Chapter 17
Chapter 17
Chapter 17. The Price of Life (2)
A moment later.
Black Kill Sect Leader, Go-gu, received a letter.
As he unfolded and read it, Go-gu’s face turned beet red, and he crumpled the letter.
“You foolish wretch! I told you not to act rashly! And you’ve gone and caused this mess!”
The contents of the letter sent by Un-hyeok were as follows:
Your son attacked my younger brother and was captured instead.
So, if you want your son back alive, come to Jade Guest Pavilion alone.
‘Presumptuous…!’
Go-gu’s cheeks trembled.
This brat, who still had milk on his lips.
What?
Who did he think he was, ordering me around!
“Hey, bring Chief Steward Heo here at once!”
“Yes, yes!”
A moment later.
Chief Steward Heo, a middle-aged man with a lean build, appeared.
“You summoned me, Sect Leader.”
“Here, read this.”
Chief Steward Heo unfolded the crumpled paper.
Gradually, his face hardened.
“This is….”
“It seems the situation has escalated more than I thought.”
This was a matter that could easily escalate into a full-blown war with the Poison Demon Sect.
Go-gu’s voice sharpened.
“There must have been signs. Do you know if any of the Black Kill Sect’s warriors were absent today?”
“Th-that is….”
Chief Steward Heo stammered his reply.
“Actually, the Black Death Battalion Leader reported this morning. Four or five warriors were absent from training due to personal matters…”
Bang-!
“Ugh-!”
Go-gu yelled at Chief Steward Heo, who hopped on one foot after being kicked in the shin.
“You idiot! If you knew that, you should have stopped Eo-ryeong!”
“I… I apologize. I never imagined the young master would cause something like this…”
Yes, he couldn’t have predicted it.
His own son, whom he thought was sharp and intelligent, would act like this.
Even his father didn’t know.
That’s why Go-gu couldn’t scold him further.
“…Tsk, what a failure.”
If you’re going to do it, you should have done it properly.
Not fail like this.
“If you were going to cause trouble like this, you should have at least told your father, or if not, finished the job cleanly!”
So that no one could know the truth.
Eo-ryeong should have killed everyone present at the scene by any means necessary.
“To make things reach this point.”
Go-gu pressed his throbbing temples.
Yes, what was the use of blaming his son?
Spilt milk could not be un-spilt.
The only fortunate thing was that this incident confirmed something.
‘Dok Un-hyeok, just as I expected, he was hiding his true abilities.’
Then why reveal his strength now?
The answer was obvious.
“…He’s entering Water Demon Cave soon, isn’t he?”
“Yes? What do you mean?”
“You must have heard that Dok Un-hyeok and Neung Ja-pil had a martial arts match at the Poison Demon Sect. You also know that Dok Un-hyeok is entering Water Demon Cave representing the Poison Demon Sect, right?”
“That is correct, but…”
“His objective is clear. He probably confirmed it by looking at Eo-ryeong. Everyone in the Divine Cult underestimates him, seeing him as just a disgrace to the Poison Demon Sect.”
“Yes? What do you mean….”
“Everyone will be complacent. They’ll see Dok Un-hyeok, the shame of the Poison Demon Sect, as far beneath them. Then they’ll be caught off guard. Just like Eo-ryeong.”
His mouth tasted bitter.
Even the son he trusted had fallen for Dok Un-hyeok’s scheme.
Chief Steward Heo furrowed his brow.
“He is truly… a cunning fellow.”
“No, the one who was fooled is the fool.”
“…Yes?”
“It’s for the best, really. This way, Eo-ryeong will have learned a valuable lesson. That complacency is forbidden at any time.”
Water Demon Cave is a place where all sorts of treacherous tactics abound.
Go-gu thought this was a good lesson learned as a preventative measure.
“Especially Dok Un-hyeok.”
The image of him defiantly talking back with his head held high was still vivid in Go-gu’s eyes.
“That fellow is by no means an opponent to be underestimated.”
Learning always comes with pain.
Perhaps Eo-ryeong would grow even more after such a harsh experience.
‘He won’t be fooled twice.’
He believed in Eo-ryeong’s potential.
He had no doubt that Eo-ryeong would be able to stand above Dok Un-hyeok in Water Demon Cave.
“Then, Sect Leader, what are your plans now?”
“Whether I like him or not, he is my blood. For now, I must save Eo-ryeong.”
The letter stated that Un-hyeok would be waiting ‘alone’ at the promised location.
Go-gu smirked.
“No matter how much that brat racks his brain, he’s just a novice. To think he dares to face me alone.”
He understood the intention.
Since he had boasted about reclaiming the glory of the Poison Demon Sect, he must want to achieve something.
To show that he possessed this much ability.
But that’s why Dok Un-hyeok shouldn’t have tried to handle this alone.
“He seems to think he holds the initiative because he captured Eo-ryeong.”
But that kind of initiative.
Go-gu was confident he could snatch it away at any time.
“Still, just in case. Tell the Black Death Battalion Leader.”
“What should I tell him?”
“Tell him to prepare the most capable men from the Black Death Battalion.”
If we’re going to do this, it’s best to do it thoroughly.
“I will carry out your orders.”
Chief Steward Heo bowed and left.
Go-gu put on his robe to prepare to leave.
“Well then, shall we go?”
The eyes of a father whose child had been taken hostage shone fiercely.
“To see that damned face.”
Meanwhile.
At Jade Guest Pavilion, operated by Dragon Brocade Hall.
Eo-ryeong was bound to a pillar.
His complexion was so pale it looked like he could die at any moment.
So-ye, concerned, asked,
“Young Master Dok, is this really okay? What if he dies?”
“It’s fine. I only poisoned him just enough so he wouldn’t die.”
…What?
He doesn’t look fine at all.
Un-hyeok snapped at Eo-ryeong.
“Ah, hey, you punk. Are you going to keep whining?”
“I… I’m sorry. I, I won’t act up again… Hiiik…! Wh-where is this? I… I can’t hear anything… Krrrk…”
Eo-ryeong babbled incoherently and fainted again.
How much pain he was in was none of Un-hyeok’s concern.
His gaze was fixed solely on the scroll So-ye had brought.
“Speaking of which, Young Master Dok,”
“…?”
“Is it true that you can kill Woo Mun-so during your time in Water Demon Cave?”
“Yes.”
After capturing Eo-ryeong, Un-hyeok had shared his plan with So-ye.
‘To become a disciple of the Heavenly Demon, overwhelming achievements are necessary.’
The head of the Magnificent Gate Master would be invaluable, incomparable to what other competitors might bring.
So-ye accepted it without question.
“…Alright. If you say so, I’ll believe you.”
“Your reaction is quite different from when we first met?”
“It’s because of what you’ve shown me. And it doesn’t seem like you’d listen even if I asked you to teach me.”
“You know well.”
When Un-hyeok finished reading and folded the scroll, So-ye asked,
“By the way, have you decided what to take from the Black Kill Sect?”
The scroll Un-hyeok was reading contained all the information So-ye had gathered about the Black Kill Sect.
Tap-tap-!
Un-hyeok tapped the armrest of the wooden chair with his finger.
“I’ve roughly decided.”
“Hoho….”
So-ye’s eyes sparkled.
She had heard that the Black Kill Sect recently acquired Black Spirit Stone Iron.
‘They say they plundered it when the Magnificent Gate was trying to smuggle it from the Heavenly Mountains? What is Woo Mun-so plotting this time….’
Black Spirit Stone Iron is a mineral that was used in the past to forge Geongondokma’s weapons.
Its rarity is immeasurable.
So-ye thought Un-hyeok would surely try to steal it, but her prediction was completely off.
“Black Spirit Stone Iron, and people. I intend to take both from the Black Kill Sect.”
“What? People?”
“I plan to revive the Poison Demon Sect’s blacksmith forge soon. And coincidentally, the Black Kill Sect’s main source of income is their blacksmith forge?”
“You don’t mean… you’re taking the Black Kill Sect’s blacksmiths?”
“Correct.”
During his time as Dang Un-hyeok.
The Sichuan Tang Clan’s blacksmith forge was renowned as the best in the world.
The reason was their incredible speed of production.
Un-hyeok planned to apply the core technology used in the Tang Clan’s forge to the Poison Demon Sect.
“Go Eo-ryeong.”
Un-hyeok pinched Eo-ryeong’s cheek as if he were cute.
“You’ve truly turned out to be a lucky charm. Thanks to you, things seem to be unfolding smoothly.”
If he obtained Black Spirit Stone Iron, he would have the bait ready to lure Gwang Ya Gong to the Poison Demon Sect.
Un-hyeok asked So-ye for a favor.
“Before that, I need to borrow money and the forge from Dragon Brocade Hall to bring in the blacksmiths.”
“Don’t worry about that. However, do you think Go-gu will easily hand over the Black Spirit Stone Iron? He certainly won’t come here alone.”
That was also something Un-hyeok had anticipated.
“As expected, I have an insurance policy as well.”
Un-hyeok casually glanced out the window.
“He should be arriving by now…”
And as they say, speak of the devil.
Just then.
Suddenly, a booming voice echoed from below Jade Guest Pavilion.
“Dok Un-hyeok! Where are you!”
All guests had been cleared from Jade Guest Pavilion to welcome the visitor.
There was only one person who could come this far.
“I, Black Kill Sect Leader Go-gu, have arrived!”
“Making quite a scene, aren’t we.”
Un-hyeok chuckled.
“And bringing a whole crowd with you, too.”
The number of people he could sense was in the dozens.
They had tightly surrounded Jade Guest Pavilion.
A moment later.
Go-gu appeared, guided by the chief steward.
“You….”
“Well, since it’s come to this. There’s no need for pleasantries. We’re not exactly on good terms, yet we keep seeing each other. Black Kill Sect Leader.”
Go-gu’s face hardened.
From the moment he entered the room, only one thing caught his eye.
His son, lying unconscious, drooling.
He could only see Eo-ryeong.
“Sit down for now. Let’s talk slowly about what you can compensate for attacking us…”
At that moment!
KWA-BANG-!
It was too fast to react.
Go-gu grabbed Un-hyeok’s jaw and lifted him up.
“You damned bastard! How dare you do this to my son?”
“Mmph…!”
“Young Master Dok!”
The grip of his hand was so strong that Un-hyeok struggled in mid-air.
One side of Go-gu’s cheek twitched.
“You insolent brat. Forget compensation. You will not leave this place alive today.”
Grind-!
The force of his hand pressing on Un-hyeok’s face gradually intensified.
The sudden situation.
So-ye, trying to save Un-hyeok, summoned the waiting Dragon Brocade Hall guards.
However, at that moment, the hidden warriors of the Black Kill Sect also revealed themselves.
“Foolish act. Did you really think I came here alone?”
“Kk…!”
The Dragon Brocade Hall guards were specialized in information gathering.
In terms of individual martial arts prowess, the Black Kill Sect warriors were overwhelmingly superior.
“Stay still.”
Seeing them try to help Un-hyeok, Go-gu realized the woman was allied with him.
“You too will pay the price soon.”
It was a dilemma.
At this rate, they were doomed.
But then…
‘What is it?’
Un-hyeok’s eyes curved into a smile.
Just then!
THWACK-! CRACK-! CRACK-!
CRASH-!
Sounds began to come from beneath the floor.
“K-Kyahhh! S-save meeee!”
“Uweeeek! This is… Poison Art?!”
“Wh-why…! You’re here…? I didn’t hear about this…?”
CRUNCH-!
With the sound of a neck snapping, silence fell over Jade Guest Pavilion.
“What is this…?!”
Go-gu also looked bewildered.
What in the world was happening below?
Gulp-!
So-ye swallowed dryly.
At that moment, the sound of someone climbing the stairs.
Thump-!
Thump-!
The man who finally appeared.
With white hair among his neatly tied hair, his face was colder than ice.
As Go-gu saw him emerge from the green poisonous mist, his face turned deathly pale.
“Y-you…?!”
“I believe I told you back then.”
Absolute Poison Demon King, Dok Ryeon-hwi.
The man, one of the strongest in the Demonic God Church, spoke in a chilling voice.
“Do not cross the line.”
Finally, the person Un-hyeok had been waiting for had arrived.