Chapter 123

Chapter 123
Chapter: 123

Chapter Title: Dark Scheme (2)

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A horrific slaughter resulted in the deaths of more than thirty young experts, among them followers of the Hengshan Sect who had been stationed at the Murim Alliance.

The Murim Alliance fell into utter turmoil, committing every available asset to unraveling the reality of the catastrophe.

This is how the events unfolded.

A modest party had been organized to honor the birth anniversary of No Il-gyeong, a student of the Hengshan Sect.

While No Il-gyeong and his peers intended to keep the gathering quiet out of respect for a tragedy that occurred days prior, Elder Yi Gwak was worried about the sinking spirits of the youth. He coordinated a small spread of refreshments and spirits to provide a moment of respite.

A handful of other martial artists who shared a bond with No Il-gyeong were also invited.

Ignoring the polite hesitation of the disciples, Yi Gwak gave a short speech of encouragement, urged the youngsters to find some joy, and departed the scene early.

However, as the night progressed, the atmosphere of camaraderie shattered as those eating and drinking began to collapse one by one.

The joyful celebration transformed into a vision of purgatory in a heartbeat.

Precisely thirty-seven individuals lost consciousness and slumped over.

By the time the medical experts from the Medicine Hall reached the scene after being alerted, twenty-nine had already passed away. Five more breathed their last the moment the healers arrived. Of the remaining three victims, two died before the sun rose despite the frantic medical interventions. The solitary survivor was a disciple of the Huashan Sect who had abstained from the liquor.

Confronted with the most gruesome event in the history of the Murim Alliance, Alliance Leader Jwa Ik-seon gave immediate commands to bolt all four gates and initiated a comprehensive probe.

The state of the corpses was consistent with the hallmarks of poisoning, leading the Medicine Hall experts to certify the cause of death as a toxin. Furthermore, they discovered remnants of the poisonous substance within the food and drink served during the party.

Once the verdict of poisoning was reached, suspicion shifted immediately toward the Sacheon Tang Clan. Because of the recent friction between them and the Hengshan Sect, such an assumption was inevitable.

Dang Yeo-song, the elder representing the Tang Clan within the Alliance, proclaimed their total innocence and promised to work hand-in-hand with the Medicine Hall to track down the perpetrator.

While a few people raised doubts about the potential for the Tang Clan to interfere with the evidence, the majority accepted their involvement—after all, no faction possessed a deeper knowledge of toxic substances than they did.

After three days of investigation, the Medicine Hall and Dang Yeo-song produced a startling revelation.

Although they could not name the exact composition of the trace poisons found in the banquet items, they identified the foundation of the toxin as originating from Mokrin Temple.

The discovery of the Mokrin Temple toxin placed the Tang Clan in a precarious situation. According to common knowledge, the poison from Mokrin Temple was not inherently lethal on its own—it was significantly less dangerous than standard viper venom.

However, if it were processed through a specific, secretive technique, it could be transformed into a lethal substance beyond compare. The complication lay in the fact that the Tang Clan was the only entity known to possess that refining method.

Dang Yeo-song contended that if the Tang Clan were truly the culprits, they would never have helped identify the poison themselves, and he stood firmly by their innocence.

With no physical evidence linking the Tang Clan to the deployment of the Mokrin Temple poison, and considering Dang Yeo-song’s logical argument regarding self-incrimination, the investigation appeared to be reaching a stalemate.

Yet, as the interrogation team put the kitchen staff and the porters through grueling questioning, a vital lead was uncovered.

Tucked away in the living quarters of one of the cooks, they found a quantity of gold that was far too great for a common servant to ever possess.

Broken by the relentless pressure of the investigators, the cook broke down and admitted that Dang Hong—whose legs had previously been shattered by the Hengshan Sect disciples—had commanded him to stir a mysterious powder into the refreshments for the party.

The cook insisted he was unaware it was a lethal poison, claiming he believed Dang Hong’s lie that it was merely a prank intended to spoil the festivities, and he cried out for clemency.

