Chapter 116: The Evil Blood Cultists (4)
Chapter 116: The Evil Blood Cultists (4)
"Ah, so you didn't know? Look closely."
Zhuge Jeong-yeong was proving to be far more useful than I had anticipated.
Surprisingly, he didn't specialize in martial arts, but in thaumaturgy.
With a single, fluid stroke, he inscribed a talisman and tucked it firmly between the folds of his fan.
I hadn't expected a mage to join the party. Seriously, stop breaking the common sense of this world.
"What is it? Are you going to shoot fire?"
"If I wanted to start a fire, it would be faster to use a flint striker. Why waste this expensive yellow paper and cinnabar?"
I thought a fireball might come flying out, but apparently, that wasn't how it worked.
As I watched him blankly, Zhuge Jeong-yeong packed away the inkstone containing the cinnabar and spoke.
"You said we're heading to Tianjin? Since the Haegeum Fleet will head straight from Jiangnan to the Yellow Sea, we'll have to follow the canal to reach Tianjin."
"Yeah, there's no other way. It's the fastest route."
"But it's not the safest. There's no way Eon Do-cheon isn't guarding the canal."
Zhuge Jeong-yeong stroked his chin, seemingly calculating something. Soon, he opened his eyes and said, "It would be unwise to take the proclamation the Alliance sent to the Jinzhou Eon Family at face value. The Alliance won't dispatch a combat force to deal with them."
"What? Even after they were designated as Public Enemies of the Martial World?"
"Yes. Because it can be handled without pulling the Alliance's warriors away. You have your family, don't you?"
"Ah. Right."
If I returned to the family now and delivered the letter containing the Alliance Leader's promise to my grandfather, our family would gladly move to annihilate the Eon Family.
The Jinzhou Eon Family, which sat firmly at the entrance from Hebei to Jiangnan, was an eyesore in its own right.
Pushing them out was practically the same as seizing control of half the Grand Canal's waterways.
Since the Shandong martial world, which had lost the prestige of the Fifteen Armies, would need a considerable amount of time to regroup, this was the perfect opportunity.
Considering what those bastards did in Qinghe County, Eon Do-cheon's head could even serve as a gift to the local authorities.
Therefore, it was almost certain that our family would destroy the Jinzhou Eon Family anyway.
There was no reason for the Alliance to lift a finger and attack them directly. This was the basic strategy of 'killing with a borrowed knife.'
Besides, they couldn't afford to move their combat forces recklessly due to the bloody incident in Yunnan.
"My father released the Blood Cult's blood-men within the Alliance to cause chaos. It was likely a tactic to erase the evidence of his collaboration with the Jinzhou Eon Family while focusing the Alliance's attention on the Blood Cult and Yunnan."
"Tsk. Then, assuming we won't get help from the Alliance... is there a way for us to reach Tianjin safely?"
"We won't be able to borrow the strength of the Jiangnan White Forest Association either. Eon Do-cheon was close with them, so word of our movements from Jiangnan will surely reach his ears."
"Would Eon Do-cheon move personally? He shouldn't be able to. If the Fist King is absent for too long, can the Jinzhou Eon Family even survive now that they've been branded as public enemies?"
"Eon Se-jeong might. He possesses enough martial power to roam the world alone, but not enough to influence a war between sects."
Evaluating a Super Peak master in such a way might seem arrogant, but in this context, a 'war between sects' referred to a War of Extermination between factions that included Fifteen-Army level martial power.
Just as a martial artist in the Peak Realm generally cannot resist a master who has reached the Super Peak, one who has reached the Super Peak cannot rival a master of the Harmony Realm who has fully opened their Upper Dantian.
The higher the realm, the greater the gap becomes at the summit. From that point on, ascending a single realm requires the talent of a peerless genius.
"If I were Eon Do-cheon..."
Zhuge Jeong-yeong snapped his fan shut, the talisman now completely dry.
He opened and closed the fan a few times, as if checking the condition of the talisman.
"I would definitely target me."
"Suddenly you?"
"Because revenge is the only motivation they have left."
If they wanted to survive, they should have taken the entire sect and fled. But they've already missed that chance.
They should have settled their family affairs and fled to Chongqing or Yunnan before the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering even began.
But Eon Do-cheon trusted the Zhuge Family. He believed the promise that they would start a Righteous-Demonic War by killing a direct descendant of the Hebei Peng Family, and he couldn't give up the Jinzhou region of Hebei, which would benefit the most if that promise was fulfilled.
