C152
"Young Master, I, kugh, here, a-aghh-"
"Yes, I'm right here, waiting."
Cale lightly tapped the back of Priest Dust, who was struggling to hold back his nausea, and adjusted his pace.
"Sima Pyeong's taste is rather unique."
Should we say the people of the Evil Faction are like this?
The beautiful pavilion surrounded by crystal-clear waters. Amidst the smooth music of the musicians, a long carpet extended to the most important seat.
Banquet tables were arranged on both sides of this carpet.
The people who occupied those tables were key figures of the Evil Alliance.
'The right side is Neutral or Sima Pyeong's followers.'
And to the left, the Hostile Forces, led by the Nokrim Leader (Green Forest).
'It's interesting.'
Normally, high-ranking people would occupy the most prominent seats, but in the Sado Sect, they were just sitting randomly.
And while in this strange silence, everyone's gazes were directed at Cale.
Their gazes were truly amusing.
-Human! That guy who looks like a dolt like Toonka is staring at you!
By the way, that dolt was the Nokrim Leader.
Why do bandits all look cliché and uniformly similar?
To anyone, he looked like the Nokrim Leader.
-Human, it's strange, there are so many Evil Faction humans with strange expressions!
Raon's appreciation was spot on.
"Hehehe-"
A man winked at Cale while laughing as if he were drunk.
Or someone who cleaned a sharp blade and ran his tongue over his lips while looking at Cale-
Or even someone who looked at him as if they wanted to kill him.
There were all sorts of people.
As he passed by these people, Cale heard words for the first time other than the musicians' music.
"This must be the so-called Young Master Kim."
He turned to look.
The one sitting on the right.
The Neutral Leader of the Evil Alliance
The Pinnacle Demon
One of the Five Demons, the third one Cale had met, after the Carnage Demon and the Sword Demon.
'It's just as I heard.'
Being the oldest among the Five Demons, the Pinnacle Demon (극마) who had surpassed eighty years had a different original title.
Her original title was Venom Demon (독마).
She was the most famous in the Evil Faction for her venom.
At some point, however, her Martial Arts changed.
Determined to reach the peak of venom, she started studying all martial arts she came across, even third-rate martial arts.
However, for over twenty years, she was unable to find a martial art that matched her venom, and as a result, she said she had reached her limit and self-proclaimed herself the Pinnacle Demon.
'They say the relationship between the Emei Sect and the Tang Family of Sichuan isn't very good, right?'
The Emei Sect started as a group of hermits seeking wisdom and the Tao, and now it was one of the Nine Great Sects, composed of women.
And the Tang Family of Sichuan is one of the Five Great Families, famous for its venom and terrible temper.
The current Leader of the Emei Sect and the Pinnacle Demon had many confrontations when they were young, and now they called each other "sworn enemies."
And since the Tang Family of Sichuan pursued venom and deadly techniques, they had no choice but to keep the Pinnacle Demon in check.
'Isn't that why Sichuan is so chaotic?'
In general, in any region, one force tends to prevail. But it was said that in the area of the Tang Family of Sichuan, the rivalry between the Justice Faction and the Evil Faction was so intense that neither side had a clear advantage.
Among the powers of the Justice Faction were the Emei Sect, the Tang Family of Sichuan, and the Qingcheng Sect.
Among the powers of the Evil Faction were the Black Sword Sect, bandits who collected "taxes" from passing merchants, the Iron Family Mansion Leader, and the Pinnacle Demon.
Although there hadn't been any major clashes, tensions remained high in local Sichuan.
And there was now also the Silver Blue Commercial Guild, considered the branch or center of the Blood Cult.
'There will definitely be trouble.'
Cale sighed at the thought of the troubles, but soon a smile appeared on his face.
-Human! It's been a while since you laughed like that!
Because it would be Cale causing those troubles.
He was determined to turn everything upside down.
And for that, hadn't he been traveling back and forth and purifying for a long time?
Cale looked at the Pinnacle Demon's sharp eyes between her wrinkled eyelids and returned the smile.
"Hoo."
When the Pinnacle Demon gave a brief exclamation.
"Evil Alliance Leader. Why did you call me all of a sudden?"
Someone stopped Sima Pyeong, who hadn't sat down yet.
"Ha Ryeong."
The owner of this bandit-like name was the Nokrim Leader.
The Leader of the Nokrim's Seventy-Two Fortresses and the Eighteen Water Fortresses on the Yangtze River.
"Where did you put Ha Mun?"
He was even more disheveled than Toonka, and he looked at Sima Pyeong with a liquor cup in his hand.
