Chapter 19

Shwk— Shwshwk—

As Yuwon’s slender limbs struck the air, the sound of the air splitting echoed across the vast cavern.

Each movement was sharp and precise. Every strike, swing, and kick carried tangible power.

Pat— Pabat—

This time, both of Yuwon’s legs swept powerfully through the air. There was not a trace left of the frail Fifth Prince in that figure.

Having cast off his cumbersome robes, Yuwon was completely absorbed in his training. His whole body, taut with effort, was flushed with the hue of straining muscles.

The twig-like body he’d seen when he first met Yurion was nowhere to be found. Though still rather slight by Yuwon’s own standards, his body was now densely filled with firm muscle.

Yuwon’s eyes tracked an invisible enemy drawn in the air. Every optimal strike he could make now aimed for that imaginary opponent’s life.

The sight of Yuwon unleashing a storm of attacks into empty space was more serious than ever before.

About fifteen minutes passed like that. Drenched in sweat from the intense physical training, Yuwon finally paused to catch his breath.

‘Whew… I can really feel my body getting lighter now.’

It wasn’t perfect, but considering that he had transformed the body of a drug-wrecked wretch into something healthier than normal in just ten days, it was remarkable progress.

‘At least now I don’t have to worry about tripping over a pebble and dying.’

Yuwon glanced down at his body, radiating heat and sweat from the exertion.

Every fine line of muscle spread across his frame was proof of his relentless effort.

A faint smile tugged at his lips.

‘It’s not completely satisfying… but for ten days’ work, not bad at all.’

By ordinary standards, such a transformation was physically impossible. But the pure inner energy that filled Yuwon’s body, combined with his grueling discipline, had made it reality.

He decided to rest a bit while circulating his energy.

Settling into a cross-legged position, Yuwon closed his eyes.

Throughout his training, he had taken moments like this to cultivate energy.

Merely circulating the pure qi through his meridians and gathering it again brought immense recovery.

‘Every time I do this, it still amazes me.’

The clean, untainted qi of this world never failed to surprise him. He did this several times a day, yet the wonder never faded.

As Yurion’s once frail body stabilized, changes had begun to take hold. His hardened dantian and refined meridians voraciously absorbed the pure energy scattered through the air.

‘It was fast before, but now… it feels at least twice as quick as before.’

He had only resumed martial training a few days ago, yet Yuwon had already reached a second-rate level.

The enlightenment he’d gained in his past life had never left him — only his inner power had been lacking. At this rate, he could regain his former strength in less than ten years.

‘No, perhaps even sooner.’

After about ten more minutes, Yuwon finished his energy circulation and rose to his feet.

“Phew, next up— feeding time for the serpent, huh.”

The ‘serpent’ referred to the venom coiled around his heart.

Yuwon walked to the center of the cavern.

“Now then… what shall it be today?”

After pondering the choice as if it were a difficult decision, he finally nodded.

“Right, let’s keep it simple today. Special meals are nice, but nothing beats a home-cooked one.”

He soon stood before one of the many doors in the cavern — a gray iron one — and opened it.

As he did, a sight of pure magic unfolded before him.

No— not just like magic. It was magic, used to construct this very space.

Before his eyes stretched a lush, verdant jungle.

‘I still remember how shocked I was the first time I saw this….’

The jungle wasn’t an illusion but a real, tangible ecosystem — vast enough to make the central cavern seem small, easily ten, maybe twenty times its size.

‘Such grand design….’

In the Sichuan Tang Clan, poison and cultivation were inseparable.

Tang Seogyeom had recreated the natural habitats of various poisonous creatures and transplanted them into each underground chamber.

Not every chamber was filled with venomous creatures, but more than half of them were designed to nurture different species in their native conditions.

The subterranean complex, which Tang Seogyeom had designed as a pastime in his later years, had in fact been constructed with the reluctant help of a Great Magician — one said to have played a role in the founding myths of the Empire itself.

Having stood by the first Emperor of the Aphahiel Empire during its founding, Seogyeom had maintained a close friendship with that same Great Magician.

To keep this place a secret from others, he had sought magical aid from none but his friend — hence, its level of completion was beyond anything mortal craftsmanship could achieve.

‘Well, it worked out in my favor, so I can’t complain….’

Yuwon stepped into the dense, humid jungle. The environment resembled Nanman, the southern jungles he had visited only once before in his lifetime.

“Now then… what to feed it this time? Guess I’ll find something while I look around.”

