Chapter 166
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 166
Chapter Title: Anxiety Will Breed Distrust (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The martial world was currently enjoying an unprecedented era of peace.
The reason was simple.
It was because the righteous sects were stronger than ever before.
Out of the top five experts under heaven, three were from the righteous sects.
The remaining two were the Sword Demon Wi Ji-ryang and the top figure of the evil factions, both infamous from the previous Great War between Righteousness and Evil.
Of course, there were hidden powerhouses who hadn't yet revealed themselves, but the righteous sects had their own concealed strengths as well.
With the Blood Cult's defection severely weakening its forces, the Demon Cult had no choice but to abandon its path of armed struggle and seek legitimacy under a new leader.
Demonic cults were typically outnumbered but pushed through with elite forces, weren't they?
"Even so, they're tucking their tails a bit too quickly."
The Leader of the Azure Heaven Society murmured as he incinerated the report in a blaze of samadhi true fire.
The balance of power was crumbling far too swiftly.
While it was certainly worth celebrating that the righteous sects were reclaiming their greatness, the timing was premature.
A bit more conflict was needed to eradicate those who sullied the martial world with their unworthiness.
Of course, the Demon Cult would ultimately need to be subjugated as well, but that was a matter for later.
It should happen after the Demon Cult's defectors—the group calling themselves the Blood Cult—had mutually exhausted each other, leaving the Demon Cult at its weakest.
Therefore...
"I need to fan the flames a little more."
He lightly swept away the scattering ashes with his hand, sending them flying on the wind, then beckoned to the subordinate who had been bowing silently the entire time.
To the subordinate who approached without a word.
"Relay this to Grand Strategist Sima. Have him assemble a small elite unit to welcome the Demon Lord. The Purity Inspection Squad would be ideal. And... we'll need someone suitable to put forward. Say, the Student Council President of the Hundred Flowers Academy."
"Understood."
The sharp fellow would grasp the intent fully.
During the Great War between Righteousness and Evil, the Purity Inspection Squad had served as the alliance's blade.
Naturally, most of them belonged to the Azure Heaven Society, and many had even learned Demonic Cult martial arts to counter the enemy more effectively.
Therefore...
To the eyes of the world, they would appear as a rising star of the righteous sects, brutally slaughtered by the Demon Cult...
That would be more than enough.
It would serve as a warning that they would no longer tolerate it.
As a solution to the troublesome eyesore.
And also...
To reignite the fading spark of the Heavenly Killing Star, who had begun to lose his edge and murderous intent.
As I was walking along.
"You've had a tough time!"
Moyong Seol... Hm, maybe it's time to forgive her.
Sister Seol greeted me with a smile.
Wearing something like a qipao reminiscent of disciple robes, as if she were doing her utmost to accentuate her modest chest and look a bit more mature.
"Thank you."
I thought... it suited her pretty well.
But honestly, it'd probably look better without the padding.
Later, I should shape gallery opinion to criticize padding.
"Had lunch? Want to eat together?"
"Mm, sorry. I've got a lot of work..."
"Yeah, I guess so..."
Sister Seol's smile wilted in an instant, her face crumpling as she timidly extended her hand.
I lightly clasped it as I passed by.
"Eeeek...!"
Taking in her flustered squeal, I moved on to my next task.
Ever since Sister Seol spilled the secret, my workload as Student Council President had more than tripled.
There are no eternal secrets in this world.
Rumors had spread everywhere that a member of the current Demon Cult's leadership—the Lord himself—would be visiting the Hundred Flowers Academy.
And part of the preparations had fallen to me...
"Hey, over there. Not that spot. Move it to the side."
Decorating lodgings for the roughly ten attendants—comfortable enough to satisfy them while infusing aesthetics and philosophy to let them fully experience the dignity of the righteous sects.
"There! Your stance is wrong! Left foot forward more!"
Overseeing sword dance practice, akin to military drills, to showcase the righteous sects' dignity—just like practicing formations in the army.
And...
"Hmph!"
"What now?"
With the news that the Lord—probably Luri's family—was coming, Luri had flown into a rage for some reason, darting around everywhere, so I had to soothe her too.
It was truly the ultimate demanding job.
"Academy... mine."
"...That's not happening."
I sighed as I rebuked the outrageous declaration from the Demon Cult's Little Lord, trying to claim the nurturing ground of righteous prospects as her personal property.
The subtle pressure from the Martial Alliance Leader and acting Academy Head.
This place gathered all the geniuses—barely past twenty—who had reached first-rate through innate talent or wealth.
They wouldn't dare underestimate us, I swallowed my retort.
In the proper hierarchy, if the division commander whispers, "I don't like that mountain," the entire unit grabs shovels and levels it.
"Hmph!"
"Aagh!"
Luri's Heavenly Demon Supremacy struck my shin.
This hurts a lot...!
"Urk."
The moment I stumbled, losing balance.
Luri fluttered away, scampering over the wall and vanishing.
