Chapter 383
Chapter 383
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 383
Chapter Title: The Blue Fragrance Sect
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As the High Blossom, Jin-seol had a surprising number of duties in the Demonic Sanctum.
The Demonic Sanctum, as immense as it was, had a constant schedule of various events and ceremonies.
And overseeing them all was solely Jin-seol’s responsibility.
“Place that over there. This is the Grand Commander’s path, so put it here. Position the guards this way. The noon sun will be shining here, so…”
She managed the event schedules and personally arranged all the necessary equipment and personnel.
“No. The Great Sea Saber to be bestowed upon the new Blood Wind Brigade Leader weighs over fifty *geun*, so the first-class guards must move it.”
It was also her job to cultivate the right atmosphere for the dignity and ritual of the events, or to train the people involved.
“Lady Jin, the High Blossom.”
A young handmaiden approached Jin-seol as she was giving instructions to the warriors and bowed her head.
“The Lord of the Martial Soul requests your presence.”
“What did you say?”
“The Lord of the Martial Soul is looking for you.”
Jin-seol frowned.
Why would Bu Eun-seol be looking for her? Could he have come to protest what happened a few days ago?
“Escort the Lord to the Seolyeon Pavilion, no, the Huiyang Pavilion. I will be there shortly.”
“Understood.”
After the handmaiden left, Jin-seol gave a few more instructions to the warriors.
Then she made her way to the Seolyeon Pavilion.
Entering the guest hall, she saw a peerlessly handsome man, as perfect as a painting, sitting composedly. It was Bu Eun-seol.
“High Blossom Jin.”
“Lord of the Martial Soul.”
Jin-seol offered a polite but stiff greeting.
“What brings you here?”
“I came because I have something to ask.”
“Please, speak.”
Taking a deep breath, Bu Eun-seol spoke with an utterly serious expression.
“Shim Wol. Could you not part ways with him?”
The words were so unexpected that Jin-seol’s expression hardened.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Exactly what I said.”
Bu Eun-seol spoke with utmost sincerity.
“I am asking if you can break up with him.”
“And why should I do that?”
Then, words she had never anticipated, not even in her dreams, began to pierce her ears.
“He has colluded with outside forces. Not only that, he has mercilessly slaughtered innocent commoners.”
Jin-seol was so shocked that her thoughts momentarily froze.
“He slaughtered commoners? He did?”
“That is correct.”
Bu Eun-seol said with an incredibly grave expression.
“He is the Phantom Killer.”
At the successive shocking revelations, Jin-seol felt a pain as if someone were strangling her.
She tried to open her mouth, but the words wouldn’t come out.
“Your joke is in poor taste.”
After a long moment, Jin-seol spoke, her voice exceedingly cold and composed.
“Him, the Phantom Killer? A man who can’t even properly kill a fly?”
She shook her head.
“You may be the Lord of the Martial Soul, but I have likely been in the Demonic Sanctum longer. And I have watched him for quite some time.”
“…”
“If he possessed such a ruthless disposition, he wouldn’t be in Manbak Hall. He would already be a successor to the Demonic Sanctum.”
“I acknowledge that.”
The reason Shim Wol had not gained Jeok-bung’s approval was his lack of killing intent, the most essential quality for a demonic practitioner.
What if he had the latent, ruthless killing intent to slaughter commoners?
He would have mastered Jeok-bung’s martial arts from the start and would have been a candidate for succession.
“But it is the truth. And he has consumed an elixir that increases one's internal energy and killing intent.”
‘An elixir that increases internal energy and killing intent?’
She had never heard of such an elixir in the martial world, not even in jest.
But Bu Eun-seol was not the type to joke, so such a thing must truly exist.
In that moment, a torrent of emotions washed over Jin-seol.
“You’re saying you have proof.”
“I do.”
“Then you should proceed with that. Why come to me and say such things?”
Bu Eun-seol stared intently into her lake-like eyes and said.
