Chapter 376: Chapter 376

“Kuaaaak!”

“D-Do not retreat!”

A massive flag of the Blood Heaven fluttered.

The red banner was a symbol of death.

To the orthodox faction members who still followed the righteous path and did not bend their will, that flag was death itself.

Already, numerous sects had collapsed and vanished.

If the corpses of the dead were gathered and piled together, it felt as if they could easily form a mountain.

As if those who did not gather under the flag of the Blood Heaven were all enemies and death-row convicts to be killed, the Blood Heaven did not hesitate.

They did not show mercy to anyone.

Therefore, the places they passed were always filled with bright red blood, and only those who bowed their heads survived, guaranteed their lives by bowing their heads and kneeling.

The Central Plains martial world was literally a bloody battlefield.

No one seemed to have the ability to block their advance.

“Currently, all places except Sichuan and Hunan provinces have fallen into the hands of the Blood Heaven.”

Namgung Yong, who was listening to the story, let out a sigh.

Lest such a thing happen, he had moved his family members to Hunan. However, in a situation where it had not been long since he rebuilt the Namgung Family, losing Anhui once again was a massive loss.

A sigh leaked from his mouth.

“In the end, even Hubei has fallen into their grasp.”

“…It seemed they had restored Hubei’s power to some extent through the last event, but the momentum of the Blood Heaven is literally unstoppable. In an instant, they collapsed Wudang and trampled the righteous faction forces hiding.”

“If they collapsed Wudang, then they would naturally have no choice but to bow their heads.”

It is Wudang, the Mount Tai and Big Dipper of the Nine Great Sects and One Association.

However, due to the previous crisis, Wudang did not even have half of its original strength remaining, and since a significant number had escaped, it would have been insufficient to block the invading Blood Heaven.

‘Is one of the Nine Great Sects and One Association going like this again?’

Namgung Yong let out a sigh with a sorrowful expression.

The situation where places that once ruled this martial world and served as pillars were vanishing one by one could not be accepted very pleasantly.

“What are they doing currently?”

“Countless Blood Heaven members and the crowds following them are gathering toward Chongqing. Looking at that appearance, perhaps next is…”

“Sichuan?”

“Yes.”

Namgung Yong wore a strange expression.

They occupied Hubei.

It would be no exaggeration to say that place was already the land of the Blood Heaven. They swallowed up nearly ninety percent to the east, and what remained was the south and west.

However, the strange thing was precisely here.

‘If they swallowed Hubei, Hunan should be first rather than Sichuan?’

Hubei and Hunan are adjacent.

It was right there if they just crossed the border, and there would be no existences to block that path either.

On the other hand, Sichuan was not.

Chongqing is wedged in the middle.

Although grand forces were not gathered, it bordered Sichuan as well as Guizhou and Shaanxi.

Many of those resisting the Blood Heaven were flocking here, and in Shaanxi, the Mount Hua Sect, which still displayed its robustness, existed.

Weighing it, the situation was that Hunan, not Sichuan, had to be first.

‘It feels as if they are wary of the Hunan Dan Family.’

Namgung Yong frowned.

If that was true, it meant the other side already knew the secret card that the righteous faction, no, the Namgung Family possessed.

“How did they say the Cheondo Society is moving?”

“They highly intend to head to Sichuan. Since it is a place that can be called the final bastion of the righteous path, they seem to have no intention of ever giving up Sichuan.”

“I suppose so…”

Sichuan was the final bastion of the righteous path.

It was blocked by Chongqing in the middle, and Sichuan originally had several times more martial artists settled than the Henan Martial Alliance, which boasted the highest authority of the righteous path.

Qingcheng and Emei of the Nine Great Sects.

Even under the Sichuan Tang Family, which still reigned as the master of Sichuan, there were countless small and medium sects too numerous to count.

A place where, if looked at lightly, the seeds of the Blood Heaven might rather dry up.

That place was precisely Sichuan.

“And regarding this matter, there is something the Namgung Family Head must do.”

At that moment, with a creak, the door opened and Tang Jung-ak entered. That imposing appearance and gaze felt as if pressuring Namgung Yong.

Namgung Yong slowly turned his head and looked at him.

His gaze was not good, but he did not openly express his uncomfortable mind.

“What is that?”

“Can you draw the Hunan Dan Family into this fight?”

At Tang Jung-ak’s single statement, Namgung Yong’s expression hardened.

The gaze slowly looking at him was emotionless and seemed sharp.

Tang Jung-ak also realized his spine tingled as he saw Namgung Yong’s expression.

‘A dragon is indeed a dragon.’

Thinking so, he raised his gongfu.

To oppose the opponent’s strength.

“That is not something I can decide.”

“I asked because you and the Hunan Dan Family seem quite close, but is that not the case?”

“Hahaha, I do not know where or how you looked to think so… but that place is not a place that moves because I ask, nor is it a place that does not move because I do not ask.”

Yes, everything goes according to Dan Woo-hyun’s will.

It is a place that runs that way.

If it pleased Dan Woo-hyun, they moved, and if not, they did not budge no matter what was done.

This would be the same even if it was Namgung Cheon.

Therefore, Namgung Yong had no choice but to be somewhat perplexed.

* * *

“Keh?!”

Jang Sam-tae spat out blood as he opened his eyes.

A handful of dark blood drenched the floor.

