Chapter 222 Sa Wol (1)
Imajon hurriedly composed her expression as she spoke.
"The Lord is quite the joker."
"Joker?"
I scowled in response.
"You think everything I say is a joke?"
I glared at her with a fierce look, and she lowered her eyes.
"N-no, that's not it."
"Did I say I was going to take it? I just said I wanted to see it."
"Ah!"
Only then did Imajon break into a bright smile.
Her thoughts were as clear as day.
She probably saw me as some clueless upstart trying to throw my weight around.
Like those higher-ups who show up from the top brass in any organization, picking pointless fights with the lower ranks after a change in leadership.
'She figures even if I look, I won't understand a thing.'
Not wrong.
I knew nothing about sorcery or grand spells.
Of course, unlike Sado Gwang, Pa Cheon only cared about martial arts and wasn't versed in sorcery or spells.
But with his computer-like brain, he could memorize it all in one go.
Even in the Shaolin Temple's secret martial arts library, Pa Cheon had once memorized the entire Latent Blood Explosion Technique after a single glance.
I planned to copy-paste it straight to Ma Ui.
[……You monster, didn't you say your world doesn't allow that sort of thing?]
'These are unethical research materials anyway.'
It was like the human experiments from history books in my old world—my country and other exploited nations.
In fact, the lab scenes alone were grim enough to make anyone grimace, even without my descriptions.
I couldn't let the Blood Cult fatten up on that alone.
'It's for the public good. Public good.'
[Your gain, and you call it public good?]
'Master, it's for the greater good.'
[……I'll kill you next time we meet as spirits.]
'You'll think of me when you sleep, though.'
[I don't sleep.]
'I know.'
I ended my banter with Pa Cheon and checked the materials Imajon brought.
It was an enormous pile, enough to fill several carts.
Roughly a hundred books, plus hundreds of scattered documents.
"These are the results of my life's research. All for the Cult."
"The Blood Tree was impressive. Absorbing blood qi without killing anyone."
"……You're not blaming me for not taking lives?"
"Who said that? Sammajon?"
Her expression confirmed it.
I sneered at her.
"Know when a plague is truly scary?"
"When everyone's dying?"
"No. When no one knows they've caught it."
"……!"
"In other words, it's not about openly spilling blood—it's about making blood flow without anyone noticing."
Imajon looked enlightened by my words.
[They have no idea it's about them, and they're thrilled.]
Pa Cheon was right.
I'd already planted my Heavenly Demon Divine Art qi in them.
[I'll read it all at once.]
At Pa Cheon's words, I ordered the others to step back.
As they retreated, Pa Cheon activated the Intent of Domination.
Chwaaak!
Books and papers floated into the air, swirling around.
It felt like I was at the eye of a typhoon.
Then, pages flipped open all at once—whirring like mad.
"Ooh!"
Jin So-cheong gasped in pure awe.
But Imajon was different.
Her face said, 'Of course.'
She thought it was all just show.
Even I was amazed watching Pa Cheon again.
Reading one book fast was impressive enough, but dozens at once?
After three rounds, Pa Cheon signaled he'd memorized everything.
The books neatly stacked back onto the carts.
But then.
[Ask Imajon about something called Blood Butterfly.]
'Blood Butterfly?'
I turned to the bored-looking Imajon.
"Imajon. What's Blood Butterfly?"
"Blood Butterfly, my Lord?"
Her eyes widened at my question.
"Why the surprise?"
"Among those books, only one paragraph mentions Blood Butterfly. Did you really read them all?"
"Obviously. You doubting me?"
"I-I'm sorry."
Pretending to be a madman had worked—my authority stuck with her.
Even Imajon, who could probably beat me one-on-one despite Pa Cheon, trembled as she answered.
"Blood Butterfly is a rare butterfly found only in the depths of the Southern Barbarian lands. Despite the name, it's more spirit than insect."
I recited Pa Cheon's words verbatim.
"So that's the core of the Blood Tree?"
"……!"
"You infuse the tree with Blood Butterfly's properties via special spells, then draw in blood qi with formations."
"Y-yes. Blood Butterfly needs beast blood to raise its young, but without it, it absorbs natural qi to create artificial blood. We granted that property."
"Purity differs from real blood, but the blood qi inside is about one-tenth as potent."
Maybe Pa Cheon should go back to my world instead of me.
He'd skimmed hundreds of papers' worth and pinpointed what I needed.
[Gwang-yeon said they sacrifice the Dongnam siblings' blood. Probably creates a 'need to feed young' scenario at the cost of their lives.]
My teeth ground together.
Even their 'peaceful' method required human sacrifice.
Not some sudden burst of justice from me.
It hit too close to home.
In this Return of the Murim world, the weak were exploited and sacrificed like that.
