Chapter 457 – Troubled Times Create Heroes (1)

Sang Han-cheon looked at Mount Song with deep eyes.

One of five great mountains under heaven, the Buddhist holy ground, and the Central Plains martial world's pillar, the famous mountain adorned with countless descriptions majestically looked down on him.

White clouds flowing around Mount Song's waist created a mysterious atmosphere, but no particular emotion appeared on Sang Han-cheon's face.

Right now his mind held only thoughts of how to subdue Shaolin Temple and the Martial Alliance occupying Mount Song as quickly as possible.

Where he stood was flatland below Mount Song. On the flatland countless barracks lined up, and tremendous numbers of martial artists had set up camp.

While coming here they'd sealed Wudang Sect and annihilated the Zhuge Family. Besides that, numerous sects had been trampled by the Divine Cult. Being a series of victories, the Divine Cult's morale had reached its peak.

"Once we swallow the Martial Alliance and Shaolin Temple, no more forces will threaten our cult."

The Martial Alliance was a force concentrating all power under heaven, and Shaolin Temple was the Central Plains martial world's spiritual pillar. Collapse these two and no more forces existed in the martial world to oppose the Divine Cult.

Sang Han-cheon clenched his fist.

Collapse just these two forces and his name would remain forever in the Divine Cult's history recounted among people. For the Divine Cult's military strategist, no more glorious work existed.

"Not far now."

When Sang Han-cheon muttered that.

"Military Strategist."

Suddenly a cautious voice came from behind. Looking back, the warrior guarding him watched with an apologetic expression.

"What is it?"

"A visitor has come from headquarters."

"Visitor?"

"They say the Demon Mother has arrived."

Instantly deep furrows appeared in Sang Han-cheon's brow.

"The Demon Mother?"

She wasn't someone who should be here. Someone who should be by the Cult Leader's side coming to a battlefield full of blood stench was puzzling.

"She wants to see the Military Strategist, what should I do?"

"Bring her in."

"Yes!"

With the answer the warrior withdrew. Shortly after he reappeared, Dan Un-hyang was with him.

Sang Han-cheon spoke first.

"What brings the Demon Mother here?"

"I'm sorry, Military Strategist. Coming suddenly without contact. But I had something I absolutely must say, so I rushed all this distance."

"What is that?"

"We must erect an altar at Shaolin Temple."

"Pardon?"

"I mean we must erect a grand altar where Shaolin Temple stood, proclaiming our cult's majesty to all under heaven."

At Dan Un-hyang's unexpected words, Sang Han-cheon frowned slightly. Dan Un-hyang saw such expression on Sang Han-cheon but continued regardless.

"Mount Song is the five peaks' center, Shaolin the martial world's pillar. Erecting our cult's altar in such a place would have tremendously great symbolic meaning."

"But that would greatly risk incurring universal wrath. Rather, many might have deeper resentment and oppose our cult even more viciously."

"It's a gate we must pass eventually anyway. Even if we don't erect an altar at Shaolin Temple, under heaven already has resentment toward us. Then breaking through directly would be better."

Though Sang Han-cheon raised objections, Dan Un-hyang didn't listen but only persisted. At this, a troubled light appeared on Sang Han-cheon's face.

Counting only ranking within the Divine Cult, only one person ranked above Sang Han-cheon: the Cult Leader. No matter how Dan Un-hyang claimed to be Demon Mother, she couldn't order Sang Han-cheon around. But that was merely the external aspect.

Dan Un-hyang was the woman receiving the Cult Leader's full favor. Moreover the head of the missionary organization called Middle Heaven, even Sang Han-cheon couldn't completely ignore her.

Since Middle Heaven's contributions to the Divine Cult's external expansion until now were great, Sang Han-cheon had no choice but to worry.

Dan Un-hyang's expression looking at Sang Han-cheon was resolute. No room for negotiation could be found in her face.

Sang Han-cheon asked cautiously.

"Very well. Erecting an altar isn't too difficult. But is erecting an altar the Demon Mother's idea?"

"My idea."

Dan Un-hyang answered resolutely without any hesitation.

Sang Han-cheon's expression didn't relax.

'Different.'

The Dan Un-hyang he knew and the Dan Un-hyang before his eyes now were different. He couldn't exactly pinpoint it, but subtly different. That point was bothering Sang Han-cheon.

"Middle Heaven will also participate in this war."

At Dan Un-hyang's declaration, Sang Han-cheon's eyes sank even deeper.

Middle Heaven was basically an organization for the Divine Cult's missionary work, not somewhere that fought on the front lines. Yet Dan Un-hyang making such declaration showed how great her will was.

