The White Tiger Brigade of the Martial Alliance had arrived at Zhongnanshan.

This elite force, part of the Alliance’s formidable Four Divisions, had come with a dual purpose. One division was there to aid the Zhongnan Sect, which had recently suffered significant losses, while the other three divisions sought an audience with Mu Hui.

“Master of the Sword, the Alliance Leader has requested your assistance.”

The leader of the White Tiger Brigade handed Mu Hui a letter bearing the seal of the Martial Alliance Leader. After reading it, Mu Hui nodded and folded the letter.

“So, according to this, the Alliance Leader is currently in Hunan?”

“Yes, that’s correct. I understand there has already been a clash with the Left and Right Guardians.”

The Black Night Palace had moved north, clashing with the Martial Alliance forces in Hunan, reigniting the flames of war in the region.

But that wasn’t all.

The Black Night Palace was advancing northward, and Sadocheon, led by the Blue Ice King, was making moves in Jiangxi. In response, the Iron Mountain Fist King had taken action.

“Not long ago, the Black Night Palace and Sadocheon were fiercely battling each other, but now it seems they’re coordinating.”

The leader of the White Tiger Brigade nodded at Mu Hui’s observation.

“Both factions have exhausted themselves through repeated clashes in Guangxi and Guangdong. Sadocheon, in particular, lost the Wolf King. It seems they’re trying to counterbalance the Martial Alliance, which has managed to preserve its strength.”

Meanwhile, the Overlord Castle, though not directly clashing with the Martial Alliance, had solidified its hold over Yunnan and was relentlessly pressing the Sichuan martial world. A confrontation seemed inevitable.

“The Overlord Castle has stabilized its rear by securing Yunnan and is now looking to finish off the Sichuan Union. The Alliance Leader hopes you can lend your strength to Sichuan.”

Mu Hui nodded in agreement.

The Overlord Castle was formidable not only because of its sheer power but also due to the presence of the Overlord himself and the remaining members of the Five Martial Generals.

Mu Hui had already defeated the Ghost King and the Yellow Dust Army, but three generals remained, one of whom was known to be a transcendent master.

“The Poison Duke of Sichuan, was it?”

In his past life as the Sword Demon, Mu Hui had never encountered the Poison Duke, who had been preoccupied with the conquest of Yunnan.

“With the Overlord and the Poison Duke now back in Sichuan, it will be a challenging battlefield. That’s why the Sword King has also set out.”

“The Sword King of the Baekri Family?”

Mu Hui recalled the Sword King, who had severed his own right arm. Despite being a transcendent master, losing the arm he had wielded all his life would surely limit his abilities.

The fact that they were seeking help from the reclusive Sword King of the Baekri Family indicated the urgency of the orthodox martial world’s situation.

“Even so, his presence alone will be a great asset.”

Remembering the changed Sword King from their last encounter, Mu Hui took it as a positive sign.

“So, will we set out for Sichuan once the Sword King joins us?”

“No, given the urgency, we’ll depart separately and meet in Sichuan. The Baekri Family is quite a distance away in Shanxi.”

Mu Hui nodded at the White Tiger Brigade leader’s explanation.

“Let’s set out immediately.”

After a brief farewell to Seonju and Hongseon, Mu Hui led the Plum Blossom Swordsmen westward with the White Tiger Brigade, heading towards Sichuan.

* * *

Chengdu, Sichuan Province

The Plum Blossom Swordsmen and the White Tiger Brigade traveled directly from Zhongnanshan to Sichuan, arriving in Chengdu.

In the heart of Tangjia, a vast village inhabited by those bearing the Tang surname, stood the Sichuan Tang Family, one of the Three Great Families.

At the main gate of the Tang Family, the head, Tang Jiho, along with the family members, welcomed Mu Hui and his companions.

“Master of the Plum Blossom Sword, Leader of the White Tiger Brigade. We received the Martial Alliance’s letter. Thank you for coming to aid the Sichuan Union.”

Tang Jiho and the family members clasped their hands in greeting, to which Mu Hui and his group responded in kind.

“Please, come inside.”

Tang Jiho personally escorted Mu Hui and the White Tiger Brigade leader to the family hall, where they were served tea.

“This is Eight Poison Tea.”

“Eight Poison Tea? Does it contain poison?”

