Chapter 271
Chapter 271
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Translator: penny
Chapter Title: Chapter 67: Flower of the Demonic Path (6)
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Knock knock knock.
Mae snapped out of her daze at the sound of dripping water and hurriedly sat up upon seeing her sisters lying beside her.
'My internal energy won't move...'
The true energy equivalent to four cycles was tightly bound, refusing to budge.
Observing her body coolly, she could sense a foreign true energy blocking her acupoints.
It wasn't mere energy; wedge-shaped true energy resembling wind was clogging the twelve meridians that connected her major acupoints.
'Have I been struck by a pressure point seal?'
She had mastered a few demonic arts to forcibly unseal acupoints in emergencies.
But this bizarre energy resisted all her demonic arts.
'If I can't dispel it with internal energy, I need to manipulate the blood vessels.'
Unlike orthodox martial studies, some demonic arts that defied the natural order included peculiar breathing techniques.
'Blood Vessel Shifting Great Law.'
There was also an ultimate technique that reversed blood flow through the vessels to forcibly relocate acupoints.
'First, I need to reverse the heart method to gather a small amount of reverse heaven true energy.'
The moment she tried to twitch her rigid fingers to twist the blood circulation.
"The Blood Vessel Shifting Great Law strains the body too much. You'd best abandon it, child."
A voice echoed from beyond the damp cave.
Unable to pierce the darkness like she could in daylight without her energy, she easily recognized the one who soon revealed himself.
"Who might you be, senior?"
"This old man is called Wind Guest."
Wind Guest.
A wanderer drifting with the winds.
'His real name?'
Her jet-black eyes fixed on him as she asked.
"Where do you hail from?"
"From the skies of Lost Heaven."
"Lost Heaven Society. So you're the one stirring up the recent uproar in the martial world."
"Something like that. I'll say it again: abandon the Blood Vessel Shifting Great Law. It's impressive that you're subtly circulating energy even while talking, but harming yourself over something futile is unwise."
Only then did Mae halt the technique.
If the opponent knew of it, he would have prepared countermeasures.
"What's the purpose of abducting us?"
"Didn't I say? Someone invited you."
"I've heard the Asura Blood Cult has been acting suspiciously lately. They clashed with our cult's warriors once. So, the one who invited us must be the Asura Blood Cult's leader."
"Correct. Your ability to infer from mere fragments in an instant is remarkable."
In the conversation, Mae sensed something odd.
There was no hostility in Wind Guest's voice.
"Don't worry too much. I hold no particular ill will toward you."
"Our cult won't sit idly by once they learn we've vanished. And the Asura Blood Cult leader's desire for us surely isn't benevolent. Yet you claim no ill will?"
"...Hard to believe, but true."
"Our cult and the Asura Blood Cult will likely clash nine times out of ten. Do you desire mutual destruction for the demonic path, Wind Guest?"
"Not that either. I can't explain in detail, but securing you and your sisters benefits everyone."
"If you truly wish to do good, release my sister and me. We'll keep this silent."
"Hoho. Even in this situation, you don't give up?"
Fwaat.
The moment Wind Guest flicked his hand, Mae felt her acupoints resealed.
"I said the Blood Vessel Shifting Great Law wouldn't work, yet you couldn't wait and reversed your blood flow. Impressive insight."
Even as she slipped into unconsciousness.
'Success.'
A faint smile curved Mae's lips.
In the courtyard of a half-ruined thatched house.
"I haven't fully forgiven the lord yet."
Wi Ji-geuk's nostrils flared as he grumbled.
[Lo-rd. Doesn't Brother Wi look thrilled?]
[Shut up. He'll snap if you point it out.]
Dokgo Yul asked.
"Wi Ji-geuk. Is only the Asura Sword Demon Corps here?"
"They're here, but many experts have left the cult. They've likely settled in various spots across the desert."
"Pleasing news."
"Not entirely. Many were expelled."
"Expelled?"
"At some point, the leader turned tyrannical."
According to him, Gu Il-so had led the cult smoothly for a while.
But recently, his temperament grew violent, showing signs of madness and paranoia.
"It was so bad that rumors spread he might have fallen into qi deviation from practicing demonic arts."
"Must have stirred up a bloodbath."
Rumors that the sky-like leader had gone mad from qi deviation?
Gu Il-so, who always fretted over the leader, wouldn't stay silent.
"I was lucky to retire early, but those remaining in the cult have suffered greatly."
"Do you know the cult's internal situation?"
"Hardly at all. As you know, our cult guards secrets tightly."
Regretfully, he added.
"But I know someone well-versed in the matter."
"Who?"
To Dokgo Yul's question, Wi Ji-geuk named one person.
"Blood Script Scholar Jin Se-hyeon."
And added.
"The third one."
The place Wi Ji-geuk guided them to was a village at the foot of the Ten Thousand Great Mountains.
Where the desert ended and the mountain range began, this scant green oasis held about three hundred houses.
