Chapter 101
Chapter 101
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 101
Chapter Title: The Third Elder's Failed Persuasion
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"...I'm sorry. I failed to persuade him."
Within the Third Elder's residence in the Tang Clan's main household in Sichuan.
Tang Myeong bowed his head, his voice full of shame.
For a moment, no response came from the man before him.
Slurp—
Tang Jongseo slowly sipped his tea before finally parting his lips with deliberate leisure.
"Failed to persuade him, you say."
His tone was perfectly even.
But anyone who knew him could tell his mood was thoroughly soured.
The chilling aura he unconsciously exuded had already reduced Tang Myeong to a mouse cowering before a snake.
His shoulders trembling, he hurriedly added,
"Lord Gwang-ui said he already has a set destination. He doesn't seem inclined to linger in the holy city for long."
"Hmm."
Letting out a sharp hum, the man spoke.
"Even after granting permission to use every poison in the main house, he turned down the opportunity?"
"Yes. He at least heard out the full proposal, so it doesn't seem like his mind is completely closed off. But he went even further and..."
Recalling Lord Gwang-ui's quiet madness, Tang Myeong swallowed hard.
"...demanded the clan patriarch's fresh blood."
"Hah."
Tang Jongseo let out an incredulous laugh, his face twisting in disbelief.
He's as mad as the rumors say.
He waved his hand dismissively, issuing an order to leave.
"Return and stand by."
Watching Tang Myeong's retreating figure, Tang Jongseo clicked his tongue.
"Tch. Useless lot."
He had sent them thinking the Tang Clan's Black Tiger Unit was the most capable martial force under his command, but they'd failed spectacularly.
"No point relying on underlings."
Calming his simmering frustration, he took another sip of tea and gathered his thoughts.
Gwang-ui.
He was the one golden thread that could pierce the deadlock in his path.
The impending Great Elder election loomed ahead.
Compared to the First and Second Elders, he lacked a clear advantage, so to claim the position, he needed tangible results.
That's why he'd tried to bring Gwang-ui to the main house to bridge that gap—only for the man to reject him so bluntly.
"At least it's positive that he heard the full proposal."
Had there been no interest at all, he'd have refused outright from the start.
Considering that, recruiting Gwang-ui wasn't entirely impossible.
Still, with the first offer rejected, this time he'd need to dangle something sweeter.
...This time.
"Guess I'll have to go myself."
He tilted his teacup, draining it completely soon after.
Gazing at the wilted flower struck dead by the poisoned tea, he turned away coldly.
"Another failure today."
On the way to the Myriad Gold Hall.
Tang Jongseo strolled through the streets, Tang Myeong at his side.
The commoners who spotted him jumped in alarm, hastily clearing a path.
Under the sunlight, his purple lips gleamed ominously.
As the elder of the Sichuan Tang Clan—rulers of the region—no one in the holy city was ignorant of his face.
Step, step.
Before long, they reached the Myriad Gold Hall, where the reaction was much the same.
The line stretching from the entrance parted to either side, naturally opening a way through. Tang Jongseo passed them as if it were his due and headed for the gate.
Approaching the entrance, he addressed a guard.
"I've come to see the physician who entrusted himself to this hall."
"Please wait a moment."
One guard replied stiffly and entered.
Tang Jongseo thus waited at the entrance.
As he did, he fixed his gaze on the remaining guard by the door.
Staring so intently it felt like his eyes might bore holes through the man's face, the guard grew immensely uncomfortable and averted his eyes.
As Tang Myeong wondered why he'd show such interest in a mere gatekeeper, Tang Jongseo posed a question.
"What's your name?"
"...Han Baek."
"Han Baek, eh. Never heard of it."
No matter how he racked his brain, nothing came to mind. Tang Jongseo asked curiously,
"You don't strike me as the type to waste away on such menial work here."
"You're too kind."
"Come under me, and I'll pay you five times what you earn now. What do you say?"
Tang Myeong's eyes widened at the sudden offer.
What's so special about this guy that the elder himself is recruiting him directly?
But before he could even process his shock, the gatekeeper replied without a hint of hesitation.
