txolops Chapter 102 As long as saints live, great thieves will never cease.
Chapter 102 As long as saints live, great thieves will never cease.
The latest work by the author "A Monkey from Huaguo Mountain," titled "Immortality: Starting as a Paper Craftsman to Gain Experience," is exclusively released for the first time!
The Blood River Sect's mountain gate is not located in that majestic, cloud-piercing sacred mountain, but deep within a great rift valley that runs east to west.
The valley floor is perpetually shrouded in darkness, with a crimson underground river rushing through it, crashing against the black rock walls and splashing up a sweet, fishy mist.
Rumors circulate that this river is formed from the blood of countless lives, and that every drop is imbued with evil and curse.
In reality, the Blood Swordsman sitting on the bone throne in the main hall was looking at a water quality test report in his hand with a worried expression.
This water is not actually blood, but rather rusted water formed by the oxidation of underground iron-rich ore veins after being washed by spiritual energy, plus the excessive proliferation of a spiritual plant called red algae.
It turns into a bright red mess, which looks scary. At most, drinking it will replenish some iron and give you diarrhea for a couple of days.
"I'm poor."
A long sigh echoed through the empty, gloomy hall.
The man's face was covered by a bronze ghost mask, revealing a hard, cold jawline. He wore a wide, dark red robe and was surrounded by a chilling aura of malevolence.
This is Gu Yan's clone, the current sect leader of the Blood River Sect, the Blood Swordsman.
He casually tossed the report into the brazier in front of him, watching the flames lick the paper, his mind racing with calculations.
Having just dealt with Zhulong and obtained the Dragon Pearl, the formation of the Core Formation is now a certainty.
But what about our own side?
As a demonic cultivator at the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment, the resources needed to form the Core are still unresolved.
For a demonic cultivator to form their Golden Core is to defy the heavens. Without a massive array of spirit stones and top-grade elixirs to protect them, the heavenly tribulation will shatter them into relics, let alone a Golden Core.
"Sect Master, we're in the red again this month for spirit stones."
Below the main hall, an elderly man, also dressed in a red robe with badly worn cuffs, reported to his superiors with a distressed expression.
This is the Grand Elder promoted by the Blood Swordsman, known as Ghost Hand Han Ku. His name sounds frightening, but he is actually a stingy old man who can haggle with rogue cultivators for half an hour just to save a Qi Gathering Pill.
"Our outlying mines are producing less and less. And then there's the situation with the Flowing Cloud Sect..."
Han Ku hesitated, glancing at the man on the throne, before uttering the rest of his sentence: "They sent someone to urge us, saying that this year's peace tax is due."
Ping An Tax.
How ironic those three words are.
If those independent cultivators who regard the Liuyun Sect as the leader of the righteous path were to hear this, they would probably be shocked.
How dare a righteous sect collect taxes from the demonic sect, which everyone wants to kill?
"Please urge?"
A cold laugh came from beneath the mask. The Blood Swordsman tapped his fingers lightly on the bone armrest, producing a dull thud. "They're punctual, aren't they? It's a pathetic job for me as a demon. Not only do I have to guard against them and fight for justice, but I also have to pay them money to keep me safe."
"Sect Master, perhaps..."
Han Ku made a throat-slitting gesture, a ruthless glint in his eyes. "Shall we not pay? Or should we just rob him?"
"Who are you going to rob? The Flowing Cloud Sect?"
The Blood Swordsman looked at his own Grand Elder with the eyes of someone looking at an idiot, "Ever since True Immortal Blood River died, the entire strength of our sect combined wouldn't even be enough to fill the teeth of one of their Enforcement Halls. Elder Han, we are demonic cultivators, not death cultivators. Use your brain."
Han Ku shrank back, not daring to utter a sound.
"Has anyone arrived?" Blood Swordsman asked.
"They've arrived, waiting in the side hall. This time it's Elder Chen from the Flowing Cloud Sect's External Affairs Hall, an old acquaintance."
"Please come in."
The Blood Swordsman waved his hand, his languid demeanor vanishing, leaving only a savage aura that seemed to have emerged from a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.
As the energy surged, the temperature in the entire hall plummeted, and the decorative skulls came to life, their eye sockets glowing with eerie ghostly fire.
A moment later, a series of hurried footsteps approached.
The man who walked in was a chubby middle-aged man, wearing the iconic snow-white Taoist robe of the Flowing Cloud Sect, which was spotless. He was also holding a folding fan in his hand and had a friendly smile on his face.
With that kind of appearance, he'd be perfect as a pawnshop manager in the mortal world; he has absolutely no air of divine grace.
"Oh, Blood Sect Master, how have you been?"
As soon as Elder Chen entered, he cupped his hands in a familiar greeting, showing no sign of the tension one would expect from a righteous cultivator venturing into a demon's lair. Instead, he seemed like a neighbor coming to visit. "As we've traveled along, I've noticed that your sect's malevolent aura has grown increasingly intense. It seems that Sect Master Xue's divine skills have improved considerably. Congratulations!"
