Sealed in Blood
Flutter.
A carrier pigeon alighted on the windowsill.
A woman carefully untied the letter bound to its leg.
She unfolded the letter stamped with the Cult’s mark and gently raised her other hand.
Rustle.
The hem of her sheer white gauze nightgown—thin enough for the moonlight pouring through the window to shine straight through—lightly brushed the carrier pigeon. The fabric, of the finest quality befitting a family of the Seven Great Clans, swept across its feathers, and the bird tilted its head as if pleased.
A faint smile curved the woman’s lips as she read the letter with one hand.
A soft chuckle escaped her.
The ten streams of water had dwindled to fewer than half, each remaining current swelling larger. Those streams soon reduced to four. In the end they would merge into a single raging torrent that would swallow this crude world whole.
And at its center would stand the existence of the Demon.
She had already decided which Cult would reach that place first.
When that day came, the Seven Great Clan she currently belonged to would be no more than grains of sand before a tidal wave.
Grin.
As she once more recalled the grand design, her smile twisted her blood-red lips into a long, wicked curve.
Several days later.
Chirp-chirp-chirp——
Morning light filled the grand estate of the Hubei Pang Family.
Today was the day the Seoho Gwak Family would depart.
“……You’re leaving already?!”
“Why not stay a few more days!”
“Hooo! Has it already been ten days?”
“Young Master Gwak, are you really going?”
“This is a shame.”
“Brother Cheon, you at least should stay longer, haha!”
“It’s already today?”
Warriors of the Pang Family thronged the main gate like a cloud. Compared to when they had seen off the Cheonhae Merchant Group not long ago, far more faces were clouded with genuine regret.
Ten full days. They had stayed longer this time, and unlike the large-scale delivery of Horingu that promised future dealings with the merchant group, there was no guaranteed next meeting with the Seoho Gwak Family.
And above all else—
“It’s a damn shame we never crossed blades even once!”
“How about a quick spar right now?”
“Brother Cheon! Are you serious?”
“Hey now, wait your turn! And if we’re doing this, the one born a day earlier should go first!”
“Aigoo! Put those crude great sabers away, all of you!”
“Why not just challenge Young Master Gwak while you’re at it?”
Though the scales differed, the shared atmosphere of martial households had made friendship easy. The robust men and women of the Pang Family crowded around Cheon Gang, chattering noisily, when—
Footsteps.
Family Head Pang Chi-ung approached Gwak Yeon and Gwak Ho-shin. Standing beside the Grand Madam, he regarded the two with a pleased expression and burst into his usual booming laugh.
“Uwahaha! If you want to stay longer, you’re more than welcome!”
“Haha, this has been more than enough.”
“You young men have your own schedules. Very well! I won’t press you any further!”
“Thank you for understanding.”
“What are you talking about? I’m the one who should be thanking you!”
Thump-thump.
Pang Chi-ung clapped Pang Mu-gwang’s shoulder and gave Gwak Yeon a meaningful nod.
“You worked hard helping that boy Mu-gwang these past ten days. As promised, at the next gathering I’ll propose the Seoho Gwak Family for the vacant seat among the Seven Great Clans!”
“Competition is fierce—will it be all right?”
“Don’t worry, my lady. Elder Moyong has already dropped a few hints, and that Chan fellow seems to have taken quite a liking to the Gwak young masters.”
“Well, who wouldn’t?”
The mistress of the Hubei Pang Family turned her warm gaze between Gwak Yeon and Gwak Ho-shin.
“I truly hope we meet again as fellow members of the Seven Great Clans.”
“Your words alone are more than enough thanks.”
Gwak Yeon spoke in place of the still-taciturn Gwak Ho-shin.
Then Pang Mu-gwang stepped forward from behind and clasped his hands together.
“I must offer my own thanks as well.”
“Young Master Pang.”
“These past ten days, thanks to Young Master Gwak, my horizons have broadened.”
“The feeling is mutual. I’m grateful for your hospitality.”
“I truly hope—”
His voice was thick with sincerity.
“—that we can meet again at the next Blue Cloud Gathering.”
“I feel the same. If you ever have business in Hangzhou before then, please visit us without hesitation.”
“How could I refuse?”
