Chapter 179
Jaseong rose from his seat and unfurled a massive map of the Central Plains hanging on the wall.
"It is highly likely that the Murim Alliance will attack first. They value justification, so they will surely move in large numbers under the banner of 'subjugating the unorthodox sects.'"
Jaseong's finger pointed to strategic locations on the map.
"Deploy the forces of each sect to key strongholds. Black Star Sect will guard the border with Shaanxi, Poison Valley will defend the entrance from Sichuan, and the Twin Dragon Clan will hold the path leading to Hubei. The Hao Sect's intelligence network will monitor enemy movements in real time and report back to us."
"Understood."
"Heh. It's been a while since I've felt this kind of excitement."
The leaders answered with vigor.
The energy of war was intensifying.
Just then—
Creeeaak—
The meeting room door opened and Hyang-I entered.
In her hands was a hefty bundle of correspondence.
"Sect Leader. I've sent the letters you instructed to Shaolin and the Beggar's Union."
Everyone present looked puzzled at this report.
To send correspondence to the enemy's leadership on the eve of war?
Heavenly Black Sword Venerable gave Jaseong a questioning look and asked,
"At the very moment a War of Orthodox and Unorthodox is about to begin, what kind of letter have you sent to Shaolin and the Beggar's Union? Was it a declaration of war?"
Jaseong shook his head and explained,
"You've all heard the news that the abbot of Shaolin and the leader of the Beggar's Union recently died suddenly and new leaders have assumed their positions."
"Yes. They're throwing a fit, claiming the unorthodox sects are responsible."
"Because of that, there are old monks in Shaolin and division chiefs in the Beggar's Union with grudges against the new heads. Some are suspicious about the previous leaders' deaths. I sent a letter to those people."
Jaseong moved a brush across a blank sheet on the table, showing everyone the contents of the message he had sent.
[To the division chiefs of the Beggar's Union and the senior monks of Shaolin,
The death of your former leaders was not the work of the unorthodox sects.
It was all the scheme of Murim Alliance Leader Namgung Cheon-rui.
He assassinated innocent sect leaders in order to consolidate his own power and unite the orthodox faction, then falsely blamed us.
We possess evidence of this.
We will reveal the truth, so please judge wisely.
Do not become Namgung Cheon-rui's puppets and shed meaningless blood.]
After reading the letter, the Lord of Ten Thousand Poisons let out a sinister smile.
"So you plan to sow discord in the orthodox ranks."
"Exactly. The best way to defeat an enemy is to make them collapse from within."
The Myriad-Hand Fist Emperor also smiled as if he found it interesting.
"The young leader's methods can be trusted. Yes, that's what war is really about."
However, that wasn't the only letter Jaseong had sent.
Though he hadn't mentioned it to the unorthodox leaders present, he had also circulated letters to the mid- and small-sized orthodox sects.
This time, he used the name of his master, the Eternal Divine Physician, instead of the Evil Path Association Leader.
[To the fellow heroes of the martial world,
I am Jaseong, the direct disciple of the Eternal Divine Physician.
The so-called righteous Murim Alliance has, because of one man's greed, set foot on a demonic path.
The deaths of the leaders of the Beggar's Union and Shaolin, and the recent string of events, are not the work of the unorthodox sects.
It is all a tragedy orchestrated by Murim Alliance Leader Namgung Cheon-rui for his own ambitions.
The Eternal Divine Physician deeply loved this martial world—I do not wish to see it tainted by lies.
Justice does not arise from blind obedience, but from the courage to face the truth.]
The Eternal Divine Physician—
That name carried tremendous weight.
To the orthodox sects, he was like a saint.
The same was true even among the unorthodox.
After all, the Eternal Divine Physician used to offer his healing skills regardless of sect or creed.
Although he was framed by the Murim Alliance as the murderer of the Evil Path Association Leader, many in the martial world still respected him.
'If this letter spreads, even the mid- and small-sized orthodox sects will be thrown into confusion. Doubts against Namgung Cheon-rui will grow, and the unity of the Murim Alliance will rapidly weaken.'
