novelraw Chapter 52 : Chapter 52
Chapter 52 : Chapter 52
Chapter 52 Rain Forest Pavilion (6)
“Young Hero Jaun? Are you awake?”
Jaun clutched his throbbing head. The blood flowing down from his forehead soaked his hand warmly.
“This place is…….”
“It’s the underground stone cave. You lost consciousness for a moment, Young Hero.”
Something sparkled and fell with a tap from the Ice Rakshasa’s eyes as she looked down at Jaun.
“Why did you block my front there…….”
The Ice Rakshasa, unable to continue her words, sprang up from her seat and turned around.
She saw the image of her brother once again in Jaun’s back, who had protected her from danger.
Her brother, who had dragged his sick body and suffered his whole life for her sake before passing away.
Feeling the helplessness of that time again, when she couldn't do anything but watch, the Ice Rakshasa was swept up in a torrent of emotions and gasped for breath for a moment.
Leaving the Ice Rakshasa, who was calming her emotions like that, behind, Ban Cheol-hwi approached Jaun waving a piece of paper.
“Are you up?”
Ban Cheol-hwi thrust the paper in front of the eyes of Jaun, who had struggled to raise his body.
“Seeing you earlier, you seemed to know a bit about this strange ritual. Could you take a look at this?”
Ban Cheol-hwi, sitting on his knees next to Jaun, took out a small inkstone and ink stick from his bosom, ground them, and picked up a brush.
“It is very interesting. While you were collapsed, Young Hero, I examined that stone chunk split in half, and that object called an altar. It is extraordinary.”
Ban Cheol-hwi applied plenty of ink to the brush and brought it over the paper.
“It seems to be made based on the mandala of Esoteric Buddhism. It was constructed so that the blood flowing down from the top of the altar flows along the lotus-shaped internal paths.”
Amidst the rotting corpses, Ban Cheol-hwi’s eyes shone as he sketched the internal structure of the altar on the paper.
“Generally, all things flow from top to bottom. Therefore, blood should definitely pool here, but there are no traces of pooling. Far from pooling, there are traces of it going back up and repeating the flow. Surely some force seems to be acting…….”
Jaun groaned and sat up.
Corpses and blood filling the surroundings.
Even in this situation, seeing him exploring the altar with shining eyes, one could see the aspect of a scholar pursuing knowledge.
“Look at this quickly. I pride myself on having quite a bit of knowledge about the arts of Esoteric Buddhism, but I couldn't find an answer here at all.”
“……I felt demonic energy from the altar. It seems the priests of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult stored demonic energy in this altar. I don’t know the exact structure of the altar, but as the demonic energy joined the blood energy manifested through the blood offered to the altar, something…….”
Ban Cheol-hwi slapped his knee.
“That’s it! If it is demonic energy, in the end, its extremity is darkness. It means that the pure Yin energy causes a reaction here.”
Once again, Ban Cheol-hwi’s brush strokes became faster.
Leaving Ban Cheol-hwi, who had begun to immerse himself in the structure of the altar again, alone, Jaun slowly raised his body.
“Young Hero. Rest a bit more.”
The Ice Rakshasa, who had calmed her mind before he knew it, came to Jaun’s side and supported him.
“I’m fine now. Are you okay, Young Lady?”
“You blocked all that energy by yourself. Thanks to Young Hero Jaun, I am completely fine. We could have combined our strength, so why alone there…….”
The look in the Ice Rakshasa’s eyes gazing at Jaun had become much deeper.
Jaun examined the Ice Rakshasa closely.
Although she looked a bit haggard, she seemed safe without any special injuries, just as she said.
“I’m glad you are okay.”
At Jaun’s words, the Ice Rakshasa, whose emotions surged again, stood up and turned around.
In the eyes of Jaun, who was groaning as he got up, the Pavilion Lord bowing his head deeply next to him came into view.
“You there. Rain Forest Pavilion Lord. Are you okay?”
At Jaun’s question, the Pavilion Lord raised his head with a dazed face.
“How could I be okay……. People were just dying off, and some damp energy was swirling around……. I-I find it difficult to endure such things.”
The Pavilion Lord’s hands were trembling slightly.
“Pavilion or Rain Forest Pavilion, I will just put it all down, so please, let me out of here right now.”
The Ice Rakshasa quietly approached behind the Pavilion Lord, who was stuttering with unfocused eyes.
— Smack!
The Ice Rakshasa, who smacked the back of the Pavilion Lord’s head, let out a sigh.
“If you went through hardship, you should grow. What kind of Pavilion Lord are you with a vessel that crumbles there…….”
“Heroine! I am scared. I feel like I can hear the auditory hallucinations of the ghosts that died earlier in my ears!”
“You live in the middle of a cemetery, yet you are afraid of ghosts?”
“Huuuhhh……! Yes. I’m scared……”
The Ice Rakshasa, who was looking at the Pavilion Lord shedding tears with disapproving eyes, sighed and patted the Pavilion Lord’s back.
While the three were talking, Ban Cheol-hwi, who had been immersed for a long time, jumped up as if he had discovered something and ran to Jaun.
“I figured it out! What kind of guy that altar is!”
It seemed as if sparks were flashing from Ban Cheol-hwi’s eyes.
“Look at this.”
Over the altar Ban Cheol-hwi had drawn, dizzyingly many lines were drawn in layers.
“Various arts are applied based on the Diamond Realm Mandala. Such a precise object is rare even in the Central Plains.”
Ban Cheol-hwi, who quickly wet his lips with spit, took a deep breath.
