Chapter 44
Radiating Charm (1)
Whooosh—!
The moment he raised the Heavenly Divine Art to its maximum, the Elders of the Vault of Heaven immediately began guiding him.
[Fix your mind’s eye upon it—!]
[Stretch both hands toward the earth. Push the innate heavenly energy against the Poison Spirit.]
[If you are too forceful, it will read as a challenge. Push as gently as possible.]
Direct Sight.
Just as the word implied, the Poison Spirit was vividly visible within his mind’s eye.
Its size was truly enormous.
Though its light was dim, a solid black darkness was entrenched at the center of the island, wrapping itself around the whole land.
“Something that huge… can my little bit of innate heavenly energy even handle it?”
Such a doubt was only natural—
Kwooo-ooosh—!
Thoom—!
Sensing the approach of the Heavenly Divine Art, the Poison Spirit stirred violently, shaking the entire island.
A clear refusal.
And yet—
Bzzzt—!
Surprisingly, the innate heavenly energy released by Kang Yong-un melted through the Poison Spirit’s oppressive aura like spring snow, slipping right inside.
“It’s working?!”
At last, he understood.
Why the Elders of the Vault of Heaven had entrusted him—someone with no poison arts at all—with this task.
“You’re a good one…”
Remembering that the Poison Spirit had just begun to awaken spiritual awareness, Yong-un started coaxing it.
“It’s alright—!”
Just as they had said, a newborn spirit was like a blank page. He soothed it as though petting a neighborhood puppy.
“Good boy, good boy…”
Rumble—! Crack—!
The Poison Spirit twisted violently again, shaking the island as if it were writhing in pain.
But—
Buzz—!
The heavenly energy continued to advance.
That massive Poison Spirit seemed to instinctively recognize Yong-un’s energy as a higher form of spirit, and it shrank back.
[Naturally, innate heavenly energy has no power to detoxify poison. But if the poison itself has begun to awaken spiritual awareness, that is an entirely different matter.]
[It is like a master recognizing another master. Do not worry, child. You are not descending into a cave to drink venom and wrestle against it.]
[You are merely allowing the Poison Spirit to be imbued and nurtured through the innate energy, which is none other than the will of Heaven itself…]
Everything became clearer.
As charcoal darkens all who draw near, and cinnabar reddens them—
They wanted the freshly awakened Poison Spirit to be drawn closer to the Heavenly Divine Art, so that it would not fall into corruption.
“It’s okay. I won’t hurt you. Good boy…”
Honestly, it felt ridiculous.
But since the Elders gave no rebuke, he persisted.
“Haha. Let’s get closer, you and I. Isn’t that fine? Good boy…”
How much time had passed?
Perhaps his sincerity had reached it, for the Poison Spirit’s violent thrashing gradually calmed.
“Oh—! It’s working.”
Growing bolder, Yong-un slowly pushed his heavenly energy toward the Poison Spirit’s core.
“See? It’s alright. It’s me…”
Slide—
Like stroking the head of a sulking puppy, he let his energy caress the Poison Spirit.
And then, something astonishing happened.
Rumble—!
The Poison Spirit, which had flinched and twisted as though startled, began to accept the heavenly touch.
“Haha! Look at you—so pretty!”
Swoosh, swoosh—
The more he caressed it with his heavenly energy, the more docile the Poison Spirit became.
No—more than that, it even rubbed itself against him.
It had begun to wholly acknowledge and accept Yong-un’s energy.
“Yes, yes. Hahaha—!”
Laughing with joy, Yong-un spent a long while communing with the Poison Spirit’s essence.
But then—
The Poison Spirit that had been nuzzling his heavenly energy suddenly climbed up along it.
At first he didn’t think much of it.
But that was only the beginning.
Sliiide—!
Gaining speed, it rushed straight up toward him.
“Eh? H-huh—?!”
Before he could react, it slipped right into the center of his palm, surged through his meridians, and settled in his lower dantian as though it belonged there.
“Wha—what is this…?”
What should he do?
Was this really okay?
Confused, Yong-un then heard the voices of the Elders in his mind.
[Hohoho! Well done.]
[Do not worry. The Poison Spirit is simply recognizing you as its master and choosing to serve you. Hohoho.]
Serve him as its master?
The thought left Yong-un both pleased and uneasy.
“Is this really alright? It’s poison, after all. And it’s sitting inside my dantian?”
The Elders gave their answer:
[It is fine. Truly. Hohoho.]
[It is only the spirit of poison—not actual venom.]
[And as long as that spirit stays with you, no poison in this world can ever harm you. Hohoho.]
What else could he say?
The thing had already settled comfortably inside his dantian as if it were its home.
[Hohoho. What are you waiting for? Hurry out and save the Tang family’s boy.]
[If you do not go now, the child afflicted by the Poison Spirit will die soon.]
[And go spread the good news as well. The Poison Spirit has found its master and been pacified. The poison of the Poison Spirit Grounds is now stabilized. The Tang clan’s long-standing burden is resolved. Hahaha.]
There was no time to grumble.
“Sobaek—!”
Yong-un leapt to his feet and dashed toward the inner compound using the Swift Flowing Movement Art.
