Chapter 377

During the separation of his battalions within Gorang County, Gongson Hyun had dispatched mandates to a handful of Martial Alliance combatants. He instructed them to convey a dispatch to the Jongnam Sect, alerting them that they might be the next target of the Demonic Cult. The Taoists of the Jongnam Sect, having acted upon that warning, had precisely just reached the location of the conflict. They arrived at the most terrible instant imaginable. The fading embers of the clash, which had been on the verge of dying out completely, suddenly flared back to life, fueled entirely by the arrival of the Jongnam Sect.

“They truly never run out of tricks,” Il-mok grumbled under his breath, thoroughly vexed as he remained locked in combat with Namgung Jin. As if reacting to his exasperation, the Ascending Sword vibrated with a sharp, echoing ring.

“You dare divert your attention!” Namgung Jin roared, swinging his blade toward Il-mok and unleashing a suffocating weight that crashed down upon him.

Il-mok countered the oppressive momentum of the Imperial Sword Form by manifesting his own inner vitality, swiftly redirecting his Ascending Sword to deflect the strike. A massive crash echoed across the field as the Ascending Sword slammed into the dense blade of Namgung Jin, emitting another sharp ring.

“Tch.” It made perfect sense now why Seo Wan-pyeong had been overwhelmed so rapidly; the Imperial Sword Form was an exceptionally deceptive and difficult style to counter. Though categorized as a sword technique, its execution felt bizarrely unorthodox. It was an art centered around the manipulation of pure intent, which brought back memories of the Supremacy of the Heavenly Demon—the ultimate technique imparted to him by his predecessor and master, the previous Heavenly Demon. It was highly probable that the progenitor of the Imperial Sword Form devised it to guide the heirs of the Namgung family toward mastering the esoteric state of the Mind Sword.

Regardless, to withstand the crushing weight of the Imperial Sword Form, Il-mok had to continuously project his own internal force to push back against the aura of Namgung Jin. Even so, he knew that compared to his master’s Supremacy of the Heavenly Demon, this technique was merely rudimentary. The unfortunate reality, however, was that Il-mok had not yet attained the profound heights of Hyeok-ryeon Il-hwi.

After enduring a barrage of strikes from Namgung Jin over several rapid exchanges, and seeing the Wudang and the Beggars’ Gang join the chaotic struggle, Il-mok exhaled a weary breath, hoping to prevent further pointless casualties. “Haa.” Deep irritation was now clearly visible on his features. He internally questioned whether he should simply abandon any restraint regarding the Namgung family and eliminate everyone opposing him.

As these dark thoughts crossed his mind while exchanging several more blows with Namgung Jin, Il-mok suddenly perceived a bizarre anomaly. The Ascending Sword, which usually quieted down after an initial clash, was vibrating and ringing without interruption. This particular reaction was intimately familiar to him.

‘…Could it be?’ A profound sense of familiarity washed over him. Dodging a lethal trajectory from Namgung Jin’s blade, Il-mok bounded backward and bellowed with all the strength in his lungs, “Cease fighting! The Blood Cult has infiltrated the field!”

Hearing his warning, a few combatants froze mid-motion, their weapons hovering in hesitation. However, the majority scoffed at the claim.

“What ridiculous lies!” Namgung Jin, convinced it was a mere psychological trick to distract him, channeled his maximum strength and swung his weapon. His strike would have landed ruthlessly if not for a subsequent roar echoing from the distance.

Hearing the desperate shouting of an elderly Taoist sprinting toward the fray, every fighter stopped to stare in sheer astonishment. The approaching figure was none other than True Person Qingmu of the Qingcheng Sect.

Previously, upon discovering the hidden identity of Il-mok, the leader of the Qingcheng Sect had delivered what amounted to an open declaration of hostility before abandoning Gansu to return to Sichuan.

At that time, True Person Qingmu had asked, “Sect Leader Brother, what course of action do we take now?”

“Junior Brother, why state the obvious? We are duty-bound to wipe out those wretched members of the Demonic Cult!” the sect leader had bellowed, consumed by rage at the realization that they had been deceived.

True Person Qingmu had offered a quiet sigh before pressing further, “I understand that. But what about the ordinary citizens they supported?”

