Centipede Poison Fang Claw 2

Only a few months after leaving the Tang Family, the grand Nine Gates of the Tang estate rose into view ahead of me.

From the First Gate all the way to the Ninth, the nine gates of the Tang Family stretched deep into the heart of the clan grounds. The moment I confirmed them, the thought settled in that I had finally come home.

So this place really feels like home now, huh?

Beside me, Geomryong and Kwonryong hyungs, who had also spotted the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Nine Gates, spoke up.

"It's been a very long time since I've set foot in the Tang Family."

"You're telling me, Geomryong."

"When did you two ever visit the Tang Family before? Geomryong, Kwonryong hyungs?"

"Well, Gwangryong. That would be..."

Just as Geomryong hyung began explaining when he had last come, a sharp voice sliced clean through his words from the side.

"Hmm? Gwangryong? Did I mishear that? Hwa-eun, did I mishear?"

"No, unnie, I think you heard correctly. Why is the alias Gwangryong coming up again?"

"Huuuk! Y-young ladies, m-my apologies!

B-Bilyong. A few years back? When you weren't around, once or twice on errands......"

While chatting and gazing past the Nine Gates, Geomryong hyung had accidentally spoken my forbidden alias. He corrected himself in a panic, wearing the exact face of a kid caught playing games late at night by his mother.

Seol noona's pointed throat-clearing and sarcasm, followed by Hwa-eun's freezing stare, made sure of that.

There was a reason this kept happening. After those two hyungs—whether teasing or genuinely trying—had coined the alias Gwangryong for me, they would occasionally slip and use it, only to get thoroughly scolded by Seol noona and Hwa-eun. From then on, Gwangryong became a banned word.

Not that we always managed to keep it banned.

"G-Gwangryong!? Calling my fiancé Gwangryong? Are you serious?"

"You're saying you'll address my little brother with that kind of alias? The eldest son of the Beast Palace!?"

The instant the name Gwangryong left anyone's lips in their presence, icy blue glares and chilling voices had poured down on us.

"A-ah, young ladies, please calm down. Th-that is... we simply felt a sense of closeness with our little brother..."

"Feel that closeness twice more and next you'll be calling him Demon Dragon or Lust Dragon, won't you?"

"If you keep insulting my fiancé with that alias, I will formally take this to Father and the Tang Family......"

In the end, the brand-new alias built around the main image of me soaring through the sky on Cho became none other than the Tang Family's Bilyong—Flying Dragon.

Normally the character for "fly" only went into aliases for people with exceptional lightness skills. But since I actually flew through the air, the judges insisted it suited me even better. Those judges, of course, were Seol noona and Hwa-eun.

And so my alias was changed to Bilyong, heavily flavored with their tastes, and Gwangryong became a forbidden word. Mentioning it by accident now had brought their corrections down on him again, which was why he wore that terrified expression.

Serves you right.

I savored the sight of the mischievous hyungs getting chewed out and glanced toward Seol noona and Hwa-eun—only to meet a pair of "and what exactly did you do right?" stares. I flinched and looked away just like Geomryong hyung.

Thanks to the two of them I had washed away the disgrace of Gwangryong, but it hadn't been all good. When the hyungs got roasted, I got roasted right along with them.

"This is all because you, Ryong, didn't know how to behave!"

"So-ryong, next time you have to promise never to do anything reckless again!"

I'm the victim here! Why is the fire jumping to me!?

The execution that Hwa-yang had postponed for a while had been carried out in person by the jurors who stormed over in rage over the alias Gwangryong. I couldn't escape responsibility for creating a situation where that alias had been inevitable.

In the end I had been surrounded by both Hwa-eun and Seol noona and forced to listen to nagging so fierce it nearly made my ears bleed before peace finally returned to our journey. Even now it felt like one wrong step would bring that nagging roaring back.

Today I stay as quiet as humanly possible.

I made the vow and glanced sideways. Geomryong hyung, thinking the same thing, met my eyes and gave a small nod.

At that moment the Tang Family warriors who had spotted our arrival came running out through the Nine Gates to welcome us.

"Young lady! You've returned!?"

"So-ryong-nim, you've worked hard!"

"It's been a while, everyone."

