Chapter 288: Midnight Visitor
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A smile passed over Ximen Yue’s lips.
His eyes seemed to sympathize with what Cheol Ryu-heun had just said.
‘Yes, if it’s that person…’
If Cheol Ryu-heun fought with resolve to die, no matter how strong the opponent, it would be difficult for them to preserve their life.
That was close to certainty.
Why?
Because he had already experienced that amazing power.
It was truly at a wondrous level.
Cheol Ryu-heun’s transcendent martial prowess.
Setting aside everything else, he possessed the authentic transmissions of the Heavenly Demon, Sword Emperor, Evil Emperor, Martial Immortal, and Blood God in one body.
Moreover, there was no one who had even seen the end of that power.
The leader of the enemy who had just been annihilated was also a warrior surpassing the Sun Moon Demon Saint Aryun-nan, the Sun Moon Demon Cult leader, yet couldn’t even withstand a mere fifty percent of his energy.
However.
That Cheol Ryu-heun had the possibility of becoming even stronger than now?
Then there was nothing more to think about.
The zenith of the martial world.
From then on, he would reign as the greatest and strongest of this era, a truly divine absolute being.
Going further, he would establish himself as an unprecedented existence in history, the first divine-level martial God.
Who could handle that?
Cheol Ryu-heun was a person who always kept the words he spoke aloud.
Everything so far had been like that.
He was someone who made even seemingly impossible things possible.
Ximen Yue knew that well, which was why he felt something close to certainty.
Cheol Ryu-heun again spoke to Murong Kang with an indifferent expression.
“It is somewhat regrettable.”
“Pardon?”
“Because it was difficult to secure additional information due to the gu poison triggering that brings death.”
Cheol Ryu-heun thought briefly along with those words.
About the information he had barely managed to find out by digging through Aryun-nan’s mind.
Precisely, a short scene.
It was a fragmentary conversation between Aryun-nan and the caped figure.
-Our sky… the Lord is eagerly awaiting the Sun Moon Demon Cult’s news of victory. Therefore, he told me to relay this to the Cult Leader. To definitely win. And to kill as many renowned masters as possible. He said that afterwards, things will flow smoothly. Because he has already finished a series of calculations.
-Wait, does that mean… even the plans after our cult’s victory are all set…?
-That’s right.
-What are they?
-I’ll put it simply. Increasing combat power through official alliance formation.
-Oho.
-An unprecedented coalition will likely be constructed. It will be a very great benefit to the Sun Moon Demon Cult.
-Hm… the precondition of winning is attached… does that mean you’ll join hands after finally confirming my power?
-That is the will of the great Lord.
-Is it a kind of test? The great battle with the Orthodox-Unorthodox that will soon come…?
-Correct.
-…
-A test destined to be passed.
Aryun-nan’s soul wall – the spiritual energy protecting his upper dantian – was truly solid.
It was exceptional mental power.
As befitting a supreme master who had achieved Rejuvenation not once but twice.
So he had only glimpsed part of the conversation between the two.
There was no time to spare due to the gu poison explosion, and his divine power wasn’t complete either.
The leader of the group he had killed earlier was the same.
Being someone surpassing Aryun-nan, his soul wall would have been solid too.
On top of that, due to the effect of triggering the gu poison’s strange function, even if he had forcibly operated his incomplete divine power, the quantity and quality of information obtained wouldn’t have met expectations.
So he had just annihilated him with formidable martial power.
If the divine power from his Divine Martial Sword days had been complete…
That was the true meaning hidden in saying it was regrettable.
Of course, even if the divine power was at a complete level, if it was a powerhouse above Aryun-nan’s level, it would be difficult to rapidly destroy their soul wall.
The mute group was a separate matter.
Because they were no different from scarecrows that only followed the words of their superiors, they probably didn’t have any important information.
In any case, Aryun-nan’s ambition, intoxicated by the Star-Absorbing Great Art, had been thoroughly used.
By the mysterious secret organization.
In other words, he had merely been a kind of experimental consumable.
The group that appeared today was no different.
That content was also in the conversation between the two.
