Chapter 63: Blood Demon (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 63: Blood Demon (2)
-What will happen when Baek Ryeonha eventually wakes up?
I remained silent at the Lesser Conversation Sword’s words.
It was a conclusion I had reached after much deliberation, but if Baek Ryeonha were to find out, it might not end with mere regret.
However, the Blood Hand Witch, Han Baek-ha, was a woman capable of stabbing me in the back at any moment under the pretext of loyalty to Baek Ryeonha. For the sake of discipline, it was better to remove her from power now for the future.
“How merciful of you. For the man closest to being the Blood Demon, that is.”
I chuckled softly at Baek Hye-hyang’s remark.
If it had been her, she wouldn't have stopped at just destroying the woman's dantian. Knowing her, she probably would have cut out her tongue and severed all her limbs, wouldn't she?
-That is how a Blood Demon should be.
Yeah, yeah. I’m sure you think so.
That Blood Demon Sword. Ever since meeting Baek Hye-hyang, it had taken quite a liking to her. It was likely because she possessed a temperament closest to the Blood Demons it had known in the past.
However, if I were to take power as the Blood Demon, the Blood Cult would change from what it had been until now.
Why wash the world in blood for no reason?
According to the doctrine, the Blood Cult’s long-cherished wish was to overthrow the martial world and wash the entire Central Plains in blood, creating a world only for those who followed their teachings. The cult's doctrine was essentially to keep creating unnecessary enemies.
I didn't desire the hypocritical justice of the Orthodox factions or the Martial Alliance, but the cult's current path was a precarious one.
[Walk the path you wish to go.]
Both my maternal grandfather and my father had given me that advice. I would walk my own path.
I looked around.
Of the eleven high-ranking officials of the Blood Cult, two were now gone. Blood Lord Gu Je-yang, the Third Venerable whose true identity had been revealed, and the Sixth Blood Star, Blood Hand Witch Han Baek-ha, who had constantly crossed the line.
As a result, nine remained.
First Venerable Blood Breaking Sword Emperor Dan Wi-gang, Second Venerable Raging Demon Lord Seo Gal-ma, and Fourth Venerable Bizarre Hae Ak-cheon.
First Blood Star Thunder Blood Sword Jang Ryong, Second Blood Star Asura Path Yu Baek, Third Blood Star Blood Killing Demon Yang Jeon, Fourth Blood Star White Blood Sword Do Jang-ho, Fifth Blood Star Fist and Kick of Blood Rain Hwang Kang, and Seventh Blood Star Blood Sound Demon Laugh Seom Mae-hyang.
-Isn't it a relief it ended with only two?
In a sense, perhaps. If the three factions had truly clashed with everything they had, it might not have ended so simply. Of course, the Blood Cult General Assembly was not over yet.
Dan Wi-gang, the First Venerable and leader of the officials, spoke up.
“It seems it is time to reach a conclusion.”
Everyone nodded at his words. Some among them liked me, while others surely did not.
Then, my master, the Bizarre Hae Ak-cheon, spoke.
“Heh, is there even a need for a conclusion? The successor of the Blood Demon Sword has already emerged. According to the laws of our cult, everyone should simply swear fealty to the Blood Demon.”
It was a conclusion typical of my master. He was right, too. However, this wasn't something that could be settled by merely relying on the law.
I stepped forward and spoke loudly so that not only the Revered Stars but all the cult members in the square could hear.
“I am the successor of the Blood Demon Sword and the Blood Demon of this generation.”
Everyone focused on me as my voice rang out like thunder. Hae Ak-cheon looked at me with an intrigued expression, wondering what I was about to say.
“If I were to simply say... 'Swear fealty to me according to the law,' there would surely be those who harbor dissatisfaction in their hearts.”
Shring!
I drew the Blood Demon Sword from its scabbard. Then, I circulated the Blood Heaven Great Achievement Art, turning the blade crimson. Everyone looked on in confusion at my sudden action.
I channeled my internal power and shouted.
“I will give anyone who has even the slightest objection to my ascension as Cult Leader the chance to challenge me for this position right here!”
“!!!”
The square fell into an instantaneous silence at my shout. No one could have imagined that I, whose position as Blood Demon was already a foregone conclusion by law, would make such a declaration.
Even the usually relaxed Fourth Blood Star, Do Jang-ho, frowned in surprise. Hae Ak-cheon’s sound transmission buzzed in my ear like a scolding.
[You brat! What do you think you’re doing?]
[The law has its limits.]
[Limits?]
