Chapter 113: Intrusion (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 113: Intrusion (1)
Deep within a corner of Sichuan, three men dressed in black moved through the shadows.
The man leading the way was short of stature. With his hands tucked deep into his sleeves and his back perpetually hunched, he stood in stark contrast to the two imposing figures following closely behind him.
They navigated a damp, dark alleyway before approaching a building that appeared to be little more than a derelict wooden house. With its door half-broken and hanging off the hinges, the structure looked dilapidated and wretched at a single glance.
Two men in black guarding the entrance spotted the approaching trio and immediately stepped aside to clear the path.
"You are late."
Jeon Yi-yeong turned to greet them as they entered. Inside the room, a woman leaned casually against the wall, while five men lay on the floor. The men were as still as corpses.
"Are these the ones?" Hwang Il-guk, who was at the front of the trio, asked as he scanned the room. His eyes held a mixture of anticipation and concern, as if these individuals were of immense importance.
"They are."
"Are they not dead?"
"Their power has merely been sealed for a time."
"Will there be any issues with the operation?"
"They only have a day to live anyway," Jeon Yi-yeong replied coldly. "And when they die, they self-destruct. There will be no risk of being tracked or followed. Furthermore..." He glanced toward the woman leaning against the wall. "Since Black Lord is personally taking the lead this time, there is no possibility of failure."
At those words, the eyes of the three newcomers turned toward the wall. Standing there was a woman so breathtakingly beautiful she could easily be called an enchantress.
"It has been a long time, Faction Leaders."
"It is a pleasure to see you, Black Lord. You are as radiant as the rumors suggest."
Seop Ji-myeong was the quickest to react, greeting her with a slick smile. He was a man who had exhausted the essence of countless women to master his martial arts through Yin-draining techniques. Naturally, seeing Black Lord’s beauty—a face that could topple kingdoms—his lecherous desires were instantly stirred.
"She is a poisonous flower. I suggest you be careful," Jeon Yi-yeong warned, as if reading the man's thoughts.
Seop Ji-myeong immediately realized his mistake and bowed his head. "I have been disrespectful. Please forgive me."
"It’s fine. It happens all the time," she replied nonchalantly.
This time, Jeong Gu asked, "When do you plan to start?"
"I intend to move tomorrow around the Hour of the Tiger."
"I see."
Jeong Gu did not ask about the probability of success. There was no need. In terms of martial arts alone, she was strong enough that no one in this room could hope to defeat her.
"What is the skill level of those lying there?"
"Similar to the one we released into the Central Plains last time."
"The Geomma from back then? Will that be enough to stir up Qingcheng?"
"It is more than enough."
She raised her hand toward the men on the floor. Her palm began to glow a deep crimson, and a sinister energy started to seep from her fingertips.
Even though the three old men were all masters who surpassed the level of Peak Masters, their faces contorted at the energy Black Lord released. It was only natural, for it was not ordinary qi, but pure Demonic Qi.
Rattle.
At that moment, the "corpses" on the floor began to twitch. Slowly, they opened their eyes and bolted upright. Their gaze was unfocused and hollow, making them look like Jiangshi—a trait shared by all five.
Boom!
Black Lord unleashed her internal power toward the man directly in front of her. However, the moment the energy touched his body, it was immediately neutralized. Despite the significant force—enough to bring the entire house down—the intense true qi merely swirled harmlessly past the old men.
"Their bodies are close to the Diamond Body."
As she lowered her hand, the corpses collapsed back to the floor. They were like spiritual creatures completely submissive to Demonic Qi.
"Is this explanation sufficient?"
The three old men nodded quickly.
"I want to go see them soon," the woman said, smiling as she walked past them. Then, she whispered in a voice so low no one else could hear, "Because there’s a face I’ve been longing to see."
*
"Senior Brother, can you hear me?"
A woman’s voice drifted into the cave, tickling Seok Myeong’s ears. Sunlight filtered through a hole the size of a fist, but because it wasn't angled toward the open sky, only a handful of light made it inside. Still, Seok Myeong could tell it was morning by that faint glow.
"Senior Brother, Senior Brother!" the woman outside called out again.
Seok Myeong, who had been lying haphazardly on the floor, staggered to his feet and approached the wall. "Who is it?"
"It’s me, Yeon-hui."
At that voice, Seok Myeong pressed himself against the wall in surprise. "What is it? More importantly, how did you get all the way here?"
Outside the cave stood the warriors of the Azure Sky Pavilion. They were men who followed only the Sect Leader’s orders. Even if it were a request from the Sect Leader’s own daughter, they wouldn't normally blink an eye.
"I came with permission."
"Permission? From whom?"
"Father."
"The Sect Leader?" Seok Myeong asked, unable to believe it.
"Yes. He also told me to tell you this: if you need help, just say the word."
"I am truly grateful for his words."
After that, he fell silent. Yeon-hui couldn't tell from his reaction whether Seok Myeong was happy or upset.
"Aren't you happy?"
"I am."
"Then why..."
