At the Ak Clan Sword House (2)
Chung Yang, the lord of the Iron Sword Unit, led his warriors into the Ak Clan Sword House.
The grounds were filled with the clan's fighters, but the atmosphere hung heavy with gloom.
The one who greeted him was Ak Do-gwang, the eldest son of Murim Alliance Lord Ak So-gun. His second son, Ak Seo-pyeong, assisted their father at the alliance headquarters, leaving the elder to manage the family estate.
"Welcome."
"It's been a while."
They exchanged formal bows with clasped fists. Neither man was in a position to treat the other lightly.
"You say there was an intruder?"
"Yes, that's correct."
It was an audacious intrusion. This was the home of the Murim Alliance Lord himself. Anyone could guess how ironclad the defenses would be. Even if someone had the skill to slip in, would the Ak Clan Sword House or the alliance just sit idly by if mischief occurred? Yet this fool had dared to try.
"Did you catch the bastard?"
"No. We couldn't find any trace of him. Not even signs of the break-in."
"Any dead or injured in the clan?"
"Fortunately, none."
"Stolen goods?"
"None."
Chung Yang felt a flicker of puzzlement. No deaths or injuries, nothing missing?
Then why the hell did they call us?
The Ak Clan Sword House boasted a formidable array of masters. Ak Do-gwang alone had reached the Peak realm. They weren't the type to call on the alliance unless it was a dire crisis.
"Come this way. There's something you need to see."
Ak Do-gwang led only Chung Yang and Hwang Il-bi deeper inside.
The farther they went, the thicker the stench of blood grew.
No deaths or injuries, my ass.
Chung Yang and Hwang Il-bi exchanged uneasy glances. Both subtly circulated their inner energy, staying vigilant for any ambush.
Finally, they reached the innermost rear garden of the Ak Clan Sword House—and froze in shock.
"What the hell is this?"
Blood splattered the courtyard, the building walls, everywhere.
"You said no one died!"
"Correct. It's not the blood of our clansmen."
"What? Then whose blood is it?"
"We don't know. The intruder splashed it here before vanishing."
"Say that again?"
Chung Yang scanned the area once more. This wasn't the blood from one or two bodies. It had come from at least a dozen people, maybe more.
Now he understood why they'd summoned him. This was the kind of bizarre incident that might happen only once in a lifetime.
"Give us the room for a moment."
"Of course."
Once Ak Do-gwang withdrew, leaving them alone, Chung Yang muttered in disbelief.
"This is the work of a complete lunatic."
"A lunatic, sure. But not just any master. To haul this much blood all the way into the Ak Clan Sword House's rear garden?"
"Dragged live captives here, butchered them, and dumped the blood?"
"Wouldn't that be even harder?"
"Maybe. How the hell did he transport this much blood? Buckets?"
"I can't even guess."
A voice cut in from behind.
"I think I know."
They whipped around in alarm. Approaching was Baek So-cheon.
"What are you doing here?"
"Didn't you hear? I have higher clearance than you for handling secrets."
Of course Chung Yang knew that. Baek So-cheon even had independent operational authority and immunity. In other words, Chung Yang couldn't stop him from being here.
He'd been mulling whether to make an issue of this and pressure Je-gal Hyeon.
At any rate, to Chung Yang, Baek So-cheon embodied the proverb "Those who come uninvited bring ill intent; the benevolent stay away." His tone turned inevitably sharp.
"Why are you here?"
"To sightsee? Nah, to help you out."
"I don't need your help."
"Fine, then."
Baek So-cheon turned without hesitation. After a few steps, Chung Yang called out.
"Wait!"
"What?"
"You said you know what happened here?"
"I did."
"Know what, exactly?"
"Who did it."
"What?"
Chung Yang was stunned, and even Hwang Il-bi beside him gaped.
What had he spotted amid all this blood? He'd only just arrived.
"Who was it?"
"Didn't you just say you didn't need my help? A real man doesn't go back on his word."
Chung Yang bit his lip hard.
Endure it. Endure.
His temper screamed to tell him to fuck off, but this was the Murim Alliance Lord's home. Since he'd come to investigate personally, he needed results, no matter what.
Hwang Il-bi stepped forward tactfully.
"Our lord spoke rashly. Please overlook it and share your wisdom."
Chung Yang bristled at the words. "Rashly" grated, and asking Baek So-cheon for wisdom? Infuriating.
Under normal circumstances, he'd have barked at Hwang Il-bi for spouting nonsense.
But he swallowed it, pretending not to hear.
Baek So-cheon turned to Chung Yang.
"Well, your lordship's always been good at misspeaking."
It was like pouring oil on the fire, but Chung Yang endured once more. He wanted to impress the alliance lord that badly.
Baek So-cheon stared him down.
"You're holding back well these days."
"I've always been patient."
"Then why couldn't you back then?"
"That was—"
Back then, he'd desperately wanted to wrest authority from Baek So-cheon. To crush him underfoot. Of course, it hadn't gone as planned.
"Stop needling me."
"Isn't that position one where you have to endure a little ribbing?"
"What?"
"So endure it. Build some patience, and you won't be half bad."
