Chapter 235

Chapter 235

“…Inside the Demonic Cult?”

“That’s right.”

“I know a skilled physician—would you like to receive a diagnosis?”

At Iryang’s serious expression, as if he heard something he shouldn’t have, I burst into a chuckle. Because there’s no way he wouldn’t know how insane it is to infiltrate the Demonic Cult’s main base if he thought about it with common sense.

“The Demonic Cult’s main base is literally a demon’s den.”

“I know.”

“Do you really know? The physiques of Xinjiang people and Central Plains people are different from the start. To survive the yokai power prevalent in Xinjiang, Central Plains people must take Clarity Pills.”

The need to take one Clarity Pill per day.

This seems easy, but it’s actually not that easy. Clarity Pills that protect humans from yokai power are so precious that each one is worth its weight in gold. If one person stays for a month, enough money is spent to buy a famous sword.

“That’s not all. Do you know the Demonic Cult’s structure?”

“Roughly.”

“It’s not difficult to enter up to the cult’s outer area. Since people who are cult members but haven’t learned or can’t learn martial arts live there. But the inside of the main base is different.”

The cult thoroughly verifies the identity of personnel entering the main base’s interior. Those not recorded in the cult’s personnel registry cannot enter, and they station guards who’ve learned special martial arts to memorize faces. Naturally, entering with casual disguise is impossible, and disguising as someone else is also not easy.

“The moment you’re discovered, death is certain, and avoiding discovery is also difficult.”

“Mm.”

“It’s already hard for one or two people to infiltrate, let alone twenty people infiltrating simultaneously… Doesn’t that make no sense?”

“It would make no sense in ordinary cases.”

“Then why…”

“This case is different. Because there’s something I’ve prepared in advance.”

“Something you’ve prepared?”

“Do you know that the Demonic Cult plants spies in the Central Plains?”

“I know… that much.”

Wasn’t Seogwang also a spy planted by the Demonic Cult? There have been several cases throughout Central Plains history where Demonic Cult spies were discovered, so thinking there are no spies would be too careless.

“The Demonic Cult’s spies don’t have as strong bonds as you might think.”

“Is that so? Considering what the Demonic Cult’s spies have done, they seemed to have tremendous loyalty. When discovered, didn’t they immediately fight to the end or all commit suicide?”

“That’s because they received support from the Demonic Cult. Even if they use techniques like poison compulsion, could they control it from distant Xinjiang? It’s impossible.”

Because the distance is far and there are limits to how long they can stay out, it’s fundamentally difficult to properly manage spies. Considering that groups normally train spies thoroughly before dispatching them, the restriction that cult members cannot stay long on Central Plains soil was literally like an extreme environment limiting spy activities.

“So the Demonic Cult plants spies by leaving strong connections to themselves.”

“……”

“Though being a spy for the Evil Path Alliance is at minimum a death sentence, being a spy for the Demonic Cult is even more severe. Since you don’t know how far the cult’s pawns extend, they exterminate three generations. When a Demonic Cult spy is caught and their connection to the cult is revealed, three generations are exterminated, so spies have no choice but to commit suicide if caught. Because if they open their mouths under torture, all related people could die.”

“…I understand. But why are you talking about spies?”

“Now, here’s a question. Who would plant the Demonic Cult’s spies?”

“Obviously, whoever plans the strategy against the Central Plains would plant them, right?”

“What if that person is my ally?”

“…Pardon?”

“I’ve already recruited one family that became a Demonic Cult spy.”

There’s a place called the Yu Family Manor. Originally, it had mediocre martial arts, but with the Demonic Cult’s help, they reformed their martial arts and rose as a new force in the Orthodox Path.

I heard about the Yu Family Manor’s identity from Jeokyeol, the Seven Wheels member I met before. The Yu Family Manor wants to sever its connection with the Demonic Cult, and it’s a place that could be quite useful if there’s ever a need to enter the cult later.

“The Murim Alliance and Evil Path Alliance have agreed to overlook the Yu Family Manor’s transgressions.”

“Then…?”

“We’ll disguise ourselves as members of the Yu Family Manor and enter the Demonic Cult. Since the Gangho situation is boiling over, we have sufficient justification.”

I heard there’s a place inside the Demonic Cult’s main base that has artificially driven away yokai power, prepared for fleeing spies. Then we could disguise it as a flight.

“With this much, there’s plenty of possibility, isn’t there?”

“More than plenty.”

Seeing Iryang, who thought for a moment and gave his answer after I spoke, I smiled broadly.

“Then we should start preparing soon.”

“I’ll open the Black Market.”

“Mm.”

It was time to depart soon.

***

Her throat is dry.

“…Huuuu.”

At the groan flowing between her parched lips, Songbyeok Jin-in, who unconsciously shook his head, carried one exhausted disciple on his back and looked beyond the sand dunes with dry eyes. The sandy beach that stretched endlessly no matter how far he walked, merely existing.

“How… did it come to this…”

After being engulfed in tens of thousands of lightning bolts.

Songbyeok Jin-in realized he had fallen into some desert. Also that his disciples had been scattered all over.

Normally, he wouldn’t have worried. The disciples of Qingcheng, whom Songbyeok Jin-in personally taught and raised, were people whose skills were second to none anywhere. They had the ability to return alive even if dropped anywhere in the Central Plains, so there was no reason to worry.

But this place is different.

‘The Great Desert of Xinjiang.’

The great desert whose end cannot be seen, teeming with cult members and yokai.

Those who fall here cannot guarantee their survival. First, because it’s an extreme environment without water or food. Second, because even he, the Sect Leader of one of the Nine Sects and One Gang, cannot take lightly the great yokai that commonly wander about—so how could the disciples of Qingcheng, no matter how well taught and raised, endure?

