In the mirror stood a strikingly handsome man with glossy black hair and jade-like skin.
"All this change in just one night?"
I'd seen my face in the mirror yesterday, but it was nothing like this.
"This is insane…"
I kept touching my face to confirm it was real. My cheeks had slimmed, my skin had cleared, and my features were nearly perfect in harmony.
I could walk into any top-tier talent agency and get a "Welcome aboard!" on the spot.
"Yuren, you owe me one. You've turned me into a peak heartthrob."
Ahem.
"Gah!"
Arin had slipped in, staring at me with her usual deadpan expression.
"Uh, when did you get here?"
"When you said 'peak heartthrob.'"
"…"
My face burned with embarrassment, but I played it cool and changed the subject as we stepped outside.
"What's the state of my room?"
"I don't know what you did, but the smell was so bad we had to throw out the clothes and carpet."
"Really? Good call."
I didn't even want to touch those things, so I was grateful she'd handled it.
"So, what was that black gunk?"
"It came up while I was training in my room."
"What?"
Arin slowly turned to look at me.
"You trained, and black gunk came out?"
"Yeah. It oozed out like sweat."
"No way! Did you become an aura user?"
"No chance."
She must be referring to the black sweat aura users supposedly expel when they awaken.
"You're right. When I became an aura user, I had black sweat, but yours was way more—like your whole body was drenched."
That's probably because Yuren's body was a mess before, and Ten Thousand Poison Magnetic Spirit's effects are exceptional.
"Exactly. Plus, I don't even know how to use aura."
"Right, you never studied it. Then what…"
"Don't worry. Bad stuff came out, so it's a good thing, right?"
"I suppose."
Arin kept eyeing me suspiciously. She's no fool—she knew I was hiding something but didn't press further.
"What's the plan today?"
"I'm resting."
"Good choice. You haven't slept in three days. Rest is wise."
"I will. You rest too. You haven't had a day off in a month because of me."
"I'll bring your meal first."
"Thanks."
Arin headed to the kitchen, and I returned to my room.
The door and windows were wide open, and the carpet tainted by my impurities had been replaced.
"Good, the smell's mostly gone."
Not completely, but close enough. A bit more airing out would do the trick.
"Hope I didn't get caught."
I checked under the bed—the poison herbs were still there.
"Gotta deal with these. Nowhere to store them. Should've had Peru hold onto them."
As I eyed the herbs, I heard light footsteps ascending the stairs—Arin's gait.
I shoved the poisons back under the bed and sat on it.
"Young master, here's your meal."
"Take the dishes later. I'm sleeping all day, so don't come back."
"Understood."
Arin glanced around my room, gave a slight bow, and left.
"Alright…"
With no one coming, I decided to eat all the poisons.
Yesterday, I wanted to but stuck to Hanyang Herb, fearing death with only 1st Star inner energy. Now at the 2nd Star, it'd be tough but not fatal.
Rustle.
I ground Yokrokpa and Mokjakyeop into powder and sprinkled them into the Chirein Soup Arin brought.
"This is nuts. Am I really doing this?"
The poison-to-soup ratio was about fifty-fifty, turning it into a thick, gritty toxic sludge.
A real poison soup with two bundles' worth of toxins…
With trembling hands, I took a spoonful and swallowed.
"Gah!"
Yokrokpa was blisteringly spicy, while Mokjakyeop had a bizarre sweetness. Spicy and sweet at the same time—wild.
[You have ingested poison (Yokrokpa).]
[Ten Thousand Poison Magnetic Spirit absorbs the poison (Yokrokpa).]
[Ten Thousand Poison Magnetic Spirit's mastery has increased.]
[Gut-Linked Poison unlocked.]
[You can now use Gut-Linked Poison.]
[You have ingested poison (Mokjakyeop).]
[Ten Thousand Poison Magnetic Spirit absorbs the poison (Mokjakyeop).]
[Ten Thousand Poison Magnetic Spirit's mastery has increased.]
[Truth Serum unlocked.]
[You can now use Truth Serum.]
[Soul-Killing Mist unlocked.]
[You can now use Soul-Killing Mist.]
The message windows flashed so fast I could barely keep up as the poisons unlocked.
Surviving was the priority now. I needed to activate my inner energy technique fast.
The soup was painfully spicy and oddly sweet, but I forced it down.
I'm screwed. These poisons are stronger than I thought.
My head grew foggy, like I'd taken a sedative, and my stomach felt stabbed by needles.
I collapsed to the floor and activated Ten Thousand Poison Magnetic Spirit. If Hanyang Herb was about building inner energy, this was about surviving by absorbing the poisons.
