How the Vice Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult Lives

Chapter 149: An Ill-Suited Companionship

It was because he had rescued countless Martial Alliance martial artists in innumerable battles.

Though he could not win, it was thanks to his unique martial art that perfectly blocked the opponent’s attacks.

Well, it had been a martial art created to protect the Emperor, one that could not be pierced by any attack.

Jonggyu, the Martial Guardian who had mastered such an Iron Wall Strategy, was walking through the Martial Alliance at the break of dawn.

Though he was called the second-in-command of the Martial Alliance, the Martial Guardian, in truth he held no real power.

From the beginning, the position of Martial Guardian had been one that carried no authority.

It was merely a kind of honorary post granted to martial artists who came from the Martial Alliance itself.

Something like a token that said, ‘If you work hard, you too can rise to a high position.’

They had to at least encourage them in that way because all the high-ranking positions in the Martial Alliance were occupied by those from the Nine Sects or the Six Great Clans.

For that reason and others, those who sat in the seat of Martial Guardian were always mocked as tools of the great aristocratic families.

The current Martial Guardian, Jonggyu, was no different.

Even so, Jonggyu silently carried out his duties.

Like his predecessors, he remained in that position and became a central pillar for the Martial Alliance martial artists.

For that purpose, he walked the interior of the Martial Alliance from early dawn again today.

It was meant as a small source of strength—so that the martial artists who had struggled through the night defending the Alliance could look at him and take heart.

As Jonggyu walked through the Alliance grounds like that, his eyes suddenly widened as if they would tear apart.

It was because he had come face to face once more with someone whose face he had never forgotten, not even in his dreams.

“Y-You, h-how!”

Though the Martial Guardian had no real authority, he was granted the right to attend various banquets and meetings hosted by the Martial Alliance.

Thanks to that, Jonggyu had once stood face to face with Yul Han.

Not watching from afar like the other Alliance warriors, but seeing him right in front of his own eyes.

Perhaps because of that, even in the dim pre-dawn darkness, he recognized him immediately.

Realizing from Jonggyu’s reaction that he had been recognized, Yul Han did not hesitate.

From Jonggyu’s perspective, in the instant something flashed, the other had already rushed right up to him.

Startled, Jonggyu unleashed his Iron Wall Strategy.

But.

Thud!

The Iron Wall Strategy, which had never once been broken, was pierced in a single strike.

Catching the collapsing Jonggyu as he lost consciousness and fell limp, Yul Han walked as though he were merely supporting a drunken companion.

The Martial Alliance warriors who saw the two simply took it at face value.

The entire event had happened far too quickly for them to think that Yul Han had attacked and brought him down.

The moment the two brushed past each other, Jonggyu had already fallen.

But there was one person.

Hiding in a blind spot cast by the darkness, the Twin Might of the Moon Sword could not conceal his wide-open eyes as he watched everything.

It was not because he had witnessed some overwhelming divine art.

The attack he had seen had been nothing more than a simple strike.

And yet he was astonished because it had pierced in from a point where the defender could never move, at an angle from which a human arm could never possibly bend.

It was an attack that made it impossible to block even while clearly seeing it coming.

In that fleeting instant, the way he had chosen his position and seized a blind spot the opponent absolutely could not defend—

That was what shocked him.

Such ability was not something one could acquire simply by learning.

A mental voice transmission flew from Yul Han, who had performed that astonishing feat as naturally as breathing.

—How long do you intend to remain there?

Startled, the Twin Might of the Moon Sword hastily composed himself and moved after Yul Han, who had already gone some distance ahead.

Though unconscious, one could not move for long while carrying such a burden.

In the end, perhaps because it was dawn, Yul Han dragged the still-unconscious Jonggyu into one of the empty offices.

The Twin Might of the Moon Sword quickly followed him inside.

“If you’re going to kill him, finish it quickly……”

His voice trailed off. He had seen Yul Han strike Jonggyu’s pressure points to wake him.

