The investigation team members who were swept away with the water poured out from the hole in the wall. Looking like drowned rats, they landed messily on the floor, but the team was filled with joy and cheered loudly.
“We’re alive!”
“We made it out!!”
Naturally, their reaction was understandable since they had narrowly escaped a crisis of drowning.
While everyone celebrated, only Ho Cheon-an and his group hurriedly got to their feet looking for Tang So-yeol.
“Master!”
“Miss Tang So-yeol!”
Confirming that a Hwa-gyeong Martial Artist had brought an unconscious Tang So-yeol with them, Ho Cheon-an and his group rushed over.
Tang So-yeol looked terrible. There were clear signs of a nosebleed on her face, and her complexion was alarmingly pale.
When Ho Cheon-an checked Tang So-yeol’s pulse, he breathed a sigh of relief.
Although her pulse was weak, it was still beating.
It required a detailed examination by a doctor, but for now, it was a relief to confirm she was alive.
While the team was calming their astonished hearts as they checked on Tang So-yeol’s condition, the surviving investigation team members also rose one by one, gathering their strength after the joy of survival.
“I’m really sick of water.”
“We may need help on the surface, so let’s hurry!”
“Right, there’s no time to be fatigued!”
With that, everyone got to their feet along with the investigation team. Dokgo I-seol, who had conserved her strength by being out of the fight, picked up Tang So-yeol.
Watching that scene, Ho Cheon-an also stood up.
“Let’s go up.”
It was time to return to the surface.
* *
The state of the investigation team was anything but fine.
In the end, they managed to escape thanks to Tang So-yeol’s efforts, but they had used all sorts of means in the process.
They had attempted to enter through the hole where the water was shooting out against the pressure and had exhausted their energy and martial arts skills trying to break through the ceiling and walls.
They were about to drown underground, so did they really have the luxury to conserve their strength?
Moreover, they were soaked from head to toe, and the investigation team trudged upwards with their backs bent, like martial artists who had just suffered a defeat.
From an appearance standpoint, they looked no different than fleeing soldiers, yet the fierceness exuding from the investigation team was palpable.
Having faced the threat of being drowned alive, they were clearly riled up.
As the light coming from the surface grew stronger, the investigation team quickened their pace.
Just when the backlight welcomed them and they all grimaced as they dashed out of the cave, fierce battles were taking place above ground.
The Eighteen Arhats, who were barely holding their formation, had broken down, and in their stead, the Martial Forest Alliance martial artists unleashed attacks upon the Black Serpent.
The fierce onslaught from Master Un-jong and the avoided attacks from the Blood Ancestor filled the air.
Seeing the situation, Akso-pung shouted out.
“Bipeongsanhaedae! Attack now!”
Not to be outdone, Moyong Seo raised his sword, yelling.
“Deal with the Blood Sect’s minions!”
Waaahhhh!!
The investigation team roared as they took flight towards the Black Serpent and Blood Ancestor. I followed closely behind.
I was just as angry, ready to chop down the Black Serpent like the rest of the investigation team, but unfortunately, I couldn’t unleash Oh Seong-jin.
Tang So-yeol had destroyed Dokgo I-seol’s belt.
The sudden shouting caught the attention of the Martial Forest Alliance members, who had been fighting vigorously. Master Un-jong also turned his head to look this way.
“The martial artists have made it out!”
“The Array Formation Teams have returned!”
When the Martial Forest Alliance members confirmed the safe appearance of the investigation team, cheers of joy erupted. Master Un-jong followed the movements of Yeo Il-ye and Hyeok Gi-rin, who were executing their skills with trembling expressions.
The same was true for the Blood Ancestor; upon confirming that the investigation team had escaped, the Blood Ancestor quickly secured an escape route.
For just a moment, the Martial Forest members who had focused on the investigation team couldn’t stop the Black Serpent and Blood Ancestor from breaking through their encirclement.
“Cough! Resist!”
“Chase them! We can’t let them get away!”
As the Martial Forest members charged forward to close the distance, I felt it.
Even though the Blood Ancestor had only brushed past me in the traps below, they were now fixated directly on me.
“Ho Cheon-an! Come back to the Blood Sect now!”
An unexpected call.
The feet of the Martial Forest members, who were just about to unleash their momentum and fly, stopped, and the rushing steps of the investigation team also slowed.
