The Cheonghwa Merchant Association, which we arrived at under Du-chil's guidance. I suppose it was a fairly successful merchant group in the area.
Before Du-chil could even explain who I was, the gatekeeper recognized me and hurried off to deliver the news.
They had prepared a guest room for me to rest in, but…
"It's fine. I'll just stay here."
"Eh? B-but the head of the association…"
"Look at the size of the room. A person could fit in there comfortably, but isn't it a bit small for a centipede?"
I gestured toward Chilhwa Centipede as I said this, and the gatekeeper stepped back as if there was nothing he could do.
Did it understand what I said? Chilhwa Centipede—that is, Chilgong—lowered its flat head and let out a cry different from its usual ones.
-Tsrrrr.
"Hmm. I can't tell what that means."
"Chilgong is saying thank you."
"Is that so?"
"Yes! Since it's so big, it was hard for it to stay close whenever we went out. So it was often anxious… It seems it's glad that thanks to the White Moon Sword Lord, it no longer has to be apart."
"I see."
Its head carapace was patterned with a mix of many colors, a design that looked both like flames and like heat haze.
I lightly stroked its carapace. Cold but firm to the touch. Perhaps because of its docile demeanor, so unlike the impression centipedes usually give, it even looked a little endearing.
After all, it was hiding every element that could make it seem fierce.
Hiding its venomous fangs, lowering its body to make its massive size seem smaller.
It felt less like it was showing goodwill and more like it was… utterly terrified. But even a Spirit Beast was still a beast, so there was no helping it.
Besides, according to Maeng Yu-baek, this creature had chosen to live under someone's care alongside humans rather than fight for survival.
If it was an opponent cooperative toward me, I couldn't help but feel fond of it. Even if it was a centipede the size of a small thatched cottage.
"Not bad."
"Ah! Does the White Moon Sword Lord also appreciate Chil-gong's charm?!"
"Hm?"
A single word from me, and Maeng Yu-baek was already beaming, hopping in place.
"Other people don't like Chil-gong much! Some say it's creepy because it's a centipede, some say the poison is frightening, and some say that even among spirit beasts, they dislike poison creatures. But the White Moon Sword Lord doesn't seem to have any of that!"
"Of course not. Why would I fear or shy away from an opponent weaker than myself?"
"Euh…?"
Maeng Yu-baek stood frozen, only blinking. I didn't know why he was acting that way, but I decided to show a bit more sincerity.
"I've petted plenty of furry beasts, but this is my first time with a carapace, so it's rather fascinating. Come to think of it, I recall that the Seven-Flower Centipede's shell has such beautiful patterns that it sells for a high price."
"…"
-tsk, tsk!
Maeng Yu-baek had now completely shut his mouth, and Chil-gong curled his body up even tighter.
I'd meant it as a compliment, but the reaction was lukewarm at best, and I was just starting to feel a bit deflated.
Tang So-wol, who had been watching the whole scene, began to giggle, hiding her mouth behind her sleeve.
"Hehe. Don't be so startled, Lord of the Centipede. Young hero Cheon said that without any particular meaning. That's just the kind of person he is."
"Ah."
At Tang So-wol's words, Maeng Yu-baek glanced sidelong at me before nodding.
This time, Tang So-wol spread her palm open in front of Chil-gong's face.
"Don't be too nervous either. Your Spirit Core holds little value to me or young hero Cheon. The same goes for your poison. Would you like to take a look?"
-Tsrrrt?
Perhaps her gentle tone had put him at ease. Chil-gong slowly lifted his head, and beads of water began to form on Tang So-wol's palm. Poison.
Seven droplets of venom, each a different color. As they merged and separated, shifting through a kaleidoscope of hues, Chil-gong's eyes—small for his bulk—widened a fraction more.
-Tsuut! Tsurrrrt…!
"That's right. I can use your poison as well. And the poison I can use could never poison young hero Cheon. That's what I meant when I said you have no reason to fear. So don't be scared."
-Tsujut!
Perhaps he was pleased to find someone who wielded the same poison as himself. Chil-gong nuzzled his broad head against Tang So-wol's hand, swaying gently. She patted the creature's head lightly.
Thunk!
It was at the level of a flick to the forehead. Given that the creature had a hard carapace, it would have felt the impact but not any pain.
Still, perhaps it couldn't understand why it had been struck. To Chil-gong, who sent him a look of indignation, he replied in a serious tone.
"Don't cling to someone else's betrothed."
"Oh my? That's sudden, but it has a sweet ring to it."