The toxins surged through me like crashing waves. I mobilized all the inner energy in my dantian to halt their rampage.
I'd cleared one hurdle. Now, I had to harness these toxins with my inner energy to make them my own.
Sighing inwardly, I began operating Ten Thousand Poison Magnetic Spirit. Despite excruciating pain and strange hallucinations, I didn't stop.
[Ten Thousand Poison Magnetic Spirit has reached the 3rd Star.]
How long had it been since the 2nd Star? I hit the 3rd Star in a single day.
"Haa…"
I untangled my cross-legged posture and sprawled out.
"That was insane. I almost died…"
Even with weaker poisons, consuming so much at once was practically suicidal.
If I'd done this at the 1st Star, I'd be dead.
Shaking my head, I tidied up. Outside, the sun had set, and a thin moon hung high.
"It wasn't training—it was a war."
Feeling pride in my effort and results, I opened the Sichuan Tang Clan menu to check the new poisons.
I went straight to the Poison category. Where only Paralysis Poison was available before, I now had four options.
I read the one below Paralysis Poison.
[Gut-Linked Poison] (Pain)
A poison that directly affects internal organs. As the name "Linked" suggests, once it enters one organ, it spreads to all. Victims feel the agony of hundreds of needles piercing their organs.
Hundreds of needles stabbing my stomach—I felt that earlier. It was hellish.
Mokjakyeop's confusion was tough, but Yokrokpa's pain was unbearable.
"Hm, Truth Serum."
[Truth Serum] (Confusion)
A drug that breaks down mental barriers, making it easier to extract the truth. It gradually saps the target's willpower and energy, rendering them lethargic. Stress increases the likelihood of confession.
"Just like the truth serums in dramas and movies."
It matched real-world truth serums but differed in being powered by inner energy, growing stronger with mastery.
"And Soul-Killing Mist."
[Soul-Killing Mist] (Confusion)
Creates a bewitching mist. Those who inhale it can't distinguish friend from foe, seeing everyone as their greatest fear.
"Soul-Killing Mist seems more dangerous than Gut-Linked Poison…"
Reading its description, it seemed perfect for warfare rather than one-on-one fights.
The explanations gave me a rough idea, but I'd need to test them to gauge their strength.
I climbed onto the bed, sinking into its luxurious softness, my body growing languid.
Exhausted mentally and physically, I decided to sleep and test the poisons tomorrow.
"Phew… time to sleep."
"Young master, time to wake up."
Morning had broken, and Arin arrived with a washbasin.
"You must've rested well last night."
"Slept like a log."
Arin nodded and left to fetch breakfast.
My body felt perfect—mind, body, and inner energy all in top shape.
After eating the soup Arin brought, she predictably prepared to head to the training ground.
"Arin."
"Yes?"
I called out as she gathered training supplies.
"It's the weekend."
"Right."
"Where do the knights train?"
"They avoid the first training ground and usually go to the second or third."
"Why not the first?"
"It might be reserved for sudden drills. Weekends aren't guaranteed days off for knights."
Then the first training ground was out. I'd pick between the second and third.
"Is the second training ground crowded now?"
"Yes. The Marquis Rox's knights are dedicated to improving, so many train even on weekends."
"And the third?"
"Not as busy as the second, but still fairly crowded."
"Let's go to the third, then."
"Why the third all of a sudden?"
Arin tilted her head, puzzled by my choice.
"Just want to check out the knights."
"Weren't you scared of them because of your past actions?"
"Ugh."
Arin's sharp intuition cut through, despite her blank expression.
"Scared? I don't do scared."
I puffed out my chest confidently. I might've been scared before, but not now.
Arin, trying to read my intentions, kept packing without pausing.
"Then let's head to the third training ground."
"Cool."
As Arin said, despite it being morning, the third training ground was bustling with knights training.
"Hm…"
As I arrived, resting knights turned their gazes toward me. Unrecognizing, they started whispering among themselves.
"They don't know who you are, young master."
"Guess I've changed a bit."
"Not a bit—you're a completely different person."
"Really?"
Even Arin, who saw me daily, acknowledged I'd transformed inside and out.
"Wow, that girl's gorgeous."
"Yeah, super pretty. Where have I seen her?"
"She's the young master's butler. Arin, right?"
Thanks to my inner energy, I could hear the knights' distant chatter clearly.
"Wait, then that guy is…"
"What!"
"That's the wastrel young master?"
"No way!"
"A month ago, he was a waddling pig!"
"What kind of magic turned that lump into that?"
They thought they were whispering, but my enhanced hearing caught every word.
The knights stared at me, wide-eyed with shock. I responded with a wicked grin.
"Plenty of test subjects here."