Chapter 445 – Avici Hell Opens (2)

Red mist was spouting from Nam Hak's entire body like fog. ​

"Blood?" ​

Smelling the thick blood scent, Bang Jin-bo cried out in alarm. ​

The red mist was precisely Nam Hak's blood vaporized. As evidence, Nam Hak's entire body emitting the mist was rapidly shriveling. His appearance instantly transforming like a mummy was utterly horrifying. ​

"What?" ​

The Namgung brothers were terrified at a sight they'd never seen in their lives. ​

Wooong! ​

The red mist and evil energy resonated, then suddenly a black space appeared before Dam Ho. The black space that appeared instantly swallowed Dam Ho and Bang Jin-bo without time to react. ​

Dam Ho and Bang Jin-bo disappeared from the world, and the black space closed its mouth like a beast's maw. Then Ghost Demon's figure melted like candle wax. He too was an illusion, not his true body. ​

The real Ghost Demon stood not near Dam Ho but atop Mount Tianzhong's peak. ​

Shape-Shifting Soul Transfer Technique. ​

A sorcery technique transmitting one's words and will through an illusion rather than the true body. ​

One of the secret techniques from the now-vanished Soreeum Temple, its internal energy consumption was so extreme that even knowing it, deploying it wasn't easy. ​

Even Ghost Demon would be exhausted and bedridden for three or four days after deploying it once, Shape-Shifting Soul Transfer required that much concentration and tremendous internal energy. So Ghost Demon normally avoided using it. Nevertheless, he specifically deployed Shape-Shifting Soul Transfer precisely because of Dam Ho. ​

As he honestly admitted, he lacked confidence to face Dam Ho with true martial force. Dam Ho was too violent and possessed terrifying martial power to confront directly. So instead of direct confrontation, he deployed Shape-Shifting Soul Transfer to appear before Dam Ho. ​

Thousand Soul Evil Energy rippled like fog centered on where Dam Ho had been below the mountain. Thousand Soul Evil Energy wasn't energy one or two people's efforts could create. ​

Throughout Mount Tianzhong area now, over a hundred Soul Sorcerers were deployed. Soul Sorcerers resembled Taoist spell casters. The only difference was that while spell casters learned orthodox Taoist techniques, Soul Sorcerers learned evil sorcery. ​

Raising Soul Sorcerers was several times harder than orthodox spell casters. Because mastering evil sorcery to supreme levels was that difficult. For that reason, Soul Sorcerers weren't numerous even within Heavenly Evil Cult. A hundred meant nearly all of them. ​

Ghost Demon had mobilized all such precious forces. All because of Dam Ho. ​

Dam Ho was too burdensome to face with martial force alone. Just examining the faces of those who'd fallen under his fists proved that. ​

Regardless of Martial Alliance, Demon Cult, or Heavenly Evil Cult, those with the strongest martial arts from each faction had all fallen. ​

Neither traps nor absolute masters worked on him. ​

Dam Ho's fighting spirit rising to clash head-on through any adversity frightened many. At least confronting him directly was too burdensome for them too. ​

One wrong move and they might burn down the entire thatched cottage trying to catch one bedbug. So Ghost Demon mobilized Soul Sorcerers. ​

Soul Sorcerers were those who learned only evil sorcery professionally. ​

Evil sorcery was literally evil techniques. ​

Unlike spell casters who accumulated Taoist power or used mantras, Soul Sorcerers accumulated and utilized energy from yin energy emitted by the dead or blood. Therefore, whenever Soul Sorcerers emerged throughout history, chaos came to the world. ​

Traditional Taoism had always viewed Soul Sorcerers as heretical and exterminated them. Therefore Soul Sorcerers had never properly matured. Being so rare, little was known about what power Soul Sorcerers wielded when properly mastering techniques. ​

Even Ghost Demon was the same. When the Leader first ordered raising Soul Sorcerers, he didn't properly understand the intent. But after raising Soul Sorcerers and their achievements rising somewhat, he could understand the Leader's will. ​

One or two Soul Sorcerers didn't demonstrate great power. But when over ten gathered to deploy sorcery, power increased exponentially like a snowball. Ghost Demon gradually increased the number of Soul Sorcerers deploying the same sorcery. ​

