“I’ll pound you into paste.”

“......”

At Poison Dragon’s sudden words as he sprang to his feet, the mood around us went ice-cold.

What the hell is this bastard suddenly talking about?

I stared at Poison Dragon with bewildered eyes and asked,

“...Are you talking to me?”

No way. There’s no way. Anyone can see he is, but there’s no way.

That’s what I told myself as I asked, but—

“Then who else is there here but you?”

Poison Dragon pointed at me with his finger, as if to say my doubt was spot on.

Wow.

‘Is he actually insane?’

What am I supposed to do with this lunatic? I was speechless.

I looked from Poison Dragon to the side. Of course everybody’s eyes were getting dragged this way.

That part was understandable, but the one I was watching for was the Poison King.

You’d have to be deranged to act like this with the Clan Head sitting right there.

So I turned to the Poison King.

He just stared at Poison Dragon with a blank face and didn’t say a word.

‘Huh.’

Why was he staying silent? This was a banquet he’d opened himself, and his own son was acting out like this.

Was the Poison King the type not to care about things like this? No, that didn’t feel quite right.

‘What are you thinking.’

What exactly was he trying to do by sitting still?

Just as I was looking at him with that question in mind—

“Did you get scared already?”

Poison Dragon jutted his lips at me.

Huh? I snorted in disbelief and raised my arm.

“Scared, my ass. Can’t you see my arm right now?”

I couldn’t even move my arm properly because it was injured, and he suddenly wanted me to come outside? What the hell was this bastard doing?

When I raised my arm to show him, Poison Dragon frowned.

He knew too. He knew this arm wasn’t in any shape to do anything.

“In this condition, what—are you trying to ask for a duel or something?”

“If you want, I’ll break one of my own arms and fight you. That should make it fair, shouldn’t it?”

“What the hell are you talking about. How the hell does that make it fair, you crazy bastard.”

That was what he was offering as a solution?

“What?”

Maybe my words hit too hard, because Poison Dragon’s face twisted.

“...Enough. Do you not understand where you are right n—”

The Young Clan Head beside him hurried to stop him, but—

“Young Master.”

RRRRUMBLE—!!!

A weighty voice rolled through the room. The Poison King, who’d been watching in silence until now, finally spoke.

HUUUUUUM—!!!

Under the heavy, savage pressure, everything on the table began to tremble. The strange thing was—

‘I’m fine.’

Even though his force filled the entire hall, certain people didn’t seem affected at all.

Me, Cheon Eujin, Do Hyeong—

And Murong Yeongsun next to me.

Aside from the ones who were clearly guests of the Tang Clan, everyone else was shaking down to their bones.

“Are you prepared to take responsibility for what you just did?”

“...Kh....”

Poison Dragon in particular seemed to be taking the Poison King’s aura head-on. His whole body shook violently, his fists clenched tight.

Every vein on his body was standing on end, and blood was dripping from his bitten lip.

“Grrr....”

He was trembling so hard from the pain, but he couldn’t scream.

‘Wow.’

I couldn’t help being impressed.

‘...How is he doing that?’

I watched and picked apart what I could.

The Poison King’s control over his qi was staggering.

Even with this many people in the banquet hall, he was not only selectively excluding a few from his pressure and distributing it around—

He could still concentrate it on one person.

‘So this is the kind of thing a true master can do.’

To be able to apply qi like that—you had to be a master.

Or was it that he was a master because he could?

Chicken or egg.

That kind of stupid thought slipped through my head before I realized it.

Maybe it was because I’d seen so many ridiculous sights that I wasn’t scared by this level anymore.

To be honest, it helped that it wasn’t being aimed at me.

“Young Master. Have you forgotten who opened this banquet?”

“......”

The host of this banquet was the Tang Clan Head, the Poison King. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

“You’re not so stupid that you don’t know that... are you?”

The Poison King poured his force into Poison Dragon even more savagely.

Watching that, a question surfaced in my mind.

‘Just how strong is a martial artist like that?’

I hadn’t felt this kind of awe even when I was facing Pal Duyeok, but I felt it now, from the Poison King.

The Five Kings Under Heaven.

Aside from the Heaven-Beyond-Heaven figures who had disappeared from the Central Plains—

They were the most influential and powerful absolute figures left.

Feeling even a glimpse of the power of one of them, the Poison King, made it hit different.

‘So this is a true absolute master....’

Now I understood why Pal Duyeok had tried to trap the Poison King. How were you supposed to fight a monster like that?

If it were me, I’d have dealt with this man first too.

On top of that, he’d eventually broken out of the vault as well.

‘Hmm.’

I compared what had happened back then with the current situation.

Poison Dragon was still groaning, and—

The Poison King was still expressionlessly pouring out his force.

Watching it quietly, I thought—

‘What is this.’

This stuffy feeling.

On the surface, it really did look like the Poison King was holding Poison Dragon strictly accountable and putting him in his place.

‘...But something...’

It was off. It looked that way, but it felt like there was more going on.

What was it?

What was it?

My head spun fast. I felt like I wouldn’t be able to do anything until I figured out this discomfort.

And then, after thinking it over for quite a while—

‘Ah.’

A thought struck, and I looked up at the air.

I looked at Yoo Cheongil, who was floating in the sky watching the situation.

He was already looking at me, and our eyes met.

In that moment—

Grin.

Yoo Cheongil smiled at me.

“......”

Was that a smile saying I was right? I almost clicked my tongue as soon as I saw it.

It felt like a signal that my guess had hit the mark, and if that was true—

‘He’s sly.’

