Blood is Thicker Than Water (5)
‘I can’t even tell how many times I’ll have to hit him.’
William leaned forward slightly, watching Hong Mun-gyeong charge at him. His eyes were bloodshot, his face twisted, veins bulging beneath his skin. Anyone could see he was far from normal. Even a demonic practitioner who had cultivated devil arts wouldn’t look this deranged.
William observed with cold eyes as Mun-gyeong’s right arm swung toward him from close range.
‘He’s literally just flailing.’
The attack lacked any refined technique or speed. Only the savagery of a starving beast remained. William dodged by dipping his upper body low, then struck Mun-gyeong’s torso five times in rapid succession, fast enough to leave afterimages. The final blow connected with his jaw, sending Mun-gyeong flying backward.
“Kkeheuk!”
Mun-gyeong’s body rolled across the ground after being hurled three jang away. A normal person would have lost consciousness from such a direct strike, but it meant little to the madman possessed by a demon. The surging blood and reversed internal energy ironically protected his body from the impact.
William shook his tingling hands a couple of times and reset his stance.
‘I’m no bestiarius. This feels like beating a wild animal.’
He sighed as Mun-gyeong rose with a low, beast-like growl. Better to incapacitate him quickly. William stepped forward toward the blood-crazed beast charging at him. ‘I’ll end this in one move.’
One step. Yet Ha Jin and Elder Baek, watching from behind, sensed that his presence had changed dramatically from when he had drawn his sword. A terrifying fighting spirit enveloped William’s body.
“It’s like facing a lion.”
“His aura is so intense my skin tingles. I almost reached for my sword hilt without thinking.”
Even as they voiced their impressions, the two kept an eye on Ma Ryang. He stood with a vacant expression, merely watching the fight between Mun-gyeong and William. His gaze was tangled like knotted thread.
‘Why on earth did big brother…?’
What could have turned his brother into such a monster? Ma Ryang couldn’t understand. He knew nothing of martial arts, and though his brother had been filled with love and hate, he had still possessed reason. How had he become like this in just a few months?
“Sorry, but this is going to hurt.”
The moment William’s right foot touched the ground, a thunderous boom echoed and dust exploded outward. Mun-gyeong, operating on pure instinct, swung his arm. The remnants of dark-red internal energy wrapped around it traced a fiery arc as it rushed toward William’s head.
But what meaning could an attack without any martial principle hold? William grabbed Mun-gyeong’s wrist mid-swing, pulled him inward, and drove his shoulder into his neck. He then lifted Mun-gyeong’s entire body in a reverse crucifix position. Mun-gyeong struggled to break free, but all he could do now was thrash.
“Let’s see if you can endure this too.”
Aura from William’s mana core began reinforcing his body. The overwhelming physique, now clad in aura, completely blocked the demonic energy invading from Mun-gyeong. It was possible only because his aura had grown stronger after absorbing the power of the century-old fleeceflower root.
“Seven Saber… Way…!”
Mun-gyeong flailed with his free arm, but every desperate struggle was nullified by the aura enveloping his body. William slammed him into the ground in that position.
“Aak?!”
Mun-gyeong coughed up a mouthful of blood as he was driven mercilessly into the dirt. The blood soaked into his front and slowly spread across his clothes.
“Agh… ugh…”
William released his hold and stood up, looking down at Mun-gyeong, who kept trying to rise despite the shock that wracked his entire body. Whether because the demon had taken full hold or not, he repeatedly attempted to stand only to collapse again.
‘He might reach veteran level. A man his age becoming a veteran in five years—talent, or something else?’
“Father… ji…”
“Elder Baek. Is there any way to calm someone who’s been possessed by a demon—or rather, fallen into Qi Deviation?”
“…Once Qi Deviation has progressed this far, there’s no saving them. Even if you calm him, he’ll become a madman. It would be kinder to send him to the King of Hell.”