Now, they have no alternatives. They can't even run. Where would they go?
To the Shandong region, where the Shandong Ak Family, the Huangfu Family, and the Mount Tai Sect are gathered? With the Jiangnan White Forest Association blocking their rear?
To the Henan martial world, where Shaolin and the Wudang Sect remain strong?
Or will they just submit to Hebei as they are?
As long as they held the position of gatekeepers and were abandoned by those behind them, they were effectively surrounded by hostile forces on all sides.
This is what it means to be a Public Enemy of the Martial World. There is no safe place in the entire world.
Therefore, all that remains is a desire for revenge. Very foolish, yet extremely dangerous.
The vengeful spirit of a peerless master.
"If Eon Do-cheon is blinded by revenge, he will surely dispatch Eon Se-jeong. One-Star Fist Lord Eon Se-jeong was in Wuchang until the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering, and it's highly likely he's still lurking in this vicinity."
"Eon Se-jeong alone shouldn't be much of a problem."
"...Do you think the Super Peak Realm is something you can just win in a game of tiles?"
"No, well."
Jiangnan is where the Haegeum Fleet parts ways with us. The fleet will continue along the Yangtze River to Shanghai and then begin coastal navigation to Liaoning.
And after disembarking in Jiangnan, we have to head north again along the Grand Canal. For about six days.
If the starting point is Jiangnan, there's no problem. I have to accompany Hwa-yeong, and her current residence is the Jiangnan Heavenly Merchant Guild. And the Jiangnan Heavenly Merchant Guild is none other than the Jiangnan branch of the Heavenly Demon Cult.
While it's unlikely a peerless master is stationed there, there's no way there isn't at least a Super Peak warrior. And there won't be just one or two of them.
There's no way Eon Se-jeong could take us on alone.
Is it right to explain this to this guy?
Well, can I fully trust him?
Right now, we've just gathered for the same purpose, but is there any guarantee we'll walk the same path in the future?
"Well, it seems you have a plan in mind."
Zhuge Jeong-yeong, who had been gauging my reaction, shrugged his shoulders and backed off with a surprisingly clean attitude.
"If there's a way to deal with Eon Se-jeong, many more options open up. Depending on how certain your methods are, we could try a wider range of strategies."
"What if it's absolutely impossible for Eon Se-jeong to succeed alone?"
"If a master of that level is backing us, we might even be able to break the vanguard of the Jinzhou Eon Family."
Zhuge Jeong-yeong didn't try to pry into my cards. He calmly continued.
"In the current situation, the Chongqing Ten Thousand Ghosts Alliance won't be able to help the Jinzhou Eon Family. They have to deal with the Sichuan martial world and the Martial Alliance at the same time."
He spread a piece of paper on the tea table. Using the cinnabar left over from drawing the talisman, he drew a simple map of the Central Plains. Despite being a rough sketch, it was remarkably detailed.
Chongqing is located between Sichuan and Hubei.
To be precise, it corresponds to the northern part of Guizhou Province and is in a state of being surrounded by Sichuan and Hubei.
Because of that, the Chongqing Ten Thousand Ghosts Alliance had no choice but to have a level of cohesion rivaling that of the Dragon Slaying Alliance.
To block the Orthodox sects attacking from all sides simultaneously, they couldn't afford internal power struggles.
It was nearly impossible for them to help the Jinzhou Eon Family, which was located on the exact opposite side of the map.
However, for the Ten Thousand Ghosts Alliance, a sect like the Jinzhou Eon Family—especially one that included one of the Fifteen Lords—was a very attractive prospect simply because they could provoke the Martial Alliance from behind.
"If the Blood Cult's sorcerers can infiltrate the Martial Alliance, it means their spies are already active beyond the Hubei martial world. In other words, the Blood Cult, which has a relatively stable position, has plenty of motivation to use the Jinzhou Eon Family."
Furthermore, from the perspective of the Zhuge Family Head, Zhuge Yeon-seon...
"My father desires chaos in the world. If the Martial Alliance assists the Sichuan martial world, the movements of the Ten Thousand Ghosts Alliance and the Blood Cult will likely end as a mere momentary disturbance. Even if my father has severed ties with the Jinzhou Eon Family, there's no way they aren't included in his schemes."
"Didn't you say Eon Do-cheon holds a grudge against you? And the Zhuge Family Head is helping the Jinzhou Eon Family?"
