Yama Spear, Ak Seung-do.
He was originally a branch member of the Ak Family, a prestigious house in Shandong Province.
Despite his exceptional talent, his status barred him from learning the Ak Family's closely guarded Ak Family Spear Art.
Meanwhile, the direct-line heirs received the art regardless of talent, simply by virtue of their birth.
He could not tolerate watching direct-line heirs with less talent than himself monopolize the family's elixirs and martial arts.
The final straw came when the Ak Family pinned a crime committed by a direct-line heir on him, a branch member.
Enraged, he abandoned his family and defected to the Evil Tyrant Alliance.
The Alliance Leader, recognizing his talent, bestowed upon him the Yama Spear Art.
Having finally obtained the supreme spear art he had so desperately craved, he trained as if his life depended on it and reached the extreme peak of the Pinnacle realm.
His talent and skill earned him the position of Inspection Envoy of the Evil Tyrant Alliance.
The Inspection Envoy was a key post responsible for overseeing the Alliance's subordinate forces, and his visit to the Black Bear Gang was part of that duty.
Ak Seung-do looked surprised when Namgung Geom identified him at a glance.
"You recognized me on sight. Not bad."
"Unorthodox masters who use a spear aren't exactly common."
"I had no idea the Namgung Family had a rising prodigy as remarkable as you, though."
Ak Seung-do was genuinely astonished by Namgung Geom's level of attainment.
By the most generous estimate, Namgung Geom was in his early twenties.
Yet his aura was not far behind Ak Seung-do's own.
He had heard nothing of such a rising prodigy existing in the Namgung Family.
"Knowing the Namgung Family's depth, I wouldn't think it so surprising."
Ak Seung-do let out a thin smile and spoke.
"So, do you intend to tell me who you are?"
"I am Namgung Geom of the Namgung Family."
Namgung Geom did not bother concealing his identity.
"Namgung Geom—the Namgung Family's eldest grandson who was afflicted with Nine Yang Severed Meridians?"
Ak Seung-do immediately placed the name.
"That is correct."
"So the rumors that the Nine Yang Severed Meridians were cured were true."
He had received intelligence that Namgung Geom had been cured and was training in martial arts.
But he had dismissed it as inconsequential—how strong could the boy really become?
Yet to reach the Pinnacle realm at the Age of Twenty was an astonishing feat.
"There's no need for congratulations."
Ak Seung-do gave a thin smile at Namgung Geom's quip.
But the amusement soon faded, and his tone turned serious.
"That said, attacking the Black Bear Gang, which operates under our Alliance—is the Namgung Family looking to start a war with us?"
Ak Seung-do assumed that invoking the threat of war with the Evil Tyrant Alliance would make Namgung Geom falter.
The thought that his actions here might spark a conflict between the Namgung Family and the Evil Tyrant Alliance would be enough to rattle anyone.
For someone as inexperienced as Namgung Geom, the effect should be even greater.
But Namgung Geom did not waver in the slightest.
He counterattacked instead.
"That is precisely what I wish to ask. The Black Bear Gang raided the Yi Family Manor's tea—a manor under our family's protection. I can't help but wonder whether the Evil Tyrant Alliance was behind this."
"Do you have proof that the Alliance ordered the Black Bear Gang to do it?"
At Ak Seung-do's retort, Namgung Geom shrugged and said,
"There is, however, a way for the Evil Tyrant Alliance to prove it had nothing to do with this."
"And what would that be?"
"The Yama Spear stays out of it."
Ak Seung-do shook his head immediately.
"I'm afraid that won't be possible. I can't simply ignore a threat to the Black Bear Gang when it falls under our Alliance."
"The Black Bear Gang provoked a force under our family's protection. If you shield them despite that, we'll have no choice but to suspect the Alliance was behind it."
"And if I still stand in your way?"
At Ak Seung-do's question, Namgung Geom answered without hesitation.
"Then I'll have no choice but to defeat you, Senior."
"Ha! Defeat me? Who—you?"
Ak Seung-do laughed loudly, then unleashed a lethal aura.
His presence seized the space and pressed down on Namgung Geom.
Namgung Geom did not back down. He unleashed his own aura in return.
CRACKLE!
The two auras collided, and a shockwave rippled through the air.
Ak Seung-do's eyebrow twitched at the sight of Namgung Geom standing firm without yielding an inch.
"Your spirit isn't bad. But let's see if you can actually withstand my spear."
BOOM!
