The Mad Dog Inspector of the Martial Alliance

The Dragon and Phoenix Assembly, which he had watched before, and the talent of the Ten Dragons. He had a conversation with his grandson, Sima Hui, about it.

[Among the talents of the dragons, the first is undoubtedly the Cloud Dragon of the Kunlun Sect, and the second is the Sword Dragon of the Huashan Sect. Since the Cloud Dragon is already a fully bloomed flower, he should be seen not as a rising star but as a full-fledged martial artist. And since the Sword Dragon knows his own talent and strives tirelessly, he will surely achieve great success.]

This kind of story could not be uninteresting. Even Sima Hui, who secretly thought of his grandfather as an eccentric, chimed in and listened seriously to his evaluation.

[Among those whose talent is a waste because their character does not follow, the Firm Dragon of the Seomun Clan is one. The martial arts of the Seomun Clan are a magnificent castle wall built with unwavering firmness. For a timid and petty person like the Firm Dragon, it is impossible to achieve great success. It would be better to learn the martial arts of the unorthodox sect that suit his character to bring out his talent and grow even bigger.]

[I don't know if the evaluation is harsh or high. Then what about the other dragons?]

[Hmm. If we're talking about a waste of talent, the Fire Dragon is the best among them. Because his nature is good and gentle, he does not worship power so much, and he is reluctant to harm others. A person who looks for a reason not to fight even in the midst of a fight has a hard time achieving great success. Although he has a talent comparable to that of the Cloud Dragon, it is a waste that he cannot use even half of his talent.]

The Great Historian Seogwang concluded his words by organizing what he had recorded about the Ten Dragons.

[But who knows. If he finds someone to protect, finds a reason to fight, and comes face to face with an evil that deserves to be dealt with by force... then his talent might bloom.]

Jang So-gil knew this story because he had heard it from Sima Hui. That's why he wasn't very surprised that Yang Gwan's martial arts level had risen several stages at once.

There was a lord to protect, and there were pitiful deceased people who had to be sent back to the Pure Land. All the conditions for his talent to bloom were met.

Baek Yugyeong, who was just bewildered, asked, looking at Jang So-gil who was slowly raising the corner of his mouth.

"No, does this make sense?"

"Why? He's older than you. It's possible."

"Aren't my situation and that fellow's situation completely different!"

Baek Yugyeong had received a gifted education from a young age, and he had eaten every elixir he could get his hands on.

Although it could be said to be a natural thing as the Young Lord of the North Sea Ice Palace, nevertheless, there were few in the history of the North Sea who had become a transcendent master at Baek Yugyeong's age.

His innate 'o-seong' was outstanding, his character was also suitable for the martial arts of the Ice Palace, and he did not neglect his efforts. The realm of the Three Flowers Gathering at the Summit was something that had finally been achieved by the steady accumulation of the support of the environment and Baek Yugyeong's own efforts.

"But to think that he suddenly achieved the Three Flowers Gathering at the Summit just by seeing you almost get stabbed and reciting some Buddhist scriptures? It doesn't make sense!"

"What do you mean it doesn't make sense? The Lamp of Enlightenment of Huashan suddenly attained enlightenment at the beauty of the sunset while meditating and became a transcendent master, and Man Bakja of the Beggars' Sect attained enlightenment and became a transcendent master while dancing to the music he heard while walking down the street, overcome with excitement. The growth of a martial artist is originally like that."

"The guys from the Central Plains get stronger like that? I really don't understand. Damn it."

Thanks to that, the party, which had been two transcendent masters and one peak master, had become three transcendent masters.

But Baek Yugyeong still thought they had to run away.

Although Yang Gwan's sudden enlightenment was worthy of praise, the enemy was more than thirty blood jiangshi. He could not see a chance of victory.

Could they hold out until the Gyoryongdae arrived? And even if they did come, could they stop those blood jiangshi?

At that time, Yang Gwan took a big step forward and swung his spear, which was wrapped in four fire wheels.

