Chapter 3
Conspiracy
Elder Wang Ja-young was sweating nervously as she was summoned by the sect leader. The reason for her anxiety was due to the failure of a certain operation.
"We've leaked so much information to the Beggars' Sect and the Silent Shadow Sect, so why is there no word from them?" The sect leader's reproach prompted her to cautiously offer an explanation. Despite their close relationship, the sect leader was strict about reprimanding any mistakes made by his subordinates.
"Well… it seems that the damned woman from the Silent Shadow Sect is up to some tricks."
"Tricks? What do you mean?"
"We've been steadily leaking bits of information to the Beggars' Sect, and we've given hints to the Silent Shadow Sect, keeping a close watch. We've also been monitoring the Martial Alliance and the major orthodox sects, and..."
"..."
"They've all noticed movements from the Blood Sect. Especially the Silent Shadow Sect—it's clear they've penetrated quite deeply. In some ways, they have a superior intelligence network to our own. Unlike us, most of their masters have received extensive spy training, so it's certain they know. But…"
"But?"
"Strangely, there's been no response. The Martial Alliance is quiet as well, and so are the orthodox sects. It's unlikely that the Blood Sect has already gained control of the orthodox sects, but…"
"Could that be possible? Investigate it."
"Understood."
"And since the Shaolin Temple is considered the pinnacle of martial arts, its influence must be great. Is there no sect founded by a secular disciple of Shaolin? Even better if they maintain close ties."
"Although not widely known, there is the Hwangryong Sect. The sect leader is the secular disciple of Master Seoksan. I understand they still maintain close communication."
"What's the size of the Hwangryong Sect?"
"It's not a large sect, but it's known to have around ten masters of considerable skill. The sect leader, Lee Mun-hak, who is called Hwangryong Taigeom, is also a skilled master."
"Then leak the movements of the Asura Blood Sect through the Hwangryong Sect. That should naturally reach Shaolin."
"That seems like a good plan. Also, an idea just came to me—how about this?"
"Tell me."
Elder Wang Ja-young responded to the sect leader's question through telepathy.
"..."
"That's an excellent method. Proceed with it!"
"But there's something I need your help with."
"What is it?"
"..."
"I'll leave that to the vice leader. As for the supplies, I'll inform the Heavenly Demon Treasury tomorrow, so you can collect them."
"Understood. And I apologize for not mentioning it earlier... The infiltration operation was a success."
"Oh, really? What happened?"
Elder Wang Ja-young responded telepathically.
"..."
"What? Five thousand corpses?"
"..."
"New ones, you say?"
"..."
"Missing masters?"
"..."
"This isn't something I can handle on my own. Summon the top nine ranked members to the Dark Chamber. We need a secret meeting."
"Understood."
Inside the room, nine masters sat in front of a round table, emitting an oppressive aura of dark energy. After hearing a brief summary of Wang Ja-young's report, one of them finally spoke up. The first to speak was the senior elder, Yeo Jeol-pa.
"To think they're trying to gather power using such vile methods is surprising. Are there really five thousand corpses?"
Elder Wang Ja-young answered, "Yes, but the more dangerous threat isn't the ordinary corpses. It's the two hundred newly created corpses currently under production. Their abilities are still unknown, but I estimate they'll be at least three times stronger than the regular ones."
"Are they only producing corpses there?"
"That seems to be the case. The enemy's defenses are strong, so it was difficult to gather more details. We also detected that they are capturing women in large numbers, but whether they plan to turn them into corpses or use them for the Energy Extraction Technique is uncertain. If it's the latter, we should assume that they're also training some masters there."
After listening to Wang Ja-young's explanation, Yeo Jeol-pa turned respectfully toward the sect leader.
"Sect leader, what do you think about gathering our masters and launching a preemptive strike?"
Before the sect leader had time to consider the suggestion, Wang Ja-young, somewhat uncharacteristically, quickly responded to Yeo Jeol-pa on behalf of the sect leader. Though it was slightly improper to interrupt a conversation among superiors, given that she was a woman and occupied the role of the sect leader's strategist, no one dared to criticize her.
"It's a significant risk. About 30% of the corpses are already complete and are waiting to be deployed. If we launch an attack now and it leads to an all-out war, the damage would be unimaginable."
The second elder expressed agreement with this statement.
"I agree as well. If that's the only place they're manufacturing corpses, it's one thing. But if there are other locations, a preemptive strike would be of little value."
"Then what is Elder Wang suggesting?"
"I'm still thinking about that... but what if we enlist the help of the Unshadowed Sect's (Muyeongmun) Jade Flower Martial Emperor? We can keep the fact that it's the Demonic Sect hidden, and instead, make up an excuse to ask him to search for a specific person there. Oh, and a spy reported seeing Gongsun, the Bloodhand Demon Imprint, among the corpses. They supposedly spotted him near Daemang Mountain, so we could ask for help in locating him."
