Chapter: 395
Immediately after hearing the Poison King’s murderous warning(?) through Tang So-yeol, I finished a mealtime that felt like a mystery of whether I was eating with my mouth or nose, and right after, I started walking.
Even as I made my way through the streets, I turned my head, pondering how to refuse the Poison King’s invitation. No story came to mind that could convincingly sway him.
‘I guess he’s really just going to be serving rice.’
That’s what I think.
While the probability of that happening seems pretty high, I still couldn’t shake off the chilling sensation creeping down my spine.
‘Surely, he’s not really going to try poisoning me.’
Even though I know that no matter how skilled he is in the arts of assassination, he wouldn’t dare do something like that to me.
There were also those rumors flying around, and I felt a bit uneasy since he was notorious for being a doting father.
If it were anyone else, I’d believe that a person from one of the Four Great Clans wouldn’t act that thoughtlessly…
‘… But thinking about Baekcheon Sword Master, that old geezer doesn’t fit that mold at all.’
I realized that none of the heads of the Four Great Clans are quite sane.
I’m sure they weren’t like this in our past lives.
Could it be that I was simply oblivious? Or has something changed?
‘Nothing’s changed, surely.’
No matter how many things change, it’d be odd for that to change.
I must have just been unaware of the fact that they were all weird people from the start. It had to be that way.
Otherwise, the future of this Central Plains… no, it’s ultimately a doomed future to begin with.
“Ha.”
I couldn’t help but sigh at how all involved seem like a bunch of crazy folks.
In the meantime, while I wanted to skip out on the dinner with the Poison King, I found I couldn’t.
The ruler of the land of Sacheon I wanted to visit is the Tang Clan.
Moreover, when I mentioned that I was heading to Sacheon, Tang So-yeol got so excited that she went immediately to break the news.
For now, if I just try not to look at it, I could easily ignore it.
It didn’t really matter if I didn’t go with them.
In fact, the Poison King had other reasons for his trip to Sacheon.
‘It’s all about escorting a prisoner, after all.’
A prisoner reportedly locked up in the basement of the Murim Alliance.
A martial artist from the Sapha who assaulted Shinryongguan this time, and the figure known as the Black Dragon Sword, who played a significant part in spreading my name throughout the Central Plains, along with his henchmen.
It was the Poison King’s job to capture them and bring them back to the Tang Clan.
Thinking of that made my face frown slightly.
‘Such a brutal method they’re employing.’
The reason for hauling a criminal all the way from Hanam to Sacheon.
If I tried to recall it, it would surely cause my brows to furrow.
Sure, they could easily torture someone in Hanam, but even doing so would just make some people remain tight-lipped.
The Tang Clan was a place that could even make those kinds of people spill their secrets.
These days, the Tang Clan is regarded as one of the pillars of the righteous factions, but they can maintain that status precisely because they handle the filthy and shady tasks that the righteous sects can’t take on themselves.
Most people in the Central Plains are either unaware of this or tacitly allow it to happen.
I know.
Back in my previous life, when the Demonic Cult occupied Sacheon.
Immediately after I killed Dokbi with my own hands, I headed to the basement of the Tang Clan.
There, I had to witness a hellish scene to comply with Cheonma’s commands.
Even I, who have endured countless hardships, would deem it hellish enough to warrant avoiding the memory entirely.
The head of the house, the Poison King, can’t possibly be ignorant of that.
For that reason alone, I couldn’t help but regard him with a measure of discomfort.
Even the gentle gaze and look typical of the Tang clan seemed like a chilling mask after witnessing the hidden truths buried below.
The Murim Alliance is also aware of the secrets of that clan, which must be why they are asking the Poison King to send us to Sacheon.
From this perspective, I could confirm again that the Murim Alliance isn’t a perfectly pristine place.
‘That’s only natural.’
No place can endure by staying too clean.
No one knows that better than me, yet I just dislike the idea of getting too close to the truth.
‘Tsk.’
No matter how I look at it, I couldn’t turn down the invitation for dinner with the Poison King.
The reasons I must avoid his invitation are all quite substantial.
The motivation for me to go, however, is way bigger than those reasons.
‘Honestly, no one helps at all. What a damn world.’
The most significant reason for my trip to Sacheon.
It was to obtain the White Horse Stone—a means to solidify my incomplete realm and elevate my level further.
To get that White Horse Stone, I needed permission from none other than the Tang Clan.
So, I couldn’t just rashly refuse the Poison King’s invitation for dinner.
If it had been up to me, I would have asked Tang So-yeol to find a way around it…
‘There’s no helping it now.’
Unless there was an alternative, I had to accept the dinner with the Poison King.
Having decided that, I sighed and kept walking.
