“This time, you have to be the one to go negotiate with the Blood Cult.”
As soon as the meeting ended, Bu Eunseol secretly summoned Seo Jinha to a private chamber and said something astonishing.
He was entrusting Seo Jinha with the task of meeting the Blood Cult Leader and negotiating a settlement.
“That’s actually a good idea. Understood. I’ll go.”
Seo Jinha nodded without the slightest hesitation.
No matter how strong Bu Eunseol was, going to the Blood Cult empty-handed with no countermeasures, persuading the Blood Cult Leader to abandon his ambitions of invading the Central Plains… that was, in truth, an impossible mission.
Moreover, once inside the Blood Cult’s main headquarters, one could not guarantee their life.
From Bu Eunseol’s perspective, it was far better to leave the Blood Cult mission to him… and instead go help the subordinates of Death Shadow Corps to safely complete the subjugation of Eumgyeol Demon Territory.
That was the strategically correct decision.
“Don’t worry. I’ll do my best to persuade them. If it doesn’t work, I’ll just escape immediately.” Seo Jinha deliberately broke into a wide grin. “Even if the Blood Cult Leader has guts of steel, he won’t dare cut off the head of Majeon’s successor.”
To enter deep into the heart of the Blood Cult and come out unharmed—even for Bu Eunseol, that was never an easy task.
But Seo Jinha pounded his chest confidently, afraid that Bu Eunseol’s resolve might waver.
“If he had that kind of courage, he would have invaded the Central Plains long ago and challenged the Demon Emperor to a fight, don’t you think?”
He laughed and puffed out his chest.
“So leave it to me without worry.”
Sacrificing himself to save the lives of hundreds of Death Shadow Corps warriors was the rational choice.
Even if that place was hell itself, he could walk in smiling.
“I know what you’re thinking, but that won’t happen.”
Bu Eunseol spoke calmly.
“I have no intention of sending you into a death trap just to save the people of Death Shadow Corps.”
“Hm?”
“The negotiation might fail. But you will never be put in real danger.” Bu Eunseol spoke with firm conviction.
“Because I will make sure of it.”
“How?”
“I already have.”
Seo Jinha was curious, but he didn’t ask further.
There had never been a single thing Bu Eunseol guaranteed that didn’t come true.
“Alright. I understand.”
In the past, Bu Eunseol had disregarded even his position as Majeon’s successor and his own life to rescue Seo Jinha from a trap.
From the moment Seo Jinha decided to become Bu Eunseol’s shadow… he had secretly sworn that, if the day ever came, he would die in his place.
Not once in all the years since had he forgotten that resolve and oath.
Even if the Blood Cult Leader attacked him, even if it cost him his life—he could still walk toward the Blood Cult with a smile.
“Then I’ll be going.”
As Seo Jinha left the private chamber, Bu Eunseol spoke once more.
“Don’t worry. Just trust me.”
There was a soothing power in that voice.
Seo Jinha gave a small smile and nodded.
“I’m not worried.”
And immediately after, he transformed into Bu Eunseol’s appearance and departed for the Blood Cult.
***
‘So even you can be wrong sometimes.’
Having finished reminiscing, Seo Jinha’s consciousness slowly sank into darkness.
Even without revealing himself, the Blood Cult Leader was inflicting death-like agony upon him.
To attack with such determination… it meant he had already decided to capture Bu Eunseol.
Escaping the Blood Cult alive under these circumstances had become impossible.
‘If it’s come to this… I’ll drag all of you down to hell with me.’
He could not simply sit here and die.
Seo Jinha began circulating the mental formula of the Emotion-Severing Secret, intending to take them all as companions to the underworld.
Crack—!
Thick veins bulged across his entire body.
The blood-red vision that had clouded his sight slowly began returning to normal.
At the same time, black haze started rising from his whole body. The pain that had felt like it was burning his mind disappeared, and instead, an inexplicable sense of exhilaration began spreading through his entire being.
‘Indeed… what can a martial artist accomplish while still clinging to emotions?’
The ultimate stage of the Emotion-Severing Secret was “Discard the heart, and the body shall endure.”
By abandoning the emotions that dull and weaken a martial artist’s body and senses, one could construct an overwhelmingly powerful mental fortress and freely wield the secret art that allowed complete mastery over the manifestation of true energy.
Flash!
