Chapter 271
Chapter 271
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 271
Chapter Title: Bloodshadow Sword's Warning
-----------------------------------------------------------------
*Shiver, shiver-*.
Choi Mu-gyeol, who had entered the Sacheon Tang Clan, was trembling violently.
He had flown here with Tang Yu-seong and Tang Yun-do over several days and nights. The two had carried him along like luggage.
This was proof of how urgent the news about the Immortal Herb was.
Tang Yu-seong frowned at Choi Mu-gyeol, whose legs looked ready to give out at any moment.
"Stop shaking your legs. It's distracting."
"Y-yes, sir."
"If you get to meet the Clan Head, don't make any mistakes. You know what happens if you upset him, right?"
"I'll keep that in mind."
Choi Mu-gyeol nodded vigorously. He was well aware of the fear surrounding Poison King Tang Pae-gun.
No need to look far—even recently, Je Un-hak's son had died over matters related to the Immortal Herb. He was the kind of man who ignored boundaries between good and evil to get what he wanted.
As the three wandered the Tang Clan's compound, a servant approached them.
"This way, please."
"Isn't that the guest hall?"
Tang Yu-seong asked, puzzled, and the servant replied.
"Yes. The Clan Head is currently dining with guests in the guest hall."
"Then we should wait until the meal ends."
"He said to hurry because it's urgent."
Tang Yu-seong was perplexed.
It was urgent. It concerned the Immortal Herb they'd longed for so desperately.
But that made it even less suitable for discussion in front of important guests. Some of them might covet the Immortal Herb themselves.
What is he thinking?
No amount of pondering alone would reveal the answer.
In the end, all they could do was head to the guest hall as ordered by Tang Pae-gun.
*Step-*.
Just then, as they followed the servant with Choi Mu-gyeol...
"Brother?"
Tang Yu-seong turned to see Tang Yun-do standing still, unmoving.
"Aren't you coming?"
"Ah."
Tang Yun-do let out a short sigh and resumed walking.
"Sorry about that."
"What were you looking at?"
"Just the sky."
"The sky?"
At Tang Yun-do's words, Tang Yu-seong looked up. He wondered why his brother had suddenly gazed heavenward.
*Rumble-*.
Dark clouds were rolling in suddenly.
As if a downpour was about to unleash.
Tang Pae-gun silently moved his chopsticks.
The air in the room grew chillingly heavy. The meal continued awkwardly, filled only with the clinking of chopsticks in the guest hall.
Then, Un Cheon-geuk rose from his seat.
"Where are you going?"
Un Cheon-geuk replied as he exited the guest hall.
"To see Sophie."
"Must it be now?"
"Do I need your permission to see Sophie too?"
Tang Pae-gun glared at Un Cheon-geuk for a moment. But no matter how piercingly he stared, he couldn't read the man's thoughts.
In the end, Tang Pae-gun bared his white teeth in a grin.
"Of course not. Go ahead."
Un Cheon-geuk, who had locked eyes with him briefly, left the guest hall.
Instead of heading to the outhouse, Un Cheon-geuk made for the garden. Sword at his waist, he strolled casually through the Sacheon Tang Clan grounds.
*Rumble-*.
Dark clouds blanketed the sky, as if rain would pour any second.
"The weather's unusual."
Un Cheon-geuk, gazing up at the clouds, lowered his eyes.
*Step-*.
Tang Yun-do and Tang Yu-seong, heading toward the guest hall, spotted Un Cheon-geuk and halted.
Divine Lotus Castle Lord Un Cheon-geuk.
In skill, fame, and influence within the murim world, he surpassed even Tang Pae-gun.
No matter that the two were from the Sacheon Tang Clan—unless they were the Poison King himself, they had to bow their heads.
"Greetings, Castle Lord."
Un Cheon-geuk nodded at Tang Yun-do's representative greeting. His gaze shifted to Choi Mu-gyeol trailing behind them.
"And who is this?"
"A guest of the Clan Head."
"...I see."
*Hiiiing-*.
The sword at his waist trembled faintly. Un Cheon-geuk's eyes narrowed.
To still the quivering blade, he gripped its scabbard. The three flinched at his action.
Un Cheon-geuk eyed them with serpentine, curved eyes. Each twitch of his hand made it seem like the sword would be drawn at any moment.
After staring at them for a while, Un Cheon-geuk asked with a mocking sneer.
"Afraid I'll kill you?"
He gestured for them to pass.
"Go on."
The three inwardly sighed in relief. Tang Yun-do bowed deeply with a respectful fist salute.
"Then, excuse us."
Tang Yun-do walked past Un Cheon-geuk, resuming his steps. Naturally, Tang Yu-seong and Choi Mu-gyeol followed suit.
After letting them pass, Un Cheon-geuk looked up at the sky again.
"Calling up a typhoon, are we?"
*Keeiiing-*.
Then, the sword trembled more violently.
Now, the vibration was visible to the naked eye.
Un Cheon-geuk's lips twitched.
"As expected."
His gaze turned far off, in the direction the three had come from.
"It wasn't them."
Un Cheon-geuk's signature weapon was the Bloodshadow Sword, a mystical blade that wept at the scent of blood.
Through its cries, he always prepared for impending battles.
He had felt the Bloodshadow Sword's resonance even in the guest hall.
That was when the main gate grew noisy.
Un Cheon-geuk slowly headed toward the gate. The commotion came from the Tang Clan warriors guarding it.
"We said we're not receiving guests today!"
"You think you can see the Clan Head without stating your identity?"
"Come on, I have business."
The scuffle stemmed from one man.
Ignoring the warriors' blockade, he insisted on entering the compound—was he throwing a tantrum?
It was suspicious.
Most people went out of their way to avoid the Sacheon Tang Clan. Even top masters treaded carefully, wary of sipping even a drop of water there.
Yet here was someone deliberately trying to enter.
An uninvited guest, no less.
*Keeiiing-*.
The Bloodshadow Sword cried out again.
Un Cheon-geuk lightly gripped the trembling scabbard. His eyes fixed on the man clashing with the Tang warriors.
Stepping into the fray at the gate, Un Cheon-geuk intervened.
"Let him in."
"Who are y—"
The Tang warrior arguing with the man spotted Un Cheon-geuk and shut his mouth.
"C-Castle Lord?"
"He's my guest."
His gaze met Lee Soo-hyuk's, standing before the Tang Clan's grand gate.
"Let him in."
"Clan Head, this is Tang Yun-do. I've brought the guest you requested."
Tang Yun-do bowed politely upon arriving at the guest hall. Immediately, the doors slid open wide to either side.
*Rrrrk-*.
No hand had touched them. Someone inside had used profound technique to open the doors without lifting a finger.
Beyond the widely opened guest hall doors sat dozens of people.
Tang Yu-seong, following behind, trembled under the weight of their presences.
Every single one was formidable.
Iron Lion Geom Mu-rin, Sword Sage Hwa Mu-jin, Dao Sword Martial Emperor Pae Woo-do...
Some affiliated with the Murim Alliance, others not. Even high-rankers from Blue Zone.
A few were masters who could stand equal to Poison King Tang Pae-gun.
*Gulp.*
Tang Yu-seong, already tense just from meeting the Clan Head, nearly fainted.
He knew the Immortal Herb was extraordinary. He knew how badly Tang Pae-gun wanted it.
But this was excessive.
"Come in."
Tang Pae-gun rose, his gaze skipping over Tang Yun-do and Tang Yu-seong to land on Choi Mu-gyeol.
Arms spread wide in welcome, he personally guided Choi Mu-gyeol.
"Don't stand there—sit here. Must have been tough coming from afar."
"Y-yes!"
Tang Pae-gun escorted Choi Mu-gyeol to a seat right in the midst of the throng of masters, facing him directly.
Naturally, Choi Mu-gyeol was extremely tense.
And rightly so. He'd encountered Divine Lotus Castle Lord Un Cheon-geuk on the way, and now not just Poison King Tang Pae-gun, but numerous masters awaited him.
Tang Yu-seong and Tang Yun-do, who came with him, were equally frozen. But Tang Pae-gun's attention focused solely on Choi Mu-gyeol, ignoring the awkwardly standing pair.
"How have you been? Things have been tough; I haven't paid much attention to the Poison Medicine Sect lately."
"N-no, not at all! The Poison Medicine Sect is always grateful for the Sacheon Tang Clan's grace."
"Really? Haha, I'm glad to hear it, even if it's flattery. Come anytime, not just today. I'll treat you well."
"Th-thank you."
"No need for thanks. We're kin in poison."
It was a warm exchange. Tang Pae-gun's reaction to Choi Mu-gyeol was quite favorable.
There was no reason it shouldn't be.
Unlike fifteen years ago, this time Choi Mu-gyeol had come forward himself to offer the Immortal Herb.
"However..."
Tang Pae-gun trailed off, crinkling the corners of his eyes.
The conversation shifted, and the atmosphere changed.
"I heard Je Un-hak, that friend of yours, is alive. Is that true?"
*Gulp.*
Choi Mu-gyeol swallowed dryly.
"Y-yes."
"Then meeting him could lead us to the Immortal Herb."
"Y-yes."
Tang Pae-gun smiled kindly at the response—a benevolence neither Tang Yun-do, who'd lived his life in the Tang Clan, nor Tang Yu-seong had ever seen.
"Indeed, the Immortal Herb..."
Greed laced his murmured words.
His sharp eyes pierced Choi Mu-gyeol as he asked.
"So, I suppose I must step in personally?"
"It's not necessary, but it would certainly ensure success."
"I see. For the Immortal Herb, it's worth the effort."
A faint flush of relief crossed Choi Mu-gyeol's face. Though anxious upon entering, Tang Pae-gun had been consistently welcoming.
Things seemed to be going well. Even in a tiger's den, win the tiger's heart and you'd leave alive.
But then.
"Still, something feels off."
In the smooth flow of conversation.
"Don't you think? Of all times, right now. Je Un-hak, who was said to have died fifteen years ago, returns alive."
"What do you mean all of a sud—"
*Shunk-*.
With a gruesome sound of flesh parting, Choi Mu-gyeol spotted the blade tip protruding from his chest.
"...Huh?"
Blood dripped from the sword.
Behind him stood Geom Mu-rin, a murim high ranker known as the Iron Lion.
"Why... in the world..."
"I don't believe in coincidences in this murim. It's either fate or a scheme disguised as one. One or the other."
*Tsk.* Tang Pae-gun clicked his tongue regretfully.
"If you were the Poison King, you'd have dodged that blade. Pity. But this was the surest way."
He genuinely seemed disappointed.
Choi Mu-gyeol wasn't Kim Ye-ryeong. Had he been her, he wouldn't have fallen for such an obvious ambush.
"If not coincidence, then regrettably fate..."
In that instant, Tang Pae-gun saw it.
Choi Mu-gyeol's aggrieved gaze turned toward Tang Yun-do, who had come with him.
Looking at Tang Yun-do in this situation? Nothing could be more unnatural.
Could it be...
Tang Pae-gun realized.
It wasn't Choi Mu-gyeol. They'd anticipated Kim Ye-ryeong's entry disguised as coincidence but misidentified the target.
As all eyes focused on Choi Mu-gyeol in that moment.
*Kreeeak-*.
With the faint whisper of daggers slicing air.
Twenty daggers began their deadly dance in the Sacheon Tang Clan's guest hall.