Chapter 46: Master of the Sword (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 46: Master of the Sword (1)
Before the ships crossed paths on the Yangtze River.
Baek Ryeonha and the Blood Hand Witch, Han Baek-ha, were watching the approaching vessel with bated breath.
The lingering fog made it impossible to tell whether the ship belonged to the pirates of the Waterway Stronghold or if it was merely a civilian merchant vessel.
"This is troublesome. If those are pirates, our arrival near Honghu City will be delayed."
"Do not worry, My Lady. The Waterway Stronghold usually moves in fleets of at least two or three. A lone ship is likely a merchant or transport vessel."
Han Baek-ha comforted the anxious Baek Ryeonha.
The reason they were rushing toward the docks near Honghu City was due to the news they had received via carrier pigeon regarding the incident at the Martial Alliance.
To make matters worse, they had received intelligence that individuals suspected to be under Baek Hye-hyang’s command were gathering at the docks where their secret retreat was located. This only added to their sense of urgency.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Just as their anxiety peaked, the sound of drums echoed from the ship ahead.
"Ah!"
"Look there."
The drumbeats were a signal—a request for both ships to pass each other safely without collision.
Relief washed over them.
"Thank goodness. If we don't hurry, the Venerable One and the young masters will be in danger."
No matter how peerless the martial arts of the Second Venerable, Bizarre Hae Ak-cheon, might be, he would still be in peril if he fell into a trap laid by many.
Of course, if that were the only concern, they might not have intervened directly.
However, after receiving word that cultists suspected to be from Baek Hye-hyang’s faction had appeared at their escape route, they became certain that Hae Ak-cheon and So Woon-hwi had succeeded in their mission.
Baek Ryeonha had brought a large force with her because the Blood Demon Sword could not be allowed to fall into the wrong hands.
"Steer to starboard!"
At the captain's command, the two remaining ships following Baek Ryeonha’s lead also veered to the right.
It was just as the ships were about to draw level and pass each other.
The Blood Hand Witch, Han Baek-ha, furrowed her brow.
"What is it?"
"My Lady... look over there."
She walked to the edge of the deck and pointed toward the opposing ship.
There stood a man, far larger than average, with a thick, bushy beard.
"Uncle Hae?"
At this distance, his silhouette was unmistakable.
Han Baek-ha channeled her internal energy and shouted.
"Venerable One!"
Her voice rang out like thunder, echoing across the water.
The giant man at the stern of the ship approached the railing. Beside him, another figure appeared.
"Young Master So!"
Recognizing him, Baek Ryeonha lifted her veil.
The man standing next to the giant Hae Ak-cheon was undoubtedly his disciple, So Woon-hwi.
"Phew..."
Baek Ryeonha let out a long sigh of relief.
She had been sick with worry that they might have fallen into Baek Hye-hyang’s trap, but who could have guessed they would cross paths so coincidentally on the Yangtze River?
"Sixth Blood Star...?"
Baek Ryeonha turned to Han Baek-ha with a joyful expression, only to be taken aback by the woman's face.
Han Baek-ha was staring elsewhere with a grim expression.
Following her gaze, Baek Ryeonha’s eyes widened in shock.
"...The Fourth Blood Star?"
There was an unexpected presence on that ship.
It was the Fourth Blood Star, Do Jang-ho.
Why was Do Jang-ho, who was known to have joined Baek Hye-hyang’s side, on that ship?
Had they arrived too late? Had something gone terribly wrong?
A whirlwind of thoughts raced through Baek Ryeonha’s mind.
"My Lady. Something is wrong. Everyone on that ship is armed."
As Han Baek-ha noted, every person on the deck was clutching a weapon.
These were no ordinary sailors. They were a mobilized martial force.
"They aren't... our people, are they?"
Hae Ak-cheon’s group had infiltrated the Martial Alliance as a small, elite unit. There was no reason for them to be accompanied by such a large number of martial artists.
"It seems a problem has arisen."
