Chapter 646: Don't Listen, Just Kill Him!
Chapter 646: Don't Listen, Just Kill Him!
So Jeong-rak was flabbergasted.
He had never imagined he would be branded a liar here today. But that wasn't the most pressing issue at the moment.
The poison isn't working?
So Jeong-rak panicked. Under any other circumstances, he was a man who never lost his composure. He knew all too well that showing agitation would only invite more suspicion. However, the fact that his poisons were utterly ineffective struck him with profound shock.
Seeing So Jeong-rak’s flustered state, Ma Yeom-gun and the White Bone Soul Demon exchanged glances. To them, So Jeong-rak’s current behavior looked exactly like someone reacting after being caught in a lie.
Struggling to calm his racing heart, So Jeong-rak administered another poison.
This time, it was the Frenzy Poison.
This wasn't a toxin designed to cause direct physical harm. Instead, it was crafted to strip away emotional control, triggering an explosion of uncontrollable rage and madness. It was a substance only the most elite poison masters could handle, possessing a nature entirely different from the White Snake Powder he had used previously.
Get agitated! Explode with all that pent-up rage!
The moment that happened, it would be over. Those two prideful Old Demons would never let such an outburst slide. Even if the rage was directed at him, it didn't matter. As always, the first one to lose their temper was the one who lost the game.
He waited for Geom Mu-geuk to scream and erupt in fury.
Instead, Geom Mu-geuk smiled even more broadly and addressed the two Old Demons.
"I cannot tell you how fortunate I feel that you two are such prudent and wise individuals."
He’s smiling? He’s actually laughing? So Jeong-rak was stunned by the reaction.
The poison failed again!
Geom Mu-geuk was perfectly fine. He even had the gall to use that detestable face to corner him further.
"Look at him—he can't even say a word. It’s clear he was aiming for mutual destruction. If I were in your shoes, I would have already lost my temper, started swearing, and beaten him to a pulp."
So Jeong-rak barely suppressed the urge to scream. He was so incensed that he momentarily wondered if he had accidentally poisoned himself. But that wasn't it. If he had been the one poisoned, he would have been the one shouting by now.
Why on earth isn't the poison working?
Suddenly, a person flashed through So Jeong-rak’s mind.
Could it be? Did the Poison King give him an antidote in advance?
It was possible to take an antidote beforehand to prepare for specific toxins. Of course, that required knowing exactly which poisons the opponent would use. Did the Poison King truly anticipate that he would use White Snake Powder and Frenzy Poison?
Even if he conceded that point—even if the Poison King had predicted his choices—no one could perfectly block two poisons with such vastly different properties. Furthermore, they would have had to be taken in a precise sequence.
Wait, it wasn't just two poisons. There was the very first one he had used—the one that caused blood vessels to expand and burst the moment internal energy was used. That hadn't worked either.
Is the Poison King really that skilled?
So Jeong-rak fell into a dilemma. Should he use his ultimate trump card to kill him now? Or should he stick to the original plan and let him die at the hands of these two?
I have to kill him while I have the chance!
If Geom Mu-geuk decided to kill him first, he would be helpless. Since his own life was on the line, he decided to kill the boy first and worry about the consequences later.
Finally, So Jeong-rak deployed his ultimate secret poison. The ingredients were so rare that he never used it unless it was a dire emergency.
The True Lifeless Poison.
An extreme toxin designed to kill the target instantly. Because death was immediate upon contact, there was no known antidote.
You won't be able to block this.
He expected the boy to roll his eyes back and collapse on the spot.
Yet again, Geom Mu-geuk remained perfectly fine. He even continued to drive the wedge deeper.
"Be honest with us. You never had any intention of performing the Great Ritual to break the seals in the first place, did you?"
So Jeong-rak’s eyes bulged. He was shaken to his core by the fact that even his signature poison had failed. However, to the onlookers, his expression looked like that of a man whose dark secrets had just been laid bare.
He needed to say something to clear the suspicion, but So Jeong-rak couldn't snap out of the shock of the True Lifeless Poison failing.
No matter how great the Poison King is, he couldn't have made an antidote for the True Lifeless Poison in advance. An antidote like that would essentially make a person immune to all poisons. Such a thing can't possibly exist.
In that instant, So Jeong-rak flinched, his eyes widening further.
Wait... could it be?
So Jeong-rak’s body began to tremble. No, it can't be. Right, there’s no way.
So Jeong-rak stared at Geom Mu-geuk with trembling eyes. Despite being hit by a succession of lethal poisons, the boy was unfazed. He didn't even show a hint of discomfort or dizziness; instead, he was looking back at him with a smirk.
From that relaxed posture, four words surfaced in So Jeong-rak’s mind. Four words that those who practiced poison arts dreaded even in their dreams.
