Tang Cheolsan smiled contentedly watching Hwa-eun explain the clan’s poisons to Soryong.

Seeing Hwa-eun’s earnest explanation and Soryong’s captivated gaze, he felt there was nothing to worry about anymore.

Though he had decided to match Soryong with Hwa-eun, Tang Cheolsan had many concerns.

Because he knew what thoughts his daughter held.

The matter of continuing the family line that he had essentially pushed onto his daughter.

It was by no means a light burden, and he knew she was trying to show herself as better than any man in the family because of it.

In Tang Cheolsan’s view, Soryong was far more valuable than someone from a good family or with excellent martial talent, but Hwa-eun, pressured by the family’s gaze and expectations, would surely have a narrower perspective.

“If only she had been born male…”

“If she were male, she would have surely reached the Hundred Poisons realm quickly.”

Having grown up always hearing such things, she wouldn’t be able to ignore the immediate gazes and words of the branch family elders.

Because of the words she’d grown up hearing, she would surely fear the increased burden of choosing Soryong with his inferior talent.

“Heh heh, the direct line’s only daughter having just Ten Poisons? One can’t help but worry about her future children’s talent.”

“The Tang clan’s future…”

Moreover, it was natural in its way for women of martial families to seek strong martial artists or those with excellent talent.

That was the mission of martial family women.

So he couldn’t help but worry.

Because a situation might arise where he’d have to forcibly break his daughter’s heart.

He hadn’t taken a second wife out of consideration for his wife, so he couldn’t treat Hwa-eun harshly.

“I am also a member of the Tang clan. I understand Father’s intentions in saying such things. But I will confirm for myself whether the Young Master truly deserves me!”

So when Hwa-eun had run out angrily at his words about giving her to the young master, everyone couldn’t help but worry.

“Well, how was the Young Master’s martial talent?”

“Hmm… Father’s assessment would be more accurate, but from what I could tell, the Ten Poisons Realm seems to be his limit.”

“If you assessed it, that must be right. But it’s a bit disappointing. If only it were Hundred Poisons…”

“Oh my, there’s no way Hwa-eun would approve, is there?”

Her father and mother, knowing Hwa-eun’s usual thoughts, spoke worriedly with dark expressions upon hearing that the Young Master’s talent was a Ten Poisons Body.

“As you say, though the Young Master is more valuable than anything, it will be difficult for him to immediately win Hwa-eun’s heart.”

“That’s right, Father.”

Though they say the Tang Clan handles all poisons, that didn’t mean they used all poisons.

The Young Master’s favored venomous creatures – venomous insects and snakes – were rather outside the mainstream in the Tang Clan.

That was because poisons from venomous creatures had many problems.

But as the Young Master had said while showing the lizard on Hainan Island.

If one could raise venomous creatures and enhance their toxicity, that would be a different story.

It opened up possibilities.

Above all, Father, who understood this fact better than anyone, looked at Tang Cheolsan and said:

“Then what will you do? Will you force that boy to become your son-in-law? Hwa-eun might be hurt somewhat, but since the character of our future grandson-in-law isn’t bad, he could comfort her as they live together.”

Though he loved Hwa-eun more than anyone, these were words saying it couldn’t be helped for the family’s sake.

Tang Cheolsan shared his thoughts with his father.

“Let’s wait and see what decision Hwa-eun makes first.”

“Wait and see?”

At his father Ten Thousand Poisons Divine Sovereign’s words, Tang Cheolsan nodded and answered.

“Yes, first I want to trust Hwa-eun. And second, I want to trust Soryong.”

“I understand Hwa-eun, but Soryong?”

“Yes, first, Hwa-eun might discover Soryong’s potential and say she likes him. Even if we need to step in, shouldn’t it be after confirming how their conversation goes?”

“That’s true. She might possibly say she likes him.”

Yes, though she had run out angrily to find Soryong, things might turn out well.

However, though he told his father to trust Hwa-eun, Tang Cheolsan’s real hope was in Soryong.

A child with excellent knowledge of venomous creatures.

If the boy was truly an expert as he claimed, he thought he might find solutions and understand the hearts of venomous creatures he raised, just like with the Blue-spotted Centipede’s offspring and the Kissing Bug.

Tang Hwa-eun, the Sichuan Tang Clan’s greatest venomous creature.

After all, she was his greatest masterpiece.

“And didn’t Soryong say so?”

“Say what?”

“That he’s an expert in this area – venomous creatures, that is. Hwa-eun is also a venomous creature of our poison-bearing Tang Clan. Since he claims to be an expert in venomous creatures, let’s trust him once.”

