Chapter 323

Chapter 323
## Chapter 323. Black Forest (3)

—

Spirit Medicine (Yeong-yak).
It is a miraculous substance born in areas where terrestrial and celestial energies converge. Such a medicinal resource can prolong the lifespans of regular mortals and grant martial artists capabilities that defy ordinary logic. Because survival is inherently valued above all else and absolute might is universally desired, spirit medicine holds a worth surpassing ordinary wealth. Martial artists in particular, who disregard any boundaries or ethics in their pursuit of strength, will occasionally gamble their very existence to obtain it.

From the perspective of Ja-pyeong-Yang, this was an incredibly reckless mindset.
‘The tragedy is that they fail to realize they will actually have to pay with their lives.’
There was a distinct explanation for why the Black Forest was categorized as a Forbidden Land by the Murim League. Countless martial artists had entered its depths without caution, only to meet swift ends. The vast majority of flora, fauna, and pests residing within the Muk-rim carried deadly toxins, and due to growing completely wild, they easily mutated into magical beasts whenever they tapped into a spiritual vein.

The hubris of these warriors—who imagine that even if they become lost, they can simply overcome the peril once the spirit medicine elevates them to an expert level—is utterly shattered the moment they step into the woods. Venomous bugs swarm the area. Natural formations distort all sense of direction. Lethal predators strike relentlessly day and night. Before a martial artist can even glimpse a spirit medicine, they are reduced to mere sustenance for the Muk-rim.

For this very reason, Ja-pyeong-Yang’s Nam-gwon Sect, tasked with overseeing the Muk-rim, received tens of thousands of taels in annual financial support from the Murim League. The situation that had just unfolded was a perfect example. A Sam-gal-sa, a creature that normally never ventures near the entrance of the Muk-rim, had suddenly emerged, causing Ja-pyeong-Yang’s blood to run cold.

“…There are no historical accounts of a spirit pill being harvested from a Sam-gal-sa.”
He wasn’t sure how the young man had even spotted the Sam-gal-sa, but observing him converse nonchalantly about spirit medicine while gripping the creature made it clear that the Academy Representative关 remained ignorant of this forest’s terrors.

“…What about a poison pill instead? Given its proportions, it appears to have lived for a considerable time.”

“The organisms of the Muk-rim possess scales of growth completely different from those in the Central Plains. These creatures do not undergo hibernation and develop continuously throughout the seasons.”

The Academy Representative, looking visibly disappointed… what was his name? It sounded like Jin.

“Then what about its venom? Is there no poison pill inside?”

Based on rumors, this youth was supposedly a follower of a Taoist sect. Why would someone with no connection to poison arts show such curiosity toward venom? Could it be…

“You don’t seriously believe that a poison pill counts as a spirit medicine, do you?”

He couldn’t comprehend how such ridiculous myths gained traction—the groundless claim that surviving the consumption of a poison pill would drastically boost one’s inner strength. When patrolling the Muk-rim, eighty percent of the corpses found are those whose flesh completely dissolved because of a poison pill.
‘Frankly, if they already possessed the internal energy required to neutralize a poison pill, they wouldn’t have risked entering this place to begin with.’
Even if an individual managed to process a poison pill, the return was nothing more than a trivial amount of internal energy and a basic resistance to toxins. The hazards vastly outweighed the meager rewards.

“You must dismiss that thought immediately. Instead of gaining inner power by absorbing a poison pill, you are far more likely to perish. Furthermore, the venom of a Sam-gal-sa causes nothing more than temporary numbness. Those creatures prefer to gulp down their prey whole.”

Upon hearing Ja-pyeong-Yang’s explanation, So-un-Jin, who had seemed thoroughly disheartened until a moment ago, let a grin spread across his face. Why? The youth was smiling, yet a profound sense of foreboding washed over the older man.

“Just temporary numbness…”

As he unfastened the metal binding that kept its jaws shut, the Sam-gal-sa, its toxic aura surging fiercely, parted its jaws wide.

