Chapter 141
Srrrrk—
As the shadows of the forest receded like darkness lifting, what appeared in their place was a sea of living, writhing snakes.
Red snakes, blue snakes, black snakes... Venomous serpents in uncountable numbers tangled together, surging forward like waves.
"This is...!"
Gu Janghu's brow furrowed. It was not an unfamiliar sight. During the previous operation to seize the Tianxia Association, Dokgo Yeon had demonstrated Poison Valley's secret formation.
'Thousand Snake Formation...!'
But this time, it was different.
If the Thousand Snake Formation back then resembled nothing more than a technique for controlling snakes, the formation before his eyes now was, quite literally, a calamity.
Ferocious murderous intent burned in the eyes of each snake, and their exuded venom stained even the forest air a vivid violet.
And in the midst of that sea of snakes—
Goooo—
An old man stood, radiating an immense force.
Though his hair was white and liver spots covered his face, his gaze was piercing.
With each step he took, the snakes independently made way for him, and the air around him grew heavy.
He was the valley lord of Poison Valley and a giant of the unorthodox sects.
The King of Ten Thousand Poisons, Dokgo Cheon.
"I greet the valley lord."
At that moment, Dokgo Yeon appeared behind Gu Janghu.
She concealed her surprise, calmly stepped forward, and offered the cupped fist salute.
Dokgo Cheon's gaze lingered on his granddaughter.
"Yeon-ah. Have you been well?"
"Yes, grandfather. I've merely been here with these people analyzing a drug called Soul-Bewildering Powder."
Dokgo Yeon replied calmly, trying to swiftly resolve the situation.
A conflict between Jaseong's party and Poison Valley was never part of her plan.
"These people are not our enemies. On the contrary, they are helping to uncover the mastermind behind Soul-Bewildering Powder..."
But Dokgo Cheon did not let her finish. His sharp gaze passed Dokgo Yeon and locked onto Gu Janghu.
Zzt!
Gu Janghu felt as if he had been stabbed by an awl. It was more than just a stare.
It was the glare of a peak expert, one that penetrated through his internal power and skill to their limits.
"Hoh..."
A thin smile touched Dokgo Cheon's lips.
"You are quite the expert for such a young age. The intent radiating from your whole body is extraordinary. Though you conceal your murderous aura, its depth surpasses that of most unorthodox elders."
Dokgo Cheon walked forward at a leisurely pace.
Each time he moved, thousands of snakes raised their heads and flicked their tongues, like soldiers escorting their king.
"Are you the hall lord of Scarlet Lotus Hall from the Hao Sect who has come to seek Poison Valley?"
he asked, his voice heavy with condescension.
Gu Janghu opened his mouth to deny it, wanting to explain he was but a law enforcer, not a hall lord.
That the real monster was sleeping inside the cave.
But before he could speak, Dokgo Cheon snapped in anger.
"You are quite skilled, but still an unripe greenhorn."
Kwaaa!
Violet venom burst from Dokgo Cheon's body. Pressed down by the oppressive presence, the Shadow Division members faltered.
"How arrogant. To invade our Poison Valley's domain while this seat was in seclusion!"
His thunderous voice rattled the forest.
"Do you fools of the Hao Sect really think you can match Poison Valley? You lowly rats have no sense of your place!"
Ssiiik! Kyaaaah!
As if in response to Dokgo Cheon's fury, a thousand snakes bared their fangs with menacing hisses. Venomous winds stung Gu Janghu's face.
Gu Janghu gripped his dual swords firmly. It was too late to resolve the misunderstanding.
His opponent was the leader of the unorthodox factions, the King of Ten Thousand Poisons.
People like him spoke better with strength than words.
Goooo—
Gu Janghu's gaze grew cold. Instead of retreating, he matched Dokgo Cheon's presence by drawing up his internal power.
Reaching the late peak, his ki shone blue as it collided with Dokgo Cheon's violet poison.
A hair-trigger standoff.
And then—
Thud, thud...
Heavy footsteps echoed from deep inside the cave.