The assembly nodded in agreement with her suggestion.
"That way, the Unshadowed Sect's spies will discover the Blood Sect's plans. Given how tight time is, they'll act first rather than trying to trap us."
"Hm, that's quite an ingenious plan. Sect leader, what do you think of this strategy?" Yeo Jeol-pa asked.
The sect leader replied, "They might not fall for it. Didn't we already try using the old woman and the Beggars' Sect to subtly spread word about the Asura Blood Sect's movements, yet we've heard nothing?"
"That's probably because they still haven't figured out the main location of the Asura Blood Sect's headquarters," Wang Ja-young answered.
Hearing this, the vice leader spoke with a heavy expression.
"Still, if they had noticed even a little bit of the Asura Blood Sect's movements, we would expect at least some strange activity from the major sects, but there's been no sign at all…"
"That's why we're already pushing forward with Phase 2. Don't worry," Wang Ja-young reassured him.
Curious, the second elder asked, "Phase 2... What does that entail?"
"It's top secret, so I can't disclose the details. I'll inform you after some time."
At that moment, the great protector, Hyeolyeong Mojin, erupted in frustration.
"How is it possible that the Demonic Sect, leader of the 100,000 Evil Path Alliance, doesn't even know the location of the Asura Blood Sect's headquarters?"
Wang Ja-young quickly responded to his reprimand.
"I've been investigating diligently, but it seems that only the division heads and above know the location."
"Then why don't we capture one of the division heads and force the information out of them?"
"If we do that, we might make the mistake of alerting them—what we call 'startling the snake by beating the grass,'" Wang Ja-young cautioned.
Hearing this, the great protector fell silent. But then, the vice leader, who had spoken very little, followed up on his words.
"Even so, we must maintain continuous surveillance. With just the resources of the Three Battalions, there are limits. Sect leader, how about reinforcing our personnel?"
Elder Wang Ja-young interjected, "Don't worry about that. We're already gathering intelligence in cooperation with the Blood Flower Palace."
Chief Elder Yeo Jeol-pa let out a groan and spoke with a grave expression.
"Hmmm... even involving the Blood Flower Palace! But since the Blood Flower Palace is such an organization, isn't there a risk that the information could leak? Do we have a contingency plan for that?"
"In regards to that, only a select few individuals from the Blood Flower Palace are participating. We're taking great precautions with them, so there's no need to worry."
At this point, the sect leader spoke.
"One thing all of you must always remember is that the orthodox sects want the Asura Blood Sect and our sect to engage in open conflict. They intend to benefit without getting their hands dirty. Be sure to strictly manage your subordinates and take extra care not to provoke the Asura Blood Sect unnecessarily."
"Yes, understood!"
Mokyeom Ma-won, the internal overseer, spoke for the first time. As the person with the lowest rank among those gathered, he maintained a cautious demeanor.
"But what if the Asura Blood Sect initiates a preemptive strike? Didn't they start the previous conflict?"
The sect leader calmly answered his question.
"We've made preparations for that, so there's no need to worry!"
Fortuitous Encounter - 1
A young man was walking along the road, easily identifiable as a martial artist by the sword on his back. His upright posture and the energetic glow in his eyes hinted at a well-trained expert. With sharp features and clear eyes, he was quite handsome, probably in his mid-twenties. He slowly made his way into a village, and the first place he stopped was a small restaurant. As he entered, the server warmly greeted him.
"Welcome."
"I'll have a plate of dumplings, some wine, and duck stew."
"Yes, sir!"
He glanced around the restaurant but didn't notice anyone particularly interesting. Despite the number of martial artists scattered across the land, meeting one without a major incident happening was rare. He was the top disciple of a reputable, though not overly famous, sect, and had a promising future. He was also engaged to Miha, the daughter of his master.
Last time I traveled with Cheongsu, so it wasn't too lonely... but traveling alone is really dull... He mused as he waited for his meal. Nearby, he overheard a conversation between three middle-aged men.
"Did you hear that Mr. Ju's daughter went missing?"
"That's right. That makes eight girls who've disappeared around here. Who knows what perverted monster is at work..."
"They say the authorities are investigating, but they haven't found a trace. No leads at all."
"If they haven't found the bodies, maybe they were buried in the hills, or worse, sold into slavery?"
Another man downed his drink in one go and chimed in.
"Yeah, things sure aren't what they used to be. Life's getting harder by the day."
"Damn it! At least in Jinpyeong, they have big martial sects keeping order. What are the officials around here even doing?"
