"The Chamber Master is waiting. Please, come in."
The door opened to reveal a modestly furnished tea room.
"It's been a while."
So-ye smiled.
"I put in a little effort knowing you were coming."
"Mm."
"Have a seat. I'll pour you some tea."
When Un-hyeok settled into a chair, So-ye poured him a cup from a pot she had brewed in advance.
"Nice aroma. Must be expensive."
"Great Red Robe. It's considered the finest tea to come out of Fujian Province."
"Generous hospitality. Offering something this rare so readily."
"You're hardly an ordinary guest."
So-ye set down her own cup and bowed her head.
"Thank you."
"......"
"I couldn't say it at the time — things were too hectic. But you saved my life."
If she had not learned that Ryu-yeon was a traitor, a knife would have found her back at the most critical moment.
So-ye knew that all too well.
"You're not planning to settle that debt with a cup of tea, are you?"
"Of course not."
So-ye smiled, laced her fingers together, and leaned forward.
"Going forward, the Golden Dragon Chamber intends to fully support whatever you set out to do."
"That's quite the decision. What brought this on?"
"My, there's no fooling you. The truth is, I heard about your match with Neung Ja-pil."
The result: Dok Un-hyeok's victory.
The news had left her stunned.
'Just as I suspected. The Poison Young Master was hiding his true strength. Revealing it now means he no longer needs to keep it concealed.'
"The ideal investment is to buy at the knee and sell at the shoulder."
"So you've decided to bet on me?"
"Yes."
Not a worm, but a hidden dragon of the Poison Demon Sect.
More than worth the investment.
"And just in case, I've had people assigned to watch over your siblings."
"What?"
"You seemed close with them. If anything happened to those two, it would be a disaster, wouldn't it?"
This information fiend.
So-ye sat in one place and saw through the entire world.
But there was one thing even she did not know.
'That wasn't really necessary.'
Un-hyeok had also taken precautions, applying Scarlet Trail Incense to the coin purse.
A tracking poison.
Simple to make, and if anything happened, Un-hyeok could locate his siblings immediately.
'Of course, Mu-won should be able to handle most threats. But letting your guard down in the martial world is never wise......'
Un-hyeok chose not to mention this to So-ye.
Instead, he offered his thanks.
"I appreciate you looking out for them."
"It's nothing. Simple enough."
"On another note — what happened with Hong Ryu-yeon? Did he talk about U Mun-so?"
"No...... Ryu-yeon bit off his own tongue during the interrogation and killed himself."
"......As expected."
"You knew this would happen?"
"The man was a lunatic. I had a rough idea."
In truth, whether Hong Ryu-yeon lived or died was of no consequence to Un-hyeok.
He already knew everything that could have been extracted from the man.
But So-ye's expression was troubled.
"U Mun-so...... must have known Ryu-yeon would do that when he sent him."
"Most likely."
So-ye bit her lip hard.
"It feels like he got the better of me again. I should have been able to learn U Mun-so's plans through Ryu-yeon."
"No use dwelling on what's already done. I promised I'd kill U Mun-so, and I will."
But all of this was merely preamble to Un-hyeok's true purpose.
"And for that, I need something."
"......?"
"I'd like to borrow some weapons. Does the Golden Dragon Chamber have anything decent?"
The Poison Demon Sect's stock was entirely bottom-grade.
Since the Golden Dragon Chamber had just offered full support, he figured he could at least borrow something as a stopgap.
"Of course. Follow me. I'll take you to the Golden Dragon Chamber's armory."
"Much obliged."
"We can discuss the plan to kill U Mun-so at our leisure."
And so.
The two arrived at the Golden Dragon Chamber's armory.
When the door opened, weapons lined up on racks came into view.
Un-hyeok began examining them one by one.
"Take your pick. For you, I'll lend anything you want."
"Hmm......"
But fewer weapons than expected caught his eye.
'Better than the Poison Demon Sect's, but they're all average at best.'
After a long search, a single weapon drew his attention.
"Oh?"
Un-hyeok drew a pair of short swords from their scabbards, turning them over, testing their swing.
'The balance is excellent.'
When he flicked the blade with a finger, it rang with a clear, pure tone.
Unmistakable proof of a skilled artisan's forging process.
But something was odd.
'A weapon this good should bear its maker's mark. Why doesn't it?'
