855 - I Am This Murim’s Crazy B*tch

The Blood Cult is highly secretive in its nature. Additionally, it could be described as excessively cautious, which could also be interpreted as rather cowardly. This is because it has been oppressed for a long time. Of course, when thinking about all the wretched deeds that the followers of the Blood Cult have relentlessly carried out over the years, one could argue that they deserve to be persecuted. For this reason, wouldn't the orthodox factions and official bodies, as well as the unorthodox factions, even the Demonic Cult, shudder at the thought of the Blood Cult and attempt to eradicate it? To survive like cockroaches amidst such oppression, the organization's culture naturally had to become secretive and cautious. And among the numerous branch factions of the Blood Cult, some were even more extreme in this regard, particularly those with somewhat weaker combat abilities. The Blood Water Division was no exception. To be frank, it was Poison Mar that was strong, not the Blood Water Division. A few years ago, the Second Blood Cult Corps under the Blood Water Division was annihilated, resulting in the loss of many involuntary collaborators from the martial world, greatly diminishing the influence of the Blood Water Division. Therefore, even Jang Choi-ryang, the disciple of Poison Mar and the leader of the top echelon of the Blood Water Division, acted with extreme caution. In truth, Jang Choi-ryang was simply inherently a very timid person. "Master, Jahanging and Uwol were attacked. Those damn Zhongyuan bastards, ugh, just give the order, Master! I’ll make sure that woman is neither dead nor alive!" "Uh, uuh…" "Master? It's not the time for uh-ing; we must seek revenge right away—" "I heard, didn't I? If the Master finds out, she'll get really mad. That's why I said not to send them. We just lost valuable people to create unnecessary local collaborators. You know it's all the vice-commanders' fault, right?" "Master, now is not the time to argue over responsibility—" "Forget it. Let’s not provoke them. If she's an acquaintance of the Ode Doctrine's leader, she might be a renowned figure among the Zhongyuan people. What if provoking her reveals the sect's identity? And the Master isn’t even here." "Master! Jahanging and Chuwol are dead! They killed our members!" "I, I'm sad and resentful too, okay? Jahanging and Uwol used to play so well with me." His childish tone belied his middle age, and his awkward pronunciation further emphasized it. But thanks to his genius in poisons, he had become the prized pupil of Poison Mar. "But then, what will you do? Can you take revenge without using poison? If you use poison, and she's an acquaintance of the Ode Doctrine's leader, she’s probably a notable woman. If someone gets poisoned right in front of the Ode Doctrine, even those Zhongyuan people will know who the culprit is. Then should we stop with just taking revenge back? But the Master said to guard well." Whatever his intentions truly were, only he would know. "Master!" "Oh, don’t shout. The Master isn’t here, so it's hard for me to decide anything. If I could contact her. Where is the ghoul friend? I can’t see him. Did the Master take him away? He should be there too, so why take him?" Damn that Master! He thought everything needed to be done with her permission, even eating, sleeping, and defecating! The vice-commander shouted in his mind. He didn’t dare to say it aloud, as even though he was the vice-commander of the subordinate corps, he was still a servant to Poison Mar. Instead, the vice-commander changed his strategy. "Master, isn’t Poison Mar someone who would never let go of a fellow’s grudge? On the contrary, he'd command a vengeful strike in anger." "Huh? Oh. Oh. Right. Really?" "What if Poison Mar gets angry?" "But she said, 'Hey, Choi-ryang, just guard this place well, don’t bother with anything else.' So we shouldn't have sent them, it’s all because of the vice-commander." "What does Poison Mar always say?" "Choi-ryang, you're a genius, don’t be discouraged?" "Not that." "Choi-ryang, don’t drink just any poison? You can’t become any duller?" "Not that either." "Aw, hell, I don’t know. What?" R1o1RUY1V2dWdFByellBWDZwUWJGWEFoa1JuTUNGbGxuVFgwQ2NqV05ydmhqakQyOFBPSUR6MUxISi96K2JWZw "He always says the subordinate's mistake is the leader’s