Chapter 174: A Clever Move (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 174: A Clever Move (1)
The Diancang Sect is perched atop Mount Diancang, the primary peak at the southern tip of the Yunling Mountain Range.
Its vast territory spans nineteen peaks, stretching from Dengchun in the north to Xiaguan and the Heavenly Bridge in the south. These majestic summits, some soaring over ten li high, stand in disciplined rows with crystalline streams weaving between them—a sight that never fails to draw gasps of awe from those who behold it.
The mountain's scenery is beyond exquisite; the entire range is draped in such lush greenery that breathtaking vistas can be found at every turn. However, Mount Diancang offers more than just simple beauty. It is also a place of mystery, home to the legend of the "Husband-Watching Cloud"—a phenomenon born from the ever-changing mists of the mountains—boasting a landscape so ethereal it seems fit for immortals.
"Ho-oh..."
Go Ju-gang marveled at the breathtaking vista. Beside him, someone spoke to the Leader of the Martial Alliance with a hint of irritation.
"It seems the Alliance Leader has quite a bit of leisure time on his hands?"
The speaker was Won Hyo-ja, the Sect Leader of Diancang.
"As I grow older, I finally understand why the high priests and virtuous monks choose to live in seclusion within deep mountains and dark valleys," Go Ju-gang chuckled, stroking his greasy, plump face. "The scenery of Diancang is something one never tires of. If I could, I’d throw away the position of Alliance Leader and everything else just to secure a single room to stay in here."
"...You flatter us. But if we are discussing mountain scenery, is Mount Hua not the most exquisite of all?" Won Hyo-ja replied, his brow furrowing slightly.
"Haha. I've seen Mount Hua so often that I've grown quite bored of it."
Bored, my foot.
Won Hyo-ja knew full well that the Alliance Leader rarely visited Mount Hua. Though Go Ju-gang acted noble and detached from worldly affairs, Won Hyo-ja knew exactly what kind of man he was. The Alliance Leader was a quintessential seeker of power. If he had any lingering affection for anything, it was for the Mount Hua Sect, where he had originated.
Though they were currently holding hands because their interests aligned, the Sect Leader of Diancang felt as if he had let a wolf into his home.
"Are the affairs of the Alliance not keeping you busy?"
It was a subtle hint for his guest to depart—a polite way of asking him to stop being a nuisance.
"I am busy. That is precisely why I try to find moments of leisure. If one does not deliberate carefully, even the best-laid plans can go awry."
"Haha..."
Won Hyo-ja cursed inwardly again. Go Ju-gang was not the type to miss a hint; his behavior meant he intended to keep loitering at another sect's headquarters. In truth, one could not offer meager hospitality to someone of the Alliance Leader's stature and his entourage. No matter how one felt, he was a prestigious guest. Just feeding and housing them was enough to make the sound of the granary emptying audible.
I truly cannot stand this.
Just as Won Hyo-ja straightened his posture, intending to issue a firmer request for him to leave—
"This old man is merely counting the days until he dies of old age anyway. If I were to name one remaining interest, it would be settling the debts of gratitude I have received over the years. Is it not the same for Diancang?"
"What 'gratitude' are you referring to?"
"I speak of Qingcheng."
"..."
Won Hyo-ja’s expression crumpled.
Gratitude toward Qingcheng? A grudge would be a more accurate description. The bitter rivalry, inherited from the previous generation, had only festered over time. Now, the mere mention of "Qingcheng" was enough to make the members of the Diancang Sect foam at the mouth.
Especially after losing Goma—the "Old Demon" of the Four Demons of the Martial World and a secret elder-level master—at the recent Martial Demonstration Gathering, the relationship between the two sects had reached its absolute nadir.
"That 'gratitude.' I am deeply troubled over how to repay it."
"Haha. If that is the case, this old man might be able to offer a little help."
The Alliance Leader grinned and gave a meaningful look. Won Hyo-ja frowned and waved his hand.
