The Dark Venerable
The flag of the Black Ghost Sword Unit fluttered in the wind.
That single fact alone made the journey to Heuk-gak remarkably smooth and comfortable.
In this region, the fearsome reputation of Heuk-gak carried far greater weight than the prestige of the Ju Family.
Without encountering a single dispute, we entered Nanning, the capital of Guangxi Province, without incident.
“It’s incredible.”
Muyoung glanced around outside the window and let out an honest sigh of awe.
The sheer scale of the capital.
The endless stream of people coming and going, the vibrant bustle of the city—it all seemed even grander than Nanchang, home of the Ju Family.
Moreover, as a producer of luxury goods like pearls and expensive fruits, it was renowned as a city overflowing with wealth.
It possessed every condition the underworld could possibly desire.
It was no coincidence that Heuk-gak had chosen this place as their headquarters.
Even after reaching Nanning, we rode for quite some time before the massive pavilions of Heuk-gak and the fortress-like walls encircling them appeared in the distance.
“It’s just as I remembered.”
Exactly like in my past-life memories.
Heuk-gak still retained that same appearance.
“We’re here. Get down.”
Wi Gun-ak, commander of the Black Ghost Sword Unit who had followed behind us, rapped on the carriage to signal.
The main gate of Heuk-gak.
We stepped down from the carriage and followed Wi Gun-ak inside.
From the entrance onward, countless eyes tracked our every move.
More than that, I could feel an overwhelming energy that made my skin prickle.
‘An array.’
This place was a fortress.
A stronghold that had arrays layered in every direction, forming a perfect defensive system.
‘That’s why it was destroyed from within.’
This time, I could not simply stand by and watch Heuk-gak’s collapse.
Though they were adversaries, when facing the Demonic Cult they were allies we absolutely had to join hands with.
“Wait here for a moment.”
The instant we reached the reception room, Wi Gun-ak left us behind and departed.
“So this is… Heuk-gak.”
Muyoung looked somewhat tense.
In a way, it was no different from stepping into the heart of enemy territory.
Moreover, our opponents were not ordinary enemies but an alliance of them.
There were undoubtedly countless factions and sects that harbored open or secret hostility toward the Ju Family.
“Don’t be nervous.”
I reassured Muyoung.
In any case, Heuk-gak could do nothing to us.
And I had separate business to take care of here.
‘The Demonic Cult.’
There were definitely spies planted by the Demonic Cult in this place as well.
And I was almost certain the one responsible was Sa-an Gwi-gun—the same individual who had done the same thing inside the Ju Family.
‘The method of collapse is similar.’
They weaken the foundation from within, widen the cracks, and let the structure destroy itself.
That way, no one even suspects the Demonic Cult’s involvement before facing total annihilation.
How long had we been waiting?
Suddenly, I felt crushed beneath an immense energy.
‘What is this?’
It was ominous.
No—beyond ominous. My mind itself felt dazed.
The tremendous presence radiating from the corridor beyond the door…
‘It couldn’t be?’
My complexion turned pale without my permission.
It was something that simply could not happen.
‘Did he really move just to meet me?’
At most, I had expected someone at the level of a unit commander or division head.
Otherwise, perhaps the chief steward or, pushing it, an elder.
But it was none of them.
‘The Lord of Heuk-gak!’
It was him.
The only one who could release this level of energy without restraint.
The master of Heuk-gak and one of the Ten Supreme Demons.
The Dark Venerable, Wi Sa-gun.
There was no one else.
Crash!
The door flew open, and a man with a massive frame and chilling eyes stepped inside.
It was indeed the Dark Venerable, Wi Sa-gun.
“……”
A brief silence fell.
I prided myself on being quite tall, yet Wi Sa-gun stood two or three spans taller than me.
Naturally looking down at me, the Dark Venerable slowly opened his mouth.
“Ju Woo-jin.”
“This junior, Ju Woo-jin, greets the Dark Venerable, Senior Wi Sa-gun.”
