Ten Thousand Gold Coins

"...What in the world is this?"

Tang Gu-hwi's eyes widened in bewilderment.

The events unfolding before him had left him stunned.

His hand, still holding a wine cup, had frozen in place.

While the Black and White Twin Devils weren't individually considered extraordinary masters, their combined attack was said to possess a power unrivaled in the martial world.

Though not quite on par with his father, the Family Head of the Sichuan Tang Family, Poison Rain Tang Jin-woo, few in the martial world would dare to face the Black and White Twin Devils alone without trepidation.

Yet this mysterious masked man, who sounded no older than Tang Gu-hwi himself, had toyed with them as if they were mere children before slaughtering them without so much as a scratch.

'How is this even possible?'

At first, Tang Gu-hwi had thought some madman had gotten lucky enough to make it this far. But now his perspective had completely changed.

'He's an incredible master. Perhaps even close to Father's level.'

He had already realized it while watching the fight with the Black and White Twin Devils.

That he stood no chance in a one-on-one battle.

Though he hated to admit defeat so easily, he disliked the idea of dying a pointless death due to stubborn pride even more.

'Where did someone like him come from...'

Though his face was hidden, Tang Gu-hwi could tell from the man's eyes and demeanor.

This was clearly their first encounter.

Despite making countless enemies, Tang Gu-hwi couldn't recall ever crossing such a formidable master.

If that was the case, it was highly likely he had been hired by someone.

Having reached that conclusion, Tang Gu-hwi spoke calmly.

"Who are you? Who sent a master like you after me?"

"Hm?"

"No matter. I'll pay you double whatever you were offered. What do you say? I'll buy your services."

Ha.

Yeo Un-hwi finally understood what Tang Gu-hwi was getting at.

"Double?"

"What, not enough? Then I'll triple it."

"Do you even know how much I was paid?"

Tang Gu-hwi smirked at Yeo Un-hwi's words.

It seemed his guess had been correct.

Momentarily relaxing, Tang Gu-hwi downed the wine in his hand.

"Well, I don't know the exact amount. But whatever it is, I have more than enough to pay what I've offered. I am the Young Master of the Sichuan Tang Family, one of the Five Great Families after all. You must have known that when you came here, right?"

"Oh?"

Yeo Un-hwi stared at Tang Gu-hwi and asked:

"Do you think money can buy your life?"

"Of course. There's nothing money can't buy."

A response bordering on certainty.

"I see. Very well."

"As I thought, we understand each other."

Tang Gu-hwi's eyes curved at Yeo Un-hwi's reply.

Yeo Un-hwi spoke in a flat tone.

"If you can match the price, I'd gladly become your dog. As you can see, I'm far more useful than these nobodies."

"Excellent."

Tang Gu-hwi was very pleased.

Though his business with the Black and White Twin Devils had fallen through, that was something he could pursue on his own later. It would only be slightly delayed.

Sichuan was already too easy a land for him to do as he pleased.

On the other hand, gaining a master who could easily subdue the Black and White Twin Devils, and who might even be on par with his father, as his subordinate was undoubtedly an attractive prospect.

Moreover, if he spread rumors that he had personally dealt with the Black and White Twin Devils, known as the cancer of the Central Plains martial world, Tang Gu-hwi stood to gain quite a bit as well.

It was an investment well worth the slight delay in his business plans.

He was already quickly calculating how to resolve the current situation.

But first, there was something he needed to know.

"Now then, tell me. Who ordered you to kill me? And how much did they offer you?"

Tang Gu-hwi, now believing he had the situation under control, looked at Yeo Un-hwi with an air of leisure.

"Very well."

Yeo Un-hwi looked at Tang Gu-hwi and smirked.

"I'll start with the price I want."

"Go on."

"I want ten thousand gold coins. What do you think? Can you match that?"

"...What?"

For a moment, the smug expression on Tang Gu-hwi's face cracked.

Ten thousand gold coins?

Of course, as the Young Master of the Sichuan Tang Family, he was used to dealing with enormous sums.

However, ten thousand gold coins was an amount beyond even his wildest imagination.

Tang Gu-hwi's eyes turned ice cold.

"Ten thousand? Do you even understand what you're saying?"

"Of course. And."

Yeo Un-hwi continued, utterly unfazed.

In an incredibly dry tone.

"The one who requested your death was me. My future self made the request."

Tang Gu-hwi set down his wine cup and stared at Yeo Un-hwi.

His eyes were now burning with anger.

"...Are you toying with me?"

"I was incompetent and foolish, not even realizing my wife had been poisoned and was dying in agony."

Tang Gu-hwi's brow furrowed.

"I failed to recognize the one I should have killed, running around in all the wrong places. But this time, it will be different."

Was he mad?

He was spouting nothing but nonsense Tang Gu-hwi couldn't begin to understand.

But then,

'A wife dying in agony from poison?'

A name suddenly came to mind.

"Could it be... Paeng Seo-yeon?"