[I deny the words of the Blood Hand Witch and the Blood Lord, but compared to Lady Baek Ryeonha or Lady Baek Hye-hyang, my legitimacy is lacking. I must suppress them here with overwhelming power.]
I carried the blood of the Flying Moon Hero Sect, which had once left the Blood Cult. There would undoubtedly be those who felt dissatisfied by this.
Upon hearing my resolve, Hae Ak-cheon stroked his beard and grinned, revealing his yellow teeth.
[You’ve learned to talk quite like a Blood Demon.]
He was pleased with my answer.
The square, initially silent, began to murmur. The prospect of being given a chance to challenge for the seat of the Blood Demon—a position traditionally held by bloodline—through martial prowess was enticing.
However, not a single cult member stepped forward easily. I thought at least one or two might show some bravado.
-It would be strange if they stepped forward easily after seeing the divine authority you displayed when you sent that Blood Lord flying.
Is that so? Indeed, challenging me after seeing that technique wouldn't be easy.
Just then, one person walked out from among the cult members. He was a middle-aged man with a well-developed lower jaw, wearing black martial robes with a red sash and carrying a saber.
“The Middle Sword Unit Leader?”
The Seventh Blood Star, Blood Sound Demon Laugh Seom Mae-hyang, spoke up. He seemed to be someone she knew.
“Is he under the Seventh Blood Star?”
At Dan Wi-gang’s question, she nodded.
“He is the Middle Sword Unit Leader, Ha Jong-il. Since he hasn't mastered sound arts, he isn't exactly under my direct command, but rather leads a unit independently in northern Jiangsu.”
Ha Jong-il!
I couldn't hide my internal surprise upon hearing his name. The Lesser Conversation Sword asked.
-Do you know him?
There was no way I couldn't. Back when I was a spy for the Martial Alliance for seven years before my regression, an order had been issued. It was a mission to create a diversion so that an official who had attacked the northern Anhui branch of the Martial Alliance could retreat.
At that time, while I was deployed in Anhui with the Azure Dragon Hall to disrupt information, I saw him wearing a mask. I still remembered the sight of him slaughtering nearly a hundred warriors of the Azure Dragon Hall by himself before making a leisurely escape.
-He’s an official?
...He’s the man who will become the Eighth Blood Star.
-A Blood Star?
To think I would see such a man here. It seemed he had been stuck in the position of Unit Leader without seeing the light of day until now.
“Hmm.”
“Ho-oh.”
Dan Wi-gang and my master, Hae Ak-cheon, both showed interested reactions. It was understandable; I hadn't noticed from a distance, but as he drew closer, his energy was extraordinary.
Occasionally, there were those among the Unit Leaders who had reached the Supreme Peak Realm. However, his energy—the man who would later be known as the Slaying Blade—was not that of a novice, but of one who had reached maturity.
Ha Jong-il performed a fist-and-palm salute and spoke politely.
“How could I miss such an opportunity to spar with the one who will become the Blood Demon of this generation, however lacking I may be? Please grant me a lesson.”
This was an opportunity for me as well.
-What kind of opportunity?
An opportunity to make him purely my man.
I felt a smile wanting to break out. To think such a talent, whom I could use immediately, wouldn't be appointed as a Blood Star until much later.
I pointed my sword at him.
“Thank you for accepting the challenge.”
Ha Jong-il drew a thick, large saber, different from a willow leaf saber. Then, he took a starting stance. I had heard back then that he used Heavy Sword Arts, and it certainly suited him.
“Begin.”
I gestured to him, as if yielding the first move. At that gesture, Ha Jong-il’s eyes sharpened slightly. He might not know my martial prowess, but since he was older, he seemed offended by my attitude, which treated him like an inferior.
“...I shall not refuse.”
Swish!
Ha Jong-il lunged toward me. As he swung his saber in a wide arc, a pressure of wind erupted. Like a master who primarily used heavy strikes, the weight could be felt just by looking at the trajectory of his swing.
In response, I took a sword-draw stance with the Blood Demon Sword. Then, I performed a mysterious body lightening method. My form shot forward like a hawk.
“Blood Net Sword Sky.”
The name of the technique escaped Baek Hye-hyang’s lips as she recognized it.
Slaaaaash!
Having closed the distance in an instant, I executed a sword-draw, drawing a large circle and striking the heavy saber upward with the Blood Demon Sword.
Claaaaang!
Ha Jong-il tried to block the Blood Demon Sword heavily with his Heavy Sword Art. However, even if he was a master of the Supreme Peak Realm, my martial prowess while in the Blood Demon state was nearly equivalent to having broken through the wall.
