Chapter 79: Reunion (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 79: Reunion (2)
“Join the Cult.”
‘!?’
At my suggestion, Jang Mun-ryang’s eyes widened in shock.
Setting aside the fact that I was sparing his life, he clearly hadn't expected me to offer him a place within the Blood Cult.
Song Jwa-baek seemed equally flustered, stammering in surprise.
“J-join the Cult? How can we trust a man like this…?”
“It’s not a matter of trust.”
Jang Mun-ryang was one of the Five Great Villains. There were countless people who trembled at the mere mention of his name, even if they had never met him.
If such a man joined the Cult, the impact on the future state of affairs would be significant in more ways than one.
Still wearing a look of stunned disbelief, Jang Mun-ryang spoke to me.
“...Even if I wasn't in my right mind, I tried to take your life. And yet, you’re telling me to join the Blood Cult?”
“If what you said is true, then your attempt on my life wasn't of your own volition, was it?”
“Well, that’s true, but…”
“Then join us. Even if I spare your life here, do you really think that man you call the Blood Lord will just leave you alone now that you’ve regained your senses and become weakened?”
“.......”
At my words, Jang Mun-ryang fell silent with a faint sigh.
He was likely aware of that reality himself. Moreover, even without the Blood Lord’s interference, he was still one of the Five Great Villains. He had a lifetime of karma trailing behind him; if word got out that he had lost his internal energy, how many enemies would come crawling out of the woodwork to hunt him down?
“I don’t see how you have anything to lose by considering it. By joining the Cult, you gain a protective fence. It’s certainly better than trying to find the descendant of the Master of the Myriad Families on your own.”
Jang Mun-ryang shook his head in amazement.
“...I can’t tell if you’re incredibly magnanimous or just terrifyingly shrewd.”
“Let’s just say I’m both.”
I said that, but I wasn't actually that magnanimous. I only offered him a place because it suited my interests.
Though he hadn't realized it himself yet, the speed at which his internal energy was recovering exceeded the realm of normalcy. It might be an effect of the Myriad Family Spirit Art. If we provided him with spirit medicines and enough time to train, there was a high probability he would become even stronger than before.
If that happened, the Cult’s military strength would become incomparable to what it was.
A smile threatened to break across my face.
The Sodam Sword chuckled.
Well, there’s no need to make a losing deal, right?
Of course, the outcome depended on his choice.
Jang Mun-ryang stared at me intently for a long moment, lost in thought, before finally opening his mouth.
“I don’t have a better option to justify a refusal.”
Slash!
I cut the ropes binding him and said with a bright smile, “Welcome to the family.”
Three days had passed since then.
The original plan was to head straight for the Tomb of King Ping of Chu. However, due to various variables, we were currently staying in this small port village in Honghu.
To be precise, we were waiting for a reply from Wicked Heart Granny Cheol Su-ryeon.
The man named Yeong Jeong had said he would return to that location in five days to relay her decision. Today was that fifth day.
“How can you be so thick-headed? Can’t you understand plain speech?”
“No! I did exactly what you said! I dispersed the power when moving from the Sin-gwol to the Gi-hae, but it still hurts! What do you want me to do about it?!”
“Is that any way to speak to your master, you brat?!”
Thwack!
“Ow! Why do you keep hitting me in the head?!”
“I hit it because it’s useless! I thought you were somewhat bright, but you’re a complete blockhead!”
“Blockhead?! Who are you calling a blockhead? You’re the one giving weird instructions, and then you have the nerve to say—”
Thwack!
“I told you to stop hitting me!”
The noise coming from the room next door was enough to make my ears ring. For the past three days, Jang Mun-ryang and Song Jwa-baek had been repeating this cycle.
They hadn't become master and disciple because they wanted to, but they were at it day and night. Still, it was much better now than on the first day. At first, when I told Jwa-baek to treat Jang as his master, he looked miserable all day, but now they seemed to have accepted each other to some degree.
As the Sodam Sword said, Jang Mun-ryang’s help was indispensable for Song Jwa-baek to master the Myriad Family Spirit Art. Whether he liked it or not, he had to acknowledge him as his master.
I have to.
