Chapter 199

Jin Ja-gang, who had returned to his quarters, was naturally troubled in mind and could not easily fall asleep.

He got up from his bed and went to the place where he always practiced.

Dan Ryeong-gyeong was already there sitting cross-legged in meditation. When Jin Ja-gang tried to give her space, Dan Ryeong-gyeong spoke.

“When I met Mang Ryo at Laozhai Mountain, I saw him using Mad Blood Heaven technique.”

Jin Ja-gang stopped walking and turned around.

Jin Ja-gang now clearly knew where his Mad Blood Heaven technique had originated.

Jin Ja-gang said quietly.

“He had several opportunities to kill me. At the secret base, and at Poison Valley. But instead he implanted Mad Blood Heaven technique in me?”

“As I said, Mad Blood Heaven technique is a method that amplifies internal energy several times over and pours it out all at once. Though it derives from demonic techniques, it’s much rougher and more vicious. Its destructive power rivals the Five Thunder Heaven-Shaking technique, which is the supreme martial art of the demonic path.”

What Dan Ryeong-gyeong wanted to say came after that.

“However, as a result of pursuing only extreme destructive power, bodily collapse inevitably follows. What reason could that man have had for injecting Mad Blood Heaven technique into you?”

Only one conclusion could be drawn.

“To cause young hero pain. At least that’s what I think. His obsession is strangely extreme. In fact, the reason I went to Laozhai Mountain was to understand his intentions.”

“At that time it was the fairy maiden, and this time Young Lady Tang fell into the trap.”

“It’s not Young Lady Tang who fell into the trap.”

Jin Ja-gang’s eyes narrowed. Somehow he had a feeling.

“Qingcheng Sect?”

“Young hero may scoff, but this time it’s a woman’s intuition.”

“I won’t scoff. I’m thinking the same thing.”

“It seems coming to Qingcheng Sect was a wrong choice on my part. I’ve caused trouble for Qingcheng Sect.”

“Since Qingcheng Sect accepted us, Qingcheng Sect should take responsibility.”

“As Taoist Bok-cheon said, young hero is too unfeeling. If you speak too correctly, people will think you’re sharp-edged.”

However, Jin Ja-gang didn’t smile. After pausing briefly, Jin Ja-gang asked.

“Fairy maiden, do you know why Poison Sect attacked the Medicine Sects?”

“Only vague speculation. Perhaps they wanted to completely absorb the Medicine Sects’ organization and power.”

“The Medicine Sect people were tortured. If they simply wanted to absorb them, why did they do that?”

“To extract their secret transmissions?”

Jin Ja-gang said.

“While talking with Young Lady Tang earlier, something suddenly occurred to me. The Tang family was researching extreme poison that could be mass-produced.”

“That’s something the Tang family has always been doing. It’s not particularly surprising news.”

“However, masters suppress poison with internal energy to stop the outbreak of toxicity. Dancing Buddha was poisoned by the Clear Blood Gland Snake several times but endured for a long time. And the same goes for the fairy maiden.”

Dan Ryeong-gyeong slowly nodded.

“If one doesn’t know they’ve been poisoned it’s one thing, but once they know, countermeasures are possible.”

“But would it be possible to catch masters with mass-produced poison? Depending on a person’s constitution, medicine can become poison and poison can become medicine. It might be possible for ordinary people or common martial artists, but it’s absolutely impossible for masters with deep internal energy.”

Dan Ryeong-gyeong realized that Jin Ja-gang’s story was heading toward an increasingly serious situation.

“What are you trying to say?”

“If the Tang family’s poison is meant to deal with martial world masters, it means other methods are necessary.”

“Are you saying that’s related to the reason for attacking the Medicine Sects?”

Jin Ja-gang nodded.

“The Medicine Sects of the martial world not only manufacture medicines directly, but trade most of the medicinal herbs they cultivate and collect with the outside world.”

“That’s right. That’s only natural.”

“Medicinal herbs are traded directly with regional medicine merchants or regional sects. I followed along on trades several times.”

