A Devoted Son
Tang Suryeon could not believe the sight unfolding before her eyes.
Swish, swish.
Tang Hwi wielded his sword. At times, it was as sharp as a bee's sting; at others, it fluttered gently like a butterfly's wings, exuding an exquisite, ultimate softness. His movements were so beautiful that one might mistake his swordplay for a graceful sword dance.
This was the Butterfly Flight Bee Needle Sword, a proprietary sword technique that Tang Suryeon herself had forged and refined through her countless experiences in the Jianghu. It was the very essence of a Transcendent Realm master's martial principles.
Not only was it incredibly difficult to learn, but even she, a master of the Transcendent Realm, felt there were still areas where she fell short. Yet, for some reason, Tang Hwi's execution of the Butterfly Flight Bee Needle Sword seemed imperfect, yet somehow flawless.
"Does this... even make sense?"
What this meant was that Tang Hwi was a genius of unparalleled talent when it came to the sword. Surely, the rare Sword Gods who appeared once in an era throughout the history of the Jianghu possessed this kind of talent.
Seeing her son surpass her own expectations made Tang Suryeon proud, but at the same time, a deep sense of regret washed over her.
"If only I had let him hold a sword earlier, he wouldn't have suffered so much... As his mother, I am only now realizing how lacking I have been."
She had forced him to learn throwing weapons and poison arts, blindly believing it was best for him. Even in her own case, the former Patriarch had forbidden her from learning anything other than throwing weapons and poison arts until her marriage, which was why her own talent for the sword had blossomed so late.
She had sworn never to stifle her children's talents, yet here she was, binding Tang Hwi under the guise of blind trust. Perhaps her methods were different, but she was no different from the former Patriarch. The thought filled her with bitter regret.
What sin had Tang Hwi committed to suffer through such painful times because of her shortcomings? She resolved to fulfill her duty as a parent starting now. She would pay more attention to him and show him more consideration.
But that was not all.
Drip. Sizzle.
A dark, purplish energy flowed from the sword in Tang Hwi's hand, dripping down as if it were a physical substance. Though the energy evaporated completely within two or three seconds, it corroded holes into the training ground floor in that brief span.
She had clearly taught him the Poison Butterfly Divine Art, which should have manifested as a pure, vibrant purple. Why was it displaying such an ominous, dark, almost demonic poison energy?
Did he not overcome his Heart Demon, but rather achieve oneness with it? No wonder he's been holding such a strange, lingering grudge... So, is that the result of his Heart Demon fusing with the Poison Butterfly Divine Art?
Instead of being consumed by his Heart Demon, he had devoured it. Even Tang Suryeon, a Transcendent Realm master with far more experience than most, could not fully comprehend such an unorthodox phenomenon.
It feels like a demonic art, yet it isn't. A Heart Demon is truly dangerous. To think it could corrupt a divine art like this...
Thus, she could only draw conclusions based on her own convenience. It was a misunderstanding born of her ignorance of the Heavenly Demonic Dragon Scale Dance, a martial art capable of fusing with any other technique.
As Tang Hwi finished his demonstration of the newly acquired Poison Butterfly Divine Art and Butterfly Flight Bee Needle Sword, dripping with sweat, Tang Suryeon approached him. It was her little secret that the thick, masculine scent of her son's sweat was incredibly alluring.
"Hwi-ya. There is something I wish to ask."
"Yes, Mother. Ask me anything."
"By any chance, the Iron Dragon—?"
"Mother. It is the Shit Dragon."
"..."
Tang Suryeon fell silent, realizing her son's petty streak was far deeper than she had imagined. Despite publicly humiliating Moyong Geon by forcing him to defecate in front of a massive crowd at the banquet, Tang Hwi still wasn't satisfied and was determined to make the nickname "Shit Dragon" stick. If Moyong Geon ever found out, he would probably cough up blood from all seven orifices and die of a Heart Demon on the spot.
"Right. Did you refrain from using poison arts against the... Shit Dragon because your energy has become close to an extreme poison, like what you just showed me?"
"Yes. By overcoming... or rather, accepting and embracing my Heart Demon, I achieved perfect unity and broke through to a new realm. But at the same time, whenever I try to use poison arts, it inevitably manifests as an extremely lethal poison."
Because Demonic Qi, no matter the amount, acts as a deadly poison to any martial artist practicing orthodox arts.
That was why Tang Hwi had deliberately toyed with Moyong Geon barehanded. It was partly to humiliate him, but also because he couldn't afford to kill him.
"So that is why you fought the Ir—the Shit Dragon barehanded. To avoid accidentally killing him."
"You could say that."
"I see. ...Hm?"
As Tang Suryeon nodded in understanding, she suddenly noticed Tang Hwi looking at her with an expectant gaze. She wondered what he could possibly want from her with such an earnest look, but his next question made her realize.
"Mother, did I... learn it well?"
"Ah."
Come to think of it, she had always told Tang Hwi that he was "fine," but she had never once praised him with a "well done." She remembered her own childhood, when she had trained tirelessly in martial arts, desperately craving her parents' praise.
Although it was a bit awkward for a twenty-one-year-old young man to ask for praise, realizing she had never once complimented him made his reaction seem incredibly endearing.
"Fufu. Yes, indeed."
She decided to praise him with even more warmth than usual. Stepping close enough for her voluptuous breasts to press against his chest, Tang Suryeon reached up and gently stroked the crown of Tang Hwi's head, pampering the son who, despite growing taller than her, still acted like a spoiled child craving his mother's approval.
