Chapter 480: The Rotten Thing.

A deeply dug pit.

Nahui, who had been looking down into it, had to hold her breath.

Setting aside the fact that the lake’s water had completely drained, the person standing there was the real problem.

‘Could that person possibly be…?’

Nahui’s brow furrowed deeply.

Although the sensation of the body felt different and there were changes in appearance, Nahui realized it not long after.

That person.

Was Gu Yangcheon, who had just thrown himself into the Poison Spring Lake.

‘How?’

She couldn’t understand.

It was strange enough that he was alive and well in that lake.

‘…Why does his appearance…?’

Gu Yangcheon’s appearance had changed drastically from just moments ago.

Not only the clothes he wore, but his height had increased compared to before, even from a distance, and his build had become much sturdier.

If his previous appearance was agile and somewhat thin.

He could now be considered a robust young man.

‘And… he’s not alone.’

Something was beside him.

What is that? Nahui narrowed her eyes, focusing her gaze.

Then, the something next to Gu Yangcheon became slightly clearer.

‘A… monster?’

It wasn’t human in form, at least, and no matter how she looked, it was a monster.

Judging by the blue scales it possessed, was it a Blue-grade monster?

If so, the color was a bit too pale.

It was closer to sky blue than a deep blue.

As Nahui cautiously observed the monster’s appearance.

Swoosh.

The monster’s eyes turned towards Nahui.

“…!”

There was definitely distance, yet the monster seemed to have detected Nahui and stared straight at her.

Grrrrrr-!

It threatened her, twisting its features menacingly.

At that growl, Nahui felt goosebumps prickle her spine without realizing it.

‘…What?’

It was merely the threat of a Blue-grade monster, at best.

As a peak-level assassin, there was no way she should be frightened by such a threat.

She felt an unknown sense of vigilance and had to swallow dryly.

Not to mention the transformed Gu Yangcheon, what on earth was that monster beside him?

As Nahui continued to observe the situation, filled with questions and bewilderment.

“…Hup…!”

She had to cover her mouth with her hand to suppress her reaction.

A sudden anomaly occurred, and it was no ordinary one.

Crack-!

A change occurred in Gu Yangcheon’s body.

His body twisted slightly, and in the end.

‘Is he shrinking?’

His height decreased, and his build became smaller.

It might be slightly ambiguous to call him small.

He had simply returned to the appearance he had just before jumping into the lake.

Whether the enlarged form was real.

Or the current shrunken form was real, she didn’t know.

Regardless, it was something that shouldn’t easily happen.

Having confirmed this, Nahui tried to turn her body away.

Something was wrong. That person was definitely strange.

I need to escape. Nahui’s instincts screamed.

But.

‘…Where?’

Where should I go?

To the Poison King? Or to Tang Deok?

Either way was problematic, but Nahui moved her body first.

Because she deemed escaping this place as the priority.

Just then.

“Where are you going?”

“–!!”

Someone appeared before the fleeing Nahui and spoke in a familiar voice.

Perhaps thanks to her days living as an assassin, Nahui managed to suppress a scream.

The one who blocked Nahui’s path was none other than Gu Yangcheon, who had been in the pit until just moments ago.

“I asked where you’re going.”

Gu Yangcheon looked at Nahui with a wide smile, as if something pleasant had happened.

Nahui found that smile even more frightening.

It wasn’t just because of his appearance.

‘Something… something is.’

The aura of the Gu Yangcheon before her was vastly different from before.

It was hard to describe.

How should I put it?

She felt an imposing pressure that made her want to kneel involuntarily.

“I don’t remember clearly, so forgive me.”

Sapa-k.

Gu Yangcheon took a step closer.

Nahui tried to step back, but she couldn’t even do that.

Her legs had stiffened, refusing to move.

“Didn’t I warn you that running away would be unwise? Didn’t I say something like that?”

“…”

“I’m genuinely asking because I don’t remember.”

He had.

Although he had said she could run away anytime.

The look in his eyes back then.

And his aura had told Nahui a different answer.

That he would rip off her legs if she did.

Gu Yangcheon’s eyes had whispered just that.

