Chapter 286 : Poisoned (2)

Chapter 286: Poisoned (2)

As I was heading to the Sky Ocean Escort Agency, a man blocked my path.

Behind him stood a girl with her hair braided into two pigtails.

“So you’re the one who became the disciple of the Heavenly Sword Hero?”

Though his expression brimmed with discontent, he seemed to be a resident of the merchant union, so I greeted him with proper courtesy.

“Yes, I’m Ha Cheollyeong.”

“Your eyes are bright and keen—you look smart.”

“May I ask for your name?”

Though I didn’t know who he was, since we were facing each other, I asked for his name.

“I am Tang Cheolgi of the Tang Clan.”

“Ah.”

I recalled the man who had recently been mentioned as someone to be wary of in the Sky Ocean Merchant Union.

‘Master told me there’s a nasty and petty man from the Tang Clan named Tang Cheolgi. He warned me to be careful if I ever met him.’

But instead of showing concern, I looked at Tang Cheolgi with admiration and said,

“Master once told me that the one who will soon become most renowned in the murim for poison is none other than Tang Cheolgi. He also said that your heroic presence makes others hesitant to even approach you. It’s an honor to meet you like this.”

As I spoke with a genuinely impressed expression, Tang Cheolgi’s face slowly turned into a smile.

“Wahahahaha! Your master clearly knows how to judge people. Indeed, I will soon reign supreme in the murim through poison.”

Tang Cheolgi had held onto resentment against Yong Hwarin for what had happened at the Ssanghwa Pavilion.

But hearing such praise about himself from the disciple melted away that bitterness completely.

“In the current murim, the only one who can truly match me in a duel is the Heavenly Sword Hero. That’s right. You should learn from your master’s greatness. And if you ever have questions about poison, feel free to come to me anytime. I would never tell anyone else, but for you, I’d gladly teach you.”

Tang Cheolgi burst into hearty laughter as he said this.

“Duhwa, let’s go.”

“Yes, Uncle.”

Tang Duhwa was the youngest daughter of the eldest son of the Tang Clan’s Clan Head, born much later in life.

Her boldness knew no bounds, and her unpredictable words and actions made even the Tang Clan struggle to handle her.

So much so that when she insisted on following Tang Cheolgi to the Sky Ocean Merchant Union, rumors spread that the Clan Head permitted it without hesitation.

Tang Duhwa looked at me and said,

“Young Master Ha.”

“Yes, speak, Lady.”

“You’re pretty good.”

“In what way, do you mean?”

Her expression suddenly changed as she opened her mouth again.

“Hey, don’t pretend to be an adult. Seeing how you handled my uncle, you’re clearly no ordinary guy. I don’t think your master actually said that about my uncle. Seeing that, I think you’ll become someone important.”

I shook my head with a clueless expression.

“I do not know what Lady refers to. My master personally told me as such.”

“Only those who turn their enemies into allies can truly succeed. In that sense, you’re quite impressive. And that makes you worthy of being my friend. More than anything, you’re the disciple of the Heavenly Sword Hero, whom I respect.”

Feeling that Tang Duhwa was bold and forward, I responded with formality.

“It seems, Lady Tang, you may be misunderstanding something.”

“I said don’t pretend to be an adult. This is a secret, but I’m going to marry the Young Master Yong of the Heavenly Sword Hero someday. So we’re not strangers, you and I. I’ll be your master's wife, after all.”

At her audacious words, I was momentarily at a loss for what to say.

How could I respond to a young girl boldly declaring she’d become my master’s wife?

“What do you think? Do you think I can become the wife of the Heavenly Sword Hero?”

I tried to suppress the laughter bubbling up inside. Her expression was so serious, but the fact that she was pondering such things made her seem absolutely amusing.

“Isn’t that something to consider ten years from now? Lady is still quite young.”

“What are you talking about? It’s been over a year since I came of age to bear children.”

I stared blankly at Tang Duhwa, not quite understanding what she meant.

“Anyway, keep that in mind.”

I replied with a chuckle.

“But if you want to become the wife of my master, then you shouldn’t treat his disciple like this. Wouldn’t it be bad if I reported poorly of you to him?”

“Huh? Now that you mention it, you’re right. Fine. What do you want? I’ll give you whatever you ask.”

I shook my head in disbelief at her wild behavior.

As Jeong Minji stared blankly out the window, lost in deep thought, Jeong Suji chided her.

“You’re thinking about Young Master Yong again, aren’t you?”

At those words, Jeong Minji blushed.

She missed Yong Hwarin so much it was driving her crazy. He popped into her mind constantly, at all hours.

“I finally understand what the phrase ‘a day feels like a thousand autumns’ means.”

It meant that yearning for the one you love made a single day feel like a thousand years. As Jeong Minji uttered those words so naturally, Jeong Daji, who had been eating, looked at her in shock.

“At this rate, you’re going to recite a love poem.”

“I could if I wanted to.”