When Seo Jinha opened his eyes again, pitch-black energy surged within his pupils.
As the Emotion-Severing Secret completely took hold of his mind, all stray thoughts vanished, leaving behind only profound stillness.
‘So that’s where you were.’
In an instant, Seo Jinha pinpointed the location of Pae Yukgyeol, who was dominating the interior of the grand hall.
Everything he had been seeing was an illusion.
The real Pae Yukgyeol was sitting on the grand master’s chair atop the altar, looking down at him.
And to his left and right stood two men radiating strange brilliance—apparently casting mind-control sorcery on him.
Slash!
The black true energy pouring from Seo Jinha’s body transformed into ferocious whips that drew a massive arc.
It happened in the blink of an eye.
Crack!
A red line appeared across the necks of the two men, and their heads instantly separated from their bodies.
The blood-red scenery vanished completely, and Seo Jinha could finally see the grand hall as it truly was.
It had a polished stone floor, night-luminous pearls embedded in the ceiling, and enormous three-zhang-thick pillars hung with oil lamps that brightly illuminated the interior.
Here and there stood bronze statues with ram heads and human bodies—the classic appearance of a heretical cult.
“Nice to meet you.”
Seo Jinha’s burning black pupils were fixed on the face of the man sitting on the grand master’s chair.
He wore blood-red robes adorned with extravagant ornaments, and his skin was extremely dark.
Yet his eyes occasionally flashed with mysterious brilliance, hinting that his internal energy—not just his sorcery—was profoundly deep.
“The rumors of the martial world really can’t be trusted.”
Pae Yukgyeol, resting his chin on his hand while looking down at Seo Jinha, smiled.
“They called you the righteous man among demons… but now I see you’re a true demonic practitioner, no different from the Demon Emperor.”
Even though his subordinate’s head had just been severed before him, he maintained a relaxed voice and expression.
“Coming alone into our main headquarters… you must have some kind of assurance.”
As Pae Yukgyeol tilted his head, the large ornaments hanging from his ears clinked noisily.
“No matter how I look, I can’t figure out what it is.”
If this had been the usual Seo Jinha, he would have tried his best to imitate Bu Eunseol and continue the negotiation.
But from the moment he raised the Emotion-Severing Secret, an uncontrollable murderous intent had begun surging within him.
“You speak as if you’re already a caught fish.”
Seo Jinha looked at Pae Yukgyeol with emotionless eyes.
“Do you really see the world so simply?”
He tilted his head slightly and spoke coldly.
“A fake Cult Leader.”
In that instant, Pae Yukgyeol’s eyes flashed.
“Why do you think this Cult Leader is fake?”
“If the Blood Cult Leader—who has been constantly eyeing the Central Plains martial world—only had this level of guts, the Blood Cult would have been crushed by Majeon long ago.”
Black light shimmered in Seo Jinha’s pupils.
“Someone so crude that he would bring subordinates, use sorcery, and lock me in this grand hall… just to kill a single Command Lord.”
“Hohoho.”
At Seo Jinha’s sharp words, the fake Pae Yukgyeol nodded.
“Hahaha.”
The fake’s hoarse, grotesque voice gradually changed into a clear and bright tone as if a man’s and woman’s voices were mixed together.
Swish.
After spinning once, the figure of Pae Yukgyeol instantly transformed into that of a middle-aged beauty.
She was none other than Hong Seon, one of the Ten Elders of the Blood Cult—Flower-Face Dispersing Arts.
“You wouldn’t have dared impersonate the Cult Leader so boldly if you were merely one of the Ten Elders.” Seo Jinha spoke with an emotionless expression. “So either you were promoted to Left or Right Envoy in the meantime… or you’re the Cult Leader’s favorite concubine.”
“Watch your filthy mouth!”
Stung at her sore spot, Hong Seon shouted. Seo Jinha sneered.
“This Command Lord clearly requested an audience with the Cult Leader. So why is some lowly elder stepping forward?”
“Lowly elder?”
Hong Seon glared venomously and spoke coldly.
“The very act of a brat like you coming alone and demanding to see the Cult Leader is already an insult to our sect.”
So that was why they had let him inside so easily…
She considered his confident demand to meet the Cult Leader as an insult to the Blood Cult, and thus had tried to kill him by impersonating the Cult Leader.
“Blind loyalty, how touching.”
