Chapter 285

Chapter 285

“Nonsense!”

No sooner had the Sado Alliance Leader’s words fallen than the Grand Secretary standing present roared and stepped forward. The intimidating presence felt from his gaunt frame despite having learned no martial arts through his scholarly life.

“Permitting the Demonic Cult’s entry—this is an unreasonable story, Your Majesty! May this subject speak a word?”

“Grand Secretary. Speak.”

“The Demonic Cult is a group that shakes the foundation of the Ming nation, Your Majesty!”

The Demonic Cult, what kind of group is the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult?

The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult is a group that claims the origin of Central Plains humanity lies with them. These are people who possess a monotheistic faith that all people are equal under the idol called the Heavenly Demon, and that the current people can live because of the existence called the Heavenly Demon.

“If they enter inside the Central Plains not confined but living and moving about freely, the common people’s ideology might be tainted by those heretical cult members. Your Majesty! This means the legitimacy of the Ming nation might be threatened!”

“Hmm. Does the Grand Secretary see my capabilities as so lacking? That legitimacy would be questioned just because some heretical cult members enter?”

“Of course not!”

As if he had expected the Emperor’s words that were light but contained bones, the Grand Secretary bowed his head and smoothly continued speaking.

“Under Your Majesty’s wise and enlightened rule, of course such a thing won’t happen. Because it’s natural that all the people of Ming regard Your Majesty like a father and follow you. But what about future generations?”

“Even if it’s fine until the intelligent Crown Prince, what about the Imperial Grandson? And what about the Imperial Family’s descendants who will be born after that? No matter how august and excellent the Imperial Family’s bloodline is, if it continues for a thousand years, not everyone can become a sage ruler. Your Majesty.”

“That would be so.”

“Please do not give those heretical cult members an opportunity and prevent chaos from arising in the Ming nation. This subject Yu Song earnestly entreats.”

“I see.”

At the Emperor’s appearance, looking at him with eyes asking what he would do, the Sado Alliance Leader straightened his head. This was an expected reaction.

‘The Ming Imperial Family cannot acknowledge the Demonic Cult.‘

Why is the Demonic Cult the Demonic Cult? Since when has the Demonic Cult been the Demonic Cult?

It’s from when the Song Imperial Family, Ming’s predecessor, branded the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult as the Demonic Cult. All records of the Demonic Cult’s history that existed before then disappeared around that time too.

From the Imperial Family’s perspective, that’s natural. As the Emperor who discusses himself as the Son of Heaven, his existence must become the spokesperson of Heaven, but if humanity’s foundation lies in the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, doesn’t that claim become distorted?

No matter how much the Ming Imperial Family realizes the seriousness of the current situation and actively intervenes in this situation, there are limits to what can be done. This is something that cannot be independently proceeded with even if the Emperor pushes it through. All the Imperial Family members and civil and military officials related to the Ming Imperial Family will oppose it.

“What if that Heavenly Demon acknowledged the Ming Imperial Family as humanity’s foundation?”

“……What?”

“I’m asking what if the Heavenly Demon that the Demonic Cult serves entered as a subject of the Ming Imperial Family.”

“What on earth does that…….”

If a person cannot live under two heavens, wouldn’t it be enough to place one heaven under the other heaven?

The Sado Alliance Leader, who deliberately moistened his lips, diligently moved his mouth.

“The being that the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult venerates, the Heavenly Demon, is not a fictional person.”

“……What do you mean? Are you saying this Heavenly Demon actually exists?”

“Yes. There exists someone who was human in the past and has now become a yokai.”

“Of course, just because they became a yokai doesn’t mean they attack humans. Though they became a yokai, the Heavenly Demon possesses the clear reason they had as a human.”

It’s Nakcheon who has lived for thousands of years as a yokai who hunts yokai. Just after the transfer, how many were surprised when Nakcheon said he was the Heavenly Demon?

“Hmm.”

Not bad.

The Emperor, who had been thinking about the situation if the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult were accepted for a moment, nodded at the favorable prediction and opened his mouth.

“Alliance Leader. If that’s true, it’s an extremely positive element in accepting the Demonic Cult…… no, the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult into Ming.”

“Please inquire.”

“The explanation about why we must bring the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult onto our nation’s land is still insufficient. Why must we bring them into our nation?”

“Because we need the knowledge and experience the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult possesses.”

“Knowledge and experience?”

“Yes. Because there are no others who know as much about the Great Seal as them.”

What kind of existence is the Divine Cult?

They are beings who have guarded and protected the Great Seal for thousands of years, maintaining and repairing it, bound to the Great Seal. If a new Great Seal encompassing all of the Central Plains is to be created, proceeding without the Divine Cult members doesn’t make sense—they’re that knowledgeable about the Great Seal.

“They have both experience in great yokai battles and abundant knowledge about the Great Seal. Moreover, regarding martial prowess, it goes without saying that excluding the Imperial Family, the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult can be discussed as the strongest single force.”

“What if we could bring such people in as allies?”

In the current situation, anyone could tell that the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult joining would be a great help, even a three-year-old snotty kid.

“I humbly hope for Your Majesty’s wise decision.”

As the Sado Alliance Leader, who finished speaking, stepped back, the Emperor fell into contemplation, stroking his beard. A moment of silence.

Time passes.

Despite over a hundred people gathered, the Sado Alliance Leader standing in the quiet silence where even the sound of a needle dropping could be heard quietly let out a deep sigh. 

Shortly after, when the Emperor’s mouth opened.

