All eyes turned to the Poison King.
In the Martial World, the Poison King was a mysterious being shrouded in all sorts of rumors.
It was said that if you were struck by the Poison King, you would die without even knowing you were poisoned.
They said that meeting his gaze would blind you on the spot.
It was said he could poison hundreds with a single drop of poison.
That he even slept in a tub filled with toxins.
Some said he was a hunchbacked old fiend; others claimed he was not a man at all, but a middle-aged woman.
He was truly the protagonist of all kinds of misunderstandings and distortions.
And today, the Thirteen Wolves of the Unorthodox Alliance and the warriors of the Extreme Blade Corps were seeing the Poison King in person.
They were astonished.
It was because they had never dreamed the Poison King would be such a young, handsome boy.
Even amidst the gazes pouring down on him, the Poison King was composed and proud.
The Poison King's gaze turned to Geom Mugeuk.
The look in his eyes was deep as he watched him for a moment.
“I greet the Young Cult Master.”
Normally, he would be the type to skip greetings and go dig for poisonous herbs under a tree somewhere.
But today, for Geom Mugeuk's sake, he showed a completely different side of himself.
“I greet the Poison King.”
Geom Mugeuk also politely clasped his fist and bowed.
The Poison King, with a solemn aura that overwhelmed his surroundings.
It was unfamiliar, yet new.
After first attending to Geom Mugeuk, the Poison King next paid his respects to the Unorthodox Alliance Leader.
“It is an honor to meet such a distinguished person.”
“I have heard much of the Demon Sovereign's fame. It is a pleasure to meet you.”
The Poison King calmly exchanged greetings with Baek Ja-gang as well.
Though he was a Poison King confined to his own world, at this moment, he stood on the boundary between his world and the one outside.
Baek Ja-gang was more nervous than when he fought the Martial King.
While he was confident he would not die at the hands of the Martial King, he had no such confidence against the Poison King.
He might be able to kill the Poison King, but in the end, he felt he would also die.
The Poison King was a being who instilled such fear.
But today, instead of wariness, he expressed his gratitude.
He owed him a great debt.
Even without asking, he knew who had detoxified the Yellow Springs Poison.
“There will come a day when I repay the debt I owe you today.”
“It was for the sake of our Main Sect's Young Cult Master, so do not trouble yourself over it.”
Was it really for me?
Geom Mugeuk was certain it was not.
The Poison King knew he was immune to all poisons.
Therefore, detoxifying the Yellow Springs Poison was not for his sake, but to save them.
Or perhaps, for the sake of the children.
The Poison King from before his regression and the Poison King now were the same person.
But he was living a completely different destiny.
Geom Mugeuk knew.
We all stand on a borderline.
Just as the Sword Sovereign who sought to become the Cult Master before the regression was no different from the Sword Sovereign now, who was devoted to his martial arts training, changing one's destiny did not require a grand catalyst.
There were others who had come with the Poison King.
Sangseon, who served him, and five poison gatherers also revealed themselves.
Sangseon had nine Poison Pouches, and the other poison gatherers had at least seven.
The peerless masters of the Thousand Poison Forest had truly come with him.
“How on earth did you get here?”
Sangseon answered for him.
“We received confidential information that a large amount of Yellow Springs Poison, a mass-killing toxin forbidden in the Martial World, was being moved towards the Unorthodox Alliance, and Grand Strategist Go asked us to investigate.”
He had come at Go Wol’s request.
Go Wol, who would have been looking out only for his own safety, must have considered the Yellow Springs Poison a significant threat.
Of course, the Poison King did not have to come himself.
Go Wol was not part of the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion, merely Geom Mugeuk's personal strategist.
He could have just sent his subordinates to investigate the Yellow Springs Poison.
And yet, he had come in person like this for Geom Mugeuk.
He must have really hated the idea of coming out.
‘Thank you, Poison King.’
Geom Mugeuk's gaze turned to the Poison King.
The Poison King was walking towards the children whose paralyzing points had been subdued.
Though there were several standing next to him, the Poison King deliberately walked towards a child standing close to the Martial King.
