Chapter 42
It was a gloomy sky that did not suit a festive day.
The Black Contemplation Fortress in Henan, true to its reputation as the supreme of the evil path, was lined with huge castles and buildings that dominated the area.
From the Gwangjon Gate, the entrance to the Black Contemplation Fortress, to the Black Path Under Heaven Road, which penetrated the main hall of the Black Contemplation Fortress, numerous martial artists of the Black Contemplation Fortress were prostrated, waiting for someone.
Clip-clop, clip-clop...
The martial artists who were guarding the area around the Gwangjon Gate of the Black Contemplation Fortress, holding the flags of the Black Contemplation Fortress, saw the party riding horses and slowly heading towards the castle gate from a distance, and they all raised the trumpets made of buffalo horns and blew them with all their might.
Puuu!
Watching the fluttering flags of the Black Contemplation Fortress, dozens of martial artists of the Black Contemplation Fortress in black martial arts uniforms prostrated themselves in unison before the man riding a horse at the front and cupped their fists, and among them, an old man in a splendid martial arts uniform bowed his bent back even more and politely showed his respect.
"I greet the Black Qilin, the number one sword of the evil path."
"Shiyue."
Wenzhong, with a displeased expression, got off his horse and looked down at Shiyue, who was bowing before him.
As Wenzhong's sword-like eyebrows twitched, the golden whip wrapped around his waist trembled in response to his mood.
"The Supreme One is waiting."
If Wenzhong had decided to kill Shiyue, Shiyue's head could have fallen to the ground right now.
Shiyue knew well that Wenzhong was greatly angry with him.
But even if his head were to fall right now, Shiyue would never regret his actions.
"Hmph."
Wenzhong, feeling no change in Shiyue's emotions, ignored his greeting as if he were displeased and moved his feet.
"I greet the Black Qilin!"
The martial artists in black martial arts uniforms, who had filled the road centered on the Black Path Under Heaven Road, immediately raised their voices as Wenzhong appeared.
"What a noisy preparation."
Wenzhong walked up the stairs along the main road.
And when he reached the door of the Mojon Hall, the main hall of the Black Contemplation Fortress located at the end of the main road, familiar faces began to come into his eyes.
The comrades and subordinates who had fought for the unification of the Xian martial world under the flag of the Black Contemplation Fortress in the past were all looking at Wenzhong's return with emotional eyes.
Wenzhong, among them, looked at a boy who was clearly in his two eyes.
'Jeshin...'
Although a lot of time had passed since he had left, he could recognize his nephew, Jeshin, at a glance.
Although he had not yet completely shed his childishness, Jeshin had grown up to be as dignified and splendid as he had imagined.
And...
Flutter!
In the center of the main hall of the Black Contemplation Fortress, that man was standing.
As he fluttered the sleeves of his long robe, even the wind that was blowing around held its breath.
The splendid robe with a black dragon embroidered on it and the hairpin modeled after a crouching dragon emitted a radiance even in the cloudy sky.
His dark red skin and large, clear features showed his mountain-like stubbornness and tenacity.
The Lord of the Black Contemplation Fortress.
Mo Guangdi, Jeul.
He could not wait for Wenzhong and flew to meet him.
"I greet the Lord of the Black Contemplation Fortress."
As Wenzhong cupped his fists, Jeul slowly stroked his black, bushy beard.
"You've really come back."
Whether it was joy or disappointment, there was no emotion in his voice.
Therefore, a complex emotion was also in Wenzhong's face as he looked at Mo Guangdi.
This was because he was also in the same state of mind as Jeul was now.
Privately, he was a comrade who had had the dream of the evil path under heaven, and he was also the husband of his younger sister.
But publicly, he was the supreme one of the Black Contemplation Fortress and his lord.
And he was the biggest threat that could shake his position.
If they had met in a normal life, not as martial artists, they would have been the best of friends and family in the world.
Drip... drip...
Raindrops finally began to fall from the cloudy sky.
As Jeul was hit by the rain, the subordinates who were attending to him hurriedly ran with umbrellas, but Jeul raised his hand and blocked their approach.
