Chapter 878: The Great Plan Has Begun
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 878: The Great Plan Has Begun
"The Diancang Sect has been annihilated in a single night."
This shocking rumor, its veracity unconfirmed, spread across the Central Plains like wildfire.
When people first heard the news, they shook their heads in fierce denial. They dismissed it as utter nonsense.
After all, what kind of place was Diancang? It was a prestigious sect that had maintained its reputation as one of the Nine Great Sects for centuries. Its leader, Daoist Tae-seon, was a master who had reached the Transcendent Realm, and its elders were all martial artists of the Super-Peak Realm.
For the Diancang Sect, currently enjoying its martial prime, to be wiped out in a single night was simply impossible.
Thus, the people were certain: it was nothing more than another baseless rumor circulating the streets.
However, it didn't take long for their certainty to be shattered. The Beggar Sect officially announced the fall of Diancang.
The news left the world in a state of utter consternation.
Even during the invasion of the Small Leiyin Temple—also known as the Demonic Blood Palace—and the Demonic Cult's invasion that had stained the Central Plains with blood twenty years ago, the Diancang Sect had stood firm, showcasing the dignity of a prestigious sect.
How could anyone not be horrified to hear that such a sect had been destroyed?
With one voice, the people asked: who was the culprit that had toppled one of the great pillars of the Murim?
And to their question, the Beggar Sect provided an answer.
The culprit was the Palace Master of the Southern Savage Beast Palace, the man known as the King of Beasts.
The Beast King, Ya Yul-je.
*
The West Gate of Guangxi Province.
A massive crowd had gathered at the entrance, standing in a long line to enter the province. Perhaps because of the sudden influx of people, the wait to get inside was grueling.
"Where do you think you're touching?!"
"Touching? What are you talking about?"
"You just felt my backside!"
"I didn't feel anything! It's so cramped that our bodies just brushed against each other."
"Do you think I'm an idiot who can't tell the difference between a bump and a squeeze?!"
"Then why are you wearing something so tight? I thought you were a prostitute and squeezed without thinking!"
"You shameless bastard!"
"Boiled eggs for sale! Five copper coins if you buy now!"
"Cotton clothes here! High-quality cotton that can withstand even the North Sea's snow winds! Buy now and get duck-hide mittens for free!"
"Hey, stop pushing!"
"Who's pushing? Look ahead, you brat!"
"What? Brat? How old are you?!"
"Old enough to be your father, kid!"
Perhaps due to the long wait, heated arguments and scuffles broke out here and there, while countless peddlers hawked their wares.
"Pass."
Jang Ryang, a gate guard at the West Gate of Guangxi, spoke in a weary, listless voice.
"Thank you! Thank you so much!"
A middle-aged man bowed repeatedly in gratitude before heading into the city.
"Next."
As the man passed, Jang Ryang looked forward and spoke again.
Rumble, rumble.
Dozens of wagons began to roll toward him.
'Damn it.'
Jang Ryang cursed inwardly. The sheer annoyance of having to inspect all of them made his blood boil.
Screech.
Thud.
A middle-aged man dressed in expensive clothing stepped down from the lead wagon and walked straight toward Jang Ryang.
"Greetings, Gate Guard."
He offered a polite salutation.
"...Greetings. May I see your identification tablet first?" Jang Ryang asked, extending his hand.
"Here it is."
The man handed over the tablet without hesitation.
"Hmm."
Jang Ryang took the tablet and began to read it slowly.
"You've come from Yunnan Province," Jang Ryang noted after finishing.
"That is correct."
"What is the purpose of your visit?"
"Migration."
"May I ask why? Looking at your attire, it doesn't seem like you're moving because life is difficult..."
Jang Ryang asked curiously. The man's appearance clearly suggested he came from a wealthy household. It was hard to understand why someone like him would readily abandon his hometown to move.
"It is because the Diancang Sect has fallen," the middle-aged man replied with a somber expression.
