67. Kwak Jeong
In the world of Murim Return, there were those with irrational abilities.
Un Yeop Ja, who could discern truth from falsehood.
Meng Wi-hak, the Sword Saint who saw energy with his eyes.
The Heavenly Demon, who smelled the scent of energy.
Cho Ryang, who communicated with animals.
And.
And me?
[Or maybe me?]
Pa Cheon and I were both taken aback.
Do you have some ability I don't know about?
[Who knows.]
Poetry, music, and what else? Don't you have any other talents?
[...It's weirder that you know about that. But no matter how I think about it, it seems to be referring to you, not me.]
Me?
[Yeah. You rattle off facts even I don't know. You know all the secrets others don't.]
......
Perhaps knowing the information from Murim Return was one such ability.
Probably not.
[Why?]
If such an ability really existed and my upper dantian were open, there's no reason my simsang would have shaken me. But it shook me hard.
[I see... Damn.]
Even if such an ability existed, it wouldn't be a huge gain. My body just couldn't handle martial arts anyway.
What mattered was Cho Ryang himself. He'd won the heart of Poison Eye Physician, who nearly wiped out the Tang Clan single-handedly.
"That kid's like you?"
Do Il Gwang narrowed his eyes at me.
"Kid. One question. What's your simsang?"
......
"Those at the Super Peak can roughly sense each other through their upper dantians. But you don't give off that vibe."
That must be why he'd called me a 'fake' at first sight.
"Show it. Your simsang."
At that moment.
Do Il Gwang's simsang—a black tiger—bared its fangs. The one Cho Ryang had called a kitty and found cute... but honestly, the pressure I felt was immense.
It was like a house-sized tiger glaring down at me, utterly chilling. Just a low growl as it showed its teeth made the world spin. Every twitch of its demon-shaped tail felt like the oxygen was evaporating.
No wonder it scares people...
If I'd encountered Do Il Gwang's simsang first, I might've fainted.
But I'd already seen something far more terrifying.
The Heavenly Demon's—Yi Se-ryeong's—simsang.
After witnessing that 'something' rising far off amid the illusion of a world turned to snowy wasteland, Do Il Gwang's felt almost ordinary.
As composure returned.
The Heavenly Demon Divine Art's energy infused me with bravado.
"As I've said before... demanding something is a right only the strong possess."
"...No reaction even after seeing my simsang. Is that brat right?"
No. I was just holding out on Heavenly Demon Divine Art juice.
"Tch. Whatever. Gimme the booze."
His brazen demand for liquor, like it was owed, was annoying—but since there was something to gain from him, I'd play along where I could.
Honestly, I didn't even know about the upper dantian thing.
This Murim Return world had too many things text alone couldn't explain.
"Anyway..."
As we left the plaza, I asked Cho Ryang,
"Do you know what that snake is?"
"Yes. It's called a Poison Horned Net Snake."
"You knew. How?"
"Young master said to tell him if he needed anything... so I read a lot about spirit beasts and poisons. O-of course! After training!"
Cho Ryang seemed to have known his talents and interests early on. If born in the modern world, he'd have been a second Fabre.
"But Poison Horned Net Snakes are supposed to be highly aggressive."
"Ah, well."
Cho Ryang took the snake from its cage. Coiled up, it was still half a jang long.
"It's a hatchling, and animals just... don't attack me much."
"Like your wolf."
"Yep. It came to eat us, but I tamed it."
Made sense. As the Poison Eye Physician who commanded a spirit beast legion, his control was impressive.
"If you tame them, can others control them too?"
"Hmm... If I'm nearby, yeah, but without regular contact, they revert. Simple commands stick, though."
"I see."
A good idea struck me.
A few days later.
The day of Dok Ma's birthday banquet arrived.
I led the Sado Family delegation. 'Delegation' just meant delivering gifts—no big politics.
"Quite a lot."
Five cartloads of treasures as gifts.
[Fitting for that Poison Demon. Gotta show care.]
