As Qianlin heard the name Murim Alliance, the first thing that came to her mind was the protectors of the martial world.
She frowned slightly and asked, "How can the Murim Alliance, who protect the world, be a weapon?"
The Devil Matriarch looked at Qianlin with an amused smile and said coldly, "Do you really think the Murim Alliance cares for the well-being of normal martial artists or the people of Murim?"
Qianlin raised her voice with a firm, stern expression. "Yes! They care! They protect people from unorthodox sects, demonic clans like yours! While you people only kill, kill, and kill!"
The Devil Matriarch suddenly burst into a loud laugh, her voice echoing across the chamber. "Naive… So naive! Hahaha!" Her laughter faded into a sinister smirk. "As expected of the young lady from a so-called righteous clan."
She narrowed her eyes and said with disdain, "Then tell me, how many great clans or sects have been destroyed since the formation of the Murim Alliance?"
Qianlin flinched, stunned by the question.
The Devil Matriarch stepped forward, shadows dancing across her face. "Do you know how many mid-tier sects and clans were wiped out by the very same evil unorthodox sects you mentioned—while under the so-called protection of the Murim Alliance?"
Qianlin had no answer. Her lips parted, but no words came.
"More than a hundred," the Devil Matriarch continued coldly. "That's only the number I know of. But each time an unorthodox sect dared to attack a branch of a great sect, the Murim Alliance would mobilize all their forces in the name of 'righteousness.'"
Qianlin's face lowered. Her eyes dimmed.
The Devil Matriarch folded her arms. "Let's forget the past and talk about the present. Tell me—which sect do you think is the most evil today?"
Qianlin replied immediately, "Desired Cave."
"Ha! Desired Cave…" The Devil Matriarch chuckled. "They kidnap men for their pleasure, steal martial arts from weaker sects, and commit every heinous act possible. Then tell me, why hasn't the Murim Alliance ever taken action against them?"
Qianlin hesitated, then replied uncertainly, "Maybe… it's hard to find them…?"
The Devil Matriarch's laughter turned mocking. "Hard to find them?! A hundred years ago, there was an assassination sect called the Shadow Sect. They were well hidden—so secretive that even I found them difficult to track. They killed anyone in Murim: clans, sects, families... but the Murim Alliance did nothing."
Her eyes gleamed as she spoke darkly, "But one day, the Shadow Sect destroyed a profitable branch of the Mount Hua Sect. Suddenly, the Murim Alliance declared them public enemies and launched a large-scale subjugation. It took five years, cost more than any great sect could afford, and yet… they spared no expense."
Qianlin's hands trembled slightly.
"They did it because they got their 'cut' from the Mount Hua Sect. So tell me again—why don't they declare war on Desired Cave? Because there's an agreement. Desired Cave never touches the great sects or clans—only the weak."
Qianlin looked down, speechless. The truth hit harder than any blade.
The Devil Matriarch sighed. "Whatever… let me continue my story."
Her voice turned deeper, more chilling.
"As Namgong Chunying gained the Queen of War's trust, she proposed that she become the leader of the Murim Alliance. Word spread that the current alliance leader was old and retiring to Kunlun Sect."
"At first, the Queen of War rejected the proposal. She had no interest in politics or the burdens of power. But Namgong Chunying kept persuading her, saying, 'You can help ordinary people more efficiently. The position is powerful—perfect for someone like you. I trust you will spread righteousness across the entire Murim.'"
The chamber flickered with the soul's crimson aura. Qianlin's breath grew shallow, listening intently.
"The Queen of War saw the suffering of the world during her travels," the Devil Matriarch said. "So eventually, she agreed. She became the Murim Alliance leader—and Namgong Chunying became her advisor."
"But the truth…" Her voice deepened. "Namgong Chunying's true goal was to make the great sects and clans turn against her."
Qianlin's brows furrowed in confusion.
"She twisted the Queen's reforms—making them appear as threats to the power and profit of the great sects. She made them believe the Queen wanted to limit their influence. But in truth, the Queen of War only wanted equality. She helped medium-tier and low-tier sects rise. She tried to build a real alliance. An alliance of all Murim."
The chamber's shadows lengthened, flickering like dying flames.
"And I…" The Devil Matriarch's voice took on a nostalgic pride. "I expanded my unorthodox forces to match her influence. I united the bandits, the pirates, the ancient evil sects—every outlaw of the martial world."
Qianlin's eyes widened. "Wait… those five great unorthodox sects today…?"
A slow, proud smile curled on the Devil Matriarch's lips. "Yes. All of them were under my command."
Qianlin stepped back, stunned. "All of them…?! But then… how are they still alive while you're dead?!"
The Devil Matriarch's expression turned stone cold. Her voice was sharp as a blade.
"Patience."
She resumed, "As the Queen of War kept helping the common sects, the great sects grew uneasy. They lost wealth, power, and influence. The alliance they built to control the world was slipping from their hands. But no one dared oppose her—because of her strength and popularity."
Qianlin stood frozen, the pieces slowly coming together.
"But then one day…" the Devil Matriarch whispered with a sly smirk, "the Queen of War made a fatal mistake."
Qianlin's throat tightened. "What… what mistake…?"
"She decided to challenge the one remaining power within the Murim Alliance that could rival her authority."
Qianlin's pupils shrank. Her voice cracked, "What power…?"
The Devil Matriarch raised her hand, her voice soft and sinister.
"The Elder Union—composed only of the great clans and sects' elders. She wanted to allow medium-tier and low-tier martial artists to join the Elder Union."
A gust of icy wind swept through the hidden chamber.
"That was the final straw. The great sects and clans had enough."
She paused. Her lips curled upward.
"And when Namgong Chunying heard about the secret meeting of the Elder Union… she smiled. A creepy smile that said—'The first step of the grand plan is complete.'"