Reincarnated Sword Ghost

Blood ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Lord

Even in the split second that he diverted the foe’s palm technique to the side, Jeong-un could sense an immense cultivated power brushing against his skin.

Even though his sword was filled with true ki, it trembled and let out a thunderous roar.

In that instant, the two pairs of eyes that met exchanged a subtle gaze.

It was unmistakably interest.

The opponent was displaying a strange curiosity toward him.

Come to think of it, before the clash, he had uttered some odd words.

’Come with me?’

Words whose meaning he could not grasp. Regardless of the intent, the words themselves were deeply unpleasant.

After all, such words were never meant to be spoken by the leader of an unorthodox, chilling cult.

Pabababat─

The trajectory of the opponent’s extended hand suddenly changed.

The flow of true ki itself was instantly reversed. The retraction of that striking hand was astoundingly swift.

By instinct, Jeong-un sensed he could not leave it be.

He reinforced his slightly tilted sword, pouring strength into it and swung forward—not at the foe’s neck or torso, but targeting the trajectory of the retreating hand.

Wooong!

This was the moment for the swift sword.

He would need to infuse a tremendous surge of true ki with the rotational force of his waist in a split second.

The true ki erupted from his dantian as if being pulled out, bursting open his meridians and stimulating his muscles.

At the same time, the swung sword blade instantly blazed with a golden light, spreading like wildfire.

Saaaak!

The sword caught up to the speed of the retreating hand.

In his mind, Jeong-un had already mapped out his next move: he intended to cut off the foe’s wrist and then drive in to slice through the torso.

Just then, the enemy flipped his palm and knocked aside the incoming sword.

Jjeoeng!

Bare hand met sword, yet the sound tearing through the air was like metal colliding with metal.

But the density of cultivated power in the enemy’s palm was far greater.

’This...’

A tingling recoil shot up through Jeong-un’s hand. He realized he was up against a truly peerless expert.

Of course—that man was the inventor of the blood arts, a chilling mind method.

Regardless of the means, he was the Patriarch who had made thousands into martial artists and brought them under his command.

’That’s why he must be killed here.’

Jeong-un used the rebound from the blocked sword as leverage, controlling the surging flow of powerful ki wave and winding it around his wrist.

Tududuk.

At the same time, he could distinctly feel even the hard-trained muscles of his whole body straining to the breaking point.

The price of forcing his body was evident, but he could not stop.

Whoosh!

He suddenly lowered his waist and even bent his knees, pulling his elbow in toward his body as he felt his center of gravity drop.

The recoil contained in his wrist converted into true ki, flowing along his meridians until it clashed with the internal energy rising in his central channel.

’......!’

His entire body trembled as if an explosion had gone off inside him.

Ignoring the blood surging up his throat, he thrust his sword forward.

Immortal Points The Way.

He condensed the explosive force of immense true ki, along with the subtlety of that recently perfected ultimate move, into his wrist.

His target: a single spot on the foe’s solar plexus.

At that moment, he could feel at his fingertips how much overwhelming cultivated power he had gathered.

’That’s it.’

That thrust extended fiercely, threatening to pierce right through the opponent’s palm.

Wooooong─!

Then, Jeong-un felt the flow of a bizarre energy in the enemy’s outstretched palm.

The air around the center of the foe’s palm twisted strangely.

The faint, colorless energy tangled together, and in a moment, a dark crimson aura spread out wide.

The space before the outstretched palm gleamed red as the opponent unleashed his power.

Bang─!

A thunderous roar burst out, as if a massive boulder had exploded.

”Kgh!”

His thrusting hand was racked with pain, as though it was being torn apart.

But he could not spare any attention for the sensation.

He was still replaying in his mind the vision he had just witnessed.

The shock of that sight was overwhelming.

It was the realm where cultivated power could materialize the mysteries of martial arts—a tangible manifestation of true ki.

He’d seen it once before, and knew for certain.

Monk Mu Jung’s Buddha’s Divine Palm—he had shaped a massive hand from powerful dharma internal energy and swung it.

It was a truly transcendent, overwhelming technique.

Now, the opponent had manifested that exalted level right before his eyes.

His internal energy compressed and twisted around the center of his palm like a vortex, and just as Jeong-un’s sword reached for him, the manifestation unfolded.

’A shield.’

