“What did you just say?”

“Well....”

Phantom Snake swallowed and spoke.

“They say Yama Hall’s core experts were wiped out, and the Hall Lord of Yama Hall was defeated.”

Defeated? That was a strange report.

Yama Hall was a faction he had personally seated in the very last place among the Thirty-Six Dark Gates. Their overall strength was laughable—enough to make a man yawn—but at the very least, their mental toughness and loyalty were real.

In other words, it meant he had brought them in with the intention of raising them properly. Even so, for now they were still nothing more than small fry.

Yama Hall hadn’t been annihilated, and yet he was filing a report over nothing more than their Hall Lord getting beaten?

There’s something here.

Yangcheon was a smart man. Rather than waste time complaining about why he was being sent that kind of report, he was the kind of man who first thought about why the report was being made.

“Yama Hall’s strength is the lowest among the Thirty-Six Dark Gates. And that Hall Lord wasn’t anything special, either. There are more martial artists in Hunan Province who could beat him than you could ever count.”

“That’s certainly true, but this time the circumstances were different.”

“Explain.”

“Well....”

Phantom Snake hesitated.

Yangcheon furrowed his brow.

What is this fool doing?

Among those who served under him, the twelve called the Twelve Zodiac Gods were experts for whom it would not be an exaggeration to say they were the strongest in the Dark Path.

As strong as they were, they also had guts, handled work well, and executed orders cleanly. So what was that look on Phantom Snake’s face?

“Is it hard to explain?”

“N-no! It’s just that... I thought that, in the process of relaying it, there was a chance some misunderstanding could occur.”

Phantom Snake pulled a letter from his robe. It was fairly thick.

“So I wrote only the facts as clearly as possible. Please forgive me for troubling you.”

The corner of Yangcheon’s mouth lifted.

Phantom Snake looked a little dull at a glance. But he thought deeply and moved cautiously. That was why Yangcheon valued him.

WOOOOONG.

The letter floated up and landed in Yangcheon’s hand.

“Wait for now.”

“Yes.”

SHRRRK.

Yangcheon unfolded the letter.

It was long—very long. It seemed quite a lot had happened.

Yangcheon read with an interested expression.

Then his gaze steadily grew more serious.

“Is this true?”

“I wrote only the facts clearly. I removed all personal opinions. I thought it would be right for you alone to judge it.”

Interest lit in Yangcheon’s face.

“The Martial Ancestor Sect?”

It was a sect that almost no one remembered anymore.

But in Yangcheon’s mind, the Martial Ancestor Sect still existed—because it had traits too distinctive to forget.

They said it was a sect formed by masters of many different martial arts.

That was the rumor, but no one knew the truth. The important point was this: every expert from the Martial Ancestor Sect had outstanding martial skill, and the type and origin of that skill were all different.

I heard it was wiped out a hundred years ago.

Of course, no one even knew how it had been wiped out. The Martial Ancestor Sect was a group steeped in suspicion and mystery.

And now, the point worth focusing on was—

“Hidden weapons....”

A faint smile fell across Yangcheon’s face.

How perfectly timed.

Right now, he needed someone who could properly handle poison and hidden weapons.

He was not hoping for Tang Clan of Sichuan-level technique. Of course, if he could get that kind of supreme art, it would be wonderful—but in the martial world of this era, there was not a single place as deeply versed in poison and hidden weapons as the Tang Clan.

All he needed was an expert whose hidden-weapon skill was among the very best in the martial world, excluding the Tang Clan.

“You noticed quickly.”

“Yes.”

Dark Path spies and informants were fundamentally different from the Orthodox Path’s skilled fighters.

Historically, the Dark Path pursued concealment over strength, and survival over pure skill. Naturally, it could not develop the same way as the Orthodox Path.

The first time Yangcheon had been shocked by the Dark Path’s capability was precisely there. Even after he had reached a certain completion in martial skill, he had not realized Dark Path figures were watching him.

So that means they immediately detected and killed Dark Path informants that even fairly high-level experts would struggle to notice.

A fierce greed flared in Yangcheon’s eyes.

I want them.

Outstanding hidden-weapon skill. An eye so sensitive it could pierce concealment.

And more than that—the sheer guts to stand before a Dark Path faction and loudly declare that he wanted to meet the Fighting King.

He’s arrogant... but I like that arrogance.

To be precise, it was not arrogance at all.

Yangcheon reread the letter’s contents and imagined the young man who had taken down Yama Hall’s core experts with barehanded striking.

“He ruined them beyond recovery... his hand was cruel. But his skill is truly excellent. At an age where he’s only just come of age, he overwhelmed that many enemies.”

With that level of martial skill at such a young age, it would be easy for someone to become arrogant.

But after reading the detailed contents in the letter again and again, Yangcheon felt there was something different about him.

This one doesn’t hesitate.