“Hmm… an expert…”

Since his daughter Hwa-eun was also a child bearing the clan’s poison, he suggested trusting him since he claimed to be an expert.

Though he wasn’t sure if it would work with his daughter.

***

And so the next day.

Though they tried not to show it in the morning, Tang Cheolsan and the family clearly noticed that some unfavorable conclusion had been reached.

Though they tried not to show it to each other, seeing how they avoided meeting each other’s eyes, something had clearly happened.

‘It seems the expert approach didn’t work with our daughter.’

So after breakfast, the three gathered to worry about how to bring the two together.

“Did you see this morning? Something clearly happened.”

“It seems the Young Master was rejected by Hwa-eun, Father.”

“Ahem… It seems it’s time for us to step in now. Rather than forcing them into marriage, I’d like to try methods to make them develop feelings first, but what would be a good way to get them closer?”

“What if we pretend to follow Hwa-eun’s wishes and put her in charge of the Young Master’s basic martial arts training? Wouldn’t they develop feelings seeing each other often?”

“Not a bad idea.”

“Then, we’ll do that. And I should check if Elder Lee of the martial forest can bestow the grace of Cutting Hair and Washing Marrow[1]. If his talent is low, we can just raise it.”

“That didn’t work even for Hwa-eun, so we shouldn’t expect too much.”

As the three worried in the clan head’s office about how to make their daughter and the Young Master like each other.

Hwa-eun’s voice came from outside.

“Father, it is your daughter Hwa-eun.”

“Hwa-eun?”

“What brings that child at this hour?”

Hearing Hwa-eun’s voice seeking him at the clan head’s office, Tang Cheolsan quickly answered.

He was curious about yesterday’s events too, and wanted to subtly probe how things were going.

“Yes, come in.”

So Hwa-eun entered.

She was momentarily flustered seeing the three gathered inside.

She apparently hadn’t known they would all be here.

“Oh? The-the three of you were together?”

But something was strange.

Though she was the daughter he’d watched for twenty years, something about her atmosphere was subtly different today.

‘What is it? Something seems different, but what?’

As he pondered this briefly.

Hwa-eun sat down, poured tea, and spoke in a careful voice.

“Your daughter came because I have something to say.”

“Something to say?”

“I-I’ve decided to follow what Father said.”

Bright red ears, flushed cheeks.

Tang Cheolsan tilted his head at her sudden words about following what he had said.

Because he had no idea what she was talking about.

“What I said?”

Then his daughter answered with a face so red she might have been emanating Yang energy.

“About Y-Young Master Soryong.”

“About Young Master Soryong… What!?”

“Oh ho! You’ve decided to follow it?”

“Yes, Gra-Grandfather.”

“Oh my! Hwa-eun, do you like the Young Master?”

“Ra-rather than liking him…”

About making Soryong the matrilocal son-in-law, meaning about her marriage.

If she would follow that, it meant she would marry Young Master Soryong.

He had thought it would take months of effort to maybe change her mind, and if that didn’t work he might have to issue an order as clan head, but in just two days?

Tang Cheolsan brightened and asked his daughter.

“Wh-why so suddenly? I thought you surely wouldn’t like him much? Soryong surely only has a Ten Poisons Body?”

Then his daughter covered her mouth with one hand as if embarrassed, gripped her teacup with the other, and spoke.

“He pro-promised he would become the World’s Greatest for me.”

“What!? The World’s Greatest!?”

“Oh my goodness!”

The sudden mention of becoming the World’s Greatest.

Curious about the details, Tang Cheolsan jumped up from his seat, went to his daughter’s side, and firmly grasped her hand.

“Could you explain exactly what that means?”

Then his daughter, now transformed from a girl into a shy woman, explained in a careful voice.

“Th-though he has a Ten Poisons Body, he pro-promised that for me, he would fill those ten poisons with the poisons of the world’s Ten Great Venomous Creatures, Father.”

“What!?”

“Kahaha! He said he’d fill the Ten Poisons with the world’s Ten Great Venomous Creatures? That boy has quite the spirit!”

Their son-in-law was quite the spirited fellow.

Not for his own training, not for the family, but promising to become the World’s Greatest for a mere woman.

A masterstroke that instantly melted his daughter’s heart that had been firmly closed by family pressure.

He claimed to be an expert in venomous creatures, and indeed he was a son-in-law who had perfectly captured the heart of the venomous creature the Tang Clan had raised with such care.

As he admired the expert son-in-law’s ability.

His daughter’s worried voice came from beside him.

