The Purpose of the Blood Tribulation (2)
At that moment, the Blood Cult followers who had been disguising themselves as ordinary villagers in Yeoncheon Village began moving toward the Wudang Sect.
Today was the promised "that day."
"Finally, today the history of the Blood Cult begins anew."
At the words of the man leading them, they pounded their right fists against their hearts and shouted.
"Blood Cult Heaven! Chaos World Truth!"
Since the chaotic world they desired could only come after the age of chaos, the Blood Cult were the ones deliberately creating that chaos.
Their martial arts were tied to blood, which was why they were called the Blood Cult.
It was a derogatory name of sorts, but the Blood Cult members rather liked it.
It perfectly captured their identity.
"All we ever wanted was the world that would come after the chaos—that's it. But the world rejected us for it and persecuted us. But no more hiding in persecution. The one who led us will lead us once again."
The years of enduring and enduring flashed before their eyes like a panorama.
But now, the time for endurance was over.
A drum sounded in the distance. The promised time had arrived.
To welcome their recovered leader, they raced toward the Wudang Sect.
I jolted awake in the guest quarters, having dozed off for a moment.
This repulsive blood scent... the Blood Cult was on the move.
I flung open the door, and the Seo-u Warrior standing guard outside asked me,
"What is it, young master?"
"We need to get inside right now."
At my words, the four guard warriors and Palgap followed me immediately. We soon arrived at the hall where the Blood Cult prisoner was confined—bound with iron chains and golden cords.
An intense battle was already raging there.
"Don't fall back!"
"For the glory of the Blood Cult!"
Chaeng-!
Kkagang-!
Kkang-!
The clash of cold steel rang out deafeningly.
"What should we do?"
At Yeo Eung-am Warrior's question, I hesitated briefly.
The melee was already in full swing, and one wrong move could mean losing our lives to a stray blade.
That made me reluctant to order the guards into the fray.
Then the Seo-u Warrior spoke up.
"We're your escorts, young master. In this situation, protecting you comes first."
Everyone nodded in agreement, so I held back.
"Let's watch the situation for now."
"Understood."
I suggested observing because the elders who hadn't gone to the friendly sparring matches had joined the fight, tilting the momentum toward the Wudang side.
And we needed to find the Murim Alliance's agent.
"...!"
It was then.
"Hey! How long are you gonna make us wait?!"
Someone who clearly looked like a Wudang elder shouted that and slashed at one of our allies.
What?
The Murim Alliance's agent was a Wudang elder?
Damn, that's why I hadn't noticed.
Everyone stared at the elder in shock at this unprecedented turn, and Jin Jeong Elder—the one I'd met before—berated him.
"Elder Jin-gu! Have you lost your mind?"
"No excuses for my actions. You wouldn't understand anyway."
"Then why do something we can't understand!"
In response, Elder Jin-gu raised his sword and swung it toward the hall.
Kwaang-!
A sword qi shot out alongside, shattering the hall.
"W-what is this outrage! That place...!"
Elder Jin-gu, his face full of irritation, barked at the Blood Cult followers instead of answering.
"Go get your cult leader!"
"Our thanks for the cooperation!"
The Blood Cult didn't miss the chance.
Some rushed into the hall's basement while the rest held off the Wudang Taoists.
Soon, they emerged above ground dragging a man in horrific condition.
"Cult Leader! Pull yourself together!"
"You must absorb the spiritual medicine's energy!"
I couldn't help but be shocked at those words.
The confined Blood Cult member was their cult leader.
"Kuhng... kuuhk...."
But his state was off.
"What's wrong, Cult Leader...?"
"My... stomach...."
"Pardon?"
"My stomach hurts so much! Kuueeuk!"
Something clicked for me at that sight.
When I was in Yeoncheon Village, Geum-ryeong had secretly taken the Divine Spirit Blessing Chamber.
I figured they'd freak out once they realized something important was gone, so I stashed it in a secret storehouse quick.
But even when I left Yeoncheon Village, they showed no sign of agitation.
So there was only one answer.
They hadn't noticed the Divine Spirit Blessing Chamber was missing.
Then why not?
Geum-ryeong must have swapped it with something that wouldn't raise suspicion.
What did he swap it with?
While gathering herbs for Palgap this time, I'd found something.
A golden fruit so similar to the Divine Spirit Blessing Chamber it was hard to tell apart.
It looked like a delicious fruit or spiritual medicine, but it was actually the fruit of a toxic plant.
Its name: Golden Scorch Poison Fruit.
Eating it causes excruciating abdominal pain that knocks you out cold.
I'd heard the agony feels like fire scorching your insides.
If that's what this so-called Blood Cult Leader ate...
Hmm, seeing him writhing like that, yeah, he definitely ate it.
The Blood Cult followers cried out in frenzy at the sight.
"You tricked us!"
"What did you do to our cult leader?!"
"What did I do? I just put in the spiritual medicine you gave me."
At those words, their gazes turned to a man who had been with them.
"So you gave us fake spiritual medicine!"
"N-no, I gave you the real thing!"
Things were... heading in a weird direction.
Wudang Sect versus Blood Cult versus the Murim Alliance agent.
It had turned into a three-way battle.
Palgap let out a hollow laugh at the sight.
"What kinda messed-up situation is this?"
"Tell me about it."
Who would've thought the aftermath of Geum-ryeong swiping the Divine Spirit Blessing Chamber would play out like this.
Anyway, the one to end this mess should be arriving soon. I'd told Geum-ryeong to deliver my letter on the way here.
The three factions faced off in tense standoff, like walking a tightrope.
With no clear friend or foe, no one could make a move.
It was then.
"Hoo! No helping it, huh?"
