Chapter 41
Chapter 41
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: Brocade Guard
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Kiiing—
The flute's tone was low and deep.
It blanketed the village like the low, quiet cry of some beast. It felt almost like the melody of the Grim Reaper himself. Having learned the Mystic Gate Formation Arts myself, I could tell that the flute sound itself was a form of sorcery.
I focused my mind to trace the source of this curse wave. No matter how low and deep the sound, it was still a sound, which meant it had an origin. I tracked the direction where the sound grew stronger while scanning the rooftops for any sign of passersby. The closer to the source, the more people were suffering.
'This way.'
Paat!
As I leaped between rooftops, each bound covered at least six roof tiles. It was a lightness skill so swift it felt like flying. A typical martial artist exerting this level of lightness skill would soon tire and collapse, but I had internal energy so vast it was practically limitless. I could keep bounding like this for several hours if needed. Moreover, having received precise training in the Thunder Shadow Step and footwork guidance at the Azure Dragon Martial Hall, I was quite confident in my movement arts.
Yet despite my footwork, my mind was in turmoil.
It was due to the flute's overwhelming power.
'Can a mere spell have this kind of range and destructive force? This power defies the laws of nature!'
The Mystic Gate Formation Arts might seem like a convenient all-purpose tool at first glance, but nothing could be further from the truth. Even a master like Mangnyang, without supernatural powers, could only use basic spells like transformation or black mist arts. Even with supernatural powers, freely summoning wind and rain as people imagined was impossible; it required tremendous time, effort, and a heavy price to gain any real potency.
Blanketing dozens of li in radius with a powerful mass brainwashing wave without warning blatantly defied the common sense of sorcery. My internal energy was so formidable that I could easily nullify this brainwashing wave, but anyone with less than three years of cultivation would lose their mind and succumb to the curse wave in under an hour. I'd never even heard of wielding such potent sorcery freely with just a single flute.
What the hell was this Grand Sorcerer?
I soon arrived at the epicenter of the spell. It was right in the village center. The moment I landed there, my eyes widened.
"......!!"
Hellscape!
Puk!
Around the flute monster, people clutched at their throats, tearing them until their veins burst and they collapsed, or suddenly hacked at each other with axes in brutal fights. Some lay collapsed, laughing madly, while others raped women for no reason at all. There were even people preparing to disembowel themselves like they were putting on a show. Cannibals devoured children's corpses, their minds utterly broken.
Blood flowed down the streets.
A savage scene where people seemed utterly indifferent to their own pain—or rather, no longer capable of feeling it, lost in ecstatic frenzy. In other areas, it was just fainting, but at the center, this horrific effect manifested.
"...Ugh."
For a moment, my head throbbed, leaving me stunned. I'd let my guard down briefly, and the curse wave had pierced my resistance to cause a headache. I realized staying here long would trigger irrational impulses.
'Hmph, fine. I'll deal with you slowly.'
Without descending from the rooftop, I subtly tensed my legs. The Grand Sorcerer flute monster kept playing, whether it had noticed me or not. A cold smile curled my lips as I kicked two roof tiles.
Ppeok!
"......!!"
One struck the flute monster's shoulder, the other its thigh. Hit out of nowhere by tiles infused with internal energy, the monster staggered to its knees. It didn't drop the flute, but the mad melody paused.
Instantly, the surrounding madness vanished like it had been washed away. The brainwashed villagers reverted to normal and recoiled in horror at the atrocities they'd committed.
"Aaaah!"
"Kwaaaah!!"
Unspeakable horrors by human standards had been wrought by their own hands, and realizing it shattered their minds. A mere pause in the music had let the festival of madness devour their lives. With no time to tend to them, I dashed down to confront the flute monster.
It looked the same as before. Dressed in ragged brown clothes that covered its body, its gender was indeterminable, and one hand gripped a black flute tightly. I approached the kneeling creature and demanded,
"What's your name?"