"He can't openly provide aid to Eon Do-cheon. Knowing that a cornered Eon Do-cheon might do anything, he will shake the entire board to help him without anyone noticing. That is my father's way."
Solid lines were drawn across the map. I couldn't tell what they meant, but he drew them with absolute conviction.
"This is the sphere of activity for all the Martial Alliance's combat units. Since they are composed of members from various sects, they cannot recklessly step into the territory of another sect where interests are entangled, so this is almost certain. They can support each other through organic connections, but they cannot tread on each other's domains."
Among them, a few red lines highlighted one region.
"The combat units passing through these areas in the meantime are those under my father's influence. Here, here, and here. Manipulating all of them would inevitably leave a trail even for my father, so if he acts while hiding his intentions, it would be here. The fief near Runan could become a void. From here to here—"
A long solid line headed south. The line, drawn straight, nimbly slipped through the gaps between the Martial Alliance's domains and reached Yunnan.
"This is the only route through which my father can communicate with the Blood Cult without being noticed by anyone."
Unlike the Central Plains martial world, where everyone can strike at each other's rear, the Blood Cult's rear is the Southern Barbarians.
Since it's not Han Chinese territory to begin with, it's called the Outer Martial World.
As long as the Southern Barbarians themselves cannot be struck, it's impossible to annihilate the Blood Cult.
Thus, the Blood Cult can expand its influence without worrying about threats to its base.
In fact, that's generally true for all types of outer sects not located in Han Chinese territory.
The Demonic Cult, the Blood Cult, and even the White Lotus Cult. They can trample across the Central Plains to their heart's content without worrying about an attack on their headquarters.
And if someone inside opens the latch for them...
It's not difficult for Blood Cult spies to approach the core regions of the Central Plains, the Southern and Northern Zhili regions.
If you continue the solid line like this, you reach Northern Zhili. At the southernmost point of Northern Zhili, you hit the Jinzhou Eon Family. And if you continue that line...
"Hah."
You reach Qinghe County.
"Come to think of it, that day... during the bloody incident in Qinghe County, I happened to board a black ship of the Jongri Family."
"Hmm?"
"I found a map of the Hebei region in the hold."
If you draw the line up again from Qinghe County, you can penetrate the core regions of Hebei.
If you continue north from there...
"The ship, loaded with the Jongri Family's jiangshi, was supposed to enter Beijing."
You reach Beijing.
I recalled the incident where the Five Poisons Sect's Yin-Yang Twin Gu had poisoned nearly half of the Beijing officials.
Yes, if someone opens the latch from the inside, infiltration is not difficult.
If the Blood Cult, the Five Poisons Sect, and the Chongqing Ten Thousand Ghosts Alliance have joined hands...
If they all desire chaos...
The easiest way to cause chaos would be to dismantle the unified dynasty of the Central Plains.
According to the history of the Central Plains, that which is united must eventually divide, and that which is divided must eventually unite.
If they wish for the return of the Spring and Autumn period...
"In my opinion, things like 'well water does not invade river water' or the 'non-aggression pact between the government and the martial world' shouldn't exist."
I thought as I looked down at the lines Zhuge Jeong-yeong had drawn.
When did this scheme begin? And how deeply had I become involved in it?
The Chongqing Ten Thousand Ghosts Alliance loathed government intervention.
The Chongqing they ruled was no different from a wilderness where only the strong survived.
They were people who hated the very concept of rules set by someone else, regardless of whether they were Orthodox or Unorthodox.
The world they desired most would be a chaos where no one could trust anyone else.
And since the Blood Cult and the Five Poisons Sect were eyeing the territory of the Central Plains from their base in the Southern Barbarians...
"Tell me your opinion."
"What opinion?"
"What you said earlier. That if we can definitely eliminate Eon Se-jeong, we can break the vanguard of the Jinzhou Eon Family. I'm asking you to explain what that means."
"It's simple. If we can wipe them out the moment the Blood Cult spies and Eon Se-jeong are acting together, the Jinzhou Eon Family will have to face the Dragon Slaying Alliance alone without any other support."
"How do you know when and where they'll be together?"
"There are two people in the world right now whom Eon Se-jeong wants to kill most. One is me—"
Zhuge Jeong-yeong raised a finger and poked me.
"—and the other is you. Now, if news reaches him that the two of us are moving together... and on top of that, if Eon Se-jeong has already tasted failure in Wuchang... what do you think he'll do now?"
He painted the void near Runan red.
