Chapter 71. Doubt, and Doubt Again.

Swaaaaaaah!

The moment the white venom sprayed from the fangs of the White-Scaled Three-Horned Snow Python.

‘Where do you think you’re going!’

Jin Cheon threw himself forward, shedding the clothes he wore, the Nine-headed Dragon Robe.

What Jin Cheon had learned from the Iron-Blooded Demonic God was not limited to the Heavenly Demon Divine Qi.

Starting with the Heavenly Demon Divine Qi, the Iron-Blooded Demonic God had taught Jin Cheon footwork, movement arts, hand-to-hand combat, and sword arts, as well as how to use the Nine-headed Dragon Robe, the number one dharma treasure of the Demonic Dao.

It was only natural to learn how to handle a divine weapon that possessed mystical abilities.

Though there were many divine weapons in the world, there was no need for a second word when it came to the Nine-headed Dragon Robe, which was considered the best among them.

Chwararak!

The Nine-headed Dragon Robe, spread out like a net, blocked the venom of the White-Scaled Three-Horned Snow Python.

The Nine-headed Dragon Robe, called the greatest dharma treasure in the world, perfectly blocked the venom of the White-Scaled Three-Horned Snow Python.

Had it been an ordinary piece of cloth, the venom would have not just soaked it but completely dissolved it; it was not called the world’s greatest dharma treasure for nothing.

‘An incredible chill.’

Jin Cheon realized that the venom of the White-Scaled Three-Horned Snow Python was not a simple poison but contained an immense chill within it.

His hand, clutching the Nine-headed Dragon Robe, felt as if it was freezing, the tingling sensation turning into a burning pain.

But that, too, was brief.

Ssseuuu!

A faint energy seemed to swirl around the Nine-headed Dragon Robe, and the embroidered nine-headed dragon began to glow with a purple light.

Then, the pain in his hand vanished as if it were a lie.

The Nine-headed Dragon Robe was imbued not only with powerful defensive capabilities but also with a mysterious power to heal its user.

“I’ll take the front! Everyone, scatter and attack!”

“As you command!”

As soon as Jin Cheon’s order fell, the Divine Demon Squad members scattered in unison, surrounding the White-Scaled Three-Horned Snow Python.

Soon, a fierce battle unfolded between Jin Cheon’s party and the White-Scaled Three-Horned Snow Python.

“Kyaaaaaak!”

Befitting a spiritual beast, the White-Scaled Three-Horned Snow Python possessed truly terrifying combat power.

The thrashing of its massive body was such that if one were to be crushed, not even their bones would be left to collect.

The power of its tail was like swinging a centuries-old giant tree, and its hard scales did not allow the intrusion of ordinary swords.

However, the skills of Jin Cheon’s party were more than enough to handle the White-Scaled Three-Horned Snow Python.

“Huhu! Snake meat for dinner tonight!”

“Perfect, I was just getting hungry!”

The martial prowess of the Divine Demon Squad members, who had by now reached the peak of their skills, was not lacking in slaughtering the spiritual beast, the White-Scaled Three-Horned Snow Python.

The sword qi imbued in their respective swords was sharp and destructive enough to pierce through the python’s scales and hide.

Moreover, it was a many-against-one fight, and with Jin Cheon holding the python’s front, attacking was much easier.

The sight of the Divine Demon Squad members looked like a pack of wolves hunting their prey.

Their nearly three years of training had by no means been in vain.

“Kyak, kyaaaaak!”

The White-Scaled Three-Horned Snow Python continuously let out pained screams, staining the white snowfield with blood.

Perhaps because he had some leeway, a strange thought entered Jin Cheon’s mind.

‘At this rate, we’ll only be able to salvage the meat.’

The hide, scales, and fangs of the spiritual beast, the White-Scaled Three-Horned Snow Python, would surely fetch a high price.

The problem was that the Divine Demon Squad members had nearly butchered the creature.

‘I’ll end it in one blow.’

Jin Cheon’s eyes glinted like those of a predator targeting its prey.

‘Now!’

The moment the White-Scaled Three-Horned Snow Python opened its massive maw wide, revealing the roof of its mouth.

Flash!

Jin Cheon’s sword shot out like a beam of light toward the python’s mouth.

[ Heavenly Demon Sword Art: Zeroth Form: Sword Control Arrow. ]

It was a divine and supreme technique that surpassed the famous Sun-Piercing Sword Art of the Diancang Sect, which involved shooting the sword like an arrow to pierce enemies from a distance.

