Chapter 9

“Is what you just said true?”

At the Heavenly Sword Emperor’s question, Jegal Cheong, who was in charge of the Murim Alliance’s military, nodded with a grim expression.

“I couldn’t believe it either, so I checked several times. The Demon Sect people definitely came down from the Ten Thousand Mountains. And they didn’t just come down – they burned all the buildings and houses, destroyed even the roads, then split into two groups and fled.”

“Could this be a trap to lure us in?”

“No strategy could compare to the value of the Ten Thousand Mountains as a natural stronghold. Most decisively, they split their forces in two. If they were moving together in one place that would be one thing, but dividing their already limited forces and heading in opposite directions shows they’ve judged they can’t win against us and are trying to ensure at least one group survives to rebuild the Demon Sect in the future.”

“Unbelievable. I can’t believe it. Hae Cheongyeong. You’re saying it’s none other than Hae Cheongyeong? That Hae Cheongyeong giving up the fight and running away – am I dreaming right now?”

“You’re being overdramatic about some cult leader from the backwoods of Shinkang finally realizing his place and running away.”

Though everyone’s faces hardened at these rude words directed at the Heavenly Sword Emperor, leader of the righteous martial arts world, no one dared step forward.

It was only natural.

The owner of those rude words was the Crimson Blood Demonic Sovereign, leader of the unorthodox martial arts world who possessed skills and influence no less than the Heavenly Sword Emperor’s.

“You can say that because you’ve never met him directly. That Hae Cheongyeong is…”

“The greatest genius of the martial world. The strongest under heaven. A great sorcerer who commands all things with a gesture. A monster comparable to the First Heavenly Demon. The Heaven-Communicating Divine Demon Hae Cheongyeong. I know very well. I know it all very well. But isn’t that all in the past?”

The Crimson Blood Demonic Sovereign raised the corner of his mouth slightly and continued speaking with a confident voice.

“The front waves of the river are pushed aside by those that follow. Someone like Hae Cheongyeong is no match for me.”

“That’s right! Who would dare face our Lord!”

“Indeed! How could anyone match our Lord, known as history’s greatest genius!”

Though the conversation went beyond confidence into what could be seen as arrogance, the Murim Alliance people couldn’t stop it.

At age 17, he mastered the Crimson Dragon Divine Art passed down only to the Unorthodox Alliance leaders and successors.

At 26, he became an absolute master who revised the Crimson Dragon Divine Art into the Crimson Blood Divine Art, defeated hundreds of peak masters and the previous Unorthodox Alliance leader to seize control, and built it into a force rivaling the Murim Alliance.

A genius of all time who reached the same realm as the Heavenly Sword Emperor at less than half his age.

In the long history of the martial arts world, while many were called geniuses or martial prodigies, the Crimson Blood Demonic Sovereign’s achievements stood almost unrivaled among them.

“You are indeed strong. Even the young Hae Cheongyeong may not have achieved what you have. But what we face now is not the young Hae Cheongyeong, but the 90-year-old Hae Cheongyeong.”

However, this was exactly why the Heavenly Sword Emperor couldn’t help feeling uneasy.

While it was undeniable that the Crimson Blood Demonic Sovereign was a monster with the greatest talent in history, he was still an incomplete martial artist in the midst of growth.

Between a completed monster and an incomplete monster, it was obvious which would be stronger.

“Whether 90 or 900 years old, no monster can match me.”

“What we face is not a monster but a demon trying to become an immortal.”

“You mean a demon trying to become a divine immortal. They came down from the Ten Thousand Mountains you say – doesn’t that mean that Sun-Moon Ritual or whatever failed?”

“……”

At the Crimson Blood Demonic Sovereign’s sharp words, the Heavenly Sword Emperor was left speechless.

After receiving intelligence about preparations for the Sun-Moon Ritual and gathering the entire martial world’s strength to prevent the birth of a demon immortal, to think the subject himself would give up ascending and run away.

It was such an anticlimactic ending that it felt unfair after rushing here without rest while suffering.

“So where is Hae Cheongyeong among these two groups they split into?”

“The group heading east consists of children and young talents, while the group heading west contains the Demon Sect’s main fighting force and elderly masters. From the perspective of securing the future, he’s likely with the western group that can draw our attention and inflict maximum damage.”

