Chapter 424: There Is No Such Thing as "It Couldn't Be Helped"
Chapter 424: There Is No Such Thing as "It Couldn't Be Helped"
The doors swung wide, and the Blood King stepped forth.
He emerged from a vat brimming with blood, completely naked, with crimson droplets trailing from his body.
The stench of blood was so overpowering that Yang-seok felt a sudden, violent impulse to bolt. Never in his life had he encountered a scent so thick. If alcohol had its proof, he thought, this was the concentrated essence of blood itself.
In contrast, the North Blood Sect Leader ignored the foul odor, his gaze fixed intently on the Blood King.
The man was younger than he had imagined.
He was handsome, with long limbs and a physique so perfect it looked as if it had been sculpted from marble. His most striking feature, however, was his vibrant red hair, which commanded immediate attention.
The first impression he projected was more intense than any martial artist the Sect Leader had ever encountered.
He is insanely strong.
Even though the Blood King wasn't actively projecting his aura, the mere sight of him forced that conclusion.
Yang-seok, on the other hand, was too nauseated by the smell to properly assess the man's strength. However, one thing was crystal clear.
This man is the mastermind.
The fact that he had been living in a secret room behind the Sect Leader’s Hall was shocking.
To think he was hiding such a secret. He should have told me—his own son.
Even in this moment, Yang-seok’s heart was filled with resentment toward his father.
Step, step, step, step!
A dozen warriors burst from the side doors, positioning themselves in front of the North Blood Sect Leader. They, too, grimaced at the foul odor.
Usually, when the North Blood Sect Leader entered the secret passage, he dismissed his subordinates first. But today, he hadn't expected the man in the secret room to emerge, so he hadn't had the chance to clear the area.
The Blood King looked down at the warriors with indifferent eyes.
The North Blood Sect Leader sensed several things in that gaze. It wasn't a cold, emotionless stare. It was hot like blood, viscous like blood, and as chilling as blood.
There was something else, too. The man seemed like someone who lived beyond the reach of order or logic—someone who lived purely by instinct, or rather, by the pull of blood.
Yet, the North Blood Sect Leader knew that wasn't the whole truth. If he were a man who only followed instinct, he wouldn't have been able to endure those long years in a secret room. He possessed a terrifying patience that overwhelmed everything else. That was his most frightening trait.
At that moment, the Blood King slowly extended both hands.
Swish!
Red lines shot out simultaneously from his fingertips.
Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud!
One line from each finger—ten lines in total—pierced the foreheads of the warriors.
They weren't weak enough to die so pathetically, yet they all collapsed and died instantly from that single move. It was a martial art the North Blood Sect Leader had never seen before. It wasn't Finger Wind, nor was it a projectile weapon.
The Blood King walked slowly toward the Grand Tutor’s Chair. Blood continued to drip from his body as he moved.
Naked, he sat down on the chair.
The aura and presence he radiated were truly immense, compounded by the suffocating smell of blood.
The Blood King closed his eyes slightly, recited an oral formula, and held out his hand. Even though there was no visible wound, blood began to flow from his palm.
Drip.
Red smoke began to rise from the blood hitting the floor.
Boom!
With a single palm strike, the Blood King blasted a hole through the ceiling.
The red smoke rising from the floor drifted up through the opening, looking very much like a signal being sent to someone.
Hearing the commotion, voices began to murmur outside.
The North Blood Sect Leader infused his voice with internal energy and shouted, "Everyone, withdraw!"
The noise outside quickly died down, replaced by silence.
Sitting in the Grand Tutor’s Chair, the Blood King looked down at the North Blood Sect Leader without a word.
The North Blood Sect Leader knelt on the spot and bowed.
"I greet my Lord!"
Since becoming the Sect Leader—no, since the day he was born—this was the first time he had ever knelt to anyone other than his parents or his master.
But he knew instinctively: if he didn't kneel now, he would die by that man's hand.
Yang-seok, who had been standing awkwardly, quickly knelt as well.
He was truly stunned. He had sensed the naked man was strong, but he never imagined his father would kneel to him. Especially when they hadn't even exchanged a single word.
Lord?
The word coming from his father's mouth sounded utterly foreign.
Finally, the Blood King spoke. His voice was low, carrying a deep resonance.
"How did Ha Gyeol die?"
Had he heard the conversation from inside the secret room? Or was he connected to Ha Gyeol through blood? He already knew Ha Gyeol was dead.
"We do not know yet. We only just received the news," the North Blood Sect Leader answered respectfully.
The Blood King rose from the chair and walked forward.
With every step he took, the hearts of the North Blood Sect Leader and Yang-seok hammered against their ribs. Even the battle-hardened Sect Leader felt a surge of fear.
This man possessed an aura that couldn't even be compared to the late Ha Gyeol. He had never imagined such a terrifying being was hidden in that secret room.
The Blood King approached Yang-seok.
Up close, the Blood King's eyes were even more frightening, and the thickening scent of blood made Yang-seok feel like he was suffocating.
