Chapter 149: The Five Elements Divine Art (2)
The five paths leading to the corpse of the Five Elements Divine Lord.
One could go in any direction if they wished to ascend.
In that place, where the top and bottom were open like a vertical circular cave, there were five stone bridges leading to the central pillar.
The bridges seemed too weak to even support one person, and the problem was that stepping on the stone bridge instantly put one under the influence of corpse poison.
The poisonous nature of corpse poison, erupting from below following the rising air currents. It was truly horrifyingly strong.
The corpse of the successor of the Pure White Water Sect was already emitting a rotten smell.
Fortunately, the poison didn’t cross the boundary of the vertical cave, but who would dare to enter it?
“If we go in like this, we will definitely die.”
“Isn’t it possible for the Poison Beauty to do it?” Hwa So-so asked.
Tang Eun-seol, who went as far as the Five Poisons Sect to train in order to reach the level of a poison master. She thought it might be possible for her.
However, Tang Eun-seol shook her head.
“There is a limit to everything. We need to find another way.”
The center of the vertical cave, where the Five Elements Divine Lord sat, was roughly 30 meters away from any direction.
The narrow and smooth stone bridges were not a long distance if one used light footwork techniques.
The problem was that it would be a disaster if any hidden weapons were to fly in midway.
It would be fine if there were no poison, but the corpse poison in that place was an extreme poison that even Tang Eun-seol couldn’t withstand.
The expressions of the people darkened.
A few of them moved quietly.
It was Yi-gang, Yu Su-rin, Baek Ha-jun, and Namgung Shin.
“You shouldn’t go up.”
“I know.”
Yi-gang also had no intention of climbing the stone bridge.
Those holding the boxes, including Yi-gang, all felt a tremor.
The box seemed to be guiding them to the exact place they needed to go.
Yi-gang was holding the Wood box.
The trembling of the box grew stronger and then stopped at the front of one of the five stone bridges.
There was a square hole there.
It was just the right size for the box.
「If it’s said to be a key, then is this the keyhole?」
The guess of the Blue-Eyed Mad Demon was the same as Yi-gang’s.
The four of them, including Yi-gang, each stood in front of the same type of hole.
After a moment of hesitation, they inserted the boxes into the holes.
The hole was so precisely carved that there wasn’t even a sliver of space left, fitting perfectly.
As Yi-gang and the other three took out the boxes they had never seen before, the eyes of the successors lit up.
Click—
Then, the sound of something activating was heard.
The box slid smoothly into the hole as if being sucked in.
It seemed only deep enough for a finger, but now the bottom was not visible.
Where did the box go?
Thrumming—
And then the entire space began to vibrate.
Yi-gang and his group immediately stepped back quickly.
The successors, too, were flustered and drew their weapons.
Thrumming—
But it was as if an earthquake was occurring, shaking the very foundation. What could they possibly do with mere weapons in this situation?
All they could do was hope that whatever was happening wouldn’t be dangerous.
“Wh-what’s this…?”
“It doesn’t seem like anything happened…”
However, no visible change occurred.
After that, the curiosity of the successors turned towards Yi-gang and his group.
“What exactly did you do?”
“It’s a key.”
Yi-gang was the one who answered as their representative.
He said, gazing at the vertical passage, “We inserted a key.”
“There was such a thing?”
“Yes, there was.”
Jeong Myung, who had asked the question, said nothing in response to Yi-gang’s answer.
Someone murmured, “You should have said something beforehand…”
However, no one expressed any complaints.
Even they would have kept silent if they had acquired such an item themselves. Besides, there were four of them, and they had used it publicly. There was no point in making a fuss about it.
“There might be some changes.”
Tang Eun-seol stepped forward one pace.
For some reason, she began to gather sand from the ground.
As fine as rice flour, the gathered sand was then scattered into the vertical passage.
Whoosh—
There was an updraft coming from the depths in the vertical passage.
The dust scattered and soon rose to the ceiling. However, it seemed the force weakened, and most of the sand fell back down.
“It seems the wind carrying the corpse poison has weakened.”
It was undoubtedly good news. The strong updraft had been hindering entry, even if it wasn’t poisonous.
Tang Eun-seol bent over and brought her hand close to her calf.
Then, a long silver needle popped out.
She stretched out her hand and waved the silver needle swiftly.
Then, she rubbed the tip of the needle against the back of her hand.
Almost immediately, the back of her hand turned bright red.
“Hmm, seems like the toxicity has also weakened quite a bit, doesn’t it?”
It was an experiment only possible for a martial artist of the Tang Clan.
“If it’s turning that red so quickly, you’re saying it’s weakened?”
“Yes, it’s still dangerous. But the risk might have reduced to about a quarter of what it was before.”
Tang Eun-seol appeared to be quietly contemplating.
Yi-gang realized the problem.
“We don’t have the Fire box.”
Among the Five Elements of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water, Yi-gang and his group had the boxes of Wood, Water, and Metal.
