The expressions of those seated in the hall hardened, as if they had been struck by an unexpected revelation.

Hong Dae-Kwang, noticing their reactions, felt a twinge of confusion before coming to a realization that left him slack-jawed in disbelief.

Normally, even when a sect declared its seclusion, it would still keep an ear open to the outside world. To be more precise, it had to. After all, no matter how tightly the doors were shut, they would eventually need to reopen. How could they afford to ignore the world entirely? Most sects would subtly gather external information while focusing …