Chapter 410

Chapter 410

Wi Jin-hak, having been made aware of the unfolding situation via the messages from Il-mok, cast aside the significant occasion of their wedding night to call together the representatives of every allied faction.

The Taiji Sword Immortal alongside Huangbo Ak, as well as the Beggar King and the patriarch of the Zhuge lineage, all assembled in a singular chamber to conduct a strategic council.

Having processed the movements of the orthodox martial coalitions and the maneuvers of the Central Army Inspectorate, the Taiji Sword Immortal offered his thoughts with a deeply burdened expression.

“I harbored negative premonitions regarding this outcome, and ultimately, Shaolin has chosen to align its strength with the royal palace.”

The Beggar King appeared thoroughly perplexed by the Taiji Sword Immortal’s somber assessment.

“Shaolin is universally lauded as the premier institution of the Taishan North Star, yet does Wudang not command equal reverence? Regardless of the heights of Shaolin’s historical standing, does their involvement truly present such an insurmountable threat?”

The Beggar King was merely articulating the collective uncertainty of the room. Wi Jin-hak and Huangbo Ak both mirrored his expressions of confusion.

In response to the query posed by the Beggar King, the patriarch of the Zhuge lineage, assuming the mantle of tactical advisor, provided clarification for the gathered leaders.

“Rumors persist of a hidden, unlisted powerhouse dwelling deep within the walls of Shaolin.”

The patriarch of the Zhuge lineage proceeded to recount the tale regarding an ancient ascetic of Shaolin that he had received from the Taiji Sword Immortal just a few suns prior, with the Taiji Sword Immortal stepping in to conclude the summary.

“This elderly monastic figures that our own progenitor, who achieved spiritual transcendence, possessed a level of combat capability equivalent to that of the Heavenly Blood Steel Corpse.”

The countenances of everyone present in the chamber turned intensely serious. This implied that the ancient Shaolin monastic was an absolute leviathan on par with the terrifying Heavenly Blood Steel Corpse.

“The core dilemma is that our opposition does not conclude with the borders of Shaolin. Whether orchestrated through a secret pact with the royal court or independent motivations, the Peng family is spearheading this coalition alongside Shaolin, and it is entirely predictable that both the Nangong and Hwasan factions will align with their banner.”

Nangong Jin, the patriarch of the Nangong lineage who is frequently referred to as the Sword Venerable, alongside Yang Mu-ja, the supreme leader of the Hwasan sect, had already dismissed the overtures extended by the Beggars’ Sect.

The patriarch of the Hebei Peng family, despite being relegated to an auxiliary status among the primary forces after being eclipsed by the Martial Alliance Leader Cheok Pae-myeong, still retained his reputation as the secondary apex powerhouse across the land—an incredibly dangerous adversary.

With Cheok Pae-myeong no longer among the living, he could reasonably be classified as the most formidable powerhouse left standing in that sphere.

When one factors in the ancient monastic of Shaolin and the Fire Venerable, four individuals out of the historical Twelve Heavenly Lords were directly engaged in this mobilization, augmented by a single ancient entity whose power transcended their tier.

Highlighting these factors, the patriarch of the Zhuge lineage shifted his gaze toward Wi Jin-hak and remarked openly.

“It may sound forward of me, but in all candor, utilizing solely the forces of our Zhuge clan, Wudang, and the Beggars’ Sect will make it exceedingly difficult to repel their advance. We absolutely require the intervention of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.”

In reality, the patriarch of the Zhuge lineage had journeyed to this location in the company of the Taiji Sword Immortal and the Beggar King, purposefully leaving their home territory of Hubei undefended, precisely to brace for an identical crisis.

The Beggars’ Sect possessed no permanent headquarters to protect given their nomadic existence, and while Wudang maintained its own internal leadership, the Taiji Sword Immortal was capable of acting independently—yet for a lineage patriarch to abandon his estate on the precipice of a grand conflict was an entirely unprecedented action.

Beyond the matter of his daughter’s marital alliance, he had traveled in person to deliver this plea for reinforcements face-to-face rather than relying on written text.

“An allocation of forces… From your perspective, lineage head, what size detachment will be sufficient?”

Answering the query from Wi Jin-hak, the patriarch of the Zhuge lineage articulated.

“Equilibrium is the defining factor. Prior to the moment the Central Army Inspectorate coordinates the regional levies from the various territories and initiates its advance, the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult must lock down Shaanxi Province with the utmost celerity.”

They had successfully neutralized the threats of Hwasan and Zhongnan, yet that achievement restricted itself purely to the domain of the martial organizations.

