Chapter 159
Chapter 159
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 159
Chapter Title: Run Away! (1)
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"Building reputation...?"
"Yes, I think it would be best to go ahead and do it."
Thanks to Huangbo Hyo-seon, who for some reason wasn't going out anymore, Young Ho-kyeong was once again enjoying relatively free time.
But in exchange, he had to deal with Kang Yun's visits for two days straight.
"Letting Huangbo Hyo-seon approach the common folk while our cult's warriors block the way... That means you've already made contact with her, right?"
"Yes, though I hid my face."
Just as I thought.
Young Ho-kyeong inwardly clicked his tongue. He'd hoped against hope that it wasn't the case, but it seemed Kang Yun planned to stick with the orthodox factions for a while longer.
"You're thinking of diluting her hostility toward our cult that way?"
"Exactly. If she spreads the word well, the Sword Saint could play a big role in calming the orthodox martial world."
He wondered if it was really necessary, but there was no harm in it.
After pondering for a moment, Young Ho-kyeong nodded vigorously.
"Fine. I'll select some suitable men and station them nearby, so don't worry."
"Thank you."
After bowing his head and chatting with the man for a while, Young Ho-kyeong noticed his gaze drifting toward a wooden box on one side.
"Interested in this?"
"A little curious. That wooden box looks... exceptionally well-crafted."
The fist-sized wooden box was indeed smoothly finished.
Young Ho-kyeong picked up the box and opened the lid, revealing a red pill that emitted a refreshing fragrance.
"You've probably never seen one before. This is the Sacred Blood Pill."
"Ah, so this is... that..."
The Sacred Blood Pill granted a certain amount of internal energy to those who practiced incompatible heart arts—anyone not trained in orthodox demonic arts—but slowly eroded their potential in exchange.
Young Ho-kyeong had once arranged for some of these to leak into the hands of young orthodox talents from Shaolin as part of a passive provocation.
"It's relatively easy to produce and highly effective, but the flaw is that few who practice pure orthodox demonic arts can take it without side effects."
"If someone takes it by mistake, is that the end for them?"
"Not quite. It's possible to make an antidote, though it requires some rare herbs. You'd lose the gained internal energy, of course."
After sipping his tea, the man spoke again.
"Then someone trained in a suitable demonic art could take this spirit pill multiple times to build up their internal energy."
"Ah, no, that's different. Since it's fundamentally a demonic pill based on demonic qi, taking it more than once can damage your foundation, making it fatally dangerous."
"...I see."
Entertaining the man's keen interest in the Sacred Blood Pill, Young Ho-kyeong suddenly thought of something and spoke up.
"Could it be that someone close to you has taken a Sacred Blood Pill?"
It was entirely possible, given his background in the orthodox factions. Hadn't he already opposed the Ming Cult once to protect the Peng Family?
To the silent man, Young Ho-kyeong smiled gently and said,
"If so, preparing one antidote wouldn't be difficult. Provided this information doesn't leak from that person..."
"...I'll think about it."
Whoever that person was, if they were orthodox, the moment the existence of the Sacred Blood Pill became public knowledge, friction with the Ming Cult would surface.
For Kang Yun, who was cooperating with the Ming Cult's rooting in the Central Plains, it was natural he couldn't decide easily.
'He must be planning to hold off on any full confrontation until our cult has secured the common people's hearts to some extent.'
Young Ho-kyeong could wait as long as needed.
As long as Kang Yun took the Ming Cult's side.
Thankfully, with Young Ho-kyeong agreeing readily, preparations should go smoothly.
'No real show to put on, so I have to at least do some showmanship.'
He didn't know why Huangbo Hyo-seon was so obsessed, but showing her a 'kind Demonic Cult warrior protecting the common folk' should improve her image somehow.
If not, he was out of ideas.
Anyway, he'd gotten bonus info on the Sacred Blood Pill. If the antidote already existed in the Demonic Cult, snagging one shouldn't be hard.
The problem was how to keep Mae So-hyang and Neung Hui-yeon quiet, but that could wait.
'Focus on Huangbo Hyo-seon for now.'
After leaving Young Ho-kyeong, I spent the whole day practicing martial arts and met the night.
"What exactly are you going to show me?"
When I arrived, Huangbo Hyo-seon was already dressed in black night clothes, waiting outside her quarters.
"You'll see when you follow me."
I couldn't just say it was some common village. Had to make it seem like something special.
I guided Huangbo Hyo-seon to the spot prearranged with Young Ho-kyeong.
Of course, no ordinary patrol warrior would know about this show, so we kept hidden the whole way.
"We're heading further to the outskirts... Are we going the right way?"
"Yes, we are."
Young Ho-kyeong had said he'd use men under Elder Il's command to guard it.
No point causing a commotion and getting caught by other Demonic Cult members, so heading to the outskirts made sense.
"Hold up."
