Chronicles of the Lazy Sovereign Novel - Chapter 442

# 442

**Chapter 442: The lazy One Has Bad Luck (2)**

“Did you say ‘demonic arts’?”
“It seems to be the case.”
“Hmm…”

Jegal Yeom’s face turned grave.

He had already assigned Jegal Munin to accompany Wei Yanho. Therefore, Jegal Munin would have also investigated the details along with Wei Jeonghan. The emergence of this opinion meant that Jegal Munin also agreed with Wei Jeonghan’s assessment.

*’Demonic arts…’*

This was no ordinary problem.

If the rumor spread that the Tang Family was practicing demonic arts, the Sichuan martial world would be devastated.

“The Tang Family wouldn’t do something like that.”

Anyone with even a minimal understanding of the Tang Family would think the same as Jegal Yeom.

The Tang Family’s hatred of the Demon Cult was unparalleled. Every time the Cult grew stronger, the Tang Family’s fields were ravaged, forcing them to flee and abandon their lands time and again.

It was said that the reason the Sichuan martial world was not the center of the Central Plains was precisely because of the Demon Cult, which periodically swept through the region.

For the Tang Family, the Demon Cult was like a plague of locusts that arrived without warning and destroyed the year’s crops. And now it turned out they were practicing their arts?

“It’s hard to believe.”
“All the circumstances point to it.”
“But…”

Jegal Yeom shook his head.

“No. No matter how I think about it, it’s impossible. One or two individuals, perhaps. No matter how deep their hatred of the Cult, one or two members of the Tang Family might have chosen self-interest. But for more than ten people to practice demonic arts and suffer simultaneous convulsions is simply implausible.”

“That’s precisely why I haven’t been able to reach a conclusion. That’s why I’d like to hear your opinion, Leader Jegal.”

*’Wei Jeonghan.’*

Jegal Yeom’s eyes darkened.

Sword of the Righteous Hero, Wei Jeonghan.

Those who knew him during the war would never have imagined that one day they would receive such a courteous request from him.

Wei Jeonghan was someone who, while different in approach, could seem even more intractable than his son Wei Yanho. At least Wei Yanho lacked ambition and didn’t cause problems on his own initiative, but Wei Jeonghan was different.

For Jegal Yeom, who remembered the Wei Jeonghan as sharp as a sword of the past, the current Wei Jeonghan was disconcerting.

*’Do they all end up softening in the end?’*

Jegal Yeom believed that people didn’t change. If someone seemed to transform, it wasn’t through personal evolution but because the weight of the world forced them to hide their true nature.

And Wei Jeonghan?

Did the Sword of the Righteous Hero, as sharp as in his glory days, still lie beneath that gentle facade?

It was impossible to know now.

“My opinion…”

Jegal Yeom let out a sigh.

More than ten members of the Tang Family suffered sudden convulsions and collapsed. Their symptoms matched those who had been affected by demonic arts.

What conclusion could be drawn from this?

*’This is bad.’*

Jegal Yeom spoke:

“It’s unimaginable that the Tang Family would conspire with the Demon Cult to obtain their arts. Even if they had tried, it would be impossible. The Cult despises the inhabitants of the Central Plains as much as we despise them. With so much mutual resentment, they would never share their techniques with the Tang Family.”

“I think the same.”

“Then it would be a case of having obtained demonic arts by chance and practicing them among themselves. But would the members of the Tang Family really do such a thing?”

“Isn’t it possible if the arts are powerful? Like the legendary Demonic Arts of the Blood Demon.”

“Of course, faced with arts of that level, no martial artist could resist the temptation. Some would surely practice them. But not everyone would fall into the trap. If this had happened, someone would have spoken about the propagation of those techniques. The current silence suggests…”

“Mmm, I understand.”

“If the leaders knew and hid it, it would be possible. But in that case, they wouldn’t have called us. They would prefer to give up their position rather than allow it to be known that the Tang Family practices demonic arts. Tang Cheongun is that kind of person.”

Wei Jeonghan nodded, recognizing the description of Tang Cheongun.

It was exactly the kind of decision he would make. Though inflexible in internal matters, in the face of external problems he always put the interests of the Tang Family before his own.

*’So, what the hell is going on?’*

As Wei Jeonghan pondered, Jegal Yeom continued:

“Considering all the possibilities, there is only one scenario that makes sense.”

Wei Jeonghan waited with tension. He sensed what he would say and was uneasy.

“Someone has deliberately spread a specific martial art. Otherwise, this wouldn’t have happened.”

Jegal Yeom’s expression was also somber.

His words implied an alarming possibility.

“Someone…?”

“Probably them.”

It was obvious.

