"It's similar to Sound Resonance Sect's gu poison."
"U, Sound Resonance Sect...?!"
"Yeah. It's the same poison that once drove the entire martial world into terror."
"...!"
Jaseong didn't even need to explain; Dokgo Yeon already knew well what the Sound Resonance Sect was and what their gu poison could do.
If it hadn't been wiped out during the War of Orthodox and Unorthodox, the sect would still hold a spot among the Four Great Clans and Seven Sects.
It was an unorthodox sect that once vied for the position of supreme poison arts alongside her own family, Poison Valley.
"As you probably already know, this gu poison is a living one. Tiny insects travel through your energy channels, ruining them as they go."
"...!"
"And so, there's no permanent antidote to this gu poison. Once a month, you'll have no choice but to come to me for the antidote."
"...!!"
Dokgo Yeon's pupils trembled like an earthquake.
And with good reason.
What Jaseong had given her wasn't the Sound Resonance Sect's gu poison, but one developed by the Hao Sect. Still, its potency far surpassed anything before.
The leader of the Medicine Hall, obsessed with drug research among the twelve hall lords, had poured tremendous effort into perfecting it, making it even more advanced than when it had been administered to Murong Jin in the past.
Of course, if she could use the techniques of Poison Valley, she might be able to detoxify the gu poison.
But Dokgo Yeon couldn't.
What if, after returning home triumphant from subduing the Tianxia Association, it came to light that she had actually fallen victim to the gu poison and become a puppet?
Her half-siblings, who coveted the position of young family head, would use this as a pretense to trample her.
All her ambitions would burst like a bubble.
"On the night of every full moon, come find me. I'll give you the antidote then."
Jaseong's eyes sparkled arrogantly beneath his mask.
'He got me good...!'
Dokgo Yeon trembled all over.
'I should have realized it the moment he lured Heuk Muguk and Kang Ryong into a trap!'
Until she stepped out into the martial world, Dokgo Yeon was called the prodigy of Poison Valley and was confident in herself.
But at this moment, she truly realized what the martial world was.
* * *
A little later, Dokgo Yeon finally yielded to Jaseong.
She simply had no other choice.
"By the way, Association Leader of Tianxia."
"?"
"How well do you understand the Blood Cult?"
Dokgo Yeon's eyes glinted sharply like a snake as she questioned him.
So what if she joined hands with the Association Leader of Tianxia?
If the Blood Cult used deceit to kill him and seized the association, all of Dokgo Yeon's plans would be for nothing.
Her life itself could even be in danger.
Fortunately, Jaseong's reply gave Dokgo Yeon some relief.
"I'm already aware that a number of Blood Cult agents have infiltrated the Tianxia Association. Those classified as experts among them have been cleared out."
"... Luckily your intel is up to speed. Black Star Sect and Twin Dragon Clan seem totally clueless, you know. But there's something you should still be careful of."
"Careful?"
"Before coming to the black market, I managed to capture a Blood Cult executive. But it seemed like they were preparing some kind of sorcery."
"Sorcery? What kind of sorcery?"
"Unfortunately, I wasn't able to confirm the exact technique. The guy killed himself before I could interrogate further. Anyway, the Blood Cult isn't made up of ordinary madmen. During the War of Orthodox and Unorthodox, they were essentially only accepted into the Evil Path Association to fight the Murim Alliance, but even among the unorthodox sects, their cruelty and sorcery make them outcasts."
Dokgo Yeon spoke with a cold gaze.
'... The Blood Cult is preparing some sorcery, huh.'
Jaseong etched her words deep in his mind.
He had been careless, thinking the takeover of Tianxia Association was complete, but now an alarm bell had rung.
'I need to mobilize the Hao Sect Ansun branch's forces and all Tianxia Association executives to scour the area thoroughly.'
Jaseong immediately set out.
A moment later, one of the Tianxia Association executives, whom he'd told to gather materials for Heaven Evading Alchemy, hurriedly approached him.
"M-my apologies, Association Leader! All the medicinal ingredients you requested have already run out."
Well, they were hardly common ingredients; it couldn't be helped. Instead, Jaseong issued a different order.
"Right now, summon every swordsman of Tianxia in the vicinity."
"What? All the martial artists, sir?"
"Are you deaf?"
"Y-yes! Right away!"
"Also, form squads and conduct a thorough search of the surroundings. Report anything suspicious immediately."
