The Heavenly Demon Who Reigns

A subtle energy flowed between the two's gazes.

That energy was so cold that it seemed to freeze even the surrounding air, and perhaps because of that, Jo Seokjin's thoughts also felt frozen at the same time.

"..."

Jo Seokjin could not answer Cheon Myeong's question.

The move that Cheon Myeong had just presented was too sharp to come up with an answer immediately.

That's why, from now on, each and every small action could be a fatal blow that would decide his defeat.

To avoid that, he had to be more on his toes.

Thump- thump-.

At that moment, instead of answering, Jo Seokjin began to move his steps.

Steps that were neither fast nor slow.

Jo Seokjin's steps stopped exactly in front of the place where the Neuk-a had fallen.

Swish-.

And Jo Seokjin picked up the Neuk-a that had fallen on the floor and began to examine it in front of his eyes.

Cheon Myeong just watched him quietly.

And after examining it to some extent, Jo Seokjin finally opened his mouth.

"This is indeed a Neuk-a, the unique hidden weapon of the Snake Jo Family."

"..."

"Are you saying that this was worn on the hand of the assassin who attacked you, Young Master?"

"Yes."

Jo Seokjin confirmed that fact with Cheon Myeong once more.

But that didn't mean the answer would change.

Although he didn't know what answer he wanted to hear from Cheon Myeong's mouth, the situation was still the same.

'Is this the only way, after all?'

His words and actions until now had been for the purpose of buying time.

Although it was a short time that could be called a mere moment, since the situation was like this, even that felt precious to Jo Seokjin.

And thanks to that, Jo Seokjin was able to organize his thoughts and come up with a move.

"I'm sorry."

Jo Seokjin said that and bowed his head to Cheon Myeong without a word.

Did that mean that he was admitting his crime?

Otherwise, there was no reason for Jo Seokjin to bow his head to Cheon Myeong like that.

"What are you sorry for?"

"I don't know through what route the Neuk-a, the unique hidden weapon of the Snake Jo Family, ended up in the hands of the assassin who tried to assassinate you, Young Master, but this can also be said to be my fault."

"..."

"If you had been harmed by the Neuk-a, what would have happened... it's terrible just to imagine."

Jo Seokjin said that and was making a truly sorry expression.

An appearance that seemed as if he would shed tears if he were to be berated one more time in this place.

But of course, Cheon Myeong did not accept that appearance on the outside as it was.

'So does that mean that he is not the one behind the assassin?'

Isn't that the true meaning of those words?

If you remove all the useless words in front and behind and look at only the core, only that will remain.

In other words, he would admit and apologize for the fact that the assassin had a Neuk-a, but he would not admit the fact that he was the one behind that assassin.

To summarize Jo Seokjin's words now, it was like that.

'Now, what are you going to do?'

While bowing his head to Cheon Myeong, Jo Seokjin was laughing inwardly.

Cheon Myeong did not know the identity of Jo Ducheon accurately.

The part where Cheon Myeong was now suspecting him was only the fact that since a Neuk-a had come out of Jo Ducheon's body, it would be related to the Snake Jo Family.

In other words, it meant that he knew nothing else.

'Jo Ducheon's identity has been kept strictly secret on a regular basis.'

Jo Ducheon was just his shadow and tool.

Since most of the people in the Snake Jo Family did not know of Jo Ducheon's existence, no matter how much Cheon Myeong investigated, he would not be able to find out anything about Jo Ducheon.

'There is a possibility that Cheon Myeong has other evidence besides the Neuk-a... but if he had, he would have taken out the evidence from the beginning and would not have acted in a way that tested me like this.'

In other words, the only physical evidence that Cheon Myeong had was only the Neuk-a. Jo Seokjin was now sure of that.

If so, if he could just do something about the Neuk-a itself, he would be able to overcome this situation.

Bow-

All the calculations were already finished.

Although it was not pleasant to bow his head to Cheon Myeong like this, if that was the only way out, it couldn't be helped.

Jo Seokjin could even kneel if it was to avoid being framed as the one behind it.

"On behalf of the Snake Jo Family, I will apologize."

"...Does the unique hidden weapon of the Snake Jo Family also get leaked to the outside?"

"Of course, the trade of unique hidden weapons is prohibited within the family, but since simple hidden weapons like the Neuk-a are also supplied to the branch families, it is practically difficult to manage."

"..."

"But that cannot be an excuse. As a result, since the assassin who attempted to assassinate you, Young Master, had the unique hidden weapon of the Snake Jo Family, the main family will surely be responsible."

Jo Seokjin was maintaining a thoroughly polite tone and posture.

Seeing that, it was to the point where Cheon Myeong felt sorry for questioning him any further.

Of course, it was all a calculated action, but even though he knew that fact, there was no suitable way to break through.

'I've won.'

Jo Seokjin thought so to himself as he looked at Cheon Myeong, who was not answering him.

Now, it was a problem that would end if he just gave Cheon Myeong a reward for his apology.

Of course, it was a bit of a waste to give such a reward to Cheon Myeong, but if he thought of it as the price for the failure of the assassination, it was a cheap price.

Cheon Myeong would have come here with the thought of getting a confession from him.

In the end, thinking that Cheon Myeong would return without achieving his goal, a sneer naturally appeared on Jo Seokjin's lips.

'I have to endure it, I have to endure it.'

But it was still too early to sneer.

Until Cheon Myeong disappeared from his sight, he had to force himself to hold back his laughter.

"Please allow me to apologize to you, Young Master."

"..."

"Of course, it won't be a full apology, but how can I compensate you?"

Jo Seokjin asked, holding back his sneer.

