Chapter 139
However, the three brothers from Poison Valley did not draw their hidden weapons.
That was because Dokgo Yeon had quickly sent them a telepathic message.
Jaseong also did not draw the Wicked Flame Sword. He thought Lee Rin's suggestion made sense.
"Fine. We'll do as the young lady of Poison Valley says. But instead of Poison Valley's research division, analyze Soul-Bewildering Powder at a place of our choosing."
At Jaseong's words, the three brothers from Poison Valley frowned in protest.
"How dare anyone order the young lady of our clan around at will?! If you want to confirm the true identity of Soul-Bewildering Powder, then come to our research division!"
Dok Ilhu shouted gruffly.
Dokgo Yeon seemed to be of a similar mind.
"To accurately identify the medicine that's causing illness in the pleasure district, I need the tools from my home. So we do have to go to the research division."
But Jaseong would not retreat.
[Dokgo Yeon. I know why you're getting in the way of our fight. If your support base—our side—and your main family end up in a conflict, you'll be put in a tough position.]
Dokgo Yeon's eyes twitched. It seemed Jaseong's telepathy had hit the mark.
[Bring Poison Valley's tools to a location we designate. Other than that, the only option is all-out war.]
[Haaa... Truly, you're impossible to deal with.]
[...]
[Fine. But what if it turns out the drug really didn't come from us? That would mean you're framing an innocent party!]
[In that case, I'll support you even more to become Poison Valley's successor.]
[How?]
[Tianxia Association will greatly increase the tribute it pays to Poison Valley in your name.]
Upon hearing Jaseong's telepathic message, Dokgo Yeon's eyes widened.
Currently, thanks to the tribute coming from the Tianxia Association, Dokgo Yeon's voice carried significant weight within her main family.
After all, it meant she had partially succeeded in her first mission of gaining control over the Tianxia Association.
The successors from the Black Star Sect and the Twin Dragon Clan had failed, after all.
But what if Tianxia Association raised the tribute even higher here?
Dokgo Yeon's position within her clan would become even more solid.
Of course, this also benefited Jaseong.
Though Dokgo Yeon was not yet aware of Jaseong's full plans, if, in the future, Jaseong attempted to seize control of the Evil Path Association and Dokgo Yeon, as Poison Valley's successor, sided with him, things would progress much more smoothly.
Of course, Jaseong still did not trust Poison Valley completely.
[But if, after analysis, it turns out that Soul-Bewildering Powder really did come from Poison Valley...]
His gaze turned icy.
[Poison Valley will be drenched in blood.]
It was a chilling statement.
In his mind, the groans of innocent pleasure district commoners writhing in Soul-Bewildering Powder's grip still echoed.
Dokgo Yeon, who was more aware than anyone of the extent of Jaseong's martial arts, felt a cold sweat run down her back.
[... Understood. I'll take responsibility and prove it.]
* * *
After that, Dokgo Yeon persuaded her half-brothers.
"Brothers. If we fight as things are, Poison Valley is bound to suffer severe losses as well. If their real reason for coming is to uncover Soul-Bewildering Powder's source, there's no need for us to shed blood needlessly, right?"
The three brothers considered her words for a moment.
The Hao Sect's status had changed from the past.
After the new Hao Sect Leader took the helm, the successors of annihilated clans were brought in as upper management hall lords.
So, if the upper management of Hao Sect lent them support, it would become a heavy fight for Poison Valley as well.
And the young man who had just arrived gave off an extraordinary energy at a glance.
Thus, in the next moment, Poison Valley's three brothers made their decision.
"... Fine. But if anything suspicious happens, send us a sound transmission immediately. We won't stand idly by then," the eldest, Dok Ilhu, nodded with clear displeasure.
And so, Dokgo Yeon headed to the safe location prepared by Jaseong's party.
It was a forest cave quite a distance from Poison Valley itself. Inside the cave, she laid out the bizarre tools she had brought from the clan.
A jar filled with unidentifiable black liquid, a white jade plate used to discern toxins, an elegant jade mortar for fine grinding herbs, and small glass bottles containing a variety of reagents—it was Poison Valley's own set of secret research tools.
Outside the cave, a tense atmosphere prevailed.