Tang Gu-hwi looked at the man before him.

And seeing his eyes, he knew.

His guess had been correct.

"Are you... Paeng Seo-yeon's husband?"

"That's right."

"But her husband was just a scholar."

"As you can see, circumstances have changed."

"Then... the man I sent..."

"I killed him. With my own hands. And now I've come here. To meet you."

Yeo Un-hwi grinned and pointed at the floor.

Tang Gu-hwi was struggling to process the current situation.

He had been certain this man was a scholar who knew nothing of martial arts.

A nobody, an insignificant ant Tang Gu-hwi could crush with a finger whenever he pleased.

That's why he hadn't bothered with him.

He had forgotten this man's very existence.

Yet this man he had thought so insignificant had caused all this trouble.

"Heh, heheh, heheheh..."

Tang Gu-hwi found himself laughing involuntarily.

It felt too surreal to be actually happening before his eyes.

Just then,

Thud thud thud thud. Thud. Thud thud thud!

"Hurry up!"

The Sichuan Tang Family warriors came rushing in.

They had only just arrived because Yeo Un-hwi had destroyed all the stairs leading up here on his way.

The Sichuan Tang Family warriors quickly surrounded Yeo Un-hwi.

But Yeo Un-hwi remained as composed as ever.

Tang Gu-hwi knew as well.

These men were not enough to stop him.

"How dare you! Do you think you can make light of the Sichuan Tang Family?"

But the Sichuan Tang Family warriors, who hadn't witnessed the fight with the Black and White Twin Devils, shouted at Yeo Un-hwi without realizing the situation.

'I have no choice.'

Tang Gu-hwi, having made up his mind about something, pulled out two pills from his breast pocket.

He quickly swallowed one pill and threw the slightly larger one to the floor.

Then,

Bang! Hisssssss.

"Ugh? Th-This is..."

An enormous amount of smoke began to fill the room from the floor.

Soon, the Sichuan Tang Family warriors and those guarding the brothel began to writhe in agony.

"Guaaaargh!"

"Wh-Why... Young Master... Aaaaargh!"

"Guh, gack gack gack..."

In the thick poisonous mist, everyone present began to bleed from their eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.

At this rate, everyone else in the brothel might lose their lives as well.

Amidst the chaos, Tang Gu-hwi smiled with satisfaction.

It was done. No matter how skilled he was, even he couldn't overcome this poison.

The lives of the Sichuan Tang Family warriors or the others in the brothel meant nothing to him.

His own life came first.

Just then,

Wooong.

In the thick poisonous mist, Yeo Un-hwi's eyes began to glow golden.

The Heavenly Martial Divine Art had revealed itself.

As Yeo Un-hwi waved his hand,

Boom!

A massive hole appeared in the wall near the brothel's window.

Whoosh, whoosh.

Whooooooosh.

Then, as Yeo Un-hwi made a circular motion with his hand as if pushing the poisonous mist towards the window, the mist began to swirl and gather in one place before being forced out the window.

The force was so strong that for a brief moment, the air inside the brothel became a vacuum.

"Guhak."

Tang Gu-hwi, the only one besides Yeo Un-hwi still standing, clutched at his throat as he felt his breath suddenly cut off.

But it was only for a moment.

Soon, the brothel was filled with air once again.

"Huff, huff, huff... How is this..."

It was truly miraculous.

He had never heard of such a thing being possible in his life.

Fortunately, the agonized cries of those present began to subside.

Though they were still poisoned, the situation was clearly better than before.

Step, step.

Tang Gu-hwi had never felt such fear from approaching footsteps before.

Yeo Un-hwi, now right in front of him, looked at Tang Gu-hwi with ice-cold eyes.

"P-Please spare me."

"You're trash. Trash not worth keeping alive."

Click.

Yeo Un-hwi instantly struck Tang Gu-hwi's acupoints.

"Guhak!"

Crack, crack.

Soon, all of Tang Gu-hwi's bones and muscles began to twist.

"Urgh... Th-This is..."

"You've heard of it, haven't you? Bone-Breaking Muscle-Twisting."

A smile touched Yeo Un-hwi's eyes.

Overwhelmed by the sudden, immense pain, Tang Gu-hwi's eyes rolled back as he screamed.

"Urgh, uwaaaaaargh!"

...Cheonghwaru was filled with one man's agonized screams.

How much time had passed?

"Urrrrrgh..."

Thud.

Unable to bear the pain any longer, Tang Gu-hwi finally lost consciousness.

Yeo Un-hwi reached out his hand towards the fallen Tang Gu-hwi once more.

At that moment,

Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh.

Bang bang bang bang!

Dozens of flying daggers shot towards Yeo Un-hwi at incredible speed.

Yeo Un-hwi leapt back.

"That's far enough. He may be trash, but he's still our family's eldest son."

Behind the fallen warriors stood a man with narrow, smiling eyes.

It was the appearance of Tang Mu-jun, the unparalleled prodigy of the Sichuan Tang Family.