That same evening, consumed by the weight of the deaths he had inadvertently caused, the cook swallowed the remaining powder provided by Dang Hong and took his own life.

The confession of the cook combined with the powder sourced from Dang Hong acted as undeniable proof, causing the prestige of the Tang Clan to collapse into the dirt in a single day.

Dang Hong cried tears of blood while screaming his innocence, but a witness came forward claiming to have seen him meeting with the cook. Dang Hong’s counter-assertion that the cook was the one who approached him was ignored by everyone.

The Hengshan Sect, having lost the most people, joined with the Huashan and Wudang Sects and various other groups whose disciples had died to create a volatile environment on the verge of an uprising.

Questions regarding how a shackled captive could possess such a powder, or how he could have swallowed it with his limbs bound, were lost in the roar of public anger.

Leaders from the Hengshan Sect and the other mourning factions demanded the death of Dang Hong, a formal apology from the Sacheon Tang Clan, and substantial reparations for the families.

The Alliance’s Enforcement Hall was in total agreement that the death penalty should be carried out. Nevertheless, Dang Yeo-song remained adamant that both Dang Hong and the Tang Clan were being framed.

Even ignoring the fact that Dang Hong was the third son of Dang Yu, the new clan leader, the Mokrin Temple poison was a secret kept by the highest-ranking members of the clan—it was impossible for someone of Dang Hong’s status to even know of its existence.

Dang Yeo-song pleaded for the chance to contact their main house to check for any theft of the toxin before a sentence was carried out.

The Zhuge Clan, feeling uneasy about the timing of the cook’s suicide, expressed doubts about the validity of the testimony. The Peng Clan of North Han River and the O Clan of Shandong suggested that waiting for the results of the Tang Clan’s internal investigation was a reasonable request. The flow of the situation began to shift.

The tragedy of thirty-six lives was now being used as a pawn in a power struggle between the two major pillars of the Murim Alliance: the Nine Great Sects and the Five Great Clans.

“Earlier today, we had a dispatch from the Nangong Clan indicating they will soon activate the Blue Sword Decree.”

The announcement by Jwa Ik-seon sent a shockwave through the room, silencing the bickering factions.

“C-Could that be true?”

Peng Hu questioned, his complexion turning ashen from the news.

“The Alliance Leader has confirmed it to me personally.”

Nangong Gi, the representative for the Nangong Clan, gave a heavy nod of confirmation.

“Good heavens! If the Blue Sword Decree is being summoned, then the activities of the Heavenly Demon Cult are far more perilous than we anticipated.”

Nangong Gi’s features tightened at the comment made by Elder O Jang-chu of the O Clan of Shandong.

“I have said it countless times, have I not? Their harassment of the Hahu Clan was never just about seeking a simple apology—there is a far darker plot at work.”

Nangong Gi’s burning gaze moved across the faces of everyone present.

“You all recognized their malicious intent from the start, did you not? The chaos at the Living Immortal Medical House and the conflict with the Chongmyeong Order—those victims were actually targeted by their own kin. The Hahu Clan had no part in it. And what of the events in Soheung? Though their numbers were small, they were all elite warriors. They caused destruction right under the nose of the Murim Alliance without us even noticing, and we lost a legendary elder because of our blindness.”

The eyes of the room drifted toward the representative of the Beggar Clan, Six-Fingered Divine Beggar Yuk Ji-sin-gae, who had pledged to get justice for Joo Yu-geol-goe.

Yuk Ji-sin-gae did not return their looks, maintaining a cold and unreadable face—a silent rebuke to those who had previously dismissed his clan.

“This is exactly why we have to settle this internal matter immediately.”

Present Jin of the Wudang Sect, who was mourning a fallen student, spoke up loudly.

“How can we settle it when the truth is still obscured?”

