It wasn’t long before they reached the sixth floor, where they were greeted by a well-decorated reception hall. Their guide directly bypassed the comfortable waiting area and the servants on standby with refreshments. He led them to a wooden door at the back, through which they entered a remarkably plain room. A silver-haired man awaited them.
“Please have a seat,” the man said amiably.
Yue Bing’s first impression of the man was that he didn’t have the pretentious air most spirit doctors had. Instead he gave off a benevolent aura that seemed to confirm the maxim “a doctor has the heart of a parent.” “What brings you here today, Dr. Yue?”
Yue Bing immediately noted his use of the word doctor. This meant that in his eyes, she wasn’t a criminal. “Grandmaster Gu, I happened to be traveling in the area, and I heard that Sword Master Jin had once suffered a grievous injury,” Yue Bing said. “I believe that I may be able to help him.”
Grandmaster Gu sighed and shook his head. He waved his hand, sealing the entire space in an intangible barrier. She’d experienced a similar sensation when speaking to her master. This was resplendent force, something a whole tier higher than her incandescent soul force. It would be impossible for anyone with a weaker soul than the man before her to break it.
“Let’s both be honest with each other, shall we?” Grandmaster Gu said. “I absolutely loathe the games other doctors play, and I’m sure you feel the same.”
Yue Bing glanced at Luo Xuehua, who nodded gently. “We came to Violet City to find my senior apprentice brother, Zi Long. He’s currently trapped by the Violet Heart Sect, and we have no way to get to him. The reason I wish to treat Sword Master Jin is that intelligence reports say he was wounded much the same way as the second elder of the Violet Heart Sect. If I’m able to treat him, the Violet Heart Sect may lift its blockade and allow us to enter.”
“A good plan,” Grandmaster Gu said, nodding. “If you have the capabilities to back it up. Otherwise, you’d be tarnishing not only your own reputation but the reputation of our association.”
“I assure you that I have that capability,” Yue Bing said. “As long as he’s not dead, I can save him.”
“A bold claim,” Grandmaster Gu said, looking her in the eyes. “If you were a regular doctor, I’d send you out of my office right now for making it. However, a report I received recently states that you heal with unorthodox means. Some have speculated that you are a rogue blood artist, while others say you simply got on the bad side of Dr. Meng.”
“And what do you believe?” Yue Bing said.
“I have my speculations,” Grandmaster Gu said, stroking his thin silver beard. “I’d like to see your healing abilities firsthand to confirm some things.”
Yue Bing nodded slowly. In truth, she wasn’t too sure about the origin of her cultivation technique. If Grandmaster Gu could solve this mystery for her, she’d be in a better position to decide whether to continue cultivating it or abandon it. Before she could say anything, however, Grandmaster Gu took a knife out. Shockingly, he slashed his own left hand, severing three fingers in the process.
“Show me what you can do,” he said, gritting his teeth. “Worst case, I can heal these fingers myself.”
Alarmed, Yue Bing swept up the fingers with her incandescent force and stopped his blood flow using twelve acupuncture needles on his wrist. Then, she replaced his fingers and began forming hand seals.
“No, not those skills,” Grandmaster Gu said. “Your other skills.”
Panicking, Yue Bing sent out a cloud of blood vitality from within her body. Her incandescent force guided the energy to the man’s severed fingers, where it instinctively poured in without reservation. The bone mended first, followed by the nerves, the ligaments, and the veins. The muscles followed, and soon his skin was completely intact.
“Remarkable,” Grandmaster Gu said, flexing his hand. “Everything is fully healed. In fact, my arthritis has been alleviated somewhat. How fatigued are you? How taxing was it on your soul?”
“I’m not tired at all,” Yue Bing said, shrugging. “Perhaps I’m a bit hungry, if anything.
“And I didn’t detect any baleful aura,” Grandmaster Gu said, nodding. “If I detected the least bit of baleful aura in your arts, you’d be on your way to Yama, your friend from the Alabaster Group be damned.”
“Then about my request…” Yue Bing said.
