A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 249

249. Blood Wolf and White Dew

Gwikyoun Soora glared at Son Bin, his eyes burning with resentment. They held a disturbing mix of animosity and a chilling greed, unsettling anyone who dared to look.

“You said no one would die?”

Gwikyoun Soora’s voice dripped with arrogance as he looked down at Son Bin.

“You’ve forfeited the right to say that. Besides, at least one life is in my hands…”

He was referring to his own life, Gwikyoun Soora himself. He sneered at Son Bin.

“Your words will prove false.”

Gwikyoun Soora’s voice was low and rough, strangely old-fashioned, like a Jianghu [the martial arts world] monster from a bygone era. This made his youthful, handsome appearance seem even more incongruous.

“How strange,”

Gwikyoun Soora’s eyebrows twitched at Son Bin’s words. Son Bin tilted his head, feigning confusion.

“How can you say that when you know it’s a lie?”

“What?”

“You hold nothing.”

Son Bin continued, his expression calm.

“You can’t do anything you want. Your life, your inner strength, even the sword you wield, all belong to someone else. It seems Jin-in [a term for a highly skilled or enlightened person] was right when he called you ‘an existence of nothing but lies.’”

Son Bin casually turned to No-gun.

“Isn’t that right?”

“Uh, uh, yeah.”

No-gun replied, slightly embarrassed. It was true that Hwanghak Jin-in had said that, but Son Bin’s outspokenness was unexpected.

“Hehehe.”

Gwikyoun Soora let out a burst of laughter.

“Ridiculous. Even if you were once close to the Supreme Seat, you’re now just a mere mortal. How dare you speak to me like that…”

“Enough talk.”

Son Bin interrupted Gwikyoun Soora. “Come on, then. You’re not holding a sword just to chat, are you?”

Swish.

Son Bin raised Baekro [White Dew, the sword’s name] and aimed it directly at Gwikyoun Soora, or rather, the entity possessing his body. His eyes were devoid of any warmth.

“I don’t want to see you anymore.”

Gwikyoun Soora’s face hardened, but only for a moment, before a smile spread across his face—a devilish expression mixed with animosity and joy.

“Hehe.”

He bared his teeth, as if pleased.

“Yes, even though you have fallen, taking your life will be quite enjoyable.”

The blood of Bloodpeak Geum Sa-ryun and Son Bin… their blood would be more special than anything else.

The thought was a thrilling temptation. Gwikyoun Soora’s face gleamed with greed.

Swoosh.

He raised Blood Wolf [the sword’s name].

Woo Woong.

The crimson Blood Wolf began to wail, and as if in response, Son Bin’s Baekro also let out a low sword cry.

People forgot to breathe as they watched the confrontation between Son Bin and Gwikyoun Soora, including the family head, the elders, and even Namgoong Soyu.

Namgoong Hyang also watched Son Bin with a pale face, biting her lip and clasping her hands together.

Whoosh!

The moment Gwikyoun Soora’s figure seemed to blur, a crimson aura tore through the air. Baekro was not idle either.

Woong.

The beautiful blade of Baekro drew a silver trajectory in the air as it fell. Blood Wolf and Baekro collided as if by fate.

Clang!

There was no explosion, not even the sound of metal. Only a dull sound, like a tearing drum.

But surprisingly, the blade of Blood Wolf was stopped by the beautiful blade of Baekro.

Woo Woong.

A faint light bloomed on Baekro. It was nothing compared to the surging red aura of Blood Wolf, but it never faded or disappeared.

“Hmph.”

Gwikyoun Soora, or rather, the Blood Demon, sneered. His eerie expression mocked Son Bin right in front of his eyes.

“The power of a divine sword? How pathetic. You, who now have to borrow even the power of a sword… how is this not a fall?”

The Blood Demon spoke as if whispering, as tender as a lover’s murmur, yet laced with sharp animosity and greed.

“You still don’t understand.”

Son Bin said. Even with the Blood Demon’s face inches away, he wore a faint smile.

“It’s not a fall; this is me.”

Whoosh.

A wind blew, or rather, it felt like a wind was blowing. At the same time, Baekro, which had been facing Blood Wolf, disappeared.

‘Gasp.’

The Blood Demon was shocked. If Baekro disappeared, he could simply split Son Bin in half, but the problem was that Son Bin had disappeared along with Baekro.

But the panic was only momentary.

It wasn’t Son Bin who had disappeared; it was his own senses. The Blood Demon instinctively grasped the situation and twisted his body, raising Blood Wolf.

