Chuweol Pavilion
This was a luxurious annex built in the backyard of the Namweol Inn, where a single night's stay cost over five hundred nyang.
As such, even wealthy merchants could hardly afford it, and only high-ranking officials or prominent figures in the merchant world could make use of it.
But now, a martial artist from Yunnan had boldly reserved the entire place.
It was none other than Jin Cheongon, the branch leader of the Poison Demon Sect.
“Thanks to that lunatic third-class branch leader, things have been made much easier,” he remarked.
As soon as he left the Tang Clan, he had ordered his subordinate to send a letter to Majeon. No matter how insignificant a third-class branch leader might be, this one had come as a special envoy of the Martial Alliance. Since he had declared his involvement in a conflict between factions, Majeon would surely not sit idly by.
If this happened, the Tang Clan and the Three Poison Sects would wage war under the backing of the two alliances. Regardless of who won or lost, it would likely turn into a prolonged power struggle between the alliances. For the Tang Clan, deeply rooted in Sichuan for generations, such a situation would be something they desperately wanted to avoid.
“In the end, they’ll settle for handing over Sichuan’s front yard,” Jin Cheongon mused, gazing at the moonlight visible through the window, a faint smile playing on his lips.
Click.
At that moment, the door opened, and a dark shadow slipped inside.
Without turning around, Jin Cheongon spoke leisurely, “Did you send it?”
“…”
“I’m looking forward to tomorrow. I wonder how that arrogant young patriarch and that Martial Alliance branch leader will react.”
But no response came.
Sensing something amiss, Jin Cheongon turned around to see a shadow with blazing red eyes glaring at him. Despite the light illuminating the room, the figure was cloaked in darkness, exuding an overwhelming surge of inner energy that obscured their form.
Faced with this eerie sight, Jin Cheongon instinctively stepped back. “W-Who are you?”
[Hmm.]
The voice emanating from the shadow resonated in all directions, as if employing the Six Harmonies Voice Transmission, piercing Jin Cheongon’s ears sharply. In that instant, his stomach burned as if he’d swallowed potent liquor, and he began to feel dizzy, unable to stand steadily. Even though the sound was brief, it carried an inner force and intimidation powerful enough to rupture his meridians.
‘Could it be…?’
In that moment, Jin Cheongon’s mind raced with thoughts of figures he could never dare defy—those with immeasurable influence and martial prowess beyond imagination.
“Has the Emissary… come?” he asked, his voice trembling.
The oppressive pressure emanating from the shadow suddenly lessened.
Realizing this was an unspoken affirmation, Jin Cheongon spoke with a quivering voice, “I-I’m sorry. I failed to recognize you.”
Bowing deeply with utmost respect, he heard a low voice from the shadow.
[What of the Tang Clan’s matter?]
The voice was chillingly low and menacing, but it no longer carried the crushing inner force that had oppressed his organs.
“Don’t worry. It’s proceeding smoothly,” Jin Cheongon replied.
[The Martial Alliance.] As the shadow’s voice spoke again, Jin Cheongon felt a pressure that seemed to bend his spine. [They already know everything.]
“What do you mean?”
[Did you think he was just an ordinary third-class branch leader?] A heavy silence followed, and then a tremendous pressure surged forth as a red mist rose from the shadow’s eyes. [They’ve already seen through this plan and induced Majeon’s involvement.]
“That can’t be!” Jin Cheongon tilted his head, blinking in disbelief. “Didn’t you say we had confirmed information that the Martial Alliance had completely washed its hands of the Tang Clan’s affairs?”
His expression was respectful, but his eyes betrayed clear doubt.
[Fool.]
Noticing the suspicion in Jin Cheongon’s demeanor, the shadow unleashed a blood-red radiance from its eyes, like the blazing sun.
[Must I spoon-feed you everything?]
Crack.
A tremendous pressure surged forth once more.
Jin Cheongon’s vision blurred, as if he were drowning, and his breath was choked off. Without moving a finger, the shadow was overpowering him with sheer inner force.
‘It really is the Emissary.’
Jin Cheongon trembled in shock. The Emissaries of the Three Realms were not only masters of exceptional martial arts but shared a common trait: they possessed terrifying inner force that even a lifetime of training could not achieve.
[Majeon has already figured everything out and sent a letter refusing involvement.]
Swish.
As the shadow withdrew its power, Jin Cheongon could finally breathe again.
“Huff, huff.” Clutching his throat and gasping for air, he heard a knock at the door.
Knock, knock, knock.
“Lord Sect Leader, it’s Mak Chung,” came the voice of Jin Cheongon’s trusted subordinate.
“What is it?” Jin Cheongon asked.
“A letter from Majeon has arrived for you.”
Jin Cheongon looked at the shadow in surprise. The shadow nodded, and he quickly said, “Come in.”
Mak Chung entered, presenting a letter stamped with Majeon’ emblem. “Even before we sent our letter, one arrived from Majeon. It states they will absolutely not intervene in this matter…”
“What?” Jin Cheongon hurriedly opened the letter.
It stated that, since the Martial Alliance was involved, they were not to provoke the Tang Clan further.
“How did this happen?” Jin Cheongon asked.
“I don’t know,” Mak Chung replied.
“Is the source reliable?”
“Yes. Look at the envelope.”
Examining the envelope, Jin Cheongon saw the Twin Dragons Seal, used only by the highest leaders of Majeon.
“Alright. I’ll handle this myself,” Jin Cheongon said.
“Understood.” Mak Chung left.
Turning to the shadow, which seemed to meld into the darkness, Jin Cheongon asked, “What should we do now?”
[Return to the Poison Demon Sect immediately until further orders are given.]
“Right now?” Jin Cheongon asked, his expression filled with confusion.
[Yes.]
“I’ll summon Sect Leaders Jang and Hyeong, and contact the sect master…”
[Must I repeat myself?]
Crack.
Jin Cheongon could no longer speak. An immense pressure bore down on him, making him feel as if he’d shrunk to three feet tall, his throat constricted, unable to breathe. His skull felt as if it might shatter under the strain.
“Aaagh!” he screamed, unable to endure the pain.
He had endured countless hardships while mastering poison arts, but this pressure wasn’t mere pain—it was like the throes of death itself.
[Disobedient insects must be crushed.]
Each word from the shadow made Jin Cheongon feel as if he were shrinking further. ‘With this level of power, they could wipe out our sect with a single finger.’
Trembling, Jin Cheongon fell to his knees. Even attempting to move a finger sent excruciating pain through his skull, as if it might shatter. He couldn’t even choose death.
He had never known fear before, but now he understood true terror: the deprivation of choice. Not even death was an option—a horror beyond endurance.
“I’ll do as you command!” Jin Cheongon shouted with every ounce of strength, fearing he’d be trapped in this limbo of neither life nor death.
“Spare me!”
His voice felt as if it would tear his body apart, but he forced himself to kneel. “I’ve committed a grave sin!”
The shadow silently regarded the trembling Jin Cheongon. “I’ll never disobey again!” he continued, his voice frantic as the pressure began to fade. “I was greedy, thinking only of killing Tang Pae as ordered! Please forgive me!”
The red radiance from the shadow intensified.
‘Kill the Tang Clan patriarch?’
In truth, the shadow masquerading as an Emissary of the Three Realms was none other than Bu Eunseol.
From the moment he accepted this mission, he had secretly mobilized the Shadow Pavilion to investigate the Tang Clan’s situation. It was highly unlikely that the Three Poison Sects, located in different regions, would simultaneously rise in power and martial prowess without external influence.
He soon discovered evidence of a powerful force backing the Three Poison Sects, much like the Blood Poison Valley that had once threatened the Tang Clan. Bu Eunseol immediately recognized this force as the Three Realms.
To resolve this matter, he devised a strategy: at a critical moment, impersonating an Emissary of the Three Realms would throw them into confusion. During his travels in the martial world, Bu Eunseol had encountered and clashed with the Emissaries of the Three Realms, who consistently displayed immense inner force, extraordinary martial arts, and eerie gazes and voices.
By declaring his intent to intervene as the Martial Alliance’s special envoy, he knew the Three Poison Sects would immediately contact Majeon. Anticipating their moves, Bu Eunseol crafted a cunning plan: impersonate an Emissary to sow chaos and force Jin Cheongon and the Poison Demon Sect to retreat.
The figures of the Three Realms rarely revealed themselves except to those in command. By maintaining an aura of overwhelming inner force and terror, Bu Eunseol believed he could deceive them. After cutting off the communication network around the Tang Clan using the Shadow Pavilion, the Martial Flow Pavilion, and the Storm Pavilion, the Three Poison Sects would collapse on their own.