They still faced the necessity of either converting or dismantling the Shaanxi Provincial Military Command, along with the remaining administrative officers and imperial infantry stationed inside the territory.

Following up on the explanation provided by the patriarch of the Zhuge lineage, Wi Jin-hak inquired further.

“On a separate note, what is the current state of affairs inside Hubei?”

“We are orchestrating operations covertly beneath the surface. We are identifying individuals who harbor a similar perspective to our own, and they are prepared to instigate an uprising the very moment we make our return.”

Wi Jin-hak gave a firm nod, having successfully organized the variables within his mind.

“Combining our forces with the Zhuge, Wudang, and the Beggars’ Sect present inside Hubei, our total manpower will actually be twice the size of their vanguard. Under those parameters, our single vulnerability lies in a shortage of pinnacle combatants.”

Wi Jin-hak turned his gaze and conveyed an instruction to the Master of the Silver Wing Pavilion who stood waiting behind his seat.

“Call forward the Protectors of the Left and Right, Elder Yeom Ga-hwi representing the pavilion, and the patriarch of the Hyeok-ryeon lineage.”

“Your will shall be executed.”

Receiving Wi Jin-hak’s directive, the Master of the Silver Wing Pavilion brought his knuckles together in a respectful sign and exited the chamber.

The Protectors of the Left and Right operated essentially as secondary leaders for the organization. In periods where the Heavenly Demon or the primary leader was unavailable, they oversaw the administrative and strategic matters of the sect, both monumental and minor. Furthermore, should the Heavenly Demon or the primary leader pass away or transcend, it fell upon them to oversee the designation of the subsequent ruler.

Consequently, they represented the most logical choices to deploy as surrogates. Yeom Ga-hwi and Hyeok-ryeon Cheon-gang possessed rigid personalities, yet they lacked the erratic tendencies to spark unprompted catastrophes in the manner of Dokgo Ryong or Baek Un-hak.

A brief period later, the designated quartet stepped into the chamber alongside the Master of the Silver Wing Pavilion.

As the representatives of the righteous factions who had been locked in discussion with the four figures from the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult stood up sequentially to trade polite acknowledgments.

‘My word. Does this represent the true capability of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult?”

“The further I investigate, the more staggering their assets become.’

The Taiji Sword Immortal and the Beggar King fought hard internally to mask their immense astonishment.

Every single one of the four individuals who had arrived in such haste was a powerhouse occupying a identical tier to their own, and the Master of the Silver Wing Pavilion who had accompanied them from the start was of the exact same caliber.

When one factored in the primary leader Wi Jin-hak, the youthful heir Il-mok, the third young master Seo Wan-pyeong whom they had observed operating in Qinghai, and even Jin Ha-yeon, the personal maidservant of Il-mok.

‘Can this truly be attributed to the efficacy of heterodox internal arts…’

In terms of the sheer volume of apex combatants, it entirely shattered the conventional understanding held by the denizens of the Central Plains.

During the hours of darkness.

Following the conclusion of basic pleasantries, the detachment exited Shaanxi to make haste for Hubei.

The combatants of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult along with the martial artists of the Hwangbo lineage who had taken up temporary quarters inside Huayin County adjacent to Hwasan after completing their operations there also initiated a forward march back toward Xi’an, the administrative heart of Shaanxi Province.

Commencing with the Shaanxi Provincial Military Command situated inside the regional hub of Xi’an, their primary objective was to wrest authority over the imperial administrative bureaus.

Following an uninterrupted trek spanning a sun and a half, they arrived at the outskirts of Xi’an around midday.

“Cult Leader! A column displaying the insignias of our organization is making its approach.”

Precisely at that juncture, the expected party that had journeyed from Gansu linked up with them.

Cheon Ryang alongside the administrative authorities from Gansu’s Left Defense Commandery, flanked by a modest detail of Heavenly Demon Divine Cult combatants acting as their vanguard, integrated into the main body.

Cheon Ryang offered his formal submission to Wi Jin-hak, subsequently transmitting the observations that Il-mok had entrusted to him.

“Young Master Il-mok indicated that during engagements with regular imperial infantry, positioning myself alongside the administrative officials of Gansu to convince those open to reason represents the most advantageous strategy for our long-term objectives.”

Wi Jin-hak mulled over the concept for a moment, then signaled his assent.

‘If that represents the conclusion of the youngest, I ought to place my faith in his perspective for the time being.’

Owing to a history of successful outcomes, Wi Jin-hak maintained absolute confidence in the choices of Il-mok.

