Chapter 96
**
Left Scholar. Right Scholar.
Suddenly, the twins appeared. I tightened my grip on the sword.
When judged solely by appearance, they didn’t seem remarkable. Just a bald head with a somewhat harsh expression.
But…
The aura they exuded was different. Unlike anyone I’d fought before.
Huachun Quenma revealed this.
“Mi-ryeong! Back away!”
“…”
The girl staggered back. Huachun Quenma surrounded his whole body in powerful energy.
The blazing force erupted in all directions. Huaxing. That energy represented a significant realm.
The culmination ignited, pouring out rage.
“One! Just one! Hold on! I’ll kill you and come help…!”
“You’re dangerous.”
The man in the red clothes extended his foot.
In an instant, Huachun Quenma’s body slammed against the wall.
“I must separate you.”
“Hold on!!!”
A massive abyss. A structure so vast it was hard to believe it was underground.
Together with the one called Left Scholar, Huachun Quenma vanished into the uncertain expanse that stretched beyond what I could grasp.
The noise gradually faded. The fierce energy that had been burning before me also disappeared.
Guqcheong nodded his head toward me.
“The strongest warrior has vanished. Who’s next?”
“…There’s a smell of blood from below. The most likely place for Wolhyang is down there. Mu Myung, I’ll clear the path for you.”
Black Danhwa spread out her fan.
“Black Wind. I hate saying this, but…”
“I know what you mean. We’re already in this together. It seems futile… but it can’t be helped. This is also related to the honor of Black Wind.”
“Thank you.”
“Heh heh. That’s the first time I’ve heard that from Lady So.”
The eyebrows of the man in blue twitched.
“…How dare those young brats chatter about safety?”
“Shut it, Baldy.”
A pungent scent brushed my nose.
“This isn’t the place for us to chat.”
In an instant, a massive shadow enveloped us from below. The darkness rose, swallowing Black Wind and Black Danhwa.
The rising shadow engulfed even the man in blue. The twitching eyebrow twisted sharply.
“Do you think you can bind me with just this?”
“Are you scared? Scared that two young brats might take you down? Well… considering how empty your head seems, I guess it’s understandable.”
“…Heh. You can afford to make taunts. But this kind of illusion won’t be able to travel far. Master So, I’ll just amuse myself for a bit. Follow Left Scholar. He’ll return shortly.”
“Such a messy job.”
“Isn’t it because I trust Master So?”
“I don’t care. Just go.”
“Thank you.”
—Gulp.
Darkness completely consumed the three of us. I turned to Yeon Mi-ryeong.
…There was a wound near her ankle. A clear scar from something that had been cut and then reattached.
Did a tendon get severed? That’s not all. She was covered with bruises as if she had been beaten all over.
I took off my outer garment and wrapped it around Yeon Mi-ryeong.
“It’s okay, Lady Yeon. No need to tremble.”
“Are you turning your back on me now?”
“Hide yourself.”
Now, just one warrior remained before me.
That aura? Sharp. The power it possessed was violent, surging from behind me.
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That’s not all. The energy flowing over his body felt exceedingly familiar.
…Blood energy.
A horrendous amount of blood energy.
This was a warrior fundamentally different from those I had faced. Called the Master of the Blood Sect…?
“Guqcheong. You’re the Master of the Blood Sect.”
“And you’re the hunting dog secretly following me. Was feeding me food back then just a test?”
“It was a coincidence.”
“Right. A coincidence. If even a sliver of ulterior motive had been present, I would’ve noticed. Fate sure is cruel to serve food to your enemy.”
“…….”
I moved, slowly circling.
I edged away from Yeon Mi-ryeong, trying to draw the enemy’s attention even slightly.
“Why are you pulling this stunt?”
“You don’t seem important enough for me to answer that.”
“Answer me.”
“…You cocky brat.”
Guqcheong sighed, twirled the drawn sword.
He started circling me.
“What I want to know instead is who you are, Mu Myung. Why can you wield blood energy?”
“…….”
“Answer me. Did you come from the main sect? If so, why are you pointing your sword at me?”
Yeon Mi-ryeong was hiding her body.
I needed to keep the conversation going.
“What I’ve learned is the Nine Heavens Blood Demon Sword.”
“Nine Heavens Blood Demon Sword… I feel like I’ve heard that somewhere… Blood Demon Sword…?”
The man laughed.
“The sword learned by the Blood Demon lineage! Yes! I remember! You’ve learned something silly! How foolish to learn a third-rate martial art suitable for lower-tier warriors! Hah! Was that all you could flaunt?! It’s merely a slight transformation of the original Blood Demon Sword! I’ve seen it before! Strong, yet unstable!”
“…….”
“Third-rate martial art… Third-rate warrior… Heh heh. You’ve somehow made it this far. Just how many sacrifices did you make? But… even if your level is decent, you can’t escape your roots. If you crawl up from the bottom, you should adapt to reality! Why do you crawl into a place where you might end up dead?”
“I’ll ask you once more. Why are you pulling this stunt?”