Meanwhile, in the underground training hall of the Clan Head’s residence—
Tang Se-hwang was locked in a battle of life and death.
“Haa-aap—!”
He poured all his strength into the clan’s hereditary art, the Three Yang Returning to the Origin Skill, trying desperately to expel the venom.
But—
“No, it’s useless—!”
The Poison Spirit that had invaded him would not budge.
Even the blazing yang force, famed for its ability to repel all toxins, was being overwhelmed.
If not for immediately consuming the clan’s treasured antidotes for the Eight Deadly Poisons, he would already be dead.
But even that only bought him fleeting moments.
The Poison Spirit, a culmination of all poisons cultivated over centuries, brushed aside the antidotes without concern.
“…I must already be as good as dead.”
Kwooo-ooosh—!
Like a tidal wave, it surged through his meridians, flooding his heart.
His Pericardium Meridian was overrun.
Then his Yang Heel Vessel.
The Poison Spirit rampaged freely, racing toward his head, heart, and dantian.
“P-please—!”
Tang Se-hwang fought with every fiber of his being, praying for anyone, anything, to save him from this accursed venom.
At that very moment—
“Clan Head—!”
A fierce gust tore into the chamber. Poison Sovereign Tang Gun-woo had arrived.
“I am here, Clan Head.”
“Guhh… cough—coughhh—!”
Se-hwang spewed blood so dark and venomous that the very stone floor it touched sizzled yellow.
“Stay with me, Clan Head.”
Tang Gun-woo swiftly intervened.
With dazzling skill, he struck key meridians to restrain the poison, then pressed his palms against Se-hwang’s Mingmen point.
“Haaap—!”
He channeled the Three Yang Returning Skill, flooding Se-hwang with inner strength.
But it was too late.
The venom had already reached his lungs and heart. Se-hwang’s consciousness faltered, and the skill he had been desperately maintaining began to collapse.
“F-father…”
“Keep circulating—! Now—!”
Tears of blood welled in Gun-woo’s eyes as he poured his qi into his son.
“It’s over—!”
He knew it.
His son, Tang Se-hwang, had crossed the point of no return.
“Even with my power, shouting and guiding while transmitting qi, I can’t save him? This venom… it’s monstrous!”
“Damn this Poison Spirit—!”
Fifteen years.
For so long he had struggled to restrain it, yet made no progress. The blame burned inside him.
“Forgive me, my son—!”
Tears streamed down the weathered cheeks of the aged master, Poison Sovereign Tang Gun-woo.
“Forgive this useless father…”
He had to admit it.
The Poison Spirit’s venom was beyond anyone’s control.
“F-father… please… be well…”
With those faltering words, Se-hwang’s body began to slump.
He had lost.
Lost to the centuries-old, spirit-awakened poison.
“You fool—! Stay with me! Fight harder—! I have not given up! I am still sending you strength! Ahhh—!”
The Poison Sovereign wept.
And outside the chamber—
“Father—!”
“Brother—!”
“Clan Head, please hold on—! You can do this! You are the Clan Head of Tang Family—!”
Desperate cries filled the air.
All of them knew.
Tang Se-hwang, head of the renowned Tang Clan of Sichuan, was fading into the stars.
“Wait—!”
Just then—
An unexpected voice rekindled hope.
“Everyone, step aside.”
It was Kang Yong-un.
The one who had tamed the Poison Spirit had finally arrived.
“I’ve found a way. I might be able to detoxify him. Hurry—!”
“R-really, Yong-un?”
Clutching at straws, Tang Sobaek seized him with desperate eyes.
“Step aside, quickly—!”
Yong-un shouted, his urgency leaving no room for doubt.
“Make way. At once.”
“Please, younger brother.”
Tang Se-myeong and young master Tang Se-hwi pleaded, clearing a path.
Tap—!
Yong-un darted forward, not wasting a single breath.
No time—!
Inside, he quickly surveyed the scene:
Se-hwang sat cross-legged, body collapsing, while behind him the Poison Sovereign poured qi into his Mingmen point.
“Elder Poison Sovereign, don’t give up—please maintain your qi a little longer! I will restrain the poison.”
Seating himself before Se-hwang, Yong-un supported his failing body upright.
It begins.
He placed both palms over Se-hwang’s heart.
And then—
Poison Spirit—! Be good, alright? This is bad. Don’t do this.
He unleashed the Heavenly Divine Art with all his might, coaxing and soothing the Poison Spirit within.
[The training is yours to handle, child.]
[It has already accepted you as its master. If you guide it, it will obey.]
[The wind cannot strip a traveler’s coat, but the warm sun can. Do you understand, child?]
He recalled every word of the Elders’ guidance.
Let it go, little one. Please—!
Twitch—
The Poison Spirit stirred, sluggishly, like a great beast stretching.
It blinked about, as if bored.
Please, Spirit…!
Spirit.
He called it warmly, as if giving it a name.
Reluctantly, the Poison Spirit rose. It flared once in reluctant acknowledgment.
Woom—!
And then—
“Wh-what?! It stopped—!”
The Poison Sovereign’s eyes went wide.
“The Poison Spirit has ceased its movement—!”
But the most astonishing thing… was just beginning.
