The Black Scorpion Clan's chief, Biata, spent a long time with the recovering Baihe, and after finishing their conversation, he immediately sent for Cheonyeong.

"Would you like some tea?"

"...Pardon?"

"The tea of Yunnan is different from that of the Central Plains. It's called Myosu. Try it, it will have a different taste."

It was fluent Central Plains language.

But Myosu... cat's whisker?

It was a peculiar name. Just hearing the name made it seem like it would have a different taste.

But that's that...

Why are you brewing the tea yourself?

And what's with the gentle expression and soft tone?

Just grab me by the collar and ask, 'Did you beat up my son?'!

That would be more comfortable.

Then I could explain the situation one way or another and apologize for being too harsh...

The master is not scolding me and is treating me like a neighbor's son, so I can't help but be on pins and needles.

"Take it."

"Yes."

Cheonyeong awkwardly stands up and accepts the teacup Biata offers.

"Sit."

"Yes."

He was offered a seat, and Cheonyeong repeatedly thought about what to say.

"Try it."

"...Yes."

Cheonyeong brings the teacup to his mouth according to Biata's will.

The properly brewed Myosu was not hot.

"Huh?"

It was a strange taste.

When it first touched his tongue, it was full of bitterness, but the sweetness that followed soon erased the bitterness.

Then it was soft and refreshing, as if caressing his insides... damn it, am I in a position to be admiring the taste of tea right now?

To put it bluntly, it was no different from having a private meeting with the leader of the Nine Factions.

No matter how boldly he lived without fear of the world, if there was this much of a difference in level, he couldn't help but be nervous.

Wasn't it a situation where not only his own neck but also the necks of his family members could be cut off?

"Um, about your son's matter..."

"It was excessive."

"Th-that's right?"

"Very."

"...I'm sorry. Actually."

"Thank you."

"Of course you'd be thank... pardon?"

"Thanks to you, it seems Baihe has come to his senses."

"...Pardon?"

For a moment, his mind went blank.

The conversation was going in a completely different direction than he had thought.

"I heard you are the family head of a family called the Tang Family's estate."

"Yes."

"I'm sorry I haven't heard of it."

"No, it's not a big enough name to have been heard of."

"Is that so?"

"Yes."

"But, the future looks promising. If a person like you is the family head, the Tang Family's estate will surely reach the ears of the people of Yunnan someday."

"...Pardon?"

"I've heard everything about what happened at the branch from Baihe and Uta."

"..."

"You were proud, even with just five people?"

"Ah, that's..."

"It's not an easy thing. Since there were over a hundred warriors at the branch."

Cheonyeong wore a blank expression at Biata's continuous words.

What should I say?

It was strange.

He was expressionless, and his gaze was indifferent, but he was not oppressing him as before.

He seemed to be full of tolerance, as if embracing everything like a deep, deep abyss.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Because it's unexpected."

"Unexpected? What is?"

"I thought I would be scolded."

"Scolded?"

"Because your son was badly injured."

"Ah, that? Heh heh! A-heh-heh-heh!"

Biata bursts out laughing at Cheonyeong's mumbling words.

"That's right, he was badly injured. But, it was something that was needed at least once."

"Pardon?"

"That punk needed to come to his senses."

"Is that so?"

"Baihe is a punk who was born with outstanding talent."

"I know. He seemed so."

"That talent sometimes becomes a poison."

"...He didn't try."

"That's right. He believed in his talent to understand ten things by seeing one and didn't try. Because he must have thought that he could become strong at any time without trying."

"Hmm, didn't anyone teach him?"

Biata answers with a bitter smile.

"I taught him. But it was in vain."

"In vain?"

"Yes. You may not know, but the authority of a chief in Yunnan is close to absolute. He can kill a person with just one command."

"It seemed so."

"Who would sincerely face such a young chief?"

"Ah..."

"In the end, I had no choice but to teach him myself."

"Then?"

"Wouldn't he think it's only natural to lose to me?"

"That's true."

"But, your existence was a big shock."

"..."

"That punk said so. That he had never thought he would lose."

"Was it carelessness?"

"No, that punk wasn't careless. He must have really done his best. Because he acknowledged you as a warrior."

Biata's gaze was firm.

"Hmm..."

"So you don't need to apologize to me. Since it was a warrior's fight, even if my son had died, I would not have blamed you. Because that is our law that has been passed down from our ancestors."

"It's a rather cruel law. Your son could have died."

"Yes, it's cruel. But it's an undeniable fact that that law has made the tribe strong."

"Hmm."

"That punk said so. That he has to get stronger."

"Get stronger?"

"Yes. He said he met someone of his age who was much stronger than him, and he was very excited even while lying in his sickbed."

"That's... a relief."

"It is a relief. That punk will become stronger, and with his talent, the tribe will get a master stronger than me."

Cheonyeong finally lets out a sigh of relief at Biata's words.

It seems his worry about appeasing the angry dad was in vain.

"Moreover, what I'm grateful to you for is that you didn't kill my son."

"..."

"Although I am a chief who must protect the law, it would have been difficult to accept my son's death with composure."

Biata smiles brightly.

I'm relieved too. That I didn't make an enemy of a strong person like you, and a huge force like the Five Poisons Gate.

What if he had died?

Could we have sat together like this and drunk tea called Myosu?

Suddenly, he became grateful to Sanghui. In fact, when he had given the decision to Sanghui, if that punk had wanted Baihe's death, he would have killed him without hesitation.

On the other hand, he was worried.

Since Biata of the Black Scorpion Clan had a rather cool-headed personality, he must have understood his son better than anyone else. If so, the talent he spoke of must be real.

And that son had shown a will to become stronger rather than venting his anger at his defeat.

It must be a kind of awakening. The awakening of a genius.

That punk had the potential to become two, three times stronger than others. Because he would have explosive potential.

He might become a formidable enemy in the distant future.

Of all places, in Yunnan, which borders Sicheon...

It was troublesome.

If he was that strong, a friend would be better than an enemy.

"Speak."

"Pardon?"

Biata cuts off Cheonyeong's long train of thought.

"I heard from Uta that you demanded money."

"Pardon?"

"He said you were blatant about it."

Biata shows Cheonyeong his thumb and index finger rolled into a circle.

"Ah, that's."

His words were cut short.

Cheonyeong just scratches his head awkwardly.

"Being faithful to one's interests is not a bad thing."

"Thank you for understanding."

"Speak. How much do you want? Since you've opened the floodgates for my son's talent, no, his life, I will compensate you handsomely."

Cheonyeong thinks for a moment at Biata's words.

Refuse? Why would he do that?

When he's offering so actively.

The problem is, how much... should I ask for?

How much on earth...

At that moment, a thought flashes through Cheonyeong's mind like lightning.

Wait, maybe a few pennies right now is not the problem.

He's a powerhouse of the outer world. Strong enough that the Central Plains has to be on edge at their movements.

Then instead of taking the money and ending it, what if I maintain a friendship and have a long, long relationship?

"Chief."

"Huh?"

"How about trade instead of money?"

"Trade?"

"Yes."

"What do you mean?"

As a strange light flows in Biata's eyes, Cheonyeong calmly organizes his flashing thoughts and says.

"Please give the Tang Family's estate the exclusive right to trade with the Black Scorpion Clan."

"Hmm, exclusive right..."

Biata, who had been thinking about Cheonyeong's proposal, nods his head.

"Let's do that. I will permit it with the authority of a chief."

"Including poison."

"Huh? Poison?"

"Yes."

"Hmm... Family Head Tang."

"Yes."

"General trade is possible with my authority as a chief. But trading poison is a different matter. It's something that can only be done after a meeting with the other chiefs."

"Is that so?"

"Because poison is one of our very important strategic assets."

"Hmm..."

"Since poison is not possible, let's just trade general items."

Cheonyeong shakes his head at Biata's words.

It would be troublesome if poison were excluded.

For the Myriad Poisons Hall that Cheonyeong wanted to create, he had to be supplied with the high-quality poison of Yunnan.

"By any chance, is there no way to persuade the other tribal chiefs?"

"It's a difficult task."

"Hmm..."

"But why poison? In fact, wouldn't your position be awkward if you traded poison? Since the Central Plains doesn't look kindly on families that use poison."

Of course, that would be the case.

So he had to trade secretly. So that the Central Plains wouldn't know.

"And don't the people of the Central Plains look down on poison? As cowardly and sinister."

"Most people of the Central Plains do. But I don't."

"You don't? Why?"

"Because I know how scary poison is."

"...What?"

"Think about it. Wouldn't it be more efficient to poison a well than to use a sword to annihilate a village?"

"...!"

"Poison can slaughter countless people with just a small amount. Depending on how it's used, it becomes a tremendous weapon."

"Hmm, you have quite dangerous thoughts, unlike your appearance."

"Not right now, but to protect my family, I might have to. If there's an enemy trying to destroy my family, I have to use any method."

"Heh heh, you're truly unexpected. Is the Tang Family's estate what the Central Plains commonly calls the Unorthodox Faction?"

"The Tang Family's estate is just the Tang Family's estate."

Biata looks at Cheonyeong for a moment and then nods his head.

"Can't it be done?"

"It would be difficult. To persuade the chiefs."

"...I see."

Cheonyeong, who had answered sullenly, adds, just in case.

"Then what if we do this?"

"This?"

"I heard that smugglers have been rampant lately."

"It seems Uta told you."

"Yes."

"That's right. Not only are the smugglers illegally exporting poisons that are not for trade, but they are also destroying the habitats of the poisons. The chiefs of each tribe are personally cracking down on them, but it's not easy."

Cheonyeong wears a triumphant smile as Biata frowns.

"I'll solve that for you."

"What? You will?"

"Yes."

Biata looks at Cheonyeong intently at his confident answer and then waves his hand and laughs.

"I appreciate the thought. But, it's something that the entire Yunnan has not been able to completely crack down on. How can you."

"It's possible."

"What did you say?"

Although he dismissed it as absurd, Cheonyeong's expression was full of conviction.

"Explain it to me. How is that possible?"

"The basis of business is supply and demand."

"Supply and demand?"

"Yes, because there are those who want to buy, there are those who want to sell."

"That's right."

"But, what if there are no buyers?"

"No buyers?"

"Yes, the smugglers' poison will not be distributed within Yunnan. Because the tribes of the Five Poisons Gate will be looking for it with their eyes on fire."

"That's right."

"Then, wouldn't it be enough to just crack down on the Central Plains?"

"Are you saying you have the power to move the Central Plains?"

"Of course not. As I said, the Tang Family's estate is a very small family. So small that you, Chief, have not even heard of it."

Biata looks at Cheonyeong with a puzzled expression.

"But how?"

"Although it's small, I can move a large sect enough to seal the border of Sicheon and crack down on smugglers."

"What do you mean?"

"The Beggars' Sect."

"The Beggars' Sect?"

"And I might even be able to move the Cheongcheon Alliance. But, I have one more request."

"Speak."

"Please move the forward-deployed branch back to its original position."

"The branch?"

"Yes. That's all."

"Hmm..."

Biata falls into thought again at Cheonyeong's words.

Although he had to crack down on the smugglers, since he couldn't cross the border of Sicheon, moving the branch forward was the best choice.

But what if the Central Plains seals the border and cracks down on the smugglers?

The Five Poisons Gate would be rid of a big headache.

But can he be trusted?

Although he was his son's benefactor, the words of a strange young man from the Central Plains...

"Hmm, it's not a bad condition. But, I can't persuade the chiefs with just words."

"Of course, that's true."

"...?"

"If you just move the branch, I'll move the Beggars' Sect tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?"

"Yes!"

Although he was full of doubt at Cheonyeong's firm answer, Biata nods his head.

Now, Baekta. You punk who's a candidate for the future leader of the Beggars' Sect.

It's your turn to step up to complete your mission.