Clang!

As expected, the blade of Baekro, which had been falling towards the Blood Demon, was blocked by Blood Wolf.

Whoong.

Instead of colliding with Blood Wolf, Baekro softly deflected its momentum, like a feather dancing in the air.

It was as if Baekro had retreated, but the Blood Demon did not chase after it, instead pulling back with all his might.

Pat!

The Blood Demon retreated in an instant. He couldn’t properly regain his composure because his senses were distorted, but he was definitely away from Son Bin.

Tack.

The Blood Demon, who had landed at a distance, glared at Son Bin, but Son Bin was still standing there as before.

As if the clash just now was a lie.

But the subtly shining blade of the beautiful Baekro was telling him that what had just happened was by no means an illusion.

The Blood Demon knew at once what had happened to him.

“Kekeke.”

The Blood Demon laughed and lightly shook his body. The senses all over his body finally returned to normal, shaking off the remnants of the shock from just now.

“The Tao [the Way, a fundamental concept in Taoism] of Tai Chi… So you were a Taoist?”

“No.”

Son Bin smiled, a smile so bright that it ignited the Blood Demon’s anger and jealousy like a flame.

“I am Son Bin, just a scholar who dares to walk the path of the sword. And now…”

Swish.

Son Bin lightly raised Baekro.

“I am also the one standing in your way.”

Woong.

Baekro cried softly. The faint aura that lingered on its beautiful blade was definitely sword energy.

∴

Seo-rin muttered with a dazed expression.

“Uh, doesn’t hyung [older brother or respected male figure] have no inner strength?”

“Why not?”

No-gun spat out, as if dismissing the idea.

“He has the Hyuncheon Daeganggyeol [a powerful internal energy cultivation technique]. That’s it.”

The aura that shone alone like a star in the torrent of ten thousand years of ice, protecting Son Bin and bringing him back.

That is the aura of the Hyuncheon Daeganggyeol.

“But that was too weak to be a problem.”

“No, the problem wasn’t inner strength.”

No-gun said, not taking his eyes off Son Bin.

“Think about when you sparred with Geomhee. At that time, Bin clearly controlled the energy of the universe. Do you think that just because his inner strength has increased a little, he will be able to control that enormous energy with a human mind?”

No-gun gritted his teeth and continued. The realm that he himself had compared to being merciless like heaven and earth, considering its vastness, could not be helped even if Son Bin’s inner strength returned.

“How can you compare the inner strength of a mere human to the energy of the universe? Even if Bin had all the power of ten thousand years of ice, he couldn’t do anything about it. The problem was not inner strength, but the path [Tao].”

Son Bin had lost his way. He was swallowed by that vast, beautiful, cruel, and futile flow—a flow that humans could never resist.

No one can help. No advice is meaningful. But in the end, Son Bin found the answer.

The result is shining in Son Bin’s Baekro now.

“Then will hyung be okay?”

Seo-rin said with a worried voice. He couldn’t help but worry if he was still in the state of having almost no inner strength. No-gun put his hand on Seo-rin’s shoulder.

“Believe in Bin.”

No-gun said.

“Even though that guy is reckless, he’s not thoughtless.”

Suddenly, No-gun frowned and looked back at Seo-rin.

“But why did a guy who doesn’t even know that step aside earlier? If that’s the case, you should have stopped Bin and stepped forward.”

“Oh, I just felt like I had to step aside for some reason.”

Seo-rin replied nonchalantly.

“And it’s Bin-hyung. Why would I stop hyung?”

No-gun was dumbfounded.

“You’re either going to become a fool later, or a very big fool, one of the two.”

“Hehehe.”

Seo-rin laughed happily. No-gun pursed his lips.

“That’s not a compliment.”

“It is a compliment?”

Seo-rin said with a smiling face.

“That’s what my teacher said. You have to be called a fool by the world to live properly.”

This time, No-gun was speechless. Hwanghak Jin-in would have definitely said that. Jin-in was also a person who lived his whole life like a fool.

“Ugh.”

Of course, that fool and the fool No-gun just mentioned have different meanings. No-gun, who let out a groan, watched the confrontation between Son Bin and the Blood Demon.

“Anyway, we have to be careful. Even if it’s incomplete, the opponent is…”

Swish.

No-gun glanced at the Namgoong family and closed his mouth. They must never hear this word.

No-gun sent a telepathic message to Seo-rin, who was right next to him.

—Because it’s the Blood Demon.

The Namgoong family members were gathered in two groups: the masters centered around the family head and elders, and a group of young disciples.

