Chapter 68
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 68
Chapter Title: Residual Blood Demon Sand Silkworm
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Before Dongcheon Lama's eyes appeared U Gyeongcheon's shriveled and twisted upper body.
It was so gaunt, with bones protruding, that one could believe it belonged to a mummy.
But the deep sigh from Dongcheon Lama was not for that reason.
He had discovered a horrific thing embedded from U Gyeongcheon's solar plexus, through his dantian, and down to his waist.
It resembled a blood-red rope or a repulsive worm.
When Dongcheon Lama focused his inner energy to look closely, he saw that it was a centipede.
"Tsk... Isn't that a Blood Centipede? It looks like the Jao Blood Centipede, which is hard to catch even in the jungles of Tianzhu."
Indeed, it was a monster with a dark red body covered in countless black hook-like appendages.
"Heh heh... Do you think something like a Jao Blood Centipede could stay attached to my body for decades?"
U Gyeongcheon replied with a bitter smile.
"No, then what in the world is that thing?"
At Dongcheon Lama's question, U Gyeongcheon suddenly channeled his inner energy into his body.
Suddenly, U Gyeongcheon's upper body began to shine within a brilliant white glow.
It was the Northern Sea Divine Art, transcending the pinnacle realm.
But within that white glow, a dark red energy began to writhe with eerie movements.
It was like a blood dragon roaming through clouds, or like a red pupil vertically set in a white sclera.
Strangely, the stronger U Gyeongcheon's Northern Sea Divine Art made the glow, the more vividly and fiercely the red energy squirmed, as if reveling in it.
Dongcheon Lama was shocked by the sight.
'That thing is devouring the Northern Sea Divine Art that has surpassed the pinnacle!'
"Kuhk!! Ack!! Ack...."
After a moment, U Gyeongcheon withdrew his inner energy and coughed violently.
With the energy of the Northern Sea Divine Art gone, U Gyeongcheon's bare body looked even more wretched.
The repulsive worm had grown much thicker than before, and its dark red color had deepened.
As if just awakened from sleep, it writhed, probing every part of U Gyeongcheon's body.
Upon closer inspection, hundreds of hooks covering its body pierced and gripped U Gyeongcheon's flesh in all directions, while its head was buried into his navel area.
Moreover, it was now thrashing wildly in that state, so even U Gyeongcheon, with his absolute realm martial arts, could only grit his teeth and endure it.
"Then what in the world is that creature's true nature?"
"Do you know of the sand silkworm? Being deep in these mountains, you might not have seen one, which is only found on seashores."
"Sand silkworm?? You mean the lugworm? I'm not sure. I've heard there's a creature called a lugworm on the coast. Similar to an earthworm but far more hideous...."
"You've heard of it. This is a lugworm. Of course, not an ordinary one, but a Residual Blood Demon Sand Silkworm."
"Residual Blood Demon Sand Silkworm... I've never heard of it."
Curiosity now filled Dongcheon Lama's face, replacing the initial pity.
"Kekeke, looks like you've taken a liking to it too. Your face is full of questions."
"Ahem, not exactly, but how can I help without knowing more?"
"True enough. This thing is truly unique—it's not a creature that lives in the sea. Should I say it lives by eating people? Or that it's a parasite that sucks only human essence blood? As you see, it buries its head in the dantian. Especially if the host is a master like me, it directly absorbs the energy from there. Naturally, the stronger the inner arts, the more powerful it becomes."
As U Gyeongcheon explained calmly, Dongcheon Lama's brow furrowed.
There were countless horrors in the world, but he had never heard of such a gruesome and vicious worm.
"How on earth did you end up with such a thing attached to you? You couldn't have done it willingly."
"Of course not. I was victimized by some vicious bastard. You know how, when I once schemed to conquer the Central Plains, I was captured by that Shaolin monk Hyeonjin?"
"Of course I've heard that story. Even though I was just a young lama back then, who in the world hadn't heard it?"
U Gyeongcheon let out a deep sigh and continued in a somber voice.
"It's been over sixty years already. One of the seals that bastard imposed on me after dragging me to a valley in Mount Song has lingered, tormenting me to this day."
Dongcheon Lama was greatly startled by those words.
"Amitabha... Even a Shaolin master, how could he do such a cruel thing to the body of a Buddhist disciple...."
U Gyeongcheon stared fixedly at Dongcheon Lama before slowly opening his mouth again.
"I beg you. Please, remove this thing from me."
With that, he placed both hands on the ground while seated and bowed his head.
"Hmm... Even with your profound cultivation, Cult Leader U, it wouldn't come off? Seeing it earlier, it doesn't seem removable by any inner arts."
Only then did Dongcheon Lama understand why U Gyeongcheon had sought him out.
U Gyeongcheon's expression as he made this request was utterly miserable.
Dongcheon Lama hesitated for a moment, lost in deep thought without responding.
"First, tell me the details. When you come to a lama in the western regions to undo a seal from a Shaolin master, there must be a reason. I need to know that first."
Dongcheon Lama's question was natural and reasonable.
"In all the world, aside from that monk Hyeonjin, you're the only one capable of removing this thing from my body, so here I am."
"What ability do I have to remove such a horror from your body, Cult Leader U?"
"This creature wasn't born naturally; it was created through Buddhist methods. I've heard only profound inner arts from the Buddhist lineage can control it."
