Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 450

Though the Hellblood Dragon had retreated, it wasn’t over.

The surroundings were, quite literally, a mess.

The ground was hideously overturned, and the trees were broken and fallen.

Above all, the black fragments of the Blood Fiends were scattered grotesquely everywhere.

“Hoo.”

Old Madam Neung Se-yeong sighed.

Her home, which she had grown fond of over a long time, was in this state, so she couldn’t help but sigh.

Geum Hwa-yeong couldn’t hide her dismay either.

After all, she would be the one to clean it up.

“It can’t be helped.”

Neung Se-yeong said, turning to Geum Hwa-yeong.

“Let’s close it for now.”

Geum Hwa-yeong looked at Neung Se-yeong with a puzzled expression.

But soon, she understood what she meant and quickly nodded her head.

Tak, Taktak.

Click.

The windows and doors closed in succession.

Geum Hwa-yeong lit a small brazier in the room and put water on it.

Outside, the cold and harsh night air of the Goryeon Mountains was settling in, but inside the room, a warm warmth was rising.

The group sat around the table.

When Geum Hwa-yeong brought the teapot, Neung Se-yeong got up from her seat and held the teapot herself.

Geum Hwa-yeong’s eyes widened at this unusual behavior from her, who was usually so proud.

Sabeok.

The first person she approached was Guest Elder.

Tteoreureureuk.

“Thank you.”

Neung Se-yeong said, filling Guest Elder’s teacup.

Her voice was gentle and soft.

“I survived thanks to you. I’d like to offer you a drink, but please bear with this for now.”

“I don’t drink alcohol.”

Guest Elder said calmly.

“And it’s not exactly thanks to me.”

Neung Se-yeong smiled gently.

“Is that so? Ah, and about what you said you wanted to see a little while ago…….”

Neung Se-yeong raised her head and gestured with her eyes.

Geum Hwa-yeong quickly ran and brought something.

Two small rice bowls, one covering the other, were placed in front of Guest Elder.

“His arm had already turned into bloody water and was seeping into the ground.”

With Neung Se-yeong’s words, Geum Hwa-yeong carefully opened one of the rice bowls.

Click.

Inside was blood-stained soil.

The arm left behind by the Hellblood Dragon had turned into a handful of bloody water.

Geum Hwa-yeong said.

“I didn’t touch it at all, as you said. And this is a fragment of the Blood Fiends…….”

Geum Hwa-yeong opened another rice bowl.

Inside was black powder.

“It’s already crumbling.”

It was very unpleasant to see strange things in the rice bowl, but Guest Elder didn’t care.

Sarak.

Guest Elder took out a small scroll from his chest.

The scroll unfolded, revealing densely packed needles.

Guest Elder took one of them and carefully began to examine the blood of the Blood Fiend and the fragments of the Blood Fiends.

Geum Hwa-yeong watched with sparkling eyes, as if fascinated.

Meanwhile, Neung Se-yeong approached Woon-hyeon and poured tea.

Tteoreureureuk.

Along with the soft tea fragrance, Neung Se-yeong said in a gentle voice.

“You’ve worked hard too.”

“No. The elders did everything.”

Guest Elder said that Woon-hyeon would somehow take care of it, but in fact, Woon-hyeon didn’t do anything.

The Hellblood Dragon, which Woon-hyeon was supposed to deal with, had escaped.

However, Neung Se-yeong smiled gently and said.

“There’s no need to be so modest. I’ve already seen how much Guest Elder trusts you. Besides, what would have happened if you hadn’t come here? I have very high expectations for you in the future.”

Her attitude was clearly more friendly than before.

Neung Se-yeong filled her and Geum Hwa-yeong’s teacups and sat down.

Then, she quietly savored the tea.

Click.

Putting down the teacup, Neung Se-yeong asked.

“So, what did you find after examining it?”

That was a question for Guest Elder.

Guest Elder put away the needles and said.

“It’s a type of corrupted corpse poison. It’s terribly potent, but there’s nothing special about it other than that.”

Neung Se-yeong nodded.

“I suppose so. Without the Blood Fiend’s power, it’s just an ordinary corpse.”

As she spoke, Neung Se-yeong frowned.

“But it’s strange. I don’t think the Blood Cult has recovered its strength yet……. Has there been a lot of bloodshed in the world in the meantime?”

“No.”

Guest Elder replied.