Vomiting blood not once but several times, it felt as if even his internal organs would burst out. Jang Sam-tae clutched his chest and let out coughs.

Before long, snot and tears, and even saliva pooled in his mouth and flowed.

“Keh-keh!”

“Aigo, you rascal. Do it in moderation, moderation.”

Sa Do-hak clicked his tongue while looking at Jang Sam-tae. It was already ten days since he started meditating.

Meanwhile, the fellow, who had been lost only in meditation without even opening his eyes, started vomiting at the same time as he opened them.

Just how foul the smell was, the nose-piercing stench did not easily disappear.

“I thought… I was going to die…”

“You survived from the brink of death. You fellow, you were unconscious for ten days. Do you even know?”

“T-Ten days, you mean?”

Jang Sam-tae stared blankly, looking at Sa Do-hak. The word of ten days was entirely unbelievable. It felt as if he had just slept and woken up, yet that much time had passed?

Jang Sam-tae stood up while slowly checking his body.

“Am I really alright?”

“Since you survived, you are fine.”

Sa Do-hak shook his head.

In truth, since what was written in the Martial God Scripture was merely the formula, interpreting it and guiding the true qi was entirely Sa Do-hak’s role.

Therefore, a bit of anxiety also remained.

If Sa Do-hak’s interpretation had been wrong and guided the true qi to a different place, Jang Sam-tae would have become a person who could never open his eyes again.

Even if he opened his eyes, he might have become a madman or crippled somewhere.

‘He has good luck too.’

Sa Do-hak chuckled despite himself.

Except for Dan So-mi, he wondered if there was another person as lucky as this.

‘I am reluctant, but at any rate, it seems that booklet was not a lie.’

Sa Do-hak let out a sigh of relief inwardly.

Whether that really had the mind method of the Martial God, that is, Dan Woo-hyun, written, he did not know well.

However, seeing Jang Sam-tae survive like this, it seemed it was not completely wrong.

“Do you remember the paths of true qi that flowed through your body?”

“Ah, f-for some reason, I think I know.”

“Remember it well. From now on, what you must meditate on is that path.”

Jang Sam-tae nodded.

The reason why he was strangely quiet, unlike himself, was because he also realized that his body had changed a lot from before.

“In the first place, displaying that level of lightness art with such a mind method was a funny thing itself…”

“W-Was it that bad? Our master’s mind method?”

“Haha, you fellow really know nothing, don’t you?”

“What do you mean?”

Jang Sam-tae looked at Sa Do-hak with a strange expression. He did not like the expression showing he knew something he didn’t.

“How do you think you, with a third-class mind method, could display that level of lightness art?”

“Is it because… our sect’s martial arts are outstanding?”

“Your bullshit is indeed cute. That mind method brings and uses source qi. A small amount of internal force and a large amount of source qi. Therefore, even you, who do not have much internal force, could display such lightness art. Also, that is why every time you display it, you are in effect stripped of your lifespan.”

“Heh?! I-Is that true!”

“Then does it sound like a lie?”

At first, he thought it was merely because he had learned many martial arts, so those energies mixed with each other. However, as a result of checking his pulse, although that was also there, the biggest problem was the mind method Jang Sam-tae was learning.

“Since you learned all kinds of miscellaneous skills in such a situation, if you had gone on like that, your life would have ended within a few years. It seems your lifeline is also quite tough.”

“This Jang Sam-tae! Must serve the elders until they die!”

“Shall I kill you now?”

“…….”

Jang Sam-tae closed his mouth like a mute.

Seeing Sa Do-hak’s sharp gaze, it did not seem like empty talk.

At that moment, Jang Sam-tae, who was looking around, tilted his head, perhaps feeling something strange. Because no presence was felt in the place where many people should be.

It seemed even Dan So-mi, who was always by his side, was not there.

“Where did everyone go? Leaving only this Sam-tae behind?”

“They went home.”

“Yes?”

Jang Sam-tae wondered if he had misheard for a moment.

A person was sick and could not open their eyes for ten days, yet they went home?

Where did such a sound make sense? He thought it was just words Sa Do-hak spat out in jest.

He looked up at his eyes intently.

And he met the sharp, cat-like eyes.

“…A lie?”

“Foolish fellow… if you know what Hubei is like now, you must move right away, you rascal.”

Frowning, Sa Do-hak looked around.

Although nothing was felt around the county office, expanding the Five Senses to a further place, the presences of Blood Heaven members were caught in various places.

It meant their power had already seeped throughout Hubei.

If not for Dan So-mi, they would not have moved this hastily, but since they could not leave that child in such a place, they ultimately decided on a quick withdrawal.

Also, there were several things to report to Dan Woo-hyun.

“No, still, how could you leave a sick person behind…?”

“Do not make me keep saying the same thing and stand up if you can move. Since we will also return to Hunan as quickly as possible.”

Sa Do-hak’s expression looked quite serious.

Perhaps due to that, Jang Sam-tae could not say anything more, and merely stood up as ordered and carefully entered his room.

He intended to pack his luggage.

“Strange.”

Watching him, Sa Do-hak muttered.

The presences felt in various places were growing stronger. As if dark clouds were gathering.

Watching it flow to the west, his heart turned heavy for no reason.

‘In such a situation, it is stranger that the Demonic Cult is quiet.’

Thinking of that, Sa Do-hak’s complexion turned even darker.

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