Led by Duchil, we arrived at the Cheonghwa Merchant Guild. I suppose they were relatively successful in the region.

Even before Duchil could explain who I was, the gatekeeper recognized me and immediately rushed off to report.

In the meantime, they prepared a guest room for us to rest in…

“No need. I’ll just stay here.”

“Pardon? B-But the Guild Master—”

“Look at the room’s size. Sure, people can fit comfortably, but don’t you think it’s a bit small for a centipede?”

When I said that, pointing to the Fire Centipede—Chilgong—the gatekeeper stepped back, seemingly convinced.

I wondered if Chilgong understood. He lowered his broad head and let out a different cry than usual.

—Tssrrr…

“Hm. Not sure what that means.”

“Chilgong’s saying thank you.”

“Really?”

“Yes! Since he’s so big, he often has to stay behind when we go out. That made him anxious a lot, but thanks to you, White Moon Sword Lord, he doesn’t have to be separated anymore. I think he likes that.”

“I see.”

His head carapace was patterned with a mix of colors, looking like fire or heat haze.

I gently stroked the surface. Cold, but firm. Maybe because of his unusually gentle behavior—very unlike the image one usually had of centipedes—he even seemed… kind of cute.

He also deliberately hid any fierce features. His fangs were retracted, and he kept his body low to appear smaller.

Rather than showing friendliness, it felt more like… he was seriously frightened. But even spirit beasts were still beasts. It couldn’t be helped.

Besides, Meng Yubaek had said Chilgong chose to live under someone’s wing and coexist with people rather than fight for survival.

If someone was cooperative toward me, I couldn’t help but feel goodwill—be it a person or a centipede the size of a cottage.

“Not bad.”

“Ah! You’ve noticed Chilgong’s charm, haven’t you, White Moon Sword Lord?!”

“Hm?”

I had only said a single word, but Meng Yubaek leapt with joy.

“Most people don’t like Chilgong! They say he’s creepy because he’s a centipede, or scary because he’s poisonous—or they don’t like him because he’s an insect-type spirit beast. But you don’t seem to care about any of that!”

“Of course. Why would I fear or avoid someone weaker than me?”

“Uh……???”

Meng Yubaek blinked, frozen in place. I wasn’t sure why, but I decided to show a bit more sincerity.

“I’ve touched plenty of furry beasts, but never a carapace like this. It’s interesting. Come to think of it, wasn’t it said that the Fire Centipede’s carapace is beautifully patterned and fetches a high price?”

—Tss, Tss…

Meng Yubaek shut her mouth entirely, and Chilgong curled his body even tighter.

I had meant it as a compliment, but their reactions were disappointing, which made me sulk a little—until Tang Sowol covered her mouth with her sleeve and chuckled softly.

“Hehe. Don’t be too shocked, Centipede Sect Lord. Brother Cheon meant nothing by it. That’s just how he is.”

“Ah…”

At her words, Meng Yubaek gave me a sidelong glance, then nodded.

This time, Tang Sowol held her palm up in front of Chilgong’s face.

“You don’t need to be so nervous. Your spirit core holds no special value to me or Brother Cheon. Same with your poison. Want to see for yourself?”

—Tssrr?

Perhaps soothed by her gentle tone, Chilgong slowly raised his head. Droplets began to form on Tang Sowol’s palm—it was poison.

Seven different-colored poison drops. They mixed and separated, shifting through a kaleidoscope of hues. Chilgong widened his relatively small eyes.

—Tss! Tssrr…!

“Yes. I can use your poison. And any poison I can use can never affect Brother Cheon. That’s why I said you have nothing to fear. So don’t be scared.”

—Tsszt!

Seemingly pleased to meet someone who used the same poison, Chilgong gently rubbed his wide head against Tang Sowol’s hand. She lightly tapped his head.

Bonk!

A light flick. With that hard carapace, he’d surely felt it, but it couldn’t have hurt.

Still, maybe he didn’t understand why he’d been hit—he looked up at her with aggrieved eyes.

I spoke to him in a serious tone.

“Don’t get clingy with someone’s fiancée.”

“Oh my, that was sudden—but sweet,” Tang Sowol said, smiling brightly.

The others looked momentarily speechless. Meng Yubaek added with a resolute look,

“Um… White Moon Sword Lord.”

“What is it?”

“Chilgong is female.”

After a short pause, I gently stroked the spot I’d flicked.

“I’ll let it slide just this once.”

—Tssrr…

Chilgong nodded feebly.

Was it because the only other spirit beasts I’d met were the Azure Cold Serpent and Azure Ice Dragon? Seeing one I could communicate with like this made me reconsider spirit beasts a little.

“Tang Sowol. If I get the chance someday, raising a spirit beast might not be a bad idea. What do you think?”

“My father and I can create poison ourselves, but most can’t. So raising a rare poisonous beast would greatly benefit the Tang Clan. I’d support it.”

There was already a facility in the Tang Clan for raising venomous creatures, though naturally it didn’t house spirit beasts.

The typical venomous spirit beasts would be centipedes or snakes, but some birds or lizards could also gain poison and evolve into spirit beasts.

We idly chatted about which beast would be best to raise, until—

The gatekeeper, now half-running, arrived out of breath from what must have been a full sprint.

“Apologies for the wait! The Guild Master sent away their current visitor. You may come up at once.”

“That was fast.”

“Of course! After all, it’s none other than the White Moon Sword Lord visiting!”

Unlike the rough welcome from Duchil, this gatekeeper greeted me with respectful admiration. Perhaps it was because I’d come in a relatively normal way.

I’d heard there were people in Yunnan who appreciated me for annihilating the Thousand Poison Gate.

