Chapter 62: The Great Blood Demon War (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 62: The Great Blood Demon War (1)
‘Baek Hye-hyang!’
The appearance of the other successor, Baek Hye-hyang, sent a stir through the gathered members of the Blood Cult.
Even Baek Ryeonha, seated upon the stone throne, felt her inner composure waver the moment the woman appeared. She had harbored doubts about whether Hye-hyang would actually respond to the Blood Demon Summon, yet the woman had boldly stepped onto the very stage Ryeonha had set.
“The First Venerable!”
Bizarre Hae Ak-cheon muttered as he spotted the elderly man standing directly behind her. The man had his white hair neatly tied and exuded an extraordinary aura.
He was the Blood Breaking Sword Emperor Dan Wi-gang, the man hailed as the current pinnacle of martial prowess within the Blood Cult.
Flanking him were the First Blood Star, Thunder Blood Sword Jang Ryong, and the Second Blood Star, Yu Baek. Following behind them were the Fifth Blood Star, Fist and Kick of Blood Rain Hwang Kang, and the Seventh Blood Star, Blood Sound Demon Laugh Seom Mae-hyang.
“The... the Four Venerables and the Seven Blood Stars have all gathered.”
“Is the Cult finally rising again?”
The atmosphere among the cultists reached a fever pitch. For the first time in over twenty years, all the high-ranking officials, most of the Unit Leaders and Great Leaders, and the general membership of the Blood Cult had assembled at the Holy Land of Youngsan.
Baek Hye-hyang marched toward the front of the platform. The two successors now stood face-to-face.
The officials of each faction following them also squared off. Below the platform, the Revered Stars of Baek Ryeonha’s faction had all risen from their seats.
The air grew heavy. It was a situation where anything could explode at any moment.
Step!
At that moment, Baek Ryeonha rose from the stone throne and offered a fist-and-palm salute toward Baek Hye-hyang and her faction.
“It has been a long time.”
In response to her greeting, the Blood Stars on Baek Hye-hyang’s side, including the First Venerable Dan Wi-gang, also offered a fist-and-palm salute and bowed their heads in respect. It was the courtesy due to one who carried the blood of the previous Cult Leader.
However, not a single one of them knelt. It was as if they refused to acknowledge Baek Ryeonha’s authority.
The expressions of the Revered Stars in Baek Ryeonha’s faction below the platform hardened grimly. Then, Blood Hand Witch Han Baek-ha spoke up.
“Will the Revered Stars not offer proper respect to the Blood Demon?”
“The Blood Demon? Ha!”
Baek Hye-hyang chuckled as if she had heard something absurd. She fixed a cold gaze on Han Baek-ha and asked, “Who are you calling the Blood Demon?”
“Naturally, the Young La—”
Baek Ryeonha raised her hand, cutting Han Baek-ha off. She smiled thinly and spoke to Baek Hye-hyang.
“Can we not at least exchange greetings as fellow cultists?”
“Don’t give me that nonsense. We aren’t exactly affectionate sisters who can share smiles and pleasantries, are we?”
“I suppose that is true,” Baek Ryeonha replied, refusing to be cowed by the other’s momentum.
Baek Hye-hyang scanned her from head to toe before speaking. “I thought your martial talent was lacking, but it seems you’ve managed to surpass the 5th stage of the Blood Heaven Great Achievement Art in the meantime.”
Baek Ryeonha’s blood-red hair and eyes were proof of that achievement. Though they were half-sisters, the two bore a striking resemblance. If not for Baek Hye-hyang’s sharper features and her distinct, provocative aura, they could have passed for twins.
“There is no reason I cannot do what you have done, sister.”
“That is the bare minimum.”
The conversation between the two successors was like a tinderbox. As the sharp psychological warfare continued, the Revered Stars on both sides looked ready to strike at any second.
The only one who remained relaxed was the First Venerable, Dan Wi-gang. A man with immense pride in his own martial prowess, the only person he found even remotely interesting was Bizarre Hae Ak-cheon.
