Chapter 104
Chapter 104
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 104
Chapter Title: Clash with the Third Elder
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Kwang Ui scanned his surroundings, and his sharp eyes caught sight of someone.
Recognizing the intruder instantly from that gaze alone, Kwang Ui made a pathetic face and spoke.
"When did the Tang Clan stoop to thievery?"
People's attention turned toward Kwang Ui's provocative voice.
All eyes focused on what answer would come from Dang Jongseo's mouth.
Would he hide his identity? Deny the accusation? Or express outrage?
The onlookers speculated in various ways, but they were all wrong.
Unexpectedly, he replied in a calm tone.
"Then you should have just come along quietly when I asked."
He neither hid his identity, denied the charges, nor showed anger.
There was no point in hiding it anyway.
Once he achieved his goal, this incident would be buried in the annals of history.
"Why not follow me even now? Then there'd be no need for more bloodshed."
"You expect me to go with you at this point?"
"Yes. My offer from yesterday still stands. I'll treat you well, so reconsider..."
"Not interested."
Dang Jongseo made one last gentle coaxing attempt, but Kwang Ui shot it down without hesitation.
He dug wax from his ear, blew it away, and continued.
"Your obsession is so intense; no woman would fall for you."
Crack!
Finally, Kwang Ui's relentless provocations succeeded.
Wrinkle lines creased Dang Jongseo's forehead, revealing his frayed temper.
"So, you've chosen that path after all."
Dang Jongseo's eyes blazed fiercely as he unleashed an explosive wave of poisonous aura from his entire body.
The nearby martial artists felt their bodies tingle just from standing close.
"I need you alive, so I'll spare your neck."
As the furious Dang Jongseo advanced, Han Baek moved to block his path.
But Kwang Ui held him back, shaking his head side to side.
"I'll handle this. It'd be rude to dodge when he's welcoming me so eagerly."
"...Understood."
Han Baek stepped back, and Kwang Ui faced off against Dang Jongseo.
"I've never struck a physician in my life. Today will be a rare experience."
"If you get hurt, don't come crying to me. Find someone else to patch you up."
"Your mouth would float even if sunk in the deep sea."
Shaking his head, Dang Jongseo said no more.
In an instant, he spread his hand wide, unleashing Flying Strong Heavenly Qilin from his fingertips.
The launched hidden weapons sliced nobly through the air toward Kwang Ui's lower abdomen.
However.
Clang!
Kwang Ui plucked a long needle between his index and middle fingers, flicking it away. Then he tossed dozens of small needles skyward from his bosom.
Silver River Falling Flower Needle.
Like flower petals drifting down from the heavens, countless needles thundered toward Dang Jongseo.
It was a breathtaking sight, but chilling for the target. Dang Jongseo glanced at it briefly before flapping his sleeves and executing Radiant Glory Filling the Heavens.
Sharp hidden weapons gleamed, filling the sky.
And soon, they clashed violently in midair.
Ching ching ching ching ching!
Harsh metallic sounds overlapped, and at the end, the spent weapons and needles rained down like a shower.
Through that gap, Dang Jongseo surged forward, extending his hand.
Now in close range, he thrust his bluish fingertips—tainted by poison—and unleashed a poison palm strike.
Pa pa bat!
His fingertips bore a knockout poison that could fell an elephant in three steps. Even a graze would leave Kwang Ui in dire straits.
In contrast, Kwang Ui targeted Dang Jongseo's acupoints with Long Needle Acupoint Sealing Technique. Their goals clashed perfectly.
As the battle dragged on, a bead of sweat finally trickled from Kwang Ui's sideburn.
'The Third Elder of the Tang Clan lives up to his name.'
Kwang Ui sensed he was being subtly pushed back.
Before he knew it, he'd retreated two steps.
Impressive for a physician, but Dang Jongseo was a lifelong martial artist who had risen to elder in the Tang Clan.
Overall, Kwang Ui was gradually yielding ground.
Click.
The squad leaders watching the fight had already assessed the situation and were ready to intervene and protect Kwang Ui at any moment.
Dang Myeong felt the same.
Both sides gripped their weapons, poised to charge, when Dang Jongseo landed a decisive blow.
"What the...!"
Kwang Ui's pupils dilated.
Dang Jongseo had grabbed his long needle, melting it with the poison aura from his hand.
Disarmed, Kwang Ui hastily drew a medium needle for defense, but it was too late.
Dang Jongseo's extended hand was already at his throat.
As everyone prepared to rush in at that sight...
"That's far enough."
Halt.
Dang Jongseo froze at the familiar voice from afar.
He slowly turned toward the source.
In his view stood the man who had blocked his poison twice, shredding his pride.
"That's enough. You're getting uglier by the minute."
Hyeok Mulin's dignified presence made the Tang Black Tiger Squad avert their eyes unwittingly, while the Divine Demon Blood Death Squad parted to clear a path and bowed their heads.
Hyeok Mulin strode leisurely past them and stood before Dang Jongseo.
