Chapter 277: Blood Saint (4)

Ou Ye-zi, the great swordsmith.

Legendary swords such as the Great Destroyer (Juque, 巨闕, Black (Zhànlú, 湛盧), Purity (Chúnjūn, 純鉤), Victory over Evil (Shengxie, 勝邪), Fish-belly (Yuchang, 魚腸), Dragon Gulf (Longyuan, 龍淵), Great Riverbank (Tai’e, 泰阿), and Artisanal Display (Gongbu, 工布) were all born from his hands.

There was an unofficial record that such a great swordsmith had melted the legendary Gwanya Black Iron, which could not be melted through human sacrifices, to create demonic swords.

Those demonic swords were none other than the three demonic swords known to have been discovered in a royal tomb.

Evil Commandment Sword  [2]  , Howl-hacking Blade  [3]  , Plundering-killing Sword  [4]  .

These three swords were discovered by a local official and a merchant in a collapsed royal tomb.

As a result, it brought a bloody storm to the martial arts world at that time.

“Is that one of those three demonic swords, the Plundering-killing Sword?”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, the Sixth Blood Saint Dam Baek-ha snorted and replied,

“Three swords……. Right. That’s how the rumor went.”

“Pardon?”

“No, that’s not important. More importantly, I don’t know why that thing is here, but this has become quite troublesome.”

Dam Baek-ha glanced at the Plundering-killing Sword and then looked at Joo Woonhyang’s eyes, which were emitting a strange light.

It seemed he was properly possessed by the sword’s demonic energy.

She clicked her tongue and said,

“Of all things, he had to be captured by the demonic sword known as the worst.”

“The worst? Is it to that extent?”

“You may not know, but after that sword revealed itself to the world again, it passed through three owners, and the number of people they killed combined exceeds nearly a thousand.”

‘A thousand? Oh ho.’

Interest arose in Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes.

How strong must the sword’s demonic energy be to cause such a massacre?

No, in the first place, is it possible to cause a bloody calamity just because the sword’s demonic energy is strong?

Right at that moment,

“You two…. Your bodies…. Look good….”

-Whoosh!

Joo Woonhyang, who was captured by the demonic sword, launched his figure towards them.

Instantly closing the distance, Joo Woonhyang swung the Plundering-killing Sword, and along with tremendous wind pressure, an aura filled with demonic energy swept in all directions.

“Hmph!”

-Swish swish swish swish swish swish!

Of course, Dam Baek-ha wouldn’t just take it.

“Get out of the way.”

Pushing Mok Gyeong-un to the side, she stepped forward.

Stepping forward like that, she unleashed the Blood Jade Hand technique, a pinnacle skill, and quickly unleashed claw techniques with her red-stained hands, then split apart all the aura.

Not stopping there, she penetrated right in front of Joo Woonhyang with an elegant footwork technique and unleashed the killing move of the Blood Jade Hand.

‘Blood Jade Hand 3rd Stance, Unchanging Blood Claw!’

-Swish!

The power of the killing move, with blue-colored strong energy imbued in her blood-stained hands, was utterly tyrannical.

The power was so strong that it seemed like it would tear apart the opponent in an instant.

However, Joo Woonhyang drew a circle with his sword towards her claw technique.

Then,

-Boom!

The air inside the circle rippled like waves,

-Swish swish swish swish swish swish!

The killing move of the  Blood Jade Hand  she unleashed was bounced back.

Moreover, the power was also fully bounced back, causing Dam Baek-ha to hurriedly block it and be pushed back.

-Swish swish swish swish!

Pushed back about five steps, she muttered with an annoyed expression,

“Scripture of Transferring True Qi……”

Was this one of the abilities of the Plundering-killing Sword that she had only heard about?

She never expected it to bounce back her killing move like that.

Actually experiencing it, it was indeed a surprising and wicked technique, just as she had been warned.

-Swish!

She raised her head and looked at Joo Woonhyang.

Her lips turned slightly pale.

Although it was difficult to accurately gauge the level due to the evil energy, the demonic energy was so strong that it was drawing out power far beyond her original limits.

To this extent,

‘I don’t know how long that child’s original true energy, who is captured by the demonic sword, will last, but to this extent, he may exhaust it all and die within a few hours.’

In that sense, if she bought time, he would continue to weaken.

Of course, there was another way to deal with him besides that.

‘Overwhelming martial power.’

The stronger the opponent’s power, the more the demonic sword had no choice but to draw out the host’s original true energy.

If that happens, the host will eventually lose his life due to the rapid consumption of original true energy.

‘That should do it.’

-Whoosh whoosh whoosh!

Dam Baek-ha’s hands, having decided how to deal with the opponent, exuded even more luster.

The Blood Jade Hand, when its power is raised to the 7th level or higher, makes the hands smooth and lustrous like jade.

