Jin Cheonhee thought, ‘In StarCraft terms, this is like taking out the SCVs first. The combat units might look cooler and more impressive, but in a strategy game, the farmers who gather resources are actually the more valuable asset.’

Knowing this, the Five Poisons Sect had wanted to cause division, and Sama Hyeon had united them with money.

At the crossroads. The outsiders do not know what is right. That belongs to the people who live in this region. If so, then all he had to do was change the choice from an [Unknown Tomorrow] to a [Tomorrow Where Something Can Be Done]. What Sama Hyeon had chosen was what he did best.

Fear and money.

“Shut your mouth! Do you mock us by wagging that arrogant tongue of yours! I will kill you all and feed every last one of those filthy Snake Clan bastards to the worms!”

At those words, Jin Cheonhee finally decided to wear Sama Hyeon’s mask himself. He imbued his voice with qi and spoke.

“My brothers, look! These ignorant fools know nothing but threats–!”

[Oh, you’re getting good at this, brother~?]

Ignoring Sama Hyeon’s telepathic message, Jin Cheonhee threw out an empty promise. “If this matter is resolved well, I will make a promise with the authority of the Minor Pavilion Master of the White Dragon Medical Pavilion. Martial Training City, Branch Number Six! We’ll build it right here!”

“Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh–!!”

He had been worried that the people of the jungle wouldn’t know what a Martial Training City was, but it seemed they knew what was what.

‘Well, they knew I was a good person and still tried to treat me like a sucker, so what can you do.’

And so, amidst the whirlwind of redevelopment fever, the martial artists of the White Dragon Medical Pavilion gripped their bows tightly.

***

‘These bastards…’

The Insect Poison Hall Head. He trembled with rage. And he wasn’t the only one. The martial artists of the Five Poisons Sect under his command, belonging to the Insect Poison Hall, also had faces red with anger.

‘How dare the likes of the Snake Clan!’

He and those under his command were oppressors, long accustomed to racial discrimination and persecution. They had lived their lives thinking that what they did was natural. Seeing those who raised flags of rebellion against it, would they repent?

No. They would rage. They would hate. And they wanted to pour out that flame to kill their opponents. Therefore, the Insect Poison Hall Head shouted with anger. “There is nothing more to hear! Destroy the formation and kill them all! Leave none of the filthy Snake Clan alive, and kill every last one of those bastards to destroy the evidence! Death to our enemies!”

“Death to our enemies!”

The martial artists of the Five Poisons Sect drew their weapons. Killing intent soared, and their malice spread through the air. But inside the formation, the 4th Martial Force Battalion of the White Dragon Medical Pavilion was calm. All of them raised their bows and nocked arrows to their bowstrings.

“Follow me and kill those basta—”

And just as the Insect Poison Hall Head was about to swing his sword, shrouded in Sword Qi, towards the formation, a booming voice echoed from within the forest.

“Insect Poison Hall Head. By what authority do you give the order to annihilate the commoners who are under this sect’s protection?”

Finally, about two hundred martial artists and, at their head, the leader of the Five Poisons Sect riding a tiger, appeared.

‘Hmm, I heard the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace was their root. It seems they tame tigers, too.’

While Jin Cheonhee was thinking that, the sect leader looked down arrogantly at the Insect Poison Hall Head. “Insect Poison Hall Head. You have just tried to attack the Head of the Silver Hall of the Golden Blood Chamber and the Minor Pavilion Master of the White Dragon Medical Pavilion, who are allies of our sect, of your own accord. Who gave you such authority?”

The Insect Poison Hall Head froze at his voice. Then, he glanced at the people behind the sect leader, quickly recovered his composure, and shouted. “Sect Leader! These men have just insulted our sect, and at the same time, they have denied our traditions and culture head-on! They have spouted the lie that the wrath of our ancestors can be cured with medical arts and have bewitched the commoners with their evil arts!”

“Evil arts, you say.” He continued, “If we do not make an example of them now, who will dare to fear and respect us?”

