Chapter 55 : Blood River Art (3)
“This is really something. To refuse a meal and then cause a ruckus. I’m disappointed.”
A chilling sensation was mixed in the high-ranking monk’s stuttering pronunciation.
“Don’t bother trying to act human and just show your true colors, why don’t you?”
Grin.
Then, the high-ranking monk revealed his fangs between his wrinkled lips. The blood vessels in his gums were abnormally swollen and twisted, sharp like the teeth of a beast.
“Blood Madman!”
The escort’s surprised voice spread. He probably never thought he would encounter the fanatics of the Blood Cult here.
Before he knew it, the other monks were also drawing their swords or sabers in a bizarre form with their blood vessels popping out. Now, they looked more like a group of monsters rather than monks.
“Surround the young master and form a formation!”
At the shout of one of the escorts, the other three escorts surrounded me in all directions. It was a move to protect the main target.
‘It’s not a very good formation.’
In a situation like this where we were surrounded by many, it would have been more effective for the five of us, including myself, to form a V-shaped formation and break through one point.
But the reason they didn’t was probably because they thought of my safety first, and secondly, because their skills were not that strong.
Judging by their momentum alone, most of them were at the first-rate to second-rate level.
The level of the Blood Cult guys who were active in such a remote place was only about that much.
“It’s hunting time!”
Along with the high-ranking monk’s command, the monks began to rush in like hungry wild dogs.
“They’re coming, take care of them!”
At the same time, the escorts swung their swords at the rushing Blood Cult members.
A fast and clean trajectory. It was a sword strike that a mere first-rate could not block. It should have been.
Clang!
But there was something the escorts were overlooking.
That when the Blood Cult’s unique blood explosion occurred, they could exert a power that momentarily surpassed their realm.
“What?!”
Crunch!
The swollen muscles along with the popped blood vessels brought a sword power that did not fall behind even against the sword of a peak-level master.
“Crush them with your sword qi!”
Only then did the escorts raise their sword qi and try to strike down, but the rampaging energy from the guys’ dantians blocked it.
Of course, this side would be advantageous as the battle dragged on, but unfortunately, they were currently at a disadvantage. Time was not on their side.
“Kihihihi!”
“Meat! Meat!”
The Blood Cult members who began to rush in additionally. No matter how much of a peak-level master they were, it was bound to be dangerous if that many swords and sabers flew in.
Whether they had lost their reason, their pupils were wide open and their mouths were agape. And the madness of rushing in even if their wrists were cut off, the escorts also had no choice but to be gradually pushed back.
In a situation of being surrounded by enemies on all four sides, the wounds of the escorts, who had lost their momentum, were gradually increasing.
“This is a great disappointment.”
A low voice and the area flashed.
As light poured out from behind the escorts’ heads as if the sun had risen, the Blood Cult members each narrowed their eyes and retreated as if in pain.
“To think you can’t even handle a group of these heretical path people.”
Along with the bluffing words, the three fireballs that were floated in the air were shot at the Blood Cult members who had not yet regained their vision.
“Kuaaaak!”
At the same time, an explosion and flames erupted.
The Blood Cult members, who had become more vulnerable to the flames due to their exposed blood vessels, each writhed on the ground with their scorched skin distorted in the shape of their muscles.
‘If they knew how to handle their internal energy well, they would have blocked it, but there’s no way that’s possible.’
The blood explosion was an ability that was all about rampaging according to instinct and swinging a sword. Although the momentary power and internal energy improved dramatically, a detailed operation was difficult.
“I’ll assist, so take care of it yourselves.”
While the escorts were running wild, breaking through the loosened encirclement, I was active, flying additional fireballs.
‘This is the role of a mage.’
When the swordsmen fight in the front, the mage supports them from the rear and delivers a decisive blow.
Although the escorts had made a bad choice as martial artists, they had inadvertently chosen a formation that had good synergy with a mage.
“…This can’t be!”
The high-ranking monk’s expression distorted like a demon at the battle line that began to collapse in an instant.
“Kill that person right now!”
Along with those words, the Blood Cult members who were standing next to the high-ranking monk began to run at a tremendous speed.
“These guys! Block them!”
At that sight, the escorts each rushed in to stop them, but they couldn’t block just one guy, the high-ranking monk.
“That, that ecstatic blood. I should have recognized it sooner!”
