Blood Demon of the Past Life – Chapter 165

Chapter 165: S-rank Outbreak （9）

Seo Munho slowly opened and closed his eyes.

His unkempt, long hair fluttered in the wind, and his cheeks were hollow, his body emaciated as if he hadn’t eaten properly in a long time. Immediately after the massacre of the fire-field farmers’ village, Seo Munho had severed his Five Desires and Seven Emotions as if brainwashing himself. Although he was alive, he could no longer be called human.

Daily, repetitive training.

He had completely lost track of time.

When he was thirsty during training, he drank the blood the old man had procured. When he was hungry, he chewed on Bigu pills or raw meat. At some point, he became numb to the fishy taste. Clean water or blood, it made no difference to him.

His eyes became sunken.

He became increasingly haggard.

The more he immersed himself in the Blood Demon Art, the more the moment he massacred the fire-field farmers’ village replayed in his mind when he went to sleep.

‘I am no different from them.’

As if tinnitus was ringing in his ears,

His wife’s painful moans pierced his ears.

When he closed his eyes, the moment vividly resurfaced, and the young Peng Mujeong was looking down at him with a cold face. He was a devil. He indiscriminately slaughtered innocent people and cornered Seo Munho for his personal gain. He could no longer righteously claim that only ‘they’ were wrong. For his personal revenge, Seo Munho had also massacred the innocent fire-field farmers’ village.

Screams echoed from somewhere.

The face of a terrified child and the cries of adults.

He swallowed dryly.

With a burning thirst and self-loathing, Seo Munho could only spend his days with his eyes wide open.

‘I can’t die like this.’

He had to live.

He had to get revenge.

As if intending to set Seo Munho’s heart ablaze, the old man would always relay news of the Righteous Murim whenever he returned from procuring food. The news that Moyeongcheon and Peng Mujeong, those damn bastards, were thriving in the Righteous Murim, caused hot emotions to surge within him. Especially the news that Peng Mujeong had a son made it impossible for him to focus on training for the entire day. This was not a matter of “before” or “after.” It wasn’t about excusing himself by saying that he became the Blood Demon as a result of experiencing the tragedy first. He had simply become the same devil as Peng Mujeong for the sake of revenge.

To the villagers of the fire-field farmers’ village,

He was Peng Mujeong.

That didn’t matter.

As long as he could succeed in his revenge, he would accept everything that came after as karmic retribution.

He severed his emotions.

Not existing as a human was the only way to prolong this wretched life.

One day.

Ten days.

One hundred days.

One thousand days.

Time passed.

Then one day,

He no longer heard the screams.

He finally slept peacefully, and that morning, the old man smiled brightly as he looked at Seo Munho’s empty eyes.

“The time has finally come.”

That was the day.

Even after hearing the story he had been waiting for, Seo Munho’s expression remained unchanged.

✦✦✦✦✦✦

The old man said.

“You see, I’ve known since I was young that something was wrong with my head. Maybe around 10 years old? Until then, the instincts that I suppressed by killing small creatures exploded one day against a boy my age who was picking a fight with me. When I came to my senses, the boy, unlike his size, was crying and begging for his life. At that time, I felt a thrill run from my toes to my head. As I peeled off his flesh piece by piece until his breathing completely faded, I realized what I existed for. That’s why meeting my master was inevitable. He, who lived the same life as me and existed for the same purpose, accepted me as his disciple and made me the Blood Demon.”

It was different than usual.

With childlike eyes, he didn’t stop talking as if it was a really interesting story.

“I went out into the Murim and gained fame as the Blood Demon. I believed I could do anything with the power I possessed, but I realized my limits when I suffered a fatal injury during the pursuit of the righteous faction. In the end, I realized that I lacked talent. There is a stage in this Blood Demon Art that cannot be achieved with pure murderous intent alone. Certain Kill. A strong will to kill someone even if it means burning yourself. Ironically, I, who take pleasure in killing, lacked the talent to overcome that last wall. Munho. That’s why I accepted you. Because one day, I felt the will of certain kill in your eyes when I met you by chance.”

He was lost in memories.

Just as his master met him.

It was inevitable that he met Seo Munho.

The old man was old.

In fact, as time went on, the injuries he sustained during the chase were getting worse, and his body was in a state where it wouldn’t be strange if he died at any moment. There was only one way to treat this terrible condition in the Blood Demon Art. It was to recover from the injury using Pre-Heaven Qi in exchange for giving up one’s own martial arts. If he had a desperate attachment to life, he would have chosen a new life instead of accepting Seo Munho.

He didn’t.

Just thinking about the destruction of Murim made his heart pound, and he neglected his deteriorating health.

“Do you know why the Blood Demon Art is passed down from one generation to the next?”

“…….”

There was no answer.

The parched lips did not want conversation.

The old man smirked.

Seo Munho’s change pleased him.

“The Blood Demon Art, you see, can awaken its true destructive power by accepting the blood of the previous Blood Demon into one’s body. So kill me. Absorb all of my Pre-Heaven Qi and become a demon, a realm that I could not reach!”

Whoosh━

He spread his arms.

He opened his eyes wide.

It was a truly joyful look, with no lingering attachment to life.

“I will do so.”

He didn’t hesitate.

As soon as the old man showed him the direction for revenge, Seo Munho drew his sword and thrust it in without a moment’s hesitation.

Stab━!

It pierced his heart.

Blood gushing like a fountain covered Seo Munho.

The old man shuddered.

Looking up at the sky, he showed a smile all over his face.

“What a joyous occasion. The Murim will soon face the demon I have created!”

✦✦✦✦✦✦

The heart of Hebei.

Beijing.

A man in black clothing walked steadily along a bustling street.