“Sorry to disagree with General Jegal, but according to our General Sama, he’s more likely to be with the eastern group.”

“What?”

“Our General Sama says Hae Cheongyeong values himself more than the Demon Sect, so he’s likely to use the western group as bait and slip away with the eastern group to survive.”

Though it seemed quite plausible, Jegal Cheong couldn’t easily agree due to political rather than logical reasons.

For the Murim Alliance’s general to simply follow what the Unorthodox Alliance’s general suggests would diminish the righteous martial arts world’s prestige and by extension the Jegal family’s prestige.

“If you’re so worried, let’s split into the Murim Alliance and Unorthodox Alliance.”

“Good. Then we’ll pursue the group heading east.”

“Alliance Leader?”

Jegal Cheong’s expression subtly twisted at the Heavenly Sword Emperor’s prompt answer.

Noticing the talented young general’s dissatisfaction, the Heavenly Sword Emperor secretly transmitted his voice:

-I’m sorry, but please endure it just this once. If we fight amongst ourselves and move separately, that monster Hae Cheongyeong will pick us off one by one.

-There are already complaints about conceding too much to the Unorthodox Alliance, and yielding here will cause significant discontent. Moreover, according to my analysis, Hae Cheongyeong is more likely to be with the western group, not the eastern one.

-I know. I know that too. So let’s move quickly to catch those in the east, then ride that momentum to catch those in the west. After this war ends, I’ll take responsibility for all criticism, so please follow my will.

When the Heavenly Sword Emperor, leader of the righteous martial arts world, went this far, Jegal Cheong had no choice.

“…Understood.”

It would just take a bit longer, but the result would be the same.

No matter how they run, they’re like being in Buddha’s palm – they’ll all be caught eventually, and if anyone tries to survive alone by abandoning their subordinates to flee, we can just spread a heaven-earth net to catch them.

‘Alone?’

Jegal Cheong’s movements stopped.

With insight and strategic vision rivaling the founding patriarch of the Jegal family, he instinctively sensed something odd about the thoughts he just had.

‘Survive alone? Abandon the entire Demon Sect and survive alone? If he has enough ruthlessness to throw away the entire Demon Sect as bait and survive alone…’

Thoughts linking one after another.

However, those thoughts were suddenly interrupted and could progress no further.

“Sorry, but it seems I’ve won again this time.”

“…It’s not decided yet that you’ve won. Hae Cheongyeong might be in the east, after all.”

“Maybe so. But wasn’t it my suggestion that was accepted here, not yours? What good is coming up with good strategies? If they’re not chosen, they’re ultimately useless.”

“…Ha, hahaha. General Sama, you’re quite the joker.”

With his mind completely occupied by the argument with Sama Hwang, the earlier thoughts about possible scenarios were no longer present in Jegal Cheong’s mind.

* * *

Clop clop! Clop clop!

“Increase speed! We can’t be late!”

Thick dust clouds spread in all directions from hundreds of horses and carriages.

When horses collapsed, they were abandoned without hesitation and replaced with reserve horses as they continued without rest.

It was a merciless forced march, but no one could stop.

“Hehehe. The fools fell for it completely! We’re just bait!”

“What?!”

“As long as the Sect Leader lives, our holy sect can be revived anytime. Proud warriors of the holy sect! Let’s take as many with us as possible in a way worthy of our sect’s name!”

“Demon Lord rules, all demons submit!”

“Kuk! Prepare for battle!”

The disappointment upon learning that those they caught after three days of pursuit were mere bait was beyond words.

Though they succeeded in suppressing the Demon Sect members after half a day of fierce battle, following the Heavenly Sword Emperor’s strong insistence, the martial artists had to immediately ride in the opposite direction without even resting, making both Murim Alliance and Unorthodox Alliance members look utterly pathetic.

“Ahem ahem. Everyone seems quite tired from the continued forced march – how about taking a rest?”

“Taking turns resting in the carriages is enough. If they cross Shinkang into the western territories, we’ll regret it for a thousand years, so now is not the time to rest.”

“Hrm!”

“……”

The only consolation was that the Crimson Blood Demonic Sovereign and Sama Hwang, perhaps feeling some responsibility for causing this ordeal, were unusually following the forced march without complaint unlike their usual selves.