“H-Hold on, what do you think you are doing?!”

What was that fool’s name again? He had always struggled to remember the names of other men, so it slipped his mind. He really should have committed the name of such an eccentric fellow to memory, regardless of gender. The blockhead named Jin-something was deliberately moving the Sam-gal-sa’s open mouth toward his own arm.

“J-Jin-Gong-ja! Stop this instantly!” Mo-ran-Seong shrieked at the top of her lungs. Meanwhile, Saryeon-Sa barked with an incredibly grim expression, “So-un-Jin! Drop that creature! This instant!”

Ah, right! The madman’s name was So-un-Jin.

“So-un…!”

Ja-pyeong-Yang moved to intervene while shouting the name, but then he witnessed it.

“I decline.”

With a remarkably serene smile, So-un-Jin allowed the Sam-gal-sa to sink its teeth into his flesh.
*Crunch!*

Numbing venom.
People frequently assume that paralyzing toxins are among the safer varieties of poison, largely because they are utilized to numb pain during surgical procedures. However, when a predator relies on such venom, it simply indicates that the creature has no trouble surviving in the wild without needing highly destructive toxins. This situation was no exception.
*Slither.*

While the numbing toxin of the Sam-gal-sa was considered mild by the standards of the Muk-rim, that was a relative comparison. Measured against devastating venoms that dissolve flesh upon contact, a toxin that merely immobilizes a victim for half a day might seem harmless. The Sam-gal-sa, having delivered its paralyzing strike into its target, began wrapping its coils around the youth, starting from his lower limbs.
*Snap, crackle, pop.*

The moment the beast—which could effortlessly shatter a normal human’s skeletal structure—tightened around So-un-Jin’s frame, it distended its maw. From its throat, which could widen to the size of a human head, venomous secretions dribbled out.

“Blast it!”

“Intervene!”

So-un-Jin’s allies attempted to charge the Sam-gal-sa simultaneously, but their movements could not match the instinctive reflexes of the serpent.
*Gulp!*

Watching the Sam-gal-sa envelop the youth’s head in a single bite caused Mo-ran-Seong to lose consciousness. Ja-pyeong-Yang barked a frantic order to the group.

“D-Don’t move a muscle!”

The informal command escaped his lips automatically, but standard formalities were irrelevant now.
“…Please remain completely still. If you agitate the creature now, it will instantly rip that lunatic’s—pardon me, Representative Jin’s head clean off.”

This epitomized the true horror of the Muk-rim. Normal serpents in the Central Plains often become helpless and easily killed if startled while consuming prey. However, the cunning Sam-gal-sa will react to an attack by instantly severing the prey in its mouth with immense jaw strength before pivoting to face the next threat.

“W-What are we supposed to do then?”

“…”

What could be done? The dilemma was far too daunting for Ja-pyeong-Yang, who had never faced the task of extracting someone from the jaws of a Sam-gal-sa before.
“First, we require a… heavy iron rod to jam its jaws open.”
Common timber would fail, splintering instantly under the pressure. Yet, even if they possessed an iron tool, the subsequent obstacle remained: who would dare pry the beast’s mouth apart?
‘…We have no choice but to watch him perish.’

Ultimately, the only paths remaining were the grim choices of watching him die a slow death or a rapid one. Unable to voice such a despairing reality, he merely brought up the iron rod. Where could they possibly locate an iron rod in the depths of the Muk-rim…

“Will this suffice?”

A metal shaft was thrust directly before his eyes. It appeared exceptionally sturdy. Where did this even come from?

“Ah, my weapon is an iron bow. If the tension string is removed, it takes this form.”

“…”

No, a weapon shouldn’t just transform like that out of nowhere…

“What is the next step?”