“If all his crimes are brought to light, as his fiancée, you, High Blossom Jin, will share in his disgrace.”
In the end, Bu Eun-seol was telling her this in advance for her own sake.
“You are foolish, my Lord.”
Jin-seol said coldly.
“Did you not consider that I might agree, and then go and tell him this in advance?”
Since the two were engaged, she could very well secretly relay this information to Shim Wol.
But Bu Eun-seol shook his head firmly.
“If you do, then I will have misjudged you.”
Jin-seol could no longer maintain her composure and trembled slightly.
In that instant, she understood why Shim Wol had become a murderer, why he had made such a choice.
The Lord of the Martial Soul, who commanded the adoration and respect of all young demonic practitioners.
Before this radiant, divine man standing before her, anyone would feel insignificant.
‘I never cared about such things.’
Jin-seol bit her lip.
She had no intention of marrying a hero revered by all.
She hadn't chosen Shim Wol over Bu Eun-seol without thought.
She had believed that with a man so considerate, one who understood her heart so meticulously, she could surely find happiness.
“Can you not forgive him?”
Jin-seol asked in a desperate tone she had never used before.
“He did it because he loves me too much. That’s why he was jealous of you…”
At her words, Bu Eun-seol sighed deeply and shook his head.
“If that were the case, I would never have told you to leave him.”
“Wh-what do you mean?”
“If his intentions were pure—or at the very least, born from a desire to become stronger… I would never have told Lady Jin to leave him.”
“What are you saying? He…”
But for some reason, her voice trailed off.
As if waiting for that moment, Bu Eun-seol’s dagger-like words flew deep into her heart.
“According to my investigation so far, he approached you intentionally, on the orders of the Lord of the Elder Council.”
Ultimately, it meant that Shim Wol had never loved her, only the status she possessed.
Jin-seol bit her lip.
‘He speaks as if he knows everything in the world.’
A surge of defiance rose within Jin-seol.
“Will you give me a few days?”
“I can give you all the time you need, but…”
Bu Eun-seol hesitated for a moment before speaking.
“From now on, do not try to decide anything on your own.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“You are a brilliant woman, but you still do not know the ways of the world. Especially that man, Shim Wol…”
“I understand. I will do as you say.”
Jin-seol cut him off coldly.
“In return, give me a few days. And during that time, you will just watch. Can you promise me that?”
After a moment of contemplation, Bu Eun-seol nodded.
“Very well.”
He then cupped his hands and turned to leave.
Watching his composed figure depart, Jin-seol bit her lip.
‘He must think he’s right about everything. He always has.’
She was displeased that Bu Eun-seol was judging Shim Wol so arbitrarily.
Bu Eun-seol’s brilliant intellect sometimes appeared as stubbornness and self-righteousness.
‘I will show you that you can be wrong, too.’
Even if all of it was planned by Jeok-bung… Shim Wol must have come to love her sincerely in the end.
And if all those feelings were false? Jin-seol was confident she would have known.
Having made her decision, Jin-seol turned. To uncover the truth about Shim Wol.
She headed for a pavilion where a certain individual resided, a person she had never once sought out herself.
At that moment, in a secret chamber of Manbak Hall.
“So it was because of him after all.”
Shim Wol trembled with rage.
He had felt better after the massacre of the commoners, and the killing intent that had surged through his body had almost vanished.
He had intended to resume his affectionate advances toward Jin-seol.
But suddenly, she was avoiding him, refusing to meet him under the pretext of being ill.
“Ughhh.”
Now, just the thought of Bu Eun-seol’s face made fury boil within him.
Having nearly assimilated the artificial elixir, his internal energy had more than doubled.
As a result, he could now freely wield Jeok-bung’s martial arts, which had been utterly beyond his reach in the past.
‘With these skills, I could definitely kill him.’
Shim Wol felt an intense sense of regret.
