TYDOFC 26

Chapter 26

“Your questions have increased.”

“Dad, you’re always saying that — but I’ve always had a lot of questions!”

“No… it feels like you’ve been asking even more lately.”

“Gasp… do you not like it?”

“Of course not.”

Father cleared his throat with a low cough.

Then his large hand suddenly slipped under my arm.

He lifted me up easily, holding me so our eyes met.

“But there are still many things I can’t explain to you yet.”

“But I’m fifteen this year…!”

Oh—wait, no.

I’m eight. Right.

“Fifteen?”

“M-my mind is fifteen….”

I’m not a little kid anymore. Can’t he just tell me?

If I don’t know what he’s hiding, how am I supposed to deal with it?

I understand that parents don’t want to burden their children, but Father takes that too far.

When I pouted, Father chuckled.

“Yes, but your body is still eight years old, isn’t it? You’re too young to hear many of these stories. I’ll tell you when the time comes.”

“But still…”

What if he misses that time?

The unspoken question lingered on my tongue.

At that moment, I remembered something Father had told me before I returned to the past.

“When you’ve grown up.”

“Yes?”

“When that time comes, I’ll tell you about your mother.”

But I never got to hear that story.

Because Father died before I was fully grown.

Because before I could grow up, Dang Pae-jin killed both of us without mercy…!

Some stories can only be told at the right time—
and if you miss that time, they’re lost forever.

If you never hear them, you never learn the truth.

Everything in this world has its right moment.

But—

“There’s still plenty of time.”

Father was right. I really am still too young.

And once he decides not to speak of something, he won’t say a word even if a knife is at his throat. That’s how stubborn he is.

So trying to coax or beg him into talking would be almost impossible.

I decided to give up quickly on what couldn’t be helped.

Still, my curiosity wouldn’t stop.

“Why does Father forbid me from mentioning my changed constitution?”

Could it be that he knows how it changed in the first place?

“No—stop it!”

I shook the thought away.

Father will tell me when the time is right.

When I shook my head, Father looked worried.

“Why are you shaking your head? Are you feeling ill?”

“N-no, I’m fine.”

I quickly waved my hands, and he accepted it without suspicion.

“By the way, Biya. Didn’t your grandfather summon you to Yongyeonjeon?”

“Yes! He said he’d teach me how to make poison essence…”

“Oh!”

“Come to Yongyeonjeon at this hour tomorrow.”

That’s right!

Only then did I remember the promise I made to Grandfather.

As the memory surfaced, my eyes flew wide open and cold sweat ran down my back.

How could I forget something like that?!

At that moment, Dang-yeong’s ugly face flashed through my mind.

That must be it—his hideous face must have scrambled my thoughts.

As I jumped up in a panic, I felt the Manhyulsa move inside my robes.

I ignored it and lifted my head sharply.

What time was it now?

“Am I late?”

It was a mutter to myself, but Father still responded.

His large hand came down gently on my head.

“You’re a little late, but since you remembered, it’s fine. We can go together now.”

I finally let out a sigh of relief.

Thank goodness.

Still, how could I forget something so important?

A promise with Grandfather—no, with the Head of the Family!

Just imagining it made goosebumps crawl up my arms.

I really need to keep it together.

Just because I’ve gone back to being eight doesn’t mean my mind actually is.

Though lately, I really do feel like I’m starting to think more like a child.

I pressed my face into Father’s palm with a soft sigh.

“Whew… if not for you, I would’ve totally forgotten. Thank you, Father!”

“It’s a father’s duty to keep track of his little daughter’s schedule.”

“Still, I should’ve remembered myself.”

“You’re only eight. It’s fine to be forgetful sometimes.”

When Father stood up, his long green robe brushed against his legs with a rustle.

He held out his hand to me.

“I’ll take you to Yongyeonjeon.”

“Yes!”

I eagerly clasped his hand.

Father accompanied me only up to the entrance of Yongyeonjeon.

He didn’t go inside, simply watched as I crept closer.

The guards by the door stepped aside.

When they tried to open the doors for me, I waved my hands quickly.

“It’s okay!”

“Excuse me?”

“I’ll open it myself!”

I stopped them and carefully pulled the heavy doors.

Then I peeked my face through the narrow gap.

Creaaak.

“Why are you making it so hard for yourself to come in?”

There, seated in the middle, was Grandfather.

Without hesitation, I yanked the door open and dashed inside.

“Grandfather!”

“You’re late.”

“Oh, not by much!”

“Late is still late. You kept the Head of the Family waiting.”

“Ugh…”

As I glanced at him timidly, the stern expression on Grandfather’s face gradually softened.

“I’m not going to punish you. Come closer.”

“Really?”

“Do you always live your life taking words at face value?”

“Well, I just wanted to hear you confirm it.”

“You impish child…”

Finally, his face broke into a gentle smile.

Now’s my chance!

As if I’d been waiting for that moment all along, I hurried closer and knelt politely in front of him.

“What are you doing?”

I answered as formally as I could.

“I’m showing you that I’m reflecting on my mistake.”

“I didn’t tell you to.”

“I thought if I did it voluntarily, you might give me a higher score.”

“You’re a cheeky one.”

“Father says that too.”

“You take after Jin-hyeon.”

“They say blood runs thicker than water.”

“Even the way you talk back is just like your father.”

But his tone wasn’t scolding — if anything, it sounded pleased.

Grandfather waved a hand.

“Enough. Sit comfortably.”

“Here?”

Was he really about to teach me how to create poison essence right here?

He must’ve noticed the question on my face, because he nodded.

“There’s no safer place in the Tang household than the Head’s own chamber.”

True enough.

I quickly sat down cross-legged before him.

Thump.

Grandfather sat across from me.

The deep green robe reserved for the clan head spread around him like a lotus leaf.

He began to speak slowly.

“Do you know what a poison essence is?”

“It’s another energy core — one that serves as the foundation of Poison Qi cultivation.”

“And how do you think it’s created?”

…Wasn’t that what I came here to learn?

But I couldn’t exactly say that to my grandfather — the Head of the Great Heavenly Tang Clan.

After thinking for a bit, I answered,

“Maybe like forming a dantian — by filtering the toxins inside the body and refining them?”

“Exactly.”

His eyes flashed with approval.

“I was informed by the deputy master of the Poison Dragon Pavilion — they decided to give you the Formless Ultimate Poison for your trial.”

“Umm… is that a good thing?”

“For you, yes.”

Grandfather continued,

“To create a poison essence, one must absorb countless poisons and make them one’s own. For that, the Poison Dragon Pavilion trains by repeatedly absorbing venom to build tolerance. All of that forms the foundation of Poison Qi cultivation.”

“How many years does it usually take to form one?”

“It depends on the person. The fastest can do it in half a year.”

“So I also need to absorb poisons and store them inside my body little by little?”

Would that mean that in a few years, I could form a poison essence too?

Then Grandfather shook his head.

“The stronger the poison you absorb, the easier it is to form the essence. When you filter the impurities, more remains.”

“Yes.”

“And inside you… lies the Ten Thousand Blood Divine Poison.”

He pointed directly at me.

“The Ten Thousand Blood Divine Poison… inside me?”

Oh—right!

I was bitten by the Manhyulsa!