WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Chen
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◈ Damned Transmigration ◈
Chapter 139: Seongju 5
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Tang Seo-woo’s lips quivered. She needed to make an excuse, but her trembling lips refused to part as she wished.
Her voice was the same. It was as if the mud she had swallowed had clumped and hardened, completely blocking her throat. No sound came out.
There was not much she could say in her defense anyway. Everything her father, Tang Yu-shin, had said was true.
His order had been to watch Tang Yu-ryeon. Even if she were discovered, they were not to make contact, only observe.
Tang Yu-shin, the Dark King, was the head of the Dang Family, the leader of the Salmun, and a Martial Apex Venerable. One of the Three Hegemons of the Unorthodox Sect, he rarely left the family estate. Yet he had personally set out to meet his half-sister.
Tang Seo-woo deeply disliked that alone. Half the blood in that lowborn wench’s body came from a lowly ghost, but the other half was legitimate Dang Family blood. That made the lowborn wench a member of the Dang Family.
So when the family head called, she should have obeyed and returned at once in gratitude. Yet that lowborn wench had not done so.
Perhaps, as the child of a ghost who did not belong to this world, she was simply out of her mind.
The merciful family head had not rebuked the lowborn wench. Instead, he had personally left the estate to meet her.
How could that make any sense? Tang Seo-woo had never once seen the family head act like that.
Even when reports came that his own children, Tang Seo-jin and Tang Seo-woo, had nearly suffered disaster after encountering the Calamity Star, their father had merely told them not to fool around and return to the main house.
She had understood his wishes and pursued the lowborn wench of her own accord, yet when she returned to the family, all she received was a cold stare.
The only time that stare had held anything other than frost was when he asked what the lowborn wench had been like at Yonghwa Lake.
That stare was what had driven Tang Seo-woo today.
She was the Dark King’s biological child. His only daughter.
Until now, the only time Tang Seo-woo had received an interested look from her father was when the Primordial Unity Poison, which even Tang Seo-jin had ultimately failed to accept, coiled within her dantian.
“I, I was impatient.”
Tang Seo-jin stammered in place of his younger sister, who could only tremble in silence.
His chest was deeply caved in, his organs crushed beneath it. Even speaking was difficult with such an injury, but Tang Seo-jin continued through a cold sweat.
“The Three Heroes... Aunt Tang Yu-ryeon might move somewhere else again. A, and Father had not arrived yet.”
Tang Yu-shin’s chilly gaze turned toward his son.
Tang Seo-jin’s face was pale and gaunt from losing too much blood, but Tang Yu-shin’s eyes held not the slightest concern for him.
That gaze made it hard to breathe, but Tang Seo-jin kept speaking.
“It was not that we neglected our watch. B, but they move around so wildly...”
“So you tried to seize her by force?”
“Yes...”
Tang Yu-shin’s fingertips, flickering black, were still pointed at Tang Seo-woo. She clutched her chest, gasping for breath.
She had forced the issue in hopes of gaining her father’s attention. She had disobeyed his orders, but in the end, did he not want to capture that lowborn wench and bring her to the Dang Family?
“But you failed.”
There would have been no problem if they had succeeded. But they failed, and that was the problem. The siblings had wanted results before their father arrived, but their greed had made Tang Yu-ryeon leave Seongju.
His cold voice and gaze left the siblings unable to say anything further. Having acted as they pleased and failed, anything they said would only be an excuse.
“Father. It is Seo-baek.”
A voice suddenly came from beyond the closed door. At the name Seo-baek, Tang Seo-jin’s cheek twitched.
Not only had he ruined things through greed, but he had been defeated and seriously injured by someone twelve years younger. The person beyond that door was the last one he wanted to see him like this.
“Come in.”
The voice was still blunt, but it was not as cold as it had been toward the siblings. That small difference made their faces twist even paler.
A pale, handsome man with long hair tied behind his back opened the door and entered.
