Quite the Poisonous Guest (5)
“...This is enough.”
I had swung my sword for quite some time, imparting a small lesson to him. Before long, he slowly closed his eyes and stood perfectly still. At the same time, I felt natural internal energy beginning to gather around him. It was a common sight for a warrior who had attained enlightenment. Disturbing him now would be no different from cruelly snatching away a precious opportunity that might never come again, so I slowly withdrew my sword.
“With the spar, I think it’s best we stop here. Don’t you agree?” I asked, looking toward the Yang family warriors.
Several of them stepped forward, exchanged glances, and nodded. They quickly moved into position and began handling the aftermath. The Tang warriors started neutralizing the poison that would have been difficult for the Namgung warriors to deal with, while the Namgung side had waiting laborers follow behind them, re-leveling the training ground floor.
“Poison Dragon, four hours should be enough, right?”
This enlightenment had reminded him of something he had probably forgotten for a long time. If he organized it properly, he might form an image and glimpse the next realm, but that only happened when everything aligned perfectly. Encountering it suddenly in the middle of a spar would naturally fall short. Still, this opportunity alone would be enough for him to confront the wall of his current realm. If he clearly recognized that wall’s existence and kept hammering at it, he should be able to break through to the next stage in three or four years at most.
I stepped back to give him the time he needed. Then I sat in an empty spot and called over the first person with free hands. I needed to treat my wounds, but unfortunately I had only been injured in places like my back—spots that were difficult to bandage alone.
“Let me help you.”
Namgung Seha approached just then. She had already fetched bandages and medicine.
As I started to remove my top to expose the wounds, the thought crossed my mind—Is it really all right to let her do this?
“...I’m a man, you know. Is it okay to have a lady do something like this?”
The moment the words left my mouth, Namgung Seha’s brow furrowed sharply. She moved behind me and yanked my clothes down. The fabric scraping across the wound stung.
“If you’re going to worry about things like that, you should first learn what polite speech a lady deserves. Besides, there aren’t many visitors here, so the person with the most free time is me.”
She spoke while gently applying medicine to the wounds and then wrapping them with bandages. Treating yourself and treating someone else were different matters, and she clearly had plenty of experience.
“Thank you for your trouble.”
She gathered the leftover supplies in one hand and sat down beside me. As I pulled my outer robe back up, she scolded me as though she had been waiting for the chance.
“I was a little surprised when you suddenly said you would change your sword.”
It was a subtle prod—Why didn’t you tell me? Honestly, it hadn’t been planned, so there had been nothing to tell.
“Haha… It really wasn’t planned. But it felt like something I had to do.”
“There must have been something in his previous life that gave him enlightenment. Our changed actions in this life might have taken that away from him. A kind of equivalent exchange, I suppose?”
Namgung Seha nodded at my words. Then she looked at the Poison Dragon, who was still standing motionless with his eyes closed, and spoke with a warm smile.
“I see. It seems your decision was definitely the better path.”
I thought so too. Unlike me, he had stepped onto the right path early. Just seeing that filled me with quiet satisfaction.
“You were quite impressive today.”
She smiled and praised me before I knew it. I smiled back.
“Yeah. Thanks.”
We sat there, chatting about this and that while watching the warriors work. By the time the training ground was nearly spotless, Namgung Seha gave me the signal to leave. I was just about to stand when—
Step.
Someone was walking toward us. His entire body was drenched in blood and sweat. The terrible odors should have been unpleasant, yet the Poison Dragon was smiling as if something felt incredibly refreshing.
Recognizing him, I offered a light handshake and explained the situation he might not be aware of.
“Poison Dragon. It looked like you fell into enlightenment, so we stopped the spar. Were you able to organize it properly?”
He gave a short laugh and nodded.
“When someone’s spoon-feeding it to me like that, it’d be a problem if I couldn’t swallow it.”
“I learned a good lesson. Sword Net.”
He bowed his head. It was only a light gesture of respect, but it carried real weight. Warriors from great sects, prestigious families, or the Beggars’ Union carried immense pride. Those stubborn types rarely bowed their heads. Yet he lifted his again without the slightest hesitation and continued.
