Chapter 488: What Are You Looking At (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 488: What Are You Looking At (3)
“Ah… Young Master!? So suddenly…!”
Tang Soyeol squirmed in my grasp as I made contact.
Of course she’d react that way—I’d grabbed her ears. But I had no intention of letting go.
“…What… did you just say?”
I didn’t want her listening to my conversation with the old man in front of me.
“I asked what you were looking at. Your gaze disgusts me.”
“Young Expert.”
The man called Tang Bui finally dropped his mask when I gave him a mocking smile. His kindly expression vanished, and one eyebrow arched upward.
It was a satisfying sight, in its own way.
“I heard you were a young hero of the Central Plains, yet it seems you still haven’t learned respect. I will say it again: I am an Elder of the Tang Clan. Do you not understand the danger you are inviting?”
He was a blood relative and a high-ranking member of the clan. Any disrespect toward him could be taken as an insult to the entire clan. He was asking if I was acting recklessly despite knowing that, his gaze sharp and unpleasant.
Yet I couldn’t help but smile at such an obvious remark.
How could I not?
“You know what I find most ugly and irritating?”
I felt Tang Soyeol’s ears growing warmer under my touch.
“It’s old men who aged poorly but still put on airs of nobility and wisdom. Scum like that rot the world from within.”
People with rotten roots only grow more corrupt with age, poisoning everyone around them. Frankly, I’d started thinking they were worse than outright villains.
Tang Bui’s face twisted unpleasantly at my words.
“How dare you… I showed you respect first, and this is how you repay it? It seems you truly fear nothing, hiding behind that talent of yours.”
I smirked at the anger in his voice.
“What a laughable bastard.”
“You brat…!!”
“Should I really respect someone who slipped poison into my food?”
“…!?”
“Have you no shame? Do I look that stupid to you?”
Tang Bui flinched as I replied with a smile.
Yes. It was him.
The one who’d put Biyu flower poison in my meal. Without a doubt.
Well, technically…
It might not have been him directly.
I wasn’t saying he was innocent—only that he might not have been the one who gave the order. Still, I was certain he was involved.
“…What poison? What nonsense are you spouting!?”
Tang Bui’s face flushed red as he shouted back. He seemed genuinely outraged, as if my accusation was beyond belief.
“How dare you accuse—!”
“At least wash the smell off yourself first. You’re annoying me.”
But the moment I said that, Tang Bui’s expression shifted completely.
Yes, he carried a scent. The same strange odor I’d noticed in my food—the likely fragrance of the Biyu flower—was emanating from him.
Perhaps sensing my certainty, Tang Bui fell silent for a moment before retorting, “What foolishness is this? The Biyu flower is scentless. How could I possibly smell of it?”
Really?
But I could definitely smell it. Faint, but unmistakable.
Maybe I can detect a scentless poison because…
I’d achieved the Ten Thousand Poisons Immunity state? Perhaps that was why I could perceive the imperceptible.
Not that I’d confirmed that state yet—I hadn’t had the chance to check—but I was at least certain my resistance to poison had grown tremendously.
But that wasn’t the point right now.
“A scentless poison, you say?”
“I don’t know why you’re making such wild accusations, Young Expert, but your words will be reported to—”
“But how did you know? I never said the poison was from a Biyu flower.”
“…!”
Tang Bui shut his mouth instantly, frozen like stone.
His reaction was deeply satisfying.
“Unfortunately, you’re not very bright. You need at least some intelligence to be a proper villain, you know?”
“Ha…”
He let out a soft sigh.
In that moment, the atmosphere shifted abruptly.
I pulled Tang Soyeol closer.
Woong—
I channeled more qi to reinforce the sound barrier around her, ensuring she remained unaware.
“…I thought you were just a bothersome fly, but it seems you’re more significant than I assumed.”
“Giving up the act already? Why not keep it up?”
It would’ve made me want to kill him even more. A pity.
Tang Bui glared at me with a completely different expression—venomous, rusty, and toxic. I could now see what lay hidden behind his earlier smile.
“I originally intended to investigate you properly, but you’ve created an unnecessary problem.”
“You shouldn’t have. I was planning to pay you vermin a visit anyway.”
I hadn’t expected to meet one of them so soon. Maybe it was for the best.
“What is your goal? Why are you acting like this?”
“My goal, huh…”
I paused briefly at Tang Bui’s question. Nothing specific came to mind, so I decided to answer honestly.
“I received a request.”
“A request?”
“A truly great individual told me you lot were up to foul deeds and that I should deal with you.”
“Hah.”
Tang Bui scoffed at my calm reply.
“What insect dared say such a thing?”
“…Ah, you really shouldn’t call them that.”
Especially not an insect.
Considering her achievements, Tang Jaemoon was the Tang Clan. If she were to return to life, even the Poison King would have to obey her like a dog.
And this old man had the audacity to call her an insect. He’d face retribution in the afterlife for sure.
But Tang Bui, oblivious, continued with a rotten smile.
“This is the Tang Clan. Soon, we will be the greatest clan in the Central Plains.”
“Wow.”
Such confidence. He was dreaming of something that hadn’t even happened in my past life.
After the Namgung Clan was annihilated and Sichuan was seized, the Tang Clan was among those who fled and barely survived. Knowing that, his optimism seemed downright delusional.
“And yet a little rat like you comes here, trying to alter the course of fate. I even gave you a warning. Are you truly unafraid of the Tang Clan?”
Just as I’d thought.
The poison was a warning—a message not to overstep.
But calling it “kind” was hypocrisy.
