It was said to be Cheongmyeong’s sect and homeland.Ma Gwang-ik’s Cheong-an Divine Sword was openly regarded as the foremost blue-ranked swordsman.


    He always seemed cheerful, yet at times exuded a sharp, frosty air. A mysterious master, widely respected both for his achievements and his reputation. And yet, despite that, he never sought to compete with Jeong Yeon-shin for the Black Rank Ascendancy.


    Not even a hint of regret. It meant he was someone of a different caliber.


    “Nothing’s changed. It’s always been like this.”


    As he returned to his homeland, Cheongmyeong gazed upward with a slightly reluctant expression. Such visible discomfort was a rare sight from him.


    Jeong Yeon-shin followed his gaze, looking toward the entrance—one that seemed far too mysterious to belong to an ordinary sect.


    A sect of the noble clans.


    The entrance was flanked by towering, jagged rock formations, their sheer scale making them seem like natural fortifications. Sunlight trickled down through the gaps, scattering in a leaf-green shimmer.


    Thick vines wove together like fortress walls, forming a structure at least five jang tall—an astonishing height, yet it blended into nature so seamlessly that it felt sacred rather than artificial.


    Without Cheongmyeong’s guidance, one wouldn’t even recognize it as an entrance.


    It was more akin to a formation than a gate—something that wouldn’t be easily discovered by just anyone.


    “To think I’d actually set foot in Cheonju Gate in this lifetime. Even with Heaven’s Web deployed, I might have passed it by without noticing.”


    “So this is what they call a natural stronghold.”


    Tae Yeom-ryong and Hyeon Won-chang spoke as they carried a small, two-person palanquin at the front and back.


    Inside, the Singeom Danju sat in meditation. Tae Yeom-ryong, however, looked somewhat displeased as he followed the Great Lord’s orders.


    They were standing in for the recuperating Singeom Corps.


    The corps had suffered at the hands of Amya War Archery, a combat style that pushed the concept of ambush warfare to its very limits. Under normal circumstances, the Singeom Corps would have accompanied their commander.


    However, the Great Lord had prioritized Ma Gwang-ik’s recovery over their presence, and besides, Cheonju Gate was not a sect that permitted the entry of many.


    “And so.”


    You didn''t buy this chapter


    Buy Now (10 coupons) Sear?h the n??el Fire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.