The Poison Demon’s Strategy for the Martial Tower Chapter 36

Chapter 36.

The Poison Demon and The Dog (2)

'Dang Seon.'

That is my real na.

A na my father gave , so I might live with the purity of an immortal.

My mother apparently had sothing to say about naming a child after an immortal.

But my father would not budge.

"Don't you rember Seon's birth dream? The dream where you climbed the mountain."

"I've heard that story dozens of tis. And we haven't even nad her Seon ye—"

"Goodness! Think about it carefully. It was a dream of a person entering a mountain. Put them together and what do you get? Immortal, that's what!"

"What kind of birth dream is that! That was just a dream—"

"The night Seon was born, I had another dream. An immortal held him with such love and told to raise him well. He implored so earnestly, saying he would be a child who brings light to the world."

Immortal was a word forever on my father's lips — the head of the Dang family.

He often told stories of ascending to immortality as well.

When the rough life of this Murim finally ca to an end, he would ascend like an immortal, he said, riding clouds and spending his days playing Baduk.

—Is your dream to laze about?

—No.

—Then what?

—To beco an immortal and watch over Seon's children…… My grandchildren, and their grandchildren's grandchildren, so they may all live well and in good health.

—How grand of you.

—Can't a man even dream, you little wretch!

Of course, my mother knew.

Because most of the ti when my father dug in his heels, his invocations of the immortals were nothing but empty words.

Dangseon.

In the end, this beca my na.

For more than ten years I was loved as my father had wished, and I dread of a life as pure as an immortal's.

In the end, that na was forgotten.

And another na took its place.

The master of the Blood Calamity, who drenched the Murim in blood.

Poison Demon.

All under heaven trembled at those two words alone.

A symbol of fear and suffering.

That was what the Poison Demon was.

If I et my father in the afterlife, he will surely scold .

……For not having lived up to my na.

* * *

[Republic of Korea — National Murim Bureau, Non-Ard]

"It's probably because of that question."

[Q. Among the following Romance of the Three Kingdoms characters, who do you consider the greatest hero?]

① Cao Cao

② Liu Bei

③ Zhuge Liang

……No Dong Zhuo? I would have chosen him if he were there.

Anyway, I can't let this one go. Number one.

Tsk—.

While I was tilting my head, my turn ca.

"Kim Tae-yang."

I walked into the room to spar with a Bureau-affiliated climber.

"Please wait, and the examiner will co out."

I looked around the room.

On the walls hung wooden swords, wooden staffs, and what appeared to be clubs as well.

"A sparring match."

Honestly, having already been disappointed by the climbers' skill, I had no expectations.

Only concern.

"Should I let him hit ?"

What would I do if I accidentally struck too hard and broke the examiner's arms and legs?

I'll hold back when dealing with him.

Just as I'd made up my mind, soone walked in.

"Kim Tae-yang?"

"Huh?"

It was a familiar face.

[Oi, put it away. Put it away.]

[You've got to be joking! Why are you suddenly giving a fish-shaped bread!]

The security guard I had t on my first visit to the National Murim Bureau.

'Bong Ju-min.'

I read the na from his badge.

The image of that grandmother's fish-shaped bread, knocked from her hands as he shoved and rolling across the floor, was still vivid in my eyes.

Ugh……!

The enemy of the fish-shaped bread!

He seed to recognize as well.

Bong Ju-min looked at and smirked.

"It's the fish-bread guy. You little con artist."

"What did you say?"

"You little bastard, you were wearing an artificial energy center when you ca in that day, weren't you?"

……An artificial energy center?

"Because you pulled that stunt and ran off, Deputy Director Han gave hell for it!"

Bong Ju-min gritted his teeth.

"Because of you I lost my cushy post and now I'm stuck doing assessnts like this!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You little—! Because of you I got a one-month suspension and missed my promotion this year!"

He cracked his neck and grabbed one of the wooden swords from the wall.

"Good. Today I'll catch you and hand you over to Deputy Director Han to clear my na. Pick one!"

Bong Ju-min pointed at the weapons.

"Pick what?"

"Pick a wooden sword or a wooden staff! I don't want to be accused of beating an unard man!"

He grabbed another wooden sword and threw it in front of .

Thwack!

The wooden sword lodged into the floor.

Ho. So he is a climber, after all.

I looked at the handle of the wooden sword.

"If I pick that up…… You're going to die, you know?"

"Don't make laugh."

"Are you sure you're alright with that?"

"This guy's out of his mind!"

Thud, thud, thud!

The man flew into a rage and charged at .

Whoosh—!

