Chapter 352: Chapter 352

Yalu Huan, the former Strategist of the Heavenly Demon Cult, was in a predicament.

He needed a Dragon Vein for the ritual, but all the suitable locations were already occupied by powerful factions.

He had control over most of the units deployed outside the headquarters, so forcibly seizing a Dragon Vein wasn't impossible…

‘The larger the Dragon Vein, the more effective the ritual. But stronger factions occupy the better locations.’

Casualties were inevitable.

Should he target a weaker faction and minimize their losses, accepting a less effective ritual? Or should he go all out and aim for the best, risking heavy casualties?

Securing a Dragon Vein wasn't the end. He had limited resources and time, so he had to choose carefully.

‘…Do I even need a new Dragon Vein?’

A thought suddenly crossed his mind.

Beijing, where the ruins of the imperial palace lay.

It wasn't far from his current location, so he could save time.

‘And it’s a cursed land now, so there’s no risk of exposure.’

The Dragon Heart, the core of Ganghwange’s energy, had been forcibly extracted, rendering it useless. But it had once been the most powerful sacred ground in the land.

It was now a desolate wasteland, draining the surrounding energy, but its symbolic significance remained.

‘I’m not planning to make a deal with a foreign god anyway. I don’t need a functioning Dragon Vein.’

His objective was to absorb the Dragon God’s energy contained within the Dragon’s Children.

As long as the altar met the basic requirements, he could perform the ritual even at the now-defiled Dragon Heart.

‘No, it might actually be better. To perform the ritual at the heart of the world, where the Dragon Heart was stolen, using the Dragon’s Children chosen by the Dragon God…’

It was a perfect convergence of causality, a poetic irony.

The Dragon’s Children were born to restore the Dragon Heart, so performing the ritual there would amplify its effects.

This was an opportunity.

He had been cautiously building his power in the shadows, under the Heavenly Demon’s protection, but that method was slow and inefficient.

But if he could achieve a breakthrough with this method…

“Hahaha, my luck has turned. I thought all my efforts were wasted when the Heavenly Demon died.”

Yalu Huan chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners, a predatory glint in their yellow, slit pupils.

Heavenly Demon Cult, Palace of Enlightenment, Private Laboratory.

“The Heavenly Riding Demon. Gathering the Dragon’s Children in one place.”

Hans, removing his hand from the blackened corpse’s head, tilted his head slightly and stroked his beard.

Dozens of other corpses, their bodies similarly blackened, lay scattered around the room.

They were all Heavenly Demon Cult warriors who had clashed with Harley, finally returning to their… homeland, through the 「Avatar Cloud」.

Though not in the way they had hoped.

“Tsk, such foolish ambition. It would have been easier for everyone if they had just surrendered.”

He could guess what they had been thinking.

To a sorcerer like him, the Dragon’s Children were like legendary elixirs.

He had been forced to step aside and watch as the Heavenly Demon monopolized them… and now, he had a chance to take them all for himself.

‘…But it’s strange. Even if he successfully performs the ritual, it’s meaningless without the Heavenly Demon. Does he really think he can defeat me?’

He reviewed the information he had gathered on Yalu Huan, but there wasn’t anything particularly noteworthy.

He was a brilliant strategist and a skilled sorcerer, one of the best in the Demonic Cult, having made significant contributions during their war against the demons.

“Hmm, did he think he could overthrow me after acquiring the Dragon’s Children? Or is it just… misplaced loyalty?”

Hans frowned, lost in thought.

He already had a lot on his plate. He didn't need any more complications.

‘I have to retrieve the Dragon’s Children, including Zhuge Hyemi and Zhu Gang-in, before he begins the ritual. Those I captured didn’t know their location… only the transport team. …And even if they did, they would have changed locations by now.’

Gathering information in Ganghwange, where his resources were limited, was a headache.

Even he couldn’t do everything with just a few avatars.

‘If only Olivia and the spectral undead were here… Or if I could use the local factions’ intelligence networks… Hmm? Wait a minute.’

He paused, a thought suddenly crossing his mind.

‘Why am I worrying about this alone? The Dragon’s Children and the Dragon Heart are problems of this world, Ganghwange. They should be the ones dealing with it!’

He knew the Golden Island Sect was working on it, but their secretive and covert operations weren’t enough.

‘I’ll have to involve the other factions as well. The more the merrier.’

He could understand why they had been struggling alone until now.

The imperial family had been annihilated by the Heavenly Demon Cult’s schemes, so they had assumed they couldn't trust anyone.

‘But the situation is different now.’

He had already taken over the Demonic Cult.

Of course, he hadn’t eliminated all the remnants yet, but their ability to operate without the headquarters’ support was limited.

They wouldn't have the time or resources for elaborate schemes, not while they were in hiding.

“Kkuk kuk— Right, let’s begin.”

He hadn’t been in Ganghwange for long.

His intelligence network was underdeveloped, his foothold still precarious, and there were still many things he didn’t know about this world.

‘I’ll start with the Golden Island Sect.’

But he had something that surpassed all of that.

The power to change this world.

The Golden Island Sect hadn’t initially agreed to his plan.

But after verifying the information Horus had provided, they realized the gravity of the situation and reluctantly agreed that it was their best option.

They were willing to take risks, considering the circumstances.

And the results were immediately apparent at Yungjung Mountain, where Hugo was staying.

