Chapter 70 – Snow Leopard

Chapter 70 – Snow Leopard

Someone poisoned the waterway flowing into Sichuan.

This was by no means a matter to be taken lightly.

At this unprecedented situation, the Hall Leaders under the Family Head of the Sichuan Tang Clan gathered.

Tang Hwa-seon opened his mouth with a stiffened expression.

“I found a medicine pouch containing Sinjinhwamyeol (Firewood Exhausted, Fire Extinguished) in the water stream of Mount Yeongju.”

Astonishment flashed across the faces of the Hall Leaders at the shocking words that flowed from his mouth.

“If it is Sinjinhwamyeol…”

The wood burns and the fire is extinguished. Sinjinhwamyeol, which means the ultimate destruction, was an extreme poison that, when ingested, burned one's insides completely, turning them into blood.

“Indeed. It is one of the Tang Clan's extreme poisons, and was stored in the Ten Thousand Poisons Abyss.”

“…!!”

“Since the water stream of Mount Yeongju flows to the Tang Clan and Sichuan's Chengdu, I believe you all understand the severity of this matter.”

A cold tension hovered at his words.

It meant someone had maliciously attacked the Tang Clan.

Tang Tae-seon, who was looking at the medicine pouch with a frown, asked with a serious expression.

“Who discovered this?”

“I found it,”

San-ho spoke up in a calm voice, drawing the gazes of everyone in the inner chamber toward him.

“Sinjinhwamyeol has no scent, making it a poison difficult to detect before ingestion. It would be even more so if it was in the water. How did you find this?”

“Because I saw an animal that had already stopped breathing after ingesting it. When I dipped my hand into the valley water to wash off its vomited blood, I felt the same poison qi, so I searched for the source.”

“Heh…”

“Fortunately, the poison had not spread to the lower reaches yet, so I only retrieved the medicine pouch separately.”

“You, yourself? Were there no difficulties in retrieving it?”

“The water was not very deep there, so it was fine.”

“No, I did not mean that…”

If he had immersed his body in the water where Sinjinhwamyeol had been dissolved, it would have functioned similarly to ingesting it. Yet, seeing San-ho perfectly fine even after immersing himself in the extreme poison, the Hall Leaders could not help but be bewildered.

Even now, the wet Sinjinhwamyeol inside the medicine pouch was slowly emitting poison qi. It was an energy so toxic that keeping it inside a chest was enough to poison the surroundings.

Yet, a mere rising star had personally carried that out of the water and brought it all the way here unharmed?

Seeing the Hall Leaders speechless for a moment, San-ho added.

“Still, just in case, it would be best to discard all the stored water and use water from another source for a few days.”

“Indeed. There is no harm in being careful. Tell the family members and servants to do so.”

“Yes.”

“For the time being, do not allow any guests into the inner castle. Keep the details quiet until we find the culprit.”

Everyone nodded at the words of Family Head Tang Hwa-seon. It was a measure taken with the potential repercussions of this incident in mind.

“Although we avoided the worst-case scenario thanks to the quick response, this is a serious matter that cannot be overlooked. We must investigate it thoroughly.”

“Indeed. The fact that they used the extreme poison of the Ten Thousand Poisons Abyss of all things, does it not mean a rat has sneaked inside the walls of our Sichuan Tang Clan?”

“We must find the culprit who pulled this stunt and make an example of them to the Jianghu!”

“Just how could such a thing happen… Is there a force targeting the Tang Clan?”

The Hall Leaders poured out their worried opinions.

At that moment, San-ho, who was quietly watching the situation, spoke up carefully.

“May I say a word?”

“Go ahead.”

“It is good to search for the culprit, but we must keep in mind that they might be one of the Tang Clan's family members.”

At his words, the atmosphere in the room sank heavily.

“Does that mean… there is a spy in the Tang Clan?”

Tang Tae-seon asked with a surprised expression. San-ho nodded firmly.

“Regrettably, yes.”

“How can you suspect those connected by the same blood? That is the very last thing to consider.”

“No. In fact, nothing else can explain it. Hall Leader, do you know where the Ten Thousand Poisons Abyss is?”

“Of course I do. Most Tang Clan martial artists who have passed the age of fifteen would know.”

“Exactly. That is why I only found out about it recently as well. That means the Ten Thousand Poisons Abyss is a tightly hidden place that one cannot know of before the age of fifteen unless someone tells them.”

