The Second Apostle's lips twisted into a sly smirk.
“With the Cult Leader gone, the Apostles, with their shallow faith, manipulate the sect as they see fit. Such beings are truly deserving of death. Disciples, purge the Seventh Apostle with your sacred resolve.”
He spoke with an air of elegance, his arms crossed while he floated mid-air, supported by the profound art of Nenggong Hodo’s Bodhisattva Steps. To any observer, his ethereal demeanor resembled that of a divine figure, but the chaotic aura emanating from his entire body betrayed the sinister essence of the Blood Flame Sect.
The "god" of the Shaanxi branch of the Blood Flame Sect had issued his decree.
The disciples, as numerous as red ants, reacted in unison. Fanaticism, by nature, gravitates toward those who dominate nearby. For the disciples of Shaanxi, their land was their entire world, and the murderous intent they directed toward the disgraced Seventh Apostle reflected this reality.
“The Apostle has spoken!”
“Drink the blood of the heretic!”
“Kill her!”
Amid the fervor, the head of the disciple who called for blood exploded, the result of a powerful palm strike unleashed from a distance. The force of the Crimson Shadow Palm surged forward, obliterating the unfortunate soul. With a calm and detached expression, the Second Apostle remarked, “Every drop of blood in this land belongs to me.”
As disciples surged toward the Seventh Apostle, their crimson hair flowing wildly, they showed no hesitation, even as powerful shockwaves of internal energy erupted around them. The sheer number of attackers—easily in the hundreds—filled the snowy expanse.
With the translucent barrier of the Two Flames Blood Spirit Formation shimmering faintly nearby, the scene resembled something out of a myth, a story from the Classic of Mountains and Seas, with monstrous creatures stirring amidst a snowy battlefield.
The Seventh Apostle did not move. Her gaze flitted lazily across the chaotic scene, seemingly indifferent to the incoming tide of enemies. Her demeanor, though distracted, carried a hint of madness.
The Second Apostle chuckled, his tone reminiscent of an ancient philosopher.
“Seventh Apostle, noble aristocrat of pure blood. Do not resist the disciples. They are born from your martial arts and bloodline.”
“You wield Blood Whispering Arts like a dignitary feigning grace,” the Seventh Apostle replied curtly.
The Second Apostle’s smile deepened, and his voice flowed with a rhythmic cadence, an enchanting melody of persuasion.
“Will you truly spill the blood of your kin? Even if you escape, no Apostle will welcome you. Do not rush to betrayal. Would it not be better to become the sword of the Shaanxi branch? There is so much to gain through faith.”
At that moment, five figures descended in front of the Seventh Apostle. They were the Blood Flame Sect Swordsmen, warriors of exceptional strength and training.
Their scarlet hair billowed as they advanced, their steps creating chaotic trails in the snow, disrupted by the sheer force of their internal energy.
“Heretic.”
“Rest in peace.”
The weapons they wielded—blades, gauntlets, and other tools of death—radiated a merciless energy. Each of them had honed their Blood Arts to a fearsome degree, their bloodlines granting their eyes a sinister, blood-red gleam.
It was an inescapable predicament.
Even the greatest masters would be forced to negotiate in the face of such overwhelming odds. The scale of the assault and the strength of the enemies left little room for maneuver. The clash was imminent.
“Choose,” came the Second Apostle’s voice, echoing from afar.
Suddenly.
The Seventh Apostle extended her leg, her crimson robes shimmering with an ominous aura.
Crunch.
In an instant, she took a single step.
That step was the catalyst.
Woooooooom—!
A crimson glow erupted from beneath her feet, the pure manifestation of her indomitable energy. The snow beneath her trembled, and a red mist began to ripple outward like waves of a tide.
At that moment, a violent surge of energy exploded from the Two Flames Blood Spirit Formation behind her.
Boom—!
The five Blood Flame Sect Swordsmen were flung back simultaneously. Despite their formidable internal energy, they were forced to carve deep furrows into the snow as they skidded to a halt. The murderous expressions that had been plastered across their faces were replaced by confusion and shock.
The Seventh Apostle smirked and took another step forward.
Thud!
The crimson tide froze mid-motion. The disciples who had been charging forward suddenly stumbled, losing their footing as they struggled to maintain balance.
The energy of the Two Flames Blood Spirit Formation bound their bodies. The foundational energy of the sect’s sacred formation halted their advance, as if their own power was being turned against them.
“You, Seventh Apostle, what sorcery have you performed on our sect’s sacred formation?” the Second Apostle demanded, his expression unreadable.
The Seventh Apostle blinked once, a faint smirk tugging at her lips.
“I took a pleasant stroll with a younger Taеsa. It was lovely.”
