"Ha!"
Un-hyeok let out a dry laugh.
He had never dreamed anyone would launch such a brazen ambush in broad daylight.
'Go Eo-ryeong.'
He remembered seeing the man during the War Between Realms.
When Dok Mu-won — a once-in-a-century prodigy — later revived the Poison Demon Sect, Eo-ryeong had been right at his side.
'If I remember right, the bastard was disgustingly quick on the uptake.'
His mind worked fast too — fast enough that Un-hyeok's stratagems had been foiled by him on more than one occasion.
'His skill was no joke either. I nearly let my guard down at the worst time.'
Had the opponent been anyone other than Un-hyeok, all three of them would have lost a limb and been taken prisoner.
That aside.
"Captain Neung, how did you find this place?"
"I heard Black Slaughter Sect warriors were lurking near the infirmary. Fearing a possible ambush, I rushed over at once."
"Hmm...... then what happened to Won's side wound?"
"I can explain that, Brother."
Mu-won hobbled over, clutching his side.
"What happened was......"
After calmly listening to Mu-won's account, Un-hyeok nodded.
'Not bad. That was a well-laid trap.'
During the War Between Realms.
Belying his epithet of Iron Blood Poison Lord, Mu-won had also been called the Chivalrous Demon among the common folk.
'By the book.'
The phrase that best described Mu-won's character.
'As if this kind-hearted fool would just walk past an old woman being threatened.'
The objective had been clear.
Relations with the Black Slaughter Sect had recently soured.
'They were probably targeting me and set this up. Attacking my siblings was meant to take hostages.'
Just then.
"Poison Young Master!"
So-ye arrived a step behind.
"You came?"
"Huff, huff...... huh?!"
A scene awash in blood.
So-ye, still catching her breath, recoiled in shock.
"Who did this?!"
"Over there."
Un-hyeok jerked his chin toward the culprit.
So-ye recognized the young man's face at once.
"Go Eo-ryeong?"
"Yeah. It's just a guess, but from what I can tell, this was something he pulled on his own."
"What makes you say that?"
"A failed attempt could mean war with the Poison Demon Sect. If the Black Slaughter Sect master were behind this, the job wouldn't have been this sloppy."
Now that she thought about it.
Even to So-ye's eye, the number of assailants was far too few.
"In other words."
Un-hyeok's gaze settled on Go Eo-ryeong.
"A clueless brat who acted without thinking about the consequences."
"What did you just......!"
Eo-ryeong bristled.
But Un-hyeok did not even spare him a glance.
"Yi So-ye, I need a favor."
"Name it, Poison Young Master."
"Could you move my siblings and Captain Neung somewhere safe?"
Thankfully, Seo-ryeon seemed fine aside from a bad scare.
The problem was Mu-won.
The deep stab wound on his right side in particular.
The bleeding looked severe — he needed treatment as soon as possible.
"Of course. I'll have them taken to the infirmary right away."
Un-hyeok gripped Mu-won's shoulder.
"Won, you did well."
"Brother......"
"Leave the rest to me and get some rest."
Those words brought such relief.
Mu-won's legs gave out and he sank to the ground.
As the Golden Dragon Chamber members who had come with So-ye moved to support the three of them, Ja-pil alone refused.
"I...... will stay here and assist the Young Sect Leader."
Ja-pil adjusted his grip on his sword hilt.
"I know the Young Sect Leader's skill better than anyone — I experienced it firsthand. But that arm......"
The arm encased in plaster and wrapped in cotton cloth.
Since Ja-pil himself was the one who had inflicted the wound, he could not help but worry.
"With that arm, you'll have difficulty against Go Eo-ryeong. So please, let me fight alongside—"
"Ha."
Un-hyeok caught Ja-pil's shoulder and shoved him back.
"......Huh?"
"Thanks, but no. Look at yourself — in what shape are you going to help anyone?"
In that instant, Un-hyeok slammed his plastered arm against the alley wall.
Chunks of hardened plaster crumbled away.
"......!"
"......!"
