The reason the Orthodox Sects can exist as Orthodox Sects is that at the most critical moments, they can choose righteousness over profit.
But in the end, the orthodox martial world is still a place where people live.
It's not as if there were no one who wore the name of the orthodox sects while committing all sorts of evil deeds. They were simply stopped quickly the moment they crossed the line.
That is why, no matter how much power they wield, a mere martial sect—not even a government office—would keep a prison of its own.
Still, they couldn't bring themselves to kill their own children and disciples… but leaving them be would surely tarnish the sect's name and increase the number of innocent victims, so they compromised by locking them away for life.
Yet occasionally, someone manages to escape alive.
The Poison Demon Tang Muak before my eyes is exactly such a case.
A middle-aged man with a sharp, viper-like face. Clad in a purple robe, his entire body radiating a vile poison energy, he stares at me with blood dripping from his hands.
More precisely, he's staring at Tang So-wol, who stands beside me.
"Finally… finally, this day has come."
Tang Muak mutters, soaked in blood and poison energy. Anyone could see he was in an alarming state, yet perhaps it was because his hair and pupils bore that familiar shade of green.
At the transformation that could only be achieved by reaching a certain level through the Tang Clan's poison art, Tang So-wol spoke with a look of confusion.
"Who are you, to bring about such a Blood Calamity? And that hair…"
"An enemy."
As I quickly stepped in front of her and raised my sword, Tang So-wol, startled, stepped back and drew up her internal energy.
In the midst of this, I spotted Sama Yuryeon quickly retreating back the way she had come, hiding herself toward the secret vault, and I spoke.
"It's Tang Muak. You've heard the name, Tang So-wol."
"Surely not…!"
Tang So-wol was startled. Right. Of course she would know. If anyone would, it was Tang So-wol.
Originally, Tang Muak was of the collateral branch, but he was an outstanding master of the Tang Clan who had proven his ability and loyalty time and again.
Had he aged a little more, a smooth path with a guaranteed elder position would have unfolded before him… but.
He was greedier than one might think.
Not greedy for a higher realm. No—Tang Muak was simply, purely captivated by poison.
Stronger poisons, faster-spreading poisons, more subtle poisons, poisons with stranger symptoms, poisons that were easier to obtain—and so on.
So obsessed with poison that he studied it from dawn till dusk, perhaps the poison energy had seeped even into his very brain.
Tang Muak looked at the newborn youngest daughter of the Tang Clan, Tang So-wol, and thought.
If he used the Poison Spirit Constitution for his research, he would surely achieve tremendous results.
Wasn't it a poison creature in human form, a constitution with abilities close to omnipotence when it came to poison?
Experiments he had never dared to conduct against the clan head, Tang Jincheon, would become possible.
Not only could he create poisons that had never existed, but perhaps he could even uncover the secrets of the Poison Spirit Constitution and become a being akin to a Poison Human himself.
Such thoughts were more than enough to numb the last shred of Tang Muak's conscience.
In the end, Tang Muak used his position to steal the Ten Thousand Poisons Hall's key materials and poison creatures, and finally attempted to kidnap Tang So-wol, who was still a newborn infant.
In the process, Tang So-wol's mother resisted fiercely and barely managed to block Tang Muak, but…
Perhaps because Tang Muak was so skilled in the poison art, she was drenched in poison energy without even a chance to be treated, and lost her life.
In the Sichuan Tang Clan, famed for its mastery of poison and hidden weapons, the clan head's wife had died of poisoning.
Naturally, a furious Tang Jincheon tried to capture and kill Tang Muak, but Tang Muak, who had meticulously prepared an escape route, succeeded in fleeing to Yunnan, which bordered Sichuan.
Yunnan was a frontier region where not even the Tang Clan, let alone the Imperial Court, could easily exert its power.
For a long while, Tang Jincheon scoured Yunnan, impressing upon the land just how fearsome a name the alias "Poison King" could become, but in the end, he could not find Tang Muak.
Since the clan head could not be away from his seat indefinitely, Tang Jincheon ultimately gave up on Tang Muak and returned to the Tang Clan.
After that, as is well known, he raised his only youngest daughter with utmost care, cherishing her like a precious jewel…
But what became of Tang Muak, who had barely managed to cling to life?
Since the man had crossed the line with his eyes already turned mad, and had been lucky enough to survive, would he have resolved to live quietly?
That was hardly likely.
Perhaps because he had come so close to obtaining the Poison Spirit Constitution, his obsession only grew even more intense.
Before the regression, he had even tried to use the grown Tang So-wol as his test subject again, taking advantage of the chaos when the Demonic Cult invaded the Central Plains.
This is a story I heard directly from Tang So-wol before the regression, who had risen to the Harmony Realm by defeating Tang Muak in reverse when he came to capture her, so it must be certain.
Her eyes were certainly the same green, but their atmosphere was completely different from Tang Jincheon's or Tang So-wol's, and they narrowed.
"Do you know who I am?"
"What a silly question. You're the one who nearly killed my betrothed. I may not know your face, but I ought to know your distinguishing traits."
"Betrothed."
Tang Muak's lips split into a wide grin as he quietly studied me.
"If you've looked into me, then there must be one more thing you can't possibly be unaware of."
The moment he finished speaking, a fierce aura erupted outward from Tang Muak at his center.
It was filled with a venomous, thick killing intent, so much so that I felt as if I had stuck my head into the maw of a ravenously hungry beast.
If even I, in my current state, could feel this way, then he was certainly no mere Transcendent Peak martial artist.
That said, he probably wasn't a complete Harmony Realm master either.
Tang Muak, having slipped into Yunnan, hadn't quietly built up his strength—he had immediately begun subjugating the surrounding sects.
At that time, Yunnan was in chaos. After their defeat at the hands of the Beast Palace, the remnants of the Five Poison Sect had split into dozens, even hundreds of factions, each establishing their own sect and fighting amongst themselves, each claiming to be the true successor.
The Five Poison Sect had once been a sect renowned for its poison arts, but it was never a match for the Tang Clan.
And with their secret arts shattered into countless fragments, there was little hope of stopping a determined Tang Muak.
In the end, Tang Muak subjugated all the remnants of the Five Poison Sect, obtained the complete secret arts, and established a single sect.
The Heavenly Poison Sect.
Tang Muak was the sect leader of this Heavenly Poison Sect, and also a martial artist who, through the Five Poison Sect's secret Grand Ritual, harbored poison energy surpassing the Transcendent Peak realm.
A poison so vicious that it would work even on a Harmony Realm martial artist.
But what did that matter?
"Even if you possess a poison capable of poisoning a Harmony Realm martial artist, that doesn't mean you've reached Harmony yourself."
"You've got no fear. No—if you're that Blood Flower Sword Demon, I suppose it's confidence."
Tang Muak nodded. Without warning, he swung his arm.
Countless needles poured out from his sleeve—purple, not green.
They weren't as thin as the Tang Clan's Cow Hair Needles, but there were many of them, and each one carried a vicious poison energy.
I stared straight at them and swung my sword, heavy with internal energy.
Hwooong!
A blood-red Sword Qi rippled through the air, recreating the very Mystery I had learned at the Shaolin Temple.
The power contained in the Sword Qi carried over entirely into the sword wind, and the blade wrapped in it stirred up a fierce gale of internal energy in front of me.
The needles flew swiftly, and they did carry some internal energy of their own… but perhaps because of their extremely light weight, they scattered in all directions in an instant.
However, Tang Muak's hidden weapons were merely a distraction. A kind of feint.
Seizing the opening left by my single sword swing, he closed in quickly and thrust out a palm blazing with poison energy.
Puhwoong!
"Kugh!"
I twisted my body with all my might, barely avoiding a direct hit, but even the slight graze on my forearm was enough for the poison to spread rapidly.
Despite the poison resistance training I had steadily received from Tang So-wol, and the considerable level of tolerance I had already built up, this poison energy was so potent that my vision blurred for an instant.
"Young hero Cheon…!"
