Meanwhile, at that very moment.
— I'm sorry. I'll take responsibility and set things right. So......
Through the haze of blurred vision, Un-hyeok's face.
Ja-pil's hair was seized.
— First, let's get this beating over with.
"......Gasp!"
Ja-pil startled awake with a sharp intake of breath, eyes flying open.
"Wh-where am I......?"
He struggled upright from the bed and looked around.
Bundles of what appeared to be medicinal herbs hung from the ceiling on twine, and the air carried the scent of decoctions being brewed.
"When did I get to the infirmary...... ugh!"
Every muscle ached, his stomach was churning, and his head was spinning.
He could remember the match with Un-hyeok clearly enough.
'What on earth hit me?'
Ja-pil slowly replayed the events.
Just before the sword fragments had been fired.
It was only an instant, but he had seen a green haze shimmer.
'Could he have used poison arts?'
The most likely explanation, given the circumstances.
But how?
Poison arts followed a completely different path from ordinary martial disciplines.
Mastering them required building tolerance to poison and extensive training before one could even expel toxins.
'When did the Young Sect Leader learn poison arts?'
As Ja-pil sank deeper into thought, a man's voice abruptly cut in.
"Awake, I see."
Turning his head, he found a physician in white robes approaching with a tray of herbal medicine.
And this was a man Ja-pil knew.
"Brother...... Yang?"
Before the Poison Demon Sect had lost its standing, it had employed numerous physicians.
Yang Ji-gwang had been one of them.
"It's been a while, Ja-pil."
"I'd heard you went somewhere else, but I never expected to find you here. How long has it be— ugh!"
When Ja-pil clutched his chest in pain, Ji-gwang set the medicine aside and hurried to take his pulse.
"Tch. The external injuries are bad, but the poison damage was what really did you in. In all my years, I've never encountered such a vicious toxin."
"So it was poison after all......"
Ja-pil's suspicion was now confirmed.
"Hah...... Brother Yang. May I ask you something?"
"Go ahead. If I know the answer, I'll tell you."
"How did I end up here?"
"Ah, that. The warrior who carried you in said the Young Sect Leader had ordered your treatment."
"What?"
It was hard to believe.
Ja-pil had shown nothing but insolence toward Un-hyeok — there was no reason for Un-hyeok to have him treated.
"Why would he......?"
"From what that warrior told me......"
Ji-gwang relayed everything he had heard, and Ja-pil's thoughts grew tangled.
'He truly dreams of the Poison Demon Sect's revival?'
Now Ja-pil understood.
Why Un-hyeok had said those words before he lost consciousness.
'He made me the example — punished one to warn a hundred. So that no warrior in the Poison Demon Sect would dare defy him again.'
Seizing discipline in a single stroke, bending the atmosphere to his will.
Ja-pil could not help but be impressed.
The Poison Demon Sect had taken its first step toward change.
But.
"You seem to have a lot on your mind, Ja-pil."
"......I do."
"Understandable. You resented the Young Sect Leader more than anyone. And now he's suddenly changed. It must be hard to accept."
"No, that isn't it."
"Then......?"
Ja-pil smiled weakly.
"I'm just disgusted with myself."
He had done nothing whatsoever to change the Poison Demon Sect himself, yet had blamed Un-hyeok for everything.
Before he knew it, Ja-pil was referring to Un-hyeok with respect.
"I don't know when the Young Sect Leader resolved to do this. But he showed it through his actions."
A match with his life on the line.
That day, Un-hyeok had wagered everything he had to challenge Ja-pil.
And what of himself?
"I didn't have it."
"Have what?"
Ja-pil placed his hand over his own heart.
"The resolve to stake my life on changing the Poison Demon Sect."
"......"
"I don't know, to be honest. Whether what I truly wanted was for the Poison Demon Sect to change — or if I simply needed someone to blame."
"......Sounds like you need time to think. I'll leave the medicine here."
Ji-gwang rose from his seat.
"Drink it down in one go and get some rest. I'll be on my way."
Just as Ji-gwang was about to leave the room.
