A Modern Man Who Got Transmigrated Into the Murim World

By the time one reaches the age of knowing the will of heaven (around fifty), everyone tends to think of their own life as a tragic story.

Older people, often with a good number of years behind them, would joke that if they wrote their life story, it would fill several volumes. This was a common remark that Jo Hwi, too, often heard in modern times.

However, the life of this old man of the black clan, Tang In-sang, was truly tragic.

In the martial world, those who use poisons and secret techniques are classified as extremely difficult and dangerous opponents.

However, their limitations are clear: the amount of poison and secret techniques they can carry is limited.

In one-on-one life-or-death battles, there is no issue.

But what if, during a group melee, they run out of poison and secret techniques to use?

Then they can only die miserably or flee.

The Tang clan had long pondered how to solve this issue.

Eventually, they found a way: by poisoning their own blood and becoming “poison people.”

However, this method was far from simple.

Enduring the intense poison over many years and surviving the addiction was an unimaginable level of suffering for any human.

The daily torment of burning fever.

The pain of internal organs rotting as if being eaten away from the inside.

Enduring this for at least ten years was an impossible task for anyone without extraordinary physical strength and mental fortitude.

Another problem was money.

The materials used to make the poison were incredibly rare.

Naturally, the Tang clan had to apply strict criteria when selecting and training candidates to become poison people, as they needed to provide them with these rare poisons daily.

So, the Tang clan limited the number of poison candidates to no more than two per generation.

Unfortunately, Tang In-sang was not selected as one of the candidates.

The candidates chosen were his half-brothers, Tang Cheon-sang and Tang Ji-sang.

Despite being hailed as the greatest talents in Tang clan history, they were excluded from the poison candidate pool due to certain political reasons.

But fate, as they say, is decided by heaven.

Tang In-sang had once ventured into the southern region to obtain a rare material, the poison fruit used to create the clan’s signature poison, Yeodanghong.

However, what awaited Tang In-sang was not the poison fruit, but the Human-Faced Spider.

When the poison fruit matures over thousands of years, it gains an intelligence and spiritual essence, its face resembling that of a human, which is why it was called the Human-Faced Spider.

What followed was an intense battle lasting over three days.

All of the Tang clan’s experts who had accompanied Tang In-sang perished, and he himself suffered injuries that should have been fatal. It was believed he would surely die.

But in the end, the Human-Faced Spider fell.

At the brink of death, Tang In-sang instinctively bit into the spider’s neck.

The spider’s venom, accumulated over thousands of years, poured into Tang In-sang’s body.

For three months, his body underwent a process of melting and transformation.

During this time, he broke through the boundaries of becoming a “poison person” and reached the verge of absolute poison—an existence called the “Poison Wall.”

However, at that moment, the Tang clan’s experts arrived to check on the survival of the advance party.

What they saw first was the bodies of Tang clan experts, corroded beyond recognition by the venom of the Human-Faced Spider, and Tang In-sang meditating in the center of the cave.

This misunderstanding led to a series of events.

Tang In-sang’s half-brothers placed all the blame on him.

Thus, Tang In-sang was labeled as the one who did not bring the Human-Faced Spider back to the clan but consumed it for himself, a disgraceful child who killed his own family members to cover up his despicable actions.

Tang In-sang repeatedly explained the truth, asserting that his achievement of reaching the “Poison Wall” was due to fate, but his claims were completely ignored.

In the end, the Tang clan sentenced their greatest talent to the harshest punishment: exile.

He was a person blinded by greed, who killed his own family and monopolized the clan’s wealth.

How could anyone from the Tang clan ever acknowledge him, even if he became an absolute poison master?

His half-brother, Tang Cheon-sang, personally made the “Absolute Poison Dragon Robe,” the symbol of an absolute poison master, and, after Tang In-sang’s limbs were severed, mockingly draped the robe over him as he crawled out of the clan.

“Wow, what a personality… Are you even human?”

Jo Hwi was furious as though it had happened to him.

It was enough to sober him up.

How could they, driven by jealousy and envy, not only fail to congratulate the clan’s most powerful expert for reaching the “Poison Wall,” but also tear him apart and drive him out?

However, Tang In-sang’s face remained calm.

