“Administrator, do you see anything?”Tang Min, who had halted midway up the mountain, looked back. The Hall Administrator, who had been staring at the massive boulder along with Tang Min, turned his head toward the Alliance Leader.He seemed to be waiting for the Alliance Leader’s permission.All were silent. It appeared the Administrator had seen something.Before the Administrator could answer, the Alliance Leader spoke first.“There is something I must say in advance. You will be curious how I know this, but I cannot explain it, and I am not a Blood Cultist, so do not doubt that either.”Drawing a line, the Alliance Leader continued.“On the way to the Blood Demon’s quarters, there is a strange Passage that allows one to leap over long distances. In fact, the Blood Cult bastards call that formation a Passage.”“Are you saying if we cross this boulder, it leads to the Blood Cult’s stronghold?”Wu So asked back in a cold voice.The Alliance Leader gave a faint laugh and shook his head.“If only it were that nice. This boulder is merely a Passage that takes us out of Hubei. Only by crossing at least three Passages can we reach the Blood Cult’s main stronghold. Even after stepping into the main stronghold, we must pass through numerous formations before we can face the Blood Cult’s pavilions.”A cold voice came from behind.“How do you know that, Alliance Leader?”Zhuge Inhwi’s bluish-gray eyes gazed steadily at the Alliance Leader.The Alliance Leader’s face turned chilly.“Did I not say I cannot answer, so do not ask and do not doubt?”The Alliance Leader turned his gaze forward again. What he met were eyes full of suspicion. The Sagye Hall Administrator had asked in their stead; they were all thinking the same thing.Meeting their eyes, the Alliance Leader spoke.“The reason I say this before lifting the formation is that I need your unconditional trust.”The Alliance Leader’s voice was more solemn than ever.“If you follow my words, every one of you can return to the Central Plains alive. But if you cannot trust me, then do not cross the Passage—please remain here.”In a voice at odds with his kindly face, the Alliance Leader added coolly.“I cannot explain to you how I know such things. I would have to lie, and you are not fools who would be deceived by my stupid lie, so only suspicion would deepen. Once inside, there will be even less time to clear those misunderstandings one by one. Therefore, if you cannot believe me, please remain here. I do not wish for anyone to die.”Yet no one said they would remain. Only the Zhuge Clan’s young warriors exchanged looks, gauging one another.However, even the Zhuge Clan’s youngest warriors seemed to judge that being left alone on the mountain would be more dangerous, so they could not readily say they would turn back.As for the Tang Clan, there was nothing to be said. The Taeguk Sword Sovereign, whose pride in his martial ability was high, and Wu So as well, waited quietly for the Alliance Leader’s next words.Soon the Alliance Leader spoke again.“This Passage connects to Qinghai. From there, if we cross two more Passages, we can pass over into the mountain range where Geumeunsan lies. Geumeunsan is a bewitched land: arrive by day and golden sand glitters, arrive by night and it is buried in ice…”Seeing the faces before him change, the Alliance Leader gave a faint laugh.“It is a place where none of the common sense we know holds, so do not be so surprised. In any case, that land severed from the world is the Blood Demon’s domain.”Watching the tense faces, the Alliance Leader added lightly,“Still, fortune is with us. As you know, the Blood Cult bastards using human-skin masking are presently across in the Central Plains, are they not? By outward appearance it is difficult to tell Central Plains folk from Blood Cultists, so the Blood Demon’s gatekeepers will not recognize us. You could call it heaven’s favor.”Calling the situation heaven’s favor, the Alliance Leader gave a preposterous warning.The Taeguk Sword Sovereign knit his brows.“But Alliance Leader. Suppose, as you say, this is a gate leading to the Blood Cult’s main stronghold. If the Blood Demon crosses this gate, would the people nearby not be in danger? Would it not be best to request reinforcements to wait in the vicinity, just in case?”The Wudang Daoist’s tone was full of dissatisfaction.The Alliance Leader let out an involuntary laugh.“He will not come to the Central Plains.”“How can you be so certain?”If he were one to so easily reveal himself, he would not have needed to waste that long life suffering. The Alliance Leader had tried countless times to lure the Blood Demon into the Central Plains, but he had never once succeeded. Rather, should he learn that they had found this Passage, the Blood Demon would immediately seal this gate.In all those long years, he had faced the Blood Demon in the Central Plains only once.The day he crossed to Mount Emei to seize a young sorcerer.That was the only time he had seen the Blood Demon away from Geumeunsan.The Alliance Leader thought of the sorcerer who had died by his hand countless times.It was as if he could hear the voice of the old woman who had remained alone on Geumeunsan, asking him to kill her.Because she could not abandon the god she believed in, she could not even die and only waited for someone’s help—her pitiful voice filled his head, and even the scene of a young girl taking her own life appeared before his eyes.At the moment his thoughts wavered, Heukcheon Amgui called to him.“Alliance Leader.”His expression said his patience was at its limit.“We will trust the Alliance Leader’s words unconditionally, so open the formation now.”Tying his hair up roughly, Heukcheon Amgui spoke in a voice that seemed about to explode.