Chapter 171
Chapter 171
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 171
Chapter Title: Martial Alliance Orthodox Sects Meeting
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“Could you please gather all those skilled in spiritual arts or sorcery, such as shamans, daoists, and monks?”
Mu-heun spoke to the Soul-Stealing Immortal and Du Baek. The Soul-Stealing Immortal seemed to accept immediately, but Du Baek asked for a reason.
“Hmm… Could you explain why such individuals are necessary?”
Mu-heun spoke to the Alliance Leader with the utmost respect.
“Yes. Based on the information I've gathered about the enemy so far, I've formulated a plan. However, our forces are overwhelmingly lacking in individuals who can counter ghost arts.”
“Counter ghost arts? Are you saying that shamans, daoists, and monks can counter them?”
“No.”
“No? Then why are you asking me to gather them?”
“There are no sorcerers in the current martial world who can deal with ghost arts. However, while the concept of ghost arts is unfamiliar, anyone can counter them if they understand the principles.”
“Anyone can counter them?”
“Ah, of course, that ‘anyone’ is limited to those with a certain degree of knowledge in formations and spiritual arts.”
“In other words, you and the Soul-Stealing Immortal have deciphered the enemy’s arts to some extent, so all you need are people who understand spiritual arts?”
“That is correct.”
“Hmm… Considering what lies ahead, this is essential. Very well. I will do as you ask.”
“Thank you for your cooperation, Alliance Leader.”
The Alliance Leader acted calm and composed on the outside, but inwardly, he couldn't hide his astonishment.
‘Baek Mu-heun… This man will undoubtedly elevate the standards of the entire martial world.’
To study the enemy, decipher their arts, and then instantly organize that knowledge to disseminate it to others…
‘He’s an unbelievable genius.’
Meanwhile, Mu-heun was impressed by the Alliance Leader, who maintained his composure to the very end.
‘He should be shocked, yet he remains so composed. Truly befitting the leader of the Orthodox Sects.’
The two men were, unknowingly, admiring each other.
“Alliance Leader.”
“…Speak.”
“Based on the information gathered so far, I will explain what is to come. Please, help ensure that all the Orthodox Sects cooperate.”
“…I understand.”
***
Three days had passed since the end of the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly. The leaders of the Nine Major Sects and Five Great Families, the pillars of the Orthodox Sects, returned to their headquarters with shocking news.
Or so it seemed.
That was a rumor spread through the combined efforts of the Beggars' Sect and the Underworld Sect. In reality, they were all gathered in Alliance Leader Du Baek’s office, listening to the Soul-Stealing Immortal’s explanation.
Mu-heun did not attend the meeting; he was checking on the condition of the Heavenly Demonic Corpse. However, he had already relayed all future plans through the Soul-Stealing Immortal.
The Soul-Stealing Immortal was an eloquent speaker. While he couldn't cast his soul-stealing arts on the masters of the Orthodox Sects, he could certainly captivate them with his brilliant rhetoric.
Of course, this was only possible because his story was based on solid facts.
“The Asura Seven Valleys killed all the disciples of the Fierce Sword Sect, disguised themselves as them, and participated in the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly. The one who first provided information on them was the leader of the Underworld Sect, and the one who devised the plan to annihilate them was Sir Baek Mu-heun.”
And at the center of all these facts was always a familiar name.
Baek Mu-heun.
A man from the Demonic Cult.
“All of this was confirmed when my Tortua Unit personally visited the Fierce Sword Sect in Hamnyeong, Hubei Province. I can report that the bodies of the real Fierce Sword Sect disciples buried there have all been recovered and given a proper funeral.”
The leaders of the Orthodox Sects could not hide their somber expressions as they listened to the Soul-Stealing Immortal’s report. It felt as if their own selfishness and incompetence were being laid bare.
“Upon interrogating Wasted Blood Valley, the leader of the Asura Seven Valleys, it was revealed that they came to the Martial Alliance because two of the Demonic Cult Leader’s disciples had commissioned the assassination of Sir Baek Mu-heun.”