Even the resentment and hatred that filled his bones had faded and become powerless after so many years.

Jo Hwi couldn’t find any comforting words as he looked at his decayed wrists.

What words could possibly console him, having lost everything just as he was about to reach absolute poison?

“But why do you still wear that robe?”

The “Absolute Poison Dragon Robe.”

A ceremonial robe, adorned with dozens of poisonous snakes and dragons, symbolizing the absolute poison master.

For Tang In-sang, it was nothing but a symbol of deceit, mockery, treachery, and betrayal.

“This robe is the only thing the Tang clan has granted me. If I take it off, then what meaning is left in my life?”

Tang In-sang laughed sorrowfully.

Seeing his serious expression and the desperate struggle of his life, Jo Hwi felt a deep, aching sorrow in his heart.

It was the first time Jo Hwi had felt this much pain while reflecting on someone else’s life.

“Let’s go. Back to the Tang clan.”

“Heh…”

Even as Jo Hwi stood up abruptly, Tang In-sang could only laugh bitterly.

“Didn’t I tell you? It’s useless.”

“What do you mean? What’s useless?”

Tang In-sang shook his head softly.

“You may expect something from me, but as you can see, I am an exiled disciple. I can offer you no help.”

Jo Hwi smiled slyly.

“A person who would not hesitate to use ruthless methods to protect the clan’s honor… Though I don’t particularly like it, that’s the ‘Tang clan’ in the rumors.”

“……”

“Old man, you’re still the same Tang clan.”

For a moment, Tang In-sang’s face turned red, and he shed hot tears.

He had never particularly desired recognition from others. However, the person who spoke to him was a master of the martial world who had reached the “Flowing Sky” level. Being recognized by such a noble martial artist was a profound and moving experience for him.

“Are you trying to make this old man even more pathetic?”

Jo Hwi struck his chest in frustration and spoke.

“Ha! Just show them already.”

“Show them what?”

A brief flash of white light passed through Jo Hwi’s eyes.

“Show them that even with an excommunication, we cannot destroy a warrior’s soul and pride.”

Tang In-sang stood frozen, as if turned into a statue by Jo Hwi’s words.

Those words shattered his past, which had been filled with misery, and a new world began to open before him.

It was a deeper resonance than any comfort in his tragic life.

* * *

Tang Gata (tower).

Jo Hwi gazed at the countless towering structures of the Tang Gata with a strange look in his eyes.

“Ha, this is intense.”

Standing on a hill, Jo Hwi looked at the Tang Gata, which resembled a fortress.

A huge, wall-like barrier surrounded the entire Tang Gata, like a city wall.

On top of it, sharp-eyed martial artists watched everything around with meticulous precision.

The fierce sight was incomparable to the “Iron Fist King’s territory” or the “Emperor’s Namgung family.”

“Still, it’s nothing.”

Jo Hwi smirked and suddenly sat down in a meditative position.

Tang In-sang’s face was filled with confusion as Jo Hwi began to practice his breathing techniques.

“Are you really thinking of fighting the entire Tang clan by yourself?”

Jo Hwi’s smile grew more intense.

“This is already a proven method. You’ll understand once you see it.”

Jo Hwi opened his eyes halfway, and soon, white energy began to swirl around him.

Tang In-sang was stunned.

“True Martial Flower!”

A mystical, white haze filled the air.

The swirling foam of energy was, for Tang In-sang, an emotional experience.

The young man’s level of mastery was truly on the level of the “Flowing Sky.”

His veins and meridians had been completely harmonized into a perfect energy flow, something that could not be achieved by mere effort alone—it was a realization of the highest level.

How could someone so young achieve such mastery?

How talented must he be?

But Tang In-sang’s shock had just begun.

“Where do you think the Tang clan’s main treasures or poisons are hidden?”

Jo Hwi, having completed his energy flow, now looked at the structures below.

“Wh-what do you mean?”

“Among all these structures, isn’t there a place that stores poisons, toxins, or treasures?”

Tang In-sang responded with an expression of curiosity.

“If you’re talking about the Tang clan’s most secret place, then the Poison Dragon Manor is the most important.”

“Poison Dragon Manor?”

“That’s where all of the Tang clan’s poisons and toxins are made.”

Jo Hwi immediately intensified his focus and began to observe Tang Gata more intently.

“Oh! There it is!”

Jo Hwi pointed at a dark, imposing building, recognizing it as the Poison Dragon Manor from the way the poisonous dragons coiled around the spires.

“That’s it. But?”

Just then, the ground began to tremble violently.

“Ah!”

A powerful shockwave erupted from Jo Hwi’s body.

Tang In-sang’s eyes widened in disbelief as an overwhelming wave of energy surged around them.

It was like a natural disaster, the entire hill shook from the incredible force of energy.

This was a presence Tang In-sang had never experienced in his long life.

How could the energy of a single person be this vast?

‘Could it be?’

Is this the legendary “Absolute Martial Soul”?

His suspicions were confirmed when Jo Hwi’s eyes suddenly flashed.

His eyes were a terrifyingly transparent, almost ghostly white.

“Ha!”

The Martial Soul of a person manifested in their gaze.

In the face of such overwhelming proof of absolute power, Tang In-sang could only stand in awe.

This was the realm he had dreamed of, the Absolute Poison Master!

Was this young man at that same level?

At that moment, a dazzling light emerged as Jo Hwi’s sword, the “Jo Gacheol Sword,” rose up.

With a powerful streak of light, the sword shot forward, closing the distance at an incredible speed, releasing a massive wave of energy.

The “Sword Intent” and “Qi Swordsmanship” combined into a powerful strike.

The massive claws of a dragon appeared in the sky, descending with overwhelming power.

The kingly claws tore through the entire Poison Dragon Manor.

Bang!

The destructive force of the strike shattered the Poison Dragon Manor, crumbling it completely with a single blow.

For Tang In-sang, who had lived through countless battles, this scene was beyond shocking.

The Poison Dragon Manor was utterly destroyed in an instant.

A wave of intense pleasure blossomed in his chest.

Thud!

Jo Hwi, having retrieved his sword, coldly looked down at the wreckage below.

“Is there anything else besides the Poison Dragon Manor? Where to next?”

The Tang clan’s warriors were frantically searching for the enemy, but they had no idea that the threat was so far away.

Tang In-sang could not believe what he was witnessing.

This was absolute power.

The true nature of that great name.

“Next, it’s probably the Eternal Secret Pavilion. That’s where all the clan’s history and martial arts are stored.”

Jo Hwi silently followed Tang In-sang’s gaze.

“Hmm. I know where it is.”

Jo Hwi nodded, satisfied.

He had now pinpointed his target.

As he raised his sword towards the Eternal Secret Pavilion, he suddenly withdrew it.

‘Wait?’

Upon reflection, it seems that during the initial strike, he may not have been able to fully assess the sword technique contained within his “Sword of the Heart” (Igi-eo Geom) due to the surprise attack.

However, from the second attack onward, it would be different.

The Tang family is also one of the martial factions in the Jianghu (martial arts world) and one of the five great families. From now on, they would be prepared for the attack, and this meant they would eventually recognize the kingly strength contained within the “Sword of the Heart.”

That was precisely the type of unnecessary conflict he wanted to avoid.

However, he could not use the sword techniques of the “Heavenly Sword Style” (Cheon Geom Ryu). He had nearly fainted after attempting to use the Heavenly Sword technique during an attack on the Black Heaven Union in Gangseo Province, due to the overwhelming strain it put on his inner energy.

The Heavenly Sword Style was entirely different from the standard martial arts techniques of the Jianghu. The amount of internal energy, mental focus, and will required to perform it was on an entirely different level.

“This is troublesome,” he thought.

The “Sword of the Heart” attack and follow-up negotiation strategy was the quickest way to achieve his goal.

The effectiveness of this method had already been proven in Gangseo.

If they didn’t release the “Heavenly Ice Lotus,” he could threaten to destroy more of their buildings. Could they really endure that?

But this time was different from when he dealt with the Black Heaven Union.

He couldn’t use the martial techniques of the Nangong family to attack another of the five great families.

Sadly, this method was no longer viable in Sichuan.

As he was lost in thought about his next move, the Tang family’s leader, Tang In-sang, cautiously asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. Could you show me a good inn around here?” he replied.

