Chapter 536

Taoist Bok-cheon of Mount Qingcheng and Abbess Divine Nun In-eun, who had been staying at the Tang Family Estate, came to visit.

Jin Ja-gang greeted the two.

Squawk squawk. White Ape also ran over and squatted down beside Abbess Divine Nun In-eun. Abbess Divine Nun In-eun stroked White Ape’s head. White Ape rubbed his head against Abbess Divine Nun In-eun’s palm in a pleased manner. His attitude was quite different from when dealing with Jin Ja-gang.

Jin Ja-gang just smiled slightly and didn’t scold White Ape.

Tea was served, and Taoist Bok-cheon conveyed that the Baek Li Family had been bustling about lately.

“These days, they’re openly saying the Unbreakable Heavenly Sword should be pushed for the Murim Alliance. Isn’t he shameless, gilding his own face? Now his true intentions have been revealed to the world.”

Dan Ryeong-gyeong snorted.

“He’s not pure enough to know such shame.”

“Of course, fifty percent of jianghu is still observing, and thirty percent are pushing the Unbreakable Heavenly Sword. However, twenty percent have turned toward trying to trust the Poison Dragon, and some are even saying we should elevate the Poison Dragon as Martial Alliance Leader. Compared to the past, it’s like the mulberry field becoming the blue sea.”

However, Jin Ja-gang showed no reaction even when hearing talk of being pushed as Martial Alliance Leader.

Taoist Bok-cheon asked.

“Do you have no ambition for fame? Seeing you regard the Martial Alliance Leader position as less than a pebble on the roadside makes even me feel awkward.”

“But doesn’t the Taoist himself decline the official sect leader position of Qingcheng?”

“I lack the qualifications to be sect leader.”

Taoist Bok-cheon gestured toward the window. Outside, Woon-jeong and So-so sat side by side playing.

“Someone who would abandon their disciple cannot be a leader to guide Qingcheng.”

Abbess Divine Nun In-eun smiled and said.

“Most relationships of young people who think the present is everything are often just temporary, and they mature mentally and physically through repeated meetings and painful partings.”

Displeased with Abbess Divine Nun In-eun’s words, Taoist Bok-cheon defended Woon-jeong.

“My disciple takes after me with an honest personality that looks only at one place.”

“However, the hearts of kids that age are like soft, tender willow branches that sway with even the smallest breeze.”

It was a sharp jab saying not to be confident about yourself but think of the other person first.

Taoist Bok-cheon ran out of words and cleared his throat.

“Ahem, it seems highly inappropriate for a Taoist to discuss romantic affection between men and women with an esteemed nun.”

“I don’t think so. When joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure, and passionate love between men and women are all natural principles given to people, wouldn’t it be stranger to hide them and not speak of them?”

Abbess Divine Nun In-eun continued.

“As with worldly affairs, romantic affection between men and women has ups and downs and can always fail.”

“Does the Abbess mean one should repeatedly meet and part to find a better person than now?”

At Taoist Bok-cheon’s words, Abbess Divine Nun In-eun smiled and shook her head.

“No. I mean one should strive to cherish the current relationship through past experiences.”

Taoist Bok-cheon surrendered.

“I’ve lost. When does the Abbess plan to return to Mount Emei?”

“How harsh. Just when I was getting attached, an eviction order?”

“If others heard, they’d misunderstand… no. I won’t say more.”

Abbess Divine Nun In-eun glared at him. Taoist Bok-cheon shook his head back and forth.

Dan Ryeong-gyeong, as if rescuing Taoist Bok-cheon, asked Abbess Divine Nun In-eun.

“Why aren’t you returning to the Emei Sect? Your body seems quite recovered, so it appears you could easily control the opposition.”

Abbess Divine Nun In-eun gave an eye smile that could even charm another woman.

“Those who rampage without knowing their place need to taste hot fire to come to their senses. I’ll let those acting as if Mount Emei is theirs do as they please for a while.”

Dan Ryeong-gyeong turned her eyes from Abbess Divine Nun In-eun and looked toward Jin Ja-gang while smiling.