The Three Realms always manipulated others without stepping into the light. Bu Eunseol planned to exploit this, forcing the Three Poison Sects to retreat. Before arriving, he had visited a Majeon branch and sent a letter with the Twin Dragons Seal to Chuweol Pavilion, ensuring his identity as the Martial Soul Lord remained hidden. If his involvement were discovered, the Martial Alliance would undoubtedly suspect Seon Woojin.
‘Assassinate the bedridden Tang Clan patriarch?’ Bu Eunseol’s mind raced upon hearing Jin Cheongon’s words.
To think the Three Poison Sects were being manipulated not just to target the Tang Clan but specifically Tang Pae? Supporting the Three Poison Sects for years to bolster their power and martial arts just to kill one man? It would be more rational to hire an entire assassination guild to attack the Tang Clan.
‘What are the Three Realms after?’
Their capabilities were vast enough to dominate the martial world. Why waste such time and resources on this?
‘This is different from the Southern Palace’s case.’
The forces that orchestrated the Southern Palace’s downfall had planted Elder Pung as a spy long ago, creating a tragedy of kin slaying. That plan was cunning and vicious, and had Bu Eunseol not intervened, the Southern Palace would have faced a catastrophic tragedy.
But the Tang Clan’s current ordeal was different. The enemies were too openly exposed. For a plan of the Three Realms, it seemed clumsy and foolish.
Tremble.
Unaware that Bu Eunseol was deep in thought, Jin Cheongon couldn’t withstand the silent, piercing gaze and spoke hurriedly, “P-Perhaps it’s the work of the First Heaven?”
Then he said something shocking that Bu Eunseol hadn’t anticipated: “The Infinite Realm, I mean.”
Bu Eunseol’s eyes widened beneath his mask. Had he not been cloaking himself in a mist-like aura of inner force, Jin Cheongon would have seen his stunned expression.
‘Not supported by the Infinite Realm?’
Until now, the Infinite Realm had been the force manipulating martial factions and figures, clashing with Bu Eunseol. But astonishingly, the force behind the Three Poison Sects was not the Infinite Realm but another entity altogether.
‘Another faction within the Three Realms.’
There was a chance a third force had emerged, but Bu Eunseol was certain it was still the Three Realms. No other group would support poison sects like the Three Poison Sects, which straddled the line between righteous and demonic paths, for so long.
“I-I’m sorry. I spoke out of turn,” Jin Cheongon said, bowing again as Bu Eunseol stared at him. “What about the assassination squad we stationed?” he asked.
‘An assassination squad near the Tang Clan?’
Bu Eunseol’s mind raced. The Eight Great Families meticulously managed their territories and used intelligence networks to monitor movements. To station an assassination squad near the Sichuan Tang Clan?
‘Questioning him further might raise suspicion.’
Jin Cheongon was a suspicious man. Asking too many questions could arouse doubt.
‘The priority now is to send the Poison Demon Sect, which is aligned with Majeon, back immediately.’
Gathering information on the Three Realms was important, but the urgent task was to make them retreat. Otherwise, there would be no justification for Seon Woojin to remain with the Tang Clan.
[Don’t concern yourself with that. Return immediately.]
Bu Eunseol spoke in a low, modulated voice, cutting his words short.
[If you delay even a moment, I’ll crush not only you but also Go Pung’s head.]
Go Pung was the master of the Poison Demon Sect.
“I’m eternally grateful for your mercy!” Jin Cheongon said, kneeling and bowing.
The Emissary before him could easily crush him and, with a single word, make the Poison Demon Sect vanish.
“…”
After a long silence with no response, Jin Cheongon raised his head. The black shadow was gone, and his limbs felt light again. Finally, he escaped the abyss of terror.
“I can’t delay even a moment,” he muttered, his body drenched as if he’d been submerged in water.
Springing to his feet, Jin Cheongon rushed outside to gather his subordinates. Time was of the essence. If he didn’t return quickly, not only his life but also the sect master’s would be forfeit.
***
Hwayun Pavilion, Third-Floor Grand Banquet Hall
“Damn it!”
Bang!
Hyeong Geuk, standing with Jang Song, slammed his fist on the meeting room table. The report he’d just received from a subordinate was incomprehensible.
An unimaginable event had occurred. The Poison Demon Sect, the only one of the Three Poison Sects integrated into Majeon and their safeguard against the Martial Alliance’s interference, had acted unexpectedly. Jin Cheongon, who had come to represent Sect Master Go Pung, had fled back to Yunnan with his subordinates in the dead of night.
“Jin Cheongon! Has he gone mad?” Hyeong Geuk roared in frustration.
It was completely unexpected. The Poison Demon Sect, the largest of the Three Poison Sects and part of Majeon, had abandoned them. This ruined their leverage to pressure the Tang Clan.
“He couldn’t have done this on his own. What happened?” Hyeong Geuk muttered.
Suddenly, he recalled the calm, smiling face of the young man from the Martial Alliance.
“Could that guy have actually done something?”
A third-class branch leader, yet overly composed and strangely confident—it was suspicious. Could he have truly mobilized the Martial Alliance to drive out Jin Cheongon and his men?
“No, that’s impossible,” Hyeong Geuk dismissed.
The Martial Alliance, a massive organization, operated on the consensus of its leaders. It couldn’t change course and intervene so abruptly in a single day.
“It seems the First Heaven made a move,” Hyeong Geuk said to Jang Song, clenching his fist. “They’ve blocked all communication around the Tang Clan—carrier pigeons, message hawks, and all external contacts.”
“The intelligence network is completely shut down,” Jang Song added.
“Yes, as if a massive intelligence organization cut off all communication around the Tang Clan,” Hyeong Geuk confirmed.
Grunt.
Hyeong Geuk bit his lip. “If it’s neither the Martial Alliance nor the Corps, it can only be them.”
Jang Song groaned, and Hyeong Geuk continued, “At this point, we have no choice but to quietly withdraw.”
An unexpected situation had arisen, and they couldn’t contact the forces behind them. Hyeong Geuk and Jang Song had no option but to lead their subordinates and retreat quietly.
“No way,” Jang Song said firmly, shaking his head. “After stirring up all this trouble, if we leave like this, it’ll be the ultimate humiliation. It’ll make it impossible to challenge the Tang Clan again.”
If the three sects, flaunting their power, suddenly fled without a word, and this news spread through the martial world, the Three Poison Sects would become a laughingstock, unable to face the Tang Clan again.
“If we retreat now, they’ll pin all the blame on us. They might even stop supporting our sects,” Jang Song added.
Hyeong Geuk groaned, pained. “So we have to decide for ourselves.”
Their original plan was meticulous, with no room for failure. The Tang Clan’s patriarch held absolute authority, but Tang Pae was bedridden. Moreover, the young patriarch, Tang Gon, was known for his mediocre martial arts and intelligence, making it impossible for the Tang Clan to wage war against the Three Poison Sects.
The plan was to pressure the Tang Clan into concessions, expand their influence into Sichuan, and then launch a full-scale attack while simultaneously deploying the assassination squad stationed in Sichuan. But with Jin Cheongon and his men fleeing, they no longer had the leverage to pressure the Tang Clan.
“We can’t just retreat in disgrace. How about this?” Hyeong Geuk muttered.
Jang Song, deep in thought, spoke up. “With the Poison Demon Sect gone, neither Majeon nor the Alliance will intervene. That means the Martial Alliance’s envoy is just a figurehead.”
“It’s not just about the Alliance’s involvement. How do we pressure the Tang Clan now?” Hyeong Geuk said irritably. “If this continues, we’ll be blamed not only for the Poison Demon Sect’s failure but for ruining the entire plan.”
Jang Song’s eyes gleamed as he continued, “Why don’t we challenge the young patriarch to a duel?”
“A duel?”
“Yes. He’s mastered the Eight Great Secret Arts, so he must be confident of victory,” Jang Song said, smirking. “Tang Gon’s talent and potential are ordinary. Even with the Eight Great Secret Arts, he’s no match for us.”
They were no longer the sect leaders of the old Three Poison Sects. With years of support, they had expanded their influence and consumed elixirs that enhanced their inner force, making them capable of standing toe-to-toe with the martial world’s greatest masters.
“To save face, at least,” Hyeong Geuk said.
Jang Song grinned slyly. “Exactly. Since pressuring the Tang Clan has failed, we’ll break the young patriarch’s spirit. We’ve done our part, so they can’t blame us.”
