Chapter 288: A Belated Opportunity (3) |
These days, unless it was a lesser creature, it was difficult to even glimpse a proper spirit beast… but the records themselves remained quite detailed.
It made sense—after all, up until Seo Mun-Hwarin’s generation, powerful spirit beasts were still discovered quite often, so it wasn’t ancient history to live in coexistence or competition with them.
Among all these, the spirit beasts with the most surviving records were those of the serpent and centipede types.
And the reason those two were particularly infamous was simple: they were generally large and nasty in temperament, frequently invading human territories.
Well, of course, there were also rare instances where humans invaded a spirit beast’s territory, like the Flood Dragon of the North Sea Ice Palace.
Still, the frequency of conflict meant they inevitably came to know a lot about each other.
Spirit beasts would diverge into many branches depending on their environments. And it didn’t take long to recognize one particular, extremely unusual species among them.
The Fire Centipede.
It wasn’t some terrifying giant centipede literally wreathed in seven types of fire, as the name might suggest.
When multiple poisons were contracted at once, their combined toxicity would grow even stronger, and the resulting agony—like burning alive—would lead to death. Hence the name.
Typically, poisonous creatures could only carry one type of venom due to their innate resistance to it. This applied to spirit beasts as well.
But the Fire Centipede had managed to host several poisons and somehow harmonize them within its body.
Perhaps due to this nature, the Fire Centipede's poison mixed well with almost any other, reportedly creating various effects depending on the combination.
“But, the Fire Centipede has another special trait too.”
Tang Sowol, her voice bright with excitement at the thought of acquiring the creature, lifted the corners of her mouth into a wide grin.
“Because its strong poisons are balanced in harmony, mysterious patterns appear on its carapace. They’re said to be so beautiful that a Fire Centipede caught in the past had its shell presented to the imperial court.”
“Sounds like it would fetch a high price.”
“…Is that all you have to say? Aren’t you at least a little excited or intrigued?”
“It’s still a centipede, no? Oh, but I am looking forward to seeing how happy you get.”
Unlike Seol Lihyang’s new sound-based martial art or Seo Mun-Hwarin’s gauntlets, which—while good—might not have significant practical value, the Fire Centipede’s venom could potentially provide real benefit to Tang Sowol.
Well… who could say for sure? Before his regression, the Fire Centipede had ended up in the hands of the Thousand Poison Gate, not the Tang Clan.
As he silently nodded to himself, Tang Sowol spoke again, her expression turning a bit complex.
“That reaction feels awfully dry… No, never mind. I suppose that level of emotional detachment is the best someone like you can manage, Brother Cheon? You said you’re at least looking forward to my reaction… So! Well done!”
…For some reason, he was being praised.
Ever since she’d glimpsed his memories, Tang Sowol’s expectations—or perhaps standards—for him seemed to have dropped significantly.
He wasn’t sure whether to feel good or bad about that…
“Ahem. What bothers me more is the fact that someone from the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace is raising a venomous insect-type spirit beast. And then selling it?”
“It’s nothing complicated. There’s a very simple reason.”
Money, perhaps?
“No, something a little more urgent. Hunger.”
The Southern Barbarian Beast Palace was a major sect that shared rule over Yunnan with the Thousand Poison Gate. Considering it was an area where the imperial influence barely reached, they were practically like the rulers of a small country.
Because of that, the royal bloodline of the palace wielded significant power within Yunnan… and sometimes, strange individuals would emerge.
“The third or fourth daughter of the current palace lord—who had no real chance of succession—happened upon the Fire Centipede by chance, and managed to tame it.”
If she had used the Beast Palace’s own methods to tame the centipede, it would’ve been fine.
They would’ve celebrated the discovery as a new potential for their martial arts.
But she had secretly learned techniques that had leaked out during the destruction of the Five Venoms Gate, which preceded the Thousand Poison Gate, and used those to tame it instead.
Naturally, this didn’t sit well—not with the remnants of the Five Venoms Gate, nor with the Thousand Poison Gate, and certainly not with the current palace lord, who had led the Beast Palace into its golden age.
He had ordered his daughter to either leave the palace or kill the Fire Centipede.
And astonishingly, she chose to leave the palace with the Fire Centipede.
“It goes without saying, but what could a noble daughter, who left home with no preparation, hope to do alone? She should be grateful if she didn’t get kidnapped.”
“Urk!”
Tang Sowol, feeling oddly targeted, glared at him—but he only shrugged and continued.
She had left the Southern Barbarians entirely and made for the Central Plains… but in a foreign land, with no support, no money, and no experience—how long could she last?
She reportedly barely ate on the journey, and by the time she finally reached Guizhou Province, it happened.
The Fire Centipede, large and requiring a substantial diet, could no longer endure starvation—and devoured its master.
And though the Fire Centipede had been spiritually bound to its owner by the Five Venoms Gate’s secret technique, that bond was shattered in its hunger-induced madness, and it went berserk.
Worse still, this didn’t happen in some remote Yunnan jungle, but in Guizhou Province, where news spread quickly.
Many sects sent people after the rare Fire Centipede’s inner core, but in the end, the one who succeeded was the Thousand Poison Gate.
That was the version of the story he’d heard before regression.
And if his memory was correct, this was around the time the girl had been cast out with the Fire Centipede.
Naturally, he couldn’t say all this, so he glossed over the end.
Fortunately, they were used to his awkward explanations by now.
Anyway, it was entirely possible she was out there starving.
And if so, she might be willing to sell the Fire Centipede for a sum like this.
“Pardon? If she went so far as to leave her home, doesn’t that mean she treasures the Fire Centipede like her own child? No matter how tempting the gold, who would sell their own child?”