Who else could spread demonic arts but the Demon Cult?

“Sounds plausible. If they created an art that corrupts the body when practiced, they could use it as poison.”

“Yes, it’s possible. We have no way of verifying if those arts are legitimate. It only remains to practice them or not. But we can’t trace how they got here.”

Jegal Yeom also nodded.

“Perhaps the route isn’t the important thing.”

“What do you mean?”

“There’s something more crucial. Everyone is focusing on how this happened, when in reality they should be asking why.”

Wei Jeonghan nodded. Jegal Yeom was right.

If the Demon Cult was behind this, what were they trying to achieve?

Weakening the enemy was one explanation, but it seemed unlikely that a power like the Cult would hatch such a conspiracy just to affect a dozen members of the Tang Family.

“Then…”

Jegal Yeom continued in a solemn tone:

“As you may have already deduced, if this is the work of someone, it won’t be limited to the Tang Family. Either it started here, or they used the Tang Family as guinea pigs.”

Wei Jeonghan frowned.

He had considered it too. But hearing it from Jegal Yeom made it more tangible.

*’For what purpose?’*

As Wei Jeonghan pondered, Jegal Yeom spoke:

“The biggest problem, as you know, is that even those who fell into martial madness are unaware of the cause. Even if they were conscious to ask them, I doubt they would know more. Any theory they had, others would also have.”

“You’re right.”

“In other words…”

Jegal Yeom adopted a grave tone.

“It wouldn’t be surprising if there are already more affected scattered throughout the martial world.”

“Mmm…”

Wei Jeonghan also seemed to understand the gravity.

“If this keeps happening during the war against the Cult, it would be catastrophic. You know how terrifying it is to have constant casualties.”

“…Yes.”

Wei Jeonghan nodded heavily.

The dead break the heart, but the wounded corrode reality. What would happen if, in the middle of battle, allies fall into martial madness, causing chaos, without dying but losing consciousness while their bodies rot?

There would be no rest or effective strategies. In addition, resources would be wasted evacuating the wounded.

*’The worst-case scenario.’*

Losing troops constantly on the front lines would mean the collapse of the lines. In small combats it wouldn’t be so serious, but in a large-scale war there is no greater problem.

What if this was the Demon Cult’s grand strategy for the next war?

*’It will be hell.’*

Wei Jeonghan felt the situation slipping out of his hands. When he arrived at the Tang Family, he did so lightly, but now everything was becoming more terrifying.

For now, they were just speculations, but if they were confirmed, the next great war against the Cult would begin here, in the Tang Family.

“What should we do?”

“Thorough investigations are needed. We won’t get anywhere like this. The Righteous Martial Alliance must mobilize all its resources and send them here.”

“Mmm.”

Wei Jeonghan hesitated.

This was beyond his authority…

“It’s understandable that you distrust.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s natural. After all, the Righteous Martial Alliance and the Righteous Heavenly Alliance have their differences. Sending the main members of the Alliance to the territory of the Tang Family, part of the Righteous Heavenly Alliance, is a great risk. I know.”

Jegal Yeom put on a bitter expression.

It was ironic that, in the face of a possible great conspiracy by the Cult, they still had to distrust each other.

“Perhaps we should transcend the divisions between the Righteous Martial Alliance and the Righteous Heavenly Alliance.”

“It won’t be easy.”

“That’s why I have a proposal.”

“A proposal?”

“The current situation demands more than a few fighting. The collaboration of both alliances is needed.”

“Mmm, true.”

“The Jegal clan also believes that this requires a unified response. At least, based on the investigation here, we should inspect the entire martial world. Otherwise, when the worst happens, we could be defeated without even facing the Cult.”

Wei Jeonghan agreed. It was an emergency. This was no longer just a problem for the Tang Family, but for the entire martial world.

“That’s why I propose…”

“Yes.”

“That the first thing is to get the cooperation of the Righteous Heavenly Alliance.”

“I think so too. That’s why I thought Leader Jegal…”

“No.”

Jegal Yeom shook his head.

“The Righteous Heavenly Alliance is a coalition. That makes it flexible, but it also means that no family has a dominant voice. In terms of influence, the leader of the Tang Family has more weight than I do. But currently he cannot act freely.”

“Mmm.”

“So…”

A subtle smile appeared on Jegal Yeom’s face.

An interesting idea occurred to him.

*’Let’s see where this flows.’*

He wasn’t doing it for fun. It was a necessary measure.

“It seems there is an interesting solution. How about organizing a meeting between Wei Yanho and the leader of the Righteous Heavenly Alliance?”

Wei Jeonghan’s eyes widened.

“M-my son?”

Panic overwhelmed him.

A monumental panic.