Chapter 148

Chapter 148
## Chapter 148: The Required Course (2)

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### The Crimson River Sword Sect

This organization was a pillar of the martial world, boasting a legacy of great prestige. From the early days of the Divine Demon Clan’s unification of the Demonic Cult, they had provided unwavering loyalty and support. This historical alliance earned them a position of immense authority and power within the hierarchy of the Heavenly Demon Cult.

As the current conflict between the Heavenly Demon Cult and the Nangong Clan intensified, the Crimson River Sword Sect was actively carving out a bloody reputation. Alongside the North Heaven Sword Demon, their elite disciples were currently ravaging the Jiangnam region, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.

Their influence was surging like a morning sun, and the sheer scale of their headquarters reflected that ambition.

The sect was protected by massive walls reaching a height of three zhang, encircling a perimeter that spanned over ten li. Within these defenses sat hundreds of structures, serving as a home to more than seven hundred residents—effectively functioning as a sovereign mini-city.

As the sun reached its zenith, a company of roughly one hundred warriors appeared within a pine thicket to the southwest of the sect’s primary entrance. A faint but unmistakable aura of lethal intent radiated from the group, signaling their violent purpose.

“The journey begins here, comrades,” Eum Jeok-so remarked with a casual air, looking around as if he were enjoying a simple stroll through the woods.

While he remained perfectly composed, the two leaders flanking him were visibly struggling to maintain their calm. Sensing their apprehension, Eum Jeok-so asked, “Are you experiencing fear?”

Both men responded simultaneously, unable to hide their nerves.

“Is that even a question?”

“I won’t pretend I’m not worried.”

Eum Jeok-so didn’t take offense at their honesty; instead, he let out a low, amused sound.

“Heh heh heh! Why the long faces? You’ve witnessed my capabilities with your own eyes. You know what I can do.”

“That is precisely why we agreed to this,” replied Zuo Jian, the current master of the Phantom Spirit Clan, his voice clipped. “But being here is still nerve-wracking. Don’t mistake our fear for hesitation—we aren’t turning back.”

Ma Wu, the leader of the Crimson Flame Clan, stared intensely at the sect’s gates as he added, “We are about to forge a new era. This is the foundation of our legacy.”

Neither man could argue with Eum Jeok-so’s self-assurance. They knew his confidence wasn’t hollow. They had personally seen the terrifying power of the twelve Poison Blood Demons he had engineered.

Eum Jeok-so had first utilized the Ten Thousand Poison Valley to purge the Blood Killer Cult’s double agents who were trying to destabilize the Heavenly Demon Cult. Following that, he had sought out the leaders of the Phantom Spirit and Crimson Flame clans.

Both families shared a history with the Ten Thousand Poison Valley and a mutual trauma: they had been nearly annihilated by the Divine Demon Division during the cult’s consolidation. Furthermore, their previous patriarchs had recently perished during a failed revenge attempt in Soheung.

Having inherited their fathers’ titles and burdens, Zuo Jian and Ma Wu nursed a burning hatred for Divine Demon Leader Sima Geon and the Heavenly Demon Cult as a whole. However, their depleted strength forced them to bury their resentment and wait for a miracle.

Then, Eum Jeok-so had appeared. He presented a plan to strike back at the Divine Demon Division and the Heavenly Demon Cult, requesting their military cooperation.

Initially, the two young leaders were skeptical. The Ten Thousand Poison Valley was currently even smaller than their own weakened clans. Despite their childhood bonds with Eum Jeok-so, they weren’t willing to gamble their survivors’ lives on sentiment. That changed when he displayed his new weapons.

The Poison Blood Demons were monstrous.

Even when Zuo Jian and Ma Wu threw their full martial might at them, they couldn’t damage a single one. Even with the assistance of their remaining elders, the outcome was the same. The bodies of these creatures were as hard as adamantite, their physical strength was terrifying, and the toxic miasma they exuded was lethal. Even with Eum Jeok-so’s prior warnings to restrict their breathing, the two leaders still required medical treatment afterward.

Knowing there were twelve such monsters, and that Eum Jeok-so himself had attained a similar level of power, they chose to align their clans with the Ten Thousand Poison Valley.

With these two families behind him, Eum Jeok-so set his sights on the Crimson River Sword Sect. While his allies suggested recruiting more disgruntled families first, Eum Jeok-so believed a display of overwhelming force would be a better recruitment tool. He had only approached these two first because their lands were on the way to the sect.

Accepting this logic, Zuo Jian and Ma Wu brought their best fighters. Though their numbers were small—less than eighty warriors combined due to past losses—Eum Jeok-so wasn’t concerned. The heavy lifting would be done by him and his creations.

“What is the strategy for the assault?” Zuo Jian inquired.

“We go through the main entrance,” Eum Jeok-so stated.

“That seems suicidal. Even if their main force is away, there are still at least two hundred combatants inside,” Ma Wu noted, his brow furrowed.

Eum Jeok-so’s eyes flashed with a manic light. “Heh heh heh! Still trembling? Just follow behind me. I’m going to prove that what you saw earlier was just a fraction of the Poison Blood Demons’ true potential. Just stay back—if you get too close, the poison will claim you too.”

