Chapter 54
Chapter 54
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: Become My Disciple (2)
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“I am truly honored by your words, Elder.”
“Excellent! Then you'll become my disciple right aw—...”
“However, it would not be the best path for either of us.”
It wasn't because he considered himself one of the orthodox factions.
Nor was it because he dismissed poison arts.
The reason was convincing enough that even Sang Wi-cheon couldn't press further.
“While becoming a disciple might not be ideal, how about we form a bond as fellow researchers of poisons?”
“Hmm...”
'This young man knows the formula for the Seven Great Extreme Poisons.'
The Seven Great Extreme Poisons.
Seven absolute poisons that had appeared in the murim up to now.
Not only was their potency extraordinary, but their formulas were incredibly complex and known to very few.
What sort of knowledge did one who knew them possess?
Sang Wi-cheon licked his lips.
'Honestly, it's a very tempting proposal...'
“But we would need to assess each other's knowledge first, wouldn't we?”
“Of course.”
“You, go wait outside for a bit.”
“Ah... Yes, sir.”
Yang Ui-seok, who had been hesitating, stepped out.
Sang Wi-cheon fetched two chairs and placed one in front of him.
The moment Dang Yu-wol sat down, he spoke up.
“Do you know how to make Hwayeongsan?”
“Mix ash powder with the oil from the back of a Samyukchuk...”
“What about Yagul Ganghwan?”
“Put the strange Gangcho grass that grows in Shanxi and gypsum from the Singang region into a wooden bowl, ferment for a month, and...”
Sang Wi-cheon continued quizzing Dang Yu-wol on the most difficult poisons to concoct.
He expected him to stumble on at least one.
But he answered every question as smoothly as flowing water.
“Good. That's sufficient...”
“Do you know how to make Sang Gwi-mok?”
“Oh ho. You're testing me now, are you?”
“Isn't that only natural?”
“Fine. Soak a red pine tree with its roots intact in Gihol liquid for a year, and...”
Dang Yu-wol and Sang Wi-cheon exchanged knowledge on poison formulas.
After a long back-and-forth, Sang Wi-cheon smiled in satisfaction.
“They say the Sacheon Tang Clan lost much in their battle with the Five Poisons Sect. But they'll recover in no time.”
With the knowledge Dang Yu-wol possessed, it was more than possible.
He himself was impressed, after all.
“This is more than enough for an exchange of knowledge. It's certainly worth pursuing.”
“A wise judgment.”
“Very well. I'll choose the Sacheon Tang Clan as my place of seclusion for the time being.”
Fortunately, a master of the previous generation had decided to reside in the Tang Clan as a guest.
There was no reason for Dang Yu-wol to object.
'If he stays in the Tang Clan and researches poisons, our clan's power will grow even stronger.'
-With the imperial army and now Sang Wi-cheon. No worries for a while, right?
Dang Yu-wol silently agreed with Ye-ui's words.
Moreover, Sang Wi-cheon's addition opened up even more possibilities.
“What will you do with this apothecary?”
“Eh, it was just a place to crash anyway. I ran it half-heartedly.”
He glanced around with evident disinterest.
“Once I'm gone, Ui-seok will figure it out. He's my disciple, after all.”
In truth, this apothecary and clinic were mere offshoots of the Yisun Sect.
As someone not affiliated with the Yisun Sect, he had no attachments and began packing without hesitation.
“Since we're on the topic, let's head out right away. Are you returning to the Tang Clan?”
“No. I have business in Henan.”
“Henan, huh.”
“Is something wrong?”
“The murim atmosphere has been off lately. Be careful.”
Injuries among murim warriors had been on the rise recently.
“Isn't fighting the way of the murim?”
“It's not that. There have been occasional reports of bizarre attackers striking.”
Sang Wi-cheon's tone was deadly serious.
Who could be so strange that even a previous-generation master called them bizarre?
Dang Yu-wol suspected they were connected to the Blood Cult.
“Some were beaten by unorthodox scum, but...”
“Others as well?”
“Yes. Even among sword beggars, quite a few have suddenly vanished. Same with orthodox and unorthodox alike.”
'They're becoming Blood Cultists.'
-They're unorthodox folk who worship strength, or mercenaries selling their martial arts for survival.
Ye-ui had seen far too many fall for the Blood Cult's allure.
'It's one of the ways the Blood Cult recruits followers.'
Dang Yu-wol knew it well too.
Once one joined the Blood Cult, they couldn't leave the main altar for years.
In that process, they were naturally brainwashed into true cultists.
'I went through it myself...'
Without his thirst for vengeance, he might have become a Blood Cultist himself.
The cult's indoctrination was that powerful.
“Anyway. You've mastered the Three Yang Return to Origin Art, right?”
“Yes.”
“Here, take this.”
“What is it?”
As he packed, he tossed a small box over.
Inside was a black pill emitting a foul odor.
“It's said to clash the poison qi of the Three Yang Return to Origin Art, temporarily boosting your inner power. It'll help in a pinch.”
“Why do you have this?”
“The guy who made it is dead. A fellow named Dang Gwi-cheon. Ring a bell?”
One of the Sacheon Tang Clan's previous-generation masters.
To Dang Yu-wol, he was like a great-uncle in seniority.
“He didn't tell me to deliver it to the Tang Clan, so I kept it.”
“I... see.”
“I didn't kill him and steal it.”
He knew Dang Yu-wol saw him as an orthodox master.
Thus, he stated it outright to dispel any notions.
“Hmph...”
At those words, the corner of Dang Yu-wol's mouth twitched oddly.
