- Rumble!
Thunder roared from the cloud-covered sky.
Although it was noon, the darkened sky seemed ready to pour at any moment.
This was the cemetery where the corpses of deceased cult members were buried in the sacred land of Ryeongsan.
To the northwest side of the cemetery was a new burial site where the recently fallen members were laid to rest.
In front of a grave with a tombstone stood a woman with red hair in mourning clothes, sitting with a vacant expression.
It was none other than Baek Ryeon-ha.
She stared blankly at the tombstone like someone who had lost their soul.
Watching her from a distance was another woman dressed in a black uniform with a bamboo hat.
"She's still like that?"
In response to my question, the woman under the bamboo hat replied.
"Yes."
The woman was none other than Baek Hye-hyang.
Unlike usual, Baek Hye-hyang wore an expressionless face, her eyes fixed on her half-sister, Baek Ryeon-ha.
She bit her lip and muttered,
"…Stupid girl."
I sighed at her words.
Not everything in this world goes as we wish.
"She's been like that for three days straight, hasn't she?"
Yeah.
At this rate, she'll collapse.
She's holding out in that ruined body.
Even Master and Elder Ijeon Seogalma came to bring her back, but upon seeing her like that, they couldn't touch her.
I turned my gaze to the new grave in front of Baek Ryeon-ha.
The tombstone read: "Blood Demon Witch Han Baek-ha".
- Plop. Plop.
Before I knew it, raindrops had begun to fall.
What started as a drizzle gradually grew heavier, soaking the cemetery.
- Grit!
Grinding her teeth, Baek Hye-hyang stomped over to Baek Ryeon-ha.
Whether she approached or not, Baek Ryeon-ha simply stared blankly at the grave.
Baek Hye-hyang bent down next to her and said,
"How long are you going to keep acting so pathetic?"
"..."
"You think sitting there like some crazy woman is going to bring her back from the grave?"
At those words, Baek Ryeon-ha's once-vacant eyes suddenly turned sharp.
She hadn't reacted to anything until now.
But this, she couldn't bear.
"Did I say something wrong?"
Baek Ryeon-ha raised her hand to slap her.
But Baek Hye-hyang wasn't one to just stand still and take it.
She grabbed Baek Ryeon-ha's trembling, weak wrist roughly.
"You think you can land a slap on me with that broken body?"
Baek Ryeon-ha's pupils trembled.
Her eyes reddened with emotion.
She mumbled,
"Ahhhh… ahhhh…"
She couldn't even speak properly.
I looked up at the sky with a deep breath.
The poison that had affected her brain had rendered her nearly speechless.
Seeing her like this weighed heavy on my heart.
Part of me felt responsible, so I couldn't even bring myself to go near.
To Baek Ryeon-ha, who was sobbing and holding back tears, Baek Hye-hyang said,
"Stop spacing out and just cry already."
"Ahhh…"
- SWOOSH!
The rain was pouring harder now.
Baek Hye-hyang took off her bamboo hat and brushed back her soaked hair as she spoke.
"No one can tell if you're crying in this rain anyway."
Perhaps that was the trigger.
Baek Ryeon-ha, who had been holding it in with a contorted face, finally burst into tears.
"AHHHHHHHHHHH!"
She wailed as if the world was ending.
Her face was soaked with tears—or was it just rain? No one could tell.
---
Only six days earlier...
The day when the vanguard forces of the five branches of the Martial Alliance attacked.
The main Ryeongsan base of the Blood Cult had been nearly empty except for a minimal number of people.
If they couldn't stop this invasion, the cult was doomed anyway—there was no need to hold back.
Inside the main compound of Ryeongsan, in a separate building—
- Clink clink! Clink clink!
The sound of chains echoed as someone walked down the corridor.
Dressed entirely in black, the woman was Han Baek-ha, the Blood Demon Witch.
Chains bound her ankles, clinking with every step she took.
In her only hand, she carried a tray with a bowl of steaming porridge.
She stopped in front of a room.
"Young lady. I'm coming in."
Despite her words, silence remained from within.
Expressionless, Han Baek-ha let out a long sigh and opened the door.
Inside the dim room, lying blankly on the bed, was Baek Ryeon-ha.
Han Baek-ha slowly approached her.
She placed the tray on the round table beside the bed and gently lifted Baek Ryeon-ha up.
Then, holding the bowl, she blew on a spoonful of porridge.
"You need to eat."
Baek Ryeon-ha said nothing.
Already used to this, Han Baek-ha brought the spoon close to her mouth.
"Open your mouth."
"..."