His wooden sword cut through the air and grazed past the top of my head.

I did not pick up the sword.

I had managed to scrape together exactly 295 points through all manner of hardship today.

If by chance I knocked this guy down, my plan to imdiately go purchase the Samgeuk Yeonokro could be thrown into jeopardy.

Swish! Swish!

He seed genuinely furious, swinging the wooden sword repeatedly at my head.

He had strength, but he was full of openings.

Right flank, left armpit, solar plexus, right foot planting—all of them.

As I kept dodging, the man grew more enraged.

"Hey, you little bastard! You dodge around like a rat!"

……What?

"A guy who does nothing but stuff his face with fish-shaped bread thinks he can be a climber—!"

Crack! Bang!

"Guh—!"

In a flash of irritation, I slapped him across the face.

Bong Ju-min slamd into the wall and crumpled to the floor.

Pitter-patter.

His front teeth broke off and skittered across the floor, blood pouring out freely.

Grandmother.

The enemy of the fish-shaped bread has been dealt with.

……Oh no!

Trickle, trickle, trickle. The enemy's blood ran across the floor.

This is going to drive mad!

Slap, slap!

"Get up, man!"

"Mmmmnh……?"

Bong Ju-min opened his eyes.

I grabbed him at once and began to reason with him.

I could have fed him a parasite, but I didn't.

Beyond the drain on my internal energy every ti I used one, the bigger problem was that if I implanted the wrong command, this man could lose his mind.

This man was a civil servant of the National Murim Bureau.

Since he might still prove useful, I intended to resolve this through persuasion.

"Hey, cushy post. What are you going to do about this?"

"Wha…… What do you an?"

The man, now missing his front teeth, covered his mouth and asked.

Fear crept into his eyes.

‘Where did a monster like this co from?’ That kind of look.

"Because of you I'm about to attract attention. I want to live quietly."

"……."

"Let lay it out for you. During the assessnt, you ran into your own wooden sword. That's how you lost the teeth too."

"You think I'll just do as you say? You little con—"

Smack!

I hit him again.

"You……!"

"Not getting the picture yet? You already got demoted here, missed your promotion too."

"……."

"And if word gets out that you got beaten by an ordinary civilian like ? You think that Deputy Director Han will just let it go?"

I looked him dead in the eyes and warned him.

"It's instant dismissal."

He blinked.

"Follow what I say. I'll report that you passed with a moderate result, you get your tooth fixed and carry on as you are. What do you say?"

Bong Ju-min thought for a mont, then asked .

"Right now…… Are you threatening ?"

Pfft.

"What else did you think it was?"

Smack!

I slapped him once more.

Pitter-patter. The sound of a few more teeth breaking off.

"Watch how you speak to ."

"Ugh."

"And keep those eyes respectful. Also……."

I quietly held out my phone.

"Put your number in."

* * *

All the various assessnts ended successfully.

Now it was ti to receive my license.

"Kim Tae-yang."

"Yes."

A National Murim Bureau employee called my na. I stepped forward.

Thump, thump.

Just wait, Samgeuk Yeonokro.

Your big brother is almost there.

"There's just one final step remaining."

"What…… Now?"

I was told to write down the alias I would use at the National Murim Bureau and in the Tower.

I was dumbfounded.

You set your own alias?

"An alias is sothing others give you in the Murim……. Or rather, isn't it sothing other people give you?"

Things like Poison Demon or King of Hell Demon Emperor.

The Bureau employee smiled and replied.

"You've been reading too many Murim novels. Hehe. Think of it like a codena."

"A codena?"

"Yes, it gets printed on your license. Before your na."

"Good grief."

"Don't overthink it — just pick a na you'd like to be called."

"A na I'd like to be called……."

As I fell into thought, the employee helpfully explained further.

"Usually the first part is a word that symbolizes you, and the last part is a word for what you want to be. That's how it's structured."

A word that symbolizes , a word for what I want to be.

My mind suddenly beca complicated.

"Here's a recomnded list for reference. Up to six characters is allowed, but please keep it short if at all possible."

The employee handed over a sheet labeled ‘Recomnded Aliases’.

It was packed with grandiose aliases: Blood Moon, Blue Cloud, Black Wolf, Blade of Blood Shadow Ghost, Sword Saint of Dominating Clouds, and more.

‘Recomnded aliases’, not even funny.

What was the point of letting choose if it was going to be like this.

If it were my alias……

Poison Demon.

No other alias ca to mind.

I wrote it down simply and handed the slip to the employee.

"All right, you're finished. Thank you for your hard work."

