Chapter 247: Drunk on Wine, Drunk on Moonlight
Chapter 247: Drunk on Wine, Drunk on Moonlight
The Demon Buddha opened his eyes.
Startled, he bolted upright, only to find himself still within the world of the Space-Time Displacement Technique. Beside him, Geom Mu-geuk was fast asleep.
I fell asleep?
He had thought Geom Mu-geuk was merely acting when he saw him lying on a rock to nap, yet he had succumbed to slumber himself. Since becoming a Demon Lord—no, even long before that—he had never allowed himself to be so defenseless. This was a first.
The Demon Buddha looked down at Geom Mu-geuk in silence. The young man was sleeping with a peaceful expression.
Now I understand.
No other words were necessary. He finally understood why the other Demon Lords had lost their hearts to the Second Young Master. When a man like this asked one to become his Demon Lord, how could anyone refuse?
Sensing the Demon Buddha’s presence, Geom Mu-geuk woke up as well.
“Did I wake you?”
“No. It was brief, but I slept soundly.”
“Let’s head out, then.”
“As you wish.”
Before leaving, the Demon Buddha looked back at the cave behind them.
“I don’t think I’ll ever miss this cave again.”
The child who had once hidden in that place had finally emerged. It occurred to him that perhaps it was time for his adult self to leave the cave behind as well.
“I’ll release the Space-Time Displacement Technique now.”
As the technique vanished, the two men found themselves standing once again by the stream in the Thousand Poison Forest.
“Let’s head back.”
“Already?” Mu-geuk asked.
“What do you mean, ‘already’?”
“I want to play more.”
“What’s so fun about hanging out with an old man like me?”
“It’s fun. Besides, I need to collect on that drink.”
“A drink?”
“The Poison King used us as gatherers. We have to get a drink out of him.”
They had promised that whoever found the Seven-Life Herb first would be treated to drinks by the losers.
“Today? Right now?”
“Could you really bring it up the next time you see him? ‘Hey, Poison King. Didn’t the loser of the last bet promise to buy drinks?’ Could you actually make that demand?”
Of course, that would never happen. Even if they crossed paths, neither would mention it. In fact, if Geom Mu-geuk hadn’t brought it up, the Demon Buddha would have forgotten it entirely.
“If we let today pass, we lose our chance to punish the Poison King.”
“You really want to go all the way?”
“Why are you getting tired already? It feels like we’ve played a lot, but it’s only been half a day. Not to compare, but I’ve spent dozens of days outside the Cult with other Demon Lords. You know that, right?”
“That sounds exactly like a comparison.”
“Come on, let’s go. You’re not at an age where you should be tired of playing yet!”
Though he acted as if he were being dragged along against his will, the Demon Buddha’s steps toward the Poison King’s residence were fast and light.
*
Jo Chun-bae, the owner of the Pungryu Tavern, spoke politely to the youthful man entering the establishment.
“We aren’t taking any more customers today. My apologies.”
One had to be careful even with the young. In fact, the younger they were, the more cautious one had to be. In the world of business, the most terrifying thing was a reckless blade swung by an immature youth who didn't care about the consequences.
Just then, Geom Mu-geuk looked down from the second-floor railing.
“I suppose I should say goodbye to the owner.”
He and the Demon Buddha had arrived about an hour ago.
“Are you leaving already?”
“No, I just don't think I'll be seeing you again, Owner.”
“What do you mean by that?”
As Jo Chun-bae looked on in confusion, Geom Mu-geuk spoke in a chilling tone.
“I just told the Cult’s Poison King that you wouldn't sell him any liquor and that he should go home.”
Jo Chun-bae’s gaze snapped toward the young man who had just entered. Immediately, he recoiled in shock.
“Oh, heavens! I didn't recognize you. My deepest apologies!”
As Jo Chun-bae moved to bow deeply, the Poison King stopped him.
“There’s no need for a fuss.”
