Chapter 190
Chapter 190
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 190
Chapter Title: Golden Cicada Sheds Its Shell (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“Elder!”
Yagul Soseong and Yagul Cheonkyeong, who had rushed over at Sima Sang's call, were startled to see the old man conversing with him and cried out.
“Ha ha ha! It's been a while. I hope you've all been well?”
The Blood Cult's Second Elder, Gu Yangsun, greeted them warmly.
“We're always doing fine. When exactly did you arrive?”
Yagul Soseong asked as he took a seat.
“I got here last night.”
“You must have had a hard journey.”
“Hard journey? Who else in the cult lives as comfortably as I do, just wasting away the days?”
Gu Yangsun waved his hand dismissively with a laugh.
“No way. The swords you've forged are the cult's greatest strength, after all.”
“You brought quite a few newly trained recruits this time. An impressive number.”
At Sima Sang's words, both Yagul Soseong and Yagul Cheonkyeong looked on expectantly.
“A full hundred of them.”
“A hundred?”
“Heavens! Is it even possible to gather that many?”
Yagul Soseong and Yagul Cheonkyeong exclaimed in unison.
“We got lucky. But above all, it was possible thanks to your unwavering support. This isn't my achievement.”
Though Gu Yangsun credited the two, his role was indispensable in wandering the world to scout talented individuals, tempering and training them into the Blood Cult's finest blades. No one could match his eye for recognizing hidden potential.
“I'm planning to deploy the recruits you brought into this operation.”
Yagul Soseong's eyes gleamed at Sima Sang's declaration.
“With that kind of force, shouldn't we revise the plan?”
“That's exactly why I called you both. Here, take a look.”
Sima Sang unrolled a large map on the table.
It detailed the layout of Shandong's martial world, including the Orthodox Heaven Alliance.
“We've currently deployed around two hundred men in Shandong. We've lost a few in skirmishes, but they've been operating without major issues so far. The real battles start now.”
Sima Sang pointed to a region on the left side of the map and continued.
“The elites of the Shandong Wicked Clan, who were heading to Shaolin, are returning to their main base. The other forces in Shandong murim have followed suit, recalling their reinforcements.”
Sima Sang pointed to the bottom of the map.
“The Orthodox Heaven Alliance has also decided to prioritize dealing with our cult over aiding Shaolin.”
“Preventing Shandong murim and the Orthodox Heaven Alliance from helping Shaolin—that was our goal up to this point, wasn't it?”
Yagul Cheonkyeong asked.
“Exactly. But not anymore.”
Sima Sang glanced at Gu Yangsun, who was leisurely sipping his liquor.
“Your timely arrival with the recruits gives us room to expand the scale.”
“How far do you plan to take it?”
Yagul Soseong asked cautiously.
“This is our chance to take over all of Shandong murim.”
Gu Yangsun turned his head, liquor cup still at his lips.
Yagul Soseong and Yagul Cheonkyeong couldn't hide their shock at the unexpected ambition.
“Is that feasible? Shandong murim may be smaller in overall power compared to other regions, but it's no pushover.”
“With the Orthodox Heaven Alliance mobilizing, we could get pinched between them.”
“The Orthodox Heaven Alliance is already dancing to our tune, so no worries there. We'll just play along until we've fully seized Shandong murim, then make our move.”
“Our current forces plus the recruits you've brought make for a substantial army, but the Shandong Wicked Clan is the problem. You know as well as I do that their hidden strength is no joke.”
Sima Sang nodded at Gu Yangsun's words.
“I know. Charge in with ordinary forces, and we might not even breach them before taking heavy losses. But no need to worry. Even if it were the Nangong Clan instead of the Wicked Clan, it wouldn't be an issue.”
Gu Yangsun sensed Sima Sang had some ace up his sleeve from his confident demeanor.
“Sounds like you've got a solid plan.”
“I do. Just before you arrived, the Cult Leader sent word that he's eager to stretch his legs properly.”
“The Cult Leader? Has he emerged from seclusion?”
Gu Yangsun asked, visibly surprised.
“It's been a little while since he ended his training. It was the Cult Leader who set the North Sea Ice Palace in motion.”
“Ah, so that's it. Their sudden southward march had me thinking you'd pulled some strings, but it was him.”
“But didn't he go back into seclusion?”
Yagul Soseong tilted his head.
“Yeah. He seemed pretty bruised by that unexpected defeat—his pride took a hit.”
Yagul Cheonkyeong recalled his father, who had returned from Yagul Jae, fully exerting himself to heal his injuries and review the battle with Sima Geon.
“Defeat? You're saying the Cult Leader lost?”
Gu Yangsun, well aware of what martial art Yagul Jae practiced and its level, asked incredulously.
“Who on earth could have beaten him?”
“Have you heard the name Sima Geon?”
Gu Yangsun racked his brain but shook his head.
“No. Stuck on this island, I'd have no way of knowing. Last time I left was three years ago, and I'd never heard of him then. Must be a recent newcomer.”
“About a year or so. He's from the Heavenly Demon Cult.”
“Heavenly Demon Cult.”
“He's essentially unified the demonic cults, and his skills are the real deal. He's stirred up the martial world with several major clashes, but no one imagined he'd defeat the Cult Leader.”
“Did he master the Heavenly Demon's arts, by any chance?”
Gu Yangsun asked gravely.
“No. But it's similar. The Cult Leader said he inherited the Three Demon Venerables' techniques.”
“The Three Demon Venerables! You mean he even knows Blood Sea Demon Venerable's arts?”
