Chapter 352: Kunlun
The plan was simple.
First, the Illusory Illusion Witch would use evil arts to show some kind of terrifying hallucination.
The surviving Kunlun disciples being held hostage would get caught up in it as well… but it wasn’t like they’d actually be in danger. A little discomfort like that was something they’d just have to endure.
After that, we would charge in at once.
The masters would take down the renegade monks of the Potala Palace who had fallen into confusion, while those with relatively lower martial prowess would rescue the captured Kunlun disciples.
That was it.
“Does anyone have any objections?”
“There’s much I’d like to say, but… honestly, it does seem efficient.”
The Murim Alliance Leader said that with a clearly reluctant expression.
When the most authoritative figure among the Orthodox faction present accepted it first, the others gradually began nodding in agreement one by one.
As for the martial artists from the Unorthodox side, they had already agreed to follow my lead, so there was no particular noise from them either.
Since the general direction seemed decided, it was time to move on to the next step.
“Then I’ll assume everyone agrees. Let’s add some more detailed flesh to the plan.”
“I approve. This is not something we can take lightly or fail.”
Kunlun had once been counted among the Nine Great Sects. Even after stepping down from that position, it still remained one of the representative prestigious sects of the Orthodox faction.
Yet such a Kunlun had suddenly suffered damage close to annihilation, with even the survivors taken captive.
A bloody catastrophe sweeping through the Central Plains for the first time in more than ten years of peace.
For the Murim Alliance, this was something they couldn’t treat carelessly—for their own prestige and for the future Orthodox–Unorthodox alliance they had just formed.
Above all, the Murim Alliance Leader’s title was Divine Beggar.
A nickname earned when he had been considered one of the greatest heroes even within the Beggar’s Sect, a place famous for having nothing but chivalry and information.
Perhaps that was why.
The eyes of the Murim Alliance Leader, who had been laughing awkwardly at my plan just moments ago, sank heavily.
Cold.
Yet strangely burning with even greater heat than before.
“The fundamental premise of this plan,” he continued, “as I said earlier, is that rescuing the surviving Kunlun disciples takes priority over defeating the renegade monks of the Potala Palace.”
“I know. First we need to figure out where the Kunlun disciples are imprisoned.”
“Exactly. Unfortunately, while we’ve had exchanges with the Kunlun Sect, none of us here have actually visited, so we don’t know the internal layout.”
“That’s only natural. The distance isn’t exactly short.”
Unlike most of the major Orthodox sects—located deep within the Central Plains where people lived densely—the Kunlun Sect was far away, in Qinghai Province at the western edge of the world.
And the people gathered here were not the sort with light footsteps.
Each one was a clan head, sect leader, or someone of equivalent status.
It would be difficult for them to personally visit Kunlun.
But—
“It’s alright. Fortunately, I roughly know the internal layout. Let’s base the plan on that.”
“…And why would you know that?”
“Well.”
Of course, it was because I had known it before my regression.
Though back then, the Kunlun Sect had already long since been annihilated.
It had collapsed during the invasion of the Demonic Cult.
Strictly speaking, I had never personally walked through Kunlun’s grounds either.
Instead, I had known a martial artist who came from the fallen Kunlun Sect.
At the time, the war against the Demonic Cult was still barely being endured.
But that didn’t mean there were no casualties.
Having been thoroughly struck by the Demonic Cult’s evil arts, that man became trapped in a past he had recreated in his mind.
He lived inside a hallucinated Kunlun Sect until his body weakened and he died.
Back then, the Orthodox–Unorthodox alliance had no proper countermeasures against evil arts.
Various methods were being attempted to develop ways to resist them.
Sama Yuryeon had been one of the people leading those studies.
The Black Lotus Sect Lord often assigned me as her escort since she was brilliant but weak in martial power.
…and during that process, I ended up learning quite a few things.
The method to break the mental restrictions placed by the Demonic Cult on its followers was something I also learned during that time.