"Shh! Keep your voice down. If someone hears, you could end up in jail or worse."
"Bah, just drink."
"Aren't you drinking a bit much for midday?"
"This miserable world only makes sense when you're drunk."
"Haha, true enough."
The young man listened to their conversation as his food arrived, and he began eating slowly.
Hmm, sounds like there's a human trafficking ring operating in this area. Since she disappeared just yesterday, maybe with a bit of investigation, I could catch them... But I need to deliver my master's letter soon, so I can't stay too long... What should I do? I have two or three days to spare. Maybe I could investigate and report anything I find to the authorities before leaving. That should help them out.
He steadied his resolve, stood up, and approached the robust men nearby, offering a polite fist salute before speaking.
"Greetings. I happened to overhear your conversation while passing by. Apologies for intruding, but it seems there's a criminal on the loose in this area. I thought I might be of some assistance…"
"Young man, we appreciate your intent, but if there are more than just a few of them, you might end up losing your life. It's best you move along."
"I am the disciple of a well-known sect. If it's bandits, I can handle them on my own."
"Well then, if you're set on helping, there's a place called Daehongsan nearby. People have gone there and never returned. Even the authorities investigated but came up with nothing. If you want to start somewhere, I'd suggest looking there."
"Thank you."
"Excuse me, shopkeeper! I'll take five pounds of dried meat and two bottles of wine."
"Here it is. That'll be fifteen nyang."
"Here you go."
"Safe travels."
He made his way toward Daehongsan. It was a large mountain with steep terrain and dense forests. As he hiked, snacking on dried meat and sipping wine, he spent the whole day searching, but found no clues. Still, his determination pushed him to keep investigating. While searching a pine-covered area halfway up the mountain, he noticed something odd. At first, it didn't register, but then he realized the same scenery seemed to appear repeatedly.
Strange... Let's take another look, just to be sure.
True to his suspicion, after walking for a while, he discovered that he had returned to the spot where he had originally marked the ground with his stick.
As I thought! I'm going in circles. Let's test this out.
Using the stick, he marked the direction he came from and began walking again. Each time he headed north, he returned to the same spot.
There's a formation here. A maze designed to confuse people, not to harm them. How do I break through?
Though he had learned some basics about formations from his master and mistress, his knowledge wasn't deep. He spent considerable time studying it but still couldn't find a way through.
If only I'd studied formations more carefully... Sigh. No use regretting it now. The sun's setting, I should find a place to rest and continue tomorrow.
The next morning, he made several wooden sticks, each about the length of a pair of chopsticks. He laid them down in front of him, taking a step forward after each one. Eventually, he returned to the same spot. Standing there, he noticed the sticks had curved slightly to the left, forming a circle back to the starting point.
Great! From the seventh stick on, they start curving. So, if I turn slightly to the right after the seventh step…
After trying again, he stood still, analyzing where he had gone wrong, and attempted once more. On his tenth try, he finally managed to break through the formation and enter.
If this formation were designed to attack intruders, I'd be dead by now. Luckily, it's just meant to deceive people. Hmm? But what's that over there?
He approached a thatched cottage barely large enough for three or four people to enter, supported by old trees that indicated it had been there for quite some time. The crude construction suggested that it had been hastily built by one or two people.
Could they be here?
He slowly drew his sword, gripping it tightly as he moved silently toward the cottage. With a kick, he broke down the front door and thrust his sword inside, only to find a middle-aged man seated within.
"Cough! Don't come any closer! I've been poisoned."
Hearing that, he halted. The middle-aged man looked at him with weary eyes and spoke in a faint voice.
"Who are you?"
"I am Hyeokryeonun. And you?"
"From the energy radiating off you, it seems you're a righteous figure. Cough!"
"Indeed."
"I am Neung Biyeong. I ended up like this while pursuing the Asura Blood Sect."
Hyeokryeonun bowed respectfully to the middle-aged man. "So you are Senior Neung Biyeong. The Asura Blood Sect? I've never heard of it."
"Cough! Have you heard of the Blood Sect?"
"Yes, my master mentioned it. It was said to be a wicked organization that was destroyed by the Demon Sect."
"Ugh!" Neung Biyeong coughed up dark blood before continuing. "I feel somewhat relieved now. As you can see, I'm in a terrible state. My entire blood network is shattered, and the poison has seeped into my bones. I can't last much longer. By the way, the Asura Blood Sect is the successor to the Blood Sect."
"Impossible!"
"Their wickedness is truly terrifying. They abduct women, you know, to create jiangshi."
"Jiangshi?"
"They're incredibly strong, even capable of killing most skilled fighters. They're making two hundred new jiangshi, even stronger than the previous ones. They're also producing five thousand ordinary ones. About thirty percent of them are already complete, so we need to come up with a plan before their numbers increase."
