Woo paced nervously around the room all day, wondering if the letter had been delivered properly. Even as the sun began to set, there was still no news. At this point, he started to think that the First Internal Officer might not have recognized it.
Just then, a soft voice came from the door.
"Are you resting?"
It was definitely the voice of the person who he asked to send the letter earlier. When Woo opened the door, he found Yeon-jin waiting for him.
"Please follow me."
Woo nodded silently and followed behind Yeon-jin. She walked ahead at a slow pace, as if adjusting her steps to match Woo's.
For reasons unknown to him, Woo didn't encounter a single person along the way. This was the heart of the Black Sky Clan, a heavily guarded area with frequent patrols. The fact that no one appeared was a clear sign that the person who had sent this servant was none other than the master of the Black Sky Clan. Despite the secrecy of this summons, Woo felt oddly reassured.
Woo was led to the lakeside on the outskirts of Black Sky. There, a guest was already waiting. With a fishing rod in hand and wearing a straw hat, the person was none other than Ye Jin-rang, the Black Sky Lord, whose beauty was not hidden even in the darkness.
Looking at the still fishing rod, Jin-rang spoke first.
"In the end, it has come to this."
"...I am truly sorry."
Woo's face twisted in distress as he bowed deeply.
"When Kang-oh grew older and began wandering outside the Black Sky Clan, I felt both saddened and relieved. It was because you were here. But in the end, even that charade has come to an end like this."
"…"
"That child came to me directly for the first time, asking for something, and it just had to be you."
Even though Jin-rang was the strongest in the martial world, there were still things he could not control. Among those, the most difficult was his beloved disciple, Kang-oh.
"P-please help me. I shouldn't stay by his side. You know that…" Woo pleaded, his voice trembling as if he might cry.
Looking down at Woo, who had bowed deeply until his head nearly touched the ground, Jin-rang replied.
"This is already beyond my control."
Kang-oh had already begun to harbor suspicions. In this situation, it was impossible for Jin-rang to take Woo back.
"I will leave. Wouldn't that solve the problem?"
"Do you really think that someone like you, who knows nothing of martial arts and has no real power, can hide from the Third Disciple of the Black Sky Clan?"
Pretending that Woo was missing could be a solution. However, if that happened, how fiercely would that stubborn youngest disciple search for Woo? It was a method that should only be used as a last resort.
For Jin-rang, the only option was to wait for Kang-oh's interest in Woo to gradually fade. Yet, no matter how much he feared disappointing Kang-oh, Jin-rang had no intention of letting his disciple do as he pleased. The person Kang-oh had become so fixated on, despite their pitiful appearance, was dangerous. Even if his dantian were shattered, his tendons severed, and his tongue cut out, there would still be no guarantee of safety.
"What should I do then?" Woo muttered with a furrowed brow, his frustration clear.
At that moment, Ye Jinrang pulled a slender bottle from within his robes. Made of a translucent, durable material, the bottle revealed the dark, writhing form of a shadow-like creature twisting inside.
"This is 'Gu Poison'."
The Black Sky Lord spoke flatly. But those words were not something to be taken lightly.
The Gu Poison was the worst secret technique created to control humans. The caster kept the original Gu, while its offspring were injected into the target. While mutual consent was required for the process, once the Gu took hold of its host, it was relentless. It would consume the host's body to survive, no matter what.
"I know you've spent the last eight years bowing your head and keeping yourself in check. But things have changed now."
"..."
"Of course, you can choose to ignore this and return to Kang-oh's side as you are."
While Jin-rang kept Woo as a servant, he had never restricted his freedom of thought, even if his physical freedom was often constrained. However, everything would change after receiving the Venomous Parasite. From that point on, if Woo acted against Jin-rang's will, the parasite would release poison to torment him. And if Jin-rang decided that Woo should die, the parasite would bring him death instantly.
It was a method that could dissolve the brain while the victim was still alive.
Surprisingly, the first development of this horrific creature came from the Four Heavenly Families of the White Path. Recognizing both the usefulness and inhumanity of the poison, they disposed of all their stock and cleverly spread rumors that it was a creation of the Demonic Path/Sect. However, Gu poison never completely disappeared from the history of the martial world. Organizations operating in the shadows managed to obtain the poison and abused it in various ways. Among these was the Blood Sect/Cult, which was consumed by madness and sought to burn the entire martial world as an offering to their god.