He became a streak of white light cutting through the jungle, his silver hair streaming behind him.

Whish— whish—

With each step, the scenery blurred past. Compared to his peak years, it was nothing impressive — but still, he could now at least use lightfoot techniques again.

Even that alone was tremendous progress — something unimaginable just ten days ago.

As he darted through the forest, Yuwon’s gaze suddenly caught on a serpent.

‘A Patterned Viper!’

One of the deadliest snakes in this chamber, famed for its potent venom. Yuwon stopped at once.

‘Good — looks like I won’t have to go hunting for venomous plants today.’

Finding the right creature was the only hard part. After that, the rest was simple.

With quick yet careful movements, Yuwon caught the snake. Killing it was out of the question — this one was precious.

Shwk— Shwiiik!

The Patterned Viper thrashed violently in Yuwon’s grip. Snatched from its peaceful surroundings, its fury was understandable — though futile, trapped as it was in Yuwon’s palm.

“All right, do your thing. Then you can rest easy.”

He brought the snake’s head to his left forearm. The Patterned Viper, true to its vicious nature, sank its fangs into his wrist without hesitation.

Puk—!

Its fangs pierced deep into his tender skin, then released venom in a second strike.

Through needle-thin channels, the venom — potent enough to topple an elephant — pulsed into him.

‘Hmph… this part never gets any easier….’

Anyone watching would have recoiled in horror.

But Yuwon not only let it happen — he even lifted his arm to check that the venom was flowing properly.

‘Patterned Vipers are known for their potent but scarce venom, yet this one’s full of strength. The serpent will like this.’

And indeed, his prediction was right. The moment the venom entered his bloodstream, the serpent coiled around his heart stirred and peeked out.

As his heart pumped and blood circulated, the venom inevitably reached it — and that was where the journey ended.

The serpent devoured the venom completely, consuming it as sustenance.

It didn’t take long.

While it fed, Yuwon sat atop a rock, waiting patiently for it to finish its meal.

‘It’s really my good fortune. The serpent chose to coexist rather than harm me….’

Not that Yuwon feared a confrontation.

Perhaps not now — but once he regained the inner strength of a peak master, he was certain of victory eight times out of ten.

‘Still… it chose coexistence when it held the power. How could I betray it once I regain mine?’

Yuwon wasn’t one to trust easily, yet strangely enough, toward this being of pure venom — this serpent — he felt trust rather than doubt.

‘It feels oddly familiar… maybe because Yurion carried it for so long?’

Yurion had left nothing behind but memories and a body — and yet, it seemed there was one more thing he’d left: a kind of venomous core resting within the heart.

‘If later, after it had taken the poison, a huge snake turned around and tried to eat me, there would be nothing I could say then.’

He had to build his inner energy sturdily so that such a thing would not happen.

Even if the snake had chosen coexistence when it had been stronger, it did not seem likely that it would suddenly decide on a life-or-death struggle after Tang Yuwon had strengthened his inner energy.

While he had drifted into a brief daydream, the snake’s meal had already finished.

“Had you eaten well? Then let’s go back.”

After he was done, Tang Yuwon rose from his seat and left the Jungle Wing.

He closed the Jungle Wing’s door tightly and returned to the central communal hall, and, as if to make sure he would not forget, he was the first to find a blank notebook and write an entry.

[Yulaios Era Year 29, April 6. Consumption of Patterned Viper poison in the Jungle Wing.]

Now that he had begun to coexist with the snake, Tang Yuwon decided to show it a small kindness.

‘If animal venom is like meat to the snake… hmm… even if it was bothersome, I should sometimes chew and swallow poisonous mushrooms too, right?’

Diet management.

Animal venom was good, but he had to feed it a balanced variety.

In one corner of Tang Yuwon’s heart, the belly-full snake raised its jet-black head and yawned cutely.

The Second Prince Arencar’s audience chamber.

“His Majesty said so?”

“Yes, Your Highness. He ordered that all princes keep their evenings completely free within a week. He seemed likely to summon anyone at any time within that period.”

“Is that so? Understood. I’ll keep the time clear.”

The eunuch who had delivered the news hesitated as if there was something more to say.

“What are you doing? Anything else? Aren’t you going to say it?”

“Well….”

The eunuch standing before the Second Prince closed his eyes tightly as if summoning great courage and continued what he had left unsaid.

