Chapter 359

Chapter 359: Intelligence (4)

The instant news arrived confirming that Seo Wan-pyeong had regained consciousness, Il-mok hurried directly to his bedside.

“Enter, little brother.”

“Third Brother, how do you feel? Are you truly unhurt?”

“I am fine. In truth, there is a matter far more urgent than my recovery, so let us focus on that immediately.”

Saying this, Seo Wan-pyeong reached out and searched through his dark vestments, which had been cast aside during his medical treatment, pulling forth a solitary parchment before offering it to Il-mok.

“What is the meaning of this?”

“It is a confidential message,” Seo Wan-pyeong replied, “one that Cheok Pae-myeong, the Martial Alliance Leader, dispatched to the Imperial Court.”

Roughly four weeks prior.

CRASH!!

“Months have passed since my operatives went northward, so why in heaven’s name has no correspondence returned?!”

The Martial Alliance Leader slammed his palm upon the desk with an enraged countenance as he snarled.

Gongsun Hyeon observed him for a brief moment before answering in a tranquil manner. “It appears the Maitreya Luminous Cult has implemented some form of defensive measures.”

“This situation is driving me to madness. I might as well journey up to that region myself at this juncture.”

“According to all reports, the northwestern territories are effectively under the absolute dominion of the Maitreya Luminous Cult at this time. Venturing directly into hostile territory completely unassisted is highly imprudent, Alliance Leader.”

“Are you implying that you question my martial prowess?”

“By no means. In my capacity as your Chief Strategist, I am merely calculating for the worst potential outcome.”

Cheok Pae-myeong glared intensely at him for a beat before demanding, “Then present a resolution. And do not merely instruct me to dispatch another courier as we did previously.”

Not long before, the Martial Alliance had sent out envoys to numerous orthodox organizations.

The motivation behind this action was the Blood Cult.

Given that the Beggars Gang, Qingcheng, Wudang, and even the prominent Hwangbo Family had all deployed their forces to exterminate the Blood Cult, it required very little effort to deduce that their intelligence had originated directly from the Maitreya Luminous Cult.

The Alliance had distributed urgent warnings advising everyone not to fall victim to the machinations of the Maitreya Cult, but their efforts were entirely futile.

On the contrary, they received a variety of retorts stating:

—We are simply taking precautions for any potential scenario.

—On what grounds should we assume it is a falsehood merely because the data originated from the Maitreya Luminous Cult?

When Cheok Pae-myeong referenced that particular setback, Gongsun Hyeon clenched his jaw and spoke with immense care. His volume dropped so low that even the sentries stationed outside the Alliance Leader’s private chambers were unable to catch his words.

“What if we were to request assistance?”

“Assistance? Do not tell me you are recommending we go groveling to that individual?”

“Indeed. Utilizing their immense authority, I am certain they possess the capability to shatter whatever shroud the Maitreya Luminous Cult has draped across the north.”

“We already accepted their aid regarding the Blood Cult previously. And now you expect me to return and beg once more? Have you lost your senses entirely?”

Cheok Pae-myeong made no attempt to conceal his deep irritation. He was acutely aware that if he continually relied on them to solve his problems, that individual would begin to view him as incompetent.

Gongsun Hyeon recognized precisely what was running through the Alliance Leader’s mind, yet he possessed no desire to retract his counsel.

“Alliance Leader, seeking aid may elicit a degree of scorn, but if we fail catastrophically, then we shall possess absolutely nothing at all.”

“…”

Following an extended silence, Cheok Pae-myeong released a heavy breath and uttered, “I shall see to it that a missive is drafted.”

While the Martial Alliance was thoroughly occupied attempting to unearth secrets regarding the Maitreya Luminous Cult, Seo Wan-pyeong and the remaining scouts of the Dark Shadow Pavilion were traversing the Central Plains to uncover any signs of the Imperial Family.

The scent had grown cold previously, but utilizing the data Il-mok had delivered, they had managed to rekindle the flame.

As a consequence of recommencing their tracking operation with Guizhou Province—the site of the slaughter—as their origin point, they discovered multiple clues suspected to belong to the Eastern Depot. It was growing increasingly obvious that the Guizhou butchery was the handiwork of the Eastern Depot, yet the Dark Shadow Pavilion remained unsatisfied with this alone and persisted in tracking them further. They required undeniable proof that it was orchestrated by the Imperial Family, and, above all else, they needed to comprehend the true objective underlying the entire affair.

However, as anticipated, the Eastern Depot detected that the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was probing into their affairs and immediately began eliminating all connections.

Just as the path was on the verge of vanishing once more, Seo Wan-pyeong voiced a suspicion to the Pavilion Lord.

