“The Hwangryong Division Leader... betrayed us?”

The one most shocked by the revelation was Cheongun. It was understandable — he had been with the man at Suro Stronghold for a long time.

“A spy for the Blood Serpent Stronghold?”

“More accurately, he was working with Hwaoru,” Seop Mugwang said, glancing at Seolhwa.

The one who knew the most about the situation was Seolhwa, who was crouched beside Yugang, silently watching over him.

“That’s a conversation best saved for later,” Seop Mugwang said.

“Yes. Understood.”

Seolhwa continued to watch Yugang, who was groaning softly.

Seeing Seolhwa’s expression, Choron couldn’t help but chuckle.

“You know, young lady?”

“?”

Choron leaned in and whispered, “You really look like a cat right now.”

Seolhwa’s brows furrowed slightly, and Choron chuckled again.

“And right now, too.”

“How’s his condition?” Seolhwa asked, changing the subject.

“Avoiding the topic, are we?” Choron said with a smile.

She’s so cute.

But Choron let it slide.

“There’s no danger to his life. The sword wound is deeper than I’d like, but luckily it avoided any critical areas. He’s incredibly fortunate.”

No, it wasn’t luck.

When Yugang had been trying to endure the blow, Seolhwa had twisted his body just enough to redirect the Hwangryong Division Leader’s sword, preventing a fatal strike.

“...That’s a relief.”

“Yes. Truly fortunate, right?”

Choron continued her treatment with swift, precise movements.

She might appear delicate, but she was the Medicine Hall Leader of Namgoong — her medical skills were exceptional.

Grinding herbs, applying salves, covering wounds with cloth, and wrapping them in bandages, all of it was done with practiced ease.

“Ngh...”

By the time Choron finished treating him, Yugang stirred slightly.

“!”

Seolhwa, who had been sitting cross-legged beside him, leaned forward, eyes fixed on his face.

Yugang’s long lashes trembled before he slowly opened his eyes.

His gaze, unfocused at first, eventually landed on Seolhwa.

“...Is this paradise?”

“No.”

Between his ragged breaths, Yugang’s lips curved into a soft smile.

“Then we’re alive. That’s good...”

“...”

“I saved you again, didn’t I?”

“If you hadn’t been so stupid, you wouldn’t have been hurt in the first place. You didn’t dodge properly.”

“Really...?”

Yugang’s smile widened, his chest rising and falling with shallow breaths.

Seolhwa scowled.

He’s smiling even after being called stupid. What a fool.

“...Still, thanks. A little...”

For some reason, her voice trailed off, growing quieter.

Her expression twisted, and it became hard to look at Yugang.

Still, she had to properly express her gratitude.

That thought in mind, she looked at him again, but when their eyes met, she was taken aback.

His gaze was clear and bright, fixed solely on her.

“If you’re really grateful... call me ‘big brother’...”

Tap.

“...What did you just do, young lady?”

“He looked like he needed rest. Don’t worry. I just helped him fall asleep.”

“Helped him sleep...? It felt more like you just put him down for good...”

Choron had seen it clearly.

Seolhwa said she had put him to sleep, but the acupoint she had pressed was not the one for inducing sleep (Suhyeol). It was the one for rendering someone unconscious (Hunyeol).

But...

‘I didn’t see anything.’

I’m on the young lady’s side, after all.

Choron chuckled as she continued her treatment, watching Seolhwa walk away as though she was fleeing the scene.

****

Seop Mugwang was staring off in the direction of the ongoing clash, his expression serious.

“What happened?” he asked Cheongun.

“Father lured the Blood Serpent Lord away from here and told us to flee,” Cheongun said.

Even top martial artists at the Peak and Transcendent Peak Realm could be killed if they were caught in the crossfire of a Flowing Realm clash.

Especially now, when Namgoong’s forces were significantly weakened.

Namgoong Mucheon had been holding back the Blood Serpent Lord, allowing the Namgoong Clan members time to escape the forest.

‘Just like the Clan Head to take responsibility like that.’

With his personality, he could have leveled the entire area, but he’d restrained himself.

“The Blood Serpent Lord was using some kind of strange martial art,” Cheongun continued.

“A strange martial art?”

At that moment, Seolhwa approached them.

“The Guiyeong Division Lord joined the battle, and when their forces began to weaken, he started consuming his subordinates. ‘Consuming’ might not be the right word, but...”

Cheongun stroked his chin thoughtfully, his expression grave.

“The ones he laid his hands on withered and died. It was as though all the blood had been drained from their bodies.”

Seop Mugwang let out a low hum. He looked to Seolhwa.

“Does this have anything to do with Hwaoru?”

“Yes.”

“Anything ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ related to blood, huh... Vicious. And that’s not all, is it?”

“After he consumed his subordinates, his body suddenly swelled up. His skin turned red, and he began to grow. And then...”

“Flowing Realm...”

Both Cheongun and Seop Mugwang looked at Seolhwa.

“His cultivation level increased, didn’t it?”

The Sixth Blood Lord was ostensibly at the Transcendent Peak Realm. That was the impression he gave off.

But when he used the blood arts granted by the Blood Demon, his cultivation temporarily surged to the Flowing Realm.

That was the terrifying aspect of the Blood Cult’s arts.

‘The power the Sixth Blood Lord received is the power to explode blood energy.’

