When a single person emerges and dominates the entire Central Plains, people call him the 'Greatest Under Heaven.'

But when a single faction rises to subdue all other factions in the Central Plains and rules over them, people will remember the head of that faction as a 'Ruler.'

“What he wants is to be a ruler—the one to whom everyone kneels and pays homage.”

For that to happen, it is not just the Blood Demon himself that must be prepared, but the entirety of the Blood Cult. And to prepare them, he needs five more years.

‘The fact that the Blood Cult isn’t ready yet is evident from what happened today.’

The Sixth Blood Lord that Seolhwa encountered today was far weaker than the one she had known in her previous life.

He had yet to fully master the blood arts passed down by the Blood Demon and had not yet seized control of the Jiangan Waterway.

Five [N O V E L I G H T] years from now, the Sixth Blood Lord would be a man with martial skills comparable to Namgoong Mucheon and a power base formidable enough to rival the Namgoong Clan.

In that sense, meeting the Sixth Blood Lord today was nothing short of a stroke of luck.

By eliminating one of the six factions that formed the core of the Blood Cult, Seolhwa had already struck a significant blow.

‘The Blood Demon might appoint a new Sixth Blood Lord, but for now, this will do.’

The death of the Sixth Blood Lord would shock the Blood Demon while simultaneously serving as a clear declaration of war.

If this event prompted the Blood Demon to abandon his pursuit of her, then all the better.

The Blood Demon might choose to appoint a new Sixth Blood Lord or decide to hasten the Blood Cult’s advance due to the provocation. But once Seolhwa had chosen to alter the past, the future was bound to change.

‘I just need to be prepared for that.’

Much had already changed, and things had improved slightly.

One of the Six Blood Lords was now dead. That left five.

The war had already begun.

****

The Jiangan Waterway Stronghold was in disarray.

All around, they were tending to the injured, casualties from the battle with the Blood Serpent Stronghold.

“Young Lady!!”

Ryeong spotted Seolhwa and dashed toward her.

Namgoong Mucheon finally set Seolhwa down.

“I will go check on your father.”

“Yes. I will see you at the command tent, Grandfather.”

As Namgoong Mucheon and Seop Mugwang departed, Ryeong, who had been anxiously lingering nearby, approached.

“...Young Lady.”

“Ryeong.”

Just as Seolhwa was about to ask if she had been scolded badly—

Thud!

Ryeong dropped to her knees before Seolhwa.

“Punish me, Young Lady! I failed to guard you properly and was not by your side during a dangerous moment!”

Seolhwa blinked in surprise.

She must have been severely reprimanded.

“Stand up.”

“Young Lady...”

“I was the one who sent you away. If anyone deserves punishment, it’s me. So get up.”

But Ryeong couldn’t bring herself to take Seolhwa’s outstretched hand.

With a short sigh, Seolhwa knelt down and sat before her.

“Everyone has a first time. You’re my first guard, after all....”

Throughout both her past life and the present one.

“And you’re guarding someone for the first time too.”

Seolhwa extended her hand toward Ryeong once more.

“Take this as a lesson. Just do better next time.”

Ryeong’s gaze followed the small hand reaching out to her.

Looking at the gentle smile on Seolhwa’s face, Ryeong hesitated.

‘Young Lady... something....’

Something had changed about her...

Only a handful of people, including Namgoong Mucheon and Cheongun, knew that Seolhwa was devoid of emotions.

But as the one who had spent the most time with Seolhwa lately, Ryeong was the first to notice the subtle change in her.

“Thank... you.”

Ryeong finally took Seolhwa’s hand.

She couldn’t quite tell what had changed, but it felt like a good omen.

“Namgoong Ryeong. From now on, I will do my utmost to protect the Young Lady.”

****

Except for the severely injured Cheongun and Cheongsan, who required immediate medical attention, Namgoong Mucheon, Seop Mugwang, and the Black Dragon Division Leader gathered in the command tent.

Seolhwa was also present, as they would be discussing Jin Soyak’s treatment and future arrangements.

Though she was a child sitting among adults, none of them found it unusual.

Meng Deungho, who had joined the battle late and suffered relatively few injuries, entered the tent and paused at the sight of Seolhwa seated among them.

“Are you the leader of the Ghostshadow Division?”

Namgoong Mucheon, seated at the head of the table, spoke in a solemn tone.

Meng Deungho clasped his fists in greeting.

“I greet the Celestial Dragon Sword Emperor.”

“Sit.”

Meng Deungho was about to take his seat when—

“Are you the one who kidnapped my granddaughters?”

Meng Deungho flinched involuntarily.

Namgoong Mucheon’s voice was not loud, nor did he release any killing intent. Yet the pressure emanating from him was undeniable, rendering Meng Deungho unable to move or even open his mouth.

