Chapter 159: The Purpose of the Blood Tribulation (3)
Gold Cicada Poison.
It begins with abdominal pain accompanied by diarrhea, but the agony intensifies as if one's guts are being seared by fire, ultimately leading to death.
That's why it's often used for poisonings.
"Th-this can't be! How could this happen?!"
"Arghhh!"
Outraged or utterly dumbfounded by the absurd turn of events, the Blood Cultists collapsed where they stood.
It hadn't even been long since they'd rejoiced that their twenty-odd years of patience had finally paid off—only for it all to end so pointlessly.
"D-damn it!"
Elder Jin-gu was visibly shaken as well.
Elder Jin-jeong nodded as if he'd pieced it together.
"It seems they were provided with an elixir to restore their bodies, but it turned out to be poison instead."
"……."
"They probably never suspected it was poison and went into meditation to circulate their qi, allowing the toxin to spread through their body in an instant."
Normally, even ingesting Gold Cicada Poison wouldn't kill so quickly, but the cult leader's meditation had accelerated the toxin's spread, hastening his demise.
This raised a question.
Honestly, there were ways to kill the Blood Cult leader without spilling blood. So why hadn't they tried those and instead kept him imprisoned?
It was because the Wudang Sect was a Daoist sect.
Being upright and valuing life was admirable, but... it felt like unnecessary trouble.
The sect leader summed it up neatly.
"So, it was you who killed the Blood Cult leader."
"……!"
"Then, should I treat you as heroes who slew the Blood Cult leader—a long-standing thorn in the side of Wudang and the martial world? Or as intruders who attacked Wudang to free him?"
One of the Blood Cultists broke the silence with a shout.
"Don't waver! We are the glorious Blood Cult! Blood Cult supremacy! Truth of the chaotic world!"
"Avenge the leader!"
They charged forward, yelling as much.
"Where do you think you're going?!"
The fight resumed, but with the sect leader present, the outcome was a foregone conclusion.
Clang-!
At that moment, a sword someone had dropped flew toward me, and I caught it on reflex.
"My lord!"
"Are you alright?!"
"Yes. I'm fine."
I calmed my guards and surveyed the battlefield coolly.
That's when I spotted Elder Jin-gu.
More precisely, I saw him rushing toward Elder Jin-jeong, who was battling the Blood Cultists.
His eyes burned with fury.
I wanted to stop him, but I was only at the peak realm, while Elder Jin-jeong was a super first-rate master.
Then, a conversation with my master flashed through my mind.
"A way to block an attack from a master stronger than yourself?"
"Yes."
"Impossible. If that happens, I recommend running away without fail."
"But what about emergencies?"
"Hmm... If the opponent is off-guard or not paying much attention to you, there's one method."
"What is it?"
"I don't really recommend it, though..."
My master trailed off.
"I'll listen carefully. Please tell me."
"Sigh... Alright. Use it only when absolutely necessary."
"Thank you."
My master drew his sword and demonstrated.
"It's an application of the eighth form, One Point Mystic Ice. Normally, you focus qi at the tip, but here, concentrate it on the flat of the blade—the surface where the enemy's sword will strike. Then, deploy Traceless Phantom Step to its limit and charge. You can block once for sure, and if done well, up to three times."
This was exactly the situation my master described.
Elder Jin-gu wasn't paying any attention to me at all.
I unleashed Traceless Phantom Step to its utmost and charged at Elder Jin-gu, swinging my sword with One Point Mystic Ice applied to the flat.
Kaang-!
Elder Jin-gu's sword clashed against mine.
"What are you?!"
"Urk! Elder Jin-gu! Submit to punishment quietly!"
"I can't do that! Now that it's come to this, even Elder Jin-jeong...!"
Realizing how close he'd come to danger, Elder Jin-jeong clicked his tongue.
"A sneak attack! How low can you sink?!"
Then he advised me.
"Flow the sword naturally, and leave the rest to me."
I caught my breath and did as Elder Jin-jeong said, letting the sword slide away smoothly.
At the same moment, Elder Jin-jeong's sword flew toward Elder Jin-gu.
Kang!
The two elders' swords clashed and tangled repeatedly. Meanwhile, I carefully retreated.
The Seo-u Warrior approached, looking worried.
"That was close."
"Sorry. I couldn't help myself..."
I apologized to the Seo-u Warrior.
I was in the wrong for jumping in on my own. But I couldn't finish my apology.
"Urk!"
My stomach churned, and I vomited blood.
Damn, now I understood why my master hadn't recommended it.
I'd pushed my internal energy too hard, leaving me shivering with cold despite never feeling it before.
Still, saving Elder Jin-jeong with this minor injury was a bargain.
If he died, only the Martial Alliance would rejoice.
I didn't want to see that.
Nor did I want to witness the man revered by Wudang's Daoists meet his end.
Seeing me like that, the Seo-u Warrior pulled a pill from his bosom and offered it.
"It's for internal injuries."
"Thank you."
I swallowed it, suddenly recalling the gift my master had given me when I became branch leader.
Should I have used that to boost my internal energy?
But he'd said it was extremely precious, so it was better saved for greater peril.
As I took the injury pill and steadied my qi, the two elders' duel hurtled toward its end.
Swish-!
"Argh!"
Elder Jin-jeong's sword soared skyward, and at the same instant, Elder Jin-gu's severed arm thudded to the ground.
The hand still gripped a sword.
"Urk, urgh."
Elder Jin-jeong regarded his agonized foe with cold eyes.
"Don't think my hand is cruel. You brought this on yourself."
"……."
The duel ended with Elder Jin-jeong's victory.
