Chapter 156
Chapter 156
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 156
Chapter Title: Variables (3)
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With the situation in the Jiangnan martial world plunged into utter chaos, impossible to predict even a single step ahead due to the Heavenly Demon Cult's assault, a strange undercurrent was rippling through the murim.
The first sign came from the Murim Alliance.
Having failed to respond adequately to the Heavenly Demon Cult's movements, the Alliance had been battered by endless scandals. Then came the scandal between the Tang Clan and the Hyeongsan Sect, which had dragged its reputation and dignity through the dirt. Even as the Jiangnan martial world teetered on the brink, the Alliance's leaders continued hurling blame at one another instead of uniting, leaving many in utter despair.
In the end, the bomb detonated.
In a desperate bid to salvage the Alliance's plummeted honor, Alliance Leader Jwa Ikseon had thrown down his position.
There is no longer any great justice or chivalry left in the Murim Alliance.
Jwa Ikseon's resounding declaration sent shockwaves through the murim.
The Alliance's top brass and representatives from various factions scrambled to contain the fallout, but the chasm of distrust between them ran far too deep.
They publicly announced to the outside world that internal issues had been neatly resolved, but it was nothing more than a superficial patch job. Above all, with Jwa Ikseon refusing to return after abandoning the Alliance entirely, the Murim Alliance—which had styled itself as the mediator and guardian of the murim—devolved into a hollow puppet organization.
As the Murim Alliance trudged toward collapse, a new wave of change surged elsewhere.
At its center stood the Yeongho Clan.
Following the abrupt death of their clan head, Yeongho Jung had seized the position against all expectations. Contrary to fears of massive upheaval, he demonstrated remarkable competence, swiftly consolidating control over the clan.
With the clan's power firmly in his grasp, Yeongho Jung lambasted the Murim Alliance's incompetence while elevating the Yeongho Clan's presence. He drew in surrounding sects one by one, rapidly building a considerable force in a short time.
The finishing stroke came when Jwa Ikseon relinquished his leadership role.
As if he had been waiting for the moment, Yeongho Jung launched the Righteous Heaven Alliance, capturing the world's attention.
The Murim Alliance vehemently opposed it, dismissing the Righteous Heaven Alliance as a mere regional outfit. But public sentiment overwhelmingly favored the group that had immediately pledged active support for the Jiangnan martial world, rather than the Alliance, which had responded feebly to the Heavenly Demon Cult's advances and only fomented internal strife.
Bolstered by the power of public opinion, the Righteous Heaven Alliance continued pulling in factions eager to join hands with them. They recruited renowned murim elders who had built their reputations independently, placing them in key positions, and were rapidly expanding their influence even now.
"We've successfully brought in the Jincheon Fist House and the Seoju Clan House?"
Blood Sacrifice Cult's Left Palace Master Sima Sang asked in astonishment.
"Yes. They expressed profound disappointment in the Murim Alliance's actions and joined us decisively."
Chu Dangyeong, leader of the Myriad Eyes Hall—the Blood Sacrifice Cult's intelligence network—respectfully submitted his report.
Sima Sang let out exclamations of admiration several times as he scanned the report.
"Ha! I can't tell if it's the Yeongho Clan's formidable prestige or Yeongho Jung's own talent."
Standing beside him, Dogwang Merchant Association Chairman Yagul Soseong chuckled as he reviewed the report as well.
"The Yeongho Clan has lately been said to surpass even the Five Great Clans, and Yeongho Jung is wielding that power masterfully. Both are exceptional."
"We knew the Yeongho Clan's strength, but Yeongho Jung's abilities were honestly beyond expectation."
"His ambition is infamous, isn't it?"
"Having grand ambitions is one thing; excelling in execution is another. Still, recruiting him is a major achievement."
Sima Sang turned to ask,
"Who has been communicating with him?"
"The Lord of the East Spirit."
"Gam Chuk, you mean?"
"Yes."
After a moment's thought, Sima Sang spoke.
