1168 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Grrr. The low rumble of the beasts resonated softly as the moon began to exert its power over the night. Amidst the distant stretches of the night, I looked down upon Peng Ga-ju. Peng Ga-ju, trembling within my gaze, spoke in a quivering voice. “...It is until here...” "Hmm." Already consumed by dark energy and turned into a demon, Peng Ga-ju prompted a nod from me at his words. Roughly half a day had passed. During that time, I'd corrupted Peng Ga-ju and listened to the details of his plans. “To conclude.” The foolish deeds Peng Ga-ju had attempted by trying to enchant the great demonic leaders of the era known as the Sage Emperors were, in the end. "All because you wanted to swallow up the orthodox factions, huh?” "..." It was difficult to label it as mere treason. One could dismiss it as a crude ambition-driven venture instead. “Ha.” Whether it's the father or the son. How are the actions of the Peng family so remarkably similar that it makes one question? It’s a somewhat recognized fact in the central plains that something unusual is happening on the frontline. The sudden increase in the number of fiends is one thing, and many have linked it to the counterattacks of the red fiends or the white-grade fiends. 'I don't know whether there were anomalies at the frontline around this time.' If there weren't any, ‘Is this also because of me?’ These anomalies arose because of my appearance in this era. They might have caused issues at the frontline, but now is the time to focus on Peng family's problems. The fact that Peng family has started employing covert measures during this upheaval. I viewed it as a point of interest. “Did you want to become a leader?” “...Yes.” “Fool.” “…” This was Peng Ga-ju's thinking. Due to an alliance with a pact, their family got the responsibility for the frontline. Usually, clans provide support to the frontline seasonally. This time, Peng Ga-ju himself appeared. While some might wonder how the leader of a clan could personally engage at the frontline, it was attributed to both the influence of the red fiends' counteractions and the pact with the alliance. During all this, Peng Ga-ju discovered the hidden Flame Demon at the frontline. Upon discovering a great demon, the natural course of action would have been to bring full force and engage in a battle. ‘But he didn't.’ Peng Ga-ju found the Flame Demon's actions suspicious. Because he seemed to be searching for something. Upon seeing this, Peng Ga-ju approached the Flame Demon in disguise. Initially, it was to extract information. It was also an attempt to persuade regarding the existence of the Flame Demon. 'Peng Ga-ju craved power.' He was a deeply ambitious man. He wanted to ascend higher, and for that, he determined that he needed strong allies. There's nothing inherently wrong with that. As the head of a power, being individually strong like a sword master is important, but... 'If that's impossible.' The quickest way is to strengthen the power at hand, so Peng Ga-ju's choice to seek masters was not a bad one, but... 'The problem is that it's the demonic faction.' The Flame Demon wasn't just a martial artist but of the demonic faction. Specifically, he was one of the great demonic leaders known as the Sage Emperors. Did Peng Ga-ju assume he could even sway a demonic leader under the right circumstances? 'Considering the Flame Demon's uncertain state and aims, he deemed it possible.' He desired freedom. A life free from pursuit by orthodox factions is what he sought. It wouldn't be easy finding freedom from the scrutiny of the orthodox factions, considering his numerous past misdeeds. ‘That's only when he stands alone.’ Impossible alone, but... 'If a prestigious family helps, particularly one of the Four Great Families, it'd be a different story.' If one of the Four Great Families helped cleanse his identity, it would indeed be a different situation. “So you approached him?” “...Yes.” He approached the Flame Demon under the guise of a senior figure in a prestigious family, concealing his status as a family head. 'He gained information from him.' Showcasing his prowess was easy, and the Flame Demon believed his disguise. The information he obtained was... 'There's a secret vault at the frontline.' Astonishingly, the Flame Demon knew of a hidden vault at the frontline. It was a suitable place to hide and, given the existence of the vault was unknown, he intended to slip into the frontline. ‘The vault supposedly contains a sizable amount of rare treasures and elixirs?’ That's what the Flame Demon's information suggested, but... ‘Did such a thing exist?’ Again, information I was unaware of. No, more precisely. 'If the Flame Demon found and acquired it himself.' He might have hidden it without informing anyone, making it unrecorded information, but... 'This too isn't certain.' It's just a hypothesis. Should the Flame Demon and Peng Ga-ju have acquired the vault together, That could imply Peng Ga-ju facilitated a cleansing of his identity in exchange for allegiance. ‘Not impossible, though unlikely.’ As anticipated, this was hypothetical. Being unrecorded information, certainty is unattainable. All that can be discerned is simply. ‘This madman's intent on causing chaos.' At the point of acquiring information from the Flame Demon, Peng Ga-ju escalated matters further. ‘He even brought in other Sage Emperors.’ Through the Flame Demon, he extended an invitation to other Sage Emperors desiring freedom, trying to incorporate them into his forces. Would acquiring the vault at the frontlines truly warrant such lengths? I believed not. “Hey.” “Yes...?” Snatch—! “Argh!” I clasped Peng Ga-ju by the throat and inquired. “Did you intend to start a war?” “...!” “Isn’t that right?” Peng Ga-ju's eyes widened. This bastard. I was spot on. 'Yes, just gathering demonic factions wasn't the goal alone.' It was merely an opportunity. Simply an opportunity to recruit Sage Emperors as forces. “Did you think of unifying the demonic factions through this? With someone like you?” “Urgh...” An accomplishment no one has achieved. Even during the Great Demonic Wars, unification was impossible. When the Great War of Righteousness occurred, it was the same. ‘The Celestial Demon didn’t unify the demonic factions.’ Rather than unification, some surrendered under the might of the Celestial Demon, but not all. Since not all demonic factions succumbed, it eventually amounted to a near three-party war. Something even the Celestial Demon failed to accomplish. “Were you trying to do that?” “Ugh…” “A big dream for a mere pest.” A laugh involuntarily escaped me. It was so absurd that anger couldn’t even surface. “What do you think war is?” Not knowing his place, he dreams of war for his own desires. How utterly laughable. “You’re not worth it.” What a foolish little man. For a moment, I considered snapping his neck, but instead, I released my grip from Peng Ga-ju’s throat. “Cough! Ugh…” Peng Ga-ju slumped to the ground, retching. Watching him, I kicked the tip of my foot against his chin. Smack! “Urgh!” His head snapped back, and he rolled across the ground. Before he could rise again, I stomped down on his chest. Crunch! “Grrrr…” “I’d love to rip out your heart and grind it, but that would complicate matters.” It could be the anomaly at the frontlines that the Azure Dragon Commander or the Sword Master hinted at. Or perhaps the hidden vault itself. At this juncture, Peng Ga-ju's death would be troublesome. Whether he was missing or dead, the Peng family would certainly react. ‘...If needed, I could frame it as the Flame Demon’s doing.’ But it's a waste of time. There was more pressing work to be done here. Killing Peng Ga-ju was a different issue than slaying a Sage Emperor. “Listen carefully.” For now, he needed to stay alive. This was the method to ensure that. “From this moment on, you’ll forget everything about meeting me and what you intended to do.” “...!” My dark energy began to constrict around his heart. “You encountered the Flame Demon and fought him. You sustained a head injury, and that's why your memory is blank. Got it?” “...Grrrr...” Peng Ga-ju groaned in pain due to the dark energy. As I watched him, I swung my fist. Boom! “...!” Thud. The blow to his head knocked him out cold, and blood pooled on the ground. Crackling slightly, I released the transformation skill. As I reverted to my normal size, I looked at the unconscious Peng Ga-ju with some distaste. “Hope you’re not dead?” I hadn’t completely crushed his skull, so he likely wasn’t dead. My anger got the better of me, and I misjudged my strength. He should survive. Probably. Whoosh. Enveloping my hand in flames, I shot them into the sky. A pillar of blue fire rose to illuminate the heavens. Boom! The sky lit up brightly, signaling Peng Ga-ju’s location. A search party would arrive soon, so I moved away from the fallen Peng Ga-ju. “Oh, right.” As I was about to depart, I noticed the body of the deceased Empress sprawled with a twisted neck. Whoosh! Her corpse was set aflame, leaving no trace behind as my goal was to remove all evidence. As the Empress’s body burned, I launched myself into the air. --- Suspended in the sky, I surveyed the area. As expected, from afar, the presence of those heading towards Peng Ga-ju could be sensed. ‘It’s the Peng family.’ Everything was going according to plan. That matter was settled. ‘Now, where shall I...’ I directed my gaze forward. It was time to make a choice. ‘Should I pursue my original purpose first, or the hidden vault first...’ Was I to head towards the concealed secrets of the old families within the frontline? Or verify the existence of the hidden vault the Flame Demon mentioned? This required contemplation, yet an answer was already forming. ‘I should address what concerns me the most.’ At the moment, the vault was a pressing concern. Thus, it needed to be checked first. Focusing power within my heart, my inner vision activated, altering my awareness. A multitude of threads unfurled. Gazing upon the threads encompassing the area, I heightened my senses to their utmost capacity. From this distance, the chance of being discovered by other martial artists was slim. And even if I were detected, ‘It's better than searching all day blindly.’ Finishing quickly was wise. Swish! Many things registered in my sensory field. The vast count of demonic entities. The auras of martial artists spread around, too. An unpleasant sensation crept across my mind. The overload of information was almost nauseating. At that moment of enduring and focusing, Thump! “...!” My eyes sparkled with realization. “I’ve found it.” To the far north. Something had made itself known. Subtle, yet... ‘...A vile presence.’ An unsettling aura indeed.