The Blood Cult used the parasite to subdue prominent martial masters, bending them to their will. It was even rumored that the fall of the demonic sect/path was primarily due to the Blood Cult's use of the poison.
Because of this, Goryeo became one of the few taboos in the martial world, alongside the Thunderbolt Pill. It was nearly impossible to find, even after extensive searching, and no amount of wealth could procure it. Moreover, publicly expressing a desire for the poison would instantly mark one as an enemy of the martial world.
However, for Ye Jin-rang, who had dedicated his life to defeating the Blood Sect and absorbing all remnants of the Demonic Sect, it was entirely possible that he possessed Goryeo.
"I-I will accept it... I will accept it."
Even though Woo understood well what Gu poison was and what would happen if he accepted it, he did not refuse. He couldn't.
As the former lord of the White Virtue Clan who once dominated the light martial world, Dan Woo-hyo's pride had long since crumbled, scattered like ashes trampled underfoot. He owed Jin Rang a debt he could never repay: saving him from the brink of death and taking in Ye Kang-oh, raising and cherishing him as his own.
But if that were all, repaying the kindness from his original position would have been enough. But the reason Woo now lay prostrate in the lowest depths of the Black Sky Clan, desperately seeking Jin Rang's mercy, was because of one sin—one he could never confess to anyone and would have to carry alone for the rest of his life.
Thus, Woo closed his eyes and opened his mouth.
One of the most powerful in the martial world, Jin Rang now bent toward the one who had fallen to the lowest depths of the martial world.
A dark, shadowy creature crawled into Woo's open mouth. It was not a typical insect; rather, it resembled a mass of shadows without a distinct form.
As the creature crawled up his throat, an unpleasant sensation made Woo tightly shut his eyes. Nausea surged within him, and he felt as if he might vomit blood, but he had to endure it. This indescribable sensation was more agonizing than anything he had experienced in the past eight years because it meant that he was now completely surrendering his last remaining free will to another.
His back trembled uncontrollably as he knelt on all fours like a beaten dog. Jin Rang didn't bother to confirm whether Woo had properly swallowed the Gu Poison/Solitary Poison. After all, as the son of that woman, Dan Woo-hyo's resilience of the venom were beyond question.
"Gah, huff... huff... huff…"
Woo writhed in agony. His body was not moving by his own will; it was the pain from the poison taking root in his mind that caused his suffering. His hands clawed desperately at the ground, his nails barely hanging on as blood dripped freely. Yet, that sensation was drowned out by the searing pain of the poison consuming him.
Jin-rang gazed down at Woo with a cold, emotionless face, as if engraving every grimace of Woo's distorted expression into his memory.
"Get up."
Despite the cold sweat pouring down him, Woo sat up. It wasn't solely because he was utterly subservient to Jin-rang's commands but because of the ringing in his head—an undeniable pressure that felt like the caster's will had directly embedded itself into his brain.
"Looks like it's properly done."
Jin-rang muttered. Woo, kneeling, closed his eyes.
Thus, the Gu Poison was implanted in Woo's body. Now, every time he resisted Jin-rang's commands, he would suffer intensely, and if he continued to refuse, he would die.
"Do not tell Kang-oh about today's events."
"Yes." Woo answered obediently, swallowing a bitter smile.
Even without the command, he had no intention of relaying what had just happened to Kang-oh.
He could understand the depth of Jin-rang's distrust toward him.
"I won't tell him until the day I die."
"Do not speak of it even in death. Never tell him who you are or what you once meant to him."
Jin-rang's reddened eyes bore into Woo. It was a gaze filled with murderous intent, hatred, and resentment, yet tinged with the faintest trace of lingering affection. Woo, enduring that horrifying stare, bowed his head without so much as flinching.
The night swallowed the secret whole, its darkness growing ever deeper.
***
Upon returning to his quarters, Woo collapsed onto the blanket spread out on the floor and fell into a deep sleep. Since the establishment of Hee-do-won, the bed that had awaited its owner now sat empty through the night.
"I've brought breakfast."
Yeon-jin, who had come with the morning meal, tilted her head in confusion. She was the only one who knew about Woo's outing the previous night. Accepting the proposal from the Third Internal Officer, she had returned to Hee-do Won to take care of the guest brought by the Third Disciple. With orders from above, Yeon-jin planned to serve Woo with utmost sincerity. So, she had diligently prepared breakfast from early in the morning, but the room felt eerily silent.
'Did I come too early?'
Thinking that perhaps he was still asleep, Yeon-jin was about to turn back. Suddenly, she hesitated. But then, she hesitated. Being the one who saw Woo last night, she had a bad feeling about the silence. It might be rude, but trusting her instincts, she opened the door.
"Excuse me."
Yeon-jin's gaze first landed on the bed. However, it was empty. There were no signs of anyone having lain or sat there. For a moment, she felt a surge of fear that Woo might have run away, but her eyes then fell to the floor.
"Oh my...!"
Woo was sprawled on the blanket, drenched in cold sweat. His flushed face clearly indicated that he had a fever.
His already weakened body could not endure the pain of the Solitary Poison being implanted.
Woo had been recovering his strength slowly while staying in the mountains for a while, but he was still far from the peak of his former self. Moreover, Goryeo was originally meant to be implanted in a martial artist's body, and a weak individual might not even withstand its subtle poison and could die.
Judging that Woo's condition was serious, Yeon-jin rushed to call a physician. The physician arrived in a hurry and examined Woo. After a brief assessment, he could not detect the poison but concluded that the man was simply weak and prescribed him some tonics.
Even strong martial artists found it difficult to sense the presence of Solitary poison. It was nearly impossible for a physician, who had no knowledge of internal energy, to identify the hidden poison.
Yeon-jin, following the prescribed treatment, watched Woo, who was sweating coldly with a worried expression.
It was not long before the news of Woo's collapse reached Kang-oh's ears, barely half an hour later.
It was not long before the news of Woo's collapse reached Kang-oh's ears, barely half an hour later.
"They say he has become very weak. They've given him medicine, and if he rests well and regains his strength, his life should not be in danger."
After returning from the training grounds, Kang-oh was informed by the Head servant of Hee-do Won that the physician had visited because of Woo.
"His life is not in danger?"
Kang-oh frowned at that statement. It seemed that Woo was not suffering from a typical illness. He immediately headed toward Woo's quarters.
Just as Yeon-jin entered the room with water to tend to Woo, she found Kang-oh approaching.
Yeon-jin, realizing that she couldn't leave Woo on the floor in his unconscious state, called two more servants to help lift him onto the bed. Woo, who had been laid on the bed in a daze, was groaning in pain. A person who could not move their limbs felt as heavy as a waterlogged cotton ball.
Yeon-jin approached to wipe the sweat off Woo's face, but just as she reached out, Woo, twisting in delirium, flung his arm out and struck her.
"Ah!"
The strength of someone feverish was more powerful than Yeon-jin had anticipated. Pushed back, she stumbled and fell to the ground, sending the water basin and cloth she carried tumbling alongside her.
"Step back. I'll handle this myself."
Kang-oh arrived just in time, his commanding voice cutting through the room as he gestured for the servant to leave. Yeon-jin, who had been pushed aside by Woo in his nightmare, quickly got up, bowed, and exited the room. The sound of the door closing behind her echoed in the silence. Kang-oh strode toward the bed. Just then, he tripped over something and looked down to see the rough blanket that had been carelessly thrown on the floor.
The way it was creased gave him pause—it wasn't simply left lying on the floor; it looked as if someone had been resting on it.
'Could it be...'
Kang-oh's expression darkened slightly. He had learned from experience that "just in case" often led to dire consequences. The events from the mountains had left a deep impression on him, to the point where he would think of Woo every time he saw an axe.
Fortunately, Woo was lying on the bed now. Kang-oh examined his complexion. He was sweating so profusely that his clothes were soaked through. It was clear that someone had tried to wipe him down with water. Kang-oh instructed a disciple waiting outside to bring hot water and a soft cloth, then sat down beside the bed.
