Chapter 174
What allows orthodox sects to remain “orthodox” is their ability to choose righteousness over gain in the most critical moments.
But in the end, even the righteous martial world is filled with people.
There have always been those who committed unspeakable crimes while hiding behind the banner of righteousness.
They were merely dealt with quickly the moment they crossed the line.
No matter how powerful a sect is, the fact that even non-government martial clans often maintain their own prisons is telling.
Because while one may not be able to bring themselves to kill their own child or disciple…
Letting them run free would only tarnish the sect’s name and increase the number of innocent victims, so they compromise by locking them away for life.
And yet, sometimes, someone escapes.
The man standing before us—Tang Mu-ak, the Poison Demon—was just such a case.
A middle-aged man with sharp features reminiscent of a viper. Clad in a violet robe, toxic energy radiating from his entire body, blood still dripping from his fingers, he stared—no, he glared—not at me, but at Tang Sowol, standing by my side.
“At last… the time has come.”
His voice, soaked in bloodlust and poison, muttered darkly.
He was clearly dangerous—but that green hair and those eyes, so familiar to the Tang Clan, revealed the signs of a practitioner who had advanced through Tang Clan poison arts. And that left Tang Sowol deeply shaken.
“Who… Who are you to have caused this massacre? And that hair…”
“He’s an enemy.”
I stepped in front of her, raising my sword. Tang Sowol, startled but quick to respond, stepped back and began gathering her internal energy.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sama Yuryeon quickly turning back the way we came, slipping back into the Bigo.
Smart move.
I spoke.
“He’s Tang Mu-ak. You’ve heard the name before, haven’t you, Tang Sowol?”
“…No… it can’t be…!”
Her face went pale.
Of course she knew. If anyone would know, it would be her.
Tang Mu-ak was originally a branch family member, but had proven his abilities and loyalty time and again.
He was an elite martial artist of the Tang Clan, destined for a smooth promotion to Elder.
But he was far more ambitious than anyone expected.
Not for greater cultivation. Rather, he was simply obsessed with poison.
Stronger poison, faster poison, subtler poison, poisons with unique symptoms, easily accessible poisons…He was so consumed by poison that perhaps the toxins seeped into his very brain.
And then he saw Tang Sowol, the newborn daughter of the Clan Head.
With her Poison Spirit Constitution, he believed he could make great strides in his research.
A human-shaped poison vessel with near-universal adaptability to toxic substances. He could finally conduct the experiments he never dared try on the Clan Head, Tang Jincheon.
He could perhaps even create new poisons, or unlock the secrets of the Poison Spirit Constitution, maybe even become something akin to poison itself.
That desire was enough to drown out his last shred of morality.
In the end, Tang Mu-ak used his position to steal important research and toxins from the Poison Hall, and finally, attempted to kidnap the infant Tang Sowol.
Though her mother fought desperately and managed to stop him, Tang Mu-ak's poison skills were unmatched, and she died smothered in toxins before treatment could even be attempted.
In the House of Poison, within Sichuan Tang Clan, the Clan Head’s wife had died from poison.
Tang Jincheon, consumed with rage, tried to kill Tang Mu-ak—but Tang Mu-ak had planned his escape and successfully fled to Yunnan Province, a remote region where not even imperial influence reached.
Tang Jincheon tore through Yunnan, instilling terror in his wake as he earned the title Poison King, but he never managed to find Tang Mu-ak.
Eventually, he had to give up and return to the Tang Clan—he couldn't remain absent as clan leader forever.
From then on, he raised his only daughter with extreme care and love.
So what happened to Tang Mu-ak, who had barely clung to life?
Did he decide to live quietly from then on?
Of course not.
Having once been so close to possessing the Poison Spirit Constitution, his obsession only grew stronger.
Before my regression, during the chaos of the Demonic Cult's invasion, he tried again to abduct the now-grown Tang Sowol to use her as an experimental subject.
She had told me the story herself, having defeated Tang Mu-ak in the process and reaching the Flowering Stage (Hwagyeong).
