707 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

The Tang Clan had been abducting orphans and conducting human experiments. It was news that spread across the central plains one day. The Tang Clan is one of the four prestigious families and known for supplying seventy percent of the central plains' iron. Originally classified as a faction during the bloody war era, it rose to prominence as a righteous faction by stopping the Blood Calamity. Until now, it had been one of the pillars of truth and righteousness that many believed in and followed. The Protector of Sichuan. The Sichuan Tang Clan. The revelation of their unimaginable atrocities shocked many. It was said that beneath the Tang Clan lay numerous corpses of children and monsters. When the Martial Alliance checked the records, they found that the experiments had been ongoing for at least a century. A century. A hundred years. How many children must have died over a hundred years? People were furious and more furious still. Though the Poison King made no particular excuses and chose to seal the clan's gates, the people's anger did not subside. They demanded the Tang Clan be declared a public enemy of the martial world, expelled, and destroyed. Though the people longed for it, the Martial Alliance did not make it so. They concluded that the elders had managed the deed without the Poison King’s knowledge, and in response, the Poison King summarily executed the elders, delivering his judgment internally. Considering their past contribution in defending the central plains as one of the four prestigious families, they decided not to execute them. Instead, they restricted the exclusive trades that were conducted through the Martial Alliance. Moreover, the Tang Clan would be barred from participating in any future votes for the Martial Alliance Leader, with their voting and participation rights revoked for three generations. This punishment was seen as lenient if directly assessed. On the contrary, the punishment was viewed as lax. Since such an incident had occurred, any merchant dealing with the Tang Clan would naturally withdraw, and since the Tang Clan historically avoided matters involving the Martial Alliance Leader, many saw this as a mere performative punishment. The general public acknowledged that while the Tang Clan was guilty, the Martial Alliance, considering their past efforts, showed them a certain degree of leniency. A Tang Clan that had taken numerous lives for human experimentation and a Martial Alliance attempting to let it pass were still widely debated issues. However, due to several subsequent incidents that arose immediately after, skepticism about the Martial Alliance had decreased. But. The same was not true for the Tang Clan. “Damn those bastards. It is my fault that I trusted them for Sichuan's safety.” “How can they commit such vile actions under the guise of being one of the four prestigious families, claiming righteousness?” “They say the Head Poison King didn’t know of this matter? Does that even make sense?” The status of the Tang Clan continued to plummet day by day. Despite assertions that the Poison King and his direct lineage were not involved, fewer people believed it. How could anything occur within a clan without the family head’s knowledge? People did not believe it. And even if it were true, they would refuse to believe it. In their minds, the Tang Clan was already such a place. “It’s no surprise, given their use of poison, that something nefarious was hidden.” “They were originally from the underworld. The Martial Alliance merely covered it up quietly.” “Now they speak of artisan clans but originally gathered assassins. It was always a place you couldn’t trust.” Voices abounded. Insults toward the clan. Insults towards the Poison King. And even insults directed at herself. The fallen noble family. The Sichuan Tang Clan. Every time she heard such words, Tang Soyeol, a direct descendant of the clan and known as the Poison Phoenix, wanted to ask: Why is no one speaking up? She wanted to ask her father, the Poison King, countless questions. Yet, she could not. The Poison King, in making his choice, said to his children: “Even if we are not guilty, being born into this lineage means sharing the clan's burdens.” The ignorance of internal affairs is the family head’s sin. There is no excuse. Moreover, regrettably, a father’s sin becomes your sin as well. That is the nature of responsibility. So, they chose to carry it. Though she felt wronged and pained by the Poison King’s words, Tang Soyeol ultimately said nothing. What was there to feel wronged about? Hadn’t the Poison King spoken? The clan's crime is the family head’s crime, inevitably becoming the lineage’s crime. Tang Soyeol, who unknowingly resided within the clan’s embrace, was no different. Merely being a direct descendant and the last child meant knowing nothing. Such reasons would never stand up in this world. Countless have turned their backs. Countless hurled insults at them. Truthfully, Tang Soyeol wasn't particularly afraid of it. If it was truly her crime, she had to accept the insults as well. It did not hurt her. It was merely other things that frightened her. By any chance. Just in case. ‘Lest He should suffer any harm.’ She feared immeasurably for her precious ones, those close to her, should they suffer due to this. Even if her life crumbled. She feared they too might be wounded by that collapse. The world is dark. Though the lights filling his side are so brilliant, her place has grown exceedingly dark, and if she even loses the value of the clan's name she had barely held onto and instead brings harm. What could she offer him? Nothing. Many who love him exist, and with this crude heart alone, she couldn't stand by his side. She painfully knew that. He might understand. He is that kind of person. But she wasn't strong enough to endure just with that understanding. Fortunately, there was still an opportunity. “I will turn you into a monster.” A figure visited her at night. Now, her mentor, the greatest assassin of the central plains, the Dark King. He spoke of how, at her father’s request, he was taking her in as a disciple. He told her to speak if she was unwilling. He warned that his teaching methods would be exceedingly harsh and brutal, incomparable to any pain Tang Soyeol had felt in her lifetime. She was bewildered. Why would the Dark King approach her with such an offering? She could not comprehend. However. “I humbly accept your guidance.” There was only one choice from the beginning. Tang Soyeol became a disciple of the Dark King. It was the only path she could choose. Thus, time passed by. As the Dark King had warned, it was an excruciatingly painful time. How many times must she have died? Countless experiences that spelled literal death. "Become numb to death." She became numb. It took a year for her to stop fearing death and the pain of it. "Become numb to killing." She became numb again. It took another year before killing others felt just as inconsequential. "Not bad." Finally, after killing so many without a flicker in her eyes, the Dark King gave Tang Soyeol her first compliment. Upon hearing that compliment, she realized how much had changed. Not just her abilities, but something about herself had transformed as well. How long had it been? According to him, it had only been two years, but in Tang Soyeol's view, that couldn't be right. In the world crafted by the Dark King, so much was distorted; perhaps even time itself was. The piles of children's corpses at her feet. Even knowing it was an illusion created by the Dark King, she felt nothing as she gazed upon it. I've become broken. Tang Soyeol judged herself. But did she regret it? No, she did not. "...Ah..." Tears mixed with the blood of others streamed down her face. Her heart was pounding. Now she felt she could stand by his side. The heights she dreamt of were not visible, not even broken she could perceive. To Tang Soyeol, that was all that mattered. With a sweeping sound, the confined world retreated. The darkness vanished, and the blood that stained her body disappeared as well. Calm night and moon returned. The Dark King looked at Tang Soyeol and spoke. "Descend the mountain." "Yes." Only now could she see him. ****************** A murmur filled her ears. Tang Soyeol stood on the martial stage beneath a crowded spectator area. The Martial Alliance's Xinyong Festival. Tang Soyeol stood upon that stage. A crisp breeze brushed her nose. The weather was unusually pleasant. Simultaneous voices echoed from all sides. "It's really the Poison Phoenix. She actually entered the tournament." "You mean the descendant of the Tang Clan?" "Look at her hair." Tang Soyeol's deep green hair. And beneath it, her light green eyes. Clear markers of her Tang Clan lineage adorned her body. "Tsk." Someone clicked their tongue upon seeing this. "The audacity she has. How dare she...!" "Truly revolting." "In such a situation, participating in the Alliance's festival? She must be insane." Remembering the Tang Clan's atrocities darkened everyone's expression. The heated voices resonated around her. Despite hearing these words, Tang Soyeol's face remained calm. Was she truly unaffected? Her demeanor could be seen as a criminal maintaining