The man had spent entire days lost in dreams.
But after numerous attempts, we managed to restore about half of his sanity.
While he wandered between hallucination and reality, we asked him to describe in as much detail as possible what was happening inside his mind.
Naturally, that was how we learned the approximate structure of the Kunlun Sect.
…Well.
The ending wasn’t particularly pleasant.
Ultimately, torn between the hallucination showing his happiest days and the ruined reality before him, he abandoned reality and chose the dream.
Seeing a corpse hanging from a rope was somehow more unpleasant than seeing one killed by a blade.
Anyway, because of that damn mental restriction, I couldn’t explain all this directly.
As I wondered how to phrase it, I suddenly realized something.
I no longer needed to fabricate a lie convincing enough for everyone.
I quietly looked at the Murim Alliance Leader and spoke.
“I cannot explain in detail, but… I remember it vaguely.”
“What does that—”
“…Ah. I see.”
The Murim Alliance Leader started to frown but then nodded instead.
Seeing his reaction, those who knew about my mental restriction—Tang Jincheon, Jeong Hyeon, and Seo Mun-Hwarin—also showed understanding, albeit a moment later.
Of course, Namgung Jong and the Unorthodox martial artists I brought along looked confused.
Namgung Jong, attending as the clan’s young lord rather than the clan head, simply let it pass.
Meanwhile, the Illusory Illusion Witch and the One-Saber Asura interpreted it however they pleased.
“This must be what I’m thinking, right?”
“Of course. Just like they investigated us before subjugating us, they must have done preliminary research on the Kunlun Sect to subjugate them one day.”
As expected of demonic heads—the conclusion they reached was wicked as well.
Still, the important thing was that they accepted what I said.
Without responding, I borrowed a sheet of paper and drew the rough map I remembered.
“It won’t be perfectly accurate. Just use it to understand the general layout. Oh, and I’ll point out some important locations.”
Places where disciples used to play hide-and-seek as children—good places to hide someone.
Places where entering would earn a stern scolding from the master—meaning the most important areas of the sect.
Filtering the stories I had heard from a very personal perspective into something resembling objective information, I began explaining.
The Murim Alliance Leader, who had been listening closely, smirked.
“Since their target is what it is, we waited until you arrived… but honestly, I was worried you might be too late. But if you’re going to spoon-feed us like this, then waiting was worth it.”
“You’ve already decided what to do?”
“I may look like this, but I lived through the era when relations between the Orthodox and Unorthodox factions were at their worst. A few places come to mind.”
As he spoke, the Murim Alliance Leader traced lines between several buildings on the map.
“From experience, hostages are usually gathered in places like these. Easy to monitor and with sufficient space. On the other hand, the renegade monks of the Potala Palace will probably be gathered around here.”
“Hoh. Very experienced. Have you done it before?”
“Unlike you, White Moon Sword Lord, I’m usually the one rescuing hostages.”
“When you say it like that, it makes it sound like I’m always the one taking hostages.”
“Weren’t you?”
“Well… I did take a few hostages recently when dealing with the Brahma Heavenly Lust Demon, but it all ended well, so we can pretend it never happened.”
Everyone’s gaze turned toward me, but I remained dignified.
After all, hadn’t everything ended in a way that satisfied everyone?
For some reason, the Illusory Illusion Witch—looking impressed—quietly interjected.
“S-so… now that we know everything we need to know, all that remains is execution, right? I was thinking of starting with the illusion of a fire spreading…”
“Isn’t that a bit weak?”
“…What?”
“The Potala Palace didn’t develop martial arts as much as they did esoteric techniques of Tantric Buddhism. Though they’ve gone a bit mad lately… still, there’s someone there who has surpassed even your evil arts.”
“I-I may have surrendered to the White Moon Sword Lord immediately, but that doesn’t mean my skills are lacking! Could you tell me the name of that bald monk who’s supposedly better than me?!”
