Chapter 50
Chapter 50
Chapter 50 Monster
I'm Tang Soso of the Sichuan Tang Family.
The level I felt this time was also transcendent. And I could feel that she was hiding countless hidden weapons in her bosom.
It was fascinating just how many hidden weapons that small body was hiding.
And how many poisons does she have to use with those hidden weapons?
I can feel intense poison energy from her internal energy.
"I am the wanderer Han Yeong-min. It is truly an honor to face a martial artist from the Tang Family's Tang Sect, called the ancestor of hidden weapons and poison manipulation."
This was also sincere. I was more excited now than when I faced the Hua Shan martial artist earlier.
Usually, Tang Sect martial artists carry poison in their internal energy, and since that poison affects them to some degree as well, they're said to have malicious personalities and be prone to anger.
I saw how you dealt with Qing Xu. I have no intention of being careless, so you'd better watch out.
'That's exactly what I want.'
Praise makes even whales dance, and while her blunt tone softened a bit, her momentum became even sharper.
Not being careless and doing her best to use various poisons against me. That's what I hoped for.
First, I examined my opponent and saw that she had calluses on different parts than ordinary martial artists.
Since calluses usually form where weapons are gripped, martial artists typically have many calluses on their palms.
But she had more calluses between her fingers. It was probably because she had inserted and thrown countless hidden weapons through those gaps.
As if my guess wasn't wrong, she immediately pulled out four needles each from the sleeves of both wrists, inserted them between her fingers, and threw them very quickly.
I could feel that those needles were coated with poison, so except for a few needles aimed at vital points, I just got hit by them.
'Oh... Oh? It's definitely somewhat different from ordinary poison, isn't it?'
It was a paralysis poison, but it was somewhat different from the poisons I'd usually been hit by.
It was a paralysis poison created from mixing the poisons of various creatures that had been researched and created over generations by a family specializing in poison.
With internal energy added to it, the poison was several times more intense than the traps on the first floor.
Especially since all the poisons I'd been hit with so far were deadly poisons meant to kill me, not subdue me, this was my first time being hit by a paralysis poison, and thanks to that, my resistance increased a bit.
Getting hit by more diverse things is exactly the path to growing Comprehensive Resistance.
After accepting all the poison, I pulled out the needles embedded in my body. It was to welcome the next poison.
"This much doesn't even tickle my liver."
Though it was spicier with internal energy added, if this was the extent of it, it couldn't even compare to the Black Dragon meat I ate on the fourth floor.
If this was the Tang Sect's full power, I couldn't give a high score as a poison sommelier.
-You'll regret those words... I'll make sure of it.
As if stimulated by my normal movement despite being hit by the Tang Sect's paralysis poison, she poured out even more diverse poisons contained in sand, needles, throwing knives, and more.
She seemed to be bringing out even dangerous types of poison that wouldn't normally be used in such martial competitions.
Since her hidden weapon techniques were also shining, I could feel not only my poison resistance but also my proficiency in hidden weapon techniques included in All-Mastery rising.
Since this was my first time facing an opponent who specialized in hidden weapons, each of her movements was giving me small enlightenments about how I should use hidden weapons.
'She's giving me resistance. She's giving me hidden weapon techniques. She's just giving me everything.'
They say the Tang Sect repays kindness twofold and grudges tenfold, but I wondered if I had ever done the Tang Sect a favor, as I was so grateful to Tang Soso.
Especially the Dispersing Energy Poison was a type of poison I had truly never encountered before, so it was very helpful. While detoxifying it, I learned how to handle mana more precisely and gained much resistance.
[Superior Comprehensive Resistance level increases.]
Her encounter was like a fateful meeting for me. She was the second person I wanted to become friends with after the Demon Dragon.
But nothing in the world lasts forever.
You monster-like person... All those poisons had no effect. Are you perhaps the legendary Ten Thousand Poisons Immunity? If you can even block this, it will be your victory.
'What are you saying, Tang Soso...'
Already ending it? I wanted to spar with her for a thousand years building our friendship, but Tang Soso coldly informed me of our parting along with reality.
And her greatest ultimate technique poured toward me.
Ten Thousand Heavenly Flower Rain.
Countless hidden weapons, each filled with her poison, flew toward me like rain of flowers falling from the sky.
Since I couldn't waste Tang Soso's final gift, I only deflected the hidden weapons flying toward truly dangerous areas and just took the rest as they were.
