Chapter 464

Chapter 464
## Chapter 464. The Anxiety of Goodness (1)

—

Bing-hwa-sa caught the distinct scent of iron as she crested the ridge.

‘The smell of blood?’

Only now did the reason behind their assembly at the Blood Pit (*Hyeol-dok*) become clear to her. This very day marked the scheduled ‘rebirth’ of Naeng Ok-hwan. On one hand, she found it difficult to mask her disappointment.

‘Tch, I missed out on an excellent performance.’

Her heart quickened, prompting her to hurry her pace as the metallic odor grew increasingly dense. Tuning her senses toward that oddly gratifying, fishy aroma, she began to discern sporadic, agonized shrieks. Realizing the event was still underway, she accelerated further, transforming into a fleeting gust of wind before finally arriving at the edge of the Blood Pit.

“I specifically requested that you wait until I returned!”

She voiced her irritation even as she peered over the precipice. Before her lay a colossal cavity measuring a hundred *jang* across and ten *jang* deep.

“Ooh……”

The vast depression was dyed a dark, vivid crimson. The crimson fluid filling the basin was unmistakably human blood.

“Aaaaaargh!”

The entire basin, magnificent in its scale, surged with the pungent lifeblood of men.

“What, is it practically finished already?”

Piled high within the hollow were countless discarded corpses resembling a small mountain. It was evident the process of ‘rebirth’ was well underway.

“A-Aaaaaargh!”

A few survivors desperately unleashed finger-force, threw palm energy, and brandished weapons in a frantic bid for survival. Yet the ‘deceased’ Naeng Ok-hwan, moving as if anticipating every trajectory, evaded their desperate strikes with nimble footwork and tore directly into his victims’ throats.

*Pu-shik—*

Three distinct geysers of gore erupted into the air. It was a breathtaking, exquisite display—sheer aesthetic perfection. A primal rush originating from her core rapidly surged to her mind. A trembling thrill rippled across Bing-hwa-sa’s frame, forcing an involuntary gasp from her lips.

‘I feel as though I might lose my mind…….’

How long had she restrained her own lethal urges simply to witness this single occasion? However, observing the roughly three hundred bodies stacked high within the basin, she could tell the performance was nearing its conclusion. Consequently, her sense of regret only intensified. Bing-hwa-sa cast an irritated glare toward Jang Oh-geuk.

“Do my commands mean absolutely nothing to you? I demanded to know why you commenced without me.”

“…….”

Perplexingly, Jang Oh-geuk, who normally would have offered several sharp retorts, remained entirely mute, his focus unmoving from the Blood Pit. Sensing an unnatural atmosphere, she scanned her surroundings. The expressions of the remaining members of the Seven Demon Lords—rather, the figures who now comprised the Five Demon Lords—were similarly paralyzed and rigid.

‘Geom-gun, that fool has always been detached.’

Even Gan Se-ung, whose agitation had visibly worsened following the demise of Naeng Ok-hwan, was nervously massaging the back of his neck.

“Just what is going on……”

The moment the anomaly truly registered.

“And who, precisely, authorized you to arrive late?”

“……!”

At that instantly recognizable tone, an icy chill shot straight down Bing-hwa-sa’s spine.

“T-The Heavenly Demon’s Advent (*Cheon-ma-jae-rim*)……”

“Ah! Cease the formalities. I departed in secrecy, so hold your tongue.”

“…….”

The utterance, bearing an absolute, unyielding dominance, rendered her very survival instincts incapable of resistance.

“Owing to an upcoming engagement, I instructed them to initiate the process slightly ahead of schedule. Hmm, the notification should have reached you.”

“……I s-submit.”

“Where have you been loitering?”

“I was…… returning after receiving intelligence that the Demonic Spirit Flower (*Ma-ryeong-hwa*) had bloomed unexpectedly at the Pavilion of Demonic Ears……”

“Ho-oh.”

Soma, whose gaze had been fixed on the Blood Pit, shifted his attention toward Bing-hwa-sa.

“Spontaneously?”

“Yes. It has been verified that no external forces triggered it.”

“Hmm…… that is tidings the elders of the Guardian Hall will receive with joy. They will proclaim it an omen that the designated hour has arrived and the like.”