In a situation like this, killing him to silence him would have been far more advantageous than reviving him. That was why he thought it unnecessary.

Because of that, as he looked on with displeasure, Jonggyu came to.

“Gasp!”

As soon as he awoke and sucked in a sharp breath, Yul Han spoke.

“You recognize me. You’re free to shout, but I doubt you’ll like the outcome.”

When someone spoke like that, killing intent filling both eyes, shouting—even if permitted—became difficult.

“I-I won’t shout. But why have you come here……?”

“I came to see the Strategist. Of course, after arriving here, I found myself with another purpose as well.”

“Why do you wish to see the Strategist? And what is this other purpose?”

At Jonggyu’s rapid-fire questions, the Twin Might of the Moon Sword stepped in.

“Do you intend to keep answering him like that? If you’re not going to kill him, strike his pressure points and toss him in a corner. Let’s go.”

At those words, confusion filled Jonggyu’s face.

To kill him or render him unconscious meant that whatever they were about to do would surely not be something beneficial to the Martial Alliance.

And then, to Jonggyu, an unexpected voice rang out.

“Is that really necessary? It would be nice to have an accomplice.”

“An accomplice…? You think that Martial Alliance dog will help us?!”

The Twin Might of the Moon Sword’s expression clearly said that was absurd. Yul Han raised a hand as if to tell him to wait a moment, then looked at Jonggyu.

“The choice is yours.”

“Are you telling me to do something that would harm the Martial Alliance!”

At the somewhat agitated Jonggyu, Yul Han asked,

“What do you think we are going to do that would cause harm?”

“Well, of course…….”

“Because we walk the Demonic Path and belong to the Unorthodox Factions, you assume we will do something wicked?”

“T-That’s…….”

“A prejudice.”

Whether it was criticism or mere lament, Jonggyu could not tell. At Yul Han’s words, he remained silent.

Yul Han continued,

“I received a letter today. The sender was the Strategist. I intend to meet him directly and confirm its authenticity.”

Jonggyu’s eyes widened at those words.

For the Strategist of the Martial Alliance to have sent a letter to the Vice Cult Leader of the Bright Cult—such a fact alone could invite death.

Of course, if it were an official letter, that would be another matter. But if something like that had happened, rumors would already have spread throughout the Orthodox factions.

Yet even Jonggyu, a high-ranking figure within the Martial Alliance—the very center of the Orthodox world—had never heard such a thing.

Therefore……

As suspicion deepened in Jonggyu’s gaze, Yul Han spoke.

“I have never colluded nor conducted under-the-table dealings. This was the first letter I have received. I understand that look. I came here because I could not believe it either.”

“May I ask what its contents were?”

“If you join us, you will naturally hear them.”

After all, he would be present when they met the Strategist.

Understanding the implication, Jonggyu’s gaze shifted to the Twin Might of the Moon Sword. It was as if he were asking, Why are you here?

Receiving that look, the Twin Might of the Moon Sword glared.

“You think I’d tell y—”

He did not finish. Yul Han’s voice cut in.

“It seems someone from the Hae-nam Sword Sect has entered this place. He says he is tracking the traces.”

The Twin Might of the Moon Sword’s expression clearly asked, Why reveal that? Yul Han replied,

“If we are to receive help while tracking traces, it is better that he knows.”

“There’s no way that bastard will guide—”

“I will. What shall we do first? The Strategist? Or the pursuit?”

At Jonggyu’s words, the Twin Might of the Moon Sword looked as though both of them had lost their minds.

With the sun fully risen and the surroundings brightly lit, the three walked through the Martial Alliance.

The Twin Might of the Moon Sword led in front, while Jonggyu and Yul Han—his hands clasped behind his back—followed behind.

Martial Alliance warriors stationed throughout the grounds hurriedly bowed their heads at the sight of Yul Han.

Then, startled and unsure why they had bowed, they lifted their heads—only to spot Jonggyu beside him and accept it without question.

If the Martial Guardian himself was following like an attendant, then the oppressive presence they had felt made sense.

