The Return of the Demon Emperor
"Bwahahaha!"
The giant man could not hide his sheer delight.
Beside him lay the miserable, lifeless bodies of several villagers.
The blood pooling around them and their twisted, broken limbs painted a truly wretched picture.
Squelch.
Munch, munch.
Tearing into the flesh and blood of one of the corpses, the man smiled with deep satisfaction.
"Today is my lucky day! Nine out of ten have successfully become a part of me!"
The Blood-Sucking Demonic Art he had learned was far more delicate and demanding than its notorious reputation suggested.
Even from the same corpse, the amount of demonic energy one could extract varied wildly.
If the consumed blood harmonized with his own body, the surge in demonic energy was distinct and powerful; if not, it was meager.
Because of this, the man always chose and slaughtered his victims with meticulous care.
His eyes flushed crimson as the demonic energy circulated rapidly through his veins.
"Now I finally understand why Matian bewitched people with the Blood-Sucking Demonic Art, and why they coveted it so much they were willing to become Matian's dogs."
The massive reserve of demonic energy pooling inside him assured him that his choice had been correct.
An amount of internal energy that would normally take a lifetime of arduous effort to accumulate was now piling up effortlessly within him.
The energy filling his lower dantian had become the very force that allowed him to breach the wall of the Transcendental Realm.
"How many were left in Cheongmyo again?"
Recalling the villagers he had spared for later, the giant man's eyes gleamed.
If he had his way, he would go down tomorrow to slaughter them all.
However, one of the drawbacks of the Blood-Sucking Demonic Art was the issue of consecutive consumption.
Drinking blood in rapid succession did not cause fatal complications, but it severely diminished the efficiency of the energy absorption.
Since his sole purpose in drinking human blood was to increase his demonic energy, he had no choice but to exercise patience.
"Ugh! This is driving me mad. It's so hard to resist."
Another side effect of the Blood-Sucking Demonic Art was the insatiable craving for blood once tasted.
Intoxicated by the flavor and the rapid power gains, many ignored the warnings and degenerated into mindless beasts chasing nothing but flesh and blood.
That was precisely why Matian never valued these blood-sucking demons, treating them merely as disposable pawns.
"I need to move my base first, before that old man gets too greedy."
Thinking of his accomplice in the village, the man began to stand up.
Whoosh.
A sudden gust of wind made him knit his brows.
A sudden chill ran down his spine.
"....?!"
Sensing something ominous riding the wind, the man instinctively leaped to his feet.
Though he quickly scowled at his own skittishness, his heart hammered with unease.
"Is this a side effect of the blood-sucking?"
Muttering under his breath, he shivered and took a step toward the campfire to warm himself.
He froze.
He could not take another step.
Before he knew it, an uninvited guest was already waiting for him by the fire.
"Are you satisfied with the power you obtained by slaughtering the innocent?"
"Hehehe, not at all! It's still not enough! It would be a shame to be satisfied with just this!"
The man wanted to slaughter everyone in the village, and even the mediocre martial artists who had dared to come to their aid.
If ordinary peasants can yield this much efficiency, how incredible would the blood of trained martial artists be!
"You look like a martial artist yourself..."
Looking at the man consumed by sheer greed, Yoo Sung let out a quiet sigh.
"Matian's demonic arts have spread too far into the world."
The orthodox and unorthodox martial artists who should have been eradicating these arts were too preoccupied with their own ambitions to care about the plight of the common folk.
Though there were exceptions, like the King of Kunlun or a few righteous souls who still possessed their sanity.
Ultimately, however, individual voices and convictions were always swallowed by the interests of the greater factions.
"Gah!!"
"Do not die so easily. The price for your sins is by no means light."
Yoo Sung's voice was utterly cold as he looked down at the slowly dying man.
The return of the Demon Emperor, who had once turned his back on the Jianghu, began on a nameless mountain near the village of Cheongmyo.
While Yoo Sung was hunting down the demonic practitioner who had plunged Cheongmyo into a living nightmare, the Tang siblings and Ho-sung were also moving stealthily.
Their destination was the village chief's house.
"Since when did you know?" Ho-sung asked quietly, keeping pace behind the Tang siblings.
He had been keeping a close eye on the chief under Yoo Sung's telepathic instructions, but he had not noticed anything out of the ordinary.
"His eyes. The way he remained so calm even when speaking of the deaths of those he supposedly cared about bothered me from the very beginning."
Dang Hwa-young had suspected the chief from the moment she first saw him.
The overall atmosphere of the village was one of absolute despair.
The loss of loved ones is not something even the most optimistic person can bear lightly.
Death is contagious, and so is fear.
In a small village like Cheongmyo, one person's negative emotions would quickly spread to everyone else.
"This wasn't a plague. With a clear culprit on the loose, the chief was far too composed."
"Was that really enough to peg him as an accomplice?"
Ho-sung still found it difficult to comprehend.
He was not doubting her conclusion, of course; he was simply trying to learn and fill the gaps in his own perception.
"Crucially, I checked the ring finger of his left hand."
The left ring finger.
Though Ho-sung had missed it, both the Tang siblings and Yoo Sung had noticed it early on.
A nail stained with a dark, purplish-red hue was a telltale sign of the Blood-Sucking Demonic Art.
While the blood was consumed by mouth, the art was far more effective if the practitioner used their left ring finger to extract the blood from the corpse first.
During the Great Martial War against Matian, checking the left ring finger was a widely known method for identifying blood-sucking demons.
"In the past, people often died before they could even identify the blood-sucking demons, but times have changed."
"Then we must apprehend him quickly before he has a chance to flee," Ho-sung said, and the three of them quickened their pace.
"By the way, I wonder if Yoo Sung is alright."
Dang Hwa-soo was still worried about Yoo Sung, who had yet to return.
Yoo Sung had slipped away, saying he was going to check the mountain behind the village, and had not been seen since.
"Leave him be. Between people, there are some secrets best left unpried," Dang Hwa-young replied casually.
Unlike his sister, Dang Hwa-soo remained stiffly disapproving of Yoo Sung's independent actions.
"Even if he isn't a demon, acting so independently is improper."
Dang Hwa-soo did not believe Yoo Sung harbored any ill intent.
However, discipline was paramount in any group endeavor.
This was especially true when they had joined forces to hunt down a demonic practitioner.
"We may let it slide this once, but it cannot happen again. If he gets hurt, we will have no face to show Grandfather or Aunt."
"Well, I highly doubt that will happen."
Dang Hwa-young was a martial artist at least a step above her brother.
She estimated that Yoo Sung was at least her equal, or perhaps only half a step behind her.
Just what on earth did he do during those ten years?
The Qi flowing from him was so pure and clean it felt almost overwhelming.
His energy possessed a pristine clarity that surpassed any orthodox martial art she knew.
This distinct difference from the typical energy of the Heavenly Sword Academy was undoubtedly connected to his ten years wandering the Jianghu.
Unraveling that mystery slowly will be half the fun.
True to her optimistic nature, she filed it away as a pleasure to look forward to.
"Open it!"
At Dang Hwa-soo's command, Ho-sung did not hesitate and kicked the door of the chief's house open.
Crash!
"....!!"
"Tsk. It seems greed got the better of him."
The village chief lay collapsed on the floor, vomiting black blood in a wretched state.
His limbs were twisted, and his abdomen was bloated like a mountain.
Observing the severe backlash of the Blood-Sucking Demonic Art, Dang Hwa-young reached out.
"I have many questions, but if you answer just one, I will grant you a painless death."
"....Hehehe."
Tears streaming down his face, the chief nodded weakly.
"Where is the blood-sucking demon?"
At Dang Hwa-young's cold question, the chief answered in a trembling, raspy voice.
"Let's move. We must catch him before he escapes!"
"Understood!"
*
"What in the world..."
What greeted the three who had rushed to the scene was a pile of lifeless corpses.
Among them, a man of exceptionally large build caught Dang Hwa-young's eye.
"That must be the blood-sucking demon."
Noticing his left ring finger, which was stained an even darker crimson than the chief's, Dang Hwa-young slowly approached.