"It's been a while."

We exchanged greetings and started walking into the estate. More and more warriors kept rushing out, and among them appeared Gu Pae, commander of the Poisonous Creature Squad. He pushed through the crowd, bowed his head, and clasped his fists in salute.

"You've returned!? So-ryong-nim!"

"Gu Pae, it's been a while. Everything quiet at the Poisonous Creature Garden?"

"Of course! Once you've paid your respects to the Family Head, would you like to look around right away?"

He asked with complete confidence, clearly proud of how well he had managed the place. But I still had to greet the elders and then guide the Three Dragons and Two Phoenixes—who had come as guests—to their quarters. So I shook my head.

When guests arrive, arranging rooms and offering tea or a meal is basic murim etiquette.

"No. We have guests as well. Let's rest a bit ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and I'll look around this evening."

"Understood, So-ryong-nim! Then I'll make sure everything is ready for you this evening."

We headed toward the Family Head's hall together. A hesitant voice reached my ear.

"So-ryong-nim... that thing on top of your head... what is that stupid-looking toad?"

"On my head?"

At those words I rolled my eyes upward and felt the soft belly fat resting on my crown. These past few days I had grown so used to it that I had completely forgotten she was up there. Gu Pae was clearly curious about Hwa-yang's identity.

I turned at the weight of many stares; every Tang warrior was nodding along. Raising my chin with deliberate arrogance, I spoke as if scolding him.

"Huhu... Gu Pae, you still have a long way to go."

"Pardon?"

He tilted his head. Honestly I had been just as clueless at first, but I put on a smile and wiggled a finger at him.

"How can you judge a poisonous creature by its looks alone? Outer appearance is nothing but a shell."

"?"

"Brace yourself. The poisonous creature sitting on my head is none other than the Blue Fire Magma Toad. One of the Ten Great Poisonous Creatures, and the absolute king of all toads."

"Huuuk! Blue Fire Magma Toad! One of the Ten Great Poisonous Creatures!"

"““Blue Fire Magma Toad!””"

The moment they learned that the ordinary-looking thing on my head occupied a seat among the Ten Great Poisonous Creatures and bore the name Blue Fire Magma Toad, the warriors nearly jumped out of their skins. I reached up and playfully slapped the soft belly fat bulging out beside the still-sleeping Hwa-yang.

-Slap. Slap.

Aigoo, so chewy.

-Kii? 『Food?』

A wriggling sensation came from above, and Hwa-yang woke up asking if it was mealtime. I really needed to teach her words besides "food," but for now I sent a mental request.

No, Hwa-yang, not that. Light up some fire so I can show off. I'll give you plenty of food later.

『Food!』

The word that reached me was "food," yet the feeling behind it was clearly her confirming the promise.

-Fwoosh.

Blue flames blossomed across Hwa-yang's back with the crackle of fire, and the startled warriors erupted into praise.

"Huuuk! Fire from the toad's back!"

"R-run and tell the Family Head at once! S-So-ryong-nim has brought another of the Ten Great Poisonous Creatures to the Tang Family!"

"““Wowowow!””"

A place where even a simple hobby earns thunderous praise—this is true paradise. The Tang Family's Flying Dragon made a splendid return amid the cheers.

After guiding the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠guests to their respective rooms, I returned to the Family Head's hall and announced my arrival.

"Grandfather, it's So-ryong."

"Come in."

Inside, Grandfather sat reading a book in the Family Head's seat. He was there because Father-in-law had taken a portion of the family's warriors to assist the Murim Alliance and was currently away; Grandfather was acting as Family Head in his place. He hadn't gone to the battlefield himself—he was participating in a joint civilian-military search for Blood Cult remnants, checking whether any of their people were operating in the capital of Sichuan.

"Have the guests all been settled?"

"Yes, Grandfather. Mother-in-law and Hwa-eun said they would handle the baths, tea, and everything else."

"Good. Sit. I expected you would come. Looking at the change in your energy, you've accepted the Blue Fire Magma Toad's poison and reached the Dual Poison Realm, haven't you?"

I hadn't even had time to mention reaching the Dual Poison Realm earlier because of the greetings and guests, yet Grandfather already knew. With Hwa-yang still perched on my head, I nodded.

