The Taeheo Successor
Dang Cheon-woo, the Poison Emperor, squeezed his eyes shut.
The Taeheo Sword of the Kunlun Sect…
Anyone in the martial world who remembered the great war between the orthodox and demonic factions, when the Phantom Demon had drenched the land in blood, owed a great debt to the Kunlun Sect.
The one who had stopped the Phantom Demon’s vicious rampage was none other than Taeheo Singeom, the former sect leader of Kunlun.
Every martial artist still remembers Taeheo Singeom’s grace.
The Poison Emperor bit his lip.
If Seomun Hwan truly was the successor who had inherited Kunlun’s secret arts, he could not treat him carelessly.
Opposing him would only invite universal condemnation.
But if I simply withdraw like this…
His grandson, Dang Mun-yeong, had already been utterly humiliated in front of everyone.
Not only his grandson, but the entire Tang Clan’s prestige would plummet.
He had to find some way to salvage their face.
Swallowing the bitter taste in his mouth, the Poison Emperor slowly raised his head.
“So it is true. Taeheo Singeom’s…”
Everyone held their breath, watching the Poison Emperor’s lips.
“For a young hero to have mastered Kunlun’s supreme arts so splendidly is truly a blessing for the martial world. Young Master Seomun, I thought you were too harsh earlier, but since such an outstanding talent has given my grandson a lesson, I should be grateful instead.”
The Poison Emperor praised Seomun Hwan while trying to minimize the damage to his grandson’s reputation.
Being defeated by an unknown warrior would be shameful, but losing to Kunlun’s successor was nothing strange.
Of course, using hidden weapons deserved criticism, but since it was the Tang Clan, there was room to soften the blame.
At the Poison Emperor’s words, the surrounding people murmured in admiration.
“As expected of the Poison Emperor. Such magnanimity.”
Praise followed, and the atmosphere in the hall shifted rapidly.
“If Young Master Seomun really is Taeheo Singeom’s disciple, the ranking of the next generation’s rising stars might change.”
“Of course! Hasn’t the pillar of the martial world we thought lost returned?”
Seomun Hwan, who moments ago had been suspected of being a successor of the unorthodox or demonic sects, had instantly transformed into the heir of the hero who saved the martial world.
The Poison Emperor swallowed dryly and forced a smile.
“We shall see the Kunlun Sect’s reputation restored in the martial world once more.”
“You flatter me. It was an honor to witness the Tang Clan’s secret arts as well.”
Seomun Hwan cupped his fists politely. A sly smile curved his lips as he bowed his head.
Everything had gone exactly according to plan.
It’ll get a bit noisy, but there’s no helping it.
It had all begun during his conversation with Hyeongeom Jin-in.
When he instantly grasped the Taiji Cloud Sword’s principles, the Wudang Sect had tried to claim him.
To escape that situation, he had borrowed the Kunlun Sect’s name, and the misunderstanding that he was Taeheo Singeom’s disciple had taken root.
He had never intended to escalate things further.
That is, until he personally experienced the Tang Clan’s contempt and disregard.
His father and brothers had endured such humiliation countless times.
I was wrong. The martial world is always a candle in the wind. If I truly want to live in peace, the Seomun Clan must become stronger than any other family or sect.
It was not merely about strength.
To survive in the martial world, a high reputation was also necessary.
Being Kunlun’s successor would suffice.
The Seomun Clan must grow stronger.
Both its martial prowess and its fame were lacking. In this state, troublesome matters would keep repeating.
Seomun Hwan’s eyes gleamed as he made his decision.
Kunlun’s heir? Fine. If I’m going to sell the lie, I might as well sell it properly.
Even if it was a misunderstanding, it did not matter.
In the martial world, such misunderstandings sometimes carried more power than a blade.
The Poison Emperor spoke again.
“Young Master Seomun, may I ask where your master is currently?”
Seomun Hwan shook his head slightly.
“I’m sorry, but I cannot speak of my master’s whereabouts.”
The hall stirred once more.
“So Taeheo Singeom is still alive after all.”
“Where could he be in seclusion?”
Rumors in the martial world spread faster than light.
After today, the entire martial world would surely be talking about Kunlun’s return.
The Poison Emperor let out a quiet sigh of relief inwardly.
The more firmly Seomun Hwan kept his mouth shut, the smaller the incident of his grandson’s humiliation would become.
The more the story of him being Kunlun’s successor spread, the more his defeat would seem natural rather than shameful.
The Poison Emperor smiled lightly.
“I see. There must be circumstances. Please convey my regards to your esteemed master.”
“I will.”
Seomun Hwan nodded calmly.
The gazes around him had now turned to reverence and curiosity.
