Chapter 244: Heaven-Destroying Poison (2)

When Baek Mun-jeol said he would offer her a drink—

I subtly checked the Sword King’s expression.

‘Not a single change in expression.’

In that moment, I became certain.

The Sword King had made up his mind.

He was watching this side with a calm expression, completely unshaken.

‘Baek Mun-jeol truly intends to poison Yura!’

Others might think he wouldn’t be crazy enough to poison Cheon Yura in a setting like this.

But I, holding onto a few hidden clues, believed it was entirely possible.

‘Baek Mun-jeol is a collaborator of the Heaven-Defying Society. And Hwan Pyeong, one of the Heaven-Defying Society’s Heavenly Lord, has ample motive to bear a grudge against Yura.’

Whether the Sword King had joined hands with the Heaven-Defying Society—

Or judged that he could use them—

The point was, he and I had now crossed a river we couldn’t return from.

Tap!

I immediately stopped Cheon Yura from drinking the wine Baek Mun-jeol had offered.

“…Jin Yeomyung?”

“……?!”

The moment I grabbed Cheon Yura’s wrist,

Baek Mun-jeol and the Sword King’s expressions changed completely.

My conviction grew even firmer.

“It’s rather disappointing, Elder Baek. While it’s only proper to offer a drink to Young Cult Leader Yura out of courtesy, isn’t tonight’s main event centered on us eight geniuses finalists?”

“W-What?”

“Y-Yura, you say?”

Cheon Yura stared at me with wide eyes, and everyone else gaped in shock, staring daggers at me.

In those stares, there was no distinction between orthodox and unorthodox factions.

I had always treated Cheon Yura with utmost respect in private settings.

So even the Heavenly Demon Cult’s delegation seemed quite shocked by my behavior.

Baek Mun-jeol forced a smile as he spoke.

“Y-Yura, you say… Master Demonic Heaven Dragon, what are you talking about…?”

“Of course, it’s only natural. Yura and I are lovers, aren’t we? Isn’t it far more fitting for me to receive this drink in her place?”

I promptly snatched the wine cup from Cheon Yura’s hand, then offered her my own.

– Jin Yeomyung, what are you thinking?

– Young Master Jin, what are you doing?!

– You brat, what nonsense is this?

– Youngest Brother! Stop this at once!

Several voice transmissions came at once.

But I replied only to Cheon Yura, telling her to play along, and ignored all the others.

Lifting the cup that Baek Mun-jeol had poured, I declared loudly,

“Of course, since Elder Baek has offered a drink to Young Cult Leader Yura, she should drink it. But how about this instead?”

I took her arm, still holding the cup awkwardly, and crossed it with mine.

In an instant, Yura and I appeared to be entwined, arms wrapped around each other.

“W-What is this?”

“What an obscene posture!”

“To give a cup one has touched to their lover…”

The surroundings erupted in uproar.

The older crowd mostly frowned at my behavior.

But the relatively younger ones were watching the scene with keen interest.

I smiled deliberately and spoke loudly.

“Let’s drink, Yura.”

“…….”

She quietly examined my expression, then brought the cup I handed her to her lips.

In the stifling silence, the sound of liquid going down her throat echoed like thunder.

Gulp!

“W-What is this…?”

“Truly a demon, heart and soul!”

As she drank, sighs of awe and shock spread throughout the room.

After slowly setting the cup down, Cheon Yura looked at me.

“Jin Yeomyung, you better explain what this—”

Fwoosh!

“…Ah?”

She couldn’t finish her sentence.

Only a few seconds had passed since she drank.

Then why was the scent of blood wafting from the lips of the lover standing before her?

“Damn it. He really put a lot in there.”

I muttered a curse under my breath, then cupped my hands toward the gathering.

“The drink was rather strong. Unfortunately, I don’t handle alcohol well, so I’ll excuse myself here. May everyone enjoy the rest of the evening!”

I turned to leave as I said that.

Just then.

My legs gave out, and the blood I had barely managed to suppress surged up my throat.

Tap!

Before I could collapse, the Crimson-Faced Demon Fighter, Wang Cheongeol, appeared and grabbed my arm to steady me.

“Let me help you.”

“…Much appreciated.”

Wang Cheongeol looked at me with a rather complex expression,

Then muttered quietly.

“I acknowledge you. You’re worthy to be by the Young Cult Leader’s side.”

It seemed he had figured out what I had just done for Cheon Yura.

“That means a lot. Thank you.”