“Hoh, a point well made. But, Insect Poison Hall Head, are you in a position to judge that?”

Kugeugeugeu—

A thick killing intent began to emanate from the sect leader. At the deep pressure, even the other members of the Five Poisons Sect had to swallow their breath. Feeling his qi, Jin Cheonhee made a judgment.

‘The Five Poisons Sect Leader. He surpassed the entry level of the Transformation Realm a long time ago. He’s not one of the Ten Great Masters of the world, but he’s strong enough to be the leader of a sect.’

“Calm yourself, Sect Leader.” Just then, the Vice Sect Leader of the Five Poisons Sect approached and spoke. “The rebellion of the lowly Snake Clan is not a matter of yesterday or today, is it? And on top of that, curing the wrath of the ancestors? That is a punishment handed down by the ancestors. How can it be a thing that can be cured by a human body? In the end, if you leave this as it is, you will fall for their wicked evil arts.”

“Keum.” The Insect Poison Hall Head let out a cough as if to say he was right.

Keeping in time, the Vice Sect Leader continued. “It was certainly excessive for the Insect Poison Hall Head to act on his own without reporting to you, Sect Leader, but to do this in front of outsiders will not save our sect’s face.”

Jin Cheonhee listened to this story quietly. ‘Even though the dialect is strong, I can still understand it. I’ve improved a lot, too.’

The sect leader’s eyes narrowed. “I see. Then what do you think is best, Vice Sect Leader?”

“First, have the Insect Poison Hall Head fall back. Then, annihilate those lowly things to make an example of them, and the bastards from the Golden Blood Chamber and the White Dragon Medical Pavilion who insulted us, too…”

In that moment, Jin Cheonhee said, “Vice Sect Leader! When are you going to repay your debt?”

[Oh, brother, you’re a fast learner~]

Just as Sama Hyeon had learned Jin Cheonhee-speak, Jin Cheonhee had also learned some Sama Hyeon-speak. Sama Hyeon also played along with his brother’s words. “Good timing~ The conversation was cut off earlier because the Insect Poison Hall Head was spouting some nonsense~ It has already been a year since the due date to repay the principal of fifty thousand gold coins borrowed from the Golden Blood Chamber, and although you have been diligently paying the interest, it seems there was a hitch in the handover, as the contract was not extended~”

Jin Cheonhee took Sama Hyeon’s words and said it once more. “So I was wondering when you will repay it. The White Dragon Medical Pavilion and the Five Poisons Sect are in a cooperative trade relationship, are they not? If you were to be subjected to a forced collection, it would be difficult for the White Dragon Medical Pavilion as well. So when are you repaying it, Vice Sect Leader? Hmm?”

[K-euh~ Brother, you’re good~]

‘Hyeon-ah, I never intended to do this. This is all your fault.’

As they cornered the Vice Sect Leader with money, his face also turned crimson. “Shut up–!” His voice, imbued with internal energy, echoed resoundingly through the jungle. “How dare you spout such nonsense in front of our sect! This is why the lowly Snake Clan sticks to the filthy men of the Central Plains! Sect Leader, the fact that they speak so insolently is precisely the reason why we must not condone their actions!”

“I see.” The sect leader nodded. “But, Vice Sect Leader.”

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

“Did you not say that about half the debt owed to the Golden Blood Chamber had been repaid? And yet you say that only the interest was paid diligently and the principal was not repaid… I do not know what to make of this story.”

‘Oh, this is a shitshow. Is it about to be five minutes to a total mess?’

He had expected him to get very angry, but surprisingly, the sect leader was calm. “Right. As you said, this is not a story to be had in front of outsiders. Let us discuss this matter separately later.” He dismounted from the tiger he was riding and approached the front of the formation. The Vice Sect Leader followed behind him.

“Good. Minor Pavilion Master of the White Dragon Medical Pavilion. I shall verify whether the wrath of the ancestors can truly be cured with medical arts. If it is possible, this matter… Hmm?! Kuaaaack!”

