Chapter 345
Chapter 345
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 345
>Chapter Title: Inferior Fools Do Not Change (3)
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Il-mok replied, feigning nonchalance.
“You hit the nail on the head. With the Blood Cult's atrocities plunging the common people into misery, we must save them, mustn't we?”
Huangbo Se-hee's curiosity piqued by Il-mok's response, she asked again.
“What was the Western Regions like? I've never been there myself, so I'm quite curious.”
“The Western Regions...”
Il-mok trailed off, then began recounting his experiences there as if lost in fond memories.
“Starting from the passes beyond the steppe paths into the Western Regions, even among the nomads, many had converted to the Huihui faith. But calling them Huihui believers was a stretch—they were no different from bandits.”
The betrayal and ambushes that marked his first journey.
“After enduring those repeated attacks, we finally reached what could be called the first real city in the Western Regions. The most powerful family there invited us in, only to serve us food laced with poison.”
The ambush by the Bazakh family in Samarkand after the bandits. And even the events in Merv.
“In the end, after all that hardship, we managed to sell our goods at a good price. Then, on our way back to the Central Plains from Merv, over a hundred bandits attacked us. Turns out, they were soldiers from that Omar family who had bought our goods.”
As the endless chain of ambushes and betrayals unfolded in the tale, the expressions of the Huangbo daughters and True Person Qingmu shifted in various ways.
“Those people have no shame at all.”
“Good heavens... The Western Regions sound like a den of demons.”
As Huangbo Se-hee and Qingmu vented their disdain for the Huihui followers, Il-mok shrugged once and said,
“Thanks to traversing those perilous routes for trade, we gained much. We earned enough to help the common folk, and we even broke through the wall.”
At Il-mok's mention of breaking through the wall, True Person Qingmu and Huangbo Yeon showed keen interest.
“Goodness. You've gained an opportunity that's no mere opportunity.”
“Is that true?”
To Huangbo Yeon's question, Il-mok replied,
“Didn't Kwon Bong gain enlightenment from his war with the Blood Cult? It was the same for this incarnation. The head of the Bazakh family who ambushed us in Samarkand was a skilled sorcerer, and that warrior from the Omar family was a master on the verge of the Profound Realm.”
Having heard Il-mok's full story, the three fell silent, each processing their thoughts with varied expressions.
Among them, True Person Qingmu, stroking his beard in contemplation, soon sighed and spoke.
“Goodness. You've assembled a caravan that braves such hardships to and from the Western Regions, so it would be terribly rude to ask to join your trading venture.”
Il-mok inwardly breathed a sigh of relief at True Person Qingmu's words.
That was precisely why he had detailed his grueling journey through the Western Regions.
It was a way of saying: We suffered this much to carve out this trade route—don't even dream of dipping your spoon in.
Fortunately, True Person Qingmu was a man of shame, and he gave up without lingering regrets.
“Do we really need to go all the way to the Western Regions? Why not start with an escort agency?”
“An escort agency, you say?”
“Indeed. With the fame and strength of Qingcheng Sect, securing commissions shouldn't be hard. It might be tough to gather offerings to distribute widely to the common people, but at least you could earn enough to feed and clothe your young disciples.”
True Person Qingmu pondered Il-mok's suggestion briefly before nodding.
“Infinite merits. It's worth a try.”
* * *
Having sought counsel from the Maitreya Illuminated Cult, True Person Qingmu traveled for several more days before returning to Qingcheng Sect.
The sect exuded an air of disarray, and the elders and disciples who had been scattered across Sichuan had all returned to the sect.
“Has something happened, Sect Leader Brother?”
To True Person Qingmu's question, the sect leader, who was with the elders, replied.
“Actually, the outer hall leader from Emei Sect visited yesterday.”
“Was it because of me, by any chance?”
“Indeed. He came to ask if your actions were your own decision or the will of all Qingcheng.”
The Qingcheng sect leader recalled the Emei outer hall leader who had visited the day before.
The Emei side had been openly demanding Qingmu's head.
“So, I told him it was the will of all Qingcheng.”
“I am deeply sorry.”
“Enough. Even if it was your independent action, how could we cast you out? We're Qingcheng, after all.”
“Sect Leader Brother...”
As True Person Qingmu gazed at the sect leader with a moved expression, the sect leader cleared his throat awkwardly and said,
“Ahem. So, how did it go? Did you find a solution?”
“Yes, Sect Leader Brother.”
“Good. What is this solution?”
“How about running an escort agency?”
The sect leader's expression hardened at True Person Qingmu's bright smile.
“Is... is the grand solution you came up with just an escort agency?”
A wave of regret suddenly crashed over the sect leader.
‘...To think I trusted this man and picked a fight with Emei Sect.’
The other elders seemed to share the sentiment, chiming in one after another.
“Brother Qingmu, how can a Daoist of Qingcheng Sect stoop to running errands in the secular world for petty coin?”
“Who would want to join Qingcheng after seeing such an unseemly sight?”
True Person Qingmu's bright smile faded into a frown at the elders' criticisms.
“Isn't becoming an escort at least better than driving out innocent sects as demonic outlaws and extorting gold from the common people?”
“Brother! That's going too far.”
“Exactly. Extorting gold, you say!”
“Enough! Face reality! Were you all truly unbothered? Roaming Sichuan, bullying minor and mid-tier sects—did that not shame you?”
“......”
The elders fell silent at Qingmu's stern rebuke.
