Chapter 111: Lotus (19)

When I open my eyes again, the surroundings have turned into a sea of blood.

"Uh...?"

The only survivors are cultivators.

The entire Cheon-saek City has crumbled, and all the mortals left nothing but white bones behind, their life forces rising into the sky and converging in the void.

The area is filled with their blood.

At least the cultivators seem unharmed, but the weaker Qi Refining cultivators begin to vomit blood, and their dantians burst open, spewing out spiritual power and life force into the sky.

"Stop... it...!"

Cough, cough!

I vomit blood and stand up.

My whole body is aching.

Looking around, Kim Young-hoon is spewing more blood than me, barely managing to stand.

"Didn't I tell you... to stop...!"

Despite my shouts and swinging my Formless Sword, the Pure Spiritual Force and Gang Qi from my Inner Core are nearly depleted, causing the Formless Sword to disperse in the air.

Yuan Li continues to activate the Blood Sacrifice Formation without paying any attention to me, absorbing the life force of numerous mortals and the spiritual power and life force of cultivators into his Blood Spirit.

"Cough, cough...!"

I continue to vomit blood blood.

'What about... the others...?'

Affected by the formation, even Qi Building cultivators like Buk Joong-ho, Buk Hyang-hwa, and the Cheongmun Ryeong are staggering out from the rubble in the distance, also drenched in blood.

We gather in one place.

"Is this... the end?"

"Nascent Soul cultivator... Haha, there's no way we can beat that."

Buk Joong-ho and Cheongmun Ryeong look up at Yuan Li in the sky with a look of despair.

I grit my teeth.

"If I risk my life... maybe it's possible."

Severing Mountain Swordsmanship's final move.

Foolish Old Man Moves Mountains...

Maybe I can at least injure that Nascent Soul monster...!

"Alright, I'll risk my life too."

Kim Young-hoon, wiping the blood from his mouth, speaks with a haggard face.

His hands tremble as he touches his abdomen.

There are several holes in his stomach.

It's impossible for him, who's not a Qi Building cultivator, to survive such injuries.

"I'm already a dead man. I'll hit that damned guy at least once before I die. If Eun-hyun and I risk our lives, surely..."

Just then.

Suddenly, Kim Young-hoon locks eyes with Buk Hyang-hwa.

Buk Hyang-hwa seemed to mutter something.

It looked like telepathy.

After hearing her telepathy, Kim Young-hoon looks surprised.

'What did she say?'

I try to read her lips but the blood flowing from my head obscures my vision, and I fail to read properly.

Kim Young-hoon shakes his head with a bitter expression, and Buk Hyang-hwa nods.

'What conversation...'

That's when it happens..

Buk Hyang-hwa forms a hand seal.

Wooosh!

The bee puppet flies from the rubble towards us.

Clank, clank!

The bee puppet, damaged by the earlier impact, moves awkwardly.

Vrooosh!

As she forms another seal, a protective formation unfolds around us.

Judging by the soundproofing spell, it looks intended to prevent Yuan Li from overhearing our conversation.

Yuan Li glances at us for a moment but focuses back on the Blood Sacrifice Formation without much care.

He probably thinks of our efforts as the last struggle of insects.

"Thanks to Senior Cheongmun weakening the formation, this puppet can perform space teleportation once."

My eyes widen.

"Miss, Miss Hyang-hwa! This is truly fortunate news! Hurry. Hurry, get on it and escape!"

Yes, she must have set the spatial coordinates for the bee puppet to the neighboring Yeon-do City. 

If she goes to the neighboring city, it will be hard for Yuan Li to follow.

Yeon-do City, being relatively inside the domain of Byeokra and next to the territory of the Gongmyo Clan, is safe.

However, upon hearing my words, Hyang-hwa looks around.

Swoosh, swoosh!

The power of the Blood Sacrifice Formation grows stronger. Not only mortals, but also the dantians of middle and low level Qi Refining cultivators burst, rising into the sky, and even peak Qi Refining cultivators are vomiting blood and dying.

"It seems we're the only ones who can possibly survive. But when I talked to Sir Young-hoon just now, he said his death is certain. So among us, only father, me, Senior Cheongmun, and you dear can escape on the bee puppet. But looking at the puppet's condition, it will break after one teleportation."

"Then... what..."

Hyang-hwa looks at Cheongmun Ryeong.

"Why don't Senior Cheongmun go?"

However, Cheongmun Ryeong laughs bitterly and speaks.

"Forget it. I'm an old man who has lived enough, and there's not much life left anyway. Do you want me to live with nightmares of abandoning my friends for the rest of my life? I've done everything needed for the clan, so let one of the younger ones go instead of bothering this old man."

Saying so, he steps out of Buk Hyang-hwa's protective formation, indicating he will no longer listen.

Kugugugu!

As if to resist until the end, he raises the Thousand Lustrous Forest Sea method, glaring at Yuan Li.

Green spiritual energy blossoms around Cheongmun Ryeong, forming a formation diagram.

"I'll die here! But I won't die easily!"

