Chapter 102: Chapter 102
“Bi-cheon, can you explain?”
The Poison King did not get angry. Yet that voice felt more chilling than ever. Unable to give any answer, Tang Bi-cheon merely looked at his father.
The gazes of father and son intertwined in the air for a moment. Family was an existence that could guess each other’s thoughts merely by eye contact.
The Poison King let out a deep sigh. Bitterness and self-reproach were deeply embedded in that breath.
The Poison King turned around once again. This time, he looked not at Cheon Woo-jin, but at all the Martial Alliance members including him.
In his wide field of view were the Martial Alliance members who were wounded, torn, and turned to rags, as well as Dok-ra-su, whom he did not know why he was here. Dok-ra-su, who met the Poison King’s eyes for a moment, flinched and drew in his neck.
Regardless of that or not, the Poison King soon spoke in a low voice.
“I am sorry. It is all my fault. It is certainly my mistake.”
Everything that happened in the Tang Clan was his fault.
Even if he suffered from illness and could not exercise proper discretion, it could not serve as an adequate excuse for a leader heading such a massive clan.
Everyone looked at the Poison King with complicated expressions. They did not know what to do. While it seemed the matter was resolved because the Poison King had come to his senses, they did not know when he might suddenly change again.
In addition, their mission was to find evidence that the Sichuan Tang Clan had betrayed the Martial Alliance. With an existence like the Poison King standing firm like that, was there anything they could do? Such thoughts lingered in their minds.
Naturally, everyone’s gaze turned toward Zhuge Rin. The Black Tortoise Squad Leader had collapsed, and the Heavenly Tiger Squad Leader had left the battlefield taking Song Yi-yeon with him.
To follow Dok-ra-su’s orders, he was a public enemy of the martial world.
But it was true that Zhuge Rin’s head was also complicated.
It was at that moment.
“Right, isn’t it all your fault!”
Zhuge Rin doubted her ears for an instant. A voice filled with spite burst out from behind the Poison King’s large figure. The owner of that voice was none other than Tang Bi-cheon.
The Poison King’s expression hardened stiffly.
Soon he turned his head and faced his son.
Tang Bi-cheon’s eyes were full of resentment.
“For me, there was only this way! If I wanted to become Clan Leader, you held onto that position without letting go despite suffering from dementia, and that bastard Bukli Cheon endlessly kept the Dragon and Phoenix Society in check under the pretext of being the vested interests. Just what on earth was I supposed to do in this situation?”
“…”
The Poison King quietly looked at his son.
He was not angry at the immorality of spitting out informal speech. Nor did he consider his son’s foolishness pathetic.
The Poison King looked at how all the capillaries in Tang Bi-cheon’s two eyes had burst and were bloodshot red.
The Poison King slowly approached his son.
In an instant, Tang Bi-cheon flinched and shut his mouth.
Regardless of that or not, the Poison King grabbed Tang Bi-cheon’s chin and looked steadily into his face.
“…Ha.”
Soon the Poison King burst into a hollow laugh. The symptoms his son displayed were all too obvious.
“Have you been poisoned?”
The Poison King knew all of the thousands of poisons existing in the world. Right now, Tang Bi-cheon’s state was exceedingly similar to the symptoms of being poisoned.
The intelligence disappeared from his eyes, and his voice cracked strangely.
Furthermore, he committed impulsive judgments and actions unsuited to the situation, his mind encroached upon by anger.
The Poison King looked around with an expression of absurdity. Not only his son, but most of the Tang Clan martial artists had similar-looking eyes.
“Just who is it? Who dared release poison in the Tang Clan without fear?”
That fierce gaze suddenly turned toward Dok-ra-su.
At that, Dok-ra-su jumped in fright.
“It wasn’t me! You bastards might release poison on me, but would I ever do such a thing to the clan?”
“…”
Yet the suspicion contained in the Poison King’s two eyes was not erased.
Around the time Dok-ra-su beat his chest in grievance.
“The Demon Physician. The dharma master whom the young family head kept by his side was the Demon Physician, a disciple of the Dark Emperor.”
Silence fell over the area.
Cheon Woo-jin merely continued speaking calmly.
“Ten li to the east. The Demon Physician’s corpse should be there.”
“…Did you kill him?”
The Poison King could not conceal his astonishment. Even if he was Senior White Elder’s disciple, how could this young fellow kill the Demon Physician?
But that astonishment was also momentary. It was because he recalled the gust of wind that had torn apart his own body-protecting astral qi.
“…Just what kind of monster did you raise?”
“Calling me a monster on our first meeting is a bit much.”
Cheon Woo-jin smacked his lips.
At that, the Poison King showed an apologetic expression and spoke.
