Chapter 146 : Hidden Space
Chapter 146: Hidden Space
After the Yeonryuk Merchant Guild Incident, the Martial Alliance was swept up in shock and could hardly pull itself out of it.
The reason was the shocking result that even the masters raised under the Kongtong Successor Cultivation Plan— the very plan that had instilled confidence in them— had been defeated in their confrontation with the Bright Cult.
Of course, since no actual battle had broken out, there had been no human losses, but that did not change the fact that they had been defeated.
Moreover, the truth they had learned in the process was rather brutal.
The number of Manifestation Realm masters within the Bright Cult had increased.
It was something that had once appeared in reports brought in by their spies.
At the time, however, it had only caused confusion and had been dismissed as lacking credibility.
But through the Bright Cult masters they encountered at the Yeonryuk Merchant Guild, it was confirmed that the number of Manifestation Realm experts had indeed grown.
That meant the Bright Cult had effortlessly overturned the achievements the Martial Alliance had gained through the Kongtong Successor Cultivation Plan.
Whenever an organization faced an obstacle, some would try to break through it or leap over it. Others, however, would argue over responsibility, designate someone to take the blame, and heap the entire fault of the matter upon that person.
Naturally, the problematic issue would then be discarded.
If they continued to keep it and tried to improve it, it would cling to them relentlessly until it was proven successful, remaining a constant source of criticism.
Those who bore even the slightest responsibility for the matter did not want such a process.
After finally settling the matter of responsibility, leaving something that could stain their names would be foolish.
In that sense, the Martial Alliance Council of Elders, having placed the blame on the Strategist, immediately abolished the Kongtong Successor Cultivation Plan.
The masters and Younger Generation Talents who had gathered were ordered to return to their respective sects.
Of course, they did not forget to include a brutal warning: if, after returning to their own sects, they were to leak the martial arts of other sects that they had learned through the Kongtong Successor Cultivation Plan, they would be designated enemies of the Hundred Paths and inevitably killed.
The masters of the Kongtong Successor Cultivation Plan who received the written order bearing that warning were steeped in a heavy mood.
“If we return like this, there will be no more opportunities.”
At the words of Changmyeongja, who had participated as a Younger Generation Talent from Wudang, all eyes gathered on him.
Facing his comrades who looked at him, Changmyeongja continued.
“If the road is rough, fix your shoes and wear them properly. If the hill is high, take a deep breath. If hardship comes, do not give up— press on even harder. That is what my late master often told me.”
Changmyeongja’s master was the Taiji Sword Emperor of Wudang.
To the Hundred Paths, it was a painful name.
From the glory of the Hundred Paths, he had become a symbol of defeat overnight.
And now it was his disciple who spoke those words.
Their hearts could not help but grow heavy.
Among them, the Taiqing Pavilion Lord of the Kunlun Sect stepped forward.
“I know that if we retreat, it will be difficult to plan for the future. But the command has come down from above. Is this not something we cannot refuse?”
“We must refuse.”
The voice was youthful.
It was Hwangbo Giyeon, the youngest among the Younger Generation Talents.
Among the Six Great Clans, if one were to name the clan where obedience to elders’ commands was the strongest principle, it would naturally be the Hwangbo Clan.
That such words came from Hwangbo Giyeon, who had been born and raised there, made everyone’s eyes widen.
To those startled gazes, Hwangbo Giyeon added something even more startling.
“A man, when he sees what must be done, ought to advance without fear. That is what I was taught. But… ever since returning from the Yeonryuk Merchant Guild, I have not been able to sleep. Was it truly right for us to retreat like that? I ask myself that question every single day.”
At his words, quite a few faces flushed red.
Especially among the masters of the Manifestation Realm and the Transcendent Realm.
Looking back, they could not help but think, ‘Did we truly have to return alive?’
If they had fought, defeat would have been certain.
Setting aside the Iron Demon and the Profound Demon, who had appeared to be in the Manifestation Realm, they could not even guarantee they could overcome the Vice Cult Leader.
But…
The one who understood the danger of such thoughts better than anyone, the Ghost Immortal, forcibly shook off his regret and stepped forward.
“Do not forget the reason we had to return. We did not return merely so that we alone might survive.”
“I know. Had a battle broken out then, it would likely have escalated into the White Horse War.”
It was as Namgung Changyeon, who had participated as a Younger Generation Talent of the Namgung Clan, said.
Whether the Bright Cult would have used it as a pretext to push in, or whether the Hundred Paths Alliance would have failed to endure it, war would have broken out.