"Yes, sir!"
With that, Jaseong completely exited the black market.
He needed to quickly inform Lee Rin and Gu Janghu about the Blood Cult's sorcery.
But that was when—
Flap! Flap!
A black falcon soared above and circled over Jaseong's head.
At that moment, Jaseong's eyes flashed sharply.
'That's Hyang-I's carrier pigeon.'
Jaseong untied the message from the black falcon's leg and unfolded it.
Inside was the following information:
[May this correspondence safely reach you, branch leader.
Reporting, this is Hyang-I, secretary of the Hao Sect Ansun branch.
Top-secret classified information has arrived.
It is especially related to the current operation.
The Blood Cult has come under the Demonic Cult.]
Jaseong's eyes twitched.
It was confidential information capable of completely overturning the balance of power in the martial world.
But something seemed strange.
The Demonic Cult and the Blood Cult were the biggest unorthodox sects in the Central Plains.
Both were established cults, and historically, they never did get along.
Especially during the Great Heavenly Demon War, which was a confrontation between Heaven's Mandate and the Heavenly Demon, the Blood Cult joined the Evil Path Association to fight against the Demonic Cult.
And yet now the Blood Cult was submitting under the Demonic Cult?
[The reason for this rapid power shift is still being investigated.
However, what's important is that, as a price for their submission, the Demonic Cult has returned several forbidden manuals that were stolen from the Blood Cult in the past.
These are the sorcerous manuals seized during the Great Heavenly Demon War, which are now considered forbidden texts in the Central Plains.
Because they describe truly brutal sorcery involving human sacrifices—rituals where people are offered as living offerings.
The effects are eerie, with tremendous power.
It's possible the Blood Cult may use these techniques in the conquest of the Tianxia Association.
Please be careful.]
Reading Hyang-I's carrier pigeon message, Jaseong's gaze turned chillingly cold.
"... Sorcery that uses human beings as offerings. Truly insane bastards."
He burned the carrier pigeon message, his mind racing.
Suddenly, the seventh Heaven's Mandate, 'Salvation', came to mind.
If the Blood Cult truly planned on using human sacrifice and their brutal sorcery...
Perhaps the seventh Heaven's Mandate was connected to this.
'In any case, I must stop it. Before the Blood Cult can enact their sorcery.'
* * *
Unfortunately, the Blood Cult's demonic hand had already begun to move.
At that very moment, Hao Sect's guardian general Gal Seo-ryeong and three hall lords were en route to Tianxia Association's secret pavilion where Jaseong was located.
Rustle! Rustle! Rustle!
Gal Seo-ryeong was in the lead, using her lightness skill to dart quickly through the forest.
Following her were Lord of Moon Castle Hall, Lord of the Heavenly King Hall, and Lord of the Five Dragons Hall.
Behind the three hall lords, the elite warriors of their respective halls followed.
Moon Castle Hall's swordsmen, Heavenly King Hall's pugilists, and Five Dragons Hall's blade experts—altogether, a force of over a hundred strong.
"We must hurry. We're already terribly behind the time promised to Ansun Branch chief," said Gal Seo-ryeong at the front.
At her words, Lord of Moon Castle Hall White Moon Sword, Jang Baekwoon, replied in a low voice.
"Guardian general. We ran into Black Star Sect and Twin Dragon Clan elders along the way. It was an unplanned bloody battle—it's only natural we'd be delayed."
Lord of the Heavenly King Vajra Heaven agreed in his heavy voice.
"Didn't you say Ansun Branch chief already secured Black Star Sect, Poison Valley, and Twin Dragon Clan's rising stars? Then the conquest of Tianxia Association is practically finished, no?"
But Gal Seo-ryeong shook her head.
The Blood Cult was still out there.
"I've heard the Blood Cult recently submitted to the Demonic Cult. We must regroup with Ansun Branch chief before those madmen do anything."
Just then, as Gal Seo-ryeong's party dashed forward—
"Wait."
Gal Seo-ryeong suddenly stopped cold.
At once, the entire Hao Sect force froze in step.
Whoo—oo—
An eerie wind howled through the woods.
Next, shadowy figures in blood-red martial robes emerged from every direction—from behind branches and rocks.
Shush, shush, shush, shush!
Experts clad in martial robes emblazoned with the character '血' ("blood").
There were more than a hundred of them.