Ak Seung-do slammed his foot into the ground and drove his spear forward.
A ferocious force surged from the tip, barreling straight at Namgung Geom.
The aura was like a demon of hell charging forth. Namgung Geom grimaced and thrust out his sword.
The Sword Wind that erupted from his blade spiraled violently and collided with Ak Seung-do's spear.
CRASH—!
Ak Seung-do's spear tore through the spiraling Sword Wind without slowing.
Namgung Geom retreated and thrust his sword again.
Successive waves of Sword Wind poured from his blade, forming a wall against Ak Seung-do's spear.
CRASH—!
The spear, which had been driving through the layered Sword Wind, lost its momentum midway and was deflected.
Ak Seung-do grimaced at the cold creeping up through his spear shaft and shook it off with a violent jerk.
He moved to attack again after dispersing the cold.
But Namgung Geom's counterattack came faster.
FLASH—!
Bolts of lightning-fast sword qi erupted in rapid succession from Namgung Geom's sword.
Eight bolts of sword qi drove into every angle of Ak Seung-do's body.
Ak Seung-do did not dare take them lightly. He spun his spear in a wide arc.
A circular current of air unfurled in its wake.
CRASH—!
The sword qi bolts failed to pierce the circular current and were knocked away.
Ak Seung-do moved to counterattack at once, but the cold crept up through his spear shaft again.
The sword qi had not penetrated the circular current, but the cold embedded within had ridden the current's flow to reach him.
'What in the world is this cold?'
Ak Seung-do's expression hardened at the cold's unexpected potency.
Dispersing the cold was no great challenge for someone of his inner arts.
But spending inner arts to push out the cold in the middle of an exchange inevitably created openings.
And the longer the fight dragged on, the wider those openings would grow.
A swift resolution, then, was the best course.
Ak Seung-do raised his inner arts another level.
ROAR—
A tremendous aura erupted, scattering the cold in an instant.
Ak Seung-do immediately drove his spear toward Namgung Geom.
The force that poured from his spear split into four, each stream flying toward one of Namgung Geom's limbs.
The shape was like chains binding Namgung Geom.
Yama Soul Shackle.
It was one of the Yama Spear Art's finishing techniques.
Namgung Geom swung his sword at once, sending Sword Wind spinning outward in four directions.
The Sword Wind spiraled with biting cold, colliding with Ak Seung-do's spear qi.
CRASH—!
Ak Seung-do's spear qi froze and shattered apart.
But the true attack of the Yama Soul Shackle lay elsewhere.
The moment Namgung Geom destroyed the spear qi aimed at his limbs, Ak Seung-do's spear drove straight into his chest.
The Yama Soul Shackle's core was to first target the arms and legs, bait the opponent into defending, and then strike the unguarded torso.
The spear thrust now driving into Namgung Geom's chest was the real attack.
Without knowing this, one would be helplessly caught—a secret technique of the Yama Spear Art.
But Namgung Geom had known from the start that the Yama Soul Shackle's true strike was hidden.
He did not know the Yama Spear Art itself, but he had read the flow of qi through the spear and predicted the technique.
Having prepared accordingly, Namgung Geom blocked Ak Seung-do's spear without delay.
The sword qi of Celestial Wind Revolution surging from his blade met Ak Seung-do's spear head-on.
CRASH—!
A violent impact, and both Namgung Geom and Ak Seung-do were knocked backward simultaneously.
Namgung Geom, forced back two lengths, grimaced.
The shock of colliding with Ak Seung-do's spear had momentarily rattled his inner qi.
Ak Seung-do, pushed back one length, shook off the cold climbing his spear shaft and stared at Namgung Geom.
Astonishment was plain in his eyes.
The Yama Soul Shackle was one of his killing techniques.
He had been certain it would succeed.
Yet Namgung Geom had withstood it.
He had not even been pushed back significantly.
"Well now. I truly cannot believe this."
Ak Seung-do was sincerely impressed by Namgung Geom's martial prowess.
How a person of that age could possess such a realm and such martial skill was nothing short of astounding.
"The Yama Spear Senior's skill is every bit as formidable as I have heard."
At Namgung Geom's words, Ak Seung-do gave a wry smile.
Being fought to a standstill by someone far younger and hearing such words—it was almost absurd.
"So, will you continue?"
Namgung Geom asked him directly.
"If the Namgung Family withdraws now, I'll let this whole matter go as if it never happened."
