I Became an Evolving Lizard in a Martial Arts Novel-Chapter 328:

I Became an Evolving Lizard in a Martial Arts Novel-Chapter 328:

Dan Hwa-Yeon, the Master of Odukmun, was a genius worthy of the title.
That an outside sect could be compared to the Tang Clan of Sichuan was due in no small part to her.
Even that alone showed just how high she and Odukmun stood.
Unlike the Tang Clan, which wore the mask of an orthodox sect, Odukmun had no such pretense.
They simply pursued stronger poison—by any means necessary.
Make Odukmun great again, through more potent venom.
They were a group obsessed with concocting more powerful poisons without regard for method.
Because of this, Odukmun was sometimes said to surpass even the Tang Clan in terms of instantaneous firepower.
Of course, members of the Tang Clan would scoff at such claims, but even they could not deny that Odukmun's firepower was formidable.
However, their actual skill in handling poison was abysmal.
All they did was gather venom and shoot it, or coat hidden weapons in poison and fling them.
In terms of raw firepower, they were on par with the Tang Clan, but their poor ability to control and utilize that power meant they could never defeat the Tang Clan.
But Dan Hwa-Yeon, the current sect leader, overcame that weakness.
She recruited countless venomous creatures and maintained Odukmun's overwhelming firepower while also developing its own distinct techniques.
Now, she could unleash high-level techniques incomparable to the Odukmun of the past—spreading poisonous veils and launching energy shaped like massive serpents.
Because of this, she was called a genius of poison, and she fully acknowledged it.
So confident was she that she believed she could even defeat [N O V E L I G H T] the Tang Clan. Odukmun was experiencing an unprecedented golden age.
And the venomous beasts she had brought in were no ordinary creatures.
With the depleted spiritual energy of the Central Plains, it was virtually impossible to create venomous creatures of that caliber, so when it came to the quality of venom beasts, Odukmun was undeniably superior.
Stronger toxins, evolving techniques, and higher-quality spiritual beasts.
It wasn’t unreasonable to say that Odukmun had surpassed the Tang Clan.
And the one responsible for that reputation was none other than Dan Hwa-Yeon.
She planned to repel this invasion, seize the momentum, and then storm the Tang Clan directly.
According to a letter from Kunlun, a great war was imminent, and she had even been asked to oppose the Tang Clan, receiving support like Heumwon, the venomous hornet, in return.
She didn’t know exactly who was backing that request, but since their goal of destroying the Tang Clan aligned with hers, she didn't reject the offer.
However, her plan began to falter—the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace had pulled out.
She had offered them a significant share of the spoils, only for them to insult her with talk of “prior arrangements.”
As clever as she was, the master of Odukmun immediately understood their intention.
There were no prior arrangements. They were telling her to screw off.
After everything she had given them—the venomous beasts, the spiritual beasts—and they threw her aside like used trash?
Ever since she personally took down the previous sect leader of Odukmun, she had invested a great deal in her relationship with the Beast Palace.
She made a decision.
Once this matter was resolved, she would crush the Beast Palace before the Tang Clan.
It wasn’t a decision made in a fit of emotion.
She had been thinking it ever since she rose to the position of sect leader.
To make it so that no one could look down on Odukmun.
To create a world where just hearing the name Odukmun would make people tremble.
Because of that, the Beast Palace's response was a grave insult—and one she would definitely correct.
And so she arrived at Galdokmun and joined the fray, displaying the full power of a sect master.
Spider silk stronger than steel.
As she expected, Anansiv had joined the enemy.
Anansiv was undoubtedly a powerful spiritual beast, but Dan Hwa-Yeon had already prepared a way to counter her.
She had never believed a creature like that would remain under her control forever.
She had analyzed Anansiv’s poisons and threads and created a venom especially lethal to her.
So dealing with Anansiv would not be difficult.
The same applied to the blue and red serpents among the snake group.
They were formidable, yes—but they were not the strongest of serpents.
She had already prepared poisons specifically to subdue them.
It was painful that some powerful venomous beasts had ended up in the enemy’s hands, but as the sect master, she wasn’t threatened.
Before a master of Hwagyeong who had reached the pinnacle of the poison arts, no amount of venomous creatures could inflict real damage.
Especially since she already knew most of their properties.
She spread a veil of poison and split the battlefield.
To protect her disciples—and to overwhelm the enemy by demonstrating her unmatched power.
Then her eyes fell on the Tang Clan’s flower.
Brown hair and green eyes.
Not fully bloomed yet, but she instantly recognized that it would one day blossom beautifully.
Facing Yubin Poison Flower, Dan Hwa-Yeon broke into a cold sweat.
The fierce aura she had been exuding lost its edge.
She was witnessing something she had never even imagined.
She already knew that Yubin Poison Flower was a peerless genius.
She had confirmed that the girl had been pretending to be a physician and training her ability to control spiritual beasts beneath the surface.
For someone not yet even past her coming-of-age to display such talent was enough to call her a prodigy.
But the reason Dan Hwa-Yeon was shocked was something else entirely.
She couldn’t sense any inner energy—just like Yubin Poison Flower’s flat chest, there was nothing there.
It was impossible.
For someone like Dan Hwa-Yeon, a master at the level of Hwagyeong, to be unable to read an opponent’s power meant only one thing—that the opponent was in a completely different league.