As Seo Jinha let out a mocking laugh, Hong Seon spoke in a sinister voice.
“I’ll see whether your skill matches that foul tongue of yours.”
Even if the real Bu Eunseol had come, once the Blood Cult decided to lock the doors and kill him, escape would have been impossible.
“Come on then.”
Yet Seo Jinha walked boldly toward Hong Seon.
With every step he took, dense black haze rose thicker and thicker from his body.
In the mind of one who had raised the Emotion-Severing Secret, there was no fear, no hesitation—only the endless desire to cut down enemies, again and again.
“Impressive confidence.” Hong Seon sneered and raised her right hand.
Rumble—
Countless cult members wearing blood-red robes immediately surrounded “Bu Eunseol”.
There were easily over five hundred of them.
Moreover, judging from the bizarre energy they emitted, they seemed intent on using sorcery rather than martial arts.
Wooong!
The haze pouring from Seo Jinha’s body grew denser, soon turning into a spreading black fog.
His mind had fully entered the demonic path.
Crackle—
At the same time, the black true energy flowing around his body began protecting his vital acupoints.
Sring.
When he drew the Ice Soul Sword that Bu Eunseol had given him, black blades also formed around it.
The Wishful True Binding manifested according to the user’s state of mind.
For Seo Jinha, who was prepared to die while cutting down every enemy, it created armor that tightly guarded his body and weapons whose power had been exponentially amplified.
“If you won’t come to me, then I’ll go to you.”
Flash!
Black light exploded outward, and blood fountains erupted from the bodies of the warriors surrounding the hall.
“Arghhh!”
Screams rang out in all directions.
Every time he moved, arms and legs flew off, and blood sprayed everywhere.
But the Blood Cult members were no ordinary foes.
Some turned the blood of their fallen comrades into arrows and rained them down, while others used sorcery to slow Seo Jinha’s movements or boil his internal organs, inflicting direct internal injuries.
Yet Seo Jinha paid them no mind and continued swinging the Ice Soul Sword without pause.
At first, he used the Supreme Heavenly Flow that Bu Eunseol had taught him to cut down his enemies but as the battle continued, his movements shifted away from the refined swordsmanship of Nangyang Pavilion toward pure, instinctive slaughter.
How could he cut down an enemy in one strike? How could he most efficiently sever their life?
The Emotion-Severing Secret fulfilled those desires.
It led his mind into an endlessly tranquil state, making the movements of the Blood Cult members appear infinitely slow, and allowing him to strike at the perfect moment in the optimal form.
Slash! Thud thud thud.
Before long, the first wave of Blood Cult members stationed inside the grand hall had been completely annihilated.
Over a hundred of them lay dead yet Hong Seon merely nodded as if it were nothing.
“Let’s see how long you can last.”
The truly terrifying thing about the Blood Cult was neither their unique sorcery nor their martial arts.
It was that their cult members—brainwashed by their bizarre doctrine—threw away their lives without the slightest hesitation.
There was even a rumor that the once-hostile Ghost Demon Blood Sect had been annihilated because they could not withstand the relentless onslaught of Blood Cult members who sacrificed their bodies without fear.
“Hahaha.”
But strangely, laughter burst from Seo Jinha.
The sticky blood smelled sweet, the screams of his enemies sounded melodious.
He wished this slaughter could continue forever.
By now, his mind had been completely devoured by the Emotion-Severing Secret.
Boom! Boom!
Suddenly, a strange vibration came from outside.
Creak—
At the same time, the massive doors of the grand hall opened, and several hundred more red-robed cult members poured in.
Chwa-ra-ra-rak.
The cult members solemnly formed two lines, creating a wide path.
And then, a dark-skinned man adorned with extravagant ornaments appeared.
It was the real Pae Yukgyeol.
The moment he revealed himself, it felt as though ghostly wails echoed from somewhere, and an eerie, sinister energy began filling the entire grand hall.
Merely by appearing, he had completely changed the air and atmosphere of this massive hall.
Blood Cult Leader Pae Yukgyeol—leader of a colossal religious sect with a hundred thousand followers, an ambitious hero constantly eyeing the Central Plains.
His presence and martial might were beyond imagination.
“Cult Leader!”
The moment Pae Yukgyeol arrived, Hong Seon hurriedly knelt and paid her respects.
“Please wait just a little longer. I will capture that brat soon.”