silence. Or simply enjoying the breeze in tranquility. Her opponent spoke while observing Tang Soyeol. "Why not step down now?" Tang Soyeol gazed at her opponent upon hearing the words. Yutan Geom. He stood across from her, wearing a sneer. "A young girl like you—this is too brutal a setting for you to handle." Insults flew from all sides. They are rough and cruel for a woman yet to reach full maturity to endure. "For now, I’m offering you consideration. Step down quietly." Stepping down from the martial stage defeated would be humiliating. But stepping down under pressure might be a bit less so. With that intention, Yutan Geom spoke. "Pfft." Tang Soyeol, who had been quietly listening, burst into laughter. Seeing this, Yutan Geom’s eyebrows furrowed. "You laugh?" "Thank you for your concern. I gratefully accept your intention." "Ha!" At Tang Soyeol’s attitude, Yutan Geom let out a dry laugh. "As expected from a household of criminals, your brazen audacity is unmatched." His demeanor shifted. "I thought to offer you consideration before disgracing yourself with more embarrassing acts, seeing as you appear to have plenty of enemies already." "Thank you, but there is no need for that." "Though I erred the last time, do you really think you’ll win?" The fact that they were standing now on this stage together. Even that didn’t sit well with Yutan Geom. A mere young girl. What meaning lay in defeating even such a girl? 'The bright side is that the public hate is at least at the level of traitors.' Born of the Tang Clan lineage. Even though she was a young prodigy, defeating such a woman would elevate one's status. 'She seems to have a few tricky skills, but that's all there is to it.' Forgetting that the martial arts of the Tang Clan specialize in silent techniques, he fell prey to Tang Soyeol’s tricks. That’s what Yutan Geom believed. *Swoosh.* He drew his sword while speaking. "Girl, you made a grave mistake." Once Yutan Geom raised his sword, the surrounding air began to change. The blowing wind had stilled. "If you possess such skills, you should never have revealed them to me. If you had, maybe you'd have had a chance." He had already discerned it all. There was no more possibility of victory for Tang Soyeol. "There won’t be a second time. So even now, if you step down…" "You still talk a lot. It’s a bit noisy." Tang Soyeol interrupted Yutan Geom's words. "You wench!" In the end, Yutan Geom couldn't hold back and released his aura. *Whoosh!* The aura radiating from Yutan Geom enveloped the entire stage. Exclamations erupted from the audience. "...Just watching it makes my hand tremble. This is the real thing." "Even the Fenglin Weitan Quan was impressive, but certainly, Yutan Geom is on another level." Fenglin Weitan Quan, who had just barely crossed the critical barrier as one of those at the level of qi boundary, could influence nature. But Yutan Geom was something else entirely. Space seemed to be twisted. Cracks appeared, and afterimages danced in the air. Even with merely an aura, it affected the surroundings. This was qi boundary mastery. "Are you relying on your pretty face? Or your esteemed stealth and poison arts? Look clearly—I am Yutan Geom." He pointed the sword at Tang Soyeol. "In this open space, what can you possibly do? You have no chance of victory." "..." At Yutan Geom’s words, Tang Soyeol briefly glanced around. He was right. There wasn’t anything visible. The vast, open view was refreshing enough to relax the eyes. The bright day refused any chance to hide; it was the worst possible condition for a stealth artist. Tang Soyeol's gaze drifted somewhere amid her surroundings. The eyes that quietly observed her. It was where Gu Yangcheon stood, watching her with a blank expression. He stood with arms tightly crossed, observing the scene. Even from a distance, she could see his arms slightly trembling. It seemed he was straining to hold something back. Seeing this, Tang Soyeol smiled. Despite being stoic and sharp-looking, his eyes were always attentive to those around him. Such a kind person. She had first fallen for his face, but now, even if his face somehow turned into something blasé like the Crow Prince or the Holy Prince, she wouldn't mind. She trusted that she loved him because he was who he was. So. 