A Baby Cat Who Commands the Dog Clan - Chapter 122

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 122
Only then did Nam Goong Ho catch his breath and turn to look at Hong Seol.
The small kitten stood there without a care in the world, lightly biting her lower lip with an innocent expression.
“Come here!”
At his words, Hong Seol took a step closer.
Nam Goong Ho bent down to meet her at eye level.
His gaze held a mixture of astonishment and admiration.
“How did you ever think to slip white peony petals into the Poison King’s sleeve!”
At his praise-filled words, Hong Seol felt ticklish and gently scratched her cheek with her index finger.
“Just in case. If the culprit was discovered, they’d surely try to run away…”
“Hehe, do you really distrust us so much?”
Nam Goong Ho broke into a hearty laugh and turned to Dang Yi Mu. Dang Yi Mu also chuckled softly in response.
“In all the world, only you would treat the Heavenly Demon King with such disrespect!”
That’s not it at all!
Hong Seol hastily added her explanation.
“No, the Poison King is such an amazing person, that’s what Snake Grandfather told me. So… that’s why I did it.”
“Yes, yes, I understand.”
“So our Seol Ah doesn’t trust us grandfathers, is that it?”
“No! That’s really… not true…”
Hong Seol pressed her forehead as if dizzy and let out a deep sigh.
‘Sometimes these grandfathers really are quite mischievous.’
She could almost see where Heuk’s playful nature came from.
* * *
“Ugh.”
Nam Goong Ho returned to the Guest Hall with Dang Yi Mu’s support.
Hong Seol and Dang Yi Woon followed along, their expressions filled with concern.
“Now, swallow this.”
Dang Yi Mu carelessly shoved internal injury medicine into Nam Goong Ho’s mouth as he lay on the bed, then sighed.
“What a mess this has become. To think Dang Song Baek was a member of the Demonic Cult.”
“There are likely more Demonic Cult members hiding in various places beyond just Dang Song Baek.”
A brief silence fell.
Nam Goong Ho’s words were correct.
If the ferocious beasts that attacked the Nam Goong Family Estate three years ago were truly members of the Demonic Cult, they had surely already spread their influence throughout the Central Plains.
Just as seeing one insect in a house doesn’t mean that’s all of them.
Dang Yi Mu spoke with a sigh in his voice.
“Moreover, the real problem is that there may be others like Dang Song Baek who have mastered both Orthodox martial arts and Demonic cultivation.”
“How is such a thing even possible…”
How someone who had learned Demonic cultivation could hide as an Orthodox practitioner was a secondary concern.
The gravest issue was that infiltrating Demonic Cult members could rise up all at once.
“Why would they go through the trouble of infiltrating the Orthodox Sects…”
Nam Goong Ho and Dang Yi Mu fell silent as if lost in thought. But in truth, they both already knew the answer.
If the Demonic Cult members, who had remained quiet for three hundred years, had infiltrated the Orthodox Sects, there could be only one reason.
The Righteous-Demonic War.
The moment that phrase crossed their minds, an ominous thought flashed through both masters’ consciousness.
‘Has the Heavenly Demon awakened…!’
Three hundred years ago, the Heavenly Demon, poisoned as a result of the Righteous-Demonic War, had retreated to the Ten Thousand Great Mountains.
Since then, he had never once revealed himself in the Central Plains.
They could only assume he had perished.
Yet the Heavenly Demon was the supreme master of the Demonic Cult. The Demonic Cult would never plan to unify the Martial Arts World without him.
“Mmm….”
Dang Yi Mu released a heavy sigh.
It was deeply unsettling that the Poison Sect Master, once lauded as a young prodigy, had been revealed as a Demonic Cult member.
‘Could it be that Dang Song Baek found a way to cure the Heavenly Demon’s poison?’
Nam Goong Ho harbored the same suspicion but kept his mouth firmly shut.
Speaking it aloud felt as though it would make the nightmare real.
Frightened, Hong Seol’s eyes darted between Nam Goong Ho and Dang Yi Mu.
‘I’ve never seen Grandfather and the others look this grave before….’
This was hardly the time to celebrate finding the culprit who had poisoned Nam Goong Baek.
Reading Hong Seol’s fearful expression, Dang Yi Mu deliberately changed the subject.
“Regardless, what of the remaining Young Patriarch Selection Tournament?”
At those words, Nam Goong Ho furrowed his brow.
“The Poison Sect Master has been exposed as a Demonic Cult member and everything is in chaos—and you’re concerned about the Young Patriarch Selection, Dang Yi Mu!”
There was a real possibility that all the Dang Sect’s martial techniques and poison formulas had fallen into Demonic Cult hands.
