Chapter 394
Jang-il sighed and began his explanation.
What is the greatest difference between the Heavenly Alliance and the Righteous Martial Alliance?
Some might point to their founding backgrounds or their grand pursuits, but Jang-il didn't think such things were what divided the two paths.
What separated their paths was surprisingly a very practical problem.
Distance.
The Righteous Martial Alliance is an organization with influence throughout the realm. At first hearing, it sounds incredibly impressive, but there was a fatal weakness that came with it.
The realm is far too vast.
From the Northern Sea Ice Palace in the north to the Hainan Sect in the Southern Sea, the Righteous Martial Alliance's influence extends everywhere. For such groups to coordinate their opinions was nearly impossible.
Unless a martial artist personally ran on foot, even delivering a simple message could take months. The Central Plains are that enormous.
How could such groups unite under one name?
That's why the Righteous Martial Alliance created the concept of a main branch.
They established the main branch in Luoyang, gathering representatives from each sect there. Since the sect leaders couldn't abandon their home sects to permanently reside in the Righteous Martial Alliance, they gathered supreme elders capable of acting in the sect leader's place during crises.
Thanks to this, the Righteous Martial Alliance could maintain its influence throughout the realm despite having its main branch in Luoyang, a place small compared to the vastness of the realm.
"But there's a problem."
"A problem?"
"The sect leader's word takes priority over the Righteous Martial Alliance. No matter how much the elders represent each sect's position, they ultimately cannot become sect leaders. In times like these, they might somehow manage to coordinate, but during crises, the chain of command inevitably gets tangled. When the Righteous Martial Alliance and the home sect give different directions, the Alliance's orders get ignored."
"Hmm…"
Peng Dao-ji nodded deeply.
He too was someone who followed the Righteous Martial Alliance's orders, but if different orders came from the Hebei Peng Family, he would ultimately have to follow the Peng Family's commands. That was the limitation of an alliance.
"In the last war with the Demonic Cult, the Righteous Martial Alliance felt this reality to the bone. Even when the center made proper judgments, those orders often weren't conveyed or accepted."
"Strange. Wouldn't the Righteous Martial Alliance's judgment be the judgment of Divine Military Strategist? Are there sects that won't accept such a person's judgment?"
"What would you do if he told you to burn down the entire Hebei Peng Family and flee for the sake of the Central Plains' greater good?"
"What madman would say such a thing! Burn down the family home!"
"…That's how it is."
Though his words and actions were very inconsistent, Jang-il didn't blame Peng Dao-ji. Similar problems had occurred multiple times in past wars.
Martial artists seem very rational yet are incredibly foolish beings.
No matter how important tradition is, some old building can't be more important than life. But martial artists identify themselves with such halls and cry out, 'We cannot let the Demonic Cult invade this place passed down from our ancestors!'
Of course, the result wouldn't be much different from suicide.
This nonsensical behavior was carried out throughout the Central Plains. Those who somehow survived ultimately learned the lesson that traditions can be rebuilt as long as people remain, but many died without knowing this.
"There are ideological problems, and the fact that humans aren't as rational as one might think. The most serious issue is when the Righteous Martial Alliance's interests conflict with each sect's interests."
"Such cases exist?"
"What if one sect had to remain behind to buy time for others to escape?"
"…"
"From the Righteous Martial Alliance's perspective, there's no choice but to sacrifice them. But the sect accepting that sacrifice? Where would you find people willing to accept that role with the mindset, 'It's fine if our sect gets destroyed as long as the Central Plains prospers'?"
"Certainly true. But isn't the Heavenly Alliance the same?"
"It's a little different."
Jang-il shook his head.
"The Heavenly Alliance also can't escape the limitations of being an alliance, but at least they're close in distance. With just a little time, they can at least meet face to face."
"Hmm…"
"Moreover, they have the basic bond of being from Sichuan. Sichuan has actually been quite looked down upon in the Central Plains, hasn't it?"
More precisely, it would be contempt.
Sichuan has such difficult terrain that exchanges with the Central Plains haven't been great since ancient times. Thanks to this, it's a place that has suffered contemptuous looks as 'country folk.'
The strong bonds between such people was something those from the Central Plains couldn't easily imagine.
"Right, that would be so. Indeed. So we shouldn't think of it as just another Righteous Martial Alliance with a different name."
"Exactly. So the Heavenly Alliance is… Don't sleep, you damn bastard!"
Jang-il saw Wei Yan-ho nodding off on the cart and shouted "Baek!" That sound made Wei Yan-ho jump awake in surprise, wiping the drool from his mouth with a disgruntled expression.
"Why are you yelling?"
"I'm talking for you to hear! For you to hear!"
"I am listening."
"Is that listening? No matter how I look with my eyes, it only looks like you were sleeping!"
"I listen even while sleeping."
"Say something that makes sense."
"What if I heard everything? Want to bet?"
"…"
Jang-il clamped his mouth shut.
If it were any other guy saying this, Jang-il would bet even the emergency money hidden in his underwear, but he couldn't do that with this bastard alone. Frankly, even if this bastard started flying around in the sky right now, it wouldn't seem strange.
This bastard was far outside normal specifications from the beginning.
"Did you really hear?"
"Nah, just kidding."
