Chapter 67: Reputation (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 67: Reputation (2)
Ordinarily, accumulating different types of True Qi was a dangerous endeavor. The inevitable result was Qi Deviation.
No one could predict what kind of catastrophic clash internal energies of conflicting natures might cause within the delicate meridians.
But Jeong Yeon-shin was different. He could alter the very nature of his True Qi in an instant, simply by circulating it once more immediately after completing a cycle.
This was entirely due to his innate, absolute control over True Qi. It was the same reason he had so easily absorbed spirit medicines, from standard spirit pills to the potent Purple Grace Pill.
He had already purged the core principles of madness from the technique. This meant he could operate the Mara Blood-Roaring Art without suffering a single side effect.
"You've already crossed the threshold? Truly...?"
Astonishment spread across the Seventh Apostle's face.
Those who practiced the extreme martial arts of the Heterodox Sects were naturally hyper-sensitive to techniques of the same lineage.
The characteristics of their Qi were so distinct that they could instantly recognize a superior martial art.
The Blood Summoning Art of a common cultist was destined to cower and shrink in the presence of an Apostle's Mara Blood-Roaring Art.
Furthermore, this was a cult. Fanaticism was in their blood.
"Such pure waves of energy..."
"Could he be of the Cult Leader's own bloodline?"
The Blood Flame Cultists began to bow. The heavy thuds of knees hitting the earth echoed from all directions.
"Grand Preceptor! O Grand Preceptor!"
"Lead our Cult to Beijing!"
"Restore the youth of your unworthy followers, and bestow upon us a more perfect Blood Summoning Art!"
Earnest pleas erupted from every corner. The atmosphere grew heavy and solemn.
The desperate sincerity born of pure fanaticism bled through their shouts.
Things had not gone as Go Jong-hak intended. The stage he had set to incite doubt and anticipation had transformed into a platform for absolute praise and supplication.
Jeong Yeon-shin stood perfectly still, keeping the Mara Blood-Roaring Art active.
It was the aura of a superior blood art, completely stripped of its inherent madness to exude a calm, serene gravity.
The cultists stared wide-eyed, as if trying to engrave even the slight fluttering of his blood-red robes into their very souls.
Did he look noble in their eyes?
At this moment, Jeong Yeon-shin was the Grand Preceptor of the Blood Flame Cult. In the eyes of these unorthodox scoundrels, he was the genuine article.
"..."
Without a word of response, he turned on his heel. Not a single common cultist dared to approach him.
He also completely ignored the venomous glare of Go Jong-hak, who watched him in tight-lipped silence.
Only the Seventh Apostle followed directly behind him.
"I didn't expect you to achieve basic mastery in a single night. So, your talent isn't just limited to creating martial arts after all, is it? The vessel of your martial arts is incredibly vast."
The distinct, sharp glint of a true master flickered within her red eyes.
Jeong Yeon-shin merely glanced at her before looking straight ahead again.
Then, he spoke slowly.
"I need to tour the main stronghold. And not just this once. I must do so periodically."
"Is there a reason?"
"To extract and organize new mnemonics, sitting cross-legged in a dusty room won't bring me any inspiration."
"Hmm."
"Wall-facing meditation is what Bodhidharma did. I am vastly different. I cannot do that. I need to breathe fresh air and feel nature. I must also observe the martial traits of your cultists. The same goes for the Mara Blood-Roaring Art."
He suddenly stopped in his tracks and looked at the Seventh Apostle.
Unfazed, she met his gaze with her single, feverish eye.
"I have never created a martial art for someone else before. I need to know many things," Jeong Yeon-shin said.
"Your usual breathing, your stride, your gestures, and even the philosophy that underpins your intent. To circulate internal power through the optimal pathways, I must understand everything about the practitioner. It is not something that can be grasped while sitting in one place."
"Yes, what you say is..."
"The same goes for the Blood Summoning Art. I must experience the ethos of the Blood Flame Cult firsthand to modify it into a universally applicable martial art."