It was an extremely dangerous act given my limited regeneration ability now, but if it was a precious friend's gift, I, Han Yeong-min, am someone who can handle that level of risk.
[Superior All-Mastery level increases.]
And feeling the mysteries of hidden weapon techniques contained in Ten Thousand Heavenly Flower Rain with my whole body, I grew All-Mastery through hidden weapon techniques alone.
The sight of me receiving Ten Thousand Heavenly Flower Rain with my whole body seemed to break Tang Soso's will, and eventually she bowed her head.
-My... defeat.
I definitely hadn't hit her even once, yet I won the martial competition.
'Why exactly...?'
But since it wasn't an atmosphere where she'd do it again if I asked for more, I decided to just accept it.
"This Han has learned much from the Tang Family's young lady."
She continued speaking with an expression of disbelief.
No. You had leisure throughout the entire competition. With the skills you showed in your match against Qing Xu, you could have easily avoided even the hidden weapons you deliberately took. That was... wasn't it to show that the Tang Family's poisons were nothing special?
She was making a ridiculous misunderstanding. Of course, I did deliberately take the hidden weapons, but it wasn't because I looked down on the Tang Family's poisons—rather, I went to get hit because I held them in high regard.
If they were poisons worth ignoring, there would have been no need to get hit in the first place. But I couldn't think of any way to explain this logically.
But know that it was I, Tang Soso, who was defeated, not the Tang Family's poisons. The poisons handled by my father, the Poison King, are on a different level. Even for a monster like you.
The latter part didn't even register. There was too shocking content in the front.
'Is that really true?'
I wanted to run to meet the Poison King right away. Where exactly would I have to go to meet that person?
But since they wouldn't have implemented that far in the trial, I obediently went down from the martial arts stage.
I pulled out the hidden weapons and applied Golden Wound Medicine to treat the wounds. It must have been high-quality Golden Wound Medicine, as the speed of wound healing was no joke.
'Can't I take this with me?'
I tried putting it in my inventory, but of course it didn't work. It wouldn't be necessary for me with Immortality anyway, but it would have been a great help to other people.
Watching the remaining matches, there were nothing but skilled fighters. Even those who were eliminated were no ordinary people, and honestly, I felt the urge to fight all of them too.
There were so many martial arts I wanted to analyze thoroughly and dissect. I wanted to further develop myself as a Grand Master.
The next match is! The wanderer Han Yeong-min, who was unaffected even by the Tang Family's poison! And Jin Mu, the first disciple of Wudang who defeated the Namgung Family's sword!
After the spectating ended, my opponent matched for the quarterfinals was Jin Mu, the first disciple of the Wudang Sect.
I am Jin Mu, the first disciple of Wudang. Please take care of me, young hero.
"I am the wanderer Han Yeong-min. I should be the one asking for your care."
As a first disciple, he would be ranked right below the elders. As if there was a reason he was called a first disciple at such a young age, he had reached the peak of the transcendent level.
A master who could advance to the Harmony realm immediately with just a small opportunity.
I took the stance of Taijiquan in front of him. He also showed a surprised expression but quickly erased his bewilderment and took the same Taijiquan stance as me.
I could see his confidence that he would never lose if it was the same Wudang Sect martial art, especially a basic martial art.
The reason I brought out Taijiquan was to provoke my opponent into bringing out more diverse martial arts, but having him respond like this wasn't bad either.
I would be able to properly feel how the Taijiquan and the mysteries of softness learned through self-study differed from the Taijiquan and mysteries of softness learned professionally at the Wudang Sect.
My hand and his hand competed in combination. We repeatedly flowed, clashed, mixed, and separated each other's hands.
Naturally, I was the one being pushed back.
No matter the difference in level, my opponent was someone who had trained only in Wudang martial arts his whole life.
If I, not even in perfect condition and with restricted senses, could defeat that, then the world would simply be unreasonable.
But I wasn't just being pushed back. The more we exchanged hands, the more I began to grasp what the mysteries of softness were, what Wudang martial arts were.
What Wudang martial arts aimed for was precisely Taiji (Supreme Ultimate).
Wudang sought to contain the source of all things in the universe through the endless circulation of yin and yang in their martial arts, flowing endlessly.
Feeling that flow and moving my hands, there was nothing in the world that couldn't be flowed away.
My opponent also thought this wouldn't do and tried to pressure me by bringing out higher-level martial arts, but I began absorbing the essence of those martial arts as well.
