The Source of Resentment
"Whether it is demon qi or killing intent, does it not all stem from resentment? If we completely empty the soul of the sacrifice, how could any resentment arise?"
Jekyeong understood immediately. "Is such a thing truly possible?"
"Of course, doing so might slightly diminish the efficacy, but wouldn't it still be far better than swallowing raw demon qi or killing intent?"
He had a point. Jekyeong's eyes gleamed as he tucked the jade slip into his robes. He intended to take it back and study it thoroughly and in detail.
If that's the case, I'll have to take a more active role.
The sacrifices for this Blood Sacrifice Method were, of course, cultivators, and the stronger they were, the better. If he were to refine a Blood Bead using this method, Jekyeong naturally wanted to use Foundation Establishment cultivators as his sacrifices.
Cunning bastard.
Jekyeong suspected that Myeong-ha had dangled this technique before him on purpose. It felt as though Myeong-ha was waving a carrot on a fishing line to reel him in and stoke his motivation.
So this is what it feels like to willingly walk into a trap despite knowing it's there.
While he detested the feeling of being manipulated, Jekyeong had to admit that the bait Myeong-ha was dangling was incredibly enticing.
The situation on Yubak Island was a microcosm of the current atmosphere gripping the entire Human Territory. The conflict between the established sects and the rogue cultivators had long since erupted into direct clashes, occurring not just in the shadows but openly in broad daylight.
The atmosphere had already been tense, but the incident involving the Yeongu Sect acted as a catalyst. The established sects suspected that the rogue cultivators had targeted the Yeongu Sect, while the rogue cultivators believed the opposite—that the sects had eliminated the Yeongu Sect, which had always been a thorn in their side, to frame the rogue faction and blacken their name.
With both sides seeing only what they wanted to see and hearing only what they wanted to hear, there was no hope of easing the tension. Before the 'audacious rumors' shook the entire Human Territory, they had mostly confined themselves to glaring and radiating killing intent without openly trading blows... but now, the final leash had been severed.
"You bastards! You must truly have a death wish!"
"A dying man blusters to the very end! Fellow Daoists! What are you hesitating for?!"
At the docks, human corpses piled up in place of fish, and the lake waters surrounding the island dyed crimson.
"Ah, the killing intent is exceptionally thick here."
The expressionless Lost-Soul Puppet spread its arms as if savoring the metallic, bloody air. Jekyeong didn't spare a glance at the puppet, which looked like an actor on a stage, but even he found the sheer density of the killing intent blanketing Yubak Island to be quite impressive.
"This killing intent... in a way, it is even thicker than what you would find in the middle of a battlefield."
"That is because while the killing intent on a battlefield is instantly unleashed in combat, the malice here has been suppressed for a very long time."
The two factions on Yubak Island had been itching to slaughter each other for ages. To use a metaphor of wine, it had been steadily aging.
"Who goes there! Identify yourselves!"
As they were savoring the island's thick malice and killing intent, a group of cultivators rushed toward them. Jekyeong and Myeong-ha had long been aware of their approach but chose not to react. Why bother? If the sacrifices were walking straight into their hands, they only needed to welcome them in silence.
"The Tangseo Sect certainly carries itself with grand authority. Must we now obtain your permission just to walk around outside?"
Myeong-ha recognized the identity of these cultivators at a glance and immediately began acting. Although the Lost-Soul Puppet, being a mere puppet, was awkward at expressing emotion, in a situation like this, its extremely restrained demeanor was perfect for conveying a cold, detached contempt.
"Cut the wordplay! Do you not know that a disciple of our sect was injured by scoundrels like you right here just three days ago?!"
"I know nothing of it. If an incident occurred, you should seek out the culprits and settle it with them. Why harass innocent bystanders? Are you not simply using a trivial matter as an excuse to oppress defenseless wanderers like us?!"
The Lost-Soul Puppet's voice was loud enough. It was more than sufficient to reach the ears of those hiding in the distance to avoid getting caught up in the commotion.
"You insolent wretch!"
By this point, the other side seemed to sense that something was amiss. The Foundation Establishment cultivator leading them and the Qi Condensation cultivators behind him took up battle stances, but it was entirely futile.
Thud! With a light tap of his foot, Jekyeong shot forward like a bolt of lightning. His casually outstretched hand lunged toward the leading Foundation Establishment cultivator.
"What?!"
Despite his panic, the cultivator swung his sword without hesitation. The smooth trajectory of his dharma sword made it clear that he was a properly trained swordsman.
Clang! However, the strike that could slice solid rock like tofu bounced off Jekyeong's hand powerlessly. The Foundation Establishment cultivator's face twisted in sheer horror.
Out of instinct and habit, Jekyeong almost snapped the man's neck, but he caught himself just in time and redirected his hand.
Crack! His iron grip crushed the shoulder of the arm holding the sword, and in a fluid motion, he struck the back of the cultivator's neck, knocking him unconscious.
The sequence of movements was so seamless and natural that an onlooker might have mistaken the collapsing figure not for a Foundation Establishment master, but for a novice Qi Condensation cultivator who had only just stepped onto the path of cultivation.
"Martial Uncle!"
The Qi Condensation cultivators behind him shrieked in horror. A few with quick wits immediately turned on their heels and fled.
Whoosh! Instead of chasing them, Jekyeong blew a soft breath. An invisible wave of heat, laced with a trace of monster power, spread rapidly. Both those fleeing and those frozen in place were instantly engulfed in flames.
