Ice Dragon of Namgung - Chapter 130

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 130
Namgung Geom pushed his Inner Power into Kang Yonghyeon’s body.
Then he drew out the toxic qi spreading through his frame with tremendous force.
The toxic qi resisted fiercely, but it could not withstand Namgung Geom’s overwhelming pull.
As he inhaled the toxic qi, he thrust it outward through his palm before it could penetrate his own interior, then froze it solid.
In the process of withdrawing his Inner Power, he sealed off any toxic qi from seeping back into his body.
Crack!
The dark toxic qi froze within his palm and shattered.
He repeated this process several times over.
“Cough!”
On the fifth extraction, Kang Yonghyeon finally gasped sharply and came to his senses.
Namgung Geom withdrew his hands from Kang Yonghyeon’s vital points.
“Are you well?”
“Did you extract the poison from my body?”
Kang Yonghyeon asked him.
“Yes. Fortunately, the poison had not yet reached your Heart Vessels completely, so I was able to draw it out.”
Some toxic qi remained within Kang Yonghyeon’s body still.
Even Namgung Geom could not remove every trace of it.
But there was no cause for concern.
The traces of toxic qi left in Kang Yonghyeon’s system were negligible—hardly a threat to his life.
In fact, the pallid, dying cast that had drained Kang Yonghyeon’s face was already returning swiftly to normal.
“Thank you. You’ve saved my life. Wait—what of Father?”
Kang Yonghyeon thought of Kang Taecheon and tried to rise abruptly, but his strength failed him and he sank back down.
“Your grandfather’s poison is being neutralized with the Poison-Detecting Pearl. Please do not worry.”
Namgung Geom quickly reassured him.
Kang Yonghyeon gazed at Kang Taecheon, who lay with the Poison-Detecting Pearl between his lips, and exhaled in relief.
The pearl, which had originally been green, had turned black.
This was proof that the pearl was properly absorbing the toxic qi.
Kang Taecheon’s complexion, which had been sallow and dying, was gradually regaining its natural color.
“The pressing matter now is to discover who administered the poison.”
At Namgung Geom’s words, Kang Yonghyeon nodded.
His gaze naturally turned toward one person.
Kang Baekcheon.
By any measure, he was the most suspicious figure present.
Kang Baekcheon stood staring at Kang Taecheon with a face rigid as stone.
At first glance, he appeared concerned for his brother’s wellbeing, but viewed another way, he seemed anxious watching the detoxification proceed with the Poison-Detecting Pearl.
The problem was that suspicion alone was not enough to confront Kang Baekcheon.
There was no physical evidence whatsoever, and not even the faintest grounds to suppose he had used poison.
The very path by which the poison had entered remained a mystery.
Every drink and dish that had come into the Banquet Hall had undergone rigorous poison testing.
Namgung Geom himself had even directly inspected everything with the Poison-Detecting Pearl.
Yet he and his father had been poisoned all the same.
‘How on earth was the poison administered?’
Kang Yonghyeon could find no answer whatsoever.
Meanwhile, the guests gathered in the Banquet Hall were anxious they too might be poisoned.
But as time passed with no ill effects, they exhaled in relief.
Once their worry faded, they began to speculate wildly about who had used the poison.
They too suspected Kang Baekcheon first.
His motive to kill Kang Taecheon and Kang Yonghyeon was unquestionable.
As if Kang Baekcheon would not know as much.
He noticed the guests whispering while staring at him, and his brow furrowed.
But what enraged him more than their scrutiny was the fact that his perfect plan had crumbled.
Just as Namgung Geom had suspected, it was indeed Kang Baekcheon who had poisoned Kang Taecheon and Kang Yonghyeon.
By rights, both should have been coughing blood and falling dead already.
‘That wretch has ruined everything.’
Using the Poison-Detecting Pearl to save Kang Taecheon, extracting Kang Yonghyeon’s toxic qi directly with his own Inner Power—
Kang Baekcheon had nearly cried out in shock at the sight of it.
His plan to eliminate Kang Taecheon and Kang Yonghyeon through poison had come to complete ruin, and all suspicion was now turning toward himself.