And it was the same now.

As if reading Nahui’s expression, Gu Yangcheon asked.

“So why did you try to run?”

“…You… you… what… what is your identity…?”

Perhaps crushed by fear, she couldn’t even speak properly.

Despite having lived her life as an assassin, this was the first time Nahui had ever been this flustered.

Hearing Nahui’s question, Gu Yangcheon’s lips curled upwards.

“Identity.”

Simultaneously.

“Ugh.”

Nahui’s vision blurred.

“Indeed.”

It was because Gu Yangcheon grabbed Nahui by the neck and lifted her.

“I don’t know anymore either. I plan to find out slowly.”

“Ghhk…”

Does he intend to kill me?

He probably does.

This person didn’t seem like the type to foolishly let someone who discovered his secret live.

‘Like this… am I going to die like this?’

Death is coming.

Nahui’s entire body trembled with overwhelming fear.

She wasn’t afraid of death itself.

It wasn’t the fear stemming from it.

What she felt was dying futilely without accomplishing anything.

She was terrified of bidding farewell to this world uselessly.

Having failed to do anything she needed to… die like this?

“S-save… save me… please…”

Her voice burst out, piercing through the pressure on her neck and the fear constricting her body.

Hearing that, Gu Yangcheon tilted his head slightly.

“How curious. I didn’t think you were the type to beg for your life.”

“I… I can’t die… like this…”

“Shut up.”

“…!”

Whoosh-!

A chilling energy pierced Nahui’s body.

Was it killing intent? No, it felt slightly different.

“You’re noisy when you bark. Keep your mouth shut, I don’t intend to kill you.”

Despite his words, his actions remained the same.

The pressure from the hand gripping her neck remained unchanged.

His gaze upon Nahui was also unchanged.

Eyes like he was looking at an insect.

Even further, it was a dark gaze as if she wasn’t even being treated as a living creature.

“Why would I kill you?”

His voice, which seemed to smile yet was filled with coldness, pierced Nahui’s ears.

“I needed to test if it works or not anyway. You’re the perfect test subject.”

Test subject.

The mere word made Nahui’s stomach churn.

She shuddered.

What does he intend to do with me?

Nahui’s question disappeared not long after.

Swoooooosh….

“…Uh… Gguk…”

From the fingertips gripping her neck, an unknown energy began to invade Nahui’s body.

It was hot.

An insanely hot heat.

Moreover, the energy penetrating her acupoints felt as if it were covered in thorns.

Every time the energy passed, it felt like wounds were forming inside her body.

“Ggg…euhah…ha… Euuaak!!”

Having lived as an assassin, Nahui, accustomed to all sorts of torture and pain, let out an unbearable scream.

It was a sign of just how painful it was.

Eventually, the energy penetrated all the way to her dantian.

Kku-uk-!

As the energy coiled there.

Thump-!

Nahui felt something strongly binding her heart.

Afterward, immense pain struck Nahui’s head.

Kwa-ang-!

“Ggeok.”

With a single cry, Nahui rolled her eyes back and lost consciousness.

Chuwuk-….

Nahui, her body now limp as her strength gave out.

“Hmm.”

Gu Yangcheon, watching her, checked Nahui’s condition from various angles.

“She’s not dead.”

He nodded, observing the demonic energy properly mixed into Nahui’s body.

Fortunately, the demonic energy seemed to be circulating well.

After confirming this much.

Flick.

Thump-!

He casually tossed Nahui far away.

Nahui, having lost consciousness, fell and rolled limply on the ground.

Tuk-tuk.

He then casually brushed off his hands.

It felt unpleasant, and he couldn’t help but do it.

It was like…

He felt like he had touched something he shouldn’t have.

Right now, Gu Yangcheon wasn’t focused on the woman lying far away, whose name he barely remembered.

But on the important people in his life.

And the manufacturing method for the Poison Pill swirling in his mind.

And the concerns about how to use it.

Nahui, whom he had just turned into a demon-person?

He wasn’t particularly interested in that.

Not even a little bit.

---

Deep within a forest somewhere in Sichuan.

