Chapter 572: To Henan (Revised)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 572: To Henan (Revised)
A heavy silence followed his words.
Drip.
The room was so still that the only sound was a single drop of water hitting the floor.
Was it because the declaration was so shocking? After all, it was a bombshell: in three months, he would strike Henan, the heart of the Murim Alliance and the home of Shaolin. Normally, such a statement would leave anyone reeling.
But I knew better. These bastards weren't the type to be rattled by something so trivial.
As proof, I looked up at the empty air. In the quiet atmosphere, the energy swirling near the ceiling churned in silence. It was violent and aggressive, a clear manifestation of their roiling emotions.
I lowered my gaze and surveyed my surroundings. Ten pairs of eyes stared back at me. Though their lips were tightly sealed, their gazes spoke volumes. Some wore sneers; others held eyes filled with anticipation. Each had their own reasons, but their goal was the same.
There was no fear among them. How could there be?
‘After all, I specifically gathered the kind of bastards who lack such a thing.’
These were men who wouldn't shy away from any means to achieve their ends—bastards who expressed their greed without a hint of hesitation. I had gathered the elite among them and put them on a leash.
‘Though they probably don't think of it as a leash.’
That didn't matter. What was important was whether I could use them or not. That was all that mattered.
As I met their gazes, a voice finally broke the silence.
“Three months, you say?”
The voice was young, his speech slightly slurred. I immediately looked toward the speaker. He was one of the few in this room with ordinary eyes. Furthermore, he was the brilliant mind who would compensate for my own shortcomings.
The young man—no, the boy—frowned slightly. “Hyung. You said before that we had half a year.”
“Things have become a bit complicated.”
“...”
At my calm response, the boy clutched his forehead. He seemed incredibly frustrated, and seeing that, a small smile touched my lips. Even if he looked like that, he would find a solution as long as I gave the word. He had been the same in my past life.
‘Though back then, it was for the worse.’
The frustrated boy was the grandson of the Immortal Healer—Zhuge Hyuk, who was finally able to speak again. I glanced at his neck, where a long, vertical scar ran down. That scar was the reason he could speak now, and the reason he was helping me.
After a moment, I spoke to him again. “Besides, I brought someone new. Put him to use, too.”
I gestured toward Seong Yul. The man looked completely bewildered. Of course he was; how could anyone comprehend a sudden declaration to invade Henan?
Zhuge Hyuk tilted his head as he studied Seong Yul. To be precise, he was staring into Seong Yul’s eyes.
“This person… It seems he hasn’t received the ‘blessing’ yet.”
I scowled at that. “You. I told you not to use that word.”
A blessing? What kind of fucking blessing was that? Zhuge Hyuk often used that expression when looking at the people I had corrupted, but I loathed it.
‘A blessing, my ass.’
This wasn't something noble. This was a severe punishment. It was a cruel sentence that would bind them to their sins, forcing them to struggle to their heart's content until they finally burned to ash. That was what the Transformation to a Demonic Human meant to me.
As I growled in anger, Zhuge Hyuk lowered his eyes. “I’m sorry.”
Only then did my expression soften. Dragging this out would only sour the mood; I had to move on.
“…Whatever. Adjust the plan to a three-month timeline.”
“I’ve already cut it down significantly. It might be difficult.”
Zhuge Hyuk was right. Moving up a six-month plan to just three would require a monumental effort. The Zhuge Hyuk of my past life—the one known as the brain of the Demonic Cult, Cheonyuranga—might have managed it easily. But for the young Zhuge Hyuk of today, it was a heavy ask.
“If you succeed, I’ll grant you that thing you wanted.”
“…!”
If it couldn't be done, I just had to make it possible. At my words, Zhuge Hyuk’s eyes widened.
“…Hyung… Are you serious?”
“Yes. If you pull this off, you'll get exactly what you wished for.”
What Zhuge Hyuk wanted was simple.
“An inn in Shanxi. I’ll let you open one.”
A small inn where he could live quietly with his grandfather. His dream was to be a cook and live a peaceful life. He had enjoyed cooking since he was a child.
‘A dream that’s simultaneously grand and humble.’
A man with the talent to shake the Central Plains with his intellect alone, and all he wanted was to be a cook. It was something I could never quite understand.
‘…Though it’s for the better.’
It was a hundred times better than him becoming the strategist for a demonic overlord.
“A-Are you really… serious?”
When I mentioned the inn in Shanxi, a spark lit up in Zhuge Hyuk’s eyes. How could I not use him when he got so fired up over something as simple as that?
“Yes, I’ll give it to you. A big one, if you want.”
I had amassed a fortune while plundering Guangdong Province.
‘I’ve already passed the goods to the White Flower Merchant Association.’
I planned to send word to the merchant association while we were on the move to liquidate the assets. The gold would continue to pile up.
‘The financial side is handled.’
I had sold the moonlight marbles Tang Jaemoon gave me, and I had recently acquired and sold a massive chunk of Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Steel. We wouldn't be running out of funds anytime soon.
‘Then what’s left is…’
Reinforcing our forces and replenishing our armaments. I nodded as I assessed the situation. For reinforcements, I had already selected the personnel; it was just a matter of moving quickly. As for armaments…
‘I don’t know where many treasures are hidden, so that’s out. In that case…’
Recruiting someone who knew how to forge weapons was the best option. Realistically, buying them would be faster, but that wouldn't be enough. Weapons bought with money were far from satisfactory. I needed something much stronger. Fortunately, I had someone in mind for this as well.
