Second Apostle's lips twisted wickedly.
"The Cult Leader has vanished, yet these so-called Apostles manipulate the cult with shallow faith. Truly, they are wretches deserving of death. The followers must, with sacred hearts, execute the Seventh Apostle."
He crossed his arms in an elegant posture, lightly floating in the air with the Body Concealment Art of the Mastery of Emptiness.
To any observer, he appeared divine, yet the turbulent energy unique to the Demonic Faction shrouded his entire body, exuding the presence of a fiendish deity.
The Demon of the Blood Flame Cult's Shanxi Branch issued the order.
The Blood Flame Cultists, spread out like a swarm of red ants, responded. Fanaticism naturally gravitated toward those who ruled in close proximity.
Shanxi was their world, their heaven. Their hostility toward the Seventh Apostle of the annihilated main sect reflected that belief.
"The Apostle has spoken."
"Drink the blood of the heretics!"
"Kill them!"
Amidst the frenzy, the head of the one who had shouted about drinking blood suddenly burst apart, struck by the aftermath of a violent palm strike.
From a distance, the Second Apostle, still standing with his arms crossed, had unleashed the Crimson Dark Divine Palm with a single motion. He muttered,
"Not a single drop belongs to you."
As the Blood Flame Cultists, their red hair billowing, charged toward the Seventh Apostle, they paid no heed to the explosion of powerful energy beside them. Their numbers were easily in the hundreds.
Beside them, the semi-transparent walls of the Twin Flame Blood Spirit Formation flickered, creating a scene akin to an otherworldly myth from the Classic of Mountains and Seas.
The Seventh Apostle did not flee. She simply glanced around as if she couldn't see the cultists at all, her scattered expressions tinged with madness.
Second Apostle chuckled like an old sage.
"Seventh Apostle, noble one of the True Blood, do not resist the cultists. They were born from your martial arts and blood."
"You recite the Art of Lip Synchronization like a grand minister."
The Seventh Apostle replied briefly.
With a smile, the Second Apostle's voice flowed like a swift melody through the Art of Lip Synchronization.
"Will you spill the blood of your own kind? Even if you escape from here, no Apostle will welcome you. Do not recklessly become a heretic. It would be far better to become the sword of the Shaanxi Branch. Think of all that faith can grant you."
At that moment, five figures landed in front of the Seventh Apostle, exceptionally powerful Blood Master Swordsmen.
Their crimson hair whipped through the air as they advanced, their swift movements disturbing the snow, which scattered under the force of their blood energy.
"Heretic."
"Rest in peace."
From their swords, gauntlets, and weapons, ruthless energy surged forth.
Each of them had properly refined Blood Arts. Some among them, having inherited precious bloodlines, had eyes gleaming with violent energy.
A desperate situation.
Even the highest of martial masters would have to negotiate. The scale of the combined assault was overwhelming. Their sheer power was one thing, but the clash was imminent.
"Choose."
Second Apostle's voice echoed from afar.
And then, suddenly—
The Seventh Apostle stretched out her leg. A crimson aura spread along the hem of her Pure Blood Robe.
Step.
In a fleeting moment, she took a step forward.
That was the trigger.
Oooooong—!
A crimson light flared from her toes, the manifestation of refined true energy.
The snow-covered ground beneath her trembled slightly, and soon, red mist began to swirl like a fog.
In that instant, a violent energy erupted from the Twin Flame Blood Spirit Formation behind her.
Boom—!
All five Blood Master Swordsmen were pushed back at once. Even though their bodies flared with powerful Blood Art energy, they left deep grooves in the snow.
Their faces, once gleaming with blind murderous intent, now showed traces of shock.
With her lips curled upward, the Seventh Apostle took another step.
Kwoom!
The rushing wave of red came to an abrupt halt. The charging cultists faltered, stumbling as they lost balance.
The force sustaining the Twin Flame Blood Spirit Formation had seized their bodies. The fundamental energy of the Blood Flame Cult had turned against their charge.
"You, Seventh Apostle—what trick have you pulled on the secret technique of our cult?"
The Second Apostle asked with an expressionless face.
The Seventh Apostle blinked once.
"I went for a walk with my young Taesa. It was wonderful."
On the day of the main sect's annihilation, countless cultists perished within the Twin Flame Blood Spirit Formation. It was a slaughter at the hands of Taesa Jung Yeonshin, who had reversed the formation against them.
Taesa had easily shattered and repurposed the sect's defensive formation.
He had pulled sorcery into the realm of martial arts, wielding it brilliantly to ruthlessly punish the inferiors of the main sect, sparing none who challenged his dignity.
