Chapter 68
Translator: T_Fan
Stone shattered beneath the gu warrior’s feet.
Boom!
His crouched body shot forward, almost skimming the ground. His hand swept past the storage pouch at his waist, and a broad saber was suddenly in his grasp.
A scorching force surged from the man’s lower abdomen. The spiritual qi refined by his Life-Bound Gu mingled with his own blood qi, and the fierce, overpowering Gu Origin True Qi flowed down both arms and gathered in the blade.
Hummm―
The saber aura that had instantly extended several zhang (roughly ten meters or more) rapidly thinned, its black radiance condensing into a single line along the blade.
He had already reached the Profound Realm and become a grandmaster of the martial path before ever taking a Life-Bound Gu into his body.
He was different from those martial artists who entered the Gu-Rearing Institute and had spirit insects implanted as soon as they reached the Transformation Realm. For decades, he had wrestled with the question of how to fight cultivators or gu warriors with his inadequate internal energy.
Thanks to that, even when he had still been a Profound Realm martial artist, he had cut Tier 1 gu warriors and Qi Refining cultivators in half more than once.
And after stepping onto the path of a gu warrior, what he had gained was the power to unleash the martial learning he had honed throughout his life without restraint.
The saber in his hand now carried Gu Origin True Qi comparable to the spiritual power of a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
‘Take this!’
Whoosh!
The tip of his saber aura skimmed the ground, drawing a black line across the solid bedrock.
A delayed roar erupted as the ground split apart and the heaps of stone on either side heaved upward.
Through the gap, a chilling streak of saber light shot forward, seeking to cleave diagonally from Lee Hyun’s neck to his side.
The ninth move of the Boundary-Cleaving Saber Art, One Line Severs the Mountain.
It was a supreme art left behind long ago by Lu Zhi, a grandmaster of the martial path from the Qianyang Kingdom.
By then, Lee Hyun had already raised his sword at an angle.
The gu warrior’s eyes widened.
It was an opening stance he knew all too well.
Clear light gathered over the Profound Gate Sword.
Flash!
The two streaks of light collided, and through the tiny gap where they were slightly misaligned, Lee Hyun’s sword light slipped through like a ghost.
Clang!
The broad saber blade split in two.
An oblique line appeared across the gu warrior’s body-protecting spirit light immediately afterward.
Spurt!
Blood burst from his chest.
The gu warrior was driven backward. Clutching the broken saber, he stumbled back two whole steps. But that was as far as he got.
His knee struck the ground.
He looked down at his chest, then at the puppet master’s sword.
The move the puppet master had just used was unmistakably… one of the legendary martial arts passed down through the Qianyang Kingdom since ancient times, the very ninth move of the Boundary-Cleaving Saber Art he himself had just used.
Worse, its level was so high that it seemed like something beyond even the Boundary-Cleaving Saber Art he knew.
‘He didn’t counter with a move that had an advantage over mine. He unleashed the same move after me and knocked mine aside… What kind of heaven-and-earth-shaking ghostly technique is this…?’
“You bastard… how did you… the Boundary-Cleaving Saber Art… how….”
The turtle mask tilted slightly.
A voice tinged with regret came from beneath it.
“That’s not how you’re supposed to do it….”
The gu warrior’s lips twitched.
He tried to say something more, but only blood came out. The broken saber slipped from his hand, and his body slowly toppled sideways.
…
Lee Hyun put away the Profound Gate Sword and looked south.
Faint fluctuations of spiritual power drifted from beyond the distant mountains. The Golden Core Elders and Tier 3 gu warriors still seemed to be moving about in that direction.
‘I need to clean this up quickly.’
The lower abdomen of one fallen gu warrior stirred. Thin strands of tissue writhed between his torn clothing and gaping wound before a long, pale insect revealed itself.
He sensed similar movements from the other corpses.
Inside the spirit-insect pouch, things had already descended into chaos.
The fuzzbees inside the Bonefuzzes were much the same, but Lee Hyun ordered them to yield. Rather than feed the Life-Bound Gu to those that had already become Tier 2 fuzzbees, he intended to give them to the Tier 1 fuzzbees.
Buzz buzz buzz―
When Lee Hyun opened the pouch, golden balls of fur poured out.
