-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 1
Chapter Title: How the Weak Defeat the Strong (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
When the Blood Cult invaded the Great Empire, everyone thought it was over.
It had to be that way.
They were that strong—strong enough to seize half the world in an instant.
Neither the Imperial Army, nor the Nine Great Sects, nor even the Murim Alliance could stand against them.
The Blood Cult's brutal poisons, the plagues they unleashed...
And their blood arts, so bizarre and hard to counter—everyone assumed a gruesome death was inevitable.
Yet...
The Blood Cult fell.
The vice leader who had positioned himself as their vanguard.
He met a horrific end at the hands of Dang Yu-wol, the sole survivor of the Sacheon Tang Clan, whose family had been wiped out by the Blood Cult.
That was the beginning.
After that, the Blood Cult's unstoppable momentum crumbled.
The horrific poisons they created were neutralized by the antidotes he devised.
The savage plagues they spread were cured by the medicines he developed.
The terrifying jiangshi they made.
The eerie, monstrous blood arts that were so difficult to face.
All of it was thwarted by him.
As he relentlessly drove back the Blood Cult, people began to revere him as the Martial God.
He was the one who felled the Blood Cult's vile experts with his fearsome martial arts, all to save the world.
If he wasn't the Martial God, then who was?
The people of the Great Empire and the Central Plains murim alike followed him.
And then...
The Blood Cult's leader appeared.
The Blood Demon, who had reached the Profound Realm.
The two clashed fiercely, and in the end, Dang Yu-wol severed the cult leader's head.
With that, he succeeded in toppling the Blood Cult.
Two experts at the Profound Realm had staked their lives in battle.
He could not emerge unscathed.
So everyone grieved.
No one could hold back tears at the tragic end of such a great hero.
But he did not grieve.
He said what he had done was not for the world.
Only...
That it was merely revenge for his family.
With those words alone, Dang Yu-wol closed his eyes forever.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"Young Clan Head. Young Clan Head. It's time for your medicine."
"...Alright."
The Tang Clan maid speaking cautiously outside the Young Clan Head's door was startled.
'The Young Clan Head is awake at this hour?'
He had clearly come home drunk late last night.
Normally, he'd unleash a torrent of curses if woken in the morning.
But that calm voice...?
Y-Young Clan Head? Are you feeling ill?"
"Yeah. I'll be out shortly."
The maid was shocked.
Shocked enough to rush and report it to the others.
Something was different about the Sacheon Tang Clan's notorious wastrel Young Clan Head, Dang Yu-wol.
Because of that, everyone in the Tang Clan was stunned from the morning.
But the most shocked of all was the man himself.
Dang Yu-wol.
'This isn't a dream.'
-No, it's no dream.
He wasn't startled by the voice echoing in his mind.
There was only one reason for his shock.
It was the past.
-You defected to the Blood Cult as the sole survivor of your wiped-out Tang Clan.
That's right.
He had awakened to his previous life and realized that everyone in the Tang Clan had cared for him.
And so, he decided to live for his family.
The next day...
The Tang Clan was annihilated by the Blood Cult.
'I served the Blood Cult, abandoning myself to mortal anguish.'
He became a Blood Cultist and lost the Tang Clan's martial arts.
To prove his loyalty, he even learned their blood arts.
'I researched all sorts of poisons, medicines, and martial arts, devising ways to counter them.'
-Yes. And for those achievements, you were granted access to the Blood Cult's treasure vault, where you met me, Ye-ui.
Just as he said.
In the Blood Cult's treasure vault, as reward for his feats, he encountered Ye-ui, the ancient spirit who had lingered there for thousands of years.
'All my past memories are crystal clear.'
Dang Yu-wol bit his lip hard.
'And we toppled the Blood Cult.'
-Yes. You remember.
They toppled the Blood Cult.
The Blood Cult that had seized half the world.
It was like an egg smashing against a rock.
But they did it.
-Counters to poisons, medicines, schemes, blood arts.
'And martial arts that transcended the Fire Realm.'
