Nano Machine c 330 to 340

 Chapter 331 - Extreme (3) Chapter 331: Extreme (3) The party chose the Grainsgate Plains, not too far away from the northern outpost of the Honam Region of the Demonic Cult. It was not a large area, but there were no people coming across the region, so it was a fitting place to fight. It was a duel held in secrecy, so warriors of the outpost stood guard with a 3-mile perimeter. It was a duel of a century that any martial artist would pay to watch. It was a fight between the strongest warrior of the Demonic Cult, Chun Yeowun, and one of the top five powerful warriors of Yulin, Martial Dual Sword Wang Jing. Normally, a simple duel would be done with wooden swords but this didn’t work for them anyway. These two strongest warriors of the entire Yulin were weapons themselves even without any weapons on them. Explosions kept erupting throughout the plains. Those who were watching from afar away turned to where the sound was coming from and were shocked. “I-is that a fight between martial artists?” One of the warriors from the outpost gasped in astonishment. The plains were being bombarded by a fight between two powerful warriors. What was interesting was that no one was able to clearly see the fight between these two individuals, and yet they could not pry their eyes away. “Hah!!!” Wang Jing’s sword formation used by two giant greatswords was amazing. His two greatswords had a much longer and wider range than any other sword. Thanks to this, their distance never closed against each other. ‘I was blocked again.’ What was more amazing was that Wang Jing had defended against all of Yeowun’s formations in one way or another. ‘Those giant swords are in the way.’ Two giant swords covered in force qi made it hard to penetrate through. Any slightest moment of sluggishness would have given Yeowun a chance, but Wang Jing never gave such chance, fitting to be considered as one of the top five warriors of Yulin. But Wang Jing also felt the same thing. He had to keep creating sword movements with his greatswords constantly to keep Yeowun at a certain distance. ‘I can’t have him move back. Lord Chun’s sword formation is too dangerous.’ Wang Jing had come across the formation of the Sword Force of the Sky Demon for about three times as they started. The bloodstain on his right shoulder was a result of it. He was able to defend against two formations, but the third formation had slightly cut his right shoulder. It was dangerous to collide against Yeowun if Yeowun was using the formation. ‘This is getting harder.’ He felt the sword in his hands becoming heavier. He was holding out for as long as he could, but it was obvious that the fight would result in his loss if this continued. He was already lacking in internal energy. Yeowun jumped up to find an opening and struck down with the Sky Demon Sword that wielded black force qi. “A powerful attack. Great!” Wang Jing spoke and defended the attack by bringing up his two greatswords. But when Yeowun struck down, he kicked his foot in the air, and the air pushed him away, disappearing. ‘Huh?! He stepped in the air!’ It was the top level of using the Wind Step God skill, allowing one to step in the air to change direction in the air. Wang Jing quickly thought it through as he lost the trace of Yeowun in his eyes. ‘My only opening right now…’ The only opening was in back. Wang Jing brought all of his might to twist and swung his greatsword in his right hand toward the back like a shield. His experience did not fail him as Yeowun appeared from behind and thrust his Sky Demon Sword. “Argh!” Wang Jing was pushed five steps back after being struck by the Sky Demon Sword. He brought up 100% of his energy, but he couldn’t endure it. The astounding power was dangerous. “Whew…” Wang Jing took a deep breath and let it out, with his breathe turning white. He had sent out the cold energy that came into him in that one moment. He protected his body through internal energy, but the black force qi covering the Sky Demon Sword easily penetrated his body. ‘This is crazy.’ If Wang Jing was to defend against a terrifying power, then the cold energy came into him instead. He didn’t imagine using two energies at once would be this frustrating to fight against. ‘I have to admit it.’ After fighting for nearly fifty formations, Chun Yeowun was a step stronger than him. They didn’t use definitive skills aimed to kill each other, but it was still enough. ‘Lord Chun is not using his best either.’ As expected, Yeowun didn’t use all of his might in the duel. He still had Right Sword, Left Blade, followed by the Sword Force of the Sky Demon and the Extreme Art of Blade God that would certainly lead the enemy into death that he had not used. It was still a duel after all. “Wouldn’t either one of them get hurt from that?” “W-whoa. This is terrifying.” Mun Ku was concerned while Hu Bong was excited. Unlike how those two actually fighting thought, others who were looking thought the fight would result with someone dying. Wang Jing spoke to Yeowun without easing down. “A powerful warrior can check the opponent’s power just by exchanging attacks. I think we have enough exchange of formations, Lord Chun. May I ask for a favor?” Chapter 332 - Extreme (4) Chapter 332 - Extreme (4) “Yes, of course.” “Can you show me the understanding you learned by reaching the end stage of the supreme master level?” They had checked each other’s power enough. What Wang Jing now wanted to know was the best power that Yeowun had achieved after reaching the end stage, even if that would result in an injury for Wang Jing. He wanted to feel the power of a martial artist who had achieved the legendary stage. “…Are you sure it’s okay?” “What do you mean?” “It can be dangerous.” “Haha. Don’t worry. I am weaker than you, but I am still one of the top five warriors for a reason.” Wang Jing reassured Yeowun who seemed to be concerned. Wang Jing had not used his best skill yet. If things turned dangerous, he still had that to defend himself. “…I understand. If that is your wish.” Actually, Yeowun wanted to check it out for himself, the understanding he found while reaching the end stage of the supreme master level. Yeowun returned the Sky Demon Sword back into its armguard form. Wang Jing became surprised. Taking the sword back meant Yeowun was showing something that had to do with the form of energy. Yeowun gathered his fingers and aimed at Wang Jing. ‘What is he trying to do?’ Yeowun then opened his mouth as if he had read Wang Jing’s mind. “I have learned a total of two things.” It was then. The energy coming out from Yeowun became powerful as it filled the entire area. Its energy was very cold that reached out over 1,000 feet from where Yeowun stood. Then black ice began to form an ice sword. It was just like the skill that Wang Yogun showed when she went berserk. “What?!” Wang Jing knew that Yeowun absorbed yin qi, but didn’t think such a thing was be possible. He moaned in astonishment. But that wasn’t over. The number of ice swords was over 100, floating in the air and they circled around Wang Jing. Wang Jing clenched his greatswords. This was power beyond his imagination. “…This is unbelievable, Lord Chun.” This was a skill that would make Yeowun be considered a legion of troops with him alone. Wang Jing checked the direction of the ice swords that were aimed at him in the air. Then all the ice swords suddenly shattered. Wang Jing who had been preparing to defend against them became dumbfounded. “What is this? Lord Chun… are you trying to make fool of me?” “No, sir.” “Then why did you stop the attack?” “It’s not the best compared to the second understanding I had.” “What are you…” Then, a blue light appeared around Yeowun. All of those blue lights began to gather and started to shape into a sword. Wang Jing became shocked. His disappointment disappeared immediately and became shocked. ‘…This is unbelievable!’ That blue light formed like force qi. But it wasn’t just any force qi. It didn’t form over sword or a hand, meaning it was energy on its own. A warrior on the level of supreme master could use technique called Air Sword. One that became an established supreme master was then given the ability to use force qi over the air sword. ‘H-how is that even possible?’ But what Yeowun was doing was creating force qi over in the air where there was nothing. The number of swords formed was twelve. Yeowun spoke to Wang Jing who seemed to be shocked. “This is my finding.” With a deep and complicated understanding of energy, Yeowun was finally able to use such a powerful skill. ‘I can barely maintain it over a minute, but it’s enough.’ “Then, be ready!” Yeowun reached out his hand toward Wang Jing and all twelve sword force qi immediately charged like lightning toward him. “Ugh!” Wang Jing became shocked and swung his greatswords. He tried to keep his distance by swinging his greatswords, but all twelve swords divided up and attacked from all angles, as if they were all used by Yeowun himself. Wang Jing rapidly moved his swords to defend, but it was too much. It was like he was up against twelve powerful warriors at once. “Argh!” Wang Jing’s back waist was cut from one of the swords and Wang Jing turned to strike it down. ‘No!’ But as a sword was struck down, another replaced it to keep on attacking. Wang Jing became busy just barely defending himself. “By the gods…” “What in the world am I seeing it?” Those who watched close up became shocked. Air sword was already a powerful technique, but it used too much energy and was only effective against weaker enemies. But when it became true force qi, the situation was overturned. Yeowun was standing from afar as he moved his arms. Wang Jing was being pushed around, trying hard to defend against twelve sword force qi, but he was getting slower. “S-sir Wang is becoming slower!” Hu Bong shouted excitedly. It was an unbelievable sight to see one of the top five powerful warriors of Yulin in such trouble. ‘Dammit!’ Wang Jing was frustrated. ‘Is there no end to the energy?’ It seemed that a slight mistake would result in his death. He merely withstood it for a few seconds but it was just too much. Without knowing when Yeowun would lose all of his energy in controlling the swords, it was hard to defend against them. ‘N-No! I can’t do it!’ After defending against frantically, Wang Jing shouted, “L-Lord Chun! Stop!” The swords in the air immediately came to a stop at once. Wang Jing dropped both of his greatswords onto the ground. His face was drenched in sweat. “Hah… Hah…” He was really exhausted. Yeowun looked at him and asked, “Will you continue?” Wang Jing looked back at Yeowun dumbfoundedly and shook his head. “Hah… hah… I lost. You win, Lord Chun.” Wang Jing declared his loss and Yeowun smiled. With this, one of the top five warriors of Yulin had accepted a loss against Chun Yeowun. Chapter 333 - Return to the Demonic Cult (1) Chapter 333 - Return to the Demonic Cult (1) Three Mountains, southwestern side of Kangsoh Castle. This mountain was located near the Yangza River which ran through the middle of the mountain and split into two. With three peaks in the north and south side, that contributed to its name. And near the mountain, there was a large palace-like mansion. The size of the mansion would have the name of something that showed what it was, but it had no name. Its outer wall was placed like a giant maze, with over 26 small and big buildings scattered over the entire premise. And in the middle of everything, there was the main building. Inside this building, there was an office with a middle-aged man with long hair and narrow eyes listening to a briefing. But he didn’t seem too happy to hear what was being told. After listening to it for a while, the man asked, “So, you are saying the centipede for Yi Baek exploded?” “…Yes, sir.” “And you did not go down there to pick it up?” The man said ‘it’ but the one who was reporting understood what it was. It was referring to the treasure that was left by their founder. “No, sir.” The man answered and the middle-aged man banged on the desk with his fist. The fist wielded powerful energy that shattered the desk immediately. As the middle-aged man showed his discomfort for the first time, the man flinched and became afraid. “Then you should’ve at least went down there and picked up the body!” “I-I’m sorry, sir.” The middle-aged man was angry at the death of the man named Yi Baek. Of course, it was because this middle-aged man was the brother of the dead Yi Baek, Yi Wook. “We sent agents who were nearby immediately to search, but we couldn’t find the Sword Master’s body. And we didn’t find any of his soldiers’ bodies either.” Yi Wook raised his eyebrows. “What? The entire Sword Group squadron disappeared?” It was a group of 150 elite warriors, with a superior master level leader. Their power was enough to make three or four clans extinct in just one night. “Not all sir. There are 105 bodies missing, with 59 bodies that fell into the hands of the Blue Sky Brotherhood.” “Blue Sky Brotherhood? They did this?” Yi Wook seemed unconvinced. When Yi Baek was ordered to so go down to the Sword Creek, he had investigated the forces residing within Sword Creek already. They found out that one of their officers was staying by the hidden mansion, but other than that, they only had 40 men. “That’s impossible. That’s not enough to defeat our entire squadron.” “There were no other signs of any other forces from the Blue Sky Brotherhood making a move, sir. It seems someone else is involved in this.” “Aaaaaargh! Who dares to interrupt our work!” They had eyes on every faction of the entire Jianghu very closely. Starting with the Forces of Evil, the Demonic Cult and Yulin Forces of Justice and its secret organization Blue Sky Brotherhood were all carefully kept on watch. But none of them made any movements. “If we didn’t even get the book, then my brother just died in vain!” Yi Wook was more furious that his brother had died without achieving anything. If he was able to find out who was behind this, he wanted to go and rip the culprit apart to kill him. That’s when the man who was reporting pulled something out from his back. “…I know you must be furious, but please keep calm. ‘Blade Master’ told me to give it to you.” “What’s this?” It was a scroll wrapped with red silk and golden dragon embroidery. Even the rope that tied the scroll was made of gold color. “This is the letter you’ve been waiting for.” “Ah!” Yi Wook quickly untied the rope