Chapter 199

Chapter 199
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**Chapter 199: Blood Cult Infiltrators**

Baek Yang-hui had multiple reasons for attending the Yongbong Assembly.
Yet his primary aim was singular.
Was he seeking out gifted individuals brimming with potential despite humble beginnings?
Did he intend to leverage his standing as the most prodigious rising talent of his generation to broadcast far and wide that the Heaven-Covering Hundred Families was grooming contenders to claim the title of the strongest under heaven?
Or to observe firsthand and assess the machinations of the Nine Great Sects and Five Great Clans?
None of these were correct—though each carried weight, his true priority lay elsewhere entirely.

*The Yongbong Assembly will inevitably lead to the Social Gathering.*

He had to expose and root out any plots hatched by those fiendish cultists who might lie concealed within the gathering. Just as Baek Yang-hui approached the Yongbong Assembly with layered intentions, he had no doubt the Three Great Demonic Cults did precisely the same. Especially now that he knew—in this lifetime—the cultists had been weaving their schemes long before the event, something he had failed to perceive in his previous existence.

*Whether it be the Blood Cult, the Radiant Cult, or the Divine Cult, they would never let such a prime opportunity pass them by.*

Which made it absolutely critical to uncover exactly what the cultists had planned.

From this perspective…

*Whose side is this man truly on? Did he only move because of the assembly, or has he been lying in wait here all along?*

Ju Jeok-yeon, of Shinju’s Ju Clan Manor. Outwardly he appeared the refined scholar of a wealthy household, yet the energy coiled within his dantian was unmistakably demonic qi.

*Perhaps Yeon-yeon’s death was not the work of some random malice after all.*

If that were so, he would dig deeper still. Every last one of them would be crushed utterly.

“With the young heroes of Gangseo honoring Shinju with their presence, it would be a terrible waste to let you depart so soon. Permit us the privilege of hosting you at our Ju Clan Manor, where we might tend to your needs properly—especially since you are kinsmen and friends to Young Master Baek, having shared the same school.”

Once introductions were complete, Ju Jeok-yeon extended the invitation as smoothly as water flowing downstream.

It might well be a trap. So be it.
He accepted without hesitation.

“We are grateful for your invitation. We shall stay the night.”

Fortunately, the meals they had ordered earlier could be cancelled without issue. In their place, they purchased an equivalent value in preserved supplies, dried meat, and travel rations, then set out for Ju Clan Manor.

“Jeok-yeon, you have brought us distinguished guests! The renowned Heaven-Covering Sword Dragon and his kin, alongside the Young Clan Leader of the Tang Clan and his sister!”

The Manor Lord of the Ju Clan greeted them with evident delight. Though the hour was late, a lavish banquet was prepared without delay.

“Please, feast and make merry! May this gathering remain a cherished memory for years to come!”

The Ju Clan Manor Lord and Ju Jeok-yeon led the conversation, steering topics seamlessly and posing one question after another without pause. To any onlooker, they seemed genuinely awestruck by the Baek Clan’s renown and sincerely well-disposed.

Baek Yang-hui spoke.

“It appears the Manor Lord holds our Baek Clan in very high regard.”

“Who could fail to hold the Baek Clan in esteem? Your actions embody the very essence of righteousness!”

Was this truly due to all they had achieved in these past few years?

“Your words do me great honor.”

“I myself may not practice the martial arts, yet my fascination with the murim runs deep. I fear I may pester you with questions all evening!”

Baek Yang-hui’s gaze flicked briefly downward before meeting the Manor Lord’s eyes once more.

“That is perfectly acceptable.”

“Speaking of which—rumor has it the Baek Clan is not some newly risen house. Is that true? Word has it your founder was once the greatest martial artist under heaven.”

“That is so. Though we fell into decline for many years, we have in recent times regained our former strength.”

“Heavens! Truly a tree with deep roots does not wither easily! Most impressive indeed!”

The Manor Lord continued with further inquiries. The conversation drifted along meandering paths, yet Baek Yang-hui noted well over half the questions concerned the Baek Clan’s distant past.

*Why such interest in our clan’s history? What are they after?*

He lifted his gaze and looked toward the horizon.
This much discourse would suffice for now.

“Manor Lord, we have traveled far and are fatigued. Might we retire for the night and resume our discussion come morning?”

“Ah—if it means sharing more time with you brilliant young souls, I would agree to anything!”

He rose from the table, accompanied by So, Yeon, and the Tang siblings—his entire party.

“We thank you for your understanding, Manor Lord.”

Instead of standard guest quarters, they were shown to a separate wing entirely, set apart for their use. This was treatment befitting not mere visitors, but the most honored of guests.

*No. I must assume there is another reason for this.*

He smiled faintly, bade the others goodnight, and entered his assigned room.

—

Night lay thick and black, veiled by heavy cloud. Dozens of shadowy figures surrounded the outbuilding.

*Strike now. Take them all alive.*
*Minimize casualties if you can. We need information.*
*Understood.*
*Understood.*
*Understood.*

Having exchanged silent messages, they prepared to attack in unison at their leader’s signal.

“Not asleep yet? You all look ready to drop from old age.”

“……!”

Against the dark of cloud and moon, Baek Yang-hui sat perched casually upon the roof.

*Jeok-yeon… why is he outside? Every door to this wing was shut. None have opened since we entered our rooms.*

*How did he reach the roof unnoticed?*

“Now, now—if you have questions, speak them aloud instead of whispering through secret transmissions.”