Ak Seung-do spoke as if granting a favor.
After exchanging several blows, he could tell that subduing Namgung Geom would not be easy.
If he fought with everything he had, he could probably win.
But if Namgung Geom were seriously injured or killed in the process, the situation could escalate.
It might even spiral into an all-out conflict between the Namgung Family and the Evil Tyrant Alliance.
That was something Ak Seung-do could not afford.
So it was better to save face and end things here.
"Likewise, if the Yama Spear Senior withdraws, I will drop all suspicion against the Evil Tyrant Alliance."
In other words—stand by and watch while the Namgung Family dealt with the Black Bear Gang.
"So you're insisting on seeing this through?"
Ak Seung-do's expression soured.
"The Black Bear Gang struck first against a force under our family's protection. The Namgung Family will not be the first to back down."
Namgung Geom spoke in a resolute tone.
"You really want to go to war with the Alliance?"
"The Evil Tyrant Alliance need only step aside first."
Namgung Geom did not waver in the slightest against Ak Seung-do's threats.
"There is such a thing as mutual compromise."
Ak Seung-do sighed and said.
"If our family withdraws, what will the Evil Tyrant Alliance compromise on?"
"I will have the Black Bear Gang compensate the Yi Family Manor."
Namgung Geom shook his head.
"That is not enough. The architect of this entire affair, the Black Bear Gang Leader, must be punished as well."
"What kind of punishment are you proposing?"
Ak Seung-do asked with a furrowed brow.
"If I had my way, I would kill the Black Bear Gang Leader. But considering the Evil Tyrant Alliance's standing, I will settle for crippling his martial arts."
"And you're calling that a compromise?"
Ak Seung-do stared in disbelief.
"If that is not acceptable, our family has no intention of backing down."
Ak Seung-do clenched his jaw at Namgung Geom's unyielding stance.
The Black Bear Gang had provoked the Yi Family Manor first. The moral high ground belonged to the Namgung Family.
If Ak Seung-do sided with the Black Bear Gang to the bitter end and opposed the Namgung Family, he would be handing them justification to attack the Evil Tyrant Alliance.
That might seem trivial, but justification mattered enormously.
A single point of justification could determine whether the other Five Great Families entered the conflict.
If the Namgung Family started a fight without proper cause, the other families would be reluctant to lend their support.
But if the moral high ground lay with the Namgung Family, they would be far more likely to offer active support.
The Namgung Family alone might be manageable, but the Evil Tyrant Alliance could not hope to defeat all Five Great Families combined.
That was why he had planned to subdue Namgung Geom first and negotiate from a position of strength. But Namgung Geom's unexpected skill had thrown a wrench into everything.
Ak Seung-do lowered his spear as if resigned.
"Very well. I'll do as you say."
"Inspection Envoy! You're abandoning me?!"
Gwak Do-jin bellowed furiously.
"You should have thought twice before starting something you couldn't finish."
Ak Seung-do replied in an irritated voice.
"I refuse to accept this."
Gwak Do-jin launched himself at Namgung Geom.
"Die!"
Ak Seung-do shook his head and hurled his spear at Gwak Do-jin.
The spear left his hand and shot forward, slamming into Gwak Do-jin's body.
Unable to withstand the spear's force, Gwak Do-jin was flung sideways and crashed into the ground.
"Guh!"
Gwak Do-jin stared at Ak Seung-do with resentful eyes before losing his strength and collapsing.
"There was no need for the Yama Spear Senior to step in."
"Then let us consider the Black Bear Gang's matter settled."
Ak Seung-do spoke as if he wanted nothing more to do with it.
"Shall the compensation for the damages the Yi Family Manor suffered be settled through negotiations between the manor and the Black Bear Gang?"
When Namgung Geom raised the subject of compensation, Ak Seung-do furrowed his brow.
"Negotiations will proceed once a new gang leader for the Black Bear Gang is decided."
"Before that, I will need to take the key to the Black Bear Gang's secret storehouse. I am told the tea stolen from the Yi Family Manor is kept there."
Namgung Geom retrieved the secret storehouse key from the gang leader's person.
"Then I will trust you to honor our agreement. I shall take my leave."
Namgung Geom offered Ak Seung-do a clasped hands greeting, then departed the Black Bear Gang with his peers from the Azure Dragon Pavilion.
Ak Seung-do watched Namgung Geom leave, a cold expression settling over his face.
"For the Alliance's sake, he must never be allowed to live."