Eventually, Jin Mu even brought out Taiji Wisdom Sword, the Wudang Sect's greatest ultimate technique, but whether it was basic or divine martial arts, the meaning contained within Wudang martial arts was ultimately the same.
Since all flows were already connected to me, whether it was Taijiquan or Taiji Wisdom Sword made no difference.
When I naturally flowed it away, my opponent acknowledged defeat.
I... lost. To have greater enlightenment about Wudang's essence than a Wudang Sect disciple... Brother Han really is a monster.
'Even the Wudang Sect disciple treats me like a monster?'
I understood the Sichuan Tang Family since they were originally that kind of place, but it seemed the Wudang Sect wasn't much different either.
As expected, the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was the mainstream of the martial world. The orthodox sects were just falling stars.
-Next! The wanderer Han Yeong-min, rising with fearsome momentum! And the Taishan Beidou of the martial world! Shaolin's Hye Un!
Since there were few people left, the martial competition ended quickly too, and my semifinal opponent was Hye Un of Shaolin.
Namu Amitabha. I am Hye Un of Shaolin. I watched your match with Daoist Jin Mu well. I would also like to receive teachings.
"I am the wanderer Han Yeong-min. That's exactly what I wanted to say."
Shaolin, the sect that owns Arhat Fist, which was my main technique until I learned advanced martial arts.
I was excited to see what kind of power a disciple from that place would show. This time too, I took the stance of Arhat Fist.
My opponent also took the same Arhat Fist stance as if he expected this. He accepted my provocation.
I thought I would be pushed back this time too, but surprisingly, when Arhat Fist clashed, it was Hye Un who was pushed back.
-Hehe... Young hero has already grasped the essence of Shaolin martial arts.
'I have...?'
Pondering what that meant, I continued the match with Hye Un.
After facing Arhat Fist and then the Shaolin Seventy-Two Arts like Hundred Step Divine Fist and Dragon Claw Hand, I grasped what he meant.
The essence of Shaolin martial arts was precisely Immovable Heart.
An unshakeable heart becoming strength was exactly what Shaolin martial arts were. I had already obtained an unbreakable heart through the resistance training on the fourth floor.
It wasn't for nothing that I won the Arhat Fist fight.
When I finally withstood even Hye Un's final technique, Tathagata Divine Palm, he too threw up both hands and feet.
My defeat. The expression ‘monster’ that Daoist Jin Mu used couldn't suit anyone better. Thanks to you, I learned much.
'Even you, Shaolin?'
I thought a disciple of Shaolin, called the Taishan Beidou of the martial world, would show a different reaction, but even this guy was treating me like a monster.
The thought that orthodox sects really were at their end deepened even more.
-With so many martial artists, only 2 remain now. The next match is immediately! The wanderer Han Yeong-min, who defeated numerous prestigious schools!!! And Baek Yeon Hwa, disciple of the Black Snake Lotus Lord!
For the first time, my opponent was a martial artist from the unorthodox faction, not the orthodox faction. The Dragon Phoenix Assembly was a competition hosted by the orthodox faction, but they didn't particularly prevent challenges from the unorthodox faction either.
But thanks to this, despite being a competition hosted by the orthodox faction, the extraordinary situation was born where not a single orthodox faction member made it to the finals.
'No wait. I'm orthodox faction, aren't I?'
It's just that the martial arts I learned are somewhat close to demonic arts.
Huhu. Please take care of me, Young Master Han Yeong-min. Or should I call you oppa?
With a gentle eye smile and flaunting an alluring atmosphere. But I was feeling the power hidden within her.
'Harmony realm... this woman...?'
When I watched the match earlier, it was from far away, and this woman was hiding her power with Half-Concealment Return to Truth, so I roughly guessed she was at the transcendent level, but seeing her up close, that wasn't the case.
My opponent was definitely at the Harmony realm and was a martial artist who had already undergone Bone and Marrow Transformation.
What I thought was a young woman also made me reconsider, as her appearance was that of a youth, but the Innate True Energy contained within was far too profound for her age.
Unless she had eaten something like a Dragon Heart like me, Innate True Energy wasn't something that could be increased with elixirs, so the probability that this woman was an old monster who had disguised her age became high.
'No, and then she called me oppa?'
A woman who must be at least in her forties calling me oppa—the martial world really wasn't easy. Really.
In fact, Han Yeong-min was forgetting that he himself had lived 74 years including the tutorial.