Chapter 206

The torchlight reflected and shattered on the razor-sharp blade of the Ghostly Rain.

When Pyo Wol drew his Flying Dagger right in front of him, Gongjin Jin-in felt a chill and flinched back.

It was then.

“There’s no need to cut open his stomach. I will check.”

A middle-aged man walked out from among the martial artists.

The people nearby began to murmur at the appearance of the man, who had a gaunt frame and a nervous disposition.

“Isn’t that Physician Sim?”

“If it’s Physician Sim, we can trust him.”

The man’s name was Sim-hak, a physician renowned in Balanced Mystery for his divine skills.

His medical arts were so miraculous that he had a reputation for healing most wounds with acupuncture alone.

He was so trusted that even the Wudang Sect would send their disciples with serious injuries to Sim-hak for treatment.

Sim-hak approached Hong Mugwang’s corpse without hesitation. Then he began to examine it meticulously.

Gongjin Jin-in and the martial artists watched Sim-hak with tense eyes.

He carefully examined the sword wound, then closely inspected the abdomen, eyes, and nose.

After a long while, Sim-hak straightened up.

Perhaps because his nerves were on edge, his eyes were as bloodshot as Soma’s.

Sim-hak looked around at Gongjin Jin-in and the others and said,

“I can guarantee that the sword wound on this man’s body is not the cause of death.”

“Is that really true?”

“I will stake my honor as Sim-hak on it. The sword wound is quite deep, but it is not fatal enough to take a person’s life.”

“Then does that mean what he said is true?”

The murmuring of the martial artists grew louder.

Sim-hak paid them no mind and continued.

“As he said, the corpse’s internal organs are all damaged. Among them, the liver is especially severely damaged.”

“The liver?”

“The liver is the organ that reacts most strongly when a poison enters the body. For the liver to be damaged like this, there is, by common sense, only one reason.”

“Then… poison?”

“A poison that causes one’s latent energy to explode all at once usually shows this kind of reaction.”

“So it wasn’t me who used the Heavy Hand Technique?”

“I have treated patients who have been struck by the Heavy Hand Technique, but it mainly damages the stomach or small intestine, not the liver.”

“Hmm!”

At Sim-hak’s calm explanation, Gongjin Jin-in let out a groan.

This proved that what Pyo Wol had said was true.

Even at that moment, Sim-hak’s words continued.

“Above all, look at the blood that flowed from the Seven Orifices. The blood from the other wounds is still wet, but the blood from the Seven Orifices has already dried. This is a phenomenon that occurs because the blood in the internal organs has been poisoned by another substance.”

With a renowned physician like Sim-hak affirming it so strongly, there was no longer any reason to doubt.

“If you really don’t believe my words, then do as he said and cut open the stomach to check. You will probably find that only the color of the internal organs is different.”

“Then does that mean he fought that kid while having taken a drug that makes his latent energy explode?”

“This kind of potent poison does not have much effect on the body if one remains still. However, the moment one moves violently, it reacts instantly and attacks the human body.”

“Hah!”

In the end, Gongjin Jin-in had no choice but to admit that Sim-hak’s words were true. Not only was his logic sound, but Sim-hak had no connection whatsoever with Soma.

There was no reason for him to defend Soma.

Above all, Gongjin Jin-in knew Sim-hak’s rigid personality better than anyone. He was not a man who could be swayed by anyone in the first place. If he were that kind of person, the Wudang Sect would have had no reason to send their seriously ill patients to him.

It became certain that Soma had not killed Hong Mugwang.

The only question that remained was who had made Hong Mugwang take the poison.

Hong Mugwang would not have taken the poison himself.

Soma’s name was cleared, but the truth had not yet been revealed.

“Who on earth made that man take poison? If I find them, I will never forgive them.”

Gongjin Jin-in’s white beard trembled.

Pyo Wol spoke coldly to him.

“Shouldn’t you apologize to Soma first?”

“……”

“Surely you’re not just going to let this slide without a single word?”

Gongjin Jin-in’s face crumpled miserably.

It was the first time that he, who prided himself on being the Wisdom Strategist of the Wudang Sect, had been cornered like this.

Countless martial artists and Daoists were watching.

Gongjin Jin-in squeezed his eyes shut.

