Testing the Waters
Dokgo Jin’s eyes gleamed with a sharp, calculating light.
“The truth is, my senses are exceptionally acute.”
The White Tiger Flag Master chuckled softly, shaking his head. “Indeed. A traitor would have undoubtedly cultivated demonic arts. So you intend to detect demonic qi through your keen senses alone? Even I would find that an arduous task.”
In their earliest forms, demonic arts exuded an aura of foul qi so thick that even an ordinary passerby could feel the oppressive stench in the air. Over generations of ruthless refinement, however, those illicit techniques had evolved to conceal their demonic nature deep within the practitioner's body, leaving no trace upon the surface. Nowadays, countless demonic arts were impossible to discern unless one could directly examine the flow of internal energy within the subject's meridians. Because of this insidious stealth, more than a few venerable sects had fallen prey to traitors harboring demonic cultivation in secret.
“Naturally, I cannot sense demonic qi if it remains concealed beneath the surface either,” Dokgo Jin admitted evenly.
“Then what do you propose to do?”
Dokgo Jin’s answer struck the White Tiger Flag Master with sheer astonishment.
“I will draw their energy directly into my own body to verify it.”
“What? You would attempt such madness?”
“A mere sliver of their qi will be more than enough.”
“Even a sliver could shatter your meridians at the slightest misstep,” the Flag Master warned, his brow furrowing with stern concern. “If fortune turns against you, you could be crippled for life.”
Dokgo Jin met his gaze without flinching. “How could I hope to uncover a traitor without being prepared to risk at least that much?”
“Ha! You young ones truly know no fear. It is reckless in the extreme.”
“I am confident in my ability.”
“……”
The White Tiger Flag Master’s eyes narrowed into sharp slits.
What staggering audacity.
Investigating the masters of the Three Hidden Halls—the direct disciples of the Alliance Leader and the foremost contenders for succession—was an onerous political burden even for someone of the Flag Master's rank. Yet Dokgo Jin was volunteering to shoulder the entirety of that lethal risk alone. No proposition could have been more enticing.
Furthermore, the credit will belong to me.
When a subordinate achieved an exploit far too monumental for their station, the merit naturally flowed upward to their commanding superior. Even if Dokgo Jin uncovered the traitor single-handedly, the glory would ultimately be recorded under the banner of the White Tiger Flag. He would have to reward Dokgo Jin appropriately, of course, but tossing him a handsome prize and claiming the lion's share of political prestige later would be effortless.
The boy is praiseworthy to a fault—so much so that I almost feel guilty.
It was obtaining the grandest prize without lifting a single finger. Perhaps this was simply Dokgo Jin's calculated ploy to secure the Flag Master's unwavering favor.
……What a waste of talent, though.
Sobering his thoughts, the White Tiger Flag Master spoke with grave authority.
“Very well. Trusting in your loyalty, I entrust this grave duty of our alliance to you.”
Dokgo Jin bowed deeply. “Thank you, Flag Master.”
“Then I wish you martial fortune.”
Taking the Flag Master’s tactful dismissal, Dokgo Jin rose from his seat and clasped his hands in respect. “Then I shall take my leave.”
Once his presence had vanished completely beyond the office chambers, a figure melted out from the deep shadows behind the bookshelf. It was the White Fang Unit Leader.
“How insolent,” the masked commander murmured in a low, deferential tone. “I never expected him to make such an audacious proposal to you, Flag Master.”
The White Tiger Flag Master nodded unhurriedly. “He is an ambitious one. He may prove far more useful than I initially anticipated.”
“Even so…… your original intentions regarding him remain unchanged, I presume?”
“Of course.”
“……”
The White Fang Unit Leader shifted his gaze to the ledger Dokgo Jin had left behind on the table.
With a faint smirk, the Flag Master gestured with his chin. “Take a look if you are curious.”
“Thank you.”
Scanning the entries recorded within the ledger, the White Fang Unit Leader’s gaze darkened with chilling intensity. “If all of this is true…… there truly might be a traitor among the Hall Masters.”
“Perhaps,” the Flag Master mused. “Though branding it outright treason is a bit excessive. Let us simply call them a ‘colluder’ driven by a thirst for power.”
“Colluding with the Kunlun Demon Palace, who are no different from our mortal enemies, amounts to the same thing in my eyes.”
“Even if they accepted funds from the Kunlun Demon Palace, was it not born from an ambition to secure the seat of Alliance Leader? They hardly intended to hand the Northern Heavenly Alliance over on a silver platter, so one cannot decry it as total treason.”
“If one of the Hall Masters has cultivated demonic arts, they must never be permitted to become Alliance Leader.”
