Chapter 212: Which Pouch Holds the Poison?
Chapter 212: Which Pouch Holds the Poison?
"Do you think the Poison King is trapped in his own world?"
"Is he not?" I asked, certain that was the case. Did my father think otherwise? What kind of person did he believe the Poison King to be?
However, my father hadn't brought it up to explain the Poison King’s character or the nature of his isolation. He said it to make a single, piercing point:
"How open is your world?"
My father stared at me for a moment before silently retreating into his quarters.
I stood there, pondering his words. Soon, the meaning behind them became clear. My father was challenging me:
How are you, shouting about a new Demonic Path, any different from the Poison King? To an outsider, aren't you also trapped in a world of your own?
Of course, he wasn't saying I was exactly like the Poison King, who shunned society for solitude. He meant my approach was fundamentally flawed. He was telling me that if I viewed him through that lens, the Poison King would never open the door to his heart.
The Poison King must have felt it—that I was looking down on him as someone "trapped." Countless people had looked at him that way throughout his life. I was no different from the rest. Even my written pledge to bring him out of the Thousand Poison Forest had been a mistake born of arrogance.
"Thank you, Father! As expected, you are the wisest and most magnanimous man in the world..."
Before I could finish, the lights inside the house flickered out.
"...and the coldest."
I bowed respectfully toward my father's quarters and turned to leave.
Giving me a clue was technically disadvantageous to my father's side of our bet. Yet, he had enlightened me anyway. It was the quiet affection of a father for a child who had sought his help, regardless of the wager between us.
* * *
The next day, when I arrived at the Thousand Poison Forest, the Poison King was not at his residence.
I searched the surrounding woods and eventually found him deep in the thicket. He was lying flat on the ground, engaged in a silent staring contest with a snake.
The Poison King could hold a conversation well enough when he chose to, but once he became immersed in something, he was the type to not even notice if someone died right next to him. Even now, he was in a trance, completely unaware of my approach.
Seeing him like this, I had previously thought he was "trapped." I had viewed him as a total eccentric and, without realizing it, had subconsciously felt superior.
This was what my father had corrected. He told me not to think that way. The Poison King wasn't trapped; he was simply living his life.
As I stepped closer, I realized it was no ordinary snake. It was a Flower King Seven-Step Snake, a spirit creature possessing one of the most lethal poisons in existence. It was called "Flower King" because of its affinity for rare blooms, and "Seven-Step" because even a master with profound internal energy would drop dead before taking seven steps after a bite.
Then, the Poison King spoke to the snake.
"Hey, you've gotten cocky lately just because you've grown a bit. Since when did you start holding your head so high and defying me?"
The Flower King Seven-Step Snake flicked its tongue and lowered its head. It seemed as if it actually understood him, though that should have been impossible.
"And I told you—I don't care about anything else, but don't you dare eat the Gihwa Herb fruits. Why won't you listen? Do you need to be pickled in fire liquor to come to your senses?"
The Flower King Seven-Step Snake coiled itself and tucked its head inside the center of its body. Did it really understand human speech, or was it just a coincidence? I had seen many strange things in my life, but this was a first.
Just then, another snake slithered past. This one was a Yin-Yang Blood Poison Snake, possessing a venom just as potent as the Flower King. Another rarity.
"Wol-ah!"
The Yin-Yang Blood Poison Snake stopped and looked at the Poison King. Watching the creature flick its tongue, the Poison King said, "You know Wang-i is a womanizer, right?"
The Yin-Yang Blood Poison Snake hissed and flicked its tongue toward the Flower King Seven-Step Snake.
"If Wang-i bothers you, come and tell me. Got it?"
I couldn't tell if it truly understood, but as soon as he finished speaking, the Yin-Yang Blood Poison Snake vanished into the tall grass.
"You go on, too!"
With that, the Flower King Seven-Step Snake also disappeared into the forest. It was a sight I could hardly believe, even having seen it with my own eyes.
The Poison King stood up and jumped in surprise when he finally noticed me.
"Whoa! You startled me!"
