The Poison Flower's Investment
Checking an opponent's momentum after a fight was crucial.
Even if the opponent was clearly inferior.
If you failed to crush their spirit, the battle could not be considered over.
This was an old adage of the Jianghu.
"Yeah, momentum. And momentum is usually obvious in the eyes. No matter who looked, that guy's eyes were alive. Even the most vicious leaders of the unorthodox factions beg for their lives when hit with the Tang family's poison, but him... No matter how I look at it, I just don't understand."
Dang Jihwa tilted her head once more.
Her words were true.
Direct bloodline members of the Tang family underwent training to build resistance to poison.
The most basic part of that training was maintaining mental clarity while under the effects of poison.
Those experiencing it for the first time rarely lasted even a few moments before collapsing to their knees.
The pain was simply unimaginable.
Dang Jihwa knew exactly how excruciating that torment was.
Yet Jang Muhwi had not shown the slightest tremor.
If anything, his expression had looked almost peaceful.
That was the part Dang Jihwa could not comprehend.
After a moment of thought, she continued.
"Send word to the family. It looks like I'll need to remain at the Qinghai Branch for a while."
"You won't be returning to Sichuan?"
When his subordinate appeared flustered, Dang Jihwa spoke.
"Shouldn't I check on my investment before I go?"
"Investment?"
"I poured that many antidotes into him. Of course it's an investment."
Dang Jihwa pointed at the box her subordinate was holding.
Inside were nothing but empty vials rolling around.
The subordinate could only stare with his mouth agape.
Why had the word investment come up?
Unlike her subordinate's bewildered face, Dang Jihwa wore a mysterious smile.
"Think about it. I invested the Tang family's poison, its antidotes, and even my hidden weapons on that man."
"But how is that an inves..."
The subordinate trailed off as soon as he saw Dang Jihwa's expression change.
She softened her face and said, "Has the Tang family ever wasted money?"
"Well..."
"Exactly. So if we've gone this far, it's an investment. Plain and simple."
"What do you plan to do now?"
"Observe for the time being."
Dang Jihwa narrowed her eyes as she gazed toward the Hero's Hall.
She meant every word.
It was true she had been shaken until the moment she left the hall.
But once she stepped outside and felt the cold wind on her face, her mind cleared.
At the same time, she ran the calculations in her head, and the conclusion became the plan she had just explained.
That evening.
The examiners gathered without Dang Jihwa.
Before them rose a mountain of documents recording every detail of the Dragon Gate Assembly.
They were evaluating the young talents who had passed the final gate.
Everyone was staring at the papers without so much as blinking when Gudo Mosang suddenly jabbed a finger at one sheet.
"Take a look at this!"
"Hm. Just as expected."
Wang Jimak stroked his beard.
The document contained the young talents' evaluations of their fellow candidates.
As the examiners scanned the grades, they lifted their heads and exchanged glances.
The Dragon Gate Assembly took into account not only the examiners' scores but also the assessments of their peers.
The reason was simple.
In the Jianghu, you needed comrades you could trust with your back.
A peer evaluation asked whether someone was worthy of that trust.
In some ways, it carried even more weight than the examiners' judgment.
And in every examiner's mind right now, only one name kept echoing.
Jang Muhwi.
Some candidates had written that he threw himself into the flames of hell to save his comrades.
Others declared they would gladly give their lives if he led them.
It went beyond trust into respect, even veneration.
To feel that way toward a competitor?
Such a thing had never occurred in the entire history of the Dragon Gate Assembly.
There was a saying that children grew through fighting.
It was half true and half false.
Had they not witnessed what happened during the final test, they would never have believed these evaluations.
All eyes turned to Wang Jimak.
The Shanxi Branch Chief, who had remained silent throughout the entire Dragon Gate Assembly, smiled.
"I hate to admit it, but I must. To think Qinghai held such a talent."
"Thank you."
Wang Jimak nodded toward the Shanxi Branch Chief.
Yet his expression remained far from bright.
Noticing this, the Shanxi Branch Chief asked, "Why such a face on this auspicious day?"
"I'm uneasy."
"About what?"
"It seems Dokhwa's attention is completely fixed on that boy."
"That's simply another wall a true hero must overcome. That aside, with scores like these, shouldn't we award him the Silver Dragon Sword? There's never been a record like this in the history of the Dragon Gate Assembly."
He pointed at Jang Muhwi's document.
Every single entry read Upper.
The Dragon Gate Assembly's final evaluation used three tiers: Upper, Middle, and Lower.
Jang Muhwi had received an Upper grade from every single person.
It might sound simple, but such a thing was incredibly rare.
Capturing the favor of every examiner was difficult enough, let alone earning generous scores from rival candidates.
At that moment Gudo Mosang cut in.
"Receiving Upper grades from every examiner and every peer in the Dragon Gate Assembly, where even passing is considered difficult! Of course he deserves a proper reward!"
"Hm."
As Wang Jimak stroked his beard again, Gudo Mosang pressed, "What's with you? Didn't every examiner give him full marks? The boy has martial skill, character, and even a noble spirit of sacrifice. What's the problem?"
"Not every examiner gave him full marks."
"Don't tell me... Dokhwa?"
Gudo Mosang quickly flipped through the stack.
His eyes widened dramatically.
Dokhwa's final evaluation sheet was completely blank.
She had left without scoring it at all.
All the examiners let out hollow laughs.
"Haha. She really knows how to hold a grudge."
"I knew it."
They were all clicking their tongues when the door opened.
A faint, sweet fragrance drifted into the room.
Everyone turned at once.
There stood Dang Jihwa, wearing that same mysterious smile.
"It seems you were all looking for me. You kept your distance before, so why the sudden interest?"
With those words, she walked slowly over and sat in an empty seat as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Once seated, she snatched the document from the Shanxi Branch Chief's hands.
Whoosh!
"Let's see..."
Flipping through the pages, Dang Jihwa casually picked up a brush.
She paused for a moment, then looked at Wang Jimak.
At her gaze, he asked, "What fault are you trying to find now?"
"I'm not looking for fault. I simply have a request."
"What request?"
Wang Jimak stared at her with clear displeasure.
After what she had done to Jang Muhwi, she had fled after turning in a blank sheet. He could not view her favorably.
For a moment their gazes clashed in the air.
Dang Jihwa spoke first.
"I'll be staying at the Qinghai Branch for a while, so please prepare suitable quarters for me."
"That can be arranged at any time... Wait, what did you just say?"
Wang Jimak looked at her in shock.
After losing face during the final test, she wanted to remain in Qinghai?
He could not read her intentions.
More honestly, the idea simply felt suspicious.
It was like releasing a hungry jackal into the front yard.
Seeing his expression, Dang Jihwa smiled as though she had expected exactly that reaction.
"I said I'll stay at the Qinghai Branch for a while. Is that so strange?"
Gudo Mosang interrupted.
"Dokhwa, what scheme are you cooking up this time?"
"Would you prefer I leave instead?"
Dang Jihwa shot back without yielding an inch.
When the mood threatened to sour further, Wang Jimak stepped in.
"Fine. Do as you wish. I will prepare the quarters."
"Thank you for your kindness, Chief Wang."
With that, Dang Jihwa lifted the brush once more.
Her face expressionless, she drew a single swift stroke.
As though writing only one character, she set the brush down.
The examiners all leaned forward eagerly.
Only Wang Jimak remained with arms crossed, his eyes showing no anticipation.
His close friend Mosang tugged at his sleeve.
"Look at this."
"Isn't it obvious without looking?"
"Just look, will you?"
"Why bother looking at an obvious..."
Wang Jimak's words died in his throat.
There, written in bold strokes, was an evaluation no one had expected.
The next day at noon, the gates of the Qinghai Branch opened.
Creak.
Through the gap, warriors began to emerge.
The eyes of the spectators watching them burned brighter than the sun overhead.
It was only natural. The Dragon Gate Assembly was the greatest event in the Qinghai region.
Today marked its final day, and those walking out were undoubtedly the young talents who had passed.
One of the onlookers tilted his head.
"Those aren't the young talents. They're just warriors from the Qinghai Branch, aren't they?"
"So it seems."
Still confused, they turned back toward the main gate.
But the heavy doors remained firmly shut, showing no sign of opening again.
Then where were the young talents?
They had gathered at a tavern roughly ten li from the Qinghai Branch.
After completing the simple passing ceremony that morning, they had exited through the branch's rear gate.
The ceremony itself had been surprisingly brief.
It ended with receiving cups of wine from Wang Jimak, the Qinghai Branch Chief, and the examiners from each region.
The only additional gift was the Hero's Token, proof of passing the Dragon Gate Assembly.
Though it was merely a token, their shoulders felt heavier than ever before.
They had now become proper members of the Jianghu.
Furthermore, they were now eligible to receive missions directly from the Murim Alliance.
It was a privilege granted solely to those who passed the Dragon Gate Assembly.
They spent the time swapping martial tales about everything that had occurred during the event.
And naturally, the name that kept rising above all others was Jang Muhwi.
Then the delicious dishes began covering the table.
Steaming hot pots and fragrant lamb skewers, a Qinghai specialty, filled the air with mouthwatering aromas.
Everything had been ordered for Jang Muhwi.
The other young talents believed his body had not yet fully recovered.
This gathering was their way of wishing him strength for the long journey ahead.
As the food arrived, wine cups began circulating naturally.
But Mu Ilho quickly removed the cup placed before Jang Muhwi.
"Sorry. Your body hasn't recovered yet. You should be careful."
"I'm fine."
Jang Muhwi waved his hand with a smile.
He was unused to such goodwill, yet it felt strangely warm.
Having lived through countless battles and schemes, Jang Muhwi could tell their eyes held genuine sincerity.
At that moment, someone came rushing up the stairs from below.
It was none other than Cheolwoo, Jang Muhwi's servant.
Cheolwoo hurried over and handed him a letter.
Jang Muhwi's expression shifted rapidly as he read its contents.
The letter contained an order from the family head, his father, commanding him to return home in three months.
The wording almost sounded as if he were being cast out after participating in the Dragon Gate Assembly.
Yet there was no reason for such treatment.
The same family that had sent him off to the Qinghai Branch with ample traveling funds would now hide him away?
Without even asking about the results of the Assembly?
For now, he needed to find any clues within the letter itself.
After studying it a moment longer, Jang Muhwi narrowed his eyes.
The handwriting was rushed and uneven.
The ink splatters scattered across the page suggested the writer had been in great haste.
Still holding the letter, Jang Muhwi rose from his seat.
Return to the family in three months.
— Family Head —