700 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

**Title: The Heavenly Sword and His Childhood Friend - Chapter 700: The Northern Hare** A tingling sensation spreads across my tongue. While the poison is potent, thanks to my mastery of immunity, my senses have sharpened significantly, allowing me to detect even subtle toxins. ‘Hmm.’ I swallow what lingers in my mouth and take another sip. I swirl it around to savor it, though certainly not for the taste. ‘What kind of poison is this?’ I must first identify the purpose of this poison. After downing the tea, I take a moment to assess my physical condition. Even though the poison will soon dissipate, I need to seize that fleeting moment to understand its effects. Ssssss. The poison I ingested begins to spread slowly but vanishes almost instantly. Acknowledging this, I nod to myself. I’ve figured it out. ‘It’s the poison of the Enyeolcho plant.’ The poison mixed into the plum tea is likely from the Enyeolcho plant. Recognizing it so swiftly brings a sense of satisfaction. ‘All those years of study paid off.’ For the past few years, with occasional help from Tang Xiaoluo and the Tang Clan, I’ve studied various poisons. Even though I’ve achieved immunity to most poisons, it made me want to memorize them even more. ‘Being immune to poison means it’s easier for me to use it.’ In my past life, the Heavenly Demon was not one to resort to poison. But I am not her. ‘I must use whatever I can.’ If I can wield something, be it poison or otherwise, I will use it. For that purpose, I’ve diligently studied, and now I can instantly identify this poison. Enyeolcho is a toxic plant that grows exclusively in the shade during hot summer weather. Its primary characteristic is… ‘It disrupts the flow of qi.’ Though it’s not a permanent poison, it can pose a risk for several days upon ingestion. “Hm.” In terms of potency, for those without resistance, it binds about thirty percent. It has almost no taste, and while it smells of pungent vinegar, this is masked by the plum fragrance. This means… ‘It was mixed in very skillfully.’ Which implies that someone prepared meticulously. Gulp. After finishing the remaining plum tea, I carelessly toss the teacup aside. Thud! Roll! Watching the cup roll, I tilt my head slightly. ‘They don’t intend to kill me... What is their purpose?’ If killing me were the aim, there are much stronger poisons available. Even if a powerful poison might not work on someone of my stature, there are plenty potent enough to kill a martial artist. At least if I weren't immune to all poisons. “So that’s what makes it even more puzzling.” Crack. I work my neck and shift slightly. At that moment. “Sniff… sob…” The figure before me, a woman overwhelmed with fear, begins to weep. I slowly lower myself to meet her eyes. Then I ask. “Hey.” Startled-! My words cause the woman to tremble fiercely. “What’s your name?” “…Ba… Baekyeon… is what I’m called.” Ah, Baekyeon. Yes, that was her name. “Right, Baek attendant.” “…Ye...Yes... Lord…” Watching the trembling Baekyeon, I deliver my words with a subtle smile. “There was poison in this tea. The one Baek attendant brought.” I extend my hand, and the discarded teacup flies back into my grasp. “Were you aware of this?” “I-I didn’t know… I truly didn’t know…” Desperate and urgent. The woman denies, trying desperately to escape the impending danger. As I examine her, I tighten my grip on the cup. Clink-! “Eek-!” The cup splits in half, and Baekyeon shudders violently at the sight. A wet spot spreads across her clothing. It seems she wet herself out of fear. “Right, you probably didn’t know. I suppose you didn’t.” Watching her tremble, I slowly rise. She looks pitiful enough, but my eyes remain cold. And rightly so. “You probably weren’t aware there was poison, but... you were likely commissioned to deliver the tea. Am I correct?” “…!” Baekyeon’s eyes waver at my question. “That… that is…” “Otherwise, this situation doesn’t make sense, does it, Baek attendant?” She appeared at dawn, delivering tea with Excuse from Madam Mei. Too many oddities to ignore. Yes, it was all too obviously suspicious. That’s why I invited the attendant into my chamber. Because it's so unusual, I wanted to see what would unfold. “I was wrong...! Please forgive me, my lord...!!” Upon hearing my words, Baekyeon falls to her knees, bowing deeply. “I, I truly didn’t know... I was told I’d be paid handsomely just to deliver the tea…” As expected. “How much?” “Pardon…?” “How much were you promised?” Baekyeon blurts out the amount when prompted. In monetary terms, it was slightly less than what