Chapter 307: Return (3)

The Left Guardian, Bloodless Thousand Slaughter Mujung.

He was someone who had retired and disappeared from public view after Cheon Yura had taken the position of Cult Leader in my previous life.

No, to be more precise, it was more accurate to say that he had been pushed out by Cheon Yura’s large-scale Guardian Hall restructuring policy.

After that, Mujung had completely disappeared from the Heavenly Demon Cult, saying that he would follow his vanished master.

‘There was no way his retirement had been by choice.’

Even now, it seemed clear.

The usual age for retired martial artists to enter the Heavenly Demon Hall was after seventy.

However, his current age was in his early fifties, not much different from the Cult Leader.

More importantly, as a master who had reached the Extreme Demon Realm, he still had at least twenty to thirty years of activity left in him.

‘The next generation of the Guardian Hall can’t be trusted. Mujung must be secured within the Guardian Hall.’

Now, how would the Left Guardian react?

“What do you mean by that?”

“Exactly as I said.”

I gave a subtle, almost irritating smile.

“It’s customary for the Guardian Hall to change hands when the Cult Leader’s position is succeeded, much like the rear waters of the Yangtze pushing out the front.”

“…So?”

Facing his suspicious gaze, I presented a promise that sounded fairly credible.

“I can ask Yura to grant you the currently vacant position of Great Guardian.”

“……!”

“Shouldn’t you step back into the light as well, Left Guardian?”

Unlike the Left and Right Guardians, who were thoroughly overshadowed by the Cult Leader, the Great Guardian held a certain degree of political influence.

Especially since the Great Guardian appointed by the newly instated Cult Leader could, until her rule stabilized, enjoy power second only to the Cult Leader herself.

Mujung snapped at me, feigning anger.

“How dare you, when you aren’t even the Cult Leader, utter such insolent words?”

I calmly replied.

“I may not be the Cult Leader, but I can become the Demonic Faction Lord, the Cult Leader’s husband.”

His mouth fell shut.

“And Yura would listen to me, at least to some extent.”

Even though I referred to her not as ‘Young Cult Leader’ but as ‘Yura’, the Left Guardian showed no particular reaction.

He, too, must have already acknowledged the relationship between me and Yura to some degree.

“Yura needs masters whose loyalty has been proven.”

Once Yura took over as Cult Leader, there would definitely be a massive reorganization of power within the cult.

From the Five Great Halls to the Nine Demon Halls and the Seventeen Parties, a generational shift would surely sweep through all sectors.

And in the gaps created by that shift, it was certain that the anti-Cheon Yura faction, led by the Cheon Clan, would insert their own pawns.

“The Guardian Hall is no exception. Among the next generation of Guardian Lions, many are already puppets of the Cheon Clan.”

“…….”

“Becoming Cult Leader is not the end. Internal and external threats still remain, and it would take at least ten years to escape the shadow of the current Cult Leader.”

In order to break through such a situation, endless talent was needed.

“Will you help us?”

---

Gok Won, one of the Elders of the Jongnam Sect, always started his day by inspecting the walls of Xi’an City.

“You’ve come, Elder!”

“Yes.”

Countless disciples of the Jongnam Sect greeted Gok Won with respect, but his expression didn’t seem pleased.

“So, no movements from those demonic bastards?”

“No, nothing yet.”

“Is that so?”

About fifty li north of Xi’an, a force of no less than fifteen thousand cultists of the Demonic Cult had camped, keeping Xi’an well within their striking range.

“Still, would those demonic bastards really dare attack the city? Doing so would make an enemy of the Imperial Court….”

“Hmm… who knows?”

Gok Won let out a small groan.

There was a faint, naive hope that even the Demonic Cult wouldn’t go so far as to harm the people inside the city.

But considering the history of the Demonic Wars, he couldn’t afford to let his guard down.

“Ha… What the hell are those demonic bastards thinking…?”

Historically, the Demonic Cult’s invasion strategy had always been swift and decisive.

They usually wiped out major sects scattered across the land in one fell swoop, never allowing the enemy time to regroup.

However, judging from their recent movements, something felt off.

‘Could it be that a civil war is breaking out within the Demonic Cult?’

It was a highly plausible theory.

Throughout history, there had been many instances where internal conflicts had been deflected outward through war.

Just then—

“H-Huh?”

