Chapter 388
Chapter 388
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 388
Chapter Title: Pure Blood Corps (5)
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A tent had been set up to treat the Blood Cult members suffering from madness.
Suppressing the madness afflicting the Blood Cult members was no particularly difficult task for me.
'The Heavenly Demon Divine Art, derived from a few lines of incantation that my master passed on to the First Heavenly Demon.'
The Blood Cult's Reverse Blood Asura Great Law had branched off once more from that incomplete Heavenly Demon Divine Art.
'But I know the proper heart method incantations.'
Moreover, I had mastered how to circulate the Blood Ancestor Technique through the meridians differently.
I had already treated the Pure Blood Corps members stationed at the Dokgo family, so I knew exactly what measures were needed.
With the tent prepared, preparations were complete.
I gathered my Eon brothers and gave them one instruction.
"No matter what happens among the cult members, you all stay aloof and maintain your dignity. Cheol, pass the same message to Sa Gyeom."
"Yes."
"Alright, go on."
Having issued those orders, I then bellowed in Ghost Face Elder's voice.
"Send them in one by one!"
"Yes, Corps Leader."
Soon after.
A man with a square face strode into the tent.
"I've arrived!"
"Who are you and from where?"
"Seok Cho from Guangnan Prefecture."
"Is that so? Seok Cho, bare your upper body and sit facing away from me."
"Are you going to perform a Force Transfer on me or something?"
Force Transfer was the act of passing one's internal energy to another.
Seeing him casually mention something typically done only between master and disciple.
My mouth opened on its own.
"Why the hell would I perform a Force Transfer on the likes of you?"
At my response.
My master chimed in.
- You little punk! Your true colors are showing! Your true nature's coming out!
'...No, isn't this just ridiculous?'
- Anyway, didn't you say you needed those guys?
Following his words, I added a few more.
"We're strangers who just met today, aren't we? What Force Transfer?"
"Ahem. Ever since joining the cult, my madness has been flaring up more frequently, so I've tried all sorts of remedies, but nothing worked. Then you said you'd fix it, so... I thought maybe."
"First, I'll seal the improperly opened pathways."
The Reverse Blood Great Law, which circulated energy backward, was dangerous in itself.
But using patchwork heart methods stimulated deadly acupoints that shouldn't be touched.
Unless one was born with a special constitution, demonic energy would naturally surge into the marrow.
Today, I planned to seal those pathways through acupoint strikes first.
"Shut your mouth and focus. I'm sealing your meridians, but from this moment on, you'll have to be careful when circulating your internal energy yourself."
Having silenced Seok Cho, I wrapped my hand in Heaven-Splitting energy and struck the pathways leading to his deadly acupoints.
Pak! Pak!
Papapak!!!
At my strikes, Seok Cho let out groans.
But the procedure ended in an instant.
"Get out."
"I-is it done?"
"If it was done, I'd tell you to leave. Go on. Tell the next one to come in as you go."
After sending the dazed Seok Cho out of the tent.
Another Blood Cult member hesitantly entered.
"The Southern Sea Archbishop called you Ghost Face Elder... Can I call you that too?"
A small commotion arose outside.
I first put my finger to my lips.
"Shh."
I tilted my ear toward the sounds outside.
"How is it?"
"I don't know. It happened so fast."
"What did he do?"
"He said he was sealing my improperly opened meridians and struck some acupoints. The energy flow inside feels calmer? ...Or maybe it's just my imagination?"
As the other Blood Cult members showed interest in Seok Cho.
A sharp-tempered one among them stepped forward.
"Whether it's your imagination or not, we can tell after sparring a bit!"
"What?!"
Peng! Peng!!
Pupupeng! Peng!!
Soon, the sounds of clashing palms rang out.
Then, Seok Cho's familiar voice rang out again.
"I've unleashed this much palm force, but my qi and blood aren't boiling like they should... No signs of it."
Confirming that, I stopped listening.
I beckoned to the cult member who had entered the tent.
"Bare your upper body and sit facing away from me. Oh, right. Who are you and from where?"
And so, after quite some time treating the Blood Cult members' madness with acupoint seals.
'...It's been a good while.'