and opened up the scroll and checked it out. It was a letter with beautiful writing, marked with a dignified looking seal at the end. “So, the third step of the Grand Plan will now begin.” His eyes shook with excitement. He had been waiting for this time for so long. But it was also sad that his brother wasn’t here to walk the same path. After reading through the letter, Yi Wook frowned. “Tonghu Bay? Isn’t this bottom of the place? Aren’t we doing it in that place?” “I heard it’s not always there.” “…Well, I guess we don’t need to take such risk. It doesn’t matter. Whatever the location is, the plan is always the same.” Yi Wook clenched his fist. He had been hungry for blood to ease his anger anyway. The northern outpost of the Demonic Cult at the Honam Region. An old woman was wailing and mourning while she hugged a baby tightly. She was the muscular old lady, Godly Doctor Gam Rosu. She had been crying so hard that her face was red and eyes were swollen. The baby in her arms was also crying heavily that the 2nd guesthouse was filled with noise. In front of them, a man with an eyepatch stood. It was Fourth Elder Yang Danwa. Gam Rosu had been crying for over 20 minutes, with the baby crying and sometimes stopping before starting to cry again. ‘She must be really sad.’ It was easy to see why Gam Rosu was crying so hard, as she was crying by the body of her granddaughter Gam Miyan. There was no way she would be okay to find her granddaughter, who she wanted to rescue so badly, return with a dead body. ‘Hmph.’ Yang Danwa volunteered to do this, but it was frustrating nonetheless. He didn’t think the wailing and mourning would last for days. After wailing for a long time, Gam Rosu held the baby in her arms and caressed Gam Miyan’s cold face and mumbled. “How dare… how dare they kill my granddaughter! I will never forgive them!” Chapter 334 - Return to the Demonic Cult (2) Chapter 334 - Return to the Demonic Cult (2) Gam Rosu was told that the Blue Sky Brotherhood killed her granddaughter. It was a lie, but it was better that way as Yeowun and their group couldn’t bring Gam Miyan back alive as it was certain that she would try to get in the way in any way possible. ‘It’s good that she still has her grand-grandson.’ That was huge in this case, as Gam Rosu grieved the death of her granddaughter, the existence of her granddaughter’s son would ensure that Gam Rosu would not make extreme choices. It was likely that she would live to avenge and raise her only family. “Those devils!” Gam Rosu wailed heavily as she cried vengefully, and Yang Danwa thought as she looked on, ‘Keep that anger within you for the Great Demonic Cult.’ It could feel bad to lie and use her like this, but they were not Forces of Justice. This was the way of the Demonic Cult. At the same time, in the medical room by the main building of the outpost, there was a room with many beds. On one of them, a silver-haired woman was sitting on it while talking with someone. They were Martial Dual Sword Wang Jing and his daughter, Wang Yogun. Her cheeks now had a reddish tint as her condition normalized and Wang Jing seemed to be really happy to see his daughter well. Her hair was still silver in color, but that was okay. Wang Jing had waited to see this moment for so long. ‘Gayen. Our child is so beautiful!’ Wang Yogun’s beauty doubled as she recovered from being weak and pale. She was already very beautiful while she was deathly pale, but now she was like a flower that any man would be tempted to take. It was likely that she would easily be considered one of three most beautiful women in the entire Yulin. “Hmph.” Wang Jing had been coughing since while ago. ‘It’s good that she became healthy but…’ They had been talking and chatting until a while ago, but now they were dead silent. It was time to speak about an important issue that they didn’t really want to talk about. Wang Yogun had to sleep with Chun Yeowun for her treatment against her will. Wang Yogun knew this and understood this fact. She actually woke up during the act, and she also vaguely remembered what happened when she went berserk. But even if it was an act of medical treatment, it was man and woman having a relationship so they had to talk about marriage. ‘Lord Chun is enough as a candidate.’ Wang Jing asked for the treatment to save his daughter at first, but he came to like Yeowun more as he got to know him. Yeowun seemed like the best son-in-law now that he thought about it. ‘He’s really powerful too.’ After the duel, Wang Jing now knew that Yeowun was like a monster. Yeowun was still young, but he had defeated Wang Jing. Even if Wang Jing did not use all of his skills, there was no way to deny that he had lost. ‘There’s a monster in the east, but Lord Chun might be the strongest warrior of the entire Yulin in the end.’ There weren’t many who were titled as the strongest warrior in Yulin history. But it seemed very possible that Yeowun might just be the one as he was still very young. And since he was the leader of one of three largest factions of Yulin, it was likely that his daughter would be safe in Yeowun’s hands. ‘I know you might not like this, but maybe he is your destiny.’ There was a chance that his daughter would refuse, but there was no choice. Wang Jing didn’t want his daughter to live in solitude either. Wang Jing decided and opened his mouth to speak. “Hmph. Yogun…” “Father.” “Huh?” It seemed Yogun had something to say too. That was why she had been looking down, not meeting her father’s eyes until now. After a bit of hesitation, she spoke. “I-I heard you lost to Lord Chun. Is that true?” Wang Jing frowned. He had not talked about this issue to her because of his pride as a warrior and father. “Who told you that?” “…A man named Hu Bong told me.” “Hah!” ‘That fool!’ Wang Jing became furious when he heard the name. He didn’t think that Hu Bong might have told the result to his daughter. It seemed that Hu Bong, when he came to fetch Godly Doctor Gam Rosu, spoke a few things to Yogun. At least Yogun did not talk about the fact that Hu Bong addressed her as ‘Lady’ as if Yogun had already married Yeowun. That part was omitted in her explanation. ‘So, it was true!’ She was really surprised as the reaction of her father confirmed it. His father was not a talkative type, but was very revealing on what he thought from his emotions. The way he was acting was absolute proof that he actually lost to Yeowun. Wang Jing became angry at Hu Bong who spilled his loss to others like this, but he pushed it down and tried to speak what he wanted to say at first. “Yogun, I…” “Father, I’ve decided. If you allow me, I want to go with Lord Chun.” “W-what?!” Wang Jing became dumbfounded when his daughter claimed to want to go with Chun Yeowun first. Chapter 335 - Return to the Demonic Cult (3) Chapter 335 - Return to the Demonic Cult (3) Wang Jing became dumbfounded at the unexpected reaction from his daughter. ‘W-what?’ Wang Yogun told him the exact thing that he himself wanted her to do, but it didn’t feel all that good to hear her say it willingly. As far as he knew, his daughter was not the type to fall in love just because she had slept with a man. She did not have a mother growing up, but Wang Jing raised her well. “…Are you saying that because I lost to Lord Chun?” If that was the reason, that could have been very disappointing and sad. Of course, Wang Yogun was a person living in Yulin who might admire a powerful martial artist, and considering the fact that Chun Yeowun was young and handsome with the potential to become the strongest warrior of Yulin, it certainly was possible that Yogun might fall in love. But what she said next surprised Wang Jing. “No. Do you think I’d fall for him for such a reason?” “Then why?” “I heard from that Hu Bong and also from Bun that Lord Chun had a lover and still helped me regardless.” “Hmph.” It seemed Yogun had heard a lot of things in detail when she woke up. Wang Jing was more hesitant on explaining Mun Ku to her rather than proceeding with marriage, but Yogun already knew about her. “It isn’t easy to do something like that when you have a lover, even if you want to save someone’s life.” Wang Yogun blushed. Wang Jing frowned from unknown jealousy. “Don’t you mind about that. Men are not as innocent and pure as you might think. I told you multiple times.” Of course, Wang Jing knew that Yeowun was not that type as he noticed that Yeowun was concerned about Mun Ku. But he just said it anyway. “You are a man too.” “I’m not like any other man.” Yogun smiled at her father’s concerning words. “Of course you are not like any other man. But I think you’ve made a mistake.” “Huh?” “I… I’m not saying I will need to marry Lord Chun just because I… did that.” “What?” Wang Jing frowned at Yogun’s unexpected words. If Yogun was not thinking about getting married to Yeowun, then why was she going to follow him into the cult? Yogun continued, “Lord Chun saved my life. I would have died if it wasn’t for his help. How can I just ignore that debt?” “Yogun. Are you saying…” Something was strange. Her words implied that she wanted to join Yeowun as a servant, not as a wife. And Wang Jing’s guess was right. “Yes. I want to repay the debt for saving my life by entering the Demonic Cult. You always said debts must be paid.” Wang Jing sighed at the unexpected turn of events. He had not expected this kind of reaction from his daughter. “Yogun. Do you know what you are saying? …I’ll be frank. Even if it was to save your life, you and Lord Chun still slept together. …And you do not want to marry him? Instead, you just want to join the cult?” “Father. I am a woman living in Yulin. I don’t want to get married only because I slept with a guy once! Besides, he has a lover.” “Nonsense! Him having a lover doesn’t stop you from marrying him! You are the daughter of I, Wang Jing! Why would you just be a servant?!” He had many enemies and lived in hiding, but he still was one of the top five strongest warriors of Yulin; he had fame and honor. If he chose to join in any faction, then it was likely that he would be welcomed with open arms. “If you are not happy with becoming a 2nd wife, then I will talk with Lord Chun about that, so…” “Gosh, it’s not about that! Listen to me!” Wang Yogun burst out angrily. Wang Jing became dumbfounded as his daughter who never raised her voice to him started shouting back. “Father! If you have to marry just because you slept with a guy, all women must be in danger! Everyone will try to sleep with a girl they like so they can marry!” “…” She was confident and smart. Her point was also logical, and that made Wang Jing be at a loss for words. “I’m not that kind of woman. Besides, I have to know the person before I can even think about marriage!” “I-I suppose you are right.” Wang Jing answered and Yogun continued, “And… I want you and Bun to come with me.” “What?” “You promised that you would protect me and Bun for Mother’s sake.” In the end, Yogun was saying the entire family to join the Demonic Cult. ‘Ah…’ Wang Jing who was just dumbfounded and shocked by unexpected words, now realized what was going on. He just thought his daughter was having weird ideas, but that wasn’t it. ‘She was just..’ Yogun was screaming, as if she was fighting her father, but her eyes showed that she had hopes and concerns. Wang Jing finally realized what her goal was from the beginning. ‘You always have to look out for us while we hide from Forces of Evil and Justice. It should be safer if we go to the Demonic Cult.’ Wang Jing went into hiding only because he wanted to protect his children. He had to reveal himself because he thought his daughter was kidnapped, but he had never revealed his identity to others until now, even when he was one of the most famous martial artists. That made Yogun sad. Her father had the power and fame to live a life fitting for his position, but he sacrificed everything for his children. ‘Father will follow me if I say this much.’ She was raised very well by Wang Jing, and grew up to be very considerate. What she was doing was to give her father a reason to join the cult without bending his will. His father was from the Forces of Justice, so he did not have a good impression of the Demonic Cult, but they realized the cult wasn’t much different from the others after all. ‘My child has grown to be a very considerate and warm adult. Gayen, our girl has grown a lot.’ Wang Jing felt his heart warm up from Yogun’s thoughts. He then realized it was actually stupid to force marriage upon them just because his daughter had slept with Chun Yeowun. It was better that she work for Yeowun to repay the debt. “Hmph. If that is your wish, you leave me with no choice. If you do not have any feelings for Lord Chun… then do what as wish.” Wang Jing coughed but brightened his face. He was especially glad that his daughter was concerned about him, not the man whom his daughter had slept with. But Yogun’s next comment made Wang Jing frown. “I-I am not sure yet. I might come to like him if given some time,” Yogun blushed as she said and looked away. “???” Wang Jing frowned and soon laughed. Chapter 336 - Return to the Demonic Cult (4) Chapter 336 - Return to the Demonic Cult (4) On the third outpost guesthouse, Chun Yeowun was talking with Second Elder Yin Moha. She had been out of the post for a full day, and returned just about 30 minutes ago. Before Yeowun went to the Yongho Family's village, Yeowun told Gam Rosu about the patient's symptoms without telling who the patient was. Yeowun already scanned the patient, Chun Yujong before, so he told every detail on the abnormalities he found, and Gam Rosu presumed the condition to be damage in the heart. 'Do you have these herbs in the cult?" Luckily, Yeowun had a list of herbs stored within the cult when he searched for opium poppy, so he realized what he was missing and told Yin Moha to fetch the missing herbs that Gam Rosu asked for. Herbs on the table were those Yin Moha returned with. "I was able to gather everything Granny Gam asked for. But… please forgive me for I wasn't by your side when all these things happened, my Lord." "It's okay. It all worked out." Yin Moha's presence would not have changed anything as all of it started from the treatment to the duel with Wang Jing that was unexpected. Yin Moha then knelt on one of her knees and bowed. "And congratulations on becoming one of the strongest warriors of Yulin." As she said, Yeowun had won against Martial Dual Sword Wang Jing and was now equal to the top five strongest warriors of Yulin. Unlike Chun Yujong who was under the influence of blood reversion art, this duel was a normal duel that both individuals fought the best in. Yin Moha was glad to hear this news. 