Sparkling Event
Layers upon layers of agony piled on without end, relentlessly dragging on and on until his mind teetered on the brink of madness.
It might have been bearable if there was even a hint of it easing up.
But he'd only swallowed a single inner core from the Millennia Centipede.
Of course, he'd braced himself for this.
Was this any ordinary poison?
The Millennia Centipede—a massive centipede yokai from the demon realm adjacent to the Immortal Realm.
Words couldn't capture the sheer ferocity of its venom.
He fought to stay conscious, but how could he?
His body felt like it was being torn apart and disintegrated piece by piece.
Pain as if razors were slicing into every corner of his flesh.
The poison's nature was melting venom.
It dissolved the cells throughout his body.
Of course, as it imprinted onto his poison core, regeneration kicked in too.
In the end, he blacked out.
The silver lining was that even in unconsciousness, the Hunwon Musang Dokryeong Gong kept working tirelessly.
Time passed.
Taeju cracked his eyes open faintly.
He had no idea how long it had been.
"Ugh."
The stench wafting around him.
All of it from his own body.
...I survived.
He'd thought he was done for.
Checking the time.
...Ten days? It's been ten whole days?
Insane!
Was this for real?
Way longer than expected.
But damn, I pulled through.
Suddenly!
Gurgle.
His stomach growled.
Food first.
Taeju pulled a bottle of mineral water from his infinite storage space and downed it, then grabbed a convenience store lunch box and scarfed it down.
For dessert, one elixir—no, two.
Crunch! Crunch!
Elixirs were the best.
"Hoo."
Now he felt alive.
Time to check his status.
Any changes?
His poison core had grown nicely while he was out.
Poison qi now flowed abundantly through his entire body.
But no 10th-stage breakthrough.
No explosion from the poison core.
Wait!
The shared warehouse?
Not glowing.
A delivery signal must have come and gone while he was unconscious.
Damn, missed the shipment.
Ten days—probably at least twice.
But more than that, Dang Gunak must be worried sick.
Still, he knew it would take time, so he should be okay.
The second one would go much smoother.
His grown poison core would handle it better.
At least he wouldn't pass out.
He seemed to have fully digested the poison too.
Taeju pulled out his smartphone and messaged the group chat for Taehong Bio employees.
One down—keep going.
Won't take another ten days.
Next: the horn of the Poison Horn Net Spider.
Ground into powder and formed into a pill for easy consumption.
They said to chew this one...
Taeju popped it in his mouth, chewed thoroughly, and swallowed.
Instantly!
"Euw! Ack!"
The reaction hit immediately.
Hot.
Scorching hot.
Sizzle! Sizzle!
His insides were burning up.
Like plunging into lava.
"...Fuck!"
Even his skin radiated blistering heat.
His whole body.
Skin, organs, bones—searing heat everywhere.
Different from the Millennia Centipede's venom.
Heat poison.
Where the centipede's melted cells away, this scorched with fire.
Another poison he'd never encountered.
I can't pass out again...
But he did.
Blackout.
And Taeju opened his eyes again.
...How many days?
Eight days.
Total with the centipede: a whopping eighteen.
Three days over the estimated fifteen for digestion.
Problem was, two more to go.
Status?
Thankfully, he felt light.
Fully absorbed the Poison Horn Net Spider venom too.
But no core explosion.
Shared warehouse...
Still dark.
Missed another one.
Dang Gunak must be freaking out.
Maybe receive the signal, send stuff, then eat?
No.
Push through to the end.
He filled up on water and lunch boxes, devoured three elixirs, and sent a survival ping to the group chat.
Next...
Crane Purity Red.
A liquid poison.
Downed it in one gulp.
Then.
His poison core reacted.
Vrrrrm!
But it just vibrated—no explosion.
Instead, white frost flowers bloomed across his body.
"Wh-what?"
Chatter chatter...
Teeth clacking nonstop.
Cold.
Freezing his ass off.
Just out of a furnace, now trapped in ice.
