Chapter 203
The temporary Martial Alliance headquarters in Sichuan.
The Alliance Leader, Beili Tian, and the Chief Strategist, Sima Hui, were looking down at the training ground from under the large window of the Alliance Leader's Hall.
In the huge training ground, martial artists gathered from all over the country were assembled. All preparations for a clash with the Demonic Cult at any moment were complete.
"Hey, Sima Hui."
Sima Hui looked at Beili Tian with strange eyes.
Why was the Alliance Leader, who always called him Chief Strategist, calling him by his name?
"Yes, Alliance Leader."
"If a battle with the Demonic Cult breaks out, I will stand at the forefront this time. I plan to run towards the west in front of my juniors."
"..."
Sima Hui did not answer.
In fact, it was something he should have immediately opposed. A master of Beili Tian's level, and a person with the symbolism of the Alliance Leader, was someone who should watch the situation after a war broke out and be deployed at the most appropriate time.
But the Alliance Leader's gaze was more determined than ever.
So that's why he called me by my name.
Right now, Beili Tian was speaking to Sima Hui not as the Alliance Leader, but as a single martial artist.
"I no longer want to witness the deaths of my juniors in this small office. Yes, I am not the material for an Alliance Leader. It suits me to fight at the forefront more than anyone else, just as the White Flower Sword Immortal, senior, did."
Sima Hui thought for a moment.
How could he not know the Alliance Leader's heart? Since he was Sima Hui, who had been by his side for a long time.
"What if the Alliance Leader dies?"
"Someone else will become the Alliance Leader."
"If the Wudang Sword Immortal, senior, becomes the Alliance Leader, the unity of the Martial Alliance will weaken. Because he is a person who always thinks only of Wudang."
"Is he the only one? There are other people, aren't there?"
"Who? The Sword King, senior? The Poison King, senior?"
Beili Tian thought of the Martial Alliance with the Sword King and the Poison King as the Alliance Leader in turn.
The Sword King was a person who wandered all over the world as if he had a wandering star in his life. He was rarely at the Namgung family, so wasn't it his younger sister, the Sword Princess, who was acting as the actual family head?
If he became the Alliance Leader, the Martial Alliance would be greatly shaken.
"Isn't the Poison King a little better?"
"He will start a war with the Black Plaque Star as soon as the war with the Demonic Cult is over. The Poisonous Hand, who has become an elder of the Alliance, will welcome it with open arms."
"..."
The people of the Tang family were originally like that.
For a righteous path, they were so belligerent and cruel that they were sometimes called a righteous-evil sect.
"T-there are other people, aren't there? For example, Woojin..."
"So, where is Alliance Member Cheon now?"
"..."
Beili Tian closed his mouth.
If the Sword King wandered the world as if he had a wandering star, Cheon Woojin, beyond just wandering, would always cause a big incident.
When he went out and came back, the head of a renowned person in the martial world of the time would fall. Although it was a very excellent attitude for a martial artist of the Orthodox Path to act as a chivalrous hero, the Alliance Leader should not do so.
"Still, wouldn't it be fine if you helped him well from the side?"
"How can I handle Alliance Member Cheon? Even now, as a mere commander, he is at a level I cannot control, so what would it be like if he became the Alliance Leader? By the way, are you perhaps thinking of stepping down from the position of Alliance Leader?"
"I wonder."
Beili Tian once again cast a strange gaze out the window. The martial artists of the righteous path who had gathered from all over the country, saying that they would annihilate the Demonic Cult.
Beili Tian was a person who wanted to be mixed with the martial artists there, not in this small office.
"Well, will the world go as I want? I just follow the flow."
He was full of will to abandon his position at any time if a new material for an Alliance Leader appeared.
By the time the Chief Strategist, who had sensed this, let out a sigh.
"U-urgent news!"
A hurried voice was heard from outside.
The Alliance Leader and the Chief Strategist exchanged anxious glances for a moment.
A situation where a final battle with the Demonic Cult was imminent. If it was urgent news at this time, there was no possibility that it would be good news.
"Come in."
The strategist who had rushed in held out a small letter to the two. When the Alliance Leader yielded, the Chief Strategist took the letter and began to read it.
"W-what is this..."
The Chief Strategist was rarely flustered.
Soon, the Alliance Leader, who had confirmed the contents of the letter from the side, also showed a similar reaction.
"G-going to the Demonic Cult?"
It was a letter from none other than the Emotionless Guest, Cheon Woojin.
The request and plan of the Second Young Master and the Jin family head were described in detail, and a question was written asking if it would be alright for him to go.
