Chapter 242
Chapter 242
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 242
Chapter Title: Swarm of the Poisonous Horde
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Whyyyyyiiiiing!
The buzzing of the venomous insects was so intense it felt like the air itself was rippling.
It seemed as though the sky was warping, crumbling.
The sheer majesty of the poison bugs swarming through the air was overwhelming.
Their ferocious wingbeats pierced the ears, rattling the very soul, embodying terror in their own right.
And that terror grew ever clearer and more pungent with a thick stench of blood as they drew nearer.
Screeeeech!
“Gaaahhh!”
“Guh, ack! Sp-spare… spare me!”
“T-the antidotes aren’t working!”
It happened in an instant.
Like a swarm of autumn locusts, the poison bugs swept over the warriors of the Sichuan Tang Clan.
Those stung displayed dozens of different poisoning symptoms.
Skin turned red and blistered, oozing pus.
Blood streamed from the corners of eyes, or bite wounds blackened and reeked of rot.
It was a scene straight out of a natural disaster.
Like a plague spreading, the poison bugs ravaged the Tang Clan’s poison experts with terrifying momentum.
Tang Ui-cheon unleashed a palm strike.
Boom!
The poison palm flew five張 and burst in midair, spraying venom in all directions to engulf the bugs.
“What?!”
Tang Ui-cheon’s eyes widened in shock.
The bugs had pierced right through his poison mist.
Worse, the ones that absorbed it rampaged even more wildly.
Tang Ui-cheon shouted.
“Fall back! Get out of the poison mist!”
“The Five Poisons Sect is advancing! It’s their elite Thousand Poisons Squad!”
“Ignore them!”
The situation left no room for choice.
The thick poison mist blanketing the area was the Five Poisons Sect’s doing, not the Sichuan Tang Clan’s.
They were merely enduring thanks to their poison immunity, but facing the Five Poisons Sect elites here would bring nothing good.
But they wouldn’t let them escape easily.
Thousand Poisons Captain Sal Mu-geuk bellowed.
“Wipe them all out! They’re just Sichuan Tang vermin!”
The Thousand Poisons Squad crested the hill and charged into the mist.
Poison bugs flew from all sides, while venomous snakes, centipedes, and scorpions crawled from the ground, blanketing everything.
The venomous creatures swarmed, pressing the Tang Clan hard.
The Five Poisons Sect’s poisons were truly vicious.
They lunged ferociously, as if intent on devouring anything that moved.
A glossy black wave of poison mist rolled in, nauseating just to behold.
All were venomous beasts born from the Five Poisons Sect’s secret arts, each carrying deadly toxin.
Sizzzz! Ssssh!
The Thousand Poisons Squad moved in sync with the creatures.
Unlike hidden weapons, the venomous beasts tormented the Tang Clan warriors from all ten directions.
Seizing the chaos, the Thousand Poisons Squad pushed back the Tang warriors.
Tang Ui-cheon spat in fury.
He had ambushed the Five Poisons Sect scum prowling the border regions, only for them to turn the tables and encircle the Tang Clan.
Seeing them burst out as if lying in wait, realization dawned.
‘It was a trap!’
The only explanation was that the Five Poisons Sect had dug this pit to lure in the Sichuan Tang Clan.
No other way this formation could have come about.
He thought they’d successfully flanked the Five Poisons Sect, but instead, their rear was exposed.
The Thousand Poisons Squad’s venomous beasts attacked the Tang clansmen even more fiercely.
Tang Ui-cheon gritted his teeth and swung the poison whip coiled at his waist toward the bugs blanketing the sky.
Snaaaap!
Thud thud thud!
With the rip of tearing flesh, a long line sliced the air momentarily, sending bugs raining down.
But in an instant, others filled the gap, attacking the Tang poison experts.
‘I need to kill the ones controlling the beasts!’
The Five Poisons Sect manipulated them with special sounds and scents. Take out the handlers, and control would break.
With that, the Poison King Squad charged at the Thousand Poisons Squad.
Sal Mu-geuk spotted Tang Ui-cheon rampaging up front.
“Seize that one! He’s the Sichuan Tang Family Head!”
The Thousand Poisons Squad poisoners drew hidden weapons from their robes and hurled them at Tang Ui-cheon.
Swoooosh!
Tang Ui-cheon whipped his poison lash with force.
A dark shadow flashed faster than lightning, snatching the incoming projectiles midair.
Hidden weapon retrieval at its pinnacle!
“Hah!”
Tang Ui-cheon reversed the captured weapons with his whip and flung them back.
Pitter-patter-bam!
The Thousand Poisons Squad blocking him crumpled under the hail of darts.
They hastily applied antidotes and retreated.
“Die!”
Sal Mu-geuk flicked his hand.
In an instant, steel needles blotted out vision, shooting toward Tang Ui-cheon.
Needles that shredded even poison mist—with internal energy infused, they could pierce rock.
Tang Ui-cheon flicked his sleeve, unleashing the Chain Twelve Slashes technique.
