Chapter 24 - Tiger Father, Dog Son
The red Blood Mist slithered across the ground like a creeping tide.
The Iron Blood Society warriors felt a chill at the sight, as if thousands of snakes were writhing toward them, and they scanned their surroundings warily.
"Wh-what the hell? Where'd this fog come from all of a sudden?"
"Is it even fog? Why's it that color?"
"Sniff sniff! No way... is this the smell of blood?"
The Blood Mist rippled like waves, steadily expanding its domain.
The clearing, thick with pre-battle tension, now reeked of death.
"It might be poison! Cover your mouths and noses!"
The young adjutant who had stepped forward first shouted urgently, clamping his hand over his own mouth and nose.
But the Blood Mist merely undulated around the edges of the clearing, as if content to watch for now.
"Chukang, was it?"
A heavy voice cut through the mist.
It was Ha Cheolgun, the Iron Blood Society leader.
His calm demeanor steadied the panicked soldiers, who quickly regained their composure.
The murmurs died away, and the Iron Blood Society's momentum surged anew.
"Hah! Guess you didn't waste those years after all."
Chukang, still hiding behind Bang Cheolsan, mocked Ha Cheolgun with a sneer.
Ha Cheolgun's lips curled in disdain.
"Even for an unorthodox scum, your father had some spirit. But you're less than a dog."
"Ah, yes. There's that saying—tiger father, dog son. Tigers always sire mongrels, don't they?"
"......"
Ha Cheolgun's white eyebrows twitched.
He'd baited the boy deliberately, but Chukang didn't flare up—instead, he grinned and fired back.
Does he have no pride? Or does he have some trick up his sleeve?
Ha Cheolgun hadn't entertained defeat for even a moment.
His opponent was mere unorthodox riffraff.
Chusa Hwan, the Poison Twin Blades, had been tricky, but without him, the Ghost Soul Sect was no match for the Iron Blood Society.
And now, they had a powerful ally besides.
Pity that one didn't come himself...
No matter the variables, victory was certain.
That's why Ha Cheolgun forced himself to stay calm.
Defeat on the battlefield always stemmed from arrogance and carelessness.
"Very well, Chukang. How do you want to fight?"
Ha Cheolgun locked eyes with him, steel in his gaze.
Chukang's eyes darted slyly.
"As I wrote in the letter, we've spilled enough blood already. If we keep going, even a win won't feel like one. Let's pick representatives and settle it with a clean duel!"
"A single match to decide it all?"
"What, no confidence? You called us unorthodox trash, but does the mighty Iron Blood Society have no one worth sending?"
"Hmmm..."
Even as they talked, Ha Cheolgun glanced around.
The Blood Mist blanketing the ground made the air feel oppressively heavy.
Something's off.
Yet no clear danger presented itself.
He couldn't back down now over mere fog.
Ha Cheolgun ignored the mist and focused on Chukang.
"Chukang."
He looked down at the boy like a stern teacher.
Just into his early twenties, by the look of him.
Ha Cheolgun couldn't fathom how this pup had outdone his father, and he didn't see him as a real threat.
"Sect leader."
"What?"
"You mock us unorthodox? I'm a sect leader too, you know. Should I call you 'Society Leader' or just 'Cheolgun'?"
"......"
Ha Cheolgun's white beard quivered.
From behind, furious shouts erupted from his warriors.
"How dare this bastard speak so insolently!"
"The pup doesn't know his place!"
"I'll rip that mouth off first!"
Ha Cheolgun raised a hand slightly.
The Iron Blood Society men fell silent at once.
"I see. You're right. I acknowledge it—Sect Leader Chukang."
"Thanks for the recognition."
Ha Cheolgun had saved face, so Chukang dropped the snark and offered a polite cupped-fist salute.
The anger in Ha Cheolgun's eyes eased a fraction.
"But ending it in one match feels like a loss for us. Time's on our side—Yichang will fall to us soon enough."
Chukang nodded and stepped forward from behind Bang Cheolsan.
"True enough. But if you dodge the duel, you'll be branded as the great righteous leader too scared to face unorthodox rabble. And you know how the righteous value honor above all, right?"
"Hmmm..."
Deep furrows creased Ha Cheolgun's brow.
A cornered rat bites the cat.
Dodging the duel meant eternal infamy; accepting risked whatever ace the Ghost Soul Sect had hired.
That's why he'd called in outside help.
"Sect Leader Chukang, your father excelled with poisons and daggers, but you've got that tongue."
"High praise."
"Not really."
"Haha! Is that so? So, what's it gonna be? You came all this way because you planned to duel anyway, didn't you?"
Ha Cheolgun chuckled lightly and nodded.
"Fine. Enough talk. One-on-one duel, as you wish."
Chukang's face lit up as Ha Cheolgun conceded.
"Great! Winner takes all—no backing out!"
"Naturally. But what do you want if you win?"
"Isn't it obvious? If we win, the Iron Blood Society pulls out of Yichang completely!"
Ha Cheolgun's smile deepened.
"I see. Very well. Good luck."
"And if the Iron Blood Society wins? You'll want our whole operation, right?"
Ha Cheolgun shook his head.
His smile had vanished; his face was stone-hard.
"That's a given. If we win, we take all your heads."
"Wh-what?!"
Chukang jumped back.