She, who had drawn upon her martial power, said to Mok Gyeong-un,

“Go ahead first. I will deal with that child.”

“You’re going to deal with him alone?”

“What do you take me for? No matter how much he is captured by the demonic energy, I don’t need to borrow someone else’s hands to that extent. And the longer we delay the escape, the more disadvantageous it is for us.”

“You’re right.”

Mok Gyeong-un slightly raised the corners of his mouth.

Even though he didn’t particularly request it, she was moving according to his intentions.

If she buys time and draws the attention of the Embroidered Uniform Guards, what could be better than that?

“Then, thank you……”

Mok Gyeong-un, who was about to say he would go, looked at Joo Woonhyang, who was captured by the demonic sword.

He was a guy he quite liked.

Although he didn’t know how he got captured by the demonic sword like that.

Mok Gyeong-un shrugged his shoulders.

Although he liked him, that was all there was to it.

He had no intention of spending his time to save him or do such a thing just for that one reason.

However,

“If it’s not too much trouble, could you try to take away the sword without killing that friend?”

“It’s not just any demonic sword, it’s the Plundering-killing Sword. It seems he is completely captured by the demonic energy, do you think that’s possible?”

“If it’s difficult, don’t push yourself.”

“Are you close friends?”

“Not to that extent, just consider him a friend I like.”

“…….. Don’t have high expectations.”

-Whoosh!

With those words, Dam Baek-ha launched her figure towards Joo Woonhyang, who was captured by the demonic sword.

Seeing this, Mok Gyeong-un smirked and laughed.

It seemed that if he had heavenly luck, he would survive, and if not, it was his fate to die here.

***

Like that, Mok Gyeong-un, who had entrusted Joo Woonhyang, who was captured by the demonic sword, to the Nine Blood Cult’s Blood Saint Dam Baek-ha, headed towards the deepest part of Eternal Hell Prison.

There was someone he had to abduct in Cell No. 270.

Since he had memorized the entire map, Mok Gyeong-un was able to reach there without falling into the mechanism traps.

The prison cell made of thick iron bars.

Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes gleamed with interest as he stood in front of it.

That was because there was a human figure sitting cross-legged with eyes closed in the dark cell, and when he shone the torch, it was an old woman with a haggard but graceful appearance.

He had heard that she held a quite high position in the Fire Faith Order, but it was different from what he had expected.

-Ting!

Mok Gyeong-un flicked his finger and rang the iron bars of the cell.

Then, the old woman who had her eyes closed slowly opened them and turned her head.

The old woman stared intently at Mok Gyeong-un and said,

“Is it mealtime?”

“Yes, it’s mealtime.”

“But you come empty-handed.”

“Yes, I came in a hurry.”

“Came in a hurry?”

Hearing these words, the old woman soon raised the corners of her mouth, uncrossed her legs, and got up from her seat.

-Clank!

However, due to the iron shackles, chains, and weights restraining her legs, she staggered and barely found balance, straightening her body.

Having struggled to stand up like that, she said to Mok Gyeong-un,

“The wait was worth it. Right?”

“Worth…… the wait?”

“Aren’t you the person who came to take me?”

“……..”

At these words, Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes narrowed.

She spoke as if she knew he would come here.

With this, he recalled the words of the Embroidered Uniform Guard Associate Military Commissioner Sang Ik-seo, who had the female of the Gu poison, Command Gu.

[That Fire Faith Order believer received a revelation from the Holy Fire or something, and she was able to foresee the future.]

The reason she had been imprisoned in Eternal Hell Prison until now.

It was precisely because she was able to foresee this.

However, according to Associate Military Commissioner Sang Ik-seo, he had heard that although she could do it before, she couldn’t do it at all after being imprisoned in Eternal Hell Prison.

They had tested her unexpectedly several times, but she couldn’t do it at all.

Regarding this, both the higher-ups of the Imperial Palace and the organization with the mark speculated that the Holy Fire Priestess was hiding something called the sacred orb, causing her to lose her ability to foresee.

But apart from that, could she foresee?

With this, Mok Gyeong-un asked,

“Did you foresee that I would come?”

“I knew someone would come to save me.”

“Did you foresee it?”

“Didn’t I say? I already knew that someone would come to save me….. Wait, are you not the one who came to save me?”

The old woman’s eyes changed to suspicion.

Because of Mok Gyeong-un’s question, she wondered if it was a trick of the Embroidered Uniform Guards to deceive her.

With this, Mok Gyeong-un shook his head and said,

“I did come to save you. But you said you could foresee, so I just wanted to ask if that was really possible.”

“……. How can I believe that?”

“If you ask how to believe, does that mean you have no intention of leaving here?”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, the old woman frowned.

“It’s true that it’s my fate to leave here at this point, but it’s better to be careful. The one who will save me is someone with a strong tie to me. Show me the proof of that.”

“If you can foresee the future, do you really need that proof?”

