Immediately after hearing the Poison King’s murderous warning(?) through Dang So-yeol, after finishing the meal time where I couldn’t tell if I was eating with my mouth or nose, I immediately started walking.
Even as I walk down the street, I turn my head to think about how I can refuse the invitation of the Poison King.
No story came to mind that could convince him.
‘I guess you’re really just going to eat rice.’
I think so.
Although the probability of that happening was quite high, I couldn’t help but feel a chill down my spine.
‘Surely you’re not really going to try to poison me.’
Even though I know that no matter how skilled he is at witchcraft, he would never do something like that to me.
There were rumors going around, and I was a little worried because he was known to be a doting father.
If it were normal, I would have thought that a person of the level of the Four Great Powers would not do that without thinking… .
‘… Baekcheon Sword Master, when I think of that old man, it’s not like that at all.’
The four great families realized that none of them were normal.
I’m sure we weren’t like that in our past lives.
Maybe I didn’t know, or maybe something changed.
‘I don’t think anything has changed.’
Even though many things change, it would be strange for something like that to change.
I guess I just didn’t know they were weird people to begin with. It definitely had to be that way.
Otherwise, the future of this Central Plains… no, it’s a doomed future from the start.
“ha.”
I can’t help but sigh at how all the people involved seem to be crazy.
In the meantime, I wanted to leave out the meal with the Poison King, but I couldn’t.
The fact that the ruler of the Sacheon land I wanted to go to was the Tang clan.
Furthermore, when I told him that I was going to Sacheon, Dang So-yeol was so excited that he went to tell him.
If you just try not to look at it up to here, then just don’t look.
It didn’t really matter if we didn’t go together.
Even the Poison King had another purpose in his journey to Sacheon.
‘It’s a situation where we’re taking a prisoner.’
A prisoner who was said to have been locked up in the basement of the Murim Alliance.
The Sapha warrior who attacked the Shinryongwan this time, and the Black Dragon Sword and his gang who played a big role in my name being spread throughout the Central Plains.
It was the job of the Poisonous King to capture them and take them to the Tang Gate.
When I think about it, my face frowns slightly.
‘What a brutal method you’re using.’
The reason for taking the criminal all the way from Hanam to Sacheon.
If you try to recall that, you can’t help but frown.
If it’s an act of torture, it could easily be done in Hanam, but even if you do that, there are bound to be people who won’t say anything.
Advertisements
The Tang Dynasty was a place that made even those kinds of people speak out.
Nowadays, the Tang clan is called one of the pillars of the sect, but the reason they can be called that is because, ultimately, they take on the dark and murky work that the sect cannot do.
Most people in the Central Plains are unaware of this, or are tacitly accepting it.
I know.
A time in my previous life when the Demonic Cult occupied Sacheon.
Immediately after killing Dokbi with my own hands, I headed to the basement of the Tang Dynasty.
That’s where I went to follow Cheonma’s orders.
I had to see one hell of a hell.
Even I, who have been through all kinds of hardships, would call it hell, so it must have been a sight I hate to recall.
There is no way that the master of the house, the Dokwang, would not know about that.
For that reason, I couldn’t help but look at him with displeasure.
Even the gentle gaze and appearance unique to the Tang family, after seeing the truth buried underground, seem like a creepy mask.
The Murim Alliance also knows the secret of that clan, so they will ask the Poison King to send it to Sacheon.
Looking at it this way, I was able to confirm once again that the Murim Alliance was not a completely clean place.
‘That’s only natural.’
No place can survive if it is too clean.
I know that better than anyone else, but I just don’t want to get close to the truth.
‘Tsk.’
No matter what, I couldn’t refuse this meal with the Poison King.
The reasons why you shouldn’t go listed above are all big ones.
The reason I had to go was because it boasted a much larger size.
‘Anyway, it doesn’t help at all. What a fucking world.’
The most important reason why I go to Sacheon.
It was to obtain the White Horse Stone, a means of making an imperfect landscape and further raising the level.
To get that white stone.
None other than the party’s permission was required.
So, you can’t just rashly refuse the King’s invitation to dinner.
If it were up to me, I would have asked Dang So-yeol to somehow get through it… .
‘There’s nothing I can do if things turn out like this.’
Unless there is no other way, I will have to have dinner with the Poison King.
After thinking that, I sighed and continued walking.
Now that we had arrived at our destination, it was time to focus on the task ahead.
The dinner with the Poison King was in the evening, and I had something to do during the day.
The people blocking the front door notice me and move away.
