CLS-Chapter 441

Chapter 441:

No one could readily open their mouth to speak.

That was how heavy the weight of the word “demonic arts” was in the current martial world.

“Demonic arts?”

But Wei Yan-ho alone was free from that heaviness. To him, demonic arts were nothing more or less than martial techniques practiced by those Demonic Cult bastards.

“You’re saying that if you learn demonic arts, your body rots? But those bastards seem perfectly fine.”

Wei Jeong-han turned his head without a word to look at Zhuge Moon-in. Then Zhuge Moon-in, understanding Wei Jeong-han’s intention, opened his mouth.

“To be precise, it’s not only demonic arts that make the body rot. When one falls ill or becomes severely infected, the body will naturally rot as well. The problem is that this person is a martial artist.”

Zhuge Moon-in cleared his throat quietly and continued.

“A martial artist of the Unified Soul Realm wouldn’t collapse this rapidly from illness. There would have been warning signs at the very least. That there were no such signs and he ended up like this—it’s impossible to explain without demonic arts.”

“So you’re saying that learning demonic arts makes your body rot?”

“More precisely, it would be ‘when struck by demonic arts.'”

“Hmm…”

“And while learning demonic arts doesn’t make your body rot, there’s been no investigation into whether your body rots if you fall into qi deviation while learning demonic arts. The Central Plains and the Demonic Cult have been enemies from birth, and neither knows the other’s martial studies inside and out.”

“Ah, so…”

Wei Yan-ho scratched his cheek and summarized the situation.

“So in Father’s and your view, this person either got struck by demonic arts, or fell into qi deviation while learning demonic arts and ended up like this?”

“It’s only speculation.”

“Hmm.”

Wei Yan-ho’s face became slightly serious.

This wasn’t a good situation. The repercussions would be different from someone ending up like this while learning the Tang Family’s hereditary martial arts. Sure enough, clear displeasure had risen on Tang Cheon-gun’s face.

“No matter how much you say it’s just speculation, it’s utterly unpleasant.”

“We must keep all possibilities open.”

“Then are you saying the Tang Family has been in collusion with the Demonic Cult?”

Tang Cheon-gun’s voice was mixed with anger and killing intent. If it had been someone other than Wei Jeong-han, they wouldn’t have been able to face this fury head-on.

But Wei Jeong-han hadn’t earned the nickname “Righteous Hero Sword” for nothing either.

“You know how dangerous it is to treat any area as sacred during an investigation.”

“Grrrr.”

Tang Cheon-gun frowned as if being pushed back by logic.

“I understand the Family Head’s anger. It’s only natural. The Sichuan martial world has long volunteered to be the vanguard in battles against the Demonic Cult. Anyone would lose their reason and go wild upon hearing they might have joined hands with their mortal enemy.”

“Well, that’s fortunate.”

“I also don’t think the Tang Family would collude with the Demonic Cult. That would be an insult to the Tang Family members who died in the war against the Demonic Cult.”

When Wei Jeong-han made a statement acknowledging the Tang Family, Tang Cheon-gun’s face relaxed slightly.

And this wasn’t mere flattery—it was Wei Jeong-han’s sincere feeling.

Though relations with the Righteous Martial Alliance were bad, the Sichuan martial world was the place that fought most fiercely against the Demonic Cult and suffered the greatest damage. When it came to hatred toward the Demonic Cult, those from north of the river couldn’t dare compare to them. These were people who would bolt upright even from sleep at the mention of Demonic Cult members.

That Tang Cheon-gun was getting through with only this level of reaction despite being suspected of collusion with such people showed he was a magnanimous man.

“I understand what you mean. But I’m warning you—don’t spout such words in front of other Tang Family members. It’ll be a disaster.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

No one but Wei Jeong-han could have said such things in front of the Tang Family Head. The Divine Investigation Bureau had sent Wei Jeong-han with this intention as well. Even if a blade came to his throat, Wei Jeong-han was someone who would speak the truth.

Wei Yan-ho, who had been watching the situation unfold, opened his mouth.

“So what’s Father’s opinion? Are you saying the Tang Family learned demonic arts?”

“I don’t know.”

“Hul, what do we do if you don’t know?”

“It doesn’t seem like they were struck by demonic arts. If it were just one person in the Unified Soul Realm, perhaps, but there are more than one or two people showing these symptoms now. They couldn’t all have been struck by demonic arts. Unless  Jeokan-u… no, the Great Demon Emperor returns, it would be difficult.”

“Why bring up the Great Demon Emperor? Even if just that Frenzied Demon or whatever comes, he could turn the Tang Family into ruins by himself.”

“Without being detected by anyone?”

“Hmm, that would be difficult.”

If the Frenzied Demon Emperor came, defeating these people would be as easy as eating cold porridge. But taking down multiple people in one day without being detected wasn’t an easy task.

Even Wei Yan-ho couldn’t infiltrate the Zhuge Family undetected. Considering the difference between the Frenzied Demon Emperor and Wei Yan-ho, and the difference between the Tang Family and the Zhuge Family, it was sufficiently difficult.

“Then are we leaning toward them having learned demonic arts?”

“That’s not it either.”

“…What keeps being ‘not it’?”

“If they fell into qi deviation while learning demonic arts, such symptoms might appear. But isn’t it strange that so many people fell into qi deviation on the same day?”

“It wasn’t the same day. I understand it was reactions that appeared over several days.”

“Even so, it’s the same. Their achievements are different, their learning speeds are different, yet they couldn’t mechanically show the same symptoms at such similar times. Even when struck by a plague, the timing when symptoms manifest differs from person to person, doesn’t it?”