“Foreseeing is ultimately like finding a way through smoke-filled gray. Just because you can read that path doesn’t mean you can know everything in detail.”

“Do you need something called the sacred orb to know?”

-Clang!

As soon as those words ended, the old woman took a step back with a stiff expression.

“…….. You tested me again.”

“I didn’t test you. I just asked because I was curious whether the real reason many people are looking for you is because of the foresight or for another reason.”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, the old woman frowned.

Then, she soon said,

“I can’t distinguish right now whether you are truly the one who came to save me or a trick of the Embroidered Uniform Guards to deceive me. But even if you are the former, if you make me waste time like this to satisfy your curiosity, we may not be able to leave here.”

“If you knew through foresight that I would come to take you, shouldn’t you also be certain about leaving?”

“Just as one can read the celestial energies but not know everything that will happen in the future, receiving the revelation of the Holy Fire doesn’t mean one can know everything. I merely interpret the revelation with these eyes and find the right path.”

“You’re only saying things that can’t be understood. Then, let me ask directly.”

“Why are you……”

“It’s natural for the Fire Faith Order to rescue you since you are the Holy Fire Priestess, but even the leader of the Heaven and Earth Society…..”

-Screech! Screech!

Mok Gyeong-un drew something on the iron bars with his aura.

It was a mark with a vertical line passing through the center of the number two.

Seeing this, the old woman’s eyes widened.

“I’m curious about the reason why the organization with this mark is after you….. No, the sacred orb.”

At these words, the old woman asked in a trembling voice,

“……. Who are you? Who are you that you even know that mark…..”

Before she could finish her sentence,

“Please be quiet for a moment.”

“What?”

Mok Gyeong-un slightly turned his head and looked at the rightmost among the three passages.

Then, someone wearing a bamboo hat walked out from there.

The person who walked out soon took off the bamboo hat he was wearing as if it was cumbersome, and he was none other than Defender-in-Chief Muk Seom.

Defender-in-Chief Muk Seom opened his mouth with a cold expression.

“I headed here first, wondering if other prisoners in the Prison had been released, and my prediction was correct.”

“Who are you?”

“That’s what I should be asking. How did an apprentice trainee of the Embroidered Uniform Guards come here? I don’t even need to ask if the Fire Faith Order sent you.”

-Swish!

With those words, Defender-in-Chief Muk Seom slowly drew his sword.

The moment he drew it, the surrounding air became so heavy that it was suffocating due to the tremendous energy.

The old woman was panting, enough to plop down on the floor.

-Thud, thud!

Defender-in-Chief Muk Seom approached and said,

“If you don’t want your neck to be sliced by this sword, it’s best to open your mouth right now.”

“Are you a second-tier executive?”

‘!?’

At the unexpected question that came out of Mok Gyeong-un’s mouth, Defender-in-Chief Muk Seom suddenly hesitated.

Who the hell is this guy?

He naturally thought he would be from the Fire Faith Order since he was where the Holy Fire Priestess was.

But how does he know his position?

“You……”

-Swish!

At that moment, Mok Gyeong-un put his hands behind his back and exuded a strong pressure with his energy, saying,

-Roar!

“What should a second-tier executive do when seeing a first-tier executive?”

‘What?’

At that instant, Defender-in-Chief Muk Seom stared intently at Mok Gyeong-un with a stiff expression.

Those who knew that he was a second-tier executive were Gyeom-chang, the second-tier executive who had been assigned a mission in the Imperial Palace, and the first-tier executives of the higher-ups in the organization.

Coincidentally, he had never seen the face of a first-tier executive.

Moreover, the only known figure among the first-tier executives was the Ghost Blade.

So he couldn’t be sure whether the person in front of him was really from the first tier or not.

With this, he tried to say the code phrase that the members of the organization used to identify each other.

“Three….”

Before he could say anything,

Mok Gyeong-un cut him off and said,

“There’s no other way. You keep your head held high without paying respects, so later, when you meet him, no, the third…..”

-Thud!

Before he could even finish his sentence,

Defender-in-Chief Muk Seom knelt on one knee on the floor, bowed his head, and clasped his hands together in a respectful gesture.

“Muk Seom of the second tier pays his respects to the executive of the first tier.”

Muk Seom’s eyes trembled as he bowed his head.

Seeing that he was about to mention the title used to address that person, it was undoubtedly a high-ranking executive of the first tier.

Mok Gyeong-un approached him.

“Now you’re paying respects.”

“……. I apologize. Until I could confirm the code phrase or the mark, I couldn’t be certain, so I hesitated for a moment. Please forgive me with a generous heart.”

“Is there a need for forgiveness? I played along like this.”

“Played along…..”

-Swish!

At that instant, Muk Seom, who had his head bowed, could see his arms, which were clasped together in a salute, falling to the floor with a burning pain.

‘!!!!!!!!’