"I'm the one who's surprised. What kind of Poison King gets startled like this every time someone is nearby?"
Of course, if I had approached with killing intent or malice, he would have noticed instantly. One must never underestimate those who have reached the rank of Demon Lord. A Demon Lord is, after all, a Demon Lord. If they were to truly go on a rampage, no one could predict the outcome. They simply chose not to reveal their true strength.
"If you asked assassins which of the Eight Demon Lords they'd rather kill, they'd all line up for you, Lord Poison King! Even a novice on his first mission would think he could succeed."
"They'd just be bitten to death by Wang-i."
"Don't tell me you actually gave the snakes names?"
"Is this your first time seeing a Poison King who names his snakes?"
The Poison King began walking away with long strides.
"Of course it is!" I followed close behind him. "Since when did you become so close with snakes?"
"I was seven when I started wandering around catching them. Wang-i and Wol-ah were around back then, too."
"You were so young."
"In our time, everyone started at that age."
A hint of sorrow touched the Poison King's eyes as he recalled his childhood. It was a moment that helped me understand why he hated the idea of leaving this place.
"If you've been here since you were seven, then this place really is your world."
The Poison King stopped and glanced at me. "I thought you wanted to take me out of this world?"
"No. I regret saying that now."
"Why?"
"My desire to show you the outside remains the same, but I shouldn't have framed it that way. I sincerely apologize for my arrogance."
When you are wrong, you should apologize sincerely. I didn't attach excuses for why I had acted that way. Excuses are for the person forgiving to add to their grace, not for the offender to use as a shield.
But whether he heard me or not, he had already stopped and was staring at a poisonous insect on a tree. I couldn't help but smile. He was becoming immersed again.
What was he thinking now? Perhaps he was trying to strike up a conversation with that insect. This was his world—and it was an open one.
* * *
A few more days passed.
I focused silently on my work, and the Poison King continued to dive into his own world. What had changed was my attitude. I was now trying to understand it—the world where a seven-year-old boy once wandered alone, catching venomous snakes.
Today, the Poison King was lost in thought while staring at poisonous mushrooms growing in a wooden box. He casually turned his head and then shouted.
"Whoa! You scared me!"
It was because I was quietly standing beside him, looking at the same box.
"Are you going to keep startling me like this?"
"Looking at these poisonous mushrooms growing so well puts my mind at ease," I remarked. "Doesn't this mean I've become a true poison user now?"
"You've barely been here any time at all, and you're already talking about being a poison user?"
"Maybe I'll just live here. The Thousand Poison Forest feels like home now."
"If you think acting friendly like this will change anything, you're mistaken."
"I'd prefer if things didn't change. I like you just the way you are, Lord Poison King."
"What?" The Poison King shouted at me. "It won't work! These cheap tricks won't work on me!"
His voice was getting louder and louder as he denied me. It was proof that I was finally getting closer to him.
* * *
Sangseon always guided me from the entrance of the Thousand Poison Forest to the Poison King's residence.
"I can go in alone now," I said.
"Even so, dangerous venomous creatures might appear."
That probably wasn't the only reason. He still led me through various confusing paths, never letting his guard down. I felt that this stemmed from his deep loyalty. The eyes of someone who truly cares for another are bound to show it.
"Elder, I have something to ask you."
"Go ahead."
"How long have you known the Poison King?"
"I've known him since he was a child."
"What was he like back then?"
Sangseon stopped walking. "Why do you ask?"
"I'm just curious."
"He wasn't much different from how he is now. Brilliant, thoughtful, cheerful, and bright. He had the qualities of a leader."
I forced myself to swallow the words, 'But he's so different now!'
I didn't think Sangseon would take my joke well. His affection for the Poison King wasn't just simple loyalty; it was like that of an uncle or a parent. Looking at him reminded me of the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.
* * *
I wasn't sure if the Poison King was brilliant or a natural leader, but one thing was certain: he was cute. And not just because of his youthful looks.
