Chapter 214 Blood Cult (3)
[It seems to be over there. They're openly emanating blood qi, as if beckoning us to come.]
I steered Mugyeok-i toward the direction Pa Cheon indicated.
Piik-.
Mugyeok-i let out a feeble cry. It felt like he was repulsed.
As the direct descendant of the Southern Divine Beast, the Vermilion Bird, he must have hated the blood qi.
After leaving him unattended for so long, it was no wonder he was upset now that I'd finally called him for an unpleasant task.
If only Cho Ryang were here, this wouldn't have happened. That kid loved animals so much.
A sharp, dizzying pain stabbed at my head.
It must have been because Mugyeok-i had suddenly gained altitude. What a sulky bird.
"Sorry about this, Mugyeok-i."
Piik-
"Yeah, I know. It's not like that."
Piik-
"Right. I'll give you something delicious when we get back."
I patted Mugyeok-i's head with a thump. Only then did he seem to cheer up, putting more strength into his wingbeats.
[Monster.]
"What?"
[Were you just talking to Mu Geuk Cheon Hwa?]
"More or less? This guy understands human speech."
[No, the other way around. You couldn't understand Mu Geuk Cheon Hwa's words before. You just vaguely sensed his feelings.]
"Yeah, that's... right?"
I had definitely just conversed with Mugyeok-i. Not in human words, but his will had clearly reached me.
So I'd responded naturally.
Normally, only Cho Ryang could communicate with him to this extent.
[Upper Dantian.]
Pa Cheon said.
[Cho Ryang's Upper Dantian was open, allowing him to speak with divine beasts. And he said you gave off a similar vibe.]
Back when we'd gone to the Punishment Cave to find the Poison Horn Net for Dok Ma's birthday party.
Do Il Gwang had offered to take Cho Ryang as a disciple, saying his Upper Dantian was open and he'd become a prodigy of the world.
But Cho Ryang refused outright, saying I felt more similar.
"That was just a mistake, wasn't it? Me, of all people."
[What if it wasn't?]
"Hm. Could it be because of the shedding of the mortal body?"
[Exactly. It was partially open before, but the shedding fully unlocked it.]
"Three Flowers Gather at the Summit, then."
[Yes. Your body can now commune with nature.]
"Wait, doesn't that mean I should have some amazing new ability?"
I'd already confirmed my body was far more efficient and durable. But nothing else stood out.
[The Upper Dantian is a concept only whispered among Super Peak masters anyway. No one knows its exact functions.]
In other wuxia worlds, they often divided the dantian into lower, middle, and upper. But not in Murim Returner.
[Still, conversing with divine beasts is definitely useful.]
"Like when the Red Dragon truly manifests, for example."
[Or learning more about the First Heavenly Demon's secrets.]
"That's more than enough."
Records of the First Heavenly Demon were all metaphors and allegories. Even the novel Song Yang Geon carried was just an outsider's observation.
And it didn't even mention her side activities.
[By the way, if there are more Muhonjibyeok walls inside the headquarters, our destinations are piling up.]
"That's wuxia national rule. World-building expansion."
[Na... That's not the issue. The Divine Cult's reaction is. Failing to return after completing the mission could brand us traitors.]
"We have a way. Blame the Blood Cult. We have to wipe them out anyway."
That's why I'd killed those Blood Cult bastards in the mountain village without hesitation.
[Then we need to seize control thoroughly. We're here.]
At Pa Cheon's words, I brought Mugyeok-i down to the ground.
"Wait here, and come when I call later, Mugyeok-i."
Mugyeok-i replied with a sharp piik-!.
"You were chattering away earlier, but now you're just screeching?"
Anyway.
Turning my head, I saw a small cave entrance.
In front of it—
"You've arrived, Lord Hierophant."
Jin So-cheong had come out to greet me.
She wasn't in physician garb but in a red robe adorned with white geometric patterns, holding a lantern.
Of course, I wasn't thrilled to see her.
My words came out cold naturally.
"Where's the headquarters?"
"I'll guide you inside."
"Before that."
I activated the Thousand Changes Face Mask I was already wearing.
My face squirmed and shifted.
"Those eyes..."
"To rule the Divine Cult as you said, my status there matters too. We'll use different faces for each."
"Truly beautiful and flawless. A remarkable transformation technique."
It had to be.
[You're really going to use that face?]
'Yeah.'
My current face was my real one from the modern world—Kim Dong Yun's.
The safest, since it didn't exist here.
"Tell the others this is my true face."
"I'll remember."
"Lead the way."
Jin So-cheong took the lead.
The cave was like an anthill.
Even if someone stumbled in by chance, they'd never navigate the depths—it was that convoluted.
"Most forks are carved to lead naturally outward, using spirit creatures to avoid artificial traces."
"Not interested. Just guide me to the destination quickly."
At my words, Jin So-cheong simply bowed and led me deeper.
How long had we walked?
Dung-!
Dung-!
A drumming sound echoed from somewhere.
[Many presences. At least a thousand.]
The end of the winding, maze-like passage came into view.
Gloomy red light poured from the end.
I stepped toward it.
Dung-! Dung-!
"This is the grand cavern."
A vast chamber the size of a soccer stadium unfolded.
