Chapter 244: Because I'm Doing Nothing

TL: FoodieMonster007

The Demonic Buddha left the main prayer hall. It was time for a meal, so he expected Geom Mugeuk to be waiting at the entrance. Today marked the fifth day the Demonic Buddha had eaten with Geom Mugeuk.

They never talked about anything special. They exchanged a few meaningless pleasantries, ate, and then parted ways. Their meetings felt like a duel where opponents tested each other with feints.

Geom Mugeuk probably thought they were gradually getting closer, but he was sorely mistaken. The Golden Grand Operation? Why was someone else using his gold for an operation?

Sorry, but that operation is my operation.

The Demonic Buddha decided he would get closer to Geom Mugeuk. Then, he would turn the tables and persuade Geom Mugeuk to give up his claim to the Heavenly Demon's seat. This was the Demonic Buddha's plan.

If the Demonic Buddha could do that, he would not need to win over the other Demon Supremes. It was the fastest and most certain method.

Of course, Geom Mugeuk would not give up easily, but the Demonic Buddha saw a possibility because of Geom Mugeuk's personality.

The Second Young Lord is impulsive.

Geom Mugeuk was more emotional than anyone the Demonic Buddha had ever seen. That must be why the other Demon Supremes were won over. There was one more thing.

He's a man who always keeps his word.

Crucially, Geom Mugeuk wanted to end the succession battle peacefully.

There is definitely a chance.

The Demonic Buddha's life was not just spent chanting sutras. People said he was blinded by power because he had been diligently meeting people. He would use that experience to deal with Geom Mugeuk.

I'm different from the other Demon Supremes!

The Demonic Buddha steeled his resolve and left the Golden Buddhist Temple.

WHOOSH.

No one was at the entrance. Geom Mugeuk, who had waited for him every day, was nowhere to be seen.

Why didn't he come today? From what I've seen, Geom Mugeuk isn't the type to give up so easily.

The Demonic Buddha waited there for Geom Mugeuk for a while. He wondered if he had ever stood outside waiting for someone like this before.

Geom Mugeuk did not arrive, even after the Demonic Buddha's precious patience ran out.

Geom Mugeuk did not come the next day, or the day after. On the third day, the Demonic Buddha could not bear it any longer and went to Geom Mugeuk's residence.

What's going on?

There, the Demonic Buddha witnessed an unexpected sight. Geom Mugeuk was sprawled out like a corpse on a wide, flat rock in the yard.

The startled Demonic Buddha rushed over and looked down at Geom Mugeuk. Only then did Geom Mugeuk open his eyes. Their gazes met, one looking up and one looking down.

Geom Mugeuk asked, "You're here?"

"I thought you were dead," the Demonic Buddha replied.

"You must have been happy for a moment."

The Demonic Buddha sat on the edge of the rock.

Geom Mugeuk said, "It's comfortable here. Cool on the back, too. Why don't you lie down?"

"I'm fine."

Geom Mugeuk was clearly not his usual self.

The Demonic Buddha said, "You came every day, but then you stopped. I came to see if something was wrong."

Geom Mugeuk gazed at the sky for a moment, then spoke softly. "Three days ago, on my way to see you, Demonic Buddha, I happened to look up at the sky."

The Demonic Buddha's gaze naturally turned to the sky as well.

"A single bird was flying across the cloudless sky," Geom Mugeuk continued. "As I watched it, a thought suddenly struck me. I'm envious."

The Demonic Buddha looked at Geom Mugeuk.

"Why am I envious? I have movement arts. I can fly like that. I can even fly higher and faster. That's when I realized. Ah, I'm struggling."

This was a strategy, but one that contained Geom Mugeuk's true feelings.

"I've been running forward, only looking ahead," Geom Mugeuk said.

His life before regression was one thing, but he had run relentlessly even after returning. What he just said came from the heart.

The Demonic Buddha could not understand Geom Mugeuk's intention.

However, one thing was certain. The Demonic Buddha himself was someone who had only ever looked forward.

Born with a short stature, he did not want to die being mocked. He hated pity and help even more. He had gone through hell to reach his current position.

Second Young Lord, you wouldn't know what it means to only run forward.

Right now, the rock carried two men who had only ever run forward.

"I've been lazing around for three or four days since then," Geom Mugeuk said. "I'm sorry for not sending word."

To the Demonic Buddha, it did not seem like Geom Mugeuk was pulling a trick. A trick needed a purpose, and what could he possibly gain by lying here like a wreck?

Well, he has accomplished so much at such a young age. He must be tired.

The Demonic Buddha thought that if he used this exhaustion, he might make Geom Mugeuk give up the succession more easily than expected.

The Demonic Buddha subtly suggested, "How about taking a break for a while? Let go of the pressure of having to become the successor."

He prayed inwardly for a reply like, "Yes, I think I'll just give up on being the successor and all that."

However, Geom Mugeuk did not answer. Instead, he abruptly asked the Demonic Buddha a question.

