C146
Regardless of whether Cale looked worried or not, the two individuals couldn't contain their overwhelming emotions.
"Krrjehuk-!"
"Ujuk, juk-"
In the midst of an atmosphere that seemed on the verge of tears, Cale finally spoke.
"I guess both of you have heard, but the purification process will be different from what I used to do."
Namgung Taewi, the Heavenly Demon. A different purification method was planned for these two cases.
"To be precise, it's a more advanced method."
The Heavenly Demon interjected with a word on the side.
Cale's perplexed gaze turned toward the Heavenly Demon.
At that moment, the General of the Demon Law Battalion opened his mouth.
The Demon Law Battalion. If the Laws and Manners Pavilion was a place where the laws and manners of the Demon Cult were discussed, the Demon Law Battalion was a place where punishment was carried out in the name of the Demons for those who violated the laws of the Demon Cult.
The Demon Cult's prisons, where people from the Murim were punished. It was the place where even Demon Cultists were afraid when they saw the Demon Law Battalion.
The General of the Demon Law Battalion, who was in charge of that battalion, said.
"We are simply grateful for everything that the Heavenly Demon-nim and the Young Master-nim will do for this humble body, Kreuk!"
Tears were running down his face even more than the Pavilion Master beside him.
The General of the Demon Law Battalion was one of the two Living Jiangshi found in the Demon Cult, and he had been shouting that he didn't need purification and just wanted to be killed, saying that the fact he was a Living Jiangshi had tainted the Demon Cult.
"Just being able to maintain my sanity is more than enough for me, ujuk!"
Bam. Thud.
The General fell to his knees, his head hitting the ground.
Feeling tired of seeing it, Cale looked at the Heavenly Demon and opened his mouth.
"Let's start right away."
As the General of the Demon Law Battalion said, even though the two Living Jiangshi acknowledged that they were Living Jiangshi, they still seemed to be fully in control of their minds.
They showed no signs of self-destruction.
The Heavenly Demon attempted to draw a faint smile on his stoic face.
"All right, let's begin."
He added.
"This will be our first purification together."
Cale's gaze turned even darker.
The way he spoke almost sounded defiant, but there was nothing to refute.
Dark red energy emanated from the Heavenly Demon's hands.
That energy was currently touching the heads of the two Living Jiangshi.
"Step back, all of you."
The Brain Demon beside him pushed people back.
Three days ago, during a meeting with various Factions and Cale, the outline of the future direction was laid out. As a result, the Heavenly Demon opened the closed doors of the Demon Cult to a few.
Because of that, there were two more people here now who weren't here originally.
"Um."
The Kunlun Sect Leader, muttering with a gloomy expression, and Jegal Miryeo, the General Commander of the Murim Alliance, who had a strange expression.
These two had visited the Demon Cult under the guidance of Elder Ho and Byuk Sun.
"...Living Jiangshi-"
Of course, unlike Jegal Miryeo, who already knew about the Living Jiangshi from the beginning, it was only after arriving at the Demon Cult that the Kunlun Sect Leader heard the truth about the Blood Cult.
He closed his mouth and didn't say anything else.
The Demon Cult was a lifelong enemy in Kunlun's history. As he stared at the Heavenly Demon, the new Cult Leader's gaze was cold.
Unable to bear it any longer, he finally consulted with Ho Songyi, the Elder of the Beggar's Sect, through a Sound Transmission.
-How dare the Heavenly Demon be able to perform the great purification ritual? His martial arts must be filled with Demonic Energy!
Elder Ho Songyi responded nonchalantly.
-Our Young Master Kim said he would do it, so he will.
What kind of answer is that?
For a moment, the Sect Leader was puzzled, but then his gaze was drawn to a vibration he felt.
Wooong---
The dark red energy emanating from the Heavenly Demon was getting stronger.
The energy tightly wrapped around the back of the necks of the two Living Jiangshi. It was a sight that seemed life-threatening if seen incorrectly, but Cale watched it calmly.
'Ah, and I think we need to conduct the experiment again, this time improved.'
Three days ago, after the meeting, the Heavenly Demon told Cale this.