"It's just that I have things to do."
Seok Myeong was genuinely happy about the unexpected meeting with Yeon-hui, but a sense of urgency took priority. He had just finished creating the framework of his swordsmanship. The forms for moving, dodging, and attacking had finally achieved harmony.
However, the task of creating specific initial forms was by no means easy. The forms had to be "living forms." In other words, no matter which form he used, its sharpness had to remain vital. It seemed it would take quite some time to establish that.
When Seok Myeong remained silent, Yeon-hui hesitated before speaking in a small voice. "Are you... perhaps still upset?"
"Huh? About what?"
"About me not defending you last time."
Seok Myeong pondered for a moment, wondering what she was talking about. Then, he tapped his head. Come to think of it, Yeon-hui seemed to still be harboring guilt over that incident.
"No, not at all. I’ve forgotten all about it. Rather, I was happy that you came all the way to the Golden Martial Association to see me, and I was grateful that you didn't lie."
"Really?"
"Yes. You were always by my side when I was having a hard time. And even now, you’ve brought me such good news."
At those words, Yeon-hui’s face gradually brightened. Her gloomy mood seemed to soften.
"Senior Brother, what do you do inside there all day?" Yeon-hui asked, changing the subject.
"In here? I’m just creating martial arts."
"Martial arts?"
"Yes." When Yeon-hui asked, Seok Myeong spoke with pride. "One heart method and one sword technique. Both are martial arts that Qingcheng desperately needs."
"What are their names?"
"The Qingcheng Heart Method and the Qingcheng Sword Technique."
"Pardon...? The names are a bit..."
"Are they strange?"
"No. They’re just... very much like you, Senior Brother."
"Haha, is that so...?" Seok Myeong laughed awkwardly.
The laughter made him feel better. When he was deeply immersed in his training, he hadn't realized how lonely he felt during his brief moments of rest. Talking to Yeon-hui gave him strength, and it made his motivation burn even hotter.
"Oh, right. How is Elder Song Gwan doing?"
"He’s doing well. Except for complaining every day that he has no one to play with."
"And Seok Jun?"
Seok Myeong was worried about Seok Jun. The man had left without saying a word after their duel ended. Being as prideful as he was, he must have been devastated.
"He’s doing well. I thought he’d be depressed, but it was the exact opposite. He even smiles quite often now."
"He smiles? Seok Jun?"
"Yes, I’m telling you, he does."
Seok Myeong and Yeon-hui talked through the cave wall, losing track of time. They chatted so much that they didn't even notice a warrior from the Azure Sky Pavilion approaching.
"Time is up."
At the merciless dismissal, Yeon-hui stood up, swallowing her regret. "Senior Brother, I’m leaving now. It looks like my time is up."
"Alright, get back safely," Seok Myeong said his goodbyes. Like Yeon-hui, his voice lacked its usual energy, betraying his own regret.
There was a moment of silence, and then Yeon-hui shouted from the other side of the cave. "Senior Brother!"
"Yes?"
"As much as you think about the sect... I wish you’d think about me too!"
"What was that?"
"Ah, nothing!"
After that, Yeon-hui’s voice was heard no more. Seok Myeong pondered for a long time, but he couldn't for the life of him figure out what the last part meant.
"You really are a natural-born Taoist, aren't you?"
"Pardon?"
"Never mind."
The warrior of the Azure Sky Pavilion added the comment, sounding completely fed up.
*
That evening.
Light spilled out from the Grand Purity Hall of Qingcheng. An emergency meeting had been called, and people had gathered in a hurry. More than ten elders were present, including those who rarely attended such gatherings.
At the center of the hall sat Sect Leader Song Jeong.
"Who received this letter?" Song Jeong looked around as he placed the parchment he was holding onto the table.
Song Hak, who was standing on the right, took a step forward and bowed. Since all external correspondence for Qingcheng was under his control, he answered personally. "I received it."
"Is it truly from the Samu Alliance, as written?"
At his question, Song Mun took a step forward to confirm. "Upon investigation, the messenger was a man named Muyeop, a confirmed member of the Samu Alliance. It is definitely from them."
"Hmm." Song Jeong cleared his throat and lowered his gaze, re-examining the document.
The contents of the letter were simple. The Golden Martial Association was soon to be integrated into the Samu Alliance. Consequently, they proposed a meeting to re-establish the boundaries of the Association’s existing territories.
A map was attached, showing the Sichuan region with Mount Qingcheng at its center. The territory drawn on the map was extremely favorable to Qingcheng. Not only did it preserve all of Qingcheng’s existing lands, but it also included the Golden Martial Association’s territory within Qingcheng’s sphere of influence. It meant they would hand over two provinces and several counties in the southeast that were currently under the Association's control.
The proposal included a suggestion to meet in person to finalize the details. However, there was a specific condition: they requested that the Sect Leader and at least eight elders attend the meeting.
That was the reason why so many elders were currently gathered in the Grand Purity Hall, debating a deal that seemed almost too good to be true.