Dongcheon Lama was slightly surprised and countered.
"No, that Buddhist disciples created such a horror? I can't believe it."
"Kehal. Why jump like that? You'll know soon enough once you toy with it using your arts...."
Dongcheon Lama carefully examined U Gyeongcheon's complexion again.
"Om mani padme hum.... Then, Cult Leader U, you're entrusting your life to my hands? No matter the outcome, to touch this thing, I'll have to lay hands directly on your body...."
Yes. Dongcheon Lama needed to confirm U Gyeongcheon's intent once more.
If he sought healing, U Gyeongcheon would have to leave his acupoints entirely to Dongcheon Lama's hands.
For hundreds of years, the Great Cloud Bright Religion of the Central Plains and the Esoteric Buddhism of the western regions had been utterly incompatible.
Moreover, with U Gyeongcheon now seated alone in Potala Palace, killing him would raise no suspicions.
"Coming to you in this state, haven't I already cast aside my life? As you see, this thing has grown too powerful; at this rate, even I can't hold out much longer. My life is entirely in your hands—what more is there to haggle over?"
U Gyeongcheon spoke calmly, as if transcending life and death, but in truth, he was begging for his life.
"Let's take a look first."
After a long silence, Dongcheon Lama finally resolved himself, rising and approaching U Gyeongcheon.
U Gyeongcheon now closed his eyes tightly, entrusting his body to Dongcheon Lama's hands.
Dongcheon Lama sat behind U Gyeongcheon and placed his hands on his lower abdomen.
Soon, Dongcheon Lama's body began to glow golden.
Just as Shaolin martial arts originated from Bodhidharma from Tianzhu, the Esoteric Buddhist martial arts of the western regions also stemmed from Tianzhu's Buddhist arts, so their foundations were not greatly different.
The cultivation accumulated by Smiling Buddha Hyeonjin was the Supreme Great Ability, Shaolin's highest inner art method.
The art Dongcheon Lama now circulated was the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art, the essence of western region martial arts.
The Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art, too, was the pinnacle of Buddhist arts based on the Buddha's enlightenment and teachings, manifesting similarly as a golden halo.
Now, the golden halo enveloping Dongcheon Lama's entire body began seeping into the Jiyang acupoint on U Gyeongcheon's spine behind him, through his palm heart.
U Gyeongcheon's body also began to glow golden, starting from his back.
Dongcheon Lama could now freely maneuver his inner energy within U Gyeongcheon's body.
Of course, if he wished, he could easily take U Gyeongcheon's life right then.
He had indeed felt a moment of conflict.
But this was the Hall of a Thousand Buddhas, enshrining a thousand images of the Buddha.
He could not betray the four large characters "Great Compassion, Great Mercy" inscribed on the hall's plaque.
Moreover, Dongcheon Lama, known as a living Buddha, could not take the life of a being that had flown into his embrace begging to be saved.
Thus, a long time passed.
The golden halo enveloping U Gyeongcheon's body slowly faded, then vanished from Dongcheon Lama's body as well.
U Gyeongcheon, who had sat motionless like the dead for a while, began coughing harshly first.
Dongcheon Lama had already risen and returned to his original seat in front of U Gyeongcheon.
"How was it? Is it possible?"
U Gyeongcheon asked Dongcheon Lama in a voice full of strain.
His eyes held a desperate hope.
Dongcheon Lama's head nodded slowly and heavily.
"It is possible. Truly a fearsome horror."
Dongcheon Lama had now keenly experienced the vicious nature of the Residual Blood Demon Sand Silkworm.
As he inserted his inner energy into U Gyeongcheon's meridians to probe his true power and reached the dantian, what first startled him was U Gyeongcheon's immense inner energy.
A pure energy beyond Dongcheon Lama's imagination swirled in an endlessly vast flow.
It was the very moment Dongcheon Lama felt a faint flicker of killing intent.
It stemmed not from prior enmity or wariness, but pure envy and jealousy.
Having the life of an absolute powerhouse, one he could never surpass, in his grasp naturally stirred the desire to erase him.
What saved U Gyeongcheon, paradoxically, was Dongcheon Lama's Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art at the pinnacle.
Based on great compassion and mercy, at its peak, it erased the desire that had bloomed unchecked deep in Dongcheon Lama's heart.
And in the next instant, the Residual Blood Demon Sand Silkworm's attack began.
Like a fierce beast finding new prey, a ferocious energy lunged at Dongcheon Lama's inner power.
Its momentum was so savage it was unimaginable for a lowly creature like a lugworm.
Having sucked U Gyeongcheon's energy for so long, its power was immense enough that even Dongcheon Lama could not easily withstand it.
Had Dongcheon Lama's power not been rooted in pure Buddhist arts, he might have been devoured in an instant.
The moment the Residual Blood Demon Sand Silkworm's energy, rampaging through U Gyeongcheon's power with ferocious momentum, touched Dongcheon Lama's Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art, it became astonishingly docile.
Like a beast before its tamer, it even showed clear signs of fear and retreat.
Only after probing the creature's energy hiding repeatedly in U Gyeongcheon's body, grasping its habits and weaknesses, did Dongcheon Lama withdraw his power.
"So, what now? What should I do?"
U Gyeongcheon asked.