novelraw Chapter 148 : Chapter 148
Chapter 148 : Chapter 148
Chapter 148. Can a Person Be This Ignorant?
“…….”
Abbess Hyeonchok and Dang Seong-yeong were so dumbfounded by Jin Cheon's sophistry that they were at a loss for words.
What kind of nonsense was it to say that not all instigation was necessarily bad?
The reason why those who instigate are pointed at is because the results are usually bad…….
“Anyway, as long as everyone is happy, isn't that what matters?”
“Happy? Heh.”
Dang Seong-yeong snorted as if he found it absurd.
“What on earth is there to be happy about?”
“You still don't understand after hearing all that?”
Jin Cheon retorted.
“I believe I told you. Qingcheng used the Heavenly Killing Sect to assassinate key figures of the Emei Sect and the Sichuan Tang Clan.”
“How could Qingcheng……?”
“Do I really need to spell it out for you to understand?”
“Th-that is.”
“You already know.”
Jin Cheon knew very well that Dang Seong-yeong was by no means a fool.
The Sichuan Tang Clan.
Among the Five Great Families, it was the most historic and prestigious, a venerable family that was always mentioned as one of the best families under the heavens.
The clan head of such a family could not possibly not understand the meaning of Jin Cheon's words.
Furthermore, he knew very well that Jin Cheon would not make such a ridiculous and groundless claim for no reason.
However…….
‘He probably doesn't want to believe it.’
Jin Cheon saw through Dang Seong-yeong’s psychology.
From Dang Seong-yeong's perspective, it would not be easy to accept the claims of the Demonic Cult.
How could he easily believe the words of an enemy they had fought for hundreds of years?
The Emei Sect would be the same, so Abbess Hyeonchok also looked quite confused.
“You must know that Qingcheng's goal is to weaken the power of Emei and the Tang Clan and then take control of Sichuan.”
“…….”
At Jin Cheon's words, Abbess Hyeonchok and Dang Seong-yeong fell silent.
“That movement has been going on for years, and you have felt it too. And it’s almost succeeded. Didn't the Emei Sect declare it was closing its gates? Then all that’s left is the Sichuan Tang Clan. Can you stand against Qingcheng? When it’s not enough even if you join forces with the Emei Sect?”
Jin Cheon looked at Abbess Hyeonchok and Dang Seong-yeong alternately and said.
“…….”
Abbess Hyeonchok and Dang Seong-yeong had no choice but to remain silent this time as well.
Jin Cheon's words were true, and it was a foregone conclusion that Qingcheng would soon take control of Sichuan.
“But, Abbess, for what reason did you decide to close the gates?”
Jin Cheon asked Abbess Hyeonchok.
“That is a matter of my sect, so I cannot reveal it.”
Abbess Hyeonchok replied to Jin Cheon's question as if it was out of the question.
‘Hmm. The Emei Sect is not foolish, so they wouldn’t declare closing their gates in this situation. Why on earth… ah.’
Jin Cheon quickly realized the reason for the Emei Sect's closing of its gates.
‘Great Monk Musang gave them a hint. Otherwise, there’s no way the Emei Sect would have suddenly declared it was closing its gates.’
Since the Shaolin and the Emei Sect were sects that were under pressure close to suppression within the Righteous Heavenly Alliance, which was led by Taoist sects, it was a plausible inference.
Moreover, since they were both sects belonging to Buddhism, it would not be strange for Great Monk Musang to have given them a hint.
“Anyway, my cult has evidence that Qingcheng commissioned the Heavenly Killing Sect for the assassination of key figures of the Emei Sect and the Sichuan Tang Clan. Even about the origin of the Heavenly Killing Sect.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“The founders of the Heavenly Killing Sect were the Nine Sects One Gang and the Five Great Families.”
“Wh-what is that.”
“That is to say…….”
The secret history of the founding of the Heavenly Killing Sect flowed from Jin Cheon's mouth.
“G-good heavens.”
“I can’t believe it.”
Abbess Hyeonchok and Dang Seong-yeong trembled in confusion.
“This is all I have to say. Whether you believe it or not, that's your freedom. Come to think of it, even if it weren’t for this issue, you wouldn't be able to stay with the Righteous Heavenly Alliance any longer, would you?”
“…….”