Why was she reacting so intensely to the Lord's visit?
Family discord?
Doesn't seem likely, given how well she'd been raised.
Judging by her body, aside from that tattoo-like marking on her back, there were no signs of abuse.
Her poor development... was clearly congenital, no matter how I looked.
"Hah, could it be."
I'd heard rumors that the current Lord was a woman.
So, was this the debut of Farm Luri MK2?
Jealous of losing her monopoly on cuteness?
It was a reasonably logical deduction, so I wouldn't dismiss the possibility.
"She's quick, too."
I sighed, watching Luri flit away into the distance, brazenly using forbidden lightness skill within the academy like a true outlaw.
When would that girl grow up?
After another busy day, just as I was thinking of heading home, I checked my backlog of messages.
"Ah."
There was one important message I couldn't ignore.
Sender: ThisAintTheAllianceLeader
ComeToTheCrappyAcademyHeadOffice
"..."
After deciphering the horrific, punctuation-free message hammered out letter by letter by the Wildwood Alliance Leader—who looked the part but was utterly inept with electronics.
"Haa."
I sighed and headed to the Academy Head's office.
Looks like quitting time would be delayed a bit more.
Come to think of it...
This was my first visit here since the previous Academy Head—our buzzcut elder—passed away.
Knock knock—
"Coming in."
As sisters, I skipped the formalities and entered the Academy Head's office.
"Oh, you're here?"
"Hello, Sister."
The interior of the Academy Head's office, which I'd not seen in ages, had undergone a revolutionary makeover.
Instead of the faint incense scent lingering in the air, a subtle, moist fruity aroma wafted about—god knows what she'd sprayed.
Replacing the benevolent smiling Buddha was a statue of a three-headed beauty—no, including the hips, you could call it a five-headed stunner without issue.
"First time seeing it? It's the Divine Maiden statue."
"Aha..."
Wonder what a Divine Maiden is.
I briefly took in the beaming face of the Wildwood Alliance Leader AKA the Supreme Leader of the Divine Maiden Sect, who looked nothing like one.
Thinking about it...
Something felt off.
"Wait, but we have plenty of instructors. Why keep calling just me for chores?"
"What're you saying? Grunts handle the grunt work."
"..."
If anyone else said that, I'd scoff, but the speaker was one of the top experts I'd ever met, leaving me speechless.
"Anyway, I need you to run an errand."
"What is it?"
"Go greet them."
"...? The Lord?"
"Yep."
"Me?"
"Yep!"
"Why... No, never mind. Please put down that Divine Maiden relic."
The invincible retort, "Me? Why?" was meaningless against overwhelming power disparity...
Only after I struck a submissive pose did Dan Yuwol finally withdraw her hovering chestnut wood chopstick strike, tapping the girly chair as if to say, "Sit."
Suppressing my boiling dissatisfaction, I sat.
"We were originally sending only elites from the Martial Alliance to greet them, but mm, seems the elders aren't satisfied. They sent word that we need some young blood too."
"Don't tell me that's me?"
"Exactly. Who else but the Academy's Council President?"
It made sense.
But then...
"Wait, so I'm going alone?"
"Mhm. The rest need to enjoy their youth."
"What about my youth?"
"Hm. From what I see, you're the hottest youth in the Hundred Flowers Academy."
"What do you mean by that?"
My days lately have been utterly monotonous.
Wake at dawn for a wolfdog walk-slash-qi circulation brunch, then training.
Mornings handling Student Council and academy duties with Sister Seol.
Lunch managing first-years' favor with Baili Yeon, Tang Narin, Satan's bloodkin, and other first-year disciples, followed by qi circulation lunch.
Afternoons training at the bookshelf with Chicken Bro.
Evenings dragging my weary body home to eat Narang's cooking together for vitality recovery, then paperwork for Geumhyeon Sect's prosperity.
Nights giving a good tussle to Luri who flutters in, sucking some demonic qi, then refunding her next door.
And late into dawn, qi circulation dinner-slash-training.
How busy and bleak is that life?
"Ah, perfect timing."
Knock knock—
"Come in!"
The door slid open with Dan Yuwol's cheerful voice.
"Sir! Purity Inspection Squad Leader Yi Jong-su reporting to the Leader!"
"Good, you've come. Long time no see, Agent Hwang Dong-seong, and Agents of the Star Squad."
"Reporting to the Leader!"
Three men entered the Academy Head's office.
All three had cultivations comparable to early Peak realm...
"Ah... Nice to meet you. I'm Geum Sihyeon of the Ten Thousand Gold Treasury Fortress."
Hiding my surprise behind a humble smile befitting a late-generation disciple, I greeted them politely.
The others—even the Martial Alliance Leader—seemed oblivious.
But to my eyes.
To my Soul Moon Divine Eyes, it was crystal clear.
Outwardly, they were impeccably refined, paragons of righteous, diligent martial artists.
But wriggling faintly within their dantians...
Demonic qi.
These men...
Practiced demonic arts.