NOVEL WEB Chapter 29 - Episode 7: Demonic Cultivator (3)
Chapter 29 – Episode 7: Demonic Cultivator (3)
“No poison powder. It’s too dangerous.”
Tang Hwa-ryeong adamantly refused, there was no way she could hand it over.
“Is it because it’s a secret technique of the Tang family?” asked Zhuge Hyeonmong.
“No, well that’s part of it, but there’s a bigger reason.”
“Hmm.”
Zhuge Hyeonmong pondered for a moment before speaking.
“Is it because it could harm our own allies?”
“That’s right.”
Tang Hwa-ryeong nodded.
Stories often depicted Tang Family assassins poisoning foes unnoticed, but in reality, it’s not that easy. Not only does it require perfect timing, but the wind conditions have to be just right.
“In the first place, poison powder isn’t something you carry around to directly poison someone. It’s for quickly concocting poison pills when needed. Sure, there are times when you might throw the whole pouch in desperation, but who knows what could happen when it bursts open.”
Zhuge Hyeonmong nodded in understanding.
First-rate martial artists can generate wind force in various ways, such as air pressure from a punch or blending internal energy into the wind like in a palm blast.
But controlling the wind itself is impossible.
“What if I told you I could do it?”
“What did you just say?” Tang Hwa-ryeong’s brow furrowed deeply.
She had been treating him favorably due to their debt of gratitude, but what he said just now was tantamount to saying his poison skills surpassed those of the Tang Family.
‘Oops.’
Zhuge Hyeonmong inwardly chided himself. He didn’t expect his remark would unexpectedly land him in a minefield.
Seeing the goodwill he’d built up crumble, he quickly acted.
“Left side, below the ear.”
With a flick of his wand, a gust of wind brushed Tang Hwa-ryeong’s left ear.
“!?”
“Next, your right shoulder.”
A cool breeze brushed against her shoulder.
It was by no means a great force. Rather, it felt like a gentle breeze, to the extent that one might not even notice it if not focused.
Tang Hwa-ryeong shuddered.
‘What the hell is this guy?’
Goosebumps rose on her skin.
The fact that it wasn’t powerful made it even more impressive. No one fights while paying attention to a gentle breeze. In other words, he could poison someone without anyone noticing.
“You… how did you…”
As Tang Hwa-ryeong’s eyes narrowed, Zhuge Hyeonmong gazed wistfully at the sky and spoke.
“In the past, my ancestor once summoned the southeastern wind.”
“Ancestor? You mean Zhuge Liang?”
Tang Hwa-ryeong was taken aback.
The tale of Zhuge Liang summoning the wind for the fire attack at the Battle of Red Cliffs was incredibly famous.
Sim Lin, who was listening nearby, opened her mouth.
“That’s just a myth!”
“Did you witness it yourself, Lady Sima?” Zhuge Hyeonmong countered.
“Well no, but the history books say it’s just a myth…”
“That’s not how it’s taught in my family.”
Sima Lin shot Zhuge Jun a skeptical look, and Zhuge Jun was uncharacteristically flustered.
The Zhuge Family generally adhered to official historical accounts. They even had a dedicated branch to verify the authenticity of stories about Zhuge Liang found in novels and folklore.
‘But since it’s something Brother Hyeonmong mentioned, he might know some hidden records we don’t.’
Seeing Zhuge Jun neither confirmed nor denied, Tang Hwa-ryeong asked, “So you really can summon the wind?”
“Yes. While my skill paled compared to that of my ancestor, I can manage small breezes like this easily. So, can you lend me the poison powder?”
Zhuge Hyeonmong had a reason for being so insistent.
‘Honestly, facing the Demonic Cultivator in my current state is practically suicide.’
No matter how many protectors he had, no one knows what might happen.
Tang Hwa-ryeong pondered before speaking.
“Can you teach me how to do that?”
“Hmm.”
“I’ll give you as much as you want if you teach me.”
