Chapter 515: Just Let Me Hold It Once. (22)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 515: Just Let Me Hold It Once. (22)
In a small park behind the Tang Clan’s main complex.
It was a space the Poison Emperor—the clan head from two generations prior—had lavished a fortune to create. So beautiful it felt utterly out of place for the Tang Clan, a literal sanctuary devoid of any poisonous plants. Instead, flowers bloomed in succession with the seasons, and gentle streams meandered through the grounds.
The current Poison King walked toward this place, his brow deeply furrowed.
As he brushed past the flower-lined path, countless martial artists followed in his wake. Their expressions were dark, a stark contrast to the serene scenery. The Poison King at their head wore the same grim countenance.
—I’m finished. Come.
That voice had echoed in the Poison King’s ear while he was in his residence. At those simple words, he had risen immediately, his back soaked with cold sweat.
Barely a day has passed.
Only a single day since Gu Cheolun’s arrival. After hearing the initial circumstances, Gu Cheolun had said he would hear the rest after finishing the job. And now, just one day later, it was done.
The Poison King was at a loss. Had Gu Cheolun really resolved everything in a single day? It made no sense. Even though he was the one who had called for help, the Poison King couldn't comprehend how it was possible.
As these thoughts swirled, the Poison King lifted his head to the sky. A sphere of blue light hung in the night, immense and bright enough to send a fresh chill down his spine just by looking at it.
Truly fearsome…
This was a power terrifying enough to stir fear in the heart of the head of one of the Four Noble Clans. And the martial artists of the Tang Clan were already paralyzed, staring at the phenomenon. A situation created by one man, yet it was no exaggeration to say the entire clan was being crushed under its weight.
Confirming this, the Poison King let out an involuntary, humorless laugh.
“Haha…”
“My Lord…?” a martial artist behind him asked with concern.
The Poison King waved a dismissive hand. “It’s nothing. A funny thought just crossed my mind…”
Yes, a funny thought. How could it not be?
Before being a clan lord, the Poison King was a martial artist. He knew better than anyone, yet for a moment, he had forgotten. He had forgotten that this was the Central Plains.
A world where martial power is everything.
A world filled with those who revered martial arts and honed themselves relentlessly. When he considered what made Gu Cheolun different from him, the answer was simple.
…He is stronger than me.
Martial power cannot solve everything. That is the way of the world. However, it can solve most things. And when a situation remains unresolved, the reason is often painfully simple.
A lack of martial power.
It’s when one lacks the strength to handle the matter. Only then do people seek power beyond martial strength. He had been the same. That was all there was to it.
Because his own power was insufficient, he had called upon someone stronger. And because that man’s martial power was greater, he had finished the job with ease. The power to overturn an entire noble clan and still handle the consequences—he simply possessed it.
I do not have such power…
That was the only difference. And the realization was bitterly, searingly painful, sharp and hot like a wound being cauterized. He had never once thought himself incompetent, but now he felt numb.
Biting his lip, the Poison King tried to pull himself together. He had to get a grip. If he crumbled here, the Tang Clan would crumble with him. That damned reality forced him back to his feet.
Damn it.
He kept walking. Now was the time to endure. As always, that was what it meant to be a clan lord.
Gu Cheolun had only sent a telepathic message telling him to come, without specifying a location. Yet finding the destination wasn't difficult.
It’s hot.
With every step, he felt an unusually hot energy. From the moment he left his residence, he knew it belonged to Gu Cheolun. The man was showing him the way, kindly marking the path. To send a telepathic message from such a distance, and then emanate his energy on top of that… it was simply dumbfounding.
The more time passes, the more astonishing you become.
While everyone else remained stagnant, only Gu Cheolun changed. It had always been like this, even back when the Poison King was a young prodigy known as the Poison Dragon. Gu Cheolun was a being who lived in a different world. One couldn't even look up to him, let alone feel a sense of rivalry. The distance was too vast for something as petty as jealousy. It was a fact he had only managed to forget when the man had stopped making appearances.
He moved his feet, which felt heavy, bound by his emotions. The lush flowers and trees soon faded from his notice.
After walking a while longer…
Fwoosh-!
“…Haaah…” The Poison King exhaled the breath he had been holding. The suffocating heat vanished, and his blurred senses sharpened again.
As his vision cleared, he carefully surveyed his surroundings. His eyes widened.
“This place is…?”
It was different. This wasn't the beautiful park he had been walking through. The flowers and trees were gone, replaced by parched earth and rotten weeds. The Poison King knew instantly—this terrain had been transformed by poison, causing the dryness and rot.
The Tang Clan had a place like this? As a clan that dealt with poison, he thought they had managed their public image meticulously. To think such a place was hidden within his own clan…
Frowning, the Poison King scanned the area. “A formation…” He could feel the faint energy of a high-level formation installed to conceal this terrain. Feeling it, he clenched his fists.
“…What in the world were you doing.”
The Poison Emperor. What had his grandfather been up to? This was just one part of that ugly truth.
His gaze stopped at the path they had taken. “What is that…?” He had wondered how they had penetrated such a thick formation. The reason was clear at the entrance—a gap had been torn open, the formation forcibly ripped apart. Normally, tampering with a formation risked a severe backlash, so martial artists would painstakingly dismantle it. But this was just crudely torn apart?
“Hah.” There was no need to wonder who had done it. After all…
“You’re late.”
The culprit was already here, waiting. The Poison King turned toward the voice.
Standing there was the man he found so difficult to face.
“…Lord Gu.”
Gu Cheolun, his hair dyed red. The Poison King flinched upon seeing him. He couldn't feel anything from the man. Despite his powerful appearance, he felt even fainter than when he had grabbed his neck the previous night. A chill ran down the Poison King’s spine.
