Chapter 6
Chapter 6
Chapter 6. Ten Thousand Streams Return to Poison Divine Art (1)
A short while later.
The Poison Demon Sect's Lord's chambers.
Lyun Hui cautiously asked,
"Un-hyeok, are you… alright?"
Un-hyeok, with blackened eyes, was rubbing them with an egg.
"Didn't I tell you? The matter was resolved well."
After seeing the state of the Guest Hall, Lyun Hui had flown into a rage.
'It's a relief that Lee So-ye sent a letter. I almost died.'
Lyun Hui said in a barely audible voice,
"That may be so, but considering what you've done in the past, it's hard to believe easily…"
Glare-!
At the raised, triangular eyes, Lyun Hui lowered his head.
"Alright, this father was wrong. I have nothing to say, even with ten mouths…"
Sigh.
Just from being scolded by his son, his shoulders drooped.
'Seriously, what a strange sect.'
According to the information So-ye had provided, the Poison Demon Sect was completely different from what Un-hyeok had known.
How should he put it?
Not like a Demonic Cult?
Usually, those who handle poison are either sinister or have a screw loose, as seen with Dang Wi-hyeon, the former head of the Sichuan Tang Clan.
But the atmosphere of the Poison Demon Sect was completely different.
This was said to be due to the influence of the sect's founder, Geongondokma, Dok Pae-cheon.
-
Poison is no different from a sword.
-
Does it harbor righteousness?
-
Does it harbor murderous intent?
-
It all depends on the one who wields it.
They were told to always carry the pride of a Poison Human in their hearts, or something like that.
Anyway.
"Un-hyeok, I'm sorry for doubting you."
A father who readily admits his mistakes and lowers his head.
It wasn't an easy sight to see from the head of a family, but Un-hyeok rather liked that aspect.
'Apologizing is the mark of a true strongman, rather than pretending not to know when you've done wrong.'
Un-hyeok rose from his seat.
Lyun Hui looked up at him.
"…Are you leaving?"
"Yes. I don't know who hit me, but they beat me like a dog on Dog Days. My body needs some rest."
"……."
There was regret in Lyun Hui's gaze.
Un-hyeok chuckled.
"I'm joking. It's late. You should get some sleep."
The interview ended here.
The letter from So-ye contained the location and time of their next meeting.
They would discuss the matter of Woo Mun-so then.
'I have things to prepare before that.'
Un-hyeok bowed his head and turned around, grabbing the door to leave the Lord's chambers.
"Thank you."
Halt-!
Un-hyeok slowly turned around.
"What are you thanking me for?"
"Just… everything."
Countless emotions that were impossible to fathom.
But those weren't meant for Un-hyeok.
They belonged to Dok Un-hyeok, Lyun Hui's real son.
Un-hyeok pondered for a moment what kind of reaction to show, then gave a bright smile.
"Rest well."
"…Alright."
Thud-!
Un-hyeok closed the paper door and came out.
The Milky Way was embroidered in the night sky.
A short while later.
Dark Writing Pavilion.
Deep in the night, when everyone was asleep.
Un-hyeok stood before the Poison Demon Sect's library, staring in disbelief at the scene before him.
"Well, isn't the sect doing great~."
He had come to supplement his skills before seriously learning martial arts, but…
"Kuh-uh-uh… phew-uh-uh… kuh-uhk… hic!"
"Hehehe… I'm buying tonight, you hear?! Bring more alcohol! Let's drink until our noses are crooked!"
Not only were they passed out, but they were also talking in their sleep.
Un-hyeok gritted his teeth.
"Look at these guys?"
Just how lax was the discipline?
Un-hyeok had no intention of letting this situation pass.
"Wake up."
"Ugh, ugh… what, who's being so loud…"
"Everyone, wake up!!"
Un-hyeok screamed, and the guards woke up with a start.
"E-everything is normal during patrol!"
"What's going on… huh, gasp-! Y-Young Sect Leader?!"
Un-hyeok glared at them like a demon.
The guards exchanged glances and gave awkward smiles.
"What brings the Young Sect Leader here at this hour…"
"How nice for you. You should be guarding the Dark Writing Pavilion with your eyes wide open, but instead, the guards are sleeping soundly together."
"Yes? N-no, that's…"
Thwack-!
Un-hyeok kicked his shin, and the guard hopped on one foot with a cry of 'Ouch!'
"You've gone soft! Don't you know how important a library that stores martial arts manuals is!"
To a martial artist, manuals are like their life.