"We must seize that ship. Signal the other vessels. And call for Uncle Seo as well."
"Understood. Seize the ship! Everyone, prepare for battle!"
"Understood!"
At Han Baek-ha’s cry, every cultist on the ship drew their weapons in unison.
"Ah..."
The group across from us suddenly looked alarmed and scrambled into battle formations.
The Fourth Blood Star, Do Jang-ho, stepped up beside me.
"It seems I am the cause of this."
It certainly looked that way.
While they had looked relieved to see me and my master, Hae Ak-cheon, their demeanor shifted the moment they spotted Do Jang-ho.
It seemed this was happening because they didn't yet know he had sworn loyalty to me.
'This is a mess.'
The timing was truly impeccable. Who could have known we’d run into Baek Ryeonha on the Yangtze River before I’d even prepared a plan or a way to handle her?
"Master?"
I looked at Hae Ak-cheon; his expression was complicated.
Even if he had prepared himself for this, the prospect of immediately coming into conflict with her must have been heavy on his heart.
"Venerable One. Should we prepare for the worst?"
At Do Jang-ho’s question, Hae Ak-cheon eventually nodded.
He then turned to me.
"This was a confrontation that had to happen eventually. It just came a bit sooner than expected."
"We might have to fight."
At Do Jang-ho’s remark, Hae Ak-cheon looked at me.
Then, he spoke.
"The Blood Demon is our leader now."
The meaning behind his words was clear.
From this moment on, the power to choose how to proceed lay with me, not him.
Do Jang-ho bowed his head to me in apology.
"I have been disrespectful. Please, Blood Demon, you must decide."
Every outcome would depend on my choice.
'...Damn it.'
The weight of it was entirely different. Having the power to choose meant I also bore the responsibility for everything that was about to happen.
Screeeech!
The ship that was supposed to pass us veered sharply, closing the distance to our vessel.
It seemed they intended to collide, dock, and then board us.
I could see Baek Ryeonha on the approaching deck.
"You must decide."
The moment a sword was drawn, a clash would be inevitable.
Their ship was drawing closer.
"Master. Fourth Blood Star. Do you trust me?"
At my question, the two of them stared at me for a moment before nodding.
I looked at the cultists behind them.
I saw the gazes of Sama Yeong, Jo Seong-won, Song Jwa-baek, and Song Woo-hyeon fixed upon me.
From now on, I had to lead them.
Screeeech!
The ships were now only about fifty feet apart.
I could see Baek Ryeonha, the Blood Hand Witch Han Baek-ha, and the Second Venerable, Raging Demon Lord Seo Gal-ma, who was stepping up beside them.
'The moment I took this sword, I became Baek Ryeonha’s rival anyway.'
I steeled my resolve.
I raised my hand and shouted.
"Prepare for battle!"
"Understood!"
Clang! Clang! Clang!
At my command, every cultist on our ship drew their weapons.
Confusion clouded Baek Ryeonha’s face as her ship drew nearer. The same shock was mirrored on the faces of Han Baek-ha and Seo Gal-ma.
Thump! Crash!
The ships collided with a grinding roar, shaking violently.
Both vessels dropped anchor simultaneously.
The two ships became one mass, coming to a halt in the middle of the Yangtze River like a floating island.
Baek Ryeonha spoke to me.
"Young Master... what is the meaning of this?"
She seemed deeply shocked that I, not the Fourth Blood Star, had been the one to give the order to prepare for battle.
I offered her a fist-and-palm salute.
"So Woon-hwi greets the Young Lady."
Following my lead, Hae Ak-cheon and Do Jang-ho also performed the salute.
She, Han Baek-ha, and Seo Gal-ma all looked utterly bewildered.
Baek Ryeonha glanced at Do Jang-ho before addressing Hae Ak-cheon.
"Uncle Hae. What on earth is going on? Can you explain why you are with the Fourth Blood Star?"
Hae Ak-cheon replied with his head bowed.