There was some public opinion that sought to criticize Mu-heun, citing his origins in the Demonic Cult and the fact that he was the reason the Unorthodox Sects had invaded. However, the leaders of the Orthodox Sects were not fools.
The truly important points here were that a member of the Demonic Cult commissioned the death of another member, and why the Unorthodox Sect forces accepted that commission.
“The Asura Seven Valleys harbored the ambition to conquer the martial world by joining forces with the Three Supreme Blades of the World. However, the leaders of both Unorthodox Sect forces realized that their subordinates’ martial prowess was lacking compared to their own.”
The names of the Asura Seven Valleys and the Three Supreme Blades of the World were not to be taken lightly. Although the Asura Seven Valleys had entered the Martial Alliance and were easily captured without any significant achievements, their power was not to be underestimated.
Even the Nine Major Sects or the Five Great Families would have suffered considerable damage had the Asura Seven Valleys attacked with full force.
If the Three Supreme Blades of the World had joined them… they might not have escaped annihilation.
However, Alliance Leader Du Baek and the Plum Blossom Sword Venerable, Jin Hong, were present here. They were exceptional powerhouses, a league above even masters of the Transcendent Realm. Heaven beyond Heaven. The enemy had chosen the wrong time and place.
No, in truth, if not for the leader of the Underworld Sect and Baek Mu-heun, any response would have been too late, no matter who in the Martial Alliance had died.
“They were supposed to take Baek Mu-heun’s head and receive the Demonic Cult’s demonic arts in return. Their plan was to have their subordinates learn the demonic arts, strengthen their forces, and wage war against the Orthodox Sects.”
It sounded preposterous, but it was possible. After all, these were the people who had actually infiltrated the Martial Alliance. Everyone listening felt a chill run down their spine.
It was a good thing they were caught now; had they been left alone, they could have instigated a much larger war in the future.
However, the lips of those in high positions remained sealed. Most of them must have realized it. Though no one said it out loud, it was as if Baek Mu-heun had achieved a great merit.
The leaders of the Orthodox Sects couldn't possibly be unaware of this.
The Soul-Stealing Immortal wasn't pleased with the attitude of the Orthodox Sects, but he let it slide. They would eventually realize they had no choice but to rely on Sir Mu-heun anyway.
After explaining a bit more about the Fierce Sword Sect, the Asura Seven Valleys, and the Three Supreme Blades of the World, he moved on to the matter everyone was curious about: the Jinju Eon Clan incident.
“The truth behind the Jinju Eon Clan tragedy was the work of one of the previously mentioned Monsters, Ghost Spirits, and Evil Gods—a Ghost Spirit. To be precise, it was the work of a lower-level miscellaneous demon, a Skin-Painting Demon.”
The incident that had thrown the Martial Alliance headquarters into an uproar wasn't the infiltration by the Fierce Sword Sect. Of course, an Unorthodox Sect faction infiltrating the Martial Alliance headquarters was a shocking and alarming event, but it was still within the realm of common sense.
They had deliberately targeted and disguised themselves as the Fierce Sword Sect, a group known for its roughness despite belonging to the Orthodox Sects. Furthermore, it was revealed that one of the Martial Alliance executives had been bribed to invite them, so it was understandable.
Now that they understood the means and methods of infiltration, they could simply increase their vigilance to prevent it from happening again.
However.
The Jinju Eon Clan tragedy was different.
An evil spirit that could perfectly replicate the appearance and martial arts of the Jinju Eon Clan Head, its elders, and its rising stars? Even after seeing it with their own eyes, hearing it with their own ears, and experiencing it with their own hands, it was hard to believe.
The Soul-Stealing Immortal inwardly smirked at their shocked expressions and continued.
“The Skin-Painting Demon described in ancient texts was not originally such a powerful Ghost Spirit. It was also known to wear the skin of women who had not learned martial arts, using it to lure and devour humans. But this time, it was different.”
The leaders of the Orthodox Sects examined the four drawings placed on the table.