“Ahem, I was simply too shocked. In any case, if it was the Demon Physician’s doing, that at least makes sense. Even so, that does not mean the mistakes of our children disappear. In the martial world, being weak and ignorant is also a fault.”
Only the person who deceived is the bad one, and the person who was deceived has done no wrong.
While that was a saying commonly accepted among the common folk, it did not apply to martial artists. At least in the Poison King’s thinking, it was so.
When ordinary commoners were deceived, only they suffered damage, but when martial artists were deceived by evil people, it left immense damage to their surroundings.
“I will clean this up myself. First, after detoxifying the Demon Physician’s poison, I shall hand down appropriate punishment to the children involved in this affair.”
The Poison King declared in a tone as if it naturally should be so.
He was not seeking permission. A martial artist of the Poison King’s stature had no need for another’s permission.
As the Poison King turned around, Cheon Woo-jin spoke toward his back.
“The young family head must die.”
“…”
The Poison King’s steps halted. For an instant, killing intent bloomed above his shoulders and then vanished.
Regardless of that or not, Cheon Woo-jin calmly continued speaking.
“The other martial artists also bear guilt. However, under the pretext that they followed the young family head’s orders, I will permit the Tang Clan’s internal disposition. But Tang Bi-cheon has caused too much damage. Above all, those eyes are…”
Cheon Woo-jin peered straight into Tang Bi-cheon’s eyes.
It was true that he had somewhat lost his reason after consuming the Demon Physician’s pills. However, Cheon Woo-jin was peering into his inner mentality through Tang Bi-cheon’s pupils.
“He is originally such a person. Even if the Demon Physician had not intervened, it would only have delayed the timing, and he would have committed the same act. Rather, he would have carried it out even more delicately and flawlessly.”
“…”
The Poison King could not bring himself to deny it. Because he knew his son’s temperament better than anyone.
In the first place, they had been lucky.
If Dok-ra-su, who happened to stop by the clan, had not dealt with the Tang Clan martial artists, if the Black Tortoise Squad Leader had not desperately staked his life to protect the alliance members, if the monster raised by Senior White Elder had not been present here.
Everyone would have died.
Really, everyone would have died and rushed into an irreversible situation.
In this situation, if the clan could be preserved with the life of a single Tang Bi-cheon, that alone could be called fortunate.
The Poison King’s gaze turned toward Tang So-yeon far in the distance. There were clear handprints on the neck of that precious daughter of his. Even without bothering to ask, he could tell it was Tang Bi-cheon’s doing.
His daughter asked with her eyes. Was he going to shield his son again this time on the grounds that he was the eldest son? Was he going to rescue that older brother who tried to kill her? Was she truly not her father’s daughter?
“Father, I was wrong. As Alliance Member Cheon said, I fell victim to the Demon Physician and committed an irreversible sin…”
“Stop.”
The Poison King raised his hand and made him shut his mouth.
In the midst of this, Tang Bi-cheon had come up with a trick to survive.
But neither the Poison King, nor Cheon Woo-jin, nor anyone present was fooled by such an appearance of Tang Bi-cheon.
The Poison King asked Cheon Woo-jin. However, unlike before, his voice was noticeably softer.
“Can you really not let it go, if only out of consideration for me? Can it not be concluded by destroying his tendons and meridians and destroying his dantian?”
For a martial artist, it signified death.
But Cheon Woo-jin was not someone who clung to such things.
“No. He must die.”
Having spoken thus, Cheon Woo-jin slowly took steps forward. He put away the Crane Feather Fan and took out the Crescent Moon Staff.
The Poison King did not know of the Crescent Moon Staff. Black Elder had used the Crescent Moon Staff in a period close to his later years, so only a few of the Dark Emperor’s disciples, Alliance Leader Bukli Cheon, and White Elder knew of it.
Cheon Woo-jin walked past the Poison King toward Tang Bi-cheon.
“D-Don’t come!”
Tang Bi-cheon’s terrified voice rang out. For a moment, the Poison King barely stopped his body from moving without realizing it.
As a father, how could he remain composed at his son’s death? In truth, he was still not certain whether this was the right decision.
“I told you not to come, you monster bastard! Father! Father!!”
Tang Bi-cheon shrieked in desperation.
The Poison King deliberately did not look at his son.
But even without his eyes reaching, his developed qi sense vividly informed him of everything taking place behind his back.
Cheon Woo-jin lifted the Crescent Moon Staff. At the same time, Tang Bi-cheon covered his head and prostrated on the ground.
“P-Please! Please just spare my life.”
He begged the Poison King and Cheon Woo-jin for his life.
With Tang Bi-cheon’s crafty mind, he felt as though he could pledge lifelong loyalty to anyone as long as they spared him.