“Naturally. In any case, the Dragon Tiger Plaque Master has volunteered to ferret them out, so let us wait and observe.”
“……”
“Furthermore…… Golden Frog Money House, was it? Dispatch someone in secret to cross-examine the facts laid out in this ledger. If the records prove genuine, see to it that the alliance throws its weight behind establishing their branch here.”
“Your orders shall be carried out. However……” The White Fang Unit Leader lowered his voice, asking with guarded caution, “Should we not also consider the possibility that the Limitless Hall Master is colluding?”
The White Tiger Flag Master’s expression instantly froze. He replied with cold, ironclad conviction.
“There is no such possibility.”
“Nothing under heaven can be guaranteed with absolute certainty, Flag Master……”
“I know the Limitless Hall Master better than anyone alive.”
Given such unyielding certainty, the White Fang Unit Leader pressed no further and bowed his head. “Understood. But do you truly intend to leave such a monumental matter entirely in the hands of the Dragon Tiger Plaque Master?”
“I do. I find myself rather curious to see just how deep he can dig, and how he intends to shake the board.”
It was by no means an easy task. For an ordinary squad member, simply arranging an audience with the three Hall Masters—direct disciples of the Alliance Leader—was virtually impossible.
He cannot possibly be unaware of that.
Had Dokgo Jin requested an introduction to the three Hall Masters, the Flag Master would have been willing to exert his influence to arrange it. After all, Dokgo Jin was the Dragon Tiger Plaque Master; securing an audience would not have been overly difficult. Yet he had made no such request.
He intends to accomplish this entirely through his own means.
The White Tiger Flag Master's eyes deepened with contemplation.
Dokgo Jin. Let us see if you can truly surprise even me.
A faint, curious smile curved upon his lips.
Following his meeting with the White Tiger Flag Master, the first place Dokgo Jin directed his steps was the Guest House Hall.
As he calmly surveyed the compound, a familiar and razor-sharp presence caught his acute senses.
Hard at work, I see.
With an amused smirk, Dokgo Jin made his way toward the martial training grounds situated on the northern side of the Guest House Hall. There, drenched in sweat, Mok Woo-jeon was fiercely swinging his blade.
Swish! Swish-swish-shing!
The trajectory of the Shura War Sword cleaving through the air was as perilous as ever. If anything, its arcs had grown noticeably smoother and sharper than during their previous duel.
Has he grown stronger in the span of just a few days?
Rather than succumbing to despair over his defeat, Mok Woo-jeon had painstakingly dissected their duel, carving every exchange into his memory as he swung his sword again and again. This was the fruit of that relentless discipline.
“Phew.” Sheathing his blade at last, Mok Woo-jeon exhaled a ragged breath and muttered to himself, “……Still not enough. It needs to be far faster, far sharper if I'm to counter the Dragon Tiger Plaque Master's strikes.”
“Quite right. You will need to work a good deal harder.”
“Hm?”
Startled by the unexpected voice, Mok Woo-jeon whipped around. Standing leisurely at the entrance of the training ground was Dokgo Jin.
“Oh, Dragon Tiger Plaque Master!” Mok Woo-jeon's face lit up, and he strode forward with long, vigorous strides.
“Have you been well, Brother Mok?”
“Well? Not in the slightest! Ever since losing to you, I've been grinding my teeth so hard every night that I haven't slept a wink!”
Though he grumbled loudly, an unmistakable grin tugged at the corners of Mok Woo-jeon's lips.
“So you'd best prepare yourself. I intend to avenge that loss in short order.”
“I will look forward to it.”
“At any rate, what brings you here? Don't tell me you missed me so much that—”
Before Mok Woo-jeon could launch into his usual nonsense, Dokgo Jin cut him off. “I urgently need to meet the Cloud Sea Hall Master.”
“Hmm?”
“I have no formal channel to contact him. Would you be willing to send word on my behalf, Brother Mok?”
At those words, Mok Woo-jeon's face blossomed into a radiant grin.
“Haha! It seems you've finally made up your mind!” Glancing cautiously around the empty grounds—a rare gesture of discretion for him—Mok Woo-jeon dropped his voice to an eager whisper. “A splendid choice! When you look at the grand scheme of things, there is no one in the Northern Heavenly Alliance quite like the Cloud Sea Hall Master. Does this mean we'll be riding in the same boat from now on?”
“Who can say? We will only know once I sit down and speak with him. For now, please just pass along my message.”
“Understood, Plaque Master! The Cloud Sea Hall Master will be ecstatic to hear this!”
That very evening, Dokgo Jin received an invitation to dine with Sagong Wun, the Cloud Sea Hall Master.