He inhaled deeply, as if the air itself was a vintage wine, and began walking toward the sect gates with fearless strides. His confidence was infectious, leaving the others in a state of bated breath.

As he drew within twelve zhang of the entrance, the twelve Poison Blood Demons emerged from the shadows and formed a rank behind him.

“He mentioned a mental connection, didn’t he?” Zuo Jian whispered.

Ma Wu shook his head. “Who knows if such a thing is actually possible. It sounds like a myth.”

“Hard to doubt it when you see them move like that.”

Before they could say more, the gate sentries were silenced in a heartbeat, and one of the massive wooden gates was blown apart.

“Kyahahaha!”

Eum Jeok-so’s shrill, crazed laughter rang out, followed immediately by the sounds of panic and pain within the walls. As smoke and fire began to rise from the compound, Zuo Jian drew his weapon.

“It’s time. Move out.”

Ma Wu turned to their men and roared, “Attack!”

—

### The Biheaven Hall Meeting

“Well now, brother. The discussion isn’t even over—where did you disappear to? Even the most pressing ‘Purple Flag’ business should be managed with more discipline.”

Sanggwan Cheon, leader of the Biheaven Hall, poked fun at Sanggwan Je as he slipped back into the council chamber. A few ripples of laughter broke the heavy tension of the meeting, but Sanggwan Je’s weary expression quickly silenced the room.

“What’s happened? You look grim.”

“We have an issue.”

“Explain.”

Sanggwan Je scanned the room before lowering his voice to a whisper.

“What? The Poison Freak… Elder No?” Sanggwan Cheon asked, his voice rising in shock.

As Sanggwan Je hesitated, an elderly man with long, drooping white eyebrows—Sanggwan Baek, the senior elder—spoke up sharply.

“First you disrupt the meeting by leaving, and now you’re whispering like a child? Show some respect to our guests.”

Sanggwan Je bowed immediately. “Forgive me, Uncle.”

“It’s not my forgiveness you need; it’s theirs,” Sanggwan Baek said, gesturing to the various allied leaders. The guests quickly waved off the apology, their curiosity piqued.

“You mentioned the Poison Freak Elder—has something occurred?” asked Gong Jeong, the leader of the Beggars’ Gang’s Nam Pyeong Branch.

Under Sanggwan Baek’s stern gaze, Sanggwan Je finally delivered the news. “The Poison Freak Elder will not be joining us here.”

The room descended into a flurry of anxious chatter.

“How can that be?”

“We were relying on his arrival!”

“Was he intercepted by the cult?”

“I heard he was traveling with the Soaring Heaven Ancient Sword. Is he alright?”

Sanggwan Je raised his hands to quiet them. “The Soaring Heaven Ancient Sword Senior has sustained grave injuries and is returning to his family’s estate. The Dang Clan warriors who were guarding the Poison Freak Elder are currently escorting him directly to the Nangong Clan for safety.”

A heavy silence followed, broken only by disappointed sighs.

“I see.”

“It’s unfortunate, but understandable.”

“The man was on death’s door recently. He needs time to mend.”

The leaders tried to sound understanding, but the blow to their morale was visible. Beyond the Nangong retainers, the Dang Clan warriors were a formidable force, and the presence of Dang Cheon-hwa alone would have been a massive strategic advantage.

“Let us not dwell on what might have been,” Sanggwan Baek intervened. “If it weren’t for the Soaring Heaven Ancient Sword, we would have been blind to the cult’s movements. We owe him our lives already. Let us simply hope for his swift recovery.”

The room calmed slightly at his words.

“What about the reinforcements from the Ha Hu Clan?” Yu Jin-gyo, leader of the Purple Flower Gate, asked nervously.

“They are still on their way and haven’t slowed down. We expect them by tomorrow evening.”

“That is a relief,” Yu Jin-gyo said, his posture relaxing.

Sanggwan Baek nodded. “Faster than we anticipated.”

“Indeed,” Sanggwan Je agreed. “I was concerned because the Heavenly Demon Cult is moving faster now, but the Ha Hu Clan seems to realize the gravity of the situation and is pushing their limits.”

“We must remember this loyalty,” Sanggwan Baek said to his nephews. “Ensure this debt is honored.”

“We will, Uncle,” the brothers replied, bowing to the assembled allies.

As the mood shifted toward a temporary warmth, Gong Jeong spoke up again, his voice hesitant. “So… the others… they are definitely not coming?”

Sanggwan Je’s expression soured. “No. They have declined.”

“As I feared,” Gong Jeong sighed. Having seen the power of Sima Geon’s group through the events with Manchu, he knew their absence would make the coming war significantly more brutal.

“Also, the Poison Freak Elder sent a message specifically for you, Uncle,” Sanggwan Je said, reaching into his robes.

“For me?”

“Yes.”

Sanggwan Baek opened the letter with a curious expression. As he read, his face twisted through several different emotions.

“So that was the truth of it!”

He finished the letter and crumpled it in his fist with a heavy exhale. “In the end, this is where we stand.”

The letter was filled with scathing remarks—half directed at the Hall Leader for dismissing Sima Geon’s group, and half at Sanggwan Baek for failing to prevent that mistake. Keeping the contents to himself, the elder rose from his chair, a look of profound bitterness on his face.