The Poison Flower's Hidden Thorns
Crack!
"Urgh!"
Crunch!
"Ack!"
Screams filled the air, accompanied by the brutal sound of flesh meeting bone.
The sounds came from a young man rolling desperately across the ground.
"Damn it...!"
The youth twisted his body, trying to scramble away, but his frame shuddered once more.
He knew the attack was coming and raised both arms in defense.
Yet the strike tore right through his guard, slamming heavily into his chest.
Thud!
"Gah!"
He was sent flying. The protective qi enveloping his body proved utterly useless, shattering instantly under the impact.
Damn it.
Gritting his teeth, Dongnyong quickly adjusted his stance. He stomped hard against the ground, channeling his internal energy with everything he had.
He whipped a flying dagger from his sleeve, throwing it in a flash, and gripped a short sword the moment the dagger left his hand.
Clang! Clang!
The thrown dagger was deflected, clattering uselessly to the dirt. But that didn't matter. Buying even a fraction of a second was what counted.
However...
Whoosh!
With a rush of wind, something had already closed the distance, slipping right into his blind spot.
Was it an elbow? The moment he identified the strike, his chin was violently jerked upward.
Crack!
"Argh!"
Dongnyong flew through the air from the impact before tumbling across the dirt.
The onlookers swallowed hard, watching the spectacle in stunned silence.
"Unbelievable..."
"Dongnyong is actually..."
The one being so utterly thrashed was none other than one of the Seven Great Talents.
Though he was considered on the weaker side among the seven, he was still hailed as a genius among geniuses of the younger generation.
Furthermore, he was called the second coming of the Poison Sovereign, Dok-jon—the legend who had stood as the Dang Clan's absolute peak and contributed greatly to the victory of the Great War between Orthodox and Unorthodox alongside the Sword Saint, Yoo Chun-gil.
He was supposed to be the one to bring glory to the Dang Clan's name in the future.
Yet here he was, rolling in the dirt like a dog.
Watching this, Do-hyeong and Cheon Ui-jin could only gasp in sheer disbelief.
And they had every reason to be shocked.
After all, the one beating Dongnyong—one of the Seven Great Talents—like a rented mule was...
"How is Lady Dang doing that...?"
None other than his sister, the 'Poison Flower' Dang Ye-ran.
Dang Ye-ran was beating Dongnyong to a pulp without breaking a sweat.
Her small fist cut through the air, burying itself into Dongnyong's solar plexus with terrifying ease.
Crunch!
As if the shockwave alone was devastating, Dongnyong screamed in agony once more.
She was fast, precise, and incredibly strong.
Every single movement carried immense weight. Dang Ye-ran's fluid, unhesitating motions were a marvel to behold.
Wow.
I swallowed hard as I watched the fight unfold.
...She really is stronger than Dongnyong.
I had only half-believed Yoo Chun-gil when he told me that, but seeing it in person was mind-boggling.
I mean, seriously.
She was so clumsy back in the Secret Vault.
The girl who could barely move properly back then was now...
"Aaaaargh!"
...toying with Dongnyong, one of the Seven Great Talents, like he was a child.
...If she was this strong, why did she act like that back then?
Her current display was completely different from before.
Sure, it had been impressive when she stood in front of Palduyeok to block him from reaching me.
But that was just stubbornness and courage.
This was something else entirely.
She's fast.
She was so fast her movements were almost invisible to the naked eye.
...And precise.
Her movements were perfectly controlled, as if she had absolute mastery over her speed.
I was certain of one thing.
I can't beat her.
There was no way I could win against Dang Ye-ran.
It was only logical. I couldn't even beat Dongnyong right now, so how could I possibly defeat Dang Ye-ran, who was currently using him as a punching bag?
Amazing.
It really was. Not only because Yoo Chun-gil was right, but honestly, I had no idea Dang Ye-ran was this powerful.
Right then.
"Damn it! You bitch—!!"
After taking a beating for so long, a change came over Dongnyong. Slipping away from Dang Ye-ran's onslaught for a brief moment, he began to violently flare his internal energy.
"...!"
My body reacted to the sudden surge of power.
This is...
It didn't feel like ordinary fighting spirit. A thick, dark green energy began to seep out of Dongnyong's body, swirling around him like mist.