-Eleven years ago, we destroyed Namgung Family, which was the mainstay of the Six Great Families, with only a portion of our forces.
-…!
-Moreover, the martial power of the dispatched personnel at the time was incomplete.
Through that, he had realized.
The fact that Aryun-nan was also a sacrificial lamb mobilized to disrupt the Orthodox-Unorthodox martial world and gauge their power.
Also.
That today’s attack on the Murong Family was, like the case of Namgung Family, a venue for testing their respective martial prowess.
Of course, the enemy’s plans had failed one after another with his appearance.
If he hadn’t encountered Murong Seol, the Murong Family would have suffered disaster too.
That was inevitable.
Because the enemy’s martial prowess had improved since the Namgung Family’s destruction.
Most likely.
The gap in time was eleven years.
Even mountains and rivers change in that time – how much more the improvement of one’s martial prowess…
That’s right.
They must have pushed forward this style of attack because they were confident they could wipe out the entirety of the Murong Family even without large-scale forces.
Murong Kang hardened his gaze and opened his mouth.
“In any case, the enemy’s ultimate purpose must be the conquest and domination of the martial world, right? So they must be trying to create an atmosphere of approaching troubled times through the attack on our family. While deliberately spreading rumors about the Divine Martial Sword… although the true identity is still unclear with only circumstantial evidence.”
“Well, let’s work together to find out.”
Cheol Ryu-heun, having replied thus, again conjured part of the conversation between Aryun-nan and the caped figure in his mind.
-What is your force’s true purpose? Conquest and domination of the martial world like our cult? Considering that, the gap since the Namgung Family destruction has been quite long…
-I’ll reveal it after this matter is concluded. No, you will come to know. Naturally.
It felt like they were hiding some other intention.
Something transcending simple desire for conquest or domination…
Cheol Ryu-heun again spoke expressionlessly.
“One fact has become clear through today’s incident. That the opponent has been preparing things for a very long time, and that they are thorough in keeping secrets about the overall personal information of the leadership. The mute group proves that.”
Ximen Yue’s two eyes widened upon hearing those words.
“Then you mean they deliberately took away those people’s voices…”
“Right. Also, they’re presumed to be personnel isolated from the force’s central command to prevent information leaks. In other words, there’s not much important information in the subordinates’ heads. That’s why they mobilized many. In a manner like it’s fine if they’re captured. There’s no possibility of becoming prisoners either. Because the mute personnel have means of committing suicide.”
Ximen Yue, having understood the meaning, nodded.
“Ah, yes… indeed that’s so.”
According to what he had heard from Cheol Ryu-heun, when the mute who had ambushed Namgung Heon-rin and Jeon Kwae faced crisis of certain death, he bit a poison pill and died.
It had already been confirmed they were personnel from the same organization.
So he believed Cheol Ryu-heun’s opinion would be accurate.
At that moment, Murong Kang spoke with a heavy expression.
“Sect Leader Cheol, for now, our family will start by controlling the rumors about the Divine Martial Sword. So people don’t get swept up needlessly.”
“Yes. Still, martial artists who are bewitched by the rumors and head toward the Shiwan Mountains will continue to appear one after another.”
“Mm… that’s true.”
“Just do the best you can. It can’t be helped. Even if all ten thousand members of the Beggar’s Sect stepped forward, it would be hard to persuade and dissuade. When countless people’s hearts are all different.”
“Yes. Human desire is inherently endless, after all. Even I speaking like this, if I hadn’t heard Sect Leader Cheol’s words…”
If that were the case, wouldn’t he perhaps have departed for the Shiwan Mountains?
Led by strong curiosity and desire for possession like everyone else.
“We don’t need to take responsibility for the choices of those who covet the Divine Martial Sword. So please remove the heavy stone from your heart. I’ll handle the rest myself.”
The expression on Cheol Ryu-heun’s face as he said those words was still utterly indifferent.
Seeing that, Murong Kang was newly curious.
What kind of thoughts did Cheol Ryu-heun have?
It had been wondrous from the first time he met him in person.