With a face flushed bright red, Woo was mumbling incomprehensible words. His fever was so high that it seemed he was hallucinating. Kang-oh couldn't understand how someone who had been fine just yesterday could be in such a state after only one day. He vaguely suspected that it was simply a result of his tension easing, but…
"…Ordinary people require a lot of care."
Kang-oh muttered to himself. He was used to being surrounded by martial artists who didn't even catch a common cold. The Honamdan members, for example, were the type to shake off illness by running laps in the training yard to sweat it out if they felt unwell, avoiding the need for medicine altogether. Growing up in that kind of environment and being in peak health himself, Kang-oh had rarely encountered someone this sick twice.
In fact, this was only the second time. And both times, it had been Woo. At this point, it was hard to deny that there was some strange connection between them.
"Get up soon... I've received confirmation that Master won't harm you anymore."
Even though the listener was lost in delirium, Kang-oh couldn't stop himself from speaking. For some reason, the thought of leaving Woo like this felt unbearable, as if he might slip away and run far away.
"There's no one left to harm you now. And even if there is... I'll protect you."
Kang-oh whispered as he soaked the cloth brought by the disciple.
"So don't wander too much and come back."
Woo, with a fever, was wandering through a nightmare.
'Pang Dan-joo?'
It was the final day of his time as the White Virtue Lord. He had come to Gansu to inspect the recently discovered Zhangbo Island. It was a journey disguised as a casual outing, accompanied only by his closest aides.
Mount Qilian in Gansu, though not as renowned as the Five Great Mountains of the Central Plains, stood high with sheer cliffs and exuded an aura of mystical energy. It was the kind of place where one might expect a reclusive master to dwell, leaving behind ancient martial secrets. However, looking back now, it felt like a trap.
After simply consuming the prepared meal, Woo felt something was off as he headed toward the steep cliff. His internal energy began to dissipate. At that moment, a subordinate approached him quickly and asked.
"Master? Are you alright?"
Woo instinctively braced himself, but it was already too late. Whether it was some kind of dispersing poison or a different toxin, his energy refused to flow as usual. From the very beginning, the enemy's intent was clear—they had come to kill him.
Fortunately, the blade that aimed to pierce his heart only grazed him, stabbing into his shoulder instead.
"Pang Dan-joo, how could you... …?"
Pang Dan-joo had served his father, the previous White Virtue Lord, with unwavering loyalty. She was truly a paragon of loyalty, possessing a steadfast character that was more likely to break than to bend. That was why he trusted her. That was why he felt close to her.
Never once did Woo imagine that Pang Dan-joo's blade had been aimed at him from the very beginning.
"I have waited a long time for this day."
As Woo turned away, he pushed away the hand that reached for his collar.
He felt something at his fingertips, as if he were truly pushing against a real person.
But It was all in the past. It should have been in the past, yet...
In his current state, he could hardly distinguish whether this was a dream or reality.
"..."
Unbelievable words poured from Pang Dan-joo's lips.
None of what she said was familiar to Woo. How could she utter such devastating words?
Woo shook his head reflexively, but his lips remained tightly sealed. Despite his disbelief, Pang Dan-joo's words seemed to touch on the very doubts Woo had harbored for so long.
"Let me share an interesting fact with you. The previous master died because of you."
Her cold voice pierced through Woo like a dagger.
No way, my father died in an accident! Woo shouted, but as soon as the words left his mouth, they were drowned out by a thunderous echo. Agony boiled in his chest.
"You are merely a pawn put forth by Seol Bu-yong to swallow up the White Virtue Clan."
With those words, Pang Dan-joo led Dan Woo-hyo to the edge of the cliff on Qilian Mountain.
"Dan Woo-hyo, you were born of sin! How brazenly you ascend to the position of Grand master of White Virtue Clan and indulge in wealth and glory!"
The shout of a subordinate he had once trusted deeply. Eyes filled with rage and hatred. How had such a person managed to suppress those emotions and serve him all this time, up until that moment?
I, I am...
Woo's hands flailed in the air.
Sweat drenched his face as the nightmare consumed him. His feverish face was flushed red. The grotesque distortion of his features made him look like a terrifying specter.
Yet Kang-oh remained calm, sitting by his side. He gently wiped Woo's sweating face with the damp cloth, his expression tense.
At that moment, a voice laced with curses echoed in Woo's mind.
"Die! Son of Seol Bu-yong!"
A blade descended toward Woo like a flash of white lightning. Poisoned and injured, Woo gritted his teeth and deflected her blade. A fierce struggle ensued between them. They rolled at the edge of the cliff, alternating between attacking and countering each other with their weapons and hands. Having sparred numerous times, they were well aware of each other's techniques, and their struggle continued for quite a while.
Swords pierced not flesh but the ground and the empty air. Hands clashed, gripping and releasing. Pang Dan-joo grabbed a fistful of Woo's long hair, while he retaliated by kicking her shin. The elegance of a proper duel was abandoned entirely—it was a vicious, primal fight.
In this situation, the advantage lay with the experienced Pang Dan-joo. Having fought countless battles against the Blood Cult, she attacked Woo with every means at her disposal. Meanwhile, though far superior in internal energy and skill, Woo was heavily disadvantaged by his poisoned state and the wound on his shoulder, which hindered his ability to channel his full strength.
As if that weren't enough, the things that Pang Dan-joo had whispered into his ear shattered Woo's composure into pieces. He was cornered both physically and mentally, teetering on the edge of the cliff.
"Master!"
He could clearly see the boy he had left at the inn below the mountain running toward him.
'Little black chick, why are you here?'
Why now, of all times? Why, at the exact moment I realized who you truly are?
Woo instinctively pulled the child, who had thrown himself to protect him, into his arms. In doing so, his back was pierced once again. For the first time, a groan of pain escaped from Woo's lips, and Pang Dan-joo laughed with a voice laced with madness.
"The previous master is waiting for your punishment."
As Woo was dragged to the edge of the cliff by Pang Dan-joo, he twisted his body in reality and convulsed.
Ye Kang-oh, who had been tending to him, placed a firm hand on Woo to hold him down.
Normally, Woo seemed as weak as someone who couldn't even eat a bowl of porridge, yet in this moment, he exhibited a strength that could crush a cow. However, with only the whites of his eyes showing and his body trembling uncontrollably, Woo seemed anything but normal.
"Get a hold of yourself!"
Kang-oh shouted as he pressed down on Woo's shoulder. His body convulsed once more.
"Get a hold of yourself! Are you going to let the fever consume you?"
A whimper escaped Woo's lips. Kang-oh's shouting seemed to have no effect on him, merely blending into the thunderous sounds of his dream.
The nightmare, seeking to engulf the weakened Woo, was racing toward its climax.
The child he had called the little black chick ran toward the edge of the cliff, where Woo was hanging, with Pang Dan-joo's hand gripping his collar. He bit Pang Dan-joo's arm, clinging desperately.
"Let go of the master! Let him go!"
"Get lost."
With that, the child struck by Pang Dan-joo's hand was sent flying. Woo gritted his teeth and tightened his grip on her arm. Pang Dan-joo, in turn, increased the pressure of her hand around Woo's neck. He could see the fallen child getting back up and running toward them again.
No, no!
With a bleeding forehead, the child threw himself to save Woo. Woo clenched his teeth and summoned the remaining essence within him. Part of it was the innate vital energy known as seoncheon jingqi (先天眞氣). As the boy collided with Pang Dan-joo, Woo exerted force on her arm and, like a performer, flipped through the air to change positions.
Considering that he was not yet at the level where he could walk in mid-air, it was truly a remarkable feat. By leveraging the force Pang Dan-joo exerted, Woo used her as a pivot point and managed to hurl himself over, exchanging places with her.
With their positions swapped, Pang Dan-joo was the one who fell instead. Even as she plummeted, she unleashed a wave of sword energy toward Woo. However, it merely crashed against the cliff, creating a thunderous sound, failing to reach its intended target.
A loud scream tore through the desolate cliffs of Qilian Mountain. The anger in her voice wasn't born from fear of her impending death; it was pure rage that she couldn't drag Woo down with her.
"…!"
The ground began to collapse under Pang Dan-joo's final desperate strike. Woo felt a sense of foreboding from the vibrations starting at the edge of the cliff. He pushed the child firmly toward solid ground. While he could have chosen to kick off the ground himself, he feared that the weakened earth might collapse entirely, so he opted to save the boy instead.