The surrounding trees were lush, creating a vibrant forest filled with a clear blue hue.

Hwi-iik-! Hwi-iik-!

At its center lay a clearing.

Unlike the beautiful forest, the center looked incredibly violent.

There wasn’t a single intact rock nearby, and the grassy floor, which should have been covered in grass, was all dug up and ruined.

Hwi-iik-!

In such a place.

A man continuously swung his sword.

Swish-!

The tip of the sword sliced through the air.

Elegant and fluid.

That’s how one would describe the man’s swordplay.

It was as if waves had been shaped into sword techniques.

The sword energy wrapped around the blade left traces, creating the illusion of a galaxy unfolding.

The sword path yielded to the flow.

The man moved his hands according to the flow, without looking at the tip of his sword.

His disheveled hair fluttered with every movement, and his ragged clothes, close to rags, were torn in various places.

As he continued swinging his sword for quite some time.

[—-..–!]

A voice reached the man’s ears.

Perhaps it was because of that voice.

Tuk.

Suddenly, the man stopped his moving hand and straightened his posture.

Haaam

Sweat was dripping down, but the man seemed unfazed, letting out a yawn.

[–!]

As if displeased by that, a shout struck him.

However, the man remained the same.

“Hey, can you please shut up? You haven’t stopped your nagging for a single day.”

He replied nonchalantly while diligently digging in his ear.

Judging by his appearance, he was clearly not a well-adjusted person.

This man’s sobriquet was Mudang Gwiseon (Wudang Eccentric Immortal).

He was one of the three eccentrics known in the Central Plains.

[—-!]

“Where are you talking about going down to? I went down once last time, can’t you just be patient? You’re quite old, yet you lack patience.”

[—]

“Ha, truly predictable.”

Tsk tsk.

Mudang Gwiseon chuckled.

“As I said again, I have no intention of returning to that damn household. You know that, don’t you?”

[—]

“I will live as a Taoist of Wudang. If you don’t like it, just get lost, I tell you?”

[—–.]

“Right, it’s only me, isn’t it? That’s why you’re bothering me like this. So, just stay put quietly. I might just abandon you.”

Mudang Gwiseon, who had been muttering diligently, approached a rock and sat down casually.

On it lay a roughly rolled rice ball, seemingly prepared in advance.

He grabbed it casually and stuffed it into his mouth.

Rice grains fell onto his clothes, and dust from his hands mixed in, but Mudang Gwiseon didn’t seem to care.

After swallowing a couple more bites like that, Mudang Gwiseon looked around.

“Ah, I didn’t bring water.”

Oh dear.

A mistake. I should have brought water.

This is quite troublesome.

Mudang Gwiseon, wearing a slightly contemplative expression, suddenly looked towards the densely wooded forest.

“Since it’s come to this. Could you perhaps bring me some water?”

Mudang Gwiseon spoke his thoughts aloud to the forest, which seemed empty.

However, surprisingly, a response came from the forest.

Seureureuk.

Someone emerged from behind a tree trunk with calm steps.

Seeing this, Mudang Gwiseon frowned and spat on the ground once.

Towards the frowning Mudang Gwiseon, the mysterious figure offered a slight smile.

Mudang Gwiseon detested that smile.

“Are you ordering your grandfather around after seeing him for the first time in ages?”

“It’s not fitting for an old man who comes as a guest without bringing anything to say that.”

Ho ho.

The figure who appeared from the forest laughed at Mudang Gwiseon’s words.

The one who appeared suddenly was an old man with white hair.

Furthermore, he wore blue martial attire, and the character signifying the master of Anhui was written on his back.

Namgung.

Indeed, that was what was written on the old man’s back.

“You seem to be mistaken about something.”

“Mistaken? Is that something edible?”

“I am not a guest. I am merely…”

The old man’s identity was none other than…

One of the Three Venerables of the world, and the absolute master of the Namgung family.

He was the Heavenly Venerable (Cheon-jon).

And also…

“Just a grandfather who came to catch his runaway grandson.”

He was the grandfather of Mudang Gwiseon, Namgung Hyung.