“What poison is it?”
Geom Muyang’s heart sank.
He truly never imagined that So Jeong-rak would have poisoned his younger brother.
The man was someone who had neutralized the Five Despairs Divine Poison administered by the Poison King.
How could a poison from such a person be ordinary?
“Hurry and tell me! What poison is it?”
It was the first time Geom Mugeuk had seen his brother so agitated.
He hadn't even been this worked up when he lost the position of successor.
“To think your agitated face could be this moving.”
“You brat! Stop messing around!”
Geom Muyang was genuinely angry.
Staring at his brother’s surprised, agitated, and angry face, Geom Mugeuk spoke calmly.
“Brother, I’m fine.”
Geom Mugeuk’s gaze was calm.
His posture and the aura he exuded didn't feel like those of a sick person.
“You were poisoned, how can you be fine?”
“To me, liquid poison is just water, and poison gas is like smoke from a campfire. No, it's less than that. It doesn't even make my eyes sting.”
“Stop with the nonsense!”
“I’m Immune to All Poisons.”
“Right, you’re immune to all... What did you just say?”
What?
Geom Muyang’s eyes widened as he stared at Geom Mugeuk.
What did I just hear? Seeing his brother’s expression, Geom Mugeuk said again.
“I said, I’m Immune to All Poisons.”
For a moment, Geom Muyang was speechless.
He knew better than anyone how strong his brother was, what a heavenly martial genius he was born as, and how special he was.
But Immune to All Poisons?
Being Immune to All Poisons was a completely different matter from what he had just mentioned.
Even in the history of the Martial World, the number of martial artists who achieved a body Immune to All Poisons could be counted on one hand.
It meant it was that difficult to achieve.
A level of mastery that could only be reached not by a simple fortunate encounter, but one bestowed by the heavens.
That was what Geom Muyang thought of a body Immune to All Poisons.
That was why he suspected it was his brother’s prank until the very end, but he could tell from Geom Mugeuk’s utterly serious gaze.
It was the truth that he was Immune to All Poisons.
Words that proved it followed.
“If I wasn’t Immune to All Poisons, I would have taken on this task no matter what. I wouldn’t have entrusted such a dangerous job to you.”
No wonder he had been so insistent on making him play the role of the patient.
Geom Mugeuk smiled and added a joke.
“Even if you want to kill me, you can’t do it with poison.”
Geom Muyang felt no jealousy.
In fact, he felt good.
It was because he had lost the fight for succession to a brother with such a grand destiny.
“How did it happen?”
“I was lucky enough to have a fortunate encounter while rescuing Pavilion Lord Seo of the Underworld Pavilion.”
Perhaps this was the reason the heavens were helping his brother, he thought.
The Young Cult Master of the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect was living a life of saving others, not killing.
How could the heavens not take notice?
Every time he stopped him from breaking a tavern table, every time he ran to save someone, pieces of a fortunate encounter for his brother might have been gathering one by one.
“What does it mean that So Jeong-rak poisoned you?”
“It means the bastard is a user of Poison Arts.”
At the same time, it also meant that the place backing the Heavenly Wandering Hermit was definitely the Enlightened Heart Clinic.
Geom Muyang recalled So Jeong-rak.
He remembered his devoted appearance, caring for patients.
He also remembered him passionately teaching his junior physicians.
“Was that all an act?”
At Geom Muyang’s doubt, Geom Mugeuk’s gaze deepened.
He wished it was all just an act and a performance.
“Or maybe, as he was acting, it became his real life.”
He could feel that dealing with this So Jeong-rak would be as difficult as dealing with the Heavenly Wandering Hermit, Hwa Yul-cheong.
After all, he had to deal with a man who lived such a respected life right in front of the Martial Alliance headquarters.
“Let’s go back for now. We need to discuss this with the Poison King and the Demon Buddha.”
*
When the two entered the manor, Geom Mugeuk burst into laughter at the sight before him.
