Whispers of Treason
"You worked hard," Jegal Jong-mi said.
"I didn't really do much," Yoo Sung replied.
After returning to the Sichuan Righteous Alliance, Yoo Sung had immediately sought out Jegal Jong-mi.
Unlike before, this time he was the one who visited her quarters first.
"Visiting a lady's room at this late hour... what is the meaning of this?" Jegal Jong-mi teased, pretending to be displeased, though her eyes welcomed him warmly.
"Is Yeo Ui-gi really dead?"
"Yes. I don't know if he fought with the Sasa Sect Leader, or if someone else showed up."
Yoo Sung had killed him with his own hands, but there was no need to share that detail.
"What a shame. If we had captured him, it would have been much easier to pinpoint Yeo Mi-ho's location."
Putting her disappointment aside, Jegal Jong-mi quickly began to analyze the situation.
"Did the Wind Calamity really appear?"
"Who knows? The only thing left behind was his trace."
At Yoo Sung's calm reply, Jegal Jong-mi fell into deep thought. After a brief silence, she spoke with a heavy expression.
"It seems a disaster is brewing."
"Why do you say that?"
"Because the Wind Calamity has shown himself."
"Does that have something to do with Yeo Mi-ho?"
"Of course. She likely intended to throw all of Sichuan into chaos using the spies she planted within the Sichuan Righteous Alliance, wounding the pride of the orthodox faction."
"And in the process, she'd seize the Demonic Flower or the Soul-Reaving Saber?"
"Exactly!"
The two had grasped Yeo Mi-ho's intentions to some extent. However, they had yet to discover the ultimate goal she hoped to achieve through this. Furthermore, they couldn't estimate just how many spies had fallen into her clutches.
"Since the Wind Calamity has made his move, those connected to him will surely show themselves. This won't be a pleasant situation for Yeo Mi-ho..."
"Something is bound to explode soon."
"Indeed."
As they conversed, neither of them realized that what they anticipated had already begun.
Flutter, flutter.
A carrier pigeon landed on the windowsill. Jegal Jong-mi excused herself and quickly unrolled the message. As her eyes scanned the letter, a long sigh escaped her lips.
"She is moving even faster than we thought."
"What do you mean?"
It was a gathering of the leadership of the Sichuan Righteous Alliance.
The atmosphere, which had been filled with a pleasant mood just moments ago, instantly turned ice-cold.
The first to return was the Red Sparrow Unit led by Dang Hwa-young, but the first victory report for the Sichuan Righteous Alliance was brought by the Qingcheng Sect.
"We have eliminated a massive number of the Sword Heaven Ghost Demon's subordinates alongside the Demon Extermination Unit!"
It was a truly remarkable result.
The unorthodox faction currently aiding the Sword Heaven Ghost Demon in Sichuan was the Ghost Slaying Sect.
These stealthy, shadow-dwelling bastards had surrendered and defected to the demonic path after the war with Matian. Unlike other sects, the Ghost Slaying Sect seemed to have been quite useful to Matian, growing rapidly under their patronage.
Even after Matian vanished a year ago, they had stubbornly withstood numerous offensives.
Since Qingcheng had led the charge in wiping out the Ghost Slaying Sect, their pride was naturally sky-high.
Although the Demon Extermination Unit's assistance had been substantial, Qingcheng was the core of the operation, elevating the name of the Sichuan Righteous Alliance.
However, their moment of glory did not last long.
While pursuing the Sword Heaven Ghost Demon, they had been ambushed and forced to retreat.
At first, they thought it was merely a single defeat. But as time passed, the Demon Exterminating Monk realized the problem ran far deeper and withdrew without a shred of lingering attachment.
The surrounding sects were furious at the Demon Exterminating Monk's unilateral decision. Even so, on the surface, they welcomed him warmly since he had achieved the feat of annihilating the Ghost Slaying Sect.
Now, only one question remained: why had they failed to capture the Sword Heaven Ghost Demon in the end and fled?
It was time to hear the answer.
Surprisingly, the answer was shocking enough to silence everyone in the room.
"There was a traitor."
The weight of the word 'traitor' sent shockwaves through the hall.
"Are you suggesting there was a traitor within Qingcheng?"
At the Diancang Elder's words, the eyes of the Qingcheng martial artists flared with hostility.
"Watch your tongue."
In an instant, the conflict between Diancang and Qingcheng erupted.
With the emergence of Matian, the friction between the two sects had steadily grown. What began as minor bickering over trivial matters had widened over time into an unbridgeable chasm.
The two sects shared many similarities. Both had seen their glorious pasts fade, endured difficult times, and were only now beginning to nurture hopes for a brighter tomorrow.
Qingcheng had risen to become the premier sword sect of Sichuan, centered around their current Sect Leader, the Qingcheng Sword Venerable Wu Il-seo.
On the other hand, while Diancang's fortunes had improved significantly, they had failed to surpass Wu Il-seo, leaving them perpetually stuck in second or third place.
The resentment born of that rivalry had finally boiled over here.
"Enough. This is no place to air personal grievances."
The Qingcheng Sword Venerable, Wu Il-seo, cast a heavy gaze over his own sect and Diancang.
Having calmly suppressed the room with his eyes, Wu Il-seo turned to the Demon Exterminating Monk.
"Continue."
"On our way to capture the Sword Heaven Ghost Demon, we discovered a traitor. Because their stealth was so formidable, we chose to withdraw."
"Was it too difficult even for someone of your strength?"
"Yes."
The monk's calm admission of his own shortcomings was truly characteristic of his character.
"Tsk. It seems we took this too lightly," the Diancang Elder lamented, clicking his tongue.
Qingcheng felt the same.
An easy victory followed by a series of events that tarnished their honor had left the balance of gains and losses highly ambiguous.
At the very least, the news brought by the Red Sparrow Unit was a welcome success.
Even that had caused a brief stir due to the appearance of the Wind Calamity, but it paled in comparison to the report that followed.
A crushing defeat after a desperate struggle against the Black Dragon Gang.
Everyone's eyes turned toward the direct line of the Tang Clan. The Tang Clan Leader, still reeling from the shock of this defeat, glared at his son in tight-lipped silence.
"To be frank, our failure this time was also largely due to an internal issue."
The one who spoke with a stiff expression was the Poison Dragon, who had led the direct descendants of the Tang Clan. He still found it difficult to accept his failure.
Kwak Young of Cheondo Gate shared the Poison Dragon's sentiment.
Even if the Black Dragon Gang's might was formidable, they should have been no match for the combined forces of the Tang Clan and Cheondo Gate. Moreover, the Ten Ghosts—the most troublesome entities—were not even present at the Black Dragon Gang's stronghold.
Yet, they had lost.
This was largely due to a traitor within.
"A traitor in the Tang Clan as well..."
As murmurs rippled through the crowd, the representatives of Emei and Diancang, who had suffered similar defeats, spoke up bitterly.
"It was the same for us."
Emei had experienced nearly identical setbacks.
"It seems the enemy's spies were hidden much deeper within our ranks than we anticipated."
The Qingcheng Sword Venerable scanned the assembled leadership.
"Perhaps there is even a spy among us right now."
"...!"
"What absurd nonsense is this?!"
No matter how illustrious the Qingcheng Sword Venerable Wu Il-seo was, the individuals gathered here were all figures of immense stature. They could not help but be angered by his blatant suspicion.
However, Wu Il-seo did not retract his statement. Instead, he surveyed his surroundings with an even more cautious voice and gaze.
"Of course, I trust everyone gathered in this room. It is those by our sides whom I cannot trust."
"...!"
"Think about it. If it is a demonic art so cunning and stealthy that it can evade even the eyes of the Demon Exterminating Monk, those around us would be no different. Let us quietly investigate those within our clans who have raised suspicions recently. For now, we have achieved a victory, so we must proceed with caution. Since the Wind Calamity has made his move, the enemy will grow anxious."
Initially, there had been great concern over the traces of the Wind Calamity.
But the discomfort that followed their victory made them realize that the internal spy problem was far more severe than they had thought.
To find their traces, they had to stir up the surroundings and wait for them to make a mistake.
In that sense, the appearance of the Wind Calamity would serve that purpose perfectly.
"For now, let us hold a victory banquet. You have all worked hard."
Despite the heavy atmosphere, the first step of the Sichuan Righteous Alliance was not entirely bad.
What they had gained, what they had lost, and the path they had to take were now clearly defined.