Soon enough, I arrived at my destination, where I had to focus on the matters in front of me.
The dinner with the Poison King was scheduled for the evening, but I had some business to attend to during the day.
Those blocking the main gate recognized me and moved aside.
It seemed they’d prepared in advance.
I slightly bowed my head, opened the door, and stepped inside.
As I walked, I cast my gaze at the chests of those whom I recognized as my escorts.
They wore white robes embroidered with patterns resembling flowing winds.
Seeing that indicates they are Taoists from the Kunlun sect.
Only one sect in the Central Plains bears any embroidery like that.
Upon passing the entrance, I sensed similar energies floating around. It was all the essence of Kunlun’s disciples.
Despite sensing them, I continued striding onward.
The reason I sought this place, bustling with Taoists, was to meet the old man just beyond that door.
Knock knock.
Carefully, I opened the door and entered. An elderly man, half-raised from his resting place, greeted me.
“You’ve come.”
An old man with white hair and gentle wrinkles etched all over his face.
One of his arms looked as if it had been cut off above the wrist.
Despite the loss, he waved me over with his remaining arm.
It was Cheonghae Ilgeom.
Once I carefully sat down, the Taoist offered me tea and refreshments.
“I hope you’ve been well.”
“Yeah. I’m sorry to pull you away when you must be so busy.”
“Not at all.”
How long had it been since we last met?
It must have been nearly a month. I had crossed paths with him a couple of times since the incident, but this was the first time Cheonghae Ilgeom had personally summoned me.
He wore his usual warm smile, leaning toward me as he spoke.
“They say there’s not a place your name isn’t echoing these days. Is that true?”
“… Not to that extent.”
Although I replied that way, it was basically on point.
I’d heard that in the alleys of Hanam, kids were entertaining themselves with a bizarre game they called Soyeomra.
Had I laid eyes on it, I probably would have had a couple of those little rascals with bumps on their heads for getting into trouble. I regretted not witnessing it personally.
If I had, I wouldn’t have just watched passively.
Cheonghae Ilgeom chuckled, as if he didn’t quite grasp my feelings.
“You’ve done something great. It wouldn’t hurt to embrace it that way.”
“… Yes.”
If it’s deemed good, I could see it as such.
But from my point of view, it seemed more like rumors crafted by the sect’s schemes, so it didn’t sit right with me.
This time, trying to subdue my anxieties, I asked Cheonghae Ilgeom a question.
“Are you feeling any better?”
“Indeed, couldn’t be better.”
“Oh, really?”
Cheonghae Ilgeom said it as if nothing were amiss, but I found it hard to believe.
Given that one of his wrists was gone and that he had been bedridden since then, it seemed like his injuries ran deep.
‘… Not to mention, the situation isn’t looking too bright right now.’
While the Shinryongguan is affiliated with the Meng sect, the Kunlun sect had been managing its oversight this time around.
Thus, it was clear they couldn’t escape moral responsibility regarding the damage incurred from the Black Dragon Sword’s raid.
The word on the street was that the leader, Jangcheon, had stepped down from his position because of this incident.
‘I heard Cheonghae Ilgeom also sought to resign from his position as well.’
That wasn’t confirmed.
It truly was just hearsay.
Moreover, Kunlun had taken its own steps after the accident.
They organized a modest funeral for the fallen martial artists right after the incident occurred.
Even the Kunlun sect took charge, gathering information on each fallen warrior and ensuring the corpses didn’t decompose until the family or their sect arrived.
From my viewpoint, it seemed they fulfilled their moral obligations.
Yet, the public seemingly didn’t share that sentiment.
The Murim Alliance and a so-called incompetent noble family. Sects reduced to mere façades, and so on.
The content of rumors downplaying Kunlun had significantly risen.
So, were Cheonghae Ilgeom and Kunlun really as incapable as they claim?
‘Well.’
At least, I don’t believe they are. I just can’t fathom how others think.
Having thought this through, I first turned to Cheonghae Ilgeom and asked.
“Master.”
“Yes?”
“What prompted you to call for me?”
That was the main point I was curious about. Why the sudden summons?
After hearing my question, Cheonghae Ilgeom took a sip of tea.
He seemed to need a moment to collect his thoughts, and I refrained from rushing him.
Eventually, a brief silence lingered before Cheonghae Ilgeom began to speak.
“The reason I summoned you is, first and foremost… to express my gratitude.”
“… That… Isn’t that something you already mentioned a long time ago?”
This was what Cheonghae Ilgeom had stated right after regaining his senses.
He had thanked me for saving the children.
At that moment, I found the remark incredibly dislikable.
Despite the passage of time, my feelings stood unchanged.
“Gratitude is something one continues to express as long as that sentiment remains.”
