Chapter 131: The Trend
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Night.
Under a sky full of stars, a slender figure appeared at an antique villa deep in the mountains.
It was the absolute beauty who had shared passionate love with Ximen Yue not long ago – Yeom Sang-ah.
This was a temporary residence she had rented with money, a place she stopped by to shake off her travel fatigue before returning.
After lighting the lamp in the inner room, Yeom Sang-ah stripped off all her clothes and headed for the rear garden.
A small pond with a decorative water wheel spinning leisurely could be seen in the dim moonlight.
She immersed her naked body there and operated a little internal energy to relieve the fatigue accumulated from the long journey.
At that moment.
An unpleasant memory from not long ago suddenly flashed through her mind.
-Patriarch, no, Father. Isn’t it time now… To teach me the essence of that demonic art?
-How sudden.
-……
-It is not the time.
-Why… Is that? I’ve worked harder than anyone else for the past few years.
-Your body cannot handle it yet. So don’t pester me and wait. When the time comes, I will personally transmit everything.
-Yes… I understand.
Yeom Sang-ah soon revealed an ice-cold expression and bit her red lips.
‘Lies! Do you think I’m a fool? You’re planning to discard me once Young Master Ximen achieves greatness!’
Then she scooped up water with both hands as if to cool her heated body and wet her pretty face.
‘I’m sorry but… Things won’t go as you want. I’ll use Young Master Ximen in reverse to cast you out! Then I’ll seize control of the Sect. I wonder what expression you’ll make then.’
At that moment, a woman’s voice quietly leaked out from not far behind her.
“Did the matter go well?”
But Yeom Sang-ah had an unconcerned expression, as if she had already detected that subtle presence.
No.
Rather, her pupils sparkled as if she had been waiting for the voice’s owner to appear, and she threw out a question.
“Did you find out something?”
“Yes, Young Lady.”
Along with the answer, a figure approached and stood beside the pond.
A middle-aged beauty estimated to be in her late thirties or early forties, her body adorned with black waist wrap and shawl.
Her hair was twisted up in the back like a large flower bud, with a long black lotus hairpin inserted into it, creating an exquisite harmony with her flowing attire.
It was quite an alluring appearance.
One might say there was an elegance reminiscent of a chrysanthemum painted with ink.
Her voluptuous form, sensual enough to stir lustful thoughts, radiated a strange charm with its combination of maturity and elegance.
Judging from the black palmetto fan in one hand, she seemed to have mastered some related martial art.
Dressed entirely in black from head to toe, her skin appeared particularly pale.
Perhaps because of that.
The formless presence surrounding her voluptuous body was quite sinister.
The woman’s name was Yo Mong-ji.
Within the organization where Yeom Sang-ah belonged, she was a high-ranking master called Lewd Cruel Demon Servant due to her licentious and cruel nature.
Yo Mong-ji sat close to the pond and wore a faint smile.
“Sometimes a woman’s beauty becomes the greatest weapon in pursuing great ambitions.”
“Don’t worry too much about Young Master Ximen. Well, for the time being…”
As soon as Yeom Sang-ah finished speaking, Lewd Cruel Demon Servant Yo Mong-ji reached out and began massaging her shoulders.
A gentle touch.
Very familiar movements.
In truth, Yo Mong-ji was her direct handmaid and confidant.
Since childhood, she had cared for Yeom Sang-ah devotedly like a birth mother, so she could entrust herself to those hands in such a defenseless state with peace of mind.
Yo Mong-ji spoke again with a smiling face.
“It seems the techniques I taught you worked well.”
“Of course.”
“Ha, did you enjoy it?”
“I’d be lying if I said no.”
Yeom Sang-ah recalled those moments of pleasure and let out a faint smile.
Yo Mong-ji continued to gently massage her shoulders while advising.
“However, Young Lady, I must emphasize again… Give your body but don’t give all your heart. It’s hard to guarantee how Young Master Ximen might change in the future. He’s someone who has devoted himself to demonic art achievement with the resolve to kill even his blood relatives including the Ximen Family Head. Letting your guard down is absolutely forbidden.”
