Translator: FenrirTL
Editor/Quality Checker: Saphartlantis
Murim Term Consultant: Kopke
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Chapter 256: The Martial World Will Be On Edge
There were many elixirs laid out on the long table.
It felt like I had stepped into a shop selling mystical medicines. Each elixir had its own distinct scent, and together, they blended into a unique fragrance.
The Poison King was completely absorbed in mixing medicines at a nearby table.
As I waited for him to finish, I browsed the elixirs displayed on the table.
Some of them were familiar, but most were not. There were far more than I had expected.
Eventually, the Poison King finished blending his medicine and placed it on the table.
“You’re here?”
“What were you working on?”
“I mixed the ones that work better when combined.”
Mixing these highly toxic elixirs to enhance their effects? Only the Poison King could pull off something like that.
“You went out to the Central Plains yourself?”
“If I didn’t, how would I have gathered these within just twenty days? I had to call in a lot of favors.”
It felt odd to hear the Poison King, who lived secluded in the Thousand Poisons Forest, talk about his network. It must be a precious and reliable one. And calling in favors meant he owed someone a debt.
“I owe you a great deal.”
The Poison King came closer and his eyes sparkled. As if to say, ‘So how will you repay me?’
“Call me whenever you need my help.”
“This won’t be just a one-time thing.”
“I’d be happy to see you more often, Poison King.”
He went to the end of the table, picked up the first elixir, and handed it to me.
“Here, start with this one and follow the order.”
It seemed he even had the consumption order planned out.
“What happens if I take them all at once?”
“With the Complete Poison Immunity, you won’t die, but it’ll cause absolute chaos inside your body. Just take them in the order I give you.”
Before consuming it, I asked the Poison King a question.
“How much is each of these worth?”
“Why? Don’t you trust me?”
“If I didn’t trust you, I wouldn’t have asked.”
It’s only polite to ask this of someone who would never deceive me.
The Poison King told me the price of each elixir. Adding up the total amount…
“It’s more than the money I gave you.” 1
“I couldn’t let the last one slip by, so I pitched in a bit.”
“A bit? Feels like you pulled out a pillar from the Thousand Poisons Forest.”
“Do you even know how many pillars there are in the Thousand Poisons Forest? Just take the medicine.”
The man who hates going outside had gone out himself and even spent his own fortune. How could I not like him?
“Well then, I’ll gladly take it.”
“The first one is Black Ocean Pill. After consuming it, circulate your energy through your major meridians.”
The moment I put the Black Ocean Pill in my mouth, my face instinctively scrunched up.
“Ugh! It’s so bitter. Why is it this bitter?”
“Well, it’s poison. Did you expect it to taste sweet?”
The Black Ocean Pill started to dissolve, and I began using the breathing technique of the Nine Calamities Demon Art to absorb it. The pill was potent, so the amount of energy I would gain was substantial as well.
“Next is the Violet Single Poison. It pairs well with the Black Ocean Pill, so there won’t be any clashes in your energy flow.” 1
He wasn’t giving me the weaker ones first. Each elixir was being administered based on its compatibility and properties.
“Now take the Soul-Snatching Pill.”
Just when I thought things were getting a bit better with the Violet Single Poison…
“This is too much, seriously. Ugh.”
As I tried to spit out what was in my mouth, the Poison King quickly covered it, preventing me from doing so.
After I was forced to swallow it, I spoke to him.
“You’re getting back at me for asking you to buy these elixirs, aren’t you?”
“If you wanted gentle and fragrant elixirs to fill your energy, you’d need to pay several times more.”
This was a privilege only someone with Complete Poison Immunity could enjoy.
“And you haven’t even had the truly bitter ones yet.” 2
I shot up from my seat, clasped my hands in farewell, and said, “One must learn to fight well even without internal energy. That’s what a true master is.”
As I tried to make my escape, the Poison King forced me back into my seat.
Half of me was joking, but the other half was serious. Exaggerating a bit, it felt like my tongue and insides were melting.
As the elixirs dissolved in my body and their effects spread through my entire system, I took another elixir.