After riding for some time like this, a loud shout erupted from those at the front.

“We see them! We’ve caught up to the Demon Sect people!”

Beyond the hill, the Demon Sect members were arrayed in formation with weapons raised in the desert.

The killing intent and pressure emanating from the Demon Sect’s main fighting force, elderly masters, and elders was on a completely different level from the young disciples faced in the east.

“Woooahhh!”

However, the strike force roared fiercely without showing any fear.

The members of the strike force were elites carefully selected from the Murim Alliance and Unorthodox Alliance.

As the martial world’s strongest fighting force created to face the Demon Sect, with over half being peak masters, elders and top disciples of major sects, they naturally wouldn’t be pressured by this level of intensity.

“Noisy.”

When the elderly man at the front muttered in a small voice, silence fell over the scene.

Everyone received no small shock from the profound internal energy contained within.

However, the Crimson Blood Demonic Sovereign stepped forward with a bright smile instead.

“You do have skills worthy of the grandiose title Heaven-Communicating Divine Demon. But with just that level, to think you’re the strongest under heaven…”

“Half-human Half-demon Yi Hosan.”

“…Heavenly Sword Emperor.”

“Ahem! What, it wasn’t Hae Cheongyeong?”

Leaving behind the coughing Crimson Blood Demonic Sovereign, the Heavenly Sword Emperor made a respectful fist-palm greeting.

“It’s been a while.”

“We’re not exactly on casual greeting terms, are we?”

“But starting with blade-drawing right away seems a bit much too, doesn’t it? We might be able to resolve this through dialogue.”

“You think dialogue is possible in this situation?”

“Well, who knows.”

Like the saying about even a rat looking for an escape hole before chasing, the Heavenly Sword Emperor decided to give the Demon Sect members a way out.

“If you hand over Sect Leader Hae Cheongyeong, we’ll withdraw and pursue no further.”

“……”

“While we’ll seal his martial arts and place restrictions, I promise on my name as the Heavenly Sword Emperor that we won’t harm him beyond that and will treat him as an honored guest.”

“Who decided that! I want to fight Hae Cheongyeong!”

Despite the Crimson Blood Demonic Sovereign’s protests, the Heavenly Sword Emperor didn’t back down at all.

The Demon Sect members here were truly the elite of elites, so if they attacked while disregarding death, they would clearly inflict massive casualties.

“Sect Leader Hae Cheongyeong! Come out! There’s no reason to shed more pointless blood!”

With the Demon Sect’s base in the Ten Thousand Mountains burning and future talents gone, it would be difficult to regain their past glory even after decades of rebuilding, so he judged it best to secure Hae Cheongyeong, their greatest threat, and withdraw.

“……”

However, despite the Heavenly Sword Emperor’s persuasion with all his soul, the Demon Sect members showed no wavering and instead openly looked at them with mocking expressions.

As everyone including the Heavenly Sword Emperor was bewildered by this incomprehensible reaction, Elder Yi Hosan burst into loud laughter.

“Kahahahaha! You foolish ones! We are mere bait! The Sect Leader headed east with the disciples and young talents!”

“…Huh?”

“Even if we all die today, as long as the Sect Leader and the talents who will be responsible for the future escaped safely, our holy sect will definitely revive someday. And we will sweep away the hypocritical Murim Alliance and cowardly Unorthodox Alliance to achieve the demon path’s rule over the world! Warriors of the holy sect! This is a glorious holy war for our sect! Draw your swords!”

“Wait! What do you mean Hae Cheongyeong went east…”

“Charge!”

“Demon Lord rules, all demons submit!”

BOOM!

Though the Heavenly Sword Emperor tried to continue the conversation after realizing something was wrong, Yi Hosan gave orders a step faster.

‘If he’s not in the east or west, where on earth is Hae Cheongyeong…’

BOOM!

“You dare have leisure for other thoughts before me!”

“Kuk!”

After deflecting the ki blasts that reached right before his eyes, the Heavenly Sword Emperor half-opened his eyes and drew up the internal energy in his dantian.

Though Hae Cheongyeong’s whereabouts bothered him unbearably, the Half-human Half-demon Yi Hosan was not an opponent he could defeat while distracted elsewhere.

Having decided to focus on the battle before his eyes for now, the Heavenly Sword Emperor swung his beloved sword.