Chapter 77: Lesser Sword Immortal (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 77: Lesser Sword Immortal (3)
“You’re lying, right? The daughter of one of the Four Great Villains?”
As expected, she couldn't believe it easily.
Yeong-yeong stared at me as if I were speaking nonsense, muttering the same words over and over.
If I were in her shoes, I probably would have reacted the same way.
Then again, my maternal grandfather and my father, Jin Seong-baek, hadn't been much different.
But this was only the beginning. What was I going to do if she was already reacting this violently?
“I know it’s a lot to take in, but it’s the truth.”
“No. There’s no way.”
“But you can believe the rumors that I’m being called one of the Eight Great Masters?”
At those words, Yeong-yeong narrowed her eyes and scanned me from head to toe.
“Are you really the brother I know?”
“Who else would I be?”
“...You know that’s not what I meant.”
Yeong-yeong shook her head.
She let out a deep sigh and spoke to me again.
“How did you meet her?”
“It was by chance. Let’s just say things got complicated and one thing led to another.”
“I mean, of all people, why one of the Four Great Villains? No, wait, it’s the Five Great Villains now. Anyway, why on earth did you meet the daughter of one of the Five Great Villains? Brother, this isn't something you can just laugh off.”
Her reaction was certainly intense.
She was different from our father or grandfather, who hailed from Peerless Fortress—a place that could be considered neutral in the Murim.
It seemed Yeong-yeong felt this more strongly because she was born into the Orthodox Yikyang So Family and belonged to the Taoist Hengshan Sect.
That seemed likely as well.
Yeong-yeong continued to press me.
“Think about it. You’re one of the Twin Heroes of the Orthodox Faction—no, now you’re even being called one of the Eight Great Masters... but the Moon Evil Sword is someone considered a villain even beyond the Evil Faction.”
Well, I couldn't deny that.
If this became public knowledge, everyone would be horrified. At least, they would be regarding the "Orthodox So Woon-hwi."
Yeong-yeong, thumping her chest as if frustrated, lowered her voice and whispered seriously.
“If you can take it back, do it.”
“What?”
“If it’s just a decision the two of you made, call it off. Brother, do you want to live the rest of your life as an enemy of the Murim? If you’re known as the son-in-law of a villain, you’ll be treated exactly like one.”
This was getting difficult.
“Yeong-yeong. I appreciate your concern, but I’ve already met my father-in-law.”
“Father-in-law? ...Sigh.”
Yeong-yeong was rendered speechless.
The way she looked at me was as if she were watching someone who had already crossed the point of no return.
The Lesser Conversation Sword burst out laughing at her reaction.
Don’t laugh.
This was a serious matter for Yeong-yeong.
If it were anyone else, she might just be surprised. But because I was her only flesh and blood, she was taking this much more to heart.
“Brother...”
“Yes.”
“Even if we say we have no affection for the Yikyang So Family... what about me?”
“Huh?”
“If word gets out that you’ve become the son-in-law of the Moon Evil Sword, won't his countless enemies harbor a grudge against you and try to harm you?”
‘...That’s true.’
She wasn't just blindly opposing me; she was worried about the future.
“Yeong-yeong. That’s...”
“Listen to me first!”
“...Alright.”
“You might be strong and famous enough to be called one of the Eight Great Masters, but what about me? If someone with a grudge against the Moon Evil Sword targets me instead of him or you, how am I supposed to handle them?”
“........”
“And what if my sect, the Hengshan Sect, suffers because they target me? Even if you met her because you love her, I’m your younger sister. I have to deal with the consequences too.”
Yeong-yeong was dreading what was to come.
I understood her feelings perfectly.
Wasn't that why I had kept everything hidden from her until now?
But I had gained enough power now, and hiding things was no longer the best solution. She needed to know the truth so she could respond proactively to whatever situation might arise.
I grabbed the shoulders of the flushed Yeong-yeong.
“I’m telling you this now because I can finally handle those consequences.”
“Handle them?”
“I just couldn't keep the truth from you forever. I’m truly sorry for that.”
Yeong-yeong met my eyes.
Her pupils were trembling.
Then, she furrowed her fine brows and asked.
“The truth? Plural?”
“...The thing about Sama Yeong is just the tip of the iceberg.”
“What else are you hiding?”
Yeong-yeong asked with a face full of anxiety.
Perhaps because I started with the story of becoming the son-in-law of the Moon Evil Sword Sama Chak, she was already on edge.
This was a different reaction from our father, Jin Seong-baek.
I took a long breath and spoke carefully.
“Even if I weren't the son-in-law of the Moon Evil Sword, neither you nor I would be viewed favorably by the Orthodox Faction.”
“...What does that even mean?”
“It’s because of our birth—no, the truth about our mother.”