Seomun Hwan quietly observed their reactions and muttered inwardly.
This should be enough to make them believe.
He had deceived them with mere words.
But it was not simply eloquence.
In his past life as the Phantom Demon, he had read countless people’s hearts, deceived them, and seduced them with schemes.
Those skills still seeped unconsciously into his speech.
His words had become magic, and the persuasion that made them sound like truth was itself an illusion technique.
Being captivated by words means believing them to be true. In the end, illusion is the power to make others believe.
Seomun Hwan sensed the moment when doubt and conviction crossed in the eyes of those around him.
No one in this place doubted him now.
Everyone believed he was Kunlun’s heir, and that belief would summon even more truth.
All of this was an intentional illusion.
Seomun Hwan’s illusion technique had been applied perfectly.
Even the Poison Emperor did not realize he had been deceived.
Though it was the Poison Emperor’s seventieth birthday banquet, the true protagonist of this moment was Seomun Hwan.
Seomun Hwan began preparing to leave the Tang Clan.
While Deokheum and Jo Gang-je hurriedly prepared the horses, two figures could be seen rushing toward them from afar.
It was Baekri Mudan and Baekri Seonhwa.
Baekri Mudan caught his breath and spoke hurriedly.
“Young Master Seomun, could you spare me a moment?”
Seomun Hwan looked at him with a blank expression.
“What is it, Elder Baekri?”
Baekri Mudan hesitated for a moment before speaking with difficulty.
“It’s about the marriage arrangement we discussed last time. Could you reconsider it?”
Baekri Seonhwa stood beside him with her lips tightly pressed together.
Though it was clearly something she did not want, she could not ignore the current situation either.
Seomun Hwan let out a short laugh.
“A marriage arrangement? That was already broken off by the Baekri Clan, was it not?”
Baekri Mudan’s face flushed red.
“W-well… It seems our clan was too hasty. At the time, we did not know the true standing of the Seomun Clan. I’m sorry.”
But Seomun Hwan’s smile turned cold.
“The true standing…”
When he looked at Baekri Seonhwa, she averted her gaze with a cold expression.
Seeing that, Seomun Hwan continued in an icy voice.
“Back then, you said the Seomun Clan was beneath the Baekri Clan in status. That the marriage arrangement was unsuitable.”
Baekri Mudan could only bite his lip, unable to respond.
“And now? The reason you’re bringing up the marriage arrangement again… is probably because I might be Kunlun’s successor, isn’t it?”
“N-no, that’s not it!”
Seomun Hwan shook his head.
“No. That no longer matters. Reconnecting a marriage arrangement that was already broken in the past would be improper, even considering the face of a noble clan.”
Baekri Mudan’s face hardened.
“But we have a long-standing connection, and a prenatal betrothal is not something that can be…”
“The one who so easily broke it was the Baekri Clan.”
Seomun Hwan’s voice was cold and sharp.
“And now that I think about it, the Seomun Clan forming a marriage alliance with the Baekri Clan… might actually be beneath our station.”
Baekri Seonhwa finally looked at Seomun Hwan sharply. Her eyes held a mixture of pride and anger.
Seomun Hwan did not avoid her gaze. He continued calmly.
“The Seomun Clan will now aim higher. I wonder if the Baekri Clan can keep up with that pace…”
At his final words, Baekri Mudan’s face turned deathly pale.
Seomun Hwan smiled lightly and bowed his head.
“Spilled water cannot be put back into the cup. I wish the Baekri Clan prosperity.”
Then, without looking back, Seomun Hwan headed toward the carriage.
Though deep shame flickered in Baekri Seonhwa’s eyes, Seomun Hwan quickened his pace, ignoring it.
It was the moment when everything had been perfectly reversed.
When Seomun Hwan returned to the Seomun Clan residence, the estate was already filled with an entirely different atmosphere than before.
The servants all looked at him with strangely altered eyes.
“Strange… Has the news already reached here?”
One servant rushed over and shouted.
“Young Master, the Clan Head and Madam wish to see you urgently.”
Since it was something he had already expected, Seomun Hwan smiled calmly and walked on.
When he entered the Clan Head’s study, his parents were waiting for him with anxious expressions.
“Hwan-ah!”
His mother greeted him with a trembling voice.
“Is it true? The rumor that you… that you are Kunlun’s successor—is it true?”
Tension laced his father Seomun Dam’s voice as well. His eyes held both wonder and joy.
Seomun Hwan looked at them for a moment.
In his past life as the Phantom Demon, he had no family.
He had faced the world alone, and even in his final moments, he had been alone.
Yet now, before him stood parents who worried for him and rejoiced in him.
