Chapter 67: Tang Clan Winds and Clouds-1
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 67: Tang Clan Winds and Clouds-1
Flash!
Sun-woo, who had been circulating the Yin-Yang Harmony Divine Art, snapped his eyes open.
He had successfully unified all the toxins from the Human-Faced Spider that had invaded his body with his own internal energy. Sun-woo concentrated the poison in his hand and released it.
Shuuuuuuuuk!
A poison far darker than the previous green hue emanated from his palm. If the green from before was like light green tea, this was now the color of deep-sea kelp. Its potency was likely incomparable to what it had been before.
Sun-woo flashed a satisfied smile. Though he had suffered quite a bit, it had become a stepping stone for him to grow even stronger. At this level, unless he faced a master of poison arts like Tang Seo-yoon, no one would be able to give him a hard time.
Withdrawing the poison, Sun-woo looked straight ahead. There lay the Human-Faced Spider, its head pierced through, completely dead. Its appearance, with its tongue lolling out in death, was utterly grotesque.
Sun-woo shuddered at the sight. The Human-Faced Spider had been incredibly powerful—so much so that he could have lost if he hadn't been careful. It was on a completely different level from the specimens captured in the Southern Barbarian lands.
It possessed immense strength befitting its size, a carapace so hard it could barely be cut without Astral Qi, regenerative powers that could restore severed legs in an instant, and a lethal poison capable of melting an ordinary person. It was a monster among monsters, and it was a miracle he had won.
But Sun-woo was the victor, and the victor had the right to take everything. He grinned broadly. This was a true ki-yeon. If he could absorb the Human-Faced Spider’s inner core as well, he would undoubtedly achieve a staggering breakthrough.
Having finished his thoughts, Sun-woo stood up and slowly approached the creature.
It was then.
Kieeeeeeeeeek!
Kieeeeeeeeeek!
A bone-chilling sound began to echo from somewhere.
"What is that?"
Sun-woo doubted his ears at the hauntingly familiar sound.
'No way...'
He slowly raised his gaze toward the trees. High above, he saw the face of a beautiful woman shedding tears of blood. Behind that beautiful face was a black exoskeleton and eight massive legs poised for action.
'There wasn't just one!?'
Sun-woo panicked. He had barely managed to kill one Human-Faced Spider, only to find it wasn't alone. Looking at the human-like face, this one appeared to be female, unlike the previous one. And seeing its body, which was even larger than the male's, he knew instantly: the female before him was far stronger than the male he had just killed.
'Goddammit.'
Irritation flared within him. His internal energy was significantly depleted from the battle with the male spider. It was only natural, as manifesting Astral Qi was incredibly taxing on one's reserves despite its power. He was in no condition to fight another fierce battle right now.
Sun-woo quickly turned and began to run. Losing the spider's inner core was a shame, but it was better than losing his life.
'I'll see you later.'
Vowing to hunt it down as soon as his internal energy recovered, Sun-woo accelerated.
Tat-tat-tat-tat!
He used his remaining internal energy to execute the Wind-Dust Step, widening the distance. He needed to recover first.
The female Human-Faced Spider merely watched Sun-woo’s retreating back with her blood-teared eyes. Then, she turned her gaze to her dead mate. Her grief was so profound that tears of blood flowed uncontrollably.
He had been her partner for hundreds of years. To think he would die so pointlessly... Emptiness filled a corner of her heart, only to be quickly replaced by another emotion.
Rage.
Swaaaaaaaak!
A massive surge of poisonous Qi began to shimmer around her. With bloodshot eyes, she looked at her dead half.
And then...
Crunch, munch.
Snap, crackle.
She began to devour the male spider's corpse. Bite by bite, she chewed carefully and thoroughly. As the blood-tears poured down, she thought to herself: We shall be together inside my body forever.
Vengeance swelled within her.
Crunch, munch.
Snap, crackle.
After some time had passed, she finally finished consuming the male spider in its entirety.
Swaaaaaaaa!
Suddenly, her entire body began to glow. It was a molting. She was undergoing the metamorphosis she had achieved after centuries of life once again.
Swaaaaaaaa!
After a while, the light faded, revealing her new form. She had grown even larger and more powerful. The exoskeleton that encased her soft flesh was now bigger and harder, and her massive legs were as sharp as masterfully forged swords. Having absorbed the male's inner core, her poisonous Qi was now incomparably more toxic than before.
Furthermore, a pattern in the shape of a human face appeared on her abdomen. She had fully inherited the male's power and transcended her previous realm.
The spider, which had been closing its eyes, snapped them open. She felt her newfound strength. Her body felt light as a feather, and her power was overwhelming. It was perfect.
She looked in the direction Sun-woo had disappeared. She had memorized his scent.
Now, it was time for revenge.
*
Poison King Tang Jin-cheol.
He was the Clan Head of the Sichuan Tang Clan, the greatest family in the Central Plains, and an absolute master who had once single-handedly annihilated the Black Armored Cavalry, the elite strike force of the Heavenly Demon.