A palm that struck down like a scratch at a tremendous speed. I swung my sword, which was clad in mana, but along with a metallic sound, I only felt a strong repulsive force.
“Keuk!”
As expected of a being who could be called a branch chief, his skills were different from the start.
The guy’s palm that rushed in as if to tear my side. I tried to block it with the shield I had formed on my abdomen in advance, but it all broke, and it left a long cut on my side.
‘Damn it.’
Although it wasn’t deep, it was a blow that had dug into my muscles.
When I strategically retreated, the high-ranking monk was standing in that spot, looking at his blood-stained fingertips.
Lick-
The high-ranking monk licked his fingertips, which had become bumpy like an old tree, and his whole body trembled.
“To be this much with just one drop! If I take it all, how much…!”
A madman-like behavior. But I didn’t give the guy a chance to indulge in his appreciation.
Fwoosh!
I compressed the fireball that was activated at maximum speed at my fingertips. A radiant flame bullet.
The moment I was about to shoot it right away with a high concentration of mana, the high-ranking monk’s figure disappeared.
‘Fast!’
I reflexively stepped on the Spirit God Steps and widened the distance, but I couldn’t avoid my shoulder being cut.
“I’ll end you soon!”
With that, the high-ranking monk who was persistently following me. Even while seeing that, I couldn’t hit him with the radiant flame bullet.
‘This is fatal.’
Because I had maximized the destructive power compared to my capacity, my reaction couldn’t keep up.
Although I had deliberately stepped on the Spirit God Steps to a place where there were escorts, the opponent, as if he knew this, was blocking my escape route and chasing me.
A close-quarters battle that was being carried out trickily, a very dangerous situation.
“It can’t be helped.”
Sensing the hand blade that was rushing in unavoidably, I released the compression of the radiant flame bullet towards the guy.
“Let’s see who has a higher mana resistance.”
Fwoosh!
With that, along with an explosion, I and the high-ranking monk were sent flying.
“Cough!”
Although I had hastily put up a shield, I couldn’t absorb all of the shockwave.
Although I had minimized the damage by crossing my arms and the sword clad in mana, considering the durability of my body, it seemed at least one rib was cracked.
‘But what about the guy?’
Just as I was thinking that, the high-ranking monk’s hideously burnt face appeared in front of me.
“Hehehehe…!”
Clang!
The guy who had grabbed my wrist, which was about to swing a sword.
At that tremendous grip, it felt as if my wrist would break.
“Young Master!”
Although the escorts were rushing in late, the high-ranking monk’s other hand blade was already preparing to be swung at my neck.
A blow that I couldn’t respond to in a state where one arm holding a sword was captured.
“I’ll take your blood as a sacrifice and escape this place!”
Just as the sharp hand blade was about to be shot with a mad shout.
Crack!
One of the high-ranking monk’s arms froze.
“Huh?”
“If you’re weak against elemental attacks, you should have been careful of close-range firepower.”
If I can’t even catch the movement, I’ll just freeze the area in close proximity.
I said, looking down at the flustered high-ranking monk. Before I knew it, the Cheongeumcheon that was fastened on my wrist was emitting a blue light.
“This is…!”
The high-ranking monk clenched his teeth and put strength into his arm.
The faintly frozen blood vessels were quickly heated, and the ice fragments that were stuck to his skin fell off, and just as the swollen arm was about to extend like a harpoon.
“Too late.”
Before I knew it, the four escorts who had rushed in like crazy were cutting down the high-ranking monk’s both arms, neck, and heart with their swords clad in sword qi.
“What in the world are you…?”
The high-ranking monk who was scattered into pieces without even being able to finish his words. The escorts rushed to me, who was looking at the falling neck with a look of disbelief.
“Young Master, are you alright?!”
“What in the world was that just now…?”
“That’s not important! Hurry up and treat him!”
The escorts who were surrounding me in a flurry.
In the midst of that, I just pointed to the high-ranking monk’s elbow, which was still holding onto my one wrist, and gave an order.
“Take this off, gently. I think my wrist is broken.”
* * *
As expected, the wrist bone of this weak body was shattered.
‘No wonder I couldn’t put any strength into it.’
I looked around the temple area, which was littered with bloodstains, with a splint on.
“You need to rest now!”
The escorts who were making a fuss at that sight. But I completely ignored their words.
‘As expected, it must be this place.’
I immediately headed to the training ground.
Since it was around dawn, the damp air and the faintly setting moonlight created a gloomy atmosphere.
When I entered the training ground, there was a dirt floor and a warehouse.
I approached the warehouse. There was an iron latch on it.
‘A security formation, I see.’
It seemed they had taken measures so that a signal would be sent to the vicinity immediately if someone were to intrude.
Since the Blood Cult members in the vicinity were all dead, it didn’t matter if a signal was sent.
“Break it.”
At my command, one of the escorts struck down the area around the latch with a sword clad in sword qi.
Clang!
After striking several times, the support finally fell off, and the door opened.
Creak!
The outside was wood, and the inside was an iron plate, so the sound of it opening was heavy.
‘Are there no mechanisms?’
As soon as the door opened, a fishy smell of blood wafted out. I looked at the energy in the surroundings and then lit up the inside with flame magic.
Then, the sight that was revealed was a shrine full of white bones. The walls and ceiling, which were intertwined with bones, were like the entrance to hell.
At that shocking sight, one of the escorts swallowed dryly.
‘There are separate torches provided.’
Torches made of arm bones were stuck on each wall. I lit them with magic and lit up the inside.
Then, the scenery inside was revealed in more detail. Here and there, characters or strange dyes were smeared on.
Just as I was about to go right in, one of the escorts walked ahead.
“I’ll go first.”
Although he looked determined, since there were no traces of a mechanism, it wasn’t very helpful.
Having reached the front of the ritual shrine, I discovered a book.
[Blood River Art]
It was one of the secret manuals of the Blood Cult. I put it in my bosom and then turned around.
“We’ll depart as soon as the day breaks.”
“Uh, Young Master, if you could tell us about the battle earlier…”
“Later.”
I immediately headed to the guest building. Because I felt like I would collapse from using my mana to its limit.
* * *
When morning came, we went down the mountain, and only then could I rest in the carriage.
‘Then shall I start reading?’
In the midst of the rattling, I took out the [Blood River Art] from my bosom with one hand.
And then I opened the book and began to read.
What was introduced first was a way to strengthen the body by putting the energy in the body into the blood.
‘So that’s why the high-ranking monk’s grip was so strong.’
A technique to make the body itself as strong as steel by strengthening the blood infused with internal energy.
In addition, a method to supplement one’s internal energy by absorbing the opponent’s blood was also written.
It was about the blood-sucking art, which was the basis of the blood art.
‘This is not it.’
If you supplement your internal energy with others’ blood, you can become strong easily, but not only does your internal energy become turbid, but you also lose control.
And most of all, for me, who was learning the Heaven-Shattering Demon’s Reverse Heaven Cultivation Method, it was a method that was not very meaningful.
Because no matter how much I pursued others’ internal energy and strength, the potential and talent I had were far superior.
‘So what I got was the Blood River Art?’
A method of manipulating and strengthening by putting internal energy into the blood.
I recalled the high-ranking monk’s bizarre fingertips that had deflected my sword. The sharp and powerful grip like a lump of iron was the product of a dramatic strengthening.
‘It’s similar to mana enhancement, but it’s different. Perhaps I can find other applications.’
Just as I was thinking that I should look into it more later and was leaning my body against the back of the carriage, the running carriage suddenly rattled loudly and stopped in the middle of a mountain road.
‘What is it?’
As I was thinking that, soon, a shout containing the escort’s internal energy was heard from the driver’s seat.
“You bastards! Do you know whose family’s carriage this is?!”
‘Bandits?’
Come to think of it, this area was famous for its poor public security, as there were several mountain ranges even though it was a place where three regions met.
‘It shouldn’t matter.’
Since there were four peak-level masters, it would be fine even if I didn’t go out. I tried to ignore the commotion and go to sleep.
But not long after, an argument that I couldn’t ignore was heard.
“This is the carriage that Zhuge Cheonwu is riding in! Did you think you’d be safe after touching a key member of the Green Forest Eighteen Fortresses?!”
“Nonsense! Our young master was at the Martial Academy, what are you talking about!”
I had a bad feeling. From the momentum that the bandits who were waiting outside began to emit, the situation itself was.
‘Don’t tell me…’
Just as I was inwardly sensing an ominous feeling, a decisive testimony came out from beyond the carriage.
“Don’t pretend you don’t know! I’ve come to avenge the younger brother of Jo Dong-hong, the tenth fortress master of the Green Forest Eighteen Fortresses, Jo Don-chu!”
(End of Chapter)