Episode 255: You decide.
“done!”
I cheered. I was really happy. I was so happy that I jumped up and down on the spot.
Finally, the first step in Sicheon Secret Art was taken.
It wasn’t a meaningful time difference yet, but it was meaningful to have done it.
What if you could double the time gap by continuing to practice the secret art of Sicheon? I can have twice as much training time as other people. Three times, four times… What would happen if Sicheon’s Secret Art reached its peak?
What was important was endurance. The larger the time difference, the more endurance will be required.
Gather more internal energy and raise the level of Sicheon Secret Art.
It only depends on my efforts.
* * *
The next day, I found all the money left on the battlefield.
Even the remaining night wine was sold.
The place I headed to with the money was Cheondogrim.
“I see you, Lord Xiao.”
Today, a merchant ship came out to guide us. He probably came out to say hello to me as the head of the small church.
“You can just treat me like normal.”
“That can’t be possible.”
Is that all there is? Unlike before, Germans I met in passing also bowed politely and greeted me.
“It’s really a good thing you didn’t get into a fight with the archduke.”
“Thank you for saying that.”
After arriving at the King’s residence, the merchant ship retreated.
The poison king was not at home. Looking around, I found him practicing his poison in a nearby forest.
The moment I saw that, a smile came to my face.
Two poisonous snakes were coiled next to the Poison King while he was practicing poison and were watching. These were the poisonous snakes that the poison king had given a name to in the past.
Black smoke puffed out from the Poison King’s fingertips and formed a shape. Surprisingly, the shape created by the smoke was a rabbit.
As the rabbit-shaped smoke flew forward, the poisonous snakes chased after it. It was like a dog running excitedly towards a ball thrown by its owner.
When the poisonous snake attacked the rabbit, the black smoke disappeared in a puff.
New smoke rose from the Poison King’s fingertips. This time the butterfly fluttered and flew away. Once again, the poisonous snakes excitedly crawled after the butterfly. It was incomparably faster and more agile than ordinary snakes. The smoke disappeared again.
The poisonous snakes raised their heads and flicked their tongues, as if waiting to see what they would send this time.
At that time, a large, huge cloud of smoke flew out from the Poison King’s hand. When the tiger-shaped smoke ran towards the poisonous snakes, they were startled and disappeared into the forest.
When it realized I had come, I thought it had chased away a snake.
It wasn’t. The Poison King walked back and forth, thinking about something. Even when he practiced, he did it in his own world.
Then he looked at me and was surprised.
“When did you come?”
“Ever since the rabbit started running. “Is that really poison?”
“If that happens, all the kids will die.”
It means that if you read your own extreme poison, even spirit poisonous snakes will not be able to withstand it.
“It’s a harmless thing you use when practicing. “What would happen to the forest if we used real poison every time we trained?”
He was not a person who cared about poison, but a person who cared about Cheondokgrim.
“But the Poison King is also training?”
“I heard the martial arts people are most afraid of me?”
The same goes for the Blood Heaven Chopping Demon and the Extremely Evil Soma that practices while looking at a wall. The mazons were training in their own way. The swan’s feet under the water are so busy.
The Poison King asked, sitting on a rock and wiping his sweat.
“What happened?”
“I came because I wanted to see the Poison King.”
“If you wanted to see me, you would have come a long time ago.”
“I was busy.”
“Do you have time to drink and drink?”
“Has that already become a rumor? “Your mouth is so heavy.”
I also sat down next to him.
“How do you feel about becoming the head of a small church?”
“It’s exciting. New martial arts skills and new home. People are polite and you don’t have to fight with your brother anymore. “Isn’t that obvious?”
“That’s unexpected. “You didn’t seem excited for some reason.”
“I like being the center of attention. “Can I say much differently?”
While talking, the Poison King fell into his own thoughts again. I couldn’t tell if he was thinking about me, about the poisonous attack he had performed earlier, or about the poisonous snakes that had disappeared. Now these moments don’t bother me at all. I think I’m starting to understand his world, too.
After a while, the Poison King looked at the small leather bag I was holding.
“What is that?”
I handed the leather bag full of vouchers to the Dog King.
The King of Poison was surprised when he checked the amount.
“The amount is quite large?”
“Please use this money to get me a highly toxic elixir.”
The elixirs available on the market were too expensive. It was too expensive and had little value for money.
