The sun had barely risen when Tang Yun made his way to the Tang Clan's Hall of Records.
Most inner disciples avoided this place unless ordered. Why waste time with dusty scrolls when you could be cultivating qi or refining poison?
But Tang Yun didn't think like the rest.
He knew strength wasn't enough. Power meant nothing without the knowledge to wield it like a dagger in the dark.
And knowledge was everywhere—if you knew where to dig.
The old librarian, Elder Tang Guo, raised an eyebrow when he saw the boy enter. "Back again, Young Master Yun?"
Tang Yun bowed respectfully. "Yes, Elder Guo. May I continue with the clan history archives?"
The old man chuckled. "Most don't care to know who their grandfather was, much less their ancestors. You're a strange one."
Tang Yun smiled politely but said nothing. He was already at the shelves, fingers skimming across old leather-bound tomes.
He wasn't reading for ancestry.
He was hunting for patterns.
For secrets.
For weaknesses.
By midday, he had discovered what he wanted.
The Tang Clan, though once feared across the martial world for its unmatched poisons, now stood eighth among the Great Eight Clans its former glory tarnished by internal betrayals, failed alliances, and stagnation.
The other clans had surged ahead:
Namgung Clan – Legendary swordsmanship and righteous prestige.
Zhao Clan – Golden body cultivation and imperial influence.
Lee Clan – Renowned for wind and movement techniques.
Gu Clan – Masters of formation arrays and sealing arts.
Huang Clan – Spiritual perception and soul arts.
Jin Clan – Wealth and powerful alchemical guilds.
Wei Clan – Dominant spear users, known for direct and aggressive combat.
Tang Clan – Poison experts—now in decline.
And the Great Eight Sects of the martial world dominated the Murim from every corner:
Wudang Sect – Philosophical sword dao and internal energy mastery.
Mount Hua Sect – Peerless swordsmanship and upright doctrine.
Kunlun Sect – Balance, harmony, and ancient techniques.
Hao Sect – Mercenary-style sect known for versatile combat and underground intelligence.
Moonflower Sect – All-female sect with graceful but deadly techniques, known for beauty and illusion.
Beggar Sect – Massive intelligence network and brutal staff style.
Bodhimanda Temple – A monastic Buddhist sect focused on enlightenment and body-tempering arts.
Sword Sect – An extremist faction of sword cultivators that value pure martial strength.
The Tang Clan's position among the Great Clans remained precarious. Tang Yun, however, had no intention of seeking alliances or aid from other sects or clans.
He would rise from within, through his own cunning and planning.
Tang Yun sat in the garden, meditating beneath a dead willow tree. Though he had only reached the Early Qi Awakening Realm, he could already sense the sluggish swirl of toxins forming patterns within his dantian.
From his readings and observation, he had begun to categorize the common cultivation realms among Murim warriors:
Qi Awakening Realm (Gi Gakseong-gyeong): The first step in cultivation. The dantian is opened and internal energy begins to circulate.
Meridian Opening Realm (Gyeongmaek Gaebang-gyeong): The meridians are unblocked, allowing qi to flow smoothly through the entire body.
Inner Core Realm (Naehaek-gyeong): The qi condenses into a solid inner core; techniques become sharper, energy denser.
Warrior Realm (Musagyeong): While typically trained before awakening qi, it remains foundational. The body is trained to endure and grow. Strength, speed, and toughness are honed.
Most outer disciples hovered between Warrior and Early Qi Awakening.
Tang Yun, despite his reputation as useless, was progressing faster than anyone expected.
But he told no one.
He learned from his past life—the more others knew, the more blades came at your back.
That evening, he met with Tang Jiao in the secluded training chamber beneath his courtyard.
"Recruitment is going well," Jiao said. "We have six more outer disciples willing to serve. Most are bitter and overlooked. Perfect for your... purposes."
"Good," Tang Yun replied. "Begin instructing them in our observation protocols. No direct actions yet. Let them learn how to listen and watch."
He spread a map across the table.
"This is our first target: the Jade River Plains Tournament. We'll use the event to sell medicine... altered medicine."
"Laced with poison?"
"Not poison. Qi Dissonance Agent—something that destabilizes internal flow during combat but only activates under exertion. Hard to trace. Subtle."
Jiao grinned. "You're more devious than I thought."
Tang Yun gave a cold smile. "Deviousness is what's left when strength is stolen from you."
Later that night, his sister, Tang Ziyan, confronted him in the moonlit corridor.
"You think hiding in shadows and pulling strings makes you strong?" she said. "The martial world crushes those who hesitate. You need a sword, not a scheme."
Tang Yun stared at her calmly. "When a blade is poisoned, even a scratch becomes fatal. Why should I swing it when others can do it for me?"
Ziyan's hand twitched near her hilt, but she backed away.
"Just don't forget, little brother—poison can kill... but so can steel."
Tang Yun watched her leave.
He whispered to himself.
"Then I'll poison the steel."
[Tags]: Reincarnation, Martial Arts, Poison, Scheming Protagonist, Cultivation, Weak to Strong, Anti-Hero, Cold Protagonist, Clan Wars, Hidden Identity, Revenge