Chapter 385
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 385
Chapter Title: The Beheaded Dark Blood Ghost
"What the hell is this?"
A perfectly normal voice emerged.
Pung Gi-hyu turned his gaze.
There lay his own body, still with its neck severed.
"What in the world..."
He was so dumbfounded that he tried to ruffle his hair out of habit.
Then.
His body moved.
The hand of his headless body wildly thrashed at where his hair should be.
"Gasp!"
Pung Gi-hyu jumped in surprise.
His neck had been cut off, yet he retained his consciousness and was alive—it was bizarre. Even more grotesque was that he could still control his body in this state.
On a whim, he tried to stand up, and it worked.
He lifted his head and brought it back to its proper place.
Thud.
The world spun wildly as his head fell back to the ground.
With no choice, he picked up his head and tucked it under one arm.
"What kind of grotesque and hideous thing is this..."
The moment he let out a deep sigh.
Black energy began to seep out from his dantian.
And black energy rose from his head as well.
From both eyes, nostrils, mouth, and ears.
Black energy flowed from all seven orifices.
The instant the two streams met.
"Keurgh..."
Pung Gi-hyu groaned in excruciating pain, his eyes turning pitch black.
The brief clarity of reason vanished completely.
Only the instincts of a dark blood stiff corpse remained.
And so, the monster that Hocheon Corps Leader Ha Mu-baek had dubbed the Decapitated Blood Ghost was reborn.
The specimen Ha Mu-baek had encountered before was merely stronger than a blood stiff corpse.
This one was different.
The dark blood stiff corpse that had once been Pung Gi-hyu—the Decapitated Blood Ghost—wandered its surroundings.
Like it was waiting for something to take root, it stayed within a fixed territory.
Deep within the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest, it felt as if something was calling to it.
As it moved to find that direction.
The Decapitated Blood Ghost suddenly sensed a foreign energy.
Not far away, that energy felt utterly repulsive.
It was loathsome, even hateful.
"Grrrrowl."
A savage growl rumbled from Pung Gi-hyu's mouth, tucked under its side.
The Decapitated Blood Ghost ignored the pull from deep in the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest for now.
More than that, it wanted to eradicate the source of that repulsive energy immediately.
And so, the Decapitated Blood Ghost shattered its territorial bounds and began to move.
Its target.
Of course, that utterly loathsome energy.
It pursued the movement of that energy.
Late into the night.
Yeon Baek-jin's office was still lit.
Thanks to Gi Yu-chan.
As he was immersed in his work.
"Vice Pavilion Lord. Fierce Dragon Corps Instructor Han Seol-bing has come to see you."
The voice of his attendant guard came through.
Yeon Baek-jin rose from his desk and approached the low table.
"Show her in."
The door opened, and Han Seol-bing entered.
"Please, have a seat here."
Yeon Baek-jin deftly prepared tea with practiced hands, and the two sat facing each other at the low table.
"What brings you here?"
Han Seol-bing took a sip of tea before getting straight to the point.
Yeon Baek-jin glanced at the door and lowered his voice.
"As I mentioned earlier today. It's about Ha-min."
"I've put up a barrier, so speak freely."
Han Seol-bing could also erect a sound-blocking barrier.
It was smaller in range than Ha Mu-baek's, but sufficient to conceal their conversation.
"Ahem."
Yeon Baek-jin cleared his throat awkwardly.
He hadn't realized Han Seol-bing was strong enough to deploy a barrier like that.
The cough was to mask his unease.
"It's about Ha-min's martial arts."
"Her martial arts?"
"Compared to the other cadets in her squad... she only has the Three Talents Arts and a few forms."
Yeon Baek-jin trailed off.
"Ah."
Han Seol-bing let out a low exclamation.
Come to think of it, aside from Yeon Ha-min and Nak Woo-jin, everyone else had their own unique martial arts.
No need to mention Ju Woo-myeong from Wudang, Baek Ri-pyeong from Zhongnan, or Dang Jin-san from the Sichuan Tang Clan.
