Chapter 264 : Let Them Kill Each Other (6)
Chapter 264: Let Them Kill Each Other (6)
Lanzhou, Heavenly Demon Divine Cult’s branch office.
"...Who did you say was here?”
The Branch Leader looked uncomfortable as he answered Il-mok’s question.
“It’s a big group, Young Master. We’ve got elders from Wudang, Mount Hua, the Zhuge family, and the Hwangbo family. On top of that, one of the elders of the Beggars’ Gang is here too. They’re all at the Maitreya Luminous Cult’s estate, waiting for the Incarnation of Maitreya.
It was a situation where major figures from the Orthodox Faction had swarmed in like a pack of dogs.
Since he was originally from the Demonic Cult, the thought that his identity might have been exposed crossed his mind for a moment.
'Is it because of those kids?'
Soon, what had happened at the Heavenly Demon Secret Cave came to mind.
"Phew. Relay the order to withdraw everyone affiliated to the Divine Cult from the manor while I entertain the guests.”
After giving those instructions to the Branch Leader, Il-mok rose and headed toward the Maitreya Luminous Cult manor.
When he arrived near the manor, there was a peculiar atmosphere in the air.
You had a group of big, beefy guys in sharp-looking uniforms. Another group, also in uniforms, but they had the air of scholars about them. Then there were the Taoist priests in robes with plum blossoms and yin-yang symbols, and a bunch of actual beggars.
Five totally different factions, all hanging out together but keeping a careful distance from each other.
Combined, the five groups numbered at least a hundred, and with the unique aura of martial artists subtly emanating from them, every common folk passing through the Maitreya Luminous Cult manor looked tense.
Just then, a beggar from among those groups approached Il-mok.
“Hahaha! Long time no see!”
It was Little Tiger Beggar.
"It has been a while."
While Il-mok and Little Tiger Beggar briefly exchanged greetings, representatives from the Zhuge Family, Hwangbo Family, Wudang, and Mount Hua also appeared one by one and approached Il-mok.
"I am Hwangbo Gung from the Hwangbo Family’s Outer Hall.”
"I am Zhuge Mun of the Zhuge Family."
"I am pleased to meet you like this. I am Hyeongong of Wudang."
"I am Mok Jin-ja of Mount Hua."
Each one was an elder-level figure from their respective powers. And from the look of them, every single one was a Peak Realm master.
But to Il-mok who has leveled up a lot after his last fight, he could tell that none of them are comparable to his level, let alone stronger.
"I am the Incarnation of Maitreya."
At his plain introduction that didn't reveal his true identity, the four who had greeted him each showed subtly different reactions.
Some seemed to accept it as expected, others displayed a faint but unpleasant air, and some skillfully hid their emotions.
"Hahaha! Just as I heard from our Yeon and Se-hui."
Among them, Hwangbo Gung maintained an indifferent attitude and burst into hearty laughter.
The guy’s laugh was so loud it practically made Il-mok’s ears rattle.
Il-mok made a show of sweeping his gaze around the surroundings before speaking to them.
"It’s not a good idea to talk out here in the open. Please, come inside. Oh, and sorry to ask, but could you send your men away? As you can see, you are making the locals nervous.”
The elders from the Zhuge family and Mount Hua looked annoyed by that.
"Hahaha. Where would we beggars have lodgings anyway? I’ll tell my guys to find somewhere quiet.”
“Hahahaha! Right, our mistake. You lot, go get a room at an inn and wait for me.”
"It seems we've made people anxious."
When Little Tiger Beggar, Hwangbo Gung, and Wudang's Hyeongong immediately stepped forward to dismiss the martial artists, the others tactfully sent their subordinates away as well.
"Ahem. We have items to bring in, so we'll each bring one person along."
When Elder Zhuge Mun said this and brought one person along, Mount Hua left one person behind as well.
Strangely enough, all the people they designated were carrying some kind of box.
“Oh, dear. I nearly forgot as well.”
