The Wind Disaster's Shadow
In the dead of night, when everyone else was asleep, Binghwa, the future mistress of the Heavenly Sword Academy, could not find rest.
The conversation from earlier that afternoon weighed heavily on her mind, cluttering her thoughts.
As was her daily routine, her mother-in-law, Dang So-ryung, had examined Soso during the child's afternoon nap.
After quietly observing the sleeping child, Dang So-ryung spoke with a grim expression.
"It seems we will need a different medicine."
No one was surprised by her words.
Unless the Curse of the Heavenly Yin was fundamentally broken, the Fiery Pills would eventually reach their limit.
Any elixir, if taken continuously, would eventually cause the body to build up a tolerance. They had always known a day like this would come for the Fiery Pills.
It was just that the day had arrived sooner than expected, and the fact that they had not yet found a replacement weighed heavily on their hearts.
The only saving grace was that the Fiery Pills had not lost their efficacy entirely—at least, not yet.
"I'm sorry, Soso. You are suffering because of your useless mother."
Though she had met a loving husband and been blessed with a precious daughter, her heart was always plagued by unease and guilt.
Unable to sleep, Binghwa wandered the grounds of the Heavenly Sword Academy, trying to soothe her aching heart.
Whoosh.
She had stepped outside to clear her head, but though the night breeze cooled her skin, her heart only grew heavier.
"Sister-in-law."
"....?"
Binghwa startled at the sound of a voice that shouldn't be there. Yoo Sung stepped out of the shadows with a nonchalant expression.
"Shouldn't you be near the Sasa Sect right now?"
"I finished cleaning up and came back. It turns out those bastards had something quite valuable."
"Something valuable?"
As Binghwa stared at him in confusion, Yoo Sung produced the Demonic Flower.
"This... This is?"
Even though it was wrapped in cloth, a faint, distinct heat radiated from it.
It possessed an intense heat that could not even be compared to the Fiery Pills.
As various elixirs with similar properties flashed through Binghwa's mind, Yoo Sung spoke.
"Let's have Soso ingest this."
"You did mention her tolerance to the Fiery Pills has grown..."
Like a twist of fate, they had found a replacement at the perfect moment.
However, could Soso's body withstand it?
No, before that.
"What exactly is this?"
The true nature of the medicine she was to feed her daughter was of far greater importance.
"It is a Demonic Flower."
"....A Demonic Flower?"
Could it be the one I'm thinking of?
As the concubine's daughter of the Northern Sea Ice Palace, Binghwa was well aware of the Demonic Flower's existence.
In fact, something similar existed in the Northern Sea Ice Palace.
Unable to obtain the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice, her father had manufactured a similar imitation to seize the throne of the Ice Palace.
Knowing the nature of the Demonic Flower, she naturally felt a wave of aversion.
"Do you know how a Demonic Flower is made?"
"I know it well enough."
"And yet you still intend to feed it to Soso?"
The Demonic Flower was a flame bloomed by sacrificing human lives. There was no telling how the resentment harbored within it might affect Soso.
"Yoo Sung."
"Do you really think I would have brought this back without any preparation?"
"...I suppose not."
This was brought by none other than the Wind Disaster, the foremost of the Three Disasters.
Knowing Yoo Sung's deep affection for his family, he must have completely neutralized any adverse side effects.
Though she couldn't comprehend how he had done it, as a mother, it was difficult to reject the offer.
"Are you absolutely sure there are no side effects?"
"Trust me. Once she absorbs the Demonic Flower, she won't even need the Fiery Pills for a while."
Even if she swallowed the Demonic Flower, it would not completely lift the Curse of the Heavenly Yin.
To break the curse entirely, they needed the Sun Fruit, which was located somewhere in Nanman.
Since I cannot go to Nanman immediately, I should contact them.
Rustle.
"Tell them to wander the streets of Nanman with this. Someone will come looking for them."
She did not ask who "someone" was. She felt it instinctively.
"I will do so. Is it alright if my people go?"
The perception of demonic practitioners was no different in the outer realms than in the Central Plains.
"Of course. Once they see this, that won't be an issue at all."
Sighing in relief at Yoo Sung's calm reply, Binghwa handed the token to a nearby subordinate.
"Let us go inside. I must melt the Demonic Flower into her system quickly before I head back."