He had slaughtered martial artists and commoners, assimilating a significant portion of the elixir in his body and greatly enhancing his martial prowess.
But he couldn't kill Bu Eun-seol directly?
‘It can’t be helped.’
As his rage reached its peak, his killing intent surged once more.
As his martial arts grew stronger, incinerating a small village no longer felt like enough.
“I have to destroy them. All of them.”
Coincidentally, Baek Jeon-cheon was away on business outside the pass, leaving the entire information network of Manbak Hall in his hands.
“A female sect. Now, I must destroy a female sect.”
He wanted to destroy women with martial skills.
To be precise, he wanted to brutally destroy women who resembled Jin-seol.
*Step, step.*
He went to the secret chamber of Manbak Hall, where all the information of the Demonic Sanctum was gathered, and searched for a location detailed with the movements and factions of the martial world.
‘That place looks good.’
Shim Wol’s gaze, scanning the map, stopped at none other than the Blue Fragrance Sect.
It was an all-female sect passed down through generations, specializing in exceptional swordplay and movement techniques.
However, having failed to produce any outstanding disciples, its standing in the martial world was that of a second-rate sect.
Moreover, as a sect of women, its main compound was located far from Chengdu, making it a perfect target for a quiet massacre.
‘Sect Master Baek Jeon-cheon will be back soon, so I should enjoy myself while I can…’
Shim Wol licked his dry lips with his red tongue.
Once Baek Jeon-cheon returned, he wouldn't be able to rampage through the martial world as he pleased.
He intended to thoroughly enjoy this final opportunity to suppress his killing intent for a while.
* * *
The Blue Fragrance Sect was nestled deep within a valley of Mount Daenam.
The founder of the Blue Fragrance Sect, Wolha-ryeong, was originally a disciple of the Jade Pond Immortal Palace.
But she preferred wandering the martial world as a vigilante over cultivating the Dao. When she grew older, she retired to Mount Daenam.
Settling in the Blue Fragrance Valley, she created a new sword art while gazing at the beautiful scenery.
By chance, young girls passing through became her disciples and inherited her sword art.
That was said to be the beginning of the Blue Fragrance Sect.
Unfortunately, the Blue Fragrance Sect never found a disciple talented enough to perfectly master its exceptional sword art.
Though it continued its lineage by accepting disciples through the generations, the Blue Fragrance Sect eventually became a mere second-rate sect in the martial world.
*Swoosh.*
A shadow cutting through the night sky landed atop a cliff overlooking the Blue Fragrance Sect.
It was a figure clad in black night gear with a mask covering its face.
Its eyes were clear and sharp, but the whites were bloodshot, and a strange, sinister aura emanated from it.
It was Shim Wol.
“A peaceful place.”
As Shim Wol looked down at the Blue Fragrance Sect, a fiery killing intent rose in his eyes.
A killing intent born of jealousy and rage. He intended to unleash it all this time and return to his composed self.
Until he could marry Jin-seol and obtain the martial arts of the Demonic Heavenly Emperor, he had to suppress his true nature and his murderous urges.
*Paaat.*
Shim Wol’s shadow streaked through the night sky, landing instantly before the main gate of the Blue Fragrance Sect.
“Who goes there?”
The two disciples of the Blue Fragrance Sect guarding the gate moved to stop Shim Wol’s sudden appearance.
“At this late hour, what business do you have…”
But the two disciples never finished their words.
*Crack.*
As Shim Wol slowly raised his right arm, the sound of bones cracking echoed, and a red mist began to rise.
Simultaneously, the bodies of the two disciples began to crumple like toys.
Heavenly Rift Annihilation.
The true martial art of the Blood Demon, Jeok-bung, said to be impossible to block or defend against, was unfolding in his hands.
*Crunch.*
An invisible, long something shot out, instantly crushing the bodies of the Blue Fragrance Sect disciples, made of bone and flesh, like paper.
*Step, step.*
As Shim Wol entered the gate,
“Who are you?”