“Urgh!”
Dismay filled Ha Jong-il’s eyes. His body, in contact with the Blood Demon Sword, slowly began to lift off the ground.
“Haap!”
As I swung the Blood Demon Sword fully upward with a shout, Ha Jong-il’s form was sent soaring. I then unleashed a wave of sharp killing intent at him with the sword.
Ha Jong-il twisted his body and desperately blocked it with his saber.
Clang-clang-clang-clang!
Colliding with the killing intent, his body was sent flying backward through the air. Ha Jong-il, pushed back more than thirty feet, barely managed to land on the ground.
“Haa... haa...”
Rough breaths escaped Ha Jong-il’s mouth, as if he were exhausted just from blocking the stance of the Blood Net Sword Sky. He must have exhausted a significant amount of energy trying to block it with all his might.
-You’re not going easy on him at all.
I have to show overwhelming martial prowess.
“For a master of that level to be broken in just one or two moves...”
“Has he broken through the wall?”
The sight of the cult members in the square whispering and constantly exclaiming in admiration told me my intention had worked.
“Will you continue?”
At my question, Ha Jong-il sheathed his saber, knelt on one knee, and performed a fist-and-palm salute.
“You are indeed the Blood Demon. This humble cult member thanks you for the lesson.”
Though defeated, his face was full of satisfaction. He was a martial artist by nature. As he stood up to return to the ranks, I called out to him.
“Did you say Unit Leader Ha?”
Ha Jong-il paused and turned back to answer.
“I did.”
“To step forward when no one else dared shows great courage, and with that level of martial prowess, the position of Unit Leader does not suit you.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Ha Jong-il asked in confusion. I gave him a faint smile and said,
“I would like you to become my Left Guardian and lead the Cult Leader’s guard unit.”
Ha Jong-il’s eyes widened at those words. He had only come out to challenge me, and he seemed shocked that I would spontaneously appoint him to such a high position on the spot.
“If you do not wish for it, I will not insist...”
Before I could even finish, Ha Jong-il knelt on the ground. Then, he slammed his forehead against the floor.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
“I humbly obey the Blood Demon’s command!”
He must have been incredibly pleased to be appointed to a high position. His body was trembling, and blood smeared his forehead from how hard he had slammed it.
At this sight, some of the Unit Leader-level cult members looked at the prostrate Ha Jong-il with eyes full of envy. They looked as if they regretted not stepping forward first.
-Hey, Un-hwi. Look at Song Jwa-baek.
The Lesser Conversation Sword burst into laughter. When I looked over, I saw Song Jwa-baek grinding his teeth and trembling. He was mouthing something angrily, looking as if he were saying the Guardian position should have been his.
So, I mouthed back an answer.
You’re not there yet.
At that, Song Jwa-baek stomped his feet in frustration. His twin brother, Song Woo-hyeon, looked bored regardless.
I chuckled and shouted toward the cult members again.
“Is there anyone else who wishes to challenge me!”
I thought someone might step forward since I had given Ha Jong-il a high position, but no one else did. Breaking a master of that caliber with just one technique and a few waves of killing intent must have had a significant impact.
Was this enough to prove I possessed the martial prowess befitting a Blood Demon?
Just then, the sound of someone’s footsteps approached.
-This is the biggest mountain yet.
I understood why the Lesser Conversation Sword said that. The person approaching me was none other than the First Venerable, Blood Breaking Sword Emperor Dan Wi-gang.
“It’s the First Venerable.”
“Are we going to see the sword of the Blood Breaking Sword Emperor?”
“For him to step forward!”
Shring!
As the man called the pinnacle of the Blood Cult drew his sword and approached, the square, which had been noisy just a moment ago, fell silent again. His presence was on a completely different level from the other Revered Stars.
Hae Ak-cheon and Do Jang-ho also seemed to consider this the greatest obstacle, as their expressions became quite serious.
[Be careful. That old man has definitely broken through the wall.]
Hae Ak-cheon warned me. Of course, I also knew that Dan Wi-gang had broken through the wall. Since Tian Wuxing of Peerless Fortress, one of the Eight Great Masters, had lost his life in the fake incident, Dan Wi-gang might now take that spot.
Slide.
First Venerable Dan Wi-gang held his sword in a reverse grip and performed a fist-and-palm salute. It was a gesture of respect as a swordsman. I also held my sword hilt in a reverse grip and returned the salute out of respect for the cult’s greatest master.
