Chapter 390
Chapter 390
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 102
>Chapter Title: Return (3)
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A dark space filled only with shadows.
In that place sat a man cross-legged, his face horrifically scarred by burns.
He was the messenger from the Elder Hall who had called himself Yul Myeong to the eldest young master, Na Yul-ryang.
Yul Myeong opened his mouth.
"It exceeded expectations. All the preparations using the secret passage we finally uncovered have gone to waste. I never imagined he'd enter head-on."
In response to his words, a raspy old man's voice echoed from the darkness.
"A cunning one. Did he notice in advance?"
"I don't think so. He might simply have feared being discarded like a hound after the hare is caught."
"Discarded like a hound?"
"Yes, as a hostage, he's an easy piece to throw away. But being as cunning as he is, he's also extremely cautious. Thanks to that, that old woman managed to barge right into the council chamber."
"So he headed for the Council Lord?"
"No."
"No?"
"Contrary to expectations, he took a carriage to the Dark Clan."
"Dark Clan? To that bastard's master?"
"Yes."
"Then he's no mere chess piece dancing to the Council Lord's whims."
"Based on what we've seen so far."
"Meaning..."
"It could be related to the Third One's faction. For instance, that group of sorcerers skilled enough to command grudge spirits as food souls."
"You mean the ones who turned the Original Death Pavilion Lord into a living corpse?"
"Yes."
"You said they rival your level?"
"There aren't many sorcerers who can bounce back my curse power."
"Hmm."
"What shall we do? For now, with the Council Lord's matters and the unknown extent of the Third One's infiltration, we've left it alone. But with that old woman here now, we can't just sit idly by."
At Yul Myeong's concern, the presence in the darkness let out a faint groan in agreement.
Then it soon spoke.
"The priority is that old woman for now. Then immediately to the Dark Clan..."
"Hold off on the Dark Clan for the moment."
"Hold off?"
"It's a low probability, but it could be an intentional trap by the Council Lord."
"By the Council Lord? That man right now..."
"The elders know well enough, don't they? If it's a trap baiting us to act, we could end up facing backlash instead."
"Then what do you propose?"
"How about making him hand it over himself?"
"Himself?"
"He already has his younger brother in the Fate Guiding King's clutches—the one captured as a hostage from Timber Sword Manor alongside him."
"Oh ho."
Yul Myeong spoke in a meaningful tone.
"Whether chess piece or not, the weight of blood ties is hard to overcome."
* * *
"The one before your eyes is the true master of the Holy Fire."
'!!!!!'
At the Holy Fire Spirit Lord's words, Dark Clan Lord Hwan Ya-seon was so shocked she couldn't tear her eyes from Mok Kyung-un's face.
What in the world was this?
Mok Kyung-un, whom she thought had betrayed the cult, was the master of the Holy Fire?
The master of the Holy Fire.
That being was the incarnation of fire they had awaited so long.
"What do you mean right now..."
"Ahem!"
Just moments ago, she had thought to be cautious of possible external surveillance, but the shock was too great, and she called out to the Holy Fire Spirit Lord.
"Holy Fire Spirit Lord... Is that truly the truth?"
"Mind your manners."
At the Holy Fire Spirit Lord's stern voice, Dark Clan Lord Hwan Ya-seon's pupils trembled.
There was no way the one who received the Holy Fire's oracle would speak nonsense.
Suddenly, many thoughts flashed through her mind.
'Ahh...'
The monstrous speed of his martial prowess growth, his brilliant mind—were they all innate because he was the incarnation?
After staring piercingly for a long while, Hwan Ya-seon finally knelt.
She crossed her arms over her chest, placing her hands on her shoulders, and performed the Blazing Fire Cult's rite.
-Thud!
She had always hidden her identity, dealing with spies and information, making her more suspicious than anyone. Paradoxically, she was also more loyal and devout to the cult than anyone.
Thus, her eyes as she knelt revealed complex emotions.
Even her eyes reddened.
'Ya-seon Priest Father...'
Watching him, the Holy Fire Spirit Lord's gaze turned instead sorrowful.
She recalled just half a month prior.
* * *
Everyone had gathered in Timber Sword Manor's guest hall.
[Wh-what in the world?]
Looking at the shattered oracle bead fragments—practically the Holy Fire Spirit itself that delivered oracles—the Holy Fire Spirit Lord and her granddaughter Ye Song-ah couldn't hide their bewilderment.
They had already found it odd that there was no mention of the oracle bead.
But who could have guessed it would be shattered like this?
'Wh-what do we do with this?'