‘But they will never find proof that I used the poison.’
Even as he strove inwardly to maintain composure, Namgung Geom was puzzling over the same mystery, examining the spots where Kang Taecheon and Kang Yonghyeon had been sitting.
Only his maternal grandfather and his uncle had been poisoned.
The wine and food had been identical to what the others consumed.
Moreover, if poison had been in the wine and food, the Poison-Detecting Pearl would have reacted first.
Of course, it was possible the poison wouldn’t register on the pearl.
But if that were the case, the Poison-Detecting Pearl wouldn’t have been able to neutralize Kang Taecheon’s toxin either.
Then a thought struck Namgung Geom like lightning.
‘Compound poison!’
Each component harmless on its own, yet the moment two combined, they transformed into a deadly toxin of devastating potency.
It was knowledge left behind by the body’s previous owner.
The old Namgung Geom had been a voracious reader of countless texts, among them treatises on poison and antidotes.
The principles of compound poison he’d studied then fit this situation perfectly.
Kang Taecheon and Kang Yonghyeon had most likely ingested the first component before the banquet even began.
Then the second component must have entered their systems during the Banquet Hall gathering, finally activating the lethal toxin.
Namgung Geom turned to Kang Yonghyeon.
“Uncle, did you and my grandfather consume anything before the banquet?”
Kang Yonghyeon regarded him with puzzlement.
“I’m trying to trace the source of the poison.”
At Namgung Geom’s explanation, Kang Yonghyeon searched his memory.
“Nothing besides tea at your grandfather’s quarters.”
Namgung Geom’s eyes flashed with certainty.
The first component of the compound poison had to be in the tea that Kang Taecheon and Kang Yonghyeon had drunk.
“Could you have the teapot and cups brought here as they are?”
Kang Yonghyeon, grasping his meaning, immediately sent a steward to Manjindang for them.
Watching this unfold, Kang Baekcheon’s face turned to stone.
‘How did he possibly figure it out…?’
Exactly as Namgung Geom suspected, he had used compound poison to intoxicate Kang Taecheon and Kang Yonghyeon.
He’d been certain no one would ever uncover the compound poison’s secret.
But the moment Namgung Geom singled out the tea they’d drunk before the banquet, it was clear he’d penetrated the deception.
‘If only that wretch didn’t exist!’
Kang Baekcheon’s teeth clenched at the thought of Namgung Geom.
Without him, Kang Taecheon and Kang Yonghyeon would already be corpses.
He’d be the first suspect, of course, but he’d already arranged for that contingency.
Yet now that Kang Taecheon and Kang Yonghyeon had survived, everything had unraveled.
‘I may have to resort to the final option.’
Kang Baekcheon’s expression grew grim.
He did have a backup plan for when things went wrong.
But it involved seizing Hangzhou Gold Merchant by force, which would invite fierce condemnation from the Martial World.
In truth, he could ignore criticism if he chose.
What truly concerned him was interference from the Namgung Clan, in-laws of Hangzhou Gold Merchant.
An unjustified seizure of power would give them just cause to strike.
That’s why he’d orchestrated the poisoning scheme—but Namgung Geom had spoiled everything.
Creak.
‘Since it’s come to this, I have no choice but to see it through.’
As Kang Baekcheon steeled his resolve, the Poison-Detecting Pearl clenched between Kang Taecheon’s teeth gradually returned to its original jade green.
It was a sign that all the toxic Qi within Kang Taecheon’s body had been fully absorbed.
Soon Kang Taecheon regained consciousness and opened his eyes.
“Father!”
His children exhaled in relief.
Kang Taecheon recalled the moment before he’d collapsed.
His entire body had gone numb, and the pain of his Heart Vessels sealing shut had pulled him into darkness.
When he opened his eyes, the Poison-Detecting Pearl was between his teeth.
He understood the situation at once.
Someone had tried to poison him, and his grandson had saved him with the pearl.
Kang Taecheon gazed at Namgung Geom.
“Thank you.”
Namgung Geom shook his head.
“I’m grateful you’re safe, grandfather.”
“It’s all thanks to you.”
“This child also saved your elder brother.”
