Chapter 103: Receiving a Request for Rescue
Their faces were darker and more reddish than those of the people of the Central Plains; at a glance, they were unmistakably mbers of the Lu Tribe.
To Yul Han, who was looking at them, Pageuk said,
“I have called those from the tribe who have learned the sa Demon Art as I have.”
At Pageuk’s words, Yul Han looked surprised, and the Discipline Court Head quickly added,
“We have confird that what they are practicing is also the Wheel Demon Art. It is said that all warriors of the Lu Tribe practice the Wheel Demon Art. Moreover, all of their surnas are Pa. We are judging them to be descendants of the Wheel Demon Emperor, who was one of the Four Great Cult Leaders.”
At the Discipline Court Head’s explanation, Yul Han asked,
“So that ans there was approval from the Cult Leader and the Council of Elders.”
“That is correct. Therefore, I understand that a proposal to officially recognize the Lu Tribe itself as a branch of the Bright Cult will be formally submitted at the expanded Council of Elders eting to be held in a few days.”
Yul Han nodded at the Discipline Court Head’s explanation.
Recently, as he devoted himself to training with the people of the Vice Cult Leader’s Chambers, unless a summons specifically stated that attendance was mandatory, Yul Han rarely attended the Council of Elders.
After training in the morning with the Cult Leader in the Demon Wall Five Absolutes, and then in the afternoon honing the Asura Sword Form and the Slaughtering Demon Art with the people of the Vice Cult Leader’s Chambers, there simply was not enough ti.
In the mornings, even he himself had to imrse in training, and in the afternoons, he had to instruct Iron Demon, Profound Demon, Ghost Demon, and even the Thirteen Bloods, who now belonged to the Vice Cult Leader’s Chambers.
It was Yul Han who had already brought the Asura Sword Form, which he had made his exclusive martial art, to Perfection.
With his guidance added to the mix, the rate at which the people of the Vice Cult Leader’s Chambers acquired it was beyond comparison.
As their realms deepened, their desire to explore martial arts only increased, and they rarely let Yul Han go, so training often continued until dawn.
After finishing the day with energy circulation training and going to sleep, Yul Han was enduring a schedule so grueling that waking up the next day for training with the Cult Leader was a struggle.
Because of that, even if he honestly wished to attend the Council of Elders, he could not.
Well aware of Yul Han’s circumstances, the Discipline Court Head added a word,
“The Cult Leader said he had intended to explain it himself but missed you every ti because you were too busy, and that you must attend this expanded Council of Elders eting.”
At those words, Yul Han nodded, delivered instructions regarding the precautions for the examination to Pageuk and his subordinates, and sent them off.
Once Yul Han’s permission had been granted, Pageuk brightened and left the Bright Cult with his subordinates.
Yul Han watched them go with concern.
The people of the Lu Tribe, including Pageuk, would not be accustod to the customs of the Central Plains.
Pageuk began to regret it from the mont they left Xinjiang.
It had already been three days since they entered the Cheonghae Region. The problem was that they still could not find the road.
At the thought of his own mouth—when he had loudly insisted to the Vice Cult Leader, who had asked whether they should assign a guide, that they would be sufficient on their own—Pageuk felt like sewing it shut.
To be honest, even in the Heavenly Mountains, where all one saw was white snow, Pageuk had never lost his way.
After all, the Lu Tribe’s sense of direction was unmatched.
And yet.
“I think this way is east…”
There was no confidence in the subordinate’s voice. Pageuk could not shout at him.
Because he himself could not determine the direction either.
They, who could ghostlike discern which way was south and which direction to move to avoid a blizzard rely by the direction of the wind, the sweep of the snow, and the way grass grew, had turned into fools at the forested border between Xinjiang and the Cheonghae Region.
The reason it had co to this was because they had briefly—very briefly—left the official road in search of water.
What kind of land was this, that finding water was so difficult? After wandering for half a day, they had barely found so. But after quenching their thirst, they were thrown into confusion.
