Childhood Friend of the Zenith-Chapter 487

Right after claiming I’d been poisoned and collapsing.

The tense silence in the guest hall was enough to pierce my heart like a dagger, yet the outcome was just as expected.

After all, I had indeed been poisoned.

“It appears to be the poison of the Biyu flower.”

This was the assessment of the physician examining my body. At his words, I heard the collective gasp of those around me.

Biyu flower, huh.

Shin Noya reacted first to the mention of it.

[They really used something nasty.]

‘No kidding.’

A wry smile escaped me.

The poison of the Biyu flower is a rare toxin from a poisonous herb that grows in the northern highlands. It’s not something commonly used for assassination, even by trained killers.

The poison’s effect is to temporarily block the flow of inner energy, while simultaneously inducing shortness of breath and, after a while, an excruciating, burning pain that ultimately stops the heart.

As effective as it is as a poisonous herb, it’s usually not used for assassination, as I mentioned.

The reason is simple…

‘It’s ridiculously expensive.’

Compared to other poisons with similar effects, the rarity of the Biyu flower makes it outrageously costly.

Moreover, for martial artists of a certain level, ingesting a poison that blocks energy flow rarely results in death, so it’s generally avoided.

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The main risk, however, is the lasting side effects it can leave behind—such as a damaged dantian or a heart condition that could permanently prevent further martial arts practice.

‘What a pain.’

Thinking about it all made me laugh even more.

‘They must be more impatient than I thought.’

It’s not like I hadn’t anticipated this kind of response. In fact, I’d hoped for it and led things in this direction.

But I hadn’t expected them to act so quickly.

‘Did I make it too obvious?’

Maybe it was because I made it too clear how much I knew. Or perhaps, because I hadn’t gone out of my way to silence Nahi.

Regardless, I hadn’t expected that the child of a prestigious family, residing in another clan’s territory, would be so freely poisoned.

‘This is a warning, I assume.’

This is the Tang Clan’s territory, so they’re effectively saying, don’t act recklessly. That’s the gist of it.

The reason they chose the Biyu flower, an expensive and inefficient poison, was because the Tang Clan, known for their meticulous control over the food served to guests, went to the trouble of poisoning the food as a warning.

On this land—

They could deal with me, or anyone with me, as they pleased. My background and level meant nothing; they could handle me anytime, so I shouldn’t run my mouth.

This was the message hidden within the poison of the Biyu flower.

Thinking about it just made me laugh even harder.

‘Those fools who don’t know their place.’

Rotten to the core, these people act noble while doing the dirtiest deeds. It’s hardly fitting for a faction that claims to value justice and righteousness.

‘Ha ha, damn it, the more I see, the more I lose any respect I might have had for them.’

It was the same in my past life—no matter how much I learned about them, I still couldn’t understand.

The urge to tear it all down grew even stronger.

What would those who upheld past ideals think if they saw this state of affairs now? From what I could tell, they’d probably cough up blood and die all over again in disbelief.

[…Kid, are you talking about me behind my back right now?]

‘Oh, of course not.’

Just like a sharp-witted wildcat, he always caught on whenever he was being talked about.

Though, I suppose he really was a ghost now.

‘Anyway.’

The situation had unfolded, and I knew this wouldn’t end with just a warning.

Would those capable of pulling something like this stop at a mere warning?

‘No way.’

Not a chance.

“…What…what should we…do?”

Lying there with my eyes closed, I heard a tearful voice. It was Tang So-yeol.

I had collapsed right beside her after swallowing the poison, so her reaction was understandable.

“What are we going to do about our Young Master…? Father….”

Tang So-yeol sobbed, tears streaming down her face. There weren’t many people around.

It seemed to be just the Poison King (Dokwang), Tang So-yeol, and the physician.

“For now, we need to assess the situation. Step outside.”

“But…”

“Now!”

At the Poison King’s stern command, Tang So-yeol flinched.

She hesitated, looking lost, but then turned and walked out, though her steps were reluctant.

“…Baek, could you also step outside for a moment?”

“Yes…Master.”

The Tang Clan’s physician exited as well, leaving the room in silence.

“Haa….”

I heard the Poison King let out a weary sigh.

Upon hearing that, I immediately sat up.

“Ugh, I thought I’d die from boredom.”

“…Gah?!”

As I abruptly lifted myself, the Poison King jumped in surprise—a rare reaction from him.

“…Young Master Gu?”

“Why are you so startled? You scared me.”

“But…how?”

The Poison King’s reaction made me raise an eyebrow.

I’d thought he’d realized I was faking unconsciousness, but his response suggested he hadn’t.

“…Are you alright?”

“Yes, I’m well enough for conversation.”

A martial artist of the Poison King’s caliber should have noticed something like this easily, which meant…

‘Could this be another change in my body?’

Could this be an effect of the Transformation Technique or perhaps an advantage of my restructured body?

I wasn’t sure, but it was a beneficial change.

If even a Haegyeong-level martial artist couldn’t detect it, that was a considerable advantage.

Crack.

I stretched my body, rolling my shoulders, and the Poison King spoke.

“…First, I apologize. It was wrong of us to let such a thing happen in our main residence.”

The sudden apology made me look at him. Judging by his gaze, he was sincere.

‘I suppose he would feel that way.’

The Tang Clan’s reputation in the martial arts world isn’t particularly good.

They specialize in poison and hidden weapons, which makes them naturally disliked by others. Although the Tang Clan’s reputation has improved since they began producing and exporting weaponry, they’re still regarded with suspicion by the public.

That’s why they’re so cautious.

The guest accommodations, the food served…

Everything undergoes multiple checks to prevent any accidents, and even the Poison King is meticulous in his care.

‘For something like this to happen here, his insides must be burning.’

I just observed the Poison King’s reaction quietly, as I always did from the start.

After all, I’d never fully let go of my suspicions of him.

Hiding those thoughts, I spoke to him.

“It’s alright. In fact, things turned out as I expected, so I consider it fortunate.”

“What?”

The Poison King’s eyes wavered at my response.

“As expected? Young Master Gu, what are you saying? Don’t tell me….”

Various expressions of doubt passed over his face.

“Are you implying you planned this?”

The Poison King seemed deeply shocked as he grasped my meaning. I replied with a half-smile.

“I didn’t expect them to go this far, but yes, to some extent.”

The Poison King’s face scrunched with displeasure as he spoke.

“What…were you thinking?”

What was I thinking?

I clicked my tongue internally at his question.

“It’s a good outcome, isn’t it?”

“What…?”

“It must have given you confidence.”

“…!”

The Poison King’s eyes grew wide again at my words.

Confidence.

Seeing what had just happened should have given him certainty.

Certainty that things were happening in the Tang Clan without his knowledge, and that he could dismiss any doubts about my claims.

Witnessing this event firsthand should have left the Poison King convinced.

That something was happening beyond his control.

“…You mean you ingested poison intentionally just for this?”

He looked at me as if I were insane.

Was it really that shocking for me to have taken poison on purpose?

[Well, you did consume poison knowingly. It’s no wonder he’s shocked.]

‘True enough.’

Honestly, I was a bit disappointed.

I’d thought the Poison King would immediately assess the situation and move on, but it seemed he was more affected than I anticipated.

“I only ingested the poison because I knew it wouldn’t kill me. It’s fine.”

“That’s not the issue here…!”

The Poison King reacted sharply to my indifferent response.

‘Hmm.’

Was he perhaps worried that this incident would worsen the Tang Clan’s reputation?

If so, that wasn’t something I could control.

This wasn’t a matter for me to tread lightly.

And if this was indeed the problem, I could understand his reaction just as he spoke.

“What if you’d suffered lasting side effects?”

“…”

“No matter how young you are, that was a reckless action.”

‘Oh.’

This was a much more sensible response than I’d expected. I hadn’t thought he’d be concerned for my well-being. That was unexpected.

[Maybe you’re just too cynical about the world?]

‘This was kind of refreshing.’

For some reason, I found myself smiling slightly.

“Young Master Gu?”

“Oh, excuse me. I wasn’t laughing at you; I was just surprised by your response.”

With that, I climbed off the bed.

Stirring.

The moment I moved, I felt a strange energy surging inside me. I recognized it immediately.

This was the poison’s energy.

Its energy was unusually distinct, which made it easy to sense.

‘Hmm.’

Feeling the toxic energy, I frowned slightly.

I’d noticed it upon returning to this realm, but now that I’d ingested the poison, I felt certain.

After flexing my fingers slightly, I spoke to the Poison King.

“It’s remarkable that you’re concerned for me.”

“Don’t move. The antidote isn’t….”

“Do you think this justification will suffice?”

“…!”

“I think it’s more than enough.”

As I smiled and spoke, the Poison King closed his mouth tightly.

Justification. He seemed to grasp the significance of the word.

Justification is essential for any action—

Whether it’s for personal revenge, moving forward with a plan, or overturning an entire clan.

A sufficient justification often fuels people’s decisions to act.

And for the Poison King, justification was more necessary now than ever.

‘Honestly, I’d turn everything upside down just out of spite, but…’

As the clan head, he couldn’t do the same, so this was a consideration for his position.

Moreover—

‘It gives me a reason to act, too.’

I wanted to create a justification that would allow me to wreak havoc without a second thought.

[Watching you scheme like this is pitiful, in so many ways.]