“Haha!”
At the mention of the Blue Cloud Gathering—the assembly of rising stars from the Seven Great Clans—Pang Mu-gwang smiled with open regret.
Footsteps.
This time Red Tiger Captain Pang Ji-gyu clasped his hands toward Gwak Ho-shin. The young Pang warrior had used a sword dance as pretext for a contest of skill on the first day and had sparred several more times on the training grounds over the following ten days.
“We hope to see you again at the Blue Cloud Gathering as well.”
“……That would be good.”
Gwak Ho-shin’s expression remained blunt, but Pang Ji-gyu seemed unbothered.
After the rough round of farewells, Pang Mu-gwang raised his voice.
“All right, all right! Let’s send them off properly!”
Cheon Gang approached Gwak Yeon and Gwak Ho-shin, Heoksijo perched atop his head.
“Well then, safe travels!”
“We’ve been greatly indebted to you.”
“The Gwak Family is welcome anytime!”
“Until we meet again.”
Escorted by the Hubei Pang Family, they turned and set out on the road.
The figures of the Seoho Gwak party quickly dwindled. Pang Mu-gwang watched until they were no larger than dots beyond the estate gates, a satisfied smile on his face.
Nod.
Fate might arrive without warning, but he had never expected to gain such fine friends.
……Young Master Gwak.
The man who had helped with his training these past ten days. Thanks to him, Pang Mu-gwang had gained a new insight.
The Mixed Origin Thunderbolt Saber.
Applications and ideas for techniques he had never managed to unfold before had come to him in the short span of their acquaintance.
A sudden question rose in his mind.
But how can someone that strong not even appear on the Jianghu Rankings?
Of course he knew the rankings mostly listed martial artists of the orthodox path, and even then political factors often interfered. Still—with skill of that caliber, a name should have been easy to earn.
Did he deliberately…… wait for the right time?
The image of a hidden dragon surfaced. A rather fine smile spread across Pang Mu-gwang’s face.
If that were true—and if he had only now begun to move—then the world would soon be in for a shock.
Seoho Gwak Family.
Until now he had only heard rumors of the first and third young masters. Today he felt he had discovered the family’s hidden giant.
This morning, after finishing ten days of drunken training, he had sparred with Gwak Yeon one last time, completely sober.
Clench.
Smiling faintly, he rubbed the purpling bruise on his right shoulder.
On the road back to Hangzhou.
Several days had already passed since their departure, yet—
Clench.
Gwak Yeon lightly pressed the knuckle of his right fist, which only days ago had been swollen purple, and smiled.
Honestly, that brute strength of his……
Their final spar on the morning of departure. Neither had gone all-out to finish the other, so neither had been seriously hurt. Still, compared to the first day, Pang Mu-gwang’s understanding of the Mixed Origin Thunderbolt Saber had clearly changed.
The breadth of that change had been greater than expected. Whether Gwak Yeon’s intentions had simply been well conveyed, or whether that bizarre drunken training—taking attacks while thoroughly intoxicated and learning counters with the body—had produced extra results, he could not say.
……Still, that much is only proper for the descendant of my old friend.
Gwak Yeon did not feel displeased. He was recalling a peculiar old comrade after a long time.
Pang So-ho of the Hubei Pang Family—bold and arrogant in equal measure.
- This is driving me mad…… Do I really have to deal with the likes of him…?
Against a pale scholar who was not even worth a single punch, the man would merely sigh and let insults pass. Yet before a great evil that everyone else avoided, he would laugh heartily and whirl a great saber as if it were a pebble.
A man who, even when taking a loss, never repaid a trivial opponent in kind. The thought that he had awakened that same large, almost arrogant vessel of the Hubei Pang Family in the man’s descendant left Gwak Yeon with a strange feeling.
“……Young Master?”
“Ah.”
“Is the noodle soup not to your taste?”
In a quiet inn at the edge of a small village, Cheon Gang slurped his noodles and asked while chewing.
“No, it’s fine.”
“To be honest, it’s a bit different from what we ate while staying at the Pang estate these past few days.”
He glanced around to make sure no one was listening and lowered his voice.
“Well, the food there was pretty good, wasn’t it?”
