Chapter 19: Smoke on the Horizon
The dawn after the Foundation Ritual felt like a new age.
Sunlight painted the sigil-etched ground in hues of amber and silver. Spirit energy drifted in the air like dew, light and charged, invigorating everyone who breathed it. The recruits awoke with clarity. Wounds closed faster. Meditation became deeper. Even the herbs in Lee-oh's stockpile glowed slightly brighter.
It was undeniable—the Alchemist Merchant Sect was now alive.
The newly formed base thrummed with subtle energy. Lee-oh's System displayed real-time stats: potion output efficiency increased, trade demand spiked from external vendors, and even the merchant caravans began reporting smoother negotiations and better sales.
They were not just rooted—they were growing.
But growth, Lee-oh knew, drew eyes.
The first sign came during an early patrol.
Dael, now officially titled "Shadow Hand of the Sect," returned from the ridge trail near the eastward edge of the valley. His stealth technique had evolved sharply after recent missions, but even he looked disturbed.
"They were watching," Dael said, voice low.
Lee-oh raised a brow. "Who?"
"Three scouts. No armor, civilian clothes—but their movements were trained. They left no tracks. But they left a warning."
He tossed a single jade feather onto the stone table between them.
Lee-oh stared at it silently. The jade was carved in the likeness of a coiled serpent—the emblem of the Jade Coil Sect.
His fingers tightened around the feather. Kang Joon Oh.
Of course it would be him.
The Eastern Sovereign had always hated uncertainty. A new sect—especially one dealing in alchemy and commerce—was a threat to his network of supply lines, control over healing contracts, and underground black-market monopolies.
He wouldn't wait long.
"Did they engage you?" Lee-oh asked.
"No," Dael said. "They wanted us to find them."
Two days passed.
Scouts confirmed movement near all four borders of the continent.
From the North, warrior envoys began detouring their patrol routes southward—getting dangerously close to neutral villages. Their leader, a war-priestess known only as Mother Iron, had reportedly demanded updates on all new sects formed within the last year.
From the West, a bounty for "Alchemist Leaders interfering with sanctioned guild operations" surfaced—offering 5,000 silver per captured official, alive.
From the South, several major trade guilds filed formal complaints that caravans were being rerouted by "unauthorized healing centers." Thinly veiled threats followed—claiming disruption of market balance.
And from the East, the most blatant move arrived.
Lee-oh stood atop the northern watchtower with Rin and Forge when the dust cloud appeared on the far ridge. Through the spyglass, he saw the unmistakable green-and-black banner of the Jade Coil Sect flapping in the wind.
A scouting regiment had arrived—not in secret, but fully armored, bearing weapons laced with serpent-blood steel.
"They're not hiding anymore," Rin whispered.
Forge said nothing, but his hand hovered near his sword hilt.
Lee-oh's System pulsed with alerts:
[ALERT: External Sect Presence Detected]Scouting Party: Jade Coil Sect (Rank: Advanced)Status: Not Hostile — ObservingEstimated Strength: 15 Fighters (1 Core Rank)Local Tension Rating: 43% — Escalation Imminent
"Rin," Lee-oh said calmly, "Have the initiates move the potion cauldrons to the inner sanctum. No more open brewing until this is settled. Forge, I want double the production of basic swords and spirit-enhanced armor."
Rin nodded. "Do we prepare for war?"
"No," Lee-oh replied, eyes narrowing. "We prepare for their mistake."
That night, the sect's outer torches were lit brighter than usual.
Rin coordinated patrol rotations. Elsha reinforced healing stations. Dael laid spirit traps in hidden tunnels. Even the newest recruits sensed the shift in atmosphere—stillness before a coming storm.
Inside his chamber, Lee-oh sat before his system map, observing troop movement simulations and resource flow projections. His thoughts were cold and clear.
We were never meant to stay hidden.
They had established themselves at the continent's heart—a location of strategic importance. Any power rising there was naturally seen as a threat. That reality couldn't be avoided now.
But he hadn't come this far to beg or bow.
His hand hovered over a glowing icon in the system: "Diplomatic Outreach: Southern Alliance Channel (Locked)"
Lee-oh narrowed his eyes.
"Not yet," he muttered.
Just then, a sharp rap echoed from the chamber door. Rin entered, face grim.
"You should see this."
She handed him a folded piece of parchment—an arrow had delivered it to their outer wall.
It bore the mark of the Jade Coil Sect.
To the Master of the Alchemist Merchant Sect,The Eastern Sovereign acknowledges your establishment.However, healing and trade are rights earned, not claimed.You have until the next moon to submit a tithe of 30% of all potions brewed,or the Jade Coil Sect will reclaim what is due by force.
Lee-oh slowly folded the paper, eyes unreadable.
Then, calmly, he turned to his desk and pressed his hand against the system interface.
[System Command Confirmed: Begin Martial Readiness Protocol]
He looked out the window, toward the hills.
A soft wind blew.
And far away, the green banner of the Jade Coil fluttered like a serpent tasting the air.
The war had not started—But the countdown had.