'We have all that we need. It's time we return to the cult.' The trip had extended for quite a bit as Yeowun took many detours along the way. The only thing left was to bring the Godly Doctor back to the cult. That's when someone knocked on the door. "My Lord. There is a guest." "Come in." Yeowun permitted and a young man with black clothing came in. He then knelt on his one knee to bow. "Greetings, my Lord." "Who are you?" Yeowun asked and the man replied, "My Lord, Elder Huan sends an urgent message." "Elder Huan!" The man was an agent of a covert operations group that was led by Huan Yi. If this agent had to come forward, then it meant there was an important message at stake. Covert operations usually used telepathic messages to send messages unless it was an official report being made. After hearing the man's telepathic message, Yeowun frowned. "…We must return at once." The information was about unexpected guests heading toward the Mountain of Ten Thousand. That afternoon, Yeowun ordered to prepare for an immediate return to the Demonic Cult. He went north on horseback, but this time he prepared a horse-led carriage. Originally, they planned to have a funeral for Gam Rosu's granddaughter Gam Miyan before they left, but they had to hurry so Yeowun promised a grand funeral ceremony in the cult and persuaded Gam Rosu to leave now. That required a carriage to carry the coffin that contained Gam Miyan's body. The coffin was loaded on the carriage with Gam Rosu staying closely by it with the baby in her hands. With all preparations done, it was now time to leave. Yeowun then headed to the medical room along with two elders Yin Moha and Yang Danwa to ask the Wang family on what to do. 'I want to deal with this when we are preparing a funeral.' Wang Jing mentioned marriage due to the event. Since Yogun was the only person that Mun Ku allowed, Yeowun was to talk things out with Wang Jing and sort out the problem slowly. But with them needing to leave now, the plan had to change. However, the unexpected happened when Yeowun got to the medical room. 'How can this be?' Yin Moha and Yang Danwa became so shocked that their mouths opened wide. Wang Jing, Wang Bun, and Wang Yogun all went down on their knees and asked to join the cult. "Sir Wang Jing…" "Lord Chun, please accept us. How can I repay the debt for saving my daughter's life other than that? Please allow me to so I can repay it." This was a sight that couldn't be seen anywhere. Yang Danwa was really glad for the unexpected turn of events. He was actually going to ask Yeowun so that he would marry Yogun, which would result in having Wang Jing siding with them. But they were requesting to join the cult voluntarily. 'This is unexpected.' Yeowun seemed surprised. This was better than the marriage option but it was curious. 'Is it her will?' Yeowun turned to Yogun. When their eyes met, Yogun became blushed and looked away. She was embarrassed to look at the man with whom she slept with. 'Hmmm…' The reaction showed that she had some feelings toward him. That's when Yeowun heard Wang Jing's telepathic message. [Hmph. Lord Chun, we will talk about marriage in the future. Isn't it better for you two to get to know each other better before we talk about marriage?] '…' And this confirmed that the decision was primarily from Wang Yogun. This was really unexpected. 'I didn't imagine this.' She was very beautiful, but Yeowun was not interested in other women, so he didn't feel any different until now. But he now became curious about Yogun who seemed to be different from other women, just like Mun Ku. Yeowun the nodded. [Okay, Sir Wang Jing.] Wang Jing became satisfied with the response. Yeowun then bowed. "How can I not welcome the Martial Dual Sword wanting to join our cult? Please join us, and help me and our cult. Welcome." Wang Jing brightened up and spoke. "Thank you, thank you for accepting us. My Lord." With that decided, Wang Jing immediately addressed Yeowun as his rightful Lord. At the same time toward the southern side of the Honam Castle region, there was a large parade heading toward the Mountain of Ten Thousand. In the middle of the parade, there was a lavish golden carriage guarded by countless soldiers. These people were not martial artists, but real soldiers from the government. The red flag that was hung up high had the Imperial Palace's seal on it. Chapter 337 - Imperial Order (1) Chapter 337 - Imperial Order (1) Mountain of Ten Thousand consisted of hundreds of mountain peaks… There was one man who was shooting through the woods at an enormous speed. It even looked like a hint of wind that just shot through with untrained eyes. The man who was showing this amazing skill of stepping skill was the Lord of Demonic Cult, Chun Yeowun. Each step that Yeowun took changed the area. After he reached the end stage of the supreme master level, his stepping skill exceeded that of Great Guardian Marakim, who had the nickname of Wind God, as Yeowun became faster and more powerful. It had been about two days since Yeowun ran like this without rest. 'I have to hurry.' Yeowun was concerned that he might not make it in time. According to the urgent message sent to him two days ago, the unexpected guest was expected to arrive at the Demonic Cult's castle within two days. Yeowun was at a location that would take at least 3 days due to the carriage, so Yeowun had to travel alone. 'My Lord. We'll follow along.' Two elders volunteered to follow, but Yeowun told them to stay behind and take Gam Rosu with them. Yeowun had to slow down if two elders followed him, so he had to travel alone. Officially, Yeowun was known to be in closed room training, but these guests were those that required Yeowun to come out of said closed room training to greet them. 'Faster!' Yeowun increased his speed. After traveling through the mountains, when Yeowun was about 10 miles away from the castle, he heard the sound of horse hooves and mild trembling on the ground. He opened his senses and sensed many figures. Yeowun then looked in the direction where soldiers were making a long parade as they moved along. 'Oh?' Yeowun stopped for a second and stood on a high tree, looking at them. There was a lavish golden carriage in the middle, and the flag that was held high in the front had the seal of the Imperial Palace. 'So, it is from the Imperial Palace.' Many soldiers were guarding the area. It was a parade of over three thousand people. But Yeowun became curious. 'I heard the government does not meddle with Yulin. But those soldiers learned martial arts.' There were about 300 soldiers with orange armor guarding the golden carriage. They ranged from top to master level warriors. 'And him..?' There was one man on a horse in the lead, also with orange armor who had learned martial arts. His level was vastly different from that of his men, as this man was at the superior master level. 