Chapter 396: Oh No...! (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 396: Oh No...! (1)
By the time I finished speaking with the Qinghai Sword and stepped outside, evening had already fallen.
Dinner was still some time away, but I set off early, knowing there wasn't enough time left for a proper training session.
The old man would skin me alive if he saw this.
If the Dishonored Venerable caught me skipping my training, he'd undoubtedly use it as an excuse to 'train' me again—which was just a polite term for another beating.
That man must get a real kick out of pounding people into the ground.
I was sure of it.
Maybe he was called the Dishonored Venerable for a different reason altogether. To me, it seemed like he'd been pent up ever since achieving Eternal Youth, with few opportunities to fight. And unfortunately, I was his chosen punching bag.
…Damn it. I need to get stronger, fast.
At the very least, I needed to reach a level where he couldn't just beat me up anymore. But even as I had the thought, I knew there was no easy answer.
How can he just ignore the sheer gap between our levels?
His sheer dominance left me speechless every time. Once, he even told me to go all out, so I did—I unleashed my Qi. And it still wasn't enough. The result was just absurd.
He didn't leave a single opening.
I usually sparred with him using only physical strength, not out of fairness to him, but because it was more beneficial for me. The Dishonored Venerable had a knack for pinpointing my flaws, using them to shut down my movements and Qi before I could even launch an attack. Despite being in the Peak Realm, he could effortlessly handle me, even though I had reached the Fusion Realm. Thanks to that, our spars always ended with me getting pummeled.
In response to my glaring weaknesses, the Dishonored Venerable had been drilling me on close-quarters combat. I'd developed a bad habit of relying solely on the overwhelming quantity of my Qi.
It's something Elder Shin warned me about in the past, too.
I had no excuses when it came to close combat. I'd focused entirely on fire arts and their explosive power, neglecting the fundamentals. As a close-combat martial artist, I had virtually no memory of ever seriously training my hand-to-hand skills.
It was a truth I'd been forced to confront recently, thanks to these relentless spars. My past experiences weren't the reliable foundation I'd thought they were; the flaws I had to fix were far too numerous.
…Just a bit more.
No, not just a bit. I needed to work a lot harder. For all his nasty personality, I had to admit I was lucky to have such a competent teacher.
Lately, I'd been trying to circulate my Heaven Destruction Art with every movement. It made walking feel like stepping on spikes, but the training effect was undeniable.
The Dishonored Venerable had looked downright disgusted when he saw me doing it. His eyes seemed to say, 'Even I didn't go that far,' and he treated me like some kind of maniac. But since he didn't stop me, I figured it didn't matter.
Of course, it was far from pleasant. It wasn't just spikes underfoot; it felt like being repeatedly stabbed with knives from the inside out. The pain was so intense it made me want to quit immediately.
But if I can't even endure this, what hope do I have for the future?
It was just pain. It wasn't physically damaging, so I could handle it. Though I did occasionally black out from the intensity.
Wobble—
I lost my balance for a moment as I walked.
…Oh. I almost fainted again.
I shook my head to clear it. This happened from time to time when my focus slipped. Oh well.
The important thing was that I had already arrived at the inn where the Poison King was waiting. I stared up at the tall, elegant building.
I should have walked slower…
It was closer than I'd expected. Damn it. Time always flies when you're lost in thought.
Sigh.
I should go in, right? I can't exactly turn back now. As hesitation began to cloud my mind—
It shouldn't be a problem anyway.
I quickly steadied my nerves, let out a deep sigh, and stepped inside.
The moment I crossed the threshold, a flood of information assaulted my senses. I kept my composure and calmly assessed the situation.
…Three to the left, two above, and four straight ahead.
Through my senses, I detected the martial artists guarding the inn. Their pungent aroma and distinctive aura marked them clearly as members of the Tang Clan.
Guards, huh.
Their gazes were fixed on me, but I sensed no immediate threat.
Though their constant staring is getting on my nerves.
I wondered what to do for a moment, then decided to use my Heaven Destruction Art to charge my Combat Qi.
Swoosh-!
This was a technique I'd mastered through relentless training—the process of making my Combat Qi more violent and fierce.
Combat Qi erupted from my body. Instead of spreading it indiscriminately, I directed it solely toward those watching me.
I saw them flinch. My Qi had disrupted their concentration, causing them to reveal their presence. Had they really thought they could hide from me? They realized I'd done it on purpose and began to panic.
Seeing their reaction, I pondered my next move.
What should I do?
Tease them a little more? I wasn't fond of being secretly watched, but since this was Tang Clan territory, I decided to let it go.