“Does the First Venerable also intend to challenge for the position of Cult Leader?”
At that question, Dan Wi-gang shook his head. Then he said to me,
“As one who has served the Cult Leaders since the previous generation, how could I harbor such irreverent thoughts?”
Huh?
Then what was the meaning of drawing his sword? Was he not intending to spar with me?
Dan Wi-gang released his salute, lowered his sword, and spoke in a heavy voice.
“It is said that a great swordsman knows his opponent just by clashing blades once.”
“Then, have you come out to know me?”
“That is correct. I have already seen enough of your martial prowess, but by clashing once, I will be able to see how far your martial arts have reached.”
The First Venerable had only one goal: to see how far my martial arts had progressed. No, he seemed to want to confirm whether I had broken through the wall or not.
-Does he not know?
It seemed so. I had arrived here with my Upper Dantian open and in the Blood Demon state from the start. It was only natural that he couldn't gauge whether I had truly broken through the wall or not.
-You’ll have to give it your all.
Right.
I gripped my sword properly and spoke.
“I shall receive a lesson from the cult’s greatest master.”
Shoooooo!
As I circulated the True Blood Golden Body, my blood circulated rapidly, and steam rose from my body. A strange light appeared in the eyes of the Revered Stars who recognized this. It was the same for Dan Wi-gang.
He gripped his sword tightly and took a step forward.
Slide.
I steadied my breathing and focused my mind on the Blood Demon Sword. The crimson-stained blade deepened in color, and the sword began to vibrate slightly.
This was the ultimate strike, born of Divine Sword Unity and the enlightenment granted by the Sword Immortal. It hadn't worked against the Moon Evil Sword Sama Chak, but what about the First Venerable Dan Wi-gang, who was a level below him?
Flash!
The First Venerable and I moved simultaneously. From the start, it wasn't about exchanging moves, but deciding the outcome with a single strike. The swords of the two men, tracing large trajectories, collided.
Claaaaang!
The moment the swords met, a loud ringing and a massive sonic boom erupted.
K-booooom!
At the same time, sharp killing intent and wind pressure exploded. The aftermath was so great that cracks appeared in the ground around us, and the nearby Revered Stars were pushed back several steps.
As the wind pressure from the strike subsided, everyone’s eyes turned toward us. My master Hae Ak-cheon’s expression hardened.
“Ah...”
Groans and exclamations escaped the mouths of several Revered Stars. It was because the superiority of the single strike had been decided.
From the point where our swords had met, I had been pushed back about three steps. On the other hand, First Venerable Dan Wi-gang had only been pushed back about one step. Anyone could see that Dan Wi-gang’s internal power and strike were a level above mine.
As expected, is there still a gap between me and a master who has completely broken through the wall?
I couldn't help but feel disappointed as well. Blood Demon state, True Blood Golden Body, Divine Sword Unity. I had used all my strength, so I had hoped to at least achieve a draw.
It was right then.
Drip!
A drop of blood fell from Dan Wi-gang’s palm onto the ground. The eyes of the Revered Stars turned toward the blood on the floor.
Dan Wi-gang spoke, the corners of his mouth curling up.
“As expected...”
Crr-ack!
At that moment, cracks appeared in the precious sword Dan Wi-gang was holding. It was the spot where it had collided with my sword.
Hae Ak-cheon, who had been full of regret just a moment ago, now grinned from ear to ear. The other Revered Stars also widened their eyes in astonishment.
“Ah...”
An exclamation escaped my lips as well at the changed result.
Dan Wi-gang, who had sheathed his cracked sword, turned his head slightly to look at Baek Hye-hyang. Baek Hye-hyang took a deep breath and nodded.
At this, First Venerable Dan Wi-gang knelt on one knee, clasped his hands, and shouted.
“I, Dan Wi-gang, pay my respects to the Blood Demon!”
“!!!”
I was speechless. The emotion was overwhelming. To think that I, who was nothing more than a third-rate spy for the Blood Cult before my regression, would be recognized as the Blood Demon by the cult’s greatest master.
Then, Baek Hye-hyang approached me. Would she also ask to spar with me? Given her fighting spirit, it was highly likely.
She spoke.
“Why are you so stiff? Are you afraid I’ll ask to spar?”
“Whenever you wish.”
“Your boldness has become quite like a Blood Demon’s.”
A predatory smirk played on her lips. Was the final showdown to be with her after all?
But then, unexpected words came out of Baek Hye-hyang’s mouth.
“You gave the position of Left Guardian to a Unit Leader you’ve never even met before. What position can you give to me?”