Chapter 390

Chapter 390

A sudden outcry threw the ranks of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult followers into complete disarray.

Was it wiser to overlook the interruption and push forward, or should they halt to converse?

Shattering that clumsy hesitation, Il-mok focused his internal reserves and projected his voice toward Wi Jin-hak.

“Cult Leader, permit me to handle this discussion! Maintain the march!”

It was a crucial juncture, and they could ill afford to leave the army idling in this place for long.

Wi Jin-hak offered Il-mok a brief look before giving a firm nod of approval.

“I leave this matter in your hands. Advance!”

Following Wi Jin-hak’s directive, the Cult’s vanguard pressed forward once more, while the Taoists of the Qingcheng Sect stepped to either side to grant them passage.

Il-mok rapidly utilized his movement techniques to close the distance to the Qingcheng Sect Taoists, the handmaidens trailing close behind him.

“Greetings, Venerable Qingmu. What brings your presence here today?”

“Hahaha. Did I not just state our purpose? We have arrived to forge an alliance with the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.”

Il-mok offered a respectful, simple fist-and-palm greeting, which Venerable Qingmu cordially returned.

Venerable Qingmu’s gaze appeared notably more luminous and clear, whereas the countenances of the practitioners arrayed behind him were universally fraught with conflict.

Even the standard-bearer of the Qingcheng Sect, the Sect Leader himself, bore an equally tormented expression.

They clearly possessed reservations, but the atmosphere indicated they were entirely yielding the floor to Venerable Qingmu.

“Hahaha. How can a man’s convictions remain stagnant for eternity? Tell me, are we arriving too late to accompany you?”

Il-mok offered a hesitant grin.

Truthfully, from the perspective of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, gaining the cooperation of the Qingcheng Sect was an immense advantage.

This value did not stem solely from the formidable martial capabilities of the Qingcheng Sect.

The Qingcheng Sect had reigned as the historic masters of Sichuan, and Sichuan served as the prime agricultural lifeline for the northwest region of the Central Plains.

When facing an adversary that dominated the ultimate agricultural hubs of the Central Plains—the Huabei Plains and the Yangtze Plains—Sichuan represented an absolutely indispensable stronghold that required total security.

Should the Qingcheng Sect align with them, they could gain entry to Sichuan without shedding a single drop of blood.

Consequently, only a solitary problem persisted.

Whether they could place genuine faith in them as comrades.

A betrayal originating from within was invariably more devastating than any threat from an external enemy.

For this reason, Il-mok chose to probe the situation indirectly.

“We are always receptive to new coalitions. I merely wonder what transformation of spirit caused you to alter your path so abruptly.”

“A transformation of spirit…”

Venerable Qingmu gently stroked his chin whiskers, lingering on his words as if reflecting on days gone by.

“Upon regaining consciousness after collapsing during the conflict with the Blood Cult, many reflections occupied my mind.”

Immediately after witnessing the destruction of the Thousand Blood Ghouls and the Blood Cult Leader, Venerable Qingmu had swooned from excessive bleeding and severe internal disruptions. He eventually came to in a settlement known as the City of Joy, situated on the frontier dividing Qinghai and Gansu.

Though his lethal injuries had received emergency treatment, the lingering internal damage brought forth an internal tribulation—a heart demon.

“My initial reaction was profound skepticism. Upon fulfilling my vengeance, I perceived myself as an entity consumed entirely by slaughter—truly miserable. Hahaha.”

It was not because vengeance simply triggers further vengeance, or because the deceased could never be restored to life regardless of the outcome.

Despite dedicating decades to tempering his blade in accordance with the Tao, he had somehow transitioned from a path of benevolence to one purely focused on taking life. It was skepticism directed at his own character.

“Naturally, I harbor no regrets regarding the annihilation of the Blood Cult. They not only slaughtered our own Qingcheng followers, but they also executed countless blameless commoners.”

“Yet, has the imperial court not butchered thousands of blameless commoners in the exact same manner as the Blood Cult? All to sate their hunger for dominion. They fail to view the populace as human beings. If they did not perceive them as mere cattle to be slaughtered carelessly, such monstrous slaughters could never occur. Why, then, should I—should our Qingcheng Sect—aim our blades at the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult rather than the palace? That query refused to leave my consciousness. Hahaha.”

Naturally, there were evident justifications for the old ways.

