Chapter 238: His Time with the Women-3
Chapter 238: His Time with the Women-3
Diancang Mountain, Yunnan Province.
The area around what had now become the Blood Cult's main headquarters was permanently occupied by countless demon heads, making it a living hell for ordinary citizens.
In particular, Dali, located near Diancang Mountain, had originally been a prosperous and thriving place where even more Han people lived than the Miao tribe.
But now the people of Dali could only lament that they were not Miao tribesmen.
The Miao could at least flee into the jungle to escape the demon heads, but the Han people could not.
Of course, there had been a strict order from the Blood Demon forbidding anyone from harming ordinary citizens.
But no matter how fearsome a supreme being he was, if he could fully control madness, then those under him would not be demon heads of the Blood Cult.
And ultimately, the Blood Demon himself did not pay attention to every single thing that happened outside Diancang Mountain.
As a result, the residents of Dali now had to spend every day constantly worrying about survival.
One early evening, three demon heads burst through the door of an inn in Dali.
Kwaaaang!
"Innkeeper! Bring out your finest liquor and food!"
They were the Choongsamma, demons who had made quite a name for themselves even among the many Blood Cult demon heads stationed in Dali.
The inn's owner, Wang Soban, immediately rushed out to welcome them, bowing so deeply his back seemed ready to snap.
"Aigo! Welcome, welcome, great heroes!"
Though his behavior was obsequious, Wang Soban's bright expression was at least not feigned.
The Choongsamma had already visited several times, paid properly, and eaten their meals—they were, in their own way, regular customers of this inn.
In fact, one could say that having the Choongsamma as regulars was tremendous luck for this establishment.
With powerful demon heads like them coming and going, weaker demon heads dared not cause trouble here.
They were, in their own way, a sturdy bulwark for the inn.
"Please sit here! Wait just a moment and I shall serve you the finest liquor and cuisine!"
Wang Soban, genuinely delighted by their visit, went into the kitchen and earnestly urged his wife to prepare the dishes with special care before returning.
That was when it happened.
The conversation of the Choongsamma, who seemed somewhat ill-tempered, reached his ears.
"These days there are no women wandering about outside at all. It's about time we grabbed one to have some fun with."
"Indeed, Elder Brother. There's no entertainment to be had lately, so I've been utterly bored."
Hearing their horrifying conversation, Wang Soban suddenly broke out in a cold sweat.
And once again he reminded himself.
No matter how beneficial their presence was to his inn and how well-paying they were as valued customers, their true nature was ultimately nothing more than that of lawless Blood Cult demon heads.
So he had to be careful, ever so careful, not to fall out of their favor.
It was while Wang Soban was inwardly disciplining himself with such thoughts.
Suddenly the youngest of the Choongsamma, No Bin-dok, called out to him.
"Now that I think of it, innkeeper!"
Wang Soban hastily plastered a smile across his face and hurried over to him.
"Yes! You called for me?!"
The youngest, No Bin-dok, calling him on behalf of the brothers was a fairly common occurrence.
And so Wang Soban could not have possibly imagined.
What words would come out of No Bin-dok's mouth.
No Bin-dok suddenly smiled meaningfully and asked Wang Soban.
"Innkeeper, are you married?"
In that moment, something ominous brushed against the back of Wang Soban's neck.
But unable to grasp the nature of that ominous feeling in time, Wang Soban could only answer with the kindly smile that had become second nature to him.
"Aigo, indeed I am! My wife is the cook of this establishment!"
No Bin-dok's face lit up with delight as he spoke.
"Ho-oh! Excellent. Then tell your wife to come out for a moment."
At those words, Wang Soban's face instantly froze solid.
Because the things they had been saying just moments ago, and the sudden demand to bring out his wife, were racing toward some ominous conclusion in his mind.
Wang Soban forced himself to smile and said.
"My wife is presently preparing dishes for you heroes. So at the moment it's a bit...."
But Wang Soban should have remembered.
That they were not the sort to accept his excuses, that they were the most lawless Blood Cult demon heads in the world.
At his excuse, No Bin-dok spoke, wiping the smile clean off his face.
"I said bring her out. Right now."
In that instant, a prickling sensation swept across Wang Soban's entire body, his breath caught in his throat, and his legs began to go numb.
Even without being a martial artist, he could tell clearly enough.