As if the thought had just occurred to him, Hwangbo Gung also shouted something to his entourage and received a box from them.
After watching this scene for a moment, Il-mok spoke once the situation seemed reasonably settled.
"Well then, please come inside."
Il-mok led them into the Maitreya Luminous Cult manor.
The place Il-mok headed to was a small pavilion deep within the manor.
Right after entering the pavilion with them, followers of the Maitreya Luminous Cult stepped forward and served tea and refreshments. These were believers who purely followed the Maitreya Luminous Cult, unrelated to the Demonic Cult.
Once preparations for conversations were more or less complete, Il-mok was the first to speak.
"It seems you've come because of what happened at the Heavenly Demon Secret Cave, but I cannot seem to recall any specific business you might have with me.”
This was his way of telling them not to beat around the bush and to get straight to the point.
Hwangbo Gung laughed like it was the funniest thing he’d ever heard.
“Hahaha! What else? We’re here to repay a debt of gratitude. You saved our Hwangbo Family's precious children, so we've come to show our appreciation."
With those words, Hwangbo Gung placed a box on the table.
"It can't compare to the grace of saving our Yeon and Se-hui, but this is the greatest sincerity our Hwangbo Family can offer."
"Ahem. I didn't do it in the hope of receiving something like this, but refusing would also be discourteous."
He thought to himself what a stroke of luck this was, to receive a gift for something he had done only to try and incite discord within the Orthodox Faction.
As Il-mok readily extended his hand to accept the box offered by the Hwangbo Family, the representatives of the Zhuge Family and Mount Hua also set their own boxes on the table.
"This is repayment for saving Eun-young."
“We thank you for saving the young disciples of our sect."
This time too, Il-mok uttered appropriately modest words before gladly securing both boxes.
'I wonder how much is inside.'
But opening presents in front of the person who gave them to you was a major no-no in this time period, so he’d have to wait.
Still, it seemed unlikely to be a shabby gift, as the ones who had brought them were all factions renowned for their power in the martial world.
And finally, Wudang's Hyeongong placed a small case on the table.
A case that looked very small compared to the boxes the others had prepared.
But at Hyeongong's following words, the eyes of everyone present wavered.
"Though it's modest, we've prepared three Lesser Azure Pills as repayment for helping our Un-baek."
Lesser Azure Pills.
It was the budget version of Wudang’s legendary Grand Azure Pill, a medicine so potent it was on par with the Shaolin’s own Great Rejuvenation Pill.
Even if it was the budget version, a single pill was packed with twenty to thirty years of pure internal energy.
The fact that Wudang had brought three of them was enough to make the other elders’ jaws drop in surprise.
And the eyes of Il-mok, who actually received the gift, were also trembling.
‘...Wait a second. Isn’t this stuff basically poison to guys like me?’
If he ate one of those without knowing any better, he’d probably go into Qi Deviation.
‘Why did it have to be Lesser Azure Pills of all things?'
To give a gift they can’t even use.
He really wishes they’d just given him cash instead.
And it was awkward for them to sell it either.
Though it couldn't compare to the Great Azure Pill, the Lesser Azure Pill was still renowned.
If he sold a gift like that, word would get back to Wudang in no time.
"I-I didn't expect you to bring something so precious."
Il-mok did his best to make his disappointment sound like he was just being humble.
“Hahaha. What’s more valuable than a life? It’s nothing compared to what we owe you for saving Un-baek, so please don't mind it."
Hyeongong spoke with sincerity.
And Il-mok also understands why Wudang had brought such a significant gift.
Un-baek is currently Wudang’s golden goose.
His titles of being one of the Seven Dragons and Two Phoenixes and the Nine New Stars already proved his talent.
Since a talent who would become Wudang's greatest sword in the future had nearly died a dog's death, compared to losing him, three Lesser Azure Pills weren't really that expensive.
'They should've just given us more money equivalent to that value instead.'
The problem was that from the Demonic Cult members' standpoint, it was something they couldn't use.