“An inn?”

Shaking off the dust from his clothes, Jo Hwi walked ahead, waving his hand.

“I just need to sort out my thoughts.”

—

General military strategist of the Murim Alliance, Jeongal Chan-hwi, was a person known for his optimism.

No matter how much work piled up or how much his subordinates complained, he always knew how to comfort them.

Even when he had severe clashes of opinion with the Alliance leader and the top officials, he never showed a hint of frustration. Instead, he would personally visit those who opposed him to try and persuade them, even offering apologies when necessary. His demeanor was almost like that of a Buddhist monk.

His subordinates, who had observed him for many years, deeply respected him.

He led the alliance with immense wisdom, always calm and unshaken, even in the face of challenges.

However, today he was in a state of utter shock.

“Such a madman!” he muttered in disbelief.

As he read the letter, the contents were so absurd that he couldn’t help but be taken aback.

“Jeogal Yeong is the youngest to have ascended to the position of Inner Sect Leader.”

Was this the result of his leniency in managing him?

The letter explained that Jeogal Yeong, who had gone to dissuade a reckless youth named Yun, had instead been swayed by him and abandoned his important responsibilities in the inner sect. He had even sent all of the family’s wealth to Gangseo.

To think they would pour all their assets into a mere merchant association.

But as Jeongal Chan-hwi read the letter more closely, he began to realize that his initial skepticism was slowly changing.

The activities of the Jo Ka Daehang Association in Gangseo Province were outlined in the letter, and this impressed Jeongal Chan-hwi more and more.

“Did they really break into the Black Heaven Union’s territory and seize more than half of the Po Yang Lake area?” he thought.

The Black Heaven Union was known for being composed of ruthless money-obsessed individuals. There was no way they would allow their interests to be easily divided.

This meant that the leader of the Jo Ka Daehang Association had something extraordinary—whether it was through his martial power or negotiation skills, he had been able to influence the upper echelons of the Black Heaven Union.

“But if this is true…” Jeongal Chan-hwi began to worry.

The Jo Ka Daehang Association was reportedly located within the Nangong family’s sphere of influence. If the information in this letter was indeed true, then the Nangong family had expanded their power beyond their original territory, claiming more than half of Gangseo Province. This would mean they were no longer just a family—they were becoming something much greater.

If this situation continued, Nangong would no longer be called a family but rather a clan or alliance. This was a serious problem that could undermine the balance in Jianghu.

The five great families, along with the Gu Pai Alliance, had always been able to form the alliance based on a strong sense of justice and balance. If the Nangong family ignored that balance and expanded their power by taking over two provinces, the entire structure would collapse.

This was a threat that could not be ignored.

Jeongal Chan-hwi, still holding the letter, made his way toward the Alliance leader’s headquarters.

—

The Tang family was in turmoil after the sudden raid by the Heavenly Demon Sect.

The Tang leaders, looking at the fallen Poison Dragon Mansion, were all equally shocked.

“Was it explosives?”

According to reports, a white light and a loud explosion had shattered the Poison Dragon Mansion.

Even though these men were martial artists of Jianghu, they could hardly believe that such destruction could have been caused by martial arts.

Tang Cheon-sang, the elder patriarch of the Tang family, asked a question that made everyone pause.

“If it were explosives, there would have been blast marks. But no blast marks were found.”

His sharp eyes scanned the wreckage once more, and the realization slowly dawned on him.

“It wasn’t explosives?”

The force that caused this level of destruction couldn’t be explained by explosives—it had to be the “strong energy” (Gang Gi), the mysterious force that only true martial masters could wield.

If that was the case, then it meant the Heavenly Demon Sect’s highest-level martial artist had invaded. How could no one have detected them?

Even the most skilled martial artists with a refined power like that of a Heavenly Demon disciple wouldn’t be able to infiltrate the Tang family’s well-guarded stronghold without leaving a trace.

“Could it be an insider?” Tang Cheon-sang mused.

But even then, it seemed unlikely. The Tang family was known for its secrecy, and in its long history, they had never once been infiltrated by spies.

If someone from within was capable of using such a powerful energy, they would have been exposed, especially during the regular Poison Dragon Meetings where the family’s inner strength was assessed.