“Have you heard the saying, 'The stain of suspicion is not easily erased'?”
Sang Wi-cheon scowled at the obvious teasing.
“You really have a rotten personality, don't you?”
As Dang Yu-wol exited Sang Wi-cheon's apothecary, Yang Ui-seok was waiting.
He must have finished shopping while they talked.
A bundle of goods dangled from his hand.
“Is the discussion over?”
“Yes. The elder is heading to Sacheon.”
“I see...”
“If you need to meet him, please come to the Tang Clan.”
“I'm worried whether he'll settle well there.”
“Don't worry. Our Tang Clan folk aren't exactly saints either.”
“Ah ha. Is that so?”
The conversation felt a bit off.
But whatever. They'd manage on their own.
“We've got everything we need, so shall we head to the inn now?”
“No poisons?”
“The elder gave us some on his way out.”
He'd handed over plenty, claiming they were just baggage.
It was more than enough.
-Can I make some of the stuff I want later?
'Of course.'
Carrying their bundles, Dang Yu-wol and Yang Ui-seok strolled leisurely.
They knew the inn's location and didn't get lost.
“Here it is.”
“Quite large.”
A grand inn welcomed them.
The first floor doubled as a restaurant, bustling with diners.
Plenty of murim folk among them.
“Bro!! You made it?!”
Yi Kyung and Yi Yul sat at a table on the first floor.
Piles of snacks covered their table.
“You need to eat a proper meal, not just snacks.”
“Ehehe~.”
“These are snacks you can't easily find in Yunnan~.”
“I bought them. Please don't scold them too much, Tang Gongzi.”
Seol Ryua smiled, finding the two Taoists munching away adorable.
“Where is Immortal Hwan-gyu?”
“An acquaintance stopped by, so he went to meet them. Said he'd be right back.”
“I see.”
“Hungry? Shall we order first?”
“If we eat without Elder Gu Hwan-gae, he'll blow a fuse.”
Especially over food. Seol Ryua giggled in agreement.
“By the way, Tang Gongzi. Did you get everything you needed?”
“Yes. If you need anything, Seol Sojeo, just say the word.”
“Oh, perfect. I was hoping for some poisons myself.”
“What do you n—”
Crash!!!
“Argh!!”
The sound of tables shattering rang out.
Plates broke, screams erupted.
“What the—?! A fight?!”
“Don't fight in a dining hall!!”
The crowd growled in protest.
But the brawl was already underway.
'With so many murim folk around, I figured a fight might break out...'
He hadn't expected to spectate one so soon.
Dang Yu-wol naturally gripped the flying dagger in his sleeve.
“You Haejeong Sect bastards!! Die!!”
“Damn it! Orthodox scum! Figures you'd ambush us!!”
It seemed like a clash between orthodox and unorthodox factions.
Common enough in the murim.
“Bro. Shouldn't we help the orthodox side?”
“Master always said to uphold justice...”
“That wouldn't be bad. Why? Want to jump in?”
“Yes.”
“I've heard it's part of murim life.”
If it got dangerous, he could step in.
Dang Yu-wol nodded slightly.
“Alright, then...”
As the two gripped their swords with permission, a man in an expensive-looking bamboo hat stood near the brawl.
“Hah. What a headache.”
He'd apparently spilled his food from the earlier shock.
A brown sauce stain marred his fancy white robes.
“Whoa... That won't come out easily...”
“Brother. Isn't that expensive?”
“Looks like it...”
As Yi Kyung and Yi Yul noted, the pricey outfit was ruined.
Reason enough to be furious.
The problem was the culprits waving swords around.
“Bro? Something's about to go down.”
“Looks like it.”
An old woman sat beside him.
Wearing her windbreaker robe unusually reversed, she couldn't contain her rage.
“You filthy maggot scum!! How dare you ruin his clothes!! I'll kill you all!!”
Her shrill cry exploded.
All eyes turned to her.
“Granny, be careful.”
“The Sacheonbang causing trouble isn't new.”
“Don't get hurt over nothing... Come over here.”
Everyone worried for the old woman.
The troublemaking Sacheonbang wouldn't spare her just for being elderly.
“Brother!”
“Yeah!”
They had to stop her before she got hurt.
“Sister, let's... Huh?”
“Sis? What's wrong?”
Expecting her to charge in, they looked to Seol Ryua and Dang Yu-wol.
Seol Ryua was drenched in cold sweat.
“Oh my god...!! Why is she here...?!”
“You know her?”
“Y-Yes. W-Well. Yes. Y-Yang Gongzi. Um. Th-That's. It's h-hard to explain...”
She was sweating bullets.
Everyone found it odd.
But Dang Yu-wol knew why.
'Didn't expect her to be here...'
And for good reason—she was an imperial palace master.
The one she guarded was none other than
the Third Royal Prince of the Great Empire.
Unaware, the others just fretted.
“What?! Old hag!!”
“Wanna end your miserable life here?!”
Even with enemies before them, they were murim warriors.
They couldn't ignore such insults.
Especially from a ragged-looking old woman.
“Shut your traps!! You vermin!!”
“Hey!! Crone! Wanna die?!”
A scarred Sacheonbang warrior stepped forward.
Several murim folk grimaced at the sight.
“Bro!!”
“Tang Gongzi! Let's go!”
“No need.”
“Huh?”
The old woman raised her hand.
In that instant, silence blanketed the inn.
“...Gasp.”
“Th-That's...”
It was inevitable.
A radiant orb of qi had formed in her hand.
'Ganghwan.'
A feat only possible for Hwa-gyeong masters unfolded.