Chapter 50: Poison Xi Shi, Tang Seo-yoon-1
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 50: Poison Xi Shi, Tang Seo-yoon-1
A pavilion located at the very edge of the Sichuan Tang Clan estate.
Whish—!
A massive cloud of poisonous qi was billowing across the private training ground in front of the pavilion.
In the center of the toxic haze stood a woman, looking down upon the world with a haughty gaze.
Sweat trickled down her forehead, drenching her face, but she didn't seem to care.
Soon, a massive vortex of poisonous qi formed and began to howl.
Fwaaaaak!
A storm of immense toxicity swept over the training ground.
Pop!
Then, the poisonous qi that had blanketed the area suddenly burst and vanished into nothingness.
"Huff... huff..."
She exhaled sharply, steadying her ragged breath.
'Is it still only half a kyeong?'
She felt a pang of disappointment.
It was then.
Clap, clap, clap.
The sound of sudden applause reached her ears.
"As expected, you are truly remarkable, Aunt. To think you can already handle the Ten Thousand Streams Return to the Source Divine Art—notorious for its complexity—to this extent."
Turning her head, she saw the Fourth Young Master, Tang San, entering the training ground while clapping his hands.
"What business does a fellow like you have here?"
Seeing Tang San, she spoke with an air of indifference.
"Now, now. Is it such a problem for a nephew to come and pay his respects to the aunt he admires so much?"
"You have such a vile, snake-like nature that whenever you come looking for me, it feels like a burden for no reason."
She spoke harshly to Tang San's face without hesitation.
Hearing those words, Tang San felt a vein throb in his temple.
'That bitch.'
Normally, he wouldn't have even spared her a glance, but he had to endure it for now.
"Let us head inside first."
"I need to wash up."
"I will wait."
"It makes me uncomfortable. Leave."
Tang San felt a surge of irritation at her expulsion order.
However, if he lost his temper here, everything would go down the drain.
Tang San took a deep breath and continued speaking to her.
"Just hear me out once. I'm sure you'll find it enticing."
Tang San spoke to her in a pleading tone.
However, she merely furrowed her brows.
"A grown man whining like this... If it's nothing important, you're dead."
Having said her piece, she turned around and walked out of the training ground.
Tang San stared at her retreating back and spat out curses under his breath.
'Ugh, that crazy bitch, seriously.'
The insults bubbled up, but he had to suppress them.
He needed Tang Seo-yoon's help to successfully pass through the Godok Hall.
*
"Fine, speak."
Tang Seo-yoon sat with her legs crossed, getting straight to the point.
She had no intention of spending much time with this young venomous snake.
"I'll be blunt. Please help me."
"And if I refuse?"
The answer was instantaneous.
From the beginning, Tang Seo-yoon had no interest in politics, such as factional feuds or succession struggles.
Her only interest was martial arts.
There was no way she would grant Tang San's request.
"I will give you the inner core of a Human-Faced Spider."
"What?"
This was unexpected.
The inner core of a Human-Faced Spider might not be as valuable as Poison Essence, but it was a treasure that anyone practicing poison arts would covet.
The Human-Faced Spider is a giant spider with a head resembling a human face. It is said to be the form of a spider that has lived for hundreds of years, accumulating spiritual power until it is on the verge of transforming into a human.
The Human-Faced Spider harbors an Absolute Poison within its inner core. The toxicity is said to be so potent that once it begins to emit its poison, no living creature within a ten-ri radius can survive.
Because the poisonous power of the inner core was so immense, it was something anyone who practiced poison arts would lust after.
Lick.
Hearing those words, Tang Seo-yoon licked her lips.
Seeing her lick her lips like that, Tang San's face flushed slightly.
Seeing her move her tongue with such a seductive face made him feel strangely self-conscious.
At the mention of the Human-Faced Spider's inner core, greed began to sprout within Tang Seo-yoon.
She had already given up on the Poison Essence, a treasure of the ages, as it was destined for the Clan Head.
But now, the offer of a Human-Faced Spider's inner core piqued her interest.
It was certainly worth negotiating.
"What is it you want?"