As he spoke, Baek Yang-hui moved his hand. Hard objects flew toward every one of the encircling figures. Charged with immense force, they struck so fiercely that those of lesser cultivation could not deflect them; skulls shattered beneath the impact.

“Kuh…!”
“Argh!”

The missiles were nothing more than roof tiles and splintered timber.

“All the doors were closed, so you simply cut through the roof to climb up? Simple enough.”

“You were watching us all the while, yet heard no sound, sensed no presence? If you are so easily caught, you should abandon the murim altogether and fall on your tongues instead.”

He sighed. “If you intend to scheme, at least do it without making such fools of yourselves. Do you parade your incompetence on purpose? Is this what your cult leader taught you?”

Those who had held their silence broke their reserve at the mention of their leader.

“You were never asleep. You claimed exhaustion, yet you were awake all along.”

“Ah, Manor Lord. I found I could not rest. The stench was too foul to bear.”

Since attaining primordial qi, Baek Yang-hui had refined his body continually—strengthening not only his flesh but his very essence. As a result, his already preternatural sensitivity to qi had grown sharper still.

*Even without that, how could I fail to detect such a taint? This is unmistakably demonic qi.*

Every retainer of the Ju Clan Manor bore the mark of corruption. And it was no ordinary darkness—it was the blood qi peculiar to the Blood Cult.

“You spawn of blood-soaked rot—what is your scheme? Do you hope to serve the Blood God or some wretched Blood Ghost?”

“Insolent wretch!”
“How dare you speak so of His Divinity!”

*Just as I suspected—they are Blood Cult dogs after all.*

“Easy now. Do not let your killing intent get the better of you. Shall I unleash mine as well?”

The Ju Clan Manor Lord ground his teeth and finally spoke.

“Surrender the invitation plaque. Do so, and you may leave unharmed.”

“Is that what you claim this is about?” He scoffed. The plaque was never their true goal. They might covet it, yes—but it was not the prize they sought above all.

“Chui-dal—all confirmed?”

“Every last detail, brother.” Chui-dal’s voice drifted from some distance away, from the direction of the manor’s main compound.

The cultists spun around in alarm.

“Who—?”

“We crossed paths at the inn earlier, and I caught the reek of blood the moment we arrived. So I sent him ahead to keep watch.”

Their meeting at the inn had seemed coincidence; no doubt they believed Chui-dal had long since departed.

“I found no coded letters or secret orders, brother. But I did make a discovery—these people are singularly obsessed with our Baek Clan. Files, records, scraps of intelligence… some dating back fully twenty years.”

“I see. Excellent work.”

No wonder they had plied him with questions about his clan’s history throughout dinner. Twenty years—long before his return through time. The Blood Cult had been weaving its threads around the Baek Clan even in his former life.

“This changes things. I had assumed their interest stemmed from the Sword King Tomb incident.”

Worse still, judging by everything he had seen, it seemed all but certain Baek Yeon-yeon had fallen victim to these very same conspirators in that earlier life.

“There is no need for further words. Let us end this.”

He did not wait for their reply.

“Brother Tang. Sister Tang.”

“It is done.”
“They are already stricken.”

At the Tang siblings’ confirmation, every cultist flinched in unison. One by one, dull thuds echoed as bodies slumped to the ground.

“Stir your qi all you like—it will only spread the poison faster.”

Tang Yeon flexed her fingers, glistening with venom-laced energy. It was a consummate mastery of toxic arts.

“How… how is this possible?” The Manor Lord stared, utterly confounded.

The cultists concealed within the Ju Clan Manor numbered enough to overwhelm a mid-tier sect. Yet they had been struck down without ever realizing they were under attack.

“Did you imagine that would suffice? That because we are young and supposedly gifted, you could simply overpower us and force us to yield?”

The Blood Cultists had never doubted the Baek Clan’s might—if anything, they had found the reality far more terrifying than rumor. Which was exactly why they had struck in secret.

“You look surprised. In the murim, one always conceals thirty percent of one’s true strength.”

In truth, it was closer to ninety. The awe-inspiring reputation of the Heaven-Covering Sword Dragon? That was merely a tenth of his actual power.

“I care little for speeches. For vermin such as you, there is only one remedy. Bind them, seal their acupoints, and prepare to answer my questions.”

“At once.”

“Reinforcements… more will come from the main cult soon!”

“Brother, that is a lie. I watched closely—no one left these grounds all day. No messengers, no carrier birds.”

“Well observed, Chui-dal.”

They gathered the fallen and stacked them neatly in a pile, which rose high indeed.

“Now. Confess everything, and I shall make your end swift.”

Silence.

“Very well. We shall do this the hard way.”

He had never offered false mercy. He would extract the truth willingly or otherwise—he had no need of pretty words.

“I know you have been trained to resist. Perhaps you bear a silence seal. But consider this…”

He recalled the first Blood Cultist he had encountered since his return—the Ghostly White Horse, wielder of dread sorcery and commander of a hundred vengeful spirits. Back then he had lacked the strength to prevail by force alone, yet he had broken that creature and learned its secrets more easily than one eats a meal.

*That is how.*

A low hum filled the air.

“Now then—time to speak.”

As primordial qi radiated outward, every cultist recoiled in terror.

“Why waste time with the rank and file? The leader knows all.”

He rested a finger against the Ju Clan Manor Lord’s forehead. The man’s jaw fell open.

“Kraaaaaaaaaaaah!”

The truth poured forth in moments.

“Our orders—from the Sect Founder himself! We were to learn all we could of the former greatest master under heaven… and turn the Baek Clan Manor into our stronghold! Kraaaaaaaaaaah!”
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