Chapter 317 : Desire (色) (1)
Chapter 317: Desire (色) (1)
As usual, Il-mok departed the main headquarters and headed for Gansu, but he visited somewhere different this time.
Instead of Dam Bin and Ouyang Mun, the people Il-mok went to see were the Dark Shadow Pavilion Lord and Seo Wan-pyeong.
If Dam Bin and Ouyang Mun were the public faces handling missionary work and charity under the Maitreya Luminous Cult, these two were the ones running the underground operations.
They commanded the Dark Shadow Pavilion and the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's branch operatives to conduct intelligence operations and assassinate anyone who stood in the way of the Maitreya Luminous Cult's expansion.
Their primary assassination targets weren't high-ranking figures of the Orthodox Faction. The biggest obstacle to the Maitreya Luminous Cult, which was expanding through red-light districts and slums, was the street thugs of the Unorthodox Faction.
These two would sweep away the Unorthodox Faction scums and corrupt minor sects from behind the scenes, then the Maitreya Luminous Cult would move in to proselytize and claim the territory.
"It's been a while. Dark Shadow Pavilion Lord, Third Brother."
After brief greetings, Il-mok first asked about the state of affairs in the Central Plains.
"Things are flowing in a rather complicated direction. Especially in Sichuan, which is close to here. The Sichuan Tang Family was finally forced to seal their gates."
"Still, the fact that they held out for over two years speaks to the Tang Family's resilience."
"Their expertise in poisons and hidden weapons gave them many advantages in defense. But when the Family Head of the Hebei Peng Family personally intervened, they finally crumbled."
"Does that mean spreading our religion in Sichuan is going to get a lot harder now?"
This time, Seo Wan-pyeong answered in place of the Dark Shadow Pavilion Lord.
"It'll definitely be harder than before, but we should be in the clear for a while. The Emei Sect bled a lot of strength during their war with the Tang Family, and Sichuan isn't exactly the Peng Family's backyard to begin with."
"So the only one with any remaining capacity is the Qingcheng?"
"Qingcheng is busy scrambling to get revenge on the Blood Cult as we speak. With the Tang Family fallen, Emei weakened, and Qingcheng preoccupied, it's actually the minor sects scattered across Sichuan that are trying to spread their wings."
From what he was hearing, Sichuan would remain chaotic for some time.
The Dark Shadow Pavilion Lord and Seo Wan-pyeong continued with a brief overview of the Central Plains situation after that.
Stories about how several greedy sects were using the Blood Cult as a pretext to consolidate surrounding forces, and about battles between the Blood Cult and the forces led by the Martial Alliance, the Beggars’ Gang, and the Qingcheng Sect.
"And how is the missionary work going?"
The Dark Shadow Pavilion Lord answered Il-mok's question.
"With the Orthodox Faction placing their major powers in Sichuan and Shaanxi, we opted for a cautious approach in our expansion in these two regions. But Qinghai is largely empty, so we've been able to expand territory quite easily there. This too is thanks to the funds you've earned traveling between the Western Regions and Gansu, Eighth Young Master."
The simplest method of proselytizing was welfare. Distributing goods and teaching the religion's doctrine.
Obviously, this burned through a lot of cash, and a hefty chunk of the massive profits Il-mok made from his trading was directly funding these welfare programs.
"Recently, we've even started pushing the Maitreya Luminous Cult's influence past Qinghai and into the Tibet region as well."
Now fully caught up on the general situation, Il-mok reached into his sleeve and pulled a document for the most important matter of the meeting.
"This is a secret order from Master."
Hearing Il-mok's words, the Dark Shadow Pavilion Lord carefully accepted the document and unfolded it.
Written right in the center was a single name: [Silver Moon Trading Company]
"It appears to be a large trading company that conducts maritime trade with the Western Regions. The order is to investigate them thoroughly and determine whether there's someone pulling their strings from behind."
After explaining the Heavenly Demon's directive, Il-mok also told them why the investigation was necessary.
He explained that they were the ones secretly colluding with the former Chief Elder and detailed the various conspiracies Deung Bi had orchestrated.
"We will find whoever is behind them, by any means necessary."
By the time Il-mok finished his explanation, the Dark Shadow Pavilion Lord and Seo Wan-pyeong both had eyes burning with a sense of duty.
