Chapter 15
Episode 15
The Invisible Dagger
After Se-woon returned to the clan bathed in warm sunlight.
The Tang Clan was once again thrown into chaos.
Despite the elite Black Silk Unit standing guard as gatekeepers, the young clan heir had slipped out unnoticed.
"Young Master, what is this?"
"The corpse of the assassin who attacked me last night."
"...Excuse me?"
Because he had boldly returned through the main gates dragging the assassin's corpse tightly bound in black silk.
The crime of disobeying the solemn clan leader's orders and leaving the premises was quickly overshadowed.
The fact that the assassin who ambushed the heir was none other than the deputy leader of the Murim Alliance's Tiger Dragon Unit made everyone forget about the young master's unauthorized outing.
An unprecedented incident had occurred—a high-ranking Alliance official attempting to assassinate the heir of an allied faction.
"The Tiger Dragon Deputy Leader attempted assassination? How could such a thing happen?"
"That bastard Yi Hoseong—didn't the Sword Ghosts who took bribes from him try to kill Tang Se-woon too?"
"Exactly! After the Alliance Leader found out and exiled him to the provinces, he must have held a grudge and attacked the Tang Clan heir."
"Tch, how could an orthodox faction member commit such shameless acts!"
Truthfully, even during the height of the Yi Hoseong incident, only a select few whispered about the Tiger Dragon Unit's affairs—it never became public knowledge.
Unlike the Yi Hoseong case which remained a Qingcheng Faction matter since he wasn't the Alliance Leader's formal disciple, Son Woon-gon and the Tiger Dragon Unit were elite core members of the Alliance.
The elder faction had exerted influence to forcibly cover it up, judging that exposing the Tiger Dragon Unit's disgrace would severely damage the Alliance's prestige.
Of course, the Alliance Leader's faction voiced opposition, insisting all matters should be transparent, but Sword Emperor Yoo Jin-hak had pressured Qingcheng—part of the elder faction—not to provoke the Tang Clan.
Political negotiations left no choice but to concede this point.
However, as news of this assassination attempt spread like wildfire across the martial world, the Tiger Dragon Unit's past misdeeds resurfaced.
And when a hushed-up incident gets reexamined, the backlash is always fiercer.
"If we'd punished the Tiger Dragon Deputy Leader and his unit as the Alliance Leader originally wanted from the start, this disgraceful incident would never have happened!"
"I'm so ashamed I can't even lift my head!"
"......"
"Why aren't the elders saying anything?!"
"W-well, we never anticipated something like this would..."
"How exactly do you plan to handle this mess?!"
"Ahem. Now, everyone please calm down..."
"The elders will personally oversee apologies and additional compensation to the Sichuan Tang Clan for this incident!"
"W-wait! I have nothing to do with this!"
Not only martial artists but even commoners hurled fierce criticism at the Murim Alliance, with internal voices of condemnation erupting as well.
The elder faction could only suffer in disgrace.
Originally, despite Yi Hoseong's mistakes, the elder faction had gained slight political advantage from resentment over the Alliance Leader siding with the Tang Clan rather than the core Qingcheng faction.
But this incident completely shifted the balance of power to the Alliance Leader's faction.
Particularly since Son Woon-gon hailed from the Hainan Sect, which belonged to the elder faction, leaving them utterly speechless.
-This absurd incident stems from the Alliance's discipline hitting rock bottom. From today, I will exercise my full authority as Alliance Leader to restore order.
Seizing the moment while the elder faction's influence weakened, Yoo Jin-hak ended his seclusion and stepped forward again.
A different wind was clearly blowing through the previously calm orthodox martial world.
And.
The martial world's gossipmongers couldn't stop raving about Tang Se-woon who started this change.
"So it's true—he received the sword the Alliance Leader promised to give his most promising junior!"
"Unbelievable! Yi Hoseong is one thing, but defeating Son Woon-gon who reached the Pinnacle realm?!"
"Indeed. Achieving Pinnacle at such a tender age!"
"At this point, shouldn't the title 'Sword Dragon' change hands?"
"Hmm, but the coroner said the corpse's wounds weren't from a sword?"
"Oh? Now that you mention it, no one's actually seen the Tang young master carrying a sword."
"Tsk tsk, how naive. Don't you know martial artists always keep their trump cards hidden?"
"Well, true enough. However hard up the Tang Clan is, they wouldn't melt down and sell divine artifacts."
"Haha, this one's joking. What madman would melt down a gift from the Alliance Leader?"
"Quite right, hahaha."
The room's silence starkly contrasted the chaotic noise outside.
Yet this atmosphere was far from peaceful.
Here too, a precarious tension filled the air as if caught in the storm's eye.
At that moment, Se-woon completed his energy circulation with golden-pupil meditation.
The mystical light swirling in his eyes faded like a lie.
Only then did his upper dantian finally close.
"...Seems mostly recovered now."
Se-woon murmured softly after finishing his internal observation.
Several days had passed since the battle with Son Woon-gon.
During that time, Se-woon focused solely on recovering his innate qi through alternating sleep and golden-pupil meditation.
The backlash from pushing his innate qi to the limit arrived belatedly yet violently.