The place they had run toward, certain it was the direction of the official road they had left, had instead led them to a land of endlessly stretching sand.
When they retraced their steps, they encountered a forest unlike any they had ever seen in their lives.
It was not even the place where they had found water.
Only then did they realize that the sense of direction they had relied upon in the Heavenly Mountains was utterly useless here.
In the Heavenly Mountains, the wind had generally blown from one direction, but here it struck rocks, mountains, and forests, bending countless tis.
That was why they could not distinguish east, west, south, and north by the wind’s direction.
The grass was the sa. Since it grew following the sun, they thought its tilt might indicate south—but there was no shortage of grass twisted and bent in all directions.
With the wind changing direction everywhere, the sweep of the soil was of no use either.
Thus, the six examinees led by Pageuk… had lost their way.
While they were busily running about in search of the road, they encountered people who looked just as haggard and bewildered as they were.
The problem was that the other side’s aura was sharp, and they were ard as well.
Pageuk and the others were equally on edge.
Naturally, both sides drew their weapons without a word upon eting.
Chajajajang.
With a clamorous tallic clash, both sides pointed spears and swords at one another, and found themselves in an awkward position.
Pageuk’s group, who had volunteered to take the examination and could not very well start fighting strangers they had just t, and the others, who had barely escaped and were heading toward the Bright Cult in search of survival, likewise could not afford to fight in Cheonghae Region, the land of the Demonic Path.
Thus, they could only stand facing each other awkwardly, weapons boldly drawn.
In the end, Pageuk, wearing an embarrassed expression, asked,
“Who are you?”
“And who are you?”
“Huh! Us? We’re in the middle of an examination.”
He had asked who they were, and received an answer about what they were doing instead.
It had all happened because Pageuk’s speech in the language of the Central Plains was clumsy, but the other side did not know that.
Accordingly, at this absurd answer, the other side was flustered.
—It seems they are asking what we are doing.
One of the group transmitted a ntal voice, and the blue-eyed, pale-skinned man standing in the center nodded.
It ant to give them an answer.
At that, the subordinate who had sent the ntal voice replied,
“We are looking for the road.”
“W-We are also looking for the road. Where are you headed?”
“To the Bright Cult.”
“Then could you take us along as well?”
Granting a favor to those they had first encountered upon entering the land of the Demonic Path did not seem likely to have a negative effect.
From the standpoint of arriving unannounced, if they could leave a good impression on the Bright Cult, that alone made traveling together worthwhile.
When the blue-eyed, pale-skinned man nodded once more, the answer ca.
“Very well.”
At those words, Pageuk and the others sheathed their weapons.
“Haa… That’s a relief.”
Pageuk’s voice was filled with relief. The roads of the Central Plains were far too complicated for him.
The two groups joined together and began searching for the road, but it remained just as difficult.
The newly t party was also struggling to find direction.
At least they had picked up so know-how while passing through the Central Plains for a considerable ti, so they were sowhat better off than Pageuk and his n.
“Just where did you people live that you cannot even find your way?”
As Pageuk grumbled and asked—apparently not considering that his own group was even worse at it—the one who had initiated the conversation from the start replied,
“We are from the Northern Sea.”
“The Northern Sea? That Northern Sea known as the land of ice?”
“That is correct.”
The Northern Sea was as harsh and unobstructed as the Heavenly Mountains. It was similar in that all one saw was a land of ice and snow.
“Hm. So there was a reason. We are people from beyond the Heavenly Mountains.”
At Pageuk’s words, the people from the Northern Sea finally showed expressions of understanding.
“Ah!”
Thus, having co to understand one another, they busied themselves searching for the road.
Those who had departed saying they were heading to Golden Flower Manor returned six days later in a haggard state.
And with bumps on their heads.
“You brought who?”
At my question, Cold Blade Blood, who had co to report the news, replied while catching his breath,
“The Ice Heaven Blade King. The Palace Master of the Northern Sea Ice Palace.”
At Cold Blade Blood’s answer, I looked startled and headed toward the Cult Leader’s residence where the people of the Ice Palace had been guided.