At that moment, everyone’s gaze was drawn to me.
“You’re still spouting untrustworthy words!”
Master Un-jong shouted, trying to regain control of the situation.
“Kekekeke…! Hahaha!!”
However, the Blood Ancestor merely burst into loud laughter at Master Un-jong’s rebuttal. Those sensing something off from the Blood Ancestor began to stir.
“Truly amusing. That child, Ho Cheon-an, is my grandson!”
“Does anyone here trust your sleight of words!”
“Kekekekek! Then why not ask the person directly?”
All eyes turned to me.
I looked up at the Blood Ancestor hovering above the Black Serpent.
It was truly absurd, but now, I could finally meet the eyes of my maternal grandfather, which I had been unable to do even in the underground stronghold or at the moment of the trap.
My heart raced.
…I had.
I had always been troubled.
The Entity of the Blood Sect’s lion that rode upon me had offered me the position of successor to the Blood Sect, and I had firmly rejected it.
When I turned it down, I was furious.
The lion’s message was simple: step into the Blood Sect as their successor.
They only needed a successor, implying that becoming one was an obvious choice.
There wasn’t even a mention of my mother and father, or my grandfather, or any apology for the wrongs done to me—naturally, I could only be enraged at their attitude.
The lion of the Blood Sect had left with a somewhat threatening suggestion, but it didn’t matter at that moment.
I was already filled with resentment towards my maternal grandfather.
What would it matter to hold a grudge? He was already my sworn enemy.
With that thought, I left for the House of Jegal.
I had to arm myself with the means to face the Entities of the Blood Sect to do anything about it.
So I climbed aboard the flying Bicheongmacha, headed to the House of Jegal, sought out Seo Mun-yeon, trained with Oh Seong-jin, and hunted Entities to gain real-world experience.
Even while equipping myself with the means to fight the Entities of the Blood Sect, I always kept a corner of my heart filled with suspicion.
Soon enough, an attack from my maternal grandfather, who I had rejected as the successor, was coming.
But to my surprise, nothing happened to validate that suspicion until I acquired the Array Formation, practiced it, and hunted Entities.
The longer that time stretched, the more a feeling of hope grew within me.
Perhaps my grandfather felt a twinge of remorse towards me.
When I met him at the age of fifteen, he was a man devoid of even a drop of blood or tears, but so much time had passed since then that perhaps some change of heart might have occurred.
Maybe we could avoid pointing knives at each other’s hearts.
Though a bitter enemy to my parents and grandfather, we were still connected by blood—surely, it didn’t have to end in violence.
I pondered these thoughts.
And those thoughts only deepened when I heard news of the Blood Sect’s movements.
I understood well that the Blood Sect was waiting for the moment they could rear their Entities after taming them for a long time.
Before taking such drastic actions, it was right to first settle matters concerning me.
My name already held significant weight in the Martial World, so if I became their successor, it would greatly benefit future events.
If they had no intention of persuading me, it would be a reasonable judgment to eliminate me altogether.
Yet, the Blood Sect acted as if I was negligible, proceeding with their plans.
So…perhaps.
The Blood Ancestor must have felt a connection towards me after all.
Those thoughts began to take shape.
Maybe he was struggling with his feelings about my treatment, or perhaps he was deliberately refraining from interfering with me, burdened by guilt.
The Blood Sect’s movements had to be stopped.
The Martial World operated on the logic of power, and while it was difficult to say that it was wrong for the strong to push aside other sects to claim their spots, the history of the Blood Sect, and the disasters I had seen and experienced were evidence enough that the Blood Sect should never gain power.
So, without hesitation, I headed to the Martial Forest Alliance, defeated the Saber Beast, reclaimed the Botamun, and opposed the Blood Sect.
Despite that, as I took action against the Blood Sect, there was still a longing in my heart to face my grandfather, the Blood Ancestor, whenever and wherever we might cross paths, and to openly share my heart, setting aside all my resentment.
Perhaps, there was a choice to stop the bloodshed once and for all.
Had someone else been able to read my thoughts, they might have called me foolish.
Maybe…even my companions thought I was a foolish man too.
But I couldn’t completely shake off such thoughts.
Is this what they call blood ties?
Having been treated as a mere tool, being the sworn enemy of my parents and grandfather, and the cause of chaos throughout the Martial World, still, I could not let go of a thread of hope in my heart.