Not just from the pang of conscience his words struck.
‘The sect leader brother was right after all.’
‘They say Brother Qingmu broke through the wall...’
They were also overwhelmed by the profound, refreshing aura emanating from Qingmu.
“You say no disciples will join because of our unseemly appearance? Let me turn that around. Would children who wish to join after seeing us act with such tyranny truly be worthy disciples of Qingcheng?”
“......”
As the elders had no reply, the sect leader stepped forward.
“I understand your intent, so calm down.”
“...My apologies. I was rude in front of you, Sect Leader Brother.”
As Qingmu gathered his aura, clasped his hands in salute, and bowed his head, the sect leader nodded.
“Good, as long as you understand. So, who will you entrust this escort agency to? You need a responsible leader.”
“I will take charge of it myself.”
The sect leader asked in a dubious tone at True Person Qingmu's calm reply.
“You personally?”
“Yes. Since my stubbornness led to this, I should at least take responsibility. Moreover, I feel no shame whatsoever in working as an escort for the agency.”
Answering confidently, Qingmu added with a clear smile,
“Rather than just cultivating the Dao on the mountain, mingling with the people of the world as an escort might be helpful too, Sect Leader Brother.”
It was because of the stories he had heard from the Maitreya incarnation.
Perhaps while traveling the rivers and lakes as an escort, he might find the key to breaking through that final wall.
At the sight of True Person Qingmu, who seemed endlessly pure, the sect leader sighed and spoke.
“Sigh, Brother. You have no experience even buying anything yourself, let alone running an escort agency. Do you plan to ruin Qingcheng's name from the start?”
“......”
At the sect leader's pointed remark, True Person Qingmu awkwardly averted his gaze, avoiding eye contact.
* * *
A few days later. At the Martial Alliance near Lake Dongting.
Just as Emei's outer hall leader had visited Qingcheng Sect, a few Emei disciples arrived there with a letter.
The letter, stamped with the Emei sect leader's seal, was delivered to Alliance Leader Cheok Pae-myeong, who, upon reading it, summoned Chief Strategist Gong Son-hyeon to the alliance lord's hall.
“Read it.”
At the alliance leader's command, Gong Son-hyeon quickly scanned the letter.
Having confirmed its contents, Gong Son-hyeon set it down and asked,
“What a coincidence, Alliance Leader.”
“Hahaha. Is that your thought as well, Chief Strategist?”
“Indeed. After dealing with the Blood Cult, wasn't the Maitreya Illuminated Cult next on our list?”
The alliance leader nodded at the chief strategist's question.
“If they had obediently submitted to us, it would be one thing, but they showed no intention of following this alliance leader.”
“They obstruct Your Excellency's will to unite all the righteous sects of the Central Plains. For such folk to provide us with justification on a silver platter feels like the heavens themselves side with you.”
“Heaven's will, indeed. Quite so. Hahaha.”
The alliance leader, wearing a satisfied expression, then asked the chief strategist,
“The issue is the method. What do you think? According to the Emei sect leader's letter, it seems the Huangbo family harbors other intentions.”
“As Your Excellency says. Thus, we should finish it before Huangbo reinforcements arrive. Fortunately, Shandong where the Huangbo are and Sichuan are far apart, so we have time.”
So saying, Gong Son-hyeon raised a sudden concern.
“One potential issue is if Emei gets counterattacked by the Maitreya Illuminated Cult, but in your view, Alliance Leader, how strong was their foundation?”
Shortly after the Blood Cult's uprising, the alliance leader recalled his personal visit to the Maitreya Illuminated Cult.
“That incarnation fellow wasn't bad, but still short of the Profound Realm. Even after a few years, it won't have changed much. Emei won't fall so easily.”
“Then, if we prepare and reach Sichuan before the Huangbo reinforcements, that should settle it.”
Replying thus, Gong Son-hyeon added with a cold sneer,
“And if we then execute the Huangbo who come as reinforcements alongside Emei, on the pretext of colluding with the deviant Maitreya Illuminated Cult, it would be killing two birds with one stone.”
“Hahaha. As expected of the chief strategist. If we seize this opportunity well, we can deal with the disloyal Huangbo family in one fell swoop.”
They exchanged wordless smiles for a moment.
Chief Strategist Gong Son-hyeon clasped his hands and spoke.
“My congratulations, Alliance Leader. Your dream is now within reach.”
“Hohoho. Unlike you, Chief Strategist. The matter isn't finished yet.”
“After executing the Maitreya Illuminated Cult and Huangbo family, only one task remains.”
At Chief Strategist Gong Son-hyeon's words, the Martial Alliance Leader nodded gravely and gazed west.
Unite the Central Plains' forces and invade the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
That was the goal Martial Alliance Leader Cheok Pae-myeong had dreamed of for so long.
* * *
While the alliance leader and chief strategist, having read the Emei sect leader's letter, prepared to aid Emei...
After burying Extermination Divine Nun's body, over two hundred nuns stood in formation before the stone pagoda erected in her honor.
Some wore sorrowful faces, others resolute ones, as they bowed toward the pagoda.
Once the final rites concluded.
The sect leader, having bowed to Extermination Divine Nun's pagoda, turned toward the main gate, infusing her shout with inner energy.
“Open the mountain gate! The time has come to bring heavenly punishment upon those deviants!”
Emei's nuns followed behind Golden Bell Divine Nun, radiating a solemn aura.