As it turns out, Namgung Shin had the Earth box.
If the Fire box had also been inserted, would the wind carrying the corpse poison have completely stopped?
That might have been the meaning of the key.
The place where the updraft of corpse poison blew was inaccessible to people.
But if the door was opened with the five keys, perhaps the Five Elements Divine Art would then allow access to people.
Could that be the case?
‘It’s more mundane than I thought. Hard to understand, too.’
Why such a complex method?
Scattering the keys on the ground and expecting them all to be gathered here – what were the odds?
As evidence, there was still no one here who had the Fire box.
Yi-gang directly asked the successors, but no one came forward with the Fire box.
There’s no reason to hide it after coming this far.
Then, anyway, they must solve the situation under these conditions.
“Let’s think of a way.”
Yi-gang and Tang Eun-seol were at the center, pondering ways to retrieve the Five Elements Divine Art.
Namgung Shin, who had been quiet for days, stood up.
He stood apart from the others, staring at the corpse of the Five Elements Divine Lord, seemingly making a decision.
Suddenly, he tightened the sleeves and hems of his pants.
Then he tore a cloth from his bag, soaked it in water, and wrapped it around his face, leaving only his eyes exposed.
“What are you doing?”
Shaolin’s First Fist Jeong Myung was the first to notice his actions.
Next was Moyong Jin.
“What are you doing!”
Moyong Jin seemed extremely angry as he approached Namgung Shin.
Namgung Shin glanced at Moyong Jin and then immediately turned towards the corpse of the Five Elements Divine Lord.
Taking a deep breath, “Hup.”
He kicked off the ground and leaped onto the stone bridge.
Everyone realized it. Namgung Shin had risked the danger of poisoning and jumped out.
It hadn’t even been an hour since the successor of the Pure White Water Sect coughed up blood and died. If people valued their lives, they wouldn’t do this.
“You crazy fool!”
Moyong Jin was about to follow Namgung Shin when Yi-gang held him back.
“You want to die too?”
“Th-that guy…”
Namgung Shin seemed to be planning to hold his breath and return quickly.
If one was skilled in light footwork, crossing the stone bridge was feasible.
But as Yi-gang thought, the designer, the Master of the Ghost Valley, was not an easy opponent.
Iron arrows shot out from holes in the wall.
Clang—
Namgung Shin drew his sword and deflected them.
However, his body had to stop for a moment. As if it was waiting for this, more hidden weapons poured out than before.
Yi-gang saw it with his sharp eyes.
The exposed back of Namgung Shin’s hand began to turn bright red.
“Does he really want to die?”
Moyong Jin murmured, and Yi-gang sympathized.
Namgung Shin ran towards the corpse of the Five Elements Divine Lord.
Everyone watched his figure with bated breath, regardless of the outcome.
The corpse poison was still deadly. Could Namgung Shin really retrieve the Five Elements Divine Art and return?
Even if he returned alive, what if he died from the poisoning? Was he not afraid of death?
“Huff, huff…”
Among those watching Namgung Shin was Yang Gu-jeon.
Through his eyes, Namgung Shin appeared to be split in two.
It was due to the intense heat that seemed to burn his whole body.
The pain from his severed arm was relentless. He had performed simple first aid, but the wound was slowly killing Yang Gu-jeon.
“Huff…”
Tears flowed from Yang Gu-jeon’s eyes.
He was likely going to die. Already struggling to walk.
Losing his right arm, a martial artist’s lifeline, had been devastating, and now he was feeling the reality of death.
All that remained in his dizzy mind was anger.
But no one paid attention to him.
As Namgung Shin sharply bent his waist to dodge an arrow, the successors burst into admiration.
“Wow!”
“H-he can do it!”
Yang Gu-jeon’s anger was directed at Namgung Shin.
Namgung Shin had acted selfishly. He didn’t care for those who followed him, and because of that, one had fallen prey to the Hungry Ghost Parasites.
It was the same at the gates of the Yellow River. Because Namgung Shin had gone ahead first, another person fell into the underground water and died.
Everything was Namgung Shin’s fault. At least, that’s how Yang Gu-jeon felt.
And now again, Namgung Shin had gone ahead alone.
Unconsciously, Yang Gu-jeon clenched his blade.
He couldn’t properly use blade techniques with his left arm.
He didn’t have the confidence to run into that area filled with corpse poison and catch up to Namgung Shin.
He forced his eyes, growing blurry, to focus intently on Namgung Shin.
There was only one action Yang Gu-jeon could take now.
“You there! Put down your blade…!”
Someone noticed Yang Gu-jeon’s intentions.
But it was too late to stop him.
“You vile bastard!”
Yang Gu-jeon threw his sword recklessly.
Like a child hurling stones at a wild dog that had stolen his sweets.
But Yang Gu-jeon’s strength was not weak, and Namgung Shin was unlucky.
Yang Gu-jeon was quickly restrained. However, the blade he had thrown wildly spun through the air.