As the regret in their expressions began to fade upon rediscovering their own reasons for returning, Namgung Changyeon continued.
“But what about now?”
The others looked at him as if asking what he meant.
“Traitors who defied the order of the Martial Alliance and acted independently against the commands of our sects. Would our deaths become a justification for the Bright Cult to wage war? Would they become a reason for the Hundred Paths to rush out in fury?”
“Why, then, must we choose a death that serves no such purpose?”
To the Ghost Immortal’s question, Namgung Changyeon answered.
“Because we are martial artists. By that alone, the souls of the Hundred Paths who died will know that we are still alive.”
Hwangbo Giyeon continued where he left off.
“The Hundred Paths are drenched in a sense of defeat. Now, at the mere sight of the Bright Cult, they first look for a way to flee. Just as we did.”
Silence swept through the surroundings.
The word ‘flee’ cut deeply into their hearts.
No matter how many reasons they gave— the harm to innocents, the necessity of preventing war, and countless others— they could not refute the fact that it had been ‘fleeing.’
Looking at them, Changmyeongja stepped forward.
“To turn one’s back without even drawing one’s sword before the enemy out of fear of death is a disgrace greater than death for a martial artist.”
Shock filled their eyes.
It was as if he were condemning them all for having turned their backs at the Yeonryuk Merchant Guild.
Yet none stepped forward to justify why it had been necessary, nor to protest that his words were excessive.
For the words Changmyeongja had just spoken were those of the Number One of the Hundred Paths— the Taiji Sword Emperor of Wudang— who had been slain by the Vice Cult Leader.
According to those words, they had chosen disgrace.
To those who could not utter a single word, Changmyeongja spoke again.
“If you realize it late, do not hesitate. Otherwise, it will only be later still. That too is something my master often said. Clinging to those words that came to me belatedly, I now rise— even at this late hour— to wash away this disgrace. Together with my comrades.”
At those words, the Younger Generation Talents stepped to Changmyeongja’s side.
Judging by the situation, it seemed that there had been prior discussion among them.
The masters of each sect looked on with flustered eyes. Facing them, Changmyeongja continued.
“I earnestly ask you, seniors. Will you not come with us to wash away this disgrace?”
No one could answer.
Among those masters, the Ghost Immortal stepped forward.
“If you go, there will be nothing but death. Most likely a dog’s death without even inflicting proper damage upon the enemy.”
“If we turn away and survive, will we truly live well? Is it enough to simply remain alive, bearing disgrace and shame for the rest of our lives?”
Even the Ghost Immortal could not respond.
Looking at the silent masters, Changmyeongja said,
“Even if you do not come with us, we will go. If you try to stop us, we will draw our swords even here.”
In other words, they were willing to resort to armed resistance.
Their opponents were the strongest masters of each sect, including those in the Manifestation Realm and the Transcendent Realm.
Though they could never win, the fact that they still declared such intent meant only one thing.
They had already resolved themselves to die.
The Heavenly Flower Sword King, who had been quietly watching the Younger Generation Talents, rose with his sword in hand.
Looking at the masters who turned toward him, the Heavenly Flower Sword King spoke.
“Setting everything else aside, it’s because I’m ashamed. While the children were saying such things, I wondered what I had been doing. Let’s go die. If my death can restore the spirit of the Hundred Paths, what is there to regret?”
At his words, the Azure Dragon Sword King stepped to his side.
“Let’s do it. To be honest, beyond shame or anything else, my heart is pounding. We should follow what our hearts command. Isn’t that why we became martial artists?”
Of the three Manifestation Realm masters produced by the Kongtong Successor Cultivation Plan, two had stepped forward. Naturally, all eyes turned to the remaining one— the Unyeon Dharma King.
Under the gathered gazes, the Unyeon Dharma King suddenly stood, removed his kasaya, neatly folded it, and bowed.
Among the Younger Generation Talents watching him, cries of alarm burst out.
“S-Sabek!”
At the shout from a Younger Generation Talent of Shaolin, the Unyeon Dharma King turned and spoke.
“Sabek? Who are you calling Sabek? I have just broken my vows. I am no longer a monk of Shaolin.”
He looked at those who stared at him in confusion and continued.
“What could a vow-breaking bald monk not do? They will just say I grew weary of the world and wished to die. Let us go. When it comes to dying, isn’t it fitting for a bald monk to take the lead?”
Only then did faint smiles appear at the corners of the Heavenly Flower Sword King’s and the Azure Dragon Sword King’s lips.
