Return of the Blossoming Blade — Chapter 183

BAHAHAHA! HAS IT BEEN SO LONG THAT YOU DO NOT RECOGNIZE YOUR OWN SECT LEADER?

L-LORD SECT LEADER...?

THEN THE GENTLEMEN ON EITHER SIDE OF YOU MUST BE...!

?!

WHAT IN THE FULL-BODY REJUVENATION?!

HAHA! I UNDERSTAND OUR APPEARANCE MUST COME AS A SURPRISE TO YOU ALL.

CERTAINLY, BUT A WELCOME ONE, SECT LEADER!

AS YOUR PUPIL, NOTHING COULD PLEASE ME MORE!

BUT HOW IS IT THAT ALL THE SIGNS OF AGE HAVE SUDDENLY BEEN STRIPPED FROM YOU OVERNIGHT?

WHAT HAPPENED THESE PAST TEN DAYS...?!

WE EACH TOOK THE RECREATION OF MOUNT HUA'S SACRED PANACEA TO TEST FOR ANY ILL EFFECTS, AND WELL, YOU SEE THE RESULTS BEFORE YOU.

IF ANYTHING, ITS POTENCY FAR SURPASSED ALL EXPECTATIONS, HAHA!

OLD MEN AND THEIR FUNNY-COLORED PILLS, BROTHER! NEXT, YOU MIGHT FANCY A FAST HORSE OR A QUESTIONABLE TATTOO!

DO YOU TAKE THIS FOR SOME MIDLIFE CRISIS?!

I REMEMBER...

HMM?

THE SECT LEADER... THAT'S HOW HE LOOKED WHEN I FIRST ARRIVED AT MOUNT HUA...

OR PERHAPS... EVEN YOUNGER.

BUT THAT MUST HAVE BEEN NIGH 20 YEARS AGO...

COULD THE NEW PELLETS TRULY RESTORE TWO WHOLE DECADES TO ONE'S LIFESPAN...? OR EVEN THREE...?!

NOT EVEN THE PRIMORDIAL PANACEA CARRIED SUCH A REJUVENATING PROPERTY.

MOREOVER, THE SUBTLE PURPLISH GLOW IS CERTAINLY NOT ONE WE FOUND IN THE PRIMORDIAL PANACEA PELLETS...

THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE ANSWER FOR IT. THAT SCOUNDREL OVER YONDER HAS DONE IT AGAIN.

WHAT IN THE WORLD HAVE YOU CREATED...?!

I MEAN... I DID PLEDGE TO RESTORE YOUR YOUTH, ELDERS...

BUT I DIDN'T EXPECT IT TO BE IN QUITE SUCH A LITERAL SENSE.

HEH... WELCOME TO THE CLUB.

WELL, I SUPPOSE THE ANCIENT MAXIM STILL HOLDS TRUE.

ALL IS WELL THAT ENDS WELL.

ON THIS AUSPICIOUS DAY, ALL DISCIPLES OF MOUNT HUA SHALL BE ISSUED A VIOLET SKY PELLET, DOWN TO THE VERY LAST TRAINEE!

YOU WILL STEP FORTH IN ORDER OF SENIORITY AND RECEIVE ONE PELLET EACH!

YES, SECT LEADER!

ONE COLOSSAL UNDERTAKING DOWN, THE REST REMAIN TO BE SEEN.

THIS OUGHT TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT ALL OF OUR SECT SIBLINGS ARE VASTLY BETTER PREPARED TO FACE WHATEVER TRIAL COMES OUR WAY NEXT.

BUT... HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE BEFORE THEY CAN HOLD THEIR OWN?

STILL, SEEING THE WAY THEY GROW AND MATURE BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS WITH EVERY OPPORTUNITY I GIVE THEM,

THE WORK OF MENTORING THEM FEELS FAR FROM FRUITLESS.

IS THIS HOW YOU FELT AS YOU GUIDED MY PATH, SENIOR BROTHER?

IF I ONLY COULD GUIDE THIS FOOT UP YOUR BEHIND...

HMM? MUST HAVE BEEN THE WIND...

Episode 177

HERE!

WHAT MANNER OF A MARTIAL ARTS SECT DOES THIS?

THEY'RE DISTRIBUTING THESE PRICELESS PANACEA PELLETS TO EVEN THE LOWLIEST TRAINEES?