“Yes. But they're ancient techniques. The Cult Leader said they're different from what he practices now. Apparently, the Three combined their powers into one art, and it's no small matter.”
“Heavens! The Three Demon Venerables pooling their strength—that's incredible.”
An exclamation escaped Gu Yangsun's lips.
“In any case, that guy's emergence seems to have lit a fire under him. He wants to refine his skills through real combat.”
“Real combat? Hmm. Not sure it'll help at the Cult Leader's level.”
“Still, it's the Shandong Wicked Clan.”
“True, a major clan like that might just do it. One of the Five Great Clans, after all.”
The taller the mountain, the deeper the valley. A prestigious house like the Shandong Wicked Clan surely had depths beyond what the world saw.
“With the Cult Leader's prowess plus the power of the recruits you've brought, we'll crush the Wicked Clan. Then we'll mop up the other notable factions in Shandong murim.”
Sima Sang pointed out the marked forces on the map one by one.
“And new rising powers will fill their voids.”
“Our cult's proxies.”
Yagul Soseong's eyes sparkled.
“Exactly. Rather than revealing themselves outright, they'll posture as rivals to the cult, gradually building their presence and expanding influence. Once the Orthodox Heaven Alliance sweeps through Shandong murim, all traces leading back to us will be perfectly erased.”
“The Orthodox Heaven Alliance's reputation will soar to the heavens.”
Yagul Cheonkyeong gave a wry smile.
“The Martial Alliance will shrink accordingly and eventually become a hollow shell. We'll also prune the Orthodox Heaven Alliance at the right time. It's ballooned too much, letting all sorts of riffraff sneak in.”
“Golden cicada sheds its shell.”
Sima Sang grinned at Gu Yangsun's remark.
“And more besides. I've mixed in a few extras.”
“Ha ha! As expected.”
Gu Yangsun let out a hearty laugh.
“By the way, what do you plan to do about that matter?”
Yagul Soseong, pouring liquor into Gu Yangsun's cup, asked as if it had just occurred to him.
“What matter?”
“The Iron Blood Palace's proposal.”
“Iron Blood Palace? You mean the one I know?”
Gu Yangsun asked, startled.
“Yes.”
“How did they even know about us to make contact?”
“That's a mystery to me too.”
A faint sigh escaped Sima Sang's lips.
“Which channel's report was it?”
“Shadow Gate. They seem convinced it's under the cult's influence.”
Sima Sang clearly disliked the idea of the Shadow Gate's true nature being exposed.
“Someone sharp over there, it seems.”
“Or perhaps the Iron Blood Palace has superior intelligence. They might have infiltrated deeper than we know.”
“So, what did they propose?”
“They believe we're behind the North Sea Ice Palace's southward push and offered aid.”
“Nothing's free in this world. They want something in return.”
“Nothing specific yet. Probably aiming to advance into Central Plains murim, like the North Sea Ice Palace.”
“What will you do?”
“Accept it. The more chaos, the better. We can clean up the North Sea Ice Palace and Iron Blood Palace later.”
Gu Yangsun nodded without further comment at Sima Sang's confident attitude.
“But how exactly do they plan to help?”
Sima Sang unrolled another map at Yagul Cheonkyeong's question.
“Obvious. Their paths into the Central Plains are limited. See? From the great barrier into the interior, there's only this route. And following it...”
Sima Sang traced his finger along the terrain in the northwest region of the map, passing several sects.
“This is going to cause an uproar.”
Sima Sang gave Yagul Cheonkyeong's shocked reaction a meaningful look.
“An uproar? The entire martial world will be turned upside down. It might have already begun.”
“The mountain gate.”
Um Jeokso, walking with a weary expression, nodded at his subordinate's report.
“I see it.”
His gaze fixed on the faded, unadorned pillars, his eyes began to redden gradually.
“How many did you say?”
He turned to ask, and a middle-aged man stepped forward deferentially.
“From what we've scouted, around a hundred fifty. But excluding the young disciples, the ones who can truly fight...”
“Spare me the details.”
Um Jeokso waved him off irritably.
“A hundred fifty means fewer than expected.”
“Yes. Nearly half went to reinforce Shaolin.”
“Tch tch. Fools rushing to their deaths.”
“As reported earlier, the largest temple is Jade Spring Courtyard, but the real masters are scattered across various large and small temples. Especially...”
Um Jeokso cut off the man about to continue with a raised hand.
“Myriad Eyes Hall Master.”
Bi Gal, hall master of the Iron Blood Palace's eyes and ears, bowed deeply.
“Yes, Palace Lord.”
“I appreciate the effort, but you talk too much. How many times do you plan to explain? My ears are going numb.”
“I-I'm sorry.”
“Keep it brief.”
“Y-Yes, understood.”
Um Jeokso strode past the flustered Bi Gal toward Jade Spring Courtyard.
“Wh-Who are you?”
“Where did you come from?”
The young Taoists guarding the entrance tensed up at the sudden arrival of Um Jeokso and the Iron Blood Palace warriors behind him.
Um Jeokso noted a few quick-witted ones dashing inside but paid it no mind as he advanced.
“Halt!”
The young Taoists drew their swords to block him, but the moment their blades cleared sheaths, Ma Uk and Jwa Geom struck from both sides, claiming their lives in an instant.
As Um Jeokso entered Jade Spring Courtyard at a leisurely pace, Taoists began pouring in from all directions, having received the alert.
Seeing them, Um Jeokso flashed a bright smile and shouted.
“Pleased to meet you, Mount Hua Sect! I am the Palace Lord of Iron Blood Palace, Um Jeokso.”