‘He has changed beyond recognition.’
Since emerging from his closed-door training, Dan Wi-gang had been certain that no one in the Blood Cult could rival him. However, the Hae Ak-cheon he saw now was worlds apart from the man he remembered. He appeared to be standing at the threshold of the Wall, just as Dan Wi-gang himself had been before his seclusion.
‘As long as I watch out for that Bizarre old man, no one else poses a threat.’
Even if the opposing side had more numbers, he was confident. Now that he had broken through the Wall and stepped into the realm of superhumans, his own strength was enough to handle them all.
Baek Ryeonha’s voice turned cold as her emotions began to stir. “I assumed that by responding to the Blood Demon Summon for the Cult’s resurgence, you were acknowledging me. It seems I was mistaken.”
“Acknowledging you? Hahaha!”
Baek Hye-hyang burst into a mad laugh, as if the idea were truly hilarious. After laughing for a good while, she shook her head and spoke.
“Our dear Ryeonha is under a grave delusion. It’s laughable that you think you have the right to succeed the title of Blood Demon.”
“...Unlike you, I have inherited the legitimacy of the bloodline.”
At those words, Baek Hye-hyang’s eyes sharpened. It was a remark Baek Ryeonha would never have dared to make in the past—a reminder that Baek Hye-hyang was low-born, the daughter of a mere woman from the red-light district.
“You’ve grown quite bold, to let those words cross your lips.”
Rumble!
A powerful killing intent erupted from Baek Hye-hyang, accompanied by a rising red haze. Her overwhelming pressure caused the Revered Stars under Baek Ryeonha to tighten their grips on their weapons. They were visibly tense.
‘She’s grown even stronger.’
‘...What terrifying martial talent.’
‘Can someone change this much in just two months?’
The Fourth Blood Star, Do Jang-ho, was particularly stunned. Having served under Baek Hye-hyang, he knew her capabilities well, but she was fundamentally different now. He could no longer even gauge the depth of her power.
‘Was my choice wrong?’
Do Jang-ho had been certain that he would be the new Blood Demon to save the Cult. He hadn't expected the variable known as Moon Evil Sword Sama Chak to appear. Seeing Baek Hye-hyang’s even more formidable presence now, his resolve wavered.
Baek Hye-hyang spoke in a frigid tone. “We must face those Orthodox bastards who once crushed our Cult. What do you think you can achieve with your measly martial prowess?”
No matter how much Baek Ryeonha had overcome her illness, she was still significantly behind Baek Hye-hyang in both innate talent and years of training. In terms of raw power, Baek Hye-hyang was far more suited for the throne of the Blood Demon.
Murmur, murmur!
The cultists gathered in the square began to whisper.
“She’s right. We need a stronger Blood Demon.”
“With the Cult rising again, this isn't the time to argue about legitimacy.”
The voices rippling through the crowd mostly belonged to those supporting Baek Hye-hyang. The momentum seemed to be shifting in her favor.
That was when Baek Ryeonha spoke up.
“If we are to follow the logic of power like that, then among the Four Venerables here—no, even just looking at your own inner circle—it would be more appropriate for the First Venerable to take the throne of the Blood Demon, wouldn't it?”
“Don't talk nonsense.”
“You are the one talking nonsense, sister. Stop clinging to a position you cannot reach and follow the Sect Law.”
“The Sect Law?”
Snap!
Baek Ryeonha flicked her fingers. At the signal, the Second Venerable, Raging Demon Lord Seo Gal-ma, stepped forward as if he had been waiting. He respectfully carried an object that had been placed behind him and stood beside Baek Ryeonha.
It was a long, ornately decorated box. When the lid was opened, a scabbard rested upon a red silk lining.
Baek Ryeonha gripped the scabbard and spoke. “The successor to the Blood Demon Sword is the Blood Demon. You know that is the law of our Cult, don't you, sister?”
Murmur, murmur!
The square erupted in whispers once again. This time, it was the cultists on Baek Hye-hyang’s side.
