Chapter 189
Chapter 189
-----------------------------------------------------------------
>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 189
>Chapter Title: Nancheon Society (1)
>-----------------------------------------------------------------
While Il-mok shuddered upon realizing the truth, Dam Bin added more.
“The era when the Tyrant Heavenly Demon was active predated the term ‘Nine Great Sects.’ It was only after the Kongtong Clan fell that a few of its surviving descendants established Daoist sects across the Central Plains. Over long years, some of those grew into massive factions, eventually earning the name of the Nine Great Sects as we know it today.”
In other words, the Kongtong Clan was the founding ancestor of several Daoist sects.
Only then did Il-mok understand.
‘To survive and reach the Divine Realm... truly impressive.’
If some of the sects founded by Kongtong descendants were among the Nine Great Sects, their grudge against the Demonic Cult would be beyond imagination.
The fact that the Demonic Cult hadn’t been uprooted entirely—and had even transcended to the Divine Realm—felt like a miracle in itself.
“Among the Nine Great Sects, do you know which ones were founded by Kongtong descendants?”
“Mount Hua and Qingcheng. Dian Cang and Kunlun as well. Though Kunlun has since vanished, yielding its place to Hainan.”
“…How did Kunlun disappear?”
Il-mok asked, gripped by an inexplicable foreboding.
“By any chance, do you recall the history of the Eighth Great Heavenly Demon, the Blood Tears Heavenly Demon?”
Dam Bin’s response made Il-mok squeeze his eyes shut.
The Blood Tears Heavenly Demon was one of the names he had memorized during his entrance exam preparations for the Demonic Path Academy. The title was similar to that of the Fifth Great Heavenly Demon, the Blood Rain Heavenly Demon, which made it stick even more.
The Blood Tears Heavenly Demon had lived about 160 years ago. He was the Heavenly Demon after the Demonic Cult’s exile to the Divine Realm—and the one before the previous Heavenly Demon.
Moreover, he was the first Heavenly Demon after the exile to attempt a return to the Central Plains.
His final failed attempt ended in tears of blood, earning him his moniker.
The succeeding Heavenly Demon—the previous one—had also tried invading the Central Plains, only to fail as well. After that, the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult entered a long, dark age lasting decades.
No Heavenly Demon who had fully mastered the Heavenly Demon Divine Art emerged for a long time. Leadership changed hands repeatedly, every few years at shortest or over a decade at longest. It was only when the current Heavenly Demon, Hyeok-ryeon Il-hwi, ascended to the throne that the dark age finally ended.
Learning from the failures of his two predecessors, the current Heavenly Demon, Hyeok-ryeon Il-hwi, focused on strengthening the cult internally rather than rashly targeting the Central Plains.
As Il-mok recalled the history he had learned, Dam Bin continued.
“After the Blood Tears Heavenly Demon destroyed Kunlun, he pressed onward, but the cowards of Sichuan had all fled. Those vile scum then rallied others under the banner of the ‘Martial Alliance’ and lured him into a trap.”
And so, Il-mok ended up hearing the origin story of the Martial Alliance as well.
Seeing Il-mok with his eyes squeezed shut, Dam Bin offered words of comfort.
“But worry not, Young Master. The Blood Tears Heavenly Demon remembered the Tyrant Heavenly Demon and the Kongtong Clan. Unlike them, he left not a single root of Kunlun intact—he swept them all away.”
What a comforting tale it was.
Realizing anew just how insane his own faction was, Il-mok pressed his throbbing temple with his thumb and spoke.
“I understand now why a pack of unorthodox riffraff could run wild in a province as large as Gansu. Now, tell me more specifically about this Nancheon Society or whatever it is.”
The Branch Leader answered Il-mok’s question.
“To put it simply, they’re scum who suck the blood of the common folk.”
With that, the Branch Leader opened a book and pointed to several passages.
“As you can see, we found evidence that the Red Silk Chamber forcibly bought women and children with usury loans and sent them to the Nancheon Society in lieu of tribute. Further investigation in nearby counties revealed similar patterns.”
“So, just like with the Red Silk Chamber, they’ve been collecting money and women from other unorthodox groups in the surrounding counties in the same way?”
“Precisely. Some are forced to sell their bodies in brothels managed by the Nancheon Society, while others seem to have been sold off somewhere else.”
Il-mok’s face twisted at the Branch Leader’s explanation, and a thick murderous aura settled over the faces of everyone listening.
‘Those bastards are utterly deranged.’
A force leading human trafficking, no less.
The Red Silk Chamber Leader’s excuses were just that—excuses. But one thing was clear.
As long as the Nancheon Society existed, human trafficking in Gansu Province could never be eradicated.
At that moment, urgent footsteps approached from outside the door.
“Come in.”
No sooner had Il-mok given the order than one of the Gorang County Branch warriors burst in, shouting.
“The Nancheon Society scum have appeared!”
“The Nancheon Society?”
“Yes, Young Master. They’re the ones who occasionally visit Gorang County and frequent the Red Silk Chamber. This time, they’re heading toward the Red Silk Chamber’s estate.”
By the time the warrior finished, a mask had already covered Il-mok’s face.
A mask resembling the Four Heavenly Kings statue, with an angry expression.
* * *
In just a few days, the Red Silk Chamber’s estate—now a dilapidated ruin—took on a ghostly atmosphere.
“The Red Silk Chamber has fallen?”
