73 - I Spent the Night with the Youngest Daughter of the Martial Arts Leader

**Title: Time Spent with the Youngest Daughter of the Martial Arts Alliance Leader - Chapter 73** In most sects, there's an unskippable ritual that new disciples must endure. It's the elaborate lecture about the sect's history. A process meant to serve as a form of motivation. "Our sect was once so distinguished, with a glorious past." Thus, dedicate yourself to your training. It was a common practice. Bragging under the guise of conveying the sect's history. The disciples, inspired by the tales, develop respect for the sect and vow to create their own legends. Even the Wudang Sect follows this classical sequence, not just for its inner disciples but also for the external ones. It was an exceedingly tedious and grueling ordeal. "But my master was different." Half-forced into becoming a disciple, I contemplated. How could I pretend to be interested when listening to the sect's history? But such worries were unnecessary. Training had started right away. "Is the history too short?" That couldn't be, as the buildings of the sect exuded a sense of ancient tradition. It seemed my master simply didn't care much for empty formalities. I realized later why my master hadn’t taught me the sect's history first. - "Disciple, sit. Today, I'll teach you about our sect's history." On the day marking my first year with the Azure Moon Sect, I was delighted at the thought of learning structured martial arts. Every day, I diligently trained in the Azure Moon Arts. Once I felt I had a good grasp of the sect’s techniques at my core, I was suddenly summoned by my master. And then, out of the blue, a shock struck. - "Our Azure Moon Sect's roots trace back to the Sun Moon Divine Church." - "Pardon?" - "Sun Moon Divine Church. Have you not heard of it?" - "A demonic cult? Wasn't this supposed to be a Daoist sect?" My vision blurred. Demonic cult? What kind of nonsense is this? The Mad Cult known for its fanatical laughter after killing? Of course. After my prior experiences with the Wudang Sect, it seems I still didn't learn my lesson. There's no way they'd teach such powerful martial arts for free. Now I'm probably marked for death by the martial world. All sorts of thoughts rushed through my mind. Despite this, I didn’t flee immediately because I knew I couldn't escape even if I tried. Also, the techniques I had mastered were crystal clear in purity. - "Sun Moon Divine Church wasn't like that from the start." - "What?" - "Its teachings began with the belief that overcoming 'demon' could lead to a greater transcendence. Although over the years it has deteriorated to the point of being called a demonic cult..." Unintentionally, I was learning about the history of a demonic cult. - "So you can rest easy. Our Azure Moon Sect separated from the Sun Moon Divine Church an ancient time ago." - "Well then. So, isn't it just a Daoist sect now?" - "They might see it differently. They'll come charging with their eyes blazing." - "Master, wasn't it cruel to tell me such an inescapable truth only now?" - "......" - "This is an outright robbery!" - "Blasphemy!" Though I felt somewhat swindled, they'd taught me martial arts as well, so I wasn’t overly concerned with events from centuries ago. --- "Traitor. You really are blabbing nonsense." "Looks like I'll need to dig a grave for you first." "Ha, keep talking." "Did you call for reinforcements?" "Yes... A true elite unit that consumed genuine Red Blood Elixirs will come to annihilate you, unlike the ones distributed to the wanderers." As expected, the Red Blood Elixirs used on the wanderers were bait. Their strategy felt incomplete. They spoke of a “Red Blood Squad.” Probably a subordinate group of the Blood Demon Corps. "And until that moment, how do you intend to hold out?" "What are you fools doing? Keep the contract, you trash!" No-cheol shouted at the wanderers who had been merely watching. "Pay what you owe!" So, they were hired by No-cheol. It explains why they tagged along with such flimsy excuses. Despite No-cheol's fierce outcries, the wanderers hesitated. They must have seen No-cheol’s demonic arts and their monstrosity. "Although you're pretending to be composed, it seems you don't fancy dying? Extending hands to wanderers, I see." "Shut up!" "Wanderers, hear me! You've seen it, haven't you? That these are members of the sinister Demonic Cult!" I amplified my voice with internal energy and shouted to the wanderers. "No matter how driven by money you are, I doubt you want to be associated with the Demonic