Chapter 401

“It’s not looking good.”

After examining Hong Ye-seol’s condition, the Physician shook his head.

Hong Ye-seol’s condition was, in a word, the worst.

She had already suffered a severe injury, and her body had been further damaged by using the Gumyeongho Merchant Group.

She was supposed to undergo Qi Circulation Disruption after taking the Gumyeongho Merchant Group’s medicine, but by moving recklessly, the medicine had turned into poison.

Hong Ye-seol’s insides were severely damaged.

The Physician examining her was one of the most renowned in Poyang Lake, but after seeing Hong Ye-seol’s condition, he threw up his hands.

“To correct her damaged qi and blood, you’ll need a Physician with skills far superior to mine.”

“Is there such a Physician in the Jianghu?”

“As far as I know…”

The Physician’s voice trailed off.

He meant there was none.

Pyo Wol looked down at Hong Ye-seol.

Hong Ye-seol was a complete wreck. She was still breathing, but it was so precarious that it could stop at any moment.

The Physician, glancing at Pyo Wol, cautiously took something out from his robes and offered it.

“What is this?”

“It’s a poison.”

“Poison?”

“Yes! It was made by extracting the venom of the Black Bloom Spider, which was difficult to obtain from the Southern Man region. Administer it to her in small doses when her life is in imminent danger. The Black Bloom Spider’s venom will then stimulate her Innate Vitality.”

“Are you suggesting we use the principle of Fight Poison with Poison?”

“That’s right. It temporarily activates the body’s vital signs by stimulating the Innate Vitality. However, since the amount of Innate Vitality a person is born with is limited, I recommend not using it unless it’s a truly dangerous situation.”

“Hmm!”

“This is all I can do with my abilities. While she’s still breathing, you should find a more skilled Physician or another method.”

The Physician bowed his head.

He was the most skilled Physician in the Poyang Lake area.

Though not a Sin-ui, he possessed skills worthy of being called a renowned physician.

The one who had introduced the Physician was none other than Noh Taetae of the Jewon Merchant Group.

At her strict command, the most skilled Physician in Poyang Lake had come running. But even with his medical skills, it was impossible to treat Hong Ye-seol.

The best he could do was to provide a poison that could stimulate her Innate Vitality.

Pyo Wol carefully placed the Black Bloom Spider’s venom in his robes.

The Physician bowed to Pyo Wol and went outside.

Pyo Wol silently watched Hong Ye-seol.

Just then, Hong Ye-seol’s eyebrows trembled, and she opened her eyes.

After blinking for a moment as if her focus was off, Hong Ye-seol soon smiled faintly.

“You’re still here.”

“Did you think I wouldn’t be?”

“Yes! I thought you would have abandoned me and left.”

“……”

“Hehe! I’m kidding.”

Hong Ye-seol smiled, as if something was funny. But soon, her face contorted as if she couldn’t bear the pain.

Only after a long while did the pain subside a little.

Only then did her expression relax.

“Hoo! This is incredible. I’m used to pain, but this kind of pain is really…”

“It’s because you overexerted yourself. If you hadn’t taken the Gumyeongho Merchant Group’s medicine, you wouldn’t have been this broken.”

“I had no choice back then. My only regret is that I couldn’t plunge my blade cleanly into that bitch’s neck.”

Hong Ye-seol ground her teeth, thinking of Namgung Seol.

“Do it when your body has recovered.”

“Of course, I will.”

Hong Ye-seol nodded.

Although her eyes had been closed, she had heard the Physician’s words.

Even without the Physician’s words, she knew her own condition best. It was, in a word, the worst possible situation. But Hong Ye-seol did not despair.

She had lived her entire life as an Assassin.

Pain and despair were familiar to her.

Giving up on everything over something like this was something she could not tolerate.

Pyo Wol said.

“I heard there’s a Sin-ui nearby.”

“A Sin-ui?”

“Yes! I don’t know how skilled he is, but the second Disciple of the Swordless Union Lord called him that.”

“Yoo… Soo-hwan Young Master, I see. If he calls him a Sin-ui, he probably isn’t a quack.”

“I think so too.”

“If we find him, there might be a small chance my body can heal.”

“It’s better than waiting blankly for death here.”

“Then let’s move.”

