Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors
As I was observing the situation, Miho spoke with a curious tone,
“How strong is the gambling going on here? There’s a mountain of gold bars piled up behind her.”
Indeed, Dao King Byeokji-sang had more than 20 gold bars stacked behind her, with silver bars and silver coins also piled high beside them. It seemed they had exchanged as many silver coins for gold bars as possible, but still needed to bring in silver bars to cover the difference.
‘How much money is that, really?’
Just the amount gathered here could easily claim the title of The Richest in Sichuan. It made sense, considering that she had raided the Shu Han Gambling House for two months straight. However, having amassed such wealth also meant she’d drawn enmity upon herself, now facing a coalition of the six sects intent on killing her—definitely a mixed blessing.
Miho suggested,
“Why not give it a try? Just to test the waters.”
“Are you serious? That person is the god of gambling.”
“Exactly, that’s why it would be good to play lightly. You’d want to gauge her skills for future reference, right?”
“Hmm…”
There was some truth to Miho’s words. So I decided to put in some silver coins and joined the game where Dao King Byeokji-sang was playing. Miho opted to watch casually from outside.
As I sat at the mahjong table, a heavy atmosphere hung in the air. Mahjong is typically played by four people, but the other two players, aside from Dao King Byeokji-sang, looked utterly defeated—like a couple of dead fish. They were probably “losing” a lot right now but unwilling to give up, still clinging to their stakes in the game. You could call them victims of gambling.
Dao King Byeokji-sang glanced at me and said,
“You’re just a child. Do you enjoy mahjong?”
Her voice was cold yet melodious. With her short hair and elegant demeanor, she had a certain charm when seen up close. I nodded and replied,
“It’s alright.”
“A vague answer.”
“If I really enjoyed it, I wouldn’t be betting money in a game like this.”
At my response, Dao King Byeokji-sang showed a hint of interest in her eyes. She asked,
“Why is that?”
“Whether I win or lose, someone’s life gets ruined, right? Unless you’re some sort of pervert who enjoys your own downfall, you wouldn’t stake money on mahjong.”
“Isn’t it boring if you don’t bet?”
“If you truly love mahjong, you could find enjoyment in it even without betting.”
As I responded somewhat brusquely, Dao King seemed genuinely amused, letting out a laugh.
“… Ha ha! That’s a wonderful answer.”
Clatter
Shortly after, the game began.
Mahjong typically starts with drawing the initial tile.
Players typically shuffle four sets of tiles—East, South, West, North—without showing them then flip one tile each. The player who draws East gets to decide their seat and the rest sit counterclockwise based on their drawn tiles. The one who draws first East is called Seat East (좌동).
Next, the Seat East rolls two dice to determine who becomes False East (가동), followed by True East (진동), who is the first dealer, based on another dice roll.
From there, we select the position of the first round using two dice and stack two layers of tiles in front of each player. After shuffling the discarded tiles and removing unneeded ones, the player who completes their hand scores based on the size of their win.
Moreover, the game is played in rounds from East to North until all 16 rounds are complete. While 16 rounds might seem lengthy, the time for each round is manageable, leading to relatively quick games.
‘Mahjong isn’t just a game of luck…’
It requires sharp thinking and guts.
I had learned mahjong during my time in the Pyo. I recognized that while some players can win frequently, others, no matter how much they try, seem to continuously lose. The outcome of the tiles is up to luck, but establishing one’s winning strategy involves keen psychological warfare, tactics, and calculations. It becomes a battle of wits.
In that sense, my venture into a game against Dao King Byeokji-sang, as a nearly novice player, felt borderline insane. Renowned gamblers had fallen before her, so how could I possibly win? Regardless, I needed to assess her skills, so I willingly braved a monetary loss and took the chance.
“… Win in Mahjong (화료).”
In the first round, I managed to quickly win in Mahjong thanks to favorable tiles. Naturally, even with a win in mahjong, that doesn’t mean an instant fortune; seizing minor victories to follow up is key. Since I had at least taken a small victory off Dao King, I slyly glanced at her.
“……!!”
In that moment, I flinched.
I couldn’t read any emotions at all.
Absolutely nothing was comprehensible.
Even after considerable experience and training, I could usually sense the aura and psychology of Jianghu Experts, but before Dao King, she glimmered void of life—like an inanimate object. I felt a shiver at her presence just as the next round began.
……
…
An hour passed.
“Ching Ten (청일색)!”
I was hit again.
I felt all strength drain from my body, nearly collapsing forward.
‘Just how much have I lost?’
After that, I couldn’t properly win in Mahjong or complete any hands. Dao King would always beat me to the punch, or it felt like she could anticipate my moves, shutting me down before I could even act. It was as if a ghostly good fortune glued to her allowed her tiles to flow seamlessly. I stumbled about, and in my fluster, committed a foul, incurring additional costs.
