Chapter 117 : Chapter 117
Chapter 117. Traces of the Blood Palace (2)
Sword Dragon.
Shock and fear were unmistakably woven into Heo Ja-gyeom’s voice as he spoke that sobriquet.
Sword Dragon had returned. Dam Jeok-san, who had once lost his dantian, had overcome his past failure and once again become a swordsman worthy of that name.
The rumor spread throughout all of Gangbuk, centered around the Martial Sovereign Castle and the northern regions.
Naturally, the stories about Dam Jeok-san varied wildly.
Some claimed he had merely regained the realm of a peak-level expert. Others insisted he had already reached the Ultra-Peak realm.
Heo Ja-gyeom supported the former opinion—that Dam Jeok-san had, at best, become a peak-level expert once more. He had also assumed that, whatever method Dam Jeok-san had used to recover his dantian, he would soon be expelled by the faction of the Eldest Young Master, Jeok Yeon-jun. Having reached that conclusion, Heo Ja-gyeom had dismissed the matter from his mind.
But the Dam Jeok-san standing before him now was an existence that far exceeded such shallow expectations.
‘A monster…?’
The instant the bamboo hat was lifted, a killing aura that sent chills through the entire body poured out from Dam Jeok-san.
Even Heo Ja-gyeom, who prided himself on being a peak-level expert, felt a fleeting terror of death.
Yet Dam Jeok-san showed no interest whatsoever in Heo Ja-gyeom’s reaction and strode straight into the Silver Tear Pavilion.
“There truly is a distinguished guest here.”
The words escaped him with a tone of genuine admiration as he looked at Geum Ja-gyeong, the Young Family Head of the Geum Clan.
“……”
Heo Ja-gyeom tried to rise and say something, anything, to Dam Jeok-san. But the moment their eyes met—eyes utterly inorganic in their stillness—he could not move at all. Like a frog frozen before a snake.
“W-what, what is this! Who the hell are you!”
For the first time, fear flickered in the eyes of Geum Ja-gyeong, who had been acting arrogantly as though there were nothing under heaven to frighten him.
Even in his drunken haze, with his faculties dulled to the point of near senselessness, the man before him clearly did not seem ordinary.
“Dam Jeok-san.”
Dam Jeok-san spoke his name flatly.
Of course, in his muddled state, Geum Ja-gyeong failed to recall that the man before him was known by the sobriquet Sword Dragon and was a direct disciple of the Martial Sovereign Castle Lord.
“You are Geum Ja-gyeong of the Hebei Geum Clan, are you not?”
“Geum Ja-gyeong, Geum Ja-gyeong…? Yes! I am Geum Ja-gyeong! But who are you to belittle my main house by calling it the Geum Clan!”
“I said, Dam Jeok-san.”
He brushed aside Geum Ja-gyeong’s words indifferently and stepped closer.
An unpleasant stench grew stronger with each step. Yet it was entirely different in nature from the demonic energy Dam Jeok-san usually sensed.
‘How should I describe this?’
It was like the smell rising from sunken debris or a sticky residue that had long since hardened.
No— even that failed to grasp the essence.
This was a wound. A wound from which pus and ichor seeped, giving rise to the foul stench.
“Hey, Geum Ja-gyeong.”
Dam Jeok-san approached him without hesitation and spoke.
“What did you see?”
He seized Geum Ja-gyeong’s wrist with a sharp snap and took his pulse.
CRUSH—
Dam Jeok-san’s fingers pressed down as though they meant to shatter the wrist.
The genuine qi of the Extreme Heaven Strange Sovereign Technique—compressed once more and advanced to a far higher qualitative level than before—flowed through Geum Ja-gyeong’s blood vessels.
“Kghhh—!!”
The qi of the Extreme Heaven Strange Sovereign Technique was brutally domineering and destructive. A scream of agony burst from Geum Ja-gyeong’s mouth, but Dam Jeok-san paid it no heed.
“The rebound force is strong.”
He frowned at the numbing sensation transmitted to his fingertips.
Under normal circumstances, this should have been impossible. The Extreme Heaven Strange Sovereign Technique was a martial art of overwhelming dominance, one that crushed all things beneath it.
For the Young Family Head of the Geum Clan to endure its qi should have been unthinkable.
And yet, Dam Jeok-san detected something profoundly alien within the man’s blood vessels.
‘Should I call this demonic energy?’
Its origin was no different from demonic energy, yet the qi itself was steeped in a thick, blood-soaked stench that made the skin crawl.
It was strikingly similar to what he had felt when he devoured the Reverse-Blood Heaven Fiend of the Blood Palace. Dam Jeok-san became certain.
‘The Blood Palace… the Left Protector?’