Tang Seo-baek, the Dark Moon Nether Lord. At thirty-seven years old, he was the eldest son of Tang Yu-shin, the Dark King, and the most likely candidate to become the next head of the Dang Family and leader of the Salmun.
No, it would be fair to say his succession was certain.
Tang Seo-jin could see it from the cold gaze his father gave him.
If they had secured Tang Yu-ryeon first and earned their father’s attention, perhaps they might have grasped even the slightest opportunity. But they had failed. There were no opportunities left.
“The Three Heroes who left through the north gate have been seen on the road near Miryeong Valley.”
“What lies ahead on that road?”
“If they do not turn off along the way, they will likely arrive at Kang Yu.”
“Kang Yu, Kang Yu...”
Tang Yu-shin muttered, lightly furrowing his brow.
“Do they have a reason to go to the Rift? Surely they are not coveting monster inner cores.”
Among the monsters that appeared in swarms from the Rift of Kang Yu, inner cores could occasionally be found in their stomachs.
Besides inner power, those inner cores enhanced the body in various ways. However, one could only consume them five times.
“The Three Heroes gained fame by opposing the Evil God Cult, and they were recently with the Sect of Order’s Calamity Star. They may be heading to Kang Yu to punish the Evil God Cult.”
Every Rift in this world had been created by the Evil God. Rumors that fanatics who worshipped the Evil God hid within them existed around every Rift.
“At least we have confirmed their trail. We should verify whether they truly reach the Rift of Kang Yu.”
Tang Seo-baek spoke, then looked at his siblings.
“Please forgive them.”
Tang Seo-jin’s face twisted further at his older brother’s words. But he could not let his pride flare up here, so he pressed his lips together and lowered his eyes.
“They acted out of an excessive eagerness to serve Father and the family. Even if they made a mess of things, they have not completely lost Aunt. They must have learned something by making contact first.”
Tang Yu-shin did not bother replying. Black poison qi still swirled at his fingertips, and his cold gaze remained fixed on the siblings.
Tang Seo-baek let out a quiet sigh at his blunt father’s response and stood before his siblings.
“Seo-jin.”
“...Yes, Brother.”
“I heard you fought Cloud Dragon and lost. I heard from the assassins how the fight went, but it would be more accurate to hear it directly from you.”
“...”
“Cloud Dragon was said to be Tier 5 just a year ago, yet he seems to have reached Tier 6 already. What did you feel after fighting him yourself?”
“He is strong.”
Tang Seo-jin answered in a trembling voice.
“It shames me to admit it, but I could not even see how far Cloud Dragon’s strength had reached.”
“How would you compare him to me?”
“...That... I do not know. Cloud Dragon’s martial art erased my poison qi with ease. Even you would have a hard time if you fought him head-on.”
“It is difficult enough to attack a fighter with concealed weapons. If poison cannot handle him either, then as you say, he will not be easy to deal with.”
Tang Seo-baek nodded, passed Tang Seo-jin, and stopped before Tang Seo-woo.
“Seo-woo.”
“Yes... Brother.”
“To be honest, I am surprised that you lost so easily to Aunt Yu-ryeon.”
Tang Seo-baek’s voice was soft and gentle. He lowered himself to meet his younger sister’s eyes.
“You have the Primordial Unity Poison, the foremost of the Dang Family’s Hundred Poisons. Did you perhaps refrain from using it because you feared harming Aunt?”
“...”
“Tell me honestly. Even if you truly meant to kill her and used the Primordial Unity Poison, I will not rebuke you. It may feel humiliating, but Aunt is alive in the end.”
Tang Seo-woo hesitated, then bit her lip. After steadying her emotions for a moment, she opened the lips she had been biting.
“No, Brother. I... used the Primordial Unity Poison on Aunt.”
“Then why was Aunt not poisoned? Is Aunt Tang Yu-ryeon truly skilled enough to suppress the poison qi of the Primordial Unity Poison?”