Feeling a bit awkward, I followed him up to the top floor of the Cheonghwa Merchant Guild.

Chilgong, climbing along the ceiling to avoid obstructing anyone, ended up startling a few guild staff instead.

Still, we reached the Guild Master’s office without any problems.

It was the largest room, so Chilgong could fit without issue.

Everything had gone smoothly—up to this point.

“My word! It really is the White Moon Sword Lord! I was utterly shocked when I first heard! I deeply respect you, personally!”

“Hm.”

“And you’ve come with the Centipede Sect Lord… I take it this means something about our handling of affairs displeased you?”

“Hm.”

“White Moon Sword Lord… do you have some kind of problem with us?”

“Oh, there’s a problem, alright. A big one.”

“Would you be so kind as to tell me what it is? I’m all ears.”

The Guild Master, who had welcomed us warmly, now looked puzzled. I drew in my internal energy and swiftly sealed her acupoints.

Ttack! Ttadat!

In an instant, the Guild Master’s meridians were locked, and she stiffened like a wooden doll.

Meng Yubaek panicked at the sudden turn of events, while Tang Sowol, having seen this before, simply nodded calmly.

“Is the Guild Master a cultist?”

“No.”

“Then is she being blackmailed by the cult, or in some comparable danger?”

“Neither.”

So their guesses were off, but not without reason.

I smiled slightly toward the puzzled Tang Sowol and said,

“I wasn’t sure at first glance, but up close I could tell. The Guild Master exudes an aura similar to the Centipede Sect Lord.”

“Similar aura… could it be?”

Tang Sowol widened her eyes and examined the Guild Master closely. Before long, she nodded.

“Yes, it really is similar.”

“Indeed. I plan to begin interrogation now—can you lock the door? I’ve already sealed off the energy flow, so don’t worry.”

“Of course.”

Clack.

With the door locked, no one could enter or leave easily. And with the energy barrier in place, nothing inside could be sensed from the outside.

The sound of the door locking brought Meng Yubaek to her senses.

“W-Wait! You can’t just do this out of nowhere!”

“Hm?”

“I’m grateful you’re helping me. And I now know the Guild did swindle me. But even so, restraining and interrogating her like this… That’s going too far. White Moon Sword Lord!”

Even trembling, Meng Yubaek looked me straight in the eye.

Setting aside her martial skill or circumstances—she would make a fine Sect Lord.

How many could still voice their beliefs in a situation like this?

I smiled and shook my head.

“It’s a misunderstanding.”

“A misunderstanding…?”

Still only first-class, Meng Yubaek couldn’t have noticed—but the Guild Master gave off the same energy signature as Meng Yubaek. Traces of martial arts from the Beast Palace.

And she was at Peak Stage.

Even if she were a top-tier merchant, this was far beyond what a guild master’s strength should be.

Meng Yubaek, still trembling, grabbed the Guild Master’s arm and sent a small flow of internal energy.

“…Ah.”

“Now do you understand?”

“Yes. This is… a martial art my second brother teaches his close aides. It’s an excellent advancement technique, but it comes with a catch: once you’ve mastered it, it’s hard to disobey orders from someone who knows the higher-tier matching technique.”

To control group-dwelling spirit beasts, one had to instill in them that you were the alpha. Based on that, a paired martial art was developed—for humans. To etch loyalty into one’s instincts.

That second brother had reportedly received this martial art as a reward from the Beast Palace Lord. At the time, only the Lord and the second brother knew it.

Thanks to this detailed info, we could skip the full interrogation.

“Aha. Congratulations, Centipede Sect Lord. Even after leaving, you’re still a candidate for heir, it seems.”

“But why…”

“You already know the reason. Simply leaving home wasn’t enough—they didn’t feel secure. Especially when you’re leading your own faction now.”

If only this could be settled with money… but that didn’t seem likely.

I sighed and turned to the Guild Master, whose eyes rolled with nervous dread.

“I’m going to unseal your mouth now. Think carefully before you speak. I’ve got truth serums potent enough to leave you a drooling husk, poisons that amplify sensation by several times, and torture techniques that flay flesh from bone. And I’m prepared to listen to your honest confession.”

“Even if you’ve lost your sponsor and all you have left is a torn contract—whether you live a peaceful retirement, or lose everything today—that’s your choice, Guild Master.”

The Guild Master’s trembling gaze finally refocused. Seemed she’d made her decision.

I adjusted the internal energy I’d sent to unseal her throat acupoint.

And as if she’d been waiting:

“M-My martial arts are bound by a mental restriction! You won’t get any answers from me!”

“Really?”

Mental restrictions couldn’t be helped.

I, too, was bound by them—so I understood.

Thud!

“Guah!”

So I shattered her dantian.

“The restriction should be gone now. Can you answer me?”

“Y-Yes…”

She nodded, blood dribbling from her lips.

Maybe it was a bit too much, but didn’t the Cheonghwa Merchant Guild send those three vagabond brothers first?

At first I thought they just meant to threaten or subdue her… but if it was to monopolize the Fire Centipede, or worse, part of a Beast Palace succession struggle—that was a whole different matter.

Considering their forces, they probably didn’t intend to kill Meng Yubaek… but her sect members, or even Chilgong? They were expendable.

If we hadn’t had the strength to fight back, we would’ve been swept up in it too.

Given that, this was still quite merciful, wasn’t it?

That was what I thought, until I made eye contact with Chilgong.

—Tssrr…

He didn’t just bow—he sprawled flat on the floor.

It was an act of complete submission. Worship, even.

…Was this really okay?

Strictly speaking, I’d saved his life, but… this didn’t feel like the gaze of someone looking at their savior.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep