Chapter 1454
Please take care of me from now on. (4)
Kaang!
The clash of swords and sabers resounded violently.
“Do not let the vile remnants of Sapaeryeon set foot here! We are Diancang!”
Men in deep blue martial robes shouted at the top of their lungs. On the other side, martial artists in red robes sneered as they pressed forward.
Flames rose here and there, blood soaked the ground, and lifeless bodies lay strewn about.
Cheon Myeon Susa’s eyes blazed like the fire consuming the surroundings.
“…They’re holding out quite well.”
Naturally, they would be.
It is different from Qingcheng or Emei, who were attacked without any warning. Unless Diancang were idiots, they couldn’t have not known that they would be targeted next. Their response had to be different from those who had been trampled underfoot before.
Moreover, the forces of Sapaeryeon attacking them were not the same as before. Paegun and Maninbang were not here this time. However…
“Press them harder.”
“M-Munju, but…”
Cheon Myeon Susa shot a cold glare at his subordinate, causing him to flinch and nod vigorously.
“Yes, understood!”
As the subordinate hurriedly rushed forward, a short, sharp click of the tongue escaped from Cheon Myeon Susa’s mouth.
‘I don’t like this.’
Cheon Myeon Susa understood the situation well. He knew it would take time to bring these men down. He was not as dull as the Black Dragon King.
Despite knowing all this, he was furious at the current state of affairs, which starkly contrasted his abilities with those of Jang Ilso. What if Jang Ilso had come here? If he had led Maninbang instead of Haomun and attacked Diancang with the Blood Cult?
Things wouldn’t be dragging on like this.
“Second-in-command…”
The three words fell from his tongue, causing a dull ache. When he became the head of Haomun, he thought he would never have to bow to anyone again. Yet here he was, strangely unbothered by the situation.
“Argh!”
A dreadful scream from the front made him cackle.
“Not a bad thing.”
Sapaeryeon had already subjugated not just Sichuan but even Yunnan. The position of second-in-command in such a powerful alliance? It was a far superior position compared to the Munju of Haomun.
Submit to Jang Ilso and become the second-in-command, or defy him and die. Even a three-year-old could make that choice.
Crack.
His hands made a cracking sound. Spreading his hands, he slowly walked forward.
“First, I need to prove my worth, don’t I?”
And the blood of Diancang would be the evidence of that.
❀ ❀ ❀
Same Time.
The eyes of the person receiving the urgent report grew dark.
“Again.”
“Yes, Abbot. Ch-Cheonumaeng… Instead of heading to Diancang, they went to aid the Tang clan. Even after saving them, they did not head to Diancang but continued north!”
The one delivering the report involuntarily shrank back.
The condition for Gupailbang to support Cheonumaeng was one: save Diancang. But now, running to the Tang clan instead of Diancang was nothing less than a complete betrayal.
So it was expected that Abbot Beop Jong’s great fury would erupt.
However…
“They’re heading to Shaanxi, you say?”
“Y-yes.”
“Amitabha.”
Beop Jong chanted a quiet Buddhist invocation, nodding slowly.
“So it has come to this.”
“…”
Everyone subtly watched Beop Jong for his reaction. But instead of the expected fury, Beop Jong just continued chanting.
In that strange silence, it was not Beop Jong who exploded in anger but the Sect Leader of Kongtong, Jongli Hyeong.
“What does this mean? Cheonumaeng clearly promised us they would save Diancang! Why are they heading to Shaanxi?”
The messenger kept his mouth tightly shut.
He was only relaying the information he had received from the Beggars Sect, so he had no way of knowing the details. Thus, he was at a loss for words.
“Check again! Could they really be heading to Shaanxi?”
“It’s no use.”
The one who answered Jongli Hyeong’s question was none other than Paeng Yeop.
“If they intended to save Diancang, they would have gone there from the start. The moment they chose to save the Tang clan first, Diancang’s fate had been sealed.”
“Th-that can’t be…”
Jongli Hyeong’s face turned pale.
“Abbot, shouldn’t we go, then? Qingcheng and Emei have already fallen. We can’t lose Diancang too, can we?”
“There is no way.”
“What?”
“Amitabha.”
Beop Jong shook his head slowly.
“Diancang won’t hold out until we arrive. Jang Ilso is not a man to be trifled with – they might last two days at most.”
Jongli Hyeong’s eyes narrowed, and he looked at Beop Jong in bewilderment.
“Two days… did you say?”
“Yes. So there is nothing we can do.”
“…”
Jongli Hyeong opened his mouth as if to say something but then closed it tightly without a word.
“The calamity that has befallen Diancang is indeed tragic… but this makes it certain.”
As Jongli Hyeong, who would usually speak up, remained silent, Paeng Yeop filled the gap.
“What do you mean?”
“The righteousness that Cheonumaeng so fervently boasts is nothing more than looking out for their own.”
Paeng Yeop’s eyes sharpened.
“All we asked for in aiding them was to save Diancang from the threat of Sapaeryeon. But they have nonchalantly broken their promise to us. If the righteous path they spoke of was truly as important to them as they claimed, they would never have abandoned Diancang like this.”
