Translator: RaidenTL

Chapter 61: Things Get Complicated (3)

I didn't ask Hwang Chu about the incident.

My plan was simple: drop him off somewhere safe and part ways. I had no desire to get further entangled with him.

Right now, just keeping myself alive with this damn Demon Subjugation Group was hard enough; I didn't have the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠luxury to worry about Hwang Chu. I still wanted to stick to my ironclad rule: a third-rate martial artist should never meddle in disputes.

Of course, if I were the protagonist of a martial arts novel, I’d be jumping into every conflict, creating incidents, and solving them to become a hero. But in reality, I’m just a small fry who’d kick the bucket after a single good stab. I’m not some immortal like those protagonists who can get skewered a hundred times and still walk it off.

In those stories, things always go according to the protagonist's intent, but for a real-life underdog like me, it never works out that way.

Just like right now.

"Young Hero Eo, thank you. I never imagined you would actually come to rescue me."

Hwang Chu approached me and offered a cupped-fist salute.

"To whom else would I open my heart, if not to the man who risked his life to save me?"

Ah! Enough. You don't have to open anything.

Just keep your mouth shut.

I slowly stood up.

"It’s fine. Everyone has their own circumstances. You don't have to force yourself to speak."

I spoke with a feigned lack of interest, trying to make my escape. But the guy followed me, rambling on.

"I am well aware that you saved me out of pure chivalry and nothing else. But now, I know I can trust you. Will you listen to my troubles?"

Hwang Chu grabbed my sleeve.

I looked at him with a troubled expression.

Hey, man, I told you I don't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠need to hear it. Why are you being like this?

Irritated, I spoke to him—though I kept my tone polite, of course.

"Young Master Hwang, the groups currently pursuing you are all top-tier masters. That means you possess something incredibly significant. Such facts are best kept secret. For your sake, and for ours. I’ll escort you safely to the masters of the Emei or Qingcheng Sect, so it would be best if you kept your mouth shut until then."

I figured it would be best to dump him on the Emei or Qingcheng Sect.

However, it seemed he had other ideas.

"As expected, your sense of justice is truly extraordinary. They say rumors tend to be exaggerated, but in your case, the rumors don't do you enough justice. Certainly, I might be safe if I entrusted myself to the Emei or Qingcheng masters. But I cannot trust them as much as I trust you. If they were to learn what I know, I cannot be sure they would maintain their chivalry as steadfastly as you."

Just then, Doyeon and Jeok Yeong approached.

"Young Hero Eo, wouldn't it be best to accept Young Master Hwang's sincerity? While his lack of trust in the Emei Sect is misplaced, that is his personal opinion, so I cannot fault him. He is asking this because you are the person he trusts and relies on most right now. I think it would be wise to listen to him first."

"Brother, your caution is wise, but shouldn't we first help someone in immediate crisis?"

With both Doyeon and Jeok Yeong chiming in, I was backed into a corner.

I made sure to leave myself an exit strategy before speaking.

"Fine. I will listen to what you have to say and then decide. However, if this is beyond my capabilities, I will have no choice but to hand you over to the masters of the Emei or Qingcheng Sect. Regardless of how you feel, those are the places I trust."

Doyeon pressed her palms together in a respectful gesture.

"Thank you, Young Hero Eo."

In that moment, she treated me like a fellow secular disciple of the Emei Sect. She was grateful that I held her sect in such high regard.

I ordered the Demon Subjugation Group to secure the perimeter, then sat down with Doyeon and Jeok Yeong to listen to Hwang Chu.

"As I hinted to you before, Young Hero Eo, I am a disciple of the Profound Heaven Sect. Our sect has existed since before the current Murim was even established. We dealt with what people now call the Left Path Fang Gate. The Profound Heaven Sect was originally formed to stop the atrocities of the Taoists who were the predecessors of the Worship Cult and the Mao Shan Sect. Because of that, we possessed many strange and bizarre things, a few of which became the treasures of the Profound Heaven Sect."

I cut him off and asked, "So, these mysterious assailants are chasing you because they want those treasures?"

Hwang Chu nodded with a somber face.

"Yes. As time passed, our sect declined until its lineage was nearly severed. There were very few disciples left. We were barely maintaining our existence when men in black masks somehow found us and invaded the sect looking for the treasures. Everyone else was killed; I am the only one who managed to escape alive."

So that's why they're hunting him so relentlessly. I can understand the Ghost Pursuit Squad from the Demonic Cult League, but why are Ancient Wood Valley and the Candlelit Shadows after him too?

