Chapter 34
“I understand. Are you planning to take action yourself?”
“No. Instead of me, the madmen of the Demonic Cult will deal with Namgung Jin. You only have to bring him to the designated place at the appointed time.”
“And there’s no chance I’ll be suspected?”
“That depends on you. When the madmen rush in, you can pretend to resist and then slip away — do as you see fit.”
A few days later, Soma-gi’s plan seemed to have worked. Namgung Seonyul had to leave urgently for the Martial Alliance.
Although a few warriors remained at the family estate, if they attacked Namgung Jin before reinforcements arrived, they might at least be able to sever one of his arms.
To make things easier, Namgung Hyuk used Cheonhong Mihonhyang — a rare incense he had obtained from the Demonic Cult — to put everyone in the household to sleep.
Naturally, he had taken an antidote beforehand so he wouldn’t succumb to the incense himself.
Then, at the appointed hour, he had his men provoke Namgung Jin and lure him near the manor of the family head.
It was perfect — he would get rid of the eyesore Namgung Jin and even claim the beautiful woman who accompanied him. Two birds with one stone.
But unexpectedly, a member of Yeongwoldae (the Moonlight Division) interfered, disrupting his perfect plan.
“This is as far as I’ll indulge you. I’ll deal with you and Jegal Haesoo both.”
Namgung Hyuk drew upon his full energy.
A dark red aura, as if soaked in blood, shimmered along his blade.
He intended to kill the Yeongwoldae member who had discovered his dealings with the Demonic Cult — and wipe out any witnesses.
He would later spread the rumor that Lady Baek had been kidnapped by the cult and secretly keep her imprisoned.
That way, no one would ever know of his connection with the cult.
Meanwhile, Soso looked down at Daewoo, who was breathing heavily.
‘Uncle Daewoo looks like he’s reached his limit. I have to help him.’
Of course, she hadn’t been simply hiding behind him all this time.
Soso had been concentrating on Namgung Hyuk’s demonic energy.
Maybe… there was something she could do about it.
Even she could see that Namgung Hyuk’s swordsmanship was sloppy — that much was obvious even to someone untrained in martial arts.
Yet Daewoo was struggling. It was the aura — the oppressive, crimson demonic energy surrounding his sword.
If she could somehow neutralize that energy, Daewoo might have a chance.
‘If only I could erase the demonic energy…’
It was different from the cold qi that had filled Seolrin’s body, but it was still a form of qi.
If she did what she’d done for Seolrin — not expelling it, but accepting and purifying it — perhaps she could neutralize it.
It was risky, but with lives on the line, she had to try.
The problem was how to awaken the golden energy within her again.
She had no emotion to trigger it with — nothing to empathize with at that moment.
But then, she remembered her strange theory from the other day.
‘The tears I shed whenever I healed someone!’
Yes — tears! She could try crying.
She needed to act fast — anything was worth a try now.
Crying wasn’t that difficult. It didn’t have to be from sadness.
Soso bit down hard on the inside of her cheek.
Pain shot through her face, and her eyes began to sting. Tears welled up — tears from sheer pain.
She stretched both hands forward and kept biting her cheek again and again until the tears spilled over.
‘It hurts so much…’
The pain piled up, dampening her eyes little by little.
Focusing all her attention on the crimson demonic aura, she desperately wished to purify it.
At last, tears rolled down her cheeks.
“……!”
PAPAPAK!
At that moment, golden light burst from her hands.
‘It—it really worked!’
But there was no time to rejoice.
Soso bit down again, harder, to keep the tears flowing — more and more.
The golden light stretched outward like a jagged blade, like an unrefined sword aura.
“W-what in the world is that…!”
Startled, Namgung Hyuk faltered at the sight of the strange light.
Soso seized the moment — she directed the golden energy from her hands to wrap around his sword.
‘Don’t repel it. Accept it.’
The golden aura absorbed the demonic energy little by little. Soon, the oppressive energy that had filled the room began to fade.
“W-what is this… what’s happening!?”