"What great grudge did the people who died hundreds of years ago have that they are made to wander this 'saha' world like this? I don't know the reason, but the only thing I can do for you is to pray for your repose. Go to heaven."

The swung spear pierced the torso of the blood jiangshi too easily. It was the blood jiangshi that had made Jang So-gil startle by using the Sun-Shooting Sword Art.

The 'Hot Yang Art', which had reached its extreme, was a natural enemy to unholy beings. From the pierced torso, four ripples occurred, and the flame that purified the deceased spread.

For a moment, Baek Yugyeong thought that the fellows who reacted to the aggressive 'idea' among the blood jiangshi would all rush at Yang Gwan at once.

But the blood jiangshi showed no movement at all.

Yang Gwan recited a Buddhist prayer in a low voice and once again shook his spear. The blood jiangshi, without any resistance, just shed tears of blood and waited for the flame to swallow their bodies, and then finally knelt down.

Baek Yugyeong, who was staring blankly as if he could not believe that strange phenomenon, did not care about his gaze, and Yang Gwan silently did what he had to do.

"What's going on? Why are those guys not reacting at all?"

"Because right now, Yang Gwan has no intention of attacking the enemy, nor does he have any intention of defending himself."

"He's thrusting his spear like that?"

"That's not an attack. It's a prayer for rebirth. Yang Gwan is now purely praying for those guys without any hostility."

"Can an 'idea' be separated like that..."

"And, most of all."

Jang So-gil narrowed his eyes and watched.

The reason why they were called blood jiangshi. The blood that flowed from their whole body, unlike ordinary jiangshi, the tears of blood of these people who must have been famous martial artists one by one in their lifetime.

What if there was something like a soul? What if, what if the people who had become like that still had consciousness?

What remains when a person dies? Is there a soul in the body of a dead martial artist?

The reaction engraved on the body, the martial arts remained. But did the mind really not remain, not even a fragment?

If even a little consciousness remained, they would not think of resisting Yang Gwan, who was praying for their rebirth.

On the contrary, they would willingly want to be reborn. They would offer their necks with a happy heart.

"It might be my delusion to think so. Anyway, looking at the result, it seems we can leave the blood jiangshi to him now."

"Really? Then can we really be at ease?"

Baek Yugyeong, who had been tense all along, wondering if the blood jiangshi would suddenly turn and attack, completely relaxed his body.

In front of the monsters with an overwhelming level of martial arts, he was not allowed to attack, not allowed to defend, and not allowed to run away from his position. It was truly a living hell. Even if he were sitting on a cushion of thorns, it would not be this much.

So from the middle, he had been seriously contemplating whether to run away alone. But in the end, it was good that he didn't run away.

That fellow's grudge was no joke, so it was hard to imagine what the aftermath would be if he had run away.

Baek Yugyeong, letting out a sigh of relief inwardly, said.

"Hah. We barely survived. Then can we go to the post station now and join the Gyoryongdae?"

"Before that, first. You go and get some water."

"Water? Hey, are you sending me on a water errand now? This is too much, isn't it?!"

"You see. Look at this?"

Jang So-gil shook his sleeve. The area around his exposed wrist was turning all blotchy.

It had been slightly, very slightly grazed by the claws of the blood jiangshi that had been using the Sun-Shooting Sword Art earlier.

"I thought I had completely avoided it? But I guess I was grazed a little."

"...!"

"It feels sticky, so I want to wash it. Bring me some clean water."

"Hey, hey-! Press your wrist hard first!"

"Oh, damn it. It hurts. It's getting more and more painful? Hey, is this corpse poison spreading? I've built up quite a resistance to poison because of the Sichuan bastards, but, oh, I'm dizzy?"

Baek Yugyeong hurriedly began first aid.

Corpse poison was a very vicious poison among poisons. Even a very small amount could be fatal.

Although he didn't know much about the blood jiangshi, it was surely much stronger than ordinary corpse poison. It was a more urgent problem than he had thought.

"Don't tell me I'm going to die from this after achieving the Three Flowers Gathering at the Summit and even doing resistance training?"