"You need energy to get better."
Even her gentle coaxing earned no response.
Han Baek-ha carefully tried to feed her.
But Baek Ryeon-ha slapped the spoon away.
- Smack!
The spoon flew, spilling porridge all over the bedding.
Baek Ryeon-ha opened her mouth.
"Ahhh… ahhhh…"
She was so broken she couldn't even speak clearly.
Even with the top masters taking turns using their internal energy to suppress the brain-poison, there was no way to stop its gradual spread.
Even the best physicians had given up—the demon poison was slowly consuming her from within.
"Haa…"
Han Baek-ha closed her eyes and let out a sigh.
Thanks to Elder Ijeon's treatment and the physicians' efforts, Baek Ryeon-ha had somewhat regained her mind a month ago.
But she had lost all will to live.
She refused to eat, simply waiting to die.
"Ahhhh! Ahhh!"
Baek Ryeon-ha flailed her hands as if to push her away.
Watching her, Han Baek-ha spoke in a heavy voice.
"This isn't your fault, my lady. It's all mine."
"Ahhhh…"
"…It's my fault I couldn't stop Gu Je-yang's scheme."
Baek Ryeon-ha, tormented by the fact she had been manipulated under the poison's influence.
Han Baek-ha had been trying to comfort her all this time.
She had cared for Baek Ryeon-ha since infancy—she couldn't let her die.
Han Baek-ha picked up the spoon from the bed, wiped it clean with her sleeve, and scooped more porridge.
"You must live. Only then can you do anything."
"Ahhhh…"
"You have to eat."
She forcefully pushed the spoon to her mouth.
Even when Baek Ryeon-ha spat it out, she kept trying to feed her.
Then—
- Creak!
The door opened.
Han Baek-ha turned her head and frowned.
"You!"
"It's been a while, Yuk Hyeol-seong."
The scar-riddled old man standing in the doorway—
He was none other than the traitor and former Grand Elder, Blood Evil King Gu Je-yang.
He was supposed to be locked away in the underground prison.
Han Baek-ha couldn't hide her shock.
"How did you—"
- Grab!
At that moment, Baek Ryeon-ha grabbed Han Baek-ha's wrist tightly.
Her state was strange.
The moment she saw Gu Je-yang, her breathing quickened and she trembled in fear.
Han Baek-ha clutched her hand and shouted,
"What did you do to her!?"
"The poison's suggestion still lingers, I see."
It was Gu Je-yang who had embedded hypnotic commands through the demon poison.
Baek Ryeon-ha was still under that influence.
Seeing her deteriorated condition, Han Baek-ha shouted in anger.
"Return the young lady to how she was!"
To her cry, Gu Je-yang smiled.
"That's what I've come to do."
"What?"
Han Baek-ha's eyes trembled.
Just then, a voice came from behind Gu Je-yang.
"Blood Lord. We must hurry."
"Just a moment."
Called Blood Lord, Gu Je-yang turned to Han Baek-ha and said,
"Blood Demon Witch, let me be direct. Don't you want everything returned to how it was?"
"Returned…?"
At her retort, Gu Jeyang pointed at Baek Ryeon-ha with his finger.
"It seems the demonic poison has affected her brain to the point that she can barely speak."
"Are you threatening me?"
"Threatening? No. I'm making a proposal."
"A proposal?"
Gu Jeyang responded in a gentle whisper.
"I can detoxify her poison and restore your dantian. Ah, of course, not I, but the one I serve."
"The one you serve?"
"Yes. That person has conquered life and death. Nothing is impossible for him."
At Gu Jeyang's words, Han Baek-ha momentarily lost her words.
Her dantian was destroyed, so she had long abandoned the hope of regaining her martial arts.
Besides, she was a criminal of the Blood Sect.
"That's not a bad offer. Oh! I almost forgot. That person has already appointed Lady Baek Ryeon-ha as the next leader of the Blood Sect."
"Appointed as leader?"
Han Baek-ha was dumbfounded.
Who had the right to appoint the Blood Sect's leader so arbitrarily?
Gu Jeyang continued, unconcerned.
"After this war ends, Lady Baek Ryeon-ha will be the only surviving bloodline of the Baek family."
"What do you mean?"
Han Baek-ha, who was imprisoned in the annex with Baek Ryeon-ha, knew nothing.
She only vaguely noticed that the area had grown unusually quiet.
"You didn't know? I found out only after leaving Geumok. Iljon, that monstrous old man, is dead, and the current leader is barely alive after being struck by that killer's sword."
"He's dying?"
