26

The Fish-Gut Sword (魚腸劍) scattered its blade light without the slightest movement.

Just as the sword’s name meant “a fish’s entrails,” Chui too had curled himself inside the wolf’s body like entrails.

The chill of flesh felt against his skin, the stench of blood that pierced to the marrow, the bones and hide that tightly bound his entire body.

Contained within it, Chui stilled his breath, honed his edge, and waited for the moment, as though he himself had become a single blade.

Time passed. Flames were lit, and the beat of drums echoed.

The woman now performing a sword dance atop the altar was of precious status within the Namgung Clan.

Through thorough prior investigation, Chui already knew this.

As the sound of the blade slicing through the air drew ever closer, Chui emerged from the wolf’s belly.

His face was concealed beneath the scalp of a wolf cub, his body smeared with the blood of the mother wolf.

‘I will repay the vengeance owed to you mother and child in your stead.’

The only beings worthy of Chui’s mourning were the two wolves offered as sacrifices.

Everyone else was merely a debtor who owed a blood debt.

Long, long ago—before his return.

Toward the culprits of the Namgung Clan who had quietly covered up the unjust extermination of the Hojeong Clan, Chui was drawn forth like savage entrails.

Rip—!

As he tore through the wolf’s belly and emerged outside, the first face Chui saw was Namgung Yul’s.

Frozen in the very motion of her sword dance, she stared in his direction.

Ripples spread through her lake-like eyes.

Shock, disbelief, fear—meeting that gaze where all those emotions had melted together, Chui reached out his hand.

Crack!

Namgung Yul’s neck dropped straight into Chui’s grasp.

Chui tightened his grip.

…Crrrk!

The slender neck caught in his hand looked as though it might snap at any moment.

Within the pale, soft flesh, the neck bone stood straight like tender bamboo.

Chui shook his hand with the momentum to twist and break it at any moment.

“Kh! Kehk! Kk—!”

Namgung Yul coughed, drool spilling from her mouth.

Her limbs flailed pitifully, and the hair that had been so neatly arranged instantly fell into disarray.

The mystical atmosphere from moments ago was nowhere to be found.

It was only natural, with her throat seized by a suddenly appearing blood-soaked monster.

Chui pulled Namgung Yul close and pressed down on the back of her neck.

Then, with the Fish-Gut Sword in his other hand, he lightly tapped behind her ear.

“From now on, I will press your acupoints.”

“…”

“If you struggle, I will cut off your ear.”

“…”

Namgung Yul squeezed her eyes shut as if dizzy.

Before pressing the acupoints, Chui checked her internal energy through the hand gripping her neck.

‘Deep cultivation, but not a shred of real combat experience.’

This is what happens when one learns martial arts sitting behind a desk.

Big in size, yet still a fledgling chick whose down hasn’t even fallen away.

A chick is a chick, no matter how big it grows.

It can easily be snatched away by even a small hawk, losing everything.

Chui pressed Namgung Yul’s numbing point and mute point.

Still gripping her neck, he lifted her entire body and dragged her straight toward the very front of the altar.

Even then, the warriors of the Namgung Clan had been unable to climb onto the altar.

“Y-you bastard! You dog that deserves death! Release my daughter at once—!”

Just as Namgung Pa, eyes bloodshot, began to shout—

Chui’s mouth opened.

“My demands are twofold.”

A stiff, emotionless voice.

Everyone’s gaze turned toward the wolf mask Chui was wearing.

Namgung Pa shouted.

“You vile bandit! Can’t you hear me telling you to release my daughter first—!”

At that moment, someone beside him cut him off.

“Be quiet for a moment. I can’t hear what he’s saying.”

“…!”

The one who rebuked Namgung Pa was none other than Namgung Cheon.

When had he come down from the pavilion?

He calmly stroked his beard.

“My son. Do not act rashly. Even after inheriting the position of Clan Head, you still cannot rid yourself of this habit?”

“…”

“If he intended to kill her, he would have done so already. He must want something else, which is why he’s acting like that, wouldn’t you say?”

At Namgung Cheon’s words, Namgung Pa reined in his momentum.

With all the Namgung Clan’s warriors watching, Chui opened his mouth once more.

“You’re sharp, old man.”

“Much obliged, young man.”

Before the world even had time to be properly shocked, Chui and Namgung Cheon exchanged a brief conversation.

It was astonishing enough that the intruder dared call the Sword King of all under heaven an old man, but Namgung Cheon’s manner of responding in kind was no less extraordinary.

Namgung Cheon gestured as if to say, go on.

Chui spoke again.

“If anyone tries to interrupt me from here on out.”

The indifferent gaze behind the wolf mask turned toward Namgung Pa.

“I will first slit this woman’s throat and then continue.”

Everyone fell silent.

Namgung Pa, too, could only bite his lip tightly, unable to respond.

After a moment, Chui continued.

“As I said before, my demands are two.”

He calmly swept his gaze over the entire crowd gathered below the altar.

“First. Today’s blood-pledge alliance is null and void. It is unfair.”

At those words, the expressions of the Namgung Clan’s members stiffened, while the expressions of others subtly changed.

What Chui had just said harmed only the Namgung Clan and benefited everyone else.