"This old man apologizes for failing to meet your expectations until the end, My Lady."
"Ha!"
Baek Ryeonha gasped, seemingly finding the situation absurd.
Beside her, the Raging Demon Lord Seo Gal-ma barked at Hae Ak-cheon.
"Brother Hae! What is the meaning of this! Are you saying you’ve forsaken the loyalty you swore to the Young Lady to stand by Baek Hye-hyang?"
Hae Ak-cheon shook his head.
"No."
"What? Then how are we supposed to interpret this situation?"
As Seo Gal-ma vented his fury, Han Baek-ha stepped forward.
"Venerable One. If that isn't it, then why are you doing this?"
Han Baek-ha’s expression was grim. Even for someone as cool-headed as her, this was frustrating—they hadn't defected to Baek Hye-hyang, yet they were acting like this.
She glared at Do Jang-ho.
"What have you done, Fourth Blood Star!"
The arrows of suspicion were aimed at him.
Do Jang-ho replied with a faint smile.
"I have merely followed the statutes of our Cult."
"Statutes?"
Hae Ak-cheon gestured toward me.
"According to the statutes, we have simply chosen to serve the current Blood Demon."
"!?"
Every eye turned toward me.
Baek Ryeonha spoke, her voice laced with disbelief.
"Blood Demon? What are you talking about?"
In response to her confusion, I reached for the cloth-wrapped sword at my waist.
I unwrapped the cloth.
"Ah!"
As the cloth fell away, the Blood Demon Sword was revealed.
Baek Ryeonha let out a gasp at the sight of the blade, but her eyes soon trembled with shock.
She saw that I was the one gripping the hilt.
"How can you hold that sword?"
Han Baek-ha also seemed profoundly shaken, her gaze darting back and forth between my face and the hand holding the sword.
Seo Gal-ma spoke in a trembling voice.
"Are you saying... that sword is the Blood Demon Sword?"
"It is, Elder."
"How can a brat like you hold it—"
"Silence!"
Before he could finish, Hae Ak-cheon roared.
He glared at Seo Gal-ma.
"Seo Gal-ma! This is the current Blood Demon! How dare you use such disrespectful language?"
"The current Blood Demon? Hae Ak-cheon, have you lost your mind?"
"It is you who has forgotten the statutes! Do you not know that the one chosen by the Blood Demon Sword, the one who wields it, is the Blood Demon of this age?"
"......"
At the mention of the statutes, Seo Gal-ma fell silent.
As one of the Four Venerables and a top executive of the Blood Cult, there was no way he didn't know.
Then, Han Baek-ha spoke up.
"The Venerable One’s words are flawed. That rule applies to the blood descendants of the Great Ancestor. Furthermore, how do we even know if that is real?"
"Ha! You doubt its authenticity?"
"We have already received reports about the fake Blood Demon Sword incident at the Martial Alliance. That sword could very well be a forgery."
Hae Ak-cheon let out his characteristic cackle.
"Heh heh. You think it's a fake?"
Han Baek-ha’s eyes turned sharp.
"We shall see once I've checked it myself!"
Swish!
Her figure blurred as she lunged toward me with incredible speed.
"How dare you!"
Hae Ak-cheon and Do Jang-ho both moved to intercept her, but—
"It's alright."
My single sentence stopped them both in their tracks.
"You've grown quite arrogant since I last saw you, Young Master."
Han Baek-ha’s voice was cold as ice. Her hands turned a deep crimson as she unleashed her Blood Jade Hand, using her signature Golden Snake Hand technique to try and snatch the sword away.
"If you want it, take it."
"What?"
I offered the sword freely.
Startled by my willingness to let go, she caught the sword I tossed to her.
She quickly used her lightness skill to leap back and land safely on her own ship.
[Giving up the sword! What are you doing?]
Hae Ak-cheon scolded me via sound transmission, his voice full of shock.
[I gave it to her so she could see for herself.]
