Chapter 81
Translator: crow
Chapter Title: 81. Thousand Poisons Immunity Art
Yuseong's question gave Dang Harin pause for thought.
‘How could anyone enter the Poison Blood Pool without the Thousand Poisons Immunity Art? Unless they had the legendary Immunity to All Poisons constitution... Well, even ignoring that, is there a way to stabilize the Poison Core?’
The saturation of the Poison Blood Pool stemmed from the instability of the Poison Core.
As far as was known, the only way to stabilize it was to carry the Poison Core within oneself and circulate the Thousand Poisons Immunity Art.
“Well, if the Poison Core is unstable, messing with it carelessly might just accelerate the collapse...”
“Hmm... So you don't know a precise way to stabilize it?”
“That's what I've been saying. Let's put aside the useless talk for now. There's only one poison left, so we need to find it quickly.”
The reason he'd confidently claimed he could wrap up the Poison Person research within a month was that so few deadly poisons remained.
With good luck, he'd quickly found the two clustered up ahead, leaving just one more.
If they wanted even a shot at entering the Poison Blood Pool, they had to hurry.
***
Cheongun Elder was bewildered by the Tang Clan's suddenly frosty attitude over the past few days.
He didn't know the exact reason, but one thing was clear.
‘The mission to secure the Tang Clan's support has failed!’
Until then, a sliver of hope had lingered.
Even if the Tang Clan Head and leadership weren't thrilled about aiding Murim Alliance personnel, the ties between the Murim Alliance and the Tang Clan had prevented an outright refusal.
With Yuseong's assistance to Dang Harin as a convenient excuse, he'd been treated as a guest and kept negotiating for a long time.
But now.
“The Tang Clan has made its decision. We refuse the Murim Alliance's request. Once the Heavenly Fortune Stone processing requested by the Medical Pavilion Leader is complete, return with him!”
Today's declaration was a firm rejection.
He'd racked his brains internally, but no good ideas surfaced.
Hadn't he already played every card he had?
“Elder, what shall we do?”
“No choice. We leave when the Medical Pavilion Leader returns. Tell the warriors to prepare in advance.”
It seemed they'd have to head back to the Murim Alliance as soon as the elusive Yuseong reappeared.
Though Yuseong had resolved the Qingcheng Sect matter early, Cheongun Elder was troubled by the wasted time here without results from the Tang Clan.
‘At least capturing that Demonic Cult expert was a stroke of luck.’
***
The Tang Clan's hardened stance toward the Murim Alliance was inevitable, given the impending collapse of the Poison Blood Pool.
The grudge from three hundred years ago, when the Murim Alliance failed to protect the Tang Clan despite their main forces spilling blood.
The Murim Alliance had poured efforts into mending ties with the Tang Clan.
After all, no allies were as reliable as the Tang Clan in battle.
Thanks to unstinting support, relations had largely recovered.
However.
That past incident had triggered the current crisis, with the Poison Blood Pool on the verge of ruin—no wonder the Tang Clan's view of the Murim Alliance soured.
The Tang Clan Head gathered the household and declared.
“We must reconsider our path forward.”
The Poison Blood Pool the Tang Clan possessed played a key role in creating Poison Persons, but it had another vital effect.
The field of poison herbs forming before it.
That was why the Tang Clan, despite not being in remote areas like the Southern Barbaric Lands, could procure high-quality poisons.
The Sichuan Tang Clan, famed for poisons and hidden weapons.
With a Poison Person, poisons ranked higher; without one, the two were seen as equals.
Losing the Poison Blood Pool might relegate the Tang Clan to merely a family of superior hidden weapon techniques.
Thus, the path the Tang Clan Head mentioned.
“Are we perhaps relocating the family seat?”
“Even now, new Poison Blood Pools are born and vanish somewhere in the world. Leaving to find one is under consideration. Our founder was a Poison Person. We can't easily abandon our roots, can we?”
The Tang Clan household fell silent.
The only Poison Blood Pool found in the Central Plains' fertile lands was the one where the Sichuan Tang Clan stood.
New ones would require venturing into remote wilds like the Southern Barbaric Lands—leaving the rich Central Plains felt harsh to those adapted here.
Except.
One person, the Tang Clan Head's second son Dang Muhwa, differed.
He secretly welcomed the situation.
‘This works out better. Not all Poison Blood Pools are equal. Without heavenly fortune, most harbor deadly poisons so fierce that even those versed in the Thousand Poisons Immunity Art struggle to enter.
If we can't find one, even Harin will have to give up becoming a Poison Person. It may be hard to accept now, but someday she'll find true happiness.’
Among the family, Dang Muhwa pitied Dang Harin the most.
Not the heir or even a young master, he genuinely wished for her happiness.
So what if no Poison Person emerged from the Tang Clan henceforth?
Even without the title of one of the Five Great Families, the Sichuan Tang Clan wielded power unmatched by most.
Though the recent faint hope of sending Yuseong had ended in failure.
‘I thought Harin had feelings for the Medical Pavilion Leader, but apparently not. Or maybe not enough to abandon becoming a Poison Person.’
Someone asked.
“But Harin can't enter the Poison Blood Pool anyway—why isn't she here today?”
“She said the research is nearly complete and wants to finish it. The Medical Pavilion Leader must return to the Murim Alliance with his people soon, so I told her to go ahead.”
