Chapter 113
Chapter 113
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter Title: Chapter 30 The Eve of the Journey to the Martial World (4)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
After the long explanation concluded.
Sima Baek calmly grumbled as he slipped his hands crossed into his sleeves.
"Hmm. The principal wife, eh. So that's why my lord came to this humble place."
"Yeah. I should've mentioned it sooner."
You really didn't give me any chance to speak.
"Heh. The principal wife."
Sima Baek was speechless for a while.
'It must be a shock to the old man, huh?'
The guy who always urged world domination. But the response that came back was unexpected.
"That's certainly an important matter."
"...You're okay with it?"
No way it'd be this straightforward.
But surprisingly, a logical reply followed.
"I've been worrying about the lack of heirs lately anyway."
"You have?"
That's unexpected too.
"At my age, I should have about ten kids by now."
"...How old do you think I am, old man?"
If it weren't for the fudged age, I'd be at the age where inns kick you out.
"Well, fine. If it's about finding a mate, then the Murim Alliance Lord is no issue."
"Hey. Are you even listening to me?"
Sima Baek already seemed lost in his own world.
"If my lord sets his mind to it, taking the Alliance Lord's head would be a breeze."
"On the other hand, bonds between man and woman have their seasons."
"It wouldn't be bad to sire a bunch of heirs first, then scheme for the world later."
That was a relief.
'Honestly, I half-expected him to tell me to stay away from women until after world domination.'
He's a subordinate, but someone who's cared for me devotedly since I was young.
'Glad it worked out.'
Truthfully, I wanted his permission if possible.
"However."
Just as relief washed over him, Sima Baek added a caveat.
"Whether she's fit for my lord's mate is something that needs checking..."
"Sima Baek."
Chu Un-hwi growled in a low voice.
"If you're thinking of judging my woman, you'd better drop it."
Opinions are fine.
But only up to a point.
"Judging my mate is solely my prerogative."
Overstepping interference is off-limits.
Did he sense the authority in his voice? Sima Baek immediately apologized.
"My apologies. A grave mistake on my part."
With that, he unhesitatingly dropped to his knees and knocked his forehead against the floor repeatedly.
"Please, my lord, withdraw your anger."
"...Forgiven. Just be more careful from now on."
"Heh heh. My thanks for your boundless magnanimity."
Sima Baek rose, his forehead red, expressing his gratitude.
"Since my lord's will is firm, this old, useless bag of bones has no choice but to roll up his sleeves."
"Uh... that's a bit."
Honestly, Sima Yul and Dan-ya are enough. No, maybe even too much already.
'I don't really need the scheming Sima old man by my side.'
He was about to politely decline.
But quick-witted Sima Baek nailed his thoughts.
"You don't think this old man is particularly necessary."
"Well, not exactly necessary."
"My lord, you're overlooking one thing."
Overlooking something?
As he tilted his head, Sima Baek smirked slyly and answered.
"Among us, is there anyone besides me who's been married?"
"!!!"
Gazes slowly turned.
"I, I just haven't because I want to devote myself to my lord's great cause! It's not that I can't!"
One lonely middle-aged man spouting lame excuses.
And one lonely soul pointing at his wriggling black bandages, protesting.
"Me, I'm going to spend my life with my shell ironclad! It's my mate!"
Kikikik.
Gazes returned to Sima Baek.
"Hohoho. With hardly any who've even held a woman's wrist, let alone married, is that alright?"
Assistance from someone with experience is pretty important, you know.
Chu Un-hwi's gaze wavered at the whisper.
"My lord! No!"
"Elder Sima! Isn't that going too far?"
The two cried out in absolute refusal.
But.
'Finding someone else would be a problem too.'
If he doesn't fall head over heels at first sight, he wouldn't even know how to get close.
As his resolve shook greatly, another temptation approached.
"Having this old man by your side would be quite helpful."
"Unlike my son tied to the academy or Dan-ya wandering outside, I can freely assist my lord."
"No interest in reaping the benefits of a mysterious master recognized by the Murim Alliance?"
"Oh right. I can also dodge the prying eyes of those pesky Beggars' Sect elders."
At the following words, Chu Un-hwi squeezed his eyes shut.
And decided.
"Looking forward to working with you, Sima old man."
It was the moment he accepted another ally.
"Hohoho."
Sima Baek flashed a victorious smile at the sullen Sima Yul and Dan-ya, then changed the subject.
"Since things have come to this, there's something I should tell you first."
"Yeah, go ahead."
"I told you before about the circumstances that brought me here, right?"
"Yeah."
He'd been active as the 'Poison Beauty Swordsman Wang Woo' to lure out the Nether Heaven Society, then accepted the Beggar Elder's proposal and came.
'Perfect timing, since I'd been waiting for a chance to get close. I jumped at it.'
As he nodded, Sima Baek continued.
"The Murim Alliance seems to have taken alarm at the Nether Heaven Society's power we witnessed this time."
That figures.
After taking a hit like this, staying quiet would trash their prestige and face.
"So, it looks like they're scheming to use the Blood Jade Stone as bait to draw out the Nether Heaven Society..."
"Not a bad plan."
When luring hidden enemies, dangling tasty bait is basic.
"There's one worrisome point, though."