The Holy Fire Spirit Lord's mind grew chaotic.
The ability to read oracles had brought countless threats from enemies, but it had also protected them.
If the oracle bead was broken, their role was effectively nullified.
Even if she lost her ability, she had hoped her granddaughter Ye Song-ah, who inherited that power, would be protected by it.
She wasn't the only one bewildered.
Seop Chun voiced his concern upon seeing it.
[My lord... If the oracle bead that granted prophetic oracles is shattered, our mission is...]
[It's not exactly a failure.]
[Pardon? What do you mean?]
[What was our mission?]
[Our mission? That was...]
Their classified mission had been to break the Holy Fire Spirit Lord out of the imperial palace's underground Golden Prison.
Taken at face value, it wasn't a failure.
However, the purpose of abducting the Holy Fire Spirit Lord undoubtedly stemmed from her mysterious ability to predict the future.
Would the Council Lord accept that?
It seemed clearly tied to his own ambitions, pushing this far to free her.
Thus, Seop Chun cautiously said.
[Even if not deemed a failure, we haven't fully accomplished the mission, so he might not uphold the promise. Then the fourth disciple position would be...]
Before he could finish, Mong Mu-yak spoke up.
[Do we need to cling to that position?]
[What?]
[My lord has already reached a realm where he can contend with the Six Heavens, called the pinnacle of the current martial world.]
[Hold on, Mu-yak, what are you saying?]
[The Heavenly Earth Society originally followed the law of the strong. But at some point, the Heaven Vein began lording over the society like an emperor. Now that a being surpassing the Heaven Vein has emerged, is there any need to submit?]
As the one in charge of intelligence, he always made rational judgments.
Seop Chun clicked his tongue at his changed attitude.
It must be that he was captivated by Mok Kyung-un and his strength.
However,
[Your words have merit. But even if the society pursued survival of the fittest, that's too hasty a judgment. At the very least...]
[You're saying we need justification, right?]
[...Yes. You know that, yet?]
No matter how strong Mok Kyung-un had become, to lead the massive Heavenly Earth Society, he needed justification for others to follow him.
Even as the Dark Clan Lord's disciple, his roots were in the orthodox faction, and he was a hostage captive.
Moreover, having sworn loyalty to the society, if he tried to resolve everything by force alone, who would follow?
It would only increase internal enemies.
Yet,
-Thud!
Mong Mu-yak suddenly knelt on one knee there, clasping his hands in formal salute.
At his abrupt action, all eyes focused on him.
Then Mong Mu-yak spoke to Mok Kyung-un in a reverent voice.
[Not only the Heaven and Earth Veins have the right to lead the society.]
[Mu-yak, what now...]
[The heir of the Moon Vein returning to the society is no coincidence. If my lord wishes to rule the society, this Mong Mu-yak will devote my life to serving you, expending every dog-horse effort.]
[Moon Vein?]
At those words, Seop Chun's eyes widened.
Did he just say Moon Vein?
The Moon Vein was one of the foundations of the Heavenly Moon Society, precursor to the Heavenly Earth Society.
He knew its manual had vanished due to some incident, completely severing its lineage.
What was this about?
As he puzzled, Mong Mu-yak said.
[You, no, most of the society doesn't know, but my lord is the Moon Vein heir appeared after a hundred years. That's why the Fate Guiding King brought him.]
Mong Mu-yak was the vice leader of the Council Lord's direct guard.
He knew well from his father, Vice Council Lord Mong Seo-cheon, the path by which the two orthodox hostages had been captured.
However, on the Council Lord's orders, he had kept silent that Mok Kyung-un was the Moon Vein heir.
Even if revealed now, there was nothing to be done about it anyway.
But now the situation had changed.
Mok Kyung-un's astonishing martial prowess could reestablish the three veins' order...
It was then.
-Thud!
[This won't do.]
'!?'
Mong Mu-yak frowned and looked at the interloper.
It was the Holy Fire Spirit Lord.
Not only had she suddenly interrupted, but she was prostrating on the floor—what was this?
As he wondered, she spoke.
[With even the oracle-granting bead destroyed, the Holy Fire Spirit Lord's symbolism is as good as gone. With the cult leader dead and our existence rendered meaningless, the only one to lead the remaining cultists is the young master, the incarnation himself. Please...]
[Shut that mouth. How dare you tell my lord whether to lead a cult or not?]
Mong Mu-yak cut her off, raising his voice.
Though he had freed her for the mission, like most Central Plains folk, he held no favorable view of the Blazing Fire Cult.
Even under his scolding, the Holy Fire Spirit Lord did not back down.