Soma offered a faint grin as he spoke further.

“What exactly caused its awakening?”

“The current deduction is that the Demonic Spirit Flower was stimulated during the operations to place the Mosan Sect upon the Kill List.”

“Is that the case? And what of the Mosan Sect? Were they successfully liquidated?”

Bing-hwa-sa swallowed with difficulty. In their line of work, a partial triumph was synonymous with total failure.

“The Mosan Sect…… ultimately averted total annihilation.”

“That is tidings the Brain of the Cult will thoroughly dislike.”

Soma redirected his focus back down toward the Blood Pit, seemingly losing interest. Yet, allowing a failure of the Holy Cult to linger unaddressed in Soma’s thoughts was perilous. Bing-hwa-sa spoke up rapidly to explain.

“The Pavilion of Heavenly Thunder has declared they will personally oversee the liquidation of both the Mosan Sect and the Tae-eul Sect during this campaign, so please set your mind at ease.”

“……?”

Bing-hwa-sa tilted her gaze slightly. Before she could react, Soma’s eyes were locked onto her once more. No, his focus was not on her body, but rather on her words…….

“Tae-eul Sect? Why has the Tae-eul Sect suddenly entered this discussion?”

Only then did Bing-hwa-sa recognize her verbal blunder. Was the Tae-eul Sect not among the rare matters that caught Soma’s genuine interest? Attempting to employ petty deceptions at this juncture was an act of supreme idiocy. Soma had not attained his position as Soma purely through his world-shattering martial prowess.

“……It is reported that the individuals who obstructed the destruction of the Mosan Sect were Jin So-un and his *Sa-je*.”

“Haa? It required no small effort to register the Mosan Sect on the Martial Alliance’s Kill List, and yet they have intervened once more.”

This development undoubtedly irritated Soma. Bing-hwa-sa prepared to lower her head in apology, but.

“I-I am deeply sorr-……”

“Iya—”

On the contrary, an expression of minor fascination manifested across Soma’s features.

“That individual truly disrupts the operations of the Holy Cult in various fashions. Haha.”

The moment Soma finished speaking, Si-gun, Gwang-gun, Geom-gun, and Gwon-gun simultaneously dropped to one knee right beside Bing-hwa-sa.

““““Please grant us your decree.””””
““““We shall proceed immediately to eliminate that individual.””””

Faced with the resolute declaration of the Five Demon Lords, Soma stared down at the crimson basin with an expression of profound boredom.

*U-deu-deuk, u-deu-deuk.*

Down below, the Fourth Lord Naeng Ok-hwan was finally initiating his ‘Marrow-Cleansing and Rebirth’ (*Hwan-gol-tal-tae*) through the ongoing butchery. Watching the transformation dispassionately, Soma questioned Bing-hwa-sa in a conversational tone.

“Have you caught wind of any developments following those events?”

“Ah…… representatives from the Martial Alliance paid a visit, but it is reported they were turned away quite forcefully, and no external forces aside from the Tae-eul Sect were permitted to join the memorial services.”

“Hmm……. Ultimately, they will dissolve the restrictions placed upon their mystical arts.”

A faint, uneven tune escaped Soma’s lips. Such an occurrence was exceedingly rare. It was a physical manifestation that appeared only when he encountered an genuinely entertaining scenario that aligned with his desires.

“They will distance themselves from the Martial Alliance.”

He began charting the course of future events using the minor details provided by Bing-hwa-sa.

“However, since they lack the individual capability to withstand the perils of a dragon’s den and tiger’s lair independently, they will seek out a dependable ally.”

He spoke casually, with absolute conviction that events would naturally unfold in this precise manner.

“The Tae-eul Sect finds itself in a remarkably comparable predicament.”

“…….”

“Hmm…… this promises to be entertaining.”

Soma gave a slight motion of his finger. Bing-hwa-sa shifted a step closer.

“Instruct the Pavilion of Heavenly Thunder to cease all actions against Mosan and Tae-eul.”

Soma offered a bright, radiant smile, looking thoroughly amused. Yet that very expression sent a profound shiver through those present.

“Those two entities will inevitably forge a pact. Instruct our forces to devise a method to assist them.”

