The Martial Unity

Chapter 2755  Greater Way

Rui felt nauseous.

For a moment, he was really questioning whether or not he should back away from the Blood Cult. He truly had no idea what to expect because these people weren't really a nation in the first place. The same could be said for the Gen Temple, but the people of the Gen Temple still lived their day-to-day life ordinarily within the temple.

He highly doubted that this was true for the Blood Cult.

"You seem unnerved," the Blood Lord remarked with an eerie tone. "Would you believe me if I told you that you have nothing to worry about?"

Rui frankly couldn't. "I have faith in my political protection, I suppose." His smile was wry.

The Blood Lord laughed out loud. "You should. It is quite powerful. The Emperor of Harmony has proved that with the Nest of Terra."

The news of the Kandrian Empire's attack on the Nest of Terra had served as a warning to all Sage-level powerhouses.

The consequences for attacking the Dawnbringer would be severe.

In fact, Rui suspected that one of the reasons his time in the Virodhabhasa Theocracy didn't get more turbulent was precisely because of this warning that his father had given to the entire world. Perhaps there would have been another Master Uma-like situation, although he was too strong for that to happen by anybody other than a Martial Sage.

He was glad that his father's warning came in time. The Blood Cult gave him the chills.

"Well, it would not do for us to keep you waiting outside," Blood Lord Vrukshus remarked with a knowing smile. "Come, let me show you about our cult and what it is we do."

He gestured to Rui and Amare as the group collectively entered the Blood Pavilion, heading off into its depths.

The inside of the Blood Pavilion was as ominous as the outside.

Dim corridor barely lit with blood-red lamps leading to rooms and facilities that did god knew what. The corridors split off, leading to laboratories with all kinds of experimentation, test subjects, and tools and instruments that Rui didn't even recognize.

It was paradise for mad scientists.

"I believe you have a scholar's degree in the sciences, isn't that right, Your Highness?" Blood Lord Vrukshus asked with a knowing tone.

Rui raised an eyebrow as he turned towards the Martial Sage.

He did indeed have a degree; however, that happened when he was undercover as a Martial Squire.

"It is rare to see Martial Artists pursue intellectual fields," Blood Lord Vrukshus remarked with a regretful tone. "Unfortunately, it's all understandable. Very few find it worth it. You are an example of those who have deployed their knowledge to create unfathomable outcomes."

"…I suppose that is true."

In his case, however, he was using knowledge from Earth rather than from Gaia. It was more developed, and he had learned more of it than he did of Gaia's. He had also inherited all of it, thus the downside needed to spend time learning it was not there. "In the Blood Cult, we encourage Martial Artists to pursue the sciences," Blood Lord Vrukshus remarked. "Specifically, that of medicine. That of blood."

He gestured to the various laboratories and facilities that they walked past. "A lot can happen when you combine the academic understanding of science and the intuitive and instinctive understanding of Martial Artists. You are proof of that. We hope to replicate your success in the direction of enhancing and elevating our blood to godhood."

Rui raised an eyebrow. "Both scientific and Martial pursuits require clarity in what they are pursuing. What exactly does 'elevating blood to godhood' mean?"

"That is a good question," Blood Lord Vrukshus nodded with a hint of appreciation at Rui actually engaging with his words. "Godhood, as a concept, is not very self-explanatory. Ultimately, it is subjective. Different people interpret it differently and end up aiming for different things. That is why you see so many different laboratories and facilities. It might seem strange, but I'm sure you understand why interpretation is important."

Rui stirred at his words. "For individuality."

"Indeed. Martial Artists do not aim for the same destination, and certainly do not take the same path to it," he remarked. "In the Blood Cult, we allow our Martial Artists to pursue their ideal of elevating blood to godhood."

"…I see," Rui remarked with a hint of morbid curiosity. "Then, what is your ideal of godhood in blood, if I may inquire?"

He smiled at Rui. "That is a rather personal question, but I shall tell you nonetheless. I hope to gain true immortality by virtue of my blood. Blood that will never allow me to die. Blood that will protect me from death. That is my ideal of godhood in blood."

"…I see."

"Of course, that is just one aspect of what we do in the Blood Cult," he remarked with an unsettling tone. "This is our personal path. In a sense."

"…So Martial Artists of the Blood Cult sound like their Martial drive is to 'elevate their blood to godhood,' causing their Martial Art to be related to blood or the human body or something like that, which opens up avenues for scientific and Martial pursuit at the same time," Rui realized. "Could it be… the whole reason that you have done this is to increase the efficacy of blood research?"

Blood Lord Vrukshus was stunned silent for a moment. "I see. You are as intelligent as they say. And since you have deduced this much this quickly, I shall not deny it. The Blood Cult is indeed primarily a research organization into enhancing and evolving blood, and Martial Artists are just one part of that equation. We inculcate our blood-godhood obsession into them and watch as Martial Artists with Paths relevant to blood emerge from their ranks. Then we combine Martial progress with scientific progress to elevate blood to godhood! It is the greater way."

He turned towards Rui with a chilling grin. "Genius strategy, would you agree, Dawnbringer?"