Midway, Huangbo Hyo-seon grabbed me. Not just that—she shoved me down behind some bushes.
"Hey, what the—mmph!"
Clamping my mouth shut, she sent a transmission.
[Stay quiet. Isn't this where you were bringing me?]
What? We still had some distance to go...
[There are incredible masters gathered here. Isn't this what you wanted to show me?]
Cautiously extending my senses as she said, I indeed felt several peak masters clustered together.
Seemed like they were in the yard of a small thatched hut, but there was no reason for such experts to be there.
The outskirts were usually home to low-rank cultists who barely knew any martial arts, not high-rankers.
And most of them outclassed me in skill.
[Answer. Yes or no?]
[No.]
What the hell? Why were those guys gathered there?
I'd come out half in picnic mode, just planning to sell the idea that 'the Demonic Cult is a humane group that cares for its own common folk.'
Something felt off. Bad feeling like getting involved would turn into a total shitshow.
[Let's pull back. Something's wrong.]
[...Fine. We'll talk details back at the quarters...]
Whoosh...
The moment I decided to retreat, chills ran up my spine. This was...
[Run away!]
The instant we sensed the concentrating killing intent, Huangbo Hyo-seon and I poured all our internal energy into leaping backward.
Charging noisily down the path we'd snuck along so carefully, sparing no energy, we were pursued by a terrifying momentum from behind.
Glancing back, there were four of them. Their demonic qi suggested all were beyond peak realm.
"Forget getting caught—just run!"
"I've been doing that from the start!"
Huangbo Hyo-seon was fine, actually. Sect internal arts didn't backlash much against demonic arts.
If we shook them and holed up in quarters, who would know?
But with no room to hold back, my body—having unleashed the Turtle Breathing Technique and everything—started leaking pure Daoist internal energy.
This would give us away. One hundred percent.
Those Demonic Cultists spewing demonic qi—if any were high enough to get intel from command—they'd know exactly who I was!
'But getting caught means death!'
Can't count on 'same unorthodox side' mercy when they'd instantly flared killing intent just at us hiding.
Whatever shady shit they were up to, odds were high we'd die if caught.
To minimize demonic art backlash, my internal energy—usually masked by Turtle Breathing—was fully unleashed, making my legs feel lighter and lighter.
"No way...!"
Huangbo Hyo-seon was now struggling to keep up with my accelerating pace.
"Hurry just a bit! We might get grilled on what we were doing in the Demonic Cult outskirts at night, but first priority is reaching a crowded area alive!"
They were masters too, slowly closing the gap. But if I kept this pace, I could make it back to Yeongbin Pavilion without getting nabbed...
Shuuush!
Damn it.
As the distance narrowed, they started hurling hidden weapons.
Distracted by dodging their projectiles, my movements slowed a tad; ours slowed more evading them.
"At this rate, we'll get caught..."
As Huangbo Hyo-seon said, one would throw while we lagged, letting the rest close in further.
As I racked my brain, we hit a narrow spot between buildings and cliffs—Huangbo Hyo-seon spun around.
"I'll block here for a bit—you run first!"
Crazy!
"No way, we need to evade...!"
She couldn't hold off four peak masters alone, narrow path or not!
I whirled back desperately, but Huangbo Hyo-seon was already under siege.
Having left her signature greatsword back at quarters—too recognizable—she wielded her soft sword to hold them off, but already had several wounds.
"Ugh...!"
Demonic qi's nature caused severe pain in unfamiliar bodies, so more wounds meant duller movements.
"You idiot!"
Seizing a moment as they clustered, I slammed palm strikes from the flank and unleashed Finger Wind, pulling Huangbo Hyo-seon out in their flinching gap.
"The idiot's you—I told you to run..."
"Quit arguing who's the idiot and run!"
Before they regrouped, I grabbed Huangbo Hyo-seon's hand and bolted.
Infusing internal energy through her meridian to suppress the demonic qi, she ran faster than before—still not great, but decent.
"Stop...!"
Finally, the silent bastards spoke.
I hadn't seen clearly amid hasty attacks earlier, but glancing back—one was limping alone, bellowing.
Probably leg injury.
Turning to the three still charging, I startled and yelled back,
"Watch out! Behind—!"
Crack.
"I said watch your back."
One dumbass fell for it, turning to get clocked in the skull by my kicked stone. Loaded with kicking technique energy, but he staggered up without passing out.
"You sneaky bastard!"
"Thanks for the compliment. But you ganging up are way sneakier."
Thanks to Huangbo Hyo-seon's brief block, one was lame and lagging, but it was still 2 vs. 3.
And their average skill outmatched ours.
'So, how to handle this...?'
Would be nice if they were like me—big energy, no skill—but unlikely.
My master coming to find me upon noticing my nightly absences... Yeah, no.
'She wouldn't know.'
Think, think.
I have to survive this fucked situation no matter what.