Silence filled the air instantly, and the eyes of the many sect members gathered there focused on one person.
The young man with red hair was holding the red-stained sword.
It was Jin Wonhwi.
‘This bastard, he is alive!’
They thought he would inevitably die, but he had returned alive. Song Jwa-baek could not suppress the excitement rising from within him.
It was the same for the others.
Even Cho Sung-won, once of the Beggar’s Union, was so surprised that he could not take his eyes off Wonwhi.
‘To appear at the right moment and make people stop.’
He had been the most upset as Wonwhi had promised to grant him his wish, but the man had ended up kidnapped. His heart, which had gone cold, now began to beat again.
Even Do Jang-ho, the Fourth Blood Star, couldn’t stop his lips from twitching.
Of course, not everyone was happy.
‘Young lord So…’
At the sight of the very much alive Jin Wonwhi, Baek Ryeon-ha became troubled.
In addition to joy, her heart had a strange feeling of disappointment. She didn’t know if it was because she had slowly started dreaming of becoming the Blood Demon again over the past 2 months.
Clench!
On the other hand, Han Baekha, who had been looking expressionless, had a distorted expression on her face.
‘For him to come back alive.’
She had been hoping for either Sima Chak to have killed him or at least for him to not return until after the ceremony. Who could imagine that he would step in at such an important time?
Since this happened, forget about being unable to become the Blood Demon. Baek Ryeon-ha’s position would be in jeopardy.
‘Blood Demon?’
Jang Ryeong, on the other hand, was unable to understand it. That blood-red hair, the sword, and the one eye covered by an eyepatch.
The overbearing force felt similar to the former sect leader in his youth.
‘Besides the two ladies, did the sect leader have any other children?’
As he had never seen Jin Wonwhi, he couldn’t help but be confused.
Looking to the members on his right and left, the others also looked puzzled.
‘First Elder?’
Dan Wei-kang’s expression was odd. It was as if he couldn’t take his eyes off the sword.
Rather than being surprised at the martial arts used, he was paying closer attention to his skills.
Pat!
At that moment, the hundreds of men that stood behind Jin Wonwhi, who was holding the Blood Demon Sword, took off their robes. Under them was a dark red uniform.
‘That uniform is?’
It was the uniform for the Blood Demon’s escorts, those who served directly under the sect leader.
Jang Ryong immediately recognized the middle-aged man wearing an eyepatch standing confidently behind Jin Wonwhi.
‘Blood Wolf Troops’ captain?’
That was undoubtedly Captain Noh Song-gu of the Blood Wolf Troops.
He was the one who had disappeared after messing with the merchant’s union. He didn’t expect that person to appear like this.
‘Those people from the Blood Wolf Troops can dress how they want to…’
“Bow to the Blood Demon!”
Captain Noh shouted at the top of his voice, followed by the other hundred escorts.
“Bow to the Blood Demon! Heavens of Blood!”
A booming sound could be heard from all around, causing even members of the other factions to flinch.
‘Ah!’
A person caught Baek Ryeon-ha’s eyes.
That handsome man standing next to Jin Wonwhi was Sima Young wearing a mask.
The moment she saw that, she thought…
That…
‘Did the Wicked Moon Sword recognize him?’
She would only be standing next to Jin Wonwhi if he was accepted by that man. Baek Ryeon-ha felt her heart become cold at the sight of them standing beside each other.
At that moment, Jin Wonwhi approached the two confronting heirs as if walking to a stage.
[Hehe. If you were alive, shouldn’t you have come right away?]
I almost burst into laughter at Hae Ack-chun’s friendly greeting.
Hae Ack-chun, my teacher who had been struggling with anger just moments ago, was now enjoying himself while baring his yellow teeth.
[Your eye is injured? Why are you closing it?]
[No. Something happened. I will tell you later.]
[Hehe. Fine. I am just glad you are back alive.]
My heart throbbed after hearing those words from Hae Ack-chun, but I didn’t show it on the outside. This was where tens of thousands of members of the sect had gathered.
I need to be dignified, like a Blood Demon.
-Trembling?
Short Sword asked.
