What Kind of Place is Emei...? (1)

Seo Hayeon asked about the circumstances of the Emei Sect. Dang Cheonjin froze for a moment upon seeing her eyes glowing red in the darkness, just like Blood Moon's. But he quickly regained his composure and opened his mouth.

"...The situation at Emei Sect is undoubtedly better than our Tang Family's, Benefactor."

"Don't speak to me so formally—it makes me uncomfortable, Great Hero."

Watching Hayeon speak those words while slowly fanning herself, Cheonjin felt as if his heart had stopped. But he managed to reply,

"How could I not, to the savior of our clan?"

With that, he deftly averted the crisis. Hayeon folded her fan, her expression a touch displeased, but in the end, things passed without incident.

Hayeon gently stroked the white snake. To anyone watching, she looked every bit the high-ranking figure from the Blood Cult. But in Cheonjin's eyes, she was nothing less than a hidden ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠supreme expert of the Murim Alliance, so he slowly began to speak.

"I assumed the Great Hero above would have informed you... but we don't know much about Emei Sect's situation either."

"Is that so? I heard you'd be joining forces to hunt the Blood Cult..."

"As you've seen for yourself with the Tang Family... it's not feasible for proper coordination."

Hayeon nodded in response instead of replying, then said she understood for now.

"I'll have to go there myself, then. Understood for now."

"Is there nothing more we can assist with at the Tang Family, Great Hero?"

Cheonjin expressed a hint of regret at the thought of this esteemed guest from the Murim Alliance departing so soon. But he couldn't very well hold her back. Hayeon had already dismantled the formation laid by those unorthodox scum and erected an advanced one beneficial to the Murim Alliance. From here on, restoring the Tang Family's prestige was entirely up to them.

...We can't keep holding onto the Benefactor's footsteps forever.

As Cheonjin nodded and prepared to express his gratitude—

"I'm planning to stay in Sichuan just a few days before leaving..."

Hayeon said that, her gaze subtly shifting to the side. Where her eyes landed was the spot where Soso sat demurely, her face expressionless. She used to be quite haughty and ill-mannered, but after several spars with Hwa Ryeon, etiquette had been drilled into her, and now her face rarely showed emotion outside private settings—her daughter. As the supreme expert's gaze lingered on her, Cheonjin tilted his head in puzzlement.

"This lady knows little about the lands of Sichuan."

"...!!"

From those words alone, Cheonjin grasped her intent.

...She wants to take Soso as a disciple?

From Hayeon's perspective, she simply wanted a guide. But...

...A supreme expert who has Thousand Mountain Wanderer, Plum Sword Seal, and Dark Fragrance Poison Seal as disciples...

The two late-generation talents under the Murim Alliance's watchful eye. His own daughter could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them without issue. She learned quickly, and since Hayeon hadn't formally established a sect yet, this could ensure Soso wouldn't forget the Tang Family's secrets while permitting her to leave home. And...

...Soso seems to want to go with her.

Soso appeared eager to follow Hayeon. Having earned the moniker Dark Fragrance Poison Seal at a young age and reached the realm of Immunity to a Thousand Poisons, she was keenly aware of her own limits. As a woman, she could never claim the Tang Family patriarch's seat anyway. Nor could she learn the Tang Family's secret technique stolen from the Beggars' Sect, Ten Thousand Threads ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of Falling Rain.

If his daughter met this benefactor and aimed for even higher realms...

...With little Hwa Ryeon there too, her goals will be clear.

Honestly, as a father, he'd prefer to stop her. What father wishes for his daughter to leave home? He wanted his still-lovely girl to remain in the family forever. However, given the Tang Family's current straits, forging ties with a Murim Alliance supreme expert was the right move. And if those ties were master and disciple? Perfect.

"Great Hero?"

"Benefactor, if I may—that means you'd like to take our eldest daughter as your disciple, correct?"

"...?"

Hayeon's face filled with confusion, but Cheonjin was too busy holding back tears to notice. Soso was maintaining her blank expression while fighting back tears, equally oblivious. Amid it all, Hayeon felt an eerie sense of déjà vu.

