A Gift for Brother Jin-ho (4)
Master Man-gyeol took a sip of his liquor and grinned.
"There must be a reason you asked me to make that incense a while back, and why you insisted I attend today's banquet before leaving, no matter what."
Sharp as ever, this elder.
"I'd be disappointed if you're only realizing it now."
"I've known for ages, you rascal."
I glanced at the others before offering Master Man-gyeol a respectful cupped-fist salute.
"I'll see you shortly."
With that, I turned toward the other guests.
I tapped the gold bell hidden in my sleeve and murmured.
"No interest in food? Guess you're no ordinary pig after all."
"Oink!"
"Yeah, yeah, you're a special spirit beast who loves money the most, right?"
"Oink oink!"
I chuckled. Then I looked back at the three guards following me.
Given the importance of the day, all three were escorting me.
"I-pil Warrior, Jin Yu Warrior."
"Yes."
"I've got a small favor to ask."
They tilted their heads at my request but soon nodded and took a pouch from me before heading off somewhere.
I made the rounds, greeting the guests who'd come to the banquet and showing my face.
That's when a fragrant scent wafted into my nose, easing the nagging irritation that had been prickling my senses.
Ever since reaching the Super First-rate realm, just as my master said, the repulsive aura felt a bit weaker.
But repulsive was still repulsive.
And this energy mixed in with the mountain air poison—it felt oddly familiar?
In truth, the incense was proof that my two guards were carrying out my request to the letter.
I'd asked them to light it in various spots.
The incense was made by Master Man-gyeol himself, one of the measures to ensure the banquet went off without a hitch.
In my previous life, on the day of Brother Jin-ho's branch leader announcement—today—someone had used mountain air poison to kill a martial artist attending the banquet.
Mountain air poison: a toxin that seals away inner energy.
Then they mobilized a swarm of assassins to attack the man.
The other warriors couldn't intervene, and the banquet hall devolved into chaos.
If you're going to cause a ruckus, do it quietly somewhere else. Why here, dragging innocent people into it?
On Brother Jin-ho's branch leader announcement day, of all times.
I couldn't let that slide.
Couldn't I just keep the guy out of here from the start?
No, that wouldn't work.
Because he was the head of the Sungtae Yun Clan, the largest martial house in Sungyang County.
His presence at the Eunhae Merchant Group's banquet was a given.
If he skipped it, rumors would fly that something was wrong with our group's relations.
In my past life, the Sungtae Yun Clan head died in that assassin attack.
It wasn't good for Sungyang County.
The Black Dao had targeted him to seize control of the county.
That meant the power struggle was heating up, and our group got caught in the crossfire.
Especially since it happened at an Eunhae Merchant Group event...
So today, the Sungtae Yun Clan head had to survive.
The best way was to stop the villains before they struck, but that was tough.
I never figured out who was behind targeting the Sungtae Yun head back then.
So the next best thing was to burn incense that neutralized mountain air poison and let it spread everywhere.
* * *
As the banquet wore on, the energy picked up.
Gathered there were prominent martial artists, including the group's outer general manager Go Il-pyeong and other invitees.
Go Il-pyeong had invited them for Eun Jin-ho, who loved debating martial affairs.
And of course, some attendees were all but obligatory.
One of them was Yun Il, head of the Sungtae Yun Clan.
"Becoming branch leader—congratulations!"
"Thank you."
"I've known you since you were a boy, but look at you now—a fine, strapping man!"
"I hear your martial prowess is impressive too."
"One Sword Pierces Heaven has every reason to boast!"
"Hahaha. My disciple turned out pretty well."
"That spear on your back doesn't look ordinary at first glance."
Eun Jin-ho answered proudly.
"A gift from my younger brother. And for anyone who trains in the martial arts, how can they bear to be parted from their weapon even for a moment?"
"Well said!"
"Any fiancée in the picture? If not..."
"Hey now! Who are you eyeing?"
"Just staking my claim early!"
"Hahaha."
The banquet brimmed with laughter like that, but someone watching wore a sinister smirk.
Enjoy it while you can. This is your last banquet.
He was a disciple of the Black Bear Sect, one of the Black Dao factions rooted in Sungyang County.
The Sungtae Yun Clan was a major obstacle to the Black Bear Sect's bid for dominance.
The clan head was always cautious and thorough, making him hard to eliminate—until this opportunity.
The Eunhae Merchant Group's banquet.
Just like the previous one, he'd let his guard down here too.
So he'd acquired a special item.
Mountain air poison.
I have no idea how the sect leader got his hands on it...
Mountain air poison was notoriously hard to obtain since it crippled inner energy.
If word got out you'd bought it, the entire martial world would brand you a public enemy.
And as backup, he'd hired assassins.
Mountain air poison plus assassins—even a master like the Sungtae Yun head and his elite guards couldn't stand against that.
A martial artist without inner energy was only half a martial artist.
Dong-dong-dong-dong!
A drum sounded.
The signal for the hour of the sheep—noon to 2 p.m.—and for the deed to begin.
"Kill him!"
Assassins disguised among the crowd surged forward from all sides, targeting Yun Il, head of the Sungtae Yun Clan.
These assassins had taken the antidote beforehand, so they could still use inner energy.
Everyone else? Crippled!
Knowing this, they moved without hesitation.
But.
Chaeng!
Chae-chaeng!
Seok!
Something they hadn't anticipated happened.
The people they'd assumed couldn't use inner energy circulated it freely and blocked the assassins.