However…….

Boom!

A sphere of light, flying from somewhere, intercepted Jin Cheon’s sword in mid-air as it headed for the python’s mouth.

‘What is this!’

Jin Cheon swiftly turned his head in the direction from which the sphere of light had come.

There, a mysterious woman with light red, almost orange, hair stood blankly.

“Stop, before it becomes irreversible.”

She said to Jin Cheon.

***

Stop? What kind of nonsense was that?

“What are you, lady.”

“The person who saved you.”

“Saved me…?”

“Yes.”

She nodded.

“If you kill that snake now, you won’t be able to leave the Sea of Trees alive. So, back off.”

“What does that mean?”

But there was no time to leisurely chat.

“Kyaaaaaak!”

The White-Scaled Three-Horned Snow Python, enraged to its core, was thrashing about madly and launching a fierce onslaught.

Swaaaaaaah!

In the midst of it all, it even spewed cold air from its fangs, making it impossible for Jin Cheon to continue his conversation with the mysterious woman.

If he didn’t block the venom with the Nine-headed Dragon Robe, it was as clear as day what would happen to his subordinates.

“Everyone, be careful!”

Jin Cheon once again threw himself forward to block the front of the White-Scaled Three-Horned Snow Python.

“I told you to stop!”

The mysterious woman followed closely.

“Just run away! Don’t even think about continuing to fight!”

“Dammit! Get out of the way!”

“You’re really stubborn.”

The mysterious woman frowned as if she couldn’t stand it any longer.

“Can’t you humans accept a favor as a favor?”

“What kind of nonsense is that?”

“Run away while I’m letting you live! I’ll take care of this place!”

The mysterious woman said so, pushed Jin Cheon aside, and faced the White-Scaled Three-Horned Snow Python.

“What in the….”

Jin Cheon muttered blankly as he watched the woman fight the White-Scaled Three-Horned Snow Python.

Pow, pow!

The woman repeatedly struck the head of the White-Scaled Three-Horned Snow Python as if disciplining it, and the destructive power was so immense that shockwaves erupted with each blow.

“You, too, take it easy while I’m letting you live!”

“Kyaaaak!”

“Stop making those nasty sounds!”

She exchanged words with the White-Scaled Three-Horned Snow Python as if they could understand each other, driving the giant snake into a corner.

The sight was so bizarre that not only Jin Cheon but also the members of the Divine Demon Squad watched with their mouths agape, stunned.

“Shik, shik, shikshikshik.”

Eventually, the White-Scaled Three-Horned Snow Python seemed to decide it couldn’t win and stealthily began to retreat.

The woman did not chase after the retreating python, simply letting it escape.

‘She wasn’t after the White-Scaled Three-Horned Snow Python.’

Jin Cheon felt no greed in the woman’s actions.

If her intention had been to kill the White-Scaled Three-Horned Snow Python and take its inner core, she would have attacked Jin Cheon’s party first and then reaped the benefits.

“It bled too much.”

The woman frowned as she watched the White-Scaled Three-Horned Snow Python disappear into the blizzard far away.

A long trail in the snow, along with pools of red blood, marked the python’s escape route.

“You should earnestly hope that snake doesn’t die.”

“Isn’t that something you should be more worried about than us?”

“What do you mean?”

“The beating you gave it looked more painful than the blood it lost.”

“……”

The woman flinched, as if she hadn’t anticipated that.

“Well, anyway. What is your identity?”

“You don’t need to know. I don’t have a name to give to humans.”

“How unreasonable.”

Jin Cheon frowned.

“Then, why did you stop me from killing the snake?”

“I can tell you that.”

“Tell me. I should at least hear it. Thanks to you, we’re about to starve to death.”

Leaving aside things like the inner core or scales, not being able to secure the meat was a huge blow to Jin Cheon’s party.

Finding prey was already as difficult as plucking a star from the sky, so where were they supposed to find food now?

“You wouldn’t be saying that if you knew whose child that snake is.”

“Child…?”

“Do you know of the Hui Dragon Emperor?”

“No, I don’t.”

“It’s a serpent that failed to become a dragon.”

“A giant serpent?”

“Well, something like that.”

“So, that snake is the child of a giant serpent?”

“Yes.”

The woman nodded.