Craftsmen typically engraved their names on their work — to breathe a soul into their creation, or to build their reputation.
'And yet this one......'
So-ye approached.
"I figured you'd pick those. Anyone with eyes would recognize that even unfinished, they outclass everything else here."
"These are unfinished?"
So-ye nodded.
"Yes. They're the work of the Mad Forge Artisan."
The Mad Forge Artisan — U Gwang-mu.
He was one of the Three Great Smiths of the Realm.
Un-hyeok never imagined he would hear that name here.
"These were a sort of advance payment."
"Advance payment?"
"The Mad Forge Artisan commissioned us. He asked us to procure a mineral of exceptional rarity."
"Why would he......?"
"To forge the world's greatest sword. That is his life's ambition."
Well. So that was the story.
The Mad Forge Artisan would one day fulfill that ambition.
'The Heavenly Demon World-Slaying Sword of the Blood Calamity Heavenly Demon.'
The true culprit who had placed the worst possible weapon into the hands of a killing star sent by the heavens.
Of course, that truth would not surface for quite some time.
Un-hyeok stroked his chin.
'If I could bring the Mad Forge Artisan to the Poison Demon Sect......'
Before entering the Demon Cultivation Grotto, Un-hyeok had set a goal: lay the Poison Demon Sect's financial foundation.
One of the sect's biggest problems at present.
Its coffers were bone-dry.
Un-hyeok planned to revive one of the businesses the Poison Demon Sect had once run — a forge.
With no revenue yet, he could borrow what he needed from the Golden Dragon Chamber in the interim.
'I have smithing secrets I learned from one of the other Three Great Smiths back at the Sichuan Tang Clan.'
The problem was.
'Is there a way to obtain an ore that could entice the Mad Forge Artisan?'
Un-hyeok knew exactly what the Mad Forge Artisan truly desired.
All he needed was to open the floodgates.
And if he could obtain such an ore, he could commission his own personal weapon as well.
Two birds with one stone.
"Are you going with those, young master?"
So-ye's voice broke Un-hyeok from his thoughts.
"Ah. Yes, I'll take these."
Un-hyeok fastened the weapons to his belt.
Knowing they were the Mad Forge Artisan's work, there was no need to look at anything else.
"Mind if I grab some hidden weapons too?"
"Of course. Help yourself."
Thanks to So-ye's generosity, he pocketed several hidden weapons including feather needles.
That was when it happened.
Un-hyeok's nose caught the shift in the Scarlet Trail Incense.
'Don't tell me something happened to Mu-won?'
Sure enough.
A Golden Dragon Chamber member came rushing in to report to So-ye.
"Th-there's trouble! Chamber Master!"
"What is it?"
"W-well......"
The man stole a glance at Un-hyeok, then reported the truth.
"The Poison Young Master's siblings have been attacked!"
***
Meanwhile, in a secluded alley.
Huff, huff, huff—!
Mu-won's back was pressed to a dead-end wall as he gasped for air.
"Tch......!"
One hand gripped his sword hilt. The other shielded Seo-ryeon behind him.
"Brother......"
"It's all right, Ryeon. No matter what happens, I'll protect you."
His confident words belied his condition.
His clothes were in tatters.
A deep stab wound gaped at his flank.
'I never thought it was a trap.'
After parting with Un-hyeok.
Mu-won had wandered the market streets with Seo-ryeon.
Then a group of thugs had been menacing an old woman.
Mu-won could not walk past.
But the old woman had been one of them all along.
SQUELCH—!
— Keh heh heh. Kid, haven't you heard the saying? In the martial world, beware of women, children, and the elderly.
Ambushed by the old woman, Mu-won had been caught completely off guard.
The masked man at the front, sword resting on his shoulder, wore a vicious grin.
"Heh heh heh. Slippery little rat. Didn't think you'd cut down one of ours and make it this far with that body. But now there's nowhere left to run!"
"Who sent you?"
"Hmm? If you're that curious......"
DASH—!
CLANG—!
Mu-won's sword and the masked man's blade crashed together.
"Find out for yourself."
"Ngh!"
Naturally, he was outmatched in raw power.
Worse still, formless energy shimmered along the enemy's blade.
'Sword qi!'
Mu-won tried to deflect the strike.
But under the relentless barrage, his insides were being shaken to pieces.
'What do I do?'