"I'm sorry. I have no intention of switching jobs."
"Is that so? Pity."
Tang Jongseo clicked his tongue at the rejection.
Despite the firm refusal, he couldn't let it go and pressed further.
"Mind if I ask your sect?"
"Well..."
It wasn't a question that demanded an answer. But among the righteous sects, unless there were special circumstances, it was awkward not to respond to inquiries about one's sect.
As Han Baek hesitated over how to reply, right then—
"The esteemed guest grants an audience. This way, please."
"...Understood."
At the returning guard's words, Tang Jongseo set aside his regret and moved inside.
Crossing the hall's grounds amid stares from all sides, he soon arrived at an elegantly appointed reception hall.
Stepping through the door, he took a seat opposite Gwang-ui, who waited there after relocating.
"We meet again."
Gwang-ui spoke first, glancing at Tang Myeong.
But it was Tang Jongseo, settling into his seat, who responded.
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Tang Jongseo, Third Elder of the Tang Clan. Some call me the Poison Child Master."
"I recall refusing last time."
As Gwang-ui showed his displeasure, the elder chuckled heartily.
"Haha, it seems my subordinate lacked the eloquence to convey the offer properly."
"Didn't you say the patriarch's blood couldn't be provided?"
"True. But I've brought additions that rival it."
At Tang Jongseo's signal, Tang Myeong carefully placed a palm-sized wooden box on the table.
"Open it."
Tang Jongseo spoke with full confidence, and Gwang-ui promptly unsealed the box.
Inside lay the Myriad Ages White Dragon Root, revealing its stunning form.
Forged through eons, it resembled a pristine white dragon root.
Even brewing a portion could cure most ailments effortlessly, and consuming a whole was said to heal even incurables—a legendary herb of supreme quality.
Presenting such a rare treasure, Tang Jongseo had every reason to be smug.
Yet Gwang-ui's face fell flat as he propped his chin, pushing the box back.
"Don't need it."
"...Hm?"
"I hardly use herbs to begin with. Not something I need."
A physician who doesn't use herbs?
What nonsense is this?
Tang Jongseo's head spun for a moment, but he quickly regained composure and presented the second offer.
"How about this, then?"
He pulled a wide vial from his robes and uncorked it.
Inside was a thick, translucent liquid.
"Cloudkill Paralysis Fluid. A blend of Black Cloud Poison Toad and Crimson Killer Venom Spider venom. It paralyzes only the desired area, eliminating pain completely without side effects."
Even excluding his own senses, it was the finest paralytic in the world, he boasted.
Impossible to obtain on the market and a dream for surgeons, so he was certain Gwang-ui would accept.
But only for a moment.
"I don't use paralytics."
"What...?"
He's refusing this too?
Why?
As questions flooded his face, Gwang-ui gave a simple answer.
"Why ease the patient's pain? I treat them to see that face."
Madman...!
Tang Jongseo's features crumpled anew, reminded why they called him Gwang-ui.
No helping it.
For a man like this, that was the best approach.
Swallowing a mental sigh, he signaled Tang Myeong, who approached and placed a heavy pouch on the table, opening it.
"No more, no less—just one year. Help the main house for a year, and these three hundred taels of gold are yours."
The Great Elder election would end within a year anyway.
After that, Gwang-ui's presence wouldn't matter, so a short term was fine.
Yet Gwang-ui's stance remained firm.
"Sorry."
"Four hundred—no, five hundred taels."
Five hundred gold taels for a year.
An absurd offer, but Gwang-ui refused to the end.
"Even if you offered ten thousand, I wouldn't go. As I said, I have prior commitments."
"How long will it take?"
"No idea. And even setting that aside, your offers don't appeal to me at all."
It was true Gwang-ui had accepted Hyeok Mulin's proposal and followed him.
But that didn't mean blind loyalty.
He owed no great debt, so better conditions for advancing his arts might tempt him elsewhere.
However, their offers paled against Hyeok Mulin's, sparking zero interest—no room for deliberation.
"...Hah."
Rejected thrice in a row, Tang Jongseo sighed in lament.
"So it comes to this."