[Look at that boy go,] Yoo Chun-gil chuckled, sounding amused.
[He must have reached at least the third stage.]
[It is the fourth stage,] Dok-jon corrected him.
[Oh? The fourth?]
As Dok-jon corrected him, Yoo Chun-gil cackled.
[The fourth stage of the Danggamyeonggong at his age? Not bad at all.]
The Danggamyeonggong was the signature cultivation method of the Dang Clan.
It seemed he had reached the fourth stage of it...
Is the fourth stage high?
I didn't know enough about it to say, but judging by Yoo Chun-gil's reaction, it was definitely impressive.
If that old man is actually surprised, that says it all.
For Yoo Chun-gil, who usually looked down on everything in the world, to offer praise meant it had to be extraordinary.
And...
Even I can tell it's amazing.
Just looking at it, I could tell it was anything but ordinary.
"...How dare you," Dongnyong hissed, his body bathed in the green energy. He gripped his short sword and pointed it forward.
Then...
Shhh—!
Huh?
Dongnyong's presence was fading.
He was standing right in front of us, so how was this possible? Even though it was night, lanterns illuminated the courtyard. Yet, even under the bright light, Dongnyong's figure was growing faint, blending into the surroundings.
It was fascinating.
And incredibly dangerous.
...To vanish right before someone's eyes.
What kind of technique was that? He hadn't slipped into the shadows; he was literally fading away right in front of her.
If I had to fight him, that would be a nightmare to deal with.
What was the principle behind it? As I narrowed my eyes, trying to figure it out...
[He is using his qi to erase his presence. At the same time, he is distorting the air around him to create an optical illusion. He has not actually vanished, so use your Moon Eye to see for yourself,] Yoo Chun-gil explained, providing the answer.
The moment I heard that, I focused energy into my eyes.
Tingle.
Energy flooded my vision. Only then did he reappear.
I could see Dongnyong clearly, his body wrapped in a shimmering aura of qi.
...I see.
The movement of the energy around him was indeed peculiar.
So he uses that to create an illusion.
It was fascinating to see what kind of principles were used to achieve such an effect. It felt even more novel since this was my first time witnessing the martial arts of the Dang Clan in action.
I heard they originated as assassins, and seeing this confirms it.
A style utilizing flying daggers and short swords.
Anyone could tell they weren't meant for straightforward, head-on clashes. I had heard rumors about their martial arts, but I never expected them to have a technique that could make someone vanish right before your eyes.
Fighting them would be incredibly dangerous.
Especially on a night like this.
How would one counter a technique like that?
Thanks to the Moon Eye, I could see him clearly now, but what if I didn't have it?
As I pondered this...
[My boy, do not be mistaken. The martial arts of the Dang Clan are not feared merely because of such parlor tricks,] Yoo Chun-gil said, sounding exasperated.
[Have you forgotten why the Dang Clan is a source of terror to all martial artists?]
...Ah.
His words snapped me out of my thoughts. He was absolutely right.
The reason the Dang Clan was feared wasn't because of stealth techniques like this.
Nor was it because of the reputation they gained from the Iron River.
The most dangerous aspect of the Dang Clan was, without a doubt...
Their poison techniques.
The use of poison arts that posed a threat to even the most powerful masters.
That was the most terrifying part.
[Watch closely. At his level, it should be quite a show,] Yoo Chun-gil said, prompting me to focus my attention back on Dongnyong.
Even as the fight was about to resume, Yoo Chun-gil continued his explanation.
[True poison arts do not involve carrying physical poison around to coat one's blade or scatter in the air.]
...They don't carry it?
Then how did they use it? Just as I was struggling to understand, Yoo Chun-gil elaborated.
[From childhood, a martial artist of the Dang Clan is exposed to countless poisons. They ingest them, apply them to their skin, and even cut themselves to rub the toxins directly into their wounds.]
Just hearing about it made my skin crawl. That wasn't training; it was pure torture.
[Because they repeat such training for generations, members of the Dang bloodline are naturally born with a high tolerance to poison. Even so, not many survive the training itself.]
I could easily believe that.
[However, if they do survive, the poisons they have accumulated over the years begin to flow naturally through their muscles and blood.]
[When the poison in their bodies merges with the energy generated by the Dang Clan's cultivation method, it becomes what we call poison qi.]
