Chapter 42
Secret History (2)
The next morning.
“Wahaha! Yongun, let’s eat!”
“Uh-huh—!”
Dragged along by Dang Sobaek, who had come first thing before breakfast, Kang Yongun naturally found himself entering the inner quarters.
“Greet him. This is my elder brother—the heir of our Dang clan, our future head. Hahaha.”
“Pleased to meet you, elder brother. I am Kang Yongun.”
“Hm. Welcome, Yongun. I am Dang Sohwi.”
They exchanged bows with clasped fists.
Perhaps because he had already heard that Kang Yongun had passed the clan head’s trial, Dang Sohwi was exceedingly polite.
“Sit. Let’s eat together.”
“Yes, elder brother.”
Tea came first.
It was Mengding Huangya, a famous yellow tea of Sichuan. Just as Yongun was trying to appreciate its aroma, which he had no real talent for, the clan’s direct elders all entered the dining hall.
“Yongun, greet them. This is my grandfather, the pride of our clan—the Lone Sovereign. And…”
After the Lone Sovereign, he also greeted Dang Se-myeong and Dang Se-geuk, and exchanged names with their sons who had come along.
“I am Kang Yongun.”
“Oh! So you are Sobaek’s friend, Yongun.”
“Good to meet you. Hahaha.”
It seemed everyone had already heard of Yongun passing the trial last night. The elders of the clan responded just like Dang Sohwi—politely, warmly.
‘Not them. Not their sons either…’
Each time he exchanged greetings, Yongun used his inner sight to observe them.
‘If they were under a spell, I’d see a foul knot of energy around the head… but there’s nothing. Not one.’
He saw only the distinctive azure light of Dang clan’s internal energy burning strongly in their dantians.
He paid special attention to their heads, but all were clean.
Truly, a great relief.
“Thank you very much for this warm welcome, Clan Head.”
After finishing the greetings, Kang Yongun beamed at Dang Se-hwang, the clan head.
It was a signal.
That among these people, there were no signs.
“Hahaha, no need for thanks—!”
Having already understood his meaning from yesterday’s conversation, Dang Se-hwang laughed heartily.
“Don’t feel burdened. Treat this as your own home and rest here comfortably. Hahaha.”
“Of course, Clan Head. Hahaha.”
“If you are Sobaek’s friend, then you’re like a nephew to me. Hahaha.”
The atmosphere warmed, and Dang Se-myeong and Dang Se-geuk laughed along, unaware of the hidden message.
Before long, the food arrived.
From Sichuan’s pride, Mapo Tofu, to dishes like Naksan Bongbong Chicken and Osmanthus-Cabbage, famous delicacies filled the table.
‘I worried so much… Phew, what a relief.’
Now more at ease, Kang Yongun ate heartily.
After the meal, Sobaek once again pulled him along.
“Mother—! Your son, Sobaek, is here! Hahaha. Yongun, greet my mother.”
They met his mother, Gwak Yeong-yeong.
“Hohoho, come in. So you are the new friend Sobaek spoke of. I’m glad you came. Rest comfortably while you are here.”
“Yes, Mother.”
Her warm welcome naturally drew the word “Mother” from his lips.
“Alright, let’s go again—!”
Afterward, they toured the inner quarters, meeting female relatives who hadn’t joined the meal—Dang Se-myeong’s wife and daughter, Dang Se-geuk’s wife and daughter, and even attendants and servants. All were unharmed.
At last, the two headed toward a pavilion at the end of the inner court.
“Look forward to this, Yongun.”
For some reason, Dang Sobaek’s voice carried unusual excitement.
‘Who is he planning to introduce me to?’
Sobaek chuckled.
“She’s the one who made Jo Yeon visit our estate almost every day back then. Hahaha.”
That only made Yongun more curious.
“Hey, Soso—! Your brother is here! Hahaha.”
‘Soso? His younger sister?’
Soon, the door opened.
“Why such racket in the morning, brother?!”
A stunningly beautiful young woman appeared, dazzling to the eyes.
‘An ice flower.’
That was the thought she evoked instantly.
It was Dang Soso.
“Hahaha. I wanted to introduce you to someone. This is the man.”
Sobaek pushed Yongun forward.
“Uh—”
“Don’t be shy! This is my younger sister, Soso. Pretty, isn’t she?”
While Yongun floundered, Sobaek played host all on his own.
“Ugh, again?”
Soso frowned in irritation, shaking her head.
“Last time you brought a friend and caused me trouble… Please leave, brother. It’s training time.”
Her voice was cold as ice, dismissing them outright.
But—
“She’s always like this, Yongun. No matter that she’s a daughter of the Dang clan, what girl is so obsessed with martial arts…”
Sobaek paid no mind, even whispering in Yongun’s ear for Soso to hear.
“Embarrassing as it is, her martial skill is far above mine. What was it she said? That she has no interest in men weaker than her? She’s twenty-two now, yet still provokes grandfather and father with such talk. Hahaha.”
“Brother—!”
Soso shouted furiously, her eyes blazing.
“If you keep this up, I’ll never look at your face again. Do you understand?!”
The force of her words was sharp and fierce, startling even Yongun, who’d been pushed forward.