I soon realized I owed several times more money than I initially intended. Thankfully, the stakes weren’t astronomically high, or else I would have ended up in a colossal deficit. I was in serious danger of losing all my capital.
I even found myself fearful of Dao King as she busily organized her tiles, her delicate fingers… How could someone become so formidable at gambling?
While I’d expected this, the skill gap in mahjong felt as vast as heaven and earth. I felt as if I’d been made a fool from beginning to end.
As I contemplated how to manage my payment for the losses and bury my head in shame, Dao King said,
“You play quite honestly. It’s a rare trait in a place like this.”
“… You’re remarkably strong.”
I replied faintly, and then Dao King said,
“Well… being strong at mahjong doesn’t equate to having a strong life, Baek Woong.”
At her words, my mind jolted awake. Dao King Byeokji-sang stared at me with transparent eyes. She brushed aside her short hair and continued,
“It’s not surprising. I’ve been waiting for you all this time.”
“No way.”
With a lack of change in her expression, Dao King replied,
“Baek Woong, you were looking for me, weren’t you? But you seemed so lukewarm that I decided to call you over.”
“……”
From her words, I could piece things together.
Dao King Byeokji-sang had likely gone into hiding to evade annoying matters after a night of mahjong with Dongbang Mu-gyeol. But while lying low, she seemed to have sensed that I was trying to find her through the Open Sect. For whatever reason, she’d deliberately manipulated the situation to draw me in.
Given that she knew my name and appearance, she had likely done some digging on me as well. I stared at her, bewildered, and finally spoke,
“So you deliberately raided the Shu Han Gambling House to incur the anger of the Sichuan Martial World Alliance?”
“If I die, you’ll have a problem, won’t you? I figured you would come.”
“Crazy.”
I spat out incredulously. My tone had shifted to a serious one.
“I came out here by accident. It was merely a matter of priority. Had I forgotten and wandered back in a few months, you’d probably be dead by now for putting yourself in such precarious gambling situations?”
My words lacked exaggeration or threats. I had genuinely arrived to seek Dao King purely by chance, prioritizing that over looking for Dongbang Mu-gyeol. I had assumed I’d find her at my leisure. But I never envisioned she would gamble her life away like this.
In response, Dao King Byeokji-sang laughed, unruffled.
“Is that a problem?”
“……”
“I don’t feel alive, you know. Except when I’m gambling…”
In that moment, I had no rational reason to think so, but I sensed that Dao King Byeokji-sang bore the air of a Nautical Spirit. She seemed like a beast capable of jumping into flames and burning her own life. Such figures are beyond the grasp of ordinary sentiments; they were incomprehensible to mere mortals.
I sighed.
“Ugh, what now? Are you asking me to save you?”
“You’ve come here intending to rescue me.”
“I suppose that’s unjustified confidence.”
Dao King Byeokji-sang continued to smile gently. Though her smile was pleasant and warm, after experiencing her cold sense of self-awareness and aloofness, it felt terrifying. It made me realize just how fickle and incomprehensible emotional states could be for her.
One in a hundred years—a true genius of gambling!
“… Alright. Follow me.”
“Good thinking.”
The negotiations concluded. Dao King Byeokji-sang seemed pleased as she tied up her hair, revealing a visage reminiscent of a pretty figure drawn by the previous Wuhusa‘s caretaker. It seemed she also belonged to the category of “beautiful women.”
“I’ll take this money.”
I watched as I handed a significant sum of money to Dao King Byeokji-sang, who was then about to take an extraordinary amount out from the Shu Han Gambling House—20 gold bars she had amassed over her two months of winning, alongside an enormous stash of silver bars and coins. She seemed prepared to carry it off by cart.
At that moment, serious intervention was about to unfold. The goat-bearded manager of the Shu Han Gambling House, looking troubled, gave Byeokji-sang a sinister smile,
“Ha ha ha… Dao King. You didn’t really think you could walk away with all that, did you?”
“What do you mean?”
“You’ve gotten too reckless.”
Bam bam bam!
Simultaneously, dark shadows erupted from nearby, encircling us. They all appeared to be highly trained martial artists. Gazing blankly at the encircling figures, the manager snickered.
“Hee hee hee… They’re the experts from Blood Flame Gate and Twin Star Knife Gate.”
“Not a single one of them could stop me.”
Dao King Byeokji-sang’s calm response bore the truth. How she had achieved peak skills at such a young age remained a mystery, but without a doubt, she was certainly a Peak Expert. While the surrounding men were well-trained, their limitations were clear. If she were to truly break through, stopping her wouldn’t be easy.
The manager grinned wickedly.
“I knew it would come to this, so I brought in some distinguished guests.”
