The sudden event caused Baek Heo-ja’s thoughts to come to a halt.
It had happened in the midst of an otherwise ordinary day.
They had simply been on their way to attend a wedding at the Tang Clan—so how could his cherished disciple have ended up like this? He couldn't understand.
But what shook Baek Heo-ja out of his stunned silence was the sound of Seoryeon’s coughing and voice near his ear.
Cough.
“Ma... Master...”
“Seoryeon!”
Regaining his senses, Baek Heo-ja’s eyes once again took in the scene—Seoryeon, blood-black fluid gushing from her mouth, with a black arm protruding from her back.
The man’s body was radiating thick black demonic energy.
He was clearly a demonized martial artist—a ma-in—something rarely seen since the fall of the Demonic Cult fifty years ago.
Moreover, the man's eyes were glowing red, and he had clearly lost all sense of self. He had likely been consumed by the very demonic techniques he tried to master.
Before becoming a ma-in, he must have been at least at the peak level of mastery.
Now, however, he had become something less than human, driven by nothing but slaughter, his mind overtaken by demonic energy.
It was said that even supreme masters could hardly handle a ma-in, but such rationality vanished instantly from Baek Heo-ja’s mind, which was seething white with fury.
“You bastard! How dare you—!”
Gwak Seoryeon, whom he had raised like a daughter since she was five.
Faced with the sight of the child he cherished so brutally injured, whether or not he could defeat the enemy was irrelevant.
He would cut. Then cut again.
That alone remained in his mind.
From Baek Heo-ja’s toes, the fastest technique in Cheongseong—Flying Current Step—exploded forth, and with rage coursing through him, Baek Heo-ja launched himself at the attacker.
The distance closed in a flash.
Shhhllng.
At some point, his sword had already been drawn, and blue qi streaked through the air like threads. The final form of Clear Wind Sword Art burst from Baek Heo-ja’s blade.
“Be cut!”
Before the frozen man could move again—
Baek Heo-ja shouted and swung.
His sword cleanly severed the hand that had pierced through his disciple’s abdomen and protruded from her back.
Slice. Whirl!
He aimed to cut through the neck next, but the ma-in twisted his head in a grotesque motion and narrowly dodged the blow.
Thud!
Baek Heo-ja kicked the ma-in away and quickly retreated, holding his disciple in his arms.
He immediately pressed her pressure points and checked her condition.
It was grim.
While her spine was intact, two ribs were broken, and her internal organs appeared to be severely damaged.
Through the wound in her abdomen—where the ma-in’s hand had been—bits of torn intestines were visible.
She was critically injured—her survival uncertain.
To make matters worse, demonic energy was still seeping out from the severed ma-in’s hand.
He had to remove the hand, but doing so would cause her intestines and blood to gush out, and she would die on the spot.
The beloved disciple clutched Baek Heo-ja’s collar, her voice trembling.
“Ma... Master... I-I’m sorry...”
In the meantime, two elders and several disciples rushed the ma-in.
“You bastard! You dare touch our Seoryeon?!”
“Your head will fall today!”
“Graaaaghhh!”
“Damn it! Be careful! His inner strength is immense! Form the Seven-Star Formation!”
The Cheongseong disciples clashed with the howling ma-in.
Baek Heo-ja had to make a decision.
Although the elders and disciples were engaging the enemy, without his intervention, more injuries—maybe even deaths—were inevitable.
What then of Seoryeon?
Should he give her up to save the others?
As he wrestled with the decision, Baek Heo-ja made up his mind.
“I’m sorry, Seoryeon.”
Cheongseong was too far away, and her condition was too grave. Even if they managed to return, there would likely be no way to save her. He had decided to give her up and help the others instead.
“If I had known this would happen, I wouldn’t have brought you to the Tang Clan... Wait! The Tang Clan! Of course!”
That was when it struck him.
“Yes! We’re on the way to the Tang Clan!”
The head of the Tang Clan was famed even for his medical skills.
If anyone could do something—it was him.