There, I saw a blue-eyed, pale-skinned man standing face-to-face with the Cult Leader.
As I entered, the Cult Leader looked at and said,
“You arrive just in ti. Co. A guest has co looking for you.”
“For ?”
Tilting my head, I approached the Cult Leader’s side as the Ice Heaven Blade King gazed at with jewel-like blue eyes.
“I am the Ice Heaven Blade King of the Ice Palace.”
“I am Yul Han of the Bright Cult. You ca seeking ?”
“That is correct. I have co to request aid from you, Emperor Salyejin of the Bright Cult. I ask that you do not refuse.”
“What kind of assistance do you seek?”
At my question, the Ice Heaven Blade King answered in a voice filled with grief and fury,
“Kill him for ! The one who destroyed our Ice Palace and brutally slaughtered my brothers and comrades!”
“Who is he?”
When I asked in an imdiately lowered voice, the Ice Heaven Blade King replied,
“Man-Sa Calamity Emperor! And the Ghostly Being he commands.”
At his answer, my gaze turned toward the Cult Leader. I had a guess as to whom he was referring.
Perhaps noticing my thoughts, the Cult Leader also rose from his seat.
“I wondered where that bastard had fled to—it seems he went to the Ice Palace. Can you guide the way?”
“I may not know the Central Plains well, but if we reach the Three Northeastern Provinces, from there I can guide you along the fastest path.”
At the Ice Heaven Blade King’s answer, the Cult Leader looked at .
“What will you do?”
“We must go. If we can catch him, should we not hurry?”
At my reply, the Cult Leader extended his hand, and the sword resting on the sword rack flew into his grasp.
“If the decision is made, there is no reason to hesitate.”
At his words, I nodded and said to the Ice Heaven Blade King,
“Let us go. The three of us will suffice.”
He had co to request help from the Vice Cult Leader, yet even the Cult Leader stepped forward.
It was reinforcent greater than a thousand troops and horses; there was no reason for the Ice Heaven Blade King to refuse.
“Very well. Indeed, ordinary martial artists would be of no use against him.”
With the Cult Leader and stepping to his side, the three of us vanished from the sight of those present.
It ant that lightness skills so swift had been deployed that, though we had stood before their eyes, they could not perceive it.
Imdiately after we disappeared, my ntal voice reached Pageuk among those who remained.
—Resu the examination.
It ant they were to find the road again and depart, and Pageuk’s face turned mournful.
Yul Han had already left before he could even request that a guide be assigned.
Iron Demon, who had arrived belatedly, asked him,
“Where did the Vice Cult Leader go, and why do you look like that?”
“The Vice Cult Leader went to the Northern Sea. Said he was going to beat so bastard to death.”
“Alone?”
“No, with the Cult Leader and that blue-eyed fellow.”
Realizing that the blue-eyed fellow referred to the Ice Heaven Blade King who had visited the Bright Cult, Iron Demon instinctively understood that the Cult Leader and Vice Cult Leader had headed to the Northern Sea Ice Palace.
And if they had gone to beat soone to death?
“That bastard! He was in the Northern Sea.”
Sensing the situation, Iron Demon gathered the martial artists of the Vice Cult Leader’s Pavilion to pursue, but Pageuk grabbed him.
“Why?”
Iron Demon’s voice was sharp with urgency. Pageuk, looking miserable, said,
“Assign a guide.”
Only then did Iron Demon understand why Pageuk looked so pitiful, and he snorted with laughter.
“Alright. I’ll send Lee Tae. Wait.”
Leaving those words behind, Iron Demon moved in haste.
Though they had departed earlier, the Ice Heaven Blade King’s realm was the Transformation Realm. That ant he was on par with Iron Demon, Profound Demon, and Ghost Demon, who belonged to the Vice Cult Leader’s Chambers.
In other words, if they pursued imdiately, they could reach them without a great difference in ti.
For that reason, Iron Demon’s movents were urgent.
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