The White Tiger Brigade leader hesitated, his hand pausing mid-reach for the teacup. Tang Jiho chuckled and nodded.

“It’s a blend of eight poisons, but it won’t harm you. In fact, it invigorates the body. It’s a tea you can only enjoy here at the main house.”

“Poison can be medicine. I see the logic.”

Reassured by Tang Jiho’s confident words, the White Tiger Brigade leader nodded, though a hint of unease lingered on his face as he sipped the tea.

Mu Hui, tasting the tea, was pleasantly surprised. The aroma was bitter, but the blend of sweet and bitter flavors was unexpectedly appealing.

The White Tiger Brigade leader seemed to share the sentiment, focusing intently on the tea without a word.

Watching the two men enjoy the tea, Tang Jiho turned to Mu Hui with a satisfied smile.

“Master of the Plum Blossom Sword, you were impressive at the Celestial Dragon Tournament, and now you’ve soared to heights beyond my estimation.”

Mu Hui responded to Tang Jiho’s praise with a humble nod.

“Head of the family, how is the situation at the front?”

“After the battle at Qizhou, both sides are in a standoff, likely waiting for the Poison Duke to join and gather their strength.”

The White Tiger Brigade leader set down his teacup.

“It seems the Overlord Castle plans to regroup and launch a decisive attack.”

“With the Five Martial Generals gathered at the Overlord Castle, they might all appear on the battlefield in the next battle.”

If the Overlord Castle’s sharpest weapon, the Five Martial Generals, appeared simultaneously, it would signal the Overlord’s intent to end the prolonged conflict in Sichuan.

“Considering the support from the Dokgo Association, the White Tiger Brigade, the Plum Blossom Swordsmen, and the reinforcements from the Baekri Family, we won’t be easily overwhelmed.”

“The Dokgo Association is also in Sichuan?”

Mu Hui inquired, and Tang Jiho nodded.

“The Dokgo Association has often appeared in Sichuan to support the union. The association leader’s master had frequent clashes with the Overlord Castle, creating a deep-seated enmity.”

Mu Hui, the subject of that enmity, could only nod in acknowledgment.

‘My disciple. He was in Henan, and now he’s crossed over to Sichuan with his followers.’

As Tang Jiho and the White Tiger Brigade leader discussed strategies and shared information about the battlefield, Mu Hui thought of Dokgo Yul.

A disciple walking the same path as his master.

Mu Hui had long known of the Dokgo Association’s repeated clashes with the Overlord Castle. From the castle’s perspective, Dokgo Yul was as troublesome as the Sword Demon himself.

In such a situation, it was impossible not to worry about his disciple, who had willingly entered a battlefield more dangerous than usual.

‘I can’t just beat him up and send him away.’

As Mu Hui pondered over Dokgo Yul, the mention of the Poison Duke brought his focus back to the meeting.

“The Poison Duke and his followers will likely require the attention of the Plum Blossom Swordsmen. Of course, our family members will assist.”

Mu Hui, contemplating the Poison Duke, spoke up.

“I’ve heard the Poison Duke excels in both poison and hidden weaponry. Because of this, he subdued the Mount Chang Sect with hidden weapons and the Five Poisons Sect with poison.”

Tang Jiho nodded grimly.

“I’d like to gather as much information as possible about the Poison Duke. Can you help with that?”

“Hmm.”

Tang Jiho sighed at Mu Hui’s request.

Mu Hui’s interest in the Poison Duke stemmed from the fact that the Poison Duke hailed from the Sichuan Tang Family.

Specifically, she was Tang Jiho’s sister.

The White Tiger Brigade leader knew of the Poison Duke’s origins but not the details, so he focused on Tang Jiho’s words.

After a moment of contemplation, Tang Jiho stroked his beard with a bitter expression and began to speak.

“She had many reasons to dislike the main family.”

“Many reasons…”

“First, despite her superior martial skills, she couldn’t become the head of the family simply because she was a woman. Her ambition was great, and her disappointment with the family and resentment towards me ran deep.”

Tang Jiho emptied his teacup and continued.

“And, as you may know, Master of the Plum Blossom Sword, our family was a neutral faction until about ten years ago.”

Mu Hui nodded.

The Sichuan Tang Family specialized in poison and hidden weapons.

These were not particularly welcomed by the orthodox factions.