* * *
With the Heavenly Demon's orders delivered, the Dark Shadow Pavilion immediately launched a full-scale covert investigation into the Silver Moon Trading Company.
Wrapping up his business in Gansu, Il-mok departed for the Western Regions once more. When he returned to the main headquarters after completing his trade, he was greeted with some interesting news.
The first was that Hyeokryeon Seon-ah had completed her studies at the Hall of the Demonic Way.
"Big Brother!"
Seon-ah looked different yet again from the last time he'd seen her, and Il-mok was struck by a wave of mixed emotions.
'Has it really been two years already?'
It was honestly depressing for him.
Constantly repeating a grueling round-trip journey that took a solid seventy days each time made it feel like his life was just flashing by in a blur.
The fact that he'd done nothing but work without a proper rest brought tears to his eyes unbidden.
But he couldn't exactly stand there looking dead inside in front of a child who was overjoyed to see him after so long.
Il-mok gladly welcomed Hyeokryeon Seon-ah with a smile.
"Congratulations on completing the Hall of the Demonic Way. You've grown up so much I almost didn't recognize you."
And he wasn't just being polite.
When he'd last seen her two years ago, she still had the air of a "child" about her. Now she had the appearance of a proper young lady.
Of course, that was only her appearance. Since Il-mok had been watching over her since she was twelve, she still just looked like a child to him.
So what Il-mok primarily examined wasn't her appearance but her martial realm.
"You are on the brink of reaching Extremity. You haven't been pushing yourself too hard, have you?"
Seon-ah answered Il-mok's question with a bright smile.
"Just as you told me, Big Brother, I focused more on meditation than training. I was anxious at first, but after hearing that you did the same thing, I felt much more at ease."
"Hahaha. I suppose it's true that your brother spent more time meditating than sweating it out at the Hall of the Demonic Way. But wait, who exactly told you that story?"
"Instructor Chu Il-hwan told me. Because I joined the Meditation Club like you suggested, I got to run into him all the time."
"It sounds like Instructor Chu Il-hwan helped you in many ways."
"Yes. Thanks to Instructor Chu Il-hwan, I got to hear stories about you every day, Big Brother."
"...Stories, not advice?"
When Il-mok asked again with a strange feeling, Seon-ah smiled bashfully with her crimson eyes.
"That was the advice. Because I could follow the path my wonderful brother had walked."
"......"
Something felt subtly unsettling, but Il-mok decided to let it go for now.
Ignorance was bliss, as they said.
He simply had a gut feeling that Chu Il-hwan must have had a very rough time.
Just then, perhaps to change the subject, Seon-ah casually scanned the surroundings and said:
"It seems you and the big sisters have changed a lot too, Big Brother."
"Haha. You can tell?"
Over a year had passed since he entered the Realm of Truth and learning the Heavenly Demon Sovereign Stride from the Heavenly Demon.
Thanks to consistent training during the intervals of his journeys between Gansu and the Western Regions, Il-mok's martial prowess had leveled up significantly.
And it wasn't just Il-mok.
Jin Hayeon was also gradually approaching Transcendence, and Jeong Hyeon had undergone significant changes both internally and externally.
Her martial realm aside, her equipment had become far more diverse.
"Senior Jeong Hyeon, where did you get such a big bow?"
A bow as tall as herself, with quivers strapped to her back and right thigh.
The quiver on her back held spear-like arrows and the guide tube for launching baby arrows. The quiver on her right thigh held the regular arrows fired through the arrow tube.
Simply put, it was a heavy weapon loadout that stuck out like a sore thumb from a mile away. Jeong Hyeon answered Seon-ah's question.
"It w-was made from materials obtained by h-hunting a Spirit Beast. The Y-young Master gifted it to me s-since I'm still lacking in skill."
"...Brother gifted it to you?"
Why did the atmosphere suddenly turn so chilling?
Seon-ah turned her head toward Il-mok with stiff, jerky movements like a broken wooden puppet, then looked at the bow on Jeong Hyeon's back, then back at Il-mok. Over and over.
Sensing danger, Il-mok quickly spoke up.
"Hahaha. Seon-ah, I actually prepared a gift to celebrate your graduation from the Hall of the Demonic Way."