“Well, if you don't like it, you can just slowly wither and die. You'll become the Righteous Heavenly Alliance's meat shield against my cult. Then, I expect a wise decision.”
Jin Cheon said so and turned his steps, and soon disappeared with the Rakshasa Troupe.
The remaining Abbess Hyeonchok and Dang Seong-yeong did not dare to open their mouths, and just looked at each other in silence.
Having been hit by a bolt from the blue in the middle of the night, they had no choice but to be careful with every word.
***
“What a waste… what a waaaaste… what a waaaaaaaste…!!!”
Blood Qilin, as if he was extremely resentful of just retreating, rolled on the floor in frustration.
It seemed he was extremely regretful of just letting go of the Emei Sect leader, the Sichuan Tang Clan head, and the elites of the elites, the Golden Summit Tiger-Subduing Monks and the Poison Flower Squad.
“How many times do I have to tell you it’s penny wise, pound foolish?”
Jin Cheon, unable to watch any longer, chided Blood Qilin.
“Still!”
Blood Qilin screamed.
“It’s too much of a waste to just let them go! It’s a golden opportunity to kill them all!”
“Then we will lose an ally.”
“An allllllly?!”
Blood Qilin’s eyes widened as if asking what kind of nonsense that was.
Indeed, it was understandable for him to react that way, as the words that the Emei Sect and the Sichuan Tang Clan, their sworn enemies, were allies came from the mouth of Jin Cheon, the Seventh Young Master of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
“Those trash-like bastards are our allies?!”
“Senior Brother, do you not even know the saying, ‘use barbarians to control barbarians’?”
“Use… what?”
“Use barbarians to control barbarians.”
“What’s that?”
“…….”
Jin Cheon was at a loss for words.
‘Can a person be this ignorant?’
How could a man who was the Sixth Young Master of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult not even know the saying, ‘use barbarians to control barbarians’? It was utterly baffling.
“Anyway, please stop whining. Nothing will change because of it.”
“What am I supposed to do when it’s such a waste! And what if those bastards don't move according to our intentions!”
“They will move.”
Jin Cheon said in a confident tone.
“Anyway, the Emei Sect and the Sichuan Tang Clan are at the end of their rope. Do you think they will just stand by as they are used by the Righteous Heavenly Alliance, reduced to meat shields, and eventually abandoned?”
“I-is that so?”
“The Emei Sect may be one thing, since they’ve closed their gates, but the Sichuan Tang Clan will never just let it go.”
Jin Cheon said with a grin.
It was because the Sichuan Tang Clan was a group that would literally go through fire and water when it came to matters concerning their blood relatives.
Their unity was beyond imagination, to the point where they gave the Tang surname even to distant collateral relatives and recognized them all as members of the family.
So much so that they created a clan village called the Tang Clan Fort and had tens of thousands of people living together.
Furthermore, to touch not a collateral relative, but a direct blood relative?
There was no way the Sichuan Tang Clan would stand for it.
No matter how they had shared the same ideals as members of the Righteous Heavenly Alliance for the past hundreds of years, it was no exaggeration to say that they had now become an enemy with whom they could not live under the same sky with Qingcheng.
“They may be a bit confused right now, but they will soon start to move according to my will.”
Jin Cheon smiled gently.
“And the Sichuan Tang Clan and the Emei Sect are just the beginning.”
“What beginning?”
“The division of the Righteous Heavenly Alliance.”
“……!”
“At least a third of the Righteous Heavenly Alliance will stand on our cult's side. If that happens…….”
“If that happens……?”
“My cult will achieve Demonic Dao’s Rule Over the World.”
“……!”
Blood Qilin flinched and trembled.
It wasn't just Blood Qilin.
“Demonic Dao’s Rule Over the World……!”
Yeom Bi, as well as the Rakshasa Troupe leader Man Yu-gang and the martial artists of the Rakshasa Troupe, were thrilled.
Demonic Dao’s Rule Over the World was the long-cherished wish of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, so for any demonic practitioner who had learned demonic arts, just hearing that phrase was enough to make their hearts swell with emotion.
The next day.
Abbess Hyeonchok and Dang Seong-yeong held a secret meeting.
On that day, they had heard a story that was like a bolt from the blue, so they had no choice but to return, but once they came to their senses, they felt the need to have a long talk.