The Martial King glared coldly, but the Poison King, far from being afraid, paid him no mind at all.
It was as if he were saying, ‘Try to kill me if you can.
No, please, I dare you to try.’
The Poison King pulled back the child's eyelid and pulled out his tongue to examine it.
“He didn't use Gu Poison. He put the children under a suggestion through other means.”
Then, he examined the pouches the children wore on their chests.
“What a strange thing he's made. Sangseon, let’s take one of these. We’ll take it back and study it. But isn't this bag a bit large for children to be carrying?”
His words contained a reprimand for entrusting such a task to children.
Geom Mugeuk knew.
He knew how much the Poison King loathed those who used such mass-killing toxins indiscriminately.
As someone who cherished and loved the Poison Arts more than anyone, he utterly despised those who used poison recklessly.
And on top of that, they had used children.
At this moment, the Poison King must be feeling an intense desire to kill the Martial King.
If this had not been the Unorthodox Alliance’s affair, the Martial King would already be dead.
The Poison King deliberately walked past the Martial King and said, as if to himself.
“I heard earlier that you seem to be framing innocent people.”
To walk past him while saying such words was both a disregard and a provocation.
Though the Martial King was driven to the very end, he could not attack the Poison King even in this situation.
His conflict was palpable.
A deep conflict over whether or not to strike a blow against the Poison King who had ruined his plans.
But in the end, he could not bring himself to attack.
Because he knew better than anyone.
He knew what a terrifying master lay within that youthful appearance.
Even the Poison Overlord had feared the Poison King.
No matter how brave he was, he wanted to avoid a death where his internal organs melted away.
Geom Mugeuk felt it anew.
Why the people of the Martial World feared the Poison King the most.
Why the Poison King possessed the strongest deterrent to war.
The Martial King's gaze now turned to Baek Ja-gang and Bi Sa-in.
It was a shame.
If he had killed those two, the Unorthodox Path would have been in his hands.
Losing the fight, and losing everything with this defeat, was truly a regret.
In the end, his resentful gaze landed on Geom Mugeuk.
‘It’s because of him.’
The Poison King would not have come if it weren't for that Young Cult Master.
From the start, everything had gone wrong because of that Demon Sect’s Young Cult Master.
A hatred bloomed within him, a feeling that even if he had to die, he had to kill that man.
“I have one last request. Let me fight the Demon Sect’s Young Cult Master.”
Baek Ja-gang flatly refused.
“Don't be absurd.”
The Martial King provoked and taunted Geom Mugeuk.
“Are you going to remain a cowardly Young Cult Master?”
Geom Mugeuk looked at him and smiled.
When Bi Sa-in, standing beside him, also started to laugh, Geom Mugeuk asked, “Why are you laughing?”
“I’m laughing because that man seems to know so little about you. Ah, how wonderful it would be if you were the type to fall for such a goading tactic.”
Would it really have been wonderful? Bi Sa-in's head asked, and his heart answered.
No.
“How shameless. How can you even utter the word ‘cowardly’ after seeing these children?”
Despite Bi Sa-in's mockery, the Martial King only provoked Geom Mugeuk.
“Geom Mugeuk, fight me!”
Everyone looked at Geom Mugeuk.
With clear, deep eyes, he shook his head.
“That's not possible, because the Poison King here is not one to stand by if something happens to me. It would be less painful for you to simply die by the Alliance Leader's sword. If you're struck by the Poison King's poison, you'll die feeling the agony of your entire body melting. Isn't that right, Poison King?”
When Geom Mugeuk turned to look at the Poison King, he was no longer there.
He was squatting in front of an Extreme Blade Corps warrior some distance away.
“Move your foot, please.”
The Extreme Blade Corps warrior, startled, moved his foot, revealing a patch of grass behind it.
“Ah, I saw it correctly.”
The Poison King carefully dug up the poisonous herb.
Geom Mugeuk smiled faintly as he watched the Poison King, who had returned to his own world.
Everyone else might think there was some other meaning to the Poison King's actions, but no one would know.