"... Speak of the devil, and here they are—the Blood Cult,"
Gal Seo-ryeong muttered, frowning.
The next moment, her face twisted further at the sight of one particular figure.
In the very midst of the Blood Cult elites stood an old man radiating a staggering presence.
His face was speckled with liver spots and he looked well over seventy.
The instant she saw him, Gal Seo-ryeong's eyes shook violently.
'... The Blood Cult Leader, Chu Hyul-gwang?'
Blood Sky Old Demon Chu Hyul-gwang.
The leader of the Blood Cult, and a master ranked among the supreme experts of the world.
He was a legendary figure who made his mark even during the War of Orthodox and Unorthodox, a time when there were few rivals who could stand against him.
Countless orthodox experts fell to his Blood Demon Art, and dozens of orthodox clans met their end at his hands.
Because of that, Gal Seo-ryeong and the three hall lords were even more tense than they had been facing elders of Black Star Sect or Twin Dragon Clan.
'... I know conquering the Tianxia Association brings tremendous wealth, but for the very leader of the Blood Cult to take the field for the sake of dark path subjugation...'
'The worst-case scenario has come.'
As Gal Seo-ryeong and the three hall lords swallowed dryly and fretted inwardly, Chu Hyul-gwang let out a sinister laugh.
"I waited with high hopes, and caught a big fish after all."
Chu Hyul-gwang looked at Gal Seo-ryeong.
"It's been a long time. So you've become the guardian general of the Hao Sect now, black Forest Sword Empress Gal Seo-ryeong."
Gal Seo-ryeong replied coldly.
"I never imagined the Blood Cult leader's backside was so light. No matter how enticing the Tianxia Association may be, for the cult leader to personally take up the task of dark path subjugation—perhaps the rumor is true, that the Blood Cult is short on usable experts?"
"Kukuku. Foolish talk. If the Evil Path Association Leader's Seal is here, who but I, the cult leader, should come?"
... So he'd heard about that, after all.
Gal Seo-ryeong frowned inwardly.
Chu Hyul-gwang strolled forward languidly, as if reminiscing about the old days.
"Gal Seo-ryeong. Was it not in Shaanxi Province that I first laid eyes on you?"
"..."
"The woman once hailed as the greatest prodigy in Emei history and the next sect leader is now called the Black Forest Sword Empress, and stands as the Hao Sect's guardian general...
If the Emei Saintess you defeated with chain techniques could see you now, she would mourn."
"... Please do not speak of my master so lightly. I became the Hao Sect's guardian general to restore the honor she lost."
"Do you still believe Namgung Cheon-rui, the Murim Alliance Leader, is the villain behind it all? Kukuku."
"..."
Chu Hyul-gwang laughed low.
Each time, Gal Seo-ryeong's face grew harder, colder.
"That look in your eyes is unchanged. Kuhuhu."
"..."
"Fine, I'll give you three moves first. Come. Let's see how much you've improved in the past twenty years."
Gal Seo-ryeong drew a long, thin sword from her back without hesitation.
Her cherished weapon: the Black Forest Flower Sword.
A razor-sharp fighting spirit surged from the blade, crackling and slicing the very air.
At her display, Chu Hyul-gwang brought out his own prized sword: Blood Demon Sword.
A strange blade, stained blood-red, passed down through generations of Blood Cult leaders.
At the tip, an unidentified crimson aura writhed menacingly.
"Today will be your death day, Gal Seo-ryeong. I'll send you to that master you so dearly missed,"
Chu Hyul-gwang declared, raising the Blood Demon Sword.
"We'll just see about that,"
Gal Seo-ryeong replied, raising the Black Forest Flower Sword horizontal in challenge.
Whooo!!
The ki pouring off the two absolute masters tightened the air until it seemed about to tear.
Even a typical first-rate expert would find it hard to breathe under such pressure.
Among them, the three Hao Sect hall lords watched Gal Seo-ryeong with nervous faces.
The sharpest sword of the new Hao Sect Leader, Guardian General Gal Seo-ryeong.
It was rumored that, truly, her skill was on par with the sect leaders of the great sects.
But of the three hall lords, none had actually seen her true power.
'Can the guardian general actually defeat the Blood Cult Leader?'
'No, it's impossible. The Blood Cult Leader is one of the Five Great Evil Ones of the unorthodox sects—one of the few whom none can match!'
Just then—
Whish!
Gal Seo-ryeong's figure vanished.