Chapter 41
Secret History (1)
Kang Yong-un straightened his chest with confidence.
“I heard you sought me out to test my qualifications, Clan Head.”
“That is so.”
“I did hear it once through So-baek’s mouth, but would you please tell me directly? Why must I undergo a qualification test from you?”
Though the test had yet to begin, Kang Yong-un was already to his liking.
How bold he was!
“Hah, what a promising lad.”
Just how great were this fellow’s abilities?
“Judging by his aura, his inner strength seems barely that of a first-class expert… But perhaps that’s not all there is?”
“None in the world dares speak lightly of the Tang Clan. And yet, you, a newcomer to the martial world, claim you will seek out traitors of heresy?!”
The trial began.
Tang Se-hwang slightly raised the density of his inner energy, shaping it into a formless aura.
“Without confirming your worth, how could I allow the Tang Clan’s dignity to be diminished?!”
His invisible aura enveloped Kang Yong-un in an instant.
Gasp.
Without realizing it, Kang Yong-un sucked in a sharp breath.
His skin burned and tingled, his breath was nearly stifled by the sheer intensity of the pressure.
But then—
Whooo—
His dantian opened on its own.
“The harmony of heaven, the utmost mandate of destiny…”
Along with the mantra he recited by habit, the power of the Great Heaven Divine Art surged like a volcano. It rose to meet Tang Se-hwang’s aura.
“Good.”
Though he could not dispel Tang Se-hwang’s aura, amazingly, his breathing grew a little easier. Such was the innate advantage of inborn qi over acquired qi.
“First, let me clear up a misunderstanding.”
Now that he could breathe, Kang Yong-un spoke what he wished to say.
“I am not seeking traitors of heresy themselves, but rather to find anyone who may have fallen victim to their sorcery.”
“Hmph. That’s the same thing.”
Tang Se-hwang snorted, watching with a strange gaze as Kang Yong-un recovered so quickly.
“Second, it was not I who raised the matter, but Tang So-baek, my friend, who asked it of me.”
“That’s still the same—!”
“It is different. Out of loyalty to a friend, and for the sake of his family’s well-being, I halted my travels and returned to Chengdu. And this is the treatment I receive.”
That struck a nerve.
The fact that he had turned back on So-baek’s request stabbed straight at Tang Se-hwang’s conscience.
“Ahem…”
His response faltered into a mere cough.
Perhaps sensing his discomfort, Kang Yong-un grinned faintly and scratched the itch first.
“Still, I would never betray a friend’s trust. I accept the trial.”
“Good! Very well, then… the trial it shall be.”
The moment Tang Se-hwang, Clan Head of the Tang, accepted his proposal—
A storm raged in Kang Yong-un’s mind.
[If you pass the test, ask to see the Forbidden Grounds! Quickly!]
[The Poison Essence Pool, child—that is the Tang Clan’s forbidden place. You must find a way to enter it.]
[The young clan head will be shocked. Within lies an old furnace and discarded tools and reagents once used to craft all the poisons of the clan, as well as a cavern where failed venoms were dumped.]
[It is a place saturated with immense poison, but you will not be going into the cavern itself. Do not be alarmed.]
[The Poison Essence Pool itself is the goal. There, you must rouse the Great Heaven Divine Art with all your might. Do you understand?]
[The rest will be told when you arrive. Just make sure you enter that place.]
What choice did he have?
He had to follow the elders’ guidance.
“Once I pass the trial and fulfill my promise to So-baek, please allow me to see the Poison Essence Pool.”
“…The trial—what? What did you say?”
He had repeated the elders’ words exactly.
Tang Se-hwang was visibly startled, wholly unprepared for such a request.
Not knowing why he was told to go there, Kang Yong-un could only smile awkwardly.
A cold gleam flashed in Tang Se-hwang’s eyes.
“What is your reason?!”
His voice was sharp as ice.
The Poison Essence Pool was the most forbidden of forbidden places.
For centuries, it had been the site where every kind of poison the Tang used was concocted, tested, and discarded.
“My father is there…”
It was where Tang Gun-woo had gone after speaking his opinion at the council.
That cavern had become so saturated with countless venoms over the ages that it was on the brink of exploding. Such was the Poison Essence Pool.
“How could he know of this? And knowing, why would he wish to see it?”
Tang Se-hwang could not help but suspect.
Wasn’t it strange?
Even the Poison Sovereign struggled with that place. What was there to “see”?
“Could even that innocent face be a disguise?”
Was he planning to interfere with the Poison Sovereign’s training—or strike when he was vulnerable?
“No… that cannot be.”
If that were the case, he would never have saved Jin Jo-yeon, nor befriended his son So-baek.
Why go through the trouble of disguising as a friend, instead of simply striking as an assassin?
“Then what? Why does he wish to see it? Could he also be training in poison arts, and seeking to overreach?”
But no matter how he looked, the youth showed no trace of poison cultivation.
While Tang Se-hwang wrestled with doubt, Kang Yong-un was equally troubled.
“What do I say?”
His answer was far too thin.
He knew only the name of the place and that poisons had piled up there—but not its exact location, nor why he was told to go.
With no clever answer coming to mind, he simply bared his heart.
“Ah, whatever.”
He lifted his gaze to the sky.
Thinking of the distant elders beyond the blue sky and white clouds, he answered:
“I follow Heaven’s will. The details, I myself do not yet know.”
