Chapter 255: You Decide

TL: FoodieMonster007

"I did it!"

I cheered, truly happy. I jumped up and down on the spot, overwhelmed with joy.

I had finally taken the first step in the Heavenly Space Secret Art.

The time difference was not yet significant, but the fact that I had succeeded was what mattered.

What if I continued to train in the Heavenly Space Secret Art and could double the time difference? I would be able to have twice as much training time as others. Three times, four times… what would happen if the Heavenly Space Secret Art reached its peak?

The important thing was inner arts. A greater time difference would demand more inner arts.

I needed to gather more inner arts and raise the level of the Heavenly Space Secret Art even higher.

It all depended on my effort.

The next day, I collected all the money left on the battlefield. I even sold the remaining night-luminescent pearls.

With that money, I headed to the Thousand Poisons Forest.

"Greetings to the Young Cult Leader."

Sangseon personally came out to guide me. It seemed he now greeted me this way because I had become the Young Cult Leader.

"You can treat me as you always have," I said.

"I cannot do that."

The poison masters I met along the way also bowed their heads respectfully, a change from before.

"It was a very good decision not to engage in a fratricidal struggle with the First Young Lord," Sangseon said.

"Thank you for saying so."

After we arrived at the Poison King's residence, Sangseon withdrew.

The Poison King was not home. I looked around and found him in a nearby forest, practicing his poison arts.

I smiled the moment I saw him.

Two poisonous snakes coiled next to the Poison King, watching him train. They were the same snakes the Poison King had named before.

Black smoke billowed from the Poison King's fingertips and formed a shape. Surprisingly, the smoke created a rabbit.

The rabbit-shaped smoke flew forward, and the snakes chased after it. They were like excited puppies running after a ball.

When a snake pounced on the rabbit, the black smoke vanished with a POP.

New smoke rose from the Poison King's fingertips. This time, a butterfly fluttered away. The snakes excitedly slithered after the butterfly again. They moved with incomparable speed and agility. The smoke vanished again.

The snakes raised their heads and flicked their tongues, anticipating what he would send next.

Just then, a large cloud of smoke flew from the Poison King's hand. The smoke, shaped like a tiger, charged at the snakes. The startled creatures disappeared into the forest.

I thought he had chased the snakes away because he knew I was there.

But that was not it. The Poison King paced back and forth, contemplating something. Even when he trained, he was lost in his own world.

Then he saw me and was startled.

"When did you get here?"

"Since the rabbit was hopping. Is that real poison?"

"If it were, the kids would all die."

He meant that even spirit beast snakes could not withstand his ultimate poison if he used it lightly.

"It's a harmless version I use for practice. What would happen to the forest if I used real poison every time I trained?"

He was not conserving his poison but cherishing the Thousand Poisons Forest.

"But you train too, Poison King?"

"Don't martial artists fear me the most?"

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon was one, and so was the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon, who trained facing a wall. The Demon Supremes all trained in their own ways. A swan's feet are this busy beneath the water's surface.

The Poison King sat on a rock, wiped his sweat, and asked, "What brings you here?"

"I came because I missed you, Poison King."

"If you missed me, you would've come sooner."

"I've been busy."

"You had time to drink with the Drunken Demon?"

"Has that rumor already spread? Their lips are so loose."

I sat down next to him.

"How does it feel to be the Young Cult Leader?"

"It's exciting. New martial arts, a new house. People are polite, and I don't have to be on edge and fight with my brother anymore. Isn't that natural?"

"That's unexpected. For some reason, I thought you wouldn't be excited."

"I like being in the spotlight. Why else do you think I talk so much?"

As we talked, the Poison King once again drifted into his own thoughts. I could not tell if he was thinking about me, the poison arts he had just displayed, or the snakes that had disappeared. These moments no longer bothered me. It seemed I was beginning to understand his world.

A moment later, the Poison King's gaze fell on the small leather pouch I was holding.

"What's that?"

I handed the leather pouch, full of bank notes, to the Poison King.

The Poison King checked the amount and looked surprised.

"This is quite a large sum."

"Please use this money to acquire highly poisonous miracle herbs."

The miracle herbs available on the market were too expensive for their minimal effect.

In contrast, miracle herbs made from poisonous herbs or the spirit cores of poisonous creatures were relatively cheap. This was likely because they were mostly used in special cases or for treatment.

Thanks to my Myriad Poison Immunity, this was an opportunity for me to get miracle herbs on the cheap. I had enough inner arts and had not planned on spending money on miracle herbs, but the Heavenly Space Secret Art had changed my mind.

"Why miracle herbs? You already have a lot of inner arts, don't you?"

"I'm greedy when it comes to inner arts."

