Possessing Nothing

Something passed Lee Sungmin’s side.

A terrifyingly sharp qi attacked Geniella, covering her body. The Sword Saint had not physically swung a sword and hadn’t even sent out a flying sword.

The motion of his hand going up alone had sliced the space between the two and tried to hack Geniella to pieces.

However, she did not back down. Geniella smirked and flicked her finger. The blood covering her fingers created a drop of blood, which she then spread outward.

Pop.

The drop of blood expanded. A crimson-red curtain covered Geniella and Gemini.

KWAGAGAGAK!

The Sword Saint’s slash hit the curtain, but the thin blood barrier shook, withstanding the blow.

The Sword Saint gritted his teeth and clenched his mouth. It wasn’t because his blow was blocked but because the barrier was made using Chung Myung’s blood.

“Monster,” the Sword Saint spat out in a murderous voice and stepped forward. The old man from earlier, who could barely move, was gone.

Now, he was the strongest expert in the Wudang Sect and, more importantly, someone who stood at the peak of the mastery of the weapon called a sword. Such a man stepped forward, putting his strength into his leg.

A slight vibration shook the floor. An intangible slash shot up from the ground and tore through the bloody veil.

“Ahat!” (TN: What a weird laugh)

Geniella laughed. Unlike the Sword Saint, who didn’t try to hide his bloodlust, Geniella continued to laugh.

Geniella was incredibly strong, and she was stronger because it was nighttime.

The Sword Saint passed by Lee Sungmin.

“Leave.”

“But…”

“This old man’s only disciple died. The disciple I wanted to give everything to….You are not the one who needs to take revenge.

But this wasn’t something that Lee Sungmin could ignore and walk away from.

This could be an opportunity. There wasn’t a full moon, and this was Wudang Mountain, where the Sword Saint was strongest.

Also, the strongest martial artist of the Righteous Sects genuinely wanted to kill the Vampire Queen.

[It might be an opportunity.]

Vampires at night are stronger than those in broad daylight, but the full moon, which grants vampires an absolute advantage and blessing, did not rise tonight.

The only one Geniella brought with her was Gemini.

Where was Chen and Kuhn? Aine?

Did she not join hands with Juwon yet? Lee Sungmin didn’t know. However, there were only two enemies before him now: Geniella and Gemini.

If… he fought with the Sword Saint, couldn’t they kill Geniella?

While Lee Sungmin was thinking, the Sword Saint continued to walk toward the vampire pair.

Every time he took a step, intangible lines of qi rose and tried to cut Geniella into pieces. She giggled as she flicked her fingers, spreading blood droplets to block the sharp qi.

“Was he tasty?”

Geniella had asked, not the Sword Saint, but Lee Sungmin.

“The Blood Demon, I mean. My father. Was he tasty?”

Father…

Lee Sungmin remembered what the Blood Demon had muttered: that parents have no choice but to listen to what their children ask for.

Lee Sungmin raised his spear slightly and asked, “The Blood Demon was your father?”

“We weren’t related by blood…ah, but we mixed our blood because I turned him into a vampire. Well, anyways, the Blood Demon was our stepfather. When we were younger… around 700 years ago, we received a lot of help from him.”

“Didn’t you push him to his death?”

“I didn’t force him to; rather, he chose to do what he did. And, in the end, didn’t you kill the Blood Demon? Oh, but I don’t want to avenge my father, so don’t worry,” Geniella giggled.

The Sword Saint, who glared at her, who acted like she was having a friendly conversation, raised his hand.

“Stop,” Geniella spoke as she spread open her hand, which was still covered in Chung Myung’s blood.

PUHWAK!

The crimson curtain greatly expanded to cover the entirety of the temple. Everything was tinted in a scarlet hue: the color of blood. Geniella shrugged her shoulders and laughed.

“You can’t kill me with those playful actions. I thought you were mad that your disciple died, but it seems like you aren’t serious?”

“Hah…”

At Geniella’s mockery, the Sword Saint forced out a laugh. Instantly, any trace of a smile disappeared from his face.

The Sword Saint’s hand gripped the air. Something invisible was held in his hand.

Lee Sungmin, looking at the Sword Saint’s actions, flinched.

RIIIPPPPP!!

The Sword Saint moved his hand. The shapeless sword he was tightly gripping ripped the space apart.

The blood-tinted world, which Geniella had created, was cut in half. The temple roof, also cut in two, was flung away from the shockwave.

Chung Myung’s head rolled around on the ground. The Sword Saint did not glance at it and shot forward.

