Chapter 136. Poison Smoke

"Still, if we stayed a little closer to the boundary..."

One of the Zhuge Clan martial artists began to speak, then closed his mouth.

Thud.

It was because Tang Hak kicked the large tree beside him. The tree shook violently, though it did not break.

"It looks sturdy. Climb up."

"... What?"

Tang Hak fixed his gaze on the martial artist who had questioned him.

"After releasing poison, where did you think you should be? Naturally, you must be high up."

Soon, Tang Hak's voice turned cold.

"Or were you planning to take the poison and then cross the boundary?"

The martial artist, who had indeed been weighing whether to seize the chance to flee, pressed his lips shut.

Tang Hak thrust a clenched fist into his sleeve, as though suppressing his anger. A small gesture, yet intimidating when done by a youth of the Tang Clan.

"Climb."

"Young Lady..."

The Young Lord's intent in making them climb was impure. This was not out of worry that they might inhale the poison smoke. He suspected they would try to escape and wanted to bind them up high. Once the poison was spread, they would be trapped helplessly atop the tree.

Though she clearly knew of his little scheme, Zhuge Cheon-yu leapt up and landed among the branches.

The others, with no choice, followed and climbed the tree.

Tang Hak seated himself on a branch a couple of feet below them. It truly seemed his purpose was to prevent them from descending.

'He's keeping a close watch.'

One of the Zhuge Clan martial artists, giving up thoughts of escape, narrowed his eyes and glared at the crown of Tang Hak's head.

Most likely, that Young Lord had an antidote. At such a low position, he too should be affected by the poison, yet he showed no worry at all.

Fortunately, no presence was felt as time passed.

Zhuge Cheon-yu flipped the sand pouch. Just a little longer, and the one hour that the Alliance Leader spoke of would be complete. Then everyone would return this way.

But another worry pressed in.

'Will he scold us for touching the formation? That too is a concern.'

It was at the instant one of the Zhuge martial artists was wiping his face. His hand froze at his lips.

"What's that?"

Another furrowed his brows.

A disturbance was felt ahead.

It was not the sound of the formation distorting, but a physical grinding noise. The Young Lord below seemed to sense it as well.

The young martial artists' faces hardened one by one atop the branches.

It was because black figures were spilling into the moonlit forest.

Not one or two, but at least dozens.

And their numbers kept swelling.

"We... we must go. Forget one quarter of an hour—we'll be surrounded before we can even flee!"

One Zhuge Clan martial artist, in the midst of climbing down, was seized by Tang Hak.

"Urgh."

His collar was gripped, and his head struck against the branch.

"No."

It was still too soon. Tang Hak turned his head toward Zhuge Cheon-yu, intending to speak of releasing the poison. She, seemingly of the same thought, was already holding the poisonous incense.

"Young Lord."

When Zhuge Cheon-yu called, he lifted his gaze.

"Only until the sand runs out. When the time is up, we clear the poison smoke and cross the boundary. Agreed?"

Tang Hak nodded, and Zhuge Cheon-yu lit the incense, letting it fall to the ground. At once, she moved the iron threads to stir the wind. Smoke rose and spread wide across the ground. The swirling gusts encircling the tree soon thickened into mist, blurring their vision into a hazy veil.

Tang Hak closed his eyes and focused on sound to gauge their enemies' positions.

His ear tilted.

The enemies were drawing closer.

When he opened his eyes, he stared into the darkness.

Like a mirage shimmering above the mist, shadows flickered to and fro. Soon came the sound of bodies collapsing.

The faces of the Zhuge Clan martial artists lit up. Without making a sound, they exchanged glances of relief.

After all, this was poison carried by the Young Lord of the Tang Clan of Sichuan. In most clans, it would have been preserved as a clan treasure, a last resort weapon.

The Blood Sect members, unable to slow their pace, collapsed the moment they entered the poisonous smoke. More than half fell clinging to the ground.

"Potent indeed."

Zhuge Cheon-yu muttered unconsciously.

Though she had heard that Tang Clan's poisons were the finest in the Central Plains, seeing their effect before her eyes made her shiver.

Tang Hak gave no reply, only moved his hand. Though hidden within his sleeve, it seemed he was readying his hidden weapons.