And then.
The moment I locked eyes with the Blood Ancestor.
I realized.
My maternal grandfather, no, the Blood Ancestor had not allowed me to be free until now out of some kindness or sentiment.
I was simply a tool.
Just a tool to be used.
Would anyone ask a tool for its opinion? When someone uses a stick as a cane or repurposes it to be a spade or something else, would they feel a twinge of conscience or disquiet?
Probably not. Even if someone hesitated, they would never entertain the perspective of a tool.
The Blood Ancestor was exactly like that.
To him, I was merely a tool. Ever since he heard of my deeds in the Martial Forest Alliance, he had utilized me as a bait to lead the Martial Forest Alliance into traps, and when that bait failed, he had used me to further divide them.
My exploits in the current Martial Forest Alliance were not insignificant, so if it became known that I was the Blood Ancestor’s flesh and blood, it would undoubtedly cause great chaos.
The Blood Ancestor had been cleverly using me as a tool, adapting to the circumstances.
I met the gaze of the Blood Ancestor and poignantly understood this fact.
“…Is that all you have to say?”
My voice trembled pathetically. Perhaps my eyes were shaking uncontrollably as well.
“Resist as much as you like. The Blood Sect will dominate the world, and you shall be its successor.”
“I don’t need to hear any more nonsense!”
Moyong Seo stepped in.
“Kekekeke! If you truly think it’s nonsense, then I will hand over my proof.”
The Blood Ancestor tore open his sleeve and wrapped it around his right hand. A sharp metallic limb pierced through the Blood Ancestor’s right hand. Instantly, his sleeve soaked in his blood.
The sleeve stained with the Blood Ancestor’s blood fell to the ground.
“Find someone who can handle blood arts and verify it. See if my blood and Ho Cheon-an’s blood are truly connected! Hahaha!”
Moyong Seo’s gaze wavered before returning to me.
It was probably because he instinctively sensed that the Blood Ancestor wasn’t lying.
“Is that all you have to say?”
What on earth was I hoping to hear?
Did I want an apology for what happened that day even in this situation?
Or was I begging desperately for some form of acknowledgment?
“Oh, I see. I won’t interfere with your marriage. So you don’t have to worry about your women’s situations.”
But the Blood Ancestor’s reply was close to mockery. No, this was probably all calculated.
He was tying me together with my companions to incite division within the Martial Forest Alliance.
I closed my eyes.
What on earth had I been doing?
Before the Blood Sect moved, I might have been able to find their Entities or strongholds.
But I merely scouted the outskirts of the traces left by the Blood Sect, pretending I was hunting Entities.
In a situation where the Blood Sect was not targeting me, I didn’t want to take the first offensive against my maternal grandfather.
Perhaps I didn’t want to close the door on a potential reconciliation with my own hands.
After discovering the taint of traps and secret documents, I engaged in an attack on the stronghold.
I just went along with the Martial Forest Alliance’s movements in silence.
I secretly met with the faction leader to discuss future outcomes, yet I still thrust my face into what I thought was a trap.
I didn’t want to believe that my grandfather had dug traps using me.
The result was as it stands.
Not only was I almost drowned with my companions and the investigation team, but Tang So-yeol also collapsed, risking herself to save us.
In an alternate scenario, the investigation team could have all perished, or perhaps Tang So-yeol could have died.
The outcome was a result of my hesitation and avoidance.
It was a tragedy spawned by my foolish affection toward the bonds of blood.
Was this the conversation I had longed for?
I was an imbecile.
“I understand.”
Having known this would happen, I still couldn’t part with my unfounded affection; I was a fool.
Only after going through such chaos could I finally make a resolution.
I opened my eyes and gazed at my grandfather.
Severance.
A thread in my heart had been cut.
“I’ll say it clearly.”
No longer did my voice tremble.
The foolish wishes had been replaced by cold rationality.
So I firmly vowed.
Since you treated me as a tool, I will not regard you as my blood anymore.
You are no longer my maternal grandfather but merely the Blood Ancestor, Seo Gwang-ho.
You are the sworn enemy of my parents and grandfather.
You are the one who put my companions at risk.
And you are the great evil trying to plunge the Martial World into chaos.
“I shall defeat you.”
The Blood Ancestor, Seo Gwang-ho, was an enemy that I must inevitably overcome.
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