“The Young Lady has a Blood Demon Sword too.”
“Isn't that one a fake?”
They looked at the scabbard Baek Ryeonha presented with doubt and suspicion. At that moment, Blood Hand Witch Han Baek-ha shouted so that everyone could hear.
“Who do you think infiltrated the Martial Alliance, killed their Chief Strategist Zhuge Won-myeong, and seized the true Blood Demon Sword? It was our Young Lady!”
At those words, Hae Ak-cheon frowned and glared at her.
‘That damn Blood Hand Witch!’
This hadn't been part of the plan. Han Baek-ha’s words made it sound as if Baek Ryeonha herself had performed the feats So Woon-hwi had achieved within the Martial Alliance.
[Brother Hae. Bear with it for now. We must bring the momentum to the Young Lady’s side.]
Sensing his irritation, the Second Venerable Seo Gal-ma sent a secret sound transmission to calm him. If Hae Ak-cheon acted out here, everything they had planned would go to waste.
Grit!
Hae Ak-cheon ground his teeth and clenched his fists. He wanted to berate Han Baek-ha immediately, but as Seo Gal-ma said, pushing the legitimacy of the Sect Law was the only way to sway the opinion of the cultists right now.
Having calmed Hae Ak-cheon, Seo Gal-ma looked at the Revered Stars under Baek Hye-hyang to lend his support.
“As far as this old man knows, your side only managed to bring back a bunch of fake Blood Demon Swords from the Martial Alliance’s armory. Can you deny my words?”
The square buzzed again. Since many of Baek Hye-hyang’s subordinates had been involved in the operation, rumors about how they had obtained their swords had already spread. They had believed Baek Hye-hyang had the real one, but now everything was becoming confusing.
‘It’s working.’
Han Baek-ha flashed a triumphant smile as the atmosphere shifted back.
Baek Hye-hyang narrowed her eyes at Baek Ryeonha. She hadn't seen Baek Ryeonha while she was at the Martial Alliance. Of course, it was possible Ryeonha had been hiding and watching without participating in the martial discussion.
‘...Did she trick me?’
Baek Hye-hyang fell into thought for a moment. Initially, she had been certain Ryeonha’s sword was a fake because of the seal on the Blood Demon Summon. However, only she knew that the Blood Demon Sword and the Cult Leader’s seal were one and the same. She began to wonder if Baek Ryeonha had sent the seal like that as a mistake or as a trap.
The First Blood Star, Jang Ryong, was thinking along similar lines.
‘Zhuge Won-myeong is the sticking point.’
If not for that, he could be certain it was a fake. But it was true that they weren't the ones who had killed Zhuge Won-myeong. If Ryeonha’s claim was true, their side would lose legitimacy according to the Sect Law.
‘Is it real?’
Jang Ryong looked back and forth between Han Baek-ha and Baek Ryeonha. Both women stood their ground with expressionless faces. He couldn't tell if it was a bluff.
‘What should we do?’
Just as he was wondering, Baek Hye-hyang drew the sword from her scabbard.
Sring!
‘It’s a fake.’
The Revered Stars on Baek Ryeonha’s side, who knew the whereabouts of the real Blood Demon Sword, smiled. That sword had to be a fake. They believed it would be impossible to sway the cultists with it.
Then, Baek Hye-hyang raised the sword high.
Woooooong!
In that instant, the Blood Demon Sword in her hand resonated with a humming sound and turned a vivid crimson.
“The sword turned red as blood!”
“It’s the Blood Demon Sword!”
The cultists in the square went wild at the sight.
“!?”
On the other hand, the faces of the Revered Stars on Baek Ryeonha’s side stiffened in unison. The reason for their alarm was simple: no ordinary sword could withstand the energy of the Blood Heaven Great Achievement Art unless it was the true Blood Demon Sword. In fact, after Baek Ryeonha reached the 5th stage of the art, she had tested several imitation swords, and they had all shattered.