“…It is not just ‘father’ but His Majesty the Emperor. Your Highness is the one who will soon inherit the throne. Whether the matter is private or not, one never knows who might overhear, so you must be careful of your words and actions everywhere.”

“Fuck off.”

The Second Prince’s reply came back flat and decisive. The admonition from the minister, which contained nothing incorrect, did not move him one bit.

“Your Highness….”

“Those men may call him His Majesty, but to me he is my father. How I call my father is my business. I’ll let this slide this once, but watch your words in future.”

Perhaps irritated by the minister’s counsel, sharpness had edged every word the Second Prince spoke.

“I am most grateful, Your Highness. Perhaps I was briefly blinded by loyalty and misspoke.”

Having assessed the situation, the minister bowed his head and begged pardon. This was the price for daring to offer such bold counsel.

“Fine. That will do. Go.”

“Yes, then….”

After the minister withdrew from his seat, ten seconds later the Second Prince tilted his head back.

“Sigh… Now that I thought about it, it’s annoying, isn’t it? Who does he think he is, trying to lecture me. Hey, you, you.”

Two knights whom the Second Prince had indicated came forward.

“Ah! Your Highness.”

“Follow that bastard and sew his mouth shut. And make sure he doesn’t show his face in front of me for a while. The scar is disgusting.”

“Yes, we will carry out Your Highness’s wishes.”

The Second Prince’s cruel command was met by his two subordinates as if this sort of thing were familiar; they accepted the order without any fuss.

As if that settled the matter, the Second Prince rose from his seat and grabbed the door beside the audience chamber.

Inside sat a young man who had been waiting for him. The man who had arrived earlier looked at the Second Prince with a sly glint in his eyes.

“Why, why are you looking at me like that? Want your mouth sewn shut?”

“Heh heh, you crazy bastard. Were you always like that? The knights weren’t even surprised at the order to sew a mouth shut.”

A man who could call the Second Prince a madman. The man who had come first was the Crown Prince Yulia.

“Pot calling the kettle black. You killed people without anyone knowing.”

At the Second Prince’s counterattack, the Crown Prince feigned innocence.

“Really? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Goddamn it.”

“Oh my, you say anything to your brother. Goddamn it.”

“Brother my ass.”

The Crown Prince smirked, and the Second Prince retaliated with a stinging barb as if he had thorns.

“Anyway, that worked out well. Weren’t you recently taking an interest in the youngest?”

“Me?”

“Yes, weren’t you the one who sent an assassin after the youngest?”

At the Crown Prince’s words, the Second Prince made an expression that clearly indicated it was out of the question.

“Even if I said that, I’m someone with the full backing of the corps commander and the knights. Would I send a shabby lot of assassins like some nobody?”

“Why? You hate the youngest like some kind of sickness. I thought you might have sent someone now that he was acting up, but you didn’t?”

“Don’t look in bits and pieces. If I had sent someone, that person would already be dead.”

The Second Prince meant it. He had no interest in such an option from the start, but if he had sent an assassin, he would not have sent mediocre men who would fail.

“Wow, scary. So you didn’t, huh?”

The Crown Prince feigned fear and took a step back at the Second Prince’s fierce reply.

“Are you deaf? Tell me again?”

“All right, all right. Touchy.”

The Second Prince licked his lips out of habit, then spoke as if he had made a firm decision.

“Speaking of which, when I see the youngest this time I should give him a good scolding. I don’t like him poking around everywhere lately. He was the kind of man who should be drinking and taking drugs, yet now he arrogantly tries to do something.”

Although he had not said it aloud, much of the Second Prince’s displeasure stemmed from jealousy that Tang Yuwon had been chosen by the White Dragon Sword.

“You’ll give him a scolding? At the banquet?”

“Of course then. I’m busy trying to posture and fight with that damn man. Do you think I have time to take special time just for a White Dog?”

The person addressed as that damn man replied with a smile.

“Fine, do as you like. I don’t care whether you roast the youngest or boil him. Oh, but take it easy. If the youngest dies, you’ll lose the shield that covered your little tantrums.”

“I’ll handle it. Mind your own business.”

Their bickering conversation was as usual.

“Haha, sure, I suppose. By the way, a banquet… it’s been a while, hasn’t it? I’m looking forward to it. Seeing His Majesty’s face and having a drink with our lovely younger siblings. Ha, how nice. Don’t you agree, brother?”

“Younger sibling.” It was the word the Second Prince hated most in the world.

“Younger sibling, my arse… go fuck yourself.”

There was no chance the words would come out politely.