Chapter 442: Every Treasure Has a Sad Legend (3)

A certain kind of simple, repetitive work—especially one where the worker can clearly track progress—has a peculiar power to draw people in.

Put more plainly, acts like embroidery or weaving clothes have been hobbies sustained for over four thousand years across both East and West. In Qing’s homeland, even screen-and-controller hobbies fell under that same category.

And when the work is finally finished—the sense of accomplishment is indescribable.

That was exactly the state of Cheon Yuhak, who had spent weeks pressing maps together and puzzling out the terrain of the Central Plains.

Right up until the moment a verdict dropped—like it had been waiting in ambush—that all his labor had been useless.

“What...?”

“Absorbing Qi Demonic Art, Absorbing Star Great Law? Ah. You don’t know about Saljung-Sal, do you. It’s the worst of the demonic arts, so vile that it isn’t even counted among the Ten Great Demonic Arts but set aside separately as the absolute worst.”

To be told by Qing that he didn’t know something.

And worse, if one listened carefully, one could tell that she herself didn’t really know what the Absorbing Qi Demonic Art was either.

It was like one of those posts back in her homeland: Today we’ll be learning about the Absorbing Qi Demonic Art. It’s an amazing demonic art. You’d all better watch out!—just pretty pictures and no substance.

This was a humiliation worthy of being carved into the Cheon family code of conduct, passed down for generations so the shame would never be forgotten.

But Cheon Yuhak didn’t even have the energy for that.

“What do you mean? I pieced together those maps, cut down on sleep for two whole months, and spent every night after lectures holed up in this gloomy underground chamber, tearing my eyes out—”

“Mm. Isn’t it possible this map and that map are different?”

“Give me that!”

In what was nearly yihyeonghwanwi (changing form in a single step) — Cheon Yuhak darted up to Qing, snatched the Treasure Map, and spread the two side by side in haste.

“This—damn.”

Sparks flew from his eyes.

“If a map this detailed existed, why the hell didn’t you bring it first thing—!”

He glared savagely at Qing, only to end up sighing deep into her guileless face.

“No. You can’t be at fault for this. It’s the same map. Just drawn in much finer detail.”

“The same map?”

“The detailed one is the original. Someone must have copied it, disguising it with ciphers to avoid exposure. Likely one of those copies drifted into the hands of the Green Forest bandits. Ha. Two months. Ha ha ha...”

He staggered to a chair and slumped down like a man burned out to ash.

Then suddenly bellowed:

“Shut that noise! Make those bastards stop groaning!”

“Nothing you want to ask them? Maybe we should’ve just killed them and dropped the corpses at the magistrate’s office?”

“Spare—”

“Ehh. Why’d you even drag things like that in here?”

“I thought you’d want to question them.”

“Just dig out where they got the Treasure Map.”

“They said they picked it up at an unmarked grave near the border.”

“Haah. Nothing more to learn then. Just clear them out. So, Saljung-Sal, the Absorbing Star Great Law.”

Cheon Yuhak clicked his tongue.

“How sweet it would’ve been if the treasure we uncovered had turned out to be the manual for the Absorbing Star Great Law. Damn. I feel my energy draining just thinking of it. And we can hardly leave something like Saljung-Sal to run wild...”

“Is the Absorbing Qi Demonic Art really that dangerous?”

“Of course it is. What kind of question is that?”

The best-known method of stealing another’s internal energy was the bedchamber arts, the sexual techniques.

But what, was another’s vital qi supposed to just seep over because someone sidled close?

That was why the Daoist root of the bedchamber arts was about sharing—mutual gift, not theft. Strictly speaking, it wasn’t robbery at all.

Of course, that was in the original doctrines. In practice, most sexual techniques were about stealing.

Since they couldn’t simply snatch qi by force, they dulled the mind, shook the soul from the body, drove the victim into overwhelming pleasure until collapse, and only then stole their essence.

“Why suddenly bring up sex techniques?”

“Listen. I’m saying it’s that hard to take another’s qi. But the Absorbing Qi Demonic Art doesn’t bother with any of that. They say the instant you touch someone—sluuurp, it sucks them dry.”

Just touching was enough to drain qi. That meant it wasn’t merely a question of losing energy.

The flow of blood and qi itself was forcibly dragged outward.

In other words, complete suppression of qi and blood.

A body that had only brushed against it would have its internal force nullified and its qi stripped away.

And it didn’t even matter how high one’s martial skill was.

Even a novice who had just learned the art could neutralize a Flower Realm master’s formidable cultivation—so long as they could cling on tightly enough.

Of course, masters of the Flower Realm were superhumanly tough in their external arts.

If some rookie charged a Flower Realm with nothing but that art, they’d get beaten to death before they managed to drain a drop.

Still, the wielder of the Absorbing Qi Demonic Art grew stronger by devouring what they stole.

“Eh? Isn’t that broken as hell? Why does such a martial art even exist? That makes no sense. What, no weaknesses? Get caught and you’re just done?”

“They say it’s vulnerable while absorbing, so never face it alone. That’s why it’s branded Saljung-Sal, the most fiendish art. They say its side effect drives its users insane—so the bastard who can kill you just by touch is also a lunatic.”

“Insane?”

“A person’s vital source is no different from their soul. Mix too many together and how can the mind stay whole? Or so they say. I’ve never housed another’s source myself, so I can’t confirm. Perhaps it’s just that it’s so strong people branded it evil to erase it.”

“Mm.”

“But since no wielder of the Absorbing Qi Demonic Art ever remained sane, the claim doesn’t seem false. Maybe it’s just that with such power, people become nothing more than walking qi-pouches to them—no longer human.”

