Chapter 155
The Yun family estate, located within the Golden Sand Fortress of Guizhou Province.

Gu Yusang, the head of the family, sat expressionless in his study, receiving a report from a subordinate who was kneeling before him.

Though Gu Yusang’s face betrayed no emotion whatsoever—completely blank—his subordinate trembled uncontrollably, unable to lift his gaze after finishing the report.

The chilling aura radiating from Gu Yusang was so intense it felt like a physical coldness.

The subordinate understood that Gu Yusang was so furious he had lost all expression.

He also knew that a single wrong word could cost him his life.

Slowly, Gu Yusang spoke.

“So you’re telling me that the reason why Yeomra Blood Saint Chuk Hotak and the seven elite masters he took with him were all killed was because of that Nanhon Witch Sonanso and that scoundrel Sun Woojin?”

Originally, Gu Yusang had never even considered the possibility that the vampire lord No Josong and Yeomra Blood Saint Chuk Hotak might fail.

His plan was to follow behind No Josong after he overturned the Gaeyang Gate, rescuing Sun Woo Yeonha and then revealing his own presence to claim the Sunwoo family’s territory.

But just as he was about to depart the Yun estate, he received unbelievable news.

No Josong and his men had been completely wiped out by an unknown fiend.

At first, Gu Yusang’s immediate thought was: “Could this be the secret guards of the Jegal family?”

It made sense—he had been caught off guard by the fact that Jegal Jiyong and Jegal Seoyul had followed No Josong to Gaeyang Gate without his knowledge.

Grinding his teeth, Gu Yusang had to return to the Yun estate, abandoning his pursuit.

The power of the fiend who killed No Josong was formidable, but more than that, he couldn’t afford to clash with the Jegal family just yet.

Then, the news that arrived the next day left Gu Yusang so enraged he became expressionless.

“…Yeomra Blood Saint Chuk Hotak and all seven elite masters were annihilated?”

At first, he thought it impossible.

Even if the Jegal family had intervened, it was hard to believe that Chuk Hotak, an ultra-elite master, would be killed without returning.

But as time passed and Chuk Hotak did not come back, Gu Yusang had no choice but to accept the truth.

Chuk Hotak and the masters who went to the Sunwoo estate had also been wiped out.

Suppressing the urge to kill the subordinates who reported this, Gu Yusang ordered a swift and thorough investigation.

Half a day later, the names he heard were those two: the traitorous Nanhon Witch Sonanso and the worthless Sun Woojin.

Gu Yusang let out a bitter laugh, utterly incredulous.

“Sun Woojin? That disgrace of the Sunwoo family? You’re telling me that bastard was skilled enough to kill Chuk Hotak? Ha, ha ha.”

Suddenly, memories from a few days ago flashed through his mind.

No Josong had said that Sun Woojin, the third son, might be the true heir of the Sunwoo family.

Gu Yusang had flatly denied it, insisting such trash could never be.

He never imagined No Josong was right and he was wrong.

His sharp mind quickly pieced the situation together.

Perhaps Sun Woojin had deliberately played the fool in front of him at the Yun estate to conceal his true strength.

Of course, he probably didn’t know Sun Woojin was affiliated with the Blood Sect… or maybe he did.

If he had already allied with Sonanso, it was entirely possible.

At that thought, Gu Yusang let out a hollow laugh.

“I’ve been completely toyed with. Ha ha, ha ha ha!”

He, who had always been the one to manipulate others since leaving Yunnan Province, had now been perfectly outplayed.

The absurdity of it all made him laugh.

But once the laughter faded, what remained was a thick, venomous aura.

Gu Yusang hissed like a viper.

“Fine, I admit it. I’ve been bested. Now, it’s time to make them pay.”

His eyes gleamed coldly, like a venomous snake ready to strike.

Then, suddenly, screams erupted from outside.

“Kyaaaah!”

“An, an intrusion! Aaaah!”

“Gyaaah!”

Not just one or two, but multiple screams broke out simultaneously.

Already seething with anger, Gu Yusang asked his subordinate in a low voice.

“What’s going on?”

“I-I’ll check immediately!”

The subordinate dashed out, returning moments later with a pale face, shouting.

“It’s an attack! The Martial Alliance’s strike team!”

The words twisted Gu Yusang’s face into a grimace.

“…What?”

“Jang Do-ok, the branch chief of the Martial Alliance’s Guizhou branch, along with over a hundred warriors, have launched an assault! It seems they’ve discovered our presence!”

“The Martial Alliance, huh…”

Gu Yusang chuckled bitterly again.

He immediately understood the situation.

“So that was why they sent the Jegal family to Gaeyang Gate—to reveal our presence.”

They must have gotten the information from Sonanso and already known the Yun estate’s location.

No doubt, after Jegal Jiyong and Jegal Seoyul were attacked, they relayed their position immediately.

Otherwise, it wouldn’t explain how the notoriously sluggish Martial Alliance warriors arrived so quickly.

Grinding his teeth, Gu Yusang muttered the name.

“Sun… Woo… Jin!”

It wasn’t yet certain if Sun Woojin had orchestrated all this, but one thing was clear: he had to die.

