There exists a plant known as Gwibich’o, which only blooms in the humid regions of the western provinces. It has a beautiful appearance, but ingesting even a small amount causes intense hallucinations. It's considered one of the deadliest poisonous plants, with rumors that sects from the dark factions have been known to refine it into potent hallucinogens for sale. Beyond that, it’s sometimes used to extract confessions from criminals or even in torture.

The Poison King, however, knows a secret: Gwibich’o has a unique flavor. If one has developed sufficient resistance to poison, it can be a highly prized plant throughout the nation. Naturally, ordinary people lack such immunity and wouldn’t be able to grow it, making it a delicacy the Poison King enjoyed—one almost exclusive to the Tang Clan. It offers a more exquisite taste than many other expensive teas, at a fraction of the cost.

On a night when the full moon was shining bright, the Poison King sat alone on the veranda, slowly sipping his tea made from Gwibich’o. He preferred tea to strong alcohol, although his teas were all brewed from poisonous plants.

As he savored the taste, someone approached him from behind. It was a woman who knelt respectfully beside him.

“…You called for me, master,” she said.

Her name was Nahi, officially a servant of the Tang Clan, but in reality, she was a leader within the Tang Clan’s secret assassin squad, the Bichalgwi-dae. Without looking at her, the Poison King asked, “What do you think?”

Nahi knelt on one knee, her gaze fixed on the floor as she began her report in a calm voice. “All nine of our men positioned—three at the entrance, two above, and four inside—were discovered.”

The Poison King frowned at this. “Isn’t your report mistaken?” he asked. “You, too, were discovered, making it ten in total.”

“…Apologies. I’ll rectify this,” Nahi replied, bowing even deeper.

Her fist clenched tightly as she recalled the young man’s words echoing in her mind: “You don’t seem like someone who’d do a servant’s work.” She couldn’t figure out how he had seen through her disguise so easily. Despite her skill at concealing her presence and taking her task seriously under the Poison King’s orders, Gu Yangcheon had recognized her the moment he laid eyes on her.

The Poison King let out a slight chuckle, as if amused by her frustration. “Don’t take it too hard. Thanks to you, I had quite an amusing experience,” he said with a grin, taking another sip of tea. At first, it had just been a simple test. He’d heard so much about the boy’s supposed prowess that he wanted to see it firsthand. And sure enough, the moment Gu Yangcheon stepped inside, he scattered his energy in a warning, detecting Nahi along with the others. She was an experienced assassin, one who could easily enter the Seven Night Killers led by the King of Assassins if she desired.

“How did he manage to do that?” the Poison King wondered. He found it intriguing, almost unbelievable.

He recalled how Nahi had sent a preemptive message, allowing him to suppress the presence of his hidden daughter, Tang So-yeol, who had been watching from afar. If Nahi had been detected, Tang So-yeol’s presence would surely have been discovered as well, so he had invested a substantial amount of his inner energy to mask it.

As the Poison King thought back on it, he chuckled. “To think I’d go to such lengths for my daughter at this age…” He let out a sigh, pondering how he had even considered ripping Gu Yangcheon apart when they first met. Yet now, he thought differently.

“To be in the Fire Realm at such a young age…” The Poison King had confirmed Gu Yangcheon’s abilities during their conversation. Reaching the Fire Realm before turning twenty was an extraordinary feat, one unprecedented in history. Based on what he saw in the young man’s potential, he believed Gu Yangcheon could indeed rise to the pinnacle of the martial world one day.

In retrospect, he thought of his own daughter, Tang So-yeol, and how she had been utterly taken with Gu Yangcheon, even to the point of leaving home. Although he was still conflicted about the idea of his precious daughter marrying someone who might one day claim the title of “Greatest Under Heaven,” he found some comfort in Gu Yangcheon’s impressive prospects.

“Still, his declaration…” The Poison King remembered the young man’s words from their meal: “I don’t want her to leave.”

Though he had told Gu Yangcheon to break off his engagement with the Namgung Clan or to let go of Tang So-yeol, the young man had refused to do either, in a manner so bold that it left the Poison King at a loss for words. If not for Tang So-yeol’s sudden interruption, perhaps the conversation would have revealed even more.

“If he’s to take my daughter, he should at least be the best in the world.” He had cherished his daughter like a treasure, and he wasn’t going to give her to someone without a bright future. Although the prospect of sending his daughter as a concubine to another family was hard to accept, he knew that if it came to that, he might not allow it to happen.