The yard was filled with drying herbs.
He didn’t have to see to know.
He could tell how much their Demon Buddha had been exploited for labor during the three days they were at the clinic.
“We’re here.”
As Geom Mugeuk spoke loudly, the Demon Buddha came out of the building first.
“You’ve returned?”
The Demon Buddha was relieved to see Geom Muyang was safe.
Geom Mugeuk wasn’t one to let that slide.
“I’m here too! The Acting Cult Master who faithfully carried out his role as the patient’s guardian is also here.”
Regardless, as the Demon Buddha was about to turn and go back inside,
“An Acting Cult Master who even got poisoned.”
The Demon Buddha flinched and turned around.
He looked at Geom Muyang instead of Geom Mugeuk.
Instead of telling his brother not to play such pranks, Geom Muyang gave a slight nod.
At his reaction, a golden light erupted from the Demon Buddha’s body.
“Poison King, please come out for a moment.”
He called for the Poison King first.
“This is too much. You judge based on my brother’s reaction rather than my words!”
Ignoring Geom Mugeuk’s words, the Demon Buddha shouted once more.
“Come out now!”
Then, the Poison King came outside.
“The Acting Cult Master says he’s been poisoned.”
Belying the urgency of his words, the Poison King was unconcerned.
Instead of examining Geom Mugeuk, the Poison King crouched down, examining the poisonous herbs spread out in the yard, and said.
“He must have done something to deserve it.”
At that reaction, as the Demon Buddha felt puzzled, Geom Mugeuk spoke from behind.
“Demon Buddha, I am Immune to All Poisons.”
The Demon Buddha turned towards Geom Mugeuk.
Geom Mugeuk looked at him with a serious gaze, but the Demon Buddha once again tried to ascertain the truth through Geom Muyang.
Geom Muyang nodded.
There was no more certain answer than this reaction.
‘Truly surprising and amazing!’
Now, the Demon Buddha could understand the Poison King’s reaction.
“So the Poison King already knew.”
The Poison King nodded.
In the past, when Geom Mugeuk took the Heavenly Qi Pill, the Poison King had revealed it then.
That he already knew he was Immune to All Poisons.
Geom Mugeuk didn't bother to hide the secret from these two.
“Now there are two more people who know the secret. Oh, Pavilion Lord Seo knows too. He was with me when I obtained the fortune of becoming Immune to All Poisons.”
He had no intention of deliberately boasting about it, but in this situation where he had to face Poison Arts, he had no thought of deceiving his brother and the Demon Buddha.
The Demon Buddha wasn't pleased about being told the secret.
Instead, with a serious expression, he urged Geom Mugeuk.
“From now on, do not tell this to anyone else. Don’t think that because you told me, you have to tell the other Demon Sovereigns for the sake of fairness. As of today, this matter becomes an eternal secret. Promise me.”
How could Geom Mugeuk not know what he meant by this? He was trying to ensure this secret didn't leak any further, for the sake of his promise.
The fewer people who knew, the safer it was.
“I promise you, Demon Buddha.”
Geom Mugeuk bowed his head respectfully.
The reason Geom Mugeuk liked and respected the Demon Buddha was because of moments like this.
He had every right to hate him since his dream was crushed because of him.
Yet, he was genuinely worried about him like this.
He might be short, but the Demon Buddha had a heart bigger than anyone else’s.
Geom Muyang was just as grateful to the Demon Buddha.
When he heard his brother say he was Immune to All Poisons, he himself hadn’t thought this far.
He still had much to learn from the Demon Buddha.
Geom Mugeuk reported to the two Demon Sovereigns.
“The fact that he poisoned me means he knows my brother’s and my identities.”
Geom Muyang tilted his head.
“Then why did he only poison you? If he wanted to kill, he would have tried to kill me too.”
Moreover, didn’t So Jeong-rak detoxify his poison? He detoxified him but poisoned his brother.