‘O, True Martial Great Emperor. Why do you give me such a trial?’

He resented his own rashness in stepping forward so hastily.

Admitting one’s own mistake required great courage.

This was even more so for someone in a high position like Gongjin Jin-in.

After a moment of agony, Gongjin Jin-in opened his mouth.

“I am sorry. This old Daoist was rash and hastily pointed to you as the culprit. Please forgive my mistake.”

Gongjin Jin-in bowed to Soma, bending at the waist.

His appearance, frankly admitting his mistake and bowing his head, left a great impression on the martial artists gathered here.

Some martial artists felt ashamed.

They, too, had recklessly accused Soma without considering the circumstances, just like Gongjin Jin-in.

“Ahem!”

“Hmm!”

However, not a single person had the courage to apologize to Soma like Gongjin Jin-in. They just turned their heads and let out awkward coughs.

Soma said to Gongjin Jin-in.

“I told you. I didn’t kill him.”

“Yes! I was wrong.”

“Fine! I’ll forgive you.”

“Thank you.”

“But this is the only time. If you threaten me again without evidence, I’ll fight back too.”

“Haha!”

At Soma’s threat, Gongjin Jin-in averted his gaze with an awkward expression. He was ashamed to keep looking into Soma’s eyes.

In his line of sight, he saw Pyo Wol walking somewhere.

The place Pyo Wol’s steps were headed was where Jang Mu-yeon and the White Tiger Sword Unit were.

As he approached, Jang Mu-yeon’s face stiffened.

Just a moment ago, he had been wearing a victor’s smile, but he could no longer smile.

‘It was a done deal.’

The one who had instigated Hong Mugwang was none other than Jang Mu-yeon.

He had enticed him with the words that the Righteous Sword Manor would protect him if he just picked a fight with Soma.

He was also the one who had made Hong Mugwang take the poison. He had deceived Hong Mugwang by telling him it was a Spirit Pill that would temporarily increase his vitality, but in reality, it was a potent poison called the Black Blood Pill.

The Black Blood Pill makes a person’s latent energy explode, squeezing out power beyond their limits. The price was the user’s death.

Hong Mugwang believed his words and readily took the Black Blood Pill.

Another effect of the Black Blood Pill was that it paralyzed one’s reason, making them unable to distinguish right from wrong, and amplified their anger.

As soon as he saw Soma, Hong Mugwang’s anger exploded.

His rage towards Pyo Wol was directed at Soma.

Up to this point, everything had gone according to Jang Mu-yeon’s plan.

Hong Mugwang died from the side effects of the Black Blood Pill, and the Daoists of the Wudang Sect tried to take the Gongpo Sword from Soma.

Jang Mu-yeon planned to buy back the Gongpo Sword from the Wudang Sect later for a suitable price.

Until Pyo Wol stepped in, it seemed that everything was going his way. But with his intervention, everything had become a tangled mess.

He had never expected that Pyo Wol would see through the truth in an instant.

As Pyo Wol got closer, Jang Mu-yeon’s jaw twitched.

Those emotionless eyes that stared at him without a single tremor, as if they knew the whole truth.

He wanted to draw his sword and gouge out those eyes right now. But he couldn’t because of the eyes of those around him.

If he attacked Pyo Wol here, it would be an implicit admission that he had something to hide. So he did nothing and just stared at Pyo Wol.

Finally, Pyo Wol arrived in front of Jang Mu-yeon.

Everyone held their breath and watched Pyo Wol and Jang Mu-yeon.

They were not fools; they thought there must be a reason for Pyo Wol to act like this.

Pyo Wol silently looked at Jang Mu-yeon.

Jang Mu-yeon tried hard to maintain a composed expression, but he couldn’t hide the bewildered light in his eyes.

Pyo Wol stared intently into his eyes. At that, Jang Mu-yeon flared up.

“What is it? Are you picking a fight with me?”

At that moment, Pyo Wol caught a faint scent from Jang Mu-yeon. A scent that one could never detect unless they were consciously aware of it.

‘The scent of wild chrysanthemums.’

It was a scent unbefitting a man, especially a martial artist who practiced Martial Arts.

A scent used only by a very small number of women.

