"Did Poison King take the wrong medicine?"
That was the only way to make sense of what I had just heard.
"The Tang Clan is stepping down from the Four Great Clans?"
"Yes, it will be officially announced soon."
"...Are you insane?"
This wasn’t a vague possibility but a certainty.
In other words…
"Does that mean you’ve already sent a formal request to the Martial Alliance?"
"That’s correct."
It wasn’t the Martial Alliance demanding it—it was the Tang Clan requesting to step down. They must have formally written to say they wanted to leave their prestigious status.
The problem was:
"Can you just leave because you want to?"
The Four Great Clans is more of a symbolic title than an official position. It simply designates the four most prominent families in Zhongyuan.
It wasn’t something the Tang Clan could simply relinquish on a whim.
To this, Poison King replied with a bitter smile.
"Do you think it’s impossible?"
"..."
"I believe it can be done."
Hearing Poison King’s words, a heated wave surged through my previously cold thoughts.
"Master Tang, please don’t tell me you wrote everything in that letter?"
"Not a single word was left out."
"Have you lost your mind?"
This meant they had sent a detailed report of everything—the experiments, the incidents, and even the elders’ involvement—to the Martial Alliance.
"Has he really gone mad?"
Even without doing that, the Martial Alliance would likely send inspectors before long.
In such a precarious situation, instead of concealing the truth, he had handed it over on a silver platter.
"Are you trying to destroy your own family?"
I couldn’t hold back my words, but Poison King only gave a dry laugh.
How can he laugh in a situation like this?
"Now it makes sense why he so brazenly executed the elders without caring about appearances."
He hadn’t cared about the eyes on him when he beheaded the elders.
Burning himself out to get things done—this must have been the reason behind it.
"So that’s why."
From the beginning, he had intended to dismantle his family.
A man, the patriarch of a prestigious clan, tearing down his own house.
"Is that why Moyong Hee-ah stormed out?"
I recalled Moyong Hee-ah’s hasty exit.
She must have anticipated this.
"The Moyong family has business ties to the Tang Clan."
Given their established agreements, the Tang Clan’s collapse would also impact the Moyong family.
"The balance of power would shift."
The fall of the Tang Clan wouldn’t just be its downfall—it would ripple across Zhongyuan.
Moyong Hee-ah likely foresaw this and rushed to respond.
The value of the Tang Clan was immense.
Even when a lesser family collapses, it causes significant disruption.
If it were the Tang Clan, the fallout would be catastrophic.
Which made Poison King’s decision all the more puzzling.
"...Why did you make this choice?"
No matter how I looked at it, I couldn’t understand.
"I might have thought the Tang Clan could face ruin."
Given the scale of their crimes, some damage seemed inevitable.
But for Poison King to willingly destroy his family? That, I hadn’t expected.
Why would he do it?
If it were me, I’d never make such a choice.
Poison King remained silent for a moment, then met my gaze and spoke.
"It’s thanks to your father."
"...What?"
I froze.
What does Father have to do with this?
I held back my questions, recalling that Poison King had said "thanks to" and not "because of."
"He said this to me: After seeing all this, do you still consider yourself righteous? "
"..."
"And he was right. This was not the action of a righteous sect."
I couldn’t refute that.
No matter the reasons, the Tang Clan’s recent actions were far from those of a righteous sect.
But…
"You didn’t do those things yourself, did you?"
"Are you certain of that?"
"...What do you mean?"
"Are you certain I didn’t get involved? Can you be sure, Young Master Gu?"
Poison King’s sharp gaze pierced through me.
The creation of the Heavenly Body and the countless atrocities committed to achieve it.
Could I say with certainty that he had no part in it?
"...No."
I didn’t believe he was involved, but I couldn’t be certain.
Reading my expression, Poison King gave a faint smile and said,
"I did not participate."
"In that case…"
"Even so, few will believe me. That’s the reality."He was right.
Even if he claimed innocence, the circumstances made it unlikely anyone would believe him.
"And even if I wasn’t involved, I must take responsibility."
"Why must you shoulder this responsibility?"
"Because of what you just said."
"What did I say?"
"I am the head of the Tang Clan."
"..."
His voice was calm, almost resigned.
A mix of emotions swirled within his steady tone.
"Until now, I’ve claimed to be the head but have done little. I must do something before it’s too late."
"...And that ‘something’ is destroying the family’s reputation?"
"Haha."
My sincere words made him chuckle, as if he found them amusing.
"Stepping down from a title of honor won’t destroy the family."
"This land is filled with people who live and die for honor."
"That’s true. I was one of them."
Martial artists often pursue power for the sake of honor.
For many, earning a title is their life’s dream.
That’s why they cling to their reputations, living and dying by them.
I don’t fault them for it.
It’s just how things are.
But in a place like this…
"Do you have to discard your honor?"