His aged body jumped through space. Geniella’s eyes widened as the Sword Saint instantly closed the gap between them.

Geniella raised her hands as the Sword Saint’s shapeless sword swept through her body.

“Huh?”

The diagonal cut, which drew a line on Geniella’s body, cleanly split her into two pieces.

The Sword Saint raised his sword again, looking at her body crumbling. Instantly, Gemini moved.

Kicking the ground hard, she dashed, not toward the Sword Saint, but toward Lee Sungmin. She sped past the Sword Saint and stretched her arms toward Lee Sungmin.

KWANG!

Lee Sungmin’s body, pushed back by Gemini’s hands, broke through the temple wall and flew away. In mid-air, Lee Sungmin stabilized his body and pointed the blade of his spear toward Gemini.

AHAHAHAHAHAH!!

A loud laugh pierced and shook the night sky. The entire temple was enveloped in blood-red light and exploded.

In the crimson light, Geniella raised her body. The Sword Saint’s shapeless sword couldn’t push back the blood-colored light that Geniella emitted.

“Why don’t you run away?”

As Lee Sungmin landed on the ground, Gemini spoke. She was standing not far away, looking at the temple.

Enveloped in a blood-red light, Geniella landed on the ground wearing a crimson dress.

The Sword Saint, against the raging scarlet wind, was unyielding. His tattered dobok (TN: martial artist robes – think of a taekwondo uniform) fluttered as it faced the wild wind. His thin arms tensed as he gripped his shapeless sword tightly.

RUMBLE!

In the middle of the crimson storm, the Sword Saint stood, his body emitting a silvery light. As he stepped forward, the light covering his body intensified.

It was Sword Light, where the blade of the sword emitted light. However, instead of the sword emitting light, the Sword Saint’s whole body was surrounded by the silvery light, growing brighter and brighter. Hundreds of shapeless blades arose around the Sword Saint’s body.

The image of the Sword Saint advancing without hesitation toward Geniella’s crimson storm was truly enough for him to deserve the title of “Sword Saint.”

“The Sword Saint will die,” Gemini said without hesitation. “I’m not saying he’s weak, but his opponent is too strong. The Sword Saint cannot even kill Geniella when the sun is up, so it will be impossible for him to kill her at night.”

Gemini pointed at the sky above.

“Geniella is immortal at night. She cannot be killed.”

“If she is this strong at night without the full moon… then isn’t right now a good time to try to kill her?”

“Because tonight isn’t the full moon?”

At Lee Sungmin’s muttering, Gemini smiled with her fangs showing.

“That’s why I’m telling you to run away. You don’t know Geniella at all. Because tonight isn’t the full moon? You can kill her because it isn’t?”

Gemini, who repeated what Lee Sungmin had said moments ago, laughed hysterically.

[[You can only say that because you don’t know Geniella, okay? It doesn’t matter if it’s day or night. It doesn’t matter if there is a new or crescent moon. Geniella could change day into night and raise a full moon if she wanted. That is the power of the last of the three Demon Eyes she possesses.]] (TN: One of the demon eyes allowed Geniella to see into the future if I remember correctly. If anyone knows the power of the other one, let me know in the comments.)

She sent a telepathic message, which sounded like a whisper.

Lee Sungmin’s eyes widened after hearing what Gemini told him.

[[That’s why I’m telling you to run. Thankfully, Geniella doesn’t want to kill you yet. However, she won’t be merciful toward someone who tries to attack her. Do you understand now?]]

[[…Why are you telling me this?]]

Lee Sungmin stared at her. Gemini’s behavior had been suspicious ever since their first meeting.

Unlike the other vampires, Gemini did not follow Geniella mindlessly. Back then, at Geniella’s mansion, Gemini had given Lee Sungmin Baek Sogo, who was held captive. Now, she was giving out information that Lee Sungmin didn’t even ask for.

[[This makes it a bit more fun.]]

Gemini smiled slightly.

[[It’s up to you to believe what I said. However, if you jump at Geniella right now, you will die a dog’s death. Even if you help the Sword Saint, it’s impossible for you both to kill Geniella. And don’t forget about me.]]

Geniella and the Sword Saint were still clashing with each other. The Sword Saint, wielding his shapeless sword, swung it around without backing down, trying to rip apart the mana storm created by Geniella.

She was still laughing. The Sword Saint’s attacks couldn’t pierce through her barrier.

Gemini raised her hand and pointed at the temple behind her.

“The Sword Saint alone cannot kill Geniella. Even if you help, it’s futile.”

[Be wary.]

Heoju advised.