“Pavilion Lord, regardless of how thoroughly I analyze this, there is an unsettling element at play.”

“An unsettling element, you say. Speak without reservation, Vice Pavilion Lord.”

Following the ascension of the Heavenly Demon, Seo Wan-pyeong was now addressed as Vice Pavilion Lord rather than his previous moniker of Young Master.

“I am referring to the true intent of the Imperial Family. They orchestrated a massive slaughter and disguised it as the work of the Blood Cult, meaning there are realistically only two explanations for such an act. Either the Imperial Family is executing forbidden dark arts akin to the practices of the Blood Cult and merely shifted the blame onto them, or they carried out the deed to assist the Martial Alliance.”

Having spent numerous years executing clandestine operations for the Dark Shadow Pavilion and maturing into a seasoned operative, Seo Wan-pyeong had acquired a remarkably perceptive instinct for such matters.

“I share your view. That is precisely the reason we are probing so deeply to ascertain their true goal.”

Hearing this, Seo Wan-pyeong offered a bold proposal.

“The Eastern Depot is already severing their ties and erasing their footsteps. If we continue following standard protocols, they will slip away entirely just as they did before. What if we were to take a massive risk?”

“A risk?”

The Pavilion Lord was on the verge of questioning his meaning when he arrived at the identical deduction as Seo Wan-pyeong, staring at Seo Wan-pyeong in utter astonishment.

“Are you proposing that we conduct espionage against the Martial Alliance?”

“Indeed.”

“That is highly perilous. The Martial Alliance is currently exerting all its strength to unmask the Maitreya Luminous Cult. If we are detected hovering around the perimeter of the Alliance, what will happen then?”

“For that exact reason, I shall oversee this task personally. I will guarantee that we remain undetected.”

“…”

The Dark Shadow Pavilion Lord observed Seo Wan-pyeong in absolute quiet.

After overcoming his inner Qi Deviation and ascending to a higher realm of martial arts, Seo Wan-pyeong exuded an aura of profound dependability. His face remained pale and the dark blemishes beneath his eyes persisted from years of anxiety and sleeplessness, yet his eyes shone with absolute resolve.

Following a brief hesitation, the Pavilion Lord gave his assent.

“Then we shall proceed as a pair. The Martial Alliance’s grounds are far too vast for you to monitor unassisted.”

With the choice finalized, the Dark Shadow Pavilion divided its operatives into two separate units.

The majority of their agents maintained their pursuit of the Eastern Depot’s trail. Only the Pavilion Lord, Seo Wan-pyeong, and a bare minimum of auxiliary staff departed covertly and journeyed toward Dongting Lake. At that location, they established their observation post and commenced a vigilant watch over the Martial Alliance.

They possessed enough wisdom not to jeopardize everything by sneaking too close to the Alliance Leader’s private quarters.

Cheok Pae-myeong was universally acknowledged as one of the most formidable masters throughout the Central Plains; approaching his immediate vicinity was a guaranteed path to exposing their operation.

They spent roughly a month on this stakeout, merely monitoring the boundaries of the Martial Alliance.

Then, during a pitch-black night devoid of any moonlight, a solitary form glided out from the Alliance compound under the protection of the dark. Whoever the individual was, they advanced with an extraordinary degree of stealth, yet Seo Wan-pyeong did not lose their trail.

—I shall pursue.

He conveyed a telepathic message to the Pavilion Lord prior to leaping out after the elusive shape.

He spent several moments meticulously reducing the distance separating them. Yet suddenly, a profound shiver raced up his spine, forcing him to halt entirely.

Sssph.

A razor-sharp crescent of Saber Qi sliced directly past his flank.

For Seo Wan-pyeong, who had failed to detect even a whisper of the blade being unsheathed, it was an occurrence that caused his skin to crawl.

“Hmph. Merely an insect.”

The obscured figure, who had drawn and executed a strike with his saber faster than a human could blink, dismissively clicked his tongue and resumed his stride. Directly where the Saber Qi had rent the atmosphere, the perfectly severed pieces of a beetle writhed in the dirt.

Seo Wan-pyeong had narrowly escaped disaster, yet he refused to abandon the chase.

He understood it by sheer intuition. An event of immense significance was about to unfold.

Seo Wan-pyeong instantly comprehended that the individual he was trailing was none other than the Martial Alliance Leader, Cheok Pae-myeong himself.

‘To think that the Alliance Leader is taking action in person.’

Wishing to avoid any recurrence of his brush with death, Seo Wan-pyeong retreated significantly and trailed the Leader from a far more secure distance.

The target’s concealment abilities were a degree or two beneath Seo Wan-pyeong’s own, yet the Alliance Leader vastly outstripped him in raw martial strength and internal energy perception.