‘Wow. Jo Yeon must’ve had nerves of steel, falling for her and coming here every day?’
But then Sobaek said,
“You see? That’s why Jo Yeon got so scared he didn’t come here for a year. Moderate yourself, brother!”
Ah. Not nerves of steel after all.
‘He was smitten with her face, came around a few times, then got scared off by her fire.’
It made perfect sense.
“It is an honor to meet you, lady.”
Yongun offered a formal bow, then glanced at Sobaek with a small nod.
‘She’s fine.’
Meaning it was safe.
Even the attendants nearby showed no signs of corruption.
Understanding the signal, Sobaek grinned and led Yongun away.
“Come. If she unleashes her Cold Palm, we’ll be in trouble.”
“Brother—!”
Startled, Sobaek shoved Yongun ahead and bolted.
“Whoa—!”
“Wahaha! Don’t spend all your life in martial arts, Soso. See the world too!”
Watching the two vanish toward the outer court, Soso’s eyes glimmered strangely.
“What a pure man. How did my brother befriend someone like that?”
Even she could see it—the purity in Kang Yongun.
“Good. At least he’s not like Jo Yeon, with eyes full of greed, as if he could have anything.”
Then she strode outside.
“Today, I must—!”
Her eyes set with determination as she moved off somewhere.
Half an hour later.
For all that time, Sobaek led Kang Yongun around the Dang estate.
“Greetings, I am Kang Yongun.”
He bowed earnestly, checking each person.
‘Good. No one.’
There was no trace of the foul, corrupt energy of the heretical cult.
They toured all the important facilities—the Heavenly Hand Pavilion, where the clan’s famed hidden weapons were crafted, and the Venom Institute, where poisons were studied. Yongun even met cousins and branch family members.
But then—
‘Huh?!’
At the Venom Institute, it happened.
Wooong—!
As he stepped forward, a strange resonance pierced into his spirit.
‘What… what is that?’
He turned instinctively.
There, beyond what seemed a wall, his inner sight caught a faint mass of strange light.
‘A dim black glow.’
It was clearly not someone’s internal energy.
No presence of life, no trace of Dang clan’s azure energy.
‘A sealed space.’
From beyond that wall, the glow asserted its presence.
‘Even without being human energy, it radiates such force?’
What could it be? An animal? No—no animal’s presence was felt.
Then what?
“What are you staring at?”
A branch family member followed his gaze and asked curiously.
“Ah! It seemed there might be a space beyond that wall.”
“Oh—sharp eye.”
“Impressive. You noticed that?”
They looked at him with curiosity, but none explained what was within.
“Yongun—!”
“Ah?!”
Called by Sobaek, Yongun turned back with a bright smile, nodding.
“Haha, really?!”
Seeing his face relax, Sobaek too brightened with relief.
“Alright, let’s move on!”
“Alright.”
And so they left the Venom Institute.
Another half hour later—
“That’s everyone.”
“So it’s finished?”
“Yes. Hahaha.”
Looking satisfied, as if a burden had been lifted, Sobaek grinned.
“I haven’t missed anyone, right?”
“Pretty much.”
“Pretty much?”
“Hmm, wait.”
Sobaek closed his eyes, recalling the places they’d been, counting the people.
Then suddenly—
“Ah!”
As if remembering, he opened his eyes wide.
“There’s one left.”
“One? Who?”
“A branch relative… let’s see. Yes, he’d be a seventh-uncle to me.”
“What does he do?”
“Detoxification. Naturally, he’s with the Venom Institute.”
Spark.
Yongun’s eyes lit up.
“The Venom Institute?”
“Yes, the Venom Institute.”
Yongun’s gaze narrowed.
He remembered that faint black glow, the resonance in his spirit.
“Hey, Yongun. Why the face?”
Sobaek tilted his head, puzzled. Yongun had said there were no signs of the cult, yet suddenly looked grim.
“It’s nothing. Just… thinking.”
“Pfft, you startled me—! I thought you sensed the cultist’s foul energy again—!”
But no.
That wasn’t it.
The heretic’s energy was always foul and tinged pink.
‘This dim black glow, this resonance—it was nothing like that.’
It felt almost fitting for the Dang clan.
‘It definitely originates from within the Dang family.’
Feeling oddly apologetic, Yongun quickly changed the subject.
“Where is he now—the one I haven’t met?”
“Why? You want to see him?”
“Well, I took the trial from the Clan Head and toured the estate. Shouldn’t I meet everyone properly?”
“That’s true, but…”
Sobaek trailed off. After seeing everyone was fine, it now seemed unnecessary.
“You don’t know where he is?”
“Well, if we ask at the Venom Institute, they’d know where he is…”
Again, his words dragged.
By now even Yongun felt it might be needless.
‘Right, it should be fine.’
Everyone else had been safe.
“Let’s just leave him for later and go to the Poison Grounds—”
But just then—
“Seventh Uncle—!”
Sobaek suddenly brightened, waving past Yongun.
“Yongun, that’s him. The one you haven’t met—the one in charge of detoxification at the Venom Institute. My Seventh Uncle.”
“Oh, I see… Huh?!”
Yongun turned—and his eyes narrowed sharply.
‘A heretic—?!’