"Aren't you tired, Demonic Buddha?"

Despite the sudden question, the Demonic Buddha did not reveal his feelings.

"I'm tired because of you," he said. "If you'd just back out of the succession race, I'd be full of energy."

Geom Mugeuk smiled faintly, then suddenly shouted. "Ah! That's the bird! The bird that ruined my meal with you, Demonic Buddha!"

A small bird flew here and there.

The Demonic Buddha asked, "How do you know it's that bird?"

"The way it flies is exactly the same. Look, isn't it saying, 'I'm so free, aren't you envious?'"

"To my eyes," the Demonic Buddha said, "it just looks like it's saying, 'My wings hurt so much from only flying forward, it's so exhausting.'"

Geom Mugeuk looked at the Demonic Buddha.

The Demonic Buddha still watched the bird. He had said it like a joke, but he was serious. He did not envy that bird at all.

Watching it flap its wings ceaselessly felt like watching himself. He was always busy, moving with the First Young Lord, meeting people, managing the mad monks, and training his martial arts.

It's because you're weak that you struggle. It's the mentally rotten who complain about being tired. He had lived his life with those words on his lips. The years passed quickly, making him more anxious and his life even busier.

So what I have left is…

After a long while lost in thought, the Demonic Buddha looked at Geom Mugeuk.

Sometime during his reverie, Geom Mugeuk had fallen asleep next to him. The Demonic Buddha was inwardly surprised to see him sleeping so close.

He trusts me this much?

The Demonic Buddha thought it was an act. The Second Young Lord was as cunning as a fox, so this had to be a trick to make him think he was trusted.

It won't work on me, Second Young Lord.

The Demonic Buddha rose from the rock without a sound.

It won't work on me…

As the Demonic Buddha walked far away, out of the residence, Geom Mugeuk spoke softly with his eyes still closed. "Demonic Buddha, let's just put down this whole successor business and everything. Let's get some rest."

I'll pull gently, so just let yourself be gently reeled in.

Geom Mugeuk did not visit the next day either.

The Demonic Buddha naturally made his way to Geom Mugeuk's residence.

Geom Mugeuk was not home, but a servant came out of the building just then.

"Where has the Second Young Lord gone?" the Demonic Buddha asked.

"He received a message from the Thousand Poisons Forest and went there."

"The Thousand Poisons Forest?"

The Demonic Buddha, who was about to return to his own residence, turned his steps toward the Thousand Poisons Forest instead.

Although many thought the Poison King was on the First Young Lord's side, the Poison King had not yet officially announced his support.

Since such a person had summoned Geom Mugeuk, the Demonic Buddha intended to go and see. He wanted to know what they talked about and how they interacted. His steps toward the Thousand Poisons Forest quickened.

I came to the Thousand Poisons Forest for the first time in a while.

On the way, I met several poison users. After I barked with the Poison King in the training grounds, their looks were varied. They ranged from 'We wholeheartedly support the Second Young Lord' to 'How dare you turn our Poison King into a dog!'

When I arrived at his residence, the Poison King was concocting something. As I got closer, I saw it was not a poison he had made before.

"That looks like an extraordinary poison," I said.

The Poison King was so engrossed in making the poison that he did not even answer.

It was nice to see him so completely absorbed in his own world after such a long time. I looked around the room for a moment.

This place was exactly as it used to be. Not just the furniture, but even the medicine bottles and tools on display were all in the exact same spots.

Then, a certain sight caught my eye.

"HEOK! This is!"

As I was so startled, the Poison King looked up.

"It's something I was eating before and left behind," he said.

It was still sitting there, just as it was.

Aigoo, please clean up after yourself! Instead of nagging him, I framed his laziness in a nice way.

"The more dangerous the things you handle, the more everything needs to stay in its familiar place. Is that it?"

At that, the Poison King turned his gaze back to the poison he was making and replied, "No. I haven't had time to clean because I've been making this since I got back. I should use that excuse next time someone says it's messy."

Since long ago, not even Sangseon could enter this space carelessly. The Poison King even did his own cleaning. Come to think of it, he had let me into a space that was exclusively his.

While I tidied up a bit, the Poison King completed the pill.

"It's done!" he exclaimed.

Seeing the flash of ecstasy on his face, it was clearly a poison that was not easy to make. It had a vibrant, colorful hue, like a flower.

"It looks potent," I said. "Who on earth are you planning to kill with this? The Murim Alliance Chairman? The Evil Alliance Chairman?"

Then, the Poison King abruptly held it out to me.

"Eat it."

"You're going to poison the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's Second Young Lord so openly?"

"Can't I?"

"Then my brother must be hiding behind that curtain."

Despite my words, I accepted the pill. "What in the world is this?"

"It's the Heavenly Qi Pill."

I was stunned at the words 'the Heavenly Qi Pill'.

Among poison users, the Heavenly Qi Pill was a legendary poison ranked within the top three. It was also a miracle herb, but not one that increased inner arts.