If he knew the Fighting King existed, then it meant he also knew the situation on this side to some extent.

In other words, he had information of his own. Then it was impossible that he did not know the martial might of the Thirteen Seats of the Sacred Heavens.

No matter how hot-blooded a young man was, it would be difficult to find someone—Dark Path or Orthodox Path—who could casually say he wanted to meet the Fighting King.

I can’t be certain from a letter alone. But if my guess is right....

Yangcheon’s face flushed slightly. He was genuinely excited.

“This one uses barehanded striking?”

“Yes.”

“His practical combat is excellent, and his fundamentals are strong. At that level, he’d be no less than One Dragon and Three Phoenixes—the ones those Orthodox Path bastards praise so highly.”

A young woman who could use hidden-weapon skill at a level that soared to the extreme, and an eye that pierced Dark Path informants.

A young man who, at the age of coming of age, possessed martial skill on par with the Orthodox Path’s best rising stars—while boldly declaring that he wanted to meet the Fighting King.

“He wants to meet me? Fine. I’ll let him.”

A dangerous light swirled in Yangcheon’s eyes.

“Provided they truly are the Martial Ancestor Sect’s descendants.”

*****

Glossary Updates (New in Ch.202 excerpt — Locked)

환사(幻蛇) / Hwansa / Phantom Snake — Male (he/him). One of Yangcheon’s twelve elites; cautious messenger-type.

십이지신(十二支神) / Sibijisin / the Twelve Zodiac Gods — Yangcheon’s twelve top subordinates; Dark Path’s apex fighters.

백도 / Baekdo / Orthodox Path — The orthodox/“righteous” martial world (counterpart to Dark Path).

일룡삼봉(一龍三鳳) / Ilryong Sambong / One Dragon and Three Phoenixes — Orthodox Path’s top “rising stars” standard.

촤르륵 / Chwareureuk / SHRRRK.

Chapter 202. An Awl in a Bag (2)

“What did you just say?”

“Well....”

Phantom Snake swallowed and spoke.

“They say Yama Hall’s core experts were wiped out, and the Hall Lord of Yama Hall was defeated.”

Defeated? That was a strange report.

Yama Hall was a faction he had personally seated in the very last place among the Thirty-Six Dark Gates. Their overall strength was laughable—enough to make a man yawn—but at the very least, their mental toughness and loyalty were real.

In other words, it meant he had brought them in with the intention of raising them properly. Even so, for now they were still nothing more than small fry.

Yama Hall hadn’t been annihilated, and yet he was filing a report over nothing more than their Hall Lord getting beaten?

There’s something here.

Yangcheon was a smart man. Rather than waste time complaining about why {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} he was being sent that kind of report, he was the kind of man who first thought about why the report was being made.

“Yama Hall’s strength is the lowest among the Thirty-Six Dark Gates. And that Hall Lord wasn’t anything special, either. There are more martial artists in Hunan Province who could beat him than you could ever count.”

“That’s certainly true, but this time the circumstances were different.”

“Explain.”

“Well....”

Phantom Snake hesitated.

Yangcheon furrowed his brow.

What is this fool doing?

Among those who served under him, the twelve called the Twelve Zodiac Gods were experts for whom it would not be an exaggeration to say they were the strongest in the Dark Path.

As strong as they were, they also had guts, handled work well, and executed orders cleanly. So what was that look on Phantom Snake’s face?

“Is it hard to explain?”

“N-no! It’s just that... I thought that, in the process of relaying it, there was a chance some misunderstanding could occur.”

Phantom Snake pulled a letter from his robe. It was fairly thick.

“So I wrote only the facts as clearly as possible. Please forgive me for troubling you.”

The corner of Yangcheon’s mouth lifted.

Phantom Snake looked a little dull at a glance. But he thought deeply and moved cautiously. That was why Yangcheon valued him.

WOOOOONG.

The letter floated up and landed in Yangcheon’s hand.

“Wait for now.”

“Yes.”

SHRRRK.

Yangcheon unfolded the letter.

It was long—very long. It seemed quite a lot had happened.

Yangcheon read with an interested expression.

Then his gaze steadily grew more serious.

“Is this true?”

“I wrote only the facts clearly. I removed all personal opinions. I thought it would be right for you alone to judge it.”

Interest lit in Yangcheon’s face.

“The Martial Ancestor Sect?”

It was a sect that almost no one remembered anymore.

But in Yangcheon’s mind, the Martial Ancestor Sect still existed—because it had traits too distinctive to forget.

They said it was a sect formed by masters of many different martial arts.

That was the rumor, but no one knew the truth. The important point was this: every expert from the Martial Ancestor Sect had outstanding martial skill, and the type and origin of that skill were all different.

I heard it was wiped out a hundred years ago.