Ten, twenty, and when increased to a hundred, a strange phenomenon occurred. Evil energy condensed beyond limits collided with natural energy, creating resonance. ​

Until then, he'd just accepted it. But then there was a martial artist bleeding nearby. Suddenly his blood vaporized and a gap occurred. ​

A black space appearing out of nowhere as if space was cut by a sword. Heavenly Evil Cult called it the "Gap." ​

The Gap was isolated from everything. ​

From space, time, and even light. ​

And once trapped in the Gap, escaping was impossible. ​

They'd once tried capturing and inserting a Central Plains master as a test. Though a renowned martial artist in Central Plains, he ultimately couldn't escape. ​

Same for the Soul Sorcerer who entered the Gap out of curiosity. ​

A space impossible to escape once entered. ​

An incomprehensible domain created only when at least a hundred Soul Sorcerers deployed sorcery. ​

Thereafter, Heavenly Evil Cult called that place Avici Hell. ​

Once Avici Hell was deployed, Soul Sorcerers had to be bedridden for at least a year. A year just to recover the body, and several times longer to regain original ability. That burdensome was the sorcery called Avici Hell. ​

Heavenly Evil Cult had kept Avici Hell as a trump card. ​

That trump card kept for when cornered beyond retreat, with nowhere left to fall back, was used to imprison Dam Ho. ​

"Ooom!" ​

Even at this moment, over a hundred Soul Sorcerers scattered throughout Mount Tianzhong concentrated on deploying Avici Hell. ​

Their cheeks were sunken, and sweat poured like rain from their entire bodies. ​

The Soul Sorcerers had sacrificed Nam Hak to open Avici Hell and also imprisoned Dam Ho. Without Nam Hak being with Dam Ho's group, imprisoning Dam Ho in Avici Hell would have been impossible. ​

Ghost Demon thought it fortunate everything went as intended. ​

Mobilizing Soul Sorcerers kept as a trump card was quite burdensome for him too. Because it went against the Leader's will. ​

"Avici Hell is a space isolated from the world. You'll never escape. Rot there eternally. Fist Demon!" ​

The fog covering Ghost Demon's face rippled. ​

A smile from the satisfaction of eliminating the Fist Demon. ​

***

The space they thought would be filled only with pitch-black darkness was actually closer to gray. Sky, ground, everything entering vision was ashen. ​

In the gray space extending almost infinitely, Dam Ho and Bang Jin-bo stood in the center. ​

Bang Jin-bo blinked. ​

His pupils couldn't focus properly. Vision was blurry, and tinnitus rang endlessly in his ears. ​

His sense of balance scattered, making even standing properly difficult. The Namgung brothers actually couldn't stand up, sitting collapsed on the ground. ​

Bang Jin-bo was only enduring because he'd mastered Five Elements Gentleman Technique to the great achievement realm; otherwise he'd have collapsed like the Namgung brothers long ago. ​

Everything was chaotic. Fortunately, as time passed, his mind organized and the tinnitus subsided. Bang Jin-bo had adapted to the current situation. ​

Only then did Bang Jin-bo look at Dam Ho. ​

From the moment entering this unknown space, Dam Ho hadn't moved like becoming a statue. ​

He was equally confused. But one difference from Bang Jin-bo was maintaining cold rationality throughout. ​

'A type of barrier?' ​

Dam Ho perceived the situation thus. ​

Though not knowing the exact principle or method, he'd heard some formations occasionally created spaces disconnected from the world this way. ​

Dam Ho thought this space was also created by such methods. ​

An alien space. Everything entering vision was ashen, and even time's flow wasn't felt. ​

A perfect world of silence where everything stopped. ​

Dam Ho suddenly raised his fist and struck the ground. A blow containing Mountain-Breaking Punch's power. Force capable of pulverizing house-sized boulders collided with the ground. ​

Boom! ​

Instantly intense waves spread and the entire space rippled. And Dam Ho was thrown back. Tremendous counterforce had occurred from the ground. ​

"Brother!" ​

Bang Jin-bo rushed to Dam Ho in surprise. But Dam Ho raised his hand to stop Bang Jin-bo from approaching. ​