“The Murim Alliance [martial arts alliance] has collapsed, but it’s not comparable to the Great War between Righteousness and Evil.”

“Hmm. Then how on earth did they…….”

“I have a rough idea.”

Woon-hyeon said quietly.

“I don’t have any proof, but I think it might be the Ildae Merchant [a powerful merchant guild].”

“The Ildae Merchant?”

“The mastermind behind the collapse of the Murim Alliance.”

Neung Se-yeong’s eyes widened.

Woon-hyeon briefly told the story of the Murim Alliance’s collapse and the Ildae Merchant.

Neung Se-yeong had a stern face throughout, and Geum Hwa-yeong sometimes marveled and sometimes sighed, focusing on Woon-hyeon’s words.

Boil, boil.

The water boiled on the brazier.

Geum Hwa-yeong poured new tea into Woon-hyeon’s teacup.

Tteoreureureuk.

“I didn’t know such a thing had happened…….”

Geum Hwa-yeong said in a slightly choked voice.

Tears even welled up in her eyes.

It was because she had heard that Shin Seung and Dokgo-rang had died to save Woon-hyeon.

Neung Se-yeong also let out a soft sigh.

“……So that’s what happened.”

She bit her lip and wrapped her hands around the teacup.

“If that’s the case, it’s certainly reasonable to suspect the Ildae Merchant. And if that’s the situation, it seems like the Demonic Sect will also move…….”

If the Blood Cult had moved, the Demonic Sect wouldn’t be still either.

Neung Se-yeong frowned and pondered.

“What kind of people are the Demonic Sect?”

Woon-hyeon asked Neung Se-yeong.

“I heard they’re similar to the Blood Cult, but are they different groups?”

“Well, I don’t know much about it either.”

Neung Se-yeong fiddled with the teacup and continued.

“They are the same in that they worship mythical beings called the Blood Demon or the Heavenly Demon and aim for their resurrection. However, while the Blood Cult pursues only bloodshed, regardless of means and methods, the Demonic Sect seeks to create their own world.”

“Their own world?”

“Yes. At first, they pretend to be a sect unrelated to the secular world, but once they gain a foothold, they try to seize power by any means, whether it’s a civil uprising or a riot.”

Woon-hyeon’s expression hardened.

Civil uprisings and riots—wasn’t this a blatant attempt to overthrow the country?

“To them, this world is just a sacrifice for the resurrection of the Heavenly Demon. There’s no such thing as doing good deeds or pursuing enlightenment like other religions.”

Woon-hyeon sighed.

In fact, in a way, all sects could be said to dream of their own world.

But they also clearly talk about self-reflection and good deeds to become a better being.

If even that didn’t exist, it couldn’t be called a sect anymore.

“The Blood Cult is the same. I heard that the Blood Cult is a radical faction of the Demonic Sect. They say that even more blood must be shed indiscriminately for the resurrection of the Blood Demon.”

“Goodness.”

Geum Hwa-yeong said, as if she was dumbfounded.

“How can there be such evil people? Those things that aren’t even human should be cut down in one stroke…….”

“There are inhuman things everywhere.”

It was Guest Elder’s voice.

Raising his teacup, Guest Elder continued.

“Why is the Gangho Murim [martial arts world] called a den of devils? Sometimes, humans commit more cruel acts than the Demonic Sect or the Blood Cult without hesitation.”

Neung Se-yeong and Woon-hyeon couldn’t say anything.

Were only the Demonic Sect or the Blood Cult evil?

In a way, even more evil things were happening in the world right now.

Guest Elder said quietly to Geum Hwa-yeong.

“……And you were lucky.”

Geum Hwa-yeong could understand what that meant.

As Guest Elder said, the Gangho Murim was a den of devils.

Even a master like Geum Hwa-yeong would have no choice but to be deceived if she didn’t know anything, a place where evil was lurking.

So, it could be said that Geum Hwa-yeong was really lucky.

The first people she met when she first set foot in the Gangho Murim were the old couple of the Geum family and Geum Hye-rin, and after that, she even met Woon-hyeon and Guest Elder.

“That’s right. Guest Elder’s words are very true.”

Geum Hwa-yeong nodded.

And she looked at Neung Se-yeong with warm eyes.

In fact, the luckiest thing was that Neung Se-yeong had raised her.

But Neung Se-yeong’s reaction was cold.

“Don’t do things you don’t usually do. It’s disgusting.”

“Grandma!”

