Chapter 736: Trap and Prey.

“…So.”

Namgung Bi-ah, who had been lying still, looked at my head and asked.

“…You got… hit and came back?”

“…”

I stroked the crown of my head at her words.

There wasn’t a bump, but the stinging sensation remained.

It was precisely where Moyong Hi-ah had hit me.

“…She’s definitely not at her peak.”

It still hurt. She hit me so hard, it felt like my head had a bump.

Moyong Hi-ah is clearly hiding her cultivation level.

‘…Or else, it makes no sense for her hand to be that fast.’

I was just half-joking, but Moyong Hi-ah went ahead and smacked my head.

Thanks to that, my head still hurt.

‘No, how could I just stand by after seeing those conditions?’

From my perspective, it was quite unfair.

With such crazy conditions listed, how could anyone not be tempted?

The conditions Jang Yu-myeong laid out were nonsensical unless he’d lost his mind.

That’s why I let slip what I did without realizing it.

Of course, given the conditions he offered, I was trying my best to figure out Jang Yu-myeong’s intentions.

‘Just what does that guy want from me?’

What does he expect from me that he’d offer such things?

Although I have questions about it….

‘…With conditions like that, isn’t it worth accepting even if there are ulterior motives?’

Whatever his schemes or ulterior motives, they were enough to make me overlook them.

In fact, if it was about ulterior motives, I’d even be willing to play along with a smile.

“…But you know….”

“Yeah.”

After hearing the whole story, Namgung Bi-ah looked at me calmly and said,

“I think you deserved it….”

“…”

I thought Namgung Bi-ah would at least take my side, but even she said that.

Did I really do something that wrong?

Putting on an awkward expression, I said to Namgung Bi-ah,

“Enough about that…. How are you feeling?”

“I’m… okay….”

It was my attempt to change the subject, and Namgung Bi-ah accepted it.

“Food?”

“…I ate….”

“Right, don’t skip meals and eat properly.”

“Okay.”

As I spoke, I got up.

Namgung Bi-ah’s condition had improved significantly. There might be a few scars left, but she said most internal injuries were treatable.

‘The takgi is mostly gone too.’

I had visited occasionally to help remove the takgi accumulating in her body. If she’s recovered this much, I probably don’t need to worry about takgi anymore.

She should likely be able to move freely within a few days.

“I’ll come again tomorrow if I have time.”

After saying goodbye to Namgung Bi-ah, I handed her a set of clothes I brought.

Seeing them, Namgung Bi-ah took the clothes as if she had been waiting.

They were my clothes.

Namgung Bi-ah had asked me to bring her clothes each time I visited. I brought them as requested.

‘Why does she need those so badly?’

I don’t really know the reason, but since she needed them, I brought them.

They aren’t particularly expensive, just plain black clothes… I wonder what she intends to use them for.

Watching Namgung Bi-ah neatly fold the clothes, I shifted my gaze.

Then, I looked at the guy lying on the bed next to mine, as if dead.

“Are you okay?”

“…Yeeeah….”

A voice that sounded like it belonged to someone on the verge of death replied to my question.

It was Seong Yul, wrapped head-to-toe in bandages.

This guy looked just as bad.

“Tsk tsk.”

“…Groan….”

He seemed to have trouble even speaking, letting out groans.

Watching him, I pressed down hard on his chest.

“Guaaaah! L-Lord Seong… Ggghh…!”

“What a whiner.”

He’s clearly less injured than I am, yet he acts like it hurts this much.

It’s ridiculous.

“See, if you’d done it properly from the start, you wouldn’t be in this state.”

“…Gggghh….”

“You got cocky thinking it was manageable, and now look at you. You idiot.”

As I continued to poke him, I could see Seong Yul squirming.

This was partly to tease him, but also to check a few things.

‘Seems like there’s a backlash.’

It wasn’t just whining; his reaction seemed strange, as if he was in more pain than the wounds suggested.

‘Is this the aftereffect of properly activating Cheonsalseong?’

Poke poke.

“J-Just a moment… Gggghhhk!”

‘It wasn’t difficult to deactivate. But I haven’t confirmed if he listens properly. If he stays like this after using it, it’ll be annoying to utilize.’

“Lord Seong…. I… I’m really… going to die…!”

“It’s okay, it’s okay. I know because I’ve done it a few times. People don’t die that easily.”

“Guaaagh…!”

I checked him a few more times, poking him here and there.

The result was.

‘I need to check one more time.’

There was still much to test regarding Cheonsalseong.

Could Seong Yul activate and deactivate Cheonsalseong at will?

