Chapter 184: Crossing the Border
Although the final destination was the Ten Thousand Great Mountains where the Demonic Cult’s headquarters lay, the current target was Kunlun.
The furthest place among the journeys I had experienced was Sichuan. Since Mount Kunlun was beyond Sichuan, I prepared myself for an even more difficult journey.
“……It is more comfortable than I thought, though?”
Since demonic practitioners moving around in crowds was bound to be problematic, the majority moved while hiding nearby, but the situation was such that the Heavenly Demon’s Personal Guard, who spread around, moved competitively the moment the words that I needed something left my mouth.
To make a comparison, they all seemed like people who had starved for over ten days.
Although they had restrained themselves until now because of surrounding eyes, they were now indulging in (?) my instructions to their hearts’ content.
‘I feel like I’m committing a crime somehow… but since they like it this much, I can’t really say anything…’
I was afraid that if I poured and drank water for my own convenience, I would see a member of the Heavenly Demon’s Personal Guard with eyes like an abandoned puppy.
Frankly speaking, it was honestly comfortable.
Even compared to the travels here and there in the past, it was overwhelmingly comfortable.
When the time came, food would appear on its own, and the sleeping quarters were all prepared by themselves.
Even though we moved through secluded places, there were none of those common (?) bandits.
Perhaps they had vanished as the Seventy-two Forts of the Green Forest became a mess, or they might have been swept away by the active movements of the Nine Great Sects.
However, I could not shake the thought that they had probably been cut down by the Heavenly Demon’s Personal Guard hovering like shadows around me.
Anyway, since my situation was one where I only needed to walk, it felt as if I had truly gone out on a trip.
[How is it? Nice, isn’t it?]
While I was fully enjoying this situation, Master Heavenly Demon spoke to me.
Following Master Bodhidharma and Master Zhang Sanfeng, it seemed Master Heavenly Demon had finally opened his eyes to peddling medicine as well.
“I have no intention of settling down in the Cult, you know?”
[Hmph! Let’s see if that’s how it turns out.]
‘What, are you pretending to be sulky, unlike yourself?’
It felt like listening to a sulking child because I didn’t buy what he wanted. To think that the great Master Heavenly Demon was acting like that made me feel bewildered.
If it had been Sister Seol-ah, I would have already been disarmed.
“……Do you have no intention of staying in the Holy Cult?”
Perhaps having heard the conversation I was sharing with Master Heavenly Demon, one of the members moving alongside me asked cautiously.
Im A-hyeong.
One of the demonic practitioners of the Heaven-Obeying Faction who had visited Samyang County.
He was the one who had conversed with me most frequently.
The demonic practitioner who rushed at me the moment he saw me was Jeok So-byeok, and the one standing a step back as if he were barely there was Yeom Jin-muk.
He was acting as if he had received a shock at my words that I would not remain in the Demonic Cult.
“I should have given instructions to pretend you didn’t hear and ignore it when I occasionally talk to myself?”
“Ah……!”
Im A-hyeong’s face turned pale as if he had committed a grave sin.
“I am sorry!”
He bowed his head like a person who had committed a capital crime.
‘Somehow, I feel like I’ve become a malicious boss……’
This was an exaggeration on Im A-hyeong’s part.
It made me wonder if the Demonic Cult was originally like that, but looking at the reactions of the other two demonic practitioners, it didn’t seem so.
In Jeok So-byeok’s case, it was easy to see that he was completely avoiding me while watching my mood.
But in Yeom Jin-muk’s case, he had few reactions and few words.
Perhaps because it was hard to know his inner thoughts, he caught my eye instead.
‘If there’s something, it’ll reveal itself someday.’
It was an environment where I could converse comfortably with my masters after a long time.
Because Yi Hwa and Old Man Jong were already accustomed to this tendency of mine.
To maintain this environment in the future, I had to lay down a firm boundary.
“I shall watch.”
“I shall engrave it in my bones!”