“The Hui Dragon Emperor is one of the strongest beings here. It’s within the top five. You almost killed the child of that Hui Dragon Emperor.”

“How was I supposed to know?”

Jin Cheon shrugged as if to say, ‘What do you want me to do about it?’

“And we didn’t attack first. That snake attacked us first, so we fought back.”

“Reasons don’t matter to the Hui Dragon Emperor. What matters is whether its child is dead or alive.”

“It’s alive, so isn’t that fine?”

“Well, that depends on what the Hui Dragon Emperor decides. Anyway, leave this place quickly.”

“To where?”

“Anywhere. Return to the Black Bamboo Forest as fast as you can.”

It seemed the woman knew that Jin Cheon’s party resided in the Black Bamboo Forest.

“Or leave the Sea of Trees altogether. That would be the wisest choice.”

“How are we supposed to leave the Sea of Trees through this blizzard? We’re about to starve to death with no food.”

The Sea of Trees was an incredibly vast place; trying to escape without the help of sorcery would take at least a week.

Wandering through the already dangerous Sea of Trees for a week?

And through this blizzard, while starving?

There could be no greater act of suicide.

“That’s your problem to solve. Wherever you go, escape to a safe place as quickly as possible. That’s how you’ll live.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“What are you going to do?”

“First, we have to return to the Black Bamboo Forest.”

“Then I’ll take you there.”

The woman purposefully took a step forward.

“That’s grea….”

Jin Cheon stopped, halting the words he was about to say, and glared at the woman.

‘Oh, dear.’

Jin Cheon recalled the taboos for surviving in the Sea of Trees.

七. Trust no one in the Sea of Trees. Doubt, and doubt again.

According to Wi Mu-rin, the beings of the Sea of Trees were not a trustworthy lot.

The Sea of Trees was a place where even a kind-looking Taoist could turn into a cannibalistic demon craving human flesh the moment you turned your back.

In this place, teeming with those who would stop at nothing to achieve ascension, this beautiful woman should be the one to be most wary of.

After all, wasn’t there a long-standing adage in the Jianghu to be wary of women, children, and the elderly for a reason?

Sreung!

The tip of Jin Cheon’s sword was aimed at the woman.

***

“What’s this, all of a sudden.”

The woman frowned.

“I’m sorry, but I’ll have to subdue you.”

“Subdue me?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know what you might do.”

Trusting the woman to guide them was too dangerous.

But letting her go seemed like she would watch from afar and plot something, and killing her might mean repaying a kindness with enmity.

So Jin Cheon decided to subdue the woman and take her to the Black Bamboo Forest.

Once they arrived at the Black Bamboo Forest, releasing her would prevent both a major backstabbing and the unfortunate incident of killing a benefactor.

Of course, then he wouldn’t be able to know the woman’s true intentions.

“Hoo.”

The woman let out a deep sigh.

“So, you’re saying you can’t trust me right now, are you?”

“You know better than anyone that this is an unavoidable choice, don’t you?”

“That… is true.”

The woman nodded as if in acknowledgment.

“There’s no act more dangerous in the Sea of Trees than trusting someone.”

“Then, do you agree?”

“Go ahead.”

The woman meekly extended both her arms.

“Accumulating merit isn’t easy. Phew.”

“Merit…?”

“The Ledger of Merits and Demerits. It’s a method of cultivation. If I perform good deeds, merit accumulates, and my power grows. Conversely, if I commit evil acts, not only does my merit decrease, but my power also weakens. Reaching the heavens is truly difficult.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Of course. You humans are ignorant about cultivation.”

“I don’t want to know, either.”

Jin Cheon was a martial artist to the bone, and also a human, so he couldn’t understand those who, like the woman, aimed for ascension.

They were on fundamentally different paths.

Jin Cheon’s value lay in the mortal world, in the world where countless people were entangled.

“I’m warning you just in case, don’t try any funny business. Your head will fly off immediately.”

“Is it okay to do this to your benefactor? It’s hurtful.”

“If it’s revealed you’re truly a benefactor, I’ll bow my head and apologize then.”

“I’ll be watching.”

The woman said so and meekly allowed herself to be bound.

Tak, tadak.

The moment Jin Cheon tried to press her acupoints.

“Kyaaaaaaak!”

“Kihiiiiit!”

Forest Killing Ghosts appeared through the blizzard, rushing in from all directions.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep