Trash of the Count's Family - TCF Part 2 - Chapter 94 Why Are You There? (9)

Terms used in this chapter:
Sorcery – The murim genre’s version of evil magic. Examples are curses and mental manipulation.
Alchemy – The alchemy in this chapter refers to Taoist/Buddhist stuff such as divination, medicine creation, feng shui, yin-yang theory, and so on.
Magic Arts – The murim version of magic that is practiced by Taoist and Buddhist monks. Examples are disguise and clone techniques.
Enlightenment – A martial artist practitioner gains enlightenment when they realize a secret of martial arts. Their martial arts rank increases and they become stronger.
Chi Circulation – a meditation practice to circulate chi in one’s entire body through the meridians (blood vessels) while sitting cross-legged.
Chi Deviation – If someone doing Chi Circulation receives a shock or impact, their circulation of chi may go awry and damage their meridians, resulting in internal damage to the body and psychotic symptoms.
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Recap of Martial Art Ranks from highest to lowest:
Nature Realm > Profound Realm > Unrestrained Realm > Transcendent > Peak > First Rate > Second Rate > Third Rate
Cale is misunderstood to be in the Nature Realm.
Fist King Mok Hyeon is presumed to be between the Profound and Unrestrained Realms.
Enlightenment would raise one to a higher rank. Think of it as a level up.
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Chief Eunuch Wi was startled at the mention of Living Jiangshi and dropped the fan he was using to cool the dumplings. Raon alternately looked at the dropped fan and Wi before secretly using wind magic to cool the dumplings for him and Toonka. Given Wi’s shock, Cale realized he had never told about the Living Jiangshi to the Central Plains people.
He glanced at Mok Hyeon who had been eating dumplings next to Toonka. Fist King Mok Hyeon had a scary-looking gaze, and the chopsticks in his hand were bent because of his clenched fist. Wi asked Cale for a detailed explanation. Cale pondered for a moment and then decided to tell them since they were allies.
Cale said that Jungwon, the child monk, had told him about it. That the Blood Cult created the Living Jiangshi and planted it in the Good Faction, Evil Faction, and Demon Sect. Mok Hyeon sighed and muttered that the world was coming to an end. Wi said that this was a big problem, so CH asked if the Living Jiangshi were that dangerous.
Wi-kipedia began by saying that this world had something called sorcery. Alchemy and magic arts practiced by Taoist and Buddhist monks existed too, but those were on the good side as sorcery was evil and dangerous. One of its creations was the Jiangshi which had appeared in this world several times since ancient times.
The Blood and Demon cults had created Jiangshi a few times. Wi suddenly stopped talking and asked Mok Hyeon if he should continue talking. Mok Hyeon replied that the emperor had told them to give the messenger’s group everything they needed. Thus, Wi continued that the imperial family had data on Living Jiangshi.
Cale frowned and Wi spoke that it took one living human and 443 lives as sacrifices to make one Living Jiangshi. Everyone was silent, and Wi added that there was a key ingredient needed to create Living Jiangshi. But the imperial family neither knew the identity of that ingredient nor its recipe. All they knew was that it was in the form of a black liquid.
The moment Cale heard that, Cale thought of dead mana. Since this world had no concept of mana, dead mana was an even more unthinkable concept. Wi concluded that the creation of Living Jiangshi was taboo and forbidden in this world. Mok Hyeon sighed and said that according to old records, those who were Living Jiangshi think that they were living humans without even knowing that they were being controlled.
Cale said that he knew about that, so Mok Hyeon asked if he knew about the rampages. Cale replied no, so Mok Hyeon put down his bent chopsticks and explained. Living Jiangshi were like living bombs. When they rampaged or ran out of control, even a master in the Unrestrained Realm would find it hard to subdue it without getting injured.
In short, a Living Jiangshi was on the level of a master in the Unrestrained Realm. Cale muttered that Living Jiangshi were stronger than he expected, and Mok Hyeon nodded as he continued talking. When a Living Jiangshi exploded, the damage it caused was beyond imagination. The Living Jiangshi also could not feel pain when it awakened, so it could attack without hesitation.