To be honest, I was nervous. Before regressing to this life, I was just a simple spy for the sect, but now I am at the center.
So even speaking already felt difficult.
-Spread your shoulders wide. Since you have been chosen by this body, you, as a human, are the absolute ruler of this Blood Sect.
Even Blood Demon Sword, for some reason, was trying to sound nice.
Well, I wasn’t feeling discouraged. I wasn’t about to be swayed by anything now.
I then heard someone’s voice.
[Young lord]
It was Han Baekha.
She had made her plan to prevent my return, so it was natural that she was looking lost. She had crossed the line even if it was for Baek Ryeon-ha’s sake.
So I didn’t answer and continued to move forward.
[… the moment the young lord intervened in this, you left the young lady’s position as a ridiculed figure. Although you are the heir to the sword, you can give the lady strength…]
Han Baekha stopped because how I was glaring at her.
[Is that more important than my return?]
A sigh escaped.
[….]
Well, she didn’t deny what I said.
What great loyalty. She can say that I was lucky to be safe but only thought for the sake of Baek Ryeon-ha to keep her position.
No more caring about that now.
[Wait. Aren’t there things that need to be pointed out now? You should start being prepared.]
‘…!?’
Her eyes twitched.
She reacted clearly, so she should know what I meant by this. It doesn’t matter to me if she was biting her lips.
First, this was my priority.
Tak.
I finally arrived between both sides and looked at them. Both were unable to take their eyes off me, but each held different emotions.
“Those eyes…”
I was about to speak when I saw Baek Ryeon-ha close her eyes, and Hae Ack-chun suddenly laughed as he moved.
“Hehehe.”
Directly to my right.
As soon as he spotted Sima Young, he frowned but then smiled after lowering his head. It seemed that seeing my safe arrival helped a lot.
“Since the Blood Demon returned, I will have to change places too.”
Do Jang-ho, too, smiled and naturally moved to my left.
“Fourth Blood….”
Seeing this, the third Blood Star wanted to stay something but stopped.
Once Do Jang-ho moved to my side, the confrontation became three-sided. A three-way battle where three heirs stood with their own powers.
“Why aren’t you moving?”
He Ack-chun spoke as if scolding the ones still behind Baek Ryeon-ha.
They frowned at this as if unsure of what to do. Seo Kalma, in particular, looked quite flustered.
In front of Baek Hye-hyang, they had been firmly supporting Baek Ryeon-ha. So it was difficult to suddenly change their position.
“The true heir to the Blood Demon Sword has appeared…”
At that moment, someone interrupted his words.
“You, what is with that appearance?”
Baek Hye-hyang.
Unlike Baek Ryeon-ha’s side, she was unaware of this. Perhaps this was why she seemed to be filled with complicated emotions.
We relied on each other during our time in the Dual Martial Forces. However, this absurdity was likely more shocking for her since I was now another rival.
“Speak!”
“I am sorry I couldn’t tell you then.”
“What?”
Tak.
I spoke while holding my hands out to Baek Hye-hyang’s faction.
“There are many people here that I am meeting for the first time. Let me formally greet you. I am Jin Wonwhi, the Blood Demon who inherited the Blood Demon Sword.”
“Jin Wonhwi?”
A few people, including Baek Ryeon-ha, were shocked at my change in name. This was natural since they didn’t know that I had given up the name of Ikyang So.
On the other hand, the faces of the nobles under Baek Hye-hyang were similar to hers.
“Did he say Blood Demon?”
A tall, sharp-eyed, middle-aged man asked me this. Perhaps he was the famous First Blood Star, Jang Ryong.
The one who claimed to be Baek Hye-hyang’s husband.
“I heard of you.”
“But who are you to call yourself Blood Demon….”
“My maternal bloodline is of the Flying Moon Order, so I inherited the blood of the Blood Demon.”
“Flying Moon Order?”
The First Blood Star frowned at my response.
Judging by their reaction, it was clear that the others, too, were aware of the Blood Demon’s lineage. That saved me the need to explain.
Now we move in strongly.
“I will end the greetings now, and with respect for the ladies who also inherited the blood, I stand here.”