Right after Il-mok secured Wudang's gift, Little Tiger Beggar said something with a laugh.
"Hahaha. Sorry, but the Beggars’ Gang didn’t bring you anything. Being beggars and all, we’re a little short on gift money.”
“I didn’t do it for a reward, so don’t worry about it,” Il-mok answered half-sincerely.
In the process of spreading the Maitreya Luminous Cult throughout Gansu Province, they'd received quite a bit of help from the Beggars’ Gang, so Il-mok decided to consider it even.
Thanks to the beggar’s joke and the gift exchange, the atmosphere eased, and they all started making small talk.
But it was only harmonious on the surface. Those who'd come here occasionally flashed sharp gazes as if trying to dig up even a little information about the Incarnation of Maitreya and the Maitreya Luminous Cult.
After about two hours of engaging in such trivial conversation and a subtle battle of wills, Hwangbo Gung was the first to rise to his feet.
"Our Hwangbo Family should be going first."
As soon as he said it, the rest of them jumped to their feet too and said their goodbyes.
After giving them a polite send-off, Il-mok turned and noticed he had a straggler.
"Are you planning to stay?"
Everyone else was gone, but Little Tiger Beggar shamelessly stayed behind.
And without having brought even a single gift, at that.
Little Tiger Beggar gave him a grin with his yellowed teeth.
"I have a few things to ask away from their ears, and some news to deliver as well."
"Hmm. Well then, please come back inside for now."
Il-mok felt somewhat intrigued at the mention of news the Beggars’ Gang had to deliver.
And when they returned to the pavilion, Little Tiger Beggar spoke with a grave expression unlike his grin before.
“I’m sure you’ve already figured this out, but the reason those guys bailed so fast is that they’re all heading to Sichuan.”
“...For the Tang Family? Or the Blood Cult?”
"The Tang Family,” The beggar answered with a frustrated expression.
“The truth is, a few days ago, the Martial Alliance, our Beggars Gang, and a few other sects sent people to revisit the Heavenly Demon Secret Cave for an investigation. And near the entrance of the grotto, we discovered bodies that had died from poison. Several hundred corpses at least.”
"......"
“It was a tragedy created by the combination of the Blood Cult’s Formation and the deadly poison spread by the Tang Family. And as ill luck would have it, the bodies of all the nuns from the Emei Sect were there.”
Unlike Qingcheng, who pushed deep inside, Emei felt something was off and had turned back toward the cave entrance.
But they were still slower than the Tang Family.
By the time they got out of the cave, they stumbled right into the worst possible trap.
The Blood Cult’s Formation kicked in right as the Tang Family’s poison was seeping in from the entrance.
“...So Emei is going to blame the Tang Family for this, not the Blood Cult.”
“Exactly. On top of that, the Peng Family has already sent their people to Sichuan. Word is they’ve dispatched almost half their family’s forces to get revenge for their third son.”
Emei and the Peng Family. Plus those who'd just visited this place.
With that many enemies gunning for them, the Tang Family was toast.
After hearing the full story, one thought popped into Il-mok’s head.
‘Good thing I stuck my nose in.’
What would have happened if they hadn't gotten involved then? If the Sichuan Tang Family had succeeded in massacring everyone and destroying the evidence?
Even if investigators showed up later, they would’ve found zero proof that the Tang Family was behind the poison. And because of that writing on the wall at the end of the grotto, they would’ve jumped to the conclusion that the poison was a trap left by the Demonic Cult.
‘If that had happened, the whole Orthodox Faction might have ganged up and marched on Xinjiang.’
It meant a Great War between the Orthodox and the Demonic could have broken out over a lie.
'So we actually prevented a Great War between the Orthodox and Demonic Cult.'
Though the original purpose had been simply to sow internal strife within the Orthodox Faction, somehow Il-mok had ended up preventing a war.
‘Well, the Orthodox Faction will go to war with either the Blood Cult or the Tang Family, but as long as it is not with us, who cares?’