Baek Jagang felt Tu Wang's fighting spirit surging through his entire body.
Penetrating his flesh, this sharp fighting spirit tore at him as if demanding he rush out immediately, and the very first thought that rose from it was this.
‘This is someone who has truly fought before!’
Baek Jagang's chest grew hot, and his fists clenched of their own accord. His opponent was certainly someone who stirred the primal destructive urge of a martial artist—the desire to sweep everything away in a single throw.
The emotion Tu Wang felt was similar, yet different. From just those comfortable eyes of his opponent, and a single remark asking if his vacation wasn't too splendid, every hair on his body stood on end at once.
‘One wrong move, and I die!’
This heart-dropping tension was precisely the emotion Tu Wang loved most.
He recalled the image of the Sado Alliance Lord fallen as a corpse.
Just imagining that moment sent thrilling shivers through his entire body. It would bring him a joy like nothing else in his lifetime. A joy greater than the combined pleasure of every victory he had won in battle up until now.
‘I will definitely win.’
The scorching fighting spirit and heat generated by the two swept through their surroundings.
Feeling the swirling energy, Hyeok Sagun belatedly stepped down from the carriage. Things were proceeding according to plan, yet strangely, he felt a foreboding premonition.
It was understandable that the Sado Alliance Lord's reaction was calm. He was an extraordinary person, after all.
But the reaction of the escort warriors weighed on his mind. Even though Hwang Seokgyeong blocked the path, they gazed calmly at Tu Wang as if they had anticipated this very moment.
Hyeok Sagun feigned ignorance and spoke to Tu Wang.
“Instructor Hwang, is the Alliance Lord not asking you something? By what right do you dare stand before the Alliance Lord and block his way?”
My lord, the day has finally come. May you achieve your grand endeavor!
Presently, Tu Wang suppressed his fighting spirit and calmly opened his mouth.
“You said my vacation was splendid? Very well. When this vacation ends, I shall return to the most splendid position in the Sado Alliance.”
When his opponent revealed a clear will to kill him, Baek Jagang smiled instead.
“My seat is not quite as splendid as you imagine.”
“I shall experience that emptiness for myself.”
Tu Wang lightly struck his right fist against his left palm.
Pa-ang!
At the signal of that great sonic boom, loud enough to burst eardrums, the hidden experts began to reveal themselves.
The first to appear was a middle-aged expert wearing a blade curved like a crescent moon.
Sinwoldo (New Moon Blade).
He was someone who belonged to the Seven Great Masters of the Sado Alliance. Following Gwangseom, who had earlier tried to kill Bisain, this was the moment another of the Seven Great Masters of the Sado Alliance appeared as an enemy.
“It has been a while, Alliance Lord.”
Sinwoldo politely greeted Baek Jagang.
“Have you been well?”
“Thanks to your excellent leadership of the Sado martial world, I have been well.”
“That is good.”
“I apologize in advance for matters coming to this.”
“It is fine. Such things can happen.”
Baek Jagang did not press him on why he had sided with Tu Wang. He must have been offered a condition sufficient to move him. It was only natural to act according to one's interests—such was Baek Jagang's belief.
The second to appear was an old man whose face was full of wrinkles. So wrinkled was he that he appeared to be over a hundred years old, though in truth he was not that aged.
Cheongsalgwi (Blue Killing Ghost).
He was a former supreme expert who belonged to neither the orthodox nor the unorthodox, a legendary figure publicly pursued by both orthodox and unorthodox alike. He was a villain of such ill repute, yet he had survived and revealed himself here today.
Cheongsalgwi's appearance was even more astonishing than Sinwoldo's. His internal energy was far deeper than that of the top experts of the current generation, making him an even more troublesome opponent.
“I saw you when you were young. Do you remember?”
Cheongsalgwi asked Baek Jagang, feigning familiarity.
Baek Jagang shook his head.
“Well, you were only so small back then.”
He lowered his palm as if measuring the height of a small child around the waist, then the hand abruptly twisted and unleashed a palm force.
Sssshhhreak!
Kwaaaang!
The one who blocked the incoming palm force, undulating with blue energy, was Ingung, the captain of the escort guards.
Overwhelmed in internal energy, he slid backward. Other guards supported his back and channeled their internal energy to him. When two more men behind them added their strength, they finally stopped sliding.
Cheongsalgwi smiled, revealing his few remaining teeth.
“Oops, my hand slipped.”
Ingung and the guards quietly stepped aside.
Baek Jagang, standing behind them, watched the newly appearing figure without a word.