"Ah, just a mont."

I turned back, asked for the alias slip, and quietly revised it.

"……This one instead."

"Oh, yes. I'll update it for you."

The employee looked at what I had revised, stared for a mont, and then smiled warmly.

* * *

A gleaming license.

Flipping it over, my personal information was displayed alongside a Grade D rating.

I like it.

The fact that neither the National Murim Bureau nor any sects paid any particular attention.

'Even getting a C draws applause on the floor.'

A post I had seen on the internet once ca back to .

It seed that was true.

People who received their licenses and burst into cheers.

And then imdiately—

"This is the National Murim Bureau. Would you be interested in working for the nation?"

"This is the Jangbaek Sect. Patriotism is perfectly possible through a sect as well. There's no need to work at the Bureau with its ager pay."

"This is obstruction of official duties!"

"What?! Get your superior out here!"

Recruitnt wars broke out as the Bureau and various sects sward around them.

Well, all of that was a different world entirely.

No one approached .

That's fine.

All I need is my own Samgeuk Yeonokro.

Ring, ring—.

My phone rang. It was the Choi brothers.

"Senior! I found soone with remaining trade capacity. Where are you? I'll bring them along, let's et in front of the exchange!"

He must have tracked soone down after seeing my disappointed expression earlier.

Must have paid a good sum for it.

Good brothers.

"It's alright."

"Pardon?"

"I found one myself. Thank you."

"Oh……."

"See you tomorrow. I'll bring sothing nice."

[Item Exchange]

"That will be fifty-five million won."

"Can I pay by bank transfer?"

License confirmation and fingerprint scan.

I finished the paynt in full.

I prefer cash, but it was too large a sum to withdraw.

"I'll wrap it for you."

"It's fine."

"Pardon?"

"It won't break."

It's a special — no, a truly extraordinary treasure.

Gulp.

My radiant Samgeuk Yeonokro stepped out of the display case for the first ti in eight years.

'Master! I missed you.'

The Samgeuk Yeonokro was calling out to .

too.

I embraced it tightly.

Sotis a single object is better than a person.

I returned straight to my room and headed to the dicinal and toxic herb garden.

Holding it up to the light, the faint markings flowing across the surface like living dragon veins were just as I rembered.

Samgeuk Yeonokro.

Beautifully indifferent, wickedly precise.

……It resembles .

That's why I love it.

Ugh! I squeeze it tight and plant a fervent kiss!

Ahh! What a thrill.

I light a fire and try brewing a dicinal concoction.

Now begins the ti of endurance.

As heat rose in the Samgeuk Yeonokro, brilliant golden patterns began to radiate light.

"Yes! This is it!"

The true wonder of the Samgeuk Yeonokro is revealed when fla touches it.

When heat is applied, at first a colorless light shimrs — then gradually golden patterns erge across the body of the furnace!

As the golden light deepens, creating the illusion of flowing lava, the surface seems to surge like dragons and phoenixes in mid-dance.

When the light grows strong and the Samgeuk Yeonokro turns entirely golden, the refinent is complete.

It would be even better if I had the flas of the Samadhi Sacred Fire I once seized from the Sun-Moon Divine Sect in my past life, or the Sacred Fla Spirit stolen from the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect.

"But that would be asking too much."

At last the Samgeuk Yeonokro turned golden.

With a trembling heart I approached and opened the lid.

Hisssss—.

Slender threads of golden light scattered and dispersed into the air.

Like a mont when the sky is stained gold, a mysterious golden mist that dyes even the very space surrounding the furnace!

Sniff.

I slled it first.

I could tell at once.

"Perfection itself."

Back when I had used the sa ingredients in an ordinary refining furnace—

[dicine into poison. Internal energy increases.]

A ssage like that had appeared.

What about now?

"O Heaven and Earth."

Soil and sun, wind and rain.

I bowed to the god who governs farming.

As the Divine Farr once said,

-It is not man who farms, but Heaven and Earth.

The growing is done by soil, sun, rain, and wind — since human hands touch only the earth, he said one rely tends the land.

With a trembling heart I drank the dicinal concoction.

Ding!

[dicine into poison, poison into dicine. All impurities are purified and only the essence remains — the finest elixir. Internal energy increases greatly.]

Ahh……

This is it!

It was worth getting the license.

Swish.

I took out the newly earned license.

[Certified to climb the Republic of Korea's Murim Tower.]

Climber: Poison Immortal Kim Tae-yang

Minister of the National Murim Bureau, Han Seung-pyo

[Poison Immortal feels joy. 1,000 Happiness]