Chapter 481

Chapter 481 – Toying With The World Always Comes At A Price (3)

Sang Han-cheon convened a leadership meeting.

Cheok Gwan-hyeol had already given him power. None of the leadership dared defy his summons.

The Three Great Army Commanders, the new Seven Great Demon Lords, and even Ghost Demon Emperor Wi Gang-hwi, the leader of the Cult Protection Division, all gathered in one place. When these masters who could each shake the world gathered together, it was suffocating.

Everyone's attention focused on Sang Han-cheon. Though their gazes would be burdensome, Sang Han-cheon presided over the meeting without changing his expression.

"Only the final war remains. Whoever wins this war will rule the martial world henceforth. So I ask everyone first not to let down your guard and maintain tension until the end."

"Isn't all of this the Military Strategist's achievement? This old man only admires the Military Strategist's foresight."

Representing everyone, Cult Protection Division Leader Wi Gang-hwi spoke. Most of the leadership nodded in agreement with Wi Gang-hwi's words.

Sang Han-cheon shook his head.

"No. Without everyone's help, how could I alone have come this far? In any case, that's not what's important now. Uprooting Blue Sky Alliance is the supreme task."

"We will do as the Military Strategist wishes, so just give the order. The old men of the Cult Protection Division are all prepared."

Wi Gang-hwi thumped his chest.

When even Wi Gang-hwi, the eldest among the leadership, gave power to Sang Han-cheon, an atmosphere formed where no one dared raise objections to him. Sang Han-cheon responded to Wi Gang-hwi's help with a smile.

Sang Han-cheon looked around those present with sharp eyes and said.

"What we need now isn't petty victories but an overwhelming victory. We must achieve a great victory to the extent that no martial artist in Central Plains can deny it. Petty plans aren't needed. We'll push forward with overwhelming force. So all of Central Plains can recognize our fearfulness."

"You mean to do all-out war? But then the cult members' sacrifices will be great."

One of the Seven Great Demon Lords cautiously raised an objection.

"We must accept some sacrifices. We must be remembered with a strong impression to those arrogant Central Plains martial artists. As existences that can't be touched or opposed. Only then will they not dare harbor treacherous thoughts toward our cult in the future."

Sang Han-cheon looked around with a bleak gaze. Not that anyone here would be frightened, but he had to show a cold appearance to demonstrate his resolve.

Founding a nation was difficult, but protecting it was even harder. If things went wrong, it wouldn't last a few years before disappearing into history's backstreets.

Until now, the Demon Cult had mixed two policies of using force on Central Plains' sects while proselytizing to common people. Thanks to that, the Divine Cult could spread widely even among common people. But now it was time to change policy.

Approaching people in a friendly manner was important, but to make their faith even more solid, it was more important to imprint unapproachable dignity.

"Since we have an overwhelming advantage in strength, petty plans aren't needed. We'll push forward all at once and destroy Blue Sky Alliance in one stroke. So everyone rest until then and build up your strength sufficiently."

"Understood."

"And I'll take this opportunity to convey to the leaders of the Thirteen Branches. We can no longer tolerate standing by on grounds of not being mainstream. This is a great holy war for our cult's eternal reign. I hope all branches participate without exception. If not, there will be corresponding disadvantages."

"Hmm!"

At Sang Han-cheon's declaration, the leadership in the hall groaned.

Throughout the Demon Cult's long history, the Thirteen Branch Sects maintained a quite unique position. Though they were clearly part of the Demon Cult, they received almost no control. The Cult Leader could request their cooperation, but they also had the right to refuse.

Because of that, there were quite a few within the Demon Cult who viewed the Thirteen Branches unfavorably. But because the Thirteen Branches' power was so formidable and they had strong individual tendencies, no one could directly rebuke them.

Sang Han-cheon's statement now was no different from breaking the longstanding taboo.

Sang Han-cheon saw this as the perfect opportunity. His thought was that one reason the Demon Cult had to retreat to Central Plains' frontiers despite having great power was because they hadn't properly managed the Thirteen Branch Sects.

