Chapter 73: Time to Hunt (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 73: Time to Hunt (1)
Entering the dugout, Sun-woo closed his eyes, sat in a lotus position, and began to circulate the Yin-Yang Harmony Divine Art.
A tangible energy rose from his body and began to coil around him. Its density was incredibly profound.
Wooooooong—
The energy swirling around Sun-woo began to gather above his head. It moved with a fluid grace, as if it were a living thing. Soon, the gathered energy began to take the shape of a ring at the crown of his head.
One ring became two, then three, until finally, five rings were complete.
It was the Five Energies Converging to the Origin.
Shoooooo—
The five rings rotated fiercely, sending out waves of spiritual pressure into the surroundings.
Wooooooooong—
A resonant hum began to shake the entire dugout.
Wooooooong!
*
How much time had passed?
The resonance subsided, and the five rings began to vanish one by one. Once the last ring disappeared—
Flash!
Sun-woo snapped his eyes open. His gaze was filled with a piercing, divine light.
Swish, swish.
Sun-woo stood up and rotated his arms. He felt light. Remarkably light.
Thump.
He gave a light hop in place.
"Ouch!"
Having jumped far too high, Sun-woo slammed his head against the ceiling of the dugout, sending a shower of dirt raining down on him.
'It worked.'
Sun-woo smiled with satisfaction. He had completely restored the internal energy he’d spent fighting the Human-Faced Spider. Not only that, but his mastery of the Yin-Yang Harmony Divine Art had deepened significantly. His growth was likely a result of the process of absorbing the Human-Faced Spider’s poisonous qi.
Crack, crack.
Sun-woo cracked his neck from side to side and looked out of the dugout. Seeing the sun setting, it seemed at least half a day had passed.
A surge of irritation washed over him. Now that his body was recovered, he couldn't stop thinking about the Human-Faced Spider’s inner core that he’d failed to retrieve earlier. It left a bitter taste in his mouth. If he had absorbed that, he might have achieved Thousand-Poison Immunity, if not full Poison Immunity.
Resentment toward the other Human-Faced Spider bubbled up again. He never imagined there would be a second one. If he had fought while accounting for two of them, he wouldn't have poured everything into the first kill.
Sun-woo’s eyes gleamed. His recovery was complete.
Now, it was time to hunt.
Sun-woo stepped out of the dugout.
*
"Pant... pant... pant..."
"Haa... haa... haa..."
The First Young Master, Tang Jeong, and the Fourth Young Master, Tang San, stood facing each other, gasping for breath. They had crossed paths by chance while wandering through the Godok Hall and had ended up in a life-or-death struggle.
"Heh... heh... Did you really think you could aim for the position of Successor with only this much skill?"
Tang Jeong, who held the upper hand thanks to his superior martial arts, taunted his brother.
"Haa... haa... You're strong, but... I don't think you're insurmountable."
Tang San continued, struggling to catch his breath.
Both were geniuses who had reached the Peak Realm, but Tang Jeong’s level was originally slightly higher. He had already reached the Upper Stage of the Peak Realm. However, after Tang San had been imbued with the Human-Faced Spider’s poison through Tang Seo-yoon, his Ten Thousand Streams Return to the Source Divine Art had reached the 6th stage. He, too, had ascended to the Upper Stage of the Peak Realm.
Because of this, neither could easily succumb to the other's poison. However, there was still a significant gap between Tang San, who had just reached the Upper Stage, and Tang Jeong, who had occupied that realm for some time. While Tang San was panting relentlessly, Tang Jeong’s breathing remained steady.
"Brother, if you surrender now, I’ll let you go as an act of mercy. Leave the hall."
Tang Jeong spoke with a feigned air of dignity. In reality, he intended to strike Tang San in the back the moment he let his guard down.
"Cut the crap. I haven't the slightest intention of giving up after coming this far."
Tang San adjusted his grip on his sword. He had no desire to quit. Besides, if the contest were to be decided by martial arts alone, why would they have opened the Godok Hall in the first place?
Tang San lunged at Tang Jeong once more.
"Foolish boy!"
Tang Jeong snorted and parried Tang San’s blade. Tang San was fairly strong, but he was no match for him. Who was he? He was the First Young Master of the Tang Clan, a master of the Peak Upper Stage who was already looking toward the Super-Peak Realm. He could not lose.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Tang Jeong’s sword began to strike with savage intensity.
"Urgh!"
A groan escaped Tang San’s lips. Every time their blades clashed, a massive force sent shocks through his body.
"Hahahaha! Where did all that bravado go?"
Tang Jeong shouted gleefully. He had always found Tang San’s arrogant attitude loathsome. He had been looking for a chance to put the boy in his place, and this opportunity was too good to pass up. His sword grew faster, and Tang San’s groans grew louder.
Clang!