Dang Yu-wol and Ye-ui.
Both had used everything they had to destroy the Blood Cult.
'Right...'
Dang Yu-wol smiled.
He had thought that was the end after felling the cult leader.
'I worried if I'd ever see my family again, even in the afterlife...'
He never imagined it'd be like this.
'Back when I was the wastrel of a declining clan...'
-A time when you couldn't get your act together. And...
From looking around, he could roughly gauge the date.
'Five years before I awakened to my past life's memories.'
The Tang Clan was destroyed on his twenty-fifth birthday.
The day after he awakened to his past life.
In other words, the clan had five years left before annihilation.
'Remember it clearly. The hordes of Blood Cultists invading Sacheon.'
And he remembered the faces of his family who died then, too.
'I can't let it happen again.'
On the day he awakened to his past life, he realized what a piece of trash he had been.
He realized how much his family had cared for him.
That regret fueled his thirst for revenge even more.
'I've regressed. The future never happened.'
-The martial arts that led you to become the Martial God are gone, too.
'But... my family is alive.'
He had only lost his martial arts.
But he had gained his family.
And a chance.
-I know how much you grieved. So...
He was called the Martial God and revered, but his family was never by his side.
But if all that had been undone...
'I have to stop it.'
-You must.
The wretched, sorrowful future.
-I don't want to see the Blood Cult rampage unchecked, either.
Dang Yu-wol wanted to protect the Tang Clan.
Ye-ui hated the Blood Cult that had imprisoned him for thousands of years.
'Protect the Tang Clan.'
-And topple the Blood Cult.
Their goals aligned once more.
-Right now, the most important thing is to gain power.
Dang Yu-wol walked on.
Most of the gazes directed at him from around were ones of disdain and contempt.
But now was not the time to care about such things.
-Fortunately, you're cultivating poison arts right now.
Ye-ui assessed Dang Yu-wol's condition.
What dwelled in his dantian was not a blood art.
It was poison arts.
The Three Yang Return to Origin Art, which every Tang Clan member had to master.
'Is there a problem?'
-A problem? No, it's different. In fact, it'll help you.
Suddenly, internal energy drained from his dantian.
And something formed in his hand.
A small vial he had made himself.
'This is...?'
-Poison. Made with your internal energy.
'Oh? Didn't have this ability before regression?'
-Well, I'm borrowing your internal energy. Couldn't do it with the Blood Cult's blood arts.
'I see.'
-And you know what that means?
'...I need to raise my martial arts level?'
Ye-ui had created poison based on the poison arts internal energy in his dantian.
So if his martial prowess grew...?
'The stronger I get, the more potent the poisons I can make. Something like that.'
-Exactly.
'Helpful.'
The Blood Cult's power before regression was no small thing.
They had overwhelmed the current Great Empire, after all.
'Before regression, the Blood Cult controlled more than half the world.'
But now?
Compared to then, the Blood Cult's power was still feeble.
-Even so, you're still just an egg.
True enough.
Even if the Blood Cult wasn't as strong as back then yet.
The current Tang Clan was hardly a powerhouse, even as an empty compliment.
-You have a lot of work ahead.
Dang Yu-wol smirked at Ye-ui's words.
'Yeah.'
This wasn't like before regression.
He had a full five years.
The Martial God's martial arts were gone, but he knew the entire path to get there.
-Plus, the knowledge you accumulated in the Blood Cult isn't trivial.
Then he'd use everything.
'Make the Tang Clan the world's greatest clan.'
That was the priority.
-To do that, you need to get stronger first.
'Right. I'm only second-rate now.'
-Even from a famed clan on the decline, a Young Clan Head at second-rate.
Ye-ui's voice held amusement.
'Pathetic, right? Even I think I played around way too hard.'
-So you know what you need to do now?
He knew full well.
Dang Yu-wol walked leisurely.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The Tang Clan servants were flustered.
"Isn't that the Young Clan Head?"
"Why's the Young Clan Head at the training grounds...?"
