Chapter 494

“Shouldn’t I be the one asking that?”

Seop Gyeong shook his head.

“Understand the intent behind the question before you speak.”

“......”

“Who dares enter the Blood Heaven Arbiter’s residence?”

“......Dares?”

“It is improper for a subordinate to come and go from his residence while the Blood Heaven Arbiter is absent.”

Namgung Wonyang’s expression hardened.

“The Blood Heaven Arbiter personally entrusted me with a task.”

Seop Gyeong gave a derisive laugh.

“Do you have proof that the Blood Heaven Arbiter asked you?”

“......”

“Do you have proof that you are Namgung Wonyang, one of the Blood Heaven Arbiter’s right hands?”

“......”

“You have no proof, I do not know who you are, and your realm is, at best...... the Harmony realm? Five Energies Returning to Origin realm? I cannot tell. You appear surprisingly skilled at concealing your energy, but you are still lacking. Woefully lacking.”

He had told her to understand the intent behind his question.

Wonyang let out a hollow laugh.

“I see now that you came here looking for a fight.”

Only then did Seop Gyeong grin.

“I thought you were slow on the uptake, but you are quicker than expected.”

Seop Gyeong stepped forward.

“Listen. The Heaven-Law Platform has upheld the great cause for hundreds of years.”

“The Heaven-Law Platform? What is that?”

“I told you only to listen. The Blood Heaven Arbiter sits in that position by the will of the Heavenly Lord—the Cult Leader of the Blood Heaven Sect—so we respect it. However.”

Seop Gyeong’s gaze pierced through Namgung Wonyang.

“We have no obligation to respect the trash around him.”

Namgung Wonyang drew her sword.

Fast.

Shing—

The blade pointed at Seop Gyeong.

But—

Tap.

Seop Gyeong caught Namgung Wonyang’s sword blade between two fingers.

Two fingers.

The sword would not move.

Not forward.

Not backward.

Namgung Wonyang exerted her strength, but the sword did not budge, trapped between those two fingers.

She tried to follow through with another movement, but just as with Chief Seong, the energy Seop Gyeong released in an instant completely bound her body.

A method she had never seen before.

No.

Could this even be called a technique?

Namgung Wonyang bit her lip.

Seop Gyeong suddenly pushed the sword.

Lightly.

Namgung Wonyang’s body slid backward.

Three steps.

Four.

Five.

Farther from the doors of Blood Spirit Hall.

Her back struck the wall.

Leaning against it, Namgung Wonyang looked up at Seop Gyeong.

He looked down at her.

“Deliver a message.”

The same words.

“Blood Spirit Hall is already within the Heaven-Law Platform’s reach.”

With that, Seop Gyeong swung his foot.

It struck Namgung Wonyang’s sword directly.

Crack—!

As though breaking a wooden plank, her sword shattered.

“This is a warning.”

Seop Gyeong turned away.

He began walking.

Exactly three steps later, he gave a derisive laugh and tilted his head slightly to the side.

The half-broken sword flashed past the place where his face had been moments before.

He turned his head.

Wonyang stood in the posture of someone who had just thrown a sword.

“What is the meaning of this?”

Wonyang smiled faintly.

“You said you came to issue a warning, but as a man, is talking all you can do?”

“......”

“The man I know does not issue warnings with words alone.”

“Hah.”

“And I still have no idea what sort of warning you came here to deliver.”

Wonyang slowly bent down and picked up the broken blade from the ground.

Then she aimed it at Seop Gyeong.

If I die here, then I must die as a martial artist.

And a martial artist must know how to see their will and convictions through, whatever form that may take.

Above all else.

There must be no regret.

His realm?

He was clearly at Unity of Heaven and Man or above.

But that did not mean she wanted to bow her head.

She did not want to beg for her life or feel grateful merely to have survived.

Watching Unhwi, Wonyang had resolved to live that way.

“......Your resolve is admirable, but you will regret this.”

“You are the one who should regret it.”

“......Hm?”

“This is Blood Spirit Hall, the residence of the Blood Heaven Sect’s great Blood Heaven Arbiter. Though he may be absent, when he learns that an uninvited intruder forced his way in and caused this disturbance......”

“......”

“You should be the one worrying. Surely you did not come here without knowing what kind of man the Blood Heaven Arbiter is.”

Wonyang charged at the derisively smiling Seop Gyeong.

She wanted to cut him at least once.

She was about to unleash the Heavenly Sun Boundless Art of the Heavenly Sun Sword Sect.

Before she could even swing her blade—

Thud.

Seop Gyeong vanished and appeared directly in front of her.

Every movement Wonyang had been making stopped at once.

It could not have been otherwise.

Just as before, Seop Gyeong held her sword between two fingers.

“I have wasted quite enough time talking to a servant girl.”

“......”

“Consider it an honor. And there is one thing you misunderstand.”

Seop Gyeong thrust out his hand.

Still holding the sword, Wonyang flew backward and crashed into the wall.

Boom.

The wall collapsed.

“If you cannot understand what this warning means, then you, the Blood Heaven Arbiter you serve, and everyone around him will all suffer greatly. That is the only thing that matters.”

“......Cough.”

“Remember it.”

Seop Gyeong turned away.

Then he vanished like smoke.

Namgung Wonyang pushed aside the fallen stones and forced herself upright.

Her entire body trembled.

Not from pain.

From rage.

Humiliation.

Complete and utter humiliation.

He had caught her sword with two fingers.

Pushed her aside.

As though she were not even worth speaking to.

Wonyang gritted her teeth and looked back at Blood Spirit Hall.

The doors remained closed.

***

Ju Soa was in the courtyard behind the guest quarters.

She had finished her evening training and was cooling down.

The hand wiping away her sweat suddenly stopped.

Bang.