‘Could it be...’
Baek Ryeonha could not hide her bewilderment at the sight of the glowing sword in Baek Hye-hyang’s hand. All sorts of assumptions swirled in her head.
‘Woon-hwi!’
She even feared that So Woon-hwi might have escaped Sama Chak only to be killed by Baek Hye-hyang, who then took the real sword.
“That sword! Where did you get it?”
At Baek Ryeonha’s cry, the corners of Baek Hye-hyang’s mouth curled up. Her attempt to test Ryeonha had turned into a decisive blow.
‘It was a fake after all.’
If Baek Ryeonha had the real sword, she wouldn't have reacted like that. She would have insisted Hye-hyang’s sword was a fake or presented proof that her own was real.
Baek Hye-hyang said with a smirk, “I told you, it’s the sword I brought back after killing Zhuge Won-myeong. Why are you asking such a thing?”
“Th-that’s...”
Baek Ryeonha realized her mistake too late. In her panic over the possibility that So Woon-hwi had been killed, she had slipped up, regardless of the sword’s authenticity.
Baek Hye-hyang did not miss the opportunity.
“If the sword you risked your life for is real, then show us the proof. The Blood Demon Sword is a demon sword that chooses its own master. If your sword is truly real, there is no reason you cannot do the same, is there?”
‘This is a disaster.’
Han Baek-ha let out a silent groan. She hadn't expected them to be cornered like this. Now, she was making the same assumption as Baek Ryeonha.
‘Did Baek Hye-hyang find So Woon-hwi?’
Otherwise, there was no way that sword could withstand the Blood Heaven Great Achievement Art. She was at a loss for what to do. She even considered revealing So Woon-hwi’s existence to everyone and claiming he was the true successor whom Baek Hye-hyang had harmed.
Murmur, murmur!
The atmosphere in the square was becoming ominous. When Baek Ryeonha failed to draw her sword, even the cultists who were supposed to be her allies began to harbor doubts.
Faced with the clearly shifted tide, Baek Ryeonha bit her lip hard. She was caught between a rock and a hard place.
BOOM!
Suddenly, a massive explosion echoed through the area.
Bizarre Hae Ak-cheon had stomped the ground, causing the floor around him to crack. Everyone looked at him in confusion as he roared at Baek Hye-hyang with a voice full of rage.
“What have you done to Woon-hwi?!”
Baek Hye-hyang arched an eyebrow. “Venerable. What on earth are you talking abou—”
Sssssss!
Before she could finish, Hae Ak-cheon’s entire body turned red, and steam began to billow from him. It was the manifestation of his secret technique, the True Blood Golden Body.
Recognizing this, the Revered Stars on Baek Hye-hyang’s side all drew their weapons.
Clang! Clang!
Baek Ryeonha’s side did the same. The Revered Stars of both factions looked ready to engage in a bloody battle right then and there.
It was at that very moment.
Flinch!
A sharp killing intent pricked their senses. The Revered Stars who were about to clash all leaped backward, putting distance between themselves.
Slaaaaash!
Simultaneously, a crimson line of killing intent tore through the ground between them, creating a literal wall.
The expressions of both Baek Hye-hyang and Baek Ryeonha froze.
“Blood Heaven Great Achievement Sword—Single Line Cleave?”
“Single Line Cleave?”
Having mastered the Blood Heaven Great Achievement Art, they recognized the technique instantly.
‘Who could it be?’
They and the Revered Stars of both sides turned in unison toward the direction the killing intent had come from.
Standing there was a young man with fluttering red hair, holding a sword that glowed a vivid, blood-like crimson.
“!!!”
Baek Hye-hyang’s pupils shook as if an earthquake were happening within them.
‘How can this be...’
Hae Ak-cheon, who had been filled with rage just moments ago, now had a grin that stretched from ear to ear. His body trembled with a thrill of excitement. He promptly dropped to one knee and shouted at the top of his lungs.
“Venerable Hae Ak-cheon greets the Blood Demon!”