Dok Ma—Dok Go Pung.
Ranked 19th in the cult, master of poison arts as his title suggested.
Unlike most cultists, he'd wandered the outside murim for decades, honing his poison realm.
Hence his greed.
Cultists were greedy too, but prioritized strength supremacy over all. They didn't fuss much else. Sado Gwang was the outlier.
Dok Ma, soaked in outside ways, was profit-driven. He called it 'pursuing utility,' but basically chased personal gain over cult virtues.
If that were all, no one would tiptoe around him...
The issue: he was a master elixir maker.
Poison or medicine depended on mixing and refining. Sucking up meant more elixirs, more power.
Sado Family's overall warrior quality is low, so heavy elixir reliance.
Hence the desperate overtures.
And sending me... to vent on.
Simply: make me carry the gifts.
Rank-wise: him 19th, me 23rd. Four steps, but his experience and tricky poison arts made the gap seem wider.
"Let's go."
The delegation was pitifully small versus the carts: me, Sa Wol, Tak Horak, Cho Ryang. Rest were porters. Even in details, they picked fights.
I wouldn't take offense at trivia, but...
I won't just take it.
I'd pull off something fun.
Dok Ma had no cult-assigned duties, no headquarters building. But his vast estate was huge anyway.
Lines snaked from the main gate with crowds. We'd normally wait, but.
"...Sado Hwan!"
"Black Shadow Corps leader!?"
"Sado Family young master!"
People recognized my face.
Soon.
"G-go first!"
"What are you doing? Clear the way!"
Being a known master had perks. In rank-obsessed cult, rank was class.
"Thanks."
I nodded simply and proceeded.
Nearing the gate.
From the opposite side, figures approached along the cleared path.
[Those guys...]
Unlike our plain black uniforms, they wore flashy white ones.
Leading: a boy edging into youth, bit younger than Cho Ryang. Dozens followed.
Contrasting our handful.
[Kwak Family bastards.]
Nine Yin Kwak Family?
[Yeah. Pathetic lot, strutting on one old glory.]
Are there non-pathetic families?
[Nope. All idiots.]
Right, you're the best.
Nine Yin Kwak Family: most rooted of Mad Demon Six Families. Ancestor was First Heavenly Demon's confidant—deep history. Held five Super Peak experts including the head, most of any single house.
So that glaring kid's... young master Kwak Jeong.
A homage to old wuxia.
From a famous work's character—hence the genius name.
Sixteen now, already at Peak 1st Rate end.
Genius, yes. But...
Not that impressed.
Lately, meeting talent end-bosses dulled the thrill. Even Cho Ryang behind me—same age, born with open upper dantian.
Won't tangle much with Kwaks anyway.
Old prestige made them aloof, avoiding lesser entanglements.
But we couldn't glare forever. Crowds gathered, eager for a show.
"If you're not entering, move."
A guard behind Kwak Jeong surged forward, furious, hand on sword. Peak realm, by looks—bodyguard.
"Do you know who this is? Young master Kwak Jeong of Nine Yin Kwak Family!"
"So?"
I drew Heavenly Demon Divine Art energy to my eyes.
"Hrk—!"
The guard gasped, stumbling back.
"You're Sado Hwan?"
Kwak Jeong named me.
"Youthful spirit is fine."
I amped the pressure.
"But remember: a weakling's arrogance hastens death."
Kwak Jeong paled, retreating.
"Go."
I entered Dok Ma's estate.
Meanwhile.
After Sado Hwan entered.
"A-are you okay, young master?!"
"Sado Hwan..."
Kwak Jeong murmured his name, staring at the retreating back. His guard fussed over him.
"'A weakling's arrogance hastens death,' he said...?"
"Don't take that fool's nonsense to heart, young master. Your father could crush him in ten moves—"
"Fuck, that was cool as hell."
"—da? Pardon?"
Kwak Jeong yelled.
"What are you waiting for? Hurry up! Let's go!"
Acting as the Heavenly Demon