The Blood Swordsman sat on the high seat, motionless, his voice hoarse and unpleasant due to the mask.
"Fatty Chen, stop with the nonsense. Didn't we just pay this month's dues? Why are you doing this again? Do you really think my Blood River Sect is an appendage of your Flowing Cloud Sect?"
Elder Chen wasn't annoyed. He found a chair and sat down, then, finding the chair dusty, took out a handkerchief and wiped it clean.
"Sect Leader Xue, you're being too polite. Our two families are interdependent; if one of us is gone, the other will be too."
Elder Chen closed his folding fan, his smile fading slightly, replaced by a businesslike tone: "This time, I'm not here for spirit stones. It's because there's an order from above that the harvests of mortals in the counties of Yong'an Prefecture have been exceptionally good lately."
The Blood Swordsman's gaze sharpened, but he remained silent.
Elder Chen continued, "When the harvest is good, the people have surplus grain. With surplus grain, they no longer pray to gods and Buddhas, nor are they willing to send their children to serve as menial disciples. With less incense offerings and prayers, the sect's income also decreases."
"So?" the Blood Swordsman asked coldly.
"Therefore, a little fear is necessary."
Elder Chen pulled a map from his sleeve, spread it out on the table, and pointed to three red circles. "These three counties need a demonic calamity. It doesn't need to be too large; a few hundred deaths and the massacre of a few villages will suffice. At that time, we will send inner disciples down the mountain to eliminate the demons and save the people from their suffering."
"In this way, the people will be grateful and the incense will naturally burn brightly. Then we can justifiably raise the tax next year."
After saying that, Elder Chen looked at the Blood Swordsman with a smile, "The old rule applies: you provide the effort, we provide the fame. This will be your reward after the deed is done."
He tossed out a heavy storage bag.
Han Ku quickly caught it, scanned it with his divine sense, and nodded to the Blood Swordsman with a delighted expression.
After that, Elder Chen fell silent, awaiting the Blood Swordsman's decision, and the hall returned to deathly silence.
Only the rushing sound of the underground river seemed like the whispers of countless wronged souls.
Looking at the fat man with a greasy face, the Blood Swordsman felt an indescribable sense of absurdity.
This is what is called the right path.
This is the revered immortal master.
In order to maintain their superior status and to reap the faith and wealth of mortals, they did not hesitate to keep demonic cultivators and artificially create disasters.
Demonic cultivators kill people for cultivation purposes; it is blatant evil.
This group of people kill without shedding blood, and not only do they eat people without spitting out the bones, they also make the people they eat kneel down to express their gratitude.
It's true that as long as saints exist, great thieves will never cease.
As long as these self-proclaimed saints, spouting platitudes about benevolence and morality, continue to use exorcising demons and defending the righteous path to proclaim their justice, and continue to use external threats to intimidate mortals, then the so-called great bandits of the Blood River Sect will never be eradicated. (Author's note: I hope you enjoy the story of "Eternal Life: Starting as a Paper Craftsman and Grinding for Experience").
In fact, the Flowing Cloud Sect would rather see the Blood River Sect live well and prosper for a long time than anyone else.
"Hundreds of lives lost."
The Blood Swordsman spoke slowly, his tone revealing neither joy nor anger: "Fatty Chen, the hearts of your Flowing Cloud Sect are even blacker than mine, a demonic cultivator."
"Alas, Blood Sect Master, you are mistaken."
Elder Chen shook his head, his face full of compassion. "Mortals are like weeds, they grow back after being cut down. We are accumulating merit for them, so that they can die sooner and be reborn in a better place in the next life. Maybe they can even have spiritual roots to cultivate immortality."
That's enough.
Blood Swordsman slammed his hand on the armrest, and a terrifying pressure from a Foundation Establishment Grand Perfection cultivator erupted, directly shattering Elder Chen's chair into dust.
Caught off guard, Elder Chen sat down on the ground with a thud. His expression changed slightly, but he quickly regained his composure, though a shadow of gloom appeared in his eyes.
"Blood Sect Master, what do you mean? Is the money too little? Or do you want to break the contract?"
Elder Chen stood up, dusted himself off, and said in a cold tone, "Don't forget, if it weren't for my Flowing Cloud Sect turning a blind eye, your Blood River Sect would have been razed to the ground long ago. If you're going to be a dog, you should be prepared to be one."
"To be a dog?"
The Blood Swordsman stood up and walked down the steps one by one.
With each step he took, the aura of bloodlust behind him intensified, and soon, an illusion of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood condensed behind him.
The Blood Swordsman walked step by step to Elder Chen, looking down at the short, fat man.
"Fatty Chen, aren't you mistaken about something?"
The Blood Swordsman's voice was somber: "If we, these vicious dogs, weren't here, what would you shepherds use to frighten your flock? What excuse would you have to collect those exorbitant immortal taxes?"
"If the Blood River Sect were to perish today, tomorrow the mortals under your Flowing Cloud Sect's jurisdiction would discover that life can be just as good without immortal masters. Then, who will still offer you their offerings?"