Elder Baek shook his head with a grim diagnosis. If it were early-stage Qi Deviation, acupoint sealing might work, but at this advanced state, recovery was nearly impossible. Perhaps the martial artists of the Buddhist or Daoist sects could manage something, but the techniques of the Haenam Sword Sect were powerless here.
Only one choice remained.
“Ma Ryang. Your brother has no hope left.”
“Fa… ther…”
Was it hatred? Grief? William placed his foot on the madman’s solar plexus and looked down at him, an emotion too complex to name. His stance made it clear he could crush the heart at any moment. Whether the madman beneath his foot understood or not, he continued to tremble violently.
“Not much time left.”
At William’s words, Ma Ryang stared blankly at his brother.
‘No hope left…?’
His brother had never been a source of good memories. He had been causing trouble ever since Ma Ryang could remember. By now, the feeling of brotherhood had almost completely faded. Still, how many people in this world could coldly cut down their own blood?
Ma Ryang knew what had to happen, yet he couldn’t bring himself to speak. While he hesitated, Mun-gyeong kept thrashing. Even pinned by overwhelming force, he struggled to rise, his frenzied resistance threatening William—but William was not a man to be intimidated by something so trivial. Like a lion, king of beasts, he merely gazed down at the demon-possessed man with calm, unwavering eyes.
“Father… I’m… sorry…”
‘After killing him himself?’
Had the demon driven him completely insane? He had insisted on the Seven Saber Way, yet now he apologized to their father. Perhaps the mix of hatred and affection toward their father had driven him into heart demons.
William frowned at the twisted chorus of love and hate spilling from the madman’s lips.
“…Great hero. Please send him peacefully.”
“Understood.”
William pressed down with his foot. Ma Ryang covered his eyes and ears.
“So this is the secret manual of the Seven Saber Way.”
I looked at the manual in Ma Ryang’s hands. Was this the beginning of all the tragedy?
I was curious about how martial arts manuals in the murim were written, but since it wasn’t mine, I couldn’t just read it. I raised my gaze to Ma Ryang’s face.
“What do you plan to do with it?”
“I’m going to burn it.”
With those words, Ma Ryang lit a fire right beside them and placed the Seven Saber Way manual on the flames. We watched in silence. Ma Ryang needed time to sort through his feelings as well.
The Seven Saber Way, once the pride of Wuchang Prefecture, burned brightly like firewood. When the manual was completely consumed, Ma Ryang covered the fire with dirt to extinguish it. Then he turned to us, his face lighter than before.
“Thank you.”
“What will you do now?”
“Since family matters are settled, I’m thinking of reopening the Hong family inn.”
“You’ll be busy.”
“Yes. I suppose I will.”
Yet his expression was brighter than when we first met. Though he was now alone, the tragedy tied to his family had finally come to an end. It was bittersweet, but this was as close to a happy ending as one could hope for.
“Next time, we can stay at the Hong family inn.”
“Whenever you visit, I’ll treat you better than royalty.”
“I’m looking forward to it. Next time I’m in Wuchang Prefecture, I won’t have to worry about lodging.”
I didn’t know when I’d return, but I would likely visit the Haenam Sword Sect at least once, so I could stop by then.
“Take care. If anything happens, send word to the Wuxia Alliance.”
“You too.”
“I wish you a smooth journey.”
Hmm. I guess that’s it.
We turned and headed back toward the inn where the rest of our group was waiting. There, we spotted Hye-ryeong pacing in front of the inn.
The moment our eyes met, she waved and called out.
“Uncle Blue-Eyed Lion!”
Blue-Eyed… what?
“What did she just say?”
“Looks like your epithet has been decided.”
“Congratulations. You’re a true murim warrior now.”
“Uncle gets a cool epithet all to himself! I wanted a cool one like Blue-Eyed Lion too!”
…Cool? It just sounds like someone lazily named me that because I have blue eyes and look like a lion. Whoever came up with it has terrible naming sense. Still, after doing a good deed, it feels a bit too much like a demonic practitioner’s title. They could have made it sound more impressive.
…Ah, whatever. It’s better than having none at all.
My first epithet became the Blue-Eyed Lion.