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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 108
Chapter Title: Chapter 108
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"The Yellow Dragon Commander... he betrayed us?"
Namgung Cheongun was the most surprised of all. It was only natural, as he had been with him constantly at Surochae.
"Are you saying he was a spy for Hyeolsachae?"
"More precisely, he was with Hwaoru rather than Hyeolsachae."
Seop Mugwang glanced at Seolhwa.
Seolhwa, who knew the most about the matter, was crouched by Yugang's head.
"We should... talk about that later."
"Yes, understood."
Seolhwa silently watched Yugang groan.
Choryeon, who was checking Yugang's condition, saw her and unconsciously let out a laugh.
"Do you know something, Young Miss?"
"?"
Choryeon whispered quietly.
"You really are like a cat, Young Miss."
Seolhwa furrowed her brow slightly, and Choryeon let out a soft laugh.
"Even now, like this."
"...How is he doing?"
"Changing the subject, are we?"
*You really are cute, you know.*
But Choryeon willingly let it slide.
"His life isn't in danger. The sword wound is deeper than I thought, but fortunately, it avoided all vital areas. It's a miracle."
It wasn't a miracle.
When Yugang tried to endure, Seolhwa had also managed to twist his body somehow, which was why the Yellow Dragon Commander's sword had missed any fatal points.
"...That's a relief."
"Yes. It really is a relief, isn't it?"
Having reassured Seolhwa, Choryeon quickly continued the treatment.
Though she seemed a little lighthearted, her medical skills were excellent, enough to be in charge of Namgung's Medical Hall.
Pounding the necessary herbs, applying the medicine, layering cloth, and wrapping bandages—everything was done swiftly and efficiently.
"Ugh..."
As the treatment was mostly finished, Yugang stirred.
"!"
Seolhwa, who was sitting in front of him as he lay diagonally due to his back injury, stared intently at Yugang's face.
His long eyelashes fluttered, and then he opened his eyes.
Yugang slowly blinked his eyes, then slightly turned his head to look at Seolhwa.
"...Is this paradise?"
"No."
Between ragged breaths, his lips curved into a soft smile.
"Then we lived. That's a relief..."
"..."
"I saved you again, didn't I?"
"I wouldn't have gotten hurt even without you. You were just stupid not to dodge."
"Really...?"
Yugang chuckled again, a faint smile playing on his lips.
A ticklish feeling spread through Seolhwa's chest, and she furrowed her brow.
*To smile even when called stupid. He really is stupid.*
"...Still... thank you. A little..."
For some reason, her voice trailed off.
A strange feeling made her frown deeply, and it was hard to look at Yugang.
*Still, I should properly express my thanks.*
With that thought, she looked at Yugang again, and his eyes, meeting hers, were sparkling, which flustered Seolhwa.
"If you're grateful... call me Older Brother..."
*Thwack.*
"...What did you just do, Young Miss?"
"He seemed to need rest. Don't worry. I just helped him fall asleep comfortably."
"The feeling that you just comfortably knocked him out... that's just my imagination, right?"
Choryeon had definitely seen it.
Though Seolhwa said she helped him sleep, the point she pressed was not Suhyeol (the sleeping acupuncture point) but Hunhyeol (the fainting acupuncture point).
But.
'Let's pretend I didn't see that.'
*Because I'm on Young Miss's side.*
Choryeon chuckled softly at Seolhwa's retreating back as she seemed to flee the spot, and continued tidying up.
* * *
Seop Mugwang stared blankly in the direction where the clash of energies could be felt and asked Cheongun.
"What happened?"
"Father lured the Hyeolsachae Leader away from here and told us to escape."
If one were to be caught in a Hwagyeong level battle, even a Jeoljeong or peak Jeoljeong master could die.
Moreover, Namgung's martial strength was currently weakened.
Namgung Mucheon had been holding the Hyeolsachae Leader at bay until every member of Namgung had escaped the forest.
*That's the kind of responsibility befitting the Head of the Family.*
Given his personality, he would have easily overturned the entire area.
"The Hyeolsachae Leader was using a strange martial art."
"A strange martial art, you say?"
Just then, Seolhwa approached the two men.
"When the Gwiyoungchae Leader joined, their forces gained an advantage, and he 'devoured' my subordinates. I'm not sure if 'devoured' is the right word, but..."
Cheongun stroked his chin with a serious expression.
"Those he laid his hands on withered and died. It was as if all the blood was drained from their bodies."
Seop Mugwang let out a low "Mmm." He asked Seolhwa,
"Is this also connected to Hwaoru?"
"Yes."
"Those scoundrels do anything related to blood... How dreadful... Is that all?"
"After he 'devoured' my subordinates, he suddenly swelled up. His body turned red and bloated. And then..."
"Hwagyeong..."
Cheongun and Seop Mugwang looked at Seolhwa.
"His realm ascended. Didn't it?"
Yuk Hyeolju's realm is peak Jeoljeong. On the surface, that is.
However, when he uses the Blood Arts given to him by Hyeolma, his realm rises to Hwagyeong. That was the terrifying aspect of the Blood Cult.
