Chapter 94: He Has Returned (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 94: He Has Returned (1)
Hubei Province is famous for being a place where the Evil Faction and the Black Path cannot operate freely, as it is home to the Orthodox Martial Alliance, the Wudang Sect, and numerous other Orthodox sects and clans.
However, that wasn't strictly true for the entire province.
Songja County, located in the southwest of Hubei, was close to Hunan Province and situated south of the Yangtze River. As such, it was relatively free from the direct influence of the Orthodox Factions.
In this very county sat the only Blood Cult branch located within Hubei.
Of course, it didn't openly present itself as a branch; it was operated under the guise of a tavern.
"Perhaps."
Seven months could be considered a long time. Since I hadn't contacted the main cult once during that period, it was a reasonable assumption.
Furthermore, since the Cult Leader’s guards and the Left Guardian had also vanished after heading toward the Green Forest, my death might already be treated as an established fact.
'Well... at least Baek Hye-hyang is there.'
Vice Sect Leader Baek Hye-hyang.
With her leadership and innate talent, she was more than capable of leading the Blood Cult. In the original history, she was destined to become the Cult Leader anyway, which was why I had entrusted her with the position of Vice Sect Leader.
Regardless, I needed to head to the Songja County branch to assess the general situation. I had to find out what had transpired between the Martial Alliance and the Blood Cult during my absence.
The eastern outskirts of Songja County.
The branch was located slightly away from the main village. I had disguised myself with the face of an ordinary soldier I’d seen at the Tomb of King Ping, so no one would recognize me. Among the things I’d learned at the Fuse, nothing was as useful as the Body Transformation Art.
'Hmm...'
But why were there so few people around?
It was early evening, a time when a tavern should be bustling, yet it was eerily quiet. I soon discovered the reason why.
Just as the Lesser Conversation Sword said, the tavern, which should have been brightly lit and crowded, had become a ruin. Parts of the building were smashed as if a fierce battle had taken place.
What on earth happened here?
I had.
However, I couldn't sense his presence. Since he was a Half-Corpse—a living Jiangshi—his energy was different from that of ordinary people.
Instead, I sensed the presence of those who practiced internal energy inside the ruined tavern. Based on their Qi Sense, they practiced Orthodox martial arts. Furthermore, about twenty people were lying in ambush in the surrounding shrubbery.
'...As I thought, something went wrong.'
It seemed certain that the branch had been discovered. Normally, the right move would be to retreat, but A-Song’s whereabouts were the problem. If A-Song had come here, he would have definitely encountered those in ambush and been forced into a confrontation.
'It’s a trap, but I suppose I have to walk into it.'
I had no choice. I slowly walked into the ruined tavern.
The interior was even more of a mess. There were bloodstains that looked as if they had been left intentionally, and the furniture was in shambles.
"Sigh."
Letting out a sigh, I looked up at the second-floor railing of the tavern. Someone was perched on the dark railing, looking down at me.
'A beggar?'
Judging by his appearance, he was a middle-aged beggar. Seeing the knots on his clothing, he was a member of the Beggar's Sect. And he wasn't just any member; with five knots, he was a man of Hall Master rank.
"How should I know?"
However, they would likely know why the Songja County branch had been reduced to ruins.
That was what puzzled me as well. Since he was the Sect Leader, it was even more baffling that his disciples were occupying a Blood Cult branch. Of course, the rank-and-file members wouldn't know their new leader had joined the cult, but I thought his influence would have at least prevented something like this.
Just then, the middle-aged beggar perched on the railing spoke while looking down at me.
"This place certainly is a Blood Cult branch. You lot just keep showing up on your own."
Peep!
He pursed his lips and made a sound like a whistle. Immediately, the men ambushed in the bushes and trees around the tavern swarmed inside. They were beggars with three knots, equivalent to Branch Leaders. Seeing as they were all First-Rate Masters, it seemed they had gathered an elite squad.
"Rear row, Fortress Wall Formation! Front row, Staff Striking Formation, open!"
At the five-knot beggar's command, ten beggars blocking the entrance crossed their arms to form a human wall, while the front row surrounded me with wooden staves.
Thud!
The five-knot beggar leaped down from the railing and pointed his iron staff at me.
"Blood Cultist. Surrender, and I shall spare your life."
"...Does simply entering this place make one a Blood Cultist?"
At my words, the five-knot beggar burst into laughter.
"Hahahaha! If you aren't a cultist, why would you step foot into this ruin?"
"Simple logic, I suppose."
Indeed, no ordinary person would enter a place that looked like this. I asked him, "Who did this to this place?"
The beggar smirked and replied, "Did you think the Alliance wouldn't be able to find your hideouts? Stop talking nonsense and surrender. Once your main headquarters falls, the Blood Cult is finished anyway. If that happens, even surrendering won't save your life."
"What?"
I couldn't help but frown at his words. The main headquarters was going to fall? What did that mean?
"Say that again."
"You still don't grasp the situation, do you? You chose the hard way. Subdue him at once!"
"Understood!"
At the five-knot beggar's command, the ten beggars attempted to deploy their staff formation. Because I had completely suppressed my aura, all sorts of fools were trying their luck against me.