I knew his combat power increased when he activated it, but could Seong Yul maintain it fully?

Was I able to control him in that state, and so on?

There were many things I needed to confirm.

‘He said it would take about a month or two to fully recover.’

After his recovery is complete, I’ll have to put him to good use.

“…Huh?”

Rattle rattle.

The moment I thought that, Seong Yul shivered as if he felt a chill.

He was quick to sense things, wasn’t he?

‘Still, I have to do it.’

This was a necessary step to utilize Seong Yul.

If this isn’t done properly….

‘I’ll have to turn Seong Yul into a mindless puppet.’

I’ll have to corrupt him completely to use him.

Therefore, this was technically for Seong Yul’s own good.

Ah, of course, this has absolutely nothing to do with Seong Yul’s consent.

“You…. Just get better somehow.”

Since the checks were mostly done, I started to walk away. Just then, I remembered something I needed to tell Seong Yul.

“Ah, right. Hey.”

“Yes….”

“Once you’re fully recovered and up and about, I’ll tell you about what I was going to talk about last time.”

“…!”

Hearing that, Seong Yul’s eyes widened dramatically.

The talk I was going to have last time.

It was my promise to tell him about the incident with the Azure Sea Sword (Cheonghae Ilgeom) if Seong Yul won his duel against Peng Woojin.

“Y-You’ll tell me…?”

“Unlike the bet, you lost pitifully…. But I can afford to show this much generosity.”

I hadn’t expected him to win even slightly.

Besides, it was information he’d have to know eventually anyway.

“In that case… right now…!”

“No. I told you, I’ll tell you when you’re fully recovered.”

I flatly ignored Seong Yul’s hasty plea.

Not now.

If Seong Yul heard the full story now….

‘There’s a chance he might do something in his current state.’

It would be better to tell him when he’s fully healed and I can control him.

“…”

Seong Yul looked like he had a lot to say, but he didn’t say anything further.

He seemed to know that no matter how much he asked, I wouldn’t answer.

“Anyway, just know that and rest. Don’t do anything useless. If you move around, you’ll just become unusable.”

“…I understand….”

Seong Yul gave a reluctant nod.

Watching him, I walked away.

‘How many Poison Pills (Dokcheondan) do I have left?’

I started counting them, thinking I should probably give Seong Yul one or two soon.

No, maybe the number doesn’t matter anymore.

‘Just in time, I received contact from the Poison King (Dokwang) too.’

Among the letters Cheol Ji-seon had organized, there was also news sent to me from the Tang Clan.

‘They finally succeeded in manufacturing the Poison Pill.’

The Poison Pill, lost by the Tang Clan in the past.

They had succeeded in restoring it.

‘I guess I’ll have to visit Sichuan later.’

It wasn’t a complete success. They discovered a method to succeed, but….

‘They said they couldn’t proceed due to one problem.’

I decided I’d go and figure out the reason myself.

If this issue is resolved, it would bring enormous advantages.

The Poison Pill is a spiritual medicine comparable to Shaolin’s Great Pill (Hwandal), which they produce only one or two of per year.

For me, even if I take the Poison Pill now, there’s almost no benefit.

‘But it’s different for others.’

Since there are many people I need to strengthen for the future, this is an achievement worth anticipating.

Thinking that, I stepped outside.

As soon as I came out, a leaf fell right before my eyes.

It was an autumn leaf, half-colored.

I raised my head at the sight.

The green leaves were gradually taking on color.

The end of summer and the beginning of autumn had arrived.

“…”

Catching one of the falling leaves, I recalled something.

-Come in autumn.

Cheonma’s words from long ago suddenly came to mind.

Why should I come then? When I asked, Cheonma had said something.

Was it because the autumn foliage was pretty?

Or because the scenery was beautiful?

I don’t remember clearly, but it was something along those lines.

Why am I suddenly thinking about that time right now?

I didn’t dwell on the question.

Fwoosh-

I burned the leaf I held in my hand.

“…”

It was a memory that didn’t need any further attention.

********************

I came out of my quarters.

There were still many people around, including merchants, but piercing through their gazes wasn’t difficult.

“…I greet the Cult Master.”

An old man, likely past seventy, Pil Du-ma, a descendant of the Zhuge family and the leader of Cheonra, knelt before me.

After leaving my quarters, I came straight to see this old man.

As the mask I wore after a long time felt unfamiliar, I spoke to him.

[Is the work progressing smoothly?]

My voice was altered, and my body had also been changed using the body transformation technique (Giche-byeonyeoksul).

It hurt terribly to transform due to the depth of my injuries, but I had to endure it for now.

