Chapter 99
"That's an excellent plan."
Tang Gon nodded firmly.
"If we just eliminate those who handle the poisons, they'll be so terrified they won't dare encroach on the Tang Clan's domain again."
"Exactly."
Bu Eun-seol nodded in agreement before continuing.
"And leave their command to Heuk-pyo."
"To Heuk-pyo? Ah, I see."
Having grasped Bu Eun-seol's deeper intent, Tang Gon addressed the young men of the Poison Arrow Party.
"You will follow Heuk-pyo's lead and set fire to Blood Poison Valley's key buildings."
"You want us to follow the orders of that young boy?"
As the foremost youth made a displeased expression, Tang Gon smiled faintly.
"Did the main house's training include ambush and disruption tactics?"
"Pardon?"
Tang Gon pointed to Heuk-pyo standing beside Bu Eun-seol.
"Heuk-pyo may be young, but he comes from the intelligence runners of the Wandering Drifters. He's more skilled in ambush and disruption tactics than any of you."
Tang Gon's instructions were seamless.
He had instantly understood why Bu Eun-seol wanted Heuk-pyo to command the Poison Arrow Party.
"If any of you disobey Heuk-pyo's orders, it will be the same as disobeying mine directly. Understood?"
"Understood."
The youths of the Poison Arrow Party reluctantly bowed their heads.
Tang Gon lightly patted Heuk-pyo's shoulder, the boy still bearing a youthful appearance.
"I leave it to you."
"Don't worry, Third Young Master."
Heuk-pyo grinned as he raised his head.
"I've got plenty of experience with this sort of thing."
Then he turned to the Poison Arrow Party youths.
"Once we infiltrate Blood Poison Valley, you must follow my lead in setting fire to their key buildings."
Heuk-pyo swept his gaze over them with the seasoned eyes of a veteran, belying his youthful appearance.
"And absolutely avoid direct combat. Only interfere with those trying to extinguish the flames—hit and run to buy time."
Turning back, Heuk-pyo concluded briskly.
"That's all. Now follow me."
Whoosh.
As Heuk-pyo activated his Movement Technique, the Poison Arrow Party youths exchanged glances before reluctantly giving chase.
"...!"
Yet their expressions stiffened as they moved.
No matter how much they pushed their Movement Techniques, they couldn't catch up to Heuk-pyo.
So this is how it is.
Truthfully, they had inwardly resented being commanded by a mere boy like Heuk-pyo.
Only now did they realize that Heuk-pyo wasn't just a master of Movement Techniques—he was a true professional who had weathered countless battles.
"A weak soldier never serves under a strong general, but who would've thought that boy's Movement Technique would reach such heights."
Tang Gon sighed as he watched Heuk-pyo's figure vanish stealthily into the distance.
"By the way, there's something I still can't comprehend."
"What might that be?"
"Blood Poison Valley. Just ten years ago, they were a mediocre third-rate sect buried in the depths of Gwangjung Mountain. Yet suddenly, they've grown powerful enough to threaten the main house."
"Hmm."
"And seeing how they've developed countermeasures against our clan's poisons and hidden weapons... It feels like they must have backing from some faction."
"That could very well be."
Bu Eun-seol nodded slightly, his eyes narrowing imperceptibly.
Surely it can't be the Demon Hall...
The Demon Hall has long been waging a silent war against the Martial Alliance—no, against the entire Righteous Faction.
Perhaps they've been secretly supporting Blood Poison Valley to weaken the influence of the Eight Great Clans.
Well, it doesn't concern us.
This matter will be recorded as handled by the Sichuan Tang Clan—no, by Tang Gon, the Tang Clan's successor.
BOOM!CRACKLE!
Just then, explosions roared as flames erupted throughout Blood Poison Valley.
—Fire!
—Put it out, now!
As screams and shouts tangled together from within the valley, Tang Gon drew a deep breath.
"Time for us to move."
Rolling up his sleeves, he grinned at Bu Eun-seol.
"Let's see just how quick-handed Blood Poison Valley's members really are."
"Abandon such naive thoughts now."
"What do you mean all of a sudden? Naive?"
Bu Eun-seol met Tang Gon's amiable gaze with icy words.
"Embrace the Poison Heart. We're not going to a martial arts tournament—we're going to crush them so thoroughly they can never oppose the Tang Clan again."
"W-well, of course."
"If you keep that relaxed, benevolent mindset, you'll never rise any higher."