She had carefully engraved that radiant technique into the depths of her lone eye.
As she traced the senses of the young Taesa, it felt as though she was walking above the clouds.
In that exhilarating and refreshing state, she had comprehended the method of controlling the Twin Flame Blood Spirit Formation.
The Seventh Apostle.
At seventeen, she donned the Apostle's long robe. She had been born with the purest bloodline.
She was an absolute martial prodigy, unprecedented in the history of the cult.
A talent so radiant she could only see Taesa as divine. Of all people, she would mourn his death the most.
She was nothing like the Hwangbo Clan's Solar Divine Meridian, whose fate merely resembled his.
"I pondered for a long time, why did Taesa avoid me? I couldn't understand it at all. We connected through martial arts. We were the only ones who could truly understand each other. I'm the only one who should carve the inscription on Taesa's monument..."
Her lips, trembling like those of a madwoman, suddenly drew a smooth curve.
"And when I heard Taesa's words—"
Swish.
She slightly raised her arm, causing the crimson sleeve to slip downward.
"It was because of you."
She had to reclaim what she felt while masquerading as Lady Ye of the Hanzhong Murim Alliance.
She had liked Taesa's uncharacteristically gentle demeanor. It melted her mind and body like a potent medicinal herb.
Faith in the cult? Utterly meaningless.
The Seventh Apostle whispered under her breath. I alone am the noble True Blood. Why do I need you?
A crimson aura surged from her pale hands.
Kwoom!
The walls of the Twin Flame Blood Spirit Formation rippled like a great tide in response to her energy.
The barrier, meant to trap Lightning Genius within Mount Taebaek, stretched like a horizon, then gradually turned into a subdued, blood-colored glow—one that resonated with her aura.
The technique of Taesa Jung Yeonshin from the annihilation of the main sect had manifested once more.
But now, it had changed—adapted to the Seventh Apostle's style. The blade forged to slay Lightning Genius had reversed its direction.
"What… is that…?"
"A divine punishment… divine punishment…!"
The Twin Flame Blood Spirit Formation pulsed behind the Seventh Apostle, its energy dancing under her control.
The once-opaque walls of the formation began sinking down the slopes of Mount Taebaek.
Toward the cultists. The crimson tsunami, vast enough to shroud the mountainside, cast its shadow upon them.
Oooooong—
In an instant, it blotted out the sun. The ground quaked.
"Retreat! Fall back!"
"Blood Buddha! Flame God!"
Some turned and fled. But they were far too close.
A colossal impact rang out.
It was like a mountain deity of the Jinryung Mountain Range had cast a net.
From the snow-covered slopes to the entrance of Mount Taebaek, through the piles of corpses, it surged—engulfing hundreds in a crushing tide.
It happened in a flash. The Blood Flame Cultists, their lips still stained with the blood of warriors and villagers alike, convulsed in unison.
The resonance of true energy was immense. The overwhelming force of their own kind forcibly extracted the inner power from their very flesh.
The principles of energy absorption reversed upon the blood fiends. One by one, their bodies exploded.
Bam! Boom—! Bang!
Unlike those they had drained, they perished like they had been struck by thunder. Most left no corpses behind.
A mighty windstorm erupted, flinging snow into the air. The blood fiends continued to burst apart.
The Seventh Apostle's lips curled into a crimson smile.
"A-hahaha—!"
A voice filled with madness carried the question meant for Taesa. Acting as one of the Demonic Factions for these fools should be fine, right?
"Sev—en—th—A—pos—tle—!"
The Second Apostle charged forward, eyes wide with fury. His disheveled hair whipped through the air, his Pure Blood Robe fluttering lifelessly.
Like the Seventh Apostle, he had refrained from energy absorption, refining his inner power instead. Yet, even he seemed on the verge of Energy Deviation, his energy no longer as formidable as before.
The Seventh Apostle made a small hand gesture.
Crunch.
The snow beneath her feet compressed. In an instant, her body dispersed forward.
Sunlight rippled along the ends of her jet-black hair.
The next moment, she stepped onto the Second Apostle's shoulder.
The crimson mist of the Twin Flame Blood Spirit Formation had already risen to his knees, sealing his movement. Second Apostle let out a muffled grunt.
The Seventh Apostle exhaled smoothly. A strange heat writhed within her white face and the piercing gaze unique to supreme martial masters.
"My Taesa, my brilliant comet."
Next time, she would see him from an even higher place. She smiled.
* * *
"The encirclement has collapsed."
Bukgung Hu, from the Ice Palace, murmured.
Jung Yeonshin sensed it immediately as well. The vast expanse of the Twin Flame Blood Spirit Formation had crumbled.
