Chapter 21: Guests of Six Blood Valley (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 21: Guests of Six Blood Valley (1)
The rumors of a rift between the Martial Alliance and Peerless Fortress.
The large stone So Woon-hwi had cast was creating ripples far greater than he had ever imagined.
In just one month, the news had spread to the various branches of the Blood Cult scattered across the Central Plains.
The first to receive the word was Jiangxi Province, which bordered the northern part of Guangdong Province, where Six Blood Valley was located.
The news arrived in a mere nine days.
Jiangxi was the stronghold of the Second Venerable, Raging Demon Lord Seo Gal-ma.
Deep within Goam Peak in eastern Jiangxi sat a secluded hermitage.
On the surface, it looked like an ordinary mountain retreat, but inside, countless caverns stretched out like an ant colony, concealing a hidden base.
In one area, decorated with an elegance that seemed out of place for a cavern, rows of famous sabers adorned the walls.
Beneath each blade was engraved the name of a renowned saber specialist who had met their end in the Central Plains.
This was the private chamber of the Raging Demon Lord, Seo Gal-ma.
An elderly man with salt-and-pepper hair neatly slicked back was reading a letter.
An unapproachable dignity radiated from him as he focused on the parchment.
This man was Seo Gal-ma, one of the Four Venerables.
“……”
Waiting respectfully before him was Hak Jeong-gyeom, the leader of the Pajung Unit.
As Seo Gal-ma finished the letter, a smile spread across his lips.
He tightened his grip, and the letter crumpled before being torn into tiny shreds. It was a testament to the profound depth of his internal energy.
“Things are becoming interesting.”
Seo Gal-ma stood up.
He gazed at the numerous sabers hanging on the wall with eyes full of nostalgia.
Then, he spoke.
“It’s happening sooner than expected.”
“What do you mean by that, My Lord?”
Hak Jeong-gyeom, who hadn't read the letter, was in the dark.
Seo Gal-ma replied, his eyes still fixed on the famous blades.
“The time has come for our Cult to rise again.”
“Does that mean—!”
Hak Jeong-gyeom’s expressionless eyes trembled.
Was there any member of the Blood Cult who did not dream of this moment?
Seo Gal-ma spoke to the man who was struggling to hide his excitement.
“The time has arrived, yet the Cult remains scattered and without a center. I must set this right.”
Ah!
Hak Jeong-gyeom understood exactly what he meant.
While preparing for the reconstruction, Seo Gal-ma had refrained from supporting any specific side until now. By saying this, he intended to draw a clear line before the Cult’s official resurrection.
“Hak Jeong-gyeom.”
“Command me, My Lord.”
“Call Geum-won and Eun-jae. Prepare to depart for Six Blood Valley immediately.”
“The young masters as well?”
Geum-won and Eun-jae.
They were the disciples who had inherited Seo Gal-ma’s true teachings.
To take his disciples to Six Blood Valley—did this mean Seo Gal-ma’s choice had finally fallen on Baek Ryeonha?
Hak Jeong-gyeom couldn't help but feel puzzled.
Until recently, hadn't his leanings seemed to favor Baek Hye-hyang?
Regardless of his own thoughts, he would simply follow the choice of his lord, Seo Gal-ma.
Kaifeng, in the northeastern part of Henan Province.
Boasting the largest scale of any city besides the capital, Kaifeng was home to many martial sects.
And in this city, as if proving the proverb that it is darkest under the lamp, a power had established itself in the shadows: the First Blood Star, Thunder Blood Sword Jang Ryong.
The main headquarters of the Kaifeng Hwayue Merchant Group.
As befitting a merchant group with immense wealth, the estate spanned thousands of pyeong.
Within the estate was a rear garden that bloomed with flowers all year round.
In that garden, a woman with red hair dressed in light battle garb stood with her back to the flowerbeds, reading a letter.
After reading for a while, she spoke.
“I assume you’ve read the letter?”
Standing behind her was a middle-aged man of tall stature with a sharp impression.
He was the practical owner of the Hwayue Merchant Group and the highest-ranking member among the Seven Blood Stars: the First Blood Star, Thunder Blood Sword Jang Ryong.
“It arrived before you did, so I took the liberty of reading it.”
“It must have taken quite a while for a letter to reach here from Six Blood Valley.”
“It likely took about twenty days.”
If it had been sent through official government channels or civilian means, it would have taken much longer to get from Guangdong to Henan. However, martial artists could shorten the time significantly by using carrier pigeons and lightness skills.