Three men in blue uniforms held knives to a local resident’s throat as they questioned him.
“Who did it?”
The man’s face drained of color, his body frozen stiff, unable to speak.
“Looks like we need to make an example.”
One of the Nancheon Society warriors muttered that and swung his sword to sever the man’s arm—when the woman beside him cried out desperately.
“I-it’s the Incarnation of Maitreya!”
“The Incarnation of Maitreya?”
The unfamiliar name twisted the faces of the Nancheon Society men into bizarre expressions.
“Who the hell is that?”
The man still held his blade to the husband’s throat as he demanded an answer, leaving the woman speechless.
She had only heard rumors spreading through Gorang County. She had no idea who the Incarnation of Maitreya actually was.
In this perilous moment where her husband’s head could roll, the wife’s eyes frantically scanned the surroundings.
Was there anyone to help them? Did anyone know who the Incarnation of Maitreya was? Clinging to that last shred of hope.
Then, in an instant, her gaze locked onto something as if nailed in place.
“T-that man over there!”
There stood a black-clad figure wearing the fabled angry mask.
The trio withdrew their sword from the villager and turned their eyes toward him.
“You the one who took down the Red Silk Chamber?”
At Il-mok’s bizarre appearance, the three Nancheon Society men sneered.
“Guess the Red Silk Chamber Leader never told you about us.”
“I’ve heard.”
“Oh ho. And you did it anyway.”
“What the Nancheon Society wants is the tribute amount, right? Not who sends it.”
“Hahaha. You know your stuff.”
“Then you’re saying you’ll take over managing Gorang County in the Red Silk Chamber’s place?”
In response to their question, Il-mok nodded and jerked his chin toward the estate.
“Why not discuss the details inside?”
Il-mok strode confidently toward the estate, sending a transmission at the same time.
—Fall back while they follow me.
Directed at the couple threatened by the Nancheon Society warriors.
The trio approached Il-mok without suspicion, and in the meantime, the couple cautiously retreated.
The moment the men entered striking range, a silver arc embroidered the air.
A trajectory slicing across the throat of the lead man.
Seruk.
The delayed slicing sound echoed as the man’s head separated from his neck and fell toward the ground.
Seruk!
Il-mok’s sword plunged into the heart of the second man, who had only just drawn his saber.
“Aren’t you afraid of the Nancheon Society’s name?!”
The last man, barely managing to draw his sword as his comrades died, shouted while trembling.
His earlier bravado was gone; he merely screamed his faction’s name.
“I don’t get why you’re spouting such nonsense.”
Il-mok approached, replying with an impassive face.
“If I were afraid, do you think I’d have done this?”
Realizing threats wouldn’t work, the man lunged with a desperate swing.
But Il-mok’s thrust from the angry-masked figure pierced his heart first.
“Guh….”
The man with the skewered heart let out a choked groan and collapsed.
“I’m sorry, Incarnation of Maitreya!!”
Suddenly, a voice from behind confessed sin.
Il-mok turned to see the wife from earlier kneeling on the ground, bowing toward him.
She was atoning for revealing the Incarnation of Maitreya’s name to the Nancheon Society warriors.
“I dared to doubt and sully that name! Punish me, but please spare my husband!”
She knew of the rally incident. Though she had spoken to save her husband in the moment, regret now overwhelmed her.
Only then did the husband grasp her intent. Still pale-faced, he hurriedly knelt as well.
“I-it’s my fault, Incarnation! Kill me and spare my wife!”
Il-mok thought to himself. What a ridiculous world.
They had acted under knife-point duress, yet now trembled in atonement.
“Keep doing it from now on. When anyone asks, say the Incarnation of Maitreya did it.”
The couple looked up at Il-mok in confusion.
“Gladly sell my name to villains seeking me. Maitreya protects me, so I cannot die by their hands. And to those seeking salvation, speak my name as well. Say the Incarnation of Maitreya will eradicate all evil.”
Stunned by the unexpected response for a moment.
The couple bowed again to the Incarnation of Maitreya and cried out.
“Th-thank you!!”
“We will spread word of Maitreya’s greatness to all!”
When they raised their heads after bowing, only three corpses remained before them.
* * *
Il-mok swiftly finished and returned to the branch with Dam Bin.
To avoid exposing their identities, he had fought alone with the mask. She had hidden nearby, ready for any contingency.
“What are your plans now, Young Master?”
To Dam Bin’s question, Il-mok removed his mask and replied.
“Obviously, we strike the Nancheon Society.”
He turned to the Branch Leader.
“Has the money recovered from the Red Silk Chamber been sorted?”
“More or less, Young Master.”
“Then distribute the share for the locals to the residents, send the one talent to headquarters as discussed—but include a letter.”
“A letter? What kind?”
“Request reinforcements for Nanzhou.”
Jin Ha-yeon, who had been listening, asked.
“You plan to hit the Nancheon Society after reinforcements arrive?”
Il-mok shook his head at her question.
“It takes more than a day or two for a round trip to headquarters. How could we wait?”
The listeners all wore puzzled expressions.
“Then why call for reinforcements?”
“They’re not reinforcements. After we clean up the Nancheon Society, we’ll need manpower to manage Nanzhou and Gansu.”
Il-mok gazed toward the southeast, where Nanzhou lay, and said.
“We strike the Nancheon Society tonight.”
After all, a surprise attack shines brightest when the enemy suspects nothing.