Hundreds of night pearls studded the ceiling, providing light.
The entrance protruded slightly from the upper wall, so I looked down from above.
Below, countless red-robed figures swarmed like maggots, bowing toward the 'wall'.
Drummers danced while beating rhythms, chanting in unknown tongues.
'...The scale is insane.'
It dwarfed any Muhonjibyeok I'd seen.
A building-sized wall loomed, flanked by smaller ones—likely from the Blood Cult.
[Comparing the wall and passage sizes, there must be other routes.]
'No way that many people use just this one.'
At least, thankfully, this blood-mad cult wasn't showing signs of human sacrifice right in front of me.
Then.
Perhaps noticing our arrival.
The drums stopped.
What sent chills down my spine was the utter silence—no other sounds at all.
The Blood Cultists stared up at me.
"Everyone awaits you. Shall we descend?"
Jin So-cheong pointed to a rope ladder.
'Pa Cheon.'
[Got it.]
Climbing down a rope was easy.
But that lacked flair.
I needed them to recognize me as the Blood Cult Hierophant, so I had to show something extraordinary.
'Here goes.'
I walked.
Until my foot left the ground, stepping on air.
And naturally.
Wooong-!
I strode through empty space.
"As expected of the exalted one!"
Jin So-cheong's admiration came from behind, but I was busy focusing.
It was like mime acting.
I was performing 'walking' in midair with no support.
Expressing the walk from core to every muscle was harder than expected.
But if I pulled it off.
I'd see faces of awe.
The Blood Cultists, stunned by my air-walking, wore shocked expressions—but stayed utterly silent.
I walked, and walked.
Until I stood before the Three Majons.
They stood with the Muhonjibyeok at their backs.
On an altar-like platform before it.
Ilmajon was in the center, flanked by newcomers I'd heard about from Jin So-cheong.
To Ilmajon's right, a middle-aged woman with an intrigued look—Imajon, probably. Glasses hung like a necklace, fitting a researcher.
To the left, a frowning middle-aged man with a bushy goatee—Sam majon.
Ilmajon spoke.
"Walking the void so effortlessly. It looks just like strolling on solid ground."
My changed face seemed trivial to them.
"No need for flattery. Straight to the ritual."
The ritual wasn't summoning anything religious.
Per Jin So-cheong, the Blood God's ritual transformed that massive Muhonjibyeok.
Child's play for me.
"Hold on."
Then Sam majon spoke.
"You're not Hierophant yet—just a candidate. Mind your tone, insolent cur."
I'd wondered when this would happen.
This world was drenched in clichés.
Perfectly balanced.
One favorable to me.
One intrigued by me.
One hostile to me.
At this point, it wasn't cliché—it was law.
"Sam majon's right in principle. Candidates hold Blood Law Envoy rank per doctrine."
Imajon sided with him.
Ilmajon just watched.
Not neutral.
Amused.
Testing how I'd handle it.
Irritation surged again.
That attitude—like toying with me in his palm, subtly superior.
"A rootless stray from outside dares call himself a candidate? Or is he? Bring the 'true' candidates."
At Sam majon's words, two climbed the altar.
A gaunt, pale man like a sick patient stood behind Imajon; a burly giant behind Sam majon.
'Pa Cheon. Their levels?'
[Majons are Super Peak. Ilmajon might match Paeng Yu-gun; others below. Candidates are Peak... that skinny one's aura is odd. Need more time.]
'Doesn't matter. They're all enemies anyway.'
In the Divine Cult, many were salvageable with coaxing, so I was careful. Not here.
The Blood Cult was brainwashed beyond saving, regardless of age or gender.
'Kids are innocent. But if they grow up fanatics, they bear responsibility.'
Against Blood Cultists, I had to be ruthless and brutal.
To deal with madmen, play the madman.
Sam majon said.
"My candidate, Jang Eok, earned merit transporting the Blood God's relic seed from Haenam. What have you done?"
"......"
Mistaking my silence for retreat? Sam majon and Jang Eok sneered. Sam majon continued.
"He even activated it by a full tenth. Meaning massive blood absorption! Jang Eok drained three thousand alone. In realm or merit, he's the true Hierophant material—"
I stopped listening.
'Pa Cheon. Time Wheel Jade.'
Time slowed.
[What's the plan?]
I explained.
[Brilliant.]
'I'll use Blink. Absorb him right away.'
Time Wheel Jade and Blink Jade clash.
Using Blink during Time Wheel cancels it.
Before, Blink's range lacked practicality—even Peak masters reacted. But post-shedding, the distance extended.
Pop-!
In the ultra-slowed time, I pierced space and appeared.
"!?"
Sam majon reacted late, turning his head—but too late.
Stab!
I was already shrouded in inky blue smoke, blade buried in Jang Eok's back.
Pa Cheon and my strike was beyond ordinary Peak reaction.
"Guhk?!"
Pa Cheon Sword's absorption began devouring Jang Eok's vitality.
Not a drop of blood spared.
"Y-You bastaaard!"
Sam majon panicked but hesitated—his own candidate stabbed.
Ilmajon smiled on; Imajon watched intrigued.
Again: madmen demand a madman.
So I.
"Now just two candidates left?"
Grinned widely.