Chapter 33: I Didn’t Want to Use This, But…

The energy emitted from the sword is called sword energy, and when such sword energy is condensed and materialized, it is called condensed sword energy.

Even emitting sword energy is not an easy task, so what about the realm of condensed sword energy?

Many martial artists challenge themselves to reach the realm of condensed sword energy, but only a very few among the world’s renowned geniuses can reach it after long periods of training.

But…

‘How can such a young brat use condensed sword energy so freely?’

It would be surprising enough if condensed sword energy manifested in his blade. But the brat in front of him went even further…

Swoosh-!!

He was charging at him, enveloped in Condensed Qi like a shield, a realm that even Poison Masters, whom no one dared to approach, could reach.

Of course, condensed sword energy was not invincible.

The more his condensed sword energy came into contact with his poison, the more it melted and eroded.

Whoosh-!

After blocking the brat’s attack with a palm full of poison, Tang Yeom-myeong retreated.

And then he asked.

“Why?”

“Hm?”

“…Why is a brat like you helping that child? Is it money?”

Tang Yeom-myeong’s voice was solemn, but there was a difference from before.

It was…

“If it’s money, the Tang Family can pay you as much as you want.”

…a hint of anxiety.

“A master like you should know… that fighting me would bring more losses than gains.”

No matter the opponent’s realm or the difference in skill, fighting a Poison Master always results in significant losses.

And even if they fought, there was no benefit for the Poison Master.

A Poison Master’s Innate True Qi is made of poison. If a Poison Master releases all their poison to fight with full strength, it damages their Innate True Qi.

In other words, fighting a Poison Master with full strength means both sides suffer great damage.

Tang Yeom-myeong was here to gather information for the Tang Family.

Wasting his strength here, as the Tang Family’s greatest asset, was not beneficial at all.

That’s why he tried to persuade the brat with words…

“Are you scared?”

“……”

“Well, I guess a guy who only knows how to fart poison would tremble at the sight of someone like me.”

…The brat provoked Tang Yeom-myeong, leading him to engage in a real fight.

“If you’re scared, turn off your Poison Arts and close your eyes. I’ll cut your neck off right away.”

“You arrogant brat.”

Who was this young master who suddenly appeared?

Judging by his tone, his disregard for Tang Yeom-myeong, the Great Elder of the Tang Family, and his flashy and sinister blade techniques, he was not an Orthodox Sect martial artist.

‘Then, is he from the Demonic Sect?’

No, he didn’t have the ominous Demonic Qi flowing from his body.

Then he must be from the Unorthodox Sects…

There are many masters in the world that are hard to fathom. There was no guarantee that there wasn’t an exceptional hidden master among the Unorthodox Sects.

Well… it didn’t matter whether the brat was from the Orthodox Sects, Unorthodox Sects, or the Demonic Sect. What mattered was that he dared to insult Tang Yeom-myeong, the Great Elder of the Tang Family.

If he endured this, it would not only hurt his pride but also tarnish the Tang Family’s honor.

So he decided not to endure it.

Ssssss-.

From the deepest part of his body… the poisons that had been dormant for the longest time began to emerge.

Releasing poison properly was something Tang Yeom-myeong hadn’t done in a long time.

“Haa… I didn’t intend to go this far.”

“You sound like a protagonist from a novel hiding his true strength.”

“…Are all young people like this these days? I can’t understand what you’re saying, and you have no manners.”

Tang Yeom-myeong raised his already blackened hand and said.

“Even if I have to sacrifice this old body, I will teach you some manners.”

From that moment, he maximized the power of his secret technique, the Melting Poison Sutra.

**

The way to catch a poison dart frog without any problems is to kill it in one strike before it bites you.

So I concentrated my condensed sword energy into my blade to cut it down in one go.

But…

Bubble-.

The poison dart frog chose to fill its surroundings with poison before biting me.

Even now, the poison filling the space made it hard to breathe. Despite being enveloped in Condensed Qi, the continuous release of poison caused a burning pain.

‘I need to finish this quickly.’

At this rate, I wouldn’t be able to escape unscathed unless I got serious.

I had no intention of sacrificing an eye like the original protagonist.

Buzz-.

I drew upon the power I had left dormant for so long. It felt like a mad dog, excited to be called upon by its master.

It was both nostalgic and infuriating.

And because it was infuriating…

Flash-!

…I needed to end it quickly.

“…No.”

As I suddenly moved faster than before, the brat was startled but soon reassured.

He must have thought that the poison-filled area behind him would limit my movements.

And he was right.

So I swung my blade at the poison blocking my path.

Wind and Wave Sword Technique, Wind Strike.

Slash-!!

The sword wind created by my technique scattered the poison blocking my way like smoke.

Seeing this, Tang Yeom-myeong’s face showed surprise.

“H-how…!”

It was understandable. He had never seen this sword technique in his decades of life. …Because I was the only one in the world who knew it.

With the poison barrier gone, what remained in front of me was a surprised Tang Yeom-myeong.