[The young master is the true master of the Holy Fire and the incarnation. A fate already set cannot be changed by your whims...]
[I'm neither the incarnation nor the Holy Fire's master. And fate isn't set in stone. Don't presume to define it on your own.]
Then Mok Kyung-un, who had been listening silently, spoke.
The Holy Fire Spirit Lord looked at him with bewildered eyes.
Mong Mu-yak smirked triumphantly, thinking he was rebuking her absurd words.
But,
[I was just about to tell you all my goal anyway. Perfect timing.]
[Goal? My lord... What do you mean?]
To his puzzled question, Mok Kyung-un smiled gently and replied.
[I'm going to erase the Heavenly Earth Society.]
'!!!!!!'
Everyone's faces turned to shock.
Especially Seop Chun and Mong Mu-yak from the society.
They had hoped Mok Kyung-un, whose martial arts had skyrocketed, would seize and rule the society's regime.
Yet an utterly unexpected ambition emerged from his mouth.
They couldn't help but be flustered.
[My lord... Erase the Heavenly Earth Society? What do you mean? Surely not fighting the society itself instead of ruling it...]
[I don't like it much.]
[Pardon?]
[The name Heavenly Earth Society. Don't worry, though. I'm not erasing those who choose to follow me.]
'......No way.'
They wondered if they misunderstood.
But he truly meant to erase the Heavenly Earth Society.
Though his prowess had surged, the society was one of the three dominant forces in the martial world.
If sincere, they were speechless.
'Standing tall within the Heavenly Earth Society and erasing the society itself are completely different things.'
Then the Holy Fire Spirit Lord spoke in a trembling voice.
[Young master. If that's truly your will, please take in the pitiful cultists. Then they will serve you...]
[If they come of their own accord, I'll accept them. But if they come under me, it won't be the Heavenly Earth Society or the Blazing Fire Cult. They'll simply follow me.]
At Mok Kyung-un's words, everyone's bodies shuddered.
The implication was crystal clear.
It was none other than proclaiming he would walk the path of hegemony on his own.
Independent of both the Heavenly Earth Society and Blazing Fire Cult.
'He's aiming to open a new world?'
* * *
[Your task is one thing. Turn those cultists into pieces I can use, not for the Blazing Fire Cult.]
That was the mission he had given her.
[Prove your own worth.]
It came with a grim warning.
For half a month, the Holy Fire Spirit Lord had been lost in thought.
Mok Kyung-un had said it casually, but his decision effectively ended the Blazing Fire Cult's existence.
Ending a cult that had endured so long was utterly heartbreaking.
Yet suddenly, this thought came.
Was the name Blazing Fire Cult truly important?
What mattered was the spirit and doctrines it embodied, and their mindset.
Discarding the name to follow Mok Kyung-un didn't mean discarding those.
After all, Mok Kyung-un himself was the fire incarnation and the value sustaining their existence.
'Don't cling to the name. The young master is the cult itself.'
Her life's remaining task was set.
To revive the cult's essence, rejected by all, under the incarnation Mok Kyung-un.
Ya-seon Priest Father was the beginning.
'Ya-seon Priest Father... Everything is for the cult. Understand.'
If told abruptly to follow the incarnation over the cult, they might not comprehend or could rebel, so gradually enlightening them was her role.
"Young master. Please accept the loyal cultist Ya-seon Priest Father."
The Holy Fire Spirit Lord clasped her crossed hands and bowed to Mok Kyung-un in plea.
It was then.
-Tatata tatak!
The sound of someone rushing urgently approached.
Soon, a Dark Clan warrior burst through the rear garden pavilion, skidding to a halt.
"Wh-what is this?"
He had come to deliver a message, but couldn't help being stunned by the Dark Clan warriors collapsed everywhere in the garden.
Then Dark Clan Lord Hwan Ya-seon hurriedly stood and said.
"What happened?"
"L-Lord... This is..."
"Ignore this place for now and report first."
"B-But..."
"We have a guest."
At that moment, Mok Kyung-un looked toward the pavilion and spoke.
"A guest?"
-Rumble!
Soon, a group appeared beyond the pavilion.
Among them, the leader stood out—a muscular middle-aged man far bulkier than even the Fate Guiding King, with a massive axe slung over one shoulder.
Seeing him, Dark Clan Lord Hwan Ya-seon furrowed her brow and muttered.
"Breaking Mansion King?"
He was Ho Tae-gang, one of the Heavenly Earth Society's top executives, the Five Kings, and a supreme master titled with Eight Stars.