Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 462

462. Subduing Demon Token

The news delivered by the disciples on the Demon Subjugation Mission immediately put the elders of the Mount Hua Sect on edge.

The Blood Cult’s attack on a village was a stark departure from their previously secretive behavior.

“Where did this happen? Are our disciples safe?”

“What’s the size of this Blood Cult force? Were there any Blood Fiends or Blood Demons present?”

The elders immediately fired off questions.

However, the Taoist who delivered the news shook his head.

“The location is noted in the message, but little else is known. It seems they sent it urgently, indicating a desperate situation.”

“Understood.”

Acting Sect Leader Chun Un-ja said.

The Taoist bowed and retreated.

Clack.

The door closed, and Chun Un-ja addressed the elders.

“We must dispatch disciples immediately. We need to confirm the safety of the messengers and gather more details about the situation.”

No one objected.

Chun Un-ja looked at Honwon Jin-in.

“I would like Honwon Jin-in to take charge of this matter.”

“I understand.”

Honwon Jin-in clasped his hands and bowed his head, accepting the Acting Sect Leader’s command.

“To prepare for the worst, have the Later Seven Stars accompany you. We may encounter significant Blood Cult resistance.”

This was a precaution for the worst-case scenario.

Even with the urgent message, several days would have already passed since the attack.

“We will go with you.”

It was Woon-hyun’s voice.

Chun Un-ja asked with a puzzled expression.

“You mean the Alliance Leader?”

“Yes.”

He didn’t need to consider it for long.

“I understand. If you wish to do so, you may.”

Having said that, Chun Un-ja turned to Honwon Jin-in.

“If the Alliance Leader accompanies you, there’s no need for the Later Seven Stars. Have other disciples join you instead.”

Honwon Jin-in nodded.

Chun Un-ja raised his eyes and looked at the elders.

“The Blood Cult has already begun to move openly. Nyeong Yeo-hyeop was attacked by a Blood Demon, and their reach now extends to innocent villages. It’s clear that the Demonic Sects won’t remain idle either.”

Chun Un-ja said in a firm voice.

“As Acting Sect Leader, I hereby activate the Demon Subjugation Order.”

The elders’ expressions hardened at once.

The Demon Subjugation Order, a unique authority held by the Sect Leader, is both a general mobilization order and a declaration of a state of emergency for the Mount Hua Sect.

Now that the Blood Cult’s movements were undeniable, when else should the Demon Subjugation Order be activated?

The elders accepted Chun Un-ja’s declaration without question.

The Four Great Elders also nodded, having already discussed this with Chun Un-ja.

Chun Un-ja opened a small wooden box that sat beside him.

Click.

Inside the wooden box was an ancient jade pendant.

Although it lacked elaborate patterns, the soaring characters engraved in the center of the jade pendant clearly read ‘Subduing Demon (伏魔).’ [This refers to the act of suppressing or vanquishing evil spirits or demons.]

Chun Un-ja held up the wooden box.

“This Demon Subjugation Token is the highest authority within the Mount Hua Sect and represents an absolute command that no one can disobey.”

Swish.

Chun Un-ja turned to Woon-hyun.

And he politely held out the wooden box.

“I will entrust this to the Alliance Leader for the time being.”

Woon-hyun’s eyes widened.

If Chun Un-ja’s words were true, this was tantamount to entrusting the Mount Hua Sect to Woon-hyun.

“The Alliance Leader has selflessly dedicated himself to the Demon Subjugation mission. Moreover, he awakened the Subduing Dragon and Subduing Demon Swords, proving his worth, and returned the Subduing Demon Formation to the Mount Hua Sect. Who else is more deserving of this Demon Subjugation Token in this situation than the Alliance Leader?”

Chun Un-ja smiled.

“This is the will of all the elders, including myself, so please accept it, Alliance Leader.”

Swish.

Woon-hyun rose from his seat.

With a firm expression, he politely bowed to Chun Un-ja and the elders.

“Your trust in me is truly profound, so much so that I am overwhelmed.”

Woon-hyun said with a gentle smile.

“Though I am inadequate, I will gratefully accept your will.”

Smiles spread across the elders’ faces as well.

Chun Un-ja also moved to hand the wooden box to Woon-hyun with a gentle expression.

However, Woon-hyun’s words were not over yet.