For instance, the Poison King wore twelve pouches at his waist, and each pouch had a drawing on it. They were the twelve animals of the Zodiac, but the art style was colorful and adorable—personified animals that looked like they belonged on a child's clothing. I had overlooked them at first, but now I saw them clearly.
"You chose these yourself, didn't you?"
"I drew them myself."
I was shocked. He drew these?
"No one in the world would guess that the Poison King's extreme poisons are kept in such cute pouches."
Normally, wouldn't a Poison King’s pouches feature drawings of demons or be inscribed with terrifying characters like 'Demon' (魔), 'Kill' (殺), or 'Death' (死)? If all those pouches were opened, hell would be unleashed. In a way, the contrast made them feel even more bizarre and frightening.
"Which pouch holds the most terrifying poison? Surely it's not inside that cute rabbit pouch?"
"Want to find out?" He reached for the rabbit.
"I'll pass!" I waved my hands and scrambled backward.
The Poison King started to laugh, then quickly turned serious. It was the first time he had laughed brightly in my presence. He seemed surprised at himself for doing so. I pretended not to notice.
* * *
The next day, we were mixing a particularly important poison. Unlike his usual self, the Poison King had a serious expression as he explained the process.
"This Heavenly Heart Poison is an ingredient for the Dark Soul Severing Poison, one of my most extreme concoctions. A single drop of this can easily kill dozens of people. Now, you stand way over... oh, you're already back there."
I was already standing by the door, ready to bolt at a moment's notice.
The Poison King searched his desk. "It was right here. Where did it go?"
"What are you looking for?"
"My gloves." He was looking for the deerskin gloves he used when handling toxins.
"Do you mean these?" I held up the gloves I was already wearing.
"Why are you wearing them?"
"Because you said the poison was so dangerous."
"Then what about me?"
"Why would the Poison King need gloves?"
"Give them here this instant!"
I quickly took them off and handed them over.
"What's in your mouth?" he asked, squinting.
I took out the two Poison-Repelling Pearls I was holding in my cheeks and showed them to him. Seeing me with two pearls stuffed in my mouth, the Poison King shook his head in exasperation.
"At this rate, even I won't be able to kill you."
Of course, he was joking. If the Poison King truly intended to kill me, I wouldn't be able to block his poison even if I had a hundred pearls in my mouth. I was just playing along, part of my effort to bridge the gap between us. If he really had been a bright and cheerful person in his youth, those traits had to be buried somewhere deep inside.
The Poison King put on the gloves and began the manufacturing process in earnest.
"If the amount is off by even a hair, blue smoke will rise. That means failure. You must be extremely careful and focused. This is a recipe only I can perform."
He showed me how to mix Heavenly Heart Poison to create Dark Soul Severing Poison. Since I didn't know the other ingredients, he wasn't so much teaching me as he was showing off the delicacy of the process. He could have sent me out, but it seemed he wanted an audience.
"Did you see? How cautiously it must be handled."
"Yes."
Just then, a thin wisp of blue smoke drifted up from behind him.
"Lord Poison King!"
"You! Get out! Now!"
I dashed outside. After swallowing an antidote from his robe, the Poison King poured a neutralizing liquid onto the source of the smoke.
Sssssssss!
Even more smoke billowed out.
"Lord Poison King! Lord Poison King!" I hesitated, wondering if I should run back in to rescue him.
Finally, the Poison King emerged, waving away the poisonous mist.
"Are you alright?"
"Of course I am." He fanned away a mouthful of smoke with his hand. "The path of poison arts is truly not an easy one."
"..."
"I failed on purpose," he added quickly. "To warn you that you must be careful."
"..."
"Of course you failed on purpose. There's no way the Poison King, the greatest poison master in the Murim, would fail at a recipe he uses all the time..."
"Stop."
"Yes, sir."
I smiled brightly at him. The Poison King looked at me with a face that didn't know how to react. Poison King, we don't know yet. We don't know who will be the one standing in the sparring arena.
It was at that moment that Sangseon came running toward us, his expression urgent.
"An investigator named Seo Dae-ryong from the Huangquan Pavilion has arrived. He is looking for the Second Young Master on urgent business."