“I permit it.”

The Emperor permitted the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult’s journey to the Central Plains.

It was the moment when the Divine Cult would set foot on Central Plains land for the first time in thousands of years.

“Whew.”

“Hehe. You seem quite relieved?”

“I haven’t lived as long as you, old man.”

After the imperial audience ended.

Looking at the Sado Alliance Leader who let out a deep sigh and buried himself in a chair, the Sword Saint stroked his beard and asked. And at that question, the Sado Alliance Leader smiled.

“At least the first button is well sewn.”

“The first button? You mean accepting the Divine Cult?”

“That too, but the biggest thing is receiving three months’ time.”

“Hmm.”

Three months.

The Emperor gave full authority over yokai response to the tripartite alliance of the Murim Alliance, Sado Alliance, and Divine Cult, and declared three months. That the situation must not continue beyond that.

The reason the period is so limited is one thing. Because three months later, winter ends and spring arrives, so they must start preparing for farming. Unless everyone will starve to death from being unable to farm, this situation must be resolved within three months no matter what.

“We’ve blocked the grain transport ships and most commerce, and had the Imperial Army take charge of distribution. If Ming circulates necessities through commerce, we can somehow endure for about three months.”

“The problem is after that.”

How must the Great Seal be reinstalled?

First, measures must be taken so common people don’t die. The common people scattered here and there in each region must be packed as tightly as possible into cities, and the attacking yokai must be dealt with one by one. Is that all?

Once demonic power begins to fill the Central Plains, yokai will start swarming in earnest, and taking advantage of the chaos, Heukya will start marching to break Beijing’s Great Seal riding Sangwi, whose yokai transformation is complete. If that march cannot be stopped, it’s obvious the world will be destroyed.

“Is that side going well?”

“Measures are already being implemented.”

At the Sado Alliance Leader’s question, the Sword Saint nodded matter-of-factly and laughed heartily.

“Most of the great families and famous Orthodox sects have deep ties with their regions. Since the sect leaders and family heads have stepped forward, the urban areas will be quickly settled, and the villages are also having nimble people constantly move around conducting evacuations. That side won’t be smooth though, will it?”

“Normally it would be so. But this time, the Emperor is involved.”

“Hmm?”

“I forged an imperial edict and made them move first. Isn’t it better than people dying?”

“……Impersonating the Imperial Family is high treason.”

“I’ll repay it by achieving merit. The current Emperor doesn’t seem like someone who cares about such petty things either.”

When humanity is on the verge of extinction, would a bit of impersonation be a problem? In this situation, we should do it as many times as necessary to save even one more person.

“By the way.”

The Sado Alliance Leader, who clicked his tongue, looked at the report that came up and brightened his eyes.

“Gansu, Liaoning, Yunnan, Shanxi…… The predicted places have almost all had Hundred Demons Night Parades spotted, but only Qinghai has no proper sightings. Elder, do you know anything?”

“This old man is not much different from you. I was just finding it strange too.”

“Qinghai, which is closest to Xinjiang, is rather quiet…… It doesn’t make sense.”

When predicting damage from the Hundred Demons Night Parade, the first place the Sword Saint and Sado Alliance Leader put at the top of the list was Qinghai. That’s because Qinghai had no forces that could block yokai.

Gansu, Shanxi, and Liaoning and Yunnan can each reduce damage by having major sects that dominate them step forward or having dispatched Imperial Army respond. Normally, Qinghai would be the same. Aren’t the Divine Cult and Kunlun positioned at the gateway from Xinjiang to Qinghai?

Normally, most of the yokai crossing from Xinjiang would be handled by the Divine Cult, and Kunlun would handle the rest. So even if Qinghai’s damage was minimal, it wouldn’t be strange. 

“It’s a bit different now. Because the Divine Cult can’t move.”

Heukya.

As long as that great yokai, who is focusing his power on turning Sangwi into a yokai at the Great Seal, might move at any time, the Divine Cult and Kunlun cannot carelessly leave their positions. If they disperse their strength and Heukya moves, both forces will be completely vaporized.

If he starts moving, they must immediately retreat and form a battle line. That’s why Kunlun and the Divine Cult cannot move carelessly and are concentrating all their capabilities on observing Heukya’s movements.

“There are about three possible scenarios to consider.”

“First, a high-level great yokai appeared and attacked Qinghai, so no survivors remain to send reports to us.”

“That makes sense.”

“Second, there’s a problem with the gateway from Qinghai to Sichuan, so the communication network is cut off.”

Either way, it’s a desperate situation for Qinghai’s common people. Qinghai is already impossibly vast, making it difficult to dispatch reinforcements, and if the gateway is cut off, that’s tantamount to a death sentence.

“You mentioned three, but only said two. What’s the remaining third?”

“Well, it’s an optimistic view, but thanks to extraordinary people who responded before us, damage is being minimized…… something like that. The probability is low though.”

“I hope that’s the case. Are you planning to send reinforcements?”

“No.”

Even if reinforcements are sent to Qinghai now, it’s too late. In a situation where manpower is desperately lacking, we can’t pay attention to regions where Hundred Demons Night Parade reports haven’t come up.

“We must do what we must do. In that sense, let’s get started. Old man.”

“What do you mean?”

“There’s something we have to do.”

The Sado Alliance Leader, who chuckled, looked at the Sword Saint and shrugged his shoulders, spreading out a map. Soon, the Sado Alliance Leader continuing to speak.

“Turtle hunting. Isn’t it time to plan it?”