‘So, the only remaining problem is time.’
Tsk.
No matter how much I pushed, there wasn't enough time.
‘I’ll just have to run myself ragged and make it happen.’
If time wasn't enough, I would make it enough. I began rapidly brainstorming methods in my head.
“So, shorten the plan.”
“I’ll… I’ll try my best.”
Hearing Zhuge Hyuk’s answer, I swallowed my disappointment. It must be truly difficult if he only said he would "try his best" rather than giving a definitive "yes."
But what choice did I have? I had to use every card in my hand. This was no time to be picky.
“That’s all for now… Ah, right.”
As I was about to end the meeting, I remembered something. “Tell me your grandfather’s location.”
“What? My grandfather?” Zhuge Hyuk’s eyes widened. He quickly followed up, “Are you hurt, Hyung?”
Since that was the only reason I would seek out the Immortal Healer, he figured it out instantly. I made an awkward face.
“A little. It’s not a major injury, but it’ll be a problem if I leave it.”
“When you say you’re ‘a little’ hurt, doesn’t that usually mean it’s serious?”
“When have I ever been hurt like that?”
“That time you went into closed-door cultivation to test a new power… and a while later your internal organs ruptured…”
“That’s enough… Just tell me.”
As he brought up an embarrassing memory, I quickly cut him off. I had been foolish back then, not realizing how violent the power I was testing truly was.
Zhuge Hyuk made a displeased face but answered, “Grandfather… is in Henan right now.”
“Henan?”
“Before I left, you said he was with the Moyong Clan.”
I had heard he was temporarily in Liaoning at the request of the White Heavenly Sword. And now he was in Henan?
‘Well, this works out.’
I had to head to Henan anyway. I could just go a little earlier and meet him. The question was why the Immortal Healer was there.
Zhuge Hyuk provided the answer immediately. “He said someone was coming, so he went there to wait.”
“Your grandfather is waiting for someone…?”
I frowned. The Immortal Healer was a man who would curse out the Alliance Leader and ignore his summons. Who could be so important that the old man would go and wait for them?
‘…It’s a relief he’s in Henan, regardless.’
It was a good thing, since I needed to meet him anyway. I waved my hand dismissively.
“Anyway, that’s everything. Dismissed.”
I had stated the main point and heard what I needed. They might wonder why I gathered them just for this, but I needed to check their conditions—to see if their Demonic Qi was settling well and to ensure they weren't plotting anything useless. Fortunately, there were no problems yet.
The moment I spoke, the presences in the room vanished. When I blinked, only three people remained: me, Seong Yul, and Zhuge Hyuk.
I looked at Zhuge Hyuk. “What is it?”
Since he was an ordinary person, he was naturally slower to leave, but the look in his eyes told me he had a question.
“I still have a question.”
“Ask.”
“Why are you really pushing the timeline to three months? What are you trying to do?”
The plan was originally six months. Zhuge Hyuk wanted to know the real reason for the change.
“Hmm.”
I thought for a moment. I wondered what I should tell him. The fact that things had gone awry was one reason, but it wasn't the only one. Zhuge Hyuk had clearly noticed that.
“Well, it’s not for any grand reason… It’s just…” I looked at him and shrugged. “I figured that while I’m at it, I might as well try playing the hero, too.”
“…?”
At my indifferent reply, a look of pure confusion crossed Zhuge Hyuk’s face.
As spring drew to a close and the flowers began to fade, a lone figure climbed a steep mountain path in Henan.
Thud…! Thud…!
On the beautifully maintained path, the climber’s appearance was a stark contrast. The man, a youth, was hauling an iron sphere larger than his own body up the ascent. Sweat dripped to the ground with every step, and his breath grew increasingly ragged.
Yet, the young man walked on without wavering, his eyes fixed on the summit. Despite his exhaustion, he did not stop.
After a long climb, he finally reached the top. A giant, ancient tree stood at the end of the path. Only then did the young man carefully set the iron sphere down.
Kooong.
However, he could not rest. Without even a moment to catch his breath, he immediately assumed a respectful posture.
“I greet the Chief Abbot.”
He bowed his head, palms pressed together. He was addressing the old man standing by the ancient tree.
“Heh heh…”
The old man, Heavenly Eye, the Chief Abbot of Shaolin, let out a soft chuckle. “You have worked hard.”
“Not at all, sir.”
Heavenly Eye studied the young man. Just looking at him, one could feel a powerful spirit radiating outward. He couldn't have been much older than twenty, yet he had already crossed the wall and set foot in a sublime realm.
The masterpiece of Shaolin.
The youngest to reach the Fusion Realm.
The greatest Heavenly Dragon in history.
These were the titles the era had bestowed upon him. And to Heavenly Eye, he was more than that.
‘The hope that will lead the Central Plains.’
He was the spark that would stand against the unknown calamity to come. Heavenly Eye was certain of it.
“I hear a grand festival will be held in Henan soon,” Heavenly Eye said.
The young man’s shoulders trembled slightly. The grand festival in Henan—the Heavenly Dragon Martial Arts Tournament held by the Alliance.
“I trust you will do well. May I have high expectations?”
“Yes, Chief Abbot,” the young man answered without hesitation. “So as not to tarnish the name of Shaolin…”
As he spoke, his yellow eyes wavered with intensity.
“I will do my utmost.”
Seeing this, Heavenly Eye allowed a small smile to grace his lips.