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◈ Xianxia Cultivation with a Dragon Heart ◈

Chapter 55: The Martial World of Cheonguncheonju

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As the Door he had passed through disappeared,

Han Yujin surveyed his surroundings as he felt Muyong awaken.

He stood on a dirt road in the mountains, though the forest was not particularly dense. The road continued downhill before curving out of sight. Uphill stood an old building that looked as though it had been abandoned for years.

Beautiful sunset clouds drifted lazily across the sky, briefly stirring his emotions.

'The spiritual energy density is just under ninety percent of Earth's.'

Spiritual energy density alone could not determine everything, but it did allow for a few guesses.

This world's level of martial power was probably not especially high. He had wished for safety in the first place, and even a ten percent decrease in spiritual energy density could greatly change many factors.

The frequency with which natural dharma patterns formed, the growth of spiritual plants with exceptional effects, and the birth of spirit beasts capable of producing similar effects.

'Rather than immediately hole up and attempt to refine the Dragon Heart, I'll spend a few days looking around and getting a feel for this world.'

With that in mind, he headed for the nearby building.

Up close, it appeared to be a small hermitage or shrine. Once he examined the inside, he became even more certain. The plaque hanging above the entrance and the "Buddha statue" within were especially telling.

'Samsara Buddhahood Sect...'

Naturally, this world's writing was not Chinese characters, and its "Buddha" was not exactly the same as Earth's Buddha.

Still, they felt similar. Even in different worlds, civilizations created by humanity could not help sharing certain similarities.

The xianxia worlds and fantasy worlds he had visited so far were much the same.

'Or maybe my awakening ability can only take me to worlds like these.'

It might also be connected to the strange phenomenon of humanity being spread across so many worlds. If he wanted to question anything, that was where he should start.

Once he finished looking around, he went to the largest building in the abandoned hermitage, where a stone Buddha statue was enshrined.

It looked older and more muscular than the Buddha statues on Earth. Yet the smile on its lips radiated ample compassion.

'Does this Samsara Buddhahood Sect call its saint a Buddha as well?'

With that stray thought in mind, he thoroughly investigated the place with Divine Sense in case there was something spiritual here, but found nothing.

Squeak!

"You like it?"

Muyong seemed fond of the Samsara Buddhahood Sect's Buddha statue. Han Yujin stroked the little creature and was about to leave when his enhanced senses, sharpened after reaching the Dharma Soul Stage, caught the signs of someone hurrying toward the hermitage.

Guessing what might be happening, Han Yujin suppressed a smile and settled into one corner of the hall.

'The Door probably didn't open here for no reason. Something that suits my wishes might happen.'

He cast both the Concealment Art and Spirit Vision Art, without relaxing his vigilance in case something went wrong.

Soon afterward,

two people entered the walls of the hermitage, looking anxious and exhausted.

* * *

Seogwang Gahu, the Jade-Faced Sword Dragon of the Seogwang Clan.

Eun Miryeong, the Clear Stream White Phoenix of the Hyeonbaek Sect.

The two swordspeople, a handsome young man and a beautiful young woman, could not simply pass by the hermitage that had suddenly entered their sight.

Both had nearly exhausted their Internal Energy. If they passed this place by, they might have to sleep outdoors in the chilly weather. That would directly sap their stamina and mental strength.

"Miss Miryeong, we should rest here for a while."

Eun Miryeong immediately agreed with Seogwang Gahu's suggestion. Though they had been pursued until recently, it felt as though they had shaken their pursuers half a day ago.

After quickly inspecting the deserted hermitage, which appeared to have been abandoned for several years, they headed for the central prayer hall, the largest building and the one in the best condition.

"If we rest for about four hours and cross into Jiangxi, we'll be in Sun Gate territory and safe from then on. We can take turns keeping watch..."

As Seogwang Gahu started inside, he flinched and grabbed the hilt of his sword. Eun Miryeong, following a step behind, reacted similarly.

A man dressed like a wandering Daoist stood there like a phantom. Even while looking directly at him, they could scarcely believe their eyes.

Squeak!