"Oh, Ja-pil!"
Something occurred to him, and he turned back.
"Didn't the Black Slaughter Sect offer you induction?"
"They did."
Ja-pil gave a hollow smile.
"But that's all water under the bridge now. I lost to the Young Sect Leader — the very man they call the Poison Demon Sect's disgrace. And on that note, why do you ask?"
"I've heard that the Black Slaughter Sect's master has a deep grudge against the Young Sect Leader over this incident."
"What? What do you mean?"
Ji-gwang detailed the confrontation between Un-hyeok and Go Gu that had followed.
"The Black Slaughter Sect master backed down once the Poison Demon Sect Leader intervened, but......"
Ji-gwang lowered his voice.
"For the past few days, men who appear to be Black Slaughter Sect warriors have been lingering around the infirmary. I'm told they've been asking about your condition. Something about it doesn't sit right with me."
"Hmm......"
Ja-pil let out a low sound.
If the Black Slaughter Sect bore a grudge, their aim was obvious.
"They're looking for revenge."
"But the Black Slaughter Sect master is no fool. If he pushes too far, it could mean open war with the Poison Demon Sect. That would be suicide for them too."
"Perhaps. I'll need to look into it."
Ja-pil drained his medicine in a single gulp and rose from the bed.
"Thank you for the medicine."
He straightened his clothes and began preparing to leave. Ji-gwang rushed to stop him.
"W-wait! Where do you think you're going?! You need absolute rest right now!"
"If the Poison Demon Sect may be in Tanger, how can I just lie here?"
"B-but......!"
Before Ji-gwang could argue further, Ja-pil had already finished preparing.
"Thank you for the treatment. I should be going — I have a duty to fulfill."
Ja-pil fastened a scabbard to his belt.
"As a warrior of the Poison Demon Sect."
***
Meanwhile, at that very moment.
Un-hyeok had set out to the market streets with Mu-won and Seo-ryeon.
As expected, when Un-hyeok told Ryeon-hwi he was going out with his siblings, Ryeon-hwi had given his blessing without hesitation.
So delighted was he that he had even pressed spending money on them despite having none to spare.
'At least my purse is nice and full now.'
Un-hyeok looked around.
The people of the Central Plains called this place a demonic cult and branded its inhabitants demons.
But in truth, they were no different.
Merchants hawked their wares.
People haggled over prices.
The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was, in the end, simply a place where people lived.
Then a voice called out to him.
"Brother, over here! Come quick!"
Mu-won was waving from the distance.
His cheeks, stuffed full of dumplings, were puffed out like a chipmunk's.
"The dumplings here ah weally good! Come twhy some!"
Un-hyeok smirked.
'Can he really be that excited?'
Then again, Mu-won loved everything about spending time with his brother.
But unlike Mu-won, Seo-ryeon's face was not quite so bright.
Still feeling awkward, she simply stuck close to Un-hyeok's side.
"Ryeon, go on and have some dumplings with Won."
"I...... I don't really like dumplings."
"No? Then what does our Ryeon like?"
Having committed to living as Dok Un-hyeok.
Un-hyeok was determined to play the role of a caring older brother properly.
After a moment's thought.
He bought a stick of rock candy from a roadside stall and held it out to her.
"Here! How about this?"
Among young girls.
Nine out of ten were helpless before sweet treats — a truth that transcended the ages.
In other words, Un-hyeok had deployed what he considered his secret weapon.
Yet Seo-ryeon simply stared at the rock candy.
Un-hyeok broke into a nervous sweat.
"Uh...... don't tell me you don't like rock candy, Ryeon?"
"That's not it, but......"
"Rock candy?!"
How had Mu-won heard from so far away?
His eyes lit up, and he came dashing over, dumplings half-eaten and abandoned.
"Brother, if Ryeon doesn't want it, then I'll......"
Was he always this much of an eater?
Just as Mu-won, mouth watering, reached for the rock candy.
THWACK—!
"Gkh!"
Seo-ryeon's elbow drove into Mu-won's side.
