Chapter 489

When the new plaque appeared over the old one, updating the number of survivors, the expressions of the remaining Sapa folks in the hall were quite a sight to behold.

You’d want to keep that picture for ages.

The warriors from Guanglong Castle and Suwang Castle split into two factions.

The remaining survivors numbered twenty-seven.

Seven more had to bite the dust right here.

Qing watched with sparkling eyes, curious about what would unfold next.

Would they fairly take their share and kill four to three, or maybe even three and a half of their own?

Or would they dangle another match to shift the losses onto the opponent?

Either way, it screamed Sapa-style.

But the first option would totally kill the morale of the exploration team, forcing them to face deadly injuries amongst rivals.

Qing figured these guys were men of honor, binding together and fighting for the brothers they share food with…

Hmm. Sapa bastards after all!

The Sapa folks moved to treat their wounded, and Qing couldn’t help but admire.

Instead of dragging along the seriously injured who’d just weigh them down, why not take them out?

Such an efficient choice to prioritize functionality—how could you not admire that?

“Wow, those Sapa bastards aren’t even leaving their injured behind; they’re just offing them. Those guys probably preach loyalty and honor within their sects. Seriously, gives me goosebumps.”

“Hehe, is it not loyalty perfected by death?”

“Oh, just messing around.”

Qing found it a bit surprising.

Had they really formed a bond just from seeing the same gruesome sight together?

Was this a sort of camaraderie among the Blood Sect?

Maybe he’d offer to spare half of them later.

Let’s see if they fight each other or throw themselves at me to the death.

Anyway, the Sapa folks, having finished off the injured—thus matching their numbers to twenty—fixed their gazes on the stone door, which showed no signs of opening.

The Blood Sect technicians’ eyes also pooled in one direction.

Toward Qing.

With a mix of anticipation and disappointment, I watched those Blood Sect technicians staring at me, while Qing blinked in confusion.

What’s this? Why aren’t they opening the door but just staring at me?

“Um, can we open the door now?”

“What happens if we don’t?”

“Hehe, well, um, never mind that. So…”

The Blood Sect technicians, for some reason, looked a bit deflated as they hesitantly approached the pulley.

I couldn’t tell why, but it seemed like an awkward scene straight out of a novel.

And here stood Qing, flexing his power, making a fuss as he pleased, yet he was no slouch when it came to picking up on vibes.

“Wait! Want to have another round? How many this time? Fifteen? Ten’s just too few.”

At that, the Blood Sect technicians’ faces bloomed as if someone had lit up a room.

“Fifteen sounds great!”

“Better keep it odd, or we might end up sharing too well!”

Two gigantic Sapa factions had made brutal decisions for the grand cause of unearthing the world’s most vicious demonic arts.

Just as that new plaque hit the ground with a thud.

“Sorry, let’s do it one more time.

Chair stealing, fifteen members. Go!”

“Fight! Fight!”

Despite the hot atmosphere in the machinery room, the stone chamber below felt tragic like a funeral.

Although technically, it was one, too.

Originally, there shouldn’t have been more than about fifteen of them entering this chamber.

Couldn’t they have just had everyone outside our family killed from the start?

With tears, they pushed on, but how could they demand five more deaths after such a dirty compromise?

Besides, each side had ten.

If they clashed, not many would walk away, not even with a stroke of luck.

So Qing observed as their jaws worked hard, but it seemed they wouldn’t take care of the remaining injured.

Sigh, what a letdown.

From the Sapa’s perspective, it was a pragmatic choice.

Kill off the injured and toss a burdensome kid (the youngest) to save at least one skin.

But jeez, if it’s ten on ten, my neck is on the chopping block too.

Plus, unbeknownst to them, this had an effect of great disappointment for the observing Blood Sect people.

Thus, the Blood Sect members turned their desperate eyes back to Qing.

A plea for just one more chance.

With the Blood Sect technicians swinging wildly about, no one took responsibility for their actions.

“Originally, we should call it here. Fine. What trap waits after you open the door?”

“A corridor filled with traps, of course, but considering we have no target individuals to trigger them, there’s no need to activate them separately.”

At Qing’s gleeful grin, a muscle flexed slightly.

A target to remove.

So these bastards were aiming for me, openly too.

“And after the survivors join up—”

“What!? You kidding me? Do you really want us to kill each other again? Is that your only creative idea? Can’t you plan better?”

“Hehe, it’s not that. The next chamber’s named the Chamber of Wailing. It’s where the pinnacle of the Blood Sect’s mechanical engineering is concentrated.”

The survivors following the two battles would step into a place akin to a mausoleum.

And on the walls, some friendly scriptures appeared.

The divine skill you desire lies somewhere among these.

However, to open the containers, you must offer a brain or a heart.

Thus, those vile bandit-like scoundrels will have to extract hearts and brains to open the shrine where the divine skills slumber.

Watching them kill each other for the hearts and brains they spilled for the opening would be amusing, right?

