Namgung Il looked down with an anxious gaze.
The poison smoke, which had initially been a low layer, now completely occupied the underground.
In a little while, even the stone monunt near the entrance would no longer be visible due to the poison smoke.
The speed at which the poison smoke was rising far exceeded Namgung Il's expectations.
"..."
It had been a long ti since Tang Wol-yeong's figure had disappeared from view.
If he could at least check the situation below, he would feel a little more at ease, but due to the thick poison smoke, the view from above was, of course, completely obscured.
'How much ti has passed?'
Namgung Il had put Gwangcheon down in front of the exit and was waiting for Tang Wol-yeong.
If Tang Wol-yeong had successfully activated all the devices as planned, the door would open.
Since that was the only way to confirm whether Tang Wol-yeong was alive or dead, Namgung Il kept looking back and forth between the bottom and the door.
'...This is not good.'
Although there were three devices to be activated, it seed to be taking too long.
Considering the narrowed field of vision due to the poison smoke, wouldn't it be a task that could be finished in a *gak* (15 minutes)?
He didn't know exactly how much ti had passed, but it seed that a *gak* had already passed since Tang Wol-yeong's figure had disappeared.
'Did she fail to withstand the poison smoke? Or could there be sothing else down there that I don't know about...'
Of course, Namgung Il didn't want to have such ominous thoughts.
But in a situation like this, no matter how hard he tried to think positively, his thoughts couldn't help but flow in that direction.
"..."
Another half a *gak*. If the door still hadn't opened by then, he would go down there himself.
After all, it wouldn't be safe to stay here anyway.
At that ti, even if it was cold, he would have to move after assuming Tang Wol-yeong's death.
'Tang Wol-yeong, open the door.'
He wasn't asking for his own survival.
Because he wanted to be sure that Tang Wol-yeong was alive, Namgung Il was hoping for this door to open.
"..."
How much ti had passed like that?
As the predetermined ti seed to have passed, Namgung Il had no choice but to make a decision.
'...Let's go.'
He couldn't delay any longer.
Tang Wol-yeong was dead. Or if not, she was in a situation where she couldn't activate the devices.
Namgung Il assud the situation as such and decided to move himself.
*Tuk—.*
It was then.
The mont Namgung Il was about to go down the stairs, a heavy sound was suddenly heard from behind.
"...!"
The door, which had been firmly shut until now, was slowly opening.
That ant only one thing.
In this situation, there would only be one person who could open that door.
'...She's alive!'
A smile finally appeared on Namgung Il's face, which had been stiff until now.
As if he had found a very small ember in a bonfire he had thought was completely extinguished, Namgung Il could see the ember of hope through that open door.
*Phat—.*
Now, there was only one thing for him to do.
As if to get even a little closer to Tang Wol-yeong, Namgung Il went down the stairs to just above the point where the poison smoke had risen.
"Tang Wol-yeong!"
Namgung Il shouted, looking down at the poison smoke.
Since it was a voice imbued with internal energy, it would surely reach the bottom of the underground.
"..."
After calling Tang Wol-yeong, Namgung Il continued to stare into the poison smoke.
So that he could grab her hand at any ti if Tang Wol-yeong ca up after hearing his voice.
Although it was faint, if he focused, he could see into the poison smoke up to a certain distance.
'Quickly... co quickly.'
The emotion of anxiety reappeared on the face that had been filled with joy for a mont.
Seeing that the door had opened, it was certain that Tang Wol-yeong was alive.
Then, since she had finished all her tasks, shouldn't she be coming up?
It was a ti when Tang Wol-yeong's steps would have been more than enough to co up, but still, no one was coming up from the poison smoke.
"Tang Wol-yeong!"
Namgung Il shouted at the poison smoke once more.
He had expected a reply if Tang Wol-yeong heard his voice, but the ensuing silence slowly crushed Namgung Il's expectations.
'Could it be...'
A bad premonition began to arise again.
Thinking about it, the fact that the door had opened didn't necessarily an that Tang Wol-yeong was safe, did it?
It could be said that she was definitely alive at the mont the door opened, but what happened after that was unclear.
"..."
It was possible that Tang Wol-yeong's strength had run out the mont she activated the last device.
In the first place, the fact that it had taken this long was proof that the situation was not so smooth.
*Buuk—.*
Just then, Namgung Il suddenly tore his sleeve slightly with his hand.
The piece of cloth that appeared in his hand went straight to his lower face, and at so point, it had taken the form of a mask covering his nose and mouth.
"..."
This wouldn't be able to completely block that poison smoke.
But it would be much more helpful than not doing it.
Namgung Il took one last deep breath and then jumped into the poison smoke.
'Tang Wol-yeong, I can't let you die.'
The reason he had left Tang Wol-yeong alone was purely out of respect for her decision as a martial artist.
For Tang Wol-yeong to reveal her own poison arts, which she had been so busy hiding until now, he didn't know what had been the catalyst, but he could see that Tang Wol-yeong herself had undergone many changes.
He just didn't want to stop that change; it was by no ans his intention to let Tang Wol-yeong sacrifice herself.
"...!"
The inside of the poison smoke was much thicker than it looked from the outside.
If he didn't focus, he couldn't even properly see the stairs a few steps ahead.
If the top was this bad, the underground would have a much narrower field of vision.
'To think she activated all the devices in a place like this...'
Normally, it would be absolutely impossible.
No matter how much one had learned poison arts, it was sothing that couldn't be done without trendous ntal strength.
That's why Namgung Il couldn't let Tang Wol-yeong die in a place like this.
*Phat—.*
At that mont, Namgung Il's steps going down the stairs beca faster.
It was an act that could lead to him falling straight into the underground if he made a mistake, but Namgung Il moved his legs even more fiercely, as if he didn't care at all.
"...!"
Just then, Namgung Il discovered sothing collapsed at the end of the stairs.
His vision was blurry, so he couldn't see clearly, but as if he was sure of sothing, Namgung Il instantly approached that side.
'Tang Wol-yeong!'
As expected, the one collapsed on the stairs was Tang Wol-yeong.
A body that didn't stir at all even when Namgung Il approached.
If he had his way, he would have wanted to call out and wake Tang Wol-yeong, but he couldn't do so in the poison smoke.
'...She's alive!'
Looking closely, Tang Wol-yeong's torso was moving slightly.
With that, he could confirm that Tang Wol-yeong was still alive, but looking at her face and breathing, he could also see that she was in a very dangerous state.
'I have to go up quickly!'
He had to go up before Tang Wol-yeong's condition worsened.
Not only that, but his own breath was now almost at its limit.
The mont he couldn't hold his breath and exhaled, everything would be over, so Namgung Il's actions couldn't help but be urgent.
*Sssss—.*
It was then.
The mont Namgung Il was about to help Tang Wol-yeong up, a strange sound was suddenly heard from the surroundings.
"...?"
Namgung Il imdiately recognized what the source of that sound was.
Because in the past, he had caught countless of them in the mountains under his master's orders.
At that ti, they were ingredients for good alcohol, but now, the situation was very different.
'Snakes?'
Looking at the shape of their heads, they were definitely poisonous snakes.
And also the insects mixed in between.
Namgung Il could see that this area was surrounded by countless poisonous snakes and poisonous insects.
'Could it be...'
Was Tang Wol-yeong's collapse due to the poisonous snakes and poisonous insects visible around?
Seeing that she had succeeded in opening the door, it was possible that these guys had appeared the mont she activated all the devices.
*Grit—.*
This felt like nothing but an intention to kill whoever ca down here.
The person who made this labyrinth must have been very pleased while installing the traps here.
At that thought, Namgung Il unknowingly gritted his teeth.
'...This is not the ti.'
Anger could co later.
Right now, the top priority was to sohow take Tang Wol-yeong and go up.
Namgung Il tried to carry Tang Wol-yeong and head up, but he soon realized that it was impossible.
*Sssss—.*
At so point, the poisonous insects had occupied the stairs going up.
His movents would be slow with Tang Wol-yeong on his back, and if he went up the stairs in that state, he wouldn't be able to avoid their attacks.
"..."
In the end, Namgung Il lowered the hand that had been heading for Tang Wol-yeong and stood alone in his place again.
In that state, Namgung Il did not stir.
His hands were neatly gathered in front of his chest.
*Sssss—.*
Towards Namgung Il, the poisonous snakes and poisonous insects from the surroundings were gradually approaching.
As if they couldn't hide their excitent at the prey that had appeared after a long ti.
The snakes flicked their tongues faster, and the wings of the poisonous insects moved more frantically.
*Shik—.*
At that mont, the poisonous snakes and poisonous insects from the surroundings rushed in all at once.
At this rate, it was a situation where Namgung Il would definitely be taken down.
The mont he was attacked by even one of those countless venomous weapons, it would be the end.
*Hwoong—.*
When the poisonous snakes and poisonous insects pouring in from all sides had almost covered Namgung Il. A fierce storm raged from within.
The storm was so rough that it blew away the surroundings in an instant, and the poisonous snakes and poisonous insects also couldn't withstand the force and were thrown out.
"..."
Namgung Il, who appeared from within. The two hands that had been neatly gathered just before were now facing the empty air.
*Puha—!*
At that mont, Namgung Il exhaled the breath he had been holding until now.
It was an act no different from suicide in this poison smoke, but only at this very mont was he allowed to exhale.
Because what Namgung Il had just blown away with that one move was not just the poisonous snakes and poisonous insects.
Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms, Flying Dragon in the Heavens. Due to that technique, a space where one could temporarily breathe was created.
'Now!'
Namgung Il readjusted his breathing and quickly hoisted Tang Wol-yeong onto his back.
Simultaneously, his gaze checked the stairs.
Due to the Flying Dragon in the Heavens, that place had also been cleared.
*Hwoong—.*
The poison smoke that had been cleared by the storm was quickly gathering back to the center.
At that mont, Namgung Il, who was heading up the stairs.
At a speed faster than when he ca down, Namgung Il climbed the stairs without hesitation.
'Don't die, Tang Wol-yeong!'
If she knew that Namgung Il was carrying her now, she would have smiled more happily than anyone else... but sadly, only Tang Wol-yeong's rough breathing could be heard from behind his back.
(End of Chapter)
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