Sang Han-cheon realized he couldn't change Dan Un-hyang's mind.

"I understand. But there's a condition."

"What is it?"

"The Demon Mother and Middle Heaven must be in the rear, not the front lines. That's my condition."

"Alright. I'll follow the Military Strategist's order."

Dan Un-hyang obediently followed Sang Han-cheon's words.

Even after she left, Sang Han-cheon couldn't easily find peace of mind due to uncomfortable feelings.

No matter how much he thought about it, Dan Un-hyang's proposal wasn't rational. Sang Han-cheon had doubts about that.

"Chu-myeong!"

"Yes! Military Strategist."

Instantly without any presence, a martial artist in his late thirties appeared before him and prostrated. He was Sang Han-cheon's trusted aide.

"Monitor the Demon Mother. Identify those contacting her and report to me."

"I understand."

Chu-myeong disappeared with his answer.

Left alone, Sang Han-cheon muttered.

"Perhaps…"

The strange currents within the Demon Cult he'd begun sensing sometime, Sang Han-cheon thought Dan Un-hyang might be related to them.

Sang Han-cheon forcibly suppressed uncomfortable feelings and looked at Mount Song.

***

"This way."

Gi San-wol pointed ahead and spoke.

Dam Ho wordlessly drove Black Ghost in the direction Gi San-wol pointed. Behind him Bang Jin-bo and the Namgung brothers followed.

Going in the direction Gi San-wol pointed, a river with exposed bottom appeared. No need to take a boat, just walking across would do.

It had always been like this coming here. Gi San-wol became the group's guide and led. Following where he led, paths miraculously appeared even where absolutely no path seemed possible.

He seemed to communicate with something invisible. Watching him close his eyes, receive the wind, and mutter something gave a mysteriously spiritual feeling.

Sensing Bang Jin-bo's gaze, Gi San-wol suddenly looked at him.

"Walk about one more day and Mount Song will appear."

"Pardon? Yes!"

Somehow caught off guard, Bang Jin-bo answered in confusion. Finding that funny, Gi San-wol smiled faintly.

No one was easier to read than Bang Jin-bo. All emotions showed on his face, so he couldn't hide even if he tried. Gi San-wol liked Bang Jin-bo more for that.

Not long after crossing the river, the sun began setting. Then Bang Jin-bo and the Namgung brothers stepped forward finding places suitable for camping.

"This looks good."

When Bang Jin-bo decided on the campsite, the Namgung brothers naturally gathered branches and lit a campfire. Meanwhile Bang Jin-bo unpacked and began preparing dinner.

Gi San-wol approached Dam Ho's side.

"My lord should rest now too."

He naturally took on servant's role, unloading baggage from Black Ghost's back. His attitude toward Dam Ho was truly extremely respectful.

After leaving Avici Hell, he'd consistently treated Dam Ho with reverent attitude. Though such Gi San-wol might be burdensome, Dam Ho naturally accepted it.

When Dam Ho sat, Gi San-wol approached Bang Jin-bo.

"Is there anything I can help with?"

"Not really."

"Then shall I at least keep you company?"

"That's…"

Bang Jin-bo briefly wore a troubled expression. Because he felt burdened. But seeing Gi San-wol's bright face watching him, he lacked courage to refuse. He had no choice but to nod.

"Thank you, Young Master."

At Bang Jin-bo's permission, Gi San-wol smiled brightly.

He squatted beside Bang Jin-bo and watched him cook.

"Oh!"

"Ah!"

Occasionally he'd burst out with random exclamations. Though saying he'd keep company, he only marveled at Bang Jin-bo's cooking skills.

After cooking for a while, Bang Jin-bo suddenly asked as if remembering.

"By the way, how did Great Hero Gi end up trapped in Avici Hell?"

"Just ended up that way."

"Pardon?"

"Haha! You wouldn't believe it, right?"

"Right!"

"You probably already guessed, but I'm a soul sorcerer raised by the Heavenly Evil Cult."

"I knew it!"

Bang Jin-bo nodded as if he'd known.

Avici Hell wasn't a place humans could live. Humans surviving such a place couldn't be normal.

"Aren't you surprised?"

"Should I be?"

"Usually people are."

"I was sufficiently surprised when I first saw you in Avici Hell."

"I see."

This time Gi San-wol nodded.

"I heard my lord and the Heavenly Evil Cult are mortal enemies. But aren't I someone to guard against or dislike?"

"Certainly I dislike the Heavenly Evil Cult, but strangely I don't feel that way toward you."

"Haha! Thank you. Actually I was scared what if you disliked me."

"Really?"

