episode_0445

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As members of the Murim Alliance and having arrived at Gosangmun Gate, which was recently attacked by the Blood Cult, we had no choice but to quickly go on the offensive.

“Two days ago, several nearby masters headed to the base of the blood religion.”

Even if it is the cornerstone of the Murim Alliance, it is usually a powerful enough force to tightly control the area.

It was an act that made no common sense to think of going into the stronghold of a blood religion even after seeing those clans suffer great damage, but there were people like that in the world.

It is said that, whether out of greed for fame or a swollen liver, the warriors who heard the news that there was a base for a blood religion formed a group and attacked the base, and then the news stopped.

Instead of being helpful, they were the ones who threw a lot of shit, but still, life is life.

They had no choice as it was for their safety to attack the base as quickly as possible.

“We will stand at the forefront of the Five Generations. People from the nine factions, please escort the five marches.”

“Amitabha Buddha.”

“Muryangsubul.”

At the forefront were the Hwagyeong masters of the Five Great Families, including the Mo Yong Family, and I joined the middle ranks in a five-line formation, escorted by the Hwagyeong Masters of the Nine Sects.

“It’s the Murim League!”

“The Murim Alliance has appeared!”

As soon as the mountains became noisy, Mo Yong-seo sent an attack signal, and the warriors of the Murim Alliance, with the Hwagyeong masters at the forefront, launched a light attack and rushed into the mountains.

“Kaaak!”

“Ugh!!”

Blood members of the Blood Cult came out and responded, but were suppressed literally in an instant.

Is this a natural result since Master Hwagyeong decided to rush in?

Even though the blood people were subdued in an instant, Mo Yong-seo’s expression hardened.

There were at most less than ten blood people who came out in a commotion that could be heard throughout the entire mountain village.

“Search the wild vegetables!”

At Mo Yong-seo’s words, the Murim men immediately searched the surroundings.

“There are traces of escape here.”

“Same here.”

“Huh.”

Mo Yong-seo sighed. This was because there was already evidence scattered throughout the mountainous area that a group of blood cultists had escaped.

“Goseongmun and the surrounding political factions were watching the base, so how could the groups of spirits and blood religions evaporate without a trace?”

Such doubts about Mo Yong-seo were soon resolved.

“There is a long tunnel dug here.”

Because there was a large cave in the center of the mountain vegetables.

As soon as I saw the burrow, I could tell that it was a burrow dug by a badger.

Mo Yong-mo, who was investigating the underground area of Shaanseobunta, also seemed to feel the same way as me and let out a long sigh.

“It looks like the spirit creature dug a hole and escaped.”

“The inside is blocked.”

“Oh my.”

Everyone looked helpless. I ran hard all the way from the Murim Alliance to this place, and the group of Blood Cultists ran away due to the thunder beetles attacking the grass, so they might have made that kind of expression.

“What happened cannot be helped. Rather, shouldn’t we look for survivors?”

“Still, since it is the base of the blood religion, there may be some useful information left.”

The search that started like that soon involved the entire attack team.

“There is a basement here.”

“There are oysters here too.”

This was because underground spaces of a considerable size were discovered throughout the mountain complex, which appears to have expanded the underground space significantly through the use of badger spirits.

My companions and I also joined the investigation.

“Infinite Buddha, is there any need for you to come forward?”

“Wouldn’t it be strange to be escorted alone in a situation where it was clear that a group of blood cultists had escaped? How about we spread out and look for clues?”

“Okay.”

The masters of the nine factions who were protecting me, led by Jinin, a famous shaman faction, also dispersed.

“There is definitely something here and there.”

The underground space was more like a cave than a basement.

There were clear traces of the spirit creature’s claws digging into the earthen wall. After that, there were plenty of traces of blood members of the blood religion carving out and filling in various places for their livelihood.

The underground space of the base clearly showed signs of hasty cleanup. We were able to find not only books and letters, but also items that seemed to be used in various magic techniques.

Yeo Il-ye frowned as she looked at the blood-stained jar.

“What blood techniques did they use here?”

“Well. Now that I think about it, I’ve never seen a blood religion’s magic in person other than sprinkling drops of blood. The Explosive Heart Technique is just a technique that cannot be called a magic technique.”

“Wouldn’t it be enough just to command a spirit? I don’t want to experience any more blood magic.”

“That’s right.”

I was lost in thought as I listened to the conversation between my companions and looked at the seemingly useless ingredient ledger.

Blood magic, blood magic.

I don’t know what technique was used to tame the spiritual creatures of the blood religion, but I am certain that blood magic was used.

Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to explain why Seo Gong refused to attack me even when he refused the blood man’s orders.

“Um.”

If blood is the medium for the blood arts of a blood religion, how can just connecting that blood influence the magic?

then.

Is that feeling that has been irritating my nerves since a while ago also a talent that has melted in my blood? Or is it a manifestation of instinct?

“Are you by any chance feeling something?”

At my words, my companions turned their backs to each other with nervous expressions and their hands on their weapons. It looks like he took my words as a warning.

I added, scratching the back of my head shyly.

“No, it doesn’t mean there’s an enemy hiding… It’s like I really feel like something is bothering me. It’s like I’m worried…”

“No, this guy is talking so meaningfully!”

