Chapter 52
Chapter 52
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Blood Slaughter Guest
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"Step back! I'll handle him."
For an ambush, it was an awfully honest sword path.
A thrust aimed at Yi Se-woong's chest. It carried only a fraction of its power, as if testing his skill, so he deflected it lightly with a swipe.
Chaeng!
The clash of sword against sword.
Before the echo even faded, the two men collided once more.
Chaeng! Chaechaeng!
Three exchanges in rapid succession.
The one who came out worse was the Blood Slaughter Guest. His forearms were scratched and lacerated from the sword qi clashes. Yet, showing no sign of stopping, he gripped his sword tightly and charged at Yi Se-woong.
'Has he honed orthodox martial arts?'
Yi Se-woong wondered.
There was something excessively straightforward about the Blood Slaughter Guest's sword. It wasn't flashy feints to deceive the eye, but the pure resolve of an orthodox duel to test enlightenment.
It was strange.
'Anyone who's seen real combat picks up habits without realizing it. Especially if it's killing.'
The Blood Slaughter Guest's sword bore no such habits. For someone experienced in murder, their movements should become concise, twisted toward maximum lethality.
That made it all the more bizarre.
It was stubbornness.
Like forcing yourself into ill-fitting clothes.
"Why is that?"
"……."
"That's not the sword of a killer."
The Blood Slaughter Guest swung his blade silently.
But Yi Se-woong sensed no true intent in the tip of that sword.
The Blood Slaughter Guest was filled with inexplicable hesitation.
As he parried the ever-honest sword path, Yi Se-woong confronted the emotions flowing along the blade.
'Resentment. Doubt. And anger. So intuitive.'
It was a realization that dawned when his own martial prowess reached a level worthy of being called a 'realm.' Just crossing swords conveyed the opponent's emotions.
He seemed to have quite the backstory.
The Blood Slaughter Guest's sword trembled, mirroring his turbulent heart.
"Blood Slaughter Guest. Just one question."
"……."
"You planning to keep your mouth shut like that? You know neither of us is going all out, right?"
Whoosh, the Blood Slaughter Guest exhaled sharply.
His bloodshot eyes widened as he spoke.
"If I talk... you gonna let me go?"
"That depends on your answers."
Even with Yi Se-woong's persuasion, he didn't lower his guard. But it was enough. Pausing his movements, even briefly, meant he was at least willing to listen.
"We received a mission from the Baekyang Group and came here."
"Baekyang Group?"
"The Murim Alliance's direct combat unit. They mainly handle executing criminals."
Executing.
Yi Se-woong knew the weight of that word, yet he chose it deliberately.
To convey there was nothing hidden.
"So you're here for my head?"
"Harsh. It's an arrest. We did come to capture you. But when we arrived in Honam Province, the suspicious signs were piling up."
Flinch.
The Blood Slaughter Guest, who had tensed up again, eased at Yi Se-woong's next words.
"The Hyeongsan Sect's colluding with bandits, up to no good. We've already secured testimonies from the bandits. Even as one of the Nine Great Sects, the Alliance won't overlook this."
"……."
"So tell me. Any thought of surrendering now? If you cooperate, I can petition for leniency. If you explain why you did this. I'll protect you as a witness."
With that, Yi Se-woong extended his hand.
An unarmed, open palm.
The Blood Slaughter Guest couldn't bring himself to strike it.
"Why did I kill? Because I hated the bandits! They slaughtered my family. This is righteous vengeance!"
He spat it out in fury, face twisted, flailing his arms.
"……What, you gonna forgive my crimes if I say that?"
But his surging emotions vanished as quickly as they'd risen.
Unlike his resentful outburst, his tone now sank into calm detachment.
Like an actor after overplaying emotion.
"I believe you."
"!"
"Eyes don't lie. No need for that twisted attitude."
Even as he spoke almost mockingly, Yi Se-woong didn't blink. Confronted by that steadfast demeanor, the Blood Slaughter Guest hesitated briefly. But the tremor didn't last.
"Too late."
"What?"
"You're still gonna take me in. Can't have that. Not with my enemy right in front of me."
His voice trailed off at the end, squeezed out painfully.
At the same moment, Yi Se-woong felt the Blood Slaughter Guest's energy shift.
Wooong.
Internal energy surpassing a certain threshold manifests as visible light. The Blood Slaughter Guest's aura spread with ominous force, tinged blood-red.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Feeling the energy roiling within, the Blood Slaughter Guest sighed inwardly.
'Too late.'
Days of relentless training to become a master despite his lacking talent, all to feed his family. Returning home after so long, he found them blood-soaked corpses, cold and still.
From that day, he lived for revenge.
But he lacked the power.
Five years of cultivation, yet he couldn't reach first-rate.
Was he doomed to kill roadside bandits and flee forever? Amid such despair, a hand reached out.
-Revenge. Nice ring to it.
A black-clad figure approached as he slaughtered bandits like a madman.
-Can you stake your soul?
He was already prepared to burn everything for vengeance.
Thus, he accepted the black-clad man's spell, becoming the Blood Slaughter Guest.
'My mind's fading.'
He had already massacred the bandits who killed his family.
Yet he pressed on, culling bandits like vermin from the world. A path soaked in endless blood. Those sticky footprints eroded his sanity.
'Kill!'
Soon, he lived for slaughter.
Bandits?
Who cares how many die.
One day he'd return to dust anyway.
Days of massacre laced with resignation.
'Hyeongsan Sect...!'
After long wandering, he found the true culprits.
His mechanized mind, lost in killing, grasped its final thread.