Even Dan Mok Un-roe had reclaimed his family martial art.
"Ha-min is undoubtedly a child of our Yeon Clan."
Yeon Baek-jin emphasized.
But Han Seol-bing's reaction wasn't particularly favorable.
For someone of the Yeon Clan, Yeon Ha-min had suffered greatly at their hands.
The culprit, Yeon Baek-ryang, was dead, but still.
When Yeon Ha-min returned to the clan, how would they treat her?
Han Seol-bing suspected they'd be hostile.
Yeon Baek-jin read her mood.
"Regarding what happened between that child Ha-min and our clan, I have no defense, even if I had ten mouths."
He had to acknowledge what was true.
"Even so, Ha-min is my brother's daughter."
"Not a drop of blood shared, though."
Han Seol-bing shot back immediately.
Yeon Baek-jin nodded. It was an undeniable fact.
"Even so, my brother cherished her more than his own flesh and blood."
Another undeniable truth.
"Would Ha-min want to learn the Yeon Clan's martial arts for that reason?"
Han Seol-bing had already guessed what Yeon Baek-jin wanted.
"She will learn this martial art."
After deciding to pass it to Yeon Ha-min, he had kept the manual close at all times. He now pulled it out and offered it.
Ten Thousand Flowers Moonfall Sword Dance.
The name of the martial art written on the manual.
Han Seol-bing furrowed her brow.
Among the Yeon Clan's martial arts she knew, none bore that name.
The first that came to mind for Yeon Clan arts was naturally the White Rakshasa Thousand Flowers Sword.
Or the White Rakshasa Twelve Swords.
Ten Thousand Flowers Moonfall Sword Dance.
A sword art she'd never heard of.
"On the day my brother brought Ha-min into the clan, he personally searched the family archive and found this sword art. He said he'd teach it to her himself one day. That it was perfect for her."
"..."
Han Seol-bing was speechless.
Though an adopted daughter, Yeon Baek-un had loved Yeon Ha-min more than his own. His feelings shone through poignantly.
Yeon Baek-un.
Han Seol-bing had fought alongside him on the battlefield.
He was an excellent warrior.
She remembered him occasionally worrying about the daughter he'd left at the clan.
'He wasn't someone who should have died like that...'
His death had been a great loss to her as well.
"It's not a Yeon Clan martial art?"
Han Seol-bing asked.
"I don't know. It's not in the clan records... but it came from the family archive. We collected outstanding martial arts from across the world and stored them there."
In short, its origin was unknown.
"What if..."
As Han Seol-bing began, Yeon Baek-jin shook his head.
"It's the martial art my brother personally chose. For his daughter."
Firm words.
"At the time, he entrusted the manual to me. He couldn't give it to his wife because the clan's eyes weren't kind. This is that very manual."
Han Seol-bing nodded.
"It's not a Yeon Clan art, but since it came from the Yeon Clan, it might as well be. Once she knows the story, Ha-min will surely learn it."
"How can I help?"
She believed Yeon Ha-min should decide whether to learn it.
Han Seol-bing asked.
"Shall I deliver it? Or should I arrange for you to give it to her directly, Vice Pavilion Lord?"
"..."
Yeon Baek-jin fell silent for a moment.
He pondered.
What would be best?
With a reliable ally now born, he decided to entrust it to her.
"I'll write a letter. Please deliver it for me, Instructor Han."
Han Seol-bing nodded at his request.
Yeon Baek-jin emptied his teacup, moved to his desk, and swiftly penned the letter before handing it over.
The sealed envelope.
"I leave it in your hands."
Yeon Baek-jin cupped his fists and bowed deeply.
Han Seol-bing tucked the manual into her bosom and left the Vice Pavilion Lord's office.
She headed straight to her quarters.
She could have delivered it immediately, but seeing Yeon Baek-jin's caution, she decided to proceed carefully as well.
Crunch. Crunch.
Ha Mu-baek led the way, pushing through the forest path.
The others followed behind.
Having patrolled the area, did it sense Ha Mu-baek's change in direction?
