Reincarnation of the Blood Demon - Chapter 29

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Blood Demon Reborn
Chapter 29
Welcome back.
‘A secret?’
Ma Hyeol-jin’s face hardened like stone. Jeok Un-hui hadn’t said it outright, but there was no mistaking the implication.

‘Anyone could see he means to strike at the Hwan-hon faction.’
After killing the Nok-rim bandit chief, the Third Young Master’s behavior had certainly been unsettling.
But Ma Hyeol-jin had never imagined he would actually march on them like this, so brazenly.
‘And in the Grand Prince’s territory, no less!’

He’d known for some time that Jeok Un-hui wasn’t in his right mind, but he hadn’t expected it to be this severe.

“Do you perhaps harbor some personal grudge against the Hwan-hon faction?”
“A grudge? I’ve been stuck in Nam-hwa District for years. I’ve never even set foot in Seo-ryong District.”
“Then why……?”

Ma Hyeol-jin narrowed his brow, studying the man before him.
If it wasn’t that, then what possible reason could there be for this madness?
No matter the cause, Ma Hyeol-jin couldn’t fathom it. He was, after all, a member of the Blood Cult himself.
“This could lead to war……!”
And that war would almost certainly end with the Jeok Un faction annihilated.

“Seo-ryong District is in a different league entirely!”

If Nam-hwa District had been a scattered rabble without proper direction, Seo-ryong District was unified under the Grand Prince and his Ma-ryong Unit — an elite force loyal to him alone.
In sheer numbers, five times Nam-hwa’s strength.
And the qualitative difference was even greater still.
A direct confrontation with them would mean utter annihilation.
Jeok Un-hui narrowed his eyes in response.
“What are you going on about? And who said anything about fighting Seo-ryong District? All we need to do is crush the Hwan-hon faction cleanly. ……Of course, assuming such a thing even happens.”

The note added as an afterthought was remarkably indifferent. He didn’t even seem to care about hiding it.

“That makes no sense…….”
Ma Hyeol-jin felt despair washing over him.
It had been so recently that he’d rejoiced at becoming Deputy Faction Leader, and now despair was consuming him once again.
‘I must be insane. What was I thinking, attaching myself to this lunatic?’
Ma Hyeol-jin seriously contemplated deserting the Jeok Un faction and fleeing right then, but Jeok Un-hui seemed as composed as ever, whether he knew of these thoughts or not.
“The Grand Prince is away on a mission for the Cult Leader. What are you so afraid of?”
The Grand Prince was currently away, having received orders from the Cult Leader to carry out a task.
Of course, Ma Hyeol-jin knew this too. In fact, he had been the one to report it directly to Jeok Un-hui.
‘……That’s true. The Hwan-hon faction can be dealt with one way or another.’
It was absurd even to be entertaining such thoughts, but this Third Young Master had already turned impossible things into reality before.
Having witnessed those deranged feats firsthand, Ma Hyeol-jin could never doubt his capability.
‘Whether it’s strength or whatever else — he’ll find a way.’
If he truly set his mind to it, there seemed little chance the Hwan-hon faction would survive intact.
Since the Ma-ryong Unit moved only at the Grand Prince’s discretion, they wouldn’t launch an immediate retaliatory strike once the Hwan-hon faction fell.
The real problem lay afterward.
When the Grand Prince returned from his mission.
“But what will you do once the Grand Prince returns? No matter how forthright he’s said to be, even the Grand Prince won’t simply sit idle while his own forces are attacked.”
That wouldn’t be virtue — that would be stupidity. Though the Grand Prince had earned a reputation for rare integrity in the Demonic Path, he hadn’t reached his position as top candidate for Cult Leader’s successor on accident.
The Grand Prince was a formidable man, possessing both righteous bearing and the cold-blooded pragmatism of the Demonic Path.
It wouldn’t be strange if he struck down the hammer of punishment the moment he returned.
‘We wouldn’t even be able to resist. We’d just be slaughtered.’
Yet Jeok Un-hui merely chuckled, unconcerned.
“Afraid of the Grand Prince’s return? I’m not worried.”
At that evasive tone, Ma Hyeol-jin suddenly felt his blood rise, and he raised his voice despite himself.
“Then are you saying the rest of us should all just die!”