That it was because of the killing intent No Bin-dok was emanating.
In the end, Wang Soban had no choice but to force his mouth open and call for his wife.
Like the other residents of Dali, he too had long since lost the strength and will to resist the Blood Cult's demon heads.
"D-Dear! C-Come out here for a moment!"
But perhaps because she was busy cooking and didn't hear, no reply came from her.
Wang Soban wanted to say he would go in and fetch her himself.
But he could not.
The terror that the moment he took even a single step his own head would be severed gripped his entire body.
All he could do was raise his voice more desperately.
"Dear! Come out here at once! I said come out at once!"
At that, Wang Soban's wife, who had been cooking, emerged from the kitchen with a hint of irritation.
"I'm in the middle of cooking, why do you...?!"
But as she came out speaking, she immediately witnessed it.
The Choongsamma's ferocious eyes scanning her entire body, and her husband standing before them, pale-faced and trembling as if about to collapse.
She could guess at once.
That something terrible was happening.
And sure enough, the third brother No Bin-dok spoke with a greasy grin.
"Ho-oh, I wasn't expecting much, but she's reasonably pleasant to look at, isn't she? Don't you agree, Elder Brothers?"
At his question, the first and second of the Choongsamma, No Gye-dok and No Yeok-dok, also answered with greasy smiles.
"Indeed, she's better than I thought."
"She'll do in a pinch."
As a woman, she could now fully grasp what this situation was.
What sort of situation she was in.
She suddenly looked at her husband with desperate eyes.
But her husband could not meet her gaze.
Because he was hanging his head low, tears streaming down his face, paralyzed by guilt, self-loathing, and a terror that even those could not overcome.
Then No Bin-dok addressed her.
"Now then, woman. Come over here at once."
She swallowed hard and began to earnestly plead.
"Great heroes, as you can see, I am a woman with a husband and a child at home. So I beg of you...."
But that too was futile.
Because No Bin-dok cut her off and asked this.
"You can't because you have a husband and child. Then if you had no husband and no child, that would be fine, wouldn't it?"
At those words, the woman turned deathly pale.
Because she could immediately tell what the sharp gleam in No Bin-dok's eyes meant as he spoke such terrifying words while looking at her husband Wang Soban.
And the woman's eyes could see No Bin-dok's fingers twitch slightly toward her husband.
She cried out urgently.
"No!"
The woman understood.
That if she delayed even a moment longer, she would lose her husband.
That there was no more time to hesitate if she wanted to save him.
No Bin-dok's cold eyes turned toward her.
His gaze seemed to ask, what is it that's not so.
The woman spoke in a trembling voice.
"Even though I have a husband and child... it doesn't matter."
Only then did a thin smile draw across No Bin-dok's lips.
"Ho-oh, is that so?"
In that moment, tears streamed down the woman's face.
But even so, she had to nod her head.
"Yes.... It doesn't matter."
Once the answer he had wanted came from her, No Bin-dok, now wearing a satisfied smile, looked at his two elder brothers and said.
"That's what she says, Elder Brothers."
His two elder brothers, No Gye-dok and No Yeok-dok, who had been watching with amused grins as if enjoying a spectacle, nodded in satisfaction as well.
"Good, then tonight instead of food, we'll have something else to feast on. Innkeeper, we'll be taking our leave now."
"Ahei, why bother going outside? Just settle things right here."
"Really? That works too. Innkeeper, we'll borrow this place for a bit. Close the door and step outside for a while, won't you?"
Wang Soban, the inn's owner, felt as though his entire body was soaking through with despair and helplessness.
These lawless bastards were now telling him to go outside while they violated his wife right inside his own establishment.
But Wang Soban could only answer immediately.
"Yes, great heroes. Understood."
He felt as though he might die on the spot from the excruciating self-loathing, but as a resident of Dali, he had no other choice.
Other than simply growing accustomed to these lawless acts....
It was just as Wang Soban, unable to bear looking his wife in the eye, was about to step outside the inn.
Suddenly, someone's voice rang out.
"How about me instead of that woman?"
It was the clear voice of a young woman.
At the voice that came so suddenly, the Choongsamma all turned their heads toward the door.
There, leaning against the doorframe—though when she had entered no one knew—stood a woman in red martial attire, watching them.
And the moment they saw the woman's figure, the Choongsamma's eyes flew wide open.