As far as Pyo Wol knew, there was only one person on Mount Wudang who exuded the scent of wild chrysanthemums.

The beauty, Hong Ye-seol.

Hong Ye-seol and Jang Mu-yeon.

An alluring woman and an unstoppable prodigy.

The two had met in secret, and the woman’s scent had seeped into the man.

Pyo Wol looked around.

Hong Ye-seol was nowhere to be seen.

In a place where everyone was gathered, only she was not visible.

Pyo Wol’s eyes narrowed.

Seeing this, Jang Mu-yeon flinched without realizing it.

At that moment, Pyo Wol opened his mouth.

“Did you sleep with her?”

“What nonsense are you spouting?”

“Hong Ye-seol!”

“Th-…”

Caught off guard, Jang Mu-yeon stammered.

Pyo Wol’s voice grew even colder.

“Where is she?”

“How would I know that?”

Jang Mu-yeon’s answer added conviction to Pyo Wol’s speculation.

“A Feint Attack.”

“You keep spouting bullshit. What do you mean, a Feint Attack?”

Jang Mu-yeon shouted, but Pyo Wol no longer paid him any mind.

Jang Mu-yeon might think he had orchestrated all of this himself, but he too was nothing more than a pawn on a chessboard.

There was someone else who had orchestrated all of this.

Pyo Wol approached Woo Seong Dojang.

Woo Seong Dojang glared at Pyo Wol with a deep frown.

He was no fool either.

He had noticed that something was going strangely. He just hadn’t figured out what was wrong.

Pyo Wol said to Woo Seong Dojang.

“You’d better go to the Secret Depot right now.”

“What?”

“It might be too late.”

“Don’t tell me? The Feint Attack was…?”

Only then did Woo Seong Dojang also realize something and his face turned pale.

Because of the series of commotions, a considerable number of the Wudang Sect’s Daoists had flocked to the Clear Stream Palace. That also meant that other places were just as empty.

He didn’t know why Pyo Wol was pointing to the Secret Depot, but it was clear that something had happened there.

“Everyone, follow me.”

Woo Seong Dojang hurriedly ran towards the Secret Depot with the martial artists, and Gongjin Jin-in headed for the Three Purities Palace where the Elders were.

In an instant, the Wudang Sect Daoists drained away like an ebbing tide.

In the space vacated by the Wudang Sect Daoists, only the heroes of Jianghu remained.

Jang Mu-yeon and the White Tiger Sword Unit had also disappeared somewhere. They had taken advantage of the chaos that erupted when the Wudang Sect Daoists rushed off to slip out of the Wudang Sect as well.

Pyo Wol approached Soma.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m perfectly fine.”

Soma puffed out his chest and boasted.

His eyes, which had been bloodshot just a moment ago, had returned to normal.

“Let’s go!”

“Now?”

“You have to give back to that bastard as much as you received.”

“Yeah!”

Soma’s gaze changed.

If it hadn’t been for Pyo Wol, he would have been falsely accused and become a public enemy of Jianghu.

If his innocence hadn’t been proven, he would now be locked up in the Wudang Sect’s Thunder Prison, or would have lost his life in a joint attack by the Daoists.

Although he had the appearance of a child, Soma was by no means foolish.

Seeing how Pyo Wol dealt with Jang Mu-yeon, he realized that he was behind all of this.

Why he had framed him was not important.

What was important was that he had suffered hardship because of him, and that he had to return it as much as he had received.

That was the law of Jianghu that Soma had learned while following Pyo Wol.

It was the nature of martial artists to swarm and bite like wild dogs if you showed weakness even once.

You must not retreat or be intimidated just because you are wounded.

You must return to them the same wounds you received, no, even greater ones. Only then will they not look down on him and pull such tricks in the future.

Soma looked around at the martial artists who had not yet dispersed.

The martial artists who had been glaring at him so hostilely just a moment ago now turned their heads one by one to avoid his gaze.

They too had instinctively sensed that the situation was taking a strange turn.

‘Damn it!’

‘What the hell is going on?’

They couldn’t know the truth, but it was clear that they had been greatly mistaken about something.

They couldn’t look Soma properly in the eye out of shame.

“Hmph!”

Soma snorted at them, then followed Pyo Wol and launched himself into the air.