Chapter 248

Chapter 248

The meeting with Ilryun.

To prepare for that critical matter, the reconnaissance team’s feet were tied to Kunlun for several days. And naturally so, because they didn’t clearly know Ilryun’s intentions.

During the time gradually approaching, dozens of strategists and hundreds of martial artists racked their brains and prepared for the meeting with Ilryun. How to gain the upper hand in the negotiation battle with the Demonic Cult, how to lead negotiations in a direction that doesn’t greatly provoke the Demonic Cult.

However, just because most of the reconnaissance team held such worries didn’t mean everyone did.

That’s why I was currently continuing worries in a different direction. And naturally so.

Because the secret plan I had trusted in had disappeared.

“……Contact has been cut off.”

“Contact…… you say?”

“Yes. I can’t make contact.”

Jeokyeol.

I had established a contact method with the Demonic Cult’s Chilryun who is my guardian. I adopted a method where if I leave a marker at a certain location in the Kunlun mountain range, Jeokyeol would periodically check it and make contact.

It’s a safe method that isn’t discovered by anyone, but it’s a contact method that becomes useless if Jeokyeol can’t check the marker. It was a method conceived from the point that Jeokyeol makes periodic patrols…….

“She can’t check the marker. Those words also mean Jeokyeol isn’t making patrols.”

“Not making patrols…… is that important?”

“Yes. Since I’ve already confirmed she hasn’t gone out on a long-term mission, it’s certain she’s at the Demonic Cult’s main sect, but not making patrols despite being at the main sect is the same as the Demonic Cult considering this matter very important.”

The position Chilryun Jeokyeol holds within the Demonic Cult is Central Plains Strategy General Supervisor and concurrent Patrol Hall Master. Except when planning some strategy for the Central Plains, Jeokyeol’s work is patrol duty inspecting the Great Seal.

What’s important is that. That Jeokyeol’s work is inspecting the Great Seal.

Considering the Demonic Cult’s duty itself is protecting the Great Seal, there aren’t many tasks that important even within the Demonic Cult. It means it’s not a task that can be neglected. So not making patrols means something is happening within the Demonic Cult too.

“Since I can’t make contact, I have no idea what’s happening. Huuu.”

“Isn’t there another contact method?”

“If I look, there wouldn’t be none, but there’s not enough time. In a situation where the meeting is approaching, there’s no time to try one by one.”

What should I do?

Uruureung!

While worrying, I turned my head at a sound suddenly heard. Then Seonwoo Gang, who confirmed my appearance and turned his head likewise, blinking his eyes.

“Ah, thunder is striking?”

“……Thunder is striking?”

“Yes. It seems lightning fell somewhere.”

“Lightning……?”

That’s strange.

“What’s the matter?”

“Do you know the expression ‘lightning from a clear sky’?”

“Yes. Isn’t it words used when something unexpected suddenly happens?”

“Think about it in reverse. That’s because lightning striking from a clear sky isn’t common.”

Thunder energy is like that in the first place. Thunder force is born when Yang Energy and Yin Energy maintain an exquisite balance while seeming to mix but not mixing. In a situation without Yin Energy, lightning can’t be born.

“……The sky is clear, but lightning strikes?”

“That’s…… strange.”

“Yes.”

I can’t say it’s absolutely impossible, but it’s not a commonly seen phenomenon. Because lightning striking in a clear desert without a speck of cloud isn’t something easily seen.

“At this point when contact is cut off, of all things, lightning in the desert.”

“……Perhaps.”

“Yes.”

What’s something like my symbol?

It’s Thunder Energy. My specialty is handling Thunder Energy even without holding Thunder Energy in my body. Then spewing Thunder Force at this point could be seen as calling me out.

Gwancheon

Ilsigwan

One more time.

Confirming the internal energy I drew up carefully accumulating before my eyes, I gather light while raising my eyesight to the maximum. So I can see the signal across distances reaching several, dozens of li.

Ureurureung!

The moment lightning strikes one more time from a place without a speck of cloud.

“There.”

I confirmed the point where the lightning touches and stood up.

“I’ll go for a moment.”

“What? Ah.”

Before Seonwoo Gang could follow, I exit Kunlun’s mountain gate while gauging the distance. The gatekeeper who tries to open his mouth seeing me running as if flying while deploying Qinggong.

“Uicheonmun Sect Master. Where are you…….”

“I have something important to do right now. I’ll return soon, so convey that.”

“Ah, understood.”

Watching the gatekeeper who immediately agreed at my words and returned to his original place, I deployed Qinggong to the extreme. The surrounding scenery stretching straight in a line.

‘Many people know I handle Thunder Energy.’

Jeokyeol too, and Ilryun and other Chilryun too.

Most Demonic Cult members interested in the Central Plains would know I use martial arts based on Thunder Energy. Normally I wouldn’t know, but recently I’ve traveled here and there so much. It wouldn’t be strange even if I was caught by the Demonic Cult’s secret lines. However.

Among them, there wouldn’t be anyone who conceives of striking lightning in the desert to call me. Even if realizing that’s an uncommon phenomenon wouldn’t be difficult for Xinjiang people, thinking I would come seeing that was a different story.

‘……Lightning doesn’t strike well in deserts. It was a story I told the children before.’

Memory.

