I made sure to safely store the enhancement pill that was supposed to turn So-ryong into Big Ryong.
I didn’t need it—not only was I already more than sufficiently “Big Ryong” for my age, but I was about to undergo a transformation into a fully awakened state. Still, a gift is a gift.
Even if you don’t need something, you should accept it for the sentiment behind it.
“Doesn’t matter how useless the present is—it’s the heart that counts.”
With that thought, I tucked the pill away and spent the rest of the day as promised—having lunch with the hyungnims, talking about the upcoming wedding.
“What do you think married life feels like?”
“Beats me. I can’t even imagine.”
“I'm jealous, So-ryong. Now you won’t have to tiptoe around women and constantly try to read their moods.”
The Three Peaks of the Five Dragons were in their prime—so naturally, they were quite interested in romance. And since I was the one stepping into the final stage of such a thing—marriage—they couldn’t help but be envious.
But I knew better.
Marriage isn’t the end—it’s the beginning.
Maybe hyungnims, who’d never dated before, thought it was a goal to reach. But I’d heard that marriage is like taking everything you used to do before... and adding a whole extra layer of effort just to avoid being resented.
After lunch, I played with the kids until evening. As the temple bell chimed to mark jinshi (the hour of the Dragon), I stepped out of my residence with Cheong-yu Sojeo.
The sun had long since set.
In modern terms, it was only about 7 p.m., but it was deep winter and we were in the mountains—so outside, it was pitch black.
“Shall we go, Cheong-yu Sojeo?”
– Shia. 『Yes.』
We headed toward the rear garden of the Four Courtyards, where the Tang Clan’s direct line resided.
When we arrived, lanterns lit the pavilion—and as expected, Sister Seol was waiting for us there.
“So-ryong.”
“You didn’t wait long in the cold, did you, Sister Seol?”
“No, I just got here myself. Where’s Hwa-eun? Wasn’t she coming too?”
“Ah, my mother-in-law asked to talk to her after dinner. She whispered something to her, and her face went bright red... she said she might be late.”
“Your mother-in-law, huh? Ah... I think I know why.”
“You do? Sister Seol, do you know what she’s talking to Hwa-eun about?”
Even though there wasn’t anything particularly unusual going on, my mother-in-law had called for Hwa-eun alone, and her face had gone red... I had a feeling Sister Seol knew what that was about.
When I asked, she gave me a mischievous smirk.
“Well, the wedding’s right around the corner, isn’t it? Heheh.”
“Right?”
“So she probably called her to... you know, give her a lesson. About the wedding night. A little pre-marital preparation.”
“M-my mother-in-law is the one teaching that?!”
“It’s usually the mother or grandmother of the family who gives that talk before the wedding. Since Hwa-eun doesn’t have a grandmother, her mom’s probably stepping in.”
So that’s why she was called.
Sex ed, huh.
I always thought that sort of thing was something people figured out on their own. Judging by how bold Hwa-eun had been during our travels, I figured she knew more than enough. It felt unnecessary.
But then Sister Seol grabbed my arm and said:
“Well, let’s go ahead without her. It’s not like we need her for this part.”
“Yes, Sister Seol.”
What she meant was: let’s go see Grandfather Mandok Shingun.
Cheong-yu Sojeo and I weren’t just here to meet Sister Seol—we had arranged a discussion with Grandfather regarding my advancement to the Sixth Poison Realm.
Sister Seol, who knew the intricacies of the Beast Heart Art.
Grandfather, who had insights into the path up to the Tenth Poison Realm.
And Cheong-yu Sojeo, who had inherited techniques from the Five Venoms Sect.
Together, the three of them wanted to discuss any potential side effects or dangers I might face in tomorrow’s advancement.
My martial art style stemmed from both the Tang Clan and the Beast Palace. Though based on the Five Venoms’ techniques, it couldn’t be called that outright. It was a unique hybrid.
That’s why the three of them needed to put their heads together.
At first, I thought it was a bit last-minute to be having this kind of discussion the night before my breakthrough, but apparently, Grandfather had been researching this for quite some time.
While I was running around the world catching spirit beasts, he’d been carefully analyzing the structure of my martial arts path.
With Grandfather’s findings, all that remained was for Sister Seol and Cheong-yu Sojeo to identify the risks from their respective perspectives—so it wasn’t hasty after all.
‘I’ve been out having fun... now I feel kinda bad.’
We passed through the rear garden and arrived at Grandfather’s quarters.
The door was wide open despite the cold—maybe he was cleaning? But he must have sensed us, because I heard his voice from inside.
“So-ryong, is that you?”
“Yes, Grandfather.”
“Come on in.”
“Yes, sir.”
When we stepped inside, he was preparing tea.
Steam «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» rose from the kettle on the brazier.
“Good to see you again.”
“You’re here. Please, sit over here. So-ryong, where’s Hwa-eun?”
“Ah, she got called away by my mother-in-law.”
“Hmm... is that what it was? I was going to summon her myself, but maybe she’ll be fine. She did reach the Flower Mirror Realm, after all.”
Once we sat down with Sister Seol, Grandfather poured us some tea.
– Pouring...
The steam rose from the cup, carrying a deep fragrance.
It was a particularly fine tea.
Even I, who usually couldn’t tell the difference, could immediately sense this one was high-grade.
“Here. This one’s for the young lady.”
– Shia. 『Thank you.』
Since Cheong-yu Sojeo didn’t drink tea, Grandfather handed her a stone heated by the brazier instead.
Being a snake in form, she was sensitive to cold, so it was a considerate gesture.
When I looked over, she was hugging the stone and melting into bliss.
Smiling, I turned to Grandfather.
“This tea smells wonderful.”
“It was sent by a dear friend of yours.”
“A friend... of mine?”
I complimented the tea’s aroma, and Grandfather replied that it came from a friend of mine.
That made me tilt my head.
It’s not like I was a total loner, but aside from the older folks like The Three Peaks of the Five Dragons, I didn’t really have any peers I’d consider close friends—certainly none who would send a tea of this caliber.
‘I guess my mental age is a little too high for most people...’
Maybe I was just too mature to connect with kids my age. That’s when Grandfather dropped an unexpected name.
“It was sent by Geum Gi-ryung, the owner of the Geumjeok Merchant Guild.”
“Ohhh. Geum Gi-ryung! He sent a gift?”
Right. I’d forgotten—I had made friends with Geum Gi-ryung before we parted.
‘Ah, so I do have at least one friend.’
It was a bit of a business relationship, but a friend is a friend.
I made a mental note to send him a thank-you letter later. Then Grandfather brought up another guest.
“He sent a gift even though we only notified people in Sichuan. Oh, and someone’s arrived in Chengdu, too.”
“Someone... for me?”
“Yes. Just like you said, Podarlap Palace sent an envoy. They arrived recently and are resting in Chengdu for a day before coming here.”
“Ah. Podarlap Palace.”
We hadn’t sent any official invitation to them—but it looked like they’d followed my trail and finally caught up.
“Hmm... will that be okay?”
“Even though our relations haven't been exactly friendly until now, isn’t it better to have even one more ally in times like these, with the threats of the Blood Cult and the Five Venoms Sect looming?
I spoke with the Emei Sect and had them collect some Buddhist scriptures in Western dialects. We should use them to build a good relationship. Well, you’re being mistaken for the Buddha himself, so maybe none of that effort’s even necessary. Hahaha.”
“That story is a little...”
I had asked if it was really fine, given that relations with the martial artists of the Central Plains had never been that good. The conclusion: the Heavenly Master Temple.
I wanted to crawl into a rat hole from the shame, but just then, Sister Seol, who had been listening, set her teacup down and spoke.
“Elder, shall we begin soon?”
In other words, they had finished chatting and were ready to get down to business.
“Then let’s begin.”
– Sia. 『Let’s do that.』
“Cheong-yu Sojeo says she’s fine with that.”
Since I had to interpret Cheong-yu Sojeo’s words, I conveyed her intentions. With that, Grandfather began the explanation.
“First, let me give a brief explanation of So-ryong’s condition. You all probably already know, but it’s best to go over it properly.
Originally, So-ryong practiced the Five Poisons Returning to the Origin Art. But in order to reach the Ten-Poison level, he entered the Ten Poisons Dual Core Art. The original Five Poisons Returning to the Origin Art is a modified version of the Five Poisons Returning to the Origin Divine Art, and it cannot handle more than five poisons.
However, after acquiring spirit beasts, So-ryong ended up mastering the original version, the Five Poisons Returning to the Origin Divine Art, and even the Beast Heart Art which forms its foundation.
This is where the problem arose...
He was supposed to complete the Five Poisons stage before moving on to the Ten Poisons Dual Core Art, but because he learned the Beast Heart Art, the Five Poisons Returning to the Origin Divine Art has changed significantly.”
Just as Grandfather said, I originally began with the Five Poisons Returning to the Origin Art.
I was supposed to accept five types of poisons, reach the level of Five Poisons, and then naturally move on to the Ten Poisons Dual Core Art.
