Tang Family Sword Peak
Tang Yeo-eun lay bedridden for three days.
She couldn't do anything.
It didn't feel like she had simply lost Myung Sa-hyeon—
It felt as though she had lost a part of herself.
The times they had shared together, the many things he had done for her—
Those memories floated chaotically in her mind.
All of those memories remained vivid, yet the fact that he no longer existed in this world was something she simply could not accept.
It was as if a gaping hole had been torn in her soul, leaving her unable to breathe.
The Thirteenth Unit went on high alert.
Not only did they need to find the demon that had killed Fourth Unit vice-leader Mae Yeo-gyeong, they also had to hunt down those who had possessed Myung Sa-hyeon.
According to testimony from members of the Third Unit, it was Fifth Unit's Do Hee-yeong who had lured Myung Sa-hyeon to the western woods early that morning.
Because of this, Grand Leader Pung Yang, First Unit leader Han Gyo-seong, Second Unit leader Sa Gun-il, and Seventh Unit leader Seol Pung rushed to storm the western woods.
But realizing their plan had failed, the Twin Serpent Butchers fought desperately to escape.
In the end, their identities were confirmed, but eliminating them outright failed.
All that remained there was Do Hee-yeong, still possessed.
The Thirteenth Unit decided not to kill her immediately but to confine her in prison instead.
Her martial ability was too weak to pose a threat, and since she had received no further commands from the sorcerer who controlled her, she had taken no action.
Even so, the atmosphere among the Thirteenth Unit was grim.
Even seasoned warriors of the frontlines, accustomed to losing comrades, had never before lost two vice-leaders from different units at once.
And with both unit leaders Tang Yeo-eun and Ma Yu-gyeom unable to collect themselves, the air only grew heavier.
Several days passed.
The demon who had ambushed Mae Yeo-gyeong left not a trace, just as in Seonu Jin's previous life.
In that suffocating atmosphere, Sword Saint of the Heavens, Hae Un-baek, declared his intention to return to the Murim Alliance.
"I never imagined this place would be so dire. It is shameful that I failed to give it proper attention until now. On behalf of the Alliance elders, I apologize. I am sorry."
His sincere expression made even the Seventh Unit members, who had observed his frank and straightforward nature for days, feel that his words were genuine.
Nothing about the situation had changed, but it still brought a measure of comfort.
Hae Cheong-yeon gave her father one last reminder before he left:
"Father, you must never let them suspect you know anything. At times like this, it's crucial to stay calm, gather information, and first secure evidence. In battles like this, the side that grows impatient will lose. Do you understand?"
She was worried her father, Hae Un-baek, would be unable to restrain his sense of justice and act rashly.
No matter how strong his martial arts, when it came to politics he was an amateur—he could never hope to match someone like Jegal Ji-gang within the Murim Alliance.
At her anxious words, Hae Un-baek sighed and nodded reluctantly.
He knew his daughter was wiser than himself, and he also knew that he was ignorant of this kind of battle.
But still, pretending ignorance of such truths was unbearably difficult.
If he stayed silent, wouldn't warriors at the frontlines continue to die unjustly?
He honestly didn't know how long he could endure.
Hae Cheong-yeon knew her father too well—hence her repeated warnings.
But judging from his reaction, though his head understood, his heart refused to accept it.
Because Hae Un-baek had always lived following his heart, not his head.
At that point, Seonu Jin, who had been observing, spoke up.
"Then why not create a situation where he has no choice but to act? One even they would have to accept."
Hae Cheong-yeon turned to him with a puzzled look.
"A situation they would accept?"
"Yes. For instance, I—who am the only one entrusted with your secret—could send a letter to the Sword Saint. A letter saying you had been kidnapped by the Blood Cult."
The moment she heard this, a new plan unfolded instantly in Hae Cheong-yeon's mind.
Her eyes flashed beneath her fringe.
"In that case, Father, you wouldn't just pretend not to know—you would have to make a big scene. Loud enough for the entire Murim Alliance to hear."
"Exactly. And then declare that you'll personally investigate, before returning here to the frontlines."
"And you mustn't come alone. The more people you bring, the more widely it will spread—and the safer you'll be."
"Of course, some acting will be required."
"That is the tricky part. But if we succeed, we could even turn the frontlines into Father's own domain. Then I won't have to leave this place, either."
The two exchanged rapid words, then shared a faint smile.
Though he hadn't fully followed their conversation, Hae Un-baek chuckled approvingly at their harmony.
Then he asked:
"So, will you finally translate that into human language for me?"