responsibility." "I, I kept saying I wouldn’t become a leader, seriously…" "Anyhow, we cannot let that woman go. And there’s no need to worry about the aftermath. If the Ode Doctrine does something Ode Doctrine-like, their notoriety will rise, making us more frightening." "That makes sense, but if she's really skilled, what then? The extremely skilled ones don’t die from poison. It's terrifying, really th-terrifying." "Then I'll handle it myself. Instead, how about using the Myeloseon Supreme Venom?" "… It's not Myeloseon Supreme Venom. It's the Most Powerful, Most Terrifyingly Supreme Venom of Past and Present(人世最强古今最凶至尊毒)." The vice-commander's eyebrows twitched at that. The Most Powerful, Most Terrifyingly Supreme Venom of Past and Present(人世最强古今最凶至尊毒)? What a naming even a 10-year-old wouldn’t come up with. Yet, it was easy to remember. "Ahem, then how about testing this Most Powerful, Most Terrifyingly Supreme Venom of Past and Present?" "Still. Still. Hm, should we? The vice-commander will go personally, right? Still, it's dangerous, take the Poison Bloods with you. If it's risky, just abandon them and run away." The vice-commander nodded with a comforting smile. Though frequently frustrated and creeped out by his superior, at times like this, he too couldn’t help but feel softened. Just a little simple-minded. "Yes, if it’s dangerous, I’ll find a way to escape." The vice-commander bowed his head and walked out from the study of the Ode Doctrine's leader. Gone was the comforting smile, replaced by the face of a vice-commander who had lost a subordinate, as he took on the role of the practical leader instead of Choi-ryang, who was only interested in poison research. In truth, he also had confidence. Jang Choi-ryang, the creator of the Myeloseon Supreme Venom, though untrustworthy as a person, had such talent in poisons that even Poison Mar herself assessed his potential higher than hers. Thus, the Myeloseon Supreme Venom, praised by Poison Mar as ‘a poison that truly has birthed to kill even deities.’ --- **New Terms Translated:** - **Jang Choi-ryang (장최량):** Retained as a character name. - **Vice-commander (부대주):** Retained as a title for a subordinate leader. - **Ghoul friend (강시 친구):** Referring to a type of undead entity often associated with Chinese folklore, retained as such due to context. - **Ode Doctrine (오독문):** Translated as "Ode Doctrine" indicating a faction with poison expertise. - **Poison Bloods (독혈수):** Retained as a group associated with the Blood Water Division. - **Myeloseon Supreme Venom (멸선지독):** Translated literally with the emphasis on its lethal potency. - **Most Powerful, Most Terrifyingly Supreme Venom of Past and Present (人世最强古今最凶至尊毒):** A flamboyant name reflecting a grandiose and childlike naming style. **Character Gender Identification:** - **Jang Choi-ryang (장최량):** He The names and terms have been rendered to keep the essence of the martial arts world, reflecting their alignment with a secretive, yet ingenuous nature around poison expertise. The exaggerated poison name highlights Jang Choi-ryang's childish whimsy, contrasting his brilliant poison-making skills. The outright rejection of that childish and long name aside. --- “It’s almost certain.” This was Qing’s response to Gilun’s question about whether the Ode Doctrine had become a den of the Blood Cult. However, Gilun shook his head. “Almost is insufficient. It needs to be certain.” “Hmm, well, I’m certain now.” Yet, Gilun still shook his head. “Certainty is not enough either. Have you ever seen an arrow return once it’s been released from the bowstring?” “Hmm. No?” “Yes, and you are the one holding the bowstring.” For Dotang Sect, its most famous martial art is the Four Destruction Sword Technique, and the strongest, final form of this technique is the renowned ‘Houyi Shoots the Sun’ move. Here, Houyi is a figure from Zhongyuan mythology. Long ago, there were ten suns, making the world unbearably hot, like an infernal sauna, almost impossible for humans to live in. Houyi, unable to endure the intense heat anymore, picked up his bow and shot nine of the suns, leaving only one. This sword technique inspired by Houyi's arrow piercing the sun (后羿射日) is the Four Destruction Sword Technique. Though one might think they ought to have practiced archery instead—claiming lineage from Houyi