"I found the Amazing Soul Grass in a corner of the safehouse," the Poison King said. "No one had recognized how precious it was."

"Ah! Detective Seo told me. He said you dug up all the safehouses, Poison King."

"I did that to find the Silent Flower Snake that would be nearby. Where there is Amazing Soul Grass, there is always a Silent Flower Snake. The Heavenly Qi Pill is made by combining the fruit of the Amazing Soul Grass and the inner core of the Silent Flower Snake."

"Why are you giving me this frightening thing?" I asked.

"You should be asking why I'm giving you this precious thing."

The Poison King spoke, boasting about the effects of the Heavenly Qi Pill. "If you take the Heavenly Qi Pill, your constitution will become one that can withstand any heat or cold. Even without inner arts, you'd have a constitution that could survive being thrown naked into a desert or onto a snowy mountain."

That was not all. It would also give me a much greater advantage when facing martial arts of extreme yang or extreme yin.

"But the problem is, its toxicity is so strong that you'll die if you eat it, won't you?" I asked.

"That's right. Many have melted away trying to withstand it, greedy for the effects of the Heavenly Qi Pill."

The Poison King stared intently into my eyes and added a question.

"But you can survive it, can't you?"

"!"

For a moment, silence fell.

I could tell from his expression and his eyes.

"You knew," I said.

"Yes. I already knew that you have a Myriad Poison Immunity Constitution. We were together for so long, did you think I wouldn't know?"

The Poison King was truly the Poison King.

"That's a shame," I said. "I was planning to reveal that fact at a dramatic moment someday."

"I was the one planning to dramatically reveal that I knew."

"You succeeded. I'm very surprised."

Even though he knew I had Myriad Poison Immunity, the Poison King was not as upset as I had expected.

"I thought you'd be very upset if you knew this," I said.

"Why would I be upset? You're the person I've been waiting for for a long time."

"Someone with Myriad Poison Immunity?"

The Poison King's eyes sparkled.

"I can test all sorts of poisons on you," he said. "Now, first, take this and tell me everything. How it tastes, how potent it is. What else I should add."

I playfully took a step back.

"I'm the Second Young Lord. The man who will become the Heavenly Demon. The hellhound who roamed the training grounds with you. I'm not a test subject."

The Poison King laughed at my banter. I only realized now, in my second life, that assuming he would hate Myriad Poison Immunity just because he was the Poison King was a prejudice.

"Then I will take it," I said.

I sat in a meditative posture and took the Heavenly Qi Pill. It was a truly potent poison. Without Myriad Poison Immunity, I would not have been able to dissolve its toxic energy.

Its taste was more bitter and potent than any miracle herb I had ever taken. It set a new record for bitterness and potency.

"You made it this bitter on purpose just to mess with me, didn't you?"

It was a complaint I simply had to make.

And so, I dissolved all the energy of the Heavenly Qi Pill. Unlike other miracle herbs, its energy did not settle in my qi center but seeped into the blood vessels throughout my entire body.

Now, I would not die of cold even if I fell into ice-cold water. I could bask in most flames as if they were a campfire.

I gave the Poison King a deep bow.

"I will never forget the grace you have shown me by bestowing this precious miracle herb."

"Forget the grace. Can you answer a question for me?"

"A hundred would be fine."

"Who is it that you're trying to face?"

The Poison King had sensed it. He knew my endless drive was fueled by some powerful goal.

"If I find more Amazing Soul Grass, I will let you know immediately."

That was my roundabout way of saying I could not tell him. It was half an answer, since I had not said, 'There is no such person.'

The look in the Poison King's eyes deepened. Just as he was about to say something, Sangseon came and reported.

"The Demonic Buddha has arrived."

"Why is the Demonic Buddha here?" I wondered.

The startled Poison King glared at me. "Of all things, you managed to make the Demonic Buddha come to the Thousand Poisons Forest. What kind of trick did you use?"

It seemed the Demonic Buddha had never once visited the Thousand Poisons Forest before.

"If I had used some kind of trick, he never would have come here," I said. "He's here because I'm doing nothing."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

The Poison King quickly tried to leave through the back door. "Tell him I'm not here. That Demonic Buddha guy makes me uncomfortable."

I quickly blocked his path.

"I have a favor to ask."

"Later."

"If you grant my favor, I'll come running whenever you need to test a poison."

The Poison King sighed, then ordered Sangseon to bring in the Demonic Buddha.

"If I don't grant it, you'll just pretend to be busy that day, won't you? Or run away through the back door."

"You know I wouldn't do that."

"That's why I'm agreeing," the Poison King said. "So, what's the favor? You want me to persuade the Demonic Buddha to abandon the First Young Lord and join your side? Or should I poison him without a trace and bury him in the Thousand Poisons Forest?"

"It might be more difficult than that."

My request was something the Poison King had not expected at all.

"Just for today, please hang out with us."