His second son, Kang Seonghyeon, added from beside him.
Kang Taecheon’s eyebrows twitched.
“So the eldest was poisoned as well?”
“Yes. It appears they were targeting you and my older brother.”
Kang Taecheon’s sharp gaze fixed on Kang Baekcheon.
“Absolutely not. I’d have to be mad to use poison in a place where I’d obviously be pinned as the culprit. There’s no way I’d be that reckless.”
Kang Baekcheon protested, looking wronged as he met that stare.
“Let’s wait a moment, at least. It appears my nephew has found some sort of clue.”
Before Kang Yonghyeon could finish speaking, the steward returned carrying a teapot and cups.
Namgung Geom didn’t hesitate. He poured the tea from the pot onto the wine and food on Kang Taecheon’s table, bit by bit.
Sizzle!
Everyone held their breath and stared as the tea and wine began to mix, and in that instant, something began to char with an audible hiss.
Soon a sharp, acrid black smoke rose from the mixture.
This confirmed the compound poison beyond doubt.
Namgung Geom immediately summoned his Frozen Chill Internal Energy, freezing the poisonous fumes to prevent them from spreading. He sealed the mouth of the wine bottle with ice as well.
“It appears someone used a compound poison.”
“A compound poison?”
Namgung Geom explained compound poisons to Kang Taecheon and the uncles, who looked confused.
Kang Taecheon’s face darkened.
“So someone mixed the components of a compound poison into the tea and wine I drank?”
“Yes. First, we must determine who added the compound poison components.”
At Namgung Geom’s words, Kang Taecheon nodded and turned to the steward.
“Have those who prepared tea in my quarters today and those who managed the wine in the Banquet Hall arrested and interrogated at once.”
“Understood.”
“And apologize to the guests and close the banquet. I think it’s best to end this now.”
Following Kang Taecheon’s orders, the household staff moved into action, and the guests, recognizing the gravity of the situation, left the Banquet Hall without much complaint.
Soon only the Kang family, Namgung Geom, and Kang Baekcheon—his expression rigid—remained.
Kang Baekcheon hadn’t stayed because he wished to.
Kang Taecheon had stopped him from leaving.
“It seems you’ll need to remain here until the culprit is identified.”
“What do you mean? Are you confining me?”
Kang Baekcheon flared up, his voice sharp.
“Once your innocence in this matter is proven, I’ll release you immediately.”
“I’ve already told you clearly—it wasn’t me.”
“If you truly didn’t use poison, what harm is there in staying a few days longer?”
At Kang Taecheon’s words, Kang Baekcheon’s eyes burned with murderous intent.
“When my innocence is revealed, you’ll owe me a proper apology.”
“Of course. I will apologize most sincerely.”
At Kang Taecheon’s response, Kang Baekcheon let out a bitter laugh and turned away.
‘It will all be finished by tonight anyway.’
Kang Baekcheon’s eyes flashed with cold intent in that instant.
It was only a moment, but Namgung Geom, who had been watching him closely, caught that glimmer.
‘There’s definitely something more to this…….’
Namgung Geom sensed that the danger had not yet ended.
Part of him wanted to interrogate Kang Baekcheon right then.
But it was difficult to confront him based on suspicion alone.
Namgung Geom wondered what Kang Baekcheon had prepared.
At first, he had tried to poison both Kang Taecheon and Kang Yonghyeon to death.
Now that plan had failed, the only option left would be to resort to force.
The Hangzhou Golden Merchant’s military strength was nowhere near sufficient.
But if he brought in outside forces, anything would be possible.
Nothing was certain yet.
But there was no harm in preparing in advance.
Namgung Geom spoke to Kang Yonghyeon.
“I have an uneasy feeling about this.”
“An uneasy feeling? What do you mean?”
Kang Yonghyeon’s expression turned questioning.
“Something tells me the poisoning isn’t the whole story.”
“The poisoning isn’t the whole story?”
Namgung Geom glanced sideways at Kang Baekcheon and then spoke.
“I think it would be wise to prepare for an attack from outside forces.”
Namgung Bing-ryong
Author |
Baek Wol-geom
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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