Of course, no one even knew how it had been wiped out. The Martial Ancestor Sect was a group steeped in suspicion and mystery.

And now, the point worth focusing on was—

“Hidden weapons....”

A faint smile fell across Yangcheon’s face.

How perfectly timed.

Right now, he needed someone who could properly handle poison and hidden weapons.

He was not hoping for Tang Clan of Sichuan-level technique. Of course, if he could get that kind of supreme art, it would be wonderful—but in the martial world of this era, there was not a single place as deeply versed in poison and hidden weapons as the Tang Clan.

All he needed was an expert whose hidden-weapon skill was among the very best in the martial world, excluding the Tang Clan.

“You noticed quickly.”

“Yes.”

Dark Path spies and informants were fundamentally different from the Orthodox Path’s skilled fighters.

Historically, the Dark Path pursued concealment over strength, and survival over pure skill. Naturally, it could not develop the same way as the Orthodox Path.

The first time Yangcheon had been shocked by the Dark Path’s capability was precisely there. Even after he had reached a certain completion in martial skill, he had not realized Dark Path figures were watching him.

So that means they immediately detected and killed Dark Path informants that even fairly high-level experts would struggle to notice.

A fierce greed flared in Yangcheon’s eyes.

I want them.

Outstanding hidden-weapon skill. An eye so sensitive it could pierce concealment.

And more than that—the sheer guts to stand before a Dark Path faction and loudly declare that he wanted to meet the Fighting King.

He’s arrogant... but I like that arrogance.

To be precise, it was not arrogance at all.

Yangcheon reread the letter’s contents and imagined the young man who had taken down Yama Hall’s core experts with barehanded striking.

“He ruined them beyond recovery... his hand was cruel. But his skill is truly excellent. At an age where he’s only just come of age, he overwhelmed that many enemies.”

With that level of martial skill at such a young age, it would be easy for someone to become arrogant.

But after reading the detailed contents in the letter again and again, Yangcheon felt there was something different about him.

This one doesn’t hesitate.

If he knew the Fighting King existed, then it meant he also knew the situation on this side to some extent.

In other words, he had information of his own. Then it was impossible that he did not know the martial might of the Thirteen Seats of the Sacred Heavens.

No matter how hot-blooded a young man was, it would be difficult to find someone—Dark Path or Orthodox Path—who could casually say he wanted to meet the Fighting King.

I can’t be certain from a letter alone. But if my guess is right....

Yangcheon’s face flushed slightly. He was genuinely excited.

“This one uses barehanded striking?”

“Yes.”

“His practical combat is excellent, and his fundamentals are strong. At that level, he’d be no less than One Dragon and Three Phoenixes—the ones those Orthodox Path bastards praise so highly.”

A young woman who could use hidden-weapon skill at a level that soared to the extreme, and an eye that pierced Dark Path informants.

A young man who, at the age of coming of age, possessed martial skill on par with the Orthodox Path’s best rising stars—while boldly declaring that he wanted to meet the Fighting King.

“He wants to meet me? Fine. I’ll let him.”

A dangerous light swirled in Yangcheon’s eyes.

“Provided they truly are the Martial Ancestor Sect’s descendants.”

“W-what did you say?!”

“Lower your voice.”

Ga Deoksang looked around.

Fortunately, Tang Sang-a and Je Gal Ahyeon were not nearby. Only Pae Yul was beside him.

Ga Deoksang frowned.

“So you brought Miss Tang because you knew Yangcheon wanted a hidden-weapon expert?”

“That’s right.”

Yeon Hojeong still treated him as if he were an eldest senior brother, but Ga Deoksang was different. He did not have the presence of mind to play along.

Pae Yul asked.

“And why does that man want a hidden-weapon expert?”

Of course, that had always been the case in the past.

But setting that aside, if Yeon Hojeong were in Yangcheon’s position, he would have wanted the same thing.

“It’s a question of efficiency.”

“Efficiency?”

“Yes.”

“Explain it properly.”

“The Dark Path’s background of growth is different from the Orthodox Path. You know that, right?”

I don’t, though...?

Pae Yul glanced at Ga Deoksang.

With an displeased face, but in the most polite tone he could manage, Ga Deoksang explained.

“The Orthodox Path—meaning the righteous sects—is a moral utopia formed by the people’s yearning.”

“A moral utopia?”

“The Orthodox Path’s highest values are chivalry and justice. It pursues a peaceful world most humans desire, an ideology condensed into the idea of standing on the side of the weak, breaking down evil, and benefiting the world.”

Pae Yul nodded.

He had only claimed to walk the Orthodox Path, the righteous way, without ever thinking deeply about it. But hearing it explained like this, he understood clearly.

“Right. That’s why it values benevolence, righteousness, propriety, and wisdom.”

“That’s correct. But the Dark Path is different. The Dark Path is, in a sense, the remnants of yearning that failed to fly up into that moral utopia.”