A few days later—
Evil Path Association Leader's office.
Hyang-I rushed in, bursting through the door.
Her face was a cross between excitement and tension.
"Sect Leader, I have a report."
"Speak."
Jaseong was standing by the window, gazing outside.
The sky was thick with dark clouds.
It looked as if rain would pour at any moment.
"There's been an effect. Namgung Cheon-rui's painstaking unified orthodox forces are starting to waver!"
"What's happening?"
"Inside the Beggar's Union, division chiefs have openly defied the new leader. They are demanding an investigation into the previous leader's death and refusing to answer the Murim Alliance's summons. There are daily protests in front of the Beggar's Union headquarters."
"And Shaolin?"
"Shaolin is the same. Some of the elder monks refuse to acknowledge the new abbot and have left. They claim, 'We cannot participate in a war that encourages killing,' and some have closed their temples, while others seek to uncover the truth on their own."
"Good. What about the mid- and small-sized sects?"
"The Eternal Divine Physician's letter has caused a huge stir. Many sects are now questioning the Murim Alliance's orders. More and more are saying, 'We'll withhold participation until the truth is revealed.' A considerable number of sects heading to join the Alliance have turned back or stopped in their tracks."
Jaseong gazed out the window with satisfied eyes and muttered,
"Doubt is more frightening than poison. Once it spreads, there's no controlling it."
He turned to face Hyang-I.
"Are the preparations done?"
"Yes. The Shadow Division, Tianxia Association elites, and even sword masters of the North Sea are all ready for deployment."
At that moment, thunder grumbled in the night sky.
Rumble! Crash!
Lightning flashed, illuminating Jaseong's face.
There was no mercy on his face.
There was only a chilling murderous intent directed at his enemies.
'Then, shall I bring forth a typhoon to sweep away the giants of evil?'
* * *
But then, something unexpected happened.
Half a month later.
Midnight, huaining County, Gansu Province.
Among the Four Great Clans and Seven Sects of the unorthodox, Poison Valley lay huddled amidst rugged mountains and lethal poisonous mist.
Normally, thanks to the deadly barrier said to fell even flying birds, it was an unassailable natural fortress.
But tonight was different.
At Poison Valley's quiet entrance, a piercing scream rang out.
"We're under attack! Enemy attack!"
Before the Poison Valley gatekeeper's cry finished echoing—
Boom!
With a colossal explosion, Poison Valley's massive main gate was blown to pieces.
Through swirling dust and debris, hundreds of martial artists surged in like a tidal wave.
"Don't leave a single one alive—cut them all down!"
A middle-aged man at the spearhead shouted, reinforcing his words with internal power.
It was Tang Tian-yue, the head of the Sichuan Tang Clan and Myriad Poisons King.
Behind him, the shadow hands of the Sichuan Tang Clan, sword masters from the Murong Clan, and fist experts from the Hwangbo Clan surged in to form the orthodox alliance's main assault force.
"The Murim Alliance bastards have launched a surprise attack!"
"Hold them off! Defend your ground and set up our formation!"
Poison Valley's warriors hastily armed themselves and counterattacked.
They fired poison needles and conjured poisonous mists, but it wasn't enough.
Three great orthodox households had brought their elites for this overwhelming raid.
"Argh!"
"My arm...!"
Poison Valley's defenses collapsed in an instant.
The Poison Valley Lord, Lord of Ten Thousand Poisons, was visibly flustered as well.
He had followed Evil Path Association Leader Jaseong's instructions to bolster their defenses, but he had never imagined that Tang Tian-yue himself would personally lead the assault.
"Tang Tian-yue! How dare you trespass into our sect's domain!"
Lord of Ten Thousand Poisons shouted in fury, waving both hands.
"Myriad Poisons Heaven Snare Palm!"
From his palms erupted clouds of green poisonous mist.
A deadly wave that corroded the air as it rushed toward Tang Tian-yue.
Even brushing against it would melt your very bones.
