Chapter 103. The Trial of Union

"So, when exactly did the Blue Blood Hall Lord enter the headquarters?"

"Within the past one or two shichen."

Haerak furrowed his brows, looking troubled.

"No matter how fast I go after them, it'll be after they've already entered Jin Yin Mountain. You stay here."

"Pardon? If you're heading to Jin Yin Mountain, of course, I should go with you."

"That old geezer might spare me, but he'll definitely kill you. Why bother?"

"Well, that's true."

Doyu, seemingly not serious, stepped back without further protest. He followed Haerak down the stairs.

But just then, another sect member, rushing up the stairs, caught sight of them and turned pale. He hadn't expected to run into the Hall Lord. The sect member quickly averted his gaze and bowed in the narrow stairwell.

Doyu spoke calmly to Haerak.

"I ordered a check on the Hubei passage on the way up."

Haerak looked at him silently.

"I thought maybe the Blue Blood Hall Lord might've left a gatekeeper behind so no one could follow. You don't like hassle, do you? I figured I'd have it cleared in advance."

Haerak smiled as he looked at the subordinate who took initiative without being told.

"Looking at you, I think I understand why the Blood Demon can't kill me."

"... Is that a compliment?"

The Hall Lord didn't answer, only curled his lips. Though uneasy, Doyu took it as praise and kept quiet.

Just then, the sect member who'd been watching for the right moment cautiously spoke.

"I went to check and found signs that it had been opened. I don't know how to break through the formation, so I couldn't pursue, but it's certain someone entered. I also searched the path near the rocky trail, but there were no signs of people. Yet, up to the formation, there were two sets of footprints."

Since only two had crossed, the Blue Blood Hall Lord hadn't taken any subordinates with him. That likely wasn't out of urgency.

‘He must've intended to return to the Central Plains.’

To settle in the Central Plains.

The Blood Demon had allowed it as well.

Haerak held in a sigh.

Isn't it obvious why he used the Blue Blood Hall Lord, whom he cherishes so much, just to transport one righteous woman?

The Blood Demon must also suspect that Tang So-hwa might have turned back time.

Tang So-hwa had also heard about the Blood Demon from him, so she must've guessed why the Blood Demon was seeking her.

And yet, with such audacity, she followed the Blue Blood Hall Lord to find the Blood Demon.

'She's out of her mind.'

Haerak knew how much Tang So-hwa loathed the Blood Sect.

For someone like her to do something this outrageous just to meet the Blood Demon—her reason was also clear.

'She intends to kill the Blood Demon with her own hands.'

Haerak muttered to himself without realizing.

“...She’s insane.”

The very words Tang So-hwa often said to him came out of Haerak's own mouth.

He brushed the back of his head and turned his gaze away.

"Doyu, bring me the arm."

"Yes, please wait a moment."

Though no subject was mentioned, the Deputy Lord understood the Hall Lord's order. It was likely referring to the Red Blood Hall Lord's arm, which had been brought over recently. Haerak made no move to stop Doyu as he headed down to the storage.

If the Red Blood Hall Lord found out, he would go berserk, but this was the only thing that might make the Blood Demon take interest in him rather than in Tang So-hwa.

The Red Blood Hall Lord might erupt with betrayal and go wild—who knew what he might do...

But that could be dealt with later. For now, Haerak waited for Doyu to return with the Red Blood Hall Lord's arm.

***

So-hwa looked up at the sky, now touched with the light of dawn.

Judging by the time being similar to that of Hubei, it didn't seem they had traveled too far. Or perhaps they had moved a great distance—either upward or downward.

She had taken a gamble, determined to uncover what the Alliance Leader would not reveal. But now that she was in the heart of the Blood Sect, tension began to rise in her chest.

Crunch.

At that moment, the Blood Sect member walking ahead came to a stop.

Before him was a steep cliff.

So-hwa's eyes narrowed.

Below the cliff lay a basin—large enough to house an entire city.

Yet the basin appeared completely empty. Only a black shadow, like a deep hole, could be seen. The way the eaves of several pavilions protruded beyond a circular border made it look like the shadow of a fortress wall.

Perhaps some dark arts had been used to obscure the place, but its shadow could not be hidden.

A carefree voice called out from ahead.

"Hey, over here."

The sect member kicked at the snow with his foot, revealing a cloth-covered hole. It was large enough for two people to pass through with ease.

"Heh heh. Back in the day, the Main Blood Hall Lord was too lazy to go down, so he melted a hole in the ice wall. What a crazy bastard. I rushed over, thinking an intruder had come in, but he shamelessly spouted nonsense, asking why he should suffer when there was such an easy way to get in. Even after being locked in the dungeon for over a month, he didn't repent."

He chuckled as he insulted Haerak, then looked So-hwa in the eye.

"Still, this is one of the few decent things that bastard did. You've come to Jin Yin Mountain at a time when you don't need to climb down the cliff—consider yourself lucky."