Dam Ho deployed Mountain-Breaking Punch once more. ​

Boom! ​

This time too, Dam Ho was thrown back with counterforce. Fortunately this time Dam Ho was prepared, not falling back disgracefully. ​

Now he knew for certain. ​

This world repelled shock equally to what was transmitted. With the same force. Meaning counterforce returned equal to the force Dam Ho applied. ​

Only then did Dam Ho realize this place differed from ordinary barriers. At least by his common sense, it shouldn't exist. ​

Bang Jin-bo who'd been watching approached cautiously. ​

"Brother! Are you okay?" ​

"I'm fine." ​

"What on earth is this place? Mount Tianzhong, right?" ​

Bang Jin-bo's cautiously asking voice contained his anxious state of mind. ​

If this place was truly an environment created by formations, calling it Mount Tianzhong would be correct. Because even if formations changed environments drastically, they didn't change location itself. ​

Dam Ho didn't answer. No, couldn't answer. Even he couldn't clearly define what kind of place this was. ​

Senses were strangely disturbed, and hunger wasn't felt. As if time had stopped. ​

Dam Ho's eyes sank deeply. ​

Such a place couldn't be normal. But he didn't think escaping was impossible. ​

Methods to pass through any difficulty always existed. As long as rationality wasn't lost, a method could be found. ​

The key was maintaining cold reason. ​

What Dam Ho did best. ​

"We will definitely escape this place." ​

His voice echoed through the ashen world. ​

Jin Ja-gang approached Abbess In-eun and said.

“The Five Paths Fatal Poison is spreading throughout the martial world. We need to know where they obtained it from.”

Abbess In-eun nodded.

The female monk beside her, Jeong-yo, one of the three great masters, hesitantly answered.

“I don’t know about other places, but the poison used in our sect came from Mount Emei. Amitabha.”

Mount Emei?

This was truly something he hadn’t even considered.

Even Jin Ja-gang thought he had misheard for a moment.

“You’re saying the Five Paths Fatal Poison came from this Mount Emei?”

It wasn’t Emei Sect, but Mount Emei. Mount Emei had countless temples and Taoist monasteries.

“That is…”

Then Nang-ryeong raised her head and shouted.

“Are you going to reveal all of our Emei’s shame to outsiders! Stop it! You know well that this isn’t what we intended!”

Abbess In-eun gestured with her eyes. The lined-up female monks shouted Buddhist mantras and beat Nang-ryeong with clubs.

Thwack! Thwack!

Though they didn’t use internal energy, they showed no mercy at all, quickly splitting her head and drawing blood.

Nang-ryeong soon collapsed, hitting her head on the cold stone floor.

Abbess In-eun scolded in a cold voice.

“To think you still haven’t come to your senses after such severe punishment. If anyone opens their mouth without permission again, I’ll cut their tongue next time.”

Nang-ryeong’s face turned pale. Abbess In-eun never made empty threats.

Jeong-yo looked to the side and commanded.

“Bring it.”

A female monk brought a heavy box large enough for a person to fit inside. When she placed the box on the floor and opened the lid, it surprisingly contained many luxury items.

Jade-decorated ornaments, musk pouches, silk… countless accessories that ordinary wealthy households’ daughters would covet.

The white-furred monkey, Baek-won, approached and curiously picked up the accessories.

“This is…”

“These came from the young disciples’ rooms.”

Jeong-yo sighed quietly and explained to Jin Ja-gang.

“The male monks from other temples on Mount Emei and… our sect’s young disciples seem to have built personal relationships over a long time. They met without drawing others’ attention and sometimes even engaged in intimate relations. For over ten years.”

Personal relationships between men and women, and monks at that.

Of course, it was understandable that young people of opposite sexes would develop feelings, but it was something that shouldn’t happen.

Jeong-yo, who had been speaking, made a bitter expression.

“Paradoxically, it was Master Myo-wol who prevented them from forgetting their duties and reaching the worst outcome. The young disciples had always been very afraid of Master Myo-wol.”

However, Demonic Nun Myo-wol had died in the battle at Qingcheng some time ago.

She had powerful martial arts and was as obsessive as Mang Ryo, making her a troublesome enemy from Jin Ja-gang’s perspective. But from Emei Sect’s perspective, Demonic Nun Myo-wol had been serving the role of monitoring her junior sisters to prevent them from straying.