"And while all this is happening, the Murim Alliance has brought a massive force. The outcome is obvious."
She hadn't known any of this.
It meant the Blood Sect was now in its worst crisis.
Now she understood how Gu Jeyang managed to escape from Geumok.
The main stronghold of the Blood Sect was in a vulnerable state.
"With the Heavenly Path personally involved, this war won't last long. If you decide now, I'll take you and the lady to him."
Han Baek-ha couldn't help but waver at Gu Jeyang's offer.
The only people who could possibly cure the ruined Baek Ryeon-ha were the Master of All Cures or the Blood Demon King Gu Jeyang.
The Master of All Cures had disappeared—so there was only one option left.
To the hesitating Han Baek-ha, Gu Jeyang said,
"Will you let this chance slip? Don't you want to protect Lady Baek Ryeon-ha, the only rightful heir?"
"..."
Han Baek-ha looked at Baek Ryeon-ha, who was clinging tightly to her arm.
Seeing the trembling girl, she bit her lip hard.
She had no choice.
If she refused, Gu Jeyang would surely kill them both.
Eventually, she nodded.
Gu Jeyang smiled brightly.
"I knew you'd make the right choice. Then bring the lady and follow me."
"She's not in good shape. I can't support her alone."
"Don't worry. Lady, please follow this old man."
At Gu Jeyang's words, Baek Ryeon-ha stopped trembling.
Seeing this, Han Baek-ha clicked her tongue inwardly.
She hadn't realized how terrifying the power of brainwashing could be.
Even after being treated, just a few words could still calm her down like this.
"Come along, then."
Han Baek-ha supported Baek Ryeon-ha and stepped outside.
In the hallway, corpses of attendants and guards lay scattered.
Seeing that they had been killed silently, the masked man walking ahead of Gu Jeyang must have possessed considerable martial skill.
'Is this really a war?'
There were barely any people in the main hall.
It really seemed that only a few had been left behind to guard Geumok, with the rest sent to war.
The direction they were heading was toward the stables.
They planned to escape on horseback.
As they moved away from the annex, the masked man told them to wait while he scouted ahead.
While waiting, Gu Jeyang chuckled quietly and said,
"Who would've thought fate would be on our side like this?"
"..."
"How disappointing. I waited so long to kill him myself in Geumok."
Han Baek-ha could guess who he meant.
That man had utterly crushed him.
To think he endured such torture just for revenge...
Or perhaps he had faith that someone would come to rescue him?
Then suddenly, she looked up at the sky—and her pupils trembled.
'Ah!'
If her eyes weren't mistaken, she had seen it.
Gu Jeyang, unaware of this, kept muttering.
"Not that it matters. You were destined to die anyway. You'll be grateful to me for giving you this opportunity."
"...Is that so?"
"You'll recover your dantian and make your beloved lady the leader. When would such a chance come again?"
Gu Jeyang spoke triumphantly.
Han Baek-ha cautiously approached and asked,
"You'll release the hypnosis, right?"
"...In due time. When the moment is right."
At those words, Han Baek-ha's expression turned cold.
She quietly pulled something from her sleeve.
A shard of sharp bronze mirror.
Ever since her dantian was destroyed and she was locked in the annex, she had carried it with her.
She had intended to use it to end her own life if Baek Ryeon-ha ever came to harm.
Gu Jeyang, still keeping watch, turned and said,
"Don't even think about it. With one word, I could still have Baek Ryeon-ha killed—"
At that moment—
-Thunk!
"Urgh!"
Han Baek-ha, like a flash of lightning, stabbed Gu Jeyang in the chest.
He, too, had no internal energy, and couldn't evade the sudden strike.
"You bitch...!"
Han Baek-ha snarled,
"I may have lived for her sake, but I am a loyal member of the Blood Sect! Did you think I'd sit back and let filth like you manipulate her for your own greed?!"
"You wench!"
-Grab!
Gu Jeyang grabbed Han Baek-ha's wrist with both hands.
Though she struck first, she only had one arm.
She couldn't resist both of his.
'Stubborn wench!'
Even as blood poured from her palm holding the shard, Han Baek-ha gritted through it, trying to resist.
Gu Jeyang then kicked her in the stomach.
-Thud!
"Argh!"
Gu Jeyang staggered, clutching the shard in his chest.
He knew pulling it out hastily would worsen the bleeding.
Just then, Han Baek-ha screamed,
"Over hereeeeeee!!"
Gu Jeyang looked stunned.
"Did you think screaming would bring help? The only people left here are weaklings, not even worth the spit of the true warriors."
