The Terminally Ill Young Master of the Baek Clan

The Tang Clan of Sichuan held a unique position among the Seven Great Clans.

They used weapons that were frowned upon, like poison and hidden weapons, yet they existed within the bounds of the orthodox faction.

However, both unorthodox and orthodox martial artists feared the people of the Tang Clan.

There’s a certain unsettling feeling about them, as if getting too close would lead to poisoning.

Tang Eun-seol was the biological daughter of the current Clan Head of the Tang Clan.

She was a cherished gem of the Tang Clan. Even in a clan with clear branches, she was a pureblood of the direct line.

Sent to the Five Poison Sect in Yunnan to become a true master of poison arts, who would dare underestimate her strength?

But her dazed expression and the way she tapped her forehead seemed quite odd.

“Ten. And you won all of them?”

She had evaluated the skills of martial artists from other sects during her fights, pondering how it would have been if she had used poison.

Yi-gang looked at her with a strange expression.

Realizing her explanation was lacking, Tang Eun-seol raised her hand and moved it around.

“Like this, with a quick chik, and then… when you lift your leg, whoosh.”

“Chik, whoosh?”

“Yes, usually there’s no sound when using poison, but I made them for explanation. I can’t explain in detail though.”

“Okay.”

“Like this, when you spin your body around.”

Tang Eun-seol’s skirt fluttered in sync with her body’s rotation.

A unique and sweet fragrance spread in all directions.

She lightly touched her forehead and said, “Phew, this would be a total annihilation.”

“Haha.”

Yi-gang burst into laughter. She was amusing.

In contrast, Yu Su-rin’s expression soured.

Tang Eun-seol’s words implied that if she had shown her true skills, she would have won.

Of course, just as Tang Eun-seol was sure of her victory, Yu Su-rin was also confident in her own win.

That’s how martial artists were. You couldn’t win a fight if you thought you’d lose.

“But I still don’t know about the swords of the Baek Clan and Namgung Clan.”

Tang Eun-seol hadn’t had the chance to fight against everyone.

She asked seriously, “How about you spar, young master?”

“Me?”

“Yes, you or him. With Namgung Shin.”

“Him” referred to Baek Ha-jun, who was standing quietly.

Ha-jun had an expression that was hard to read.

“With Ha-jun?”

“Yes, your younger brother.”

“I was planning to do just that.”

The surrounding people were surprised by this statement.

It was something they hadn’t heard before.

“Oh.”

“We decided to spar together for the first time in a while tomorrow.”

Yi-gang was not content with his current ranking.

He had already changed his mind about forming a team with Baek Ha-jun, Peng Mu-ah, Moyong Jin, or Yu Su-rin.

This was after hearing the new announcement from the Murim Alliance.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

Just as Tang Eun-seol said, everyone showed an expectant expression.

Wasn’t it a fight between brothers? One was the younger brother, already famous for his outstanding swordsmanship. The other was his elder brother, who had just begun to make a name for himself after joining the Azure Forest.

Initially, Yi-gang hesitated to have a martial duel with Baek Ha-jun.

To his eyes, his younger brother still seemed timid.

He worried whether Ha-jun would reveal his true skills in the duel.

“…”

But after seeing Baek Ha-jun’s reaction, he let go of his worries.

An expressionless face but with shining eyes.

Hands resting on the sword’s hilt.

Baek Ha-jun was sincerely looking forward to the duel with his brother.

And then, there was Dam Hyun, who took the Blue Eye Gem and Three Ghosts Bronze Cauldron.

He spent three days immersed in creating a vessel for the Blue-Eyed Mad Demon.

It was not a simple task.

It was possible only because of the bloodstone and Three Ghosts Bronze Cauldron, the best materials available.

He took the bronze pot filled with spiritual energy to the forge to melt it. Then he made several elongated bronze plates and tirelessly hammered them day and night in his dwelling.

The clanging noise continued, and although the people of the Murim Alliance warned him, Dam Hyun did not stop.

“Heh heh…”

There was a ghostly aura in Dam Hyun’s eyes.

His eyes were darkened from lack of sleep, and perched upon them were glasses carved out of crystal.

In front of him, a fox figurine made by twisting and layering bronze plates was taking shape.

It wasn’t flashy, but it was a delicately made object with articulated joints.

“Almost, almost done.”

Next to the fox figurine lay Yi-gang’s ring embedded with the Blue Eye Gem.

The Blue-Eyed Mad Demon that would inhabit the ring was already outside of it.

Dam Hyun couldn’t see her, but she was sitting cross-legged on the table.

「Foolish guy. He seems really excited.」

She swept her long, dark hair upwards.