“Abbess, what are you planning to do?”
“Amitabha.”
At Dang Seong-yeong's question, Abbess Hyeonchok answered while chanting the Buddha's name.
“There is no smoke without fire, is there not.”
“Then the closing of the gates…….”
“When it rains, one must take shelter from the rain, must one not. Amitabha.”
Abbess Hyeonchok repeated the words she had heard from Great Monk Musang to Dang Seong-yeong.
‘Is there no other way?’
Dang Seong-yeong immediately understood the meaning of Abbess Hyeonchok's words and bit his lower lip.
Abbess Hyeonchok did not mean to immediately confront the Qingcheng Sect and the Righteous Heavenly Alliance.
Her words meant that even if they chose to close their gates, they should for the time being hold their breath and watch how the situation unfolded.
In the end, they would become enemies with the Qingcheng Sect and the Righteous Heavenly Alliance, but wouldn't they get a big nose if they moved rashly?
‘I suppose I must.’
Dang Seong-yeong decided to go with closing the gates for the time being.
It wasn't just because of revenge.
In fact, most of the power vacuum created by the Emei Sect's declaration of closing its gates was to be filled by the Sichuan Tang Clan.
They were already on a leash by the Righteous Heavenly Alliance due to the relationship between Dang Cheon-wi and Jin Cheon, so they had been forced to make a sacrifice at this opportune time.
But now the story was different.
‘Declare the closing of the gates and preserve our strength. Later, cooperate with Emei to strike Qingcheng.’
Dang Seong-yeong knew very well what to do in a situation like this, so he was able to make a quick decision.
He hadn't risen to the position of the clan head of the Sichuan Tang Clan for nothing.
“I will take the Abbess' words to heart.”
“Amitabha.”
Dang Seong-yeong made a clasped hands greeting towards Abbess Hyeonchok.
‘The Demonic Cult, the Demonic Cult. They say yesterday’s enemy becomes today’s comrade. Perhaps we will end up eating from the same pot with the enemy we have fought for hundreds of years.’
Of course, Dang Seong-yeong couldn't fully trust the Demonic Cult either.
But since the situation had become like this, they would have to cooperate for the time being, and if the situation in the world flowed to an extreme, a situation where they completely joined hands could also arise, couldn't it?
‘I have no choice but to have at least one foot in.’
Thinking so, Dang Seong-yeong returned to the Tang Clan Fort and sought out his son who was in secluded training.
“Father, what brings you here…….”
A man with disheveled hair.
Dang Cheon-wi, who had been in secluded training after being dragged to the Demon Extermination Squad and then released after the last incident, was quite flustered to see his father who had suddenly appeared.
It was because he had not expected his father, Dang Seong-yeong, to suddenly visit.
“Have you been training hard all this time?”
“Yes, well.”
Dang Cheon-wi showed a bitter smile.
“What else can I do but train?”
“Yes, a martial artist should be so. One never knows when they might have to use their martial arts.”
Dang Cheon-wi did not understand the meaning of Dang Seong-yeong's words at all.
What was the reason Dang Cheon-wi had entered secluded training and focused only on martial arts in the first place?
Wasn't it because he had become a traitor who communicated with the Demonic Cult due to his connection with Jin Cheon, and his disillusionment with the Righteous Heavenly Alliance?
Since his path to success was already blocked and he had become a nuisance to the family, there was nothing Dang Seong-yeong could do.
He had just clung to martial arts to soothe his confused and complicated mind and to clear his head…….
“It's time to make your debut.”
“Pardon……?”
“I have a mission for you.”
“What kind of mission are you talking about…….”
“Meet the Unrivaled New Demon.”
“Unrivaled New Demon? Who is that?”
Dang Cheon-wi frowned.
Since Jin Cheon had obtained the alias of Unrivaled New Demon after his last meeting with Dang Cheon-wi, he had no idea who he was referring to.
“Jin Yeong-in…… no, I should call him Jin Cheon now. The Seventh Young Master of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, he is the Unrivaled New Demon.”
“H-how can you tell me to meet him…….”
“You will know when you meet him.”
“What is this…….”
Dang Cheon-wi was only confused, unable to understand the meaning of his father Dang Seong-yeong's words at all.