Disciple of The Three Kings [EN]: Chapter 18

Blood Demon Soo-baek entered seclusion to complete the Blood Demon God, the ultimate goal of the Blood Demon Art and the long-cherished desire of the Blood Cult.

Through painstaking effort, he had nearly reached the pinnacle of the Blood Demon Art, but ultimately, he could not complete the Blood Demon God.

The training of the Blood Demon Art required countless special things.

But the most important of these was highly pure blood.

In the early stages of the Blood Demon Art, the blood of animals or ordinary people who had not practiced martial arts was sufficient.

However, as the mastery of the Blood Demon Art increased, this heinous demonic art demanded more and more.

‘Blood imbued with inner energy.’

It was about increasingly craving the blood of the strong and accumulating that blood in the body.

To obtain that blood, countless members of the declining Blood Cult died.

Sometimes, they had to use the blood of their own members because they could not obtain the blood needed for their training.

But the fastest way was, of course, to buy it.

They would procure highly pure blood from outside using the Blood Cult’s resources.

It shouldn’t be thought of as the level of blood donation.

‘Essence blood.’

The blood in which the very life of a human being was contained.

The blood used in this seclusion was the blood of thirty masters at the peak of Hwagyung [a high level of martial arts mastery].

To obtain it, they had nearly emptied the remaining reserves of the Blood Cult.

Although there was some achievement as a result, he ultimately failed to complete the Blood Demon God.

‘It’s a monster.’

The Blood Demon Art was a living monster.

It constantly craved and desired more blood, stronger blood.

As a result, the Blood Cult’s finances were also hitting rock bottom.

The reason the Blood Cult was in its current state was partly because it could not afford the resources used for the world’s nourishment, but also because a lot of money was spent on procuring the blood needed for the Blood Demon Art.

They no longer knew how to achieve further progress in the Blood Demon Art.

‘Do I have to find dragon blood somewhere?’

But dragon blood was something they couldn’t obtain even if they spent the entire budget of the Blood Cult.

Blood Soo-baek was feeling his limits.

In the midst of this, the betrayal of the Left Protector and the story of the new Blood Demon piqued Blood Soo-baek’s interest.

“Indeed…!”

The Sixth Elder said, trembling, at Blood Soo-baek’s words.

“If the so-called new Blood Demon has truly mastered the Blood Demon Art…”

“That blood would be of great help in achieving the Blood Demon Art…!”

Blood Soo-baek curled up the corners of his mouth as he listened to the elders.

“However….”

The Sixth Elder.

He was the weakest among the elders, having barely reached the extreme level, and he opened his mouth.

“If he has truly learned the Blood Demon Art, it is not something to be ignored.”

The reason he was able to rise above the elders at a young age was because of his strategic mind.

He was a man of deep schemes, who rose to the position of military advisor in the Blood Cult.

What was the Blood Demon Art?

To the people of the Blood Cult, it was no different from a divine martial art.

If someone had truly mastered the Blood Demon Art, even a child could not be ignored.

“Also, his mastery will not be low. Unlike the Third Elder, the Left Protector and the Priestess are not shallow in their schemes. Especially the Priestess, who has been called a prodigy since childhood, wouldn’t she have been a suitable candidate to be raised as a military advisor if she hadn’t been the Priestess?”

The Sixth Elder continued to speak in a heavy atmosphere.

“If the so-called new Blood Demon’s mastery was not sufficient, they would never have set foot in the Blood King’s Castle. They came because they were confident. We must not underestimate them.”

“Sixth Elder.”

Blood Soo-baek looked at the Sixth Elder with angry eyes and said,

“Are you saying that I would lose to that fake?”

“That is not it.”

But the seasoned Sixth Elder lowered his head as if it had been calculated.

“The Blood Demon is destined to become the king who will rule the four worlds, and his body must not be harmed before he completes the Blood Demon God.”

“Hmm.”

Blood Soo-baek’s face relaxed a little.

Only then did the Sixth Elder raise his head again and speak.

‘This is an opportunity.’

Right now, Blood Soo-baek was giving him an opportunity.

If he presented a problem, it was the duty of the military advisor to also present a solution.

If the solution he presented was satisfactory, Blood Soo-baek, who had completed the Blood Demon God, would give him unparalleled trust.