"Of course not!"
The Chief Strategist shouted as if having a seizure.
How could he go to the Demonic Cult alone at this time?
Even if the Jin family helped, it was a crazy thing to do, and there was no guarantee that they would not betray him.
"S-send a message saying no at once! Tell him to come back right away!"
"Yes, yes!"
By the time the strategist was about to go out in a hurry again.
Following that, another shout was heard from outside.
"Urgent news!"
Urgent news that came in succession.
The Alliance Leader and the Chief Strategist looked at each other.
Soon, when permission was given, a second strategist came in, and the letter he handed over was truly shocking.
- I've thought about it, and I'll just go. Then, please rest.
The Chief Strategist was at a loss for words.
Rest?
Does he mean that I should collapse from a fit of anger and rest forever?
Thinking this, he just let out a dry laugh, 'Heh heh heh'.
In the meantime, the Beili Tian Alliance Leader, who was next to him, felt a sense of envy along with his worry. A chivalrous hero who could roam the world so freely. Wasn't that the image he had always dreamed of?
In his youth, when he had lived freely, he had not known how grateful that was. Of course, this restrictive life had also taught him a lot.
'It was a pretty good experience. Woojin, you should also suffer... no, experience it once.'
It seemed that he would have to step down from the position of Alliance Leader soon.
It was a clear fact that the Martial Alliance would become chaotic no matter who among the Wudang Sword Immortal, the Sword King, or the Poison King became the Alliance Leader.
The Alliance Leader must be Cheon Woojin. Of course, there was only one person in the world who could help him become a great Alliance Leader.
The Alliance Leader placed his hand on the Chief Strategist's shoulder.
"You'll have a lot to do in the future."
"Yes, I suppose so. I'll convene a grand meeting first. It seems we don't have to worry about a clash with the Demonic Cult right away."
The Chief Strategist, who had said so, immediately issued a summons to all the leaders of the Martial Alliance. Without knowing that there was another meaning to the words 'you'll have a lot to do'.
* * *
A carriage was rushing down a mountain path.
The carriage was large enough to carry four or five people, but it was being pulled by a single black horse. Considering that a carriage of this size was usually pulled by four horses, it was truly a surprising thing.
The Jin Blood Horse.
It was one of the three great horses of the Demonic Cult. It was basically a black horse, but since it emitted a faint red luster when it received sunlight, it was given the name of the Jin family's blood horse.
Although they were running on a rough mountain path, the inside of the carriage was calm.
The Jin family head's calm explanation continued.
"The Second Young Master has given up on becoming the cult leader. So he called you, the Emotionless Guest. Because a person who has received the help of a righteous path person cannot become the cult leader."
"I've already had a conversation with the Second Young Master about this."
The Jin family head, who had nodded, explained the things that had happened in the Demonic Cult.
From the time the Second Young Master's forces headed for the Demonic Cult Hall, to the time the Fifth Young Master took off his mask and showed his presence and martial prowess.
The unusual martial prowess that his unknown guard had shown.
The Fifth Young Master had become the young cult leader, and most of those who had been with the Second Young Master had gone to prison or had been purged.
"The Jin family head was not imprisoned or killed."
"It's because I'm the head of the Six Demonic Families. The current young cult leader could dispose of me if he wanted to, but the other heads of the Six Demonic Families would rebel."
In other words, it meant that there was a political burden, but for some reason, his tone seemed very resentful.
Cheon Woojin nodded.
"I didn't mean anything by it. There's no need to make excuses."
"Ahem, anyway, the young cult leader is really strong. You'll be able to tell if you think about who the martial artists who were there were. I have only seen the deceased cult leader overwhelm so many masters."
The leaders and top masters of the Demonic Cult had all prostrated themselves on the ground in front of a single person.
This was truly something that only the cult leader could do.
The Jin family head looked very worried. He had even brought in the Emotionless Guest, but if the plan failed, not only himself and his son, the Second Young Master, but the Jin family itself would be annihilated.
"The fate of our entire family is on the line in this matter."
"I'm not interested."
"..."
The Jin family head had an embarrassed expression.
Well, what interest would the Emotionless Guest, who was a righteous path person, have in the Jin family?
He thought that he had said something unnecessary because he was anxious.
"When is the succession ceremony?"
The young cult leader of the Demonic Cult would become the official cult leader by consuming the Demonic Cult Soul left by the previous cult leaders. This was called the succession ceremony, and the Jin family head said that that was the only chance.