Then, a cute beast cried from the unknown figure's robes. Perhaps thanks to that, the atmosphere, which had been rapidly turning murderous, eased slightly.

"...Who might you be, Daoist?"

"Just a wandering traveler. And you two?"

At the question in return, Seogwang Gahu swiftly examined the other party.

For a mere wandering traveler, the man carried no bundle, his clothes were not even slightly soiled with dust, and most of all, no presence could be sensed from him even now. He was exceedingly strange.

"We do not know which esteemed master you are, but please forgive us for disturbing your rest."

Having reached a quick decision, Seogwang Gahu let go of his sword hilt and raised his clasped hands to chest height in a formal salute.

"We did not know a guest was here before us. Please forgive our discourtesy. We shall take our leave."

"No, this is an abandoned hermitage with no owner. Why worry about who arrived first? Come in. Night is falling."

"No. We cannot disturb your meditative cultivation, Daoist. We will..."

Just then,

Heh heh heh.

An unfamiliar, sinister laugh echoed through the area.

"So this is where you fled? This generation's dragons and phoenixes were said to be remarkable, but it seems that reputation was empty."

"...Who are you?"

Seogwang Gahu and Eun Miryeong immediately drew their swords and guarded against every direction. Then, after glancing at the unidentified Daoist standing in the corner of the hall, they clenched their teeth and entered the building.

It might have seemed like they were trapping themselves, but the technique used to transmit that voice was so profound that they could not locate its source. They intended to take cover first.

"Still, I can see why such rumors arose. You truly possess the bearing of a qilin and a phoenix."

After that voice seemed to resound from all directions,

a middle-aged person wearing flowing black robes lavishly decorated with gold thread appeared outside the open door. The two young martial artists' expressions immediately turned grave.

"...Yin Demon Gu Lord."

At Eun Miryeong's murmur, the middle-aged person's eyes, which seemed to carry a strange gleam, fixed on her at once.

"Address me as the Yin Demon Gu Monarch."

The oddly resonant voice became ordinary, but the sinister quality within it only grew stronger.

"What business does such a highly renowned senior of the martial world have with juniors like us?"

"Isn't it obvious? Hand over that treasure map to me."

A heavy silence fell.

The two young martial artists looked at a loss, even breaking out in a slight cold sweat.

Then the middle-aged person added,

"And I must take both of you with me."

"...Where do you mean?"

"Naturally, to the Shadow Demon Divine Cult to which I belong."

As the middle-aged person approached with leisurely steps, as though to pressure them, they suddenly noticed the person dressed as a Daoist standing silently within.

They flinched.

The reaction was restrained as much as possible, so the two young martial artists likely did not notice, but the surprise was unmistakable.

"And who, exactly, are you?"

Then, as though they had known of Han Yujin's presence from the beginning, they asked while maintaining their composure.

The middle-aged person's tone was neither arrogant nor openly hostile, carrying the minimum courtesy of someone who did not wish to make an enemy.

"Just a wandering traveler."

The answer was much the same as when the young martial artists had asked him.

A lengthy silence followed.

Apparently judging that the strange expert who had occupied the hermitage first was not an enemy, the young man and woman slowly edged toward Han Yujin.

Naturally, the Yin Demon Gu Lord's expression worsened.

"As you heard, I am known as the Yin Demon Gu Monarch. Do you have an epithet?"

"None in particular."

Another weighty silence followed.

Though no one knew what judgment the Yin Demon Gu Lord or Yin Demon Gu Monarch had reached, the middle-aged person turned their gaze away from the Daoist-clad man and looked to the two young martial artists, their original targets.

By then, the pair had apparently decided that the Daoist was not particularly benevolent either and stopped approaching. The sides were unclear from the start, and getting any closer might turn someone who could remain a bystander into an enemy.

"I will give you a clear choice."

The middle-aged person's voice became even more sinister, as though making up for the interruption.

"Will you hand over the treasure map and follow me obediently, or will you die here for nothing?"

It truly was a choice between life and death.

Having presented such a grave choice, the middle-aged person took two small wooden boxes from their robes.