“Seeing Sword Master Jin directly is difficult,” Grandmaster Gu replied. “I’m also unsure of your exact healing capabilities. Truth be told, I also attempted to heal his wounds, but to no avail. It would be inconvenient for me to recommend someone whose healing skills don’t exceed my own.”
“I’m confident in my skills, but not confident enough to challenge a grandmaster,” Yue Bing replied.
“Your abilities might be greater than you know,” Grandmaster Gu said, shaking his head. “You heal directly with vitality, which is the primal essence our bodies depend on. What might be impossible for others might be possible for you.
“Are there other recorded cases of healing with blood arts?” Yue Bing asked.
“A few,” Grandmaster Gu said. “And as much as people are loath to admit it, much of it comes from the south. But nothing like what I see here.”
“And what do you see?” Yue Bing asked.
“Hope,” Grandmaster Gu replied. “If I’m right about your inheritance… let’s just say your standing might soon exceed mine in the Spirit Doctor Association.”
Chapter 27
Leaves and twigs crumbled beneath Ling Dong’s heavy footsteps as he and Darkwing made their way up the mountain. Lesser demons scrambled out of their path, not daring to provoke them now that their actions were sanctioned. One was a king, and the other his lord-level subordinate. At least, that was the impression Darkwing gave as he walked a full foot behind Ling Dong. It was a small and almost imperceptible distance for a demon as large as he was, but one that other demons would instantly recognize.
Beasts are a prideful bunch, Darkwing explained as they made their way up the mountain. Since all the havoc we caused was in a certain king’s territory, it’s his responsibility to hold us accountable. That is, if he’s capable enough. If you prove stronger, you’ll be qualified to replace him.
He hesitated. This is the first time I’ve heard of a human taking part in such a holy duel, however. Even so, we can trust the Razorback Sovereign to honor her words.
“What are the rules of the duel?” Ling Dong asked.
That you fight with honor and dignity, Darkwing said. Though killing is frowned upon, as it deprives the sovereign of a potent general, it’s warranted if the other party courts death or overly offends. Still, you should show mercy if possible, even if it won’t be reciprocated. Otherwise your actions could be interpreted as a challenge to the Sovereign. You’d stand no chance against a peak-purification demon beast, regardless of her grade.
“I wouldn’t dare be so stupid,” Ling Dong said. “I know my limits. I’m a mid-grade body cultivator and a mid-grade qi refiner. With my Demon-Subduing Intent, I should be able to put up a decent fight against a late-purification demon king.”
Agreed, but you need to be careful, Darkwing said. We demons aren’t a tricky bunch, but our techniques are unpredictable and varied. This is doubly so in demonic lands. We can draw on its power to some extent using our noble titles.
“And here I thought the titles were just for show,” Ling Dong muttered.
They’re not mere formalities, they’re laws of nature, Darkwing said solemnly. Humans might not understand, but demons feel it in their very bones.
The trees parted as they stepped onto the barren area at the peak of the mountain. It was rocky, mostly flat, and covered in millions of tiny claw scratches. A tall spire jutted out from the center of the mountain. It was hewed from the same rock as the rest of it, defying Ling Dong’s initial guess that the plateau was an artificial structure. The spire was a remnant of the mountain’s natural form, the resi
dence of the Razorback Sovereign.
They weren’t the first to arrive. A crowd of lord-level demons—early- and mid-purification beasts, depending on their tiers—were waiting patiently. A few king-level beasts had already arrived, but these were the weakest among them. There were three—a large black bear, a silver wolf, and a white crane.
The duo happened to walk in at the same time as a large butterfly, who slowed its pace so they could enter first.
She assumes we’re weak, and our station is below hers, Darkwing said helplessly. The only way our treatment will improve is if we win.
How convenient, Ling Dong replied. If we lose, we die anyway. It’s like making a cost-free gamble or getting a free gift.
He noticed that Darkwing was walking a little taller than he had for the past week. Was it because of his injuries or something else? Perhaps their open and above-board challenge was more clearly aligned with his nature, and stealing was a shameful act he’d been forced to put up with.