“It will be extremely painful to move in your condition.”

“Hoho! What’s with you? I’m not a Murim novice. I’m an Assassin. Pain is as familiar as breathing.”

Hong Ye-seol forced herself to sit up.

Just moving her upper body slightly left her breathless, and sweat poured down her entire body like rain.

It was painful even for an onlooker to watch.

But Pyo Wol watched Hong Ye-seol without any intervention.

He knew that an Assassin of Hong Ye-seol’s caliber would consider receiving help from someone else to be extremely shameful.

“Keuk!”

In the end, Hong Ye-seol stood up on her own.

She leaned against the wall, gasping for breath.

It was the first time she had experienced such pain in her life. Even during her Training to become an Assassin, she had never experienced pain of this magnitude. Still, she gritted her teeth and endured.

She fueled her desire for revenge against Namgung Seol and Lee Geom-han. The pain subsided somewhat as she pictured their faces.

“Hoo!”

Only then did she let out the breath she had been holding.

Pyo Wol said nonchalantly.

“Let’s go now. We need to hurry if we want to find this Sin-ui before he leaves.”

“Al… right.”

Hong Ye-seol nodded and followed Pyo Wol.

Outside, an old woman with a face so full of wrinkles that her age was impossible to guess was visible.

It was Noh Taetae, the owner of the Jewon Merchant Group.

Beside her, Ju Seol-pung was supporting her.

Noh Taetae asked.

“I heard from the Physician. Considering her condition, wouldn’t it be better to stay here?”

“I know someone who can heal her. I have to find him.”

“Then that’s a relief.”

“Thank you! For your help.”

“Hehehe! I’m embarrassed to hear such words from the Reaper of All Under Heaven.”

“I’m leaving!”

“Travel safely.”

Noh Taetae said with a smile.

Pyo Wol stared at Noh Taetae’s face for a long time.

Noh Taetae was extremely old. It wouldn’t be strange if she passed away at any moment.

If they parted like this, there was a high probability they would never see each other again.

“I hope we meet again.”

“Hehehe! It might be possible if the heavens keep this old woman alive until then. Everything depends on the will of the heavens.”

Noh Taetae smiled brightly.

Pyo Wol nodded and looked at Ju Seol-pung, who was beside Noh Taetae.

“Stay well until we meet again.”

“Will you be returning to Poyang Lake?”

“Someday.”

“Please be sure to stop by.”

“I will.”

“Then…”

Ju Seol-pung gave Pyo Wol a Fist-Palm Salute.

Pyo Wol returned the salute and went outside.

His horse was waiting outside. A small cart was attached to the horse.

Pyo Wol loaded Hong Ye-seol into the cart and then drove the horse.

Noh Taetae and Ju Seol-pung watched Pyo Wol’s receding back for a long time.

When Pyo Wol finally disappeared from view, Noh Taetae spoke.

“Seol-pung!”

“Yes! Great-grandmother.”

“Leave the Jewon Merchant Group. From now on, the Jewon Merchant Group will treat you as if you do not exist.”

“I understand.”

Despite the unexpected words, Ju Seol-pung answered without a hint of surprise.

Noh Taetae continued to speak, looking in the direction Pyo Wol had disappeared.

“Now that he’s gone, both the Golden Sky Society and the Silver Lotus Society will start to move in earnest. A storm of blood will blow across the shores of Poyang Lake. To protect the Jewon Merchant Group from that storm, we must lock our doors.”

To the people around Poyang Lake, Pyo Wol was perceived as a kind of disaster. That was why even Jang Ho-yeon, instead of confronting him directly, had provoked Gwan Musu to deal with Pyo Wol.

Yong Hasang, the Society Leader of the Silver Lotus Society, also found Pyo Wol uncomfortable. Because of that, he couldn’t move the Silver Lotus Society freely, wary of Pyo Wol.

Now that Pyo Wol, who had suppressed them, was gone, it was obvious how they would act.

The problem was that Ju Seol-pung was associated with the Silver Lotus Society.

Although Ju Seol-pung had made a choice for the future of the Jewon Merchant Group, a single misstep could lead to the downfall of the Jewon Merchant Group.

“I have entrusted one hundred thousand Nyang of gold in your name at the Golden Lotus Battlefield. That should be enough for you to pursue your ambitions.”