He’d spoken without thinking and hurried to glance at Jeok Un-hui, but the man merely wore that enigmatic smile.
“Want to bet on how the Grand Prince will react?”
“…Sorry?”
“The Grand Prince won’t do a thing. I’d stake my life on it.”
“But…what do you mean—”
Ma Hyeol-jin squinted at Jeok Un-hui.
The absolute certainty in his bearing that the Grand Prince would not retaliate.
Ma Hyeol-jin wanted to cry out asking how he could know such a thing, but staring into those confident eyes, the words caught in his throat.
He could only convey his meaning with a look.
“My eldest brother is terrified of our father.”
Only an answer that explained nothing came back.
Jeok Un-hui’s eyes curved like a crescent moon.
“Well. The choice is yours.”
Ma Hyeol-jin could only watch numbly as Jeok Un-hui turned and vanished.
* * *
Four days later.
“There’s my Hyeol-jin. Truly capable.”
Jeok Un-hui marveled anew as he accepted the documents from Ma Hyeol-jin.
They contained detailed information: the characteristics and varieties of Hwan-hon faction martial arts, personnel composition, physical descriptions and personal records of key figures—everything meticulous and thorough.
When had he opposed this so vehemently, and yet here Ma Hyeol-jin had prepared such high-quality intelligence after all.
It could not compare to what the Cult Leader’s direct Blood-sheep Hall possessed, but within the constraints of what was available, it was the best possible result.
“I’m still not certain this is the right thing to do…”
He had committed to it and gathered intelligence with full effort, but he remained unsure whether touching the Hwan-hon faction was wise at all.
Jeok Un-hui laughed as though asking what he was worried about.
“That’s why I’m going alone, isn’t it?”
If the Jeok Un faction had swarmed in, it would surely have been read as a declaration of war.
Since Jeok Un-hui alone had undertaken this, there was little reason to fear the calamity would fall upon Nam-hwa District itself.
“…But what if the Grand Prince goes mad and brings an army?”
“I know my eldest brother. He’s not such a fool.”
“Sigh…”
Ma Hyeol-jin remained anxious regardless.
“Still, are you truly certain you’ll be all right on your own?”
“Why? Will you help me then?”
“”
“So even in empty words, you won’t offer to help.”
“My apologies.”
For all his sharp tongue, Jeok Un-hui had always intended to go alone.
If martial artists were asked to name what they feared most, it would be masters of Poison Mastery and Illusion Magic.
The terror of losing all one had built through blood and sweat without drawing a single blade—that was the dread.
Beyond a certain threshold, one might overcome such arts, but the martial practitioners of Nam-hwa District had not yet trained themselves to overcome Hwan-hon faction’s Illusion Magic.
‘Small assistance would be one thing, but there’s no point in adding needless corpses to the tally.’
If he could handle it alone, he would. That was his principle.
“So what will you do alone?”
Was he thinking of smashing everything like last time?
At Ma Hyeol-jin’s worried question, Jeok Un-hui laughed sharply.
“Grit and brute force—there’s nothing in this world they can’t overcome.”
“…?”
“In any case, there’s something you need to do for me.”
“Yes? What would that…”

Ma Hyeol-jin’s expression clouded with confusion. Jeok Un-hui spoke quietly.

“From now on, you’re going to turn bandit.”

* * *

On the outskirts of Seo-ryong District, in a secluded forest where no one ventured, two men met in secret.
A tiger-striped man with a broad saber hanging heavy at his waist, and a masked figure with sharp features.
The tiger-striped man held something like a restraint rope in his hand, and it was attached to a person—a boy bound by the rope, his head covered with a cloth sack, his shoulders hunched in fear.
The masked figure looked the tiger-striped man up and down before speaking.

“Where’s the previous one?”
“An Inspection came down from the main compound, so he’s lying low for now.”
“Hmm…….”