The sect leader had stared at True Person Qingmu in tense silence before the junior brother continued, “Even if a murderer who took one’s parents turns over a new leaf and performs charitable acts, their past crimes remain. Yet, must we persecute the innocent people who received their aid?”

“…Haa. Are you actually placing faith in the declarations of that Demonic Cult degenerate?”

“I choose to believe what my own eyes have witnessed. From what I have observed, the actions they performed under the guise of the Maitreya Divine Church carried no malevolent intent.”

The leader of the Qingcheng Sect had searched his junior brother’s gaze deeply, and True Person Qingmu met his eyes without an ounce of hesitation. A heavy silence stretched between them.

“Haa…” Exhaling a breath weighted with conflicting thoughts, the sect leader finally conceded with a nod. “Very well. As you say, the ordinary populace bears no guilt.”

With that, the master of the Qingcheng Sect solidified their path. They would purge the disciples of the Demonic Cult who masqueraded under the Maitreya Divine Church, but they would leave the civilian practitioners completely unharmed. They returned to their headquarters, mobilized their forces, and marched back toward the northern regions of Sichuan.

Yet, to their absolute bewilderment, by the time they reached northern Sichuan, the forces had already retreated from the territory. For a group that had completely resolved themselves for a brutal cleansing, it was an incredibly anti-climactic resolution. Unable to bring themselves to harm guiltless civilians, they journeyed back to Mount Qingcheng, only to be hit with unsettling rumors a few days later.

“What madness is this? The Jongnam Sect is persecuting the local populace?”

“…They are actively torturing anyone associated with the Maitreya Divine Church on sight to force disclosures regarding the Demonic Cult. Furthermore, they are violently seizing all assets distributed by the cult, declaring the wealth to be corrupted.”

“Those Taoists have completely lost their morality…” The Qingcheng Sect leader nearly uttered severe profanities unbecoming of his spiritual status, checking himself at the last moment. It was not out of sudden piety, but because of a stark realization: ‘We were on the verge of doing the exact same thing.’

Had True Person Qingmu not intervened, he would have perpetrated the identical cruelty he was currently condemning the Jongnam Sect for. Giving a brief look to True Person Qingmu, the sect leader made a definitive call and shouted, “Gather all disciples immediately! We must put an end to the Jongnam Sect’s atrocities!”

Departing Mount Qingcheng once more, they surged back toward northern Sichuan. Upon their arrival, the Qingcheng Sect immediately confronted the Jongnam Sect Taoists who were actively plundering the helpless villagers.

“Cease this shameful behavior!”

“And what business does Qingcheng have interfering here?”

“We intervened because you are brutalizing innocent people!”

“Ha! Innocent? It appears Qingcheng has been entirely corrupted by the influence of the Demonic Cult.”

At the mocking words of Sect Leader Amgak True Person, the veins on the Qingcheng Sect leader’s temple throbbed with fury. The Taoists of both sects engaged in a bitter argument for an extended period, while the terrified civilians remained trapped in the crossfire.

“Tch. Very well. Since Sichuan is your domain, we shall depart for now. However, if you dare set foot in Gansu, do not expect us to remain passive.” The leader of the Jongnam Sect clicked his tongue in blatant disgust, glared at the gathered Qingcheng Taoists, and marched away alongside his followers.

“Sect Leader Brother, our immediate priority must be treating the villagers who were severely harmed by the Jongnam inspectors,” True Person Qingmu urged.

“…Let it be so.”

Within one of the settlements where the Jongnam forces had temporary quarters, True Person Qingmu stumbled upon faint indicators of the Blood Cult. Though the markings were incredibly subtle, his long, obsessive hunt for the cult allowed him to recognize them instantly. True Person Qingmu raced alongside his disciples back to the central county where the sect leader was overseeing the medical aid for the wounded villagers.

“Brother! The Blood Cult is afoot!”

Following a thorough examination of the evidence True Person Qingmu uncovered, the sect leader remarked with immense gravity, “Then the assertions made by that Demonic Cult individual were entirely accurate.”

As the sect leader sunk into deep thought over the implications, True Person Qingmu, struck by a sudden realization, shouted desperately, “Brother! We cannot afford delay! We must halt the Great War of Righteousness and Evil at all costs!”

“Surely you do not fully credit that Demonic Cult member’s claims regarding a royal conspiracy?”

“It is because of the Blood Cult’s involvement!”

