Chapter 243

Chapter 243

“The formation has broken…….”

After grasping the situation for a moment at Nakcheon’s muttering story, Baek Risan stiffened her face as she realized the severity of the situation. Because she seemed to know what formation Nakcheon was talking about.

“You mean the formation surrounding the village has broken? The formation that blocks Yokai?”

—That’s right.

“Why would that suddenly…….”

—There must have been external intervention.

Seogeok!

Nakcheon, who answered calmly, swung his sword at the iron bars blocking the front. Iron bars instantly cut to a size a person could pass through.

—Multiple fierce and ferocious energies are rampaging. Surely something is happening outside.

“Then, to help…….”

—No.

Nakcheon, who silently shook his head, looked directly at Baek Risan.

—The formation here is so solid that it can’t be broken with ordinary preparation. If they prepared enough to do that, there’s a high probability they’re opponents you can’t properly face even if you, of course, and that Daoist put forth full effort to block them.

—If we confront them, we’ll probably suffer greatly with high probability. It’s right to retreat from here.

“But.”

Baek Risan, who had been listening to Nakcheon’s story for a moment, clenched and unclenched her fist while recalling what she had heard.

“This place…… is an axis of the Great Seal, isn’t it?”

—That’s right.

“If this place is an axis of the Great Seal, that means when something happens, an abnormality can occur in the Great Seal. If the Great Seal is released…… the Central Plains will become hell.”

It’s not a story from simple altruism. According to the explanation she received, the Great Seal is an essential device for human survival, and if they can’t protect that seal, in the end, having to live in hell is the same thing, isn’t it?

—Even if this place collapses, the Great Seal won’t be released. ‘That’ isn’t structured that simply.

“But if not one axis but two axes, three axes collapse?

“If all four axes completely collapse, would the Great Seal still be intact? An axis isn’t just there for nothing. If they went so far as to attack this place, I can’t think the other axes would be safe either.”

Not looking at the big picture, but even just looking at the current situation. Though they’re imprisoned like this, there’s no particular grudge relationship between these settlement people and themselves.

“But we run away abandoning people just because we might be in danger?”

“That’s not what a martial artist does. Much less a member of the Baek Ri Family.”

Most martial artists draw their swords to protect people.

If you avoid a position where you must draw your sword for your own safety, that’s not a martial artist. Watching Baek Risan who said so, Nakcheon quietly closed his eyes.

—……You’re similar.

“Hm?”

—It’s nothing.

Nakcheon, who lightly shook his head, cut the bars standing jaggedly more bluntly and continued speaking.

—First, the outside attack isn’t because of Yokai.

“……Really? It’s not Yokai?”

—That’s right. Though they’re giving off an energy similar to Yokai, they’re not directly possessing demonic power. I smell blood.

“The smell of blood…….”

She seems to know who it is.

Baek Risan, who clicked her tongue at the persistently continuing ill-fated relationship, drew her sword and asked.

“I roughly understand who the opponent is. What should we do?”

—The opponent’s purpose seems to be destroying the axis of the Great Seal. Judging by how they’re pushing into the village center in a wedge formation rather than killing people.

“Then…….”

—If we can protect the axis at the center, their intentions will naturally be thwarted.

“That’s right.”

Baek Risan, who heard Nakcheon’s explanation, turned her gaze to look at Songbyeok Jinin. Songbyeok Jinin nodded as soon as he felt the gaze.

“I’ll join in.”

“Will you be alright? It’s a dangerous matter.”

“Hahaha. Who do you think this old man is? Though I don’t like gilding things, I’m the Sect Leader of Great Cheongseong Sword Gate. If you’re stepping forward and this old man doesn’t, he’ll surely become the laughingstock of the people of the world.”

“Sect Leader, I’ll…….”

“You rest here. Can’t you not fight properly in places with demonic power anyway?”

Songbyeok Jinin, who patted the head of the young Cheongseong disciple who showed a gloomy expression and bowed his head, drew his sword with lightning-fast movement. And immediately Songbyeok Jinin who swung his sword to cut away the chains.

Tada-da-da-dang!

“You intend to join in too, don’t you?”

“……Hmph.”

Dokgo Cheon, who snorted at Songbyeok Jinin’s story, looked around and then reached out his hand to the Cheongseong disciple. And Dokgo Cheon, who growled softly.

“Give me the sword.”

“Y-yes……yes?”

“I’m a Sword Master. You expect me to fight without a sword? Stupid fools.”

“What happened to your sword?”

“I don’t know. Because they took it when they imprisoned me here. Rather, it’s more questionable why you weren’t robbed of your weapons.”

“Well, because we’ve never caused problems. They also sealed our acupoints.”

The Yokai hunters are all people with abundant Gangho experience. They couldn’t have recognized even Baek Risan, but they couldn’t have failed to recognize who Songbyeok Jinin, the Cheongseong Sect Leader, was.

