Chapter 187
Chapter 187
Chapter 187
At Seo-jin's provocation, the warrior standing opposite drew his sword and shouted.
"How dare you mock the great Nam-gung Family?"
"As if I would. What I'm mocking isn't the Nam-gung Family, but you who are weak despite learning such great martial arts."
Crack—
At Seo-jin's taunt, the guard warrior pleaded with Nam-gung Heun sitting behind him.
"Master of the Finance Pavilion! Please allow me to spar with that insolent fellow!"
At the warrior's request, Nam-gung Heun stared at Seo-jin and quietly fell into thought.
'I need to confirm those foreigners' abilities anyway.'
Whether it was the woman claiming to be from a branch family or the arrogant riffraff before him, it was ultimately just a difference in order.
"Do as you wish. However, do you not have a weapon to use, guest?"
At Nam-gung Heun's question, Seo-jin nodded.
"Why would I need a weapon? Bare hands should be sufficient."
When Seo-jin said this and beckoned with his hand as if to say come at me, the warrior could no longer hold back and charged at Seo-jin.
"Don't regret this!"
Whoosh—
The Nam-gung Family guard warrior charging at Seo-jin with a roar.
The speed of his flying approach with sword leading was like a ray of light at first glance.
Seo-jin captured that swift movement in his eyes and thought.
'Tower level in the 600s. By the standards of the 60th floor, a martial artist at early first-rate level.'
An attack whose movements ordinary eyes couldn't dare follow.
However,
'Slow.'
To Seo-jin, who had sparred with monsters like Ju Won-jae and Lee Seo-mun, it was nothing special.
Rather, the sword of the Brocade Guard warrior he'd fought several days ago had been sharper.
Moreover, having watched Nam-gung Cheon's sword for years by his side, the Nam-gung Family's swordsmanship was obvious without even looking.
Swish—
Seo-jin stepped with footwork to easily dodge the guard warrior's thrust, then struck the sword he held with the back of his hand.
Clang—
The guard warrior's sword shattered completely from Seo-jin's fist containing Primordial Unity power.
"What?"
Then Seo-jin wrapped black lightning around his hand and launched a palm strike at his solar plexus.
Crackle—!
The only way to subdue an opponent of much lower caliber without killing them was palm techniques wrapped in black lightning.
"Kyaaah!"
The warrior electrocuted by black lightning collapsed and convulsed while trembling, then immediately fainted.
The sparring ended in the blink of an eye.
"I learned from you."
Seo-jin brushed off his hands without shedding a drop of sweat, shaking off the remaining current on his hands.
Meanwhile, Nam-gung Heun saw the black lightning sparking on Seo-jin's hand and shot up from his seat.
"That power just now…… thunder and lightning? Are you perhaps a disciple of the Thunder Lightning Sword Emperor?"
Martial arts handling thunder energy were extremely rare. There was a possibility that riffraff was a disciple of a tremendous master of the past.
Instead of answering, Seo-jin spread his hand to show. Meaning think whatever you want.
At that sight, Nam-gung Heun couldn't continue speaking and ground his teeth.
'Damn it, where did such a monster appear from?'
Though Nam-gung Heun claimed to have no interest in martial arts, he was still a late first-rate master who had learned martial arts from childhood as a son of a prestigious family.
He wasn't foolish enough not to recognize the opponent's ability even after watching that sparring.
Though he couldn't see the opponent's true ability because the guard warrior had lost his composure and charged in, even considering that, that man's ability was at least peak master level or higher.
Moreover, for such a person to step forward first for sparring meant……
'It means the siblings from the branch family and the woman with the staff are similar to or stronger than that man.'
Why did such monster-like things appear at a time like this?
Nam-gung Heun fumed inwardly then shook his head vigorously.
'No. Perhaps it's fortunate I noticed quickly.'
If those bastards had rushed in and caused trouble when carrying out the deed, there would be no greater disaster than that.
It was fortunate he learned of their abilities even now.
Nam-gung Heun hid his discomfort and praised Seo-jin.
"……Your martial arts are very advanced. You'll be a great help to our Nam-gung Family."
"Thank you."
When Seo-jin bowed his head in courtesy, Nam-gung Heun casually asked.
"By chance, are your companions' martial arts comparable to yours?"
"Yes, there's no comparing them to me."
Crack—
At those words, Nam-gung Heun gripped the armrest hard, suppressing his anger.
At first he'd planned to spar with each of them to assess their abilities, but he didn't have many warriors he could send out against peak-level masters.
"I see. I've learned sufficiently about your abilities. Sorry for taking your time."
"Not at all. It was a good experience."
As soon as he heard that answer, Nam-gung Heun tried to leave as if fleeing.
However, Seo-jin's following question caught his ankle.
"Master of the Pavilion, won't you see the branch family's swordsmanship that developed independently?"
Nam-gung Heun, who had stopped still, looked back slightly and spoke as if chewing his words.
"……If you have a master like yourself as a companion, there's no need to see their abilities. If you wish, you may spar more with my subordinates, but I'm busy so I'll go ahead."
Leaving those words behind, Nam-gung Heun strode away.
Seo-jin stared intently at his departing back then turned around.
***
After the sparring with the foreigners.
"Master of the Pavilion, will you really carry it out tonight? It's too dangerous."
"Didn't you see their abilities? Moreover, there's even a person presumed to be the Medicine King on their side."
The subordinates gathered in the Finance Pavilion expressed concern while gauging Nam-gung Heun's mood.
Bang—!
However, Nam-gung Heun struck the table hard and shouted.
"Shut up! Then when exactly should we carry out the deed? We don't know when the imperial palace will reach out its hand!"
Nam-gung Heun trembling in fear not knowing when the Brocade Guard might arrive.
The emperor's blade that unified the entire continent and carried out massive purges would soon point at the Nam-gung Family.
Moreover, since the last bloodline of the Gongsun Family had fled here and was taking refuge, it could be said to be even more dangerous.
They had to make a move first before the imperial palace struck the Nam-gung Family, so there was no time to dawdle any longer.
Having made his decision, Nam-gung Heun opened a wooden box and took out a medicine pouch.
"Even if they're strong, nothing changes much. It's a bit wasteful, but the Meridian Dispersing Poison will just be used more than expected."
Nam-gung Heun's eyes lit up as he looked at the new type of Meridian Dispersing Poison he'd received from the masked person from the White Lotus Cult who had secretly contacted him.
"Even if he's the Medicine King, he won't easily discern this."
This new type of Meridian Dispersing Poison was the White Lotus Cult's improvement on existing Meridian Dispersing Poison, with the advantage that it was colorless and odorless, making it hard to detect.
Instead, it had the disadvantage of taking effect slowly, but this too wasn't a problem.
If put in the evening meal, the effect would manifest around bedtime, so they would meet death without even sensing the assassins' presence.
'No matter how much of a master who can fly through the sky and crawl on the ground, they're ultimately beings made of flesh.'
Since martial artists unable to use internal energy were just slightly sturdier humans than others.
"The cook who will put in the poison?"
"He's one of our people. Perhaps because his skills are good, they're eating well saying it's delicious."
"Good. Just in case, don't put poison in the Medicine King's food. And you must prevent him from coming to the banquet by any means necessary."
Since he might notice something by watching others eat.
"As you command."
Nam-gung Heun looked at the empty seat of the subordinate who went outside and spoke as if making a vow to himself.
"Having come this far, there's no turning back. Having drawn the sword, I go to the end."
This deed wasn't something Nam-gung Heun was doing alone.
Opposition faction elders and seniors supported this matter.
And those who inevitably remained in the Nam-gung Family would also join this side when the situation unfolded.
Once they dealt with his elder brother who was the focal point and his close associates, everything would end.
Since no one would want to meet a dog's death fighting against the imperial palace.
***
That night.
Ding— Ding-gi-ding—
A modest banquet was held accompanied by cheerful pipa music.
This was a place to welcome the guests that were Seo-jin's group and simultaneously comfort the family's people before the fight with the imperial palace.
Family head Nam-gung Hwi, who heard about the sparring that took place during the day, burst into hearty laughter.
"Kekeke, the rising masters were hiding tremendous abilities. As my younger brother Heun said, this is nothing but a family celebration for our Nam-gung Family."
Including Seo-jin, four people presumed to be peak master level. Plus the Medicine King who was approaching supreme master level had joined.
Even setting aside empty words, it was a tremendous power increase.
"……You're too kind."
"Good, good. Eat comfortably."
At Nam-gung Hwi's words, Seo-jin looked at the various delicacies laid out before him.
In appearance they were certainly very delicious foods, but.
'To think there's poison in this……'
Moreover, this poison was difficult even for Seo-jin, who was quite proficient with medicine and poison, to distinguish.
If he hadn't eavesdropped on their conversation through the spirit Glize, he would have eaten it deliciously not knowing it contained Meridian Dispersing Poison.
Just like that.
Chomp chomp—
Nam-gung Cheon already beside him opening his mouth wide and stuffing in crab.
Se-yeon too was sparkling her eyes and stuffing her mouth full of sweet and sour pork, chewing like a squirrel.
The scene of Nam-gung Rin eating deliciously, and Hyeon-wol who had regained her sense of taste thanks to her artificial body.
Seo-jin quietly watched the group then gulped down the soup of the Buddha Jumps Over the Wall.
Slurp—
The rich, deep taste of seafood harmonized with the clear yet deep broth, and the scent of medicinal herbs that made one's body feel better with just one sip was superb.
It was such a luxurious taste that he momentarily forgot the fact that poison was in it.
The reason Seo-jin touched the food despite it containing Meridian Dispersing Poison was.
'Precisely because of the effect of the Detoxification Talisman.'
Seo-jin recalled the sensation of the talisman stuck under his tongue.
Though it was difficult to detoxify poison already spread through the body, blocking what entered the body wasn't that difficult.
As long as one could know the poison's components and effects in advance.
Having learned of their conspiracy beforehand, Seo-jin informed Nam-gung Rin of this and received a Detoxification Talisman that resisted the Meridian Dispersing Poison's effects and stuck it under his tongue.
Of course, informing people like family head Nam-gung Hwi or his son Nam-gung Mu-jin of their conspiracy would be the best method.
'Since I can't know if they'll believe my words at face value.'
No matter how good a person Nam-gung Hwi was, it was hard to believe he would suspect his younger brother's treason after hearing a foreigner's words.
Even if he believed Seo-jin's words, it would still be a problem.
Since if the enemies noticed something strange through his behavior, the plan could go to waste.
For that reason, he decided to first inform only the group and prepare for the poison.
'Dan Mok-hyeon is……'
Seo-jin looked for the Medicine King who wasn't at the banquet. Though a seat was prepared, he seemed not to have attended.
It seemed Yu-hwa had eaten something wrong and was going in and out of the toilet, so he must be caring for her.
However, since he already knew they were trying to separate the Medicine King, he deliberately didn't call Dan Mok-hyeon.
He planned to let their plan proceed for now.
While enjoying the refinement and elaborate feast, time flew by.
Swoosh—
When the banquet's atmosphere deepened, Nam-gung Hwi raised his hand to stop the performance and raised his cup, opening his mouth.
"Everyone knows, but the time of decisive battle is not far off. Though there were differences of opinion, now we're all martial artists of the Nam-gung who share the same will and chivalrous heroes of the martial world! Remain to the end and display that righteous spirit!"
When Nam-gung Hwi raised his cup to show, the group and Nam-gung Family members followed raising their cups.
"Come, let's all empty these cups together!"
Gulp gulp—
When Nam-gung Hwi refreshingly emptied his cup while his throat bobbed, the family members all followed gulping down their cups.
"……."
However, contrary to Nam-gung Hwi's wishes, there were those harboring different intentions.
They watched Seo-jin's group and Nam-gung Hwi enjoying the elaborate feast and waited for the time to come.
***
After the banquet ended, in the deepened night.
Clang clang—
Kyaaah—!
"Enemy attack!"
The sounds of swords and screams heard in the middle of the night.
Rustle—
[Battle has broken out. Nam-gung Heun and Nam-gung Hwi are engaged in combat.]
At Glize's report, Seo-jin, who hadn't fallen asleep but remained awake, quietly rose.
Then he kicked Nam-gung Cheon, who was sleeping while snoring, to wake him up.
"The time has come. Let's move."