Chapter 105. Jin Su's Child

The Blood Demon waved his hand at So-hwa, his gaze filled with confusion.

"Come a little closer. No—"

He suddenly grabbed So-hwa's hand and drove his fingernail into the back of it.

Pft.

Bright red blood spurted out, staining her skin. The Blood Demon stared at her hand as if confirming something.

Moments later, as the wound began to heal, he burst into laughter.

"I had heard your body resembled mine, but it's faster than I expected."

The Blood Demon stretched his dark-red lips into a grin.

“Yes. Occasionally, out of nowhere, the blood would thicken in the next generation or the generation after that.”

He pulled on her arm.

"Let's see how much you've inherited."

His voice trembled with excitement.

Enough to drain the blood from her face in repulsion.

At his gesture, a guard standing at the entrance quickly approached. The Blood Demon brought So-hwa's hand to the guard's mouth.

"Drink."

Far from being surprised or flustered, the guard understood the Blood Demon’s intent. He bit his own tongue, then licked So-hwa’s blood with his tongue, which was now soaked with his own blood.

The Blood Demon ran a hand through his hair and asked in a composed voice.

"Jin Su's child."

"......"

"What do you want this one to do?"

So-hwa didn't answer.

Words Haerak had once said flashed through her mind.

Poison gu. And will.

If the host disobeys the master's will, the Poison gu will flood the heart and kill the host.

She looked down at the blood pooled on the floor—hers and the Blood Demon's.

There was one thing gained from coming here.

She had discovered that the Blood Demon's blood was the Poison gu.

He was now trying to confirm whether her blood would act like the Poison gu, just like his.

The principle was unclear, but those who ingested the Blood Demon's blood appeared to follow his will.

However, she couldn't understand why the Blood Demon's blood didn't affect her.

'That's probably why he's doing all this—to find out.'

So-hwa slowly lifted her gaze.

She saw the Blood Demon's guard. Whatever order was given, he would follow it. His face was blank.

So-hwa did not will anything upon the guard.

It wasn't out of pity.

She simply didn't want to give the Blood Demon an answer.

‘At least not right now.’

She let the thought of the guard go.

Then she met the Blood Demon's eyes.

"Why should I want anything from him?"

Suddenly, a hot sensation spread down her nape. Blood, trickling down her neck, began to soak her collar.

"Mind your tone. Show some respect."

The Hall Lord, now behind her, warned her.

A small blade pressed against the back of her neck.

So-hwa slowly raised her hand. Then she quietly grasped the Hall Lord's hand.

Thunk.

The blade that had grazed her skin sank deep into her collarbone.

"This, this crazy wench!"

Startled by So-hwa's sudden force, the Hall Lord hastily pulled his hand away.

“This girl is out of her mind! You don’t need to waste your precious time on her right now, Lord. Give me a few days, no, just half a day, and I’ll teach her to be obedient!”

The Blood Demon said nothing and continued to gaze at Tang So-hwa.

Even with a blade to her neck, she kept her eyes fixed on the Blood Demon. She didn't so much as glance at the one standing behind her, and yet she made him withdraw the blade.

That intrigued the Blood Demon.

He liked that expressionless face, with not even the trace of a smile.

He didn't care for the occasional glimpses of the weak Tang Clan's traits in her, but it was still a usable face, one that had inherited the frame of Jin Su.

Tilting his dark-red lips slightly, the Blood Demon offered her another chance.

“Anything will do—just impose your will upon him.”

Ignoring the Hall Lord's plea, the Blood Demon spoke as if only So-hwa existed in the room.

"It's not difficult. Tell him not to leave the room, or command him to stab his heart and kill himself—anything. Just say it out loud."

As the Blood Demon gave So-hwa the floor again, the Hall Lord quietly stepped back. Since the Blood Demon desired a conversation, he couldn't interfere.

Of course, that didn't mean he forgave that insolent girl. Once they left this room, he would find the right time to discipline her.

Anyone with sense would become respectful by now, but the Tang Clan girl replied in a voice neither high nor low.

"I still don't understand why I need to will anything."

Silence fell.

The Hall Lord revealed a hint of murderous intent, and even the Blood Demon showed displeasure this time.

"Do you think you have a choice?"

The Blood Demon gave a low chuckle.

"Look around you. You are in my room. Even if you're lucky enough to leave this room, do you think you can leave this pavilion or Jin Yin Mountain?"

"If you don't like it, just kill me."

"If I wanted to kill you, I’d make you wish you were dead first."

The Blood Demon was clearly not joking, but So-hwa smirked faintly as if it were nonsense.

A deep crease formed between the Blood Demon's brows.

"Why do you laugh?"

Tang So-hwa instead provoked the Blood Demon.

"Whether you kill me or give me pain worse than death, I will never regard you as anything more than an insect. So, don't you dare command me."

She gazed at the Blood Demon with calm eyes.

Strangely, it didn't sound like a bluff. There was deep resentment behind the voice that seemed to bite through the words.

"And think about why you sought me out."

Tang So-hwa continued, concealing her emotions.

"If I possess what you desire, then consider how someone like me would view you now."

