Episode 252
Gansuk (甘肅) Gongongsan (空同山).
“ha ha ha!”
“Is that so!”
Hyukseong Dojang was having a drinking party with famous figures from Moorim who had gathered at Mt. Gansuk.
As it is wartime, drinking should be avoided, but since the Demonic Church has not made any moves for over half a year, the tension among the warriors has greatly diminished.
“Anyway, I wonder why the Demonic Cult still hasn’t moved. “I thought we would start marching again in the spring.”
“I guess my guys know this too. “If we are to break the battle lines spread out here in Gansu, we will have to make enormous sacrifices.”
“but. “Even if it was a demonic religion, it gathered enough power that it could not help but hesitate.”
“Kunlun Sect, Joint Sect, Huashan Sect, Xinchangyang Family. As many as four great martial powers joined forces. There are also elite warriors dispatched by the Murim Alliance. At this rate…”
“There are two absolute masters lined up. The sword ghost and the spear ghost. Sometimes, I feel reassured when I see the two of you from afar. Even if Demon n Lord himself sets foot on Gonggongsan Mountain, we can easily repel him.”
The middle-aged man sitting next to me smiled cheerfully and picked up a drink.
Hyukseong Dojang forgot his duties as a Taoist and clinked sses with the man.
“But are you okay? “I heard that the Kunlun sect has a rule against drinking alcohol.”
“it’s okay. It’s not like Mungyu is very coercive, and it’s the Kunlun faction’s situation right now…” “
I’m sorry. “I said something for no reason.”
“no. “I know it wasn’t said with malicious intent.”
“…….”
“I don’t particrly enjoy drinking, but right now I want to get drunk and forget my worries. Would you like to hang out?”
“I’m happy to hang out as much as I want.”
Hyukseong Dojang, who was holding a ss of alcohol to his mouth, nced at the middle-aged man and cursed under his breath.
I can’t believe I have to lighten up this clumsy guy and be gentle with him.
I had no idea how on earth my situation had be so shabby.
‘For now we must be patient.’
The middle-aged man was appointed as the next head of the Geumjeong family.
If he had been Hyukseong Dojang before, he would not have been seen as a person, but now, his status within the sect has been greatly lowered, so he is not in a position to tell the difference between hot and cold.
‘I have already lost the trust of my sect’s disciples. However, there is no way the other elders would easily show their weaknesses. In the end, the only way for me to regain influence is to build rtionships with outsiders.’
Establishing a friendship with the small household head of the Geumjeong family was the first step.
Although the Geumjeongsae itself was nothing more than a small, unremarkable Murim family, the head of Baekmakmun, who looked after the family, was the father-inw of the Cheonggyo merchant.
‘If all goes well.’
I didn’t even know if I could form a rtionship with the caravan that dominates Gansu and Shaanxi.
This was the reason why he was trying to please Sogaju by saying things he had no intention of saying.
‘Damn you. I will definitely repay you for this humiliation.’
Dojang Hyukseong gritted his teeth as the young man’s face came to mind.
It was all because of him.
A considerable amount of time had passed, but the area where he had beaten me still stung when it rained.
‘Did you say you recently became a 100-year-old master?’
Every time I heard rumors about him, I got so angry that I couldn’t bear it.
I couldn’t understand why a guy like that was recognized and praised by the world.
Everyone was being fooled.
I felt like the pain in my heart wouldn’t be relieved unless I exposed that young guy’s ugly nature to the world.
‘Just wait and see. There wille a day when you’ll regret losing with me.’
The taste of the drink was sweet.
They say that when life is bitter, alcohol tastes sweet, and it was indeed true.
When the atmosphere of the banquet was ripe.
One of the Kunlun faction hurriedly ran into the barracks and called Hyeokseong Dojang.
“Elder! “We’re in big trouble!”
“What’s going on?”
“Demon Cult! “It is said that the Demonic Cult’s forces have made a move!”
“what!”
Master Hyukseong was startled and stood up from his seat.
The atmosphere of the banquet hall, which was once heated, subsided as if cold water had been poured on it.
That too for a while.
“This day has finallye!”
“We must convene a military council immediately!”
Soon, the inside of therge barracks became as noisy as a market floor.
Master Hyeok-seong clicked his tongue and paid his respects to So Ga-ju, then tried to leave the ce with his disciple.
“Elder. “I have one thing to tell you.”
It was then.
So Gaju, who was drinking his drink with a rxed expression, ced his hand on the sword and stood up.
Hyukseong Dojang’s eyes narrowed.
“What are you thinking?”
Life and spection gushing out.
I knew it instinctively.
That the So family head of the Geumjeong family is trying to harm him.
“Do I have a grudge against you?”
“You probably don’t know, Elder. “Aren’t you the kind of person who has no interest in people like me in the first ce?”
“…….”
“I had a hard time holding back myughter a little while ago. “It’s as if Hyukseong Dojang is trying to build a friendship with someone like me.”
“There is no sound that cannot be spoken even with an open mouth. “How dare you show your teeth to me and expect me to get away with it?”
“You will be safe. That’s because the elder is currently taking acid poison and is unable to use his internal energy.”
“What!”
Hyukseong Dojang’s face turned white as he tried to raise his strength in shock.
The energy that was supposed to flow through the blood vessels was not controlled and was scattered without permission.
Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, he stepped back, widened the distance between himself and the other person and shouted.
“You are out of your mind! Allied executives are gathered here! How dare you do something like this…!”
“You are too slow to grasp the situation.”