Cutting through the hissing of snakes and Dokgo Cheon's murderous aura, the sound quietly settled the charged forest air.
Thud, thud.
From within the shadows, a young man emerged, clad in black martial robes with a jet-black sword at his waist.
It was Jaseong, hall lord of Scarlet Lotus Hall from the Hao Sect.
"Gu Janghu. What's going on?"
Jaseong asked impassively, as if oblivious to the sea of vipers and the unorthodox giant before him.
Gu Janghu, cold sweat on his brow, replied,
"I'm not sure. Suddenly, Poison Valley's lord showed up and surrounded us."
At Jaseong's appearance, Dokgo Cheon's brow narrowed.
Whatever curiosity he might have felt toward Gu Janghu vanished, and he focused solely on Jaseong.
'... Now who is this?'
Dokgo Cheon's pupils trembled slightly.
If the aura he sensed from Gu Janghu was like a razor-sharp sword, the energy from this young newcomer was like an unfathomable abyss.
It felt as if some immense monster lay crouched beneath a still lake.
'A youth with even more remarkable intent appears. So this is the hall lord?'
Dokgo Cheon instinctively raised his guard. A veteran expert of the unorthodox world, his senses screamed danger.
Jaseong grasped the situation quickly. The old man before him was the clan head of Poison Valley, known as the King of Ten Thousand Poisons, Dokgo Cheon.
And encircling them was Poison Valley's secret formation, the Thousand Snake Formation.
'... What a hassle.'
He clicked his tongue to himself. The top expert of Poison Valley had come in person.
Even if he tried to talk, Dokgo Cheon's gaze was already filled with murderous intent.
Unless he overpowered him with strength, conversation was pointless.
'In that case, I have no choice but to show him.'
Jaseong's gaze turned icy, and he raised his internal power without hesitation.
'Celestial Gate Opening Art.'
He opened the Immortal Gates within his body. First gate, second gate, third gate...
In an instant, up to the ninth was opened.
Kwaaa!!!
Golden ki exploded from Jaseong's body. The force swept outward like a typhoon, shaking the forest to its core.
Great trees groaned as they bent, and dust on the ground swirled into tornados.
Sssiiik! Kyaaaak!
Snakes, suppressed by his aura, recoiled in fright. Even Dokgo Cheon was forced to take a step back under the overwhelming energy.
Dokgo Cheon's eyes widened in shock.
'... This level of aura and intent... Could it be supreme peak? And at such a young age?'
It was unbelievable.
For someone barely past adolescence to emit a presence that could overwhelm even a leader of the unorthodox world.
This level could not be explained by internal power alone.
Jaseong gazed indifferently at Dokgo Cheon's shock.
In truth, Dokgo Cheon was not a particularly threatening foe for Jaseong.
He had already brought down Zhong Yeob, the sect leader of Zhongnan.
And who was Zhong Yeob?
Among the Ten Great Experts of the orthodox factions, he rivaled the very top, standing at the cusp of the transcendent realm.
Yet, even Zhong Yeob fell to Jaseong's blade.
Though it was true that the Eternal Divine Physician and allies had weakened Zhong Yeob beforehand, if Jaseong hadn't possessed at least supreme peak strength, victory would have been impossible.
Compared to Zhong Yeob, Dokgo Cheon was two steps below.
Poison Valley specialized in poison and stealth weaponry rather than pure martial arts.
In terms of direct martial force, Dokgo Cheon could not match Zhong Yeob.
Of course, if he wielded Poison Valley's secret poisons, he would be tricky.
"Pleased to meet you, valley lord. I am Jaseong, hall lord of Scarlet Lotus Hall, Hao Sect."
Jaseong spoke, radiating immense intent. Though his tone was calm, his voice reverberated through the forest.
Dokgo Cheon struggled to compose himself and responded,
"You have reached an impressive realm at such a young age."
"......"
"I don't know what miraculous fortune you may have found, but that luck ends today."
"?"
"How dare you steal Poison Valley's girl and do as you please? Prepare to pay the price!"
