Chapter 103 : Chapter 103
Chapter 103 : Miao People
The way to win a war is to destroy the main base.
After finishing the duel, I began discussing with the Diancang Sect Leader how to raid the Poison Palace.
The conclusion was that the fastest way to drive out the Poison Palace forces that had crossed into Yunnan was to directly strike the Southern Barbarian Poison Palace's headquarters.
"If you cause a disturbance, we will become a detached force and deal with the Poison Palace's major figures."
However, the big problem was that we didn't know who the major figures to be dealt with in the Southern Barbarian Poison Palace were.
"Black Master, Poison Master, Poison King. You just need to deal with these three."
The Diancang Sect Leader, Jang Il-jae, passed the information to me.
"Can we consider the Poison Palace finished if just those three are dealt with?"
"Yes. If the head collapses, chaos will intensify, and in the midst of that chaos, I think Diancang can defeat the Poison Palace's martial artists. It's just that the damage might be considerable……."
The biggest problem was that there would likely be many people poisoned.
"Do not worry about that."
If the poison could be detoxified, dealing with the poisoning was actually not a big deal.
And I had learned the Poison Venerable's martial art, the Ten Thousand Heavens Poison Hand.
I could detoxify almost any poison if it passed through my hands.
"Then there is no problem."
"Yes, then let’s proceed with setting out immediately tomorrow."
"Understood."
That was the story up until yesterday.
"There won't be any more people attacking us, right?"
On the way to Diancang, we had a record of dealing with the Five Poison Old Freak and the Poison Palace's poison men.
Assuming that Poison Palace masters might appear again upon seeing our group move, I began to move together with Diancang.
"Can Miss Seong and Miss Cheon come along too?"
At Wi Ji-yeong's question, I nodded.
I thought those two could be the key personnel for this battle.
‘Miss Seong possesses medical skills to detoxify poison, and Miss Cheon can burn poison with Fire Spirit Qi.’
There was no better combination than this.
So,
"Baek Mu-yong, take responsibility along with Mu-myeong and protect the two of them."
"Yes, understood."
If there were personnel to protect them, we would be able to move well.
‘It’s a larger group than I thought.’
The Divine Physician, the Divine Physician's granddaughter, the Young Palace Head of the Potala Palace.
The Ice Palace's Young Palace Head, Seol Ye-rin, and Han Seol-bi.
If I included myself, Eun Bin, Baek Mu-yong, Tae Un-seo, Wi Ji-yeong, Yu So-dong, and Mu-myeong.
‘A total of twelve people.’
Since the number of people stood out, we decided to join up with Diancang at the Southern Barbarian Poison Palace.
We came down from Mount Diancang, passed through Yun County, and reached a region called West Miao.
"From here on, it is Yunnan, but it is also a place where many Namman people reside."
"Is that so?"
Then it seemed likely that there could be watchers all around.
"Let's try to look like a group going to sightsee in Namman as much as possible."
"Is that right?!"
At my words, Wi Ji-yeong's eyes began to sparkle.
***
Yunnan Province, West Miao.
There were those watching my group as we entered the terrain of deep valleys, dense jungles, and frequent poisonous fogs.
—Outsiders have intruded.
—Are they martial artists?
—They appear so.
—Are they bastards here to torment us again……?
—What shall we do? There are quite a few of them.
—How many?
—Twelve people.
—Quite a lot.
—They seem to be trying to cross into Namman.
—We should report this, right?
—Yes.
—Then let's just watch for now.
—Yes.
Rustle— Rustle—
Those watching my group disappeared in an instant.
Since it was a complete jungle, it seemed difficult to notice them moving.
"It is becoming difficult to clear a path."
"Shall I burn it?"
"…Wouldn't that attract too much attention?"
"I think we are already attracting enough attention."
I didn't know where she brought them from, but Wi Ji-yeong had changed the clothes of the entire group.
"…Doesn't it suit you so well! Actually, I intended to give them to you when we got to Namman, so it's a little bit of a shame."
"Thank you, I will wear it well."
When Seol Ye-rin thanked her, Cheon Deung-jin and the rest of the Small Snow Squad also expressed their gratitude to Wi Ji-yeong.
Since everyone had changed into clothes that looked a bit cooler in the hot and humid region, it really did feel like we were going on a trip.
The fact was that we stood out even more.
If we were going to stand out one way or another.
It was better to get rid of the cumbersome vines as well.
Whoosh!
Just like that, I abruptly started burning the vines.
—Huh?
—What is this smell…….
Those who were moving to report to the other Miao people hesitated.
"Fi, fire!"
"We, we must put it out."
"If the fire spreads sideways, it's the end!"
West Miao is practically the home of the Miao people.
The Miao people could not leave alone the bastard who dared to try and burn the forest.
"What do you think you are doing!"
Swoosh!
The Miao people soared high into the sky climbing the trees and started throwing something continuously with both hands.
"It's parasites!"