The originator of the Qingcheng Sect had been a sworn adversary of the Demonic Cult, and during the historic Great War of Righteousness and Evil, they had spilled the blood of each other’s lineages.

Yet, those events belonged to a bygone era.

Not a solitary living elder or pupil of Qingcheng carried a personal blood feud against the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.

Admittedly, there were instances where isolated Cult members occasionally ventured into the Central Plains to instigate disruptions.

Most famously, Wi Jin-hak—the current Cult Leader—had caused havoc throughout the Central Plains dozens of times in his youth, gaining the terrifying reputation of the Mad Demon.

However, Venerable Qingmu was well aware of the reality.

The orthodox martial artists and palace dignitaries struck down by Wi Jin-hak and his followers were predominantly hypocrites or corrupted individuals.

The masses had merely supported them blindly and labeled the “Demonic Cult as wicked” simply because they were nominally on the same side.

An animosity forged in an ancient era.

Ought they to focus on destroying the Demonic Cult over an ancient grievance, or confront the imperial dynasty perpetrating slaughters at this very moment?

After enduring agonizing, sleepless nights grappling with that paradox, Venerable Qingmu discovered his resolution.

“Following extensive reflection, I hardened my resolve. The imperial court is guilty of monstrous wickedness, whereas your faction—at least over the preceding decades—has refrained from committing massive atrocities. Thus, for the time being, I have chosen to unite with you to chastise the palace. The blade I tempered to walk the path of Tao—given that it is already drenched in blood—will now be used to strike down true corruption.”

Il-mok, who had remained a quiet listener, peered directly into Venerable Qingmu’s eyes, which shone with a pristine radiance, and posed a counter-question.

“Is that the unyielding faith you have forged, Venerable Qingmu?”

“Hahaha. Truly, you look straight into a man’s soul.”

Venerable Qingmu laughed boisterously at the profound, Zen-like inquiry, and Il-mok nodded his head as though his inkling had been validated.

By successfully breaking free from his inner demon, Venerable Qingmu had ascended to the sublime state of Unity With Heaven.

Il-mok had reached Unity With Heaven himself, and having observed a select few others touch that peak, he possessed a deep comprehension of that spiritual tier.

‘Ultimately, it hinges upon absolute conviction.’

The high-tier manifestations a practitioner could project upon entering Unity With Heaven through rigorous cultivation—such as Sword Control, the Sword Ring, Void Stepping, Body-Protecting Aura, and similar feats.

All of these abilities surpassed simple physical execution, enforcing supernatural phenomena upon reality through sheer mental resolve.

To dictate one’s intent unto the world, one’s personal conviction had to be fundamentally immovable.

Be it a grand purpose to shield all followers, or a modest pledge to defend a cherished companion.

Be it a righteous desire to correct the world, or a prideful urge to subjugate everything beneath oneself—the nature of it mattered not.

An individual merely required a resolute spirit that stood firm against the chaotic shifts of heaven and earth.

For a martial artist whose comprehension of combat forms and mastery of internal energy approached absolute perfection, anchoring such a flawless conviction unlocked the state of Unity With Heaven.

“Accept my congratulations on achieving this profound realm.”

“Hahaha. Are you offering praise to an old fellow who cannot even match the heights you have mastered?”

Venerable Qingmu offered a gentle grin and teased, before locking his crystalline gaze onto Il-mok and continuing.

“Given that I have bared my inner conviction to you, I shall speak plainly. The coalition I offer is strictly temporary. Just as we have marched against the palace due to its villainy, if your own wicked deeds come to light once this conflict concludes, the blades of Qingcheng will be leveled at you next.”

Il-mok offered a reciprocal smile at Venerable Qingmu’s admonition, which had been delivered with a pleasant face.

“Still water invariably turns foul. If you intend to watch over us to ensure we remain pure, would that not be a welcome arrangement?”

Venerable Qingmu, who had offered the cautionary words expecting potential offense, roared with even greater amusement at Il-mok’s broad-minded acceptance.

‘As anticipated, he is a man of massive internal capacity.’

Once his booming amusement diminished, Venerable Qingmu smoothed his beard and spoke.

“Goodness, observe how I am forgetting my decorum. Pardon me for a brief instant.”

With those words, Venerable Qingmu shifted and offered a respectful bow toward the Sect Leader of Qingcheng.

“Sect Leader Martial Brother, you have my sincere gratitude for accommodating this junior brother’s obstinacy.”