[Bring him to the Blood Life Hall.]
“Hm?”
Hong Seon lowered her head in confusion.
“He is one of the leaders of Majeon. We must capture him—”
[Since when…]
Pae Yukgyeol’s voice carried unimaginable authority and power
[Were you allowed to talk back to this Cult Leader?]
At those words, Hong Seon immediately bowed her head deeply.
“I will send him immediately.”
Pae Yukgyeol glanced once at Seo Jinha, who was emitting black true energy, then turned and left.
“Where are you going?”
At that moment, Seo Jinha called out in a low voice.
“The real show is only just beginning.”
His murderous intent had surged to the extreme.
At this point, even if he were facing the Demon Emperor instead of Pae Yukgyeol, he would feel no fear whatsoever.
Thud. Thud.
But from behind Pae Yukgyeol, through the open door, another shadow slowly walked toward Seo Jinha.
“Hmph. Sending small fry first, are we?”
Seo Jinha immediately unleashed Wishful True Binding.
Slash!
Yet the black blade passed straight through the shadow without touching anything.
“Not bad.”
Just as Seo Jinha prepared to unleash Wishful True Binding again,
Thud. Thud.
Under the grand hall’s lights, the shadow’s face was gradually revealed.
A man with disheveled short hair and sharp yet sorrowful eyes.
It was Myo Cheonwoo.
“How are you here—”
Seo Jinha furrowed his brow.
In the meantime, Pae Yukgyeol turned and left the hall together with the other cult members.
“Yes… that’s just the kind of person you were from the beginning.”
Seo Jinha wore a cold smile.
Before becoming one of the Ten Demon Warriors, Myo Cheonwoo had been recruited by the Hwa Wu Sword Sect. Even after becoming a captain of Death Shadow Corps, he had continued working as their spy.
Of course, Myo Cheonwoo had been tormented by guilt the entire time.
In the end, when he challenged Weiji Hyesang, he revealed everything to Bu Eunseol.
But in Seo Jinha’s eyes, he was nothing more than a bat-like traitor who had flitted between both sides until he destroyed himself.
“Now that you’ve recovered your martial arts, you’ve started having other thoughts, have you?”
Bu Eunseol had once risked his life and stormed the Hwa Wu Sword Sect to save Myo Cheonwoo, who was fighting Weiji Hyesang. But in the meantime, Myo Cheonwoo’s dantian had been severely damaged by Weiji Hyesang.
In the end, Bu Eunseol sent him to the Azure Cloud Sea Palace to recover his dantian.
Even the other captains of Death Shadow Corps knew of his betrayal, yet none of them ever mentioned it because they believed Bu Eunseol would handle everything properly.
And yet, such a Myo Cheonwoo had now suddenly appeared in the Blood Cult alongside Pae Yukgyeol.
Which meant it was entirely possible that he had been recruited by the Blood Cult.
“You never get tired of playing the traitor, do you?”
At Seo Jinha’s words, Myo Cheonwoo shook his head bitterly.
“Do I look like that kind of person to you?”
“Once a person starts doing filthy things, they can never stop.”
Black flames blazed in Seo Jinha’s eyes.
Under normal circumstances, he would have realized that Myo Cheonwoo’s behavior and gaze were extremely clear and normal.
But right now, Seo Jinha’s mind had completely crossed into the demonic path through the Emotion-Severing Secret and was consumed by murderous intent.
Seeing Myo Cheonwoo appear together with Pae Yukgyeol, he could only perceive him as someone who had thrown himself into the Blood Cult.
“Snap out of it.” Myo Cheonwoo spoke firmly. “You came here to negotiate with the Blood Cult Leader, not to fight me.”
“Shut up!”
Slash!
Seo Jinha unleashed Wishful True Binding wrapped around his sword, instantly binding Myo Cheonwoo’s body.
Swish!
Myo Cheonwoo used footwork to swiftly evade the attack.
But the terrifying thing about Wishful True Binding was not only its ability to freely materialize true energy, it also allowed the user to adapt countless tactics according to the situation.
Clang!
Seo Jinha changed the shape of the true energy in response to Myo Cheonwoo’s movements.
Though Myo Cheonwoo continued dodging without pause… the pitch-black, razor-sharp blades of true energy were always waiting exactly at his evasion points.
“Kh…”
“You played the traitor even on Hell Island, didn’t you!”