"Aaaargh!"
They writhed in agony, some desperately trying to extinguish the flames with their own techniques, but in the blink of an eye, they were reduced to ash, leaving nothing behind.
"A clean execution. I cannot help but admire your efficiency."
As Jekyeong tossed the first sacrifice over, the Lost-Soul Puppet placed a sealing restriction on the limp body.
"How many do you plan to take?"
"We will have to see how things develop, but for now, I am aiming for about twenty early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators."
"Hmm." In the past, Jekyeong would have thought that was too many, but not anymore. Now, he too required sacrifices for the Blood Sacrifice Method.
"Over there. Someone is spying on us."
As the Lost-Soul Puppet pointed toward a distant spot, Jekyeong swept his hand without a word.
Fwoosh! A massive wave of fire swept through dozens of buildings in an instant.
"Your mastery of fire techniques grows by the day, Fellow Daoist," Myeong-ha remarked in admiration.
He hadn't sensed even a speck of monster power in the flames Jekyeong had just unleashed. This meant it either wasn't Yokai Fire, or Jekyeong had suppressed his monster power so thoroughly that not even a lingering trace remained. Whichever it was, it was not a feat an ordinary Great Demon could accomplish.
"Hmm." Jekyeong silently gathered their storage tools. Since there was only one early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator and the rest were merely in the Qi Condensation stage, he didn't expect much, but even low-grade spirit stones were still spirit stones.
"It is quiet." Dozens of docks lined the shores of Yubak Island, and this was one of them. Yet, compared to his previous visit, there was barely a ship or a soul in sight.
"With fires constantly breaking out right on their doorsteps, they hardly have the time or peace of mind to go out to fish."
Jekyeong noticed Myeong-ha twitching his fingers. Judging by the faint ripples of dharma power and the subtle smirk playing on Myeong-ha's lips, he was likely up to some mischievous scheme.
"Let us go." Jekyeong stepped forward, following Myeong-ha's lead. At the same time, his Divine Sense spread out stealthily yet rapidly.
The tranquil silence of the mountain was shattered by the frantic tolling of a bell.
"What is happening?!"
"An enemy attack!"
The cultivators of the Jongseong Sect rushed out of their mountain gate in a panic. Half of them ran about in utter confusion, while the other half, having guessed the situation, seethed with rage.
"Are you not blowing things too far out of proportion?" Jekyeong asked, looking down at the movements of the Jongseong Sect from high in the sky, just outside the range of their Mountain-Protecting Grand Array.
"It is fine. Even if a few individuals harbor suspicions, their voices will easily be drowned out by the overwhelming tide of events."
With a faint smile, Myeong-ha continuously twitched his fingers. In response, the movements of the cultivators attacking the Mountain-Protecting Grand Array from outside the mountain grew even more violent.
Four hundred... no, five hundred?
And that was only counting those actively battering the Mountain-Protecting Grand Array; there could easily be more moving silently in the shadows.
Even if they are only in the Qi Condensation stage...
None of the cultivators down below were in the Foundation Establishment stage. Myeong-ha himself had previously mentioned that controlling a single early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator was far more difficult than controlling ten late-stage Qi Condensation cultivators, but even taking that into account...
"This will not do." Myeong-ha frowned as he watched the Jongseong Sect's cultivators rapidly take up defensive formations.
"Fellow Daoist, I must ask for your assistance."
The Jongseong Sect's Mountain-Protecting Grand Array appeared to be on par with the one erected on Heukgyodo. Hundreds of Qi Condensation cultivators could batter it for a hundred days without leaving so much as a hairline crack. Thus, Jekyeong had already been preparing to act even before Myeong-ha spoke.
He tried to analyze the overall structure and core of the array, but his knowledge of formations—which was barely half a step above that of a complete novice—was far from sufficient.
Formations, huh. Would Hyeongu have been able to discern something if he were here?
Boom! A pillar of crimson fire slammed down upon the faintly shimmering barrier of light.
The Jongseong Sect cultivators, who had been on the verge of launching a counterattack against the lawless rogue cultivators, stared in absolute horror as a massive crack split the barrier, clearly visible to the naked eye.
"H-How?!" The Sect Master and elders of the Jongseong Sect took to the air in unison.
Jekyeong swept a quick gaze over them before throwing another punch.
Crash! The Mountain-Protecting Grand Array reverberated, and the entire mountain gate of the Jongseong Sect trembled violently.
It is indeed sturdy.
Seeing that the barrier still held even against a punch delivered with his full strength, Jekyeong steeled his resolve. If one strike was not enough, he would simply strike it repeatedly.
Though the terrifying rebound force rattled his internal organs, Jekyeong did not hesitate. His greatest strength was not raw power, but his incredibly durable physical body.
Even in his human form, his body was not so fragile that it could not withstand a few punches.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
It was a simple, brute-force pummeling. Yet, as a colossal strength capable of shaking mountains repeatedly struck the barrier, the cracks rapidly expanded.
"Stop!"
"Who dares?!"
The Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Jongseong Sect rushed forward in a frenzy, but before they could intervene, Jekyeong's seventeenth punch smashed into the battered barrier.
CRASH! His blood-drenched fist shattered the barrier of light, and a deafening roar accompanied by violent tremors shook the entire Jongseong Sect.
"Cough!" Caught in the massive shockwave, Jekyeong coughed up a mouthful of blood and was sent flying backward. His complexion was as pale as a corpse, and his body trembled with minor spasms.
"You have worked hard."