Tang Yun crouched beneath the gnarled tree at the edge of the training yard, his breathing steady, his gaze razor-sharp. The silver glow of the moon overhead cast an eerie luminance across the tiled roofs of the outer court. It was quiet, yet the young master's mind raced with movement calculations, guesses, deductions.
He was no longer the blunt sword everyone mistook him for. Tonight would prove it.
Earlier that morning, the Tang Clan's outer court had descended into chaos.
One of the outer disciples, Wu Liang, had been found writhing in agony foam at the mouth, veins blackened. Every elder in attendance knew the symptoms: Soul-Crushing Moth Venom an exotic poison that devoured the mind before melting the dantian.
Panic set in.
Disciples were interrogated. Accusations flew like blades. The clan's dwindling reputation couldn't take another internal scandal. But even as elders debated who had poisoned the boy, Tang Yun remained calm.
Because he knew who it was.
Not by luck. Not by guesswork. But because he had baited them himself.
Earlier that week...
Tang Yun had left a modified version of a low-tier poison manual in the practice yard partially incomplete, laced with just enough clues to suggest it belonged to a lost Tang technique. Then he spread subtle rumors through offhand comments among the servants and weak outer disciples.
He knew someone would take the bait. The outer court had too many rats fighting over scraps. Someone desperate would attempt to recreate the technique without understanding its dangers.
Wu Liang, ambitious but foolish, fell for it. The venom he brewed wasn't truly lethal not to Tang Yun. But it was unstable. Unstable enough to cause mayhem.
Now, the outer court was in disarray. Trust was broken. Suspicion grew.
And in the chaos, Tang Yun moved.
Back under the tree, Tang Yun carefully unrolled a parchment his own formula, handwritten in the coded style of the ancient Tang poisoners.
"Crippled Yin Qi Elixir" a recipe designed to mimic cultivation damage from accidental qi deviation.
With this, he'd make his injuries look self-inflicted.
After all, what better way to hide rising strength than to appear even more crippled?
He took a single drop. The effects hit immediately: fingers trembled, veins flushed blue, and a faint sickness passed through his dantian.
It was unpleasant.
But it was planned.
Moments later, Elder Tang Mo arrived, his sharp eyes narrowed.
"Tang Yun." His voice held a note of distrust. "You were seen near Wu Liang's quarters two nights ago."
Tang Yun didn't flinch.
"I was delivering tonic herbs, Elder. He asked for help with a cultivation pill he believed it would open his second meridian."
"You're not even mid-stage Qi Awakening," the elder scoffed. "What would he want from you?"
Tang Yun forced a bitter laugh. "That's exactly why he trusted me. I'm useless, remember?"
There was silence. The elder observed him, doubt flickering.
Tang Yun gave a shaky cough, allowing a wisp of fake corrupted qi to leak from his palm. The Crippled Yin Qi Elixir was doing its job.
"I tried cultivating again last night. My qi rebounded. I—I think I've damaged my meridians."
The elder's expression changed. He waved a hand to sense Tang Yun's energy. His brows furrowed.
Indeed, Tang Yun's qi felt weak. Damaged. Contorted.
But not poisoned.
Elder Tang Mo clicked his tongue. "Reckless brat. You're lucky your cultivation was trash to begin with, or this would've crippled you completely."
He left without another word.
As the elder disappeared into the corridor, Tang Yun smiled.
Another successful layer of the mask.
That night, he sat cross-legged in his room, eyes closed, circulating genuine qi through his dantian. Despite the act, Tang Yun was in truth advancing steadily through the Qi Awakening Realm currently early stage, but with exceptional control.
Qi Awakening Realm (기각성경 – Gi Gakseong-gyeong): The foundational step to martial cultivation. It begins by awakening the dantian—an internal pool where qi gathers and flows. The early stage only allows basic sensing and movement of energy, but for Tang Yun, even this was a weapon.
Every pulse of poison qi was like a whisper of death.
In the candle's flickering light, Tang Yun retrieved a small jade slip a record of Murim's elite.
Tang Yun's lips curled into a smirk.
The Tang Clan may have fallen to 8th place, but poison never needed status. It only needed patience.
And he had plenty.
Next Morning – Outer Court Training Grounds
A challenge was issued.
Tang Yun stood before three disciples who had ridiculed him for years. Today, he called for a friendly spar.
They laughed.
"You? With that crippled qi?" one snorted.
Tang Yun only smiled. "Just one round. You land a hit, I'll fetch water for a month."
They couldn't resist.
But when the match began, none of them noticed the faint glimmer on the soles of Tang Yun's boots powdered Silent Thorn Dust, designed to numb reflexes.
His footwork flowed like a lazy river. He dodged, ducked, weaved. The disciples stumbled, grew sluggish. Their strikes lost precision.
With one precise palm to the chest laced with Gentle Fang Qi he sent the first flying.
The second fell, unable to breathe, his lungs swollen from hidden qi pressure.
The third hesitated. That was enough for Tang Yun.
Victory. All within three breaths.
The courtyard fell silent.
Some whispered.
Others narrowed their eyes.
The "useless young master" had just outplayed them.
And so the whispers began.
But Tang Yun was already walking away, cloak fluttering, leaving behind only his smile and the scent of faint herbs.
Author's Note – Cultivation Realm Reminder:
Qi Awakening Realm (기각성경 – Gi Gakseong-gyeong)
Early stage: Sense and gather qi.
Mid stage: Begin manipulating qi in attacks.
Late stage: Stabilize flow and defense.
Meridian Opening Realm (경맥개방경 – Gyeongmaek Gaebang-gyeong)
Unblocking of meridians to circulate qi throughout the body.
Inner Core Realm (내핵경 – Naehaek-gyeong)
Condensation of qi into a powerful, stable core.
Martial Warrior Realm (무사경 – Musa-gyeong)
True recognition as a martial artist. Poisons like Thousand Venoms Veil require at least this stage to be used safely.
Tang Yun would reach that level. Not today. Not tomorrow.
But when he did, no sect, no clan, and no "genius" would be safe.
Because poison did not roar. It whispered.
And by the time they noticed, it was already too late.
[Tags]: Reincarnation, Martial Arts, Poison, Scheming Protagonist, Cultivation, Weak to Strong, Anti-Hero, Cold Protagonist, Clan Wars, Hidden Identity, Revenge