The energy that had been pressuring Baek Woo Jin suddenly withdrew back into Tang Yeon Shin’s body, as if it had never been there.
Even his face, which was twisted in a way even his own daughter Tang Seon Yeong had never seen before, returned to a light mocking smile. The subtle curve of his lips held an unmistakable sneer.
“Not a bad attempt at provocation.”
For the first time, a look of unease crossed Baek Woo Jin’s face, who had maintained a smile even under the crushing pressure that had nearly flattened him.
To think that his “ultimate provocation”, which had never failed before, had now missed its mark.
“Are you aware of the difference in rank between us in the martial arts world?”
A fact he had overlooked now came to mind. How seriously the martial arts world regarded rank.
Rank was like hierarchy. Baek Woo Jin was a newcomer to the martial arts world, while the Poison King Tang Yeon Shin was a senior who had built up his reputation long before that.
“A bet between you and me, a mere newcomer to the martial arts world? What would the martial circles think when they see the Poison King himself stoop to something so trivial?”
In the fantasy world or even on Earth, rank would be ignored in the face of pride, but the martial arts world was different.
Even if the other party had initiated the provocation, Tang Yeon Shin, as the head of one of the Five Great Clans, would only damage his reputation if he won against Baek Woo Jin. If he lost, the consequences would be severe. Logically, he would never agree to it.
More rational than I thought.
Baek Woo Jin had known from the moment he made the proposal that there would be no benefit in it for Tang Yeon Shin.
That was why Baek Woo Jin had intentionally used words that pricked at Tang Yeon Shin’s pride. He was hoping to break through his composure. After all, someone who lost control wouldn’t be able to think through the costs and benefits so clearly.
Tang Yeon Shin’s eyes which were now cold enough to freeze fixed on Baek Woo Jin.
“I’ll say it once more. I won’t give up my daughter. Find yourself another match.”
With those words, he turned away without a trace of hesitation. Just before he stepped through the door opened by the chief steward who had gone ahead, he tilted his head slightly and spoke again.
“Since you’re already here, take a few days to rest. You’re a guest now, aren’t you?”
He left this parting comment in a mocking tone and disappeared. Baek Woo Jin watched his retreating figure and then turned to look at Tang Seon Yeong.
Just at that moment, she seemed to be about to look in his direction as well and turned her head toward him.
“So… what should we do now?”
She asked with a hollow voice as if her soul had slipped away, and Baek Woo Jin replied with a faint, weary smile.
“Seems like we’re screwed?”
What should we do?
***
The Moorim Alliance branch in Sichuan’s Chengdu, which had stood there for over thirty years, was in an uproar.
The commotion had begun with a report submitted by students of the Divine Dragon Team from the Jeongmu Academy.
“Is this report true?”
Go Myeong Han, known as the “Remnant Abyss Demon Blade” had been the branch director of the Moorim Alliance’s Chengdu branch for five years. Now he questioned the student who had drafted the report he held in his hand as if pressing her for the truth.
The young girl, who had not yet completely shed her childlike features, was small and delicate. Though she could not bring herself to meet his gaze under his powerful questioning, she answered with surprising conviction.
“It is the truth… without a single falsehood.”
“Is that so?”
It did happen sometimes.
Now and then, there were “clever” students who would slip lies into their reports to achieve good grades.
With that thought in mind, he had questioned them with a forceful tone, since he suspected that they might have done the same. However, judging from their current demeanor, everything in the report seemed to be true.
“If what’s written in the report is true… this could lead to a serious situation.”
Prior to being assigned as the branch leader here, he had been a member of the elite Demon Slaying Brigade, which reported directly to the main branch of the Moorim Alliance. As such, he was well aware of the dangers posed by demonic beats and demons.
Whenever demonic beats and demons appeared, the surrounding regions often suffered substantial damage. Still, life managed to carry on since these beings always acted alone.
But if they began to act in groups, following the orders of the Demonic Cult as described in the report, any area they appeared in would be left in ruins long before the Demon Slaying Brigade could even arrive.
“We must confirm this immediately. Could I ask you to guide me?”
Go Myeong Han suddenly stood up and asked his question. Jegal Yeon Ji also stood up and nodded as if she had been waiting for this.
“Let’s go at once.”
An investigation team consisting of Divine Dragon Team members led by Jegal Yeon Ji and martial artists from the Chengdu branch was formed.
“Move out!”
Without delay, they set out from Chengdu.
***
A long day filled with worry had passed.
Baek Woo Jin awoke in a foul mood, so before breakfast was even served, he poured himself a drink.
His empty stomach briefly felt a sting, but it soon settled down. This must have been because his body had adapted.
“I didn’t expect my ‘secret technique’ wouldn’t work…”
Every time, it was a blow to one’s pride that would make anyone bend without fail, but this time it hadn’t worked, and that left him feeling a bit disappointed.
“It’ll take longer than expected.”
Since he couldn’t finish this in one swift move, he had no choice but to start working from within, slowly but surely.
“Well, it wasn’t a complete waste.”
Although his secret technique had fallen short, he managed to obtain one crucial piece of information.
For some reason, the Poison King Tang Yeon Shin who was a Transcendent State master. He seemed unable to exert his full strength.
In this world, those who had reached the realm of the Transcendent State were called masters. It was a term that signified their mastery, not only of the sword but also of the aura, which was called “ki” here. They could use it more skillfully than their own hands and feet.
