Chapter 396

Chapter 396

Chapter Title: Propaganda (4)

The reason the Provincial Commander misjudged Jin Ha-yeon as an unremarkable woman was straightforward. Because she had attained the Human Sea Realm, she managed to completely mask her inner cultivation to match her natural disposition, leaving anyone of an inferior level utterly unable to gauge her true capabilities. This was true even for the Provincial Commander himself, who possessed extensive military experience and had achieved a Second-Grade rank as a martial officer, placing him comfortably within a fully developed Transcendent realm. His personal bodyguards shared a similar status; all four of them were bordering on the Peak realm or just entering the Transcendent stage, yet they were entirely outmatched by Jin Ha-yeon.

Consequently, having assumed Jin Ha-yeon was merely a kept woman, the Provincial Commander required a moment to comprehend the subsequent remarks from the Left Guard Censor.

“What is your opinion regarding Grand Duke Tae, Provincial Commander?”

“…Are you speaking of the very same Grand Duke that I am familiar with?”

“Indeed.”

Failing to perceive the underlying motives of Lord Cheon, the Provincial Commander felt a sense of confusion wash over him. After pondering the matter deeply, he chose to reply with a question of his own rather than a direct answer.

“Of all places to discuss ‘him’, why choose this location? Lord Cheon.”

Faced with the Provincial Commander’s inquiry, Lord Cheon once again brought up a seemingly unrelated topic.

“In your view, what purpose does the army serve, Provincial Commander?”

“To safeguard the realm from external threats.”

“The realm… In that case, what does the realm signify to you, Provincial Commander?”

“You are well aware of the answer, but continuing this line of conversation is highly perilous.”

In response to the Provincial Commander’s cautionary statement, Lord Cheon flashed a mild grin before speaking again.

“You appear to find that query difficult to address. I possess no authority to lecture a seasoned soldier such as yourself regarding military matters. Therefore, let us look at the civil administration instead. Among the highly ranked provincial authorities who are aware of Grand Duke Tae’s power, a particular phrase is frequently muttered in secret: ‘We are no longer certain if we are executing the decrees of the Emperor or those of Grand Duke Tae.'”

The Provincial Commander frowned deeply at an expression that so openly challenged the sovereign’s rule, yet the subsequent statement from the Left Guard Censor left him completely at a loss for words.

“This is unacceptable speech, Lord Cheon.”

“Is the military not experiencing the exact same predicament?”

Fixing his gaze upon the Provincial Commander, Lord Cheon continued.

“Though I am merely a civil official, Provincial Commander, even I recognize this fundamental reality: the empire your soldiers are sworn to defend is certainly not represented by Grand Duke Tae.”

“Ha. Are you suggesting that we attempt to overthrow that ancient terror?”

Lord Cheon gave a resolute nod, confirming the Provincial Commander’s skeptical interpretation.

Letting out a joyless chuckle, the Provincial Commander inquired, “In what manner? Considering he holds absolute authority over Beijing’s Forbidden City, how do you intend to orchestrate his downfall?”

Strangely, upon hearing that inquiry, Lord Cheon shifted his gaze to observe the empty landscape around them. It was a completely barren space.

“Possessing exceptional martial skills yourself, Provincial Commander, you surely must have detected from a distance the immense detonation and brilliant radiance that occurred yesterday evening, resembling a powerful strike of lightning.”

“I did, however… are you implying that the illumination and thunderous sound were not natural phenomena?”

“Precisely. It was no act of nature. It was a miracle wrought by human hands.”

Finally beginning to understand, the Provincial Commander creased his brow and remarked, “So you are telling me this barren ground was formed just yesterday evening?”

“Indeed. And it required nothing more than a solitary blow.”

“That is unbelievable….”

The Provincial Commander’s face displayed absolute skepticism. This was a terrain where a radius spanning dozens of zhang had been completely wiped out. What thoughts had initially crossed his mind when he first beheld it?

Observing the Provincial Commander’s incredulous expression, Lord Cheon declared, “Yesterday evening, I witnessed it firsthand. The extraordinary feat executed by Young Master Il-mok, the youngest disciple of the leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.”

Grasping the underlying implication of Lord Cheon’s statement, the Provincial Commander scowled and demanded, “Are you proposing that we form an alliance with the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult in order to expel Grand Duke Tae?”

“Precisely.”

“You have completely lost your mind. The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was officially declared a band of insurgents by royal decree two centuries ago.”

“What relevance does that hold now? Ultimately, new wine requires fresh wineskins.”