What I’m thinking is that. Someone who knows my disposition of trying not to miss even one trivial thing, someone close to me, artificially struck lightning to call me, isn’t it?

If that’s the case, the opponent narrows down. Those kids who heard my story. Baek Risan. Seohwa. Seowoo. Among them, there’s no way Seowoo would be here.

One of two, Baek Risan and Seohwa, is calling me. That’s how I should see it.

Deploying Qinggong to the extreme, the distance quickly narrowed.

While looking at the rocky area of the desert where lightning probably fell, I narrowed my eyes and looked around. No matter how I look, no presence of people visible.

“……Was it just coincidence?”

Of all times, at this point?

After thinking for a moment, I shook my head and looked for where the lightning struck. As soon as I spread my energy sense next to a rock where the sand below was charred black, something rattling while making noise.

“A box.”

Is it a device of the type designed to respond when energy is spread?

While thinking there are all sorts of strange devices, I opened the box. Then one letter inside.

[To Sect Master.]

“……Is it Seohwa?”

Baek Risan wouldn’t call me Sect Master, so it’s probably Seohwa.

While nodding my head, I slowly read the letter’s contents as if tearing it open. The Demonic Cult’s current situation. What Ilryun is aiming for, and even what situation they’re in.

[There are two things I’d like to ask.]

[First, I hope you’ll send Sinui. To find Sangwi, we need help from the same Divine Beast. Even if not that, Sinui’s help is essential to handle the demonic power that will become even thicker going beyond Xinjiang.]

[And second…….]

While reading the letter’s contents, I burst into an empty laugh. Because it contained such absurd contents.

“……Buy time until we return?”

A journey going beyond the borders.

In a situation where it’s unknown whether it will take several weeks or several months to return, buying time is literally difficult to the point of seeming impossible. Because it’s not a light meeting that can be swayed by me alone in the first place.

“To untie the knot that’s been continuously tangled until now, this is the only way.”

I know.

Even if I were Seohwa, I would have made a not completely same but similar decision. I would have chosen a method where everyone could survive somehow. Just believing, no matter how slim that probability.

Then what should I do?

How should I wreck this meeting and buy time?

Deep worry. Contemplation about the drastically changing situation.

While feeling such a sensation that’s calm yet not calm as if entering the eye of a typhoon, I quietly stood up from my seat. A method suddenly coming to mind.

‘Older brother and Risan are currently in a missing state.’

In the first place, older brother, Baek Riseon, would be hard to even consider missing. Because he’s someone I don’t even know whether he was caught up in the Great Teleportation or intentionally threw himself into the Great Teleportation. As he’s someone where nothing isn’t his intention, he must be wandering around well somewhere. He wouldn’t be captured by the Demonic Cult.

The same goes for Baek Risan. Because Risan’s appearance closely resembles mother. If Risan had been captured by the Demonic Cult, the Demonic Cult wouldn’t have prepared such a meeting, and Seohwa couldn’t have not mentioned that story either. It means Risan is also wandering somewhere in this Xinjiang.

If so,

‘The only one I need to protect is me.’

Did she say to buy time?

If it’s dragging out time without thinking of the consequences, there’s a method. The problem would be enduring the aftermath.

I let out a deep sigh and looked at the sky. Two days remain until the meeting.

Shall I finish preparations in the meantime.

On the way to the meeting place.

“Ilryun. You look happy.”

“Do I look that way? Huhu.”

At the thick voice heard from behind, Ilryun, who let out a small laughing sound, nodded her head. Because she was actually happy.

“My heart is full today.”

“The meeting, are you that happy?”

“How could I not be happy? Today, the main sect steps one step toward the future. The main sect that was bound to the past for thousands of years finally steps forward.”

They say the start is half?

Though I don’t take those words at face value, I can’t deny there’s a tremendous difference between having at least started and not starting. The Divine Cult’s situation that was in a standstill until now moving even one step ultimately means they might move several steps in the future to escape the current situation, doesn’t it?

“The Central Plains people are obstinate and stubborn. Selfish and mean.”

“However, they too must know the current situation can’t continue being maintained. Now that the Divine Maiden’s bloodline is completely severed, we have no escape route. If dissatisfaction continues swelling, the Great Seal won’t be released but will be destroyed.”

She wants to block it with minimal sacrifice before that happens.

The justification is sufficient. Unless the Central Plains people try to choose destruction themselves, she can force opinions. The meeting’s result is no different from already going according to Ilryun’s thinking.

“I see it.”

“Should I return? I’ll remain as an attendant.”

“Return. I don’t need attendants.”

At Ilryun’s story, the giant man who silently nodded moved his steps back toward the Demonic Cult’s main sect. And after confirming the man disappears, Ilryun, who slowly speaks.

“How thrilling.”

“Even before reaching the meeting place, they already welcome me like this, so I don’t know what to do with myself.”

While feeling the fighting spirit blooming due to vigilance, Ilryun bore a grin. And at that moment, a voice heard.

“In welcoming an honored guest, how could there be neglect?”

Slowly.

‘The Sado Alliance Leader, Taeak, and Great Evil Sword.’

Ilryun, who confirmed the aspects of those walking out, bore a small smile, then felt a strange sensation and fixed her gaze.

Behind the Great Evil Sword.

The appearance of someone standing wrapped in black robes was somehow familiar.

‘……Who is it?’

As if, I met them long ago.