I Became an Evolving Lizard in a Martial Arts Novel-Chapter 337

I Became an Evolving Lizard in a Martial Arts Novel-Chapter 337

Of course, Dan Hwa-Yeon did put up some resistance.
Even if she looks like this, she’s still the sect leader — she argued that in a situation like this, with such a major incident just having happened, how could she possibly leave her post?
She said she had to purge the remaining forces and rebuild the fallen Odukmun, so she couldn’t follow the Great Hero.
She had a point.
But... I didn’t think anything would go better just because Dan Hwa-Yeon stayed behind.
So her opinion was overruled.
Instead, Mother-in-law and the other poison beasts would remain here.
Anansi had been at Odukmun far longer than Dan Hwa-Yeon anyway.
And, frankly, she seemed a lot more competent.
Better to leave things to a professional than have a novice sect leader fumbling around.
Also, it didn’t look good to bring a massive group to the Beast Palace, so Jeoksa, Cheongsa, and the other poison beasts were staying behind too.
Not permanently, of course — after negotiations at the Beast Palace are done, I’ll bring them back.
Dan Hwa-Yeon would stay in Odukmun to resume her role as sect leader.
"Great Hero, sir...! Damn it... I’m in your debt!"
"Thank you~"
No, no — I’m taking you with me to my nest.
I’ve got a plan.
I’m going to catch a bunch of creatures similar to the winged lizard and use them as transportation for Gae Gak Sect.
Then, I’ll have them fly back and forth on a schedule between Odukmun and Gae Gak Sect — like a kind of shuttle service.
That way, even with Odukmun under my banner, I can manage the distribution of forces flexibly. There’s really no downside.
"Gegegek."
Sure, the winged lizard’s going to be busy — but I’m a boss who offers fair compensation.
This time I should try a carriage with triangle wheels.
Still, since this place was half-destroyed by my attacks, I couldn’t just leave it like that — I took a short rest and helped with the rebuilding as well.
With Grow-Grow Tree along, construction time was dramatically reduced.
"Heeheehee...."
And then there were the bicorns who naturally joined in and worked hard hammering away.
By now it wasn’t even surprising when they popped out of nowhere, but it was a bit curious that they didn’t immediately disappear again after finishing the work.
"Heehee... Valley of Torment visit... heehee... Amgeottarak... Tu-Ae-Su..."
They giggled as they wandered off somewhere, probably chasing some spectacle. Whatever — let them do what they want.
On the final day of construction, we held a feast.
And what kind of feast was it?
A meat soup feast made with my tail — the one that had absorbed Hydra’s neidan.
"Mimi! It’s a divine taste!"
"It’s delicious~"
Those tasting my tail for the first time had their faces buried in bowls, licking them clean.
It wasn’t just meat — it was basically ingesting a super elixir, no wonder it tasted good.
Some of the looks they gave me after tasting it got a little suspicious... but that’s on me for having such a temptingly delicious tail.
Mother-in-law, in particular, gently stroked my newly regrown tail several times... but I’ll just take that as a sign of affection from a loving mother-in-law.
Tus and Pus gave her sharp looks, and she reluctantly let go, as if to say “fine, fine.”
And so, the construction and celebration ended, and Anansi took over Odukmun’s reconstruction as acting leader.
Honestly, she’s more reliable than most humans and immeasurably stronger — I have zero °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° concerns.
Leaving Odukmun in their hands, we set off for the Beast Palace with the remaining members.
Not that there were many of us.
Just me, Tus, Pus, So-Yeong, Baekrang, Hoya, and Dan Hwa-Yeon.
Seven in total.
The only new addition from the original group was Dan Hwa-Yeon.
She was both Hoya’s replacement as guide and a bit of a statement.
The Beast Palace Lord would recognize the face of Odukmun’s sect leader.
So what would they think, seeing Odukmun’s leader among the emissaries from the Heavenly Demon Cult?
It would send the message:
“We sent envoys — and, oh, by the way, we also subjugated Odukmun on the side.”
It would be taken as a warning: “You too could end up like this.”
"The thought of riding on the Great Hero’s back... what a dream..."
Dan Hwa-Yeon, stuck to my back like a clingy noblewoman, seemed thoroughly thrilled by the experience.
I envy you all.
I’ve always wanted to ride on a giant lizard’s back too.
Baekrang was staring at her.
Did she want to say something?
Her tail swaying faintly suggests something’s on her mind.
"But hey... your skin turned dark again?"
Why are you starting a controversy all of a sudden?
Just because your skin’s pale doesn’t mean you can say stuff like that.
Even if this is some ancient martial world setting, that’s still too much.
"Ah, well, when I use poison techniques, my skin tends to return to its original tone."
"Really? So if I inject myself with poison, my skin will turn like yours too?"
"Not sure? It’d probably go purple, wouldn’t it...?"
"Hmm... alright then."
For some reason, Baekrang seems unusually interested in her skin.