'Hmm…. A general at the superior master level?' It was curious as to how a rare-leveled warrior would be within the Imperial Army. There was a handsome-looking young man with a golden sash standing by him, looking like his lieutenant. He was a bit weaker than the man, but he was at the super master level. These two were very different from the others. 'Nano, zoom in.' [Zooming in on the target.] Yeowun's eye zoomed in on those two men. He then found the man to be very dignified and strongly featured. It seemed he must be a general with a very high ranking title. 'This is strange.' But Yeowun was more concerned about the lieutenant. He had unique feelings that felt like he wasn't from an army, but the son of a wealthy family. 'And who is the man in that carriage that is guarded by such group?' Yeowun felt one person's presence within the carriage, but the man had no martial art power. 'Well, I will know soon enough.' After looking at them, Yeowun took steps again to go further south so he can get to the castle faster and prepare to greet these guests. At the same time toward the northern gate of the castle, cultists were busy preparing to greet the guest coming from the Imperial Palace. A road was covered with silk and the other preparations were being made. On the wall, a man with red silk clothes with butterfly embroidery looked toward the north, as if he was waiting for someone. "Is he not here yet?" It was Seventh Elder Huan Yi. He had white make-up on to make him look feminine. He was looking toward north with a concerned look. Someone then climbed up from below. It was Great Guardian Marakim with his unique engraved mask. "Is Lord not here yet?" Marakim asked and Huan Yi shook his head. "No. The Imperial Army will soon arrive… this is bad." Huan Yi already heard that the guest was already within 10 miles. They had to be prepared to greet the incoming guest. If the Lord did not arrive within that timeframe, everyone starting from the Imperial Palace to all cultists would know immediately that the Lord had been absent. "Hmm… that is concerning." Marakim also nodded in concern and looked toward the north. That's when he found something in his sight. Something like a dot was coming in their direction at enormous speed. 'It's really fast.' It was so fast that a mere glance would have made Marakim think it was leaves flying through the breeze. Huan Yi didn't seem to have realized it yet, and Marakim might have missed it if he didn't look carefully. The dot was becoming bigger as it only kicked off the top of a tree to jump across. 'Wait…' They weren't sure who it was, but Marakim couldn't sense anything. This meant the dot was a man who was stronger than him. If this man was stronger than Marakim, a supreme master level warrior, it could only mean one of the top five warriors of Yulin. And the dot was moving from left to right, trying to hide himself from being caught. 'Is he doing that to hide?' That would surely hide the man from the eyes of just normal warriors. But there was a large open area between the end of forest and to the castle wall, and that would surely reveal the man. "Elder Huan. We must be ready to defend." "Defend? What do you mean?" "Look." Marakim pointed at the dot. The dot was now close enough to show that it was a human figure. "See what?" "Don't you see that trace?" Huan Yi concentrated and finally saw something. It was so fast that he had to focus really hard to get even catch a glimpse of its movement. "W-what is that?" Chapter 338 - Imperial Order (2) Chapter 338 - Imperial Order (2) “We must activate the defense formation at once.” “Why at this moment…!” That level surely meant a powerful enemy. Just a bit closer and the face would be revealed. And when Huan Yi was about to order the guards to set the alarm for the intruder, Marakim saw the face. “Elder Huan! Stop!” Huan Yi stopped and turned back with a curious look. Marakim then sent a telepathic message. [It’s our Lord!] [What? Are you sure?] The one who was coming at an enormous speed was Yeowun. It was very close to making things complicated, but they were able to stop. The reason why Yeowun was creating that trace seemed to be because Yeowun did not want to let others know that he had been out of the castle walls. ‘It should be better if he comes from the other gates.’ Huan Yi became concerned. There was a large open area in front of the gate, so that would surely reveal Yeowun. But something unexpected happened. Toward the end of the forest, Yeowun jumped high up into the last tree before the open area. ‘M-my Lord!’ ‘What is he doing?’ Marakim and Huan Yi became shocked as Yeowun jumped even higher than the castle wall. Warriors above the wall were too busy as they were preparing to greet the guest and didn’t notice Yeowun in the air. Yeowun took steps in the air, flying across the wall. Marakim and Huan Yi became so shocked that they almost screamed. ‘By the gods…!’ ‘A-Air walking?’ This was the air walking technique, where a man used energy to step on air to fly through. This technique was deemed a legendary stage of the stepping skill that equaled its legendary state to that of Air Sword flying, which all people of Yulin only dreamt of. ‘T-the Lord has gone up to an even higher stage!’ This wasn’t something even Marakim could do. He could barely turn the direction of a fall in the air, but Yeowun was easily doing something so incredible. However, what Yeowun did next when he was up in the air was even more amazing. ‘W-wait…!’ Yeowun pulled out the White Dragon Blade, threw it up, and got up on it to fly through the air. Yeowun flying through at twice the height of the castle wall made him unspotted as he flew across it. Two of them became dumbfounded. Soon, Yeowun shot through the wall and went into the inner palace. Huan Yi sent a telepathic message with a dumbfounded look. [Uh… Great Guardian. What do you think happened outside?] […I want to ask you myself.] Chun Yeowun had returned as a monster in just a month’s time. He had power that equaled that of the top five warriors of Yulin. Marakim and Huan Yi quickly followed Yeowun to the inner palace. It seemed Yeowun knew they were following him as he was waiting for them near the palace. “Greetings, my Lord! Great Guardian at your service!” “Greetings, my Lord. Seventh Elder at your service.” “Was everything alright while I was gone?” “Of course, my Lord. I’m sorry to say this, but we have to make haste.” “Ah.” They quickly escorted Yeowun so that he could get changed into formal attire to greet the guest. All other elders remaining within the palace were already dressed as they all had to greet the incoming guest. When Yeowun entered the palace, everyone got up from their seats and bowed. “Glory to the Demonic Cult!” And with that, Third Elder Mun Yun, the highest-ranking elder at the moment, greeted him. Yeowun became awkward as he looked at Mun Yun. ‘Hm…’ Yeowun had slept with his granddaughter Mun Ku while he was out in Yulin. They weren’t married yet, so Yeowun felt apologetic toward Mun Ku’s grandfather Mun Yun. ‘After the guest from Imperial Palace is settled, I should talk with Elder Mun.’ Whatever the case, they had to deal with the guest first. Yeowun took the six elders and three of the remaining Six Swords to the northern gate where preparations complete. All clan leaders were out in line. They all stood ready to greet the guest. Hundreds of horses stomping on the ground caused mild trembling. Soon, the Imperial Army revealed themselves through the woods. As they got closer, soldiers divided into two rows, opening a row in the middle so that the lavish golden carriage could move up front. A man in orange armor who was in the front got down from his horse and went up to them. ‘Ah.’ Marakim and the other elders became surprised. They all sensed, just like Yeowun, that the man was at the superior master level. The man looked at Yeowun and cultists with an arrogant look and shouted, “Citizens of the Great Ming! I am Southern Commander Yon Namgun!” All cultists became shocked. Huan Yi then sent a telepathic message to Yeowun who did not know much about the Imperial Palace’s ranks and titles. [M-my Lord. That man is from the Imperial Guards.] The Imperial Guards were a military group entrusted by the Emperor himself. They had the leader, Supreme Commander, and two commanders: the Northern and Southern Commander. These commanders were highranking officials of the Imperial Palace. Yeowun did not know, but both of the commanders’ power was famous even within Yulin. ‘Who is in that carriage that made such a high-ranking general come down here?’ The carriage began to move. It seemed the person inside was getting out. ‘That man is from the Imperial… huh?’ With the door of the carriage being opened, the person finally revealed himself. The man was plump with narrow eyes, with a goat-like beard. He did not look like anything that Yeowun had imagined as a person from the royal family. “Hmph!” The man then carefully took out something from the carriage over to the small plate, and got down from the carriage. ‘What is that?’ On the plate, there was a red silk scroll with golden dragon embroidery. Everyone looked at it weirdly and Yon Namgun became furious and shouted, “How dare you stand straight in front of the Emperor’s order?! Get down to your knees right now!” “?!” The purpose of the lavish golden carriage was to bring down the scroll that contained the order of the Emperor. Chapter 339 - : Imperial Order (3) Chapter 339 - : Imperial Order (3) Three days before the Imperial forces arrived at the Demonic Cult Castle, someone called out to the person outside the golden carriage. “Southern Commander. Are you there?” “Yes, Your Highness.” Yon Namgun, who was the lead of the Imperial Guards who guarded the carriage, slowed down his horse to walk next to the carriage. The person then ranted from within the carriage. “Commander. Isn’t it weird for me, King of the Great Ming Dynasty, to go down myself to send the message?” The man who inside of the golden carriage along with the Imperial Order was the 2nd son of the Emperor of the Great Ming, Zhu Taikhan. Zhu Taikhan was very displeased with the fact that he had to go down to the Mountain of Ten Thousand himself. He did follow the direct order from the Emperor, but he still wasn’t happy about it. “It’s an order from the Emperor himself. Please, consider it.” Yon Namgun spoke to Zhu Taikhan. Yon Namgun had been saying this multiple times throughout their trip already but Zhu Taikhan’s discomfort did not disappear. ‘I don’t understand why our First Emperor even promised such a thing.’ Zhu Taikhan didn’t say this out loud as speaking ill of the first Emperor of the Great Ming was not allowed even for the son of the current Emperor, especially because of the nonaggression pact between the entire Yulin and the Empire. This was a pact made between the First Emperor of Great Ming and three leaders of the three factions of Yulin. Martial artists of Yulin who had unimaginable power as a single entity was a serious threat to the Empire. There were some dynasties in the past that fought a war against Yulin, but the First Emperor of Great Ming considered a waste to fight within and made a pact with them instead. ‘I heard the martial artists helped when the Great Ming first started.’ They were told that from the beginning. But now that was 180 years ago. “Commander.” “Yes, your highness.” “Who owns this land?” “It belongs to the Emperor of the Great Ming, your highness.” “Then who are those who live in the land of Great Ming?” “They are the citizens of the Great Ming, your highness.” The carriage shook as the man inside punched his fist into the carriage. “Then why are these so-called martial artist thugs disrespecting our Empire?!” “What are you…” “They are citizens of the Empire who should come bow in fear when the Emperor orders them to. But why am I, a King, going down to them instead?!” Zhu Taikhan was furious at the fact that he had to take orders from the Emperor and go down to send these people messages by himself. And he didn’t like this Demonic Cult faction, where they considered their Lord to be the ‘Sky’. Even the Emperor of Great Ming himself only considered him to be the ‘Son of the Sky.’ It was very arrogant of them. “Why are they so different from those who call themselves the Forces of Justice?” Those from the Forces of Justice considered themselves as citizens of the Great Ming and always paid respect toward the Empire. Zhu Taikhan saw many powerful warriors from the Forces of Justice within the Imperial Palace when they were invited. Some of them even offered to teach warriors of the Royal family in way of the blades. Zhu Taikhan, who was highly interested in martial arts, also took this chance to learn blade art from a monk from the Fire Mountain clan. “As far as I know, your highness, the cult, and the Forces of Evil have different values.” Commander Yon Namgun had few friends from the Forces of Justice and had heard about the power struggle between the three factions. These three factions were older than the Great Ming itself, and always struggled to keep their values. “Values? Rubbish. That’s up to them, not us. Are only the Forces of Justice considered citizens of the Great Ming Empire?” “…No, your highness.” Yon Namgun had no objection to that. Even if all these martial artists were fighting against each other, they all were citizens of the Great Empire. ‘Emperor ordered it himself, but that’s not good. It’s better if I can make the Lord come up to the palace himself. If I can do that, it will be a great feat.’ Unlike the Yulin clan of the Forces of Justice, no leader from the Demonic Cult or Alliance of Forces of Evil came to the Imperial Palace. They always sent their messenger to keep the pact in place, arrogantly. ‘Hmph.’ If it wasn’t for Zhu Taiyun who chose to go down to the Yulin clan, Zhu Taikhan would have chosen to go to the Yulin clan instead. But with the eldest son, Zhu Taiyun, choosing first, Zhu Taikhan had to choose the Demonic Cult as they were known to treat guests from the Imperial Palace with respect at least. As for the Alliance of the Forces of Evil, even his uncle suggested not to go. “I can’t let this go on like this. What do you think, Yuking?” Zhu Taikhan asked and a man who was on a horse left of the carriage, answered under the shadows, “Your highness. I heard the Lord has been replaced recently.” “Hmph. I heard that too.” Before Zhu Taikhan departed for the Demonic Cult, he asked monks from the Fire Mountain clan who were at the palace to teach blade arts to the Demonic Cult. They didn’t know the details, but they said the new Lord was very young. “From what I have heard, the previous Lord had a health problem, and that the new Lord overthrew him and took his place.” “Oh? Is that so?” Zhu Taikhan became interested in the news that he hadn’t heard of. The man continued, “Your highness. It is said the new Lord replaced most of the powerful individuals of the cult and the Lord himself is very foolish. How about you take this chance as your advantage?” “Advantage?” “If you teach this ruffian the way of our Empire, this will earn you trust from the Emperor.” Yon Namgun frowned at the man named Yuking. The way the Imperial Order was delivered was entirely in the hands of Zhu Taikhan, but he wasn’t sure if this approach and thinking might be beneficial. “Interesting. Go on.” But Zhu Taikhan seemed to be very interested. After hearing the plan, Zhu Taikhan, unfortunately, decided to do what Yuking told him to do. ‘That Yuking… I am worried how the cult will react to this.’ Yon Namgun became concerned but he was an Imperial Guard. He could only take orders from the Royal family. Chapter 340 - Imperial Order (4) Chapter 340 - Imperial Order (4) Yon Namgun shouted at the cultists standing in front of the castle gate. “Get down to your knees and take the Imperial Order!” The loud, dignified shouts wielded energy. Most people would hastily get down on their knees in front of the imperial order, but this time it was different. The air turned cold and while these people seemed to be welcoming up until now, they suddenly turned very cold and grim. ‘Hmmm…’ Yon Namgun became wordless at the unexpected reaction. He did guess that cultists would not bow easily, but he didn’t imagine the reaction would be this cold. ‘They are not like ordinary martial artists. But this is going too far.’ The order seemed a bit much, but when facing cultists not willing to bow, Yon Namgun became furious as he was a commander of the Imperial Guard who protected the Imperial Palace’s authority. He then frowned and tried to shout when he heard the telepathic message. [Enough. You won’t be enough.] It was sent from Zhu Taikhan. The chubby man then frowned and called out to one of the Imperial Guards to hold the plate that carried the Imperial Order scroll. He then walked a few steps up and shouted toward the cultists. “I am King Zhu Taikhan, under the order of the Emperor of the Great Ming Empire.” The chubby man was Zhu Taikhan. The cultists became shocked. “King?” “Is he the son of the Emperor?” Those who were given the title of a King were only the male relatives of the Empire. They expected the one inside the carriage to be a high-ranking official, but they didn’t expect to see a king. Yeowun then heard Huan Yi’s telepathic message. [My Lord. He must be the second son of the current Emperor.] Huan Yi was the leader of covert operations and intelligence that he knew the names of all the royal families. There was a visit from the imperial palace due to the nonaggression in the past, so they had to be aware. But the atmosphere was different. The way Zhu Taikhan was talking to them was as if he was talking to normal citizens. “How dare you still stand in front of the Imperial Order and the King of the Empire!” Zhu Taikhan seemed as if he wanted to see cultists getting down on their knees. The cultists became hesitant. They seemed to be worried if their Lord would become uncomfortable for this turn of events. ‘Hm? It must be him.’ Zhu Taikhan found Chun Yeowun with a lavish black robe standing between the cultists. Everyone seemed to be concerned about him, so it was certain that he was the new Lord of the Demonic Cult. ‘I can’t feel anything from him, but he must be it.’ Chun Yeowun had collected his energy, so it wasn’t possible to feel any energy coming out from him. He felt more like an ordinary man rather than a martial artist. That’s why all the Imperial Guards and Zhu Taikhan didn’t even think Yeowun was the Lord of the Demonic Cult. ‘He really is nothing.’ Zhu Taikhan figured the Lord of the Cult might still be a powerful warrior, but he wasn’t. Zhu Taikhan then pointed at Yeowun with his finger. “Are you the Lord of the Demonic Cult?” Left Guardian Lee Hameng turned cold at the sudden arrogant words being thrown at Yeowun. All other cultists reacted similarly. But Zhu Taikhan did not care and flicked his finger at Yeowun. “Now I see why all your cultists are so arrogant and foolish. Come down here on your knees and take the order from the Emperor.” His last word enraged all the cultists. ‘How dare he!’ ‘He is insulting our Lord!’ With each of the cultists unleashing their internal energy, a powerful aura spooked all horses, making them neigh and try to turn. “Ugh! Horses!” “Wuh!” But all those from the Imperial Army were able to feel this power being unleashed from the cultist. The Southern Commander who felt this before the others pulled out his sword and shouted, “You dare show your hostility toward the King who bears the order of the Emperor?! Is the Demonic Cult trying to commit treason?!” Acts of treason against the Emperor and his relatives were not allowed under the law of the Empire. But when these words were spoken, all cultists became dumbfounded. ‘Hahaha. You have no choice!’ Zhu Taikhan became satisfied. It was likely that the cultists became arrogant because the Imperial Palace had been treating them with respect until now. But the cultists were still citizens of the Great Ming Empire and there was no way for them to stand against the Empire itself. ‘If you are citizens of the Great Ming Empire, then you must act like it.’ It was evident that these cultists had to kneel before them. Will they keep their pride and side against the Empire and face the might an army of a million strong? Or will they throw away their arrogance and bow? Zhu Taikhan assumed it would be the latter. But… An old man with white hair came out from behind Yeowun and knelt on his one knee to Yeowun, “My Lord. Will it be okay if I speak?” Yeowun raised his hand to allow him. It was Third Elder, Mun Yun. Mun Yun got out and bowed his head down slightly toward Zhu Taikhan. The Imperial Guard stood next to Zhu Taikhan shouted angrily. “You dare not kneel before his highne…. UGH!” But the guard became terrified by the sudden pressure of energy coming down on him. Mun Yun’s energy made it painful for him. Mun Yun ignored it and said, “It is an honor to meet the King of the Great Ming Empire.” Zhu Taikhan spoke uncomfortably. “You dare look straight into my eyes and…” But Mun Yun cut him off as he glared. “Sorry to interrupt, your highness. But we cultists of the Great Demonic Cult only kneel to our sky and the Lord and no one else.” Every cultist nodded eagerly at Mun Yun’s strong words. All of those from the Imperial Palace became furious. This was treatment that they had never experienced before. “And we the Demonic Cult are under the nonaggression pact with the Great Ming Empire. We are independent of the Empire and are not related to the Empire in any sense.” Zhu Taikhan frowned. He didn’t think Mun Yun would mention the nonaggression pact at this moment. “The First Emperor of the Great Ming asked for help from our cult, and made a nonaggression pact afterwards. Why do you come now and want us to kneel before you?”