Chapter 219
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 219
Chapter Title: Assault on the Foggy Capital 1
Mu-heun pulled back the curtain he had set up in the abandoned house. He sent Cheon-hyang flying outside the city walls, which seemed to be over ten li high.
Then, he expanded his senses to survey the surroundings. He could feel the fiends clad in black cloth searching for the disappeared wandering spirit.
Mu-heun closed his eyes for a moment...
'King Chiyou... It is said, *the flames of desire burn the body, leading eventually to a sea of suffering*. Why do you endlessly covet what even Emperor Yan could not achieve?'
...He made his decision.
"First, we take down the fiends."
Mu-heun's voice was firm and carried weight.
His words were met with a natural response.
Seol Ha-ryeong, Pa-sun, and Un-pyo.
They did not doubt Mu-heun's path,
and at his words, they raised their weapons.
"The fiends in black cloth are not that strong. I will move first to take them down, so you all keep a lookout."
"Yes, Cult Leader."
In an instant, Mu-heun shot forward, pursuing the fiends who were searching for the wandering spirit.
The missing wandering spirit. It was a sacrifice that had to be delivered. If anything happened to the offering...
...the fiends transporting it would be offered as sacrifices themselves. That was why they frantically searched through abandoned houses and alleyways.
Unaware that they were being isolated and targeted.
Mu-heun soon found the isolated fiends one by one and thrust his Sun and Moon Sword into them.
*Shunk!*
"Ah, wha—!"
As Mu-heun thrust the Sun and Moon Sword, a violet mist rose with it—a spell within the mist designed to break the curse that bound the wandering spirit's soul.
*Fwoosh*
With a powerful burst of fire, the fiend vanished without even a single scream. Mu-heun eliminated all the fiends and advanced steadily. Toward the center of the capital.
* * *
The center of the capital.
There stood Gumang, one of the Five Element Gods. His appearance was almost identical to a human's. Two eyes, one nose, two ears, one mouth.
However.
Gumang's skin was inhumanly pale, his eyes were covered in green, and his pupils were jet black.
Armor adorned with light green feathers.
A dark green robe.
The giant green fan held behind his back was made of something resembling bird feathers.
Gumang read the letter from Chiyou and murmured.
"The suffering of not getting what one desires..."
Chiyou had made a single demand of Gumang.
[They say not getting what you want is suffering. Grant me the position of the Central Heavenly Emperor.]
The position of the Central Heavenly Emperor.
To achieve that,
he needed to gather as many souls as possible.
The souls of monsters and ghost spirits are impure. Therefore, using human souls as a sacrifice to resurrect the power of the dead Emperor Yan and bring forth a vision of hell...
That was the only way to stand against the Heavenly Emperor.
For this purpose, Gumang was reinforcing his forces, as part of the resurrection ritual.
The Eight Legions who protect the Buddhist law. Deva, Naga, Yaksha, Gandharva, Asura, Garuda, Kinnara, and Mahoraga.
Now, six of them had been defeated and were unusable.
'To think the Rakshasas would be defeated by the warriors of the Central Plains. I truly underestimated the humans.'
Just then, two Rakshasas stood behind Gumang.
Asura and Yaksha.
"Mahoraga, sent to Hubei, was defeated. Kinnara and Garuda, sent to the Demonic Cult, are also dead. After the apostate monk joined the Martial Alliance of the Central Plains, Deva, Naga, and Gandharva were also taken down. All that remains are you two, Yaksha and Asura."
"Please send us. We will take care of them all."
"Enough. You are the strongest among the Rakshasas. The power of the Central Plains warriors is not to be trifled with. We must act cautiously until Houtu resurrects the power of Emperor Yan and delivers it to King Chiyou."
"...Understood."
"..."
Asura had six arms, each holding a fire blade like the Flame Hell Saber wielded by the Flame Demon. Yaksha, on the other hand, had four arms, each gripping a long spear.
Just then, a Rakshasa who had come to report called out to Gumang.
"Gumang..."
"What is it?"
"I have something to report. It's not a major issue, but I felt I should inform you..."
"What is it?"
"Today, some spirits went to capture a wandering spirit hiding on the outskirts of the capital. However, they have all suddenly vanished."
"Vanished?"
"Yes... Even the wandering spirit is said to have disappeared."
"What do you mean? I placed a binding spell directly on their souls. If they died, their souls should have returned. How could they have vanished?"
"That... We have no way of knowing. All we can say is that they suddenly vanished..."
"..."
Gumang was lost in thought for a moment.
'Could it be the one who caused the mass disappearance of ghost spirits in Hubei before?'
"Are there no intruders?"
"...Well, we found traces of an attack by the gatekeepers."
"Don't tell me the gatekeepers were destroyed?"
"No. There wasn't a single scratch on them."
"Then?"
"The gatekeepers were fine. However, we couldn't find any trace of what might be the intruder's body."
"So there are signs the gatekeepers attacked, and they are unharmed, but there's no body or blood from the intruder? No trace at all?"
"That is correct."
"I have a bad feeling about this."
Gumang commanded Yaksha and Asura.
"There is an intruder. We cannot afford any problems when we have yet to resurrect the Rakshasas who have died. Find the intruder immediately. And... if possible, capture them alive."
"Understood."
"However, we do not know the enemy's strength. If you determine that capturing them alive is impossible, kill them immediately. Furthermore, if by some chance you judge them to be beyond your capabilities, call for me at once."
"Yes, Gumang!"
* * *
Two hours had passed since Mu-heun entered the fog barrier and spread the Myriad Fragrance. Using the principles of the Thousand-Mile Subtle Fragrance, the Myriad Fragrance had spread throughout the foggy capital, and Mu-heun examined the barrier made of fog.
