Chapter 169
The moment he saw Bao Qingtian and the head of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Eunuch Han instinctively sensed his end.
'How... how did I end up in this state!'
A life lived without fear.
To shape that life, he had committed numerous evil deeds and had learned the Sunflower Manual with a terrible persistence.
'The world in my grasp... I could have put it in my grasp!'
All those desires and ambitions.
The dream of self-realization, which was right before his eyes.
...like a midsummer night's dream.
...had disappeared like a shattered wave.
Behind it was So-ah.
"Bao Zheng... this old man is wronged! Everything... is because of that brat Jin So-ah's cunning..."
Eunuch Han chose to plead as his last struggle.
His eyes were filled with pathos.
But it was just the futile flapping of a moth.
"Eunuch Han. We have secured all the physical evidence of your conspiracy with the White Lotus Cult and your deception of His Majesty. Are you still trying to make a clumsy excuse? Everything will be revealed in the national interrogation."
Bao Qingtian's stern voice flowed out.
Only then did Eunuch Han realize that there was no way to overcome the situation.
Just then.
Once again, Bao Qingtian's sharp voice poured out.
"Also! The White Lotus Cult, which has conspired with you, will also disappear from the world. By His Majesty's imperial command, General Song is leading the imperial army and is investigating the White Lotus Cult... in other words, you have no way out, not even one in a million!"
"...!"
All the corrupt officials in the room, including Eunuch Han, trembled.
The day had come to pay the price for becoming officials who lived off the country's money, for committing all sorts of corruption, and for deceiving the people.
That price was clearly going to be brutal.
"From this hour, I will arrest all of you."
As soon as his words ended, the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the government troops, who had been waiting outside the residence, entered the room and bound the people.
"Let go!"
"Let go, you brats! Do you think you can get away with this!"
"Bao Zheng... Jin Won-tak! I will definitely get my revenge on you brats. Do you think I will fall like this? I have reigned in this barren government for over twenty years! Never! I will never die like this!"
Their resistance was desperate.
Of course, it was expected.
Since they were all people who held a bit of power and wielded the country, how could they be so obedient?
But Bao Qingtian knew the nature of these people well.
These kinds of brats...
'They are weak before torture.'
Bao Qingtian had a track record of having already cut off the head of an imperial family member with a dragon-headed guillotine.
The clumsy threats of the high-ranking officials just sounded like a dog barking.
And...
...the next day.
Eunuch Han and the other high-ranking officials had no choice but to admit all their crimes.
—Kwa-a-a-a-ak!
—Stop... stop it!
—Spare me. I... I admit that I conspired with Eunuch Han to deceive His Majesty and to destroy the martial arts families that were like a thorn in my side, and at the same time, to use Eunuch Han to satisfy my own selfish desires!
—Lord Bao! But we are by no means related to the White Lotus Cult! The fact that we have offered the people as human sacrifices is not related! That part! Please take that part into consideration!
When the national interrogation began, Bao Qingtian, based on all the evidence and circumstances so far, had the survivors of the Eastern Depot confront Eunuch Han, and at the same time, the Embroidered Uniform Guard took charge of the torture.
The torture methods of the Embroidered Uniform Guard were terribly cruel and terrifying, and not only did they press a red-hot iron to the thighs and chests of the criminals, but they also inflicted pain by making them unable to breathe by blocking their respiratory tracts with a cloth soaked in water and then removing it.
Through this national interrogation, the criminals confessed all their crimes as soon as the sun rose the very next day.
And.
"Jin So-ah-a-a-a-a-a!!! You son of a bitch. I will definitely kill you, even in the afterlife!"
Eunuch Han, who had lost everything to So-ah and could not escape the death penalty, let out a terrible strange cry to the sky.
In that moment.
The head of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Jin Won-tak, approached Eunuch Han.
And then, he whispered in his ear in a voice so small that no one could hear...
"You piece of trash. If you curse So-ah one more time, I will pull out your tongue and throw it to the dogs as food before your head is cut off by the guillotine."
In an instant, Eunuch Han looked at Jin Won-tak with a dumbfounded expression.
Jin Won-tak's eyes were blazing with a terrible killing intent.
"W-What did you say?"
"So-ah is my, Jin Won-tak's, real younger sibling. You eunuch bastard."