A disciple who spotted him shouted.
*Squelch.*
But instead of answering, Shim Wol extended his hand.
*Paa!*
An immense force instantly crushed her entire body, sending blood spraying in all directions.
*Splat, splat, splat.*
Only a sticky mass of blood and flesh fell to the ground.
In the past, when Jeok-bung made a move, all enemies before him would vanish…
It was said that all one could see was a fountain of blood, atomized into a fine spray.
By using immense force to crush a person’s body, almost no remains were left, only blood that spread like a mist.
“Still a long way to go.”
Shim Wol looked at the pulped remains with a disappointed expression.
If Jeok-bung had done this, the immense pressure would have left nothing but a spray of blood, not the remains of a burst body.
“I shouldn't expect too much on the first try.”
He wore a faint smile.
This was a technique he couldn't have dared to perform before consuming the elixir. With plenty of time ahead, he could continuously develop it.
And if he also obtained the martial arts of the Demonic Heavenly Emperor… he could aim not just to be the greatest in the demonic path, but the greatest under heaven.
*Clang, clang, clang!*
Just then, the loud ringing of a bell sounded from somewhere.
“Intruder!”
With a sharp cry, dozens of disciples with drawn swords poured into the courtyard where Shim Wol stood.
The disciples who had been on standby to fend off intruders had heard the noise and rushed out immediately.
“Good.”
Seeing them, Shim Wol wore a satisfied smile.
*Vwoom!*
As he extended the immense internal energy flowing through his meridians with both hands, the branching streams of power became thick enough to be visible.
Jeok-bung’s unique martial art.
It appeared to be a simple display of great power by pouring out internal energy.
But in reality, it unleashed the principles of a profound martial art, generating immense power with very little force.
He was, in fact, using only thirty percent of his internal energy.
Even so, he was effortlessly turning the charging disciples of the Blue Fragrance Sect into pulp.
*Splat, splat, splat.*
The time it took to turn twenty-odd disciples into a mangled mess of blood and flesh.
It was barely enough time for half an incense stick to burn.
*Creeak.*
Just then, the doors of a distant pavilion opened, and an elder in white robes, followed by dozens of disciples, walked out.
Though her hair was white, her eyes were full of spirit, and an autumn-like austerity radiated from her entire being.
It was the leader of the Blue Fragrance Sect, Baek Su-su.
“What grudge do you hold against our sect to commit such a slaughter!”
As Baek Su-su looked down at the corpses of her disciples scattered around and roared, Shim Wol’s eyes curved into crescents.
“Is there a reason to kill someone?”
“What did you say?”
“If there must be one, it would be for making my killing intent rise.”
Having already tasted blood, Shim Wol’s eyes were burning red, and his voice was dark and cracked.
Among all demonic martial arts, Jeok-bung’s possessed the most cruel and destructive power.
Furthermore, like a killing sword, it required immense killing intent, and the deeper one delved into it, the more cruel one's nature was said to become.
In fact, it was said that before Jeok-bung reached the pinnacle of the demonic path, he couldn't even sleep without seeing blood every day.
On top of that, Shim Wol had consumed an artificial elixir that made one savage and had assimilated it into his body… In terms of cruelty and ferocity, he surpassed Jeok-bung in his prime.
“I am the Phantom Killer.”
“So you are that devil!”
“Devil?”
At Baek Su-su’s cry, Shim Wol burst into laughter.
“Hahahaha!”
He liked the word ‘devil’.
A being that possessed evil and cruelty, yet could destroy anything. That was a devil.
“Shall we begin?”
Just as Shim Wol was about to open the floodgates to a great massacre,
“That’s enough.”
*Swoosh.*
With a sound of cutting wind, a beautiful woman in light armor descended from the air and landed beside Baek Su-su.
Her coldly frozen eyes seemed to hold a blizzard, and a noble light emanated from her entire being.
It was Jin-seol.