Even with his eldest son’s explanation, Dang Cheonsang’s mind was not at ease.

Even though the damage was minimal, this was a matter of principle.

The fact that they were completely unprepared for the sudden raid by Tianma (the Heavenly Demon Sect), and that they couldn’t even identify the attackers, was something that could lead to a serious crisis later on.

“Gather all the poison hands,” Dang Cheonsang ordered.

At his father’s command, Dang Muho, the current head of the Dang family, stared intensely.

“If there’s an infiltrator, we will deal with it discreetly. I will handle it,” he said firmly.

Dang Cheonsang’s brows twitched.

“Are you defying your father’s order?”

Dang Muho, who had been bowing, trembled slightly.

Despite being removed from the position of family head by the Elder Council, his father still wielded considerable authority, but Dang Muho had been ignoring his position.

“A man without virtue,” Dang Cheonsang muttered to himself.

In his youth, his father had forced his younger brother to crawl before him while laughing mockingly as he inflicted the absolute poison attack. His father’s leadership had not changed much after he became the family head—prideful, narrow-minded, and constantly favoring his own people.

Furthermore, he disregarded the Elder Council and indulged in concubines, using the family’s wealth as he saw fit. Eventually, Dang Cheonsang had no choice but to step down as head, an embarrassment to the Dang family, with the shortest reign in the family’s history.

Perhaps it was because of the inferiority complex, but even though he held the honorary title of “Grand Patriarch,” he truly acted as though he were the top king.

“You cannot publicly doubt the loyalty of the family and your subordinates. It will damage the morale of those who follow the family!” Cheonsang scolded.

“You fool! In broad daylight, all our defenses were breached, and the family’s heart was struck! If this matter is not properly dealt with, similar incidents will happen again! If you are afraid of your reputation and the Elder Council’s backlash, and let this slide, then how can you still call yourself the head of the family?”

Dang Muho made up his mind.

He could no longer bear his father’s meddling with the authority of the family head.

He took out the Wudolyung (Five Poison Seal), a symbol of his absolute authority over the family’s poison techniques.

“The summoning of the poison hands is prohibited by the Wudolyung,” Dang Muho declared.

Cheonsang’s inferiority complex was further stoked by this sudden challenge to his authority.

“What insolent fool! Are you defying me with that insignificant Wudolyung?”

Cheonsang’s voice shook with anger, and the relatives surrounding him were visibly unsettled. Refusing the Wudolyung, which was linked to the Dang family’s poison techniques, was almost akin to denying their bloodline.

Dang Muho remained unmoved.

“Escort the Grand Patriarch,” he ordered.

“Understood!”

The family’s direct poison experts immediately approached, restraining Cheonsang. His anger flared, and his eyes filled with venom.

“These bastards! How dare they disrespect me, the Grand Patriarch? Your job right now is to expel the disgraced ones from the Dang family! Let go of me!”

But just then, a poison expert from the outer circle rushed in, panic stricken.

“Sir! I have something to report!”

Dang Muho stood tall, his expression serious.

“What is it?”

The outer poison expert nervously glanced at the Grand Patriarch, trying to gauge his reaction.

“Speak quickly!” Dang Muho urged.

Clearly, something had gone wrong.

“The… the Lord of the Poison Ancestors… no, Dang Insang has arrived!” the expert exclaimed.

Dang Cheonsang’s face twisted in a horrific expression at the mention of Dang Insang’s name.

“Dang Insang?”

It was known that some still worshiped the once highly respected figure who had come close to mastering the Absolute Poison technique. Now, to even mention his name was a disgrace.

Cheonsang’s gaze became murderous as he glared at the expert from the outer circle.

“How dare you mention that disgraced figure, that expelled one?! Do you think the family’s traditions and laws are a joke?”

“I-I’m sorry! Please, kill me!” the expert stammered.

“Fine! I will personally teach you the family’s law!”

Before Cheonsang could strike, Dang Muho ordered his subordinates to act.

“Take him away!”

“Understood!”

As the family’s elite poison experts restrained Cheonsang’s arms, his eyes began to fill with venom.

“These bastards! How dare they insult me, the Grand Patriarch! You should be expelling the disgraceful ones from the family right now! Let go of me!”

