Chapter 109: Blood Demon Sword (1)

The sword that had been dyed bright red returned to silver. Any red remaining on the sword was only due to the blood on it.

Due to her skills, mangled corpses were scattered all over Baek Hye-hyang in various states of dismemberment.

Even though she had gotten the sword she wanted, she didn’t look pleased. Instead, she was looking at the sword with questioning eyes.

“It has to be the Blood Demon Sword if it can do that.”

Her spy, dressed as a member of the infirmary, spoke to her happily. Yet, she didn’t seem to be satisfied.

“What is it?”

“It is different from what I’ve heard.”

“Uh?”

Baek Hye-hyang was silent as she threw the sword at the man. The man was slightly startled and didn’t catch the sword, causing it to touch the ground.

“... why?”

Members of the Blood Sect knew that the Blood Demon Sword had strange effects on its holder. Rumors abound that those who touched it would be cursed.

“Hold the sword.”

“Sorry?”

“Pick it up.”

The man hesitated for a moment but grabbed it upon her command and then frowned. He couldn’t feel any hint of the darkness he was worried about.

And she then asked him.

“Did we get the right information?”

“Yes. Weren’t we given the information about the sword at the merchant’s house?”

They had established a merchant union as a facade for their work. It was the base of the First Blood Star, Jang Ryong.

“Why do you think I am bringing this up?”

“I don’t understand.”

“... this isn’t the real Blood Demon Sword.”

She was sure of it.

She had to act like this was the real sword in front of the Tang family head. However, she could not believe that this sword was the real one, no matter how much she thought about it.Điscover new chapters at novelhall.com

“How can this happen!”

“Zhuge Won-myung. It has to be his plan. Interesting. Even after 20 years, his mind is alive and well.”

“This is all my fault.”

The man knelt on one knee and made his apologies. It wasn’t really his fault, but this was his way of appeasing her.

“Enough.”

Things had already crossed the line, and the Murim Alliance must have taken control of the situation to an extent by now.

If all of those who had run away with the fake swords were captured as well as those who had been tasked with using the explosives, then re-infiltration would be impossible.

And it wasn’t like the Alliance would crumble just because of this.

“It is done.”

“...”

“But it will be the same for the other side too.”

“Yes.”

As Baek Hye-hyang said, the Alliance would not allow any more gaps or mistakes after this.

This event would lead to a stronger internal defense line and make future infiltration attempts impossible.

But that didn’t apply just to them, but Baek Ryeon-ha as well.

‘The people she sent will also have to withdraw now.’

Neither side managed to succeed in their plans. They couldn’t get the sword, but at least the other side didn’t either.

Sh!

The man offered the sword to her with both hands and said.

“Miss. If it is a sword that can withstand your power, then isn’t it infinitely close to the Blood Demon Sword, even for an imitation?”

At his words, she raised her eyebrow as he continued.

“Sometimes, a fake can become real.”

Baek Hye-hyang looked at him and said,

“You better not disappoint me this time, Jang Ryong.”

The true identity of the man behind the disguise was Jang Ryong, the First Blood Star.

It was amazing.

I had come here after following that haunting voice, and now I couldn’t hear anything from the sword. I had no idea this kind of thing would happen with just a simple talisman.

-Right. I cannot hear a groan either. You?

-Same.

Short Sword and Iron Sword also confirmed that they couldn’t hear anything.

[Is that... the real one?]

Cho Sung-won asked while tilting his head. They had run into too many fakes on the way here, so believing this was real was a bit difficult.

However, this was the sword that Zhuge Won-myung had personally hidden and tried to protect until the end.

[It is the real one.]

But we had to confirm it, so I drew the sword.

The moment I did so, the talisman became slightly disturbed, and a mad voice began to fill my head.

-Kill it! I will kill them all!

No, it was more similar to erosion or burning.

It spread around like poison.

-This!

Before long, all of the talismans on the sword had vanished.

Iron Sword shouted in shock.

-Wonhui! Wonhui!

Unfortunately, Wonhui had blocked off the voices of the swords.

The party escaped through the castle by taking advantage of the chaos.

They had considered staying a while to avoid suspicion, but doing that with the Blood Demon Sword with them was a risk.

It would be better to meet with Hae Ack-chun to hand this sword over. Then they needed to ensure that the Alliance realized that this was done by Baek Hye-hyang’s faction.

But did the twins manage to escape?

‘I wonder if they went to the point of contact.’

Ah...

Without realizing it, I was thinking about speaking to the swords.

I had blocked them off, so I couldn’t hear anything. With my mind feeling silent and empty, we headed to the forest in the southwest.

This wasn’t the actual path for the meeting point but a secondary path that had been set by Hae Ack-chun in case Baek Hye-hyang had laid a trap for us.

‘Be here...’

I felt worried.

The Alliance’s castle had to be an utter mess right now. Anyone who escaped would have needed to get through that chaotic crowd.

In such a situation, Hae Ack-chun should have realized what had happened. I hoped he noticed it and moved to the secret meeting point instead of staying in his inn.

But there was no one at the meeting point.

‘Damn it!’

It seemed like Hae Ack-chun had also hidden his presence to avoid pursuit by the Alliance.

“Let’s climb up that tree and hide.”

The most suitable place to hide in this forest was the largest tree, surrounded by many more trees.

Suddenly, I felt something. Someone was walking through the bushes and didn’t want to hide his presence.

‘Teacher?’

No.

The sound and distance of each step were different. They were light.

The closer he got, the more I could feel his strength. Finally, the person appeared.

‘North Brave Blade Star?’

This was unexpected.

The one-armed swordsman, Kwak Hyung-jik, appeared with a sword on his left and looked at me.

“Disciple So.”

Sima Young and Cho Sung-won were shocked and unsure how to respond. Meanwhile, I casually answered him.

“I greet you, Great Warrior Kwak.”

As soon as I said that, he asked me.

“Why are you here?”

It wasn’t a general question but one filled with doubts. I then answered him.

“Commander Zhuge had asked me to hunt down the people I suspected as spies, and I was pursuing one.”

“Is that so? That is strange... ever since the castle, you were moving inside the crowd.”

‘...Haa.’

This was just great.

The man hadn’t appeared here by accident but had actually followed us here. We had been moving around to avoid any eyes, yet we failed to notice him tailing us.

He wasn’t compared to the South Heavenly Swordsman for nothing.

And if he was that good, we were knee-deep in trouble.

‘Damn it.’

And he continued.

“Not long ago, I realized someone was following me. So when I checked out, it turned out to be men that commander Zhuge had placed on me, to keep an eye on me.”

Ha...! Even this man was being watched?

As I thought, Zhuge Won-myung was not the kind to let anything leave his eyes. He even put spies on a man he had known and been with for so long.

“And so I asked. Tell me, what did I do to have men watch me? He then replied by saying that key information had been revealed.”

“...”

“Of course, I wasn’t the one to disclose the information. Therefore, it was either someone from the inside, you, or even both... and I am sure it wasn’t you. Who would have imagined that the disciple of the South Heavenly Swordsman was a spy?”

I could feel my heart beat faster with every one of his words. He then pointed at me.

“I believe you even now.”

“...”

“So, will you dispel my doubts?”

“What do you mean?”

“Can I take a look at your sword’s sheath?”

‘...!!’