His eyes, also green, were filled with a completely different madness compared to Tang Jincheon or Tang Sowol.
“You know who I am?”
“Of course. You’re the one who nearly killed my fiancée. I may not know your face, but I remember your traits well enough.”
“Fiancée, huh.”
Tang Mu-ak grinned.
“Then there’s one more thing you must know about me.”
With those words, a wave of menacing energy exploded out from him.
So vicious and full of murderous intent, it felt like standing in the jaws of a ravenous beast.
If even I could feel this much pressure… he couldn’t just be a Sub-Perfection master. But he wasn’t quite Flowering Stage either.
While hiding in Yunnan, Tang Mu-ak didn’t quietly build strength. He immediately began subjugating nearby sects.
At the time, Yunnan was fragmented. After their defeat to the Beast Palace, the remnants of the Five Venom Sect were divided into hundreds of factions, each claiming to be the rightful successor.
Though once famous for its poison arts, the Five Venom Sect couldn’t compare to the Tang Clan. And with their techniques fragmented, they were no match for Tang Mu-ak.
In the end, he unified them all and reclaimed the sect’s complete legacy—forming the Thousand Poison Gate.
Tang Mu-ak became its leader, and a martial artist whose poison could rival even the Flowering Stage. A poison so potent it could affect even masters at that level.
But so what?
“Even if your poison can infect a Flowering Stage master, that doesn’t mean you’ve reached it yourself.”
“No fear, huh. Or is it confidence—because you’re the Blood Flame Sword Demon?”
He nodded, then lashed out with his arm.
From his purple sleeves burst countless needles—not as fine as the Tang Clan’s feather needles, but far more numerous and reeking of lethal poison.
I met them head-on, slashing with a blade infused with inner power.
Wooosh!
The sword energy rippled through the air, the hidden teachings of Shaolin I had learned manifesting through my strikes.
The force of the slash became a gust of power that scattered the needles in an instant.
But the needles were just a distraction.
Tang Mu-ak had already closed the distance and thrust a poison-covered palm at me.
Boom!
“Guh!”
I twisted away just in time to avoid a direct hit, but even a slight graze on my arm caused the poison to spread rapidly.
Despite the resistance I’d built up under Tang Sowol’s training, my vision blurred from the intensity of the toxin.
“Cheon Hwi-da…?”
Alarmed, Tang Sowol reached out and began drawing the poison out of me—but Tang Mu-ak didn’t let up.
“Try blocking this too!”
He launched another poisoned palm. I could no longer rely on my senses and instead tapped into Divine Sword Unity to anticipate his attacks.
Teng! Tuhng! Teng!
My inner power clashed with his—the violent energy of my Raging Wave Death-Stealing Art smashing against his poison-infused strikes.
Blackish-purple energy scattered with each clash, searing the ground and releasing poisonous mist.
“His inner power…!?”
Inner power, once dispersed, typically loses effectiveness.
Even the Blood Flame Fist Demon’s energy scattered into faint heat, and Seol Lihyang’s Yin aura would dissipate into nothing more than a chill.
But Tang Mu-ak’s?
Even when dispersed, it continued to release poison.
That was impossible. No matter how far poison cultivation advanced, inner energy itself shouldn’t produce such toxicity after separation.
Even the Poison Dance Empress of my past life couldn’t do that easily.
…Or could it be?
I looked down between exchanges and noticed a slight sheen on the floor—moisture.
Then it hit me.
He wasn’t relying on inner power alone. He’d used a medium—liquid, infused with poison.
And the only thing on his hands was blood.
That wasn’t the blood of fallen warriors—it was his own toxic blood.
I moved carefully, avoiding the rising fumes and any splashes of poison-tainted blood as I countered.
His palm techniques were excellent—but my sword was better. In a normal fight, I’d have already severed one of his arms.
But now, my body was being eaten away by the poison.
“Cheon Hwi-da! The poison—”
“Spit! I said fall back—it’s too dangerous!”
I spat out blood and shouted.
For Tang Sowol to fully draw out the poison, she’d need direct contact.
But Tang Mu-ak was fighting at close range, surrounding himself in toxin.