"My sweet son, you have learned your mother's martial arts beautifully. I thought it would take you years just to grasp the basics, but to master it in a single day... I am so proud of you that my heart is fluttering like a foolish young girl's."
Unexpectedly, this training session became a precious moment that deepened the bond between mother and son.
While Tang Hwi's main body was at the Patriarch's Pavilion training ground, mastering the Poison Butterfly Divine Art and the Butterfly Flight Bee Needle Sword while basking in Tang Suryeon's affectionate touch, his clone paid another visit to the Hao Sect.
Arriving to meet the Left Protector, a high-ranking manager of the Hao Sect, the clone extended his senses. Detecting no presence in the adjacent room, he tilted his head.
He isn't here today. Did he go somewhere else? Or perhaps his visit was only temporary.
Well, it didn't really matter.
"Did you perhaps forget something and leave it behind?"
"I did forget something. However, I didn't leave it behind; I simply forgot to give it to you."
"To give to me?"
As the Left Protector tilted his head in confusion, Tang Hwi smirked playfully.
"It is an aphrodisiac. Its effects are temporary, but its potency far surpasses anything sold on the market. I developed it personally. If an old man whose tool has long been dead takes this, it will stand rock-hard instantly, and he might even pounce on his own daughter-in-law."
"...Even though I belong to the Hao Sect, I would appreciate it if you refrained from such vulgar jokes."
"I shall show some consideration. However, it is an undeniable fact that its efficacy is that outstanding. And I wish to trade this exclusively with the Hao Sect."
"It is rather difficult for you to demand an exclusive deal so suddenly... but since you hold Special Guest status, I suppose I have no choice."
His tone implied that such insolence would never have been tolerated if not for Tang Hwi's status as a Special Guest. Tang Hwi chuckled, amused by the Left Protector's surprisingly fiery temperament.
"Do not worry. There is a minor side effect, but it is absolutely true that it can resurrect even the deadest of rods."
"A minor side effect?"
To him, an aphrodisiac with side effects was no different from poison. As the Left Protector scowled deeply, Tang Hwi quickly elaborated.
"It is not the kind of side effect you would find in a typical love potion. To prevent any permanent harm, I formulated it so that the stamina-boosting effect lasts no longer than fifteen minutes. However, because the duration is shortened, it exerts a different kind of influence, which is what I call the side effect."
"What is this influence you speak of? Stop dragging it out and explain it quickly."
"Ahem. During the period of enhanced stamina, one's lust intensifies proportionally, driving them into such a heat that they will want to ravage anyone in sight."
"...Is that not exactly what a love potion is?"
When the Left Protector gave him a look that asked what the difference was, Tang Hwi averted his gaze and continued.
"As I said, the lust increases in direct proportion to the physical enhancement, so this effect also naturally subsides after fifteen minutes. It is literally just a temporary surge of desire. The real issue is that those who cannot control their lust after taking it will lose all technique and mindlessly thrust their hips until they burst in less than seven minutes."
Hearing that a single slip in self-control could turn a man into a premature ejaculator, the Left Protector's jaw dropped. No matter how much high-ranking officials craved stamina boosters, such a side effect would leave a permanent scar on any man's pride. Selling such a thing would surely bring endless complaints. However...
"This medicine works even on Transcendent Realm masters."
"...What? Is that true?"
If this aphrodisiac could affect even a Transcendent Realm master, the story changed entirely.
"Why would I lie? My research shows it works on the Transcendent Realm, and I have personally tested it on my own body to confirm it works on at least the Master Realm, so do not worry. Since it is strictly a medicine and not a poison, it actually bypasses internal defenses much more effectively."
Tang Hwi was so confident because he had experimented on his own body during a past life when he was in the Transcendent Realm. He vividly remembered the dark history of being a supreme master yet desperately wanting to thrust his hips like a dog in heat.
But if it's useful, I must use it. Burying this just because of a single embarrassing memory would be an even greater embarrassment for someone who has lived multiple lives.
Seeing Tang Hwi's absolute confidence, the Left Protector's expression shifted.
"...Then that changes things."
An aphrodisiac that worked even on the Transcendent Realm. He knew of one supreme master who would absolutely lose his mind to get his hands on such a thing.
The Heavenly Strength Great King, Ak Bi.
He was the leader of the Eighteen Green Forest Outposts, also known as the Green Forest King, or by his more tragic moniker, the One-Ball King.
A tragic master of the unorthodox path who suffered from erectile dysfunction ever since one of his testicles was crushed during a battle against a Namgung Clan master. Given his advanced age, losing a ball meant he no longer had the vitality to get it up.
Did you know? A man has two testicles, but losing just one reduces his stamina by seventy percent. No matter how much his aging was slowed by being a Transcendent Realm master, how could he possibly stand tall after losing half his manhood?
Consequently, Ak Bi had fallen into such deep despair that he had abandoned the management of the Eighteen Green Forest Outposts altogether. Rumors of his severe depression had already spread far and wide across the Central Plains.
"I wish to establish an exclusive trade with the Hao Sect, but at the same time, I want to make a personal deal with Ak Bi."
"...It seems I must postpone all my remaining schedules. Discussing the supply and compensation from this point onward will take quite some time. Please let me know if you are short on time."
Tang Hwi smiled brightly.
"Time is the one thing I have in abundance."