The sudden match sent the training grounds into an uproar.
Un-hyeok and Neung Ja-pil.
The warriors formed a ring around the two.
"YEAAAH—!"
"Captain, you've got to win! My entire month's stipend is riding on you!"
"Ja-pil—! Ja-pil—! Ja-pil—!"
Unlike the elated warriors, Mu-won could not bring himself to smile.
"Brother......"
Neung Ja-pil was a first-rate master who had achieved the ability to wound with sword qi.
No matter how hard Un-hyeok tried, he would obviously be cut down in a single exchange.
'I heard Brother knocked out Black Bear, but...... could he be confusing Captain Neung with someone of that level?'
If so, this was a disaster.
Even a hundred third-rate fighters like Black Bear could not ruffle a hair on Ja-pil's collar.
The gap between a first-rate master and a third-rate was as vast as heaven and earth.
'Should I step in and stop this?'
But that would create problems of its own.
Running from a fight would damage Un-hyeok's face worse than losing.
And Mu-won feared that the humiliation might wound his brother's spirit and send him spiraling back to his old ways.
So Mu-won could only pray.
'Captain Neung, please — go easy on Brother.'
Meanwhile.
Un-hyeok and Ja-pil had finished their preparations.
The two stood facing each other, and Ja-pil scowled at Un-hyeok's choice of weapon.
"You actually intend to fight with those?"
"What's the problem?"
"Ha. Is that a serious question?"
Where Ja-pil held a single sword.
Un-hyeok gripped a short sword in each hand — each one barely as long as his forearm.
"You said yourself that this match should be fought as if it were real combat. And you bring those paltry things? Are you mocking me?"
"I said, what's the problem?"
Ja-pil scoffed in disbelief.
"Dual weapons may look flashy at first glance, but they lack substance. Your power is split in two. A single sword, on the other hand, focuses all that force into one point — far more efficient."
In other words, all shine and no edge.
Furthermore, mastering dual weapons demanded extraordinary effort.
Unless one could draw circles with one hand and triangles with the other, it was worse than using a single sword.
"All style, no substance. You, who've spent your life chasing wine and women — you think you can stand against my sword?"
But what Ja-pil did not know.
Un-hyeok had chosen the twin swords to exploit his own unique advantage.
Poison.
A tool that could inflict devastating harm with even a grazing wound.
For that reason, Un-hyeok favored a dazzling, unpredictable style of attack.
The moment his opponent lost focus and let himself be nicked —
SHING—!
— crossing over to the other side was but an instant away.
But ignorant of all this, Ja-pil offered what he thought was a generous concession.
"Pride is fleeting, but you only have one life. It's not too late. Kneel and beg forgiveness, and I'll let this go — for the Sect Leader's sake."
"Hey, Neung Ja-pil. Did you talk your way into the Captain's seat?"
"What?"
"Your tongue sure runs long."
BECKON— BECKON—!
Un-hyeok crooked his fingers in provocation.
"Shut up and come at me. I don't have all day."
A sight like a common street thug.
A vein throbbed at Ja-pil's temple.
"I was going to spot you five moves. But I see there's no need."
Ja-pil raised his sword and took a middle-guard starting stance.
Un-hyeok picked at his ear and replied.
"Bullshit. Who does the 'spotting' here?"
"......"
"Wait, don't tell me — you?"
He pointed at Ja-pil, then turned the finger on himself.
"To me?"
SNAP—!
Something inside Ja-pil's head seemed to break, and he charged.
"I'll shut that viper tongue of yours for good!"
"And you've been using plain speech this whole time."
CRASH—!
Ja-pil's sword and Un-hyeok's twin swords collided.
"'I'm leaving anyway,' is that it? Nothing you won't say to the young sect leader."
"A young sect leader should act like one!"
Ja-pil deflected with his blade, using the rebound to disengage and reset.
He corrected his stance, then lunged at Un-hyeok with a ferocious barrage.
CLANG—! CLANG—! CLANG—!
Un-hyeok's brow furrowed.
The shock that traveled along each blade.
Enough to make his palms tingle.
"An opening!"
WHOOSH—!
Ja-pil's sword grazed past his nose by the width of a single knuckle.
'One wrong move and I'm losing a limb.'
But even this was within Un-hyeok's plan.