The head of the Namgoong family, Namgoong Kwon, was watching the battle between Son Bin and the Blood Demon with a stern face.

‘Hmph, he still hasn’t left.’

The Namgoong family is a huge organization, and as the organization grows, the authority one has becomes more important and has a greater ripple effect than individual ability.

For example, even if a master like Namgoong Kwon disappears, it has no impact on the Namgoong family. However, the disappearance of the family head is an event that can shake the very foundation of the family, depending on the circumstances.

So as soon as something happened, the Namgoong family’s warriors unconditionally guarded the family head and tried to evacuate him.

No matter who the ferocious beast is, even if it is a young disciple of a collateral line or a child, that is the priority. Subduing the opponent or finding out the mastermind is all after that.

But the family head, Namgoong Kwon, refused to evacuate. It was contradictory for him, who usually valued the family’s strength as a group more than individual martial prowess.

But it is too natural as a warrior.

How can he avoid the situation when the woman who was stabbed in his place is collapsing on the ground bleeding, and a guest is stopping a berserk warrior from the opposing camp in anger?

‘Still, is he quite strong-willed?’

No-gun chuckled.

He doesn’t know what he’s like as a family head, but he has an admirable attitude as a warrior. But thanks to that, no one in the Namgoong family could leave this place.

Of course, one reason is that Gwikyoun Soora’s aura is so strong that they can’t even dare to intervene or even think of moving recklessly.

But the biggest reason why they are not leaving this place is because they are prepared to give their lives for the family head, whether they are elders or young disciples who should have run away a long time ago.

‘Tsk. No wonder Lightning Sword, that guy, is so devoted to the family.’

If he is carrying the fate of those who are throwing their lives away for him, would he hesitate even if he is called a demon?

No-gun could understand the heart of the former Lightning Sword, Namgoong Cheon, even a little.

“But there’s something strange.”

Seo-rin suddenly muttered.

“Why isn’t he using his power properly? He definitely looks stronger than he is now in my eyes…”

The target Seo-rin is talking about is the Blood Demon who has taken over Gwikyoun Soora’s body.

The Blood Demon in his eyes was an existence that could never be called a person, and he had a stronger and more terrifying power than he was showing now.

“Hehe, that’s inevitable. That guy failed.”

“Failed?”

No-gun frowned slightly. It was very annoying to have to answer every question telepathically.

But it’s none other than the ‘Blood Demon’. Even No-gun had no choice but to be careful.

—Yes. According to past records, the Blood Demon took the heart of a person, perhaps in order for that guy to use the Blood Demon’s authority.

No-gun glanced back. Shin-ui had already finished taking care of Bloodpeak Geum Sa-ryun. He had collected all the silver needles, and Sa Soo-yeon’s coat was covering her.

—First of all, that child’s blood or heart is absolutely necessary.

“Ah.”

Seo-rin nodded.

“But we still have to be careful, because it’s the opponent, because it’s the opponent.”

No-gun said with a stern face, looking at the ominously flickering crimson aura of Blood Wolf.

Whoo Woong.

It was rising eerily like the flames of death.

∴

“Kekeke.”

The Blood Demon sneered.

“You stood in my way? That’s not true.”

He looked down at Son Bin with an arrogant expression and said.

“Even your choice is just the result of fate. The terrible connection between the divine sword and the demonic sword…”

He smiles, baring his teeth, an expression that was impossible to know whether it was joy or sorrow.

“It’s being reproduced again today.”

“No.”

Son Bin replied with a cold gaze.

“It will not be reproduced. This connection ends here.”

“Click.”

Although he laughed, the Blood Demon was inwardly grinding his teeth. Every word and action Son Bin made was extremely annoying.

When you think about it, Son Bin and he are not that different. He too was once about to reach that supreme place. So perhaps this feeling is a terrible self-loathing.

“Yes, spout as much as you want. But I’ll teach you soon that you can’t do anything, and how foolish your choice was.”

Whirr.

The Blood Demon spun Blood Wolf around and laid it sideways. The flickering momentum disappeared like a lie, but the crimson blade of Blood Wolf was still eerie.

Swish.

The Blood Demon raised Blood Wolf to eye level and grabbed the blade with his other hand, then naturally swept it sideways.

“Ugh.”

Someone groaned. The result was obvious since he grabbed the blade with his bare hand and swept it sideways. It was strange that his hand wasn’t cut off.

Trickle.

Gwikyoun Soora’s blood instantly stained Blood Wolf, but the blood did not flow to the ground.

