Chapter 15: Sect Token (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 15: Sect Token (2)
The Blood Hand Witch, Han Baek-ha, had cut off her own fingers to offer an apology.
This act was enough to momentarily silence even the eccentric Haeakcheon.
Han Baek-ha spoke once more.
“I apologize for making my request to the Venerable in such an irreverent manner. While offering an entire arm would not be enough to atone for disturbing your peace of mind, I ask that you take into account that I am currently tasked with attending to an esteemed guest.”
“Ha!”
She spoke as if it were insufficient, but the Blood Hand Witch was a master of hand techniques. For someone like her to give up two fingers was a massive sacrifice for a martial artist.
-That woman is insane.
The Lesser Conversation Sword clicked its tongue in amazement.
I hadn't expected her to go that far to apologize, either. Even the foul-tempered old man couldn't bring himself to scold her further when faced with such an extreme gesture; he simply looked dumbfounded.
Looking at it that way, the Blood Hand Witch might have been making a shrewd preemptive strike.
However...
‘Something’s strange.’
-What’s strange?
I had assumed the Blood Hand Witch suddenly activated her Blood Hand Jade technique to vent her anger on Young Lady Ha Yeon for her disrespectful attitude.
But instead, she cut off her own fingers.
If you looked at the situation plainly, it was as if she were walking on eggshells around Young Lady Ha Yeon. For a master to apologize with such an extreme act just because her disciple glared at her...
‘!?’
-What is it?
‘Could it be...’
I looked at Young Lady Ha Yeon. She was watching Han Baek-ha while letting out a shallow sigh.
She looked visibly disappointed.
‘A master just cut off her own fingers. What would a normal disciple do in that situation?’
-They’d run over to stop the bleeding or something. They’d do anything.
Just as the Lesser Conversation Sword said, a disciple would have taken immediate action. But Young Lady Ha Yeon was watching as if she were a mere bystander.
Almost like she was Han Baek-ha’s superior.
“You people are doing quite a lot in front of a healer.”
The Divine Healer of Ten Thousand Ailments pulled a needle from his waist and moved toward the Blood Hand Witch. Even a man so stingy with his treatment couldn't just stand by and watch this happen before his eyes.
However, Han Baek-ha held up a hand, signaling that she was fine.
Tap, tap, tap!
She pressed the pressure points on her own arm to stop the bleeding. Being a master of her caliber, her control over her own body was exceptional.
“Still as shrewd as ever, Blood Hand Witch.”
In the end, Haeakcheon accepted her apology.
“Thank you for your grace.”
Since she was also a high-ranking official leading the Blood Cult, it seemed he decided to let it end there. However, everyone seemed so focused on the Blood Hand Witch that they missed something important.
-What’s important?
‘...Young Lady Ha Yeon’s identity.’
-Huh? Identity? Is she someone special?
‘Special’ didn't even cover it. If my guess was right, she wasn't just the Blood Hand Witch’s disciple.
-If she’s not a disciple, then what? Is she the Blood Hand Witch’s daughter or something?
‘No. She’s the granddaughter of the Blood Cult Leader.’
-What? That fat girl is the Blood Cult Leader’s granddaughter?
-Hoh.
The Lesser Conversation Sword and the Namcheon Iron Sword were both shocked. Well, it was a natural reaction; I had been just as stunned when I first deduced her identity.
-Then who was that woman behind the bamboo screen?
‘A decoy, most likely.’
She was probably a fake. There were similar cases in my past life. To protect someone precious, people often hid their identity and set up a double. It was a very plausible scenario.
-Right. A decoy makes sense.
‘If she’s of the Blood Cult Leader’s bloodline, there would be no end to those targeting her.’
If her identity were ever exposed, it would cause an absolute uproar. That was likely why, even before my regression, information about the Blood Cult Leader’s descendant being alive never reached the ears of a third-rate spy like me.
-She probably won't get caught easily. Who would ever think a girl that fat is the descendant of a terrifying place like the Blood Cult?
True. That was a fair point. It certainly was impressive. It couldn't have been easy to gain that much weight just to hide her identity.
‘Hmm?’
Wait, maybe not. Come to think of it, I think she mentioned needing to lose weight. Then could the "illness" she mentioned be some kind of condition that makes her gain weight?
-Oh dear.
-What a cursed disease for a woman.
These guys were thinking of things I hadn't even considered. More importantly, it was a fatal condition for a martial artist. Unless one practiced a specific type of external martial art, I had never heard of a martial artist being fat. A sluggish body is a massive disadvantage in a duel.
-Woon-hwi. But isn't it strange?
‘What is?’
-This is Blood Cult territory anyway, isn't it?
‘It is.’
-Then is there really a need for her to go as far as using a decoy to hide her identity here?
The Lesser Conversation Sword countered the Namcheon Iron Sword’s point.
-Hey. If you were the granddaughter of the Blood Cult Leader, you’d have some pride. Would you want to show yourself looking that fat?
-Sodam. If that were the case, shouldn't she be hiding that appearance as well?
-.........
The Lesser Conversation Sword fell silent at the Namcheon Iron Sword’s sharp observation. From their conversation, I could infer one fact.
‘...Is there an enemy within?’
I couldn't think of any other reason. Otherwise, there was no reason to use a decoy even inside the Six Blood Valley. But if she was the Blood Cult Leader’s only flesh and blood, she would be the next leader and the focal point for the cult’s reconstruction. How could there be an enemy within?
I looked at Young Lady Ha Yeon.
‘Ah...’
-What now?
‘Ha!’
I think I was mistaken. Why did I assume there was only one descendant of the Blood Cult Leader?
-Oh, I see.
If there wasn't just one descendant, but two, then being cautious even internally made perfect sense. For instance, if they were both in a position to vie for the title of Cult Leader, her hiding her identity was entirely understandable.
-Sometimes you seem like a total airhead, but you’ve got a surprisingly good head on your shoulders.
Just stick to the compliments. Don't make them backhanded.
-Humans really are hard to understand.
‘Why?’
-If your guess is right, they’re the only family each other has left. And yet they’re going through all this trouble with decoys just because they’re fighting among themselves.
-I agree with Sodam.
True. There are few animals that fight amongst themselves as much as humans do. From small families to great emperors, don't they all harm one another to seize the throne? To these non-human entities, it must all seem incredibly foolish.
Just then, Haeakcheon reached out his hand toward the Divine Healer and made a demand.
“Heh heh, a promise is a promise, Healer.”
He was asking for the Sect Token.
The Divine Healer of Ten Thousand Ailments gave a thin smile and looked at me.
“Shouldn't the Sect Token be given to the disciple, not the Venerable?”
“Tsk, tsk.”
Haeakcheon clicked his tongue.
“Whatever. I only have one thing to ask of you anyway.”
“I will keep my word. However, I have a prior engagement, so checking on your disciple will have to...”
The Divine Healer suddenly frowned mid-sentence. Then, he abruptly changed his tune.
“Hmm. Once the sun rises, I shall check the disciple’s condition first, around noon.”
The order had been swapped. My gaze naturally drifted toward Young Lady Ha Yeon. Did she have a hand in this? Why the sudden change in priority?
As if sensing my gaze, she sent a message via Sound Transmission.
[I will make sure you get the Sect Token. Do not worry.]
...I’m not worried since you’re giving it to me personally. But now that I know her identity, it feels strangely burdensome. It’s best to keep pretending I don't know, right?
*
The next day, I was heading toward the main hall of the Six Blood Valley. I thought Haeakcheon would come with me, but he told me to go alone since the Healer had already promised to see me.
Personally, I found it more comfortable to go alone than to move with that eccentric old man.
As I drew closer to the main hall, I clutched my head as if a migraine were coming on.
-Are you still hearing them?
The Lesser Conversation Sword asked worriedly. It was asking because of my condition. Just like yesterday, the voices echoing in my head were getting louder.
-...........
Whispering noises. They were the voices of the swords nearby. The more I focused on them, the louder they became, to the point of giving me a headache.
‘The sound has gotten louder.’
Yesterday, the noise definitely wasn't this bad. The whispering had increased. Most of the warriors in the Six Blood Valley used sabers, and the disciples the Blood Hand Witch brought didn't have weapons to begin with, so the noise had been minimal yesterday.
-Woon-hwi. Do not try to focus on the noise.
The Namcheon Iron Sword advised me.
‘It’s hard not to when it’s this loud.’
-Do you consciously listen to every single conversation people have around you normally?
‘Well... no.’
-It is the same. You said our voices echo in your head?
‘...Yes.’
-It might be that you are focusing on it more because you are not used to it. Try your best to let it flow past you.
Easier said than done. How am I supposed to let it flow when the sounds are vibrating inside my skull?
-...How about trying to circulate your Innate True Qi?
I had nothing to lose. Following the Namcheon Iron Sword’s advice, I moved my Innate True Qi and sent it toward my head. Miraculously, the agonizing headache and the static-like noise began to fade.
‘The headache stopped.’