"Is that even possible?"
When Binghwa asked in disbelief, Yoo Sung merely smiled.
"Nothing is impossible for me. It only takes time; I can accomplish anything."
And that "time" was likely meant for rebuilding the clan.
"Work hard while I am away. Soso will be fine for the time being."
Under Binghwa's watchful eye, Yoo Sung melted the Demonic Flower into Soso's body.
He had expected it to take about two hours, but it took longer than anticipated.
Actually, this is a stroke of good luck.
Though it took more time, the results were far better than expected.
"Well then, I shall see you again soon."
Watching Yoo Sung's receding figure, Binghwa let out a long sigh.
"Now that the Wind Disaster has shown himself, the Jianghu is going to be turned upside down."
In particular, wouldn't a certain someone in Sichuan awaken upon hearing news of the Wind Disaster?
"Well, that is none of our concern."
Their task was to diligently build up their internal strength and transform the Heavenly Sword Academy into the Heavenly Sword Sect while Yoo Sung bought them time outside.
"We must show some results by the time he returns to repay this debt."
With firm resolve, Binghwa turned and walked away.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Crash!
The eyes of the woman venting her wild rage were bloodshot.
The woman destroying everything around her in a fit of madness was none other than Yeo Mi-ho.
In truth, Yeo Mi-ho had been in an excellent mood until today.
Although they had suffered a setback at the hands of the Demon Slaying Unit and the Qingcheng Sect, they had achieved great success elsewhere.
In particular, the Diancang and Emei Sects had fallen completely into the traps she had laid, suffering devastating losses.
This incident would undoubtedly throw the internal affairs of the Sichuan Righteous Alliance into utter chaos.
For Yeo Mi-ho, who still had much to do in Sichuan, everything was going according to plan, so she had every reason to be pleased.
Yet, that pleasant mood had vanished, replaced by a burning fury.
"How dare they?!"
Just moments ago, Yeo Mi-ho had been utterly shocked when her connection to Yeo Ui-gi's Demonic Spirit was severed.
"Was it a stroke of luck that I extracted the Demonic Spirit beforehand just in case?"
Otherwise, the Demonic Spirit within Yeo Ui-gi's body would have vanished in vain.
Fifteen years had passed since she first planted and nurtured the Demonic Spirit inside Yeo Ui-gi.
To have the fruits of such a long-term investment nearly wiped out naturally fueled her rage.
Of course, that wasn't the sole reason for her anger.
"The Demonic Flower! To lose something so precious!"
The Demonic Flower, which she had bloomed through Yeo Ui-gi and the Sasa Sect Leader, had been stolen.
It was a flower she had poured her heart and soul into, requiring a significant number of sacrifices.
"This makes Pagun all the more important."
It was best to quickly shake off what was already lost.
Yeo Mi-ho forced herself to calm down and think.
The number of sacrifices Pagun had accumulated through the Soul-Stealing Demonic Saber was larger than expected.
Even so, she felt it was still insufficient.
"What should I do?"
If she had her way, she would kill Pagun immediately and claim ownership of the Soul-Stealing Demonic Saber.
However, the lingering thoughts of the Soul-Stealing Saber Demon had not yet faded.
"Things have become incredibly tangled."
Clicking her tongue, Yeo Mi-ho took a deep breath, trying to regain her composure.
The moment Yeo Ui-gi died, a portion of his memories had been transferred to her.
"The Wind Disaster? Why on earth would that madman suddenly appear?!"
The Three Disasters were notorious eccentrics of the Jianghu.
During the war against Macheon, they belonged to neither the Orthodox nor the Unorthodox paths, wandering the Jianghu at their own whim and building a fearsome reputation.
Macheon, the Orthodox, and the Unorthodox alike—everyone found the Three Disasters to be a nuisance and a burden.
Their martial arts were supreme, and the techniques they employed were as mysterious as they were sinister.
They were, quite literally, disasters of the Jianghu.
Then, a few years before Macheon vanished, they had suddenly disappeared without a trace.
To think that one of those Three Disasters would appear in Sichuan at a time like this.
"If I am not careful, all my plans could be ruined."
There were many who held a grudge against the Wind Disaster.
In fact, a certain prominent figure in Sichuan immediately came to mind. If he were to move, all her preparations would be thrown into disarray.
