Does the Heavenly Demon Use Taoist Magic? (8)
Sabok was horrified at the sight of the Mount Hua Sect Leader treating jiangshi like mere toys. Was that even human? A jiangshi crafted from a martial artist’s body was nothing short of a calamity for ordinary warriors. The endless inner energy it generated was a problem. Its stubborn vitality was a problem. And its body, which knew neither pain nor fear, was the biggest problem of all. It was said that subduing even a single jiangshi required at least three martial artists working together. Yet the Mount Hua Sect Leader was different. She handled the swarm of jiangshi rushing toward her with effortless grace. The way she deflected their attacks with nothing more than a single step was truly the pinnacle of footwork.
Sabok, who prided himself on being a martial artist, couldn’t even begin to fathom her level. Damn it. So a horde of jiangshi wasn’t enough?
With a single step, she flowed through the storm of attacks like a leaf on the wind. The pinnacle of movement arts.
“It would have been better if you had arrived a little later. My preparations aren’t quite finished yet. This is rather inconvenient.”
Sabok, who had been desperately calculating how to survive, flinched at the voice coming from behind him and whipped his head around. There stood a man wearing a black veil. Who is this? There shouldn’t be anyone like him in the Green Forest. Where did he come from? The stench of corpses wafting from beneath the black robes made Sabok frown.
“You are…”
“Hello, Sabok. I am the Hyeolgyoju.”
His tone was utterly calm, completely at odds with the hellish battlefield around them. Sabok tried to respond, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t open his mouth. What is this…? While Sabok panicked at having his freedom stolen, the Hyeolgyoju continued speaking leisurely.
“Do not worry. I have not come to reprimand you. A natural disaster has struck—how could any of this be your fault?”
Then why are you doing this to me? Why have you taken away my freedom?!
As if reading Sabok’s thoughts, the Hyeolgyoju smiled behind his veil.
“It is unfortunate, but I cannot simply stand by and watch all the resources I have invested collapse before this calamity. I must at least conduct a performance test, wouldn’t you agree?”
He took out a purple orb from his robes and forced it into Sabok’s hand. Then he made a small cut on Sabok’s thumb, drawing blood, and smeared it across the surface of the orb.
“Do your best, Sabok. You may not be able to win, but perhaps you can at least leave a few wounds?”
Along with the Hyeolgyoju’s relaxed voice, an ominous energy began to flow from the orb in Sabok’s hand.
*
By the time I had lightly suppressed the jiangshi rushing toward me, I had gained a decent sense of the power of Taoist magic. As expected, training tools should be durable. I hope the leader of the Green Forest can meet my expectations as well.
With that thought, I was about to head toward where the Green Forest leader was when the bandits emerged from between the flames. Their faces were filled with terror, yet they did not choose to flee.
“This is interesting.”
These men had chosen a life of harming others and drinking their blood. There should be no loyalty among them. So why were they blocking my path? Did the Green Forest leader possess that much virtue? It didn’t seem like there was anything about that bastard—who would abandon his own subordinates and turn his back on them—that would inspire such devotion.
Curious, I examined their bodies and noticed a bizarre energy spreading from their necks. I had never seen this form before, so I couldn’t identify it exactly, but I could tell it was blood sorcery. Hmm. Considering their expressions and awkward movements, it seemed they were being controlled against their will. To gain power through blood sorcery only to become puppets… truly the fitting end for those who sought strength through wicked means.
“At a glance, they don’t seem to be trying to defeat me. They’re just buying time.”
If they wanted to tie down my feet, they should have shown a bit more sincerity. Even if I simply stepped on the air and dashed forward, I could shake them off easily. Still, it was disappointing. There was nothing I could do about that.
Should I just put them to sleep for a while?
“Min-ga, can you see that?”
What is “that”? When I lifted my head at Baru’s words, I saw a thick, dark red energy rising from the center of the Green Forest bandits. So that was the energy of blood sorcery. Even back when I couldn’t see the sword, blood sorcery had given me an unpleasant feeling. Now it was so repulsive it made me nauseous. I finally understood how Baru had instantly located all the blood cultists on the mountain. If something like that was visible, there was no way to ignore it.
“It looks similar to the blood sorcery I saw last time.”
“Last time?”
“The blood sorcery that caused Na-yul to go berserk.”
I understood what she meant. In that case, this blood sorcery was gathering the life force of every living being in this space and concentrating it in one place. Only then did I realize why the Green Forest bandits had been sent out like puppets. They weren’t meant to hold me down. They were meant to hold each other down and turn themselves into sacrifices.
“I can stop them if I wish to block them. What would you like me to do?”
“You can stop it?”
“Of course. Did you think I had simply been playing around all this time?”
