Chapter 258
Chapter 258
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 258
Chapter Title: Descendants of the Mad Demon
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It was a statue of a yaksha, one hand gripping a sword, the other clutching a human head.
Yi Hwan's eyes, fixed upon it, were darkly sunken.
*Mad Demon...*
Ever since the descendants of the Blood Demon had appeared, the Mad Demon had never once left his mind.
This was his statue.
Then the Dark Heaven Cult?
*They've been carrying on his lineage after all.*
They were descendants of the Mad Demon.
Cheol Mu-ok and Ju Tae approached.
"What's that?"
"The Mad Demon."
"......!"
Their eyes widened in shock.
Yi Hwan finally turned away. Cheol Mu-ok and Ju Tae fell in step beside him.
"So the Dark Heaven Cult are descendants of the Mad Demon?"
"If they're revering him like a god, then that's the only conclusion."
Yi Hwan stepped outside.
Everyone who had been resting rose to their feet. The warriors who had come up with Ju Tae let out a shout.
Chung!
"Ju Tae."
"Yes, my lord."
"There's a prisoner we've captured. Squeeze every bit of information out of him you can."
"Understood."
Ju Tae glanced at Cheol Mu-ok.
He headed to the spot Cheol Mu-ok indicated with his eyes, dragged out the man who lay there moaning in agony with his legs severed, and vanished into the shadows. About half a shichen later, he returned.
"This situation looks pretty serious."
"How so?"
"The Dark Heaven Cult's cult leader recently issued orders to all their bases in the Yeon Kingdom, Zhao Kingdom, and Qin Kingdom to stir up full-scale chaos. He didn't seem to know the exact purpose."
"If they're trying to sow chaos not just in our Yeon Kingdom but in the Zhao and Qin Kingdoms too, doesn't that mean the Dark Heaven Cult commands forces beyond imagination?"
Yi Hwan nodded gravely.
"They couldn't be aiming for the dynasties themselves, could they?"
"No force, no matter how powerful, could target three dynasties at once. There must be some other objective."
Yi Hwan pondered for a moment.
Then he turned to Cheol Mu-ok.
"Mu-ok."
"Yes, my lord."
"Postpone the schedule and head back. Everyone, wash up roughly and swap clothes with the warriors."
"Understood."
Cheol Mu-ok relayed Yi Hwan's orders to the group. As they prepared to depart, Yi Hwan summoned the general who had led the warriors here.
"Leave not a single pillar standing. Burn this place to ashes. And the moment you return, station troops in the villages on the outer perimeter and put the city's entire garrison on high alert."
"Yes, sir!"
Yi Hwan strode to the cliff's edge.
The wind surging up from the base of the mountain clawed savagely at his entire body.
Whoooosh!
Go Mi approached. Dressed in a warrior's garb, she looked comically like she'd draped a giant sack over herself.
"Heading back to the Imperial Palace?"
"The Dark Heaven Cult are the descendants of the Mad Demon they mentioned before. And it looks like they're plotting something, so for now, we need to purge the ones who've infiltrated the Yeon Kingdom."
"They've finally shown themselves."
"Yes. And tougher opponents than expected. As you know, Green Forest bandits exist everywhere in the three kingdoms, so wiping them all out won't be easy."
"Probably not."
The Green Forest primarily operated from rugged mountains. If they were descendants of the Mad Demon with real power, rooting them all out would be an incredibly arduous task.
Yi Hwan turned at once.
"Let's go."
"Yes."
* * *
"Urgh......"
There was a man shedding bloody tears as he gazed at the site turned into a living hell.
Hiding in the woods, he trembled violently while staring at the brutally slaughtered Dark Heaven Cult members. He was a cultist who had briefly left for the city on business and returned.
Plop, plop!
Tears streaming down his cheeks stained the dried pine needles red. He stifled his sobs until Yi Hwan and the others descended the mountain.
* * *
Flutter, flutter!
The warrior's clothes he'd swapped into were so baggy they flapped mercilessly in the wind. Tae-seon had no choice but to tightly bind the waist and pant legs.
*Hoo...*
She let out a long breath, staring at Yi Hwan's back. Her eyes, which had seemed devoid of fear, wavered once.
*Was that his true face back then?*
It was beyond description as merely cruel. Without the slightest exaggeration, it was no different from a tiger mercilessly tearing into its prey.
But what chilled her most was the blue glow in Yi Hwan's pupils. If ghostfire existed, it would look like that.
Shiver...
Even recalling it now sent goosebumps over her entire body.
Tae-seon turned to Cheol Mu-ok.
[Is he always that terrifying?]
[He shows no mercy to enemies.]
*Well, those bastards crossed the line hard. Even for bandits, slaughtering children...*
Whoooosh!
The snow flurries, which she'd thought would stop once they descended the mountain, were growing thicker.
Cheol Mu-ok asked.
[Don't you regret staying in the Yeon Kingdom instead of returning to the Great Plains?]
[Why ask that?]
[Your face looks grim.]
