novelraw Chapter 194 : Chapter 194
Chapter 194 : Chapter 194
Chapter 194. Just Trying to Gain Trust
“Send word to the Emei Sect. Tell them to prepare, as we will invade the Qingcheng Sect in three days.”
“B-But.”
Dang Seong-yeong was so flustered that he completely forgot his dignity as the Head of the Sichuan Tang Clan and stammered.
Because he had never dreamed that they would decide to attack the Qingcheng Sect so suddenly and notify him like this.
“Why, did you intend not to see the end with the Qingcheng Sect?”
Jin Cheon asked Dang Seong-yeong with a cold smile.
“Direct blood relatives of the family died due to the Qingcheng Sect’s dirty deeds; were you going to endure even after suffering like that?”
“It is not that.”
Dang Seong-yeong protested as if it made no sense.
“How could we endure and move on after suffering such a thing? We have our pride too. No, it would be said that the pride of the Sichuan Tang Clan is stronger than any other sect or clan.”
“Then why was that reaction? Surely it wasn't a matter of killing a few Qingcheng Sect disciples and wrapping it up moderately.”
“That is because I was concerned about the great damage if an all-out war broke out, not that I lack the will for revenge.”
“Keuk.”
Jin Cheon laughed.
“You are talking nonsense.”
“What?”
“How can the Sichuan Tang Clan expect not to pay a sacrifice when dealing with the Qingcheng Sect?”
“……!”
“The Tang Clan is not what it used to be, and the Qingcheng Sect is enjoying its greatest golden age since its founding. Sacrifices are inevitable in some form if a fight breaks out, yet you spout such nonsense.”
“W-What!”
Furious, Dang Seong-yeong jumped up from his seat.
“Are you done talking now?”
“Do you hate hearing it?”
Jin Cheon asked back.
“If you hate hearing it, do it properly. Act like the Sichuan Tang Clan if you are the Sichuan Tang Clan. Like a clan with a deeper history and higher pride than any other martial family in the Central Plains.”
“……That is.”
“We joined hands with the Cult, so what are you afraid of?”
“Mmm.”
“This is a golden opportunity for revenge. Instead of being surprised, it would be normal to shout for joy.”
“Then, how much military power does your Cult intend to deploy? Are you sending the Asura Blood Sword Unit?”
“No.”
Jin Cheon shook his head.
“We are everything.”
“……?”
“Me, my senior brothers. And the Independent Guard. That is all.”
“This damn……! Are you kidding right n…….”
Just then.
“Father.”
Dang Cheon-wi quickly whispered to Dang Seong-yeong.
“Brother Jin has achieved Great Mastery this time.”
“Achieved…… Great Mastery?”
“Yes, Father.”
“T-Then does it mean he surpassed the Extreme Demon Realm?”
“That is correct.”
“How could such…….”
Dang Seong-yeong looked back at Jin Cheon as if he couldn't believe it at all.
Dang Seong-yeong’s eyes were filled with sheer disbelief, and that was the truth.
‘It makes no sense! How can one reach such a realm at the age of a prodigy!’
Common sense could not accept it.
Jin Cheon’s age was twenty-eight this year.
An age not yet reaching thirty.
But he surpassed the Extreme Demon and pioneered a realm beyond that?
In terms of a martial artist practicing Orthodox Arts, it meant he had reached the Mysterious Realm at merely twenty-eight.
It would not be an exaggeration to say this was an achievement unprecedented in the history of the Murim of the Central Plains.
Right now, wouldn't the number of figures said to have reached such a realm at the age of twenty-eight be insufficient to count on one hand, leaving fingers to spare?
“Why, can you still not believe your son’s words?”
“To be honest…… that is so.”
“Then you must also suspect that the Cult is putting up the Qingcheng Sect and Emei Sect as shields and deploying minimal power to aim for fishing in troubled waters.”
“I will not deny it.”
Dang Seong-yeong answered honestly.
Jin Cheon was ‘not at all’ displeased by Dang Seong-yeong’s answer.
Dang Seong-yeong’s thought was extremely rational and logical.
Originally, the Murim, and the world, are rife with all sorts of machinations and conspiracies.