Whatever he had witnessed before his death, the man's face was frozen in absolute terror.
"Who could have done this?"
At Dang Hwa-young's murmur, Dang Hwa-soo scanned their surroundings.
"It might be the same backlash that killed the chief. There are no signs of anyone entering the cave."
"Hmm."
Despite her brother's words, Dang Hwa-young remained skeptical.
The terror etched into the dead man's eyes was undoubtedly a reaction to an overwhelmingly powerful foe.
He had died fully aware of the terrifying presence before him.
"Let's look around a bit more, then head back to the village."
They searched the cave thoroughly, but found nothing of note.
"Let's go back."
By the time the three returned to the village, Yoo Sung was already back in his room.
"Did you take care of your business?"
"More or less. There's nothing left to say to the dead anyway."
At Yoo Sung's reply, Dang Hwa-young stared at him intently.
Even under her searching gaze, Yoo Sung remained perfectly composed.
"Don't be gone for so long next time. If you get hurt by a demon, I won't have the face to see Aunt."
"Did something happen?"
"A moment ago, we found the demon in a cave near the mountain you went to."
"The one who slaughtered the villagers?"
"Yes. He was already dead when we arrived, but you realize how dangerous that was, right?"
"I'll be careful next time."
The following day, Dang Hwa-young announced the chief's betrayal and the demon's death to the villagers.
The villagers poured curses and resentment upon the deceased chief.
As time passed, Ha Tae-gun arrived, bringing food and tools for the burials.
He had come to ensure those who perished received a proper funeral.
After the day-long funeral rites concluded, Yoo Sung quietly approached Ha Tae-gun.
"Brother-in-law, could we speak privately tonight?"
"Of course, brother-in-law."
*
At Yoo Sung's request, Ha Tae-gun met him late that night.
In the quiet room where only the two of them sat, Yoo Sung pulled out a manual.
"Th-this is...!"
Ha Tae-gun's eyes widened in shock as he examined the book Yoo Sung handed him.
The manual, bearing the title Blue Thunder Blade Technique, was one of the lost heirlooms the Cheonhyang Merchant Guild had been desperately searching for.
Originally a martial family renowned for their blade techniques, Cheonhyang had been forced to transition into a merchant guild largely due to the loss of their family heirlooms.
In particular, after the signature "Blue Thunder" of the Cheonhyang family head was lost, the clan had gradually declined.
They had searched fruitlessly for years, clinging to the hope that it was hidden somewhere in Sichuan, but had eventually given up.
To think that the Blue Thunder Blade Technique was in Yoo Sung's hands.
Just what on earth has my brother-in-law been doing all this time?
Though intensely curious about Yoo Sung's past, Ha Tae-gun refrained from asking.
"With this, it won't be difficult for you to become the master of the merchant guild."
"Where did you obtain this?"
"I happened across it by chance on the battlefield."
At Yoo Sung's calm reply, Ha Tae-gun pressed no further.
Ten years in the Jianghu was not something to be pried into lightly.
"If you are giving this to me, you must want something in return."
As expected of a merchant guild's heir, Ha Tae-gun was quick to calculate.
Though a good-natured man, the blood of a merchant ran thick in his veins, and Yoo Sung found this trait highly agreeable.
"There are people I need to find. They are those I owe debts to from the battlefield. I would like you to track down their whereabouts."
"Without employing the Beggars' Sect or the Lower District Sect?"
"They belong to the martial world. The people I am looking for have nothing to do with the Jianghu."
Seeing Yoo Sung draw a firm line, Ha Tae-gun nodded.
He gently pushed the manual back.
"I will grant your request. However... I cannot accept this Blue Thunder Blade Technique just yet."
"May I ask why?"
"If one cannot protect a treasure, it only invites disaster."
It meant he was not yet ready to claim leadership of the guild.
"Then I shall keep it safe until your resolve is firm."
"Please do so. Now, who is it you want me to find?"
"Find a woodcarving artisan with the surname Yoon."
"Understood."
Thus, the secret transaction between Yoo Sung and Ha Tae-gun began.