"The fall of Diancang?"
"Indeed. Most of the commoners in Yunnan were under Diancang's protection. Thanks to them, poachers and martial artists from other regions couldn't run rampant. But then, Diancang was suddenly destroyed. A power struggle among poachers and outside martial artists is inevitable... and I have no desire to be caught in the crossfire and die."
The man continued in a calm tone.
"Furthermore, isn't the Southern Savage Beast Palace—the ones who destroyed Diancang—right next door? How can I sleep soundly when the perpetrators of such a massacre are so close? I decided it would be better to move elsewhere and live safely under the protection of another Murim power."
"So, everyone here is moving for the same reason?"
Jang Ryang spoke as if he had just realized something. He had wondered why so many people from Yunnan were suddenly flocking here; it seemed they all had their reasons.
"Most of those from Yunnan have likely decided to migrate for the same reason. Fear is a universal feeling, after all."
The middle-aged man nodded. While he couldn't speak for everyone, the majority of Yunnan's people had likely chosen to move for the same reason. No matter how much one loves their hometown, it can't be worth more than one's life.
"Then are the goods loaded in these wagons all household items and belongings brought for the move?"
"Correct. I've brought some valuables and a few household essentials."
"I see. Then I'll conduct a quick inspection."
Jang Ryang raised his hand slightly. His subordinates in the rear began to move forward.
Grip.
Suddenly, the middle-aged man grabbed Jang Ryang's hand with both of his.
"Now, now. Why create more work when you're already so busy?"
"It's our job to check for any prohibited items."
"Hahaha, I assure you, there's nothing but household goods. An inspection would only be a waste of your energy."
The man let out a sly laugh and discreetly slipped a small pouch into Jang Ryang's sleeve.
"We can't have you going through such trouble, can we? Especially when you already have a mountain of work to do."
"...Ahem... Giving me something like this... makes things difficult."
"It's nothing much. I simply wish to reward the hard work of the gate guards who are suffering on this cold day..."
"..........Ahem. Since you put it that way... it would be rude to refuse. It's bad manners to reject such sincerity."
"You're a bold, manly fellow! Hahahaha!" the middle-aged man laughed delightedly.
"Now that I think about it, there's no need to rummage through wagons that only contain household items. What could possibly be in there? You may pass."
"Hahahaha, now you're talking sense."
The man smiled, turned around, and climbed back into his wagon.
"Pass!" Jang Ryang shouted loudly, ensuring everyone could hear.
*
"Like a swarm of ants."
He had blazing red hair, red eyebrows, and a red beard. His eyes were a fierce, burning crimson.
The man, Flame Disaster Ouyang Jin, spoke as he looked at the crowd gathered at the West Gate. He looked like the Fire God himself had descended upon the earth.
To him, they were like a swarm of ants. No matter how many of them gathered, they were weaklings he could crush whenever he pleased.
Step, step, step.
Ouyang Jin began to walk slowly toward them. Normally, they were insignificant beings he wouldn't even spare a glance. But today, he felt he should pay them some attention.
He had 'work' to do.
Whoosh. Whoosh.
Flames began to flicker around Ouyang Jin's body—a sinister red fire, darker than blood.
*
At the West Gate of Guangxi Province, a horrific scene of carnage unfolded.
Roar!
"Aaaaaagh! It's hot! It's hot! It's hot!"
"Save me!"
"My skin... my skin is melting!"
People's bodies were set ablaze. Not just their skin, but even their internal organs began to melt away.
"Mom... Mommy... it's hot... I'm so hot..."
"Please save me! I'll give you all my money... please... Aaaaaagh!"
"Please, at least spare the child... the children!! Aaaaagh!"
"Why are you doing this?! You demonic monsteeeer!"
"Aaaaagh! I curse you! Even in hell, I will curse you!!"
"Aaaaaaaaagh!"
