Absolute Sword Sense Chapter 191: Head Of The Stationed Troops (1)

Sub-sect leader.

Just hearing the title was enough to tell soone its holder would likely be the next leader. This was my conclusion after giving it much thought.

Before my regression, she was the original holder of the title of the sect leader, and she holds the capacity to do it even now. It also seed that she had changed a lot since we first t.

The cruelty and arrogance were still there, but she had grown stronger after going through many things. If she couldn’t be the next leader, the only other suitable position for her would have been to be my wife.

[You….]

Baek Hye-hyang looked shocked. She clearly didn’t think that she would be given such a position.

As we did fight for the position of the sect leader, she must have never thought that I would give her a position of such great authority.

[You don’t like it?]

[…could you even believe it if I said I didn’t like it?]

[We have entrusted our lives to each other before, so I have no reason to not believe in you.]

I was still grateful to her. For whatever reason, she had risked her life for . If it wasn’t for her, I would have died in the hands of Mu Ack.

[The reason…]

[No. Even if that wasn’t the case, I just thought that considering your level, status, and skills, the most suitable position for you was the sub-sect leader.]

My words caused her expression to change. She looked different than usual.

I think it was because she felt special about her worth as being recognized, not as a woman, but as a person with skills.

She sighed, laughed, and replied with a ssage.

[Stupid. If it were , I would have kicked you out right away. Well… I would feel bad but….]

Soone then knelt before

and shouted.

“Not worthy!”

It was the Third Blood Star, Yang Jeon.

Baek Hye-hyang, who was smiling, raised an eyebrow. Showing so quick wits, my guardian Ha Jong-il moved to the front.

“Third Blood Star, the ceremony is not over yet. What are…”

“Left guardian.”

I called out to him.

I signaled him to step back. As he did so, I looked at the Third Blood Star and said.

“What is not worthy?”

“To be sub-leader ans to be only second to one person. In other words, Lady Baek Hye-hyang’s position would be almost comparable to that of the sect leader. This position has never existed in the sect since we were founded.”

“So?”

“The position of sect leader is like a sun to the sect. There is only one sun in the sky. Yet, if you create a position similar to the sun, I wonder what would beco of the sun in the future.”

mbers of the sect whispered among themselves at this. As expected, while he was a person of rank, he wasn’t truly acting up.

He was soone who belonged to Baek Ryeon-ha.

He was also soone who opposed Baek Hye-hyang more than anyone else. However, if they opposed

directly like this, they were making a position that I created a point of contention.

I shook my head. There was sothing that he overlooked.

Which I made imdiately clear.

“There is no conversation about this. Are you unhappy that she is being given a position higher than what was given to Baek Ryeon-ha?”

‘…!?’

Hearing this, the Third Blood Star’s expression changed. All of the other Blood Stars in his faction shared his expression. They must have thought that I wouldn’t openly question their motives.

Even if they hadn’t directly said it, it would be possible for

to make the first move.

“That is not…”

“No. Even if she is the sub-sect leader, she is not the Blood Demon. How, then, could she beco the sa as ?”

“Blood Demon, the heavens…”

“Everyone, listen to !”

I placed a note of sternness into my voice, sending it echoing among the crowd.

-What are you doing?

This was to make sure everyone heard.

Watching this happen again and again was tiring. Now that this chance had co, I needed to end their war and relay my thoughts.

“Are you all mbers of the sect? Or are you mbers of the Baek Hye-hyang and Baek Ryeon-ha factions?”

The whole place beca silent. Everyone knew what I ant by asking this.

I then said.

“Do I sound like I am jesting?!”

This made everyone reply at the top of their lungs.

“We are of the Blood Sect!”

I looked down at the Third Blood Star and said coldly.

“Are you not a mber of the sect? Why are you silent?”

Surprised by this, he bowed his head and declared.

“I am of the Blood Sect!”

“You know this, so what is with this act?”

“My thoughts were….”

“Are you unhappy that Baek Hye-hyang and Baek Ryeon-ha are being given positions befitting their status?”

“That…”

I smiled as he struggled to answer. I then stood up and said.

“Their status is of the direct bloodline of the previous Blood Demon. They cannot simply be given just any position. Therefore, I granted the honorable position of the high priest to Baek Ryeon-ha and the position of the sub-sect leader to Baek Hye-hyang. What problem do you have with this?”

The Third Blood Star listened to this and replied cautiously.

“If it is as you said, then the position isn’t biased to anyone…”

“Can you defeat Baek Hye-hyang?”

He fell silent at my question. Of course, he would.

Her martial arts were strong enough that only the First Elder and my teacher would be able to deal with her. Of course, other variables could co into play, but none of them would deny it.

“I am one who respects martial arts. If Baek Ryeon-ha acquires that level of skill, she can take the position from Baek Hye-hyang.”

I have now given them a chance to take the position if he really wanted to give it to Baek Ryeon-ha. Of course, it would only be possible if Baek Ryeon-ha’s skills improved.