So-ye's and Ja-pil's eyes went wide.
How?
He had sustained a serious wound.
How could it have healed this quickly?
Un-hyeok unwound the bandages and rolled his shoulder.
"Phew. That's more like it."
In truth, Un-hyeok's injury had been mostly healed for some time — he simply had not mentioned it.
Over the past several days, he had devoted himself entirely to channeling the Myriad Streams Return to Poison Divine Art.
'Who could have guessed that simply channeling the divine art would boost recovery this much?'
Indeed — hellishly difficult to learn as it was, there was a reason it bore the name "divine art."
Of course, not having used the arm in a while made it a little stiff.
But nothing he could not handle.
Un-hyeok gripped the borrowed short swords in a reverse hold and took his stance.
"Yi So-ye. You said earlier you wanted to hear my plan for capturing 'that man,' didn't you?"
So-ye's attention sharpened.
By her own estimate, the plan to capture U Mun-so would take at least ten years.
No matter how talented Un-hyeok was, the opponent was the opponent.
U Mun-so was the leader of the Underworld Gate — a faction that stood shoulder to shoulder with the foremost sect, the Beggar's Sect — and possessed martial skill ranked among the very best within the fortress.
'It would take at least five years to get him.'
But.
"A hundred days."
Un-hyeok raised his index finger.
"I'll grant your wish within a hundred days."
"Whaaaat?!"
For a moment, So-ye thought she had misheard.
A hundred days.
'Did I misjudge him......? This isn't just boasting — this is absurd.'
So-ye asked carefully.
"Are you...... serious?"
"Why? Does it sound like a joke?"
"Not exactly, but......"
So-ye looked worried.
"Poison Young Master, taking down U Mun-so requires careful deliberation. If we make a clumsy attempt and fail, he'll vanish without a trace."
"Don't worry. The plan is already complete."
"But you said you're entering the Demon Cultivation Grotto. Your movements will be restricted in there — how on earth could you......"
Un-hyeok spoke without a shred of doubt.
"I'll deal with him while I'm inside."
In the future, prominent figures from sects across the Central Plains — righteous and dark alike — would lose their lives.
At the time, the culprits had been unknown, but it was later revealed to be part of the Demon Cultivation Grotto's trials — carried out by members of the Demonic Cult.
'I'll eliminate U Mun-so during that window.'
But he could not explain this to So-ye.
Because Eo-ryeong's sword was already slashing down right before his eyes.
"How dare you look away with me standing right here!!"
"Young Sect Leader, watch out!"
CLAAANG—!
Un-hyeok's twin swords crossed and caught Eo-ryeong's strike.
"You don't seem convinced. Watch closely, then."
Un-hyeok bared his teeth.
"I'll make you believe, starting now."
***
Meanwhile.
Eo-ryeong was bewildered by the turn of events.
'My plan was flawless.'
Neung Ja-pil's interference had been an unexpected variable, but not enough to change the outcome.
Yet.
'Dok Un-hyeok.'
The moment this man had intervened, everything flipped.
Eo-ryeong clicked his tongue.
'Useless lot. I went to the trouble of bringing them along, and they all went down to a few hidden weapons.'
Worse, even the ambush he had thought perfectly timed had been swatted away by Un-hyeok.
Eo-ryeong's mind raced.
'Should I run?'
No — that was the worst option.
The deed was done. All that remained was damage control.
And Eo-ryeong had not yet shown the full extent of his abilities.
The one saving grace was that he could sense Un-hyeok was pushing himself.
Eo-ryeong's gaze slid briefly to the woman beside Un-hyeok.
A beauty who would not be out of place being called a stunner.
'And this one fancies himself a man.'
Surely Dok Un-hyeok would overextend himself trying to look good in front of her.
That arrogance would be what killed Dok Un-hyeok today.
'I watch for my opening and take him out in one strike. Neung Ja-pil and the others can be dealt with after.'
CLAAANG—!
Eo-ryeong spun through the air several times, then put distance between himself and Un-hyeok.
"Not bad. I heard you beat Neung Ja-pil — seems you had a trick or two up your sleeve."