Upon hearing Lord Cheon’s assertions, the Provincial Commander—who had held his temper up to this point—grew crimson with rage and roared, “You traitor! Do you dare openly speak of rebellion in my presence?!”

He was willing to tolerate discussions about deposing Grand Duke Tae, but executing an uprising against the sovereign was unmitigated treason, regardless of how one framed the situation.

Demonstrating that his anger extended beyond mere words, the Provincial Commander unsheathed the blade at his hip and slashed it directly at Lord Cheon. Yet, his weapon failed to touch Lord Cheon, an individual who possessed absolutely no training in the martial paths.

Clang!

In a fraction of a second, an expressionless woman extended her bare hand to intercept the incoming blade.

“General!”

“Insolent fool!”

The personal guards, who never anticipated that anyone could halt the Provincial Commander’s weapon so easily, raised their voices in alarm and rushed forward to defend him.

In response, Jin Ha-yeon clamped her right hand firmly around the Provincial Commander’s blade and pushed her left palm outward. A wave of chilling yin energy surged from her hand toward the attackers, immobilizing them entirely in the middle of their advance while their weapons remained raised.

Because Jin Ha-yeon exercised restraint, they were not killed on the spot. Instead, they found themselves utterly helpless, desperately struggling to resist the icy yin energy that was seeping directly into their flesh.

Only at that moment did the Provincial Commander and his personal guard comprehend that this woman operated at a level of power that completely eclipsed their own.

‘She is no mere plaything! She is a guardian!’

As the Provincial Commander felt a sense of impending doom wash over him, Lord Cheon calmly brought his hands together in a traditional martial greeting toward Jin Ha-yeon and requested, “Our discussion has not concluded, so I ask of you: please ease your hand, Lady Jin.”

“I refrained from using full force, so their lives are not in immediate danger.”

“You have my gratitude.”

After speaking with Jin Ha-yeon, Lord Cheon redirected his attention to the Provincial Commander, whose weapon was still immobilized by her fingers.

“Lady Jin serves as the attendant to Young Master Il-mok, the individual I spoke of just a moment ago, Provincial Commander.”

The Provincial Commander’s eyes, already wide with astonishment, bulged even further.

‘A master of such caliber is serving as a common attendant!?’

This revelation naturally triggered additional calculations within his mind. If a simple servant possessed such terrifying capability, then the claim that Young Master Il-mok had flattened this entire landscape became entirely plausible. Furthermore, if a mere disciple was capable of this, what unimaginable height of power had the actual Cult Leader reached?

This was precisely the strategic misdirection that Lord Cheon had intended to create. While she did hold the title of an attendant, she was by no means a commonplace servant.

Capitalizing on his opponent’s visible disorientation, Lord Cheon intensified his argument.

“The reality is clear: the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult possesses more than enough military might to overthrow Grand Duke Tae. The primary reason I approached you with this specific arrangement is my desire to lower the loss of guiltless lives during this massive transition.”

“You have observed the situation yourself, have you not, Provincial Commander? Consider the peaceful existence the populace has enjoyed since the Maitreya Cult took control of Gansu. That very Maitreya Cult is actually the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. And as for your own reluctance to mobilize your forces—was it not driven by your concern for those exact same citizens?”

Stunned by the Left Guard Censor’s words, which struck directly at his secret motivations, the Provincial Commander found himself unable to formulate a reply. His true rationale for postponing the mobilization of the regional garrison to suppress the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was officially attributed to the military standstill, but in truth, it was because of his worries for the ordinary people.

“You maintained that the armed forces exist to shield the realm. In that case, what constitutes the realm? Is it possible for a nation to exist without its populace, leaving behind nothing but a sovereign and his palace castrates?”

This was the core dilemma that the Provincial Commander was forced to confront. He remained silent, internalizing the gravity of the query.

“Much like a diseased limb that defies medical treatment, the state has undergone severe decay under the influence of Grand Duke Tae. We are obligated to excise the corruption completely and forge a fresh path. Therefore, align your forces with us, Provincial Commander.”

Faced with Lord Cheon’s urgent request, the Provincial Commander—his thoughts twisting through endless moral dilemmas—released a heavy breath. Influenced by the residual effects of Jin Ha-yeon’s freezing yin energy, his breath emerged as a visible mist.

“Haa. To begin with, could you perhaps reduce the pressure on my personal guards?”

In compliance with his measured appeal, Jin Ha-yeon smoothly recalled the icy energy she had deployed. Furthermore, she relinquished her hold on the Provincial Commander’s unsheathed weapon.