At those words, So-hwa frowned.

‘... No way…’

While suspicion spread in her eyes, the man slid into the hole.

"Wahahaha!"

His frivolous laughter echoed all around.

A moment later, the man popped out from the middle of the cliff and landed in the basin.

Brushing the snow off himself, he waved up at her.

"Wahahah! Hurry and come down! Damn, it's been a while since I slid—this is fun!"

So-hwa's vision dimmed slightly.

‘.. Why is there not a single sane person in the Blood Sect?

Jumping off the cliff seemed like the more reasonable choice.

Still, she couldn't afford to raise suspicion after coming this far.

Suppressing her self-loathing, So-hwa entered the hole.

After a while, she was flung out of the exit and landed naturally on the snowy field. She hadn't sunk into the snow, so there wasn't much to brush off.

Clicking his tongue as if disappointed, the sect member turned his back on her.

"Tch, orthodox folks have no sense of romance. You're barely enjoying something this fun."

Not caring for the man's mood, So-hwa silently turned her gaze. Now that they had descended into the basin, the shadow was no longer visible.

And soon she realized—she was standing within the shadow.

So-hwa swallowed dryly at the endlessly spreading darkness.

A sense of dread, like being trapped in a vast ocean, washed over her.

'... Just how many times has the Alliance Leader entered this place?'

She was once again struck with admiration at the Alliance Leader's boldness.

She could now imagine what it must have felt like for an orthodox martial artist stepping into this place.

They would have seen Jin Yin Mountain for the first time. No matter how strong they were, there must have been fear rooted deep within.

"......"

So-hwa's eyes darkened.

'Could it be that the Grand Elder also came here?'

If the Alliance Leader had tried to gather martial artists to destroy the Blood Demon, then he would surely have reached out to the Black Sky Demon as well.

The Alliance Leader had said he had never once defeated the Blood Demon. And with each repeated life, his comrades met crueler ends.

So-hwa’s face hardened.

The fear that had arisen in her core began to dissipate.

Cold moonlight began to settle in her once-darkened eyes.

"Oh! This is it."

The Blood Sect member walking atop the shadow suddenly stopped. He raised the identification token in his hand toward empty air.

Creeeak.

A sound like a door opening echoed, and warm air flowed from ahead.

"Ahh, now that's a relief!"

Suddenly, the sect member's form vanished like a mirage.

His high-pitched voice mixed with the knife-like wind that grazed So-hwa's cheek.

"What are you doing? Hurry up and come in!"

Left alone on the snowy plain, So-hwa stepped forward, her frozen feet carrying her toward the source of the warm wind.

Ffffff—

With every step she took, a strange sound tickled So-hwa's ears.

It sounded like melting ice vanishing... or perhaps the soft sound of fine sand being poured into a bottle.

Following that sound, branches began to sprout from the ground one by one. They grew at a terrifying pace. She had taken only a few steps, yet her vision was soon blocked by a forest of darkness.

The world inside the fortress wall appeared to be an illusion.

Tense, So-hwa fixed her gaze on the Blood Sect member standing between the withered trees.

In a carefree tone, he gave a warning.

"Make sure to follow closely. If you take a step back by mistake, you'll be recognized as an intruder."

His voice was light, as if returning home.

Relaxed, the man continued his explanation smoothly.

"You just need to walk the designated path with a heart of obedience to the Blood Demon. Keep following me. Walk quietly for a full day, and you'll pass the Trial of Union. It's not hard. Just do as you've done so far and walk in silence."

Brushing aside the branches, the sect member tapped on a tree as he spoke.

"This is the boundary of the formation. This is why you must not step backward inside. If you tread again on a boundary you've already crossed, the Trial will register you as an intruder. So be careful."

A grin stretched across his face.

"If you fail the Trial of Union, this peaceful forest will turn into hell."

The Blood Sect member repeatedly reminded her to be careful at the boundaries.

Even though he warned her several times, there was no way to clearly distinguish the boundaries.

So-hwa began to understand why this formation was considered a test to detect intruders.

If you weren't a member of the sect, it was impossible to navigate.

Each time they crossed a boundary, the sect member mentioned, So-hwa felt the surroundings grow warmer, realizing that they were gradually moving toward the center.

The enchantments stretched on endlessly.

The Alliance Leader's words about the Blood Demon's obsession with sorcerers began to resonate on a visceral level.

As they walked through the forest, the sun rose, the twilight passed, and night fell once more.

Only after walking for a full day did the Blood Sect member shout joyfully.

"At last! We've arrived at the Central Gate!"

Beaming with excitement, he pulled out the identification token once more.

The long branches slowly slithered toward it. Like fingers, they carefully caressed the token—then suddenly froze.

Boom!

With a thunderous sound, the illusion before her split open like a door.

Grinning, the Blood Sect member spread his arms wide.

"Congratulations! A heretic like you has been granted the honor of entering Jin Yin Mountain."

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