The companion bearing a metal shield stepped up. Ja-pyeong-Yang stammered out a response.
“…First, if you can pry the jaws open and wedge the rod inside…”

However, his voice faltered. Saving a person trapped by a Sam-gal-sa required the savior to gamble their own life, as interrupting the serpent’s meal would drive it into an unprecedented frenzy.

“If you wedge it… if you wedge it…”

Sensing Ja-pyeong-Yang’s hesitation, the youth who had identified himself as the second sibling of the three brothers stepped forward with a heavy sigh.
“…We are forced to clean up the mess our Dae-sa-hyeong created.”

He intended to handle it himself? Just as Ja-pyeong-Yang prepared to hold him back, assuming it was a foolhardy act born from ignorance of the Sam-gal-sa’s true danger.

“Brother and Sajeo, secure either side of the jaws. Then Dong-ryong and I will jam it open with the iron rod. If things go awry, the rest of you must step in.”

He was already moving toward the serpent while issuing directives as if this were a routine task.

“Hold on! The Sam-gal-sa is far more dangerous than you think…”

“Yes, I understand your concern. I can gauge the danger perfectly just by observing Great Hero Yang’s panic.”

“…”

“But we can’t exactly leave him to be digested, can we?”
He shook his head, staring at So-un-Jin—whose body was entirely swallowed save for his torso downward—with irritated eyes.
“…Even though he is an absolute nuisance, he remains our Dae-sa-hyeong.”

Being immobilized didn’t mean his hearing was impaired…
The exact moment the four individuals exhaled deeply and prepared to strike the Sam-gal-sa:
*Riiiiip, snap.*

The distinct sound of binding straps tearing echoed. Initially, they feared the Sam-gal-sa had constricted So-un-Jin further and crushed his ribs. Paradoxically, the serpent’s coils, which had been crushing the youth, began to gradually slacken.
‘The paralyzing venom has already lost its effect???’

The disciples of the Tae-eul Sect who were advancing on the beast froze mid-stride, staring in utter bewilderment.
*Creak, crack.*

Through the widening gaps of the serpent’s loosening coils:
*Slide.*
…Two hands emerged, firmly grabbing both sides of the jaws that had engulfed his head.

“…How dare you… call me a nuisance… when I am a Dae-sa-hyeong who stands as high as the heavens?!!!”
*Snap, crunch.*

With immense force, he began to wrench the Sam-gal-sa’s distended mouth open even further. The serpent, which had initially tried to constrict him harder using its raw muscle power, relaxed its grip entirely and thrashed desperately to break free from So-un-Jin’s grasp. Instead of releasing the beast, So-un-Jin tore its jaws wider apart.
*Crack, snap.*
*Thud, thud.*

Accompanied by the fracturing of bones, the massive frame of the Sam-gal-sa was whipped through the air like a cord. The vanguard members, including Ja-pyeong-Yang, scrambled backward to avoid being struck by the flailing tail.

A moment later:
*Thud.*
The Sam-gal-sa, its mouth completely mangled and ripped open, collapsed lifelessly to the dirt. So-un-Jin, who had literally walked out of the jaws of death, glared fiercely at the brother who had given the rescue orders.

“Eun-ho-Eun! I heard your voice loud and clear!”

Eun-ho-Eun smoothly masked his voice as if he had no idea what was being discussed.
“I have absolutely no clue what you mean. I didn’t utter a word.”

“Get over here, you rascal!”

The members of the Tae-eul Sect instantly slipped back into their usual banter as if nothing extraordinary had transpired. The onlookers exhaled long breaths of relief, though none of the youth’s companions showed any signs of trauma or distress from witnessing such a harrowing event.
‘…What sort of people are these individuals?’

Even though Ja-pyeong-Yang and his people lived a rough enough existence to be viewed as savages by the standards of the Central Plains, the members of the Tae-eul Sect appeared completely unhinged even to them.

“Wh…at did you just say?”

I find myself encountering this specific look quite frequently these days. Averting my eyes slightly from Saryeon-Sa, I muttered, “Since this opportunity isn’t available back in the Central Plains…”

“What did you say?”