Twelve daggers shot from his fingertips, targeting Sal Mu-geuk.
Claaang! Clang clang clang! Boom!
The barrage of needles and daggers clashed violently in the air, sparking fiercely.
Swoop!
Suddenly, a dagger blocking needles twisted like a serpent and flew at Sal Mu-geuk.
The steel wire at its tip had abruptly changed the weapon’s trajectory.
With profound internal energy and exquisite control, Tang Ui-cheon maneuvered the dagger freely in the air like a flying sword.
Sal Mu-geuk’s eyes bulged as he swatted it away.
Snaaaap!
The poison whip grazed past, cleaving a boulder.
Undaunted, Sal Mu-geuk surged at Tang Ui-cheon.
Hidden weapons flew from his hand, unleashing the Thousand Poisons Squad’s signature Flying Phoenix Kill.
Eight bird-like darts rained down from different angles, strengths, and speeds.
As the Flying Phoenix Kill sealed the eight directions, Sal Mu-geuk followed with a poison palm. A dark mass surged forth relentlessly.
A glint flashed in Tang Ui-cheon’s eyes.
Sal Mu-geuk’s weapon mastery and the power in his poison palm were no joke.
Tang Ui-cheon pierced the heart of the Flying Phoenix Kill with Chain Twelve Slashes, then clashed head-on with Sal Mu-geuk using Crimson Lotus Divine Palm.
Boom! Boom boom!
The palms collided in midair, thunderous roars echoing.
Tang Ui-cheon’s eyes widened.
The invading poison stirred his blood and qi into frenzy.
Even his blood coursed with poison.
Yet his body was reacting to Sal Mu-geuk’s palm.
‘The Five Poisons Sect’s arts shouldn’t be this potent?’
The poison was far more vicious than expected.
Enough to rattle even Tang Ui-cheon.
Sal Mu-geuk grinned wickedly.
His face pale, but he had withstood the Crimson Lotus Divine Palm.
“Out!”
Tang Ui-cheon unleashed consecutive palm strikes.
Boom! Booom!
Sal Mu-geuk met them head-on without yielding.
Each clash sent poison rippling outward like shockwaves.
Green and black mists intertwined as the two exchanged blows too fast for eyes to follow.
Poison palms, whips, and darts filled the air endlessly.
They fought hand-to-hand when close, clashed with projectiles when apart.
The Sichuan Tang Clan’s secret poisons tangled fiercely with the Five Poisons Sect’s.
Bewilderment rose in Tang Ui-cheon’s eyes.
This poison art level wasn’t the Five Poisons Sect he knew.
Proving it, the Poison King Squad struggled against the Thousand Poisons Squad’s assault.
Ordinary disciples were already trapped in poison smoke, unable to respond properly.
‘This can’t be!’
Something was wrong.
But pondering what now was pointless.
The poison terrain once favorable to the Tang Clan now choked them like a death trap.
They needed to escape quickly.
But escape wouldn’t be easy.
Breaking free from the Thousand Poisons Squad and beasts would cost dearly.
Tang Ui-cheon bit his lip until it bled and thrust Crimson Lotus Divine Palm at Sal Mu-geuk.
Boom!
* * *
Tang Myeong-ok’s pupils trembled violently.
Across the way, the Thousand Poisons Squad emerged, thickening the mist, then bug swarms like bees dove in.
Even without seeing inside, he could guess the dire turn.
Tang warriors fleeing the mist got swarmed by bugs, collapsing in agonized screams.
Tang Myeong-jin yelled urgently.
“Poison bugs!”
Thwack!
Tang Myeong-jin gritted his teeth, slicing a hornet larger than his index finger.
“Those damned bastards!”
“Wait!”
“Wait for what! We have to help!”
“I’ll request reinforcements. Getting caught up is beyond us!”
“Tell that to them! We have to help even if it’s just one!”
Tang Myeong-ok and Tang Myeong-jin bickered.
Meanwhile, the tide turned by the second.
Black clusters of bugs surged endlessly.
As the siblings argued noisily.
Flames sparked in Nangong Hyeok’s eyes as he watched the battlefield.
‘Thousand Poisons Squad? If they’re elites, they must know something?’
Whether Thousand-Year Red Crane or the council’s existence.
Capture and torture, and they’d spill.
“It’s our turn.”
At his words, the Thunder Dragon Squad froze pale.
Sogolgae jumped.
“How can we charge where even Sichuan Tang warriors can’t breathe! Just wait, sir!”
“I’ve got poison resistance.”
“Pardon?”
“Watch.”
Thwack!
Nangong Hyeok snatched a drifting bug and jabbed it into his hand.
‘Crazy?’
‘What the hell?!’
Even for a madman, injecting poison into a healthy arm!
Everyone stared in shock.
Nangong Hyeok shook his hand lightly, and the reddened skin subsided.
“Huh?!”
“Eh?”
“W-what?!”
The Thunder Dragon Squad gaped at him.
Nangong Hyeok grinned.
“It’s bearable.”
…No, it really wasn’t.