“This, however, I cannot concede.” The Poison King thought, swirling the tea in his cup before draining it in one gulp. He looked at Nahi and said, “Prepare for departure in three days. Ensure there are no gaps in our defenses.”

“Yes, master. And what about tomorrow’s agenda?” Nahi asked.

“Lakhyeom is coming, so be mindful of that,” he replied, referring to the soon-to-be ex-leader of the Wulin League. After stepping down, there would be no shortage of contenders for the position.

The Poison King’s thoughts drifted to rumors about the Sword King’s ambition to become the next leader. “Ridiculous.” He smirked. The Sword King’s son had a better chance than the man himself. Still, if that brute thought he could lead the League…

“He clearly doesn’t know his place.”

For the Poison King, it made no difference who became the next leader of the Wulin League. What mattered most was something else entirely. The future of his daughter was important, but right now, it was not his primary concern.

“Nahi,” he called.

“Yes, master?”

Nahi’s gaze followed his to the moonlit sky, reflecting in his dark green eyes, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. “Tell the main branch to prepare the test grounds. It’s time to heat things up,” he instructed.

Nahi nodded, then disappeared into the shadows to carry out his orders.

After she left, the Poison King looked up at the full moon, reflecting that it was a perfect night for tea.

 
   ******************

I returned to the inn after the meal with the Poison King. As soon as I entered the building, I clutched my stomach.

“…Ugh, my stomach feels awful.”

The queasiness that had been building up from all the tension during dinner was finally catching up to me. I took a deep breath and tried to shake off the exhaustion as I recalled the dinner.

“That man is craftier than I thought.”

I frowned, remembering the Poison King's tone and expressions. He was precisely as tricky to deal with as I had initially anticipated. Out of all the clan heads I’d met, he was the most like a true patriarch—politically savvy, deftly steering the flow of conversation and controlling the atmosphere with ease.

“What exactly does he want from me?”

The Poison King’s gaze suggested he expected something from me, though I couldn’t quite pin down what that was. Strangely, it seemed he might be willing to overlook my earlier indiscretions. After all, he’d heard me declare I wouldn’t give up on my engagement or Tang So-yeol, yet nothing further came up during dinner. Perhaps her sudden arrival had distracted him, letting the conversation move on without revisiting the topic. Still, the feeling of unease lingered.

“At least I managed to secure our departure for five days from now.”

The Poison King didn’t seem too concerned with my companions for the journey, and he almost appeared pleased about something. But that was probably just my imagination.

As I walked toward my room, I felt someone tugging at my sleeve. I turned to see Tang So-yeol holding onto it. She had been walking with me since we left the dining hall, but I hadn’t realized she’d been holding onto my sleeve until now.

When our eyes met, she smiled, her characteristic grin reaching all the way up to her eyes. She hadn’t spoken a word since we left the restaurant, just smiling and following along. It was clear that she was in a good mood, though she hadn’t said why.

“What’s up?” I asked.

“Hm?”

“You seem to be in a good mood.”

“Hehe! It’s nothing!”

“…Okay.”

I shrugged and decided to leave it at that, continuing on until we arrived at the inn. After we parted ways, I headed to my room to gather some things, planning to head to the cave to continue my training. It was going to be a few sleepless nights if I wanted to get everything done.

As soon as I opened the door to my room, I stopped in my tracks. There was a bulge on my bed, like someone was lying there. I instantly felt a surge of irritation.

“This guy again?”

I thought it might be Wu Hyuk, since he’d pulled a stunt like this before. Without hesitation, I grabbed the blanket and yanked it back.

“I told you not to—”

But I stopped mid-sentence when I saw who was lying in my bed. It wasn’t Wu Hyuk, and it wasn’t just one person; there were two.

The movement must have woken one of them up, as Wi Seol-ah stirred, rubbing her eyes drowsily. “Gongja-nim…?”

She yawned, looking up at me with sleepy eyes. Namgung Bi-ah, meanwhile, was still sound asleep beside her, completely unfazed.

“What…?”

I looked at Wi Seol-ah, still trying to process the bizarre scene. As I was about to ask what on earth was going on, the door suddenly swung open.

“Gongja-nim! I have something I need to—”

It was Tang So-yeol, and she froze the moment she took in the scene before her. Her expression went rigid as she stared, her gaze darting from me to the two women in my bed.

Of course, it would be now that she decides to show up.