Myriad-Flowers Rain.

It was Tang Clan’s representative martial art, and it would not be an exaggeration to say that, as martial artists, it was the technique that had raised their name this far.

A cruel, destructive martial art that vomited out countless hidden weapons it contained, making them pour down like rain.

And, as overwhelming as the power of the technique was, it was also specialized for war.

Hidden weapons pouring down from the sky like rain. What power could be better suited for war than that?

In fact, thanks to that, Poison Sovereign had made an enormous contribution in the war.

The higher-ups of the Demonic Cult might have called Yoo Cheongil and Jegal Jin the worst demons—

But for the lower-ranked demons who actually marched onto the battlefield, Tang Clan’s martial artists, especially Poison Sovereign, who was called the pinnacle among them, could not have been anything but the most terrifying existence.

Because of the poison arts, they could not even eat food carelessly.

And during the war, they would never know when hidden weapons would come pouring down through their skulls, so they had to be wary even of that.

‘Even if Myriad-Flowers Rain didn’t solve everything.’

That it had become Tang Clan’s symbol was no different.

Yeah, a symbol.

The very thing all the other great families and sects so desperately tried to drag out and cling to.

A martial art that symbolized a group was more important than anything.

Blue Moon Sect’s Blue Moon Sword Dance, along with Mount Hua Sect’s Plum-Blossom Sword Art, had secured its place as a beautiful and powerful sword art.

The symbolic martial arts of each of the Ten Great Sects were the same.

As were the symbols of the other Five Great Clans in general.

When you think of Namgung Clan, you think of the domineering martial art called Sovereign Sword Form—that would be a representative example.

Just like that, symbols were important. They meant the unique character of that group, and, if you evaluated it further as a value, they could be more important than anything.

‘The reason Blue Moon Sect obsessed over repairing Full Moon was probably for that reason, too.’

The symbolism Full Moon itself possessed, apart from the Blue Moon Sword Dance.

That originated from the existence called Sword Saint. But so long as Sword Saint was called the current symbol of Blue Moon Sect—

That alone was a sufficient reason to protect it.

Tang Clan was the same.

‘Compared to other places, there’s not much you can call a symbol.’

Their most powerful symbol, Iron River, did exist within Tang Clan, but—

‘Well.’

That was outstanding as craftsmanship and in weapon-making.

It was hard to see it as the symbol of a martial family.

Poison arts? Those were rightly seen as a threatening power, but there was no power that could really be called a symbol.

That was why there was an evaluation that Tang Clan’s position was ambiguous.

All the other Five Great Clans had some martial symbol.

And Tang Clan was being evaluated as lacking that.

Especially on that front, things had become even more that way since the generation of Poison King.

Iron River was still said to be in a period of revival, but Poison Sovereign’s death had become an enormous shock.

And even in terms of martial achievement, Poison King was evaluated as strong—

But that was only his personal might and fame.

If you asked whether all of Tang Clan’s martial artists were strong...

‘There are even people saying, by public opinion, that this is the weakest they’ve ever been.’

A clan that, except for Poison King, was not all that strong.

Among the Five Great Clans, alongside Jegal Clan, one of the weakest.

That was the current evaluation of Tang Clan.

‘If you consider that Jegal Clan wasn’t a place that rose up by force of arms in the first place...’

Then the reputation of “weakest” was a story that seemed to be focused solely on Tang Clan.

‘And it really is that way, too.’

An evaluation that had been slowly tilting downward ever since Poison Sovereign’s death.

A martial family whose only real asset was Iron River.

That was Tang Clan’s evaluation.

Maybe—

‘Those things are what are accelerating Poison King’s impatience.’

That was my guess.

Because that kind of impatience existed, maybe he was clinging to the symbol left behind by the old karma called Myriad-Flowers Rain.

That was what I was thinking when—

“...Young Master Bang.”

Poison King called me and rose to his feet.

In that moment—

KRRRREEEEK---!!!

“...!”

I had to snap my body taut at the momentum that burst out from Poison King.

RATTLE RATTLE RATTLE-!

Every piece of furniture in the Clan Head’s room shook. Everything was being affected by the energy Poison King was exuding.