He sat alone in his office, lost in deep thought. Though it was for the sake of the clan, he was a cold-hearted father who had pushed all his sons into the horrific Godok Hall. Yet, even he felt the weight of guilt.
To check the rising influence of the in-law factions, he had made sacrifices of his own sons. As a Clan Head, it was the best choice, but as a father, it was the worst. Ever since he decided to open the Godok Hall, he hadn't had a single day of peace.
"Tsk, I've grown old."
Tang Jin-cheol sighed. Perhaps his age was making him more sentimental. In the past, he wouldn't have been swayed by such guilt. He shook his head. He couldn't undo what had already been done. He could only wait for the results.
There was no telling when the contest in the Godok Hall would end. It could be over in a day, or it could drag on for months. He simply had to wait for a survivor to emerge.
It was then, while he was lost in contemplation.
Knock, knock.
The sound of someone knocking on the office door reached him.
"Who is it?"
"My Lord, it is I, Tae In-jeok."
Tae In-jeok was an outsider who had joined as a guest twenty years ago during the Great War of Righteousness and Demons out of admiration for Tang Jin-cheol. However, having his twenty years of loyalty and his Super-Peak martial arts recognized, he had been recruited as a close aide to the Clan Head despite not being of the direct bloodline.
"Enter."
Tang Jin-cheol readily allowed him in.
"We have a problem, My Lord," Tae In-jeok said urgently as he entered the room.
"What is it that makes you so flustered?" Tang Jin-cheol asked, curious. Tae In-jeok was known for his composure, so his urgent tone piqued the Clan Head's interest.
"The Third Young Master has abandoned the contest and escaped the hall."
"What!?"
Tang Jin-cheol was shocked. The Third Young Master was Tang Gi-mun, the son of the Fourth Madam. While perhaps not as martially gifted as the Eldest Young Master Tang Jeong or the Fourth Young Master Tang San, he was a brilliant talent known as the "Scholar of the Murim" for his martial skill and vast knowledge. He was one of the sons the elders considered a strong candidate for the position of Young Clan Head.
For such a son to abandon the contest—what on earth could have happened?
"Where is he now?"
"He is currently receiving treatment at the annex near the south gate of the Godok Hall."
Tang Jin-cheol stroked his chin. Since Tang Gi-mun had been a promising candidate, he was a son the Clan Head had high expectations for. He couldn't hide his disappointment that the boy had chosen his life over honor and fled the Godok Hall. He could overlook the delinquent Tang Se-gi, but not Tang Gi-mun, who had made a name for himself as a scholar-warrior. How the world would mock the Tang Clan!
"Bring him to my office as soon as his treatment is finished," Tang Jin-cheol said brusquely, his irritation showing.
"However, My Lord... the Third Young Master said something strange."
"What was it?"
"He said there is an intruder inside the Godok Hall who is not a candidate for the succession."
"What!?"
Tang Jin-cheol’s eyes widened, and his voice rose. Who dared to interfere with the sacred contest to decide the next leader? And to do so while defying his direct orders?
A dense murderous aura began to emanate from Tang Jin-cheol’s body. This was an act of treason against him.
"Is this the truth?"
"He lost consciousness immediately after, so I could not hear the details."
"I will go and hear it for myself."
Tang Jin-cheol stood up and changed his attire. He intended to verify the facts with Tang Gi-mun personally. If the boy had made up a lie out of shame for fleeing, he would not escape punishment. And if his words were true...
Grit.
He would ensure that the intruder, and everyone involved in the plot, would have their heads rolling on the ground.
Creak.
Bang!
The Clan Head stormed out of his office. Tae In-jeok watched his retreating back with a smirk.
*
Tang Jin-cheol used his movement techniques to sprint toward the annex at the south gate of the Godok Hall. He didn't have the leisure to take a horse. If Tang Gi-mun’s words were true, the candidates inside the Godok Hall were in danger.
He channeled even more internal energy into his Yongcheon points, and his speed increased further.
...
How much time had passed?
Tang Jin-cheol finally arrived at the south gate. His aide, Joo Man-gi, was standing guard there.
"My Lord, you've arrived."
Joo Man-gi bowed deeply and greeted him respectfully. But Tang Jin-cheol didn't care for pleasantries.
"Where is my son, Gi-mun!"
"He is resting in the annex over there."
Joo Man-gi pointed to the right. Following his finger, Tang Jin-cheol saw an old building not far away.
That was it. His son, Tang Gi-mun, was in there.
Upon spotting the building, Tang Jin-cheol rushed toward it and threw open the door.
Creak.
The sound of the old hinges grated on his ears. Tang Jin-cheol scanned the interior. Old furniture was scattered about, and in the center lay his son, Tang Gi-mun, covered by a quilt.
Tang Jin-cheol hurried to his side. Tang Gi-mun’s face was deathly pale.
"Gi-mun, wake up."
But Tang Gi-mun remained still, offering no response. Tang Jin-cheol urgently grabbed his son's hand to check his temperature.