This time, a hunchbacked old man with a cane slowly walked out.
Dokpaeja (Poison Tyrant).
He was a poison expert who had once made his name notorious. He had vanished after being publicly hunted for using mass-slaughter poison, forbidden in the martial world, but today he revealed himself here. It was this very Dokpaeja who had crafted the poison used to secretly afflict the Supreme Commander.
At Dokpaeja's appearance, Ingung's expression hardened. Dokpaeja was a more threatening figure than any of the enemies who had appeared before.
“Antidotes!”
At Ingung's command, the escort warriors simultaneously drew anti-poison pills from their bosoms and placed them in their mouths.
Dokpaeja giggled mockingly.
“How long do you think you can endure with those measly anti-poison pills of yours?”
The anti-poison pills had their limits in blocking poison.
If a chaotic battle broke out and Dokpaeja employed a hidden poison strike, the Alliance Lord himself would be endangered, not to mention their own safety.
Tu Wang, Sinwoldo, Cheongsalgwi, and Dokpaeja.
But they were not the only ones prepared.
From all directions, over fifty warriors revealed themselves. Surrounding the area with blazing eyes, they were the warriors later called the Turang, the Fighting Wolves, who followed Tu Wang.
They were also extremely belligerent experts, battle-crazed and unafraid of death. If the experts who appeared earlier were tigers, they were hunting hounds.
Seeing them, Hyeok Sagun smiled unconsciously. These were people who had long prepared for this day. Of course, he would have prepared more under normal circumstances, but this was enough.
‘No matter how strong the Alliance Lord is, he cannot endure.’
Pang! Pa-ang!
After once more striking his fist against his palm to alert the surroundings, Tu Wang issued an order to all.
“Kill all the guards first, then join the battle.”
The Turang all drew their weapons at once, radiating killing intent.
Tu Wang was not ashamed of fighting together. If he were someone to be ashamed of such a thing, Dokpaeja would not be here.
Baek Jagang could now understand why Geonmugeuk had pleaded with him yesterday.
Since the opponent was trying to kill him by any means necessary without discrimination, it had been a request not to place meaning on winning through a fair fight.
The escort warriors who had taken the anti-poison pills drew their swords and blocked the left, right, and rear of Baek Jagang, leaving only his front open.
In the hair-trigger situation where enemies steadily pressed in, someone shouted from afar.
“Wait just a moment!”
The shout from afar flew clearly to where they were.
“You there, the tall one sixth from the left! Put down your concealed weapon and wait just a moment!”
His eyesight was so keen that indeed, the sixth Turang from the left had been drawing a concealed weapon. He was tall as well.
Everyone looked toward the voice to see a carriage rushing toward them from afar.
Hyeok Sagun's expression soured. He had realized who owned that mischievous voice.
‘The Young Lord!’
Sure enough, the one driving the carriage from the coachman's seat was Geonmugeuk.
Tu Wang raised his hand to stop the Turang from charging. It was an order to stand and watch.
The carriage rushed up and stopped before Baek Jagang.
“Fortunately, you haven't started yet.”
Sinwoldo, Cheongsalgwi, and Dokpaeja looked at Tu Wang with puzzled expressions. To their silent question of what this situation was, Tu Wang spoke to them.
“That one is the Young Lord of the Demon Cult.”
As if they had already heard that Geonmugeuk had involved himself in this matter, the three nodded and directed renewed gazes at him.
“He is younger than I thought.”
Geonmugeuk recognized them. He was not someone who would fail to know who the hunchbacked poison expert or the expert with the curved blade was.
“You are scarier people than I thought.”
Far from showing courtesy, Geonmugeuk's attitude was so excessively relaxed that it seemed like a joke, making them all frown. Of course, they did not know that the joke had not even begun.
The carriage door opened, and Bisain stepped down first.
Then Geonmugeuk introduced him in a loud voice, like someone introducing a martial artist at a tournament.
“Here is the successor of the Sado Alliance, who has returned alive like an immortal after escaping the brink of death! He may be ashamed of me, but he is certainly my friend as well!”
Bisain was no longer fazed by this level of joking.
Bisain immediately greeted Baek Jagang in a trembling voice.
“It has been a while, Master.”
The gaze with which the master looked at his disciple was incomparably gentle.
“Are you in good health?”
“Thanks to your concern, I am well.”
Seeing the situation unfolding, Bisain thought that he had truly done well to come.
Next, Goak descended from the carriage.
