Chapter 145
Chapter 145
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 42
>Chapter Title: Poison Person (1)
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“Anyone with even a passing interest in herbs or toxic plants could have guessed it, so I’m not sure why you’re acting so surprised.”
‘!?’
Anyone could have done it?
“......”
Was she trying to joke with him right now?
Or did she simply not know how to be humble?
Madam Jang stared at Mok Kyung-un with an incredulous expression before clicking her tongue in amazement.
“I never imagined the Hidden Sect Leader’s disciple would have such profound knowledge of poisons.”
“I was surprised as well.”
Baek So-gang, the second son of the Islet Poison King Baek Sa-ha, nodded in agreement with his mother.
Most martial artists, unless they were exceptionally cautious by nature, dismissed poison techniques as cowardly or unbecoming of true warriors and showed no interest whatsoever.
Yet Mok Kyung-un’s expertise was on a level that required genuine study of poisons and herbs to attain.
‘What’s even more astonishing is that absurd level of discernment.’
The Islet Poison King always told his sons this:
The one thing a poison practitioner must never neglect in training is honing the senses of taste and smell to identify poisons.
Smell could be trained somewhat easily, but taste was far more difficult.
Handling poison was inherently dangerous—one mistake could cost your life—so rather than tasting large amounts, you sampled minuscule quantities.
Then, gradually building tolerance through repeated exposure.
Mastering the taste of even a single poison took so long that progress in taste training inevitably slowed.
‘...Is it innate?’
From Baek So-gang’s perspective, there was no other explanation.
Mok Kyung-un hadn’t primarily trained in poison arts, and he was only seventeen. For him to possess such a sharp palate could only be described as a heavenly gift.
‘Well, now.’
Baek So-gang suddenly felt a pang of regret.
Come to think of it, Mok Kyung-un must have become the Hidden Sect Leader’s disciple after passing the Blood Valley trial.
That meant if his father had participated in the disciple selection ceremony, he could have brought this prodigiously talented boy into the family.
Even his father would have coveted such talent.
‘If we had brought him home... Ah!’
Baek So-gang’s eyes widened.
Now it made sense why Mok Kyung-un had sought out his father with those three top plaques.
“I see now why Young Master Mok wanted to seek guidance from my father.”
“Aaah... I get it.”
Madam Jang nodded along with her second son’s words.
Anyone with such deep knowledge and passion for poisons would naturally crave instruction from the Islet Poison King.
His visit finally made sense.
‘I thought it was a waste of time, but it wasn’t. Even if he doesn’t become a formal disciple, if he receives my husband’s teachings, it could forge a strong bond between the Hidden Sect and our Baek family.’
The question was whether her husband would actually teach the boy.
It was supposedly a clan rule, but her husband was a man of stubborn convictions.
Once he decided something, he never backed down.
It was then.
-Shoooo...
“Haah.”
The Leader’s third disciple, Wi So-yeon, had fully neutralized the poison. No longer exhaling purple mist, she now breathed out white vapor as she straightened her posture.
Baek So-gang couldn’t hide his astonishment at the sight.
To dispel the poison in less than half an incense stick’s time.
‘His internal energy is truly profound.’
The rumors were spot on.
Soon after, the Leader’s second disciple, Jang Neung-ak, also succeeded in fully neutralizing the poison.
He was just a hair slower than Wi So-yeon, but still incredibly quick.
Watching them, Madam Jang clasped her hands together and said.
“Your internal energies are no joke. I didn’t expect you to dispel the poison so quickly.”
Wi So-yeon waved her hand modestly at the praise.
“The Baek family’s poisons are truly formidable. If my focus had slipped even a little, I would have been in trouble.”
“No such thing. You would have overcome it easily.”
“......”
In contrast, Jang Neung-ak silently glared at Wi So-yeon.
This was an embarrassment.
He had aimed to be the first to dispel the poison, but her monstrous internal energy had edged him out by a fraction.
-Grind!
His pride was wounded.
Losing in front of his subordinates, no less.
Glaring at her with evident irritation, Jang Neung-ak soon shifted his gaze to Mok Kyung-un.