And with that, Jeong Minji actually began reciting a poem about longing. Jeong Suji and Jeong Daji looked at each other, faces aghast.

They had never seen this side of their older sister before—so sentimental and emotional.

“They say only by falling in love can one truly taste the bitterness and sweetness of life. But no matter how delicious the food is, without the one I love beside me, it tastes bitter to me.”

As their sister barely touched her food, Jeong Daji spoke up.

“Once the meal’s over, we’re heading out. So eat something, Sister. There’s no guarantee we’ll stop by another inn on the way.”

The two younger sisters were worried—since parting from Yong Hwarin, their sister had barely eaten.

“Alright.”

Jeong Minji reached for her food listlessly, but then suddenly scowled and looked at Jeong Suji, who had set down her chopsticks with a frown.

“What’s this? Why does the food taste like this?”

Jeong Suji, known for both her personality and picky palate, looked toward the kitchen with clear displeasure.

“Why is it so tasteless?”

Jeong Suji questioned the jeomsoi.

“I’m not sure what you mean. Our inn’s cook is quite well-known in this area.”

“What good is being famous if the food tastes bad?”

As Jeong Suji stirred up a fuss, Jeong Daji began tasting the food carefully.

“It might be poisoned.”

Before setting out into the murim, the three sisters had studied poisons thoroughly and could detect traces of toxins in food.

“Poison and food ingredients don’t mix well—so even a tiny bit of poison changes the flavor. Experts don’t identify poison by taste—they notice that something tastes off compared to what they’re used to. That’s why martial artists always order familiar dishes. If you don’t know what it’s supposed to taste like, you won’t know if it’s poisoned.”

Jeong Daji glared at the jeomsoi as she spoke.

“So you’re saying the food is poisoned?”

In truth, ever since Jeong Suji said the food was bad, the three sisters had quietly circulated their qi to confirm whether poison was present.

If there was poison in the food, both the warriors of Jeong Family Manor and Geum Clan Manor who dined at the inn could have been poisoned, so they were extremely cautious.

However, no trace of poison could be detected.

“What I meant is that this food tastes as bad as if it had been poisoned.”

Only then did the jeomsoi bow and speak.

“Shall I prepare a fresh meal and bring it out?”

“No need. We’re in a hurry, so we’ll just leave, but we’re not paying the full price.”

When Jeong Daji said that, the innkeeper came out and bowed his head.

“I apologize. It seems today’s cook may be unwell, so the food didn’t turn out right. Please pay only half the cost.”

Honestly, even if they had demanded full payment, there was nothing they could do.

But since he said to pay only half, they quickly paid and left the inn.

Once Jo Gyeongmae and Geum Myeongryeol finished their short rest and came out, the group departed once more toward Shaolin Temple.

As soon as they were gone, the innkeeper and the jeomsoi grinned.

“They almost found out. To think they nearly noticed the poison.”

“But it’s not actual poison, so they couldn’t know.”

“Those people will never realize they’ve been poisoned by Sachi Poison. Even circulating qi won’t detect it—Sachi Poison is just like that.”

“That’s why Sachi Poison isn’t even called a poison.”

Sachi Poison (死臭毒) was an extremely rare toxin, not even well known among poison handlers, and it originated from the Heavenly Demon Sect.

When ingested, it caused loss of smell—so severe that even if dung was placed nearby, the person wouldn’t be able to detect its stench.

It was a type of anesthetic poison that caused loss of smell for about a day.

Because it targeted the olfactory sense through taste, it couldn’t be detected through qi circulation.

“Poisoning experts is very difficult. Even the slightest trace of poison is usually sensed. But if you use Sachi Poison to dull their sense of smell first, and then release the poison, they can’t even tell if it's poison or fragrance.”

This method had been frequently used by the Heavenly Demon Sect long ago when targeting orthodox experts.

Even top-level masters had been poisoned to death with this technique more than once.

“Our task is complete. The rest will be handled by this Jo.”

The jeomsoi and innkeeper left, heading not back into the inn, but to another location.

The parties from Jeong Family Manor and Geum Clan Manor rode for about two hours before dismounting upon reaching a small stream.

Along the journey, they had to rest their weary hips from time to time and water the horses if they were to endure the long journey.

If they pushed the horses without rest, even the finest mounts would collapse in two days.

So whenever they came across a stream, they didn’t hesitate to let the horses drink.

And during that brief time, the people also took a break.

There was a small stream along the quiet road, with tree shade nearby, making it the perfect spot to rest.

The group all sat under the trees to cool off their sweat for a moment.

Although autumn leaves had begun to fall, the sunlight was still harsh.

Throughout the long journey, Jeong Minji hadn’t exchanged much conversation with her mother. She resented being separated from Yong Hwarin and avoided her except for brief formal greetings.

The longer the trip to Shaolin Temple went on, the more she questioned whether she even needed to be brought along.

