Chapter 21: Guests of the Six Blood Valley (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 21: Guests of the Six Blood Valley (2)
"Guh-heck!"
The diagram crumpled as Go Eun-jae’s body was sent flying backward nearly ten paces.
Ah!
It was a stroke of luck, one might say.
Having that crazy old man nearby had turned out to be a blessing.
But even so, he had been quite a distance away. How did he appear at such a perfect moment?
I was still wondering when—
Swish!
A black shadow blurred out from the thicket.
The figure struck a palm against the back of Go Eun-jae, who was still hurtling through the air from Hae Ak-cheon’s fist force.
Pang!
"Hut."
I thought it was an attack, but it wasn't. The figure that suddenly appeared seemed to have neutralized the force lingering in Go Eun-jae’s body through that palm strike.
I could tell by the way Go Eun-jae’s body came to a sudden, steady halt.
"Huff, huff! Th... thank you, Master."
Master?
Go Eun-jae addressed the man who caught him as his master.
Does that mean this man is the Second Venerable, Raging Demon Lord Seo Gal-ma, one of the Four Venerables?
With his graying hair neatly combed back, he possessed an air of dignity that was quite different from Hae Ak-cheon.
Rustle!
Then, a group of people emerged from the same thicket Seo Gal-ma had come from.
There were four of them in total.
What was surprising was that, except for one man carrying a long saber, the other three were wearing red belts.
—Why are you surprised?
...They’re all Unit Leaders.
If a blue belt signified a Great Leader, a red belt signified a Unit Leader.
Even for a small group, this was a formidable force to bring along.
I couldn't fathom what was going on.
Slide.
Raging Demon Lord Seo Gal-ma brought his hands together in a polite fist-and-palm salute toward Hae Ak-cheon.
"Brother Hae. It has been a long time."
He spoke with the tone of someone meeting an old friend.
Hae Ak-cheon replied in a dry, indifferent voice.
"Brother Seo."
He showed significantly more courtesy than he had toward the Sixth Blood Star, the Blood Hand Witch.
Of course, that only lasted a moment.
"It’s only been four years; what do you mean 'a long time'? What brings you all the way here? Don't tell me you came because of that letter I sent?"
His personality hadn't gone anywhere.
No matter who he dealt with, his characteristic gruffness remained.
"Hahaha, indeed. However, it seems there has been some misunderstanding."
Seo Gal-ma spoke while gesturing toward Go Eun-jae, who was still panting from the aftereffects of the fist and palm forces.
He was indirectly addressing the fact that Hae Ak-cheon had laid a hand on his disciple.
—What misunderstanding? That brat started the fight.
I agreed.
Just as I was wondering if I should speak up, Hae Ak-cheon barked, "Hmph! Misunderstanding, my foot. Your disciple attacked mine. If I hadn't seen it, the boy would have been seriously injured."
Seo Gal-ma replied as if it were no big deal.
"Is that not simply what happens between young men practicing martial arts? My disciple has been cooped up in the Gongdong Sect for so long that he must have felt a sense of rivalry toward your disciple, Brother Hae."
As expected of someone holding the same rank of Venerable and possessing formidable martial prowess, he didn't back down an inch.
In fact, he parried the verbal thrust with ease.
But Hae Ak-cheon was not the type of man to lose in a battle of wills.
"Ho. So that young man insulted me for that reason?"
"Insulted you?"
Seo Gal-ma shot a sharp look at Go Eun-jae.
Go Eun-jae waved his hands in a frantic excuse.
"N-no, that's not it! How could I ever insult a Great Venerable? I simply thought that your disciple was insulting you with his lowly martial prowess..."
This guy is really trying to screw me over.
Now that his master was by his side, he was spitting out whatever came to mind.
However, he still didn't know Hae Ak-cheon at all.
"You haven't been beaten enough yet."
"Ack!"
With a ferocious expression, Hae Ak-cheon began to stomp toward Go Eun-jae.
But then, something unexpected happened.
Thwack!
Among the group that had appeared behind them, the youth with the long saber strapped to his back grabbed the back of Go Eun-jae’s head and slammed his face into the ground.
—Ooh. His nose must be crushed.
Even though they were on the same side, he showed no mercy.
The youth spoke loudly, as if intending for everyone to hear.
"Where did you learn the manners to spout such pathetic excuses while our Master is speaking?"
After rebuking him, the youth stood up and bowed politely to Hae Ak-cheon.
"Great Elder. Please forgive my junior brother's insolence."
"Junior brother?"
At Hae Ak-cheon’s questioning tone, the youth replied without breaking his salute.
"I am Ho Geum-won, the first disciple of my Master."
Ho Geum-won?
—Why? Is he famous too?
