Chapter 72

A mountain of corpses came flying into the carriage and rolled around on the fluffy bedding.

Qing was actually a bit surprised.

Did that ridiculous act of self-pity work?

He was openly reading a language textbook, right?

What’s up with that? Is acting like this common in the Central Plain?

Of course not.

But there were indeed some who were fooled by such blatant displays of pain.

Even though it seemed unlikely, just perhaps, if by some chance they were genuinely hurt…

Parents’ kindness, a child’s filial piety, and the love of dear lovers and best friends could allow for such deception.

But there was no way the maddened horses outside would play along.

Unless they were addicted and controlled somehow.

Ah! That must be it.

But no way, that was not happening.

Qing certainly wasn’t thoughtlessly sucking on any corpses.

No matter how known it was that it didn’t lead to addiction or physical harm, in the end, it was still drugs.

There’s a psychological resistance to think about.

And then, a desert appeared.

For the first time in his life, witnessing the majesty of the desert with his own eyes, Qing’s grand chest swelled with emotion.

And before long, he realized just how damn miserable a desert day could be.

However, the night desert was mysterious and beautiful, once again filling Qing’s grand chest with admiration.

Qing had a strong resistance to the cold.

But the heat? Well, that was another story.

Being enclosed in a bumpy carriage and buried under blankets wasn’t exactly thrilling.

At one point, it was hard to tell if they were moving me or if I was being steamed alive in a pot.

Just like a dog in mid-day heat, I was panting.

And then came the bundles coming into Qing’s view.

—-

The Tianshan Mountains.

Just hearing that name conjures up thoughts of grandeur, the end and ceiling of the Central Plain.

The highest peak, Victory Peak, was about three times the height of Baekdu Mountain.

There were peaks so tall, they were countless, revealing a breathtaking sight of snow-capped peaks from the mountainside.

But separately, it was also unsuitable land for living.

Barren fields, rugged land, cold nights throughout the year.

And since there weren’t many wild animals, farming or hunting weren’t even options in this desolate wasteland.

This was the remote land where the Heavenly Demon Sect was established.

It was also the reason why the Heavenly Demon Sect had invaded the Central Plain four times.

Living in such harsh and dreary land could only brew hatred towards the Central Plain.

On the flip side, it was also the reason the Demonic Sect still existed.

Beyond the borders and up onto the plateau, moving across the prairie and desert took three months without hesitation, further into the back-woods mountains.

No matter how detestable those Demonic Sect bastards were, it wasn’t quite worth the long expedition.

Getting sick of the barrenness of the prairies and the alternating boiling days and freezing nights of the desert, finally one could see the snow-covered barrier far in the distance.

But why was it taking so long to get closer?

The height of the Tianshan Mountains ignored any sense of perspective.

Looking at that sight, even the desire for revenge began to fizzle out, leading one to think ‘Ah, this isn’t quite right.’

Revenge was ultimately empty; it was far better to forget about it and sit in a warm home, enjoying delicious food.

Three months by date, a journey covering roughly nine thousand li.

Modern terms? That’s three thousand six hundred kilometers, which is why, even though everyone knew where the Demonic Sect was, no one was chasing them.

Prison transports weren’t exactly easy missions you see.

Criminals belonging to the Divine Sect typically consisted of those who had fled from it.

But members of the Divine Sect also included those who committed crimes in the Central Plain and fled.

In other words, the prisoners in the Divine Sect were those who ran away, committed more crimes, and fled again.

They were definitely a level above typical fugitives.

However, there had never been a prisoner transport of such scale, nor with such significant casualties.

So, the warriors who participated in the transport shared tales of their heroic feats.

As is the case with boasting, a little exaggeration mixed in.

This prisoner had gone completely insane, enjoying smashing people’s heads in whenever eye contact was made.

Hundreds of assassins had perished, and in desperation, all the Supreme Masters were summoned.

The already difficult journey became that much harder just for bringing this prisoner along.

Thus, when one was about to commend them, a listener instead responded.

“……So, what’s that?”

A girl with an expression that looked like she was about to cry waved cheerfully in the arms of a sorrowful soldier.

At first glance, it seemed a bit silly, but in reality, it carried an air of elegance.

That kind of seemingly foolish action could only stem from a long-trained genteel upbringing.

Surely she had to be a lady from a famous family.

“……You mean she was smashing heads all over?”

“Don’t be fooled. That’s all a ruse.”

“I want to support her for enduring so much, but come on. There’s a limit to your lies, right? Just opening your mouth is one big lie.”

The same conversations were happening everywhere.

So, Qing continued to pester till the very end.

Some guessed from the sad expression of the soldier holding the girl.

Looks like the prisoner had taken a bit too many drugs.

The soldier’s daughter was infamous for her attitude.

Before her death, she became even more famous as a hopelessly serious addict.

In short, Choi Riyong had truly failed in raising his child.

Then, after that.