Burned, frozen—total chaos.
Could he adapt to this?
Extreme yang poison, then extreme yin poison.
Alternating torments—he passed out again.
"Damn it..."
Blackout.
And.
Six days later when he woke.
But not much change.
The core had teetered on explosion but stopped.
Am I not gonna break through?
Last one.
The venom of the Human-Faced Spider.
A legendary spider yokai that lures prey with hallucinogenic venom and drains their fluids.
Let's go!
Finish it.
If not this time, oh well.
Taeju swallowed the spider's poison core whole.
Gulp.
It melted instantly, spreading through his body.
Reaction coming. Coming.
Completely different from before.
"Aaaah!"
Head rushing like he could fly.
The world turned a kaleidoscope of vibrant colors.
Fallen into a pit of paints?
No pain, at least...
"Kuh-huh-euk!"
He knew it wouldn't be that easy.
Why no pain?
Shivering uncontrollably.
Not from cold.
Withdrawal symptoms.
Throat parched.
Stomach empty.
Need to piss and shit, skin crawling, going insane.
And lust too.
Craving a woman's scent.
Anyone nearby, he'd pounce.
Plus murderous rage toward the world.
Fury boiling up.
Want to kill anyone he meets.
All worldly desires crashing in at once.
Want to do everything.
This and that.
But can't do any of it.
Driving him madder.
No.
Just go outside.
Shing!
Taeju drew his Manri Bi Sword.
Vmmm!
Raised qi to slice the steel door.
Right then!
Wooong! Wooong! Wooong!
His poison core vibrated fiercely.
Zing! Ziiing! Zing!
Spinning like a top.
And,
Boom!
Exploded.
Bang! Bang-bang! Pop pop pop!
One massive blast, followed by shattering fragments detonating.
Like fireworks.
The moment of poison core explosion.
A far more intense grand detonation than before.
Immortal Realm Multiplex.
"Hoo..."
A sigh heavy enough to dim the building.
Juseon eyed Dang Gunak cautiously before speaking haltingly.
"Dokseon, still no word?"
"..."
"I-it's okay, don't worry too mu—"
"Fuck! Stop talking to me and leave me alone!!!"
Juseon flinched!
And clamped his mouth shut.
Even as Earth-style curses flew from Dang Gunak's lips nonstop.
"Damn it! Fuck, fuuuck!"
"..."
Dokseon's aura was razor-sharp.
But no one could say a word.
They knew why.
Dang Gunak was going out of his mind with frustration.
Communication with Taeju cut off for far too long.
What happened?
He'd estimated half a month at first.
Time to fully digest four poisons.
Factoring buffer: eighteen days max.
But nearly a month now.
The shared warehouse had flashed seven times in that span.
First was full, but from the second onward—empty, empty...
Up to the seventh.
Meaning no shipments from Earth after the first.
Multiplex shop stock nearly wiped out.
No incoming goods.
But who cared about stock?
Could go without.
Dang Gunak's mind was all Taeju worries.
Overdid the poisons?
Ambushed hunting the Heavenly Demon?
Suddenly!
Gwigok Seonin bounding down from upstairs.
"Dokseon! Dokookseon! Good news! Taesang Nogun's heading to the Heavenly Realm for a meet—"
"Shh!"
"Wh-why..."
Juseon and Gwigok shook their heads furiously, eyes asking.
Still?
Still.
Gwigok sat quietly without a word.
Galhong Seonin came down in a fuss too.
"Dokseon, Dokseon, big trouble. Know how many items are sold out? Heavenly and Hwangcheon Realm customers will swarm soon..."
Juseon and Gwigok glared daggers at him.
"...Uh."
Galhong, sharp as ever, read the room perfectly.
"Ahem."
And sat quietly.
Suddenly, bike roar outside.
Vroom-vroom-vrooom!
Geomseon in black bike suit entered, helmet off.
"Dokseon, gasoline's out. Need another ca—"
He froze.