But I learned the original form, the Five Poisons Returning to the Origin Divine Art, and on top of that, the Beast Heart Art that forms its foundation, to the point where the divine art had transformed into something that could no longer be called that anymore.
Normally, once you register more than five poisons, it should naturally shift into the Ten Poisons Dual Core Art. But even with Hwa-eun registered, all the poisons and spirit beasts were still being stored in the Five Poisons Returning to the Origin Divine Art.
The Ten Poisons Dual Core Art had gone dormant.
Because the Beast Heart Art allows as many connections as your mental strength can handle, it seemed the divine art adapted itself and allowed for more than five poisons or creatures.
I couldn’t say this with certainty, but that was the most likely explanation.
“As you all know, even with Hwa-eun registered, we’ve yet to shift beyond the Five Poisons Returning to the Origin Divine Art.
But since Hwa-eun doesn’t have a unique poison, we can’t say for sure.”
Grandfather held the same thoughts, and everyone nodded at his words.
“Indeed...”
– Siaaa. 『That makes sense.』
“Then when So-ryong registers Yohwa, will he move on to the Ten Poisons Dual Core Art? Or will the Five Poisons Returning to the Origin Divine Art change? We can’t know.”
“Exactly.”
A brief silence.
Grandfather resumed.
“But there’s no need to worry too much. If it shifts into the Ten Poisons Dual Core Art, I’ll observe So-ryong and step in if anything goes wrong...”
He trailed off, glancing at Sister Seol and Cheong-yu Sojeo.
At that, Sister Seol responded knowingly.
“Since the Five Poisons Returning to the Origin Divine Art is currently in a stable state, if he’s going to accept a proper spirit beast or venomous creature, a change is necessary. If it changes, then Cheong-yu Sojeo and I will observe So-ryong together.”
In other words, the plan was to have the three of them monitor me closely. If the Tang Clan’s technique, the Ten Poisons Dual Core Art, activates, Grandfather would intervene. If the Five Poisons Divine Art changes, Sister Seol and Cheong-yu Sojeo would watch and prevent any issues.
Grandfather asked again.
“Exactly. That’s why I’m asking the two of you: if the Five Poisons Returning to the Origin Divine Art does change, are there any problems?”
Sister Seol and Cheong-yu glanced at each other and gave nearly identical answers.
“The Beast Heart Art itself doesn’t cause problems even if multiple creatures are registered. That in itself shouldn’t be an issue. But... since spirit beasts are continuing to be added, we’re worried that the mental burden could become too great.”
– Siiia. 『The Five Poisons Sect originally limited poisons to five due to the mental strain. I worry the consciousness of the spirit beasts might influence him.』
As I translated Cheong-yu Sojeo’s thoughts, both Sister Seol and Grandfather nodded at once.
It seemed they all shared similar concerns. The conversation continued deep into the night, discussing how to respond if something went wrong.
“If a problem arises on the Ten Poisons side, I will suppress the poison energy myself...”
“If it’s a mental issue, perhaps we can get help from Lady Gun. I heard her family specializes in mind techniques.”
“Her clan... was it truly known for mental cultivation?”
“It seems to be their secret tradition.”
***
The next day, around the same time.
We all gathered in the underground training chamber of the Tang Clan.
The only difference from yesterday was that Father-in-law, Hwa-eun, and Yohwa were present too.
I barely spoke with Hwa-eun this morning. Ever since she was taken aside by Mother-in-law last night for “some education,” she avoided eye contact and flinched every time she saw me.
As I sat with Yohwa in the center of the chamber, Hwa-eun cautiously approached and, with her cheeks slightly red, spoke.
“You’ll do fine, So-ryong.”
“Of course. I have to do well.”
I had to succeed, reach the stage of Bone Shedding and Marrow Cleansing, and have the greatest wedding night ever. That was my solemn vow.
Yohwa stood close beside me and smiled.
Its pedipalps had originally been poor at expressing emotion, but now it was capable of clearly showing its anticipation through its expression.
Just then, Grandfather’s voice rang out.
“Let’s begin.”
“Yes, Grandfather. Yohwa, can you prepare the venom?”
– Kisit.
Yohwa’s venom was paralytic.
It didn’t cause immediate death or pain, so I asked for it to be used instead of blood or saliva.
A droplet of venom fell onto the back of my hand.
The clear fluid quickly spread through my mouth, tingling intensely.
Before the venom completely took over, I circulated the Beast Heart Art. The qi flowing from my dantian merged with the venom, slowly growing.
And in that moment, I caught a glimpse of Yohwa licking its own lips—right before my vision disappeared.
