Chapter 527
When it came to Xinjiang, first, from the perspective of the orthodox faction—
among them, the Murim Alliance—
it could be called an area where civilian entry was forbidden.
After the war.
Especially immediately after the Demonic Cult had lost the war and been wiped out.
Since then, it had become a region of ruins.
The Alliance did manage it to some degree, but the environment was unusually barren, so it was also a place they did not check very thoroughly.
Was that why they had not known?
That the Demonic Cult bastards were reviving.
That inside it, they had gathered again and the Demonic Cult had been revived.
Perhaps they had failed to recognize that.
I judged that to be the reason.
Still.
It was strange.
It was not as if there were no Murim Alliance branch at all in Xinjiang, and there must have been people watching, so how had they joined forces like that?
Either they used some kind of method.
Or there was a problem with the Alliance in the Xinjiang region.
Or else...
I still don’t know.
The reason was still difficult to figure out.
I had never dug that deeply into matters concerning the Demonic Cult, which made it worse.
In any case, the region of Xinjiang itself was designated by the orthodox faction as a forbidden-entry area.
Unless one had permission, one could not go beyond a certain range.
From that standpoint, the place we had arrived at now, called Maebo County, could essentially be considered the last civilian area before entering Xinjiang—somewhere one could come and go without the Alliance’s permission.
“...There are quite a few people here.”
Cloud Dragon spoke as if he found it strange.
I felt the same.
The population I saw as soon as we arrived was larger than I had expected.
Could there really be this many people here?
It made me wonder if I had misunderstood Xinjiang.
Or maybe not.
We had not entered Xinjiang proper yet, so it could be different.
“Let’s find the Murim Alliance first.”
Our first priority was to find the branch here and obtain permission to enter.
Since there was a place managing this area, we had to go there.
I led the group and moved.
The Alliance branch was easy to find.
We simply had to look for the largest building here.
We found a building surrounded by broad walls.
In the distance, I could see a flag bearing the Alliance’s crest fluttering.
When we approached, the men blocking the gate looked at us.
“What business do you have here?”
“We came from Henan. We wish to obtain permission to pass through Xinjiang.”
“...From Henan?”
They gave us doubtful looks, so I immediately took out the wooden token.
It was the wooden token I had received from Thousand-Mile Divine Eye before departing.
“Th-this is...!”
The martial artist recognized it and flinched in surprise.
“P-please wait a moment. I will return shortly.”
He hurried inside, and before even half a quarter-hour had passed, he appeared with another person.
It was obvious they had rushed over.
“...I am Seomdo, branch chief of the Murim Alliance’s Maebo County branch...! I greet those who have come from the main Alliance headquarters.”
He was a man who looked past forty.
His realm was...
Peak realm?
A peak-realm martial artist.
He seemed to have just crossed that level.
“I will escort you inside...”
“Thank you.”
We received permission and entered.
Meanwhile, I examined Seomdo’s appearance.
...Would you look at that.
I caught a glimpse of black energy.
Seeing it, my eyes narrowed sharply.
It meant he was one of Sky-Crushing Palace’s people.
*****
The branch itself was fairly clean.
There was nothing especially suspicious, nor could I see anything in particular.
I did not deliberately try to check either.
There was no need.
I can see it anyway.
I had already sighed after seeing Branch Chief Seomdo’s condition.
That man had long since taken in power from Sky-Crushing Palace.
Right, they’ve been quiet lately.
Sky-Crushing Palace’s activity had become markedly sparse.
Even though I had just confirmed that its Palace Lord was the Heretic Cult Leader I knew.
I had wondered what they were doing, since they had shown no activity.
Looks like they were doing something after all.
This Maebo County.
It seemed they were doing something in this place full of nothing but questions.
Since when?
There was no way for me to know the timing.
The only important thing was—
Sky-Crushing Palace bastards are here.
I looked around.
I could see the energy of several Sky-Crushing Palace bastards.
Among them, the one with the greatest energy was Seomdo.
This.
Did Mi Yeonhwa know?
I knew vaguely that the Demonic Cult and Sky-Crushing Palace had a cooperative relationship.
It did not seem likely she would be unaware.
The problem was—
If Sky-Crushing Palace knows that the Demonic Cult requested cooperation from the Murim Alliance.
There was also the risk that the Demonic Cult had informed the Alliance that this man named Seomdo belonged to Sky-Crushing Palace, then handed him over.
And Sky-Crushing Palace would not have failed to consider that possibility.
The fact that he is reacting as if nothing is wrong means...
It was one of two things.
Either the information had not gotten out yet.
Or this Seomdo had only recently joined Sky-Crushing Palace.
That was about as much as I could see for now.
For the time being, I assessed the situation and approached.
Then, following his guidance, we headed deeper into the branch.
“I did not know honored guests from Henan would come. I had received no prior word.”
“It was also a top-secret matter, so they likely could not send a separate letter.”
“...Ah, I see.”
Seomdo spoke with a bitter smile.
“Allow me to introduce myself once more. I am Branch Chief Seomdo.”
“I am Bang Seongyeon of the Lesser Moon Unit.”
“...Huh! Could you be Moon Hero...?”
“Embarrassingly enough, that is what I am called.”
“G-goodness... To think I would meet Henan’s hero and the orthodox faction’s new star here...!”
Seomdo exclaimed in admiration.
At that reaction, I had to smile awkwardly.
