Sichuan

While Hyun-gong was busy serving as a bridge for Youngbo Jin-in, Dang Mujin arrived at Hanzhong, the gateway to Sichuan Province.

A considerable number of people accompanied Dang Mujin. Among them were martial artists from the Cheongseong and Emei sects, about half of the warriors from the Demonic Cult who had stayed at the Tang family manor, and even Hong Gyeon of the Celestial Spirit Sect.

Dang Mujin thought to himself, “I hope nothing has happened to the Tang family manor…”

He stopped a passerby to ask a question.

“Excuse me, may I ask you something?”

He had thought the man was an ordinary person, but upon closer inspection, he realized he was a low-ranking official.

Typically, martial artists and officials regarded each other with indifference, like cows and chickens, but the situation changed when one side held overwhelming power.

The official seemed a bit nervous.

“Ah, yes. What can I do for you?”

“Have you seen a large group of martial artists pass through Hanzhong about two weeks ago?”

“I did. There were well over a hundred of them, all armed. I didn’t think much of it, but the military officers said they were all highly skilled.”

“I see…”

A heavy weight settled in Dang Mujin’s chest, as if a stone had been placed there.

He had hoped the Demonic Cult’s warriors had bypassed Sichuan, but such a miracle had not occurred.

The expressions of Gong Ryeong-ja, the head of the Cheongseong sect, and Hyang Baek-sa-tae, the head of the Emei sect, grew serious.

Gong Ryeong-ja, in particular, seemed deeply worried.

Among the three pillars of the righteous martial world in Sichuan—Cheongseong, Emei, and the Tang family—the Cheongseong sect was the northernmost.

If the Demonic Cult’s warriors had entered Sichuan, the Cheongseong sect would likely have been their first target.

Gong Ryeong-ja urged the group with a voice full of anxiety.

“We must move quickly.”

“Understood.”

The group quickened their pace.

Two days later, Dang Mujin and his companions arrived at Mount Cheongseong.

”···.”

Fortunately, the Cheongseong sect had not been burned to the ground like the Gongdong sect. While all valuable items had disappeared, that was of little concern.

The real issue was the complete absence of any sign of life. Instead, a faint scent of blood lingered in the air.

“What… what happened to everyone…?”

Gong Ryeong-ja’s voice trembled with an emotion he couldn’t hide.

Several disciples of the Cheongseong sect collapsed to the ground, their legs giving way. Some clenched their teeth, tears streaming down their faces.

“Ugh, ugh…”

Only about a dozen disciples had gathered at the Cheongseong sect for the Great Demonic War. It wasn’t a large number.

Conversely, this meant that the majority of the Cheongseong sect’s members, who were not among the dozen skilled warriors, had remained at Mount Cheongseong.

The young or inexperienced disciples, those who hadn’t been selected due to lack of skill, and those uninterested in martial arts—at least two to three hundred people—had vanished.

The disciples of the Cheongseong sect spoke with voices full of regret.

“If we had known it would come to this, we wouldn’t have left Mount Cheongseong…”

The righteous martial artists had always taken the Great Demonic War lightly.

Unlike the life-and-death struggles of the righteous and demonic wars, the Great Demonic War was more of a regular event for the righteous martial artists.

They would use the excuse of pursuing criminals to travel to the distant Demonic Cult, wreak havoc, boast of their achievements, and return. That was the past Great Demonic War as the righteous martial artists saw it.

Some talented young martial artists even eagerly awaited the Great Demonic War, as it was a prime opportunity to make a name for themselves.

Of course, they didn’t think this Great Demonic War would be like the past ones.

However, the Great Demonic War had always taken place in the Tian Shan mountains. No one expected it to occur in the Central Plains, let alone that their own sects could be affected.

Dang Mujin waited until the Cheongseong sect’s disciples had calmed down a bit before asking Gong Ryeong-ja.

“What will you do now?”

Gong Ryeong-ja looked over the empty buildings of the Cheongseong sect and replied.

“Of course, we must seek revenge. The disciples of the Cheongseong sect are not fools who don’t know how to repay a grudge.”

Not only Gong Ryeong-ja, but the eyes of the other disciples also burned with cold fury. Dang Mujin watched them and then spoke.

“First, let’s head to the Tang family manor.”

“···Yes, understood.”

There was no guarantee that the Tang family manor would be intact.

But the disciples of the Cheongseong sect didn’t bring up that possibility.

As they neared Chengdu, Hong Gyeon muttered.

“From the outside, it looks relatively intact…”

A strange tension hung over Chengdu.

It was the kind of atmosphere that suggested something unusual was about to happen or had already happened.

The people of Chengdu no longer approached Dang Mujin with familiarity, instead keeping their distance.

Dang Mujin’s heart pounded in his chest. What if the Tang family manor was as empty as the Cheongseong sect? What if he could never see his family again?

‘No, even though most of the skilled warriors had left the Cheongseong sect, the Tang family manor still has Elder Wi Ji-nan. If things got dire, Elder Jang Il-nam wouldn’t just stand by.’