Concluding their brief dialogue, Wi Jin-hak steered the primary force of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult toward the compound of the Shaanxi Provincial Military Command.

The contingent consisting of more than three thousand Heavenly Demon Divine Cult combatants, supplemented by the retainers of the Hwangbo lineage and the integrated forces from Zhongnan and Hwasan—surpassing four thousand martial artists in total—bore down upon the military base.

The thunderous roll of war drums reverberated from behind the battlements, and missile troops materialized across the defensive walls, their projectiles aimed directly at the advancing column.

Amidst the highly volatile environment on the verge of open warfare, Cheon Ryang took a deep breath to steady his nerves and strode out to the front.

“I am Cheon Ryang, an administrative officer representing the Left Defense Commandery of Gansu! A number of you may recognize my features, but I have chosen to align myself with the grand objectives of these gentlemen and now stand among their ranks!!”

Emulating the rhetoric utilized by Il-mok and Gansu’s Military Commander against the opposition forces, he brought forward the corruption and misdeeds of the imperial court and the castrates to pressure them into laying down their arms.

“How can any loyal soldier place their faith in a governing palace manipulated by castrates who effortlessly execute thousands of innocent common folk!”

However, the commanding officer of Shaanxi refused to be swayed by his persuasive speech.

“You treacherous dog!! How dare you utter such blasphemy against the royal line! Eliminate that insurgent trash this instant!!”

The very second the commanding officer barked out the execution order, a dense cloud of arrows descended upon the position where Cheon Ryang stood.

“Gulp.”

Seized by sudden panic, Cheon Ryang rooted himself to the spot and swallowed hard, but the vanguard of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult who had stepped forward to insulate his position effortlessly neutralized the incoming projectiles.

Having safely retreated back to the main line, Cheon Ryang wiped the beads of anxiety from his face and offered his respects to Wi Jin-hak.

“Cult Leader, they chose to reject our initial terms, but the ideas have been planted in their minds. They bore witness to myself, a fellow bureaucrat, being afforded respect and safety. The moment we secure a dominant position in the combat and extend a secondary offer to capitulate, a portion of their ranks will undoubtedly swap sides.”

Wi Jin-hak offered a nod of agreement and stood tall.

“I shall return shortly.”

Given that they had finalized their status as life partners, he extended this basic polite notice to Zhuge Eun-young who stood adjacent to him prior to moving out to the front line. At that exact instant, she reached out and took hold of his garment.

-You will not allow me, who has yet to experience our marital bed, to transform into a youthful widow, of this I am completely certain.

“Hahaha!”

Foregoing a verbal response, Wi Jin-hak displayed a self-assured smile and carried on with his stride. Within moments, Wi Jin-hak executed the Void Step, gliding effortlessly over the terrain and rapidly arriving at the absolute front of the engagement.

“Every regiment!! Attack!!!”

Unleashing a roar that mirrored a predatory beast, Wi Jin-hak spearheaded the assault, executing his movement techniques straight toward the defensive structures of the command base.

“Waaaaah!!”

“Forward!!”

The combatants of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult surged behind him, launching a coordinated mass assault against the fortification.

The combat capabilities manifested by Wi Jin-hak were nothing short of breathtaking.

Roooar.

Not a soul could stand against his Heavenly Demon Sword as it erupted with terrifying torrents of dark energy, and crimson trails marked every forward stride he executed.

Once the engagement settled and the containment operations reached their conclusion.

The high-ranking dignitaries of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, alongside Hwangbo Ak and Cheon Ryang, convened inside the primary pavilion for a tactical review.

“Tch. The overall fatalities are far more extensive than I anticipated.”

His statement did not concern the casualties among their own numbers. While a few had sustained injuries from stray projectiles, spears, artillery pieces, or heavenly thunder bombs, their losses remained minor.

The high mortality count Wi Jin-hak alluded to was entirely borne by the imperial infantry.

The defensive stand maintained by the command center proved far more resolute than predicted, forcing them to eliminate nearly half of the five thousand defenders before an organized surrender could be successfully brokered.

A vast majority of them had merely been executing the directives of their superiors, rendering the victory somewhat bittersweet.

“At the very least, the Victory Defense Commandery along with the Patrol Inspectorate chose to capitulate without offering significant pushback.”

In the closing stages of the clash with the primary Military Command, the personnel, law enforcers, and administrators of the Victory Defense Commandery and Patrol Inspectorate had made a belated appearance on the scene.