Immunity to All Poisons!
Even as he spiraled, Geom Mu-geuk’s manipulation continued.
"Look at that anxious expression. Do you still think he isn't trying to deceive you?"
Ma Yeom-gun and the White Bone Soul Demon stared at So Jeong-rak in silence. Indeed, ever since his claim about Mu-geuk having no internal energy was proven false, his reactions had been highly suspicious.
Staring at Geom Mu-geuk with eyes full of distrust, So Jeong-rak finally reached a conclusion.
"The Young Cult Leader is immune to all poisons!"
In the heavy silence that followed, Geom Mu-geuk responded nonchalantly.
"Is that the best excuse you could come up with?"
At that, Ma Yeom-gun barked irritably.
"Both of you, enough!"
His voice, like metal scraping against stone, was laced with emotion, making it even more grating to the ear.
"What is all this nonsense?"
His anger was directed at both of them. So Jeong-rak tried to explain the situation calmly.
"I just hit the Young Cult Leader with a series of poisons. Not a single one worked. That is why I couldn't respond properly to his attempts to turn us against each other."
Geom Mu-geuk then turned to the two Old Demons.
"Have either of you ever seen someone with Immunity to All Poisons in your entire lives?"
Ma Yeom-gun had never seen such a person. The White Bone Soul Demon was nearly a hundred and fifty years old, so one might expect him to have encountered it once. But the White Bone Soul Demon was the same. He had never even heard a credible rumor of someone possessing such a body.
Geom Mu-geuk sneered at So Jeong-rak.
"Well, I suppose you'll see it today, then. Go ahead, here is your 'Immune to All Poisons' specimen—take a good look. Why don't you call a painter and have a portrait made of us together?"
The two Old Demons didn't look at Geom Mu-geuk; instead, they fixed So Jeong-rak with skeptical glares. Their eyes clearly asked: What is this sudden nonsense about Immunity to All Poisons?
So Jeong-rak felt a weight on his chest.
Damn it! These old ghosts should have died several times over by now. Do they have any shred of proper judgment left?
But he couldn't afford to let them go now. Especially not when his poisons were useless against Geom Mu-geuk.
"Didn't I tell you? The Young Cult Leader is no ordinary person. Why else would I have asked you two to handle him even after his internal energy was suppressed?"
The two Old Demons were torn. They had come here to kill Geom Mu-geuk. The very fact that they were now hesitating meant that Mu-geuk’s scheme was working perfectly.
"Then we can just go and verify it," Geom Mu-geuk suggested unexpectedly. "Let's go see the location for the ritual and check on the people who will be assisting. Once you've confirmed that this man truly intends to perform the Great Ritual for you, then you can kill me."
Ma Yeom-gun looked at Geom Mu-geuk with suspicion.
"Why are you going so far to help us? We are the ones here to kill you."
The White Bone Soul Demon harbored similar doubts.
"The reason is simple," Mu-geuk replied. "This man is far too contemptible. He looked down on our Cult and plotted to have me and you two seniors destroy each other. Even if we flourished in different eras, aren't we all fellow Demonic Cultists?"
So Jeong-rak’s expression hardened. Fellow Demonic Cultists? He could tell Mu-geuk was using that phrasing intentionally.
Geom Mu-geuk continued.
"We Demonic Cultists have a certain temperament, don't we? We'd rather die in a fair fight than be used by someone else! Especially by a rat like this who hides in the shadows and spins cowardly plots!"
As he spoke, he glared at So Jeong-rak. Since they agreed with that sentiment at least, the two Old Demons glanced sideways at So Jeong-rak.
So Jeong-rak could feel it. Every time Geom Mu-geuk spoke, the Old Demons' trust in the Young Cult Leader grew.
I can't win this with words. I have to make a move.
Geom Mu-geuk kept pressing him.
"I don't see why it's so difficult to just show us the ritual site in advance."
So Jeong-rak turned to the Old Demons.
"Kill the Young Cult Leader. If you do, I will take you there immediately. I will even call the people who will assist with the ritual."
So Jeong-rak glared at Geom Mu-geuk. No matter what tricks you play, you won't be able to move them.
The blood-red energy emanating from Ma Yeom-gun and the aura of death in the White Bone Soul Demon’s eyes grew more intense. Regardless of everything else, these two were filled with hatred for the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. Even if So Jeong-rak was acting suspiciously, their resolve to kill Geom Mu-geuk remained unchanged.
That was when Geom Mu-geuk calmly raised another question.
"Doesn't something seem strange to you?"
Fearing another trick, So Jeong-rak shouted, "Don't listen, just kill him!"
But what Geom Mu-geuk said next was impossible to ignore.
"What is strange?" Ma Yeom-gun asked.