But Dang Muho wasn’t listening.

“Take me to my uncle,” he ordered.

“What… what did you say?” Cheonsang’s eyes widened in disbelief.

His tone had completely changed now. It was as if he had suddenly switched sides.

“To meet with my uncle?”

Cheonsang was shocked, but Dang Muho remained unmoved. He had not forgotten the image of his uncle being brutally dismembered in front of him when he was a child.

That sight had traumatized him.

“Take me to my uncle, now!” Dang Muho demanded again.

“Understood!”

After a brief pause, two figures came into view from a distance.

An elderly man, proudly wearing the family’s absolute poison dragon armor, but now frail and weakened by age, walked toward them.

The figure gave a faint smile, nodding his head in acknowledgment.

Dang Muho’s eyes welled with tears as he paid his respects.

“Uncle…”

Dang Insang looked around the family grounds with a nostalgic, heartfelt expression. He had spent many years cultivating in the mountains, and although time had passed, everything seemed the same.

He took in the view with deep emotion but didn’t show it outwardly, keeping his face calm, even though it was a place he had missed dearly.

Cheonsang, still furious, shouted from behind him, “What’s this?! What are you doing back here?”

Dang In-sang gazed quietly at his older brother.

“Isn’t this the clothes you made for me, brother? How could I ever take off the bond of brotherhood you’ve given me?”

“….”

Dang In-sang, the current head of the Dang family, smiled warmly as he looked at his old nephew.

“I did not come here as a member of the Dang family today, brother.”

“…Then who are you?”

Zhou Hui, smiling, extended a courteous bow towards Dang Mu-ho.

“Hello. I am Zhou Hui from the Zhou Family’s Merchant Association. It’s an honor to meet you.”

Dang Mu-ho returned the bow, but there was a subtle unease on his face.

Zhou Family’s Merchant Association?

It was very rare for the Dang family head to meet a mere merchant.

Dang Mu-ho diverted his gaze from Zhou Hui and looked at his uncle.

“Uncle, where have you been all this time? Do you know how many years the disciples of Heavenly Poison Bell have been searching for you?”

“What!”

Dang Cheon-sang was greatly surprised.

The top elite disciples of the Heavenly Poison Bell—did they even admire Dang In-sang?

He shuddered.

No matter how much he tried to erase it, the shadow of his inferiority complex from years ago still haunted him.

“This… get him! It’s not me you’re supposed to catch, but that expelled disciple! You must follow the family’s laws and arrest him immediately!”

“Well now. Even if you say you didn’t come as a member of the Dang family, you still say that?”

Dang Cheon-sang’s fury only grew as Zhou Hui’s voice rang out.

“The walls of Dang Ta cannot be crossed by mere merchants. Get lost!”

“What are you saying? You’re not even the head anymore.”

Zhou Hui smirked dismissively at Dang Cheon-sang, then turned his gaze back to Dang Mu-ho.

“I would like to buy iron ore from Dang family.”

“…Iron ore?”

The Sichuan region, rich in iron, was known for its vast open mines of high-quality iron ore.

Although mines were officially controlled by the empire, due to Sichuan’s rough terrain and distance from the capital, most of the mines were managed by the Dang family.

In fact, the majority of Sichuan’s mines were considered to be the Dang family’s property.

That was the foundation of the Dang family’s wealth, allowing them to run their business in a secluded and closed-off manner without much need for other enterprises.

“Impossible. We have never sold iron ore or ingots to merchants. Our long-standing policy is to supply it exclusively to the imperial court and the military. Please leave.”

Zhou Hui tilted his head, perplexed.

“That’s strange.”

Suddenly, he pulled out a booklet from his robe.

As Zhou Hui began reading aloud, Dang Mu-ho’s expression grew stiffer with every passing second.

“Last year around the Double Ninth Festival, you supplied 2,000 iron swords and 70,000 pounds of steel ingots to the Wulin Alliance. Hmm? What about the 9,000 pounds of iron beads delivered to Shaolin? Oh, there’s also a transaction with a merchant association?”

“…”

“To the Zhehao Merchant Association in Dujiangyan, 16,700 pounds of steel ingots!”