“Bu-but I’m a bit worried too. What if it’s just empty wo-words…”

“Ah, are you worried he might just be all talk?”

“Yes…”

At his daughter’s worry, Tang Cheolsan smiled and spoke.

It seemed he needed to ease his daughter’s concerns.

“Listen well, Hwa-eun. All spiritual medicines and spiritual creatures and mysterious encounters in the martial world have predetermined owners.”

“That’s right. Your father speaks true. All strange and mysterious things have predetermined owners. That’s why when ordinary people try to covet them greedily, they meet with disaster.”

“But why are you telling me this?”

His daughter tilted her head.

Tang Cheolsan continued his explanation while placing a wooden box containing the Zhen Bird’s feather on the table.

“Think about it. About the things I experienced on Hainan Island when you collapsed from qi deviation.

I caught the Blue-spotted Centipede that no one had caught in nearly a hundred years, and discovered the Kissing Bug, a lewd insect never seen before.

Not only that, this father also saw with his own eyes the Zhen Bird, the emperor of the Ten Great Venomous Creatures. Why do you think such strange things happened?”

“I’m not sure?”

“Isn’t it because the owner of these mysterious things has appeared?”

“The owner of mysterious things?”

“One who knows more about venomous creatures than anyone else, and whom venomous creatures follow. Just watch – if he made such a promise to you, he’ll find a way to fulfill it.”

His daughter nodded at Tang Cheolsan’s explanation.

Thinking his explanation made sense, his daughter’s face showed relief as it began to flush.

And now their previous discussion of three became four, changing from how to connect their hearts to how to perfectly make the son-in-law a member of the Sichuan Tang Clan.

“Father, though I’ve given my heart’s permission, to the Young Mas- no, um… to him. I told him I would permit the wedding after he comes of age. And if he succeeds in obtaining one of the Ten Great Venomous Creatures’ poisons in that time… I wonder if he understood my answer?”

“My, why not ask for three? One isn’t enough to take our daughter. And he must have understood that meant you gave permission.”

“No, Clan Head. He surely didn’t understand. Men aren’t very good at picking up on such things. He probably truly thinks he has to catch one of the Ten Great Venomous Creatures by three years from now.”

“Oh? Th-then should I explain it to him more clearly?”

“No, dear. Isn’t it better if he doesn’t know you’ve given permission? For your sake?”

“Fo-for my sake?”

“What if he slacked off after winning you? So it’s better that he hasn’t noticed. Besides, as you said, we can’t hold the wedding until he turns eighteen anyway.”

“Then we should treat him as a son-in-law while pretending not to know. That way he’ll try harder to become one. As he does, he’ll become perfectly one of our family.”

The clan head’s office was bustling.

****

My shock at learning they used ricin for killing people was brief.

The young lady and the clan head’s family guided me deeper into the cave.

Past the cavern storing completed poisons, down a passage lit by Night-Luminous Pearls[2], deeper inside.

A wooden door appeared.

“This is where our Tang Clan keeps its venomous creatures.”

“Oh, here it is.”

Though my heart was still pounding at the revelation that the young lady’s family was a legendary clan of mass murderers and assassins, at the mention of venomous creatures, someone like me scurried right through the door after the young lady.

‘You’re really hopeless, aren’t you.’

-Creeeeak.

Inside the opened door.

I was struck with shock.

Unlike what I’d expected, this was practically nothing more than a slaughterhouse.

The snakes stored in jars had hollow bellies from lack of food, and there weren’t many species to begin with.

Seeing that they didn’t raise feed separately, this was clearly just temporary storage for extracting poison from venomous creatures, definitely not a professional breeding facility.

“This is…”

“It must be disappointing to your eyes? Venomous creatures often die, and unlike plants or mushrooms, they’re not easy to raise…”

Certainly, while things like castor beans are good for mass cultivation, venomous creatures are truly difficult to raise without knowing each one’s habits and ecology.

Reading disappointment in my expression, the clan head spoke in an understanding voice while patting my shoulder.

“If you’re willing, how would you like to take charge of this place? The family will provide whatever you need, be it money or venomous creatures – whatever you need caught, we’ll catch it all for you.”

“Do you really mean that?”

The clan head is offering to support my hobby.

The Central Plains’ psycho golden killing clan, the Sichuan Tang Clan.

They were a family that only made offers impossible to refuse.

My dizziness from the ricin was momentary.

At the offer of full support for my hobby, I thought that people live everywhere, and if they’d fully support my hobby, wouldn’t that be a kind of paradise in its way?

Like having the latest computer with a zero gravity chair and large screen, and daily chicken – that would be paradise.