Chapter 119
“This is…”
Gansu, the forbidden area of the White Lotus Cult.
Wi-ji Chan’s shoulders trembled violently as he entered the cave, cutting through the pitch-black darkness.
“What on earth…”
It was a heart-stopping surprise.
Before his eyes.
“What on earth are all these things?”
Because various kinds of demons, which were hard to describe with words, were revealed in a sealed state.
‘…He’s crazy! Even in the worst-case scenario, I was only thinking of a ghost-demon jiangshi or a human-faced spider…’
From the beginning, Wi-ji Chan’s purpose was to uncover the demons of the White Lotus Cult, so he had expected something like a ghost-demon jiangshi, which was made through the necromancy of the unorthodox path, or a human-faced spider that grew by eating the energy of extreme yin.
But his expectations were completely wrong.
From a demon with a huge body whose name he didn’t even know, to a demon the size of a wild dog.
‘My goodness…! That’s a real imugi… To think that such a thing really exists in the human world!’
Even a huge imugi, which looked like it would ascend and become a dragon at any moment, was coiled up and asleep in a corner of the cave.
Wi-ji Chan’s gaze turned to the ‘talisman’ attached to the demon’s head.
At that, a wave of an unknown, mysterious power was caught by his keen sixth sense.
On the talismans, along with an unfamiliar strange language, the words ‘sealing talisman’ were engraved, and at a glance, it looked as if a possessor of considerable magical power had made it with the highest quality cinnabar.
‘So they sealed the demons with the power of the talismans. If not…’
A chilling thought came to him.
As expected, the size of the cave was so large that it was difficult to measure its width with the eyes.
Moreover, if the demons that were packed in this vast space were not even sealed?
Even a martial god or a great immortal would have become food for the demons without a trace…
‘Their power far exceeds my expectations. At this rate, if we fight head-on, they won’t be below our cult and the Martial Alliance. No! Perhaps…’
Gulp—
Wi-ji Chan swallowed dryly and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
‘I can’t delay any longer. I have to use all my strength to get rid of these things before they grow any bigger!’
He intended to hurry out of the cave and return to the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
Just then.
‘Hmm…’
An intangible ki was detected by his ki sense.
‘Damn it, it seems I’ve been tailed.’
The realization came too late.
Because three monks with huge and solid bodies, reminiscent of stone statues, appeared before his eyes, their blood-red light flashing.
“This is the forbidden area of our cult. How did you sneak in?”
The internal energy contained in the monk’s voice was unique.
The nature of it was different from that of the orthodox Buddhist martial arts of the Central Plains, and Wi-ji Chan could easily guess that they were fallen monks based on the esoteric Buddhism of Xizang.
“I…”
He was in a conflict.
At a glance, considering the majestic power emanating from the monks’ entire bodies, it was difficult to be sure of victory.
‘A frontal attack is difficult. I have to look for an opening and escape at once.’
Wi-ji Chan, who had made up his mind.
“Um… I happened to accidentally step on the land of the forbidden area. I apologize.”
First, he used his wits and tried to make the opponent let down his guard with improvisation.
But.
“A pathetic excuse…”
“Keke. What does it matter? It doesn’t matter. Whether that guy is a spy or not. Since he has stepped on the forbidden area, we can’t let him go alive.”
At the same time.
The three monks occupied all eight directions and stretched out a powerful palm strike towards Wi-ji Chan’s body.
With his escape route blocked, a palm technique imbued with a terrifying experience poured down like a wave, and Wi-ji Chan flew into the air and barely managed to nullify the attack.
‘Bow Body Ejection Shadow?!’
‘He was no ordinary guy.’
‘Such a peerless lightness skill!’
The monks’ faces turned pale.
Because the body of Wi-ji Chan, who had performed the Heavenly Demon Overlord Step, was so graceful that it was astonishing.
But it didn’t take long for the surprise to amplify.
‘I have to respond with my best from the beginning. If reinforcements come, there’s no way I can get out alive.’
Wi-ji Chan, who was in a crisis, rapidly exploded his internal energy.
At the same time, he drew his beloved weapon, the Heavenly Demon Divine Sword.
A strike that was the culmination of all his studies.
He had come to unfold the Sword Control Art with a ruthless strong ki.
‘Th-The Sword Control Art?!’
‘What on earth is that guy’s true identity!’
‘He’s a master whose realm is hard to fathom!’