Geum Hwa-yeong protested as if she was wronged, but Neung Se-yeong didn’t care.

“Anyway, since it’s true that the Blood Cult has moved, it would be good to go to the Gongdong Sect [a martial arts sect] and find out the situation.”

“Gongdong Sect?”

Woon-hyeon asked with a puzzled expression.

Neung Se-yeong nodded.

“The Gongdong Sect has been guarding against the Blood Cult and the Demonic Sect here for generations. This Gansu [province in China] is adjacent to Xinjiang [autonomous region of China] and Qinghai [province in China], and it’s also close to Kunlun [mountain range] and Tian Shan [mountain range], so it can be said to be the front line of the Blood Cult and the Demonic Sect.”

Woon-hyeon’s eyes widened.

He had never imagined that the Gongdong Sect, which he had only heard was a sword sect in Gansu, had such a hidden story.

That was the same for Guest Elder.

“The Gongdong Sect, you say?”

“Yes. Because they are so closed off and their swordsmanship is extremely cruel, they are ignored as neither righteous nor evil, but in fact, they are the ones who hate the Blood Cult and the Demonic Sect. You must have heard of their Subduing Demon Sword Technique, haven’t you?”

Woon-hyeon couldn’t help but be surprised.

Subduing Demon not only meant that demons were hiding, but also meant to make demons kneel.

The Gongdong Sect’s Subduing Demon Sword Technique was their resolution towards the Blood Cult and the Demonic Sect, and it was a belief that had been passed down for generations.

“Of course, Il-eun told me this too. I received a lot of help from the Gongdong Sect in tracking down the Blood Cult. They will know something about the movements of the Blood Cult or the Demonic Sect.”

Woon-hyeon nodded.

“I see. But are the bases of the Blood Cult and the Demonic Sect in Xinjiang and Qinghai?”

“I can’t say for sure.”

Neung Se-yeong shook her head.

“But the areas where they have been rampant have mostly been near Xinjiang or Qinghai. It’s such a harsh land that even the influence of the imperial court doesn’t reach, and the Tian Shan and Kunlun Mountains are there, so it’s perfect for hiding.”

The Tian Shan and Kunlun Mountains could never be expressed simply as harsh.

Made up of countless mountains, a majestic wall of nature that stretched out as if that was the end of the world.

That was the Tian Shan Mountains.

The distance to that place was also very far, so even this Gansu Province, which was on the outskirts, was just a little out of the front yard compared to the Tian Shan Mountains.

The Kunlun Mountains, which formed the northern border of Tibet, were the same.

So, except for some gate guards, there was no influence from the imperial court.

In fact, there was nothing beyond that.

“I understand. Then let’s go together.”

“Oh, will you? Thank you.”

It was when Neung Se-yeong was saying that to Woon-hyeon with a delighted expression.

“Before that.”

Guest Elder said in a firm voice.

“Your treatment comes first.”

Neung Se-yeong paused, and Geum Hwa-yeong quickly raised her head.

“Yes! Grandma has to get better first. Can you do it here? If you need any medicinal herbs, I’ll go down tonight…….”

“Quiet.”

Neung Se-yeong frowned and said.

Geum Hwa-yeong, who was hurriedly continuing her words, immediately closed her mouth.

But Geum Hwa-yeong’s eyes, looking at Neung Se-yeong, were even somewhat desperate.

Neung Se-yeong sighed.

“I understand. I’ll do that.”

Geum Hwa-yeong’s expression brightened.

Neung Se-yeong asked Guest Elder.

“But it shouldn’t be delayed because of me. The fact that the Blood Cult has moved is a very serious problem.”

“Don’t worry. Hyeon will take care of the rest.”

Neung Se-yeong chuckled.

Guest Elder’s trust in Woon-hyeon was so great that she couldn’t understand it at all.

But because Guest Elder said so, even Neung Se-yeong thought that Woon-hyeon would somehow take care of it.

“Then I’ll leave it to you—the Blood Cult, and my life too.”

“Of course.”

Click.

Putting down the teacup, Guest Elder said.

“I’ll make it so you can beat up the Blood Cult as much as you want.”

Neung Se-yeong looked at Guest Elder with surprised eyes.

However, Guest Elder’s gaze towards Neung Se-yeong was indifferent.

“Hoo.”

Neung Se-yeong chuckled.

At first, it was a hollow laugh that came out of absurdity, but before she knew it, a warm smile was spreading across Neung Se-yeong’s lips.