“What?”
Puak!
I pierced the Blood Demon Sword into the ground. As it pierced through, a crack formed, and a red haze rose from it.
“Everyone swears allegiance to me according to the law!”
‘….!!!’
I spoke with force, amplifying it using my mid and top dantian to ensure it filled the whole space, startling quite a few people there.
The members of the sect were now confused.
[The Blood Demon is both law and strength. You must show your presence!]
This was why Captain Noh had told me this. No, he was the escort captain now.
And he was right. If I didn’t show an overbearing personality now, I would simply be giving in.
Seeing that even Hae Ack-chun was shocked, everyone seemed quite surprised.
“You… what is this?”
Baek Hye-hyang looked up in disbelief. That was only natural since the change in my qi was too extreme since our last meeting.
I was about to move forward, but Jang Ryong hurriedly stepped up, bewildered.
“How can you talk about the law with a fake Blood Demon Sword! Is that even the real Blood Demon Sword?!”
I knew they wouldn’t just accept it.
He was still trying to insist that Baek Hye-hyang’s sword was real.
-That sword is red too?
I don’t know what the others thought, but I knew why that sword was red. It was because of the craftsman that Baek Hye-hyang had kidnapped from the Murim Alliance.
-Ahhh!
At that time, he had been trying to make an imitation of Baek Hyang-muk’s, the Murim Alliance Leader, sword at his smithy. He had been trying to make a sword that could withstand such a force.
Come to think of it, did the Murim Alliance Leader know about Demonic Sect techniques?
I wondered briefly, but this wasn’t the time.
The key was to show the authenticity of the Blood Demon Sword.
I was about to say something, but Hae Ack-chun was a step ahead as he shouted.
“Jang Ryong! You are a fucking idiot with torn-up eyes! Can you not even see the real sword!?”
This man was definitely good at cursing. It was really reassuring to know that we were on the same side.
“Fourth Elder… then how do we explain the lady’s sword?”
This made Hae Ack-chun frown.
He also didn’t understand that he only saw something that could be done using the Blood Heaven Sura Arts.
I had to make it clear that hers was a fake sword. Then Jang Ryong pointed out something.
“Wait. I have seen you somewhere….”
Jang Ryong’s face, which had been staring at Sima Young, became stiff. As if he had realized something, he shouted.
“You are the one behind the mask?”
‘Mask?’
Sima Young whispered to me.
“I am guessing he is talking about my father.”
Ahhh!
Right!
To us, who were trying to return to the Blood Sect, the Wicked Moon Sword had spoken about how he had met Baek Hye-hyang and her men.
He mentioned someone called the First Blood Star had spoken to him. Realizing something, Jang Ryong must have come up with an idea. He then pointed to Sima Young and shouted.
“That one was one of the Four Great Evils, the Wicked Moon Sword, Sima Chak! To have such a dangerous person….”
“He is my father.”
Sima Young cut his words off.
“What?”
Jang Ryong frowned in confusion at her words, and Sima Young removed her mask.
“Ah…”
The people appreciated her beauty already. Taking her mask meant showing the world one of the most beautiful faces.
Who wouldn’t be shocked at her beauty? The reason she took off her mask was simple. It was because she wanted to show her resemblance to Sima Chak.
“This… what even….”
Sima Young smiled at Jang Ryong, who was shocked.
“You gave my father my location and told him that I had been kidnapped and brainwashed by the sect members under Lady Baek Ryeon-ha, right?”
The faces of Hae Ack-chun, Seo Kalma, and Do Jang-ho were instantly distorted.
Even if they didn’t speak of it, they were surely suspicious of how Sima Chak seemed to have arrived exactly at their location.
“… what is this?”
Baek Hye-hyang asked Jang Ryong in a cold voice. Seeing her reaction, even she didn’t know of this.
This shocked Jang Ryong even more.
“Lady. This….”
Sima Young cut off his words and began to speak.
“My father said that you had given him the location. He also said you will soon pay with your life for fooling around with that lying mouth.”
‘…!?’
Jang Ryong’s face turned stiff as he received the words of one of the Four Great Evils.
