“Still, being a little closer to the boundary would be better…”One of the Zhuge warriors started to speak but then closed his mouth.Thud.Tang Hak had kicked a large tree beside him. The trunk shook violently but did not break.“It looks sturdy. Climb up on it.”“Pardon?”Tang Hak turned to the warrior who had spoken.“After inhaling the poison, where did you plan to be? Naturally, up high.”His voice suddenly turned cold.“Don’t tell me you were planning to cross the boundary after inhaling the poison?”The warrior who had been considering taking the chance to run pressed his lips together.Tang Hak slipped his clenched fist into his sleeve, suppressing his anger. It was a small gesture, but from a young man of the Tang Clan, it carried weight.“Climb up.”“Young Lady…”Zhuge Cheonyu realized his intention immediately. The Young Clan Head wasn’t asking them to climb for safety’s sake—he wanted to keep them from escaping once the poison smoke was released. After inhalation, they’d be helpless atop the tree.Even knowing that, Zhuge Cheonyu leapt up first.The others had no choice but to follow.Tang Hak sat down on a branch slightly below them, one full jang beneath. He truly meant to prevent them from coming down.'He’s watching closely.'One of the Zhuge warriors narrowed his eyes at the back of Tang Hak’s head.'That Young Clan Head must have an antidote. If he’s staying that low, he should be affected—but he doesn’t look concerned at all.'Fortunately, no other presences were felt in the area.Zhuge Cheonyu flipped the sand timer tied to her waist. Just a little longer, and the half-shichen the Alliance Leader mentioned would be complete. Then everyone would return to this spot.But a different worry crept up.'He’s going to scold us for touching the formation, isn’t he? That’s another problem…'One of the Zhuge warriors brushed a hand down his face—and froze.“What ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) is that?”Another furrowed his brow.There was a disturbance ahead.It wasn’t the sound of the formation twisting, but something physical—friction.Even Tang Hak below them seemed to sense it.The young warriors’ faces stiffened.Black silhouettes spread through the moonlit forest.Not one or two—dozens.And their numbers were still increasing.“We—we must go! If we wait even a moment longer, we’ll be surrounded before we can run!”The Zhuge warrior who started to climb down was grabbed by Tang Hak.“Urk!”Tang Hak slammed the man’s head against the branch.“You cannot.”It was still too early.He turned toward Zhuge Cheonyu, about to tell her to release the poison. She seemed to have the same thought and already held the incense in her hand.“Young Clan Head.”At her call, Tang Hak looked up.“Only until the sand runs out. When time’s up, we’ll clear the smoke and leave the boundary, correct?”When Tang Hak nodded, Zhuge Cheonyu lit the incense and dropped it to the ground.She immediately moved a steel thread, stirring up the wind. Smoke rose from the ground and spread wide. The whirlwind surrounding the tree turned into a thick mist, blurring all sight.Tang Hak closed his eyes and focused on the sounds, gauging their distance.His ears tilted slightly.The enemy was getting closer.He opened his eyes and stared into the darkness.Shadows flickered over the mist like rippling heat haze. Then came the faint sounds of bodies dropping.The Zhuge warriors’ faces brightened. They exchanged silent glances of relief.It was, after all, poison carried by the Young Clan Head of the Sichuan Tang Clan—a weapon so potent other families would treasure it as a last resort.The Blood Fiends who entered the poison smoke fell immediately. More than half collapsed on the spot.“It’s vicious,” Zhuge Cheonyu murmured before she could stop herself.She had heard the Tang Clan’s poisons were the most fearsome in the Central Plains, but seeing it for herself made her skin crawl.Tang Hak did not respond. His hand moved instead—hidden in his sleeve, he was readying throwing weapons.Then—another presence.“...It’s not just me who feels that, right?”A trembling voice came from above.The new presence was incomparable to before. Hundreds of Blood Fiends were appearing beyond the poison smoke.One of the Zhuge warriors, who had begun climbing down in fear, caught the acrid scent and coughed violently before scrambling back up.“Cough, cough!”He shouted, panic-stricken.“What now?! We can’t even run because of the poison! If we stay here, we’ll be torn apart before we move!”But Tang Hak’s face showed no apology—nor defiance.He simply watched the direction from which the presence swelled.He was afraid—not for himself, but for what might happen next.Tang Hak clenched his fist and prepared to jump.Zhuge Cheonyu, startled, dropped down a few branches and grabbed him.“What are you doing?”“I’ve taken the antidote. I’ll be fine.”“That’s not the problem!”The Blood Cult warriors approaching finally stopped their advance. They must have noticed the poison smoke.The young men on the branches held their breath.They had been hoping the smoke would fade soon so they could flee—but their faces went pale again. The Blood Fiends spread wide, encircling the tree.The fiends formed a living ring around them, staring up through the thinning smoke.The longer time passed, the weaker the smoke became. And as it did, the fiends crept closer.“What should we do? Young Clan Head! Do you have more antidote?”Tang Hak shook his head.“None.”“Damn it all!”One Zhuge warrior cursed aloud.From the start, the poison incense had no true antidote. Tang Hak had simply built resistance since childhood; ordinary detoxification methods barely worked on him. Even if the others took the same antidote, it would do nothing.He didn’t bother explaining—there was no time.His eyes went to the sand pouch at Zhuge Cheonyu’s waist. The sand had not yet run out.Zhuge Cheonyu glanced briefly toward the boundary. With a single gust, she could sweep away the smoke and open a path.But when she looked forward again, Tang Hak spoke with quiet resolve.“Young Lady.”“Yes.”“Could you wait just half a quarter of an hour?”“What?”“Even if it shakes, please endure just that long.”Strength returned to his voice.“There’s only one entrance to the Blood Demon’s fortress. If we draw them to it now, the Alliance Leader and my sister will have to break through this swarm on their way out. I don’t want to block their escape.”In the worst case, the Alliance Leader might send Lady Tang out first—leaving her to face the Blood Fiends alone.Zhuge Cheonyu frowned, but Tang Hak gently pulled her hand away.“Right now, the poison smoke keeps them at a distance. While it holds, I’ll thin their numbers.”Before she could answer, Tang Hak jumped down.“Young Clan Head!”She wanted to follow, but the heavy smoke stopped her.Zhuge Cheonyu bit her lip. There was no way the Young Clan Head could last even half a quarter-hour against that many Blood Fiends.She couldn’t even clear the smoke to run; if she did, the fiends would rush him instantly.As the smoke grew thinner, the Blood Cult warriors came closer. Their outlines sharpened in the moonlight. Once the mist broke, Tang Hak wouldn’t survive even a moment.It wasn’t only Zhuge Cheonyu who doubted him.Tang Hak doubted himself too.He never believed he could defeat them all—only that he could use the situation to his advantage.Thick poison smoke.Throwing blades in hand.He could strike them from a distance, but they couldn’t approach him. And if they did, that would be fine—they’d fall to the poison anyway.Before the smoke cleared, Tang Hak intended to lure as many as possible and poison them all.Inside his sleeve were thirty darts and flying knives—small, but more than enough to pierce a vital point.Swish.At a distance too far for screams to reach, a black shadow fell.Only thirty chances.Tang Hak moved his hand again, preparing for the next shot.

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