while wielding a sword is ironic. But had they practiced archery, they might have been swept away by government forces long ago. In any event, perhaps because of this, Dotang Sect members love using metaphors about bows and arrows. Not just in Dotang Sect, but it’s also a feature of the Bai tribe’s traditions. “Our Dotang tradition is the same. Just as an arrow that’s been released never returns, the blade drawn by Dotang never turns back.” Gilun’s momentum surged. “Our school plans to thoroughly erase the Ode Doctrine from existence. Therefore, for us to draw our sword, it must be an absolute fact that the Ode Doctrine is colluding with the Blood Cult. So, tell me, is what you say a fact?” “Now that you put it like that, hmm.” It was a statement that brought immense pressure. Since Dotang Sect had stepped in, it meant that the Ode Doctrine would indeed be erased from the world, and that decision rested on this statement. Isn’t this kind of underhanded? After going through the trouble to catch the Blood Cult’s tail, this is what you say when you come to help? Gilun burst into laughter. “I was only saying it for effect. Isn’t it impressive?” “Sorry?” “That’s why I came first. We can investigate from here. So, I’ve mostly heard the details. However, to begin with, the Ode Doctrine being involved is one thing; claiming it’s a den of the Blood Cult is somewhat lacking.” “Well, I suppose now it’s a bit more certain…” “Hmm? Did you find out more in the meantime?” “Rather than finding out, it was more like a confession. The head of Ode Doctrine directly confessed, you know? There was that chaos in Sichuan. Because of that, they lost all of the first-line disciples and took the Blood Cult’s hand to take revenge on Sichuan Tang Clan.” Gilun’s expression turned sullen. “The head of Ode Doctrine confessed this directly? When? How?” “You know how some people, when they think they’ve won, start blabbing without being asked?” “Ah. Haha, right! Yes, there are surely such fools. I understand the sentiment, but it’s truly foolish, hmm?” Gilun’s eyes widened. There really are such fools. Why? They boast about their deeds and future plans, taunting, because merely killing isn’t enough; they want the soon-to-be dead to feel even more resentment. The head of Ode Doctrine blurted it out herself. Why? Because she thought she had won. Not satisfied with merely winning, she openly revealed the conspiracy so that the opponent would feel more aggrieved. And now, before his eyes, stands the Heavenly Sword Flower. Did she kindly inform them about colluding with the Blood Cult and then suddenly change her mind, saying, ‘Hey, keep this a secret?’ Did she let them go? “You defeated the head of Ode Doctrine?” “She was said to have a half-poisoned body and ended up hemorrhaging to death on her own.” “Huh. Well. Is that so? Really?” “Yes?” Gilun’s expression turned serious. “Heavenly Sword Flower, could you perhaps leave your adopted daughter at Dotang? I’d like to take her as my direct disciple and train her well.” “Huh? Jia’er? Though she’s my daughter, isn’t Jia’er not particularly talented?” “No, just by looking, I can see she is filled with a fierce killing aura far beyond that of her age. She could yet be a contemporary Killing Star.” “Oh.” “The grandmaster informed us you are destined for celestial slaughter. Sometimes I act like an impulsive arrow, so she must have forewarned us.” “Ah…” "Seeing you now, I'm certain of it. The best disciple is a Heavenly Slaughter Star, if not, a terrestrial one. After all, arrows are meant to kill the enemy, as is martial arts. A killing intent is indeed the essence of that talent." It sounds logical, but... “Originally, didn’t it mean something extremely ominous? That if a Heavenly Slaughter Star emerges, all the children born that year should be killed?” “I used to think preventing major bloodshed in the world with such sacrifice was right, but seeing you, that’s not the case. You have become such an eminent martial hero. People are educated and transformed.” “Uh, it’s a bit more severe than expected, you know? Seeing people makes me want to kill them, peel their skin off and salt it.” “I feel the same sometimes. Like when those in the royal palace push marriage politics or when people talk nonsense about Bai tribe’s smallpox. It makes me think the same. The fact