Glances.

“……Who is that?”

“He has quite a fierce look in his eyes.”

Even people who were about to pass by instinctively turned their heads.

His unkempt hair was tied back, but his pale face and sharp gaze captivated attention. Perhaps it could be described as a gaze that devoured people. Although his pupils seemed empty, they somehow felt fierce and sharp. And in one hand, he carried a sharp sword without a scabbard, reflecting the midday sun and causing passersby to frown.

How long had he been walking?

A group of people blocked the man’s path.

“Halt. Can we see your identification, please?”

They were the masters of Hebei.

The martial artists of the Hebei Peng Family.

They had received reports of a suspicious person wandering around and had come to investigate, not wanting to ruin the auspicious day.

He glanced at them.

The man calmly handed over his identification.

“My name is Seo Munho. Is there a problem?”

“Hmm.”

They received the identification.

The Peng Family martial artist examined it for a while, his expression suggesting he vaguely recognized the name, before returning it.

“No, there isn’t. It’s just that with the festival going on, we’re thoroughly checking the identities of anyone carrying weapons, unlike usual.”

“What kind of festival is it?”

“Ah. The young master Peng Yonghuo, the heir to the Hebei Peng Family, has recently passed the Azure Dragon Merchant Guild examination, which is only open to promising young talents of the Righteous Murim. So, the Clan Leader is currently hosting a feast, offering food and drinks to everyone. Although the young master is still young, as the saying goes, ‘You can tell a lot from a little.’ This signifies the bright future of the Peng Family, doesn’t it?”

“Is that so.”

Seo Munho shifted his gaze.

All he could see were densely packed buildings and people, but he knew the Peng Family was beyond them.

“That’s certainly good news.”

✦✦✦✦✦✦

The Peng Family martial artists

returned to their main residence.

However, one of them continued to wear a troubled expression.

“……Seo Munho, Seo Munho. No matter how much I think about it, I’ve heard that name somewhere before.”

“Why are you being so sensitive? He’s probably just a wandering swordsman.”

“Wait a minute. I need to check something.”

He walked away.

The Peng Family’s kill list.

He checked the records of those who were publicly declared enemies of the Peng Family, those who were to be eliminated on sight.

Flip, flip.

He turned the pages.

There were more names on the list than he expected.

It was a testament to the aggressive nature of the Peng Family, and all of them were members of the Evil Faction or Demonic Cult, not those who went against the Righteous Murim. And naturally, the person the martial artist recalled was also a member of the Demonic Cult.

『Seo Munho』

“That’s right. Seo Munho.”

Over a decade ago,

The Demonic Cult spy who killed the Clan Leader’s younger sister and disappeared.

In truth, little was known about him other than his name, so he had forgotten about him, but it was definitely him.

His appearance differed in many ways from the description in the record, but if he assumed it was the same person, there were similarities.

“How dare that bastard set foot in Hebei’s territory?”

He quickened his pace.

He went to find the Clan Leader.

The festival hadn’t started yet.

To be precise, food and drinks were already being served to the people of Hebei, but the real celebration was scheduled to begin after the guests arrived. The Clan Leader was laughing and chatting with people. The powerful figures of Hebei had come to offer gifts and well wishes, and even from afar, his face was filled with joy.

“Clan Leader, I have something to tell you.”

“Alright.”

He subtly raised his hand.

He excused himself from the guests and turned to face the martial artist.

“What is it?”

The Clan Leader of the Peng Family,

Peng Mujeong, gave him a cold stare.

As he showed his displeasure at the sudden interruption, the martial artist bowed his head and said,

“It’s just that, a little while ago, Seo Munho, who’s on the kill list…….”

That was the moment.

“Kkyaag!”

Screams echoed from outside.

Everyone’s attention snapped towards the source.

And then,

Creak, thud.

The main gate burst open.

A head rolling on the ground and blood splattered everywhere.

The martial artist’s eyes widened, and he pointed at the figure who appeared to be the culprit in this horrific scene.

“That’s him! Seo Munho has appeared in Hebei!”

✦✦✦✦✦✦

Step by step.

Seo Munho walked forward.

He had decapitated the martial artist who tried to block his path with a single stroke, and warm blood dripped from his sword.

All eyes were on him.

Like a madman,

Seo Munho whispered to himself,

“This shouldn’t be happening.”

For over a decade,

Seo Munho had wondered.

Perhaps there was such a thing as karmic retribution in the world.

If this world was truly just, wouldn’t Peng Mujeong, who had pushed him into the depths of hell, receive divine punishment? If that were the case, he wouldn’t have resented the years of painful effort, however futile they might have been. He might have even considered his revenge complete by simply finding the ruined Peng Mujeong and mocking him.

But reality was cruel.

Peng Mujeong had a son, they said.

Not only was he living a prosperous life as the Clan Leader, but he was also celebrating his son’s bright future as he joined the Azure Dragon Merchant Guild.

How.

Ridiculous.

Did the people here know what kind of person Peng Mujeong was?

Would those disgusting faces, laughing and offering congratulations, maintain the same attitude if they knew the truth about Peng Mujeong? They would probably be the same. The Righteous Murim was rotten from the inside out. Starting with Moyeongcheon, the Murim Alliance Leader, all the way to the Peng Family, a member of the Five Great Clans. There might be exceptions among them, but it didn’t matter.

They were all the same bastards.

It was fortunate.

The tower he had painstakingly built over the years had meaning now, making his painful past worthwhile.

“You shouldn’t be this happy…….”

He laughed.

Like the dying old man.

“It’s not right.”

Everyone present here today, be it adults, children, the elderly, or even animals,

Seo Munho would slaughter every living being.