Chapter 075
"An agreement, huh…"
Baek Sugyeong couldn't read his intentions. Jang Hyoun furrowed his brow as he faced the Sun-Moon Cult Master. Jegal Yu narrowed his eyes as if he too found it difficult to gauge the cult master's true motives.
Between them, Baek Sugyeong merely continued sipping his tea. Though he appeared relaxed, Sugyeong was in the most uncomfortable position of all, having to read the mood of all three men.
'…My stomach feels like it's twisting into knots.'
The Murim Alliance Leader representing the orthodox factions and the Sun-Moon Cult Master leading his organization. These were leaders of forces that would normally never engage in such peaceful(?) conversation.
The problem was that Baek Sugyeong had brought them together. No, that wasn't quite right either—Sugyeong hadn't gathered them by choice; the Sun-Moon Cult Master had come seeking him out.
'…I could cry, honestly.'
The hot tea, far from soothing his stomach, seemed to upset it even more. Yet it was too expensive to simply throw away, which only frustrated him further.
'…I never thought I'd have the chance to taste Silver Needle from Mount Jun, but…'
Silver Needle from Mount Jun was one of the Ten Famous Teas of Central Plains. Produced on the small island of Mount Jun in the middle of Lake Dongting, it was a precious commodity offered to the imperial court.
The White Tiger Silver Needle he'd tasted recently was quite expensive, but Mount Jun Silver Needle, being presented to the imperial court, was in a class of its own.
Mount Jun Silver Needle was smooth, sweet, and refreshing. It filled his mouth with a refreshing taste like pine fragrance, proving why it deserved to be offered to the imperial court.
'…If not for this situation, I could have enjoyed the tea much more.'
Baek Sugyeong inwardly clicked his tongue and glanced at Jang Hyoun and the Sun-Moon Cult Master, who remained silent. He thought that if not for the cult master's intervention, his stomach might have truly dissolved.
As Sugyeong tilted his cup to soothe his burning insides, Jang Hyoun's sharp voice reached his ears.
"What exactly are you trying to accomplish by involving Master Sugyeong, Cult Master?"
"The Blood Cult."
At the Sun-Moon Cult Master's blunt words, deep lines appeared on Jang Hyoun's forehead.
On his way to Luoyang, he had heard endless calls from Wudang and Shaolin elders to strike against the Blood Cult—especially after reports surfaced that they had not only tried to kill Ju Geumye but also attempted to capture Baek Sugyeong.
The Asura Blood Cult, or simply Blood Cult, was the worst enemy of the old Murim, a fragment of the former Sun-Moon Divine Cult.
"You want to strike against the Blood Cult?"
"They targeted Sugyeong," the Sun-Moon Cult Master said. "If it had stopped there, that would have been one thing, but they've even reached for the Crown Princess of the Zhou Imperial Court."
"Hmph, everyone knows the Sun-Moon Cult shows the most disrespect to the imperial court."
"Let's not be too hostile, Alliance Leader. As long as Sugyeong lives, I have no intention of setting foot in the Central Plains."
Surprise spread across the faces of Jang Hyoun and Jegal Yu at the cult master's words. Baek Sugyeong also looked at the cult master as if asking what he meant.
"Did I hear you correctly?"
"You're not even thirty yet. Has your hearing already failed, Sugyeong?"
"That can't be the case."
To suggest his hearing was failing before he'd even reached thirty was quite rude. Of course, Baek Sugyeong wasn't naive enough to react dramatically. Or rather, he couldn't afford to be naive.
The Murim Alliance Leader and the Sun-Moon Cult Master were in conversation. He couldn't carelessly step in and ruin the atmosphere.
Behind the cult master stood a line of warriors from the King of Hell Unit, while behind Jang Hyoun were elite warriors from the Azure Heaven Blue Dragon Unit, the finest of the Murim Alliance's Four Divine Warrior Groups, barely concealing their fighting spirit as they glared at the King of Hell Unit.
"Don't joke, Cult Master," Jang Hyoun growled. "Nine out of ten things the Sun-Moon Cult says are lies. You expect me to believe you?"
"I am sincere."
The Sun-Moon Cult Master's voice dropped coldly. It felt as if a cold wind blew around him, lowering the surrounding temperature.
But this lasted only a moment. With just a slight change in mood, he altered the atmosphere.
A master with the ability to even change the temperature at will. Someone who had already reached beyond the peak, looking toward the realm after supreme mastery. If Baek Sugyeong's thoughts were correct, he had reached what modern martial arts novels would call the Flower Realm.
'…Being caught between such masters is madness itself.'
Was it like walking on thin ice? No, it was like walking on a razor-sharp blade.
Shamans might claim divine protection when walking on blades, but Baek Sugyeong knew he would certainly be crippled if he tried such a thing.
In other words, Baek Sugyeong was like tofu that could be crushed at any moment.
He knew this all too well himself. Which only made his stomach burn more.
"For Sugyeong's sake, I won't release more of my aura. However, I won't tolerate any more insults toward my cult or myself. Keep it reasonable."
"…Very well."
Jang Hyoun withdrew his aura as well.
As the leader of the Murim Alliance and representative of the orthodox factions, he had merely engaged in a show of force. If their interests aligned, there was no need to oppose the Sun-Moon Cult Master.
Fortunately, Baek Sugyeong served as a point of connection between them. Given that the cult master had specifically mentioned Baek Sugyeong, it seemed he had no intention of waging war against the orthodox Murim or the Central Plains.
Baek Sugyeong asked, "By agreement, do you mean the orthodox factions and the Sun-Moon Cult joining hands to eliminate the Blood Cult?"
"Isn't it obvious? Sugyeong, they tried to capture you. They should rightfully be erased from Murim."
'…Is that really necessary?'