“Well. It sounds like the Abbess plans to borrow someone else’s hands without dirtying her own.”

“Benefactor Poison Dragon owes me many debts.”

Abbess Divine Nun In-eun covered her mouth and laughed.

Taoist Bok-cheon said with some incomprehension.

“I came down from Qingcheng because I thought now was the best time to strike the Unbreakable Heavenly Sword. Currently, the Unbreakable Heavenly Sword’s forces are only some sects like Mount Hua that support him and the Baek Li Family.”

Abbess Divine Nun In-eun said.

“No one can deny that Baek Li-jung’s power has fallen to its weakest ever. However, it seems different from the timing the Poison Dragon patron is thinking of.”

“You’ll make an even worse situation than now?”

Taoist Bok-cheon looked at Jin Ja-gang with doubt.

“Is that really so?”

“As the Abbess says, now is not the time I want.”

“Are you worried that touching him rashly might become an opportunity for unity? But you can’t avoid taking that risk. The Unbreakable Heavenly Sword is probably anxious now that his actions have been exposed. It’s worth taking the risk.”

“Baek Li-jung has already been devoured by the Calamity Slaying Demon Spirit of the Toad Art. He’s no longer the Unbreakable Heavenly Sword of the past. The more anxious he becomes, the more he’ll rage as he fails to secure gains.”

Jin Ja-gang took out a small box and opened it.

A broken dagger less than a span in length.

And the sutras engraved on it.

“The Persian Ancient Sword!”

He had received it after defeating Zoroastrian Cult leader Demon Emperor previously.

Taoist Bok-cheon looked at Jin Ja-gang with anxious eyes.

“What do you plan to do with that?”

Jin Ja-gang answered.

“With the Unbreakable Heavenly Sword as the center, I’ll separate those who must die… from those who must live.”

Abbess Divine Nun In-eun smiled with her eyes.

“Indeed, I thought it would be so. The worthless ones of Mount Emei will soon enter their final test.”

Dan Ryeong-gyeong thought likewise. Since he inherited Taoist Haewol’s will, it wouldn’t end with just killing Baek Li-jung.

However, Taoist Bok-cheon lamented.

“If you do such things, you’ll never escape the path of the Great Slaughter Star until the end.”

“I don’t care.”

Jin Ja-gang held the Demon-Severing Ancient Sword and said.

“By then, there probably won’t be anyone left to curse me.”

* * *

The Baek Li Family was frantic.

No matter how much they shouted about establishing Baek Li-jung as Martial Alliance Leader, the response was too weak. At this rate, they might fail to achieve the plan’s end and fizzle out.

“The response to rebuilding the Murim Alliance is negative. If recovering the invested funds becomes difficult, our family… is finished.”

A warrior reported to Baek Li-jung.

They had received massive investments from merchants and borrowed money as well. If they couldn’t recover it, the Baek Li Family would be buried in debt.

Baek Li-jung’s head tilted crookedly.

“The money we demanded from the merchants?”

“They keep delaying the promised dates and even the amounts are less than what we demanded.”

Grrrrr. A beast’s growl sounded from Baek Li-jung’s throat.

The warrior flinched in surprise.

“Threaten the merchants or rob them, get the money. Then tell the sects following us we’ll give them that money. Scatter more money.”

Baek Li-jung thought carefully and said.

“No, wait. That alone has limits. Because they’re cowards afraid of being killed by the Poison Dragon for following me. They calculated that following me brings more loss than gain.”

So there had to be corresponding punishment for gain. Given the choice between punishment or gain, they’d naturally choose gain, wouldn’t they?

“But when you only offer people gains, they arrogantly climb up.”

In that respect, Shaolin’s retreat from its role of enforcing punishment through force caused major disruption to the plan.

While Baek Li-jung was pondering.

A strange rumor spread.

The Poison Dragon possesses the Zoroastrian Cult’s sacred object, the Persian Ancient Sword!