“That’s a headache of a statement. Remnants of yearning?”

Yeon Hojeong took over.

“If the Orthodox Path is the people’s utopia, then the Dark Path is the people’s reality.”

“Reality....”

“It steals, kills, violates, and oppresses. It’s no different from the world of beasts. From the perspective that humans, too, are a species that makes up nature, the Dark Path is a world that maximizes human nature—beastly instinct.”

“Hm.”

It was an unusual explanation.

No one had ever explained the Orthodox Path and the Dark Path like this. It was interesting—and strangely, it made immediate sense.

“That’s why the two paths developed in completely different directions. In the Orthodox Path, which grew straight out of the people’s yearning, clear systems formed—strength, formality, rules, discipline.”

“The Dark Path isn’t like that.”

“Exactly. The Dark Path has nothing like that. It doesn’t look far ahead, and it values only survival in front of its eyes. If it can survive today, that’s enough. Their world is unstable, so they don’t have the time to safely stockpile strength.”

“Why?”

“Because the rules collapsed.”

Pae Yul’s eyes lit up.

“Right. Even if someone got lucky and obtained an ancient supreme art, he might still get stabbed to death by some thief while training it.”

“That’s right.”

“Bastards without a moment to spare. Is that also because the rules collapsed?”

Bitterness drifted across Yeon Hojeong’s face.

“People say the world should become fair and just. Interpreted the other way, it means the world is still unfair and not just.”

“...!”

“That’s always been the ideal politics pursued. And it always failed. Reality didn’t get better. The gap between ideal and reality only grew.”

“That’s... a sad story.”

“Even so, we have to pursue the ideal. If no one reaches for the sky because it can’t be touched, then everyone becomes beasts crawling under the ground. The minimum rules collapse.”

“Mm.”

Yeon Hojeong’s eyes sharpened.

“Back to the Dark Path: in the end, they can never defeat the Orthodox Path by strength alone—unless the fundamental problem is solved.”

“With no minimum rules, they can’t even build strength.”

“Yes. And Yangcheon will know that, too. The Dark Path’s information power and survival ability are tremendous, but to truly fight an enemy, he needs real power.”

In that moment, Pae Yul let out a groan of realization.

“Ah! So poison and hidden weapons?!”

“Yes.”

Yeon Hojeong raised his fist.

“Even a child who hasn’t learned a handful of martial skill can kill an expert if you put poison and hidden weapons in his hands. If Yangcheon had the time, he’d try to fix the Dark Path’s chronic problem at the root—but the issue is time.”

“To guarantee survival until he fully arms the Dark Path, he needs poison and hidden weapons—the greatest killing power in the martial world.”

“That’s right.”

Pae Yul smacked his lips.

“Now I get why you brought the Tang Clan’s young lady.”

“....”

Ga Deoksang stared at Yeon Hojeong with frightening eyes.

“Yeon.”

This time, even Yeon Hojeong could not treat him like an eldest senior brother.

“Speak.”

“You’re my friend. And I believed that even if you made extreme judgments, you weren’t the kind of man to make wrong ones.”

“....”

“But this time you went too far. Miss Tang came without knowing anything. You dragged in someone unrelated with nothing but a single line saying you needed her.”

“And what of it?”

“What... what did you say?”

Yeon Hojeong’s eyes turned cold.

“If you want to argue, I have plenty to say. But for now, I’ll say only one thing.”

“....”

“To deal with bastards who fight without rules, we have to put morality down for a moment, too.”

Ga Deoksang snapped.

“That’s an issue once you’re already fighting them! You could have explained in advance to Miss Tang, and yet—!”

“What if she said she wouldn’t come?”

“Then you find another way!”

“I can’t.”

“Why?!”

“Because we can’t fail.”

Ga Deoksang, who had been glaring at Yeon Hojeong with eyes full of anger, turned sharply and stormed out.

Pae Yul cleared his throat.

“That kid’s got a temper under the surface.”

“He’s a good man.”

“Huh?”

Yeon Hojeong smiled. It was a strange smile—bitterness mixed with stubbornness.

“That justice and plainness of Hu Gae, hidden behind joking and a rough face—that’s the very symbol of the Orthodox Path.”

“...”

“That’s why I like Hu Gae. Because Hu Gae is the kind of true chivalrous man this world can’t live without.”

“But that ‘chivalrous man’ looks like he’s disappointed in you, the operational team leader. What if it harms the mission?”

“It won’t.”

“You sure?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Yeon Hojeong closed his eyes.

“Because even so, I believe Hu Gae will understand me.”

Two days later.

Seven experts wrapped head to toe in black cloaks appeared at Yama Hall, which Yeon Hojeong’s group had already seized.

“Which ones are the bastards claiming to be descendants of the Martial Ancestor Sect?”