’…But can just the two of them hold off the warriors from the Demonic Cult and Elder Sam An-bul? All the other skilled warriors have left the Tang family manor. Elder Hwa Yeon-shin is in Chongqing, not at the manor.’

A whirlwind of thoughts crossed his mind.

But Dang Mujin’s legs moved on their own, leading him to the gates of the Tang family manor.

He hesitated before knocking on the gate, afraid that no one would respond.

So instead, he drew his sword and sliced through the latch that peeked through the gate.

The well-maintained gate swung open silently, revealing a crowd of people.

Familiar faces from the Tang family manor, disciples of the Cheongseong sect, and even nuns from the Emei sect.

The people inside the manor turned to look at Dang Mujin.

As he stood there bewildered, Dan Seol-young, who had been fidgeting near the gate, greeted him.

“Glad you came quickly, but why did you cut the latch as soon as you arrived?”

“Well, I just…”

“Sigh. I can guess. Come on in.”

Dang Mujin and his companions cautiously entered the Tang family manor.

The disciples of the Cheongseong sect, in particular, felt relieved. It seemed that most of their members had made it to the manor alive.

As Dang Mujin and Hong Gyeon followed Dan Seol-young, they asked.

“What happened? Why are the Cheongseong and Emei people here?”

“They fled here when the Demonic Cult appeared. Some died fighting, but… most managed to escape unharmed. The Cheongseong people arrived first, and the Emei nuns got here a couple of days ago.”

Listening to the story, Dang Mujin glanced to the side. His father and Jang Il-nam were sitting together, deep in conversation.

The children were nowhere to be seen, but the atmosphere suggested that his family was safe.

Dang Mujin murmured, “Thank goodness… thank goodness…”

Only then could Dang Mujin breathe a sigh of relief. However, Hong Gyeon, who had been quietly listening, wore a peculiar expression.

Dang Mujin asked Hong Gyeon, “What’s wrong? Is something bothering you?”

“Well, doesn’t it seem a bit odd? It’s understandable for the Cheongseong sect, but isn’t it strange for the Emei nuns to be here?”

“Why?”

“The Emei sect is much further south than the Tang family manor. Why was the Emei sect attacked before the Tang family manor?”

It was an unusually sharp observation for Hong Gyeon.

The Demonic Cult’s warriors had come down from the north through Hanzhong.

Naturally, they should have attacked the northern sects first, in the order of Cheongseong, Tang family manor, and then Emei.

Yet here were the disciples of the Cheongseong sect and even the Emei nuns at the Tang family manor.

Did the Demonic Cult’s warriors attack the northern Cheongseong sect first, then bypass the Tang family manor to attack the southern Mount Emei? The sequence seemed off.

Dan Seol-young spoke confidently.

“The Tang family manor has two supreme masters. Plus, I’ve set up mechanisms and traps that I spent years developing. They must have been too scared to come in.”

But Hong Gyeon remained skeptical.

“No, it’s more likely they didn’t know about the Tang family manor.”

The idea that the Tang family manor’s reputation hadn’t reached the distant Tian Shan mountains was plausible, given the distance.

However, Dan Seol-young’s pride was pricked.

“Who are you to say that? Around here, even the children know about the Tang family manor…”

There was a subtle distance in Dan Seol-young’s tone.

Only then did Dang Mujin realize that Hong Gyeon was still wearing the face of ‘Celestial Spirit Hong Gyeon.’

Dang Mujin whispered to Dan Seol-young, “Seol-young, this is Hong Gyeon.”

“Hong Gyeon?”

“He’s changed his face for a reason. Don’t tell anyone else. And I need to step out for a bit.”

“What? Where are you going right after arriving?”

“I’ll explain later.”

While Hong Gyeon’s theory that the Tang family manor’s low profile had spared it was plausible, Dang Mujin had a more convincing reason in mind.

Leaving a puzzled Dan Seol-young behind, Dang Mujin stepped outside the Tang family manor.

The surroundings were growing dim.

With his senses heightened, Dang Mujin walked through the darkening streets for a while. Eventually, he realized that two faint presences had been following him.

He stopped and called out, “Show yourselves.”

Two figures emerged from the shadows, grumbling.

“You’re quite bold for someone so much younger.”

The man who spoke had the refined appearance of a scholar, yet incongruously carried a massive sword. His name was Gwang Yeom-ra.

Beside him stood Yeon Sa-wook, the Left Guardian.

Although Dang Mu-jin wasn’t particularly close to either Gwang Yeom-ra or the Left Guardian, he felt a strange sense of relief at their presence.

If he had to encounter someone from the Demonic Cult, these two were preferable.

Gwang Yeom-ra asked in a slightly uneasy voice, “So, the Grandmaster isn’t here, is he?”

“The Grandmaster has gone to Mount Wudang,” Dang Mu-jin replied.

Gwang Yeom-ra let out a sigh of relief. It seemed the Grandmaster made him uneasy.

