An Unexpected Variable
The Shrine of Guan Yu was originally built to honor the legendary general, but this particular shrine, located not far from the Jegal Family Manor, was empty and dilapidated, no different from a haunted house.
Even the ancestral tablet of Guan Yu, the very symbol of the shrine, was cracked and faded from neglect, making the state of the place easy to imagine.
In this place, abandoned by the world and forgotten by all, where no traces of life could be found—
Ssshh!
Shadows rising from the darkness blocked out the moonlight.
It felt as if the very space was being dyed pitch black.
The faded tablet, which had been faintly visible in the moonlight, vanished entirely from sight.
"The Jegal Family plan has failed."
Out of the darkness, a voice echoed.
And it was not the only one.
"The Jegal Family failed?"
"Wasn't that the plan we prepared for the longest time?"
"How could such a plan fail?"
"Did that foolish daughter of the Geumhwang Merchant Group and her son make a mistake?"
The voices were truly bizarre.
Some sounded male, others female. Some sounded youthful, while others were grating and harsh, scratching at the eardrums.
However, they shared a few common traits.
Even the youngest voice carried a sinister, insidious undertone.
And they all dripped with a foul, sticky demonic energy.
Had anyone been nearby, the unfortunate soul would have coughed up blood from all seven orifices and died, suffocated by the horrific demonic energy that choked the air and blocked the moonlight.
"No. There was a variable."
"A variable? In a place like the Jegal Family? Impossible."
When one dismissed the idea, another spoke up.
"Jegal Jeok-un."
"...Who?"
"He exposed the existence of the Black Lotus Poison. He revealed that the daughter of the Geumhwang Merchant Group had been poisoning the eldest son of the Jegal Family."
"!"
Everyone was astonished.
Yet, their astonishment was not born of fear, terror, or the unknown.
It was sheer absurdity.
It was a variable they had never anticipated—indeed, one they could not have even imagined.
"What nonsense is this?"
"That half-wit second son of the Jegal Family did this?"
"Yes."
"How could a worthless wretch like him disrupt our Cult's grand design...?"
They all found it hard to believe.
And naturally so, for anyone who knew of Jegal Jeok-un would react the same way.
His birth was nothing special, and his talent was mediocre.
In fact, calling it the worst would not be an exaggeration.
After all, he had clung to the Socheonseong Art—a technique most mastered before the age of fifteen—until he was nearly twenty!
And our Cult's grand design was ruined by such a half-wit?
It was unbelievable news, even as they heard it.
"The details do not matter. What matters is that a variable has appeared, our plan has gone awry, and we must clean up the mess."
"...Agreed."
The meeting of voices in the deserted shrine proceeded at a rapid pace.
"The Assassin Pavilion, whose tail has been caught, shall be destroyed."
"Approved."
Before a few words could even be exchanged, the fate of the assassin sect was sealed.
Their blood-stained hands would now have to choke their own throats.
"Next is the Jegal Family. What shall we do?"
"Ignore them."
"Ignore them? Why?"
"Jegal Mun's condition has not changed. He remains poisoned."
"Ho. Then our primary objective has been achieved. Even if left alone, Jegal Mun will die from the poison."
The core of the Jegal Family issue was their patriarch, Jegal Mun.
If they could eliminate Jegal Mun, the Jegal Family's influence and value would be cut by more than half.
"Then, onto the next agenda. Assuming the subjugation of the Jegal Family..."
The voices discussed the altered situation, the new variables, and the corresponding adjustments.
The Cult's grand design, their great cause.
Since this was their sole objective, it did not take long to reach an agreement.
"This should suffice."
"Then let us adjourn."
"But what about that boy?"
Just before the meeting ended, someone suddenly brought up a new topic.
"That boy?"
"Jegal Jeok-un. He is the one who ruined the Cult's grand design. Surely we cannot just let him go?"
Whether he intended to or not, he had nearly ruined their grand design.
They could not simply sit back and watch him, could they?
"He will destroy himself even if we do not step in."
"...Destroy himself?"
"The boy decapitated his younger brother, the third son of the Jegal Family, executed his mother who was imprisoned in the Blood Dungeon, and fled."
"Kin-slaying...!"
Kin-slaying was an unforgivable sin in the Orthodox faction.