Wenzhong and Jeul.
Within a distance of about ten zhang, no one other than the two of them approached.
Even if curiosity arose, there was no one with the guts to disrespectfully eavesdrop on the conversation of the two.
The martial artists of the Black Contemplation Fortress held their breath and watched the reunion of the two giants.
"Have you changed your mind?"
There was only one reason why he, who had abandoned everything and chosen seclusion, would suddenly visit the Black Contemplation Fortress.
"There is no change in my thoughts."
"And yet you came back. That means you've made up your mind."
"..."
"You're going to help Jeshin, even if it means turning me into an enemy?"
In order to leave Xian and aim for the martial world of the world, the Black Contemplation Fortress was at a time when it had to enter a period of stability.
Centered on the first, Jejeong, the elders and masters of the Black Contemplation Fortress were already preparing a new history, and that was the blueprint for the future of the Black Contemplation Fortress.
"In any case, aren't you someone who doesn't care who succeeds the Black Contemplation Fortress?"
Both Jejeong and Jeshin were outstanding martial talents.
Although both were Jeul's children, for Jeul, there was no need for two children.
Wasn't that why he had been so harsh to Jeshin's mother and had made an enemy of the Black Qilin, who was one of the pillars of the Black Contemplation Fortress?
"The Black Contemplation Fortress only needs one supreme one."
"When Shini was in the womb, I promised to protect her, and now that time has come."
Wenzhong, at the thought of the past, felt his hair stand on end without realizing it.
When he learned that the child in his sister's womb was a boy, Jeul had tried to get rid of the child without hesitation.
"If you interfere, I have no choice but to take it as a challenge to me."
"You yielded to me then. Are you confident this time?"
At Wenzhong's provocative question, a black powerful qi shot up high into the sky from around Jeul's body in an instant.
Tssss!
The powerful qi, as if a black dragon were ascending in the rain, swirled with the clouds and the rain and wind.
The Ten Variations True Art of Mo Guangdi is like Mount Tai in its power, and its changes are so divine that it is hard to find an opponent.
Although a black energy was overflowing in Jeul's two eyes and scattering a powerful qi around, Wenzhong did not even bat an eye.
"I taught the Ten Variations True Art to Shin."
"..."
"Don't interfere. The supreme one of the Black Contemplation Fortress is not made, but is won by oneself."
"That is, if the conditions are equal."
Wenzhong straightened his bent back and stood up.
On Wenzhong's forehead, there was a large scar that looked like a red eye.
"Your intention is not important to me. Jeshin will become the lord of the Black Contemplation Fortress, and if he wishes, he will ascend to the throne of the supreme of the martial world."
* * *
"It's raining."
Even the thick fog of the Hermit's Valley, which not even a bird could pass through, could not block the raindrops falling from the sky.
The Sea Isle Sect, the Mountain Peak Sect, and the Non-Duality Gate.
The three forces of the Hermit's Valley protected their respective territories and forbade each other from invading each other's territories.
But there was only one place, a neutral place called the Haxia Tower, to resolve disputes between them.
And now, in the pouring rain, the two people who could be said to be the leaders of the Sea Isle Sect and the Mountain Peak Sect were standing in that place.
"You're being sentimental, unlike yourself, Cult Master."
"Do you still call me Cult Master, Taoist?"
The Taoist Lingbao snorted.
"We're not close, and if I don't call a cult master a cult master, what should I call him?"
"That's true too."
The two savored the tea on the table.
Tongtian was quite surprised by the Taoist Lingbao's contact.
Considering that they were on bad terms, it was by no means an ordinary matter for them to meet alone like this, and so suddenly.
"After today, I plan to leave the Hermit's Valley."
Tongtian put down the tea he was drinking and chewed on the Taoist Lingbao's words for a moment.
Since they were not on such good terms as to make a joke so seriously, those words meant that it was true.
"May I ask why?"
"Since the Black Qilin of the Sea Isle Sect has gone out into the martial world, it will be a great source of trouble. Shouldn't I go out and quell the worries of the martial world?"