“I’m alright—there’s really no need to do that…”
“Furthermore, I don’t think expressing gratitude through mere words suffices.”
Just as I was about to retort half-heartedly, asking him not to bother, Cheonghae Ilgeom took out something from his robe and handed it to me.
“What’s this?”
It was a round object painted in gold.
Roughly the size and shape of a coin, but I couldn’t quite identify it.
While pondering its purpose with curiosity, Cheonghae Ilgeom continued.
“I heard you’re heading to Sacheon soon. Is that correct?”
“Yes? Ah, yes, that’s right.”
Where did he hear that from?
For some reason, it felt like everyone I encountered was aware of my trip to Sacheon.
“This… is my token of appreciation for you. Since you mentioned going to Sacheon, I prepared it for you, so please accept it.”
Does this mean it holds some utility in Sacheon?
If that’s the case, it’s probably wise to accept it, though the justification for doing so is the issue.
“I can’t accept this, Master.”
I genuinely felt undeserving of such a token.
Because of my actions leading to a chaotic situation, many lives were lost.
I simply grew enraged upon seeing them and went on a rampage against those bastards from the Sapha.
And the ones who survived thanks to my actions?
They’re merely those who ought to have lived. Conversely, those who perished were the very individuals who should’ve survived.
In that context, did I truly earn the right to accept such a thing?
I believed I didn’t.
A brief silence enveloped the room, likely due to my response.
Looking into my eyes, Cheonghae Ilgeom stroked his beard thoughtfully.
“You’re weighed down by some unexplained guilt.”
“… ”
“What could possibly make you think so little of yourself?”
Though he queried, I found myself unable to provide an answer.
To no one.
Did he realize I wouldn’t respond?
Cheonghae Ilgeom released a soft sigh before calmly speaking again.
“I don’t know the reason, but if you refuse to accept it as a token of gratitude, at the very least, take it as a gift.”
“… As a gift, you say?”
“Do you remember when I said I favored you in the past?”
“Yes.”
That was the point of discussion when I had entered Shinryongguan and interacted with Cheonghae Ilgeom.
He mentioned having a bias in my favor.
“Then consider it a symbol of my sentiment and graciously accept it.”
“One.”
“Oh, are you trying to embarrass this old man even more?”
“…”
Cheonghae Ilgeom frowned slightly, realizing my hesitation. Only then did I silently pick up the gold disc and tuck it away.
Once that was settled, Cheonghae Ilgeom appeared satisfied, again breaking into a smile.
“Keep that item with you and utilize it when you arrive in Sacheon.”
“Utilize it, you say? Where exactly would you suggest I use it?”
In response to my inquiry, Cheonghae Ilgeom indicated a specific location.
“…!”
Upon hearing it, I couldn’t help but widen my eyes in astonishment.
No wonder—Cheonghae Ilgeom directed me to use the gold plate at that very spot!
That was in precisely the same location where the White Horse Stone lay!
‘How on earth?’
As I gazed at him, bewildered as to why he was suddenly mentioning ‘that place,’ the old man wore a peculiar expression.
“I hope this helps you on your journey.”
…”
The faint but profound sincerity reflected in Cheonghae Ilgeom’s eyes compelled me to bite my lip slightly.
Did he catch the nuance of my expression? Watching me intently, Cheonghae Ilgeom added a few kind words.
“Please, seek your own comfort. Not someone else’s, but where you feel at ease.”
Comfort.
I couldn’t decipher what he meant when he referred to offering me comfort, yet even now, it remained a word distant from my grasp.
“… Thank you.”
Still, I endeavored to show some regard for Cheonghae Ilgeom. I lacked the courage to ask the meaning behind his statement.
Cheonghae Ilgeom briefly ruffled my hair as if concluding the matter.
His words stirred many thoughts within me. Comfort…
Though it remains a distant concept, I hope that someday—
I too can attain it.
That place of comfort.
As night fell, I found myself grimacing as Cheonghae Ilgeom’s words echoed in my mind.
‘Comfort is absurd.’
I was acutely aware once more that such words didn’t align with me at all.
The lavish banquet laid out before me appeared absolutely delectable—so much so it could shatter my legs at a glance.
Yet, I had not tasted a single bite.
Such a scenario wasn’t fit for consumption.
Before me stood a middle-aged man gazing at me with a teacup in hand.
The master of the Tang Clan, the Poison King, addressed me.
“I shall ask again, Your Grace.”
Fortunately, the food didn’t seem poison-laden, but the man’s fervent gaze left my throat feeling tight and constricted.
Just as I managed to suppress my unease…
The Poison King posed a question to me.
“Do you have any interest in taking our So-yeol with you?”
Only then did I realize.
This situation was much more burdensome than I had anticipated.
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