"What do you need to improve?"
Although it hadn't caused him much pain, the fact that he kept vomiting blood was not pleasant for Cale. But when the Heavenly Demon continued speaking, his expression changed.
'The biggest problem when dealing with Living Jiangshi is self-destruction.'
'Really?'
"If we could control that, wouldn't it be much easier?"
'Of course, right?'
Cale could see that the Heavenly Demon was smiling satisfactorily and asked in a low voice.
'What is that method?'
The Heavenly Demon pointed at himself.
"I can do it with you."
Cale fell silent.
'I don't like that look.'
The Heavenly Demon read Cale's thoughts from his silent expression but ignored them and said what he had to.
'When I was experimenting, dealing with the dark energy was a challenge, but I had no problems with self-destruction or self-control. Are you okay with that?'
'...Yes, that's correct.'
'Then what do you think was the reason it was possible?'
Cale remembered one thing in response to that question.
"...The Upper Dantian?"
"Correct."
Seeing the fascination in Cale's eyes, the Heavenly Demon continued.
'All humans have the three Dantian, the Upper, Middle, and Lower. The only difference is whether they can recognize them or not, or whether they have the ability to use them or not.'
He pointed at himself again.
'And I know how to use them.'
And he developed a new method of experimentation or purification.
'You perform the purification while I control the Upper Dantian of the Living Jiangshi. That way, at least they won't self-destruct. And I know the path to the heart where the dark energy resides, both in the Lower and Middle Dantian.'
The conclusion was simple.
'I will guide and find the way. Meanwhile, you, Kim Haeil, just need to clear the path. How does that sound?'
Cale naturally nodded at the last question.
'Let's do it.'
As a result, the purification ceremony was postponed for three more days.
Of course, this delayed the visit to the Blood Cult by three days, but Cale felt the preparation period was necessary.
And now, about an hour ago, the two individuals found out that they were Living Jiangshi, and now they were crying uncontrollably.
Woosh---.
The vibrations of the dark red energy kept increasing.
And then they abruptly stopped.
"Are we done?"
Cale asked, and the Heavenly Demon, who had his eyes closed, nodded.
The Heavenly Demon had reached the Profound Realm. But a cold sweat was forming on the forehead of the strongest being Cale had ever known in the Murim.
It wouldn't be an easy task to protect and navigate through another's Upper Dantian.
That's why Cale sat behind the two Living Jiangshi, who were sitting cross-legged, and said.
"Move your energies toward the Heavenly Demon. That will help you survive."
The two Living Jiangshi did as they were told with all their might, and Cale put on a Divine Heater necklace around his neck. Then he extended his hands forward.
Zzick, zzick.
The reddish-golden energy began to flow from his body.
An hour ago, the Heavenly Demon, who had begun protecting the Upper Dantian of the two Living Jiangshi, spoke.
'By watching them, the amount of their dark energy doesn't even reach a tenth of mine.'
Such a small amount would be very easy to handle.
-That's right, Cale. Not a single drop of blood will be shed this time.
-Yes, big brother!
-Haha, younger one, let's take it easy today!
Cale ignored the conversation between the Cheapskate and the Crybaby.
-Don't strain yourself, Human. Don't worry. I've made an agreement with Jungwon. If he doesn't obey my request, Jungwon's statue will cease to exist in the world, so I'm sure he'll fulfill my request.
Raon's sharp words made Cale feel intimidated for a moment, but then he closed his eyes and focused.
Soon, the reddish-golden energy flowing from Cale's hands reached the shoulders of the two Living Jiangshi.
"Ugh!"
"Agh!"
The two Living Jiangshi suppressed the groans they wanted to let out at the same time.
At the same time, people took a step back.
Craaack!
A silvery translucent barrier enveloped the Living Jiangshi, Cale, and the Heavenly Demon.
As the members of the Justice and Evil Factions hesitated before it, the Brain Demon looked in the direction of Choi Han and Ron and asked.
"So, this is the 'Protective Shield'?"
"Yes."
Raon replied with a friendly smile, and then Raon spoke to Cale.