Yi Gwak of the Hengshan Sect, who carried the heaviest burden of grief, erupted in fury at O Jang-chu’s dismissive tone.

“We have physical evidence and a witness! In what world is that not a settled matter?!”

“The evidence and the witness could both be fabrications. That has been my point. How does a man with his hands tied behind his back commit suicide by ingestion? It makes no sense. It is possible someone paid off the cook to set up the Tang Clan. And how did he keep that powder hidden after being searched so thoroughly?”

Zhuge Suk, the voice of the Zhuge Clan, continued to wave his whisk with a calm expression.

“You dare call those logical arguments?!”

Yi Gwak looked as though he wanted to strike him down, but Zhuge Suk did not flinch.

“Simply be patient. When the Tang Clan finishes checking their stores of Mokrin Temple poison, the truth will come to light.”

“And if it was stolen, do you honestly believe the Tang Clan—those ‘lords of heaven and earth’—would tell us the truth? Ridiculous!”

Dang Yeo-song, who had been struggling to keep his temper, stood up abruptly at Yi Gwak’s mockery.

“Are you insulting my clan’s honor?”

“I am merely speaking the truth.”

“I have been patient because of your loss, so I will ignore that once. If you insult us again…”

As Dang Yeo-song fought to control his rage, Yi Gwak continued to goad him.

“What then? I will say it as many times as I please.”

Before Yi Gwak could finish his sentence, a suffocating wave of murderous intent flooded the room from Dang Yeo-song.

Yi Gwak tensed, preparing for a fight.

The room felt like a tinderbox on the verge of exploding!

Bang!

Jwa Ik-seon struck the table with such force that he forced himself to stand, his patience finally at an end.

“You show far too little respect for the position of Alliance Leader! Even if you think this old man is nothing but a figurehead, there are boundaries you should not cross!”

Jwa Ik-seon scanned the assembly with eyes full of fire.

“It isn’t like that…”

“The Leader is being too impulsive…”

“Quiet!”

His thunderous shout silenced those attempting to placate him, reminding everyone why a man without a massive power base had been chosen as the Alliance Leader by everyone’s consent.

“You have twenty-four hours. Find a resolution by then—either find a middle ground or let the blood spill. This disorder ends now. If this continues into tomorrow, I will take my own measures.”

Despite the protests of the various leaders, Jwa Ik-seon walked out and returned to his private room after delivering his final warning.

“Everyone, leave me.”

He dismissed the attendants with a sharp motion of his hand.

“As you wish, Alliance Leader.”

Once the room was cleared of staff and the drinks were taken away, the door slid open quietly. Guest Hall Leader Nok Hyeon stepped inside.

“Take a seat.”

Jwa Ik-seon, who had been waiting for him, pointed to a chair.

“What is the status?”

“They haven’t drawn blood yet, but the atmosphere is toxic. I am concerned that it may actually turn violent.”

Jwa Ik-seon made a noise of feigned annoyance.

“Still just talking? How disappointing. I gave them every reason to start killing one another, and yet they lack the courage.”

“I beg your pardon? Oh!”

Nok Hyeon gasped as the realization of Jwa Ik-seon’s plan hit him.

“They are pathetic. If they won’t start the fire themselves, we will have to light it for them. Nok Hyeon.”

“I am here, Elder.”

“It is time to use a secret sword.”

“A se-secret sword?”

Nok Hyeon grew rigid at the mention of the term.

Secret swords were hidden operatives that the Blood Slaughter Cult had spent generations placing within various sects, ranging from entry-level students to high-ranking elders. Unlike common tools like the cook who helped with the banquet plot, these agents were of immense importance.

“Is there a candidate ready for this?”

Nok Hyeon paused to scan his memory before speaking.

“There is one within the Zhongnan Sect.”

“What is his standing?”

“He is a second-generation disciple. It is worth noting that his younger martial brother was among those killed in the banquet poisoning.”

“Excellent.”

Jwa Ik-seon gave a slow, dark grin of approval.