The Qi Arts Master Chapter 75
The poison mist inside the inner compound was thickening just like it had around the patriarch's quarters. The sticky sensation of the poison mist zone came to mind—it seemed some component in the poison caused that effect.
Through Tian Ailang's gaze, he saw the inner compound's people startled by the commotion and rushing out of their buildings. Among them was Dangga's young lord, Dang Sang-ho, with Dang Jeong-ah at his side. She had probably been trying to persuade him.
Tian Ailang briefly changed direction and headed toward Dang Jeong-ah. Dang Sang-ho and the other Dangga members stared in shock at his sudden appearance. Since he had come from the direction of the patriarch's quarters, their wariness and confusion were intense.
Ignoring the minor glances around him, Tian Ailang hurriedly said to Dang Jeong-ah, “He's dead. But he left behind a vicious grudge. It looks like he plans to take down not just his own clan but civilians outside Dangga too—the aftermath will be huge. That's why I'm heading to the outer compound's market. I don't know what kind of poison this mist is, but at this concentration, it could even melt my protective aura, so keep that in mind. And I didn't hear where the High Solitary is.”
“What in the...!?”
Dang Sang-ho scowled in bewilderment. Not only had this man appeared from the patriarch's quarters, but he was speaking casually to him, and the information was so bizarre it left him utterly confused.
Dang Jeong-ah gestured at her younger brother Dang Sang-ho, then nodded to Tian Ailang. “Thank you first and foremost. Given the circumstances, we should set up a proper meeting later to sort things out.”
Tian Ailang nodded back at Dang Jeong-ah, whose quick judgment impressed him, then added, “Oh! And I'm borrowing the young lord.”
Without waiting for Dang Jeong-ah's reply or Dang Sang-ho's consent, Tian Ailang grabbed the young lord by the nape of his neck.
“Wh-what the hell?!”
Dang Sang-ho flailed, but before he could react, his neck was seized with Golden Snake Hands. Tian Ailang gripped harder, infusing it with killing intent.
“Guh... guhk!”
Like a mouse pinned by a snake's gaze, Dang Sang-ho froze and looked up at Tian Ailang with trembling eyes.
“If you want to save Dangga, follow quietly. This isn't for my benefit, so if you make a fuss, I'll take the easy way out. That might mean breaking your legs.”
Faced with Tian Ailang's eyes gleaming with murderous resolve, Dang Sang-ho could only nod meekly, his arrogance shattered.
“Protect the clan.”
Leaving those curt words for Dang Jeong-ah, Tian Ailang leaped away clutching the young lord. The Dangga elders and warriors gathering belatedly around Dang Jeong-ah were too baffled to react properly.
At that moment, Dang Yeom, the Pavilion Lord of the Myeondok Pavilion where all poisons and medical arts were studied, rushed up to Dang Jeong-ah with a startled expression.
“What in the world is going on?”
The Pavilion Lord scowled at the poison smoke spreading everywhere. Dang Jeong-ah brightened at the sight of him—for when it came to poisons, Dang Yeom was Dangga's foremost expert.
“Pavilion Lord, do you know what this poison is?”
At Dang Jeong-ah's question, the Pavilion Lord nodded. “I do. I developed it myself. Judging by the color, smell, and form, it's definitely Sole Sovereign Poison. But this is a forbidden technique because it doesn't distinguish friend from foe! Only the patriarch and maybe a dozen in Dangga even know of it...”
Dang Jeong-ah clicked her tongue as she listened. She didn't need to hear more to know the patriarch had mastered it out of greed.
She declared firmly, “The patriarch is dead. The young lord has gone to save the civilians in the market. Therefore, from this moment, I, Dang Jeong-ah, assume full command of Dangga. There's no time for details, so Pavilion Lord, gather your people immediately and begin detoxification in the inner compound and patriarch's quarters.”
The Pavilion Lord nodded reflexively at Dang Jeong-ah's decisive, spirited command. “Understood.”
As he obeyed, the other confused elders and Dangga warriors looked to Dang Jeong-ah for guidance, awaiting her next orders.
“Dangga Seven Elites, take the warriors and evacuate the outer compound personnel at once. The outer compound has weaker toxicity, so prioritize escape over detoxification.”
The Dangga Seven Elites were seven promising young descendants from the inner compound's Dangga bloodline. They normally led the outer compound's warriors and managed it.
“Understood.”
Having received much consideration from Dang Jeong-ah in the past, the Seven Elites moved without hesitation to carry out her command.
“Inner compound personnel not involved in detoxification, gather your families and leave Dangga immediately. Elders Dang Seok-ho and Dang In-pung, please oversee this.”
“We'll see to it.”
Dang Seok-ho, the Inner Pavilion Lord in charge of Dangga's overall household affairs, and Vice Lord Dang In-pung moved at once to follow her orders.
With her commands mostly issued, Dang Jeong-ah grabbed various antidotes from the Myeondok Pavilion and followed the Pavilion Lord toward the patriarch's quarters. Detoxifying the vicious poison mist's toxic energy would be complicated and time-consuming.
