Pretending to be the Heavenly Demon
[Insane! Revealing you're from the Blood Cult right in front of a Taoist!]
No.
[No?]
That's right. That bastard Gwang-yeon is from the Blood Cult too. There was a barrier, remember?
[...You're saying it's a barrier that only reacts to specific energies.]
Probably. Jin So-cheong isn't an idiot.
She'd likely said "Cult Leader" on purpose.
By invoking the name, her intent was probably to make Gwang-yeon realize who I was.
"Speak again, Blood Law Envoy of Ilmajon. Is that man truly the vessel of the Blood God?"
But it didn't seem like her plan had worked.
Gwang-yeon's attitude was outright hostile, plain for anyone to see.
His teeth flashed in a grin, but his eyes burned with fury.
"Yes. He is the vessel of the Blood God, the rightful master of the Blood Cult—Urk!"
Jin So-cheong's words cut off midway.
Gwang-yeon had kicked her like she was trash, his foot whipping through the air in an instant.
She tumbled across the ground dozens of times like a skipped stone, bouncing right up to my feet.
"C-Cult... Leader..."
Jin So-cheong crawled to my feet.
"Explain what happened, Blood Law Envoy."
At my words, she barely managed to kneel.
"Gwang-yeon... is Imajon's Blood Law Envoy."
It was shocking news.
Gwang-yeon.
The senior disciple of the Hwasan Sect, master of Plum Blossom Sword Style, and in the future, a member of the Heavenly Demon assassination squad—he wasn't just a Blood Cultist, but Imajon's personal Blood Law Envoy?
According to Jin So-cheong, the position of Blood Law Envoy was hereditary in the insular Blood Cult.
Meaning Gwang-yeon was Imajon's blood kin.
[The Hwasan Sect's senior disciple is a high-ranking Blood Cult officer. The murim's days are numbered.]
This made even the Hwasan Sect Leader hard to trust.
In the wuxia world, master-disciple bonds were tighter than blood ties.
Plus, that odd feeling from the barrier earlier.
The barrier hiding this bizarre space matched the one blocking Investigation Cave exactly.
Invisible transparent walls, even sealing off the sky.
The only difference was whether it concealed the interior or not.
"F-Forgive... my... pathetic... display..."
"Enough."
Jin So-cheong's words and Gwang-yeon's attitude made the situation clear.
'A new stone rolling in to dislodge the embedded one—must piss him off.'
After devoting his life to the Blood Cult, sacrificing everything, some outsider shows up claiming to be Cult Leader? I'd be pissed too.
But that didn't mean I'd forgive him damaging my property.
"Rest, Blood Law Envoy."
At my words, Jin So-cheong smiled faintly.
What the hell was fanaticism?
Beaten to a pulp like that, yet she cried out "Cult Leader" and smiled at my command.
Was it because I'd channeled the Heavenly Demon Divine Art?
It wouldn't have fazed me normally.
But now, rage boiled up.
Not because I cared for Jin So-cheong, of course. She was a Blood Cultist, a clear villain.
Just fury at someone daring to scratch my possession.
'Anyway, I need the Blood Cultists to acknowledge my strength sooner or later.'
Getting recognized as Blood Cult Leader was easy with the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, but that didn't grant true authority.
The Blood Cult needed proof of power to "dye the world in blood."
Jin So-cheong had submitted after tasting my blood, but I couldn't feed it to every cultist.
"Imajon's Blood Law Envoy, was it?"
"That's right."
Gwang-yeon eyed me up and down like he was appraising goods.
Then he smirked.
"Ridiculous. I don't know where you crawled out from, but daring to claim you're the Blood God's vessel? Do you even know?"
He pointed behind me.
The barrier I'd torn through was slowly healing.
"This barrier lets anyone baptized in the cult's blood arts pass freely. You're rejected from the start."
That explained why Mu Geuk Cheon Hwa and I got bounced, while Jin So-cheong passed easily.
Conclusion?
"You talk too much."
"What?"
"Planning to drown the seas in blood with your tongue? Talking's for the weak."
It sounded more Heavenly Demon Cult than Blood Cult, but the taunt landed.
"...Bastard."
Gwang-yeon drew his sword.
"Huu—"
As he inhaled, purple energy gathered on his blade.
Not as solid as gang qi, but maintaining a consistent form.
[Peak realm's edge, entering Super Peak. One insight away from Super Peak.]
The real issue is that technique.
Zi Xia Shen Gong.
Hwasan Sect's ultimate secret, reserved for the Leader and direct disciples.
And here it was, wielded by a Blood Cultist.
'Hwasan's spirit has fallen to the dirt.'
A neighbor's pottery collector would flip at the sight.
