Chapter 876: Hearing of the Sect's Destruction
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 876: Hearing of the Sect's Destruction
"Are you lot not even worried?!"
Sima, the Corpse Demon, raised his voice as he glared at the Beast Palace disciples surrounding him.
Their leader had charged into enemy territory alone, yet not a single person had moved to follow him. If they had any sense at all, shouldn't they have at least tried to stop the Beast King or followed to provide support?
But these people possessed no such reason. They simply drank, chewed on meat, and indulged in lustful acts, behaving like animals driven solely by instinct.
Damn it... these beasts.
Sima cursed inwardly. They said these people lived like animals, and it seemed even their intelligence had regressed to that level. They completely lacked any sense of crisis or solidarity.
...It’ll be a problem if the Beast King dies.
Sima’s expression darkened. The Great Heavenly Demon had given the order: destroy the Diancang Sect alongside the Beast King. If the Beast King charged in alone and lost his life, the entire responsibility would fall squarely on Sima’s shoulders for failing to execute the Heavenly Demon’s command properly.
I can't let that happen!
Sima shook his head violently. In the Demonic Cult, taking responsibility was synonymous with death. If the Beast King died, Sima was as good as dead too.
I have to follow him now.
Sima quickly turned toward Mount Yunnan.
Vroooooom!
He channeled his internal energy into his Yongcheon Point and let it explode.
Swish!
Sima’s figure blurred, piercing through the wind as he shot forward like a bolt of light. The Beast Palace disciples watched him go with vacant stares before turning back to their revelry.
"Hahahaha! Pour another! Drink up!"
"Keep the booze coming!"
"If you can't finish it in one go, no intercourse for you tonight!"
They resumed their banquet as if they didn't have a single care in the world.
*
Boom!
Sima funneled his internal energy into his Yongcheon Point and released it. In that instant, a massive repulsive force erupted.
Swoooooosh!
Using that momentum, Sima propelled himself forward at a speed comparable to a flash of light.
Please... please... just be alive.
As he sprinted at breakneck speed, Sima prayed fervently. He begged that the man would just stay alive—that he wouldn't cause a disaster that Sima would have to answer for.
Swish!
Carrying his desperate hopes, Sima ran and ran. After three shijins of continuous sprinting, Mount Yunnan, where the Diancang Sect was located, finally came into view.
I'm almost there.
Sima pushed himself even harder. He climbed mountain paths, crossed rivers, leaped over boulders, and pushed through dense forests. Finally, he reached his destination: the front gates of the Diancang Sect, situated halfway up Mount Yunnan.
Sima observed the sect from a distance, scouting the area. He chose to gather information rather than charging in blindly.
...It’s quiet.
The sensation coming from the Diancang Sect was one of eerie silence. Aside from the chirping of mountain birds and the buzzing of insects, not a single sound could be heard.
The Beast King should have arrived by now.
Sima felt a sense of doubt. Knowing the Beast King, he would have charged in recklessly, using his innate divine power and martial prowess to go on a rampage. He wasn't the type to use his head in a fight.
Yet, the Diancang Sect was far too still. It should have been chaotic and noisy, but instead, it was deathly silent.
Don't tell me... was he suppressed the moment he arrived?
Anxiety surged within Sima. He feared the Beast King might have been defeated without even putting up a fight.
Creeping forward, Sima cautiously approached the sect. He intended to get a closer look at the situation. After taking a few more steps—
Stop.
He was forced to halt.
The scent of blood?!
The pungent, metallic stench of blood assaulted his nostrils. Based on the intensity, this wasn't the blood of just one or two people. It was the scent of dozens, no, hundreds.
Could it be...?!
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Sima began walking toward the Diancang Sect again, driven to confirm his suspicion.
Thud. Thud.
He soon reached the main gate. Upon entering, two corpses with their heads ripped off greeted him. It was a gruesome sight.
Thud.
As he moved further inside, he found dozens more corpses, all missing their heads, scattered about.
They were all... destroyed in a single blow.
Cold sweat began to pour down Sima’s face. He realized that every single corpse had had its head shattered with a single strike.
Thud. Thud.
Sima passed the bodies and headed deeper toward the main hall.
"...T-This can't be."
He gasped in horror. His vision was filled with hundreds of corpses strewn everywhere. Some were missing heads, some had their hearts burst open, and others were sliced clean in half. It was a massacre so horrific that the word "carnage" felt insufficient.
...A slaughter.
He realized the truth. A one-sided massacre had taken place within the Diancang Sect.
"You're here?"
A voice of absolute authority pierced his ears. Sima whipped his head around. There, he saw a monstrous figure sitting atop a mountain of corpses.
"...Beast King."
Sima spoke in a trembling voice. The figure was indeed the Beast King—the Palace Master of the Southern Savage Beast Palace, who had set out alone to annihilate the Diancang Sect.
"That was easier than I expected," the Beast King remarked nonchalantly.
"...Did you... kill them all?"
"No, I left the wenches alive. Since they've trained in martial arts, they should make for decent surrogates."
The Beast King spoke in a flat tone. He hadn't bothered killing the women, intending to use them as vessels to receive the vigorous seeds of the Southern Barbarians.
"..............."
Sima was speechless. If only the women were left alive, it meant everyone else was dead. The Sect Leader, hailed as Diancang's greatest master; the elders, known as the sect's ultimate power; and every single disciple—all of them were gone.