Realizing his demonic energy was dissipating, Namgung Hyuk was horrified.
He swung his sword frantically, but the once-menacing crimson aura refused to rise again.
Whenever a trace of demonic energy began to form, the golden light devoured it.
“H-how can this be!?”
“You won’t be able to use that demonic energy anymore.”
“Impossible!”
Namgung Hyuk’s face turned red, then pale. He was completely lost for words.
Then, a deafening crash broke the tense silence.
KWAA-GRAAAK!
The outer wall collapsed, and a blade struck Namgung Hyuk’s sword aside.
“Uncle! What on earth is going on here!?”
Soso was overjoyed at the familiar voice.
“Namgung Jin!”
She was relieved he had come to save them — but his arrival also broke her concentration.
The golden light that had been shining so beautifully flickered out in an instant, like a snuffed candle.
“Haa…”
Soso exhaled deeply.
At least she hadn’t used up enough energy to revert to her snow-ginseng state again — that was a small mercy.
“J-Jin…! How are you here…!?”
Namgung Hyuk couldn’t believe his nephew had appeared.
‘Could it be that my brother’s already returned home? No — it’s too soon for him to come back from the Martial Alliance!’
His mouth went dry.
If things went badly, he would be branded a traitor and face due punishment.
“Uncle… you’ve been colluding with the Demonic Cult and betraying our family?”
The air around Namgung Jin trembled as his fury erupted. His internal energy surged violently, tinged with faint killing intent.
‘He dares show killing intent toward me…’
Was there any point pretending anymore? Even if he denied everything, Jin wouldn’t believe him now.
Namgung Hyuk let out a dry, mocking laugh.
“Why shouldn’t I?”
“Uncle!”
“Jin, you don’t understand. Your father and the rest of the clan have always looked down on me — for being weak. I’ve endured that humiliation for years.”
“But Father always cared for you. He worried about you.”
“No. You’re wrong. That was just an act — to make himself look like a benevolent family head.”
Namgung Hyuk’s eyes grew distant as old memories surfaced.
“Hyuk, why hasn’t your martial skill improved at all?”
He remembered Namgung Seonyul’s voice, mocking his weakness.
“Hyuk, I’ve finally reached the Flower Realm! Let’s celebrate together!”
And how his brother had invited everyone — just to show off and make him feel small.
He could never forget the people whispering and laughing at him that day.
“You’re clever, Hyuk. You’d make a fine head of the Finance Hall.”
Seonyul had even hinted he should never dream of the family head position.
And that wasn’t the only thing.
“Your father even stopped me from confessing to your mother — then he wooed her himself.”
“W-what…?”
“I loved her first.”
Namgung Hyuk bit his lip hard.
Long ago, both he and Namgung Seonyul had met Seolrin at the Martial Alliance.
“Brother, isn’t she beautiful?”
“Don’t even say it. Just looking at her blinds me.”
“She suits you well, Brother.”
“Oh? What about you?”
“I… think so too.”
“Haha! Then I’ll invite her to the Namgung estate.”
But Seonyul hadn’t just invited her — he had stolen her.
By the time Hyuk saw Seolrin again, she was already his brother’s wife.
From that day on, Namgung Hyuk harbored deep hatred for Seonyul.
He played the loyal younger brother, managing the Finance Hall, while secretly siphoning off funds, amassing slush money, and engaging in illicit trades.
Things Seonyul — and even Jin — would never have dared to do.
Eventually, he even began trading with the Blood Wolf Division of the Demonic Cult, who had approached him first.
“Lord Namgung Hyuk, we can grant your desires.”
To gain power. To take revenge on his brother. To make his sister-in-law his own.
That was Namgung Hyuk’s wish.
“If you continue taking the Cult’s elixirs, your internal power will multiply many times over.”
The cultists even knew he was stealing from the family’s stores and offered to trade their demonic elixirs for those goods.
And so, easily swayed by their words, Namgung Hyuk struck a deal with the Demonic Cult.