The Qingcheng Sect Leader clicked his tongue in response to his junior’s formal politeness, which he regarded with obvious irritation, and answered.

“Tch. Is this behavior something new from you? Do you assume I am complying with your suggestions blindly? To my vision as well, the palace’s oppression is a far more pressing dilemma than these individuals, which is why I have conceded to your path.”

Only then did Venerable Qingmu stand fully upright.

“Is that the case? Hahaha.”

“Hahaha. Given that even you, Sect Leader Martial Brother, have chosen to align with them, share in our mirth.”

“Tch. A person’s inner sentiments and rational mind do not always walk hand in hand, do they? This senior brother’s understanding of the Tao remains imperfect, unlike your own—my inner conviction and emotional state are not perfectly unified—so leave the matter be.”

Il-mok suppressed a smirk at their routine bickering.

The radiantly optimistic junior brother and the complaining yet deeply protective senior brother formed an oddly synchronized partnership.

At that point, concluding his discussion with the Sect Leader, Venerable Qingmu faced Il-mok once more.

“Though my Sect Leader Martial Brother speaks with such an attitude, when he pledges his word under the reputation of Qingcheng, he honors it without deviation—so harbor no anxiety.”

“I am completely at ease. Hahaha.”

Il-mok offered an amicable chuckle in response, then shifted his focus to their fresh partners.

“Now that our objectives have converged, allow me to outline the immediate arrangements required.”

Il-mok concisely related only the critical details from the Xining gathering that the Qingcheng Sect absolutely needed to grasp.

Instead of launching a direct assault on Peking, their forces would march only as far as Shaanxi Province, where they would coordinate with the Zhuge family, Wudang, and the Beggars’ Clan to forge a defensive boundary running from Gansu across Shaanxi and into Hubei—that specific plan.

He purposefully held back precise tactical maneuvers or prospective stratagems to guard against unexpected developments.

“We are deeply appreciative of Qingcheng’s willingness to help eliminate the imperial court, but for the moment, preserving Sichuan remains our primary objective. Toppling the dynasty will not be accomplished in a single day, so to ensure our forces remain supplied, we must defend Sichuan’s agricultural territories at all costs.”

Following Il-mok’s briefing, Venerable Qingmu shifted his stance, allowing the Qingcheng Sect Leader to step forward and reply.

“Understood. We shall journey back to Sichuan immediately, dispatch messages to our secular pupils and the various martial artists of Sichuan, and assemble as many allies as possible who share this purpose.”

“We place our reliance on your efforts.”

Il-mok executed a formal fist-and-palm salute, and the Sect Leader offered a curt nod before turning around to depart.

Il-mok tracked the retreating forms of the Qingcheng Taoists for a brief window, then shifted his direction and walked back toward the primary gathering of the Cult.

Employing his movement arts, he glided past the marching ranks and arrived directly beside Cult Leader Wi Jin-hak.

“Well, what transpired?”

In response to Wi Jin-hak’s inquiry, Il-mok gave a brief summary of the conversation that had occurred.

“Consequently, I have directed them to oversee the protection of Sichuan.”

He could not gamble the survival of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult and its coalition partners on raw intuition alone.

“To address that concern, I have formulated a countermeasure, Cult Leader.”

Nor was Il-mok placing blind faith in the Qingcheng Sect.

“For the upcoming psychological campaign, do we not require administrative groundwork within Gansu? While those matters are handled, I will remain behind in Gansu with a select contingent of personnel to secure our rear lines.”

“You intend to keep watch over Sichuan from a rear position?”

“Furthermore, the Qingcheng Sect by themselves cannot flawlessly shield all of Sichuan, so utilizing that rationale, I intend to deploy reinforcements to assist them.”

Wi Jin-hak gave a nod of comprehension at Il-mok’s reasoning.

“Psychological operations and rear security. You younger generation are far better suited for tactical scheming, so I leave the rear in your custody. This senior brother purposes to pacify Shaanxi with the utmost urgency.”

A crushing pressure radiated from Wi Jin-hak as he adjusted his gaze toward the eastern horizon.

“…They remarked that he was mastering the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, and it is evident he has attained greater power.”

Within Il-mok’s consciousness bloomed a vivid vision of Mount Hua and Mount Zhongnan being entirely consumed by the roaring inferno of destruction that Wi Jin-hak was poised to unleash.