‘...Did this guy have this kind of skill too?’
He had overheard their conversation vaguely.
It seemed Mok Kyung-un had neutralized the poison in a different way from him or Wi So-yeon.
As Madam Jang said, he appeared to know a great deal about poisons.
‘That makes him even more desirable.’
He had already lost Yi Yak Wi Maeng-cheon, his left-hand man among the Five Evils Society’s retainers.
Someone as versatile as this boy could easily fill that void.
Wi So-yeon felt the same.
‘He’s knowledgeable about poisons too?’
She had wanted to gauge Mok Kyung-un’s true internal energy level this time, but he seemed to have detoxified it through some other method.
It revealed an unexpected side of him.
Perhaps Mok Kyung-un’s true value lay in these diverse talents.
‘...I must make him mine no matter what.’
She had hesitated slightly because he was a hostage from the orthodox sects, but better to claim him than let her second senior brother take him.
It was at that moment.
“May we enter then, Great Madam?”
The Leader’s second disciple, Jang Neung-ak, beat her to the punch by asking Madam Jang first.
Though only a split-second slower than Wi So-yeon in detoxifying, that wasn’t the priority now.
What mattered was who got a private audience with the Islet Poison King first.
At his question, Madam Jang glanced at her second son, Baek So-gang.
Then,
“The Clan Head said that once you’ve neutralized the poison, you should all come in together.”
“Together?”
“Yes. Apologies, but that’s the Clan Head’s will.”
Wi So-yeon inwardly breathed a sigh of relief at his words.
Being forced to ask for support after he took the lead would have put her at a disadvantage.
Going in together wasn’t ideal, but it was better than him getting a solo audience first.
‘Tch.’
Jang Neung-ak clicked his tongue.
He had tried for the first private meeting, but this complicated things greatly.
Wi So-yeon would undoubtedly try to interfere.
To meet the Islet Poison King, though, they had no choice but to respect his wishes.
“...Understood.”
“Thank you for your understanding.”
With that, Baek So-gang took the lead.
Standing at the entrance to the annex, he gave a prior warning.
“As I mentioned earlier, this place is filled with toxic miasma. Please regulate your breathing with qi circulation to block the incoming poison from entering your body.”
“Got it.”
“Yes.”
“Young Master Mok, as for you...”
“No need to worry about me.”
“...Understood. But unlike sipping a single cup, the miasma fills the entire annex interior, so if it gets too hard to endure, you must come out immediately.”
“Yes.”
As Mok Kyung-un replied, Jang Neung-ak smirked and said.
“If it gets tough, just say so. I’ll carry you out myself.”
He was showing uncharacteristic kindness toward Mok Kyung-un.
Wi So-yeon considered saying she’d help too but clamped her mouth shut.
She didn’t want to bicker with her second senior brother over something like this.
“Then, please follow me, all three of you.”
-Creeeak!
The door opened, and the three followed Baek So-gang inside.
Upon entering the annex, they saw another inner entrance, surrounded by a faint misty poison haze.
The walls on all sides were hung with rice straw stuffed full of charcoal.
“The straw contains charcoal along with various medicinal herbs that neutralize poison. Without this, the miasma would leak outside.”
Baek So-gang explained kindly.
He then pointed to the door leading further in.
“Follow the corridor to the central inner chamber, where the Clan Head awaits. The miasma grows thicker, so maintain your qi circulation.”
-Creeeak!
Baek So-gang opened the door.
Beyond it, purple haze clouded their vision completely.
Jang Neung-ak and Wi So-yeon’s eyes flashed at the sight.
‘What on earth is he doing in there?’
‘Such intense miasma.’
They had been warned, but they hadn’t expected the poison to be this dense.
Could they even hold a proper conversation like this?
Even protecting body and lungs with qi circulation, a single wrong breath while speaking might leave them scrambling to neutralize the poison entering their lungs.
“Please follow.”
Baek So-gang led the way inside.
Jang Neung-ak and Wi So-yeon followed with tense expressions.
