Chapter 140
Chapter 140
Divine Flame (2)
The largest tavern in the northwestern county of Sichuan Province, Taiho Tower, was always bustling with patrons.
But today, the atmosphere was different.
From the first to the third floor, not a single guest was present—eerily empty.
There was only one reason.
A single guest had rented out the entire tavern for the entire day, occupying the topmost fourth floor.
Renting out Taiho Tower, famous for its exorbitant prices, spoke volumes about the wealth this person commanded.
Inside the lavishly decorated fourth-floor room, a man with a flushed face sat between courtesans, gulping down liquor.
Thud!
"Ugh."
Ma Geol-ryun, the chief disciple of the Qingcheng Faction, irritably slammed his cup down after downing the alcohol in one go.
Half-drunk, his intoxicated state was obvious, and the other senior disciples seated with him couldn't hide their discomfort.
"Those old bastards clinging to power, refusing to let go—it's disgusting, don't you think?"
"Y-yes, Senior Brother."
"Hah, I still don't understand why the elders treat you so harshly, Senior Brother."
"Exactly! Those damn bastards!"
The targets of Ma Geol-ryun's vulgar insults were none other than the Qingcheng Faction's leadership.
He had secretly descended the mountain to drown his frustrations in liquor.
Though his proposed plan had been approved during the faction's meeting, it was only a partial victory.
They're trying to steal the credit for something I came up with! If I'd known this would happen, I wouldn't have said a damn thing!
The reason for his fury was simple—Juk Seong-ja had assigned the execution of his plan to another elder, stripping him of the chance to lead.
For Ma Geol-ryun, who had hoped to deal a crushing blow to the Tang Family and secure a position in the newly formed Hundred Paths Alliance, this was a bolt from the blue.
As he recalled the culprit who had ruined his grand ambitions, a sinister aura flickered in his eyes.
Hic. "You know what? That bastard Juk Seong-ja is the real problem!"
"......!!"
"S-Senior Brother!"
"He still looks down on me because of my lowly origins! He's mocking me behind my back!"
His words had crossed a line—far beyond what was acceptable.
Insulting one's master was a grave sin in the martial world, punishable by tendon-severing and expulsion from the sect.
The other disciples exchanged uneasy glances, unsure how to react.
This wasn't something they could just brush off with polite nods.
But Ma Geol-ryun, oblivious to their discomfort, continued his drunken tirade.
Ptui. "I knew it from the moment he gave that brat from the Yi Merchant Group the chief disciple position. That greedy bastard only cares about money."
"S-Senior Brother... your words toward our master are too harsh..."
One disciple mustered the courage to speak cautiously.
Wham!
"Guh!"
"Aah!"
A man's groan and the courtesans' screams erupted simultaneously.
The moment the disciple spoke, Ma Geol-ryun channeled his energy and kicked out violently.
The disciple, struck squarely in the chest, coughed up blood.
The pain was so intense it felt like his ribs had shattered.
But Ma Geol-ryun only grew more unrestrained.
"Fine. I'll kill you first."
"S-Senior Brother!"
"Please, stop!"
"You bastards! Out of my way!"
Just as it seemed a corpse would soon be added to the tavern's tally—
Creak.
"Oh my. I wasn't aware we had guests."
The door slid open, revealing a scholarly man with a chilling demeanor.
At the sight of Do Hoemyung, Ma Geol-ryun's expression shifted instantly.
"Ah! Military Advisor Do!"
"Hmm. Should I return another time, Great Hero Ma?"
"N-no! What are you all standing around for? Get the hell out!"
"......Y-yes, Senior Brother."
Seizing the opportunity, the disciples hastily carried their injured comrade out of the room.
The courtesans, too, scrambled away in panic.
Watching their retreating backs, Ma Geol-ryun twisted his lips into a sneer.
"Tch. Worthless insects."
"You seem displeased."
"......How could I be? They stole every opportunity I had to shine."
Do Hoemyung smiled amiably at Ma Geol-ryun's self-deprecating mutterings.
"Don't worry, Great Hero Ma. I've already secretly prepared tasks for you to undertake."
"Oh? Truly?"
"Of course. Have I ever disappointed you?"
"No! Never!"
Ma Geol-ryun brightened like a child at Do Hoemyung's words.
He genuinely trusted and followed this man.
They had met by chance in a gambling den, and ever since, Do Hoemyung had provided him with endless assistance.
The merchant, who claimed to run an emerging trade group, had lavished praise on him, calling him the future leader of the Qingcheng Faction.
He had begged to become his sponsor and ally.
At first, Ma Geol-ryun had assumed he was just another merchant trying to curry favor with the Qingcheng Faction.
But then, Do Hoemyung began presenting him with priceless elixirs, secret manuals, and ingenious schemes he could never have conceived himself.
After repeated encounters, Ma Geol-ryun had come to sincerely believe in and rely on him.
Every hero needs a strategist by his side!