Mu-won staggered.
"Ry-Ryeon...... why did you......"
Seo-ryeon bristled.
"Who said I don't want it?! I like rock candy too!"
"Owww...... you could've just said so......"
"You were going to snatch it before Brother even offered it!"
The two of them bickering back and forth.
'Now that's what normal siblings look like.'
Un-hyeok could scarcely believe these were the same two people who had terrorized the Central Plains during the War Between Realms.
The siblings before him were nothing more than children.
"That's enough, you two. I'll just buy more."
Un-hyeok returned to the candy vendor and bought three sticks.
"Here, Won. Ryeon."
He placed one in each of their hands.
"Two each, fair and square. Share nicely."
Mu-won, as though the pain had never happened, beamed.
"Yaaay...... rock candy!"
CRUNCH—!
While Mu-won bit right into his, Seo-ryeon licked hers carefully.
"......Sweet."
A truly peaceful afternoon.
He would have liked to linger a little longer, but someone was waiting for him.
'Looks like the Golden Dragon Chamber's people are here.'
A man was watching from the mouth of an alley.
It was time to part.
"Won."
"Yeah?"
Un-hyeok drew a coin purse from his robe and handed it over.
Mu-won looked confused.
"Brother, why are you giving me this......?"
"Take it. I have somewhere I need to be."
"All of a sudden?"
Seo-ryeon, too, looked taken aback.
"Brother, where are you going?"
"Right, Brother. Weren't you going to spend the day with us?"
"There's still unfinished business with the Golden Dragon Chamber."
"The Golden Dragon Chamber......"
Seo-ryeon did not know the details, but Mu-won did.
"Could it be......? Did they change their minds? Are they demanding you pay back the debt?"
"Nothing like that."
Un-hyeok smirked.
"Nothing you need to worry about. I can't share the details yet since nothing's been finalized, but if all goes well, the Golden Dragon Chamber may end up walking the same path as us."
"Th-the Golden Dragon Chamber? With us?!"
In that moment, a pledge flashed through Mu-won's mind.
Had he not vowed to stand at Un-hyeok's side and help restore the Poison Demon Sect?
'As expected of Brother! He must be building on the connection he made with the Golden Dragon Chamber to deepen the relationship.'
The Golden Dragon Chamber was currently the fastest-rising power in the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
Joining forces with them would undoubtedly be a tremendous boon to the Poison Demon Sect.
'Now is exactly the time to support Brother!'
Mu-won took Seo-ryeon's hand.
"Understood, Brother! I'll take good care of Ryeon, so don't worry about us. Go do what you need to do."
Seo-ryeon, too, could not hold Un-hyeok back if he had business to attend to.
"......Come back soon."
"Wait just a bit."
Un-hyeok patted both their heads.
"I'll be right back."
***
Meanwhile.
Hidden eyes had been tracking the three siblings' every move.
They were Eo-ryeong and warriors of the Black Slaughter Sect.
Through a contact planted in advance, they had learned that Un-hyeok and his siblings would be visiting the market streets.
"What should we do? Follow Dok Un-hyeok?"
At the warrior's question, Eo-ryeong paused to think.
Then, as if struck by a good idea, he shook his head.
"No. Change of plans."
"Your orders."
"Dok Un-hyeok's siblings — Dok Mu-won, and...... Dok Seo-ryeon, was it?"
Eo-ryeong pointed at them.
"Let's capture those two first."
"......Sir? Leave Dok Un-hyeok and go after those two children?"
"Yes. I'd heard the three of them didn't get along. But watching them today, that doesn't seem to be the case at all."
Whether they had reconciled or what, he did not know.
"So I'm curious."
A cruel smile spread across Eo-ryeong's face.
"What will Dok Un-hyeok do when his siblings are taken hostage?"
He might beg for their lives.
Or he might abandon them without a second thought.
Whichever he chose, it was checkmate all the same.
"As expected of the young master! How do you come up with such ideas......!"
"Well then...... let's get ready."
Eo-ryeong covered his face with a mask.
"The hunt begins."