A young woman, not even past her prime, had that kind of level?
She thought the girl had secretly trained her spiritual beast-handling power while hiding as a physician.
That alone was shocking, but it turned out even that had been a smokescreen.
With snake-like eyes, Dan Hwa-Yeon possessed the ability to instantly discern the level of any martial artist above first-rate.
Yet what she saw in Yubin Poison Flower was nothing more than a flat rock.
She felt nothing—and that was what made it all the more terrifying.
Just what kind of power did she possess to be invisible even to Dan Hwa-Yeon?
She forced herself to hide her fear and shifted her gaze.
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
Though her opponent was above her level, she still held onto the hope that she could stop her using all of Odukmun’s strength.
And where her gaze landed—stood a black lizard.
A lizard with black scales and blue eyes.
Covered in thick white fur, with an aloof expression, staring straight at her.
The moment she saw that lizard, Dan Hwa-Yeon felt a shiver run through her for reasons she couldn’t explain.
A faint ache in her lower abdomen.
Her body trembled involuntarily, and she felt like she might surrender at any moment.
Pride no longer mattered.
Compared to Tang So-Yeong, who already surpassed her level, that lizard made her feel like she couldn’t even consider resisting.
She moved like the wind and collapsed flat on the ground.
“B-But... I’m just third-rate right now...!”
She unconditionally declared her surrender.
At least, thanks to the veil, her disciples didn’t witness her disgrace—and that was a small comfort.
*
“Ohohohot! So you finally know your place now, Odukmun!”
So-Yeong tossed her hair excitedly.
Is she seriously under the impression that she's the strong one here?
I should toss her in with those spiders someday.
“But even so... it doesn’t erase your crimes.”
So-Yeong continued in a serious tone.
“Did you really think our Sichuan Tang Clan didn’t know? That the reason the radicals have been gaining strength was because of the spies you planted?”
“I... I’m sorry....”
A master of Hwagyeong groveling before a second-rate martial artist.
I thought there’d be a fight, but this is turning out simpler than expected.
Now that their leader has surrendered, what more needs to be done?
We’ll strip them clean, then lead the group on toward the Beast Palace.
I’ll leave the punishment of this one to So-Yeong.
Not that she’ll deal with her right here—we’ll do something about her energy center and then relocate her to my domain.
Still, this matter’s a bit weighty for So-Yeong to handle alone, so we should call in more Tang Clan members before making a decision.
If that’s not possible, we’ll at least need a written directive first.
“What should we do with her? Should we start with de-hair poison—no, wait, hair-growth poison to make her sprout monkey fur everywhere?”
...That’s kind of a cute punishment.
Wait, hair-growth poison?
Does that even count as poison?
Shaolin would probably beg us for it nonstop.
“H-Hiieek....”
“Or how about a poison that makes her go to the latrine twenty times a day... and completely lose control of her bowels?”
Yeah, that one’s not so cute.
“Of course, we’ll administer Lord Go’s special detoxifying poison first, so don’t get any ideas about resisting.”
...Why’s she dragging me into this?
Still, So-Yeong’s being surprisingly nice.
A typical martial artist would’ve gone straight for the energy center in the name of clan revenge.
The Odukmun Master flinched at So-Yeong’s words, but her eyes went wide at the mention of “Lord Go.”
Then she stared straight at me...
Hey! I only pushed So-Yeong forward so I could keep my identity hidden! Why would you say that out loud?
Not that it really matters now that everything’s settled.
“L-Lord!”
The Odukmun Master turned toward me in a hurry.
“I’ll offer up all our inner cores and elixirs!”
Seems she’s figured out So-Yeong won’t listen, so now she’s trying to talk to me instead.
“Gekek.”
Lady, I’m a lizard.
“P-Please... have mercy....”
“Ohohot! Master of Odukmun! Do you really think Lord Go would fall for something like that?”
Elixirs and cores are just a quick shake away if I really wanted them, so it’s not all that tempting.
Besides, I already know what kind of place Odukmun is—I can rob them blind without guilt.
“Tsk, but seriously. Why do you keep shaking that enormous royal butt like that?”
“I-I didn’t....”
“Silence! Hmph. Get up—no, kneel with your hands in the air.”
...That was kind of fun to watch.
Bit of a shame, really.
“Y-You’re Lord Go, right? This is a big misunderstanding! I may be the Master of Odukmun, but actually...”
Thunk!
So-Yeong made a loud sound with her mouth as she smacked the woman’s head with her palm.
She must’ve had a lot of pent-up resentment toward Odukmun.
Or maybe she’s just mad at the thunk sound.
“Please... not that horrifying poison...! I’ll do anything! I have so much to offer!”
Sorry, but everything you can offer is something I can just take whenever I want.
Maybe she sensed what I was thinking, because she started rolling her eyes around like crazy.
But no clever idea’s going to get her out of this.
Honestly, the fact that So-Yeong is doing anything like an interrogation at all is generous.
If my mother-in-law were handling this, she’d already be a cocoon.
“Ohohot! There’s nothing you can offer Lord Go! Just give up and—”
“...My body!”
Huh?
So-Yeong’s face twisted with disbelief at the sudden declaration.
The Odukmun Master didn’t miss her chance and continued quickly.
“My body may be humble... but I’ll give it to Lord Go!”
“Are you serious right now?! Do you really think our Lord Go is some lizard who’d fall for something like that?”
She hit the nail on the head.
Even I wouldn’t fall for that kind of advance.
Chak.
Still on her knees, she pressed her hands together in a desperate plea.
She couldn’t even meet my eyes, sweat pouring off her like rain.
“Kkerong kkerong kkerurung.”
...Barely managed to hold out.

Chapter 328: