Patriarch Li Xuan led them personally to their chambers, a series of comfortable rooms built into the city's living rock. "Rest," he commanded, his voice holding no room for argument. "The journey to The Silent Peak is a long one, and you will need your strength to face the cowards of the Nine Shadows Pavilion."
In the morning, the Venomous Hall was a storm of quiet activity. Tian, his companions, the Patriarch Li Xuan, and the legendary Deadly Snake, Li Hae-cheon, stood ready. Twelve elite warriors of the Hall, their faces painted with the coiled viper insignia, joined them. Their destination was the Nine Shadows Pavilion, three days' journey away.
On the road, the group maintained a tense silence. Yu Gwanjeong eventually broke the quiet. "So, their assassins prey on the weak. The Murim Alliance truly has no shame left."
Patriarch Li Xuan's eyes glinted with cold fury. "Shame is a luxury they lost long ago. The Nine Shadows are nothing more than a gang of dogs on a leash, but they are a plague to our people. They have sowed fear in the hearts of common villagers, poisoning their wells and burning their crops when they refuse to give up their grain. They killed a hundred innocent men and women in the town of Fengxi because they refused to hand over a single master blacksmith they wanted for their guild."
Li Lihua, her gaze fixed on the horizon, added, "My father's martial arts are made for a direct fight, to overwhelm. But these assassins... they are like shadows. They strike in the dark and disappear without a trace. Their poison is meant to cripple, not to kill, so they can torture their victims for days. It is a disgusting art."
Tian, listening in silence, felt the blood in his veins begin to burn with a cold rage. This was the kind of evil he was meant to eradicate.
The Silent Peak
Upon arriving at The Silent Peak, the group found themselves in a hidden mountain stronghold, a place where a village had once stood. But it was no longer a village. The Nine Shadows Pavilion had turned it into a slaughterhouse. Men and women were chained to a large rock in the center of the camp, their bodies marked with signs of brutal torture. The air reeked of blood and despair. Tian's jaw clenched.
Before anyone could speak, Yu Gwanjeong let out a roar of pure fury and charged. "You despicable cowards!"
The Venmous Hall warriors followed, their movements swift and deadly. The battle was a merciless one. Li Lihua and her brother, Li Guang, moved like phantoms, their hidden weapons striking down multiple foes before they could even draw their blades. The warriors of the Nine Shadows Pavilion were caught completely off-guard.
Tian, however, moved with a different purpose. His eyes fixed on a large cave entrance at the base of the mountain. He knew the true leader would be there.
He ran, his movements a blur, leaving his companions to finish the slaughter. Inside the cave, the air grew colder and darker. He finally reached the end, a massive, cavernous hall carved into the heart of the mountain. At its center, a man sat on a throne of jagged black stone. He was dressed in a dark, form-fitting robe, his face hidden by a mask. This was Gong Jin-hyeok, known as The Shadow Blade.
"So, the Crimson Flame Sect's dog has come to die," Gong Jin-hyeok's voice was a low, chilling whisper.
Tian drew his sword. "I am here to end your reign of terror."
Gong Jin-hyeok laughed, and the shadows in the room seemed to come alive, twisting and solidifying into a thousand razor-sharp blades that shot toward Tian. Tian's Heaven-Defying Arts flared, his sword a blur of azure light as he parried every single one. The blades were not real; they were constructs of pure shadow, each carrying a chilling, paralyzing qi that seeped into his bones. Tian felt his movements slowing, and he knew he was losing ground.
Suddenly, a massive tremor shook the entire cavern. A portion of the cave floor ripped apart, and a colossal, black-scaled serpent with two monstrous horns on its head burst from the depths. It was an Imoogi, its body scarred and its eyes filled with a berserker's rage. It had been imprisoned and was being kept as material for the leader's poisonous arts.
Gong Jin-hyeok's eyes widened in shock. "Impossible! How did it escape its bindings?"
The Imoogi let out a roar and charged Gong Jin-hyeok, its massive body slamming into his throne. Tian seized the opportunity. He knew he had to end this now. His heart was filled with a terrible certainty, and his left eye began to burn. Ignoring the pain, he activated the forbidden Azure Dragon Eye. In a blink of an eye, the world became a tapestry of flowing qi. He saw Gong Jin-hyeok's shadow techniques in their purest form.
Tian lunged forward, his blade transforming into a surge of radiant energy. "Heavenly Origin Sword Art: Phoenix Rebirth!" he roared, and a fiery bird of light burst from his blade. The blade passed through Gong Jin-hyeok in a flash, and his head rolled from his shoulders.
A Sacred Bond
With the leader dead, the Imoogi's rage was unchecked. It turned its glowing red eyes on Tian and prepared to attack.
Tian braced himself. He dodged the first two strikes of the enraged beast, then darted forward and placed his hand on its scaly head. A torrent of memories flooded into his mind: a peaceful family of snakes, their loving parents, and the day they were attacked by the Nine Shadows Pavilion. He saw the leader of the Pavilion killing the parents and kidnapping the young Imoogi. Tian felt the fear, the rage, and the years of torture.
"I know your pain," Tian said, his voice a whisper. "But he is dead. You are free."
The Imoogi's eyes slowly cleared, its rage subsiding into a profound sadness. It looked at Tian, and a faint, ethereal voice spoke in his mind. Thank you, Descendent. I am free. My name is Ryu. Allow me to stay by your side. With that, the massive Imoogi's body began to shrink, turning into a small, black serpent that coiled itself around Tian's arm.
A moment later, a blinding vision overwhelmed Tian's senses. The space around him warped, and four magnificent beings appeared: a majestic Azure Dragon, a brilliant Phoenix, a fearsome White Tiger, and a great Imoogi.
"Descendent," the Azure Dragon's voice boomed in his mind. "We are the guardians of the world. We are your family."
"Look for the remaining three sacred beasts," the Phoenix said, its voice like a chorus of bells. "The descendants of the Black Tortoise, the Qilin, and lastly… the beloved daughter of my lost husband, the Eastern Azure Dragon."
"We need them," the White Tiger's voice was a deep rumble.
Tian, shaken, asked, "Why do you need them? What is the relationship between the Western Azure Dragon and the Four Ancient Beasts?"
The Azure Dragon's gaze was solemn. "They are my family. Gather them, and you will understand all."
The vision faded, and Tian was left alone. He looked at the Imoogi, Ryu, now resting on his arm. The baby phoenix stirred on his head, and the white tiger began to stir beside him. Tian understood now that he was no longer just a warrior fighting a war. He was a piece of a greater, forgotten destiny.
A Victory and a New Path
When Tian emerged from the cave, the battle was over. The Venmous Hall had won without a single casualty. A great banquet was held that night in Serpent's Gate City to celebrate their victory.
At the banquet, Li Hae-cheon praised Tian. "The Thousand Venoms Hall is in your debt, young one. Your presence has purified our lands and given us peace. We will not forget your kindness." The Deadly Snake then stood and addressed his son, the Patriarch. "My son, send our elder to aid Wuheng in his cause." He turned to a grizzled old man. "Elder Li Yong, you and twelve of our finest warriors will travel to Longyan City to help Wuheng gather his forces. When the time comes, we will join you with our full might."
The next morning, as they were preparing to leave, Li Lihua approached Tian, her beautiful face a mix of curiosity and shyness. "Master Tian," she began, "I have to ask. Do you have a woman in your heart?"
Yeon Soheon, standing beside him, stiffened imperceptibly. Tian, completely oblivious, simply tilted his head. "A woman? I have not thought of such things. I have only focused on my training and my family."
Li Lihua's expression fell slightly, a faint look of sadness in her eyes. But then she smiled. "I see. Then I wish you well on your journey." She bowed and walked away.
Yu Gwanjeong, watching from a distance, shook his head and slapped Tian on the back. "You idiot! Don't you see what's happening? You're a lucky bastard."
Tian just looked at him, genuinely confused. He saluted the Li family and the warriors of the Thousand Venoms Hall and hit the road, his companions now by his side, ready for their next mission. He had no idea of the tensions he had just stirred, or the ancient destiny that awaited him.