“However, since this is a sacred object of the Mount Hua Sect, I fear I might lose it. It would be better to leave it here.”

That was an absurd excuse.

How could the Sky Dragon Sword Master lose such an important sacred object?

But Woon-hyun’s next words made the elders’ smiles disappear.

“Sometimes, I can’t see anything but my sword.”

Those words were incredibly persuasive.

How could someone who has reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship be concerned with worldly possessions?

Besides, Woon-hyun was also known as the ‘successor of the Sword Saint.’

That Sword Saint who was called crazy about the sword.

And that wasn’t all.

‘He is also a disciple of the Divine Monk, who was called a strange monk.’

Okro Jin-in, one of the Four Great Elders and well-versed in scriptures, clicked his tongue inwardly.

The reason why the Divine Monk was once called a strange monk was because of his bizarre actions that defied common sense.

For example, if the Divine Monk had received this Demon Subjugation Token, it would not be strange at all if he had thrown it away somewhere.

“Ahem. If that is the Alliance Leader’s will…….”

Okro Jin-in coughed dryly and trailed off.

The other elders nodded in agreement.

However, Chun Un-ja, the Acting Sect Leader, frowned.

“But the token must be readily available to be used at any time. That is the original intention…….”

The supreme authority that can instantly silence any objection or opposition is the Demon Subjugation Token.

Just knowing that such authority can be exercised at any time will ensure Woon-hyun’s authority is respected.

“Isn’t it enough that everyone knows I possess such authority?”

Woon-hyun said with a smile.

“Let’s conclude the matter of the token here and move on quickly. This may be an urgent situation.”

“But…….”

Chun Un-ja, who was about to say something, stopped.

When he thought about it, wasn’t he the one who had been arguing since earlier?

“……I understand. I will follow the Alliance Leader’s will.”

Chun Un-ja recited a Taoist chant and bowed his head.

With that, the discussion on the Demon Subjugation Token was concluded for the time being.

At that time, Hyun Gi-ja suddenly spoke.

“The situation is urgent, but I would like to ask the Alliance Leader one thing.”

Hyun Gi-ja, one of the Four Great Elders and well-versed in astronomy, said with shining eyes.

“How did you awaken the Subduing Demon Sword?”

The elders’ eyes lit up at once.

That question was what everyone was curious about.

What method did he use to awaken the Subduing Demon Sword, which had never been awakened before, even though it had fallen asleep again?

“I emptied myself.”

Woon-hyun answered readily.

“And I realized that I am not fit to be the ‘Master of Emptiness.’ It was not a matter of choice.”

It was a simple answer, but the elders’ eyes widened.

Who could say ‘I emptied myself’ so lightly?

There would be few who could claim to have emptied themselves even after decades of training.

Moreover, Woon-hyun said that ‘it was not a matter of choice.’

Hyun Gi-ja clearly understood the meaning behind those words.

‘That means a choice was offered.’

It meant that Woon-hyun could have become the master if he had wanted to.

Hyun Gi-ja asked again.

“……Are you referring to the Subduing Demon Sword when you say ‘Emptiness’?”

It was an unfamiliar expression, but the elders who had experienced the Subduing Demon Sword thought the expression was very accurate.

What else could they call the bottomless abyss-like Subduing Dragon and Subduing Demon Swords but emptiness?

The elders could not take their eyes off Woon-hyun.

However, Woon-hyun smiled instead of answering.

Hyun Gi-ja and the other elders knew that Woon-hyun would not elaborate further.

“Heo.”

Hyun Gi-ja sighed deeply, closed his eyes, and recited a Taoist chant.

And the moment he opened his eyes, Hyun Gi-ja saw a faint light shining around Woon-hyun, who was smiling.

‘Heok!’

Hyun Gi-ja was startled.

But the next moment, the light had already disappeared.

‘……Did I imagine it?’

It was such a fleeting moment that Hyun Gi-ja questioned his perception.

The auspicious light that shone when the Subduing Dragon and Subduing Demon Swords awakened.

Could that unforgettable sight have momentarily overlapped with Woon-hyun?

He narrowed his eyes and looked, but there was nothing more.

Hyun Gi-ja stared at Woon-hyun with a blank expression.

Woon-hyun’s gentle smile remained unchanged.