One Life-Bound Gu crawled free of a wound and dropped onto the dirt. It twisted its body and tried to burrow into a crack between the stones, but the fuzzbees descending from above swarmed it in an instant.
The aura of the Life-Bound Gu, deprived of its host, was rapidly weakening. Some struggled quite fiercely, but they were no match for the fuzzbees.
Chirp, chirp!
The other bees scattered toward the corpses as well.
While they fed, Lee Hyun collected the eight storage pouches from the bodies.
He did not forget the various spirit tablets worn separately beneath their clothes or the vambraces on their wrists. He also gathered the broken saber, fallen flying blades, shattered shell pieces, and gourd fragments into one place.
After sorting out the spoils, Lee Hyun retrieved the Bonefuzzes one by one.
By the time he had found and collected even the severed fragments of the Bonefuzzes, the fuzzbees had begun returning one after another.
The insects, their bellies swollen, landed on his arms and shoulders.
“If you’re done eating, get inside.”
Chirp.
After confirming that the final bee had entered the spirit-insect pouch, Lee Hyun waved a hand.
Fwoosh―
Flames erupted over the corpses.
He used the Soil-Turning Art to overturn the earth and buried whatever remained after the fire deep underground. He also churned up the patches where large amounts of blood had pooled.
Lee Hyun used the Cleansing Art to remove everything that had gotten on his clothes and body, then left the area.
…
Only after putting some distance between himself and the valley did he remove the mask and black robe.
Lee Hyun changed back into the familiar robes of the Danxiao Sect, straightened his disheveled hair, and lowered himself toward the ground.
His body soon began gliding across the surface while lying flat.
Shhhk―
The undergrowth swept rapidly past him.
Lee Hyun crossed the lower mountainsides using the Reclining Escape Art. Whenever the ridgeline rose higher, he sank into the earth and emerged again on the opposite side. Any place where he detected the presence of people, he gave a wide berth.
‘It’d be nice if I got back before Senior Brother and Senior Sister…’
…
The northern entrance to Qingshi Market.
When Lee Hyun presented his identity token, the disciple standing guard checked the records.
“You’ve returned, Martial Uncle.”
“Nothing unusual happened?”
“No.”
Lee Hyun nodded and went inside.
He was simply returning from the area under his responsibility. There was no reason to avoid anyone’s gaze or appear to be in a hurry.
After stopping by his residence to check his appearance once more, Lee Hyun headed to the Alchemy Hall used by the Yanxia Peak disciples.
The scent of medicinal ingredients being prepared filled the interior.
A Qi Refining disciple approached carrying a jade casket.
“Martial Uncle Li. I separated the medicinal ingredients you mentioned earlier and put them over here.”
“Good work.”
Lee Hyun opened the lid to inspect the medicinal ingredients when hurried footsteps outside came to a stop in front of the door.
“Could we get some Blood-Staunching Powder and Tier 2 Qi-Restoring Pills? They’re for a Foundation Establishment cultivator.”
A moment later, Yue Wugou and Mei Sujun appeared in the doorway. Behind them, two Biluo Sect cultivators stood by the roadside supporting an injured fellow disciple.
Lee Hyun set down the jade casket.
“Were you badly hurt?”
“We’re fine. He’s the one who’s hurt.”
Yue Wugou let out a long breath.
Mei Sujun asked,
“Has Master returned?”
“I haven’t seen him yet.”
Mei Sujun nodded.
The Biluo Sect cultivator had only barely managed to stop the bleeding from his thigh.
Mei Sujun took the medicine bottles brought by the disciple, stepped outside, and handed them to the Biluo Sect cultivators.
“Take him back to your residence first. We’ll report to the Elders.”
The Biluo Sect cultivators briefly thanked her, then hurried away with their injured companion.
…
That evening.
Tan Yunsheng and a Golden Core Elder of the Biluo Sect were seated inside a hall, while Song Qiming, Lee Hyun, and several other disciples stood behind them.
The Biluo Sect cultivator who had finished receiving treatment sat leaning back in a chair, while Yue Wugou and Mei Sujun stood at the front explaining what had happened.