I lightly flicked my finger.
Snap!
Thud! Thud!
The beggars who were about to charge at me all collapsed, their eyes rolling back as they lost consciousness. The same happened to the beggars in the rear row who were maintaining the human wall with their arms crossed. They fell without even getting a chance to lift a finger.
"W-what in the world..."
The five-knot beggar couldn't hide his shock at the sight of his men suddenly collapsing. I could have knocked him out too, but I intentionally left him conscious. As I approached, the panicked man scrambled backward.
"Y-you... who are you? You're no ordinary cultist."
The Lesser Conversation Sword snickered. Well, I didn't feel like explaining the details to him.
"Damn it!"
Whoosh!
As the man tried to flee, I used my True Qi to trigger Void Object Retrieval and pulled him back. Even if he was a Hall Master, there was no way he could withstand my Qi. The man, who had been diving through a broken window, froze in mid-air before being yanked back toward me.
Thump!
"Urgh!"
Falling on his backside, the man looked up at me with a pale face. He had probably viewed me as just some insignificant cultist, but realizing I was a master capable of Void Object Retrieval seemed to have terrified him.
"Repeat what you just said. What about the Blood Cult's main headquarters?"
At my question, his eyes darted around. He was looking for an escape route. If words wouldn't work, I’d have to force his mouth open. As I raised my hand, the man shouted desperately.
"If you touch me, our Sect Leader will never forgive you!"
'Ha!'
I wondered how this fellow would react if he knew his Sect Leader was my subordinate. Just how had Jo Seong-won been managing his people for them to be leading the charge against the Blood Cult?
...Wait, did he cut ties with the cult because news of me had stopped?
If that was the case, it would be quite a headache. Jo Seong-won’s personality wasn't so shallow that he would betray me easily. But that was only assuming I was alive.
That was possible. He was originally supposed to meet me in Wuhan after his official inauguration as the Sect Leader of the Beggar's Sect. But seven months had passed without a word from me. That was more than enough time to be certain of my death. He had pledged loyalty to the Blood Cult because of my existence.
He had originally joined the Blood Cult to secure his position within the Beggar's Sect by achieving merits. But now, he was the Sect Leader. Having attained the position he desired, a change of heart was entirely possible.
As I stared at him, lost in thought, the man seemed to think his threat had worked. He sneered and said, "The Sect Leader is nearby. If you want to live, you'd better leave us and run."
At his words, the corners of my mouth curled up into a smirk.
"The Sect Leader is nearby, you say?"
*
In an empty house in the middle of Songja County village.
Dozens of beggars were stationed there. Judging by the knots they wore, it was clear they were disciples of the Beggar's Sect, not ordinary beggars.
A young beggar approached someone sitting on the wooden porch. The man sitting alone in a chair, carrying a sack with nine knots, was none other than Jo Seong-won. While he had been impeccably clean seven months ago, he had become much more 'beggar-like' since his inauguration as Sect Leader.
'Hmm.'
Jo Seong-won was reading a message from a carrier pigeon. It contained very important information.
'They've reached Mount Heng?'
Mount Heng was home to the Hengshan Sect, the greatest sect in Hunan Province. They would likely reorganize their supplies and finances there before heading further south.
'So the Hengshan Sect has joined them after all?'
As far as he knew, the Hengshan Sect was where So Yeong-yeong, Jin Un-hwi’s younger sister, resided. Since there were those within the Blood Cult who knew this fact, the situation was becoming quite complicated.
The only saving grace was that So Yeong-yeong was currently at the Martial Alliance due to the Phoenix Hall incident. However, if the Hengshan Sect suffered heavy losses in this war, he wondered how she would view the Blood Cult.
"How far have they reached, Sect Leader?"
Elder Ui Gu-saeng, who was standing to the left, asked curiously about the message. Jo Seong-won replied in a low voice.
"Mount Heng."
"Oh! It seems the Hengshan Sect has finally joined the fray."
"It appears so."
"Sect Leader. Should we not also join and assist the Alliance’s subjugation army?"
Elder Yang Mun-saeng, a bald man with a white beard standing to the right, spoke up. He couldn't understand why the Beggar's Sect wasn't participating in the Martial Alliance's massive campaign to wipe out the Blood Cult.
Jo Seong-won shook his head.
"We lost many talented people during the Yangtze River incident seven months ago."
"Even so..."
"I shall command this by my authority as Sect Leader. The Beggar's Sect will not participate in this subjugation."
"Hmph."
Elder Yang Mun-saeng coughed loudly, clearly displeased. In fact, there were many elders and hall masters besides him who were unhappy with this decision.
However, Jo Seong-won could not participate in the war. It wasn't out of deep loyalty or devotion to the Blood Cult.
'...If I participate and the Blood Cult reveals that I pledged loyalty to them...'
The position he had worked so hard to gain would meet a disastrous end. Although he had gained freedom because the Cult Leader, Jin Un-hwi, was dead, he couldn't be at peace until the Blood Cult was completely destroyed. Therefore, he had to avoid openly helping either side.
It was incredibly frustrating that he couldn't share this dilemma with anyone, but it was a burden he had to carry.