***

Woon-hyun and his party descended the mountain with Honwon Jin-in and several Taoists.

The group took a carriage that had been left in the village at the foot of the mountain and headed to Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu Province.

Since it was on the way, Imperial Inspector Jo Gwan and Hang Jang-ik, who were waiting in Lanzhou, were to join them.

Clatter, clatter.

“Why did the Blood Cult attack?”

Woon-hyun asked Honwon Jin-in in the carriage.

Honwon Jin-in was riding in the carriage, while the other Taoists rode horses.

“We cannot know for sure at this time.”

Honwon Jin-in said, shaking his head.

“We can only speculate that it may be to create Blood Fiends. Or perhaps they were targeting the disciples on the Demon Subjugation Mission……. We can only hope that the damage isn’t too extensive.”

“If it’s to create Blood Fiends, what happens to the village?”

When Woon-hyun asked, Honwon Jin-in bit his lip.

“It becomes hell.”

Old Woman Nyeong Se-yeong said, speaking for Honwon Jin-in.

“Blood Demons have the ability to turn people into Blood Fiends. But most people cannot withstand the transformation and either melt on the spot or become monsters worse than beasts. After they leave, all that remains in the village are self-destructing monsters and the remains of what were once people.”

Nyeong Se-yeong’s words that ‘it becomes hell’ were not an exaggeration.

Even the usually lively Geum Hwa-yeong’s complexion paled at the mere thought of it.

Clatter, clatter.

No one spoke.

If the Blood Cult began to act in earnest, that ‘hell’ would unfold countless times.

That thought weighed heavily on everyone’s minds.

Amidst the sound of horses’ hooves, the carriage carrying the party headed towards Lanzhou.

The party joined Imperial Inspector Jo Gwan and Hang Jang-ik in Lanzhou.

In the meantime, Honwon Jin-in received a new message from the disciples on the Demon Subjugation Mission.

Fortunately, the disciples of the Mount Hua Sect appeared to be safe.

And a few days later, the party arrived at the village that had been attacked by the Blood Cult.

It was a village of about two hundred households, not far from a fairly large city and close to the main road.

Two hundred households meant that there were roughly over a thousand residents, but the only people alive and moving here now were Woon-hyun and his party and the Taoists of the Mount Hua Sect.

Creak.

Woon-hyun opened the door of a large house in the middle of the village.

Something was broken in the inner courtyard.

Crackle.

Those scattered on the ground must have once been people.

But now they were so dry and brittle that they crumbled at the slightest touch.

Guest Elder, who was standing next to him, approached and carefully examined them.

“Strange.”

The voice came from behind; it was Old Woman Nyeong Se-yeong.

Nyeong Se-yeong frowned as she looked at the crumbling corpses.

“This doesn’t look like the Blood Cult creating Blood Fiends.”

“Do you mean the Blood Cult didn’t do this?”

Nyeong Se-yeong shook her head at Woon-hyun’s question.

“I don’t know. But if the Blood Cult had created Blood Fiends, it wouldn’t look like this. Monsters that failed to become Blood Fiends would wander around, and melted remains would be everywhere.”

Woon-hyun looked around.

It was a place where people used to be crowded just a few days ago, but now only dry death lingered.

“Then this appearance is…….”

“Blood Jade.”

Honwon Jin-in said.

Step, step.

He approached Woon-hyun and Nyeong Se-yeong.

“The Blood Cult possesses something called Blood Jade. It is an evil artifact that endlessly drains the blood of people. This Blood Jade is used to awaken Blood Demons.”

Honwon Jin-in sighed as he looked at the corpses that were crumbling and scattering.

“Judging from the situation, they must have used Blood Jade. Because nothing but Blood Jade can create such a tragedy.”

Nyeong Se-yeong frowned.

“Then does that mean the Blood Cult is trying to awaken another Blood Demon besides the Hellblood Dragon?”

Honwon Jin-in nodded with a bitter expression.

Nyeong Se-yeong sighed.

“Heo, what power did the Blood Cult gain to have not one but two Blood Demons…….”

“It may not be two.”

Honwon Jin-in said.

“According to records, there were originally four Blood Demons.”

Nyeong Se-yeong’s expression hardened at once.

It was not easy to slay the Hellblood Dragon, but there were three more such Blood Demons?