left a sense of unease in the Dark Heavens Association Lord's heart.

"Is there no significant movement from the Martial Alliance?"

"I knew you'd ask, so I've also been monitoring the Evil Valley," Blessed Existence said, raising his head, eyes glinting.

"As I said before, Evil Valley is reconsidering their cooperative relationship due to the current state of the Martial Alliance."

The reason Evil Valley had allied with the Martial Alliance was because they couldn't handle the Dark Heavens Association on their own due to their internal rebellion. However, if the Martial Alliance, which would be their true strength, was to split, cooperation itself would become meaningless. So they had no choice but to reconsider.

"The Martial Alliance has yet to make any significant announcement and is still silent. The criticism is increasing day by day, so there's no need to do anything about it."

There was too much evidence to deny the facts.

Tang Mingren hadn't just talked.

The Black Shadow Division had publicly released a list of those who kidnapped, imprisoned, and tortured innocent people under the excuse of necessity.

When the victims' families heard the news, they stormed the Martial Alliance's doors, demanding justice. It was chaos. To make matters worse, there were other injustices—though not as severe—such as preferential treatment to the wealthy who had provided funding.

"It's something that cannot be denied, but cannot be affirmed either. We will simply face the destruction that has been planned."

Blessed Existence bowed his head again and clenched his fists.

This time, you won't be able to do anything.

It wasn't that Zhou Xuchuan wouldn't be able to do anything about it.

It was just that he had already failed to prevent the worst outcome.

The division of the Martial Alliance was currently in progress.

Sun Tzu once said, Zhī Kěyǐ Yǔ Zhàn Bù Kěyǐ Yǔ Zhàn Zhě Shèng. He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.

In the Art of War, it was said that winning without fighting was the sign of victory. This statement was true.

The divided Martial Alliance, or rather the divided murim would only become a nuisance, so we will defeat them individually and conquer them.

Whether it be the Righteous Path, Evil Fath, or the Demonic Path—they would all be ruled by the Dark Heavens.

***

The two steadied their breathing, standing on a flat plain by the mountainside.

Zhou Xuchuan focused his mind as he faced Jing Bai.

"What are the rules?"

"You just have to get your opponent to admit defeat."

"It's simple, so that's good."

Jing Bai twirled his right arm around as if he was loosening up his body.

The Juvenile Fist Emperor, Jing Bai.

An Absolute Master who was once considered the best martial artist in the world.

A monster who has been in the highest realm for fifty years. His appearance and thoughts may have been immature, but his strength was said to be beyond imagination. Zhou Xuchuan had also been warned to be careful by Nangong Weiwu.

What was truly surprising was that the Juvenile Fist Emperor studied martial arts on his own without any support.

He hadn't stumbled upon a miraculous elixir, nor did he possess any peerless divine art.

Instead, he had wandered the world of the murim, fighting to expand his understanding. Through a life of constant struggle, he studied and battled his way to enlightenment.

The word genius was simply not enough.

Perhaps, if the Juvenile Fist Emperor had ended his seclusion and appeared in the murim before the appearance of the Dark Heavens Association, things might have turned out differently.

That was how formidable a master he truly was.

It wasn't without reason that the previous Martial Alliance had attempted to reconcile and mend their broken relationship with him.

Although his fame in the gangho had been largely forgotten after fifty years, he couldn't be underestimated.

Let's not let our guard down.

Jing Bai had rejected all worldly desires, though he was neither Daoist nor monk.

It wasn't that he suppressed such emotions—he had simply been too obsessed with martial arts to care for anything else.

There was no way a martial artist who had secluded himself in nature, believing in nothing but the Righteous Path and martial arts, would have regressed after fifty years in seclusion.

"I'll take the lead."

Jing Bai slid his left foot and right arm back. He bent his knees slightly and rotated his waist, as if trying to spin.

He raised his left arm up to his waist without making a fist.

"...?"

Zhou Xuchuan's eyes were filled with doubt.

"The Boundless Righteous Tranquility Fist (無邊正安拳)?"

The Boundless Righteous Tranquility Fist was a martial art created by the Juvenile Fist Emperor. While it didn't have any complicated mechanics, it was stable and powerful.

Its strength lay in its faithfulness to the basics combined with his numerous experiences, allowing it to effectively respond to a wide range of martial arts.

Just like its name suggested, it was a technique that truly embodied the Righteous Path.

No, it's not the Boundless Righteous Tranquility Fist.

The basics of martial arts came from posture. The Boundless Righteous Tranquility Fist, which focused on that basics, was stable from the beginning. It had to be unwavering and solid, like the nine pillars supporting the Dragon Palace.

Zhou Xuchuan had heard that the Juvenile Fist Emperor was perfect in both attack and defense, and that the Empyrean Overlord didn't even have a single flaw.

However, for some reason, it seemed as though he wasn't even keeping a proper stance anymore.

Zhou Xuchuan wondered for a moment if this senior of the gangho were trying to show consideration for his junior.

Something feels strange.

THUD! THUD! THUD!

Zhou Xuchuan's heart pounded harder. A chill crept through his chest. A shiver ran down his spine.

Anxiety and doubt surged within him. He searched his mind for answers, sharpened his perception, and tightened his grip on the sword in his hand.

"Now, I'm coming! This is my first fist!"

In that tense moment, Jing Bai shouted.

BOOM!

The moment the words left his mouth, an earth-shaking roar erupted.

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The ground beyond the yard exploded, rising violently into the air.

Just like the towering water pillar that erupted in the South Sea not long ago, a thick cloud of dust mixed with gravel surged upward like a crashing waterfall, almost like a signal.