A ghastly conspiracy, faces pale amongst the group.

Except for Qing, that is.

“Oh, that’s very Blood Sect-like.”

“Hehe, thanks for the praise.”

“Now, let’s open the door. The next spectacle’s a treat, shouldn’t we fill our bellies before cooking?”

The Blood Sect technicians had expressions of regret, but as Qing said, it was too good of a show to waste on depleting it here.

They shuffled over to crank the pulley.

The heavy stone door creaked open, sending vibrations up through the machinery room.

Then, Qing clapped his hands, drawing everyone’s attention.

“Alright, everyone. Did you see how those Sapa bastards handled things? These men don’t even know how to throw down like real men in a life-and-death struggle. Are those clowns even worthy to call themselves men?”

“Not at all!”

“They should all just get rid of their manhood!”

Blood Sect technicians burst into laughter, eagerly backing him up.

Qing grinned happily as he continued speaking.

“Right? So now, you guys—man up and start taking each other out. I’ll let half of you live.”

“……?”

“Huh?”

“Did you not hear me? You little bastards, sticking around here, calling the shots must feel like paradise, huh? Well, your turn’s up. Now, half of you shall live. Fight! Like true men!”

The Blood Sect technicians blinked, puzzled.

What’s going on? Is this some kind of joke? Are we supposed to laugh?

The Blood Sect people were utterly oblivious.

Qing sighed deeply and drew his blade.

A rough personality often takes a hit.

The wrist of the technician closest to Qing dropped to the ground.

“Uh? Aaaah!”

The Blood Sect technician collapsed, clutching his precious wrist and howling in pain.

Qing stood beside him, his blade glinting.

From Qing’s perspective, it glimmered as if dancing, but the ghastly blade—a pale starlight of Qi—pierced the hearts of men.

“Did I ever say I’d kill everyone? I’m sparing half. That’s a big deal—half! Instead of jumping up and down saying, ‘Thanks, now we’ll slaughter each other,’ you just sit there blinking? Who do you think would spare you just for that?”

“W-why are you doing this…!”

“Why? Is there any reason to spare those vile Blood Sect bastards?”

“……!”

“You! You weren’t one of our sect, were you!”

“You deceived us!”

But Qing stood tall.

“When did I ever claim to be of the Blood Sect? All I did was ask who you were.”

The team behind him hung their heads in shame.

But in reality, they had been duped, weren’t they?

The more they stuck together, the more they found this truth increasingly embarrassing.

But Qing remained undeterred.

Did I trick you? No, you were all at it on your own!

“Come on. Hurry up. Watching the Sapa’s antics was amusing, but it grew dull without the sounds.”

Qing grinned ominously.

—-

Qing never said he’d kill them all.

He promised to spare half.

He’s someone who keeps his word as much as possible.

The ruckus among the technicians left three survivors.

And according to his promise, Qing spared the remaining individuals.

Meaning half had been left to die.

They might have had their intestines spilled, but he hadn’t killed them outright.

Whether they’d live or die would depend on the medical situation later.

Of course, these Blood Sect technicians, excellent at handling machinery but clueless when it came to human life, wouldn’t know how to provide medical care.

They’d be dead, no question.

Qing, recognized as a healer, had some knowledge of traditional medicine.

According to the Central Plains’ Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon, how should one manage illnesses caused by infections?

The answer lies in drawing out the pus, cleaning the afflicted areas, and praying earnestly.

“If the prayers reach the heavens, they shall live; if not, they won’t!”

From Qing’s perspective, this was downright primitive, but by the standards of this era, the medical knowledge here was quite impressive.

At least the Central Plains medicine was distilled from millions of trials.

Over in the western regions, the flat-nosed folks would insist on whatever loudmouth claimed it was a cure.

Got a stomachache? Cut the butt.

Headache? Cut the butt.

Heartache? Dunk ‘em in water!

And so on, employing some wildly experimental and creative “treatments.”

At this point, it was hard to say if Qing was just a lucky Daoist or the Great Demon Lord of the orthodox side.

Naturally, Qing was just lucky.

He first witnessed his crew go wild while the Sapa looked for the Heart Consumption Technique,

With no one amongst them seeing the Sapa folks as human anymore.

And the Blood Sect’s vile faction were no longer considered people.

Bugs might be spared, but the refuse of the Blood Sect? Not a chance.

Therefore, Qing’s harsh measures against them are nothing outside the realm of normal morality, though slightly extreme.

This allowed Qing to barely maintain his image as a Daoist.

Of course, he didn’t aimlessly roam around hunting the Blood Sect just because he had an unfortunate past.

The thrill of slaughtering Blood Cult members was merely a side benefit of achieving his goals.

Qing hadn’t forgotten his objective.

The total eradication of the Heart Consumption Technique!

Thus, he would roam around and secure an escape route for later while cross-verifying the information spilled by the technicians.

Only then would he finally turn toward the central control room, straight to the leader of the Blood Sect.

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