The woman, addressed as 'Young Lady,' gave a short laugh.
“So, the Sajon found this information?”
“That is correct.”
“Impressive. I thought that old man had no interest in the Cult’s affairs.”
“It seems that is no longer the case.”
The declaration by the Bizarre Hae Ak-cheon that he would expand his influence had already reached the ears of high-ranking officials throughout the Central Plains via the unit leaders who attended the selection ceremony.
The red-haired woman folded the letter.
The blood-red light in her eyes, previously hidden by the paper, revealed itself.
She curled the corners of her cherry-red lips upward.
“What do you think?”
“I only follow your orders, Young Lady.”
“Orders? Cut the nonsense. You babbled about becoming my Zhang Liang, so you must have some insight into this.”
Despite her rough tone, Jang Ryong responded with a consistent smile.
“The First Venerable, as well as myself, the Fourth, Fifth, and Seventh Blood Stars, are all serving you. And recently, the Second Venerable has also shown a favorable disposition.”
She essentially had the support of nearly seventy percent of the leadership.
“On the other hand, the faction supporting ‘her’ consists of only the Third and Sixth Blood Stars.”
“Hmph. Those two can be dealt with once the Cult’s reconstruction is complete.”
“You are correct. However, do you remember what I told you before?”
“Leave her not even a shred of an opening?”
“You remember. ‘She’ also carries that person’s blood. A small opening can lead to great future trouble.”
“So you’re saying I shouldn't give her even a sliver of hope?”
“Precisely.”
“You’re telling me to bring the Sajon over to our side so that girl doesn't get any useless ideas.”
“Exactly. You are as brilliant as ever.”
“But will that eccentric old man come just because I tell him to?”
She had attempted to contact him several times over the past five years.
But all she received were cold rejections.
He was essentially a lone wolf, and since she was also prideful, she had given up on further persuasion.
Jang Ryong gave her a chilling smile.
“That was when the Sajon had nothing to lose.”
Twenty days had passed since I began learning the Transformation Eye Method from the Blood Hand Witch, Han Baek-ha.
Contrary to my expectation that my daily routine would change after receiving subordinates, the only thing that changed was the location—we moved to the main hall of Six Blood Valley.
We were honing our martial arts alongside Haeakcheon.
Since Escort Unit Leader Jang Mun-woong had taken full responsibility for training the low-rank warriors and the mid-to-high-rank candidates, there was nothing for me, Song Jwa-baek, or Song Woo-hyeon to worry about.
According to Haeakcheon, once the basic training for the members was finished, we would move to a base he had scouted.
In the meantime, Haeakcheon gave us another mission.
It was to surpass the rank of Great Leader and become a Unit Leader.
[Do you think This Seat’s disciple intends to stop at being a mere Great Leader?]
He was certainly right.
Even the Blood Hand Witch, a Seven Blood Star, had a head disciple who was a Unit Leader.
As the disciple of one of the Four Venerables, it would be a blow to his pride if I remained a mere Great Leader.
However, becoming a Unit Leader was on a completely different level.
The most basic qualification for a Unit Leader was to move beyond the realm of a first-rate master and reach the Peak Realm.
Of course, my true strength had already surpassed the wall of the first-rate.
But that was my hidden strength; the strength visible in my lower dantian had not yet escaped the first-rate realm.
That was why I was suffering like this now.
—Thwack!
“Gah!”
I felt like the breakfast I’d eaten was about to come back up.
A single kick from Haeakcheon made my internal organs feel like they were being twisted into knots.
“You can’t even last three moves?!”
Haeakcheon roared.
That crazy old man.
It would be nice if he adjusted his level a bit, but he was using almost his full strength.
“Hah!”
At that moment, someone aimed for Haeakcheon’s back.
It was Song Jwa-baek.
His shirtless upper body was bronzed, a result of activating the True Blood Golden Body.
It was a good move to strike from behind while Haeakcheon’s attention was on me, but—
—Grab!
Haeakcheon spun around like lightning and caught the boy by the throat.
Then, he slammed him into the ground.
—Boom!
“Guh-ack!”
Song Jwa-baek, his head hitting the ground hard, rolled his eyes back as if he’d suffered a concussion.
Watching him, Haeakcheon clicked his tongue.
“You idiot. If you’re going to aim for someone’s back, don’t shout!”
My thoughts exactly.