Very sly.

Not Yoo Cheongil—the Poison King.

‘...Honestly.’

This was why people who were good at politics and scheming were such a pain.

The moment you let your guard down and let anything slip, you’d get played by tricks like this.

What made it even more ridiculous, even if you tried to call him on it, was—

‘...That he’d go as far as using his own son.’

It meant the Poison King was using Poison Dragon.

Did Poison Dragon know?

Was this behavior something they’d mutually agreed on?

The question rose up again, but—

‘First things first.’

Moving took priority.

With that decision, I got to my feet.

“Clan Head Tang.”

“......”

At my call, the Clan Head’s gaze turned toward me.

His force was still pouring out.

“I beg your pardon, but do you happen to remember the conversation we once had?”

Conversation. I saw the Poison King’s brow tighten slightly at that.

It looked like he’d remembered what I was talking about from those words alone.

‘If by chance things escalate and something happens between my second son and Young Master Bang, I will not blame you as long as you do not take his life.’

That was what the Poison King had said to me one day. I’d heard it the moment friction with Poison Dragon appeared, and it meant he wouldn’t interfere no matter what happened between us.

“......”

As soon as I brought it up, the force that had been pouring out in all directions died away in an instant.

The Poison King’s murderous eyes turned on me.

“...Young Master Bang.”

“Yes.”

“Why bring that up now, of all times?”

“I know the situation is unfortunate, but I couldn’t help thinking that what’s happening now is connected to what you said back then.”

“...And by that you mean?”

Creeeak.

I slowly shifted my weight as I straightened up. Thankfully, my body moved fine.

“Well, you know... Young Master here did have a point, in a way.”

What had he said again? That since my arm was wrecked, he’d break one of his own and fight me?

“It didn’t sound like a bad condition, so I figured I might as well give it a try. What do you think?”

“......”

You said what you said, and Poison Dragon said what he said, so I’ll step up and give you what you want.

As I said that—

‘First time, huh?’

It was the first time.

‘I’ve seen him that rattled.’

For the first time, I saw plain surprise on the Poison King’s face.

He clearly hadn’t expected me to respond like this. Seeing that, I was sure.

‘I was right.’

My guess about his little ploy was right.

Now I had another thing to think about.

‘What should I do with it.’

Should I grab onto it and not let go? Or use it another way?

Rather than clinging to the Poison King’s “scheme” right here, it would be better to use it more efficiently.

‘And what “efficient” means here is...’

Ssssk.

With that in mind, I looked up at Yoo Cheongil.

This time, it wasn’t eye contact for confirmation—it was ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) a question.

Was it possible?

Yoo Cheongil’s mouth split wide when he saw me looking.

It felt like a yes.

‘Tsk.’

Was this really okay? I couldn’t shake the unease.

‘Still.’

From everything I’d seen so far, when it came to screwing someone over, that man and I were very much on the same wavelength.

At least in matters like this, I figured I could trust him.

With that thought, I opened my mouth.

“I’m saying I’ll give them what they want. Though, the one getting pounded into paste won’t be me.”

“Why, you...!”

Poison Dragon started to snap back at my words, then stopped and looked at the Poison King.

He hadn’t bothered watching for cues earlier, but now he suddenly was.

In that situation, the Poison King watched me quietly for a moment, then—

“...Young Master Bang.”

He went to say something to me. What would it be? I didn’t need to think about it. There was only one thing the Poison King could say.

‘He already made a promise with his own mouth.’

He couldn’t escape it. No matter how the situation had turned, he had no choice.

Just as I was waiting for his answer with that in mind—

“If you—”

The Poison King got the words out—

And almost before they left his mouth—

BANG-!!

“Gah!?”

Poison Dragon screamed as he went flying.

“...Huh?”

...Flying?

I blinked in confusion.

Why was he flying?

My head turned. Poison Dragon had suddenly been launched out through the open window behind him.

I wasn’t exaggerating when I said launched—he’d literally been flung.

“Uh...?”

Why had he suddenly ended up like that?

When I looked out the window, I saw Poison Dragon rolling across the ground before he scrambled to his feet.

He was clutching his solar plexus and groaning, so it looked like he’d taken a heavy hit.

“Kh...”

Drooling heavily, Poison Dragon glared at someone.

It wasn’t me.

“You little bitch... what the hell do you think you’re doing—!”

Poison Dragon roared.

And the one he was roaring at stepped forward with light steps.

When I saw who it was, my eyes widened.

“...Young Lady Tang?”

It was none other than Tang Yeran.

Had Tang Yeran really sent Poison Dragon flying?

‘...I didn’t see it.’

I hadn’t seen her move.

What the hell had just happened? I just watched Tang Yeran in stunned silence when—

“...Brother.”

Her voice shocked me a second time.

Her usual bright, energetic tone was gone.

Instead, just like the Poison King’s voice, what came out was low and chilling.

“I think you need a beating.”

“...What did you say?”

Poison Dragon frowned at Tang Yeran’s words, but—

It didn’t last.

WHOOSH—!

Wind rushed.

Tang Yeran vanished from in front of us, and in the next instant—

CRRRRACK-!

Her knee buried itself in Poison Dragon’s face in the distance.

“Grrk!”

Poison Dragon’s head snapped back into the air.

The moment it went up, blood spurted from his nostrils.

A spectacular spray of nosebleed.

I just stared dumbly at the sight.

It was exactly as it looked.

Tang Yeran had started beating Poison Dragon like a rat.

And she was doing it very roughly.