Even though she had been abruptly cut off, the Seventh Apostle gasped for breath. She seemed highly aroused by the prospect.
Was she feeling ecstasy? He had merely used the promise of gifting her a perfectly tailored martial art as an excuse.
She really is like that. She views me as prey already caught in her trap.
The flimsy excuse he thought only a madwoman would accept had actually worked.
He had gained freedom of movement. It seemed he could go anywhere within the stronghold, as long as he was accompanied by the Seventh Apostle.
"We will start with the inner courtyard of the Cult Leader's Hall."
As he spoke, Jeong Yeon-shin strode forward without hesitation.
I trust the main fortress, but I must take precautions.
Realistically, the martial force the Desolate Fortress could mobilize at a moment's notice would not be large.
The Jianghu was never free of incidents. It was said that it was rare for even thirty percent of the Divine Sword Corps' 17th Unit to be gathered at the main fortress at any given time.
They were constantly scattered across the Central Plains, executing missions.
Since he was trapped inside the Blood Flame Cult's stronghold, he had to do everything within his own power to survive.
"Wait here," he told the Seventh Apostle.
"Okay," she nodded and stood still. She was strangely submissive. Her single eye reflected Jeong Yeon-shin in a crimson hue.
"Grand Preceptor."
These were the thirty-six steps leading up to the Cult Leader's Hall. The Blood Master Swords standing guard offered a brief bow of respect.
He acknowledged them with a simple nod.
Jeong Yeon-shin placed his hand on the banister and channeled his True Qi.
He could not hide the spreading waves of energy. However, he had already established his excuse.
The very reason he had been captured by the Blood Flame Cult served as his perfect justification in moments like this.
His talent as a grandmaster of martial creation allowed him to rationalize any bizarre action as simply seeking "inspiration."
Demon-Quelling Azure Steel Hand.
Just as the aura of Dharma Power was about to rise, Jeong Yeon-shin shifted his Qi circulation pathway to the Mara Blood-Roaring Art.
Wuuung.
His True Qi underwent a subtle transformation. Deep within the sinister aura of the blood art, the righteous essence of the Demon-Quelling Azure Steel Hand was perfectly embedded.
It was a level of internal energy control that bordered on the divine. At this moment, he took a step forward.
It was a realm where he could tune the intimate, microscopic structure of his True Qi using a once-in-a-millennium sensory perception.
Though it doesn't increase the magnitude of the power.
In short, it was a flawless deception. The power of the Demon-Quelling Azure Steel Hand wore the outer shell of the demonic blood art.
Done so perfectly that not even a master of Super-Ascension could begin to guess its true nature.
Leaning slightly against the banister, he rested his hand upon the stone. Jeong Yeon-shin asked with feigned indifference, "It's marble. Where did it come from?"
"I believe it was brought from the Dali Kingdom of Yunnan before its fall, Grand Preceptor," a Blood Master Sword standing nearby replied politely.
Nodding casually, he stroked the banister. At the exact same time, he implanted the power of the Demon-Quelling Azure Steel Hand, seamlessly disguised as blood art True Qi.
That was not all. He drew upon the inspiration he had gleaned from the Dual Flame Blood Spirit Formation that enveloped the Blood Flame Cult's main stronghold.
It was the profound art of formations. He locked the infused energy in place so it would not disperse.
The internal power melted into the stone instantly. It sank deep, no longer emitting even the faintest trace of energy.
"Sturdy," he remarked, caressing the smoothly carved wall.
He couldn't store a massive amount of energy in it as if it were a spirit medicine.
However, if his plan succeeded, he might truly earn himself a single slice of the World Tree's fruit.
"I will return," Jeong Yeon-shin said, and the Blood Master Swords bowed in farewell.
The Seventh Apostle followed him with a beaming smile.
"You have quite an eye. Every structure in our Cult has stood for at least several decades. If you look closely, you might even find objects imbued with true spirituality. I'll show you the noble and sacred sights that can only be seen here."