Her eyes, which glowed blue when her emotions were intense, were now as black as obsidian.

She observed Dam Hyun’s absorbed expression up close.

「You said you were scared because I was actually a human, now it’s okay?」

“Uhm… can the tail move like this?”

「Or is it because I’m invisible, you can forget about it?」

“Yes, better to do my best and make it.”

「Maybe getting defeated by Yi-gang has made him a bit gentler.」

The Blue-Eyed Mad Demon, Cheong Seo-ho’s voice, was inaudible to Dam Hyun.

「It’s been a while since I talked to thin air.」

She lifted her head to look at the ceiling. Her hair slid back, revealing her forehead and nose.

For the first time in a while, the Blue-Eyed Mad Demon felt loneliness.

From her birth until after her death, she had experienced more lonely times than not.

「Yi-gang, that guy, he used to listen to all my chatter.」

But the few years she spent with Yi-gang momentarily made her forget that loneliness.

How sweet would candy taste to someone who’s never experienced sweetness in their life?

To the Blue-Eyed Mad Demon, who had lived a lonely life, the years with Yi-gang remained as a vivid memory, sweeter than any other time.

Just reverting to her old self for a moment made the loneliness return more harshly.

「Kid, do you still dislike humans?」

The Blue-Eyed Mad Demon stood up and looked down at Dam Hyun.

Although Dam Hyun was older than Yi-gang, he appeared much younger.

When she inhabited the fox figurine, she felt a sense of kinship with Dam Hyun, who was young back then.

Dam Hyun probably became twisted after his family was killed by bandits.

Madness must have taken root in his mind, occupied by dark energy.

「It’s better not to, right? Things are going well now. With a master and friends…」

“Yi-gang will be pleased. The master will also give his praise.”

「Yes, that’s right.」

Dam Hyun admired the nearly completed fox figurine.

He had changed a lot. Now capable of enjoying human relationships.

He was distinctly different from Cheong Seo-ho, the Blue-Eyed Mad Demon.

Born with a mix of yokai blood, used and then brutally torn apart — he was different from her.

“All-knowing Master, I thought you were a decent human, but to play with such a treasure as a mere formation. The rumors of being comparable to the Master of Ghost Valley were false.”

He talked a lot when alone, but probably only Yi-gang and Yu Jeong-shin knew this side of Dam Hyun.

The Blue-Eyed Mad Demon smirked bitterly.

She never imagined returning to the Murim Alliance.

How surprised she was when she encountered unforgettable faces from the past.

She tried not to show it in front of Yi-gang.

「Now, it’s none of my business.」

Unlike Dam Hyun, the Blue-Eyed Mad Demon decided to completely abandon humanity.

To forget old grudges and bad ties, to live freely as a full yokai, roaming the mountains and rivers.

She returned to the Blue Eye Gem inside the ring.

Dam Hyun inserted Yi-gang’s ring into the belly of the fox figurine.

Click—

Swallowing hard, Dam Hyun breathed his Innate True Qi into the figurine.

He didn’t seem to mind pouring his precious Innate True Qi into it.

His already pale face from lack of sleep turned even whiter.

The tail of the fox figurine twitched.

“It’s done, it’s done!”

It was the moment the Blue-Eyed Mad Demon acquired a body in the form of a fox.

Without any elaborate mechanical setup, she moved smoothly, aided by the bloodstone.

Her movements were much more stable than the previous fox figurine.

Seo-ho looked up at Dam Hyun in her new fox body.

“You won’t be able to move all day, but taking breaks should be enough… Even though you can’t talk, I’ve put a soundboard inside so you can make sounds…”

Dam Hyun hesitantly spoke to the fox figurine, the size of a fist.

“Cheongho… no, not Cheongho. You’re not a fox, but a person… Your name was Seo-ho, right?”

Previously, they were close enough for him to carry her in his arms and talk to her without hesitation.

However, after learning that she was a person with yokai blood mixed in, he stopped talking to her.

Perhaps because of that, Dam Hyun acted even more timidly after creating a body for her.

“…”

Dam Hyun was silent.

The first to move was Seo-ho.

She approached his hand.

And as if thanking him for his efforts, she gently tapped the back of his hand, tap, tap.

“…!”

Dam Hyun smiled.

“Ha ha, ha ha ha…”

Then he fell backward with a thump.

Dam Hyun lay sprawled out, making a loud noise as he fell.

He had passed out, exhausted from using up his Innate True Qi.

Still, a smile lingered on his lips.

The day after the Blue-Eyed Mad Demon acquired a temporary body and Dam Hyun fell asleep with a content smile.