“…So we deployed the formation and held out. If we wanted to break free on our own, we had to force open a path, but those Shenlou Sect bastards kept filling the area with mist. We could barely even tell where the enemy was.”
When Mei Sujun finished, Yue Wugou added,
“The first voice-transmission talisman we sent was cut down right in front of us, and I don’t even know how far the others got. We tried raising a signal too, but….”
Tan Yunsheng nodded.
“And then the puppet master appeared?”
“Yes. All of a sudden, white-bone puppets began crawling out of the ground and from cracks in the rocks.”
Yue Wugou spread both hands.
“They looked like ants about this big. Dozens of them poured out from every direction.”
“Dozens?”
The Biluo Sect Elder repeated the word.
Mei Sujun thought for a moment before answering.
“I think there were around twenty. We didn’t have time to count them exactly.”
“When they all activated their restrictions at once, the gu warriors were slammed into the ground. Then they started raining fireballs on them….”
Yue Wugou slapped the table once with his palm.
“Oh, and he said this was the land of the great Anling Kingdom and told them not to make such a racket.”
Silence fell for a moment.
The Biluo Sect Elder stroked his beard.
“Anling Kingdom….”
Yue Wugou continued.
“The Shenlou Sect cultivators called out ‘Haigu Island’ when they saw him. They seemed to think he was on their side. But when the puppet master attacked immediately anyway, they looked confused too.”
The Biluo Sect Elder considered this for a moment before turning toward Tan Yunsheng.
“Bringing up the Anling Kingdom sounds like nothing more than an excuse. White-bone puppets do match the methods used by the Yin Bird Sect’s Haigu Island branch. He should be around late Foundation Establishment or Great Perfection. Perhaps he is a heaven’s prodigy they have specially nurtured there. He may have held a grudge against someone in the Shenlou Sect, or perhaps he was after something they possessed. Just because the twelve sects have gathered together does not mean all their disciples get along.”
Tan Yunsheng agreed.
“Even so, we cannot conclude that the sects themselves have begun fighting each other.”
“Of course.”
Tan Yunsheng looked around at his disciples.
“If you meet him again, do not assume he is an ally. He merely chose not to attack you this time.”
“We will keep that in mind.”
…
Lee Hyun’s residence.
A Bonefuzz missing one of its forelegs lay on the table.
‘This one will take a little work.’
One of the fuzzbees Lee Hyun had left outside to watch for approaching gu warriors climbed onto the back of his hand. Outside the spirit-insect pouch, a fuzzbee could detect spirit insects from much farther away.
Chirp.
“You fought well too.”
The fuzzbee’s antennae twitched.
Lee Hyun removed the spirit stone from the Bonefuzz. Its glow had dimmed considerably.
He took out the other Bonefuzzes one by one and inspected them as well.
He did not bring them all out at once, just in case someone suddenly broke into his residence. If anything seemed amiss, he was confident he could shove at least one Bonefuzz straight into his storage pouch.
Next, he checked the spoils.
Once he erased the traces of divine sense remaining on the storage pouches and sorted their contents, the floor quickly became packed with items.
He counted the spirit stones first.
One hundred eighty-six mid-grade spirit stones and 2,740 low-grade spirit stones.
“Oh….”
A benevolent look spread across Lee Hyun’s face.
The spirit stones were only the beginning.
Even excluding the damaged ones, there were six usable high-grade magic tools: a set of curved flying blades, a spare gourd, two shields, a pair of vambraces, and a short spear. There were also several mid-grade magic tools and spare weapons.
The final gu warrior’s saber had been quite a good item, but it had already been split in two.
‘I’ll use this as spirit material when I practice the artifact-refining art.’
There were salvageable parts in the shattered shell and gourd as well, so he set aside the fragments that still retained intact formation inscriptions.
The Shenlou Sect cultivator’s storage pouch also contained a shell magic tool whose restrictions had not yet been fully engraved. Beside it were several prepared pearls and various spirit materials.
There were seventeen Tier 2 talismans alone. Some were offensive talismans that unleashed torrents of water and ice blades, while others were earth-attribute defensive talismans or wind-attribute talismans that lightened the body. Most had remained safely tucked away inside the storage pouches.
‘They probably never had time to take them out.’
That was precisely why Lee Hyun had been able to collect them like this.