THE MERE SCENT OF THE PELLETS IS ENOUGH TO SEND AN AURA OF PURITY COURSING THROUGH THE SENSES...

MEDICINE OF THIS POTENCY MUST AT LEAST RIVAL THE DIVINE VENOM PANACEA OF THE TANG CLAN, YET THE SECT ELDERS SEE FIT TO HAND THEM OUT LIKE SWEETS...

INCLUDING A NEW INTAKE SUCH AS MYSELF, WHO HAS BARELY SPENT A MONTH HERE AT THE SECT.

WHY, I'VE NEVER HEARD OF ANYTHING SO RIDICULOUS.

IN FACT, THERE ISN'T A SECT ON THE FACE OF THIS REALM THAT WOULD GO TO SUCH LENGTHS!

OUR CLAN MAY BE THE PREPONDERANT FACTION IN SICHUAN, BUT EVEN WE DO NOT ALLOW ANYONE BUT THE MOST CENTRAL AMONG ITS DIRECT DESCENDANTS TO EVEN COME WITHIN SNIFFING DISTANCE OF A SACRED PANACEA...

IS THIS A SECT OF FOOLS, OR THE BOLD AND DARING?

MANY TIMES THEY SPOKE TO ME OF MOUNT HUA'S FALLEN STANDING, ONLY TO FIND MY NEW SECT FELLOWS FLUSH WITH COINS...

EVEN THEIR MARTIAL ARTS TOMES WERE LOST TO HISTORY AND LEFT THE SECT WEAKENED, BUT WHAT DO I FIND? A MONSTER JUNIOR DISCIPLE WHO BESTED THE MOST VICIOUS OF THE ELDER TANGS.

I SWEAR, THIS NEW HOME OF MINE CONFOUNDS ME AT EVERY TURN... ARE THERE TRULY NO BOUNDS WHATSOEVER TO ITS FUTURE?

I CANNOT HELP BUT WONDER... DO I HAVE A PLACE IN THIS SECT AT ALL?

THIS IS NOTHING LIKE THE HOME I ONCE KNEW...

THE TANG CLAN VALUES UNITY AND LOYALTY IN THE NAME OF THE FAMILY ABOVE ALL ELSE, BUT THESE SIBLINGS OF THE SWORD SEEM FAR MORE LIKE A TRUE FAMILY THAN THEY...

A TRUE FAMILY.

WILL THERE COME A DAY WHEN I KNOW THE ANSWER...

WHEN I SHALL BE ONE OF THEM?

HAS EVERY DISCIPLE RECEIVED A PELLET?!

YES, SIR!!!

THEN NO NEED TO STAND ON CEREMONY. INGEST IT AND BEGIN THE PROCESS OF QI CIRCULATION AT ONCE!

SUCH GRACE AND PURITY...

THE PRIMORDIAL PANACEA TOO WAS IMPECCABLY UNSULLIED, BUT THIS PELLET MAKES IT SEEM ALMOST TAINTED BY COMPARISON.

PATIENCE... THERE IS NO CAUSE FOR HASTE HERE.

THIS IS NOTHING I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED ALREADY WITH THE PRIMORDIAL PANACEA. AS LONG AS I REMAIN COMPOSED--

HMM?

COME... MAKE YOUR WAY THROUGH MY MERIDIANS!

IT HAS TO SHIFT IN ORDER FOR ME TO GUIDE IT TO MY DANTIAN, EXCEPT IT SIMPLY REFUSES TO--

CURSES...!

I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN... THIS IS THAT CURMUDGEON CHEONGMYEONG'S CREATION!

IT'S EVERY BIT AS ORNERY AS ITS CREATOR!

WHATEVER GRIPE YOU HAVE WITH MY QI CIRCULATION, I BEG YOU TO START FLOWING ALREADY!

THE LONGER I LEAVE IT, THE MORE I RISK ITS CORRUPTION...!

IT'S... BUSTING MY QI PATHWAYS OPEN?!

SURELY A MERE PELLET INFUSED WITH QI HAS NO WILL OF ITS OWN...

SO HOW IS IT THAT IT BEHAVES EXACTLY LIKE CHEONGMYEONG...?!

IT GAZES UPWARD...?