-Don't worry about the Dead Mana leaking out, Human!
As soon as he said that...
Woooong---Woooong----
With a strange sound, black smoke began to emanate from the eyes, nose, mouth, and ears of the two Living Jiangshi.
Although the smoke didn't come out to the outside due to the semi-transparent barrier, Jegal Miryeo and the Kunlun Sect Leader were stunned to see it.
It was clearly an unpleasant and hostile energy.
'Hmm.'
The Kunlun Sect Leader looked at his own arm. He got goosebumps.
For someone of his caliber, whose internal cultivation was comparable to that of the Shaolin and Wudang Masters, that dark energy was terrifying.
Craack-!
But the energy soon dissipated.
Young Master Kim Haeil.
Golden-red rays emanated from his body, moving freely and wildly through the black smoke, destroying everything.
"Huh-"
The scene looked like a golden-red dragon devouring all the black clouds.
The Kunlun Sect Leader let out a muffled cry.
That pure and naturally born fire power.
It gave him goosebumps in a different sense.
A technique inspired by dragons flying through the clouds. The Eight Great Heavenly Dragon Techniques. That was Kunlun's identity.
Unlike Kunlun, that golden-red color that ate black clouds and roamed freely and wildly looked like a dragon even though it didn't have the form of a dragon.
The Kunlun Sect Leader thought:
'That's also a dragon...'
He watched as the gray ash scattered like snow and saw the golden-red energy flow back into Young Master Kim, and then red smoke came out of the small Divine Heater, turning it into a mystical sight.
'It's amazing.'
Young Master Kim and the Heavenly Demon.
The aura they emitted could be sensed by everyone beyond the silver barrier.
"If we fight, we will undoubtedly lose."
Upon realizing the Heavenly Demon's martial arts, the Kunlun Sect Leader felt fear, and he bit his lip.
"Is it the Blood Cult that turned this powerful Heavenly Demon into a Living Jiangshi?"
Moreover, he felt a surge of hostility and courage.
"If we want to protect the Central Plains, we'll have to fight against the Blood Cult."
The Kunlun Sect had long been at odds with the Demon Cult.
This was due to their own sense of duty to protect the Justice Faction and the Central Plains.
And this wasn't only directed at the Demon Cult. If anyone targeted the Justice Faction and the Central Plains, Kunlun was ready to give what they had.
It was the basis of their brazen pride and dignity, despite their poverty compared to other sects.
For a moment, a determined gleam appeared in the Sect Leader's eyes.
"Ah-"
He exclaimed.
"Guk-!"
"Guk!"
The two Living Jiangshi, trembling and drenched in sweat, vomited gray liquid.
"Success!"
The Sect Leader heard Elder Ho, who was beside him, clenching his fists.
Then he could see the reddish-golden energy disappearing from Cale's body, and the Heavenly Demon withdrawing his dark red energy.
Cale got up unfazed. His appearance was as calm as before, as if nothing had happened.
Just then, the Sect Leader heard Byuk Suk mutter.
"Thank goodness he didn't vomit blood this time."
But his eyes widened at the words of General Commander Jegal Miryeo.
"The Living Jiangshi are no longer a threat. We can now confront the Blood Cult."
Jegal Miryeo looked at Young Master Kim as she approached the Heavenly Demon with a casual attitude.
Unaware of this gaze, Cale looked at the Heavenly Demon and remarked.
"You are quite useful."
The Heavenly Demon chuckled as he watched Cale discuss his own usefulness as the Heavenly Demon. He wiped his sweat calmly.
It wasn't overdone and was within appropriate limits.
"What do you think?"
He asked the two Living Jiangshi.
Both, back to normal now, jumped to their feet and exclaimed.
"Just as the Heavenly Demon said, we feel even stronger thanks to the powerful energy!"
"That's right, just as Pavilion Master said, we are even stronger thanks to the energy left by Young Master Kim, our physical condition has improved even more!"
Eh?
Cale paused. He felt the eyes of the people from various Factions focusing on him.
However, the Heavenly Demon continued indifferently.