Instead, elixirs made from poisonous herbs or poisonous substances were relatively cheap. This is because it is mostly used in special cases or for treatment.
Thanks to this, it was an opportunity for me, who is invulnerable to poison, to obtain an elixir at a low price. Since I had enough internal strength, I had no intention of spending money to buy an elixir, but I changed my mind because of the secret magic of Sicheon.
“Why the elixir? “You still have a lot of inner strength, right?”
“I have a lot of greed for internal strength.”
After a moment, the Poison King asked.
“Can we at least conquer the martial forest?”
“Yes, I will.”
He probably knows well that I am not that kind of person.
“Give me this money. “I will kill them all.”
A smile came to my face.
“I feel reassured just by hearing your words.”
“Then I have the money.”
“The elixir is more reassuring.”
A dragon was created from the fingertips of the Poison King.
The dragon burped in the air and flew towards me.
puck!
The Poison King spoke from behind the smoke that collided with my face and disappeared.
“Come back in twenty days.”
The Poison King will spend your money much more economically and effectively than I can buy.
Of course I didn’t forget to check.
“Don’t forget to buy the elixir while thinking about something else. Look at me, look straight into my eyes. “If you forget, I won’t test your poison.”
The Poison King did not reply and began training again.
When I looked back from afar, I saw crows flying in all directions. As I watched the black smoke billowing out from all directions, I wondered what would happen if it was really poison. Everyone should be most afraid of the Poison King.
* * *
The training time was divided again.
I took turns learning 50% of Sicheon Secret Art, 5% of Nine Fire Demonic Art, and the remaining 10% of Heavenly Demon Self-Defense Technique and Kwonma’s Fighting Technique.
The martial arts that are central are important, but the martial arts that support them are also very important. The Four Gods and Four Treasures will work well with the Nine Fire Demonic Techniques, and in critical moments when the sword falls out of my hand, the Wall Power Sura Fist will protect me, and at the last moment, the Heavenly Demon Protector Technique will protect me. What is important is the balance of these martial arts skills.
It’s already been 10 days since I started training in earnest.
Simbeop has now become quite accustomed to the body. The amount of innate energy accumulated through training in the nine fire magic techniques was incomparable to the existing mental techniques, and the speed of recovering the used internal energy was also much faster.
After finishing my training, I was sitting by the window drinking a cup of tea when I received a message saying I was looking for someone from Cheonmajeon.
* * *
When I arrived at Cheonmajeon, my father and Sima Myeong were waiting together.
Whenever Sima Ming was together, a mission came down to him.
I slowly walked into that place where there was tension.
After greeting his father and Sima Ming, he spoke energetically.
“Is it finally time to show the world this handsome face just like your father?”
The corners of my father’s mouth rose slightly.
“Your jokes never tire.”
“If possible, you should try to be funny. No matter how serious the world is, you have to smile and live. Where are you? “I will take care of everything and come back.”
Then Sima Ming smiled and said.
“I think I should show you Master Xiao’s handsome face next time. “What we have here today is for a different reason.”
The reason he called me was because of something unexpected.
“Now that you have become the leader of the Little Church, I think you should step down from your position as the head of the Nether Heaven and select a new head of the Nether Heaven.”
In recent years, most of the work of each state was entrusted to Seo Dae-ryong. I was very busy too. There were other intentions as well.
“Who do you plan to appoint as the new Netherland Governor?”
Sima Ming looked at my father at my question.
Unexpected words flowed from my father.
“You decide.”
I was surprised. I really didn’t know that they would ask me to decide the next nethernote.
“Since you have become the head of a small religious sect, you should have that level of authority.”
It was truly a touching statement. My father did not see me as a father now. The Heavenly Demon was looking at the successor. The religious leader was looking at the minor religious leader.
And when it came to nethernote, my thoughts were firm.
“I don’t know if it’s any other position, but Hwangcheongak is the most important organization for discipline at our school. So, the right people have to sit there.”
So, this is the person I recommend!
“I would like to appoint Seo Dae-ryong, a special investigator at Hwangcheongak, as the next head of Hwangcheongak.”
Both my father and Sima Ming were not that surprised, as they had expected it to some extent.
“Do a good job. Strong sense of responsibility. Even the background is nice. Because he is a master disciple of Hyeolcheon Doma. Oh right. “I came into Hwangcheongak as the chief.”
Sima Ming cautiously intervened.