Cheon Yuhak rose to his feet.

“Therefore, isn’t it only right that we destroy such a foul thing?”

“Eh? We? Why us?”

He exploded.

“You wench! What do you mean, ‘why us’? You’re supposed to be the next Divine Thief! Clearing the world of harmful treasures is the Divine Thief’s duty!”

“Ah, right. I am the Divine Thief.”

“Not yet you aren’t. Is this even proper? Have I done my venerable teachers a grave disservice?”

The Senior Instructor of Hanlin Academy—was the Divine Thief!

And the Heavenly Flower Sword—was his designated successor!

This revelation was so staggering that the three vile prisoners pretended with all their might not to have heard.

They just wanted to live.

Of course, that was only admirable as effort.

If they’d wanted to live, they shouldn’t have lived like that.

****

When told they were leaving for Shandong, Jin Jangmyeong’s eyes lit up.

“We’re going to see the sea?”

“Uh... is that a seaside place?”

Qing, who didn’t know geography, only knew that Shandong Province touched the sea. Whether that particular area was coastal, she wasn’t sure.

Come to think of it, Jangmyeong was from the coast.

Not born there, but she had spent her childhood in a seaside city.

“Hope we can see the sea. So we can eat grilled clams.”

For once, Jangmyeong said something very Qing-like.

Qing herself was a meat-over-seafood person—if it was there she’d eat it, if not, no loss.

But Jangmyeong must have been missing the seafood one simply couldn’t get inland.

Like grilled clams.

Delicacies the crude distribution of the Central Plains could never deliver away from the coast.

Perhaps Qing had been a little insensitive.

No wonder Jangmyeong seemed so attached to those scallop earrings.

In Qing’s estimation, this wouldn’t be too dangerous a trip.

Just go, wander about with the map, maybe dig some holes, maybe poke around ruins like some John Doe archaeologist.

If they found a manual, burn it on the spot and come home. Done.

“Sure. If it’s not on the coast, we’ll just go until it is. We’ll eat grilled clams until we’re sick of them. Hm. Do they even have all-you-can-eat restaurants here in the Central Plains?”

Well, Qing had money to burn.

Even if it wasn’t literally unlimited, she carried enough thick bundles of promissory notes to make it unlimited.

And so, on the last day of the seventh month.

(The last day of the month is called the new moon—meaning they left Taewon the moment the Grand Academy went on recess.)

For the Hanlin scholars who had planned to knock on Senior Instructor Cheon’s gate to pursue study during the summer, it was tragic news indeed.

Either way, they rented a carriage—

Though Cheon Yuhak opposed it.

Why hire a carriage when they had perfectly good legs?

“But it’s hot.”

“And a carriage isn’t hot? Never ridden one in summer? It’s worse—stifling, a steam bath with the air shut in.”

“It’s not hot if you ride with me.”

“...?”

Enter Seo Cheong—the human air-conditioner herself!

With her vast cultivation pouring out chilling qi, the cramped carriage cooled to comfort in no time.

“Ahh, wonderful. To think I’d enjoy such luxury from having a good disciple. A cool carriage in mid-summer—what indulgence is this?”

“See? Nice, right? Though... Jangmyeong, are you cold? You look like you’re shivering.”

“N-n-not cold at allll.”

Nestled squarely in Qing’s lap, buried at first in bliss against the soft headrest of her chest, Jangmyeong soon realized she’d essentially planted herself in front of a freezing vent. Goosebumps rose, her body trembling.

But better to shiver in layers of clothes in summer than give up Qing’s lap.

From Taewon they went south, toward Henan.

They thought of looking around Zhengzhou, but no one wanted to leave the carriage.

Since only Qing herself stayed cool outside, by democratic two-to-one [N O V E L I G H T] vote they pressed on.

When they reached Kaifeng, oh heavens, what a sight.

“Wow. They’re just walking around half-naked.”

Jin Seol had said bare-chest fashion would be big this summer. She wasn’t kidding—people were walking around with just the center covered.

Apparently not wanting to scorch their breasts, they draped sheer veils over them.

A most pleasing view, indeed.

Qing’s eyes refused to leave one such woman, so Jangmyeong followed her gaze, then glanced down at herself—and deflated.

Damn. With breasts constantly out on display, they were everywhere her eyes went. And her hands itched.

She did have a little one in her arms whose shape was technically breast-like... but no, not in front of Master.

Still, there was something unusual about the density of those women.

Qing noticed—but now was no time to expand the party.

If this were just a pleasure trip, maybe. But on Divine Thief business, actively hunting for the appearance of Ok Girin would be reckless.

So past Kaifeng they went, heading steadily east.

By the time they entered Shandong Province, the sun was blazing hotter than ever.

Through the provincial capital Jinan, then Zhenggu, Zibo, Qingzhou, Yubang, Laixi.

From Laixi they bent south, arriving at their destination: Jimo County.

And looming just south of Jimo was a great mountain, visible already from town.

“Master... don’t tell me it’s on that mountain.”

“Yes. It’s there.”

Qing’s face soured.

It wasn’t towering and majestic like some peaks of the Central Plains.

But wide—much too wide. Even at a glance, it was clear this was no ordinary mountain terrain.

“Uh... any precise location?”

“A treasure hunt is just that. You search until it turns up.”

In other words, he didn’t know.

Qing sighed deeply.

Then she noticed something strange.

Why were people all sighing as they looked toward Mount Lao?

Was it some local custom—sighing in unison at the sight of that mountain?