"Rule without domineering. Relay that we must not forget the harsh lessons of past failures as our guiding principle. Someone like Yeongho Jung shouldn't be treated as a mere pawn to be commanded; afford him the respect he deserves."
"Understood."
"Of course, prepare thorough contingencies for any eventualities."
"We've already layered in double and triple safeguards."
"Good. I'm sure you've handled it adeptly. Ha! Getting old just means pointless worrying piles up."
Yagul Soseong burst into laughter at Sima Sang's grumbling.
"If you keep that up, you'll really act your age. The Twelve Spirit Lords you've nurtured with such care—surely you can trust them."
"I should, but my heart won't settle. Anyway, putting that aside."
Sima Sang picked up Chu Dangyeong's report again.
"The Ten Thousand Poison Sect Leader is rampaging like a madman. The Poison Blood Demon must be extraordinarily powerful."
"Yes. Reports indicate it's far stronger than anticipated. With a body impervious to blades and as indestructible as diamond, it can lay waste to its surroundings just with the toxic aura emanating from it."
"What a shame. If things had gone according to plan, it could have been ours. Even the Branch Elder, who's never failed once, slipped up this time."
Sima Sang couldn't hide his regret. He had spared no support at the request of Immortal Demon Physician Hwanong, who had early on grasped the power of Myeondok Valley's Immortal Myriad Poison Emperor Spirit Art.
"We have our own prepared assets in the cult, so don't regret it too much."
"I'm not dismissing what we've created, but having this versus not makes a surprisingly big difference."
Sima Sang tapped his temple lightly and addressed Chu Dangyeong.
"In any case, we're shaking the Heavenly Demon Cult as we intended, so no immediate issues. But letting it slip away like this is too wasteful. Devise a way to claim it for ourselves."
"Understood."
"By the way, what of the new Sword Empress's movements?"
Yagul Soseong inquired.
"We've confirmed she's left the Jeon-gak Clan and is heading to the Wudang Sect."
"To the Sword Immortal at Wudang?"
"That's our prediction."
"The Sword Empress sets forth. The murim heads into chaos, yet she has all the leisure in the world."
Yagul Soseong laughed mockingly.
"Lately, I've been rethinking who might truly disrupt our grand design."
Sima Sang said as he poured hot water into his teacup.
"The most threatening figure—no, force—is naturally the imperial court."
"The Azure Orchid Lord had to be eliminated, no matter the means."
Yagul Soseong clenched his fist unconsciously, still lamenting that failure despite repeated reflection.
"The Heavenly Demon Cult's Lord, who leads the demonic path, and the Sword Empress, representing the righteous sects, are threats as well."
"Indeed. Especially the Sword Empress—despite her minimal activity, her symbolic weight alone makes her a massive headache."
"Which is why eliminating her when the opportunity arises is the best course."
"Pardon?"
"Dealing with the imperial court right now is unrealistic, and taking down the Heavenly Demon Cult's Lord is even more impossible. But the Sword Empress is different. Once she embarks on her Sword Empress Journey to Sword Corner, she's essentially defenseless."
"The Sword Corner's escorts are shadowing her discreetly."
Sima Sang let out a hollow chuckle at Chu Dangyeong's words.
"And that's supposed to compare to the imperial court or Heavenly Demon Cult? If we can't handle even that much, we're done for."
"My apologies."
"Apologies won't cut it—devise a proper plan. Let's use this chance to remove a potential threat to the cult."
As Chu Dangyeong bowed in acknowledgment, Yagul Soseong spoke with a hint of concern.
"Removing the Sword Empress is good, but might it not alert the righteous murim factions? Especially while they're lost in their own infighting."
"No issue. They're bungling around even with the Heavenly Demon Cult's threat right in front of them. Our existence has already been exposed due to the Sword Empress and Jeon-gak Clan's meddling anyway. If you're still worried, we can frame it as the Heavenly Demon Cult's doing—nothing to fret over."
"Understood."