But Tang Tian-yue remained calm—
Or rather, a sinister smile played at his lips.
"How laughable, Lord of Ten Thousand Poisons. Your poison is obsolete now."
Tang Tian-yue casually swept his hand.
Whoosh!
From his sleeve, thick purple toxic mist billowed forth.
It was much denser and more ominous than Lord of Ten Thousand Poisons's green mist.
"Guh!"
Lord of Ten Thousand Poisons screamed as he was forced back.
The purplish poison energy pierced through his protective energy and scorched his skin.
'This... this poison energy... What is it?!'
Lord of Ten Thousand Poisons was horrified.
Tang Tian-yue, head of the Sichuan Tang Clan, had always been a level above him.
But the poison energy Tang Tian-yue unleashed now was far more threatening than before.
"Curious about this poison energy? Heh heh."
Purple poison energy shimmered like heat haze around Tang Tian-yue.
His pupils gleamed blue, no longer even human.
Thanks to a miraculous opportunity bestowed by the Heavenly Demon, the Millennium Poison Pearl, Tang Tian-yue had already become a monster beyond human limits.
He was now knocking on the door of the transformation realm, beyond even the supreme peak.
"Die!"
Tang Tian-yue unleashed another poison palm attack.
Lord of Ten Thousand Poisons dodged frantically, but the warriors behind him fell like autumn leaves.
As Poison Valley teetered on the brink of annihilation—
Right then.
Dududududu—!
The ground began to quake.
From the entrance of Poison Valley, a massive energy storm swept forth.
"What's that...?"
Tang Tian-yue turned his head.
A black wave was surging through the darkness.
Hundreds of reinforcement warriors were charging toward Poison Valley.
Their presence was as fierce as the orthodox alliance's own.
"It's the Evil Path Association! Reinforcements from the Evil Path Association have arrived!"
Someone shouted.
Instantly, hope spread across the despairing faces of Poison Valley's warriors.
And as the white-robed woman at the vanguard drew her sword, the very air of the battlefield changed.
"Ice Lord Asura Sword Art ultimate move—Ice Lord's Myriad Heavens!"
Shshshshsh—
From the tip of Lee Rin's sword, an intense chill spread out like a fan.
It was a strike imbued with the secret techniques of the North Sea Ice Palace, cultivated through relentless practice.
"Gah!"
"Argh!"
With screams, the orthodox warriors began to fall.
Their heads and chests froze bright white in an instant.
Taking that as the signal, the Evil Path Association elites slammed into the orthodox warriors' flank.
"Kill! Sweep them away!"
"Vile unorthodox villains! Did you think the righteous martial world would fall so easily?!"
The battle descended into chaos.
Meanwhile, behind the halls of Poison Valley, another crisis was unfolding.
"Huff... Huff..."
Dokgo Yeon panted harshly as she retreated.
Before her stood two elders from the Sichuan Tang Clan.
They had the sly eyes of old foxes, and they surrounded her.
"You! You're the daughter of the valley lord, aren't you? We'll take your head to send to your father!"
One elder slashed his sword.
At the same time, the other flicked his hand and fired a poison needle.
Shwiik! Clang!
Dokgo Yeon hastily snapped open her iron fan and blocked it.
But against two peak experts at once, she was outmatched.
There were already shallow wounds on her shoulder and thigh, and poison energy was seeping in.
Of course, having a body immune to all poisons, she didn't need to care about poison, but this was still a dire situation.
"Damn...! Of all times, I don't even have Ten-Thousand Death Soul Powder, nor the chance to use the Thousand Snake Formation— what a time for a surprise attack...!"
Dokgo Yeon gritted her teeth.
If this continued, only death awaited.
But she didn't give up.
Her ambition to become Poison Valley's young leader kept her on her feet.
"Die!"
The Tang Clan elder's blade swept toward Dokgo Yeon's neck.
It was an inescapable strike.
Dokgo Yeon decided to defend by sacrificing her left arm.
And at that moment—
Chang—!