Chapter 189
After escaping from the Sun God Palaces campsite, Baek Mu-Gun and the survivors of the special task force stopped at a hill about an hour away from the enemy.
Thank you. Youre the reason we survived. The special task forces captain, Peng Won-Yi of the Hebei Peng Family, expressed his gratitude on behalf of the surviving special task force members.
Its fine. It would have been great if I could save the others. It truly is a pity, Mu-Gun replied.
It is regrettable that they had to lay down their lives, but we were already prepared for death when we came here. I am simply glad that we accomplished our objective. Otherwise, their sacrifice would have been in vain.
Your dedication for murim deserves respect.
I dont think it is respectable. Compared to what you have done so far, we have done nothing.
I beg to disagree. Although I have made a lot of contributions, I have never risked my life to complete a task like what you all did. Your willingness to sacrifice yourself for the sake of murim is something I dare not imitate.
Hearing you praise us makes me proud. That aside, what brings you here? Won-Yi asked out of curiosity. Last I heard, you were on your way back to Central Plains after destroying the Spindle Sect in Beihai.
I was, but when I heard about what the Sun God Palace was doing, I immediately made my way here to help, Mu-Gun answered.
We heard a series of deafening blasts from deep inside the Sun God Palaces campsite. Was that perhaps your doing, esteemed Golden Shield Thunder God?
Yes. Before they fought the Northern Sky Branch, I launched a surprise attack to reduce their strength even if just by a little bit. When I saw a fire break out, I came running.
It seems like the heavens were out to protect us. Did the surprise attack pay off? The deafening blast that we heard made it seem like the fight was quite difficult.
I dont know for sure, but at the very least, I have wounded many of their high-ranked martial arts masters.
You mean those above the Upper Peak Realm?
Yes.
You are as amazing as amazing I expected. Won-Yi looked surprised. I cannot believe you infiltrated the enemy camp alone and defeated a large number of their masters.
The rest of the special task force also looked quite astonished.
It was only possible because they let down their guard, Mu-Gun said.
Even if they were careless, breaking through their tight security is still no easy feat. You are truly amazing.
I agree. If Im being honest, even the esteemed elders, the Seven Saints, would not be able to do what you have done, The Great Huangfu Familys Huangfu Yin praised Mu-Gun at the cost of the Seven Saints.
The martial artists of the Seven Great Families saw the Seven Saints as God-like existences. Nevertheless, Huangfu Yin did not just compare Mu-Gun to them but even regarded his martial arts highly, which was a testament to how much he acknowledged him.
I fear that the Seven Saints will be unnecessarily displeased if they hear that, Mu-Gun replied.
That will not happen. The Seven Saints will definitely also recognize your skills and be pleased to hear about your achievements.
Huangfu Yins remarks made Mu-Gun suppress a bitter smile. The majority of murim did not know the true nature of the Seven Saints. What if they found out that the Seven Saints killed the Heavenly Thunder Divine Sword Guyang Hwi to secure the Seven Great Families power?
Mu-Gun was disgusted that they were revered as saints who saved murim despite actually being wicked scoundrels. He wanted to reveal all their immoral deeds, but no one would believe him. For now, all he could do was put up with it.
Considering their masters have sustained heavy injuries and the supplies and food they would need to sustain the battle have been burned down, there is a high possibility that they will retreat, Won-Yi said.
We will have to wait and see to find out. Even if they lose most of their high-ranked martial arts masters, the other factions of the Nine Celestial Demons Sect in the Central Plains can simply send reinforcements to increase their numbers again. Supplies and food are also important factors, but from what Ive seen, they have some stored in other places aside from the north corner of their campsite. Although the special task force has burned down quite a substantial amount, it will be difficult to make them retreat with just that alone.
Why dont we get rid of the rest of their supplies and food, then? Mu-Gun shook his head. They will definitely be on high alert now that we have struck them once. It would be tens of times more difficult to do that now.
With all due respect, if you join the operation, are we not bound to succeed? Huangfu Yin reasoned.
Even if I join you, the results wont be much different.