But there was no one who reached out a helping hand to him.
Soon Cheon Woo-jin’s voice echoed in a low tone.
“You should not have touched your sister.”
The biggest reason the Poison King did not move was precisely because of Tang So-yeon. How could he not know the Tang Clan’s temperament of never forgetting a grudge? If brother and sister sought to kill each other, that fight would continue until one of the two died.
In the end, the Poison King had to choose one between the two children.
The Poison King, who let out a deep sigh as if having made up his mind, closed his eyes.
At the same time, the sound of tearing flesh burst from behind his back.
“Fa-ther…”
Thud.
Soon Cheon Woo-jin shook off the blood on the Crescent Moon Staff and, with relaxed steps as always, walked over to where the Martial Alliance members were.
While walking past the Poison King to approach Zhuge Rin, he felt the Poison King’s killing intent from behind his back.
Even while everyone was nervous, Cheon Woo-jin approached with merely a calm pace and asked Zhuge Rin.
“I am glad no one is seriously injured.”
Zhuge Rin kept her mouth shut. It was because his dry tone did not feel like someone who had just crushed a person’s head with an iron staff to kill them. Moreover, in a situation where the Poison King’s killing intent was pouring out like this.
Regardless of that or not, Cheon Woo-jin looked around and spoke.
“Where is Young Hero Song?”
“Uh, the Heavenly Tiger Squad Leader took him away. Since he was still inexperienced in real combat, he felt like he would die if left on the battlefield any longer. It was the Black Tortoise Squad Leader’s judgment. Saying that at least the youngest ones had to be saved.”
Cheon Woo-jin nodded his head.
Soon he approached the fallen Cheol Ji-ak and examined his condition. Fortunately his breath still lingered, but it was precarious as though it might break off at any moment.
‘Should I have learned medicine?’
Master White Elder was also deeply knowledgeable in medicine. But he had only been able to inherit the martial arts of his two masters. It was because time was lacking. Feeling regret, Cheon Woo-jin asked the Poison King.
“Is there a physician in the Tang Clan?”
“…”
The Poison King was rendered speechless. It was true that his son deserved to die, but how could he strike up a conversation so shamelessly after killing the son right in front of the father?
‘Is he truly Senior White Elder’s disciple?’
However, because that bastard Bukli Cheon must have verified it personally, there was no room for doubt. For the person who had been closer to White Elder than anyone else in the world was precisely the Alliance Leader.
* * *
The situation was resolved quickly.
The several dozen Tang Clan martial artists involved were all acupoint-struck, and with both hands bound, they knelt on the floor of the training ground. When reinforcements arrived from the Martial Alliance, all of them would be transported under escort.
In the midst of that, several elders died.
Although there were those who supported Tang Bi-cheon, there were also elders and retainers who held resentment against his tyranny.
A representative example was First Elder Tang Myeong-un. They immediately killed off Tang Bi-cheon’s confidants. It was truly a bloody purge taking place.
The Poison King fell into a deep sleep once again. These were far too immense affairs to bear with an unsound mind.
However, no one knew whether his mind would still be sound when he woke up, or whether symptoms of dementia would manifest once more.
In that way, with the Clan Leader stepping back from the front line and the young family head dead, a vacancy of power arose in the Tang Clan. However, just as the saying goes that power abhors a vacuum, if left like this, tyranny would break out once more within the Tang Clan.
Zhuge Rin, having personally experienced clan power struggles, knew this better than anyone. Therefore, she threw her weight behind Tang So-yeon. In a situation where the Tang Clan had been defeated, the authority of an acting squad leader of the Martial Alliance was quite formidable.
Although it was unknown what discussions would take place later among senior figures of the Martial Alliance or the Tang Clan, for now, with Cheon Woo-jin and the Martial Alliance members holding the ground, there was no one audacious enough to attempt pushing Tang So-yeon aside.
Above all, Dok-ra-su’s presence was significant. As long as the Clan Leader was asleep, the most senior elder within the Tang Clan was Dok-ra-su. Even though he was a figure expelled from the clan, the already defeated Tang Clan had no leeway to nitpick over such things.
While the physicians of the Tang Clan tended to the Black Tortoise Squad Leader.
The Black Tortoise Squad members waited in whatever comfortable spots they found.
Cheon Woo-jin, as always, took a seat where few people came and went, quietly keeping his eyes closed.
Approaching quietly, Dok-ra-su asked.
“Nephew, so when are we going to the Black Overlord Castle?”
Cheon Woo-jin looked up at him as if asking what nonsense he was talking about.
At that, Dok-ra-su jumped in protest.