By then, all the Blood Cultists had been dealt with.
The sect leader looked around and declared,
"Discipline Squad, hear me!"
"Yes!"
"These are vile intruders who defiled our Wudang Sect! Lock them in the prison!"
The surviving or wounded Blood Cultists were bound by the Discipline Squad members and dragged to Wudang's prison.
The sect leader approached Elder Jin-gu, who groaned clutching his severed arm.
"Anything more to say?"
"……The sect leader should have been me."
"I too think I'm not suited for the role. But!"
He continued coldly.
"Among those who wished to take my place, you weren't one of them. The previous sect leader's decision not to appoint you was correct."
The sect leader proclaimed,
"Elder Jin-gu is stripped of his elder position!"
"Understood."
"And..."
The sect leader moved with blinding speed, striking Elder Jin-gu's acupoints.
Thud! Thump-thump! Thud-thud!
Unlike the usual soft sounds of acupoint strikes, these were dull and sharp.
And Elder Jin-gu spat blood.
"Cough!"
Whispering to me, the Jin Yu Warrior said softly,
"He crippled his martial arts so he can't use them anymore."
"……."
Without his martial prowess, he looked utterly pathetic.
"Drag him to the Penance Cave. Let him cultivate the Dao there until he dies."
Thus, Elder Jin-gu was hauled to the Penance Cave.
Gazing bitterly at the hall where the Blood Cult leader had been confined, the sect leader spoke.
"That hall is no longer needed. Burn it down."
As the hall blazed, he added,
"Put the Blood Cult leader's corpse inside."
"Yes."
And so, the Blood Cult leader—who had been Wudang's headache and burden for over twenty years—turned to a handful of ashes and vanished.
Seeing it eased my chest a bit.
The Blood Cult leader must have clung to life for those twenty years dreaming of revenge.
In my previous life, he had exacted it brutally.
But in this one, he faded away pointlessly.
I felt no pity for his death. I knew from my past life how many innocents he'd slain.
For the world's peace, it was best he died now.
But staring at those flames, why did my own death suddenly come to mind?
Was my corpse burned like that too?
In any case, I'd successfully thwarted the Martial Alliance's scheme.
The Blood Cult leader was dead and ashen, his followers jailed, and the traitor Elder Jin-gu crippled and locked in the Penance Cave.
"Young Master Eun Seo-ho."
Elder Jin-jeong approached and clasped his hands in salute.
"How's your condition? Things were chaotic, so I'm only greeting you now. Thank you for saving me at such risk."
"Not at all. Just doing what I should."
"Humble to a fault."
I scratched my cheek, a bit embarrassed.
Then the sect leader approached.
"Young master, can you stay longer at our sect?"
"Pardon?"
"Once things settle, I'd like a word."
"Of course."
I returned to the guest quarters.
And had to lie in bed listening to Palgap's nagging.
* * *
Sect Leader Jin-seon sighed.
While riding a carriage toward the Zhongnan Mountains, he noticed a small pig sitting on his lap.
He hadn't sensed its presence at all, so its sudden appearance startled him.
The pig wagged its tail. On closer look, a paper was tied to it.
He untied and read it.
It was a letter saying someone was attacking Wudang.
In ordinary circumstances, he'd dismiss it as a prank or trap.
But the mysterious pig and the name Eun Seo-ho on the letter spurred him into action.
Arriving at top speed via lightness skill, he found Wudang in far more than a mere raid.
Gazing at the roaring flames, he thought,
He's always had grand ambitions, but...
He knew Elder Jin-gu shared his seniority and wouldn't act on them.
That meant someone was behind Jin-gu.
Whoever it was, he wouldn't let them off. They'd pay dearly.
He was a Daoist seeking truth by embracing all, but also Wudang's sect leader.
This crisis ending here is thanks to Young Master Eun Seo-ho.
Not only warning him, but saving his closest friend too!
Appropriate reward was in order.
Pondering that, he chanted over the Blood Cult leader's fully ashen corpse.
"Infinite blessings... Rebirth in paradise may not fit, but rest easy."
* * *
Two days later, under the White Gate Hall master's guidance, I arrived at a pavilion.
"You've come."
"Greetings, Sect Leader."
He was there.
I'd expected to meet later, but not here.
"Come closer."
"Yes."
I approached.
"I heard you took internal injuries. Feeling better?"
"Yes, much better."
The sect leader extended his hand, pointing ahead.
"What do you think of the view?"
"Magnificent."
No flattery—it was a view of all Wudang at a glance, intensely memorable.
"Is that the one you keep?"
I knew what he meant.
I pulled Golden Bell from my sleeve.
"This one?"
"Yes, that one."
The sect leader nodded.
"I was quite shocked when it delivered the letter."
"Sorry for the surprise."
"Nonsense. If not for your swift warning, worse would have happened."
He sighed softly and asked again.
"But why were you there?"
"Well..."
I gave a vague excuse.
"I heard fierce clashes of cold weapons from inside and got worried. With the pass you gave me, I hurried over."
Smiling faintly, I continued.
"Wudang has shown me such favor. Even someone insignificant like me should rush to help if needed, right?"
"What a mindset! Truly grateful."
"Not at all."
"You saved countless disciples' lives and my dear friend. I wish to express thanks."
He drew a plaque from his bosom and offered it.
"What's this?"
"A special Wudang pass. Lets you visit anytime and carry weapons freely in our grounds."
I was inwardly surprised.
It was leagues beyond the one around my neck.
"And it carries another meaning: Wudang stands behind you."
"……!"
This was even more shocking.
One of the martial world's two pillars backing me.