“Thank you for your consideration, Great-grandmother!”

“This is all this old grandmother can do for you.”

“This is more than enough.”

“I hope you will spread your will across all under heaven.”

“Thank you.”

Noh Taetae tightly gripped Ju Seol-pung’s hand.

Ju Seol-pung closed his eyes, feeling Noh Taetae’s warmth for the last time.

＊＊＊

“He has left, Boss.”

Deung Cheolung frowned at the sight of his Subordinate running up in a flurry.

“What has left?”

“That man, sir. The Reaper!”

“The Reaper? Pyo Wol?”

“Yes! That man has left Poyang Lake.”

“Is that really true?”

Deung Cheolung shouted loudly without realizing it and rose from his seat.

His fierce momentum made all the Blood Phantom Organization Martial Artists nearby flinch.

“I confirmed it with my own eyes. I clearly saw him leave the Jewon Merchant Group and go somewhere.”

“Are you certain?”

“Yes! I followed him and confirmed that he had definitely left Poyang Lake before returning.”

“So that man has really left Poyang Lake?”

Deung Cheolung stroked his chin.

His lips parted on their own, revealing his yellowed teeth.

He couldn’t help but laugh.

“Kehehe! If that inhuman thing has left Poyang Lake, isn’t this a golden opportunity?”

Just the fact that Pyo Wol was in Poyang Lake had made it hard for him to even breathe deeply. The fear that he might come for him at any moment had made him shrink.

It wasn’t just Deung Cheolung.

Many Sects and Martial Artists around Poyang Lake were just watching Pyo Wol’s every move.

The situation where many feared a single individual might seem ridiculous at first glance, but if they were in their shoes, no one would dare to laugh.

“Summon all the kids at once.”

“Yes? Why the kids?”

“Tell them to keep a close watch on the Silver Lotus Society’s movements. I’ll give the order after I get back from Heavenly Sea Manor.”

“Understood.”

Heavenly Sea Manor was a large Manor south of Poyang Lake.

Currently staying at Heavenly Sea Manor were Jang Ho-yeon, the Martial Artists of Righteous Sword Manor, and reinforcements from the Golden Sky Society.

It was a scale that could be considered a small Murim Alliance.

Deung Cheolung visited Heavenly Sea Manor with a few of his trusted men.

He looked around inside Heavenly Sea Manor.

‘The forces have increased again.’

The number of troops staying inside Heavenly Sea Manor seemed to have at least doubled since his last visit.

With this much power, it seemed they could wipe out the Silver Lotus Society in one fell swoop. As long as there were no unexpected variables.

“What’s that now?”

“What’s a riffraff doing here?”

The Martial Artists who saw Deung Cheolung’s shabby appearance whispered among themselves.

For a moment, Deung Cheolung’s expression contorted with shame.

‘Grit! This one and that one, they all look down on me. Just you wait. Let’s see if you can still mock me like that after I become the ruler of Poyang Lake.’

Deung Cheolung thoroughly concealed his inner thoughts and moved on.

Meeting Jang Ho-yeon was not very difficult.

The problem was that there was a woman he had never seen before next to Jang Ho-yeon.

The beautiful woman, whose eyes had a faint blue tint as if she were of mixed blood, was none other than Eom So-so.

Eom So-so and the Sea Mist Unit had followed Yoo Soo-hwan’s trail to Poyang Lake and learned that Jang Ho-yeon and the Martial Artists of the Golden Sky Society were staying at Heavenly Sea Manor.

Since the affairs of the Golden Sky Society were Dokgo Hwang’s affairs, she had come to Heavenly Sea Manor.

Jang Ho-yeon, who had been talking with Eom So-so for a while, looked at Deung Cheolung.

“What is it?”

“I came because I have something urgent to report.”

“What is it?”

“Pyo Wol has left Poyang Lake.”

“Is that really true?”

“Yes! My Subordinate confirmed it himself.”

“And the movements of the Silver Lotus Society?”

“We are currently assessing them.”

“Hoh! Is that so?”

“This is a golden opportunity that will never come again. Hehe!”

Deung Cheolung laughed sinisterly.

A few days later, the Golden Sky Society and the Silver Lotus Society clashed at Poyang Lake.