I withdrew my Qi, and the weight of their stares lessened. I turned my head and looked in one specific direction.
I locked eyes with the one who seemed to be the leader of the hidden guards and gave him a faint, knowing smirk. The masked man's eyes widened in shock at my smile.
I'd clearly rattled them; I felt their Qi scatter chaotically.
A moment later, I looked away and proceeded further into the inn. There was nothing else to accomplish here.
The interior was beautifully decorated, far more luxurious and pristine than I'd expected. I'd seen my share of inns, but the one the Tang Clan had borrowed was undoubtedly the finest.
As I glanced around, someone approached and greeted me respectfully.
"Thank you for visiting us."
Judging by her attire, she appeared to be a servant of the Tang Clan.
Hmm?
As I observed her, I detected a strange aura. I couldn't help but smirk inwardly.
Woah.
Even this supposed servant was a martial artist.
She was exceptionally good at concealing her identity. If I hadn't been this close, I probably wouldn't have noticed.
So the guy outside wasn't the leader after all.
This woman seemed far more powerful than him.
"My Lord is waiting inside. I shall guide you to him."
Just as she finished speaking and turned to lead the way, I couldn't resist asking a question.
"May I ask you something?"
The woman paused and turned back toward me.
"What is it?"
"Is it always like this?"
"…Pardon?"
"Is it always like this in the Tang Clan? You don't strike me as the servant type."
"…!"
When I pointed out that an assassin was posing as a servant, her eyes widened in shock.
I spoke again, a bit awkwardly.
"Oh, should I have pretended not to notice…? Forget I said anything. Please, lead the way."
The woman stared at me with trembling pupils for a moment, then lowered her head and began walking forward without another word. It seemed she really had been trying to hide it.
Having dealt with so many assassins in my past life, I'd lost the ability to see them as ordinary martial artists. Unless they were exceptionally skilled, I could usually spot them quite easily.
Anyway, that aside.
They're all martial artists. What's the meaning of this?
Not only was the servant in front of me a martial artist, but it seemed every servant of the Tang Clan was as well. I saw no one else in the inn—only Tang Clan members. It made sense, since they'd rented the entire building.
But for all of them to be martial artists…
Was that really necessary?
Oh.
After a moment's thought, I began to understand why the Tang Clan had come here in the first place.
It's because of the prisoner, I assume.
Given that they were transporting prisoners from the Unorthodox Faction to Sichuan on behalf of the Alliance, it made sense they'd brought a significant portion of their main force. They wouldn't have mobilized such strength otherwise.
As I felt numerous gazes upon me, I followed the servant down a hallway until we arrived at a beautifully crafted door.
She carefully opened it for me.
"Oh! You came."
As soon as the door opened, an innocent-looking middle-aged man rose to welcome me. It was the Poison King, the Lord of the Tang Clan, whom I had met previously.
I hid my nervousness and bowed respectfully.
"I am Gu Yangcheon, a blood relative of the Gu Clan. I am honored to meet the Lord of the Tang Clan."
"Haha! It's nice to meet you, Master Gu. Thank you for accepting my invitation."
His cheerful welcome was a stark contrast to the other Clan Lords I'd met, but I didn't let my guard down.
Based on my past life's experiences, I believed the Poison King was the least trustworthy of the Four Noble Clan Lords.
Then, the Poison King spoke in a calm tone, getting straight to the point.
"I heard you encountered some… discomfort on your way here."
He was referring to the guards outside and the servant who had guided me. As I'd suspected, he had been listening to everything. Or perhaps the servant had reported to him.
I responded with a light smile.
"My apologies. I acted rudely due to a moment of curiosity."
"Oh… It's no problem. Rudeness? It's understandable for a young man like you. Frankly, I didn't think you did anything wrong, so don't worry about it."
The Poison King smiled, assuring me it was fine.
Meanwhile, I observed the room. Only the Poison King and I were inside. Tang Soyeol was nowhere to be seen.
Noticing my glance, the Poison King explained.
"My daughter will be a little late."
"Oh, did something happen?"
"Hmm, not exactly. I simply asked her to come a bit later."
"Huh?"
When I responded with curiosity, the Poison King smiled.
"I wanted to have a talk with Master Gu. Just the two of us."
"…"
His words sent a chill down my spine. He had deliberately arranged for us to meet alone. What was he planning?
"If you're uncomfortable, I can call for my daughter now."
"Not at all. I'm fine."
He offered to summon Tang Soyeol if I disliked the situation, but who would dare say such a thing to a man like him?