With Im A-hyeong at the lead, Jeok So-byeok and Yeom Jin-muk bowed their heads in turn, receiving my will.
[Your skill in handling people has improved quite a bit.]
It was a rare compliment for Master Heavenly Demon. Perhaps because of that, it sounded like preparatory work for peddling medicine.
‘I said I won’t buy that medicine.’
As expected, Master Zhang Sanfeng seemed to be the best at peddling medicine.
***
Inside Im A-hyeong’s head as he watched Yeon Cheong-un searchingly, the history of the Heavenly Demon Holy Cult and the tendencies that changed because of it came to mind.
It was said that when the first Heavenly Demon opened the Cult to revere the demonic path, power decided everything.
As a place where the logic of the law of the jungle was strictly observed, it was purely strong, rough, and cold-blooded.
Later, as they formed a group and sought efficiency in the process, the Heavenly Demon Holy Cult sprouted hierarchical tendencies like the ones today and changed.
Despite being pushed back in both the power structure and individual skills, it was the factor that allowed the current Heavenly Demon to preserve his position.
However, although a hierarchical system was established out of necessity, the logic of the law of the jungle was still laid at the bottom of the Heavenly Demon Holy Cult.
This was also the reason why the Heaven-Rebelling Faction could form such a large force and flourish.
To the demonic practitioners who had lived in such a complex environment, Yeon Cheong-un had a somewhat foreign side to him.
“What do you think?”
“That gentleman?”
“Yes.”
“Weak.”
Jeok So-byeok’s evaluation was harsh.
“I don’t know yet.”
Yeom Jin-muk postponed his evaluation.
“In the end, it means there are no favorable reviews. Is it rather for the best? If he were an ambitious hero, dealing with him would have been more difficult. It’s a good thing for our Heavenly Demon.”
Jeok So-byeok, who was like a mute who ate honey when Yeon Cheong-un was present, spoke freely.
He seemed to have accumulated a lot.
Yeom Jin-muk also nodded at Jeok So-byeok’s words, perhaps agreeing to some extent.
Although it seemed sorted out to some degree, this was only an internal opinion.
If it were a conclusion drawn while their vision was obscured by prejudice, they could suffer a great setback.
Im A-hyeong asked for an opinion from the outside.
“May I ask you one thing?”
It was a member of the Heavenly Demon’s Personal Guard who was secretly following nearby.
“What is it?”
The gaze of the member of the Heavenly Demon’s Personal Guard, who replied stiffly, was cold.
Frankly speaking, they had gossiped. Im A-hyeong, who was inwardly startled, cautiously opened his mouth.
“When he said he would not remain in the Holy Cult, why did no one step forward?”
In Im A-hyeong’s view, if Yeon Cheong-un were truly the Heavenly Demon and they were loyal to him, it was something they should restrain him from.
Yet, no one stepped forward.
The member of the Heavenly Demon’s Personal Guard, who had organized his thoughts, said calmly.
“We are the Heavenly Demon’s Personal Guard. The place where the Heavenly Demon resides is where we shall be.”
“Isn’t that abandoning everything of the Cult?”
Following only a person. It was a good sentiment.
However, if the place where the followed one resided was not a splendid throne, nothing would be given to those who followed.
To Im A-hyeong, who spoke indirectly about whether it was a worthless matter, the member of the Heavenly Demon’s Personal Guard chuckled.
“That gentleman always surpasses himself and always surprises us. As men, how could we not follow such a person? I am proud of myself for following him.”
Although he had been cold and calm, the member of the Heavenly Demon’s Personal Guard was different when he said those words.
His face was filled with uncontrollable pride, and his eyes shone clearly like a child filled with innocence.
Im A-hyeong could not close his agape mouth.
As one of the Heaven-Obeying Faction, he knew what kind of people the Heavenly Demon’s Personal Guard, who stayed in close proximity to the Heavenly Demon and guarded him, were.
“You will also find out soon.”
Although the member of the Heavenly Demon’s Personal Guard closed his mouth, returning to his usual (?) state as if nothing had happened, his last words were deeply engraved in Im A-hyeong’s mind like a spell.