The reason I went so far as to act and endure the poison was simple.

‘The atmosphere here mustn’t collapse.’

If I had collapsed coughing blood right there?

Baek Mun-jeol, having attempted to poison Cheon Yura, would have been arrested immediately—but the mood would’ve turned tense, and under the pretext of protection, our movements would be severely restricted.

At least until our escape plan was set in stone, we couldn’t afford for the festival mood, inside or out, to fall apart.

Though the fact that the entire Heavenly Demon Cult delegation followed after me did slightly dampen the mood… I figured that was acceptable.

As I was practically being carried by Wang Cheongeol, I said to him,

“When we reach the lodging, please keep watch.”

“Understood.”

“And secure Lady Sa’s custody. I doubt this atmosphere will last much longer.”

“Don’t worry.”

Wang Cheongeol replied with a calm but reassuring voice.

“J-Jin Yeomyung. A-Are you alright?”

Cheon Yura, who had been a bit late in understanding the situation, followed behind with a pale face.

“Don’t… worry. I’ll be able to detoxify it soon.”

“……!”

At the word detoxify, Cheon Yura’s face twisted like a demon’s.

She looked as if she would turn around that very instant and kill Baek Mun-jeol on the spot.

But she didn’t—likely because she understood and accepted my intention.

As soon as we returned to the lodgings, I vomited the blood I had been holding back.

“Guh! Kehhh!”

“J-Jin Yeomyung!”

Cheon Yura’s shoulders began to tremble slightly, but I couldn’t see that as I was busy coughing up blood.

The toxicity was stronger than expected.

Considering this, I could only feel even more respect for the me of my previous life, who had remained composed despite harboring countless lethal poisons.

‘Thinking of that, I can’t afford to show weakness.’

I forced my expression into calm as I sat in a cross-legged posture.

Then.

From the front, I saw her biting her lip, staring at me—

And in her eyes… there seemed to be the faint glimmer of tears.

‘My vision must be blurry… probably just an illusion.’

I closed my eyes and began circulating my internal energy.

As expected, the moment I began to circulate it, the spiritual intent that flowed in scattered like clouds.

‘It really is Heaven-Destroying Poison.’

I had thought it might be, but I never imagined I’d encounter this cursed poison again.

‘I’m familiar with some of the properties of Heaven-Destroying Poison. I’ve pondered endlessly about how it can erase spiritual intent.’

To conclude—I’d failed to uncover the root cause.

But there was one thing I was certain of.

This poison could never have been created solely from earthly ingredients.

‘Whether the ingredients or the method… whoever made this isn’t of human caliber.’

It was highly likely it was created by a transcendent being—perhaps even an immortal.

As if someone with malice had created it to prevent the rise of a Supreme Being.

‘The Heartless Demonic Empress likely never reached the stage of Transcendence. That’s why she had no way to counter this poison.’

However—

‘In all of Heaven and Earth, only I… only I can detoxify this poison.’

That’s likely because, as the Immortal once said, I am an outsider who squeezed through the cracks—one who operates outside the laws.

Flash!

In that instant, a soft golden light radiated across my body.

A pure gold hue that felt sacred, utterly different from demonic energy.

“Ah…”

Only after seeing that light did Cheon Yura’s expression begin to ease.

She quietly stepped outside and called for Wang Cheongeol.

“Wang Cheongeol.”

“Yes, Young Cult Leader.”

Her eyes, now devoid of all softness, had transformed into cold steel.

“Whoever dares to cross the line—regardless of status or position—execute them.”

“At your command.”

“Vice-Commander.”

“Vice-Commander of the Divine Ghost Unit, Bu Ilhwa, receives the command.”

“Bring Biyeon from the Medicine Hall.”

“At your command.”

The moment she received the order, Bu Ilhwa’s figure vanished like a phantom.

Cheon Yura turned to the cultists gathered nearby.

“From this moment on…”

After a brief pause, she suddenly drew her sword.

“Protect him with your lives. Once Jin Yeomyung recovers, we escape from the Namcheon Baek Clan.”

“At your command!”

“And one day, without fail…”

Crack!

“Everyone involved in this… will pay the price.”

Her words, quiet yet drenched in murderous intent, were enough to make her subordinates tremble, unable to respond.

The Assassination Attempt on the Young Cult Leader by Namcheon Baek Clan Elder Baek Mun-jeol

It may go without saying, but this incident never leaked to the outside.

