Chapter 68: Evil Connection Sword (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 68: Evil Connection Sword (2)
Am I impotent?
For a moment, I was utterly speechless.
Just because I didn't fall for her seduction, she was dismissing me as someone who couldn't perform as a man?
My mind wasn't just cleared of stray thoughts; I was actually getting angry.
Right then, the peerless beauty looked at me, clicked her tongue, and spoke.
'Slaves?'
Her seductive demeanor suddenly shifted. The dreamy tone from moments ago had vanished without a trace.
'Huh?'
Suddenly, the peerless beauty’s appearance began to change. Her hair gradually turned snow-white until it was completely silver. If she had been a beautiful woman overflowing with sensuality just a moment ago, she now felt like a haughty queen.
She reached out her hand toward me and commanded:
A strange light flickered in her eyes. The moment I saw it, goosebumps broke out all over my body. A sinister energy began to burrow through the hand holding the hilt, attempting to invade my physical form.
'Ah!'
I had experienced this before. This was almost identical to the phenomenon where the malice-filled spirit fragment (Baek) of the Blood Demon Ancestor within the Blood Demon Sword had tried to control my body.
It seemed this demon sword also contained a lingering spirit.
The voice of the Blood Demon Sword echoed in my head.
Of course not. Did it think I’d fall for the same trick twice?
The peerless beauty lowered her palm as if ordering me to kneel. The sinister energy burrowing into my body tried to take over my entire system to force me to comply.
However, I possessed Innate True Qi.
The Innate True Qi, which could be called my original life force, pushed back against the sinister energy and held its ground.
The peerless beauty furrowed her brow.
The sinister energy grew even more intense. The power contained within this demon sword was no joke. It was so intense that an ordinary person might have fainted on the spot.
'...Nonsense.'
She really underestimated me. I opened my Upper Dantian.
Immediately, a change occurred in my body. Seeing this, the peerless beauty’s eyes wavered.
As I circulated the Blood Heaven Great Achievement Art, a crimson aura rose from my entire body like a haze. Though the demonic aura of the demon sword was strong, my Mental Focus—which had absorbed the spirit fragment of the Blood Demon—and the energy of the Blood Heaven Great Achievement Art surpassed it.
The peerless beauty spoke in a panicked voice.
She seemed to have realized it once I activated the Blood Demon transformation. The Blood Demon’s reputation must be truly formidable for even a spirit fragment filled with such malice to recognize it.
The Blood Demon Sword laughed and said:
The Evil Connection Sword?
The sword's identity was revealed. To think the Blood Demon Sword knew this blade.
But while the other swords couldn't seem to see her, could the Blood Demon Sword see the woman's form?
The blade of the Evil Connection Sword vibrated violently. It was as if it wanted to escape from my hand. It must have realized that conquering me would be difficult, but what could it do?
'I'm taking that spirit fragment.'
It was my turn to absorb the spirit fragment contained within the Evil Connection Sword. Among the dots of the Big Dipper on the back of my hand, the fourth dot, Heavenly Authority, flickered from red to blue.
At that, the peerless beauty’s beautiful face distorted hideously.
[Even Mental Focus can be controlled if it aligns with the principles. Heavenly Authority has been opened.]
That was the power of Heavenly Authority.
The figure of the peerless beauty gradually blurred. Then, her form began to be dyed in a deep violet hue. The spirit fragment (Baek) filled with malice that had been steeped in the Evil Connection Sword was revealing its true self.
A scream of despair erupted.
'Just give up.'
The light of Heavenly Authority grew even stronger. Soon, the violet spirit fragment swirled like a whirlwind and was sucked into the dot on the back of my hand like smoke.
As the spirit fragment was pulled in, countless stray thoughts flooded my mind. They were memories contained within the fragment. Because of the numerous memories filled with malice and the power held within the fragment, the Mental Focus in my Upper Dantian expanded even further.
'This is a stroke of luck.'
However, because I was in the middle of the absorption process, my body trembled, and I couldn't move properly. But it didn't last as long as it had with the Blood Demon Sword.
Eventually, once the spirit fragment was completely absorbed, the trembling stopped entirely.
'Ah...'
I learned who the owner of the sword was. She was a notorious female master of the Evil Faction named Zhu Sarlen, the Palace Leader of the Fragrant Flower Pleasure Palace—a sect whose lineage had been completely severed and forgotten by the martial world long ago.
She had seduced men with evil arts and killed hundreds of them. Her methods were so cruel that she was branded a public enemy of the martial world, leading to the destruction of her sect.
But what was surprising was that it was completely different from the time with the Blood Demon Sword.
I looked down at the Evil Connection Sword in my right hand and spoke.
'Hey. Evil Connection Sword.'
The blade trembled slightly, and the voice of the peerless beauty from before echoed in my head.
'I have a special power.'
Like the other swords, the Evil Connection Sword was astonished. It seemed to have assumed that communication was only possible because of the malice of the spirit fragment it had shown me.
Yes.
In the case of the Blood Demon Sword, the Blood Demon Ancestor's power was so strong that his spirit fragment was more prominent on the surface. However, the Evil Connection Sword's own power was stronger than the spirit fragment it held. Thus, the sword was able to manipulate the spirit fragment at will.
That peerless beauty was a manifestation of the Evil Connection Sword’s bizarre power, using the malice-filled spirit fragment left in the blade to appear before one's eyes.
The Namcheon Iron Sword clicked its tongue in amazement. At this, the Evil Connection Sword’s voice rang out.
Its arrogance was, in some ways, similar to the Blood Demon Sword. It seemed that all those called demon swords possessed incredibly strong egos.
The Evil Connection Sword spoke to me in a soft, silky voice.
The Blood Demon Sword, for once, seemed to be defending me. Was it being more wary because they were both demon swords?