The sect leader’s expression contorted in brief bewilderment before absolute comprehension struck him, leaving him visibly shaken. “Those monsters are orchestrating an agenda behind this conflict!”

Inevitably, the prior warnings of Il-mok flooded back into their consciousness. They remembered the architects of the horrific slaughter inside the Sichuan Secret Cavern—specifically the reanimated, rigid corpses that the Blood Cult had desperately concealed until their final moments. Gathering their remaining disciples and senior elders in a rush, they abandoned northern Sichuan and pushed hard toward Gansu Province.

Yet, upon arrival, the Jongnam Sect forces that were supposed to be stationed there had completely vanished.

“They have mobilized toward Qinghai to intercept the Demonic Cult forces that launched an assault on Mount Hua.”

Receiving this intelligence, the Taoists of the Qingcheng Sect tracked the path of the Jongnam Sect straight into Qinghai.

…

Following days of grueling travel, True Person Qingmu finally stepped into the borders of Qinghai, only to be struck by a wave of pure hopelessness. The conflict was already raging. In truth, it had evolved far past a standard engagement; hundreds of lifeless bodies obscured the earth, and even from a vast distance, the metallic odor of blood hung heavily in the air.

“Curse it all,” True Person Qingmu spat under his breath.

Suddenly, from the dead center of the swirling chaos, a voice echoed out.

‘Of course! The Blood Cult has yet to reveal its main hand!’ Realizing a fragile opportunity still existed, True Person Qingmu bellowed back across the noise.

At the echoing, sequential warnings of Il-mok and True Person Qingmu, the chaotic struggle across the battlefield experienced a momentary pause.

“The Blood Cult?! What madness are you uttering, True Person Qingmu?!” Yang Mujia roared out in sheer skepticism.

“It cannot be.”

“Those fiends have finally made their move…”

The Sword Sage of Taiji and the King of Begging, both of whom had been previously briefed by Il-mok, immediately began monitoring the landscape with intensely solemn expressions.

Capitalizing on the sudden hesitation, True Person Qingmu utilized his highest movement techniques, hurtling directly into the heart of the battlefield while shouting continuously, “We identified undeniable Blood Cult indicators within northern Sichuan! The Blood Cult is operating among us! They are exploiting the Great War of Righteousness and Evil to fulfill a dark objective!”

The assembled fighters reacted with a mixture of emotions. Some were paralyzed by bewilderment, others sneered as if listening to a fabrication, and many were simply too exhausted from the brutal combat to comprehend the words.

As True Person Qingmu, the Qingcheng Sect leader, and their disciples closed the distance to the center of the conflict amidst the disorder, a sudden, violent eruption of raw energy caused Il-mok and several elite masters to instantly snap their attention toward a precise coordinate.

‘When did they…?’

Positioned at that exact location was a cohesive unit numbering well over a hundred individuals.

‘Could they have utilized an illusionary technique to mask their approach?’ As Il-mok considered this possibility, the spiritual signatures surrounding the newly arrived adversaries began to distort and churn violently.

“It is the remnants of the Blood Cult!”

“Prevent them from executing their wicked arts—obliterate them immediately!”

As the rest of the battlefield slowly registered the presence of the Blood Cult, various warriors roared out, and those nearest prepared to launch themselves forward using their lightness skills—when suddenly.

Slice.

Crunch.

“Bro…ther?”

In numerous spots across the lines, individuals clad in the official robes of the Jongnam Sect were driving blades directly into the hearts of their own unsuspecting Jongnam companions. They utilized daggers inscribed with bizarre, unnatural configurations, driving them deep alongside standard Jongnam swords.

The specialized daggers drank the vital blood of the targeted Jongnam inspectors instantly, vibrating in perfect synchronization with the dark spells being muttered by the Blood Cult mystics.

Flash!

An overwhelming, blood-tinted luminescence instantly saturated the entire expanse of the battlefield.

Recognizing that a malevolent, wide-scale array had successfully locked down the area, True Person Qingmu’s face turned completely purple with unbridled fury. “You absolute monsters!”

He identified the malicious technique without a shadow of a doubt. It was the exact same catastrophic Illusionary Dream Formation utilized during the massacre within the Sichuan Secret Cavern—the very spell that had forced the disciples of the Qingcheng Sect to turn on one another in a blind, fratricidal frenzy.