He must find them.

The moment he fell, Songbyeok Jin-in made that judgment and managed to find one Qingcheng disciple while wandering the Great Desert. And now.

Songbyeok Jin-in was dying.

Without being able to drink water.

“Just wait… a little longer.”

At the faint breathing of the disciple on his back, Songbyeok Jin-in clenched his fist. The unseen water source or settlement. And his body reaching its limit.

If he were alone, perhaps, but taking a disciple and escaping this Great Desert was impossible. He realized it instinctively. Surely before escaping this Great Desert, the disciple would die of thirst.

Then what should he do? Where should he obtain water, and where should he obtain food?

What should he do?

‘Blood…’

Songbyeok Jin-in, who was briefly lost in thought on the sand dune, looked at his disciple’s nape. His gaze hardening coldly as if he’d made some decision.

Chaeng!

“Is this the only way?”

Yes.

If he doesn’t take some measure, both will just die. As the sect’s elder, he can’t just leave a disciple on the verge of death.

Songbyeok Jin-in, who drew his sword, sharply honed his internal power, refined it into sword energy, and brought it to his own wrist. And.

“Somehow… survive.”

The moment Songbyeok Jin-in, who laid down his disciple, brought his wrist to the disciple’s lips and was about to cut with his blade.

—Stop.

“…!”

Songbyeok Jin-in’s body.

Froze solid.

‘What… is this?’

Overwhelming presence. Domineering yokai power that seemed ready to crush and burst him at any moment.

It wasn’t such intangible pressure that froze Songbyeok Jin-in’s actions. Because Songbyeok Jin-in’s mental state was too solid to be frozen by fear alone. Because he was prepared to do anything to save his disciple.

What stopped Songbyeok Jin-in’s action wasn’t such intangible pressure. Simultaneously with the words to stop, control of his body was taken away.

Literally, Songbyeok Jin-in couldn’t even blink his eyes of his own will right now.

To the point where resistance was impossible.

‘What on earth…’

Songbyeok Jin-in, who was inwardly shocked while continuously drawing internal power to regain control of his body, barely managed to put strength into his hand gripping the sword. The sword tip trembling slightly as if proving he wasn’t a statue.

Footsteps approach.

At the small noise of stepping on fine sand that wouldn’t be heard without focused listening, Songbyeok Jin-in, who circulated his internal power with full force, barely regained control of his body. And.

“You wicked yokai… you won’t lay a finger on my disciple…!”

“Huh?”

In the blink of an eye.

In Songbyeok Jin-in’s eyes as he drew out sword energy transformed into sword force and aimed his blade at the approaching yokai—the sight he saw.

“…Y-you are.”

“Songbyeok Jin-in?”

Baek Risan was standing beside the terrifying yokai.

***

Shortly after.

—Emergency treatment is complete.

“……”

—It’s best not to move too much. If anything happens, call me. I’ll be over there.

Seeing Nakcheon disappear beyond the sand dune after finishing speaking, Songbyeok Jin-in, who had been watching with a bewildered expression, checked on his disciple. The complexion gradually returning after drinking water and receiving some treatment.

“What… on earth is going on? That yokai…”

Rescued by a yokai.

“I don’t really know either.”

At Songbyeok Jin-in’s incomprehensible question, Baek Risan shook her head. Because it was something she didn’t understand either.

“Is that one human?”

“No. He’s a yokai. You know, right? Humans can’t harbor yokai power.”

“I know that, but even so…”

Wouldn’t that be more likely than a yokai helping humans?

At Songbyeok Jin-in’s question, Baek Risan smiled bitterly. Because she had thought the same and asked.

“He’s a yokai. He said so himself.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. More precisely, he said he wasn’t sure if he was a yokai, but since he said he’s lived for at least several hundred years, he can’t be human. Humans can’t live that long, right?”

“That’s… not wrong.”

“It’s certain he’s a yokai. I don’t know why he’s helping, but… it’s also true that he intends to help.”

Building trust with humans wouldn’t particularly benefit a yokai. Yokai feed on fear, not other emotions. That means right now, helping humans, the situation stems purely from goodwill.

“Mm, there’s logic to that.”

“You think so?”

“Even among us humans, there are many eccentric people who behave strangely. Just because he’s a yokai doesn’t mean we can conclude there are no eccentric ones among them.”

“Ah.”

“What’s important is how long that eccentricity will last…”

At Songbyeok Jin-in’s good example, Baek Risan, who understood Nakcheon’s behavior, nodded, and Songbyeok Jin-in smiled broadly.

“That yokai is strong.”

“Is… that so? I vaguely knew he was incredibly strong.”

“Mm, from what I sense, it’s not just that level. If I fought that one, I probably couldn’t even graze his hem.”

“…Even if you were serious, Jin-in?”

“I believe so.”

Songbyeok Jin-in is strong enough to be mentioned as the next Ten Heavens. Even fighting against the lower ranks of the Ten Heavens, he could easily endure for at least fifty seconds or so.

However, even such a Songbyeok Jin-in couldn’t dare consider competing with Nakcheon. How could he measure that overwhelming strength that binds the body with just words?

“It’s early to conclude, but at minimum, he’s at the Ten Heavens’ upper ranks. The same level as the Sword Saint or Lord of Ten Thousand. Perhaps even stronger.”

“If such a person is helping, we should make good use of that situation.”

It’s an opportunity like no other. An ally knowledgeable about the Great Desert’s circumstances, who doesn’t tire because he’s a yokai, and is incomparably strong.

In such a situation, there’s only one thing to do, isn’t there?

“Young benefactor. Won’t you work with me on something?”

“Pardon? What…”

“It’s simple.”

Songbyeok Jin-in grinned.

“Gathering the transfer victims scattered throughout this Great Desert in one place.”