"Ho-oh!"
"Well, look at this?"
The woman's figure was superb.
Even through her martial attire, one could immediately recognize that the body within was exceptionally fine.
It was a bit of a pity that her bangs hung down to her nose, making it impossible to properly see her face, but even just from the lips visible beneath, one could easily guess she was a tremendous beauty.
Then she asked again.
"No?"
"Huh?"
Only after hearing that question did the Choongsamma recall what the woman had just asked—whether she might play with them instead of the innkeeper's wife.
They chuckled as they answered.
"How could we possibly say no?"
"You needn't ask twice."
"Come here at once!"
Then she spoke briefly again.
"Then let them go."
At her words, the Choongsamma looked at the innkeeper and his wife.
It was a look asking what they were still doing without getting lost.
"Ah, th-thank you!"
"Thank you, thank you!"
Realizing they had been saved, the innkeeper and his wife bowed their heads to them with tears streaming and then hastily dashed out the door.
As they left, they cast a brief look of pity toward the woman leaning against the doorframe.
But in the end, they went straight outside without saying a single word to her.
The Choongsamma rose to their feet.
Now it was time to really have some fun.
The eldest, No Gye-dok, licked the spittle on his lips with his tongue and said.
"Now then, shall we begin?"
At those words, the woman whose bangs covered her face—Hae Cheong-yeon—also straightened up from where she had been leaning against the doorframe.
Then with her left thumb, she pushed the sword's guard, drawing the blade slightly.
Ting!
The pure white blade revealed between the white scabbard cast a white radiance.
But seeing this, the Choongsamma began to cackle with laughter.
It was because she had already anticipated that they would not simply surrender their bodies to her.
But it did not matter.
They exchanged words as they slowly approached Hae Cheong-yeon.
"Heh heh heh, a rose is more beautiful when it has thorns."
"The hunt is more enjoyable when it is difficult."
"A woman is cuter the more she throws a tantrum, is she not?"
The Three Demons of Chowung were peak-level masters who ranked among the highest of the demon heads stationed in Dali.
The eldest, No Gye-dok, was a master who had reached a full ninety years of internal energy, and his two younger brothers had also reached eighty years of internal energy, so they were beings one could not even dare to challenge unless one was a transcendent peak master.
Hae Cheong-yeon, who had been watching them approach her for a moment, moved her right hand toward her sword hilt as if to draw her blade, then suddenly swung her hand toward them.
Hwaak!
Then something flew from her hand at a terrifying speed.
Wiiiiiiing!
"!"
The Three Demons of Chowung were startled by the three small wheels suddenly shot at them from close range and hurriedly dodged them.
No matter how close the range, the speed was fearsome.
Shiiiik!
"Heok!"
"Huk!"
The small wheels fiercely grazed past their clothes.
No Gye-dok, who had barely dodged the small wheels, gritted his teeth and said,
"This bitch, her specialty wasn't the sword but hidden weapons...!"
It was that moment.
The small wheels that had passed them were spinning fiercely and returning.
It was because of the tremendous spin that they had not hit the walls even inside this small inn.
Wiiiiiiing!
"!"
"Th, that?!"
"The Blood Wheel Demon Art?!"
The Three Demons of Chowung could not help but be appalled.
It was unmistakably the Blood Wheel Demon Art that the Hell's Blood Monk, Chuk Ho-tak, had once used.
The Blood Wheel Demon Art, said to be learnable only by high-ranking officials of the Blood Cult, was being unleashed from Hae Cheong-yeon's hand.
The Three Demons of Chowung were horrified and turned around to defend against the small wheels.
At that moment, the blade of Hae Cheong-yeon's sword, White Ash, finally shone with light.
The Stellar Net Sword Art's Fifth Form.
Comet Star Black.
Puuuuk!
"Keoheok!"
Comet Star Black was the extreme-speed thrust that the Sword Saint Hae Un-baek, Hae Cheong-yeon's father, had once guaranteed was not inferior to the Jeomchang Sect's One Strike, One Kill.
The youngest, No Bin-dok, whose heart was pierced from behind by that thrust, had no choice but to die instantly.
And in the next moment, Hae Cheong-yeon's small wheel embedded itself in his already dead stomach.
Puuuk!
Seeing this, No Gye-dok and No Yeok-dok cried out in shock.