"Is there not a saying that a gentleman’s revenge is not too late even after ten years? If we wait, the time will come."
Diancang’s revenge would be carried out by Diancang’s hands. Revenge taken through the hands of another leaves a bitter aftertaste. Above all, he had a premonition that owing a debt to someone as calculating as Go Ju-gang would lead to lifelong regret.
The Alliance Leader spoke. "Well, the time will surely come. However, I worry this old body will return to dust before that moment arrives."
"You speak too humbly. The Alliance Leader's assistance has already been more than enough."
Won Hyo-ja shook his head again. In fact, rumors were already spreading like wildfire throughout the Jianghu, and Go Ju-gang had played a major role in that.
— I heard Qingcheng has mastered demonic arts.
— There are rumors the Martial Alliance will hold Qingcheng accountable.
— I heard Qingcheng killed a master from the Diancang Sect, one of their fellow Nine Great Sects.
In the Orthodox path, justification is a formidable power. If there were a few individuals capable of intentionally shifting the political landscape of the martial world, the Leader of the Martial Alliance would certainly be among them.
"I say this because even that might not be enough."
"Even after the measures you've already taken?" Won Hyo-ja asked with a strange expression.
Go Ju-gang had already sent an official declaration to the Qingcheng Sect. It was only natural that Ji Jung had lent a hand, as he was a member of the Diancang Sect. Since the envoy sent to Qingcheng included the Vice-Chancellor of the Martial Alliance, everything Go Ju-gang and Diancang intended was proceeding smoothly.
If he was still lingering despite that...
Wasn't his goal to redirect the arrows aimed at him toward Qingcheng? Is there something more?
Won Hyo-ja tried to decipher the Alliance Leader's inner thoughts, his expression complicated. But he couldn't grasp anything. Unexpectedly, the answer arrived a few days later via a messenger.
*
"What did you just say?"
Won Hyo-ja stared at the three men prostrating before him—Nok Gwi-bo, Gwi Cheon-neung, and Ji Jung—and asked again. It wasn't because he hadn't heard the story; he simply couldn't believe his ears.
Gwi Cheon-neung, his face pale, barely managed to open his mouth. "...Yes. I shall report it once more, Sect Leader."
Despite his severe internal injuries, he repeated the same words as before. Even he, known as the "Cold-Blooded Scholar" of Diancang, understood why Won Hyo-ja was asking him to repeat himself. What had happened was that nonsensical—it was far beyond common sense.
"...And so, the Shaolin Sect intervened, resulting in them siding with Seok Myeong of Qingcheng. In the end, we stepped forward to handle it ourselves, but..."
"But!" Won Hyo-ja’s words were sharp.
Gwi Cheon-neung swallowed the blood rising in his throat and bowed his head low. "We were defeated. All three of us."
"Ha..."
Won Hyo-ja was momentarily speechless. Before the stunned Sect Leader, the blunt Nok Gwi-bo lowered his head.
"I... I have no excuses, Sect Leader. Our incompetence has tarnished Diancang’s name. Ugh!"
"You... You...!"
Won Hyo-ja’s hands trembled as if he were gripped by a fever before he snatched up his sword.
"You madmen! Do you still call yourselves elders of the great Diancang Sect?!"
Clang!
"How?! Against a single first-generation disciple! How could you lose even after all three of you attacked?! How dare you return alive after dragging our sect's name through the mud!"
Whoosh!
Just as the Sect Leader, his rage reaching its peak, was about to swing his sword to execute the elders himself—
Thud.
"Please, calm yourself for a moment." Go Ju-gang, the Alliance Leader, caught his sleeve.
"Let go! This is an internal matter of my sect!" Won Hyo-ja’s rage flared even higher.
It is human nature to get angrier when someone tries to stop you. Especially in this situation, where Diancang had been trampled by Qingcheng without even putting up a fight.
"I have no face to show my ancestors! I must wash away this disgrace even if I have to execute them right now!"