He overestimated the masked man's strength and loyalty.
And indeed, there were no strong fighters left in the Blood Sect.
"Aaaaaaaaah!!"
"Shut up!"
Gu Jeyang rushed at her, still clutching the shard in his chest.
But as he lunged, Han Baek-ha grabbed his arm and threw him.
-Crash!
"Gah!"
Even without internal energy, Han Baek-ha was once a top-tier master.
Her basic external skills were not to be underestimated.
She flipped Gu Jeyang and immediately stomped the shard in his chest.
"Gaaaah!"
Then she rushed to grab Baek Ryeon-ha's hand.
"Lady, we must run."
Holding the dazed girl's hand, she began to flee.
But then—
-Thunk!
Han Baek-ha looked down at her chest.
A blade had pierced through.
It was Galju, who had appeared without a sound and stabbed her from behind.
-Thunk!
"Guh..."
When he pulled out the sword, Han Baek-ha coughed blood and collapsed forward with Baek Ryeon-ha.
The girl's lifeless eyes stared ahead like a puppet.
Han Baek-ha looked at her with sorrow.
"My lady..."
Tears welled up in the eyes of the so-called cold-blooded witch.
She had failed to protect her.
Gu Jeyang staggered toward them.
"You damn wench!"
Seizing Galju's sword, he stabbed Han Baek-ha in the back.
-Stab! Stab!
"A one-armed bitch like you is useless anyway!"
Maybe out of rage, he lost all reason and stabbed her over and over.
Then he paused, stunned.
Han Baek-ha, even as she lay dying, had raised her arm to shield Baek Ryeon-ha from being stabbed.
"You... you—"
Even in death, she made him feel disgusted.
Gu Jeyang raised the sword to finish her.
Just then—
-Slice!
"Guh!"
His arm was cut clean off.
He looked at the severed limb on the ground in shock.
A sharp sword aura had flown through the air.
Looking up through the pain, he saw—
"You... how are you—?!"
A man with a red mane and a demonic mask was rushing toward him.
There was no time to dodge.
A palm struck his face—
-Crunch!
His neck snapped.
His head twisted into his torso.
No one could survive that.
Gu Jeyang died instantly.
"Damn it!"
Seeing him fall, Galju tried to strike the demon-masked man.
-Slice!
But his outstretched hand was severed.
Galju prided himself on being unmatched in skill, but—
'This guy's... a monster!'
"D-damn it!"
He turned and fled.
But escaping the masked man was impossible.
The demon caught up and subdued him instantly.
Meanwhile—
-Drip... drop, drop drop—
Han Baek-ha's blood drenched Baek Ryeon-ha's face.
The warm blood slowly brought her senses back.
Her eyes trembled.
"Ah..."
She saw Han Baek-ha's pale face.
Baek Ryeon-ha, seeing her dying nanny, panicked.
She had to save her.
But then, Han Baek-ha collapsed against her.
"Ahhhh..."
With difficulty, she raised a hand to stroke Baek Ryeon-ha's head.
And whispered—
"...You must... live."
"Aaaaaah! Aaaaahhh!!"
Tears burst from Baek Ryeon-ha's eyes.
Unstoppable sobs followed.
Han Baek-ha had cared for her since childhood like a mother.
"Aaaahhh! Aaaaahhhh!"
"...If you cry... that much... then..."
That was her last breath.
Her stroking hand fell limp.
Baek Ryeon-ha clutched her and wailed.
Crying as if the sky were falling.
---
-Swoooooosh!
Rain still poured.
But Baek Ryeon-ha's tears had stopped.
She had cried for over half an hour before the grave, her voice now hoarse.
Bae Hye-hyang watched and said,
"Want to die? Live anyway."
Baek Ryeon-ha bit her lips hard.
Her eyes were no longer lifeless.
Bae Hye-hyang turned and walked toward me.
"Did my duty as an older sister."
"'Older sister,' huh?"
She snorted.
Then said to me,
"I'll find the Master of All Cures. You—catch him. No matter what."
"...Yeah."
Even if she didn't say it, I was going to hunt him.
There were too many bitter ties between us.
I would sever them once and for all.
"Let's drink until we pass out today."
"You're still not fully recovered."
"Who cares!"
With a soaking hat on her head, Bae Hye-hyang vanished in a flash.
They barked at each other like enemies, but... they were sisters.
Now it's time for me to go down too.
—Not going to take her?
No.
She'll come down on her own now.
I looked back up.
Baek Ryeon-ha was carving something into the gravestone.
[我的媽媽 – My Mother]