One or Two? (1)
The duel was now just three days away.
The showdown between Baek So-cheon and Yeom Sa-won had spread far and wide across the Central Plains, to the point where no one was unaware of it. People were calling it the Righteous-Evil Duel.
Martial artists from all corners flocked to Mu-han to witness this clash.
Though the duel was invitation-only, throngs gathered anyway, hoping against hope for a chance to catch a glimpse.
The long war had prevented even a single Murim Tournament from being held in recent years. In such circumstances, this confrontation between representatives of the righteous and evil factions felt like a grand festival for the jianghu.
The massive crowds brought about some extraordinary spectacles.
Martial artists without invitations swarmed the Murim Alliance headquarters in protest. It was unprecedented in the history of duel tournaments.
"Show it to us too!"
"This historic clash should be an open tournament!"
"We demand fairness for all!"
But that was impossible. No duel arena could accommodate such numbers, and even if one existed, controlling the masses would be out of the question.
That day was a crucial gathering for the Alliance Lord, key Alliance figures, and renowned elders from various regions. There was always the risk of Black Heaven Alliance assassins slipping in among the crowds.
To soothe the angry masses, the Alliance organized events near the headquarters: puppet shows and plays by traveling troupes, martial arts demonstrations and lectures by Alliance masters, and small-scale duel tournaments hosted by minor sects. Mu-han was swept up in an unprecedented fervor.
The crowds weren't just martial artists.
Where people gathered in droves, merchants from across the Central Plains naturally followed. They hawked their wares in the streets, selling items rarely seen in Mu-han. Vendors from the Western Regions were plentiful too.
Not just merchants—gamblers poured in, running betting pools on the duel. Wagers flew on this evenly matched fight: victory alone wasn't enough; bets covered total duel time, the exact move that would decide it, who would suffer the first injury, which body part the decisive strike would hit, and countless other details.
This time, even the Murim Alliance turned a blind eye to the betting rings.
Amid Mu-han's clamor, Yeom Sa-won—who had been cooped up in the Alliance for some time—decided to venture out. His assigned guard blocked his path.
"You can't go out."
"Just gonna get some air."
His guard was far his senior in age and held a squad leader position in the Alliance, but Yeom Sa-won treated him like dirt.
"Mu-han is crawling with powerhouses right now. Plenty lost family to the Black Heaven Alliance in the last war. Wandering around is dangerous."
"Tell 'em to bring it. I'll send 'em all to their families."
"Young Master Yeom."
"Young Master? I told you to call me Great Hero Yeom."
"Great Hero Yeom! The duel is only three days away. What if something happens now?"
"Outta my way! Unless you wanna die."
In the end, the guard yielded to Yeom Sa-won's momentum.
Jan-baek and Go-gong simply let him do as he pleased, following at a distance and focusing on protection.
As Yeom Sa-won exited the Alliance, he glanced at the nearly completed duel arena, buzzing with final preparations.
Even he had never seen such a massive arena.
Seeing it in person made the reality sink in: he was truly about to fight Baek So-cheon.
I'll kill him here.
He would slay Baek So-cheon and regain his father's trust.
Striding out into the streets, Yeom Sa-won found them teeming with martial artists, just as expected.
Damn it!
He hoped someone would recognize him.
—That's Yeom Sa-won! Black Heaven heir!
—Kill him! Someone take him out!
But once he beat the hell out of them, they'd scream something like:
—He's a master! We need real masters! Someone fetch a true expert!
He longed for that chaos, but no one on the street even glanced his way. In this chaotic bustle, he could've worn a sign saying "Black Heaven Heir" and still gone unnoticed.
These idiotic righteous fools! One day, I'll wipe you all out.
Instead of returning to the Alliance, Yeom Sa-won stopped by Cheon-geuk's Daroo Tea House.
"Forget the tea! Where's your boss? Get her."
"Yes, right away."
The waiter informed the kitchen, and soon Cheon-geuk appeared.
"Great Hero Yeom, what a surprise."
She greeted him with a beaming smile—not out of joy at seeing him, but because she was in such high spirits lately.
"Hmph! Flirting with any man who walks in. Is that how you seduced Baek too?"
"Why? Do I look pretty?"
"Don't flatter yourself!"
In truth, Cheon-geuk struck Yeom Sa-won as stunning. When she was with Baek So-cheon, his focus had been solely on him, but seeing her alone now, she was truly beautiful. Myeol Ji-ryun was younger and had an exotic allure, but she paled next to Cheon-geuk.
"When our Alliance unites the Murim, you'd best watch yourselves. That fling with Baek So-cheon won't be forgotten."
Cheon-geuk found him pathetic. Relying on the Black Heaven Alliance's name rather than his own strength to bully others—what a pitiful excuse for a man.
"You've got it wrong. Why would we side with the righteous?"
"Then why hang around Baek So-cheon?"
"Don't you know about our history with him?"
"What history?"
Incredibly, he was clueless about the Sal-su Yeon-maeng's past with Baek So-cheon.
What the hell has this loser been doing with his life? Killing him might be too merciful—instead, make him Black Heaven Lord, and that'll doom the Alliance faster.
That thought genuinely crossed Cheon-geuk's mind.
"Baek So-cheon killed all our senior assassins. How could we defy him?"
"Oh yeah? Rings a bell now. But you're lying."
