Chapter 385
Chapter 385
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 385
Chapter Title: True Blood Pill (2)
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Naning was a city encircled by mountains on all four sides, with a river running through its heart.
The river bisecting the center of Naning was known among the people as the Yong River.
One of the tributaries leading to this Yong River saw a small ferry boat ascending from the south against the current.
Splashhh—
Two figures wearing bamboo hats rode aboard the ferry.
"Naning. The city wishing for peace in the south."
Among them, the one standing at the bow, gazing at the distant castle walls of Naning, was none other than Sa Gyeom, leader of the Golden Leopard Crew that dominated the Silver River Archipelago.
Creeeak—
The man rowing, who had volunteered as the oarsman under his bamboo hat, was Heo Uk, Sa Gyeom's right-hand man and vice-leader.
Creak creak—
As Heo Uk reversed his steady strokes, the ferry began spinning in place.
Sa Gyeom's gaze, fixed on Naning's lands, shifted to Heo Uk.
"What are you doing, Heo Uk?"
At those words, Heo Uk released his bitten lip.
"Leader. Think it over one more time."
"What about?"
"Everything. The information we confirmed in Qinzhou is all suspicious. The Greenwood King being ambushed and unaccounted for... and especially the Dokgo family's movements are far too sluggish."
Upon hearing of the bishops' council, Sa Gyeom's only action had been relaying the situation to Ghost Face Elder through the Dokgo family.
Yet the Dokgo family's response was utterly detached from the urgency.
"With the bishops' council right around the corner, they say they've only just reached Wuchang? Could the message via Red Dragon Palace have failed to deliver?"
Sa Gyeom shook his head firmly at Heo Uk's question.
"Impossible. If they hadn't delivered the letter to the young palace lord or if discipline was so lax they'd expose it first... the Red Dragon Palace couldn't have survived amid the pirates filling the seas and the petty kingdoms' gaps."
"Then the letter was delivered... Does that mean Ghost Face Elder has abandoned us?"
"Who knows. The letter surely reached the Dokgo family, and recalling Dokgo Cheol's attitude, it likely went to Ghost Face Elder... but his true intentions are unknowable."
After a brief exchange,
Sa Gyeom turned the question back on Heo Uk.
"By the way, you were the one who never quite trusted Ghost Face Elder, yet now you speak of him like a lifeline from the heavens."
"...That was true. But since you seem to see him as a savior, Leader, I decided to think the same."
"Me?"
"You sent the message to Ghost Face Elder and took no other actions, didn't you?"
"That's separate. I've never seen him as a savior. I just liked the True Blood Pill's banner. If anything, all I did was lend them one ship."
"Then why no other measures? If that masked geezer isn't our lifeline... shouldn't we bail now?"
Sa Gyeom let out a hollow chuckle at Heo Uk's words.
"Bail where?"
"Anywhere."
"Heo Uk. We're infamous pirates. One denunciation letter, and wanted posters go up across the land."
"We have the sea, don't we? The cult or the imperial troops can't touch us there."
"Once the founding declaration happens, the cult will have no choice but to turn its eyes to the sea."
It was inevitable.
Gathering followers with the Blood Cult's manuals was possible, but organizing and sustaining it required money in the end.
"A nascent cult just about to declare founding won't clash head-on with the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace; they'll look to the seas or the greenwoods instead."
"The sea isn't safe either, you're saying? But it's still better than Naning, which looks like a tiger's maw at first glance."
"True enough. If I vanished alone into the vast ocean, even the main crew couldn't do a thing. But what of our family afterward?"
"......"
"If I attend the bishops' council obediently, the others might live. As I said, the cult needs a way into the seas, and they'll need an organization like the Golden Leopard Crew."
"...You don't hide that you're walking to your death."
"I've seen it all in my time. No attachment to life. Don't worry about yourself, Heo Uk. You're included among the members I mentioned."
At Sa Gyeom's words, Heo Uk furrowed his brow in anger.
"Do you think I'm saying this because I value my own life?"
"I get it, so row properly. That's an order."
Sa Gyeom dismissed it with one line and resumed staring at Naning.
'...Relying only on Ghost Face Elder.'
He'd denied it to Heo Uk, but upon reflection, it wasn't entirely untrue.
'...I saw the true path to Blood Flame Heaven in Ghost Face Elder's demeanor.'
The sight of him relieving the side effects of the Reverse Blood Asura Great Law even for a lowly subordinate.
And for a mere connection of lending one ship, boldly appearing in the waters off Sakwol Island teeming with Baekdo fleets.
'...I sent the message so he could aid in forging that path. In a way, yes, I'm relying on him.'
Realizing a faith he'd never felt even upon submitting to the Demonic Cult had taken root in his heart, Sa Gyeom smirked.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ It had been fully ten days since sneaking into Naning and scouring the streets.
Wu So-reung came to me with something he'd found.
"Eon hyung. I think I found something."
"Where?"
"In the back alley of a fabric shop. It had markings like the Blood Cult's secret code you described, so I copied it."
I immediately nodded toward Dokgo Cheol.
Dokgo Cheol took the slip and nodded.
"It's definitely secret code script. But a single missing dot changes the meaning. Is this exact?"
"Yeah. I might look sloppy as a senior, but these eyes are spot on."
"...I don't think you're sloppy. Just confirming for accuracy."
As the two huddled over it,
Eun Ha-seong pursed his lips and muttered.
"So-reung kowtows to me but fawns over the juniors."