If he just followed Do Hoemyung's guidance, becoming the Qingcheng Faction's leader—or even a high-ranking member of the Hundred Paths Alliance—would be effortless.
"......Just follow my instructions."
"Kehehe! Understood! As expected, Military Advisor Do's strategies are peerless!"
"You flatter me too much."
Having memorized Do Hoemyung's plan, Ma Geol-ryun felt a weight lift from his chest.
But then, for some reason, he licked his lips and hesitantly broached another topic.
Ahem. "Say... did you bring that?"
"Of course."
A peculiar glint flickered briefly in Do Hoemyung's eyes before vanishing.
He reached into his sleeve and produced a slender object—a stick of bamboo incense.
"Ohh!!"
"I anticipated you'd be exhausted from the meeting, so I prepared it in advance."
Lighting the incense with the lamp on the table, he placed it inside an empty bottle.
Ssss.
The fragrant smoke spread through the room like mist.
"Ah... ahh..."
Without even drinking, Ma Geol-ryun's eyes grew hazy as he succumbed to the incense's effects. Drool trickled from the corner of his mouth.
Thud.
"Hehehe..."
His mind completely lost, Ma Geol-ryun collapsed onto his back, writhing grotesquely.
Do Hoemyung watched the revolting display—
"Tch. Pathetic insect."
—No.
Ghost Shadow, the Blood Brain, clicked his tongue in disgust.
The bamboo incense filling the room was none other than the Blood Cult's Dream Soul Drug.
Far more addictive than opium, this Ghost Dream Incense eroded the mind of its victims, turning them into slaves of those who administered it.
And Ma Geol-ryun had already reached that point.
In that moment, Ghost Shadow spoke.
"Ilhon."
Whoosh.
From the shadows cast in the room, a black-clad figure slowly emerged.
"Yes, Master of Ten Thousand Demons."
Ghost Shadow was not only the Blood Cult's Second Elder but also the leader of the Demon Soul Sect, which specialized in all manner of sinister and grotesque sorcery.
He addressed Ilhon, the sect's deputy leader.
"What is the progress of the grand scheme?"
"The upper echelons are fully under our control! All that remains is execution!"
"Good. Once we receive the goods from the Black Market, proceed immediately."
"Understood!"
Ghost Shadow emphasized once more, his voice hardening.
"The one who killed Qilian Demon and seized control of the Beast Palace is no ordinary foe. From start to finish, we must proceed with absolute caution and thorough preparation. Understood?"
"Your will be done!"
Whoosh.
As swiftly as he had appeared, Ilhon vanished as if he had never been there.
The room plunged back into icy silence.
Tang Se-woon.
A murderous glint flashed in Ghost Shadow's eyes.
Within the Blood Cult, Tang Se-woon of the Sichuan Tang Family had risen as the greatest obstacle to their grand scheme.
But his luck would run out here.
No matter how you struggle, this time, you won't escape our plans.
Because Ghost Shadow would personally ensure his demise.
The tranquil moonlight streamed through the open window, illuminating the forge.
After Go Cheon-seonnyeo, exhausted from overusing her spiritual power, and Woo Mun-tak, drained from lifting the Night Blossom, had departed for the guest quarters, the empty Mancheol Forge stood silent.
"......Is this truly a forge crafted by human hands?"
"Yes. I've named it the Divine Flame Forge."
"Divine Flame Forge. No other name would suit it."
Se-woon and Guyongyeon, the master of the Mancheol Forge, stood before the blazing Divine Flame Forge.
"Shall we begin immediately, Family Head?"
"Yes. Let's proceed."
"As you command."
Without delay, Guyongyeon began preparations as the forge master.
His every movement was seasoned with experience befitting the leader of Mancheol Forge.
Se-woon had summoned Guyongyeon for one reason.
It's time to elevate him beyond even Heukya Gong's level.
He intended to raise Guyongyeon's forging skills above those of Dong Cheon-rip, the master blacksmith overseeing the Martial Alliance's forge.
Because when Se-woon was absent, Guyongyeon would need to fill that role.
For Se-woon, it was a simple task.
Guyongyeon's talent surpassed Dong Cheon-rip's by far, and with a few pointers from Se-woon using the Divine Flame Forge, he could easily break through his current limits.
But that's secondary.
Se-woon's true goal lay elsewhere.
I must forge a new Divine Artifact.
Now that he possessed the Divine Flame Forge, he could create another Divine Artifact to stand alongside the Ice Wheel Thread and the Extinction Thread.
With the impending battle against the Qingcheng Faction, he needed to elevate his strength and combat prowess as much as possible.
As Se-woon gazed into the forge's depths, a strange light flickered in his eyes.
Soon, the battlefield will shift from one-on-one duels to large-scale warfare. To continue my winning streak, I must quickly regain the power to fight against many.
And the Divine Artifact he was about to forge would grant him precisely that power.
Chapter 141: The Overlord of Sichuan