Geom Mu-geuk chimed in from above. “He can’t help it. I’m fairly certain our owner here finds the Poison King the most terrifying of all the Demon Lords.”
When the Poison King looked at Jo Chun-bae, the man couldn't meet his eyes and lowered his head.
“Am I truly the most terrifying?”
“I used to think so, but I’m just shocked by how young and handsome you are. You are truly the most handsome man in the Central Plains.”
Geom Mu-geuk, watching the exchange, didn't let that slide. “Owner, what about me?”
“The Pavilion Master is the most handsome man in history, of course.”
The Poison King asked coldly, “So you’re saying I’m not the best?”
“Oh, no! That’s not what I meant. What I’m saying is…”
Leaving the flustered man behind, the Poison King climbed to the second floor. Jo Chun-bae looked up at Geom Mu-geuk with a moved expression.
Thanks to the Pavilion Master, I even get to serve the Poison King. I can die happy now.
Geom Mu-geuk smiled and replied with his eyes. You don't know that yet. No one knows who else might show up.
And so, the Poison King joined the table on the second floor.
“I didn't think you’d come.”
“How could I not, after you left such a thing?”
The letter he pulled out had been written by Geom Mu-geuk. When they had gone to the Poison King’s residence with the Demon Buddha, the Poison King had naturally fled through the back door. So, Mu-geuk had left a letter with Sangseon, which the Poison King eventually read.
“If you don’t buy us a drink, I will storm your residence with alcohol in hand. I’ll bring the Demon Buddha, of course, along with Investigator Seo, Lee An, the Demon Monarch, and even Cheon So-hui!”
The Poison King scowled. “How could I stay away after that?!”
If Mu-geuk had written that he would spread rumors about the Poison King breaking a promise, he wouldn't have come. He was a man who didn't care what others thought. But if a crowd of people swarmed the Thousand Poison Forest to drink and make a racket? That was something the Poison King absolutely could not tolerate.
Of course, that wasn't the only reason he came. He interpreted the letter as another request for companionship from Geom Mu-geuk. It was an extension of the sentiment: Please hang out with us today.
“I’m sorry. I only did it because I wanted to play with you so badly.”
“Haven't you played enough?”
“You have to play for at least seven days and nights to be able to say you’ve actually been out. I’m prepared to stay up all night.”
The Poison King waved his hand dismissively, saying he couldn't handle the next morning if he slept past midnight.
“The one who looks the youngest is acting like a weakling!”
“Wait until you’re my age!”
The Demon Buddha felt awkward again now that the Poison King had arrived, but he was also a tiny bit glad to see him. He knew. Did the Poison King really come just because of that letter? It meant his bond with Geom Mu-geuk was that deep.
He could understand becoming close with the Drunken Demon; one could bond over drinks. But to become this close with the Poison King, a man who lived in his own isolated world? He couldn't believe it even as he saw it with his own eyes. To the Demon Buddha, the Poison King was the most uncomfortable and difficult person in the world.
“Well, let’s have a toast.”
The three of them clinked glasses and drank. It was their first time drinking together.
Seeing the Demon Buddha drain his glass so readily, Geom Mu-geuk asked, “Wasn't it your rule never to touch food or drink when the Poison King is present?”
“It was.”
“But you seem quite comfortable now.”
“If the Poison King truly intended to poison me, what difference would it make whether I ate or not?”
The Poison King gave a faint smile, as if agreeing with that logic. That was exactly why the Poison King was terrifying. If he set his mind to administering poison, even a Demon Lord couldn't stop him.
The Poison King sent a voice transmission to Geom Mu-geuk.
— You two came out quite late. What were you doing?
— We were just resting our feet in the stream.
— The Demon Buddha too?
— Yes.
— I can’t even imagine it.
He would certainly never believe that they had slept side by side.
They had another round. Drinking the fine liquor Jo Chun-bae had been saving while eating delicious food naturally lifted their spirits.