“Stop pretending to be generous. You planned to kill me from the start. It’s pathetic.”
“…”
“Still making things up, I see…”
These people had never intended to stop at a warning. If they had, they wouldn’t have acted in the first place.
As if to confirm my thoughts, Tang Bui’s expression shifted slightly.
“You’re being this reckless even knowing that?”
“I think you’ve been mistaken about something all along…”
One thing he’d said had been bothering me.
Reckless, knowing everything? Wrong.
“You don’t belong to the Tang Clan.”
It angered me that this old man dared speak in the clan’s name.
“You’re just one of the rotten roots. How dare you spout nonsense when you don’t even know your place?”
It was Tang Bui who was clueless.
He was merely an Elder propping up the clan like a decaying pillar, engaging in filth behind the scenes. His arrogance was baffling.
To consider him part of the Tang Clan was an insult to the Poison Queen, who sacrificed her eyes and life to protect her people.
I wouldn’t allow it.
“So just wait for my visit. If you want to run, do it quickly. I’ll respect that courage and not pursue you.”
“You brat…! How dare you act like this when you have no idea what kind of place this is…!”
Swoosh—!
It seemed he’d held back long enough. Fierce combat qi erupted from Tang Bui’s body.
As an Elder of one of the Four Noble Clans, his qi confirmed he’d reached the Fusion Realm.
I nodded in acknowledgment.
The Poison King’s residence wasn’t far, yet this old man was releasing this much combat qi. It could mean only one thing:
Tang Bui wasn’t afraid of the Poison King.
He had ways to conceal my death here.
I understood that much, but I stared into his eyes and asked one final question.
“Are you serious?”
I asked if he truly intended to fight me here.
A Fusion Realm martial artist skilled in poison arts was a troublesome opponent, but I felt no fear. If he wanted a fight, I was more than willing.
I’d been itching for one anyway.
With that thought, I held Tang Bui’s gaze.
Pause.
Then, he suddenly froze.
What was he thinking?
Tang Bui stared back at me with a strange reaction.
Fear? Shock?
It felt something like that.
But why?
I hadn’t even released my combat qi yet.
I’d only thought about retaliating—so why was he showing such emotion?
I had no answer.
After a moment of silence, I moved first.
I released Tang Soyeol’s ear and gently nudged her aside. Then, I offered a kindly smile.
“Thank you for your generous words, First Elder.”
“…?”
Tang Bui looked bewildered by my sudden change in tone, as if thinking, What’s wrong with this guy?
“I’m honored you hold me in such high regard.”
“…What are you—”
“You even invited me to a meal someday. I’m not sure I deserve it. Haha. I’ll be sure to attend.”
“…”
Tang Bui’s expression soured.
He seemed unable to process the situation at first, then stared at me as if I were insane—all within seconds.
“Have a safe trip back.”
“…”
Tang Bui remained rooted to the spot even after I bid him farewell.
I met his gaze.
Are you going to continue?
If that’s what you want, then let’s.
When I signaled my readiness, Tang Bui finally turned away, grinding his teeth.
It looked as though he’d backed down first—though I doubted that was the case.
“It was a pleasure… I must take my leave now, as I have matters to attend to. I hope you enjoy your time as well, Young Lady.”
After paying his respects to Tang Soyeol, Tang Bui walked away slowly.
I watched his retreating back with a tinge of disappointment.
Not yet.
It wasn’t the time.
I already had a plan. For now, I’d have to be satisfied with provoking him.
Besides, this encounter had been quite rewarding.
Now I’m certain he’s one of the ones I need to kill. That’s enough for now.
With that thought, my eyes widened.
“Oh.”
I’d forgotten Tang Soyeol was still in my arms.
I quickly looked down at her.
“Sorry, you must have been startl— …Huh?”
I paused when I saw her face.
“…You.”
I couldn’t help it. Tang Soyeol’s face was completely flushed, her ears bright red.
“Are you alright? What’s wrong?”
Had I accidentally emitted heat without realizing?
Her face was burning up—steam might as well have been rising from her head.
“What… why are you…”
Worried, I thought about checking her temperature.
“…I-I’m leaving!”
But Tang Soyeol slapped my hand away and suddenly bolted.
The problem was, she ran straight into a dead end.
I thought of calling out to her, but she’d already vanished.
“Hmm…”
I scratched the back of my head.
Maybe she was in a hurry?
Well… she’ll probably be fine.
I decided not to dwell on it.
* * *
A day passed.
I would’ve gone out into the city, but those plans were delayed after I collapsed from being poisoned in the morning.
As a result, my schedule became busier than expected.
I needed to visit the White Flower Merchant Association merchant association in the city and then meet with the Dishonored Venerable afterward to discuss our next training steps. I also had to figure out how to adjust my training now that my body had changed.
With all that on my mind, I prepared for a hectic day—until I was confronted by something I’d completely forgotten.
“…What?”
The person blocking my path was none other than Nahee, an assassin of the Tang Clan. She hadn’t come as my subordinate, but as an envoy of the Tang Clan, delivering a message from the Poison King.
The content of that message, however, was problematic.
“Say that again. What happened?”
When I pressed her urgently, Nahee, kneeling on one knee, repeated carefully:
“Because you were nearly poisoned to death within the Tang Clan, our Lord has sent a letter to the Gu Clan.”
“…”
“It is expected to arrive within five days at the latest.”
In other words, my father would soon know I’d been poisoned while staying with the Tang Clan.
A cold sweat trickled down my back.
I have a feeling…
…I might be in serious trouble.
An unforeseen problem was rushing toward me.