Hyeong Geuk, who had been dazed, suddenly clapped his hands as if realizing something. “How about this?”
“What?”
“While the duel is happening, we order the assassins in Sichuan to launch a full assault. They wouldn’t expect an attack right now.”
The forces of the Three Realms supporting the Three Poison Sects wanted the Tang Clan’s destruction and Tang Pae’s death. To that end, the Three Poison Sects had prepared for war and stationed an assassination squad near the Tang Clan, ready to kill Tang Pae if the clan couldn’t be taken down.
“Hmm, sending them in recklessly might lead to failure,” Jang Song cautioned.
Hyeong Geuk grinned wickedly. “There are plenty of assassination guilds in the martial world, aren’t there? We have ample funds. If a full-scale war breaks out, we can hire another guild.”
Jang Song stroked his chin and nodded. “Let’s consider it.”
Assassins could always be bought with money. If they were going to act, they might as well go all in.
***
The Next Day, Tang Clan’s Bongjeong Pavilion Meeting Hall
Rain fell steadily outside.
Tang Gon gazed out the window at the chilly breeze.
‘How strange,’ he thought.
Hearing about the Poison Demon Sect’s situation from a trusted aide, Tang Gon felt an eerie sensation. ‘This is absurd. Branch Leader Seon couldn’t have caused this.’
Tang Gon had treated Seon Woojin and his subordinates with utmost courtesy, but he had no expectation that a third-class branch leader could resolve this matter. War was inevitable, so he hadn’t paid much attention to Seon Woojin’s actions.
Yet something bizarre had happened. Jin Cheongon, the leader of the Poison Demon Sect, which was part of Majeon, had suddenly fled with his men. The Tang Clan’s intelligence network scrambled to uncover the reason, but no answers were found.
Hmm.
As Tang Gon stroked his chin, lost in thought, the meeting room door slid open, and two figures entered side by side—Jang Song and Hyeong Geuk.
Before Tang Gon could sneer, Jang Song spoke first. “It seems Sect Leader Jin couldn’t handle his own words and left. Involving Majeon in such a matter is too much, don’t you think?”
With a serious expression, Jang Song continued, “Though we’re called the Three Poison Sects, the Poison Demon Sect has always walked its own path.”
It was a ridiculous excuse.
Tang Gon stared at them with cold eyes and said icily, “Say what you want.”
His words were deeply insulting, but Jang Song responded with a relaxed expression. “We request a duel.”
“A duel?”
“Yes.” Jang Song smirked slyly. “Having come all the way from Yunnan, how can we not witness the Tang Clan’s Eight Great Secret Arts?”
‘They’re determined to cling on until the end,’ Tang Gon thought.
Even with Jin Cheongon gone, the conflict with the Three Poison Sects wouldn’t end so easily. ‘They can’t wage an all-out war now, so they want to blunt our momentum.’
With the Poison Demon Sect gone, the remaining two sects had still grown into formidable forces. If a duel could end the conflict, it wasn’t a bad proposal.
‘It’s not a bad offer for our clan either,’ Tang Gon thought.
He was confident of victory, so it didn’t matter. After deep consideration, he nodded. “Very well. Where?”
“No need to go far. I hear the Tang Clan has many fine training grounds,” Jang Song replied.
Tang Gon’s expression showed surprise. Requesting a duel suggested they were confident of victory. He had assumed they’d want a public duel to damage the Tang Clan’s reputation, but they wanted a quiet duel within the clan?
‘They plan to defeat me in front of our clan’s direct lineage to break our morale,’ Tang Gon realized, seeing through their intentions.
With Tang Pae bedridden, Tang Gon was responsible for the clan. If he lost in front of the clan’s blood relatives, they’d think: The sect leaders of the Three Poison Sects defeated our young patriarch. We have no chance in a war against them.
The clan’s blood relatives would doubt Tang Gon’s abilities, making victory in a future all-out war unlikely.
“Fine,” Tang Gon said decisively.
He was confident he wouldn’t lose to the Three Poison Sects’ leaders. “It’s raining today, so let’s meet tomorrow at the hour of the Goat (1-3 pm) in the clan’s training ground.”
Jang Song and Hyeong Geuk exchanged glances and smiled, nodding. “Good. We’ll see you then.”
As they turned to leave, their eyes glinted darkly, but Tang Gon didn’t see it, as they had already turned away.
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