TOWARD MY HEAD, PERHAPS?

BUT WHY...?!

THE HEAVENLY GATE?!

IT IS ALREADY CLIMBING UP THE CONCEPTION MERIDIAN, DIRECTLY TO MY UPPER DANTIAN!

ENOUGH, YOU UTTER ROGUE! NO MEDICINE HAS THE MIGHT TO CLEAR ONE'S UPPER DANTIAN WITH EASE!

IF ANYTHING, A CLUMSY ATTEMPT MIGHT LEAVE ME INCAPACITATED AT BEST, AND AT WORST--

URGHHH!!!

TH-THIS CANNOT BE!

STOP THIS, YOU RABID DOG... NO, YOU RABID CONCENTRATION OF QI!

NOT ONCE HAVE I EVER WANTED A TINY CHEONGMYEONG INSIDE ME!!!

ACK!!!

BLOSSOMS SAVE ME...! I MAY WELL LOSE CONSCIOUSNESS AT THIS RATE!

THIS WILL SURELY END IN A FATAL QI REFLUX!

UNLESS I PUT AN END TO ITS RAMPAGE NOW...!

PEACE, CHEONGMYEONG!

I MEAN, CHEONGMYEONG'S QI AVATAR...!

I URGE YOU TO STOP FOR A MOMENT!

YOU MUST KNOW THERE IS A RIGHT TIME AND PLACE FOR EVERYTHING.

MY HEAVENLY GATE IS NOT READY TO BE OPENED YET.

IT WOULD BE WISER TO RELENT FOR NOW AND RETURN TO THE CENTRAL DANTIAN.

WHAT DO YOU SAY?

FINALLY SEEN SENSE, HAVE YOU?

THERE, GOOD CONCENTRATION OF QI... YOU SHALL HAVE A GOOD HOME BACK IN MY CENTRAL DANTIAN.

HMM?

HUH...?!

I-INCOMING!

IN AN INSTANT, ALL THE SENSES OF THE WORLD SUDDENLY CIRCUMVENTED MY ORGANS...

...SPEAKING DIRECTLY TO MY ENTIRE BODY INSTEAD.

A HEAVENLY OPENING.

SUCH IS THE WORLD AS SEEN THROUGH THE EYES OF A MASTER...!

BEHOLD...!

I... HAVE OVERCOME.

IN THE FACE OF A WALL THAT SEPARATES THE FIRST-RATE FROM TRUE MASTERY...

I HAVE SURPASSED YET ANOTHER LIMIT.

EVERY COLOR AND SHAPE I SEE SUDDENLY SEEMS SEVERAL TIMES CLEARER...

...AS THOUGH I HAD ALWAYS BEHELD THE WORLD THROUGH A SHROUD THAT WAS LIFTED FROM MY EYES IN AN INSTANT.

SIGHT IS NOT THE ONLY SENSE AFFECTED, EITHER.

I HEAR MY FELLOW DISCIPLES' SOFT GASPS OF AWE FROM AFAR...

...AND EVEN THE MOST SUBTLE SCENTS IN THE STILL AIR GATHER IN MY NOSTRILS LIKE--

EEEURGH!!!

WHAT ON EARTH IS THAT STENCH?!

BLEEERRRGH!

S***... D*** YOU ALL!

WON'T YOU BATHE EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE?!

SISTER ISEOL HAS NEVER CURSED AT US LIKE THIS BEFORE!

ARGH!

WHERE IS THIS UNCONSCIONABLE REEK COMING FROM?!

A-ALL DISCIPLES! GO AND BATHE YOURSELVES IMMEDIATELY!

Y-YES, SECT LEADER!

WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THIS, CHEONGMYEONG?

MAKE OF WHAT?

YOUR SECT SIBLINGS, OF COURSE. WAS THE VIOLET SKY PELLET TOO MUCH FOR THEM, PERHAPS?

DOUBT IT, SECT LEADER. A LITTLE FULL-BODY EVACUATION FROM EVERY PORE NEVER HURT ANYBODY...

IF ANYTHING, I'D SAY THEY'RE JUST ABOUT READY AT LAST.

READY?

THEIR TIME HAS COME, IN OTHER WORDS.

THE PANACEA DID NOT KILL THEM... BUT THEY'LL SOON WISH IT HAD.