Glanced at Dokseon's face sidelong,
"Y'know, been slacking on exercise. Better walk sometimes."
And turned right back out.
Truth was, Dang Gunak wasn't hearing any of it.
Frustration boiling over.
No way out?
If Earth was the martial world, he'd descend immediately.
But different worlds—no dice.
Supreme Emperor or Yeomra might have a way...
Then!
Rrrring!
His dantian—poison core, no, poison spirit—roiling violently.
What...
He'd achieved Hunwon Musang Dokryeong Gong grand mastery, poison spirit, even ascension—why now? Wait!
No way?
Flash!
His soul sucked somewhere.
And connection.
Finally.
The other world's self.
Earth's Absolute Poison Demon.
Linked with Kim Taeju.
Ah!
Instant realization upon connection.
Digested all the poisons.
Response from over there.
Like this.
Taeju, achieved grand mastery?
Yes.
Soul link.
First: Seoraksan and martial world—Hunwon Musang Dokryeong Gong and arts transmitted.
Second: Gurye Jirisan and Immortal Realm—infinite storage space, then shared warehouse created.
Now third.
But different.
Why's my poison spirit reacting?
Faint aura from Taeju's poison core—familiar yet alien to Dang Gunak.
Poison spirit? ...Too weak. Or similar?
Then?
Ah... seed. Yes, a seed. A seed formed.
Normally, poison spirit awakens all at once, but Taeju formed a tiny seed-like thing.
Predicting stepwise growth—a foundation toward poison spirit.
That's why my spirit reacted.
Taeju's was minuscule.
No ego yet.
But forming—that mattered.
Why different from his own poison spirit insight?
Probably celestial qi.
Drank plenty of elixirs and immortal nectar—lots of celestial qi flowed into Taeju's core.
Starting point differed.
Taeju's core grew incorporating celestial qi.
Thus, at Hunwon Musang Dokryeong Gong grand mastery, it went further—formed a poison spirit seed.
The worries crushing Dang Gunak vanished in an instant.
His eyes welled up.
Joy followed.
You did well.
Taeju sent apology.
His own inadequacy.
No, my foolish fault.
Now he knew post-link.
Poisons stronger than thought.
First time seeing them himself.
Millennia Centipede, Human-Faced Spider, Poison Horn Net Spider, Crane Purity Red from the immortal crane.
Ultra-rare even in martial world—dreams of poison handlers.
Judged by his standards.
Factored Taeju's progress, but underestimated poisons.
Could've killed him.
Yet he powered through.
Met the Heavenly Demon... Gonna catch him? Heh, yes. Easier than thought.
Soul communion.
Thoughts transmitting.
Knew what the other side meant.
Found clue on mana rejection cure too.
But?
Ding ding ding!
Delivery signals ringing nonstop in his head.
Soul linked—why?
Taeju sensed it too.
Signals here too.
You too?
No sooner said, both opened infinite storage and shared warehouse...
Ah!
Dang Gunak startled.
Shing!
Vast space before him.
Not his.
Other self's—Taeju's infinite storage space.
Taeju same.
Dang Gunak's space visible, sparkling.
What the?
Not shared warehouse—just infinite spaces.
Taeju's piled high with goods.
Dang Gunak instinctively reached into Taeju's space.
Whoosh!
Items transferred to his own.
"Haha!"
He got it.
So that's what happened.
Delivery signal during soul link.
Connected infinite spaces too.
Result: see each other's, pull items freely.
Sparkling event.
Temporary, not permanent.
Ends with link.
Taeju's voice echoed.
What're you doing? Hurry and grab. Link's breaking.
Of course.
Thus, a whole department store crossed to Immortal Realm.
Juseon, Gwigok, Galhong watched Dang Gunak—crying, laughing, zoning out, startling—with suspicious eyes.
Why's Dokseon like that? Cry-laugh?
Worried over Taeju Daehyeop—lost it.
Tsk, stress is root of all ills.
The immortals had no clue.