"Yes, Grandfather. This little one was originally a tadpole. While raising her to adulthood I got poisoned and had no choice but to attempt the breakthrough."

I explained the whole chain of events. Grandfather nodded, then first praised me for adopting Hwa-yang.

"Is that so? Then you truly had no other option. It must have been hard while you were poisoned, yet you did well. Bringing back a Blue Fire Magma Toad is an excellent achievement. I praise you again. That's my So-ryong."

"You flatter me, Grandfather."

After the praise, the Lord of Ten Thousand Poisons asked why I had come looking for him.

"If you've sought me out, is it because your internal energy still hasn't stabilized?"

He wondered whether the sudden rise in realm had left my energy unstable and that was why I had come. I shook my head. The only reason I was here today was my fingernails. After reaching the Dual Poison Realm they had suddenly all fallen out, and I had no idea why.

"No. My energy is perfectly stable—two poisons spinning inside my dantian like a Taiji diagram."

"Then your realm has already settled. So what is it?"

I held out my hand, showing him the nails that had almost fully grown back.

"When I reached the Dual Poison Realm, every single fingernail fell out like this."

"What!? Your nails fell out?"

"Yes. Like this."

I offered my hand. Grandfather rose from his seat, came closer, examined the nails for a long while, then said he would send his energy into them.

"This is strange. I've never heard of such a thing. It's not even a bone-and-muscle rebirth... I'll send a little of my energy through your fingertips. Keep your mind calm."

"Yes, Grandfather."

I closed my eyes and focused on my fingertips. Warm, ticklish energy entered through the tips, traveled across the palm, up the wrist and arm, through the center of the chest, and all the way down into my dantian.

"This is—!"

Grandfather's startled voice rang out the moment he felt the flow. He gripped my hand and asked,

"So-ryong, after reaching the Dual Poison Realm, have you ever performed the Centipede Poison Fang Claw?"

I had promised him I would practice martial arts every day even while traveling... honestly I hadn't done it even once. I started to scratch my head, only to end up scratching Hwa-yang's rear instead; her leg reflexively thumped the back of my skull.

-Thump-thump-thump.

"I-I'm sorry. During the journey I never managed to..."

I braced for a scolding, but Grandfather simply kept hold of my hand and said,

"No, it's fine. Will you perform the Centipede Poison Fang Claw for me?"

"Right here?"

"Yes. Do it now."

Something urgent in his tone made me obey. I raised my energy with the Five Poisons Returning to Origin Divine Art and guided it to my fingertips according to the formulas of the Centipede Poison Fang Claw.

The moment the energy reached my fingertips, a sharp tingling unlike anything before shot through them. I let out a startled sound, but Grandfather's voice came immediately.

"Uh..."

"Don't worry. Keep going."

He sounded completely certain. I continued guiding the energy. The instant fingertip and nail were fully reinforced, a ticklish sensation bloomed, the half-grown nails slid slightly forward, and my fingertips dyed themselves the same emerald green as ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Cho's body.

"Th-this is—!?"

I hurriedly withdrew the energy; the nails returned to normal. Grandfather, who had been watching the entire time, spoke.

"It seems you can now inject Cho's poison directly through your fingertips..."

Huuuk!

His words meant that whenever I used the Centipede Poison Fang Claw, it would be the same as coating my nails with Cho's poison. In other words, I could now deliver poison-attribute attacks.

I'm going crazy!

I sat there wearing a blank expression at the unbelievable reality. Grandfather continued,

"Your body has changed, so of course you're shocked. Anyone would be if their nails turned into centipede fangs."

He thought I was stunned because my nails had become like a centipede's jaws. He was wrong. Right now I was drowning in pure joy.

Wanting to become like the thing you love is the ultimate dream of every true fanatic, isn't it? People who adore elves want to become beautiful elf girls; people who adore poisonous creatures want to become Spider-Man. It's only natural.

In my heart I immediately summoned Cho to the Family Head's hall.

Cho-ya! Dad is couple with you—no, husband and wife, that's not right either—a matching pair—ah, I don't know! What the heck is "couple" in Central Plains language!? Anyway, I grew nails!