Judging by the terror trembling within the remnants of the Reverse-Blood Heaven Fiend’s thoughts, it seemed almost certain.
Then why was the aura of the Left Protector clinging to this thoughtless young master?
‘That is something I will find out now.’
Dam Jeok-san tapped Geum Ja-gyeong’s cheek lightly.
“Now then, Young Master Geum. From this point on, you will answer my questions properly.”
There was no threat of killing him. No declaration of annihilating the Geum Clan.
There was only the statement that he must answer.
Paradoxically, that simple command sounded more terrifying than any threat.
Trembling in fear, Geum Ja-gyeong nodded repeatedly, as though he would answer even if asked about his own father’s darkest secrets.
“Recently, have you ever felt fear, chills, or a sense of foreboding so overwhelming you could not bear it?”
Yet the question itself was absurdly casual, like idle chatter exchanged in a marketplace.
“What are you talking ab—?”
As Geum Ja-gyeong tried to question him in confusion, his eyes suddenly unfocused.
“Ah…”
As though the memory alone filled him with terror, his entire body began to tremble like an aspen.
“Eyes.”
“Eyes?”
“Yes—eyes. I saw eyes… eyes as red as blood. Blood eyes. Looking down on humans like insects…!”
Stammering, Geum Ja-gyeong continued, his expression twisted in anguish.
“I see.”
“Are you all right?”
Kwon Gi-il stepped forward and asked after seeing Dam Jeok-san’s state.
A bead of cold sweat was sliding down Dam Jeok-san’s forehead—something unimaginable for a man who had been so composed even in front of him.
What had he seen? Could that Geum Clan wretch be a Heavenly Demon in disguise? Such a thought even crossed Kwon Gi-il’s mind.
“I am fine.”
Dam Jeok-san nodded calmly.
The fear belonging to the Reverse-Blood Heaven Fiend had merely surged up for a moment, causing him to recoil briefly.
“If you say so…”
Yet the worry on Kwon Gi-il’s face did not fade.
He, too, was someone who had crossed the wall of the Entering Transformation Realm. In certain respects, his intuition was in no way inferior to Dam Jeok-san’s.
And Kwon Gi-il was also sensing an overwhelming sense of foreboding.
“It seems we must send a message to the main castle.”
Dam Jeok-san said as he casually tossed Geum Ja-gyeong aside.
“The main castle?”
“Yes. More precisely, to the Heavenly Martial Hall.”
“The Heavenly Martial Hall?”
At the sudden mention of the Martial Sovereign Castle Lord’s residence, Kwon Gi-il’s eyes widened.
“We need the Castle Lord’s support.”
“…Are you serious?”
“Yes. Because unless it is the Castle Lord… well, anything less would be meaningless.”
“Is he that powerful?”
At those words, a sharp gleam flashed in Kwon Gi-il’s eyes.
“I am certain.”
“And if he does not come?”
“The worst option would be to return to the main castle.”
If they could avoid facing the Heaven-Transcending Blood Venerable and return safely, their lives would be secured.
“But I do not believe in coincidences.”
That a heretical giant on the level of the Heaven-Transcending Blood Venerable just happened to be passing through at the very moment the Reverse-Blood Heaven Fiend was defeated? The odds of that were nonexistent.
“He is probably targeting us.”
Even if that were not the case, it was safer to act under that assumption.
“Then what should we do?”
At Kwon Gi-il’s question, Dam Jeok-san stroked his chin briefly before speaking.
“Send a message to the Castle Lord… and then let us eat.”
Dam Jeok-san shrugged.
“Hey.”
He suddenly spoke while staring into empty space.
“You heard me, did you not? Write this down. Say that the Heaven-Transcending Blood Venerable is presumed to manifest and that urgent assistance is requested.”
“……”
At that, a member of the Hidden Heaven Guard, clad in close-fitting black night garb, dispelled his concealment and appeared.
After all, the only ones here who had failed to notice his presence were the attendants of the Geum Clan.
“Gah!”
Heo Ja-gyeom, who had been standing rigid with fear, nearly screamed as he saw the black-clad warrior appear from thin air.
‘Are they going to kill us?’
They had already extracted all the information they needed from Geum Ja-gyeong. It would not be strange if they decided to eliminate them.
Though the Martial Sovereign Castle was known for aiding the common people, their essence lay closer to the path of dominance than orthodox righteousness. They would not hesitate to employ assassins.
“Can you do it?”
Dam Jeok-san continued issuing instructions, ignoring Heo Ja-gyeom entirely.
“Direct communication with the Heavenly Martial Hall… is possible.”
The Hidden Heaven Guard possessed such authority. The only question was whether Dam Jeok-san had the right to command it.