Thus, the Jegal Family had dispatched the Iron-Blooded Judge, Jegal Tan—their strongest martial artist after the patriarch—along with their elite force, the Heavenly River Squad, to hunt down the criminal.
"But where is he trying to flee?"
"It seems he intends to use the Dongting water route to head to Hunan."
"Hunan? Is he heading to Sadocheon?"
"Hahaha! A rising star of the Orthodox faction defecting to the Unorthodox path? What a crazy bastard. I like him."
"Even if they tried to assassinate him, to immediately decapitate his own kin without hesitation... He is cut from the same cloth as us, not those hypocrites of the Orthodox path."
"Indeed. If he throws himself into the Demonic Path, he might make a fine sprout."
A few voices showed interest in Jeok-un.
But most simply treated him as a laughingstock.
Even if he had hidden a small amount of strength, no one expected a greenhorn from the Orthodox faction to survive the harshness of the Unorthodox world, where blood and blades ruled.
"Enough chatter. We disband."
Ssshh...
As soon as the declaration was made,
the dark shadows vanished as suddenly as they had appeared.
Rumble!
Lightning struck with a deafening roar.
The rain accompanying the thunder was nothing short of a torrential downpour.
In conditions where even the most experienced mountain travelers would tread with caution,
Thud-thud-thud-thud!
dozens of horses were galloping along the mountain path.
It was a precarious and dangerous sight at a glance.
But upon closer inspection, one could see that the riders were pursuing a single horseman in the lead.
"Jegal Jeok-un!"
And one would also realize that the leader of the pursuers was the Iron-Blooded Judge, Jegal Tan.
For there were not many martial artists in the Jegal Family capable of unleashing a Lion's Roar that could pierce through the torrential rain and mountain winds.
"Jegal Jeok-un! Stop this instant!"
Two days ago, Jeok-un had killed his half-brother and ultimately executed Lady Oh, who was imprisoned in the Blood Dungeon.
Killing his half-brother was shocking enough, but to execute Lady Oh as well?!
But that was not the end of it.
Immediately after killing Lady Oh, Jegal Jeok-un had stolen a family treasure and fled.
As soon as he grasped the situation, Jegal Mun had ordered Jegal Tan to capture the criminal.
Thus, Jegal Tan had pursued him for two days and nights, finally closing the distance.
"I told you to stop!"
"No!"
A reply came from ahead.
"Honestly, Uncle, would you stop if you were in my shoes? Please stop talking nonsense."
"You impudent brat!"
Jegal Tan roared in anger at the words, which showed not a shred of respect for his elder.
The chase over the last two days, the frustrating game of cat and mouse, and the constant provocations...
On the surface, Jegal Tan seemed to have reached his limit, trembling with rage.
What on earth are you planning, you foolish boy!
Yet, his inner thoughts were entirely different.
Jegal Tan was genuinely worried about Jeok-un.
If they rode for just a few more hours, they would leave Hubei Province.
That meant leaving the Jegal Family's sphere of influence.
Once he was out of their territory, what would happen if people found out he was the second son of the Jegal Family?
The Unorthodox martial artists of Hunan, who held deep grudges against the Jegal Family, would undoubtedly point their blades at him.
Therefore, there was only one way for Jeok-un to survive.
He had to return to the patriarch, bow his head in apology, and accept his punishment.
"Return to the family at once and beg for forgiveness! Enter the Cave of Repentance of your own accord! In ten years, your sins will be forgiven!"
"Stop talking nonsense. Ten years is enough time for the heavens and earth to change, let alone the mountains and rivers. Wouldn't it be cheaper for me to just switch sides from the Orthodox to the Unorthodox?"
"You bastard! To the very end, you...!"
But his stubborn nephew had no idea what his uncle was feeling and continued to run wild.
Jegal Tan's insides burned with frustration, but Jeok-un was actually holding back laughter.
Man, he really is a hot-headed fellow.
Contrary to Jegal Tan's assumptions, Jeok-un knew exactly what his uncle was worried about.
He was worried about whether Jeok-un could survive in Sadocheon, where people eager to kill anyone named Jegal were crawling everywhere.
But the target and direction of his worry were wrong.
Uncle, the ones you should be worried about aren't me, but them.
