novelraw Chapter 205 : Chapter 205
Chapter 205 : Chapter 205
Chapter 205. That Seems Impossible
“Tell me whenever you need help. I will help you by any means. Even if I offer my life.”
“I understand your will, Senior Sister.”
Jin Cheon smiled facing Cheol Yu-ra.
Seeing Cheol Yu-ra so grateful, he felt that the grace, no, the hardships he went through to save her were very worthwhile.
“Are you okay now?”
Cheon U-jin approached Cheol Yu-ra urgently and asked.
“Thanks to your concern, I am fine. I give thanks to you too, First Senior Brother.”
Was it only Jin Cheon and Cheon U-jin?
“Senior Sister, are you okay now? Heehee!”
“I am glad you look healthy.”
Blood Qilin and Yeom Bi also congratulated Cheol Yu-ra on her recovery.
“Yes, I am fine now so there is no need to worry. I heard you guys also gave considerable help to save me. Thank you. For striving to save this unworthy Senior Sister.”
Cheol Yu-ra saying so was not just okay.
‘She became tremendously strong.’
Jin Cheon recognized at a glance that Cheol Yu-ra was harboring formidable cold energy.
It was clear that thanks to the essence of Water, Fire, and Divine that Jin Cheon injected in the process of resuscitation, her martial arts advanced and she obtained a tremendous amount of inner energy.
“Junior Brother, can we talk separately?”
Cheol Yu-ra said to Jin Cheon.
“Yes, let’s do so.”
Right after moving to another place.
“It is not something to say for someone who received the grace of saving life, but please entrust the vanguard of this fight to me.”
“Why do you make such a request?”
“I heard from the Cult Leader. What meaning this fight has.”
“Ah.”
“So…… could you please entrust the vanguard to me?”
“Entrusting the vanguard to you is not a difficult matter. However, direct revenge…… I have no choice but to say it is impossible.”
The reason Jin Cheon said so was because it was impossible for Cheol Yu-ra to take revenge on Dokgo Seong in the first place.
The only one who can oppose Dokgo Seong who possesses the authority of the Heavenly Demon Command is one who possesses the authority of the same Heavenly Demon Command.
No matter how high Cheol Yu-ra’s martial arts were, even if she reached a higher realm, opposing Dokgo Seong was out of the question if she could not wield the Heavenly Demon Command.
It would be fortunate if she didn’t become Dokgo Seong’s puppet by the Heavenly Demon Command.
“……Is that so.”
Cheol Yu-ra bit her lower lip gently.
She must be feeling resentment at the fact that she could not take revenge with her own power…….
“There might be a chance perhaps, but I cannot give a definite answer.”
“I understand.”
Cheol Yu-ra nodded obediently.
“Then it can’t be helped.”
“Senior Sister…….”
“You don’t have to worry. I am not foolish enough to ruin the work due to personal desire for revenge.”
Jin Cheon seemed to know Cheol Yu-ra’s heart, so he couldn’t say any words.
Not only was power lacking, but she had an enemy against whom revenge itself could not be established in the first place, so how great would that despair and helplessness be?
However, since there was no other suitable way for Jin Cheon either, there was nothing he could do other than comfort Cheol Yu-ra.
“Instead, I will let you stand in the vanguard.”
“Thank you. I feel like I am only asking favors despite receiving the grace of saving life.”
“No. How could I not know your heart, Senior Sister?”
“It is all because of me.”
Cheol Yu-ra blamed herself.
“If only I hadn’t been captured by them…….”
“Stop.”
Jin Cheon cut off Cheol Yu-ra’s words.
“It is not your fault, Senior Sister. Why do you think such thoughts?”
“But…….”
“It is something anyone could undergo. It just happened to be you, Senior Sister; how can that be said to be your fault? Rather than blaming yourself, burning hostility toward the enemy and soothing the soul of the late Clan Head Cheol comes first.”
“Didn’t you say revenge is impossible?”
“Is it only revenge if you kill the enemy directly?”
“……!”
“Of course, I know all too well that there is a lot of emotional difference between killing with my own hands and not doing so. But even so, it doesn’t mean you cannot contribute to the enemy’s downfall and death.”
“That is…….”
“There will clearly be a role for you, Senior Sister. Just standing in the vanguard and cutting down enemies has the meaning of revenge, so do not worry too much.”
“Right.”
Cheol Yu-ra nodded.
“Listening to your words, I was foolish. Forgive your unworthy Senior Sister.”
“That is not so. There are still many bigger fights left. I look forward to your active role in the future, Senior Sister.”
“I will not disappoint. Absolutely.”
From the two eyes of Cheol Yu-ra saying so, cold chill wafted out.
* * *
Regrettably, raiding the Potala Palace was impossible.
Since the Potala Palace was located on the top of Mount Potala, a hill located in the exact center of Lhasa, the capital of the Western Regions, approaching secretly was preposterous.
Due to the characteristics of the region, it was not covered with vegetation but was a barren alpine area with open visibility, so from the perspective of the Potala Palace, grasping the movement of enemies approaching from afar was as easy as eating cold porridge.
Therefore, the fight was very likely to proceed in the form of a siege where large-scale troops collide with each other.
And the right person to command such a situation was none other than Cheol Yu-ra.
The Iron-Armored Ghostly Demon Squad she belonged to could be regarded as a cavalry unit rather than a general martial group, so it was natural to possess extensive knowledge of military tactics.
Group battles of martial artists were usually small-scale skirmishes where tens to hundreds clashed, but wasn't the Iron-Armored Ghostly Demon Squad a group that had experienced numerous wars where large-scale troops of ten thousand units or more clashed since ancient times?
“The Iron-Armored Ghostly Demon Squad will sweep away the enemy’s frontline troops at the very vanguard and quickly occupy Lhasa. Afterwards, using Lhasa as a base, we will climb Mount Potala and attack the Palace.”
“Good.”
Jin Cheon readily accepted Cheol Yu-ra’s opinion.
Since Cheol Yu-ra and the Iron-Armored Ghostly Demon Squad were accustomed to large-scale group battles, if she said so, it was so.
“Any objections?”
“None.”
Dharma Emperor Awangra also agreed with Cheol Yu-ra’s opinion.
“Good, then we will go like this.”
Jin Cheon looked around the seated people and spoke.
“How do you intend to open the castle gate?”
Cheon U-jin asked Jin Cheon.
“Even if we occupy Lhasa, conquering the Potala Palace is not an easy task. At least ten times the troops would be needed, but numerically we are inferior.”
“I will break through the castle gate.”
“……!”
“I will break through and open the path, so the rest of you don’t have to worry.”
“Hmm.”
“The core of this fight is catching the Dharma Emperor. Not to kill enemies, so First Senior Brother, do not worry.”
Then Dharma Emperor Awangra also added a word.
“All monks currently in the Potala Palace are disciples of Buddha and people of the Western Regions. I ask you to refrain from killing as much as possible.”
For Dharma Emperor Awangra, it was a request he could sufficiently make.
Once Dharma Emperor Ilpagyeon occupying the current Potala Palace disappears, all people of the Western Regions will become Awangra’s people.
“That seems impossible.”
Jin Cheon raised an objection to Dharma Emperor Awangra’s words.
“To the Cult, the warriors of the Cult are more precious than your people. I cannot give an order like refraining from killing. If I did, the warriors of the Cult would be in danger.”
“But…….”
“If you dislike that, we must execute Ilpagyeon as quickly as possible. We can’t sacrifice the warriors of the Cult to save your people, can we?”
“Amitabha.”
Dharma Emperor Awangra chanted a Buddhist prayer closing his eyes as if painful.
Even though he was a monk who had gained enlightenment repeating reincarnation for hundreds of years, there would be no method to overcome a situation like now.
So he could only chant a Buddhist prayer in frustration…….
“Don’t worry too much. From the Cult’s perspective as well, the top priority task is executing Ilpagyeon as quickly as possible and ending the fight. Would the warriors of the Cult like killing people?”
“I understand what you mean.”
“Then, let’s do it that way.”
With those words from Jin Cheon, the meeting ended.
“Feelings, hurt?”
“It is all my karma; what is there to be hurt or not.”
At Jin Cheon’s question, Dharma Emperor Awangra answered.