When they opened the lid of one box, it revealed a worm about the length of a finger joint, patterned with strangely entwined black and white markings.

That was one reason the middle-aged person's epithet contained the word Gu.

"You have already heard of the Yin-Yang Gu. If you choose to live, I will plant this inside your bodies."

"I would rather die than have something like that planted in me..."

"Let me tell you what is not known about the Yin-Yang Gu. It is a spirit insect that can increase Internal Energy by at least thirty years' worth of cultivation. It is also a precious insect that grants immunity to a hundred poisons, and it is the initiatory Gu that every core member of our Shadow Demon Divine Cult must accept. I, too, have one Yin-Yang Gu planted within my body."

What the public knew of the Yin-Yang Gu was only that the person holding the Yang Gu possessed the power of life and death over the person carrying the Yin Gu.

Thus, despite their circumstances, the two young martial artists could not help being startled when they heard of its other effects.

Thirty years' worth of Internal Energy was the expected result of thirty years of grueling training, while immunity to a hundred poisons was an immensely useful ability needing no further explanation.

The fact that every core member of the Shadow Demon Divine Cult accepted a Yin-Yang Gu was also a shocking revelation unknown to the world.

"The Yin-Yang Gu... is not your exclusive Gu insect, Senior?"

"I merely manage them. And you are both very fortunate."

The middle-aged person's strange gleaming eyes swept across the young man and woman in turn.

"You, Jade-Faced Sword Dragon, have been chosen by the Black Sand Blood Maiden. And you, Clear Stream White Phoenix, have caught the eye of the Second Young Master of our Shadow Demon Divine Cult. Otherwise, do you think I would have moved personally just to capture the likes of you?"

As they spoke, they closed the lid of the wooden box again. Then, using a technique that drew objects through the air, they sent one box floating toward each of the young martial artists.

It was precisely Remote Object Manipulation, one of the Internal Energy techniques that only martial artists who had reached the Peak Realm could display.

Before such an advanced technique, the two young martial artists accepted a wooden box each almost without thinking.

"In short, when I say I will take you with me, I do not mean that I will take you as prisoners. I mean to make you core disciples of the Shadow Demon Divine Cult."

At that point, the middle-aged person's presence suddenly became murderous.

"The explanation is complete. Now choose. Surely you do not intend to refuse the goodwill I have shown you?"

When they raised one hand, a dark gray aura poured forth and writhed like a mass of countless insects.

"If you refuse... I will show you what ultimate pain is."

The two young martial artists' faces grew paler.

The Yin Demon Gu Lord's cruelty was well known throughout the martial world, along with the horrific condition of their victims. It was not merely the sight of it that was terrible, but the process itself.

Some said that every victim had struggled for a long time in pain worse than having their tendons torn and bones ground before finally dying.

As the silence stretched on, the Yin Demon Gu Lord's murderous pressure grew more vicious.

Though the Yin Demon Gu Lord was at the Peak Realm, they might reach the Transformation Realm at any moment. They were strong enough that it would not have been strange to call them a Supreme Peak master. Seogwang Gahu and Eun Miryeong, meanwhile, had only just entered the First-Rate Realm. They were simply promising juniors among the younger generation.

The chances of the two successfully escaping before a Supreme Peak master were exceedingly slim.

At some point,

Seogwang Gahu asked in a slightly trembling voice,

"What... must I do?"

A smile immediately appeared on the middle-aged person's face.

"Swallow the Gu. Never chew it."

"..."

"And before that."

After pausing, they looked at the Daoist who had been standing quietly to one side.

"Kill that person."

"Excuse me?"

The response came at once.

It was a remarkably casual question for the situation.

"You want me dead all of a sudden?"

"Then did you, a nameless person without even an epithet, dare hope to live in a situation like this? Did you truly not know that simply being here had doomed you to die?"

As they continued speaking, that dark gray aura poured over the middle-aged person's entire body.

"You seem to have some attainment in a breath-concealment art, but I have seen through your bluff. There is no need for me to act personally."

After speaking, they urged Seogwang Gahu, who was drenched in cold sweat.

"Kill that person."

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