“Yes. All preparations are complete. We can activate it immediately if you give the word.”

[Not bad.]

“May I ask just one thing?”

[You have my permission.]

“When should the operation proceed?”

The Baekgeup monster.

Pil Du-ma plans to summon a dragon, called a disaster, and devastate Honam.

He said he could use the six stone monuments located throughout Honam, didn’t he?

‘He said a dragon is sealed in this land.’

That’s what Pil Du-ma told me.

I don’t know how a dragon came to be sealed here, and if I had heard this before, I would have dismissed it as a lie, but.

‘Now, I know.’

In the present, I can tell.

I can feel a strange resonance emanating from deep within this land.

There is definitely a dragon within the earth. Although faint, I can clearly sense it.

‘Perhaps, is this also related to the Blood Demon (Hyeolm)?’

Given the circumstances, I expect it to be related, but.

It’s impossible to know for sure right now.

Moreover, even with the preparations complete, it was still uncertain whether Pil Du-ma’s plan would truly succeed.

However.

‘It doesn’t matter if it fails.’

I wasn’t planning for success in the first place, so it didn’t matter.

It would be good if it succeeded, but it didn’t matter if it failed.

That wasn’t the important part.

‘He is a descendant of the Zhuge family. And that guy is doing something in Honam.’

That was the only part I cared about.

[Cheonra Grand Master. You seem quite impatient.]

I said that with a laugh in my voice.

Asking when it should proceed was akin to urging me on.

As if to prove my point, Pil Du-ma didn’t deny it.

[Don’t worry. It won’t take more than a few days at most.]

“I speak out of concern…. Are we truly safe to trust the Cult Master?”

They were suspicious, unsure of what I might do.

That was the meaning behind his words.

[Haha.]

At that, I laughed even louder this time.

[Whether you trust me or not is your choice. However, as I said before, what you and I pursue is the same direction. And also…]

Vwooom.

I retracted the aura I was emitting around me and channeled it into my heart.

Only then did gasps of breath echo from all around.

[Isn’t the fact that your lives are currently attached to me proof enough?]

“…”

I released the pressure I had been exerting. If I lessened my imposing aura even slightly, suspicion would creep in, so this was necessary.

[Do not be hasty. The time is almost upon us.]

“…I understand.”

Though his expression showed a lack of understanding, the Cheonra Grand Master nodded at me.

As expected, he’s from a strong lineage; it was difficult to crush him.

This old man’s spirit doesn’t die easily.

‘Actually, that’s fortunate.’

I can use him without hesitation and then discard him.

After a few more exchanges, I left the cave.

By the time I emerged outside, the sun was already setting.

I had been active since morning, yet the day was already spent.

‘Time flies so fast.’

It’s too fast.

Time is what I need most right now, yet it feels like the thing I’m using up the fastest.

‘I just told Pil Du-ma not to be impatient, yet I’m the one who’s the most impatient…. How ironic.’

There’s no contradiction greater than this.

A wry laugh escaped my lips.

‘Anyway…. It seems the preparations on this end are complete.’

Now, the remaining part is up to me.

Thinking that, I glanced back.

Behind me, the person I had been waiting for appeared and knelt.

I wasn’t surprised.

I had known for a long time.

The person was a woman with tired-looking green hair.

It was Na-hee, whom I had sent to Hubei in the past.

“Welcome.”

I smiled and said to her, and Na-hee bowed her head even lower.

“…I greet my Master.”

Along with her exhausted appearance, her voice was withered.

There were no external injuries, but it seemed she had accumulated significant fatigue from overuse of her abilities.

“How did the work go?”

Rather than expressing concern, I got straight to the point.

It would be problematic if it got any later, but Na-hee arrived just before that happened.

This meant that the situation I desired had finally come to pass.

As expected, Na-hee reported on the matter.

“…The Il-ryong Daeju (First Dragon Commander) has just completed the transport (Nasong) within the Meng.”

Contained within that report was the news I had been waiting for.

At the same time, Na-hee’s voice seemed to burn with an inexplicable intensity.

I couldn’t tell if that resentment was directed at me or the Il-geom Daeju.

Honestly, it didn’t really matter.

“Is that so?”

There was only one thing important to me right now.

‘The final preparations are complete.’

The trap has been laid well.

Now, it’s time to scatter the bait.

A rich, potent bait that hungry beasts couldn’t help but flock to. That’s the kind of bait I would scatter.

“I need to inform Hwangbo Gaju (Head of the Hwangbo Family).”

The time has come to raise hell in Honam.

It was finally time to deliver that message.