Chapter 427
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 427
Chapter Title: Your Disciple Shall Serve
"W-Who...?!?"
Yeong So-hyang jumped in shock.
A stranger here, of all places.
Her surprise was short-lived.
She swiftly pulled back, channeling her internal energy throughout her body.
Her hands turned a deep red.
Proof that she was channeling the Blood Sea Ghost Palm.
Won Pyeong-sam smirked at the sight.
"Not bad. You've trained it quite well on your own."
At the same time, his own hands flushed red.
Yeong So-hyang's eyes widened in astonishment.
It was inevitable.
As someone who had cultivated the Blood Sea Ghost Palm herself, she knew it at a glance.
That's the Blood Sea Ghost Palm.
How... how is this possible...?
A middle-aged man who had appeared out of nowhere, wielding the Blood Sea Sect's ultimate technique—the one that had been lost with the sect's destruction.
The man's hands grew steadily redder.
As if asserting a realm far beyond hers, they shifted from deep crimson to a brilliant scarlet.
Soon, they took on a translucent glow.
"T-That's..."
Yeong So-hyang's eyes shook violently.
It was unavoidable.
The manual had described it clearly.
Upon reaching the pinnacle of the Blood Sea Ghost Palm, one's hands would achieve a translucent red hue.
And beyond that pinnacle...
As Yeong So-hyang recalled what came next,
Won Pyeong-sam's hands continued to change.
They reverted to their ordinary flesh tone.
However.
His nails now gleamed with a vivid scarlet light.
A red deeper than blood itself.
So that's what it becomes... beyond the pinnacle.
The Blood Sea Ghost Palm elevated to a new realm.
That was the true ultimate technique of the Blood Sea Sect.
Yeong So-hyang stared in disbelief, utterly entranced.
"Well then, shall we see just how capable you are in practice?"
Won Pyeong-sam lightly swung his hand, sending a streak of red palm force hurtling toward Yeong So-hyang.
Startled, she thrust both palms forward with all her might.
Her palm forces intertwined, spiraling outward.
Boom!
A massive explosion rocked the surroundings.
Dust rained down from the ceiling.
Yeong So-hyang staggered back, barely keeping her footing.
Won Pyeong-sam remained standing calmly in place, utterly composed.
"Impressive."
He meant it sincerely.
To have mastered the Blood Sea Ghost Palm to this extent from a manual alone, despite its flaws, spoke of genuine talent.
Yeong So-hyang gritted her teeth.
An unknown assailant whose identity she couldn't fathom.
An opponent of unimaginable strength.
But the headquarters of Haomen could not suffer such humiliation here.
She poured every ounce of her internal energy into action.
At that moment.
"That's enough, Eldest Young Lady."
The voice of Haomen's leader, Bae Un-san, rang in her ears.
Recognizing the familiar tone, Yeong So-hyang paused.
Bae Un-san stepped into view.
He gave her a brief explanation of the situation.
The man was a mysterious master from beyond the borders, the former head of the family that originally possessed the Blood Sea Ghost Palm.
In exchange for passing on the Blood Sea Ghost Palm and one additional technique, Haomen had agreed to procure eight pieces of information he desired.
Yeong So-hyang alternated glances between the two men, still dazed.
How had such an expert suddenly dropped from the sky?
Could this man stand against Ha Mu-baek, that monster?
The thought crossed her mind.
She scrutinized Won Pyeong-sam closely.
She tried to gauge the aura emanating from him.
But at her level, she couldn't comprehend it.
Neither Ha Mu-baek nor Won Pyeong-sam could be measured.
"Then... Mother...?"
Yeong So-hyang asked in a trembling voice.
"If Lord Won's words are true, the Madam will recover her martial prowess."
Bae Un-san referred to Ye Cho-a as the Madam.
He had wanted to call her the Supreme Leader, but he couldn't.
It was because of Saryeon.
They had deposed her as leader.
If Haomen now referred to that deposed leader as Supreme Leader once more...