Skin-Painting Demon , Five Oddities Demon , House Demon , Hyaenang .
They were all bizarre drawings, but they couldn't fail to understand what these images signified.
“The four drawings before you depict the Ghost Spirits currently active in the Hubei region.
Many of you may find this hard to believe, as they all disappeared over 300 years ago… but this is all information confirmed by gathering intelligence from the Beggars' Sect and the Underworld Sect.”
A brief murmur swept through the room, but when the Alliance Leader called for silence, everyone had no choice but to quiet down.
The Soul-Stealing Immortal glanced around the now-silent room once more before continuing.
“The Five Oddities Demon was taking the souls and spirits of martial artists, and the Hyaenang was luring and abducting weaker martial artists. They are all heading to one place. Guiwon Temple, where the Ghost Origin Master resides.”
At that moment, an elder raised his hand and spoke.
“In that case, shouldn't we go to Guiwon Temple right now and rescue them?”
As if expecting such a question, the Soul-Stealing Immortal smiled faintly and replied.
“That is not so simple. You see, Guiwon Temple is completely empty.”
The Soul-Stealing Immortal recounted the tale of how he had cooperated with Mu-heun to track the Hyaenang. How they had found it and attached one of the Asura Seven Valleys’ subordinates to it. How they had tailed the creature as it headed for its base, only for it to vanish as if it were a real ghost.
He also explained that the current sorcerers of the martial world were vulnerable to ghost arts.
Then, Paeng Mu-seon, the head of the Hebei Peng Clan, and Namgung Jin, the head of the Namgung Clan, spoke up.
“Then what do you intend to do? We have remained here, waiting, since you asked us to be on standby at the Martial Alliance. It is not as if the clan heads and sect leaders have nothing to attend to at our own headquarters.”
“That's right. We stayed without any objection because we believed that you, Soul-Stealing Immortal, and that man, Baek Mu-heun, would find out something, and that it would be of great importance.”
The Soul-Stealing Immortal smiled faintly again. This was the reaction he had been waiting for.
“Once again, I thank you great heroes, who lead the Orthodox martial world, for your cooperation. And I must emphasize again that what I am about to say is a matter of grave importance, worthy of the precious time you have given.”
The Soul-Stealing Immortal began to pour out the information he had extracted from the Skin-Painting Demon using his soul-stealing arts.
That there was a higher-level Ghost Spirit, a Rakshasa, that controlled the Skin-Painting Demon. That the Rakshasa used the souls and spirits brought by the Five Oddities Demon to strengthen the Skin-Painting Demon, allowing it to possess the bodies of martial artists.
That after possessing the bodies of martial artists brought by the Hyaenang, the Skin-Painting Demons intended to target the great clans and families.
Every piece of information was enough to send everyone in the room into shock.
“Their base is indeed Guiwon Temple. However, they have hidden the temple with a very special kind of ghost art. It is a place that cannot be found or entered unless one is a Ghost Spirit.
But we have found a way. They have placed House Demons in residences ten li away from Guiwon Temple in all directions. Those House Demons form a massive formation that conceals their base.”
The Soul-Stealing Immortal clasped his hands in a fist-and-palm salute to all the masters in the room and said.
“From this moment on, we need all of your strength to annihilate them. Please, help us.”
The room erupted into a cauldron of chaos, but there was no justification to refuse the Soul-Stealing Immortal's request. Paeng Mu-seon and Namgung Jin had already stated why they had remained here.
“I will now explain the plan to eliminate the Hyaenang, the Five Oddities Demon, the Skin-Painting Demon, and the House Demon, and to capture the Rakshasa at Guiwon Temple.”
The leaders of the Orthodox Sects inwardly realized that something was going terribly wrong, but they tried their best to maintain a composed expression.
Watching their attitudes, the Soul-Stealing Immortal sneered inwardly.
‘Once the peace is over, they'll understand. The foolish bastards. Tsk, tsk.’
However, Alliance Leader Du Baek, who knew some of the inner workings, had a heavy heart.