At that moment, a subordinate urgently asked.

“M-Master! What will you do?! You must leave here immediately…!”

Gu Yusang scoffed at the suggestion.

“Run away? Me? Afraid of moths drawn to a flame?”

“…Huh?”

The subordinate couldn’t understand his words.

Jang Do-ok, the Martial Alliance’s Guizhou branch chief, was known as a master with over ninety years of internal energy cultivation.

He was practically an elder-level expert of the Nine Great Sects.

And yet, Gu Yusang called them moths drawn to a flame despite being attacked by Jang Do-ok and over a hundred warriors.

But the subordinate’s confusion was quickly resolved.

A voice suddenly spoke right beside him.

“Indeed, indeed. My nephew is truly destined to be the next Blood Demon. Such pests are nothing but moths drawn to a flame, ha.”

Startled, the subordinate turned to see the speaker’s face, immediately bowing deeply.

“Greetings, Elder!”

Standing there with a bored expression was a handsome young man—Hwa Sayu, the Flame-colored Demon.

He was a Blood Sect demon and one of the Thirty-Six Stars of the World.

Gu Yusang smiled faintly and asked Hwa Sayu.

“Uncle Hwa, would you mind taking care of these moths drawn to the flame for me?”

Hwa Sayu nodded casually.

“Of course, of course! Leave it to me, nephew. I’ll burn every last one of these moths to ashes.”

“Then I’ll leave it in your hands.”

By the time Gu Yusang finished speaking, Hwa Sayu had already vanished.

Gu Yusang smirked and slowly rose, stepping outside.

He wanted to witness firsthand the sight of moths burning in the fire.

Outside the pavilion, the first thing he saw was Hwa Sayu attacking a cluster of Martial Alliance warriors.

As Hwa Sayu leapt among them, swinging his arms, a wave of blood spread out like a tsunami centered on him.

Pffft!

“Gyaaah!”

“Ughhh!”

“Arrgh!”

It was an incomprehensible sight.

Even without touching them, the area within a two-jo radius was transformed into a sea of blood.

But Hwa Sayu didn’t stop there.

Moving gracefully, he continued swinging his arms.

It was as if invisible claws were slashing through the warriors within a two-jo radius, cutting them down in a spray of blood.

It looked like a divine or demonic miracle.

And Hwa Sayu wasn’t the only threat.

His white ribbon whirled around him like a living thing, slicing through the Martial Alliance warriors.

Each time the ribbon brushed past, a warrior would spurt blood and collapse.

The scene was utterly overwhelming.

Within moments, the hundred-plus Martial Alliance warriors were reduced to less than half.

Then, a warrior wielding a long sword charged at Hwa Sayu with a desperate expression.

It was Jang Do-ok, the Martial Alliance’s Guizhou branch chief, a master with over ninety years of cultivation.

“Scoundrel!”

His yellow blade, over a jo long, swung toward Hwa Sayu, aiming to cleave him in two.

Truly the skill of an elder-level master of the Nine Great Sects.

But Hwa Sayu merely raised his index finger lazily, pointing at Jang Do-ok.

And that was the end of it.

Thunk!

The sight froze every Martial Alliance warrior watching.

Their branch chief, an elder-level master, was pierced through the head by a single finger and collapsed dead.

He never even swung his sword once.

With that, the battle was over.

The demoralized Martial Alliance warriors, having lost their leader so effortlessly, had neither the will nor the strength to resist any longer.

The scarlet demon Hwa Sa-yu slaughtered the warriors one by one until only about twenty remained, then abruptly stopped as if bored.

At that moment, the warriors of the Blood Sect moved in behind him, surrounding and dispatching the remaining fighters from the Martial Alliance.

It seemed it wouldn’t take long to finish them all off.

Gu Yu-sang then ordered his subordinates nearby.

“Prepare to leave immediately. We’re getting out of Guizhou City fast. Burn down the entire Yun family estate.”

“Yes, sir!”

Gu Yu-sang slowly surveyed the Yun estate he had used as his base. It had been a satisfactory stronghold, but he knew they couldn’t stay any longer. Since this place had been attacked, it was only a matter of time before all of Guizhou City’s bases were discovered.

Suddenly, one of his men asked again, “So, you’re heading straight back to Yunnan Province?”

Gu Yu-sang’s eyes sharpened instantly. Staring northward, he muttered through clenched teeth, “No way. Those who dare block my path will pay the price.”

His gaze shifted back to Hwa Sa-yu, the scarlet demon. With him by his side, it didn’t matter how much that Sun Woo-jin had hidden his true strength, or that he was allied with the wild witch So Nan-so. He could turn him into nothing more than a puppet, just like Jang Do-ok.

Gu Yu-sang spat out the words with venom in his eyes. “The price for standing in my way will be paid in full, Sun Woo-jin. I will erase the entire Sun Woo family from this world.”

---

Clatter, clatter!

Je Gal Seo-yul rode alone, galloping back toward the Sun Woo estate.

Sun Woo Seong and his group were also returning, escorting Sun Woo Yeon-ha in custody, but Je Gal Seo-yul had insisted on leaving alone, wanting to confirm something before anyone else.