Until then, Eunuch Han could not help but doubt his own two ears.
***
The sight of about 100 men in black, scattering afterimages and running like tigers, was truly a spectacle.
"From now on, we will abstain from food and drink and increase our speed even more. Maintain full speed until we reach the Emei Sect!"
Even while performing the lightness skill, the man who was leading the way at the forefront shouted with a voice full of internal energy, encouraging the group.
The man was the leader of the Heavenly Spirit Unit of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, Hyeon Dong-hwa, and the man who was running at the forefront alongside him was Wi-ji Chan.
In the second row, the ones who were continuously chanting spells and offering a kind of blessing prayer to all the members were six of the twelve monks of the Heavenly Demon Sacred Hall.
The power of the spells that the monks were murmuring was truly great.
Although it was not known what kind of effect it had, the blessing prayer made the group's bodies light and made the smooth operation of their thick internal energy possible.
The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was famous for having the most excellent mobility in the martial world, along with the Kunlun Sect.
Although the Kunlun Sect had shown such a feat because all the disciples of the main mountain had learned the 'Cloud Dragon Eight Great Forms', the strongest lightness skill in the history of the martial world, the 'Heavenly Demon Reigning Step' of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was a secret art that was only passed down to the Cult Leader and the Vice-Leader...
Nevertheless, the reason why the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult could stand shoulder to shoulder with the Kunlun Sect in terms of mobile power was precisely because of this blessing prayer.
The combination of strong martial arts and mysterious abilities became the driving force of a marvelous ability.
As the command of the Heavenly Spirit Unit leader, Hyeon Dong-hwa, was delivered, the group increased their speed even more and ran at a high speed.
'So-ah. Just wait a little longer!'
Wi-ji Chan's heart was filled with urgency.
***
The night sky of Sichuan, covered with a pitch-black dark shadow...
'The Martial Alliance must be in an uproar by now... why are they still not showing any movement!'
No Yeong-myeong, who had annihilated the Iron Fist Sect, a powerful force in Sichuan, could not shake off his worries even in the midst of his great victory.
To attack Sichuan, he had brought with him about 100 'Ghost Demon Jiangshi' that had been sealed in the Gansu cult branch.
Although they were incomplete Ghost Demon Jiangshi that had not yet achieved a complete restoration, since the power of each one was at a level that could shake the heavens and the earth, he had only lost about 20 Ghost Demon Jiangshi while dealing with the Iron Fist Sect.
No Yeong-myeong still had about 80 Ghost Demon Jiangshi in his possession.
Besides.
No Yeong-myeong's martial arts had now reached a level where it was difficult to find an opponent in almost the entire Central Plains.
Since he could annihilate a medium-sized or small-sized sect of the martial world in half a day with just his own power, there was nothing to be afraid of...
'Jin So-ah. What kind of cunning tricks will you use this time!'
The reality was not so.
No Yeong-myeong was afraid of the opponent who always blocked his path.
So-ah.
In the first place, it was So-ah who had killed the Ghost Demon Jiangshi that he had first shown to the world seven years ago, and it was So-ah who had taken his eye when he was fifteen years old, and it was So-ah who had shattered Eunuch Han and the Eastern Depot, which had an infinite number of uses.
Also, his secret activities at the Martial Alliance Hero Tournament had been blocked by So-ah, and this time, it was So-ah who had led the negotiations with the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult and had set out to subjugate the White Lotus Cult...
Recalling such a So-ah, it was only natural that he would grind his teeth.
'Am I feeling inferior to such a brat like a lump of blood...'
Although he himself could not believe it, he could not help but admit it.
That he was definitely feeling a mixture of inferiority, anger, and surprise towards So-ah, and that those emotions were entangled and were becoming a complex agony.
But.
'Yes. Whatever you plot. What does it matter! I will see if you can be so carefree even at the moment when the sect of the current Martial Alliance Leader is annihilated!'
Before he knew it, No Yeong-myeong's two eyes were filled with madness and a desire for murder.
In the first place, the Twin Demonic Old Freaks were madmen.
Weren't No Yeong-myeong and Go Eung rare murderers who had committed murder as if they were eating in the past, 30 years ago?