Could she be planning to darken that porcelain skin of hers?
Silver hair with bronze skin...
"Gerong."
Not a bad combination, but I still like Baekrang the way she is now.
So I gently wrapped my tail around her waist.
"Ahh! Wh-What was that!"
I almost got turned into a popsicle lizard.
"Gegegek."
We passed the time with idle chatter, watching Tus, Pus, and So-Yeong squabble in the distance, when Dan Hwa-Yeon suddenly brought up a new topic.
"Um... Great Hero, why are we visiting the Beast Palace again?"
"Gek?"
Wait, I didn’t tell her?
I jabbed So-Yeong’s back with my tail.
This was supposed to be your job.
"Hyaack! Wh-Where are you touching?!"
...That wasn’t her back?
"Gegegek."
Pretended like nothing happened — admitting that would hurt her even more.
"So... is it for the conquest of Namman?"
That’s not it.
"Gekgek."
"...Hmph. Why are you looking at me like that?"
We met you because Hoya got lost.
"It’s just been a while, and she got confused. And now... now that you’re here, I don’t have to worry about directions anymore."
"W-What?!"
At last, Dan Hwa-Yeon realized the truth.
"Odukmun was half-destroyed... because of that kind of dumb mistake...?"
In other words, my attack on Odukmun was completely accidental.
I just happened to stumble across it.
Just happened to use the Gae Gak Death Beam.
Just happened to meet snakes who were friends with the Serpent Queen.
If Hoya had found the correct path, none of this would have happened.
"N-No... but thanks to the Great Hero, everything’s clean now. Yes, yes. It was destiny. We’ve been normalized!"
In the end, things somehow worked out for the best.
"...So you’re going to the Beast Palace to follow through? For the conquest of Namman?"
She stared at me with eyes full of strange anticipation.
Wait — are you even allowed to say Namman like that?
Couldn’t you use a cooler name like Daewol or something?
You’re from here — why are you calling your own people savages?
"You are doing it, the conquest of Namman!"
Why does that sound like “please go conquer Namman” to me?
"To be honest, I never liked the Beast Palace guys. When I became sect leader, they didn’t even congratulate me. And when I asked for reinforcements, they ignored me. Even the envoys I sent... wait, is this whole situation because they didn’t send help?"
Seems like Dan Hwa-Yeon has had issues with the Beast Palace for a while.
"So maybe... maybe the Beast Palace is actually a good place?"
Now she seems kind of into them.
This girl is all over the place.
She had that confused look like a floating question mark.
"This is so typical of Odukmun. Put those useless fatty chunks away and perk up those ears — I’ll explain why we’re going."
At So-Yeong’s words, Dan Hwa-Yeon tried desperately to compress her not-so-useless fatty chunks.
But when she shifted her shoulders, it only made things bunch up more.
"Kkerurung...."
As expected of So-Yeong.
Worried I might get bored, she even provides this kind of visual entertainment.
So-Yeong explained our objective.
"The Heavenly Demon Cult! Ah, no wonder your inner power felt so different... So the Great Hero is an envoy from there. Wait, then why is the Tang Clan even...?"
"It’s a long story. So basically—"
"Oh, no, I wasn’t actually asking."
So-Yeong’s expression got slightly sharper.
"So you’re visiting as an envoy from the Heavenly Demon Cult, huh? But the Great Hero is, uh... a spirit beast? A lizard? That’s gonna make communication tricky... don’t tell me someone like Tang-whatshername is the one doing the talking?"
It would be hard to hold a conversation while looking like a lizard.
We were almost there anyway, so it was time to change forms.
Puff.
With a burst of white smoke, my body slowly transformed.
Black scales became black robes, white fur turned into hair.
I hadn’t felt this sensation in a while.
My internal energy was draining fast — I didn’t want to stay like this too long, but with all the elixirs I’d taken, it should be fine for now.
Especially with negotiations ahead.
"E-E-Eek..."
Dan Hwa-Yeon started stammering when she saw my form.
Did she think I couldn’t turn human?
I guess it makes sense — I hadn’t shown this to anyone yet.
If it were someone else, I might’ve kept it hidden.
But Dan Hwa-Yeon had joined Gae Gak Sect — no need for secrets.
"Body."
Staring blankly, she finally blurted something out.
Body?
What’s that supposed to—
"A true man never breaks his promise with a single mouth! Great Hero, the vow to offer you my body... now is the time...!"
A dark-skinned martial goddess with tremendous inner power came charging at my face.
Damn, is this some kind of sorcery?!
I can’t move a muscle.
At this rate, my face is going to be buried in that terrifying—
Clang!
"Kieeeek!"
So-Yeong’s palm strike, sounding just like Tus and Pus, crashed down on Dan Hwa-Yeon’s head.
"Where do you think you’re going?! When Master Serpent Queen, Princess Snake, Red Dragon, White Wolf, Lady Geumji, Lady Miji, Lady Wanji, Sparrow Girl, Cho-Do, Docheol, and all the unmatched geniuses of the Tang Clan are patiently waiting their turn... you dare to skip the line?!"
...What the hell was all that?
"By the way, I’m right after Master and Lady Geumji. Keep that in mind."
Who decided that ranking?!

.
!
Chapter 337