Nevertheless, thanks to Songbyeok Jinin not saying anything and allowing them to seal his acupoints, they didn’t go so far as to take weapons. They clearly expressed their intention to treat them only as suspects, not criminals.

“Give it. The sword.”

“Lend it to him.”

“Sect Leader. But.”

“It’s sufficient to hold the sword in one’s heart.”

Though Sword Masters should regard their swords as their lives, that too is a story that applies only within the general category, isn’t it?

“That mere sword isn’t more important than a person’s life.”

The Cheongseong disciple who was listening to Songbyeok Jinin’s words seemed to ponder for a moment, then pulled out the sword belt at his waist and held it out to Dokgo Cheon. Soon after, Dokgo Cheon who received the sword, drew it once and swung it to test it, then nodded his head.

“It’s a shit sword, but it’s better than not having one.”

“Watch your words. It’s this sect’s disciple’s item.”

“Then, should I call what’s not even a famous sword a famous sword? Don’t make me laugh.”

“Haah.”

Baek Risan, who looked at Dokgo Cheon becoming triumphant as soon as he got a sword, sighed and looked up. Momentums spreading fiercely enough that even without Nakcheon, one could now tell.

“There isn’t much time.”

Baek Risan, who stepped onto the stairs going up, bit her lip and brandished her sword. White Flame Sword Energy flowing thickly along the blade.

“Our purpose is searching for survivors. Right?”

“Well, that’s…….”

“If we save this settlement, the settlement people will have no choice but to be friendly toward us. Because it’s the same as saving their lives.”

Don’t they say humans are social animals?

If they’re human, they can’t treat coldly when they’ve received the grace of life-saving. If so, this would be the fastest way to obtain information.

“Let’s save them.”

After finishing her words, Baek Risan raised her sword upward while drawing up her internal energy. And.

The next moment.

Seogeok——!

Cleanly, the prison door split in two.

Mount Kunlun.

“Move those supplies over here!”

“Whoa! Move them carefully! Do you know how precious those elixir pills are? They’re as expensive as the same weight in gold!”

While watching the martial artists noisily moving supplies needed to enter Xinjiang, I turned my gaze to the side at a presence I felt. The appearance of a man who came with a strange expression and was looking at me.

“Our rising star. What are you doing here?”

“Alliance Leader.”

“Hahaha. Even the Uicheonmun Sect Master calls me Alliance Leader? You’re not even affiliated with the Sado Alliance.”

“Should I call you Manwang?”

“That’s too impersonal, I don’t like it. Are we ordinary acquaintances?”

“We’re ordinary acquaintances.”

“That’s true. We’re not particularly close.”

The Sado Alliance Leader, who burst into a chuckle, sat down next to me and took in what I had been watching. The Sado Alliance Leader nodded his head watching people moving busily.

“Now that I look, you’re supervising the incoming supplies. So. Were there any slackers?”

“I’m not out here to manage slackers.”

“Really? Then what?”

“I was thinking about what the reason for this series of incidents might be……”

“The reason this incident occurred. Are you talking about the Great Teleportation?”

“What else would there be?”

“Hmm.”

At my affirmation, the Sado Alliance Leader, who hummed for a moment, stroked his smooth chin and fell into thought. Because the motive for the Great Teleportation still hadn’t been revealed.

“People are making a fuss saying it’s the Demonic Cult’s doing, and the Alliance Leader also announced this was the Demonic Cult’s work, but…… I think the actions the Demonic Cult is currently showing aren’t that.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. As you know, my siblings and I…… we’re that bloodline, aren’t we? The bloodline that can resolve the Demonic Cult’s long-cherished wish.”

“That’s right. If it’s as the Uicheonmun Sect Master revealed.”

“I don’t think the Demonic Cult knew about it. Because it was a fact almost no one knew.”

“And?”

“But if they planned the Great Teleportation to find the Divine Maiden’s bloodline, the current movements are strange. The Demonic Cult shouldn’t be cowering but should be moving even more actively.”

What’s the reason the Demonic Cult wants to obtain the Divine Maiden’s bloodline and release the shackles?

It’s because the Demonic Cult members who lived in Xinjiang’s barren land want to advance into the Central Plains. Though it’s not that Yokai don’t exist, unlike Xinjiang, it’s a land where having no demonic power is daily life. The Central Plains, which doesn’t receive threats from the Great Yokai that roam around innumerably, must be no different from a paradise to them.

“Even if they release the shackles, there won’t be anyone who welcomes the Demonic Cult entering the Central Plains.”

“That would be so. As they say, when the lips are gone the teeth get cold—if the Demonic Cult disappears, the Central Plains will be directly threatened.”

“Fighting will be inevitable. Then the Demonic Cult must be working hard on war preparations, whether they secured my younger sibling or not. But…….”

What about the current situation?

While supplies were being transported, we organized into groups and scouted Xinjiang’s outskirts several times. The information obtained through that is one thing.