The poisons of the Sichuan Tang Clan were researched and stored in the Poison Depository of the Ten Thousand Poisons Hall.

However, several poisons counted as extreme poisons were stored separately in a deep place called the Ten Thousand Poisons Abyss because their danger was too great. Poisons of formless poison and those without antidotes mostly belonged to this category.

“Passing all of the Tang Clan's mechanism formations and secretly finding the Ten Thousand Poisons Abyss is not something an external spy could do. Moreover, the poison used was Sinjinhwamyeol, which is similar to a formless poison, and the location where the poison was released was Mount Yeongju. This is only possible for someone who knows the Tang Clan precisely.”

“…”

At his words, the room fell into silence once more.

“We were lucky this time. Because we found the poison before the damage spread. Had we been even a day late, more than half of Tang Clan Village would have been poisoned. The commoners near Chengdu would have turned into handfuls of blood before two days had passed.”

San-ho paused for a moment and observed their reactions. He knew well the gravity of the words he had just spoken. They were people who took pride in the honor of a family tightly bound together and caring for one another. Yet, San-ho was now stating that there was a traitor in the family.

“No one knows when, where, or what the next time will be. If so, we must find out 'who' it is as quickly as possible. That is the only certain thing right now.”

“………”

But they could not afford to hesitate for such reasons.

Above all, San-ho had not felt any unfamiliar presence on that mountain. That meant it was either a master who perfectly concealed their presence, or an energy that was usually familiar to him.

It was the moment their worries became reality.

The possibility that someone like Murong Tak might be within the family.

Having finished his thoughts, San-ho spoke resolutely.

“I will look for them.”

“That cannot be. If there is indeed a culprit among the Tang Clan's blood relatives as you say, we do not know what might happen in the process of investigating it.”

“They pick a fight openly like this, and you want me to just let it go?”

“Tsk, how did this punk become such a fighting cock? Do you think you are the only martial artist in the clan?”

Tang Hwa-seon shook his head and shifted his gaze to those sitting on his right.

“The Law Enforcement Hall and the Leader of the Martial Hidden Hall shall take charge of the investigation. Whether this is the work of an enemy of the Tang Clan or a rat within the family… you must capture them alive and bring them before me.”

“Yes, Family Head.”

“I will obey your command.”

Tang Hwa-seon's cold voice, which they had never heard before, continued chillingly.

“As long as they are kept breathing, they do not need all of their limbs attached.”

At that moment, San-ho, who was pondering something deeply, suddenly raised his head.

He still needed time to find the secret manual. Since the incident had already occurred, it might be better to leave it to the Law Enforcement Hall, which could investigate coldly regardless of rank or status, rather than searching for the culprit alone.

“Then may I make one request?”

“What is it?”

“If someone is suspected as the culprit, please make sure to tell me as well. I have something to ask them.”

“Hmm. Your contribution to this matter is great, so I shall do so.”

At that time, Leader of the Craftsmanship Hall Tang Mu-seon looked at San-ho as if remembering something.

“By the way, what did you do with the corpse of the animal you found?”

“The corpse of the mother was handled by the Ten Thousand Poisons Hall, and the cub is alive and undergoing treatment.”

“Well done. You handled it wisely.”

The snow leopard cub found in the bushes had been left with the Ten Thousand Poisons Hall because it needed detoxification.

'I wonder if it's alive.'

San-ho muttered to himself as he pictured the snowy-white snow leopard.

***

Contrary to his worries, the snow leopard cub became energetic in just two days.

It did not even eat on the first day, but from the day after it was brought to the detached villa, it roamed around the tea room and the inner courtyard in a remarkably active state.

Clang!

“Ah, stay still for a second!”

San-ho shouted as he looked at the snow leopard, which had already ruined its second vase.

Unfortunately, the trouble maker in the detached villa was not just the snow leopard. Despite disliking people so much, the child also busily stirred up the detached villa while playing tag with the snow leopard.

Just then, San-ho tilted his head at a presence felt outside.

'Is he still there?'

He had thought the person would watch a few times and leave, but it had already been fifteen minutes.

Eventually, unable to hold back any longer, San-ho peeked his head out and asked.

“Who are you?”

“…!!!”

Did he really think he wouldn't get caught? Seeing the martial artist who jumped like a startled cat, San-ho asked again.

“What are you doing here?”

Gasp. The startled martial artist, unable to even let out a scream, widened his eyes. After looking around to see if San-ho was indeed talking to him, he replied briefly.

“…Checking progress.”

“What?”

“Because I'm concerned.”

“…Pardon?”

It was then.

Tang Hae-soo, who was walking toward the detached villa, paused for a moment and then approached quickly. He looked at the martial artist standing in front of the door, tilted his head, and asked.

“Why are you here?”

“Was the treatment successful.”

“Ah, they said it was treated at the Ten Thousand Poisons Hall. It seems you came because you were worried about the snow leopard.”

“Yeah. But where is it?”

“The snow leopard? It has been eating well since this morning, so you don't have to worry too much. If you're curious, go inside. It's probably running around the inner courtyard.”

Tang Hae-soo naturally walked into the tea room of the detached villa.

“…?”

They were… communicating?

San-ho blinked at the code-like words of the martial artist. Were they sharing a soul or something?

'Am I the only one who can't follow this conversation?'

“Ah.”

Tang Hae-soo, who grabbed the back of the neck of the martial artist going inside, introduced him late.

“Tang Do-won. He's a guy who lives shut in the Poison Depository of the Ten Thousand Poisons Hall. He's the same age as me, so he would be an older brother to you.”

“Ah, I'm Tang San-ho. Nice to meet you.”

“Yeah.”

Contrary to his short reply, Tang Do-won politely showed his respects and bowed his head.

“His drawback is that he barely comes outside, so his social skills are lacking… but regarding poison, he is the best among the rising stars, so knowing him will be helpful.”

“So that's why he is quiet.”

“Hmm. That's a slightly different story.”

“…?”

“This guy has a habit of experimenting with unfamiliar poisons on his own body. Since his childhood, having his body and tongue paralyzed by poison was daily life, so he rarely speaks now.”

“………”

San-ho stared at Tang Do-won with his mouth wide open.

Wow.

A real mad scientist was right here.

No wonder the areas under his eyes were hollow and his skin was pale… It wasn't that he was sickly, but drug addiction?

Tang Do-won muttered in a low voice, narrowing his brow.

“Not much lately…”

“Heh, are you lying again? I heard from the Leader of the Ten Thousand Poisons Hall a month ago. You experimented with Soul-Shattering Powder (Saebaeksan) this time, saying you were curious to what extent only the body got paralyzed.”

“…”

Keeping his mouth shut and avoiding eye contact was apparently the correct answer.

Soul-Shattering Powder (Saebaeksan) was a poison famous for paralyzing one's sanity along with the entire body. To think of experimenting with such a poison on his own body…

'Oh, he seems like no ordinary madman.'

Thinking he should keep his distance, San-ho swallowed hard.

Just then, Tang Do-won, who entered the tea room hesitantly, called San-ho carefully.

“Hey.”

“Yes.”

“That… they said you gave medicine to the Chief Stronghold Leader of the Waterway Forts.”

“Medicine? Ah, do you mean the medicine I used for the Gu poison?”

Tang Do-won nodded.

“Yeah, that.”

“Yes, why?”

“Can you do it for me too?”

“…?”

What. Don't tell me, the poison?

I really shouldn't get close to him, should I?

“The poison? The one that stops the heart?”

Tang Do-won nodded, his eyes even shining. Could it be that the path he wanted to walk in the future was the path to the afterlife?

While San-ho was flustered by the bizarre request to kill and revive him once, Tang Hae-soo cleaned up the situation in a practiced manner.

“Stop talking nonsense and tell us why you came here. Didn't you come all the way here in broad daylight because you had something to say?”

“Always only to me…”

“Hurry up.”

As if dissatisfied that his heart was beating healthily, Tang Do-won, with a sullen expression, glanced down and spoke.

“Who found the snow leopard?”

“Ah, this child did.”

San-ho pointed at the child sitting quietly beside him. The snow leopard was following the child around, showing its belly and acting cute. With its plump tail, it looked extremely adorable.

“Hmm… Who is this?”

“I pulled them from the river, but I don't know their name yet.”

When San-ho answered softly, Tang Do-won nodded and spoke, pointing at the snow leopard. He had wondered why Tang Do-won was lingering outside, and this seemed to be the main point.

“Snow leopards rarely come to Sichuan. They live in Qinghai or Tibet.”

“Hmm. It was my first time seeing one as well.”

“Moreover, the mother is a spiritual beast snow leopard. Extremely rare. But for such a spiritual beast to come all the way here with its cub…”

Tang Do-won, who continued speaking unusually long, looked straight at San-ho.

“It came looking for something.”