On the day of the sect’s downfall, countless disciples perished within the Two Flames Blood Spirit Formation. The one who had turned the formation against them was none other than Taеsa Jeong Yeon-shin, who had not only dismantled the sect’s protective barrier but wielded it with dazzling precision to punish those who dared challenge his authority.
The Seventh Apostle had meticulously observed his radiant mastery, engraving it into her memory with her singular eye. Walking alongside him had felt like floating on clouds, a euphoric experience that allowed her to unravel the intricacies of the Two Flames Blood Spirit Formation on her own.
The Seventh Apostle, who had donned the Apostle’s robes at the age of seventeen, was a prodigy of pure bloodline. Her talents were unparalleled in the sect’s history—a figure of unmatched brilliance, capable of rivaling even the great Huangbo lineage.
She whispered softly, her lips curling into a crescent.
“I’ve thought long and hard. Why did Taеsa avoid me? It didn’t make sense. We communicated through martial arts. No one else could understand him like I did. I’m the only one who can inscribe his epitaph. And yet...”
Her lips, which had been murmuring as if to herself, formed a sharp smile.
“Now I see.”
Whoosh.
She raised her arm slightly, her crimson sleeve falling away to reveal her pale hand.
“It was because of all of you.”
A faint, fiery glow began to coalesce in her palm, the embodiment of her blood energy.
Boom!
The walls of the Two Flames Blood Spirit Formation rippled violently in response to her energy. The translucent red barriers that had imprisoned Mount Taebaek split apart, their edges glowing faintly crimson, mirroring her aura.
The techniques Taеsa had once used to devastate the sect now reemerged, altered and refined by her own hands. The blade meant to strike down Jeong Yeon-shin now turned its edge against the sect itself.
“What... what is that...?”
“It’s divine punishment... divine punishment!”
Behind her, the Two Flames Blood Spirit Formation surged with pulsating energy, its crimson mist spiraling downward, enveloping the mountain in a massive tidal wave of translucent red light. The wave moved as if alive, suffocating the sunlight and shaking the earth beneath it.
Wooooooom—!
In an instant, the wave descended, blotting out the sky as it rolled over the sect’s disciples. The ground quaked violently.
“Retreat! Fall back!”
“Blood Buddha! Flame God, save us!”
Some disciples tried to flee, but the wave was too close.
The sound of flesh tearing and bodies collapsing echoed as the immense energy engulfed them. The disciples who had once fed on the blood of others found themselves victims of a reverse flow of energy. The very life force they had absorbed was violently extracted, tearing their bodies apart.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Explosions rang out as their bodies burst, leaving no corpses behind. The blood-soaked landscape turned into a blizzard of destruction as their forces were obliterated.
The Seventh Apostle’s crimson smile deepened as she let out a wild laugh.
“Ahahaha—!”
Her voice carried a maddened question to Taеsa. "Is it all right if I play the villain among these fools?"
“Seventh Apostle!”
The Second Apostle, his hair disheveled, surged toward her, his robes and aura disheveled. Though a master of untainted internal energy, even he seemed shaken, his aura faltering.
The Seventh Apostle moved her hand with a subtle gesture.
Crack.
The snow beneath her feet compressed. In the next instant, her figure blurred forward.
A glint of sunlight shimmered off the ends of her jet-black hair.
In a flash, she was atop the Second Apostle’s shoulder.
The crimson mist of the Two Flames Blood Spirit Formation coiled around his knees, locking him in place. He let out a low growl, unable to move.
The Seventh Apostle exhaled a soft, almost delicate breath. Her pale face and the fierce gleam in her eyes glimmered with a strange, feverish intensity.
“My Taеsa, my radiant comet.”
Perhaps next time, I’ll see you from an even higher place. She smiled.
***
The vast expanse of the mountain ridge fell into a heavy silence.
Only the faint remnants of the collapsed Iyeom Blood Spirit Formation lingered, a testament to the once imposing array that had bound the mountain's slopes.
Bukgung Hu, the noble from the Ice Palace, murmured, "The encirclement has fallen."
Jeong Yeon-shin had sensed it, too. The massive barrier, once spanning the region, had dissolved into nothingness as if a cornerstone had been pulled, unraveling the entire structure. The sensation was unnervingly abrupt, leaving him both relieved and suspicious.
‘Surely not. Even the most deranged wouldn’t...’
The martial world was said to be as intricate as the waters of the Yangtze River. Hastily jumping to conclusions served no one. Instead, it was better to focus on immediate matters.
Things were nearing their conclusion. With the path cleared, only one obstacle remained: the Sword Sect Leader’s pursuit. It was, however, the most daunting challenge of all.
Turning to the herbalist Jang Sun-il and the Ice Palace siblings, Jeong Yeon-shin said, "You should head down first. I still have matters to attend to."