Dokgo Cheon waved his hand. The snakes, having hesitated earlier, again raised their heads, exhaling poison.
Violet venom dripped from thousands of fangs—so deadly, a mere touch would melt flesh.
An incredibly menacing moment, but Jaseong didn't even blink. Instead, he stepped forward.
"If you truly wish to fight, I will not balk. However..."
Jaseong's eyes flashed sharp.
"Now is not the time for Poison Valley and the Hao Sect to clash."
"What do you mean?"
"You have not grasped the situation. While you were in seclusion, someone has been conspiring to frame Poison Valley."
"Frame us...?"
Dokgo Cheon's brow furrowed.
Then Dokgo Yeon stepped forward again to resolve the crisis.
"Valley lord! Please listen to me!"
She interposed herself between Dokgo Cheon and Jaseong.
"I was not kidnapped. I came with them of my own will. And as the hall lord says, our Poison Valley is being set up."
Dokgo Yeon rapidly and accurately explained the situation.
She spoke of the Soul-Bewildering Powder drug spreading through Central Plains' pleasure districts, the rumors linking it to Poison Valley, and the evidence that someone was deliberately distributing massive quantities in Poison Valley's own territory: Huaining County.
Dokgo Cheon's face hardened. The murderous intent in his gaze toward Jaseong dissipated, replaced by a cold fury.
"... Who dares frame our Poison Valley?"
Dokgo Cheon's voice trembled.
For someone to use Poison Valley's name in dirty drug trafficking—it was an insult to his whole sect.
Jaseong spoke calmly.
"Valley lord. The Hao Sect's Red Light Districts are suffering from Soul-Bewildering Powder. Poison Valley is vilified throughout the Central Plains as the villain distributing drugs."
"....."
"That is why, for now, we must walk the same path as allies. We are pursuing Soul-Bewildering Powder's originator, and you must catch the real culprit to clear your name. Our purposes are aligned."
For a moment, Dokgo Cheon was silent, scrutinizing Jaseong fiercely.
'In my seclusion, I only came here urgently upon hearing Yeon disappeared... I thought someone came to steal the body immune to all poisons, but it was all a misunderstanding.'
With a deep sigh, Dokgo Cheon lowered his hand.
Slowly, the terrifying poison aura subsided.
"... Very well. I'll believe your word."
At his gesture, the snakes forming the Thousand Snake Formation slithered off into the forest.
In an instant, stillness returned to the woods.
"Yeon-ah. Let's go home for now. We'll discuss countermeasures at the main house."
Dokgo Cheon told Dokgo Yeon, but at that moment, she answered unexpectedly,
"Valley lord. I will remain here."
"... What do you mean?"
"I must find out with my own hands who has framed Poison Valley."
Dokgo Yeon's eyes burned with resolve.
If she succeeded in resolving this incident, her position as heir would be further solidified.
Dokgo Cheon could read her ambition in her gaze—
The eyes of someone worthy of being Poison Valley's next leader: filled with ambition and poison.
"Very well. Do as you see fit."
"Thank you, valley lord."
"But I'll assign the Thousand Snake Formation and protectors to you—do take care. Should you be harmed, I'll wipe out everything, Hao Sect included, with Poison Valley's full might."
Dokgo Cheon shot Jaseong a threatening glare.
Jaseong smirked and nodded.
'In truth, it is Poison Valley that would be wiped out. But the valley lord clings to useless pride. Or perhaps, shut away in the mountains, he knows nothing of the Hao Sect's real strength.'
Afterwards, Dokgo Cheon moved with wondrous lightness and disappeared into the darkness.
As tension dissolved, Gu Janghu sighed in relief, muttering inwardly,
'Whew... I lost ten years of my life just now. If the King of Ten Thousand Poisons had insisted, there would have been a bloodbath... And to think they want me to become the son-in-law of a household led by a monster like that. It's dreadful just imagining it.'
Gu Janghu shook his head, glancing at Dokgo Yeon.
But why was it?
Smiirk—
Dokgo Yeon looked at Gu Janghu, her smile even broader than before,
as if she had thought of something especially delightful.