Chapter 403

On the surface, Soul Seizing Thread Master Tang Sang-yul appeared to have started another rebellion.

However, Tang Sang-yul had been Tang Gwi-ok’s longtime subordinate. It would be difficult for such a person to recklessly stir up trouble without Tang Gwi-ok’s orders.

Through this incident, the Tang family members clearly realized that this was the family head’s will.

Moreover, since Tang Sang-yul had embraced the representative dissenting forces and died together with them, there were essentially no more who could oppose the family head.

Jin Ja-gang looked at the thirty scholars kneeling.

Most of those who had worked with Tang Qing were mute and simultaneously deaf. Moreover, all tasks were divided into fragments so they didn’t know much about each other.

Tang Qing was the final destination where the information these people brought arrived. Tang Qing, who didn’t trust people, didn’t place middle managers and personally managed all information himself. And once he saw information, he put it in his head and discarded everything.

Though Tang Qing’s spacious office still had tens of thousands of bamboo scrolls left besides the discarded ones, they weren’t immediately useful information that Jin Ja-gang was curious about.

Jin Ja-gang went to find Tang Gwi-ok.

Tang Gwi-ok, who had been looking out the window, said.

“The martial alliance leader has lost power and the Martial Alliance, considered an iron fortress, has begun to split. Qingcheng Sect, the holy land of Taoism, has scattered in all directions… and the guardian deity who protected our family for long years has also collapsed. New eras always come with sacrifices.”

Tang Gwi-ok turned her head and greeted Jin Ja-gang with a smile.

“Come in. You who will lead the new era. What brings you to me?”

Jin Ja-gang looked at Tang Gwi-ok for a moment, then asked.

“I want to know about the great undertaking.”

“You must be thinking of stopping the great undertaking?”

“Yes.”

Jin Ja-gang said.

“Ten years ago, the Poison Sect struck Medicine Sect. As a result, we could identify all the types of medicinal herbs traded by martial world sects.”

“I truly cannot help but admire son-in-law’s sharp insight. That’s right. Older brother learned the medicinal herbs used by each sect and found the compatibility with the internal energy cultivation methods those sects possessed. And sometimes…”

Tang Gwi-ok said something unbelievable.

“He seemed to directly capture the direct disciples of those sects to verify if his thoughts were correct.”

One more curiosity was solved.

The incident Master Haewol had been searching for over a long time.

The incident where disciples who had learned the direct transmission methods of each sect disappeared.

The culprit was precisely Tang Qing.

Tang Qing had been steadily preparing to subdue martial world warriors from long ago.

“Is that the Five Path Fatal Pill?”

“The Five Path Fatal Pill is a general-purpose poison made from the most easily obtainable materials. By adding and removing several materials from there, poisons compatible with each sect’s cultivation methods can be made.”

Tang Gwi-ok said.

“And one more type of poison is added.”

Soul Extinction.

The fatal poison Tang Qing had produced from his own bone marrow.

Cultivation method compatibility plus Soul Extinction. That’s why even Demon Exterminating Monk Mu-gak had no choice but to succumb.

“Then the Five Path Fatal Pill will be difficult to produce anymore.”

Perhaps with Tang Qing, who was the core of the great undertaking, collapsing, the great undertaking would end.

If not for the words Tang Qing left at the last moment, Jin Ja-gang might have thought so too.

The great undertaking… has already begun…

You cannot stop the flow… Only choices… remain…

Jin Ja-gang asked Tang Gwi-ok.

“Do you understand the meaning?”

“All external affairs were handled by older brother’s hands. Older brother didn’t tolerate my involvement at all. But when he was in a very good mood or very bad mood, he would give hints bit by bit. Because of that, I learned that older brother was making a very dangerous gamble with our family’s fate at stake.”

Tang Gwi-ok paused briefly before continuing.

“Older brother brought in forces whose true nature couldn’t be known.”

Jin Ja-gang’s eyes flashed.

Hungry Ghost King! It’s the Hungry Ghost King!