Over a hundred assassins from the Shadow Division stood guard in a circle on the trees, and their captain, Gu Janghu, firmly guarded the cave entrance.
On the opposite side of the woods, experts from Poison Valley also lay in ambush, keeping a close watch on the cave. Neither side let its guard down.
Meanwhile, inside the cave, Dokgo Yeon placed Soul-Bewildering Powder on the white jade plate. Her touch was delicate and cautious.
"First, let's verify the toxicity level."
She gathered true ki at her fingertip. A violet energy shimmered at the tip of her finger.
Chuu—
A thin strand of true ki touched Soul-Bewildering Powder.
Jijijik!
The drug on the plate smoked and burned away, releasing a pungent odor as violet miasma rose.
"Hm... It's definitely on a different level from ordinary hallucinogens."
Dokgo Yeon next put a small amount of the drug into the jar of black liquid.
Kwal!
The black liquid boiled fiercely and quickly turned bright red, swirling inside the jar like blood.
Jaseong and Lee Rin observed the process from the side.
[Oh... It almost feels like a magic trick from the far Western regions.]
[Magic trick? What's that?]
[When I was a child, sorcerers from the far West visited the Northern Sea. Mother said they were charlatans who did strange tricks, but it was so fascinating that it's still vivid in my mind.]
[I see.]
[Anyway, that's not the important part. Great hero, do you remember what Master used to say?]
[What do you mean?]
[That medicine and poison are really only a hair's breadth apart. But looking at Poison Valley's analysis techniques now, they're quite similar to the contents written in the Eternal Medical Sutra.]
As a model disciple of the Eternal Divine Physician, Lee Rin stared sharply at Dokgo Yeon's analysis.
So, for days and nights, Jaseong and Lee Rin quietly watched Dokgo Yeon analyze Soul-Bewildering Powder.
During that time, Jaseong's party inadvertently ended up living under the same roof with Dokgo Yeon.
One evening, instead of tension, a savory aroma filled the cave.
"We may be guests of Poison Valley, but you should at least get to taste some true delicacies you can only eat here, right? Tonight, I'll personally prepare dinner for everyone."
Dokgo Yeon said with a confident smile.
At her signal, Poison Valley's servants set up cauldrons and brought out food.
But the dishes placed in front of Jaseong's party looked extraordinary: a thick, violet congee and a grilled dish of dubious, charred meat—at a glance, they looked like they could be poisonous.
Lee Rin frowned and eyed them suspiciously.
"... Why is the congee this color? Did you actually put poison in it?"
"If you don't want to eat, then don't. I even added a precious spirit herb, Purple Cloud Fat, that only grows in Poison Valley."
"Great hero. Protector Gu. Don't eat yet! Don't touch a thing before that Poison Valley woman eats it first! Who knows what plots she may have..."
She whispered as she grabbed Jaseong's sleeve.
Unlike Lee Rin, Jaseong didn't really think Dokgo Yeon would try a cheap trick like poisoning them now.
As if she'd read their suspicions, Dokgo Yeon scoffed.
"You're all so suspicious."
She took a spoonful of the violet congee from each of Jaseong's, Gu Janghu's, and Lee Rin's bowls, and swallowed each bite herself.
Gulp.
Only after seeing her eat nonchalantly did the group pick up their spoons.
'The problem isn't poison, but probably the taste...'
Muttering to himself, Jaseong scooped up a spoon of the violet congee and put it in his mouth.
At that moment—
"...?"
Jaseong's eyes widened slightly. Contrary to the bizarre color, the flavor was unexpectedly amazing.
Nutty and slightly sweet, the flavor lingered in his mouth, followed by a pleasant herbal aftertaste.
"... It's delicious."
Gu Janghu also tried a cautious mouthful, then his eyes widened as well.
"This is an extraordinary delicacy. For all the delicacies I've tasted beside the hall lord, this flavor is second to none."
At the men's reactions, Dokgo Yeon smiled broadly.
"This is Purple Cloud Nourishing Congee, a traditional dish from Poison Valley. Not only is it delicious, but it's good for you too. It purifies your energy channels and helps your internal energy circulate."
"Kiruruk!"
Even Mansul, who'd been tucked into Jaseong's chest, stuck her head out at the smell.