is, neither you nor I have acted on it. We’ve restrained ourselves.” Oh. So, you have those thoughts sometimes. “Seeing you now, I’m certain. Law, not virtue, is what makes a person human—but rather overwhelming violence—” “Uh, hold on. Where did this conclusion come from suddenly?” “Hmm? Isn’t that right? The grandmaster wouldn’t have taught kindly with words given her nature, correct? You must’ve learned to tame your nature through many beatings, haven’t you?” Evidently, sometimes he makes rash decisions like an impulsive arrow. To put it into practice immediately—this must be the integrity of aligning words with action, right? Still, bringing up getting beaten while growing up is a bit... --- **New Terms Translated:** - **Gilun (길운):** Retained as a character name. - **Dotang Sect (점창파):** Translated from "Dotangpa," a martial arts sect known for the usage of sword techniques inspired by archery metaphors. - **Four Destruction Sword Technique (사일검법):** Translated directly as a sword technique with four parts, inspired by the mythical archer Houyi. - **Heavenly Sword Flower (천화검):** Translated as such to reflect a natural title. - **Ode Doctrine (오독문):** Referring to the Ode Doctrine like before. - **Jia’er (자여):** Possible character name or nickname. The text uses metaphors and allusions to classical Chinese myths to emphasize the characters' philosophy and martial culture, providing a deeper understanding of their motivations and worldviews. The naming convention in martial arts continues to reflect intricate and sometimes grandiose styles, with names and techniques serving dual functions as narrative devices and cultural symbols. “Well, that’s indeed true. It was accurate,” Qing felt somewhat wronged. Yes, my master did unleash metaphorical nuclear bombardments on occasion, but perhaps it was, um, a form of tough love, if you can call it that. Now it sounds like I was excessively beaten or something. Well, I did get hit, but... how should I put it? Affection? ...Hmm, yes, it was affection, surely? One thing is certain: you should never entrust Jiae to this elder. “For one, Jiae is not a terrestrial killing star. She was wronged by the Blood Cult scoundrels, and that’s why I took her in.” “Hmm. Such a tale. It must have been a tremendously difficult decision for an unmarried woman to make, a profound act indeed. You are truly a hero among heroes. Though young, your wisdom runs deep. Truly, you are the pillar that will lead the orthodox martial world forward!” Gilun’s gaze softened further, but only for a moment. “Then again, all of this is thanks to the grandmaster's teaching. Hmm, I couldn’t possibly bring myself to discipline such a child harshly. Still, this means the terrestrial killing star must exist somewhere in this world; perhaps I should venture out to find it. Could there be a seed of a fresh, fierce killing star somewhere? I wished I had a disciple renowned as the best in the world…” Unbeknownst to her, Qing was unaware that a slightly rigorous educational atmosphere was indeed taking hold among the Nine Great Sects and the Five Great Noble Clans. The Heavenly Sword Flower spreads poison in the prestigious orthodox sects! That’s when it happened. A thought suddenly flashed through Qing’s mind. “Ah, the phrase ‘better to have a chicken than nothing at all’ might come to mind, though I apologize for it, but what do you think about a berserk condition? Maybe a sickness that leads to manic slaughter, or something like that.” --- **New Terms Translated:** - **Jiae (자여):** A character Qing refers to as her adopted child or student. - **Nine Great Sects (구대문파):** Referring to the highly esteemed prestigious martial arts sects in the martial world hierarchy. - **Five Great Noble Clans (오대세가):** Translated to refer to families of significant status and influence in the martial world. The passage highlights Qing's nuanced view on her master's tough teaching style—what she frames as tough love. It juxtaposes her guarded skepticism towards entrusting Jiae to just anyone, given the harsh realities she endured in the martial world. Qing's quick thinking and consideration of leveraging less-than-ideal options like berserk conditions offer a pragmatic approach within the martial arts narrative, reflecting the complex dynamics of strategy and innocence within martial arts culture.