“What is it?”

One of the sharp-eyed first-rank disciples standing at the front trembled as he pointed toward something.

“E-Elder, look over there….”

“Hmm?”

Gok Won focused his qi into his eyes and looked toward where the disciple was pointing.

Far off in the distance, a mountainside suddenly burst apart.

“…What?”

It was too far to hear any sound.

However, soon after, a blood-red dragon and a black dragon could be seen rising into the sky, each trying to devour the other.

“W-What the hell is that?!”

Had a scholar seen it, they would have insisted it be recorded in the annals of history.

As a master who had reached the Peak Master Level, Gok Won immediately recognized that this was a clash between supreme martial artists and understood just how overwhelming their power was.

“J-Judging by the direction, it’s definitely from the Demonic Cult’s camp.”

“……!!”

Someone muttered blankly.

“C-Could it be a civil war?”

‘A civil war?’

Gok Won had met several warriors who were known as the Eight Lords, masters of the Peak Realm.

However, even those masters couldn’t display such overwhelming might.

‘Only the Five Kings of the Central Plains might be capable of that…’

The level was so high, it couldn’t even be properly gauged.

At that moment—

“D-Demonic Heavenly Dragon!”

“What?”

“That black dragon’s master is definitely Demonic Heavenly Dragon!”

Gok Won turned to look at the speaker with a dumbfounded expression.

A man clad in a martial robe adorned with a plum blossom.

Once hailed as the great hope of Mount Hua, but now fallen to ruin like a mere wreck—Ja Cheongun, the Fallen Seventh Sword Dragon.

He had once been counted among the Six Righteous Dragons of the orthodox sects, but that was in the past. He had never been more than a late-blooming talent.

There was no way someone like him could recognize a supernatural phenomenon happening dozens of li away.

Yet, with his body trembling, he shouted.

“I-It’s definitely him! My senses are telling me I’m not wrong!”

Having shouted that, Ja Cheongun jumped right off the wall and began running toward the scene.

“H-Hey?!”

“Get back here, you crazy bastard!”

Everyone guarding the wall was horrified.

Ja Cheongun’s action was clearly desertion in the middle of wartime!

“E-Elder! What should we do?”

Though he was a disciple of another sect, they could still be held accountable for failing to stop such an open act of desertion.

Gok Won quickly made his decision.

“We’re going after him.”

“Whaaat?!”

Gok Won coughed awkwardly and turned his head.

“Ahem! It’s not that I’m curious about what’s happening over there or anything… but wouldn’t it be troublesome if Mount Hua started nitpicking, saying we couldn’t even manage a failure like him?”

“……”

“……”

It was obvious he was curious about what was going on over there.

But with their leader standing right in front of them, there was nothing the disciples could do.

“Let’s go.”

“…Yes, sir.”

Like convicts being dragged to hell, the disciples of Jongnam nodded with grim faces.

About one hour earlier.

“It seems we can no longer suppress the urge to fight.”

“……”

The supreme commander of the Central Plains conquest campaign and the Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Cult, Cheon Yura, frowned as she looked at the towering stack of petitions before her.

“Is this all of them?”

“For now, yes.”

Sa Biyeon nodded as she cautiously observed Cheon Yura’s expression.

All the petitions stacked in front of her contained the same request—start the battle immediately.

“The excuse that we’re buying time for the righteous factions to gather their forces is no longer convincing.”

“……”

“Besides, both Lord Saber Demon and your vice-commander, Sword Demon, are pushing for the battle as well…”

With two political allies pressing this hard, even Cheon Yura had no choice.

If she avoided battle any longer, not only would her authority as the Young Cult Leader suffer a massive blow, but the army itself might begin to collapse.

Cheon Yura let out a deep sigh, closing her eyes.

“So… there is no other way. I had hoped to hold out until he arrived…”

“Young Cult Leader…”

Sa Biyeon watched her master with eyes full of pity.

Just then, a Guardian Lion rushed in from outside and shouted.

“Young Cult Leader! Envoys from the Cult are approaching!”

“Envoys?”

Bang!

Cheon Yura’s body shot up as if she had been waiting for this moment.

An additional report followed immediately.

“L-Lord Jin Yeomyung is among them! He is coming with the Left Guardian!”

“…!!”

“At last!”

Sa Biyeon clenched her fists tightly.