In the center, he led them to a schoolhouse on the outskirts.
"Teaching the Thousand Character Classic?"
"Surprised?"
Blood Script Scholar Jin Se-hyeon.
Not only scholarly, but famed as the Blood Ghost of Letters for wielding his iron fan like a specter.
For such a man to retire and merely teach snot-nosed kids was astonishing.
"He said he had no lingering attachment to the current leader and withdrew."
True to Wi Ji-geuk's words, beyond the rickety bamboo door, a dozen small heads bobbed, and behind them sat a youth in shabby hemp robes reading from a book.
"Heaven is cheon. Earth is ji. Black is hyeon. Yellow is~ nurung~ ji!"
"Hey now, yellow is hwang. You rascal."
Crack!
The iron wire that once tore men apart lightly flicked the child's forehead, drawing a giggle.
"Hehe. Teacher, I'm hungry."
"Finish your studies, and I'll fill you up proper. No slacking—keep reading."
The children raised their voices.
"Heaven cheon (天). Earth ji (地). Black hyeon (玄), yellow hwang (黃)."
"Universe u (宇). Cosmos ju (宙). Vast hong (洪). Vast wilderness hwang (荒)."
Jin Se-hyeon followed immediately.
"Heaven and earth, black and yellow (天地玄黃). Heaven is black, earth yellow; universe vast and wild (宇宙洪荒), space immense and savage."
"Sun and moon wax and wane (日月盈昃), stars align in splendor (辰宿列張). Sun and moon full and waning, stars spread bright and brilliant..."
Mid-explanation, he paused.
"You needn't know the characters; grasp the meaning. Once you do, learn the writing as needed. Best to memorize by heart."
Jin Se-hyeon's teaching had an odd charm. He scanned the fidgety children one by one, smiling gently, never once raising his switch.
Hard to believe this was the infamous Blood Ghost of Letters.
After reading sonorously for a while, he stopped.
"That's enough for today. Guests have come from afar."
After the children stampeded out for scraps of porridge, they entered to find Jin Se-hyeon still facing away.
"Black Wind Three Fiends."
The third Black Wind Fiend.
Jin Se-hyeon replied without turning.
"You've come?"
Facing away with arms tucked in sleeves, Dokgo Yul stepped forward at the sight.
"Third brother. Does this mean you won't even face the lord?"
Jin Se-hyeon let out a hollow laugh.
"Sima elder brother is here too. Long time no see."
"Doesn't sound pleased."
"How could I not welcome brothers after so long? Had only Sima brother come, I'd have run out barefoot. Not blood brothers, but brothers with the same father, no?"
Chu Un-hwi stepped forward to the turned back.
"Jin Se-hyeon."
He shuddered.
"...Please understand I can't greet you face-to-face smiling. I can't face with a smile one who abandoned the cult."
"I heard you left the cult too."
"My body left, but my heart remained. Even as a rustic, I couldn't forget in my heart."
His voice deepened.
"Why seek me out?"
"They say you're knowledgeable about the cult's affairs."
"......"
A brief silence followed.
"I can't help. True, I owe the lord a great debt, but the cult is my home. Whatever you're planning, I can't cooperate."
His own compromise between gratitude to the cult and respect for his old lord.
"Is that so?"
"Do you plan to return to the cult?"
"Yes."
"Why return? Surely not desire for the abandoned throne."
"I plan to kill the leader."
"...Much blood will flow."
"That's why I sought you—to reduce it."
"You've changed. The old lord would have stormed the cult and unleashed a blood wind."
"I said I don't want needless blood. Especially since Lost Heaven Society desires it."
No reply came, so they turned to leave when Jin Se-hyeon suddenly spoke.
"Recently, some children I was teaching vanished and haven't returned."
They halted, and he continued.
"Rumors say the leader took them to raise with food and shelter."
"......"
"But no one believes it. Likely rotting in some dank pit."
"I didn't know when the lord warned of Lost Heaven, but now I understand."
Jin Se-hyeon turned.
Gazing straight with misty eyes, he said.
"Please right the chaotic demonic skies, my lord."
Bowing his head carefully.
"Since that's what I desire, it will soon be so without worry."
Jin Se-hyeon spread out a large map.
"Map of the cult and surroundings."
His finger pointed to a corner of the detailed map.
"After you left, lord, Gu Il-so systematically fortified defenses."
"Fearing your return."
"As Sima brother says. Thus, he created this."
A long narrow path from the Ten Thousand Great Mountains' entrance to the cult's main base.
Scribbled notes dotted the sheer cliffs lining it.
"Five observation and checkpoint stations from the mountain's start. Same whichever way you go."
"Whoa. This is intense?"
Even Dan Ya was awed by the densely marked names.
"There's more trouble."
Smoothly.
His moving finger traced the path upward, tapping spots.
The tangled scribbles were chaotic.
"The ambushes scattered here and there are a problem too."