The air was thick with acrid smoke and the desperate, miserable screams of the dying. It was no exaggeration to call it a living hell on earth.
Step, step.
The man who had created this hell, Flame Disaster Ouyang Jin, walked leisurely through the chaos. He strolled as if taking a light walk, completely indifferent to the agonizing screams around him.
Step, step.
After walking for some time, he reached the very front of the West Gate. The gate was firmly shut. It had been closed the moment Ouyang Jin, a walking disaster, appeared.
Ouyang Jin slowly looked up. A massive iron gate came into his view.
Smirk.
A thick smile spread across Ouyang Jin's lips.
Fwoosh!
Ouyang Jin began to circulate his Sun Heat Blazing Art to its limit. Enormous flames erupted from him, beginning to take a specific shape.
Two large horns. Sharp eyes. Massive, thick teeth. A long, curving body that seemed to reach the heavens.
It was a dragon. The most terrifying and powerful divine beast from ancient mythology.
ROAAAAAAR!
The massive fire dragon opened its maw and let out a roar that shook the heavens. It then dove toward the gate, swallowing it whole as if to destroy everything in its path.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
"Aaaaaaaaagh!"
"Aaaaaagh!"
The gate and the surrounding walls collapsed completely, and the wretched screams of the soldiers echoed through the air.
"The Great Plan has begun. Foolish people of the Central Plains."
Ouyang Jin muttered to himself as he watched the destruction, a deep smile etched on his face.
*
Hong Kong, Guangdong Province.
Located at the southernmost tip of Guangdong Province, Hong Kong was a place where the fishing industry thrived due to its proximity to the sea. It was often said that one-third of all seafood consumed in the Central Plains was produced here.
"Freshly caught! It's still kicking!"
"If you don't buy today, you won't get another chance! Look at this sheen! You can tell how tender the meat is just by the shine!"
"It's over a foot long... A fish this size for one silver tael is a steal! A steal!"
"Madam, try lifting it yourself. It's so plump you'll struggle to hold it with both hands!"
Fishermen hawked their fish at the market, trying to sell them as quickly as possible. Since freshness was everything, the key was to sell them at a fair price as fast as they could.
"Hey! Why are you stealing my customer?!"
"He came over here because your fish looks pathetic!"
"What did you say?!"
Clatter!
Being rough fishermen, loud arguments and fights broke out here and there. In the chaos, a cat could be seen running off with a fish in its mouth—a common sight.
It was the usual peaceful day in Hong Kong.
"Te... Terrible news!"
A voice suddenly shattered that peace, echoing through the fish market.
The hawkers, the hagglers, the brawlers, and even the cat running away with the fish all turned their heads toward the source of the voice.
There, they saw a man drenched in sweat, gasping for breath.
"Pirates! Pirates have appeared!"
As all eyes fixed on him, the man shouted at the top of his lungs, his tone frantic.
"What? Just pirates?"
"I thought it was something serious."
"Madam, I told you, I can't go any lower on the price."
Upon hearing his words, the people turned away with indifference and resumed their daily lives. To those who made their living from the sea, mere pirates were not something to be feared. They were nothing more than thugs operating on the water. They weren't afraid because they knew the government troops would eventually suppress them.
"It's the Sea King's Fleet!" the man added desperately when he saw the people's lack of concern.
"What?!"
"The... the Sea King?!"
"Is that true?!"
The people in the market immediately turned back to him, their questions coming in a flurry. Their reaction was a complete reversal of their previous indifference.
"I'm certain! They were flying a flag with a skull biting a sword!" the man screamed.
The expressions of everyone who heard him turned grave beyond measure.
There was only one person who used a flag with a skull biting a sword.
The worst pirate, whom even the government troops had given up on. A man devoid of any mercy. The King of the Sea who had sunk countless ships.
The Sea King, Hyeok Yeom-gwang.
That greedy King of the Sea had finally revealed himself.