It felt as though a section of a fortress wall had been overturned and vanished. He had a few suspicions, but he hesitated to believe them.
No way. No matter how insane a person is...
The affairs of the martial world were as intricate as the currents of the Yangtze River. It was best to avoid hasty assumptions and focus on what lay ahead.
Things were settling down. With a retreat path secured, the only task remaining was to shake off the Tyrant Sword Tribe's leader. That was the hardest part.
Jung Yeonshin glanced at Jang Sun-il and the noble siblings from the Ice Palace.
"You three go on ahead. I still have work to do."
They didn't hesitate. All three had sharp instincts. They knew when to leave.
"Sir, stay safe."
Jang Sun-il seemed more accustomed to bowing his head than clasping his hands in salute.
Jung Yeonshin hoped the kind-hearted herbalist wouldn't meet an untimely end. They were in similar positions, both with vengeance to exact.
Silently, he patted the boy's shoulder. With a palm imbued with Transcending Law Radiant Wheel energy, he pressed on his meridian points.
"Huff…!"
"I only stimulated your meridians slightly. It's better than the soil where He Shou Wu grows. People need to eat proper food."
Jang Sun-il, groaning, widened his eyes in surprise. Jung Yeonshin pushed him forward.
"Don't look back. Stay alive."
He shot a glance at the Bukgung siblings, silently asking them to accompany him. They nodded.
"We'll be waiting in Beihai. Thanks for everything."
"This alone is a great debt. Expect repayment."
Bukgung Hu gave an awkward but formal Ming-style martial salute, while Bukgung Rin waved the Comprehensive Overview of Demonic Factions' Annihilation in farewell.
Step.
The three descended the mountain together, occasionally glancing back at Jung Yeonshin.
The sun cast a pale glow on the snow-covered footprints trailing behind them. A simple yet meaningful connection.
Jung Yeonshin glanced sideways. Yulha Nangnang was seated on a snow-covered rock, engrossed in the Comprehensive Overview of Demonic Factions' Annihilation.
At that moment, she lifted her gaze.
"You are quite sentimental."
"…Excuse me?"
"The disciples in the text, as well. So is Bin Do."
"The Tyrant Sword Tribe's leader is approaching. Rather than idle talk—"
"Comprehensive Overview of Demonic Factions' Annihilation."
Yulha Nangnang interrupted him.
"For the next ten years, the Demonic Faction in Shaanxi will not be able to withstand the Plum Blossom Sword Style. At least ten years. The martial arts of noble sects, regardless of righteous or unorthodox, are accumulated studies of power. Unlike you, they cannot simply alter their martial foundation."
She continued speaking at a leisurely pace.
"You saved my disciple, Yoo Hyun, more than once. Mount Hua is a strict sword sect, and by law, we must honor you as a benefactor."
"You read quickly."
Jung Yeonshin caught on immediately. The leader of Mount Hua had deciphered the Tyrant Sword Tribe's weaknesses.
What would happen next? His cooled upper dantian offered no insight at this moment.
Yulha Nangnang's lips curved into a soft, playful smile.
"Do you have any idea how tedious and lengthy the Taoist scriptures are? Your handwriting is neat, and your content is direct—I quite enjoyed it. It's been a long time since I felt young again. There was a time when even reading a single mnemonic verse would excite me…"
It was then.
—Imperial hounds, bow before the arrival of the Tyrant Sword Tribe's leader!
A young man's voice rang out loudly. Judging by the depth of energy in his shout, he was a high-ranking warrior accompanying the leader.
Jung Yeonshin paid him no mind. The presence approaching was immeasurable.
The aura of the one who had shouted beside him was negligible. Finally, the Tyrant Sword Tribe's leader had arrived.
'If I observe through the Heaven-Piercing Technique now, then next time…'
Jung Yeonshin flicked his index finger like a shadow puppet.
First move, horizontal strike.
[The practitioners possess well-developed deltoid muscles along the chest.
Their energy is evenly distributed between the Jianliao Acupoint near the shoulder and the Middle Mansion Acupoint. They are more adept at horizontal strikes than downward ones, meaning they counter vertical attacks effectively.
Initiating combat with a horizontal strike is advantageous in seizing a brief moment. Even a slow-witted monkey would grasp this principle. The structure of their energy typically follows…]
Suddenly.
The sky darkened.
Even before the crown of the Tyrant Sword Tribe's leader came into view.
Fwoooosh—!
Unconsciously, Jung Yeonshin's movement traced a reddish glow along the ridge of the hill.
The hem of Yulha Nangnang's robe fluttered as she extended her pristine sword to the side.
A refined shade of pink.
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