"Sect Leader."
Just then, a young disciple who had climbed onto the porch called out to him. Jo Seong-won turned his gaze toward him.
"Yes. Has the man talked?"
"No, sir."
"Are you keeping him awake?"
"We haven't let him sleep, and we haven't given him a single drop of food or water, yet he keeps his mouth shut. He truly doesn't seem human."
"Hmm."
There was a man who had been captured just two days ago. The disciples had tried to seize him when he entered the Blood Cult branch, but he had beaten them back, seemingly feeling no pain even as he took hits. It was only after the Hall Masters and even Elder Yang Mun-saeng stepped in that they were finally able to capture him.
'With that level of martial prowess, he should be at least a Unit Leader or Deputy Unit Leader in the Blood Cult. But I've never seen that face before.'
He knew the faces of everyone at the Unit Leader level and above in the Blood Cult. Yet, he couldn't identify this man. What was even more bizarre was that he didn't seem human at all.
'His pulse barely beats, and he has no physiological needs. To be perfectly fine without sleep... is he really not human?'
It reminded him of a Jiangshi. The young disciple, waiting for his orders, spoke up.
"Should we try torture instead?"
"What's the use of torture if he feels no pain?"
"Still, who knows if he'll talk once his limbs start being severed?"
Jo Seong-won fell into thought. He had ordered them not to use direct torture in case the man was a Blood Cultist, but if he continued to forbid it, the suspicions of the Beggar's Sect disciples would only deepen.
It was at that moment.
Someone came running into the house in a frantic rush. It was a Hall Master named Ha Hae-pyeong, who was on duty today. Seeing him run in with a deathly pale face, Elder Ui Gu-saeng asked in confusion.
"Hall Master Ha. What is the matter?"
Ha Hae-pyeong, unable to even catch his breath, spoke urgently.
"Pant... pant... Sect Leader, Elders, it's a disaster. Some kind of monster..."
"What are you talking about? Calm down and speak."
"Huff... huff... a monster-like man suddenly appeared and took down the disciples in an instant."
"What!"
At those words, all the beggars sitting in the courtyard stood up. If a great master had appeared, this was a serious matter. Elder Yang Mun-saeng asked him, "What happened to the disciples?"
"They don't seem to be dead yet. But they're still there..."
When he heard the disciples were alive, Elder Yang Mun-saeng scolded him.
"You fool! Are you saying you abandoned them and ran away alone?"
"I thought I had to report this immediately..."
"Sect Leader! I shall go with the Hall Masters."
Since it was an urgent situation, Jo Seong-won nodded and gave his permission immediately.
"Hall Masters, follow me!"
"Understood!"
Elder Yang Mun-saeng stepped down from the porch, leading about ten Hall Masters. They were his direct subordinates and the experts who had been credited with capturing that mysterious man two days ago.
As they hurried out of the house, Jo Seong-won asked Hall Master Ha Hae-pyeong, "Hall Master Ha. Tell me more about this man."
If he was a great master, Elder Yang Mun-saeng alone might not be enough. He needed a basis to decide whether to send reinforcements.
Having caught his breath to some extent, Hall Master Ha said in a grave voice, "The man simply flicked his finger, and the disciples suddenly collapsed."
"What!"
Startled, Jo Seong-won jumped to his feet. In an instant, a certain figure flashed through his mind.
Elder Ui Gu-saeng muttered as if he couldn't believe it. "What nonsense is this? How can healthy martial artists collapse just from a flick of a finger..."
Before he could even finish his sentence.
A disciple on the roof of the house shouted, "L-look over there!"
He was pointing east, the direction Elder Yang Mun-saeng and the Hall Masters had gone. Jo Seong-won and Elder Ui Gu-saeng stepped out onto the porch and used their lightness skill to leap onto the roof.
Once on the roof, their eyes widened as they looked where the disciple was pointing.
It was early evening, so the village of Songja County was still relatively bright. However, starting from the eastern main road, the lights were vanishing.
"What on earth is... Ah!"
In the middle of the road where the lights were disappearing, a black shadow was visible. They could see Elder Yang Mun-saeng and the Hall Masters shouting something as they charged toward it.
However, their voices were no longer heard once they entered the darkness. It was as if they had been swallowed by the shadows in an instant.
"Elder Yang Mun-saeng?"
They couldn't understand what was happening. They saw the black shadow walking toward them into the light again. Every time the figure took a step, the lights of the village went out—a phenomenon that was impossible to comprehend.
The eastern side of the village was being slowly consumed by darkness.
"Damn it!"
Feeling an ominous premonition from this eerie phenomenon, Elder Ui Gu-saeng shouted urgently to the disciples.
"Something is coming! Everyone, out to the eastern road!"
"Understood!"
At his cry, all the disciples in the courtyard rushed out. They could be seen swarming toward the main road.
"Sect Leader. Let us go as well."
Elder Ui Gu-saeng spoke to Jo Seong-won. However, Jo Seong-won was turning pale as he watched the approaching darkness.
"Sect Leader?"
Nothing reached Jo Seong-won’s ears. His mind was burning black with realization.
'It's him. He has returned.'