...I don't know.
—You don't know?
As far as I knew, Seo Gal-ma only had one disciple, Go Eun-jae.
Yet this man, Ho Geum-won, identified himself as the first disciple.
—Huh? Then is he a hidden disciple?
If he were hidden, why would he reveal his identity now?
More likely, something must have happened during those ten years.
For instance, perhaps he lost his life.
—Why?
Look at his expression.
Go Eun-jae, whose face had been smashed into the ground, was glaring up at Ho Geum-won with murderous eyes.
Just looking at that, it was clear they weren't exactly on friendly terms.
Even in the Orthodox factions, there is friction over succession and seniority; how much worse would it be in the Blood Cult, which could be considered the path of heresy?
It would be more intense, never less.
Then, Seo Gal-ma spoke.
"Brother Hae. I apologize for my disciple’s rudeness. He seems to have been taught a sufficient lesson, so why don't we leave it at this?"
He showed a willingness to step back.
Unlike his disciple, Seo Gal-ma was a man of reason.
He didn't seem to have any intention of fighting Hae Ak-cheon over this.
[Hmph. If you were even half-decent enough to crush that arrogant brat yourself, this wouldn't have happened.]
Hae Ak-cheon’s voice rang in my ears via Sound Transmission.
He had stepped in because he had to, but he was clearly dissatisfied that I was being pushed back by Seo Gal-ma’s disciple.
I felt a bit wronged.
Officially, I had only been training for a year, while Seo Gal-ma’s disciples must have been learning for at least several years.
—Then why didn't you show your real skill?
I mentally rejected the Lesser Conversation Sword's remark.
...It’s too early for that.
Now was the time for restraint.
Even if I used the power of my Middle Dantian to deal with him, it would only draw unnecessary suspicion.
Even if I had crossed the wall into the first-rate realm, the Blood Cult was a place teeming with countless masters.
Until I had certain power, restraint was the only answer.
[I am sorry to have disappointed you.]
"Tsk, tsk."
Hae Ak-cheon clicked his tongue at my transmission.
After looking at me with a dissatisfied expression, Hae Ak-cheon turned back to Seo Gal-ma.
"Forget that. Brother Seo, why did you come all the way here with your disciples in tow? If it was urgent, you could have sent a messenger or come alone."
Coming alone might be a stretch, but Hae Ak-cheon’s point was valid.
I was also curious as to why the Second Venerable, Seo Gal-ma, had come here in person.
There was definitely a purpose.
Seo Gal-ma smiled and spoke.
"This old man has come here to act as a matchmaker."
At his completely unexpected words, Hae Ak-cheon’s brow furrowed.
I also couldn't understand what Seo Gal-ma was talking about.
"What on earth does that mean?"
"Exactly what I said."
"Stop being so frustrating. Who are you trying to match with whom?"
At Hae Ak-cheon’s irritable question, Seo Gal-ma gestured toward the disciples beside him and then pointed toward the main hall.
"I have come to arrange a match for the Young Lady."
"!!!"
I had a suspicion, but hearing it come from his mouth left both Hae Ak-cheon and me dumbfounded.
He had come to play matchmaker between his disciples and Baek Ryeonha.
I stole a glance at her.
—Her eyes have turned into saucers.
It seemed even she was flabbergasted.
We were inside the meeting room of the Six Blood Valley’s main hall.
Hae Ak-cheon and his disciples—myself, Song Jwa-baek, and Song Woo-hyeon—sat on the left side of a long table. Opposite us sat the Raging Demon Lord Seo Gal-ma and his disciples, Ho Geum-won and Go Eun-jae.
At the head of the room, a bamboo screen hung down, and behind it sat the owner of a slender shadow.
In front of the screen stood the Blood Hand Witch Han Baek-ha and five disciples of her sect, their faces covered with veils.
One of those five disciples was Baek Ryeonha.
Whew.
The atmosphere in the meeting room was abysmal.
I could tell just by watching Song Jwa-baek, whose eyes were darting around, not knowing what to do.
Slam!
Hae Ak-cheon struck the table violently, his face hardened with rage.
"Do you even hear what you're saying right now!"
The reason he was so angry was because of what Seo Gal-ma had said.
Seo Gal-ma had told Baek Ryeonha to give up her ambition for the position of Cult Leader for the sake of the greater good.
Of course, that wasn't all.
"What was that? Say it one more time!"
"You heard me, Brother Hae. For the sake of the Cult's unification, the Young Lady must not cause internal strife and should instead prepare for the next succession."
Seo Gal-ma spoke his mind without blinking an eye.
He was truly a bold man.
He was more formal than Hae Ak-cheon, but he didn't beat around the bush.
Because of that, the expressions of the Blood Hand Witch and her disciples were grim.
