Chapter 379

Tap Tak-yeon asked Yuk Ha-seon in return.

“Do you think we can defeat King of Hell without doing that?”

“Blocking Empty Medicine Hall and expressing support are great things. But we also need people who will fight King of Hell.”

“The Tang family’s foundation is deeper and deeper than we think. Even if all five Cliques join forces and Poison Dragon flies and crawls, striking the Tang family head-on is suicidal. We’d have to turn thousands of enemies against us, including the Tang Family Main House’s direct and collateral lines, as well as all the vassal families.”

Jin Ja-gang felt the same way. The reason he hadn’t been able to strike Tang Qing despite wanting to was lack of strength.

“Then?”

“I found another method.”

Both Yuk Ha-seon and Ro-gwan focused on Tap Tak-yeon.

Tap Tak-yeon turned his head toward Jin Ja-gang then looked back at Yuk Ha-seon and said.

“If three or more of the Poison Sect’s Six Cliques agree, we can convene a meeting. And if more than half agree on an emergency proposal raised at that meeting, the agenda is submitted. You haven’t forgotten, have you?”

Yuk Ha-seon laughed.

“Don’t tell me you’re thinking of telling King of Hell to commit suicide with that agenda?”

“Why not?”

Yuk Ha-seon’s expression hardened.

“Hey, hey. Is this the time for jokes?”

“Physician Bell Healers are ruined and I said I’d block Funeral Parlour. Excluding the Tang family, Leper Mound, Pleasure Heaven, and our Coal Miners can pass the agenda.”

Tap Tak-yeon spoke each word resolutely.

“The agenda’s content is King of Hell’s expulsion. The reason is damage to the Poison Sect due to repeated failures!”

Yuk Ha-seon’s and Ro-gwan’s eyes widened.

The situation wasn’t bad. If it was now, expelling Tang Qing wasn’t impossible.

The Poison Sect’s Six Cliques outwardly had the character of an alliance.

Even though Tang Qing had been imposing his will through financial power until now, he couldn’t ignore an agenda passed by a majority of the Poison Sect’s Six Cliques.

“But… King of Hell wouldn’t meekly agree to an agenda to expel himself.”

Tap Tak-yeon continued.

“Passing the agenda is important. But that’s just justification after all. Consider it secondary priority. What’s most important and top priority is…”

Tap Tak-yeon paused briefly then spoke again.

“We can call King of Hell out alone beyond the Tang Family Main House.”

Yuk Ha-seon almost clapped.

“That’s right! Moreover, if he rebels against the agenda in opposition, we’d have justification to suppress him too.”

Ro-gwan was cautious.

“But it’s still the Tang Family Main House’s front yard. Can we kill him with just our strength?”

“That’s the only time King of Hell will be alone. At other times, we won’t even have opportunities like this.”

Tap Tak-yeon’s words were correct.

Tang Qing was reshaping the five Poison Sect Cliques to his taste. Next time, the faces before them might be different. Now was essentially the last opportunity to attempt great deeds with these faces.

“Good, what about afterward?”

“If we succeed in striking King of Hell and then pass the agenda, even justification will be on our side. After that, the remaining succession struggle is purely in Poison Dragon’s hands.”

Yuk Ha-seon and Ro-gwan looked at Jin Ja-gang.

“If it’s Poison Dragon, there should be a chance of winning in the succession struggle.”

Yuk Ha-seon thought briefly then nodded.

“Enough. It’s worth trying.”

“The problem is…”

Tap Tak-yeon drew out his words.

“Whether King of Hell isn’t thinking the same thing. If it’s King of Hell, there’s a high possibility he’s already prepared. So this is a matter of speed. A fight of who moves first.”

Tap Tak-yeon and Yuk Ha-seon looked toward Jin Ja-gang.

Jin Ja-gang now understood the situation too.

There was no time.

The summer rainy season King of Hell desired was approaching, and Shaolin Temple’s Righteous Dharma March was right around the corner.