“Mother?”
Yeong-yeong showed immediate interest.
Just as I once did, she believed our mother was merely a lowly servant.
Because of that, despite our love for her, we had both grown up with a subconscious inferiority complex regarding our birth.
“Wh-what about Mother? What exactly do you know?”
I scanned the surroundings with my Qi Sense.
We were in a secluded alley of the village, and there was still no one around. I had blocked the sound with my True Qi, so it should be fine, but...
“Follow me for a moment first.”
“What?”
I led Yeong-yeong somewhere.
There was a vacant, abandoned house nearby. Since there was no sign of anyone there, I took her inside.
Yeong-yeong spoke as if she couldn't understand.
“I mean, what are you trying to say that you had to come all the way here?”
It was because I always needed to be careful.
I blocked the sound with my True Qi again and said, “There’s a lot to talk about, and I think you’re going to keep being shocked.”
“Why do you keep acting so ominous?”
“I told you. It’s because I think you’ll be incredibly surprised.”
At my words, Yeong-yeong urged me on, sounding frustrated.
“It’s driving me crazy, so stop saying that and just tell me everything.”
“Everything?”
“Yes! Don’t tell me one thing at a time; if you’re hiding something, tell me all of it!”
She must have been incredibly frustrated by my caution.
It seemed better to just lay it all out.
“...Can you handle it?”
“Handle it or not, just tell me. Stop peeling back the layers one by one.”
“Alright. If that’s truly what you want, then I will.”
Yeong-yeong had a point.
If I told her one by one, the conversation would drag on, and she’d just be shocked over and over again. It would be better to tell her everything at once, just as she asked.
“Then I’ll tell you everything.”
At my words, Yeong-yeong took a long breath in and out.
Then, she spoke with a voice full of resolve.
“Honestly, I doubt there’s anything more shocking than you becoming the son-in-law of the Moon Evil Sword, but this is better than you teasing me with bits and pieces.”
“Understood.”
If you can handle it, then so be it.
I steadied my breath and began.
“Mother wasn't actually a servant; she was from the Flying Moon Hero Sect, which was ousted from Peerless Fortress. The reason they were ousted was that they were the direct lineage of the Blood Demon. At the time, Mother was one of only two survivors of the sect. She hid her identity and remarried the Family Head of the Yikyang So Family. Even so, both you and I were born from her womb. Therefore, you and I both carry the blood of the Blood Demon.”
‘!!!’
At those words, Yeong-yeong’s face froze, and her pupils shook as if an earthquake were happening behind them.
It would have been stranger if she wasn't shocked.
“The... the blood of the Blood Demon? What are you even...”
“This is just the beginning. I’m not finished.”
“What?”
“After I was kicked out of the house as a child, I was kidnapped by the Blood Cult. I was taken there as a training disciple...”
As the story progressed, Yeong-yeong’s mouth slowly fell open.
She seemed horrified as each truth was revealed. Even though I was summarizing the facts as concisely as possible, it seemed to be more than she could handle.
“...And so, I was chosen by the Blood Demon Sword, survived the Blood Cult’s civil war, and became the current Blood Demon.”
At the same time, I closed my left eye and opened my Upper Dantian.
As I stirred my Mental Focus, the Blood Demon transformation began.
‘!!!’
“Y-your hair... it’s turning red...”
Yeong-yeong couldn't close her mouth as she watched me transform.
She kept blinking, as if she couldn't believe her eyes.
"The... Blood... Demon!"
Showing her once was more effective than telling her a hundred times.
“...Haa.”
She let out a sharp breath, as if she had been holding it the entire time.
The look in her eyes was so complex that she didn't even know how to start speaking.
Yeong-yeong, breathing heavily with a look of utter despair, muttered.
“My... my brother is... the Blood Demon? Ha... ha... W-wait a minute. Then what about the rumors that you defeated the Blood Demon?”
Yeong-yeong asked, unable to comprehend.
“That... no. I’ll just show you.”
I circulated my energy and slowly performed the Wind Shadow Step, demonstrating the secret technique of the Wind Shadow Eight Streams.
As my afterimages split into two as if I were using a cloning technique, Yeong-yeong’s expression became a sight to behold.
“I did this so I wouldn't be suspected... Yeong-yeong, are you okay?”
“Haa... haa...”
Cold sweat was even trickling down Yeong-yeong’s face.
It seemed she had moved past surprise and astonishment into pure shock.
My father, Jin Seong-baek, and my grandfather, Ha Seong-un, had lived through years of hardship, so they were able to accept all of this without too much difficulty, despite their surprise.
But Yeong-yeong was young, and it seemed it was different for her.
“Yeong-yeong. If it’s too much, let’s talk about the rest later.”
“The rest?”