It remained silent. Irritated, I yanked off the yellow cloth covering its face—and recoiled in shock.
"Huh..."
This wasn't just ugly.
It was a true monster!
Its head was flat and bulging with veins. Its tiny eyes held no pupils, just whites. No ears either. Where nose and mouth should be, unknown tentacles writhed like living things, an oval maw at their tips chewing to consume food. Its hands resembled frog webbing between the fingers.
Calling this human was impossible. It was unmistakably a monstrous异形 of some freakish race. No wonder Ryu Cheon-ho had been terrified and called it grotesque.
But that was that, and this was this.
I immediately snatched the black flute from its right hand. Even deprived of it, the monster said nothing, just rolled its blank white eyes at me. To test, I struck it.
Puk! Peok! Puk!
I unleashed punches, knee strikes, and kicks laced with martial techniques. Infusing light internal energy, after about ten blows, it writhed in agony, staggering. Even blows that would half-kill a normal person failed to knock it out. I thought,
'This thing has incredible durability. No martial arts training, yet its innate body is this tough?'
Its physique rivaled an external art practitioner who'd mastered Iron Body Skill.
Anyway, lingering too long here was unwise. Unsure if pressure points would work, I ended with a kick strong enough to make a human vomit organs.
Ppeok!
[@&$*&*@$....]
Only then did it emit a pained groan—an eerie sound no human vocal cords could produce, sending chills down my spine. This thing before me had a humanoid form but was no human. As it spat blue blood from its mouth, unable to recover, I seized its nape and flew off elsewhere.
Whoooosh.
'What to do? I've gone and done it.'
Flying away, I smiled bitterly. I'd planned to hold back until it performed the human sacrifice ritual, but the girl I'd met in the forest days ago flashed in my mind, staying my hand. Imagining more innocent deaths and the village center's escalating horrors made my blood boil.
Too soon, but no choice. I'd hide my presence and extract maximum info from this thing first. Then decide—confront the Brocade Guard head-on or assassinate them.
I ran far, exiting the village toward the northwest cliffs. Grasping the flute monster's nape, I cleared the cliffs in two or three bounds. Past the downhill path, I found a remote mountain and a natural cave. At over twenty li away, even the Brocade Guard couldn't pursue quickly.
Kwang!
I hurled it brutally onto the cave floor. Force enough to bounce and kill a normal human thrice over, yet it only trembled its tentacles, spat blue blood, showing no major wounds. This race possessed innately resilient bodies.
I dangled the black flute and said,
"This your magic tool? Looks like without the flute, you're helpless. No martial arts either."
[@*#%...]
Its white eyes dilated slightly, like in rage. It seemed to understand me, but I couldn't comprehend it, frustrating me. Enraged, I kicked again.
Ppeok!
[*(!(#*%(@#*....!!]
"What? Speak human words, you monster bastard."
Ppeok!
[......!!]
Seeing it writhe in pain on the cave floor felt satisfying. It had killed humans by the ten thousands; this was nothing compared to their suffering. If I had time, I'd toy with it slowly, but I didn't. Gazing down, I said,
How long did I beat it?
Suddenly, it extended its webbed palm and waved. Then, the monster's words echoed directly in my mind.
[Stop. This will only bring your doom.]
Telepathy?
No, I didn't think so. I'd learned true telepathy through Azure Dragon Martial Hall training, but this was entirely different.
Telepathy whispers one's will like wind to the ear via internal energy. But this was akin to the legendary慧光心語. Transcending language to implant intent directly in the mind—impossible even for peak experts.
I sneered derisively.
"Another of your spells? Why the human sacrifices and summoning beasts?"
[......]
"Speak if you can. I'd rather just kill you outright."
As I raised my fist menacingly, it flinched, scooting back on its haunches. Fearing death from more blows, it quickly transmitted,
[Wait. Human. If I tell you, will you release me?]
"I'll hear it out and decide. You still seem useful."