I could still hear the voices. But just as he said, if I didn't consciously try to listen, I could let them pass like background noise. I’d have to stay like this until I got used to it.
-But Woon-hwi, you were right.
-There are many swords inside the main hall. Roughly twelve... no, thirteen. Wait, what is this?
-One sword is in agony.
-You hear it too, don't you?
The swords’ reactions were strange. Unlike their usual selves, they were suddenly showing intense interest in something. Curious about what they were hearing, I focused on that specific sound.
-...hurts... it hurts... I want... to die.
Instantly, goosebumps broke out all over my body. It was a voice that sounded exactly like someone on the verge of death. I didn't know why it was making such a sound, but as they said, the voice was filled with immense suffering.
I was curious, but I didn't have time for this. The Divine Healer would be waiting.
I hurried toward the entrance of the pavilion, where the guards were stealing glances toward the inside of the main hall.
‘What’s going on?’
Was something happening inside? As I approached, the guards bowed their heads slightly in greeting. They must have realized by now that I was the Venerable’s disciple.
I passed the pavilion and stepped inside.
‘Huh?’
But once inside, I was met with a completely unexpected sight.
The veiled women under the Blood Hand Witch were guarding the front of the main hall building like sentries, and standing before them were twelve men wearing bamboo hats and capes.
Every single one of them was wearing a sword.
-Something feels off.
As the Lesser Conversation Sword noted, the atmosphere was bizarre. I could hear the voices of the swords belonging to the men in bamboo hats.
-I want to see blood right now.
-I wish they’d just draw us instead of staring each other down.
To a man, their swords were brimming with bloodlust, itching for a fight. It seemed I had arrived at a very bad time. What should I do? The Divine Healer was inside the main hall building.
Slam!
Just then, someone threw the doors of the main hall open and stepped out. This person also wore a bamboo hat and a cape, but their hair was long enough to reach their waist, and their slender frame suggested it was a woman.
-I want... to die...
It was that sword. The sword at the woman’s waist was the one in agony. I couldn't understand why it was like that.
“You are lucky.”
With those words, the woman in the bamboo hat crossed the veranda and descended the stone steps. Other people walked out through the open door she had exited: the Blood Hand Witch Han Baek-ha, the veiled Young Lady Ha Yeon, and three other veiled women.
Han Baek-ha’s expression was darker than usual.
“Let’s go!”
“Understood!”
At the woman’s command, the men in bamboo hats guarding the hall shouted in unison. Then, led by her, they began to march toward me. To be precise, they were heading for the exit.
‘Whoops.’
I didn't want to get caught up in whatever this was, so I quickly pulled back into a corner on the right. I lowered my head, trying my best to avoid eye contact.
Thump, thump!
They walked forward without hesitation. It looked like they were just going to pass by.
However...
“How did a training disciple get into the main hall?”
Damn it. She stopped after seeing my outfit. Then again, training disciples aren't allowed into the main hall until their training is complete. One only enters the main hall once their rank as a warrior has been decided.
I didn't know who these people were, but I figured I should identify myself as the Venerable’s disciple.
“I am...”
It was at that exact moment.
“Too slow for a mere training disciple.”
She didn't even give me a chance to answer before calling me slow.
Whoosh!
With the sound of cutting wind, something appeared before me in an instant. I saw the cape and looked up just as a hand was flying toward my head.
‘!?’
Was she planning to kill me? Panicked, I instinctively crossed my arms and raised them above my head. In that instant, a massive impact slammed into my wrists.
BOOM!
“Gah!”
My crossed arms were forced apart, and my body was sent skidding backward uncontrollably. It was an unbelievable amount of internal power. I had gained some confidence after acquiring thirty years' worth of Innate True Qi, but in a single blow, I felt a pain as if my internal organs were being turned upside down.
As my insides churned, the woman in the bamboo hat spoke.
“A training disciple withstood my internal power?”
With those words, she slightly tilted her bamboo hat upward. From the dark shadow of the hat, two red glints, reminiscent of blood, became visible. Those eyes were filled with a terrifying, chilling killing intent.
Shiver!
Who on earth was this woman?
“How interesting.”
The woman in the bamboo hat wore an intrigued expression and started to approach. Her snow-white hand moved toward the hilt of the sword at her waist.
That was when I heard Young Lady Ha Yeon’s shout.
“Stop! He is not a training disciple; he is the disciple of the Venerable!”
“The Venerable’s disciple?”
Upon hearing those words, the red-lipped corners of the woman’s mouth curled up in a bizarre smile. It was the most chilling smile I had ever seen.