The Righteous Alliance was trying to swallow the Martial Alliance by elevating Indestructible Heavenly Sword as leader, while Taoist Haewol was digging traps and trying to return the martial world to its original state through massive slaughter.

If they missed the timing, they would face the worst situation without being able to do anything.

The choice was up to Jin Ja-gang.

Everyone’s eyes turned toward Jin Ja-gang.

It could no longer be delayed.

Jin Ja-gang decided.

“I’ll go. To the Tang Family Main House.”

Yuk Ha-seon clenched her fist tightly.

“Good.”

Ro-gwan and Tap Tak-yeon also nodded, showing satisfaction.

“Now only the execution remains.”

Finally, conspiracy plotting began in the small cave.

The time it normally took to notify of a meeting convocation and set the final date for the heads of the Poison Sect’s Six Cliques to gather was forty days.

However, the rainy season was approaching soon. They had to advance the timing as much as possible before something happened.

Therefore, after the convocation date was set, the execution date was decided within a maximum of thirty days.

Using the meeting convocation as pretext, they would call out King of Hell Tang Qing and strike Tang Qing on the spot!

Afterward, the plan was for Jin Ja-gang to enter the Tang Family Main House proudly under the protection of the three sects: Leper Mound, Pleasure Heaven, and Coal Miners.

If he received support from three of the Poison Sect’s Six Cliques, even the Tang family couldn’t easily expel Jin Ja-gang. Everything after that was entirely up to Jin Ja-gang.

Now all that remained was returning to Sichuan according to the date.

However…

Tap. Tap tap tap.

Suddenly, unwelcome sounds began coming from outside the cave.

“Rain.”

Tap Tak-yeon with keen hearing went outside the cave.

Yuk Ha-seon said.

“It must be a shower.”

“Wait.”

Tap Tak-yeon ignored Yuk Ha-seon’s words and called his subordinate to instruct.

“If there are any plum trees nearby, pick up fruit from the ground.”

He said to pick up, not pluck.

A Coal Miners warrior searched the surroundings and brought back a handful of plums. Tap Tak-yeon touched the plums and smelled them, then frowned.

“None are rotten, they haven’t fallen long ago, and they have a well-ripened fragrance. These are plums that fell due to the trust wind.”

Trust wind was another term for northeast wind.

Ro-gwan asked.

“What significance does trust wind have?”

Tap Tak-yeon answered.

“In the northern Yellow River and southern Yangtze River region, the so-called Jianghuai area, rain that falls with trust wind is called the rainy season…”

Jin Ja-gang suddenly felt his mind clear up.

The Jianghuai region!

Both were places where great floods occurred when rivers overflowed.

“Don’t tell me…”

“It’s not ‘don’t tell me.'”

Tap Tak-yeon said without even turning around, raising his head toward the sky.

“The rainy season has begun.”

Shadows fell across Yuk Ha-seon’s and Ro-gwan’s faces.

“Too early.”

“Heaven isn’t helping.”

When the rainy season began, water currents became fierce and rivers overflowed. Using waterways to Sichuan became almost impossible.

“When water levels rise, waterways get blocked. It would be good to hurry before the full rainy season comes.”

The three people reorganized their schedule and plans once more before setting off. They decided to move separately to prevent King of Hell’s suspicions.

Yuk Ha-seon received help from Coal Miners warriors.

Before leaving, Yuk Ha-seon advised.

“Be careful. King of Hell is cautious and meticulous. There’s no telling what might happen on the road to Sichuan.”

“I understand.”

* * *

Jin Ja-gang tried to calm down, but his excitement wouldn’t subside.

Strike King of Hell Tang Qing.

The head of the Poison Sect and direct enemy of the Medicine Sect.

If they succeeded in expelling Tang Qing this time, he could finally bring his revenge to a conclusion.

It wasn’t that there were no lingering concerns.

Tang Qing was Tang Ha-ran’s grandfather. No matter what anyone said, she wouldn’t welcome killing Tang Qing, who was a blood relative.

