Chapter 354

Chapter 354: Preparation (4)

Wi Jin-hak nurtured a profound animosity toward the Imperial Family who currently held power over the Central Plains.

This hostility did not stem solely from the fact that they were responsible for exiling the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult into the remote lands of Xinjiang.

Due to the intricate machinations of the former Chief Elder Deung Bi, his youngest brother had faced the brink of death on multiple occasions. This was to say nothing of his two other siblings who had already perished.

Exacerbating his fury was the realization that Wi Jin-hak had only discovered these hidden facts from the Hidden Guard Pavilion Lord after ascending to the position of Cult Leader, a consequence of his late Master’s rigid command to refrain from initiating a conflict.

The previous Heavenly Demon had not harbored a dread of open warfare. He had merely deduced that if the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult were permitted a mere decade more to cultivate its strength, they would possess more than enough power to subjugate the Central Plains.

Upon learning the truth from the Hidden Guard Pavilion Lord, Wi Jin-hak took the throne of the Cult Leader while keeping his late Master’s final desire at the forefront of his mind. It had been his intention to respect that request, suppressing his resentment in silence while biding his time for the perfect moment.

Even so, “It appears their tactics are not confined to embedding that treacherous Deung Bi within our ranks. They are orchestrating some manner of plot within the Central Plains as well.”

As he reviewed the missive that had arrived from Il-mok, Wi Jin-hak felt a sudden flash of insight.

His instincts warned him that, regardless of his personal inclinations, he would inevitably find his path intersecting with the Imperial Family once more in the near future.

“For the moment, forward the details of this correspondence to the Dark Shadow Pavilion Lord and to my Third Brother. The trail appeared to have grown cold recently, but it seems a fresh avenue may have presented itself.”

With those words, Wi Jin-hak passed Il-mok’s missive over to the Hidden Guard Pavilion Lord.

From the moment it was uncovered that Deung Bi maintained ties with the Imperial Family’s Eastern Depot, the Dark Shadow Pavilion Lord and Seo Wan-pyeong had dedicated all their resources to pursuing them. However, those adversaries had quickly detected the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult’s investigation, causing the vast majority of clues to vanish long ago.

In the midst of that intense pursuit, even the Silver Moon Trading Company had not escaped the collateral damage. It collapsed in a single night without any apparent explanation.

The Dark Shadow Pavilion suspected that the Eastern Depot was responsible for the downfall. The primary difficulty was that even though suspicion pointed squarely at the Eastern Depot, not a single shred of evidence had been left behind to prove it.

Yet right at the peak of this profound irritation, a fresh lead carrying unmistakable signs of the Imperial Family’s involvement emerged out of nowhere, presenting them with an ideal opening to resume their pursuit with renewed vigor.

“I shall carry out your instructions.”

The Hidden Guard Pavilion Lord offered a formal bow and departed from the Lesser Sun Palace with the missive safely in his possession.

Now solitary, Wi Jin-hak shut his eyes and allowed himself to drift into deep contemplation.

His mind returned to his Master, who had provided him with countless lessons over the course of many years. From there, his thoughts drifted to the sworn brothers with whom he had shared over a decade of deep companionship, those very siblings who had lost their lives as casualties of Deung Bi’s conspiracies.

The instant their countenances manifested in his thoughts, the dark blaze that had been silently smoldering within the depths of Wi Jin-hak’s internal realm suddenly ignited and flared upward.

—Incinerate the world.

—Permit no living soul to remain. Reduce all existence to absolute nothingness.

The inner persona that embodied the Heavenly Demon Divine Arts murmured within him. Because the adversary in question was none other than the Imperial Family, the internal fires erupted with even greater ferocity than normal.

Wi Jin-hak observed the internal conflagration for a brief moment before issuing a sharp, forceful command.

“Quiet!!”

He directed a piercing gaze at the alternate self residing past the flames, tilting his vision upward toward the ceiling, allowing his consciousness to be pulled toward higher realms.

Snap.

As Wi Jin-hak parted his eyelids and emerged from his state of inner focus, the shadowy tint that had momentarily filled his vision receded back to its natural shade.

He exhaled a soft breath of comfort, having managed to master the corrupting force of the Heavenly Demon Divine Arts.