'Getting him to lose his temper — that's step one, done.'
Beyond poison, Un-hyeok possessed another specialty.
Tongue arts.
In his past life, nine out of ten enemies who traded words with Un-hyeok had charged in blind with rage.
The fact that Ja-pil was throwing lethal strikes without restraint was proof that fury had consumed him entirely.
His psychology, thoroughly rattled.
'His movements are excessive.'
Thanks to that, Un-hyeok could dodge Ja-pil's attacks — if only barely.
All the while, Un-hyeok committed Ja-pil's forms to memory.
'The Ravenous Wolf Sword Technique. Been a while.'
He had seen it during the War Between Realms, so he could still hold his ground.
But.
CRACK—!
The twin swords, unable to withstand Ja-pil's onslaught, began to fracture.
'That's a problem.'
In truth, Un-hyeok had been uneasy about the twin swords from the moment he picked them up.
As with most standard-issue arms, the quality left much to be desired — but the Poison Demon Sect's weapons had clearly not even been maintained.
'Damn it. The warriors are a mess, and the weapons are a mess. Everything's in shambles. The blades are about to snap and I haven't even channeled the divine art yet.'
Un-hyeok raged internally.
'Fuck, this is too much!'
Once this match ended, securing proper weapons was the first order of business.
By all appearances, the situation was dire.
But Un-hyeok had a means to turn it all around.
'......It's fine. If I channel the Myriad Streams Return to Poison Divine Art, there are plenty of ways to bring him down — with or without a sword.'
Just then, Ja-pil barked out a laugh.
"Kahahaha—! See? What did I tell you? In the end, the swords can't take it."
"......"
"I'll give you this much — I'm surprised. I didn't expect you to last this long. But."
HUMMM—!
A formless energy rippled along the surface of Neung Ja-pil's blade.
Sword qi.
"Time to end this!!"
The instant Ja-pil raised his sword high and slashed diagonally.
SHATTER—!
The short sword that blocked the strike exploded into pieces.
Shards scattered through the air.
'Now!'
Un-hyeok's eyes flashed.
The next attack was heading for his left shoulder.
Without an instant's hesitation, he released the hilt.
Green haze shimmered across his entire body, and beads of poison-laced sweat surfaced on his hands.
In that split second, Ja-pil's brow furrowed.
'What the—!'
Un-hyeok's arm moved so fast it was nearly invisible.
Dozens of shards became projectiles, fired like hidden weapons.
It was one of the Sichuan Tang Clan's hidden weapon techniques — the Linked Soul-Bewildering Darts.
'How does the young sect leader know a technique like that......!'
One shard aimed dead-center at Ja-pil's eye.
He had to dodge.
Ja-pil shifted his weight in a hurry, his body listing.
Yet even then, his sword did not lose its mark on Un-hyeok.
'Petty tricks......! I'll trade flesh for bone!'
Dozens of shards grazed Ja-pil's face with shallow cuts.
Meanwhile.
SLASH—!
Ja-pil felt the sensation of his blade biting into something.
"......"
Blood trickled from the cuts on Ja-pil's cheek.
Nothing that could be called a serious wound.
On the other hand.
"Tch......"
Un-hyeok's left sleeve was soaked through with crimson.
Blood dripped from his arm in a steady patter.
"Not bad. Choosing to attack instead of dodge from that position."
"......"
RIP—!
Un-hyeok tore off his sleeve and bound the wound to stanch the bleeding.
Ja-pil wiped the blood on his cheek with the back of his hand.
"So this was it. The thing that made you prance around like a wild colt with no sense of sky or earth."
No wonder Dok Un-hyeok had been brazen enough to demand a match.
Wherever he had learned it — he must have thought it was his ace in the hole.
"But that's done too. No weapon in hand, nothing left. What now?"
STEP—!
"Going to keep coming at me with that mangled arm?"
STEP—!
"Or will you surrender now and beg for mercy?"
Ja-pil stood before Un-hyeok and leveled his blade at him.
"The match is over. Boy."
The watching warriors erupted in cheers.
"YEAAAH—!"
"Knew it! Captain, I never doubted you! Thanks to you, tonight's drinks are on someone else's coin!"
"Heh, obviously. As if the Young Sect Leader could beat the Captain. Couldn't do it in a second life, I bet."