The shape was a massive barrier, layered with hexagonal scales, bizarre as if forged from a serpent’s skin.

The enemy had created this bizarre shield out of cultivated power to block Jeong-un’s sword.

It even seemed to match his burly, General-like appearance. On some level, the image suited him well.

With his thrust blocked and the distance widened, the foe spoke with a nonchalant face.

”Your body is like a finely crafted vessel. Your sense for handling ki is impressively keen as well. It seems you were truly born with talent.”

”......?”

”I know you’re the one who exposed our existence to the world. If not for you, none of this today would have happened.”

Jeong-un stared at him silently.

The ground around them was stained dark red with the blood that had flowed from the corpses in red robes.

It looked just like a lake made of blood.

Standing alone and aloof in the middle of it all, the enemy seemed peculiarly fitting—worthy of being called the Lord of Blood.

Slowly, Jeong-un parted his lips.

”You sure talk like a typical unorthodox dog.”

”......?”

”You must know that with the ki wave you unleashed upon your arrival, dozens of your subordinates have already crossed the river of death. Their meridians must have been twisted in agony at the end.”

”So what do you want me to do?”

”I just found it odd you could use the word ’we’. Did you ever even see those minions of yours as comrades?”

”Comrades?”

The foe snorted.

”Your foolishness isn’t altogether unseemly. Seeing such ignorance makes me want to instruct you. If I taught you our sect’s noble doctrine, it might even be amusing.”

”It is rather entertaining, seeing you talk about nobility with that shameless mouth that drains human essence.”

”Sadly, you don’t have much time left. You’re bound to vanish soon, swept away in the flow of reincarnation, so there’s no reason to teach you anything.”

Reincarnation.

One of his subordinates had mentioned it before. Of course, it was empty nonsense.

The Buddhist concept of reincarnation that they twisted was never meant to absolve the guilt of killing another.

The opponent continued.

”You look unconvinced. It doesn’t matter. Those people came to me of their own will to serve as stepping stones for the great work. They closed their eyes with no regrets.”

”Are you really talking about sacrifice after killing them with your own hands?”

”It’s not sacrifice, but the natural order. They must consider it an honor and be grateful.”

”Madman.”

Jeong-un muttered as if he expected no other answer. This man was just a chilling fiend who concocted the blood arts.

What drew the throngs below were a fervent yearning for strength and the easy power he promised.

Only those captivated by such things gathered beneath him.

Of course, to invent a martial art is a feat requiring immense talent as a martial artist—exceptional intuition and insight into internal energy, meridians, and bodily movement.

It’s not enough to simply master the art of moving energies.

If one is to pass it on to others, it requires an extraordinarily refined mnemonic formula.

Apparently, even that shallow doctrine was enough for him to found a vast heretical cult, likely thanks to his innate intuition.

’Truly the root of all calamity.’

How many have died to the martial arts this man created?

With thousands of cultists, it was impossible to count them all.

A man whose neck must be severed.

But could he do it?

Jeong-un couldn’t help but wonder for a moment. The martial skill this foe had just revealed was truly masterful.

Just then, hearing Jeong-un’s insult, the man burst into loud laughter.

”Was that meant to be an insult? You’re a truly naïve fellow. In this world, is there anyone who isn’t mad? Not just me, but you, those foolish old leaders you revere in the orthodox clans, even the wretched lowly beings who can’t use a scrap of internal energy—every one of them is just the same.”

”...... You just put ’nobility’ in your mouth earlier.”

With that, Jeong-un glanced at Yong So-myeong, who had been sent flying in a single strike and was lying motionless in the distance.

’No, he’s still alive.’

He noticed a faint breath—enough for now to feel reassured. He continued,

”Those commoners, who focus on their own lives without causing harm like you, are nobler than you’ll ever be. If anything, you’re just a parasite—lurking where unseen, fattening yourself on others’ blood and flesh.”

”.......”

”You call yourself the Blood Lord? With a congregation of filthy leech-like creatures, wouldn’t King of Worms suit you better? Take a moment and consider which is truer.”

The foe fell silent, now glaring at Jeong-un with a hardened face.

Apparently, ”madman” was no insult to him, but what Jeong-un had just said seemed to have struck a nerve.

He was, after all, the cult leader commanding thousands.