"Youngest!"
"You bitch, how dare you!"
Ting! Ting!
The eldest No Gye-dok and the second No Yeok-dok immediately struck away the small wheels and turned their bodies to pounce on Hae Cheong-yeon.
It was the moment when Hae Cheong-yeon's sword had not yet been pulled from No Bin-dok's back.
"You bitch!"
It was that moment.
Suddenly, crimson lightning energy began to rise around Hae Cheong-yeon's sword, White Ash.
Pajijijik!
"Kkeueueuk!"
"Th, this is?!"
No Gye-dok and No Yeok-dok, who were pouncing on her, suddenly had no choice but to retreat, unable to approach further because of the powerful lightning energy surrounding her.
The eldest No Gye-dok muttered with an expression of disbelief.
"This is, don't tell me... the Blood Thunder Sword Technique?"
If it was the Blood Thunder Sword Technique, it was the Blood Cult's supreme sword art, created by transforming the Namgung Family's Emperor Sword Form.
It was also, literally, the highest-level sword art that only the central figures of the Blood Cult could learn.
Yet that incredible sword art was being unleashed by this unknown young woman before his eyes.
No Gye-dok swallowed dryly and asked,
"Wh, who are you?"
But Hae Cheong-yeon did not answer that question.
She merely extended her left palm toward him wordlessly.
The crimson energy force thickly covering her left hand gave off an ominous feeling.
No Gye-dok furrowed his brow and shouted,
"What are you doing now...?!"
It was that moment.
A crimson dragon suddenly burst forth from her left hand.
Kurarararara!
It was a crimson dragon made of energy force.
And No Gye-dok already knew the name of that martial art.
"Ni, Nine Heavens Blood Dragon...?!"
The appalled No Gye-dok and No Yeok-dok urgently threw their bodies to scatter and tried to dodge it.
But they were so surprised that they failed to realize something.
That Hae Cheong-yeon's Blood Wheel Demon Art had not yet ended....
Wiiiiiiing!
Two small wheels were flying toward them from behind their backs, spinning fiercely.
Having become desperate, they had to turn their bodies with difficulty and strike them away.
Teoteong!
It was that moment.
The blood dragon, which had changed direction before they knew it, was already pouncing on No Gye-dok's back.
Kurwararararak!
"Keuk!"
No Gye-dok intuitively sensed that this might be his end.
He desperately squeezed out all the martial power in his body and released it outward.
It was a protective strong qi he could not even properly deploy yet.
"Heuaaaaap!"
Hwaaaaak!
The next moment, the fierce blood dragon crashed onto the red film bursting from his body.
Kwaaaaaaang!
A tremendous explosion rang out, and a moment later, inside the inn where the dust had settled, No Gye-dok, his whole body battered and bruised, was staggering with both hands stretched out in front of him.
And in the end, he had no choice but to collapse down weakly.
Teolsseok.
"Keoheok!"
Blood gushed out from his mouth.
He had suffered severe internal injuries.
No Gye-dok barely lifted his head and looked ahead.
Then the sight of his second younger brother, No Yeok-dok, already dead with his chest split wide open, entered his eyes.
Judging by the sight of the split chest burned black, he had likely been struck by the Blood Thunder Sword Technique.
No Gye-dok gritted his teeth and asked the woman walking toward him, step by step.
"You wench... just what... are you? Are you one of those Blood Demons I've only heard of?"
At his question, Hae Cheong-yeon briefly halted her steps.
And muttered.
"A Blood Demon.... Perhaps I am."
Then she swung her sword and cut off both of No Gye-dok's arms.
Hwiriririk!
Puhahak!
"Keuk!"
Even with both eyes wide open, No Gye-dok had no choice but to simply watch the sight of his arms being cut off.
It was because he had suffered such severe internal injuries from the Nine Heavens Blood Dragon Demon Art, the Blood Cult's strongest martial art, that he did not even have the strength to lift a single finger.
But No Gye-dok, whose mouth alone could still move, smiled bitterly and said,
"Heung! Why do you only cut my arms instead of killing me? Do you plan to toy with me? If you were expecting a pitiful sight from me..."
But to his words, Hae Cheong-yeon replied curtly.
"I have no such intention."
Tak!
She answered without emotion as she pressed No Gye-dok's blood points, then walked behind his back.