“The blood that flowed in along the hole in the center of the altar is a structure where thirty-two Bodhisattvas take their positions due to the interaction between the five Main Buddhas in the center and then make mutual offerings; it shows a flow where they repeat continuous offerings to each other while possessing both downward and upward characteristics. This structure is…….”
The Ice Rakshasa tapped Ban Cheol-hwi’s arm.
“Excuse me. I can’t understand a single thing you’re saying.”
“Ahem. Listen! This is just the beginning.”
“Even if you talk like that, we don’t have the background knowledge so we can’t understand. If I explain martial arts, can you understand immediately?”
At the Ice Rakshasa’s words, Ban Cheol-hwi paused and frowned.
“Put aside the introduction and the body, and just tell us the conclusion. In the end, what role does that altar play when completed?”
At the Ice Rakshasa’s question, Ban Cheol-hwi answered.
“Ahem. Uh…… First is the continuous offering to the god that is maintained. In other words, along with performing the basic role of an altar, it amplifies the energy called blood energy. The energy possessed by those who possess that blood energy will also be amplified.”
“Amplifies the surrounding blood energy, huh…….”
Jaun fell into thought with a serious face.
“simply put, it means the guys using the Blood Cult’s martial arts get stronger if they are next to this altar.”
“That is correct.”
“Then you should have said that from the beginning.”
When the Ice Rakshasa grumbled, Ban Cheol-hwi adjusted his scholar's cap and continued speaking in an angry tone.
“From old times, all results become clear only when one understands the cause and process. If one speaks only of the result, not only can misunderstandings arise, but…….”
Jaun tapped Ban Cheol-hwi’s back.
“I understand. But to me, the phenomenon is more important. The fact that such an altar was discovered here means that completed altars might already be spread all over the Central Plains, right?”
At Jaun’s words, the expressions of the group turned serious in an instant.
“That…… could be quite possible. Then, is there a way to stop a completed altar?”
At the Ice Rakshasa’s question, Ban Cheol-hwi fell into deep thought and shook his head left and right.
“To seal the altar, commensurate power is needed. I wonder what kind of power can seal an altar completed by sacrificing dozens of lives…….”
At Ban Cheol-hwi’s words, Jaun sighed softly and nodded.
“An altar clothed in the status of a god won't be easily destroyed. Even destroying an uncompleted altar caused this mess…….”
Jaun looked around the stone cave that had become a mess.
“I think it’s best to inform the Murim Alliance as soon as possible. Young Lady, please inform the Sado Alliance of this content as well.”
The Ice Rakshasa slowly nodded toward Jaun.
***
When contact was made with the Murim Alliance Shaanxi Branch, dozens of personnel entered the underground stone cave.
The corpses of the civilians were all returned to their families, and the corpses of the Demonic Cultists were all cremated.
Since it was confirmed that the Rain Forest Pavilion Lord was not the one who killed the workers, the Ice Rakshasa cleared the Pavilion Lord of guilt at her own discretion.
Instead, the condition was to completely overhaul the unfair practices of the gambling house and operate the quarry normally.
Most of the work was sorted out quickly like that, but one problem remained.
“Absolutely not! If you want to take this altar, you'll have to kill me first!”
“……Young Hero Ban. Stop it and come out here, please.”
“It is a Rare Item that I may or may not meet again in my lifetime. I cannot have it taken away like this!”
“Is that yours, Young Hero Ban?”
“T-That is not the case, but.”
Because of Ban Cheol-hwi, who obstinately guarded the broken altar and shouted, the Murim Alliance branch members couldn't hide their awkwardness.
Although he was merely a scholar-daoist, Ban Cheol-hwi was a member of the Mt.
Zhongnan Sect, and his spirit was too stubborn.
“Call the Sect Leader of Mt. Zhongnan! The southern part of Shaanxi is an area under the management of Mt. Zhongnan. This altar must be managed by Mt. Zhongnan.”
Jaun, who was staring blankly at Ban Cheol-hwi, walked forward and stood in front of Ban Cheol-hwi.
“Young Hero Ban.”
At Jaun’s call, Ban Cheol-hwi turned his head.
“Formation arts and celestial sciences. What else are you studying besides those?”
“Governance and military strategy. Besides those, I research whatever is the study of the sages.”
Jaun, who had been deep in thought, spoke again.
“By any chance, if the Murim Alliance asks you to work with me, do you have any intention of following?”
At Jaun’s proposal, Ban Cheol-hwi paused.
“This altar. It must be taken to the Murim Alliance. That way, we can prevent greater damage. And from now on, I will continue to clash with the Demonic Cult, no, those guys who use that blood energy. So, the possibility of discovering larger altars is also high.”
Sparks flashed in Ban Cheol-hwi’s eyes for a moment.
“Do you plan to continue the work of chasing altars?”
“Well, the altar isn’t the goal, but…… since the cultists of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult used the Blood Cult’s martial arts, it seems I will continue to face altars in the future. I belong to the Anti-Demon Squad. Since I intend to chase the Demonic Cult for my whole life.”
Ban Cheol-hwi, who was thinking deeply, nodded.
“If it is the Murim Alliance, the Sect Leader wouldn’t oppose it either. Good. If only the Sect Leader permits, I will join you, Young Hero. However! Until it is confirmed that I am going to the Murim Alliance, this altar cannot be moved from here!”
Jaun shook his head from side to side as he watched Ban Cheol-hwi, who finished speaking and sat down with a thud on top of the broken altar, closing his eyes.
“Can I send a carrier pigeon to the Strategist of the Murim Alliance?”
Jaun grabbed a branch member and asked.