After a brief pause, the Poison King asked, "Are you planning to conquer murim or something?"

"Yes, I am."

He probably knew very well that I was not that kind of person.

"Give me the money. I'll kill them all for you."

A smile naturally spread across my lips.

"Just hearing you say that is reassuring."

"Then I'll take the money."

"The miracle herbs are even more reassuring."

A dragon formed from the tips of the Poison King's fingers.

It let out a mighty roar in the air, then flew towards me.

POOF!

The smoke dissipated upon impact with my face. Behind it, the Poison King said, "Come back in twenty days."

The Poison King would spend the money far more economically and effectively than I ever could.

Of course, I did not forget to confirm.

"You can't get lost in thought and forget to buy the miracle herbs. Look at me, look me straight in the eyes. If you forget, I won't be your poison experiment subject anymore."

The Poison King did not answer and started training again.

Looking back from a distance, I saw crows flying up in all directions. As I watched the black smoke bursting everywhere, I wondered what would happen if that were real poison. Everyone had a good reason to fear the Poison King the most.

I reallocated my training time. Fifty percent went to the Heavenly Space Secret Art, forty percent to the Nine Calamities Demonic Art, and the remaining ten percent was spent rotating between the Heavenly Demon Defense Art and the Fist Demon's fist techniques.

While the core martial arts were important, the supplementary ones were also crucial. The Four Strides of the Wind God would harmonize with the Nine Calamities Demonic Art, the Thunder Arhat Fist would protect me if my sword was knocked from my hand, and the Heavenly Demon Defense Art would shield me in the final moments. The balance between these martial arts was important.

It had already been ten days since I began training the Nine Calamities Demonic Art in earnest.

The heart technique was now quite familiar to my body. The amount of innate true qi accumulated through the Nine Calamities Demonic Art's heart technique was incomparable to my previous one, and I recovered used inner arts much faster.

After finishing my training, I sat by the window enjoying a cup of tea when a message arrived, summoning me to the Heavenly Demon Hall.

When I arrived at the Heavenly Demon Hall, Father and Sama Myeong were waiting together.

Whenever Sama Myeong was present, it always meant a mission was being assigned.

I slowly walked into the tense atmosphere.

After greeting Father and Sama Myeong, I spoke with high spirits.

"Is it finally time to show this handsome face, which resembles Father's, to the world?"

The corner of Father's mouth twitched upward slightly.

"Your banter never tires."

"I should at least try to be funny. No matter how serious the world gets, we should live with a smile. Where is it? I'll go and take care of everything."

Then, Sama Myeong spoke with a smile.

"It seems the Young Cult Leader's handsome face will have to be shown on another occasion. We have summoned you today for a different reason."

The reason I was called was for something I had not expected.

"Now that you have become the Young Cult Leader, you must step down from the position of the Sanzu Hall Director, and we must appoint a new one."

Lately, I had entrusted most of the Director's duties to Seo Daeryong. I was very busy, and I had other intentions as well.

"Who are you thinking of appointing as the new the Sanzu Hall Director?"

At my question, Sama Myeong looked at Father.

Unexpected words came from Father.

"You decide."

I was stunned. I truly had not expected him to tell me to choose the next the Sanzu Hall Director.

"Now that you are the Young Cult Leader, you should have that much authority."

Those words were truly moving. Father was not looking at me as a father right now. The Heavenly Demon was looking at his successor. The Cult Leader was looking at the Young Cult Leader.

My thoughts on the Sanzu Hall Director were firm.

"If it were any other position, I might not be so sure, but the Sanzu River Hall is the most important organization for the discipline of our Cult. Therefore, the right person must be seated there."

That is why the person I recommend is!

"I would like to make the Sanzu River Hall's the Special Investigator, Seo Daeryong, the next the Sanzu Hall Director."

Neither Father nor Sama Myeong seemed very surprised, as if they had expected it.

"He works well. He has a strong sense of responsibility. He even has a good background. He's the Blood Heaven Blade Demon's disciple. Oh, right, and he entered the Sanzu River Hall with the top score."

Sama Myeong carefully interjected.

"As you said, Detective Seo is a fine person. However, he seems to lack the experience to be appointed Director just yet."

"That lack of experience won't be much of an issue within the Sanzu River Hall itself. He has already sufficiently demonstrated his abilities while handling my duties."

That was also the reason I had entrusted my work to Seo Daeryong. To show that he was fully capable of acting as the Director.

"For the head of an organization, a person's character is more important than their experience. Look at the Demonic Army of the past and the Demonic Army of today. Didn't it become a completely different organization once Jang Ho became its leader?"

Neither Father nor Sama Myeong could deny that. I spoke with all my sincerity to Father and Sama Myeong.