It was clear they were barely restraining themselves.
But Hae Ak-cheon was different.
"Knowing that the Young Lady holds the true legitimacy, how can such words come out of your mouth, Seo Gal-ma?"
"Calm your excitement, Brother Hae."
"Excitement? Who wouldn't be excited in my position! You have the gall to say that if she promises to marry one of your disciples and produce an heir, you'll protect her? Ha! You must be itching to die by my hand."
In an instant, the air in the room grew heavy, saturated with True Qi.
As Hae Ak-cheon truly drew out his aura, it became difficult even to breathe.
It felt as though the table would flip over at any moment and his fist would bury itself in the face of the calmly sitting Seo Gal-ma.
"Brother Hae... I did not come here to fight you."
"I don't want to hear it."
"Think coolly."
At Seo Gal-ma’s words, Han Baek-ha, who had been listening in silence, finally spoke.
"What exactly are we supposed to think coolly about, Second Venerable?"
Her voice was as cold as ice.
Seo Gal-ma, perhaps wary, kept his eyes on Hae Ak-cheon as he spoke.
"I will speak plainly, as it is a fact known to all. Already, the four Blood Stars led by the First Venerable have decided to nominate Lady Hye-hyang as the Cult Leader. That alone is a majority of the Revered Star Meeting. Though he hasn't officially declared it, it is said that the Third Venerable’s heart has also leaned that way."
The Third Venerable referred to the Blood King Gu Je-yang.
If two of the Four Venerables and four of the Seven Blood Stars were aligned, the tide had significantly turned.
"Did you not say earlier, Brother Hae, that you haven't decided which of the two to support yet?"
Hae Ak-cheon glared at him without a word. It was a silent affirmation.
"Sixth Blood Star. I ask you. Who is there who has clearly expressed their intent to support Lady Baek Ryeonha?"
The Blood Hand Witch Han Baek-ha did not answer either.
Anyone could see they were at a disadvantage.
At most, there were probably only two or three supporters.
And those would likely be two of the Seven Blood Stars, not the Venerables.
"In this situation, what would happen if even I were to support Lady Baek Hye-hyang?"
"So you're threatening Lady Ryeonha now!"
"Threatening... Sigh."
Seo Gal-ma let out a sigh.
Then, he struck the brown scabbard leaning against his chair with his palm.
Ching!
The long saber inside the scabbard, engraved with a unique pattern, slid halfway out.
His intent not to endure any further was clear.
Seo Gal-ma spoke with sharpened eyes.
"Do I, the Raging Demon Lord Seo Gal-ma, look like someone who would harm the daughter of my Lord? Hae Ak-cheon!"
He, too, looked ready to swing his blade at any moment.
"A man like that draws his sword! Fine. Let's have at it!"
Hae Ak-cheon’s body tensed.
At that moment, Han Baek-ha hurriedly intervened.
"What is this disgraceful behavior from the two of you in front of the Young Lady!"
At her shout, the two men, who were ready to fight, stopped.
It was a strange sight to see such unstoppable men being mindful of Baek Ryeonha.
Was it a lingering sense of loyalty toward the previous Cult Leader?
"Huff. Huff."
I glanced sideways at the sound of shallow breathing; Song Jwa-baek was breaking out in a cold sweat, trying to regulate his breath.
I could understand him, as even my own palms were damp with sweat.
The aura emitted by those two was enough to make even first-rate masters struggle.
Then, the five veiled disciples standing behind the Blood Hand Witch simultaneously turned their bodies in the opposite direction.
Everyone was puzzled.
At that moment, a voice echoed through the room.
[Second Venerable. Fourth Venerable. No... Uncle Seo. Uncle Hae.]
Flop!
As soon as they were addressed, Hae Ak-cheon and Seo Gal-ma simultaneously withdrew their auras, turned toward the bamboo screen, and knelt on one knee to show respect.
—The voice is echoing through the whole room.
It’s the Six Harmonies Complete.
Six Harmonies Complete (六合傳聲).
It was a technique far more difficult than standard Sound Transmission.
It caused the sound to echo from all directions, making it impossible to pinpoint the location of the speaker.
The reason those five had turned around at the same time was likely to prevent anyone from seeing whose throat was vibrating.
I knew her internal energy was no joke, but to be able to perform the Six Harmonies Complete...
Or had her internal energy grown even stronger than before?
[Is it alright if I continue to call you both that, as I did in the past?]
Baek Ryeonha asked through the Six Harmonies Complete.
"Of course."
"Please, call us as you find comfortable."
[Then I shall speak to Uncle Seo first.]
"Please, speak."
[Uncle Seo. You have already decided to nominate my sister as the Cult Leader, so why do you ask me to marry one of your disciples?]