Well… under normal circumstances, I might have.
But the man before me was Tang Soyeol's father first, and the Poison King second. That small but significant difference kept me from speaking my mind.
He seemed satisfied with my response and smiled.
"You must be hungry. Please, eat."
"…Ah, yes."
The food on the table looked delicious, but my hand refused to move.
As I hesitated, the Poison King swallowed a mouthful of food and asked, "Hmm? What's wrong? You may eat without concern."
"Haha… I'm just not feeling very well at the moment."
"Oh no, a young man like you should never feel unwell."
I nodded. Thankfully, the food didn't seem to be poisoned. But then, that was to be expected, wasn't it? The Poison King wouldn't be foolish enough to poison me here.
Now that I think about it, I haven't done anything wrong. Right?
The Poison King had no reason to hold a grudge against me, so why was I so nervous? I certainly had no memory of offending him.
Maybe I can relax a little?
With that thought, I cautiously reached for a dish with my chopsticks. But the Poison King spoke up just as I did.
"Ah, Master Gu. There's something I've been meaning to ask."
"Yes?"
"When do you plan on taking my daughter?"
"…Pardon?"
My chopsticks froze in midair.
What did he just say?
I stared at him, wondering if I'd misheard. The Poison King was looking back at me, his dark green eyes silent and intense. His eyes, which drooped slightly at the corners like Tang Soyeol's, seemed to be smiling, but his pupils were cold.
What did he just say?
As I stared at him dumbfounded, he spoke again.
"I'll ask once more, Master Gu."
The air in the room grew heavy.
"Do you have no intention of taking my daughter, Soyeol?"
"…What do you mean by that?"
His sudden question made it difficult to breathe. I had expected to discuss the trip to Sichuan, not Tang Soyeol.
And what did he mean by take her?
"…Take your daughter?"
When I asked for clarification, his eyes narrowed slightly.
"Master Gu. You are more cunning than I thought."
"…Uh."
"Does that mean you've been toying with my daughter's affections without any intention of taking responsibility?"
"Toying with her affections? That's nonsense."
"Stop denying the truth!"
The Poison King shot to his feet after my response.
"I can see clearly that my daughter is deeply in love with you! Moreover, strange rumors have spread throughout the Central Plains, and yet you refuse to take responsibility?"
"…"
To be fair, I had heard that bizarre rumor myself.
What was it again? That the Lesser King of Hell was a womanizer who seduced noble ladies for sport?
I'd been utterly bewildered by such nonsense.
Seduce them, my ass.
Since when had I ever seduced anyone?
These bastards are insane.
This rumor wasn't just a problem for me; it was damaging to my entire crew. Especially for noble daughters like Tang Soyeol and Moyong Hi-ah, such gossip could tarnish their reputations, just as the Poison King implied.
That was why he was so angry now. It could even cause issues with their future engagements to other clans.
Wait, hold on.
Now that I thought about it, neither Moyong Hi-ah nor Tang Soyeol had been engaged to anyone in my past life.
Moyong Hi-ah might have been promised to the Namgung Clan, but it never culminated in marriage. And the Poison Queen had remained alone until her death…
Wasn't this a bit unfair to me as well?
Though, of course…
Arguing with the Poison King right now was out of the question.
"My Lord, I never intended—"
"So you kept my daughter by your side without any such intentions?"
"…"
"Are you unaware that such behavior is unacceptable?"
I fell silent. I honestly had no excuse. I'd known Tang Soyeol had feelings for me, yet I'd allowed her to stay close. That wasn't right.
"…I'm sorry."
I offered no justification.
The Poison King's eyebrow twitched at my apology.
"Save your apologies. You still haven't answered my question. Do you have any intention of taking my daughter?"
Did he want me to take responsibility for Tang Soyeol?
I didn't know what answer he wanted, but there were obvious problems with his question.
"I regret to inform you, but as you know, I am already engaged to another clan. I am not in a position to take Young Lady Tang…"
I was promised to Namgung Bi-ah. Furthermore, Tang Soyeol was a blood relative of one of the Four Noble Clans. While concubines were a custom in this world, what clan would send their daughter as a concubine, especially one of the Four Noble Clans?
I was sure the Poison King would agree.
"Does that mean you would take responsibility if you weren't engaged?"
"That's…"
"If not, then am I to understand that you are incapable of taking responsibility?"
"The situation would unfortunately create many proble—"
"If your concern is the Namgung Clan, I can handle that for you myself."
"…!"
I flinched at his shocking words. He was offering to break off my engagement with the Namgung Clan himself.