[Furthermore, since the poison stored in their bodies is not infinite, they must occasionally consume poisonous herbs to replenish it.]
So they filled their bodies with poison through torturous training, and then merged it with their internal energy to use as a weapon?
...And they even have to eat poison to recharge when they run out?
I shuddered at the thought of having to eat poison just to use my martial arts.
[...That bastard. Just spilling another family's secrets like it is nothing,] Dok-jon grumbled, clearly displeased with Yoo Chun-gil's loose tongue, but his reaction only confirmed that it was the truth.
To think one had to endure such things just to become a martial artist of the Dang Clan.
...If it were me, I would have run away on day one.
If I had to undergo that kind of training, I would have bitten my tongue and ended it right there.
[Tsk, tsk. That is why you must watch. A lad of his caliber is bound to become a prominent figure at the very least.]
A descendant of the Dang Clan who had survived that hellish training.
And among them, Dongnyong, hailed as the second coming of the Poison Sovereign.
He began to move, his poison qi surging.
Swish!
Dongnyong lunged at Dang Ye-ran.
A flash of green light erupted from his barely visible form.
His short sword cut through the air, raining down upon Dang Ye-ran.
At that exact moment...
[No, not that way,] Yoo Chun-gil said.
[I told you to look at the real deal in front of you, not that pathetic boy.]
BOOM—!
Along with his voice, Dongnyong was slammed into the ground once again.
"Aaargh!"
The short sword Dongnyong was holding flew into the air.
It looked like he had lost his grip on his weapon.
Dang Ye-ran had reached out, grabbed Dongnyong by the throat, and slammed him face-first into the dirt.
"Urgh!"
Dongnyong thrashed wildly, but Dang Ye-ran refused to let go.
Sizzle—!
Suddenly, a burning sound echoed. The source of the sound was Dongnyong's neck.
What is that?
Starting from where Dang Ye-ran was holding him, Dongnyong's neck began to turn black and charred.
A foul, acrid smell drifted through the air. It didn't smell like burning flesh.
Poisoning...?
He was rapidly succumbing to poison. The way his skin turned a deep, bruised purple was incredibly gruesome.
Was it really okay to leave them like that? Just as concern began to mount in my mind...
"Cough!"
Dongnyong coughed up a spray of blood. A few drops landed directly on the back of Dang Ye-ran's hand.
Immediately...
"...Hic...!"
Dang Ye-ran shuddered violently at the touch of the blood, instantly releasing her grip and leaping away from Dongnyong.
"Gah... *pant*..."
Once Dang Ye-ran backed away, the discoloration on Dongnyong's skin slowly began to fade, returning to normal.
"Ugh... *pant*... *gasp*..."
Though his body trembled, Dongnyong struggled to stand back up. Judging by the fierce glare in his eyes, he had no intention of stopping.
"...U-Ugh..."
Dang Ye-ran, on the other hand, stood frozen, staring at the blood on her hand in sheer panic.
Even though it was just a few drops of blood, she looked as if she was on the verge of a panic attack.
"You... you bitch..."
Dongnyong prepared to lunge at Dang Ye-ran once more, but...
"That is enough."
Thud!
Appearing out of nowhere, the Poison King struck Dongnyong on the back of his head.
With a dull thud, Dongnyong collapsed to the ground, completely unconscious.
"I will not tolerate any more of this."
You already tolerated the whole thing, so what are you talking about? I thought, finding the Poison King's words rather ridiculous.
"First Young Lady."
Leaving the unconscious Dongnyong on the ground, the Poison King addressed Dang Ye-ran.
She clutched her trembling hand with her other hand and looked up at him.
"Y-Yes...?"
The Poison King glanced at her hand before speaking.
"Return to your quarters immediately. Do not leave until you are summoned for your punishment."
"..."
"Answer me."
"I... I understand."
Dang Ye-ran gave a hesitant reply and began to walk away. Just then...
She glanced in our direction.
I thought she was looking at me, but that didn't seem to be the case.
Where was she looking? I shifted slightly and realized.
She was staring at Moyong Yeong-sun.
"Hmm."
Moyong Yeong-sun must have felt her gaze as well, murmuring softly.
"...Well, this is rather unexpected."
A look of profound discomfort crossed her furrowed brow.