Chapter 123

At the foot of Kunlun Mountain.

This area is still within the realm of humans.

Only, unlike the cities I’ve seen so far, where stone walls encircle the city, here there’s a wooden wall instead.

But it’s easy to guess that this wooden wall likely has durability comparable to stone walls.

After all, some pillars have characters carved into them, used by immortals. According to the memories of immortals and Taoist priests, these inscriptions are imbued with magical spells.

The deeper you go inside, the more security measures increase.

So, it would be wise to behave respectfully when entering.

First, I went to what seemed like a checkpoint at the entrance and waited in line politely.

The gazes of people passing through the entrance were focused on me… no, more accurately, they were drawn to the single flower I held in my hand.

It was strange-looking indeed for someone seeing it for the first time.

The nine petals of the flower bud were made of arms, and the sepals had wriggling fish and eyeballs attached. The long stem revealed signs of a deformed spine.

It looked pretty dangerous.

In other words, anyone who sees it would probably realize it has nothing to do with humans, right?

And just as I expected, as soon as I reached the entrance, people armed with spears approached, looking tense.

“What business brings you here?”

See? They’re asking politely. And contrary to my half-expectations, they aren’t immediately grabbing me just because of my purple hair.

My hair is purple after all.

Generally speaking, the outermost perimeter is the most fortified, and defenses loosen up as you move inward. Besides, we’re not living in a world where information spreads quickly through social media, and for those stationed so far away, the destruction of the Heavenly Demon Sect feels like someone else’s problem.

“I’ve come to reach the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign.”

That much is true.

A blatant fact.

But that alone should suffice. How would humans react if they heard someone with such an odd appearance claims to have come to meet the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign?

I’m not entirely sure, but many faces seem to express a desire to distance themselves from any involvement.

Humans tend to want to set things aside and think about them later when it’s not their direct concern. Occasionally, diligent types might rigidly stick to established rules…

But most will try to pass responsibility onto someone in a better position to handle it appropriately.

“Would it be possible to convey that someone has come to see him?”

Hmm…

What should I do? Normally, I’d assure them I’m unrelated but here to visit, calming any suspicions.

But that approach works best when gradually infiltrating.

When trying to quickly meet someone important, it’s easier to mention another high-ranking individual.

I know someone important.

“Please convey that someone who fought against Great Master Daegon of the Tongcheon Sect has arrived.”

An enemy, yes. But one with numerous past battles, surely remembered. Though the war ended with Kunlun’s victory, it was a conflict where many immortals perished.

Given the long lifespans of those here, few would easily overlook the name of Tongcheon’s sect leader.

Moreover, I mentioned a name that ordinary people wouldn’t know—Tongcheon’s sect leader.

Not many know his name.

By doing this, they’ll realize I’m not just someone who picked up random myths somewhere.

I slowly reel out the thread, waiting for the bait to take effect.

We’re almost there.

Having already pressed the glass bottle several times, it would be wasteful to get into a fight now and fall to the bottom without even meeting the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign.

Everyone knows that the more urgent things become, the more cautious one must act.

Though how many can truly adhere to that principle remains uncertain. That’s the fate of proverbs—they exist because we can’t always follow them, right?

“Should I wait here?”

“Oh, no. Please wait inside, and we’ll call for you.”

When I asked politely, they responded courteously. Their gaze had completely shifted; they now viewed me as a distinguished visitor from afar.

The kind of look reserved for immortals or Taoist priests.

Following their guidance, I entered a small room near the entrance. It seemed to serve as a resting area. After leaving one guard outside the door, I was left alone in the room.

Oh well.

If someone had come in, I might’ve tried chatting with them.

Sitting down, I began organizing my thoughts based on the various gazes I’d encountered during my journey thus far.

First, Cheonbaek of Mount Taishan.

Things went relatively smoothly for him.

Yes, in the past tense. Mount Taishan accepted the surviving Cheonbaek, sympathized with his situation, and grew indignant on his behalf. But luck ran out there.

Mount Taishan demanded a strict investigation into Jeongchiljin from the Murim Alliance.

However, Jeongchiljin, who had returned to Mount Song earlier, acted faster. He declared Mount Taishan as an evil sect that had fallen to the ways of demon cults, aligning himself with Simabak of Mount Song.

Right at the moment when everyone was basking in the euphoria of destroying the Heavenly Demon Sect, rumors spread about a traitor rather than mere remnants.

Throughout history, people have been crueler toward traitors than enemies.

With both Taoist priests and immortals absent, the remaining members of the Murim Alliance attacked Mount Taishan.

Not in a coordinated, strategic manner either. Many simply rushed to Mount Taishan.

From Cheonbaek’s perspective, among those remaining at Mount Taishan, some genuinely came to inquire about the truth.