“Yes. Still, I kept thinking about the noodles from Jeowun-banjeom.”
“Jeowun……banjeom?”
“Ah, the noodle house in Hangzhou we used to visit now and then.”
“……Oh.”
Gwak Ho-shin nodded with a serious expression at Gwak Yeon’s answer.
Just then Heoksijo, sitting with them, twitched its beak as if about to speak. Cheon Gang clamped its beak shut with his fingers.
“Shh.”
He cut off the bird’s inevitable food complaints in advance. Chuckling, Cheon Gang looked around generously.
“Anyway, both Young Masters, eat your fill! I’m covering everything here.”
Clink.
A pouch heavy with silver coins landed on the table.
“I brought a good amount with high hopes, but while we were at the Pang estate I never had a chance to spend any.”
“Oh-ho.”
During the ten days Gwak Yeon had been helping with Pang Mu-gwang’s training, Cheon Gang had somehow mixed with Pang warriors and people from the Cheonhae Merchant Group, gone outside the estate, and apparently been treated to quite a few meals at Beijing restaurants.
“……That’s a lot of money.”
“Ah, this?”
He was about to proudly explain how he had earned it to Gwak Ho-shin when Gwak Yeon gave a subtle shake of his head from the side.
Cheon Gang’s face said “Oops,” and he hastily covered.
“Uh, it just sort of appeared.”
“……Mm.”
Unable to admit he had made a killing by betting on the spar between Gwak Ho-shin and Gwak Yeon, Cheon Gang hurriedly ordered more food.
“Waiter! Three more plates of dumplings over here!”
Similar days continued for some time.
On the road back to Hangzhou they sometimes unleashed lightfoot techniques without restraint, sometimes raced horses between post stations, and sometimes leisurely discussed the Manhyeong Swordplay each of them had learned.
Still.
Hangzhou was drawing much closer, far faster than when they had left.
Everyone…… is growing faster than I expected.
Gwak Yeon could feel that the companions returning with him had grown noticeably stronger than when they set out.
Especially Cheon Gang.
After ending his life as a vagabond he had gone a long time without real combat. Now, fighting again with a weapon that suited his style, having consumed spirit herbs, and receiving constant precise corrections on forms and techniques from Gwak Yeon at his side, he had improved dramatically.
“Kwahat! See this? Now when I swing it once, it spins at least ten times!”
“……Mm.”
“Stop spinning it—! It’s making me dizzy—!”
Gwak Yeon watched Cheon Gang whirling his heavy iron staff on the roadside.
At this level already, a little more growth and he could become a respectable comrade for hunting great evils. The Horingu he wore here and there, like the others, would also help him greatly without hindering his skill in the slightest—
Of course, whether the man would be able to accept Gwak Yeon’s peculiar nature as a vampire was still uncertain.
When will I be able to reveal this ability without a second thought?
From vampires, Gwak Yeon’s thoughts naturally turned to the Blood Cult.
Now that he had cleared the Hubei Pang Family from suspicion—
Anyway…… five remain.
Though they were called the Seven Great Clans, one seat had effectively been vacant, leaving six families; with the Hubei Pang Family removed, five martial houses remained.
Five great martial families of the jianghu. As he recalled his previous life’s knowledge of each while wondering which of them might be connected to the hidden force he sought—
If I attend the Blue Cloud Gathering, I might find out.
Gwak Yeon’s steps toward Hangzhou continued to move with purpose——
“We’re here—! Home—!”
Hangzhou.
They finally arrived at the Seoho Gwak Family estate, nestled on one side of the famously beautiful West Lake.
“The Young Masters have returned!”
Family retainers thronged like a cloud. Gwak Yeon felt a sudden lump in his throat.
Though not even two full months had passed since they left, the place already felt like home, wrapping him in a sense of warmth.
We arrived earlier than I expected.
Until the day of Hangzhou’s secret auction—until he would go to meet the one Black-Clad Wolf had called “Lord Goechok”—more than a full month still remained.
“……What?”
Soon Gwak Yeon received a bizarre piece of news.
“Hangzhou’s…… ‘ghosts’?”
It seemed the seeds he had scattered throughout the city of Hangzhou before leaving had sprouted in a most peculiar direction.