“This is why I come to the Pungryu Tavern.”
When Jo Chun-bae brought out a new dish, Geom Mu-geuk spoke to the Demon Buddha.
“Why don't you leave a verse or a mark of your martial arts on that wall to show you were here?”
“Why?”
“Most of the Demon Lords have sat in this spot, and even my father has been here. From now on, I want to leave a trace every time one of you visits. Isn't it a nice idea? And you, Demon Buddha, are the first!”
The word 'first' piqued the Demon Buddha’s interest. If everyone was going to do it anyway, a petty competitive streak made him feel it was better to be the first.
“Well then, let me see…”
Just then, a sound came from behind them.
Scribble, scribble.
Geom Mu-geuk and the Demon Buddha turned around. The Poison King was already using a chopstick to write something on the wall. A single line written in elegant calligraphy:
The Poison King was here.
The Poison King looked at Geom Mu-geuk. “This is what you wanted, right?”
“Yes, but I was just in the middle of offering the first chance to the Demon Buddha.”
“Was that so? I didn't hear you.”
Geom Mu-geuk believed that the Poison King had simply drifted into his own world and hadn't heard the end of the conversation, but the Demon Buddha took it as a challenge.
The Demon Buddha’s body began to glow with a golden light, and his hands formed a seal.
Flash!
The mark of the Golden Daluo Demon Art was etched into the wall. It took the shape of a golden dragon with its maw open, looking as if it were about to devour the words left by the Poison King. It was the Demon Buddha’s petty revenge for having his 'first' stolen, and a manifestation of supreme martial arts that left a mark without piercing through the wall.
“Whoa!”
Before they knew it, the people in the tavern had come up to marvel at the marks on the wall. The Poison King’s writing and the Demon Buddha’s martial mark blended together perfectly, as if they had been designed that way. Could the onlookers ever imagine that the dragon was actually trying to eat the words?
Despite the cheers, the Demon Buddha sat back down as if it were nothing, but his face was full of pride.
The Poison King sent a voice transmission to Geom Mu-geuk.
— Getting upset over something like this. He’s such a child.
— And what about the person who couldn't wait and snatched the first spot? You two should just be friends!
— No thanks. That man is incredibly awkward!
When Geom Mu-geuk looked over, he saw Jo Chun-bae in the distance, grinning so wide his mouth seemed ready to tear.
They continued to drink. They drank freely. No one pressured anyone else to drink, and no one struggled to keep the conversation going. They drank comfortably, letting the silence flow when it did, and chatting about trivial things when they felt like it.
As he drank, Geom Mu-geuk looked out the second-floor window. Since it wasn't late yet, many people were still passing by. As he was absentmindedly watching the crowd, he saw the Poison King vanish into the throng. He had already paid the bill and left without a word of goodbye.
Then, from behind him, the Demon Buddha asked:
“How can I trust you? That your heart won't change once you become the Heavenly Demon.”
And here he thought they had agreed to let everything go and just drink and play. Geom Mu-geuk answered without turning around.
“I don't know.”
It was so difficult for these people to take even a single day off.
*
When the Demon Buddha returned to his residence, someone was waiting for him in the courtyard. It was Geom Mu-yang.
“Young Master!”
The Demon Buddha was drunk, and he held a bottle of liquor in his hand.
“Have you been drinking?”
“Yes, I had a few drinks for the first time in a long while.”
“Give me a glass as well.”
“Certainly. I’ll go get a cup.”
“No, just give it to me as it is.”
Both of them were acting strangely. The Demon Buddha wasn't the type to buy a bottle and bring it home, and Geom Mu-yang wasn't the type to drink straight from the bottle.
“I met with the Second Young Master and the Poison King today. I’m on my way back from drinking with the two of them.”
“I see.”