“Phew.”

Acknowledging that lingering on the thoughts of the departed sworn companions could easily cause the corrupting force to erupt once more, Wi Jin-hak deliberately guided his mind toward more encouraging reflections.

“Sending the youngest out to the Central Plains was undeniably the correct decision.”

Reflecting on how adept his youngest brother had proven at uncovering and transmitting such critical intelligence, a sense of satisfaction painted a subtle smile on Wi Jin-hak’s face.

In another location, Il-mok was actively recounting the entire sequence of events from Pingliang County to the Supreme Ultimate Sword Immortal.

“This blade absorbed the lingering malice of over a hundred blameless citizens in Pingliang. When it first came into my possession, it radiated such a profound aura of grievance that I hesitated to even grasp its hilt.”

“For what reason did you choose to retain it, then?”

“My initial thought was to see it utterly ruined, which is why I carried it along when descending from the peaks. However, the restless spirits manifested before me within a dream.”

Following his detailed account, which included the period he spent within Pingliang County alongside the affiliates of the Beggars’ Gang to bring peace to those spirits, Il-mok continued, “Once the civilian population of Pingliang County was liberated from the delusions caused by the Butterfly Dream Grass, the bulk of the spiritual malice bound to the blade dissipated. Since it is a weapon that originally traces back to the Blood Cult, a lingering trace of that foul aura persists, but because the spirits granted me their approval, wielding it presents no danger.”

“I acknowledge the actions that you and the Maitreya Luminous Cult have taken. Nevertheless, that does not alter the reality that such an object poses an immense hazard.”

Observing that the Supreme Ultimate Sword Immortal was essentially demanding the immediate destruction of the Ascension Sword, the weapon itself responded by emitting a low, vibrating ring.

Il-mok tapped the scabbard gently a few times to quiet its agitation and countered, “If our policy is to eradicate everything simply on account of the danger it poses, then should we not dismantle every renowned Divine Armament across the land? Any instrument of war that has gained a reputation grand enough to be deemed a Divine Armament has undoubtedly claimed hundreds, perhaps thousands of lives. Furthermore, this particular blade proves exceptionally advantageous when matching forces with the Blood Cult.”

The Supreme Ultimate Sword Immortal along with the surrounding companions manifested expressions of confusion, prompting Il-mok to offer further clarification.

“There was an occurrence within Lanzhou where the Blood Cult attempted to unleash a devastating pestilence.”

He detailed the specifics of that encounter, subsequently transitioning into the narrative of the ambush within the Sichuan cave system, highlighting how he had rapidly detected the Blood Cult’s deception and aided the Flying Dragon Pavilion Lord and Elder Beggar Chaser in shattering their plot.

And to conclude, “Reflecting on it, I realize I have not yet shared this detail with you. The Blood Cult persists to this day. This is a reality I uncovered precisely through the aid of this object.”

He proceeded to explain the manner in which he had secured the likeness of the Jiangshi located within the northern lands.

Upon absorbing the entirety of Il-mok’s words, the Supreme Ultimate Sword Immortal knit his brows in a deep scowl.

“Are you implying that the entirety of our factions were manipulated like simpletons by the Blood Cult?”

“Indeed. The Beggars’ Gang and the Qingcheng elite are already taking steps to relocate their path. The Maitreya Luminous Cult is doing precisely the same.”

“…We cannot permit ourselves to remain idle here.”

The Supreme Ultimate Sword Immortal shifted his attention toward Taoist Un-baek.

“I intend to journey back to Wudang ahead of your party. Remain here for a duration of a few days, and then begin your trek back.”

“Grandmaster, I shall accompany you on the journey.”

“Do not concern yourself with this old man. You endured a lengthy march to arrive at this location, so should you not at least rest and recover your strength for a brief period?”

“However…”

Noticing the hesitant expression on Taoist Un-baek’s face, the Supreme Ultimate Sword Immortal allowed his standard kindly expression to return and poked fun at his junior.

“Tell me, do you harbor fears that this old man has lost his wits and will fail to discover the path back to Wudang? Hahaha.”

“C-certainly not, Grandmaster. How could I ever permit such an irreverent notion to cross my mind?”