“Plenty of people sell their kids for a single nyang of silver.”
“That’s… such a grim view of the world…! But no, I’ve decided to just accept you as you are, Brother Cheon! It’s too late to change how you live!”
Do you even realize that’s the harshest thing you’ve said so far?
That sorrowful look on her face—Tang Sowol often wore it after seeing his past.
Sometimes, he almost wished she hadn’t.
He let out a long sigh and picked up the pace. Thankfully, now that they’d all reached high levels of martial prowess, traveling quickly with light movement techniques was easy.
They set up in the largest village near the Yunnan–Guizhou border and waited for half a month.
But no matter how long they waited, neither the Fire Centipede nor the Beast Palace girl appeared.
“…Something’s gone wrong.”
“Too chilly? Want me to cool it down even more?”
Seol Lihyang tilted her head, reached out, and touched the back of his neck.
Her hand was so cold it sent chills down his spine. As his neck involuntarily trembled, she giggled in amusement.
She had become like a walking ice vault, exuding cold throughout the room—no wonder her hands felt like blocks of ice.
But what he meant by “something’s gone wrong” wasn’t the temperature.
“I’m fine, so go chill Tang Sowol or Senior Seo Mun-Hwarin. And I wasn’t talking about the temperature—I meant the fact that there’s still no news.”
“Hmm?”
Seol Lihyang nodded, then slipped her hand into the collars of Tang Sowol, who had just finished her sweaty training for the day, and Seo Mun-Hwarin, who had been her sparring partner.
“Urgh! Lihyang, you started it this time?!”
“Fufu. This is nothing for someone like me, who has reached the Cold-and-Heat Immunity stage—wait, how far are you putting your hand?!”
“Ah, wasn’t this your back?”
Seol Lihyang replied casually.
Tang Sowol, who had leapt up like a startled frog mid-sit, now looked disheveled and glared at her.
Seo Mun-Hwarin, who had smugly raised her chin in triumph, yelped and covered her chest.
A brief silence. Then came the playful bickering.
Perhaps the shared glimpse into his past had formed a new bond between them.
They definitely seemed closer now.
He continued, watching the trio with mild amusement.
“Shouldn’t we have at least heard a rumor by now? But with no news at all, something really seems off.”
“Hehe. Can you two live without me in this heat? Just give in quietly, sisters!”
“My, my! I never thought I’d see the day Lihyang threatened me! You’ve grown up! But I always knew this day would come. Now, let’s see if you can still talk big after taking the Triple-Concentration Poison!”
“St-stop! Don’t tickle me! And no pinching either…!”
The three of them half-ignored his words and continued their antics.
Maybe they were getting a little too close.
Still, what was with Seo Mun-Hwarin’s strange reaction when the hand went over her shoulder? Was it not the shoulder?
More importantly…
“Triple-Concentration Poison? That’s a thing?”
“Oh? Are you interested, Brother Cheon? Sadly, it’s just an exaggeration. In reality, it barely doubles the concentration at most. It’s a byproduct of making poisons meant to awaken the body.”
Now Tang Sowol finally turned her attention to him. The others looked over after a bit more bickering.
“You’re saying something’s not going the way you expected? Don’t worry about it. Most things in life don’t go as planned anyway. What matters now is what you do next.”
“Come to think of it, you did tell the Tang Clan Leader you’d be back soon. Maybe it’s not worth waiting any longer. It’s unfortunate about the Fire Centipede’s poison, but if we consider the time and effort we’re wasting on a gamble, I think returning to the Tang Clan isn’t a bad idea.”
She had a point.
But even so, he felt reluctant to give up this time.
He had gotten something for Seol Lihyang and Seo Mun-Hwarin—but nothing yet for Tang Sowol.
And more than that, he had been thinking that, if possible, the daughter of the Beast Palace Lord might be the key to establishing a relationship with the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace.
Before his regression, after the Demonic Cult’s invasion, the strongest force among the newly emergent outside factions was that very Beast Palace.
An alliance might not be feasible, but at the very least, he wanted to establish good relations in advance.
That way, if they ever took advantage of chaos to invade the Central Plains, perhaps some damage could be avoided.
At the very least, he wanted to make sure they wouldn’t directly clash with the Tang Clan.
That much, he hoped for.
After listening, Tang Sowol flicked away a suspicious wisp of poison from her fingertips and smiled faintly.
“If that’s what Brother Cheon believes, then it wouldn’t hurt to check deeper into Yunnan for information on the Fire Centipede. And if we come up empty, it’s still not too late to return.”
“There might be delays or unexpected problems. Are you all okay with that?”
When he asked for confirmation, Seol Lihyang and Seo Mun-Hwarin simply shrugged.
“It’s not like it’s your first time going off on some side mission.”
“When we return, I’ll carry Lihyang on my back, and you can carry Sowol. If we use light movement at full speed, we won’t even be that late.”
“…Thanks, everyone.”
He gave a small bow and immediately began packing.
***
Once they entered Yunnan, they heard news sooner than expected.
Apparently, because the Thousand Poison Gate had been destroyed in this life, the girl had taken the Fire Centipede to the site of its former base, rather than to the Central Plains.
Since he’d been there once before, it didn’t take long to find.
And there—
“E-everyone run!”
“It’s the Sword Demon! The butcher’s come back!”
“Protect the Sect Leader! Protect her!”
Those who seemed to be survivors of the Thousand Poison Gate were trembling as they blocked the path of a giant centipede and a single woman standing beside it.
It felt awkward to say it about himself, but…
It was quite the dramatic scene.