“Let us attack together.”

“…Ahem!”

“Sixth Elder!”

The elders’ faces turned red at the word ‘attack together’.

No matter how much they were called demons, their essence was that of martial artists.

The Sixth Elder’s words were no different from crushing the pride of martial artists.

Especially.

Goooh.

The First Elder, who was considered the most loyal and martial artist-like among the Blood Cult, was even emitting killing intent.

“You are not making any sense!”

Taking advantage of the situation, the Sixth Elder raised his voice even louder.

“The current Blood Cult is as good as doomed! In fact….”

Even if they didn’t want to admit it, they couldn’t ignore what was clearly visible.

“With the current Blood Demon, it is uncertain whether the Blood Cult can even survive. The current Blood Demon is the only hope and everything for the Blood Cult. What if another successor to the Blood Demon Art appears in the future? Do we even have the ability to train them in the Blood Demon Art of the Blood Cult!”

It was painful.

But it was undeniable.

“There is a justification. That fake has declared himself the Blood Demon….”

Justification is power for a martial artist.

“To reach the Blood Demon, wouldn’t he have to overcome the elders to prove himself?”

“Indeed….”

“That’s right.”

The other elders nodded and agreed with the Sixth Elder’s words.

In fact, it didn’t matter if there was a justification or not.

‘There is no more room to spare.’

They had to bet everything on the current Blood Demon, Blood Soo-baek.

That was the only way the Blood Cult could survive.

Even in the midst of this, the First Elder looked displeased, his face contorted.

Perhaps the First Elder would not participate in the joint attack.

‘But it doesn’t matter.’

All the elders, the protectors, and even the Blood Demon were here.

What could withstand the combined attack of all of them….

‘Even if one of the Two Hands [powerful martial artists] came, it would be impossible.’

The Sixth Elder looked at Blood Soo-baek with an anxious heart.

In the end, everything depended on the decision-maker.

“I permit it.”

The permission was given.

A silence followed, in which no one dared to speak.

How much time had passed?

Creak.

The door of the Blood Demon Hall opened, and a sturdy-looking man approached, kneeling and saying,

“Blood Sword Captain Jung Chi-soo. I have brought the guest at the Blood Demon’s command.”

Smeek.

Blood Soo-baek, as if drooling over an irresistible feast, said,

“Let them in.”

* * *

Gulp.

Kang Eun-ha couldn’t suppress her tense heart.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Her heart felt like it was about to jump out of her chest.

‘Is this the right thing to do?’

Even at this moment, she had doubts dozens, hundreds of times.

‘The Blood Demon, we’ll just catch him.’

She had come all the way here following that absurd statement.

Her grandfather was not a fool.

Especially since she had been recognized for her intelligence and was considered a suitable candidate for a military advisor since her time in the Blood Cult.

‘This is crazy.’

Yet, she was participating in this madness.

The new Blood Demon, the Blood Demon Divine Art instead of the Blood Demon Art, the fact that he was strong.

All of that was good.

But it was still crazy.

Was that important to the current Blood Cult?

Could the Blood Cult, which was on the verge of collapse, accept a new Blood Demon, a true Blood Demon Divine Art?

‘Absolutely not.’

There was something that took precedence over the law.

Survival.

The current Blood Cult would not accept Lee Rowoon, even for the sake of survival.

They would kill him.

‘Miss.’

Before they departed, her grandfather had come to her and said.

‘Everything depends on you, Miss.’

Even her grandfather had not initially followed Lee Rowoon sincerely.

If he was a Blood Demon who had learned the Blood Demon Art, he should naturally be revered by the people of the Blood Cult, so he had only taken the courtesy, and he had not intended to cooperate with him sincerely from the beginning.

‘Please tell me clearly, even now, Miss.’

He had only intended to observe the situation.

The reason why her grandfather had changed his mind, tried to persuade the elders, and even come to the Blood King’s Castle, which would become a pit of death.

‘It is because you are the Priestess, Miss.’

It was because of her.

‘I don’t think it’s possible with my head.’

No matter how many hundreds of times she thought about it, the result was the same.

Perhaps the Blood Demon would not try to fight Lee Rowoon one-on-one.

With everything of the Blood Cult at stake, the elders would not stand by and watch.