It was the day scheduled for the martial duel between Yi-gang and Baek Ha-jun.

It wasn’t an event to spread rumors about, so only a limited number of people were gathered.

Mount Hua’s Divine Sword Hwa Mu-cheon would personally act as the judge.

Only close acquaintances of Yi-gang and Tang Eun-seol, who had eagerly asked to watch, were there.

However, the area in front of the duel ground was crowded with people.

Baek Ha-jun, usually expressionless, showed a rare look of displeasure.

Tang Eun-seol opened her droopy eyes wide with anticipation, while Yi-gang alone maintained a calm demeanor.

“Why are you here?”

Namgung Shin stood in front of Yi-gang.

He had come here before the duel even started.

Then, he made a proposal, “I wish to witness the martial arts of the Baek Noble Clan.”

He was asking for a duel.

“You are already in first place, aren’t you?”

Namgung Shin was already in the leading position. He would receive the greatest rewards just by staying put, including the Golden Flower Carp’s internal elixir.

It would be more appropriate for him to refuse any additional duels coming his way.

Yet, he came here and requested a duel instead.

“The ranking doesn’t matter.”

“I see.”

Hwa Mu-cheon, who came as the judge, scratched his chin, looking embarrassed.

“Sorry, but this duel between the brothers is already scheduled.”

“I don’t mind waiting.”

“That means…”

“After the duel ends. I’ll have a duel with the winner.”

Baek Ha-jun let out an angry breath.

Namgung Shin’s words implied he would wait and then challenge the winner. It wasn’t very polite.

No, it seemed he didn’t care about the etiquette of the martial world in the first place. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have come here and made such a request.

Hwa Mu-cheon intervened with a smile.

“It might be a bit inappropriate to do that. Maybe set a different day for it.”

He glanced at Namgung Yeo-sang, but she seemed to have no intention of restraining her brother.

“Then, there is also the option to change the order.”

“It’s not up to me. You should first get permission from the Baek brothers.”

Hwa Mu-cheon deferred the decision to Yi-gang and Ha-jun.

Namgung Shin turned his head and performed a formal bow.

“I request a duel.”

The person he bowed to was not Baek Ha-jun, who was in third place.

Yi-gang was a bit surprised by Namgung Shin’s request for a duel.

“If possible, I would like to see the swords of both the Baek Noble Clan and Azure Forest.”

Everyone must have been expecting the duel to be with Baek Ha-jun. Until Namgung Shin specifically chose Yi-gang.

Unable to hold back, Ha-jun stepped forward.

“To face me…”

“Alright.”

It was Yi-gang who stopped Baek Ha-jun.

Yi-gang looked back at Ha-jun and said, “Let’s have our duel another time.”

“…Brother.”

Leaving a perplexed Ha-jun behind, Yi-gang gestured towards the dueling stage.

“Just wait over there for a moment.”

“Thank you.”

Namgung Shin didn’t hesitate and climbed onto the stage.

Yi-gang approached Tang Eun-seol with an excited expression.

“You were curious about the swords of the Namgung and Baek clans, this is a good opportunity.”

“Yes, it’s perfect.”

“Even if you don’t participate directly, can you calculate what would happen if you used poison?”

Tang Eun-seol spoke seriously, and Yi-gang believed her.

“How much do you think?”

“Just watch once and let me know.”

“Whether I can poison them?”

“Yes.”

“Okay. But do you think I can win against Young Master Namgung Shin?”

Yi-gang shrugged.

“I’ll calculate it while we have the duel.”

“That’s not something anyone can do.”

A martial duel and a duel to the death were different matters.

Yi-gang had many methods he couldn’t use in a duel, just like Tang Eun-seol.

He smiled and climbed onto the dueling stage.

Tang Eun-seol tapped her head ornament, murmuring, “Should I side with the winner? When I joined the Five Elements Tomb…”

She believed that among the thirty successors, Namgung Shin was the strongest.

Stronger than the Iron-Blooded Genius, stronger than Shaolin’s First Fist.

And probably even stronger than Baek Yi-gang.

Namgung Shin, whose swordsmanship had already been renowned for years.

Yet somehow, it didn’t seem like Yi-gang would easily lose.

“Ready.”

Hwa Mu-cheon, as the judge, officiated the duel.

Namgung Shin, vigilant, adopted the stance of the Emperor King Sword Style.

Under this sword technique, numerous successors had been defeated.

And Yi-gang—

Sssssshhh—

Slowly, he drew his dark-colored sword.

“Begin!”

As soon as the duel started, the figures of Yi-gang and Namgung Shin blurred.

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