[Not a big deal. It's an opportunity. If he's truly using Zi Xia Shen Gong and Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword.]
At this rate, I'll master orthodox sect arts as a Demon Cultist.
[All paths lead to the same end. Demon Cult arts are just as profound as orthodox ones.]
Yeah, great.
Meanwhile, Gwang-yeon ground his teeth.
"I'll kill you and show everyone who the true vessel of the Blood God is."
The next instant, he kicked off the ground.
This gelatinous world produced a wet squelch instead of a boom or thud.
Yet his stealthy, profound movement spread like unnoticed flower scent.
[Dark Fragrance Step. Spreading energy wide to glide smoothly.]
Ssssk—the wind whistled as his sword aimed for my throat.
[Activating Time Wheel Jade.]
Time slowed.
No matter how mighty the weapon, it meant nothing if it didn't connect.
[Precise footwork, but the tip wavers. Intentional feint.]
So what do I do?
[Step back one pace, left one pace.]
I moved as Pa Cheon instructed. Time Wheel Jade released, and with a whoosh, the blade grazed past my face.
Pa Cheon!
[No worries. Told you to move just out of reach. Calculated his steps and trajectory perfectly.]
What do you expect from cutting-edge wuxia AI?
"Bastard!"
Gwang-yeon thrust again.
But this time was different.
Shuuuuk!
Purple energy leaked ethereally from his sword.
It split into dozens, hundreds.
Like scattering plum blossoms.
And not just that.
A thick floral scent assaulted my nose.
Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword.
Normally, its plum blossoms carried a subtle fragrance, but powered by Zi Xia Shen Gong, it was overpowering.
"Take this!"
Gwang-yeon stomped forward, slashing horizontally.
Purple petals flew in a crescent toward me, each capable of pulverizing rock.
[Varying angles. Sword qi mimicry without gang qi? Truly elite. But...]
Pa Cheon wasn't idle. It activated Thunder Shadow Sword.
[Mine's stronger and more precise.]
Pa Cheon shot out against the crescent petals.
Caught in its spinning sparks, they shredded like in a blender.
Gwang-yeon dodged with footwork and slapped the side.
Pa Cheon ricocheted back to me smoothly.
[Not just technique—solid power too.]
Gwang-yeon swung again.
Petals poured down like an upside waterfall.
[Guardian Whirl to block.]
I angled Guardian Whirl to deflect the petals.
Clangclangclangclang!
Metallic clashes and vibrations hammered it.
Meanwhile, Gwang-yeon circled behind.
Petal "wings" spread from his back.
He floated midair like on invisible steps—actually treading on drifting petals.
[Dark Fragrance fused with Plum Blossom Sword—peak mastery. Impressive.]
A twinge of envy.
Wish I could use footwork like that.
"Stop scurrying like a rat and fight!"
He kicked off the air, spinning like a top. Purple plum blossoms swirled too.
Grgggggrind!
Energy so fierce it shook the ground!
[Dodge this. I'll mark the range—use Blink.]
I Blinked out of range as instructed.
Facing Peak after Super Peak felt not just easier—easy.
Super Peak was hard to evade even with Pa Cheon's predictions, their senses sharp enough to pursue through slowed time.
Now? Just follow Pa Cheon's cues, and Gwang-yeon couldn't touch me.
Still, no complacency.
This was all Pa Cheon; without it, even first-rate foes could slaughter me before I reacted.
[Monster.]
Yeah?
[Good now. After that technique, he should be out of qi—hm?]
Contrary to Pa Cheon's prediction.
Gwang-yeon showed no fatigue after unleashing such arts nonstop.
Heavy qi drain usually paled the face and caused internal injury, but his complexion was ruddy, like makeup.
Noticing my realization, he sneered.
"Surprised I'm fine after that? Wondering how?"
"..."
"Behold."
Suddenly, he slashed off his left hand.
No pain? He smirked as dark red slime from the ground clung to the stump, regrowing the arm instantly.
Squirm squirm!
"This Blood Nourishment Belt is 'living' soil feeding the Blood Tree. Blood arts practitioners draw infinite power here. Non-practitioners are crushed, unable to perform. If your skills feel weaker, it's not illusion—fact."
He mistook my full power for diminished by the zone.
His purple energy shifted to dark red.
The plums corrupted.
"Downside: 'baptism' seals and great laws suppress blood qi, but a minor issue to eliminate you."
"Understand why I charged a Super Peak like you? You walked into the trap."
"Got it."
I nodded.
"How arrogant you are."
"...What?"
"Returning your words. Behold."
I plunged Pa Cheon into the ground.
Pa Cheon Sword, the demonic blade that devours life force.
If Blood Nourishment Belt was living soil...
It was no different from a man.
Soon.
Heaven and earth...
were crushed.