The Purpose of the Blood Tribulation (1)
The villagers treated the Wudang Sect disciples with utmost hospitality.
Just from that, one could grasp the significance of the Wudang Sect to the surrounding villages.
As they rested, something wriggled inside his sleeve.
When he slipped his hand in, the Gold Spirit had somehow nestled there.
This little guy's unstoppable.
But it kept tapping his hand inside the sleeve insistently, as if it had something to say.
He rose from his seat.
"I'll step out for a moment and be right back."
"Of course."
He headed quietly to a secluded spot.
"Gold Spirit. Come on out."
At his call, the Gold Spirit poked its head out and dropped something into his hand.
Seeing the golden-glowing fruit, he exclaimed in surprise to the Gold Spirit.
"This has poison! Eating this will be a disaster…"
No.
It looked very similar, but the stem was dark red, and upon closer inspection, faint white spots were visible—details easy to miss.
"…!"
This was the Divine Spirit Blessing Fruit.
"Where did you find this?"
In response, the Gold Spirit hopped to the ground and pointed its tail in a certain direction.
Then it drew a square with its front paw and a circle inside it.
So, it had come from a box somewhere.
This had to be the mysterious elixir the Baekcheon Merchant Group had acquired.
The faint bloody stench clinging to the fruit confirmed it.
He quickly stashed it in his secret storage.
If he were caught with it, unwanted conflict could erupt.
His heart pounded.
Thanks to the Gold Spirit, he'd easily snatched the means to restore the Blood Cultist's body, but he couldn't relax yet.
The Murim Alliance he knew would procure another elixir if needed to achieve their goals.
Moreover, there were those here with impure motives.
Outwardly, they seemed utterly kind, and not everyone in the village was like that.
The villagers who had provided rest for him and the Wudang Sect were ordinary folk.
Only he could distinguish them, and he had no way to prove it.
So there was only one way.
Deal with them when they made their move.
There's a reason "caught in the act" is a thing.
"Kkwi! Kkwi!"
The Gold Spirit looked up at him with shining eyes, as if awaiting praise.
"Good job."
"Kkwi?"
It had seemed ready to do it for free this time, but no such luck.
Thorough little rascal in these matters.
He pulled a silver coin from his pouch and handed it over; the Gold Spirit snapped it up eagerly.
They wrapped up their schedule and returned to the Wudang Sect.
The next morning.
He rose from bed and performed his breathing exercises.
The pure energy of Mount Wudang made the influx of qi during meditation feel exceptionally clean.
As he finished, a voice came from outside—Lee Pil, the warrior.
"Young master, it's time for breakfast."
"Yes. Coming."
Standing on the sect's tallest pavilion, Wudang Sect Leader Jin Sun gazed quietly downward.
From this highest vantage, the entire sect lay in view at a glance.
"Sect Leader."
He turned at the voice calling him.
"Elder Jin Jeong."
The approaching figure was Elder Jin Jeong.
"What worries bring you here?"
Jin Sun chuckled openly.
"Is that why you're here? Worried about me?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
Jin Sun's Taoist name was also Jin Sun, meaning he and Elder Jin Jeong shared the same generation.
Childhood friends who had shared joys and hardships, he knew the habit well.
When Sect Leader Jin Sun had troubles, he'd climb high like this and stare below.
Fortunately, as sect leader, he couldn't stray far or often.
Before that, they'd often scour Mount Wudang's peaks to find him.
"Have you eaten?"
"Yes. And you, Elder?"
"Yes."
Elder Jin Jeong nodded and asked cautiously.
"So, what's troubling you?"
The sect leader sighed heavily.
"My instincts aren't good."
"Pardon?"
"With me away this time… I don't know, but I feel uneasy."
Elder Jin Jeong soothed him reassuringly.
"It'll be fine. This is Wudang, after all."
"True."
This time, the Wudang Sect's leader and several elders were to take the 24th and 25th generation disciples to the Chungnam Sect.
For the longstanding friendly sparring tournament between the sects.
Held every autumn, last year's had been delayed due to Chungnam's circumstances, rescheduled for early this year.
So departure loomed soon.
Yet something nagged at him, a persistent unease.
Truth be told, last night he'd dreamed of the True Martial Great Sage.
While he was overjoyed, the sage's face was grim.
That fueled his anxiety.
A premonition of ill fortune.
Perhaps the True Martial Great Sage appeared in my dream as a warning. Oh, and come to think of it…
The sage had said to him:
"Trust the bold Eun boy."
Just that, but what did it mean?
The thick bloody scent wafting with him heightened the dread.
Blood brings that damned Blood Cult Leader to mind.
He wanted to kill the fiend outright but had no choice but to seal him away.
As his thoughts turned there, he asked Elder Jin Jeong.
"How is that?"
Understanding, the elder replied.
"Same as always."