Of course, Baek Sugyeong disliked the Blood Cult too. But was it right for them to be erased from Murim solely for targeting him?
Such thoughts crossed his mind, but ultimately, they had brought this upon themselves.
From Baek Sugyeong's perspective, it didn't matter either way. They had tried to capture him for their own purposes and suffered for it—was there any reason to show them mercy?
"Hmm…"
At Baek Sugyeong's ambiguous response, Jang Hyoun spoke.
"Though I hate to agree, I concur with the Cult Master. Above all, they not only targeted you, Master, but also tried to harm Princess Rakbong. We cannot let them be."
"What will you do, Alliance Leader? Will you join hands with my cult?"
"If the Cult Master promises not to interfere in the Central Plains as long as Master Sugyeong lives, I'm willing to accept."
To Jang Hyoun's words, the Sun-Moon Cult Master replied:
"I despise lies, Alliance Leader. I also hate speaking with a forked tongue. Understand?"
It meant not to break one's word. The Sun-Moon Cult Master's eyes gleamed coldly as he looked at Jang Hyoun.
"If you don't wish to be a hypocrite, you would do well to consider this thoroughly."
"What does Master Sugyeong think?"
At Jang Hyoun's sudden shift, Baek Sugyeong, who had been quietly drinking his tea, looked at both men as if wondering why they were suddenly turning to him.
It was absurd. It was already unfair to be dragged into a meeting between two Murim leaders, but now they were asking for his opinion?
This was too much. He had barely managed to swallow the tea he almost spat out, and his throat still burned.
"I'm merely a scholar. I don't think my opinion is necessary in this matter."
After regaining his composure and answering, Jang Hyoun stroked his chin with a "hmm."
Jegal Yu spoke up.
"What do you think of the Blood Cult, Master?"
"I dislike them, of course. The same goes for unorthodox factions, specifically the Dark Mist Society. I'm a person who wants to live a long, quiet life. That means this situation is not at all welcome to me."
Baek Sugyeong took another sip of Mount Jun Silver Needle and set down his cup.
The gazes of the Sun-Moon Cult Master, Jang Hyoun, and Jegal Yu turned toward him.
"Though they certainly deserve to pay, I wonder if many will accept the Sun-Moon Cult and orthodox factions joining hands."
At Baek Sugyeong's practical comment, the Sun-Moon Cult Master smirked.
"There's no need to worry about that. My cult followers will gladly dedicate themselves."
"The same goes for our alliance. These people tried to kidnap you, Master, not someone else. We're fully prepared to charge in without concern for the Unorthodox Alliance or the Ten Unorthodox Sects. The same applies to the Blood Cult."
At the words of Jang Hyoun and the Sun-Moon Cult Master, lines appeared on Baek Sugyeong's forehead.
'…What on earth are they planning to do?'
Jegal Yu said, "Moreover, His Imperial Majesty has issued an imperial edict to the Murim Alliance."
"Oh? Interesting. I didn't think Emperor Myeongjeong would remain idle, given his deep connections to Murim."
"Mind your words, Cult Master."
"Hmph."
There was a brief exchange between Jang Hyoun and the Sun-Moon Cult Master, but it didn't last long.
Jegal Yu continued, "The Blood Cult is a heretical cult that deceives the people. His Majesty has ordered us to find and eliminate any who have entered the Central Plains, and to conduct thorough investigations to ensure no harm comes to innocent civilians. So there is justification even if we cooperate with the Sun-Moon Cult."
Baek Sugyeong's eyebrows arched into the shape of the character "八."
So, because of him alone, an alliance between orthodox and demonic factions was about to form?
'…How could this be?'
'…This damn Murim…'
It was too much for a single book to have such an impact.
Wouldn't it be better to just disappear somewhere?
Such thoughts crossed his mind, but he feared the Murim practitioners might truly turn the world upside down if he did.
Unable to voice his thoughts, Baek Sugyeong let out a groan, and the Sun-Moon Cult Master's voice reached his ears.
"Let's make Sugyeong a witness and formally establish an agreement. If you wish, we can add a trade agreement as well."
"Are you serious, Cult Master?"
"Xinjiang is barren. If we can obtain Central Plains goods through peaceful means, that alone would be satisfactory."
The Sun-Moon Cult Master was a pragmatic man in his own way.
While the old Murim's Sun-Moon Cult aimed for world domination, the current one was different.
The Sun-Moon Cult, having unified Xinjiang, actively targeted the Central Plains primarily because of its connection to the White Lotus Cult, which was closely related to the Tang Dynasty imperial court, but also because of Xinjiang's barrenness.
Of course, this referred to Xinjiang as a whole; there were fertile lands in certain areas.
Before the Sun-Moon Cult unified Xinjiang, there had been constant conflicts over the fertile farmland of the Turpan Basin.
"Isn't Xinjiang a trade center? It seems the Sun-Moon Cult has accumulated sufficient wealth."
At Baek Sugyeong's words, the Sun-Moon Cult Master smiled.
"You see with eyes that have left Murim. Sugyeong, you have a broad perspective."
"It's just basic knowledge."
When researching martial arts novels, one tends to accumulate quite a bit of useless knowledge.
Xinjiang was a trade center connecting east and west, nicknamed the crossroads of Eurasia for its central role in trade. While it didn't produce many goods itself, many people made their living through trade.
Mining, oasis agriculture, and fruit cultivation were the main industries, naturally leading to frequent friction and trade with nomadic peoples.
The description of barrenness referred to this comprehensive situation.
"My cult doesn't particularly discuss peace. But if our interests align, we can certainly get along with the orthodox factions."
The Sun-Moon Cult Master looked at Jang Hyoun.
"What do you say, Alliance Leader? Will you deal with my cult?"