[Translator - Helga ]
[Proofreader - Starfall ]
Chapter 30: The Bloodline’s Suspicion(2)
The Shura King transford into crimson smoke and was absorbed into Kwon Hanul’s body.
For having just absorbed a being as powerful as the Shura King, the system ssages seed rather underwhelming.
But Kwon Hanul could feel it—the sheer terrifying presence of the Shura King now residing within him.
To truly understand its power, he had to infuse it into a weapon. Otherwise, it would remain sealed, as if nothing had changed.
‘But what exactly is Shura Soul?’
Without hesitation, he decided to test it firsthand.
He retrieved a dagger from his subspace and infused it with Shura Soul.
The mont it absorbed the Shura Soul, the dagger floated into the air, whizzing chaotically around him.
When he opened his palm, the dagger returned to his hand.
‘...This could be useful.’
As a martial artist, Kwon Hanul rarely used weapons. Instead, he considered a different application.
‘If I infuse Shura Soul into debris during battle…’
He could control scattered remnants mid-fight, launching surprise attacks at his enemies.
Or, he could even imbue it into his clothes, manipulating them at will.
Various possibilities crossed his mind, and he nodded in satisfaction as he stowed the dagger away.
‘Ti to head out.’
He turned toward the shrine’s entrance—then suddenly, a faint scent reached his nose.
If not for the heightened senses granted by his Dragon Physique, he would have missed it entirely.
What is this?
A slightly sweet yet sour odor.
He sniffed again, trying to pinpoint it.
Kwon Hanul swiftly pulled out the Seven-Colored Poison Purging Jewel and placed it in his mouth.
This was why the Seven-Colored Poison Purging Jewel was considered a top-tier legendary artifact.
Unlike ordinary antidote pearls, which only counteracted poison, this one could neutralize all harmful substances.
The i Clan must have pulled so tricks.
He hadn’t expected them to act so soon after Kwon Myung-woo’s warning.
‘Did they really want dead that badly?’
To the i Clan—who harbored an inferiority complex toward Hyukcheon—Kwon Hanul’s very existence was a threat.
But why? If they kill so openly, it would start a war with Hyukcheon.
Would they really risk an all-out conflict just to eliminate him? It didn’t make sense.
As he pondered, another ssage appeared.
Knew my bloodline had so tricks, but this…
Kwon Hanul carefully read the details.
Once infected, he would die within a week—168 hours, to be exact.
A mory resurfaced. Sothing i Rong had said, "There are relics that can kill a person without leaving a trace."
Looking back, that wasn’t a re comnt—it was a warning. A preemptive declaration.
Had it not been for his Healthy Bloodline, Genius Bloodline, and the Seven-Colored Poison Purging Jewel, he would have been helpless.
What should I do now?
The i Clan had just attempted to assassinate him.
The realization ignited sothing within his chest.
Surprisingly, it wasn’t fear—it was rage.
‘The i Clan tried to kill ? And not through combat, but with poison?’
His blood boiled. His teeth clenched.
He couldn’t let this go unpunished. The i Clan would be held accountable.
‘But this isn’t sothing I can decide alone.’
This wasn’t just a random incident—it had occurred while Hyukcheon was visiting the i Clan.
If handled poorly, it could escalate into full-scale war.
‘I need to inform Granduncle first.’
With that, Kwon Hanul stepped out of the shrine.
Waiting outside, as if expecting him, was i Rong.
“Did you have a valuable experience?”
Despite orchestrating this entire sche, i Rong’s expression remained unchanged.
Kwon Hanul’s lips curled into a smirk.
What a wretched bastard.
Brazen. Shaless. Utterly detestable.
“Yes. It made curious about what kind of person the i Clan’s ancestor was.”
“Perhaps you’ll et him sooner than you think.”
“How would I et soone who’s already dead?”
i Rong simply smiled—a cryptic, knowing smile.
“Just a thought.”
He started walking again, but soone approached him.
It was i Hong—one of the representatives of the i Clan.
“Lord i Rong, the Patriarch has summoned you.”
“The Patriarch? For what reason?”
“How should I know?”
Despite addressing one of the highest-ranking elders, i Hong’s tone was flat and indifferent.
i Rong clicked his tongue in irritation before turning to Kwon Hanul.
“My apologies. I must step away.”
“It’s fine. I’ve seen everything I needed to.”
“Appreciate your understanding. i Hong, guide the Hyukcheon representative to his kin.”
With that, i Rong quickly disappeared.
i Hong, now left with Kwon Hanul, spoke in a polite tone, “Allow to escort you.”