The story that he obtained the Persian Ancient Sword while killing Demon Emperor was already well known. It was also famous that he drove off Zoroastrian Cult followers with the Persian Ancient Sword.

Jin Ja-gang possessing the Zoroastrian Cult’s sacred object meant, in other words, that the Zoroastrian Cult had to overcome Jin Ja-gang to advance into jianghu.

Since Jin Ja-gang acted as a dam protecting jianghu from the Zoroastrian Cult, how reassuring was he as an ally, if not as an enemy?

But Baek Li-jung laughed hearing that rumor that was already well known.

A brilliant plan to break through this situation came to mind.

“Heaven helps me.”

Baek Li-jung threw off his mourning clothes and immediately came down from the mountain.

And spread a new rumor.

The Poison Dragon will elevate himself as Zoroastrian Cult leader and try to take jianghu!

He used that as justification for coming down from the mountain to protect jianghu.

Baek Li-jung directly visited the merchant world. Using the rumor he spread as justification, he acted without restraint.

“Seeing you won’t cooperate in protecting jianghu, you must be in league with the Poison Dragon. You’re the Zoroastrian Cult’s lackey.”

If he didn’t like them, he killed them on the spot and took their families hostage. Many merchants lost family members and heads of households. The merchant world trembled in fear of Baek Li-jung.

The rumor’s spread accelerated.

The rumor that Jin Ja-gang wasn’t protecting jianghu from the Zoroastrian Cult but would elevate himself as Zoroastrian Cult leader was hard to accept. While everyone in jianghu was bewildered, terrible bloodshed began.

Overnight, an entire sect melted away.

Severe poison was spread, making the estate a poisonous field difficult to approach.

Damage continued at not just one or two places but many.

Jianghu’s sects suffered enormous damage and fell into great chaos.

In response, Baek Li-jung urged jianghu to awaken.

Chivalry and righteousness are not far away, eliminate all evil demons!

Level jianghu, spread the great way throughout the heavens!

Since chivalry and righteousness are not far away, only our chivalrous spirit can eliminate the heretical demons, and furthermore, bring peace to jianghu and spread justice throughout the world!

Those who face troubled times! Those who step forward despite their own difficulties are true heroes.

Rise up. Facing jianghu’s great crisis, we will display our chivalry and righteousness to the world!

* * *

A Tang Family warrior reported to Tang Ha-ran, Jin Ja-gang, and the Tang Family’s leaders.

Tang Ha-ran asked.

“Are the results out?”

“Yes!”

They had sent people to sects destroyed by poison to collect poison samples.

“What poison is it?”

“All sorts of mixed poisons with the Five Fatal Poison Pills as the main poison! They indiscriminately spread even crude, truly pathetic poisons.”

However, even crude poisons, when poured in large quantities, formed a deadly poisonous field difficult for even mid-level martial artists to endure.

At the warrior’s words, Tang Ha-ran looked at the leaders.

The Tang Family leaders nodded.

“The merchant world has fallen into Baek Li-jung’s hands.”

“Baek Li-jung seems to be working directly.”

The poison the merchant world possessed had gone to Baek Li-jung. However, that was all included in Jin Ja-gang’s predictions.

Jin Ja-gang had spread the rumor about the Persian Ancient Sword.

But Baek Li-jung exaggerated and spread that rumor. Those who sided with him would excitedly spread the rumor thinking they’d finally caught him.

And finally, he urged collective action of jianghu facing a decisive battle with Jin Ja-gang.

It was a chaotic time.

Self-purification hadn’t happened.

As Taoist Haewol said, if it had a sound system, jianghu wouldn’t be swept away by one or two people rampaging. Jianghu’s self-purification system had been broken for a long time.

As sects suffering destruction from poison continued to increase, suspicion of Jin Ja-gang grew, and sects joining Baek Li-jung were increasing again.

Either completely withdraw, or join.

The era no longer allowed the middle ground.

Tang Ha-ran looked at Jin Ja-gang.

“How is it?”

Jin Ja-gang stroked the Persian Ancient Sword with his hand and answered.

“Perfect.”