That right now, he was genuinely engrossed in digging up poisonous herbs.
Just then, the Martial King unleashed a surprise palm strike.
An explosion erupted.
The Martial King’s palm strike was aimed at Geom Mugeuk.
Geom Mugeuk extended a hand, dispelling the Martial King’s palm strike, while still looking at the Poison King.
The Poison King was still digging up the poisonous herb, and Geom Mugeuk was still watching him.
The two of them completely ignored the Martial King.
“You bastard! I will kill you for sure!”
The Martial King's composure shattered.
He threw the dagger he wore at his side.
He displayed truly astonishing throwing daggers, but the dagger did not reach its intended target.
The one who deflected the dagger was Baek Ja-gang.
He would no longer stand by and watch the Martial King's desperate struggles.
“Look. Where in any of this is the grand thing you believed in, like immortality? There is only greed and regret.”
With the Poison King having appeared, he had no intention of dragging the fight out.
Baek Ja-gang immediately cornered him.
Swaeeeek!
Bang!
The Martial King, who had suffered a great wound on his arm, could not withstand Baek Ja-gang’s attack and was helplessly pushed back.
After being struck hard to disrupt his energy.
Fifth Form of the Tyrant Heaven-Piercing Sword Technique—Annihilation Form.
Baek Ja-gang's Sword Qi, which had been flying, split into dozens of blades around the Martial King.
There was nowhere to run.
Just as that final move was about to be launched at the Martial King.
Shwoooong.
A black hole appeared beneath the Martial King's feet, and he vanished as if sucked down into it.
Everyone was startled by the event that had transpired in an instant.
Left on the ground were his torn Immortal Divine Armor, tattered protective gear, blood-soaked clothes, and his gauntlet, the Martial King.
He had left behind everything he wore and vanished naked.
‘Someone rescued him!’
Baek Ja-gang raised his energy and scanned his surroundings.
But no matter how he looked, he could not feel any other presence.
Someone had used an astonishing evil art to spirit him away.
Baek Ja-gang looked at Geom Mugeuk.
His eyes asked if he could feel any energy, but Geom Mugeuk also shook his head.
“The secret technique used to save him is no ordinary one.”
There was no one among the Twelve Zodiac Kings who used such a martial art.
If the Illusion King were alive, perhaps.
‘Then who could it be?’
In any case, one thing was certain.
The mastermind behind this affair was definitely keeping an eye on the Martial King.
Perhaps it was only natural.
After all, the Main Sect, the Martial Alliance, and even the Wind Heaven Sect had all failed before.
‘It is someone who knows the Martial King’s character.
They watched until the very end and rescued him at the last moment.’
He could not tell who it was.
He did not know what situation they were in at this time.
Though the Martial King had escaped mid-fight, which should have been embarrassing and unsettling, Baek Ja-gang showed no such emotion.
His face displayed a confidence that said, if he appears again, I’ll just kill him again then.
“He bears a deep grudge against you, so be careful.”
“It seems that man was destined to die by my hand.”
Just then, the Poison King sent Geom Mugeuk a telepathic message.
—That will not happen.
—Pardon?
—I do not know where that hole that sucked him in leads, but it would have been better for him to die here.
Geom Mugeuk could tell.
The Poison King had already administered poison to him.
And a terrible, frightening poison at that.
—I figured he would die at the hands of the Unorthodox Alliance Leader before the poison spread.
It seemed the Poison King simply could not forgive the Martial King.
He had delivered a symbolic punishment to him for using poison by putting children on the front line, but in the end, it had become a practical punishment.
If the Poison King said he would die, he would surely die.
Geom Mugeuk trusted the Poison King's skill.
He also believed in the karmic retribution for the sin of using a poison that should not be used, in a way it should not be used.
—As expected! Our Poison King has foresight.
Just then, someone from the side shouted.
“Come on! I will kill at least one of you before I die!”
Sa Hon, flustered by the disappearance of his master, swung his sword in a final act of desperation.
It was at that moment.
Someone who had approached him silently from behind wrapped an arm around his neck.
Crack.
Before he could even resist, Sa Hon’s neck was broken.
