080
080
The Master of the Twin Old Eagle Swords, Geomdam, Appears!
The man who proclaimed himself the master of the Heavenly Dragon Emperor Twin High Sword, Yoo Geom-dam, departed after inflicting devastating damage upon the Qingcheng Sect.
From the second-generation disciples to the highest elders, not a single sword remained unbroken against his blade. Even the sect leader, the last bastion of defense, had his sword split into three pieces by the Heavenly Three-Division Sword.
Yoo Bung—who on earth is he?
Who is he, to suddenly appear in Sichuan, attack the Qingcheng Sect, ruthlessly defeat its martial artists, and on top of that, kidnap a Qingcheng martial artist?
Each sect responded differently to the news.
"In any case, he is undoubtedly a master of the unorthodox faction!"
The Tang Clan, however, launched a proactive investigation. Although no one else knew anything about the relationship between Yoo Geom-dam and the Tang Clan, a thief has a guilty conscience, and the Tang Clan was anxiously worried that the sparks might fly their way.
"The Qingcheng Sect has been insulted. We must take bloody revenge!"
Qingcheng threw itself into a direct investigation. The problem that started with Bang Do-rim bringing the sword had now escalated into an issue that demanded the entire Qingcheng Sect's direct involvement.
"The Emei Sect will prepare for the worst."
Emei braced for every possible danger. Every disciple was in a frenzy to protect the Reclining Dragon Sword, and the sect leader, the Lust-Exorcising Abbess, and her disciples hid the Reclining Dragon Sword in the deepest sanctuary, showing it to no one.
"Who the hell is this bastard!"
The Hao Sect also mobilized its agents. While many came from other sects seeking information, the number of outsiders who had entered Sichuan to find confirmed information had been steadily increasing, like beggars swarming a feast hall.
"The master of the Dragon Emperor Sword has kidnapped a Qingcheng female disciple!"
"Ooh, what a villain! I shall punish the evil enemy with the power of my Eighteen Characters Defense Sword! And I shall reclaim the Twin Old Eagle Swords from him!"
"A golden opportunity to indebt the Qingcheng Sect...!"
The moment Geomdam left, he vanished with a female disciple from Qingcheng. Numerous people heading towards the Qingcheng Sect witnessed this sight.
"Was there really such a pretty woman there...?"
In reality, no one in Qingcheng could figure out who the kidnapped female disciple was. She was wearing Qingcheng martial robes, so she must have been a Qingcheng disciple, but it was rare that anyone within the Qingcheng Sect, upon checking their female disciples, could not identify her.
"What? A disciple was kidnapped and you're just going to stay put?"
"Is this how a member of the Nine Sects and One Gang behaves?"
The public raised their doubts about Qingcheng's lack of proactive effort in searching for the disciple. Some claimed it was a master hired by Qingcheng who attacked the sect to steal the Phoenix Chick Sword, and that he was now planning to attack the Emei Sect to take the Reclining Dragon Sword.
If only Qingcheng were severely damaged, only Qingcheng would suffer, but if the Tang Clan and Emei also fell, the pride of all Sichuan would collapse.
"Let's defeat Geomdam!"
"Down with Geomdam! Down with Geomdam!"
"He is unorthodox! How can we stand by and let a being who does not walk the righteous path roam free?!"
Countless martial artists gathered in Chengdu.
"Where is the cave where the Twin Old Eagle Swords were buried?!"
The hideout Geomdam revealed himself became a target for the many martial artists in Chengdu.
* * *
"Ugh, I'm dead."
I sprawled out on the bed. In between, I had stripped Lee Si-a of her Qingcheng martial robes outdoors, tore them to shreds, and brought her back while dropping the ripped pieces of cloth here and there.
"Why do you keep touching my ass!"
As soon as we returned, Lee Si-a revealed her true colors and grabbed me by the collar.
"Are you trying to make me horny on purpose?!"
"You know me so well, Young Heavenly Demon!"
"Why, you!"
Lee Si-a shook me by the collar, her face flushed bright red.
"Everyone in Sichuan saw that! I'm not a child, getting spanked like that!"
"No one knows you're the Little Princess anyway, right? They probably thought you were a Qingcheng martial artist."
"There's such a thing as 'just in case'! Just in case!"
"Don't worry, Mara. If by any chance your face gets broadcasted, I'll take full responsibility and live with you."
Lee Si-a let out an incredulous laugh, let go of my collar, and plopped down onto the bed.
"Even if you won't talk... *Sigh.* So, what do we do now?"
Lee Si-a pointed at the two iron swords stuck in the wooden desk across from the bed. They were the Reclining Dragon Sword and the Phoenix Chick Sword, respectively, and even after thousands of years, the elegantly beautiful swords were clearly renowned blades to anyone who saw them.
"Little Princess, do you know what we must first do to use the pile of gold bars stolen from the battlefield outside?"
"What?"
"Laundering."
If an unexplained pile of gold bars suddenly appeared in the world, an investigation would come down from the Imperial Palace. To prevent such unsavory incidents, they need to be disguised as 'clean gold'.
