Chapter 35: One Thousand Kills (1)

The time when Myeong-gae received the Healing Sage’s Mind Cultivation Art from Chwipung-gae.

In other words, in the future ten years from now, the Dancheon Clan does not exist.

Because it had fallen.

I heard it from Chwipung-gae, and my own investigation confirmed it.

Although it is a truth of the world that no flower blooms for ten days, this was something that was difficult to accept with common sense.

Isn't there a saying that a rich man's wealth lasts for three generations?

For the most part, this saying is a truth that is not wrong, so most prestigious clans decline but do not fall in an instant.

That is the strength of a prestigious clan.

But…….

It had only been ten years since I cut ties with the Dancheon Clan.

In that time, the Dancheon Clan had disappeared from Anhui.

It was a complete downfall.

There is a saying that a foolish king can bring down a country in ten years, so was the Dancheon Clan also such a case?

In truth, I know the answer.

I can assert that such a thing would never happen.

My father Dancheon Gang, who was praised as not being the best in history but lacking nothing as the Clan Head of the Dancheon Clan.

Bang Yeo-baek, the Head of the Guard who firmly supported him and a master of the State of Harmony.

Dancheon Hak, the promising Young Clan Head in the Jianghu Murim who had won the alias of the Dragon.

It was correct to say that their path was smooth, and they were definitely not the kind of people who would let a prestigious clan fall within ten years.

Although I didn't like Dancheon Hak, I know he was not a lacking person.

In those days, he was more like a wall to me than lacking.

Of course, the situation at that time was not normal.

That's right.

I had already reached a conclusion during my time as Myeong-gae.

The fact that the downfall of the Dancheon Clan was a precursor to the Great War of Righteousness and Evil.

But one who deals with information should not pass over things so vaguely.

It is necessary to grasp the more detailed truth hidden within the information.

Yes, the fall of the Dancheon Clan was a precursor to the Great War of Righteousness and Evil.

I believe this is an undeniable truth.

Then, what I need to know now is how that precursor occurred within the clan.

Through what process did the clan fall apart?

Who played a key role in that process would be the direction of information gathering.

Unfortunately, during my time as Myeong-gae, there was not enough time to uncover the whole truth.

It was because I could not afford to spend much time on clan matters amidst the flames of the Great War of Righteousness and Evil.

In other words, the truth about the annihilation of the Dancheon Clan was buried.

In my past life, it was the only loop I could not solve.

But in this life, the time to uncover that secret has come.

I will not miss it this time.

* * *

In the world where humans live, there are few perfect secrets.

This is a thought that naturally comes to mind after spending a long time in the Beggar's Gang.

Most secrets leave a trace somewhere.

Although I said I did not know the truth of the Dancheon Clan's annihilation, it did not mean there were no clues.

-Hey, Myeong-gae.

-What is it?

-Take a look at this.

The Secret Pavilion.

It was the information organization of the Murim Alliance formed to stand against the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.

Since the Secret Pavilion was an organization that gathered the information power of the entire Murim, their capabilities were not inferior to the Beggar's Gang.

The members of the Secret Pavilion were also individuals who were well-known in their respective information sects.

What that meant was that most of the Secret Pavilion members knew that I was from the Dancheon Clan.

A Secret Pavilion member handed me a wanted poster.

Out of habit, I looked over the wanted poster and asked back.

-What is this?

-It's the wanted poster for One Thousand Kills.

-One Thousand Kills?

My interest was piqued.

One Thousand Kills.

A Demonic Cult practitioner of the Extreme Demonic Realm who had recently appeared like a star in Shandong.

The Extreme Demonic Realm was a realm of demonic arts that was generally considered equivalent to the State of Harmony.

With the addition of the vicious techniques unique to Demonic Cult practitioners to the realm of the State of Harmony, a master of the Extreme Demonic Realm was said to be like a disaster.

Fortunately, their numbers were not large.

It was because it was difficult to blossom the Spirit by practicing demonic arts.

But not long ago, a master who appeared in Shandong without any connection and boasted of his vicious martial prowess was One Thousand Kills.

-But why are you suddenly showing this to me?

-I don't know if you knew, but I was once an intelligence agent exclusively in charge of the Dancheon Clan.

He said it with an apologetic expression, but I already knew.

I too was a reputable intelligence agent.

-What's the big deal?

I too had been an exclusive intelligence agent for the Moyong, Peng, and Hwangbo clans, so I held no ill feelings towards him for being in charge of the Dancheon Clan.

The Secret Pavilion member leaned slightly towards me.

-This is just a hypothesis.

-Don't beat around the bush and just tell me.

What could be more interesting than the hypotheses of intelligence agents?

Sometimes, a lack of information is filled with imagination.

Isn't a great intelligence agent one who can fill in the missing links of information with inference and imagination?

The Secret Pavilion member's finger pointed to the wanted poster.

-This One Thousand Kills. Doesn't he look familiar?

When I looked at him as if asking what he meant.

-There is no evidence, but I keep associating him with the Dancheon Clan. Well, you could say it's just a feeling. I thought that since you are from the Dancheon Clan, you might have a similar feeling.

Although he spoke subtly, he seemed to have his own convictions.

It was not something to be taken lightly.

It was because I knew that the highly developed intuition of an intelligence agent sometimes becomes the clue that solves the mystery of a labyrinth.

I carefully examined the wanted poster again.

One Thousand Kills was a master of the Extreme Demonic Realm.

In the Dancheon Clan, there would only be three possible candidates.

-One Thousand Kills…….