Now when Cult Leader Cheok Gwan-hyeol's authority reached its peak was the perfect opportunity. If not now, there would never again be a chance to completely subjugate the Thirteen Branch Sects. So taking this opportunity, Sang Han-cheon issued a warning to the Thirteen Branches' leaders.

"Hmm!"

At Sang Han-cheon's hardline statement, several leadership members groaned. Though they understood him, they worried about possible backlash from the Thirteen Branches. But most of the leadership wore expressions of intense agreement with Sang Han-cheon's words.

'Right! Now is the time to achieve the Divine Cult's great unification.'

'What's there to fear about the Thirteen Branches' backlash? They're just branch sects, not mainstream after all.'

Confidence shone on their faces.

Sang Han-cheon looked at such leadership faces and thought.

'I'll definitely create the foundation for the Divine Cult's eternal reign with my own hands.'

As a military strategist, there was no greater glory than that.

A light of desire briefly rose on Sang Han-cheon's usually cold face.

***

"Amitabha!"

So Cheon rolled his prayer beads while looking at the Demon Cult's earthen fortress visible in the distance. Because without doing so, he couldn't suppress his turbulent heart.

The enemy of Unbreakable Great Heaven who had destroyed Shaolin was right ahead. He could see them building earthen fortresses and barracks. Yet being unable to move made it difficult for him.

Behind So Cheon, Shaolin monks were visible. These were those who had barely survived Shaolin's blood disaster and followed So Cheon blindly. Similar expressions to So Cheon's rose on their faces too.

"Amitabha! Amitabha!"

Clatter!

The sound of them rolling prayer beads echoed eerily.

As disciples of Buddhism serving Buddha, killing was something to be strictly forbidden. But they who had lost masters and dharma brothers a year ago were nurturing killing intent from deep within their hearts.

They gave up cultivating Buddhist faith to become Buddhas. They thought it sufficient to break the killing precept to defeat the Demon Cult members and become the foundation of a new Shaolin.

They called themselves Yama Monks and wore crimson robes like blood. It was an appearance showing what resolve they approached this great battle with.

For a while, they couldn't take their eyes off the Demon Cult's earthen fortress. But no one rashly stepped forward to express anger or agitate to go fight. Over the past year, they had matured deep anger and only waited for a chance to cut enemies' breath in a single strike.

When the fight with the Demon Cult broke out in earnest would be when they stepped forward.

So Cheon turned his gaze to look at his disciples and grand-disciples.

"Amitabha! Let's go down from the walls now."

"Yes, Senior Brother."

The Yama Monks followed So Cheon down from the walls without a word.

After descending the walls, So Cheon's steps suddenly stopped. Because he saw a familiar face from the opposite direction.

A calm-atmosphere female swordsman was walking over with a group. The moment he saw her, So Cheon smiled and cupped his fists.

"Miss Hae."

The female swordsman was precisely Hae So-wol. Hae So-wol also smiled and greeted So Cheon.

"Great Master So Cheon."

"Great Master is too much. Please call me Young Hero like before."

"Can I do that? You're Shaolin Temple's Sect Leader."

"Shaolin is already a destroyed sect. The courtesy is excessive."

"I believe Great Master So Cheon will definitely revive Shaolin."

"Thank you. By the way…"

So Cheon's gaze went to the martial artists behind Hae So-wol. Because they were people he hadn't seen before entering Blue Sky Alliance.

Each one emanating sharp momentum looked extraordinary. Among them, the most outstanding was an early-fifties-looking elderly martial artist.

A martial artist from whom sharp energy that seemed to cut if merely touched naturally emanated. He himself was like a completed sword.

So Cheon's eyes trembled. Because he instinctively realized the martial artist was a swordsman who'd reached a lofty realm.

Hae So-wol introduced the martial artist.

"This is my master and Hainan Sect's Sect Leader, Great Hero Neung Cheon-wol."

"Ah! Hainan Sect's Sect Leader. I, So Cheon, greet Great Hero Neung."

