Chapter 125: A Decision I Didn’t Like
One hundred jang (about 300 ters).
Keeping the kind of distance no master could possibly detect, Byeokcheon Jinren had watched the Yeonryuk rchant Guild.
It wasn’t just the distance. He had even hidden his presence by leaning into a small grove.
Then a voice asked him,
“Seeing anything good?”
“What good? I’m just keeping watch—”
He answered without thinking, then stopped mid-sentence, eyes widening. Byeokcheon Jinren’s head turned slowly.
“Ghk!”
He couldn’t help blurting out a cry of shock. Iron Demon stood so close it was practically touching him.
What drove him insane was that even with Iron Demon standing brazenly right in front of him, nothing at all registered in Byeokcheon Jinren’s perceptive sense.
That ant only one thing.
A vast gap.
If he couldn’t sense him at all to this extent, it wasn’t a difference of one or two steps. It had to be at least three stages higher.
Since Byeokcheon Jinren was at the Peak Realm, three stages above that ant…!
The Manifestation Realm!
Iron Demon spoke to the frozen Byeokcheon Jinren, who was staring with bulging eyes.
“The Vice Cult Leader said to bring you.”
“V-Vice Cult Leader!”
“Yeah. Just in case, I’ll ask—you're not the type who needs to be dragged there after getting your face smashed in, right?”
At Iron Demon’s question, Byeokcheon Jinren had no choice but to follow weakly.
Iron Demon hopped over the wall and went in, even though there was a perfectly fine gate. Byeokcheon Jinren hesitated, conflicted, but in the end headed for the front entrance.
The Yeonryuk rchant Guild’s gate guards were startled by Byeokcheon Jinren’s sudden visit, but Lee Chang ca running out with an even more shocked expression.
“L-Let him in.”
Byeokcheon Jinren was famous, sure—but Lee Chang, their unit commander, was also at the Peak Realm. The gate guards muttered among themselves that he wasn’t soone who should make Lee Chang look that stunned, but they opened the gate for Byeokcheon Jinren anyway.
Once inside, Byeokcheon Jinren understood why Lee Chang had co running with that pale, stricken look.
Emperor Salyejin!
The Vice Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult was standing there in plain sight.
Even though Byeokcheon Jinren had been watching like a hawk, he hadn’t seen the Vice Cult Leader cross over the Yeonryuk rchant Guild’s wall.
As despair crushed him and he stepped closer, Yul Han’s voice ca.
“Where are the others?”
What was he talking about? Byeokcheon Jinren followed Yul Han’s gaze—and realized it wasn’t on him, but on Iron Demon.
“Should I bring the kids too?”
At Iron Demon’s question, Yul Han smiled bitterly.
“If we leave them outside and they make a strange decision, things get complicated. Bring them.”
At Yul Han’s answer, Iron Demon scratched the back of his head and turned to leave.
Byeokcheon Jinren’s voice stopped him.
“W-Who are you going to bring?”
“Who the hell do you think? Your brats you’ve got hidden.”
He had hidden them as thoroughly as he could, but it seed it had been useless against these people. With a mortified expression, Byeokcheon Jinren said,
“I-I’ll bring them.”
“Why, you afraid if I go I’ll co back after taking a few heads with ?”
That was exactly it. If Iron Demon showed up, the Mount Zhongnan disciples lying in wait were highly likely to resist.
And in that ss, so of them would definitely die—or be grievously injured.
That was why he’d stopped him. But he couldn’t exactly answer, Yeah, that’s why.
Because it was directly tied to Mount Zhongnan’s honor. With Byeokcheon Jinren looking like he was about to cry, Yul Han said,
“Then go yourself and bring them.”
Iron Demon tried to object at Yul Han’s words.
“What if this bastard bolts?”
At Iron Demon’s concern, Yul Han grinned and looked at Byeokcheon Jinren.
“Are you the kind of man who needs soone sent to watch you just to keep your word?”
“N-No. I’ll return. I swear it.”
“Then go. Go and bring them.”
With Yul Han’s permission, Byeokcheon Jinren slumped his shoulders and headed back toward the front gate.
Watching his back, Iron Demon muttered,
“That bastard looks like he’ll bolt.”
At Iron Demon’s words—like he was tossing Byeokcheon Jinren’s honor into a latrine—Byeokcheon Jinren whirled around and glared.
“What, you little punk!”
He even clenched his fist, looking like he’d start a brawl on the spot.