There were plenty of pills as well.
He found several bottles of cultivation pills used by Foundation Establishment cultivators, including Qi-Restoring Pills, Detoxification Pills, and Blood-Staunching Pills. The amount remaining in each bottle varied, but together they added up to quite a lot.
Among them were several separately sealed small bottles. Inside was a fine powder flecked with red.
‘Dream-Illusion Coral.’
The gu warriors’ storage pouches held another kind of medicine bottle.
They contained medicinal powder made by mixing red crystals of solidified demon blood with medicinal ingredients that replenished qi and blood. Judging from the labels on the bottles and the records found in the storage pouches, they were used to raise Life-Bound Gu.
Lee Hyun gathered those separately.
There were also five jade slips. Excluding maps and transaction records, two contained parts of inheritances.
One was the first half of the Mist-Condensing Art carried by the Shenlou Sect cultivator. It contained methods for using shells and pearls as mediums to raise water mist and gather dispersed fog.
There was nothing about making human figures appear superimposed or deceiving divine sense. Even so, he thought there might be something to learn if he studied it alongside the unfinished shell magic tool.
The other jade slip recorded methods for raising Life-Bound Gu and the changes they underwent before and after molting.
The core cultivation method of the Gu Path was missing, but the ratios of medicinal ingredients mixed into their feed and the signs that appeared when the spirit insects weakened were recorded in considerable detail. After reading several passages, Lee Hyun set the jade slip aside.
‘Unfortunately, none of this looks especially precious… I guess everyone keeps their core inheritances memorized.’
Once he added the Dream-Illusion Coral powder, the pearls of the Mirage Clam, shell fragments that still bore formation inscriptions, and the various spirit materials, even roughly estimating the value of everything took some time.
The spirit stones could be used immediately, but it would be better to keep the magic tools that were clearly characteristic of the Shenlou Sect hidden for the time being. There was no reason to sell them anywhere nearby.
Not unless he wanted to advertise that he was the puppet master who appeared to come from Haigu Island.
Lee Hyun calculated for a moment.
Considering the spirit stones and magic tools he had taken as spoils, he had not suffered a loss in this battle. If anything, he had made a considerable profit.
Whether he would have come away with this much if he had fought using only the Bonefuzzes was another matter.
Having several Bonefuzzes work together to pin down an opponent while using the Fireball Art to break through a Tier 2 gu warrior’s body-protecting spirit light consumed spirit stones far too quickly.
If Lee Hyun had not finished them off himself, there was no telling how many times more he would have needed to pour into the fight. If even one or two Bonefuzzes were completely destroyed in the process, he would also have to pay for new bone material and soul stones.
‘Auto-hunting is still out of the question.’
The fuzzbee lay flat against the back of his hand, pressing its belly down as if sleepy.
Lee Hyun put it into the spirit-insect pouch and brought out another fuzzbee.
While the newly released insect climbed onto the corner of the table and raised its antennae, Lee Hyun inspected the Bonefuzz’s torso again and began writing down ideas for improvements as they occurred to him.
…
For some time afterward, daily life in Qingshi Market did not change much.
The puppet master in the turtle mask never appeared again.
***
By the time nearly half a year had passed since they arrived at Qingshi Market, strange rumors began to circulate.
Additional Nascent Soul cultivators had appeared on the side of the Nanming Twelve-Sect Alliance, and a major battle had taken place in the direction of the Cang Kingdom.
At the same time, the atmosphere inside the cultivator market slowly began to change. For some reason, everyone seemed anxious.
…
Several days later.
The Foundation Establishment cultivators staying at Qingshi Market had gathered in the central hall.
Disciples of the Danxiao Sect and Biluo Sect filled the seats alongside cultivators from nearby minor sects and cultivation clans. Golden Core Elders sat farther inside.
Tan Yunsheng rose from his seat.
“Orders have come from the main mountain. At dawn tomorrow, we will withdraw from Qingshi Market.”
Beside him, Liu Zhengyuan quietly exhaled. It sounded as though some of his tension had eased.
But another Elder immediately continued.
“Our withdrawal route is north. We are heading for the Xuan Kingdom.”
Liu Zhengyuan’s expression stiffened.
Someone at the back of the hall asked,
“Are we not returning to the main mountain?”