Everyone nodded in agreement upon hearing this. Some even bit their lips in anger, harboring resentment towards Cheonumaeng.
“Do you understand now why I have been so wary of Cheonumaeng’s existence?”
“…Abbot.”
Beop Jong shook his head.
“There is nothing more dangerous than those who believe themselves to be righteous. Because they justify everything under the name of that righteousness. I want to ask the leader of Cheonumaeng: is abandoning the promise we made and rushing to help their closer allies truly the righteousness they speak of?”
“Hmm.”
A sigh escaped Jongli Hyeong’s lips.
“Inform them.”
“Yes?”
“Send letters to each sect informing them of the current situation. Let them know that Qingcheng, Emei, and now Diancang have fallen. The claws of Sapaeryeon will not spare anyone.”
“…”
“Tell them it is imperative that we all join forces. Summon the leaders of each sect in my name. Immediately.”
“Yes, Abbot.”
Paeng Yeop nodded resolutely. Beop Jong had made this plea several times before, but the response had never been overwhelming. This time, however, it would be different. It had to be different.
This was no longer a matter of gain but of survival. When the sun shines, you can rest anywhere, but when it rains heavily, even a small eave becomes precious shelter.
“And convey this clearly: this will be the last opportunity. Shaolin will no longer go out of its way to drag along those unwilling to follow.”
“Yes, Abbot. I will convey it as such.”
Despite his words, Beop Jong would not let them slip away. He was determined to consolidate the remaining forces of the world under the banner of Gupailbang during this crisis.
“And also.”
“Yes, Abbot.”
A cold glint shone in Beop Jong’s eyes.
“Announce it to the world. From this day forth, Shaolin and Gupailbang will no longer regard the factions under Cheonumaeng favorably. They bear responsibility for the destruction of Diancang, and we will offer them no aid.”
“But, Abbot, that is…”
“Do as I command!”
“Y-Yes! Understood!”
The declaration would spread. Through countless disciples, through the Beggars Sect, and through the many worldly clans that had allied themselves with Gupailbang. It would become known that Cheonumaeng and Gupailbang had irrevocably parted ways.
Faced with this immense inferno, those frightened by it would inevitably seek refuge in a place they found familiar and trustworthy. Under the banner of Gupailbang and the name of Shaolin.
Paeng Yeop unconsciously clenched and loosened his fists.
‘Abbot…’
Gupailbang had indeed suffered irreparable losses. Qingcheng, Emei, and now Diancang. Three of the major sects had fallen. However, from another perspective, those three sects had never been cooperative with Shaolin. They had never once followed Beop Jong’s directives and had openly criticized his actions. To Beop Jong, they were more of a burden than an asset.
In losing these three sects, Beop Jong had restored the crumbling prestige of Gupailbang. If the sects of the world now rallied under the name of Shaolin, Beop Jong’s words would carry a weight unlike ever before.
A vicious, unyielding enemy and a lost sense of legitimacy – these two factors would be the foundation upon which Gupailbang would once again shine.
Ironically so.
‘Is this truly a loss?’
Well, it depended on one’s perspective. It was undeniable that Gupailbang had significantly lost their deployable forces.
But from Beop Jong’s standpoint, was it really a loss? Did he truly see this situation as a disadvantage?
Paeng Yeop scrutinized Beop Jong’s expression with his sharp gaze but could read nothing from the Abbot’s face.
“Amitabha.”
Beop Jong chanted a Buddhist invocation and closed his eyes.
“We have paid an immense price. We have been betrayed and lost our comrades.”
“…”
“But there is no time to grieve. Sapaeryeon will not stop at merely being a threat. We must now fight for the fate of the Central Plains. Prepare yourselves.”
“We will.”
“Hu…”
Beop Jong let out a short breath and stood up, as if he needed some fresh air to ease his troubled mind.
Those who had been watching Beop Jong also rose from their seats and left the room one by one. However, only one person, Jongli Hyeong, remained frozen like a stone statue.
His gaze was fixed on the door through which Beop Jong had left.
‘Two days.’
Within two days from now, Diancang would fall. In other words, even if Cheonumaeng had headed to Diancang from Nanjing at full speed, they wouldn’t have arrived in time to save them.
Despite knowing this, Beop Jong had deliberately pressured them into making that promise. Instead of seeking a viable way to save Diancang, he had forced Cheonumaeng into an impossible situation, driving them into a corner.
And what was the result of this?
‘You knew, didn’t you, Abbot?’
Jongli Hyeong suddenly felt a chill of fear.
To the outside world, it would seem that Gupailbang had done everything they could to help, only for Cheonumaeng to thoroughly betray them. That would be the prevailing perception.
But what was the truth within? Was that truly what he had witnessed?
“Huh…”
Jongli Hyeong closed his eyes.
“I’ve seen too much.”
So what if he had?
The stains of the secular world had clung to him since the moment he descended from the mountain. He, too, was already mired in this filthy swamp.
“Hahah…”
Jongli Hyeong’s hollow laughter filled the empty room.
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