Sima Baek's voice dropped lower as he went on.
"On the way here, I encountered some strange fellows."
"Strange fellows?"
"They called themselves followers of the 'Apostles of the Eight Heavens.'"
The ones my lord mentioned once before.
"It was my first time seeing them in person, but they were truly astonishing."
A glint flashed briefly in Sima Baek's eyes.
"Every one of them had cultivated extreme yang demonic arts."
"Those extreme yang demonic arts that only special constitutions can learn, and even then, attainment is exceedingly difficult."
"Not one or two, but dozens practicing them—it defied common sense."
"Especially when even those famed for the Solar Demonic Art appeared."
"Honestly, if this old man were alone, it might've been a tough fight."
Dan-ya jumped in surprise at his words.
"Elder Sima had a tough fight?"
Since they knew each other's skills well, it must be quite shocking.
Chu Un-hwi, listening, asked Dan-ya.
"Dan-ya. Nothing strange from the Hao Clan side?"
"No. Right, my lord knows too. We clashed with them multiple times in the desert. No different from the ones we saw before."
Then the reason was simple.
"Looks like the real heavyweights have finally moved."
Well, after losing the Blood Jade Stone, they couldn't just sit idle.
Dokgo Yul, listening intently, asked with burning eyes.
"...My lord. Surely those 'Apostles'..."
Since he'd mentioned them before, curiosity was natural.
'Tch. I wanted to keep it hidden if possible.'
Looks like he couldn't play dumb anymore.
What if the Murim Alliance suffers a major defeat?
'My leisurely life at the Divine Martial Academy would be over.'
In the worst case, they might even conscript trainees in the middle of training to fill the ranks.
In his previous life, a bride-to-be in training had been thrown onto the battlefield for similar reasons.
In the end, Chu Un-hwi had no choice but to reveal what he knew.
"The Apostles of the Eight Heavens."
"Eight Heavens Apostles."
"The eight heavens that form the Nether Heaven Society."
"Different from the ones we've faced so far?"
Different. Extremely so.
"The true forces of the Nether Heaven Society, you could say. The power nurtured for overthrowing the world. A different league from the spies infiltrating sects and plotting schemes."
Above all, followers of the Eight Heavens Apostles had one striking feature.
"Their hallmark is, astonishingly, handling heterogeneous true energy."
Heterogeneous true energy.
Not just projecting inner power into weapons to form sword or blade auras.
"If they can generate flames or wind just by channeling true energy, get it?"
"Astonishing. Martial arts handling heterogeneous true energy are exceedingly rare, aren't they?"
"Exactly. It requires a special constitution too."
Close by, there's Ma Gil-sang of the Flame Light Blade Demon.
A man who mastered the Flame Blade Arts to the pinnacle and ascended to the ranks of absolute powerhouses.
Not from the Nine Great Sects or Ten Great Families, yet he made the Top Ten Wanderer Swordsmen list. Clearly from grueling effort, but hard to deny his constitution's role.
Supreme Yang Body.
The most suitable constitution for extreme yang martial arts.
"Handling heterogeneous true energy is a pipe dream. More powerful than ordinary sword auras too."
Think about it.
Even sharp sword auras are hard to handle, but if just approaching burns your hair and cooks your flesh? Even masters of the same level find it insanely tricky depending on whether they can handle heterogeneous energy.
That's the advantage of heterogeneous true energy.
"How on earth do the Apostles create such people?"
"Not sure about that. Just speculation it involves human sacrifices or something."
"...I see."
Leaving murmuring Dokgo Yul, Chu Un-hwi said.
"So, if you get the chance, warn the Beggar Elder. Underestimate them and you'll get burned."
"Not sure he'll believe it easily. Even telling the truth would cause issues."
Constitutions that can handle heterogeneous true energy are heaven-sent opportunities.
A gift bestowed at birth to a select few.
But if they can artificially create such constitutions?
"Definitely, some would convert for the martial arts alone."
"Good point."
Just as Sima Baek said.
In his previous life, many righteous faction masters had defected to the Nether Heaven Society for exactly this reason.
The miraculous power to grant ancient genius even to third-rate warriors.
"Of course, no worry from half-baked posers, whatever they learn."
But at 'Apostle' level, it's different.
"Avoid fighting them as much as possible. If unavoidable, then fight."
With that, Chu Un-hwi issued a quiet warning.
"If an 'Apostle' gets the Blood Jade Stone, run immediately. No exceptions."
This was an order.
Stung by the stern warning, proud Dan-ya grumbled.
"My lord. Spit it out straight. What the hell is this 'Blood Jade Stone' anyway?"
"A priceless treasure that can awaken an 'Apostle' into the 'Cult Leader.'"
"Enough beating around the bush. Explain properly."
Sima Baek chimed in.
"I'm curious too. Can it really make one a being of the 'heavens' like they boast?"
Chu Un-hwi answered.
"The Blood Jade Stone. Or Reincarnation Stone. It's a cursed object forged from the grudges and malice of the dead."
In his previous life, it was called the 'Seed of Disaster.'
"The root of all evil. True, it can summon the ruler of ten thousand evils."
So absolutely.
"Don't approach if an 'Apostle' gets the 'red stone.'"
In the stilled wind, a low, gloomy voice echoed through the ruined house.