Was there truly a reason for Poison King to take such a path?
"Young Master Gu."
"Yes."
"Do you know how to fix a tree whose roots have rotted?"
He looked me in the eye, his lips barely moving.
His gaze rendered me speechless.
He had already made his choice.
"You must uproot it and plant new seeds."
"...So you’re going to tear down the whole tree and start over?"
"That’s just a metaphor. Surely I won’t uproot everything. Haha."
If the Tang Clan’s experiments, abductions, and atrocities were revealed,
Not only would they lose their seat among the Four Great Clans, but they might also be branded as a demonic sect.
Considering their origins as an unorthodox sect, it would only be easier to label them as such.
And yet, he chose to proceed. Why?
"Because I’m ashamed."
"...Ashamed?"
"I can’t bear the shame. Young Master Gu, I owe my children an apology, but this must be done."
Was it because I lacked a conscience, or because all my emotions had dried up?
I couldn’t understand his conviction.
Then,
"Thank you."
Poison King suddenly expressed his gratitude.
His words widened my eyes.
"...Why are you thanking me?"
"I know you’re angry because of my daughter."
"...!"
His words made my chest feel heavy.
I hadn’t realized it myself, but he was right.
I knew what would happen to Tang So-yeol once the Tang Clan fell.
"That’s why I’ve been so frustrated."
It wasn’t something I had consciously acknowledged.
"I owe my children an apology, but this is my choice."
"...Master Tang."
"I’ll face much more shame, but this is the only way I can preserve my honor."
He was telling me not to argue further.
So I closed my mouth.
There was nothing more I could say with confidence.
People with unshakable convictions, who tread paths others wouldn’t, always have a way of silencing others.
As I averted my gaze, Poison King spoke calmly.
"Young Master Gu, I must ask for your help with my daughter."
Whether he meant to protect her from the fallout or something else, I didn’t know.
But my answer was clear.
"...Don’t worry."
If nothing else, this much I could promise.
Hearing my reply, Poison King smiled and nodded.
"Good. That’s all I needed."
His tone was casual, as though he’d finally acknowledged me.
******************
I left Poison King's quarters and began to walk away.
I couldn’t keep someone who had plans of their own tied down, and it was time for me to focus on what I needed to do.
"I should start setting a proper schedule for myself."
While I had already outlined the major tasks, I hadn’t decided on the immediate steps yet.
"First, I need to return home."
Returning to the Gu family came first.
"…Although, if it were up to me, I’d rather go somewhere else."
There were places like the cave in Guangdong filled with eternal cold iron, or other hidden opportunities I’d identified. It was time to start claiming those one by one.
"But doing that right now is unrealistic."
There were too many unresolved matters before I could begin seeking out opportunities.
For instance, the promise with the Divine Doctor or finding the gemstone for Nahi.
Above all, however:
"I need strength."
What I needed most was time for serious training.
"…I’m still lacking."
Even after reaching Haegyeong and gaining the additional power from becoming a dragon, it still wasn’t enough.
To face Cheonma or the Blood Demon, I needed not only personal strength but also a strong faction to back me.
Right now, I couldn’t even react to Amwang’s movements, and reaching the heights of those above me felt like a distant goal.
Moreover:
"I need to master the ninth level."
I had to not only continue practicing the Tua Pacheonmu technique but also elevate the Guyeomhwaryun Gong to the ninth level.
Father had promised to reveal the truth about Mother only once I reached that level.
I needed time to build my strength. And the best time for that was:
"…Probably now, if ever."
This was the most opportune moment.
In just a few years, events would start to unfold in rapid succession.
Even if I ignored the ones I had altered, the major incidents that lay ahead required me to be stronger to handle them.
"Opportunities alone won’t be enough anymore."
I had more than enough external blessings.
My body was already in peak condition. What was left was for me to hone my skills through sheer effort.
Yes, it was time.
If I had to return to the Gu family temporarily, I might as well use that time to grow stronger.
With that thought in mind, I returned to my quarters and noticed something unusual.
"Hmm?"
Father, who hadn’t been seen all night, was standing in the yard. And with him was—
"Wi Seol-ah?"
Wi Seol-ah was holding my clothes in her hands.
What’s this…?
As I entered, their gazes turned toward me.
"Ah, Young Master."
"What are you doing?"
"…Um…"
At my question, Wi Seol-ah quickly hid the clothes behind her back and hesitated before responding.
"…I was just… doing some laundry."
"Laundry? Of what? Don’t tell me…"
"Yes…"
When I gestured to the clothes, she confirmed it.
She was washing my clothes?
"…Why?"
Why were you washing my clothes?
When I asked, her face began to turn red.
Her pale skin made the flush even more noticeable.
"I… I just remembered something. Before I realized it, I was already…"
Her embarrassed smile made me furrow my brow without realizing it.
