Sword God Reborn

Chapter 271 : The Path I Must Take, Knowing

As Cheon Mubaeck headed for Gansu Province, a message came from the Righteous Alliance.

'The Demon Repelling Squad under Namgung Jincheon, defeated in the battle with the Blood Buddha, is in the middle of fleeing. Immediate rescue is requested.'

The one who had delivered the letter was a member of the Beggars' Sect, so there was no room for doubt. Not only the content, but the face of the Beggars' Sect member was also urgent.

But it was only the beginning.

'The Baekil Sect of Sichuan, the Yangho Clan, and the Gyeokyang Faction have been annihilated. A small number of survivors have taken refuge in the Beggars' Sect.'

'The Cheongha Sect, the only Orthodox sect belonging to the Righteous Alliance in Yunnan, has lost contact. A demonic path attack is presumed. An investigation team and a rescue force need to be dispatched.'

'Demonic people have appeared in Guangdong Province, attacking eight Orthodox sects. The extent of the damage is being confirmed.'

'Chaos due to continuous battles in Shanxi Province, presumed to be demonic people.'

At the news that came one after another through the Beggars' Sect, everyone's face hardened.

A simultaneous attack that had suddenly begun.

Above all, the damage to the sects and warriors belonging to the Righteous Alliance had accumulated seriously. Since everyone knew what it meant, they couldn't help but have serious expressions.

However, Cheon Mubaeck just frowned slightly.

"Yunnan, Guangdong, and Shanxi Province..."

"It's a little strange."

As Cheon Mubaeck remained unshaken even at the terrible news, Zhuge Seol-ah was also able to quickly regain her composure.

"If you think about the history of the demonic path's invasions so far, their attacks have started from the west."

"That's right. Even just 40 years ago, the first place to disappear was the Kunlun Sect. The West, Qinghai, Sichuan, and Gansu became the front lines."

"But this time it's different. Yunnan and Guangdong are in the south. And Shanxi Province is in the north. If you go up a little, Mongolia will come out."

"Except for the east, it's as if they've been attacked simultaneously from all directions of the Central Plains."

"Can we see all of them as attacks by the demonic path? Or perhaps the demonic path has a separate alliance..."

Cheon Mubaeck turned his head and looked at the Ghost Demon.

The Ghost Demon avoided his gaze and frowned.

"I am just an executive of the Blood Demon Valley. I only know the fact that the demonic path's attack will begin from outside the Central Plains. I don't know the attack route or the plan. What I am involved in is only the Blood Demon Valley."

"You're a really useless old man. Ghost Demon. If you don't know anything, can't you at least make a guess? Even Neung-heo would do it. You idiot."

"...You probably know. The Blood Demon Valley grows its power within the Central Plains. The two sects of the Seven Demonic Orders, the Dark Sect and the Blood Sect, are like that. The other sects grow their power in the foreign lands. It's the four sects, excluding the Sword Sect."

In an instant, Zhuge Seol-ah's face turned pale. Because she had realized the meaning behind the Ghost Demon's words.

"Wait a minute. Are you saying that the demonic path forces in the foreign lands are composed of four sects?"

The Ghost Demon did not answer. He only answered Cheon Mubaeck's questions, and did not even exchange words with the others.

But even if he didn't answer, there was an atmosphere that came from his expression.

Zhuge Seol-ah, feeling that it was not a lie, bit her lip.

"Good heavens. Just the Blood Demon Valley alone was an enemy that gave me a headache trying to figure out how to deal with it..."

Although the Righteous Alliance had vaguely known that there were demonic path forces in the foreign lands, the shock was even greater hearing it directly from the Ghost Demon, the second-in-command of the Blood Demon Valley.

"The Righteous Alliance was created because of that one Blood Demon Valley. Shaolin was almost destroyed again, and Wudang was also in great trouble. It was really terrifying, but this Blood Demon Valley is just two sects. And the demonic path forces in the foreign lands, by a simple calculation, are twice as large, right?"

"It's not just twice as large. Although the leader of the Blood Demon Valley is the Blood Buddha, the leader of the foreign demonic path will be the Heavenly Demon."

Only then did the surroundings react as if they understood.

Then the attacks that had started from all directions were clearly the attacks of the foreign demonic path.

And at the same time, the Blood Demon Valley was moving within the Central Plains.

The fact that the Ghost Demon had attacked Cheon Mubaeck, and the fact that the Blood Buddha had struck Namgung Jincheon and was trying to directly hit the Namgung Clan, were all explained.

Although Cheon Mubaeck had already guessed, the others had not.

A single word that they had only vaguely thought of came to mind clearly in the minds of the surroundings.

"The Righteous-Demonic War..."

They instinctively realized that an undeniable war had begun.

* * *

By the time they entered Gansu Province, a message from the Beggars' Sect came again.

Cheon Mubaeck's face became strange as he received the news.

'The Demon Repelling Squad under Namgung Jincheon, repelled the Blood Buddha in Shaanxi Province, joined by the elders of Shaolin and Hwa Mountain, and the Sword Saint of the Namgung Clan. The Blood Buddha has fled.'

At the unexpected good news, Zhuge Seol-ah's face brightened.

To think they had repelled the Blood Buddha in Shaanxi Province!

But Cheon Mubaeck tilted his head.

'If Hwa Mountain and Shaolin had joined, they could have held on. And if the Sword Saint had joined... they could have won. But the Blood Buddha fled so easily?'

Cheon Mubaeck glanced at the Ghost Demon.

The Ghost Demon's face, who had felt his gaze, contorted slightly.

"Do you think I'm a person who will tell you everything just because you ask..."

He felt as if he had become a hostage who would spit out information if he were poked, from a great demonic master.

Cheon Mubaeck's shameless face seemed to be saying so.

Isn't it true that if you poke, information will come out?

"Shut up and tell me. The Blood Buddha is fleeing, what do you think?"

"It's bullshit."

"Bullshit? Even though Hwa Mountain and Shaolin of Shaanxi, and the Sword Saint have joined?"

The Ghost Demon looked at Cheon Mubaeck as if he were looking at a strange person.

"You're asking for my opinion because you clearly see something strange, right?"

It was a look that seemed to ask why he was asking when he already knew everything.

"There's no mention of the damage, is there? At best, it just says that a few fledgling members of the Demon Repelling Squad have died. A big fight broke out to the extent that the Blood Buddha had to flee, but there's almost no damage on the Orthodox path? Impossible."

"If the Sword Saint, Shaolin, and Hwa Mountain had joined forces, it would have been possible, wouldn't it?"

"Hey, Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero. Stop testing me. You probably know about the Blood Buddha well, right? If he were attacked by them, the Blood Buddha would have no choice but to lose. But in the process, at least half of the elders of Shaolin and Hwa Mountain would have died. If it were such a shocking news, the martial world would be shaking, right?"

Cheon Mubaeck nodded. It matched what he had been guessing. But Cheon Mubaeck was meticulous.

"Gok Ji-heum, check it."

In times like this, the news from the Hanamun would be faster.

Before long, Gok Ji-heum came with the information with a rather hardened face.

"That demonic master's words are right. The damage to Shaolin and Hwa Mountain is rather minor. Rather, there was a misrepresentation in the message that was transmitted from the Righteous Alliance."

"A misrepresentation?"

"Shaolin, Hwa Mountain, and the Sword Saint joined after the fight was over."

"Then what about the Blood Buddha? Although the Namgung fellow's skills have improved, he's not at the level to defeat the Blood Buddha."

"They say someone else repelled him."

"Who?"

"That... his true identity has not been revealed. Since I also got the information through the Hanamun, the only ones who witnessed it were Namgung Jincheon and the Demon Repelling Squad. Unfortunately, the Hanamun cannot know such important information."

Although the Hanamun moved like Cheon Mubaeck's own limbs, the fact that it was strictly a sect between the Orthodox and the Unorthodox remained. Unlike the situation where the Beggars' Sect belonged to the Righteous Alliance and was active as an information organization, since the Hanamun was only moving on Cheon Mubaeck's orders, it was not an easy task to obtain detailed information.

Cheon Mubaeck thought for a moment.

'A master who can repel the Blood Buddha...'

No one came to mind right away. If there were such a person, wasn't he practically the number one under heaven in the current martial world?

"Then it's certain that the Blood Buddha is fleeing for now."

Cheon Mubaeck stroked his chin.

Fortunately, Namgung Jincheon was safe. The reason Cheon Mubaeck had headed for Gansu in the first place was to save Namgung Jincheon and to catch the Blood Buddha.

Since Namgung Jincheon was safe, he just had to aim for the next target.

"I will catch the Blood Buddha."

Cheon Mubaeck's eyes flashed. A gaze like a beast with its prey in front of it burned.

* * *

Cheon Mubaeck mobilized all the information networks he could.

The Hanamun members of the entire Central Plains moved closely. He used the Beggars' Sect in various places through the Righteous Alliance. In addition, he dug out all the information that the Ghost Demon knew.