Such an act would spark conflict between the Tang and Namgung Clans, yet the Poison King spoke of it as if it were nothing.
He was willing to go that far if I agreed. But he was also forcing me to make a choice. It seemed he genuinely wanted me to take Tang Soyeol…
But still,
"I'm sorry."
My answer remained unchanged.
Breaking my engagement with Namgung Bi-ah was not an option.
The Poison King's expression darkened. The pressure in the room intensified.
"So, in the end, you refuse to take responsibility."
"That's not what I meant."
"If not, then do you dare to take my daughter as a concubine?"
"…"
"Make yourself clear, Expert Gu. What are your intentions toward my daughter? I know she cares for you, but if the future between you remains uncertain, I cannot allow my precious daughter to remain by your side."
He had a point. For his daughter's sake, he wouldn't let her stay with me without a clear future.
"Once this journey concludes, my daughter will be betrothed to another clan."
"…!"
My eyes widened in shock.
Tang Soyeol, betrothed? Has history changed again?
Many things had been different in this timeline, but this change was particularly jarring.
"…Is Young Lady Tang aware of this?"
"Do you think that matters? This is a clan affair. My daughter's opinion is secondary."
He wasn't wrong. Alliances through marriage were common among clans to strengthen their influence. Moreover, as the daughter of a Noble Clan, Tang Soyeol held significant value. It was stranger that she hadn't been engaged to anyone in my past life.
"Therefore, I ask that you distance yourself from my daughter if you have no intention of changing your circumstances."
"…"
A strange discomfort filled me as I heard his firm ultimatum. Nothing he said was incorrect, so why did I feel so uneasy?
Tang Soyeol's engagement, huh?
Was that the issue?
A storm seemed to rage inside me. Logically, he was right. If I couldn't take responsibility, I should let her go. If I wanted her to live a different life than she had in my past life, it was right to step aside so she could find peace with someone else.
I knew the rational choice, but this uncomfortable emotion clogged my throat.
"Answer me, Expert Gu. Will you comply?"
My vision swam as the Poison King pressed for an answer.
Why couldn't I speak? Even if Tang Soyeol had feelings for me, my situation made it impossible to accept them.
And yet, absurdly…
…Why don't I want to let her go?
For some reason, the thought of Tang Soyeol leaving was unbearable.
Damn it.
And it wasn't just her.
Whether it was Moyong Hi-ah, Wi Seol-Ah, or Namgung Bi-ah… I didn't want any of them to leave my side.
A cold sweat broke out on my back as I realized this truth. One phrase echoed clearly in my mind.
I'm fucked.
It was too late. I'd realized this far too late. This was why I'd been ignoring it all along.
A cold aura began to emanate from me.
This was bad. Not wanting them to leave meant they had become precious to me. And that was a weakness. It felt heavy. Terrifying.
I'd chosen to ignore it until now, but the Poison King's words had cracked my resolve.
"Expert Gu."
I looked at the man urging me to speak.
I had to wake up.
What had he said? That I should send Tang Soyeol away?
How should I answer?
My head spun.
I should ask for more time to think—
"I don't want to do that."
Oh.
Despite my confusion, the words had already left my mouth. Shocked, I covered my mouth with my hand.
Have I lost my mind?
The Poison King also looked stunned by my response, then his expression hardened.
I'm fucked.
Just as I was wondering how to salvage the situation—
Slam-!
The door burst open violently. I turned toward the unexpected noise.
"Really!?"
It was Tang Soyeol, her eyes wide with shock. Her cheeks were flushed, and her voice was higher than usual.
"Master Gu! Is that really how you feel!?"
"…You?"
I thought she was supposed to be late. How had she arrived so suddenly? And despite my sharpened senses, I hadn't detected her presence at all.
"You aren't lying, are you? You said you didn't want to send me away, right?"
For some reason, she seemed ecstatic. Tang Soyeol rushed over and grabbed my hands.
Nervously, I glanced at the Poison King.
"…!"
The moment I saw his reaction, I understood.
Unlike before, when he seemed ready to explode, his expression had completely changed.
The Poison King looked at his daughter speechlessly, then sighed.
"…Father told you not to come in yet."
Tang Soyeol completely ignored his tone. Her face was so bright she looked ready to float away.
"Dad! Did you hear him? Master Gu said he doesn't want me to leave!"
"…Yes, I heard. I heard quite clearly."
The Poison King rubbed his face with his hand as she spoke so cheerfully.
Watching them, I finally understood.
"Oh."
This entire situation had been a setup orchestrated by the two of them.