Clue
My innate affinity with blood or familiarity might be the cause that allows me to distinctively spot the blood Qi.
The Qi leads to a small cave in the mountains outside of Nielong.
...
I balance at the edge of the ledge and listen in on their conversation. They seem to be using sound transmission with another person.
"I can't. There are so many Murim Alliance bastards! We've been waiting here for a day!"
...
"T-That's not what you promised! Last time I had to go to jail for 2 years! Such humiliation!"
...
"Tch." The man clicks his tongue when he realises the other party have already left.
"Damn geezer bastards."
"He asked us to go to jail?" Says his accomplice.
"In return for a heavenly dragon pill." Says the man who was using the sound transmission.
Both are masked and are wearing full black in the realm of Foundation Establishment.
"What do they even want to do with this child?"
"Don't pry your nose into the wrong places if you want to survive, just do what you are told."
I should strike now.
As the man sighs and turns his attention to the child, i swoop in for a strike.
!?
He blocked my slash but he was flung to the wall.
"Uck!?"
His accomplice attacks from behind with a vertical slash, I counter by using my hand as a foothold and shoot a kick to his chin.
He loses his consciousness instantly. The man from before regained his composure and thrust his sword, a blue icy thin aura shoots at my head. However, upon contact, it dissipates into the atmosphere.
"wha-"
His head was rolling on the floor before he could process it, and his body falls limp on the floor while oozing blood. I throw a glance at his accomplice.
...
System, infect the man in front of me with the second virus. afterwards, extract his knowledge about this incident.
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Infection is successful.
Knowledge extracted.
-1000 points.
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...
According to my extraction, these two belong to a large sect in the north called Matchless Dragon Sect. It is located in Xu Ging, a large country about nine times the size of Tiansu.
Xu Ging is north of Tiansu... How did a foreigner enter the country undetected? Especially when they have a weak cultivation base.
The two of them have no idea what the higher-ups are going to do with the children. In fact, they belong to only a mere side branch of the sect.
W-Wait!
I grasp my head.
The symbol of the matchless dragon sect is a tiger being chomped by a dragon, the same exact symbol of the intruders that killed Xie Li(Chapter 4)? Xie Li had the stone that unlocked Azrim, I am starting to see a connection. The Blood sect is somewhat related to the Matchless Dragon sect.
Should I...investigate more personally?
System, is removing puppetry control on him possible? I only need the effect of Mind control.
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Yes.
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I search through his mouth for any hidden poison. None.
Alright, do so and wake him up.
...
"Uhh...my head hurts..."
!!
"W-Who are you?! W-Wait, you are that attacker! P-Please spare me, I-I am a member from-"
"Matchless Dragon sect." I interrupt him.
"Y-You knew? Please spare me, can you handle the consequences of our death?"
I point at his dead buddy. "I've already killed him, adding one more won't change my fate right?"
"Ah! I...I won't tell anybody! Please, I will never step foot into Tiansu ever again!"
I smile. "Your master has instructed the both of you to commit suicide in the event of failure, that means you are being abandoned. Where will you go even if I spare you?"
"How did you...No, I want to live..."
I smirk.
Sometimes, using fear is better than supreme loyalty.
"From now on, the Qi in your body will combust and deviate upon my command," I mumble.
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Mind control activated.
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?!
Heat arises in his abdomen. "W-What..."
I smile politely. "Don't worry, you will just die on my command now."
"No! Please!" He gets on his knees and bangs his head on the floor. "I-I have a family to support, I cannot die here."
Looking down on him from above, he looks utterly pathetic.
"Sure, I will spare you."
He lights up and looks up to meet with a sword in his face.
"EEK!"
"Only after you help me with something," I say.
"Y-Yes...I will do anything sir hero says."
I smirk wider. This feeling is good, I should do this more.
"First of all, change into this." I take off my red robe and throw it to him, wearing my sect robe back. "You will attract attention wherever you go with that black one."
...
Afterwards, I return the child to the lady.
"Ah! My baby!" she grasps her child tightly in her arms "Why is he asleep? Is he okay?"
"Don't worry, he is only asleep," I reply.
"Ah..." She says with a slight relief mind.
...
I left without a word until the lady stops me. "U-Uhm...thank you and sorry for earlier..."
I smile at her. "Don't worry about it."
What will happen if she knows the kidnapper is right in front of her eyes? Haha...
Now then, I left with my captured fellow and went to the outskirts of Nielong.
"Alright, this should be far enough," I say, looking back. People are now tiny dots in Nielong as we stand on a tall mountain.
"What's your name and affiliation with your sect?" I ask.
"G-Gou Ma. I am the squad leader of the rising tiger." He says.
From his dead buddy's knowledge, I know that the side branch is managed by an executive of the sect, who is in the low Nascent realm. Am I able to take on one whole realm of difference? I never know until I try.
"Your sect's martial arts uses blood Qi?" I ask.
"N-No. But the Qinggong technique we used is the one that uses blood Qi."
Qinggong techniques? (Qinggong techniques are agility forms or martial arts that increase the speed of the user, sometimes stealth too.)
"A mysterious Qinggong technique was given to specific disciples to practise for a month before they were sent out on important missions." Gou Ma added as if he read my mind.
I smile. "Are you lying?"
"I-I wouldn't dare!!! Please forgive me for my imprudence tone, sir hero!"
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Gou Ma
Qinggong techniques:
Rank A
-Blood Steps{Incomplete}
(Extract)[requires 500,000 points]
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Blood steps(Incomplete)
The technique utilises the circulation of Blood Qi around the lower body and aura, hiding the presence by overwriting surrounding Qi with blood.
It is the first part of the God Blood technique.
Note: Technique learnt is incomplete. The full potential of the technique cannot be unleashed and flaws are present.
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Blood Qi is fairly simple to create, it is a chemical reaction. I simply have to "integrate" Qi into liquid blood and afterwards utilize the Qi and absorb it.
Xie Mo has a better Qinggong but it requires the Peak of Nascent soul. I will use it when I reach that level.
For now... Let's use this one.
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Purchase successful.
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I close my eyes and take a deep breath.
"Phew..." I breathe out.
?
Gou Ma stares at me in confusion, but he doesn't make a sound or attempt an escape.
"Is this it?" I say as a gush of red aura surrounds my feet.
!!!!
"I...Yes... This is the technique." Says Gou Ma. He doesn't seem to be very surprised.
I take a deep breath and release the Qi. I shouldn't use this technique until I acquire more blood Qi or I would be using my blood.
Gou Ma's story lines up with the extracted data. During their training, they were given a red pill at regular intervals, they didn't know that the pill supplies Blood Qi to their body. No, Gou Ma and his buddy didn't know about Blood Qi.
Tch. The two bastards are just clueless slaves following orders, I need more concrete information.
"Hey, Gou Ma."
"Y-Yes!? At your service!" He says as his body jolts.
"Bring me to your superior at Xu Ging," I say.
!
"What..."