Then No Gye-dok shouted toward Hae Cheong-yeon, who had vanished from his sight.
"You bitch! What are you trying to do to me?! Ju...!"
It was that moment.
Kwajik!
No Gye-dok gritted his teeth at the pain suddenly felt from the side of his neck.
"Keuk!"
And he heard a sound.
Jjuuk! Jjuuk!
Only now could No Gye-dok realize what she was doing.
She was drinking his blood.
Drinking blood to absorb internal energy was the Blood Cult's unique essence absorption method; she was likely trying to absorb his internal energy.
"Th, this bitch! My internal energy...!"
But No Gye-dok could no longer make a sound.
His voice no longer came out due to the feeling of powerlessness that stretched his whole body slack.
He could only open and close his mouth as he slowly died.
His end was decorated by the very method he had countless times performed on others.
A moment later, Hae Cheong-yeon, who had sufficiently drunk blood and absorbed internal energy, removed her mouth from No Gye-dok's neck.
The sensation of liquid trickling down her lips and the bitter taste and smell felt on her tongue and nose—she felt an intense self-loathing at the fact that she had become accustomed to these sensations before she knew it.
It was filthy.
Everything was....
Hae Cheong-yeon repeated to herself in her heart.
'This is not the time to be picky about means and methods. I must do everything I possibly can.'
As always, she tried to persuade herself.
But the filthy feeling did not improve in the slightest.
She felt as if the madness of the Blood Cult's martial arts, which she had suppressed with the Great Calm Mind Technique, was about to surge up.
In the end, Hae Cheong-yeon had no choice but to give up on enduring it alone.
Then she thought of his face, which she had taken to recalling whenever it became unbearable these days.
'Seonu Gongja.'
As his smiling face rose in her mind, her heart seemed to settle a little.
Had he not even raided the Blood Cult's den to save her?
So, after all he had done, it would be too shameful to him if she could not endure even this degree of filth.
Hae Cheong-yeon gritted her teeth and pulled herself together again.
'Endure it, Hae Cheong-yeon. Somehow I must escape this place and return to him. By any means necessary. So, this much is fine.'
Hae Cheong-yeon opened her closed eyes.
Since her eyes were covered by her hair, nothing showed on the outside.
Neither the madness that had just assaulted her, nor the confusion.
Hae Cheong-yeon suddenly closed her eyes again and attempted to sense the presences around her.
Even when she focused her mind carefully, nothing was felt in her mind's eye.
But she knew all too well that this did not mean no one was there.
Because the subordinates of Guyueumma Jigieum were always hovering around her, watching her.
So, if she could not even feel a presence now that she had broken through the ninety-year internal energy wall, the answer was obvious.
Hae Cheong-yeon abruptly opened her mouth and spoke.
"I intend to circulate my qi now. I apologize, but could the Sound Demon please guard the front of the inn for a moment?"
No answer came to her question.
Perfect silence; embarrassingly for her having spoken, it seemed as if no one was around her.
But Hae Cheong-yeon did not doubt her judgment.
She stood silently in place, as if she had no intention of moving at all until she received an answer.
Then finally, a voice came from the empty air.
"No one will be able to disturb the young lady's qi circulation. Do not entertain such worries."
It was an astonishing stealth technique; even though the voice was heard within this narrow inn, its location could not be pinpointed.
Thinking that she could not escape from here until she could grasp his stealth technique, Hae Cheong-yeon sat down in that spot and entered qi circulation.
Considering how Squad Leader Seol Pung had once discerned his position, her own martial strength apparently still fell short compared to Squad Leader Seol Pung.
As expected, she still had a long way to go.
And she also thought.
Judging by Guyueumma Jigieum watching her, it seemed the Blood Demon had gone out somewhere again.
They probably did not want her to know, but she had already grasped the fact that Ji Gi-eum only watched her when the Blood Demon was out.
'So, when I escape someday, I should aim for the moment when Ji Gi-eum is beside me watching.'
And to do that, she would first have to fill her internal energy to one hundred years using the internal energy of the demon head she had just absorbed.
One hundred years of internal energy.
Before she knew it, she had reached right before the threshold of the transcendent peak.
It was a tremendous speed of growth, not slow at all even compared to Seonwoo Jin, whom Mukrang was wholeheartedly helping from the side.