Silence flowed in the front yard of the Six Blood Valley’s main hall.
Various expressions were mixed in the crowd as everyone looked at me with shocked eyes. It was natural for attention to come.
Hae Ack-chun, the Ghastly Monster who was someone who never took a disciple, now declared that he had a disciple.
Even Gu Sang-woong was very suspicious of what he heard. It was hard to believe that the man took a disciple who had a broken dantian.
It was nothing.
Tuk!
I bowed my head and wrapped my right fist with the palm of my left hand in an upright position.
“Long live the Blood Cult! I am So Wonhwi. Despite being a lowly trainee, the elder saw my qualities and took me in as his disciple.”
I greeted them with politeness and dignity. Although he didn’t really express it, I could tell that Hae Ack-chun smiled.
‘Seems to be real.’
‘That man took in a disciple?’
Thanks to re-emphasizing the statement of me being his disciple, I could hear whispers from all over.
And it was the Bloody Hand Witch, Han Baekha, who broke the silence.
“Congratulations, elder, you took in a disciple. I am happy.”
She, too, bowed and gave her congratulations.
Then, all the people related to the cult, including the women in veils who were brought by the Bloody Hand Witch, and those affiliated with the cult, bowed.
“Congratulations.”
“Elder. Congratulations.”
Now it cannot be taken back. Since everyone now knew about me being the disciple, the rumours would inevitably start to spread.
I never got such attention in my previous life, but I hated it.
Is this why the background of a person is important?
-The world is like this. You have to get solid backing to be successful.
Short Sword spoke like an old man who had lived for many years. But she was right. This is because I received a lot of attention which I didn’t get in my previous life.
The attention I received lasted for just a short time.
‘I have to gain power.’
-Right, right.
It felt more intense.
But this wasn’t a mistake, right?
The gaze of the Bloody Hand Witch, who was still politely bowing, was aimed straight at my eyes.
Flinch!
Obviously, it was because she was one of the eleven influential people who led the Blood Cult. Still, she had a unique atmosphere around her that was different from others.
I could feel a strong sense of oppression from her gaze.
-Lower your eyes. Isn’t she saying that?
‘I don’t know.’
I didn’t mean to look. But strangely, it felt like I was being sucked into her eyes.
Just as I was about to become dizzy, the innate internal qi in my chest suddenly rushed to my mind, and I returned to feeling normal.
And the Bloody Hand Witch, who was still looking at me, had a different look.
‘Ah…’
What was that just now?
At that time, Hae Ack-chun covered my body with his. And I heard in my head.
[Do not look into that woman’s eyes. You, who is still inexperienced, will be deceived.]
I guess that’s why I felt dizzy. But I was fine now.
I didn’t know why the innate qi moved on its own, but it relieved me from the dizziness. Hae Ack-chun, who didn’t know this, spoke.
“Don’t do useless things here, Bloody Hand Witch.”
“Would I do that? How can you possibly think I would do that in front of you?”
She bowed her head and denied it. Man, what a scary woman she was.
She was testing me right before her eyes and spoke without hesitation.
It wasn’t just due to luck that she took the position as the Seventh Blood Star.
She was probably someone who excelled in martial arts and boldness.
“Huh!”
“Huh! It would be better if you didn’t touch my things. You do know that a Blood Star doesn’t stand a chance in front of me, right?”
Of course, Hae Ack-chun was also a bold person. The epitome of a freak.
Even so, I liked that he took care of me, his disciple. Or maybe it was just because of his ego.
“Would I ever act out?”
She answered without losing her composure, and Hae Ack-chun just snorted at her words.
“Huh!”
Still, because he was one of the members of the Blood Cult and the opponent was a Blood Star, he couldn’t just act out.
“Enough, I need to look at the man now.”
“Elder…”
Commander Gu Sang-woong tried to say something with a shocked expression, but Han Baekha raised her hand and answered on his behalf.
“It is difficult now.”
“It looks like his duties are done, so what is the problem?”
“Don’t you know the disposition of the Great Doctor?”
“What about it?”
‘Ah…’
I could hear the words before they even got into the conversation.
What is this man planning to do by provoking the man he wants to ask for help from? If not, would he use force to make him work?
This was too burdensome.
“Not now.”
But the woman also came out strong.
I thought she would step back due to this crazy man, but she didn’t. Did she have the confidence to not get pushed back?
“Hoh. Right.”
Hae Ack-chun’s expression changed. Seeing the thick muscles in his arms wriggle, I began to get nervous.
“Please come in.”
A soft low-pitched voice echoed from inside the main hall. Even Gu Sang-woong looked puzzled at it.
The door was slightly opened to the point where I could almost see through the gap.
“It is fine.”
A small voice.
Gu Sang-woong, the commander of the Six Blood Valley, looked at Han Baekha.
She let out a shallow sigh and stepped aside.
“Go in.”
“Kulkuk, we will be done quickly.”
Hae Ack-chun clenched his fist. The atmosphere which had been suffocating returned to normal
“Kulkul, let’s go in.”
Ah, this was embarrassing.