[What if it falls into the Young Lady's hands!]
Baek Ryeonha also carried the blood of the Blood Demon. She was more than qualified to wield it. Hae Ak-cheon was rebuking me for handing over our greatest claim to legitimacy so easily.
[Please trust me.]
[You fool. If the Young Lady takes that sword, we lose our justification. Do you truly intend to fight them?]
He was right, but I had a plan.
At that moment, a groan escaped Han Baek-ha’s lips.
"Ugh!"
The blood vessels in the hand holding the sword began to bulge violently.
"Sixth Blood Star!"
Baek Ryeonha cried out in alarm.
"M-My Lady..."
Han Baek-ha tried to endure it with her profound internal energy and the Blood Jade Hand, but as the surge traveled up her arm and began to affect the vessels of her entire limb, even she couldn't hold on.
Rip!
Han Baek-ha used her other hand to manifest the Blood Jade Hand and forcibly pried the sword away.
As expected of a Blood Star, she was able to do what the Unit Leaders couldn't—she detached herself from the sword through sheer force of will.
Her already pale face turned even more ghostly.
She turned her head and spoke.
"......It is the real Blood Demon Sword, My Lady."
Only after holding it did Han Baek-ha realize the truth.
"The sword is real?"
Clang!
Seo Gal-ma drew his long saber, standing guard to ensure no one approached, and spoke to the stunned Baek Ryeonha.
"My Lady. You must hold the sword!"
"Oh boy."
Hae Ak-cheon clicked his tongue and looked at me. His eyes were screaming, 'I told you so.'
Ignoring him, I spoke to Baek Ryeonha.
"You may try to hold it, My Lady."
"What?"
Hae Ak-cheon glared at me, wondering what on earth I was thinking.
In the meantime, Baek Ryeonha reached down and gripped the hilt of the Blood Demon Sword lying on the deck.
"Ahhh...!"
A gasp escaped her lips. Holding the long-awaited Blood Demon Sword seemed to overwhelm her with emotion.
Seo Gal-ma spoke, his voice thick with sentiment.
"As expected, the Young Lady is also chosen by the—"
It happened in that very instant.
"Aaaagh!"
The veins on the back of Baek Ryeonha’s hand bulged and throbbed.
The unexpected turn of events left both Han Baek-ha and Seo Gal-ma in a state of panic.
She was the only living blood relative of the previous Cult Leader. It was only natural they were shocked to see her blood vessels on the verge of exploding.
"How can this be?"
Even Hae Ak-cheon’s eyes widened in surprise. He, too, must have assumed she would be able to wield the Blood Demon Sword freely.
"Let go of the sword!"
"My Lady!"
Han Baek-ha rushed to her side and forcibly pulled the Blood Demon Sword away.
Ignoring the pain, Baek Ryeonha stared at the sword on the deck, looking utterly lost.
"W... Why?"
She likely couldn't understand why the sword had rejected her.
I reached out my left hand.
Zip!
A Silver Smoke Thread shot out and coiled around the Blood Demon Sword.
"Ah!"
Han Baek-ha tried to grab the thread, but I was faster.
The sword, bound by the thread, flew back into my hand.
The voice of the Blood Demon Sword echoed in my mind.
'You can go if you want.'
The ability to speak with swords.
The Blood Demon Sword, unwilling to be separated from me, had forcibly rejected Baek Ryeonha.
Seeing me hold the sword unharmed while she could not, Baek Ryeonha muttered in disbelief.
"Just... why?"
"The sword does not desire you as its master, My Lady."
"What?"
It wasn't a lie; it was the truth.
I gripped the sword with both hands, pointing the tip toward the deck, and focused my mind to trigger the power of the fourth star—Heavenly Authority.
The star turned crimson, and a change began to sweep over me.
"......His hair?"
It was turning the color of blood.
As they watched, the faces of Baek Ryeonha, Han Baek-ha, and Seo Gal-ma were overcome with pure horror.