Moreover, the family had a reputation for repaying kindness twofold and grudges tenfold, giving them a rather aggressive image.

However, as the current head, Tang Jiho chose to fully align with the orthodox factions for the future of the Sichuan Tang Family.

As a result, they voluntarily sealed away their most notorious poisons and hidden weapons, which could cause massive chaos in the martial world.

Whenever these items leaked into the martial world, they caused significant upheaval. To those with malicious intent, the Tang Family’s poisons and hidden weapons were highly attractive.

The family even insisted on a matrilocal marriage system to prevent the leakage of their secrets.

But the Poison Duke criticized Tang Jiho for diminishing the family’s power and bowing to the orthodox factions, eventually leading her followers out of the Tang Family.

Thus, the Poison Duke pledged allegiance to the Overlord Castle.

“Her goal is likely to destroy the Sichuan Union and return to become the new head of the Tang Family.”

“Can we assume she has mastered most of the family’s martial arts?”

Tang Jiho sighed deeply.

“That’s right. He’s mastered the Dragon Scale Storm, the pinnacle of our family’s secret techniques, and his talent was recognized by the previous head, allowing him to learn the Guiyuan Divine Art. On top of that, he’s got a knack for poisons. From what I’ve heard, he’s developed a new poison by enhancing the family’s original formula.”

As Mu-hui pondered over the information about the Poison Lord of Sichuan, Dang Gi-ho asked, “Plum Blossom Sword Master, you’ve reached a level where most poisons won’t affect you, but have you ever built up a resistance to them?”

The poisons of the Poison Lord of Sichuan were notorious, potent enough to affect even those at the transcendent level. Dang Gi-ho thought that even the renowned Sword Saint of Mount Hua would struggle if he faced the Poison Lord unprepared.

Mu-hui responded with a slight smile. In the past, he had received the Five Poison Pill at the Six Harmonies Sword Assembly, but it was nowhere near enough to counter the Poison Lord’s toxins. So, he had brought something specifically for this purpose.

“I have a favor to ask of you, Master.”

“A favor? Go on.”

Mu-hui handed over a sealed container to Dang Gi-ho. “Please, open it.”

Nodding, Dang Gi-ho carefully opened the container. Inside was a dark red core, and the moment he broke the seal, a powerful toxic aura emanated from it, surprising even him, a master who had trained to be immune to all poisons.

“What is this? Is it the core of a mystical creature?”

“You recognized it immediately. It’s the core of the Venomous Horned Spider.”

“The Venomous Horned Spider!”

Both Dang Gi-ho and the White Tiger Squad Leader, who had been watching, were taken aback.

Mu-hui continued, enjoying their astonishment. “I also brought the spider’s blood. I kept it preserved since the day I captured it.”

Hearing this, Dang Gi-ho chuckled in disbelief, then spoke after a moment of thought. “You want me to create an elixir to build resistance to poison using these, don’t you?”

“Exactly. With the materials from Mount Hua combined with the expertise and ingredients of your family, it should be possible.”

“Hmm, indeed. I was planning to give you one of our family’s poison pills, but…”

The Venomous Horned Spider was no ordinary creature. Encountering one was rare enough, let alone capturing it. Though curious about how Mu-hui had managed it, Dang Gi-ho focused on calculating the best way to utilize the core and blood with the rare herbs and poisons in their possession.

“You’ve entrusted this to me, so I’ll ensure the best possible outcome.”

“Will there be enough for both me and the Plum Blossom Sword Master?”

“Of course. Don’t worry.”

The White Tiger Squad Leader, listening to their conversation, nodded in agreement. Everything was falling into place for the upcoming battle, easing his mind.

But Mu-hui wasn’t finished with his requests. “Master, I have another favor to ask.”

“Oh? What is it?”

“Could I perhaps observe the secret techniques of the Sichuan Tang Clan? I have little experience with them, and it would be beneficial to prepare for a confrontation with the Poison Lord.”

Before Dang Gi-ho could respond, Mu-hui continued, “The Poison Lord has likely mastered the Ten Thousand Blossoms Rain. I’m not asking for the secrets of the technique, just the chance to experience it in a sparring match would be invaluable.”

Dang Gi-ho, momentarily taken aback, finally spoke. “You really have thought of everything, haven’t you?”