It seems like they had already made arrangements in advance.
Advertisements
I also bowed my head slightly, opened the door, and went in.
While walking, I look at the chests of those who were escorting me.
A white robe with a wind wave pattern embroidered on it.
When you see that, it means that they are Taoists of Kunlun.
Because in the Central Plains, there was only one sect with such embroidery.
As I entered through the entrance, I felt similar energies here and there. It was all the feeling of Kunlun School pottery.
I keep walking even though I feel them.
The reason why I came to this place where so many Taoists are gathered.
It was to meet the old man beyond the door in front.
Knock knock.
I carefully opened the door and went in. An old man half-raised from his bed greeted me.
“You came.”
An old man with white hair and sad wrinkles all over his face.
One arm appears to have been cut off above the wrist, as if it had been taken somewhere.
In the meantime, the old man who was waving at me with his other arm was…
It was the Cheonghae Ilgeom.
****************
Then sit down carefully.
I received tea and refreshments from the Taoist monk.
“I hope you’ve been well.”
“Yeah. I’m sorry to call you out when you’re so busy.”
“no.”
How long has it been since we last met?
It must have been about a month. I had met him a couple of times since the incident, but this was the first time that Cheonghae Ilgeom had called me in person.
Cheonghae Ilgeom speaks to me with his signature smile.
“They say that these days there’s no place where your name isn’t heard. Is that true?”
“… Not to that extent.”
Even though I said no, it was actually true.
They say that in the back alleys of Hanam, children would make a game that looked like a rice cake called Soyeomra.
If I had caught your eye, I would have put a couple of bumps on the little guys’ heads. It was a shame that I didn’t get to see it with my own eyes.
If I found it, I wouldn’t have left it alone.
Cheonghae Ilgeom lets out a chuckle, not knowing whether he knew how I felt or not.
“You have done a great thing. It would not be a bad thing for it to turn out that way.”
“…yes.”
If it’s good, I’ll see it as good.
Advertisements
From my perspective, it just seems like a rumor made up of Maeng’s fabrications, and I feel uneasy.
This time, I asked Cheonghae Ilgeom a question, trying to hide my nervousness.
“Are you feeling better?”
“Then, it would be perfect.”
“okay.”
Cheonghae Ilgeom said it as if nothing had happened, but I couldn’t believe it at all.
One of his wrists was blown off, and judging by the fact that he’s been lying in bed like this since then, his internal injuries seem to be quite deep.
‘… The situation isn’t so good right now.’
Although the Shenlongguan is affiliated with the Meng sect, the one in charge of its management this time was the Kunlun sect.
So, it would be impossible to avoid moral responsibility for the damage suffered as a result of the Black Dragon Sword’s attack.
According to rumors, the leader, Jangcheon, stepped down from his position as leader because of this incident.
‘You said you wanted to step down from your position as the leader of Cheonghae Ilgeomdo.’
This is not a confirmed matter.
Because it was really just a rumor.
In addition, Kunlun had taken strong measures in its own way after the accident.
Immediately after the accident, a small funeral was held for the deceased drones.
It was also the Kunlun sect that shared information about each individual and managed the body by making a bet to keep it from decaying until the person from the sect or family of the casualty arrived.
I believe I have fulfilled my moral responsibility with this.
It seems that the public’s view is not entirely like that.
An incompetent prestigious family along with the Murim Alliance.
Sects that are nothing but empty shells, etc.
There were a lot of rumors that Kunlun was being spoken of in a low light.
So, are Cheonghae Ilgeom and Kunlun really incompetent as they say?
‘well.’
At least I don’t think so. I just don’t know what other people think.
After thinking about it that far, I asked Cheonghae Ilgeom what to say first.
“Long story.”
“okay.”
“Why did you call me?”
The main point of calling me out of the blue. That’s what I was curious about.
After hearing my question, Cheonghae Ilgeom takes a sip of tea.
It seemed like he needed some time to gather his thoughts, so I didn’t rush him either.
A moment passed and Cheonghae Ilgeom opened his mouth to me.
“The reason I called you is, first of all… to say thank you.”
“… That… Isn’t that something you already said a long time ago?”
Advertisements
This is what Cheonghae Ilgeom said to me right after he came to his senses.
Thank you for saving the children.
At that time, it was something I really didn’t want to hear.
This is still the case today.
“Gratitude is something you continue to do as long as you have the heart to do it.”
“I’m fine, so you don’t have to do that….”
“Also, I think that expressing gratitude through words alone is not enough.”
