Chapter 244 - Because I Do Nothing

The Demonic Buddha emerged from the main worship hall.

It was time to eat, so Geom Mugeuk would be waiting at the entrance. Today marked the fifth day of their meals together.

They had discussed nothing in particular. They exchanged a few bits of idle banter, ate, and parted. It was rather like two sparring opponents probing each other with feints.

Geom Mugeuk probably thought this would gradually bring them closer, but he could not be more mistaken. Operation Golden Grand Plan? Why was someone else using his gold to mount an operation?

'Sorry, but that operation belongs to me.'

Yes, they would grow closer. Then he would turn the tables, persuading Geom Mugeuk to give up the position of Heavenly Demon.

That was the Demonic Buddha's plan. If he could accomplish it, there would be no need to win over the other Demon Supremes. It was the quickest, surest method.

Of course, Geom Mugeuk would not give up easily. But the Demonic Buddha saw a possibility because of his temperament.

'The Second Young Master follows his feelings.'

He was more emotional than anyone the Demonic Buddha had ever met. That must have been what won over the other Demon Supremes. And there was one more thing.

'Once he gives his word, he always tries to keep it.'

Most importantly, he wanted to end this succession struggle peacefully.

'There is definitely an opening.'

He had not spent his entire life merely chanting in a worship hall. Being accused of an obsession with power meant he had been diligent about going out and meeting people. He would draw on that experience to deal with Geom Mugeuk.

'I'm not like the other Demon Supremes!'

With that resolve, he stepped out of the Golden Buddha Temple—and then!

WHOOOOSH.

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

'Why hasn't he come today?'

The Geom Mugeuk he had seen so far was not someone who gave up this easily.

The Demonic Buddha waited there for a while. Had he ever stood outside like this, waiting for someone?

Even after he exhausted that precious store of patience, Geom Mugeuk did not come.

Geom Mugeuk did not come the next day, or the day after that. On the third day, the Demonic Buddha finally lost patience and visited his residence.

'What's going on?'

There he witnessed an unexpected sight.

Geom Mugeuk lay sprawled like a corpse on a broad, flat rock in the courtyard.

Startled, the Demonic Buddha rushed over and looked down at him. Only then did Geom Mugeuk open his eyes. Their gazes met in midair, one looking up, the other down.

"You've come?"

"I thought you were dead."

"That must have pleased you, however briefly."

The Demonic Buddha perched on the rock.

"It's comfortable here. Nice and cool against your back, too. Why not lie down?"

"I'll pass."

Geom Mugeuk was definitely not his usual self.

"You came every day, then stopped showing up. I came to see if something had happened."

After gazing at the sky for a moment, Geom Mugeuk spoke quietly.

"Three days ago, I was about to come see you when I happened to look up at the sky."

The Demonic Buddha's gaze naturally followed his.

"A bird was flying through a cloudless sky. As I watched it, a thought suddenly came to me. I envy it."

The Demonic Buddha looked at Geom Mugeuk.

"Why envy it? I have lightness arts. I can fly like that. I can even go higher and faster. That was when I realized. Ah, I'm having a hard time."

It was a strategy, yes, but one that held Geom Mugeuk's genuine feelings.

"I've been running with my eyes fixed only on what's ahead."

His life before his regression went without saying, but even afterward, he had been racing onward without a moment to breathe. What he had just said was sincere.

The Demonic Buddha could not tell what Geom Mugeuk intended by saying this.

Only one thing was certain. His own life, of all lives, had been spent charging straight ahead.

Born short, he had not wanted to die having known nothing but mockery. He hated pity and help even more. He had endured truly hellish hardship to reach this position.

'Second Young Master, you don't know what it means to run looking only ahead.'

The rock now bore two men who had done nothing but run with their eyes fixed on what lay ahead.

"I've been lazing around for three or four days since then. I'm sorry I didn't send word."

To the Demonic Buddha, Geom Mugeuk did not appear to be playing some other trick. A trick required something to gain. What could he gain by lying here like a wreck?

'Well, accomplishing so much at such a young age must be exhausting.'

It occurred to him that, by exploiting this exhaustion, he might make Geom Mugeuk abandon the succession more easily than expected.

He offered a casual suggestion.

"Why not take this opportunity to rest for a while? Set aside the pressure to become the successor."

Inwardly, the Demonic Buddha prayed for this answer:

'Yes, I think I'll just throw it all away, succession and everything.'

