Chapter 210: A Poison That Poisons Even a Serpent (2)
Episode 210. A Poison That Poisons Even a Serpent (2)
"Young Master Cheon."
"What is it?"
"How exactly are we supposed to poison… that?"
Even if you ask me, I wouldn’t know.
I’ve stuck close to Tang Sowol both before and after my regression, so I’ve picked up some basic knowledge about poison arts. But it’s just that—basic. I don’t possess anything near her level of expertise.
Well, she probably didn’t expect me to actually answer, anyway.
I lightly patted Tang Sowol’s shoulder as she let out a deep, frustrated sigh.
“The leader of the Azure Cold Serpents… even I’d say it’s closer to a monster than a spirit beast. But we’re not fighting it head-on, right? We’re just throwing poison and running, so why all the sighing?”
“Phew. Young Master Cheon, how much poison do you think is needed to effectively infect a target like that?” “Isn’t it simple? Dump enough to kill, and it’ll die.”
“True, using a large amount would definitely cause poisoning. But then we’d have to give up all stealth.”
She brushed off the hand I had placed on her shoulder, though she didn’t let it go. She idly fiddled with it as she continued speaking.
“There are three primary ways to poison someone: ingestion, inhalation, and direct injection.”
“I can guess. And for this case, you’re planning to use inhalation, right?”
“Yes. Each method has pros and cons, but stealth is key for this mission. Ideally, poisoning the Azure Cold Serpent’s food would be best…”
“But we don’t know what it hunts or eats, and poisoning it gradually would take too long.”
“Exactly, Young Master Cheon. That’s why, as I told the Ice Palace Lord, I chose inhalation.”
Sprinkling poison into the air so the target breathes it in is the next stealthiest option after poisoning food.
The ideal would be the so-called “Three-None” poisons—colorless, odorless, tasteless. But…
The poison Tang Sowol developed this time doesn’t quite meet those criteria.
Its scent is faint, its taste is intense, and as for color, it’s a deep, thick black.
If we scatter it, it’ll be noticed immediately. Which means we’ve only got one shot at this.
After all, the entire purpose of preparing this poison was to avoid a direct clash with a Flowering Stage spirit beast.
“The problem is that airborne poison doesn’t travel far. It’s fine at close range, but…”
“You mean it won’t reach that fissure.”
“Yes. Maybe if the wind’s favorable, it could just barely make it. But the wind here isn’t exactly on our side.”
The battle between the former Palace Lord and the Azure Cold Serpents seemed to have affected the climate. Strong winds constantly tore through the area ahead.
Sometimes it escalated to full-blown blizzards, so even if she infused the poison with inner energy, it would be difficult to deliver it properly.
And getting closer would likely trip the senses of the Azure Cold Serpent’s leader.
As for finding another good vantage point, the terrain had been flattened by the prior battle, leaving no high ground.
“Even if we somehow manage to reach it with the poison mist… that brings us back to the original issue.”
“How much poison is needed to be effective, right?”
“Yes. It typically depends on the target’s size, constitution, and internal energy.”
“Constitution should actually work in our favor. We studied its corpse to create a poison specifically tailored for it. But the other factors…”
“With that size, and the kind of energy that influences the weather—even if just in a small area—a moderate amount won’t cut it.”
“So what’s the plan, then?”
“Hm…”
Even now, she pressed into my palm, comparing her hand to mine as if measuring something, absentmindedly fidgeting.
Soon, she let out a deep sigh.
“No choice, then. Better to abandon stealth than risk ineffective poisoning.”
“Abandon stealth?”
“Instead of using diluted powder or poison mist, I’ll have to pour the raw, concentrated liquid directly into the fissure. In large quantities, of course.”
“So we’d have to get right up to the edge of that cave?”
“Not quite inside. If we’re close enough, I can control the poison directly. Just getting to the edge of the fissure should be enough.”
“That’s still dangerous.”
This serpent held a grudge so deep it trained in solitude for centuries to avenge its parents. There’s no way it would ignore Tang Sowol after she invaded its domain and poisoned it.
If we’re unlucky, we might have to fight it at least once.
“As you previously said, Young Master Cheon, we won’t need to fight to the death—but we might need to injure it severely to make it retreat.”
Her voice sounded guilty.
I smirked, gave her hand a firm squeeze, then let go.
“No worries. We’ve got two Flowering Stage experts here. Right, Senior Seo Mun-Hwarin?”
“Kuhem. I’ve heard everything. The world never goes as planned. This is a risk worth taking. And there’s plenty to gain.”
The former Ice Palace Lord, Bingcheon Divine Monarch, was one of the strongest among Flowering Stage martial artists.
Even he fought the Azure Cold Serpent horde with his retainers and didn’t come out victorious.
The leader of the serpents was likely too much for me to face alone.
But if Seo Mun-Hwarin is with me, and it’s poisoned by Tang Sowol’s toxin?
It’s doable.
And as she said, the reward for this mission—the remaining half of the payment—is enormous: Ice Palace secret arts and more spirit elixirs than one person could use.
They’re all related to cold energy, so their use is limited, but…
Considering Seol Lihyang’s talent and the ceiling she’s hit in Central Plains cultivation, the value is tremendous.