Zhuge Hyeonmong made a troubled expression.
Seeing his face, Tang Hwa-ryeong gave a wry smile.
“Well, it was worth a try. Asking you to give away your secret techniques is overstepping. Forget it.”
Tang Hwa-ryeong then pulled out several pouches of poison from her robes.
“This is Paralyzing Powder, and this is Blood-Freezing Soul-Scattering Powder, which will immediately solidify blood if inhaled even for a breath. They’re wrapped in deerskin pouches so they should be fine, but be careful not to rupture them with sudden movements. Do you need any liquid poisons too?”
“Hmm.”
Feeling a bit guilty at Tang Hwa-ryeong’s kindness, Zhuge Hyeonmong said.
“It’s not that I can’t teach you because it’s a secret technique. If I return safely, I’ll think about a way for you to use it too.”
“Really?”
“Yes. How could I keep my mouth shut after receiving so much?”
“Hmm. You’re not going to say it doesn’t work when I try it later, are you?”
“Well, that could happen.”
Tang Hwa-ryeong’s expression became complex.
Even if it was true, not many people would say it so bluntly to her face.
Regardless, Zhuge Hyeonmong pocketed the poison pouches and bowed slightly.
“Thank you. I think we’re ready enough, so let’s go.”
Zhuge Hyeonmong turned as he spoke, then looked puzzled at the strange gazes directed at him.
“Why are you all looking at me like that?”
“Well, it’s just…”
Even Zhuge Jun was at a loss for words.
From the bystander perspective, the way he had instantly won over Tang Hwa-ryeong was just like…
‘A con artist.’
[Jun. This brother of yours you’ve taken on seems to have some eccentric qualities.]
Zhuge Jun couldn’t refute Peng Ak’s words.
“By the way, are you sure this is okay? Ghost Well Valley is a dangerous place. If the Demonic Cultivator is staying there, who knows what traps they might have set. Above all, we don’t even know how strong the Demonic Cultivator is.”
“Ah, that should be fine,” Zhuge Hyeonmong replied.
“He should be in a considerably weakened state right now.”
* * *
“Kuhak!”
Gal Sa-ryang coughed up blood.
Every meridian in his body tingled.
‘Damn it! What the hell happened?’
He’d spent years cultivating those poisonous creatures, especially the venomous mosquitoes. It should have been impossible to completely eliminate the swarms of mosquitoes that spread like a fog.
Though each mosquito carried only a small amount of poison, the sheer numbers made them a formidable threat when they kept biting.
Then he would finish things off with other poisons.
He had tested it on bandits and was confident it could take down even master martial artists if used well.
But for some reason, they had all burst at once, and the backlash had even reached him.
He narrowly escaped falling into Qi Deviation, but as a result, he failed to break through to the Peak Realm.
‘It was definitely fine until halfway through, so why did it end up like this?’
Even now, using bandits to advance his Demonic Arts still seemed like a good idea.
Unlike other Demonic Arts, the Black Beast Demon Spirit Claw he was cultivating didn’t require the troublesome sacrifices of young boys and girls. He just needed to devour human organs, so he didn’t need to be picky about the source.
And since bandits were everywhere, he thought it would be a long time before anyone came after him. It’s not like mere bandits could appeal to the Murim Alliance.
But then, out of nowhere, a ridiculous group called the Green Forest Alliance appeared and started uniting the bandits, and even managed to attract the current rising generation of martial artists in the Jianghu.
At this point, he had no choice but to withdraw even if he was in the crucial moment of his cultivation.
‘Missing this chance will make it difficult for me to reach the Peak Realm for a while, but there’s no choice.’
Gal Sa-ryang gritted his teeth.
Then, his spirit eyes (靈眼) detected a group approaching Ghost Well Valley.
Gal Sa-ryang smiled.
‘Foolish bastards.’
It’s clear that they hadn’t properly gauged his abilities yet.