I flicked his forehead.
"Ow!"
"Time for that now?"
Meanwhile, Dokgo Cheol had spread out a map and begun decoding.
"Senior So-reung. So the three dots here point north?"
"Yeah. The shop entrance faces south... so north."
"Then it's a thousand paces north from the north gate, then five hundred west... pointing here."
Yin Xia Lian checked where Dokgo Cheol's finger indicated, then unfolded a paper and spoke.
"This is Muryong Valley."
She drew a Hui character atop it and continued.
"The central ground bulges slightly, surrounded by depressions. The nearby hills are used as graveyards, so people avoid it."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. I once considered buying it. Perfect for secret meetings."
"Indeed. The raised ground serves as a natural platform. What of these encircling mountains?"
"Cliff faces like sword cuts. About ten zhang high?"
"Then we position somewhere above and rush in at the right moment?"
As Yin Xia Lian nodded along,
she furrowed her brows.
"...But is it okay?"
"After recuperating with spirit pills from the tomb, our lightness skills can handle that height, no?"
When I asked back,
Yin Xia Lian and Master each chimed in.
"My worry isn't the infiltration method, but drawing in the other Blood Cultists. You said giving them an outlet would turn fear to rage, Young Master Eon... but they could just flee?"
- I share Ha-yeon's thoughts.
I understood their concern but shook my head.
"That's unlikely. Blood Cult followers aren't mere bandits. Most suffer periodic mania from the Reverse Blood Asura Great Law, needing antidotes. They can run short-term, but they've learned inescapability one way or another."
At my words, Yin Xia Lian pressed on.
"Still, we need to impress the True Blood Pill strongly enough to join us. They'll have at least hundreds, we're outnumbered already..."
"Isn't the answer in what you said earlier?"
"In what I said?"
Yin Xia Lian's eyes widened.
I posed the question.
"You said the area is graveyards, right?"
"Ah?"
"Raise a corpse legion above the valley like a screen, and it'll seem like a massive True Blood Pill force. We'd need measures to hide their undead nature."
Turning to Dang Ok-gi, an apt solution flowed from him.
"With white powder and humility grass, we can create ground fog."
"The Yong River already brings heavy mist here; adding that smoke... the corpses' appearances hide, leaving only a phantasmic aura."
Then Eun Ha-seong, rubbing his itchy head, spoke up.
"Forget that. What about Jeonghyeon Dojang?"
"...Prime Heavenly Lord. Why bring up the temple suddenly?"
"Why? Even among those Cheongsu Mountain bandits last time, your robes fooled no one—too stiff, nearly got us caught."
As Eun Ha-seong spoke, my siblings nodded gravely one by one.
I grinned and replied.
"No worries there. Herding everyone would dilute the overwhelming presence I mentioned. You lot just wear masks and loom menacingly. I'll handle the rest."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Muryong Valley, northwest of Naning.
In this place filled with pitch-black darkness and eerie fog,
Fwoosh—
People bearing torches began gathering one by one.
The assembled were remarkably diverse.
Some bore the unmistakable look of scholars, others the hardened grit of underworld veterans.
Thus, the Blood Cult bishops scattered across the Southern Jiang began converging long after the summons.
"!"
A group clad in blood-red wind robes appeared.
"...Bl, Blood Wind Squad."
Nicknamed for their scarlet robes like spilled blood, they were the elite guard bishops escorting Blood Demon Jin Gwang-ryang.
As they arrived, all present held their breath.
Among the arrivals, No Byeong-o at the front unfurled a scroll with a rustle and spoke.
"I am No Byeong-o, servant attending Blood Demon up close. And this is the power he granted me: permission to slaughter all gathered here."
In an instant, No Byeong-o seized the assembly.
"At this crucial moment when our cult breaks from false Heavenly Demon heirs to erect a new order. We learned of faithless rats scheming."
He scanned the faces, clicking his tongue.
"Tsk tsk tsk. Blood Demon extended a hand to your worm-like lives, yet you cling to base habits..."
Sneering, he continued.
"Thus, Blood Demon commanded me to correct them. You filthy unbelievers will return to a puddle of blood here today."
As his words ended,
No Byeong-o's subordinates dragged out a Blood Cultist who appeared crippled, meridians severed.
No Byeong-o addressed the dragged man.
"This one's name is Jong Chan. Branded lecher, limbs due to be torn, yet our cult showed mercy with divine arts. But he tried fleeing to Dongryeong upon the summons."
Having recited the charges, No Byeong-o wrapped his hands in blood-red haze.
"This is the end for unbelievers."
Boom!!!
He crushed the first unbeliever's head.
With blood-soaked hand, he pointed at Sa Gyeom and spoke again.
"Among these worms, the greatest is here: Southern Sea Archbishop Sa Gyeom."
The Blood Wind Squad immediately surrounded Sa Gyeom,
who showed open palms to halt them, then calmly ascended the platform to No Byeong-o.
'The soon-to-die playing for weight?'
At the sight, No Byeong-o smirked inwardly.
'Well, a lowly cur risen to archbishop must know his death saves his men.'
As he prepared to voice the pretext for eliminating Sa Gyeom,
"With Blood Flame Heaven imminent, Sa Gyeom in the vital Southern Sea archbishop post..."
Rumble!!!
Lightning from the pitch-black sky struck the cliffs encircling Muryong Valley,
and amid swirling smoke, an elder's lion roar thundered.
"How dare one so far from the true path of Blood Flame Heaven utter those words!"