The monks could not help but be greatly startled as they watched Wi-ji Chan’s divine skill of controlling the sword with true ki while treading on the air, which was tightening around them.
But.
“Although he has a trick up his sleeve, the fact that you will die here does not change.”
A thick killing intent emanated from the bodies of the three monks.
At the same time, a fierce tornado (whirlwind) that wrapped around the entire cave was generated.
It was the moment when the strongest combined attack of the Xizang esoteric Buddhism, the Dragon Elephant Prajna Combined Attack Formation, was unfolded.
***
The Tang family of Sichuan’s introduction to toxicology and the medical books of Manju-jang in Qinghai both described the Ten Fragrances Tendon Severing Powder.
—Ten Fragrances Tendon Severing Powder: Colorless, odorless, and tasteless, it can be transformed into gas, liquid, and solid, and its manufacturing method is unknown. The antidote can only be obtained from the ‘Tathagata Grass’ that grows in the Valley of Ten Thousand Poisons in Nanman, and it is used by making a decoction and pills with kudzu root, notopterygium root, rhubarb, peach kernel, moutan bark, poria cocos, and jujube seed as the main ingredients.
It is known that there are no side effects or aftereffects of the antidote…
It was a fortunate thing for the Martial Alliance.
Because if they could just get the raw materials for the antidote, the key figures of the alliance would be able to recover their internal energy again.
But the problem was.
“Ugh… even if it’s a jungle, it’s too humid.”
“So-ah… I’m dizzy and I’ve been feeling nauseous for a while, I feel like I’m going to die.”
The Valley of Ten Thousand Poisons was located in the remote region of ‘Xishuangbanna’, the southernmost part of Yunnan, the southernmost part of the continent.
Of course, So-ah, who was used to long-distance journeys, had prepared thoroughly.
In preparation for the endemic disease, he had packed emergency medicine in the form of ‘pills’, and considering the hot and humid climate with frequent rain, he was carrying a full load of extra clothes and living tools.
But in the worst environment with hot and humid heat and swamps that appeared at any moment.
In addition, with all kinds of poisonous insects and wild animals appearing at any moment, even So-ah, the possessor of infinite stamina, could not help but be fed up.
“Brother, you’re better off flying on a carpet. Look at me. Why is this damn place a swamp whenever I’m bored? My clothes are all covered in mud. Ah, really! The draper said this was the latest fashion.”
“You brat. Are you joking right now? Ah! I’m going to die. I can’t go any further. Let’s rest for a while.”
In the end, Jeon Woo-chi came down from the air, put away his carpet, and found a shade under a large tree and lay down.
“Brother Woo-chi. You seem to have a severe case of the endemic disease.”
“When you told me to be careful of the endemic disease, I thought it was a joke, but it’s real. I’m going to die, I’m going to die.”
“I also had a hard time in the Great Desert before. There’s no answer if you get that.”
So-ah smiled faintly and approached Jeon Woo-chi, who was on the verge of exhaustion.
Then he took out a needle from his needle case.
“Still! Who am I? Isn’t it the world’s Jin So-ah? Stay still. I’ll treat you.”
At the same time, So-ah occupied Jeon Woo-chi’s acupoints and began to quickly perform acupuncture (the medical act of placing needles).
“So-ah. You seem to be quite proficient in medical arts as well.”
“Yes. I learned from my grandfather, but I also received a medical book called <The Complete Collection of the Yeon Family’s Medical Arts> from the head of Manju-jang before. I’ve been reading the medical book whenever I think of it, and recently, I’ve become no different from Hua Tuo.”
“Keke. Don’t exaggerate… huh?”
Jeon Woo-chi’s eyes, who was about to rebuke So-ah for his joke, widened.
Because like a ghost, the nausea and headache that had been causing him to vomit were subsiding.
“See? I was right, wasn’t I? Much better, right?”
“It’s real? Hey… you!”
“I told you I’m no different from Hua Tuo.”
“At this rate, how about you try the pharmacy business? Come to think of it, the Moyong family has been getting into the distribution business lately, right? If you open a pharmacy, it’ll be a huge hit.”
“Aww! I can’t do that.”
“Why?”
“I promised Lord Yeon. In return for giving me the medical book as a gift, I wouldn’t get into the medical business.”
Although he said that, So-ah couldn’t help but have a mischievous thought.
‘Well. It sounds great when I hear it. Ah! But that’s not right. Conscience is the problem! Conscience! Phew… I’m too nice for my own good!’