the Gugaga would pay an attendant annually. For her, it must have seemed a significant sum. “I really didn’t know there’d be poison!” Desperately clutching at my leg, she pleads. “But you must have had some suspicions.” “…!” Baekyeon stiffens at my words. “Being asked to deliver tea at dawn? Isn’t that odd? Once you heard it, surely you considered what might be in the tea.” “…Lord…” “Suppose there’s poison in it? What if someone could die by ingesting it? Those kinds of thoughts.” Brush. I shake off Baekyeon’s grip on my leg. “Once, just once, you must have pondered it. But in the end, you did it anyway. How is that any different from knowingly going along with it?” “Please spare me… It wasn’t with that intent...! I have an elderly mother and a young brother back in my hometown…! Because of them—” “An elderly mother and a brother. Understood.” “Pardon…?” At Baekyeon’s puzzled expression, I make my move. Pow. “Grrk.” I channel qi to Baekyeon’s neck, ending her life instantly. Watching her fall lifelessly, I stroke my chin. “As expected, not a martial artist.” She was an ordinary person without a trace of martial ability. Acknowledging this, I wear an indifferent expression and utter. “Dispose of her.” [Yes.] At my words, a figure appears, opening the chamber door, and removes Baekyeon’s body. A subordinate of the Shadow King. At the point where I assigned a mission to Nahi, I had placed someone else on standby to handle situations like these. Just as Baekyeon's limp form was being taken away, a thought-provoking question was posed to me. “Master.” “Yes?” “Given the assassination attempt, wouldn’t it be wise to strengthen security around you?” I waved the suggestion away dismissively. “No need.” “But…” Typically, a servant from the Gugaga wouldn’t dare enter my quarters without invitation. Considering we are in unfamiliar territory, heightened security should have been a priority. However. “I left it open intentionally, and it’s worked out quite well.” In fact, I had deliberately lowered the defenses, as if inviting them in. ‘It’s easier to plan when they make their move.’ From the moment an assassin is dispatched, pinpointing who’s watching becomes straightforward, as does discerning the timing. Moreover. ‘I control the most skilled assassination team in the central plains anyway.’ The assassins once under the Shadow King now heed my commands. Any other assassin would pose little threat. “In that case, I’ll quietly gather information to trace the source of the poison.” “Keep it discreet.” “Understood.” According to Baekyeon, the person who tasked her was completely concealed in black fabric, making identification impossible. The lack of traces, consistent with the preparation of the tea, suggested great caution. ‘Who could it be?’ Determining who was behind this was my immediate concern. The plum tea did indeed originate from Mae Hwasun. But neither Mae Hwasun nor the Hua Mountain Sect were suspects. ‘They have no real motive against me.’ Also, it’s far too blatant for any organization of that caliber to orchestrate. So which path does that leave? ‘Could it be the Martial Union?’ The Murim Alliance. A plausible choice, given their power and resources. Yet. ‘The execution is too sloppy to be of the Murim Alliance.’ If it were them, they wouldn’t resort to such awkward methods. This seems more like… ‘Deliberately playing sloppy.’ Perhaps they never expected Baekyeon to succeed in the first place. That angle commanded my attention. ‘The likelihood of sending a servant to poison me at dawn was slim.’ Expecting success from such a plan would be strange. ‘This is just a probe.’ They aim to test my vigilance, deeming success an added benefit, but failure as profitable intelligence too. Most accurately, they likely hoped Baekyeon would be caught and reveal their scheme. ‘That way, my wariness would naturally increase.’ Sending a servant equipped with poison ensured that my alertness would rise—it might have been their intended goal. ‘Or they might have some unknown motive.’ I lacked sufficient information to make a precise judgment. Furthermore. ‘The crucial aspect right now is’ It’s less about identifying who attempted this and more about acknowledging that someone has emerged targeting me. ‘Likely stemming from what transpired yesterday.’ Those noting my performance in the preliminary rounds now targeting me. ‘Splendid.’ This scenario unfolded precisely as anticipated. ‘I’ll uncover whoever’s responsible in due time.’ With my neck feeling stiff, I twisted it side-to-side while stepping out of the room. The faint scent lingering in the air signals the need for some cleaning. “Oh, and one more thing.” Continuing down the corridor, I added a remark. “The dead attendant mentioned having a younger brother and a mother.” As soon as I spoke, the figure who had vanished earlier reappeared behind me. “I’ll handle it.” “What? Handle what, exactly?” I expressed revulsion. What a horrifying interpretation. “At least verify if her words hold any truth first.” I wanted confirmation whether Baekyeon lied about her family to save her skin. And if she spoke the truth. “I’ll provide a pouch later. Make sure her family receives it.” I planned on sending the fee through an intermediary— An amount matching what Baekyeon said she was offered, her so-called price of life. “…Understood.” The figure answered my instructions and vanished once more without further commentary. Tap tap. I shrugged off any residual unease and continued walking. A clear sky devoid of any clouds spread above. Sunlight gradually enveloped the scene, imparting a serene and warm ambiance. Yet, contrary to the tranquil surroundings, my mood remained unsettled. Was it because I ended someone’s life first thing in the morning? No, not at all. 'Who cares about a fool who dared to scheme against me?' It was more the remnants of a troubling dream. But the details of that dream eluded me. Which only worsened my unease. Clicking my tongue in annoyance, I continued down the path. ‘The one plotting against me…’ Reflecting briefly, two likely culprits emerged. ‘One is the Blade King. That old man’s quite suspicious.’ And the other possibility. ‘The Emei Sect (峨嵋派).’ Located in Sichuan and part of the Nine Great Schools and Sect. A sect unique for its composition of female disciples, and one I recalled rumors of in my past life. ‘I’ll need to investigate further.’ The scent of intrigue began wafting through the air. ****************** As Guyangcheon pondered over his concerns, the Murim Alliance was busy preparing for the preliminary rounds. “Those in white, over here…!” The scene was largely unchanged from the first day. Except perhaps for the noticeable increase in participants. Not quite double, but visibly more than on the first day. And the reason was clear. “They’ve arrived….” All attention turned to one entrant. A procession of monks approached the entrance. “Shaolin.” The temple rooted in Henan. A presence rising in recent prominence. Shaolin’s monks had arrived at the venue. Given their presence, naturally, attention was drawn to a particular figure among them. “The Divine Dragon (神龍).” “That young man is the Divine Dragon.” The young monk leading the Shaolin group, appearing just past his coming of age, possessed striking and handsome features. Most notably, his eyes bore the distinctive Huangyan (黃眼). The legendary golden eyes said to be possessed by those born under the Heavenly Kill Star. Seeing the Divine Dragon with such eyes, the onlookers began to murmur. “…Yellow eyes? Surely, that’s a Heavenly Kill Star trait, no? Or so I’ve heard.” The man watching muttered, prompting a sharp rebuttal from the person beside him. "Look at this crazy man. The idea that Shaolin's Divine Dragon is a Heavenly Kill Star! Do you want to get pummeled by them or something?" “No… I just heard rumors like that, so I mentioned it.” “Keep your mouth shut. If those guys hear you, it’ll be trouble.” The youngest to achieve the realm certified by the Alliance. The mere thought of such a historic genius being a Heavenly Kill Star was beyond absurd. “To think they’re competing on the same day… I hope they end up in different brackets.” “Why be scared of youngsters like them, tsk tsk.” Around one-third were intimidated in advance. Another third dismissed them as inconsequential. The remaining third watched with curious interest. “...” The Divine Dragon, scanning the crowd, caught the mixed reactions around him. “Nervous?” Someone approached him with the question. It was Musong, akin to an elder brother to the Divine Dragon. “…No.” “No need to deny it, you’re allowed to be nervous. You haven't even experienced the Gathering of the Heroes, so it's understandable.” “...” Since the Gathering couldn't be held after the incident, this was essentially the Divine Dragon's first official appearance. “But you can do it. We are Shaolin, after all.” Words spoken with a palpable gravitas. An unwavering tone filled with pride and faith in Shaolin. The Divine Dragon nodded heavily at this. Uncomfortable emotions welled within him, which he pressed down with determination as he spoke. “…Yes. I can do it.” No, I must succeed no matter what. He swallowed those words, keeping them to himself.