*The power Yuk Hyeolju received was the power to explode his blood energy.*
It was similar to the Pokhyeolhwan used by the Yellow Dragon Commander, but a different power.
'Yeokcheonhyeollyudaebeop'
Another difference was that it had no side effects, but more importantly, while Pokhyeolhwan's effect lasted only for a short while—an *il-gak* or two—Yeokcheonhyeollyudaebeop practically had no "end."
Blood Arts were also martial arts. Martial arts naturally grew stronger and more familiar with repeated practice.
Depending on one's cultivation, Yeokcheonhyeollyudaebeop could be maintained for one *sijin*, half a day, or even up to three days.
Similarly, the amount of power that could be explosively drawn out also increased, so it could truly be said to possess infinite possibilities.
Of course, that didn't mean using Blood Arts was always easy.
*In his previous life, Yuk Hyeolju could only maintain it for a single day. His blood energy remained at Hwagyeong.*
So now, he would be clumsier at handling Blood Arts than before.
"You said the Hyeolsachae Leader absorbed the *qi* of his subordinates, right?"
"Yes."
The absorption of *qi* was probably the Blood Absorption Art he had intended to use on Maeng Deungho's son, Jin Soyak.
*Using Yeokcheonhyeollyudaebeop while simultaneously using the Blood Absorption Art means...*
...It's proof that he's not yet accustomed to Yeokcheonhyeollyudaebeop.
*Then...*
Seolhwa looked in the direction where the battle was taking place.
Perhaps, today.
*I might be able to kill Yuk Hyeolju.*
Her lips felt parched.
She had only thought of escaping Yuk Hyeolju's grasp, never of counterattacking.
It wasn't even the Twelfth Blood Lord, but the Sixth Blood Lord. The current Yuk Hyeolju was infinitely weaker than he would be five years later, but precisely *because* he was weaker.
*Now, I must capture him.*
"Seolhwa?"
"Dad."
Seolhwa took Cheongun's hand and looked around.
By now, Hwarin was with Cheongsan and his wife, and Soyak was being held by Maeng Deungho.
Yugang had also received urgent treatment.
"Go back to Surochae first, Dad."
"What? You're not planning to go, Seolhwa?"
"There's something I need to confirm."
Whether Yuk Hyeolju would die here today or not. If he did die, she wouldn't let him go as futilely as the Yellow Dragon Commander.
"It's dangerous, Seolhwa."
"I'll just watch from a distance. And Commander Bipung will be with me."
Seolhwa glanced at Seop Mugwang, who shrugged.
"If the little one wants to."
He poked himself in the chest with his thumb and grinned.
"Just trust me. I won't let a single hair on her head be harmed."
"Then I, too..."
"Dad, even if you start Ungijo-sik right now, it's already too late."
Cheongun let out a groan. It was true, and he couldn't refute it.
"Go back to Surochae and focus on your recovery. I'll return with Grandfather."
"...Alright. Understood."
Even if it wasn't Seop Mugwang, the thought that Namgung Mucheon would protect the child reassured him.
Cheongun then led the Namgung members back to Surochae with Maeng Deungho.
Seolhwa headed to a high vantage point with Seop Mugwang to observe the battle.
Thump— Thump-thump—
As they drew closer to where the battle was raging, the turbulent *qi* was truly immense.
"No further than this."
Seop Mugwang drew a firm line, and Seolhwa followed his will.
From a distance, red and blue energies were intertwined.
Yuk Hyeolju's unique fist art, Asuhyeollangkwon, clashed fiercely with Namgung Mucheon's sword, which contained the energy of the heavens.
Each time their forces collided, the surrounding area trembled, and trees toppled.
CRASH—!
Yuk Hyeolju, unleashing his fists, was like a roaring wolf.
His reddened eyes glowed menacingly in the darkness, and his fists were equally ferocious, as if they would tear his opponent apart.
BANG!
However, his opponent was the Sword Emperor.
Namgung Mucheon, who lightly blocked Yuk Hyeolju's fists with a swing of his sword, unfurled a familiar sword art.
Realizing that his family members had escaped the forest, he now had nothing to hold him back.
The Namgung Family Head's unique martial art. Jewanggeomhyeong.
Though he had merely raised his sword, a chilling aura pressed down on everyone, and the very air shifted.
Even Seolhwa and Seop Mugwang, far away, could feel that energy.
Seop Mugwang repeatedly clenched and unclenched his tingling hands, a smile playing on his lips.
"Well, I'll be. He's still got it..."
BANG—! CRASH!
With every move, immense internal energy was channeled.
The Emperor's Sword, before which one would instinctively kneel just by standing in its presence.
Each time that sword moved, the ground shook, and everything around them was torn to shreds.
The extremely heavy sword relentlessly pressed Yuk Hyeolju. It was a one-sided assault, as if all the previous fighting had been a mere pretense.
Yuk Hyeolju, having also ascended to the Hwagyeong realm with his Blood Arts, tried to block the attacks by enveloping his arms in *ganggi*, but it was futile.
Yuk Hyeolju's knees gradually bent, and finally.
CRASH—!
A boulder shattered.
"It's over."
