Chapter 110: The Human-Faced Spider Causes Trouble - Part 3
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 110: The Human-Faced Spider Causes Trouble - Part 3
Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh.
A woman was sweeping across the training ground, a spear dancing in her hands.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
As the spear tore through the air, the sound of sonic booms erupted, and an incredibly pure energy began to scatter in its wake. It was a testament to the immense power and refinement contained within each strike.
After some time had passed...
"Whew... Haa... Haa..."
The woman stopped her movements, breathing heavily as she tried to catch her breath.
Her cleanly shaven head, fine eyebrows, grey Buddhist robes, and the profound, righteous energy radiating from her body made her identity clear. She was Bulheo Satae, an Elder of the Emei Sect who had come to acquire the Tang Clan’s businesses.
"Sigh."
Once her breathing had steadied, she let out a deep sigh. No matter how much she swung her spear, her agitated mind refused to settle.
When she first arrived at the Tang Clan, she had been full of hope. Upon entering the estate, the first things that caught her eye were the half-burnt pavilions and collapsed walls. She had inwardly cheered.
In the Murim, buildings symbolize a clan's prestige. They are built grandly and maintained meticulously; even a small scratch is usually repaired immediately. Proud martial artists believe that a blemish on their architecture is a stain on the clan’s honor.
Yet, the internal buildings of the Tang Clan—the very pride of the sect—were left completely unrepaired. What could this mean? It was proof that they were so financially strapped that they couldn't afford to maintain their dignity.
She had smirked then, thinking things would go exactly as planned.
But how often do human affairs go according to plan? It didn't take long for her to realize she was wrong.
The first omen of unease was the appearance of Un-jeok-ja of the Qingcheng Sect. From that moment, a slight anxiety took root. While she was one of Emei’s top masters, Un-jeok-ja was a representative powerhouse of Qingcheng. A physical confrontation with him would result in heavy losses.
Thus, she had intended to cooperate rather than clash. The Tang Clan’s business holdings were too vast for the Emei Sect to swallow alone anyway.
However, those plans began to crumble the moment the Tang Clan Head appeared.
Poison King Tang Jin-cheol.
The strongest man in Sichuan and a legendary figure known as the World's Best Poison User. Rumors had claimed he was in critical condition following an attack by the Demonic Cult, yet he had appeared before them perfectly fine, flaunting his vitality.
"Satae, you should leave as well."
Those were the words the man had spat at her. At the time, she had retreated, telling herself there was no need to stand on pride, but looking back, she realized she had simply been intimidated.
Yes. She had been terrified of that man.
The fact was so infuriating and humiliating that she couldn't sleep.
As a child, her dream had been to become the World's Greatest Martial Artist. People had mocked her, saying a mere girl had too much ambition, but her dream never wavered. She entered the Emei Sect with high hopes and ran forward with the sole goal of achieving martial mastery.
Fortunately, her talent matched her passion. Eventually, at the young age of forty, she reached the Upper Stage of the Superlative Realm and became one of the most prominent masters in the Emei Sect.
To someone like her, the Tang Clan Head’s aura was a shock. He possessed an overwhelming pressure that couldn't be compared to anyone in Emei.
She had been scared, and her pride was wounded. She realized then that she—and the Emei Sect—had been far too complacent. Even if their main forces were depleted, the Poison King was a man whose individual martial might could easily crush an entire sect.
She felt ashamed that they had tried to intimidate a Tang Clan where such a man was still alive and well. She had assumed that if he were truly incapacitated, he would be a wall she could finally scale.
But feeling his aura for the first time, she knew. Even if he were missing an arm, she could never defeat him.
"Sigh..."
Bulheo Satae let out another deep sigh. In the end, the prime businesses were snatched up by wealthy merchants through the auction, and the Emei Sect failed to win a single one. Aside from her wounded pride, she had failed her original objective. It was a situation that warranted nothing but sighs.
The Poison King... Tang Jin-cheol!
Her anger toward him flared. It was all because of him. If not for that man, the Emei Sect could have gained a foothold to leap even higher. She was experiencing firsthand the sheer influence of a single Absolute Master. As long as he lived, dreaming of becoming the best in Sichuan seemed impossible.
Flash.
Suddenly, a thought struck her. It might be impossible to become the best in Sichuan while the Poison King lived, but if he were gone, the story would change.
The Tang Clan has lost those fit to inherit the legacy anyway!
Most of the Tang Clan’s direct bloodline had perished in the recent incident. This meant there was no successor capable of following in his footsteps. The Tang Clan Head, now over fifty, was unlikely to father another child, and even if he did, he would likely pass away before the child could come of age.
Thinking this way made her feel much better. If it wasn't the generation of the first or second-line disciples, then surely the generation of the third-line disciples could reclaim the title of the best in Sichuan.
She began to slowly recall the third-generation disciples in her mind—those with the 'Myeong' character in their Buddhist names.
"Hmm."
Despite pondering for a long time, no suitable talent came to mind. Those with talent for martial arts were weak-willed, and those with grit lacked talent. The rest were just mediocre disciples who were neither here nor there.
"Haa..."
Another sigh escaped her. To claim the title of Sichuan's best in the future, mediocre talent wouldn't cut it. They needed a monstrous genius who could overwhelm everyone.
"Is a Heavenly Martial Body just going to fall from the sky?"
She muttered the ridiculous delusion aloud. A Heavenly Martial Body wasn't some common stray dog; it wasn't going to just pop out of nowhere. But her words reflected her desperation.
It was then.
"Hello."
A beautiful, melodic voice tickled her ear from somewhere. It was a tone so lovely it made one smile just by hearing it.