"Heh heh heh! Kid, your sword's gotten sluggish — got a lot on your mind, do you?"
"Shut up!"
Mu-won brought his sword down in a heavy overhead slash.
The masked man let it slide past, then used the opening to flick Mu-won's blade away.
"!"
Mu-won's sword left his hand and embedded itself in the ground.
The masked man swung at Mu-won's wrist.
"Let me take a hand to start!"
No—!
Mu-won squeezed his eyes shut.
WHOOSH—!
Out of nowhere, a warrior vaulted over the alley wall and, mid-flight, severed the masked man's wrist.
"GAAH—! My hand...... my wrist......!"
"Are you all right, young master?"
Mu-won cracked his eyes open to find a battered warrior standing before him.
"C-Captain Neung?"
"Thank heavens. I made it in time."
"But how did you find us......"
"I'll explain later. Right now, getting out of here comes first."
Ja-pil positioned himself in front of Mu-won.
The situation was worse than he had hoped.
He had rushed here without calling for reinforcements, and his body was in terrible shape.
'......No choice, then.'
HUMMM—!
Formless sword qi rippled along Ja-pil's blade.
He coughed.
The internal injuries from Un-hyeok's beating had not fully healed, and blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.
But Ja-pil masked the pain and roared.
"Stand aside! The first one who comes at me — I swear I'll drag him to the grave with me!"
Perhaps because they had just watched their comrade lose a hand in an instant.
Ja-pil's threat hit its mark.
The masked men shuffled backward, cowed.
'Good. Now I just need to get the young master and Lady Seo-ryeon out of here.'
He dared to hope — but then.
Someone landed atop the masked men's shoulders and appeared before Ja-pil.
WHOOSH—! THWACK—!
A spinning aerial kick struck Ja-pil dead in the chest.
"Tch......!"
Ja-pil staggered back several steps.
The man who had landed turned to his subordinates with a look of contempt.
"Worthless fools. Cowering before a man who's half-dead?"
Ja-pil knew who it was the instant he heard the voice.
"Go Eo-ryeong!"
"Tch. No point hiding now, I suppose."
Eo-ryeong pulled off his mask.
Killing intent gleamed in his eyes.
The original plan had been to simply capture Dok Mu-won and Dok Seo-ryeon as leverage against Un-hyeok.
But their identities had been exposed.
Now they had no choice but to kill everyone, to prevent future repercussions.
"Idiot. If you'd stayed out of it, I would've just taken an arm and been done. But now Dok Mu-won and Dok Seo-ryeon are going to die because of you, Neung Ja-pil."
"Do you really think the Poison Demon Sect Leader will let this go?!"
Eo-ryeong smirked.
"How naive."
"Wh-what......?"
"We'll just bury your corpses deep in the Hundred Thousand Mountains. How would the Poison Demon Sect Leader ever find out it was us?"
The dead tell no tales.
Eo-ryeong drew his sword.
"I'll deal with you first — you're the nuisance. Then Dok Mu-won, you're next."
"As if I'll let you! Captain Neung, I'll fight too!"
"Young master......"
"Don't bother rushing. Neung Ja-pil comes first, then you, Dok Mu-won."
Lightning-fast movement!
SWISH—!
The instant Eo-ryeong's sword lashed toward Ja-pil's throat!
CLANG—!
A short sword struck Eo-ryeong's blade mid-swing from out of nowhere.
The impact knocked his sword off course.
"Tch! Who was that?!"
Eo-ryeong scanned the surroundings, but no one was there.
Then something strange began to happen.
THUD—!
THUD—!
THUD—!
One by one, his men collapsed.
Eo-ryeong looked down at them — feather needles were lodged in their necks.
'What......? When did someone fire those?'
Then a voice, colder than a north wind, cut through the darkness.
"Was that you?"
A chill ran down Eo-ryeong's spine.
Unnerved for no reason he could name, he covered his fear by screaming.
"Wh-who's there?! Show yourself this instant!"
"Let me correct the order."
STEP—
STEP—!
In the dim alley, a man's silhouette emerged — legs first, then upward, until his face was revealed.
Eo-ryeong recognized him at once.
"Y-you're Dok Un-hyeok?!"
Un-hyeok retrieved the short sword he had thrown and spoke.
"My brother isn't next."
Un-hyeok's eyes burned with a quiet, searing fury.
"You are."