If that were true, it wouldn’t take long for the Demonic Cult to discover countermeasures to dismantle the Dang Sect’s techniques.
But beyond the threat of Demonic Cult attacks, there was another grave concern.
The Sichuan Tang Family’s very standing as a martial arts clan was on the verge of collapse.
“Which is precisely why we must grit our teeth and proceed with the Young Patriarch Selection Tournament.”
Dang Yi Mu spoke with fierce determination etched across his face.
“Only then will the entire Martial Arts World know that the Sichuan Tang Family remains strong.”
He too was a man of the Dang Sect.
Even if his heart shattered, he would never allow the Dang Sect to be looked down upon by the martial clans of the Central Plains, not even in death.
Regardless of whether it served his own interests.
It was a thought truly befitting a man of the Dang Sect.
Then Hong Seol, who had remained silent beside them all this while, began to fidget nervously with her fingers.
“B-but Grandfather….”
Hong Seol’s gaze fixed on Nam Goong Ho, who had suffered the Heavenly Demon’s Poison.
If the Young Patriarch Selection Tournament proceeded as scheduled a month hence, she would have to undergo the Yin-Yang Blood Opening Technique as planned.
‘Grandfather can’t use his inner energy for some time because of the Heavenly Demon’s Poison…!’
Dread seized Hong Seol’s heart.
Not from fear that she might not receive the Yin-Yang Blood Opening Technique.
‘The Yin-Yang Blood Opening Technique is dangerous even for the caster….’
I was terrified that Nam Goong Ho, whose body hadn’t fully healed, might push himself too hard and something could go wrong.
The man who had saved me on snowy Dae Chuk Mountain, because of me….
Hong Seol squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head vigorously.
‘I don’t want that!’
Nam Goong Ho, reading the worry contained in her gesture, answered in a heavy voice.
“Do not worry, Seol Ah. I will recover my strength quickly no matter what.”
Hearing those words, Dang Yi Mu made a low sound in his throat.
For Nam Goong Ho, who had suffered the Heavenly King’s Lung affliction, it would take at least ten days to rebuild his inner energy.
On top of that, seven days were needed to prepare his body through breathing cultivation.
That meant Hong Seol would have only about ten days left after the Yin-Yang Blood Opening Technique was performed.
‘Could that child become skilled enough in wielding inner energy to defeat Dang Cheon Gang within that time?’
Against him, born as the legitimate son of the current Dang Family Master, who had undergone bone marrow washing since childhood.
Not to mention he must have consumed spirit medicines without end.
Dang Yi Mu’s concern deepened.
“Hmm….”
A gulp.
Hong Seol also swallowed dryly.
No matter how much she thought about it, Nam Goong Ho should not overexert himself.
‘I’m sorry to the Sichuan Tang Family, but I hope they’ll postpone the Young Master selection tournament using today’s chaos as an excuse.’
With reasons like there being no proper martial grounds available, or everyone being too busy restoring the Estate Grounds.
“Elder Judge!”
Just then, a warrior from the Fierce Snake Squad who had come to assess the situation entered and knelt on one knee.
Dang Yi Mu asked.
“How is the situation outside?”
“Better than it appears. It’s thanks to the Patriarch’s command that the Fierce Snake Squad moved as one body.”
At those words, Hong Seol’s face clouded over.
‘Oh, what do I do? The Young Master selection tournament will proceed as scheduled.’
Sweat dampened her small palms.
‘W-will Grandfather really be alright?’
Hong Seol stole a glance at Nam Goong Ho lying on the bed. His stern face revealed no expression.
Dang Yi Mu continued asking.
“Then where is the Dang Family Master right now?”
“He is at the Patriarch’s Residence.”
“What? He’s staying at the Patriarch’s Residence despite this chaos?”
Dang Yi Mu’s eyes, which seemed unlikely to show surprise, widened.
“Yes, that is so. A distinguished guest has suddenly arrived….”
“A guest? Is there really such a tactless visitor who would call at a time like this?”
That was when.
The door to the Guest Hall burst open.
“What kind of rude bastard would dare…?”
Dang Yi Mu spun around, irritation flashing across his face.
“…!”
Standing there was a face that both Nam Goong Ho and Dang Yi Mu knew all too well.
“Those irritating mugs are just as unbearable as ever.”
A grumbling voice.
A bulbous, crimson nose perpetually flushed as if drunk year-round.
A beard scattered haphazardly across his jaw.
Nine knots and a gourd hanging from the waist of his tattered, patched robes.
A gasp of astonishment escaped Dang Yi Mu’s lips.
“Tian Tong Gai!”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————