Chapter 189: Heavenly Orchid Society (1)

While Il-mok was reeling from the shocking truth he'd just learned, Dam Bin continued.

"During the era when the Hegemonic Heavenly Demon was active, there was no such thing as the Nine Great Sects and One Gang. It was only after the Kongtong Sect was wiped out that some of its survivors scattered across the land and started their own Daoist sects. Over the long years, a few of these grew into massive organizations, eventually becoming what we now know as the Nine Great Sects and One Gang."

So the Kongtong Sect was basically the ancestor of several major Daoist sects.

It was only then that it finally clicked for Il-mok.

'It's honestly a miracle they made it to Xinjiang alive.'

If some of the sects within the Nine Great Sects and One Gang were founded by Kongtong Sect survivors, their hatred for the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult would be beyond imagination.

The fact that the Cult wasn’t completely wiped off the map and actually escaped to Xinjiang was nothing short of miraculous.

“So, which of the Nine Sects were the ones founded by the Kongtong descendants?”

"Mount Hua, Qingcheng, Diancang, and Kunlun. Though Kunlun no longer exists—Hainan took its place."

"...What the hell happened to Kunlun?"

Something about this felt ominous, so Il-mok had to ask.

"Do you happen to remember the history of the Ninth Heavenly Demon, the Blood Tear Heavenly Demon?"

At Dam Bin's response, Il-mok squeezed his eyes shut.

The Blood Tear Heavenly Demon was one of the names he'd memorized by heart during his entrance exam prep for the Hall of the Demonic Way, especially since his title was similar to the Blood Rain Heavenly Demon.

The Blood Tear Heavenly Demon lived about 160 years ago and was the Heavenly Demon who ruled after the cult was driven to Xinjiang—actually, he was the great-great-predecessor to the current one.

More importantly, he was the first Heavenly Demon to attempt to return to the Central Plains after being exiled to Xinjiang.

He got the name ‘Blood Tear Heavenly Demon’ from the story that he literally cried tears of blood when his invasion finally failed.

The next Heavenly Demon—the great-predecessor—also tried invading the Central Plains, and after that attempt also fell through, the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult entered a long, dark period lasting decades.

For ages, no one managed to truly master the Heavenly Demon Divine Arts since the cult leadership changed hands multiple times every few years or even decades. It wasn't until the current Heavenly Demon, Hyeokryeon Il-hwi, took the position that this dark age finally came to an end.

Learning from his predecessors' failures, the current Heavenly Demon focused on strengthening the cult's foundation rather than rashly attempting to reclaim the Central Plains.

While Il-mok was mentally replaying everything he’d ever learned about this, Dam Bin continued speaking.

"After the Blood Tear Heavenly Demon destroyed Kunlun Sect and pressed his advance, those cowards from Sichuan Province all ran away. And those despicable bastards gathered others under the name Murim Alliance and trapped the Blood Tear Heavenly Demon in an ambush."

And so, Il-mok had stumbled upon the founding of the Murim Alliance.

Seeing Il-mok with his eyes tightly shut, Dam Bin offered some consolation.

"But don't worry, Young Master. The Blood Tear Heavenly Demon remembered what happened with the Hegemonic Heavenly Demon and the Kongtong Sect. So, unlike with Kongtong, he made sure to wipe out every last trace of the Kunlun Sect."

What a truly comforting story that was.

As the fresh realization of what a batshit crazy group he’d joined washed over him, Il-mok pressed a thumb to his aching temple.

“Okay, I get why a bunch of scums can run wild in a major province. Tell me more specifically about this Heavenly Orchid Society or whatever it's called."

The Branch Leader answered Il-mok's question.

"To put it simply, they're trash that sucks the lifeblood out of the common people."

The Branch Leader opened some documents and pointed to several passages with his finger.

"As you can see, we found evidence that the Red Serpent Gang was using loan sharking to snatch up women, then shipping them off to the Heavenly Orchid Society instead of paying their usual tribute. When we investigated other nearby counties, we found similar patterns."

"So you're saying that, just like the Red Serpent Gang, other underworld organizations in nearby counties have been sending money and women as tribute in the same way?"

“Yes. Some of the women end up in brothels run by the Heavenly Orchid Society, while others seem to have been sold off somewhere else."

Il-mok's face twisted at the Branch Leader's explanation, and a wave of pure murderous aura washed over everyone else in the room.

'These crazy bastards are something else.'

A force that orchestrated human trafficking.

The Red Serpent Gang leader’s excuses might have been nothing more than that, just excuses, but this much was certain.

As long as the Heavenly Orchid Society existed, human trafficking would never disappear from Gansu Province.

Just then, urgent footsteps could be heard outside the door.

"Come in."

The second Il-mok gave the permission, one of the Gulang County branch's martial artists burst in and shouted.

"The Heavenly Orchid Society bastards are here!”

"The Heavenly Orchid Society?"

"Yes, Young Master. They're the ones who regularly visit Gulang County to deal with the Red Serpent Gang. Our people say they’re heading toward the estate right now.”

By the time the martial artist finished his explanation, Il-mok already had a mask on his face.

A mask of a wrathful Buddha.

***

It had only been a few days, but the Red Serpent Gang's estate already felt like an abandoned husk.

"The Red Serpent Gang collapsed?"

Three men dressed in blue martial robes were pressing blades to a local resident's throat as they questioned him.

“Who did it?”

The man was so terrified his face had gone white, and he was too frozen to speak.

“Looks like we’ll have to make an example of him.”