Still wearing suspicion like a mask. The Tiger-striped Man’s frown deepened to match.

“Look, I took risks coming here myself. Just take it already.”
“How dare you…….”

The masked figure’s gaze was a pointed blade. The Tiger-striped Man flinched but held his ground.
At last, the masked figure clicked his tongue and stepped back.

“Fine, fine. But why only one this time? This isn’t what was ordered.”
“I told you—an Inspection came to the main compound. I barely managed to smuggle out this much.”
“Even so…….”

The masked figure’s displeasure hung in the air for a moment, then he gave a small nod.

“All right. Leave it.”
“Thank you for your time.”

Ma Hyeol-jin released the Restraint Rope and turned to leave.
That was when the masked figure’s voice cut through the darkness, cold as a knife.

“Wait.”
“……!”

Ma Hyeol-jin’s body went rigid. Cold sweat traced a line down his spine.

‘Was I discovered?’

His mind froze. He tried to retrace his steps, but nothing came to him.

‘If it comes to that…….’

Ma Hyeol-jin’s hand was sliding slowly toward the Broad Saber at his waist when the masked figure spoke again, his voice low with warning.

“Next time, keep your eyes properly lowered. Know your place.”
“…….”

Not the worst scenario he’d imagined. Ma Hyeol-jin exhaled quietly in relief and gave a small bow.

“……I will remember.”
The Hwan-hon faction sorcerer watched Ma Hyeol-jin’s receding figure, then spat into the darkness.

“Vermin. Common bandits…….”

Under other circumstances, he would never have stooped to deal with them. Without this mission, he’d have slit the man’s throat and offered it to the Altar without a second thought.
Suppressing his disgust, the sorcerer turned his gaze elsewhere.
A boy, cowed and trembling, a Cloth Sack pulled over his head.
A cruel sight indeed, yet he felt no guilt—only satisfaction. A smile played at his lips as he whispered.

“Do not be afraid. If your worthless flesh serves to build the Grand Design, that too shall be glory for you.”
“…….”

He spoke as though he truly believed every word, without the faintest doubt.
Then his brow furrowed slightly.

“Hmm?”

……Did I just clench my fist?

He figured that fear could do such things and simply turned his gaze away.

“Come. We have far to go.”

For reasons he couldn’t name, he led the boy—who kept making those grinding, crackling sounds—deeper into the dark forest.

* * *

The scent so thick it ached behind the eyes, cloying blood-reek suffusing the entire clearing—a nauseous space.
The granite altar at its center stood dark-red with blood, and the grotesque runes etched on its pillars were stained the same crimson, as though written in gore itself.
At the heart of the altar sat a large vessel of unknown material, radiating an undeniable aura of dread.
A robed figure knelt before it in meditation, cross-legged.

“Master, I have returned with the sacrifice.”

The Hwan-hon faction sorcerer who had faced Ma Hyeol-jin earlier bowed respectfully, hands clasped, but the master simply opened his eyes and spoke without a trace of warmth.

“Why only one?”
“My apologies. There was a sudden complication in Nok-rim…….”
“A complication?”
“An inspection arrived at the main compound, it seems.”
“I see.”

The master rose slowly from his meditation, his expression blank, and moved toward the sacrifice.

“Do not fear. The pain will be brief…….”

Speaking in measured tones, he reached to remove the cloth sack covering the boy’s head.

“……What?”

The sorcerer’s pupils shattered with sudden tremor.
As the cloth fell away, the boy’s face was revealed.
Most of all, his eyes—those eyes could never belong to a mere hostage.

‘……Blood Eyes.’

Eyes like pools of dripping blood. Even the master of the Hwan-hon faction, seasoned in sorcery though he was, could not have mustered such an aura.
His heart hammered as though it might split from his ribs.

“Pleased to meet you. I’m Jeok Un-hui.”

The boy spoke with no warmth whatsoever.
The sorcerer stared blankly at the subordinate who had brought him.

“What exactly have you brought me……?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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