[Do you think I'm some monster? Even I wouldn't grin after killing that many bandits.]
[......]
* * *
A group armed to the teeth suddenly appeared before Park Seon-ha and Kim Suk, who were heading to Guangdong Province in the Qin Kingdom after changing course.
Park Seon-ha, moving slowly to soothe their weary horses, narrowed her eyes at the band blocking the road out of nowhere.
*What a murderous vibe. But they don't seem to be after us...*
The group appeared to be heading north. The road was narrow, though, forcing their paths to intersect.
*If they make way, maybe we can just pass?*
If they tried to seize the horses instead, she'd have no choice but to fight.
As Park Seon-ha hesitated, the distance closed.
"What do we do, miss?"
"There was that open field earlier, right? Let's backtrack there, wait for them to pass, then move again."
"Yes."
As Park Seon-ha and Kim Suk turned their horses, several from the group suddenly charged fiercely.
"What the hell?"
"Think they're after our horses?"
"Run for it!"
"Yes, miss!"
Uncertain of their intent, Park Seon-ha and Kim Suk spurred their horses' flanks hard.
"Hya!"
Thud thud thud!
But with the enemies already at full gallop, the gap shrank in an instant.
Scree!
A whistling sound followed as hidden weapons flew.
Park Seon-ha's eyebrows curved like blades.
"You bastards..."
Clang clang clang!
The projectiles were all deflected by her sword barrier.
But then—
Neigh!
"......!"
The horse screamed and tumbled forward. It had been hit.
Park Seon-ha and Kim Suk soared into the air, landing far ahead. The enemies charged at them without hesitation.
No time for second thoughts now.
"Just kill them!"
"Yes, miss."
Kim Suk's sword flashed, slicing through the air. The bodies of those leaping from horseback split in two.
Splat!
"Argh!"
"Kraa!"
Park Seon-ha eyed the rear group. Having witnessed their comrades' deaths, they charged as one.
She was dumbfounded. Caught in another senseless brawl without warning.
"Where to run, miss?"
"No choice. Back north for now. Hurry!"
"Yes, miss!"
Park Seon-ha and Kim Suk swiftly mounted the dead men's horses and raced back the way they had come.
Thud thud thud!
An utterly unforeseen forced northward flight.
* * *
"Some of you chase those women, the rest pursue the targets north!"
"Yes!"
Thud thud thud!
The pursuers of Park Seon-ha and Kim Suk were Dark Heaven Cultists. They had heard one base had been brutally destroyed and were chasing Yi Hwan's group for revenge.
How far had they ridden?
"Looks like the women are sticking to the main road north! Their path matches ours!"
"Then we all chase them!"
"Yes!"
The black-robed man's eyes gleamed with murderous intent.
The annihilated base's leader had been his own brother. Reports said the brother had been tortured—legs severed—right up to his dying breath.
*I'll hunt them to the ends of the earth.*
Grind!
The warhorse carrying him surged ten zhang ahead. Thirty zhang before him, Park Seon-ha and Kim Suk fled.
*What the hell are they?*
The two women were unplanned.
They'd crossed paths by chance while pursuing Yi Hwan's group, intending to quickly eliminate the witnesses and resume the chase.
But unexpectedly, they'd lost several subordinates.
He couldn't let that slide.
Their escape route perfectly overlapped his own. Even ignoring them was impossible; it naturally became a pursuit.
This bruised the black-robed man's pride.
*Filthy bitches dare...*
* * *
Yi Hwan's group rode without rest for half a day before pausing at the outskirts of a city.
A shabby, rundown inn for travelers happened to be there, and Yi Hwan planned to rest briefly before resuming the return.
Yi Hwan spread paper on the table and scribbled intently.
"Moon Lord."
"Yes, Great Prince."
"Send this to the Imperial Palace."
"Understood."
Go Mi placed the letter Yi Hwan handed her into a tube and released the last messenger pigeon.
Hwa Ryeong asked.
"What's it say?"
"It'll take time to reach the capital, so I requested they send cooperation notices to the martial sects first."
"Once word spreads, they'll go fully into hiding. This'll be a tough fight."
Then Tae-seon spoke up.
"Leave the north to us?"
All eyes turned to her.
"If you allow our forces into Yeon Kingdom territory, we'll handle everything north of the capital. Our warriors are a cut above in that regard?"
*Didn't think of that.*
The Blue Wolf Tribe's help would certainly be invaluable.
Yi Hwan nodded at once.
"Did you leave messenger pigeons in the capital?"
"Yes. If I'd known, I'd have brought some. Anyway, I'll send word to Father right away once we're there. You'll need His Majesty's approval anyway."
Messenger pigeons relied on homing instinct. Yeon Kingdom birds were useless even in hordes elsewhere.
"If you've rested enough, let's move."
"Yes."
Everyone stepped out of the inn.
As they moved to mount up, two riders approached from the south like a gale. Behind them, a dust cloud rose from a pursuing band.
Cheol Mu-ok said.
"The two up front seem to be fleeing the group behind."
"Hold position for now."