A person who couldn't even think like Dang Seong-yeong right now couldn't possibly be the Head of the Sichuan Tang Clan.
For Jin Cheon, there would be a need to show definitive proof that Dang Seong-yeong could sufficiently accept and buy his trust.
Why?
Because there would be no fool in the world who would risk their life believing only the opponent’s words without rhyme or reason.
“Good. Then I will show you a little of my achievement. Will you believe then?”
“I would be grateful if you would be so considerate.”
“Send word to the Emei Sect right now. It’s annoying to make two trips.”
“I understand.”
Dang Seong-yeong readily accepted the proposal at Jin Cheon’s words that he would show his achievement.
A few hours later.
“The Emei Sect Leader has arrived.”
“Escort her in immediately.”
Having received the urgent report, the Emei Sect Leader visited the Sichuan Tang Clan.
Since the Emei Sect also needed grounds to trust the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, she couldn't help but run over in a single bound.
***
Jin Cheon took Dang Seong-yeong and the Emei Sect Leader, Abbess Hyeonchok, to a hillside not far from the Tang Clan Fort.
“Clan Head Tang.”
“Speak.”
“I would like you to release people to cause a commotion in the mountain.”
“May I know the reason?”
“Although vegetation can’t be helped, we can’t harm the animals living in the mountain just because they are lowly creatures.”
“Huh.”
Dang Seong-yeong just clicked his tongue, unable to understand what on earth Jin Cheon was saying.
‘Surely he doesn't intend to bring down the mountain.’
Thinking so, Dang Seong-yeong released hundreds of martial artists to beat drums and strike iron to cause a commotion.
Just as Jin Cheon said, so that the beasts living in the mountain could run far away.
“What on earth are you trying to do, Seventh Young Master.”
“I am just trying to gain trust.”
Jin Cheon showed a gentle smile toward Abbess Hyeonchok.
“Since the Emei Sect and Sichuan Tang Clan might think the Cult intends to blow its nose without using its hands, shouldn't I gain trust by showing my achievement?”
“Amitabha.”
Abbess Hyeonchok did not give any answer but just recited the Buddha’s name and clasped her hands.
As a Buddhist disciple, she couldn't bear to speak words about machinations or suspicion, so she expressed agreement implicitly by reciting the Buddha’s name.
Like that, Jin Cheon, Dang Seong-yeong, and Abbess Hyeonchok drank tea and talked about miscellaneous things until the beasts living in the mountain were startled and ran away.
When roughly two hours had passed like that.
“I think this is enough.”
“I think so too. They say a frog dies from a stone thrown in jest, but we can't save every frog.”
Saying so, Jin Cheon slowly moved his steps toward the mountain visible in front of him.
Crackle, crackle!
Dark lightning rained down from Jin Cheon’s body.
“T-That is!”
Abbess Hyeonchok was astonished to see Jin Cheon emitting lightning.
“Amitabha, Amitabha……!”
Abbess Hyeonchok recited the Buddha’s name like a mad person and rolled her prayer beads frantically.
“No, Abbot, why are you acting like this?”
Startled, Dang Seong-yeong asked Abbess Hyeonchok.
“Amitabha, Amitabha. This monk absolutely cannot believe it. Amitabha, Amitabha…….”
Abbess Hyeonchok’s hands rolling the prayer beads trembled like a aspen tree.
It was terror engraved in instinct, not reason.
Abbess Hyeonchok had experience participating in the past Righteous-Demonic War, and had once witnessed the First Heavenly Demon Dokgo Seong unleashing martial arts from a very far distance.
So Abbess Hyeonchok knew.
What happened when dark lightning rained down from Dokgo Seong’s body, and what kind of great catastrophe struck.
The primal fear engraved in her mind from experiencing it a very long time ago resurfaced because of Jin Cheon.
For Dang Seong-yeong, who was merely a prodigy during the Righteous-Demonic War and couldn't participate in important battles, it was natural not to know the reason.
Fwoooosh!
Soon, the purest and densest, yet intense Demonic Qi exploded out from Jin Cheon.
“H-Heuk!”
Dang Seong-yeong dared not look at Jin Cheon.
Jin Cheon’s back, with hair turned white and skin dyed black, was like the Emperor of Demons itself.