"It will be held in the Demonic Cult Hall in seven days. No matter how strong the young cult leader is, he will be defenseless at the moment he performs the Demonic Cult Soul Transfer Grand Art."
When inheriting the legacy of the previous cult leaders, he could not do anything else. In theory, he had to temporarily put down all his ki and even completely shut down all his senses. It was like opening his entire body wide to fully accept the external power.
"Of course, the guard of the protection court will be the tightest at that time. They will have already identified all the masters who could be a danger and will be perfectly observing their movements."
To break through that guard and even try to attack, one had to be at least a master of Heaven Beyond Heaven. But the masters of the Demonic Cult would all be under the surveillance of the protection court.
In the end, to carry out the plan, he had to borrow external power.
"There are many who know the nickname of the Emotionless Guest, but not his face. In addition, I will have you disguise yourself and create a new identity, and somehow have you attend the succession ceremony with me."
The plan was simple.
It was the Jin family's ability to bring Cheon Woojin there. Also, it was Cheon Woojin's ability to break through the tight guard and kill the young cult leader when the grand art was in progress.
They had no choice but to trust each other.
"I understand."
By the time Cheon Woojin nodded.
The carriage pulled by the Jin Blood Horse was sucked into a cave.
It was an underground passage that the Jin family had prepared a long time ago, and it could directly enter the family without going through the inner and outer courts of the Demonic Cult.
* * *
The inner court of the Demonic Cult, the Jin family.
A righteous path person had set foot in that place, which was as large and luxuriously decorated as the Five Great Families of the Central Plains, for the first time in history.
Even more so, he was sitting opposite the family head in the family head's hall, which was located in the innermost part, and was drinking tea.
"Stay here until the succession ceremony begins. In the meantime, our family will do everything you want."
Although it was a family that had been pushed out of the cult leader succession race, the Jin family was still one of the Six Demonic Families that had continued its tradition for hundreds of years.
Cheon Woojin, who had nodded, said.
"If the Fifth Young Master dies, who will become the cult leader?"
"...A new young master will be chosen, and a bloody war will break out within the cult. We will not be able to avoid closing our gates for at least ten years. I don't know who will become the cult leader, but it will be better than the Moon Emperor being in that position."
The Jin family, including the Second Young Master, truly thought so.
They, unlike other Demonic Cult members, aimed for peace.
Others cursed the Jin family as hypocrites, but it could not be denied that whenever a cult leader from the Jin family came to power, the power of the Demonic Cult soared to the heavens.
As someone said, it was not that they were imitating the righteous path guys, but it was just their demonic path.
"We can't just watch the worst happen in front of our eyes because we're afraid of an uncertain future."
Cheon Woojin nodded at the Jin family head's words.
In any case, the person who called himself the Moon Emperor seemed to be a very belligerent and dangerous person, even to the Demonic Cult members.
It was obvious what would happen if such a person became the cult leader. In fact, the Martial Alliance was preparing for a final battle as soon as they heard that he had come to power.
"Family Head, I have one question."
The Jin family head put down his teacup and took a listening attitude. For some reason, he felt nervous.
Soon, Cheon Woojin asked nonchalantly.
"If I kill him in that place, I will be standing alone in the middle of the Demonic Cult. If the family head and the Second Young Master betray me at that time, I will be surrounded by enemies. What should I see to trust you?"
Although he had said so, there was not a hint of fear in his voice.
A person who had charged into the Demonic Cult alone in the first place would not be afraid of such a situation.
The Jin family head also knew this.
'He's asking me to show him my heart.'
After thinking for a moment, he nodded and said.
"If you wish, I will eat a gu poison. If you kill the young cult leader, I will also risk my life to get you out of the cult."
"If I had known in advance, I would have gotten a gu poison from the Poison King, senior."
At those words, the Jin family head flinched.
Soon, Cheon Woojin suddenly extended his hand. The startled Jin family head hurriedly tried to get up, but his wrist was caught before that.
Although it was just a light move, the Jin family head realized that the opponent's realm was a place he could not fathom.
"W-what are you doing?"
"Instead of a gu poison."
In an instant, the Jin family head felt something unpleasant enter his body through his wrist. That ominous ki instantly rode the ki meridians and settled in his dantian.
It was something that had happened in an instant.
The Jin family head instinctively operated his demonic ki and wrapped the ki that had invaded from the outside in a circle.
It was a technique to prevent the poison or the opponent's ki that had entered from the outside from affecting his own body.
"...What is this."
"It's a kind of gu poison. In ten days, that ki will explode. I've dealt with a thunderclap bomb before, and it will be at least a bigger explosion than that."
"..."