Tan Yunsheng shook his head.
“The main mountain is preparing to withdraw as well.”
Many did not immediately understand what he meant.
“…You mean we’re vacating the Mountain Gate?”
A disciple in the front row asked.
Tan Yunsheng gave a short answer.
“Yes.”
An Elder of the Biluo Sect stood.
“The Seniors engaged the Nanming Twelve-Sect Alliance in battle. Those who came from the north also lent their strength, but it was not enough to reverse the tide.”
Tan Yunsheng added,
“The Nanming Twelve-Sect Alliance had more Nascent Soul cultivators than we expected. We failed to properly assess how much their strength had grown since they seized the Lan Kingdom long ago. Once those who crossed the sea later joined them as well, the balance tipped against us. One of our sect’s Supreme Elders also suffered injuries to his dharma body. I am told he will need to recuperate for some time.”
The Biluo Sect Elder continued.
“They discussed whether the main mountain could still be defended if the fighting continued, and ultimately settled on terms for withdrawal.”
He gestured, and a rolled sheet of paper on the table unfurled and floated into the air.
「The Wangu Sect, Danxiao Sect, and Biluo Sect will hand over their main mountains and major strongholds within the agreed period. The Nanming Twelve-Sect Alliance will not pursue the withdrawing Nascent Soul cultivators.」
The hall erupted in murmurs.
“All the spirit veins….”
“They’re even handing over the main mountains?”
“Quiet.”
The voices died down.
The Elder looked over the disciples.
“For now, the primary targets are the Tier 4 spirit veins of our main mountains and the surrounding strongholds. Each sect is deciding the details of which supplies to remove and how to withdraw its personnel. Here, you need only prepare to leave Qingshi Market. Until the withdrawal is complete, Nascent Soul cultivators from both sides will not intervene in fighting among Golden Core cultivators, Tier 3 gu warriors, and those below those levels.”
Song Qiming asked,
“Does that mean Golden Core cultivators, Tier 3 gu warriors, and those below them may continue attacking one another?”
“Yes.”
A disciple asked,
“Could the Supreme Elders travel with us….”
“No.”
Tan Yunsheng answered.
“The agreement also stipulates that Nascent Soul cultivators will not escort the withdrawal columns. The Supreme Elders have already left the battlefield, and we Golden Core Elders will lead those who remain.”
Yue Wugou clenched the hand resting on his knee.
“So even after taking our spirit veins, they intend to chase us down and steal our possessions?”
The Biluo Sect Elder did not deny it.
“The Nanming Twelve-Sect Alliance refused our demand that their disciples be forbidden from pursuing us as well. Many cultivators must have joined them in hopes of earning battle merits and spoils. The twelve sects are unlikely to make all of them give up their share. In any case, they won the war. It is not something we are in a position to decide.”
“….”
“On the other hand, their Nascent Soul cultivators will not attack us either. Without that condition, we would even have had to fear Nascent Soul cultivators appearing along our withdrawal route. The Supreme Elders have done as much as they could for your sake. The other side likewise does not want Nascent Soul cultivators from our side roaming around slaughtering their disciples. In exchange, both sides have agreed to stay their hands.”
Lee Hyun organized the situation in his mind.
The Nascent Soul cultivators would no longer intervene.
But they could still encounter Golden Core cultivators or Tier 3 gu warriors. There would also be Foundation Establishment cultivators and Tier 2 gu warriors pursuing them from behind.
To those people, the storage pouches and cargo carried by the retreating cultivators would look like spoils waiting to be claimed.
Tan Yunsheng’s voice remained calm.
“That is all that has been decided. What we must do now is get out safely.”
He waved a hand, and a map unfolded in midair.
A route leading north from Qingshi Market lit up. Several strongholds were marked along the way.
“We and the Biluo Sect will travel together for part of the route. We will also join up with personnel from nearby strongholds.”
He pointed to the first rendezvous point.
“The advance party will leave today to scout the route. Everyone else will load the cargo by tonight and depart before daybreak. The grand formation will remain active until the rear guard has withdrawn.”
Another Elder added,
“Move any supplies that have already been packed as they are. Do not waste time dismantling equipment that cannot be taken with us. People and the supplies necessary for travel take priority.”