As they approached the ring of assembled beasts, Ling Dong heard mental mutters from the assembled creatures. Most of them spoke of him being human and how he didn’t belong. Ling Dong didn’t care about their opinions. In this hierarchal world, only the leader’s words were important. Since the Sovereign had admitted his standing, they could only bicker and complain to their lesser brethren.
I’ll wait here, Darkwing said, taking a seat at the inner edge of the circle.
To Ling Dong’s surprise, two large runic characters were carved on the plateau. The one in front of Darkwing was that for “Challenger,” while the other read “Champion.” The presence of these characters in the makeshift arena caused Ling Dong to wonder about the nature of runes. If even demons used them, it might well be like his teacher said—that runes reflected the laws of the universe, and runic arts only approximated them.
Time trickled by.
Eight more kings showed up, but no additional lords, save for their retinues. Anyone with lesser standing was already seated, as doing so later would have insulted the mightier demons present.
Once Ling Dong and eleven other kings were assembled, the last king arrived. It was a wolverine measuring a full eighty feet in length. His massive frame was a little large for the 500-foot arena, but by the looks of it, he had no need to keep his distance. The crowd parted to allow the demonic king inside, his bloodred fur shining with natural runic markings formed of pure white fur.
He’s a bloodrune wolverine, a third-tier demon, Darkwing whispered. He’ll be exceptionally fast, aggressive, and he’ll be able to take hits. His kind is especially powerful in frontal battles like these ones.
What’s your tier? Ling Dong asked, his curiosity piqued.
I’m a fifth-tier demon, Darkwing said proudly. If all goes well, I’ll break through to core formation and become a monarch. Transcending will likely evade me, however. I’ll only exceed this realm with a great deal of good luck and thousands of years of accumulation.
The mental mutterings from the crowd of demons slowly stopped. When the final “voice” died down, a gust of wind buffeted them from the side. Everyone, including Ling Dong, bowed in unison. A few more gusts followed, and finally, a large bird appeared before them. It was the Razorback Sovereign, and as her name suggested, she looked less like a crow and more like a grouping of blades. Her feathers gleamed with black, rune-covered metal. Each one was as large as Ling Dong’s sword and incomparably sharp. With his current abilities and his broken sword, he doubted he’d be able to even scratch the mighty demon in battle.
This sovereign has arrived to witness the duel between the Demon-Subduing King and the Bloodrune King, the Razorback Sovereign said. Bloodrune King has accepted his challenge. Should the challenger lose, the Bloodrune King will educate the Demon-Subduing King in our ways, so that he might better serve the mountain. He will join our mountain as the least of kings. Should his challenge succeed, he will take Bloodrune King’s ranking, and existing territories will be redistributed accordingly. Further, regardless of the outcome of the duel, the Demon-Subduing King will henceforth be a member of this mountain. What he has taken for his own consumption was legitimate and proper and should never be questioned again.
Mental whispers broke out once more. Ling Dong overheard snippets like “human” and “not worthy.”
I have heard your complaints and understand your concerns, the Razorback Sovereign said. You say he is a human and should be judged as a human. He is not worthy of a kingly title. The crow looked to Ling Dong with her four eyes. Release your kingly might, she commanded.
For the first time in his life, Ling Dong felt the urge to bow. It was something that emanated from his very soul. He struggled against it but ultimately chose to incline his head, relieving the pressure. Then he released his Demon-Subduing Intent. He spread it out over a hundred-foot radius centered around him. Then, as though a door was unlocked, Ling Dong felt incomparable clarity. It was as though he was one with the mountain and could access its power. It was like he was a king in his domain, a fish in the sea.
The lesser demons shifted uncomfortably while the kings seemed unsurprised.
I trust that you all have no complaints about my judgment, the Razorback Sovereign continued. Those with the aura of a king should be treated as one. Though he was a human at birth, he is now a demon. The Sovereign then spread out her wings, one in Ling Dong’s direction and one in the wolverine’s direction.
Challenger, are you ready? She asked. Ling Dong held his fists out and bowed to his opponent.
Champion, are you ready? She asked once more. The Bloodrune King inclined his head, then let out a loud roar. The beasts roared with him, howling in approval and support. Begin!