Would Saryeon stay silent?
Even considering Ye Cho-a, who was confined by Saryeon, he couldn't risk it.
"Let me take a look."
Won Pyeong-sam swiftly seized Yeong So-hyang's wrist, still looking stunned.
He carefully examined her internals.
To assess the quality of her meridians and bones.
Hm? W-What is this...?
He was stunned.
She possessed an utterly unexpected constitution.
This is unmistakably the Vermilion Bird Blood Spirit Body! H-How...?
Won Pyeong-sam was genuinely shocked.
The Vermilion Bird Blood Spirit Body, no less.
He never imagined finding such a legendary constitution in a place like this.
It was like stumbling upon a priceless treasure in a random box picked up off the street.
The Vermilion Bird Blood Spirit Body.
The Blood Cult knew it only as a constitution resistant to curse techniques.
That's why one of the Blood Cult's Ten Elders had once tried to teach Yeong So-hyang the Divine Annihilation Technique.
But if that were all, Won Pyeong-sam wouldn't be so astonished.
His faction—known even to the heavens—possessed deeper knowledge about the Vermilion Bird Blood Spirit Body.
Won Pyeong-sam released her wrist and stepped back.
He turned to Bae Un-san.
"I'd like to change the terms of our deal. Is that possible?"
"What do you mean...?"
Bae Un-san asked, perplexed by the sudden proposal.
"Two pieces of information will suffice. Instead..."
"Instead?"
"Take this girl as my disciple."
Bae Un-san was taken aback.
Accepting her as his disciple meant sending her to some mysterious faction whose location was unknown.
And she was Haomen's Eldest Young Lady, designated as the next leader.
"I-I'm afraid that's impossible."
Bae Un-san hurriedly refused.
"How strong are you, exactly?"
Yeong So-hyang stared at Won Pyeong-sam and asked.
"Hm? How strong is this lord?"
Won Pyeong-sam chuckled in disbelief.
Since entering the Central Plains, he hadn't sensed any aura stronger than his own.
And now this absurd question.
"Probably far beyond anything you can imagine."
"How far, precisely?"
She pressed with bold questions.
"Enough to slice through that iron prison you built like child's play?"
Yeong So-hyang knew what the Iron Cell Prison was.
But she couldn't grasp what level of power it would take to cut through it effortlessly.
She glanced at Bae Un-san.
"At the very least, the peak of transcendent realm."
Only then could one even attempt an escape, as the creator had said.
"Stronger than Ha Mu-baek or the Saryeon Lord? Stronger than the Blood Cult?"
The names of those she harbored grudges against spilled out.
"I don't know who they are, so I can't say. But my realm is several steps beyond that peak of transcendent. I wouldn't know your standards for realms here. Still, I've long surpassed the Transcending Demons stage."
Transcending Demons.
A demonic arts realm where one sheds the influence of demonic qi.
Equivalent to the orthodox sects' Wall-Shattering stage.
He claimed to have passed it long ago.
Bae Un-san's eyes trembled fiercely.
He knew Transcending Demons was a term used in the Demonic Cult.
They have some connection to the Demonic Cult.
He had suspected as much when sensing demonic qi and seeking the Demonic Cult.
Hearing the term directly made it hit harder.
Even so, he had made the deal because it was a deal.
Haomen was unorthodox anyway.
They could accept requests from those with demonic qi.
Especially since the Demonic Cult was long destroyed.
But.
A Haomen member joining a demonic faction as a disciple was another matter entirely.
It went beyond merely studying curse techniques.
Both Blood Cult and Demonic Cult were enemies of the Central Plains martial world.
"What realm is Transcending Demons?"
Yeong So-hyang asked Bae Un-san.
"Similar to the orthodox sects' Wall-Shattering realm."
Bae Un-san answered honestly.
Yeong So-hyang looked at Won Pyeong-sam with wide-eyed shock.
This middle-aged man.
