The Spirit-Returning Blade
"Hold them back!!!"
"Everyone, fall back!!"
Screams erupted from all directions.
Though they had tried to prepare for the Blood Demon Sect's raid, the enemy's onslaught was relentlessly fierce.
BOOM!
The first to arrive were second-rate bandits who had made quite a name for themselves in Sichuan.
Around thirty raiders charged forward with all their might, smashing through the main gate of Cheolgajang.
The bald man leading them was known as the 'Fire Dog.'
True to his moniker, the pyromaniacal hound was already setting the surroundings of Cheolgajang ablaze.
*Whoosh!*
The Fire Dog's signature technique, the Fire Dragon Palm, shattered the main gate and began to incinerate Cheolgajang's outer walls.
"Fire Dog!!!"
"Bwahaha! Yoon Geom! Finally decided to crawl out, have you?"
At the Fire Dog's mockery, a middle-aged swordsman named Yoon Geom scowled.
He was one of the strongest retainers currently staying at Cheolgajang.
Having a deep, bitter history with the Fire Dog, Yoon Geom had stepped forward the moment he spotted him.
However, the unfolding situation was far stranger than he had anticipated.
Is this really all of them?
The number of raiders who had appeared was barely forty at most.
Compared to the hundred or so attackers from the previous night, their numbers had dwindled significantly.
Was last night their full force?
But to think so would be amateurish.
While these second-rate bandits possessed decent martial prowess, they were ruthless scoundrels who would stop at nothing to achieve their goals.
CRASH!
A massive explosion shook the interior of Cheolgajang.
Yoon Geom and the other defenders of Cheolgajang looked toward the source of the blast in shock.
"...There was a spy among us."
Of all places, the explosion had occurred in the pavilion where the retainers were lodged.
It couldn't be a coincidence. There had to be a traitor among either the retainers or Cheolgajang's own members.
Although they had prepared to some extent, minimizing casualties, the presence of a spy made it difficult to trust anyone around them.
A wicked grin spread across the Fire Dog's face.
"Finally catching on, are you?"
Chuckling, the Fire Dog swung his arms wildly, sending a wave of flames crashing toward Yoon Geom.
"You fools. Do you know who is backing us? It's the Tang Clan!"
"Only a branch family, at best."
With a sneer, the Fire Dog unleashed his palm strikes at Yoon Geom.
Simultaneously, the second-rate bandits charged into Cheolgajang with ferocious momentum.
...What is that?!
Yoon Geom's eyes widened as he parried the Fire Dog's palm strikes.
In the distance, a group of figures was rushing forward, making no effort to conceal their intense demonic energy.
Wearing dark red hoods, they were the notoriously infamous cultists of the Blood Demon Sect.
"It's the Blood Demon Sect!!!"
"The Blood Demon Sect has appeared!!!"
Others who spotted them screamed in terror, echoing Yoon Geom's alarm.
Though categorized similarly to second-rate bandits in terms of classification, the Blood Demon cultists possessed incomparable, devastating power. Their true assault had finally begun.
Despite the screams and explosions echoing from outside, the man's eyes remained fixed solely on the Blood-Returning Blade.
This was Nam Ji-hong, the man who had brought a storm of blood to Cheolgajang.
The voice that had been whispering in his ear for years was gradually growing fainter.
—Fufufu... This is your limit. Give up on this pathetic struggle and take my hand. I shall grant you the world.
It was the same voice that tempted him daily with a sinister sneer.
Ignoring it completely, Nam Ji-hong squeezed out every last drop of his remaining strength.
THUD!
With a heavy vibration, the evil energy shrouding the Blood-Returning Blade thinned slightly, but Nam Ji-hong's heart remained heavy.
Just a bit more.
Just a little bit more.
He desperately urged himself on, but eventually, Nam Ji-hong stopped and examined the Blood-Returning Blade.
"Is this my limit?"
Nam Ji-hong smiled bitterly and lowered his hands.
No matter how hard he tried, he could go no further.
For over three years, he had struggled to purify the Blood-Returning Blade before him.
It was a weapon that had become utterly corrupted, far deviating from its original purpose.
Purifying a demonic blade possessed by such a powerful, malevolent will was an arduous task.
He had used exorcism techniques and the secret arts of the Nam Clan to forcibly cleanse the blade.
As a result, the evil thoughts had diminished compared to the beginning, but he still could not eradicate the final, stubborn core.
"It is just as you said."
Nam Ji-hong turned his head. There stood Yoo Sung, looking on indifferently.
"To be honest, I didn't expect you to make this much progress."
Even Yoo Sung was impressed by Nam Ji-hong's achievement.
The previous night, Yoo Sung had sought out Nam Ji-hong to purify the Blood-Returning Blade.