“Well then, let’s do it.”
“Fufu. Sowol, just trust in me and Cheon!”
Seo Mun-Hwarin lightly thumped her chest and lifted her chin.
That confident display softened the tension in Tang Sowol’s expression.
“Understood. If I can’t trust the two of you, who else could I trust?”
“Uh… what about me?”
Seol Lihyang carefully chimed in at Tang Sowol’s gentle tone.
“What should I do, Sister Tang?”
“Hmm… Right. Lihyang…”
After a moment’s thought, Tang Sowol nodded.
“Cheer for us.”
“...Okay.”
As a Peak Stage martial artist, she was the weakest of us. The only thing she could contribute right now was moral support.
After laying out our plan, Tang Sowol reported everything to the Ice Palace Lord and began preparing the poison in earnest.
Since her body already remembered the recipe, she didn’t need anything special. She simply ate well, rested, and steadily built up the toxin by expending her internal energy.
Meanwhile, Seo Mun-Hwarin and I requested information from the Ice Palace about a potential confrontation with the Azure Cold Serpent.
The former Palace Lord discovered the serpent horde only about a decade ago. Though Bingcheon Divine Monarch died during the subjugation attempt, surely not everyone involved has passed away.
So we asked to meet anyone who had fought the serpents—or see any relevant records.
“…Why are you the one showing up, Bing Yerin?”
“Because I’m the most qualified person here.”
Bing Yerin swept back her bluish hair as she spoke. I stared at her expectantly, waiting for further explanation.
Not just me—Seo Mun-Hwarin and Seol Lihyang also turned to look at her. With a troubled expression, she raised both hands.
“Please don’t give me those looks. I really am the most suitable person. And my confinement period is nearly over, anyway.”
“You’ve probably never even seen the Azure Cold Serpent.”
“True. But I know the most about the leader. Remember—my grandfather was Bingcheon Divine Monarch.”
“Oh.”
Right. Bing Yerin was his granddaughter.
Maybe her parents forced her to become a shrine maiden because they couldn’t let go of the glory their family had during his time.
Shrine maidens themselves enjoy great authority during their lives, but families that produce them are also rewarded with status and prestige.
As I nodded inwardly, Bing Yerin spoke again in a calm tone.
“Ordinary Azure Cold Serpents won’t pose a threat to the Blood Flame Sword Demon or Lady Seo Mun. What you’re really after is information on the leader, right?”
“That’s right. But even if you're his granddaughter, you wouldn’t know more than those who actually fought it.”
“Not necessarily. My grandfather didn’t want pointless deaths, so he had his retainers fight the younger serpents and faced the leader alone.”
“And you… heard about it directly from him?”
“I was something of a favorite grandchild, so yes.”
She shrugged slightly, but her expression quickly turned serious.
“My grandfather called it the Azure Ice Flood Dragon.”
“Flood dragon? Are you saying it’s a true dragon?”
Seo Mun-Hwarin widened her eyes.
Bing Yerin shook her head.
“No. It’s definitely a serpent-type spirit beast. But it was too strong to be called just a snake. So he gave it that new name.”
“Well, just seeing the traces it left was overwhelming. That name fits. But why doesn’t anyone else call it that?”
“My grandfather was one of the strongest Ice Palace Lords in history. And yet, even he couldn’t defeat the Azure Ice Flood Dragon. If word got out that such a beast was threatening the palace, it could’ve crushed morale.”
“So he kept it secret to prevent demoralizing people, especially when the palace was already struggling to maintain strength at the Sub-Perfection level.”
“Exactly. There was also a succession issue at the time.”
“Now that you mention it, the current Ice Palace Lord ascended with widespread approval. I guess the competition used to be more intense?”
“Hmm, it was intense, yes—but more accurately, it wasn’t a battle of succession… it was a romantic feud.”
A romantic feud? Why are we talking about this now?
“Well, you see…”
According to Bing Yerin, at first, the competition was the usual brutal affair. No one stood out in particular—they were all of similar martial level.
But the current Ice Palace Lord thought it was foolish to waste energy on such infighting with the palace’s future already uncertain.
So instead of killing or exiling anyone, he sought a more peaceful solution.
“…Which was seducing every single other heir candidate.”
“You’re kidding.”
It’s common knowledge that women are better at handling yin-based martial arts, so most heir candidates were women. The only male candidate was the current Ice Palace Lord, and he decided to charm all of them.
As absurd as it sounds… it actually worked. He even married them all in political alliances.
With overwhelming support, his rise to the position of Ice Palace Lord was inevitable.
“Even Grandfather was speechless.”
“Anyone would be.”
One moment, they were at each other’s throats over succession. The next, they were all one big family. Of course people were baffled.
“…Anyway, I digress. Grandfather considered the leader of the serpents extremely dangerous. And he was right.”
“You’re not just going to leave it at ‘it’s really strong,’ right? I want details.”
“I’ll tell you everything. Don’t rush. First, there were three things that made Grandfather struggle against the Azure Ice Flood Dragon.”
“Three…?”
That number made me feel… a little uneasy.