Chapter 34
Chapter 34
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: Absolute Poison Formation (2)
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"You bastard...!"
"Is that all you've got? Yelling once and scattering that blood-red aura? Then it's time to end this."
Dang Yu-wol slowly aimed his dagger at him.
Yang Ju-gwang flinched involuntarily and took a step back.
'Me, Yang Ju-gwang...! To some wet-behind-the-ears kid like that...?!'
Humiliation surged over him once more.
But an instinct stronger than that shame kept screaming at him.
'I have to avoid him. I have to run.'
Yet he had too much at stake from his years in the Blood Cult to do that.
"You little shit!!"
The energy rippling around his body transformed.
It began to coil around him like an enraged dragon.
Using that as a foundation, Yang Ju-gwang drew his sword and charged forward swiftly.
-He's coming. Be careful.
With Ye-ui's warning, Dang Yu-wol slowly gripped his dagger.
A single technique to dismantle the Earth Dragon Light Sword.
The green sword aura on Dang Yu-wol's blade slowly faded away.
"Dang Yu-wol!! What are you...!!"
The opponent was wrapping himself in sword energy.
So why was he dispelling his own sword aura?
It was the moment bewildered Namgung Seon-jae tried to shout.
-Stab!!
Just before Yang Ju-gwang's technique unfolded.
The dagger in Dang Yu-wol's hand flew into the air.
"Hah...!! What a exquisite move!!"
It targeted the precise opening.
The tiniest, yet sharpest energy at the dagger's tip was none other than sword energy.
-Aren't you pushing yourself too hard?
'Using just a bit of sword energy? That's nothing.'
He had manifested sword energy.
Something impossible at his current level.
But would Dang Yu-wol, who had once reached the Martial God realm, fail at this?
"Gaaahhh!!"
The sword energy on the dagger, Soul-Chasing Phantom Dart, pierced straight through Yang Ju-gwang's dantian.
-Don't let your guard down. As you know, some Blood Cult techniques allow movement even with a destroyed dantian.
'I know. Time to catch him.'
He unleashed every hidden dart he had.
This was a body enhanced by the Blood Cult's supreme arts.
Some darts were deflected.
But others still embedded themselves firmly.
"This damn...!! Gaaahhh!!"
Even with his dantian destroyed, Yang Ju-gwang tried to resist and escape, but he collapsed.
Foam bubbled from his mouth, and his eyes rolled back.
Classic symptoms of poisoning.
"Huuu..."
-Take this quickly.
He wasn't even at the Peak realm yet, but he'd created sword energy through sheer will.
Even for Dang Yu-wol, that had been taxing.
Ye-ui immediately produced an internal injury recovery pill.
-All that's left is sending this guy to the Murim Alliance.
Dang Yu-wol swallowed the rising blood in his throat along with the pill and slowly looked around.
"W-Wooowww!!"
"Young Clan Head!! As expected, you're incredible!!"
"Amazing!!"
"The best!! The hope of the Tang Clan!! The light of the Tang Clan!!"
The Tang Clan disciples were ecstatic.
And.
Namgung Seon-jae gazed at Dang Yu-wol seriously amid their cheers.
The Hongwol Sect, the Black Alliance's foothold for infiltrating Sacheon, was annihilated the moment they set foot in the region.
"They say Hongwol Sect's leader Yang Ju-gwang and his Four Sacheon Kings got properly crushed?"
"I heard the Tang Clan stepped in directly."
"Wasn't it the Clan Head?"
"No, no. It was the Young Clan Head, apparently. With members of the Murim Alliance's Vanguard Dragon Squad."
"No way. Truly impressive!!"
With Hongwol Sect crushed.
The unorthodox fighters gathering in Sacheon from other regions panicked.
"So what do we do now?"
"What do you mean? We go back."
If they weren't careful, they might incur the Murim Alliance's wrath.
"We're not exactly bound by honor or anything."
"Yeah, let's just head back."
For unorthodox fighters, nothing mattered more than their own gain.
With Hongwol Sect gone, they had no reason to uphold any loyalty.
"Damn. Thought we'd make a killing."
"Listened to those Black Alliance bastards and wasted time for nothing."
The plan to divert the Murim Alliance's attention by establishing a Black Alliance branch in Sacheon crumbled completely.
And it made clear that the Tang Clan was behind it.
"You."
"Still haven't left?"
In the Tang Clan's training grounds.
Namgung Seon-jae approached Dang Yu-wol, who was sitting cross-legged in meditation.
"That technique you used to take down Yang Ju-gwang."
"......"
"How did you do it?"
From Namgung Seon-jae's perspective, he had every reason to be curious.
After all, it was a feat beyond his own level.
"It's not something I can use recklessly."
-Exactly. Not just anyone can pull it off.
"In my eyes, you don't need tricks like that."
Namgung Seon-jae didn't need shortcuts.
He could grow steadily through proper cultivation.
"So don't try imitating it. You'll die."
'You have to survive to the end.'
And lend his strength in the future clash with the Blood Cult.
But Namgung Seon-jae didn't heed his words.
"Don't you have those internal injury recovery pills? That should be enough, right?"
-No, it wouldn't.
That technique stemmed from Dang Yu-wol's martial knowledge and enlightenment.
But how would Namgung Seon-jae know that?
"Where would you even get recovery pills of my quality?"
"I'm thinking of asking the Healing Immortal Sect."
"Forget it."
-Even the Healing Immortal Sect couldn't analyze and replicate what I make.