To completely restore the blade, Yoo Sung's own techniques were required, but he first needed Nam Ji-hong to lay the groundwork.
At first, Nam Ji-hong hadn't believed Yoo Sung.
But once Yoo Sung revealed the true nature of the Blood-Returning Blade and the Blood Demon Sect's ultimate goal, Nam Ji-hong could no longer hesitate.
If the Blood-Returning Blade were to be stolen, the last three years of his life would have been entirely in vain.
"Now, it is your turn."
Nam Ji-hong stepped aside with a wistful expression, and Yoo Sung reached out toward the Blood-Returning Blade.
*Wuuuung!*
A resonant, violent hum vibrated from the blade, completely different from before.
This is...!
Nam Ji-hong could read the blade's will within that resonance.
Seeing the Blood-Returning Blade tremble in fear and attempt to flee from Yoo Sung, Nam Ji-hong realized that his long wait had finally come to an end.
Heaven granted me three years of time just so I could wait for him.
Realizing his heavenly mandate was complete, Nam Ji-hong quietly recalled the first patriarch of his clan.
The Blood-Returning Blade was originally a divine relic forged by the first patriarch of the Nam Clan.
It was Yoo Sung who had revealed this truth to him, proving helpful in more ways than one.
—Get away! What on earth are you?!
As the humming subsided, the frantic voice of the Blood God echoed at Yoo Sung's touch.
His rage and hatred filled the room like a thick fog.
Nam Ji-hong, already pale, gasped for breath, but Yoo Sung remained perfectly calm.
If anything, the struggling energy of the Blood God began to dissipate.
*Flash!*
A brilliant light enveloped Yoo Sung and the Blood-Returning Blade as a gentle breeze swept through the room.
"...Incredible."
Even Nam Ji-hong, who had witnessed countless wonders as a master blacksmith of Cheolgajang, had never seen such a miraculous sight.
The evil thoughts dwelling within the Blood-Returning Blade vanished, and the demonic energy that had felt so chilling to the bone completely disappeared.
Though it was still far from a pristine, radiant state, the sinister aura of the old Blood-Returning Blade was gone.
Seeing the blade as if it had been reborn, Nam Ji-hong knew that everything Yoo Sung had said was true.
"The blade your ancestor forged was not meant to be the Blood-Returning Blade. It was originally created as the Spirit-Returning Blade. Its purpose was to guide wandering souls back to where they belong, rather than letting them roam the mortal realm. The entity known as the Blood God simply corrupted it into the Blood-Returning Blade. Now, after all this time, it is finally reclaiming its true value."
He hadn't fully believed those words at the time, but his desire to rid the blade of its evil thoughts had driven him to cooperate. The result was nothing short of miraculous.
Nam Ji-hong looked at the transformed Blood-Returning Blade—no, it was now the Spirit-Returning Blade—with deep, overwhelming emotion.
Just then,
"Stop. Do not take another step."
A voice echoed from behind, freezing Nam Ji-hong in his tracks.
Yoo Sung, however, calmly continued what he was doing.
"You!!"
Enraged by Yoo Sung's indifference, the man thrust his hand forward.
*Whoosh!*
A gust of wind erupting from the man's hand carried a metallic, bloody scent as it surged toward Yoo Sung.
"Watch out!"
Despite Nam Ji-hong's urgent warning, Yoo Sung remained focused entirely on the Spirit-Returning Blade.
Though the Spirit-Returning Blade had reclaimed its true essence, a faint trace of the Blood-Returning Blade's scent still lingered.
If the Blood Demon Sect got their hands on it now, all their efforts would go to waste.
Thus, Yoo Sung prioritized finishing the purification of the Spirit-Returning Blade over dealing with the mysterious intruder.
And then...
*Flash!*
A light far more brilliant than before illuminated Nam Ji-hong's quarters.
—Aaargh! I cannot... I cannot vanish like this!!!
With a wretched scream, the last remnants of the Blood God were completely eradicated, and the Spirit-Returning Blade finally shone in its full, radiant glory.
"What in the world is this?!"
The Blood Sword Emperor was utterly dumbfounded by the miracle unfolding before his eyes.
The sole reason he had brought the Blood Demon cultists to raid Cheolgajang was to reclaim the Blood-Returning Blade.
As a swordsman, he didn't strictly need a saber like the Blood-Returning Blade.
However, to achieve complete independence from Matian and realize the resurrection of the Blood God, both the Blood Core left behind by the Blood God and the Blood-Returning Blade were absolute necessities.
Even if he couldn't wield the blade himself, securing the Blood Core would vastly increase his chances of ascending to the position of the next Cult Leader.
Yet, everything had just gone up in smoke.
It clearly possessed the physical form of the Blood-Returning Blade, but it was no longer the same weapon.