Regardless of strength or anything else, Hae Ack-chun was a man without shame in doing such things.
Anyway, I am glad that things were working out.
Drrr!
The large door opened, and a room revealed itself. And I was actually looking forward to this.
It was the moment when I could receive help from one of the best, someone who could save anyone except for the dead.
‘Ah!’
A half-white middle-aged man was sitting in front of an antique table.
He was quite the handsome man. When he was young, I was sure he made his fair share of women cry over him. Even now, he was handsome enough to do that.
Somehow, this face was different from what I had in mind. And the Small Short Sword growled.
-White hair, white skin, isn’t that white dye?
‘Isn’t that normal?’
Maybe it’s because he had a name? I thought everything about him was normal despite being unable to look away.
However, he wasn’t the only one in the room.
‘Who is that?’
A person could be seen behind a veil made of thinly-cut bamboo, and looking at the slender body, it looked like it was a woman.
And in front of the bamboo veil were four women who appeared to be escorts, all with their faces covered in white veils.
-Puah, why are they so fat? And their double chins…
‘Well…’
As the short sword said, the women weren’t of normal size. They were large enough to have a double chin. In a way, they looked like an alternate version of Hae Ack-chun.
‘Don’t judge people by their looks.’
-… is that so? Let’s see if you can say that when you get married to someone like that.
‘…’
I couldn’t deny it.
“Why are you coming?”
Hae Ack-chun voiced his irritation to Gu Sang-woong and Han Baekha, who came along.
To this, she responded with an expressionless face.
“It was a bit upsetting. My elder has come all this way, so we must accompany him.”
“Huh.”
Hearing her words, Hae Ack-chun sat in front of the handsome man. The only odd thing was this man’s reckless behaviour.
“Great Doctor. Long time no see.”
“You have a majestic skeleton, elder.”
The Great Doctor of Ten Thousand Death’s voice sounded so cool as it resonated around the room. It was a voice that any woman would fall for. And maybe middle-aged women too…
“Would you like some tea?”
The man pointed to the teapot on the table.
Because they are people with the highest-renowned names, they were being polite to each other.
“No need. You are the one doing a lot of work, so you drink tea.”
-Such a quality conversation.
Short Sword clicked her tongue.
Right, it has been a long time since this old man had even acted like a normal person. It was like watching two people with entirely different tendencies meet.
Hae Ack-chun chuckled and smiled.
“I will say it without dragging it out. Heal my disciple.”
“Heal?”
At those words, the man looked at me, who was standing behind Hae Ack-chun.
“I bow to the elderly. I am So Wonhwi, the elder’s disciple.”
I hurriedly bowed my head and greeted the man as he glanced at me from top to bottom. And then he said,
“The disciple doesn’t seem to be ill.”
This was expected.
The problem with my dantian was inside, so I obviously looked fine on the outside. Hae Ack-chun pointed to where my dantian was.
“The problem is here.”
“… dantian.”
The man noticed it right away.
Hae Ack-chun nodded his head.
“If you heal my disciple, I will give you my plaque (proof of identification). It will be useful.”
Tak!
Hae Ack-chun took something out of his pants and placed it on the table. Each plaque was nothing more than a badge to show their status.
And for the people of murim, giving their plaque meant they would help the person they gave the plaque to if they were in crisis or needed help.
-Ah. This old man cares for you.
I agreed with that. I didn’t think he would go this far.
I thought he would have many questions before getting the treatment done, but seeing this, he seemed to care a lot for his disciple.
‘He must be worried.’
This man was the Ghastly Monster.
Maybe he thought he should give the proper response to secure help. Especially if he didn’t know if a broken dantian could be cured. But the Great Doctor refused.
“I will decline.”
He pushed the plaque back to Hae Ack-chun.
“What?”
Hae Ack-chun’s face became contorted. His feelings were understandable. I didn’t know what he could even think of this situation.
“Great Doctor of Ten Thousand Deaths!”
At that moment, the man took something out from under the table and placed it on top.
Trr!
The moment they saw it, everyone was shocked. Even Hae Ack-chun.
-Wow… how many are there?
On the table were many plaques which were tied with a thread.
At first glance, there seemed to be around 50 or so. And the names etched on them were the most shocking.
‘Wudang sect’s sect leader…’
-Aren’t they all great people?
‘Great? They are excellent people!’
One couldn’t speak less of them.
‘… ha!’
This was great too, but one name caught my eye.
[Cheol Shim]
A name with just two letters.
Is there anyone who doesn’t know that name?
I knew that this man healed numerous murim warriors regardless of their sects and nature, but I didn’t think this person would be helped by him.
-Who is it?
‘… Four Great Evils’
Cheol Shim the Ferocious Murderer.
A member of the Great Evils and someone everyone in Central Plains was afraid of. He was called the worst monster who killed many young and old people. Even children stopped crying at his name.
-… His connections are…
This was what he was aiming for.
Eight Great Warriors and Four Great Evils were said to have reached the peak realm in murim.
But in actuality, it was different, and Hae Ack-chun trembled at the sight of the plaques.
-It would be ugly to push in now.
Step back before this turned any worse for us.