If Jeon Woo-chi had heard that, wouldn’t he have smashed So-ah’s head with a stone, saying it was not a crime to break his head?
“Brother Woo-chi. It seems we can’t avoid sleeping in the open tonight. You also need to circulate your ki for half a day to recover, and this is a remote jungle where it’s hard to find even a single hut.”
“Let’s do that. What’s the big deal about sleeping in the open?”
“Hehe. It won’t be as easy as you say. When the sun goes down, it’ll be teeming with all kinds of insects and beasts.”
“That’s no problem. You can stand guard.”
“Where’s your conscience?”
“I’m a patient.”
“You’re quite shameless too, brother.”
“Are you the only one?”
“Kikikik.”
“Kekeke.”
As they exchanged jokes while catching their breath, a flower of laughter bloomed even in the bad weather.
But soon, an unexpected incident occurred.
***
—Oooooong…!
It was a strange sound he had never heard before in his life.
What was certain was that the source of the strange sound was a living creature, and the appearance of that creature was surprisingly amazing.
“Brother Woo-chi… what is that?”
“I don’t know… I’ve never seen it before.”
But soon.
“Brother! Isn’t that an elephant?”
“An elephant… ah!”
The two made eye contact and shouted at the same time.
“An elephant!”
“An elephant!”
An elephant.
Although it was the first time they had seen one, since it was a famous spiritual and symbolic animal of the earth that existed in Yunnan, they could easily guess that the strange creature in front of them was an elephant.
Ooooooong!
The elephant roared again.
A size that was astonishing.
The majestically extended tusks and long trunk were a vast sight beyond what he had heard in legends and seen in books.
“Wow… that guy is so cool. I want to take him and raise him.”
So-ah’s heart was filled with excitement as he looked at the elephant.
Because he had liked animals since he was young, and he felt a strange excitement along with a sense of unfamiliarity through the elephant he was seeing for the first time in his life.
In that moment.
Swaeeeaek—
A sharp spear rode the sound of something cutting through the air and rushed towards the elephant.
‘Huh? A hunter?’
This was a habitat for all kinds of poisonous insects and fierce wild animals, along with bad weather.
Since an ordinary hunter would not hunt in such a rough place, So-ah was surprised, but he soon flew like lightning and knocked away the swiftly flying spear.
Ooooooong!
At that, as if it had sensed the danger with its animal instinct, didn’t the elephant roar again and disappear into the jungle?
Just then.
“Which damn bastard is interrupting my fun? Huh?!”
A frivolous and annoying voice that made one’s anger rise just by hearing it brushed past his ears.
‘What?’
So-ah’s brow furrowed.
In a moment, an old man with a short stature appeared before his eyes…
‘My goodness… what does he look like?’
So-ah could not hide his bewilderment as he looked at the old man.
Because the old man’s face was red like a monkey’s, and he was extremely harsh.
But Jeon Woo-chi’s thoughts were different.
‘A natural red face and fiery golden eyes! What a great physiognomy!’
Jeon Woo-chi, seeing the old man’s unique appearance, immediately recognized his extraordinary nature.
But the old man, who could not have known Jeon Woo-chi’s inner thoughts, spat out again in a frivolous and blunt voice.
“Aren’t you going to answer? I’m asking you, what kind of dog-bone-like colts have wandered all the way here and are interrupting my fun?!”
At that.
‘No, why is he so rude?’
So-ah drew his eyebrows into an eight-character shape and opened his mouth.
“Excuse me. Aren’t your words a bit too much for a first meeting? A dog-bone-like colt!”
“Do you want to die?”
“No. Do you want to exchange cupped fist salutes with the King of Hell, old man?”
“What did you say?!”
“What?”
“Y-You baaaastard!”
“Whyyyyyyy!”
“You… what’s your identity?”
“What’s your identity?”
“Me? The owner here.”
“…”
“I am the master of the Valley of Ten Thousand Poisons, the Poison King!”
‘Gasp…’
For a moment, So-ah sucked in a breath.
Because he had never thought that the shabby old man was the Poison King who had once ruled the Jianghu.
But So-ah’s improvisation was second to none.
Moreover.
“Hehe! I knew you looked amazing at a glance! So you were the esteemed Poison King?”
So-ah’s flattery, which was arguably the strongest in history when it came to changing his attitude, came out.
Seeing him, Jeon Woo-chi.
‘That’s a devil, for sure. Anyway, for sure.’
He shook his head, dumbfounded.