“That’s right.”

“So it means we can’t specify it as one thing.”

Wei Yan-ho’s mouth protruded.

“So in the end, no one knows what the cause is.”

“Mm.”

Wei Jeong-han looked at the Tang Formation member with a heavy face.

“One thing has become certain.”

“Yes?”

Wei Jeong-han looked around at everyone once and opened his mouth.

“If this isn’t just an internal matter of the Tang Family, there might be problems in places other than here. Perhaps right now we’re witnessing the beginning of an incident massive enough to shake the entire martial world.”

Even the great Wei Yan-ho couldn’t say anything at this moment.

***

“What’s the meaning of this?”

“What do you mean?”

“Tsk!”

Tang Yong-min couldn’t contain his anger.

Looking at Zhuge Yeom’s shameless face, it felt like there were burning coals in his stomach.

“Didn’t we agree to cooperate?”

“We did.”

“Then how could you send your grandson to Wei Yan-ho? Perhaps my thinking is too shallow to read Family Head Zhuge’s wisdom? If so, please explain. So that even this dull head can understand!”

Zhuge Yeom smiled subtly.

“Is this really something that needs explanation?”

“Are you mocking me now?”

“How could that be?”

Zhuge Yeom had to struggle to hold back his bursting laughter.

‘What a stupid old fool.‘

The political situation of the martial world always changes.

Yesterday’s enemy becomes today’s friend, and even mortal enemies can join hands if there’s profit in it. The rigid Tang Family might not understand, but in the Zhuge Family, this was natural.

“Didn’t you agree to join us! You’re not planning to betray us, are you? Is the loyalty between the Zhuge Family and Tang Family only worth that much?”

“Of course not.”

Zhuge Yeom shook his head. But his eyes were utterly cold.

‘To speak of loyalty while planning to strike down the Family Head. How shameless.‘

Those preparing rebellion speaking of loyalty—it was absurd. Well, it wasn’t particularly strange. Humans always apply harsher standards to others. Whether they know this fact about themselves divides those with shame from those without.

“Then what’s the meaning of this?”

“It seems Elder Tang is thinking wrongly.”

“What did you say?”

Seeing Tang Yong-min’s face flush, Zhuge Yeom sighed.

This bull-like old man throws a tantrum whenever he hears something slightly disagreeable.

“Thinking wrongly? Am I thinking wrongly now? I seem to have misjudged people. If you keep coming out like this, I won’t stand idle either. I’ll formally communicate with the Heavenly Alliance Leader and demand payment for the Zhuge Family’s betrayal!”

Zhuge Yeom’s eyebrow twitched.

There was a method of talking things through gently, but Zhuge Yeom chose a different approach.

“Elder Tang.”

“…”

“It would be good to calm your excitement while I’m speaking nicely. You seem to be mistaken, thinking you’ve already risen to the position of Tang Family Head, but you’re still in the position of an Elder, and I am the head of a family. If you continue trying to pressure people like this, I won’t endure it any longer either.”

Tang Yong-min shut his mouth.

Though his insides were boiling, if Zhuge Yeom came out like that, he couldn’t raise his voice any further either.

“I apologize, Family Head Zhuge. I got excited and…”

“It can happen. If you know your mistake, just correct it going forward.”

It meant that if you don’t correct it, I won’t let it slide. Tang Yong-min still had a face full of dissatisfaction, but couldn’t act rashly anymore.

Thinking that conversation was now possible, Zhuge Yeom returned to the original topic.

“I don’t understand why you’re angry. The Zhuge Family wasn’t originally assigned the task of eliminating Wei Yan-ho.”

“…What do you mean by that?”

“We agreed to join forces in bringing down Tang Cheon-gun. Wei Yan-ho has nothing to do with it.”

“But Tang Cheon-gun and Wei Yan-ho are on the same side, aren’t they? Tang Cheon-gun called Wei Yan-ho in, so how can you think of them separately?”

‘Now he’s not even calling him Family Head.‘

Zhuge Yeom felt displeased. Though he had decided to oppose Tang Cheon-gun, watching such rebellion occur from the position of a fellow Family Head couldn’t be pleasant. Moreover, Tang Yong-min and Tang Pyeong fell far short of Tang Cheon-gun’s caliber.

While it would be welcome for a foolish Family Head to enter a competing family, the Tang Family losing strength meant cracks in the foundation of the Heavenly Alliance, and more broadly, the Sichuan martial world. Zhuge Yeom was troubled about whether to trust these fools and proceed with the plan.

“Unrequited love is always sad.”

“Did you say unrequited love?”

“Though Tang Cheon-gun called Wei Yan-ho in, Wei Yan-ho has no interest in the Tang Family Head position. Wei Yan-ho simply wants a Tang Family Head who can cooperate with the Righteous Martial Alliance. He would welcome anyone more cooperative with the Righteous Martial Alliance in that position.”

“Hmm.”

Tang Yong-min’s face grew heavy.

“But we can’t cooperate with the Righteous Martial Alliance, can we?”

“What would that matter once you rise to the Family Head position? The problem is before rising. If you change your words afterward, would that lazy person bother coming all the way to Sichuan to take issue with it?”

“Ah…”

Seeing Tang Yong-min nod as if he finally understood, Zhuge Yeom sighed quietly.

‘For someone who wants to become Family Head to not even think of this much.‘

Zhuge Yeom found himself newly worried about the Tang Family’s future.

‘I suppose I’ll have to talk separately with Wei Jeong-han.‘

There was one thing that bothered him.

Thinking of what he needed to discuss with Wei Jeong-han, Zhuge Yeom began rattling off words he didn’t mean.