***
With no elements to delay the journey and the group composed entirely of experts who were skilled in martial arts, the speed could not help but be fast.
Thanks to that, we passed Sichuan much faster than expected.
Frankly, I was a bit surprised when I heard from Yi Hwa that this was Qinghai from here on.
It was beyond comparison to when I traveled with only Baek Mu-ho.
‘The number of people is much larger, yet does this make sense?’
The speed was speed, but what was even more surprising was that there had been no problems or clashes until now.
When I came to Sichuan last time, we met bandits every other day and experienced countless incidents and accidents.
It was literally no different from an thunderbolt bomb that could explode at any moment.
Inwardly, I had resolved that a fight could break out a few times while passing Sichuan.
Having passed Sichuan so easily, the ties of relationships I was indebted to in Sichuan came to mind.
Teacher Emerald Bamboo, Elder Cheongpungja of the Qingcheng Sect, the sibling duo Yi Do-cheon and Yi Cheong-ryeo, Family Head Tang Cheon-gi of the Tang Family, and so on.
‘Well, the composition of the group is a bit awkward to visit them right away. Let’s consider dropping by on the way back.’
However, dragging this power along would be a declaration of war.
It could deepen the grounds for misunderstanding.
I didn’t skip it out of laziness.
At any rate, the first impression of the place called Qinghai that we reached in that way was simple.
“It is wide open.”
It was a grassland. And beyond the grassland, a snowy mountain with prominent white peaks stood like a folding screen in faint shadows.
Mountains and grassland.
It was a land smelling of the wild.
“It would feel good to run while riding a horse.”
Looking at the wide-stretching grassland, excitement naturally welled up.
“Shall I prepare them?”
“It is fine. Why bother now.”
I shook my head at Yi Hwa’s suggestion.
The number of people was larger than expected. It would be difficult to obtain horses, and even if we could, the cost would be considerable.
Even so, it would look awkward for me to ride a horse alone.
‘Let’s look forward to next time.’
There will be a day I visit again sometime.
Just as I thought so.
Rumble, rumble!!
“……Vibration?”
The ground shook. I had felt the nature of this heaviness, which could be felt even from afar, a few times before.
Sure enough, when I turned my gaze, a dust cloud was rising over there.
“Are there horse bandits nearby?”
“I understand there are quite a few. Because Qinghai is the gateway for exchanges with the Western Regions.”
“Really?”
If those are horse bandits and they are coming to offer horses on their own, they are more than welcome.
I had looked forward to the future, but it seemed I was lucky.
“Hm? It’s not horse bandits, though?”
The dust cloud visible in the distance was indeed created by dozens of horses running.
However, what was visible in the center of that dust cloud was not horse bandits.
Just horses.
Horses carrying no one were running in a herd.
From the sky above those horses, something deep blue popped out.
As it gradually drew closer, it revealed its complete form.
Screeech-!
A blue color deeper than the color of the sky flew over while making a whistling sound.
“A bird?”
It was a bird.
Its body was larger than my height, and its flapping wings generated a wind that would make it hard for an ordinary person to even stand.
Its overwhelming majesty appeared rather divine.
I unconsciously reached my arm out toward the bird.
At that, the divine creature landed and perched on my tiny arm.
‘Is this what they call being chosen?’
The blue bird, which rubbed my face with its beak as if acting cute, let out a long whistling sound once more.
Screeech-!
Then, the dozens of horses that arrived late stopped in front of us all at once.
Everyone’s mouth was agape at the scene out of common sense that seemed to belong to a fairy tale.
***
Inside Im A-hyeong’s mind, which felt as if common sense had run away, the words he had heard from the member of the Heavenly Demon’s Personal Guard were playing.
“That gentleman always surpasses himself and always surprises us……”
Involuntarily, those words also flowed from Im A-hyeong’s mouth.
“……You will also find out soon.”
Along with the last words filled with conviction.