“Hey, didn’t you say that if I protected your comrades well, you would take me to the Lord of the Black Overlord Castle? For your information, when that bastard Tang Myeong-hak rained down the Rain of Flowers Filling the Sky on you, the first one to rush forward was me.”
Cheon Woo-jin smacked his lips.
While calling him ‘nephew’ slyly was quite irritating, it was not that he had no feeling of gratitude.
In any case, if Dok-ra-su had not staked his life to neutralize the poison arts of the Tang Clan martial artists, the Black Tortoise Squad would have been wiped out before Cheon Woo-jin arrived.
“Let us speak once the squad leader wakes up first. It is difficult to leave my post in this situation.”
Cheon Woo-jin was not merely resting. He was spreading his qi sense across the entire Tang Clan to monitor if any bastard was doing something foolish.
Dok-ra-su also nodded as if understanding.
“I wasn’t saying we should go right away. But it shouldn’t be delayed too long. Those Righteous Path bastards are the most two-faced under the heavens, so who knows when they might attack me using the fact that I am a public enemy of the martial world.”
“…Aren’t you from the Righteous Path as well?”
“Now look here, calling me ‘you’! Have you forgotten that I am your master’s close friend?”
Cheon Woo-jin shook his head with an expression saying he would rather not talk.
In any case, he had to stop by the Black Overlord Castle once. Master Black Elder had also cherished the Lord of the Black Overlord Castle, and he had unresolved matters with the Young Castle Lord Ha In-seong.
It was at that moment.
Suddenly, a commotion broke out inside the Tang Clan.
Physicians and martial artists dashed frantically down the hallway.
Urgent voices rang out from here and there.
“Energy Dispersing Poison! Bring the Energy Dispersing Poison!”
“No! First, medicine to reconnect the breaking blood vessels…”
Cheon Woo-jin rose from his seat.
The Black Tortoise Squad Leader’s energy was wavering as though it would scatter and disappear at any moment. Because of that, the physicians had also been thrown into an emergency.
It was an affair caused by the Tang Clan. If treatment failed and a squad leader of the Martial Alliance headquarters died, the Tang Clan would truly have to bear Alliance Leader Bukli Cheon’s wrath head-on.
About fifteen physicians clung on to save the single Cheol Ji-ak. As it was said that poison and medicine were separated by a hair’s breadth, the Tang Clan was quite renowned for medicine as well.
However, when Cheon Woo-jin approached, the physician who appeared to be the representative spoke with a very grim face.
“The situation is not good. We are holding onto his life somehow, but it is gradually reaching our limit. However, we heard news that the elder Divine Physician recently arrived in Sichuan.”
Cheon Woo-jin nodded his head. The Divine Physician was a renowned doctor whom Master White Elder had often spoken of as well. It was said that because his footsteps were so light, he traveled across the realm treating all kinds of illnesses.
Because he treated anyone as long as they were a patient without discriminating ideology, he received the respect of all martial artists and common folk regardless of righteous or unorthodox factions.
“Where is that person?”
“We dispatched martial artists to inquire, but seeing that no word has come so far, it seems they could not find…”
“We found him!”
A Tang Clan martial artist rushed urgently into the room. He was a martial artist in charge of the Tang Clan’s internal intelligence network.
The physician brightened and asked.
“Where, where is he! Bring him here at once!”
“That is… it has become a bit troublesome.”
The martial artist, who trailed off for a moment, realized the situation was urgent and immediately continued.
“The last place the elder Divine Physician headed to was the Sichuan Branch of the Black Overlord Castle. It is said he entered around two days ago…”
“…”
The physician wore an expression saying they were doomed.
If he had entered two days ago, no one knew when he would come out.
Furthermore, they could not invade using the power of the Sichuan Tang Clan.
In any case, the Black Overlord Castle was an armed powerhouse that divided the realm into three alongside the Martial Alliance and the Heavenly Demon Cult.
“How long can he endure?”
“Pardon?”
The physician asked back in astonishment, then hurriedly answered seeing Cheon Woo-jin slightly knit his brows.
“Half a day is the limit. After that, we truly cannot guarantee anything.”
Cheon Woo-jin estimated the distance for a moment.
Sichuan was vast, and the Black Overlord Castle and Tang Clan were situated on opposite ends of Sichuan. In addition, even if he invaded the Black Overlord Castle, there was no guarantee he could receive medical treatment from the Divine Physician immediately. Perhaps a disturbance might break out.
Taking all of that into account…
“That will be enough.”
The figure of Cheon Woo-jin, who had spoken thus, abruptly vanished.
When the startled physician blinked his eyes and turned around.
“…We are doomed.”
The Black Tortoise Squad Leader who had been lying on the sickbed had vanished as well.