novelraw Chapter 100 : Chapter 100
Chapter 100 : Chapter 100
Chapter 100 Stone Cavern (2)
“The Blood Bell.”
The Blood Bell was a small bell.
If one shook that bell, it made a sound similar to a scream, and that sound had the effect of putting people of the Blood Cult into a state of frenzy.
My father said the Blood Bell was about a size that could fit in the palm of a hand.
However, the Stone Cavern is far too excessively large to be a space for such a Blood Bell.
Although the Blood Bell was the only link connecting the two words 'Blood Cult' and 'sound,' there were still suspicious points when matched with the current situation.
I pondered deeply before opening my mouth.
“Considering the size of the Blood Bell, that Stone Cavern is too wide to be called a space for it. However, if by any chance the Blood Cult prepared a Blood Bell that fits the size of the Stone Cavern, and if that Stone Cavern was made with the purpose of amplifying the sound of the Blood Bell……?”
Gu Ma-jin took up my words with a heavy expression.
“Then they could instantly turn those who have practiced the martial arts of the Blood Cult within Hunan Province into madmen.
You said that fellow who is the Sect Leader of the Ghost Blood Sect was also practicing the martial arts of the Blood Cult, right?”
“That is right. He had mastered the martial arts of the Blood Cult at a high level.”
Come to think of it, the Blood Cult was spreading its martial arts to others without any particular restrictions.
Just as the Ghost Blood Sect Leader was practicing the martial arts of the Blood Cult, it meant there was a high possibility that others practicing the martial arts of the Blood Cult existed elsewhere across the Central Plains.
In such a situation, what if those who practiced the martial arts of the Blood Cult all went on a rampage at once?
My face also froze hard at the situation, which was more serious than expected.
“Of course, it is not certain yet. I have never heard of them creating a Blood Bell of that size, and it is unknown if such a thing is even possible.”
“But if it is true, it could affect not only southern Hunan Province but even northern Guangdong Province down there.”
It was a dizzying thought just to imagine.
If they approached in this manner, the Blood Cult would not even need to conquer the Central Plains.
By ringing the Blood Bell to make the martial artists who practiced the martial arts of the Blood Cult run rampant all at once, they could make the Murim Alliance and the Sado Alliance self-destruct on their own in the aftermath.
I did not know where else such structures were or how far the construction had progressed, but if we did not prepare immediately, the entire Jianghu could turn into a scene of carnage in an instant.
“……We must stop it somehow.”
At my words, the group nodded with serious faces.
“Young Hero Ban. If that Stone Cavern is truly being made for such a purpose, we must never allow it to be completed according to their design. Is there a way we can sabotage it?”
“Hmm. It will not be easy, but it is not as if there is no way. If I plant some formations here and there and tamper with the structures to slightly shift the directions of the sound, its power will be significantly reduced.”
“Then please do that. I will immediately send letters to the Murim Alliance and the Sado Alliance to convey the fact that such a thing might be possible.”
The moment I finished speaking, I hurriedly ran out of the inn.
****
For a period of over two months, our party continued to participate in the Stone Cavern construction.
Gu Ma-jin and I tried to secretly delay the quarrying work, but because they continuously recruited more laborers using high daily wages as a weapon, the Stone Cavern was now on the verge of completion.
As the Stone Cavern was completed, the fact that it was for the function of amplifying sound became even clearer.
Even though the holes in the ceiling were blocked as much as possible, the sound of breaking stone with pickaxes could be faintly heard even in far-off villages.
Due to the continuous noise, people from the local government office visited several times.
Although they returned without any particular restrictions upon hearing the story that a shrine was being built, they had issued several warnings.
What started as a suspicion of "what if" had now turned into almost a certainty.
No matter how one looked at it, this Stone Cavern was for the purpose of amplifying sound.
From a certain day, I began coming out to the worksite while hiding weapons in the carrier just in case.
If this Stone Cavern was truly made with the purpose of amplifying the sound of the Blood Bell, I had to interfere so that it could not be completed, even if I had to use martial force.
The days were filled with tension. Every time I looked up at the Stone Cavern that was gradually nearing completion, my heart grew heavy.
I wanted to destroy the Stone Cavern immediately, but evidence was lacking.
And if this Stone Cavern was indeed made by the Blood Cult, it was also necessary to confirm in what manner they intended to utilize it.
One day, while that stifling tension continued, a voice I had not heard before reached me from the entrance.
“I heard it is almost completed?”
“Of course. More than ninety percent has progressed.”
One of the supervisors entered the Stone Cavern and hurriedly waved his hand to stop the work.
Subsequently, two men and one woman entered the cavern.
Has the time finally come?
I quickly scanned the three individuals with my eyes and slowly moved toward the back carrier where my weapons were hidden.
After surveying the Stone Cavern for a while, a man nodded as if quite satisfied.
“Muhyang.”
At the man's word, the woman called Muhyang bowed her head slightly.
Subsequently, she pulled forward a long object she had been carrying on her back.
─ SHRRR
As she unwrapped the cloth covering the long object, an old-looking seven-stringed zither revealed itself from within.
The woman, who walked with a THUD THUD toward the center of the Stone Cavern while holding the zither, sat slowly on the floor and placed the seven-stringed zither on her lap.
─ DOONG. DUDOONG. DOONG.
Subsequently, a beautiful melody began to flow from the woman's zither.
The dreamy melody filled the Stone Cavern and spread out.
