Chapter 339
Chapter 339
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 339
>Chapter Title: Orthodox (1)
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The headquarters of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. An eerie silence settled within the Cult Leader's Hall.
'That mad old fool Dugoryong has finally done it!'
Hyeok-ryeon Cheon-gang inwardly cursed Dugoryong but soon realized it was pointless.
'From the start, it was this old man's mistake to goad that brainless geezer into speaking.'
It was foolish to blame him when he knew full well Dugoryong was a man who lived without a shred of thought.
More than anything, this wasn't the time to resent anyone.
Should he speak the truth? Or should he fawn over the new Cult Leader and gloss things over?
Hyeok-ryeon Cheon-gang briefly entertained such thoughts before sneering at himself.
"Presumptuous as it may be, the 'vessel' I spoke of to Sect Leader Dugoryong is not you, Cult Leader."
After all, he was an old man with no history of groveling or living like a sycophant.
A hush fell over the Cult Leader's Hall at Hyeok-ryeon Cheon-gang's blunt words, and Wi Jin-hak asked gravely.
"...Then, whom did you consider the vessel for the Cult Leader?"
Bracing himself even for combat with the enraged Wi Jin-hak, Hyeok-ryeon Cheon-gang answered.
"I was referring to Young Master Il-mok."
Wi Jin-hak's reaction that followed surpassed Hyeok-ryeon Cheon-gang's expectations.
"Uhahaha!"
He burst into mad laughter and then brought up an utterly unexpected topic.
"By chance, do you know of a man named Hang-geon who joined our Divine Cult a few years ago?"
"...The name rings no bells."
"He was originally a captain in the imperial army, a bandit caught by my youngest in Singang."
Why was the name of such an insignificant man coming up?
Hyeok-ryeon Cheon-gang harbored doubts but waited for Wi Jin-hak to continue.
"The captured Hang-geon was so moved by my youngest's words that he vowed to serve him as his lord. That's how he joined our Divine Cult. Isn't it astonishing? Back then, my youngest had been Master's disciple for less than half a year—a total greenhorn."
For some reason, Hyeok-ryeon Cheon-gang felt a strange sense of familiarity in this Hang-geon's tale.
It overlapped with his own story of being awed by Il-mok and choosing to serve him as lord.
"Do you know what the first thing that fellow Hang-geon said to this Cult Leader when we met?"
"...This old man is dim-witted; nothing comes to mind."
"Hahaha. He said he served Young Master Il-mok as his lord, and since Young Master Il-mok followed the eldest young master, the eldest young master was his lord as well."
"......"
Only then did Hyeok-ryeon Cheon-gang understand why Wi Jin-hak had burst into laughter. And why he wasn't angry.
'Things are different now, is that it?'
Because he remembered the days when Wi Jin-hak was called the Mad Demon—and had known him even longer than most—Hyeok-ryeon Cheon-gang's first image of him was still that of a violent man who couldn't control his emotions.
And now, he realized he'd misjudged Wi Jin-hak.
"This Cult Leader also knows that our youngest is the vessel for the Cult Leader. No, he is a vessel fit to ascend even to the Heavenly Demon's throne. But he is still young. Protecting and nurturing the Divine Cult until he achieves greatness—that is what Master wished of me, and what this Cult Leader must accomplish."
At Wi Jin-hak's words, Hyeok-ryeon Cheon-gang inexplicably recalled what Il-mok had said.
'The eldest young master is also a vessel for the Cult Leader, wasn't it?'
Perhaps that young youngest young master had a keener eye for people than he did.
"So, follow and trust this Cult Leader, Hyeok-ryeon Sect Leader. Since you've vowed to follow my youngest, at least as long as he trusts and follows this Wi Jin-hak."
"I shall do so."
As Hyeok-ryeon Cheon-gang bowed his head in respect, Wi Jin-hak nodded in satisfaction and tossed out a jest.
"Ah. Now that you've been assigned as the head of the Demon Slaughter Hall, you might even meet that Hang-geon fellow. Hahaha. He's part of the Demon Slaughter Hall too."
"...I shall seek out this Hang-geon and have a talk with him."
"Hahaha. Do that."
With the light banter concluded, Hyeok-ryeon Cheon-gang paid his respects and left the Cult Leader's Hall.
On his way to the Demon Slaughter Hall's annex to follow Wi Jin-hak's orders.
Hyeok-ryeon Cheon-gang looked up at the sky with a complicated expression and muttered to himself.
"...What close-knit brothers."
* * *
Il-mok struggled to hide his troubled expression.
He was still concealing his affiliation with the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, so an alliance with the Hwangbo Clan was useful in many ways.
He could use them as a shield to hide his identity even longer.
But marriage was problematic.
No matter what, he was the young master of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult and now the Cult Leader's junior brother—marrying a woman from one of the Seven Great Orthodox Clans?
'...At least I'm glad I sent Seon-a away.'
Il-mok briefly entertained such trivial thoughts before snapping back to reality and wrestling with his dilemma.
How could he reject the woman's proposal without ruining relations with the Hwangbo Clan?
As he pondered without finding an easy answer.
Unexpected salvation arrived.
"Incarnation!! N-Nuns and Taoists have come to the Gwangwon Branch! From the Emei Sect and Qingcheng Sect!"