"Where are they creating the jiangshi?"
"Daemangsansan. We were spotted there and fled, fighting our way here... Meeting you seems like a divine intervention. Everyone else has perished, and I was prepared to give up on delivering the news. It's truly a stroke of luck. Cough, cough, ugh."
"Are you okay, Senior?"
"I'm not okay at all. The poison has infiltrated nearly all of my internal organs. If I die, burn this house with me. It's too dangerous to touch my body. Cough... If it weren't for the Death Corpse Poison, I wouldn't be in this state... Cough, cough."
"Please, Senior, don't talk too much."
"Don't say such things… You must quickly deliver the message. I don't have much time left… It pains me that my martial arts will end with my generation… Cough! This is fate, so could you do me a favor?"
"Please, tell me."
"Here, this is the secret technique I learned. It may be difficult for you to master alone, but please learn it and convey the secret technique along with my news."
"Whom should I deliver it to?"
"There's an inn called Cheonanru in Chang'an. After you check into the first room on the right on the second floor, write the character '問' on paper and hang it outside where it can be seen. Someone will come within two days. Just tell them the secret technique and my news."
"Understood."
"It's crucial that you deliver it."
"Yes."
"Thank you…"
With those final words, he passed away. Following his request, Hyeokryeonun cut a nearby pine tree and tossed it into the hut, setting it ablaze. Watching the flames rise, he set off on his journey. Walking along the pine stick, he found the formation to be simple. Delivering his master's letter was a priority, so he headed toward the Taesansan Sect.
After staying at an inn that day, he took out the secret technique he had hastily tucked away. The cover read 'Cheongwol Sword Technique.' Upon opening it, he was taken aback. It was a remarkable elevated martial art.
Since he needed to return the secret technique as promised, he focused on memorizing it rather than understanding it.
After delivering his master's letter to the head of the Taesansan Sect, Hyeokryeonun received a reply and asked, "I'm sorry, but I have a promise to keep—does this reply need to be delivered to my master quickly?"
"It's not such an urgent message. You can take care of your matters first. But what kind of matter?"
"I encountered a strange incident on my way here. To put it simply…"
He shared everything with the head of the Taesansan Sect, excluding the details of the martial arts secret.
"This is truly significant. You must not speak of this to anyone."
"But I received a request from that person. I must keep that promise."
"True, if it's a group that has cultivated someone of that caliber, they should know. Was he a righteous figure?"
"Do you happen to know of a martial art called the Cheongwol Sword Technique?"
"The Cheongwol Sword Technique? It's a martial art known for its tremendous destructive power. When it was first developed, its ferocious might led to a ban on its practice, but that prohibition vanished when conflicts with the Demon Sect began."
"Is it a righteous martial art?"
"Hmm… it's a sword technique that the Cheongseong Sect prides itself on. Other than the head, it was forbidden to learn. However, it has been lost along the way, along with its secret technique. Could he possibly have used the Cheongwol Sword Technique?"
"Yes, he mentioned it as his unique martial art. He said that if it weren't for the Death Corpse Poison, he wouldn't have been defeated."
"Death Corpse Poison! It's a deadly poison that the Blood Sect boasts about. It's said that if one is struck by their wicked martial art, the Shura Blood Corpse Magic, they become poisoned with Death Corpse Poison. It seems the movements of the Blood Sect are indeed afoot. By the way, has his body been buried?"
"No. According to his last wishes, I burned it to prevent the poison from spreading elsewhere."
"Did you… perhaps search his belongings?"
"Pardon? What do you mean? He was poisoned, so he told me to stay away from him. I kept my distance and only spoke to him. Even during our conversation, he coughed up poisonous blood."
"Ah, what a pity. It's possible that your lack of desire led to the disappearance of a valuable secret technique."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Never mind, I'll be going now."
"Goodbye."
He left the Taesansan Sect and headed toward Chang'an. Even in the vast city, finding Cheonanru wasn't difficult; it was a well-known, large restaurant. After having a meal there, he entered the first room on the right and hung a sign with the character '問' in the window. However, two days passed without anyone coming to see him.
By the third day, he reluctantly decided to return to his master and set off. As he walked, he kept an eye out, wondering if anyone might be following him, but he felt no signs of pursuit. That evening, he stopped in a village to eat before heading to an inn.
Once again, he spent a long time studying the secret technique before falling asleep. Though he had memorized all the content, he worried he might have misremembered even a single character. This secret technique described how, when mastered, the crescent-shaped blue sword light would extend following the moves, attacking the opponent with unparalleled power. To ease his anxiety, he reviewed it every night.