Jin Ja-gang felt strange.

He carefully looked over the captured female monks. There were as many older monks as young ones. Particularly, since Abbess In-eun had become the sect leader despite her junior status, those who were senior to her were generally in their fifties and sixties.

“I understand about the young disciples, but what about the monks of higher seniority?”

Jeong-yo sighed slightly as if embarrassed to speak and answered.

“After Master Myo-wol’s passing… the male monks suddenly began making unreasonable demands. Asking them to introduce close sisters, or to run away together and set up households…”

One of the captured young female monks cried out tearfully.

“They said if we didn’t comply, they would report our relationships to the sect leader. We were so scared…”

Abbess In-eun glared at her.

“So you had no choice but to gather gold and treasures and try to harm your Buddhist sisters because of blackmail?”

“No! If we had received such demands from the beginning, we would have struck our own vital points and committed suicide. Please believe us!”

However, Abbess In-eun’s expression was cold.

“Cut her tongue.”

“Sect Leader!”

The lined-up female monks approached with daggers, forcibly opened her mouth, and pulled out her tongue with pincers.

Horrifying screams rang out again.

Jin Ja-gang did not intervene in Abbess In-eun’s decision. Though it seemed cruel, this was Emei Sect’s matter.

Jeong-yo chanted Buddhist mantras several times with a troubled face.

Then Nang-ryeong, who had been beaten and lying down, gritted her teeth and raised her head.

“Even if my tongue is cut, I must speak. Junior Sister Sect Leader is too vicious. And cruel. The look in Junior Sister Sect Leader’s eyes is not one a Buddhist can have at all. I’ve always thought the look in Junior Sister Sect Leader’s eyes was even sinister.”

Abbess In-eun was in her mid-forties. She belonged to the youngest tier in her generation. For a sect leader of one of the two great Buddhist sects that dominated the martial world, she was remarkably young, and her beauty made her look like she was in her twenties. However, it wasn’t elegant beauty. Her speech carried coquetry, and her narrow eyes held sensuality. At first glance, she indeed looked more like a courtesan than a monk.

Nang-ryeong continued speaking.

“Those children couldn’t bring themselves to tell Junior Sister Sect Leader and suffered in anguish, then came to us unable to bear it anymore. We knew what punishment those children would face. So…”

“You decided on rebellion?”

Nang-ryeong bit her lips.

“Qingcheng Sect had collapsed and King of Hell’s Tang family was on the path to destruction! At this rate, it was obvious what would happen to our Emei too. The only way to save Emei was to bring down Junior Sister Sect Leader.”

Abbess In-eun radiated coldness.

“Lies. You’ve been dissatisfied all along because a younger sister took the sect leader position from you, haven’t you? The senior sisters have always seen me as a thorn in their side, haven’t they?”

Since Abbess In-eun had become sect leader despite her young age, surpassing them, the senior female monks were indeed very dissatisfied.

“Yes! But not this time. We truly wanted to stop Junior Sister Sect Leader’s tyranny! You broke all of Sichuan’s traditional alliance structure and even contributed to harming King of Hell, driving Emei into a quagmire!”

“So you administered poison?”

“What we obtained was… not lethal poison but paralysis poison. We just thought that with it, we could achieve replacement without much bloodshed…”

“But it was the Five Paths Fatal Poison, not paralysis poison. Your excuses are long.”

Abbess In-eun coldly looked down at Nang-ryeong and spoke.

“Why do you think the previous sect leader chose me as successor?”

Nang-ryeong looked up at Abbess In-eun.

“What are you trying to say?”

Abbess In-eun looked around at everyone and said.

“Because I have the will not to give up the path even if the sect perishes.”

“What?”

“Qingcheng Sect disbanded on their own due to external pressure, and the Tang family was regulated when King of Hell was expelled by Poison Dragon benefactor. But our Emei remains intact. If you hadn’t caused internal strife, our Emei would still be standing firmly.”

The faces of Nang-ryeong and the captured female monks hardened. It wasn’t wrong. If it hadn’t been for them, nothing would have happened to Emei Sect.