“Why? Because there’s a lack of blood. I’ll tell you. Originally, I hadn’t planned to answer, but… it’s rather amusing that you dared to stand before me. I’ll grant you a glimpse of this strange intersection of ours.”
“…….”
“The current Demon Cult has grown weak. Far detached from blood. The forces have increased. But direction? What about direction? It just withers while hoarding surplus power. The Demon Cult is now a rotten puddle, content with stagnant water. Therefore… the sword meant to cut through must point inward.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“What do you mean? You know! There are three pillars of sects, yet they’re far too busy protecting their own bowls! They don’t care to look beyond their own groups! Indifferent to the unruly demons rampaging outside, considering it none of their business! Why? Because they think it doesn’t concern them!”
“…….”
“Always trampled upon are the powerless believers of the Demon Cult. Those at the bottom have grown accustomed to being oppressed, forgetting how to raise their voices. It makes no sense that overwhelming numbers have become even quieter. Doesn’t that seem odd? Someone must understand their suffering. We must fight on their behalf! Our role is to tear down this unreasonable hierarchy! To dismantle the rotten doctrines and cover the world with true teachings… this is why the Blood Sect was born!”
The man, who had been rambling, took a breath.
“…But you see. The main sect also understands that the Demon Cult is massive, and even if they try to reduce numbers, it’ll recover faster.”
“…….”
“That’s why it’s necessary. Is it simply about spilling blood? No, that’s not all! That’s just the beginning! It concerns what is born from that blood! The key to the Celestial Blood Sword I learned lies within the blood. Due to the formation known as the ‘Thousand Threads Area Death Formation’ that enveloped Eungmin long ago, all blood flowing from Eungmin converges into one. The blood of countless warriors. That refined blood, the True Blood, is the very aim of the main Blood Sect. That will help me truly become the next Master of the Blood Sect! Turtle Messenger Black Wild Dan? That’s nothing compared to the tremendous elixir I wield! True power that can even shatter the heavens! That’s what I possess now!”
“…….”
“That’s why I stand here. Just a lowly warrior alongside the scum of the Demon Cult. If you’ve figured it out with that foolish head of yours, nod. It wouldn’t be bad to lay down your sword and beg for mercy. I can be quite generous. This is your last chance, Mu Myung. Take my hand. If you do, I’ll show you a proper world.”
Guqcheong’s voice paused for a moment.
“I’ll teach you what you’ve yet to learn. The reality of it all.”
Yeon Mi-ryeong’s voice completely vanished.
I halted.
“Are you implying that speaking on behalf of the weak… is that it?”
“Yeah. That’s right. Perhaps you’ve understood somewhat.”
“Then tell me this, what justification do you have for the blood you’ve spilled here? Civilians are likely getting mixed up in this riot?”
“Necessary sacrifices. No results can be obtained without blood.”
“Even if nothing can be achieved without blood, you could’ve planned to spill as little as possible. But you seemed to make no effort at all.”
I scrutinized.
At the tip of his sword. The writhing blood energy.
It was vibrating. At the same time, it looked like it was communicating something.
…What.
What is it aware of?
“There’s a different reason,” I asserted.
“……”
“Your excuses hold no truth. You don’t genuinely believe what you’re saying. Are you perhaps borrowing the words of others? I asked for your own opinion.”
“I already told you.”
“Why would you commit such acts? What do you truly desire behind that flimsy pretense of righteousness? What are you, Guqcheong? What do you… truly want?”
I took a breath.
I exerted strength into the sword I gripped.
“Answer me.”
“…You’re just rambling, so there’s no worth in answering. There’s something you should know. Both the Blood Sect and the Demon Cult share common ground. Do you know what it is?”
—Whoosh!!
The surging energy engulfed the man’s body. The burning blood energy twisted around him like a snake.
“Weak people’s words hold no weight.”
“……”
“Our philosophical banter ends here. If you want to hear more from me, spill your blood. In the end, the words of the powerless mean nothing. You will die here. And I will forget your name. That’s the reality. The strong grip all power over life and death.”
He whispered.
“You can only remember my name. The one destined to kill you.”
“…Right. Philosophical banter has lost its significance.”
Ear Sword Bai Ya cried out. He added one more sword to the one gripped in his hand.
Amid the flowing blood energy, I too whispered back.
“I’ll listen to the rest with my sword, Guqcheong.”
I could see the destination ahead.
So…
I stretched out my foot.
. . .
Black Danhwa spread her fan. The trembling shadows twisted the terrain.
Mixing illusion with reality. That is the art of demon illusions.
She left no expense spared. The blood-red energy from the vial spilled along the edge of the fan.
Handling the duality and stamping the three phases with the tips of her feet.
Occupying all four directions, whispering the five elements.
Demon Illusion Technique
All Phenomena Mysteriously Hide in Heaven
The edge of the fan trembled. The fragrant essence melting around us broke down the boundaries between illusion and reality.
All the endless energy reserved for a single battle was about to be unleashed.
“Young Master Black. Block their movements.”
“How many strands of that precious silver thread have already flown away?!”
The shaking fan bore meaning. The endless energy from the vial melded above, altering the formation.