"The enemy is going to move much faster than we thought," Jegal Jong-mi said.
"Is that also because of the Wind Calamity?"
"Yes. It has already been three years since the Three Calamities vanished from the Jianghu."
The first to disappear was the Water Calamity.
Next, the Fire Calamity vanished from sight.
After the Wind Calamity disappeared as well, people assumed they had died fighting Matian.
Of course, to Yoo Sung and the other Calamities, such rumors were laughable.
To think those who lived entirely as they pleased had been killed.
Then again, maybe this is for the best.
If everyone believed the Three Calamities were dead, it meant almost no one would associate him with them.
"Did you sense anything unusual from Dang Ja-ryeo?" Jegal Jong-mi asked cautiously.
Since the Tang Clan was her maternal family, she was naturally more prudent.
"There was something strange. For a Tang Clan martial artist, his killing intent is far too dense. Especially for the vice-commander of the Dark Moon Unit."
The difference was so minute that anyone other than Yoo Sung would have found it impossible to detect.
"Was it demonic energy?"
It was indeed demonic energy, but there was no need to tell her that.
"I can't be sure. If it were demonic energy, the Tang Clan wouldn't be ignorant of it."
"True."
No matter how severe their internal strife, the Tang Clan's foundation was not to be underestimated. What they guarded against most was a demonic practitioner infiltrating their ranks.
Of course, they were currently oblivious to the fact that one had already taken root.
There will be chaos when that old man returns.
Yoo Sung wasn't sure if the old man's closed-door cultivation was truly being delayed because of him, or if there was another reason.
But whatever the case, once the Poison King returned, Dang Sa-oh and Dang Ja-ryeo would be as good as dead.
Who among the current orthodox martial artists harbored any goodwill toward demonic practitioners?
Yet, none possessed a hatred as consuming as the Poison King's.
His family had been slaughtered, and the demonic practitioners of Matian who invaded Sichuan were the reason he had been unable to witness the deaths of his wife and children.
That humiliation and rage were not things he could simply leave behind in closed-door cultivation forever.
"If I give him a proper nudge, he'll come out on his own."
"The Poison King? Is that possible?"
Jegal Jong-mi also wished for the Poison King to end his seclusion, but even his son, the Tang Clan Leader, had failed to convince him.
Yet, Yoo Sung spoke as if it were a simple matter.
"I'll handle the Poison King. You focus on provoking the rats inside."
"Understood. Alliance Leader Wu Il-seo has already asked for my help, so I'll exert some effort."
Leaving the confident Jegal Jong-mi behind, Yoo Sung quietly slipped out of the Sichuan Righteous Alliance.
His destination was the Poison King's secluded residence, where the master had been focusing on his closed-door cultivation for over five years.
Meanwhile, Dang Sa-oh was lost in thought, his expression grim.
It was truly the Wind Calamity.
The report from Dang Ja-ryeo, written in a code only he could decipher, sent a surge of anxiety through him.
The one who had guided him into the Tang Clan was the Poison King, but that was before he had aligned himself with the demonic path.
The current him would never be forgiven by the Poison King.
Although he had spent the last five years building a fortress of influence to ensure the Poison King couldn't easily touch him, would those walls mean anything to that stubborn, absolute master?
"It's a futile effort. Once he steps forward, everything is over."
Dispose of Diancang first, one by one. Reclaim the Demonic Flower that someone stole from us.
Dang Sa-oh let out a long sigh as he recalled Yeo Mi-ho's command from a few days ago.
He was well aware that the Sasa Sect was cultivating the Demonic Flower. In fact, he had secretly delivered sacrifices behind the Sasa Sect Leader's back.
All of this was part of Yeo Mi-ho's grand design, and as her subordinate, Dang Sa-oh had no choice but to cooperate actively.
Yet, all those fruits of labor had vanished overnight.
"First, I must draw their attention with Pagun. In the meantime, I will swallow Diancang and Emei."
There was a saying: the more rushed you are, the more detour you should take.
Suppressing his anxiety, Dang Sa-oh made the most rational decision possible.
Even if the Poison King were to emerge, he wouldn't come here immediately.
Before that happened, he had to take what he could and flee.
However, his fatal mistake was failing to realize that Yoo Sung's movements were far more radical and swift than he could ever imagine.