At Seo Jinha’s shout as he continued attacking, Myo Cheonwoo’s eyes darkened.
He was right.
Back when he was on Hell Island, Myo Cheonwoo had been part of the group that had attacked Bu Eunseol alongside Do Cheonlin.
The only reason they didn’t hate each other after becoming Ten Demon Warriors was because they had both survived that deadly slaughter.
But Seo Jinha, now consumed by the Emotion-Severing Secret, was dredging up even those old feelings to shake Myo Cheonwoo’s emotions.
“Yes. Compared to the rest of you, I was lacking. That’s why I joined that group.” Myo Cheonwoo spoke calmly while continuing to avoid attacks. “But I’m not so shameless that I would betray a friend twice.”
“People don’t change!”
Sring.
Seo Jinha drew the Ice Soul Sword and with it, he began performing the Supreme Heavenly Flow forms that Bu Eunseol had taught him.
Flash!
A massive cross-shaped sword energy seemed to envelop Myo Cheonwoo’s body, followed by pitch-black, razor-sharp true energy stabbing toward his vital points.
By using Supreme Heavenly Flow and Wishful True Binding simultaneously, the techniques became even more profound, and their power had multiplied several times over.
‘I can’t afford to drag this out.’
Myo Cheonwoo glanced around.
Fortunately, Pae Yukgyeol had left with all the cult members, but if this fierce battle continued like this, Seo Jinha’s true identity might end up being suspected.
Slash!
In that moment, sharp blades of true energy grazed across Myo Cheonwoo’s chest and shoulder.
Now there were only two choices left: either subdue Seo Jinha with a vacuum attack, or abandon the Blood Cult entirely.
Wooong.
As if he had made up his mind, silver light swirled violently in Myo Cheonwoo’s hand.
He was preparing to use the Silver Flame Palm that he himself had created.
Hwarrr—
As he unleashed the palm force, together with silver flames, the blades of Wishful True Binding that had been digging toward his vital points instantly burned away and vanished.
“Hmph.”
Rather than backing down, Seo Jinha’s fighting spirit only grew stronger.
He relentlessly created more blades of Wishful True Binding and poured them forward.
Spider-web-like black blades continuously rained down toward Myo Cheonwoo.
As time passed, Seo Jinha grew more proficient in wielding Wishful True Binding, and its power grew even stronger.
This was the natural result of his mind fully assimilating into the demonic path.
Pa! Pa!
Myo Cheonwoo destroyed every blade of Wishful True Binding with Silver Flame Palm while closing the distance.
Finally, when the two men were close enough to see each other’s faces clearly,
Flash!
As if he had been waiting for this moment, Seo Jinha unleashed Meteor Chasing the Moon toward Myo Cheonwoo’s throat.
Pshk!
But Myo Cheonwoo did not avoid Meteor Chasing the Moon.
Instead, he twisted his body, taking the blow on his shoulder, and in the same instant stretched his hand toward Seo Jinha’s face.
“Ugh…”
Seo Jinha’s movements froze.
He had never expected Myo Cheonwoo to willingly sacrifice his shoulder for such a suicidal counterattack.
Just as the silver palm force was about to crush Seo Jinha’s face,
Grip!
A thick hand firmly grasped his shoulder.
“Snap out of it, Seo Jinha.”
Myo Cheonwoo had deliberately taken the strike to his shoulder so he could speak to Seo Jinha one more time.
“If you don’t come to your senses, Bu Eunseol—that guy—will be put in danger.”
“Bu Eunseol…”
In that instant, the pitch-black flames burning in Seo Jinha’s pupils wavered.
Bu Eunseol.
To the captains of the Death Shadow Corps, that name was like magic.
And it was the same for Seo Jinha.
‘Poor bastard.’
The man who always hid a childlike, tender heart beneath a cold exterior…
He had set out into the martial world seeking revenge, only to be swept away by its storms.
Yet even so, he staked his life again and again to protect his subordinates.
If Seo Jinha failed to regain his senses here…
That man would surely suffer and blame himself all over again.
Crunch. Crackle—
In that moment, dozens of black razor-sharp blades suddenly formed around them.
Had Myo Cheonwoo’s desperate wish ultimately failed? Was Seo Jinha still going to attack him?
Pshk!
Without hesitation, those blades pierced deeply—
Into Seo Jinha’s own body.
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