“Though older brother was a meticulous person, he ultimately couldn’t reveal the identity of those forces. He grumbled about failing in tracking several times. But in the end, he couldn’t give up their proposal and accepted it.”

“What was that?”

“Unifying the martial world.”

“That’s impossible.”

Having experienced the martial world enough, Jin Ja-gang now knew how difficult that was.

“The Tang family becomes the head and they become the hands and feet to move the world. That seems to have been what they proposed to older brother.”

“I understand that holding the world in one’s hands isn’t something achieved by subduing one or two masters.”

“That’s right. It’s only possible by making many martial artists, not just one or two, submit. That’s why the Five Path Fatal Pill was made from common materials.”

But Tang Qing had sacrificed his own vassal families against the Stone Vajras instead.

If those who should truly become hands and feet disappeared, and those forces became complete hands and feet, it was unknown what would happen later. A situation could arise where the Tang family alone couldn’t do anything with their hands and feet bound.

Perhaps Tang Qing, knowing this point, had the thought of quickly absorbing the Poison Sect’s six cliques.

Therefore, Jin Ja-gang’s interference preventing the absorption of the six cliques was very fatal to Tang Qing. Ultimately, the reason Tang Gwi-ok turned her back on Tang Qing was also there.

Seeing the Tang family’s fate rapidly declining, she thought they must pull out.

Jin Ja-gang fell into thought for a moment.

It was clearly revealed that Tang Qing had joined hands with the Hungry Ghost King.

But the Hungry Ghost King’s whereabouts were still unknown. If even Tang Qing couldn’t find him, it was questionable whether he even had substance.

But because there is substance, aren’t people continuing to move somehow?

“The production of Five Path Fatal Pills is now over. But the great undertaking hasn’t ended…”

This leads to the conclusion that Five Path Fatal Pills are already released somewhere in abundance.

But now that the Tang family and all six Poison Sect divisions have escaped Tang Qing’s control, it’s puzzling how they would make martial artists consume them and how they would handle the aftermath.

Floods.

And plague.

Medicinal materials piled up in the poison schools.

“The Five Path Fatal Pills I know were in the form of antidotes. Finding the remaining Five Path Fatal Pills would be the urgent priority.”

If enough to subdue all the masters of the martial world, it wouldn’t be a small amount.

Jin Ja-gang asked Tang Gwi-ok.

“Do you agree with my thinking?”

“I’m neither young nor a youth with boiling blood. I have no interest in righteous causes and no personal greed. Only protecting the family is my duty, and to protect the family, I can do any number of somewhat unrighteous things.”

Tang Gwi-ok, who had given a long preamble, said.

“Shaolin Temple still regards our family as an enemy, and due to what older brother did, other sects will also be watching us covetously. If we don’t take responsibility and retrieve what was done, our family’s future would be no different from nonexistent.”

This meant she agreed with Jin Ja-gang’s intention.

“I must attach one condition.”

Even without Tang Gwi-ok saying it, Jin Ja-gang knew.

Jin Ja-gang was connected to the Tang family through Tang Ha-ran. But he still couldn’t be considered a Tang family person. If he wanted to use the Tang family’s power, he needed to be in a position befitting that.

“Soon, I will make a decision.”

Tang Gwi-ok smiled.

“This old woman is at an age where I don’t know when I might not open my eyes in the morning. I hope to see that while I’m alive, when I can still be of some help.”

It was a similar feeling to what Divine Nun had said.

A threat, or a promise as a supporter.

“I understand.”

Tang Gwi-ok’s smile deepened upon hearing Jin Ja-gang’s answer.

Poison Dragon doesn’t lie.

He keeps what he says himself.

That is the image of Jin Ja-gang that has recently become known to the martial world, not a blood-crazed madman.

* * *

As rumors spread that Jin Ja-gang had brought down Tang Qing, several figures came to visit the Tang Family Main House.