No, perhaps it was more appropriate to express it as strangeness or mysteriousness.
Those eyes that seemed to have seen through and transcended worldly affairs – unlike ordinary people, they were devoid of any fragment of emotion.
A feeling as if a deep, dark abyss sat within his pupils.
Indifferent, emotionless, insensitive – and therefore all the more expressionless…
Even if an immortal came, reading his thoughts would be impossible.
Yet that very quality was rather trustworthy.
‘What a large vessel. It’s difficult to fathom with my capacity. Going forward, he will… become the protagonist who pacifies the troubled times. Yes, undoubtedly.’
From there, the conversation between the three continued for about a quarter of an hour more before ending.
Cheol Ryu-heun let out a languid stretch and spoke while stifling a yawn.
“Haaam… now then, let’s retire for the night. I plan to leave early in the morning.”
At that, Murong Kang smiled gently and said his goodbye.
“Yes, understood. You may use the room in the building next door. Please rest comfortably.”
Ximen Yue had an expression like he found going straight to sleep somewhat unsatisfying.
“Sect Leader Cheol, how about a drink or so…”
“Are you here to play?”
“Ah… it’s not that, but…”
“Your mental state is still rotten. You sleep outside in the yard tonight. Even a floor is too good for you.”
“Heop…! Huh? B-but it’s cold outside…”
“So what.”
“…!”
“In my day, you see, I even lay down and slept in front of the outhouse in the dead of winter. Spoiled brat.”
In my day…? Spoiled brat? No, wait, I’m older than you, you know?
* * *
Hunan region, the northern office within the government building of Wuyang.
County Magistrate Ju Yu-gang was organizing documents with the moonlight filtering through the window as his companion.
No one was beside him.
His bodyguard Dam Maeng-gi had gone home after eating dinner.
SEUK, SEUSEUK- SARAK, SARARAK-
With the hand gripping his brush, he diligently wrote and turned pages.
Because of various work reports that had piled up while he was away, he had been working until late at night for several days now.
Then he gently bent his waist back, stretched widely, and muttered to himself.
“Nng. As expected, overtime is tiring.”
However, Ju Yu-gang’s expression suddenly changed.
A presence.
Extremely secretive movement was detected outside the door.
Moreover, it was very close.
Whoever it was, it was truly amazing skill.
No matter how much he had been working, to not notice until they approached right next to him…
It was surely an outstanding master.
The face of one person suddenly flashed through his mind.
‘Hm! Is it Cheol Ryu-heun?’
Considering the abilities he possessed, it wasn’t particularly surprising.
What could it be? He didn’t want to get entangled again though.
Soon, a silhouette appeared beyond the lattice door.
A shadow with hands clasped behind the back.
Ju Yu-gang grumbled inwardly upon seeing that.
‘He really comes and goes like it’s his own home.’
Still, at least today he didn’t appear by climbing over the window like a stray cat.
“Enter.”
At Ju Yu-gang’s indifferent voice.
TTALKKAK.
The person casting the shadow opened the lattice door and stepped inside.
Along with that, a gentle voice flowed in quietly.
“Hehot. Isn’t that too inhospitable a reception?”
Simultaneously.
BEOLDDEOK!
Ju Yu-gang, startled out of his wits, quickly rose to his feet.
“Oh!”
His eyes wavered greatly.
As if he had met an unexpected person.
The silhouette approached the desk and again spoke in a quiet voice.
“What is that reaction? Is it one of pleasure, or displeasure?”
His appearance was clearly revealed in the flickering firelight.
He was an old man in his seventies dressed in gray clothes like ordinary attire.
Ju Yu-gang, with a flustered expression, quickly moved and prostrated himself on the floor with a respectful posture.
“I greet the Embroidered Guard Grand Marshal.”
Embroidered Guard Grand Marshal.
That was a term referring to the head of the Embroidered Guard, the imperial special forces organization and personal guard of Emperor Sima Jinlong.
That’s right.
The white-haired old man was Gongsun Hwa, the Embroidered Guard Grand Marshal who held the highest position in the Embroidered Guard and was the strongest master of the imperial military.