Sure enough, with a resounding thud, the ground began to crack. Woo felt a pulling sensation near his abdomen, realizing that he was starting to fall. However, the boy's arms clung to him tightly.
Instead of fleeing, the child, whom Woo had barely saved, flattened himself against the ground and used every ounce of strength to pull Woo up.
"Please... please, Master. I don't even have a name yet. You promised to give me one. You said you would teach me how to write. Please...!"
The boy leaned his upper body out, pressing his tear-streaked face against Woo's cheek. His tears dripped down, wetting Woo's face. He realized that this boy revered him, and it was not merely a simple admiration for a protector; there was a deeper, more profound connection that shimmered with a soft pink hue.
Woo had intended to let go. If what Pang Dan-joo had said was true, then perhaps dying here was the right choice. The position of Grand master of White Virtue Clan would naturally be passed to his sister. That would be enough.
In truth, Woo lacked the courage to confront his mother and demand the truth. He didn't want to confirm whether Pang Dan-joo's words were genuine. If Seol Bu-yong admitted it was true, Woo's entire world would crumble.
Once a formidable force in the martial world, he had suddenly become a weak and fearful individual. The foundation that supported him as a person was crumbling, leaving him to slowly collapse under its absence.
In response to his despair, the ground continued to collapse. The boy's arms, clinging to Woo, trembled violently. Soon, with a crack, the earth gave way, leaving the child hanging precariously at the edge of the cliff. Woo was ready to let go, but the boy's desperate grip sparked a miracle.
The child clung to him with all his might, refusing to let go.
"Little... black chick…"
Woo managed to smile faintly as he whispered. He needed to persuade the boy. He had to tell him to let go and run far away.
"Let go of me and go to Black Sky Clan. Your uncle will be waiting for you."
It was a small comfort that part of the truth Pang Dan-joo had revealed could serve as salvation for the child. Woo thought he could repay this kindness with his own death. If he fell and died here, Pang Dan-joo, whose vengeful spirit had clung to life, might finally find peace.
"You said… you'd become my family…!" the boy cried out, gritting his teeth. He read the resignation in Woo's voice and shouted with all his might, swallowing the question of why Woo would send him to an uncle he had never even met. His arms, trying to hold onto an adult much larger than himself, trembled with effort.
The boy's face showed a determined resolve. He had judged that Woo wouldn't survive much longer at this rate. His plan was to pull Woo up using the momentum and propel him upward to safety.
And in doing so, he was prepared to sacrifice himself.
Just as Woo had risen by switching places with Pang Dan-joo, the boy made the decision to willingly offer himself as a stepping stone for Woo's survival.
'You will live.'
As their positions switched, the boy mouthed these words. Then, without hesitation, he let go. If it was tragic that Woo had failed, it was equally tragic that the boy had succeeded.
Woo flailed in the air. The moment he regained his senses, he found himself plummeting down the cliff alongside the boy. His body, strained from forcibly drawing on his internal energy, felt heavy and unsteady. His core screamed in protest. He could see his fingertips curling in agony.
Yet Woo pushed forward. Forcing his body closer to the cliffside, he kicked off it deliberately to match the falling boy's speed.
The boy, who had calmly resigned himself to death, had his eyes tightly shut. Tears streamed from him, floating upward toward the distant sky. Woo caught hold of him, pulling him into an embrace.
At the sudden contact, the boy's eyes flew open wide. Shock filled his deep black eyes, rendering him speechless. His lips, too terrified to scream, conveyed his emotions through a silent struggle.
"I won't let you go alone."
Though he couldn't use jeon-eum (the technique of transmitting sound), Woo understood the boy's unspoken words perfectly and responded.
Fearing that even a single strand of hair might escape, Woo held the little black chick tightly in his embrace. Despite being affected by the mountain poison, Woo used every bit of his remaining internal energy and vital essence he had to shield the boy. He regretted not having achieved the indestructible state of geumgang bulgoe (Vajra-like invincibility). Even so, his internal organs would still be in turmoil...
'If I can save you with this sinful life of mine, then that will be enough.'
Feeling the warmth of the child, Woo closed his eyes. His lips brushed against the boy's forehead. He regretted that he had taken too long to return that stolen kiss from long ago.