The first to arrive were Bian Bu and So-so, who came as messengers from Shandong’s unorthodox sects. Bian Bu’s Achilles tendon had been severed when he was with Jin Ja-gang at Namga Village before, so his leg was still inconvenient. Unlike Jin Ja-gang who recovered quickly, he had a different body. Therefore, So-so came supporting Bian Bu.

“Well… you’ve become even more spiritually bright?”

Bian Bu immediately noticed Jin Ja-gang had changed upon seeing him.

“How did you come all this way when your body is inconvenient?”

“It’s a long journey and we’re coming to the Tang family, which is a prestigious orthodox sect. When we chose the person least like an unorthodox sect member, there was only me.”

Jin Ja-gang also welcomed So-so.

“So-so, you came well too.”

So-so nodded and smiled brightly.

Next to arrive were Qingcheng Sect’s Taoist Master Bok-cheon and Woon-jeong.

“Poison Dragon friend! It’s complete chaos. Everyone’s talking about Poison Dragon friend. In the martial world, there’s no one who doesn’t know Poison Dragon friend…”

Woon-jeong waved at Jin Ja-gang with a happy face, then saw So-so and immediately turned his head.

“Miss So-so! Hehehe.”

Taoist Master Bok-cheon sharply smacked Woon-jeong’s head.

Taoist Master Bok-cheon also saw Jin Ja-gang and offered congratulations.

“You’re no longer the little one who only used evil before. But don’t forget to humble yourself more as you rise higher.”

By not completely speaking down to him, Taoist Master Bok-cheon showed he was respecting the current Jin Ja-gang.

“The situation is urgent, so I’d appreciate if you could arrange a place.”

Jin Ja-gang guided them to a quiet location. The leaders of the three Poison Sect Cliques also attended together.

After brief introductions among each other, Jin Ja-gang spoke of Tang Qing’s great undertaking related to the plague.

Taoist Master Bok-cheon and Bian Bu showed bitter smiles.

“King of Hell has touched something irreversible.”

“With the slightest mistake, he could be branded a public enemy of the martial world, leaving not a single foundation stone of the Tang family.”

“From that perspective, Lady Li Hua’s decisiveness saved the Tang family.”

While briefly discussing this, Taoist Master Bok-cheon said to the leaders of the three Poison Sect Cliques.

“Since the topic of plague came up, the people’s lives have reached a very serious state. Merchants and local notables are releasing grain to barely avoid the worst starvation, but the plague isn’t subsiding easily.”

Bian Bu interjected.

“While coming, border inspections on all routes have been strengthened, and areas with plague have had roads completely closed, making travel impossible. But the plague continues spreading, so closed areas are also increasing.”

Yuk Ha-seon also added a word.

“According to a message from our side yesterday, among martial artists with internal energy, those falling to the plague are increasing one by one.”

Martial artists who handle internal energy rarely get sick. They have strong resistance to infectious diseases too. Yet if there are those falling to plague, it’s proof the plague is that severe.

“Ah, there’s an interesting story.”

Tap Tak-yeon said.

“Small and medium poison sects are releasing medicinal materials. You know. Our poison sects have been collecting medicinal materials good for plague since several years ago.”

Bian Bu added.

“Ah, I saw while coming. Though more expensive than usual, they’re selling at considerable bargain prices. Even that is greatly appreciated by common people.”

Jin Ja-gang’s eyes lit up.

The most promising speculation currently is that Five Path Fatal Pills are mixed in those medicinal materials. If not, there’s absolutely no means to spread Five Path Fatal Pills to martial artists.

As if reading Jin Ja-gang’s thoughts, Ro-gwan said.

“If ordinary people get sicker and die from eating plague medicine, martial artists won’t touch the medicine at all.”

“But that’s the most likely route for Five Path Fatal Pills in antidote form to spread.”

Yuk Ha-seon said.

“Since they know our poison sects bought medicinal materials in large quantities, we’ll all soon face pressure to provide medicinal materials. If Five Path Fatal Pills are mixed in there…”

There was no need to say more. Without the satisfaction of driving out Tang Qing, troublesome matters would befall both the martial world and the three Poison Sect Cliques.