The martial arts tournament was once again halted, and countless people gathered at the entrance of the Namcheon Baek Clan to demand the continuation of the competition.

“Damn it, the tournament’s popularity is backfiring on us.”

“What the hell happened inside?”

The outer guards of the Namcheon Baek Clan were thrown into confusion by the sudden order from above to shut down the entrance.

Already frustrated by being kept out of the arena, the crowd was growing more unruly by the day.

With headquarters issuing such an order now, it was no different from pouring oil on a burning house.

“Give us a reason why the tournament is suspended!”

“Exactly! We demand answers!”

“Even the Namcheon Baek Clan shouldn’t treat us like this!”

People who wouldn’t have dared to make a peep under normal circumstances were now all shouting in unison.

The power of numbers.

With the Martial Arts Tournament gathering tens of thousands of onlookers, the crowd’s collective force had become overwhelming.

“We want to see Demonic Heaven Dragon! Let us see him!”

“I heard he’s unbeatable in a single move—I came from far away for this, and now this?!”

Under pressure from all directions, the expressions of the outer guards darkened.

‘Damn it, we don’t know anything either!’

‘If this keeps up, there’ll be a full-blown riot!’

Just as the crowd was about to spiral out of control—

Clack!

From the inner hall, several guards rushed out and roared at the top of their lungs.

“A massive internal issue has arisen in the main household! The Martial Arts Tournament will be suspended for now! We ask for the understanding of all martial world peers!”

“What kind of internal issue?!”

“Tell us right now!”

One of the guards from the inner house shouted with a pained voice.

“The elder of the main house and host of this tournament, Elder Baek Mun-jeol—known as the Severing Sword—has been assassinated!”

“……!!”

Who was assassinated?

As the crowd stared in shock, eyes wide—

Someone shouted.

“Who’s the culprit?!”

As if waiting for that very question, one of the inner house martial artists responded.

“The culprit has not yet been identified. However, there is a strong suspect!”

“So who is it then?!”

After a brief pause, the martial artist shouted again with a lion’s roar.

“This incident is highly likely to have been carried out by none other than… the Demonic Cult!”

“T-The Demonic Cult?!”

“Why would they do that?”

That faction, whose reputation was currently soaring—why would they suddenly assassinate an elder of the Namcheon Baek Clan?

“It has not yet been confirmed, but once the investigation concludes, we will post official notices to inform our martial peers of the truth! So we humbly ask for your understanding and request that you disperse for today!”

The crowd could not hide their displeasure.

While they were somewhat willing to accept what was being said, it all felt like a forced excuse.

Still, if an elder had indeed been assassinated, there wasn’t much else to be done.

Just as the crowd was starting to break apart, scattering one by one—

“What a load of bullshit, and with such dedication too.”

“W-What did you just say?!”

Someone within the crowd amplified their voice using internal energy.

“You’re telling me the Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Cult came all the way down south to assassinate the elder of a major clan? Why not go ahead and say she assassinated the Alliance Leader of the Orthodox Factions while you’re at it?”

“T-The Heavenly Demon Cult?! Who the hell said that?!”

The inner house martial artists turned pale and began searching for the source.

“Over here, dumbasses.”

The moment that voice rang out—

Thwack-thwack-thwack!

A series of sharp impact sounds rang through the air, and the inner house martial artists were flung aside.

“Oooooh?!”

The crowd, who had been deflating and dispersing, now let out gasps of awe at the imposing presence of the strange young man who had suddenly appeared.

The youth who had knocked down the martial artists clenched his fists with a look of utter satisfaction, as though he had just taken the most refreshing breath in a year.

“Ahh, after getting my ass beat for a year straight, finally dishing it out feels amazing.”

Upon seeing his appearance, the inner house martial artists were stunned.

“B-Beggars’ Sect? What is the Beggars’ Sect doing here?!”

His outfit was dirty and ragged.

At the very least, he must’ve been wearing that same outfit for over a month—it was too filthy to have gotten that way any quicker.

There were no clear knots or identifiers, but even from his tattered appearance and crude martial skills, it was obvious he was a disciple of the Beggars’ Sect.

Hearing that, the young man glared.

“You bastards, who are you calling a beggar?”

“If you’re not a beggar, then what are you?”

If a beggar says he isn’t a beggar, what is one supposed to call him?

Grinning slyly, he thumped his chest with his thumb.

“I am none other than the Great Elder So Cheon of the Grand Heavenly Demon Cult.”

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