“Hahaha. In that case, cast aside your anxieties and tarry here for a few days before making your return.”

Taoist Un-baek wavered for a brief interval, then pressed his palms together in a respectful gesture and spoke.

“I shall follow your guidance, Grandmaster.”

Having observed their brief dialogue for a moment, Hwangbo Ak entered the conversation with a resonant, booming laugh.

“Hahaha. The members of our Hwangbo Family likewise intend to journey back to Shandong before long. When that occurs, we shall travel alongside Taoist Un-baek and pay a visit to Mount Wudang. Furthermore, Senior Sword Immortal, seeing as it would be wise to transmit information to our main estate regarding the state of the Blood Cult beforehand, would it cause an issue if a few of our younger disciples accompanied you on your trek?”

“Hahaha. I find myself appreciative of the Hwangbo Family Head’s thoughtful offer.”

Interpreting the Supreme Ultimate Sword Immortal’s reply as agreement, Hwangbo Ak turned his head and instructed a member of his traveling retinue to fetch writing materials.

He subsequently composed a message intended for his estate in his characteristically powerful, sweeping script and summoned several of his subordinates.

“Deliver this message and ride back to the estate ahead of the main party.”

With affairs effectively arranged, the Supreme Ultimate Sword Immortal was the first to bring his hands together toward Il-mok in a formal gesture of departure.

“I regret that I must depart with such haste.”

“Given the weight of the circumstances, there is absolutely no requirement for an apology.”

Following a brief exchange of customary parting phrases, the Supreme Ultimate Sword Immortal cast a troubled look toward the blade resting at Il-mok’s waist and remarked, “Since you possess your own clear discernment regarding this matter, I shall refrain from offering further arguments about ruining that weapon. Yet I implore you to take immense care that it never comes to be possessed by the Blood Cult or any individual of malevolent intent. That blade would unleash a terrible disaster if it were ever to be wielded by the wrong person.”

“It may strike you as presumptuous for someone of my standing to speak thus to a master of the Supreme Ultimate Sword Immortal’s stature, but I am not an adversary who is easily overcome.”

The Supreme Ultimate Sword Immortal regarded the masked figure for a prolonged moment, then offered a nod as though that statement settled the issue.

He had witnessed a portion of the man’s capabilities during his recent exchange with Hwangbo Ak.

Precisely as the fellow had stated, he was not an individual who would allow his weapon to be stripped from him without a massive struggle.

Given that the sacred archive of the Maitreya Luminous Cult was an area where followers were incessantly arriving and departing, Il-mok had arranged for an entire establishment of entertainment managed by the Maitreya Luminous Cult to be cleared out solely for the comfort of their visitors.

Within one of the secluded chambers of that establishment, Hwangbo Ak was engaged in a serious dialogue with his two female heirs.

“Father, do you truly view him as an appropriate partner for Se-hui?”

Observing Hwangbo Yeon posing the question with an expression of complete skepticism, Hwangbo Ak tilted his head back and let out a hearty, rumbling laugh. “To a certain degree, I do.”

“To a certain degree, meaning how much of that statement was genuine?”

“I possessed my own underlying motive when I chose to evaluate him.”

In response to her father’s words, Hwangbo Yeon found herself reflecting on a remark previously uttered by Hwangbo Se-hui. “Were you assessing whether he was the sort of individual who could be readily manipulated by a woman’s physical charms?”

“Precisely.”

Though it was not an entirely flattering thought for a child to harbor regarding her parent, the old adage ‘the apple does not fall far from the tree’ immediately manifested in Hwangbo Yeon’s consciousness.

“In that case, what course of action would you have pursued had he actually accepted your proposal?”

It was her subtle method of inquiring whether he had sincerely meant to give away his most treasured child in marriage on a whim.

“Hmm. Well, I could have utilized the interval separating the betrothal arrangements and the actual ceremony to ascertain whether or not he was truly an honorable individual. Should it have yielded no concerning traits, such a resolution would not have been a negative outcome in the slightest. I would have succeeded in acquiring control over Gansu without shedding a single drop of vital fluid.”

“Even if he had agreed to the bond for the sake of an alliance, he did not strike me as the sort of person who would simply submit and comply with your every whim, Father.”

“Hahaha. Even so, there exist established boundaries between a child-in-law and a parent-in-law. Do you truly believe he could dismiss my directives with such absolute ease?”

Despite his confident demeanor, Hwangbo Ak had been weighing his own strategic calculations behind closed doors.

“However, that individual displayed zero desire to form a union with Se-hui from the very beginning. Therefore, I suppose this line of speculation carries very little weight.”

Hwangbo Ak murmured those words with an expression of genuine regret mapping his features.

It stood as a peculiar shift from the fiercely protective attitude he had consistently maintained regarding Hwangbo Se-hui in prior times, leaving Hwangbo Yeon completely unable to mask her confusion.

‘Does he truly hold that man in such high regard?’

Hwangbo Yeon herself had put forward the notion of a pact because she held the conviction that the Incarnation of Maitreya was an honorable person. Yet her father had encountered the individual for the very first time on this day, rendering his intense approval somewhat perplexing.

However, this was merely a minor misinterpretation of motives.

Hwangbo Ak was not viewing the Incarnation of Maitreya solely through the lens of a potential match for his youngest daughter.

The abrupt re-emergence of the Blood Cult and the simultaneous rise of the Maitreya Luminous Cult, coupled with the entirely erratic strategies executed by the Martial Alliance Leader, were causing massive waves.

The precarious equilibrium of the martial community that had remained stable for generations was currently being disrupted at its very foundation.

Matters had grown so chaotic that the Emei Sect, a prominent pillar among the Nine Great Sects and One Gang, had been utterly devastated by the Maitreya Luminous Cult and forced to isolate their sanctuary from the world.

As a man who had spent his existence governing a massive alliance, Hwangbo Ak’s instincts were signaling that a tumultuous gale was on the verge of tearing across the vast expanse of the martial world. It would be a cataclysm so immense that their recent conflict alongside the Blood Cult would appear as nothing more than a trivial playground dispute by comparison.

In perilous eras such as this, the primary necessity was a powerful and steadfast companion.

Through the eyes of Hwangbo Ak, the burgeoning force that was the Maitreya Luminous Cult represented precisely that sort of partner.

To such an extent, in fact, that he had desired to bind their factions together via a marriage to his cherished youngest daughter, establishing a connection that could never be torn asunder.

That desire had formed a significant portion of the motivation behind his relentless insistence on their brief duel. He had wished to measure the authentic capabilities of the man operating under the title of the Incarnation of Maitreya.

‘Heh. I had fully intended to strip that facial concealment from him during our clash, but what an unfortunate miss.’

Hwangbo Ak had longed to verify the authentic face of this hidden expert utilizing his own vision.

To speak candidly, nearly every trait displayed by the individual left him with a positive impression. Yet there remained a solitary detail that struck him as profoundly unusual.

‘There is absolutely no logical way he is thirty-nine years of age. The tier of strength he commands is remarkable enough, but his battlefield instincts appear equally veteran, which renders his claim even more incredible.’

He simply found himself unable to reconcile the reported age of this individual known as the Incarnation of Maitreya.

‘It is entirely possible his youthful appearance is merely the result of undergoing several Overhaul Body Transformations. I would not be shocked in the slightest to learn he is actually an elderly master matching my own generation.’

The possibility that Il-mok might actually be a full year junior to Hwangbo Se-hui never once surfaced within Hwangbo Ak’s thoughts.

While the leader of the Hwangbo Family and his heirs were analyzing their impressions, Il-mok was occupied with a discussion of his own alongside his female attendants.

“Do you truly place your confidence in their faction, Young Master?”

Confronted by the inquiry from Jin Hayeon, Il-mok shook his head slowly and gave his reply. “In my heart, I sincerely desire for this pact to endure until the very end of our journey, yet I recognize that the probability of such an outcome is exceptionally low.”

The pact could likely remain stable so long as they presented themselves as the Maitreya Luminous Cult, but the very moment their true nature as the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was laid bare to the world, absolute chaos would erupt across the lands.

“In that case, what course of action do you intend to pursue as we move forward?”

Jin Hayeon put forward this question because she wished to align her own movements precisely with his ultimate strategy, to which Il-mok offered his reply with an icy expression settled upon his features.