Therefore, each sect and family always places only trustworthy individuals to guard the library where the manuals are stored.
"If the guards protecting the Dark Writing Pavilion are at this level, the others must be even worse."
"S-sorry!"
He wanted to crack down on them right away, but now wasn't the time.
Un-hyeok warned the guards,
"Be careful. If I see this again, I will behead you as an example."
"Y-yes! I understand."
Their frozen expressions showed that they understood properly.
Leaving their salutes behind, Un-hyeok entered the Dark Writing Pavilion.
The musty smell of books greeted him, and Un-hyeok looked around.
'This is the Dark Writing Pavilion.'
Countless books were lined up on the shelves.
An old man who appeared to be the librarian was reading a book by candlelight.
'That must be the librarian of the Dark Writing Pavilion, Song Yeom.'
Knock knock-
At the sound of someone knocking on the desk, Song Yeom raised his head.
"Hmm…?"
"What, reading something interesting?"
"Y-Young Sect Leader?!"
Startled, Song Yeom jumped up.
"What brings you to the Dark Writing Pavilion at this late hour?"
"I came to borrow a book after a long time. But what were you looking at that you didn't even notice me coming in?"
"Ah, this?"
Song Yeom smiled faintly and showed the cover of the book.
"The Legend of Geongondokma…"
The cover was worn out from how much it had been read.
Song Yeom said,
"On a lonely night, there's nothing better than this to soothe the nostalgia for the once glorious Poison Demon Sect."
"Hmm. Can I see it too?"
"Of course."
Song Yeom handed over the book.
Un-hyeok opened the first page and felt a strange connection.
'I was falsely accused of learning Geongondokma's demonic art and died, so my martial arts must resemble Geongondokma's.'
Nameless Art.
The martial art Un-hyeok accidentally found in the Tang Clan's library.
Wi-hyeon only allowed his hunting dogs to have incomplete martial arts manuals.
When Un-hyeok found it, the Nameless Art was also torn in various places.
But.
'The Nameless Art was an extraordinary martial art. Even I, who knew nothing about martial arts at the time, could tell.'
So Un-hyeok risked his life to learn it.
He had to patch things up temporarily, so he almost died from his blood vessels being reversed countless times.
However, Un-hyeok mastered the Nameless Art with his innate talent and perseverance, eventually becoming the best in the world when it came to poison arts.
"Hmm."
After roughly skimming through the pages.
It certainly does resemble it.
So he wanted to confirm.
"Librarian Song, can I see the founder's manual?"
"That might be difficult."
"Why?"
Song Yeom lowered his head.
"I regret to say that the founder's manual is not in good condition."
"What does that mean?"
"Would you follow me? I'll show you in person."
Song Yeom, leading the way, stopped in front of a bookshelf.
Sliding it to the side revealed a secret stone staircase leading underground.
"Please, come in."
After walking for a while, they arrived at a cavern.
As Song Yeom lit up the surroundings, there was a high-quality box carefully placed in the center.
"Please, open it."
Nodding, Un-hyeok opened the box.
Inside were a few torn pieces of paper.
"This is…"
"This is the manual left by the founder, Ten Thousand Streams Return to Poison Divine Art."
"…But why is it in this state?"
"Young Master, do you know about the Empty Spirit Divine Thief?"
"You mean the thief who made a name for himself hundreds of years ago?"
"Yes, do you know what the first incident that made him famous was?"
Only then did Un-hyeok remember.
"When he robbed the Poison Demon Sect's manual…"
"That's right. At the time, the Poison Demon Sect was at its peak. He decided to rob this place to increase his reputation."
"So, the founder's manual was lost then?"
At the shameful past, Song Yeom's face was contorted.
"…That's right. This is a part of the Ten Thousand Streams Return to Poison Divine Art left by the Empty Spirit Divine Thief."
Tsk, how mean-spirited.
If you're going to steal it, steal it completely.
It's like you're teasing someone.
Un-hyeok slowly read the contents of the paper.
'He really tore it up everywhere. The contents are so inconsistent that I wouldn't even know this was Geongondokma's martial art if Song Yeom hadn't told me.'
But why?
Un-hyeok strangely smelled something familiar from the useless scraps of paper.
"Hmm…"
What was he possessed by?
Un-hyeok applied the incantations of the Nameless Art.
Then, his head felt like it was struck by lightning.
'What, what is this?!'
Everything Un-hyeok had learned while breaking his head.
Breathing, the way of circulating qi.
How to efficiently manifest poison energy, etc.
'The exact reasons and methods are contained here.'
Even with answers that were a step higher than the answers Un-hyeok had come up with.
'The martial principles fit perfectly!'
Un-hyeok's heart beat rapidly.
This couldn't be explained simply by coincidence or similarity.
Serendipity.
Only then did Un-hyeok realize.
The martial art he had learned wasn't similar to Geongondokma's.
'From the beginning, the Nameless Art was the Ten Thousand Streams Return to Poison Divine Art!'
Then there was a question.
Why did the Nameless Art come out of the Tang Clan's library?
"Hmm…"
He didn't know.
But Un-hyeok didn't try to find the answer.
His connection with Geongondokma wasn't ordinary.
He had a vague feeling that he might find out someday.
That was something he could find out slowly later.
'For now, let's focus on the Ten Thousand Streams Return to Poison Divine Art.'
Old and faded brushstrokes.
Un-hyeok carefully swept them and read them.
It was a strange thing.
Each fragment fit together, and his mind became more and more distant.
"……."
In an instant, Un-hyeok was immersed in the Ten Thousand Streams Return to Poison Divine Art.
The sentences of the manual rippled and moved like living creatures before his eyes.
And a sticky whisper rang in his ears.
「Kill.」
The screams of people filled the surroundings.
「Kill, and kill again. Make a river of blood and build a mountain of corpses.」
It was sweet.
So much so that he couldn't refuse.
「Do you want revenge? I will lend you that power. So accept me as I am.」
A blissful feeling.
Un-hyeok unknowingly smiled.
'Yes, that's right. Slaughter everything in sight.'
As Un-hyeok was getting drunk on the Ten Thousand Streams Return to Poison Divine Art.
"…Sir."
Thwack-! Thwack-!
The sound of something hitting something.
Un-hyeok frowned.
'…Who is it? Who's interrupting at such an important moment?'
"…Young Master."
The voice hitting his ears gradually grew louder.
"Young Sect Leader!!"
Finally, Un-hyeok came to his senses and took a deep breath.
"Hah!"
Suddenly, a pain surged in his arm.
"Ugh, what is…"
"Are you alright, Young Sect Leader?"
"Old man Song…?"
Clang-!
Song Yeom threw away the cane he was holding and supported Un-hyeok.
"I'm sorry. Ever since you looked at the Ten Thousand Streams Return to Poison Divine Art, you've been emitting an unknown ominous energy from your whole body."
"…What?"
"I judged that your condition was not good, so I had no choice but to commit rudeness. Please, kill me."
The divine art left by a being from beyond the heavens.
Un-hyeok was unknowingly possessed by it.
Cold sweat broke out on his hands.
'I almost went crazy from the demonic energy spreading to my bone marrow.'
Un-hyeok thanked Song Yeom.
"Thank you. You saved me."
"…Yes?"
Stagger-!
As Un-hyeok staggered, Song Yeom caught him.
"Are you alright? Shall I take you to the medical ward right away?"
"It's okay, it's not that serious."
"But…"
"And there's no time for that."
When the Ten Thousand Streams Return to Poison Divine Art was looking at Un-hyeok, Un-hyeok was also looking at the Ten Thousand Streams Return to Poison Divine Art.
'So this is how it lures people?'
He had a grasp of it to some extent.
'This is even better.'
It would have been a disaster if he had tried to learn it without knowing anything, but not anymore.
The difference between having experienced something and not having experienced it was like heaven and earth.
Nevertheless, he should never let his guard down.
"Librarian Song."
"Y-yes?!"
"You must have seen all the martial arts manuals in the Dark Writing Pavilion. Who do you think is the origin of our sect's martial arts?"
"That would be…"
After thinking for a moment, Song Yeom answered.
"Our founder, Geongondokma, Dok Pae-cheon."
Then it was simple.
By going against the derived streams, you can face the source.
'Looking at all the martial arts manuals in the Dark Writing Pavilion will help me learn the Ten Thousand Streams Return to Poison Divine Art.'
Un-hyeok asked Song Yeom.
"Librarian Song, bring me all the manuals."
"Yes? Why…"
"I have something to do."
For revenge.
Un-hyeok couldn't stay at the same level as in the past.
He needed overwhelming strength.
Un-hyeok saw the possibility in the Ten Thousand Streams Return to Poison Divine Art.
'I can become stronger. So, wait. Ten Thousand Streams Return to Poison Divine Art.'
A competitive spirit burned in Un-hyeok's eyes.
'I will definitely master you.'