Chapter 98: Blood! (3)

The Sword Saint felt the strong aura suppressing him instantly disappear as soon as he sat down on the chair.

'What is it?

What is this aura?'

It was different from using internal ki to suppress the surrounding air because his martial arts level was high.

"You-"

The Sword Saint looked at Cale.

This feeble young boy…

"You, are you human?"

"Pfft." He could hear the chuckle coming out of the young man's mouth.

He sternly responded as if he could not believe what he was just asked.

"Of course I am human. What else would I be?"

"An immortal-"

The moment that the Sword Saint said that word… Chief Eunuch Wi and Elder Ho's eyes clouded over, but…

"No sir. I hate immortals and gods quite a bit."

Their gazes returned to normal after hearing Cale respond so honestly and firmly.

"My wish is to not get involved with those sides at all if possible."

Cale's face, which looked as if he had eaten some extremely unripe fruit, was full of sincerity.

"...."

That was why the Sword Saint could not ask anything else and closed his mouth.

'At least one thing is clear now.'

The clear truth that he had realized with his body…

'I cannot defeat this person.'

Young master Kim was able to suppress him by changing the air around him without even using any internal ki.

'…He is beyond the Profound Realm. Is he in the Nature Realm?'

The leader of the School of Carnage… He felt as if he could understand why the Carnage Demon was shocked.

The Nature Realm.

That realm was something they only heard about in legends.

Of course, there were talks about how the original owner of the Sky Sword Martial arts, the one that the Sword Demon Choi Jung Soo had on him right now, had been at the Nature Realm, but…

The Sword Saint had thought that he would never see the Nature Realm while he was alive.

The realm where a person became close to nature…

Reaching that level seemed difficult for humans who lived in the secular world.

However, a person whose strength could only be explained by being in the Nature Realm had appeared in front of his very eyes.

'…In that case, young master Kim should actually be quite old.'

Although he looked like a young man, young master Kim should be quite old.

'He should be older than the Emperor and the Empress Dowager."

Since he had the golden plaque, he should have some sort of close relationship with the Imperial family.

'He might be the eldest senior of the Imperial family.'

Numerous thoughts instantly filled his mind. However, there was not much he could do.

The Imperial family and the Nature Realm.

To go against young master Kim, who had both of those things and for the Namgung Clan to do something to oppose him?

'The Five Great Clans will shun us. The Martial Arts Alliance will definitely cast us aside.'

The Martial Arts Alliance.

Although they claimed this grand purpose of protecting the justice of the Martial Arts world, they were an organization focused on benefits as well.

Only the people of the Namgung Clan could protect the Namgung Clan.

Furthermore, the Sword Saint knew.

He knew how the Namgung Clan was seen in the Martial Arts world.

'They will happily accept it since it looks like our Namgung Clan, whom they think are arrogant bastards, are about to fall.'

It was obvious.

"Mm."

He couldn't help but groan.

He felt frustrated.

'If I don't go against young master Kim's wishes and do as he asks to confirm whether Namgung Tae Wi is a living jiangshi…'

If that happened, regardless of whether it was true or not, the view of the Namgung Clan would become bad.

'But more importantly, if Tae Wi is-'

If that child is-

'If he is a living jiangshi...?'

It was terrible.

The Sword Saint clenched his eyes shut.

Namgung Tae Wi. He recalled the time he spent watching that child grow up.

He then thought about the faces of that child's parents, as well as his younger brother, Namgung Tae Wi's grandfather.

'It seems like there is only a small chance that he is not a living jiangshi.'

The Sword Saint decided to think cold-heartedly.

'Based on young master Kim's demeanor, they are pretty certain about what they are saying.'

Now that his anger had subsided, his mind cleared up.

No, it felt bleak.

'If things go wrong, there might be rumors about how the Blood Cult and the Namgung Clan are working together.'

This wasn't just a random family member of the Namgung Clan but a member of the collateral line that was close to the main branch.

Furthermore, a squad leader of the Namgung Clan's greatest organization, the Heavenly Guardians, was a living jiangshi?

And the Sword Saint, one of the Orthodox faction's five saints, did not know about it?

Who would believe that?