-…
"…"
Tang So-wol smiled brightly, and the other two stared as if at a loss for words—but only for a moment. Maeng Yu-baek added quietly with a resolute expression.
"Ugh. White Moon Sword Lord."
"What is it?"
"Chil-gong is a female."
"…"
After a moment of deliberation, I gently rubbed the spot where I had just flicked her.
"I'll let it slide this once."
-Sniffle…
Chil-gong nodded her head weakly.
Was it because the only spirit beasts I had ever seen were the Azure-White Cold Serpents and the Azure-White Flood Dragon? Seeing a creature that understood me this well made me reconsider my thoughts on spirit beasts a little.
"Tang So-wol. If the chance ever comes, I think it might be worth raising a spirit beast. What do you think?"
"I and my father can produce poison ourselves, but normally that's impossible… If we raised rare poison creatures directly, it would be a great help to the Tang Clan as well. I'm in favor."
There was a separate place within the Tang Clan for raising poison creatures, but of course, there were no spirit beasts inside.
If one were to name spirit beasts that carried poison, centipedes and snakes would be the most representative, but there were also several birds and lizards. Many animals became spirit beasts and carried poison.
How many times did we chat about which creature would be good to raise, if we did?
The gatekeeper, who had been half-running, seemed to have shifted into a full sprint, arriving while gasping for breath.
"I apologize for making you wait. The Merchant Lord has sent away the person he was currently meeting, so you may go right up."
"Faster than I expected, is he?"
"Of course! It's none other than the White Moon Sword Lord who has come to visit!"
Perhaps it was because, unlike the rough first meeting with Du-chil, this visit had been relatively ordinary. The gatekeeper's eyes sparkled with subtle respect.
I recalled that in Yunnan, there were those who were pleased with me for having exterminated the Heavenly Poison Sect.
Feeling a bit sheepish, I followed him up to the top floor of the Cheonghwa Merchant Association.
Chil-gong climbed along the ceiling to avoid disturbing the passersby, but the sight of him still made the association's employees jump in fright.
At any rate, I was able to reach the Merchant Lord's office without any particular trouble.
Perhaps because it was the largest room, even Chil-gong could enter without difficulty.
So far, everything had gone smoothly.
So far, that is.
"My heavens! So you really are the Great Hero, the White Moon Sword Lord! When I first heard the news, I was utterly astounded! You are a Great Hero I personally hold in the highest esteem!"
"Hmph."
"The fact that you've come with the Centipede Sect Leader… I take it there was something about our handling of matters that displeased you."
"Hmm."
"…Great Hero White Moon Sword Lord? Is there, perhaps, some issue with me?"
"Issue, you say. There is one. A very big one, at that."
"Ah. Would you be so kind as to speak frankly about what the problem is? I am all ears."
The Cheonghwa Merchant Guild head, who had been greeting me warmly only a moment ago, now asked back with a puzzled look. I surged my internal energy in an instant and went straight for Acupoint Sealing.
Thud! Thud-thud!
"…!"
In the blink of an eye, the Cheonghwa Merchant Guild head's vital points were suppressed, and he stiffened like a block of wood.
Maeng Yu-baek stammered, flustered by the sudden turn of events. Tang So-wol, on the other hand, merely nodded calmly, as if she had experienced this several times before.
"Was the Cheonghwa Merchant Guild head perhaps a Demonic Cultist?"
"No."
"Then is he being threatened by a Demonic Cultist, or is he in some comparable danger?"
"That's not it either."
My guess had missed the mark, but it was true that there was a reason for it.
I let out a small chuckle toward Tang So-wol, who was tilting her head in confusion.
"When I first saw him, I wasn't sure, but once I got closer, I could tell. From the head of the Cheonghwa Merchant Guild, I sensed an Aura similar to that of the Centipede Sect Leader."
"An Aura similar to that… Surely Not?"
Tang So-wol's eyes widened as she studied the head of the Cheonghwa Merchant Guild closely. Before long, she nodded.
"…This is. It's definitely similar."
"Yes. I intend to begin the interrogation now, so would you lock the door? I've already erected a Qi Barrier, so don't worry."
"Of course."
Click.
With the door locked straight away, no one could freely enter or leave. And with the Qi Barrier in place, no one outside would be able to tell what was happening within.
Startled back to his senses by the sound of the lock, Maeng Yu-baek cried out.
"A-As much as this, you can't just act so abruptly!"
"Hm?"