When Jaseong offered her some congee, the creature buried her nose in the food and devoured it hungrily—a taste even a spiritual beast recognized.
Lee Rin looked incredulously between Jaseong, Gu Janghu, and Mansul.
'What is this...? Why does it feel like the world is trying to trick me...?'
Half suspicious, half curious, she carefully tasted the congee herself.
And then—
'... What? Why is this actually good?!'
Lee Rin's eyes trembled. Despite looking like it should be toxic, the taste exploding in her mouth was incredible.
Annoyingly, she found she couldn't stop eating.
Dokgo Yeon snickered at the sight.
"Not so concerned about poison now, are you? Is it that there are no such delicacies in the Northern Sea? I suppose nothing much grows in those icy pits."
Flushed, Lee Rin snapped back.
"Hmph! In the Northern Sea, our cuisine is all about drawing out the natural flavor of ingredients! It's on another level from these fussy dishes!"
"Oh? Then let's see that 'other level' for ourselves."
"Fine! I'll show you tomorrow at lunch just how superior Northern Sea flavors are!"
With a huff, Lee Rin made her declaration.
Jaseong and Gu Janghu quietly finished their congee, trying to push away their apprehension about tomorrow's meal.
So it was, the next day at lunch, the clearing outside the cave was steeped in tension.
Lee Rin rolled up her sleeves and set to work. What she prepared was "Sea of Ice Delicacy Soup", a traditional Northern Sea dish.
But seeing Lee Rin cook, her nursemaid Han Soweol's face turned ashen.
"L-Lady... This is...?"
"I just wanted to show off for once, nursemaid!"
"Why on earth did you cook yourself, miss?! You could have had the Protectors do it!"
Han Soweol was so flustered, she didn't know what to do, as if she were witnessing some great disaster.
"What are you so surprised for? Hehe. Isn't it wonderful?"
Lee Rin, proud, pointed to the simmering cauldron.
Inside, an unidentifiable gray broth was bubbling, with fish heads and herbs floating on top.
"......"
Han Soweol and the Protectors all lost their words at the sight.
They knew. Though the Little Palace Lord Lee Rin might be a prodigy in martial arts, her cooking was catastrophically bad.
But seeing her eyes sparkle with anticipation, no one could say, 'This is inedible.'
'Well... as long as I don't eat any...' The Protectors all thought the same thing.
Lunchtime finally arrived.
Jaseong, Gu Janghu, and Dokgo Yeon sat in a circle around the table. In front of them were bowls of soup that Lee Rin had (diligently?) prepared.
"Go ahead! It's a revitalizing dish filled with the Northern Sea's energy!"
Lee Rin watched them expectantly.
Jaseong looked down at his bowl. Unidentifiable lumps floated on the gray broth.
He didn't even need to use the Samadhi Eyes to know this was bad news.
'... This looks even more dangerous than Dokgo Yeon's violet congee yesterday.'
He picked up a spoon. Maybe it would taste good anyway, like Purple Cloud Nourishing Congee. But the moment he and Gu Janghu each took a spoonful—
'Guh?!'
Jaseong swallowed a mouthful of stew, and immediately his brow furrowed.
Salty, fishy, and bitter flavors all struck his tongue at once.
'It's like... boiled seawater mashed with bitter herbs.'
'... Do people in the Northern Sea really eat things like this...?'
It finally made sense why Lee Rin raved 'delicious, delicious!' and devoured Central Plains food since arriving.
Even the gluttonous Mansul sniffed at the dish, squealed "Kking!" in horror, and ran off—a taste rejected even by a spiritual beast.
"Why are you all reacting like that?"
Lee Rin asked, genuinely puzzled by everyone's chilly response. Dokgo Yeon scoffed.
"No wonder they can't pick up their spoons, when you serve up this sort of garbage as food."
"What? Garbage?! Great hero Jaseong! Protector Gu! Tell me—how is the taste? Sure, the first bite may be a bit fishy, but after a few more...."
But both Jaseong and Gu Janghu couldn't bring themselves to pick up their spoons again, the horrifying flavor still lingering on their tongues.
The result: the once-confident Lee Rin was left crestfallen.
"You're all so mean! Really! I'm never cooking for you again!"
At that, Jaseong and Gu Janghu, both relieved, let out a silent sigh of relief.