While the iron deliveries to the Wulin Alliance and Shaolin were loud and obvious, supplying weapons and steel to the martial sects was generally tolerated by the authorities.

But private transactions with civilian merchant associations were strictly regulated, and the trade with Zhehao Merchant Association had been done very discreetly.

The fact that Zhou Hui knew about it, including the exact quantities involved, was shocking to Dang Mu-ho.

However, as the head of a major family, he showed no signs of flinching, maintaining his composure.

“I know nothing of that.”

Dang Mu-ho dismissed the allegations with cold indifference, but Zhou Hui only smiled slyly.

This was information he had purchased from a well-informed source in Sichuan, who had charged an exorbitant price for it.

The credibility of this information was almost certainly accurate—there was little chance it was wrong.

With this new knowledge, Zhou Hui wasn’t about to back down.

The iron ore required by the Anhui Iron Furnace was supplied by Guo Guo-hyun’s mine, and the provincial government of Xizhou had been delivering it.

As Zhou Hui expanded into Jiangxi, he began demanding increasingly larger amounts, placing pressure on the officials there.

For a furnace operator like himself, diversifying the source of raw materials was a critical move.

If anything went wrong, and the Xizhou officials stopped supplying the ore, the furnace operations would grind to a halt.

At that moment, Zhou Hui gazed at the fallen Dragon’s Hall.

“Don’t you want to know who did that?”

“What?”

Zhou Hui, arms crossed, had a strange smile on his face.

“If you agree to the transaction, I could tell you the identity of the mastermind behind the destruction.”

At that moment, Dang In-sang, who had been silently watching, felt a chill run down his spine.

Zhou Hui’s sharp, precise swordsmanship had shattered the Dragon’s Hall.

How could a man be so audacious?

Zhou Hui had reached an unimaginable level of skill and power at such a young age. To achieve such a peak was unbelievable.

But skill and character were separate matters.

As Dang Mu-ho gave a silent signal, all of his Poison Hands surrounded Zhou Hui.

“What is the meaning of this?”

Dang Mu-ho’s eyes glinted with a cold poison.

The fact that Zhou Hui had brought back his long-missing uncle in order to strike a deal with him only added to the mystery.

Zhou Hui was not a mere merchant.

“To come here and talk about the destruction of Dragon’s Hall and speak of the mastermind behind it means you are just as complicit. To dare speak such words in the inner courtyard of the Dang family—you really have guts, don’t you?”

At that moment, Dang In-sang stepped forward.

“Head of the Dang family, let me ask you directly.”

Dang Mu-ho gave a chilling glare.

“Speak, Uncle.”

Dang In-sang looked toward the western wall of Dang Ta, where the distant city dust could be seen.

“The Zhou Family Merchant Association wishes to regularly purchase over 500,000 pounds of iron ore every month from the Dang family. We will pay well, offering double the market price.”

500,000 pounds every month?

That was an enormous quantity, many times the amount supplied to the military.

And buying it at double the market price?

For the family managing the business, it was a sweet deal, almost too good to pass up.

But maintaining such a huge trade under the radar of the authorities would be impossible.

A constant stream of wagons would be moving day and night.

But what followed next was even more surprising.

“We will take full responsibility for persuading General Gan Xinheng.”

“What?”

General Gan Xinheng, the supreme authority of the Sichuan military?

Was a mere merchant association claiming responsibility for persuading him?

Were they trying to claim they had the same power as the top merchant groups like Tianhua or Wanjin?

“This matter is already in progress.”

Zhou Hui and his team had already visited the Sichuan Military Headquarters three days ago.

There, Zhou Hui had observed firsthand how far human rhetoric and persuasion could go.

Now, as he stared silently at Dang In-sang, he understood the true extent of his power.

This young man was a monster.

He had turned the proud and mighty General Gan into his own ally after only one conversation.

Zhou Hui had quickly realized that General Gan had a passion for ancient documents from the early dynasties, so he focused the conversation on that topic.

Zhou Hui’s knowledge of ancient history and culture was so profound that General Gan couldn’t help but praise him as being more knowledgeable than the scholars in the Imperial Academy.

Through skillful flattery and careful manipulation, Zhou Hui had ultimately gained General Gan’s trust, handing him a bundle of official documents.