"Young Master Kim left his own energy in your hearts to protect the place where the dark energy resides. If you can handle that energy well, you will be able to recover both physically and internally, and you may even be able to operate your Inner Energy one step more than before."
Everyone's eyes widened. The Heavenly Demon remained calm.
"This is because Young Master Kim has cleaned all your Meridians, which is a good thing. So thank him."
Meridians. The pathway through which Inner Energy flows.
Waste always accumulates there. But Cale's Destruction Flame passed through it, eliminating all the dark energy and also the waste.
That meant that those who used to operate Inner Energy in one lane before could now operate it in 1.5 lanes or 2 lanes.
"Oh my god..."
"It can't be!"
It was an impressive power.
People who realized this looked at him with amazed eyes.
Cale achieved what even high-level experts who reached certain levels could hardly do. And he did it effortlessly.
Moreover, he was able to protect their hearts by reserving his own energy for the two men, who would have otherwise collapsed from the effort of dissipating the dark energy.
"..."
The Kunlun Sect Leader clasped his hands and closed his eyes.
"What a righteous man."
His respect for Young Master Kim was overwhelming.
Others felt the same way. But there were others who were eager for Cale's ability to clean the Meridians.
However, they didn't have the courage or confidence to ask for it now.
They were afraid of Cale's power.
Furthermore, Cale's colleagues, including the Fist King, who surrounded Young Master Kim, were also difficult people to deal with.
Therefore, there was only one thing they could say.
"...Young Master Kim is truly a blessing from the heavens."
Cale moved away from the people who were staring at him.
He particularly ignored the wink from the Second Son of the Evil Alliance Leader and the Trash of the Evil Faction, Sima Jung.
Then, he saw a person from the Demon Cult, who was looking at him in amazement while drooling. He had heard that he was the talent chosen by the Heavenly Demon as his Successor.
"He's peculiar too."
Cale acted as if he hadn't seen him.
Instead, he spoke to the Heavenly Demon.
"We will travel in small groups until we reach Sichuan and Yunnan."
"Yes, we will only travel in groups of two, including me, so don't worry."
Cale glared at the Heavenly Demon for speaking out of turn.
"What's wrong?"
His gaze became even more menacing as he asked the question so casually. In response, the Heavenly Demon smiled satisfactorily and shrugged.
"Kim Haeil. I think you need to be reminded of the sacrifices you've made."
"What sacrifices have I made?"
Cale snorted.
The Destruction Flame's energy seemed to linger in the two Living Jiangshi, including the Heavenly Demon, but it wasn't intentionally shared. It was because Cale didn't store energy in his body as Inner Energy.
So Cale hadn't lost anything.
In fact, he felt light today, and that was a good thing. Therefore, he reluctantly spoke to the Heavenly Demon.
"I trust you'll handle things."
Dust, the Living Jiangshi Detector.
Heavenly Demon, the Living Jiangshi purification assistant.
The idea of having two reliable individuals with him made Cale feel slightly better.
The Heavenly Demon shook his head when he saw Cale still smiling even after sharing his energy.
-----------
The next day, Cale left the Demon Cult and headed towards Kunlun.
There, in front of the main entrance of the Kunlun Sect, he could see someone waiting for him.
He also saw someone running toward that person.
"Father!"
Sima Jung, the infamous trash of the Evil Faction, ran toward him and opened his arms.
"Hahaha!"
And that person...
It was Sima Pyeong, the current Evil Alliance Leader, who raised a fan and moved.
"Kuuk!"
The fan struck Sima Jung's head and sent him flying.
-Human, wow, it's amazing!
While listening to Raon's admiration, Cale looked at Sima Pyeong.
For some reason, he thought of him as the father of a gambling addict, a lunatic, and a drunkard.
Sima Pyeong immediately greeted Cale.
"Oh, I can finally meet Young Master Kim. Among those silky black hair, your skin as white as the moon, and that deep gaze that evokes the landscapes of the Central Plains, it seems like this Sima Pyeong has finally opened his eyes! Hehe."
What's up with this guy?
Cale hesitated and took a step back.
-