This made Baek Hye-hyang smile. It was like I was giving them a dream of hope that did not exist.

She had that much confidence in her victory and her ability to keep her position.

‘Ah!’

I suddenly had a nice thought.

I raised my voice again so everyone could hear.

“Let us make this public. Whether they are a Blood Star or just a regular sect mber, I will judge them only through the dium of skill.”

Whisper!

The crowd fell silent.

Seo Kalma, who had been watching quietly, opened his mouth.

“To only use skill to judge them…”

“Anyone with the appropriate ability can wrest the position of a Blood Star or a Venerable Dignitary.”

‘….!!’

The sect mbers beca agitated.

According to my words, anyone with enough ability could push another from their place.

“How can that….”

The Fifth Blood Star, Hwang Kang, was clearly shocked. The current system of the sect was a structure where one’s position was increased based on skill and official titles.

However, the Blood Sect I lead will be one where anyone with a title would need to stay on their toes.

-Look at them shaking.

Short Sword giggled in amusent.

-They’re shaking in a good way, Wonwhi.

-Not bad. This should make those guys desperately improve to avoid losing their positions.

While Iron Sword was unsurprising, even the Blood Demon Sword also agreed with . I had conceived of the system on the fly due to the factions under Baek Hye-hyang and Baek Ryeon-ha, but this should be better for the future.

The First Elder then sent

a ssage.

[It is a good thod. The sect would beco a system where individuals would fight rather than groups. The level of the sect would also rise, killing two birds with one stone.]

No longer would they be comfortable with just a certain level of skill. They would be pushed to grow.

[Hehehe. You can never neglect your skills if you want to keep your position.]

Even Hae Ack-chun approved of it. He reacted like this even though he was in a position where anyone could aim for him to seize his spot.

Truly a martial arts maniac.

On the other hand, the Fifth and Seventh Blood Stars were glaring at the Third Blood Star, clearly blaming him for causing this situation.

I felt grateful to them.

Gratitude for reminding

of such a good idea.

“I will continue the ceremony.”

Tak.

At my command, Baek Hye-hyang knelt on one knee happily and clasped her hand as she bowed her head and shouted.

“I obey the command of the Blood Demon.”

And with that, she was now the sub-sect leader. No one else objected further.

They were now more concerned with maintaining their own position. Ha Jong-il then quietly looked at .

There was an important announcent after this.

-Kekeik, the reactions are expected.

That’s right.

I’m sure everyone would be surprised to learn that Sima Young would beco my wife and the daughter of one of the Four Great Evils.

At the mont Ha Jong-il was ready to announce this, a mber of the sect ran towards us with a serious expression.

“W-we have a big problem!”

“Why are you making such a fuss?”

Even though he had the Second Blood Star, Yu Baek, step forward to intercept him, the ssenger only looked at

and knelt.

“30,000 troops from the governnt are headed here as we speak.”

‘…!!’

The entire place beca agitated at this news.

“30,000?”

“How can there be so many of them?”

I was also quite shocked at this. I thought we would no longer have a problem since Lee Seok helped us last ti. Yet 30,000 governnt soldiers were heading here now as if coming for war.

‘This isn’t a low-level deploynt.’

This ant that the central governnt had moved.

Dududud!

The ground shuddered as thousands of cavalry soldiers moved across it.

Behind them were countless infantry soldiers marching in rows of five.

Hundreds of carts were also being pulled by horses between the soldiers. On them was sothing akin to a large bow.

It was a large crossbow.

It was a siege weapon that required three people to operate and could fire dozens of arrows at once. The power generated by this machine was enough to pierce a wall, incomparable to a normal bow.

Chak!

Upon reaching a certain distance, the cavalry raised a blue flag, and the army marching behind them stopped.

As the governnt soldiers stopped their advance, the siege weapons began to be loaded with arrows as 10,000 archers readied their dium-sized bows.

‘….’

The expressions on the nobles’ faces as they watched this were unusual. The large crossbow was not a siege weapon but a strategic weapon to deal with Murim warriors.

-Why are they doing that?

I don’t know.

However, it was clear that they brought strategic weapons in anticipation of a war.

Even if each soldier had less strength, the fear was still clear.

By mobilizing this many troops in combination with those weapons, becoming overwheld in a battle was a real possibility.

“The situation doesn’t look good.”

The First Elder, Dan Wei-kang, said this stiffly, and I agreed.

No matter how much mastery over martial arts we have, if those arrows flew at us, we would end up sacrificing many lives.

We needed to step back from their range. At that mont, a cavalry soldier ca riding in with a flag.

“Looks like a ssenger.”

‘Ah!’

The flag he carried stated that it belonged to the Head of the Stationed Troops. As expected, we knew who had moved.

The cavalry soldier stopped at a distance and shouted loudly.

“Blood Sect leader, we hope you respond to our summons alone!”