Poison Heart. That was something Bu Eun-seol had also heard from Tang Pae.
Something Tang Gon, the good-natured one, had lacked. To become the Family Head of the Tang Clan, it was absolutely necessary.
Bu Eun-seol, his eyes flashing with blood-red light, spoke to Tang Gon, each word deliberate and sharp.
"We must deal with them ruthlessly—so they can never crawl back up again."
"..."
After a brief silence, Tang Gon reached into his robes and pulled out a single pitch-black glove.
They were the Black Silk Battle Armor, a secret weapon of the Tang Clan that could greatly amplify the Poison Spirit Extinguishing Art he had learned in the Secret Cave.
"I'll show you."
A similar blood-red light rose in Tang Gon's pupils, mirroring the one in Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
"The completely changed version of me."
No Return Cave
This was the place where Blood Poison Valley stored not only their secret poisons but also spirit creatures like the Three-eyed Blood Snake and the Golden Silkworm Poison Toad.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Though the sound of bells echoed from the heart of Blood Poison Valley, only faint metallic clinks reached this remote cave.
"What the hell are you?"
Deep in the heart of No Return Cave, an old man with completely blackened pupils and corpse-blue skin bared his fangs in front of rows upon rows of sealed jars.
It was none other than the Black Killing Ghost Spirit, Sim Dok—Deputy Valley Master of Blood Poison Valley.
'Damn it.'
Tang Gon swallowed hard as he stared at Sim Dok.
He had expected a few mid-ranking hall leaders at most—but of all people, the terrifying Deputy Valley Master himself was guarding this place?
"You lot have terrible luck."
Sim Dok, having just sealed the jar containing the Golden Silkworm Poison Toad, flashed his viper-like eyes.
"To crawl into the very place where I stand."
The oppressive aura radiating from Sim Dok made it hard for Tang Gon to even breathe.
Yet he deliberately scoffed and slapped his waist.
"No, you're the unlucky one. Because next year today will be your death anniversary."
"Hmph. A stray from the Tang Clan, huh?"
Sim Dok bared his fangs again as he noticed the leather pouch hanging from Tang Gon's waist.
"Bold little bastard. Not content with setting fire to our valley with a handful of stragglers, you even dare to enter No Return Cave?"
Tang Gon tightened his grip on the Black Silk Battle Armor, his expression tense.
Sim Dok's martial prowess had long surpassed the Peak Realm. Even if he and Bu Eun-seol fought together, their chances of victory were slim.
"You—wait for an opening—"
Just as Tang Gon glanced at Bu Eun-seol and was about to speak—
Flash!
A blinding light erupted inside the cave. Before anyone could react, Bu Eun-seol had already drawn his Ink Sword and was slashing toward Sim Dok's throat.
Clang!
But Sim Dok twisted his body sideways, deflecting the razor-sharp blade with his long, blackened nails—hard as iron from mastering the Ink Soul Residual Blood Claw.
"With just this level of skill—"
Sim Dok's words cut off.
Because despite deflecting the sword, Bu Eun-seol's Ink Sword was still piercing toward his throat.
"What kind of bizarre sword technique is this?!"
Startled, Sim Dok swiftly retreated and summoned his Poison Art.
"I'll reduce you to nothing—not even bones!"
BOOM!
Sim Dok unleashed the Asura Ghost Blood Poison Art, spewing deadly poison qi in all directions.
"Move!"
As the poison qi surged outward, Tang Gon stepped forward, spreading his palms wide.
Whoosh!
His hands shimmered like transparent glass before beginning to absorb the black poison.
Poison Spirit Extinguishing Art.
Not only could it absorb all poisons of the Tang Clan, but it could also convert them into stored Internal Energy—a secret technique he had mastered.
Ssssshhh—!
As the Poison Spirit Extinguishing Art expanded, Sim Dok's poison qi, which had filled the cave, vanished completely.
"The Tang Clan's secret technique—Poison Spirit Extinguishing Art."
Sim Dok, well-versed in the Tang Clan's martial arts, recognized it immediately.
"What do you think you'll accomplish just by absorbing poison?"
Sim Dok sneered and prepared to unleash another deadly technique—Residual Blood Black Sand Palm—but—
"Too slow."
Before anyone realized, Bu Eun-seol had stepped forward again and pierced Sim Dok's throat.
"Guhk!"
Sim Dok barely managed to tilt his head back and swiftly retreated thirty feet.
"You bastard!"