“So, what I mean is, back in the Central Plains…”

“What. Did. You. Say?”

She certainly hadn’t misheard me. Her repeated demands meant she had zero intention of letting the matter drop. Given that, I needed to shift my approach.

“When do you believe a martial artist is in the greatest danger of losing their life during a crisis?”

“Why are you suddenly shifting topics?”

“It’s due to toxins and concealed projectiles. You are well aware of that fact too, aren’t you?”

“…Even if that’s true.”

I swiftly cut off Saryeon-Sa’s retort. “I have to outlive everyone else. The restoration and protection of the Tae-eul Sect mean more to me than anything in existence. To achieve that, I absolutely cannot afford to perish easily.”

“…”

“Even if we assume hidden weapons can be deflected, venom isn’t something easily countered. Besides, considering our current financial state, it’s not like we can just purchase the Baek-dok-dan distributed by the Tang Family, can we?”

The Baek-dok-dan was a specialized antitoxin pill manufactured by the Tang Family. It was a unique medicinal pellet designed to foster immunity against the one hundred primary toxins that frequently claim the lives of martial artists. Because it built up resistance in a relatively safe manner, its market price was astronomical. Saryeon-Sa remained silent, clearly recognizing the reality of our situation.

I deliberately raised my voice in a dramatic lament. “My motives are entirely born of desperation. Even if achieving full immunity to ten thousand venoms is impossible, I must at least withstand a thousand types of poison to safeguard my Saje and the members of the Tae-eul Sect!”

“…”

The piercing glare in Saryeon-Sa’s eyes softened into a look of sorrow. Observing her biting her lip tightly, it was clear she had run out of counterarguments. As expected, fostering ‘understanding’ proved far more effective than mere ‘persuasion.’

“Sigh… just purchase the Baek-dok-dan instead. This method… is far too perilous.”

What on earth was this girl talking about?
“Do you have any concept of how costly the Baek-dok-dan is!!! Meanwhile, the toxins here are completely free!”

Listening to my logic, Saryeon-Sa aggressively ruffled her hair in sheer frustration.
“Argh! I give up!! Do whatever you want! I don’t care if you end up dissolving in venom!!”

In truth, I did need to refine my approach slightly. I had allowed myself to be bitten under the assumption that the venom of a living creature would be more potent, but unexpected complications like the recent incident could arise. Furthermore, the sensation of being inside a Sam-gal-sa’s mouth… was not an experience I cared to repeat.

At that moment:
“R-Representative Jin… did you truly expose yourself to that bite solely to cultivate a resistance to venom?” Ja-pyeong-Yang inquired, his shoulders visibly slumping. Why was this massive man acting so deflated? He usually seemed to possess quite a bit of pride matching his imposing stature. I gave a casual shrug.

“Well, that was part of it. I also needed to evaluate the level of danger before letting the Saje begin their training.”

“The Saje are doing it too???”

The hulking Ja-pyeong-Yang’s complexion turned stark white. I yanked out one of the Sam-gal-sa’s fangs.
*Snap.*

Along with the tooth, a lengthy venom bladder was extracted. I directed my gaze toward the Gold-Silver-Bronze brothers. Saryeon-Sa clearly wouldn’t tolerate any further experimentation given the current mood. Predictably, Geum-pyo and Eun-ho were shaking their heads vigorously in refusal. I looked at them and let a bright, mischievous grin curl the corners of my eyes.

“Shall I step over to you? Or will you step up to me?”

Right then, Dong-ryong, who had been observing blankly from the side, stepped forward with surprising resolve. “D-Dae-sa-hyeong, I will volunteer first.”

As expected, Dong-ryong possessed the sharpest wit among the three. If a painful experience is inevitable, it’s always better to get it over with voluntarily rather than being forced, right? The exact moment I prepared to press the Sam-gal-sa’s fang into Dong-ryong’s extended forearm, the youth flinched violently.