A master on par with the Blood Cult Leader, Demonic Cult Leader, or Righteous Heaven Alliance Leader?
"If I become your disciple, how quickly and how strong can I become?"
Yeong So-hyang turned back to Won Pyeong-sam.
From her question, he sensed her burning desire for power.
"One year. In one year, you can reach Transcending Demons."
That's why he answered truthfully.
Something possible only for her.
Bae Un-san was stunned.
"Th-That's impossible!"
He had to cry out.
Not even in orthodox or unorthodox sects would claiming to forge someone to Wall-Shattering in a year avoid being called mad.
Won Pyeong-sam nodded.
"Impossible, yes. But possible for you. If your innate Vermilion Bird Blood Spirit Body cultivates the great heavenly demonic arts."
Bae Un-san was shocked once more.
He knew the "great heavenly demonic arts" Won Pyeong-sam mentioned were demonic techniques.
This had to be stopped.
Haomen's Eldest Young Lady joining a Demonic Cult-related faction to learn demonic arts?
Haomen could face annihilation.
No, Haomen couldn't be destroyed, but its members would be scattered to the winds, erased from existence.
"E-Eldest Young Lady!"
As Bae Un-san moved to shout,
Yeong So-hyang performed a disciple's bow toward Won Pyeong-sam.
"Your disciple Yeong So-hyang greets Master."
"Good. Very good. Haha!"
Won Pyeong-sam laughed heartily, pleased.
Bae Un-san watched with a soul-crushed expression.
There was no stopping it now.
After completing the bow, Yeong So-hyang rose and faced Bae Un-san.
"I'm sorry, Leader. Please expel me from Haomen. And officially inform Saryeon of it."
Yeong So-hyang had intuited Won Pyeong-sam's connection to demonic arts upon hearing "Transcending Demons."
Yet she chose to become his disciple anyway.
For one reason alone.
Power.
Strength.
To obtain it.
Hadn't she learned all too painfully what becomes of the weak in the jianghu?
"E-Eldest Young Lady..."
Yeong So-hyang shook her head at Bae Un-san's words.
"I am no longer Haomen's Eldest Young Lady. I am only Master's disciple."
She drew the Blood Sea Ghost Palm manual from her bosom and respectfully handed it to Bae Un-san.
It belonged to Haomen, taken from Saryeon.
So it had to be returned.
Bae Un-san accepted the manual and gazed silently at Yeong So-hyang.
"Sigh. Very well."
"I always keep my promises. No, you've given me such an excellent disciple—I'll give even more in return. Haha!"
"Your disciple shall serve you."
Yeong So-hyang bowed deeply with respect, and the two soon departed the grounds.
Several days passed.
In that time, quite a few more cadets had reached the sword qi stage.
Even Cho Mu-ha could now wield sword qi naturally.
Ha Mu-baek had said he would get everyone to sword qi,
but upon inspection, this was the limit.
No more cadets seemed ready to break through to sword qi immediately.
With more time, perhaps.
But time was truly running short now.
The advanced Eastward Tournament was imminent.
By next year, the remaining cadets might barely manage sword qi.
Sparring halted.
Ha Mu-baek ascended the platform, and the instructors fell back.
The cadets formed neat ranks.
"You've followed along quite well."
Ha Mu-baek smiled warmly.
"So now it's time to wrap up this tedious training, right?"
The cadets buzzed at his words.
Because of "wrap up."
Only now did they recall the purpose of this grueling regimen.
Why they drank that horrific tonic.
Why they endured endless brutal spars with instructors.
It was all to fight the jiangshi.
They had defeated the four corpse jiangshi.
But the poison jiangshi and blood jiangshi had overwhelmed them.
To slay those cursed monstrosities.
Ha Mu-baek snapped his fingers lightly.
Then.
Two poison jiangshi leaped from the wagon they had all but forgotten existed.
The ones the seven squads had defeated before.
"For now, face them without sword qi."
At Ha Mu-baek's command, the Fierce Dragon Corps cadets formed their battle formation.