I could feel the darkness outside giving way to dawn.
At that moment.
Yin Xia Lian lifted the tent flap and spoke.
"Corps Leader, the one who just left was the last."
"Is that so?"
At her words, I dusted myself off and stepped outside.
'Some still eye me suspiciously. But the atmosphere has changed overall.'
Unlike the initial doubtful gazes.
Various emotions now poured toward me in their eyes.
"Sealing the meridians is only a stopgap. You'll feel like your usable internal energy and destructive power have weakened, but you must accept that to escape the madness."
Having confirmed that, I clasped my hands behind my back and began speaking.
"And the demonic energy that has already seeped into your marrow must be drawn out with special herbs. I've entrusted that to one of the Dokgo family members. They'll distribute it when they arrive."
Finishing the explanation of the treatment.
"Now, this old man has fulfilled his duties. I've rescued you from the Blood Wind Corps' clutches and carried out the promised alleviation of your madness."
I posed a question to them.
"Now it's your turn to choose. Answer me. Will you join the Pure Blood Corps' cause?"
At my words.
Led by Sa Gyeom, all the Blood Cult members present knelt simultaneously.
Then my master chimed in.
- I joked that going to the capital or sweet-talking people was your true calling... but you're even seducing zealots now.
'Only some of them truly trust me that much. But we've taken the first step.'
Replying to that.
I opened my mouth for the next step.
"I accept your wills to join the Pure Blood Corps. However, I remember how you hesitated when I said I might confront the Cult Protector Kings. But having resolved to walk the Pure Blood Corps' path, blood battles are inevitable."
Then, pointing to the neatly arranged corpses of the Blood Wind Corps members, I continued.
"To do that, we must know our enemies and bolster our allies. Fortunately, it will take time for news of the Blood Wind Corps to reach the Blood Heaven Asura Palace. If we grow the Pure Blood Corps in the meantime, it will become the driving force to navigate future blood battles."
Finally, pointing to Yin Xia Lian and Dang Ok-gi, I concluded.
"From now on, write down on the paper the Blood Maidens are distributing: your home bases, the cult members under you, and the superiors you know. For nearby places, this old man will visit personally to alleviate the madness. For distant ones, you will lead them back to the rendezvous point I designate."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Rumors spread that Eon Yong-un was returning home in glory.
Pearl City was abuzz, the entire city in festive mood.
However, before their procession arrived, Family Head Eon Jeong-ung's strict order quelled the atmosphere.
Considering those who had sacrificed in the Southern Sea, it wasn't the time for boisterous celebrations—that decree from Eon Jeong-ung carried powerful justification in itself.
And given Eon Jeong-ung's lifelong righteous life and Eon Yong-un's recent exploits, it felt entirely natural.
"...I wanted to catch a glimpse of the great young master who's shaking the world."
"We can't tarnish the Family Head and young master's reputation!"
"Exactly. Let's just pretend he didn't come and get back to our work."
Pearl City's residents heeded those words and quietly returned to their livelihoods.
Thus, the Northern Harmony Branch thoroughly concealed that Eon Yong-un had not arrived in Northern Harmony.
They kept vigilant toward developments beyond Yodong and Jangseong while cultivating their martial arts day by day.
Clang! Clang!
Claaang! Clang!!!!
As Family Head Eon Jeong-ung and the Eon brothers of the Northern Harmony Branch trained as usual.
"Family Head. A messenger hawk from the Grand Strategist has arrived."
"Hand it over."
The urgent letter from Jeon Jeon-hye flew into their hands.
"Father? What's it say?"
"...It seems the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult is showing signs of searching for your brother?"
"Brother is brother... Then we should be cautious too."
"Yes. Yong-myeong, go to the inner quarters right now, gather the wife and retainers, and relay this. I'll summon the branch family heads under some pretext. Oh, we need to contact the Tang family apothecary too."
Exactly two days after the urgent letter arrived.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Black-clad assailants, wrapped head to toe in dark cloth, truly scaled the walls of the Pearl Eon Family manor.
"Who are you?!"
"Intruders! We have intruders!"
Of course, having prepared thoroughly.
The Pearl Eon Family's response was swift.