"Frankly, I'm uneasy. We sealed him out of necessity, but he's like a bomb ready to blow."
"Indeed."
After a silent pause in thought, the sect leader asked.
"By the way, I heard Eun Seo-ho's servant was hit by a wooden sword from one of our disciples."
"Yes. Fortunately, no serious injury."
"We permitted a tour, but what a shame. It must've cut the schedule short."
"Likely."
"…Have you met Eun Seo-ho?"
"Yes, by chance. So young, yet with profound insight."
"What makes you say that?"
"Well…"
Elder Jin Jeong recounted what he'd seen and heard of Eun Seo-ho; the sect leader nodded in admiration.
"Such a pity. His energy felt so pure, and now this insight too! If he'd joined our sect, he'd have spread Wudang's name across the Central Plains."
"I wished for that too."
The elder voiced his regret.
Had Eun Seo-ho not practiced other martial arts, they'd have invited him regardless of age.
Both the sect leader and elder were Super First-rate masters.
Thus they knew Eun Seo-ho had already reached the Peak realm.
Days ago, when he'd donated and requested a tour, the sect leader had briefly suspected.
But observing him revealed startlingly pure, untainted energy, so he'd approved readily.
Now he suspected the "bold Eun boy" from his dream was Eun Seo-ho.
One with such pure energy can be trusted.
He told the elder:
"We should let Eun Seo-ho tour a few more days. And mind the sect in my absence."
"Understood."
As they savored tea after breakfast in the guesthouse dining hall, Pavilion Lord Baekmun arrived suddenly.
"I heard the incident prevented a full tour last time."
"Ah, yes."
"The sect leader, regretting it, has allowed a few more days."
"Really? I was disappointed but ready to give up."
He'd wanted another look inside anyway.
The Murim Alliance had an accomplice within; certainty demanded finding them.
To avert the Blood Tribulation.
Snatching the Divine Spirit Blessing Fruit helped, but didn't end it.
Their guide was a newcomer.
"I'm Myeongguk of the Lake Patrol Unit. Here on the sect leader's orders to guide Young Master Eun Seo-ho and company."
"Eun Seo-ho, sub-branch leader of the Eunhae Merchant Group."
They donned permission tags around their necks and entered the Wudang Sect grounds.
Unlike before, the compounds buzzed with excitement.
"It feels more lively today."
"Likely the Chungnam Sect sparring tournament."
"Does the 25th generation attend?"
"Both 24th and 25th generations."
That explained the new guide instead of Disciple Gongryun.
A 26th-generation disciple like Muun knew too little for guiding.
"So the sect leader and some elders lead them to Chungnam."
One mystery solved.
In his past life, why hadn't Wudang stopped the rampaging Blood Cultist? Now clear.
The leader and many masters were away at the tournament.
But another question arose.
That happened in autumn, yet now it was winter, past the new year.
Myeongguk clarified.
"Usually autumn, but delayed months due to Chungnam issues."
"I see."
So the Murim Alliance had maneuvered the delay.
"Disciples train fervently, and the mood has young ones sparring in restricted areas."
"At that age, understandable."
They focused on unseen areas last time.
While exploring, they reached a hall.
"What's this place?"
"Shrine to the True Martial Great Sage. Enter here."
Inside, they viewed the front portrait.
A stern-faced man in black robes; the aura matched his dream exactly.
Was that really the True Martial Great Sage in my dream?
Hmm, no scam there.
With that idle thought, they left for another hall.
They toured all afternoon but spotted no suspects.
Of course—if it were easy, the past life's tragedy wouldn't have happened.
So, focus all day, every day.
He returned his permission tag to Myeongguk.
But the disciple refused it.
"Keep it."
"Pardon? I thought return same day."
"By rule, yes, but sect leader specially ordered: hold until his return."
"I see. Thank you."
Does the sect leader suspect my intent?
Myeongguk cautioned again.
"Guard that tag carefully."
Obviously.
Losing it meant no entry if trouble arose.
"It's not just entry—permits carrying weapons in Wudang grounds."
"…!"
That carried weight.
Truly guard this tag.
Piiik! Piiiik!
A flute sounded.
The sealed Blood Cultist—no, Blood Cult Leader—opened his eyes.
Finally, the time had come.
Slowly, he recited the formulas of his cultivated arts in his mind.
Ready to unleash them upon recovery.
Kkiiiiiik.
Through the meal slot, something different arrived.
A golden fruit.
The leader smirked. The elixir had arrived as promised.
He took it, swallowed.
Sweetness lingered as it melted tracelessly.
Its energy coursed through him.
He circulated qi to absorb it.
Once recovered, he'd shatter his chains and this accursed hall.
Then utterly destroy Wudang Sect.
Begin vengeance on the sect that imprisoned him two decades and the world…
Gururuk.
"Urk!"
Sudden abdominal agony.
No way…?
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