Silence fell.

There was only one person in the room who understood her words.

The Blood Demon's lips slowly curved.

"So, did you see the end?"

His voice was devoid of rage—only filled with excitement.

"How was it, that end?"

“If I had seen the end I desired, would I be here?”

"Haha."

He laughed heartily.

The Blood Demon understood now that Tang So-hwa harbored deep resentment toward him.

Erasing the Tang Clan was part of his plan anyway—more precisely, removing whatever stood in his way. And the Tang Clan was one of those obstacles.

Tang So-hwa smiled along with him and said.

"Don't laugh like that."

She took another step closer and added, as if taunting him.

"No matter what you think, nothing will ever go your way."

Her hand touched the poison pill hidden in her sleeve.

So-hwa intended to shove it into the Blood Demon's mouth the moment he raised his voice at her.

But as she gripped the pill, the Blood Demon turned his head toward the door.

"Lord Blood Demon."

A shadow of the gatekeeper stretched beyond the door.

And then came an unexpected name.

"The Main Blood Hall Lord requests an audience."

The Blood Demon's eyelids slowly lowered. It was the kind of gaze that sent chills down one's spine just by looking.

He didn't seem angry at the Main Blood Hall Lord—more irritated that his time had been interrupted.

Perhaps sensing this mood, the gatekeeper added quietly,

"The Main Blood Hall Lord has brought the arm of the Red Blood Hall Lord."

Though the report was dry, it sounded oddly calm.

But no one could speak—it was too unbelievable.

Even the Blood Demon fell silent for a moment.

He finally opened his blood-darkened lips and asked,

"Right hand or left?"

"Left."

"Hah."

The Blood Demon let out a hollow laugh.

He sighed, as if mocking himself.

"It's been a while, and our hound has grown quite a bit. It seems a small bracelet can no longer tighten around its neck."

So-hwa couldn't understand the conversation.

But she could tell something serious had happened. The shadow of the Blue Blood Hall Lord beside her was trembling.

The Blood Demon's attention, which had been fixed on her, shifted entirely in that direction.

Strangely, the Blood Demon didn't look displeased.

His form vanished in an instant. Ascending to the golden throne, he clapped his hands and said:.

"Bring in the Main Blood Hall Lord. I should see with my own eyes just how much he's grown in three years."

"Yes, my Lord."

As soon as the Blood Demon gave his permission, the gatekeeper disappeared.

Before long, the door opened.

Standing in the doorway was Haerak.

His gaze briefly flicked in So-hwa's direction.

But it was only a moment.

"Main Blood Hall Lord. It has been a while."

Drawn by the Blood Demon's voice, Haerak's eyes were pulled back toward the center. He did not enter the room, but instead knelt down at the doorway.

So-hwa found this strange.

The Blue Blood Hall Lord had entered and knelt directly before the Blood Demon. But the Main Hall Lord offered his greeting from outside the room.

Also, the Blue Blood Hall Lord had taken his time ascending the stairs properly, even after receiving the Blood Demon's permission, while Haerak had arrived immediately once granted entry.

So-hwa had heard that Haerak had used a wager to stay in Jin Yin Mountain rather than be confined to the underground prison, so his speed was understandable.

Unlike the Blue Blood Hall Lord, who had ascended each step properly, Haerak likely used qinggong or some other martial art without hesitation.

That made it all the more puzzling. If he was willing to break protocol, why was he kneeling outside the door so formally?

Was this also one of the restrictions?

'Did he perhaps barge into the Blood Demon's chamber before?'

Speculating on Haerak's relationship with the Blood Demon, So-hwa focused on their conversation.

"Come inside."

As the Blood Demon smiled and gave permission, Haerak rose and stepped into the room. He knelt once more, this time at the center—where the Blue Blood Hall Lord had knelt.

So-hwa could now clearly see Haerak's expression. Though he knelt in submission, his gaze remained defiant.

Swinging an arm in mockery, Haerak sneered.

"I rushed a long way out of concern for the Lord Blood Demon's discernment. To think you gave such a precious divine artifact to someone like him... I feared perhaps you'd forgotten how to distinguish between leather and jerky, and were chewing on shoes to stave off hunger."

“Haha, you madman.”

“Being mad is better than being senile.”

So-hwa suddenly felt the oppressive atmosphere lift from her body.

Before she realized it, the Blue Blood Hall Lord had placed a foot on Haerak's nape.

"Hall Lord, you truly are a man with no refinement."

Haerak sighed as he bowed deeper.

"How can you behave so rashly before the Lord of the sect? The Lord Blood Demon has said nothing, yet you act out of turn, moving and interrupting conversation without manners."

"Watch your tongue."

The Blue Blood Hall Lord, familiar with Haerak's sarcasm, issued a calm warning.

Haerak stared at the Blue Blood Hall Lord's foot, then looked up at the Blood Demon. A crooked grin formed on his lips.

"Shall we verify it now?"

He placed the Red Blood Hall Lord's severed arm on the floor.

“You must be wondering if I really cut off the Red Blood Hall Lord’s arm. Shall I show you how I cut off Pyo Wol's arm?”

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