It was similar to the Bloodburst Pill that the Hwangryong Division Leader had used, but different.

‘Reverse Heavenly Blood Flow Art (Yeokcheon Hyeollyudaebeop).’

The lack of side effects was one difference.

But the most important distinction was that while the Bloodburst Pill’s effects lasted only for a few moments, the Reverse Heavenly Blood Flow Art technically had no end.

Blood arts were still martial arts. The more they were cultivated, the stronger they became, and the longer the effects could be sustained.

Depending on the level of training, the Reverse Heavenly Blood Flow Art could be maintained for an entire hour, half a day, or even three days at maximum.

Additionally, the amount of power drawn forth could also be exponentially increased, making its potential limitless.

Of course, that didn’t mean that wielding blood arts was easy.

‘In my previous life, the Sixth Blood Lord could only maintain it for a single day. His blood energy remained at the Flowing Realm.’

Which meant that right now, he was even less adept at wielding blood arts.

“The Blood Serpent Lord absorbed the energy of his subordinates, right?”

“Yes.”

The technique he used to absorb energy was likely the Blood Absorption Technique, which had originally been intended for Meng Deungho’s son, Jin Soyak.

‘If he’s using the Reverse Heavenly Blood Flow Art while also employing the Blood Absorption Technique...’

It was a sign that he still wasn’t fully accustomed to the Reverse Heavenly Blood Flow Art.

‘In that case...’

Seolhwa’s gaze turned toward the direction of the ongoing battle.

Perhaps, today.

‘I might be able to kill the Sixth Blood Lord.’

Her lips felt dry.

Up until now, she had only thought of escaping from the Sixth Blood Lord, never of striking back.

This was the Sixth Blood Lord, not some random thug. Even though he was far weaker now than he would be five years from now, precisely because he was weaker...

‘Now is the time to take him down.’

“Seolhwa?”

“Father.”

Seolhwa took Cheongun’s hand and scanned the surroundings.

By now, Hwarin was with Cheongsan and his wife, while Soyak was being held by Meng Deungho.

Yugang was also receiving urgent treatment.

“Father, you should return to Suro Stronghold first.”

“What? You’re not coming with me?”

“There’s something I need to confirm.”

Whether the Sixth Blood Lord would die here today or not. If he was going to die, she would not let him go as easily as the Hwangryong Division Leader.

“It’s too dangerous, Seolhwa.”

“I’ll only be observing from a distance. Besides, Bipung Division Leader will be with me.”

Seolhwa glanced at Seop Mugwang, who shrugged.

“If the kid wants it, I don’t mind,” he said, pointing a thumb at himself with a grin.

“Just leave it to me. Not a single hair on her head will be harmed.”

“In that case, I...”

“Father, you need to enter meditation immediately, don’t you?”

Cheongun groaned, unable to refute her words. She was right.

“Go back to Suro Stronghold and focus on recovering. I’ll return with Grandfather.”

“...Alright. Fine.”

If Seop Mugwang wasn’t enough, Namgoong Mucheon would also be there to protect her. That eased his mind.

Cheongun nodded and left, leading Meng Deungho and the other Namgoong members back to Suro Stronghold.

Seolhwa and Seop Mugwang headed toward a high vantage point where they could observe the battle.

BOOM― BOOM―

The closer they got to the battlefield, the more intense the surging energy became.

“No further,” Seop Mugwang said firmly, drawing a line.

Seolhwa obeyed, standing beside him.

From a distance, red and blue energies clashed violently.

The Sixth Blood Lord’s signature martial art, Beast Blood Wolf Fist, collided fiercely with Namgoong Mucheon’s Heavenly Sword Aura.

Each time the two forces clashed, the ground trembled, and trees fell.

CRAAASH―!

The Sixth Blood Lord, throwing a fist, looked like a howling wolf.

His eyes, now blood-red, glowed ominously in the dark, and his fists struck with savage intensity, as if he intended to tear his opponent apart.

BANG!

But his opponent was the Sword Emperor.

Namgoong Mucheon easily deflected the Sixth Blood Lord’s fist with his sword, his movements flowing effortlessly into a familiar sword technique.

Now that he knew his subordinates had safely escaped the forest, Namgoong Mucheon no longer held back.

The Namgoong Clan’s exclusive martial art. Imperial Sword Form.

Simply raising the sword created a chilling pressure that crushed everything around him, distorting the very air.

Even Seolhwa and Seop Mugwang, who were a considerable distance away, felt that oppressive force.

Seop Mugwang clenched and unclenched his tingling hands, letting out a low chuckle.

“Hah. He’s still the same as ever...”

CRASH―! BOOM!

Every second was packed with unimaginable power.

The Imperial Sword Form — a sword that made all who stood before it instinctively kneel.

Each time the sword moved, the ground shook, and everything around it was shredded to pieces.

That overpowering sword relentlessly pressured the Sixth Blood Lord, as if all the previous exchanges had been nothing more than a warm-up.

The Sixth Blood Lord, now at the Flowing Realm due to the blood arts, tried to defend himself by wrapping his arms in a powerful energy barrier, but it was pointless.

Gradually, his knees began to buckle.

And finally —

CRAAAAASH―!

A massive boulder shattered.

“It’s over,” Seop Mugwang said.