After taking a swig, both men naturally turned their gazes toward the night sky. The Demon Buddha realized he had looked up at the sky quite a lot today. In the afternoon with Geom Mu-geuk, and now at night with Geom Mu-yang.
Geom Mu-yang stole a glance at the Demon Buddha. His cheeks, flushed from the alcohol, glowed with a unique hue as they blended with his golden aura. It wasn't just the color that was different. Today, the Demon Buddha was not his usual self.
Geom Mu-yang’s heart grew heavy because he could guess the source of this change. He had hoped that even if everyone else left, at least the Demon Buddha would stay by his side. Though he hadn't expressed it, he had been anxious.
To be honest, there were times when he had hoped the Blood Heaven Blade Demon or some other Demon Lord would become his right hand. That was back when he didn't realize how much the Demon Buddha truly cared for him.
“The Poison King seemed to have completely turned to the Second Young Master’s side,” the Demon Buddha spoke honestly.
He had to make Mu-yang face reality now. Saying things like 'It will be fine' or 'I will work harder' would only push Geom Mu-yang further toward the edge of the cliff. It was time to walk back from that edge together.
I think this is as far as we go, First Young Master.
But the words wouldn't come. He couldn't bring himself to say them.
The Demon Buddha looked at Geom Mu-yang. Even at the news that the Poison King had turned, Geom Mu-yang remained calm. In the past, he would have pretended to be fine before suddenly spitting out a cold remark or shifting the blame onto the Demon Buddha. He would have had a sharp, biting reaction.
But Geom Mu-yang was as composed as someone who had already expected it.
“Now only the Fist Demon remains.”
The Demon Buddha was actually grateful that he said 'only the Fist Demon' instead of 'you and the Fist Demon.' It was his way of saying that he believed the Demon Buddha, at least, would never change.
He could see that Geom Mu-yang had grown through this process. He had endured. Several times a day, he must have been plagued by the desire to kill Geom Mu-geuk. He must have been tempted to use every means at his disposal to just kill him first and deal with the rest later.
And he had admirably resisted that temptation. Whether it was because he feared the Heavenly Demon’s reaction, because of his relationship with Geom Mu-geuk, or because he wasn't a truly evil person by nature—regardless, he had endured well.
So, the Demon Buddha truly wanted to say this: Let’s see this through to the end! I will do the work of a hundred men.
But he didn't. That would have been deceiving the First Young Master.
The Second Young Master is an opponent you cannot defeat.
Did Geom Mu-yang read the resignation in his eyes? Being drunk on wine and moonlight, the Demon Buddha finally understood. He understood why he had stayed until the very end. It wasn't because Geom Mu-geuk had approached him last. Even if he had been the first one approached, the result would have been the same.
His parents hadn't been able to protect him, but he wanted to protect the First Young Master until the end. To the Demon Buddha, the First Young Master was like a son, and at the same time, a reflection of himself. Even if the First Young Master failed to become the successor, he would not leave his side.
“Demon Lord, in your eyes, what kind of person is Mu-geuk? Please, tell me honestly.”
After a brief pause, the Demon Buddha spoke. “I’m not quite sure what kind of person he is.”
That answer confirmed it for Geom Mu-yang. Even the Demon Buddha had been swayed by Geom Mu-geuk. The fact that he had brought home a bottle of liquor was proof enough. A bottle of wine in the Demon Buddha’s hand? He had never seen such a thing.
“In the sense that it’s hard to tell what kind of person he is, Mu-geuk resembles Father more than I do.”
Geom Mu-yang smiled at the Demon Buddha, gave a slight nod, and turned away. As he walked into the distance, the Demon Buddha called out.
“First Young Master!”
“Yes?”
“The one who resembles the Cult Leader is you.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, I’m certain of it.”
Geom Mu-yang, who had been walking slowly, looked back. The Demon Buddha, staring up at the night sky, drank straight from the bottle. He drank for a long time without stopping.
Geom Mu-yang realized that the time had come for him to make a decision.