"I have no choice."
Ultimately, Yeo Mi-ho decided to hasten her plans.
She would use the seeds she had planted within the Sichuan Righteous Alliance to accelerate the awakening of the Demonic Spirits.
"Every single one of them is an eyesore."
The suddenly appeared Wind Disaster.
Cheolhwa.
And that brat from the Heavenly Sword Academy.
None of them pleased her, so she would simply have to sweep them all away.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The journey back to the Sichuan Righteous Alliance was filled with excitement.
It was only natural, as they had easily captured the Sasa Sect Leader, whom they had expected to be a difficult target.
Even those who had initially opposed Dang Hwa-young's decision, including Heo Won-ho, marched back with light steps.
"Things went much smoother than expected!"
"Indeed! Heaven was on our side. Who would have thought the Wind Disaster would appear there of all places?!"
"Shh, keep your voice down about the Wind Disaster."
Someone whispered, casting wary glances at the Tang Clan members.
In contrast to the festive atmosphere of the others, a heavy silence hung over the Tang Clan members, centered around Cheolhwa and Cheolgeom.
Amidst the oppressive quiet, Dang Hwa-soo was the first to speak, breaking the silence.
"Was that truly the Wind Disaster?"
"Yes. There is no other eccentric in the Jianghu who commands the wind like that."
The Wind Disaster of the Three Disasters.
Though his real name was unknown, it was said that a gale always blew wherever he went.
Is he really someone who commands such influence?
Yoo Sung found it curious that his presence had such a massive impact on the Tang Clan.
The eccentrics of the Three Disasters had all caused various incidents, big and small, throughout the Jianghu.
While he knew the trouble he had caused was quite significant, what did it have to do with the Tang Clan?
"Ah, you wouldn't know. To put it simply, a bit of an issue arose during the Sichuan Blood Tragedy five years ago."
At Dang Hwa-young's words, a forgotten memory surfaced in Yoo Sung's mind.
"You bastard! What is with that arrogance of yours?! You claim I did it? Why are you handing over your own achievement to me?!"
A furious, eccentric old man.
His title was the Poison King.
Yoo Sung had not participated in the Sichuan Blood Tragedy out of some righteous desire to save Sichuan.
He had merely stopped by to suppress the Macheon uprising out of concern that the bloody winds of Sichuan might reach his family.
In the process, he had run into the Poison King, forced his own achievements onto the old man, and departed.
Don't tell me...
"Mark my words! The day my power reaches you is the day I shall step back into the world!"
At the time, Yoo Sung had dismissed it as empty talk, but could that really be the reason the old man had remained in closed-door cultivation for over five years?
Or perhaps...
He might just be waiting because he doesn't know where I am.
Whatever the case, once news of his appearance reached the Poison King, there would be a reaction of some kind.
It seems Sister Hwa-young is viewing this in a positive light.
The dark shadow on Dang Hwa-young's face had vanished, replaced by a slightly brighter expression.
Indeed, the influence of the Poison King was monumental.
If he were to actively intervene in the Tang Clan's affairs, the internal conflict within the clan could be resolved without excessive bloodshed.
However, whether that outcome would favor the branch families remained to be seen.
"Grandfather always welcomed the Poison King's return. Once we report the news of the Wind Disaster to him, we should have our answer."
How others would react to the Poison King's return was a matter for them to worry about.
For now, it was time to savor their immediate victory.
Ahead of them, a crowd had gathered to celebrate their triumphant return.
Pushing his heavy and complex thoughts aside, Yoo Sung prepared to enjoy the moment.
"Leader of the Red Sparrow Unit of the Sichuan Righteous Alliance!!! We have returned after successfully completing our mission!!!"
Infused with deep internal energy, Cheolhwa's voice rang out, announcing her presence as the Red Sparrow Unit led the way back into the Sichuan Righteous Alliance.
Among the welcoming crowd, Yoo Sung quietly searched for Jegal Jong-mi, who was hiding herself from view.
- Can we meet tonight?
Though startled by Yoo Sung's telepathic transmission, Jegal Jong-mi gave a subtle nod. Yoo Sung sent another message.
- I will visit you tonight, so make sure the area around you is clear.
With that, Yoo Sung averted his gaze from Jegal Jong-mi, lightly ignoring the curious look she directed at him.