Despite being his enemies, Dang Mu-jin offered a respectful bow to Gwang Yeom-ra and the Left Guardian.

“Thank you.”

Gwang Yeom-ra crossed his arms. “You do know what you’re thanking us for, right?”

“For not attacking the Tang Manor immediately and giving us some time. That must have been your decision.”

“You’re not entirely clueless, I see,” Gwang Yeom-ra said with a smirk.

The Left Guardian looked at Dang Mu-jin with a satisfied expression, as if he had finally repaid a debt. Dang Mu-jin had once saved him from a perilous situation, and it seemed the Left Guardian hadn’t forgotten.

While the Left Guardian was motivated by loyalty, Gwang Yeom-ra was more pragmatic. He was considering the possibility of starting a new life outside the Demonic Cult if the righteous sects won the war. There was a precedent for such a move, after all.

Gwang Yeom-ra spoke to Dang Mu-jin. “We’ve given you some leeway, but we can’t just skip over attacking the Tang Manor.”

“Since you’ve already changed the order, can’t you just hold off like this? There’s no need to fight,” Dang Mu-jin suggested.

Gwang Yeom-ra frowned. “Be realistic. Sa-wook and I might overlook things because of our connection, but our subordinates are different. If they start doubting us, they’ll rush to inform the Cult Leader.”

“So, you’re saying you’ll attack the Tang Manor eventually?”

“Of course! Do you think we’re friends? You’re just a contingency plan. Besides, I believe the Demonic Cult is more likely to win this war. I’m not going to risk my standing with the Cult Leader for your sake.”

The Left Guardian nudged Gwang Yeom-ra with his elbow, perhaps thinking he was being too harsh.

Gwang Yeom-ra, in turn, smacked the back of the Left Guardian’s head.

Smack!

The Left Guardian’s face fell, looking dejected after the unexpected hit.

Dang Mu-jin asked the Left Guardian, “Shouldn’t you be with the Cult Leader as a Guardian?”

“I’m his most trusted aide, so he entrusted me with this task,” the Left Guardian replied confidently.

But Dang Mu-jin had his doubts. Perhaps the Cult Leader just wanted him out of sight.

Gwang Yeom-ra interjected, “Anyway, I’ll give you one more chance.”

“One more chance?”

“Yes. Take your family and leave Sichuan. Settle somewhere else. The Cult Leader won’t give up on Sichuan, but if the Tang Manor relocates, he won’t bother chasing you. Just live quietly like everyone else, and don’t bring up any righteous sect nonsense. Got it?”

Dang Mu-jin pondered for a moment before responding, “That’s… not easy.”

“If you start talking about not wanting to leave your beloved homeland, you’ll get a beating too.”

Dang Mu-jin shook his head. “It’s not that. The people from the Qingcheng and Emei sects are staying at the Tang Manor. The Tang Manor might decide to leave, but those sects will never abandon Sichuan.”

Qingcheng Mountain is crucial to the Taoist sects, and Emei Mountain is even more significant to the Buddhist sects. They can’t just leave their sacred grounds behind.

Gwang Yeom-ra clicked his tongue. “Why are you hesitating? Let them stay, and you take your family and leave. Simple as that.”

“It’s not that simple. How can I abandon people I’ve known since childhood?”

Even if he didn’t have much interaction with the Emei sect, it was different with the Qingcheng sect. They had quietly supported the Tang family for years. He couldn’t just leave them behind.

Gwang Yeom-ra spoke coldly, “I’ve given you a chance. Whatever happens next isn’t my fault. Something will happen within days, so decide quickly.”

“Days? What’s going to happen?”

“Yes. In as little as three days, or at most a week, the Right Guardian or the Grand Guardian will arrive in Sichuan.”

“The Right Guardian died when I left the Cult, and the Grand Guardian became the Cult Leader, didn’t he?”

Gwang Yeom-ra replied irritably, “No, you fool. Just because someone died doesn’t mean the position stays vacant forever. It took a while, but of course, we filled it.”

“Filled it? Do I know them?”

“No. They’re people who overcame the side effects of the Cult Leader’s teachings and reached the pinnacle of martial arts. They’re not to be underestimated.”

Dang Mu-jin’s expression grew serious. When someone like Gwang Yeom-ra says “not to be underestimated,” it usually means “they might be stronger than me.”

Even dealing with Gwang Yeom-ra and the Left Guardian was daunting. If someone stronger appeared, could he win?

’…It’s not going to be easy.’

Gwang Yeom-ra gave Dang Mu-jin a final warning. “When the Right Guardian or the Grand Guardian shows up, I won’t be able to stall for you. If you want to live, leave with your family. This isn’t a suggestion; it’s a notification. I’ve said my piece. Sa-wook, let’s go!”

With that, Gwang Yeom-ra turned to leave.

The Left Guardian, who had been silent until now, called out to Dang Mu-jin, “I trust you!”

Dang Mu-jin nodded politely, though he wasn’t sure what the Left Guardian meant.

The Left Guardian, looking pleased, followed Gwang Yeom-ra into the darkness.