"All of that serves as inspiration. It is certainly impressive," Jeong Yeon-shin replied with an indifferent expression. The Seventh Apostle just smiled brightly.
* * *
Time passed.
Two fortnights went by. Sunset and dawn alternated more than thirty times. The Blood Flame Cultists grew quite accustomed to the presence of their young Grand Preceptor.
For over a month, Jeong Yeon-shin repeated the exact same routine.
Banisters, stairs, rafters, dirt pathways, roofs... He traversed every conceivable corner of the Blood Flame Cult, secretly implanting the Demon-Quelling Azure Steel Hand.
He mapped his movements primarily around the Cult Leader's Hall.
He also contemplated various formations, especially the Dual Flame Blood Spirit Formation.
Unless activated, the medium of a formation is nothing more than a mundane, still object. Even masters of the Jianghu cannot sense it. The Cult Leader is no exception.
He wasn't sure if the same held true for the Brightfolk.
However, there were no Brightfolk cultists in the Blood Flame Cult. It seemed to be because they were a clan closely tied to the imperial family by birth.
In the midst of his preparations, the Seventh Apostle was suddenly called to march out.
She came to find him, her face flushed with feverish excitement. The murderous intent flowing from her entire body was incredibly fierce.
"It's obvious what's happening. Bringing you here was a decision that carried a fairly large risk for both myself and the Cult. They must have swept through the entire area within a month's travel distance from Clear Night Valley. Whether it's to take you back or to annihilate our Cult, I do not know."
"It's likely both," Jeong Yeon-shin replied nonchalantly, sitting cross-legged.
It has begun.
He had felt it when he stepped outside today. The main stronghold of the Blood Flame Cult was in a frantic stir.
Rumors said orthodox martial artists were searching the surrounding area. And on a considerably large scale.
"Just from the reports, it's Shaolin, Zhongnan, and Mount Hua. Even the worthless local sects nearby have swarmed in. They say there are easily over five hundred of them, and there are even White and Blue Ranks from the Desolate Fortress among them."
As she spoke, the Seventh Apostle's single eye narrowed.
She reached out with a pale hand.
Her long fingers stroked down Jeong Yeon-shin's hair. With every brush of her knuckles, a truly formidable internal power breathed and pulsed against his scalp.
The heavy wave of energy she emitted was immense.
"I won't give you to anyone. Don't harbor any futile hopes. You are already mine."
"This place. You said no one has been able to find it for hundreds of years."
"That's right."
The corners of the Seventh Apostle's mouth curled upward in a wicked grin.
"The Dual Flame Blood Spirit Formation is not a technique of the mortal realm. Even if an army of a million marched right past us, they wouldn't perceive a thing."
"..."
Even in Jeong Yeon-shin's eyes, their sorcery formation truly did not belong to the human domain.
The fact that he could utilize the core principles of the formation just by gaining insight into a fraction of its structure proved how profound it was—profound enough for the Blood Flame Cult to trust it absolutely.
They were bastards backed by a once-in-a-millennium ultimate formation. He needed to know their exact plans.
He stared quietly at the Seventh Apostle and parted his lips.
"And yet, you are marching out? Wouldn't it be better to hold your breath and wait for the storm to pass? Revealing yourselves unnecessarily will only confirm our location."
"Are you worried about me? My darling! I am so happy!"
The arms she threw open to embrace him held the terrifying madness of someone clutching a prized possession.
Wuuung!
Jeong Yeon-shin silently gathered the Demon-Quelling Azure Steel Hand into his hand-blade.
It was only because the movements of supreme masters were so profound that they were hard to hit; if he could just land a solid blow, it would deal a fatal wound.
Just as he had done when he took her eye.
"I wonder when you will finally soften your sharp edges."
Feeling utterly disgusted by the Seventh Apostle's cloying, whining tone, he stood up. He had been here for quite some time, but every passing day only deepened his loathing for the Blood Flame Cult.