Lee Rowoon would have to endure the combined attack of the elders and the Blood Demon.

‘He’s going to die.’

Lee Rowoon was strong.

But the elders of the Blood Cult and the Blood Demon were also strong.

Even if they were inferior compared to those outside the world, there were few who could withstand their combined attack.

Certain defeat.

That was the only thought that came to her mind.

‘But….’

That day, Kang Eun-ha had said to her grandfather who had come to see her.

‘I don’t know either. I just keep feeling like I should follow him.’

Her heart was telling her to.

No, it was probably the unknown ability given to her as the Priestess that was telling her to.

‘That’s enough.’

That was how they had come this far.

Step, step.

Lee Rowoon was walking without a care.

“Blood Demon… aren’t you nervous at all?”

He showed no signs of tension, as if he had come out for a stroll.

Just as she was not a fool, Lee Rowoon was not a fool either.

Although he seemed somewhat out of place, he clearly had a sharp mind.

“Why should I be nervous?”

“Haa….”

Kang Eun-ha bit her lip.

‘…He might really be a fool.’

But what could she do?

Once you’ve ridden a tiger, you have to keep going.

If this choice was wrong, no, it was certain to be wrong, but she had no choice but to do it.

‘If… the worst situation arises, I will save him in the name of the Priestess.’

Even if it meant her own death as the price.

“There’s no need to be nervous.”

“Yes?”

“Because I can’t die.”

“What does that….”

The corners of Lee Rowoon’s mouth twisted as he walked beside her.

“If I die, the world will be destroyed.”

“……?”

“Well, even if that’s not the case, I don’t plan on destroying the world until I find my masters.”

She couldn’t understand what he was saying.

“I’ve thought about it countless times. There’s no chance I’ll ever go back, but if I do. If I succeed and go back, what should I do?”

“…….”

“I’ll take revenge, but I also have to repay my masters’ kindness.”

What was he talking about?

Regardless of Kang Eun-ha’s words, Lee Rowoon recalled his masters’ voices.

‘I will give you power.’

Pfft.

“Give me power?”

This collapsing Blood Cult?

It wasn’t just here.

The forces they had ruled, except for the Demon King, were now just considered myths or legends in the current world.

In other words, there was a high probability that they were not living up to their names in the present.

‘Those swindlers.’

In the end, that was probably what they intended.

‘Find something to do.’

So that he wouldn’t be swallowed by the void.

So that he wouldn’t destroy everything, blinded by revenge.

So that he wouldn’t give up everything and cause destruction.

‘They must want me to create something precious.’

But Lee Rowoon had no intention of doing so.

Just one thing.

‘I can’t bear to see the things connected to my masters collapse.’

That was why he was thinking of accepting the power his masters had said they would give him.

And he would try as much as he could.

If it didn’t work out, then so be it.

He had no affection for this world anyway, and he wouldn’t have been interested if he didn’t think that his masters might be somewhere in this world.

“I was wondering what to look for first.”

He had pondered and pondered.

To receive power, he needed qualifications.

Even if it was collapsing or had already collapsed.

Then there was only one answer.

“The Demonic Cult.”

“……I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

“It didn’t matter if it was the Blood Cult or the Heavenly Demon Cult.”

The conclusion he had reached after a long time of deliberation.

The power that Lee Rowoon could receive the fastest was the Demonic Cult.

‘Finding it was the problem, though.’

He was lucky, so it was fine.

Or maybe.

Swoosh.

Lee Rowoon looked at Kang Eun-ha.

‘She said she was a Priestess.’

Maybe she had come to him on her own.

Anyway, there was only one thing Lee Rowoon could say now.

“I will never lose. I don’t plan on destroying the world yet.”

Thud thud thud thud thud!

Before Kang Eun-ha could understand Lee Rowoon’s incomprehensible words, the massive door of the Blood Demon Hall opened.

Whoosh!

The massive demonic energy emanating from within made it hard to breathe.

Kang Eun-ha closed her eyes tightly and clenched her fists.

She had kept telling herself not to waver, but.

‘I was wrong.’

We are going to die.

“No.”

Step!

Lee Rowoon stepped forward without hesitation.

“I won’t die.”

Taat!

The elders had already surrounded Lee Rowoon.