He should have suppressed his presence and struck silently.
However, this wasn't the end of our coordinated attack.
—Whoosh! Swish!
The sound of something flying through the air rang out.
Haeakcheon frowned and turned his head.
There, the bald Song Woo-hyeon was flying toward him like a heavy human mace.
His momentum was incredible.
Haeakcheon hurriedly reached out toward him.
—Thud!
Haeakcheon blocked the headbutt with his bare hand, but his body was pushed back about four steps.
—Bam bam bam bam!
That was it.
The pushed-back Haeakcheon delivered a palm strike to the boy’s head.
—Crack!
In that instant, Song Woo-hyeon’s body was sent flying backward.
The man was truly a monster.
It was a strike intended to deceive him using me and Song Jwa-baek as bait, yet he blocked it with one hand.
Moreover, he was only pushed back four steps.
“Tsk tsk. Three of you attacking together, and you could only move This Seat four steps? You should be ashamed.”
This is getting annoying.
When he acts like that, I really want to come at him with my full strength.
But even if I did, it probably wouldn't make a huge difference.
Haeakcheon was a monster who had surpassed even the wall of the Peak Realm.
To fight him on equal terms, I would likely need to reach at least the 6th stage of the Life Bright Divine Art.
—Even that isn't certain now.
‘Huh?’
—Haeakcheon has grown much stronger. In the time since I last saw him, he seems to have achieved progress equal to or greater than my previous master.
The Namcheon Iron Sword evaluated him highly.
It made sense.
The last time Haeakcheon had fought the Namcheon Sword Guest was fifteen years ago.
There was no way Haeakcheon’s martial arts wouldn't have improved in that time.
In that case, would I have to reach the 7th stage of the Life Bright Divine Art to truly defeat him?
That was a realm even the Namcheon Sword Guest hadn't reached in his lifetime.
As I was thinking this, Haeakcheon shouted at us.
“We’re continuing. Get up.”
“Whew.”
I caught my breath and stood up.
I had cleared the energy that had been tormenting my internal organs, so I felt much better.
As I was bracing myself to spar again, Haeakcheon looked somewhere and then raised his hand, declaring a halt.
‘Ah.’
A woman wearing a white veil was standing on the hill.
—Oh? It’s her.
The Lesser Conversation Sword recognized her first.
It was Baek Ryeonha.
For nearly a month, she had simply passed by me whenever we crossed paths in the courtyard of the main hall.
I thought I had been completely blacklisted, so why did she come all the way here alone?
The two of them exchanged a few words via sound transmission.
Then,
“Woon-hwi.”
“Yes, Master.”
“……Follow her.”
Her target wasn't Haeakcheon, but me.
I followed her in silence.
I thought we were heading toward the main hall, but she led me in the opposite direction, away from the open training ground.
It seemed she wanted to go somewhere private.
Once the Blood Cult warriors were out of sight, she stopped and spoke.
“Let’s talk here.”
As expected, the voice of Young Lady Ha Yeon came from her.
She had lost weight, but she was indeed Ha Yeon—or rather, Baek Ryeonha.
“Young Master. Do you know who I am?”
She asked without removing her veil.
It was an ambiguous question, so I couldn't tell if she was asking if I knew her status as a noble person or if I recognized her as Ha Yeon, the name she had used as a pseudonym.
But it didn't really matter if I knew her other identity, did it?
I pretended to be surprised and said,
“This voice? Could it be Young Lady Ha Yeon?”
At my reaction, she shook her head and said,
“You know that’s not what I’m asking.”
Ah…….
So it was the former after all.
She looked at me with sharp eyes.
“Young Master, you seem smarter than anyone I’ve ever met. So, I find it strange that you still wouldn't know my true identity.”
She seemed convinced that I knew who she was.
Of course I knew.
There had been plenty of clues in her behavior to make an educated guess.
I had only kept it to myself because she clearly didn't want to reveal it.
“Do you really not know?”
She asked, staring intently at me.
Would it be better to say I knew?
As I hesitated, I was about to tell her the truth.
It was then.
—Snap!
She and I both turned our heads at the same time.
We sensed a presence.
With a rustling sound, someone emerged from the bushes.
It was a young man with thick eyelids, wearing gray martial robes and carrying a four-foot-long saber on his back.
—He looks like a toad.
Hmm.
An accurate assessment.
His face immediately brought a toad to mind.