Ling Dong drew out his blade and moved to the center. The Bloodrune King circled and sniffed, investigating his movements.
You don’t look like a king, but you have the guts to challenge me, the Bloodrune King sent mentally. That’s earned my respect. Come, show me what you’ve got.
The wolverine’s large figure blurred, disappearing in a cloud of red. Ling Dong felt a distortion in the mountain’s energy and quickly slapped down behind him with his large blade. He magnified his weight until it was three times his fist strength, but the blow still pushed him back. His feet dug into the ground, leaving deep gouges in the mountain’s rocky floor.
You hit awfully hard for a late-purification demon, Ling Dong sent, fighting the numbness in his arms. Thankfully, his bones were as durable as mid-grade magic treasures. They wouldn’t break from such an impact. His sword, however, wasn’t faring so well. A tiny chip had appeared in the blade, which was no surprise given the damage to its runic structure. His fighting prowess was far higher than the blade could handle.
You haven’t seen anything yet, the Bloodrune King said, grinning. He disappeared once more.
This time, seven clouds of blood appeared beside Ling Dong. Each one was like a gateway to hell, a portal to the world beyond. A sharp-clawed hand appeared from one of the gates and threatened to slice Ling Dong in two. Ling Dong reacted quickly, pressing his hand against the soil and causing several earth-aligned runes to appear. An earthen slab pushed out of the ground like a guillotine.
The Bloodrune King, clearly sensing the threat, retracted his clawed hand. The guillotine blocked off one of the portals. A fraction of a second later, the claws appeared outside another door. Ling Dong anticipated this and pressed his palm down once again. More runes appeared, more protrusions in the mountain adding to the circle he’d started. A new guillotine came after the claw, forcing it to retreat.
The gate disappeared, and the moment it did, two claws struck out at Ling Dong simultaneously. The burly man struck the ground several times. Doors of rock appeared before each of the bloody gates. The red wolverine could only banish the technique and circle outside the human’s defensive circle.
“If all you do is run, how will we give ’em a good show?” the Bloodrune King asked, circling.
Ling
Dong didn’t stay idle while his opponent circled. Instead, he rushed from location to location, pressing his palm down and adding to his runic arrangement. He worked feverishly, instinctively. It was unlike any runic circle he’d ever drawn. From a talisman artist’s point of view, he was doing something uncharted and extremely dangerous. Yet every rune he added drew on the primal power of the mountain and caused a circle to expand. The area around them was falling under his control, the earth bowing down to his will.
Seeming to realize the situation, the Bloodrune King clapped its paws on its chest. Bloodred imprints appeared. The king-level demon coughed up blood, which evaporated into a mist and lurched into the red imprints. His control over the nearby demonic energy skyrocketed and forced any stray energy to rush into him. Then, as soon as this energy disappeared, he also vanished.
Ling Dong, sensing a disturbance in the air, urged the earth to move. He formed a rocky fist that intercepted the wolverine mid-movement. It shattered on impact, so Ling Dong pushed off the ground and drew his sword. He summoned blades of ice to deflect bloody claws of demonic qi that that suddenly appeared above him. The Bloodrune King slashed down as he deflected the deadly attack. Ling Dong blocked the sudden attack with his blade once again, causing another chip to appear on the damaged artifact.
The Bloodrune King’s influence was rising, and as it did, the mountain weighed on Ling Dong, rejecting him. His circle of influence was shrinking, and with it, his elemental power. What he didn’t take was appropriated by the Bloodrune King, whose speed and strength was ever increasing.
You don’t look like a king, nor do you act like one, the Bloodrune King said. Let me show you how a real king fights.
The wolverine stopped its complex movements and summoned a violet object above his head. Ling Dong was amazed to see that it was a crown. It was forged with violet demonic energy, the same hue of violet as his Demon-Subduing Eyes. It exerted a massive pressure on Ling Dong’s surroundings as it appeared, causing the runic circle Ling Dong had painstakingly drawn up to begin disintegrating while the demonic energy he’d gathered began revolting against him. He was a helpless baby surrounded by a pack of wolves.
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