CHAPTER 68

The Lord of Desolate Fortress stood outside the formation, yet her presence was unmistakable.

Their gazes seemed to meet, yet not quite. It felt as though their eyes had definitely locked for a fleeting moment, but then passed.

It was a strange occurrence. Why would she come all the way here only to ignore Jung Yeonshin?

She merely remained still. The sunlight slanted across the sharp line of her slightly turned jaw.

Silence lingered briefly. Her head did not turn back.

The surrounding stillness gradually began to press down with unease.

Could it be? Could it be that she didn't recognize him?

It was an unthinkable situation.

Even if the Twin Flame Blood Spirit Formation was an otherworldly technique, the Lord of Desolate Fortress was an unmatched master who carried transcendence in every movement.

'There's no way she could be deceived by the formation.'

For the first time, Jung Yeonshin's eyes wavered.

Even in the main hall of the Blood Flame Cult, he had maintained his composure. This time was different. He couldn't help it.

It was then.

—You may take more. I grant you one day.

A whisper like a gentle breeze brushed against his ear.

Step.

The moment she took a single step.

In an instant, her figure vanished along with swirling leaves, like petals scattered in the wind.

It was beyond the limits of human vision. Like a sudden gust, not a trace remained, as if she had never been there.

"······."

He felt her presence. He could not doubt his honed senses, sharp as a blade.

His briefly shaken eyes quickly regained calm. Jung Yeonshin steadied himself with remarkable speed.

One day. The single phrase gently warmed his restless heart after the long journey clad in a blue martial robe.

He could move forward.

'I saw and heard it for certain.'

The Lord of Desolate Fortress had come. That much was undeniable.

Her words were peculiar.

It seemed as though she wanted him to take something available only within the Blood Flame Cult.

Had she sensed the newly attained Demon Roaring Blood Art?

Perhaps she had even perceived that the Twin Flame Blood Spirit Formation carried the essence of the Demon-Slaying Azure Steel Palm.

'Take more, she said?'

Jung Yeonshin dismissed the thought of Go Jonghak's pursuit.

The lingering echo of the Lord of Desolate Fortress's whisper stayed in his ears for a long time, pulling him into deep contemplation.

What more could he gain?

Lost in thought, he stood as the red robe draping his body caught the fading hues of twilight.

* * *

The day quickly changed. He had no memory of how he slept.

Jung Yeonshin slowly stepped out of the house, left empty by the departure of the Seventh Apostle. The Lord of Desolate Fortress's words lingered in her mind.

'Would I gain something if I fully decipher the secrets of the Blood Arts? Or do I need to obtain something from the Cult Leader?'

He moved with purpose as he pondered.

Early that morning, he received a summons. An invitation to a banquet.

Even the Blood Flame Cult was a society of people. Thanks to Go Jonghak, the son of the Third Apostle, he knew this well.

Among the cultists, there was jealousy and rivalry, and due to the cult's size, lavish banquets were common.

Most were said to be feasts accompanied by blood and corpses.

However, this was his first invitation. The Cult Leader's name had even been mentioned to request his presence. He couldn't refuse.

It was no ordinary occasion.

'Go Jonghak tailed me yesterday.'

He must have seen the traces of someone near the formation's perimeter. Perhaps he had even glimpsed the Lord of Desolate Fortress for a moment.

Despite treating Jung Yeonshin as nothing more than a prisoner, the Blood Flame Cult had given him surprising freedom.

The pretense of safeguarding the insight of the Grand Master had allowed him unusual leeway, though it seemed excessive for a mere captive.

'Today is the day. I might finally learn why.'

Jung Yeonshin walked slowly. The glow of elaborate lanterns was already beginning to color his vision.

"Was it the Wave Sect? The sect master's son's moves were quite fierce."

"I killed his younger brother. His internal energy was decent, but his blood wasn't great."

The banquet took place inside the inner courtyard of the Cult Leader's hall. Many cultists were present.

They exchanged greetings, discussed techniques and doctrines, and boasted about their raids on rival clans to drain their essence.

Their violent energy and frenzied words created an atmosphere of chaos unique to the cult.

"We welcome the arrival of the Grand Master. It is an honor that you accepted our invitation!"

Go Jonghak stepped forward to greet Jung Yeonshin with a seemingly respectful demeanor. His lips, however, held a faint smirk.

"Grand Master?"

"The mongrel from Desolate Fortress has come?"

"There's been no significant achievement yet, has there?"

"It's too soon. Far too soon."

This was a gathering of the cult's masters. Unlike the lower-ranking cultists, their words and actions were far more uninhibited, and they didn't bother hiding their hostility.