Seeing the blood trickling from his throat, Sim Dok gnashed his teeth.
Due to cultivating the Asura Ghost Blood Poison Art, the area within thirty feet of Sim Dok's body was always saturated with a lethal, corrosive poison aura.
Because of this, even most masters found it impossible to engage him in close combat.
But Tang Gon kept absorbing the poison with the Poison Spirit Extinguishing Art, and Bu Eun-seol seized every opening to unleash his razor-sharp sword techniques.
As a result, Sim Dok couldn't fully utilize his signature poison techniques and was forced into continuous retreat.
"You brats! Fine."
Sim Dok, enraged, curled the corner of his lips.
"I'll make the poison so potent that you won't even be able to use the Poison Spirit Extinguishing Art."
Whoooosh—
At the same moment, a pitch-black poison mist began to bloom from his body like hundreds of fiery tendrils—
"Over there!"
"Intruders in the Cave of No Return!"
—when dozens of Poison People surged in from the entrance.
'What are those?'
Tang Gon's jaw slackened as he watched the Poison People flooding into the cave.
'Even blocking Sim Dok's poison techniques is already difficult enough...'
Moreover, the charging Poison People each carried steel shields as tall as a grown man, their surfaces densely studded with thick spikes.
From the heavy clanking sounds they made with every movement, their weight must have been immense.
SHWIIING!
In that instant, Bu Eun-seol drew his divine sword and slashed through the oncoming Poison People with all his might.
SLICE!
The Ink Sword could cleave iron like tofu.
But the steel shields the Poison People wielded were so thick that he only managed to cut down two of them.
"Where are you looking?!"
At that moment, Sim Dok, standing opposite them, roared and unleashed the twelfth stage of the Asura Ghost Blood Poison Art.
WHOOSH!
A violent tide of poison surged forth like a colossal tidal wave, engulfing Bu Eun-seol and Tang Gon.
"Kgh—"
Tang Gon had only entered the Secret Cave three days prior.
Having barely mastered the Poison Spirit Extinguishing Art, he couldn't perfectly neutralize Sim Dok's Asura Ghost Blood Poison Art.
SLASH!
Bu Eun-seol cut down a few more Poison People, but more kept pouring in from the entrance.
'This is bad.'
Tang Gon's expression tightened.
Poison People endlessly swarming from the entrance, and Sim Dok bombarding them with lethal poison from within—
They were truly caught between a rock and a hard place.
"No choice."
Bu Eun-seol, eyeing the encroaching horde, shouted to Tang Gon.
"How long can you hold out against Sim Dok?"
Tang Gon, pouring all his strength into the Poison Spirit Extinguishing Art, veins bulging on his forehead, yelled back.
"About a moment (roughly 90 seconds)!"
"Good."
Bu Eun-seol sheathed the Ink Sword as he assessed the incoming Poison People.
"Just hold on a little longer."
Then, he channeled his internal energy to its absolute limit.
BOOM!
A blue surge of energy erupted from his body, swirling violently before gradually coalescing into a spherical mass of sword qi at the tip of his blade.
'Th-that...'
Tang Gon's eyes widened in shock.
Materializing sword qi was only possible for those who had not only reached the Transcendence Realm in martial arts but also possessed internal energy surpassing two sixty-year cycle (120 years).
SHHHH—
As the blackened sword qi of the Ink Sword surged over six inches in length, Bu Eun-seol unleashed his technique.
SHIIING!
But instead of striking the Poison People, the sword qi shot upward, hovering above their heads before soaring into the air.
'Did he fail?'
Just as Tang Gon was about to widen his eyes in disbelief—
SWOOSH!CRACK!
The sword qi, having shot into the air, suddenly exploded like fireworks, dispersing into hundreds of razor-sharp lines that began descending like rain.
This was the Fourth Form of the Formless Heavenly Flow—Caged Bird Longing for Clouds—a technique that freed sword qi from the constraints of individual strokes, allowing it to move unrestrained.
SPLAT!
A sticky liquid splattered against the walls as the Poison People's skulls split vertically in two.
The sharp sword qi raining from above plunged downward like a descending dragon, impaling the ground with devastating force.
THUD. THUD. THUD.
The Poison People collapsed like withered leaves, and silence engulfed the Cave of No Return.
"Y-you..."
Sim Dok, who had been pouring out poison, froze, his face drained of color.
Only now did he realize—Bu Eun-seol was not just his equal.
He was someone who could kill him.