If I hadn't met Pa Cheon, I'd have been butchered on possession day one.
And.
I felt guilty taking the fruits of their sacrifices.
"Any usable Blood Butterfly left?"
"Regrettably, no. We focused everything on Hwasan's Blood Tree; the rest are already transforming. They're rare—one every decade is lucky."
"I see."
I asked Pa Cheon why it mattered.
[If it absorbs natural qi to make artificial power, maybe it could take yours too.]
'And if you absorb that, theoretically you could wield Heavenly Demon Divine Art qi?'
[Assuming it obeys nicely.]
'Southern Barbarians. Southern Barbarians.'
The opposite end from the Ice Palace—jungle-choked south, full of venomous bugs and bizarre spirits.
Where Dang Si Hyeok got his Four Venom Cat on my advice.
Of course.
"Mobilize everything—halt other research if needed. Find me Blood Butterfly. You've piqued my interest."
Imajon's face stiffened, but she had no choice.
Worth conquering the Blood Cult.
'If Blood Butterfly really works.'
Options would change.
Right after leaving Imajon.
I notified them I was going and set off with Jin So-cheong.
To treat Tak Horak.
Already acknowledged as Lord, plus my rogue act—they didn't hold me back.
Maybe because Jin So-cheong was with me.
"Jin So-cheong."
Riding Mugyeok-i together, I said,
"Treat Tak Horak first thing. Try anything funny, and I'll rip your head off."
"Y-yes, understood."
Jin So-cheong's grandfather, Ilmajon, poisoned Tak Horak with blood toxin.
So she knew the antidote.
"Sit farther away."
Her perfume was overpowering.
She quietly shifted forward.
Piiik—!
Mugyeok-i flew faster than usual, eager to escape the bloody stench.
We arrived at the mountain village as dusk fell.
Too quiet.
Uneasy, I urged Mugyeok-i on.
To our lodging.
"……."
Good.
Tak Horak sat cross-legged in the room center, skin still dark, chest rising and falling—he'd held on.
Sa Wol beside him.
Not hidden in stealth on standby, but curled on a side chair, knees hugged.
"I'm back."
"Ah."
Sa Wol startled at my presence, jumping up.
As she rose.
Wobble.
She staggered.
I rushed over, grabbing her arm.
Up close, she looked gaunt.
'……Did I neglect her too much?'
A Super Peak expert shouldn't look this wasted, stumbling.
She'd probably skipped food and water guarding Tak Horak per my orders.
Sa Wol pushed me away urgently.
"……You're back, Young Master."
"You're not well."
"I guarded Tak Division Leader in case of harm."
"I'm here now."
"Did you……save her?"
Jin So-cheong stepped out from behind me.
Sa Wol hadn't sensed her—qi that damaged.
"Sa Wol."
"Yes, Young Master."
"Go rest."
"But—"
"That's an order. Jin So-cheong, got any tonics?"
"Yes, but it takes time."
"Heard that? Your job is rest."
Sa Wol glared through Jin So-cheong, then nodded weakly and left.
[Not checking on her?]
'Worried, but……Tak Horak first.'
Even with antidote, poisoning itself was risky.
Botch it, and aftereffects could linger. Fatal for a warrior.
'I can't bear that.'
Who knew better than me what it meant for a Cultist to lose their martial arts?
"I'll treat him."
I nodded at Jin So-cheong.
She carefully needled Tak Horak's upper body.
Her medical skill earned her the title Divine Physician—detox flew along.
Finally, Tak Horak's eyes opened.
"……Ugh. Division Leader?"
He called me 'Division Leader' not 'Young Master,' but whatever.
"You okay?"
"What happened? Ah."
No memory post-poisoning.
Spotting Jin So-cheong late, he tried rising—and wobbled.
"Looks like two doses of tonic needed."
Jin So-cheong smiled.
Infuriating, considering they poisoned him—but not Blood Cult, so I smiled back and nodded.
Just stiff from the pose—no other issues.
"Thank you, Young Master. Truly grateful for the save."
"Enough."
Really.
Lucky.
In that moment, I realized.
I'd ignored it, but I already cherished the bonds here.
And didn't want anyone hurt.
I clapped Tak Horak's shoulder.
[Tch.]
Pa Cheon tsked, displeased.
I ignored him—not ruining the moment.
Sa Wol thought.
'Clothes. Different.'
Expert in tracking and assassination.
She'd observed Jin So-cheong fully in that glance.
Even same-style clothes wouldn't match worn soles.
That glossy look didn't scream 'kidnapped by Blood Cult.' Perfume too.
'What's going on? Young Master. No, Family Head—what's he thinking?'
Sa Wol shoved the rising suspicion aside, lying on the cold floor.
Pretending to Be the Heavenly Demon