As a result, he was able to guess the direction of the Blood Buddha's escape to some extent.

"Henan..."

Cheon Mubaeck's voice hardened.

There had been news that battles were continuously occurring in Shanxi Province.

It was said that a large number of people who appeared to be demonic people had appeared and were fighting in various places. Shanxi Province bordered Shaanxi Province and Henan Province to the south.

Since the Blood Buddha had been defeated in Shaanxi Province and was fleeing, he had thought his choice would naturally be Shanxi. In fact, Cheon Mubaeck had also been continuously moving while collecting information, and had set his direction to Shanxi Province.

However, as the news that his last whereabouts were heading for Henan, and that some of the demonic people of Shanxi Province had also moved to Henan, Cheon Mubaeck saw the picture.

It wasn't just visible to Cheon Mubaeck's eyes. Zhuge Seol-ah was also flustered.

"If it's Henan... Young Master?"

The Blood Demon Valley was paying attention to Cheon Mubaeck, to the extent that the Ghost Demon had personally come out to catch the Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero.

Since there would probably be an information network among them, they would have heard the news that the Ghost Demon had failed.

Then what would be the next choice of the Blood Buddha, who had failed to destroy the Namgung Clan, which he had aimed for?

What was the next best thing, comparable to the immense purpose of annihilating the Namgung Clan?

"I'll have to go to Henan."

"It will be a trap."

"A trap..."

"From the Blood Buddha's perspective, attacking the Azure Star Escort Agency is not really that great an achievement. Considering that he had aimed for the Namgung Clan. But to aim for the Azure Star Escort Agency while fleeing can only be a trap to lure you, Young Master."

Zhuge Seol-ah judged the situation coldly. Cheon Mubaeck quietly looked at Zhuge Seol-ah. She flinched as she saw Cheon Mubaeck's deeply sunken pupils.

"...You know, don't you?"

"I can guess enough. Even if the Azure Star Escort Agency has grown, it is just an escort agency. Even if the Lotus Pavilion is large, it is just a courtesan house. Even if the Black Heart Gang is a quite solid black path sect, it is just a black path. It is not a target that the Blood Buddha would aim for. And yet, he has joined with the demonic people of Shanxi Province and has headed for Henan. It means that the next best target is in Henan."

"..."

"I guess that it will be me. Come to think of it, clear information has come in that the fleeing Blood Buddha's movements were heading for Henan."

At that, Gok Ji-heum, who was next to him, had his eyes widen. Because it was the Hanamun that had captured the last movements of the Blood Buddha.

"Is that also an intended action? No way..."

"It's absurd that the escape route of a master who can hide his body in the martial world if he puts his mind to it is completely revealed. It is to show me that he has headed for Henan. If I learn this fact, how will I act?"

"Well..."

"They probably know that I value my family. They would try to make it seem as if the Blood Buddha is aiming for my family. Then I would naturally be flustered and rush to Henan."

Zhuge Seol-ah nodded.

"Since the distance to Henan is far, you will probably move alone, Young Master."

Cheon Mubaeck smiled bitterly.

Henan was still far away. He had to cross Shaanxi Province.

Then Cheon Mubaeck could not lead Zhuge Seol-ah, Gok Ji-heum, and the rest now. Moreover, the majority of them were not in a normal condition after being beaten by the Ghost Demon following the fight with the assassins of the Wolya Faction.

Since he had to really use all his strength to unfold his lightness skill, he could not match their speed.

Inevitably, Cheon Mubaeck had no choice but to go alone, and this would be what the Blood Buddha intended.

'He's a truly meticulous fellow. He's not arrogant either. If he were a skilled person of that level, he would have the confidence to catch me alone, but the fact that he has joined with the demonic people of Shanxi Province must be to prepare for the unexpected.'

Cheon Mubaeck had noticed all of the Blood Buddha's calculations. Zhuge Seol-ah, at the sight of Cheon Mubaeck who had deduced it without hesitation, had a rather relieved expression.

At the very least, if he didn't know, it would be a different story. But if Cheon Mubaeck had predicted it like this, he would surely set up a plan to prepare for it. At the very least, the Cheon Mubaeck that Zhuge Seol-ah had seen was a man who was not lacking in that aspect.

However.

"There is no way. It is a path I must take, knowing."

"No way...?"

At Cheon Mubaeck's words, Zhuge Seol-ah's eyes widened.

"I will go first. I will be waiting with the Blood Buddha's head on the ancestral rite table."

(End of Chapter)