“But… but you plundered the salt convoy at Min River! Our Emei Sect was swept up in it too because of Junior Sister Sect Leader…!”

“In this world.”

Abbess In-eun coldly cut off Nang-ryeong’s words.

“Even if the Dao has disappeared from the world, we as seekers of the Dao, as Buddhists, will not turn away from it. Even if only Emei remains alone in the world, we will not abandon righteousness. If we can save the sentient beings outside who live their miserable lives day by day, struggling through each day, I will never refuse to walk a path covered with thorns or filled with filth.”

“Ugh…!”

Nang-ryeong could say nothing.

Seeking the Dao is more important than Emei Sect.

Even if Emei Sect disappears, she will not abandon the path of seeking the Dao.

That is the duty of a seeker.

Like Qingcheng Sect leaving Qingcheng Mountain.

Abbess In-eun delivered her point.

“Now you understand, don’t you? That’s your limitation. That’s why I became sect leader. I’m not someone who is swayed by cunning tongues like you are.”

Nang-ryeong lowered her head.

Abbess In-eun gestured.

“It seems you’ve said everything you wanted to. Cut Senior Sister Nang-ryeong’s tongue.”

When they approached to grab her arms and force open her mouth, Nang-ryeong didn’t resist. Soon Nang-ryeong’s screams rang out.

Abbess In-eun snorted and said.

“Hmph, foolish. Not even knowing they were manipulated.”

Jin Ja-gang looked questioningly at what she meant. Jeong-yo answered.

“The disciples confined in other rooms confessed. They were recruited by the senior generation at the instigation of male monks, and the poison was also prepared by that side.”

“Where is the temple that led this manipulation?”

“It’s a temple called Soun-am located on the middle slope of Mount Emei. But it’s useless. When we went there a few days ago, they had already been massacred.”

Abbess In-eun said.

“That means they too were carrying out orders from someone else. When the rebellion failed, they cut off the tail to silence them.”

Jin Ja-gang asked.

“Then it will be difficult to trace where the Five Paths Fatal Poison came from now.”

If someone had committed massacre on Mount Emei while evading the eyes of Emei Sect’s female monks, it was certainly the work of an extraordinary master.

“The one behind this must be no ordinary person. For instance, the Ghost King, perhaps.”

The Ghost King!

He hadn’t known that his reach extended even to Emei Sect, and for so long. No, perhaps it had been even longer than ten years.

Master Haewol had spent almost his entire life searching for him.

Abbess In-eun calmed her mood and said.

“I’m sorry we couldn’t be of help after you came such a long way.”

Jin Ja-gang thought for a moment and asked.

“Is there any of the poison they used remaining?”

A female monk brought a small box. Inside were several pills wrapped in silver foil. Jin Ja-gang took one and broke it in half. Then he put half in his mouth and dissolved it.

The watching female monks gasped in surprise. However, realizing that it was Poison Dragon who was eating the Five Paths Fatal Poison, they calmed their surprise.

“Even when broken, the color and shape are indistinguishable, but the outer shell is indeed paralysis poison. However, the inside is the Five Paths Fatal Poison.”

Jin Ja-gang turned his head.

Baek-won was crouched to one side, looking around at the interior scene, when his eyes met Jin Ja-gang’s.

“Come here.”

Baek-won walked over to Jin Ja-gang on all fours in a leisurely manner.

Jin Ja-gang threw the Five Paths Fatal Poison in front of Baek-won. Baek-won looked at Jin Ja-gang as if asking what he was supposed to do with it.

“Try eating it.”

Baek-won stared at Jin Ja-gang, then without even pretending to eat, knocked the Five Paths Fatal Poison away with his front paw.

Jin Ja-gang’s eyes showed interest.

“You know what this is.”

The female monks looked at Jin Ja-gang in surprise. Abbess In-eun also showed a curious expression.

“I felt it earlier too, but he seems to have excellent ability to detect poison.”

Jin Ja-gang picked up the Five Paths Fatal Poison and asked again.

“Did you also see the one who brought this? Or do you at least remember their scent?”

The Emei Sect female monks focused on Jin Ja-gang and Baek-won.

“Surely not…?”

Baek-won used his left front paw to scratch his right cheek over his head.

Abbess In-eun’s eyes widened.

“That means yes!”