It would be more believable to say that the Namgung Clan was secretly communicating with the Blood Cult to swallow the Orthodox faction.

'I need to prevent that at all costs.'

The Sword Saint knew of the Namgung Clan's greed as well.

He himself believed that greed was what was needed to be great in martial arts.

Holding the sword meant two things to him.

One.

It was to gain something you want.

It symbolized fighting with the sword.

As with most battlefields, battles were fought to gain benefits.

That was why he believed that getting stronger was to have the power to get more of the things he wanted.

Of course, he thought that you still had to stay good as he did that.

And the other…

The Sword Saint realized that he would need to raise his sword for this reason this time.

The other reason to hold up a sword…

That was to protect.

The Sword Saint made up his mind.

'I will need to raise my sword for the Namgung Clan.'

The Sword Saint had gotten stronger in order to protect his family.

That strength did not simply focus on the level of his martial arts.

'…Tae Wi…'

If that child has become a living jiangshi…

'I need to do it.'

He needed to be the one to show that child his end.

He needed to make it like the moment young master Kim had suppressed his whole body. The Sword Saint felt suffocated.

Even as he aged…'

No, making decisions like this became harder the older he got.

It was because of the memories his life had created.

He pushed aside the faces of the Namgung Clan that filled his mind and slowly opened his eyes.

Young master Kim waited for him to finish his thoughts.

'The closer I look, he seems quite humble for someone who is so strong.''

After sensing young master Kim's abilities, he could tell that young master Kim was showing him quite a lot of respect.

'I will tie it together.'

The Sword Saint's mouth opened.

"When will you confirm it?"

Cale realized that the Sword Saint was calm now based on the question.

"Are you ready to hear what I have to say now?"

"That is correct."

The Sword Saint nodded his head. The old man's shoulder seemed a lot smaller than before.

"Please tell me when you plan on doing it. I will bring Tae Wi over."

However, his voice was still firm. His gaze was also burning with a flame that was different from the flames of anger.

"However, I will be the one to put an end to that child. That is the one thing I cannot pass off to someone else."

Cale scowled a little more.

"Senior Sword Saint-"

"I am aware of it."

The Sword Saint avoided Cale's gaze and continued to speak.

"In order to go against a living jiangshi, an expert in the Unrestrained Realm will need to be prepared to get injured. That is why as many strong individuals going up against the living jiangshi will decrease the casualties."

"No, Senior Sword Saint."

"Furthermore, you are probably worried that I would hesitate because he is family and that he will overload to harm the innocent people around us."

"Wait-"

The Sword Saint's started to clench his fists.

The wrinkles on his hands looked even deeper.

"However, do not worry. I will definitely take care of him properly so that you are all satisfied. That is the way to take care of jiangshis after all."

He stopped for a moment.

He felt frustrated.

This might lead to internal demons. These negative emotions in his heart might lead him to Ki Deviation.

He maintained his calm and recalled the method of taking care of jiangshis.

The cleanest way to take care of jiangshis was to cut off all limbs and make it difficult for them to be restored.

Living jiangshis were to be handled similarly.

Namgung Tae Wi-

If that child is a living jiangshi, they would not be able to keep his corpse in one piece.

He would need to burn the chopped up corpse so that no traces are left and pour the ashes down the river.

That was the only way to completely destroy a living jiangshi.

"I will make it so that he will be unable to be restored. I will destroy him properly."

The Sword Saint flinched at that moment.

Tap!

Cale tapped on the table with his palm.

He looked at Cale's eyes.

His dark brown eyes looked annoyed.

'Annoyed?

Did I get on his nerves?

Is it that this eldest senior of the Imperial family cannot accept the Sword Saint killing his own blood?'

The moment all sorts of thoughts filled the Sword Saint's mind…

"Wait, what do you mean by destruction?"

"…What?"

"Huuuuuu."

Cale let out a short sigh before openly showing his annoyance toward this old man who seemed to have no intentions of listening to anybody else.

"I thought you said that you were ready to listen to me, but what the hell are you saying on your own?"

'What does he mean by destroy?'