"Truly. If you disliked me, my lord clearly wouldn't have accepted me."

"Mm!"

"One thing I want to say is even though I'm a soul sorcerer, I know almost nothing about the Heavenly Evil Cult. Just when I was establishing myself as a soul sorcerer, Avici Hell opened and I entered representing everyone."

Gi San-wol's eyes turned cold.

Though he said representing everyone, actually he'd been forcibly pushed in.

The 'gap' later named Avici Hell was a mysterious space no soul sorcerer had experienced, an unknown world without any information. Almost no one had courage or recklessness enough to enter such a place on their own.

Gi San-wol was also one such person. He didn't want to enter Avici Hell on his own. But he was forced in by orders and spent long time there.

Therefore he rather held great resentment toward the Heavenly Evil Cult. Because before establishing his identity as a soul sorcerer, he was trapped in Avici Hell cultivating hatred for long.

Though he only showed smiling appearance outwardly, actually his heart was filled with cold hatred and hot vengeance.

Bang Jin-bo asked.

"Is Avici Hell really such a space with nothing?"

"That's… ah, the food's burning."

"What?"

At Gi San-wol's words, Bang Jin-bo was startled and looked at the pot on the campfire. Food was burning at the pot's bottom. Bang Jin-bo hurriedly stirred the pot.

Barely catching his breath and turning his head, Gi San-wol wasn't visible. He'd already gone to Dam Ho's side.

"Huu!"

Bang Jin-bo sighed.

Even he could tell Gi San-wol deliberately avoided answering. But he couldn't ask more of someone who disliked it.

Bang Jin-bo suppressed his curiosity and focused on cooking again.

"My lord!"

Gi San-wol called Dam Ho. But Dam Ho didn't answer.

Dam Ho's eyes shone frighteningly even in darkness. At such appearance, Gi San-wol felt chilling emotion.

Being trapped in an isolated place for long years, his emotions had worn away so he'd thought nothing could give him fear, but Dam Ho shattered such pride.

But even so, Dam Ho's eyes now were different from usual. Felt more frightening.

"Did I make some mistake…"

Gi San-wol stopped mid-sentence and suddenly wrinkled his nose.

Because a familiar smell came.

A smell he could never forget even after decades, like his hometown's embrace to Gi San-wol.

The fragrance of wicked sorcery.

A smell ordinary people could absolutely never sense was coming on the wind.

Instantly Gi San-wol's eyes changed bleakly.

Like someone possessed, he followed Dam Ho walking toward where the wind came from.

Tang Family Main Estate.

Countless people poured out at the news of Jin Ja-gang’s return.

From vassal warriors to elders, working servants, and guests.

Everyone came out and looked at Jin Ja-gang with eyes of wonder.

A battle fierce enough for the renowned Jin Ja-gang to return in such a wretched state.

And that news had spread through the martial world even before Jin Ja-gang returned to the Tang Family Main Estate.

Though suppressed by the Martial Arts Alliance’s momentum, the Zoroastrian Cult had once been one of the powers that divided the world into three. There was even a time when the Martial Arts Alliance Leader, the Master of the Northern Heavens, and the Zoroastrian Cult Leader were called the Three Supreme Masters of the Martial World.

But Jin Ja-gang had killed two of the Three Supreme Masters, following the Master of the Northern Heavens with the new Cult Leader of the Zoroastrian Cult, so they couldn’t help but be amazed.

While Jin Ja-gang limped along because of his broken toe, everyone watched him intently.

Even the white monkey looking around at people curiously beside Jin Ja-gang.

Soon Bian Bu came running and asked.

“Did you really block the Zoroastrian Cult’s attack and protect Emei Sect?”

“What?”

Jin Ja-gang asked back.

“What kind of nonsense is that?”

“Huh? Isn’t it true? The Zoroastrian Cult attacked Emei Sect but you killed the Cult Leader and drove them off.”

Jin Ja-gang was the one who should be bewildered.

Because the series of events had progressed too quickly and complexly, all sorts of false rumors circulated in society. The Tang Family’s deliberate silence also greatly contributed to the rumors becoming even more inflated.

The Poison Dragon blocked the Zoroastrian Cult’s invasion into Sichuan!

That was the rumor spreading recently.

As the sight of Zoroastrian Cult followers leaving Sichuan in large numbers was witnessed here and there, the rumor gained strength as fact.

And in the midst of this, because the poison mist Jin Ja-gang created didn’t disappear but became a poison field that no one could approach, a place of death, no one could help but believe.

Taoist Woon-jeong came and asked.

“Then what about the Zoroastrian Cult’s sacred object?”

“The rumor already spread that far?”