But at the sight of Iron Demon, who looked ready to charge in and throw punches imdiately, Byeokcheon Jinren let out a deep sigh and walked out the front gate weakly.
The Martial Alliance’s Kongtong Successor Cultivation Plan trainees, as if showing off what they’d learned, used Kunlun’s Cloud Dragon Great Nine Forms and vaulting over the Yeonryuk rchant Guild’s wall one after another.
According to the plan, the mont they crossed the wall they were supposed to cut down everything they saw without hesitation—but they couldn’t.
Because once they were all over, they stopped as if their feet had been nailed to the ground.
It started with the first one over the wall: the Azure Dragon Sword King.
To be honest, the instant he got inside, he’d intended to shout, “Kill them all!”
If not for what he saw the mont he landed, he definitely would have.
But.
Where those who had frozen in place were staring, Yul Han stood there with arms folded, looking straight at them.
Was it because they’d encountered soone so unexpected?
A cold voice leaked from the Heavenly Flower Sword King’s mouth.
“Emperor Salyejin!”
The younger generation talents who hadn’t recognized Yul Han and had begun to stir, confused about why everyone had stopped, fell silent instantly.
Slowly sweeping his gaze over them, Yul Han asked,
“You didn’t co all this way just to hop a wall for a stroll. What is it?”
Yul Han’s eyes dripped killing intent, like he was about to rush in and tear them to pieces. Faced with that question, the Azure Dragon Sword King swallowed dryly without aning to.
Gulp.
Perhaps embarrassed by his own reaction, the Azure Dragon Sword King forced open his mouth with an awkward expression.
“T-That’s not exactly…”
“Then may I ask why you ca?”
“W-Well…”
—Uncle, even if Emperor Salyejin is at the Manifestation Realm, we have three at the Manifestation Realm too, including you. Just push through! We, the younger generation talents, will handle what cos after.
At the ntal voice transmission from the Namgung Clan younger generation talent who had co with them, the Azure Dragon Sword King’s resolve wavered.
‘Right. Just being scared won’t get anything done.’
As he steeled himself and tried to step forward, a ntal voice transmission from Ghost Immortal flew in.
—Don’t move.
—Why?
—Iron Demon and Profound Demon. Don’t you find that strange?
At Ghost Immortal’s ntal voice transmission, the Azure Dragon Sword King’s gaze shifted to Iron Demon and Profound Demon, who stood behind Yul Han, looking at them with displeasure.
—Why them?
—According to what’s known, they are at the Transcendent Realm.
—I know that. But including Ghost Immortal, we have four at the Transcendent Realm as well. It’s worth a try—
—Do their perceptive senses feel like those of the Transcendent Realm to you? To , they feel higher than mine.
As Ghost Immortal cut in with that ntal voice transmission, the Azure Dragon Sword King slowly examined Iron Demon and Profound Demon again.
Perhaps because he had heard Ghost Immortal’s words, their aura truly did feel unsettling.
How should he put it—like even if he fought them himself, he wouldn’t be able to win.
It was absolutely not the perceptive sense one would feel from a master a stage below in the Transcendent Realm.
As the Azure Dragon Sword King faltered at that realization, a ntal voice transmission from the Heavenly Flower Sword King reached him.
—It seems the intelligence report saying the Bright Cult gained four new masters at the Manifestation Realm wasn’t nonsense after all.
Startled, the Azure Dragon Sword King turned. The Heavenly Flower Sword King wore a grave expression. And so did the Unyeon Dharma King standing beside him.
Only then did the Azure Dragon Sword King fully grasp that Iron Demon and Profound Demon were at the Manifestation Realm. His face darkened.
At this rate, even escaping alive might prove difficult.
Yul Han, who had been quietly watching the flustered Azure Dragon Sword King, spoke.
“Have you finished your discussion?”
The Orthodox Martial Artists had assud he rely guessed they were exchanging ntal voice transmissions from their glances. But Iron Demon’s mocking voice rang in their ears.
“Ah! Those idiots don’t know our Vice Cult Leader can hear ntal voice transmissions.”
At Iron Demon’s boastful tone, Profound Demon spoke with irritation.
“That’s sothing you keep secret to gain an advantage, you foolish oaf.”
“Why keep it secret? It’s sothing to be proud of.”
“So that they spill their thoughts and talk freely without knowing anything. And the Vice Cult Leader can hear it all without missing a word!”
“Ah!”
“‘Ah’? Idiot!”
Scolded by Profound Demon, Iron Demon shut his mouth.
Watching the two, Yul Han smiled bitterly.