“Yes, I know. My heart doesn’t belong to anyone anyway.”
“As expected of my mistress.”
“For now, I plan to go to the Patriarch and tell him directly. That we’re lovers.”
“Yes, he will surely be pleased. And he’ll think you’ve finally given up your ambitions for studying demonic arts.”
“While letting him continue that misconception… I must continue secretly pursuing what needs to be done.”
With those words, Yeom Sang-ah turned her head.
Yo Mong-ji, reading her gaze, asked.
“Shall I tell you now?”
“Yes, go ahead.”
At Yeom Sang-ah’s light nod, Yo Mong-ji removed the hands that had been massaging her shoulders and spoke.
“The clue about the Divine Martial Sword was a rumor from a village.”
“Village?”
“Yes. A very small village with about twenty households. I investigated, and it turns out the elite Red Dragon Sword Captain Hong So of Dragon Martial Gate stayed in that village until about twelve or thirteen years ago.”
Yeom Sang-ah’s eyes showed a somewhat surprised look at Yo Mong-ji’s words.
“The Red Dragon Sword Captain… Survived?”
“I was quite surprised too. I thought Nine Demon Alliance and Dragon Martial Gate were destroyed in mutual annihilation. The Patriarch’s Shadow himself said this. Of course, as payment for guiding him to indulge in lust and satisfying his desires with my body.”
“Hmph, so that one was also a lustful man. Well, with your power, you could wrap all men in the world except the Patriarch around your finger and manipulate them as you please… I’m so glad I’m a woman.”
“Oh my, how startling. Hoho.”
“Tell me more.”
“Yes. That village was located deep in the mountains, so the rumor was quickly buried. But the Shadow recently happened to obtain it during secret activities. The exact content of the rumor was this.”
-Red Dragon Sword Captain Hong So, who miraculously survived the bloody battle with Nine Demon Alliance, stayed in Wuj Village here while his health deteriorated, and raised one disciple. When he passed away, the disciple, following his master’s dying wish to find the location where the sect’s founding patriarch Ascending Heaven Sword Dragon was hiding in seclusion, tidied up the house and left Wuj Village.
Yeom Sang-ah’s eyes rippled transparently.
It was quite a shocking secret history – the famous Dragon Martial Gate master Red Dragon Sword Captain Hong So not only barely survived but even took in and raised a disciple.
“Interesting. Then who spread that rumor?”
“The Shadow said that the Red Dragon Sword Captain lived while hiding his identity at the time, but confided in exactly one person. An elderly man living alone named Gam Tae. He’s the one who spoke.”
“The only person who shared Red Dragon Sword Captain’s secret?”
“Yes, except for his disciple, the one called Ye Woon-rang.”
“Hmm… That’s quite specific. Has it been confirmed as fact?”
“It seems Gam Tae accidentally revealed part of that secret while drunk during a village festival about a year ago. The Shadow found that out too.”
“Did they capture Gam Tae?”
“No. They say Gam Tae suddenly disappeared around the time the rumor started spreading. He just up and left somewhere. Isn’t that very action proof that the rumor is true?”
“They tortured and killed all the villagers… To confirm the facts?”
“That’s right. Not sparing children or the elderly.”
“Hmph, disgusting fellow…”
“That’s the way of the Shadow who serves the Patriarch. Though it had been quite a while this time.”
“Anyway, what’s the Shadow’s next plan?”
“He left recently on the Patriarch’s orders. Since Gam Tae surely knows more, they need to find him and obtain information about Ye Woon-rang. If things go well in the future and they learn Ye Woon-rang’s whereabouts… The opportunity to obtain the legendary Divine Martial Sword will naturally follow.”
“Ascending Heaven Sword Dragon’s hiding place – that’s the key.”