Dan Ryeong-gyeong’s eyes gradually widened.

Jin Ja-gang looked directly at Dan Ryeong-gyeong and said in a low but confident tone.

“Therefore, if one obtains all the Medicine Sects’ trading ledgers, one can identify all the types of medicinal herbs used by each regional sect.”

Dan Ryeong-gyeong trembled as if struck by lightning in her spine.

“Good heavens…!”

Martial sects by their nature have very frequent injuries during training. Therefore, there are always medicinal herbs that sects keep in stock.

Especially internal injuries are often more important than external ones. In such cases, they naturally use medicinal herbs that best suit their sect’s internal energy cultivation methods.

If injured by yang-strong martial arts, they treat it with yin-cold medicinal herbs, and if injured by strong wood energy, they suppress the wood energy with metal energy herbs according to the principle that metal overcomes wood.

So…

If one knows the types of medicinal herbs traded by each sect, one can discover the compatibility of that sect’s internal energy cultivation methods!

No matter how long it takes.

No matter how difficult the combination.

If research continues, one will inevitably discover weaknesses someday.

No matter how skilled a master is, they are ultimately subject to the limitations of their sect’s internal energy cultivation methods. The moment the Tang family discovers this, they become prey to poison with opposite properties.

It had already been nearly ten years since Poison Sect devoured the Medicine Sects.

The preparations would already be mostly complete.

Dan Ryeong-gyeong muttered.

“For martial artists with poor skills, use mass-produced poison with maximized toxicity, and for high-level masters, use individually tailored poison…”

What this implied.

Dan Ryeong-gyeong’s eyes couldn’t help but widen greatly.

“The Tang family… intends to scheme for the world!”

Would the Tang family be the only ones scheming for the world?

All sorts of wolves are watching the world with covetous eyes.

However, at this moment, the most threatening could be precisely the Tang family.

And very fatally so.

Dan Ryeong-gyeong couldn’t continue speaking for a while and even stopped breathing, then finally let out a long breath after some time.

Then she looked at Jin Ja-gang.

It was because Jin Ja-gang, who had spent his childhood at the Medicine Sects, could deduce such things.

“If young hero’s words are true… a great storm will approach the martial world. And faster than expected.”

Jin Ja-gang clenched his teeth tightly to suppress his indignation.

“That won’t happen. Before the storm comes, I will definitely reveal the true mastermind behind the unjust deaths of our Medicine Sect lineage.”

* * *

An underground cavern large enough to hold two or three hundred people.

Torches were lit all around, making the inside of the cavern brighter than broad daylight.

There was only one entrance and one exit each, and the place Tang Qing had entered was one of them.

Tang Qing stood alone in the center of the wide cavern.

Around the edges of the cavern, more than dozens of people in scholar’s attire stood surrounding and watching Tang Qing.

“Open it.”

At Tang Qing’s command, iron bars at one entrance were raised.

Clank clank clank.

Then from there, a martial artist who appeared to be about thirty years old came out staggering with his hands and feet bound in chains. As soon as he came out, the iron bars came down and closed. He seemed dazzled by the torches and raised both hands to cover his eyes.

“The medicine?”

At Tang Qing’s question, one scholar answered.

“We fed it to him one watch period ago. He should have almost recovered his internal energy by now.”

Hearing this, the martial artist looked around and drew up his internal energy.

“Uoooooo!”

When the martial artist put strength into his hands, his muscles bulged and the chains broke from his hands.

Crack!

A spiritual light gradually began to appear in the martial artist’s eyes.

The martial artist looked at Tang Qing and ground his teeth.

“Are you… the leader?”

“That’s right.”

“What are you people that you dare kidnap me!”

Tang Qing recited.

“Moon Pyeong, thirty-fifth generation disciple of Mount Hua Sect. Master’s name is Ham Geun. The internal energy learned is Purple Mist Divine Technique Moon. Purple Mist Divine Technique Moon is a mental cultivation method created based on Purple Mist Divine Technique that can be learned even by those who aren’t sect leaders, right?”

Moon Pyeong was startled.