He had deliberately obscured information about the Bright Cult’s surge in top-tier masters, yet they had followed him and undone that effort.
And now even his own ability had been exposed.
In a situation like this, Yul Han knew well that once revealed, it could not be hidden again.
So—
“That’s correct. Iron Demon and Profound Demon are at the Manifestation Realm. Just like the three of you.”
As Yul Han t the eyes of the Azure Dragon Sword King, the Heavenly Flower Sword King, and the Unyeon Dharma King one by one, a chill ran through the crowd.
Not a single one of them could properly endure his gaze.
That ant they were still being crushed beneath Yul Han’s killing intent.
‘Just how high has he reached?’
Even despair crept into the Azure Dragon Sword King’s heart.
Yul Han’s voice continued.
“You’ve reached the Transcendent Realm. Congratulations.”
Confused, the Azure Dragon Sword King looked—and saw that Yul Han was addressing Ghost Immortal. Only then did Ghost Immortal realize the greeting was ant for him and hurriedly raised his clasped fists in salute.
“Th-Thank you.”
In front of comrades and younger generation talents, a renowned figure of the Hundred Paths had bowed his head to the Vice Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult.
Expressions around them soured, but Ghost Immortal appeared unconcerned.
Watching him, a faint smile ford on Yul Han’s lips.
He felt pleased, seeing that Ghost Immortal’s boldness had not changed.
It had been the sa in the past. Though a man of the Hundred Paths, he lacked the peculiar arrogance and stubborn pride common among them.
That was why Yul Han had spared him back then.
Recalling the day he had gone to borrow rice and encountered him, Yul Han said,
“Ghost Immortal.”
“Yes. Please speak.”
“In consideration of my connection with you, I will issue only a warning today and let you go.”
Iron Demon moved as if to protest, his face saying it was absurd, but Profound Demon quickly grabbed him.
Iron Demon glared, but Profound Demon shook his head.
—This is the Vice Cult Leader’s decision. If you show opposition in front of these Orthodox bastards, you’ll die by my hand before his!
At that rebuke, Iron Demon pouted but refrained from stepping forward.
He too did not wish to appear as though he opposed the Vice Cult Leader’s decision before the Orthodox.
Thus, with no one interrupting, Ghost Immortal asked, clear relief in his expression,
“A warning…?”
“Judging by your attempt to strike here, you intended to cut off the Bright Cult’s grain supply. Let make one thing clear. If it is not Golden Flower Manor, with whom we have a contract, then whether ten rchant groups are shattered or a hundred collapse, I will not care. However, if even a single grain entering the Bright Cult is reduced—and if that is due to the actions of the Hundred Paths—then I…”
Yul Han paused and drew his sword.
Everyone tensed. They knew that blade could very well be swung at them.
Then—
Thud.
Yul Han drove the drawn sword straight into the ground.
As if to say, This is what will happen if you cross the line.
The Orthodox Martial Artists flinched.
“…I will demand accountability without fail.”
“W-We will rember.”
At Ghost Immortal’s reply, Yul Han nodded.
“Go. I won’t stop you.”
With that permission, they turned at once to leap back over the wall—but Iron Demon’s voice thundered out.
“You bastards! Since you’re leaving, use the gate!”
Startled, the Orthodox Martial Artists hurried toward the main gate in a flurry.
As they poured out in disorder, they ran straight into Byeokcheon Jinren and the Mount Zhongnan Martial Artists, who had just been about to enter the Yeonryuk rchant Guild.
“G-Great Hero!”
Byeokcheon Jinren’s voice, filled with joy and relief at grasping a lifeline, was instantly drowned out by Iron Demon’s roar.
“Move it! Or what—want to draw swords and go a round right now?”
Seemingly displeased with letting them go so easily, Iron Demon shouted as if he were ready to pick a fight over their very breathing.
The Martial Alliance’s martial artists hurried away.
Among them were the masters and younger generation talents sent from Mount Zhongnan.
—Forgive , junior brother.
Leaving only that ntal voice transmission behind, his senior brother fled as though escaping.
Byeokcheon Jinren could only stare blankly after him.
“What are you standing around for? Get inside!”
At Iron Demon’s shout, Byeokcheon Jinren hastily went in as well.
For so reason, today felt like a day of misfortune rather than fortune. On days like this, caution was paramount.
Holding onto that thought, Byeokcheon Jinren stepped inside, and the Mount Zhongnan disciples, their faces pale with fear, hurried in after him.
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