Yeong-yeong’s eyes widened so much they looked like they might pop out.
“There’s more?”
“I think it’s better if you calm down a bit before I tell you.”
“Haa... No. No. Tell me now.”
“Are you sure?”
“Haa... I said I’m fine!”
She was forcing the words out, clearly pushing herself too hard.
But since she was staring at me with such a firm gaze, I eventually continued.
“Our mother’s father—our maternal grandfather—is alive.”
“Grand... Grandfather is alive?”
Yeong-yeong couldn't hide her surprise at the news that a close relative was still living.
It was a somewhat different reaction from her previous shocks.
“Yes. He’s currently at Peerless Fortress, being looked after by my father—no, not So Ikheon of the Yikyang So Family, but my biological father.”
“Biological father? ...Who is that?”
I had a feeling she wouldn't be able to handle this.
I carefully parted my lips.
“It’s Jin Seong-baek of the Wind Shadow Eight Streams Sect, one of the Four Great Martial Sects of Peerless Fortress.”
“...The Merciless Wind God?”
“That’s right. The Merciless Wind God you know.”
“Mother’s former husband... no, your biological father is the Merciless Wind God, one of the Eight Great Masters?”
“Yes.”
I answered calmly.
Yeong-yeong stared at me with trembling eyes.
It felt like she was barely holding on.
Staring intently at me, Yeong-yeong muttered as if in a daze.
“...My brother’s father-in-law is the Moon Evil Sword, one of the Five Great Villains... his biological father is the Merciless Wind God, one of the Eight Great Masters... and my brother is the Blood Demon, one of the Five Great Villains, while also being the Lesser Sword Immortal, one of the Eight Great Masters?”
...Hmm.
Hearing it put that way, it certainly seemed like an unprecedented situation in the history of the Murim.
I suppose there wasn't a soul alive who wouldn't be horrified to hear all that.
“It’s a lie... I must be dreaming. How could something so ridiculous happen in this world?”
I’m sorry, but it happened right here.
Perhaps I should have told her slowly, one by one.
I think I revealed everything too all at once.
“I... I carry the blood of the Blood Demon, the enemy of the Murim... how could something so absurd...”
She couldn't seem to accept reality.
She kept denying it.
The fact that she herself carried the blood of the Blood Demon seemed unbelievable to her.
At that, I opened the wooden case on my back and pulled out the Blood Demon Sword.
Yeong-yeong looked at the sword, puzzled.
I said to her, “...Do you want to touch the Blood Demon Sword?”
“You’re insane... urgh.”
Thud!
“Yeong-yeong! Yeong-yeong!”
Yeong-yeong’s eyes rolled back, and she finally fainted.
It was the first time I’d ever seen someone faint from pure shock.
The impact must have been that great.
...I think it’s best if I just don’t mention that.
I treated the unconscious Yeong-yeong with my profound True Qi.
It seemed the impact of mental shock on the body was not to be underestimated.
She was even suffering from internal injuries.
The truth was apparently quite traumatic for the young Yeong-yeong to process.
By evening, her internal injuries were mostly healed thanks to my True Qi.
She still hadn't woken up, so I was planning to take her back to my lodgings, but I ran into Eon Yeong-in of the Jinju Eon Family waiting in the village square and had no choice but to leave the girl in her care.
That would be troublesome.
Regardless, I’d find out once she woke up and we talked again.
Perhaps she just needed time to process everything on her own.
In the meantime, I arrived at the Blue Gate Inn where the rest of my party was staying.
I entered the room they had secured, and for a moment, I couldn't help but be startled.
“Ah...”
Sama Yeong was sitting gracefully in a chair by the table, wiping her sword blade.
But unlike her usual self, she had removed her human skin mask and discarded her male disguise.
She was even wearing elaborate silk clothes and jewelry, and had applied makeup with great care, looking fully dressed up.
She was beautiful enough to leave any man breathless.
As soon as she saw me, Sama Yeong sprang up from her seat and spoke with a voice full of determination.
“Are we going to the boat inn to see the young lady now?”
“........”
So that’s why she put in so much effort.
She must have thought we were going to the boat inn in Honghu this evening to celebrate.
Indeed.
That’s probably why she dressed up so intentionally.
“How do I look?”
Sama Yeong spun around, her fine skirt fluttering.
She looked like a celestial maiden from the heavens.
An exclamation escaped my lips involuntarily.
“You’re stunning.”
“Then that’s that. Let’s go!”
Sama Yeong came to my side and linked her arm with mine.
Now, what was I going to do?
“Uh... well... I think it’ll be difficult. Yeong-yeong was so shocked she fainted.”
‘!?’
Upon realizing that all her preparations had been in vain, Sama Yeong’s expression instantly turned crestfallen.