However, upon witnessing the rapid destruction of the Military Command in such a compressed timeframe, they chose to yield without drawing their blades.

Wi Jin-hak gave a nod while wearing a somewhat displeased expression, subsequently shifting his attention toward Seo Wan-pyeong.

“Dark Shadow Pavilion Master.”

“Instruct the operatives of the Dark Shadow Pavilion to conduct a meticulous sweep of the Patrol Inspectorate, the Victory Defense Commandery, and the central Military Command. Furthermore, perform an intensive background assessment across the Xi’an territory to identify any exploitative administrators who mistreated the populace among the personnel who have surrendered to our forces.”

“Your commands shall be executed, Cult Leader.”

Seo Wan-pyeong immediately stood up and exited the space to set the directives into motion.

Wi Jin-hak then redirected his focus toward Cheon Ryang.

“Did you not transport specific assets here based on the instructions of the youngest?”

“Indeed, Cult Leader.”

Cheon Ryang arranged multiple pre-arranged stacks of parchment across the surface of the desk.

They consisted of informational brochures and public notices.

“Our strategy involves dispersing these documents throughout every corner of Shaanxi to capture the devotion of the general public.”

“You are intimately acquainted with the nuances of that methodology from my youngest pupil, so I place the execution entirely in your hands. Direct the martial artists of the organization to carry out the distribution.”

“I shall obey your voice.”

Cheon Ryang offered a respectful bow to Wi Jin-hak and stood up to manage the assignment.

As he made his way out of the pavilion, Cheon Ryang let loose a muted breath and cast a glance toward the heavens.

What stood as the primary catalyst that had driven him to pledge his allegiance to the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult?

It was not merely a desire for societal equity or the various long-term stratagems conceptualized by Il-mok—his ultimate certainty was born from witnessing that reality-defying martial technique.

That absolute monster of a technique that manifested destructive energy equivalent to hundreds of heavenly thunder bombs detonating simultaneously.

A mere heir to the lineage had manifested such apocalyptic power, leading him to presume that the primary leader of the sect would be immeasurably more terrifying.

‘The combat capabilities of the leader are undeniably spectacular, yet there exists an indefinable variance…’

It was entirely possible that due to his lack of formal instruction in the esoteric martial styles, when contrasted with the reality-warping martial arts demonstrated by the young master Il-mok, the leader’s display felt somehow less absolute.

‘…Is it possible that I have been misled from the start?’

…

The combatants of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult who had wrested authority over the administrative centers within Xi’an, the focal hub of Shaanxi Province, conducted their operations with extreme efficiency.

The medical practitioners of the sect administered aid to those sustained injuries during the fighting, while the operatives of the Dark Shadow Pavilion traversed the neighborhoods of Xi’an, unearthing the histories of the surrendered officials.

Concurrently, designated details of sect combatants scattered the informational brochures and disseminated the political messaging across every neighborhood of Xi’an.

“Cult Leader! An emergency intelligence report has arrived from the Red Tiger Unit monitoring the outer boundaries of Xi’an. A dispatch was intercepted from an advancing vanguard of imperial infantry.”

Wi Jin-hak’s brow furrowed deep as he absorbed the contents of the document presented by the Master of the Silver Wing Pavilion.

The text revealed an imperial mandate ordering the immediate gathering of Shaanxi’s remaining military forces to integrate with the Western Army Inspectorate for the explicit purpose of crushing the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.

“The royal palace is finally initiating its strategic countermove.”

Discerning that they could not risk remaining stationary within the walls of Xi’an lest the safety of Gansu be compromised, Wi Jin-hak rose to his feet.

“We have zero time for relaxation—convene the sect members and the newly integrated regional forces immediately. We have secured our hold on Xi’an, so we must now absorb the entirety of Shaanxi with maximum speed.”

They stationed a bare minimum of garrison forces to maintain order within Xi’an, subsequently moving out to dismantle and control the remaining imperial offices throughout Shaanxi.

By virtue of Wi Jin-hak’s rapid tactical determination, not a single military unit from Shaanxi managed to link up with the Western Army Inspectorate, ensuring that the garrison of Lanzhou only had to contend with the primary vanguard of the enemy.

In the interim..

While Wi Jin-hak and the core fighting body of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult consolidated their authority over Shaanxi, brought stability to Liaoning, and Il-mok alongside the forces of Lanzhou secured their initial victory against the Western Army Inspectorate.

The various martial organizations assembling within Henan Province, organized under the direction of Shaolin and the Hebei Peng lineage, commenced their forward advance toward the borders of Hubei.