Elder Jin-gu approached the Blood Cult followers and said,
"Truth is, my plan was to let your cult leader rampage a bit, then take his life at the right moment."
"What?"
But it wasn't the Blood Cult who reacted—it was Elder Jin Jeong.
"You're truly mad! Do you not know what it means for the Blood Cult Leader's blood to be spilled?"
"Of course I do. The Blood Cult Leader's blood is cursed by the Blood Evil Art. If it's spilled on this land upon his death, the pillars of every sect will shake."
Pillars?
I didn't know what that meant, but at least I understood why Wudang had imprisoned rather than killed the Blood Cult Leader.
Then Jin Yu Warrior spoke up.
"I've heard about the Blood Cult's Blood Evil Art before."
"Yes?"
"The Blood Cult's goal is to bring chaos to this world. For that, they need a living sacrifice—and that sacrifice is the Blood Cult Leader."
Jin Yu Warrior continued quietly.
"The completion of the Blood Evil Art, which only the Blood Cult Leader can master, requires him to become that living sacrifice. If what Elder Jin-gu says is true, that Blood Cult Leader has perfected the Blood Evil Art and is on the verge of completion."
Come to think of it, in my previous life, right after the Murim Alliance ended the Blood Tribulation caused by the Blood Cult Leader, the major sects started wobbling for some reason.
I think I knew the purpose of this Blood Tribulation now.
Feed the Blood Cult Leader the spiritual medicine to restore his body, and naturally his rage would turn on his captors.
That would deal massive damage to Wudang, and then to usher in the chaos they craved, they'd massacre those around.
At the right moment, the Murim Alliance steps in, subdues him, and their reputation soars.
At the same time, spilling the Blood Cult Leader's blood on this land shakes the pillars of every sect, weakening their power.
But... there was something odd.
The Murim Alliance was the union of the orthodox sects. Weakening them would weaken the Alliance too.
Why undermine their own power?
Another thought occurred to me then.
Most of the Murim Alliance agents I'd encountered or uncovered so far carried the aura of the unorthodox paths.
No way... the Murim Alliance is unorthodox?
I'd thought something like this before, but even I found it too far-fetched.
I shook my head to dismiss it. In the meantime, the situation had escalated further.
"Knowing that, how could you do such a thing?!"
Elder Jin Jeong shouted, and Elder Jin-gu smirked.
"Shaking the pillars that protect each sect means, in other words, a new order can be established."
"...."
"All this time, our Wudang Sect has been one of the two pillars of the orthodox world, yet we've only sacrificed. Why should we? We could rule—why just sacrifice?"
"That's the burden of those who carry the orthodox world...."
"No! I won't accept it! We need to show them—the ones forcing sacrifice on us. Show them that the true overlord of this murim is Wudang Sect!"
I could guess Elder Jin-gu's scheme.
He planned to slay the rampaging Blood Cult Leader himself, boosting both his and Wudang's fame.
He must have been a Murim Alliance agent in my previous life too.
But instead of slaying the cult leader, he got butchered by him.
In the end, just a pawn used by the Alliance.
Elder Jin-gu turned to the other Wudang disciples and said,
"If you agree with me, fight by my side."
At his words, the disciples' eyes began to waver. It sounded so plausible.
Taat-!
Elder Jin-gu's sword moved.
And those who agreed with him followed suit.
Elder Jin Jeong bellowed at them.
"Snap out of it! Wudang does not exist to rule!"
But his words no longer reached them. In the end, he jumped into the fight to stop Elder Jin-gu.
Chaeng-!
Kkagang-!
Cha chaeng-!
The brawl reignited.
If my timing was right, they should be arriving any moment now...
"Hah!"
Then, a shout rang out, freezing the fight in an instant.
Step, step, step.
The one striding in confidently was Wudang's Sect Leader Jin-seon.
Geum-ryeong had delivered my letter properly.
At the sect leader's sudden appearance, Elder Jin-gu visibly panicked.
"H-how did you get here, Sect Leader?"
"What strange talk. Is this a place I can't come to?"
"...."
"I had a bad feeling, but to think something like this would happen!"
He approached Elder Jin-gu and smashed his fist into the elder's face.
Ppak-!
Everyone was stunned at the scene.
No one had imagined the sect leader punching an elder.
I was surprised too.
The sect leader's got some fire in him.
"You fool! Haven't you grasped what the Dao is, you who calls yourself a Taoist?"
"Kuhk... What Dao demands our Wudang sacrifice?"
"The Dao is like nature itself. It doesn't exalt itself, yet we know it's always there. That's the Dao! A ruling Dao is no Dao at all!"
The sect leader roared at him.
"Your sin is unforgivable! By my authority as sect leader, I command you to spend your remaining days in the Repentance Cave!"
"I won't accept it!"
Gnashing his teeth, he raised his sword and charged at the sect leader.
"I must kill you and become sect leader myself!"
I sighed at his words.
Human stubbornness is one tough weed.
Time for me to step in.
"Um... I have one question."
"Who the hell are you?"
To Elder Jin-gu's gruff question, I countered instead of answering.
"For the Blood Cult Leader's death to spill his blood, he has to be alive first, right?"
"...."
"Imprisoning him means killing him some other way without spilling blood is fine, yeah?"
"...."
"So once he's already dead, whether his blood spills or not won't affect the 'pillars' at all, right?"
"What are you getting at?"
"My merchant group deals mainly in herbs, so I can guess what he ate."
"...?"
"I heard 'spiritual medicine' earlier, but seeing him complain of stomach pain like that, it looks like he ate a toxic plant mistaken for one."
"...?"
"And... he seems to be dead already."
At my words, everyone's gazes turned to the Blood Cult Leader—who had become a cold, lifeless corpse.