Hearing Il-mok's bold claim, the three women behind him stared at him with peculiar expressions.
But Il-mok's expression didn't change one bit as he sent a voice transmission to Jin Hayeon.
—Grab one of the silk dresses from the Western Regions that looks like it would fit Seon-ah and bring it here immediately.
He hadn't even registered that two years had passed, so of course he'd never prepared a graduation gift.
* * *
Barely surviving Seon-ah's trap, Il-mok dumped her onto the girls and basically sprinted away to the Missionary Hall.
There, he received another piece of interesting news.
"We've completed the doctrinal texts, hymns, and theater scripts in the nomadic languages."
"Then are you planning to send missionaries there now?"
Baek Un-hak nodded at Il-mok's question.
"We worked incredibly hard to prepare for this, so it's finally time to spread the Cult's hymns and the glory of the Heavenly Demon to the masses! Ah. Well, we'll be doing it under the Maitreya Luminous Cult's name, not the Divine Cult for now."
While Baek Un-hak muttered "what a shame" to himself, Il-mok carefully broached the subject.
"Well then, since we're deploying missionaries, we'll need to start expanding our cult's influence in the north as well."
Currently, the only places in the north where the Maitreya Luminous Cult held influence were the tribes situated along its trade routes.
"Hahaha. Goes without saying! We obviously need to make sure my Baek Cheon's brilliant musicals and songs echo across the entire Northern plains!"
"Hmm. In that case, we'll need someone to manage those missionaries. And beyond the north, shouldn't we also begin preparing to proselytize in the territories of the Muslims adjacent to our cult?"
"I've actually been mulling over that very issue. Do you have any clear ideas?"
In response to Baek Un-hak's question, Il-mok slowly turned his head to look at Jong-ri Chu, who was staring blankly into space and muttering to himself.
At last, it was time to harvest the seeds he'd sown.
* * *
"You're saying we should entrust the Gansu and western regions trade route to the Sixth?"
When the Heavenly Demon asked after hearing everything, Il-mok bowed and answered.
"Yes, Master."
The Heavenly Demon, whose age spots had darkened noticeably over the past few years and whose fingers had grown somewhat gaunt, stroked his white beard and sank into contemplation.
After organizing his thoughts, the Heavenly Demon spoke in a calm tone.
"I had been concerned about the Muslim territories, so entrusting it to the Sixth doesn't seem like a bad idea."
Il-mok practically screamed in joy inside his head.
'Freedom at last!'
Il-mok let his imagination go wild.
Now that he no longer needed to repeat that grueling journey between the Western Regions and Gansu, he planned to hole up in Windrock Palace and spend his days enjoying rest and martial arts training.
But Il-mok's grand dream of dumping his duties onto Jong-ri Chu was shattered to pieces by the Heavenly Demon's next words.
"In that case, leave the trade to your Sixth Brother, and you shall prepare to depart for Tibet."
Il-mok nearly blurted out "Excuse me?" but grabbed hold of his last shred of composure and asked, "...To Tibet?"
"Yes."
"Is there... some specific task this disciple needs to handle in Tibet?"
The Heavenly Demon smiled gently. It was the kind of smile that said, "You already know, so why are you asking?"
"Hahaha. The Maitreya Luminous Cult's influence has been pushing past Qinghai and into Tibet recently, but I hear they've hit a major roadblock thanks to the esoteric monks over at the Potala Palace. On top of that, the Dark Shadow Pavilion is tied up with the Silver Moon Trading Company investigation and is completely understaffed. It would be perfect if you stepped up to clear the way for us."
Il-mok finally remembered the briefing he got from the Dark Shadow Pavilion Lord and his Third Brother just the other day.
'...Why the hell did this end up on my plate?'
Feeling rather aggrieved, Il-mok tried asking the Heavenly Demon in a roundabout way.
"Are these esoteric monks from the Potala Palace really that dangerous, Master?"
What he was really asking was whether it was really necessary for him to go personally.
And the answer that came back contained information that shattered Il-mok's common sense.
"They are not to be taken lightly. Especially since they build their internal energy using the Art of Yin-Yang Harmony. Every last one of them boasts deep internal energy."
"...Esoteric monks are still monks, aren't they? The Art of Yin-Yang Harmony... w-what do you mean by that?"