And he began to understand. The barrier's structure, the principles that sustained it, its weaknesses, and also that the divine object maintaining it was at the center of the capital.
'The spinning wheel at the center. That's it. Some kind of water imbued with divine power is continuously turning the wheel. And that is what's creating the fog.'
The spinning wheel turned, creating fog. And that fog flowed toward four pillars located near the capital's walls.
'I see.'
The spinning wheel is merely a tool for creating the fog.
The pillars are what cast the barrier over the entire capital.
The four pillars, placed in the four cardinal directions.
They must be the catalysts that envelop the entire capital in a barrier.
The divine objects used by the assistant god, Gumang... A spinning wheel and pillars.
Just then, Mu-heun sensed something else.
The movements of the enemy had become frantic.
"This is..."
Someone among the enemy had clearly noticed.
That there was an intruder in the capital, which was surrounded by a fog barrier.
Mu-heun quickly gave his orders.
"There is something you all must do now."
The Soul-Chaser and Dok-chwi. Un-pyo, Pa-sun, and Seol Ha-ryeong's faces lit up at the fact that they finally had a task.
"Just give us the order, Cult Leader. We'll do anything."
"From now on, you will split into four directions and destroy the pillars. Can you do it?"
Pa-sun and Un-pyo replied as if they had been waiting for this very moment.
"We will accomplish it, even if it costs us our lives."
"No, do not sacrifice your lives. If you encounter an enemy stronger than you, you must flee. From my own experience, the fiends in black cloth are not that strong. At best, they are on the level of transcendent masters. However, there is no guarantee that there aren't stronger enemies, so be cautious. Retreat is not cowardice. If you meet a powerful foe, flee without hesitation and wait for the next opportunity."
"...Yes, Cult Leader."
"Ha-ryeong, Un-pyo, and Pa-sun, you will move alone. Carry out your missions based on your experiences so far."
"Yes, Cult Leader!"
"Remember. Your mission is not to annihilate the enemy, but to destroy the pillars. Do you understand?"
"Understood."
"And... Soul-Chaser. Even with Dok-chwi, if you run into fiends along the way, your chances of dying are high. You are... too weak."
"...You're right."
"Therefore, you will move with the Heavenly Demonic Corpse, Hyeok."
Mu-heun took out a ghost spirit talisman and summoned Hyeok.
"When Yang reaches its peak, it transforms into Yin,
and when Yin reaches its peak, it transforms into Yang.
As Heaven holds no principle of endless slaughter,
and nature does not intend for all to die,
where there is shade, there must also be light."
A black shadow shimmered, and the Heavenly Demonic Corpse, Hyeok, emerged.
"Soul-Chaser, use Dok-chwi to find the pillars. Then guide Hyeok so he can destroy them."
"I will obey your command, Cult Leader."
After giving all his commands, Mu-heun looked at his subordinates and said gently,
"A great battle may lie ahead, so act in a way that conserves as much of your strength as possible."
"Yes, Cult Leader!"
"Then... move out."
"Sir!"
* * *
The Alliance Leader of the Martial Alliance, Du Baek, stood on the slopes of Mount Ahapradal, gazing at a vast fog. The area enveloped by the immense fog was where Yongcheon should have been, according to the map.
However, even when he focused his senses, he couldn't feel Yongcheon, or anything at all. It was as if the space within the fog was simply a void, containing nothing.
"Cult Leader Baek... I came because you called, but what on earth is inside there?"
The Alliance Leader, Du Baek. After receiving the letter Mu-heun sent via carrier hawk, he had begun discussions with the Soul-Stealing Immortal and the key figures of the Orthodox Sects.
The letter read as follows.
[Transcendent beings that threaten the entire Central Plains. I have found a clue regarding their existence. The location is a royal palace on Mount Ahapradal in Qinghai Province.
However, it will be impossible to enter through conventional means...
And even if we do get inside, without knowing the enemy's current strength, we risk being annihilated.
Therefore, I intend to go in first to assess the enemy's strength and movements, and then request support.
The reason I, the leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, am making this request to you, Alliance Leader, is simple. This is not a problem for the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult alone.
As you all experienced in Hubei Province, I trust I need not say more.
So, I implore you to grant my request.
Please gather the absolute masters of the Martial Alliance on the slopes of Mount Ahapradal.
I ask this of you once more.]
The opinion within the Orthodox Sects,
was not without opposition to mobilizing such forces based on the word of the Demonic Cult's leader. However, since the absolute masters who would be participating in the battle themselves stepped forward, there was no justification to stop them.
And so, the masters gathered.
The Alliance Leader, Du Baek.
The Plum Blossom Sword Venerable, Jin Hong.
The Taiji Sword Emperor, Mu Jin-hyeon.
And Gu Hak, the apostate monk now excommunicated from Shaolin.
They were already absolute masters before, but with Mu-heun's message and the help of Gu Hak, a master of the Life and Death Realm, they had all grown by at least two stages.
The Life and Death Realm. A state of reaching the ultimate pinnacle.
The Taiji Sword Emperor, Mu Jin-hyeon, who had been the last to reach the peak of the Profound Realm, finally achieved enlightenment, and all four of them ascended to the Life and Death Realm.
Currently, there was no one in the Central Plains martial world who could stand against these four.
Save for one person.
The second Heavenly Demon of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, Baek Mu-heun.
Furthermore, Jin Hong, Mu Jin-hyeon, and Du Baek were eagerly anticipating their reunion with Mu-heun.
"I wonder how much he'll surprise us this time..."
Just then.
*Pssssssst!*
A current of energy sparked in the fog, and Cheon-hyang shot out.
*Screech!*