The Poisoned Maiden’s Final Waltz
Following the request from Geum Ye-hwa, the group headed straight for the Third Mausoleum, which had recently been discovered. The area surrounding the tomb was shrouded in an eerie, unnatural silence.
“It’s so quiet, I don’t even hear the common sound of insects.”
“That’s because the martial forces of both sides are unleashing their Qi without restraint.”
When Seong-jin expressed his wonder, Young-myeong replied. Having been part of the Mount Hua Sect and experienced large-scale battles between masters, Young-myeong understood the situation all too well.
“Humans can endure the pressure, but beasts cannot.”
The Qi of a Murim master was not something even other martial artists could easily withstand. How could mere creatures survive a pressure that made it difficult for ordinary people to even stand?
“The masters on both sides are emitting Qi to suppress the opposing force while protecting their own. The martial artists protected by their allies are fine, but the wildlife nearby is dying off.”
Young-myeong and Dan Mok-cheong looked visibly uncomfortable; the Qi storm generated by the clash of the two forces was making it difficult for them to breathe. Seong-jin, however, remained calm—as if the Qi from both the Murim Alliance and the Green Forest Path recognized him as one of their own.
“Brother Joo, you look fine. How are you holding up?”
“I’ve devised a new breathing technique to match the Qi in the area.”
“What?”
“I will recite the incantation now, so please circulate your energy accordingly.”
“What???”
Seong-jin had improvised a formula tailored to the two men on the spot. Since birth, any slight error in his own energy circulation would result in agony, as if his entire body were being pierced with red-hot pokers. Thanks to that, he had reached a realm where his control over energy flow was unmatched by any absolute master; creating a simple incantation was child’s play.
“Is this an incantation for Sound Arts?”
“It is a Qi resonance that distinguishes friend from foe. By matching the unique frequency without resisting the flow, you can be recognized as an ally. I’ve adjusted it to fit the internal energy techniques you’ve already mastered, so please try it.”
“You created a new martial art right here on the spot?”
It sounded absurd, but they were both masters on the verge of the Supreme Realm. As soon as they heard the formula, they understood its structure and realized Seong-jin’s words were true. It was a purely defensive incantation, devoid of any offensive capability, designed solely to protect the body from external Qi.
“As expected of Master Joo!”
Dan Mok-cheong began to circulate his energy the moment he grasped the content, and he soon regained his composure. Young-myeong watched him in bewilderment before he, too, began to circulate the energy.
“This should be enough for us to move freely. Let’s go.”
Although they had come with an official request from the Murim Alliance, they did not join the nearby Alliance troops. If they made contact while the Green Forest Path was watching, they would be subject to interference.
“We will enter the Formation directly as neutral third parties. Once we are inside, we won’t have to worry about being tracked.”
Young-myeong and Dan Mok-cheong nodded at Seong-jin’s tactical explanation. The plan prepared by the General Affairs Office included second and third contingencies, ensuring they could escape even in the worst-case scenario. Of course, Seong-jin had no intention of leaving the uninvited guests behind.
They moved as if they were simply passing by, reaching the limit where the martial artists wouldn't pay them any mind, and then, in an instant, they sprinted toward the mausoleum.
“Who are you people!”
“We’ve come on a rescue mission. We’re short on time, so step aside.”
“Huh? Did the Chief send you?”
Because they were circulating the Sound Arts formula, they appeared to be allies to the Green Forest Path members.
“Stop right there!”
“Since the bandits let you through, you must be some low-life from the Demonic Sect!”
“We are on official business, so open the path.”
“Uh? Uh?”
Passing the Murim Alliance patrol next, they didn't slow down, instead accelerating their energy circulation. A refined Qi that didn't look like that of the Demonic Sect emanated from them. The patrol stood at attention.
“Thank you for your hard work! Seniors!”
As they passed the patrol, Young-myeong muttered in disbelief.
“I can’t tell if their military discipline is tight or if it’s a complete mess.”
Dan Mok-cheong shot him a look that said, ‘You’re the one saying that?’ but Young-myeong ignored him.
The group utilized their movement techniques to pass through the camps of the Green Forest Path and the Murim Alliance in an instant. Seong-jin, heading straight for the entrance of the mausoleum, drew his sword and sliced through the Formation.
To an outsider, it looked like he was simply making a hole and squeezing through. However, injecting external energy while maintaining the Formation without breaking its effect was a feat akin to dropping tea leaves into a well and steeping only a single drop of water. It was a miraculous skill, selecting one drop from the mixed water without affecting the rest. Thanks to that miraculous move, the group entered the Formation without any resistance.
“If you could do that, why not bring a large force from the Murim Alliance?”
“The three of us were the limit. If the total amount of energy entering the Formation exceeds this, it will begin to collapse.”
It was a Severing Formation that cut through space. If such a formation were broken by force rather than dismantled through the proper sequence, those inside would likely be erased from existence. It was a method the Murim Alliance, which could not easily discard human lives, could never use.