No, don't get curious. Don't think about it.

Nothing good comes from getting deeply involved.

So, I subtly tried to change ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the subject.

"Why were you selling medicine instead of hiding while being pursued?"

"I was striking where they least expected. They never imagined I would be so bold as to sell medicine right in the middle of a marketplace. Thanks to that, I was able to lose them for a while."

As soon as I diverted the topic, Doyeon brought it right back.

"So, you're saying all the groups chasing you are after the treasures of the Profound Heaven Sect."

"That is correct. However, the treasures they seek are all different."

I cut him off again.

"It would probably be better if we didn't hear about the treasures."

Doyeon and Jeok Yeong nodded at my words. Hearing about another sect's secrets felt a bit intrusive.

However, that hesitation vanished instantly with Hwang Chu's next words.

"One of those treasures is what brought about the 'Blood Wind' of the Blood Lama."

"What?"

My head snapped up involuntarily.

I had assumed "treasures" meant something like gold bars, but it turned out it wasn't just some shiny metal.

"Are you saying... it's a martial arts manual?"

Hwang Chu nodded.

Good grief. You're telling me this bloodbath currently staining Sichuan is related to this guy?

My throat felt scorched, as if I’d swallowed a hot potato. A warning bell rang in my head: If you stay with this guy, you're going to die.

Doyeon and Jeok Yeong were also clearly shocked, their eyes widening. They hadn't realized the treasure Hwang Chu spoke of was something so significant.

See? What did I tell you? This is why you don't meddle in other people's business.

While we were stunned into silence, more shocking words poured out of Hwang Chu's mouth.

"It is called a manual, but it isn't exactly a martial arts manual. If I had to categorize it, it's a type of internal cultivation method. The name of the manual is the Heart-Guiding Blood Flow Divine Art."

There was a part of Hwang Chu's explanation I didn't understand.

"I heard that the manual the Blood Lamas are looking for was leaked from the Blood Thunder Sound Temple."

"That is a misunderstanding. Originally, this manual was something the Blood Lamas had been trying to steal from our sect for a long time. They couldn't find us because we were hidden so deeply, but this time, the black-masked men found us first."

"Then what about the manual rumored to be at the Ilguk Sect?"

Hwang Chu gave a bitter smile.

"That was likely a deception by another group. I've thought about this for a long time, and there's only one conclusion. When the Blood Lamas entered Sichuan to find this manual, the black-masked men likely created a fake manual and leaked that information to them. That way, it would be easier for the black-masked men—who actually know the location of the real manual—to move around."

"Then why Ancient Wood Valley?" Doyeon asked.

"Ancient Wood Valley is like a distant relative to our Profound Heaven Sect. Their Ancient Wood Divine Art also originated from the Left Path Fang Gate. Ancient Wood Valley is the branch that went independent with that specific art. They need this manual to compensate for the flaws in the Ancient Wood Divine Art. When the black-masked men were destroying the Profound Heaven Sect and trying to kill me, the masters of Ancient Wood Valley appeared just in time, allowing me to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠barely escape."

I finally understood the whole story. And those Candlelit Shadows people were likely involved because they are enemies of the Ghost Pursuit Squad.

It seemed like a tangled web, but the relationships were actually quite simple.

"Just what is this Heart-Guiding Blood Flow Divine Art that's causing such a stir?" Jeok Yeong asked suddenly.

He seemed more interested in the manual itself than anything else.

Hwang Chu spoke in a low voice.

"It originated from ancient occult arts. In truth, the development of acupoints and meridians in the Murim only dates back a few hundred years. Before that, people only cultivated the dantian. They didn't know about meridians."

My curiosity was piqued by this new fact.

Jeok Yeong's eyes sparkled as he spoke.

"Is that so? Then if they didn't use blood paths, how did they circulate the internal energy from the dantian?"

Hwang Chu smirked, his face filling with pride.

"In fact, modern martial arts began and were systematized from the Left Path Fang Gate, but now we are looked down upon and treated as outcasts."

Jeok Yeong cut him off as Hwang Chu started drifting away from the point again.

"So, I'm asking how they circulated internal energy without knowing about acupoints!"

Hwang Chu pouted and replied, "There was no other way to circulate the power of the dantian without using acupoints. So, the method that was developed was to flow the internal energy through the blood. Since blood circulates through the entire body rapidly. That is the Heart-Guiding Blood Flow Divine Art."

I couldn't help but be skeptical. Circulating internal energy through blood instead of meridians? Even for an occult art of the Left Path, it sounded unbelievable.