“Heaven’s… will?!”
Tang Se-hwang was struck dumb.
For a long while, the clan head could not speak.
Seeing this, Kang Yong-un asked,
“Will you give your word?”
Tang Se-hwang held his gaze for a long moment, then slowly nodded.
“Very well. If you pass the trial, I shall let you see the Poison Essence Pool.”
Heaven’s will!
Those words struck his heart.
“If it truly is Heaven’s will, perhaps the Tang Clan’s ancient wish may finally be resolved…”
He thought of the Poison Sovereign, even now straining his body to suppress the toxins of the Poison Essence Pool.
If it was Heaven’s will, even that man would have agreed to Kang Yong-un’s condition.
“What is the trial?”
“Ah, the trial?”
Tang Se-hwang’s eyes sharpened once more.
“Take one hidden weapon.”
“A hidden weapon?!”
“Yes. Nothing more than a butterfly. But I warn you—you’ll need every ounce of your strength.”
From somewhere unseen, he produced a butterfly. A red, ornate butterfly ornament, delicate as a woman’s trinket.
In that instant—
A chill ran down Kang Yong-un’s spine. His hair stood on end.
“This… even the Great Heaven Divine Art cannot block this.”
He knew it instinctively.
Sword aura?
Far from enough.
“Thunder God Art…”
Only that could withstand the butterfly of the Tang Clan’s head.
“Haaah—!”
Drawing his sword, Kang Yong-un poured both the Great Heaven Divine Art and the Ultimate Technique into it. He channeled both into the Azure Steel Sword.
Whooom—!
Infused with both powers, the sword began to resonate, just as before.
“Ohh—! Not bad.”
Even its resonance and aura marked him beyond first-class.
“Could it be… a stable pinnacle realm, like my son So-baek?”
Tang Se-hwang gauged his level as he lightly flicked his wrist.
Flutter—!
The Butterfly of Soul-Harvesting began to flap its wings.
It floated, swaying like a dance, then drifted lazily toward Kang Yong-un.
“It’s coming—!”
His nerves reached their peak.
Through his inner eye, he saw clearly where it aimed.
“The heart—!”
But he dared not strike.
With every flap of its wings, its angle changed.
“Hmm. That is but a stepping stone, child.”
“It is only a means to guard yourself until you are ready.”
“It is strong, but do not immerse yourself too much.”
“You must look farther—!”
The elders’ words flashed in his mind like lightning.
Though he had gained a powerful technique, he now understood that against true masters, it was not enough.
“Still, it’s all I can trust.”
And beyond that, he had his inner sight.
Since the butterfly aimed for his heart, he would unleash Thunder God Art directly there.
Wroooom—!
At last his sword roared violently.
A searing light burst from the steel, far beyond mere sword aura.
“Now—!”
Kang Yong-un gathered the Great Heaven Divine Art and the Ultimate Technique to the tip and clashed them.
Boom—!
Unable to endure the thunderforce, the Azure Steel Sword’s tip exploded, scattering fragments as powerful thunderforce crashed into the Butterfly of Soul-Harvesting.
“Ho!”
For the first time, Tang Se-hwang let out a gasp.
“Not just pinnacle. This is strength nearly equal to the level of Gang.”
And with thunderforce at that.
Whether it came from a technique or hidden reserves of qi, it was extraordinary nonetheless.
“Hmph. If the Tang Clan’s head could be stopped by this, he would not deserve his title!”
By strength alone, he had already passed.
But pride as a master was another matter.
“Hah!”
With a short shout, Tang Se-hwang twisted his wrist.
The butterfly wavered, then spun midair, curving like a wave—
And dove straight at Kang Yong-un’s abdomen.
“W-what is this?!”
He was shaken.
Why had the Thunder God Art failed to finish it?
Even though that very power had once blasted a cultist apart!
Whirr—
His thoughts ended there.
Instinct took over. His hand swept softly across his abdomen.
Bang!
The Gentle Palm of Wudang.
A technique taught by Elder Zhang Sanfeng himself—repelling the butterfly in the very last moment.
Clink.
The butterfly fell harmlessly to the ground.
“You—! What connection have you to Wudang?!”
Tang Se-hwang did not redirect it. Shock held his hand back.
Kang Yong-un could not answer at once.
The situation had unfolded too quickly for him to grasp.
“Was the butterfly resistant to Thunder God Art? Is that why it couldn’t be broken?”
Or was there some other reason?
Before he could ponder further, Tang Se-hwang roared.
“You! Do you not hear me? What relation do you have with Wudang?!”
Truly the Tang head—he had recognized it instantly.
That the palm technique Kang Yong-un used at the last moment was rooted in Wudang.
“Ah! I truly do not know, Clan Head. It came out instinctively…”
“Hrmm—!”
Though he knew it was Wudang’s, he could not identify exactly which palm technique, leaving him speechless.
“I can hardly tell him I learned it from Elder Zhang Sanfeng. Best to end this quickly.”
Kang Yong-un changed the subject.
“It seems I received the butterfly, Clan Head. Then… have I passed the trial?”
“Hm? Ah… Yes. You have passed.”
Tang Se-hwang nodded, his face a tangle of emotions.
Now it was time to uphold the promise.
“Then tell me—how exactly do you intend to find victims of heretical sorcery, as you claimed?”
“That is…”
Kang Yong-un’s words trailed slowly onward.