Something was inconsistent.
Geom Mugeuk looked at the person who could provide the answer.
It was the Poison King.
He was still moving around, examining the poisonous herbs spread in the yard.
“Usually, when poison enters the body, the body eliminates the toxins on its own. But this time, I brought the poison back with me, leaving it in my body.”
At the words that he had brought back poison, the Poison King rose from his spot and approached Geom Mugeuk.
He had the Demon Buddha and Geom Muyang step back.
“Let’s see what kind of poison it is.”
Geom Mugeuk extended his hand forward.
Ssssssk.
A very small droplet formed at the tip of Geom Mugeuk’s finger.
He had expelled the poison left inside his body.
Geom Mugeuk wasn’t just a simple poison-immune body.
Having reached the pinnacle of martial arts, Geom Mugeuk could display even this level of mastery.
The Poison King fanned his hand, smelling it, and immediately identified the poison.
“It’s Three-Day Life.”
Geom Mugeuk also knew of Three-Day Life.
He had once helped the Poison King in the Thousand Poison Forest.
He learned a lot about poisons then, and Three-Day Life was one of the poisons he learned about at that time.
Whoosh.
The Three-Day Life on his fingertip burned away with extreme yang energy.
“So he wasn’t trying to kill me.”
Three-Day Life was a terrifying extreme poison that would cause death on the fourth day if an antidote wasn’t taken within three days of being poisoned.
That’s why it was called Three-Day Life, as you could only live for three days.
“If he simply wanted to kill me, he would have used a poison that kills on the spot. No, since he has to avoid attention, he would have used a poison that would kill me tonight or tomorrow morning. But to use a poison that kills after three days means?”
Geom Mugeuk’s gaze turned to the Poison King.
“It seems So Jeong-rak knows that you were the one who poisoned my brother.”
His gaze, which had been on the Poison King, now turned to his brother.
“You asked why he only poisoned me and not you? That man wanted to say this to the Poison King.”
His gaze returned to the Poison King as he relayed what he thought So Jeong-rak’s intention was.
“I have detoxified your poison, so now, you try to detoxify mine.”
For a moment, the Poison King laughed as if it were absurd.
“So he was testing me.”
Three-Day Life was one of the most difficult poisons to detect after being poisoned.
The most appropriate poison to use for a test.
“What if you hadn’t discovered I was poisoned within three days? The Poison King would have been held responsible for failing to prevent the successor of our Main Sect from being poisoned right under his nose.”
Even if his father forgave him, it was something the Poison King could not bear.
For a fleeting moment, a cold chill formed in the Poison King’s eyes before disappearing.
“Of course, you would have recognized it, naturally.”
Geom Mugeuk believed it.
No matter how much the Poison King was looking elsewhere, no matter how distracted he was, the Poison King would have recognized it.
He might not notice if his own arm was cut off while looking at poisonous herbs and insects, but there was no way he wouldn’t notice that he was poisoned.
It was a matter related to poison, after all.
“Have you ever met So Jeong-rak before?”
At Geom Mugeuk’s question, the Poison King shook his head.
He had only heard rumors that there was a highly skilled physician in Wuhan.
“I don’t know what his scheme is, but he has issued a challenge to you, Poison King.”
He thought the Poison King would immediately say he would go find him at the provocative word "challenge," but surprisingly, he showed no reaction.
He crouched down again and began wrapping the well-dried poisonous herbs in paper.
This is the Poison King I know.
That's right.
If you react, you lose.
The Demon Buddha crouched down beside him and started to help.
The Poison King showed him how to wrap the poisonous herbs.
The Demon Buddha began to wrap the herbs as he was taught.
His hand movements were so skillful and neat it was hard to believe he had only been taught once.
“I plan to visit So Jeong-rak again in three days. If I go there perfectly fine, he will think the Poison King has detoxified me. I intend to see what other poison he will administer and confirm their intentions through him.”