“If Sohwa dies, everything is useless, so let’s go. Anyone who wants to drop out can turn back now.”A brief silence fell.Still, no one said they would turn back.The Alliance Leader slipped his hand into a crevice of the boulder. In order, he stroked the incised intaglio carved within.Rrrrkk.Suddenly, light flared as if it would explode. It was as if all the light fallen from the sky had gathered here.Incredibly, a hole opened in the boulder. Beyond the round door, which gaped like a cave mouth, lay a grassland. Stepping onto grasses up to his ankles, the Alliance Leader said,“It will close in half a gak, so follow quickly.”The first to follow him was the Tang Clan Head.Rustle.Fresh green leaves brushed the silk long robe.The sound of grass and cloth meeting split the silence, and gradually that sound multiplied.Watching the Alliance Leader’s back vanish, the Sagye Hall Administrator, much against his will, crossed through the door.The Zhuge Clan’s young warriors hesitated, exchanging glances.…Is it really okay to follow this?At that moment, a gentle voice tickled their ears.“You may remain here if you wish, but please, do not inform headquarters of this matter.”The Tang Clan’s Young Clan Head bowed his head to the Zhuge youths.“At least until we return. We ask only that you wait until then.”There was still a high chance that Blood Cultists remained within headquarters. Thus, if news spread now that they had crossed over to the Blood Cult’s main stronghold, it would be troublesome.It was only natural, yet because the Young Clan Head asking them was about their age, it was oddly galling. It did not feel good to be treated like stragglers by someone who had not even reached the semifinals.But someone went ahead of them.“We were merely waiting our turn, not planning to remain.”It was Zhuge Cheonyu. Smiling, she crossed the Passage. Once even Zhuge Cheonyu had gone, the Zhuge youths who had been watching for a chance to remain finally moved.“Let’s go. Let’s go.”“Right. Let’s hurry and get back!”As if they had never been afraid, the Zhuge Clan’s warriors made a show of bravado and quickened their steps.Confirming that the entire party had crossed, the Alliance Leader spoke.“From this point on, time is life, so we will run without rest. Keep up and do not fall behind.”No sooner had he finished speaking than the Alliance Leader sprang forward. Those accompanying him ran to match his speed.It was fast, but those running at the front wore calm faces.Then Heukcheon Amgui, catching up to the Tang Clan Head, murmured lightly,“It’ll be fine.”The Clan Head did not answer, but Heukcheon Amgui continued to console him.“Judging by how she cheekily left tracking incense and even dragged in the Alliance Leader, she must have known she was heading to the Blood Cult’s main stronghold and followed.”The muscle in the Tang Clan Head’s jaw twitched hard. He seemed very angry at Tang Sohwa’s dangerous action. The Clan Head did not intend to hide his anger. Even Heukcheon Amgui had to watch his tone.“Hey now, don’t worry so much. It’ll be fine. Well, even if it isn’t fine, as long as she’s still breathing somehow… anyway, don’t worry too much.”Heukcheon Amgui went on with consolation that made it unclear whether he was telling him to worry or not.“She’s only hard to read, it’s not like she has no sense, right? In underhanded ways she’s second to none, barely beneath the Blood Demon himself, so even if the Blood Demon ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) is about to burst with rage, it’ll be his robes that tear, not Sohwa in danger.”Hearing that, the Alliance Leader cut in.“The more complicated a person’s thoughts, the greater the mistake when they become afraid. Do not take it lightly.”At that, Heukcheon Amgui snorted.“Afraid? You say that because you don’t know—she has no fear. The problem is she’s got no sense of fear at all!”Perhaps the anger he had buried to comfort the Clan Head surged up, for Heukcheon Amgui barked.The Alliance Leader let out a hollow laugh.Irritated, Heukcheon Amgui asked coolly,“Why are you laughing?”“Dark as it may be beneath the lantern, it is still curious to hear you say that.”“What are you talking about?”When Tang Min knit his brows, the Alliance Leader answered readily.“The Young Lady Tang I saw was terrified.”At that, the Tang Clan Head’s gaze slid to the Alliance Leader. But the Alliance Leader did not see the Clan Head’s eyes. Recalling the image of Tang Sohwa he had seen, he added,“In each cautious action, fear soaked through. She merely became used to living in constant tension.”At those words, Heukcheon Amgui laughed loudly.“Ha! The Alliance Leader has grown old. He utters nonsense as gracefully as a young lord.”Clicking his tongue, Tang Min spoke again.“The Alliance Leader says that only because he does not know Sohwa well. I am not saying this to scold you. The child is so sly for her age that facing her makes one think too much. But…”Just then, a small voice came from behind.“…No. The Alliance Leader is right.”“What?”Tang Hak cut in with a small voice.Because of his timid nature, they thought he was mumbling, but that was not it. With a face gone white, Tang Hak murmured,“A few days ago, before my sister entered the Alliance Leader’s quarters, she said so. That, in fear, she had made a mistake…”“What is it she feared?”The Tang Clan Head, who had kept silent, asked coldly.“She said she was afraid of losing me.”Tang Hak’s wavering gaze fixed on the Alliance Leader’s back.“Alliance Leader, could it be… were the Blood Cult bastards aiming for me, not my sister?”

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