But as always, there are those who rush into action. Someone drew blood, and once blood was spilled, chaos ensued.

Had it ended there…

Perhaps if a senior master had stepped in to mediate, there might’ve been a chance to resolve the situation. However, at that moment, Cheonbaek, who had been hiding and observing the situation at Mount Taishan, was discovered.

In a place saturated with the scent of blood, undeniable evidence emerged.

In the martial arts world, society tends to be overly straightforward when it comes to right and wrong.

Mount Taishan disciples were being cut down, and others were drawing swords in self-defense.

How would martial artists witnessing such a scene judge the situation?

They’d likely assume Mount Taishan had colluded with demon cults and drew their swords upon being caught. If influenced by Jincheoljin’s persuasion, falsehoods could easily transform into truths.

A massacre occurred at Mount Taishan.

A great massacre where anyone associated with Mount Taishan was killed.

Cheonbaek fought valiantly. Thanks to the condensed power of the Heavenly Demon Art granted by the malevolent horse spirit, he sprayed violet energy while battling for a very long time.

For quite a while, enough warmth flowed into him.

Ironically, the longer he fought to protect Mount Taishan, the deeper its reputation sank.

He fought for days.

But humans are human.

Even with infinite strength supplied to me, exhaustion seems unavoidable. Additionally, word reached distant experts that a formidable fighter was struggling at Mount Taishan, giving them time to arrive.

For various reasons, Cheonbaek eventually fell while fighting amidst the fiery slopes of Burning Blood Mountain.

Seeing Jeongchiljin appear as Cheonbaek died gave me a sense of satisfaction in trusting people.

Cheonbaek screamed at Jeongchiljin with eyes full of resentment and hatred before his head was severed and he died.

Judging from Jeongchiljin’s presence here, he likely came to confirm whether he had thoroughly eliminated any potential threats.

Looking at Jeongchiljin through Cheonbaek’s fading eyes, I noticed a mix of unease but mostly relief on his face. He probably thought everything was almost over.

But soon, Jeongchiljin would be the one pursued. Escaping from Mount Song, ending up in a deserted cave, and encountering wild Samabak would make for an interesting story.

Rumors would’ve spread far and wide by now.

Jeongchiljin possesses the Makya Sword.

Human greed knows no bounds, doesn’t it? Just look at Jeongchiljin as an example.

No matter how hard one tries to suppress the truth with force, even if seemingly successful…

The truth doesn’t disappear.

Especially when rumors are steeped in blood, they’re even harder to erase. Based on Jeongchiljin’s behavior, someone will eventually confront him about this.

And it’ll happen at the moment Jeongchiljin least expects it.

While organizing these thoughts, the conversation upstairs concluded, and two people entered the room.

One was someone who had been here earlier, and the other wore different attire—clothing resembling clouds.

The man in cloud-like robes approached me and introduced himself as a Taoist priest of Kunlun Sect. He politely requested I follow him, saying an immortal wished to meet me directly.

Their lack of reaction to my purple hair indicates that the eradication of the Heavenly Demon Sect truly wasn’t a priority for those stationed far away.

Or perhaps, upon seeing the peculiar flower, they assumed I wasn’t human.

When Daegon initially arrived in this world, he gathered many locals referred to as demons. Some were created using methods similar to mine, while others were animals or objects that gained strength and intelligence to become demons.

Demon Immortals.

Given the existence of such beings, it’s easy to mistakenly assume someone isn’t from the demon sect but rather a demon.

Mentioning the name of Tongcheon’s sect leader reinforced this assumption. It was effective.

Of course, there’s always the risk of being led somewhere only to be imprisoned unknowingly as an enemy.

But I don’t have the luxury to choose safer alternatives, knowing such worst-case scenarios might occur.

Sometimes, taking risks is necessary.

I followed the Taoist priest through human villages and entered the area where the priests resided. Of course, reaching the immortal immediately wasn’t possible.

We climbed the mountain for quite a while.

As we ascended, the fog grew denser. But I knew this was intentionally created.

According to the memories of immortals I’ve acquired, this serves as a defensive mechanism.

Though I only know the correct path, not how to dismantle it. Generally, understanding basic usage suffices.

Thinking about it, Daegon also seemed familiar with similar techniques. Is it exactly the same? Or are they different techniques with similar outcomes?

While pondering this, as I followed the path upward, the fog suddenly cleared, revealing a vast village. Taoist figures wandered about, and far in the distance, several islands floated high in the air.

Kunlun.

These floating islands aren’t where the true immortals reside. The immortal realm of Kunlun, accessible through these islands, exists in a completely separate dimension.

The hardest place to enter.

I saw the Taoist priest.

He was leading me toward the location of those floating islands. It seems I’ll successfully ascend.

The Taoist appears to have roughly vetted me.

Finally, the time has come to enter the nest of immortals.

---