Chapter 205
Chapter 205
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 205
Chapter Title: The Calm Before the Storm (2)
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Warriors are, by nature, accustomed to injury.
They are the kind of people who consider a sword gash a minor wound.
If they later take an express trip to the afterlife due to a secondary infection, their first suspicion is that their opponent’s blade was poisoned.
Even in a fair duel, they would be branded as heretics who resort to deceitful arts.
It was a truly exasperating state of affairs.
However, the wounds on Jeok Sam before me were not something even the warriors of this era could take lightly.
Though his injuries were hidden by his robes, the thick scent of blood made it clear his entire body was covered in wounds. The dullness in his eyes suggested his internal injuries were just as severe.
But Jeok Sam, ever the tough guy, just gave a small smile as if it were nothing.
“There was a clash while I was meeting with our informants dispatched to the Ten Demon Alliance.”
“No.”
You need to at least disinfect those.
“It seems there was a leak on our side. Thanks to that, I was the only one who managed to survive. Hehehe.”
“Please, come inside. You need to get treated first.”
He shook his head.
“There’s no time.”
“You can use a carrier pigeon while you receive treatment…”
“This isn't the kind of information that can be handled that way. There’s too much of it.”
“Then at least take this. It’s an ointment for external wounds and a pill for internal injuries. There are a few restorative elixirs as well. They’re from the Cheong Family, so they should be quite effective.”
“Thank you.”
As he took the medicine, I asked.
“What can I do to help?”
“I didn't come here seeking help.”
“Then?”
“I came to warn you, the one in charge of the front lines.”
“A warning… you say?”
“There was a coup within the Ten Demon Alliance. Thanks to that, the mountain ranges of the Heavenly Peaks are overflowing with blood.”
“A coup?”
I didn't understand.
The Ten Demon Alliance wasn't some gang of street thugs. What kind of coup could happen less than a year after the Demon Sect was annihilated in another one?
Even if it were true, it wasn't something to warn me about. It meant the Ten Demon Alliance's strength had been diminished. For us, that should be good news, not bad.
“The Demon Sect Master has returned. Who knows how much stronger he’s become, but within a day of his return, he killed the masters of the seven sects, excluding the Sword and Saber Sects.”
“What, what is this!”
“Be careful. You never know when those fiends might attack.”
Alarm bells went off in my head.
“Ah, I’m just telling you to prepare in advance; it’s not classified information. It’ll be public knowledge in a few days anyway.”
A faint scent of blood seemed to waft from Jeok Sam’s strained smile.
***
Around the time I graduated from the Heaven-Ascending Pavilion, there were three supreme masters in the Alliance.
Cheonmyeongpae, the Lord of the Ten Demon Alliance and Master of the Demon Sect; Jeokjeoksa, the Master of the Blood Sect; and Jang Uk, the Master of the Fighting Sect.
Of them, the Blood Sect Master had passed away from internal injuries sustained in a fight with Master Bukgung. The Alliance Lord and Demon Sect Master, Cheonmyeongpae, was said to have died after losing a power struggle against the Fighting Sect Master, Jang Uk.
In the end, the Demon Sect was wiped out, and the Fighting Sect Master, Jang Myeong, became the new Lord of the Alliance.
The number of supreme masters in the Ten Demon Alliance had been reduced to one.
It was a huge boon for the Nine Dragons Fortress.
It would be absurd for the weakened Ten Demon Alliance to invade the Nine Dragons Fortress, which possessed three supreme masters.
Despite this, the Nine Dragons Fortress never launched a preemptive strike on the Ten Demon Alliance.
To be precise, they couldn't.
The distance from Sichuan to the Heavenly Peaks was five thousand li.
Without proper preparation—from supply lines and countermeasures for traps to geographical familiarity and securing march routes—even a small mistake could result in losing the majority of their forces.
On top of that, the pressure from their overwhelming numbers, the so-called Ten Thousand Demons, was immense.
Most importantly, an unprepared attack on the Ten Demon Alliance could lead to a disastrous ambush by the Lion Alliance, which was already baring its fangs at the Nine Dragons Fortress's back.
And so, a period of peace, half by choice and half by circumstance, had continued.
But now, the supposedly dead Demon Sect Master had returned and slaughtered the masters of seven sects. All by himself.
Given the culture of those demonic bastards, it was unlikely they fought him one-on-one just because he was alone.
