Chapter 556: Side Story 56
Chapter side_56
Geum Jiran, the Divine Maiden of the Heaven and Earth Cult, was merely an orphan raised from childhood by the Cult Leader, Yuk Cheol-wan.
The reason Yuk Cheol-wan brought her, an orphan, was simple.
She had clean features and seemed likely to be quite beautiful when she grew up, and because her father was from the Western Regions, her appearance possessed facial features entirely different from other Central Plains people.
When she was draped with all sorts of dangling ornaments, her face made a little whiter with fine powder, and dressed in expensive silk clothing, she took on a sacredness that no one could dare approach.
Finally, Cult Leader Yuk Cheol-wan secretly deployed his subordinates to orchestrate events, and she, as the Divine Maiden, prophesied those events to countless people and cultists, thereby completing her role as the Divine Maiden of the Heaven and Earth Cult.
However, she also had a dilemma; Geum Jiran was no longer the young child who would simply do as Yuk Cheol-wan commanded or refrain from doing what he forbade.
She was already fully grown, and there were countless people around her who believed in and followed her. While it couldn’t be said she held half of the cult’s influence, three out of ten parts centered around her, naturally opening her eyes to power and authority.
Geum Jiran thought she lacked one thing in order to steal what Yuk Cheol-wan possessed.
Unlike the Cult Leader who possessed overwhelming martial power, spiritual power was invisible and hard to reveal. What if that spiritual power didn’t even exist?
Then she had to create it.
That was also the reason why she disguised a ridiculous dog as a tiger and deceived others into believing it was a spiritual beast.
However, if she truly wanted to surpass Yuk Cheol-wan, she needed to acquire a real spiritual beast with power equal to or greater than his.
Only then would all the cultists follow her.
“Then are you saying you really saw that girl?”
“There is no doubt. Chu Jak-han wouldn’t have sent a false letter to the Cult Leader, after all.”
Chu Jak-han was someone who stood on the Cult Leader’s side.
Looking at the martial arts he learned, they were bestowed by the Cult Leader, weren’t they? Such a person wouldn’t make a false report, so it must be true that an actual White Tiger or a spiritual beast of equivalent standing existed.
Furthermore, hadn’t he already said it himself?
“Moreover, he stated it clearly. He said she is raising a White Tiger and a pure white cat…”
“The New Moon Cat…”
“Yes, I am certain.”
The White Tiger was undoubtedly a legendary spiritual beast that was hard for human eyes to see, but the same applied to the New Moon Cat.
It was known to only be visible on nights with a certain moon, impossible to catch even if seen, never following humans, and living a noble, solitary existence.
Therefore, this too was a legend.
If it was accurate that the girl possessed both spiritual beasts simultaneously, it meant Geum Jiran could instantly gain a great power to surpass the Cult Leader.
It meant the Heaven and Earth Cult wouldn’t just be suppressed by force but would become more religiously complete.
“But the problem is… there is an incredible master.”
However, she couldn’t say it was purely a good situation.
The man who had been beside that woman.
He was someone who suffocated people just with his gaze.
Considering he could crack a table simply by placing down a copper coin, he might be a master who had reached an unimaginable level.
Perhaps as strong as the Four Heavenly Kings or even the Cult Leader.
Thus, she couldn’t easily decide what to do.
“Do not worry, Divine Maiden. Who am I? I am Jin Tae-gong. Even in the Heaven and Earth Cult, there are not many who can defeat me.”
Jin Tae-gong flashed a wide grin.
His expression was full of confidence.
The cultists of the Heaven and Earth Cult didn’t reach a hundred thousand like the Demonic Cult, but if one searched the entire Central Plains, they would easily surpass tens of thousands. Even among them, Jin Tae-gong possessed skills that could be counted on one hand.
As if to prove that, there were quite a few renowned masters he encountered while performing missions in the Central Plains who had knelt before his blade.
His words certainly couldn’t be called baseless confidence.
“I am truly glad you are here.”
“Haha! Am I not someone who always stands on the Divine Maiden’s side? Whatever the task, if it is for you, Divine Maiden, I will carry it out at the risk of my life.”
“Tae-gong…”
“Divine Maiden…”
Geum Jiran clasped Jin Tae-gong’s hands, seemingly on the verge of tears.
How could there be such a reliable person?
Yuk Cheol-wan, who had always been by her side since childhood, was an incredibly filthy human being, and Chu Jak-han, known as the most handsome man in the Heaven and Earth Cult, was greasy and untrustworthy.
But Jin Tae-gong was different.
Strong, confident, and always rolling up his sleeves for her. That alone was enough to move one’s heart, but to willingly offer his life for her, from Geum Jiran’s perspective, he was…
Nothing short of a complete pushover.
She slightly lowered her head and formed a sly smile.
“I will do anything for you too, Tae-gong. You believe me, right?”
“O-Of course I believe you! Di, Divi…”
“Kuaaaagh-!”
At that moment, an ear-piercing scream could be heard from outside.
Startled, Jin Tae-gong hurriedly looked out the window.
Clang, clang, clang-!
What he heard was the sound of clashing swords.
Along with strange shrieks that sounded like wailing ghosts.
“Kuaaaagh?!”
“Keu… geoueok!”
Was someone dying?
He couldn’t even see such things.
It was because a green mist, thick like fog, was covering the surroundings. The moment he saw it, Jin Tae-gong realized something was terribly wrong.