“I have confirmed the wooden token. You wish for a permit to head into Xinjiang, yes?”
“Yes. That is correct. Can we receive permission to go as quickly as possible?”
“...That is...”
Seomdo made a troubled face.
Was there some kind of problem?
“...At present, the only road to Xinjiang is blocked.”
“Blocked? What is the reason?”
“Recently, traces of unorthodox faction bastards have been confirmed around Maebo County, so we have temporarily sealed the road to Xinjiang.”
“...Unorthodox faction?”
Signs of the unorthodox faction on the road to Xinjiang?
Why bring up the unorthodox faction all of a sudden?
That was a subtle thing to say.
Could unorthodox faction bastards be in this region?
They could, sure.
But for what reason?
Why would they need to be all the way out here in this distant borderland?
I could not understand it.
Moreover—
The fact that this man is saying it is itself the problem.
He was already someone who had accepted Sky-Crushing Palace’s energy.
The moment Seomdo said that, I could not trust it.
“Then are you saying we cannot go?”
“Ah, no. How could I obstruct a mission from the main Alliance headquarters? However, because a pursuit mission is currently underway... if you could give us half a day to a full day, I will issue the permit by tomorrow.”
“A day... hmm. Understood.”
I nodded and answered.
At that, Seomdo’s expression brightened.
“Thank you for understanding...!”
“Not at all. Then I will visit around this time tomorrow.”
After lowering my head and observing the proper courtesy, I rose.
There was no need for further conversation.
“Ah, and could you guide us to lodging where we can stay briefly?”
“Of course! We will prepare it for you at once.”
As Seomdo spoke, he gave an order to a subordinate.
While listening to him, I stared intently at Seomdo.
The wavering energy.
Even the person he was giving the request to carried Sky-Crushing Palace’s energy.
This really looks like...
They seemed to be trying to pull some bullshit, so it looked like I needed to check.
*****
The moment we came outside, the one who spoke to me was Peng Dojun.
“This is strange. It stinks.”
His face crumpled as he showed his discomfort.
Was it the five senses of the Heavenly Martial Body?
It seemed he had sensed something strange.
“Did you not feel it?”
“No. I did.”
“As expected...!”
Peng Dojun seemed pleased that he was not the only one who had felt it.
I had no idea why that pleased him.
“Those bastards are strange. They give off a filthy, irritating feeling.”
“Yes. I feel the same, so I’m thinking of looking into it a little.”
“Will we be all right on time?”
Cloud Dragon asked.
Time.
We did not exactly have a lot of time to reach Xinjiang, but—
“I think using about a day should be fine.”
It was not anything else.
Only a day, at most.
I judged that much time should be acceptable to use.
And.
If the other side had asked me to give them time, that meant they intended to handle something within that time.
This is an opportunity in its own way.
A decent opportunity.
That was how I thought of it.
Afterward, an Alliance martial artist approached and guided us to lodging.
It was fairly clean and orderly lodging.
Not bad.
It was more than good enough for a single day’s stay.
I unpacked and loosened up a little.
A cracking sensation brushed through me.
At this level—
The Sword Emperor had told me not to use energy until I understood my body’s condition, but it did not seem too unreasonable yet.
I judged that using this much would be fine.
Then—
The time is...
I waited as the sun gradually began to set.
A little time passed, and when evening came, I moved.
When I heightened my energy sense, I could feel the people stationed around the lodging.
They seemed to have been attached under the pretext of guards, but...
Guards?
How ridiculous.
They said unorthodox faction bastards were causing trouble in the city, so did they really need to use manpower on us?
They should know that people from the main Alliance headquarters would not be weaker than them.
It makes no sense.
A series of nonsensical situations.
I threw myself through the window frame.
I erased my presence and moved.
The others could not perceive me.
My destination was not the branch, but another place.
What I was looking at was the empty air.
Sky-Crushing Palace energy.
I had to find the place where it was condensed.
*****
I moved across rooftops.
I did not sense anyone detecting me.
I did not know whether that was because I had erased my presence well, or because there was no expert capable of sensing it.
I also checked Mi Yeonhwa’s movements, but her demonic qi was still at the lodging.
I continued moving while keeping track.
Soon, I found the place where the energy was condensed.
The location was—
On the map, the road to Xinjiang.
The direction leading into Xinjiang.
It seemed gathered there.
I immediately erased my presence even further.
I slowly approached and lowered my posture.
As I drew close to a tree and held my breath, I heard a familiar face and voice.
“Damn it. Why did people from the main Alliance headquarters come?”
It was Seomdo.
“...We have not even finished handling the matter yet. What did the captain do!”
Captain?
Was he talking about the bastard we killed on the way here?
“According to the report, Moon Hero executed the captain.”
“Haa... That incompetent bastard. He strutted around so much, and in the end, that was how it turned out? Pathetic beyond belief. Fine. He was someone we would have dealt with soon anyway. Hae Yeong. How is the matter proceeding?”
“...We have sent word to the Palace side. As you instructed, we have not yet passed news into Xinjiang.”
“Well done. Wait for the right time. The jade stone has not been completed yet, so we need more time. It would be good if we could drag things out another day...”
Seomdo bit his nail as if troubled.
Jade stone?
What is a jade stone?
Ruuuuumble—!!
At the same time as my question, a vibration could be felt in the distance.
Hm?
Along with an unknowable tremor—
Fwoooosh!
My karmic fire reacted.
As if it had been waiting for this.