Chui continued speaking.

“A clan called a great pillar of the orthodox faction engages in such low, unfair contracts—no wonder righteousness does not stand upright. I stand here today for the sake of the public good.”

A brief silence followed.

The audience showed subtle reactions to Chui’s speech.

There were no cheers, but neither were there boos.

Everyone was watching the Namgung Clan’s reaction.

But before the Namgung Clan could respond in any way, Chui stated his second demand.

“Second. The one who created this treaty must be killed. Send that man up onto this altar, and I will release this woman without a single scratch.”

At those words, even the onlookers who had been rolling their eyes in uncertainty were shocked.

They had not expected an even more extreme demand than the first.

After a moment, Namgung Pa cautiously raised his hand.

Chui tilted his head slightly, granting him permission to speak.

Grinding his teeth, Namgung Pa said,

“Are you finished?”

“I am.”

“Then may I answer now?”

“Go ahead.”

As Chui nodded, Namgung Pa let out a low sigh.

Then, in a heavy voice, he continued.

“The treaty will be fairly revised. However, killing the one who drafted its terms is not—”

“Before saying it cannot be done, how about first asking for that person’s own will?”

Chui’s reply cut Namgung Pa off.

At that, the crowd’s gaze shifted to one place.

“…!”

The spot where Namgung Paengsaeng was standing.

The previously blank expression on Namgung Paengsaeng’s face was dyed with bewilderment.

He was the one who had drafted the clauses of this unfair treaty.

He did not know how the intruder had learned this fact, but now was not the time to ponder it.

Soon, Namgung Paengsaeng shouted in fury.

“You vile bandit! Do you think the Namgung will be toyed with by your three-inch crafty tongue?”

But Chui remained calm.

“If you alone come up here, I will release this woman without harm.”

“You madman! Are you saying you’ll seal my martial arts? Speak sense! Even ripping out your tongue and salting it wouldn’t be enough!”

Namgung Paengsaeng cursed furiously, as if unable to accept it.

Watching this, veins bulged on Namgung Pa’s forehead.

“…”

But there was nothing to be done.

Chui’s demand was, in effect, telling Namgung Paengsaeng to die in Namgung Yul’s place—something no one could easily accept.

However—

“When did I ever say I would seal your martial arts?”

Chui’s tone remained languid and composed.

He spoke as if genuinely asking out of ignorance.

Namgung Paengsaeng’s brow furrowed deeply.

“…What are you talking about, you vile bandit! You said you’d send Yul down and have me go up there in her place. Isn’t that an exchange of hostages?”

When Namgung Paengsaeng asked, Chui answered once more.

“You don’t need to have your martial arts sealed. Just come up.”

“…?”

“Because I can beat you to death even like this.”

“…!”

This went beyond a hostage situation—it was an insult from one martial artist to another.

How many people in the martial world could hear such words and simply let them pass?

Especially someone who was an elder of the Namgung Clan, famed as one of the Fifteen Orthodox Clans.

Namgung Paengsaeng’s face flushed crimson with rage.

At last, he turned toward Namgung Pa and shouted.

“Clan Head! I will go! I will go up there and save Yul!”

“…”

At those words, Namgung Pa fell silent.

In this situation, it would be difficult for Namgung Paengsaeng to refuse Chui’s demand.

Setting aside whether the intruder was right or wrong, the public’s focus had already fixed on whether Namgung Paengsaeng would throw himself forward for his niece or not.

Namgung Pa knew this as well.

But—

“…”

He still hesitated.

One must be wary of falling into the intruder’s schemes, yet his daughter’s life, taken hostage, was far too precious.

In the end, Namgung Pa made his decision.

“Very well, Elder Bukgung. Please go up.”

“…!”

With the Clan Head’s permission given, Namgung Paengsaeng’s expression changed subtly.

It was something like unease and anxiety now that he truly had to go up.

He had accepted the proposal too rashly, without knowing what tricks that intruder might be hiding.

“…Ghn.”

Standing awkwardly before the altar, Namgung Paengsaeng began to hesitate.

Even Namgung Pa, the Clan Head, could not urge him on.

If things went wrong, it could be seen as the Clan Head failing in his duty and sending a retainer to his death.

“…”

Everyone hesitated, uncertain.

The crowd was bewildered by this incident befalling the Namgung Clan, and the Namgung Clan itself was just as flustered by an unprecedented situation.

Namgung Pa, the Clan Head, and Namgung Paengsaeng, the one singled out by the intruder, both stood there, unable to move forward or back.

At that moment, an irritated shout rang out.

“Paengsaeng, you sluggish fool! How long are you going to make this old man wait?!”

Namgung Cheon.

The only being here who cared nothing for anyone else’s mood.

The man who always dozed off with a bored expression was now roaring like thunder.

And his eyes—what of them?

They sparkled as if he had grown decades younger.

They looked as though this situation was so entertaining he could die laughing.

Startled as if scalded by boiling water, Namgung Paengsaeng bowed his head deeply.

“Y-yes! Former Clan Head! I-I will go up at once!”

And thus, it was set.

The blood-soaked monster.

And the aged elder of the Namgung Clan.

Between the two of them, a life-and-death duel.