Ju Soa’s eyes twitched.

Her senses were better than most realized.

Someone near the guest quarters had drawn up their energy and released it.

She had felt it clearly.

Ju Soa was about to kick off the ground when she sighed and slowly turned her head.

She sensed something wrong.

That unease soon became a presence.

A woman stood where she had turned.

Young.

In her late twenties.

Neat martial robes.

No markings.

A cold face.

No smile.

Calm eyes.

No emotion could be read from them.

Ju Soa instinctively stepped back.

People who carried an atmosphere like that were rare.

She was unmistakably a killer.

Ju Soa asked, “Who are you?”

“Twelfth Seat of the Heaven-Law Platform. Han Soyeong.”

Ju Soa tilted her head.

“The Heaven-Law Platform? What is that?”

“......”

“I don’t know what it is, but showing up like this without any courtesy is hardly proper manners, is it?”

Ju Soa smiled lazily as she reached for her sword.

Even then, Han Soyeong’s expression did not change.

She looked down at Ju Soa with complete indifference.

From top to bottom.

“The Blood Heaven Arbiter’s companion.”

“You know your facts.”

“You are young.”

“I do look young for my age.”

“You are young and ill-mannered.”

“Was that a compliment?”

Han Soyeong closed her mouth.

“What? Say the rest if you have more.”

“I already have.”

Han Soyeong continued.

“You are young and weak.”

“Ah.”

“A young and weak person stands beside the Blood Heaven Arbiter.”

Han Soyeong stepped forward.

“I do not know what the Blood Heaven Arbiter intends, but anyone who wishes to stand beside him must possess at least the minimum qualifications.”

“That is not for you to decide.”

“Is that so?”

Han Soyeong’s hand moved.

Fast.

No.

Ju Soa did not know whether fast was even the right word.

She had not seen the hand move.

She simply felt something cold against her throat.

A finger.

Han Soyeong’s index finger rested lightly against Ju Soa’s throat.

But the energy transmitted through that light touch was anything but light.

It was cold.

Like death.

Ju Soa’s body froze.

Not from fear.

From energy.

Han Soyeong’s energy was suppressing Ju Soa’s vital points.

Ju Soa could not move her mouth.

Only her eyes remained fixed on Han Soyeong.

Han Soyeong spoke.

“I did not come to kill you.”

“......”

“But remember this.”

Han Soyeong looked into Ju Soa’s eyes.

Her gaze held no emotion.

“If the Heaven-Law Platform wished it, you would already be dead.”

Ju Soa gave a derisive laugh.

“So you do not want to right now?”

Han Soyeong’s eyes twitched.

“Why? Kill me if you want to.”

“......”

“Two inches. That is all. Move your finger forward two inches and it will pierce my throat.”

Ju Soa was unquestionably staring death in the face.

It was no joke.

If Han Soyeong moved her hand even slightly, Ju Soa truly would die.

Yet Ju Soa stood proudly before death.

It was genuinely impressive.

“......You possess admirable courage.”

That was as far as she got.

The moment those words ended, Ju Soa’s hand moved.

She swung her sword.

As the sun and moon rise together into the sky and bring yin and yang into harmony, silver-white energy drove back all darkness.

Heavenly Sun Boundless Art.

Sixth Form: Sun and Moon Ascend.

Han Soyeong had intended to watch and see what Ju Soa attempted.

Her eyes suddenly widened.

She had judged Ju Soa’s realm to be the Entry-to-Divinity realm.

Yet this sword art was on a level that could not possibly emerge from that realm.

This sword art was—

At least martial god–level.

Han Soyeong withdrew her arm and retreated.

Whoosh—!

Ju Soa’s sword cut through empty air.

Flower petals scattered from the path of the blade.

Those petals were sharp enough to cut through anything they touched.

And beautiful.

It was Heavenly Spirit Energy, the unique energy of the Heavenly Sun Sword Sect.

Han Soyeong watched it briefly, then spoke in a clipped voice.

“You are using a martial art far beyond your station.”

Ju Soa grinned again.

“Just say you’re jealous. What, should I teach you the formula?”

Han Soyeong’s brow furrowed sharply.

She thrust out her foot.

Booooom—!!

“Urgh—!”

A thunderous impact and a cry of pain erupted at once.

Ju Soa was sent flying and crashed into the wall.

Just as with Wonyang, the wall collapsed.

Ju Soa could not rise easily.

Han Soyeong quietly looked down at her, then turned and walked away.

Exactly five steps.

She stopped.

Without turning around, she slowly spoke.

“Tell the Blood Heaven Arbiter.”

“......Cough. Go tell him yourself.”

“......The commander of the Heaven-Law Platform said that the law of Heaven is not something man can defy.”

“......What kind of bullshit is that?”

“Act like the servant girl you are and deliver the message.”

Leaving only those words behind, Han Soyeong vanished like smoke.

Ju Soa struggled to rise, then promptly dropped back onto the ground and sighed.

She had known this would not be an easy place.

But now some organization called the Heaven-Law Platform had appeared.

This was no joke.

She had never heard of it.

Not once in her life.

No.

“......What the hell have you been doing out there?”

Ju Soa rested there for a long while before getting to her feet and trudging away.

When she reached the training ground of the guest quarters, Wonyang and Chief Seong were already there.

One look at their expressions and physical condition as they sat on the ground told her everything.

“......You too, Chief?”

“......You too?”

Ju Soa answered Chief Seong.

“Yes. Some strange bitch showed up spouting nonsense about the Heaven-Law Platform or whatever.”

Ju Soa turned to Wonyang.

“And you?”

“Me too. Some strange bastard came, talked nonsense, and left.”

Ju Soa sighed and dropped heavily onto the ground beside them.

For a long time, none of the three spoke.