The fact that those two had joined hands with the Blood Demon might have been fate.
'I will kill them as I please! I will kill and kill again. Until the whole world kneels at my feet. And!'
As No Yeong-myeong clenched his fist, a blue lightning flickered.
'Jin So-ah. I will kill you in the most brutal way in the world.'
Vowing so, No Yeong-myeong flew his body.
Before he knew it, the Nine Great Sects that represented Sichuan...
...the Emei Sect was coming into his sight.
***
"You brat! Who are you to wear a mask and invade our main mountain in the dead of night?!"
At the appearance of the masked man, who had appeared like a mirage, crossing the main gate without any restrictions, the disciples of the Emei Sect, who were on guard duty, burst into a warning cry.
The current Emei Sect was composed entirely of women.
Of course, the Emei Sect was not a sect of women from the beginning.
Although activities such as receiving pilgrims were carried out as a sacred place of Buddhism that served the 'Bodhisattva Samantabhadra', it was a prestigious orthodox sect with a strong martial arts sect character rather than a Buddhist temple character, and since the sect leader always had to be a woman, the number of men who entered gradually disappeared, and today it had become a sect of women.
Furthermore, since the current sect leader had been elected as the Alliance Leader, a significant number of the powerful figures of the main mountain were staying at the main office.
Therefore, the security was stricter than usual, and as soon as someone's warning cry burst out, the disciples quickly gathered and drew their swords at once, showing a fierce aura.
But.
"Kekekeke... what cute children! Do you think you brats can stop me without Abbess Hongryeon?"
The masked man.
The Rain and Heaven Demonic Sword, No Yeong-myeong, sneered as if it were ridiculous.
But since the internal energy in his voice was so terrifying, the disciples of the Emei Sect could soon sense how scary a person the masked man was.
'I-It's an unbelievable emission of internal energy and killing intent.'
'M-My body won't move properly.'
'He's a person who has reached a realm where he can kill a person with just his spirit... maybe he's an even more outstanding master than my master...!'
Cold sweat flowed down the backs of the disciples.
The masked man in front of them was truly a master of a distant realm that they had never encountered before in their lives.
But the disciples did not give in.
No. They could not give in.
The Emei Sect was no longer just any of the Nine Great Sects.
If the Kunlun Sect had made a name for itself thanks to the former Alliance Leader, Ha Won-sang, who had been the Alliance Leader for nearly 10 years in the past.
The next 10 years had a high probability of being the 10 years of the Emei Sect.
No matter how great the enemy in front of them was, they could never break their will.
"Shut up. How dare you say the sect leader's name with that dirty mouth? Besides, to invade our main mountain with the power of just one person. You're a brat who's crazy to die."
"Kekeke. You crazy bitch. Unfortunately, this old man did not come alone."
"..."
In that moment.
"The secret of the earth-hiding, summoning art...!"
A strange word came out of No Yeong-myeong's mouth.
Simultaneously.
An unbelievable thing unfolded.
Wasn't the ground that No Yeong-myeong was stepping on wrinkling like a piece of paper and wriggling!
Soon...
At the unimaginable sight, goosebumps rose all over their bodies.
"Th-That's?!"
Monsters were descending to the ground from underground.
Those monsters, with their terrifying fangs and steel-like claws sharpened to a blue color, were none other than the Ghost Demon Jiangshi.
"I will erase the Emei Sect from the history of the martial world today."
No Yeong-myeong's one sentence, like a bolt from the blue, filled Mt. Emei with the secret of the lion's roar.
Tremble-tremble-tremble—
Their hands and feet trembled.
Soon, that trembling spread to their legs and their whole bodies, and in an instant, the disciples could not even control their bodies properly.
Because an indescribable fear was pressing down on their whole bodies.
Just then.
A roar burst from the empty air.
That roar was a sound of something cutting through the air fiercely.
The moment No Yeong-myeong's gaze, who felt a doubt, was directed at the empty air.
A brilliant five-colored light beam was clearly imprinted on his eyes.
And...
"Yeong-myeong-ah, let's pl-a-a-a-y!"
That familiar and uncomfortable.
...that voice, which was so uncomfortable that it made his teeth chatter.
...was sharply slammed into No Yeong-myeong's ears.
(End of Chapter)