“They say the followers left shedding tears of blood. That they’ll definitely retrieve the sacred object.”

Jin Ja-gang showed them the Persian Ancient Sword.

All who came out from the Tang Family were shocked seeing the Persian Ancient Sword.

“It’s true! You killed the Cult Leader and took it! Then protecting Emei Sect is also true!”

“How did the story progress that far? Maybe the Cult Leader just gave it to me.”

“Come on, that doesn’t make sense. Why would he just give it? Then where is the Cult Leader?”

“He melted into poison.”

“…So you forcibly took it after all!”

Jin Ja-gang seemed to understand why the rumors spread strangely.

“More importantly, there’s something urgent I need to discuss.”

Jin Ja-gang looked at Tang Ha-ran and made eye contact. There was no time even to reunite with Tang Ha-ran.

Tang Ha-ran sent people back to their places and called a meeting.

***

Four Poison Cliques, Taoist Bok-cheon, Bian Bu, and Im Yi-eon also attended the meeting to share information with allies.

The only clue Jin Ja-gang brought was two characters.

Li Bu (吏逋).

“The Extinction Reversal Pill came from here?”

The Tang Family elders offered various opinions about Li Bu.

Most saw it as the mastermind colluding with the government.

There were other opinions too.

“Maybe the Extinction Reversal Pill flowed into the government for some reason, and a lower official diverted and sold it? If so, the word embezzlement fits.”

However, no matter how they speculated, there were too many possibilities to give a definite answer. Still, they couldn’t just grab anyone and ask about this precious clue.

But then Tap Tak-yeon from Coal Mine Laborers suddenly threw out a comment.

“I don’t think any of that is it?”

Tang Ha-ran asked.

“What do you mean?”

“Acting Family Head, all goods entering and leaving the government go through officials. Especially in local government offices, they collect taxes from each region and send them to the capital, and during this process officials often embezzle. It’s so common there’s a separate term called government embezzlement.”

“Then isn’t Li Bu the same thing?”

“The reason they specifically call lower officials’ embezzlement Li Bu is somewhat different. Lower officials record the receipts and disbursements of all goods entering and leaving the government. So if you properly manipulate a lower official, it’s possible to change ledger records at will. You could even make it appear on the ledgers that there are tens of thousands of bushels of grain when there’s actually nothing. Or vice versa.”

“What’s the difference?”

“For example, our Coal Mine Laborers supplies three thousand gwan of quality iron to the government as taxes every year, but the government doesn’t need that much iron every year. Or sometimes the price of iron rises and selling it brings much greater profit than paying it as tax to the government.”

“Do you supply it differently then?”

“That’s right. We consult with the lower official and say we’ll pay an appropriate amount of silk or money instead of iron. Then the lower official records that iron came in on the ledgers and records it as if that iron was exchanged for silk or money again. Then there’s no problem.”

One Tang Family elder asked.

“But if the price of iron rose, you’d have to pay silk or money of equivalent value anyway, so isn’t it the same?”

“Not quite.”

Tap Tak-yeon explained while stroking his large ears.

“Not all goods in the world are produced in the same quantities every year. Some years produce a lot of iron, other years silkworms get sick and no silk is produced. But regardless, officials must prepare at least a similar amount of tribute as last year.”

“Then…?”

“This is mainly a method merchants use. If you adjust the ledgers to show that cheap goods and expensive goods came in similar amounts compared to last year, the rest remains clean. In years when iron is expensive, we record receiving iron but accept money at last year’s price. Then the difference from the current market price arises, so the lower official and we can both pocket the surplus.”

The listeners asked back.

“You mean the exchange only happens on the ledgers?”

“Exactly. Simply put, it’s manipulating ledgers through lower officials. That’s what’s specifically called Li Bu.”

One elder was incredulous.

“But what madman would manipulate ledgers to show they traded deadly poison?”

“Surely they didn’t write that they traded the Extinction Reversal Pill? It must have been manipulated to appear mixed somewhere in the tribute.”

“Does that even make sense? Since the Extinction Reversal Pill was secretly taken anyway, they could just secretly distribute it. I don’t see why they’d need to manipulate ledgers to show it mixed in tribute.”

“I suppose…”

Tap Tak-yeon made an awkward expression as if even he thought there was no real connection after saying it.

But Jin Ja-gang, who had been pondering until then, said.

“No, Foreman’s words make sense.”

Everyone looked at Jin Ja-gang.

Jin Ja-gang said.

“Whether mixed in salt or liquor somewhere, if it went through the government once, it has meaning.”

“That has meaning? Whether it only went on ledgers or actually went?”