The Elders explained the rendezvous points and order of movement.
There were many questions.
Whether they would be able to meet the fellow disciples who remained at the main mountain.
Whether cultivators from nearby cultivation clans could bring their families with them.
Where the contribution points they had accumulated until now could be settled.
But the Elders gave negative answers to most of them.
They could not say whether anyone would be able to join up with fellow disciples from the main mountain. There was no time to fetch family members who were far away, and they were told that making use of their contribution points would likewise be difficult.
…
After the meeting ended, the Yanxia Peak disciples followed Tan Yunsheng to a separate hall.
As soon as the doors closed, Liu Zhengyuan finally voiced the question he had been holding back.
“Master. Has the Xuan Kingdom agreed to let us enter?”
“Yes. The Azure Cloud Sect, Taixuan Sect, and Jinding Sect have agreed to allow the fleeing disciples passage and temporary refuge. However, they have not agreed to provide us with a new place to settle.”
The disciples’ attention gathered on him again.
“The spirit veins there already have owners. Those three sects have no intention of giving us land where we can simply reestablish our former power wholesale. If we wish to obtain a spirit vein and establish ourselves, we will have to negotiate separately with those who control them.”
Mei Sujun asked,
“Then has it still not been decided where we will stay?”
“That is correct.”
Silence fell for a moment.
Yue Wugou muttered quietly,
“If the Nanming Twelve-Sect Alliance advances farther north, won’t the Xuan Kingdom be in danger too? And if cultivators from the Cang Kingdom and Kun Kingdom cross into their territory, that must cause problems for them as well. Why didn’t they help more actively?”
“They are not as desperate as we are.”
Tan Yunsheng pointed toward the upper portion of the map.
Beyond the Cang Kingdom and Kun Kingdom, the land spread broadly to the east and west. The Xuan Kingdom lay within that widened expanse, with several other borders extending around it.
“The Kun Kingdom lies on a peninsula, but from the Xuan Kingdom onward begins the gateway to a vast continent stretching east and west. The circumstances are different there. To attack that region, they would also have to consider the movements of several neighboring cultivation nations. Most of the surrounding sects follow the orthodox path, so they will not welcome demonic path forces from across the sea establishing themselves nearby. The Nanming Twelve-Sect Alliance also needs to divide up the newly captured spirit veins and secure the territories it has occupied. The Xuan Kingdom likely believes the alliance will find it difficult to shoulder that burden as well and immediately continue its advance north.”
“Even so….”
“They still sent three Nascent Soul cultivators. That was a considerable effort on their part. It seems they simply were not willing to risk having their own Nascent Soul cultivators seriously injured merely to defend our Mountain Gate.”
Yue Wugou could say nothing more.
Tan Yunsheng continued.
“The Xuan Kingdom has also obtained a promise from the Nanming Twelve-Sect Alliance that they will not pursue us into Xuan territory. First, we must make it there.”
Song Qiming looked at Tan Yunsheng.
“Master, where do you intend to go?”
Tan Yunsheng did not answer immediately.
He studied the map on the table for some time before slowly speaking.
“First, I should find somewhere for all of you to rest.”
He looked around at his disciples.
“I have already sent word to some old acquaintances. But I still do not know whether any of them will have a place capable of taking in our entire Yanxia Peak family. I intend to look into other possibilities as well.”
Tan Yunsheng was both a Golden Core cultivator and a Tier 3 alchemist. An alchemist of his caliber was a rare existence in the cultivation world, so finding somewhere for himself alone to stay would not have been particularly difficult. There was no shortage of forces throughout the human realm that would welcome him.
The problem was bringing along all the disciples who had followed him. Most spirit veins suitable for settling safely already had owners, and few places would accept so many disciples all at once.
Fang Jiyun asked cautiously,
“Should we find separate places to stay….”
“We can discuss that after reaching the north.”
Tan Yunsheng cut in.
“Do not start worrying about splitting up already. For now, think only about getting out of here safely. Qiming, check the roster of disciples who came to Qingshi Market and make sure everyone is accounted for.”
“Yes.”
“The rest of you, inspect the flying boats and the supplies we will be transporting. Hurry.”
“Understood.”
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