Hae Cheong-yeon smiled gently and explained:
"It means you'll have to act, Father. Act like a man who has lost his beloved daughter."
After hearing the detailed explanation, Hae Un-baek left the Thirteenth Unit wearing a satisfied smile, so different from before.
As always, his daughter—blessed with wisdom, beauty, and martial talent—was beyond compare.
And finding a worthy young man to suit her filled him with no small pride.
Meanwhile, contrary to what everyone believed, Ma Yu-gyeom was not actually drunk all the time.
He couldn't afford to be.
He was far too anxious that something from Mae Yeo-gyeong's corpse might lead back to him.
So he only pretended to be drunk, all the while observing the investigation and gauging the atmosphere.
But after about a week, he was finally able to relax.
The search for the demon ended in failure, turning up nothing.
A stroke of fortune.
With quiet satisfaction, Ma Yu-gyeom popped a dokdan pellet into his mouth.
The vital energy he had absorbed from Mae Yeo-gyeong threatened to flare up inside him.
Qi absorbed from humans was far more violent than qi absorbed from elixirs.
So unlike other Seventh Unit members, who only occasionally consumed dokdan, he had to take them every single day.
At last… seventy years. It took long enough.
Measuring the heavy strength of his inner energy, Ma Yu-gyeom allowed himself another satisfied smile.
His cultivation had now reached a solid seventy years.
The foundation for his next breakthrough was laid.
Knowing Sa Gun-il's inner power was somewhere between seventy and eighty years, he realized that if he achieved enlightenment, surpassing him would no longer be just a dream.
His smile turned sinister.
Unlike him, I now have a way to increase my power with ease.
Of course, he did not mean to absorb energy from just anyone.
His act with Mae Yeo-gyeong had been a panicked mistake, done unconsciously.
In truth, he couldn't even remember clearly what had happened halfway through.
So as long as no one threatened his secret, he had no intention of harming his comrades.
Yes, never my comrades. But if it's not comrades? If I could put the Blood Cult's demonic masters to proper use—then why hesitate? Eliminating them while strengthening myself is killing two birds with one stone.
His eyes burned with ambition.
With this, I'll surpass Sa Gun-il. I'll be acknowledged as the foremost sword of Mount Song. And all those fools who scorned me will finally bow at my feet.
He never realized how far he had drifted from his former self, who had once felt revulsion at even the thought of using Blood Cult methods.
By practicing the Absorption Technique under the excuse that it was merely a "technique" and not martial arts, he had already become tainted by the madness within the Blood Cult's martial ways.
With his mind eased, his eyes soon fell upon Tang Yeo-eun's face, which had become hollow and pale in just a few days.
Though she had been bedridden for three days, she had forced herself to rise again and resume her duties as unit leader.
She struggled to show no outward sign of pain, but everyone around her could see the truth.
Her desperate effort to appear fine was all too transparent.
Watching the woman he had loved unrequitedly for so long, Ma Yu-gyeom thought to himself:
Her heart is so broken now… perhaps I could use the Art of Suggestion.
The mere thought thrilled him beyond reason.
To make her his.
"Hehehehehehe!"
He let out a greedy laugh without realizing it, before quickly steadying his breath and masking it with a serious expression.
Then he began waiting for his chance.
For the moment when she would be alone.
It wasn't hard to find such an opportunity.
She preferred solitude whenever possible, and everyone else respected that.
At last, seizing the moment, Ma Yu-gyeom casually called out her name.
"Tang Yeo-eun."
Tang Yeo-eun looked at him without answering, her eyes cold.
Tang Yeo-eun's expression was one that said she had no desire for conversation—
as if telling him to get to the point quickly if he had business with her.
But Ma Yu-gyeom thought he could sense it—
that beneath that cold demeanor, she was fragile enough to shatter at any moment.
He couldn't let this opportunity slip.
Looking at her with eyes feigning loneliness, he spoke.
"Would you share a drink with me?"
Tang Yeo-eun shot him a look of disbelief.
It was such nonsense she didn't even think it worth answering.
But Ma Yu-gyeom gave a weak smile and added words that would strike most deeply at her heart.
"There's a place where I used to drink with… Yeo-gyeong.
A place well-suited for remembering the departed."
In that moment, Ma Yu-gyeom saw Tang Yeo-eun's gaze falter greatly.
Almost there.
Still, he deliberately walked past her, leaving behind a final remark.
"If you don't want to, forget it. I'll go alone.
