Chapter 188
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 188
Chapter Title: An Inhuman Path (2)
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"I came to see the Third Young Master."
It was a statement that could be interpreted in many ways. But someone of the Young Lord of the Lower Five Gates' stature wouldn't have come just to see his face.
"Came to see me... Things are heating up again."
Seo Ryang leaned forward. A posture indicating he wanted to start an active conversation.
"Since it's come to this, shall we have a frank conversation? Let's set aside the issue of the Tang Clan Head for a moment."
"Very well."
Seo Ryang grinned, an expression that said he found the mere thought of it amusing.
Gong Yachi's eyes deepened.
Sitting cross-legged, he rested his right hand on his knee and leaned forward. A subtle dignity could be seen in the way he stroked his chin with his left hand, as if intrigued.
It probably wasn't intentional. It was just that the demonic man named Seo Ryang had an aura different from others.
It wasn't the dignity of a conqueror seeking to place all under heaven beneath his feet, but closer to that of an absolute being pursuing an unrivaled path through the world.
Gong Yachi said.
"You may not be aware, but Guangdong is the only place where our Lower Five Gates has been unable to establish a branch. We have a few hidden branches at the western edge of Guangxi, but compared to other regions, it's embarrassing to even call them branches."
"I've heard."
"And the reason for that, as you might have guessed, is that we did not wish to get on your honorable cult's nerves."
"So?"
"I'll be direct. We wish to establish our main branches in Guangxi and Guangdong as well."
*Sshaaaaa.*
A terrifying demonic energy rose from Ma Dongpil's body.
Seo Ryang raised his hand. The demonic energy vanished as if washed away.
Gong Yachi's gaze settled. He didn't look back at Ma Dongpil, but he was greatly surprised.
'Incredible martial arts. To think a mere bodyguard possesses such skill.'
Seo Ryang licked his lips.
"You've come to the wrong person. If you truly want that, you should have contacted the Cult Leader or the Grand Marshal, not me."
"I am aware."
"What does it mean, then, that you came to me despite knowing that?"
Gong Yachi was silent for a moment.
Seo Ryang's smile deepened.
"If you're asking me to pull some strings..."
"The Righteous Heaven Alliance."
"Hmm?"
"I cannot say for the Iron Blood Fortress. But the Righteous Heaven Alliance is certain."
"What are you talking about?"
"The Third Young Master despises the Righteous Heaven Alliance."
"...!"
Gong Yachi's eyes narrowed.
"Am I wrong?"
His tone was business-like, yet aggressive.
Seo Ryang tilted his head to the side. He was still watching Gong Yachi with a smile, but his eyes were slowly turning cold.
"Why do you think so?"
"We hold and sway information from all over the Central Plains. However, the information we have regarding the Divine Cult of the Heavenly Demon is barely a handful."
"..."
"And most of that is information about the Third Young Master."
Ma Dongpil's thumb moved.
*Click.*
The jet-black blade of the Silent King Sword lifted slightly. The intention was clear: he would cut him down in a single strike if things went sour.
Seo Ryang nodded.
"Continue."
"Over the past year, the Third Young Master has been exposed to the Central Plains quite often. Considering the Divine Cult's position of not interfering in the affairs of the martial world for the last thirty years, it was an unusually high frequency."
"Is that so?"
"The first place the Third Young Master appeared was near Hunan and Jiangxi, when you clashed with a branch of the Beast Palace."
Seo Ryang's eyes glinted.
"That's right."
That was when he was struggling to escape the Cult by any means necessary. It was also when he had asked So Yeonsim, the Lord of the Garden of Joy, to secretly let him join a transport unit.
"There, the Third Young Master killed Jeong Illyong, a Great Elder of the Righteous Heaven Alliance."
Impressive.
Seo Ryang was genuinely impressed.
"You knew about that?"
"Yes."
He had dispatched demonic practitioners to erase all traces of the battle. Naturally, there were no civilians or martial artists nearby.
And yet, the Lower Five Gates knew about it. He couldn't even begin to imagine the extent of their intelligence network.
"After returning to the Cult, the Third Young Master next came to Hunan as a Special Inspector. It was to survey the Seven Demonic Houses, the subjects of your inspection."
"That's right."
Most of the Seven Demonic Houses were located in Hunan. But the Cult's main stronghold was in Guangdong and Guangxi.