To open the path of killing without an order from one’s sect, and not even to protect someone’s life—
For a Buddhist martial monk, it was forbidden.
The only way to escape that prohibition—
Was to break one’s vows.
To leave the Buddhist path.
The Unyeon Dharma King had put it into action.
Following him, a Younger Generation Talent of Shaolin stepped forward. Then a Younger Generation Talent of Mount Emei. And finally, a master who had come from Mount Emei joined them as well.
With even the Buddhist martial artists declaring their full participation, the resolve of those who had taken part in the Kongtong Successor Cultivation Plan hardened completely.
Watching them, the Ghost Immortal could no longer step forward.
If their deaths would not escalate into the White Horse War and would instead revive the spirit of the Hundred Paths, then he had to admit he neither could nor should stop them.
That day, every participant in the Martial Alliance’s Kongtong Successor Cultivation Plan departed without orders from above.
It was one thing for the Manifestation Realm and Transcendent Realm masters to do so, but the fact that a considerable number of Younger Generation Talents had also slipped away meant the Gate Guards were severely punished for failing to notice.
In particular, the Gate Guards assigned to the West Gate— the route used by those of the Kongtong Successor Cultivation Plan— were relieved of duty and placed under inspection.
Had they been martial artists directly under the Martial Alliance, it would have been such a grave mistake that one or two on-site supervisors would have immediately lost their heads.
That it was limited to inspection was because those guarding the West Gate had been martial artists dispatched from the Zhuge Clan.
In the case of dispatched martial artists, the rules stated that once the Martial Alliance notified the respective sect of the inspection results, that sect would carry out the punishment based on those findings.
The wall that had sealed off from the world a space covered in the pale corpses of the dead and an indescribable stench opened, and sunlight streamed inside.
At once, a low growl echoed from the darkness in the corner.
Even in such a situation— one that would not be strange for someone to fall into fear— the man who entered with the sunlight at his back showed no reaction.
Even the eyes visible above the gauze veil covering his face did not waver.
From that veiled man came a voice.
“I have procured new feed. Remove the corpses first, then bring in the new feed.”
At his words, the one who stepped forward from the darkness was the Man-Sa Calamity Emperor.
“Heh heh heh. So our collaborator has come. Did it take long this time?”
“There were those who might have noticed this place.”
“Noticed? Didn’t you say that unless one is in the Manifestation Realm, they couldn’t sense the aura within even if they stood at the door?”
“That was precisely the problem. There were Manifestation Realm masters among them.”
“Manifestation Realm? The Martial Alliance has Manifestation Realm masters?”
“It does. As many as three.”
At the mention that there had been Manifestation Realm masters— and three at that— the Man-Sa Calamity Emperor’s eyes widened in surprise.
The veiled man looked at him indifferently and continued.
“Of course, they have now all gone off in search of a place to die.”
“A place to die?”
“They went to strike the Bright Cult.”
“Heh heh heh. Are those mad raccoons of the Hundred Paths starting the White Horse War?”
“Hardly.”
At the veiled man’s answer, the Man-Sa Calamity Emperor asked,
“Then…?”
“It is an independent action. Because of that, the Martial Alliance is currently discussing their expulsion.”
While the two conversed, a group of martial artists with gauze veils covering their faces, like the man, entered and dragged out the rotting corpses, cleaning the surroundings.
And then—
People stained with fear were driven into the space as if being herded.
Turning toward them, the veiled man said,
“May it be a pleasant time.”
Leaving only those words, he turned to depart when the voice of the Man-Sa Calamity Emperor sounded behind him.
“Locking it again?”
“It is our agreement.”
Without even turning his body, the veiled man answered from his back. The Man-Sa Calamity Emperor let out a sinister laugh.
“Heh heh heh. Our agreement. Very well, lock it. The day we walk out of here, you will be the first I tear to pieces.”
“That, too, is part of the agreement.”
With those words, the veiled man exited the space, and with the grinding sound of mechanisms, the door shut.
The space, deprived of sunlight, grew dark.
But it was not pitch-black.
Embedded in the ceiling was a priceless luminous pearl— worth more than enough to purchase an entire grand tiled mansion in the marketplace— casting its glow throughout the chamber.
As their eyes adjusted to the light of the luminous pearl, the interior was revealed.
Only then did the people spot, crouched in the corner, a Blood Corpse with crimson eyes and bared fangs.
Screams burst from their mouths.
“Aaaah!”
As if that were a signal, the Blood Corpse lunged.