Kugugugu!

Cheongmun Ryeong's formation sprouts green trees in the form of spiritual energy which grow and intertwine, forming a giant tree to shield us from Yuan Li.

Kim Young-hoon smiles, holding his broken saber, and steps out of the protective formation.

"I'm already dead. What more is there to say! I'm off!"

Tadatt!

He activates all his remaining energy, climbing the giant tree made by Cheongmun Ryeong with his Surpassing Radiant Saber.

The tree looks as if a golden bird has perched upon it.

I too follow Kim Young-hoon out of the protective formation.

But then.

Thud!

Buk Joong-ho and Buk Hyang-hwa grab me at the same time.

"What are you doing?"

The two exchange glances, then smile and pull me back.

"Where are you going, son-in-law?"

"It will be better for Orabeoni to live."

"Don't talk nonsense. If Young-hoon and I risk our lives, we can at least wound Yuan Li..."

"I heard it when Sir Young-hoon and I were exchanging telepathy."

Buk Hyang-hwa looks at me.

"He said, even if you and Sir Young-hoon risk your lives, the chances of inflicting a significant wound on that old monster are slim."

"What does that matter! Shouldn't we atleast avenge the people of Cheon-saek City!"

"Then, son-in-law," 

Buk Joong-ho speaks with a serious face.

"Shouldn't we, who have lived in Cheon-saek City much longer than you, be the ones to do so?"

"This city holds memories of his wife for my father and my childhood with my mother. Even if I die today, I won't leave this place."

"Elder Buk! Please stop Miss Hyang-hwa!"

"Quiet. You seem out of strength anyway. Go ahead. I have no intention of fleeing from this place where I lived with my wife... As for my daughter..."

After glancing at Buk Hyang-hwa, he looks at me and continues.

"...she has decided to save you."

Kwaak!

Buk Joong-ho's spell firmly grasps my body.

I try to break his spell with my Formless Sword, but it's difficult to resist with my depleted strength.

Vroom!

"Stay alive!"

The bee puppet grabs me, and I cough blood, looking at them.

"No, don't do this! Miss Hyang-hwa! I actually..."

Kuaaaak

Buk Hyang-hwa comes close, hugs me, and places her mother's jade norigae in my pocket.

"Thank you for everything. And I've prepared a gift for you at the destination."

"Ahhhhh!"

Booong!

I try with all my might to break Buk Joong-ho's binding and switch places with Buk Hyang-hwa.

"I can die!! Even if I die, I re-"

Then, Buk Hyang-hwa forms a hand seal.

"Farewell, dear."

Fwoosh!

The protective formation releases, and the bee puppet swiftly ascends into the sky.

In the distance, Yuan Li is startled and forms a hand seal.

Cheongmun Ryeong's giant tree and Kim Young-hoon's Surpassing Radiant Saber are engulfed in the bloody tide.

Buk Joong-ho uses a white tiger-shaped magic artifact, and Buk Hyang-hwa also starts countering with numerous magic artifacts from her storage device.

Kim Young-hoon begins using Foolish Old Man Moves Mountains, and the remaining Qi Building cultivators burn their lives as a last resort.

The last scene I see is Buk Hyang-hwa looking back at me.

The bee puppet breaks through the void.

Fwoosh!

Pshhh!

"Ahhhgh!"

Boom!

I fall in front of Yeon-do City in Byeokra.

The bee puppet shattered into pieces mid-teleportation.

"Keughk Krgh..."

Bleeding, I staunch my wounds and immediately begin circulating my internal energy, pouring it into my Inner Core.

Kugugugu!

My Inner Core absorbs the energy, rapidly filling with power.

Trembling, I reach into the storage pouch Buk Hyang-hwa had given me and pull out a few spirit stones.

Wooom!

I absorb the spirit stones' energy, rapidly recovering more spiritual energy.

After a while, my strength somewhat recovers.

Realizing I can generate a few Gang Spheres, I immediately stand up.

I have to go.

I have to return to Cheon-saek City!

Just then.

Kugugugu!

As I move, the sand rises, revealing a hidden formation.

'This is...'

In the center of the formation, something shine and rises up.

It's a small wooden box.

Remembering Buk Hyang-hwa's 'gift', I quickly pocket the box and dash madly towards Cheon-saek City.

'Please, please...!'

Yeon-do City quickly recedes behind me, and the scenery rushes by.

I run forward frantically, frothing at my mouth.

'Please...!'

How long have I been running?

How much time has passed?

The familiar smell of blood reaches my nose, and soon, Cheon-saek City comes into view again.

The Blood Sacrifice Formation that had enveloped the city is gone.

"Please...!"

I rush towards Cheon-saek City.

Squelch, squelch...

Cheon-saek City is a sea of blood.

Bodies are scattered everywhere, and I, trembling, begin searching through the city.

Then, beyond the rubble of a collapsed building, I find the ones I am looking for.

"Ah, aah..."

Kim Young-hoon's body is neatly laid out in eight segments.

Cheongmun Ryeong lays dead with bloodwood sprouting all over his body.