“The Demonic Cult is moving exactly as usual. They’re operating the reconnaissance teams a bit more and showing signs of cowering a bit more, but it’s within expected parameters.”

“Moreover, as Gonryunseon said, the Blood Cult got involved. No matter how ferocious a group the Demonic Cult is, I can’t imagine they’d join hands with the Blood Cult. Because they’re groups at polar extremes from their very origins.”

“Hmm.”

The Sado Alliance Leader, who had been quietly listening to my words, nodded his head while hearing my story.

“Though my principle is that there’s no such thing as impossible, well, it’s not wrong.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. As the Uicheonmun Sect Master knows too, the Blood Cult is a group formed by those who want to become Yokai. It’s where literally crazy bastards gather who loathe that they were born human and commit anything to be reborn as stronger beings.”

“But the Demonic Cult is different. The Demonic Cult was created as Yokai resisted humans, so to speak, it’s the world’s frontline.”

Though it’s not clear where the origin of early humanity was, among the leaders of the Nine Sects and One Gang and the Ten Heavens, there’s no one who doesn’t know where the martial arts that current humanity is mastering originated from. Because it was the founding Divine Maiden of the Demonic Cult who created martial arts.

“The Demonic Cult was created as humans, who were nothing but livestock, resisted the Yokai. For those people, wouldn’t the Blood Cult be even more hateful than the Central Plains people who wouldn’t be satisfying even if chewed up?”

“It would be.”

“So, does our Uicheonmun Sect Master think the Blood Cult led this Great Teleportation? By hiring Seo Noya?”

“That’s…… not it.”

“It’s not the Demonic Cult, and it won’t be the Blood Cult either? Why?”

“It’s the same. Because there’s nothing the Blood Cult can gain.”

“……Hmm.”

This is another interesting view.

While watching the Sado Alliance Leader who bore a light smile, I quietly continued the explanation.

“Only the Demonic Cult members care about the Divine Maiden’s bloodline. For the Blood Cult members, the Divine Maiden’s bloodline isn’t important.”

“That would be so. The shackles the founding Divine Maiden placed only apply to the Demonic Cult members protecting Xinjiang.”

“Then we should see the purpose in the Great Teleportation itself. But what’s the current situation?”

“The current situation?”

“Yes. The situation where we’ve gathered like this. I thought, could the Blood Cult really not have imagined this situation would come about when planning the Great Teleportation?”

“Hmm.”

It’s certain the Blood Cult is plotting something in Xinjiang. Because Gonryunseon said so.

What’s important is that it means we learned of that scheme through Gonryunseon. Whatever the plan, it would be best to proceed secretly in a situation where attention isn’t drawn.

“Originally, this much attention wouldn’t have been drawn to Xinjiang. No matter how much of a fuss the Demonic Cult makes…….”

“That’s right. No matter how they struggle, they’re bodies that ultimately can’t leave Xinjiang. But if the Divine Maiden’s bloodline and numerous people are caught up in the Great Teleportation together, the entire Gangho’s attention has no choice but to concentrate. That’s what you’re saying, right?”

“Yes. Perhaps the Great Teleportation is nothing more than a method to concentrate attention, that’s what I think.”

“Hmm.”

The Sado Alliance Leader, who pondered my story for a moment, nodded his head as if judging there was merit. The question that followed.

“You’ve thought quite deeply. It wouldn’t be easy to maintain such composure in a situation where two family members were teleported. As expected of the Uicheonmun Sect Master.”

“Is there a reason you thought this way?”

There is.

The moment I saw the name Baek Riseon written above Baek Risan in the list of missing persons, I suddenly felt it. Risan aside, my older brother is definitely not someone who would easily get caught up in something like this.

I also think with my head in my own way, but my older brother is a person who penetrates worldly affairs to the degree that the words “appearing and disappearing like a god” would suit him. My older brother, who even penetrated the Blood Cult’s scheme first and left a letter, didn’t perceive just this?

Isn’t that stranger?

“You don’t look like you want to talk.”

“I apologize.”

“No, the more secrets a person has, the more attractive they are. I also have many secrets.”

Along with his words, the Sado Alliance Leader, who stretched, stood up from his seat.

“Since I heard a good story, I can tell you a good story too.”

“What is it?”

“Do you know that the Sado Alliance and Murim Alliance are also operating secret lines even in the Demonic Cult?”

“I was thinking it might be so. Because there’s no demonic power inside the Demonic Cult.”

“Right. We planted spies so we could hear stories if something happened inside the Demonic Cult.”

The Sado Alliance Leader, who burst into a chuckle, shrugged his shoulders.

“And today, contact came from that spy.”

“……Did some change occur in the Demonic Cult’s internal situation?”

“No, it’s a much simpler report than that.”

Let’s meet once.

“The sender is Ilryun.”

Conveying that story that probably flew over together with the spy’s neck, the Sado Alliance Leader chuckled.

“If it’s according to your speculation, wouldn’t this much be good news?”