Chapter 151 : A Miserable Death
Chapter 151: A Miserable Death
“The Vice Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult came… and left.”
They had been speaking with the Heavenly Flower Sword King, yet at those words even the Unyeon Dharma King, who had been standing some distance away, as well as the people resting nearby, all turned their gazes toward them at once.
Even though they had been standing far away, these were people capable of hearing the conversation between the two.
The same applied to the Younger Generation Talents.
They might be called the younger generation, but they were still internal-energy masters who had cultivated internal energy for more than one Gapja.
For people like that, there was no way they would fail to hear a conversation that was not even whispered but spoken openly as if it did not matter who heard it.
Thus, under the astonished gazes of everyone, the Heavenly Flower Sword King continued speaking.
“He told us to go back.”
“Go back…? He came all the way here just to say that and then left? What reason could there be for that?”
“He said he had no intention of swinging his power recklessly just because he possessed it, nor crushing others simply because his faction was large.”
“The Vice Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult said that himself?”
“He did. Those were his words.”
“How ridiculous. That man who once shed blood without restraint now says something like that…”
To the incredulous Azure Dragon Sword King, the Heavenly Flower Sword King replied.
In truth, he might as well have been speaking to everyone listening.
“He seemed sincere.”
“You’re not suggesting we turn back because of that, are you? We came out here prepared to die and restore the righteous spirit of the Hundred Paths.”
“I know that, so there’s no need to shout. I never said we should return.”
“Then shouldn’t you have called us when he was still here?”
At the Azure Dragon Sword King’s reproach, the Heavenly Flower Sword King merely smiled.
During his conversation with the Vice Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult, he had shouted loudly—loud enough that it would not have been an exaggeration to call it yelling.
And yet no one here had heard his voice.
'Even if I had shouted for them… would they have heard it?'
They would not have.
Because he had realized that, at that time, that space had been completely under the control of the Vice Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult.
Even so, he had no desire to explain all that in detail as if making excuses.
Nor did he want to admit it as his own fault.
That was why the Heavenly Flower Sword King answered differently.
“If we had fought him here, it felt like we would have died without anyone ever knowing.”
At those words, the eyes of the Azure Dragon Sword King—who had just been criticizing him—hardened.
He understood what the Heavenly Flower Sword King meant.
That even if everyone here rushed at the Vice Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult together, they would all be annihilated.
“Isn’t that an excessive evaluation?”
The question came from the Unyeon Dharma King, who had approached without anyone noticing.
The Heavenly Flower Sword King gave a bitter smile as he replied.
“Did anyone here even sense that he had come?”
No one answered.
If even their highest masters had been unaware, anxiety naturally spread among the Younger Generation Talents.
Perhaps sensing it as a dangerous signal, Changmyeongja stepped forward.
“I believe Senior Heavenly Flower Sword King’s judgment was correct.”
When the gazes of the crowd gathered on him, Changmyeongja continued.
“I trust Senior Heavenly Flower Sword King’s evaluation. Considering what the Vice Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult has shown until now… if we fight him, we will die. That is certain.”
As he looked at the people sinking into an atmosphere heavier than ever before, Changmyeongja continued speaking.
“But so what? We came out already prepared to die, didn’t we? Yes. We will die. But if we are going to die anyway, then—like Senior Heavenly Flower Sword King said—it would be better to die as miserably as possible in front of many witnesses rather than perish meaninglessly in some remote place like this.”
“In front of many witnesses… and as miserably as possible?”
At the Azure Dragon Sword King’s question, Changmyeongja replied.
“Yes. That way our story, our battle, and our deaths will be passed down.”
He hoped that the spirit and vigor of the Hundred Paths, now crouched low and weakened, would rise again.
And the first to understand Changmyeongja’s intentions were the Younger Generation Talents.
It was the moment when fear turned into resolve.
Watching their expressions change, the Heavenly Flower Sword King quietly stared at Changmyeongja.
The Azure Dragon Sword King glanced at him and sent a Mental Voice Transmission.
—Why are you looking at him like that?
The Heavenly Flower Sword King replied.
—Because I fear the future of Wudang may be fading away in vain.
—He is indeed a precious talent. But we cannot send him back now…
The Heavenly Flower Sword King silently nodded.
Before he realized it, his gaze had shifted toward the Younger Generation Talent from Mount Hua who had followed him.
Compared to Changmyeongja, he seemed somewhat lacking, but he too was a disciple expected to carry the future of Mount Hua.
'Is what we are doing now truly the right thing?'
The Heavenly Flower Sword King suppressed the doubt that had risen in his mind.
At that moment, another voice was heard.
It belonged to Namgung Changyeon, who had led this mission together with Changmyeongja.
“I agree with Changmyeongja’s words about dying miserably. But I do not believe dying like that alone will ignite the ambition of the Hundred Paths, which now lies dormant.”
“Then what do you propose?”
Changmyeongja asked.
Namgung Changyeon answered.
“Blood must be shed. And not just a little—thick and in great quantities.”
Those words sounded like something that would come from a demon.
Immediately, the Azure Dragon Sword King demanded coldly,
“What nonsense are you speaking!”
“I do not mean the blood of innocent people.”
“Then whose?”
“Before the Bright Cult moves, we should strike the Eighteen Demonic Sects. Especially, I ask that we overturn the Nine Demon Sects of the Cheonghae Region.”
“You’re saying we punish the Nine Sects of the Cheonghae Region right now?”
“Yes. With our current strength, it should not be impossible. We must sweep through them quickly and violently. Then we will fight the Vice Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult in a decisive battle… and die.”
At Namgung Changyeon’s words, the Younger Generation Talents began supporting the idea from all around.