If she stayed behind me, she’d be too exposed.
At least now she could absorb the surrounding fumes and assist from afar.
Whether poison would affect Tang Mu-ak, I didn’t know—but throwing hidden weapons at him might.
Thanks to my training, I could still endure—as long as I didn’t take a direct hit.
“I thought I could endure this much…”
Then it hit me.
Kuhuk!
Even a trace of poison riding my sword into my hand—and it felt like my organs were being torn apart. My limbs weakened.
Compound poison.
No matter how hard I tried to circulate my inner energy,
the poisons were clashing wildly inside me.
I vomited black blood.
“I never let my guard down… I just didn’t expect poison this strong…”
As I dropped to one knee, Tang Mu-ak approached, his hand glowing with that deadly aura, like the Tang Sowol of my previous life.
A poison that could kill even a Flowering Stage master—
which meant his mastery of poison had reached that level.
If I took a direct hit, I’d die before Tang Sowol could help.
I can’t die here. I won’t let everything I’ve done go to waste. I can’t let Tang Sowol die—not again.
So I’ll burn it all here.
If I need stronger inner power to purge his poison, then I’ll force it.
Even if it means falling into Qi deviation.
Even if I have to draw on Innate True Qi.
I focused my will at my dantian.
My inner energy was violent and volatile enough that ordinary warriors might already think I’d gone mad.
But it was still under my control.
So I released it all.
Even if I can’t stay conscious for long—if I can just defeat him before that…
I steeled my resolve and prepared to let loose—
Srrrk.
“Stop. You can’t go that far, Cheon Hwi-da.”
“Tang… Sowol?!”
Despite my warning, she had returned. Her hand pressed to my shoulder, already drawing out the poison—but slowly.
“Sevenfold Soul-Chasing Powder… no, it’s similar, but with changed ingredients. Including… Hakryeongcho.”
“It’s Sevenfold Soul-Breaking Powder. Similar power, but far harder to cure. It even bypasses Tang Clan immunity built through Hakryeongcho.”
“If you wanted to make a poison even the Tang Clan couldn’t neutralize in time…Congratulations. You’ve succeeded.”
Tang Sowol sighed deeply. Her eyes hardened as she stared directly at Tang Mu-ak.
“Your target…was me, wasn’t it?”
“You know me well.”
“Then take me—and let the others go.”
“Why would I do that? Killing them all would be simpler.”
“If Cheon Hwi-da dies, I’ll kill myself immediately. If I drop my resistance, all the poisons in me will melt me from the inside. Even you can’t neutralize them that quickly.”
Tang Mu-ak fell silent.
But I didn’t need to think.
“W-Wait! You can’t—if you go with him—!”
“I know. I’ll die. Or worse, suffer through unspeakable experiments first. But at least… you’ll live.”
Her eyes were clear—like someone who had accepted everything. Like someone who had made a decision.
And I, overwhelmed, could only stare up at her.
Then I heard Tang Mu-ak’s voice.
“…Fine. But don’t remove the poison completely. Now that I’ve seen his sword firsthand, it’s sharper than I thought.”
“I’ll neutralize the Sevenfold Soul-Breaking Powder…
but leave a sleep toxin strong enough to knock him out for three days.”
“That’ll do. Do it.”
Tang Mu-ak nodded, still holding poison in both hands.
Tang Sowol bowed slightly, then turned back to me.
“Cheon Hwi-da.”
“I told you—don’t—kuh!”
Before I could finish, I coughed up more black blood. She looked at it quietly, then gently touched my cheek with a faint smile.
Her hand trembled slightly.
“Thanks to you, I survived. Thanks to you, I was happy. When I thought about the future… it was always with you.”
“Then move aside. I’m not—”
Before I could speak, she silenced me with a kiss.
My first kiss in this life tasted bitter and thick—of blood and poison.
Already weakened, I could barely stay awake. As sleep overtook me, I faintly heard her voice.
“I love you.”
Before I could say anything in return—darkness took me.
When I opened my eyes again,
Tang Sowol was gone.
I must bring her back.