Drawing up righteous qi, Baek Heo-ja suppressed the demonic energy leaking from the severed ma-in’s hand and shouted toward the faster of the two charging elders:
“Elder Lee! Elder Sam and I will handle this bastard. You take this child to the Tang Clan without removing the hand! The Tang Clan leader is the best physician in Sichuan—he may know what to do!”
“Understood, Sect Leader!”
Elder Lee swiftly retreated, receiving Gwak Seoryeon into his arms and immediately executing lightness arts toward the Tang Clan.
Baek Heo-ja turned back toward the ma-in and launched himself once more.
Rumble...
“You filth... Don’t expect to walk away from here alive!”
On the quiet forest path leading past the provincial capital of Sichuan toward the Tang Clan—
The trees of the serene woods, long clinging to their final leaves through winter, now began to let them go,
Swept away by Cheongseong’s blue storm of wrath.
***
Originally, invitations should have been sent to all the major sects of the Central Plains.
That’s just the kind of class our Tang Clan has.
But because of the recent business with the Five Venoms Sect and the Blood Cult—and since the wedding was a bit sudden—Father-in-law decided to send invitations only to acquaintances in Sichuan and the nearby martial sects.
So, only about a tenth of the originally expected guests would be arriving, but even so, Tang Clan warriors could be seen each day sprinting off in all directions across Sichuan, delivering letters.
“Why is an assassin clan from the Central Plains such a damn social butterfly?”
Just judging by the volume of letters going out, it seemed like we were about to be swarmed with guests.
And sure enough, just a few days before the wedding, the flood of visitors began.
“Congratulations, Clan Lord Tang.”
“To think the Master Jahee of the Emei Sect would come in person!”
“Well, with young Sir So and the Tang Clan’s daughter getting married, of course I had to witness it myself.”
“Thank you, Master Jahee.”
From the head of the Emei Sect to the Governor of Sichuan, honored guests arrived nonstop each day.
“Clan Lord Tang! I’ve arrived!”
“Welcome, Governor of Sichuan. We’re grateful for your visit.”
“Of course I’d come, ahem. Tell me, will I get to taste that famous Braised Phoenix King again at this wedding?”
“I’ll ask my son-in-law to prepare some for you.”
“Ahem. I’ll count on you then.”
Because of that, Father-in-law was constantly preoccupied with greeting incoming guests. I waited until after dinner, when he finally had a moment to rest, and approached him quietly.
“Clan Lord, Young Master So-ryong has come to see you.”
“Oh, alright. Let him in.”
I’d assumed he was taking a break in his study, but I found him poring over a mountain of documents.
“Father-in-law, are you busy?”
“No, not too much. Just reviewing a few things we still need to purchase for your wedding. So, what brings you here, son-in-law?”
I felt a little guilty seeing him like that, but this was urgent, so I scratched my head and got straight to the point.
“Sorry, but I need something right away...”
“What could you possibly need? Of course I’ll get it for you.”
He looked genuinely intrigued that I’d come in person to ask for something—I rarely ever did.
Smiling awkwardly, I told him what it was.
“A table...”
“A table?”
“Yes...”
“What’s so difficult about that? I’ll tell the chief steward to send one to your quarters immediately—”
He was more than eager to provide one.
But I quickly waved a hand, wearing a sheepish expression, and pointed at something else.
What I needed wasn’t an ordinary table.
“No, not a regular table. That one...”
“Eh? T-that one!?”
He followed the direction I was pointing and his eyes widened in shock.
And understandably so—what I was pointing at was the round table in the center of the main audience hall.
A massive round table made of Azure Steel Stone.
“The... the Azure Steel Stone round table?”
“Yes. It’s for the Azure Steel Immortal Ants I brought. They live by absorbing the energy from Azure Steel Stone. I brought a little with me, but now that they’ve started laying eggs, they say they need a bigger supply of Azure Steel Stone.
So... I was hoping I could have that table.
Once we excavate the tomb of Senior Hwamu-jin that Hwa-eun mentioned, we’ll be able to gather more Azure Steel Stone. So please...”
I hadn’t expected them to breed, especially in winter.
But the Azure Steel Immortal Ants had dug tunnels beneath my quarters and started laying eggs right away.