“To kidnap me knowing I’m a disciple of Mount Hua. You people are…”

Moon Pyeong looked at Tang Qing carefully then raised his eyes.

“That appearance… could it be… King of Hell?”

“Ah, that’s right. I’m the King of Hell.”

“Why would the Tang family target Mount Hua Sect! No, why did a senior of the previous generation kidnap me? Moreover, Senior King of Hell has no acquaintance with me!”

“Sorry, but since it’s been one watch period, I don’t have time to listen more. For now, if you pass through that exit, you’re free.”

Tang Qing pointed to the exit on the diagonal side. The exit was open and no one was blocking it.

“I don’t lie. The only one blocking you is me. Try going.”

Moon Pyeong opened and clenched his hands to test them.

Whoosh.

Purple energy flared like flames from his hands then disappeared.

Confirming there was no problem with his internal energy operation, Moon Pyeong’s eyes took on killing intent.

“Though I don’t know the reason, I’ll make you regret oppressing a disciple of Mount Hua. You won’t be able to get anything from me.”

“I told you, there’s no time. At most half a watch period ahead…”

While Tang Qing was muttering, Moon Pyeong kicked the ground.

Bang!

Having lost his internal energy while imprisoned and now completely regained it, there was nothing to hold him back.

He fully deployed Mount Hua Sect’s movement technique Dark Fragrance Step, his body becoming three shadows as he shot forward.

Moon Pyeong was a martial talent with outstanding skill even among Mount Hua Sect’s thirty-fifth generation disciples. Mount Hua Sect was considered the pinnacle of sword techniques in the martial world. Mount Hua Sect had countless talents.

Just standing out in such Mount Hua Sect was proof enough of Moon Pyeong’s skill without separate verification.

Two of the three shadows each deployed different movement techniques to confuse Tang Qing’s eyes.

Five Elements Steps.

Blunt Foot Steps.

Five Elements Steps had restrained, simple movements yet infinite variations, while Blunt Foot Steps were static yet seemed immovably heavy.

The shadow of Five Elements Steps threw punches.

Swish! Swish!

Great wind sounds arose.

It was powerful fist wind that seemed like it would blow away Tang Qing’s small frame even without hitting. Tang Qing simply tilted his body left and right with his hands behind his back, avoiding all the fist wind.

Tang Qing raised his hand and drew it from top to bottom.

Whoosh!

Immediately the shadow of Five Elements Steps was split in half and disappeared.

The shadow of Blunt Foot Steps stepped heavily and thrust a foot from Tang Qing’s side. The entire foot technique created a spiral flow as the foot tip bored into Tang Qing’s nape like an awl.

However, the shadow of Blunt Foot Steps’ foot tip was caught in Tang Qing’s grasp and could advance no further.

Bang!

The spiral flow was reversed and the shadow of Blunt Foot Steps spun backward instead. Its whole body spun around before the foot was torn off and the shadow disappeared.

Whoosh…

Above Tang Qing’s head.

Moon Pyeong’s afterimage, having leaped high, struck down at Tang Qing’s crown with the bottom parts of both palms with all his might, as if striking the ground.

“Ancient Dragon Under Heaven!”

An enormous amount of Purple Mist energy burst forth. In an instant, Tang Qing was hit by a waterfall of Purple Mist energy as if doused with water.

Tang Qing stood still and emitted protective energy.

Crash!

The countless thin streams of Purple Mist energy continuously gnawed at Tang Qing’s protective energy.

Crackle crackle crackle!

Sparks flew and the Purple Mist energy’s light grew deeper.

Crack.

The moment Tang Qing’s protective energy shattered, another energy burst from within, inflating Tang Qing’s clothes tautly.

Continuous Iron Cannon Triple within the protective energy.

This meant Tang Qing still had strength to spare. In the end, the Purple Mist energy of Ancient Dragon Under Heaven couldn’t penetrate even the Iron Cloth Garment and was shattered strand by strand and bounced away.

Moon Pyeong poured out all his remaining Purple Mist energy.

“Uaaaaa!”

Crash—!