Slurp.

The sword was sucking up the blood. It was truly a demonic sword, and the next moment…

Crackle.

As if snowflakes were blooming, branches of the sword began to grow around Blood Wolf. They were all red and eerie, blades of blood.

“Heok.”

As people watched in shock, the blades of blood branched out and grew larger and larger.

Crack, crackle.

Blood Wolf was no longer something that could be called a sword. Its appearance, like a scarlet blood snowflake or the flames that had been burning frozen as they were, made people feel instinctive disgust and fear.

Whoo Woong.

A crimson aura lingered on the bizarre-looking Blood Wolf.

“Hehehe.”

The Blood Demon laughed. His two hands, which were clearly holding the sword hilt, were buried in the transformed Blood Wolf and could not be seen.

“Too bad. If I were complete, I could have shown you the true nature of Blood Wolf.”

“Too bad.”

Son Bin replied.

“If I had completed the Pawol Lee-sik [a sword technique], I could have shown you how great a human being is.”

“Hehehe.”

The Blood Demon laughs again.

“I like it. That struggle to never be pushed back, even with words, is admirable.”

“I wonder… will you be able to say that even after you lose?”

Swish.

Son Bin lowered Baekro. At first glance, it looked like he had given up the fight.

But he has not given up. The Blood Demon could clearly see that. Even now, Son Bin’s eyes are shining more brightly than ever.

“It’s not Pawol Lee-sik, but I have something to show you.”

Baekro began to move slowly. As if showing off its beauty, the sparkling blade of Baekro drew a huge circle that seemed to encompass the sky and the earth.

“It’s Pawol Il-sik [another sword technique].”

Woo Woong.

It was such a natural movement, but the Blood Demon immediately realized its danger. If that circle is completed, there will be no more chances for the incomplete him.

“Kuaaa!”

Kwagwak!

He screamed and charged towards Son Bin. There was no composure or arrogance that he had shown before.

What filled the Blood Demon’s face now was only greed and fear.

Crackle!

The huge Blood Wolf instantly closed the distance and fell towards Son Bin. Just when it seemed like Blood Wolf, like the flames of burning hell, would swallow Son Bin.

Hoong.

Son Bin’s Baekro completed the circle, and the next moment, blue moonlight poured down on the Blood Demon.

It was Son Bin’s Pawol Il-sik, which made even the burning sun temporarily withdraw its light.

Seureung.

In a space where everything had disappeared, only the blade of Baekro was approaching the Blood Demon. It was not fast, but no choice could change the result.

The blade of Baekro, approaching to eliminate all other possibilities of cause and effect and achieve only one result that Son Bin had determined.

It was something that even the Blood Demon could not avoid.

“Keuk.”

Without even realizing that he had groaned, the Blood Demon moved Blood Wolf.

Because the demonic sword Blood Wolf will definitely block the divine sword Baekro at any time.

This is a fate that no one can deny.

Kiiing.

As he expected, Baekro, facing Blood Wolf, could no longer approach. It was such a natural thing.

But that thought was only fleeting.

Whoong.

Baekro emitted light. It was so powerful and extremely beautiful, the very light that the Blood Demon’s hand had almost touched once.

‘H-How….’

It was something that could never happen, but there was no one to answer the Blood Demon’s question. And…

Clang!

The blade of the demonic sword Blood Wolf broke. The Blood Demon could only watch the unbelievable thing that happened before his eyes.

Swish.

Baekro did not stop. Baekro, which had cut the demonic sword Blood Wolf in two, continued to follow the flow of cause and effect and pierced the Blood Demon’s chest.

Thwack.

With a low sound, the moonlight disappeared, and the Blood Demon looked down at Baekro shining in his chest.

“Heu, hehe.”

The Blood Demon laughed. The remaining blade of Blood Wolf in his hand had returned to its original form. Belatedly, red blood flowed down and stained the ground.

“Look.”

The Blood Demon raised his head.

“Isn’t this much just with the lingering scent it left behind? Won’t you regret rejecting it even so?”

The Blood Demon’s expression as he looked at Son Bin was a mixture of sadness and mockery.

“The answer…”

Son Bin said quietly and drew his sword.

Swish.

Son Bin’s Baekro silently came out of the Blood Demon’s chest. That was all, but the Blood Demon collapsed as if he had lost all his strength.

Thud.

Son Bin muttered quietly, looking down at the fallen Blood Demon.

“I already did.”

He was no longer the Blood Demon. He was just a man, Gwikyoun Soora Arang, who had almost lost the person he loved.