Even among the masters, expressions suggested it might be possible.
They simply hoped their deaths would not be meaningless.
If they at least destroyed the Nine Demon Sects of the Cheonghae Region before dying, then their names would carry honor even after death.
Even the eyes of the Azure Dragon Sword King, who had been angry, began to shine.
Watching them, the Heavenly Flower Sword King suddenly remembered the words the Vice Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult had spoken in the forest.
<I have no desire to swing power recklessly just because I possess it. Nor to crush others simply because my faction is large.>
And had he not said he despised such people?
If the Vice Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult were hearing their conversation now, he might be looking at them with contempt.
At that thought, the Heavenly Flower Sword King squeezed his eyes shut.
Because he could not shake the feeling that something was going terribly wrong.
---
The outermost sect located in the Cheonghae Region was the Fierce Camel Alliance.
As the name suggested, it was not a single sect but a coalition.
Though the name sounded grand, they were simply bandits.
However, as the character for “camel” in their name implied, they rode camels instead of horses.
Perhaps they should have been called camel bandits rather than horse bandits.
Originally they had operated in a place called Doran, where the Tarim Basin began.
But after another of the Nine Demon Sects of the Cheonghae Region—the Seomnan Sect—settled there, they were pushed out and moved to Akdeok.
Akdeok lay on the border between Gansu and the Cheonghae Region.
Because merchants frequently traveled through the area, it was not a bad place for bandits to operate.
Although they were bandits, they were still recognized as one of the Nine Demon Sects of the Cheonghae Region.
In other words, they were not a shabby rabble.
Only bandits with martial skill sufficient to be called martial artists were allowed to join.
There were more than twenty groups.
When fully assembled, their numbers reached twenty thousand—far beyond the scale of a mere bandit gang.
There was even a story that government troops once came to suppress them, only to be wiped out instead.
The force controlling the Fierce Camel Alliance was a group called the Mighty Fire Unit, which had boldly established itself at the center of Akdeok despite being bandits.
They numbered barely fifty.
But all fifty were Peak Realm martial artists, enough that ordinary sects avoided them entirely.
Even their leader was a Super-Peak Realm master.
Though he had not officially entered the Hundred Great Masters of the Martial World, there was no one in the Cheonghae Region who did not know his name.
In fact, in eastern Cheonghae people said that if the name “Mad Bear” was spoken, even a crying child would stop crying.
That very Mad Bear was now lying flat on the ground, unable to even raise his head.
“I-I ordered the rice to be distributed… and all the wealth to be released.”
“That’s fortunate, even if it’s late. Don’t take things by force from others. Work instead of stealing. It’s unacceptable.”
“B-but…”
Mad Bear cautiously lifted his eyes, only to meet the killing gaze of Yul Han.
He immediately slammed his head back to the ground.
“Y-You are absolutely correct. What kind of men steal when they have nothing better to do? If anyone does it again, I’ll cut them all down.”
“Instead of cutting people down, reflect on your actions and work. That is the path that benefits the world.”
“B-Benefit the world?”
“What, did you intend to keep living without benefiting the world after all the past crimes we have already forgiven?”
Seeing Yul Han’s gaze, Mad Bear hurriedly shook his head.
“Of course not! We must benefit the world. Absolutely correct, Vice Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult!”
“Before, you didn’t know. But now you do. From now on, I’ll be watching.”
“Really?”
Mad Bear looked utterly shocked.
Yul Han could not help but chuckle.
The man’s face clearly showed the expression of someone who had planned to go back to his old ways once the situation passed—only to be caught red-handed.
Yul Han glared at him.
“Even thinking about it will not be forgiven.”
“I-I will remember that, Vice Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult!”
Mad Bear prostrated himself again.
Behind him, bandits with half-vacant expressions were carrying away the wealth and food they had gathered through plunder.
Through the bandits of the Mighty Fire Unit, a figure on an iron horse approached.
It was the Iron Demon.
“You came quickly.”
“I came as soon as the Message Hawk arrived. But what are they loading all that for?”
“It’s the food and wealth they plundered from nearby commoners and merchants.”
“Are you sending it to the main fortress?”
Yul Han smiled bitterly.
“I told them to distribute it to the surrounding people.”
“What a wast—”
Seeing Yul Han’s gaze turn fierce, the Iron Demon quickly changed his words.
“—but since those bastards stole it in the first place, who can they blame? You did well, Vice Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult. Of course. If you take something from someone else, it’s only right to return it.”
Yul Han knew exactly what the Iron Demon was thinking, but he said nothing.
Changing one’s thinking always took time.
Still, the fact that the Iron Demon could at least think like that now was commendable.
In the past, he had treated other people’s belongings as nothing more than things temporarily entrusted to him.
As the Iron Demon grinned awkwardly, three more figures arrived behind him.
The Profound Demon, the Ghost Demon, and Pageuk.
And that was not all.
“Training is keeping me busy—why did you call me here?”
Even the Cult Leader had arrived.
All the Manifestation Realm masters possessed by the Bright Cult had gathered.
The Vice Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult alone was overwhelming enough.
Now with several of the Five Demons and even the Cult Leader appearing together, Mad Bear was on the verge of fainting.
If their leader was like that, the bandits of the Mighty Fire Unit were no different.
The blank expressions on their faces turned into pure terror.
Considering the Bright Cult’s nature—treating subordinate sects as little more than money pouches or sources of supplies—if this many high-ranking figures came together…
At minimum—
“S-Spare us!”
Every single one of them collapsed to the ground.
Seeing this, an awkward smile appeared on Yul Han’s face.
Of course, the Cult Leader looked displeased.
Then, with that displeasure clearly in his expression, the Cult Leader spoke.