However, if it truly involved the Heaven-Transcending Blood Venerable, that infamous arch-demon setting foot in Shanxi, such an action could be justified.
“Are you certain?”
The Hidden Heaven Guard member asked with an uneasy expression.
“Needless to say, I will take responsibility. I swear it on my name.”
Even if it turned out that not even a rat appeared, you will suffer no disadvantage.
Dam Jeok-san made his bold declaration, staking his very name on it.
“…I accept the order.”
Judging that he had no excuse left to refuse, the Hidden Heaven Guard member took something from his robes and vanished outside.
“W-what are you going to do with us now?”
The one who asked was none other than Heo Ja-gyeom.
“What, are you afraid I might kill you all?”
Dam Jeok-san asked incredulously as he looked at the terrified man.
“T-that is…!”
“We are not the Blood Palace. There is no reason for that.”
With that, Dam Jeok-san walked over to Geum Ja-gyeong and placed a hand on his back.
WOOOONG!!
The genuine qi of the Extreme Heaven Strange Sovereign Technique resonated with overwhelming force as it pierced into the man’s vital acupoint.
He began suppressing the blood qi mixed into the qi circulating through the meridians.
At first, it resisted fiercely…
But in the end, it was nothing more than a fragment left behind by the Heaven-Transcending Blood Venerable, not his true power.
‘How dare you.’
Frowning, Dam Jeok-san poured in even stronger qi. The resistance soon subsided.
Using the now-stilled qi of the Extreme Heaven Strange Sovereign Technique, sharpened like hooked blades, he seized the blood qi and forcibly dragged it out.
CRUNCH—
His qi then ground the blood qi into fine fragments, like teeth, and absorbed it.
The amount was exceedingly small. There were no thoughts or sentiments at all, and even the sensation of increased inner power was so faint it was barely perceptible.
URRRGH—!!
But the change in Geum Ja-gyeong was horrifying.
With a wretched sound, clotted, blackened blood poured from his mouth.
“Young Family Head!”
Heo Ja-gyeom cried out in shock at the sudden turn of events.
“Look carefully.”
Dam Jeok-san calmly gestured toward the mass of blood Geum Ja-gyeong had vomited.
Only then did Heo Ja-gyeom examine it closely.
“T-turbid qi!”
The blood Geum Ja-gyeong had expelled was saturated with turbid qi.
It would not have been strange at all if qi deviation had occurred. No—perhaps he had already fallen into qi deviation.
“Normally, I would hold you accountable for causing a disturbance within the main castle’s territory, but…”
To treat harshly someone who had been exposed to the aura of the Heaven-Transcending Blood Venerable was not exactly a pretty sight.
“Given the circumstances, I will let this pass just this once.”
“Th-thank you!”
Heo Ja-gyeom exclaimed, startled.
His expression clearly screamed disbelief—You are not killing us? You are really letting this go?
But from the beginning, Dam Jeok-san had never intended to kill the Geum Clan’s warriors or Geum Ja-gyeong.
They had caused some trouble, but they had legitimately paid for the use of the tavern.
In that case, why kill them? Whether they were frightened out of proportion was not Dam Jeok-san’s concern.
“I will never forget this kindness! Never!”
“Kindness, you say.”
“You saved the Young Family Head!”
“…It was simply what needed to be done.”
Dam Jeok-san replied indifferently.
Even if Geum Ja-gyeong was a martial artist, to Dam Jeok-san he was little different from an ordinary, powerless commoner.
After all, he would fall without even blocking a single sword strike.
“Still, if you wish to repay the favor, I will not stop you. There should be a channel through which you can provide military funds to the main castle…”
No matter how much money one had, it was never enough. If a wealthy man wished to repay a debt, there was no reason to refuse.
“Y-yes! Of course! How could I refuse!”
“Very well, then we will be going… ah, no. Make sure to evacuate the skilled cooks and the waiters as well.”
If the Heaven-Transcending Blood Venerable were to manifest here, those too weak to oppose him would only add to the casualties.
“As for the meal… there is still plenty of food that has not gone cold.”
Dam Jeok-san looked over the tables with a calm expression.
Geum Ja-gyeong had ordered an excessive amount of lavish dishes—more than enough for the three of them to eat their fill.
He casually took a seat at an empty table and picked up a piece of pork richly coated in dark sauce.
“Make sure you all eat well. We might have to fight again. You need strength to fight, and that comes from food.”
He spoke while chewing the pork noisily.
As though he were utterly at ease.
And in truth, his state of mind was not much different.
If a clash was unavoidable, there was no need to rush.
After all, if his life truly hung by a thread, he still had quite a few cards left to play.