[You have to distinguish between what you can do and what you can’t. You can’t trust that little vampire’s words unconditionally. Isn’t it too absurd to think that Geniella’s third demon eye can create a full moon?]

If that was true, didn’t it mean that Geniella practically didn’t have a weak point?

Lee Sungmin had thought of ways to fight Geniella and win. The easiest method, by far, was fighting during the day.

In the worst-case scenario, if they fought during nighttime, Lee Sungmin had to avoid the night of the full moon. First of all, fighting in the daytime took the number one priority.

However, if Gemini’s words were correct, fighting her at any time was impossible.

Even if they fought in the daytime, if Geniella could bring the night to her and summon a full moon, it would mean that Lee Sungmin would have to fight her in her strongest state.

[What will you do?]

Distinguish what you can do and what you can’t.

Something that he couldn’t do… was fighting together with the Sword Saint to kill Geniella. That was an impossible task.

Even if he used every bit of power that he had, even if he used Genesis and Martial End, which was the final technique in the Nine Heavenly Spear Techniques, even if he took the fifth and final step in Shadowless Steps, which he had never used before, what was impossible would remain impossible.

Then what about running away? That was possible. As Gemini said, Geniella did not intend to kill Lee Sungmin here and now. That was the same for Gemini. So, running away was possible.

However, he could not take the Sword Saint with him.

The Sword Saint did not wish to run away, and since he used the mountain’s spirit to maintain his body, he couldn’t leave.

In the end, Lee Sungmin had to escape on his own. If he fought, he would only die a dog’s death.

‘Where’s Aine?’

Chen? Kuhn?

A certain suspicion made Lee Sungmin shiver. He slowly dragged his foot back.

What he couldn’t do…

And what he could do.

“I’ll back off.”

“Good Idea,” Gemini smiled brightly and spoke.

Lee Sungmin looked past Gemini’s shoulder with complicated eyes.

Compared to the Sword Saint, who moved ceaselessly, shooting out shapeless sword qi, Geniella had a much more relaxed expression.

Monster.

Lee Sungmin slowly dragged his feet back, one by one. The Sword Saint… would probably die. No, he will die. There was no other possibility.

‘I have to be coldhearted.’

Lee Sungmin clenched his jaw. It was a terrible feeling. There was no time to mourn the death of the Sword Saint.

What he could do… Lee Sungmin engraved that into his mind. He turned his body, no longer looking at the Sword Saint.

“See you next time,” Gemini smiled and waved her hand.

Lee Sungmin ignored her farewell and kicked the ground, shooting forward. In the span of a breath, he ran to the cliff and leaped off the edge.

Lee Sungmin spread his qi as he fell toward the ground far below. His senses sharpened, and he heard sounds from far away.

Screaming and shouting.

It was as Lee Sungmin expected.

The Wudang Sect was under attack.

***

Haegeumji had fallen. (TN: 해검지/Haegeumji is located on the path to the main entrance to the Wudang Sect, where visitors leave their weapons before entering. Every visitor who enters the Sect has to leave their weapon behind if they want to enter. There’s no word in English for this, but Gort (PR) said it’s most comparable to a coat/bag check. Think of it as airport security (maybe TSA?) As far as I can tell, it is specific to the Wudang sect.)

Beyond the broken entrance to the Wudang Sect, practitioners were posted, ready to fight.

Due to what happened at Haegeumji, every expert in the sect that remained had gathered.

All of them thought that today would be the worst day in the world since the founding of the Wudang Sect. The strangers who passed Haegeumji were idiots who did not know manners.

“Do we need to request support from the Great Elder (대사조)?” (TN: I think this is the Sword Saint.)

“What kind of a disgrace is it to bother the Great Elder with something as trivial as this?”

The martial artists talked amongst each other. The Wudang Sect’s Sect Leader, carrying some luggage, stood and looked past the gate. Four…

The Sect Leader swallowed.

Four. There were only four. However, he could not bring himself to say ‘trivial.’

‘It doesn’t seem like it, but she’s cautious.’

Prescan walked up the steps, his robes dragging on the ground. Aine stood ahead, covered in blood.

As soon as they entered the sect and passed Haegeumji, Aine ripped apart every martial artist that ambushed them.

‘Or she’s greedy.’

Geniella had stated that she wanted to kill the Sword Saint alone and left to find his residence.

And Aine, Chen, Kuhn, and Prescan had headed for the central part of the Wudang Sect.

“You will eat as much as you want today, Aine,” Prescan spoke satisfactorily.

Kill and eat everyone.

That was all that Geniella had told Aine.