“D-Dae-sa-hyeong!”

“I haven’t even pricked you yet.”

“No, that’s not it… l-look behind you…”

“Huh?”

Turning my head around, I found Saryeon-Sa glaring at me with an expression that mirrored a wrathful demon.
“It wasn’t enough for you to do this madness alone… now you are pulling the Saje into it as well?!”

I instinctively scrambled to retreat.
“Where do you think you’re going!”

It was already far too late to evade the grasp of Saryeon-Sa, whose martial cultivation had advanced significantly of late.
*Smack!*

A searing flash of pain, akin to being pressed with a branding iron, erupted across my back.

The main contingent caught up with us a day after the vanguard’s arrival. Shortly thereafter, our advance group separated from the main force and ventured back into the thicket. Our objective was the encampment situated at the very heart of the Muk-rim. Since the task merely involved preparing a garrison utilized by preceding classes, it posed no real challenge for the vanguard.

According to Ja-pyeong-Yang—who had quietly resumed wearing fully closed garments rather than exposing his chest after that initial day—the academy students had trained in this exact location every single time the Muk-rim was opened to them.

“Because traversing the Muk-rim without a fixed path is… exceedingly hazardous, after all.”

“Understood.”

“But… do you truly intend to persist with that?” Ja-pyeong-Yang asked, swallowing hard as his eyes drifted to the violet toxic fungus clutched in my palm.

“I’ve barely scratched the surface.”

The varieties of toxins I had ingested up to this point numbered only around ten. Due to the obligations of securing the garrison, I hadn’t been able to properly forage for poisons. Ever since absorbing the paralyzing venom of the Sam-gal-sa, I hadn’t encountered anything more lethal. I offered a grin while displaying the toxic mushroom. “Still, it’s a relief. It doesn’t appear nearly as perilous as I anticipated.”

“Is… that so?”

“Even so, you won’t permit us to wander around unrestricted, correct?”
This was the most frustrating limitation. Unlike our time in the Fire Desert or the Ice Sea, our movements within the Muk-rim were strictly confined to designated zones.

“I believe… that is correct.”
Ja-pyeong-Yang offered a somewhat hesitant reply. For some reason, my opportunities to converse with him had steadily dwindled after that incident. Well, it was likely just my imagination.

The encampment we arrived at after a week of traveling was situated in a significantly more spacious clearing than the spot near the entrance. Substantial effort had clearly been invested in developing this zone, as the ground was blanketed in gravel, preventing large trees from taking root. Having no pressing duties, we bided our time waiting for the main force, which arrived at the garrison precisely twenty-four hours later.

While the academy students pitched their tents within their respective assigned quadrants to prepare for the remaining three weeks, the commanders of each faction assembled inside the instructors’ main pavilion. Once it was verified that all group leaders were present, Jin-ha-No began to share an intriguing piece of news.

“There is no denying that the Great Journey up to this point has been executed as a mere formality. Quite frankly, this was a criticism that constantly arose even back during my own generation.”

After setting the stage with those words, he added,
“During the previous term, So-ah-Yong went so far as to subdue the Takan tribe.”
He subtly stoked our competitive drives, fueling our pride. His voice dropped to a calculating tone.

“Therefore, what I am suggesting is… you individuals, who possess talent in no way inferior to the previous class, shouldn’t simply sit idly by, correct?”

Finally, he revealed his true objective.
“What would you say to charting a comprehensive map of the Muk-rim during this rotation? While surveying the territory and hunting down magical beasts.”

Regardless of how the other group leaders’ expressions collectively hardened at the suggestion, a different thought crossed my mind.
‘To think he would propose such an excellent concept?’

Wow, this bast—er, this instructor. I always assumed he only opened his mouth to say things that earned him a beating, but he genuinely hits the mark from time to time, doesn’t he? I felt a sudden surge of excitement, as if I had just been invited to participate in a massive game of treasure hunting.