The Blood-Returning Blade he remembered was a sinister, bewitching demonic artifact that sent shivers down the spine of anyone who looked at it.
"You bastards!!"
Realizing that the Blood-Returning Blade had been exorcised, the Blood Sword Emperor flew into a rage.
For the sake of today, he had swallowed his pride to make a deal with Yeo Mi-ho and mobilized every single Blood Demon cultist under his command.
It was a decisive move meant to paint Cheolgajang in blood and wipe it off the map.
And now, it had all been for nothing.
*Rumble...*
A suffocating wave of murderous intent erupted from the Blood Sword Emperor.
He had surpassed the peak of the Transcendental Realm and barely managed to step into the Extreme Demon Realm.
Though he had only just crossed the threshold, that alone filled him with absolute confidence.
"I do not know what kind of sorcery you used, but once it is drenched in blood again, it will return to its original state."
His eyes flashing with a bloody light, the Blood Sword Emperor glared at Nam Ji-hong and Yoo Sung.
"I will hold you accountable for daring to touch the sacred relic of our cult."
His low, quiet voice carried a palpable, violent fury.
A gentle breeze began to circulate around Nam Ji-hong, who was struggling to breathe under the pressure.
"It was originally a treasure of the Nam Clan. You bastards stole it, claimed it as your divine relic, and corrupted it into a demonic weapon."
"....!"
"He's not wrong."
Unlike the startled Blood Sword Emperor, Nam Ji-hong smiled bitterly and agreed with Yoo Sung.
The Blood Sword Emperor's anger flared up once more at their exchange, but Yoo Sung cut him off again.
"This is why you people are hopeless. Always coveting what belongs to others, forgetting your own roots. That is why you will always be nothing but second-rate imitations."
"You bastard!!!"
The moment Yoo Sung finished speaking, the Blood Sword Emperor lunged forward.
Yoo Sung had struck the ultimate sore spot of the Blood Demon Sect.
The Blood Cult had originated from one of the demonic veins of Cheon-san, but they had ultimately failed to overcome Matian and were absorbed as a mere faction of the Blood Demon Sect.
This historical subjugation had left them with a deep-seated inferiority complex.
Yoo Sung knew this perfectly well and had deliberately provoked him.
"I will make sure you die an agonizing death!"
"Try it if you can."
At Yoo Sung's nonchalant provocation, the Blood Sword Emperor's sword began to dance.
BOOM!
The Blood Sword Emperor's blade shattered the innocent floorboards once again.
Nam Ji-hong's quarters were already completely demolished.
The Blood Sword Emperor hadn't bothered to stop Nam Ji-hong when he fled with Yoo Sung's assistance.
The entire Cheolgajang estate was already under siege by the Blood Demon cultists.
They had meticulously erected a barrier array to ensure not a single soul could escape. He could kill him whenever he pleased.
"You!"
His gaze locked onto Yoo Sung once more. Yoo Sung lightly dodged the Blood Sword Emperor's blade and widened the distance.
Every time the Blood Sword Emperor tried to close in, Yoo Sung retreated just enough to maintain a precise distance.
Though he had initially found Yoo Sung's evasive maneuvers laughable, the Blood Sword Emperor gradually regained his composure.
"You are a surprisingly skilled master."
Dodging once or twice might have been a fluke.
But maintaining such a perfect distance against him consistently was no easy feat.
"You are far more disappointing than I expected. You don't live up to the weight of your title as the Blood Sword Emperor."
"....!"
Every single word Yoo Sung uttered pierced the Blood Sword Emperor's heart like a dagger.
"You certainly have a talent for running your filthy mouth. Even in death, I will make sure that tongue of yours is shredded to pieces."
"Try it if you can."
Despite Yoo Sung's indifferent provocation, the Blood Sword Emperor calmly wielded his sword this time.
"Tsk."
Seeing the Blood Sword Emperor maintain his cold rationality, Yoo Sung clicked his tongue.
Since the Blood Sword Emperor had regained his composure faster than expected, Yoo Sung realized he needed to start taking this seriously.
Otherwise, the screams echoing from outside would only grow louder.
Let's see if it's fully restored. Shall I give it a try?
Before handing the Spirit-Returning Blade over to his sister-in-law, Bing Hwa, he needed to tame it and ensure there was absolutely no chance of it reverting back into the Blood-Returning Blade.
Since Bing Hwa was a demonic practitioner from the North Sea,
she might inadvertently be possessed if any remnants of the Blood God's influence remained.
"You madman! Do you honestly believe you can wield that?!"
The Blood Sword Emperor's mocking expression instantly froze.
*Swish!*
For the incoming strike of Yoo Sung's Spirit-Returning Blade was something he could absolutely not afford to take lightly.