“True... If we ever find the perfect Poison Blood Pool, this research will prove useful.”
***
With Dang Harin not emerging from her lab for days, Dang Muhwa gathered needles made from the Heavenly Fortune Stone to deliver to Yuseong and headed to her research room.
He meant to comfort his sister, who must be struggling after a lifetime chasing the dream of becoming a Poison Person.
“Kyaa! It's finally complete! It's all thanks to you, Yuseong!”
“G-get away! Don't just hug me!”
“It's because I'm happy! Keep it secret from him!”
“What are you talking about?!”
No need to barge in and comfort her now, when completing the Poison Person research had her in high spirits.
But Dang Muhwa halted just a few steps after turning away.
“Oh right, no time. Be my guard. I need to master it quickly.”
Master what?
The Thousand Poisons Immunity Art, perhaps?
What did no time mean?
“Ha... You're really going in?”
“I told you. I'm the only one who can neutralize the Poison Blood Pool now. Just me...”
He didn't catch the end, but Dang Muhwa grasped his sister's intent.
‘Harin plans to sacrifice herself!’
Even now, prioritizing the clan's future and the Poison Person.
He wanted to stop her immediately.
But could mere words deter Dang Harin, with her resolve to stake her life?
He'd never swayed her will before—comforting her was the most he could do.
‘Great-aunt...’
Dang Muhwa resented the great-aunt who'd shaped her thus, but in the end, took no action.
If they learned the Thousand Poisons Immunity Art was already complete, the family elders might even wish for Harin to step up.
He waited quietly outside the lab.
***
Dang Harin regulated her breathing and opened her eyes.
‘I succeeded in learning the Thousand Poisons Immunity Art. I rated the chances high, but with key poison herbs so hard to obtain, I wasn't sure this method would work... What luck.’
Around her lay bowls of poison herbs, medicinal herbs, and poison liquids scattered about.
She'd ultimately mastered the Thousand Poisons Immunity Art, harvesting the fruit of the Poison Person research her ancestors had pursued generation after generation with her own hands.
‘But with this achievement, not even properly accomplished, can I reach the Poison Core?’
The Poison Core lay deep in the Poison Blood Pool.
If she could claim it, circulating the Thousand Poisons Immunity Art might stabilize it somehow—but she feared not even reaching it.
‘Still, you don't know until you try.’
Dang Harin met the worried gaze of Yuseong.
A grateful man.
Without time for great attainment in the Thousand Poisons Immunity Art, she'd fail as a Poison Person, but without him, she wouldn't have had even this chance to sacrifice for the clan.
‘If I'd known it would come to this, I should've heeded Father from the start—watched my words and left a good impression...’
Just hoping not to leave bad memories with Yuseong, Dang Harin rose from her cross-legged position.
“Will you come with me to the Poison Blood Pool entrance?”
“You're going in right now? What about your family?”
“Telling them now won't change anything... It'll just waste time. I've left simple records of the Thousand Poisons Immunity Art and a last will, so it's fine.”
Dang Harin opened the lab door.
“...!”
Dang Muhwa stood there, face grave.
“B-big brother? D-did you hear?”
After staring at her for a long moment, Dang Muhwa handed Yuseong the Heavenly Fortune Stone needles.
“I came to deliver these to the Medical Pavilion Leader and...”
“No use stopping me. It's for the clan.”
Dang Muhwa slowly nodded.
“...I know. Still, let me go with you to the Poison Blood Pool at least.”
***
Dang Harin finally stood at the Poison Blood Pool entrance.
The toxic miasma seeping from it felt weaker than on the first day.
A natural result of initiating the Thousand Poisons Immunity Art.
However.
‘Still not ordinary...’
She turned back.
Only Dang Muhwa—unaffected by the miasma where he stood—and Baek Yuseong would witness her final moments.
Unlike Dang Muhwa's near-tearful expression, Yuseong's thoughts were inscrutable.
At the end, Dang Harin mustered the courage to reveal a bit of her heart.
Looking at Yuseong, she smiled faintly.
“I wish I'd met you sooner...”
It seemed a wistful smile.
Without waiting for a reply, Dang Harin circulated the Thousand Poisons Immunity Art and stepped into the Poison Blood Pool.
Miasma invaded through breath and skin.
The deeper she ventured, the more virulent it grew.
Not far past the entrance, she already sensed her limit.
‘No, the Poison Core is still far off. Without me, the Poison Blood Pool is done for!’
She steeled her will, but the world doesn't bend to resolve alone.
In the end, without even glimpsing the Poison Core, she staggered and collapsed.
‘Freshly initiated in the Thousand Poisons Immunity Art, this is as far as it goes...’
She desperately turned her head toward the entrance, but her vision blurred—nothing visible.
Though she'd chosen this path herself, thick regret filled Dang Harin then.
‘I really have no memories worth calling such... At the end, only research recollections arise...’
Research with great-aunt. Research alone after great-aunt passed.
Yet the most joyful was probably researching with her friend Yuseong.
In that moment.
Step—step—
Footsteps approached, as if someone entered the Poison Blood Pool.
‘The Poison Blood Pool's deadly poison even causes hallucinations.’
With that thought, Dang Harin lost consciousness.