When Yeom Sang-ah muttered while resting her chin on her hand, Yo Mong-ji scooped water with a gourd and poured it over her while speaking quietly.
“I have a good feeling. Since considerable time has passed, this person called Ye Woon-rang has probably found that secret location. If the famous Red Dragon Sword Captain took him as a disciple of transmission, he wouldn’t have been someone lacking in aptitude or talent from the start.”
“If that’s really the case, I couldn’t ask for more. Hmm… Young Master Ximen will probably handle the finishing touches, right?”
“Yes, we just need to wait for the right time.”
“Are you sure only our Sect knows that information? What about other places – have they been quiet so far?”
“Heavenly Demon Cult has been inactive for two hundred years anyway, Blood Demon Cult and Illusion Demon Cult are barely maintaining their existence, and Asura Demon Cult has been expanding recently but shows no particular movements. They haven’t obtained the rumor we know yet. This is a clue that could reveal the whereabouts of no ordinary divine weapon, but the Divine Martial Sword – if they had heard anything, each faction would have already begun acting. So rest assured.”
“Has fortune finally smiled upon our Sun Moon Demon Cult?”
“Yes, hoho. With the Nine Demon Alliance that once opposed our Sect gone, there should be no major obstacles to advancing into the Central Plains martial world. What we need to be careful of now are the powerful figures of the orthodox and unorthodox factions.”
“Everyone will soon learn of our Sect’s power. Starting with the annihilation of Ximen Family.”
With those words, Yeom Sang-ah cleaned her body and came out.
Her curvaceous naked body in the moonlight was beautiful beyond words, like a perfect sculpture.
Yo Mong-ji removed her black shawl instead of a towel and dried her body thoroughly while speaking.
“Young Lady. Even if our Sect doesn’t obtain the Divine Martial Sword, it wasn’t something in our original plans, so don’t worry too much about it. Of course, it would be better if we got it.”
“I think we can obtain it. Like you said earlier… I have a good feeling. Hoho.”
After uttering those words, Yeom Sang-ah moved her elegantly stretched legs toward the lit room.
* * *
Around noon the next day.
A major upheaval occurred in the medium-sized city of Zhuxing in the Hunan region.
It was because of Cheol Ryu-heun.
Having declared himself to be on a sparring tour, he had exchanged blows with several renowned rising talents in Zhuxing, achieving overwhelming consecutive victories.
One-move defeats.
No one could endure more than one exchange.
At first, everyone underestimated him and accepted his challenges.
There were countless people who scoffed upon hearing the White Peak Sword Sect’s Cheol Ryu-heun.
But.
Without distinguishing between orthodox and unorthodox factions, all the renowned rising talents rolled on the floor or fainted to humiliating defeats.
When the entire city was stirring, even middle-level masters stepped forward, but the result was Cheol Ryu-heun’s complete domination.
All the famous masters of both sides, including Sword Forest Confucian Scholar who was the number one figure here representing the orthodox faction, Brilliant Flash Sword, Yellow Sand Sword Freak, and Silver Sword Scholar, bowed their heads before defeats that left no room for excuses.
Having pacified Zhuxing through deliberate sparring, Cheol Ryu-heun traveled through no less than five cities by evening, achieving total victories, and from then on, rumors began spreading rapidly through people’s mouths.
-Cheol Ryu-heun is the trend!
In just two days, starting with Azure Mark Sword Seol Pan-gyo’s clique, over fifty famous martial artists in the region had kneeled.
There was simply no way the rumors wouldn’t spread.
After another day passed.
Cheol Ryu-heun came out of an inn in a village, briefly enjoyed the morning sunshine, fed Divine Wind some ginseng, and mounted him.
“Feeling energized?”
Divine Wind wiggled his ears slightly, responding as if in answer.
“Nice weather. Now, shall we go see the fellow who will become the Mountain Martial Association Head?”
The moment his words ended as he gripped the reins, Divine Wind kicked off the ground and ran as if he already knew who that was and where to go.
BOOM- RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE, RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE…!