Moreover, most of the assassins were captured before they could even reach Yun Il.
The Silver Wind Corps warriors had been positioned right near them—somehow they knew.
With Go Il-pyeong and Yun Il stepping up, the raid was quelled far more easily than expected.
The Black Bear Sect disciple was stunned.
"Th-this can't be..."
Failure.
He had to escape and report to the sect to regroup.
But he couldn't leave empty-handed.
In this chaos, his secret weapon might still turn the tide.
He pulled a blowpipe from his robes.
A weapon for shooting poisoned needles.
Whoosh!
He aimed at Yun Il and fired.
"Lord Yun!"
Others spotted it and shouted a warning, but with his back turned, Yun Il couldn't react in time.
"Gah!"
It looked like the needle would hit true.
But.
Whoosh!
Eun Jin-ho launched himself forward, swinging his spear. He'd spotted the needle too.
Putting to use the wide field of view his brother had mentioned.
And the Azure Dragon Dance responded perfectly to his intent.
Plink!
The needle struck the spear and clattered to the floor.
Confirming his failure, the Black Bear Sect disciple bolted.
But someone blocked his path.
"You're the one. The mastermind behind this mess."
A chilling smile spread across his handsome face.
* * *
I eyed the man before me.
The repulsive energy mixed in the mountain air poison was emanating from him.
Which meant he was the one who'd deployed it.
And something else pinged on my senses.
"Jin Yu Warrior, I-pil Warrior—search him."
At my command, they swiftly subdued him and patted him down.
But no matter how thoroughly they searched, nothing suspicious turned up. He shouted defiantly.
"Why grab an innocent man like this? I'll lodge a formal complaint with your clan leader..."
"Found it."
Jin Yu Warrior spoke up then.
In his hand: a blowpipe and an empty poison vial.
The man's jaw dropped as he collapsed to his knees.
"H-how did you..."
"Hiding spots are pretty obvious. But this is assassin-grade technique..."
A former assassin, as expected.
Today, I'd owe Jin Yu Warrior big time.
True to the saying that it takes one to know one, he'd spotted the disguised assassins among the guests and pointed them out.
Stationing warriors there had minimized the damage.
.
.
.
The banquet resumed, with the recent incident becoming fodder for toasts as people dove back into the festivities.
Brother Jeong-ho bustled about in Father's stead, handling cleanup.
No deaths, and they'd even caught the would-be killer of Yun Il—his expression brightened as things wrapped up smoothly.
Thanks to my advance warning, it hadn't been hard.
Praise for Brother Jeong-ho's competence rang out.
And tales of Brother Jin-ho's heroics too.
I turned to look at him.
Yun Il was showering Brother Jin-ho with thanks. He'd been saved by him, after all.
Truth be told, I hadn't anticipated the poisoned needle. But Brother Jin-ho had leaped in and blocked it.
Today, Yun Il emerged unscathed thanks to Brother Jin-ho's wide vision and sharp judgment meshing perfectly with the Azure Dragon Spear I'd gifted him.
Good thing I'd given it to him yesterday.
.
.
.
I headed to Master Man-gyeol.
He was treating the few injured from the incident.
"Elder, are you done with treatments?"
"This is the last one."
"I see."
Once finished, Master Man-gyeol stood and turned to me.
"You've got something to say."
I smiled sheepishly.
"Let's go to your pavilion."
"Sure."
We sat on the pavilion's porch.
The weather was nice.
The lively music and singing drifted over from the banquet.
"First off, thank you for your help. My senses are a bit hypersensitive to energies."
"I know."
"You... knew?"
"Your constitution is like that. And your inner energy too."
"Then this'll be quick."
I continued.
"Today, I felt the same energy as at that plague sect last time. You said the plague there was man-made, courtesy of the Sacheon Tang Clan."
"You mean the mountain air poison that nearly ruined today's banquet was also Sacheon Tang handiwork?"
"...Yes. Exactly."
"Your guess is right."
"Then..."
Master Man-gyeol sighed.
"This mountain air poison is Sacheon Tang make too."
As I suspected.
In my past life, the Sacheon Tang Clan head was a fervent supporter of the Murim Alliance.
They said it was gratitude for saving his youngest son, Tang Jo-woong, but it felt excessive.
Knowing the Tang Clan I did, there had to be more to it.
Since I'd saved Tang Jo-woong myself in Sacheon Castle before, they had no reason to back the Alliance on that account.
Which left only one conclusion: the Alliance was pressuring them some other way.
If the Tang Clan threw in with the Murim Alliance, it'd be a huge headache for me.
Those guys were no joke.
Looks like another trip to Sacheon Castle was in order.
I said to Master Man-gyeol,
"Elder, I'd like you to come with me to the Sacheon Tang Clan this time."
"Can't do that."
"Pardon?"
His unexpected refusal threw me.
The Sacheon Tang Clan wasn't a place just anyone could visit.
Given the chance, most would drop everything to go...
Why refuse?
"Did I say something to offend you?"
"No. You and this group have treated me splendidly. I just don't want to go—don't take it personally."
"..."
He'd made it that clear; I couldn't push further.
I needed a reason to persuade him, but he wasn't giving one.
.
.
.
A few days after Brother Jin-ho's branch leader announcement.
Master Man-gyeol left the Eunhae Merchant Group.
Without a word, just a single letter.
I'm off, you rascal. Stay healthy until we meet again.
It was pure Master Man-gyeol.
So why did I have a feeling I'd see him again soon?