“Spare me the ‘senior’ nonsense.”
The Dark Venerable dismissed the courtesy and sat directly across from me.
“Even setting the Sword Venerable aside, to send neither the Blood Venerable nor anyone of substance but a mere brat like this… Isn’t this a blatant insult to our pavilion?”
“I requested this meeting. I have something to tell you.”
“Something to tell me? You?”
The Dark Venerable laughed mockingly, as if the very idea was absurd.
He rose from his seat at once, as though there was no need to waste another moment.
I urgently caught his arm.
‘The fact that the Dark Venerable came personally…’
This was a chance that would not come again.
“From Heuk-gak’s perspective, this isn’t a situation that requires an apology, is it? After all, it involved an attempt on the life of a family matriarch.”
“……”
The Dark Venerable, who had been about to leave the room, stopped and turned back toward me.
His eyes were utterly indifferent.
They were so complex it was nearly impossible to read any emotion in them.
“It is truly regrettable that the Ju Family’s matriarch nearly came to harm.”
“……”
That single sentence was all he offered.
“But so what? What do you want me to do about it?”
His gaze showed he truly did not care in the slightest.
Well, I had held no particular expectations anyway.
I knew his personality far too well from the start.
“I did not come to receive an apology. But if you leave like this, the misunderstanding between us will only deepen.”
“Misunderstanding? Hahaha!”
The Dark Venerable laughed openly in ridicule.
“Even if we misunderstand each other, what can the Ju Family possibly do? Are you suggesting we go to war?”
“It’s not as if we couldn’t.”
“What?”
The Dark Venerable’s expression turned ice-cold.
As if his interest had finally been piqued, he sat down once more.
“Listen, kid. A single word from you could truly determine the fate of your entire family.”
“Yes. And I am not joking.”
“Do you wish to witness your family’s destruction?”
“Before that happens, Heuk-gak might fall first.”
“...This is ridiculous. A brat who cannot even read the situation...”
I let out a small sigh.
“It means that at the very least, Heuk-gak will not emerge unscathed either, Senior.”
“So what exactly do you want to say?”
Has he finally decided to listen?
Though irritation still filled the Dark Venerable’s face, his attitude had changed markedly from before.
“Within our family, there are those who wish to confront Heuk-gak directly and those who prefer to simply exchange apologies. I assume the same division exists within Heuk-gak?”
“……”
The Dark Venerable nodded silently.
There was no point in hiding it.
“The ones saying to wait and see are probably aligned with the Sword Venerable. And those wanting to settle it by force would be the Blood Venerable’s side. Heh heh heh.”
“Yes. You’ve read it perfectly.”
The Ten Supreme Demons were transcendent beings whose power existed on a completely different level.
Each one already possessed the strength to devour an average major sect, so they acknowledged one another and maintained implicit respect.
“Indeed, clashing with the Ju Family would cause us considerable losses as well.”
The Dark Venerable was a man of swift calculations.
Heuk-gak held four of the Ten Supreme Experts—four of the Ten Venerables.
It was only natural, having essentially absorbed the entire underworld.
However, the Ju Family, which had claimed two of the Ten Venerables within a single force, was undoubtedly an uncomfortable existence.
Especially since the Sword Venerable’s blade possessed a ferocity that set it apart even among the Ten Venerables.
Moreover, the underworld had one critical weakness.
Setting aside the number of top experts, the average level of their warriors was noticeably inferior.
They compensated with overwhelming numbers, yet the count of true experts remained woefully insufficient.
Of course, that quantity alone allowed them to barely maintain balance with the orthodox factions.
“What shall we do? Exchange apologies and end it here?”
The Dark Venerable asked openly, as though that had been his intention all along.
But that was not what I wanted.
If that were the case, I would not have pestered my youngest uncle to come all this way.
“No. Let’s set the mood a little first.”
“Set the mood? What kind of mood? Don’t tell me… you’re preparing for war?”
“Something like that.”
At those words, the Dark Venerable’s face hardened like stone.