"You were there when Ha Gyeol died, weren't you?"
It wasn't a question; it was an accusation.
Yang-seok's vision went dark. Terror gripped him, but he desperately tried to deny it. He felt that if he told the truth, he would be killed in a truly agonizing way.
"No, I wasn't."
But the Blood King wasn't just guessing.
"I can scent Ha Gyeol's blood on you."
"!"
Yang-seok's heart sank. Since he had watched the fight, a few drops of blood might have splattered on him.
But to smell that specific blood? Was such a thing even possible?
The Blood King glared at Yang-seok with cold eyes.
"Who killed Ha Gyeol? Was it you?"
He should have said he didn't know, but the Blood King's gaze was so terrifying that Yang-seok squeezed his eyes shut and screamed.
"No, no! It wasn't me!"
"Then who was it?"
Yang-seok didn't hesitate to tell the truth.
"It was the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult."
The Blood King began to emit a faint blood energy as he placed his hand on Yang-seok's head. As the hand touched his crown, Yang-seok cried out in a plea.
"Please! Spare me!"
He felt a strange energy entering his body through the top of his head. He couldn't resist. His entire body shook like a leaf, terrified that the energy would explode inside his skull.
"Please!"
The North Blood Sect Leader did not step in to help his son. He knew the man wouldn't stop even if he tried.
More than that, he was currently furious with Yang-seok. The boy had been at the scene of Ha Gyeol's death and had lied to his face with a straight look. He had even acted surprised by the news.
The Blood King pulled his hand away from Yang-seok's head.
"Haa... haa..."
Yang-seok didn't know what that energy was, but he gasped for air, relieved simply to be alive.
"What happened to the one with the Extreme Cold Body?" the Blood King asked again.
Yang-seok answered without hesitation. "The Drunken Demon took her."
At the mention of the Drunken Demon, the Blood King's eyes narrowed, and his pupils turned a deep crimson. When Seo Nak died, he had made a vow from within his vat: he would kill the Drunken Demon. And now, that same man had crossed his path again.
Having lost both his subordinate and the Extreme Cold Body, the Blood King was relentless.
"Tell the Young Cult Leader I want to meet."
The red pupils within his narrowed eyes were more terrifying than anything else.
"In the meantime, I will kill the Drunken Demon and reclaim the Extreme Cold Body."
*
"He's going to target you, Brother."
At Geom Mu-geuk's words, the Drunken Demon, who had been staring out the window, turned his head.
"He killed Elder Seo and took the Extreme Cold Body. He'll definitely want revenge on you."
"That's exactly what I'm hoping for."
The Drunken Demon wasn't afraid at all. He possessed the skill to back up his confidence.
However, the Blood King's Self-Destruction Art was something to be feared. The Drunken Demon's Liquor Qi wouldn't be enough to block that.
"I have a favor to ask."
"What favor?"
"You have to promise to do it."
"No. I refuse."
Geom Mu-geuk said nothing in response.
"Well, what is it?"
"I thought you refused? Ah, you really are something, Brother. To refuse this favor..."
In the end, the Drunken Demon couldn't contain his curiosity.
"Let me hear it first," the Drunken Demon said, refilling the cup in front of him. "As long as it's not telling me to quit drinking. I realized something when I tried to quit recently. Without alcohol, the joy of life disappears."
"Anything else is fine, then?"
"I won't accept being the last person you visit when you return from your travels. And also..."
Even in this situation, he was relaxed. Geom Mu-geuk smiled and picked up the Black Demonic Sword, still in its scabbard, from his waist.
"It's not a difficult request..."
Feeling a sudden sense of reluctance, the Drunken Demon shouted, "I don't know what it is, but no! I hate it!"
*
Watching Geom Mu-geuk walk toward him from a distance, Yang-seok's heart pounded as if it would burst.
— You must hold him for as long as possible. If you fail, you die.
The image of the Blood King giving that cold warning flashed through his mind.
He really will kill me.
The Blood King was different from Geom Mu-geuk. He would kill without a moment's hesitation.
And his father wouldn't help him, either—not after the look he'd seen in his father's eyes when the Blood King gave the order.
Geom Mu-geuk finally reached him.
"You've arrived?" Yang-seok bowed his head. His attitude toward Geom Mu-geuk had completely changed. "I apologize for contacting you so urgently."
"Why did you want to see me?"
"I've discovered information regarding the mastermind."
"What information?"
"Shall we walk for a moment?"
Yang-seok began to walk alongside Geom Mu-geuk.
They had met in a deserted field a short distance away from the North Blood Sect.
Walking in silence, Yang-seok spoke cautiously. "I went to see my father. I spoke to him honestly, just as you said. I told him I wanted to be of help to him. Then, my father told me everything. I truly didn't realize that being honest could be so powerful."
"Where is the mastermind?"
"He said the man is at the Ice Sword Sect."
The Ice Sword Sect was one of the Three Major Powers of the North Sea, alongside the North Sea Ice Palace and the North Blood Sect.