‘I possess no recollection of ever learning that the Alliance Leader possessed training in the stealth arts.’

That reflection remained in his mind as he tracked from a prudent distance until the Alliance Leader finally came to a halt before a small temple constructed upon a gentle slope.

To whom or what the structure was dedicated remained a mystery, but a figure materialized from the darkness near the temple walls.

The Alliance Leader passed a parchment over to the individual who had emerged from the shadows. Without exchanging any significant words, the figure turned and vanished straight back into the night.

Only after the figure departed did the Alliance Leader turn back toward the direction of the Martial Alliance.

Observing from afar while suppressing his breathing, Seo Wan-pyeong did not dare shift a single millimeter until the Alliance Leader was entirely out of sight.

Once the danger had passed, he set off to track down the messenger who had taken possession of the document.

‘Curses.’

The task proved exceptionally difficult.

While he had been waiting for the Alliance Leader to withdraw, the figure had already created a massive gap between them, and whoever the individual was, they were clearly highly proficient in these matters as they left virtually no footsteps behind.

After overcoming numerous obstacles, Seo Wan-pyeong ultimately managed to close the distance to the figure.

Precisely as he had suspected, the individual was a palace eunuch.

However, there was a major complication.

“Who lurks there?”

The eunuch detected Seo Wan-pyeong’s presence before the latter could initiate an assault. Considering he had been entrusted with the duty of establishing secret communications with the Martial Alliance Leader, he was clearly a highly proficient agent even by the lofty standards of the Eastern Depot.

In the depths of the night, deep within an absolute black forest, the two combatants glared at one another with roughly ten feet of space separating them. Because both were trained in arts specializing in secrecy and assassination, their confrontation commenced in near-flawless silence.

They glided through the trees with meticulous movements, and whenever a trunk or a dense thicket obscured the vision between them—

Clang!

Sparks erupted in the dark as concealed projectiles collided in mid-air, immediately followed by the harsh scraping of metal as a sudden blade strike was parried.

It was the muted variety of combat that only professional killers engaged in, where a single miscalculation signified demise, and it persisted through multiple exchanges. Then, Seo Wan-pyeong utilized the absolute darkness of the woodland once more to surge forward with a thrust utilizing the Shadowless Fourteen Moves.

Clang!

The instant their blades met,

“!!!”

Seo Wan-pyeong felt an abrupt wave of pure dread wash through his entire being.

He lacked any logical reason for it.

The Eastern Depot lackey he was currently engaging was in no state to execute a counterattack. Yet relying entirely on his instincts and the survival experience accumulated over many years, Seo Wan-pyeong flung his body laterally without a single moment of hesitation.

Sssph.

A cutting sound echoed a fraction of a second later.

Seo Wan-pyeong did not utter a single cry despite the deep laceration opening along his side, immediately manipulating his left hand to strike his own acupoints to halt the flow of blood.

Through the heavy gloom, the individual who had suddenly materialized came into view.

‘At what point did he arrive?’

Seo Wan-pyeong had failed to perceive the approach whatsoever.

Even taking into account the reality that he had been actively engaged with an alternative Eastern Depot agent, failing to sense the man until the absolute moment of the strike spoke volumes regarding this newcomer’s capabilities.

‘His cultivation is several realms above my own.’

Swallowing down the surge of panic in his throat, Seo Wan-pyeong stared intently at the two Eastern Depot operatives.

The agent he had originally been fighting was circling out toward his right, blocking his path of retreat, while the one who had executed the ambush moved forward pace by pace.

‘Is this the place where my life ends?’

The circumstances were overwhelmingly stacked against his survival.

Seo Wan-pyeong cast the bleak thought from his mind and gritted his teeth firmly.

‘I shall drag at least one of these miserable dogs to the grave with me.’

Just as he steeled his resolve for a mutual destruction—

Tap!

The newly arrived eunuch closed the distance between them utilizing the Ethereal Shift while his blade was already extended in a silent arc.

Yet before the strike could connect, a resounding clash of steel echoed through the trees as the eunuch altered the trajectory of his weapon mid-motion to strike down a concealed weapon soaring out from the darkness.

Seo Wan-pyeong capitalized on the sudden distraction and unleashed the Shadowless Fourteen Moves toward him, but the Eastern Depot operative retreated a single pace with phantom-like footwork and slipped cleanly away from the attack.

At that exact moment, a figure stepped forth from the direction where the hidden projectile had originated.

—Vice Pavilion Lord, leave this individual to my care. Utilize this opportunity to secure what you require.

It was the supreme authority of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult’s gathering network and Seo Wan-pyeong’s immediate superior, the Dark Shadow Pavilion Lord himself.