The moment Eun Bin shouted upon seeing the parasites.
Swish— Thud.
Several fine needles began to be scattered.
"Wh, what the—"
Briefly marveling at Mu-myeong's martial arts that accurately hit the flying parasites.
Snake Barbarian Thirteen Blades.
Clang!
Tae Un-seo and the Miao people clashed.
***
I flinched upon seeing the figures popping out as soon as I set the fire.
—It is the Miao people.
—It is the Miao people.
Listening to the stories of the Sword Venerable and the Demon Queen, they seemed to be the Miao people who lived in Namman.
—Their specialties are poison and curses.
—And they hate having their home taken away more than death.
So, I had just set fire to the Miao people's home.
‘This is awkward.’
Isn't it hard to live if there are this many vines?
That was my only thought.
"What do you intend to do?"
Seol Ye-rin asked me.
"Since moving secretly seems impossible now anyway. Since it has come to this, I will try to extract information from the Miao people."
"Confirmed!"
I was the one who set the fire, but the Miao people were the ones who rushed in first.
I didn't know we would undergo another battle when we hadn't even arrived in Namman yet.
"Let's not kill them this time."
At that moment, Seol Ye-rin stepped forward.
Seeing the Miao people, Seol Ye-rin seemed to feel somewhat pitiful.
Crack—
The blazing fire began to extinguish at a single hand gesture from Seol Ye-rin.
No, it wasn't just extinguished.
I scratched my head watching the earth begin to freeze completely.
The problem was,
"…Wouldn't freezing them like that be more painful than killing them?"
The fact was that the Miao people also froze solid due to the Extreme Yin Qi Seol Ye-rin emitted to put out the fire.
"Ahem, Small Snow Squad Captain. Go and melt the Miao people."
Calling me Small Snow Squad Captain only at times like this.
Still, I nodded and began to approach the Miao people.
Slide—
At that moment, a young Miao child revealed himself from behind a Miao person who had become an ice statue.
"P, please spare us."
I got the feeling that I had become a villain.
"Oh my, there is a child with them!"
"Young Master! What are you doing not melting them quickly!"
"Are you okay?"
Seong Sang-ah, Wi Ji-yeong, and Cheon Deung-jin hurriedly ran to the child.
A short while later.
"T, thank you for sparing us."
The thoroughly intimidated Miao people were sitting in front of my group with the children.
"Here, it is dumplings."
Just then, Tae Un-seo held out dumplings.
It seemed he thought we should rest in West Miao before moving on.
While Tae Un-seo was cooking like that, we started conversing with the Miao people.
"So, you mean you thought we were intruders, is that it?"
"That is correct."
Actually, we did look like intruders.
If someone abruptly set fire to their home, it seemed they could view it that way.
"I had no intention of harming the Miao people."
I politely apologized to them and started bringing up the story about the Poison Palace in Namman.
When I said our current objective was the Poison Palace.
"The Poison Palace is dangerous……."
The Miao people started trembling.
"Did something happen?"
At Seol Ye-rin's question.
The Miao people began to tell their circumstances.
They said the reason they were living in West Miao of Yunnan was entirely because of the Poison Palace.
"Are they discriminating even amongst the same Namman people?"
Shake shake.
"They are not the same."
The child held in the Miao woman's hand and opened his mouth.
"There is the Beast Palace in Namman too, not just the Poison Palace!"
"Beast Palace?"
—He must be talking about the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace.
—It seemed they got along well just two hundred years ago, so something must have happened?
Everyone's eyes sparkled as the story of the Beast Palace came out.
"Little boy, is the relationship between the Beast Palace and the Poison Palace not very good?"
The boy, who appeared to be the Miao woman's child, shouted triumphantly as everyone's gaze focused on him.
"Yes! The Poison Palace's poison men really hate the Beast Palace's wild men and beast men!"
"So they fought a lot of battles. Although the Beast Palace lost in the end,"
"You know a lot. Amazing!"
"Hehe, thank you!"
The Miao women were not stopping the child even though he was talking.
Usually, they would stop them from telling such stories to outsiders.
"Do you really think…… you can destroy the Poison Palace?"
"We came from the Ice Palace. We also have a record of defeating over a hundred poison men. We believe we can do it this time too."
"A hundred……!"
Listening to the two's conversation, I began to examine the surroundings.
"By the way, are you the only Miao people living in West Miao?"
"That is……."
Just as the Miao woman was about to speak.
Grrr!
The sound of a beast crying began to be heard from nearby.
"Huh?"
The children were transparent.
Seeing the children smiling brightly, I intuitively sensed that the sound just now was related to the Miao people.
"Could it be someone you know?"
I asked as I raised my body.
Because a presence emitting quite a strong killing intent was approaching towards this direction at a tremendous speed.
"Probably……!"
Just as the Miao woman was about to answer.
Grrr!
Once again, along with the beast's cry.
Swoosh!
A man of massive build fell from the sky towards me, who was closest to the Miao woman.