Geom Mu-geuk posed his question.
"If what this man says is true—that he called you two while my internal energy was already suppressed—then he could have just killed me himself. Why would he go through the trouble of having you two do it?"
So Jeong-rak tried to interject, but the White Bone Soul Demon raised a hand to silence him. With a look that signaled him to continue, Geom Mu-geuk answered his own question.
"It’s because he wants the world to know that you two were the ones who killed me. If that happens, you will be hunted by the Cult’s masters for the rest of your lives. My father would never let this go."
Finally, the White Bone Soul Demon spoke in his eerie, child-like voice.
"Do you think we haven't prepared ourselves for that much?"
Naturally, they were prepared to be hunted. But Geom Mu-geuk’s real point was coming.
"But you won't be hunted. Because you won't be able to break your seals."
The dark energy from the White Bone Soul Demon’s eyes began to dominate the surroundings, but Geom Mu-geuk’s voice flowed on.
"You know their goal is to have the Cult and the Murim Alliance tear each other apart until both are ruined. But do you think my father would start a war when it’s been revealed that you two killed me?"
Geom Mu-geuk shook his head firmly.
"He would postpone the war to seek revenge. He’s a man who would start a war for his son; there’s no way he wouldn't prioritize vengeance first. Is that really the situation these people want?"
The eyes of the White Bone Soul Demon and Ma Yeom-gun wavered slightly. Their agitation was palpable.
"And would you two be caught easily?"
They certainly had no intention of being caught. They had talked about killing the Cult Leader, but they hadn't started all this just to die like that. Geom Mu-geuk pushed them even harder.
"Do you think they want the war to be delayed? Or would they rather have you two—the ones who killed me and the Demon Extermination Squad Leader—die because you couldn't break your seals? All while saving the massive costs required for the ritual."
It was an incredibly plausible argument, and it shook Ma Yeom-gun and the White Bone Soul Demon to their core. The White Bone Soul Demon spoke to So Jeong-rak as if giving an order.
"Lead us to the ritual site."
The demon's gaze was firm. So Jeong-rak couldn't refuse. Even he found himself nodding along to Geom Mu-geuk’s logic; how could these two old ghosts not be swayed? He had known Geom Mu-geuk was extraordinary, but experiencing it firsthand left him reeling.
If he resisted now, things would only get worse. However, even if they were going, he had to suppress Geom Mu-geuk’s internal energy. But saying that directly would surely offend the pride of these old men and backfire, so he phrased it indirectly.
"The Young Cult Leader might attempt a surprise attack."
Ma Yeom-gun replied confidently.
"Don't worry about that. We'll handle it." He then turned to Geom Mu-geuk. "The two of you walk in front, side by side. We will follow behind."
There was no more room for refusal. So Jeong-rak detested variables like this, but he had no choice.
"Fine. Let's go."
Ultimately, So Jeong-rak led the way. Even so, today's conclusion will not change.
Geom Mu-geuk followed right behind him, with the two Old Demons bringing up the rear. The patients, guardians, and physicians were still sound asleep. Geom Mu-geuk didn't spare them a single glance, as if they were beneath his concern.
So Jeong-rak led the three of them out of the infirmary. People they encountered within the clinic bowed respectfully to him. Usually, he would acknowledge them, but he didn't have the mental capacity for it now.
The place So Jeong-rak led them to was his own quarters. After manipulating a series of hidden mechanisms concealed in his desk, bookshelf, and display cabinet, a secret door leading to the basement opened.
Following the stairs down, they arrived at a vast space. Night-shining pearls were embedded in the walls, providing ample light, and the air wasn't stifling, suggesting the presence of ventilation. This was the secret place where So Jeong-rak practiced his poison arts. The walls were lined with all sorts of poisonous herbs and toxins. Decades of his secrets were stored here.
"We will perform the ritual here."
Once they arrived, the stiff expressions of Ma Yeom-gun and the White Bone Soul Demon finally relaxed.
Had he not expected this? So Jeong-rak was inwardly curious about Geom Mu-geuk’s intentions. Why had he insisted on seeing this place? Was it just to buy time? Was he waiting for someone to come and rescue him?
If so, you've made a grave mistake.
This basement, enclosed by solid walls on all sides, was an impossible place to escape from. Moreover, once the secret entrance was closed, no one would be able to find them.
So Jeong-rak looked at Geom Mu-geuk. The boy was looking around as if he were touring a new house.
"You seem to have a very meticulous personality, but your herb organization is quite poor. Should I tidy them up for you? I happen to be someone who was rigorously trained in organizing poisonous herbs."
Seeing his relaxed demeanor, So Jeong-rak felt a chill run down his spine as a realization struck him.
Now that I think about it... the fact that there’s no escape applies to us as well.