"Ja-pil—! Ja-pil—! Ja-pil—!"
By all appearances, the victory clearly belonged to Ja-pil.
But something was wrong.
By all rights, Un-hyeok should have been on his knees begging for his life, yet that bastard Dok Un-hyeok was —
'......Smiling?'
Un-hyeok lifted his head.
"Fool."
"What?"
"Doesn't even know what hit him."
Ja-pil's head suddenly spun.
'Wha......?'
Un-hyeok's figure doubled before his eyes.
Then came dizziness so severe he could barely stand.
'What's happening......?'
Ja-pil's body tilted sideways, and he collapsed to the ground with a THUD—!
Un-hyeok looked down at him and bared his teeth in a grin.
"Who said the match is over?"
Un-hyeok's shadow fell across Ja-pil's face.
"The real thing starts now."
***
Meanwhile, at that very moment.
In Ryeon-hwi's study, Go Gu was prattling on without pause.
"You know how Tangerous the Demon Cultivation Grotto is, Sect Leader."
"......"
"Once you enter, the survival rate is less than one in ten. And you still intend to send Young Master Mu-won?"
Ryeon-hwi's expression soured.
"That is none of your concern."
"Now, now, Sect Leader, are we strangers? I used to follow you with such devotion. Must you say such hurtful things?"
"......"
"Besides, I'm a father too. Young Master Mu-won isn't even fifteen yet — of course I'd worry."
Finding no reason to even respond, Ryeon-hwi sat in silence.
He simply waited for Go Gu to tire himself out and leave.
Yet Go Gu tried to dig his nails in once more.
"Could it be because of the positions offered to those who pass through the Demon Cultivation Grotto?"
"......What?"
"Think about it."
Go Gu shrugged.
"The trials of the Demon Cultivation Grotto are brutally difficult — but those who pass them all can reach at least a first-rate level."
The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult would never leave such talent unused.
That was why so many challenged the Demon Cultivation Grotto despite knowing its Tangers.
It was, in essence, a chance to rise in station.
"Truly pitiful."
Go Gu shook his head.
"To think you would drive Young Master Mu-won into the jaws of death for the Poison Demon Sect's revival. What ever shall we do about—"
"That mouth."
Ryeon-hwi's frigid gaze locked onto Go Gu.
"You would do well to close it."
A chill crawled through Go Gu's body.
Ryeon-hwi's qi pressure slithered up from his ankles like a serpent.
Then tightened around his throat.
'As expected of the Peerless Poison Ghost King. His reputation precedes him.'
No matter how far the Poison Demon Sect had fallen, no other sect dared to devour them outright.
That was entirely because of Ryeon-hwi.
'The Poison Demon Sect may have weakened, but the Peerless Poison Ghost King has only grown stronger. More so than during the Demon-Blood War.'
Perhaps it was best to stop needling him.
Before Dok Ryeon-hwi's patience ran dry.
Go Gu scratched the back of his head and gave a sheepish smile.
"My, my. This loose mouth of mine never improves with age. My apologies."
"......Do not cross the line. Consider this a warning."
"I'll take that to heart."
The moment Go Gu dipped his head in apology, a roar erupted from the direction of the training grounds.
"......?"
Curious, Ryeon-hwi sharpened his qi sense.
'This...... can't be......'
The voices of the warriors, carried through his heightened awareness.
Ryeon-hwi could scarcely believe it.
'My firstborn and the Ink Shadow Captain — in a live-steel match?!'
Go Gu, too, caught Ryeon-hwi's startled expression and extended his own senses.
And promptly smirked.
"My. It seems something entertaining unfolded while we were chatting."
"Tch......"
"I've always said — the Young Sect Leader is endlessly lively. Never a dull moment with him."
CRASH—!
Ryeon-hwi kicked back his chair and stood.
As things stood, Un-hyeok could not possibly defeat Ja-pil.
Before he was seriously hurt, Ryeon-hwi had to stop the match.
"......Excuse me."
That was all he said before leaping through the window.
He launched into a sprint toward the training grounds, his movement arts carrying him at blinding speed.
Watching Ryeon-hwi vanish into the distance, Go Gu strolled leisurely out the door.
"Well then, shall I go have a look?"
A grin curved across Go Gu's lips.
"Can't let a show this good go to waste."