"I'm grateful that you've stepped forward for me. And I now know full well that the Cheonghwa Merchant Guild swindled me. But even so, to subdue me by force like this and interrogate me… I-I don't think this is right, White Moon Sword Lord…!"
Maeng Yu-baek trembled slightly, yet her gaze remained steady as she looked at me.
Setting aside her Martial Talent and the circumstances surrounding her, she would surely become a fine sect leader.
How many people could voice their opinions without backing down even in a situation like this?
I shook my head with a pleased smile.
"It's a misunderstanding."
"A misunderstanding…?"
Maeng Yu-baek, still only at first-rate level, seemed completely unaware, but from the head of the Cheonghwa Merchant Guild, I could sense internal energy of a similar nature to hers—traces of having trained in the Beast Palace's martial arts.
The realm, surprisingly, was Peak. While first-rate was something one could reach through effort, the wall of a master was high indeed.
The Cheonghwa Merchant Guild was a fairly large trading house, but its head's martial strength was hardly enough to warrant the position.
After hearing the explanation, Maeng Yu-baek trembled and grabbed the guild head's arm. He then channeled a bit of internal energy into her.
"…Ah."
"Now you understand?"
"Yes. This is… the martial art my second brother teaches his closest retainers. It's an advanced martial art, but it has a function that makes it difficult to defy the commands of someone who has mastered its paired superior technique."
To tame a Spirit Beast that lives in a group, they say you must imprint upon it the fact that you are the master of the pack.
And a pair of martial arts were created based on that idea. They say these arts assume the person is a Spirit Beast and carve loyalty into their instincts.
Since that second brother had earned merit in the past and received this martial art specially from the Beast Palace Lord, it was said that in this generation, only the Beast Palace Lord and that second brother knew it.
Thanks to the detailed information he had provided about the Beast Palace, I was able to save time on the interrogation.
"Ah-ha. Congratulations, Centipede Sect Leader. Even after leaving the sect, it seems you're still one of the candidates for young head."
"Why…"
"You already know the reason, don't you? Simply leaving the house isn't enough to ease their worries. After all, you've built up your own power base with the Centipede Sect."
If this could be settled with money, that would be ideal, but it seemed that wouldn't be possible.
I let out a bitter smile and spoke to the Azure Flower Merchant Guild Head, whose eyes were rolling around nervously.
"From now on, I'm going to loosen your tongue, so think carefully before you answer. I have a truth serum potent enough to leave you a drooling idiot as a side effect, poisons that multiply your sensitivity several times over, combined with bone-splitting and flesh-tearing techniques, and ears ready to listen to whatever truth you willingly spill."
"…"
"Azure Flower Merchant Guild Head. Whether you walk away from this alive and live out your old age clutching nothing but a torn contract after losing your patron, or whether you lose everything today — that choice is yours to make."
"…"
The Azure Flower Merchant Guild Head's eyes, which had been trembling aimlessly, finally regained their focus. I couldn't tell which way he'd decided, but he'd clearly made up his mind.
I adjusted the internal energy I'd pushed into him and released the vital point seal on his neck. No sooner had I done so than the Azure Flower Merchant Guild Head cried out, as if he'd been waiting for this moment.
"I-I can't give you the answers you want! My martial art is bound by a seal!"
"Is that so?"
A seal can't be helped.
As someone who bears a seal on his own body, I can understand that all too well.
Thud!
"Kugh!"
So I shattered his Dantian.
"Your seal is lifted now. You can answer my questions, can't you?"
"Y-yes…!"
The Cheonghwa Merchant Guild head nodded even as he vomited blood.
I might have been a bit heavy-handed, but wasn't it the Cheonghwa Merchant Guild that sent those three rogue swordsmen at me first?
At first, I thought they simply wanted to subdue me or scare me off… but if this isn't about monopolizing the value of the Seven-Flower Centipede, and instead concerns the Beast Palace's succession struggle, then the story changes.
Considering their strength, if things had gone sideways, Maeng Yu-baek might have been spared, but the other sect members and Chil-gong would have been killed.
If we had lacked power, we would have suffered the same fate.
Knowing all that, wasn't this a fairly merciful way to handle it?
As I nodded at the thought, I suddenly met Chil-gong's gaze as he stared at me.
-Slurp.
The creature lowered its head and then flattened itself completely against the ground. It was a posture of absolute submission, almost worship.
Is this… right…?
Strictly speaking, I was the one who saved its life, but no matter how I looked at it, that wasn't the gaze of someone looking at their savior.