But instead of answering, Geom Mugeuk suddenly asked him a question.

"Don't you find it hard, too?"

Despite the unexpected question, the Demonic Buddha revealed none of his feelings.

"I do, because of you. If you withdrew from the succession contest, I'd be bursting with energy."

Geom Mugeuk smiled faintly, then suddenly cried out.

"Ah! That's the bird! The one that ruined our meals!"

A small bird was flying here and there.

"How do you know it's the same one?"

"I can tell by the way it flies. Look over there. Isn't it saying, 'I'm free! Envious?'"

"To my eyes... it seems to be saying, 'Flying straight ahead all the time makes my wings hurt. I'm exhausted.'"

Geom Mugeuk looked at the Demonic Buddha.

The Demonic Buddha was still watching the bird. He had spoken as though joking, but he meant it. He did not envy that bird in the slightest.

The sight of it flying with its wings flapping ceaselessly was like looking at himself. He was always busy: accompanying the First Young Master, meeting people, managing the mad monks, practicing martial arts.

You struggle because you're weak. Only those rotten in spirit complain of hardship. He had spent his life repeating such things. All the while, the years flew by far too quickly. That made him more anxious, and his life even busier.

'And so, what I have left is...'

After spending a long while absorbed in these thoughts, the Demonic Buddha looked at Geom Mugeuk.

At some point, he had fallen asleep beside him. The Demonic Buddha was inwardly startled that he would sleep in his presence.

'He trusts me this much?'

He decided it was an act. The Second Young Master was such a fox; this was a performance meant to deceive him into believing he was trusted that deeply.

'That won't work on me, Second Young Master.'

The Demonic Buddha rose silently from the rock.

'It won't work on me...'

Once the Demonic Buddha had walked far away and out of the residence, Geom Mugeuk murmured with his eyes still closed.

"Demonic Buddha, let's put it all down. The succession, everything. Let's get some rest."

I'll draw you in gently, so let yourself be drawn in gently.

* * *

Geom Mugeuk did not visit the following day, either.

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

He was not home, but just then a maid emerged from the building.

"Where has the Second Young Master gone?"

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

"The Thousand-Poison Forest?"

The Demonic Buddha had been about to return to his own quarters, but instead turned toward the Thousand-Poison Forest.

He believed the Poison King was on the First Young Master's side, though the man had yet to declare his support officially.

Now that very Poison King had summoned Geom Mugeuk. He intended to see what they talked about and how they got along.

His steps toward the Thousand-Poison Forest quickened.

* * *

It had been a long time since I last visited the Thousand-Poison Forest.

I met several human poison vessels on the way. Ever since the Poison King and I had barked together on the training ground, the looks they gave me had varied considerably, ranging from "We wholeheartedly support the Second Young Master" to "You turned our Poison King into a dog!"

When I reached his quarters, the Poison King was concocting something. A closer look revealed it was not a poison he had made before.

"That looks like no ordinary poison."

He was so engrossed in making it that he did not even answer.

It was good to see him completely absorbed in his own world again after so long.

I took a moment to look around.

The place was exactly as it had been. Not only the furniture, but the medicine bottles and tools on it were all in precisely the same spots.

Then something caught my eye.

"Oh! This is...!"

My astonishment made the Poison King look up.

"I left that after eating some of it last time."

It was still sitting there.

Instead of scolding him with, "Honestly, please clean up after yourself!" I put a favorable spin on his laziness.

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

The Poison King returned his gaze to his concoction and answered.

"No. I've been making this since I got back, so I haven't cleaned. I'll use that answer next time someone calls the place filthy."

Even Sang Seon had never been allowed to enter this room without permission. The Poison King cleaned it himself, too. Thinking about it, he had let me into a space that belonged to him alone.

While I did a little cleaning, the Poison King finished the pill.

"Done!"

The exhilaration that flashed across his face made it clear this was no easy poison to create.

It had brilliant, varied colors, like a flower.

"It looks potent. Who exactly are you making it to kill? The Martial Alliance Leader? The leader of the Unorthodox Alliance?"

He abruptly held it out to me.

"Eat it."

"You're going to poison the Second Young Master of the Divine Cult of the Heavenly Demon this openly?"

"Can't I?"

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

Despite my words, I accepted the pill.

"What exactly is this?"

"A Heavenly Qi Pill."