The So family head of the Geumjeong family sneered and took a step forward.
A disciple of the Kunlun Sect stepped forward and drew his sword as if to protect Hyukseong Dojang.
“Why do you think you are the only one who took acid poison?”
“……?”
“Do you really think that I was so blinded by revenge that I did this without thinking about what would happen next?”
No sooner had Sogaju finished speaking.
Eerie crashing sounds and screams rang out everywhere.
“Aaaah!
“Whoa! “Why are you me!”
“Stop that! help me! please!”
The banquet hall was instantly stained with blood.
Hyukseong Dojang’s expression became dumbfounded as he looked around.
The dignified expression he had been wearing a moment ago suddenly disappeared, reced by a face filled with fear.
“I have no resentment towards you. “If you quietly withdraw, I will spare your life.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Are you willing to risk your life for someone like that?”
“Even a person like this is an elder of the main gate.”
After failing to persuade the disciple of the Kunlun Sect, So Jiazhu sighed deeply.
When he snapped his fingers, the surrounding martial arts people formed a circle and surrounded the two monks.
“If that’s the case, I can’t do it.”
“…….”
“Let’s see how long I canst.”
Kaang!
Ga-ga-ga-ga-gak!
A sharp metallic sound rang out for a while.
The disciple of the Kunlun Sect, unable to withstand the outnumbering, eventually knelt on the ground.
Five swords were piercing his body.
“Huh!”
Hyukseong, who realized that death was just around the corner, fell to his knees.
The head of the Geumjeong family asked, holding a sword to his throat.
“Do you remember the woman who scared the elder eight years ago?”
“What do you mean?”
“It may have been just a night of entertainment for the elder, but the person who lost their virginity was greatly shocked. “To the point where hemitted suicide by hanging himself the next day.”
“…….”
Dojang Hyukseong pursed his lips.
Su Jiazhu red at him with eyes burning with hatred.
“I knew so. “There’s no way you can remember such trivial things.”
Sogaju muttered as if chewing and raised his right arm high.
Hyukseong Dojang’s despairing face was reflected in the clean surface of the sword.
“By the way, the woman I just mentioned was my fiancé.”
Sigh!
Hyukseong Dojang’s head was separated from his body.
The fountain of blood rose up.
Sogaju said, looking down at her red-stained clothes.
“I finally achieved my revenge. Sozer.”
* * *
The situation began to turn rapidly.
After reading the contents of the letter that Cheon Ga-ryeong brought, I burst out inughter.
“Is this the reason why you were quietly crouching all this time?”
I never would have guessed that these ns were being prepared.
A brief summary of what was written in the letter was as follows.
< The demonic army has begun to march again. >
< Chang Gui (槍鬼) is dead, and the battle line currently spread in Gansu is on the verge of copse. >
The news of Chang Gui’s death was shocking.
An absolute master who held the throne of the Ten Heavenly Emperors lost his life.
And that too, not to the Eight Great Demon Lords, but to the disciples of the Demonic Cult Master.
ording to the survivors’ testimony, the person who killed Chang Gui was none other than Cheonakgun.
I put down the letter on the desk and tilted my head.
‘At this time, Cheonakgun would not have been strong enough to overwhelm Changgwi alone.’
History has changed significantly since my previous life.
The words written at the top of the letter caught my attention.
‘Chunak-gun came out afterpleting the closed-gwan training…’
It was revealed that Cheonak-gun had conducted the closed-gwan training in extreme secrecy.
The person who instructed the training was none other than the Demon Cultist.
‘If I remember correctly, the Lord Cheonak in his previous life did not practice anything like closing the pipe.’
I thought it was strange.
So far, I haven’t heard any rumors about Cheonakgun.
I couldn’t have guessed that he was training at a closed facility under the orders of his religious leader.
Perhaps the reason may have been the inability to secure Dokgoseong, which is a body of heavenly spirits.
The martial art that Cheonakgun learned was a me attack with the nature of extreme yang.
It was far from stable.
In order to relieve side effects, yin energy had to be replenished periodically.
What if the Cheonakgun’s internal energy went out of control due to the failure to secure the Cheonying, and the Demon Lord, who noticed it, ordered the practice of closing the pipe?
‘…Well, guessing like this probably doesn’t mean much.’
I felt frustrated because I couldn’t figure out the exact causal rtionship.
My guess is that the reason why the Demonic Cult’s forces began to move only in the summer was probably rted to that.
Perhaps he was waiting for Cheonak-gun to finish his training ande out?
‘There…’
It wasn’t just Cheonak-gun that was the problem.
As many as four Wulin forces betrayed themselves and caused the copse of the allied forces.
In particr, it seemed that the damage suffered by the disciples of the Communal Sect due to the Baekmakmun (白幕門) was enormous.
That wasrgely to me for the fact that the front line was in danger of copsing as soon as the war began.
Indeed, the Demon Cultist was the Demon Cultist.
He was not a person who would be discouraged even if one or two of his prepared ns fell through.
When the n to prepare by dispatching the Iron Blood Demon Army went awry, a new n was immediately established.
In this martial arts world, in addition to the Shandongakga, there were many Segawa ns with unfair circumstances.
Ma Cyoju extended his hand to them, and the martial forces, including Baek Makmun, epted it.
‘There isn’t much time. ‘I’ll have to move right away.’
I immediately called Hong Seong-hyeon and told him the news and gave him instructions.
“Send an official letter to all nearby martial arts sects and families.”
“What do you mean it’s an official document?”
“I will issue a seigneurial order.”
“…!”