Chapter 221
Chapter 221. The Blood Demon's Punishment
No matter how thin the ice might be, walking across it would have felt more peaceful than living on the Jin Yin Mountain.
Anxious energy filled White Pavilion.
If only some good news would arrive to ease the Blood Demon's temper—but unfortunately, the reports that came one after another seemed intent on testing the Sect Leader's patience.
Not long after the news arrived that the North Sea Ice Palace had been lost, a report came in that the Solar Palace had fallen. The Main Blood Hall Lord had gone to the Great Desert and raised a rebellion.
The Blood Demon remained silent, as if lost in thought.
It was no secret that the Main Blood Hall Lord harbored rebellious intentions toward the Blood Demon. It was common knowledge, and yet the Blood Demon had never killed him.
No, rather, he had found Min Haerak commendable for fully inheriting the yang energy of the Solar Palace.
Then again, the Blood Demon regarded vessels as creatures rather than humans, so it would have been strange for him to feel disappointment simply because one harbored killing intent.
No foolish master would slit a calf's throat just because it bit his hand.
A calf could be raised to plow fields, and even if slaughtered later, the amount of meat would double—killing an unripe calf was a great loss.
However, the fall of the Solar Palace seemed to be a different matter altogether.
Even when the Main Blood Hall Lord had infiltrated the sleeping chambers to attempt an assassination, the Blood Demon had laughed it off, yet now he had shut his doors and remained silent for days.
Tap.
One of the gatekeepers protecting White Pavilion walked along the silent corridor, organizing his thoughts.
Even he found aspects of the Main Blood Hall Lord's erratic behavior difficult to understand.
If the Main Blood Hall Lord inherited the Solar Palace's lineage and proclaimed it to the world, the existence of the Blood Demon would inevitably be revealed as well.
Speaking of the Blood Demon's existence was the strongest taboo.
Thus, even if a descendant of the Solar Palace were to reclaim it by some stroke of luck, it would only last for a moment. He could not assert the roots of the Solar Palace, and if the Blood Demon so wished, he could reclaim him at any time.
The Main Blood Hall Lord was a cunning man. That such a person would stake his life on an endeavor doomed to fail was incomprehensible.
'A pitiable fool.'
He had believed that the Main Blood Hall Lord was biding his time, patiently waiting for an opportunity—but he had not expected him to play his final hand so rashly.
Clicking his tongue inwardly, the gatekeeper spotted his superior standing before the main gate and lowered his head. The leader of the gatekeepers stared wordlessly at the tightly shut door with an expressionless face.
The gatekeeper asked his superior,
"Why are you here?"
The superior replied in a low voice,
"Someone has passed the trial."
Wrinkles formed on the gatekeeper's pale face.
To enter the halls of the Jin Yin Mountain, one had to pass the gatekeeper's trial without exception. Even within the Blood Sect, only a limited few could pass it.
Whoooosh.
Suddenly, the sound of the wind came from beyond the door.
At last, the intruder had reached White Pavilion.
As the disturbed formation returned to its place, the wind died down.
Creeeak.
When the hall door opened, pure white light poured inside. A shadow parted that light and brought its hands together.
It was a Blue Blood Hall member who had departed for the Central Plains years ago. With circumstances having changed, he was known to have remained alone in the Central Plains and endured much hardship.
The gatekeeper soon recalled another rumor about the man.
He was the quick-witted one who had informed the Red Blood Hall Lord in advance that Tang So-hwa had gone to the North Sea.
His shoes were worn through, and he stood on blistered feet. His appearance was wretched—his skin was dry and cracked, his face deathly pale, like someone who had fled in desperate haste.
"What brings you here?"
The gatekeeper's superior addressed him politely, as if he did not recognize him. Yet since even a low-ranking guard recognized the man, there was no way his superior did not.
The member spoke in an urgent voice.
"I have something I must report to the Blood Demon at once."
"You cannot have an audience with him. Seek out the Blue Blood Hall Lord or the Red Blood Hall Lord and relay your message."
There were procedures. Without being summoned by the Blood Demon, this man had dared to bypass his superior and seek a private audience.
The leader of the gatekeepers was about to issue an order to expel the guest and close the door—
"Tang So-hwa has created a medicine that removes the Blood Demon's blood."
Creeeak.
The closing door stopped, leaving a narrow gap. The former Blue Blood Hall member hurriedly continued,
"The Blue Blood Hall, including the Deputy Hall Lord, was wiped out by that wench. Now the Blood Demon's blood no longer strengthens the members—it has become a weakness. Dammit, if I hadn't been chased by those Murim Alliance bastards, I would have run here immediately, but right now in the Central Plains, the Murim Alliance is moving around with eyes wide open, making it difficult for members to even move.
As if he had truly reached his limit, his body swayed. His legs gave out, and forgetting his shame, the member slumped to the floor and went on.
“……But you know.”
Perhaps dizzy, he pressed a hand to his forehead.
"Has no one reported this to the Blood Demon until now?"
When the two gatekeepers remained silent, the member let out a hollow laugh.
“It's been quite some time since the antidote appeared in the Murim Alliance …… this is a huge problem.”
The man's dry lips split, blood seeping out. He moistened his mouth with his tongue. Watching him, the leader of the gatekeepers spoke in a calm voice.