If what Jang Mun-ryang said was true, this was a massive piece of information.
I dabbed some water from a brass basin onto my wrist. During our three days here, Jang Mun-ryang had shared various bits of information he knew, and this was one of them. If this was correct, it would be the most valuable piece of information he had given me so far.
Shing!
I unsheathed the Sodam Sword and brought it to my left wrist. Without hesitation, I lightly nicked the spot where the water was with the blade.
Blood trickled from the stinging cut. I watched it intently.
‘...!?’
What is this?
The wound really wasn't healing.
My recovery ability had become even stronger than before, yet the wound remained open. Normally, a cut like this would have healed instantly without leaving a trace, but the blood continued to flow.
This time, I held the Sodam Sword in my left hand and slashed my right wrist.
Ssssh!
In an instant, the wound vanished.
This was the normal reaction of my body now, which made the other result even more bizarre. It was hard to believe that merely being wet could prevent a wound from healing properly.
Wipe.
I wiped the unhealed wound with a dry towel. I made sure to remove every drop of moisture and watched.
Soon enough, the wound that had refused to close began to heal slowly.
‘...Ha!’
Jang Mun-ryang was telling the truth. He said that after he gained his recovery ability, the first thing he was told was to avoid getting wet.
‘So that’s why.’
The mystery was finally solved. When I first found Jang Mun-ryang after he was caught in the explosion, he was alive but not healing. However, as his wet body dried, his recovery power kicked back in shortly after.
That meant water was the natural enemy of this recovery ability.
...That’s true.
As the Sodam Sword said, this wasn't just their weakness. It applied to me as well. If I were to get seriously injured while fighting an enemy on a rainy day, I could die even without being decapitated.
The sword was right. If anything, I now had to hide the fact that I possessed recovery abilities even more carefully. Otherwise, they might use my own weakness against me.
Exactly.
It was definitely useful information, but if others found out, it was the same as exposing my own Achilles' heel. While it was right to inform the Cult so they could prepare, it was a truly awkward situation.
She did.
Yeong Jeong, her subordinate, had mentioned it. He said the man called the Blood Lord couldn't overcome something, and that he was searching for the five Demon Swords for that very reason.
Then what exactly is hidden in the Tomb of King Ping? If the weakness he can't overcome is indeed water, is there something hidden in that tomb that can help him transcend it?
The Sodam Sword’s logic was sound. If there really was something that could overcome this, me obtaining it would give me the upper hand in any future confrontation with the Blood Lord.
However, I wasn't certain yet.
Would a man like the Blood Lord really be that careless?
Think about it. The weakness water poses to recovery is certainly fatal. But if you think about it, it only hinders the recovery ability; it doesn't affect one's martial prowess. It just makes you the same as any other person.
It’s possible.
There might be a weakness far more fatal to the Blood Lord and his organization than just water. It felt like something was missing to conclude that the Blood Lord was moving cautiously from the shadows solely because of a weakness to water.
I definitely needed to make contact with Wicked Heart Granny.
I have no choice.
Rainy days? Ah! Wait a minute.
Now that I think about it, I remember what the real Muchen Sword Emperor, Tian Wuxing, said before he died. There was a single witness who saw the massacre at Kunlun Mountain. At the time, I found it quite strange when I heard it from him. The Golden Eye can clearly see the flow of qi, so I thought it was odd that he had let a witness escape.
Perhaps. It might not have been just because of the heavy rain that he missed them. To confirm this, I’d have to activate the Golden Eye during a downpour, but I had no way to check that right now.
Oh! The Namcheon Iron Sword suggested a great method. I should definitely try that. I’ll have to ask the innkeeper to prepare a bath.
Creeeeak!
Just then, someone opened the door and walked in. It was Sama Yeong. As soon as she entered, she saw the blood-stained towel and rushed over to me in a panic.
“Young Master, are you alright? Are you hurt?”
“I’m fine.”
“Fine? Let me see!”
She inspected my wrist. Of course, there was no wound to be found.
“Then what is all this blood?”
“This is...”
How was I supposed to explain this? It was awkward to say I did it to test my recovery ability. I had to make up an excuse.