The villains who ordered his village's annihilation.
Burn his remaining life to cut down even one more.
Those loathsome Hyeongsan Sect bastards.
Thus, the Blood Slaughter Guest had to squander this hard-won chance. It was too late.
As the spell consumed his body, he thought.
This end was fine.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Damn.
Sensing the blood qi enveloping the Blood Slaughter Guest, Yi Se-woong knew instinctively.
Ilwol Singyo was involved.
The extremist sect of the Demonic Cult, commonly called the Ilwol Singyo in the Central Plains.
The Blood Demon Corps.
-Heavenly Demon eternal! Ten thousand demons rise!
Fanatics parroting praises to the Heavenly Demon like parrots.
The spell cloaking the Blood Slaughter Guest was their signature method.
"Yi Se-woong, it's too dangerous alone!"
"I'm fine!"
"I know you're great. So let's team up safely. That's demonic arts!"
"Senior. Trust me."
At his assurance he'd handle it, the two who'd stayed back so far sensed the demonic qi and moved to join, but they might just get in the way.
For this kind of thing.
"With your skills, you could end it quick. But then he'd die soon. That guy."
"……."
"Mission's to capture, not fail on the first one, right?"
He infused maximum nonchalance.
Jegal Yeong, about to snap back, retreated at Hwangbo Seyul's tug on her sleeve.
"……Do what you want then. I'll step in if it gets risky."
"No complaints then!"
"Junior! Say the word if you need help!"
Traffic sorted.
Time to face the Blood Slaughter Guest.
"Kraaaah!"
Arms spread wide, he roared and arched back.
Seeming defenseless, but rushing in was folly.
Red waves swirled around him.
Touch it wrong, and you'd be shredded.
'Bloodthirst Spell.'
No wonder.
Even against bandit trash, wiping out a dozen camps seemed beyond him.
With that, it made sense.
'Killed a lot, huh.'
A power literally steeped in blood.
The Bloodthirst Spell grants greater internal energy per kill. Side effects: gradual loss of reason, obsession with murder.
Without the consent requirement, it could've doomed several sects. A vicious curse.
"Tragic life, sure. But touching fanatic spells? No."
"Kragh!"
The Blood Slaughter Guest, body swollen in terror, charged with crimson-glowing eyes.
Chaeng!
Sword met bare flesh with metallic ring. He'd dropped his sword earlier, clawing like a beast. Instinctual, but speedy.
"That all you got?!"
"Kraaaah!"
Even mindless, he understood taunts. He pressed harder, more ferociously.
"Dangerous!"
Jegal Yeong's urgent cry.
Trusting me, yet so worried.
His momentum was fierce, true.
But momentum alone doesn't win.
Ting!
Parrying the onslaught with sword qi, Yi Se-woong gauged.
Until exhaustion showed.
'About enough.'
A few clashes vented the blood qi.
Internal energy from evil paths.
Not expanding the vessel, just borrowing spell-stored blood qi.
No fresh corpses as fuel, so it'd run dry soon.
"Seniors, what you saw today stays our secret?"
Turning, he joked to ease their worry. Jegal Yeong waved him off to focus; Hwangbo Seyul nodded silently.
Good enough.
"Lucky you met me."
Sword raised high, he calmed his mind.
Drawing internal energy from his dantian, circulating through his body, accelerating to swelling peak.
Draw a circle.
Confine self within.
Harden heart like iron.
Refined mind bends not to steel.
Draw forth but one strand.
'Feels abstract every time.'
Grasping the scattering energy amid stray thoughts.
One Sword.
Infusing Azure Moon Divine Art's energy, he slashed vertically at the Blood Slaughter Guest.
Where the bluish sword qi passed, no blood qi remained.
Thud.
The pale-faced Blood Slaughter Guest collapsed.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Didn't you hate Taoists?"
"You look like you have questions."
"That martial art you just used. That pure energy only makes sense from Daoism. No way you've reached heart sword realm already."
Outed as a Taoist.
"Don't say such hurtful things again. Taoist? Ugh, horrifying. Better to be called a parentless brat."
"What? I never—"
"I'm an orphan."
"I didn't say that!"
Jegal Yeong panicked.
Forced to own unmade filial insult. Sorry, but had to deflect.
"Anyway, who knew the Demonic Cult was involved."
She hurriedly changed topics.
Her flushed cheeks were kinda cute.
"Yeah. Thought it was just personal grudge, but it's complicated now."
"They've been quiet awhile. If the Demonic Cult's in, maybe they've regained power..."
Demonic Cult.
A name so forgotten most knew only Ilwol Singyo from records.
The previous Heavenly Demon's bold conquest declaration.
The Nine Great Sects barely repelled them together. Any Demonic stir was hypersensitive.
"Maybe even Hyeongsan Sect..."
Then.
"Junior! Junior junior!"
Hwangbo Seyul, who'd listened quietly, shouted.
Finally sensing the chilling aura around.
"Impressive work."
Yellow robes emerged one by one, matching the husky voice.
At center, unlucky squint-eyes.
Ma Won-pyeong, was it.
"Thank you for slaying the villain who dared touch Hyeongsan Sect. We thank you on their behalf."
"You watched?"
"Of course. Witnessed your fine prowess."
His feigned leisure grated.
Typical Taoist.
Even as his fingers trembled.
"Hand him over now. We must soothe our departed disciples' souls."
"Gonna chime in after spectating?"
Exhausted purifying the Blood Slaughter Guest.
What now.
"You take sect grudges lightly? Surely not shielding a demonic sorcerer."
What nonsense, when we both know.
His brazen face gleamed oily.