Bin Namgung’s mind momentarily crossed the thought of “What should I do now?”
The contemplation did not last long.
‘Nothing changes.’
After all, his goal was not to win the heart of Soeun Yu, right?
Even though he had lost his manhood, the Blood Heavenly Martial Art was still intact. His physique would improve as he ascended the Blood Heavenly Martial Art stages, and eventually, he would still be able to steal Soeun Yu’s heart, achieving the ultimate goal.
That’s what Bin Namgung believed. At least, after four years of effort, he wanted to believe that.
“Blood Demon, take a look at this.”
After entering the basement, Bin Namugn slightly leaned closer to the Blood Demon who was still leaning against the wall. It was the ear severed by Sal Seong. The Blood Demon carefully examined it before speaking.
“You’ve been castrated, hasn’t you?”
“Ah! Ho, ho, how did you…!”
“Tsk tsk, one can tell at a glance.”
“Haa…”
“Don’t worry. I know well the sorrow of losing one’s sexual function, so I won’t mock you for something so trivial.”
“Indeed, your words are most appreciated.”
Perhaps it was due to his heavy heart, Bin Namgung curtly replied and then asked.
It had caught his attention since he entered the basement.
“Is that Green Light Treasure Sword you who moved?”
Pointing vaguely at the Green Light Treasure Sword still hanging on the wall, Bin Namgung asked.
“Yes, it was me.”
“Hum… if I grab the Green Light Treasure Sword, my head would surely sever, yet your head is still attached. How is that so?”
“Do not compare such a trivial thing with me.”
“…You don’t even have hands, do you?”
“I grabbed it with my mouth.”
“…”
Bin Namgung realized that the Blood Demon was hiding something, but he decided not to pry further.
Even if his torture techniques wouldn’t work on the Blood Demon anyway, there was no reason to antagonize her over something ultimately unimportant.
“Fine, enough with that… There’s something I want to ask.”
“What is it?”
“Regarding the Vice Leader of the Blood Cult… no matter how much I think about it, it seems like something we can’t just overlook.”
“What’s troubling you?”
Bin Namgung blinked his azure eyes. In the dimly lit basement, a blue light flickered.
“What kind of person is he?”
“Did you mean Vice Leader?”
“Yes.”
The Blood Demon smiled cryptically and replied. It remained unclear what exactly she was thinking.
“He’s an extraordinary person, be it male or female. Setting aside his near mastery-level martial arts, the schemes and sorcery techniques surpass anything in the Blood Cult.”
“I also practice sorcery.”
“You’re not even close. She was a master of sorcery. Besides sorcery, she was also adept in poisons and malevolent Qi, unlike me who solely committed to martial arts.”
“Unwavering on one path. It’s surprising that this person’s sorcery rivals your martial arts.”
“Therefore, she was sealed. A person I couldn’t control myself.”
Though Bin Namgung maintained a seemingly expressionless exterior, internally, he was genuinely shocked. After all, the Blood Demon was the third strongest person among those he knew. If even someone like that found control impossible, it was evident that Bin Namgung had no hope of standing against her.
“Aren’t you scared?”
“To be honest, I am.”
“Can’t you just form an alliance with the Lord of the Alliance? It’s not like you’re a righteous person like the Sword Sage.”
“You’re making nonsense. There are different levels of evil too. I have no intention of siding with someone whose nature I don’t even know.”
“Is that so?”
The Blood Demon reminisced about Bin Namgung’s demeanor during the Holy Blood Great War.
To the Blood Cult, Bin Namgung was among the top priorities to eliminate, possibly even more important than the head of the Martial Arts Alliance.
The reason was simple. Too much of a headache. Every scheme devised by Bin Namgung cut through the Blood Cult’s plans. There was no more infuriating person to the Blood Cult.
The problem was, Bin Namgung never left his surroundings unknown. Moreover, he never befriended those who were out of place for a long time or had a poor reputation.
“The monks by the Sacred Monk’s side made assassination difficult, while the Sword Sage always wandered alone, making an assassination impossible.”
“Is that so?”
“But you… Perhaps you give no openings for assassination at all. We’ve sent over a hundred assassins to eliminate you from the Blood Cult, each time they returned with nothing but the news of their failure.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
Now this avoidance of proximity to the Second Blood Demon was perhaps another aspect of his overly cautious nature. That was how the Blood Demon perceived it.
“You don’t need to worry too much about the current Cult Leader.”
“…What do you mean? Didn’t you say this person was far more formidable than me?”
“Recall the origin martial art residing in your Dantien. With your mastery of the root of Blood Martial Arts, why should you fear such pretenders?”
From the Blood Demon’s mockery, Bin Namgung understood she had a hidden message for him. This time, there was no reason to pretend ignorance.
“Please explain in more detail.”
“Last time, I mentioned the Jiangshi hidden in the cave in Central Plains, right?”
“You did.”