The path to the patriarch's quarters felt arduous. She couldn't know what past, present, or future awaited her at its end. A faint worry crept in—could she truly face whatever it was with boldness?
But Dang Jeong-ah quickly steadied herself. She had staked her life on this path. She had taken up the sword to protect herself and Dangga, bearing the sin of filial impiety. To ensure she wouldn't shirk responsibility, she had pressed the dagger into Tian Ailang's hand despite his refusal—use it, no matter what.
A light glowed from Dang Jeong-ah's body. The faint glow piercing the poison mist made the leading Pavilion Lord turn in astonishment.
“Heh heh... Breaking through the wall in a situation like this.”
Dang Jeong-ah kept her gaze fixed ahead, advancing step by step. She vaguely sensed herself surpassing the peak realm into the super peak, but paid it no mind. Only responsibility—pure, unwavering responsibility for her actions.
Just as Tian Ailang treated his people with utmost duty, so too would she vow, repeating it to herself.
Watching Dang Jeong-ah press on without pause amid her quiet resolve, the Pavilion Lord urged his Myeondok Pavilion warriors. “Hurry, everyone! Don't let the young lady's path be blocked! Show them we're Dangga itself!”
At his words, the Myeondok Pavilion warriors surged with vigor, speeding up. They had long prided themselves as Dangga's core—the poison researchers—regardless of what others like the Hidden Weapons Pavilion or Martial Pavilion said.
Dangga, stagnant for so long, now faced a time of upheaval.
* * *
Tian Ailang crossed the outer compound in an instant and arrived at the market. Midway, the patrolling guards were flustered by the young lord's shouts to clear the way but obeyed diligently.
The boisterous festival-goers and the market's bright scenery contrasted sharply with Dangga's gloom. The vivid lights diluted the dark night sky over Dangga. Even Tian Ailang had to focus to distinguish the encroaching poison mist staining the Dangga sky—it otherwise resembled mere night clouds.
Tian Ailang set down the young lord and caught his breath briefly. Then he bellowed, “Everyone, evacuate!”
Infusing just enough internal energy to avoid harming nearby civilians, his shout was easily drowned by the market's din.
Tian Ailang scowled at the poison mist steadily encroaching on the outer compound without slowing. These countless people, most without lightness skill, had no time for a safe evacuation.
He kicked off walls of nearby buildings for leverage, leaping higher than the rooftops. Opening his entire body, he forcibly drew in the natural energies of heaven and earth with all his might—beyond the natural flow of his realm, imposing a brutal strain and shock on his body.
Ignoring the pain and unnaturalness for the moment, Tian Ailang converted the gathered energy entirely into thunder qi.
Pzzt!
Like a massive flood overwhelming a riverbed of meridians, the violent internal energy surged through, causing agony. Only someone like Tian Ailang, with far wider and tougher meridians than ordinary warriors, could attempt this—others would burst their meridians and become cripples.
“Hoo.”
Tian Ailang regulated the flow with light deep breaths. His accumulated experience and growth gave him the skill and mindset to handle such variables.
He crammed thunder qi into the key acupoints at his meridians' ends, ready for instant release. The moment most of his energy had converted and he felt prepared, he unleashed the bindings all at once.
This happened in the blink of an instant as he soared into the sky and curled his body.
Flash!
Kraka-ka-ka-boom!
Centering on Tian Ailang as he unfurled, the thunder qi erupted as lightning and thunder, illuminating the night sky over the market like broad daylight.
Startled by the sudden thunderbolt, everyone in the market looked up in shock—people eating street food, shopping, watching acrobats, drinking in taverns, dining in inns, sleeping, brawling and grabbing collars, even those sneaking romantic trysts in alleys. All eyes in Sacheon Province's night market turned to Tian Ailang.
Among them were Bang Deok, the Beggar Clan's vice leader, and his beggar subordinates.
“Wh-what? Isn't that Tian Patriarch?”
Bang Deok had come straight to Sacheon after meeting the Haomen Lord, investigating Dangga. Cross-verifying the info on the patriarch, he was confirming his immorality on-site.
If solid evidence emerged of taboo poisons like poison slave girl or High Solitary—absolutely forbidden in orthodox murim—it would give the Murim Alliance grounds to control all incidents from Dangga.
If the taboo's harm spread to civilians severely, they could seal or disband Dangga—a grave matter.
Moreover, with Qi Arts Patriarch Tian Ailang and Dang Jeong-ah executing the patriarch to uphold justice, Bang Deok had been asked by the Haomen Lord to back them with the Alliance's name and sort the ensuing chaos. Owing Tian Ailang a debt, he had no reason to refuse, so here he was.
Today, having nearly finished his investigations, he was preparing to stir public opinion post-incident. He was even now gathering nearby Beggar Clan members to issue directives, making full preparations while awaiting Tian Ailang's arrival in Sacheon.
“But why's Tian Patriarch popping up there?”