Episode 209. A Poison That Poisons Even a Serpent (1)

Tang Sowol had succeeded in developing a new poison.

“Ooh! So this is the one…!”

The Ice Palace Lord peered into the small cup containing a black liquid, marveling at it.

“There’s definitely an unusual energy about it. At the very least, it doesn’t seem like something even a Sub-Perfection master could easily handle. It’s not the kind of poison that would affect someone just from smelling it, right? Hahaha!”

Perhaps it was because the request he had only half-believed in returned with far better results than expected—his mood was clearly elevated.

Tang Sowol smiled brightly at him.

“It’s specifically designed to infect through breathing, so of course it will cause poisoning. As I mentioned, it’s particularly dangerous to those carrying cold energy. A slight misstep, and they might erupt with rampaging cold and turn into blocks of ice.”

The Ice Palace Lord immediately set the cup down and held his breath, his expression serious. Tang Sowol casually shrugged, as if to reassure him.

“Of course, that would only happen if you were a serpent. Even if someone does get poisoned, it’s a toxin that can be expelled easily with proper internal energy control. And to be sure, I’m personally manipulating the poison energy right now, so there’s nothing to worry about.”

“I-I see…?”

“Yes, like this.”

As she spoke, Tang Sowol flicked her finger. The black poison in the cup floated up in sync with the gesture.

“Object-Grasping Through Empty Air?!”

“Oh, hardly. That’s something only Cheon Hwi or Sister Hwarin could pull off. It’s just that since the poison came from me, I can control it freely like this.”

Speaking in a soft tone, she lightly curled her hand into a fist. The black liquid was drawn toward her hand and absorbed into the back of it.

She had completely made it her own.

Well, considering the traits of her Poison Spirit Constitution, this wasn’t surprising. Instead of mixing poisons using half-baked equipment, it was much more efficient for her to absorb them directly and test their combinations internally.

The Ice Palace Lord, watching the strange but fascinating display, eventually nodded.

“I may be ignorant about poisons, but I know enough to understand that controlling something so naturally—even if it came from one’s own body—is no ordinary feat. I’m certain it’s enough to serve its original purpose. So… when do you plan to carry out the detoxification?”

“Hmm, I don’t intend to wait long. But considering that even the former Palace Lord couldn’t slay the beast, I’ll need to be cautious. Once we find a suitable location to do it discreetly, I’ll begin.”

“Understood. I’ll assign people who know the location of the serpent den. Use them however you see fit. And… truly, thank you.”

“I haven’t actually proven its effectiveness yet. Besides, I was only able to do this thanks to your generous support. And we’re receiving a fitting reward in return, so there’s no need for too much gratitude.”

“Even so, this brings a ray of hope to the Northern Ice Palace. How could I not be grateful?”

Tang Sowol and the Ice Palace Lord exchanged polite smiles and warm words.

…Or at least, that’s how it looked.

In truth, this was more of a diplomatic negotiation in disguise.

Something like: Don’t even think of paying me in favors. Make sure you deliver the rest of the payment.

Or: Can’t I leave just a bit of it as a favor owed?—that kind of conversation.

Having spent some time rolling around in the murim world myself, I could catch the general gist. But pulling it off as smoothly as Tang Sowol? That was a different story.

Seo Mun-Hwarin probably had a similar sense of it.

Seol Lihyang… well, she was still at the stage where she should be focused on her cultivation rather than these political nuances.

Mm.

In any case, it was reassuring to have someone like Tang Sowol on our team who could handle situations like this with such finesse.

I guess I wasn’t the only one who thought that—Seo Mun-Hwarin tiptoed over and whispered to me.

“It’s times like this that having Sowol is a real blessing.”

“My thoughts exactly. If it were me, I’d probably start with threats out of habit.”

“…That just means your personality’s the issue, no?”

I let Seo Mun-Hwarin’s jab pass through one ear and out the other.

Before long, Tang Sowol returned to us after wrapping up her conversation with the Ice Palace Lord.

“How’d it go?”

“It went well. We’ll now go scout for a suitable place to detoxify.”

“Sounds good. No need for all of us to go. Just you, me, and the guide should be enough.”

“Um… Cheon Hwi.”

Seol Lihyang cautiously raised her hand and glanced toward Tang Sowol.

“I’m not trying to get in the way of you two, but… could I come along this time?”

“Hmm? Is there a reason? We’re just scouting today. I doubt anything serious will happen.”

“I just want to see the Azure Cold Serpent. Even from a distance.”

“The Azure Cold Serpent?”

“Yeah. I’ve never seen a spirit beast in my life. And they say it uses cold energy like I do, so… I got curious.”

Tang Sowol and I briefly exchanged glances, then nodded.

“Well, I suppose it’s fine. We’re just checking the place out.”

“Yes. And if anything does happen, Young Master Cheon can just scoop us both up and sprint away.”