"Leave Kwang Ui be. How about facing me instead?"
"......"
Dang Jongseo glared silently and withdrew his hand.
With his infiltration exposed, kidnapping Kwang Ui in secret was impossible now.
The easiest way was to defeat their apparent leader and break their will.
Dang Jongseo wasted no words.
"Come at me."
Ji Wolhon stepped forward.
"My lord, allow me."
"No need."
But Hyeok Mulin blocked him with one hand and advanced.
No one here had better odds than him.
No matter what varied martial arts the man used, poison was his foundation.
And Hyeok Mulin, who had mastered immunity to all poisons, had no fear of defeat.
"I interrupted your fight, so I'll yield the first move."
Instead of words, Dang Jongseo answered with action.
Pa at!
Declining the concession, he closed in instantly.
Ducking low, he extended four fingers—thumb excluded—and executed Poison Harvest Finger Technique.
Having confirmed ordinary poisons ineffective before, his fingertips now bore a deadly venom that could kill even the Great Poison Immortal on contact.
'Got him!'
The moment his nails brushed the clothing, he was certain of success.
But then, the unbelievable happened.
His hand flowed gently past, like a petal riding the wind.
Experiencing Hyeok Mulin's Flowing Flower Favorable Wind Palm, Dang Jongseo felt as if his hand belonged to another.
His hand danced ecstatically in sync, soaring away...
Paak!
Snapping back to reality, Dang Jongseo hurriedly retracted his hand.
What was that?
Some mind-controlling sorcery?
He had unwittingly mimicked the opponent's technique. Swallowing dryly, he glared and hurled a dozen tiny daggers hidden between his nails.
Pa ba bak!
Subminiature blades hard to track with the eye—yet Hyeok Mulin casually shook his head, dodging them all.
Some he even caught between his fingers.
"......!"
Dang Jongseo's eyes widened. He lowered his stance again, closing in.
Grab the collar, then poison him.
Spreading his hand to its limit, he unleashed Forget Self Poison Palm to seize Hyeok Mulin.
His finger joints stretched impossibly long, four or five times over.
But what he grasped was yet another afterimage.
'How is this possible!'
Dang Jongseo was going mad.
Retreating now wouldn't help.
With unyielding resolve, he unleashed every finger and palm technique at his disposal.
Yet all dissolved powerlessly in Hyeok Mulin's grasp.
'What on earth is that bizarre technique!'
Grinding his teeth, he poured everything in, but nothing overcame the Flowing Flower Favorable Wind Palm.
His options dwindled, his gut twisting in despair.
In the end, after exhausting his arsenal, he couldn't touch even a thread of Hyeok Mulin's clothing.
Decades of honing felt wasted; emptiness filled his eyes.
But only briefly.
Soon, venomous fury surged in his gaze.
'If I lose here, I'm done.'
Even if punished later by the clan, he'd use it.
From his layered sleeves, faint white mist seeped out.
As people tilted their heads in confusion, he flung his sleeves wide, scattering poison palm strikes everywhere.
This was the debut of Eerie Glow White Bone Powder, one of the Tang Clan's Ten Great Ultimate Poisons—never used even once, only concealed until now.
Dang Myeong's eyes shook violently upon seeing it.
He knew exactly why it ranked among the Ten Great Ultimate Poisons.
Hundreds of years ago, before the restriction existed and poisons were freely used in the Tang Clan.
The primary reason outsiders feared them was this powder.
It melted flesh instantly, leaving only bleached bones—a fiendish powder that instilled utmost terror.
Some even classified the Tang Clan as unorthodox for it.
Now restricted as a Ten Great Ultimate Poison, few knew its true power.
But high-ranking Tang warriors had access to records, so Dang Myeong shouted urgently.
"Everyone, scatter!"
Too late.
The powder spread indiscriminately toward friend and foe alike.
As the horrific dust neared the martial artists' faces...
"Utterly vile to the end."
Hyeok Mulin unleashed ice palm aura in all directions.
The touched powder froze instantly into blue ice crystals.
They soon pelted down like hail, leaving not a single victim poisoned.
Dang Jongseo gaped, doubting his eyes at the unforeseen scene.
Moments later, as Hyeok Mulin approached, he trembled and backed away.
"How...! Who the hell are you!"
Hyeok Mulin closed in and seized his wrist.
Cra ck le!
His hand froze under the Ice White Soul-Severing Palm.
It didn't stop there—the frost spread from wrist to forearm to shoulder.
Eyes bulging, Dang Jongseo faced a dilemma and decided in a flash.
Pa at!
"Guhk!"
He severed his fully frozen arm, choking back agonized groans, teeth clenched.
Blood gushed from the stump, but without time to staunch it, he whirled and fled.
With their leader fleeing, the Tang Black Tiger Squad panicked.
Starting with a few who came to their senses, they all launched into escape.
Ji Wolhon watched them and asked Hyeok Mulin.
"Shall I handle them?"
"Let them go."
No need to pursue here.
Wherever they ran, their fate was sealed anyway.