With that, the General, laughing heartily, had been completely swayed.

It was the kind of persuasive skill that could charm anyone.

Zhou Hui smiled again, resuming his conversation.

“If the deal goes through, I would like to receive a small amount of Tianbingling as a token of our friendship.”

“…Tianbingling?”

Tianbingling is a treasure of ancient times.

Even from the perspective of the Tang family, it is a rare and carefully managed precious poison material.

To ask for such a rare item as a token of friendship—what a ridiculous proposition!

Tang Muho, the family head, couldn’t help but laugh in disbelief.

If he knew what price the Tang family had to pay to extract Tianbingling from the Wulin League’s warehouse, could he still make such absurd demands?

A sense of curiosity began to grow in him.

“Then, what will you show as the ‘token of friendship’?”

The answer came from Tang Insang.

“The Tang family’s four-century-long unfulfilled wish.”

Looking into the fiery eyes of his uncle, Tang Muho was filled with confusion.

“What do you mean, Uncle?”

The next words from Tang Insang’s mouth caused the faces of all the surrounding poison hand members to change dramatically.

“The destruction of the Tianma Sect’s Sichuan branch. That is the token of friendship we, the Zhaogadaishanghui, will offer to the Tang family.”

To promise the destruction of the Tianma Sect’s Sichuan branch?

Could such a feat be achievable by a mere merchant guild?

“Crazy talk!”

Tang Muho, forgetting for a moment that it was his uncle speaking, shouted angrily.

If such a thing were possible by the power of merchants, then what had the Tang family’s bloodshed over four centuries been for?

However, as he looked at Zhaohui, a deeper look settled in his eyes.

“All groups of people are always driven by their own cause and beliefs.”

“…”

Zhaohui’s gaze turned toward the distant west.

“What do you think the cause and belief of the sects gathered here in Sichuan… or rather, the demonic sects, are?”

The Tianma Sect’s Sichuan branch had not engaged in any economic activity; they merely maintained their sphere of influence.

Why, after four centuries, did they waste such a vast amount of power in this distant land of Sichuan with no profit?

“Everyone knows, but you all deliberately ignore it, don’t you?”

Faced with Zhaohui’s words, Tang Muho had no choice but to remain silent.

Tang Insang, with a bitter expression, gazed at the setting sun to the west.

“What they are waiting for is the return. They believe that one day, the Tianma will return, carrying the setting sun on his back. To them, Sichuan is a springboard to welcome the return of the Heavenly Demon. That is the belief that fuels their bloodshed.”

At that moment, a venomous aura emanated from the eyes of all the Tang family members.

A four-century-old blood enemy, why should they honor the demonic sect’s beliefs?

The demonic sect is nothing more than a band of marauders who will not give up an inch of land!

But Zhaohui’s next words ignited even more fire in their hearts.

“Then why is their springboard not Qinghai but Sichuan? It would be far more advantageous for them to advance into Central Plains from Qinghai, which borders Gansu, rather than this difficult terrain of Sichuan surrounded by ravines and high mountains.”

Zhaohui raised his voice.

“Why do the demonic sects, even risking conflicts with the Western martial artists, insist on using this far-flung Sichuan as their springboard instead of Qinghai?”

Tang Insang spoke.

“Because the Tang family in Sichuan is weaker than the Kunlun of Qinghai.”

“Uncle!”

Tang Muho shouted, filled with regret.

Zhaohui’s eyes gleamed like a hawk’s.

“No, let me correct you. The Nine Sects are stronger than the Five Great Families. If the demonic sects attacked Kunlun, all the Taoist sects who venerate the Heavenly Dao and the Immortal Dao, such as Wudang, Emei, and Huashan, would intervene. But tell me, which of the Five Great Families has ever come to the Tang family’s aid?”

“…”

The reason the Tang family had become so narrow-minded and insular was that, throughout its four-century history, it had endured alone on the frontlines without any external assistance.

Zhaohui, now shedding his merchant facade and fully embodying the presence of a martial artist, continued.

“Let me reintroduce myself.”

With the air of a warrior now, Zhaohui spoke proudly.

“I am Zhaohui of the Great Nan Gong family. I pay my respects to the head of your family.”