Just when I was about to half-reprimand him and ask him not to do that.
As soon as he spoke, Cheonghae Ilgeom took something out of his bosom and handed it to me.
“What is this?”
It was a round object painted in gold.
It’s roughly the size and shape of a coin, but I’m not sure what it is.
As I was looking at this with a questioning look on my face, Cheonghae Ilgeom started spitting out words.
“I heard you’re heading to Sacheon in a few days. Is that true?”
“Yes? Oh, yes, that’s right.”
Where did you hear that?
I don’t know why, but it felt like everyone I met knew that I was going to Sacheon.
“This is… a token of my gratitude to you. I prepared it because you said you were going to Sacheon, so please accept it.”
Does that mean it has a use in Sacheon?
If that’s the case, it might be better to accept it, but the reason for wanting to accept it was the problem.
“I can’t accept this. Long story short.”
I didn’t deserve this stuff.
Because of the situation that was turned upside down because of me, there were a lot of people who died.
I just got so angry looking at them that I killed those Sapa guys.
Those who survived thanks to that?
They are just those who should have lived. On the contrary, those who died are those who should have lived.
In that situation, do I deserve something like this?
I thought there wasn’t any.
There was a brief silence, perhaps because of my answer.
Cheonghae Ilgeom, who was looking into my eyes, said while brushing his beard with his remaining hand.
“I feel a sense of guilt for no reason.”
“…”
“What makes you so small?”
Cheonghae Ilgeom asked, but I couldn’t answer.
To anyone.
Advertisements
Did he realize that I wasn’t going to give him an answer?
Cheonghae Ilgeom exhaled slightly and then opened his mouth calmly.
“I don’t know why, but if you refuse to accept it as a token of gratitude, then just accept it as a gift.”
“… Are you talking about a gift?”
“Do you remember what I said in the past about favoring you?”
“yes.”
When I entered Shinryonggwan and faced Cheonghae Ilgeom separately.
That’s what he said to me.
You’re favoring me.
“Then consider this as a sign and accept it.”
“one.”
“Oh, you want to make this old man even more embarrassed?”
“…”
Cheonghae Ilgeom said with a slight frown. After seeing that, I silently picked up the gold medal and put it in my bosom.
Only after getting to that point does Cheonghae Ilgeom smile again, seemingly satisfied.
“Keep that item with you and use it when you arrive at Sacheon.”
“If it’s for use. Where on earth are you telling me to use it…?”
In response to my question, Cheonghae Ilgeom tells me the location.
“…!”
The moment I heard it, I couldn’t help but open my eyes wide in surprise.
That would be the case, since that is the location where Cheonghae Ilgeom told me to use the gold plate.
This was because it was in the same location as the White Horse Stone.
‘How on earth?’
The moment I looked at him in bewilderment as to why Cheonghae Ilgeom was suddenly talking about ‘that place’.
The old man spoke to me with a strange expression on his face.
“I hope this helps you a little on your way.”
“…”
I had to slightly bite my lip at the faint but deep sincerity I saw in Cheonghae Ilgeom’s eyes.
Did he notice my expression? Cheonghae Ilgeom, who was watching, smiled and added a word.
“Please, find comfort. Where you are comfortable, not where someone else is comfortable.”
It’s comfort.
I don’t know what he meant by comforting me, but it’s still a word that is far from my understanding.
“…thank you.”
Still, I tried to show some consideration to Cheonghae Ilgeom. I didn’t have the confidence to ask him what he meant.
Cheonghae Ilgeom patted my head briefly as if he was done with it.
Advertisements
The old man’s words brought many thoughts to mind. Comfort…
It’s still a long way off, but someday.
I hope that I too can reach it someday.
That place of comfort.
******************
And so it became evening. I had to frown as I recalled Cheonghae Ilgeom’s words.
‘Comfort is fucking crazy.’
I realized once again that these words do not suit me.
A table full of food that is so delicious that it makes your legs break looks delicious to anyone who sees it.
I didn’t eat a single bite.
Because it wasn’t a situation where something like that could happen.
A middle-aged man looking at me while holding a teacup in front.
The master of the Tang family, the Poison King, speaks to me.
“I will ask again, Your Majesty.”
Fortunately, the food didn’t seem to be poisoned, but the passionate desire in the man’s eyes made my throat swell.
When I was barely able to hold back my sleep.
The Poison King said to me.
“Do you want to take our Soyeol with you?”
Only then do I realize.
This position turned out to be much more burdensome than I expected.