"So don't make it seem like you're giving me charity."
The Blood Swordsman reached out and gently straightened Elder Chen's collar, a gesture that sent a cold sweat down Elder Chen's back. "Since we are helping each other out, and this is a collaboration, then we must be on equal footing."
"What are you going to do?"
Elder Chen swallowed hard, sensing the genuine killing intent emanating from the other party.
"I'll take on the calamities in these three counties."
The Blood Swordsman turned around, his back to Elder Chen, and with a wave of his sleeve, said, "However, the price will have to change."
"The spirit stones in that storage bag are just a deposit."
"I want three Condensing Qi Pills from the Flowing Cloud Sect's treasury, as well as three spots to enter the Sunset Valley Secret Realm."
"What?!"
Elder Chen exclaimed, "Are you insane? The Condensing Fiend Pill is a sacred medicine to aid in Core Formation, and Sunset Valley is a trial ground for righteous cultivators. How could they give you demonic cultivators a spot? This is impossible!"
"Then there's nothing to discuss."
The Blood Swordsman turned his head, his eyes flashing a dangerous red light beneath his mask, his tone chilling: "Perfect timing. I've recently reached a bottleneck in my cultivation and was just looking for a few righteous cultivators to practice with. Since you won't give it to me, I'll go get it myself."
Elder Chen's expression changed drastically: "How do you know about Luo Lie?!"
This matter is a top secret of the Flowing Cloud Sect. It only happened a few days ago, and even he just received the news. How could this demon know about it?
Blood Swordsman certainly knew.
Because the one who killed Luo Lie was also himself.
"There are no secrets that stay hidden forever."
The Blood Swordsman feigned profundity, "I also know that you urgently need to find a target to divert attention from your internal conflicts and cover up your incompetence in the death of Luo Lie. The Blood River Sect is the perfect target."
"But I, the target, don't want to be hit anymore. I want to bite."
The Blood Swordsman took a step closer, and a trace of the aura unique to demonic cultivators emanated from him, causing Elder Chen's soul to tremble.
This demon... is he about to form his core?!
If he truly achieves the Core Formation, then the Blood River Sect's value and level of threat will be completely different.
A Foundation Establishment stage demonic cultivator is like a dog; they can be easily manipulated.
A demonic cultivator at the Core Formation stage is a wolf you can sit down and do business with, just like the Blood River True Man before.
Elder Chen's expression shifted between light and dark as he rapidly weighed the pros and cons in his mind.
If he doesn't agree, and this madman really causes a big commotion and ruins the sect's grand plan to harvest incense offerings, even if he is eventually punished, his time as the external affairs elder will be over.
If you agree...
Although the Condensing Fiend Pill is precious, for a demonic cultivator like the Blood Swordsman, this resource is absolutely insufficient to support his breakthrough to the Golden Core stage.
As for the quota for Sunset Valley, getting in is easy, but whether you can come out alive depends on the mood of the righteous disciples.
"good!"
Elder Chen gritted his teeth and agreed, "I can give you two Condensing Demon Pills. I'll give you three spots in Sunset Valley. But you must guarantee that this demonic tribulation will be convincing, that the mortals of those three counties will feel utter despair!"
"make a deal."
The Blood Swordsman readily agreed.
"The items will be delivered in three days. I hope Sect Master Xue will keep his promise."
Elder Chen didn't want to stay a moment longer. He threw out a polite remark, turned around and left, his back looking somewhat disheveled.
After Elder Chen walked away, Han Ku looked at his sect leader with admiration.
"Sect Master, you're truly amazing! You actually managed to pluck feathers from those stingy misers of the Flowing Cloud Sect! But... are we really going to slaughter all the mortals in those three counties?"
Although Han Ku was a demonic cultivator, he was still somewhat unwilling to do things that disturbed his mind, such as slaughtering mortals.
After all, mortals are not worth much, and killing too many people can easily incur karmic retribution from Heaven.
"Slaughter my ass."
The Blood Swordsman removed his mask, revealing a face that bore a resemblance to Gu Yan, but was even more effeminate and cold.
He looked at the map in his hand, a mocking smile playing on his lips.
"Acting, anyone can do that."
"Remember, you are only allowed to set fire to empty houses, and you are only allowed to plunder the wealth of the rich. You are not allowed to harm any ordinary people."
At this point, the Blood Swordsman paused, his eyes becoming deep and unfathomable.
"Since the Flowing Cloud Sect wants to play the game of nurturing bandits to enhance their own power, then I'll show them what it means to raise a tiger to cause trouble."
"The calamities in these three counties are fake, but I will truly seize the opportunities in Sunset Valley."
The Blood Swordsman put his mask back on and sat back on the bone throne.
Outside the main hall, the red river flows ceaselessly, like a scar on this twisted world of cultivation, one that can never be healed.
Gu Yan stood on this scar, ready to use the sharpest knife to completely puncture this hypocritical festering sore.