“I almost walked down the wrong path. Thank you for pulling me back.”
Looking at his face, I suddenly grew curious about exactly what kind of enlightenment he had gained. I asked carefully.
“...If I may, what was the root you embraced, Poison Dragon?”
He paused for a moment, then pointed behind him with his thumb. The Sichuan Tang warriors, now free of poison, were wiping away their sweat and chatting among themselves.
“The Tang Clan. That was all. It was so close I forgot it easily. Even though I should never have forgotten, my own shortcomings made me do exactly that.”
“Then you should go see them right away. Before you leave again.”
The Poison Dragon nodded, turned, and began to walk away. As Seha and I were about to leave as well, he tossed something toward me. It was his plaque—Dang Hoyeong.
When I looked back, he spoke lightly as he continued walking, as if simply returning something he had forgotten.
“The Tang Clan’s Hoyeong will not forget this grace even after his bones turn to dust. If you ever need my name in the murim, seek me out anytime.”
The young master of the Tang Clan’s personal gratitude. An unexpected gain. It would be reassuring to have help if anything happened in the Sichuan region someday.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Whether he heard me or not, the Poison Dragon never looked back. We finally left the area and headed for the main gate.
“Ah.”
Before heading outside the clan to fill my stomach after the spar had left it empty, I asked Namgung Seha— who had come to see me off—one question.
“Seha, may I ask you something?”
“Please ask.”
I glanced at the empty cart the Tang people had brought, now standing in the distance.
“Why did the Tang Clan come this time? The Poison Dragon… surely didn’t come just to fight me.”
Namgung Seha tapped her lips lightly as she searched her memory, then spoke as if it had come back to her.
“Ah. Father said it was for promoting friendship between clans. Haven’t you seen my older brother visit them once or twice?”
Understanding her answer, I dashed out to the market. I picked up some yugwa for Seha, ate a skewer for myself, bought a bit of medicine for Mother, and was on my way back when a sudden thought struck me like a bolt.
“...So he came for friendship and immediately challenged me to a spar?”
The realization swept through my mind. Tsk. Poison Dragon, you had let your mind wander more than I thought.
. . .
Namgung Hyeok was not sitting in his usual office chair. He was in an entirely different place. A faint fragrance drifted through the air. This was the reception room—somewhere only guests he needed to meet personally were allowed to enter.
Clink.
He took a light sip of tea, set the cup down, and looked at the man drinking across from him. The Poison Dragon no longer carried the same poisonous aura or fighting spirit as yesterday.
“So, did you enjoy yourself enough yesterday?”
The Poison Dragon set his own cup down and readily nodded.
“Yes. Thanks to the young warrior from the Namgung Clan, I gained a great enlightenment. It was an experience I will not easily forget in my lifetime, so I am already satisfied with this visit.”
At those words, Namgung Hyeok immediately recalled who the “young warrior” was and let out a smile of genuine approval. The boy had already reached the Peak Realm. In many ways, he exceeded all expectations. For a brief moment, Namgung Hyeok even considered ways to keep him in the Namgung Clan permanently—though he knew he shouldn’t entertain such thoughts.
“Hehe. Then, since I’ve waited as long as I should, tell me now.”
Yet he pushed Jin Sowoon from his mind. A far more pressing matter sat squarely before his eyes. Namgung Hyeok quietly met the Poison Dragon’s gaze. There was no killing intent or overt pressure in it, but the look carried enough weight to make anyone feel the gravity of the moment.
“Why did you come to our clan?”
The Poison Dragon accepted the gaze fully for a moment, then slowly opened his mouth.
“I clearly conveyed that it was for promoting friendship.”
“You did.”
Namgung Hyeok cut the words off with a single phrase. The statement “I conveyed it” implied there was another, deeper intention behind the visit. Had it been yesterday, he might have let it pass gently. But after waiting an entire day, Namgung Hyeok had no intention of waiting peacefully any longer.
“I’ve already noticed that something happened and that you need our clan’s help. I’m not a fool.”
“Just spill it. That will be faster.”