Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1743

In the middle of the shadowy tent, lit by flickering candlelight, stood a wooden statue. It was carefully made and looked almost alive, but it looked more like a demon than a god, more like a suffering animal than even a demon. The dark, rough wood felt ancient and cold. Its eyes were carved deep and empty, staring into nothing, yet somehow seeming to watch him.

The tent smelled of old wood and something else, something faintly metallic and unsettling. Each time the wind shook the tent, the statue’s long shadow danced wildly on the walls. It was a chilling sight, like a trapped beast fighting to break free from the darkness.

Strange singing sounds filled the tent. The voices were thick and heavy, making the air feel dark and serious.

A man slowly walked toward the statue.

He chanted strange verses and held out a strangely shaped bowl. The large, round bowl had carvings of many beasts twisting together. It looked like it was made for sacrifice.

He slowly tilted the bowl over the statue. Soon, seventeen streams of blood flowed down, staining the statue red.

The mumbling chant grew into a real song.

“Aaaah!”

It was deeply reverent, yet endlessly evil. It was a strange and unique ritual.

The Blood Sect Leader stood in the center, watching everything. He moved his hands with great care. Pouring blood might look simple, but it was a careful ritual. The Blood Sect Leader was very focused, making sure he did everything exactly right.

Flap.

At that moment, the tent flapped in the wind. The Blood Sect Leader narrowed his eyes.

“Aaaah!”

The loud singing reached its highest point. At the same time, the streams of blood from the bowl slowed down.

When the last drop of blood was gone, the Blood Sect Leader carefully lowered his hand. He finished the ritual with reverent movements, then knelt before the statue, showing both palms.

After he finished all the steps, the Blood Sect Leader carefully stepped back.

It was just a wooden statue. It didn’t feel old or have any special features.

But the Blood Sect Leader gave his whole soul to the statue, as if the god he served lived inside it.

Finally, the Blood Sect Leader stepped all the way back and turned his head. His eyes, which had been full of worship, suddenly glowed red.

Thud.

He took a step toward a cult member who had been reverently helping with the ritual in the corner of the tent.

The cult member’s face turned pale when he saw the Blood Sect Leader coming toward him.

“L-Lord…?”

“Do you know what a Blood Sacrifice is?”

A cold red light shone in the Blood Sect Leader’s eyes.

Sweat poured from the cult member’s body. The Blood Sacrifice was one of the cult’s most important rituals. Every cult member knew what it meant.

So, the meaning of this question was clear.

“It is a way for those who have failed and been thrown out to prove their faith.”

“F-Forgive me! Forgive me…!”

Crack!

The Blood Sect Leader’s long fingers grabbed the cult member’s neck. His fingertips pierced the skin.

“Ghk… Grrrhk….”

“You are weak. You lose your faith from just the wind, but you are here in this holy place.”

His voice didn’t show any emotion, but every member of the Blood Sect knew how much anger was boiling inside him.

Thud! Thud!

The spilled blood dripped from his fingertips and splattered on the floor. The cult member tried to pull the Blood Sect Leader’s hand away from his neck, but the Blood Sect Leader didn’t care, like he was looking at a bug under his foot.

Snap.

Finally, the Blood Sect Leader’s fingers crushed the cult member’s neck bones. The cult member slumped, his head falling to the side and his tongue sticking out.

Plop.

The Blood Sect Leader dropped the lifeless body, his eyes shining with a cold light.

“Clean it up.”

“Yes!”

“Don’t leave even one drop of dirty blood here.”

“We understand.”

The Blood Sect Leader glared at those who were bowing before turning his head. He looked at the statue, half-covered in blood.

He stared at the statue for a long time, then turned and left the tent. Before he could take more than a few steps, someone hurried after him.

“Lord.”

The Blood Sect Leader glanced to the side.

It was the Third Elder. There were only three elders in the cult. His face looked dark and serious.

“It is good that you performed the Blood Sacrifice after waiting so long, but you must know this could cause problems.”

The Blood Sect Leader’s eyes narrowed.

“Are you talking about the sacrifice?”

“You know it, then.”

Warlord Jang Il-so had forbidden harming innocent people. Since they had to fight in enemy territory, they didn’t want to turn the people against them.

It was a small reason, but the Warlord had made it clear.

The problem was that the blood for the Blood Sacrifice had to come from the hearts of young boys and girls.

“But we had to perform the ritual.”

“This matter…”

The Blood Sect Leader suddenly turned and glared at the Third Elder.

“Are you saying we shouldn’t even offer a sacrifice to the god who has been denied his place?”

“The god would have understood, because he is merciful.”

“People take advantage of that mercy.”

“Lord.”

“There is no need to say more. We can’t undo a ritual that has already been done.”

The Third Elder sighed. The Blood Sect Leader was right. They couldn’t have stopped it before it happened, but what could they do now?

The Third Elder tried to shake off his heavy thoughts and said,

“You must watch the movements of the Four Great Evils.”

The Blood Sect Leader’s eyes twitched.

“Don’t forget, this is our only chance to step onto the white soil of the Central Plains again. If the Four Great Evils don’t succeed this time, we will have to be silent for a long, long time.”

“If the Four Great Evils don’t succeed?”

“…Lord?”

“It won’t be because of the Four Great Evils, but because we lacked strength. Or maybe, we lacked courage?”

“Lord! What are you saying?”

“I will go first.”

The Blood Sect Leader turned away and took a step. But the anger in his chest made him say one more thing.

“And remember, whether we win or lose, the result won’t change.”

“What does that mean, Lord?”

The Blood Sect Leader took another step without answering.

‘These old men don’t understand. We need to be stronger, bolder.’

His grip tightened.

People who said they were strong in faith were actually cowards. They ran away from the disaster and left Baekto. Because of them, their god lost his place and was not respected.