As she passed him, she subtly pressed sothing into his palm.
His instinct was to check what it was, but before he could, she whispered, “Don’t lower your head.”
Kwon Hanul imdiately froze.
“There are too many watchers. If you act suspiciously, they’ll notice.”
Keeping her eyes forward, i Hong continued walking. Kwon Hanul followed in silence.
“…You may find this hard to believe, but right now, your body—”
“Is poisoned, correct?”
i Hong’s expression stiffened slightly.
“How did you—?”
“I also know its effects. If left untreated, I’ll die within a week.”
He spoke just loud enough for only i Hong to hear. Her face hardened further.
“…They wanted to kill you without provoking Hyukcheon.”
“And this is the antidote, I presu?”
“…Yes.”
“What exactly is this poison?”
“It’s called Dreamshade Venom—a synthetic toxin crafted from relic-based poisons. Once infected, you die in your sleep, as if you rely drifted off.”
“Relic-based poison… Sounds expensive.”
“You could sell an entire mid-sized city and still not afford the materials.”
“Must be an honor to have sothing that valuable used on .”
A cold laugh escaped his lips.
Just how desperate were they to kill him?
“But why are you telling this? You’re part of the i Clan.”
A faint grinding of teeth.
i Hong’s gaze remained forward, but the hatred in her eyes was undeniable.
“I want revenge on the i Clan.”
A chill ran down his spine. He could feel the raw intensity of her hatred.
“I want them annihilated. I want the Patriarch’s head. And I want to tear out i Rong’s heart with my own teeth.”
“…And how does that involve helping ?”
"Please accept into the Hyukcheon Clan."
Kwon Hanul's eyes widened.
"I want to stand with the Hyukcheon Clan and fight against the i Clan."
What could have possibly happened to make her hate her own family so much?
He wanted to ask, but Kwon Hanul chose not to press further.
They weren’t close enough for that, and he wasn’t sure how much he could trust her.
‘She wanted to join the Hyukcheon Clan for revenge. That’s why she helped .’
It sounded reasonable. But what if that wasn’t the case? What if this was just another sche by the i Clan’s leader?
"I'm sorry, but I can't trust you."
Kwon Hanul handed the antidote back to i Hong.
"This is a matter between and the i Clan. Stay out of it."
i Hong bit her lip in frustration.
anwhile, Kwon Hanul reached the place where the Hyukcheon bloodline mbers were waiting.
* * *
"There he is!"
The first to greet him was Kwon Myung-woo.
"So, how did it feel to see the i Clan with your own eyes?"
"They are nothing compared to the Hyukcheon Clan."
"Ha! Of course, they aren’t!"
Kwon Myung-woo burst into laughter.
Kwon Hanul stepped closer and whispered, "Great-Uncle, the i Clan tried to poison ."
The laughter vanished from Kwon Myung-woo's face.
"…What did you just say?"
Kwon Hanul held out the Seven-Colored Poison Purging Jewel. The pearl, once shimring with rainbow hues, had turned black.
A sign that the poison and curse had been purified.
"…Did you identify the poison?"
"They called it Dreamshade Venom. It's an airborne toxin—once inhaled, the victim dies peacefully in their sleep after seven days."
"Where did you get this information?"
"I heard it from i Hong. She claid she wanted to side with us for revenge."
"Can she be trusted?"
"I'm not certain."
Kwon Myung-woo's expression darkened as he fell into deep thought.
At that mont, a presence approached.
"It seems our ti together is coming to an end."
The i Clan’s leader had drawn near and addressed Kwon Myung-woo.
"It would be a sha to part ways like this. What do you say to sharing a drink before we go?"
"A drink, huh? The i Clan’s plum wine is quite sothing."
"You have good taste. As it happens, we have a batch that’s been aged to perfection. Why not co in for a glass?"
A broad grin spread across Kwon Myung-woo’s face as the i Clan’s leader offered him the drink.
And with that sa smile, Kwon Myung-woo swung his fist straight at the i Clan leader’s head.
Just before the fist connected, i Rong intervened.
Drawing his sword, he blocked Kwon Myung-woo’s strike.
The mont fist t blade, the air trembled.
With their weapons locked, Kwon Myung-woo and i Rong glared at each other.
"Hyukcheon’s Fist of the Black Dragon! Have you gone mad?!"
"Spare the nonsense. My mind is perfectly clear."
"Then what the hell are you doing?! You dare attack our clan leader? This won't be overlooked!"
At i Rong’s outburst, Kwon Myung-woo scoffed.
"Bold words for soone whose clan just tried to kill a mber of the Hyukcheon Clan."