Tonight, I intend to drink myself under in memory of Yeo-gyeong."
He had taken only a few steps more when her voice reached him from behind.
"Does… drinking help?"
Her tone was utterly weary.
Ma Yu-gyeom's eyes gleamed with greed, though when he turned back to her, he masked it with a look of solemn melancholy.
"Well… it's better than staying sober."
At last, Tang Yeo-eun spoke with a powerless expression.
"Fine. I'll have that drink."
Unwittingly, she had let her cold mask slip, too drained to notice the hunger in Ma Yu-gyeom's eyes.
She was simply too exhausted.
Ma Yu-gyeom gathered liquor and snacks, then led her deep into the woods.
It was a hollowed corner at the base of a rocky hill.
"What is this place?"
Looking around, Tang Yeo-eun asked, and Ma Yu-gyeom answered:
"It's where Yeo-gyeong and I often came.
And… it's where she was last found."
Pouring wine into her cup, he added:
"Don't bother driving out the alcohol with your inner power. It would only waste good liquor."
After saying so, Ma Yu-gyeom filled his own cup and downed it in one long gulp.
"Ahhh!"
Seeing this, Tang Yeo-eun also lifted her cup and drained it in one shot.
"Khuk!"
She wasn't used to drinking—the bitter taste flooded her mouth, but she forced herself to endure.
She had no desire to show weakness after coming this far.
And so, the two continued tossing back cup after cup.
The intoxication came quickly.
When Tang Yeo-eun's head was swimming, Ma Yu-gyeom suddenly asked:
"But why are you grieving so deeply? Wasn't it that Myung Sa-hyeon simply chased after you one-sidedly?"
At the unexpected question, Tang Yeo-eun froze.
In an instant, her vision blurred with moisture.
"I…"
Regret overwhelmed her.
That she had never spoken her heart to him.
That she had let him go without knowing she loved him, even at the very end.
The regret ached so sharply it felt unbearable.
"I… I loved Sa-hyeon…"
Just then—
As she lowered her head toward her knees, about to break into sobs, Ma Yu-gyeom's fingers shot forward like lightning, striking her acupoint.
Tap!
The sudden move left Tang Yeo-eun unable to react.
By the time she realized what was happening, she was already shoved roughly to the ground.
The sight filling her vision was Ma Yu-gyeom's face, twisted in greedy delight.
"What are you doing—?!"
Crack!
"Urgh!"
He seized her throat.
Since he was not yet skilled in the Art of Suggestion, in order to impose it on her, he needed to drive her both mentally and physically to the breaking point.
He squeezed her throat until her vision swam and her mind began to fog.
Then, as he finally loosened his grip, she gasped desperately for air.
"Haaah!"
But she was still completely pinned, unable to move.
With her body weakened, her mind exhausted, and Ma Yu-gyeom's lecherous face looming above, she broke down into sobs.
"Hhhk…!"
At that, Ma Yu-gyeom hesitated.
She had yielded tears far more easily than he'd expected.
For someone of her caliber, he thought it would take much longer to drive her to her limit.
Testing further, he fixed his gaze upon her, following the formula of the Art of Suggestion, and commanded:
"Repeat after me. I am Tang Yeo-eun."
A true master of possession arts, like the Black-Blood Demon Sovereign Du Dang, could have enslaved her with a glance.
But this was Ma Yu-gyeom's first attempt—
he had to start from the basics.
The first step was to make her repeat his words without resistance.
And indeed, caught by his gaze, Tang Yeo-eun sobbed and echoed:
"I… I am Tang Yeo-eun."
A strange look passed through Ma Yu-gyeom's eyes.
It was easier than he ever imagined.
Even if she had been mentally shattered, this level of compliance wasn't normal.
A hollow laugh escaped him.
The woman he had once revered as an ice goddess—
was nothing but a fragile, weak girl.
That he had suffered for so long, unable to approach her, now seemed laughable.
But none of that mattered anymore.
He would make her his, and repay all the torment of his pining.
With a twisted smile, Ma Yu-gyeom said:
"Now repeat: 'Tang Yeo-eun belongs to Ma Yu-gyeom.'"
Through her tears, she began to mouth the words:
"Tang Yeo-eun belongs to Ma Yu-gyeom—"
Just then—
A voice roared:
"What are you doing?!"
Startled, Ma Yu-gyeom turned his head—just in time to see hidden weapons flying toward him.
Shhk! Shhk!
He flung himself aside in desperation, barely dodging.
Then he glared at the one who had thrown them.
It was Seonu Jin.