Jung Yeonshin immediately sensed it. There were no allies here.

Yet, he didn't feel alone. The gentle presence of the Lord of Desolate Fortress still seemed to envelop him, as it had since last night.

"Pay no heed to their words. They know not what they say."

Go Jonghak spoke, though his expression betrayed satisfaction. Leading Jung Yeonshin to the seat of honor, he wore an openly pleased look.

'This is a seat meant to break someone.'

Go Jonghak thought.

For a month, Grand Master Lightning Genius had roamed many places within the cult.

Rewriting martial arts techniques was unimaginable for ordinary people, but the prisoner they treated as a guest had idled under the pretext of insight for nearly two months.

Though the Twin Flame Blood Spirit Formation restricted him, his behavior had been excessive.

Naturally, this irritated the upper ranks of the Blood Flame Cult. Then, yesterday's incident occurred.

Go Jonghak saw it clearly.

He recognized it from the side profile. A member of the Ming Clan had approached the Twin Flame Blood Spirit Formation and vanished without a trace. He couldn't follow the residual presence. It was an overwhelming master.

He immediately reported it to his father, the Third Apostle, and the Cult Leader was informed. Soon after, the banquet was arranged.

The thirty-six steps leading to the Cult Leader's hall symbolized authority.

It was grand, so wide that even with luxurious seats on every level, space remained.

"Such a scale is rare even for this cult."

"Enjoy it. In gatherings like these, one of the stars of the cult usually falls."

The murmurs around them were true. These events often served to interrogate and depose figures who tarnished the leadership's prestige.

It was an opportunity.

'Heir? Ridiculous.'

Go Jonghak's lips curled.

Clasping his hands, he said,

"My family requested this banquet of the Cult Leader. We wished to properly honor the Grand Master. Time was short to inform you earlier. We ask for your understanding."

His demeanor was respectful, with a regretful expression overlaying his strong features. It even seemed sincere at a glance.

Jung Yeonshin gazed at Go Jonghak, a faint smile appearing.

A small jade pendant hanging from his neck caught his eye.

Anti-Poison Pearl.

He had bragged about it before.

Only a few high-ranking cultists possessed it, a treasure bestowed by the Third Apostle.

It was said to neutralize most poisons instantly.

'It'll be useful when using the Cult Leader's blood poison.'

Fixing his gaze on the Anti-Poison Pearl, he replied absentmindedly,

"I'm simply pleased to be invited."

Unlike his earlier assertive demeanor, his composure now seemed lacking. Go Jonghak noticed.

His eyes caught the subtle reactions of others. Many, who had been on edge, appeared disappointed.

"The Seventh Apostle left for this?"

"Was she really just dead weight?"

Words and actions unimaginable in Desolate Fortress or the righteous martial world ran rampant.

No one intervened. Even the Blood Flame Cult Leader, gazing down from the seat of honor, remained expressionless throughout.

"The ones who must be here have arrived. I shall give a toast." 

The Cult Leader said , his voice low.

Silence fell in an instant. There was no need to imbue his voice with energy to draw attention.

Jung Yeonshin recognized it clearly. There was not a single person in the vast hall who wasn't a master.

The extraordinary senses of the demonic masters seemed to envelop the entire inner courtyard of the Cult Leader's hall.

"You are the pillars of this cult. The day is approaching when your exceptional skills will spread through your conviction. We have brought in the Grand Master to stain the vision of fools in darkness. With the transformation of blood techniques, we will wash away the hypocrisy of the world. Now, raise your cups."

The Cult Leader slowly traced the rim of his cup with his long fingers before raising it and drinking.

Only then did the gathered masters raise their cups.

"This is Dukang Wine. I've heard the Grand Master hails from Henan—are you familiar with it?"

Go Jonghak, seated beside him, asked with a slight smile.

Jung Yeonshin shook his head.

He vaguely recalled hearing that his father enjoyed the drink at the Jung family estate, but he had never shared a cup with him, so he wasn't certain.

He knew it was a famous wine of Henan, said to be favored by Cao Cao, Emperor Wu of Wei.

'This occasion. The symbolism of the wine feels strange.'

The fragrance of alcohol drifted through the banquet hall.

The Cult Leader continued to drink Dukang Wine, as if consuming the ambitions that Cao Cao had once held.

A sense of tension spread.

Everyone seemed to sense that blood would soon flow down the steps. A banquet before the Cult Leader's hall often carried such a meaning.

"Go Jonghak." 

The Cult Leader spoke, tilting his body slightly. His smooth white hair shifted.

His gaze brushed past Jung Yeonshin, and his unnaturally red lips curved slightly.

"Yes, Cult Leader."