Within a detached pavilion belonging to the Cloud Sea Hall.
Contrary to expectations of an extravagant feast laden with enough delicacies to bow the table legs, only a neat, modest drinking table sat in the center of the room.
Sagong Wun rose to greet Dokgo Jin in person.
“Welcome, Dragon Tiger Plaque Master. I have been expecting you.”
“Thank you for inviting me.”
As Dokgo Jin offered a courteous fist and palm salute, Sagong Wun smiled warmly and gestured toward the seat opposite him.
“Please, sit. This is not an official gathering, so there is no need for stiff formality. I merely wished to share a drink with an outstanding talent of our alliance.”
Sagong Wun personally lifted a jade carafe and filled Dokgo Jin's cup. The delicate fragrance of chrysanthemums wafted through the room.
Chrysanthemum wine.
Somehow, it was a vintage that suited Sagong Wun well.
Dokgo Jin accepted the cup with both hands.
“Drink.”
“Thank you.”
The two exchanged light conversation as they shared cups of wine.
After some time had passed, Sagong Wun broached the topic first. “……Now then, Mok Woo-jeon mentioned that you had something urgent to discuss with me.”
Beneath the calm veneer of his eyes lay an intense desire to draw Dokgo Jin under his banner at all costs.
“In truth……” Dokgo Jin’s gaze sank with unprecedented gravity. Lowering his voice to a quiet murmur, he spoke deliberately. “I am searching for a traitor within our alliance.”
Faced with such an entirely unexpected revelation, Sagong Wun’s benevolent expression stiffened in an instant.
“……What did you say?”
“Given your acumen, Hall Master, you surely grasp the intent behind my words.”
“Are you saying…… that you suspect me?”
Dokgo Jin responded coolly. “Circumstances have recently come to light showing that funds from the Kunlun Demon Palace have been covertly funneled into our alliance. Their final destination is one of the Three Hidden Halls.”
Sagong Wun stared at Dokgo Jin with a rigid countenance. “And so you came here to test me?”
“I did.”
“Ha!” A sigh heavy with complicated disbelief spilled from Sagong Wun's lips. “I feel like a fool for harboring such high hopes for you.”
“I apologize.”
With a look of genuine disappointment, Sagong Wun asked, “And just how do you intend to verify who the traitor is? Do you expect me to simply confess?”
“Have you colluded with the Kunlun Demon Palace?”
“I have not.”
“I see.”
“……Do you believe me?”
“Not yet.”
“Then what?”
Dokgo Jin held out his hand, palm up. “Please inject a strand of your true qi into my palm.”
“What?”
“It is to examine your internal energy, Hall Master.”
Sagong Wun’s expression hardened further. “I see what you are doing. You wish to verify whether I have cultivated demonic arts.”
“Yes.”
“Must you resort to such an extraordinarily dangerous method?”
“There is no other way to confirm it.”
Sagong Wun shook his head slowly. “Ha! You truly are……”
“I believe in your innocence, Hall Master. That is why I came to you first. Therefore, I ask for your cooperation in this verification.”
A sullen, exasperated expression crossed Sagong Wun's face. “What if I truly am the traitor, and I inject an overwhelming surge of qi to strike you dead on the spot?”
“Then it would simply mean my judgment was flawed.”
“……”
Sagong Wun stared deeply into Dokgo Jin's eyes before resting a single finger against his outstretched palm.
“It will sting a bit.”
Fsssh!
A slender thread of true qi seeped into Dokgo Jin’s body. Because he had deliberately left his acupoints wide open, the energy entered his body smoothly, as though being absorbed.
Mmh.
The foreign energy surged through his meridians. True to Sagong Wun’s warning, sharp pulses of qi pricked fiercely at his channels.
Lightning qi, is it?
He could clearly discern the origin of Sagong Wun’s internal cultivation. While it was a fierce and volatile power, it lacked the sinister, viscous grime characteristic of demonic arts.
As expected, it isn't him.
Dokgo Jin spoke calmly. “I have confirmed it.”
“I see.”
Sagong Wun did not bother asking for the verdict.
Dark Sky Martial Emperor
Author: Jeong Cheon
Publisher: Samyang C&C Co., Ltd.
Managing Editor: Editorial Department
Published by: Samyang C&C Co., Ltd. - Dreambooks
Address: 7th Floor, Gwangseong Building, 28 Bongeunsa-ro 114-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
UCI: G720:N+A063-20260403145
Blog: blog.naver.com/dreambookss
Twitter (X): @dreambookss
Submissions: [email protected]
No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means without the written permission of Samyang C&C Co., Ltd. - Dreambooks.