Reincarnated Sword Ghost

Chapter 138 : Blood Cult

Blood Cult

'Erase it from this land?'

The moment he heard those words, countless questions instantly arose in his mind.

The meaning implied by Yeom Baek's words was powerful—that's why.

As far as Jeong-un knew, he was the first to report the existence of the Blood Cult.

That had been back when he was indebted to Huayeon Gate.

Those bastards, armed with tremendous wealth and force, were manipulating not only the authorities but even the nearby martial sects.

If it hadn't been for Jeong-un, the entire county would have been seized by them.

Judging by Yeom Baek's tone, it seemed further investigations had taken place since then. He had said the enemies were organized enough to set up a branch, so similar incidents must have been happening all over the Central Plains.

Jeong-un immediately asked what came to mind.

"When you say you've found the location of their main headquarters, do you mean the place where their leader is?"

"That's right."

Yeom Baek nodded.

"They're much bigger than I thought. Although they haven't been rampant for long, they rapidly expanded their organization. Even while we were tracking their traces, they kept taking root all over the Central Plains. That's probably still the case, even at this very moment."

Images of their repulsive appearance flashed through Jeong-un's mind.

Creatures worse than beasts, wearing a human mask and preying on the flesh and blood of other people.

'... Vermin.'

No other word seemed more fitting. Honestly, he didn't even want to grant them the grand name of "Blood Cult", as the bastards wanted.

He also remembered their leader being called the "Blood Lord".

Perhaps that was a name given due to their worship of blood. To Jeong-un, it simply seemed childish and laughable.

"The martial world is already in chaos due to the news that the Demonic Cult has appeared. You might not know, since you've been immersed in training within the jurisdiction, but just a few days ago, the Murim Alliance held a council. The heads of the hundred prestigious sects registered with the Murim Alliance all gathered to pledge their cooperation."

"To pledge cooperation? Is that all they did?"

"...?"

From Jeong-un's brief experience in the martial world, he knew not all sects that walked the "orthodox" path were truly chivalrous heroes.

Frankly, unless you were part of an unorthodox or dark path sect, you were lumped in as "orthodox".

Especially those prestigious sects that had accumulated power and prestige for generations—they were too complex to simply be called orthodox.

Judging only by their renowned reputation, you'd think they were all perfectly upright organizations.

Even in cheap street pulp, they were often depicted that way.

But based on what Jeong-un had seen, that wasn't always true.

He didn't completely agree with Baek Il-gang's claim that most of them were sly, but it was true they did clear out the local unorthodox riffraff and helped ensure public order.

Still, the ones Jeong-un had met put their sect's interests before anything else—a thoroughly worldly bunch.

Even individually, most of their bloodlines were intoxicated with their own noble status, and didn't even think it odd.

They gathered to pledge cooperation? He doubted whether they truly trusted each other.

Noticing Jeong-un's expression, Yeom Baek let out a laugh.

"I know what you're thinking. I don't believe they'll wholeheartedly throw themselves in, and neither does the Murim Alliance's upper echelon. They just judged that a public show of unity was the best they could manage. If they tried to force it, some sects would have resisted even more."

Yeom Baek continued.

"What matters is how others perceive it. At the very least, it was a way for the orthodox martial world to show—they're different now, no longer scattered like sand as they were fifty years ago."

"So the Heavenly Martial Hall decided to annihilate the so-called Blood Cult?"

"That's right."

Yeom Baek's expression turned serious. Now they were getting to the heart of the matter.

"They won't be like the enemies we've seen so far. They have their own doctrines and act systematically. They're crazed about recruiting followers under the pretense of teaching martial arts. One sinister cult is already more than enough with the Demonic Cult—we have to stamp this one out before it sprouts."

"Martial arts..."

As Jeong-un murmured, Yeom Baek continued.

"From our investigation, it seems their Blood Lord invented a martial art that increases cultivated power with human flesh and blood. Because of that, he's being revered almost like a god, even beyond a typical cult patriarch."

"...."

Jeong-un recalled the ones who had disguised themselves as the Myriad Gold Merchant Guild in Dangyang County.

Their leader had said something similar—he had turned simple essence-draining into a martial art.

'They really are dangerous.'

Jeong-un agreed: they had to be crushed before they grew any further.

Among unorthodox martial arts, those that harnessed human vitality had clear limits and severe side effects—the price was one's own humanity.

But if they had managed to refine it and make it more efficient, it was a different story.

It wasn't just survival of the fittest anymore. To those bastards, people were just sources of cultivated power.

Jeong-un asked, "What should I do?"

"Take your comrades and go to Geonchang District of Jiangxi. There's a group there who've laid down roots, disguised as a sect under the pretense of being neutral territory. Take them out."

"I thought you said we were targeting their main headquarters?"

Yeom Baek nodded as he answered.

"That's right. Somewhere in Geonchang District is their main headquarters, hiding in secret. But we don't know its exact location yet, so leave a few of those bastards alive and extract information from them. As soon as you learn anything, share it quickly with Heavenly Martial Hall through White Hawk."

"And if we find the location?"

