Chapter 4: I’m Sorry. I Didn’t Know.
“The reason we sent an insufficient tribute was because the drought that has continued for three years greatly reduced our harvest. Two years ago and last year, we managed to make up the difference with the grain our sect had stockpiled, but this year… We can only beg your forgiveness.”
At the Ghost Lotus Sect Master’s long-winded explanation, Cold Blade Blood’s eyes narrowed. To him, it sounded like nothing more than a pitiful excuse.
In the Bright Cult’s way of handling affairs, most tributes were not paid in cash but in goods.
Given the nature of the Heavenly Mountains where the Bright Cult was based, everything—from firewood to a single grain of rice—had to be procured from outside.
Naturally, even if they were paid in cash, it would only have to be used to buy goods again and transport them to the Bright Cult’s main headquarters.
That was why the Bright Cult’s leadership had long since concluded that it was better to receive goods from the start.
Under this system of material tributes, the Ghost Lotus Sect offered grain.
In truth, the reason the Bright Cult reacted so sensitively to this shortage was that it led directly to a shortage in the cult’s own food supply.
The Bright Cult had never possessed a proper concept of stockpiling or reserve supplies, which made the seriousness of the matter all the greater.
But…
Yul Han didn’t know that.
After all, before his soul had settled into this body, the sect he belonged to had been a tiny rural faction, far too insignificant to gather detailed information on how the Bright Cult truly operated.
Thus, all he had known of the Bright Cult were vague rumors drifting through the martial world.
And even those were from thirty years ago.
That a sect powerful enough to stand against the entire Hundred Paths lacked even the concept of stockpiles and reserves—he had never imagined such a thing, not even in his dreams.
“I see. The Ghost Lotus Sect must have been in a difficult position all this time.”
“Y-Yes, that’s right….”
The Ghost Lotus Sect Master’s voice trembled uneasily as he responded to words so different from what he had expected from the Vice Cult Leader.
In the Bright Cult’s way of doing things, another’s pain or misfortune was strictly another’s concern.
To them, a thorn under one’s own fingernail mattered more than someone else’s arm being severed—that was the cult’s value system.
Naturally, that mindset was reflected in the Bright Cult’s actions.
The circumstances, hardships, and poverty of anyone outside the cult were all someone else’s problem.
Subordinate sects?
To the Bright Cult, subordinate sects were nothing more than a group of losers who paid a price for their lives instead of dying by the cult’s swords.
From the very foundation, this relationship differed from the martial alliance of the Hundred Paths, which treated its affiliated sects as its own.
Even the shared label of “Demonic Path” meant nothing to the Bright Cult.
So whether there was a drought or a resulting poor harvest—that was the Ghost Lotus Sect’s problem.
If they lacked supplies, they could spend their own wealth to buy them, steal from others, or simply seize them by force. That was their affair.
The Bright Cult’s role was simply to receive what had been promised and complete the transaction of letting them keep their lives for another year.
That was how their dealings had always been, and because of that, Yul Han’s reaction could only feel unsettling to the Ghost Lotus Sect Master.
To the anxious sect master, Yul Han posed a question.
“How are things within the Ghost Lotus Sect? Is there a shortage of grain there as well?”
The Ghost Lotus Sect Master feared the intent behind the Vice Cult Leader’s question.
To him, it sounded like an accusation that they had kept food for themselves and sent less tribute instead.
Naturally, his reply was urgent and uneasy.
“T-That is… We do have about fifteen days’ worth of food left, but… that’s all. The drought lasted so long that even outside supplies are scarce, and we haven’t been able to secure any yet. Truly.”
“Fifteen days… Will that be enough?”
Yul Han’s question sounded like the whisper of a grim reaper.
It felt like a threat to hand over even the meager fifteen days’ worth of food they had barely managed to keep.
“W-When I say fifteen days, that’s only if we ration it to the bare minimum. At our normal rate of consumption, it wouldn’t even last ten days….”
That was the truth.
Knowing the Bright Cult’s nature all too well, they would never have dared to hold back enough food for themselves while sending an insufficient tribute.
