Chapter 114: The Wicked Blood Cult (2)
Chapter 114: The Wicked Blood Cult (2)
The next morning, Murong Seo-jeong and Tang Cheon-seon left immediately for the Alliance meeting.
The atmosphere within the Alliance was indescribably grim.
Rumors were swirling that a Blood Cult spy had been discovered among the members.
Meanwhile, we were preoccupied with packing our own belongings.
"Just once. Think of it as a learning experience and let’s go to the Murong Family. Just! One! Time! It could be a wonderful opportunity to find a new home, an amazing time that might—"
"Stop, stop. You’re going to give me a headache."
"B-but..."
I had no idea why I was supposed to go to the Murong Family.
For some reason, I had a chilling feeling that if I went there, I would never be able to return to the inner side of Shanhaiguan.
Since I was already close, it wouldn't be a bad idea to drop by Joseon, but the risk was too high given that I didn't even know who the current King was.
It wasn't as if I was going to change history and make Joseon great again. If I were meant for an alternate history story, a history student should have been the one to fall into this world. Or maybe a science student.
Art students and pure humanities majors don't even have the minimum qualifications for time-space travel...
"I’m telling you, I’m going to be incredibly busy from now on."
"Why?! I know you just want to fool around with Lady Tang! Together in Tianjin! Watching the fireworks!!"
"No, I told you, there’s nothing between us."
There was something, but not anymore.
And if possible, I’d like to keep it that way.
"Look, Mong-cheong."
"It's Murong Cheong!"
"My mistake. Slip of the tongue. Murong Cheong. Look, you understand the situation, right?"
"I do! The Central Plains is too dangerous right now! If the Blood Cult is on the move, the Orthodox Martial Alliance will be shaken for a while. And if you face the Jinzhou Eon Family, North Zhili will be perilous until the threat of the Heavenly Roar Fist is overcome! The Zhuge Family and the Jinzhou Eon Family both want you dead!"
Ever since she heard about the assassination attempt the Zhuge Family likely planned at the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering last night, Murong Cheong had been acting as if a trauma switch had been flipped.
Her attitude was like a mother duck trying to lock a slightly injured duckling in her wings.
"Your own brothers want to kill you, the Jinzhou Eon Family and the Zhuge Family are both targeting you, and the Chongqing Ten Thousand Ghosts Alliance is ignoring the Sima Alliance Leader's authority and trying to break away! They're even siding with the Blood Cult!"
"Thanks for the accurate summary."
"Then no matter where you go in the Central Plains, your life is hanging by a thread! Why won't you go to the safety of Liaoning? Liaoning will guarantee you maximum safety, convenience, and status!"
"I really have a mountain of things to do, so that’s a bit difficult."
Let’s look at the tasks at hand.
I had to completely annihilate the Jinzhou Eon Family.
I had to crush them so thoroughly that they would have no chance of a comeback—not even a single blade of grass would be left.
If possible, it would be best to behead both Eon Do-cheon and Eon Se-jeong, that crazy father-son duo, and display them at the military gates.
Despite sneaking into the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering, Eon Se-jeong had vanished from the Martial Alliance without being spotted by anyone.
If it weren't for Zhuge Jeong-yeong's testimony, I wouldn't have even believed he had entered Wuchang.
But it was true. The mere fact that Eon Se-jeong was near Wuchang severely restricted my movements.
Even if he wasn't at the level of the Heavenly Void Fist Eon Do-cheon, Eon Se-jeong was still a master of the Super Peak Realm.
In common sense, the Super Peak Realm is often undervalued because of its seemingly ambiguous classification.
How exactly do you distinguish a stage that has surpassed the Peak Realm but hasn't yet reached the Harmony Realm?
The answer is simple.
One must be qualified to challenge the Upper Dantian. In other words, one must achieve the minimum level to utilize the Intent Domain.
It is a stage where one has fully refined the enlightenment gained in the Peak Realm and found the path to the true Three Flowers Gather at the Crown.
I heard that from that stage onward, limited use of Intent becomes possible.
To be honest, at that point, it sounded more like magic or superpowers than martial arts to me, but regardless.
This was a world where such things existed. For me, having just reached the Peak Realm, he would be an opponent I couldn't face.
The physical assistance provided by the Peng Family's body only goes up to the First-Rate level, where physical performance significantly impacts victory or defeat.
It’s clear when you recall the saying, 'A Peng Family warrior of the First-Rate level can certainly exchange blows with one of the Peak Realm,' but there is nothing mentioned after that.
It means that from that stage onward, the influence of physical performance on victory or defeat is too low.
'To ensure my safety while operating near North Zhili, I must destroy the Jinzhou Eon Family.'
The North Zhili region, where a Peerless Master and a Super Peak master were wandering with murderous intent, was no different from a death trap.
I had to kill those two. For sure.