"What do you mean?"
"Baek lost all his inner power, right? You could've killed him anytime."
"But the Murim Alliance backs him. Why do you think I'm stuck here selling tea?"
It landed perfectly. Even Yeom Sa-won had wondered why she was peddling tea here.
"If that's true, those Murim Alliance bastards are real scum."
"Keep your voice down. Someone might hear."
Cheon-geuk toyed with him like a pebble in her palm.
"So what if they do!"
Yeom Sa-won raised his voice instead.
She thought to herself: If the entire Murim were full of guys like this, uniting it would be a breeze.
Then a sudden notion struck her. Maybe Baek So-cheon feels the same watching me or others?
"Baek So-cheon dies in this duel anyway."
"Then I'll finally be free of this damn oppression."
Her expectant gaze lifted Yeom Sa-won's mood.
Watching him, Cheon-geuk appreciated anew just how solid Baek So-cheon was. What a stark contrast.
"Hey, seen Baek So-cheon lately?"
"No, not at all."
Cheon-geuk lied without batting an eye.
Yeom Sa-won snapped irritably, as if the mere thought annoyed him.
"Where the hell is that bastard hiding? Hasn't shown his face lately."
Cheon-geuk bowed her head inwardly.
You punk— that precious man was busy taking lessons from me!
* * *
Myeol Ji-ryun was sipping tea with Rap-sa in her quarters.
"The duel between Baek So-cheon and Yeom Sa-won is three days away."
"The streets of Mu-han are packed."
"Not nervous?"
"Why would I be? It's not like I'm fighting."
"True enough."
With Rap-sa, Myeol Ji-ryun acted like an innocent girl.
"Elder, you must be tired. Go rest."
"You too, miss. Get some early sleep."
"Yes."
Rap-sa left the room. He knew nothing of her true plan, believing she'd fled here to escape a marriage to Yeom Sa-won.
Once he was gone, the innocent girl vanished, replaced by the venomous maiden on a grave mission.
When truth and lies entwine, the enemy drowns in chaos.
As Baek So-cheon had intuited, the rift between Myeol Saeng and Jeok Pa-rap was deliberate.
Myeol Ji-ryun recalled the night before departing the cult.
In the Blood Cult's most secretive chamber, a farewell unfolded.
—Daughter.
—Yes, Father.
Myeol Saeng appeared in his true form: a shaved head with a blood-red tattoo of nine entwined serpents at the center, his body covered in indecipherable runes and symbols. Just looking at him was eerie and chilling.
—Your role this time is crucial. Can you handle it?
—I can.
—Good. I raised you strong for exactly this day.
—I've waited for the day our cult claims supremacy.
Jeok Pa-rap stood beside Myeol Saeng. He too was unnatural: over a century old, yet his skin was taut, appearing even younger than Myeol Saeng. He sustained his youth by absorbing the vitality of the young through his unique sorcery.
—The cult's fate rests on you.
—Yes, Grandmaster.
—Fear not. Pa-jeong will aid you. You won't fail.
Pa-jeong was no ordinary warrior. He was Jeok Pa-rap's newest disciple.
Jeok Pa-rap had sworn never to take another after Myeol Saeng, but Pa-jeong's talent changed his mind. Young as he was, his skill surpassed anyone else's.
Even the pinnacle master Rap-sa among the Blood Cult's Ten Great Experts paled beside him. That was why Myeol Saeng and Jeok Pa-rap had sent her to the Murim Alliance with confidence.
—Beware Baek So-cheon especially. Inner power or not, he's no pushover. Guard against him more than Ak So-gun or Je-gal Hyeon.
Myeol Ji-ryun snapped back to the present.
Don't worry. I'll succeed this time and fulfill our cult's long-cherished wish.
Her gray eyes darkened further.
Then young guardian Pa-jeong entered the room.
"Baek So-cheon left money with Jeong Pung."
Still gazing out the window, she sneered mockingly.
"Righteous scum, acting all high and mighty."
"Giving that bastard three hundred thousand nyang was a waste."
"Once we achieve our great cause, that pittance won't matter."
She turned to Pa-jeong.
"Preparations?"
"Proceeding as planned. The duel chaos is making my work even easier."
"Stay cautious. Baek So-cheon's instincts are sharp. He's already suspicious of me."
"No worries. It's all covert, and he's swamped with duel prep."
Myeol Ji-ryun smiled in satisfaction, sharing the sentiment.
It was then.
Pa-jeong shushed silently, crept over, and flung open the window where she'd stood. A chill wind rushed in.
"What is it?"
Pa-jeong scanned sharply. Nothing outside.
"Nothing."
He closed the window.
"Think I wouldn't check myself?"
"Sorry. Must've been my mistake."
But it wasn't.
A short distance from the window, Baek So-cheon stood hidden. He'd fooled the nearby Myeol Ji-ryun, but nearly got caught by the farther Pa-jeong.
No ordinary guy.
It wasn't about martial skill or inner power. Like when he'd sensed Cheon-geuk despite lacking qi, Baek So-cheon possessed innate hyper senses.
What the hell are they plotting?
The Blood Cult was undoubtedly scheming something big. All that remained was uncovering it.
Three days until the duel.
Baek So-cheon vanished as silently as he'd come, his movements as natural and stealthy as the falling dusk.