Unable to withstand the sheer force behind Tang Jeong’s strike, Tang San finally lost his grip on his sword.
Tang Jeong cheered inwardly.
"I’ll end this!"
Tang Jeong thrust his sword with lightning speed, aiming for the left side of Tang San’s chest. He intended to pierce his heart.
"Kh!"
But unfortunately for him, the moment the blade made contact, Tang San twisted his body. Instead of the heart, the sword pierced through his shoulder.
"Tsk."
Tang Jeong swallowed a click of his tongue in disappointment.
"A hair’s breadth more and I would have had your heart. What a shame."
Still, he had run him through the shoulder. A pampered young master of the Tang Clan had likely never been stabbed before. He was surely drowning in despair. Tang Jeong looked up to savor the expression on Tang San’s face. He wanted to enjoy the look of hopelessness.
Grin.
But Tang San was smiling.
Sensing something was wrong, Tang Jeong hurriedly tried to withdraw his sword.
"Hm?"
But it wouldn't budge. Tang Jeong was momentarily flustered. Why wouldn't the sword come out?
Tang San pulled something from his robes. It was a long, bamboo-shaped cylinder.
"The Explosive Heaven Tribulation!?"
To Tang Jeong’s horror, the object Tang San had produced was a hidden weapon known as the Explosive Heaven Tribulation. It was a bomb-like device that contained a massive amount of gunpowder; it was detonated by pulling a string at the back. Though its range was short, its destructive power was devastating, making it a frequently used weapon in the past.
However, the manufacture of gunpowder was now strictly forbidden by imperial law. It was a tragic weapon for which only the blueprints remained, as production had ceased. Why did Tang San have such a thing?
Terrified, Tang Jeong tried to let go of his sword and flee.
Boom!
But it was too late. As Tang San pulled the string, the Explosive Heaven Tribulation detonated with a thunderous roar. The explosion struck Tang Jeong’s body directly.
"AAAAAAARGH!"
Tang Jeong screamed as he was sent flying.
Thud.
He crashed violently into the ground some distance away.
"Haa... haa... haa..."
Tang San panted heavily.
"Ugh."
He looked down at his left palm, which was burning with pain. Unable to withstand the recoil of the Explosive Heaven Tribulation, the skin had been torn to shreds. And Tang Jeong’s sword was still embedded in his left shoulder.
Tang San used his mangled right hand to pull the sword out.
Clang.
He tossed it onto the ground. As the blade left his body, an agonizing pain washed over him. Since he only had one Explosive Heaven Tribulation, he’d had to create a situation where it was guaranteed to hit. As a result, his body was covered in wounds.
But if he could kill Tang Jeong, it was a price worth paying.
Drop.
Tang San tossed the spent Explosive Heaven Tribulation onto the ground. It was a single-use weapon, so keeping it was pointless.
"Whew... whew... whew..."
Tang San began to steady his breathing. Soon, a smile spread across his lips. In the end, he was the victor. By using his wits, he had killed the strongest candidate, Tang Jeong.
Flop.
Tang San slumped to the ground. The tension had finally snapped. Since he was already down, he closed his eyes and sat in a lotus position. He intended to use the Ten Thousand Streams Return to the Source Divine Art to recover as quickly as possible.
However...
Rustle.
Rustle.
He heard a sound nearby.
Shiver.
A chill ran down Tang San’s spine, and he snapped his eyes open. What he saw was the body of Tang Jeong—who should have been dead—stirring.
"Cough, cough!"
Then came the sound of Tang Jeong coughing. He wasn't dead.
"Tang San... you son of a bitch!"
Spring!
Tang Jeong scrambled to his feet, spewing curses. He was consumed by an uncontrollable rage.
'He took the Explosive Heaven Tribulation head-on! How is he still standing!?'
Tang San stared at Tang Jeong in horror. Given the power of that weapon, a direct hit to the torso should have sent the flames deep into his body, melting his internal organs. Yet, Tang Jeong looked perfectly fine. Tang San stared at him in disbelief.
"Heh... heh... You used your head, little brother. To think you prepared such a treasure. But..."
Rip! Rip!
Tang Jeong tore away his shredded clothes as he spoke.
"You aren't the only one who prepared a treasure."
As the fabric fell away, a suit of ink-colored armor, covered in cracks, was revealed.
"The Thousand-Day Dark Armor!?"
The Thousand-Day Dark Armor was one of the Tang Clan’s greatest treasures, created by a master blacksmith known as the Thousand-Day Artisan. It was his final masterpiece, forged through a thousand days of tempering. It was said that even the Murim Alliance Leader had once asked to borrow it because its defensive power was so extraordinary. And Tang Jeong was wearing it.
"Even for the Thousand-Day Dark Armor, that was the limit, it seems."
Crack.
Crumble.