I was shocked to hear it was a Heavenly Qi Pill.

Among poison users, the Heavenly Qi Pill ranked as one of the three greatest poisons in existence—and it was also an elixir. But it was not an elixir that increased internal energy.

"I found wondrous spirit grass in a corner of the safe house. No one had recognized something so precious."

"Ah! Investigator Seo told me. He said you dug up the entire safe house."

"I was looking for the flower-peace snake that had to be nearby. Wherever wondrous spirit grass grows, there is always a flower-peace snake. A Heavenly Qi Pill is made by combining the grass's fruit with the snake's inner core."

"Why give me something so terrifying?"

"You should be asking why I'm giving you something so precious."

The Poison King spoke as though boasting of the Heavenly Qi Pill's effects.

"Taking it gives you a constitution that can withstand any heat or cold. Even without internal energy, you could be stripped naked and dumped in a desert or on a snowy mountain and survive."

That was not all. It also conferred a considerable advantage against martial arts of extreme yang or extreme yin.

"But isn't the problem that it's so poisonous you die if you take it?"

"That's right. Quite a few people coveted its benefits, tried to withstand it, and melted away."

Staring straight into my eyes, the Poison King added a question.

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

"!"

Silence fell for a moment.

I could tell from his expression and the look in his eyes.

"You knew."

"Yes. I already knew you had a body impervious to all poisons. After spending so long together, did you think I wouldn't notice?"

The Poison King truly lived up to his title.

"What a shame. I was hoping to reveal it at a dramatic moment someday."

"I was hoping to reveal that I knew at a dramatic moment myself."

"You succeeded. I'm very surprised."

Despite knowing of my immunity to all poisons, the Poison King was not nearly as displeased as I had expected.

"I thought you'd be very upset if you found out."

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

"Someone immune to all poisons?"

The Poison King's eyes sparkled.

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

I backed away playfully.

"I'm the Second Young Master. A future Heavenly Demon! I'm the hellhound who roamed the training ground with you. I'm not a test subject."

The Poison King laughed at my banter. Naturally, the Poison King would hate someone immune to all poisons—or so I had assumed. Only in this second life was I learning that even that could be prejudice and a preconceived notion.

"Then I'll take it."

I sat in the lotus position and swallowed the Heavenly Qi Pill. It truly was a deadly poison. Without immunity to all poisons, I could not have fully assimilated its potent energy.

It also tasted more bitter and harsh than any elixir I had ever taken. A new record for bitterness and harshness.

"You made it this bitter just to torment me, didn't you?"

I simply could not help complaining.

I assimilated all the Heavenly Qi Pill's energy. Unlike other elixirs, its energy seeped not into my dantian, but throughout the vessels of my entire body.

Now, even if I fell into icy water, I would not die of the cold. Now I could bask in most flames as though warming myself by a campfire.

I prostrated myself before the Poison King.

"I will never forget your kindness in granting me this precious elixir."

"Never mind kindness. Can you answer a question?"

"Even a hundred."

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

The Poison King had sensed it: there was some powerful objective behind my ceaseless drive to advance.

"If I find wondrous spirit grass, I'll send word to you immediately."

That was my roundabout way of saying I could not tell him. Even so, I had given him half an answer. I had not said, "There is no such person."

The Poison King's gaze grew deeper as he regarded me. Just as he was about to speak, Sang Seon arrived with a report.

"The Demonic Buddha is here."

"Why is the Demonic Buddha here?"

Startled, the Poison King glared at me.

"Now you've even managed to bring the Demonic Buddha to the Thousand-Poison Forest. What on earth did you do?"

Apparently, the Demonic Buddha had never visited the Thousand-Poison Forest before.

"If I'd done something, he would never have come. He comes here because I do nothing."

"I have no idea what that means."

The Poison King hastily tried to leave through the back door.

"Tell him I'm not here. The Demonic Buddha makes me uncomfortable."

I quickly blocked his path.

"I have a favor to ask."

"Next time."

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

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

"If I refuse, you'll pretend to be busy that day, won't you? Or run out the back door."

"You know I wouldn't."

"That's why I'm agreeing. So, what's the favor? Should I persuade the Demonic Buddha to abandon the First Young Master and join you? Or secretly poison him and bury him in the Thousand-Poison Forest?"

"It might be harder than that."

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

"Just for today, please spend the day playing with us."