Excruciating pain making daily life impossible continued endlessly.
The agony originating from his deformed dantian soon spread throughout his entire body.
Like being tortured by hundreds of blades.
No matter how much golden-pupil meditation could restore his energy, using innate qi required utmost caution.
'If keeping 10% reserve causes this backlash, I'll need at least 20% for consecutive battles.'
Because if he completely exhausted his innate qi reaching temporary emptiness, recovery itself would become impossible.
No—more accurately, there'd be no need for recovery.
'He'd stop breathing and die on the spot.'
The price for wielding forbidden power came with equally terrifying risks.
Still, this was a special circumstance.
There were reasons he had no choice but to overexert his innate qi.
First was the Divine Artifact Creation before the battle.
The Heavenly Net currently disguised as ordinary gloves—this divine artifact's creation required imbuing the blacksmith's will-projection into the materials.
But channeling this will-projection consumed innate qi like pouring water into a bottomless jar.
'Normally I'd need three days rest.'
Yet he proceeded despite knowing Son Woon-gon would assassinate him.
Because he could delay crafting his main weapon no longer.
'I must grow stronger every single day.'
There was no time for leisure.
Even now, the Blood Cult must be moving swiftly in the shadows.
"Phew."
Se-woon sighed with mixed emotions and wiped his face.
Then his gaze fell on what had consumed much innate qi after the divine artifact.
'I shouldn't summon the curse engraved on this Heavenly Net unless absolutely necessary until my cultivation advances further.'
The seemingly ordinary gloves trembled slightly.
Activating the "forbidden technique" hidden in the Heavenly Net to track the fleeing Son Woon-gon had also expended considerable innate qi.
Originally, the Demon Mountain Sect and Divine Maiden Sect were renowned as the central plains' foremost experts in illusion and sorcery techniques.
Thus, it was inevitable that the Blood-Silk Demon Queen Seo Su-rin's nine white silks bore earth-shaking curses.
Likewise, each thread of Se-woon's five-fingered Heavenly Net contained different high-level curses.
Among them, currently only the ring finger's curse was unlocked:
'Tracing Threads—never losing prey once marked.'
When activated, black threads connecting to the target immediately turn "invisible" while making the target "energy-blind."
Within a 0.4 km radius, every movement of marked prey could be observed.
This was how he pinpointed Son Woon-gon's location despite the teleportation pill.
Next, Se-woon objectively assessed his current level based on recent battles.
"Hmm, Son Woon-gon is weaker than even a Blood Cult combat squad grunt."
His words seemed unbelievable.
Dismissing a Pinnacle expert as mere cannon fodder.
Yet despairingly, this was undeniable truth.
"Could fight evenly with an early-stage Supreme Pinnacle vice-squad leader. Against a perfected Supreme Pinnacle squad leader... fifty moves would be my limit..."
His voice carried regret at the end.
But any listener would have laughed hollowly in disbelief.
Among all central plains juniors, even the famed Nine Dragons and Four Phoenixes—only the "Sword Dragon" was known to have reached Pinnacle's peak.
Moreover, even the Sword Dragon couldn't last five moves against a Supreme Pinnacle master, let alone fifty.
The wall between Pinnacle and Supreme Pinnacle dwarfed the gap between first-class and Pinnacle.
Countless renowned experts trained their whole lives without breaching Supreme Pinnacle's wall.
Early-stage Supreme Pinnacle alone matched youngest elders of the Nine Great Sects or clan leaders of the Seven Great Families.
Yet Se-woon confidently claimed to reach that level.
Though this assumed fighting fair and square.
'Now then...'
Se-woon lightly reached toward empty air.
His fingers should have touched nothingness—yet.
Tock.
A drop of blood fell from his fingertip sliced by something sharp.
Truthfully, if he wished, he could assuredly "kill" not just Supreme Pinnacle but even Divine Realm existences.
Because in his hands was this very thing.
"Invisible Dagger."
The demon blade of godslaying.
Whoosh!
As Se-woon channeled Reverse Heaven Energy into the Invisible Dagger—
'Guh!'
Vrrrm!
With a resonant hum, the dagger quivered in empty air.
Currently, given Se-woon's Reverse Heaven Energy mastery and innate qi reserves, he could only manipulate the dagger for barely half a quarter-hour (~3 minutes).
But.
Given the right environment and conditions—
Swish!
Instantly, a flower leaf beside Se-woon split in half and fell.
'Could even kill a Divine Realm master who's entered the Profound.'
Soundlessly launched, the Invisible Dagger delivered death to a living being before—
Ssshh.
Returning to Se-woon's upper dantian.
Just as when he first saw it after returning.
Feeling this sequence, deep questions arose in Se-woon's eyes.
'...How did it follow me?'
But his questions scattered meaninglessly.
Truthfully, since returning, Se-woon already suspected the reason.
Why the Invisible Dagger was in his possession.
Why he had returned to the past.
Se-woon muttered the name of one being who might hold answers.
"Blood Demon."
Yes. Ultimately, to solve this mystery, I'll have to meet you again.
A vicious killing intent boiled in Se-woon's eyes.