The sect mbers clearly didn’t like that I was being called out alone. There was only one thing that could have led to this.

A problem I made disappear by bribing their local head of governnt.

Did the Murim Alliance reach out their hand again?

At that mont, Hae Ack-chun stood at the wall and replied.

“Why are you looking for the leader of our sect?”

The cavalry soldier replied.

“If you do not respond to our summons, our reply will be made with arrows!”

“What! How dare they!”

“Look at them!”

Seo Kalma hurriedly held onto my teacher’s clothes to stop him from running in and attacking the ssenger in anger.

That was the right choice.

Killing this soldier would an war.

“Phew.”

I sighed.

For sothing like this to happen today, things really couldn’t be solved easily. Judging from the fact that this much force was being mobilized for , the situation could spiral out of control if I refused.

“I will go.”

“Blood Demon!”

“You cannot go alone!”

“We will help!”

The elders tried to dissuade . However, we would need to make sacrifices if we wanted to deal with them.

The opponent, however, wasn’t so regional official but an entire army under the control of the province.

Needless friction will only make things worse for us. I shook my head at them and turned to Baek Hye-hyang.

“The ti has co for you to take temporary leadership.”

Short Sword clicked her tongue as we reached where the governnt soldiers were positioned.

-The soldiers we saw on the way here won’t be able to fight.

That’s right.

The troops here were just conscripted soldiers. Since this military was created for defense, its quality was different from the army under the Military Ministry.

Wasn’t that why they had co prepared with a strategic weapon against Murim warriors?

We saw middle-aged n with long beards and their subordinates, all wearing armor.

‘… of course.’

Well.

They also learned a form of martial arts.

Martial arts wasn’t a privilege that only those of Murim could learn in the first place. It simply required a high level of skill. The person who seed to be the general felt he was at the master level, while those under his command were around first-rate.

-Wonhwi, be careful. My previous owner said that the governnt wasn’t only scary because of its army of millions but also because it had a considerable number of warriors.

That was indeed so.

If the army was simply filled by ordinary people, the imperial family would have been overthrown already.

It was said that the imperial family had a type of hidden power, and I was curious about it.

Swish!

As I reached the front, the archers aid their bows at . The general on his horse then opened his mouth.

“Are you the Blood Sect’s leader?”

“That is correct. May I ask for the general’s na?”

A person like this should be fairly known. I was familiar with those in high ranks when I worked as a spy in the Murim Alliance. It would be easier to respond if I had his na.

“How dare you ask a question when you are being summoned for violating the nation’s laws?”

One of the general’s n interrupted us. It seed that he was feeling blustery as I had co alone.

The man with the spear then continued.

“We also told you to co without weapons, but you ignored that! Put the weapons down right now and take off that hideous mask.”

Hearing this, I snorted and replied.

“That is difficult. I need to protect myself too.”

“What?”

“And all that you are saying are re allegations. The cri that you accuse

of hasn’t been proven yet.”

Hearing this, the general’s expression contorted. Thanks to his soldier’s bluster, I managed to get so useful information.

The man we bribed seed to have destroyed any evidence of our transaction. There was no need to act weak.

There was anger towards , which was then directed at the Blood Sect, as he said.

“Do you really want to see these arrows fly?”

He tried to intimidate

as I replied coldly.

“I responded to your summons alone to help you save face. If you continue to act like this, things will get difficult.”

“Ha! What are you going to do? I am the one who can sentence you to…”

Thud!

Before he could finish his words, his eyes closed, and he fell off his horse. That was the price to pay for looking

in the eye.

“What!”

“What is this!”

Seeing that a general had fainted, everyone turned to aim their weapons at . A bearded soldier raised his voice and said,

“What did you do?”

There had been no trace of martial arts, but a general under his command had suddenly fainted, and he was clearly surprised.

I replied softly to this.

“I put him to sleep because he was being rude.”

“Sleep? Are you not afraid of this situation? When the high general raises his hand, the arrows would be released.”

“It is too late for that.”

“What?”

“Before you raise that hand, all within three miles of

will die.”

As soon as I said this, I released my internal qi.

Gooooo!

There was no need to open my upper dantian.

I closed my left eye and opened my middle dantian to release my qi. The expression of the bearded high general and those under him beca stiff.

Having learned so martial arts, they should know the difference in our level. They would feel a clenching in their hearts.

The high general then frowned and said to ,

“You do realize that crossbows are aid at you as well?”

“That only works for their level.”

‘….!’

“Try it if you don’t believe it. However, the price would be your subordinates’ lives.”

“How dare you!”

The bearded man raised his hand, and his long beard was cut in half before he even realized it.

“If you really want to see whose hands are faster, it won’t be your beard next ti.”

The high general’s hand, about to rise, began to tremble. Even his subordinates could no longer speak easily.

So were even breaking out in cold sweats. I then spoke to them condescendingly.

“You shouldn’t have called

this close.”

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

Intimidation returned as intimidation.