It had been a long time since the Black Qilin had left the Hermit's Valley, so to talk about this now did not make sense.
Whatever the reason, the fact that he was leaving the Hermit's Valley was not a bad story for Tongtian either.
"What about Old Ancestor Hongjun?"
"I've already met him."
The fact that he had met Hongjun and was leaving the Hermit's Valley meant that the Taoist Lingbao had given something to Hongjun.
Since it could by no means be light, something that was enough to break the Taoist Lingbao's seclusion had happened without his knowledge.
"He... was building a huge tower."
"You saw it?"
"Perhaps that is the God-Sealing Plan that Old Ancestor Hongjun mentioned..."
Tongtian had also once witnessed something coming out of the body of the dead Butterfly Scholar and soaring high into the sky and disappearing.
Unbelievably, it was clear that Hongjun was building a tower according to his plan.
"Unlike Hongjun's words, that tower is probably not aimed only at the Non-Duality Gate."
"Immeasurable Buddha... were you so naive as to believe that old monster, Cult Master?"
"Hoho... that's not it, but..."
"In the end, a great cause requires sacrifice. Didn't you turn a blind eye to Old Ancestor Hongjun's plan with that in mind from the beginning?"
The Taoist Lingbao's words were right.
The fact that the energy of the Hermit's Valley was gradually getting stronger as the years went by was something that everyone who had stayed here for a long time was feeling.
And they also knew that it would by no means be a benefit to the world.
To permanently block the Hermit's Valley and eliminate the worries of the Central Plains.
That was the thought of the masters of the Central Plains, who had surpassed righteousness, evil, and the demonic path.
"I'll have to be more strict from now on."
Regarding the God-Sealing Platform and the God-Sealing Plan, only a very few of the elder-level figures of the Mountain Peak and the Sea Isle had shared information with each other.
In particular, since the Sea Isle Sect had many people from the evil heretical path, there might be those who would interfere with this.
"If you go out into the Central Plains, a fierce wind will surely blow, so please be careful."
"Is the cult master of the Manifest Demon Cult worrying about a Taoist of Zhongnan? Hoho! To think that this strange place would even move a person's heart."
The Taoist Lingbao swallowed the remaining tea in one go and wiped the corner of his mouth with his sleeve.
"Even if I'm not here, you shouldn't cheat."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean Agong. If I'm not here, he will be more influenced by the cult master, so I'm saying you should keep the line since he is a joint disciple."
"Was there such a rule?"
"Hmph! I knew you would be like that, so I took measures in advance."
At the Taoist Lingbao's words, fine wrinkles formed on Tongtian's nose.
This was because a clear confidence was seen in the words of the insidious old fox, who said he had taken measures.
"What did you do?"
"I left the understanding of the Nine Gates Harmonious Heart Art in the child's head."
"What a useless thing to do!"
If he had forcibly left the understanding in a child who was not ready, he might dream of a state he could not reach and be stuck in the same place forever, or if he was not careful, he could even become an idiot.
"It's obvious that he'll learn one strange martial art after another when I'm not here. Did you think I wouldn't know that the cult master was doing something?"
Even so, to have passed on the understanding that he would pass on to his direct disciple was the same as passing on his own mantle.
"Are you going to be like this until the end?"
"When the child grows up, he will know which divine art is superior, the Nine Gates Harmonious Heart Art or the Manifest Demon True Art."
At the Taoist Lingbao's confident voice, Tongtian snorted.
How could a state achieved through non-desire and restraint be great?
"You'll have to be safe until you see the results, even if you go out into the martial world."
Unlike the initial concern, this time, there was a sting in his words.
"Don't worry. I'll be waiting for that day. What could happen to me?"
"Perhaps I should have broken my seclusion and gone out into the martial world again."
After the sharp conversation ended, Tongtian and the Taoist Lingbao looked at each other for a moment without a word.
They had been enemies for decades, had growled at each other even in the Hermit's Valley, where they had retired from the martial world, and had considered each other as rivals for almost half their lives.
Now, their contest would be passed on to the next generation. Agong had no idea what a grueling contest he had gotten himself into.
(End of Chapter)