Chapter 397: Oh no...! (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 397: Oh no...! (2)
There exists a plant known as the Ghostly Herb. It grows only in the damp, shadowed regions of the West. To the eye, it is deceptively beautiful, but it is a viciously poisonous herb; to consume it is to be granted a vision of hell itself.
Rumour had it that the Unorthodox Faction used this herb to brew potent hallucinogens for sale. It was counted among the most powerful of toxic plants, often employed in the torture of prisoners or the extraction of secrets.
Dribble-
The Poison King knew the Ghostly Herb had a surprisingly pleasant taste. For those with sufficient immunity to poisons, it was delicious enough to be popular the world over. Of course, ordinary people possessed no such immunity, nor could they cultivate it. This was precisely why the Poison King was so fond of Ghostly Herbs. Perhaps because only he—
Ahem.
To be specific, within the Tang Clan, the herb was used primarily for tea. It provided a flavorful brew while being far cheaper than other herbs. On this night of the full moon,
Sip-
the Lord of the Tang Clan, the Poison King, sat alone, sipping his Ghostly Herb tea. He preferred this type of tea to liquor.
Likely because such teas were all brewed from poisonous plants.
As he savoured the tea and the scenery, a figure appeared behind him. A woman approached the Poison King carefully, bowing her head in a gesture of deep respect.
"...You called for me, my Lord?"
Her name was Nahee, Vice-Captain of the secret assassination squad known as the Ghost Assassins. To any observer, she appeared to be nothing more than an ordinary servant.
The Poison King spoke without turning to look at her. "How did it go?"
Nahee slowly knelt on one knee, her gaze fixed on the floor as she began her report calmly. "Three at the entrance, two near a store, and four stationed within the building. In total, all nine were detected."
She recounted the events of a few hours prior, but the Poison King stared at her with a strange expression, seemingly unsatisfied.
"Are you certain that is correct?"
"…"
"In total, all ten, including you, should have been detected by Expert Gu."
"...My apologies. I will correct myself."
Nahee lowered her head even further. The Poison King was right. She, too, had been caught by that young man.
She clenched her hand into a white-knuckled fist.
-I don’t think you are the type of person to be a servant.
The young man's words echoed in her mind. How had he known? Was she inadequate? No. She was a master of concealing her presence, confident in her abilities. Moreover, she had been taking the mission seriously, as it was a direct order from the Poison King. Yet, the young man named Gu Yangcheon had seen through her the moment he laid eyes on her.
The other nine being caught was understandable.
But Nahee had never expected Gu Yangcheon to detect her.
Had the Poison King read her thoughts? He spoke again, a light smile on his face. "Don't let it trouble you overmuch. Thanks to you, I was afforded a moment of entertainment."
"…"
The Poison King took another sip of his tea, still smiling.
It had begun as a simple test. He had arranged these guards to gauge the child's talent. But for Gu Yangcheon to use his Combat Qi to issue a warning the moment he reached the entrance, and to even see through the Vice-Captain, Nahee… that was truly impressive.
Nahee was an assassin who had perfected the Peak Realm. Her skills were such that she could have joined the renowned Seven Night Assassins if she so desired.
Yet, the scion of the Gu Clan had seen through her in an instant, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
How did he manage to do that?
The Poison King found it deeply amusing. Furthermore, thanks to Nahee's immediate telepathic report, he had been able to conceal the presence of his daughter, who was hiding some distance away. If Gu Yangcheon could see through Nahee, he would undoubtedly have noticed Tang Soyeol's presence in the other room.
With that thought, the Poison King smiled to himself.
…The things I do for my daughter at my age.
He couldn't help but sigh at the situation he had created. While this was all for Tang Soyeol's sake, the Poison King had initially felt no fondness for Gu Yangcheon, much like the other clan leaders. What father would like a scoundrel who played with his precious daughter's heart? His initial plan had been to tear the boy limb from limb. But now, his opinion had changed.
For him to reach the Fusion Realm at his age…
The Poison King had become certain when he met Gu Yangcheon for the first time. The young man had broken through the wall of the Peak Realm and attained the Fusion Realm. To reach such a level before the age of twenty? He was likely the youngest in all of history to do so.
Gu Yangcheon had a—no, not just 'not bad'—a very bright future ahead of him, given his potential. In the Poison King's eyes, Gu Yangcheon was undoubtedly a future Zenith.