His skin was already darkened and sticky from the poison. I wanted to cut him down immediately, but my right hand was delayed from using the technique, so I grabbed his head with my left hand…

“…No!”

Thud-!!

…and slammed it into the ground.

“…This madman touched a Poison Master’s skin directly!!”

He was right. Even though I was enveloped in Condensed Qi, touching him directly allowed the poison to melt through and penetrate my skin.

The burning sensation was like dipping my hand in boiling water.

I briefly regretted my foolish action, but…

“…It hurts.”

“Once you’ve touched the poison, you…!”

“You should hurt too, damn it.”

Thud-!

Instead of regretting my actions, I decided to do what I could.

Thud-!!

I continued to slam Tang Yeom-myeong’s head into the ground.

“Arghhh-!!”

Tang Yeom-myeong screamed in pain. Well, it must hurt.

With Condensed Qi in my hand, slamming his head into the ground hard enough to create holes must hurt more than it did for me.

“You bastard-!!”

Unable to endure the pain, the dignified Great Elder of the Tang Family finally cursed. I felt a slight thrill at having finally angered him…

Flash-!

He struck my side with his poison-blackened palm.

“Ugh!”

Even though my side was enveloped in Condensed Qi, his desperate attack managed to melt through and create a wound. I could feel the poison seeping into the wound.

Seeing this, Tang Yeom-myeong’s face relaxed a bit.

Poison Masters often make this mistake. They think they’ve won the moment their poison enters their opponent’s body.

Not realizing whose head is in whose hand…

At that moment, my right hand, which had been momentarily delayed, was freed, and I struck Tang Yeom-myeong’s arm…

Crack-!

“Arghhh-!!”

…and severed it.

Drip-!

I watched as blood and poison flowed from his severed arm and slammed his head into the ground again with my left hand.

Thud-!

Then I grabbed my blade and stabbed it into his dantian.

Stab-!

“Arghhh-!!”

“Oh, it must hurt. But damn it, it hurts for me too.”

My words were sincere. It hurt like hell.

This damn bastard. He must have consumed every poison imaginable because the poison seeping into my wound felt like it was burning, and my head was spinning.

The poison dart frog’s poison had already entered my body. I had to kill the frog before it went berserk.

‘End it.’

I added the Condensed Qi protecting my body to my blade and condensed it further.

A Poison Master’s body is tough due to their enhanced physique, but this should be enough to end it.

I was about to strike down with my blade when…

“Arghhh-!!”

The frog, which had been crying out, suddenly started to boil and turned even darker. The poison erupting from its body darkened my vision.

“…!!”

I had seen this in the novel. The technique that had blinded the original protagonist in one eye.

Dark Poison Filling the Sky.

An ultimate technique that only a Poison Master who has reached the pinnacle can use. It requires the Poison Master to use most of their Innate True Qi, making it a mutual destruction technique.

It was hard to block even with Condensed Qi, so I closed my eyes and retreated with my footwork. Only after securing a safe distance did I open my eyes.

When I opened my eyes, a poison barrier resembling a black sun had formed around Tang Yeom-myeong.

“Ugh…”

Even the Leader of the Lower Filth Gate, who was also a Poison Master, groaned from the overwhelming poison. I was no different. The intense poison enveloped my body, and every orifice was leaking fluid.

Seeing my condition, Tang Yeom-myeong laughed like a madman. With one arm missing, he looked even more insane.

“…Hahaha-!! Why don’t you come closer-! Where did your confidence go!!”

“…This is a bit much…”

“…You arrogant brat. I’ll kill you… I’ll melt your bones so that no one can find your corpse…!”

Tang Yeom-myeong, with bloodshot eyes, looked more like a member of the Demonic Sect.

His head was cracked, and he was missing an arm, looking like a Jiangshi.

Step.

As he took a step, the poison barrier followed, forcing me to retreat.

So I spoke to him.

“…Don’t you think this is a bit cowardly?”

“Cowardly…? Do you think there’s fairness in a fight?”

“That’s not something someone from the Orthodox Sects should say.”

At my words, he laughed and replied.

“You ignorant brat. Only the victor can establish righteousness. Our Tang Family became one of the Five Great Families because of our strength!”

Step.

He continued as he took another step.

“It’s a shame. I didn’t want to use this so futilely… I’ll kill you with all my might. Don’t think it’s cowardly. There’s no such thing as cowardice in a life-and-death fight.”

“I agree.”

For the first time, I nodded at Tang Yeom-myeong’s words. I agreed completely.

There’s no cowardice in a fight. Winning is all that matters.

In fact, I’m a martial artist from the Unorthodox Sects. Being called cowardly is like a badge of honor for us.

But…

“Sometimes, I want to have a fair fight too.”

I raised my blade towards Tang Yeom-myeong, who was still emitting fierce poison.

And then I channeled my energy in a way I was no longer familiar with.

“I didn’t want to use this either…”

“…What nonsense are you spouting?”

“What nonsense, indeed.”

Then I felt a blue energy ripple through my body and blade. It was a sensation I hadn’t felt in a long time.

“This is the last strike to end this dirty fight.”