"That's not why I asked. Doesn't the Demonic Cult run dozens of escort agencies and battlefields across the Central Plains?"
"That's true."
The Chuso Escort Agency, where I held Paeng Yuwol, was also one of the Demonic Cult's funding sources. And it was the genius in front of me, Lee Si-a, who had established the system to scrape up funds from all over the Central Plains.
- We're teaching the escort warriors movement arts for express delivery? ...Ah, same-day delivery is irresistible!
The day the next Heavenly Demon was away and the Blood Cult Leader attacked Tianshan using Blood Jiangshi, she found out how the Demonic Cult had gathered funds to feed the hundred thousand demonic practitioners in the harsh environment of Tianshan, and the Blood Cult Leader unusually praised the next Heavenly Demon.
- Thank you for the Demonic Cult's funds. *Burp.*
The gold, jewels, and treasures obtained by stealing from or robbing others, or earned through all sorts of methods, were sent to Tianshan through the escort agencies and battlefields. To avoid the government's eyes, the funds to be offered to the Demonic Cult were mostly hidden inside the Unmarried Escort Formation, making them invisible to anyone.
"Just as we launder illicit goods, the same logic applies to the Twin Old Eagle Swords. Look, these ornate hand guards. Even if you hide the blades in the scabbard, how can you carry these around?"
The handles of the Reclining Dragon Sword and the Phoenix Chick Sword were made of gold. In fact, golden dragon and phoenix heads were attached to the ends.
"Then what will you do? Remove the handles entirely?"
"I'll strip them off."
"......."
Lee Si-a crossed her arms over her chest and backed away from me.
"I meant stripping the handles, not stripping you."
"Hmph, who'd fall for that? You'll strip the handles, and then try to strip me!"
"Oh my."
I was baffled.
"Figures. You're sharp."
I'd strip the sword handles, and then strip Lee Si-a. Because before the grand finale, I needed to make Lee Si-a as strong as possible.
"First, watch. How to launder a sword."
Slide.
I gently grasped the blades of the Reclining Dragon Sword and the Phoenix Chick Sword. Thanks to my protective qi aura, the blades didn't slice my palms. Lee Si-a, startled for no reason, got up from the bed and approached me.
"Are you okay?! ...You are."
"Come closer and watch. Closer. ...I didn't expect you to get this close, though?"
"Right here is the best seat in the house."
Lee Si-a positioned herself in front of me and bent over. She bent her knees slightly and looked up at me, pushing her hips back.
"What's the matter? Turned on enough to pounce on me? Huh?"
"......Damn."
This isn't working. I detonated the internal qi I'd infused into the Twin Old Eagle Swords, directing it straight at the handles.
Kraaaaaah--!!
Kweeeoooot--!!
"Eek?!"
The dragon and phoenix let out a roar. I grasped the handles of the two swords in a reverse grip and pulled them upward.
Click.
The handles popped off like opening lids. Beneath the golden plating, ordinary handles wrapped in what looked like worn leather revealed themselves.
"Whoa...."
"The handles were plated with gold to hide their true identity. These are the genuine Twin Old Eagle Swords—the companions Emperor Shaolie fought alongside his entire life."
Schwing. I seized the leather handle and lifted the sword. Exposed to the air, the Twin Old Eagle Swords began to corrode rapidly. I laid the rusting iron sword down on the desk.
"Do you see? The Reclining Dragon and Young Phoenix now rest in my hands."
I wrapped the qi I'd extracted from the dragon and phoenix head ornaments around my hand. Two distinct golden auras settled in my palm. I grasped two iron swords I'd procured from a decently famous blacksmith in Chengdu. The golden currents flowing through the handles—deliberately dyed dark green—settled onto the blades.
Krooooaaah---!!
A golden dragon settled into the blade of the iron sword. A phoenix wrapped around the blade as if spreading its wings.
"I transferred the Divine Qi of the Heavenly Dragon Emperor Sword that rested within the blades. With this, these are now the Reclining Dragon Sword and the Phoenix Chick Sword."
"...Then what are those? Fakes? Counterfeits?"
"No, these are the genuine swords Emperor Shaolie used. They've simply accepted the true passage of time, which had been halted by the Heavenly Qi that once seeped through them."
Crunch. When I tapped the old blade with the new Reclining Dragon Sword, rust flaked off. Just like that, the emperor's sword used by the First Ruler of Shu Han was reduced to a rusty iron blade.
"I'll keep these stored safely. They'll be useful later."
"...You're planning to stick them back in the altar, aren't you?"
"Exactly. This way, no one will search for Emperor Shaolie's swords anymore."
I subdued the qi resting in the iron swords. The Reclining Dragon and Young Phoenix nestled in the blades hid beneath the green-dyed leather wrapping the handles, dissolving like golden threads.
"Now only one thing remains. Attack the Emei Sect and kidnap one of their female disciples. And capture everyone's attention."
"That's your job. What about me?"
"You can just watch from the sidelines—"
"No. I am the one who will become the Heavenly Demon. I cannot leave everything to my subordinate and merely watch from behind."
"......Hmm, let me check something first."
I drew Lee Si-a close and pressed my forehead to hers. Her eyes widened in surprise, but she didn't resist.
"Hmm...."
Slowly, I trailed my face down from her forehead. I noticed her lips puckering in between, but checking was more important right now.
"Eep."
Next was the Middle Dantian. I buried my face against her chest where I could feel her heart beating closest. Calling that a bosom would be an insult to every other woman in the world, and so I slowly lowered my head further.
"Hic?"
I pressed my face against Lee Si-a's lower abdomen, at the Lower Dantian. Compared to her chest, her abdomen, toned with firm muscle, was relatively softer and squishier.
"Indeed... I see now. Young Heavenly Demon, I will trust you."
I looked up at Lee Si-a. It was absolutely impossible with Sagong Hee, but I could meet her gaze.
"I will grant you strength. Make the Flame Demon kneel with your own hands."
"Hmph. That's what I wanted. Wasn't that always the plan?"
"I lacked confidence. Before we arrived in Chengdu, you would have lost to the Flame Demon eight or nine times out of ten, Little Princess."
Lee Si-a furrowed her brows but soon grasped the meaning of my words.
"And now?"
"Five. And now I'll make it ten out of ten."
Squeeze. I grabbed her buttocks. Preventing her from pulling back, I lowered my face even further.
"Take my Yang Energy. As much as you want."
"W-Wait! Not like this, here!"
Is bad? To get Lee Si-a in the mood, I was perfectly willing to kneel and bury my face in her crotch anytime.
Huff, huff, huff—
"H-hic...!!"
Lick.
Lee Si-a's knees trembled as a gush escaped her. For the first time in my entire life, I was spending the night with a peak-level female master of the Qingcheng Sect.
What? She isn't one? She's wearing Qingcheng martial robes. What's the difference? I wedged my knee between her legs and tilted my head up to bury my nose against her—
"Heavenly Demon Thigh Strangle and Rub!"
"Mmph."
Don't bring the Heavenly Demon into this. My face was buried in Lee Si-a's crotch. I pounded on her butt as I started to suffocate, but it was useless.
"Hmph! Do you think this compares to how many times you spanked my bottom on the way here? This is weak!"
—Ah, my child. That's called crotch-grabbing happiness.
"Hohoho... I think I could get addicted to this. Suck. Now. Haaa..."
Blood Cult Leader, you were right as usual—
* * *
"No, you're not. Not right at all."
Pwah. Exhaling a cloud of cigarette smoke, the Grand Duke glared down at the map of Sichuan for a long time.
"Why did so many variables suddenly crop up?"
The news rocking the entire Sichuan region had naturally reached the Grand Duke's ears as well. He kept them wide open, especially regarding the area where his three loyal subordinates, the Earth Qilin Three Demons, were operating in secret.
Screech.
A black-furred eagle with red eyes extended its leg before the Grand Duke. The Grand Duke untied the letter bound to its leg and bit his lip as he read the contents.
"The Heavenly Dragon Emperor Twin High Sword... What is the Flame Demon even doing?"
News from the Flame Demon had been sparse the last few days. She used to contact him constantly to the point of being annoying, but now she was silent, as if possessed by something.
Or perhaps she was in a situation where she couldn't.
"I sent the Alliance's soldiers to Sichuan... *Tsk.*"
"Grand Duke, forgive my interruption."
Creeeeak. The door opened, revealing a woman with a cold impression. Her hair was an elegant black, but her features were those of the Colored-Eyes, rarely seen in the Central Plains.
"Oh, you've returned. How went the affairs at the palace?"
"Everything was handled according to your will, Grand Duke. The North Sea Ice Palace now follows you."
"Hahaha! Splendid! Having you is my heavenly fortune, Ice Demon! With this, the Earth Qilin Three Demons shall become the Earth Qilin Four Demons!"
"...Do not forget our deal, Grand Duke."
The woman, Ice Demon, looked to the letter laid out before the Grand Duke.
"The Blaze Command, bearing the Heavenly Demon's seal?"
Clang. Ice Demon's hand shot out toward the Grand Duke's throat. The black eagle opened its steel-like beak to intercept her, but its head was cleanly severed at the beak by the ice blade she extended.
"Now that you have become my Qilin Ice Demon, there is no need for secrecy."
"Not yet."
The Grand Duke pointed at the 'Heavenly Demon' written on the paper and smiled bitterly.
"Hmph. I am the one who will become the next generation's Heavenly Demon. So, what is the problem?"
"......You have yet to receive that One's acknowledgment."
"Do not worry. It is only a matter of time."
The Grand Duke crushed his cigarette out onto the map spread across his desk.
"I gave the order in the name of the next generation's Heavenly Demon. The Blaze Command. Reduce everything to ashes. Well...."
The Grand Duke erased Chengdu from the map.
"The Sichuan Tang Clan, the Qingcheng Sect, the Emei Sect. If we eliminate even just one of them, Sichuan will immediately fall into our grasp."