If this pathetic display were to spread through the Jianghu, the disciples of Diancang would never be able to hold their heads high again. Won Hyo-ja himself felt as if he might collapse from vomiting blood at any moment.
"That boy Seok Myeong's martial arts. Do they not strike you as strange?"
Drip.
At Go Ju-gang's words, Won Hyo-ja’s hand paused. "...What do you mean?"
"According to the Alliance's investigation, he is barely over thirty years old. Even if he had practiced martial arts since he was in his mother's womb, it should be impossible for him to defeat an outstanding master like Goma. Furthermore..."
Was it intentional? The Alliance Leader’s eyes turned toward Nok Gwi-bo, Gwi Cheon-neung, and Ji Jung, who were kneeling on the floor.
"...to defeat three elders of Diancang simultaneously is simply unheard of."
"Grrr...!"
"Regain your composure, Sect Leader! I have no intention of insulting your noble sect! How can you not see that something is wrong?!"
Grip!
Won Hyo-ja, who was about to have another outburst, struggled against Go Ju-gang’s grip. After huffing and puffing for a long while, the Sect Leader of Diancang finally seemed to cool his head and lowered the hand holding his sword.
"...I see now that the Alliance Leader has something specific he wishes to say." Reason momentarily returned to eyes that had been clouded by rage.
"I know a few things. Could you clear the room for a moment?" The Alliance Leader nodded.
"Hmph."
Won Hyo-ja’s expression soured as if he had bitten into something rotten, and he let out a long sigh. "Everyone, get out! I don't want to see your faces!"
"Yes..."
Staggering, the three men who had returned from their crushing defeat retreated, supported by first-generation disciples.
Slam!
Once they were gone, Won Hyo-ja struck the desk with his palm to vent his remaining anger. "Fine. What is it that the illustrious Alliance Leader wishes to say? I am all ears, so speak."
He knew he was being sarcastic to the wrong person, but he couldn't help it. Won Hyo-ja was currently exercising all the patience he would normally use in a lifetime.
"Let us just look at the situation accurately, Sect Leader. As you heard, Seok Myeong's martial arts were verified by Shaolin's Green Jade Buddha Staff. Therefore, for now, they are considered Orthodox martial arts."
"That's preposterous...!"
"Indeed. It makes no sense. But it is the reality. Unless you intend to deny a sacred relic of Shaolin, this is already a settled matter. It cannot be undone."
"..."
Grind!
The sound of teeth grinding leaked from Won Hyo-ja’s closed mouth. Shaolin. While none of the Nine Great Sects were easy to deal with, if one had to pick the strongest sect under heaven, Shaolin would always be on that list. Won Hyo-ja was furious, but he was not a stupid man by nature.
"So? What is your point?"
"As you saw for yourself, Sect Leader, during the Martial Demonstration Gathering, that boy Seok Myeong was clearly using an ominous black ink energy. That such energy could transform into a brilliant, five-colored auspicious qi in just a few weeks is something even I cannot understand."
"Stop beating around the bush and get to the point!"
The Alliance Leader chuckled at Won Hyo-ja, whose patience had reached its limit.
Good. Very good.
Anger sometimes blinds a person. To Diancang, Qingcheng was an enemy they could not live under the same sky with. The fact that three Diancang elders had been defeated by a single first-generation disciple of such a sect was more than enough to cloud Won Hyo-ja’s judgment. And in this situation, Diancang would surely play the role he had envisioned for them.
"Before I speak... would you first take a look at this?"
Thud.
The Alliance Leader finally pulled out the card he had been hiding and waiting to play. Won Hyo-ja scanned the title of the book, and his eyes bulged as if they were about to pop out.
"Wh-what?!!"
His shock was natural. Placed before his eyes was one of the most feared demonic arts in the Jianghu.
—The Demonic Energy Absorption Art.
It was the Demonic Energy Absorption Art, known as the legacy of the Heavenly Demon.