I was impressed by Baru’s words. After that day, she had conducted extensive research and developed a way to counter it. The one who had been so shocked upon first seeing me had already found a way to deal with it in such a short time. Baru. I had thought you were living like a pet that only ate and slept, but it seems you have been working hard as a divine spirit after all.
“I think that’s impressive, but let’s put that aside for now.”
A perfect training dummy for Taoist magic had just appeared. It would be troublesome if you blocked it. Since the blood cult’s schemes will be repeated endlessly anyway, I can test it next time.
When I said that, Baru replied that she understood and tapped the ground with her staff. A formation immediately formed around us, isolating the inside from the outside. Soon after, the blood sorcery activated and began devouring all life within the Green Forest stronghold. The bandits standing amid the flames collapsed one by one, becoming fuel for the fire. The burning trees lost their vitality and turned to ash in an instant. The ominous energy, still not satisfied, rushed toward us to swallow us whole. But it could not overcome Baru’s formation. Like zombies slamming against a wire fence, the ravenous energy could only pound helplessly against the barrier. It had no power to break through.
Watching the scene, I couldn’t help but think that I still had a long way to go. The Taoist magic Baru handled was incredibly complex. It was difficult to even guess the meaning behind each line she drew. I had come to learn Taoist magic to avoid magic, but it seemed this too required serious study if I wanted to reach the level I desired. Was there truly no paradise after running away?
Before long, the red energy that had been devouring the surrounding life force began to concentrate in one spot. So the leader of this Green Forest was there. As I moved my feet in search of a new toy, I discovered a child standing in the middle of the flames. Hideously swollen muscles. Eyes that had lost all reason. A slack-jawed mouth. And the energy raging madly inside that body. Looking at him, I once again realized that the previous Mount Hua Sect Leader’s level had been quite high. That bastard had absorbed all the energy of an entire mountain and still managed to control it to some degree, yet this trash had only swallowed the life force of a single Green Forest stronghold and already lost his mind. If left alone, he would clearly collapse on his own, but then I wouldn’t be able to test my Taoist magic. I suppose I should provoke him.
What would be a good gift to draw the attention of this fellow who had lost consciousness and was blankly staring into the air? Let’s start by cutting off one arm.
Just like when I faced the jiangshi earlier, I created a blade of wind and launched it. The Green Forest leader did not react. The wind blade I fired sliced through his arm with ridiculous ease. Only after his arm fell to the ground did he seem to sense something was wrong and slowly turn his head. Hoo. I wasn’t expecting this. He’s even more pathetic than I imagined. Just as I was thinking he might be too weak to even serve as a proper toy, the Green Forest leader’s severed arm began to regrow like a sprouting tree branch.
“Oh?”
It’s disgusting, but also fascinating. What principle allows something like this? To think I would encounter in the martial world the same regenerative ability I saw in the vampires from Sky’s End. My disappointment vanished in an instant. This meant I could play with him as much as I wanted, just as I desired.
“Children, aren’t you curious? How many times can that thing repeat such regeneration?”
It won’t be infinite. Even if it absorbed all the energy of this Green Forest, it should still fall short of obtaining such authority.
“Is there an editor watching the broadcast right now?”
> Yes. I am here.
It seems Harin is watching the broadcast today.
“Place a small bet for me. How many minutes will that thing last? For reference, I will only use Taoist magic.”
If I start using martial arts, it will be over in less than a minute.
*
While editing the broadcast of Hwaryeong’s stream, Harin watched in awe as Hwaryeong toyed with her opponent. Wow, how can she dodge all those attacks? The Green Forest leader’s level couldn’t be considered low. No matter how much reason he had lost, the martial realm engraved in his body hadn’t disappeared. The fist techniques he used were definitely threatening. Yet none of them could touch Hwaryeong. She deflected his punches with a mere touch of her palm, made him trip over his own feet with a single step, and bewitched him so he couldn’t look away. How could one not be impressed?
Could I do something like that? No way. I’m not even sure if I could beat that Green Forest leader in the first place. What would happen if I stood in front of him? His movements are fast. His power is strong. His martial realm is higher than mine. And that disgusting vitality that lets him recover even after his limbs are torn off multiple times is horrifying. I can’t win. Absolutely not. Maybe if our entire sect rushed him together for a raid…?
While thinking that, three minutes passed, and the Green Forest leader was still standing on the ground.
“Why is he so damn persistent?”
Harin, who had bet her points on him falling within four minutes, swallowed nervously at the thought that her points might fly away.
That’s right. That trash isn’t even helping with Hwaryeong-nim’s training anyway. So can’t you just send him flying with your fists?!
“That is truly unfortunate, but the only answer I can give is that I am sorry. I do not wish to go back on my words.”
The answer that came from Hwaryeong’s mouth was the complete opposite of what Harin had hoped for. No. At this rate, my memories with Hwaryeong-nim…!