Besides, the Demon Sect had been annihilated in the last power struggle.
This meant the Demon Sect Master had single-handedly broken through countless fiends to kill six sect masters who were at the pinnacle of their power, along with the Fighting Sect Master, who had reached the Transcendent Realm more than a decade ago.
In other words…
‘…He has surpassed the Transcendent Realm.’
It meant he might have reached a realm unheard of.
One that could contend for the title of the strongest under heaven.
Frankly, it was hard to believe.
An exiled Alliance Lord returning as an overpowered hero.
‘Does he think he’s the protagonist of a martial arts novel?’
It just didn't make sense.
Unless he somehow monopolized some fortuitous encounter…
‘Wait a minute.’
A hypothesis struck me like a bolt of lightning.
The possibility of him obtaining a fortuitous encounter wasn't zero.
The Demon Sect was the bloodline of the former Demonic Cult, once called the seat of all demonic arts under heaven.
What if there was a secret passed down through his family?
Or what if he knew the location of the Heavenly Demon's hidden legacy?
Which means…
‘The Divine Arts of the Heavenly Demon.’
That's right.
The Demon Sect Master might have learned the Divine Arts of the Heavenly Demon, hailed as the greatest demonic art in the world.
“Hmm…”
Just the thought of it was dizzying.
If the overpowered leader of the fiends reclaimed his position, what would he do next?
To quell the restless atmosphere within his ranks, he would likely turn his eyes outward.
‘He might even declare the revival of the Demonic Cult.’
And the first target of that campaign would, nine times out of ten, be Hanzhong.
He would need to control this place to expand in any direction.
With Hanzhong in clear danger, I couldn't just stand by.
“Dammit, I knew it was too quiet for a while.”
I immediately headed for Wolhwaru.
***
Yang Ryeong of Wolhwaru was a highly capable branch manager for the Hao Mun in Hanzhong.
She had perfectly executed several difficult requests I had given her so far.
Moreover, the drive and organizational control she displayed during the recent acquisition of the merchant guild were truly impressive.
However, in this situation, there was someone I needed more than her.
“…The Guild Master?”
None other than the Hao Mun Guild Master, Yong Ma-san.
What I needed was the capability of the entire Hao Mun, not just a single branch.
Of course, the Red Dragon Hall would also share information with us, but with an overwhelming force that could attack at any moment, I had to establish a channel to survey the entire battlefield and maintain constant communication with our surroundings.
That's why I had come here in the middle of the night.
“Yes. Can you summon him here?”
“Hmm. I don’t know why, but that will be difficult. He’s currently in the process of building the main headquarters… It would be better if you told me instead.”
“I acknowledge your abilities, but this is a matter the Guild Master himself must handle.”
Despite my words, which could have been taken as an insult, Yang Ryeong merely furrowed her brow without showing any emotion.
Instead, she instantly deduced the reason for my urgency.
“…Something has happened in the west.”
“You’re as sharp as ever.”
“That’s the only place our eyes can’t reach.”
Yang Ryeong nodded slightly and asked.
“Fine. I concede. But you have to tell me what this is about before I can summon the Guild Master.”
“The Demon Sect Master has returned from the dead. He single-handedly broke through the seven sects and slaughtered all their masters. One of them was the Fighting Sect Master, who had just taken the position of Alliance Lord.”
“Is, is that true?”
“You know the source of my information, don't you?”
“If it’s from the Red Dragon Hall… then it must be true. They’ve had people embedded there for a long time.”
“So? Can you summon your Guild Master?”
Yang Ryeong replied in a trembling voice.
“I’ll send a letter immediately.”
“Thank you.”
“…”
“…”
“…Why are you still here?”
At her question, I held out my hand.
“My information fee. I just gave you something huge.”
“…Are you insane?”
“Just kidding. Let me use some of your carrier pigeons instead.”
“Fine.”
“I need to use about twenty. Is that okay?”
“Do you have any shame at all?”
“Of course, I do.”
I am, after all, a man from the Land of Eastern Propriety.
***
Three days later.
I still hadn't shared the news about the Ten Demon Alliance with anyone around me.
If rumors spread, the entire martial world of Hanzhong could be thrown into chaos, and it would also amplify the anxiety of the common people.
Of course, that didn't mean I was sitting idly by without any preparations.
While calling for Yong Ma-san, I had taken several other measures.