“I... do not know.”
Tang Seo-woo shook her head, recalling the moment she thrust out her Poison Hand at the lowborn wench. The poison qi of the Primordial Unity Poison had certainly been added to her strike.
But when the thousand-year-old extended a hand, the Primordial Unity Poison’s qi vanished without accomplishing anything...
“Hmm.”
Tang Seo-baek’s brows rose as she haltingly explained. Stroking his own dantian, he spoke.
“You did not poison her, nor did she suppress the poison qi after being poisoned. She simply made it vanish...? That is hard to believe.”
“W, why would I lie about something like this?”
Tang Seo-woo spoke urgently.
“Given the situation, I had no choice but to use a Poison Hand. It was my own lack of skill, but... it truly could not be helped. I, I only meant to subdue Aunt, but Aunt tried to kill me...!”
By the time she had thrust out her Poison Hand, Tang Seo-woo had already been stabbed twice in the arm by a dagger, and struck in the neck so hard she could barely breathe. The eyes of the lowborn wench she saw then had clearly held killing intent.
“We are family, carrying the legitimate blood of the Dang Family. It is fortunate that no one died.”
Tang Seo-baek rose from his lowered position. He turned to Tang Yu-shin, who watched them with cold eyes, and bowed his head.
“What my siblings learned are things they could only know by experiencing them. Their failure was not meaningless, so please forgive them.”
“I will consider their punishment again after we return to the family. Both of you may leave.”
Tang Yu-shin withdrew the poison qi from his fingertips. He would not punish them immediately, and relief passed across the siblings’ faces.
Tang Seo-jin rose unsteadily, holding his crushed chest.
“Thank... you, Brother.”
“You need not say that. Is it not only natural for siblings to look after one another?”
His older brother smiled warmly, and Tang Seo-jin could only feel utterly defeated. He had struggled desperately to become the family head, yet he seemed to have lost not only in martial tier, but in character as well.
In the end, Tang Seo-jin swallowed his sigh, bowed deeply, and staggered out of the room with Tang Seo-woo.
“What do you think?”
Tang Yu-shin spoke once he was alone with his eldest son.
“The Primordial Unity Poison surpasses even the Dang Family’s Hundred Poisons. It is the greatest poison in all the world, and there is no antidote other than the Poison Human who formed its Poison Core withdrawing the poison qi.”
Tang Seo-baek stroked his chin as he continued.
“Even if the Primordial Unity Poison Seo-woo carries is weakly diluted, it is potent enough to poison even high-tier martial artists. If Aunt was not poisoned at all and only made the poison qi vanish... could it not be because Aunt’s blood is special? Though it may have been due to a martial art.”
“As far as I know, no martial art exists that can target poison qi alone and erase it.”
Tang Yu-shin shook his head.
“Whatever the exact reason, Tang Yu-ryeon is undoubtedly special. We must capture that child before it is too late.”
“If I had been more capable, matters would not have become this troublesome. I apologize for being such an inadequate son.”
Tang Seo-baek smiled bitterly, but Tang Yu-shin shook his head.
“As you said, the Primordial Unity Poison is the greatest poison in the world, and no antidote exists. There have been many attempts and deaths, but only you and Seo-woo have become Poison Humans by forming Poison Cores of the Primordial Unity Poison. Even that seems miraculous to me.”
“Do you believe Aunt can inherit the Primordial Unity Poison?”
“Tang Yu-ryeon was born while Father was creating and cultivating the Heavenly Slaughter Primordial Unity Art.”
Tang Yu-shin narrowed his eyes.
“That wench carries the blood of a Heavenly Slaughter Poison Human. She must be closer to the Primordial Unity Poison than anyone else in this world. Father still has some lifespan remaining, but we must secure her now for further experiments.”
He did not want to bring lowly blood back into the Dang Family. That was why, a year ago, he had not brought her back by force and had instead sought other methods to control the Primordial Unity Poison.