The reason I travel with Ji Yeon...

...Don't tell me.

Another one to take responsibility for. And this Tang Family girl liked sweet foods, couldn't handle spice, had a bit too much fondness for trying new poisons, and made you piss sugar if she took a dislike—otherwise fairly normal. Hayeon broke into a cold sweat.

I really can't teach poison arts.

Ji Yeon was taken because Seol Mang was a formation master. Hwa Ryeon because she wanted to learn Huashan techniques. For Soso, even if accepted as a disciple, there was truly nothing to teach. Hayeon hadn't established a sect yet, nor did she have unique martial arts of her own.

Before her disciples multiplied further, Hayeon hurriedly clarified.

"I didn't say anything about taking her as a disciple...?"

"Pardon?"

"...Just a guide."

"......"

"......"

She'd clarified, but...

...She wants to test her first, then.

Cheonjin and Soso thought the same. To dare enter a supreme expert's discipleship without trial? Surely Hwa Ryeon and Ji Yeon had undergone brutally difficult tests. The two bowed their heads.

Somewhere in Sichuan, a dark earthen tunnel. An assassin entered, torch in hand, slowly advancing into the gloom.

There, countless corpses littered the floor. Each in a different horrific state. A withered, twisted woman's body. A man's with limbs torn off. A woman violated to death, and a man beside her with his throat slit for watching. Grotesque corpses discarded amid dug-out tunnels everywhere.

The assassin gazed upon them without flinching. Of course not.

This was one of the most horrific places in the Central Plains where Blood Cult fanatics gathered. In a place teeming with a great number of blood ghosts, the killer ghost—actually a man dressed as one—was...

Dang Baekhan, the Tang Family's Seventh Elder, let out a sinister chuckle.

The power surging from my body is on another level entirely.

The power welling from his body was utterly different. Having slain the Third and Sixth Elders, absorbing their inner energy and blood, the felt disparity in strength was like advancing several jiazi. With even parts of his hair turning red, as he was about to laugh maniacally—

"Are you satisfied with the Blood Demon's will?"

"...!!"

A low, oppressive baritone from behind Dang Baekhan. Yet it carried a serpentine allure that mesmerized. He turned to see Eumhyeol Daesa, mouth and neck caked in blood from who-knows-which kill, robes soaked crimson.

"Eumhyeol Daesa..."

At Dang Baekhan's call, Eumhyeol Daesa smiled sweetly and walked past him deeper in.

"Let us go. His direct descendants await."

"...Indeed."

His direct descendants. Referring to the Cheonhyeol O-in, the Blood Demon's five direct heirs. The five siblings sat arrogantly upon their thrones, each exuding unique flair, worshipped by Blood Cult fanatics.

The Blood Demon's direct bloodline: red hair fading to white toward the crown, a hallmark. Slit pupils like a snake's in crimson eyes—their symbol. Unmistakably inhuman. These were the heaven-born blood ghosts, the true bloods.

Before the Blood Demon's arrival, there were more true blood ghosts. But after, all save his direct lineage were slain and absorbed by him. Now, only the Cheonhyeol ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠O-in qualified as true bloods.

Among them, the First Blood spoke.

"Silence, you inferiors."

He'd been grimacing at the cultists' worship, so Dang Baekhan wasn't surprised.

"...Brother."

The Second Blood, a woman of gentle demeanor, restrained her hot-tempered brother with a sly, narrowed-eyed smile.

"Enough. These are our father's precious devotees, no?"

"Hah..."

"Is Eumhyeol Daesa here?"

As if eager for a report, the Second Blood sought him. Eumhyeol Daesa rose—

*Slash!*

*Spluuuurt!!!!*

His head flew.

"...!!"

Dang Baekhan flinched as Eumhyeol Daesa slowly reattached his head.

"My apologies."

"...Father's reincarnation seems increasingly delayed."

The Second Blood asked in her ever-gentle tone, but Dang Baekhan felt chills rack his body. After all, she'd mercilessly severed his throat earlier too.

She's insane...!

Even thinking it inwardly, Dang Baekhan couldn't wipe the ecstatic smile from his face.