Heavenly Demon Divine Qi Demonic Emperor, Activate.
“The authority of destruction dwells in my hand.”
A low mutter flowed from the mouth of Jin Cheon, who had induced Demonification himself and taken the form of the Demonic Emperor.
“The heavens and earth shall open.”
Simultaneously with the end of those words, Jin Cheon’s hand struck the earth.
Boom!
A massive cry seemed to shake the area, and then a suffocating silence flowed.
It became quiet as if time had stopped.
Flap flap flap!
A flock of startled birds flew high into the sky in the distance.
‘What on earth did he do?’
Just as Dang Seong-yeong tilted his head.
Crack, craaaaack!
Starting from where Jin Cheon struck, a huge crack began to form on the earth.
Craaaaack!
The crack spread more and more, and the ground split, creating a gorge dozens of jang deep.
And…….
Rumbleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Craaaash!
The mountain…… the mountain began to collapse.
As if a landslide had occurred, the perfectly fine mountain collapsed entirely, and massive dust filled the sky.
“Uh…… Uuhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!”
The startled Dang Seong-yeong stammered a scream, grabbed the back of his neck, and stumbled backward.
That wasn't all.
Thud!
Eventually, Dang Seong-yeong landed on his buttocks and sat down.
Flop!
Abbess Hyeonchok, who had been rolling her prayer beads and reciting the Buddha’s name like a mad person, also sat down on the spot.
Heaven and Earth, Creation!
The Divine Might of Jin Cheon, who had reached the realm of Demonic Emperor with the Heavenly Demon Divine Qi, was like that.
Meanwhile, the Qingcheng Sect, which had its intelligence network fully operational and senses heightened, set out to prepare countermeasures as soon as they detected somewhat unusual movements.
It was thanks to obtaining intelligence that the Unrivaled New Demon Jin Cheon had visited the Tang Clan Fort openly, and shortly after, the Emei Sect Leader Abbess Hyeonchok had joined secretly.
At this, the Qingcheng Sect Leader hurriedly went to find the Great Divine Physician of Immortals to report this fact and seek advice on this matter.
Because the person practically commanding the Qingcheng Sect was the Great Divine Physician of Immortals, not the Sect Leader.
“Has it come.”
The Great Divine Physician of Immortals closed his two eyes gently as soon as the Sect Leader’s report ended.
“Elder, what should we do.”
The Sect Leader asked.
“It seems Emei and the Tang Clan have joined hands with the Demonic Cult and are going to attack our sect.”
“What can be done.”
The Great Divine Physician of Immortals answered as if there was no other way.
“If they pick a fight, our sect has no choice either.”
“Then…….”
“Qingcheng does not avoid a fight that comes its way. Even if they attack, should we be afraid?”
The Great Divine Physician of Immortals smiled brightly.
“Many martial artists of the Heavenly Dao Alliance are already staying in our sect, and the power hidden until now is quite substantial, isn't it? Moreover, with this old man standing firm like this, they won't have any special means either.”
The Great Divine Physician of Immortals did not look intimidated at all.
It was understandable, as the current power of the Qingcheng Sect was more than what was revealed to the world.
Furthermore, the Great Divine Physician of Immortals was a master counted on one hand across the world purely in terms of martial arts, having pioneered the Mysterious Realm just like the Sword Saint, the Heavenly Dao Alliance Leader.
No matter how much of a master at the Extreme Demon Realm the Unrivaled New Demon was, and however scary the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult’s power was, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the Qingcheng Sect would not easily collapse as long as the Great Divine Physician of Immortals was holding out.
“Do not be scared, and show the spirit befitting the Sect Leader of Qingcheng. Believe in the potential our sect has built up so far, and prepare for the decisive battle calmly. Perhaps this fight will be an opportunity for our sect to take a leap forward and pacify Sichuan.”
“Yes, Elder!”
The Sect Leader did not doubt the Great Divine Physician of Immortals’ words.
“Unrivaled New Demon…… Right, have you been running wild to your heart’s content without knowing how high the sky is. However, the moment you step foot on Mount Qingcheng, you shall not escape death.”
The two eyes of the Great Divine Physician of Immortals recalling Jin Cheon flashed with chilly killing intent.