Buk Joong-ho is dead with his neck missing and a hole in his dantian.

And Buk Hyang-hwa...

"Ah, aah... Aaah..."

She's alive.

In a dazed state, I scramble through the debris towards her.

She's breathing.

But her lower body is gone.

From where her dantian used to be, everything below has completely vanished.

"Hyang-hwa... Hyang-hwa..."

Half out of my mind, I rush to her.

"Just, just wait... I'll, I'll find your lower body..."

Babbling nonsense, I grab her hand.

She's barely breathing, thanks to the little Pure Spiritual Force left in her meridians.

I press her acupoints to ease her pain and squeeze Gang Qi out of my body into hers.

"Y-you can live. If, if we find your lower body..."

Then, she looks at me.

"...My dantian was torn out, how can you speak of survival?"

Her voice is cold.

"Cultivator Seo."

"Hyang-hwa... don't give up. I'll save you..."

"Cultivator Seo."

She speaks coldly.

"Don't delude yourself. I'm dying now."

Oddly, she seems more rational than ever, even in the face of death.

"Listen to my last wish."

"No, what last wish. You're not going to die..."

"Cultivator Seo, you are... a foolish person."

"Yes...?"

"Regrettably, I planned to use your influence to raise my standing in the clan and avenge my mother against elder Gongmyo Cheon-saek."

"..."

"I guess you thought we had real feelings. My father encouraged you, making you believe something was there. It was all prearranged with my father to lure you to me. It's liberating to confess now that I'm dying."

"..."

"From the moment I saw your power, I planned to seduce you into a political marriage. I thought you were just an exceptional Qi Building cultivator, but to have Core Formation strength. I told my father, and immediately..."

Tears well up in my eyes.

'Miss Hyang-hwa. Why are you so cold?'

Why call our time together a lie?

'Why sound so cold, yet...'

Your intent, is it really directed at me?

Hyang-hwa's intent, even facing death, is not tinged with fear.

Her intent is a clear pink, covering only me.

Through Hyang-hwa's intent, her heart speaks to me.

"You're too naive for a Qi Building cultivator, Cultivator Seo."

―I don't want to be a burden to you in the future.

"Since you came, at least listen to my last wish."

―So please forgive me for speaking like this.

"Bury my father next to my mother's grave, and me under my workshop. If possible, gather the remains of Cheon-saek City's people."

―I'm leaving now, but I wish you'd forget me and live a new life.

"You can take the remaining artifacts from my workshop. Think of it as compensation for gathering the remains."

―I wish I could have given you more.

"Anyway, sorry for using you. I didn't have feelings for you, but you were a great tool to keep the pests away."

―I'm sorry for saying this. But by saying this, I hope you forget me and find happiness with someone new.

"...Why are you crying?"

―Don't cry.

"...There was much I disliked about you. Couldn't even make artifacts..."

―There was so much I wanted to do with you...

"Clumsy hands, poor mind, sometimes arrogant towards the weaker."

―As clumsy as you are warm, as simple-minded as you are gentle, as arrogant as you are caring.

"Oddly emotional for no reason. Stop your blubbering. I hate men who are unmanly."

―I'm sorry for leaving first. Don't cry.

"Now... I can... meet my mother..."

―In front of my mother, I wanted to pledge myself to you.

Her pink intent turns into a flower, enveloping me.

"Well, farewell... Cultivator Seo"

―I wish to be with you again. Seo Orabeoni.

Drip, drop...

I can't see through my tears.

Her pink intent obscures my entire vision.

Then, her intent begins to fade.

Her body grows cold.

As Hyang-hwa's intent scatters, her breathing ceases.

Wiping my tears, I see her soul ascend to the heavens.

I try to grab her, but my hands just pass through.

Her soul flies into the void and disperses.

I watch, hollow-eyed.

Around me, pink intent still swirls.

Not Hyang-hwa's, but mine.

Soon, my pink intent turns blood-red.

Like the blood flooding Cheon-saek City, my intent turns red, filling the surroundings.

Holding Hyang-hwa's lifeless hand, I speak with a trembling voice.

"Wait... just a moment."

Drip, drop…

Somehow, the color of my tears are black.

No, it's not the tears that are black.

From my eyes, mouth, nose, ears, from the seven orifices.

No, from every pore of my body.

Black curses from the Yin Soul Ghost Incantation seep out.

The creator of the Yin Soul Ghost Incantation is said to have handled 108 curses simultaneously.

Shhhhhhiiiii…

But the number of curses emanating from my body has already far surpassed 108.

Whooosh...

As I inhale, the curses crumble into spiritual energy and flow into my body.

In an instant, my dantian is filled with spiritual power again.

I convert the spiritual power into internal energy and store it in my Inner Core.

Sssss...

A chilling cold spreads around me.

I stand up.

With my recovered internal energy, I summon the Formless Sword and clench it in my hand.

"I'll rip out... his heart."

With tears mixed with black curses streaming down my face, I turn and soar above Cheon-saek City.