Even if he was injured, he is a master on the verge of reaching the Peak Realm while they are at most barely reaching the threshold to the First-Rate realm.
Moreover, many poisonous creatures still remained.
And above all…
‘To willingly come to this forsaken place…’
Ghost Well Valley was so bizarre that even Gal Sa-ryang could lose his way if he wasn’t careful.
If it weren’t for the many poisonous creatures he controlled, he wouldn’t have even thought of setting up his base here.
On top of that, Gal Sa-ryang had laid all sorts of traps throughout Ghost Well Valley.
The thought of these young fools wandering lost and dying in Ghost Well Valley lifted his spirits.
A bloodthirsty light flashed in Gal Sa-ryang’s eyes.
‘Fine then. Since you bastards insist on coming for me, I’ll use your organs to advance my Demonic Art.’
But a moment later.
Gal Sa-ryang blurted out in disbelief.
“What the hell are those guys?”
Those bastards were charging through Ghost Well Valley as if it were their own backyard.
***
Ghostly wails echoed through the valley.
It was just the sound of the wind passing through the narrow gorge, but to Im Jun-gyu, that sound felt like the wails of ghosts.
Not only that but because of an inexplicable chill, the valley, which could have been a famous scenic spot under normal circumstances, felt somehow bleak and gloomy.
The trees that were faintly visible were all withered and dead.
Turning his gaze, he saw a signpost that looked like it was written in red cinnabar.
[Enter at your own risk]
Just looking at the ominous writing sent chills down his spine.
Seeing those words, Zhuge Hyeonmong let out a sigh.
‘…This is bad.’
It was one of the situations he had worried about.
The handwriting on the signpost bore a striking resemblance to that of Zhuge Hyeonmong’s father, Zhuge Ziyi.
‘Surely not?’
He had always wondered why his father, an ordinary scholar, had borrowed so much money from the Golden Fortune Bank. Especially since Zhuge Hyeonmong had never felt particularly wealthy growing up.
That meant his father must have sunk all that borrowed money into something.
He had a sinking feeling this was it.
“Brother, are you alright? You don’t look well… perhaps we should turn back now.”
Seeing Zhuge Hyeonmong’s unsettled expression, Zhuge Jun made the suggestion.
Honestly, Zhuge Jun wasn’t keen on letting Zhuge Hyeonmong accompany them to fight the Demonic Cultivator.
Unlike them who had trained in martial arts since childhood, Zhuge Hyeonmong knew nothing of martial arts.
Still, since they had come this far due to Zhuge Hyeonmong’s insistence, he was ready to retreat without hesitation if needed.
“No, it’s fine. Let’s go in.”
Ghost Well Valley has claimed many lives.
Though it was currently occupied by a Demonic Cultivator, if it was revealed later that he was related to this place, the responsibility would fall on Zhuge Hyeonmong.
Zhuge Hyeonmong understood his fate.
He felt he understood why heaven had guided him here, even though he had no intention of coming.
It was telling him to erase any traces quickly before others discovered it and created unnecessary grudges.
“Don’t we need to prepare? This clearly isn’t an ordinary place.”
“Oh, that’s fine. I’ll disperse the mist first and then Brother Peng, could you strike the rock that would appear later with your saber?”
“I can, but…?”
Zhuge Hyeonmong nodded and waved his wand.
He disrupted the structure of the spell and reversed its intended purpose.
As he did so, the rock hidden by the mist was revealed.
“Now!”
As the mist dispersed, a bewildered Peng Ak swung his saber at the rock.
Kwang!
“…”
“…”
With a cracking sound, the rock split.
Then the mist filling the entrance of Ghost Well Valley completely dissipated, and sunlight illuminated every corner of the valley.
Except for the dead trees, the scenery was quite pleasant.
As the eeriness vanished in an instant and transformed into an ordinary valley, people couldn’t help but stare at Zhuge Hyeonmong.
‘What is this? Is this even possible?’