At the Ghost Lotus Sect Master’s explanation, Yul Han’s expression darkened.
He already had a cold, cutting appearance, with eyes that leaked killing intent sharp enough to flay flesh just by meeting one’s gaze.
When such a man frowned…
“P-Please spare us, Vice Cult Leader!”
The Ghost Lotus Sect Master immediately bowed his head.
If it had been only his own life on the line, he might have at least drawn his sword once or shown some martial pride. But his opponent was the Bright Cult.
If displeased, they wouldn’t stop at killing the person involved—they would slaughter family members, associates, even the dogs and cats those people kept.
Against such monsters, pride and a warrior’s bravado were utterly useless.
Thus, following their sect master, all of the Ghost Lotus Sect’s leaders bowed their heads as well.
“Please spare us, Vice Cult Leader!”
Yul Han’s expression, as he looked upon their submission, grew even worse.
“Please raise your head, Sect Master.”
“P-Please spare us.”
Despite Yul Han’s words, the sect master remained bowed, repeating the same plea.
At that sight, Yul Han let out a small sigh.
In his memories, the Bright Cult had been rough and ferocious as the leader of the Demonic Path, but it had not been a band of lunatics who completely ignored the order of the world like criminal sects reviled even within the martial world.
That much was certain.
Of course, even their harsh actions ran counter to chivalry and righteousness—that was why, in his previous life, he and his sect had stood with the Hundred Paths and fought against the Bright Cult.
But in his memories, the Bright Cult was not an existence that inspired such absolute, unconditional terror as it did now.
Sensing that something he did not know must have happened during the thirty-year gap in time, Yul Han’s gaze sank.
And he thought carefully.
He had died, and yet he had come back to life. Even if it was in another person’s body, that fact remained.
Such an event—something he had never even seen in storybooks—would not have happened without a reason.
At the very least, there had to be some cause.
Of course, he didn’t know what that cause was directed toward. Honestly, he didn’t even want to know.
He had no intention of allowing his life to be manipulated by anyone—even if that someone was a god.
So he pushed aside reasons, directions, and all such things beyond his conscious mind.
Even if he continued his life in another’s body, he believed that his life should unfold according to his own choices and judgments.
If things were twisted, then straighten them. If they differed from himself, then adjust them.
Just as he always had, no matter the time, place, or body—he was still himself.
Even if going against the will of whoever had caused this led to his death once more, if his life had been one of chivalry, would that not still be enough?
And so…
“The Bright Cult does not punish innocent subordinate sects.”
At Yul Han’s words—spoken more firmly than before, as if his resolve had solidified—the Ghost Lotus Sect Master, its leaders, and even Cold Blade Blood sitting beside them all wore expressions that plainly said they had no idea what he was talking about.
Ignoring their looks as he strengthened his own resolve, Yul Han continued his explanation.
“The Bright Cult is not so base as to nitpick over what could not be paid because it did not exist. And…”
As the people’s confusion only deepened at these words, Yul Han’s voice continued over it.
“……I’ll look for a way to support the Ghost Lotus Sect with the food you lack. How much would be of help?”
I had already mentioned it, but I hadn’t known.
That the Bright Cult had no concept of stockpiles or reserve supplies.
Had I known the Bright Cult’s way—formed and entrenched over a long, not-at-all-short history of filling shortages through raids, plunder, and seizure—I would never have said such a thing……
“Is… is that truly so?”
“I wouldn’t lie after saying it outright.”
At Yul Han’s firm reply, the Ghost Lotus Sect Master answered with an anxious expression.
“If it were three thousand seom, we could somehow endure until next year’s harvest, but……”
“Understood. Once I return, I’ll see that the support is provided.”
“Th-That’s really true?”
At the sect master’s incredulous repetition of the same question, Yul Han replied.
“I don’t speak twice with one mouth.”
At Yul Han’s response, his cold eyes flashing, the Ghost Lotus Sect Master immediately bowed his head.
“I-I believe you. How could a lowly person like me d-dare to doubt…… I am simply grateful. Vice Cult Leader.”