"If the Jinzhou Eon Family is designated as a public enemy at the Alliance meeting, we will strike them directly. I'll lead the martial forces to ensure there are no lingering threats."
If four of the Peng Family's martial units and either my grandfather or my great-uncle are included, even if Eon Do-cheon is one of the Fifteen Lords of the World, he won't be able to handle us.
So, the first thing I had to do now was return to the family and deliver the Alliance's official letter.
—We hereby inform you that the Jinzhou Eon Family is no longer part of our Blue Team.
—We will tolerate you crushing them to your heart's content.
—Please leave us a bite, though. We have a lot of grudges on our end as well.
—Respectfully, the Righteous Martial Alliance.
How happy would my grandfather be to receive such a letter?
He was probably already annoyed by the Alliance's outpost tucked away in a corner of North Zhili.
If we wipe them out, the 'Outpost against the Hebei Dragon Slaying Alliance' would be pushed back all the way to the Shandong Yue Family.
It would mean the Martial Alliance would permanently lose its grip on the North Zhili region.
This was a massive achievement in its own right. Since I was the only one within the Dragon Slaying Alliance who handled this, the credit would be concentrated on me.
And once this was finished...
"I have to learn the Soul-Stealing Blade."
"The Soul-Stealing Blade?"
"It's a family secret. I couldn't learn it before because I was stuck below the Peak Realm. It's also the minimum requirement to challenge the succession."
I would complete the Heaven and Earth Chain Soul-Stealing Blade.
Unlike the Hunyuan Thunderbolt Blade, the Heaven and Earth Chain Soul-Stealing Blade was explicitly a family secret martial art.
The moment I learned this technique, I would be unable to leave the family, but conversely, by learning it, I would gain the minimum qualification to challenge for the succession.
I knew my first and second brothers were already practicing the Soul-Stealing Blade.
Both were nearly ten years older than me, and both had achieved the Peak Realm at a very young age.
On the other hand, my third brother and I hadn't even been granted the qualification to learn it.
We were both destined to be pushed to the branch lines, neither had reached the Peak Realm, and I was even in a situation where I was about to be sold off to the Tianshan Mountains.
It was different now.
Now, I was clearly a contender in the succession hierarchy.
"When all that is done..."
I took a final look at the luggage in my bags and lifted them.
"I need to find the Hao Clan Leader."
"Why him all of a sudden?"
"I heard that contact has been lost ever since he left to investigate the Yunnan Bloody Incident."
There are currently three of the Fifteen Lords who have gone down to Yunnan.
The Sword Immortal, the Beggar Immortal, and the Hao Clan Leader. Among them, the Beggar Immortal and the Hao Clan Leader have been reported missing.
The Sword Immortal leaves so many traces that he can be tracked, but apparently, the other two do not.
Well, my eldest sister's true specialty was sound arts. It’s only logical that sound leaves no physical trace.
Regardless, the atmosphere within the Hao Clan was also extremely grim. The last letter I received from Brother Baek Seo-ui was filled with worry.
"Besides, I’ve received a new title, so shouldn't I return home in glory to brag about it?"
"Ugh... uuu... But still... it's too dangerous..."
"Just because the road is rough doesn't mean there's a way to avoid walking it."
A gentleman is supposed to walk the great path.
But one who hesitates to walk because the road is rough cannot be called a gentleman. That’s a eunuch. It’s a despicable act that warrants castration.
Let’s go back in time to last night.
As the brief meeting regarding future plans was ending, Tang Cheon-seon looked at me with a somewhat pleased expression and suddenly spoke.
"Now that the Dragon and Phoenix of this generation have been decided, I can finally lay down my undeserved title."
His tone was one of great relief. In fact, since the titles of Dragon and Phoenix were granted at the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering, they essentially had a ten-year expiration date.
Once one passes that period and approaches thirty, they can no longer be called a rising star.
From then on, they are considered established masters and begin building their careers in earnest. It’s only normal to be given a unique title.
Titles like 'Martial World Flower' or 'Dragon' and 'Phoenix' only apply to the younger generation.
Poison Dragon Tang Cheon-seon would lay down the title of Dragon now that the next generation's Dragon-Phoenix Gathering had concluded.
"You are undoubtedly the protagonist of this Dragon-Phoenix Gathering. The Little Arhat, Young Hero Namgung, and Taoist Danheo of the Jongnam Sect will be noted, and in a broader sense, even Young Hero Sang-gwan or Young Hero Ak. Looking at it this way, the Jiangnan families are truly fearsome."
"Are you saying a title will be granted to me as well?"
"Shouldn't it be? What meaning would this Dragon-Phoenix Gathering have had without you? You and the Little Arhat practically declared the end of the gathering yourselves."
That was true.
Still, I wondered if I would be the only one from the Black Path to receive a 'Dragon' title.
If possible, I wanted a name like Hwi-ryong (Shining Dragon) or Mun-ryong (Literary Dragon).
These were titles I had secretly decided on since I was seven.