Though trembling slightly as if provoked, the Illusory Illusion Witch spoke clearly.
I shrugged.
“There’s someone called the Blood Buddha. An old monster who has lived for hundreds of years by storing his consciousness inside objects and eroding the mind of whoever holds them, staining it with his memories.”
“…Yeah, I’m definitely not at that level.”
“If a simple fire isn’t enough, what should we do?”
“We add a few things besides the fire. Something more realistic. More convincing. But also the worst imaginable.”
“That’s actually the basics of illusion arts. Since they know we’re coming, I planned to make them believe the enemies set the place on fire to eliminate those resisting the Murim Alliance, abandoning the hostages and everything. But if there’s a better idea, please tell me.”
“It’s not completely different. Basically, we’ll just add some seasoning to what you already thought of. For example…”
Before my regression—
If the later stages of the war with the Demonic Cult were struggles to survive,
Then the early and middle stages were something I had grown sick of seeing.
The annihilation of sects.
It didn’t matter whether it was a famous clan or some obscure rural martial hall.
If they were true martial artists, the Demonic Cult slaughtered them without exception.
I began calmly describing scenes that remained vividly in my memory from those times—and from the final moments of the Ironblood Hall.
A disciple who shoved aside his fellow brothers to escape alone, only to be cut down not far away.
A mother clutching her child in her arms until the very end, both dying together.
A man who threw his life away to buy time for others to escape, dying with countless weapons embedded in his body yet smiling in satisfaction.
And someone who neither ran nor fought, simply hiding—until they were discovered, leaving only a hand sticking out from beneath the floorboards.
I recited the scenes of persistent, malicious slaughter.
If these were turned into the appearances of the Potala Palace monks, the effect would be excellent.
At first, not only the Illusory Illusion Witch—who would have to recreate it—but everyone listening looked horrified.
But as my explanation continued, they seemed to realize something.
Their expressions gradually turned solemn.
Especially Seo Mun-Hwarin.
Perhaps because she had glimpsed part of my past through the Demon Bell.
Or perhaps because she herself was a survivor of a sect’s annihilation.
Unlike usual, she stared at me quietly with her red eyes.
As if trying to see through everything about me.
Finally, she spoke softly.
“Was it very difficult?”
“These are stories of people unrelated to who I am now.”
“Do not worry. The Kunlun Sect will likely not avoid annihilation… but there are still many survivors. It is not completely too late.”
“I know.”
“It will certainly turn out well. I… the people gathered here… and you will make it so.”
For some reason, the atmosphere warmed after Seo Mun-Hwarin’s words.
Seeing people from both the Orthodox and Unorthodox factions strengthening their resolve was certainly desirable.
…but my heart still felt complicated.
I sighed inwardly.
Before long, we began climbing Kunlun Mountain.
And just as planned, the Illusory Illusion Witch finished circling the half-destroyed Kunlun Sect grounds, installing the prepared artifacts.
Wooooong—
Clink—
Among the artifacts producing strange resonant sounds, the Demon Bell I always carried just in case suddenly began ringing on its own.
“…Ah.”
Maybe I should’ve just left it behind.
It hadn’t reacted at all until now, so why suddenly—
In my slight confusion, the surrounding scenery melted and collapsed like wax.
Then I blinked.
Before me was the Kunlun Sect—burning.
At the same time, there was something here that absolutely shouldn’t have been.
The Illusory Illusion Witch’s evil arts had succeeded.
The problem was that we had been dragged into it as well.
And something else had mixed into it.
“Illusory Illusion Witch. Be honest. Are you actually not talented in evil arts?”
“T-that’s so mean…”
The Illusory Illusion Witch shriveled up.
“I’m joking. Actually, I think this is the problem.”
When I took the Demon Bell out of my robes and showed it to her, resentment flickered in her eyes.
“Anything to say?”
“…No…”
The Illusory Illusion Witch shriveled up again.