For Cale, who did not know their way of destroying jiangshis, what the Sword Saint was saying was like trying to catch a cloud. Of course, Cale understood what he was saying to a degree, but it was still useless information to him.

"No, that-"

The Sword Saint became tense as he spoke.

It was at that moment.

Elder Ho walked up next to the Sword Saint and placed a hand on the Sword Saint's tightly clenched fist.

"Senior. Please listen to young master Kim's words. This sir will show you the way."

"What do you mea-"

The Sword Saint tried to say something but Cale just ignored him and said what he wanted to say.

'I need to find Choi Jung Soo and destroy the Blood Cult. At this rate, I'm going to waste all of my time convincing these old men of the Central Plains.'

Starting from now, it was no more convincing. He would just tell them.

"If Namgung Tae Wi is confirmed as a living jiangshi, I will purify him."

"…Purify?"

"Yes, yes. Purification. I presume that the results will be one of two things."

The Sword Saint just quietly looked at Cale as if he had frozen in place.

Cale ignored such a reaction completely.

Instead, he just said what he needed to say.

As things stood now, the purifications of living jiangshis using the divine item heater as a medium for the Fire of Destruction… He could sort of predict the results using the experiences he had as a background.

"First, he will turn into a purified corpse."

Just like the purified jiangshis in Xiaolen, he would return to an intact corpse.

"Second, since he is a living jiangshi and not a regular jiangshi… He may return to his original living self."

Different from becoming a jiangshi after death… Living jiangshis were alive despite being jiangshis. That might lead to different results.

"Of course, it might be a third state that I am unaware of. But I believe that it will not be very different from these two options."

Cale then added on.

"However, even if he returns to his living self… I cannot guarantee that his condition will be the same as before."

In other words, he might be alive but in a coma or his body might not function properly.

Cale stopped at that point.

'What is going on?'

The Sword Saint's eyes were not looking at Cale but seemed lost in the air.

Cale felt a bit iffy about this but still continued to speak.

"However, if we are unable to purify him and he overloads because we respond too late, that will be the worst."

What good would purification be if he exploded?

No matter what, they needed to purify him before he exploded.

Cale looked at the Sword Saint, who seemed to be blanking out, as he tapped on the table.

Tap. Tap.

Cale made eye contact with the Sword Saint at that moment.

'Hmm?

His gaze seems a bit weird?'

Cale felt extremely iffy and subconsciously started speaking faster.

"Senior, do you understand what I am saying? Let's confirm as quickly as possible and purify him. That is the gist of it. Got it? Simple, right?"

'Now then, the main point.'

Cale would now say what he wanted.

He debated whether to beat around the bush, but… He was annoyed at talking nicely to these martial artists. 'Let's just say what I want.'

"Now then, Senior Sword Saint."

Since I will find and purify the living jiangshi for you…

"The Namgung Clan will be in my debt. That is what I mean."

'So, you need to listen to me from now on. Got it?'

"You understand the meaning of that, right?"

– Human! You truly only seem like yourself when you talk like this! I like it!

Cale ignored Raon's comments as he waited for the Sword Saint's response.

The Sword Saint quietly muttered to himself at that moment.

"Yes. I, the Sword Saint and the Namgung Clan will be in your debt."

Cale got the answer he wanted but he oddly got chills on the back of his neck.

'…His gaze seems weird?'

This old man's eyes were burning up for some reason.

"Keke."

The old man suddenly started laughing.

"The benefactor of the Namgung Clan. We are getting a benefactor for the first time in a few centuries."

Cale gulped while looking at him talk to himself.

'…Aren't there usually a lot of benefactors in wuxia novels?

There seemed to be a lot...?

The main character basically seemed to become the benefactor of every sect and clan he visited?

They were treated as guests and whenever a main character visited a large clan like the Namgung Clan, there were benefactor-level guests always staying there?

Why is it that the Namgung Clan has not had a benefactor for centuries?

…Is this really okay?

…Is it okay for me to be a benefactor?'

—
Translator's Comments

No… probably not, Cale.

***

If you find any errors or have suggestions, please feel free to provide feedback.

Thank you for reading!

[Author – Yu Ryeo Han]

[Translator – Anowa]

[Proofreader – Rai_Mayank]