Go Jonghak swiftly stood and bowed low.

Though his head was pressed to the floor, his broad back exuded a strange air of triumph.

The Cult Leader spoke.

"Interrogate him."

"I obey."

Go Jonghak immediately rose and turned. His direction was clear. His eyes locked onto Jung Yeonshin.

'How predictable.' 

Jung Yeonshin thought. He had no intention of listening for long.

'I don't have time.'

The Lord of Desolate Fortress had granted him one day. The Seventh Apostle had mentioned it too.

Martial artists from the Nine Great Sects and other local sects had already arrived.

Yesterday, the Lord of Desolate Fortress had sent him a message through the Twin Flame Blood Spirit Formation.

By the end of today, the formation would shatter, and countless warriors would storm the Blood Flame Cult's main hall.

Just as Go Jonghak cleared his throat, preparing to speak with elaborate rhetoric, Jung Yeonshin opened his mouth first.

"To sum up.." 

He began.

"There has been no progress in refining the Blood Techniques, and amid this, enemies targeting the main hall have brushed the formation."

"······."

"The Grand Master hails from Desolate Fortress, but the timing couldn't be worse. Naturally, there's doubt about my willingness to cooperate."

"······The Grand Master's words are not wrong."

Go Jonghak clasped his hands behind his back, pretending to be unbothered. Just as he seemed ready to respond, Jung Yeonshin looked toward the Cult Leader.

"This banquet was held at the request of Go Jonghak and the Third Apostle, correct?"

"Speak." 

The Cult Leader said with a smooth smile, gesturing with his chin.

Jung Yeonshin calmly continued.

"I find this situation deeply unpleasant. If I prove my worth here, may I take a treasured item from the Go family as compensation?"

"Insolent wretch." 

The Third Apostle muttered , seated just below the Cult Leader.

Jung Yeonshin paid him no mind.

"If I fail, you may take my head."

"It was only a matter of time before I asked this of you. I, too, am curious about your progress." 

The Cult Leader replied, smiling dangerously as though wrapped in a demonic aura.

The atmosphere shifted. A wager with one's life on the line stirred excitement, no matter the era.

Though Jung Yeonshin had been granted the title of Grand Master, none of the leaders treated him as legitimate.

Unlike the lower cultists, the higher ranks were bound by the power of bloodlines established over years.

Respect for him always carried an undercurrent of duplicity, regardless of his exceptional talents.

To them, he was either a rare tool or an expendable pawn brought from outside.

Now was the time to measure the worth of this unleashed seed from Desolate Fortress.

"Come here." 

Jung Yeonshin beckoned to an attendant, a low-ranking cultist.

The red-haired attendant hesitated but ultimately obeyed, approaching without question.

"Sit and circulate your energy."

The attendant immediately sat cross-legged and closed his eyes. There was a fanatical devotion in his demeanor, almost as if he didn't care if he died.

"······."

In the midst of the banquet, an unexpected demonstration of internal energy cultivation began.

Without a word, Jung Yeonshin leaned slightly and placed his hand on the attendant's back, activating his Blood Technique.

It had been a month since he arrived at the main hall. He had used the time leisurely, even altering a few key formulas.

His blood energy flowed through the attendant's body.

The reaction was immediate.

"What is this?"

"Impossible…"

A miracle unfolded. Something unprecedented in the Blood Flame Cult's history occurred.

The attendant's crimson hair rapidly darkened to jet black. The transformation of the Blood Techniques, refined over centuries, was happening before their eyes.

The masters who had hurled words at Jung Yeonshin moments ago now swallowed their breaths in disbelief.

The change happened astonishingly fast.

Jung Yeonshin calmly withdrew his hand.

The attendant grasped his newly blackened hair, which now cascaded to his shoulders. His blank expression shattered.

"Grand Master… Grand Master! Have I… have I received the miracle for the first time?"

His voice trembled as his entire body shivered.

Jung Yeonshin wasn't looking at him.

He couldn't fully grasp what the Lord of Desolate Fortress had meant.

But if he didn't know, he would simply take what was visible before him—before the warriors of the martial world stormed this place today.

Jung Yeonshin turned to Go Jonghak. Were the Blood Flame Cult's zealots so physically distinct?

For the first time, he saw a man's face turn deathly pale, his arms falling from their poised position behind his back.

Slowly, he opened her mouth.

"The Anti-Poison Pearl around your neck."

Whoosh!

At that moment, he deliberately stirred the Demon Roaring Blood Art. His blood-red robe flared like spreading flames.

A sinister energy rippled outward, sending a chill through the hall.

"Present it to me now."

The Blood Flame Cult's young Grand Master commanded.