Exposed
Manipulating a person's emotions, worming into their weaknesses, and seizing control. That was the hallmark of Sa-an Gwi-gun's martial arts. A form of mental domination.
The reason this madman was so terrifying was that you never knew when or where you had been struck. Just like now.
Kwaang!
The sword at Ju Sang-jin's waist was drawn from its scabbard and shot past my cheek. I tilted my head and dodged it easily, but the destructive force was no joke.
"Tsk."
That sight confirmed it for me. It was Sa-an Gwi-gun's typical method—using the opponent's righteous energy to force them into combat until death. Which meant I had to subdue Ju Sang-jin.
'Of course, before that—'
Jeojeong!
I thrust my fist straight out and struck Ju Sang-jin across the face. With only about ten percent of my internal energy behind it, Ju Sang-jin was sent flying into the corner like a rag doll.
"Young Master!"
The sudden commotion brought Muyoung and the Namgung guards rushing in at the same time. Both drew their swords at the sight before them.
"Muyok-ah! That brat is trying to kill me! Kill him at once!"
"Y-yes?"
Namgung I-hwa shouted at me with a shameless expression. Naturally, the guards stood frozen, glancing helplessly between me and her.
"Muyoung."
I called out to him.
"Watch closely. You'll see exactly who I'm fighting right now. Now you'll understand."
Uung!
The air trembled. My internal energy circulated through my body as I took a single step forward.
'Tempest Shattering Moon.'
Beyond the raging gale, the surging demonic energy crashed over the guards. They were Peak-level experts, but so was I.
"Kuhak!"
With a single scream, the guard was hurled away. I didn't stop there. I seized the immobilized guard from behind and struck his vital points, sealing his movement.
The fewer witnesses, the better.
After subduing the guard in an instant, I turned toward Namgung I-hwa. Ju Sang-jin had already regained his senses and was standing beside her.
"Sa-an Gwi-gun."
"……!"
Namgung I-hwa's body flinched at the name.
"Don't bother with the usual lines—'How did you know?' or 'Who are you?' I've heard them so many times I'm sick of it."
"……W-what nonsense are you spouting!"
Namgung I-hwa looked visibly flustered. She had never dreamed her identity would be exposed like this.
I stared straight into her eyes and let my killing intent show.
"No matter where you hide, I'll find you. Just wait."
"Hehe…… Hehehe."
Namgung I-hwa burst into laughter, sounding unhinged.
"What a shame. Things were just getting interesting. Very well."
Her bloodshot eyes gleamed with anticipation.
"But I can't afford to take risks. This is where it ends, brat."
"……"
Pasasak!
In an instant, the focus vanished from Namgung I-hwa's eyes. She collapsed on the spot. Ju Sang-jin suffered the same fate. His body, still slumped in the corner, began to tremble violently. It seemed to be a side effect of the mental control being released.
"Take these two quietly to my quarters."
I had considered the medical hall but changed my mind. I couldn't risk word spreading to others. No matter how much I disliked them, they were still members of the Ju family.
With the two in tow, I headed for my residence.
* * *
It was deep night, when everyone had gone to sleep.
The Namgung guard stood before me. He had apparently rushed over the moment he regained his senses.
I warned him.
"Keep your mouth shut."
I meant that he must never report what he had seen and heard today to the Namgung family.
"If you speak, it will put the Ju family in a difficult position. Your master and the young master will also become the subject of endless gossip. I doubt that's what you want."
"……"
"So let's just let this pass quietly."
"Yes…… Young Master."
The guard nodded reluctantly. That was one worry dealt with. But I couldn't keep the two of them here for long. Too many eyes. It might arouse suspicion among the elders.
"Yakseon Elder."
I had to deal with the urgent matter first.
"Starting tomorrow, please come to Insujeon and prepare the antidote. I'll speak with the head of the medical hall separately, so just make as much as you can."
"As much as I can? How much?"
"Well, until I say it's enough?"
"Good heavens, does that mean if you never say it's enough, I'll be stuck here forever?"
"As I've said repeatedly, I have no intention of threatening you. Besides, you still need to make the antidote for your granddaughter's poison, don't you?"
"That's true…… Yes."
I chuckled and turned away. He always grumbled, but his heart was warm. Thanks to Yakseon, the aftermath would be handled smoothly. I planned to distribute the antidote to the Ju family's former warriors and observe their reactions.
* * *
In the darkness, a man sat alone. Lost in thought, he kept his eyes closed while habitually tapping the table with his fingers.
Tak! Tadak! Tak!
With each steady rhythm, his eyes suddenly snapped open. For a moment, his pupils narrowed vertically like a snake's.
Sa-an Gwi-gun. One of the Twelve Demon Emperors of the Demonic Cult, he had infiltrated the Ju family with the goal of destroying it from within. Now an obstacle had appeared.
"Who could it be?"
He smiled, a chilling expression on his face. Some brat had appeared out of nowhere and thrown ashes on his perfectly cooked meal. The child was clearly from the Ju family, yet his face didn't ring any bells.
"At that age, with that level of skill……"
It was an enormous amount of internal energy. Though he had only observed it through mental domination and couldn't judge precisely, the strength was clearly beyond what someone of that age should possess. On top of that, the brat had uncovered both his scheme and his name. Naturally, wariness took hold.