The person who appeared from behind him as he fell like a scarecrow was Gwae-ak.
After recovering from his injuries through energy circulation at the place where the first fight had occurred, he had arrived late.
“Are you all right?”
At Bi Sa-in’s concern, Gwae-ak nodded.
“I’m fine.”
“That's a relief.”
Bi Sa-in looked at him with a sincere heart.
From now on, in his relationships with people, he would no longer judge hastily and make careless assumptions.
Bi Sa-in had desperately wished for this moment.
He had vowed that if he escaped the crisis, he would build all his relationships better.
He would not make the mistake of succumbing to laziness and annoyance when the time came to practice what he had preached.
From now on, I am Geom Mugeuk.
I will follow at least half of his efforts.
Hyeok Sa-gun, left alone, knew that biting his tongue to commit suicide was the only way to avoid pain, but he could not bring himself to do it.
He believed the Martial King would come to save him.
No, he had a premonition that he would not come, but dying was too frightening.
Bi Sa-in spoke to him coldly.
“You will have to pay the price for dreaming a futile dream.”
Hyeok Sa-gun was dragged away by the warriors of the Extreme Blade Corps.
The children were also escorted to the Alliance.
Thus, the long battle with the Martial King came to an end.
Baek Ja-gang said to Geom Mugeuk.
“For now, let’s return to the Alliance together. Even if we must part, we should at least have a farewell drink.”
He could not just let Geom Mugeuk, who had saved them, leave like this.
Geom Mugeuk gladly followed.
“Yes, let's go. Please give me the most delicious wine in the Unorthodox Alliance.”
Baek Ja-gang extended his hand, and the gauntlet, Martial King, which had fallen to the ground, flew into his hand.
Baek Ja-gang gave the Martial King to Geom Mugeuk.
“This is the only thing of any use. You should take this.”
He said it as if it were nothing, but the Martial King was the finest of all gauntlets.
It was a priceless artifact, a truly great gift.
He did not regret it at all.
It was terrifying to think what the result would have been if not for Geom Mugeuk.
“Why are you giving this to me?”
“You’ve come a long way, so sell it to cover your travel expenses. What? Don't you want it?”
“No way!”
Geom Mugeuk quickly took the Fighting God.
“I shall return in a golden carriage.”
This time, Baek Ja-gang spoke to the Poison King.
“Demon Sovereign, please come to the Alliance with us as well.”
“I have business to attend to, so I must bid my farewells now.”
The Poison King said his goodbyes to Baek Ja-gang.
Baek Ja-gang did not press him further.
He, too, did not wish for the Poison King and his poison masters to enter the Unorthodox Alliance.
Geom Mugeuk sent a telepathic message to the Poison King.
—Please go wait at the safehouse! I will visit you soon.
Don't leave first, let’s go back together!
He could go to the safehouse where Jo Chun-bae's family was resting and they could return together.
—Let’s dig up some poisonous herbs together on the way.
—Why didn't you bring your personal collector? I'm talking about that precious person you even prepare separate meals for, something you don't even do for the Young Cult Master.
—That person is busy these days.
The Poison King took his subordinates and left.
Watching his retreating back, Geom Mugeuk wanted to follow.
Please wait just a little longer, I will be there as soon as I finish things here.
After parting with the Poison King, Geom Mugeuk headed to the Unorthodox Alliance with Baek Ja-gang.
As they walked together, Baek Ja-gang asked, as if he had just remembered.
“You said you had a favor to ask of me once this was over, didn't you?”
Baek Ja-gang was curious what kind of favor it could be.
Bi Sa-in, walking alongside them, was just as curious.
He had said he had a favor to ask of him as well.
“Do you want a martial arts secret manual or an artifact stored in our Alliance’s treasury? Or do you desire an elixir?”
“No, that’s alright. What I want is for the Alliance Leader to come somewhere with me.”
“Where to?”
Then, words that Baek Ja-gang could never have imagined flowed from Geom Mugeuk's lips.
“I would like to treat you to a drink at my usual tavern in front of the Main Sect.”