Chapter 95
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 95
Chapter Title: The Demonic Cult's Plan
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“I had no idea Scholar Cheon possessed such outstanding martial arts. I can’t fathom why someone like you is still just a scholar. There must be some reason, and I’m curious what it is.”
It sounded like praise if you took it one way, but like mockery if you heard it another.
“I was equally surprised to see Young Master Zhuge in action.”
As the two of us traded stiff remarks, Pang Soun chimed in.
“Brother, haven’t you let go of what happened with Young Master Zhuge at the Nangong Family’s Subduing Horse Court yet?”
“That’s not for me to let go of—it’s for Young Master Zhuge to resolve.”
I spoke calmly.
Perhaps my composure irked him, because Zhuge Dowon suddenly blurted out like he was having a fit.
“Scholar Cheon, are you saying you waited for us all to die before showing up? Your timing was just too perfect. It was almost like you were biding your time until Young Master Dang and my arm were severed...”
Zhuge Dowon still hadn’t shaken his habit of spouting nonsense.
Not even after the humiliation he suffered at the Nangong Family’s Subduing Horse Court.
Before I could even get angry, Pang Soun stepped in.
“Hey! I thought you’d shut your trap after losing your arm, but you’re crossing the line now! Listen up, you punk—your arm got chopped off because you snuck up on that Fourteen Division Leader when it looked like he was done for. Even then, Brother warned you not to fall for the guy’s tricks! If you’d stopped, that arm would still be hanging off your shoulder! And now you’re throwing a tantrum after screwing up yourself.”
Pang Soun’s old scoundrel days were showing through.
The room knew it was all because of Zhuge Dowon’s greed, so they silently nodded in agreement.
Zhuge Dowon glared around the room before clamping his mouth shut.
“Saved by Brother and doesn’t even know gratitude. Ungrateful bastard.”
Pang Soun muttered.
No matter how reckless Zhuge Dowon was, he couldn’t afford to snap back at Pang Soun—the once greatest thug in the Murim Alliance.
He knew even mad dogs had their hierarchies.
As the room’s atmosphere turned icy, Black Wolf spoke up.
“This incident is far too grave. That’s why I thought we all needed to gather and discuss it.”
Black Wolf scanned the room before continuing.
“It seems the rumors are true—that they’ve amplified their innate true energy to become twice as strong.”
Pang Soun picked up the thread.
“I thought the tale-spinner was full of hot air... But how did a storyteller like him even learn about something like this? Makes you wonder where he got such high-level intel.”
“It’s spread too far now to trace the source. The key point is that it’s true.”
Un Sang said with a wry smile.
“Even if they’re amplifying innate true energy, I still don’t get why the Demonic Cult is this strong.”
Un Sang hadn’t fully recovered from his clash with the Demonic Cult warriors.
Black Wolf added,
“To invent a technique like that—who would even think to amplify innate true energy? And to use such creativity just for killing... It’s lamentable.”
I gave a bitter smile.
“Evil grows strong because human creativity and imagination reach their peak when wielded to harm others. That’s why demonic arts turn so vicious.”
Everyone nodded at my words.
“The Murim Alliance might have heard these rumors too. But we’ve experienced it firsthand. We need to let them know it’s real.”
As Un Sang spoke, Zhuge Dowon interjected.
“The Beggar Clan needs to spread this through every information channel immediately. If the Demonic Cult is this powerful, no martial house can hold out.”
Having been beaten badly himself, he was finally waking up to the danger.
Zhuge Dowon’s eyes darted smoothly around.
His fury at Pang Soun had burst blood vessels, turning his eyes bright red.
“But why did the Demonic Cult’s division leaders show up in Hunan Province? Leading elites, no less. Do you know anything about it?”
True to his Zhuge lineage, he’d zeroed in on the crucial question.
Black Wolf answered.
“We’ve been tracking that since the Demonic Cult forces entered Hunan. I sent for the reports—they should arrive soon.”
Sure enough, shortly after he finished, a Beggar Clan disciple handed over a few sheets of paper to Black Wolf.
“According to this, the Demonic Cult members went around Hunan visiting small dojos and martial houses—righteous or evil, big or small.”
Pang Soun spoke up.
“Sounds like the Demonic Cult is trying to win over Hunan’s martial houses, right?”
Zhuge Dowon, stroking his bloodstained bandages, replied,
“The Demonic Cult has never tried recruiting martial houses before. They demand unconditional surrender and submission. And with the overwhelming force they command, why bother recruiting at all?”
The room nodded at Zhuge Dowon’s logical point.
I couldn’t pinpoint the Demonic Cult’s goal either, lacking the full intel.
“We’ll figure this out with more investigation. For now, report to the Alliance along with the rumors—about how absurdly strong the Demonic Cult has become. That way, the Alliance’s forces supporting Kunlun Sect can prepare.”
As I spoke, Dang Ga-ryeong looked up.
“Do you have something to say?”
“When I left the Dang Family, I heard the Murim Alliance was sending the Azure Dragon Unit and White Tiger Unit to aid Kunlun Sect. They might already be in Sichuan by now.”