He was struck by a sense of wrongness. The body was cold—far too cold. And he couldn't feel a pulse at the wrist. It was as if he were touching a corpse.
Shiver.
Tang Jin-cheol quickly pulled back the quilt.
There, he saw Tang Gi-mun, dead with his heart pierced through.
'A trap!'
The moment Tang Jin-cheol turned to flee the building—
KABOOM!
With a sound like a thousand thunderclaps, a massive explosion engulfed him.
"Dammit!!"
Tang Jin-cheol surged his internal energy to manifest his Protective Qi.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
But it wasn't enough to withstand the force of the blast.
"Aaaaaaaargh!"
The explosions occurred in a chain reaction, completely leveling the building.
Watching from a distance, Joo Man-gi smiled. He had successfully lured the Poison King into a trap. Using Tang Gi-mun as bait to draw the Clan Head in had been an excellent plan. It seemed that even with that cold, calculating mind, the Clan Head never imagined his own aide would betray him.
Joo Man-gi felt a surge of triumph. The sorrow of living for twenty years in forced submission seemed to vanish in an instant. He had sacrificed two decades solely for this moment. He had revised the plan countless times, waiting for the right opportunity. And today, the Great Plan had finally begun.
"Hehehe... Hahahaha! Hahahahahaha!"
He couldn't stop laughing. He wondered what kind of stupid expression the Clan Head had made when he realized it was a trap. It was a crying shame he hadn't been able to see it.
It was then.
Step. Step.
The sound of footsteps reached Joo Man-gi’s ears amidst his laughter.
'No way...'
With a sinking feeling, he looked toward the source of the sound.
Step. Step. Step.
The footsteps were coming from inside the burning ruins of the building.
Step. Step. Step.
Finally, Tang Jin-cheol emerged from the wreckage. His magnificent beard was charred black, his clothes were burnt away, and his entire body was covered in horrific burns. Fluid oozed from his wounds, and the acrid smell of burnt flesh stung the nose. Half of his face had been blown away, yet he was walking straight toward them.
Step. Step.
Joo Man-gi was struck with horror. What he had detonated were the Jincheon Thunder Bombs, known as the most devastating weapons in the history of the Murim. They were mystical artifacts created by the now-extinct Thunderbolt Sect. Back then, although the sect's martial arts were somewhat lacking, they had established themselves as a powerful force using these bombs.
In particular, the Jincheon Thunder Bombs they developed had two to three times the explosive power of ordinary thunder bombs. Their power was such that even a Super-Peak master couldn't guarantee survival if hit directly. However, their ability to level entire buildings and the ease with which even a child could cause mass slaughter made them a target of fear for many sects. Eventually, the Jeongmu Alliance, feeling threatened, annihilated the sect, and the manufacturing method for the Jincheon Thunder Bombs vanished into history.
Though the Thunderbolt Sect was gone, many Murim families who had witnessed the bombs' power scrambled to obtain them. Since they could no longer be made, people had to hunt for the remaining stock. The Jincheon Thunder Bombs, in particular, were so rare they commanded any price the seller asked.
And Joo Man-gi had detonated not one, but five of them. Yet, despite his horrific condition, the man had survived.
'What a monster.'
Even as an enemy, he couldn't help but feel a sense of awe.
"Joo... Man... gi..."
The Clan Head's voice, sounding like metal scraping against stone, rang clearly in Joo Man-gi’s ears. Joo Man-gi quickly drew his sword. He had to kill him. If he didn't kill him here, the entire plan would be ruined.
"Do you think a wretch like you can face me!?" Tang Jin-cheol’s voice thundered.
"It's not impossible."
Shink.
At that moment, Tae In-jeok appeared from behind Joo Man-gi.
"You've betrayed me as well!?"
"Betrayal? That's the wrong word. We never once considered you our lord."
"You dogs! I'll kill you all!!"
"What can you do with a body that took a direct hit from Jincheon Thunder Bombs? Just go peacefully," Tae In-jeok sneered.
It was surprising that he had survived the blast, but that was it. Tang Jin-cheol had already consumed a significant amount of internal energy just to run to the south gate. He must have also used a massive amount to survive the explosion. Furthermore, he was covered in burns and oozing sores, and his bones must have been shattered by the force of the blast. Even if he had reached the absolute state known as the Transcendent Realm, he couldn't possibly win in this condition. How could he face two Super-Peak masters with such a broken body?
"Heh... Hehehe. It seems the great Poison King has been taken far too lightly."
Tang Jin-cheol let out a dry laugh at Tae In-jeok’s words. How dare these underlings, who had only reached the Super-Peak Realm, think they could take him down?
Woooooooong!
Tang Jin-cheol circulated the Ten Thousand Streams Return to the Source Divine Art, drawing up his internal energy and poisonous Qi. He intended to show them the true difference in their levels.
"Come, you filthy traitors!"
At Tang Jin-cheol’s command, Joo Man-gi and Tae In-jeok drew their swords and lunged at him.
The battle had begun.