The fact that the Blood Cult had Living Jiangshi meant that the number of normal Jiangshi they have were many times higher than that since normal Jiangshi was easier to create then Living Jiangshi. Wi suspected that the 443 sacrifices needed to create one Living Jiangshi might have ended up as Jiangshi too.
Chief Eunuch Wi said that this matter needed to be urgently reported to the imperial family so that a full-scale investigation would be conducted. Cale asked if the Embroidered Uniform Guard would move, but Wi replied no. It would be the army that had to move. Mok Hyeon disagreed with moving the army since the Living Jiangshi was on the level of a master in the Unrestrained Realm. It would only endanger the lives of the soldiers.
Mok Hyeon stood up and shouted that they needed to get the help of the Good Faction. Wi questioned if the Good Faction would help or even believe their words. Mok Hyeon said that it was the imperial family’s words, so they should listen. Wi tried to protest, but Mok Hyeon said that they had no other way.
Mok Hyeon pointed to Durst and said that Noble Warrior Do (Yes, ‘Do’ is Durst’s alias) could find Living Jiangshi by smell, so he had to come. If they went around the Central Plains for a year or two, they would find all Living Jiangshi in no time. Durst looked a bit shaken, and Mok Hyeon continued that they should fully prepare so that fighting against the Living Jiangshi would result in minimal damage.
They also had to do it secretly. Wi agreed since the Blood Cult might hide the Living Jiangshi if they found out about the imperial family’s plans. Suddenly, a loud clap interrupted their conversation, and the two noticed Cale observing them. Cale smiled as he asked if the two had calmed down. He said that based on their conversation, Living Jiangshi was a symbol of fear in this world.
His voice was soft and gentle, so Toonka quietly put down the dumplings he was holding when he heard Cale’s voice. Wi admitted that it was scary, but Mok Hyeon denied it, reasoning that they could defeat it if they overpowered it. It was troublesome existence though. Cale’s smile grew wider as he told them that they should do things one at a time.
Cale glanced at Durst and said that they first needed to verify if the person Durst smelled was really a Living Jiangshi. Mok Hyeon hastily agreed, realizing that he had forgotten about that. Cale said that afterwards, they just needed to purify it. Mok Hyeon froze at that moment and blankly looked at Cale. He asked what Cale meant by purification.
Cale looked at Durst whose sudden wide smile startled Wi. Durst proudly started that the esteemed Purifier had the power to purify Living Jiangshi. His god also bestowed a divine item to help the Purifier carry out the purification effortlessly. Cale silently nodded as a gentle smile formed on his lips.
Toonka murmured that it (Cale’s smile) was strange. As if surprised, Sui said that Toonka had quite good senses, and Toonka looked at him in confusion. Sui just shrugged at his stare. Ron had a very kind smile as he urged Wi and Mok Hyeon to sit down again. He also served the two some tea. Cale said that he had the power to purify, though it was not a lot.
Mok Hyeon sighed and asked Cale if he could do it too if he reached Cale’s level (he still thinks that Cale is in the Nature Realm). Cale was confused, and Mok Hyeon changed the topic, asking about the specifics of purification. Durst offered to explain it. A misty smoke would rise around the Purifier and surround him. That smoke was a very clean energy of nature that gave a refreshing feeling and was not harmful.
Wi gulped at the words ‘energy of nature,’ further reinforcing his belief that Young Master Kim was in the Nature Realm. Durst added that with the energy in the smoke, the Purifier could purify the Jiangshi. The shocked Mok Hyeon asked if that was all, and Durst replied that yes, that was it. No one would get hurt or damaged.
All Jiangshi would return to normal corpses. Since Living Jiangshi were also Jiangshi, the process would be the same. But his voice lowered when he said that the Purifier’s body might be burdened. Cale got goosebumps at Durst’s sad gaze, so he insisted that it was not much of a burden. He only felt dizzy at that time.
