Ambush
‘What’s up with this old man?’
Jeong Gwang eyed Dang Gi-hwang, whose jaw had dropped in shock.
He didn’t know the name, but he’d heard of the title Dokjon—Poison Venerable.
One of the Ten Supremes, the strongest warriors in the righteous Murim, wasn’t he?
‘But...’
A body shriveled like a withered branch, a face all wrinkled and creased, skin with a sickly greenish tint.
Nothing about the old geezer matched the lofty title of “Venerable.”
‘Looks aside, though.’
If someone in the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult dared flaunt such an arrogant moniker?
Jeong Gwang wouldn’t even need to lift a finger.
His subordinates would’ve beaten the fool to death for his insolence by now.
Yet here he was, still kicking at his age...
‘Central Plains folk are too soft. Lucky old bastard to be born here.’
As if reading his mind, Dang Gi-hwang’s gaze sharpened.
“Kid. That look on your face rubs me the wrong way.”
“How so?”
“Like you’re pitying me... Hoo. Nah, couldn’t be. Forget it.”
“Then I’ll be off.”
“Hold it! Is this any way to act? You call yourself a disciple of the prestigious Kunlun righteous sect?”
“Yeah.”
And that was the truth.
“Hoo... Hooo.”
Dang Gi-hwang took deep breaths to calm himself before continuing.
“Look around you. What do you think?”
The people who’d recognized him were clasping their hands in profound respect.
“Oh. Like this?”
Jeong Gwang mimicked them, but Dang Gi-hwang looked distinctly unimpressed.
“Feels like I’m groveling for bows. You always this rude? Don’t your elders say anything?”
“Dunno. Grandmaster doesn’t mind.”
“Grandmaster?”
Dang Gi-hwang rummaged through the rumors he knew about Jeong Gwang.
‘This punk’s grandmaster... Ah! Deokseong, Un Hu!’
He’d never met the man, but he’d long admired that exemplary character.
‘The rumors don’t lie!’
Anyone less than a Deokseong would’ve beaten this insolent brat to death long ago.
‘They say he’s so virtuous he can reform even villains...’
Even Un Hu hadn’t managed to fix this monster, it seemed.
A flicker of pity crossed Dang Gi-hwang’s eyes.
“One of the few worthy of the title ‘Perfected Being,’ and he ends up with a grand-disciple like you...”
“What’s wrong with me?”
“...Anyway. I heard his dantian was destroyed. How’s his health?”
“Flying around like a bird.”
“Right, figures. Flying... Flying high?”
Dang Gi-hwang’s eyes widened.
“You mean he ascended to immortality?”
“Nah. Just soaring around Kunlun Mountain.”
“...!”
A shattered dantian... and he’s flying?
“...Never heard that rumor.”
“It’s recent.”
“You saying he recovered his dantian?”
“Yep.”
“How?”
“I healed him.”
“What!?”
Dang Gi-hwang started to snap that it was nonsense, then stopped.
Even if Jeong Gwang was just a nominal Kunlun disciple, he wouldn’t lie about his grandmaster—that was a grave sin.
Which meant the kid really had medical skills that made it possible.
‘An unheard-of prodigy.’
Even as the retired patriarch of the great Sacheon Dang Clan, Dang Gi-hwang couldn’t dream of such a feat.
He reevaluated Jeong Gwang.
‘More talented than I thought.’
Looking closer, the kid was strikingly handsome.
‘Don’t know who coined it, but Jin-okryong fits him perfect.’
Once one thing started looking good, everything did.
‘A real man needs some edge. Show me a genius who isn’t a bit eccentric.’
Even the brat’s rudeness started feeling natural.
‘Yeah. It’s decided.’
A voice warmer than Dang Gi-hwang expected flowed from his own mouth.
“Kid.”
“Why’s your voice suddenly all soft?”
“...It’s always like this. I’ll give you the greatest gift in the world.”
“What?”
Dang Gi-hwang tried for a Buddha-like benevolent smile.
The result?
His greenish face twisted into something more like an asura’s ferocious grin.
“Become my disciple.”
* * *
Dang Gi-hwang hurried after Jeong Gwang.
“Where you headed?”
“My lodging.”
“Say you’ll be my disciple first!”
“Oh, that?”
“Hah, playing coy, eh?”
“Nah, I don’t wanna.”
“...What?”
“I’m a Kunlun disciple.”
“Who doesn’t know that? There’s ways around it.”
Dang Gi-hwang stuck close, sweet-talking like a salesman.
“I’ll handle the details—just say yes. Twenty years tops. Train with me, and you’ll be the world’s top master.”
Jeong Gwang was dumbfounded.
What could this guy teach the former world’s best?
And twenty years? Please.
“But.”
“Yeah? Warming up? Ask anything.”
“You gonna live that long?”
“...Let’s train harder—fifteen years.”
“Ten’s pushing it.”
“You little shit! Spoiled rotten, are ya!?”
“Gimme your wrist. Let me check your pulse.”
Dang Gi-hwang, curiosity overriding anger, offered his wrist without hesitation.
The pulse gate was a vital point that could paralyze half the body if seized, but he didn’t flinch.
That’s how confident he was.
Jeong Gwang casually gripped it and took the pulse.
“Well?”
“Hmm.”
“Fifty more years, right?”
Jeong Gwang released the wrist and clasped his hands.
“Infinite blessings, Buddha.”
“...?”
“Clean up well and stay strong.”
“...W-what’s that mean!?”
“Everything returns to emptiness in the end. No need to cling.”
“What’s it mean, I said!?”
They’d arrived at the Kunlun sect’s quarters.
Baek Seung-mu, practicing footwork out front, greeted them warmly.
“Senior Brother, finally back? Who’s this...?”
“Says he’s Dokjon.”
“I see. Dokjon... Huh? Dokjon!?”
“Kehahaha! That’s right. I’m the one and only Dokjon.”
Dang Gi-hwang laughed in satisfaction.
Now that’s the proper reaction.
“Junior Brother. The elders back yet?”
“...Y-yes! Just now...”
Before Baek Seung-mu finished, the doors opened.
Kunlun Taoists emerged.
Dang Gi-hwang’s eyes darkened as he sized them up.
‘Well, now.’
No familiar faces, but their auras spoke volumes of their skill.
‘Kunlun rumors trickle in now and then—makes sense why.’
Dang Gi-hwang straightened his robes.
Infamous for his whims, he still respected the Kunlun name.
Besides, he had a favor to ask.
“Greetings. I’m Dang Gi-hwang.”
“...Dokjon himself. An honor. I’m Un Hak.”
“Kehah. Honor? Come on.”
“...What brings you?”
“I wish to become Jeong Gwang’s master.”
The Kunlun Taoists’ jaws dropped.
Dokjon’s name shook the world, alright!
The mad old coot from the rumors!
They itched to chase him off, but Dang added,
“Jeong Gwang remains Kunlun’s disciple. I just want to pass on some insights. Too stiff calling me ‘elder’ or ‘sir’—master and disciple fits better.”
“...Not a formal master-disciple bond? Just sharing teachings?”
“Of course. You think I’d steal your disciple? Haha. I’m not that rude.”
The Kunlun Taoists screamed inwardly.
You’re rude enough to do exactly that!
Seniors often taught juniors from other sects.
It was common—just call it senior guidance.
But why would infamous Dokjon offer such kindness?
“...What ‘insights’?”
“Recent realizations, unrelated to my clan’s arts. They’ll help Jeong Gwang. Allow it.”
“Why? What do you want in return?”
Dang Gi-hwang sighed.
“Hoo. To grasp my teachings, one needs to be the world’s top genius, at minimum.”
“...World’s top genius?”
“I was fretting over the lack of talent... then I met Jeong Gwang. He’s got the aptitude. And...”
“...?”
“I saw my younger self in him. Makes me greedy.”
Dang Gi-hwang smiled, pleased with his own words.
Then he caught Jeong Gwang muttering in disbelief.
“I look like that guy? No way.”
* * *
Un Hak barely calmed the raging Dang Gi-hwang, who yelled, “What’s wrong with my face!?”
“I’ll be back! Next time, you’re saying yes!”
“No send-off for you.”
Un Hak sighed as Dang vanished.
“Hoo. Never a dull moment.”
“Tell me about it.”
“...You saying that?”
“I’m the one who dealt with the craziest part.”
“What happened?”
Jeong Gwang recounted from the Dang lodging onward.
“...You ate all that poison and you’re fine?”
“Didn’t overdo it.”
“...Still, be careful. Lucky you expelled it all—human affairs are unpredictable.”
“Didn’t expel everything.”
“...What?”
“Kept a bit.”
“Why!?”
“Building tolerance.”
“...”
Un Hak and the Kunlun Taoists shook their heads.
“Can I go now?”
“Not yet. What do you think?”
“About Dokjon teaching me?”
“Yeah. Not a bad thing—actually good.”
“Pass.”
“Why?”
Why ask the obvious?
One naggy master was plenty.
“One master’s more than enough.”
Heo Cheong misunderstood, his face lighting up with emotion.
“Jeong Gwang! Same here! You’re all I... No! No! Including Seung-mu, two’s plenty! You get it, Seung-mu? Right?”
As Heo Cheong soothed the dazed Baek Seung-mu, Un Hak asked again.
“You’re sure?”
“Yes.”
“Fine. But steel yourself. Dokjon’s infamous for his whims. He won’t give up.”
“Hide and smack him when he shows?”
“...Hit me instead.”
Un Hak grounded Jeong Gwang.
“What if he comes?”
“Tomorrow morning, we’ll confront the Dang patriarch.”
“Dokjon’s son? He’ll just snort.”
“No. His son’s the one he actually fears. Don’t worry.”
Un Hak drilled it into Jeong Gwang’s ears.
“If he shows and pesters, endure it. No fighting. Got it?”
“...”
“Hey! Listen!”
“Got it.”
Finally free, Jeong Gwang thought,
‘Grounded, huh.’
A novel experience.
‘Not bad, maybe.’
Lazing had its charms. He’d play dead for a bit.
Next morning, Un and Heo elders left the hall.
They headed to the Dang lodging before the alliance meeting.
Moments later, as if waiting, Dokjon appeared.
“Be my disciple.”
“Wow. Fast.”
“Heart’s urgent. Changed your mind?”
“Nah.”
“Be my disciple, I said!”
“No.”
The loop repeated endlessly.
Not just Kunlun Jeong generation watched.
Crowds gathered.
“This punk!”
“Yeah. Really don’t need it. Can I go?”
A vein throbbed on Dang Gi-hwang’s temple.
“Before passing insights, I’ll fix that attitude!”
“Huh? Gonna hit me?”
Dang Gi-hwang faltered.
With his status and fame, how could he strike a green kid in anger?
But.
Jeong Gwang’s clear, innocent eyes made him feel like the villainous old bully.
Something boiled in his chest.
“Then?”
“Can’t just stand there.”
Jeong Gwang’s inner energy surged—impressively so.
‘This brat! Dares fight me?’
A cold smile curled Dang Gi-hwang’s lips.
‘You’re wild, but I’ll teach you there’s always a sky above the sky!’
Jeong Gwang was wilder than he thought.
‘One of the righteous top ten, right?’
Even with his heavenly senses, Jeong Gwang couldn’t fully gauge the realm—must be true.
A battle with an absolute!
Any normal warrior would tuck tail, but...
‘This’ll be fun.’
Jeong Gwang didn’t toy with foes.
‘Let’s play.’
Battle lust ignited!
‘Oops.’
Un Hak and the Kunlun elders’ faces flashed.
‘Fight, and it’s lectures all day.’
Heo Cheong would pile on too.
‘Can’t demonic arts it away either.’
Tilting his head, he decided.
‘Keep it mild.’
Jeong Gwang circulated pure qi from Supreme Pure Unsurpassed Divine Art via Instant Qi Circulation.
Gathering every trace of residual poison in his body.
‘Kinda wasteful.’
But better than earache.
‘Can get more later.’
He expelled the poison.
Not from fingers—from his mouth.
“Kuhuk!”
Spurt!
A jet of poison-laced blood sprayed.
The grass it hit smoked acridly, turning black and dead.
“P-poison...”
Jeong Gwang muttered hoarsely, and Dang Gi-hwang yelled in bewilderment.
“Poison!? When did I...”
Too late.
Onlookers cried in horror.
“Dokjon poisoned a Kunlun disciple—ambush!”