"Please perform Body-to-Body Power Transfer on me."
"You crazy bastard."
She cut Tang San off immediately.
This fellow had clearly lost his mind.
What was Body-to-Body Power Transfer?
Wasn't it a technique where one gives away the internal energy they had cultivated for decades to another person?
Why on earth would she hand over her internal energy to such a devious fellow?
While she coveted the spider's inner core, the internal energy she had cultivated for decades was far more precious.
And what if he just feigned ignorance after she performed the transfer?
She didn't want to take such an unnecessary risk.
"Get out."
She issued an immediate expulsion order.
"Aunt, please listen to me. I will transfer my internal energy to you via Body-to-Body Power Transfer first. Then, after you have fully absorbed the Human-Faced Spider's inner core, you only need to return as much as I gave you."
"You could just consume it yourself. Why go through the trouble of asking me?"
"My middle dantian is blocked, so even if I consume the inner core, I won't be able to absorb it fully."
This was true.
Tang San's internal energy was already filled to the limit of his lower dantian.
In this state, even if he consumed the inner core, it was obvious that he would leak most of it rather than absorbing it properly.
"And what do you gain by going that far?"
Tang Seo-yoon continued, her expression showing she didn't understand.
If he was going to use it so inefficiently, wouldn't it be better to wait until his middle dantian opened and consume it himself?
Why would he do something that benefited someone else?
"It's the poisonous qi of the Human-Faced Spider."
Tang San's eyes began to burn with fervor.
As he said, his internal energy was at its limit, so he couldn't absorb the spider's poisonous qi, but the story changed for Tang Seo-yoon, whose middle dantian was open.
If he emptied his dantian through Body-to-Body Power Transfer and then received refined internal energy back through her, he could absorb not only the spider's poisonous qi but also the poisonous qi she had refined over decades.
This was a trick possible only because of the Ten Thousand Streams Return to the Source Divine Art, which blended poison and internal energy.
"Why me, of all people?"
"In our faction, there is no master capable of fully digesting the poisonous qi of the Human-Faced Spider."
Because the inner core of the Human-Faced Spider contained toxicity beyond imagination, one had to be at least at the Super-Peak Realm to absorb it, and at least at the Mid-Stage of the Super-Peak Realm to absorb it fully.
However, there was no such master in Tang San's faction.
The Geum family, the maternal family of the Third Madam Geum Jeok-hwa, was a massive merchant family that had grown through trade. The elders and seniors, full of prejudice against merchants as lowly, looked upon her origins with great distaste.
This perception extended to the succession competition; while younger elders often supported Tang San, the older elders and seniors avoided him.
And as they say, the deeper the experience, the deeper the martial arts.
Thus, there were no Super-Peak masters in Tang San's faction, which was supported by the younger generation.
"..........."
Hearing Tang San's words, Tang Seo-yoon fell into deep thought.
It certainly wasn't a bad deal.
In fact, it was so good that it was almost suspicious.
To use a rare treasure like the Human-Faced Spider's inner core just to strengthen one's poisonous qi...
How could she not be suspicious?
But looking at Tang San's serious gaze, he didn't seem to be lying.
"Heh."
She let out a short laugh.
Was the position of Clan Head really that good?
How great must it be for him to use this legendary treasure just for a boost in poisonous qi?
It was amusing—this nephew of hers, who held values so different from her own.
"Fine."
She reached a conclusion.
She had nothing to lose anyway.
"I'll perform the Body-to-Body Power Transfer. However, I haven't joined your faction, so don't go spreading useless rumors."
"Thank you, Aunt."
Tang San bowed deeply and offered his thanks.
In truth, he had been anxious that she might refuse, so he was overjoyed that things were going well.
"The inner core?"
"I have it with me."
Thud.
Tang San pulled a small pouch from his robe and placed it on the table.
"Good. I'll send word once I've absorbed it all. Leave it and go."
"Thank you. Thank you so much."
Tang San bowed several more times in gratitude.
Gratitude cost nothing, so he could do it as many times as needed.
"I get it, so get out already. I need to wash up."