“Scooping you up takes unnecessary effort and uses both arms. Stick to either the front or the back.”

“My, having both me and Lihyang at your front and back…”

“You’re thinking something weird right now, aren’t you?”

“Oh my? I haven’t the faintest idea what you mean.”

Tang Sowol replied playfully. As we chuckled among ourselves—

Suddenly, a white head poked in between us.

“OO.”

Seo Mun-Hwarin, cheeks puffed out and lips sticking out like a duck, inserted herself between me and Sowol.

“Senior Seo Mun-Hwarin… Don’t tell me—dementia?”

“Don’t say such awful things! I’m perfectly sane!”

“Then what’s the issue?”

“It’s obvious! Even this morning and now—you’re all talking about things I don’t know and leaving me out!”

I blinked at her, unsure of what she meant, but Seo Mun-Hwarin began stomping her feet. The kind of terrifying threat equivalent to a three-month-old bear cub.

Though, her actual threat level was probably higher than most adult bears.

“Ah… is this about the mark on Seol Lihyang’s neck?”

“Exactly! Anyway, I’m coming with you this time too, so don’t bother trying to stop me—”

“That’s fine. Senior Seo Mun-Hwarin can come with us.”

“…Huh?”

She had been acting all firm, but now tilted her head in confusion.

Smiling faintly, I explained.

“This is a rare opportunity to see a Flowering Stage spirit beast—even from afar. At the very least, you can sense its energy. Encounters like this were rare even in your era, weren’t they?”

“It’s quite rude to treat my era like some distant fantasy… but yes, you’re right. Now I’m curious.”

Seo Mun-Hwarin nodded with a serious expression, setting aside her earlier sulking.

It was a time when spirit beasts were becoming increasingly rare. She probably didn’t want to miss this chance, knowing she might never get another.

“At this rate, if spirit beasts disappear, spirit herbs may be next.”

“Hah. I never considered that… but if so, that would cause serious issues in alchemy.”

“And if spirit herbs vanish, perhaps martial artists will be next.”

“That’s going too far. Spirit beasts are rare, but they still exist. And many herbs can now be artificially cultivated. Martial artists won’t disappear.”

“Well, whatever the case, it’s far in the future—long after we’re dead. Nothing to worry about now.”

With a shrug, we wrapped up the conversation and returned to our rooms to prepare.

After gathering the necessary supplies, we followed the guide assigned by the Ice Palace Lord and began walking across the snowfields.

White, white everywhere. The monotony was exhausting. I let out a long sigh.

“In a place like this, I see why you need a guide. How do you even navigate here?”

“We use the terrain. Though it all looks the same up close, distant features have subtle distinctions.”

“Can’t say I notice them.”

“That’s something only experience can teach. If the Blood Flame Sword Demon lived here for thirty years, he’d pick it up naturally too.”

“True. The locals must have their own methods. What else do you use?”

“During the day, we follow the sun’s path. At night, constellations. But honestly, we mostly rely on markers we’ve left.”

He pointed to a strip of red cloth sticking out from the snow.

I didn’t know what it signified, but I could guess it was a signal of some kind.

While answering my questions, the guide kept his eyes fixed ahead. Eventually, he came to a sudden stop.

It had only been a little over an hour since we left the Ice Palace.

“Please look over there.”

“I don’t see anything.”

He pointed into the distance, but all I saw was swirling snow whipped by the wind—no different from the terrain we’d been walking through.

But after a few moments, the wind began to die down, and the snow settled.

Only then did I finally see what he was pointing at.

“…You’ve got to be kidding.”

Imprints of fists and palm strikes were engraved in the snow, big and small. And beside them—something massive and winding, ignoring all sense of scale.

The martial marks were impressive, but the enormous serpentine trace beside them defied description.

It didn’t feel like the mark of a living creature, but more like a natural phenomenon—like gazing upon a deep canyon or a sheer cliff.

It had to be the trace left by the leader of the Azure Cold Serpents, a Flowering Stage spirit beast.

“What is that…?”

Even Tang Sowol, who had been gauging the distance for the detox, muttered blankly with her mouth agape.

The guide replied in a bitter voice.

“That’s the aftermath of the former Palace Lord’s battle with the Azure Cold Serpent horde.”

“But how can it still remain, with all the snowfall here?”

“After that battle, this area began experiencing frequent blizzards. Sometimes, the marks are completely buried… but at other times, like now, the wind blows the snow away and reveals them again.”

“Then where’s the serpent’s den? Is it nearby?”

“Over there.”

He pointed to a massive crack in the ground, far in the distance.

“No way…”

“Yes. Unless they’ve moved dens, they should still be hiding in that crevice.”

“Wow…”

Despite the sound, Tang Sowol’s eyes weren’t smiling as she turned to look at me.

“Young Master Cheon.”

“What’s wrong?”

“How… exactly are we supposed to poison that…?”

Yeah…

I’d kind of like to know that too.

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