It almost seemed as if he had inherited all of his father's prodigious talent. Judging by this, while the Tiger Warrior might have 'chosen' not to pursue that path, the Poison King believed the son would be different. He believed the boy would rise above the Three Venerables who ruled the Central Plains and claim the highest position of all.
Moreover, contrary to the rumours that painted Gu Yangcheon as a womanizer, he did not seem that way at all.
Considering Gu Yangcheon's worth, the Poison King was willing to let it slide. After all, he could not bear to see his daughter plunged into despair because of him.
I should have known when she wouldn't stop talking about his face.
The Poison King shook his head thinking about his daughter. He knew her tastes in men were… unique compared to ordinary women, and he had wondered if any man would ever meet her standards.
…And now, a man had appeared who satisfied her eyes completely. At this point, the Poison King was willing to accept it. Tang Soyeol had even run away from home to be with Gu Yangcheon. He would have dismembered most other suitors, but if it was Gu Yangcheon, a future Zenith, then he could acquiesce.
But for him to give me such an answer, then and there…
The Poison King recalled Gu Yangcheon's words during their meal.
-I don’t want to do that.
He'd had the audacity to say that to none other than the Poison King himself. The Poison King had given him an ultimatum: either break his engagement with the Namgung Clan or leave Tang Soyeol. Gu Yangcheon had refused to do either.
How could he say such a thing? Was it the foolishness of youth? Whatever the reason, it was an incredibly selfish thing to say. However, the Poison King believed that Gu Yangcheon possessed talent sufficient to warrant such selfishness.
If Tang Soyeol hadn't interrupted, the conversation might have delved deeper, but her impulsive barging into the room had been a slight disappointment.
With that thought, the Poison King gave a slight nod.
Yes. If someone wishes to take my daughter, they must at the very least be a Zenith.
His daughter was a precious treasure. Rather than handing her over to some incompetent fool, it was far better to send her to someone with a truly dazzling future.
But there is one thing that concerns me.
If he were to send Tang Soyeol to Gu Yangcheon one day, it would likely be as a concubine. This was not something the Poison King would allow easily, as it would mean conceding defeat to the Namgung Clan.
Splash.
The Poison King swirled the tea in his cup and let out a soft breath.
This part… will be difficult.
Gu Yangcheon was already promised to another clan. Even so, that didn't necessarily matter. There was another method, though it was problematic, as this method was far from clean.
After draining his cup in one gulp, the Poison King spoke to Nahee. "We depart in four days. Ensure all preparations are complete."
"Understood. What of the schedule for tomorrow?"
"The Alliance Lea—…No, I suppose I can no longer call him that. The Harmonic Sword informed me he will call upon me. Make the necessary preparations."
"Understood, my Lord."
The Harmonic Sword was still the Alliance Leader, but his resignation was imminent, and murmurs about his successor were already spreading. The Wudang Sect would undoubtedly make another bid for the position this time. It was common knowledge that their Sect Leader coveted the title.
This time would likely be no different.
There was, however, one unexpected development.
A rumour that the Dao King is also aiming for the position.
Apparently, the Lord of the Peng Clan desired the Alliance Leader's seat as well. At this thought, the Poison King smirked.
That would be impossible.
How could a man of his incompetence dare to covet that seat? No matter how he considered it, it seemed an absurd notion. Frankly, the Dao King's son seemed more suited for the role. Yet, the father's greed persisted.
He doesn't know his place.
Just as in the past, he remained a man whose greed matched the size of his physique.
Though in truth, I care little who sits in that position.
The Poison King's eyes turned cold. In fact, it would be more advantageous if the Dao King became the next Leader. Given his foolishness, he would be far easier to manipulate.
Another surprise was the Sword King. The Poison King had always considered him cut from the same cloth as the Dao King, yet he showed no interest in the position.
Something about him has changed.
Was it his demeanour? More accurately, it was his aura. Namgung Jin seemed less… uneasy than usual. Instead, he carried a sharp, formidable aura worthy of the title Sword King. Only a few years had passed; what could have happened to bring about such a change?
Ting-
The Poison King tapped his teacup thoughtfully. Then, he closed his eyes and cleared his mind.
It doesn't matter.
Whatever changes they underwent, it was of no consequence to him. He had more important matters to ponder.
His daughter's future was paramount, but it was not his primary focus at this moment.
"Nahee."
"Yes, my Lord."
Nahee lifted her head at his call. When she looked up, she saw the light of the full moon and a pair of dark green eyes that seemed to shine alongside it. The Poison King's eyes were smiling, yet the sight made Nahee shrink back instinctively.
