Six days before the sixth test, at the office of the clan leader for the Poison Clan, located at the mansion of the Poison Clan, located at the west of the Demonic Cult’s castle.
There were many leaders of the Poison Clan gathtered here, but they all looked grim. This was due to the request came at morning from the Demonic Academy about the sixth test. No one had expected the situation to turn out like this.
When the other five clans heard about Chun Yeowun’s challenge, all the six clans’ problems had challenged First Elder Mu Jinwon, they were glad. The Wise Clan had grown much more powerful during these three years when the Poison and Sword Clans had become much weaker.
‘We hope the Wise Clan will be pressured from the result.’
For now, Chun Yeowun was like a sweet poison. For Mu Jinwon, he had to kill Chun Yeowun in the duel to allow his grandson to be only remaining candidate to the throne. But from what happened until now, this event was sure to give the Lord a chance to put down the Wise Clan, so this was a win win for the other clans.
“Elder, you need to refuse this request. You were freed from prison only months ago. Lord’s eye is still on us.”
Advisor of the Poison Clan spoke to Baek Oh. It was different from when people insisted they should send an assassin to kill Chun Yeowun. Things were different now.
“My thought stands. If we become more oppressed, it might destroy the balance of power between the six clans.”
Baek Chau, former leader of the clan, also agreed with the idea. The Poison Clan was weakened so much that the other high-ranking clans like the Demon Dragon Clan or others could even try to overthrow them.
“But if we refuse, then we are announcing to everyone that we have become weakened!”
Second son of Baek Oh, Baek Munwung shouted. He was the aggressive type and did not want his clan to be belittled anymore.
“We have to patient. Being reckless won’t help us at such a moment.”
Baek Munwung, however, wasn’t so happy to hear that.
“Our cousin is still on bed and our clan is at such a state! What more do we have to wait for?!”
He pointed at a small building across the yard where Chun Jongsum was at. With the internal energy destroyed and all of his bones shattered, Chun Jongsum even had his spinal cord destroyed that he couldn’t even move from his bed. All he could do was just live.
“Muwung is right. The boy is already a superior level warrior. It is better to get rid of him now than later. It will be too late if we let him be, especially when when we all know our relationship toward him.”
Baek Oh’s third son, Baek Munho, spoke with reasonable idea. It was hard to imagine what Yeowun will become if he was already at the superior level. And from what Baek Oh had to suffer, and going back to the death of Lady Hwa, Yeowun and the Poison Clan were tied with bad omens.
“That’s a problem for every clan. Even if the boy became powerful, he does not have the forces to back him up with. Is he a threat? No. The threat is the Lord.”
Baek Chau spoke to object Baek Munho’s idea. Only good thing to come from killing Yeowun was that they killed a possible future enemy. But the price was to be cast out from the Lord and be pushed out from the six clans.
“You all are idiots!”
“Who are you to say that!”
People divided into two groups in ideas and began to shout in argument. Baek Oh, who had been listening to them for long time, had chosen what to do after a long thought.
“Stop! I will refuse this request.”
He too wanted to kill Chun Yeowun more than anyone, but there was just too much at stake. It was better for another to kill him. Leaders who wished Baek Oh to refuse the request agreed, and his sons were disappointed at the decision. After everyone returned, Baek Oh came to the small building where Chun Jongsum was at.
Baek Oh sat in front of Chun Jongsum who was only blinking while lying down. He was almost as good as dead. Baek Oh did everything in his power to heal him, but not even the Demon Doctor himself could do anything.
“I’m sorry. Gramps has nothing I can do to help you.”
The symbol of terror himself was still weak for his grandson. He was despaired that he had to care about his clan even when his precious grandson, who was born from his precious daughter, had been thrown into such a state. And did Chun Jongsum know of this? Jongsum’s eye turned teary. And it was then.
“Elder, there is a guest.”
“Guest at this hour? What kind of guest visits at such hour? Let them return.”
Baek Oh wasn’t in a mood to greet a guest. But he had to choose his choice at the telepathic message.
[It’s Lady Mu from the Wise Clan. Should we return her? She’s at the front of your building.]
Baek Oh then became surprised. The woman had not visited after the funeral of his daughter Lady Baek.
“Okay. I will go out.”
It was not someone he can just refuse because he wasn’t in the mood. Baek Oh then walked out of the room. And as Baek Oh opened the door to get out, Jongsum rolled his eyes to look at his grandfather.
‘?!’
And through the door, he saw someone dimly lit below the fire. It was a middle-aged woman with a red veil over her head. Chun Jongsum, who could barely open and close his eyes, began to shake his eyes, and his body began to tremble.
‘It’s her! IT’S HER!!!!’
It was the woman who had gotten the poison from his mother. He wanted to scream something, but he couldn’t even move his tongue and he trembled in anger until he passed out.
The next day, the advisor from the Poison Clan visited the office of the Chief of Demonic Academy. He had a letter that wrote from Baek Oh himself that had simple sentence.
[Challenge Accepted.]
The 12th elder, and the leader of Poison Clan Baek Oh had accepted the challenge.
It was the morning of the 6th test that was being held in 70 years. Chun Yeowun had woken up four hours prior to the duel and went to the blacksmith. The academy was full of snow because of snow that fell past few days, but the area around blacksmith was wet from snows melted from the heat. The blacksmith that was noisy from hammering all night was now quiet. Yeowun waited outside for about ten minutes and heard someone inside and walked in.
“Master Ou?”
When he walked in, the inside of the blacksmith was hot from the heat from the forge. As Yeowun walked further in, Ou Sunong was working on something very seriously. He was sewing on a white leather carefully, making a leather scabbard. Yeowun could not disturb him, so he quieted himself down and waited until the job was done. And it was after an hour passed.
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