That was when it happened.
Eo-ryeong's figure rippled.
Then vanished entirely, like a mirage.
"What the......?"
"Wh-where did he go?!"
So-ye and Ja-pil whipped their heads around.
It was as if he had never been there at all.
His very presence had been completely erased.
An almost ghostly sensation.
Watching So-ye and Ja-pil panic, Eo-ryeong snickered to himself.
'How do you like it? This is the ultimate technique of the Black Slaughter Phantom Night Sword — Black Slaughter Annihilation!'
Even Go Gu had gasped in admiration upon seeing Eo-ryeong's Black Slaughter Annihilation.
That was how perfect the concealment was.
But Un-hyeok alone remained unperturbed.
He simply closed his eyes in calm silence.
Eo-ryeong saw this and smirked inwardly.
'Heh heh heh......! Picked up a thing or two somewhere, has he? But with your qi sense, you'll never pinpoint my position.'
He must be in turmoil inside.
Eo-ryeong crept toward Un-hyeok.
The Poison Demon Sect — the wall his father's generation could never surmount.
The chance to settle that long-held grudge lay right before him.
'Farewell, Dok Un-hyeok. This ends now!'
SWISH—!
The instant his sword slashed toward Un-hyeok's neck!
CLAAANG—!
Un-hyeok's eyes snapped open, and he blocked the strike with pinpoint precision.
'N-no...... how?'
Eo-ryeong was stunned.
He had never imagined this attack would be blocked too.
In that same moment, green energy rippled along the short sword in Un-hyeok's hand.
'That bastard...... can he actually see me?! That's impossible!'
He scrambled to block Un-hyeok's counter, but he was unprepared — and a step too slow.
SLASH—!
"Tch......!"
A cut across his abdomen.
Not deep, but it drew blood.
As Eo-ryeong stumbled back, his form gradually became visible again.
Un-hyeok stared straight at where he stood.
"A little shallow. Well, no matter."
"How dare......"
Eo-ryeong glared at Un-hyeok with murderous eyes.
"A wretch like you, seeing through my sect's ultimate technique?! What sorcery did you use?!"
"Idiot. This really isn't the time to be asking questions."
At that moment.
'Huh...... why am I suddenly seeing two of him?'
His head spun.
And the world with it.
'What's happening......?!'
Eo-ryeong dropped to his knees and began to retch.
"BLEEEGH—!"
"The poison's taken effect, I see."
Poison?!
Then the energy rippling on the short sword earlier — that was poison?!
Dok Un-hyeok, who had spent his life as a wastrel, practicing poison arts?
A completely unexpected development.
"Grrkkkk......"
Eo-ryeong foamed at the mouth.
His entire body shook, and cold sweat poured out relentlessly.
Every capillary, every fiber of muscle felt as though it were being shredded.
If there existed a pain worse than death, it would feel like this.
Less than half a quarter-hour had passed, yet Eo-ryeong had no choice but to submit.
"P-please...... spare me...... I-I was wrong......"
Dignity be damned — he needed to survive.
Un-hyeok walked slowly toward him.
CRACK—!
Eo-ryeong's face was ground into the dirt.
"GAAAAH—!"
"Don't worry. I'll let you live."
Killing Go Eo-ryeong here would truly mean war with the Black Slaughter Sect.
'I still need time to build my strength.'
Even if it came to war.
It should only be waged when victory was certain.
'But that doesn't mean I'm letting this go.'
Eo-ryeong clawed at the dirt, gasping for air.
Un-hyeok slowly leaned down.
"Hey, Go Eo-ryeong."
"......"
"I absolutely despise it when people touch what's mine. You almost killed my siblings and one of our Poison Demon Sect warriors."
"I-I'll pay for all of it! Nobody died! S-so please, just forgive......"
"This isn't something you can afford. So I'll need to call in someone who matches the bill."
"Wh-what do you......"
"I'm curious."
One corner of Un-hyeok's mouth curled upward.
"I wonder — what price will your father put on his son's life?"