...This sword is more dangerous than I thought.
It goes beyond mere arrogance.
The Evil Connection Sword spoke as if licking its lips at me.
Cutting off the Blood Demon Sword, the Evil Connection Sword spoke to me in a sticky, suggestive voice.
I couldn't take it anymore. I used my Mental Focus to mute only the Evil Connection Sword’s voice. The blade vibrated strangely, but I felt like I’d just get exhausted if I listened any longer.
The Lesser Conversation Sword clicked its tongue.
Newcomer, my foot.
I'm usually greedy enough to lose my mind over a precious sword, but I don't want the Evil Connection Sword. I knew every sword had a different personality, but this one is the worst so far.
Well, it's not my sword anyway; it belongs to Prince Gyeong.
...Did I hear that right?
Namcheon Iron Sword, don't tell me you've taken a liking to the Evil Connection Sword?
At my question, the Namcheon Iron Sword just kept clearing its throat.
Just then, Prince Gyeong approached me with a look of astonishment.
"What on earth is that appearance? Your hair and eyes have turned as red as blood."
Since I hadn't deactivated the Blood Demon transformation yet, Prince Gyeong was looking at me with fascination. At that, I closed my Upper Dantian, deactivated the transformation, and opened my closed left eye.
Seeing me return to my original state, Prince Gyeong let out an exclamation.
"You truly possess many bizarre abilities."
"They are but minor tricks."
"How can things others cannot do be called minor tricks? So, have you suppressed the demon sword?"
"I have."
"Even the Imperial Guard warriors in the palace, who possess considerable martial prowess, lost their minds the moment the chest was opened. You are truly remarkable."
Prince Gyeong praised me. He seemed to be in a good mood now that the demon sword was suppressed.
"Was that strange violet thing the demonic nature of the sword?"
"It wasn't its demonic nature, but a spirit fragment filled with malice."
"In any case, does it mean you've resolved it?"
"Yes."
"As expected of the divine skill of the Blood Cult Leader who once divided the martial world. If you weren't a man of the martial world, I would want to take you and employ you heavily."
"You flatter me, Your Highness."
"Since I made a promise, I shall keep it. Now, give the sword to me."
Prince Gyeong, still full of admiration, reached out his hand. At this, I shook my head and said:
"I have dealt with the malice-filled spirit fragment within the demon sword, but the sword itself has such strong wicked thoughts that it may still be dangerous."
Prince Gyeong frowned.
"I have no idea what you are talking about."
"Demon swords are cursed objects that choose their masters. They may reject those who are not their masters, so it might be dangerous for you to touch it directly."
The Blood Demon Sword also causes the blood vessels of those who aren't its master to go berserk. Since the Evil Connection Sword was also called a demon sword, I couldn't be sure that such power didn't remain.
At those words, Prince Gyeong scowled and called for a subordinate.
"You, examine the sword."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Prince Gyeong’s subordinate took the Evil Connection Sword from me. As the subordinate gripped the blade to examine it from various angles, his entire body suddenly began to tremble violently.
"Ggggh..."
Prince Gyeong recoiled in shock.
"What is happening?"
"It seems the sword is rejecting him."
Just then, Prince Gyeong’s subordinate gripped the blade with vacant eyes and suddenly stuck out his tongue. I wondered what on earth he was doing, when he suddenly began to frantically lick the blade of the Evil Connection Sword. With absolute devotion, no less.
'!?'
Prince Gyeong and I were momentarily speechless, stunned by the sight. The words the Evil Connection Sword had said flashed through my mind.
[- Cackle. You really don't know men. Men are, by nature, easy-to-use slaves. If I just stroke them a little, they'll lick my blade and lose their minds...]
Recalling that made goosebumps break out all over my body. The Lesser Conversation Sword must have felt the same way, as it clicked its tongue repeatedly. To manipulate someone it didn't recognize as its master into performing such a filthy act... it was truly appalling.
"Lee Byeok! What do you think you are doing right now!"
Prince Gyeong, having regained his voice, rebuked his subordinate. At that moment, the subordinate named Lee Byeok, who had been frantically licking the sword, suddenly flipped his grip on the hilt and pointed the tip toward himself.
"Stop!"
Despite Prince Gyeong’s shout, the man named Lee Byeok lunged the sword toward his own chest. However, the sword did not pierce him. I had caught the tip of the blade between my index and middle fingers.
"Ugh!"
I quickly struck Lee Byeok’s wrist, making him drop the Evil Connection Sword. As the sword fell from his hand, Lee Byeok seemed to snap out of it, blinking his eyes with a look of total confusion.
"Your Highness... how did this...?"
"Do you remember nothing?"
"I... I do not, Your Highness."
"What a cursed object."
Prince Gyeong clicked his tongue as he looked at the fallen Evil Connection Sword. From his expression, he looked utterly disgusted. I picked up the sword from the floor and offered it to Prince Gyeong with both hands.
Prince Gyeong showed a strong sense of revulsion.
"Take that away."
"Did you not say you needed the sword?"
"I mean do not bring it near me."
He must have been thoroughly repulsed by the Evil Connection Sword. Looking at the blade as if it made his skin crawl, Prince Gyeong said to me:
"It seems that demon sword regards you as its master."
"No, it is only because I suppressed its malice. You need not worry about that."
At my words, Prince Gyeong shook his head.
"No. Did you not say it yourself? That a demon sword does not harm the one it recognizes as its master."
"Your Highness."
Please don't push it on me like that. I'm also someone who doesn't want to be recognized as this sword's master.
However, Prince Gyeong spoke to me as if he were being generous.
"I only wished to confirm something about that sword. As a token of my gratitude, I shall bestow it upon you."
'!!!'
It was truly a bolt from the blue.