The cracks on the armor Tang Jeong was wearing widened until it began to shatter and fall apart. That was the price for taking the Explosive Heaven Tribulation directly.
"The Thousand-Day Dark Armor should be in the clan’s secret vault! How are you wearing it!?" Tang San asked, his voice trembling with shock.
"Couldn't I ask the same about your Explosive Heaven Tribulation?"
Tang San had no answer to Tang Jeong’s retort. It was true that he, too, had raided the hidden weapon storehouse.
"Tang San, you bastard... you're dead."
Tang Jeong began to circulate the Ten Thousand Streams Return to the Source Divine Art. Soon, his snow-white sword blade began to glow as it was infused with internal energy. Cold sweat began to pour down Tang San’s back. It seemed his gamble had cost him more than he’d gained.
*
"Haa... haa..."
"Pant... pant..."
"Ugh... haa..."
The sound of desperate gasping echoed from all directions. Dozens of men dressed in ink-colored night-ops gear were sprawled on the ground, struggling to breathe. Before them stood an old man, watching them with an expressionless face.
"Why... why are you doing this!?"
Tang Ju-gi, who was the least injured among them, pointed a trembling finger at the old man. He was in despair.
The elders who supported Tang Do-uk, including Tang Ju-gi, had infiltrated the Godok Hall. They knew that if their interference was discovered, they would face death, but they felt they had no choice. Tang Do-uk’s martial arts were relatively weak, and they believed he needed helpers to pass through the hall.
However, they weren't the only ones with that idea. Great Elder Tang Hak-ju and the elders belonging to the First Young Master Tang Jeong’s faction had also entered the hall, leading to a confrontation. Both factions had interfered in the succession race. Neither side had the moral high ground.
Their standoff had soon escalated into a bloody battle. Tang Ju-gi had taken on Tang Hak-ju, while the other elders and officials fought one another.
And just as the battle reached its peak, this old man had appeared.
The old man, who appeared out of nowhere, had turned Great Elder Tang Hak-ju into a poisonous mess in a single move and poisoned everyone else in two. It was nonsensical. Who was Tang Hak-ju? Even if he was exhausted, wasn't he a man whose martial arts were so fierce he was once called the Tiger of Sichuan? He was a master of the Super-Peak Upper Stage. Yet, he had met a pathetic end.
After he fell, and before the others could even prepare, dozens of elders and officials were poisoned by the old man’s hand. They hadn't even been able to put up a fight. Even if this man was the one once called the World's Greatest Poisoner before the current Tang Clan Head, this was impossible. To poison dozens of Super-Peak masters at once, even if they were tired...
Furthermore, two of them were at the Super-Peak Upper Stage, nearing the Absolute Realm. Confusion and terror naturally took hold. Just how strong had he become during his disappearance?
Tang Ju-gi was riddled with questions. Why had this old man suddenly appeared in the Godok Hall? Hadn't he vanished twenty years ago? Why show up now, during the succession contest? And how did he know they had interfered?
As his doubts grew, the questions multiplied.
"It is His command."
In response to Tang Ju-gi’s question, the old man gave a very simple and clear reason.
"He told me to erase the Tang Clan."
"Who... who would dare!?"
Tang Ju-gi’s voice rose. Who would dare order the destruction of the Sichuan Tang Clan, the family known as the greatest in the Central Plains?
At Tang Ju-gi’s question, a smile spread across the old man’s wrinkled face.
"No... could it be!?"
Sensing an ominous truth in that smile, Tang Ju-gi asked again.
"Yes. It is the Heavenly Demon."
The old man’s smile deepened.
"The Heavenly Demon Emperor has been resurrected."
Tang Ju-gi’s face turned ashen, and his expression collapsed into utter despair. The old man simply watched the change in Tang Ju-gi with a mocking smile.
*
Skreeeeeee! Skreeeeeee!
A bizarre sound echoed through the Godok Hall.
Eight terrifyingly sharp legs, a massive body over fifteen feet tall covered in an ink-colored carapace, and finally, a beautiful face that looked like it belonged to a celestial maiden.
The source of the grotesque sound was the Human-Faced Spider. She began to sniff the ground, searching for the enemy who had killed her one and only mate.
However, there were so many people emitting a similar scent that it was difficult to track him down. In the end, she had decided to find and kill them one by one. Perhaps because they all possessed significant poisonous qi, she had been able to enjoy quite a satisfying meal so far.
She began to sharpen her sense of smell even further. If she dallied and let the enemy escape, she would regret it for the rest of her life.
Sniff, sniff.
Before long, she detected a place where a powerful poisonous qi lingered. It had to be there. The one who was her enemy possessed a formidable amount of poison. He was surely in that direction.
The Human-Faced Spider turned and raced toward the scent.
Thump, thump, thump, thump!
Her fifteen-foot-tall body moved with the speed of the wind.
It was time to hunt.