"Send a message to the Main Gate. Begin preparing the testing team."
"...Understood."
Nahee slowly melted back into the shadows after receiving the order. Once she was gone, the Poison King looked up at the moon again.
It had been an exceptionally good day for tea.
* * *
I left the building after my meal with the Poison King and began heading back to my inn. The moment I was outside, I rubbed my stomach.
"...I don't feel too good."
A profound sickness churned within me. It seemed the aftereffects of my nervousness were just beginning to surface. Merely thinking about the meal left me feeling utterly exhausted.
The man was a bigger snake than I'd thought.
I frowned, recalling the Poison King's tone and expressions. As expected, he was a formidable individual. If I had to describe him in one sentence:
He seems the most suited to be a Lord.
Of all the leaders from the Four Noble Clans I had met, he seemed the most naturally fitted for the role. He might not have been the most powerful, but the way he steered conversations and shifted the atmosphere revealed a masterful political acumen.
Because of that, I'd had to concentrate intensely to prevent the dialogue from constantly sliding into his control.
What does he want from me?
The Poison King clearly wanted something, but I couldn't fathom what. Not only that…
…Is he really going to let this go?
It seemed he was letting me off the hook, despite my incredible rudeness. I had declared I would not give up either Tang Soyeol or my engagement to the Namgung Clan—an absurd thing to say. The Poison King had heard it clearly, yet he hadn't pursued the matter during the meal.
Was it because Tang Soyeol interrupted? Thanks to her, we had broached the main topic, but I couldn't shake a sense of unease.
First, we depart in five days.
Thankfully, I had managed to schedule the trip to Sichuan. The Poison King hadn't objected to me tagging along. He even seemed to approve, but I must have been mistaken.
Regarding the Pe Clan… Woocheol said he’ll handle it.
Pe Woocheol, who was also from Sichuan, was coming along. He'd made a strange face when I told him we'd be travelling with the Tang Clan, but I assured him everything would be fine.
That left me with only one task.
To complete my training in these five days.
I had to finish the task assigned by the Dishonored Venerable. I would likely be heading to the cave again tonight.
As I walked, lost in thought,
Tug-
Someone pulled on my sleeve. I turned to find Tang Soyeol holding onto my clothes.
She was walking back to the inn with me after the meal. And… since when had she been holding onto me?
When I looked at her with a questioning expression, Tang Soyeol responded with a brilliantly bright smile. It felt particularly potent today.
She had followed me in silence after the meal, not saying a word. Whenever I glanced back, she would smile at me, but we exchanged no conversation. Yet, judging by her smile, she was in an exceptionally good mood.
In the end, I was the one who broke the silence. "What's the matter?"
"Hmm?"
"You seem to be in a good mood."
"Hehe! It's nothing!"
"...Alright."
I supposed it was good that she was happy. With that thought, I continued towards the inn.
When we arrived, I parted ways with Tang Soyeol and headed to my room. I planned to grab a change of clothes and go straight to the cave. It looked like I would have to sacrifice sleep to complete this training, so I intended to pull a few all-nighters.
The moment I stepped into my room with that thought,
"Huh?"
I frowned. Something round was protruding from under the covers of my bed. It was obvious someone was lying there.
Anger immediately began to boil within me.
"...This bastard."
It was obviously that Sleeping Dragon again. This had happened before; it was probably Woo Hyuk. Why was that bastard always causing trouble? Without hesitation, I yanked the blanket away.
"Didn't I tell you clearly never to come here agai—"
I shut my mouth mid-shout. The person sleeping peacefully in my bed was not the Sleeping Dragon. Moreover, there were two of them.
Disturbed by the noise, one of the two stirred and sat up, rubbing her eyes.
"Master… Gu?"
The girl who rose with a yawn was Wi Seol-Ah. The other was Namgung Bi-ah, who remained fast asleep as if nothing were amiss.
"Wha…"
I was utterly bewildered.
What kind of absurd situation is this?
I was just about to ask Wi Seol-Ah for an explanation, struggling to maintain my composure, when—
Creak-!
The door, which I had closed, suddenly swung open and someone entered.
"Master Gu…! I actually had something I wanted to say to y—"
"Uh."
It was Tang Soyeol, who had barged into the room.
I turned to her nervously, checking her expression. I desperately wanted to handle this situation in the best way possible, but Tang Soyeol had already frozen solid, her body stiff as a rock after witnessing the scene inside the room.