After listening to the melody that filled the cavern for a while, one of the supervisors bowed his head slightly to the man standing next to him and spoke.
“It is only because the holes in the ceiling are blocked right now, but once it is fully completed, an even more magnificent sound will be produced.”
“Good. This level should be sufficient.”
The two men looked at each other and nodded.
The laborers in the Stone Cavern were completely intoxicated by the performance of the woman named Muhyang.
Ban Cheol-hwi, Pan Bing-yeong, and Gu Ma-jin were no exceptions.
The flickering torches in the dark Stone Cavern and the beautiful woman sitting in the center wearing silk clothes.
And the dreamy melody and atmosphere she created gave the feeling of being in another world.
Gu Ma-jin, who had been enjoying the performance for a while, leaned his body toward me.
“It seems we might have missed the mark.”
Hearing Gu Ma-jin’s words, I shook my head left and right with a stiff expression.
“We hit it right on the mark. I will tell you the details a bit later.”
When the woman's performance that filled the Stone Cavern stopped, everyone inside the cavern applauded simultaneously.
She, who offered a reply by bowing her waist slightly with a smile, stood up holding the seven-stringed zither and slung it over her back.
Subsequently, the three people slowly began to circle the Stone Cavern, meticulously examining it here and there once more.
“Wow. I did not know this place we made would be used for such a magnificent purpose.”
“You can say that again. I wondered why they were digging such a cave in a remote place, and it seems they intended to use it as a performance hall.”
The laborers whispered, unable to take their eyes off the woman who had shown them a fantastic performance.
I, who was lost in thought for a moment, stood up.
Leaving behind Gu Ma-jin, who was looking at me with a bewildered expression, I began walking with a THUD THUD toward the woman.
The supervisors, who discovered me late, hurriedly tried to restrain me, but the woman named Muhyang stopped the supervisors with a gesture and smiled toward me as I walked up in front of her.
“What is it, young hero?”
“It was the most beautiful performance I have heard in my life. That melody still has not left my head. If I may be so bold, could you please perform just one more song? I think it would remain a lifelong memory for those who built this place.”
“……You are a cheeky young hero.”
The woman, who scanned me from top to bottom, gave a chuckle.
Turning her head, the woman looked at the man who was checking the wall of the Stone Cavern.
Then, the man who was fumbling over the wall here and there thought for a moment and then nodded.
“I also have something I want to check again anyway, so do as that child says.”
The woman bowed her waist slightly and answered toward the man, then turned back toward me.
“You are a lucky person. There are not many in the Central Plains who have heard my performance twice.”
“Thank you.”
Hearing the woman's words, I bowed my head slightly.
On the surface, it appeared as if I were expressing gratitude, but my eyes directed toward the floor were frozen cold.
The woman walked back to the center of the Stone Cavern and took out the zither.
I began to focus on examining the woman's movements.
─ DUDUDOONG.
The seven-stringed zither spat out a dreamy sound once more.
The two men, confirming that the woman's performance was continuing, moved slowly again while checking the walls of the Stone Cavern.
I, who had been watching the woman's hand movements closely for a while, grit my teeth.
‘……It is certain. It is the playing style of Yoma.’
Yoma.
The head of the Hall of Soul-Confusing Illusion and the woman who received the title of 'Ma' through sound arts in the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
I was able to find traces of Yoma that seeped through here and there in the hand movements of the woman named Muhyang.
The fact that a woman who had mastered Yoma's playing style came to check this Stone Cavern meant that the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, which had accepted the martial arts of the Blood Cult, had created this space.
‘Are they intending to amplify the energy of the Blood Bell through the sound arts of the Hall of Soul-Confusing Illusion?’
The Blood Bell used by the previous Blood Cult had a limited range of influence due to its small size.
‘I wondered how they intended to utilize such a Blood Bell in this wide Stone Cavern…….’
If they amplified and used the energy of the Blood Bell through sound arts, it seemed that what our party feared could sufficiently become a reality.
‘Have they overcome the weakness of the Blood Bell…… in this manner?’
The martial arts of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, honed in the Hundred Thousand Mountains for a thousand years, were adding strength to the preparations for swallowing the Central Plains while filling the deficiencies of the Blood Cult's martial arts.
─ DUDUDOONG!
As the woman's performance concluded, a round of applause from the laborers poured out once more.
The woman smiled and retrieved the seven-stringed zither, slinging it back over her back.
‘……?!’
As the woman retrieved the zither, I discovered a small iron ring slightly revealed on her wrist.
It was decisive evidence.
The pattern small-engraved on the iron ring was clearly the pattern of the Hall of Soul-Confusing Illusion.
‘This place was indeed an arrangement of the Blood Cult.’
Although I did not yet know the exact details of how they intended to utilize this Stone Cavern, it was certain that the Blood Cult was plotting something behind the scenes.
The moment I made up my mind to destroy this place after sharing what I had found so far with the Murim Alliance and the Sado Alliance, a clattering sound was heard from afar along with the sound of something falling.
“Oops. I am sorry. No, why is such a thing here? Who brought this!”
The supervisor who had been circling along the wall of the Stone Cavern while leading the men seemed embarrassed that his foot had gotten caught on a carrier, so he kicked the carrier caught on his foot with a THUD.
The carrier kicked by the supervisor's foot rolled over and over, and my sword and Gu Ma-jin's saber loaded on that carrier collided, echoing a clear metallic sound.
“……Weapons?”
People's gazes were fixed on the carrier rolling on the floor.