I didn't recognize him, but since he had made it this close to the main hall, he was likely a member of the Cult.
“Haah. Finally found it.”
The young man’s face brightened, as if he had been lost.
Muttering to himself, he looked at us and gave a fist-and-palm salute.
“Are you people from Six Blood Valley?”
Since he knew about Six Blood Valley, he was definitely one of ours.
Baek Ryeonha didn't seem inclined to answer, so I returned the salute and spoke.
“That is correct.”
Well, technically we were just staying here.
“That’s a relief. It’s my first time at Six Blood Valley, so I got lost on the mountain paths.”
What was this?
He was speaking down to us very naturally.
Was it because I looked younger than him? Or because he held a status that justified it?
The toad-like youth pulled a sect token from his robes.
‘Go Eun-jae?’
My eyes widened slightly as I recognized the name.
“I am Go Eun-jae, the second disciple of the Second Venerable, Raging Demon Lord Seo Gal-ma. Wait a moment, then I’ll ask you to guide me.”
Just as he said, he was the second disciple of the Second Venerable.
In ten years, he would become a man of ill repute known as the Blood Merging Blade Guest.
He hated his nickname, which included the character for toad (Hap), so much that he was a villain who indiscriminately killed anyone who called him by it.
“Why aren't you answering?”
He spoke with an arrogant attitude, perhaps because of his status.
Since he was going to Six Blood Valley anyway, he would eventually find out who I was. It seemed better to clear things up now.
“It is an honor to meet Young Master Go Eun-jae, disciple of the Second Venerable. I am So Woon-hwi, the first disciple of the Four Venerables.”
“What?”
His expression suddenly turned to one of surprise.
Was I famous enough to warrant that kind of reaction?
Go Eun-jae, craning his neck slightly like a toad, stared at me intently and then let out a smirk.
“Ah, so you’re So Woon-hwi.”
His tone was a bit grating.
It was far from friendly.
“Master was worried over nothing.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Well, let’s see what you’ve got!”
—Clang!
Go Eun-jae suddenly drew the long saber from his back, lunged forward like lightning, and swung at me. It was a strike intended to cleave me in two if I failed to block it.
—Woon-hwi! Draw me!
I know.
I hurriedly drew the Namcheon Iron Sword.
Stepping forward to ensure Baek Ryeonha wouldn't be harmed, I blocked his strike.
—Claaaaang!
As the saber and sword collided, my insides churned.
I expected as much from the Second Venerable’s disciple, but he had already surpassed the wall of the first-rate.
The internal power behind the blade was immense.
He wasn't someone I could handle with the internal energy of my lower dantian alone.
“To think this is the Sajon’s disciple. Tsk tsk.”
He chuckled and spoke sarcastically.
What an unpleasant fellow.
I felt like opening my middle dantian and fighting him properly right then and there.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
Both of Baek Ryeonha’s hands were stained red.
It seemed she had been about to step in if I hadn't blocked him.
“Ho. So you’re the disciple of the Blood Hand Witch. How was I to know when you’re hiding your face and haven't introduced yourself? I heard there are many beauties in that sect.”
He licked his lips as he spoke.
That’s it.
This bastard wasn't worth hiding my strength for.
Just as I was about to open my middle dantian—
—Thud!
Someone appeared behind Go Eun-jae.
Startled by the large shadow looming over him, Go Eun-jae pulled his saber away from mine and swung it desperately behind him.
—Smack!
But his blade was caught by a thick palm.
Go Eun-jae gasped and stammered.
“Y-you are?”
It was Haeakcheon.
In Six Blood Valley, he was the only one who could catch a saber swung by a Peak Realm master with his bare hands.
“E-Elder?”
The youth seemed to realize who it was, as his voice trembled.
Haeakcheon spoke with a grim expression.
“This is the Sajon’s disciple? You’re a real comedian, aren't you?”
“I-it’s not like that…”
The youth tried to explain himself in a panic.
But his opponent was the Bizarre Hae Ak-cheon.
“Fine. Let This Seat see what you’ve got as well.”
—Grab!
Haeakcheon grabbed the youth’s head like lightning.
Then, without a shred of mercy, he slammed him into the ground.
“Gah!”
He slammed him so hard that the youth’s body bounced off the ground.
In that state, Haeakcheon threw a punch.
The youth hurriedly raised the flat of his blade as a shield, but—
—CRACK!
The blade crumpled, and the youth’s body was sent flying like a cannonball.