Considering my combination of literary and martial skills along with my humble nature, there was no name more appropriate.
Tang Cheon-seon pondered for a moment before continuing.
"Generally, the Alliance Leader or the Alliance Council decides on the final day of the gathering in front of the martial arena, but since this is such a unique situation... if you don't mind, would you grant me that honor?"
"Pardon?"
"Titles are often bestowed by seniors. I don't have the authority to grant the titles of Dragon or Phoenix, but in your case, the Alliance is currently in too much of a rush. Discussions will only begin after everything is settled, and by then, the mention of you is likely to fade away into nothingness."
Right now, my impact within the Martial Alliance was huge, so it was fine, but that wouldn't be the case after some time had passed following my return to North Zhili.
After all, a direct descendant of the Black Path Demonic Alliance had soundly thrashed the Orthodox warriors in their own backyard.
If they happily granted me a title after that, what could be more humiliating for them?
In that sense, Poison Dragon Tang Cheon-seon smiled at me.
I felt that this was truly my last chance to decide my own title.
I must never repeat the disaster of the 'Beheading Blood Wolf.' That was entirely a result of a misunderstanding.
Hanging Lord Yang Jeok-yo's head on a pole was because of the Peng Family's traditions; it had nothing to do with my personal feelings.
"Then how about Mun-ryong? Using the character for 'literature' (文) and 'dragon' (龍). I think it’s quite humble yet perfectly reflects my disposition..."
"...Wouldn't it be a bit disappointing to have the title of 'Dragon'?"
"Pardon?"
"Considering your character and noble spirit, you are closer to a tiger than a dragon. Since ancient times, the dragon and the great tiger have been considered long-standing rivals, so wouldn't that be more appropriate?"
There is a saying, 'The Dragon and the Tiger Clash.' This meant that if the rising stars of the Orthodox faction were given the title of Dragon, it was only fitting to give the title of Tiger to a rising star of the Black Path who was their equal.
"Your name is also quite fitting. Since ancient times, Hwi (輝) has meant a righteous and clear light. Isn't it exquisite that someone like you appeared in the Black Path Demonic Alliance? 'Light shines brightest in the darkness' (Am-jung-hwi-yeong). I hope you do not forget that heart in the future."
To commemorate this day, when we forged a bond with the Orthodox faction.
Saying so, Tang Cheon-seon dipped his fingertip in tea and wrote the characters on the table in a single, fluid motion.
—Shining Tiger Blade Earl (輝虎刀伯)
Then he immediately erased the first two characters, leaving Blade Earl (刀伯).
The character Baek (伯) is commonly known as a title of nobility granted to feudal lords in the Central Plains' five-rank system.
The old word for Baek was Pae (Hegemon), a title used only in special circumstances for lords who held hegemony over a region.
The first titles received by Duke Huan of Qi and Duke Wen of Jin were also Bang-baek (Regional Lord).
However, the characters Tang Cheon-seon wrote did not refer to those stale ancient historical events.
Alternatively, Baek (伯) is a type of creature found in the Classic of Mountains and Seas.
In the Classic of Mountains and Seas, 'Classic of the Western Mountains,' 'Mount Huyi' section, it is mentioned as a tiger with a white tail, the king of the mountain spirits (Among them are many Baek, their shape is like a tiger but with a white tail).
In other words, Tang Cheon-seon was conveying his intent to me with those two characters.
—Become the greatest among the tigers (虎) who hold the blade (刀).
He was speaking with that meaning. Those two characters contained a vast amount of significance.
Simply put, it was his way of cheering me on as I seriously aimed for the position of the Peng Family Head.
I had no choice but to bow deeply and express my gratitude to Tang Cheon-seon as he departed.
"Stay safe."
"You as well, Senior."
Tang Cheon-seon left the guest hall.
I believed that even the calamities spreading to the Sichuan martial world could be stopped if men like him were there.
"Who am I? Mmm, right. Blade Earl Peng Hyeon-hwi."
I couldn't help but say it.
*
As Tang Cheon-seon walked away from the guest hall, he stopped and looked back at the pavilion.
"In truth, who in this current world can guarantee what will happen ten years from now?"
He smiled softly and turned back to continue his walk.
"But if the Alliance's banner remains and the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering is held again, then the name of that martial competition could well be called the Heavenly Union."
The Dragon-Phoenix Gathering would no longer be a festival to announce the strength of the Orthodox faction.
It would become a stage where the next generation of rising stars would prove their martial arts with all their might, praying that the peace and friendship between the Orthodox and Demonic factions would continue.
When that time came, the name of this competition would be the Heavenly Union.
And it would be a place to select those who shine the brightest, where the Dragon, the Phoenix, and the Tiger are all intertwined.
The masters who attended this Dragon-Phoenix Gathering would not be able to deny this either.
Tang Cheon-seon hoped that both he and that heroic man would still be alive then.