“Here is Goak, one of the Seven Great Masters of the Sado Alliance, who has recently tasted the bitterness of life through a friend's betrayal!”
He says something like that in this situation? Ah, this guy is truly insane! Goak also pretended not to hear and greeted Baek Jagang politely with cupped fists.
“Have you been well?”
“It has been a while.”
“The Young Lord cares deeply for the Alliance Lord.”
These words held the meaning that they had come to this place for the Young Lord. Bisain was grateful to Goak for speaking thus on his behalf.
Bisain recalled how Geonmugeuk treated him. If he could do even half of that, he could build a good relationship with Goak.
Next, Goak's gaze turned to Sinwoldo.
“Why are you...?”
Goak could not understand. Sinwoldo was the one among the Seven Great Masters of the Sado Alliance least interested in the affairs of the martial world. Yet he had revealed himself here.
“Things happened to turn out this way.”
“I never imagined the day would come when I would fight you.”
“The Sado Alliance is the Sado Alliance, after all.”
“Indeed. Since it has come to this, let us fight well without regrets.”
“Let us.”
The most surprised and bewildered person at the appearance of these three was Hyeok Sagun.
The original plan had been to naturally step back and retreat once the pincer attack began.
The guards would be too busy protecting the Alliance Lord to pay any attention to him.
But with their appearance, the plan had encountered a problem. He had to retreat, or go behind Hwang Seokgyeong over there.
Would that Geonmugeuk really let him go?
On the other hand, Tu Wang was not shaken in the slightest even with a variable arising. He would smash through even variables—such was his mindset.
“Kill them all!”
At that moment, yet others appeared.
“Stop!”
Thirteen experts descended at that spot with dazzling movement arts. They were the Sado Sipsamrang.
Illang shouted at the Turang.
“Your opponents are over here.”
Bisain's eyes met theirs. The gazes of the Sado Sipsamrang looking at him were filled with fervor.
‘We greet the Young Lord!’
Bisain's eyes also burned with fervor. Yes, if they overcame this crisis! He was truly confident that he could do well going forward. Yes, they would win! They would definitely win!
They were not the only reinforcements.
Another cold voice rang out.
“Who is the one who framed me?”
The man with such a frigid atmosphere that he seemed as though he would not bleed a single drop even if stabbed was Beoncheon, the commander of the Geukdo Corps.
Behind Beoncheon, the elite warriors of the Sado Alliance's finest Geukdo Corps revealed themselves simultaneously.
“How dare you attempt to assassinate the Alliance Lord! Not a single one of you will leave here alive!”
The Turang turned to confront the Sado Sipsamrang and the Geukdo Corps. Beoncheon repeated what Tu Wang had said earlier.
“Slaughter all of these bastards and aid the Alliance Lord!”
At the resounding shout, the elites of the Geukdo Corps drew their swords in unison. With the situation turned thus, momentum and morale rose even higher on the Sado Alliance Lord's side.
Right then, Geonmugeuk saw.
Dokpaeja slyly trying to slip his hand into the pouch at his waist.
Geonmugeuk intuited it. That he intended to scatter mass-slaughter poison and eliminate the Geukdo Corps warriors first.
Having been with the Poison King for a long time, he understood the psychology and movements of poison users better than anyone. That was why he had been watching only Dokpaeja, the most dangerous being present.
There was no way all those many warriors of the Geukdo Corps possessed high-grade anti-poison pills. Their mid-grade anti-poison pills would not be able to block Dokpaeja's poison.
“Wait a moment, Elder Dokpaeja!”
Geonmugeuk quickly shouted.
“Before we fight, let me ask just one thing.”
Dokpaeja's hand, which had been heading toward his pouch, paused briefly.
“Did you, our elder, use poison on the Supreme Commander? Was it not a high-level poison that even evaded the eyes of the Sado Alliance's Divine Physician?”
“Yes, it is a poison this old man made.”
“Is there an antidote? The Poison King of our cult once told me: the true essence of poison arts lies not in administering poison, but in curing it.”
Put that way, it was the sort of mood where even an antidote that did not exist would have to exist.
The Poison Tyrant took a small pouch from his robe. Fortunately, he had an antidote.
“Here it is.”
“Give it to me.”
“Why should I?”
“Because if you give it to me now, you’ll die gently. If you don’t, you’ll die in agony.”
The Poison Tyrant let out a derisive sneer.
“Yes, I’ve heard the rumors. They say the reckless young cult leader is causing quite a stir in the Central Plains.”