In short, they judged him to be a high-ranking figure from one of the Nine Sects or Six Great Clans visiting the Martial Alliance—an extremely, extremely high-ranking martial artist.

The place they headed toward was a small mountain called Namsan, leaning against the western side of the Martial Alliance.

But Jonggyu stepped forward to block their path.

“That place is off-limits.”

“Why?”

At Yul Han’s question, Jonggyu replied,

“It is where the Closed-Door Training Grounds of the Martial Alliance are located. Numerous secret manuals are kept there, and practitioners cultivate their martial arts. Even members of the Martial Alliance may only enter with permission.”

The Twin Might of the Moon Sword halted and looked as if to say, So what?

Yul Han asked him,

“Are you certain it is that way?”

“I am certain. The internal energy traces of the Hae-nam Sword Sect continue in that direction.”

At the answer, Yul Han pondered briefly before his eyes gleamed.

“If we search thoroughly, can we find him?”

If the answer were yes, no matter what consequences awaited, he clearly intended to search by force if necessary.

Seeing that intent, the Twin Might of the Moon Sword hesitated.

To obtain what he wanted, he had to answer yes. But what if they failed to find anything?

There was no telling how that terrifying Vice Cult Leader of the Bright Cult would react.

Unless it were worth staking his life, now was not the time.

So……

“Well…… to be honest, the remaining traces are extremely faint. It seems they were left long ago. There is a high chance we will lose them midway.”

At that answer, Yul Han turned to Jonggyu.

“Let us at least examine the exterior. If the traces are not certain, I promise we will not force entry into the Closed-Door Training Grounds.”

At Yul Han’s promise, Jonggyu reluctantly stepped aside, and the Twin Might of the Moon Sword entered Namsan.

Calmly and meticulously, he followed the traces—but as expected, they ended halfway up the mountain.

He examined the area closely, wondering whether someone had slipped into a Closed-Door Training Ground located there, but that was not the case.

The place was surrounded entirely by sheer rock faces, and nowhere was there anything resembling an entrance.

In the end, the Twin Might of the Moon Sword returned empty-handed.

Seeing him silently shake his head, Jonggyu let out a sigh of relief, while Yul Han cast a regretful glance toward Namsan.

There was nothing he could do. Just in case, he even used his Ghost Eyes, but he could not perceive even the traces the Twin Might of the Moon Sword had spoken of.

Ultimately, the three had no choice but to turn back and head toward the Strategist’s residence.

Even as they walked away, the Twin Might of the Moon Sword kept glancing back at Namsan with lingering regret.

Having risen and dressed, Zhuge Giyeon was just about to step out to his office when he received an unexpected visitor.

“Strategist. Are you inside? I, the Martial Guardian, have come.”

Though he held no real authority, the Martial Guardian was the second-in-command of the Martial Alliance.

Among the high-ranking martial artists of the Nine Sects and Six Great Clans, many subtly—or even openly—disregarded the Martial Guardian for that very reason.

But that was a mistake born from ignorance of the unique standing the Martial Guardian held within the Martial Alliance.

Eighty percent of the Martial Alliance’s warriors were either directly trained by the Alliance or recruited from outside.

Those dispatched by the Nine Sects or Six Great Clans made up only twenty percent at most.

In times of crisis that ratio would increase, but not in times of peace.

And it was under such conditions that the Martial Alliance carried out its missions.

In other words, it relied overwhelmingly on the martial artists it had trained or recruited itself.

To those who upheld the Martial Alliance in that way, the Martial Guardian was a kind of hope.

After all, that was precisely why the position had been created.

And yet, to disregard such a person—

If, by any chance, Martial Alliance warriors were to witness it? Or hear of it directly?

Or if it were said that some sect had ignored the authority of the Martial Guardian?

There were not many sects capable of withstanding the aftermath.

Knowing that better than anyone, the Strategist hurriedly opened the door without asking the reason.

“Please come in. Vice—”

At that moment, the Strategist froze in place.