“I figured you’d react this way, so this time, I prepared something sweet. Drink it.”
That sweet thing turned out to be the Thousand Blood Poison Water! 3
Even after that, I continued consuming more elixirs.
The Demonic Spirit Divine Pill, the Hundred Spirit Purification Powder, the Thousand Scorpion Essence Blood, the Black Yin Pill, the Yin-Yang Dual Poison Herb, the Heavenly Extreme Bliss Fragrance…
They were all elixirs I had either only heard about or never even encountered before. Some were given in multiples, while others were rare, with only one.
This was the first time I had ever consumed such a variety of elixirs in one go. No one else in the martial world had either.
“Are you sure I can take all of these?”
“How would I know? This is a first for me, too.”
The Poison King looked thrilled. He had never seen anyone absorb this many poisons at once either, so he was even more excited than I was.
Someday, this moment would surely be recorded in the book he was compiling. What title would he give it?
‘The Relationship Between Complete Poison Immunity and Toxic Elixirs?’
No, it would probably be something more like this:
‘How the Poison King Tormented the Complete Poison Immunity!’
Seeing how much he was enjoying this, he would definitely come up with such a title.
It took a long time to finish consuming all the prepared elixirs.
I would consume one, circulate my energy through my major meridians, then repeat the process again. I carefully dissolved the medicinal effects. By using the breathing technique of the Nine Calamities Demon Art, I absorbed more of the medicinal power than before.
There were moments when the toxicity and bitterness became so overwhelming that I thought I might actually die. Even though it was the same poison, ingesting it like this was a completely different experience from simply being poisoned.
“Here, this is the final elixir, the Divine Poison Pill.”
This was the one that the Poison King had spent extra money on. It was the most potent and powerful poison among all the ones I had consumed so far.
I used the Nine Calamities Demon Art to dissolve the Divine Poison Pill as well.
The medicinal energy surged through my meridians like water flowing from a valley into a river, and eventually into the sea. The energy transformed into internal energy and gathered in my dantian.
Even after consuming all the elixirs, I circulated my qi several more times, stabilizing the internal energy within my body.
Only after confirming that all the medicinal energy had been refined into pure internal energy did I slowly open my eyes. An immense amount of internal energy had accumulated in my dantian.
If not for the Poison King, I wouldn’t have been able to gain even a fraction of this internal energy with the same amount of money. Not only had I obtained high-quality elixirs at a reasonable price, but the order of consumption had been flawless as well.
Now, I was confident that no one in the martial world could match me in terms of internal energy. It wasn’t just the quantity that had increased. The purity of my internal energy had deepened to an incomparable level. This newfound strength would greatly aid me in mastering the Heavenly Time Secret Art.
I could tell how much more profound my gaze had become by the look on the Poison King’s face. In the next moment, however, he looked even more surprised. With my mastery at the Return to Simplicity level, my deep gaze returned to a calm, ordinary one in an instant.
“How much stronger are you going to get?”
I calmly responded.
“I will become strong enough to protect everyone.”
As I stood up, the Poison King spoke to me.
“We’re the ones protecting you. The Demon Supremes are here to protect the Young Cult Leader.”
I stared at the Poison King for a moment, then spoke abruptly.
“Poison King.”
He flinched for a moment. Unlike my usual polite demeanor, I now exuded a heavy authority.
“Then become even stronger!” 4
“!”
With that, I strode out.
As soon as I left, I peeked my head back through the open door. The Poison King was still looking at me with a blank expression.
“You’re not angry, are you?”
“Already acting like the Heavenly Demon?”
“Who else would let me play this kind of prank besides you?”
“There are plenty! Soma, the Blade Demon, that drunken bastard!”
I lowered my voice again, stern and resolute.
"The one I wanted to play this trick on was you, Poison King."
Beneath the jest, I added a sincere sentiment.
"Poison King, I will never forget your kindness today."
* * *
Even long after Geom Mugeuk had left, the Poison King remained deep in thought.
"You called for me?"
When the summoned Sangseon arrived, the Poison King made an unexpected statement.