She couldn’t help but feel dejected, thinking how much more enjoyable the journey would’ve been if she had gone with Yong Hwarin.

Jo Gyeongmae had hoped that by traveling with Geum Yujin, she might engage in more conversation with her daughter, but that expectation crumbled in less than a day.

Jeong Minji didn’t even glance at Geum Yujin, yet he kept hovering around her.

As they rested, Jeong Suji asked Jo Gyeongmae a question.

“Mother, I’ve been curious about something for a while now. May I ask?”

“Go ahead.”

“When we left the manor, you once said the master of the Black Silk Celestial Silkworm is our master. If that’s true, does that mean Young Master Geum is our master?”

It was something she had always wanted to ask.

After all, their elder sister used that reasoning to follow Yong Hwarin around, and now that Geum Yujin possessed the Black Silk Celestial Silkworm, that might imply he was their master instead.

To that, Geum Clan Manor Head Geum Myeongryeol replied.

“That is not the case. To be precise, the one acknowledged by the Four Great Divine Items is considered the master of the Four Great Clans. Long ago, the ancestors of each clan exchanged the Four Divine Items and made a pact: the one recognized by them would be our master.”

“Ah, that’s what it means?”

“But then, how do you know if someone is recognized by the Four Divine Items?”

“The ancestors decided that the owners of the Four Divine Items would test each other’s skill, and the victor in the duel would be acknowledged as the master of the Four Great Clans.”

The three sisters quietly thought about Geum Yujin and Yong Hwarin, wondering who seemed more fitting as their master.

Then Jeong Suji spoke seriously.

“Unni, you must master the Vermilion Grand Flame Art perfectly. Then you defeat the owners of the Four Divine Items. That way, you become everyone’s master. Just imagine—it’d be amazing.”

Geum Myeongryeol gave a soft smile at Jeong Suji’s bold words.

And Jo Gyeongmae also smiled slightly, seemingly pleased with her second daughter’s competitive spirit.

Suddenly, Jeong Minji sniffed the air and stood up.

“What is this smell? Something’s stinging my nose.”

At her words, Jeong Suji and Jeong Daji turned to look at their sister.

“What are you talking about? I don’t smell anything. Did you fart?”

Jeong Daji looked at Jeong Suji as she said that, and Jeong Suji glared.

“What nonsense are you spouting?”

“Am I the only one smelling this? Mother, do you not smell anything?”

“I don’t smell anything either. What smell are you talking about?”

Jo Gyeongmae frowned at her eldest daughter’s fussing.

“That’s strange. Why am I the only one smelling it?”

Among them, the only one who hadn’t eaten at the inn was Jeong Minji. That was why she alone hadn’t been poisoned by the Sachi Poison and was able to detect the scent of poison.

As she sniffed the air for a moment, Jeong Minji sensed the strange fragrance was poison and shouted,

“Everyone, stop breathing. This is poison!”

At her words, Geum Yujin sprang up and positioned himself beside Jeong Minji, shielding her. Among the group, the one who trusted Jeong Minji’s words the most was indeed Geum Yujin.

“What are you saying, Unni? There’s no poisonous scent.”

As she said that and began circulating her qi just in case, she suddenly clutched her chest.

“Urgh! It really is poison.”

When Jeong Daji cried out in shock, everyone tried circulating their qi and immediately turned pale. While they were resting, they had only watered the horses and didn’t think to circulate their qi, so no one had noticed the nature of the poison.

“Search the surroundings!”

At Jeong Minji’s command, they scanned the area near the stream.

“How strange. There’s no one here. Then who released the poison?”

There was no trace of anyone nearby. If someone had released the poison, there should’ve been a culprit, but the absence of anyone was suspicious.

However, after about a few breaths, the sound of horse hooves echoed, and dozens of martial artists appeared.

Jeong Minji saw the approaching figures and her expression hardened.

“Those are the ones who attacked the Namgung Family.”

The approaching enemies were wearing the same martial attire as those who had assaulted the Namgung Family.

“Then they must be the subordinates brought by the First Young Master of the Heavenly Demon Sect.”

At Jeong Suji’s exclamation, someone dropped from the sky.

“I didn’t expect such beautiful women to still remember this Young Master.”

Behind Yang Gwak, Eum Sajuk, Hong A-yul, Jo Heon, and Dong Oh descended in succession.

Seeing the detestable face of Eum Sajuk here made it clear who had released the poison.

“Eum Sajuk! Was it you who spread the poison?”

As Jeong Suji lashed out at him, Eum Sajuk muttered under his breath.

“I’m not capable of such things. It was all done by the First Elder.”

At that, Yang Gwak stepped forward and cupped his fist toward the members of the Geum Clan Manor and Jeong Family Manor.

“Pleased to make your acquaintance. I am Yang Gwak. If you resist, you will die. If you come quietly, you will be treated as honored guests.”

As he spoke, Yang Gwak’s eyes were icy cold beyond belief.