She washed my clothes without thinking about it ? What kind of instinct was that?
But as I searched for the reason, a dull ache filled my chest.
"…This feels like it’s my fault."
Was it because I had brought her into the Gu household as a servant?
It seemed some strange habits had stuck with her.
"…Come to think of it, hasn’t this happened a lot recently?"
Whenever I returned from training or going out, my room would be clean, or there’d be a pleasant scent lingering in the air.
"You… Have you been cleaning up behind my back too?"
"…!"
When I asked, Wi Seol-ah flinched, her face growing even redder.
So it wasn’t the Tang Clan’s servants after all—it had been her all along.
"Why were you doing that?"
"…I just had some time on my hands…"
"If you were going to do it, you could’ve said something. What are you, some kind of secret housekeeper?"
The important thing was—why had she been doing it secretly?
She lowered her head at my exasperated tone.
"I’m sorry…"
It might have been wrong for her to sneak around, but from my perspective, she had no reason to apologize.
"You don’t need to apologize. I’m the one who should be thankful. Just… if you do something nice, let me know so I can thank you properly."
I smiled, reaching out to ruffle her hair, but then stopped when I remembered Father was watching.
Wi Seol-ah glanced at my hand, her eyes filled with a hint of disappointment.
I forced myself to ignore it and turned to Father.
"Are you leaving now?"
Father’s eyebrows twitched slightly at my question.
"How did you know?"
"Know what?"
"That I was planning to leave."
"…Just a feeling."
Maybe because I’d been watching him closely lately, I could sense subtle differences in his demeanor.
"I just had a hunch."
"…Hmm."
"So, what were you talking about with her?"
"Nothing important."
Which meant he wasn’t going to tell me.
I looked at Wi Seol-ah for answers, but she avoided my gaze.
"…Hmm."
What was this about? It was making me uneasy.
I wanted to press further but decided to let it go for now.
"…Anyway, are you really leaving now?"
"There’s no reason to stay any longer now that my tasks are complete."
In other words, he had fulfilled Poison King’s requests.
That meant he had dealt with all the elders overnight.
"In that case, why not leave together? I’ll be heading back tomorrow at the latest."
As soon as the words left my mouth, I surprised myself.
Normally, I would’ve been thrilled to see him leave, but here I was suggesting we travel together.
Father seemed just as surprised, his eyes widening slightly.
"Well… I just thought, you know, since I’m going that way anyway…"
I trailed off, trying to sound casual.
Father responded,
"It’s not possible."
It was a refusal.
"Figured as much."
I scratched the back of my head awkwardly.
"Under normal circumstances, it might have been fine."
Father added an unusual explanation.
"But if I delay any longer, she’ll be furious."
"Who?"
"…"
He didn’t answer, but his expression looked troubled.
I thought I heard him mutter something about “three days being too long,” but I wasn’t sure.
Either way, it meant he wasn’t coming with me.
"…Then I guess I’ll see you at the Gu family estate."
As I was about to give up and bid farewell, Father extended something toward me.
His hand.
A large, calloused hand.
"…?"
I looked at him, confused, but he simply stared back.
When our silent standoff continued, he finally spoke.
"Take it."
"Ah."
Realizing his intention, I grabbed his hand.
My hand was practically swallowed by his much larger one.
It occurred to me:
"Is this the first time?"
I couldn’t recall ever holding Father’s hand like this before.
It lasted only a few seconds before he let go.
"I’ll go ahead. Be careful on your way back."
"…What?"
I was caught off guard.
Hadn’t he wanted to confirm something?
Before I could ask further—
Fwoosh!
Father vanished into flames before my eyes.
"…He really just left like that?"
An abrupt handshake and he was gone.
Unbelievable. Showing up suddenly and disappearing just as suddenly.
Father was as enigmatic as ever.
"Haha."
I laughed wryly, looking down at my hand.
His hand had been unexpectedly warm. Probably from his flame arts.
All that remained now was a faint warmth and an unnameable emotion.
I brushed my hand off and looked at Wi Seol-ah, who was watching me with her large, expressive eyes.
Her gaze seemed to hold a hint of amusement.
It was charming, but also…
"Annoying."
So I ruffled her hair.
"Eek!"
Her soft squeal was adorable, a sound I hadn’t heard in a while.
"Young Master, please wait!"
"Who told you to look at me like that?"
After tousling her silky hair for a bit, I stopped, knowing she’d sulk if I went too far.
Stepping back, I said,
"Let’s get something to eat. I’m hungry."
"Yes."
It had been a while since I felt like having a proper meal with her, and she seemed happy about it.
"Let’s invite the others too. It’ll be nice to eat together."
"…Okay."
Her expression darkened slightly at that suggestion.
"I’m imagining things."
There’s no way Wi Seol-ah would dislike having a meal.
Nodding lightly, I headed off with her in tow.