“…….”

While an open objection was unthinkable, a silent query could still be conveyed. Maintaining total silence was their method of signaling that confusion. Soma cheerfully addressed their unspoken doubt.

“A potent, burgeoning faction inevitably shatters the established hierarchy. The collapse of hierarchy invites absolute chaos. And is chaos not the premier hunting ground for the Holy Cult?”

Had his foresight extended to such a distance? Even so, labeling a mere alliance between two minor sects as a ‘burgeoning faction’ seemed an overstatement.

“Jin So-un, that man will undoubtedly attempt to consume the Orthodox Path. Much like a serpent attempting to swallow a creature far exceeding its own dimensions. He is precisely that breed of man.”

Soma declared this with absolute certainty, as if filled with anticipation.

“Whether he perishes from his own jaws tearing asunder or falls beneath our blades matters little; for the moment, I shall grant him the freedom to attempt his feast.”

Since Soma had arrived at this definitive verdict, any remaining skepticism was entirely irrelevant.

“We comply!”
““““We comply!””””

They simply obeyed his will. Soma quickly wiped the amusement from his features, returning his indifferent gaze to the Blood Pit. Down below, Naeng Ok-hwan was discarding his former flesh, transitioning into a completely reconstructed vessel.

The Mosan Sect rapidly restored its internal operations. To be entirely precise, it was not a restoration of ‘vitality,’ given the absolute lack of laughter within the walls of the Mosan Sect. Rather, it was a ‘venomous resolve’ driving their existence. Every disciple operated with sharp, focused eyes. They executed grueling labor and carried out directives without a single murmur of discontent or complaint regarding the difficulty.

During brief moments of respite, their gazes would fixate blankly on a single point in space, and the instant labor resumed, they threw their bodies into the tasks like individuals possessed by an external force. They cleared away the charred debris of incinerated structures and cleared out the shattered remains of the martial fields. While leaving untouched structures intact, they completely leveled any building that displayed even minor damage.

A force of roughly two hundred skilled builders had been brought in from Jin-gang and Nanjing. The primary focus of these builders was not the construction of the Leader’s Residence or the Geon-gon Hall, but rather the erection of the ‘boundary fortifications.’

“If we are to fortify the enclosure after the livestock has been taken, should we not ensure its absolute defense?”

Yu Ji-ryang assumed total oversight of the implementation of the newly designed ‘Infinite Indestructible Soul-Destroying Formation’ intended to safeguard the Mosan Sect. The sect members did not abandon Mount Mosan during this period. They refrained from seeking external lodging while the structures were erected, opting instead to pitch numerous temporary tents across the courtyard and the central martial field, resting on basic bedding. Not a soul voiced dissatisfaction.

Around the time the temporary camp reached completion, our group prepared to depart from the Mosan Sect. The disciples who had aided in the reconstruction and tended to the convalescing—indeed, even the injured disciples themselves—assembled to witness our departure.

“Kindly convey my intentions to journey to the Tae-eul Sect the moment our internal reconstruction is settled.”

“I shall do so.”

Gu Song-baek moved with practiced ease, appearing entirely accustomed to his newly fitted prosthetic limb. His singular remaining eye gleamed with renewed vitality.

“Additionally, please accept this token intended for the champions who preserved Mosan.”

“Pardon?”

Emerging from behind Gu Song-baek, pairs of Mosan disciples stepped forward, bearing five substantive crates between them. Given that I had already been provided a substantial stack of high-value bank slips the previous evening for our transit costs, I struggled to conceal my widening grin…… rather, my astonishment. The valuation of those notes was grand enough to permit a lavish journey across the lands with plenty to spare. Clearly, the rumor that the wealth of the martial world aggregates within Mosan held true. Steadying my expression, I offered a respectful bow.

“Our actions were executed out of duty, not for the pursuit of material compensation.”

Exhibiting an overt obsession with currency before my younger martial siblings would be unbefitting of a *Dae-sa-hyeong*……

“*Dae-sa-hyeong*…… your shoulders are visibly twitching……”

*Ahem*, naturally, I harbor no greed for it.

“Hehe, what austere words. Do you truly perceive this as mere ‘compensation’?”