“I suffered some internal injuries a while ago, and this is the stagnant blood I drew while treating myself.”
“Stagnant blood? For that to be the case...”
Yeah, the blood was too bright. Stagnant blood should be darker, almost black. Since she still looked suspicious, I had to change the subject.
I cleared away the blood-stained towel and asked her, “By the way, did you check?”
“Yes. In fact, the Young Lady sent word that she has safely entered Wuhan City.”
“...That’s a relief.”
Yeong-yeong had left for the Martial Alliance three days ago. Worried that something might happen, I had assigned a few members of the Beggar’s Sect to shadow her.
Tell me about it.
Inwardly, I had hoped she would follow my lead after learning the secret of her past. I had encouraged her to go to Peerless Fortress or travel with me, but she insisted on fulfilling her duties at Phoenix Hall and left first. I always thought of her as just a child, but she’s all grown up now.
[I’ve thought about it a lot, and I don’t think the past is what’s important. What matters is how I live now, right? Now, I understand everything you did, Brother.]
Yeong-yeong told me she wanted to do what she wanted to do. She cleverly added that if she ever got into real trouble, her brother would save her, leaving me speechless. As an older brother, it was hard to forcibly stop a sister who wanted to forge her own path. All I could do was take measures to ensure she wouldn't be harmed while walking that path.
“The Young Lady is bright, so I’m sure she’ll do well,” Sama Yeong said, stroking my back comfortingly.
I smiled at her in gratitude. But then, the hand stroking my back suddenly began to slide inside my upper garment.
‘!?’
“Young Master.”
“Yes?”
“There’s something that worries me more than that.”
“...And what’s that?”
“Why do I feel like women are strangely flocking to you? Like this, for instance.”
Sama Yeong reached inside my robe and pulled something out. It was the sect tokens that Namgung Ga-hee and Eon Yeong-in had given me before they left. They had given them to me as a token of gratitude, asking me to visit their families if I ever had the chance.
However, the catalyst was what Namgung Ga-hee had whispered before leaving.
[I think this is the first time I’ve ever coveted something belonging to another.]
Of course, Sama Yeong had overheard it. Thanks to that, she had been pouting for three days. She even asked if we should prioritize subjugating the Namgung Family first if we ever went to war with the Martial Alliance—and it didn't sound like an empty threat at all.
Rip!
Sama Yeong suddenly tore off the human skin mask she was wearing. She also let down her hair, which had been tied up.
“I’m not going to travel in disguise as a man anymore.”
“Um... sure, go ahead.”
Her determination to preemptively block other women from approaching seemed ironclad. Since her face wasn't widely known, it wasn't a problem.
Then, Sama Yeong’s hand began to slide inside my robe again. This time, she wasn't reaching for a pocket, but touching my bare skin.
“What are you doing...?”
“Shh.”
Sama Yeong placed her left index finger against my lips. Then, she whispered, “I don’t think you’d ever stray, Young Master, but there’s always a ‘what if.’”
“What if?”
“I read in a book that if men become sexually frustrated, they’ll stray with anyone. That’s what the passage said.”
...What kind of book are you reading?
So that’s what she was doing during all those times she disappeared over the last three days.
Sama Yeong looked at me with a sultry gaze and said, “Young Master, don’t you think it’s about time we... took things to the next level?”
She was acting completely out of character. She even licked her lips with her tongue, mimicking Baek Hye-hyang’s seductive mannerisms.
I found myself swallowing hard. What man wouldn't be tempted when a peerless beauty like Sama Yeong was determined to seduce him? I was just caught off guard by the suddenness of it all.
“Yeong-ah. In the next room...”
“I told you to be quiet. As long as you keep your mouth shut, it’s fine.”
Sama Yeong giggled and reached for the ties of her own robe.
At that moment, the voice of the Namcheon Iron Sword echoed in my head.
He wasn't the only one.
The swords were throwing a fit. I grabbed Sama Yeong’s wrists as she tried to undress.
She furrowed her beautiful brows and looked at me. “...You don’t want to?”
I took a deep breath, exhaled, and spoke with total sincerity.
“Let’s just put the scabbards in the wooden case first.”