“We can’t track it anymore, can we?”

Everyone’s eyes widened in surprise at Jin Ja-gang’s words.

That’s right!

From the moment the government was involved, tracking already became difficult! Especially for the martial world, which dislikes getting entangled with government offices, even more so.

“Huh.”

Even if they secretly snuck in and searched the ledgers, as Tap Tak-yeon said, those were just meaningless ledgers of mere number games. The only people who knew were the mastermind who took out the Extinction Reversal Pill and the lower official who directly entered the ledgers.

“They used the government office’s customary corruption to launder the route!”

The elders clicked their tongues.

In other words, Li Bu didn’t indicate involvement with the government office but described the method of laundering the route.

“The Zoroastrian Cult Leader also knew that and tried to enter Sichuan confidently.”

The Zoroastrian Cult permeates from the common people, not the martial world. As long as it wasn’t something the government office initiated, even if they were secretive and meticulous schemers, the calculation was that as the Zoroastrian Cult that controlled the common people, they wouldn’t be greatly affected.

‘In the worst case, if we’re in Sichuan, we can save Sichuan. Keep your hands off and wait. Our Zoroastrian Cult will become the Tang Family’s shield.’

Those were Yelu Huan’s words to Jin Ja-gang.

Only now could he understand his meaning.

However, even so, nothing changed.

The route through which the Extinction Reversal Pill leaked remained a complete mystery.

The only remaining clue was that they were people well-versed in government office and commercial dealings.

“Then… what should we do from now on?”

At someone’s muttering, everyone’s expressions darkened.

It seemed like the existence of the Hungry Ghost King, whose very existence had been doubtful, was gradually becoming visible.

However, they still didn’t know who they were fighting or who they would have to fight in the future.

Just how massive a force does the Hungry Ghost King have…

When everyone’s faces were full of worry, Tang Ha-ran said.

“When we don’t know the enemy, the priority is to firmly maintain internal unity. From today, we’ll discipline internal order and increase alliances externally so we can actively respond whenever anything happens.”

Tang Ha-ran’s will to firmly hold the center amid internal and external troubles was worthy of a family head.

And Tang Ha-ran even had Jin Ja-gang with supreme martial prowess by her side.

Those remaining in the Tang Family now realized they no longer needed to envy the time when King of Hell was present.

***

As soon as the meeting ended, Jin Ja-gang went to see his daughter.

The sight of her sleeping soundly pleased Jin Ja-gang’s heart.

However, he still disliked the childhood name Dok-cheon. Just as Jin Ja-gang was about to suggest reconsidering the child’s name,

Tang Ha-ran asked.

“What’s that?”

White Ape had followed Jin Ja-gang in, toddling along.

White Ape looked at Jin Ja-gang’s child, widened her eyes in wonder, and placed her finger in the child’s hand.

Kyaa, kyaa.

White Ape smiled happily.

“It’s a spirit creature living at Emei Sect. She understands human speech and helped me a lot this time.”

“A clever monkey. Come here?”

Unlike when other women came close and she’d throw a fit, White Ape was quiet before Tang Ha-ran. She didn’t even bare her teeth. She just stared blankly at Tang Ha-ran with wide eyes.

“A female? She’s wary?”

“She’s much calmer than usual… but you can feel her wariness?”

“As expected, a female.”

Then the sleeping child sneezed.

Achoo!

In that instant, White Ape was startled and leaped to hang from the ceiling.

The child’s sneeze contained a faint trace of poison energy.

“At least she can’t harm the child.”

At Tang Ha-ran’s words, White Ape hung upside down and scratched her head.

***

When martial world sects were experiencing chaos, the place where chaos diminished fastest, almost uniquely so, was none other than Sichuan.

The Poison Dragon who blocked the Northern Heavens’ salt line attack and even the Zoroastrian Cult’s invasion of the Central Plains!

The Poison Dragon who shattered two of the Supreme Masters!

Sichuan has the Poison Dragon!

Previously, Qingcheng Sect, Emei Sect, and the Tang Family formed the center as Sichuan’s Three Powers.

However, Qingcheng Sect had disappeared and Emei Sect received Jin Ja-gang’s help.

Now the Tang Family had become sufficient to be called Sichuan’s supreme power. Despite suffering great damage from internal and external troubles, the Tang Family alone became Sichuan’s Single Power.

So the sects in Sichuan couldn’t help but watch the Tang Family’s reactions.

They watched the Tang Family’s reactions, requested mediation, and quickly resolved the chaos.

While the Central Plains was in the midst of taking sides and internal strife, Sichuan’s chaos ended.

Everyone began paying attention to Sichuan amid the chaos.