He was no fool. He knew what it meant to feel nothing at all.
Is this the difference in our status? This phenomenon occurred when there was a vast disparity. When the Poison King looked at a martial artist who had just reached the peak realm, they would likely feel this way. But for the roles to be reversed… He forced back the words that came to mind.
“…Is that… what you found?” He pointed behind Gu Cheolun, changing the subject. It looked like an entrance leading underground. He had no idea such a space existed within the Tang Clan.
The Poison King slowly approached and cautiously expressed his gratitude. “…Truly, thank you. Lord Gu.”
After a light salute, he moved to head down into the basement.
Grip—!
“…!” Gu Cheolun grabbed his arm, stopping him. The immense pressure made the Poison King swallow a pained gasp.
“…Lord Gu?”
—This is the last time, Tang Cheongi.
—I will overlook the fact that you called me to clean up your family’s karma. But know this.
The energy contained in the telepathic message invaded his body, resonating through him. He was on the verge of collapsing and vomiting.
—I did this out of respect for you, who lived a more human life compared to the others.
Gu Cheolun’s red eyes turned to him.
—But if you ever again try to use my son as an excuse to handle your affairs.
The killing intent in his voice made the Poison King feel his legs would give way. But they didn't. Gu Cheolun was suppressing even that—without his permission, the Poison King couldn't even collapse. This was a demonstration.
—There will be no next time.
“…I… understand. I will keep it in mind…” As the Poison King managed to speak, Gu Cheolun released his grip.
Like magic, the pressure vanished.
Stagger.
The Poison King stumbled. The martial artists behind him immediately reached for their swords.
“…Stop!” the Poison King roared furiously. “Take your hands off your swords, now! This man is an honored guest of the Tang Clan.”
He shouted with his internal energy, and only then did the martial artists cautiously compose themselves. The Poison King knew the truth. Gu Cheolun had warned him telepathically to protect the Poison King’s honor in front of his men. Furthermore, he was certain that even if they all attacked with killing intent, they stood no chance against Gu Cheolun. The pressure he had just felt was proof enough.
“My apologies…”
“Let’s go.” At the apology, Gu Cheolun gave a slight nod and started down into the basement first. The Poison King followed.
* * *
The sight that greeted him in the basement left him speechless.
From the descent, it seemed connected to the Tang Clan’s secret torture chamber. But it was far more than that—a labyrinthine space fortified with spells, formations, and mechanisms, a delicate combination that must have cost a fortune. So much so that even the clan lord had been unaware…
“…How could this be…”
The descent had taken longer than the walk from his residence to the park, meaning it was absurdly deep. And the sight after that long descent…
“…A scene from hell.”
It was no exaggeration. The pools of blood and their piercing stench had been noticeable from the middle of the stairs. The air was thick with poisonous energy. Most of the blood belonged to demonic beasts.
Now at the bottom, he saw them—corpses piled everywhere, indiscriminately stacked from Green-Grade to Blue-Grade. Upon inspection, they were all demonic beasts known to use poison. Some had been dismantled, their hides and organs separated. Some had their bones collected. Others showed signs of having only their blood drained.
What were they trying to do with all this? The Poison King squeezed his eyes shut.
“Are you afraid?” Gu Cheolun asked.
Was he afraid? The Poison King nodded. “…Very much so.”
How could he not be? He had tried so hard to wash away the clan’s karma to be counted among the Orthodox Faction. But he hadn't washed away a single bit. In fact, hadn't it been growing even thicker? The Poison King was afraid of that.
To this, Gu Cheolun simply said, “Then endure it.”
He stated it plainly. There was likely no other way. “If you’re going to be shaken by something like this, I wouldn’t even look.”
If mere demonic beast corpses shook him, he wouldn't survive what was to come. At these words, the Poison King bit his lip. He knew, too. In the foul pools of blood… it wasn't only demonic beast blood. Human blood was clearly mixed in, a significant amount. It didn't end with beasts; a considerable number of humans had also met their end here. All without him, the clan lord, ever knowing.
“I’m curious,” Gu Cheolun said, looking at the scene. “After all this, are you all still the Orthodox Faction?”
He sounded genuinely curious. Are you still the Orthodox Faction after doing something like this? His tone held no sarcasm or mockery, only pure curiosity, and that made it hurt even more.
The space didn't end there. This was just the entrance. Soothing his weary mind, the Poison King kept walking.
A few more steps, and as he reached what seemed to be the spacious center…
“You’re here?”
Someone was inside. The Poison King’s eyes widened.
“…Young Master Gu?”
A face that resembled Gu Cheolun, but fell short. A young man with a fierce expression and a small build for a male martial artist. Gu Yangcheon was waiting.
“What are you doing…” the Poison King began, wondering how the youth had gotten here.
Then he saw the figure prostrated on the ground before Gu Yangcheon, trembling violently. From his clothes and aura, the Poison King could guess who it was.
Could that be… “…First Elder…?”
Thud—!
Just as the Poison King spoke, the old man began banging his head on the floor.
“I’m sorry… I’m sor…ry. I am… the scum of the earth… I’m sorry. Please, forgive me… I’m sorr…”
Thud—! Thud—!
He violently expressed his guilt. What on earth was happening? The Poison King, the martial artists behind him, and even Gu Cheolun watched with unease.
“Ah, about that…” Gu Yangcheon spoke with a somewhat sheepish expression. “I was bored waiting… so I thought I’d get a confession…” As he spoke, his eyes darted away. “I guess the process was a bit intense. Haha…! Funny, right?”
He forced a laugh. Unsurprisingly, no one joined in.