"This damn…"
"Kekekekeke."
As Wei Yan-ho clutched his stomach and burst into laughter, Jang-il sighed deeply. It was a mistake to exchange words with that bastard.
"So! What I'm saying is!"
At times like this, it was important to just quickly get to the main point.
"Think of all of Sichuan as the Heavenly Alliance's eyes. Every single person you meet has some connection to the Heavenly Alliance. It's natural that a few connections away, someone is doing work related to the Heavenly Alliance. Do you understand what I mean?"
"So where are we going?"
"Huh?"
"Cut out the useless talk—if this whole place is the Heavenly Alliance, where are we going?"
"You're asking something obvious. Whose invitation did we receive?"
"I don't know."
"You don't know?"
Jang-il looked at Wei Jeong-han with bewildered eyes. Then Wei Jeong-han looked at Jang-il with eyes saying 'So what?' and said:
"What would change if I told him?"
"…Nothing."
His words were correct. What would change by telling that bastard anything? If Wei Yan-ho were the type to be careful after knowing something, he wouldn't be Wei Yan-ho. No, that bastard causes bigger accidents every time he tries to be careful, so it might actually be better not to tell him at all.
Wasn't that Wei Jeong-han's deep intention?
"Tang Family."
"Tang Family?"
"Yes, the Sichuan Tang Family. We're currently heading to the Sichuan Tang Family. The Sichuan Tang Family, along with the Zhuge Family, can be called the backbone of the Heavenly Alliance."
"Tang Family—isn't that where that green-clothed old man was?"
"…That's right."
It was the moment when the Poison King of the world became 'green-clothed old man.'
The Tang Family's green robes are famous, and he's an old master wearing those green robes, so it wasn't wrong, but…
"Hmm."
Wei Yan-ho slightly puffed out his cheek.
Seeing that expression, Jang-il felt his heart sink. Why was that bastard acting like that again?
"Going to the Tang Family? Will I be able to eat meals there comfortably? Who knows if they'll put poison in the food."
"Hey, you crazy bastard! Didn't I say this whole place is the Heavenly Alliance's eyes and ears! Watch your words! Your words!"
"Facts are facts."
"Would someone of the Poison King's high reputation throughout the realm poison his invited guests! If such a thing happened, that person's honor would fall to the ground."
"But he did poison me when I was just sitting quietly."
"…That's different."
You could stand eating some poison. If I were from the Tang Family, I would have poisoned you too.
No, the poisoning should have worked properly back then! It was only regrettable that the Poison King's poisoning technique was slightly lacking.
Wei Yan-ho still had a pouty expression.
It seemed too short a time for his feelings toward the Poison King to be completely resolved. Moreover, Wei Yan-ho was someone who might forget kindness but never forgot grudges.
"Don't worry. He formally invited us. He'll probably give us a grand welcome."
"I don't really want a welcome. That guy's welcome doesn't seem like a good kind of welcome."
"Tsk, a grown man grumbling like that."
When Wei Jeong-han frowned, Wei Yan-ho slyly turned his head away. His father seemed to have given up on something lately. You could say the gentleness had completely disappeared and roughness had been added instead.
If he kept running his mouth like before, he felt like he'd have his teeth knocked out. Wei Yan-ho, who had no desire to avoid meat at this age, had no choice but to quietly shut his mouth.
"Just do one thing, just one thing."
"Yes."
"This matter represents the Righteous Martial Alliance. I know you have no such awareness, and I don't expect it. However!"
Wei Jeong-han spoke with bulging eyes.
"From now on, you must have the awareness that you represent the Guangdong Wei Family instead of San-ho."
"Father is here though."
"…A father who's been surpassed by his child gets pushed to the back room. Now no one will think of me as the head of the Guangdong Wei Family."
"I'm envious. I want to go to the back room too."
"Shut your mouth!"
"…"
"It's fine to cause a ruckus. I can't stop it anyway. But remember one thing. I can tolerate people saying the Guangdong Wei Family is eccentric, but I cannot tolerate them saying we're petty. So don't grumble, and if you have complaints, just explode hotly instead."
"Oh?"
Wei Yan-ho's eyes widened.
"Can I really do that?"
"…Just, just go easy."
"Yes, understood."
Strength entered Wei Yan-ho's shoulders.
Seeing that scene, Wei Jeong-han fell into anxiety. But what could he do? That's exactly what Divine Military Strategist wanted.
Actually, Wei Jeong-han was also getting tired of restraining Wei Yan-ho.
'I don't know anymore.'
Anyway, it's others who see the damage, not himself.
"That's the Tang Family over there."
At Jang-il's words, Wei Jeong-han raised his head.
After leaving Chengdu's city area somewhat, a huge village site entered his view. And in the middle of that village, he could see large, antique halls.
'So that's the Tang Family residence.'
The Tang Family consists of the Tang Family residence and Tang Family village.
Then those buildings would be the Tang Family residence, and the private houses surrounding it would be Tang Family village.
"I hope the buildings survive…"
"What?"
"Nothing. Let's hurry."
Watching Wei Jeong-han ignore Jang-il's words and quicken his pace, Jang-il was falling into serious anxiety.
'Something's definitely strange about this.'
But the ship had already sailed.