Of course, the Ten Demon Alliance might just let things pass quietly.
If that happened, I would face considerable criticism and have to pay damages here and there… but wouldn’t that be a much better outcome?
As I was eating dinner, hoping things would just blow over, a single comment from Myo Hyang gave me the conviction that war was imminent.
“Things have been strange lately.”
“What is?”
“Well, merchants from the western regions have barely been coming. Even when they do, it’s only to buy goods, not to sell. They won’t tell me why when I ask.”
“…”
No goods are coming in…
It wasn't the first time I'd seen this.
I'd heard that when the Southern Heaven Palace mobilized ten thousand southern tribesmen to besiege Mount Diancang, no goods came from south of Yunnan.
Which means…
‘They are preparing for war.’
It meant the fiends of the Ten Demon Alliance were likely preparing for war, just like the Southern Heaven Palace had back then.
Even those demonic bastards couldn't fight without weapons and food.
“…Haa, why do my bad feelings never miss the mark?”
A sigh escaped me involuntarily.
“Master Jin.”
Jeok Hwa-ran nodded as if she understood my feelings.
It seemed she had heard about the recent events within the Ten Demon Alliance.
I looked at Myo Hyang and Cheong So-so, who were watching me with bewildered eyes.
“A war is coming. A massive one.”
“What?”
“So suddenly?”
“Yes.”
Myo Hyang, who had been with me since childhood, was one thing, but I had grown fond of Cheong So-so and Jeok Hwa-ran as well.
Therefore…
“The three of you should leave Hanzhong for a while.”
I couldn't keep them here, in a place that would become a battlefield.
“…Is anyone there?”
“Yes!”
Two disciples standing guard outside the door quickly entered.
“Escort these three to the Nine Dragons Fortress.”
As I gave the order, Jeok Hwa-ran drew her life-and-death sword.
“Lay a single hand on me, and you’ll have a hole in your neck. You know who I am, don’t you?”
“Hwa-ran!”
“Master Jin, how could you? Do you see us as women who just come and go as you please?”
“That’s not what this is about. A war is about to break out. It’s dangerous!”
“We will decide for ourselves whether we go or not. Right?”
At Jeok Hwa-ran’s question, Myo Hyang and Cheong So-so nodded.
“Of course.”
“For once, she said something right.”
The three women were united.
Frustrated, I continued to try and persuade them, but…
“Just try sending us to the Nine Dragons Fortress. We’ll walk all the way back.”
“And if anything happens to us on the way back, it’ll be your fault, Master Jin.”
There was no winning against Cheong So-so and Jeok Hwa-ran’s illogical arguments.
“Master Jin.”
“Sister, could you please talk some sense into them…”
“Back when I was about to be sold to Geumhwaru, I made a promise to myself.”
“…”
“That if I ever got to be with you again, Master Jin, I would never leave your side.”
At Myo Hyang’s words, I was left speechless.
“So please, don’t tell me to go. A world without you has no value to me.”
Her words carried a profound weight.
“You understand what I mean, don’t you?”
As Myo Hyang spoke, not only her face but also Cheong So-so’s and Jeok Hwa-ran’s turned bright red.
If I still didn't understand what she meant after all that, I'd be an animal, not a man.
“Sister. I…”
“For now, just listen. You have a great task ahead of you, don't you?”
She was right.
Right now, the safety of Hanzhong was far more important than personal feelings.
A single misstep could turn Hanzhong into a sea of blood.
“I’m going to pour all the assets of the merchant guild into gathering resources from the surrounding areas. I’ll make sure the Ten Demon Alliance can’t get their hands on a single grain of rice. If I don’t do this, who will?”
I couldn't help but nod at Myo Hyang’s suggestion.
Fighting wasn't just about clashing swords.
Perhaps disrupting the enemy's supply lines would be an even greater contribution.
“I’ll gather physicians and set up a treatment center. If I train them in the Cheong Family’s trauma medicine beforehand, it will be a great help.”
As Cheong So-so stepped up, Jeok Hwa-ran didn't stay silent either.
“I’ll cover the area around Hanzhong with traps. So that with every step the demonic bastards take, they’ll hear a scream.”
“To do that, you’ll need people…”
“You don’t think I’ve thought of that? All you need to do, Master Jin, is gather the blacksmiths. I’ll take care of the rest.”
“Haa, I have no choice.”
It seemed I would have to risk my life to protect Hanzhong.