"At this hour... He'd normally be at the market streets or sleeping..."
"The other disciples haven't even arrived yet..."
The servants whispered at Dang Yu-wol's utterly uncharacteristic behavior.
But Dang Yu-wol paid them no mind.
'Let's start light.'
He had researched many martial arts in the Blood Cult.
Including, of course, the Tang Clan's own.
Dang Yu-wol immediately gripped a hidden weapon.
"Hup!!"
A low shout burst forth.
With it, the hidden weapon shot out like a single streak of light.
-Kwa-duk-duk!!
Proof of its immense power remained on the target.
Not even a crack around the pierced spot.
Impossible for mere second-rate skill.
-Soul-Chasing Phantom Dart?
'Yeah.'
A practical art currently in use in the Tang Clan.
One of the arts retired after the war with the Five Poisons Sect in the past.
'Plenty more to try besides this.'
-Gotta work hard.
'Yeah.'
Taking a break, he chewed on some toxic herbs and pondered.
There was much to do.
And...
People to kill.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
By the time training ended, the sun was setting.
"Aigoo!! Big bro!!"
A man waited in front of his room.
A squinting man with a sleazy expression.
"Bi-sam."
"Heard you were busy today!! Haha!!"
"Yeah. Been caught up with this and that."
-They look close.
'Before regression, I thought he was just a guy who understood and empathized with my pain.'
-That your fall wasn't your fault?
'Not entirely, but...'
That guy's schemes had played no small part.
-Then eliminate him.
"Let's go! I'll serve you properly today!"
Bi-sam spoke in his usual flippant tone.
"Mae-hyang's been waiting eagerly for you, bro!!"
"Is that so?"
"Yes! Oh, right. You said you got some good poison yesterday."
A blade hid within the flippant words.
A scheme to siphon away the Tang Clan's power.
"Found someone worth bribing."
"Impressive. You always manage to find buyers like that."
"Pardon? Ah, yes. Haha. It's all for you, bro..."
'Huh?'
Dang Yu-wol's demeanor was different from usual.
Yesterday, he wouldn't have brought it up.
'Just my imagination?'
"Anyway, they offered a good price, so sell quick and hit the gambling den."
Greed flashed across Bi-sam's face.
"They're all waiting! Today's your lucky day—you'll hit it big!"
-That guy's deliberately acting subservient, but he looks first-rate.
'Yeah.'
-Can you take him?
'Of course.'
Dang Yu-wol spoke calmly.
"The Sacheon Merchant Alliance put you up to it?"
"W-what are you talking about...?"
"I know everything."
"..."
"Gi Hong-ga, who drank and gambled with me."
"He..."
"Is one of the Sacheon Merchant Alliance's lackeys."
-Oh ho. Was that how it was?
'Yeah. He told me himself, laughing.'
Sacheon Merchant Alliance.
A coalition of forces that grew under the Sacheon Tang Clan's grace in the past.
When the Tang Clan weakened, they repaid that grace by stealing what they could.
They turned kindness into enmity.
"...Fuck. You catch on quick. Or slow?"
Bi-sam bared his teeth and drew a dagger from his bosom.
"But hey, Young Clan Head. Isn't this good for you too?"
The dagger's sharp tip pointed at Dang Yu-wol.
He deemed him no threat at all.
"Why cling to that headache of a position...?"
"Can't do that."
"...Then no choice."
Killing intent rose.
First-rate killing intent.
He didn't even bother guarding against a second-rater like Dang Yu-wol.
"Break one limb, and you can live easy."
"Daring to beat the Tang Clan's Young Clan Head. You're insane."
"Heh heh. I'll bolt right after. The Alliance will handle the rest."
"You think you can beat me?"
"What's hard about crushing a wastrel?"
Facing the battle-hungry man, Dang Yu-wol said coolly,
"Then try it."
"Hahaha!! Here I—Gurk?!"
Bi-sam, laughing boldly as he lunged, froze.
In that instant, he realized.
'P... poison?'
That his opponent had used poison.