Young Master Baek is right, Bong Tae-Kwon, a martial arts master from the Mount Hua Sect, said. Considering he has hit them hard already, they would definitely be prepared for any other surprise attacks now. If we act recklessly, we will be the one in danger,
What do you think we should do, then, Young Master Baek? Yuk Ja-Geon, a Zongnan Sect martial artist, asked.
It would be best to follow behind them and observe for now, Mu-Gun answered.
Good idea.
The special task force agreed with Mu-Gun.
Lets get some rest until the break of dawn for now. We will move when they do. Mu-Gun said.
Understood.
Mu-Gun and the special task force prepared a place to rest and waited until dawn broke. They stayed on high alert in case the Sun God Palaces pursuit team managed to track them down, but they fortunately didnt.
At dawn, they had a light breakfast composed of provisions and beef jerky, which they brought with them, and then monitored the Sun God Palace. After having breakfast, the troops of the three enemy forces cleared up the campsite and made their way to Shanyin at around sashi[1].
After confirming that the enemy was advancing, Mu-Gun and the special task force monitored them for another hour before trailing them. It would be too hard to fight them in broad daylight, and they could not follow behind them too closely either. Otherwise, they could find themselves in an ambush or a trap.
Hence, for now, they just followed them from a safe distance.
* * *
Tyrant Divine Demon Gu Pae-Cheon sent the Blood Ring Gang to Shanyin County as the advance party of the Tyrant Cult and the Sun God Palaces forces. He ordered them to destroy Shanyin County and kill all of its citizens.
As commanded, Blood Ring Gang Chief Gi Woon-Gyung led his elite martial artists to Shanyin County, massacring its inhabitants and burning their homes. The Blood Ring Gang also looted the Shanyin Countys government office before setting it on fire and killing all the officials inside.
It took them less than two hours to lay waste to the county. They killed anyone who breathed, even animals.
Afterward, at the entrance of Shanyin County, the Blood Ring Gang hung a poster that stated that the countys people were wiped out as the price for the damages that the Thunder Gods successor and the Central Plains Murim Alliance caused them. It also warned that they would do the same thing again if the Thunder Gods successor and the Central Plains Murim Alliance were to attack them again.
Arriving in Shanyin County late, Tyrant Cult Patriarch Gu Pae-Cheon praised the contribution of the Blood Ring Gang. He then headed toward Shuozhou.
Two hours later, Mu-Gun and the special task force arrived at Shanyin County, finding it in ruins. It was strewn with corpses and drenched with blood. They stood rooted to the ground as if they were stones.
The horrible sight rendered Mu-Gun and the special task force speechless. After collecting their bearings, they checked the poster at the entrance.
Amitabha, are they really human beings? If they still had a conscience, they would never have done something this cruel, Won Gwang of the Shaolin Temple said, his hands trembling in anger while holding onto his rosary.
Have you only figured that out now? They are demons, not humans. They will bring the world to ruin. To save the world, we have to get rid of them all, leaving none of them behind.
I agree. I will never forgive those demons for doing something this terrible.
The special task force all burst into anger.
Calm down, everyone. We definitely cannot win against them with our current forces. Even if we can, the poster over there states that if we attack or cause them damage again, they will kill even more innocent. Won-Yi said, attempting to calm them down.
Are we supposed to just sit still and watch?
That is our best choice for now. When they arrive in Taiyuan and begin fighting the Northern Sky Branch, we can let our anger loose to our hearts' content. Until then, we have to bottle up our rage.
Knowing full well that he was right, the special task force could not disagree.
What do you think? Huangfu Yin asked Mu-Gun.
For now, I think it would be best to do as Master Peng says.
Mu-Gun, like the special task force, wanted to chase down and kill the Tyrant Cult and Sun God Palace for the bloodbath they caused. However, he could not handle the Absolute-Realm masters of both the Tyrant Cult and Sun God Palace alone. It was best to listen to the enemys warnings until he was confident that they could be annihilated.
We will not touch them until we reach Taiyuan, then. Lets focus on following them.
Having made a decision, Won-Yi took the lead, followed by Mu-Gun and the rest of the special task force.
* * *
While the Tyrant Cult headed to Taiyuan, Shanxi Province with the Sun God Palace in the vanguard, the Myriad Poison Sect advanced to Guangxi Province from Nanman with the Sky Beast Palace and the Green Snake Gang in the forefront.