It wasn't particularly welcome salvation.
'It's starting already.'
He had a gut feeling his headache was about to get serious.
* * *
Inside the carriage.
A woman with a burly frame unbefitting her gender sat with another whose face was veiled in thin silk.
"...Marriage after only meeting twice seems a bit much, doesn't it?"
At Hwangbo Yeon's worried question, Hwangbo Se-hee smiled faintly and replied.
"Plenty of women marry men they've never even met once, let alone twice. If Father didn't cherish me so, I'd be in the same boat."
"That's true, but that's exactly why you should choose carefully."
If she got tangled with some shady character, Father would surely raze his clan and sect to the ground.
Hwangbo Yeon swallowed such inner thoughts.
"That's why I brought up marriage. I've only seen him twice in person, but from those around him, I hear he's worth knowing."
She wasn't referring to the women who followed the Incarnation today.
The two had stayed in Nanju for days, waiting for Maitreya's Incarnation.
"I've never seen a place where people live so happily. Not even including Shandong where our Hwangbo Clan is based."
Every day, they could witness common folk praising the Maitreya Cult.
It wasn't forced, nor did it involve drugs or brainwashing.
The Maitreya Cult bestowed various mercies upon the common folk, and those moved by it followed of their own volition.
"Not only did they grow the Maitreya Cult into such a force in just a few years, but they did so without exploiting the people—instead granting them such benevolence. Doesn't that leave no doubt about his character and ability?"
"...True, but public competence and private matters are separate. There are plenty of upright, capable men who are lechers. Why else would they coin that silly term 'hero among men, lecher in bed'?"
"No need to worry about that."
As Hwangbo Yeon looked at her sister puzzled, she removed her veil and smiled softly.
"When I mentioned marriage, I saw it in his eyes. Far from pleased, he looked downright troubled. Even after seeing my face."
"...So you deliberately removed the veil to test him."
"It wasn't a test. Honestly, I never expected that reaction. But it convinced me my eyes weren't wrong."
Seeing her sister fully smitten, Hwangbo Yeon sighed.
"Still, don't do it again. It risks attracting greedy thugs with wandering eyes."
At her worried sister's expression, Hwangbo Se-hee replaced her veil and replied.
"I won't do it again, so forgive me this time."
"Fine. I'll let it slide this once."
Silence filled the carriage afterward, until Hwangbo Se-hee broke it.
"How will the Maitreya Cult move?"
"...They probably won't withdraw from Sachun."
Hwangbo Yeon answered cautiously, then glanced sideways at the carriage wall.
The carriage they rode wasn't heading to Shandong, but south.
Hwangbo Se-hee's marriage talk wasn't an official Hwangbo Clan decision. She'd brought it up on her own.
But the alliance discussions were serious.
Hwangbo Yeon was heading to Sachun to observe if allying with them was truly wise.
Chasing Maitreya's Incarnation.
* * *
Gwangwon County, northern Sachun Province.
Il-mok, who had ridden a carriage from Nanju, headed straight to the Maitreya Cult's branch upon arrival.
Four maidservants followed him, and the two Hwangbo women accompanied as well.
Il-mok had accepted their company because of Hwangbo Yeon's words.
- If it's conflict with the Nine Great Sects and Eight Great Clans, we can mediate to keep things from escalating.
Since they offered to take the Maitreya Cult's side, there was no need to turn them away.
Upon arriving at the branch with them, they found nuns in monastic robes and Taoists in Daoist crowns blocking the entrance.
Sensing the approaching presences, their gazes turned uniformly to Il-mok.
"You must be Maitreya's Incarnation?"
A Qingcheng Sect elder, recognizing Il-mok's mask, posed the question.
"Indeed, but what business brings you to our Maitreya Cult?"
"Ha. What a shameless cur."
The elderly Emei Sect nun glared at Il-mok as she spoke, prompting the maidservants behind him to exude fierce auras.
Il-mok raised a hand to calm them, then asked again.
"Did you come just to pick a fight? It'd be appreciated if you explained your exact reason."
As the old Emei nun seemed about to erupt at Il-mok's words, the Qingcheng Taoist elder stepped forward first.
"I am Qingmok of Qingcheng. This is Extinction Nun of Emei. Our reason for coming is simple. Sachun has always been territory guarded by our two sects, so we've come to tell you to withdraw."
At True Person Qingmok's succinct explanation, Il-mok tilted his head.
"Withdraw? I haven't the foggiest what you mean."
"Are you here to play word games? While we Emei and Qingcheng waged war against the Blood Cult, didn't you vermin sneakily seize this place!"
This time, before True Person Qingmok could intervene, Extinction Nun bellowed like she was seizing.
"...I've no idea what nonsense you're spouting. Seize? We merely cared for the local common folk. So, are you telling us now not to help them?"
With that, Il-mok let out an overt hollow laugh.
"How absurd. What right do you have to stop us from aiding the common folk?"
"You cur!! Do you think we came here for wordplay!!"
As the furious Extinction Nun could no longer hold back and reached for her right flank.
"That sword."
A horrific aura emanated from Il-mok's body, crushing Extinction Nun.
"If you draw it, you'll die."