“Let’s proceed.”
The corridor leading to the inner chamber was decorated with murals, just like before.
‘It’s the same content as before.’
The murals were repeated in case the ones in the previous mausoleum had been lost. However, that was only true for the corridor. The Third Mausoleum’s corridor, far more magnificent than the previous ones, proved that this was the true tomb.
“I can feel Qi from inside. It’s good news that those who lost contact are alive, but it seems they are in the middle of a battle.”
The Murim Alliance and Green Forest martial artists trapped in the Formation were still fighting each other. Realizing this, the group picked up the pace and soon entered the grand cavern.
* * *
Ham Bi-so belatedly noticed the blade coming toward her face and raised her Protective Qi to take the hit with her head. The battle had been going on for days. Her mind was so hazy she was barely maintaining her conditioned reflexes.
It was a Formation saturated with massive energy. Time inside the Formation flowed differently than outside, and they had been fighting for at least four days since losing contact.
“We cannot hand over the Heavenly Demon’s legacy to those bastards! Block them! Even if you have to throw your bodies, block them!”
This was all because of that idiot from the Zhuge Clan. Because that man, unable to hide his true intentions due to fatigue, had forbidden retreat, her colleagues were lying dead in someone else’s tomb one by one.
‘If only that bastard weren’t here…!’
However, just because Zhuge Hyuk drew Ham Bi-so’s glare didn't mean he had to care about the opinions of his subordinates. If he had that, his position as the next Clan Head was guaranteed. But if he lost it? Zhuge Hyuk himself would be ousted. It wouldn't just be a reprimand for missing an opportunity within the clan; he would become an enemy to the sects that were the original owners of the treasure. And it was always easier to prevent someone you disliked from becoming Clan Head than it was to make your preferred candidate the leader.
“We must, we must stop them…!”
While Zhuge Hyuk was being pathetic, it was the members of the Arangdae who suffered.
“Damn it, is it really right to keep listening to that bastard in this situation?”
Ham Bi-so gritted her teeth in the middle of the battle. Surprisingly, the people inside the Formation could leave at any time. It was just that once they left, they could never re-enter. The Arangdae had already been fighting the Green Forest Path for days without supplies. Since there was no food in a tomb where the dead were buried, they had to fight while starving once their rations ran out. But more serious was the lack of water. No matter how superhuman martial artists were, there was a limit to how long they could last without water. Especially in an extreme situation where life-and-death battles were constant.
“How many have died already? At this rate, we’re all going to die, never mind the Heavenly Demon’s tomb!”
Zhuge Hyuk, the eldest son of the Zhuge Clan and a member of the Murim Alliance’s Law Enforcement Department, insisted that they keep fighting the Green Forest Path until reinforcements arrived, claiming they couldn't let the treasure of the Righteous Faction be stolen. It was difficult to outright refuse him. For the Arangdae, they couldn't ignore the orders of the Zhuge Clan, one of the Murim Alliance’s patrons, and since it was true they couldn't hand over the treasure to the Green Forest Path, they couldn't retreat. The problem was that reinforcements weren't coming. Thanks to that, 30% of the Arangdae members were dead or crippled, and nearly half were in a state of combat incapacity.
“If you have the energy to talk, go help the others.”
“Damn it, what do those bandits eat to have so much energy left?”
Ham Bi-so grumbled at Byeok Wol-rang’s words and swung her saber. Unlike the Arangdae and Zhuge Clan martial artists who had been suffering from food shortages, the Green Forest side seemed to have prepared thoroughly, as their food supply still looked plentiful. During the lull, if you sharpened your senses, you could even smell the meat they were grilling. It went without saying that no matter how skilled you were, if the difference in supplies was this great, the chances of winning were slim. At this rate, they would starve to death first.
“At this point, wouldn't it be better if I just released poison in here and we all went out and wiped everyone inside out? What’s so great about that treasure anyway!”
Ham Bi-so, who was venting her frustration in the middle of the battlefield, caught the enemy commander’s eye.
Flash!
“Ham Bi-so!”
As the light flashed, Byeok Wol-rang called her name and threw his body forward. In that split second, Byeok Wol-rang saw the arrow pierce through his Fist Qi.
‘Got it…!’
He diverted the arrow’s trajectory at the cost of crushing his right hand. It was a fatal injury, but a cheap exchange compared to a life. Just as he was satisfied and tried to look after Ham Bi-so, the tip of the arrow turned back toward her.
“What…?”
The arrow fired by the supreme archer was imbued with the Unity of Body and Sword, which possessed a homing effect. Whether the opponent dodged or not, it was an arrow that would chase its target for 10 or 20 years. There was no way to avoid it. One could only mitigate its power by layering shields over the target. His left hand was added over his crushed right hand. The supreme master’s arrow pierced even that. His body, which had raised Protective Qi, was added over his split left hand. The supreme master’s arrow pierced even that. True Qi flowed from his punctured lower abdomen.