Yagul Soseong nodded without further objection. He had voiced his concern out of caution, but he didn't oppose the principle of eliminating the Sword Empress.
"Ah, but what of him?"
"Him?"
"The Divine Demon Leader. He seems like quite the headache too."
Sima Sang set down his teacup gently and replied,
"He's dangerous. Potentially more threatening than those I mentioned."
"Unbelievable."
Gwan Ung let out a hollow laugh and tossed aside the report Hyeong Mu-gang had submitted.
At Gwan Ung's intense reaction, Hyeong Mu-gang, Dark Fragrance Chief Sima Ryu, and Secret Guard Leader Heukcha dared not lift their heads. Mokroe-gang, who had been keeping watch with them, respectfully picked up the discarded letter and examined its contents.
Mokroe-gang's eyes widened dramatically as he read through it swiftly.
He couldn't voice a reaction as vehement as Gwan Ung's, but he couldn't suppress the groan escaping his lips either.
The report detailed factions crushed by the Shadow Nest, alongside those that had allied with it. The real problem was that far more forces had submitted to the Shadow Nest than had fallen.
"I never imagined Myeondok Valley would pull off such a scheme. They aim to rob others' homes while oblivious to their own being ransacked—what a ridiculous spectacle."
Gwan Ung's terrifying gaze fixed on Sima Ryu.
"While the Shadow Nest runs amok with this madness, what the hell has Dark Fragrance been doing?"
"Kill me, please."
Sima Ryu slammed his forehead to the floor, begging for punishment.
"Myeondok Valley is unusually remote with minimal outside contact. Its power had withered to a shadow of its former self. Moreover, with most of Dark Fragrance's forces tied up battling the Jiangnan martial world, we couldn't scrutinize it closely."
Hyeong Mu-gang fervently defended Sima Ryu.
Gwan Ung was well aware of Dark Fragrance's circumstances even without the defense.
"I know. I know, but..."
Unable to contain his frustration, Gwan Ung slammed the table.
"The elders are stepping in to devise countermeasures, so it should be resolved soon. Others might see them as idly passing time, but Your Excellency knows better than anyone that's not the case."
"True, but Myeondok Valley's momentum is too strong to rest easy. That Poison Blood Demon monster is part of it."
Gwan Ung's hardened expression didn't soften.
"Your Excellency."
Heukcha, who had been frowning over the report Mokroe-gang handed him, spoke up.
"What is it?"
"There's something odd in the report."
"What's so strange?"
Gwan Ung snapped irritably.
"This Poison Blood Demon the Shadow Nest created. It says it's from the Divine Demon Division."
"Right, Divine Demon Division members. What's...?"
Gwan Ung suddenly fell silent. He too sensed something off.
"As far as I know, the Divine Demon Division should be locked in the Thunder Prison. I can't fathom how they transformed into the Poison Blood Demon."
"Ah, now that you mention it..."
Hyeong Mu-gang hurriedly scanned the report.
Thanks to Heukcha's observation, he now noticed details he had overlooked moments ago.
"My mistake. As the Secret Guard Leader says, it's highly suspicious. There have been no dispositions regarding the Divine Demon Division until now. For them to emerge as the Poison Blood Demon means..."
"Someone smuggled them out to Myeondok Valley."
Gwan Ung grimaced, massaging his temples vigorously as a headache—or sheer absurdity—set in.
"Even a weakened Myeondok Valley creating the Poison Blood Demon raises questions. The costs and materials wouldn't have been trivial."
At Heukcha's words, Sima Ryu cautiously offered his view.
"It seems some unknown faction is operating covertly within our cult. Likely..."
"The Blood Sacrifice Cult bastards or rebels plotting insurrection."
Gwan Ung shot to his feet.
"Find the culprits, no matter who—and as quickly as possible. You can manage that, right?"
Sima Ryu and Heukcha prostrated themselves under Gwan Ung's fearsome glare.
"Yes, Your Excellency!"
"We obey!"