A lie, of course. I'd extract all info then dismantle and kill it. But dangling hope would make it spill. Unaware of my intent, the monster slowly sent its mind-speech.
[I made a contract. I offer sacrifices to the god and perform rites; in return, I aid you. I'm proceeding as demanded, and two more times will fulfill it. You're the Emperor's subordinate—why torture me?]
It sounded aggrieved, never suspecting Brocade Guard betrayal.
This was huge. Despite its monstrous form, it possessed sharp intellect. Amid my confusion, I probed for more info.
"What's that?"
[That's...]
Cough!
Cough!
It suddenly spat blue blood, unable to continue. Its stamina had reached its limit. I'd beaten it too hard, sensing no more info forthcoming. Then a brilliant question hit me.
'Ah, right!'
I pulled out the Heavenly Dark Secret Book I always carried. Showing it the first page, I demanded,
"Look! Can you decipher this strange script?"
Mangnyang said the Heavenly Dark Secret Book's script nearly matched the Nameless Ritual Book's. If this monster truly deciphered the latter, it could do this too. Seeing the text, its tentacles froze rigid.
[......]
"What? Can't read it?"
[Th-this... How does a mere human have this...?]
It was utterly shocked. Unfazed by capture, beating, or the cave—now it trembled visibly, tentacles still, body quaking like aspen leaves.
"Shut up and answer. What's it say?"
[No way... Are you the owner of that thing?]
"Just answer. What's in this Heavenly Dark Secret Book."
[Hah... Hahaha... To think there was such a trap... I...]
It wailed like weeping. Then its body gradually reddened, emanating ominous light. I withdrew the book and retreated as it spat blue blood and cried,
[Sacrificial offering! I mourn your nightmare!]
"......?!"
Shrrrrruk.
That instant, heaven and earth shook as if shattering. Not just the cave—the mountains, streams, sky—all vibrated. Simultaneously, I sensed a terrifying aura pouring from beyond the heavens.
Kugugung!
This was bad. Something enormous was about to happen.
Seizing its collar, I roared,
"You bastard! What have you done?"
[Heh heh... Nothing much... You don't know what happens if a ritual is interrupted midway, do you...?]
"What?"
[I was calling them for food... They'd all gathered... but now lost their target... Now they'll rampage heaven and earth seeking living sacrifices... Ruin.]
Kwa kwang!
Thirtyzhang away, a massive explosion erased a hill. Through it emerged a colossal being; I gulped.
"Demonic beast..."
It was the same as the one I'd seen before. Only bigger—then three zhang, now ten. It could devour mountains writhing, a mass of flesh sprouting hundreds of eyes and tentacles—a nightmare incarnate.
Kwakwang!
Not over. Demonic beasts erupted everywhere. Dozens of these colossal horrors had come for the sacrifices.
The monster snickered.
[Farewell... You're done, and so am I...]
"Don't make me laugh. Think I'd fear those after seeing my current power?"
Head-on, maybe not, but I could toy and flee. Them rampaging for food meant I wasn't the sole target. I eyed an escape from the cave, but then immense killing intent converged from all directions.
"......?!"
The scattered demonic beasts' gazes fixed on me.
They clearly targeted only me.
What the hell?
Laughter echoed from the sprawled monster behind.
[They know exactly who disrupted the ritual...]
Kugugugu!!
The beasts charged at tremendous speed.
I wanted to dodge, but where? Even my max lightness skill might not evade their straight-line assaults, with dozens of colossal monsters bearing down like meteors.
"Uwaa! Ah! Kraaaah!!"
Screaming, I unleashed full-power lightness skill. Kicking off, I skimmed the ground like flight. Dodging the first beast's body slam, I descended from cliff cave to ground.
"Huh...!!"
A wall of darkness flashed in my vision.
Dozens of beasts hurtled in overlapping waves.
Kukwakwang!
Next instant, another beast's body slam pulverized past me.
Amid tearing agony, everything went white.
That was my fifth death.