Cult!" Working with the Demonic Cult was a surefire way to become a target for martial alliances. I wasn't sure what grand reward No-cheol promised, but what’s the point of having money if you can't use it? Living a life perpetually hunted by the martial alliance. Moreover— "Do you think the Demonic Cult will honor their promise? Eating anything out of hunger leads to trouble." Eating anything out of hunger leads to trouble. Among wanderers, it was akin to a proverb. It meant that taking any random job could lead to an untimely death. "I am Yi Se-woong of the White Sun Group. I swear to give you twice what they offered. Is there a better deal?" I could feel the wanderers stirring. An opportunity to not be linked to the Demonic Cult. And on top of that, double the payment. How could they resist? "If we don’t survive, do you think you can sleep peacefully? Fulfill the contract now!" But that was the limit. Hearing the ominous edict, the wanderers decided and drew their swords, approaching us. They must have been promised more than just money. "It should be ample time. Taste the slowly approaching death." "This bastard keeps talking nonsense." Already as good as a dead man, No-cheol. I decided to stop sparing my strength and approached the wasting No-cheol, striking his neck. Swish! No-cheol flailed around, but with his vital energy drained, there was no way to escape. Even as his body and head separated, No-cheol's twisted smile remained. The madman’s end was fitting. "I will never understand these fanatics." What drives a person to such lengths? An unwavering loyalty, even at the cost of laying down one's life, despite knowing that their master wouldn't bat an eye for them. Trying to comprehend the mindset of these madmen was beyond me. Black-clad followers rushed to recover the fallen body of No-cheol. I brushed them off with ease and rejoined Jegal Young. "I can't believe you gambled using the name of the White Sun Group and issued a promise." "Should I have asked for permission?" "No. If it were me, I'd have offered quadruple." Ah, perhaps that would have been more convincing. "What do we do now?" "We hold our ground." Jegal Young and I were of one mind. We could have taken the chance to flee while the cultists were thrown into disarray after losing their leader. But where to? The rugged mountains of Fujian were not conducive to evasion—it would be the worst terrain to escape a pursuit. If they had even a single ambush set up among the foliage, it would be a nightmare. Facing the enemy on this open plain, despite being surrounded on all sides, felt like the better choice. Also, the wanderers were pinning them down too. “We’ll form a formation. You and Senior, hold off the attackers.” “I won’t let anyone touch you, junior!” Jegal Young pulled out talismans from her sleeve. She started placing them in a precise arrangement, bit by bit. Meanwhile, the cultists began appearing over the hill, advancing towards us. The hired wanderers hesitated. Now that their employer, No-cheol, was dead, they realized they were entangled with the Demonic Cult. They stood to gain nothing. If they lost, they would die. If they won, they’d become hunted. While the wanderers were caught in indecision, Jegal Young prepared her countermeasures against the incoming enemies. ‘Good thing I brought plenty of talismans.’ The Three Star Chain Formation. Centering around herself, she linked Hwangbo Seyul and Yi Se-woong in the formation. As long as the spell lasted, their energies would mutually bolster each other. At that very moment, waves of cultists surged toward us like an unstoppable tide. Their auras were anything but ordinary. The ones we had faced until now seemed like mere forerunners. The cultists swarmed in from all directions, their eyes behind masks filled with a red madness, as if dipped in blood. ‘So this is the Demonic Cult.’ Blind murderous intent filled the air. Whoosh! I pierced the heart of the first cultist that lunged at us. The trembling of his convulsing body traveled up my sword. The unfamiliar sensation of taking a life. Yet there was no time for hesitation. --- Swoosh! Jegal Young sliced through a cultist approaching from the flank. Using the corpse as a shield, another cultist leaped at her. Boom! That cultist's body swelled before exploding with a deafening sound. A crimson mist burst forth, threatening to engulf her. Barely managing to deflect it with a swing of her sword aura, Jegal Young watched as everything touched by the bloody mist began to corrode. ‘There was a reason Yi Se-woong aimed for the heart.’ Suicide bombers. ‘These aren’t humans we’re dealing with.’ They were tools—pawns moved by the Demonic Cult only to fulfill orders. They would burn their lives just to take down their opponents. A mentality beyond grasp. Though briefly pondering it, Jegal Young's sword did not falter. ‘There’s too many of them.’ She'd lost count of how many cultists she had cut down. Her blade was becoming dull as if in fatigue. Returning to the battlefield, she wiped the blood off her sword with a talisman. ‘They can’t even distinguish between friend and foe.’ The hired wanderers, who initially intended to attack at No-cheol’s command, were now frantically dodging the cultists' attacks, unable to act decisively. It looked as though they were merely pretending to besiege us. ‘Still, we have the disadvantage.’ The sheer number of cultists was overwhelming. Despite killing them over and over, they charged endlessly, akin to a swarm of locusts. The heavy scent of blood assaulted my senses. ‘It's bearable for now... thanks to Yi Se-woong's efforts.’ Yi Se-woong was wreaking havoc amidst the enemy ranks, extinguishing the breath of the cultists. Though his face remained impassive like he was completing a task, fatigue showed through even his stoic demeanor. An overwhelming wave of adversaries. ‘Senior’s struggling too.’ Hwangbo Seyul, lacking experience, found it challenging to end the cultists’ lives without hesitation. No amount of steeling himself and swinging his greatsword could disguise his unfamiliarity. Momentary hesitation cost him opportunities, leaving him with minor losses. Should the battle drag on, they would soon be exhausted. Just as she was thinking— ‘Do I have no choice but to use it?’ Jegal Young reached into her sleeve and pulled out a medallion. Destruction. Two menacing characters engraved on a wooden token. The situation had already exceeded what the three of them could handle. Just as Jegal Young was about to resort to this final option— "Who dares stir chaos in the City of Wanderers?" A man appeared. "The King of Wanderers is here!" "The Wanderer King has arrived!" "Why here?" Murmurs spread among the wanderers. The man who drew all eyes towards him as he entered the battlefield was their king. "You lousy bastards! Clean out your ears and listen up—!" The Wanderer King. His voice roared like thunder, nearly rupturing eardrums. "Whether you choose to guzzle cheap blood pills and die trying to survive… It’s your choice. I respected your freedom to take whatever jobs your greed desired without constraint!" One by one, wanderers caught in the crossfire turned their eyes toward him. "But there are limits! Collaborating with the Demonic Cult? Have you forgotten what they’ve done in the past?” His scolding fell heavily upon the wanderers. “Selling your souls was a line you should never have crossed! If you still regard yourselves as wanderers, come to your senses now!" Bang! The Wanderer King pressed his fists together at his chest and shouted. "Those not afraid to die, come at me!" His resounding reverberations extinguished the fighting spirit of the wanderers. "You idiots, we’re all in the same boat! Turning back now isn’t going to spare you!" Though No-cheol's henchman tried to rally them, it was too late. “I-I’m giving up!” “I’d rather be imprisoned!” “Screw it, kill me if you must! I can’t stand against the Wanderer King!” One by one, the wanderers turned their backs on the cultists. Fear spreads like a tidal wave. Soon enough, every wanderer had gathered around their king. It was a natural conclusion. In the city of wanderers, Fujian Province, the Wanderer King promised them endless freedom. But there was one unwritten rule everyone followed, regardless of whether the king had explicitly stated it himself. ‘Do not oppose the Wanderer King.’ Since the day he faced the Wudang Sect alone, no one dared defy him. He was their indisputable king. “Was this your plan all along?” “Hm? What do you mean by that?” The Wanderer King, who had nonchalantly positioned himself beside Jegal Young, feigned innocence. Jegal Young couldn't help but blurt out a question. “Didn’t you say you wouldn’t intervene? That you’d give them freedom?” “Freedom is crucial. I still stand by that.” “Then why are you…” “But isn’t helping you also part of my freedom?” “What’s that supposed to—” “When a young lady—who’s recently filled the wanderers’ bellies—is in danger, even a figurehead king should make an appearance, don’t you think?” With a sly smile, the Wanderer King teased. Jegal Young couldn’t bring herself to be harsh with him after that.