Mok Kyung-un, however, seemed utterly unperturbed.
-Are you really okay? The miasma seems way too thick.
Qingling even asked out of worry.
Mok Kyung-un merely shrugged it off nonchalantly.
Poison held no meaning for him.
His very blood was extreme venom from the start.
-Step, step!
As they proceeded down the long corridor, the central inner chamber soon came into view.
But it was sealed not with wooden planks, but with stone of some special material.
Jang Neung-ak gave Baek So-gang a puzzled look.
Baek So-gang explained.
“This is a special training chamber built to withstand our family’s poison arts.”
“Training chamber?”
“Yes. Once you reach the sixth layer or higher of our core absolute art, the Wave Demon Poison Scripture, the miasma can melt even surrounding objects. To endure it, you need stone like this sea poison jade.”
In other words, ordinary stone or wood would melt away easily in the poison.
The Baek family’s poison arts truly transcended the norm.
‘Impressive.’
Now he understood why his master, the Heavenly Earth Society Leader, had said in a certain sense that Islet Poison King Baek Sa-ha—one of the Five Kings bestowed the Eight Stars title—was more dangerous than the other two Five Kings.
Baek Sa-ha’s poison could slaughter hundreds of martial artists in moments.
Perhaps even more.
At that moment, Baek So-gang knocked on the wall that served as a door and spoke.
“Father—no, Clan Head. I’ve brought Young Master Jang Neung-ak, Lady Wi So-yeon, and the Hidden Sect Leader’s disciple.”
At his words, Jang Neung-ak and Wi So-yeon stared piercingly at the door.
They had to convince him here and secure his support, no matter what.
That was their shared thought.
Then, a voice came from inside.
“All three have entered?”
It was raspy, but the aura carried in the voice was tremendous.
A fitting presence for one of the Five Kings, hailed as the Heavenly Earth Society’s supreme expert.
Jang Neung-ak regulated his breathing with qi circulation and spoke first.
“Islet Poison King, sir. I am Jang Neung-ak, the Leader’s second disciple. I’ve come to offer congratulations on your grandson’s first birthday and pay my respects...”
“Kehehe, respects? You’re more interested in the rice bowl, aren’t you?”
“Pardon?”
“Isn’t it because you need this old man’s support in the successor struggle?”
‘!?’
Jang Neung-ak was momentarily speechless at the direct hit.
Unlike the other Five Kings, he had never conversed with Baek Sa-ha before, but he hadn’t expected such blunt speech.
Still, Jang Neung-ak wasn’t one to falter greatly.
“Hahaha. As expected of an elder. Why bother with flowery words? You’re right.”
“Honesty is refreshing.”
Hearing the voice from within, Wi So-yeon hurriedly spoke up.
“Elder Baek Sa-ha. It’s Wi So-yeon. Do you remember me?”
“How could I forget?”
“I’ve truly longed to meet you, sir.”
“Kehehe, you’re here for the same reason, of course.”
“I won’t deny it.”
She answered frankly as well.
From Baek Sa-ha’s tone, empty flattery would only breed resentment.
“Elder...”
As Wi So-yeon tried to say something,
Jang Neung-ak cut her off and spoke first.
“Elder. To cut to the chase—please support me.”
‘He’s going for it, as expected.’
Wi So-yeon bit her lower lip and raised her voice to interject.
“Elder!”
“Enough!”
A sharp bark erupted from behind the door.
The two fell silent at the ear-ringing command.
Soon, Baek Sa-ha’s voice resumed.
“You lot want to be successor, yet your mouths move faster than your actions.”
“What do you—”
“Do you want this old man’s backing?”
Wasn’t that obvious?
That’s why they had come under the pretext of the birthday feast.
The two nodded and replied.
“We need your support, Elder.”
“That’s right.”
“Kehehe, if you want my endorsement so badly, show actions before words.”
“...What do you mean?”
“Spinning tales for this old man is pointless. A martial artist proves themselves with strength. If you want to be Leader, come in here and make me stand from my seat.”
Jang Neung-ak and Wi So-yeon’s faces stiffened at Baek Sa-ha’s words.