Guangxi Province was located at the frontier of murim, which did not have any significant murim forces. However, the Green Snake Gang still had some influence over it since it used to be their home base until they had to retreat to Nanman to avoid the Guangdong Jin Familys invasion. At the very least, none of its establishments could defy them, so the Myriad Poison Sect and the Sky Beast Palace could enter it without any interference.
After receiving word that those factions had entered Guangxi Province, the Southern Sky Branch in Hunan Province was immediately put in a state of emergency and immediately investigated the three forces routes. The Myriad Poison Sect and the forces under its banner passed by Nanning and headed toward Liuzhou, which was in the center of Guangxi Province. From there, they would have two paths to choose from.
They could either enter Hunan Province, where the Southern Sky Branch was, or go to Guangdong Province, the home of the Guangdong Jin Family, which was now an ownerless clan since it sent all its troops to Hunan Province. Entering Hunan Province would result in a head-on confrontation with the Southern Sky Branch, and entering Guangdong Province would simply allow them to rob an empty house.
The Southern Sky Branch was more worried about the Myriad Poison Sect going to Guangdong Province instead of Hunan Province. If that happened, the Guangdong Jin Familys forces would likely leave their post to protect their home base.
When the Murim Alliance agreed to gather all its forces in the four branches, they set a rule that prevented anyone from taking individual actions even if their headquarters were attacked. Nevertheless, it was unclear whether they would still uphold that rule if their base was attacked.
Not letting such an opportunity go, the Myriad Poison Sect divided its troops into two. The Myriad Poison Sect and the Sky Beast Palace would head to Hunan Province, whereas the Green Snake Gang would advance toward Guangdong Province.
Their plan was simple. The Green Snake Gang would attack the Guangdong Jin Familys home base to make the latters forces leave their post in the Southern Sky Branch.
The Myriad Poison Sect and the Sky Beast Palace moved separately from the Green Snake Gang, which wasnt really that helpful in a fight, to prevent all the forces of the Southern Sky Branch from flocking to Guangdong Province. By separating the Guangdong Jin Familys forces from the Southern Sky Branch, they could wipe out the rest of the Southern Sky Branchs forces.
The executives of the Wudang Sect and the four Great Families convened a meeting as soon as news of the enemys movements reached the Southern Sky Branch. Wudang Sect Patriarch, Supreme Elder Hyun Cheon, Great Namgung Family Patriarch Namgung Jo, Great Ximen Family Patriarch Ximen Guang, Guangdong Jin Family Patriarch Jin Mu-Wei, and Great Zhuge Family Patriarch Zhuge Bo gathered at the Great Ximen Familys meeting hall.
Everyone must have heard that our enemy has split up their forces and are now advancing to both Hunan Province and Guangdong Province. I convened this meeting to discuss countermeasures. Namgung Jo, the leader of the Southern Sky Branch, began.
It would be best to listen to what Patriarch Jin has to say first. Zhuge Bo looked at Mu-Wei.
Are you concerned that the Jin Family will leave the Southern Sky Branch and return to Guangdong Province, Patriarch Zhuge? Mu-Wei directed the question back at Zhuge Bo.
That is right. When the four branches of the Central Plains Murim Alliance were established, we made a rule that each respective force would have to prioritize the order of the branches even if their home base was attacked. However, I know theres a chance that we would change our minds if our home base is actually in danger.
Let me be clear, then. The Guangdong Jin Family will not leave the Southern Sky Branch without permission, Mu-Wei replied with a firm expression.
I would like to thank you on behalf of murim, Patriarch Jin. Murim will never forget the noble and courageous decision that you have made for its sake, Namgung Jo said, praising Mu-Weis resolute decision.
That is right. If murim learns that you prioritized it over everything else, no one will spare any effort in restoring the Jin Familys base should something happen to it. The same goes for us, the Ximen Family, Ximen Guang added.
Thank you, Mu-Wei responded.
Now, then. Let us not worry about the Jin Familys possible desertion anymore and discuss how to stop the Myriad Poison Sect and the Sky Beast Palace, which are making their way to us as we speak, Namgung Jo said.
1. . Refers to the time between 9-11 am.
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