The creature immediately headed toward him.
'It's a dark blood stiff corpse, but the feeling is a bit off.'
Ha Mu-baek hadn't seen it directly.
He had only sensed it.
Thus, he didn't know why it felt different.
Soon enough.
He would see for himself.
The faces of those following Ha Mu-baek were tense.
Not a muted iron stiff corpse, but a dark blood one—naturally so.
Everyone had snapped to attention.
Pyeong Deok-jo was so nervous he chewed his lips raw.
Blood trickled unnoticed.
It was quiet.
As if aware of the dark blood stiff corpse's movement.
No sign of death stiff corpses, poison stiff corpses, or blood stiff corpses.
Only their footsteps echoed in the forest.
"It's close."
Ha Mu-baek said softly.
Certain that Ha Mu-baek was approaching, the creature had stopped.
'Definitely intelligent.'
It had lost reason to demonic energy, yet as a stiff corpse, it possessed intellect.
It thought and moved.
Ha Mu-baek's pace remained steady.
Crunch. Crunch.
The sound unchanged.
However.
The tension of those behind reached its peak.
A bit further.
The forest cleared into a small clearing.
And there stood the dark blood stiff corpse alone.
Ha Mu-baek halted for the first time upon seeing it.
Naturally, those behind stopped as well.
This was the first time they'd seen such a reaction from him since knowing him.
Even from his back, they could sense his astonishment.
"This... ha. What a sight... haha."
An incredulous laugh escaped Ha Mu-baek.
The narrow path forced them into a single file behind him.
Thus, the Demon-Sealing Corps members and Fierce Dragon Corps cadets, led by Pyeong Deok-jo, couldn't yet see the dark blood stiff corpse ahead.
Crunch. Crunch.
Ha Mu-baek advanced again.
He stepped fully off the path, maintaining distance from the dark blood stiff corpse.
One by one, they emerged behind him and beheld it.
"Urk!"
"Gasp!"
"Ugh."
Each let out a low cry upon seeing the stiff corpse.
It was inevitable.
They had seen countless stiff corpses in the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest.
But nothing this grotesque.
A stiff corpse carrying its own head under its arm.
They'd never seen or heard of such a thing.
The Demon-Sealing Corps had no such intel.
"I-is that... a dark blood stiff corpse? Are they all like that?"
Pyeong Deok-jo asked in a trembling voice.
The Demon-Sealing Corps knew otherwise, but Pyeong Deok-jo didn't.
Ha Mu-baek shook his head.
"It's a dark blood stiff corpse, alright. But this one's a variant. No idea how it formed... but I didn't expect to see this one again."
"Grrrrr."
The head under its side spewed killing intent toward Ha Mu-baek with a hostile growl.
"W-what is that thing?"
Gwan Ha-kyeong asked in a quivering voice she couldn't control.
"Decapitated Blood Ghost. That's what I called it... but this one's a Decapitated Dark Blood Ghost."
Ha Mu-baek glanced at those standing to his left and right.
The Decapitated Blood Ghost—or rather, Decapitated Dark Blood Ghost—that had once been a dark blood stiff corpse.
It was too strong.
For the Demon-Sealing Corps and Fierce Dragon Corps to handle, that is—not for him.
Even a muted iron stiff corpse he'd have them fight to gain experience, stepping back himself.
Not this one.
Sword aura wouldn't easily wound it.
Of course, persistent sword aura attacks would sever it eventually.
"Tch. Should've crushed its skull after all."
Ha Mu-baek's gaze fixed on the Decapitated Dark Blood Ghost's severed neck.
Clear scars from countless sword aura slashes that barely cut it through.
In the end.
After the dark blood stiff corpse met its demise.
Some unknown force had turned it into a Decapitated Blood Ghost.
"Raaargh!"
The head under its side bellowed enormously.
Its form vanished in an instant.
Stab.
It reappeared right in front of Pyeong Deok-jo.
Its left hand's claws shot out sharply.
Aimed straight for Pyeong Deok-jo's throat.