The Jin family head, who had imagined a thunderclap bomb exploding in his dantian, swallowed hard.
"Of course, you will never be able to scatter it until I release it. I will get rid of it after the work is done."
The Jin family head, who had tried to move the ki for a while, soon gave up. Although it was a ki the size of a fingernail, he could not move the dark heavenly ki.
"...I understand."
Soon, the Jin family head nodded.
He was sincere when he said he would eat a gu poison.
So he had no choice but to show his heart like this.
"Then rest."
It was when the Jin family head, who had given Cheon Woojin the family head's hall, was about to go out.
"Jin family head! Are you in!"
A very boisterous voice was heard from outside.
In an instant, the Jin family head's expression crumpled.
"...Of all times."
The owner of the voice was the grand elder of the Han family.
The Han family was the only one among the six demonic families of the time that had not produced a young master.
He was the Jin family head who knew his personality well.
To think that he would visit at a time like this.
"He's come to rub it in."
He had come to cruelly release his inferiority complex of not having produced a young master.
Of course, since the atmosphere of the Jin family was like a house of mourning, the retainers would have refused his visit on their own, but...
"Ahem! How long have I been friends with the Jin family head! Are you saying that you will treat me coldly when I have come to comfort the family head now!"
A continuous roar erupted from outside.
The retainers of the Jin family could not even hit him, so they were just at a loss.
Soon, the Jin family head, who had let out a sigh, went out.
.
.
.
"Hey, Jin family head!"
The Han family's elder, Han Wonbyeok, saw the Jin family head and smiled brightly. Soon, he strode forward and patted the family head's shoulder vigorously.
"I heard about the Second Young Master. You must be having a hard time. There will be no one else who knows your pain right now. Didn't I also lose my own brother recently?"
His own brother referred to Han Wonsang, who had been the Vice-Cult Leader.
The Jin family head cursed inwardly.
It was already famous that the Vice-Cult Leader and Han Wonbyeok were enemies. It was said that when he heard the news that the Vice-Cult Leader had died, Han Wonbyeok had invited his acquaintances and held a banquet.
"I'm not in a good mood today. I'll visit you again next time."
"Ahem, the more you are like that, the more dangerous it is to be cooped up in a corner of your room. Come on, let's go in. I've brought some good liquor since it's a special occasion."
Han Wonbyeok shook the liquor bottle with a very annoying smile.
He wondered how he could do this to a father who had sent his son to prison, but Han Wonbyeok was originally such a person.
"Hey, do you think the head of a family is a joke?"
The Jin family head rarely got serious.
Although he had been close with Han Wonbyeok since they were young, there was a difference in status between an elder and a family head.
But Han Wonbyeok just snorted.
"Haha, what's the big deal about being a family head in this situation? Stop talking nonsense and let's go in. This is really precious liquor."
The Jin family head was slowly reaching the limit of his patience.
The 'this situation' that he had just mentioned must have meant the situation where the young master, on whom the family had bet everything, was imprisoned.
Han Wonbyeok had already passed the Jin family head and was heading for the family head's hall. Even without anyone's permission.
The Jin family head, who was looking at that back view, could not hold it in and began to draw out his demonic ki. No, he was about to.
'Kkeuk!'
He almost screamed.
A moment ago, the gloomy ki that had been planted in his dantian was violently interfering with the operation of his demonic ki.
'No!'
The Jin family head sent a look to his retainers, telling them to stop Han Wonbyeok, who had already reached the family head's hall.
The Emotionless Guest is in there. To bring in a master of Heaven Beyond Heaven of the righteous path at this time was a grave crime that could lead to the annihilation of the family.
That guy Han Wonbyeok would never let this go.
He wanted to run up and grab him by the scruff of his neck and throw him, but he could not move his body properly due to the extreme pain.
Soon, the moment Han Wonbyeok grabbed the doorknob of the family head's hall.
The door swung open.
In an instant, Han Wonbyeok had a puzzled expression.
He had just put his hand on it, but why did it open?
Soon, a hand shot out from between the open doors.
"Huh?"
That hand grabbed Han Wonbyeok by the scruff of his neck.
It was a surprising thing, considering that Han Wonbyeok was also a master who had reached the peak as an elder of the Six Demonic Families.
Before he could even figure out what was going on.
The mysterious hand pulled Han Wonbyeok in.
Han Wonbyeok, who had been helplessly sucked in.
Soon, the firmly closed door.
By the time everyone, including the Jin family head, was blinking and looking at the door.
The sound of something breaking and shattering was heard continuously from inside.
(End of Chapter)