“Well, it’s not particularly pleasant, but it doesn’t feel particularly strange either.”

In the end, only I feel this feeling.

I followed that feeling and came back to the ground. Obviously, the place my senses told me about was underground, but I felt like it was far from this place.

Following what seemed to be a sense of blood, the place I headed to was the basement of a building. There were clear signs of people coming and going, as if it was a space where Murim members had completed their investigation, but for now, we followed the lead and entered.

“Um.”

I was convinced as soon as I entered the basement.

This is the place that captured my senses.

I approached one wall with indescribable confidence. The wall, which was clearly exposed without being covered or hidden by anything, was a rough dirt wall that was no different from any other wall, but I was confident that there was something here.

I don’t know how to explain it, but I was convinced that I had to put my hand into this black wall.

Maybe it has something to do with access.

Something like a handle or a bleeding hole.

Phew.

He coated his hand with white steel and thrust it toward the earthen wall. After fumbling a few times, I could clearly grasp the feel of the metal stick.

There’s no way there’s a metal stick in a dirt wall for no reason, so this must be a handle.

Patter!

When I pulled the handle with force, a pile of dirt came pouring down and the door came out. Wouldn’t it be more appropriate to call it a stopper rather than a door?

“Secret space…”

“It was naturally disguised.”

I listened to the murmurs of my companions and looked at the lid where the dirt had fallen off.

Some of the liquor lines drawn densely around the handle were revealed.

It seems that it was this drinking party that stimulated me until now.

Seeing that he was not caught by the spirits of not only his companions but also the members of the Murim Alliance, which included many Hwagyeong masters, it seems that he was a type of group that could only detect greetings from the blood religion.

I turned my head and looked ahead.

A secret space the size of a library at most.

In that secret space, there were books and scrolls that appeared to anyone to be confidential documents of the blood religion.

*** ***

The books and scrolls that were in the secret space were immediately entrusted to the hands of a military officer with a specialty in light engineering and sent to the Murim League.

As a result, when the investigation team arrived at the Murim Alliance, they were able to immediately receive the results of the interpretation of the inscription.

“You really did a great job!”

Yeon Cheon-baek gathered all the Hwagyeong experts of the investigation team.

Yeon Cheon-baek did not hide his joy, as if the harvest obtained through the inscription was quite large.

“The inscription contains quite useful information. There were records of the movements of spiritual entities and the main forces of the Blood Cult, information on relatively new bases, and some of the plans and orders of the Blood Cult.”

The experts in the investigation team were also happy to hear that there was success.

“Wow, I thought I had made a mistake, but I am glad that there was a harvest.”

“Noegeomnang-in has once again made a great contribution. This is Moorim’s Hongbok.”

“How can I say it is my contribution? It can be said to be a credit to all the investigators who searched together.”

“Pre-existence, pre-existence.”

After compliments were exchanged in a friendly atmosphere, Mo Yong-seo brightened up the surroundings.

“It seems like the Lord has something to say…”

“That’s right.”

Yeon Cheon-baek took a look at all aspects of the investigation team, controlled the mood, and then made a bombshell announcement.

“Based on the information in the inscription, we have identified the stronghold of the blood religion.”

“…!”

Silent astonishment spread.

While everyone was silent, reflecting on the meaning and weight of the statement, Mo Yong-seo spoke.

“It may be the result of thorough review, but isn’t it a too hasty conclusion? No matter how secretly the inscription was, it could not have contained information about its home base…”

“It is true that the inscription discovered this time played a decisive role in identifying the stronghold, but the work of finding the stronghold of the blood religion has been ongoing since the Murim League began its activities. This is the conclusion I came to by putting everything together.”

“Umm.”

“Even if it is not the home base, it is certain that it is a base large enough to rival the home base or that the head of the blood religion is staying there.”

…Head of the blood religion.

Does this mean that my maternal grandfather, Hyeoljon, is at that base?

An inexplicable feeling of excitement spread through my heart. Regardless of my agitation, Mo Yong-seo continued speaking with a serious expression.

“If we use this information well, we can create an opportunity to eliminate the head of the Blood Cult at once.”

Yan Tianbaek nodded.

“Men also had the same thoughts as Mo Yong-seo Daehyup. Therefore, the Murim Alliance decided to attack the stronghold of the blood religion.”

“Huh…!”

“Not only the current investigation team, but also the eighteen Arhats of the Shaolin Temple and Master Unjong of the Jeomchang Sect who pioneered the realm of Hyeonjing will join the attack. It is a race against time, so members of the investigation team must prepare for deployment immediately.”

Everyone swallowed their saliva at Yeon Cheon-baek’s words.

In addition to being an expert at Hyeongyeong, eighteen Arhats who are capable of unfolding the Eighteen Arhat Forces are additionally mobilized.

Is it possible that this level of power will ever be mobilized, both in the past and in the future?

It seems that even the martial arts masters who had experienced many hardships could not hide their nervousness as the task of rewriting the history of the martial arts was truly imminent.

“Please, I wish you all the best.”

next day.

The investigation team departed for Jiangsu, where the blood religion’s headquarters is located.