“Poison mist…? Could it be… the Tang Family?!”
“T-The Tang Family? Are you talking about those vicious poison users from Sichuan?”
“I heard they were already chasing us. To think… our safehouse would be discovered.”
Boom, boom, boom-!
Something exploded here and there, and ear-ringing screams resounded. The poison mist grew incredibly dense, and those who couldn’t endure it grabbed their chests and vomited blood.
The number of people in this Sichuan branch was substantial.
Due to the characteristics of the Sichuan territory, more personnel were stationed here than in Hubei.
But what did that matter?
Cultists without immunity to poison couldn’t even be mice in front of a cat. One by one, they collapsed from the poison, their throats torn by swinging blades.
“We have to get out!”
“Y… Yes! I understand. And Tae-gong…”
“Yes?”
Jin Tae-gong, who was urgently grabbing her hand and trying to escape the room, unconsciously turned his head to look at her at the soft calling voice.
In that moment, Geum Jiran smiled brightly.
It was a fairy’s smile that would not fall short when compared to any flower.
His face unconsciously turned bright red.
“What you said earlier… you won’t ever forget it, right?”
“Wh-What… Ah…! Of course!”
“I believe you!”
“Do not worry! I am always on the Divine Maiden’s side.”
Looking at the one speaking so confidently, Geum Jiran tilted her head.
No, not that.
I meant protect me with your life, you bastard.
* * *
“Do not let a single one escape.”
“How dare a fanatic cult like this!”
Tang Mun-hye looked around the Heaven and Earth Cult’s safehouse with an incredibly cold gaze. How dare a pseudo-religion with no pedigree sneak into Sichuan and slowly expand its influence?
How lightly did they take the Sichuan Tang Family to pull such a stunt?
The Tang Family was never soft like the Namgung Family.
Moreover, the Tang Family never tolerated being threatened.
Because of such traditions, they had become a prestigious family counted among the top three of the Eight Great Families alongside Namgung and Murong for countless years.
“It seems their numbers are larger than expected… What should we do? Kill them all?”
To the words of a man who stealthily approached and asked, Tang Mun-hye nodded.
“…You do not need to hold back on any means or methods.”
“Haha! As expected, you know how it is, Lady.”
Tang Mun-hye walked on, ignoring even the sound of laughter. More people were gathered than she had thought. She also felt that this place called the Heaven and Earth Cult, which she had disregarded, might be somewhat formidable.
Deep at the entrance of Sichuan.
They had set up a safehouse in a place where people would never think something could exist. Furthermore, since they had laid down an array to deceive the eyes, it meant they at least had considerable financial power and individuals skilled enough to lay down arrays.
In addition, their martial arts were quite decent.
Although they were securing an overwhelming victory because the enemy couldn’t move properly after spraying the poison mist, if there had been no poison mist, their side might have suffered considerable casualties.
What if they had launched a sudden all-out offensive against the Tang Family?
She couldn’t be sure, but no matter how much poison and hidden weapons they used, the Tang Family might have had to bear significant damage. Thinking about that made her even more indignant and angry.
She bit her lip tightly and opened her mouth.
“…Find the Divine Maiden. She should be nearby.”
* * *
The pursuit of the Sichuan Tang Family was fierce and fast.
To the point of making them understand why they had kept their name among the Eight Great Families for so long, they chased from behind scarily, fast, and viciously.
“Keueok?!”
A subordinate with a dagger lodged in his neck collapsed, losing another one.
They had moved accompanied by over thirty guards, but those remaining were now barely less than five. Of course, they too wouldn’t last long.
Thud, thud, thud-!
“Kuaa!?”
As if proving they were more skilled in using hidden weapons than anyone else, they flew in from a great distance as if shooting a bow.
It was an incredibly precise move, seemingly predicting the moment they would throw their bodies to dodge.
“Such vicious bastards…”
Jin Tae-gong ground his teeth.
If it were a frontal clash, they would have been able to seize victory somehow. But those guys didn’t seem to have any intention of doing that in the first place.
They were using every trick in the book.
Poison mist was sprayed in the safehouse, and the legendary Torrential Pear Blossom Needle poured down.
Was that all?
The Minor Heaven Thunder.
It was a secret weapon of the Tang Family, made by shrinking the Heaven Shaking Thunder to make it portable.
As they rained down like a shower, explosions occurred everywhere, and the subordinates swept up in it became corpses without being able to do anything.
They said the Heaven Shaking Thunder was forbidden in Murim, so was the Minor Heaven Thunder okay?
What kind of dogshit situation was this?
“Tae, Tae-gong! Are you okay?”
“Do not worry. I will definitely save you, Divine Maiden.”
“Yes! I will believe you.”
At Geum Jiran’s words, Jin Tae-gong smiled.
His shoulders felt lighter for no reason since the person he served said she believed in him.
Soon, as if saving her was the only reason he was alive right now, Jin Tae-gong began to move quickly through the mountain path.
He aimlessly took the winding and extremely rugged path. Thinking that Geum Jiran would be tired, he didn’t seem to think about his own body getting exhausted at all.
“Will we… be okay?”
“Do not worry. No matter how formidable the Tang Family is, they will soon get tired on their own and return.”
The mountain was rugged.
Due to the nature of a safehouse, it was built by choosing the most rugged terrain in case something like this happened. No matter how vicious the Sichuan Tang Family was, they wouldn’t be able to pursue them to the end.
Of course, that was entirely his own thought.
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