Even confirming poison resistance, the Thunder Dragon Squad’s faces twisted.
Especially Paeng Jung-hyeok.
“Why sacrifice ourselves? Just hold position as ordered, and we’ve done our part.”
The Tang hadn’t expected much from the Thunder Dragon Squad anyway—why else order them to wait on the plateau?
No need to dive in and suffer.
Sogolgae and others nodded.
“Right, young master. Stay put and take credit later.”
“Yeah. We said no meddling in others’ fights.”
“Exactly, exactly!”
The Paeng siblings chimed in support of Sogolgae.
So Hye-yeon nodded silently from behind.
Geon Cheon-hwi and the Thunder Dragon Squad felt the same.
The Nangong family’s main force hadn’t arrived yet—no reason to jump in.
And above all.
“Why so eager? What do we gain fighting the Five Poisons Sect…?”
From what he’d seen, Nangong Hyeok was a lunatic.
Not just any—he was utterly mad.
And that madness only stirred for profit.
But no matter how he thought, little gain in this fight.
Trust from the Sichuan Tang Clan 里 from home base, and some poison resistance?
Was that worth Nangong Hyeok moving?
Nangong Hyeok twisted his lips at the uncooperative Thunder Dragon Squad.
Yeah, knew they’d react like this.
He put force into his voice.
“You idiots! Think I’m doing this for myself?!”
“Well, is there any gain?”
“You forget the Golden Immortal Pills?”
No.
Forgetting that would make them the mad ones.
That ecstatic experience was unforgettable.
But why bring it up?
Those who’d tasted Golden Immortal Pills—Nangong Ryong, Geon Cheon-hwi, Tak Hyeok-dong, Jang Ung—tilted heads.
Nangong Hyeok slyly lifted a corner of his mouth.
“Those Five Poisons bastards have the ingredients for those Golden Immortal Pills! They’re hoarding them! Capture them, torture, make the pills!”
“…?!”
“Golden Immortal Pills! I’ll make finished ones and share! So we gotta grab them, you lunatics!”
“G-Golden Immortal Pills?! The ingredients?!”
“Those vile Five Poisons scum stole our Golden Immortal Pill ingredients! What else? Go beat them and take ’em back!”
The hoarded ingredients morphed into stolen loot in a flash.
“I’ll make Golden Immortal Pills for you all!”
“T-then your reason for coming to Sichuan?!”
“Yeah, you fools! Do I look insane enough to crash a poison freaks’ battlefield?!”
“Aah! As expected, young master!”
All doubts cleared; admiration lit the four faces.
Sogolgae, the Paeng siblings, and So Hye-yeon stared in disbelief.
“What nonsense is th—”
Huh?
Damn.
Why’re they acting up?
Foaming at the mouth?
Eyes rolling…?
“Damn, Golden Immortal Pills.”
“G-Golden Immortal Pill ingredients?”
“These Five Poisons punks dare touch our Golden Immortal Pills?”
“I’ll chew those Five Poisons, damn it.”
“Five Poisons. Ingredients. Golden Immortal Pills!”
Excuse me?
Sogolgae and Paeng Jung-hyeok blankly watched Nangong Ryong and the Thunder Dragon Squad.
“W-what even are Golden Immortal Pills to get like this?”
“Great Reversion Pills! Golden Immortal Pills!”
“What’s that mean?!”
“Goooolden Immortaaaaal Piiiills!”
Nangong Ryong, eyes rolled back, charged.
What?
To the confused group, Geon Cheon-hwi shouted.
“It’s a divine pill surpassing Great Reversion Pills! Those bastards stole the ingredients!”
Geon Cheon-hwi followed suit.
“Kraaaah! You dog bastards!”
“Spirit pills! Give us the spirit pills!”
Foam-flecked Tak Hyeok-dong and Jang Ung dove into the mist next.
Then the Thunder Dragon Squad, already briefed on the pills, followed.
Sogolgae and Paeng Jung-hyeok’s jaws dropped.
“Better than Great Reversion Pills?”
“N-no such spirit pill exists! Hey, you! Where you going!”
“They stole ’em! Makes ’em villains! Preemptive strike!”
Paeng Yeon-hwa dove in cluelessly; So Hye-yeon chased.
“Five Poisons Sect! Annihilate!”
Hey, damn it!
Then Nangong Hyeok drove it home.
“Chaaarge!”
“Charge?”
“Charge!”
Reflex beat questions.
Sogolgae and Paeng Jung-hyeok locked eyes, then bolted after Nangong Hyeok.
Sogolgae and Paeng Jung-hyeok exchanged glances and dashed after Nangong Hyeok.
Tang Myeong-ok and Tang Myeong-jin, mid-bicker, eyes bulged.
Seeing Nangong Hyeok and crew kick up dust, they screamed.
“What the hell are they doing!? I said wait!”
“Did those bastards all eat drugs?!”
“W-wait!”
“Wha?! Run, run! Ruuun!”
Clueless, the two chased the Thunder Dragon Squad’s tails toward the mist.