“Jiangshi are merely corpses awakened through Blood Martial Arts, servants following their master’s wishes. So, isn’t there any reason why you, the one who most closely adheres to the purest Blood Martial Arts in the current martial world, shouldn’t follow, right?”
The Blood Demon’s word plunged Bin Namgung into deep thought. And the more silent he became, the more effortlessly the Blood Demon continued.
“Whatever she’s plotting, it’s merely because she’s unaware of your existence. All of her forces will eventually belong to you. That’s the Blood Heavenly Divine Skill.”
“There was a potential I had never anticipated within the Blood Heavenly Divine Skill.”
“Indeed, stop being needlessly troubled.”
Bin Namgung nodded, accepting her words. In his eyes, an ambition he couldn’t hide was fiercely burning.
The primary goal was to make ‘Heaven’ pay. But his desires weren’t any less. Even though his lustful desires were reduced to nothing, a strong thirst for power still dwelled within him. Otherwise, why would he have established so many clandestine forces?
“Thank you for enlightening me. Speaking of which…”
“Is there something else you want to ask?”
“There’s something I want to inquire about regarding Sword Sage.”
Bin Namgung slightly wiggled his tongue. A manifestation of deep thought.
“Did you not claim that you have reached the ultimate level of martial arts?”
“That’s correct, the state of supreme martial arts known as ‘Xian Jing’. You can only dream of it.”
“In that case, what level is this Sword Sage who defeated you in a single move?”
He was subtly asking, “What level is the current version of Iron Bin?”
To which, the Blood Demon replied:
“The summit of martial arts… Somewhere beyond that.”
“…”
“I cannot provide a more specific answer. I myself don’t know.”
It was a somewhat elusive and vague response.
“…”
Not much more useful information could be extracted.
Accepting his fate, Bin Namgung left the basement. Although the Blood Demon once again yelled requesting someone to read the Sword Sage’s chronicle, he ignored it as usual.
The long, dim hallway of Namgung greeted him as he stepped out.
Thud, thud…
“Phew… Should I bring tea to Soeun Yu today as well? All I need to do is win her heart somehow…”
Even after becoming a eunuch, while not succumbing to despair, he was plotting his future when someone blocked his path.
“…? Sister Soeun?”
It was Soeun Yu walking in the corridor for some reason late at night.
It was a perfect encounter. Bin Namgung courteously stepped aside for her. It was an opportunity to slightly boost his plummeted likability.
At that time, an unimaginable event occurred.
Swoosh…
“…”
“Namgung Bin.”
Soeun Yu was glaring at him as if ready to rip him apart immediately. Her voice was terribly low and as sharp as it could cut through anything. If someone unfamiliar saw her, they might mistake her for a Sound Technique expert.
“You shall receive punishment from the heavens.”
“T, Sister Soeun?”
Leaving those words, Soeun Yu walked past him without looking back. Bin Namgung blankly stared at her retreating back.
Just until yesterday, there hadn’t been such strong hostility, what on earth was happening?
He was baffled.
*
“Tsk.”
“You’re here again today.”
“I see you again.”
“Is it already fixed in your mind to check the Green Light Treasure Sword first?”
“Yes.”
This was the Blood Demon’s casual remark to Soeun Yu as she entered the basement, a little wobbling after passing Namgung Bin.
Soeun Yu’s expression was not very bright. It wasn’t merely because of the dim basement.
“Hey, why can’t we watch together? I’m curious too.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Tsk.”
While hearing the Blood Demon’s light tongue clicking, Soeun Yu drew the Green Light Treasure Sword from its scabbard.
The resonant sound of the Green Light Treasure Sword reverberated in her mind.
– Are you here to see your lord?
“Yes, it’s rather presumptuous of me, but will you once again kindly assist me today?”
– What a nuisance.
While grumbling, the Green Light Treasure Sword readily responded to her plea. It was possible because the sentiment it held for Soeun Yu wasn’t only hatred but love-hate.
“Whoosh, whoosh…”
Holding the Green Light Treasure Sword, Soeun Yu took a deep breath.
Pretty soon, the figure of a white-haired man would appear on the blade’s edge. Since the day she read the chronicle, she’d spent almost every day here becoming rather adept.
Thump, thump…
Her heart pounded with tension. She gulped to calm herself before opening her tightly closed eyes.
At the moment when the form of the white-haired man was about to appear in the blade before her eyes…
Drip…
“…”
A vivid red stream of blood ran down the corner of Soeun Yu’s mouth. Drip, drip, drip. It fell steadily from her fine jawline, striking the floor with regular rhythm.
It took her some time to fully realize the situation.
“Wh, what…?”
Seething pain, she felt a stabbing ache in her stomach. Simultaneously, her head spun with dizziness, and her vision swayed uncontrollably.
Suddenly, Soeun Yu remembered the rules of Heavenly Qi that Byul Rak had mentioned.
‘A…’
After briefly swaying, she collapsed. Her strength seemed to vanish from her entire body.
‘So, this… was it.’
With that, Soeun Yu lost consciousness. Thick smoke filled her mind.