His gaze was fierce.
"Ha Mun is fine."
"Haha! That's ridiculous. I haven't heard from Ha Mun since he met up with your sons."
As Ha Ryeong focused, the atmosphere began to turn increasingly bloody.
Ha Mun was the Second-in-Command of Nokrim, the one who had been chasing Cale, calling him Boss.
As you can imagine from the similarity of their names, Ha Ryeong and Ha Mun were more than comrades in the traditional sense. They treated each other like brothers more than real blood brothers.
Their bond was immense.
-Human! Did Ha Mun fall asleep while drinking with Toonka?
And now, he was asleep after drinking a lot at an inn somewhere in Guizhou.
Cale could see that Sima Pyeong was still looking at Ha Ryeong.
Sima Pyeong spoke to Ha Ryeong again while he grumbled angrily.
"He's fine."
"No, where is..."
"He's fine."
Ha Ryeong stopped.
And a soft smile formed on Sima Pyeong's lips.
"I've definitely told you three times. Ha Ryeong, do you understand? I hate having to repeat myself more than twice."
While this was happening, the music continued to play.
The fresh and spring-like music continued to sound.
However, there was only music.
No one else dared to speak.
"Hpmh."
What broke the silence was Ha-ryeong's snort.
"After all this time in silence, are you finally showing your true nature?"
With a thud, Ha Ryeong got up from his seat.
'Wow.'
Cale was impressed.
Cale knew that Toonka was giant compared to other humans. But he had never seen anyone so big in the Central Plains.
Shhhh.
Then, quietly, the chairs moved aside as two people stood up.
They were the people who had been sitting across from Ha Ryeong, and Cale looked at both of them in the eyes.
'The first and the fourth.'
Sima Seok, the first son, and Sima Tae, the fourth son. They got up and looked at Ha Ryeong.
An atmosphere of impulsiveness began to spread.
The atmosphere instantly became tense.
"True nature?"
Meanwhile, only Sima Pyeong seemed calm.
"What are you insinuating?"
Ha Ryeong's gaze shifted to Cale.
"Are you Young Master Kim Haeil?"
Cale nodded slightly.
At that, Ha Ryeong spat out.
"With all due respect to the Imperial Family, I have no interest in the Evil Faction negotiating with the Justice Faction and the Demon Cult, nor in bowing our heads to them."
Ha Ryeong glared at Sima Pyeong.
One by one, his followers stood up from their seats as if they agreed with him.
Though their attire varied, they all exuded a fierce atmosphere.
The Justice Faction grew under rigorous discipline and martial training, whether under strict rules or within the family.
The Demon Cult grew by strengthening their skills through rigorous training and competition of the strongest.
The Evil Faction was different from them.
Most of them had gone through a growth process distant from education and protection. They had truly learned martial arts and honed their skills to survive.
"Evil Alliance Leader!"
Ha Ryeong spoke.
"By bringing such an important person from the Imperial Palace here, does it mean you want us to negotiate with them just like the Justice Faction and the Demon Cult negotiated with each other?"
Sima Pyeong only laughed for a moment.
Then Ha Ryeong shouted in anger.
"I can't stand to see the Evil Alliance making a fool of itself!"
Crack.
The cup he had in his hand shattered.
"How did we earn our place on this land? By fighting! That's our only answer! And now what, negotiate? No way! We must not bend!"
The atmosphere around Ha Ryeong grew increasingly intense, and his followers shared his fervor.
Watching this, Cale thought, 'It's so ridiculous!'
Cale knew that bandits and highwaymen simply allowed passage to those who paid a toll, and he knew they never messed with officials.
Sometimes, they even accepted bribes.
Specifically, it was common for the Evil Faction to accept thieves and scoundrels into their ranks, so they could get away with it.
He had also heard that there was a Sect called the Black Sword Sect, which extorted merchants with the so-called tax.
So what?
Fight?
Making a fool of themselves?
"It seems like a fun talk," Cale thought.
"It's a fun talk," someone murmured, then looked towards the source of the sound.
It was the Pinnacle Demon, and she smiled as she raised her cup.
"Old Pinnacle Demon!"
The words of the Neutral Faction Leader were met with anger from Ha Ryeong, though he remained polite.
Then, the Pinnacle Demon spoke.
"Dirty and cruel as it may be, it's still surviving until the end no matter what."
The corners of the Pinnacle Demon's lips twisted.
Due to her research of poisons, her skin had an unpleasant tint. Perhaps that's why her elderly appearance was similar to that of a fairytale villain.