“If I hadn’t done something like reincarnation in the first place, such a thing wouldn’t have happened either. I do not know why I made such a choice.”
“Well, wasn’t there a reason of its own?”
“I merely tried to convey the Dharma more, but if I knew it would become this state, I would not have made such a choice. It was truly foolish, back then.”
“Because you are human.”
“……!”
“No matter how much enlightenment you gained, as long as you stay in the human world, you are human. Surely you don’t consider yourself a Buddha who reached the state of true Nirvana.”
“Still far from it.”
Dharma Emperor Awangra smiled whitely.
Jin Cheon quite liked such words of Dharma Emperor Awangra.
Despite being an existence referred to as the incarnation of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, and one who conveys Buddhist law repeating reincarnation, it was not easy to answer like that.
At that point, it was easy to mistake oneself for a god and consider lives other than oneself as insignificant creatures.
“Karma can be paid off in the future, and for now think about rectifying the mess you made. Ilpagyeon is another you.”
“I must do so.”
“Right, that should do.”
Jin Cheon thought while saying so.
‘If he wants to avoid killing so much, he will step forward himself.’
Whether to save even one more of the people or not would be no exaggeration to say it depends on Dharma Emperor Awangra’s capability.
* * *
Next day.
Jin Cheon led the martial artists of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult and headed to Lhasa.
Dharma Emperor Awangra led the monks following him and an army amounting to about five thousand and followed Jin Cheon.
Finally, when they arrived at Lhasa.
“Iron-Armored Ghostly Demon Squad, all members, advance.”
“Your command.”
Cheol Yu-ra, standing in the vanguard, led the Iron-Armored Ghostly Demon Squad and sprinted toward the enemies defending Lhasa.
Dudududududududududu―!!!
The sprint of the Iron-Armored Ghostly Demon Squad was truly reckless.
The sound of horse hooves and vibration coming from the massive weight class were so fierce that the earth axis seemed to shake minutely.
Was that all?
The destructive power generated when the Iron-Armored Ghostly Demon Squad collided with enemies was truly tremendous.
Kwaaaaaang!!!
With a sound that seemed to tear eardrums, the enemy camp disintegrated in the blink of an eye.
Since the breakthrough power of the Iron-Armored Ghostly Demon Squad was like a natural disaster in itself, no matter what army it was, the formation could not help but collapse.
But that was merely the beginning.
“Kill them all!”
“Your command!”
As the members of the Iron-Armored Ghostly Demon Squad began to unfold mounted martial arts in earnest using weapons like halberds, crescent blades, and spears, the enemy camp turned into shambles in an instant.
Since the mounted martial arts of Human-Horse Unity were not something individual soldiers could handle, it was only natural for a one-sided slaughter to unfold.
“Now! Everyone advance!”
“Your command!”
At Jin Cheon’s order, the martial artists of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult simultaneously deployed movement arts and ran toward the enemy camp.
“Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”
At the same time, the soldiers following Dharma Emperor Awangra also ran with all their might and dared to charge.
The fight that unfolded eventually was an overwhelming victory for the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
Barely a moment.
The time it took for the army protecting Lhasa, the capital of the Western Regions, to disintegrate was that short.
“Quickly seize Lhasa.”
“Your command.”
The martial artists of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult led by Jin Cheon and Dharma Emperor Awangra’s army took advantage of the momentum to enter Lhasa, and arrived at the foot of Mount Potala in less than two hours.
There was no resistance in the process, nor unnecessary slaughter.
Because they pushed in with such overwhelming martial power, it was impossible to dare stop the martial artists of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult and Dharma Emperor Awangra’s army.
‘I can feel it.’
Jin Cheon looked at the Potala Palace located at the top of Mount Potala and was convinced that Dokgo Seong was inside.
Even if he could deceive others, Jin Cheon, with the Heavenly Demon’s Physique, could detect the unique demonic energy Dokgo Seong possessed.
“When I break the castle gate, everyone charge simultaneously.”
“Your command.”
Jin Cheon gave such an order and climbed Mount Potala without delay.
Since Dokgo Seong might flee, he meant to push with a swift battle and swift decision.