"No need for excessive courtesy. Pleased to meet you."

Neung Cheon-wol answered with a calm expression.

Though Hainan Sect wasn't among the Nine Great Sects, it was rated as having power comparable to them. Naturally, Neung Cheon-wol's pride too had to be tremendous.

So Cheon bowed his head to him and said.

"I don't know how reassuring it is that you've joined like this. Thank you for making a difficult decision."

"Nothing to thank. I'm doing this to survive too. If the Demon Cult controls Central Plains, Hainan Island, which is just a remote island, will wither and be annihilated. I didn't want to get involved in Central Plains' affairs if possible, but there's no choice."

Neung Cheon-wol's gaze was cold.

For generations, Hainan Sect's leaders had been absolute swordsmen counted in the world. They were possessors of tremendous sword mastery not inferior at all to the leaders of the destroyed Namgung Clan or the supreme masters of Wudang Sect and Hua Mountain Sect. Actually, Neung Cheon-wol too had reached the absolute realm and penetrated the ultimate meaning of the sword.

But even he couldn't be free from the Demon Cult's grip tightening his windpipe. Eventually, he had no choice but to decide to participate in the great battle with the Demon Cult for Hainan Sect's survival.

He left only the minimum disciples to protect Hainan Sect and came here leading the elites, where he could meet his disciple Hae So-wol.

Hainan Sect's joining greatly raised Blue Sky Alliance's morale. They were on their way to meet Alliance Leader Cho Yeon-woon now and go to their assigned quarters.

It wasn't only Hainan Sect. Qingcheng Sect, Emei Sect, Mount Qian Sect and other sects that had suffered relatively little damage from the Demon Cult joined one after another leading their elites. Thanks to that, Blue Sky Alliance's strength greatly increased again in just a few days.

In the past, there definitely would have been wasteful emotions of nerve warfare and mutual jealousy between each sect. There would have been talk about young Cho Yeon-woon performing as Alliance Leader too. But now such an atmosphere couldn't be found within Blue Sky Alliance.

The desperate feeling that if they were pushed back this time it was the end made them unite as one heart.

Neung Cheon-wol, who had met Cho Yeon-woon directly, didn't look down on him for being young. Befitting a master who'd reached the absolute realm, he recognized Cho Yeon-woon's level and therefore readily acknowledged him as Alliance Leader.

"Though I joined late, I won't interfere telling you this and that, so please lead us well."

"How could I…"

"The saying that the front waves of the Yangtze are pushed by the back waves, I didn't believe it. But now I acknowledge it. That the current martial world needs a new wave, and that it's you people. So I'll follow as you lead."

"Great Hero Neung?"

"I've spoken too long. Hurry inside and rest. We too are tired from traveling far."

"Understood. Please go in carefully."

"May fortune bless you and Shaolin Temple's actions."

"Thank you. I'll pray that Great Hero Neung and Hainan Sect remain safe too."

"Then!"

Neung Cheon-wol and Hainan Sect's disciples passed by while nodding to So Cheon and the Yama Monks.

So Cheon said to the Yama Monks.

"You go to quarters and rest. I have a place to stop by briefly."

"Yes, Senior Brother."

"Understood, Grand-Master Uncle."

After the Yama Monks greeted So Cheon, they returned to quarters.

Alone, So Cheon headed to a thatched hut in Blue Sky Alliance's depths. In contrast to the surrounding large pavilions, the shabby thatched hut had an unexpectedly strict security net spread around it.

This was the most strictly guarded place in Blue Sky Alliance. Because an important person was here, Cho Yeon-woon had specially built three or four layers of security nets only here to protect the person inside the thatched hut.

After catching his breath for a moment before the thatched hut, So Cheon carefully spoke.

"Miss Jong, it's So Cheon. May I enter briefly?"

"Come in."

Soon a clear voice was heard from inside.

When the owner's permission fell, So Cheon opened the thatched hut's door and entered. As soon as he entered the thatched hut, the first thing that stimulated his sense of smell was thick herbal scent.