The Provincial Commander returned his frost-rimed sword to its scabbard, shifted his gaze back to Lord Cheon, and gave his terms.

“Would it be possible for me to obtain an audience with this Young Master Il-mok to converse with him face-to-face?”

Upon making their way back to Lanzhou alongside Left Guard Censor Lord Cheon and Jin Ha-yeon, the Provincial Commander made his way directly to the local post of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.

“It is an honor to meet you. My name is Il-mok, and I am the youngest disciple of the Cult Leader.”

Briefly startled by how remarkably youthful Il-mok appeared relative to his expectations, the Provincial Commander offered his own introduction in return.

“I am Yang Gwang, the Provincial Commander of Gansu. Prior to our formal discussion, would you permit me to pose a single question?”

“You may ask whatever you wish.”

“Did your faction intentionally conceal themselves within Gansu from the very beginning with these objectives in mind, utilizing the cover identity of the Maitreya Cult?”

Il-mok shook his head without any sign of hesitation.

“The ultimate objective of our Divine Cult is the salvation of the ordinary people and the eradication of wickedness. We adopted a hidden identity solely to provide them with assistance, given that the orthodox factions of the Central Plains classify our Divine Cult as insurrectionists.”

“In that case, what prompted you to initiate this campaign at this specific moment?”

“The circumstances left us no choice. The sovereign’s court and the Eastern Depot initiated actions that compelled us to adopt this aggressive course of action.”

Observing Yang Gwang’s bewildered expression, Il-mok proceeded to detail how the Eastern Depot had masqueraded as the Blood Cult to stir up widespread chaos. He went on to expose their covert operations intended to engineer the mutual eradication of the various martial clans of the Central Plains, whom they were fundamentally obligated to safeguard.

“For this reason, the Wudang, the Beggars’ Sect, the Huang family, and the Qingcheng faction have all unified their efforts with our Divine Cult. We refuse to permit individuals who view the lives of ordinary citizens as less valuable than insects to maintain their governance over the Central Plains.”

‘Grand Duke Tae—that ancient terror has completely lost his senses. Regardless of his status as a castrate, how could any high-ranking official orchestrate such an abomination?’

Staggered by these deeply troubling revelations, the Provincial Commander rapidly mastered his emotions and pushed for further details.

“Then, do you possess a concrete strategy? I assume you do not intend to launch a disorganized rebellion and engage in open warfare against the sovereign’s household.”

Answering Yang Gwang’s inquiry, Il-mok provided an overview of the strategic measures he had put together. This encompassed far more than just the consultations held with the Zhuge School. The foundational element consisted of the distinct blueprints Il-mok had personally structured regarding information dissemination and the securing of internal territories.

As he absorbed Il-mok’s detailed layout, Yang Gwang was utterly dumbfounded. These were highly unorthodox methodologies that had never even entered his own strategic considerations—though his astonishment was not derived from the distribution of informational flyers or public notices.

‘This individual prioritizes the welfare of the citizenry above all else, even while preparing for a grand conflict.’

He had detected that the concept of ‘guaranteeing the basic survival of the populace’ formed the bedrock of every single maneuver Il-mok detailed.

‘Without a doubt, the genuine identity behind the Maitreya Cult is indeed the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.’

This was the exact reason he had insisted on an audience with Il-mok to speak plainly—to ascertain via his own observations whether the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult had merely performed charitable acts as a ruse to mislead the public, or if they truly felt deep compassion for and desired to support the ordinary folk.

Any lingering skepticism he harbored was completely wiped away upon listening to the strategies Il-mok had arranged.

“Very well. In that case, what assignments should I look into first?”

In response to the inquiry, Il-mok offered a subtle grin.

“To begin, much like the actions taken by the Left Guard Censor, you must secure the allegiance of those within the Provincial Commander’s administration who will remain loyal to your commands. Furthermore, assemble a comprehensive ledger detailing the identities of all exploitative figures who have mistreated the ordinary citizens.”

“An assignment of that nature can be completed within a single day.”

“I have successfully concluded my meetings with almost every critical individual on my itinerary for today, meaning I ought to finalize my own preparations within the span of a day as well.”

With both the Provincial Commander and the Left Guard Censor expressing their concurrence, Il-mok offered an approving nod.

“Therefore, prior to the arrival of tomorrow’s dawn, we shall initiate this monumental campaign.”

The hour had arrived to purge those who refused to align themselves with their cause—as well as the completely degenerate individuals whose wickedness made them entirely unfit to take part in it.