Even if things go wrong later, I can just pin it all on my father.
The Blood King was terrifying, but the man standing here was the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult. He had to dig an escape tunnel for himself.
Geom Mu-geuk, who had been quietly observing Yang-seok, suddenly asked, "Is the idea that he's at the Ice Sword Sect your own? Or did that man tell you to say that?"
Yang-seok tried to remain calm as he asked back, "What do you mean by that?"
Yang-seok couldn't tell if Geom Mu-geuk was testing him or if he had truly realized he was lying.
"I suppose the Ice Sword Sect is a good enough excuse to buy some time. Which means the mastermind has revealed himself to you."
No matter how hard he tried not to be surprised, it was impossible when dealing with Geom Mu-geuk.
"Deceiving me once was enough, yet you're doing it again."
Yang-seok realized he could no longer hide it. He had decided to side with the Blood King because he was so afraid of him.
But seeing Geom Mu-geuk again, he realized there was a different kind of fear. A man who seemed to look right into his soul—in front of Geom Mu-geuk, he felt naked.
"I was wrong. Please, spare me!"
Yang-seok threw himself onto the ground.
You sharp-witted bastard! Even so, I will survive!
He would kneel to this side, and he would kneel to that side. He would kneel until his knees gave out if it meant staying alive.
"But... how did you know I was lying?"
"When you asked to walk together."
"Why that?"
"If you had actually found information, you would have been busy bragging about it the moment you saw me. But asking to walk? That was suspicious."
Geom Mu-geuk had a perfect read on Yang-seok's character.
"I had no choice because he forced me."
"There is no such thing as 'it couldn't be helped' in this world. There are only the consequences of one's own poor choices. It's the same today. You could have told me the truth the moment we met, couldn't you?"
Yang-seok had no excuse.
"What else did he say?"
"He just told me to meet you."
Geom Mu-geuk stared into his eyes and said abruptly, "He said he would kill the Drunken Demon while you were stalling for time, didn't he?"
Geom Mu-geuk saw the undeniable agitation in Yang-seok's eyes.
"So you were stalling for time just so he could kill the Drunken Demon."
Startled, Yang-seok waved his hands in denial. "No, it's not like that!"
"Then what is it?"
"I just..."
He tried to make an excuse, but the words caught in his throat. This wasn't someone who would fall for excuses.
Yang-seok knelt again.
"Please, forgive me. If you saw that man, you would understand. He isn't human!"
With his head bowed low, his inner thoughts were far from his sobbing pleas.
Forgive me. You high-and-mighty types get a thrill out of showing mercy, don't you?
He only thought that because he didn't know the look in Geom Mu-geuk's eyes as he looked down at him. His crimes were already too great; his death was a certainty. It was only a matter of time.
"Please, go quickly! Shouldn't you go right now and help the Drunken Demon?"
Geom Mu-geuk wasn't worried about the Drunken Demon at all.
"Why are you worrying about a Demon Lord? The only person in this Murim with the right to worry about a Demon Lord is the Heavenly Demon himself."
It was a statement that upheld the Demon Lord's pride, and it showed just how much he trusted the Drunken Demon.
Of course, Geom Mu-geuk's composure and trust weren't solely based on the Drunken Demon's skill. The opponent was too strong for that.
The Supreme Heavenly Silkworm Thread that had been wrapped around the Black Demonic Sword in Geom Mu-geuk's hand was gone.
Geom Mu-geuk's request had been for the Drunken Demon to wrap that Supreme Heavenly Silkworm Thread around his body.
Though the Drunken Demon had sworn he would never wear it, Mu-geuk had eventually forced him to. It was wrapped multiple times around his heart and his vital points. A fight with the Blood King was one where anything could explode at any time.
And there was one more thing he relied on.
He had his Rapid Speed Step, which would allow him to return before it was too late.
"Get up."
As Yang-seok stood, he tried his best to get on Geom Mu-geuk's good side.
"I believe in you. You will destroy that man, Young Cult Leader. You'll wipe him out in a most satisfying way."
"You won't be around to see it."
Geom Mu-geuk vanished from before his eyes in an instant.
Yang-seok looked confused, unaware that his face and entire body had suddenly turned bright red.
KABOOM!
He exploded with the Self-Destruction Art. A massive wave of blood energy swept forward, but Geom Mu-geuk had already entered the Space-Time Displacement Technique.
Geom Mu-geuk reappeared.
Yang-seok was dead, a massive hole blown through his chest.
The Blood King had ruthlessly used the Young Master of the North Blood Sect as a tool for his Self-Destruction Art—even though the target was the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult.
Geom Mu-geuk finally felt that the Blood King had truly emerged into the world.
The Blood King likely hadn't expected Yang-seok to kill him when even Ha Gyeol had failed. This, then, was the Blood King's way of saying hello.
Geom Mu-geuk looked down at the gaping hole and spoke softly.
"Yeah. Nice to meet you too, you lunatic."