"Report to the Heavenly Demon Pavilion that we are doubling the production of poisons in the Thousand Poisons Forest."
Sangseon was shocked. But that wasn’t all.
"Increase the intensity of training for the Poison Fangs. Join the training while teaching the others as well."
"That will make the martial world nervous."
Especially the Martial Alliance, which might even go into a state of emergency. They had always been particularly sensitive when it came to poisons, and they likely had been monitoring the Poison King’s recent acquisition of numerous highly toxic elixirs.
The Poison King stood up from his seat, and a black aura began to rise around him like a heat haze. This was Heaven’s Killing Poison Qi, the venomous aura that the Poison King emitted when he revealed his presence.
Shrouded in dark mist, the Poison King spoke in a low voice.
"Let them be nervous."
* * *
On the day of the appointment ceremony for the new leader of the Underworld Pavilion, the inspectors and enforcers from the pavilion came to escort Seo Daeryong.
Back when Geom Mugeuk had been appointed, Seo Daeryong had gone to greet him with the enforcers. Now, the roles had reversed. The inspector who came today was the most senior Special Investigator, Gok Myung.
"Lord, it’s time to go."
It must have felt strange for him, seeing a much younger person becoming the new leader. He likely wasn’t feeling too happy.
"Investigator Gok, I’ll be relying on you from now on."
"I will serve you with utmost loyalty."
"I’ve learned a lot from you since I joined the Underworld Pavilion, senior. I’ll put what you taught me to good use starting today."
Gok Myung, smiling pleasantly, made Seo Daeryong think to himself:
‘I wasn’t always like this.’
He used to avoid eye contact and immediately think negative thoughts about people. He would have assumed Gok Myung was smiling on the outside but cursing him inwardly.
But now, he was making an effort to convey sincerity, trying to understand the hearts of others.
When Seo Daeryong finally arrived at the Underworld Pavilion, escorted by Gok Myung and the enforcers, the inspectors and enforcers lined up in formation.
"Greetings, Lord!"
Seo Daeryong’s appointment as the new pavilion leader had been an unexpected promotion. Some of them weren’t entirely pleased, but there was one thing they all agreed on: Seo Daeryong had worked hard, and his abilities were undeniable.
At that moment, someone arrived to offer their support.
"Lord of the Pavilion, congratulations."
Hearing the voice from behind, Seo Daeryong turned to see Demonic Army Commander Jangho walking toward him. He hadn’t expected Jangho to attend, so he was surprised.
"Commander! You’ve come personally?"
"Of course, I had to."
There was a time when the two of them had shared drinks together at the Flowing Wind Tavern when Lee Ahn wasn’t around.
Now, they stood face to face as the Demonic Army Commander and the Lord of the Underworld Pavilion.
"Do you know something? I’ve always wanted to become a warrior like you, Commander Jang. That feeling hasn’t changed at all."
Jangho responded with his characteristic, hearty laugh. Seo Daeryong had always thought of Jangho as someone who stood firm, like a towering mountain. He vowed that he too would become a warrior like that one day.
The fact that the Demonic Army Commander had come personally to congratulate Seo Daeryong astonished the inspectors and enforcers.
Just then, another figure appeared on the scene.
It was Lee Ahn, who had come to offer her congratulations as well. Her arrival brightened the atmosphere, as her beauty radiated through the area. Moreover, now that her martial skills had reached a level that placed her among the true masters, the enforcers were left in awe—first by her beauty, and again by the sheer presence of her martial aura.
"Congratulations, Lord of the Underworld Pavilion," she said.
"This humble warrior thanks you."
"I always knew this day would come," Lee Ahn said with a knowing smile.
Seo Daeryong, in a loud whisper, replied, "I didn’t!"
Jangho and Lee Ahn both laughed.
At that moment, yet another person arrived. Upon seeing the new figure, the inspectors and enforcers immediately bent at the waist in unison to offer their respects.
"We greet the Young Cult Leader!"
Seo Daeryong, Jangho, and Lee Ahn also bowed respectfully.
Geom Mugeuk approached and, with a respectful nod, spoke.
"Congratulations, Lord of the Underworld Pavilion."
"Thank you, Young Cult Leader."
Seo Daeryong looked at Geom Mugeuk with eyes trembling with emotion.
Overwhelmed and unsure of what to say, Seo Daeryong remained speechless. But Geom Mugeuk simply gave him a slight nod, filled with trust. That was more than enough.
Gok Myung then stepped up to Seo Daeryong and said, "Everyone is gathered. Would you like to say a few words?"
Seo Daeryong, his heart racing, stood before everyone. He had rehearsed a short speech back at home, but even so, his nerves were overwhelming.
"The previous Lord of the Pavilion surpassed the limits of humanity. Now, a mere human is taking on the responsibility of leading the Underworld Pavilion." 5
Laughter erupted from the crowd.
"When the former Lord of the Pavilion took this position, they said something on this very spot. They said, ‘I don’t know if we’ll become happier or more miserable. But one thing is certain: our hearts will beat faster.’ The Lord kept that promise. My heart is certainly beating faster than it did before. I imagine yours are as well."
Everyone wore expressions of agreement. Geom Mugeuk’s Underworld Pavilion was a completely different organization from what it used to be. They had all received gratitude from countless people who had been freed from injustice.
“I can’t make your hearts race faster than the Young Cult Leader can. But I can at least do this much. Thanks to the Young Cult Leader, I will ensure that the fire in our hearts doesn’t cool down.”
Applause and cheers erupted from the crowd.
Just as Seo Daeryong was about to retreat after his speech, the final guest arrived to offer his congratulations.
His appearance startled not only Seo Daeryong but also Geom Mugeuk, Lee Ahn, and Jangho.
To their shock, it was none other than Gu Cheonpa who had appeared. With the Heaven-Extinguishing Saber strapped to his back, he walked forward with a commanding presence. The enforcers of the Underworld Pavilion grew tense as he approached with overwhelming force.
“Master!”
Instead of offering words of congratulations, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon unsheathed a saber he carried alongside the Heaven-Extinguishing Saber. Though it was a saber, it was slightly smaller than the one on his back.
He handed it to Seo Daeryong.
“Use this from now on.”
It was immediately clear that this was no ordinary weapon.
“This was the sword I used in my younger days.”
Seo Daeryong was stunned. A gift from his normally stern master? And if it was the sword his master had used in his youth, the value of such a gift was immeasurable. Overcome with emotion, Seo Daeryong felt tears welling up.
After handing over the saber, old man Blade turned and walked away without saying another word. 6
Seo Daeryong bowed deeply to his departing master, expressing his gratitude.
“Thank you, Master.”
The Blade Demon didn’t look back and left without another word.
The inspectors and enforcers looked on in shock. It wasn’t surprising for Geom Mugeuk to attend, given his close relationship with Seo Daeryong, but no one had expected the Blood Heaven Blade Demon himself to appear.
No one could ignore Seo Daeryong now. Even if they wanted to, they couldn’t. With the Young Cult Leader, a Demon Supreme, the Demonic Army Commander, and the most beautiful woman in the world all coming to congratulate him, who would dare disrespect him?
After bowing respectfully to Geom Mugeuk, Jangho, and Lee Ahn, Seo Daeryong turned around.
As he did, he strapped the saber to his back, just like his Master does.
With the inspectors and enforcers behind him, he proudly entered the Underworld Pavilion.
Geom Mugeuk, watching the sight of him walking confidently with the saber, saw in his back the image of the Blood Heaven Blade Demon himself. 7
1 : How about Violent Single ? Normies, go die and explode !!! Naaah, really, live happilly, just don’t rub it in.
2 : *Salute* It’s been an honor to witness your journey Mugeuk. Farewell. You will not be forgotten.
3 : *FATALITY*
4 : True. You will get ripped apart in the final battle at this rate.
5 : Lol, stabbing truth right at the start XDXDXD Oh well, it’ll help boost his popularity XDXDXD
6 : What a tsun ^ ^
7 : I feel so proud of our right hand man ^ ^ Let’s give him a thunder of cheers, guys !!!