The power Tang Yeon Shin had shown yesterday was certainly intense and forceful. However, for someone at the Transcendent State level, it had been inadequate and clumsy.
“Other people might not notice, but he can’t fool me.”
Martial artists who had reached the Peak Master or Transcendent Peak realm often radiated an intense energy. However, when they reached the Transcendent State realm, they redirected all that energy inward, making them look no different from an ordinary person.
This phenomenon was known as “returning to the original state”, meaning that those below this level couldn’t detect any energy from a Transcendent State master.
This was also true for Baek Woo Jin. His ability to recognize other masters came only from intuition based on experience, reading subtle clues in their energy and posture, but detecting the aura of a Transcendent State master was beyond his reach.
“And yet, even if it was for a split second, …”
When Tang Yeon Shin first appeared, Baek Woo Jin felt nothing. There was no trace of the presence that would typically signify a Master of the Transcendent State, one whose mere aura announced his arrival.
But from the moment he scattered and then gathered his energy, something had begun to change. Though he managed to control most of it, a hint of his aura kept leaking out, as if he couldn’t contain it completely.
“How am I supposed to interpret this?”
It was different from someone who was unable to do his best because of physical limitations or restrictions. Even if there was a problem with the body, a Transcendent State master was still a Transcendent State master. Even though their fighting power might diminish, their mastery of energy wouldn’t falter. Unless they were like an old man or a dying patient on the verge of death, there was no precedent and he had never heard of it, for a master’s aura to spill out uncontrollably just by standing still.
This left him bewildered.
The fact that he couldn’t fully contain his aura meant that Tang Yeon Shin wasn’t actually a Transcendent State master.
And that, in itself, was strange.
“After all, the Poison King is a well-known figure throughout the martial arts world…”
Setting aside what kind of father he was to his daughter, he was undeniably someone who reached the Transcendent State. He was celebrated as one of the few martial artists who had reached that level.
He had earned this acknowledgment because he had publicly demonstrated an aura technique that only a master of the Transcendent State could perform, right before the eyes of the martial arts world’s great elders.
If he had learned some unique martial art, it was certainly possible that he could mimic the ability to conceal his energy. However, the aura technique itself was impossible to fake.
So there was no doubt that Tang Yeon Shin had truly reached the Transcendent State.
“Then… what is going on?”
Perhaps the Tang Yeon Shin he saw yesterday wasn’t actually Tang Yeon Shin at all.
***
Go Myeong Han led his men to the area where the Divine Dragon Team had recently dispatched a demonic beast, and sighed deeply.
“Hoo…”
In front of them was a cave that was clearly marked with traces of a demonic beast’s presence. In addition, remnants of an energy barrier surrounded the entrance.
This was proof that every line in their report was true.
He asked Jegal Yeon Ji with a hardened expression,
“You mentioned there was a map left by your team leader.”
“…Yes. It indicates locations where demonic beasts are likely hiding.”
“Let’s search immediately.”
He had no way of knowing how many monsters might be hiding in this area. If they were to surge out all at once, it could lead to a massacre the likes of which they’d never seen before.
His urgency was reflected in his hurried steps, and his subordinates struggled to keep up as he strode far ahead.
Following the markings on the map Baek Woo Jin had left behind, they began to scour the nearby forest.
They searched five locations over the course of a single night, but unfortunately they found nothing.
“Um, perhaps we should rest for the night.”
The surroundings had grown dark, with night soon to fall.
Jegal Yeon Ji, who had been leading the group with him, gathered her courage and voiced her suggestion. However, Go Myeong Han ignored her words.
“We can continue the search with torches. Let’s check just one more spot.”
“Yes…”
His impatience was understandable, so Jegal Yeonji had no choice but to take a step back.
Following his declaration that this would be the last search for the night, the group moved on with heavy steps, reaching the next location.
Gyaarowl!
Baek Ho, who was cuddled up in Jegal Yeon Ji’s arms and had been purring contentedly with its eyes closed, suddenly opened its eyes and let out an adorable roar.
“Strategist Jegal, what’s going on…?”
Jang Sam who was standing beside her looked at her with a serious expression.
Every time Baek Ho began to cry out, there would be a cave where a demonic beast lay hidden.
As Jegal Yeon Ji set Baek Ho down from her arms onto the ground, the little tiger immediately darted off as if it had been waiting for this moment.
“W-We have to follow it right away!”
“You mean that cat?”
Go Myeong Han was clearly confused. Jegal Yeon Ji who was already running ahead shouted back.
“N-Not a cat, this is a white tiger!”
Go Myeong Han and the investigation team members chased after her, following the path of the Divine Dragon Team members in the lead.
The place where they stopped was deep within the forest, where thick and tenacious grasses grew in tangled clusters.
After cutting down the stubborn grass with their blades, they finally reached an enormous cave. This one was many times larger and more expansive than any they’d encountered so far.
Upon seeing it, Go Myeong Han’s expression hardened.
“It seems we’ve arrived at a ridiculous place.”
At that moment, Jegal Yeon Ji who had reached the cave first and was scanning the surroundings shouted in an urgent voice.
“Th-The protective formation has been broken!”
The words had barely left her mouth when footsteps that were far from human echoed through the cave.
Thud, thud, thud.
“F-Footsteps…!”
And it was more than just one or two.
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