"Surely not."
A single figure flashed through his mind.
"It makes no sense, but……"
No matter how he thought about it, it had to be him. At most, the boy was fourteen to seventeen years old. The only person of that age with the authority to freely enter Namgung I-hwa's quarters was a direct descendant.
"Ju Woo-jin."
It had to be the Ju family's disgrace, the one called the Sword Venerable's failure.
"Either the rumors were wrong, or the Sword Venerable was desperately hiding him."
Sa-an Gwi-gun's lips curled into a grin. The answer was clear.
"You filthy insect. You dare provoke me?"
Normally, he would have abandoned the plan and withdrawn immediately. Sa-an Gwi-gun always prioritized his own safety above all else. But this time was different. Being bested by that child had wounded his pride.
After pondering for a long while, Sa-an Gwi-gun finally made his decision and summoned a subordinate.
"You called, my lord."
With a heavy voice, a man knelt before him.
"I have a task for you."
"Whatever the order, I will complete it without fail."
"The Ju family is empty right now. The Sword Venerable and the Sword Dragon have gone on a military campaign, so there are no obstacles."
Sa-an Gwi-gun smiled wickedly.
"Ju Woo-jin. I need him dead."
He tossed a scroll. When the man unrolled it, he saw a portrait of Ju Woo-jin.
"That's his face. He's at most sixteen or seventeen. The Sword Venerable's youngest son. Kill him without fail."
"I receive your command, Your Demonic Majesty."
Sa-an Gwi-gun. His other name was Sa-an Gwi-je. When he blinked once, his subordinate had already vanished.
* * *
It had been a while since I'd gone out. I hadn't gone far—just to one of Nanchang's bustling districts, settling into a rather expensive inn. Danhui and Dana had worked hard to meet with Yakseon, so I wanted to give them some rest this time. However……
"Mm, this is delicious. My, so this is the taste of Gangseo? Keh keh keh!"
"……Elder, aren't you supposed to be making the antidote?"
Yakseon had come along as well. When I asked him to hurry up with the antidote, he had suggested going out instead. Now he was stuck to my side like glue.
"Huhu, I'll make it soon enough. I've already given the recipe to that girl—what's her name again? So there's no problem. No problem at all."
As he spoke, he shoveled the food in front of him into his mouth.
"At this rate, anyone would mistake you for a beggar from the Beggar's Union."
"Huh? Are you talking about me?"
"What? No, I'm not."
Damn it, I slipped up. My inner thoughts had just spilled out.
"Hey, you brat. You were born into a wealthy family, yet you're this stingy over a little food?"
"That's not it. Please, eat as much as you like."
I pushed the piled dishes closer to Yakseon. After stuffing his face for a while, he suddenly looked curious and asked me.
"By the way…… munch munch…… how did you know?"
"Please finish chewing before you speak."
Everything in his mouth had flown straight at me. Ugh.
"Know what, exactly?"
"How did you figure out that the young master and the lady had been taken by the Demonic Cult?"
I chuckled at the question. It was really nothing special. Because of my habits from my previous life, I suspected everything and everyone. I was still trying not to miss even the smallest details.
"Do you remember the wooden box in the young master's room that contained the pills?"
"Of course I do."
"Most of them hadn't been eaten. They were freshly stacked."
In reality, the boxes had been neatly piled up. So I had thought Ju Sang-jin wasn't taking the medicine. But that wasn't the case. Ju Sang-jin had been taking it, yet his room was still full of pills. That was where my suspicion began.
"However, there wasn't a single pill to be found in the lady's room, no matter how hard I looked."
That was the key. The situation was actually the opposite. If Ju Sang-jin had become the supplier, then why had Namgung I-hwa gone to his room and pretended to deliver the medicine?
"Hooh, you thought that far?"
There was more. This method was something only Sa-an Gwi-gun, who played with people's minds, could have pulled off. Fortunately, I already knew his despicable ways. That was how I had been able to trace the clues.
"Keh keh, you little rascal. You're quite the piece of work. How did someone like you end up with such a bizarre reputation? Tsk tsk."
"Well, I can't deny that I was once a madman."
"Anyway, you're an interesting one. Kuk kuk."
Yakseon laughed heartily and picked up more food. Just as he was about to take a big bite—
Ssae-aek!
Suddenly, something flew straight at my face. I quickly leaned back, rolled once, and snatched the projectile out of the air.
"……"
My hand stung. It was a hidden weapon imbued with tremendous force.
"Young Master!"
Muyoung leapt up and drew his sword, scanning the surroundings. I also sharpened my senses and surveyed the area. In that moment, I detected a suspicious presence fleeing past the window.
"Muyoung, over there."
The moment I gestured, Muyoung shot forward like an arrow. The sudden commotion turned the inn into utter chaos.
"You two, escort Yakseon Elder back to the family estate."
"Y-yes, Young Master."
Danhui clutched her startled chest and nodded quickly. I immediately chased after Muyoung. I had barely warned Sa-an Gwi-gun, and now this? And right in the heart of Ju family territory? He was underestimating me far too much.