The Poison Tyrant glanced at the Battle King. It was a look asking whether it would be acceptable to kill the young leader of the Demon Cult here today. The Battle King gave a slight nod. In any case, the young leader of the Demon Cult had to be dealt with as having fought the Evil Dao Alliance Leader until both sides suffered grievous wounds. If they made it seem that the Poison King had helped, everyone would believe it.
The Poison Tyrant held out the pouch.
“If you’re confident you can take it, come and take it yourself.”
At the Poison Tyrant’s provocation, Geom Mugeuk walked toward him.
Knowing well what kind of poison master the Poison Tyrant was, Guard Captain Ingung turned to Baek Jagang with an expression that asked if they should not stop him even now.
Baek Jagang silently watched Geom Mugeuk. He could guess why Geom Mugeuk was facing the Poison Tyrant. To obtain the antidote? It seemed that way, but no.
It was because the Poison Tyrant was the most dangerous one. Because if they were to return safely, the first person who had to be killed was the Poison Tyrant. Because he himself had also been thinking that if he were to kill them, he would have to kill the Poison Tyrant first.
Baek Jagang recalled what Geom Mugeuk had said yesterday.
—The honor I believe in lies in the result of killing those who must be killed.
Can you truly kill the one who must be killed and return safely?
The others, too, watched with tense eyes.
From Bisa-in, who knew Geom Mugeuk well, to Goeak, the Thirteen Wolves of the Evil Dao, and even Ingung. What each of them had experienced was different, but all of them had witnessed Geom Mugeuk’s astonishing side. Would that astonishment and uniqueness work against the Poison Tyrant as well?
Geom Mugeuk walked fearlessly right up to the Poison Tyrant.
The Poison Tyrant considered this courage to be recklessness.
‘He must believe I won’t be able to kill him because he’s the young leader of the Demon Cult.’
Otherwise, no one in the martial world could walk so confidently toward him, the Poison Tyrant. No one could look at him with such relaxed eyes.
‘You foolish demonic bastard. Your arrogance will lead you to hell.’
Just as Geom Mugeuk was about to take the pouch in his hand.
Puh-eok!
Poison smoke burst out around the two of them.
“No!”
Bisa-in shouted.
He tried to rush in and save him, but poison smoke had already billowed thickly around Geom Mugeuk. He had never imagined he would be taken so helplessly. If it was you, you should have had some way out, shouldn’t you? He had thought Geom Mugeuk would kill him before he could set it off. Because it was Geom Mugeuk.
It was right then.
Puk! Puk!
Within the poison smoke, sword light flashed, and the sound of flesh being torn rang out in succession.
Hwiiiiing.
A whirlwind rose around the two of them, drawing in the poisons nearby.
Fwoooosh.
Flames caught in the poison smoke and began to burn.
The fire whirled, wrapping around the two of them. Everyone watched this astonishing sight with stunned expressions.
And so, the poison smoke was completely burned away, rising into the sky with the wind before disappearing.
There, Geom Mugeuk and the Poison Tyrant still stood.
The Poison Tyrant was still holding the antidote pouch out in front of him.
When Geom Mugeuk took the pouch, the Poison Tyrant tried to say something. At that very instant!
Puaaaak!
Blood spurted from his neck and heart, and the Poison Tyrant collapsed backward.
Everyone there stared at Geom Mugeuk in shock. To gather the poison and burn it away with scorching yang energy—what a profound technique was that? No, before that, how had he endured the Poison Tyrant’s poison?
Geom Mugeuk took out two poison-warding beads he had been holding in his mouth, making his cheeks bulge like a toad’s. He would have been fine without the poison-warding beads, but he had held them in his mouth because he did not want to reveal in front of everyone that he was impervious to all poisons.
“Did you think you could disregard the highest-grade poison-warding beads used by the young leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult? You gave me the antidote, so as promised, I let you die gently.”
Baek Jagang and the Battle King were half in doubt. From the situation just now, they thought the Poison Tyrant must have used a poison that even the highest-grade poison-warding beads could not resist. In truth, the Poison Tyrant had used an extreme poison that no poison-warding bead could withstand, but there was no way for them to know that.
In any case, the martial artists on the Evil Dao Alliance Leader’s side were able to understand one fact. Before that terrible poison could be unleashed upon them, Geom Mugeuk had saved their lives.
Geom Mugeuk tucked the antidote for the Chief Strategist into his robe and said to them,
“Now then, take out those poison-warding beads you’re holding in your mouths, and let’s fight comfortably.”
Absolute Regression, Chapter 369