"Then... could you give me just one?"
Yet Namgung Seon-jae didn't give up.
"Sure, here."
'If the Healing Immortal Sect can mass-produce it, that'd be a huge help.'
It was a pill that rapidly healed internal injuries.
It would definitely prove useful against the Blood Cult.
Dang Yu-wol casually tossed him a pill.
"...You're really giving it to me?"
"You asked."
"Isn't this a Tang Clan secret?"
"It is, but dissect it if you can."
If the Healing Immortal Sect could figure it out and produce them in bulk, all the better.
It would make battles easier for everyone.
Unaware of Dang Yu-wol's true intentions, Namgung Seon-jae just kept marveling.
"...So confident."
"Gotta be at this level. So? When are you guys leaving?"
The Vanguard Dragon Squad's mission was already complete.
No need to stick around longer.
"In a few days, when the Murim Alliance experts arrive to escort the captured Blood Cultist, we'll head back with them."
"Got it. No need for a send-off, right?"
"Can't ask a busy man to see us off."
A brief silence.
Namgung Seon-jae, who had been quiet, gave a wry smile.
"Next time, you'll see a stronger me."
"Looking forward to it."
"Right. Oh, and are you attending Shaolin's Victory Buddha Festival?"
-Victory Buddha Festival?
'One of Shaolin's major events.'
Many orthodox sects and clans gather there.
And Murim Alliance members attend as well.
"Haven't received an invitation yet."
"I see..."
"Why? You going?"
"Probably. Even if I don't, someone from the clan will."
"I see... If you're free, could you help me with something?"
Dang Yu-wol, who never seemed the type to ask for help from anyone.
So his casual request puzzled Namgung Seon-jae.
"Didn't expect that from you... What is it?"
"You know they bring cursed objects and possessed items to the Victory Buddha Festival for purification rites?"
"Yeah."
It's a famous tale in the martial world.
People believed curses, ghosts, and other ill-fated items existed in the world.
They brought them to the rites hoping to cleanse the malice within.
It was one of the events at the Victory Buddha Festival.
"I want to get one of those items. Can you help?"
"Hmm..."
"Can't? Forget I asked."
"Who said I can't?"
Falling for the simple reverse psychology, Namgung Seon-jae turned lightly.
"Shaolin manuals or the Jade Flame Buddha Palm might be tough."
"Not asking for that."
"I can snag one of the items submitted for the festival. Don't worry."
"See you at the Victory Buddha Festival, then."
A smile tugged at Dang Yu-wol's lips.
Things were working out easier than expected.
-You have to go all the way to Henan for that? Is it...?
'Yeah. An artifact infused with Reverse Heaven energy.'
-But do you really need the Namgung Clan's help? Just go and take it...
'It's from the imperial family.'
-Haha!! Looks like we've got a tricky task ahead!!
Even for the Namgung Clan, negotiating with the imperial palace wouldn't be easy.
But he'd already agreed—couldn't back out now.
'It would've been a hassle for me to handle. This makes it smooth sailing.'
A smile played on Dang Yu-wol's lips.
After the Murim Alliance experts and Vanguard Dragon Squad departed, a guest arrived at the Tang Clan.
"Namu Amida Butsu. I am Sae-ryeon."
"Pleased to meet you. Dang Yu-wol."
She was a nun from the Ami Sect.
She politely clasped her hands in greeting before pulling a box from her satchel and offering it.
"Our sect leader asked me to deliver this to Benefactor Tang."
-They said Ami Sect was sending someone, and they brought a gift too. What could it be?
'Hope it's a spirit medicine.'
He'd need a lot of spirit medicines to ascend to the Flower Realm later.
Better to stockpile them now.
Dang Yu-wol opened the box with anticipation—and his eyes widened.
It was unexpected.
-The Black Fang Dagger!
'Whoa. Didn't know this was here.'
Inside was a black dagger.
Its blade bore the delicately engraved characters "Black Fang."
"Do you know what this is?"
"The Black Fang Dagger, right? The sword used by the Black King, once the supreme martial artist under heaven."
Forged from dark iron, its blade absorbed even light, living up to its fame.
Proving its status as a treasured sword, it retained its sharpness even after centuries.
"It's a treasure as a dagger alone, but doesn't it hide a secret?"
"Yes. Legend says uncovering the secret within the Black Fang Dagger grants the Black King's martial arts."
-The Blood Cult went to such lengths for this... and it was in Ami Sect?
Ye-ui blurted out in disbelief.
-Those idiots were searching everywhere while it was right under their noses.
Dang Yu-wol agreed with Ye-ui.
"You know that, and you're still giving it to me?"
"The sect leader said only to give it to the one who needs it."
Dang Yu-wol did use daggers.
But was this truly essential for him?
"...I'll gratefully accept it."
No reason to refuse a fine weapon.
"No need to thank me. Also, the sect leader instructed this humble nun to stay at the Tang Clan."
"You've brought such a fine gift; of course. Please rest comfortably."
"Namu Amida Butsu. And..."
"And?"
"May I ask one favor?"
"What is it?"
She pulled a letter from her robe.
"Could you attend the Victory Buddha Festival on behalf of our Ami Sect?"
'The Tang Clan representing Ami Sect. They're planning to publicly reveal our alliance?'
Dang Yu-wol, who felled a Blood Cultist.
By subtly showing their collaboration, Ami Sect aimed to signal their priority stance against the Blood Cult.
Dang Yu-wol smiled.
'Just what I wanted.'