Inside the thatched hut, countless medicinal herbs were piled like mountains, and in one corner, over ten heated medicine cauldrons were spewing white steam. And before the medicine cauldrons, the thatched hut's owner sat with an elegant appearance.

So Cheon addressed the thatched hut's owner.

"You seem busy, Miss Jong. I've come needlessly."

"No."

The woman gently shaking her head was precisely Jong Ri-yeon.

"I'm sorry for visiting so suddenly, Miss Jong."

"You came because of the Small Revival Pill, right?"

"I'm sorry."

At Jong Ri-yeon's words, So Cheon's face slightly reddened. Then Jong Ri-yeon took out a fairly large wooden box from medicine cabinets filling one wall.

Jong Ri-yeon handed the wooden box to So Cheon while saying.

"These are the Small Revival Pills you requested. I did my best to make them but could only make this much. I'm sorry."

Inside the wooden box were thirty Small Revival Pills. After checking the Small Revival Pills, So Cheon hurriedly shook his head.

"No. Making even this much is really amazing. If it weren't for Miss Jong, no one could have made Small Revival Pills this smoothly."

He was sincerely admiring.

So Cheon and the Yama Monks brought out numerous secret traditions when escaping Shaolin Temple. One of them was the manufacturing methods for Great Revival Pill and Small Revival Pill.

The medicinal efficacy of Great Revival Pill was far superior, but since the ingredients were so rare, obtaining them wasn't easy. Even if somehow all necessary ingredients were gathered, the manufacturing process was too arduous and required such delicate energy manipulation that making one or two pills in a generation wasn't easy. Because of that, even at Shaolin Temple's peak, they only had a few Great Revival Pills.

Though making it was relatively easier than Great Revival Pill, still to make Small Revival Pill one had to be versed in medical arts and pharmacology. At this point, the only one capable of that was Jong Ri-yeon alone.

Because of that, So Cheon asked Jong Ri-yeon to make Small Revival Pills. These Small Revival Pills would be usefully employed when rebuilding Shaolin Temple again.

"Thank you, Miss Jong. Thanks to you, I think we can give our all in the fight with the Demon Cult."

"No. I learned many things while making the Small Revival Pills too."

The secret divine pills of Shaolin Temple, which had been the martial world's Mount Tai and Big Dipper, were precisely Great Revival Pill and Small Revival Pill. Just learning the manufacturing methods of such secret divine pills was a great gain for Jong Ri-yeon.

It wasn't just the two sects. Quite a few of the sects that participated in Blue Sky Alliance asked her to make their sect's lost elixirs.

Plum Blossom Divine Pill, Small Revival Pill, and making numerous other elixirs besides, her knowledge of medicine grew even deeper. So Cheon couldn't even dare guess how much knowledge existed in her small head.

So Cheon carefully asked as something came to mind.

"Miss Jong, do you have any thoughts of making supreme elixirs? If you do make them, I hope you'll share one with our Shaolin too."

"I'm sorry. I don't plan to make any more elixirs."

"No more? Then you've already made them?"

"That's right."

"Then did the supreme pill go to that person?"

"Yes!"

Jong Ri-yeon answered honestly without hiding.

While staying at Lesser Mount Hua, she had mobilized all the knowledge she knew to make supreme pills.

Supreme pills made for only one person in the world, Dam Ho.

Dam Ho always carried injuries because he threw his whole body into fighting. Jong Ri-yeon always felt heartache because she couldn't always care for such a Dam Ho. So she made the one and only supreme pill for Dam Ho, and had no intention of making supreme pills for anyone but him.

Having read Jong Ri-yeon's firm thought, So Cheon didn't ask further.

Because he thought that if they were supreme pills Jong-ri Yeon made for no one other than Dam Ho, they weren't items he dared covet.

Jong-ri Yeon looked at the open window. Beyond the window, the darkening sky was visible.

At some point, she had developed this habit of looking at the sky.

It was a habit born from long waiting.

'Please return safely.'

It was the only thing she hoped for in this war era where she couldn't see even one step ahead.