"Hey, Sima. Do you know how to use the Soul-Entrancing Technique?" the Beast King asked, his voice low.
"...I do," Sima replied, his tone significantly more respectful.
"Then cast it on the wenches so they can't commit suicide. I've knocked them out for now, but it’ll be a nuisance if they go and kill themselves."
The Beast King ordered Sima to use the technique. The women of the Central Plains, with their rigid notions of chastity, often chose suicide over being defiled. It was better to prevent that beforehand.
"......Understood."
Sima nodded. Though the Beast King was treating him like a subordinate, Sima didn't show the slightest hint of dissatisfaction.
"I like your obedient attitude."
A playful smirk touched the Beast King's lips.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
He walked past Sima toward the exit as if nothing had happened. Sima watched the Beast King’s retreating back with eyes full of dread.
The title 'King of Beasts' is no exaggeration.
He thought to himself. If a monstrous power like the Beast King joined their side, the conquest of the Central Plains was no longer a mere dream.
*
"I want the Alliance Leader's Hall built over here. Please make sure the structure naturally commands dignity the moment one enters."
Joo So-yang spoke in a calm, steady voice.
"Naturally commands dignity... what kind of structure are you referring to, exactly?"
The carpenter asked, looking bewildered. What on earth could one do to a building to make it "command dignity"?
"Well... hmm... I want a structure where, the moment the doors open, one is filled with the Alliance Leader's greatness, solemnity, respect, and admiration. Oh, but please avoid any structure that might evoke feelings of affection. It would be troublesome if unnecessary women started flocking to him."
Joo So-yang began to explain her requirements in detail.
"..................."
The old carpenter remained silent. He couldn't understand a word of what she was asking for. What kind of architecture could possibly inspire respect and admiration?
Did I get myself into a mess here?
The pay was substantial, so he hadn't hesitated to take the job, but he was starting to regret it. Her demands were far too abstract.
"And I'd like the reception room to have a more comfortable atmosphere. Since many people will be coming and going, I want them to feel like they want to visit again."
"..........I will try my best."
"Oh, and this will be the Alliance Leader's bedroom... if possible, please make it a structure that provides comfort, coziness, and refreshment. It should be the ultimate resting place for an Alliance Leader exhausted from work."
Joo So-yang continued listing her demands one by one.
"......I will do my utmost."
The old carpenter could only repeat those words. There was nothing else he could say.
"And this will be the Alliance Leader's study..."
Just as she was about to explain her requirements for the study—
Patter, patter, patter.
The sound of hurried footsteps echoed from somewhere.
"My Lady!"
An urgent voice followed. Joo So-yang stopped mid-sentence and turned toward the source of the noise. She saw Gye Sang-deuk running toward her, out of breath.
"Uncle Gye?"
Joo So-yang tilted her head in confusion. Gye Sang-deuk was supposed to be overseeing the construction. She didn't understand why he was appearing so suddenly.
"Haa... haa... so this is where you were..."
Reaching her, Gye Sang-deuk gasped for air as he spoke.
".......Has something happened?" she asked, eyeing him suspiciously.
"A beggar from the Beggar Sect has requested a private audience with you."
"With me?" she asked, surprised.
"Yes. He said he has urgent news to deliver to the Alliance Leader or the person in charge."
".......Did he say what it was about?"
"He didn't say. But his expression was incredibly grave."
Gye Sang-deuk spoke with a serious look on his face.
"..........Hmm."
Joo So-yang looked puzzled. She had no idea what the business could be.
"Where is he now?"
"I've settled him in the temporary tent."
"Understood. I'll go see him myself."
Joo So-yang nodded. She figured the wisest course of action was to ask him directly.
Click, clack.
Joo So-yang turned and immediately began walking. Gye Sang-deuk followed behind her. Soon, only the middle-aged carpenter was left in the area.
.......So... how am I supposed to build this?
The carpenter stood there dazed, still lost. She had left without ever giving him a concrete structural plan.
*
"P-Please say that again... What happened to Diancang?"
Joo So-yang asked again, her face full of disbelief. She wondered if she had misheard him.
"The Diancang Sect... has been annihilated."
The beggar from the Beggar Sect spoke with a heavy, somber expression.
"....That's... impossible..."
Joo So-yang tried to deny it. She simply couldn't believe it. This was the Diancang Sect. A massive power that had flourished for hundreds of years as a representative sect of the Orthodox Faction. How could she easily believe that such a place had been destroyed?
"It may be hard to believe, but it is the absolute truth......"
The beggar continued, his face grim. There wasn't a hint of a lie in his expression.
"..............."
Facing that expression, Joo So-yang realized it was true. The Diancang Sect had indeed fallen.
"......Do you know who the culprit is?"
".......It's not certain, but............. based on the circumstances, there is someone we suspect."
"Who is it?" Joo So-yang asked, her eyes narrowing.
"Yayul Je."
The beggar spoke the name with a heavy heart.
"Yayul Je!?"
She gasped in shock. She was well aware of that name. The absolute ruler of the Southern Barbarian lands and the king of all beasts. How could she not know the Beast King, Yayul Je?
"Yes."
The beggar confirmed in a low voice. Joo So-yang’s expression became as grave as it could possibly be. If his suspicion was correct, the situation had become far more dire than she had imagined.
The Beast King... why would he attack Diancang?
She felt a massive headache beginning to throb.