Swish…
Silently, around a dozen powerful figures infiltrated the hall. They may have been fewer in number than the cultivators from Blood Flame Gate and Twin Star Knife Gate, but upon seeing them, Dao King slightly narrowed her eyes. The manager introduced them.
“Absolute Dragon Faction and Heavenly Heart Association have each sent five esteemed experts. They won’t be easy to deal with.”
A deathtrap!
The experts dispatched by the Absolute Dragon Faction and Heavenly Heart Association appeared more formidable. Normally, once a martial artist found themselves caught within this kind of encirclement, they would lose hope of survival. I thought to myself,
‘The intersext rivalry hasn’t been properly formed yet; they must have been scheming from the very beginning.’
That means each sect’s interest in Dao King is immense. Not only could they gain information on Dongbang Mu-gyeol, but if they could draw her to their side, they would also reap a substantial gamble like her. Moreover, given her gender, the likelihood of her being mistreated increases significantly.
No sooner had I thought this than the manager of the Shu Han Gambling House eyed Dao King’s figure with ravenous desire, muttering vile words,
“Gee hee… You’d surely come to miss this moment if your martial prowess were to be wasted away for years before being sold as a slave in Hong Lou. You surely aren’t aware of how many men would pay a fortune to exploit you, right?… Hee hee…”
His gaze slid over Dao King Byeokji-sang’s shape. It wasn’t overly curvy but balanced, and given her striking beauty, it seemed to incite the filthy imaginations of men.
“……”
Dao King didn’t change her expression one bit, but Miho grew furious. With her eye aflame, Miho glared back, growling,
“Baek Woong, I’m thinking of ripping out that scoundrel’s tongue. You’ll help, right?”
“Why are you so wound up all of a sudden… We don’t need to get into a fight.”
I said in annoyance to Miho. It would be as simple as putting Dao King into my Bikang and gathering up with Miho to leave for Jinlang Valley. Picking a fight with the Sichuan Martial World Alliance would be foolish.
But Miho sharply responded,
“You will help me, right?!”
“… Uh, I understand.”
Miho clenched her fists, boldly proclaiming,
“There’s no need to let such garbage live!”
Dao King looked at Miho with a hint of intrigue.
“You have a lot of affection.”
“Too much, to be honest.”
As I mumbled discontentedly, the Shu Han Gambling House manager, who’d been listening to our banter, remarked in disbelief,
“I don’t care who you are, but you’re foolish. If you want to become slaves together, so be it.”
“Don’t you know that treating slaves according to the Great Law is punishable by death?”
“… Attack!”
With the signal given, it was as if no one had anything more to say. I took a deep breath inward.
‘Oh dear, this is going to be tough.’
Simultaneously, my body sped into action like light. I swung my sword at terrifying speeds toward the figures in front of me, launching a crescent-shaped arc of energy.
A crescent blade, about five yards wide, glimmered as it sped forth. I had purposefully tempered my speed, but it was still beyond a common understanding. Those rushing at me all reeled back in fright.
KABOOM!
“Ahhh!”
“Kaah!”
“Whaaa?!”
Those struck by my crescent were knocked backward, sent flying far away. Since I’d prioritized ricocheting over cutting, no direct harm would befall them.
“Hiik!”
“What’s going on?!”
Typically, a blade’s energy would manifest near the edge of the blade, delivering its effect only within a yard’s reach. But shooting forth a crescent arc of that size was nearly impossible in Jianghu.
After restraining myself from killing anyone, I unleashed a Lion’s Roar (사자후).
[I’ve embarked on a journey with the Sichuan Tang Sect to protect the Dao King! If you seek death, then step forward!]
Thundering!
“Huuh…”
“Wooah!”
In that instant of Lion’s Roar, nearly all of the surrounding experts were rendered powerless, collapsing or fainting right where they stood.
Only the few dispatched by the Absolute Dragon Faction and Heavenly Heart Association stood, looking pale and trembling. I scratched my head in confusion as my simple roar had practically cleared the hall.
‘Hmm… Has my level risen along with my capacity?’
Both the power of the crescent attack and my Lion’s Roar had become vastly stronger since the beginning. The relentless training I’d put in was finally showing results. I glanced at Miho, conveying through my thoughts,
[Miho, I think I can handle this all on my own. Please refrain from any killing.]
Miho nodded silently.
If Miho were to truly engage, she’d summon her spirit beasts and employ various techniques, transforming into her main self, the nine-tailed fox, and turning the whole place upside down. If that happened, survival for anyone present would be nearly impossible, and managing the aftermath would prove to be nearly impossible as well.
Frightened, one of the experts from the Absolute Dragon Faction shouted,
“W-who are you? What immortal has graced us with their presence?”
I answered bluntly,
“I’m Baek Woong. As stated, I stand with the Sichuan Tang Sect. Anyone who dares to touch the Dao King will consider it a strike against me.”
“Sichuan Tang Sect…?”
“The leader of Sichuan Tang Sect pledged to protect the Dao King. Keep that in mind.”
Whispers
The ten or so experts exchanged glances, astonished. Suddenly finding themselves on the wrong side of the Sichuan Tang Sect was hard for them to digest.
At that moment, a voice rang out—an elderly one.
“Ho ho… The young dragon is making quite a scene.”
I turned towards the sound, spotting a Taoist entering confidently at the entrance of the gambling house. He bore a longsword at his back and was dressed in the regalia of the Qingcheng Sect. Upon recognizing him, I inquired,
“Are you the Dual Sword Elder of the Qingcheng Sect?”
“You’ve heard my name.”
“I’ve heard you hold a grudge against the Dao King for losing your sword, yet here you are tangled up in worldly matters.”
I subtly mocked him, causing the Dual Sword Elder to twitch an eyebrow.
“Why do you protect the Dao King? She’s a gambling addict and an orphan, draining the lifeblood from countless gamblers—a villain.”
“The kind of villain you claim she is sounds remarkably similar to another, doesn’t it?”
I shot back with a wry smile.
“How did you contribute to the world while the Dao King was taking money from your gambling booth?”
“I’ve been eliminating the demon head of Samawaido.”
“Is a demon’s life less valuable? Is it acceptable for you to go about killing indiscriminately? Sounds rather similar to your claims of her being a villain…”
“That’s fallacious reasoning. By defeating that demon, I’ve rescued countless decent lives.”
I burst into laughter.
“Ha! By siphoning money from helpless gamblers, isn’t the Dao King preventing destruction to others?”
“……”
“There’s no purpose in talking frivolously. We’re standing here for our own interests. The only path left is to decisively push our claims through strength.”
Swish…
While I calmly declared this, Dual Sword Elder’s eyes widened.
It seemed he realized he couldn’t easily engage with me given my overwhelming presence. He hesitated, seemingly weighing the odds.
“Is it true that you, the leader of the Sichuan Tang Sect, have sided with the Dao King?”
“If you wish to know, wait a day. I’m willing to wager my head on it.”
“Well… it’s not merely curiosity. I just…”
Stumbling over his words, Dual Sword Elder cast his gaze toward the sky before continuing,
“… Regardless! The Dao King should stop her foolish gambling and live a healthier life.”
Swish!
As his last words left his mouth, Dual Sword Elder utilized an agile maneuver and disappeared. His splendid exit sounded quite convincing, yet there was no doubt he was fleeing. Upon realizing this, the faces of the experts from Absolute Dragon Faction and Heavenly Heart Association turned ashen. I smirked at them, threateningly,
“Will you scatter and leave peacefully, or will you fight?”
“……!!”
In rapid succession, they turned to flee. Watching the sudden resolution of the tense scene, I felt somewhat deflated.
‘What was that? Why was it so easy?’
I had steeled myself for a grueling fight with all these six sects, yet it appeared I wasn’t even required to engage.
No, hold on.
It wasn’t that they were weak; it was that I had grown stronger.
Had I still been the me from before, this situation would have spelled death. Now, however, it had just become a casual murder scene. While I contemplated my growth, I noticed Miho‘s eyes had turned a bright red. This transformation indicated the murderous aura of a fox spirit.
“I’ll spare you, but I’ll rip out your tongue.”
In a stunning display, Miho wrestled the Shu Han Gambling House manager’s tongue right out. Both Dao King and I watched in silence as gory chaos unfolded before us.
“Ergh! Kkgh! Aaaaaah!!”
The manager clutched his mouth, oscillating confusedly before collapsing sideways.
‘Wow, people’s tongues are longer than I thought.’
I mused absurdly about the spectacle.
While still holding the twitching red tongue, Miho clenched it tightly before popping it.
Crunch!
“I don’t want to eat this.”
“Why’s that…?”
“Hmm… I guess I’m just in the mood for something else.”
Miho appeared disinterested, as if her shock from ripping out a human tongue barely registered. I soothed her before turning to Dao King and spoke,
“With things as they are, life in Sichuan will be tough. Come with us; if you help us, I won’t ask for anything in return.”
“Great! Sounds fun.”
“……”
I felt stunned seeing Dao King Byeokji-sang, not showing any surprise, casually welcoming the idea. I’d never encountered such a composed person before. It felt like she was rapidly adjusting to the situation, lacking any emotional turmoil, even witnessing Miho ripping out a tongue without a shred of fear.
‘Could this actually be a win?’
The truth is that people can always find ways to use their skills, no matter where they go.
Having Dao King Byeokji-sang as an ally seemed oddly promising.