Water. Countless streams of essence soared into the air.
Each one formed an illusion, charging toward the enemy. They transformed into spears to strike down, twisting into swords to block off routes of escape.
Flames erupted and storms blew. Tidal waves surged, and bolts of lightning struck down.
A disaster that seemed unimaginable to have been crafted by human hands.
But…
It was all countered.
“This is nothing more than a childish prank, far inferior to the real thing.”
—Tap.
Without any effort, he brushed aside the calamities that had been hurled at him.
“Pitiful.”
—Kaaahhhh!
Colorless, transparent threads were ripped apart repeatedly. The Black Wind coughed up blood simultaneously.
Black Danhwa’s face contorted in shock.
A master. I was aware of that.
But this wasn’t just any master…
He was a master far beyond Huachun Quenma!
I immediately switched the formation. If it didn’t work in open combat, I would focus on stealth attacks instead.
Shadows that erupted from the ground all leaped out in unison. They transformed into black spears aimed at his ankles.
But in a single flash, they all shattered.
—Boom!!!
“Have you shown everything you’ve got?”
“Black Young Lady!”
“I’m thinking! Give me a moment!”
I needed a method. I had to think of a way to break through, whatever it took.
Endless energy is not infinite. A consumable mass of energy. I couldn’t replenish it immediately, so I had to conserve it.
Half of the original amount. That was all that remained.
I waved the fan again. Once more, the reserved energy was caught in the wind, reshaping illusion into reality.
A storm of blades surged forth. The Black Wind dove ahead, ripping through the air right in front of it.
The barrier of explosions fell to the ground. But the dust storm cleared in an instant.
The only damage was the torn hem of Right Scholar’s clothes, whispering.
“Pathetic.”
At that moment, a punch mixed with blood energy struck me…
Black Danhwa’s vision warped.
“Ugh?! What?!”
The left arm hit turned to jelly. Even from a distance, the released energy shattered my shoulder.
“Black Young Lady!”
“Look out…!”
The silver thread, known as Yinling, coiled through the air. In an instant, it traveled toward Right Scholar’s body, sealing his movements.
His eyebrows twitched.
“You’re playing with me.”
—Drriiiiiing!!!
With a rough sound, the Yinling began to fray. The Black Wind coughed violently, blood spewing forth.
“Goddamn… What… power… is this?”
Black Danhwa gritted her teeth. She forcibly rejoined her dislocated left arm.
“Ugh…!”
The fortunate thing was that the blood flowed and I was able to move.
But still, I lacked a viable solution.
The finishing blow.
A finishing blow was still missing.
The Black Wind and I were merely support. If only there was a true warrior, we could gain the upper hand!
Was I in the wrong location? Did I choose too remote a place to not have reinforcements?
I underestimated my opponents.
The arrogance that I could at least stall for time resulted in disaster.
Still…
Still, I had to fight.
Whatever it took… I had to…!
“Familiar fragrance. Familiar energy. But… the owner is different.”
In an instant, the bushes rustled. Black Danhwa turned her head.
A quickly approaching presence. A chill enveloped the surroundings to the point where it seemed dark for a second.
This wasn’t just simple cold. It was…
The extreme of yin energy.
Right Scholar, bound by Yinling, finally lifted his arms.
—Boom!!!
The new figure slammed backward. It wasn’t simply scraping the ground, but sent crashing into the building.
“Ugh?! What?!”
—Tap.
Black Danhwa stared at the shadow that had landed beside her.
Flowing hair like fluttering plum blossoms. Between it, a mischievous mouth whispered in a voice only she could hear.
“Are you acquainted with Jeok-un?”
“…….!”
I didn’t know who it was.
But I knew that very few recognized that name.
“She’s an ally!”
“And he?”
“He’s in the middle of a blood feud! To catch up, we have to get past him! Who are you…?!”
“Friend.”
The woman loosened her grip. Blood energy clung to her black nails.
“So, it means you’ll help? This is simple and nice. I can use the name ‘Bone Reaper’ that I didn’t want to use again… just once more.”
The Black Wind stood up after retrieving the severed Yinling. A smile settled at the edge of his mouth, given the shifting situation.
“Seems we’ve got a hot hand! Can we consider you an ally?! What’s your name, lass?!”
“Ju Ryeongryeong.”
“Lady Ju! I’ll bind them! As for the Black Young Lady…!”
“I’ll disrupt their senses. I’ll deflect all the attacks I can…”
“And I just need to finish the job, right?”
The three of them gathered their energy in the swirling dust.
Rising from the debris, Right Scholar snarled.
“You think having just one more player will change the situation?!”
“It will.”
Black Danhwa checked the remaining amount of endless energy.
It’s enough. If I weave the story in my head, it connects…
—Tap.
The folded fan made a sound as it touched my palm.
“From now on, I’ll peel back every single layer off you.”
“Isn’t that too cruel? After all, you’ve already lost your hair…”
“Did you peel your head first? Why? Did you use it for martial arts?”
Right Scholar’s energy boiled with rage.
“You damn cocky brats!”