After taking a deep breath to steady his heart, Seomun Hwan spoke with a natural expression.
“Yes, Father, Mother. It is true.”
His parents’ eyes wavered greatly at his words.
“How… Then why have you never said anything until now?”
His father asked, still looking as though he could not believe it.
“Well…”
Seomun Hwan continued with the most serious face he could muster.
“My master strictly ordered me to keep it a secret. He said that if this fact became known, it would bring no good to me or to our clan.”
“Ah…”
His mother covered her mouth, her expression filled with emotion. His father Seomun Dam also nodded gravely.
“I see. So that’s why you stayed in your room all this time?”
“Yes. Everything I did was merely a disguise. In truth, I was diligently training in martial arts in secret to follow my master’s will. I’m sorry for causing you worry.”
It was a shameless lie, but his parents did not doubt Seomun Hwan’s words in the slightest.
Instead, they looked at him with eyes filled with surprise and joy.
“I see. Thank you, and I’m proud of you, Hwan-ah.”
Tears even welled in his mother’s eyes. His father spoke with trembling shoulders.
“At last, we have a son who will bring glory to the clan’s name. Thinking of the hardships you must have endured pains my heart.”
At those words, Seomun Hwan’s chest burned with warmth. It was an emotion he had never felt, not even in his past life.
Family…
The warmth that he could never have felt as a lonely orphan in his past life now struck his heart.
Though it was built on lies for now, a fervent wish rose within him to one day truly live up to their expectations.
Yes. From now on, I’ll become the son they truly want—the son they can be proud of.
Seomun Hwan looked at his parents once more and bowed deeply.
“I will work even harder from now on. I won’t disappoint you again.”
Overflowing trust and affection shone in his parents’ eyes. It felt painfully good.
For a truly peaceful and distant future.
Seomun Hwan smiled from the bottom of his heart.
After the banquet ended, gentle starlight seeped into the room through the window.
Beneath the softly glowing candlelight, Dang Mi-ju was reflecting on the day’s events.
An unconscious, gentle smile rose to her lips.
He really was an unexpected person.
From the first moment she saw Seomun Hwan, she had sensed something special about him.
But she had only intuited that he was no ordinary young master of a merchant clan.
She had never imagined he would be this outstanding.
To think my second brother would be so thoroughly humiliated.
She let out a faint laugh.
The sight of her second brother, Dang Mun-yeong, being crushed in front of all the distinguished guests of the martial world had been truly satisfying.
To Dang Mi-ju, her brothers were nothing more than rivals.
Obstacles blocking her path.
In particular, her second brother Dang Mun-yeong was close to the clan’s elders and was considered highly likely to become the next Tang Clan head.
That was why today’s incident was all the more valuable.
Thanks to this, one major obstacle in my way has rolled away on its own.
Dang Mi-ju gently brushed her hair back.
She had long since resolved to become the next clan head who would lead the Tang Clan herself.
She was confident that she already surpassed her brothers not only in ability but also in poison arts and hidden weapon techniques.
But the greatest obstacle for her remained the clan’s conservative elders.
No matter how outstanding, they stubbornly insist a woman cannot be clan head…
She tapped her fingertips on the desk.
Throughout the Tang Clan’s history, the clan head had always been male, and the elders would never break that tradition.
But giving up was not an option. The clan’s future was at stake.
In times like this, a sharper tool is needed.
Her eyes gleamed sharply once more.
Seomun Hwan…
Because of today’s events, Seomun Hwan had instantly become the center of the martial world’s attention.
An individual who had inherited Kunlun’s secret arts—
His name alone possessed the power to shake the martial world.
Others had only heard rumors and did not yet know Seomun Hwan’s true value, but she was different.
His gaze, his expression, his unmistakable spirit and demeanor—everything about him was extraordinary.
From beginning to end, his every move was perfectly calculated.
The meticulous planning that turned even her second brother’s cunning scheme into his own opportunity.
No one else at the scene had noticed, but only Dang Mi-ju had realized it.
He really is a dangerous and interesting person. And quite charming, too.
Her smile deepened.
The more dangerous the opponent, the more valuable they were.
If used well, they could even turn her greatest weakness into an opportunity.
Now the question is how to bring him to my side…
Dang Mi-ju gazed quietly at the candle flame, deep in thought.
She already knew that promises of power and wealth, or binding him through a political marriage, would never be enough to secure Seomun Hwan.
There was no such greed in his eyes.
In that case…
She smiled with interest and slowly rose to her feet.
The more outstanding a person was, the more one had to aim for their goals rather than their desires.
“Should I watch a little longer… or approach him directly?”
The moonlight from outside the window softly illuminated her face.
A smile colder than the moonlight itself appeared on her lips.