Only after a long moment did Namgoong Mucheon’s gaze shift away.

“So it was just a brat who dared lay hands on my granddaughters.”

It was then that Meng Deungho understood what Jin Soyak had meant.

‘Seolhwa told me to pretend to be a hostage if I wanted to save my father!’

He had thought that she had done it to save the Namgoong people, but that wasn’t the only reason. Thanks to her, his head was still attached to his neck.

At that moment, Meng Deungho felt a surge of gratitude toward Seolhwa.

“That’s enough about that. Seolhwa, you said you had something to discuss with him.”

“Yes.”

Seolhwa turned to Meng Deungho.

“It’s about Soyak. I propose that he stay in Namgoong until his Meridian Severance is completely treated.”

Meng Deungho’s eyes wavered slightly.

“Will the treatment take that long?”

“At least five years.”

Yin-Yang Great Meridian Severance required sustained treatment with medicinal elixirs until the symptoms fully manifested.

The most critical part of the treatment was during the outbreak phase when the qi pathways twisted. At that point, a martial artist of Transcendent Peak Realm or higher would need to stabilize the child’s qi to fully cure him.

“The symptoms typically appear around age ten. Soyak is six, so we have four to five years. And the year or two before the symptoms manifest will be when he is most vulnerable.”

Even now, Soyak was so weak from the Meridian Severance that he was prone to coughing up blood and collapsing at the slightest exertion.

“Are you planning to leave him in a place this dangerous?”

Meng Deungho exhaled a long, heavy breath.

Ever since he learned about Soyak’s Meridian Severance, Meng Deungho had done everything within his power.

He had sought out renowned physicians, scoured the mountains for medicinal herbs to feed his son, and even went as far as kidnapping Namgoong’s children.

‘Five years apart... If it means I can save my child, then so be it.’

“Let’s do as you say.”

He had kidnapped Namgoong’s children, but in the end, he had handed over his own child as collateral.

What kind of bandit leaves his child as a hostage in a righteous sect?

No one in the underworld would do such a thing.

‘Guess my days as a bandit are over.’

If he did anything even slightly out of line, they would use his son to control him.

It was essentially a command to quit being a thief.

“Don’t worry. Five years will pass quickly.”

“What do you mean?”

“During those five years, Chief Meng needs to become the Supreme Chief of the Jiangan Waterway.”

“...?”

Seeing the bewildered look on Meng Deungho’s face, Seolhwa pointed to the map spread out on the table.

Tap.

Her small finger pressed down on the eastern section of the map—the area controlled by the Blood Serpent Stronghold.

“Today, the Ghostshadow Division defeated the Blood Serpent Stronghold. The Blood Serpent Stronghold is the richest of the eighteen strongholds, serving as the gateway to the open seas.”

“...That’s right.”

Seolhwa’s finger then moved to the Ghostshadow Division’s territory.

“And the Ghostshadow Division is strong enough to survive under the dominance of our Namgoong Clan. The waterway leads to Hubei, where even the mighty Wudang Sect and the Zhegai Family have been unable to overpower it.”

Unconsciously, Meng Deungho nodded.

A moment ago, he had found it strange that a thirteen-year-old child was sitting in on their discussions. Now, he was paying more attention to her words than anyone else.

“The wealth of the Blood Serpent Stronghold and the martial might of the Ghostshadow Division. With these two elements combined, it’s not impossible.”

After all, in her previous life, the Sixth Blood Lord had managed to accomplish exactly that.

“And besides....”

Seolhwa smiled sweetly, glancing at Namgoong Mucheon.

“If necessary, Namgoong will support Chief Meng.”

Namgoong Mucheon nodded silently.

This had already been discussed before Meng Deungho had arrived.

They would elevate the Ghostshadow Division as the ruling faction of the Jiangan Waterway and secure control over the water routes.

Someone would eventually rise as the Supreme Chief of the waterway, holding absolute power.

If that someone was a person Seolhwa and Namgoong could control, all the better.

‘All that’s left is....’

Meng Deungho’s will.

“Chief.”

Meng Deungho, who had been staring blankly at the map, finally lifted his gaze to meet Seolhwa’s.

Until now, all he had ever thought about was protecting the Ghostshadow Division. Expanding its territory had never even crossed his mind.

But with the Blood Serpent Stronghold’s wealth, the Ghostshadow Division’s martial strength, and Namgoong’s support...?

“Don’t you want to rule the waterways of the entire Central Plains?”

The child’s words were sweet as honey.

“If anyone could become the tyrant of the waters, it’s you, Chief. And...”

So sweet that his mind went blank.

And in that darkness, one clear goal took shape.

“With that power, no one will ever dare to touch Soyak again.”