"If we happen to be moving toward an area suitable for Blood Cult spies to operate... the Blood Cult will have no reason not to use the Jinzhou Eon Family, and from Eon Se-jeong's perspective, he'll try to kill us both for sure using every possible means."
"You joined us with that thought from the beginning?"
"Yes. If I accompany you, I can catch Eon Se-jeong and the Blood Cult's scouts in the same net."
Zhuge Jeong-yeong smiled, spreading his hands which were covered in cinnabar.
"I am the eldest son of the Zhuge Family and the third strategist, Seon-hyeong Zhuge Jeong-yeong, who handled military tactics in the General Strategy Department of the Martial Alliance. There is no Alliance strategy or organization that I do not know. I know almost everything my father knows—"
Zhuge Jeong-yeong snapped his fingers. The map of the Central Plains, stained with cinnabar, began to burn brightly.
It was a feat of thaumaturgy that burned only the paper, without a single spark touching the tea table.
"A strategist, if they share the same information, can infer the same strategies from the same perspective."
Where the paper had burned, only faint traces of cinnabar remained.
Traces intricately intertwined like fragments of a talisman written in a single, hurried stroke.
Zhuge Jeong-yeong snapped his fingers over them.
Blue sparks crackled, and even those traces were cleanly erased.
Leaving only a single dot.
"Well? If you're scared, I'll suggest a safer method."
Henan, Runan.
The void that slightly deviated from the territory governed by the Martial Alliance's combat units, and the spot estimated to be the movement path of the Blood Cult warriors. A place close to the Jinzhou Eon Family, and one that could reach the Hebei region with just a little more travel.
"Don't tell the Murong Family. If the Twin Blades of Central China accompany us, those bastards will just go into hiding."
"We'll have to move with just enough people to be underestimated. So they don't run away and instead dig a trap for us."
"Yes, if you have sufficiently prepared soldiers, a trap becomes an opportunity instead."
Taking Zhuge Jeong-yeong's words, I held out my right hand.
"Because a trap is the moment when all of the attacker's power is concentrated."
"What does this mean?"
"In my hometown, this is how we gather allies."
I grabbed and shook the hand of Zhuge Jeong-yeong, who had a reluctant expression. A handshake was a greeting that did not yet exist in medieval China.
However, the meaning itself is universal regardless of the culture. Disarming oneself and revealing it to the other—
"We call this 'joining hands.'"
"Interesting."
Zhuge Jeong-yeong also gripped and shook my hand.
This guy said that strategists, if they share the same information, can infer the same strategies from the same perspective.
He was right.
Excluding Ju Woo-rin, this was the first time I'd met someone whose thoughts moved at the same speed as mine.
I thought a mage had joined the party.
But it was a strategist.
*
"What are you so worried about, Fist Lord?"
"Do you not know that committing such an act will draw the attention of the Imperial Army?"
Eon Se-jeong looked around with a flustered expression.
When one challenges the Upper Dantian from the position of the Super Peak, the sensitivity of each part of the body inevitably becomes extremely enhanced. His sensitive sense of smell could now vividly detect the numerous stenches drifting on the wind...
"Just how many did you kill?"
"What strange things you say."
Even the way the woman in front of him tilted her head felt alien.
It was impossible to tell just how much blood had passed under those white hands.
With an innocent smile, the woman said, "Life is inherently a cycle. Is not the way of longevity found in moving forward as one, rather than consuming others? How many did I kill, you ask? All of them live together under the banner of our Cult, eternal and immortal."
The demon who had swallowed all the slash-and-burn farmers living in five villages giggled.
Behind her, commoners, withered and without a drop of blood, stood blankly, prostrating themselves.
All those people, even on this cold winter day, were without even a breath of mist, their naked and frozen bodies unable to even feel pain.
"Was it not you, Fist Lord, who requested that I do my best to dispose of your mortal enemies?"
"...I have belonged to the Orthodox factions for a long time."
Eon Se-jeong gasped for breath, holding his forehead. There was no turning back now.
No, perhaps there had been no such thing from the beginning.
He only turned around after rubbing his face several times.
He didn't have the confidence to look at that wicked creature and the demons she commanded.
"Father... after you pass away, how will you face the souls of our ancestors?"
He let out a deep sigh and clenched his fists tight.
Five days later, a letter from a spy planted in the Jiangnan White Forest Association reached their ears.
Two days after that, information arrived that the ones they were waiting for had reached the territory of Henan Province.