Just as the Heavenly Orchid Society martial artist muttered this and swung his sword to cut off the man's arm, the woman beside him frantically shouted:

"It, it was the Incarnation of Maitreya!"

"Incarnation of Maitreya?"

The name was so unfamiliar to them that their face contorted when they heard that.

"Who the hell is that?"

The man kept his sword on her husband as he asked, and the woman froze, not knowing what to say.

She too had only heard about it through rumors spreading around Gulang County. She had no idea who this Incarnation of Maitreya actually was.

In a terrifying situation where her husband was a second away from having his head lopped off, the wife’s eyes darted around, desperately searching for something.

She was desperately hoping for help and looking for anyone who might know who this ‘Incarnation of Maitreya’ was.

And at some point, her gaze became fixed on something.

"Th-that person!"

There stood a man in black robes wearing the wrathful deity mask she'd only heard about in rumors.

The trio withdrew their swords from the villager and turned their attention to the man.

"So you're the bastard who destroyed the Red Serpent Gang?"

Looking at Il-mok's bizarre appearance, the three from the Heavenly Orchid Society smiled coldly.

"Seems like the Red Serpent Gang leader didn't tell you about us."

"He did."

"Oho. So you knew and still did it."

"What the Heavenly Orchid Society wants is the tribute amount. Not who's sending it."

“Hahahaha. You get it, don’t you?”

“So, what? You’re saying you’re taking over the Red Serpent Gang’s turf here in Gulang County?”

Il-mok answered their question with a nod and a jerk of his chin toward the Red Serpent Gang’s estate.

“How about we talk details inside?”

Il-mok walked confidently toward the estate while simultaneously sending a telepathic message to the couple.

—Get out of here while they’re following me.

The three from the Heavenly Orchid Society approached Il-mok without much suspicion, and meanwhile, the couple carefully retreated while watching for their chance.

And the moment those bastards came within Il-mok's range, silver trajectories embroidered the air.

A trajectory that sliced across the throat of the man walking in front.

Swick.

A delayed cutting sound echoed as the man's head separated from his neck and fell toward the ground.

Swick!

Il-mok's sword pierced the heart of another man who was belatedly drawing his blade.

"D-don't you fear the name of the Heavenly Orchid Society!"

The man who had barely managed to draw his sword while his two companions died trembled as he shouted.

His earlier swagger was completely gone, leaving him pathetically screaming the name of his gang.

“I don’t know why you think that bullshit works on me.”

Il-mok approached the man and answered with an indifferent expression.

“If I were scared of you, would I have done this?”

Realizing that threats weren't working, the man suddenly swung his sword at Il-mok.

However, the sword of the man in the angry mask pierced his heart faster than his own swing.

"Kuk..."

Just after the man with the pierced heart collapsed with a choked groan—

"Forgive us, O Incarnation of Maitreya!!”

Someone's voice of repentance came from behind.

When Il-mok turned around, he saw a woman kneeling on the ground, bowing toward him.

It was the wife who had been threatened by the Heavenly Orchid Society thugs earlier.

"I dared to doubt and defile that sacred name! Please punish me, but please, please spare my husband!”

She confessed her sin for selling the name Incarnation of Maitreya to the Heavenly Orchid Society thugs.

She had blurted it out to save her husband, but she also knew what had happened at that gathering.

Understanding his wife's intention, the husband also quickly knelt down.

“It-It was my fault, Incarnation of Matreiya! Kill me, but please, s-spare my wife!”

Il-mok thought about how absurd this world was.

They were forced to do it with a knife on them and they still had to tremble and confess their sins like this.

“Keep doing exactly that. From now on, if anyone asks, you tell them the Incarnation of Matreiya did it."

The couple just stared up at him, completely confused by his answer.

"Sell my name to the villains who seek me. Maitreya protects me, so no evil can kill me. And tell my name to anyone who wishes for salvation. Tell them the Incarnation of Maitreya will destroy all evil."

They were stunned silent for a second by his answer.

The couple bowed again toward the Incarnation of Maitreya.

"Th-thank you!!"

“We’ll make sure everyone hears how great Maitreya is!”

When they finished bowing and looked up, the only things left in front of them were the three dead bodies.

***

Having quickly finished his business, Il-mok returned to the branch office with Dam Bin.

Only Il-mok had fought while wearing a mask to avoid exposing their identities. Dam Bin had been hiding nearby, ready to jump in just in case something went wrong.

"What do you plan to do now, Young Master?"

Il-mok took off his mask as he answered Dam Bin’s question.

“What else? We’re going to wipe out the Heavenly Orchid Society.”

Having said that, Il-mok turned to address the Branch Leader.

“How’s the money we recovered from the Red Serpent Gang?”

“Mostly sorted, Young Master.”

“Good. Give the people their share, send ten percent to headquarters like we discussed, and include a letter with the money.”

"A letter? What kind of letter?"

"Just tell them to send people to Lanzhou."

Jin Hayeon, who had been listening to their conversation, asked.

"Are you planning to attack the Heavenly Orchid Society after reinforcements arrive?"

Il-mok shook his head.

"It takes more than a day or two to make a round trip from here to headquarters. How could I wait for that?"

That answer left everyone who was listening with confused looks on their faces.

"Then why are you calling for reinforcements?"

"They're not reinforcements. It’s manpower. We’ll need people to manage Lanzhou and Gansu Province after I’m done cleaning up those scums.”

Il-mok looked toward the southeast where Lanzhou was located.

"We're attacking the Heavenly Orchid Society tonight."

After all, a surprise attack works best when the other side has no idea it’s coming.