While it was no exaggeration to say that the demonic martial world had a firm grip on Hunan, the Cult's intimidating presence was somewhat diminished there. This was why the Lower Five Gates had many branches in Hunan.
"Our Sect Lord's assessment is that you made an impressive showing there. Although there is little information about the Cult's successors, he said the Third Young Master is, nine times out of ten, a figure who will become the core of the succession battle."
"Well, that's an honor."
"And there, you clashed with the Sword Palace. Furthermore, you recently clashed with the Beast Palace again."
Seo Ryang was silent.
"You may or may not have guessed, but the Beast Palace, the Sword Palace, and the Heavenly Dragon Palace have joined hands with the Righteous Heaven Alliance. In essence, the Third Young Master has blocked the advance of two palaces allied with the Righteous Heaven Alliance into the Central Plains."
The Righteous Heaven Alliance and the three palaces had joined hands.
Gong Yachi stated it as a fact. A guess and a certainty carry different weights; in this calm conversation, he had delivered a piece of information of incalculable value.
"So?"
"The problem is Jeong Illyong."
Gong Yachi's eyes glinted.
"Jeong Illyong was a man riddled with corruption. He even had a secret pact with the successor of the Beast Palace without the Alliance Leader's knowledge. However, from the Third Young Master's perspective, there was no need to go so far as to kill him."
Because he was a Great Elder of a hostile faction?
No. On the contrary, precisely because he was a Great Elder of a hostile faction, they should not have clashed. A single confrontation could return as a terrifying storm of consequences.
Judging whether one stood at the center of the era or not is merely a retrospective evaluation. If they had any common sense, the two should never have clashed in the first place.
"One could dismiss it as a mere coincidence. Perhaps it was an order from the leader of your honorable cult. But I do not think so."
"Why not?"
"Martial artists say they can smell the scent of ki. It is the same for merchants who deal in information. We can smell all sorts of things from simple pieces of information."
"So it's not a certainty."
"The Lower Five Gates thinks so."
"But you're different?"
"Yes. And seeing the Third Young Master now, I am convinced that my thoughts were not wrong."
Now this is interesting.
Seo Ryang relaxed his posture.
"I get that you're an impressive guy. So what do you want to say? You want to establish branches in Guangxi and Guangdong through me?"
"That is correct."
This wasn't just about putting up a building. Establishing branches meant they intended to actively gather information in Guangdong and Guangxi.
"A deal, in other words."
"Yes."
"But I don't have the authority for that. Unless I were to become the Cult Leader."
Gong Yachi's eyes glinted.
"That would be so."
Seo Ryang, who had been staring blankly at Gong Yachi, let out a chuckle.
"Is it because I've lived such a brutal life? I always seem to attract dangerous people."
"..."
"Are you saying you'll help me become the Cult Leader?"
"Something like that."
"If it's a yes, it's a yes. If it's a no, it's a no. What's this 'something like that'?"
Seo Ryang and Ma Dongpil were stunned by Gong Yachi's calm words that followed.
"If the Righteous Heaven Alliance were to disappear under the Third Young Master's lead, the probability of you being confirmed as the next successor would increase, would it not?"
"...!"
"I did not come here because I wish for the Third Young Master to become the Cult Leader. I came because I need that 'fury' you hold, the one that despises the Righteous Heaven Alliance."
Seo Ryang's eyes deepened.
Gong Yachi rose from his seat.
"I did not come to hear an answer right now. Please consider it before you leave."
"Mm."
"And I will accept the matter of the Tang Clan Head. We will take custody of him. As for the payment, I will offer the price of my life for my impertinence here today."
That night.
Beside a small pavilion, Seo Ryang sat on the stone wall of a pond and looked up at the sky. It was a beautiful night, with the starlight twinkling brightly.
Gazing at the stars, Seo Ryang let out a sigh, which was unlike him.
"Why is everything so chaotic?"
He'd crushed the Lord of the Beast Palace and even wiped out the Tang Clan's forces.
In the first place, there was no need to confront the Lord of the Beast Palace right away. He had only gone there to form an alliance with the Young Lord of the Ice Palace and, as the start of that alliance, to rescue his sister.
Of course, it also helped weaken the Righteous Heaven Alliance. That's why he provoked them without hesitation and even considered burying them completely.
It was a bit rough, but the job was finished well, and all that was left was to go back. But then, out of nowhere, this guy, the Young Lord of the Lower Five Gates, shows up and asks for another alliance.
"It's not complicated, but there's a lot more to worry about now. Damn, this never happened in my past life."
Then again, he had only ever lived as a tool.
A life of only doing what he was told was completely different from a life lived proactively. He had come this far thanks to his extensive experience in the martial world and his quick wits, but his head was starting to feel heavy.
'I just want to crush all those bastards.'
Seo Ryang licked his lips.
"Let's not start whining now. You knew crushing those guys wouldn't be easy."
If anything, he should be grateful. They were extending their hands to him on their own.
Just then, a calm voice came from behind him.
"I don't know who they are, but if those guys knew they'd become the Third Young Master's target, they probably wouldn't be able to sleep well."
Seo Ryang let out a chuckle.
"They can't know. They'd obviously prepare for it."
"Whether they prepare or not, isn't it the Third Young Master's way to just push forward?"
"Well, look at you. Think you know me pretty well after working together just once, huh?"
"I was just thinking out loud. If I offended you, I apologize."
"What's there to be offended about? Anyone can make an assessment, whether it's a back-alley beggar or a three-year-old child."
"As expected, the Third Young Master is remarkable."
"I'll take that as a compliment. Sit."
Yeo Gang-hui sat down next to Seo Ryang.
"How's your sister?"
"She's doing much better than I thought. Her energy is a little depleted, but that will heal on its own with time."
"Still, keep an eye on her. The Beast Palace bastards targeted her upper dantian. You know how sensitive and important that area is, right?"
"Yes. But there's no need to worry."
Hearing him say that, she really did seem to be fine. Perhaps the Ice Palace's martial arts included a special technique for managing the upper dantian.
Yeo Gang-hui handed Seo Ryang a bottle of liquor.
"Care for a drink?"
"You chilled it?"
"Yes. The aroma is too strong otherwise."
"Nice."
Seo Ryang gulped down the liquor.
"Kuh, this stuff is strong."
"I don't know its name, but it's no ordinary brew. I've been sipping it little by little myself. I feel like I'd have a heart attack if I drank the whole bottle."
Handing the bottle back to Yeo Gang-hui, Seo Ryang asked.
"Are you heading to the Ice Palace now?"
"That's the plan."
"Alright, tell your sister for me. To be careful not to get kidnapped by snooping around needlessly in the future."
Yeo Gang-hui smiled.
"The Third Young Master will protect her, so what is there to worry about?"
"Huh?"
"Don't you remember? Our deal."
"Ah!"
Seo Ryang scratched his head.
"Hey, isn't that a bit too cold, even for you? It hasn't even been that long since I rescued her from being a hostage, and you're sending her with me? It's a symbol of our alliance in name only; how is she any different from a hostage?"
"Whether my sister becomes a hostage or not depends on the Third Young Master's heart."
"That may be so. But did your sister say it was okay?"
"Rin agreed to it as well."
"Like brother, like sister. She's got the same backbone as her older brother."
"Thank you for the compliment."
"It wasn't a compliment, you punk."
Yeo Gang-hui, who had been gazing at Seo Ryang, rose from his seat.
Without even looking up at him, Seo Ryang spoke.
"Farewell."
"Yes. But we will meet again soon."
"You'd better. You have to help me become the successor, don't you?"
"Haha."
Yeo Gang-hui turned his body.
He thought about mentioning the Glass Latent Power Grand Art, but decided against it. For some reason, Seo Ryang seemed weary today.
If it's necessary, he'll tell me.
"Thank you."
"Yeah, you do something I can be thankful for from now on, too."
Yeo Gang-hui gave a faint smile.
"Do not forget. We will see each other soon."
And so, following Jangchu, Yeo Gang-hui also departed.
Seo Ryang looked up at the sky again.
"...Well, I've rested enough."
He slapped his cheeks with both hands, making a sharp sound.
"Time to start running again!"
* * *
A few days later.
Seo Ryang walked before the lined-up Berserk Demon Unit.
"I'm hungry. Let's go get some home cooking."
It was the morning of the thirtieth day since the decisive battle with the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace had concluded.