Especially I, taking it directly, felt like I was going to lose my mind from that momentum.

‘I’m gonna go crazy.’

My bones rang.

All from nothing but receiving his energy.

This was—

‘An absolute master...’

The Five Kings, who, by combining their fame and might, had made their names known in the Central Plains.

People had attached the name “King” as a title to the five martial artists with the greatest influence and called them that.

Namgung Clan’s Sword King.

Peng Clan’s Saber King.

Tang Clan’s Poison King.

Xi’an’s Tyrant King.

And Guangdong’s War King.

They left nothing to be desired in terms of realm.

And when you looked at the achievements they had accomplished, it was more than enough.

So people would talk about those five figures and call them the Five Kings Under Heaven.

Now that Heaven-Beyond-Heaven had hidden itself from sight, they were the most outstanding masters, and the ones people said lacked nothing to one day ascend to Heaven-Beyond-Heaven.

Poison King, one of those five, was definitely an absolute master.

And the momentum he was aiming at me was not at a level that a mere first-rate like me could bear.

However—

Squeeze.

I curled my hand into a fist and held on through sheer grit.

“I think of you as an outstanding person.”

Poison King spoke to me with a murderous gaze. At those words, I forced a smile onto my face.

“I’m just grateful you see me that way.”

“...From that standpoint, I figure you can’t not know what your earlier statement means. Am I right in thinking that?”

CLATTER CLATTER-!!!

CLANG-!

The teacup shook and then shattered.

I froze. So you could create a phenomenon like that just by exuding energy.

That was surprising. And on another level—

‘That could be aimed at me.’

Knowing my body could end up like that teacup made my tension ratchet up even further.

This was also Poison King’s warning for that.

Choose your words carefully.

If you don’t, that teacup might be you.

A warning like that.

“You’re right. I know. But I still think it’s something I have to say.”

“How did you know?”

How did I know about Myriad-Flowers Rain—that was what Poison King’s eyes and energy were asking.

But it didn’t get any worse. Poison King held it at just the level where I could still speak.

“I figured it out because of the situation.”

“...The situation?”

“The inexplicable impatience Clan Head has been showing. The reason you went so far as to seek me out for Poison Sovereign’s secret vault in order to resolve it.”

He had asked another sect for help in opening Poison Sovereign’s secret vault, something that must never become known.

Was that really because there was no other way?

No.

‘It means he’s that desperate.’

It wasn’t a time to be looking for other methods—he was truly desperate.

I judged Poison King’s position as being like that.

So—

“I’ve always wondered what it was you were trying so hard to find.”

Using that as a base, I jammed the reason in place.

“After looking into it a little, I heard that ever since the previous Clan Head passed away, no one has seen Tang Clan use Myriad-Flowers Rain.”

This was something I couldn’t know. I’d never investigated that information. But it didn’t matter. I knew the correct answer.

I just had to fully construct the process leading to it.

“Of course, there’s also the fact that there hasn’t been a war that would call for using Myriad-Flowers Rain...”

I gave him an out to wriggle through, letting Poison King vent his frustration.

“And when I thought about what I have, I concluded there was only one answer anyway.”

“...What you have?”

Opening up a path and then closing it firmly again at the same time, I muddied his focus.

This was my own little revenge.

“What is it you have?”

“I told you, didn’t I.”

Revenge on Poison King, who had toyed with me last time—

‘Take a taste of it.’

And revenge toward Yoo Cheongil, who had always acted without a word and left me to clean up after him.

[Boy. What are you doing? Have you really lost your mind?]

Yoo Cheongil had been calling out to me like that for a while now, but I kept ignoring him.

“If Myriad-Flowers Rain is what you want... I think I can help you with that.”

“......”

“You already know, don’t you? That when Myriad-Flowers Rain was first restored... the one who helped wasn’t anyone else but my master.”

“...!”

When I mentioned Yoo Cheongil, Poison King’s eyes widened.

Yeah, that was the reason Yoo Cheongil was evaluated as Tang Clan’s benefactor.

Because he’d helped restore Myriad-Flowers Rain.

Thanks to that, there really were rewards he’d received.

“When I received what my master left behind in the past, there was something he said to me about Myriad-Flowers Rain.”