"So-jin! You guard the inner quarters!"
"Yes, Uncle!"
The battle-hardened Eon brothers moved in perfect coordination to defend the inner quarters.
"Jin Pyeong, take the back gate! Jin Seong, handle the civilian homes outside the manor."
Thanks to the long-standing feuds now resolved, the branch families arrived in a flash, joined by Dokgoe Dang Ja-jin who managed the apothecary at Stone Family Market.
"Yes, Family Head!"
"Understood!"
They minimized damage not just to the Eon manor but to civilian homes as well.
"Eon Family Head. Seems we've wrapped it up without much issue?"
"Yes, Senior. All intruders who breached the manor appear dealt with."
"I'll tend to the injured retainers, so you go check on your wife. She looks tough, but this is her first time facing such a thing, isn't it?"
"Thank you for your consideration."
Returning to the inner quarters, Eon Jeong-ung confirmed the safety of the Eon brothers and Plum Blossom Madam, secretly sighing in relief.
Then, hesitantly, he spoke.
"It's not that I don't value you, Madam, and left you to the children..."
"You had to go fight for things to be safe. I know."
"Y-yes. And... um. You must be worried about Yong-un, but us being attacked like this actually proves he's safe. They must have thought he was here."
"I know that too."
"...Ahem. You're calmer than I expected."
"The first thing you said upon returning to the manor was that Yong-un is no longer just our son. Blind worry would only ruin his path."
"Hmph."
"Come to think of it, I remember the day you decided to cast Yong-un out."
"...Why bring that up?"
At Eon Jeong-ung's embarrassed expression.
Plum Blossom Madam smiled briefly, gazed south toward where Eon Yong-un might be, and spoke again.
"I'm not criticizing you, dear. It's that parents should trust once they've set their resolve. That day, Yong-un told me I should have stopped coddling him long ago."
"...That brat."
"Well, unlike some, he knows when to turn back if the path is blocked. He won't drive a nail into his mother's heart. Enough worrying."
"...Unlike whose example?"
"Who else? You, dear, who hide your true feelings your whole life and beat around the bush."
"Ahem. When have I..."
"Just now, going on about not valuing me and such, beating around the bush?"
"...I was worried."
"...Me too."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Ten days after Eon Yong-un disrupted the archbishop conference in Namyang.
The stone grand hall serving as the main audience chamber in the Blood Cult's headquarters, Blood Heaven Asura Palace, had its doors burst open.
Kwaaaang!!!!
Blood Demon Jin Gok-ryang appeared in a fury.
The four Cult Protector Kings seated there prostrated themselves forehead to the floor.
Jin Gok-ryang waved them off dismissively and bellowed.
"Instead of kowtowing, explain the situation! No Byeong-o dead? What nonsense is that? Then what happened to the Namyang conference?!"
In response, Ja Wang, who had delivered Blood Demon's personal letter to No Byeong-o, spoke.
"Sa Gyeom sent word that he had no choice but to kill No Byeong-o, who tried to kill him without reason. It seems the original purge operation has gone awry."
"Sa Gyeom as I know him isn't the type?"
Jin Gok-ryang instinctively felt there was more to this incident.
But as he bit his lip, unable to pinpoint what.
Ja Wang spoke again.
"Yes, Sa Gyeom absolutely wouldn't start something like this. For the sake of the other Gold Mane Corps members, he should have obeyed No Byeong-o's will."
"Right. There's more to this."
"...There was another report, actually. One of the archbishops claiming to be on site said an old man in a ghost mask was the ringleader."
"What the hell is that?"
"They say a secret society called the Pure Blood Corps was formed early within the cult... and the forces gathered in Namyang numbered at least a thousand."
"Does that make any sense?"
"Yes. It's such an absurd claim..."
"...Mount Shiwan. That old fogey Ma Noe's handiwork?"
"...We're investigating, but No Byeong-o's death itself seems a flaw from our direct operation structure. I can go myself."
At Ja Wang's words, Jin Gok-ryang shook his head.
"You're not going into an unknown situation. Summon the Blood Wind Corps Leader! I'll issue the order personally. Capture that Ghost Face Elder or whatever he's called!"