They had met the entry condition already, so they assumed it would be persuasion from here.
They hadn’t anticipated another test.
They knew Baek Sa-ha was eccentric and stubborn, but this was beyond expectation.
‘He wants to test our skills?’
Yet it felt like he was underestimating them too much.
Even if Baek Sa-ha’s poison arts were on another level, they were the Leader’s disciples—revered figures in the Heavenly Earth Society.
They took pride in skills even executives couldn’t dismiss.
‘Just making him stand?’
Not a difficult task.
Jang Neung-ak stepped forward first.
“Then I’ll go first, Elder.”
“Doesn’t matter who goes first. If you can enter and make this old man stand, I’ll back that one without question.”
Unfazed by the order, Jang Neung-ak smirked slyly.
This place was thick with miasma—the longer you stayed, the more internal energy you consumed.
Thus, going first was advantageous.
‘...That’s what you think?’
Wi So-yeon sneered inwardly.
She thought differently.
She had confidence in her internal energy, so she could outlast Jang Neung-ak here. Plus, going second would let her observe Baek Sa-ha’s response, making it more advantageous.
“Then I’ll enter, Elder.”
“Kehehe. Give it a try.”
Jang Neung-ak pressed his palm against the stone door and pushed.
It was thicker than expected, requiring real force.
-Rumble...
As the door slid open halfway,
-Whoosh!
-Thud!
“Hup.”
Jang Neung-ak, who had been pushing the door, dropped to one knee and clutched his chest.
‘What is this?’
His stomach churned, and the taste of blood filled his mouth.
The annex’s miasma was already intense, but this was incomparably more vicious—breathing itself was a struggle.
“Cough.”
Black blood trickled from Jang Neung-ak’s mouth.
But he wasn’t the only one exposed to the miasma.
-Pah!
Wi So-yeon too was suddenly assailed by the surging toxic haze and sat in lotus position to circulate her qi.
This was incomparable to the corridor’s poison.
The sheer intensity made her limbs tremble.
‘Aaaah. In the end...’
Baek So-gang, who had been watching, clicked his tongue inwardly.
His father had never intended to support any of them from the start.
That’s why he gave them an impossible task.
‘Wave Demon Poison Scripture, seventh layer.’
The miasma pouring out now was the Wave Poison mist, exhalable only at the seventh layer of the Wave Demon Poison Scripture.
Even supreme masters couldn’t endure it.
The only defense was acclimation through practicing the same art, like himself.
However,
“Fascinating. Emitting poison in mist form from your body. Is this what poison arts are like?”
‘!?’
Baek So-gang’s eyes went wide at the voice.
He had forgotten one person while watching the two.
The Hidden Sect Leader’s disciple, Mok Kyung-un.
‘No, how?’
Baek So-gang doubted his own eyes for a moment.
No matter how knowledgeable in poisons, he hadn’t expected him to withstand this.
Yet Mok Kyung-un stood there perfectly fine.
“Young Master Mok? How...”
Then, from the room thick with deep purple mist, Baek Sa-ha’s voice rang out.
“...What the hell are you?”
“What do you mean?”
“How can you endure this miasma?”
-Swish...
The mist parting before them revealed an old man sitting in lotus position, sharp claws extended, his face tinged purple.
He was the Islet Poison King, Baek Sa-ha.
Baek Sa-ha stared with utter incomprehension.
For the Leader’s two disciples to falter in his miasma, yet this boy to stand unharmed—it was utterly unforeseen.
What’s more,
‘That kid... isn’t even circulating qi right now?’
If he were channeling qi, he would have sensed it.
To endure this poison-filled space without qi protection?
That implied resistance to poison itself...
“...You wouldn’t happen to practice poison arts, would you?”
At his question, Mok Kyung-un shook his head.
“Ah, no, not that.”
“Not that? Then how are you surviving this vicious miasma?”
At Baek Sa-ha’s question, Mok Kyung-un tilted his head in genuine confusion.
Then,
“Vicious? This?”
‘!?’
[Chapter 42: Poison Person (1)] End