His gaze turned icy enough to chill the bones as he snapped at Gwang-ui.
"Listen well."
"...?"
"The Tang Clan never forgets grudges. We repay favors, but grudges tenfold. Remember that."
At the blatant threat, Gwang-ui stared in disbelief.
"Are you threatening me right now?"
Tang Jongseo answered not with words but by radiating murderous intent.
Gwang-ui's forehead veins bulged as he tensed up.
"You wanna try it right here?"
Tang Jongseo stared silently.
Today, his final preparation.
If persuasion failed, force would settle it.
Gwang-ui was just a physician, after all.
In combat, a martial artist like himself would prevail.
He planned to subdue and abduct him—even if it meant enmity with the Myriad Gold Hall.
Thus, Tang Jongseo inched closer, tension thickening the air.
And just as he lifted his foot from the floor in that hair-trigger moment—
Creak!
The door burst open, drawing all eyes.
"What's going on here?"
A man entered.
Tang Myeong shouted at him.
"Who the hell are you? Don't interfere—get lost!"
"Me?"
The man smirked, lifting a corner of his mouth. Hyeok Mulin gave his answer.
"I'm the owner of the man you're so desperate to take."
"Owner...?"
"Owner...?"
Tang Jongseo and Gwang-ui's heads tilted in unison.
Soon, Gwang-ui flailed his arms overhead in protest.
"Who said you're my owner?!"
"Regardless, while you're here, you follow my orders, right?"
"Even so, 'owner' is a bit much...!"
Ignoring Gwang-ui's vehement objection, Hyeok Mulin approached Tang Jongseo.
Meeting his gaze, he spoke.
"He's my guest. We have a prior agreement, so I can't let you take him."
"Even prior agreements can be postponed, no? We're in more urgent need right now—please oblige. I'll never forget this favor."
"Impossible. Can't accept."
Hyeok Mulin naturally refused.
What use was a favor from a Tang Clan elder?
He neither needed it nor had a place for it.
Tang Jongseo's eyes flashed coldly at Hyeok Mulin as he subtly moved his sleeve.
I didn't want to go this far.
You brought this on yourselves by rejecting everything.
The vial in Tang Jongseo's sleeve held Soulbind Powder.
Finely ground to invisible grains, this paralytic lived up to its fame by numbing the soul and rendering the body immobile in seconds.
With a subtle sprinkle into the air, he planned to fell the man, hoist Gwang-ui, and vanish.
But only for a moment.
His plan shattered soon after.
Why isn't it working?
The man stood tall, arms crossed, staring back unfazed.
Startled briefly, he brushed his sleeve again.
You can endure that much? Then how about this...
He uncorked a vial of Soulwraith Smoke without hesitation.
Colorless fumes instantly filled the reception hall.
Its potency was tremendous.
Even Tang Myeong, resistant to countless poisons, coughed violently, struggling to breathe. Gwang-ui fared no better.
Yet amid it all, the one man...
"......"
Showed no reaction whatsoever.
Even this fails?
Tang Jongseo took fierce pride in his self-made poisons.
Seeing his foe untouched bruised his ego sorely.
Fine, let's go all the way.
Murder filling his pupils, he reached into his bosom, a faint white mist leaking out.
Spotting it, Tang Myeong rushed over amid coughs and bloody spittle, desperately restraining him.
Elder, no! Using that poison will surely reach the main house!
It was one of the Tang Clan's Ten Forbidden Poisons, banned from use—Tang Myeong had no choice but to stop him desperately.
"...Hoo."
Must he retreat so powerlessly?
Frustration gripping him, Tang Jongseo's hand trembled.
But in the end, he squeezed his eyes shut and stowed the vial.
Instead, he fixed Hyeok Mulin with a chilling glare and issued a clear warning.
"Mark my words. I won't forget today's events."
"See yourself out."
Leaving that infuriating voice behind to the last, Tang Jongseo stormed out of the reception hall with heavy, displeased steps.
His face flushed crimson, he immediately ordered Tang Myeong.
"Assemble the Black Tiger Unit."
"...!"
Killing intent sharp as a blade emanated from Tang Jongseo's entire body.