"That's how members of the Evil Faction think. There's no fighting or compromising. They only do what benefits them the most."
The Pinnacle Demon asked, casually throwing the words.
"Ha Ryeong-ah, why do you act this way?"
Cale could hear Sima Pyeong wiping the smile off his face and muttering to himself.
"You noticed it?"
Before he could ask, "What do you mean?"
The Pinnacle Demon spoke.
"Ha Ryeong-ah, what are you searching for? Do you want to act like the Justice Faction, presenting a 'just cause' like they do?"
"Old lady, I'm not acting like the Justice Faction!"
Seeing Ha Reoung express his anger, the Pinnacle Demon tilted her head to the side.
Subordinates were puzzled by the strange atmosphere.
Sima Pyeong's sons were similarly perplexed.
Because there was genuine questioning in the Pinnacle Demon's relaxed attitude.
"Ha Ryeong-ah, aren't you using the term 'just cause' while talking about fighting and compromising in the Evil Faction? If it's not what those of the Justice Faction are stubbornly doing, then what is it?"
Wow~
Cale let out a small sigh of admiration.
Meanwhile, Geuk Ma continued to speak.
"And you mentioned fighting, that we must not yield. Isn't that something members of the Demon Cult usually say?"
She smiled with satisfaction.
"We're not the Demon Cult, we don't care about being the strongest. Why do you ask a member of the Evil Faction to throw themselves into a life-or-death battle when all they need is to survive, even if it's dirty, even if they have to occasionally stab their allies in the back?"
Her gaze then turned towards Sima Pyeong.
"Evil Alliance Leader. Why pretend to be weak?"
Chwiyiyi----!
Her wine cup began to melt.
The cup responded to the poisonous energy and gradually disappeared.
"Young Master."
The Pinnacle Demon looked at Cale.
"Young Master, do you know the answer?"
Wow.
Cale was genuinely impressed.
'She's just as she says.'
Once, Eunuch Wi told Cale something.
"Young Master. At first glance, the Sichuan region has three powerful Just Sects, and it may seem like the Sichuan Evil Faction is at a disadvantage."
But in reality, things were balanced.
"The Pinnacle Demon. As long as she can keep the Emei Sect and the Tang Family of Sichuan in check, the Justice Faction won't be able to defeat the Evil Faction."
Pinnacle Demon.
I think I can talk to this person.
Maybe even better than with Sima Pyeong, who has become a bit bland.
"Oh, dear."
Sima Pyeong sighed.
"I guess it's hard to escape the eyes of the Old Pinnacle Demon after all."
At that, Sima Seok, the first son of the Sima Family, spoke up.
"Evil Alliance Leader, what do you mean by that...?"
"What I mean is that something quite interesting is happening here."
Sima Pyeong folded his fan.
The music stopped.
-Human, shall we begin?
Complete silence was the signal.
"She's coming."
The moment the Pinnacle Demon spoke...
Druk.
The entrance door to the pavilion opened again.
"Wooweiaek!"
Dust came running, positioning himself next to Cale, and pointed.
"There!"
Ha Ryeong.
"There, Wooweiaek-!"
First son, Sima Seok.
"There, there, there-, wooweiaek!"
The moment Dust's finger rapidly pointed at 5 people...
"Hmm, it seems they only have a decent level, right?"
The Heavenly Demon calmly entered the pavilion and spoke to Cale.
Cale nodded in response.
Dust wasn't acting like in the Demon Cult, where it seemed he might faint or run out of breath.
He was only gagging.
"With this level of Living Jiangshi, it will be easy."
Even if there were more of them.
Purification would be carried out quickly.
Especially with the Living Jiangshi surprised before they went berserk.
"Haeil-nim."
Cale gestured with his eyes to Choi Han, who led the group of Ron, Beacrox, Sui Khan, and Choi Jung Soo.
They would take care of subduing the five people pointed out by Priest Dust.
"I'll handle the first one."
Sima Pyeong was also present.
"What's going on?"
"Evil Alliance Leader-nim, what's happening now?"
Among the surprised members of the Evil Faction.
Crackle.
Cale generated a reddish-golden light.
At that moment, someone approached him.
"Did you just say Living Jiangshi just now?"
The Pinnacle Demon quickly approached Cale.
And with an intense look...
"I only need one of those Living Jiangshi!"
Huh?
When Cale paused, the Pinnacle Demon shouted urgently and desperately.
"Give me just one! I want to study it!"
Cale slightly averted his gaze from the Pinnacle Demon.
It was better to ignore absurd words.
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