"Probably not. But if you're unlucky, you might have to amputate your wrist."

"Hey, that's too much of an exaggeration... Wow, my tongue is getting twisted."

"Get a grip, you bastard!"

The corpse poison spun around.

Jang So-gil, who had collapsed to the ground as if he were fainting, sat in a cross-legged position.

I'm going to do breathing exercises, so stand guard.

Although he had intended to say that, the words that came out of his mouth were a mumble that even Jang So-gil himself could not understand.

* * *

[When on earth is this child going to speak?]

[I went through the pain of childbirth to make this child myself. But he's useless like this.]

He could see two adults getting angry.

To be able to get angry so calmly without a single curse word, it was a rather interesting way of expressing anger.

They were probably people who had learned a lot and were cultured.

[The experiment is a failure.]

[But I've put in that much effort. It's a waste to discard it right away.]

[The theory was perfect, but why?]

[I don't know. So we need outside help.]

This was a dream.

He knew it was a dream while he was dreaming.

'The one who is actively speaking is the woman. The one who is passively speaking is the man.'

He could see the clothes they were wearing.

The woman was wearing a Sichuan brocade dress with a red dragon embroidered on it. The man was wearing a silk dress with a blue tiger embroidered on it.

Just by their clothes, they were quite wealthy people.

'It's a shame I can't see their faces.'

Although he could not see their faces or expressions, he could feel the atmosphere that the two did not think well of Jang So-gil.

It was an atmosphere that Jang So-gil was familiar with. Because it was similar to what he had felt from the beggar king, who would look at a beggar who had not brought back a proper donation.

'Are these my parents?'

There was little time to ponder. In Jang So-gil's experience so far, if he realized that it was a dream while he was dreaming, he would be woken up as if someone had thrown him to the ground.

It would be the same this time. Jang So-gil gritted his teeth and prepared for the impact.

And after a while.

As if someone had kicked his butt hard, his body shot up like a carp.

"Uwak-!"

Jang So-gil, who had been doing breathing exercises while sitting, stood up abruptly. Then the cold towel that had been placed on his head flew off and fell to the ground.

Jang So-gil, with his eyes wide open, looked at the sky.

It was a blue sky. The sun was in the middle of the sky.

"How long have I been absorbed in the breathing exercises?"

"You were like that for about half a day."

"Half a day? The corpse poison must have been quite strong."

Looking around, the Gyoryongdae were strictly on guard and were slowly setting up a camp. Nearby, several graves were being made.

The graves were probably for the blood jiangshi. And seeing that the Gyoryongdae were setting up a camp, it seemed they had succeeded in joining up properly without any particular problems.

"When can the rear guard arrive?"

"I received an urgent letter saying they would march right away, so they should have left by now."

"It will take at least ten days."

Jang So-gil stretched widely. He had come to investigate the evil deeds of the Maoshan Sect and had gotten involved in an absurd incident.

A large army of jiangshi and blood jiangshi with tremendous martial arts.

If this was the signal for the revival of the Blood Cult, it was a huge incident that would shake the martial world.

And besides such a public incident, there was also a rather large private incident.

Jang So-gil stared blankly at Yang Gwan. When Yang Gwan, who had felt his gaze, looked back, he cleared his throat for no reason and then nodded his head.

"You did well for yourself. Yes, how does it feel to be a transcendent master?"

"I'm bewildered."

"How about now, do you have some confidence?"

"Ummm. Well, not really..."

"Why?"

The answer to Jang So-gil's question came from behind. It was Baek Yugyeong.

"I had a match with him, and he lost."

"Well, yeah. He would lose to you."

"That's true. But that fellow seems to be more suited to fighting the deceased than people."

At those words, Yang Gwan shrugged his shoulders, but there was not a hint of blame in Baek Yugyeong's words. On the contrary, there was a slight admiration.

Jang So-gil nodded his head as if it were not a big deal.

"It's natural for people to have their own place. It's a good thing. Since we can't just leave those guys from the Maoshan Sect or the Blood Cult for ten days, you two will have to do some work."

(End of Chapter)