[This crazy bastard, huh?]

“...What? Is that really true?”

At my words, Yoo Cheongil was aghast, and Poison King was so shocked his exuded energy even faltered.

“Yes. As if he’d somehow prophesied this situation, my master told me in advance.”

[When the hell did I ever do that. What good would it do me for them to have that—!]

“If I ever had reason to visit Tang Clan, I’d been thinking I might pass his words along... and it feels like right now is exactly that time.”

“......”

Poison King’s brows knit slightly at what I said.

That crease was puzzlement.

“...Young Master Bang.”

“Yes, Clan Head.”

“I don’t know whether that’s really true, but if it is, then why wait until now to say it?”

It had been quite a while since I’d come to Sichuan.

It had already been days since I’d been staying at Tang Clan. Why I was only now speaking about Myriad-Flowers Rain—

That seemed to be what Poison King found strange.

“Come on. Why are you being like this?”

I couldn’t help but laugh at those words.

“When we’ve both got things we’re hiding, it’s not like we’re on such chummy terms that I’d help you out of pure goodwill, are we?”

“......”

I didn’t beat around the bush; I poked straight at it.

A relationship for the sake of a deal.

We’d been sounding each other out and trying every trick we could think of so as not to take a loss.

It had only been a short conversation, but you could definitely feel that. And since that had gone on for days, we were at a point where we each knew something about the other.

Poison King already knew, and so did I.

‘The kind of person who doesn’t move unless there’s something in it for them.’

We were that type.

Poison King didn’t deny my words. He merely changed the look in his eyes.

From the gaze of someone who’d glimpsed a faint hope—to the eyes of a merchant getting ready for a deal.

“...Fine. If you really know something about Myriad-Flowers Rain, then bringing it up only now means there’s something you want, doesn’t it?”

“That’s right.”

“Then, before I listen to that, I’ll say this here and now.”

CRRRUNCH-!

“...!”

I flinched. A dagger appeared in Poison King’s hand and he drove it straight down into the table.

And then—

SSSSIZZLE-!

From where the dagger was stuck, a stench rose as the surroundings slowly turned black.

“If, by any chance, your words are false, then even if you are a man of Blue Moon Sect and Sword Saint’s successor, I will mete out punishment according to Tang Clan’s laws.”

The backs of my knees went numb. I didn’t know exactly what Tang Clan’s laws were, but looking at the table, I got the idea.

‘Next time, my body could be that table.’

The thought flashed across my mind, but—

“Fine.”

I nodded. At the very least, I had to stake my life on it.

Because my life needed to be on the line for that damned old man to move the way I wanted.

[You rotten brat...]

Wrinkles deepened on Yoo Cheongil’s forehead as he grasped my intentions. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

I ignored him.

Ah. If there was one small problem...

‘Knowing that old man’s personality...’

If I left him alone like this, he might lose his temper and ignore my life and everything else.

So I had to get my words out as quickly as possible, too.

“Then you’ll have to give me a firm answer in return, Clan Head.”

I was certain.

“Speak.”

“If I’m right, and if, based on that, I can place Myriad-Flowers Rain in your hands, Clan Head...”

I was sure Yoo Cheongil would move for my sake when he heard the terms I was about to name.

That old man was sharp.

He was frighteningly sly and absurdly skilled in politics.

Which was why—

“I’d like you, in the name of ‘Poison King Tang Gyeongak,’ to grant not Blue Moon Sect, but me personally, priority trading rights for Iron River and exclusive trading rights for other lower-grade weapons.”

I figured that if it was Yoo Cheongil, he’d be able to pick up on what those words meant.

At that thought, I let the words out.

[Huh?]

Yoo Cheongil, who’d been glaring at me, let out a short, startled breath.

[Ha. Hahahahahaha—!!]

And not long after, he burst into loud laughter.

After laughing for quite a while, Yoo Cheongil stopped and spoke to me.

[You impudent brat.]

The blazing eyes and ripped-up corners of his mouth were scary as hell, but—

[You ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) keep making this old man have fun, don’t you—!]

In the look in his eyes—

Ridiculously enough, just like the way Iron River Master looked at Tang Yeran, a faint hint of pride lay there.

Which was really damn annoying.