Gu Song-baek, observing our interaction, let loose a genuine laugh for the first time.

“The proper ‘compensation’ for this debt shall be rendered over time, so rest easy. This is simply a hospitality ‘gift’ standard for those who visit the gates of the Mosan Sect.”

“If it is framed as a hospitality gift……”

Gu Song-baek alleviated our reservations with a few well-chosen words. Granted, if they distributed such ‘gifts’ to every visitor crossing into the Mosan Sect, no amount of ancestral wealth would endure, but that was beside the point.

“I shall accept it with gratitude.”

The substantial crates were securely positioned within the transport carriage provided by our hosts.

“Why do you stand there silently instead of expressing your appreciation?”

Prompted by my remark, my *Sa-je* promptly came together, executing a formal martial salute and lowering their heads. The gathered members of the Mosan Sect returned the gesture in identical fashion.

“Until our paths cross again in the near future.”

“Travel safely.”

With the crates secured in the central storage partition of the vehicle, we took our places on the benches lining the interior. Oddly, Geum-pyo showed no inclination to enter the carriage. Seriously, that boy had been acting peculiar for some time now.

“Geum-pyo-ya, what is keeping you?”

“Ah…… well, the thing is……”

Geum-pyo shifted from foot to foot anxiously before finally beginning to board the carriage with a dejected posture.

“Please, hold on a moment!”

Accompanied by a melodious shout, a young woman sprinted forward out of breath from the midst of the Mosan disciples. Her face was entirely familiar to me.

“Ok Hwa-jeong?”

“O-Ok *So-jeo*!”

“Ok *So-jeo*?”

The heads of my martial brothers and sisters tilted in unison.

“Haah, haah, I panicked because I feared your group had already departed!!”

“W-Well, truth be told, I have been searching for you for quite some time……”

What precisely was unfolding here?

“Did you honestly…… intend to leave without offering a proper farewell?”

“N-No. Not at all.”

What was the deal with these two?

“Listen, Lee Geum-…… *ugh*.”

Just as I attempted to intervene and question Geum-pyo, Sa-ryeon administered a sharp pinch that silenced me. Then again, Geum-pyo and Ok Hwa-jeong were utterly absorbed in their private bubble, completely oblivious to their surroundings.

“If you had simply vanished like that, I swear……!”

*Jji-rit.* Ok Hwa-jeong, directing a sharp gaze toward him, reached into her robes to retrieve a decorative jade token, snapping it cleanly in two halves.

“The moment Mosan achieves stability, I intend to travel to the Alliance. You will look after this half until that time, correct?”

Geum-pyo stared down at the fractured piece of jade for a beat before securing it tightly within his palm.

“Without fail. Ok *So-jeo*.”

“May your journey be safe.”

“*So-jeo* as well…… please look after your health.”

The pair, having concluded their brief parting exchange, suddenly registered the presence of the massive crowd watching them and buried their faces in their hands.

“Oh, I can’t take this!”

Ok Hwa-jeong turned and fled back toward the gates, her face burned a deep crimson.

“…….”

“……Let us begin our journey, *ahem*.”

The driver prompted the horses forward, and a protracted silence fell over us martial siblings inside the cabin. Eventually, I broke the quiet.

“……So that explains your total absence during our stay at the Mosan Sect.”

“*Sa-hyeong*, hold your tongue.”

Sa-ryeon cut me off, prompting me to cease speaking. However, Eun-ho quickly picked up the thread.

“*Hyung*, honestly, forcing a lady to declare her sentiments first is rather…… you know. That…… lacks a certain masculine dignity.”

“Indeed, that was remarkably lacking in chivalry.”

Sa-ryeon agreed, and I immediately chimed in to support the sentiment.

“*Tch*, what a clueless fool who remains utterly blind to the nuances of a lady’s heart.”

Naturally, I anticipated my *Sa-je* would join in the laughter, yet.

“…….”
“…….”
“…….”
“…….”

For some inexplicable reason, every single one of my martial siblings turned their gaze upon me simultaneously, their expressions as rigid and unreadable as carved stone deities.

“What? Why are you giving me those disrespectful stares?”

I remained entirely in the dark as to what prompted their reaction.