Asking in such a way would be a humiliation for Cheon Myeong.

The person who had ordered his assassination was right in front of him, but since there was no definite evidence, the feeling of not being able to catch him would be truly frustrating.

'I will surely kill him later.'

After sending Cheon Myeong away like this, Jo Seokjin was planning to assassinate Cheon Myeong once more.

After talking like this today, he could be sure.

That the words that Jang Hyeon had said to him were not all wrong.

The fact that he had come to see him boldly with just one piece of physical evidence, the Neuk-a, and the action of using it appropriately to test him, seemed that it would be a threat in the future.

"Compensation..."

Cheon Myeong muttered, stroking his chin as he had done before.

Seeing this, Jo Seokjin asked.

"Is there something you want?"

"..."

"Don't feel burdened and tell me anything."

"Really? Then shall I speak without reservation?"

What is this attitude?

As Cheon Myeong's expression and tone somehow became cheerful, Jo Seokjin couldn't help but be puzzled.

And at that moment, hearing the words coming out of Cheon Myeong's mouth, Jo Seokjin's expression contorted.

"I'd like you to give me a Hyeol-su-yu."

"D-did you say Hyeol-su-yu!"

"Yes."

"..."

Hyeol-su-yu was a fruit.

But it was not a simple fruit that grew on a dogwood tree.

Of course, its external characteristics were red like the fruit that grew on a dogwood tree, but the different point was that it had a peculiar shape that resembled a human heart.

As much as its appearance, unlike a simple fruit, it had a tremendous effect, and that was that it had an excellent effect in neutralizing all poisons.

But that didn't mean that such an effect would come out just by eating a Hyeol-su-yu; the true effect would only appear when it was properly mixed with other medicinal herbs.

Although there were conditional restrictions, in a way, the ingredient that could be the source of all antidotes was the Hyeol-su-yu.

But Cheon Myeong was now telling him to give him such a thing.

Jo Seokjin was dumbfounded, as if he had not expected this situation at all.

"You're not going to say you don't have it, are you?"

"..."

"If you say you don't have even this... then I don't know what to do next."

In Cheon Myeong's voice as he said that, a coldness like before was felt.

'To think that that guy would ask for a Hyeol-su-yu...'

Jo Seokjin had thought that Cheon Myeong would ask for money or an elixir at best.

And he could give that much with his own power.

But a Hyeol-su-yu is different.

Especially for the Snake Jo Family, what was more valuable than a decent elixir was the Hyeol-su-yu.

'How does that guy know about the existence of the Hyeol-su-yu?'

Looking at his tone, it seemed that Cheon Myeong was sure that the Snake Jo Family had a Hyeol-su-yu.

And as Cheon Myeong had said, the Snake Jo Family had a Hyeol-su-yu. And quite a lot of it.

The Snake Jo Family is a family whose main focus is poison techniques and hidden weapon techniques.

So as much as they handle poison techniques, they also have considerable knowledge about how to detoxify poisons.

Wouldn't it be an unsightly thing to be poisoned by the poison one uses?

So as much as they produce deadly poisons, they also invest considerable research in detoxification.

"..."

If there is a Tang family in the orthodox faction, there is a Snake Jo Family in the Demonic Cult.

When it comes to poison techniques and hidden weapon techniques, the Snake Jo Family could be said to be the best in the Demonic Cult.

As much as that reputation, they also had a considerable number of Hyeol-su-yu for the research of detoxification.

'But still, the number of Hyeol-su-yu that the main family has is twenty... it would be a little over that.'

That was also a huge number.

In fact, if one were to get one Hyeol-su-yu in the martial world, it was unknown how many thousands of gold would be needed.

Rather, it would be fortunate if one could buy it with money, but since the Hyeol-su-yu itself could not be artificially cultivated, it was especially difficult to get.

'One... I can give that much.'

He could get that much without overdoing it.

No matter how precious a material the Hyeol-su-yu was for research, since he was a direct descendant of the Snake Jo Family.

If he used that position, wouldn't he be able to just take out one?

Since Cheon Myeong would have said that, knowing the value of the Hyeol-su-yu, he would not hope for more than that, was Jo Seokjin's great misunderstanding.

"Hyeol-su-yu... as you said, Young Master, the main family has a Hyeol-su-yu."

"..."

"But since it is so valuable that even the main family cannot handle it carelessly, I don't think I can give you much, Young Master."

"I know, do you think I would shamelessly ask for all of it?"

"...Thank you for understanding."

Jo Seokjin said that and took a breath.

"How many do you want?"

Jo Seokjin asked with a nervous voice.

Then, Cheon Myeong slowly raised his right hand.

And Jo Seokjin's gaze went to the right hand that Cheon Myeong had raised.

Swish-.

Cheon Myeong's right hand was holding up one index finger.

That would mean one.

As expected, as Cheon Myeong asked for one, Jo Seokjin was relieved inwardly.

However.

Swish-.

Belatedly, Cheon Myeong raised his left hand.

And although he held out his index finger just like his right hand, the different thing from his right hand was that this time, his left hand was facing horizontally, not vertically.

"...?"

As he belatedly discovered Cheon Myeong's left hand, Jo Seokjin looked at him with a dazed face.

Cheon Myeong's two index fingers were now crossed.

Although Jo Seokjin could not understand what Cheon Myeong was doing now, as he thought that the shape of the crossed index fingers resembled a certain character, his expression began to change.

'T-ten...?'

Could it be... at the moment he thought so, Cheon Myeong said with a curve on his lips.

"Ten."

"..."

"It's a very reasonable number, isn't it?"

Cheon Myeong's face as he said that and smiled looked like that of a little devil.