He studied my expression carefully.
“You… you’re thinking something else.”
“As expected of the Dark Venerable.”
“Can you stop with that ‘Dark Venerable’ nonsense? It’s making my stomach turn.”
The Dark Venerable frowned in clear discomfort.
“Hoo. Speak, then. Tell me what you want.”
“What I am about to say must not leak outside under any circumstances.”
“Heh heh. Now I’m intrigued.”
I then revealed every part of my plan to the Dark Venerable.
Watching his expression shift moment by moment was rather entertaining.
Soon afterward, wearing a grave expression, the Dark Venerable left the room.
He had not yet given any definite answer.
Yet I believed without a shred of doubt that he would follow my wishes.
Dark Venerable, Wi Sa-gun.
He had been called by the title Am-jon far more often than his real name.
From conquering the underworld to claiming the seat of pavilion master at the pinnacle of Heuk-gak.
How many experts had died by his hand?
He feared no battle, and for the sake of his goals he was a cold-blooded ruler without blood or tears—such was another name he bore.
Even he, who had become master of Heuk-gak while receiving the respect and awe of the entire underworld, could not help but be profoundly shocked.
“He’s insane. Truly a madman.”
Ju Woo-jin.
He was no ordinary person.
The Dark Venerable recalled the conversation he had shared with Woo-jin in the reception room moments earlier.
‘Spies are running rampant within Heuk-gak.’
That was nothing new, so it had not stirred much emotion.
Given Heuk-gak’s enormous size, how could there be only one or two spies?
But what came next was truly shocking.
‘Those deeply involved in the incident caused by the Breaking Water Asura. And those currently fanning the flames of conflict with the Ju Family…’
‘What would you have me do about them?’
‘We will handle all of them ourselves. Just hand them over.’
‘Heh heh, do you truly believe that’s possible? No matter if they are spies, they are still clearly members of Heuk-gak…’
‘No. They are not Heuk-gak’s warriors. They intend to use this opportunity to deal a severe blow to the Ju Family. They will drive them to the point of mutual slaughter among blood kin. That is the mission they have been given.’
The Dark Venerable ground his teeth.
Even his closest aides were shouting that the Ju Family must be destroyed.
Handing all of them over would be no different from cutting away Heuk-gak’s own military strength.
Furthermore, it could be perceived as Heuk-gak yielding greatly to the Ju Family.
However…
Woo-jin’s words had not ended there.
‘We will handle the executive-level individuals internally on your side. We also have quite a few spies on our end.’
‘The Ju Family? I have no memory of Heuk-gak conducting espionage there.’
‘I did not say it was Heuk-gak. From the beginning, Heuk-gak has focused its efforts on the Nine Great Factions, correct? I am aware of that.’
‘Heh heh, this fellow really…’
The higher ranks would be handled internally.
In other words, they would only eliminate the lowly underlings… but what meaning did that hold?
In that case, would it not be simpler to exchange apologies and then handle the matter internally afterward?
Why complicate things so unnecessarily?
The answer came immediately.
‘I plan to create an intelligence organization. It will undoubtedly benefit you as well, Senior.’
‘Heh heh, we already possess sufficient intelligence capabilities within Heuk-gak…’
‘This is intelligence power that does not distinguish between factions. Whether orthodox, unorthodox… or even the outer martial world.’
‘For such things, one can simply go through information brokers. Heuk-gak is not so powerless that it requires their help.’
‘You will need it.’
Woo-jin had declared with absolute confidence.
Somehow, those resolute eyes stirred something inside the Dark Venerable.
After all, he knew from long experience that intelligence was money and the true power capable of moving the world.
To such a man, Woo-jin had offered a tempting proposal.
‘Because the situation may reach the point where the black path and white path must join hands.’
‘You… what exactly do you know?’
‘If you simply follow my lead… I will show you. Sometimes, tearing and killing once leaves a deeper impression than chattering a hundred times, does it not?’
That final remark had struck the Dark Venerable’s heart.