All of them had failed. At this point, Tang Yu-ryeon was the only one who might be able to control the Primordial Unity Poison.
“For now, we should watch her. If Aunt enters the Rift of Kang Yu, we should make our move then.”
Tang Seo-baek smiled amiably.
“The Three Heroes’ reputation is too great. If Father personally steps in to pressure them, there will be much talk. But in a Rift, no matter what happens, it would not be strange.”
A Rift, a Rift...
Tang Yu-shin stroked his chin and sank into thought.
A Rift, where the Evil God’s divine power boiled over, was an otherworld beyond common sense. As his son said, anything could happen there.
“It would be a pity to kill two young talents over a family matter. If we speak with them, they will surely understand and withdraw without causing a fuss.”
Tang Yu-shin spoke calmly, but Tang Seo-baek could only swallow a bitter smile.
‘Understand?’
They would never understand.
* * *
What had that been?
Haryeong sat in the gently swaying carriage and looked down at both her hands.
When Tang Seo-woo’s Poison Hand had approached, time had seemed to slow, then stop.
It must have been an extraordinary sense reached through concentration beyond concentration. At that moment, Haryeong’s Scripture of Reversing Taiji Intent had attained another level.
Then had the ability to interfere with the poison in Tang Seo-woo’s strike also been one of the Scripture of Reversing Taiji Intent’s powers?
‘It felt as if my blood was boiling.’
The Scripture of Reversing Taiji Intent was a divine art that interfered with the origin of all things. But to Haryeong, what had interfered with the poison in that moment had not been the Scripture of Reversing Taiji Intent’s power alone.
It was as if it had resonated with the blood flowing through her body, blood that had grown hot. That seemed to be why she could interfere with it. What could that possibly mean?
“What are you thinking so hard about?”
Yuri, sitting opposite her, gave her a sideways glance. Haryeong had been blankly staring at her hands, but she came to her senses and looked up.
“I was reflecting on the delight of beating up the niece I had been waiting so long to pummel.”
“You did not look very delighted earlier.”
“I am normally a woman with an unpleasant expression.”
Haryeong answered with a stern face, though it had always been a face that rarely showed emotion.
“Did you not feel anything besides delight?”
“They say revenge is hollow, but now that I have tried it, it is anything but hollow. It feels fucking great.”
“You must have cried because you were so happy.”
Haryeong’s brows crumpled at the teasing.
“Those tears had nothing to do with revenge. They came out against my will.”
“Nya nya, boo boo.”
“Shut it, Yuri. Keep that up and you might die.”
They had been tears that appeared out of nowhere. Being teased over them left Haryeong unable to offer a proper retort, so she could only spit out harsh words.
Seeing her hands clench into fists on her lap, Yuri decided that while he might not die, he would probably get punched.
“Do not get angry. Take this.”
Rather than teasing her further, Yuri took the Blood Wheel Soul-Locking Palm manual from inside his robe and handed it to Haryeong.
“...Why are you giving this to me?”
“After reading it, I thought it would suit you too, Haryeong.”
“What about me?”
The window toward the driver’s seat opened, and Estor abruptly stuck his head inside. Yuri clicked his tongue and pushed Estor’s head back out.
“Are you going to stop using your sword and start waving your hands around?”
“Being a swordsman does not mean I must only use a sword.”
“If you want to learn it that badly, you can read it too.”
As they spoke, Haryeong silently looked down at the Blood Wheel Soul-Locking Palm manual. Perhaps because of her earlier emotions and tears, her heart felt unsettled.
Haryeong stroked the manual, cleared her throat softly, and lifted her head.
“Thank... you, Yuri.”
After saying that, Haryeong quickly turned her head to look out the window.
She had cried a fair amount in her life, but had almost never let anyone see it... Yet she had shown tears to that man twice already.
Perhaps that was why her face felt a little hot.
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