'I’ll show you.' To prove that there was no need for him to worry about her anymore. She wanted to show Gu Yangcheon that she was strong. Turning her gaze from him, she looked at Yutan Geom. "You're right." "What?" "There really is nothing here. But that's not much of an issue." Tang Soyeol spoke as she retrieved something from her robes. It was a dagger. Not just one, but dozens. Holding both daggers and stilletos, she tossed them all to the ground. Clatter—! "What?" Yutan Geom asked incredulously, but Tang Soyeol checked herself to ensure she had nothing left, and then she smiled. "I'm ready now." "..." "I promise. When confronting you, I won't use my stealth techniques. Certainly not my poisons." "Haha..." Yutan Geom chuckled at Tang Soyeol's words. But as he laughed, his face twisted into something more vicious. "Are you mocking me now?" "Yes." "...You bitch...!" A definite aura began to coat Yutan Geom's sword. "Fine, you've insulted me to this extent... I also promise." Under the suffocating pressure, Yutan Geom spoke with a murderous intent. "I’ll scar that pretty face of yours." Though said through barely contained wrath, Tang Soyeol responded with a smile. "I’m looking forward to it." Grinding his teeth, Yutan Geom steadied his breathing and took up his stance. The referee looked at both of them with a worried expression. Both were ready and poised. Seeing this, the referee quietly announced. "Begin." The start of the match was signaled. Even after hearing this, Yutan Geom did not move. He didn't charge in. He wasn't letting his guard down. She could have done anything. From their previous encounter, he was sure of one thing. Beyond being a mere human, his martial instincts knew. Tang Soyeol was an extraordinary opponent. No matter how unfavorable the situation was for a stealth artist, he couldn’t afford to be careless. His sword poised in full vigilance towards Tang Soyeol. "Do you know something?" Tang Soyeol spoke in a composed voice. "I don't like clear skies." "...What nonsense is this?" Not liking the sky? Such a random statement. "Just like you said, there’s nowhere to hide. I realized I’m not a person who can become a beacon. That’s when I started disliking clear skies." "Ha?" Was this idle talk to lower his guard? But the more he listened, the higher Yutan Geom's alertness rose. "Surely, I couldn’t become a beacon. My mentor told me the same." Tang Soyeol recalled the Dark King's words. When she asked how she could shine brighter, the Dark King said, He didn’t know how to become a light. Once you became an assassin, you couldn't be the light, and you should forget how to become one. Shining brightly wasn’t their role. Then what should she do? Tang Soyeol asked out of frustration. The Dark King responded, "If you cannot be the light, become the darkness that engulfs the light." A darkness that could consume the light. That’s what she should become. The Dark King clearly said so, but Tang Soyeol didn’t particularly like that either. "Seems unpleasant, doesn’t it? Standing by the warmth of the light... You shouldn’t consume it." "What are you even saying...?" "So, I decided to become the shade." She couldn't become the light and didn't want to devour the light. In that case, she thought she would become the shade that could let the light rest. Isn't that also a form of darkness? A darkness that unfolds for the light. Yes, being the shade was enough. Like the trees in a forest where one, tired from play, could rest, shielded from the sun. Tang Soyeol decided to become such darkness. To be his shade. The shade that would stand strong beside him, letting him rest whenever he needed. She had decided to be that. This was proof of that resolve. Tang Soyeol reached out her hand. "...!" Yutan Geom flinched! Instinctively, he released a surge of sword energy. To immediately react to whatever might happen, but Yutan Geom didn’t know. That some things couldn't be altered by mere reaction. Tang Soyeol murmured while looking at him. "Assembly of Ten Thousand Shadows." And with those words... *KABOOM!!!* Her shadow expanded, engulfing the entire martial stage. In an instant, a dark barrier covered the stage. "What is this...!" His vision was obscured. Swallowed by the darkness, Yutan Geom looked around in panic. Nothing was visible. Instinctively, he released his qi sensing field to locate where Tang Soyeol was. *Thump!* "Ugh!?" A sharp sensation pierced through Yutan Geom from behind. It wasn’t a sword. It was a hand. "Kuhk...!" Yutan Geom, bleeding, looked down. An intensely dark field of vision where nothing should be visible, yet strangely, the white hand piercing through his body was distinctly visible. *Shick!* The hand that pierced through withdrew. His heart had been pierced. Thud-! Yutan Geom crumpled immediately. Death? Yutan Geom felt death. As he gradually collapsed, a soft voice reached his ears. "Once." Tang Soyeol spoke thus to Yutan Geom. This was only once. He still had five more rounds of his hell left.