Feeling uncomfortable with her body drenched in sweat, she issued the expulsion order.
Tang San bowed once more and left.
Tang Seo-yoon simply watched the spot where Tang San had been.
*
After washing up, Tang Seo-yoon moved to her private training ground.
As the saying goes, strike while the iron is hot.
Since she had received the inner core, she intended to absorb it immediately.
Thump.
Sitting in the very center of the training ground, she crossed her legs and quietly closed her eyes.
Then, she began to circulate the Ten Thousand Streams Return to the Source Divine Art.
All the poisonous qi and internal energy in her body began to surge, enveloping her.
How much time had passed?
Flash!
Having finished one cycle, she opened her eyes and took the pouch from her robe.
Opening the pouch, she saw a dark, murky object that emitted a foul stench.
Just holding it in her hand caused an immense amount of poisonous qi to radiate out.
'So this is indeed the inner core of a Human-Faced Spider.'
Though its appearance and smell were repulsive, she didn't care and popped it straight into her mouth.
Gulp.
Fwaaaaak!
Instantly, a burning sensation began to envelop her entire body.
The toxicity was beyond her expectations.
She quickly circulated the Ten Thousand Streams Return to the Source Divine Art to control the poison.
Woooooom.
However, the poisonous qi of the Human-Faced Spider was no easy foe.
It rampaged through her body, beginning to attack her.
'I won't lose!'
She didn't back down either, exerting the Ten Thousand Streams Return to the Source Divine Art to counter the spider's poison.
The poisonous energies tangled and fought, each trying to devour the other.
How much time had passed?
She felt her physical strength gradually draining.
'Huff... huff... just a little more.'
But just like her, she felt the spider's poisonous qi weakening as well.
'Now!'
She circulated the Ten Thousand Streams Return to the Source Divine Art once more and began to devour the spider's poison whole.
Woooooooooom!
And the moment she absorbed all of the spider's poisonous qi...
Suddenly, a sense of fullness began to radiate from her lower and middle dantians.
And then...
Flash!
It felt as if a bolt of lightning had struck her mind.
'Aaaaaah!'
She was overcome by an indescribable sense of pleasure.
Soon after, five rings began to manifest above her head.
She had reached the highest level of the Super-Peak Realm: Five Energies Converging to the Origin.
"Huff... huff... huff..."
Tang Seo-yoon began to exhale raggedly.
Then, a smile of pure ecstasy spread across her lips.
She had finally reached the Upper Stage of the Super-Peak Realm, with the Transcendent Realm right before her eyes.
And she had done so at the young age of her early thirties.
Following the joy, a wave of late-arriving fatigue and drowsiness washed over her.
It seemed she had exhausted both her physical and mental strength while absorbing the inner core.
"Huff... huff..."
She felt she needed to sleep.
She let her eyelids, heavy as lead, close and fell into a deep slumber.
*
Tang Seo-yoon slowly opened her eyes.
She felt like she had slept soundly, but strangely, she had no strength.
She felt something soft beneath her.
'A bed!?'
It was strange.
Hadn't she fallen asleep on the hard floor of the training ground?
She hurriedly turned her head to look around.
A bed, a table, a chair.
Judging by the room's layout, she could deduce that this was her own room.
Someone must have moved her while she was unconscious.
She put strength into her arms to sit up.
Clank.
But her arms didn't move as she wished.
She lifted her arms to look.
Iron shackles were wrapped around both her wrists.
Startled, she looked down.
Her legs were also bound by iron shackles.
What on earth was happening?
She tried to summon her internal energy.
Shackles like these couldn't possibly hold her.
However, the internal energy in her body did not move according to her will.
What was going on?
Hadn't she just reached the Upper Stage of the Super-Peak Realm?
And yet, she couldn't even break these shackles?
What in the world had happened?
Creeak.
"You won't be able to use your internal energy for a while. I've sealed it with acupoint striking."
The door opened, and a man walked in.
"Poison Xi Shi, Tang Seo-yoon."
He was a man she had never seen before.
"Let's have a serious talk, shall we?"
The man looked at her with a smirk.