"I will report this to the Blood Demon. In the meantime, wash up and quench your thirst."
"Thank you."
The member forced strength into his trembling legs and stood up.
At his superior's command, the gatekeeper led the member to the guest waiting room.
Meanwhile, the leader of the gatekeepers ascended to the Blood Demon's sleeping quarters.
It had been a very long time since he had delivered word to the Blood Demon, and even he could not predict the response.
Whether he would allow an audience, or whether the Blood Demon would sever the head of the member who had ignored the procedure.
No, in truth, the leader of the gatekeepers believed the Blood Demon would grant the audience.
The matter was far too grave. No matter how unsettled his temper, he did not think the Blood Demon would execute the member outright. That was the Blood Demon he knew.
After hearing the report, the Blood Demon remained silent for a long while, as if pondering, before finally speaking.
"Bring him."
"Yes."
Just as the leader of the gatekeepers was about to withdraw—
"No."
The Blood Demon withdrew his permission.
Kwang!
The door was thrown open violently, and the stench of blood surged down the corridor.
The gatekeeper faced the Blood Demon with an impassive expression.
Rising from the golden bed, the Blood Demon dragged his hair, which trailed all the way to the floor, as he walked forward. Approaching with steps as light as if walking on clouds, the absolute ruler of the sect asked.
"Where is that man now?"
"He was in such a wretched state that he was grooming himself to be presentable for an audience."
"I have no intention of taking him into my embrace, so why bother grooming?"
The Blood Demon smiled as he joked. His mood had not improved.
The leader of the gatekeepers endured the suffocating pressure.
"So then, how long has it been since that antidote was discovered?"
"I came straight up to report it, so I have yet to ask the exact date."
"Good. At least there is one who is not slow. That is fortunate."
The pressure eased little by little. Without making a sound, the gatekeeper drew in a deep breath he had been lacking.
"Now my doubts are resolved. It seems Haerak has taken that woman's medicine."
"......."
"In your eyes, how does the relationship between those two look?"
The gatekeeper was slightly taken aback.
The Blood Demon had referred to the Main Blood Hall Lord—someone above the gatekeeper in rank—in a belittling manner, and moreover, he had deliberately asked about the relationship between two people who clearly appeared to have formed an alliance. It was uncharacteristic of the Blood Demon. Thus, the gatekeeper answered honestly, though tense.
"I lack deep insight into human bonds, so it is difficult to give a proper answer, but to this lowly one, it appears the two have formed an alliance."
"An alliance, you say."
The Blood Demon sneered and passed by the gatekeeper.
"That is not what I was asking."
Descending the stairs, the Blood Demon continued,
"Min Haerak, that cunning wretch, is not a fool who would sacrifice his final move for a mere alliance, and Tang So-hwa is not a gentle woman who would freely grant power that could one day threaten me."
The Blood Demon laughed as he headed down toward the guest chambers.
"How did such cunning people come to trust one another so completely?"
The gatekeeper realized that the Blood Demon was organizing his thoughts.
A gatekeeper who lived isolated on the Jin Yin Mountain could not possibly understand the complex relationships between people. Thus, he quietly lowered his head and obeyed the Blood Demon's will.
Fortunately, words he could understand soon followed.
"No matter how magnanimous I may be, I cannot simply let this pass. I must give them a very great punishment, but I am torn.”
He muttered in a voice full of mirth, hardly like that of an angry man.
"To most people, the most precious thing is their life. I would like to take their lives, but regrettably, both are useful to me, so killing them is difficult."
He clicked his tongue once.
"Then I must take something as important as their lives to punish them...... Tang So-hwa seems to have deep pride in the Tang Clan."
Tap.
Descending another level, the Blood Demon spoke casually.
"Send the Demonkin to the Tang Clan estate. Exterminate the Tang Clan.”
"Yes. I will relay the order so they can depart at once."
The Demonkin were blood relatives descended from the Sect Leader of the Blood Sect and its nobility. They were a force trained in demonic arts, a martial unit the Blood Demon had raised to use when he wished to purge unnecessary blood from the Central Plains.
Though flustered that they would be used so soon, the gatekeeper concealed his feelings.
"What should I take from Haerak? That one will not be wounded by trifles. Hm."
Though his words sounded vexed, the Blood Demon's voice was cheerful.
"This time, I should try making use of Tang So-hwa. Who knows? He is still a man, so he might cherish a woman."
"......."
“I truly hope so. I wanted to turn him into a vessel, and this might be the chance to obtain Haerak's vessel. If that happens, I might be able to find it in me to gladly forgive those two.”
The Blood Demon spoke with a somewhat heightened tone. The gatekeeper, thinking of ways to lure Tang So-hwa to the Great Desert, replied,
"Yes, I will prepare that as well."
"Good."
Having arrived before the guest chamber door, the Blood Demon turned to the gatekeeper with a face full of smiles.
"It has been a long time since I felt this good."
He meant it.
Instinctively, the gatekeeper sensed that he must not disappoint the Blood Demon. Thus, he offered words the Blood Demon would likely enjoy.
"I will make preparations so that the Demonkin cross into Sichuan within the day."
Instead of replying, the Blood Demon stretched his smile all the way to his cheekbones and entered the room.