With neither Sun Woo Seong nor her uncle Je Gal Ji-yong present, she had questions she needed answered.

As the scenery blurred past, she thought, Sun Woo-jin Gongja, are you really that monster?

No one at Gaeyang Gate had questioned the sudden disappearance of Sun Woo-jin. There had been too many pressing matters, but more than that, no one cared enough to notice.

Even her uncle Je Gal Ji-yong, known for his sharp mind within the Je Gal family, hadn’t paid him any attention. Sun Woo-jin had hidden himself perfectly.

But if he truly was behind all this…

After a long ride, Je Gal Seo-yul finally caught sight of the Sun Woo estate.

The shattered main gate, broken into pieces, was the first thing that caught her eye—a clear sign of the fierce battle that had taken place.

Then, atop the ruined gate’s roof, she spotted him, casually sitting with his legs dangling.

Her eyes widened.

Of course!

Je Gal Seo-yul realized her suspicions were correct. The man who had vanished without a trace from Gaeyang Gate was already back at the Sun Woo estate, looking perfectly fine.

There was no doubt he had been the one behind the Blood Sect’s failed assault.

Unable to hold back, she urged her horse forward and called out his name.

“Sun Woo Gongja!”

Sun Woo-jin smiled faintly, still relaxed, and replied, “You’ve returned early, Je Gal Sojeo.”

His tone was indifferent, almost mocking, and Je Gal Seo-yul felt a sudden sting of hurt.

She had come all this way, desperate to meet him, only to be met with such coldness.

But she gritted her teeth. As a member of the Je Gal family, she couldn’t let her emotions get the better of her.

Fixing him with a sharp gaze, she pressed, “You were the Blue-Clad Monster, weren’t you?”

Sun Woo-jin smiled slyly and asked, “I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean. Who exactly do you call the Blue-Clad Monster?”

His evasive expression made Je Gal Seo-yul glare and shout, “Don’t play dumb! That monster appeared right after you disappeared from Gaeyang Gate!”

But Sun Woo-jin just chuckled, as if teasing her.

“I was simply too scared and hurried back to the estate. The front lines were frightening, but meeting the Blood Sect’s demon heads here was even more terrifying.”

His shameless excuse made Je Gal Seo-yul’s anger boil over. Who would believe such a ridiculous claim?

“Don’t lie! You definitely—”

Sun Woo-jin sighed suddenly, cutting her off.

“If you weren’t going to believe me from the start, why ask at all?”

She was left speechless. He had a point. If he kept answering like this, there was no use in asking.

Still, she had to know the truth—the one thing she needed to understand above all else.

“Are you really after the succession of the Sun Woo family…?”

She wanted to ask if all of this was to become the heir, and if that was why he had planned to confront her—to take her as his wife.

But before she could finish, Sun Woo-jin’s sharp gaze shifted to the empty space behind her.

“A guest has arrived.”

Startled, Je Gal Seo-yul turned around.

Even without his words, she could feel a massive presence approaching—an ominous force like a natural disaster descending upon them.

Yet, instead of a storm, she saw only two men.

Both were strikingly handsome, almost beautiful—two young masters, and one of them was easily the most handsome man she had ever met.

But her gaze was fixed not on the handsome one, but on the other man.

His presence was impossible to ignore, radiating a wild, storm-like ferocity.

Gu Yu-sang and the scarlet demon Hwa Sa-yu had finally arrived at the Sun Woo estate.

They landed swiftly before the estate, with Hwa Sa-yu locking eyes on Je Gal Seo-yul, and Gu Yu-sang staring down Sun Woo-jin.

Hwa Sa-yu suddenly smiled brightly and asked Gu Yu-sang, “Oh? I didn’t expect such a pretty girl here. Yu-sang, may I take her for myself?”

Despite his handsome face, his tone was frivolous, and there was a snake-like chill beneath it.

Je Gal Seo-yul shuddered at his greedy gaze.

Gu Yu-sang fixed his eyes on Sun Woo-jin and replied, “By all means, Hwa-suk. But first, we need to clean up this mess.”

Then, raising his voice, he said to Sun Woo-jin, “Sun Woo-jin, you’ve been playing an interesting game! You fooled me completely!”

Sun Woo-jin smiled slyly in response.

“I’m afraid I don’t understand. I don’t believe we’ve met before. What is it that you think I’ve tricked you into?”

His teasing expression made Gu Yu-sang’s anger flare.

Already feeling mocked, now he was being toyed with.

Gu Yu-sang glared at Sun Woo-jin as if he could tear him apart with his eyes and said again, “If you want to play dumb, fine. But after we erase the Sun Woo family, I’ll ask you again. Let’s see if you can keep that attitude then.”

Turning to Hwa Sa-yu, he said, “Hwa-suk, I leave this to you.”

Hwa Sa-yu smiled contentedly and nodded.

“Leave it to me.”

With that, the storm-like aura around him intensified into a raging gale.

The scarlet demon Hwa Sa-yu, one of the Thirty-Six Heavenly Stars, was about to erase the Sun Woo family from existence.