However, Cale retracted his words. He thought that since it was Living Jiangshi, it would be harder to purify. His Fire AP was also greatly sealed, so the burden on his body would increase. But his Vitality of the Heart AP was still the same, so he thought that everything would be fine. Mok Hyeon sighed and agreed that it would put a burden on the body.
Mok Hyeon knew that dealing with a Living Jiangshi might result in injury or death. But to purify a Living Jiangshi with only the energy of nature without going into battle and then restoring it to a normal corpse was something a really great person could do. His thoughts wandered towards martial arts and philosophy.
Martial arts was meant to protect oneself and others. But in the process of protection, one also caused harm and damage to those around them. But the ultimate goal was for no one to get hurt and for everything to return to normal, just as how Young Master Kim would restore Living Jiangshi to a normal corpse through the energy of nature.
‘Martial arts’ was meant to be used to return to a state of ‘nothingness’ where there was no fight in the end. The moment Mok Hyeon thought of that sentence, the air around him vibrated, surprising everyone. Mok Hyeon closed his eyes and naturally sat cross-legged. His chi rose around him, and his body slightly floated above his chair.
(‘Martial arts’ and ‘nothingness’ use the same word in Korean, so this was something like a wordplay. A philosophical one though.)
Cale was shocked and wondered if that was the enlightenment cliché in martial art novels. But he was puzzled on why Mok Hyeon suddenly got enlightened. Cale checked Wi-kipedia to get an answer, but Wi only said that it was thanks to Young Master Kim. Cale was silent, and Wi happily continued that Young Master Kim’s words and actions must have given Mok Hyeon a clue to reach enlightenment. 1
Cale decided to accept it since the Central Plains Wi-kipedia had said it. So he said that they needed to begin by guarding Mok Hyeon. The Enlightenment process involved the martial arts practitioner falling into deep meditation, rendering themselves defenseless, and a small impact could cause great damage, so there was a need to guard Mok Hyeon.
Deep meditation involved Chi Circulation, which was to circulate the chi inside one’s entire body through one’s meridians (blood vessels). If any external shock was applied during Chi Circulation, it would cause Chi Deviation, wherein the chi was moved incorrectly and the meridians got twisted. The person would suffer great physical and mental damage, and in severe cases, they might never be able practice martial arts again.
CH offered to stand guard and headed to the door. Toonka followed CH, and Sui headed to the window to guard. Wi gratefully looked at them, and Cale asked him if it was okay to talk even if Mok Hyeon was doing Chi Circulation. Wi replied it was fine as long as they did not make any loud noises or touch Mok Hyeon’s body.
Cale said that that they should investigate Namgung Tae Wi to verify if Durst could really identify Living Jiangshi. Tae Wi’s impression on Cale was that of a good-natured human. Chief Eunuch Wi agreed with Cale’s plan, but hesitated when he saw Cale smiling. He was confused on why he was suddenly having the chills.
Cale gently asked for clarification if the Namgung Clan had a lot of money, power, and influence. Wi answered that the Namgung Clan was pretty much the strongest in the Good Faction and the Central Plains as a whole. With their immense prosperity, the present was considered the heyday of the Namgung Clan.
So Cale muttered in passing that it would be really convenient if the Namgung Clan became an ‘underling.’ The word ‘underling’ was quite an offensive word, and Wi gulped upon seeing Cale’s wicked smile. Suddenly, someone knocked on the door. It was Elder Ho from the Beggars’ Sect, and Mok Hee, the great-granddaughter of Mok Hyeon, who had returned.
The two were instructed to keep quiet since Mok Hyeon was in the process of Enlightenment, leading to the surprise of both. Wi approached Elder Ho and asked if he had known that a Living Jiangshi had appeared in this world. Elder Ho was an elder of the Beggars’ Sect, which was one of the best intelligence groups in the murim world. But Elder Ho replied with a “What?” and a really dumbfounded look.