For the storm that would sweep through Sadocheon would be unleashed by none other than his own hands.
But this was a future only Jeok-un knew and was certain of; Jegal Tan had no way of knowing.
Therefore...
I cannot let this go on. I have no choice but to take him back by force!
Jegal Tan decided to settle the matter before they drew any closer to Hunan Province.
Swish!
A sharp sound of tearing wind echoed.
In an instant, Jegal Tan's judge's pen flew like lightning, piercing the horse Jeok-un was riding.
Neigh...!
With a painful shriek, the horse collapsed.
And Jeok-un, who was riding it, fell with it.
Or rather, he almost did.
Whoosh!
Jeok-un leaped into the air just before the horse hit the ground.
He spun like a top to absorb the impact, landing gracefully on the ground.
It was an incredible display of agility, jumping off a horse running at full speed.
Shhh!
But as if they had been waiting for this exact moment, the Heavenly River Squad rushed in, surrounding Jeok-un and pointing their swords at him.
The aura radiating from them as they instantly formed a sword formation was incredibly sharp.
It was the moment the true power of the Jegal Family's strongest combat unit, the Heavenly River Squad—where every single member was at least at the peak of the Peak Realm—was revealed to the world.
Ho, the Heavenly River Sword Formation.
Yet, looking at them, there was not a trace of fear in Jeok-un's eyes.
Instead, he glanced around at the squad members and let out a smirk, as if finding it laughable.
How could he not find it amusing?
Before his regression, Jeok-un had fought alone against the Demonic Cult's combat units, where every single member was in the Master Realm.
Tsk. It's hard to control my strength against kids.
As Jeok-un cracked his knuckles and loosened up his hands,
Jegal Tan suddenly stepped in front of the Heavenly River Squad.
"All Heavenly River Squad members, step back. I will face him alone."
"Leader, but—"
"I said, step back!"
"...Understood."
At Jegal Tan's command, the Heavenly River Squad retreated, leaving only Jegal Tan to face Jeok-un.
Even if my nephew has hidden strength, he is at most in the Peak Realm. If the Heavenly River Squad attacks him together, he will surely be gravely injured.
The reason he forced the squad to step back was, naturally, because he was worried Jeok-un would be severely hurt.
But the first words out of his nephew's mouth when their eyes met grated on his nerves once again.
"Well, fine. I've wanted to give you a good beating for a while anyway, Uncle."
"?!"
Jegal Tan was by no means a bad person.
But he had a chronic flaw.
While his loyalty to the patriarch and the family was genuine, he was incredibly dense.
That was why he hadn't noticed the schemes of Lady Oh and Jegal Wi-yeon.
Thus, Jeok-un intended to use this opportunity to beat some sense into his uncle.
He needs a proper shock to start acting like a proper adult.
Whoosh!
But having no way of knowing his nephew's considerate intentions, fire erupted in Jegal Tan's eyes.
"Fine! I'll break your legs if I have to, but I am taking you back!"
Swish!
There was no yielding of the first three moves.
Jegal Tan shouted fiercely and charged at Jeok-un like a flash of lightning.
Of course, he did not use the full power of his Transcendent Realm.
Forty percent of my strength should be enough!
Even if Jeok-un had a hidden card, he was only at the Peak Realm.
He controlled his power, aiming only to knock him unconscious.
Just as Jegal Tan thrust his judge's pen toward the pressure point on Jeok-un's chest,
...!
Hummm!
Boom!
From a relaxed stance without any preparatory posture, an immense energy suddenly exploded, and Jeok-un's fist struck out in an instant.
I—I must block it!
Startled, the charging Jegal Tan withdrew his offensive form and immediately shifted into a defensive stance.
In a fraction of a second, Jeok-un's fist slammed into Jegal Tan's crossed arms.
Crash!
"Ugh!"
It was clearly a simple punch, but it produced an explosion loud enough to make his ears ring.
Screeech!
The force behind it was so immense that Jegal Tan was pushed back, his feet carving a long trench into the ground.
Jegal Tan's eyes widened in shock.
...How on earth did he do that?
"Let me give you some advice—"
Jegal Tan looked up.
"If you keep holding back like that, you might end up losing a limb, Uncle."
"!"
Jeok-un delivered a chilling warning.