The sect leader hastily dodged. But a deep cut dug into half of his back. The poison must have already seeped in deep, as the wound turned black. “What is the meaning of this…!?”

In that moment, the Vice Sect Leader’s second ambush dug in.

***

Blocking the second attack from behind, the sect leader shouted. “To launch a surprise attack so suddenly! Gehrata! Do you dare betray me!”

“Tsk. As expected of a lowly mongrel, you are good at dodging.”

“What did you say?!”

The Vice Sect Leader licked his dagger and said, “Detrah! Because of you, this sect has become weak. Is it not because of you that the men of the Central Plains run rampant in this Yunnan, and the likes of the filthy Snake Clan crawl all over us!”

A disciple of the Five Poisons Sect shouted. “The Vice Sect Leader has betrayed us! He is a traitor–!”

“Silence. Those who follow me, draw your weapons!”

An internal conflict began. The forces of the sect leader and the forces of the vice sect leader. The two groups began to clash. But the sect leader was already in critical condition from the surprise attack. From the moment the sect leader was ambushed, they had been shouting at each other in the language of the Yunnan tribes, so Jin Cheonhee couldn’t understand exactly how things were flowing, but just from what he could see, a shitshow had already begun.

However, watching this spectacle, Jin Cheonhee clicked his tongue.

‘This isn’t the kind of shitshow I was expecting.’

***

He knew the rift between the sect leader and the vice sect leader was deep. He must have been continuously looking for an opportunity.

‘Whether it’s the Wudang Sect or the Five Poisons Sect… everyone sees blood in the face of power. Then is the Blood Sect here, too…?’

The moment he thought that, the Vice Sect Leader shouted. “Darken the world! Darken, dark-darken!”

‘It wasn’t the Blood Sect, it was the Demonic Cult?’

Along with the Demonic Cult’s slogan, he attacked the sect leader.

“Keuk! You vile spy of the Demonic Cult!” The sect leader, unable to resist much due to the poison, was sent flying back by a single blow and rolled on the ground. A thick clot of blood flowed from his mouth, showing he had sustained internal injuries.

‘At this rate, his life is in danger.’

Given the sect leader’s realm, he had thought he would be able to escape if it came to it, but the poison must have been one that was difficult to detoxify even at his level.

“Hahahaha! This body has reached the Profound Realm by unifying the poison arts of this sect and the divine arts of the Sun and Moon Divine Cult! I shall become the Heavenly Demon, rule both the Sun and Moon Divine Cult and this sect, and rule all under heaven! It is my mission to rule you mongrels!”

As he said that, demonic qi began to pour out in streams from the Vice Sect Leader’s two eyes!

“The Profound Realm? The Profound Realm, you say?”

“Don’t tell me he means he has reached the realm of the Three Venerables?!”

“It’s a lie! He’s just wagging his tongue to scare us!”

As the Vice Sect Leader revealed his true colors, the men who had been following him all abandoned the poison arts of the Five Poisons Sect and began to use demonic arts. Jin Cheonhee took a deep breath. It seemed the opponent was mixing in delusions from the madness characteristic of demonic arts.

But the world was still tilted, and his body was heavy. Hearing the ringing in his ears, he knew it was more serious than he thought. But he had rested enough.

‘Right. The Demonic Cult ruled by the current Heavenly Demon is by no means a righteous organization either.’

She was a living demon, one who sprinkles this world with blood. Until the Heavenly Demon ascended and Yeo Ha-ryoon sat on the throne of the new Heavenly Demon, the world would continue to be in this state. Also, even if Yeo Ha-ryoon were to become the Heavenly Demon, as long as the Blood Sect existed, it would not be peaceful.

Then, if the Blood Sect disappeared, would peace come? His heart stirred. Even if this world were to be forever submerged in blood, someone had to clean it up.

“Battalion Leader Man Seon. The bows!”

At the Minor Pavilion Master’s command, Man Seon shouted. “All units, prepare to attack! Form ranks!”