People call what the Blood Sect does a ‘blood sacrifice,’ but it’s really weak. It’s like giving a very sick person just a little salty water to barely keep them alive. Why are they so afraid of even this small thing?

A long time ago, the Blood Sect was powerful and important. But now, it feels like almost nothing is left of them.

A heavy weight settled in his chest.

He felt angry, but at the same time, he understood. He knew why the Third Elder had to say what he said.

“Where did it all go wrong?”

When they first teamed up with the Four Evil Alliances, the Blood Sect had a different plan.

The Four Evil Alliances would take over Jiangnan and fight the Heavenly Union near the Yangtze River. The Blood Sect would help them, and in return, the sect would get its own land.

If that plan worked… the sect would have finally gotten what they wanted for a long time: to be in the Central Plains. They believed they could live with evil groups, unlike the good groups.

“Jang Il-so…”

Things started to go wrong when the Overlord, Jang Il-so, crossed the Yangtze River and went into Gangbuk.

People who get something usually hold onto it tightly. That’s normal. But Jang Il-so was different. Like a very hungry monster, he left behind what he had and wanted the enemy’s land.

Because of this, ‘living together’ was now impossible. If they lost this war, the evil groups in the Central Plains would be destroyed. The sect would have to suffer for a long time again. Unless they could fight against all the good groups by themselves.

Unwillingly, the sect had become bound to the Four Evil Alliances by fate.

“Did he know this would happen from the beginning? Or…”

The Blood Sect Leader thought of Jang Il-so’s face, smiling creepily.

Yes, Jang Il-so must have known. This couldn’t all be just luck. It’s not too much to say that Jang Il-so was controlling the whole sect. No wonder the elders were worried about him.

“But…”

– Choose.

The Blood Sect Leader chuckled softly.

Even Jang Il-so couldn’t have predicted this. This was like a natural disaster. No one can predict lightning from a clear sky. The Blood Sect Leader was the same. He could only cry out in pain and complain.

A choice…

Die right now, or live for a short time like a dog.

Could choosing between those two really be called a ‘choice’? The outcome wouldn’t be different anyway.

The Blood Sect Leader’s eyes gleamed once more.

“If there is no path, then we must create one.”

Until that chance comes, he would have to act like a dog. That would be the best way to show faith to the god who lost his place.

The Blood Sect Leader’s eyes gleamed with madness.

Of course, he was still not happy. He had a lot of anger built up, and it needed to come out somehow. Killing a follower for losing faith might just be how he let out his anger.

“Sect Leader.”

Just then, a follower in a crimson cloak rushed to him.

“Has the Overlord moved?”

The Blood Sect Leader’s face darkened when he thought of Jang Il-so.

He told himself he didn’t need to be afraid. Now that he knew he couldn’t change what would happen to the sect, there was even less reason to be afraid.

But even though he told himself not to be afraid, he still was. Jang Il-so’s crazy actions had put the Blood Sect in this bad situation. His madness was worse than anyone who used dark magic, a madness that seemed to never stop.

The sect was already groaning, swept away by that madness.

“No, it isn’t.”

“Then?”

“It’s about the Heavenly Union…”

The follower quickly explained what he had heard. The Blood Sect Leader’s eyes turned even redder as he listened.

“Is it him…”

“Yes.”

“How coincidental.”

The Blood Sect Leader stared blankly at his own hand.

The blood of seventeen boys and girls used in the ritual, and even the blood of the followers, was smeared on it.

“It seems you are still very hungry,” he said, looking at his hand.

“……Yes?”

“The best sacrifice is the blood of our enemies. The heart of someone who has insulted the sect will satisfy the hunger of the lost god, even if just for a little while.”

The Blood Sect Leader’s blood-soaked finger twitched slightly.

“Are you going to act personally?”

“It will be good entertainment,” he said coldly.

“But the Overlord…”

He didn’t finish his sentence, but he was worried that if the Blood Sect Leader left, it would mean disobeying the Overlord’s order to stay put.

The Blood Sect Leader frowned.

“There is only one who can give me orders.”

“I was out of line,” the follower said quickly.

The Blood Sect Leader’s face, covered in bandages, twisted slightly.

The sect never forgives enemies. They will chase them everywhere and always take their hearts.

There’s one reason they can do this. Even if there are millions of people in the world, each person’s blood smells different to us. If they really try, they can always find one person.

And this… was also connected to another task he had to protect.

The Blood Sect Leader turned his head without looking away. In the distance, the biggest and fanciest tent stood alone, very tall.

This fancy tent was only for the leader of the Four Evil Alliances. The corners of the Blood Sect Leader’s lips twitched as he looked at it.

“Summon the followers.”

The follower’s eyes widened. It was unusual for the sect leader to act personally, but if the followers moved together, things would become even bigger.

“Did you not hear me?”

“Ah, no. I will summon them immediately.”

The follower quickly disappeared. The Blood Sect Leader narrowed his eyes.

– Do what you desire. According to your will.

A laugh, like a dry cough, came out of him.

What he desires…

Did he even know what he desired?

But the funny thing was that the Blood Sect Leader clearly knew what that vague statement meant.

“I am rather grateful.”

If he was forced into this situation, he had to fight back strongly.

Soon, everyone would know.

People who were living in a fake peace, and people who acted powerful but were weak inside, would all feel it.

They would feel the anger of someone who had lost his place. They would know the power of someone who had made the world bloody. And… they would feel the strong hate of those who had always defended that power.

Baek Cheon, was it?

“The beginning… will be from the blood of that enemy.”

The Blood Sect Leader’s two eyes, revealed between the bandages, emitted a crimson light. It was the ominous and gloomy madness of one who had nothing to lose.