“Ah, damn it, I’m already hungry.”
I spilled everything I had in me. Byeok Wol-rang couldn't leave any final words and collapsed. Ham Bi-so’s scream rang out immediately after.
“I’ll kill you, I’ll kill you all…!”
Poisonous energy flowed from between her clenched teeth. Ham Bi-so, who had been modified into a Poison Human after living in a state of constant poisoning since childhood, was a martial artist whose bodily fluids were all toxic. It was Byeok Wol-rang who had saved her when she was a test subject for the Poison Valley. It was also Byeok Wol-rang who had found the Blood Poison Wine for her, as she was destined to die because she couldn't handle her own poison. The moment everything shattered before the eyes of the woman who had decided to live her whole life for Byeok Wol-rang.
“If you like this stinking cave so much, just die here!”
As Ham Bi-so shed tears of blood and raised her Origin True Qi, massive poisonous energy erupted and began to fill the mausoleum.
“Crazy, someone stop her!”
“Evacuate! Evacuate for now!”
Even in the midst of that, the orders of the Arangdae and the Zhuge Clan conflicted, adding to the chaos. Sensing the enemies’ confusion, the Green Forest’s supreme master fired arrows imbued with the Unity of Body and Sword one after another. The allied supreme master used the Arangdae as a shield, saving his own Unity of Body and Sword instead of receiving them.
“Ahahahaha!”
Poison mist, so thick the color was visible to the naked eye, erupted in all directions. Perhaps realizing that keeping her alive would cause even more damage to the Murim Alliance, even the incoming arrows stopped. In that situation, Ham Bi-so hugged Byeok Wol-rang. He was already hovering between life and death. There was no way he could endure breathing in the poison mist from the closest possible distance to her.
“I’ll give it back. Since it was something you gave me.”
Ham Bi-so kissed the unconscious Byeok Wol-rang. She passed the Blood Poison Wine she had hidden on the tip of her tongue. When Ham Bi-so lifted her head, she, having lost the wine, was unable to see because her corneas had been damaged by her own poison. She would soon lose control of the poison and fall into Qi Deviation, but that was fine. She would have to release all the poison she had to break through the Green Forest’s encirclement anyway. For Ham Bi-so, whose bodily fluids were all poison, releasing all her poison meant disregarding her own survival and using even her own blood as a weapon.
“Haha.”
Her blood was draining away, and the sensation from her fingertips was fading, but it wasn't a bad feeling. Only the last sensation she felt in the haze was repeating in her mouth. Her first kiss tasted of metallic blood.
“Ahahah!”
She did it. She really did it.
‘I decided to live my whole life for Byeok Wol-rang.’
She had wanted to help his life in any way she could. So she killed her true feelings. Because she thought that getting involved with a broken human like herself was the perfect way to ruin his life.
‘I couldn't hold back because I thought it was the last time.’
As a result of being honest with herself for the first time, Ham Bi-so’s spirit was more uplifted than ever.
“Returning to Truth.”
Her Upper Dantian glowed white-hot. The True Qi built up with poison returned to poison. Having been reborn as a Super First-rate master, she realized she could freely change True Qi into poison and poison into True Qi using the Returning to Truth technique.
“So I was finally able to hold you at the very end.”
Her body had never been able to touch anyone else due to the poison within. Ham Bi-so held her loved one for the first time without worry. The enemies around her looked at her, laughing while spewing poison, like she was a madwoman, but it didn't matter. What meaning did the gazes of others have when she was about to die? Ham Bi-so decided to be honest with the inner girlishness she had been ignoring until now. If you’ve had a crush for over 10 years, couldn't you take a kiss before you die? And so, she killed the Green Forest members while laughing, broke through the path while holding Byeok Wol-rang, and collapsed after being hit by an arrow with the exit in sight.
‘Ah, I can’t…’
The exit appeared in her blurred vision. But her legs, hit by the arrow, would no longer move. She couldn't send Byeok Wol-rang out with legs that wouldn't move.
“You useless thing. Move, just move.”
She was a body raised as a Poison Human, unable to touch the person she loved her whole life. But she had never resented her own body as much as she did now.
“What a crazy bitch.”
Just as Ham Bi-so was slapping her own legs, a Green Forest archer appeared before her.
“Releasing poison in such an enclosed space. Do you really want us all to die?”
“Do I care? There should only be corpses in a graveyard. The living should live under the sunlight.”
“Fine, then I’ll turn you into a corpse too.”
Just as she was about to have her head cut off before she died of her own poison, the voice of a guest martial artist she had secretly marked as a junior of the Arangdae rang out, and her True Qi began to stabilize.
“I will attempt True Qi Guidance, so please do not resist.”
Reinforcements had finally arrived.