They didn’t linger or argue. All three bore sharp instincts, understanding when retreat was the wisest course of action.
"Stay safe, Sir," Jang Sun-il said, offering a small bow rather than the traditional martial salute.
Jeong Yeon-shin hoped this kind-hearted herbalist wouldn’t meet a tragic end in his quest for revenge. After all, they were in much the same situation, bound by the desire for vengeance.
Without a word, Jeong Yeon-shin reached out, placing a firm hand on the boy’s shoulder. With the infusion of his Gwangryun Qi, he activated the acupoint at Chugung-gwihyeol.
“Ahh...!” Sun-il gasped.
“I’ve stimulated your body’s meridians to an appropriate degree,” Jeong Yeon-shin said. “It’s no miracle herb, but it’ll suffice. Remember, humans need food, not just soil.”
The boy’s eyes widened as he processed the words. Before Sun-il could react further, Jeong Yeon-shin gave him a firm push forward.
"Don’t look back. Stay safe."
Jeong Yeon-shin glanced at the Ice Palace siblings, silently entrusting them with the boy. They nodded in understanding.
"We’ll wait for you in the Northern Seas. Thank you," Bukgung Lin said.
"This is a debt to be repaid," Bukgung Hu added, his attempt at the Ming martial salute awkward but earnest. Bukgung Lin, meanwhile, waved the Extinction of Demonic Paths Compendium as a parting gesture.
Snow crunched under their feet as the three descended the mountain, occasionally glancing back at him. Three sets of footprints trailed behind, the sunlight dancing faintly upon the white surface—a quiet yet poignant farewell.
Jeong Yeon-shin turned his gaze to his side, where Yulha Nangnang sat on a snow-covered boulder, deeply engrossed in the compendium. Her serene presence belied the storm that had just passed.
She looked up, meeting his eyes.
“You’re quite sentimental,” she remarked.
“...What?”
“Your disciples are like that, and so are you.”
“The Sword Sect Leader is coming. Perhaps we could skip the idle chatter—"
"Extinction of Demonic Paths Compendium," she interjected, cutting him off.
“For the next ten years, no demonic sect in Shaanxi will be able to rival the Plum Blossom Swordsmanship. At least ten years,” she mused. “The martial arts of great sects—be they orthodox or otherwise—are the culmination of decades of study. One doesn’t easily rewrite the essence of martial science, not even someone like you.”
Her voice was deliberate, measured.
"My disciple Yu Hyeon owes you his life a couple of times. The Mount Hua Sect is a school of strict laws and principles. It’s only fitting that we treat you as a benefactor."
“You read quickly,” Jeong Yeon-shin remarked, catching on immediately. Mount Hua’s sect leader had already deciphered the Extinction of Demonic Paths Compendium.
And now, the question lingered—what would follow? A chill ran down his spine as he instinctively quelled his rising apprehension.
Yulha Nangnang’s lips curved upward into a playful smile.
“Have you any idea how dreadfully dull the scriptures of Daoism can be? Your handwriting is neat, and your explanations are intuitive. It was a delight—like being young again. I remember when even a single line of a sutra thrilled me...”
A booming voice interrupted her reverie, echoing through the mountain air.
“The Emperor’s Hound announces the arrival of the Sword Sect Leader!”
The cry came from a young man escorting the Sword Sect Leader—a high-ranking swordsman whose powerful voice carried immense authority.
Jeong Yeon-shin paid no attention to the herald, instead honing his focus on the towering, inscrutable power steadily approaching.
The swordsman’s presence was negligible compared to the overwhelming force advancing with unrelenting inevitability.
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‘This time... I’ll observe with the Shicheon Technique. Next time, I’ll...’
His fingers twitched subtly as he prepared himself.
‘Strike first. A lateral blow.’
Extinction of Demonic Paths Compendium—Sword Sect Edition.
[The triangular shoulder muscles of its practitioners are remarkably developed.
The meridians at the Jianyu and Zhongfu acupoints flow powerfully, granting an exceptional proficiency in lateral strikes. This is advantageous in countering direct thrusts, as their stance allows for swift recovery. Thus, initiating with a lateral blow provides a fleeting but critical opening. This is basic knowledge, even for the dullest of apes. Structurally, their energy flow typically...]
Suddenly, the sky darkened.
Before the Sword Sect Leader’s figure even emerged fully from the ridge, an ominous crimson glow stretched across the horizon.
Fwaaash—!
Unbidden, Jeong Yeon-shin’s outstretched fingers etched a faint crimson streak along the mountain’s ridge.
At the same time, a vibrant, snowy blade arced sideways.
Yulha Nangnang’s pink robes fluttered in the breeze as her sword sang through the air, its brilliance matching the fading daylight.