Though it was a bit later than expected, the fact that Jin Yeomyung was arriving with the Guardian Lions meant all the necessary preparations had already been completed.

“That’s a relief, Young Cult Leader. At least the worst can be avoided—”

But her words slowly trailed off.

“…Young Cult Leader?”

“W-Why are you looking at me like that, Biyeon?”

“Why… why has your face turned so red?”

“Who! Who said such nonsense?!”

Sa Biyeon’s expression tilted slightly with suspicion.

Her master’s face was practically the color of a ripe persimmon.

She didn’t know the reason, but she could guess well enough.

“Biyeon.”

“Yes?”

Cheon Yura stood up and belted her sword around her waist.

“I shall take this opportunity to patrol the surrounding units and commend the commanders for their efforts. You stay here and greet him.”

“……”

“Then, I shall take my leave…”

Sa Biyeon quickly grabbed her master’s waist as she tried to slip away.

“Where do you think you’re going?!”

“L-Let me go!”

“It’s the Young Master Jin you’ve been waiting for so desperately! Why are you trying to avoid seeing his face now?!”

As the maid ruthlessly struck the heart of the matter, Cheon Yura instinctively flailed in denial.

“N-Nonsense! Don’t talk nonsense!”

“You should be rushing to handle this as quickly as possible! If you avoid meeting Young Master Jin now, things will only get worse!”

I know.

I already know.

But still!

I just couldn’t help feeling embarrassed!

“Let me go!”

“No!”

The struggle between the master trying to escape and the maid trying to stop her continued.

At that moment, a clicking sound of the tongue came from outside.

“The whole army’s on edge, but in here, it’s like a flower garden.”

“Ah.”

“Ahhh…”

“If any of the brats back home acted like this during wartime, their heads would’ve been chopped off on the spot… but what can I do? A powerless vice-commander with only one arm can only stand and watch.”

“……”

“……”

Sa Biyeon slowly let go of Cheon Yura’s waist.

Cheon Yura, too, sat back down quietly, embarrassed that she had just shown such a disgraceful sight in front of that particular person.

The man who had joined this war as Cheon Yura’s vice-commander.

It was the Lord of the Blood Dragon Demonic Clan, Sword Demon Ma Seonghwan, who spoke again.

“I heard earlier that the brat from the Jin Clan is coming here with a letter from the Cult Leader.”

“Yes, Clan Lord Ma.”

Sa Biyeon responded on behalf of Cheon Yura, who was still gathering her scattered thoughts.

“There could only be one reason for the Cult Leader’s letter at this point. It must be an order to retreat.”

Ma Seonghwan had already seen through Cheon Yura’s desire to avoid battle.

Though her soft attitude didn’t particularly please him, in the end, both he and the Blood Dragon Demonic Clan were on the same boat as the Young Cult Leader.

As long as they weren’t turning their backs on each other entirely, cooperation was inevitable.

“However, if you retreat here, the Young Cult Leader’s political standing will suffer a fatal blow. No matter how clever that brat might be, this will give plenty of room for your enemies to strike.”

Ma Seonghwan let out a sharp grin.

“For example, the Heavenly Thunder Corps, or the Cheon Clan. Or perhaps… the other clans of the Six Great Demonic Clans?”

“……”

“……”

Sa Biyeon’s expression instantly darkened.

Although Ma Seonghwan appeared to be siding with Cheon Yura, his nature was clearly that of a warmonger.

And it was highly likely that his own Blood Dragon Demonic Clan was among those ‘other clans’ he had just mentioned.

“Uh…”

Just as Cheon Yura was about to open her mouth—

“It seems the Clan Lord has quite the objection to retreating.”

“…!”

A figure suddenly made their presence known at the entrance.

Flash!

In an instant, the Sword Demon drew his sword with lightning speed toward the entrance.

Kaaang!

However…

The Sword Demon’s swift strike failed to reach its target.

“Is this how you express your embarrassment for failing to notice my presence?”

“…Not bad.”

A young man appeared, having easily blocked the Sword Demon’s strike with the scabbard of his sword.

Jin Yeomyung, who had somehow blocked the attack with his scabbard, smirked as he looked at the Sword Demon.

“From what I just heard, it seems you’re quite unhappy about retreating…”

“……”

“Well, if you’re so upset, how about we settle it right here?”

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