"I recommend Seo Daeryong! I vouch for him."

Father, who had been looking down at me quietly, said, "Don't vouch for people so carelessly."

Even as the Heavenly Demon, he was still a father.

That afternoon, Seo Daeryong came to find me while I was in the middle of training.

Seo Daeryong was completely flushed.

"I'm on my way from the Heavenly Demon Hall."

It seemed Father and Sama Myeong felt the need to interview Seo Daeryong directly.

"I thought I was going to faint. I'm still having trouble breathing."

Seo Daeryong staggered over and leaned against a wooden training dummy in the corner.

"I heard from the Head Strategist. That you, Young Cult Leader, recommended me for the position of the next the Sanzu Hall Director."

Seo Daeryong clutched his head.

"Me, a Director? And the Sanzu Hall Director at that! Ah, just thinking about it again makes it hard to breathe."

Seo Daeryong gasped for air, looking like someone who had just broken through an encirclement.

"If it's that hard, you don't have to do it. You can do it next time."

"Right? That's right. No. That's not it. When will an opportunity like this ever come again! Ah! Me, a Director."

Seo Daeryong wandered around the training ground like a madman.

He then tripped on a weapon rack, fell, and sat on the floor with his head hung low.

"So, did you go and tell them you couldn't do it?"

Then, Seo Daeryong took something out from his robes. I could not see what it was since his back was turned.

"What is that?"

"The new second-in-command."

"What do you mean?"

"Until now, the second-in-command in the Sanzu River Hall office was a flowerpot that the Flower Sword Supreme brought as a gift. From now on, this is the new second-in-command."

He stood up, walked over to me, and held out what was in his hand. It was an identification plaque. On the ornate plaque, engraved with the symbol of the Heavenly Demon Hall, were four characters written in a powerful script.

The Sanzu Hall Director.

"They said the official appointment ceremony will be held later."

The position of the Sanzu Hall Director had been given to Seo Daeryong. Father and Sama Myeong had acknowledged my first decision as the Young Cult Leader.

Seo Daeryong's eyes trembled as he looked at me.

"How could I refuse? When you vouched for me and pushed for me, who am I to decline? I shouted that I would work hard, even if it cost me my life. I don't remember much of what happened after I shouted. I don't even know how I got out of the Heavenly Demon Hall. Ah! Did I even greet the Cult Leader properly on my way out? When I came to my senses outside, this identification plaque was in my hand."

I gave Seo Daeryong a strong hug and said, "Congratulations, my right-hand man. Congratulations, Director of the Sanzu Hall."

Seo Daeryong's face filled with emotion as he looked at me. A mere investigator had become the Blood Heaven Blade Demon's disciple, and now, the Sanzu Hall Director. It was hard to imagine what he must be feeling.

"Later, when you're facing a terrifying enemy, you might resent me. You might think, 'He should have just let me live as an ordinary investigator!'"

"You'll listen to that resentment, won't you?"

"Anytime."

"Then I'll give it a try."

"It'll be even harder to learn martial arts while being the Sanzu Hall Director, but train like your life depends on it. When you get older, you'll want to train like your life depends on it, but your body won't be able to keep up."

"You say that like you've experienced it yourself."

"I'm the Young Cult Leader who knows everything, aren't I?"

We looked at each other and laughed happily.

"I have another story to tell my grandson."

"I didn't recommend you for your sake, or for mine."

"Then for what?"

"For the people that the Sanzu River Hall, which you will lead, will protect. For those who have to endure injustice just because they lack power."

Seo Daeryong's eyes sparkled. The dark and gloomy man of the past was no more. There was only the present him, who seemed capable of handling anything entrusted to him.

Seo Daeryong, who had been staring at me with a fiery gaze, grinned and said, "Did you know? The second-in-command I raised, no, the third-in-command flowerpot, has borne fruit."

Yes, Daeryong. Raise the Sanzu River Hall well, just like that plant.

On the day I had promised to meet the Poison King, I headed to the Thousand Poisons Forest with a heart full of anticipation.

During that time, I had focused intently on my martial arts training. I did nothing but eat and train. Sleep and train, eat and train. I slept soundly in my new bed and cooked one meal for myself each day. Sometimes, I brought my bodyguards to eat with me.

I trained all day long. I worked hard, with the mindset that this could be my last training session. At the very least, my failure should not be because I did not try hard enough.

"Has the Poison King been well?"

Sangseon answered my question.

"He has been busy. This was the first time he has been away for so long."

I felt a surge of guilt and emotion. I knew very well how much he hated going outside.

I finally arrived at the Poison King's residence.

As I opened the door and stepped inside, a scent different from usual struck my nose.