Sichuan was warmer than I thought, and underground was even warmer. That’s probably why the small supply I brought from the tomb wasn’t enough to incubate the eggs.
And just earlier, the queen ant had come to me directly to ask for help—that’s why I came running here.
Father-in-law flinched at my words, then stammered a reply.
“W-well, of course I’ll give it to you. The Azure Steel Stone table... s-sure, it’s no big deal. Anything else you need?”
It was clear he didn’t want to, but was forcing himself to agree.
For today, I pretended not to notice.
“Ah, also... Hwanji and Hwana need a place to stay. They’ve been living under a tent made with Yo-hwa’s threads, but I think they need a proper shelter too.
It’s not snowing or freezing, but it’s still winter, and they need something to block the wind.”
“Alright. I’ll have one of the storage buildings cleared, and we’ll construct a large one near where you and Hwa-eun will be staying. Spirit beasts sure are expensive. Ahem.”
He was gently hinting that my hobby was draining the clan treasury.
But since the wedding was so close, I had no intention of stopping. So I casually shifted the topic.
“By the way, Father-in-law... about where Hwa-eun and I will be living?”
He had mentioned it in passing while we were talking, so I asked, and he explained his plan.
“I’m having one of the courtyard houses fully renovated so that you, Hwa-eun, and your spirit beasts can live there comfortably.”
“Ooh!”
I couldn’t help but smile at ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) the explanation that we’d get a clean, spacious courtyard just for the two of us—and the kids.
It was still within the Tang Clan’s grounds, but it would be a private space for us.
“Could I maybe see it?”
“Hm. Shall we, then? I was going to show it to you once the repairs were finished, but it’s not a bad idea to visit with just the two of us.”
When I asked, unable to wait for completion, Father-in-law rose from his seat right away.
We stepped outside together—
And just then, we noticed a stir at the entrance of Tang Mountain.
Skyward, the clan’s Sound Dagger Signal began to ring.
Peeeeeeep. Peeeeeeep. Peeeeeeep.
Three sharp whistles—calling for Tang Clan’s direct line members.
“I’ll go check.”
Since it was evening, I figured there was no need to bother everyone else, and offered to go alone—but Father-in-law shook his head.
“No, I’ll go too.”
“Then let’s.”
Just as we were about to leap down the mountain path—
We saw lanterns approaching from the gate of Tang Mountain.
The guards weren’t waiting for us—they were escorting someone up in a hurry.
I stopped and pointed.
“Father-in-law, they’re coming this way.”
“So they are, son-in-law. Looks like they’re escorting someone.”
As I summoned Myoaam Night Eyes, I could see more clearly—the Tang warriors were using lightness arts to escort someone up the mountain, and when the group finally arrived in front of us—
Both Father-in-law and I were stunned.
A middle-aged man was holding a young woman in his arms.
The woman’s white robe was soaked in blood.
Her complexion was on the verge of death.
“Isn’t that Elder Im Wongwang of the Flying Current Sect? What happened!?”
“Huff... Clan Lord Tang! Please help our Seoryeon! On the way here, we were ambushed by a ma-in...”
“A ma-in!?”
Even I had heard of them.
Martial artists who practiced twisted inner arts and demonic techniques—treated like heretics by the orthodox sects.
And now, they had appeared.
“To the Medical Hall! And where is your sect leader?”
Father-in-law urgently led the man toward the Tang Clan’s Medical Hall.
“The Sect Leader stayed behind with the other disciples to fight the ma-in.”
At that, Father-in-law received the young woman and shouted:
“Damn it! Hand this young lady to me and guide the Grand Elder of your sect to our clan!”
“Y-yes!”
“Summon the Venom Blood Squad and the Eradication Unit immediately! Ask the Emei Sect’s master for aid as well! I’ll take care of this young lady!”
“Yes, Clan Lord!”
Once the people dispersed at full speed—
The once tranquil Tang Clan, which had felt like a quiet country village preparing dinner just minutes ago, transformed into a military stronghold.
Armed warriors poured from the mountain like a wave.