Qing was handed over into the hands of women.

Since he was going to meet the Supreme Being, they couldn’t leave him looking scruffy.

The women washed him, scrubbed him, polished him, and dried him.

In truth, this was an embarrassingly humiliating process for Qing.

As a grown adult, he was helplessly reduced to being a toy in the hands of many women.

But luckily, he was sufficiently high on drugs and managed to get through without much resistance.

Instead of humiliation, it was almost enjoyable.

If the effects hadn’t faded at the end, it could have been a lot of fun.

Seomun Qing, accumulating quite the embarrassing history.

That night.

Seomun Qing met the Supreme Being Representative once again.

Between the towering altar piled high with red and blue silks, there was a throne laid out.

It resembled more of an altar than a grand hall.

Because it was indeed an altar, after all.

The Heavenly Demon Sect was the descendant of a cult.

And although they had further morphed over time, now as vengeful spirits of hell, some traditions still lingered.

The Supreme Being Representative, arrogantly crossing his legs, looked down at Qing, while to his right sat Ji Seung-ju on a far less impressive chair.

What’s up with that guy? He’s totally the second-in-command, huh?

Qing felt a mix of regret that he hadn’t killed that guy and relief that if he had, he wouldn’t be safe right now.

The result was clear.

Before running away, he’d need to kill and tear him apart.

And then dozens of masters stood arranged in formation in the hall.

As the Supreme Being Representative gazed down at Qing, he said, “I heard you killed several of the congregation on the way here?”

Qing donned a cowardly grin to avoid getting hit again.

“Well, you see…”

“No. It’s fine. It’s not really something to blame. It’s those weaklings’ fault for dying so easily.”

“Hehe.”

Such humiliation was something Qing could endure in spades.

Okay, I’ll face a drizzle.

But the storm? That’s all mine!

Qing recalled a famous line from a creator revered as a god.

If only that speaker had not collapsed from being soaked in drizzles, they might have left a significant mark on modern cultural history.

What a pity.

“But hey, hmm.”

The Supreme Being Representative grinned.

“I thought you’d broke completely after being beaten. But it seems you didn’t? You must have cursed like a dog while wagging your tail, huh?”

“Hehe. What do you mean?”

“Looks a bit strange, doesn’t it? Hmm, Yeonhwa.”

The Supreme Being Representative snapped his fingers.

And then, a woman appeared with graceful movements through the silks.

Even to Qing’s discerning eye, trained by Oki-rin, she was a beauty of high caliber.

“Supreme Being, did you call for me?”

“Strip.”

“Yes.”

The woman immediately began to undress.

The Supreme Being Representative pointed at the woman.

“Hey, do you see this?”

Qing frowned.

What is this? Some sort of display?

“How many men do we have here? A girl who doesn’t even know shame, and she’s taking orders to strip. Such a foolish girl.”

The woman’s complexion turned pale, and her hands began to tremble.

Qing felt pity for the woman.

Isn’t it ridiculous that he ordered her to strip and she’s losing her mind?

At that point, he confirmed the woman’s wrongdoings.

Hmm. Maybe she deserves some scolding too.

“This is why women are no fun. They just know how to act cute.”

The woman’s trembling intensified.

“But still, the main sect despises being challenged. You know that firsthand, right?”

Qing’s grin widened.

This bastard. Gotta burn him alive.

If someone kindled a small campfire, they’d stay warm for a while.

But what if you set their body on fire?

They’d stay warm for the rest of their lives.

He was thinking of giving a lifetime of warmth as a gift.

Because only with warmth could he snap that brat out of that attitude.

“Yeah! That’s it! Acting all obedient in front but scheming behind my back. I thought you were just another cliché girl. But damn, even your body is heating up. Only—”

Chills crawled up Qing’s arm, landing in a single jolt up to his neck.

What the hell is this psycho saying?

“Take her to Hwanhui Palace and make sure all the heavenly ladies there teach her a lesson. And if that doesn’t work, give her some elixirs to elevate her to Supreme Martial Artist level. Trust me, the transformation will be instant.”

New martial arts! An elixir!

Qing’s eyes sparkled.

I’d better deal with that bastard before he becomes a bigger problem.

This was the kind of creature that shouldn’t exist in this world.

One could say it was a revolutionary thought against a cruel oppressor.

What a cheeky little man who thought he could challenge me even as a measly servant outside the realm of transformation?

Qing (peak stage) thought.

Just wait until I reach supreme levels.

You’ll know what it’s like to face the Buddha’s Physical Body five thousand times over.

Qing swallowed his anger.

Then Ji Seung-ju stopped the Supreme Being Representative.

“Supreme Being, she’s a troublesome character. Without a doubt, she’ll bring great chaos to the Divine Sect. Please reconsider.”

“Enough. I’ve made my decision.”

“……I shall follow the Supreme Being’s command.”

Ji Seung-ju bowed his head.

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