At her question, Seo Gal-ma raised his head and spoke.
"It is to protect you, My Lady."
[Protect?]
"And to prepare for the future."
[What do you mean by that?]
"If we were looking at legitimacy alone, I would also wish to nominate you. However, the Cult, which is on the verge of its resurrection, needs a stronger leader."
That was an undeniable fact.
It was also the reason Hae Ak-cheon had been hesitant to support her.
[...So you mean my sister is stronger than I am.]
"I am sorry. However, this is a desperate measure to protect you and preserve the Cult's legitimacy."
[Is my having an heir how the legitimacy is preserved?]
"It is. That is why the other Revered Stars have not yet expressed a clear intent. However, if you give up the position of Cult Leader for the sake of the Cult's unification and focus on the succession, you will have the justification to prevent Lady Hye-hyang from purging you."
Seo Gal-ma laid out his reasoning.
He was presenting a justification for protecting Baek Ryeonha.
In a way, his method wasn't entirely wrong.
If they followed his plan, they might be able to unify the Blood Cult, which was divided between two candidates, and prevent the purge of her and her supporters.
Grind!
Hae Ak-cheon gnashed his teeth.
"Cut the flowery talk."
"...Are you still at it?"
"Ha! Fine. Let's say everything you said is right. But why must she marry one of your disciples? In the end, isn't it just so you can insert your influence into the Lord's bloodline!"
Hae Ak-cheon pointed this out sharply.
At this, everyone's gaze turned toward Seo Gal-ma.
Seo Gal-ma let out a sigh, shook his head, and spoke.
"Then who else is qualified?"
"What?"
"Among the Revered Stars who are still neutral, if we were to pick a successor qualified to be the Lady's spouse, they must naturally come from the Venerables. However, the other Venerables are already supporting Lady Baek Hye-hyang. Then the answer is obvious, is it not?"
Seo Gal-ma turned his head to look at me, Song Jwa-baek, and Song Woo-hyeon, and let out a smirk.
It was a blatant sneer.
Ha...
Now I understood.
I knew why Go Eun-jae had challenged me.
He had muttered that his master's worries were unnecessary.
In the end, he had confirmed that my capabilities did not match those of him and his senior brother.
And he had fiercely warned me not to step forward even in a situation like this.
—What an annoying brat.
Go Eun-jae was looking at me with a twisted smirk.
His expression seemed to say that Baek Ryeonha belonged to him.
—Aren't you mad?
The Lesser Conversation Sword was more agitated than I was.
I'm human too; of course I didn't feel good.
I had never thought of Baek Ryeonha romantically, but seeing his attitude made me uncomfortable.
However, I had to judge this situation calmly. This wasn't a situation where I should rashly step forward...
"Khahahaha! Hahahaha!"
Suddenly, Hae Ak-cheon burst into a fit of mad laughter.
At his reaction, Seo Gal-ma frowned with a puzzled look.
After laughing for a long time, Hae Ak-cheon’s face turned dead serious.
"The answer is obvious? You think that guy with the smashed-up face is a suitable match for the Lady?"
He pointed his finger at Go Eun-jae’s face.
Thanks to having his face slammed into the ground, his nose and various parts of his face were bruised dark blue.
"That was to take responsibility for his rudeness toward you, Brother Hae."
"Rudeness, my foot. You should tell your disciple to manage his crotch better."
"Hmph! Brother Hae! You are truly crossing the li—"
"A fellow who leers at the disciples of the Blood Hand Witch—how is he fit to be the Lady's spouse? Even a passing bird would laugh at that."
"!!!"
At that devastating verbal blow, Go Eun-jae’s face froze.
Ha!
I wondered when he had noticed, but it seemed Hae Ak-cheon had seen him licking his lips earlier.
Seo Gal-ma glared at Go Eun-jae with fierce eyes.
Go Eun-jae was so flustered that he couldn't meet his master's gaze and kept his head down.
—One down.
The Lesser Conversation Sword chuckled.
Just as it said, there was no way that guy, who had been utterly humiliated, would ever become Baek Ryeonha’s spouse.
To salvage the situation, Seo Gal-ma hurriedly looked toward the bamboo screen and spoke.
"Please forgive my second disciple for his immaturity. I will see to it that he is strictly disciplined. However, my eldest disciple, Geum-won, is more than qualified to be the Lady's match..."
Hae Ak-cheon cut him off and interjected.
"Hey, Seo Gal-ma."
"?"
"Why is it that only your disciples are fit to be the Lady's match?"
"!?"
At those words, not only Seo Gal-ma but also Song Jwa-baek and I looked at Hae Ak-cheon in shock.
What on earth is this old man saying?