Looking at the sect master bowing even deeper than before, Yul Han felt bitter at himself for being thanked over what should have been nothing more than the obvious.
‘There’s going to be a mountain of things that need to be set right.’
Cold Blade Blood, utterly unaware of Yul Han’s thoughts, wore an expression of complete incomprehension, unable to understand why this uncontrollable “human thunderbolt” was doing such things.
Leaving behind that absurd promise, Yul Han rejected the Ghost Lotus Sect’s desperate pleas for him to stay just one night and immediately boarded the carriage, setting out on the return journey.
He said it was because staying in a place already short on food would only burden them further.
Thus, on the carriage heading back toward the Heavenly Mountains, Flashing Light Blood—once again acting as the driver—sat beside Cold Blade Blood, who kept tilting his head and sighing repeatedly, and asked,
-What’s wrong?
-It’s just…… I keep wondering if it’s really true.
-What is?
-The three thousand seom.
-What three thousand seom?
-The rice. We just left after promising to provide that much to the Ghost Lotus Sect.
-Ah, come on. That’s got to be some kind of joke…….
-I wish it were a joke too.
At Cold Blade Blood’s stiff reply, Flashing Light Blood stared at him blankly for a moment before asking,
-Really… truly?
-I don’t want to believe it either, but it’s real.
After another moment of stunned silence, Flashing Light Blood finally seemed to come to his senses and shouted through voice transmission,
-Are you insane?! Why didn’t you stop him?!
-Would he have listened if I tried?
-Well, that’s……
Unable to answer immediately, Flashing Light Blood fell silent as Cold Blade Blood continued.
-Besides, if I’d tried to stop him, it felt like he’d rip my head off on the spot with that look in his eyes.
At those words, Flashing Light Blood could say nothing more.
He knew all too well how the Vice Cult Leader’s savage disposition had changed after the incident fifteen years ago.
In the end, the number of sighs leaking from the driver’s seat became two.
---
Even on the return journey, they camped out in the open as usual.
They could have entered a city and taken rooms at an inn, but just as on the way to the Ghost Lotus Sect, Yul Han insisted on camping along a deserted mountain slope on the way back as well.
In the end, Flashing Light Blood stopped the carriage by a mountainside with a small stream that made securing drinking water easy. While he tended to the horses released from the carriage, Cold Blade Blood lit a campfire for dinner.
But for some reason, the Vice Cult Leader—who had remained shut inside—opened the carriage door and came out.
Spotting him, Cold Blade Blood hurried over and bowed deeply.
“Is there something you require, Vice Cult Leader?”
“No. I just came out to see if I could catch something suitable for a light meal.”
“How could you trouble yourself with such a thing…… I’ll do it. Please rest……”
“No. I’ve already imposed on you before. I can’t do so again this time. I’ll catch something myself.”
“No, I will—”
“Wait.”
At Yul Han’s single word, Cold Blade Blood flinched and quickly bowed even deeper, retreating.
“Yes. Y-Yes, understood.”
Leaving Cold Blade Blood bent nearly double, Yul Han staggered off into the forest.
At his side followed the Blood Wolf, patches of fur missing, wagging its tail.
Only after Yul Han disappeared into the woods did Cold Blade Blood finally straighten up and rub the back of his neck.
He had felt dense killing intent in the Vice Cult Leader’s eyes just moments before.
Because of that, Cold Blade Blood resolved never to argue back against the Vice Cult Leader again.
As Flashing Light Blood approached him, he asked,
“Why do you look so spaced out again?”
“I think I just narrowly escaped death.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I talked back to the Vice Cult Leader…….”
“You’re crazy. Of all people, you talked back to the man who hates that the most.”
“Exactly. I must’ve lost my head for a moment. He’s been speaking so gently lately…… I guess I got confused.”
“Get a grip. I don’t know what kind of game he’s playing, but just because his words are gentler doesn’t mean the temperament he’s had since fifteen years ago has disappeared.”
At Flashing Light Blood’s warning, Cold Blade Blood nodded, rubbing his still-intact neck.
“You’re right. Still, why does he keep dragging that monstrosity around with him?”