Startled, Bulheo Satae quickly looked around. Not far away, she saw a woman waving at her.
Bulheo frowned. She felt as though someone had been spying on her training. To spy on a martial artist during practice was a grave insult—one that could cost a person their life in extreme cases.
She began to stride toward the woman, intending to give her a stern lecture before demanding her identity.
Step. Step.
Falter.
However, her steps came to a halt after only a few paces. The moment she saw the woman up close, she was left dazed.
Beautiful. That word alone couldn't fully describe her appearance. She exuded a strange atmosphere, appearing like a cheerful young girl yet also like a mature woman.
Being a sect composed entirely of women, Emei had its share of beauties, but they couldn't even be compared to the woman before her.
Overwhelming beauty.
Bulheo Satae found herself captivated by that radiance.
Daze.
She lost herself in a beauty that felt like a dream. Seeing her like that, the woman gave her a bright smile.
Flash.
In an instant, Bulheo Satae snapped out of her trance. She was shocked at herself. To think a beauty could captivate even another woman to this extent—it was as if she were looking at the Poison Flower, Tang Seo-yoon.
Regaining her composure, she frowned again, preparing to scold her. While she had been mesmerized, that didn't justify the sin of spying on her martial arts.
Sniff. Sniff.
But she stopped again, caught by a scent reaching the tip of her nose. An incredibly fragrant aroma was wafting from the woman. What on earth was the source of this scent?
"Lo...tus."
Before long, she identified it. It was the scent of lotuses. The woman was radiating the fragrance of lotuses from her very body.
In Buddhism, the lotus is more than just a beautiful flower; it carries deep significance. There is a phrase, Purity in Filth (處染常淨). It means to remain always clean even in a dirty place. Just as the lotus does not lose its fragrance of enlightenment even in a world inhabited by sentient beings stained by the three poisons of greed, anger, and ignorance, it symbolizes the essence of Buddhism itself.
This was no different for the Emei Sect. To them, the lotus held an even more special meaning. A lotus seed does not rot, no matter how much time passes. After enduring ages, it blooms again when the right conditions—the right Inyeon (karmic connection)—are met. It signifies Destiny.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
She felt her heart pounding. Her master had once mentioned it in passing—that there were women in the Murim with a special constitution called the Heavenly Fragrant Body. They were born with the scent of flowers, and just being near them was like being near a potent incense sachet.
This woman possessed the Heavenly Fragrant Body. And one that smelled of lotuses, signifying destiny.
Thump. Thump.
Bulheo Satae’s heart began to race with a flicker of hope. While a Heavenly Fragrant Body wasn't necessarily a constitution for martial greatness like the Heavenly Martial Body, the lotus scent heightened her expectations.
She slowly approached the woman.
"May I... hold your hand... just once?"
Bulheo Satae spoke haltingly, trying to calm her trembling heart.
"Sure!"
The woman held out her arm without any hesitation. To entrust one's pulse to another so freely was something a martial artist would never do.
Bulheo Satae took the woman's wrist and sent a thread of internal energy through it. Her energy began to circulate through the woman's acupoints without any obstruction.
After a while...
Drip. Drip.
Tears began to stream down Bulheo Satae’s face.
"Why... why are you crying?"
The woman asked, seemingly flustered by the sudden tears.
"Because I'm happy... I'm just so happy."
Grab.
Bulheo Satae pulled the woman into a tight embrace. She had finally found the talent who would lead the future of the Emei Sect.
When she first circulated her energy through the woman's acupoints, she had been beyond shocked. The woman's meridians were wide open, completely free of any impurities. It was like the body of a newborn.
Even for a seasoned martial master, to possess such clean meridians, one would have to receive the Great Soul Transfer Method as a child or reach a realm high enough to undergo Marrow Cleansing.
Thinking she might have already learned martial arts, Bulheo sent energy to her Dantian, but it was completely empty. She hadn't learned a thing.
What was even more surprising was that the woman absorbed the Guanyin Nine-Yin Qi she sent in without any resistance. This meant the woman’s affinity with the Emei Sect’s ultimate technique, the Guanyin Nine-Yin Divine Art, was a perfect match.
Bulheo Satae wept. It felt as though the Buddha, moved by her sincerity, had granted her this destiny. Even if she wasn't a Heavenly Martial Body, she felt certain this woman could master Emei’s martial arts to their peak. Reclaiming the title of Sichuan's best was no longer just a dream.
Though the woman seemed past the usual age to start martial arts, it didn't matter. Usually, one starts young to prevent impurities from clogging the meridians and to widen them with internal energy—and, of course, to build up energy over a long time.
But for this woman, such a process was unnecessary. She already possessed meridians cleaner and wider than Bulheo herself, who had practiced for decades. Any lack of internal energy could be supplemented with elixirs. There was absolutely nothing in her way.
It was then.
"I have a favor!"
The woman spoke to Bulheo Satae. Though she looked much younger and was speaking informally, Bulheo didn't mind. Her affection for the woman was already at its peak, so everything she did seemed adorable.
"What favor is it?"
"Keep swinging that thing like you were doing before."
She pointed at the spear and continued.
"When you swing that, I feel a really good energy."
Bulheo Satae gave a warm smile at the answer. It seemed the woman was sensing the Guanyin Nine-Yin Qi emitted while she performed the Seven Killing Spear.
She readily picked up her spear. She wanted to show her dignity as a master to her future disciple.
Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh.
She began her spear dance, putting even more strength into it than usual. Seeing this, a deep, satisfied smile spread across the woman's face.