"Is that really possible?"

When I asked, Hwang Chu's lips twitched as if his pride was wounded.

"Human blood flows much faster than you think."

Doyeon muttered to herself, "Then why does Ancient Wood Valley covet the manual?"

"When you practice the Ancient Wood Divine Art, your body not only becomes as hard as a jiangshi, but your meridians also stiffen, making it impossible to circulate internal energy freely. So, they want to use the Heart-Guiding Blood Flow Divine Art to operate the Ancient Wood Divine Art without needing meridians. If they succeed, it will become a truly terrifying divine art."

Doyeon muttered as if she had realized something.

"Then the reason the Blood Lamas are looking for the manual must be because of the Blood Luo Living Jiangshi."

I shuddered at those words.

The Blood Lamas were currently creating Living Jiangshi. If they could arm those jiangshi with the Heart-Guiding Blood Flow Divine Art, they would not only fix the jiangshi's weaknesses but potentially become invincible.

The weakness of the Ancient Wood Divine Art and jiangshi arts is that the body becomes too stiff for fluid movement. If that weakness disappeared, they would be flexible while remaining impervious to blades. Who could possibly stand against them?

We were lost in shock for a moment, speechless.

"Then, where is the real manual?"

Hwang Chu looked at each of us in turn. After a moment of thought, he spoke.

"I cannot tell you where it is, but I will lead you there."

Doyeon agreed.

"I think Young Master Hwang is right. For now, it's best if only he knows the location."

One question occurred to me, so I asked.

"You said the black-masked men know where the manual is. Aren't we already too late?"

"No. They know the general area, but they don't know its final location. They only know where it was previously stored, but the manual has since been moved elsewhere. We still have time. It will take them some time to figure out where it was moved to."

Doyeon and Jeok Yeong spoke simultaneously.

"Then let's go find the manual. I dread to think what will happen if it falls into the hands of those villains."

Fired up, Doyeon and Jeok Yeong headed back toward the rest of the Demon Subjugation Group.

Once it was just Hwang Chu and me, I asked him quietly.

I had a feeling the Ghost Pursuit Squad hadn't kidnapped him just for the manual.

If they already knew the general location of the manual, why would they bother kidnapping him so carefully? If I didn't know who they were, I might have believed it, but those guys were the type to use force without hesitation to get what they wanted. There was no reason for them to just "politely" kidnap him.

Furthermore, if the Candlelit Shadows wanted to keep the manual's location a secret, it would have been easier to just kill Hwang Chu. There was no need to risk a rescue mission.

"Didn't the black-masked men have another reason for trying to kidnap you?"

Hwang Chu flinched in surprise and stared at me.

"How did you know that, Young Hero Eo?"

"Because if they already knew where the manual was, they would have no reason to go through the trouble of kidnapping you."

"As expected!"

Hwang Chu looked at me with admiration.

"All your unexpected strategies and actions have a reason behind them. Your insight is truly deep. Actually, this was the part I wanted to consult you about."

Hmm, so that's why he's being so cooperative with my questions.

But... did I ask for no reason?

I felt a slight pang of regret, but the cat was already out of the bag.

"What is it?"

Hwang Chu scanned the surroundings before speaking.

"In truth, one of the three treasures is the Heart-Guiding Blood Flow Divine Art I mentioned, and another is a bell called the Soul-Soothing Three Spirit Bell. And the last one is something called the Soul Spirit Beads."

I knew about the Soul-Soothing Three Spirit Bell and the manual, but I had never heard of Soul Spirit Beads.

"The Soul Spirit Beads are beads in which our sect's ancestor sealed the souls of the Great Demons who went around slaughtering people with their martial arts when the Murim was first forming."

As he spoke, he subtly pulled out a necklace from around his neck.

A string of thumb-sized beads was strung together like a pearl necklace.

"Are you saying all of those are the souls of Great Demons?"

Hwang Chu put a finger to his lips.

"Keep your voice down. In truth, this is even more important than the manual."

"But why do the black-masked men want them?"

Hwang Chu whispered, "Among these Soul Spirit Beads are the souls of the first Heavenly Demon and the Blood World Cult Leader. There is even the soul of the Worship Cult Leader. Back then, the ancestor of the Profound Heaven Sect was like an immortal, so he was able to collect all the souls of those Great Demons."

I realized the truth in an instant.

"They want to awaken these souls to plunge the Murim into chaos once again."

Hwang Chu nodded with a grave expression.