‘You always mix insults and compliments. Can’t you pick one?’

[What are you talking about? They’re all insults.]

‘...’

I’d thought he was giving me a backhanded compliment for being clever. Apparently not.

Snorting, I walked past the Poison King.

“As I mentioned before, I’m not waiting for your answer.”

Whether he acted or not, I would do what needed to be done. That’s what I meant.

“I’ll be going now.”

“Young Master Gu! I told you, the antidote hasn’t….”

“I don’t need the antidote. It won’t be necessary.”

“What do you mean…?”

“The poison isn’t as painful as I thought. I’ll let you know if I need it.”

With that, I gave a slight bow and left.

I could feel the Poison King’s drained gaze watching me until I disappeared, but truly, I was fine.

‘This is remarkable.’

Buzz.

I felt the poison gathering in my body and thought back to what I’d noticed after returning to this realm.

I released a slight flow of energy toward the poison I sensed.

Then—

Fssss…!

The poison in my body dissipated, releasing a faint smoke from my mouth.

I chuckled at the sight.

‘Now I understand why I drank so much of that lake water.’

The frustrating situation where my energy didn’t increase despite absorbing all that water from the Poison Lake…

Tang Jemoon hadn’t simply destroyed her family’s relic for nothing. Finally, I understood the true gift she’d given me.

Apparently…

‘I can do this now.’

I had achieved the Tang Clan’s long-sought dream—Invulnerable to All Poisons.

******************

As I walked a little further and stepped outside, I saw Tang So-yeol standing in the distance.

When I slowly made my way toward her, she noticed me, her eyes widening in surprise as she ran over.

“Young Master!?”

“Hello.”

“How are you…?? They said you might not wake up for days… Are you really okay?”

“Oh, I’m fine. It seems the poison was weaker than expected.”

I smiled, mixing a bit of humor into my words, and Tang So-yeol suddenly began to cry and clung to me. Her sudden embrace caught me off guard.

“Hey, why are you crying? I told you I’m fine.”

“I’m so sorry… I’m really sorry….”

Uh-oh.

As she wept in my arms, I could feel my chest getting damp. It seemed she had been extremely worried, given what had happened in the Tang Clan.

“When you collapsed like that… I thought it was all an act. I’m so sorry. Truly….”

“…”

Her words of apology struck me deeply.

[See? I told you that you’re terrible at acting.]

‘…Damn it.’

I’d put my heart into that performance, but it seemed it didn’t work. Clearly, the world was the one in the wrong, not me.

[No…forget it.]

Noya’s resigned tone only added to my frustration. Trying to soothe myself, I patted Tang So-yeol’s head.

“Calm down. They said I just need a few days of rest.”

“But…”

“Stop crying. I don’t want my clothes getting soaked.”

Though it was technically the servants who would do the washing, having my shirt drenched with tears wasn’t exactly pleasant.

“Yes…”

At my words, Tang So-yeol’s expression turned slightly downcast. She seemed a bit hurt by my tone.

Just as I was about to apologize, a voice interrupted.

“Heh…what a lovely sight.”

Someone was approaching us, speaking as they drew near. I turned to look.

It was an old man with neatly groomed white hair, dressed in deep green silk robes.

Along with that, there was a faint scent of blood similar to what I’d sensed with the Poison King.

This old man had been with Tang So-yeol as she approached me.

“Oh.”

Upon seeing him, Tang So-yeol quickly let go of me, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

“Um…this is…our Elder. Elder, this is…”

“I know. Lady Tang, how could I not recognize the young hero who’s been the talk of the town recently?”

‘Lady Tang?’

I tilted my head at the title the elder used.

Lady Tang, with such formal respect. Even as the direct descendant of the clan head, it felt overly courteous for an elder of the clan.

The old man continued, smiling broadly as he spoke to me.

“So-yeol calls you Little Yama, I hear. Heh… It’s truly an honor to meet someone who will lead the future of Murim.”

“Hmm.”

“I am Elder Tang Bwi of the Tang Clan.”

The elder introduced himself with a smile.

Tang Bwi.

It wasn’t a name I’d heard before.

If I tried hard enough, I might be able to recall it, but I had no intention of doing so.

Tang Bwi greeted me with a friendly smile, and I returned the gesture with my own.

Then, suddenly—

“Ah!?”

I pulled Tang So-yeol into my arms. Startled by my sudden movement, she let out a sound, but—

Hum.

I subtly activated a qi barrier around my fingers, covering her ears so she wouldn’t hear a thing.

After that, I looked directly at Tang Bwi and spoke as plainly as possible.

“Wipe that smile off your face.”

“…!?”

“Or do you want to die?”

At my harsh words, Tang Bwi’s smile crumbled in an instant.