“Greetings. I am Qingguan of the Maoshan Sect. I have an urgent matter to discuss.”

Qingguan, the Taoist priest, bowed respectfully, his attire as simple and unassuming as ever.

The Zhuge Clan, though surprised by his sudden visit, couldn't refuse him.

They had initially intended to send him away, as the clan was in a state of disarray… but they couldn't ignore his words.

“It’s about Young Miss Zhuge and the Demonic Cult that kidnapped her. It’s a matter of great importance.”

The Zhuge Clan and the Maoshan Sect were considered the two pillars of the Murim’s sorcery… but unlike the Zhuge Clan, which was a large and influential family, the Maoshan Sect was known for its secrecy and seclusion.

The Zhuge Clan’s martial arts weren't weak either, though slightly inferior to the other great factions.

The Maoshan Sect, on the other hand, focused solely on sorcery, accepting requests from those who needed their assistance and dispatching their members accordingly, their influence limited to specific areas.

Naturally, there was a significant difference in their apparent power and influence… but when it came to sorcery, the Maoshan Sect was considered slightly superior, so the Zhuge Clan couldn’t afford to ignore them.

And so, Qingguan’s words came as a great shock.

“…So, you’re saying… our Hyemi… is one of the so-called ‘Dragon’s Children’, born as sacrifices to restore the Dragon Heart?”

Zhuge Howon, the Clan Leader, his voice heavy with disbelief, asked again, his face and the faces of the other clan elders grim.

It was understandable.

How could they possibly be happy about the fact that their family member, someone they had known and loved for years, was destined to be sacrificed?

And there was also the matter of pride.

Even if their specialties were different, it was still a blow to their ego to learn such important information from their rivals, the Maoshan Sect, whom they had considered slightly inferior.

But they were rational people, accustomed to prioritizing logic over emotions, so they calmed themselves and began to discuss the matter.

And after reviewing the information and evidence they had gathered, they reached a conclusion.

Qingguan’s words were highly probable.

The fact that Zhu Gang-in, the imperial descendant who shared similar symptoms with Zhuge Hyemi, had also been kidnapped by the Demonic Cult on the same day, was the decisive factor.

“The Demonic Cult is using the Dragon’s Children to enhance their own power. We’ve confirmed that the Heavenly Demon’s recent power surge is a result of sacrificing several Dragon’s Children…”

Qingguan continued, his voice calm and steady.

The Zhuge Clan elders’ faces hardened.

This wasn’t just about Zhuge Hyemi’s safety.

They had heard about the Heavenly Demon’s power.

He had severed Master Wu Jin’s arm in the middle of the Shaolin Temple, a place filled with Buddhist formations and spells designed to suppress demonic energy, and had even held his own against a newly arrived Mysterious Realm expert in a two-on-one fight.

And now, he was planning to perform a ritual to further enhance his power, using the Dragon’s Children as sacrifices?

And those sacrifices were the key to restoring order to this chaotic world?

“…This isn’t something we can handle alone.”

Restoring the Dragon Heart was a secondary concern.

Even if it meant sacrificing them later, they had to stop the Demonic Cult’s plan.

“That’s why I came here. With the Zhuge Clan’s help, we can inform the other major factions.”

Even though martial arts was the dominant form of power in this world, the other factions understood the importance of sorcery.

They simply lacked the resources and expertise to effectively utilize it.

And the Zhuge Clan, with their connections and influence, could quickly spread the information throughout the continent.

“…Very well. Let’s begin. This is going to be a lot of work.”

“Our Maoshan Sect sorcerers, stationed throughout the continent, can also assist with the ritual. They can act as relays, minimizing the energy consumption for long-distance communication.”

“Excellent. Thank you for your cooperation.”

Long-distance communication through sorcery was a costly and inefficient method, rarely used… but with the Maoshan Sect’s assistance, it would be much easier.

And so, with the cooperation of the two leading sorcery factions, the information began to spread, reaching the leaders of the various regions.

About the Demonic Cult’s plot, the Heavenly Demon’s growing threat,

…and the possibility of ending the current chaos.

‘Good. It’s progressing smoothly.’

The Heavenly Demon’s death was still a secret, known only to the Demonic Cult, so it was the perfect excuse to unite the other factions against a common enemy.

Everyone had heard about the Heavenly Demon’s power at the Shaolin Temple.

‘They can’t stay hidden forever if the entire continent is focused on them. They’ll eventually be exposed.’

Of course, spreading this information would also inspire some… less than benevolent individuals to take action.

There were probably already those plotting to use the Dragon’s Children for their own purposes.

It could lead to further tragedy…

He wasn't abandoning the Dragon’s Children.

It was simply… no longer relevant.

He had found a solution.

His voice, low and commanding, echoed through the lab.

The figure on the bed twitched, its body slowly moving.

At first, it was just a faint tremor, then a series of increasingly violent spasms…

…and then, it stopped.

And in the next moment, the figure was standing before him, kneeling respectfully, its head bowed.

Its eyes, black and devoid of pupils, gleamed with an unnatural light.

“…Glory to the Master of Death. Command me.”

The Heavenly Demon, his soul consumed by the karma he had devoured, his body now a vessel for Hans’s will.

A new undead, a weapon forged to destroy his destined enemy, the Master of Heaven’s Turn Society.