But it had to be done.

That was the driving force that had brought Jin Ja-gang to this point.

Even to meet the Hungry Ghost King, who might be the true enemy afterward, he absolutely had to succeed.

However, for now, he was more excited about the fact that he could return to Sichuan and meet Tang Ha-ran.

* * *

As if Tap Tak-yeon’s words had been the starting point, the rain didn’t stop.

At some point, the rain had changed to heavy downpour with thick drops.

The river water swelled instantly.

“Whoooosh!”

Jin Ja-gang, who had been waiting at the ferry for a boat to Wuhan, ended up hearing bad news.

“It’s too dangerous for boats to sail.”

All the passengers waiting for boats cursed and made a commotion. However, seeing the ferry boats right before their eyes swaying like leaves and about to capsize, they didn’t insist on boarding.

Jin Ja-gang’s expression hardened.

Unable to use lightness techniques, Jin Ja-gang had no choice but to walk.

To Sichuan was over five thousand li. Even walking quickly, it would take a full fortnight. However, considering crossing mountains and flooded rivers, it would take twice as long.

First, he had to reach Wuhan and catch a large ship.

“I’ll have to hurry.”

Jin Ja-gang immediately put on a rain cape and hastened his journey.

He had already sent messages through Qingcheng Sect to Emei Sect.

Jin Ja-gang had already provided answers to the three questions of the Divine Nun incident.

And in return, Emei Sect had agreed to help Jin Ja-gang.

If the Divine Nun hadn’t forgotten the promise made to Jin Ja-gang, Emei Sect would be the greatest help in striking Tang Qing.

* * *

The rain continued falling without stopping once.

Rumble, the already gloomy weather became even darker as it poured down rain.

Jin Ja-gang chose mountain paths to shorten the distance, but belatedly realized this was a mistake.

The rain was much heavier than expected.

Muddy water flowing down from the mountains constantly blocked paths, and the ground was slippery.

His feet slipped constantly if he wasn’t careful. When he slipped and got caught in the flowing water, he was even pushed downstream. Once he lost his way, finding it again wasn’t easy.

“Damn…”

Jin Ja-gang was troubled.

With insufficient lightness skills, he couldn’t use lightness techniques on treacherous paths. In one day, he barely traveled two hundred li.

Since he needed little sleep, if the weather were decent he could walk day and night, but at night the paths were too dangerous and he couldn’t see far due to rain and vegetation, making movement difficult.

However, he couldn’t delay time like this. Using the flat official roads would be good, but going around would take just as much time. No matter what, crossing mountains was the most time-saving.

After pondering, Jin Ja-gang decided to use Soul Seizing Thread. When climbing mountains, he hung Soul Seizing Thread on his folding sickle and threw it upward with all his strength. When the folding sickle embedded in trees, he held the Soul Seizing Thread and climbed without slipping.

Conversely, when going downhill, he wrapped Soul Seizing Thread around trees and slid down. When the Soul Seizing Thread’s length was exhausted, he injected internal energy to cut the tree and retrieve it. This way he wouldn’t suddenly fall off cliffs or slide endlessly.

His feet slipped frequently and he fell, making his whole body a mess. Getting scraped and bruised was routine. Instead, his movement speed became tremendously fast. Going downhill was even faster than running.

Jin Ja-gang moved unconditionally whenever he could move. After getting used to it, he climbed mountains in the rain even at night.

However, concentrating all his nerves on Soul Seizing Thread and the terrain under his feet left him extremely exposed to danger.

He couldn’t accomplish everything as desired. Jin Ja-gang chose to take risks and advance the timeline.

Thanks to such haste, he arrived in Wuhan after only seven days and nights had passed. He had arrived faster than expected.

Wuhan was a large city with large ships that could operate despite considerable storms and floods.

However, when Jin Ja-gang arrived, the river’s water level had risen so high that even those ships couldn’t sail.