"The same—don't act on your own, send a letter straight away. I and the other corps leaders will be nearby."

Hearing this, Jeong-un's eyes grew wide.

"All of the corps leaders are moving out?"

"As I said, this is unusual. We have to completely annihilate them this time. The chief strategist sees this as a massive threat. He thinks the area needs to be cleared before the Demonic Cult makes its move in earnest. I hear their Blood Lord is quite the peerless expert himself. I and the other three corps leaders will launch a joint attack and take his head in an instant."

"...!"

Jeong-un stared at Yeom Baek in astonishment. He spoke incredible words without batting an eye.

It was said the fighting strength of a martial world sect wasn't measured in numbers alone.

No matter how many you had, if you had no true experts, it meant nothing.

In that sense, the four corps leaders of Heavenly Martial Hall were the sect's primary power.

Each was one of the hundred greatest experts, and they symbolized the martial strength of the Heavenly Martial Hall.

"Is that okay? The unorthodox factions of the martial world aren't limited to those bastards alone."

Jeong-un asked, looking worried. It was a bold question, but it reflected a concern that came naturally.

'The Central Plains is vast...'

If that much strength moved to Jiangxi, it meant other places would be out of reach for Heavenly Martial Hall's warriors—there would surely be consequences elsewhere.

Yeom Baek chuckled lightly and replied.

"I understand your concern. That's why the 'three-stripe' and 'four-stripe' fighters aren't being deployed for this mission. They're each carrying out different solo missions, traveling around the Central Plains."

"Ah..."

Jeong-un nodded.

He'd also handled two successive missions recently at Kaifeng District and Henan.

The 'three-stripe' and 'four-stripe' fighters would handle other assignments, while the remaining, more numerous warriors would thoroughly search Geonchang.

"As you'd expect, aside from the core leadership, the rest of those bastards are nothing special. Even if they call it 'blood arts,' it isn't proper martial arts. At best, they've added a mnemonic formula that gathers cultivated power from human blood."

"While we deal with those grunts, the corps leaders will attack their main boss?"

"That's right."

Jeong-un nodded calmly. The mission wasn't complicated.

Move with his comrades, hit the group hidden behind the neutral territory disguise, and leave a few alive to extract information.

It would likely happen simultaneously throughout Geonchang.

"When should we depart?"

"No need to rush. Prepare for three days and then depart. But as soon as you set out, ride hard and strike immediately upon arrival. Right now, with the martial world's eyes focused on Heavenly Martial Hall's new members at Hanyang Prefecture, it's the perfect time for a surprise attack."

"I'll inform the others and we'll depart as soon as possible."

Yeom Baek nodded and added, "Don't overthink it. As soon as you arrive, strike them, and get the information. If they won't talk, you can just cut them down."

* * *

As soon as he returned to his room, he gathered his comrades and explained the mission.

They were shocked by the mission to annihilate an entire martial world organization, but soon nodded with composed expressions.

Almost as if they'd been waiting, travel packs from the General Affairs Department were handed out, and each received a horse.

It was already a familiar process.

After leaving Heavenly Martial Hall's small side gate, Jo Gwang spoke, glancing at Baek Il-gang.

"By the way, normally when someone is promoted to two-stripes, they get their own squad, right? Why's he still with us, I wonder."

"Hey One-stripe, are you talking about me?"

Tang Yerin, riding next to Jeong-un, raised the corners of her lips as she answered.

"It just shows how seriously Heavenly Martial Hall is taking this mission. What matters most is that squad members are in sync. Likely, from the next mission, young hero Baek will lead his own squad."

"I hope so. If only Lady Dang was promoted to two-stripes, I'd follow her orders without complaint."

"I'll be sure to file your insolence in my report."

"Only the squad leader, young hero Yu, has the authority to file reports, though, doesn't he?"

Jeong-un smiled faintly as he listened to his comrades bicker.

Now, it sounded almost endearing.

He knew this was their way of easing the tension before a mission.

'Let's not fail this time.'

He'd failed his last mission quite spectacularly.

No matter what the world thought of Jeong-un for the Shaolin incident or his growing reputation, the General Affairs Department didn't care—it would be recorded as a failure, nothing more.

He wasn't interested in achievements. It was simply a matter of how to face life as a martial artist.

'You can't get used to failure, whatever it is.'

Whether in duels or life-and-death matches, a martial artist should pursue victory after victory; a swordsman must continuously hone his blade; a martial artist should turn vague ambition into concrete progress.

That was the path Jeong-un wished to walk. Not to comfort himself by making excuses for failure.

As soon as they left the city center's great gate, four horses carried their riders, kicking up clouds of dust as they thundered down the main road.

Jeong-un glanced back over his shoulder.

The imposing walls of Hanyang Prefecture were shrinking in the distance.

'... It feels like things are only getting harder.'

Jeong-un muttered inwardly. Barely a year had passed since he'd left the Yu clan's gates, but the martial world seemed rougher than ever.

'No matter.'

He unconsciously tightened his grip on the reins. His horse surged ahead, kicking up dust.

Once again, his journey through the martial world began.