I had no info exchanges with the Murim Alliance, so I was out of the loop on their movements.
Pang Soun said,
“Wait—they wouldn’t know how strong the Demonic Cult really is, right? Isn’t that dangerous?”
Zhuge Dowon gave Pang Soun a pitiful look.
Still stinging from earlier, his tone was sharp.
“Kunlun Sect Taoists got beaten by the Demonic Cult, so they’d know that much.”
People chuckled, realizing how naive it sounded.
But I thought Pang Soun had a point.
“What if Kunlun Sect hasn’t shared that info with anyone else?”
“Kunlun Sect isn’t that easy to silence.”
Un Sang didn’t think one of the Nine Great Sects would fail to spread vital information.
Black Wolf spoke gravely.
“We should assume the worst-case scenario and act. I’ll send messenger birds to Sichuan from the main branch right away. Then I’ll head out first to handle things.”
As Black Wolf stood, a Beggar Clan disciple burst in holding something.
“Branch Chief!”
“What is it?”
“We found out what the Demonic Cult gave to those dojos.”
The disciple handed over several manuals.
Black Wolf took them, his eyes widening as he flipped through.
“Everyone, take a look at these manuals.”
His voice trembled, drawing all eyes to the books.
“What’s got you so worked up?”
Pang Soun grabbed one and read the cover.
“Asura Demon Sword.”
He flipped through and muttered,
“Wait—this is the sword art Demonic Cult grunts learn when they hit second-rate, right? And what’s this one?”
“Blood Justice Fist.”
The Asura Demon Sword and Blood Justice Fist were common arts among Demonic Cult warriors.
Un Sang gasped as he examined another.
“This is the Flame King Sword Technique. Only their first-rate masters learn it.”
The Flame King Sword Technique was advanced swordsmanship.
Black Wolf chewed his lip before speaking.
“This is more serious than we thought. The Demonic Cult’s Fourteen Division Leaders came to Hunan and handed out their martial manuals for free to small dojos.”
The implications hit hard.
Zhuge Dowon said grimly,
“Dojos and small martial houses are always starving for manuals. If the Demonic Cult provides them, why wouldn’t they learn? Martial artists stake their lives on getting stronger.”
I murmured,
“And if they teach innate true energy amplification alongside those manuals, everyone— you, me—would submit to the Demonic Cult in a heartbeat.”
It was chilling to think about.
Dang Jin-ok spoke up.
“If they’re doing this in Hunan, they’re probably doing the same in Sichuan.”
Pang Soun, for once, said something sharp.
“If this is happening across Sichuan, Hunan—not just here, but all murim—the impact would be massive. They’re basically cultivating Demonic Cult disciples everywhere.”
Zhuge Dowon eyed Pang Soun like he couldn’t believe the insight.
Black Wolf replied,
“That’s likely their endgame, as Young Master Pang said. Demonic Cult domination over all murim. I’ll send every detail we discussed via messenger birds to Sichuan murim, the Alliance, and all Beggar Clan branches.”
Dang Jin-ok followed up.
“We’ll head straight to Sichuan. No more delays.”
Zhuge Dowon, Pang Soun, and Un Sang exchanged glances and nodded.
“We’ll go too.”
“With your injuries, won’t it be hard to travel with us?”
Dang Jin-ok said, clearly annoyed, but Pang Soun laughed it off.
“Nonsense. Young Master Dang, we’ll leave the badly wounded escorts behind. No worries there. And we’re not tagging along with you—we’re going with the Scholar Sword Immortal.”
His slightly barbed tone made Zhuge Dowon and Un Sang look my way.
“Let’s go to Sichuan together, at least.”
“Brother, once we reach Sichuan, where will you be?”
“I have business at the Dang Family, so I’ll stay there.”
“We’ll join the White Tiger Unit or Azure Dragon Unit.”
Black Wolf stood.
“Alright, everyone moving out—let’s get going.”
We agreed to eat and meet at the inn’s front, exchanged brief farewells, and parted.
About an hour later, we hurried toward Sichuan.
We sent the injured who couldn’t ride or walk back to their families, lightening our group.
Dang Jin-ok, Dang Ga-ryeong, and four Dang Family escorts; Pang Soun and two Pang Family escorts; Zhuge Dowon and two Zhuge Family escorts; Un Sang and four Wudang Taoists.
We provided carriages for the wounded Zhuge Dowon and Dang Jin-ok.
Riding horses with unhealed wounds would reopen the bleeding.
Thanks to that, I rode horseback while Yeo-seol rode in the cart.
The group’s mood was somber after losing close escorts in the battle.
Pang Soun ignored it and approached me.
“Brother, you said the Demonic Cult amps their innate true energy to double their strength, right? So why wasn’t that Fourteen Division Leader boosted?”
Pang Soun’s observation was something I’d pondered too.
It was just surprising that neither Zhuge Dowon nor Un Sang had pointed it out—only the seemingly dim-witted Pang Soun.