Although his appearance had changed somewhat, I thought I knew who he was.

* * *

“So what do you mean by joining hands with me? Do you expect me to turn against the First Elder now and expose him?”

Dancheon Hak did not hide his displeasure with his expression.

I understand him.

It was said that ruler, master, and father are one.

There is no child who denies their parents.

There is no subject who betrays their king.

There is no disciple who attacks their master.

All of these were acts of great patricide for the ages.

Dancheon Hak was a person who had studied under the First Elder since he was a child before he came of age, so I know it is impossible for him to turn against the First Elder.

The sentiment of the Jianghu Murim was like that.

Prestigious clans were generally made of norms and hierarchy.

Except for guys like the Beggar's Gang, who had little sense of hierarchy, it was generally like that.

One of the people who had best learned the norms and hierarchy of that prestigious clan would be Dancheon Hak.

Nevertheless, Dancheon Hak came to me and informed me of the First Elder's misdeeds.

Whether it was because of the affection of blood ties or his own pride as the great young master of a prestigious clan, I knew that although he might be somewhat lacking, he was not a wrong person.

It was said that rashly going against the ruler, master, and father was a great patricide for the ages.

But.

If the king was leading the country to ruin, the subject who betrayed him might not be a traitor but the king of a new country.

If I knew they were not my parents, I could leave them and establish a new family.

And…….

If I had known that my master was a member of the Demonic Cult.

“Elder Brother.”

“Why do you keep calling me?”

If I confirm Dancheon Hak's heart, I will know.

“What if.”

It was a situation where there was no need to beat around the bush.

In the current situation, time would be the most important resource.

“What would you do if First Elder Cheon Il-san were a spy of the Demonic Cult?”

“……!”

Confusion appeared in Dancheon Hak's pupils.

“You, you're a madman.”

Dancheon Hak said so and left.

It's alright.

I had planted enough seeds.

It was a matter of believing that he would sprout at the right time.

And Dancheon Hak's hint was indeed the truth.

“It has been a long time.”

As soon as the next day came, it seems they began their actions.

“Yes, it has been a long time, Third Elder.”

He was not a very welcome face.

* * *

“Come in.”

I entered the Third Elder's quarters, located on the outskirts of the Council of Elders.

Even though I had received training from him from the age of ten until I reached the First-Rate Realm at seventeen, it was the first time I had been here.

“Please sit comfortably.”

“Yes, Third Elder.”

“There is no need for such formalities between us.”

The Third Elder was doing something he usually didn't do.

Awkward gestures and tone of voice.

I knew he was diligently acting out something.

However, I didn't know what he was doing.

It didn't mean his scheme was deep, but that his acting was quite awkward.

I would say that if he had joined a theater troupe, he would have lived his whole life as a beggar.

“It is fine, Third Elder.”

Nevertheless, I played along for now.

In order to get what one wants, patience is naturally required, isn't it?

“You don't have to add 'Third Elder' at the end of every sentence. If you think about it, am I not your master?”

“You told me not to call you master.”

He had said it himself.

He was a person who had clearly drawn a line while teaching me, perhaps for fear of falling out of favor with the eldest son.

“What?”

I stared at his face.

“Don't you remember?”

He avoided my gaze.

“Ahem. Did I say that? My memory is getting hazy because I'm old.”

It was a statement that felt like déjà vu, but the feeling it gave was distinctly different.

Perhaps what matters more in words is who the speaker is.

“Would you like some tea?”

“Yes, if you would give me some.”

In the Jianghu Murim, eating and drinking were very important yet tricky issues.

It was because the Jianghu Murim was a place rampant with poison, and the easiest way to poison an opponent was by using food.

Although this was inside the clan, it was reasonable to call it enemy territory, so a seasoned veteran of the Jianghu would never easily put food in their mouth.

But I was officially just a rising star with little experience, and…….

“Yes, I'll bring it right away.”

Isn't it important that the Third Elder also thinks of me that way?

Thud.

The tea came out quickly, as if it had been prepared in advance.

“What business did you call me for?”

I asked the Third Elder without touching the tea.

“What is it, I just thought of you after a long time and wanted to see you.”

To not even think of a proper excuse, it was pathetic.

I don't know how such a person rose to the position of the Third Elder of the Dancheon Clan.

“If you have no business, I will take my leave.”

“Hey, don't be so cold.”

The Third Elder quickly stopped me.

“I called you because I have something to say, so have a cup of tea first.”

In truth, I estimated the probability of the tea being poisoned to be fifty-fifty.

It was because it was both the most common method and at the same time a very crude one.

But seeing the Third Elder's reaction, I knew for sure.

This tea was poisoned.

Even if it wasn't poison, it was certain that some trickery was involved.

If Dancheon Hak hadn't given me a hint, I might not have known, but in this situation, how could I not know?

As I sat down and stared at the Third Elder without drinking the tea, he began to speak haltingly.

“That is, wasn't there something lacking in my training of you... I had such thoughts. And also, that is, the succession competition is coming up, and if you have any lingering feelings of resentment towards me……”

Slurp.

Pretending to listen to his incoherent words, I drank the tea.

I could feel his face light up with color.

“Well, since I've seen your face, that's enough. You may go now.”

His words came to an abrupt end.

It was right to call him a truly funny person.

“Why? Have you already achieved your goal?”

“What do you mean by that?”

His eyebrows furrowed.

A smile naturally formed on my face at his pathetic appearance.

“Well, is there poison in this tea or something?”

Was he surprised by my words?

His expression quickly crumbled.

“Am I right?”

I would say he was a truly transparent person.