Then another presence was felt.

"... I'm not the only one sensing this, am I?"

Someone murmured from atop the tree, voice trembling.

This time, the number of presences could not even be compared to before. At least a hundred Blood Sect members appeared beyond the poisonous smoke. One Zhuge Clan martial artist, who had tried to climb down in fright, coughed violently and scrambled back up.

"Cough! Cough!"

This was because he had regained his senses from the pungent smell of the poisonous smoke. He shouted.

"What now! With the poison smoke, we can't even flee! We must escape before they arrive!"

Yet no hint of apology crossed Tang Hak's face. Neither was there defiance.

He stared in the direction from which the auras surged.

Tang Hak was afraid. It was not for his own safety. His clenched hand tightened as though ready to leap down. Zhuge Cheon-yu, flustered, descended just to seize him.

"What are you doing?!"

"I took the antidote, I'll be fine."

"That's not the issue here!"

The Blood Sect members who appeared late halted their steps. They seemed to notice the poisonous smoke had spread.

The youths upon the tree held their breath.

They had been praying for the smoke to clear so they could escape, but their faces stiffened pale. The enemies had spread wide, encircling the mist.

The Blood Sect members formed a ring-shaped prison around the tree. Pressed tightly with no gap, they fixed their gazes upward.

The smoke was thinning with time. And noticing this, the enemies crept closer still.

"W-what should we do, Young Lord! Do you not have more antidote?"

Tang Hak shook his head.

"There is none."

"Damn it all!"

A Zhuge Clan martial artist couldn't hold back and cursed aloud.

From the start, the poisonous incense was not the kind to have an antidote. Tang Hak had cultivated resistance to poisons since childhood, so even common antidotes could keep him largely unaffected. But for the others, even taking the same antidote would have no effect.

Tang Hak gave no such explanation. There was no time.

His eyes fell on the sand pouch tied at Zhuge Cheon-yu's waist. The sand still remained within.

Her gaze flicked briefly toward the formation boundary. At any moment, she could stir the wind and clear away the poison smoke to make a retreat path.

She refocused on the front, but Tang Hak spoke with a look of resolve.

"Young Lady."

"Yes."

"Would you endure for just half a quarter-hour?"

"What?"

"Even if shaken, hold out for just half a quarter-hour."

Tang Hak's voice gradually grew firm.

"There is only one exit from the Blood Demon's stronghold, is there not? If we drag these things toward the exit now, then the Alliance Leader and my Elder Sister will have to break through them to escape. I don’t want to block their way, since I don’t know what their situation is.”

In the worst case, the Alliance Leader might let his sister escape first, leaving her alone to face the Blood Sect members.

Zhuge Cheon-yu frowned, but Tang Hak gently freed her hand.

"Right now, the poison smoke keeps them from approaching. While it still holds them at bay, I will try to cut down their numbers."

Before she could answer, Tang Hak had already descended.

"Young Lord!"

She wanted to follow, but the thick poison smoke barred her.

Zhuge Cheon-yu bit her lip. It was impossible for the Young Lord to endure against a horde of Blood Sect members for half a quarter-hour.

She also had to abandon the thought of clearing the smoke to flee. If gaps formed in the smoke, the Blood Sect members would swarm the Young Lord instantly.

The poison smoke was thinning, and the Blood Sect members came closer. Their figures grew distinct. Once the haze broke, they wouldn’t last even for a moment.

It was not only Zhuge Cheon-yu who doubted Tang Hak's martial arts.

Tang Hak himself did as well.

He did not believe he could stop all the Blood Sect members.

But he would make use of the situation in his favor.

The thick smoke.

The hidden weapons in his hands.

He could pierce the Blood Sect members from a long distance, but they couldn't approach him. It would be even better if they did, as they would be poisoned.

Tang Hak intended to lure them into a rush before the smoke vanished, to poison as many as possible.

Within his sleeves lay thirty darts and flying daggers. Small in size, yet more than enough to strike vital points.

Swish.

A shadow fell, struck before even a scream could sound.

But it was only thirty chances at most.

Tang Hak's hand moved carefully, seizing the next chance with utmost precision.

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