Geom Mugeuk said to the Poison King.
“Later, please take care of the finishing touches, Poison King.”
That would be what the Poison King wanted.
Since the scoundrel challenged him with poison, the Poison King must see it to the end.
The Demon Buddha was more tense because the Poison King showed no reaction.
Hadn't he experienced it several times in his life? People like this were truly frightening when angered.
Just then, the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion martial artist who always delivered messages arrived.
“Urgent dispatch.”
He handed the urgent dispatch to Geom Muyang and retreated.
After checking the contents, Geom Muyang announced the news with a surprised face.
“The Demon Prohibition Order has been broken.”
Everyone was startled at the words that the Demon Prohibition Order was broken.
Even the Poison King, who had not reacted much even when challenged with poison, shot up from his spot.
The Demon Buddha had already stood up before him.
“Who broke it?”
To the Demon Buddha’s question, Geom Muyang answered.
“It’s not one person. It’s the Demon Flame Lord and the White Bone Soul Demon.”
They were demonic practitioners from the previous and the generation before that, whose names alone could plunge the Martial World into fear.
And the most important content was the last sentence of the dispatch.
“They are coming here, to Wuhan.”
A heavy silence fell for a moment.
In a situation where they had to deal with Hwa Yul-cheong and So Jeong-rak, individuals with notorious reputations completely opposite to them were coming.
“It’s unknown which route they are taking or when they will arrive.”
Their martial arts were so profound that they probably couldn't be tracked properly.
Geom Muyang asked the Demon Buddha.
“I understand that those under the Demon Prohibition Order have a seal placed on them.”
The Demon Buddha nodded and replied.
“That’s right. If they release their inner energy on their own, they will die within a few days. Seven days at most.”
A trace of anger appeared on the Demon Buddha’s face.
“It seems those old geezers are determined to throw away their lives.”
Breaking the Demon Prohibition Order wasn’t just about breaking a rule.
It was a violation of the most strictly forbidden Cult Master's order, making it the greatest of all grave sins.
They were prepared to die?
Geom Mugeuk’s thought was different.
It would be better if they had gone senile in their old age or were planning to burn out one last time before dying.
“Or there's a way for them not to die.”
Individuals like the Demon Flame Lord and the White Bone Soul Demon were people who valued their reputation.
“If they were the type to break the Demon Prohibition Order just to enjoy a mere seven days of freedom before dying, they would have caused trouble long ago.”
Therefore, there was only one reason they had moved.
“The masterminds behind them promised to release their seals.”
The three who were listening nodded.
Right, if not for that, there was no way two of them would have moved at the same time.
“Is there a possibility that they have already been released from the seals?”
At Geom Muyang’s question, Geom Mugeuk shook his head.
“To use those old demons, they wouldn't have released them beforehand. Instead, they would have given them the conviction that their seals could be released.”
What kind of trust was given to move these old demons?
Geom Muyang said worriedly.
“The target will be you.”
Geom Mugeuk shook his head.
“If that were the case, So Jeong-rak would have administered an extreme poison that would kill me instantly.”
“If you’re not the target, why are they being drawn to Wuhan?”
There was clearly another purpose.
The first reason that could be considered was this.
“First, the person who can release their seals must be here.”
They would have to fulfill the masterminds' demands and have their seals released within seven days.
They didn't have much time.
“If they come and kill the Righteous Path masters in Wuhan? Then how will the martial artists of the Righteous Path view this situation?”
He, his brother, the Poison King, and the Demon Buddha were already in Wuhan.
What if it becomes known that the notoriously infamous old demons from past generations have joined them? Fear and hatred would move the Righteous Path Martial World.
“I don’t know exactly what their purpose is, but.”
Geom Mugeuk calmly added with a deepened gaze.
What was frightening about the two old demons coming here was not their terrifying martial arts.
“The ones who are coming have no place to return to.”