"Don't slander the i Clan without proof!"
"Slander? Maybe I should smash that thick skull of yours and check for myself!"
The air between them grew tense with killing intent.
Before the situation could spiral any further, the i Clan’s leader shouted, "i Rong! Stand down!"
i Rong tightened his grip on his sword before stepping back, as if propelled by force.
"Hyukcheon’s Fist of the Black Dragon, I fail to understand your actions."
"Still feigning ignorance, I see."
Kwon Myung-woo raised the now-darkened Seven-Colored Poison Purging Jewel.
"This was given to my grandnephew. Notice the discoloration?"
One cannot purify a poison without first being poisoned.
The i Clan’s leader looked visibly shaken by the undeniable proof that Kwon Hanul had been targeted.
"Seven-Colored Poison Purging Jewel? Are you saying you gave my late wife’s keepsake to that boy?"
"That’s hardly the point. A mber of the Hyukcheon Clan was nearly assassinated within the i Clan’s territory. How do you explain that?"
"We had no knowledge of this!"
"Spare the act before I rip that smug face off."
Kwon Myung-woo’s voice was filled with murderous intent.
"We already know the poison used was Dreamshade. We know it kills in seven days, leaving no visible trace."
The i Clan leader’s expression stiffened. He had never expected them to know the poison’s na and effects.
"This is outrageous! We had nothing to do with it! In fact, perhaps the Hyukcheon Clan is framing us—"
"i Clan Leader."
Kwon Myung-woo’s voice cut through the air like a blade.
"Enough with the performance. Whether you’re innocent or not, I have no intention of letting this slide."
Kwon Myung-woo unleashed his Dragon Aura. A black energy surged toward the sky.
The i Clan mbers paled at the overwhelming force.
"Are you really intent on bloodshed?"
"Why ask the obvious?"
The i Clan’s leader closed his eyes and sighed heavily, as if exhausted by the situation.
"What a sha," the i Clan’s leader mused.
Despite being the perpetrator, he remained composed.
"If things had gone as planned, we could have cut off that young dragon before he had a chance to grow, all while maintaining amicable relations with Hyukcheon."
He turned to Kwon Hanul.
"You, young dragon of Hyukcheon—I must admit, there's sothing I don’t understand. Dreamshade Venom is subtle, nearly undetectable. That’s why I chose it for this occasion… So how did you realize it?"
"It was thanks to the Seven-Colored Poison Purging Jewel my Great-Uncle gave ."
"You think I didn't account for that? I acknowledge its effectiveness, but at the end of the day, it's still a poison-neutralizing pearl. And poison-neutralizing pearl can detect liquid toxins, but not airborne ones."
Kwon Hanul realized just how ticulous the i Clan had been in their preparations.
"Tell . How did you know?"
"Well… I have pretty sharp instincts,” Kwon Hanul answered nonchalantly.
The i Clan’s leader frowned at the response.
"Don’t joke with ."
"I'm being serious."
It was a familiar exchange. Hadn’t i Rong asked him the sa thing earlier?
"…Could it be that you noticed purely by instinct? Frighteningly perceptive… It seems I wasn’t wrong. As long as you live, the i Clan can never surpass Hyukcheon."
A wave of killing intent surged toward Kwon Hanul.
Although not as fearso as i Rong, the i Clan’s leader was still a formidable warrior.
The sheer pressure bore down on Kwon Hanul.
"You dare oppress a child? What have you done with all your years?"
Kwon Myung-woo’s voice rang out, instantly shattering the i Clan leader’s aura.
The difference in power was undeniable.
"At least you admit the truth. Now, shall we deal with the rest?"
Kwon Myung-woo’s energy flared, stronger than before.
The i Clan’s leader looked on in disbelief.
"Don’t tell … you actually intend to fight us here?"
"And if I do?"
"Hah! Hyukcheon arrogance knows no bounds! Do you realize where you are? This is the i Clan’s stronghold—our soldiers, weapons, and masters are all here! You think five of you can take us on?"
The Hyukcheon mbers numbered only five, while the i Clan had hundreds.
But Kwon Myung-woo remained unfazed.
"Why not?"
"…What did you just say?"
"I’ll handle you and that so-called Greatest Sword of yours. My n can deal with the rest."
The i Clan leader’s jaw dropped.
"Hyukcheon’s Fist of the Black Dragon… Are you insane?"
"And if I’m not?"
"Even the strongest cannot fight an entire clan alone!"
Kwon Myung-woo took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. His Dragon Aura burned like a raging inferno.
"Watch ."
[Translator - Helga ]
[Proofreader - Starfall ]
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