The staple food of these bastards was not regular meals, but human beings.
Every single day, they captured martial artists and innocent commoners, sucked dry their blood and True Qi, and discarded them like trash.
Ironically, they possessed enough medical knowledge to worry about plagues, so they burned the shriveled corpses regularly.
He shook his head inwardly and organized his remaining tasks.
I requested an audience with the Blood Flame Cult Leader.
He was just about to deposit today's portion of the Demon-Quelling Azure Steel Hand's power into the Cult Leader's Hall.
"We must determine the exact positions of those Orthodox trash to ensure our Cult's activities can continue unhindered, mustn't we? I will be away for a short trip, so behave yourself while I'm gone."
The Seventh Apostle finally answered his earlier question. Jeong Yeon-shin left the room without another word.
The end was drawing near. His razor-sharp intuition told him so.
He felt so little emotion right now that even encountering an incredibly unwelcome face didn't stir a reaction.
"At this point, this is what I think."
Go Jong-hak, the son of the Third Apostle, blocked his path while stroking his thick chin.
He was a man who had tried tirelessly for over a month to undermine Jeong Yeon-shin's position. He couldn't be easily underestimated, either.
The martial attainment he had accumulated was powerful enough to subdue an ordinary Blood Master Sword within ten moves.
"I heard the Grand Preceptor possesses talent worthy of being called the absolute best under heaven."
The corners of the bastard's mouth twitched upward in a sneer.
"I cannot fathom how you managed to deceive the Cult Leader's divine eyes. I have shown you respect until now, but as a loyal cultist, I am deeply concerned by your complete lack of proper achievements."
Perhaps because Jeong Yeon-shin had calmly brushed off every previous provocation, the man's words and actions had recently become blatantly hostile.
"Say what you want to say," Jeong Yeon-shin said.
The reply came via telepathy.
– Kill yourself, you stringless lowborn.
The bastard's words were strange. It was a well-known fact within the sect that the Seventh Apostle doted on the Grand Preceptor.
Was he planning to launch a sneak attack while she was briefly away?
It was then.
Hmm?
A sudden gust of wind brushed past, wrapping his collar around him as if it were alive.
The faint breeze that grazed his ear seemed to whisper something.
It was a familiar sensation. He had felt it during his very first mission. The power of the Brightfolk that Cheong-myeong had unleashed while demonstrating his movement technique had approached him as this exact same mysterious wind.
"Think what you will," Jeong Yeon-shin said in a flat tone and turned around.
He didn't care whether the bastard flew into a rage or tried to follow him.
He headed straight toward the outskirts of the stronghold. There was no hesitation in his steps.
He arrived in an instant.
Wuuung—
It was the place where he had first encountered the Dual Flame Blood Spirit Formation alongside the Seventh Apostle. A place where a mysterious, heavy atmosphere lingered, as if space itself were physically shimmering.
Beyond that barrier, she was there.
"Ah."
An involuntary groan escaped his lips.
He saw her instantly. The moment she entered his field of vision, her image was permanently engraved into his mind.
His lifeline. His salvation.
It was a woman wearing a long, light-green martial uniform that faintly resembled elegant palace robes.
She stood in profile, her head tilted slightly upward toward the sky.
Her skin, pale and flawless as white porcelain, possessed a smooth, ethereal radiance.
It was as if the surrounding scenery had lost all its color in her presence. The sunlight cast a brilliant halo of light around her elegant features.
The gently swaying bushes around her seemed to exist in perfect, natural harmony with her body.
Her light-green hair, looking as if it were infused with the essence of a spring breeze, cascaded down long enough to cover her back, radiating an air of profound mystery.
Her presence was not that of a mere human. Even though she had completely concealed her internal energy, she exuded a terrifying, overwhelming aura.
Finally.
She turned her head.
Her green eyes, brilliantly reflecting the sun in the sky, were revealed. They were eyes that held an overwhelming, fathomless abyss.