Chung Yang couldn't rage or rejoice—it left him speechless.
Baek So-cheon leaped lightly to hang from the eaves, then vaulted onto the roof.
"Come up."
The two followed with lightness skills, landing atop the roof.
Looking down, Chung Yang and Hwang Il-bi recoiled.
From below, it had seemed like blood splattered everywhere. But from above, it formed massive characters—two hanja in flowing script, sprawling across floor and walls, too vast to discern from ground level.
Killing Heaven
"Slay the heavens?"
He didn't know the motive, but it was clearly a message aimed at the Murim Alliance Lord.
"A death threat against the Lord, maybe."
Hwang Il-bi's words drew a nod from Chung Yang.
In the righteous Murim world, the heavens meant the alliance lord. "Heavens" without doubt referred to Ak So-gun. And this was inscribed in his very home.
"You said you know who did this?"
Baek So-cheon nodded.
"That blood isn't ordinary."
"Not ordinary how?"
"It's the blood produced by Blood Heaven Qi, the signature demonic art of Blood Cult Lord Myeol Saeng."
The name "Blood Cult" made Chung Yang and Hwang Il-bi gasp.
In the past three hundred years, the Blood Cult had produced its greatest prodigy.
Myeol Saeng, the current cult lord.
Blood Heaven Qi was his unique demonic art, a vicious technique wielding blood. It could spew blood from one's own body to attack or rip it straight from the enemy's veins.
Imagine standing there as your foe extracted every drop from your orifices.
Worse, legend held that blood from Myeol Saeng's body would melt flesh on contact.
"How do you know? That it's the cult lord's art?"
"Sniff it closely."
Chung Yang and Hwang Il-bi inhaled deeply.
"It smells like cinnamon from the blood."
Chung Yang nodded at Hwang Il-bi's observation.
"Indeed."
There were other tells.
"They say Blood Heaven Qi's blood looks red up close, but from afar, it shimmers deep blue."
Sure enough, from this vantage, a bluish hue gleamed in the blood.
"How do you even know that?"
"Read it in a book. There's one called Compendium of Unorthodox Martial Arts in the Man-seo Library. You can access it too. Stop boozing in your downtime and crack a book sometime."
Chung Yang had no retort to Baek So-cheon's jab. His drinking was excessive, and he did shun books.
Damn him. Knows his shit.
Even as a foe, he had to admit the man's prowess.
Baek So-cheon's knowledge didn't end there.
"The fact that the blood didn't corrode containers or the ground, yet formed letters? Looks like Myeol Saeng achieved Great Success in Blood Heaven Qi."
"Gods, no!"
Chung Yang and Hwang Il-bi paled.
Legends in the Blood Cult claimed that reaching Great Success in Blood Heaven Qi made one invincible. The tales had persisted for ages.
The unorthodox Blood Cult had stayed neutral in the last war.
Rumors said Cult Lord Myeol Saeng had entered secluded training for Blood Heaven Qi's Great Success, but no one knew for sure.
Now intel suggested the Black Heaven Alliance was allying with the Blood Cult.
If true, this tipped an already precarious balance into catastrophe.
"But why would the cult lord leave this message?"
"Beats me. It's your case—handle it and report up. I'll say I was never here."
Baek So-cheon dropped lightly from the roof.
From atop, Chung Yang called down.
"I hate your guts."
"I know."
"Given the chance, I'll boot you out again."
"I know that too."
"Then why help me? What's your angle?"
Baek So-cheon paused and looked up.
"Blood Cult Lord and Black Heaven Lord are joining hands. Think they did it out of friendship? Nah, to devour the Central Plains. If they're teaming up, why shouldn't we? I can stomach you if it means protecting Murim. So try enduring me too."
"...!"
It was the first real conversation Chung Yang had ever had with Baek So-cheon. He'd never imagined the man thought this way.
Watching Baek So-cheon's retreating figure, Chung Yang turned to Hwang Il-bi.
"I know you're on his side."
"As always, that's a misunderstanding."
Chung Yang always harped on this. If he suspected him that much, why keep him close? Yet he treated Hwang Il-bi like a trusted limb.
Hwang Il-bi couldn't fathom the psychology. The Iron Sword Unit teemed with talent, so it wasn't just valuing his skills. And it didn't smack of jealousy over Baek So-cheon—he was too good to him for that.
"Report to the higher-ups that it's the Blood Cult Lord's doing. Say I figured it out."
"Understood."
"Listen, First Captain Hwang. I won't back that Baek So-cheon bastard ever again. Hell, I'll make sure the alliance kicks him out. Remember that."
"I understand you, my lord."
"Why not say you'll help me do it?"
"I'll help with all I have."
"See? You're his man."
Chung Yang leaped down first.
"It's a misunderstanding!"
Hwang Il-bi followed suit.
After they left, a new figure descended moments later.
Clad head to toe in a black cape billowing like furious winds, face masked, wide-brimmed hat pulled low—no one could tell if it was man or woman, youth or elder.
Only that their lightness skill had reached the pinnacle of perfection.
They stared silently at the blood-scrawled characters for a long while.
Killing Heaven