Even among unorthodox fighters, they didn't slaughter everyone.
A few examples scattered the rest.
This world turned yesterday's foe into today's brother, after all.
"You'll kill us all?!"
"Scared? Kneel now, and I'll spare your lives."
His voice was calm, but laced with killing intent.
He meant it.
Chukang's throat tickled under that pressure.
Normally, he'd kneel and beg without hesitation.
But not now.
Old fool. You're digging your own grave.
Chukang almost pitied Ha Cheolgun.
So cocky now—but if Jin Muhon stepped in, he might not keep his head.
"A warrior doesn't kneel without fighting. Enough talk—let's duel!"
"...Fine. Who from the Ghost Soul Sect? Not you, the sect leader, surely?"
"Why me?!"
Chukang flared up, eyes bulging at Ha Cheolgun.
Ha Cheolgun smirked and glanced back.
"Won't you make my honored guest feel unappreciated?"
"Guest...?"
A sedge-hatted man stepped forward from the Iron Blood Society ranks, his strides heavy.
His long robe fluttered in the wind with each step.
The robe was worn, but his gait was proud.
A smooth jaw under the hat suggested youth, and his upright posture evoked a drawn sword.
Quick-witted Chukang swallowed hard at the sight.
Damn! A master!
Despite his youth, the sedge-hatted man's aura was on another level.
The words Nine Great Sects flashed in Chukang's mind.
"Sect Leader Chukang, allow introductions. This is my junior brother."
"No way... shit. He's really your junior? Ages don't match up."
"Hahaha! Thrown off? Your tone's changed, Sect Leader."
"There's such a thing as decorum! In a fight like this, one of the Nine Great—gah!"
Shing!
As Chukang heated up,
the sedge-hatted man lunged forward, sword flashing.
"Urk... urgh...!"
It was wind-like footwork and ghostly swordplay.
Chukang trembled, staring at the blade now pressed to his throat.
Hot sensation.
Sticky blood trickled from where the tip touched his skin.
"Whoa!"
Bang Cheolsan, right behind him, could only gape, too slow to react.
The sedge-hatted man's speed was otherworldly.
"D-don't kill our sect leader."
Bang Cheolsan's voice shook.
The man tilted his sedge hat up to eye Chukang.
Chukang met his gaze with trembling eyes.
Mid-twenties, maybe.
Younger than expected.
"Shh."
"......?"
He pressed a finger to his lips.
Seemed he wanted his Nine Great Sects origin kept quiet.
Chukang swallowed and forced out words.
"The duel... not... doing it?"
The sedge-hatted man smirked, sheathed his sword, and lightly kicked off the ground.
His form floated like a cloud to the clearing's center.
A prestigious righteous sect's technique Chukang had never witnessed.
Thud.
Landing at a distance, the man crooked a finger at Chukang.
Chukang steeled his eyes and bellowed.
"The society leader's junior brother, got it? Fine, I'll bite! Our representative is the sect's protector! Jin Protector! Come forth!"
Chukang whipped his head around and yelled.
Ghost Soul Sect disciples parted like the sea, clearing a path.
Behind them.
Jin Muhon, standing leisurely, slowly advanced into the clearing.
Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.
His footsteps echoed heavily. The Blood Mist writhed in his wake.
All eyes fixed on him.
Someone gulped.
Balanced build, unreadable aura, emotionless face.
Odorless and colorless, yet radiating lethal menace.
Instilling fear in foes and allies alike.
That was Jin Muhon.
Whoooosh!
Jin Muhon and the sedge-hatted man faced off.
A small whirlwind stirred between them from clashing auras.
The Blood Mist crept toward them both.
"Protector! Whenever you're ready, begin!"
Chukang scurried back, shouting.
"Junior brother! Start!"
Ha Cheolgun bellowed in turn.
"......"
"......"
But neither Jin Muhon nor the sedge-hatted man moved rashly.
They stood like statues, utterly still.
Appearances deceived—their inner states differed vastly.
This aura... feels familiar.
Jin Muhon racked his brain, sensing he'd encountered the sedge hat's presence before.
The sedge-hatted man had frozen at the sight of Jin Muhon.
H-how... how is he in the Central Plains?!
No mind for openings.
No time to calculate moves.
Just now.
Wudang disciple Cheongpung's mind went blank at the Sword Demon's appearance, fingers numb.
Must... tell Master... Master! He's alive!
Terror gripped him.
Having faced the Sword Demon's blade before, it was all too real.
Yet he was Wudang's promising disciple.
I have to survive somehow!
Even if it meant feeding the Iron Blood Society to him—he had to report the Sword Demon's survival.
The Sword Demon lived. The rumors were wrong.
If he'd truly lost his inner energy as rumored, Cheongpung wouldn't feel this crushed.
Resolved, Cheongpung gathered qi from his dantian to kick off—
But then.
"You know me."
"Gasp!"
Jin Muhon timed his words perfectly, breaking Cheongpung's rhythm.
Cheongpung's aura faltered; he reflexively drew his sword.
Shing!
Silver flash sliced the air toward Jin Muhon.
Jin Muhon's eyes chilled.
"Slow."
He stepped back, drawing his own blade.
Jet-black sword body.
The Four Emperors' sword.
Kiiiiieeeeeek!!!
Suddenly.
A blood-curdling scream erupted from the Blood Mist.