The sheath naturally slipped off. The blade, not properly cleaned of the clotted blood, gleamed sharply.
“Watch out!”
Namgung Shin must have heard someone shouting that.
Even so, he was not someone who would be caught by such a pathetic throw.
Clang!
The blade was deflected by Namgung Shin’s own sword.
But in that brief moment, an iron arrow flew and embedded itself in Namgung Shin’s back.
“Cough!”
When the body was pierced, the muscles wrapping the intestines contracted.
Breath burst out as the lungs constricted.
He clenched his mouth shut, but the corpse poison had already entered his airway.
Namgung Shin walked a few steps and then collapsed.
“Come back right now!” Tang Eun-seol shouted.
Even if poisoned, he should still be able to move.
Indeed, Namgung Shin lifted his head while supporting himself on the ground with his hands.
“Come back, you crazy fool!” Moyong Jin also shouted.
However, Namgung Shin did not turn back.
Unable to stand, he began to crawl forward.
Towards the Five Elements Divine Art.
“He’s going to die doing that,” Baek Ha-jun said quietly.
Namgung Shin showed an obsession that could only be described as bizarre.
His disregard for his own body was excessive.
This way, he would surely die. What’s the use of obtaining the Five Elements Divine Art if he died from poisoning?
Yi-gang also saw Namgung Shin’s eyes turn bloodshot.
The drops falling were tears of blood.
Yi-gang realized in that moment.
“He intended to die from the beginning.”
It wasn’t about braving death to obtain the Five Elements Divine Art.
It was suicide. A very complex and inefficient method of suicide.
The Blue-Eyed Mad Demon was present in the form of a spirit.
She looked at Namgung Shin and muttered something out of the blue, 「Yi-gang, you must live.」
Yi-gang kept silent and watched Namgung Shin.
He crawled bit by bit, approaching the corpse of the Five Elements Divine Lord.
「You shouldn’t die like that.」
‘I don’t plan to die like that.’
「I’m canceling my request.」
Her long-standing wish was to gather the Blue Eye Gem and meet her kin in those Kunlun Mountains.
To be reborn as a yokai again. That was her goal.
‘Canceling it now?’
「There must be other ways to acquire spiritual energy besides me. What’s the point if you die trying to get the Blue Eye Gem?」
‘I don’t have time.’
「…」
Yi-gang glared at Namgung Shin.
The Blue Eye Gem, which he thought would be in the Criminal Repository, was in an unimaginable place.
It probably wasn’t in the Murim Alliance until a few months ago, but must have returned when Yi-gang came to Kaifeng.
He had discovered the answer to that mystery.
The reason why the Blue-Eyed Mad Demon screamed in shock on the day Yi-gang and Namgung Shin had their match.
‘If Namgung Shin falls and dies there, I’ll never be able to recover the Blue Eye Gem.’
The Blue Eye Gem that was in the Blue-Eyed Mad Demon’s eye must be embedded somewhere in Namgung Shin’s body. Yi-gang had figured it out.
The Heavenly Thunder Bell that used the power of lightning.
And the Namgung Clan’s Blue Lightning True Qi that imbued the sword with lightning.
Both were the same power, in the sense that they borrowed the power of yokai.
Namgung Shin’s thunder-like Sword Cry, and his body bleeding, unable to withstand the yokai energy, must be because of the Blue Eye Gem.
“Tch.”
Namgung Shin collapsed right in front of the corpse of the Five Elements Divine Lord.
Yi-gang wasn’t one to volunteer, but this time, it was a moment to save someone.
「If you get poisoned, then I…」
“Young Lady Tang.”
Tang Eun-seol turned to look at Yi-gang.
There was no particular sympathy for Namgung Shin in her slightly drooping eyes.
Indeed, it was that pitiful and reckless.
Yi-gang wasn’t as reckless as Namgung Shin.
“Lend me your Poison Resistance Bead.”
“What?”
“You know.”
“I don’t have it.”
A treasure that prevented poisoning when held in the mouth.
There were different levels of Poison Resistance Beads. The secret Poison Resistance Bead of the Tang Clan was no less than a Treasure never to be taken out of the house.
Yi-gang looked straight into Tang Eun-seol’s eyes.
“If you don’t have it, should I just go in?”
“If you just go in, you’ll die.”
“So please lend it to me.”
“…”
“I’ll pay you back.”
After a moment of silence, Tang Eun-seol took something out of her bosom.
“Just biting the Poison Resistance Bead doesn’t make you invincible. It only buys a little time.”
“Thank you.”
Inside the silk pouch was a bead the size of an acorn.
As Yi-gang was about to bite the Poison Resistance Bead, Tang Eun-seol added, “Wait, wipe it off before you bite. It probably won’t smell.”
Yi-gang made an effort not to frown and wiped the Poison Resistance Bead on his clothes.
Then he bit into it.
“Actually, it’s never been used before. Be careful not to get saliva on it.”
To joke in such a situation, she was indeed a remarkable woman.
Thinking this, Yi-gang started walking.
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