Startled, Tang So-wol quickly reached out and placed her hand on my back. She began absorbing the poison energy immediately, but—
"Let's see you block this one too!"
Tang Muak struck out with a rapid succession of poison palms, faster than she could respond.
With my five senses dulled by the poison energy that hadn't fully been drawn out, I relied on the sensation of Sword-Mind Unity and swung my sword.
Thunk! Thud! Thunk!
The internal energy imbued with a poison so vile I'd never felt it even within the Tang Clan clashed repeatedly with the savage internal energy of the Crazy Wolf Life-Stealing Art, sending fragments of internal energy scattering in all directions.
The dark, purplish internal energy that splattered onto the floor let out a sizzling sound and belched poisonous fumes the moment Tang Muak's poison energy touched the ground.
"Internal energy like this…?"
Normally, internal energy might be strong when condensed, but once scattered, it could hardly exert any power.
The Blood Flame Fist Demon's internal energy, once it escaped his control, dispersed with a faint residual heat, and Seol Ri-hyang's Yin Energy, once it left her hand, merely turned into a slightly chilly breeze.
So how in the world could scattered internal energy spew out poison that potent?
No matter how advanced one's poison art became, or how much the internal energy itself came to harbor poison energy, this was impossible.
Even Tang So-wol from her previous life, called the Poison Lady, would have found this difficult. The very nature of the internal energy itself was…
"…So that's how it is."
Even as I continued to block Tang Muak's poison palms, I caught a glimpse of the floor. The faint sheen of moisture on it told me everything.
It wasn't just that his internal energy, which only took form through sheer will, carried the poison—he was using a separate liquid as a medium to store it.
And the only liquid on Tang Muak's hands was blood.
The blood I'd assumed had gotten on him from taking down all those martial artists gathered here—it was actually his own poison blood.
I swung my sword carefully, making sure not to inhale the poisonous fumes rising from the floor, and making sure none of the blood droplets flicked from his palms could touch me.
Tang Muak's palm technique was impressive, but it was no match for my sword.
Under normal circumstances, I would have turned the tide long ago and taken at least an arm.
The only reason I hadn't was the poison energy gnawing at my body even at this very moment.
"Young hero Cheon! The poison energy right now…"
"…Pfft! Never mind that, just get away from me. It's dangerous."
I spat out the blood that was rising in my throat and shouted that.
For Tang So-wol to properly absorb the poison energy, she needed to be in direct contact with my body like she was a moment ago.
Otherwise, it would be nearly impossible for her to control poison energy that originated from someone else's poison art.
But instead of unleashing his poison art from a distance, Tang Muak was wrapping poison energy around his hands and swinging his poison palms directly.
If I fought with Tang So-wol at my back, I wouldn't be able to keep up with Tang Muak's movements properly.
Even if the poison energy already inside my body was difficult, I could still absorb the poison mist around me in my current state, and I could help from a distance, so fighting separately was the right call.
Well, I wasn't sure if poison would work on Tang Muak, but hidden weapons would.
Fortunately, thanks to the resistance I'd built up over time, as long as I didn't take a direct hit… the poison energy that accumulated indirectly was bearable enough.
"You think you can bear it?"
It was the moment I blocked Tang Muak's next poison palm.
"Cough!"
It wasn't even that impressive. Just a tiny bit of poison energy flowing through the sword.
With a sensation like my internal organs were being torn apart, the strength began to drain from my body.
Compound poison!
My body tilted against my will. No matter how fiercely I cycled my internal energy, I couldn't suppress the poison energy that was mixing and rampaging wildly, and I spat out black, dead blood.
"Ugh!"
I hadn't let my guard down. I just hadn't expected him to wield poison this powerful.
Tang Muak stood before me as I knelt on one knee. A poison of a different dimension from anything before—so vicious it reminded me of Tang So-wol before the regression, coiled around his hand.
A poison that could even poison a Harmony Realm martial artist. In other words, his poison art alone had reached the Harmony Realm.
If I took a hit without any defense, I'd die before I could even ask Tang So-wol to absorb the poison energy later.
…I can't die here.
I can't let everything I've done so far come to nothing. I can't let Tang So-wol die this time either.
So I'll burn it all here.
If I need a more violent flow of internal energy to drive out Tang Muak's poison energy, then so be it.
Even if it means triggering a Qi Deviation. And if that's not enough, I'll draw out my Innate True Qi.
I focus my mind on my Dantian. The internal energy of the Crazy Wolf Life-Stealing Art is so rough that an ordinary martial artist would already be believed to have fallen into Qi Deviation.
That's not entirely wrong, but in the end, isn't it still under my control?
So I let go of even that. I don't know how long I can keep my sanity, but if I can just take down Tang Muak in that time…
It was the moment I steeled my resolve and was about to let my internal energy run wild.
Swoosh.
"Stop. That one, I can't allow, young hero Cheon."
"Tang… So-wol?"
He had told her to stay away, yet Tang So-wol spoke those words with her hand still resting on my shoulder.
In the brief moment her hand touched me, she was drawing the poison energy from my body, but the speed was strangely slow.
"Seven Treasure Soul-Chasing Powder… no, it's similar, but the ingredients have been slightly altered. Including Crane Spirit Grass, that is."
"It's Seven Treasure Soul-Severing Powder. The power is similar, but it's a poison far more difficult to cure. It can even bypass the Crane Spirit Grass resistance that Tang Clan martial artists possess."
"If you wanted to create a poison that even the Tang Clan's own people couldn't cure in time… congratulations. You've succeeded."
Tang So-wol let out a deep sigh. With a hardened gaze, she stared straight ahead… at Tang Muak.
"Your goal is me, isn't it?"
"You know well."
"Then take only me and let the others go."
"Why should I? It's simpler to kill everyone."
"Even if that means that should the young hero Cheon die, I will use any means necessary to take my own life? If I deliberately suppress my resistance to poison, the various poisons in my body will completely dissolve me. No matter how great a Poison Demon you are, you couldn't possibly neutralize all the poison I've absorbed over the years that quickly."
"…"
Tang Muak fell silent for a moment, then began to ponder.
But for me, there was no room for hesitation.
"Wh-what! Stop! If you follow Tang Muak, you'll—!"
"I know. It's either death, or death after an experiment more painful than death. …But the young hero Cheon will live, won't he?"
Like someone who had given up on everything. Or like someone who had steeled themselves for something, her eyes were transparent.
Overwhelmed by that gaze, I stared blankly up at her, and from behind me came Tang Muak's voice.
"Fine. But you can't fully neutralize the poison. I saw it with my own eyes—his sword is sharper than I thought."
"I'll cure the Seven Treasure Soul-Severing Powder, but I'll apply a sleeping poison that will keep him under for at least three days."
"Good. Get on with it."
Tang Muak tilted his head, still keeping the poison energy gathered in both hands.
At that, Tang So-wol gave a light nod and turned her head back toward me.
"Young hero Cheon."
"I told you to stop—cough, hck!"
Black blood spilled from my mouth as I tried to stop Tang So-wol. She watched it with bitter eyes, then placed her hand on my cheek with a faint smile.
A delicate warmth that crept up to cradle my cheek. She still gave off that soft, pleasant fragrance… but Tang So-wol's hand was trembling finely.
She looked at me quietly and continued.
"It's a life that was saved thanks to you, young hero Cheon, and I've been happy all this time thanks to you. Even more so whenever I pictured what was to come."
"Then step aside. I still…"
As if to silence me, Tang So-wol pressed her lips to mine.
In this life's first kiss, I tasted something rough and bitter — the flavor of blood and poison.
Exhaustion, already overwhelming from expelling poison energy, now crashed over me as drowsiness.
My vision forced itself shut, and through the frustration of not even being allowed to exhale, Tang So-wol's voice reached me faintly.
"I love you."
Before I could offer any reply, my consciousness went dark.
.
.
.
.
.
When I opened my eyes again, Tang So-wol was no longer by my side.
I had to get her back.