Jeong-un had assumed his mental cultivation would be impressive—but perhaps, surrounded only by those who worshipped him, that side of him was less developed.

’This should be a basic tactic.’

At least to Jeong-un, it was.

Disrupting the opponent’s state of mind so they couldn’t utilize their full martial power was part of battle, one that had proven quite effective so far.

Wooooong─

It seemed to work again.

A chilling red energy began to condense in both of the foe’s hands.

Only now did Jeong-un notice—the man was not just using the energy within his body but drawing in the surrounding natural energy, causing the air around his hands to twist.

He had reached the realm of bringing in unrefined natural energy for use.

”... So be it. There’s no point preaching our doctrine to the likes of you—a man fated to die and serve as nourishment soon anyway.”

”So when you said ’come with me’ earlier, you meant to drain my energy?”

”What else would I do with you? At first, I intended to move to a more refined place to take you, but now I’ve changed my mind. Here and now, I will seize your vast internal energy and surpass even Shaolin’s Mu Jung.”

A powerful stream of energy swirled around the foe like a maelstrom.

Jeong-un likewise roused all his energy.

From their earlier exchange, he could feel injuries throughout his body, but had no time to worry.

He faced death again—this time, against an expert in peak transcendent realm.

’Just what I wanted.’

Once he took up the sword and stepped onto the martial world, his life was already forfeit.

Hadn’t he longed to reach the pinnacle, to pursue the sword’s ultimate ends through continual growth?

To shrink back now, just because he faced one stronger, was unthinkable.

Overcome, or die. It was one or the other.

Resolved, internal energy naturally surged into the hand gripping his sword, as if completing its preparation.

His cultivated power flooded into the sword guard, suffusing the blade with energy.

”.......”

Jeong-un calculated the intervals. The Immortal Points The Way technique he’d just used had failed.

His adversary had reached the exalted realm where he could summon a solid shield of true ki at will.

He needed another way.

’Moonlight Swift Steps.’

After all, swordplay began with bodily movement.

Moonlight Swift Steps was both a body-strengthening art and a martial technique that mapped out movement paths for combat.

’It’ll be decided in an instant. If I make even a slight misjudgment, I’ll die.’

Veins rose stark blue on the back of the hand gripping his sword.

Tang─!

In a flash, the enemy closed the distance, both hands brimming with enhanced energy.

Was that lightness skill?

The way he compressed the space and appeared right before Jeong-un was astoundingly swift, with overwhelming waves of force radiating as a side effect.

Jeong-un threw open all the meridians in his body, channeling his internal energy through his sword.

Kwaaang!

He clashed sword-to-palm against the foe’s two-handed palm technique head-on.

A crashing wave of ki surged through him with immense force, striking his whole body—even though he was sure he’d blocked it.

’......!’

For the briefest instant, he lost consciousness while staring straight ahead.

His body had failed to withstand the opponent’s overwhelming cultivated power.

This time, he hadn’t even taken the option to deflect it—he was fortunate simply not to be swept away and killed.

’Get a hold of yourself.’

The struggle began anew. The enemy’s intentions were clear—duel him up close in this tight gap.

Their eyes met, and Jeong-un saw greed flickering in the man’s crimson gaze.

Then finally, the reward for enduring the pain arrived: a path revealed itself in Jeong-un’s sight.

In the fleeting moment when he held out against the foe’s monstrous strength, Moonlight Swift Steps presented the path of the blade.

Wooong─

He forced out even more true ki, thickening his enhanced energy slightly.

It worked—the trembling from the foe’s force abated from his fingertips, and he simultaneously twisted the blade of his sword rightward, creating an opening.

Kagagang!

He raised the sword guard, sharply angling the sword so that his own flank was exposed.

Predictably, the enemy noticed it.

But Jeong-un saw it, too.

Hwaak!

The instant the foe retracted his arm to attack, Jeong-un planned to let the sword slide past and bring it down upon the enemy’s shoulder.

He thought to sacrifice his flank to sever the foe’s arm.

Realizing Jeong-un’s intent, the Blood Lord exclaimed in astonishment, even sounding somewhat incredulous.

”... Are you suggesting we exchange blows?”

Jeong-un met the man’s gaze and slowly replied,

”If you lack the resolve, back out now.”

-------------= Clacky’s Corner -------------=

Damn, going toe to toe with the Blood Lord...

【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】