“As you said, Inspector Seo is a good person. However, I still feel like I don’t have enough experience to be in charge of footnotes.”
“That lack of experience won’t really be a problem within Hwangcheongak. “He showed his capabilities by taking on my work.”
This was also the reason why I entrusted my work to Seo Dae-ryong. To show that it can sufficiently serve as a footnote.
“For the head of an organization, the character of the person is more important than his/her career. Look at the Demon Army before and the Demon Army now. “When Jang-ho became the head, didn’t it become a completely different organization?”
That is something that neither my father nor Sima Ming could deny. I spoke strongly to my father and Sima Ming with my sincerity.
“I recommend Seo Dae-ryong! “I guarantee it.”
My father, who was quietly looking down at me, said.
“Don’t give a guarantee carelessly.”
Even if it was a thousand horses, my father was still my father.
* * *
That afternoon, while I was in the middle of training, Seo Dae-ryong came to me.
Seo Dae-ryong was very reminiscent.
“This is the way from Cheonmajeon.”
It seems that my father and Sima Ming thought that it was necessary to personally interview Seo Dae-ryong.
“I thought I was going to pass out. “I still have trouble breathing.”
Seo Daeryong walked unsteadily and leaned against a wooden doll standing in the corner.
“I heard it from the Commander-in-Chief. “I heard that Master Xiao recommended me for the position of the next Lord of Hwangcheon.”
Seo Dae-ryong covered his head.
“I’m a footnote? That’s a netherfoot note too! “Oh, I can’t breathe when I think about it again.”
To anyone who could see it, Seo Dae-ryong was out of breath, as if he had just broken through the heavenly net.
“If it’s that hard, you don’t have to. “You can do it next time.”
“Yes? Right. No. no. When will an opportunity like this come again? ah! “I’m a footnote.”
Seo Dae-ryong wandered around the training ground like a crazy person.
Then, he tripped on a set of weapons and fell, then sat down on the floor and bowed his head.
“Is that why you said you couldn’t do it?”
Then Seo Dae-ryong took something out of his arms. I couldn’t make out what it was because my back was turned.
“what is that?”
“This is the new second-in-command.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The second person in the Hwangcheongak office was the flower pot that Ilhwa Geomzon brought as a gift. Now this is the new second person.”
He got up, walked towards me, and held out something in his hand. It was a badge of identity. Four letters written in powerful handwriting on a colorful piece with the symbol of Cheonmajeon engraved on it.
Hwangcheongakju (黃泉閣主).
“The formal appointment ceremony will be held later.”
The position of Hwangcheonju was given to Seo Dae-ryong. My father and Sima Ming approved my first decision as a small religious leader.
Seo Dae-ryong’s eyes trembled as he looked at me.
“How can I refuse you? You are pushing me with a warranty, so why should I refuse anything? I shouted loudly that I would work hard and sacrifice my life. I don’t really remember what happened after I yelled. I don’t even know how I got out of Cheonmajeon. ah! Did I say hello to the leader properly? “When I came out and came to my senses, I saw this identity card in my hand.”
I hugged Seo Dae-ryong strongly and said,
“Congratulations, right arm. Congratulations, Lord Netherland.”
Seo Dae-ryong’s face towards me was full of passion. A single investigator became the best disciple of the Blood Heavenly Demon and has now become a Hwangcheon Foot Master. It would be difficult to guess what his feelings were like.
“Later, you may blame me in front of your trembling enemies. Just let me live as an ordinary investigator! while doing.”
“Will you listen to that complaint?”
“However much.”
“Then let’s give it a try.”
“It will be more difficult to learn martial arts while doing the Nether Footprint. Still, tell him to die. “I want to die when I get older, but it’s hard because my body doesn’t keep up.”
“You speak like someone who has done it.”
“I’m the leader of the small religion who doesn’t know anything, right?”
We looked at each other and laughed happily.
“I have more things to say to my grandson.”
“The reason I recommended you was neither for you nor for me.”
“sure?”
“It’s because of the people that the Hwangcheon Pavilion you lead will protect from now on. “For those people who have to live despite being treated unfairly because they have no power.”
Seo Dae-ryong’s eyes sparkled. The dark and gloomy man of the past is no longer there. There is only him at the moment who seems like he will do well no matter what is given to him.
Seo Dae-ryong, who was staring at me with passionate eyes, said with a grin.
“You know what? “The second and third pots that I grew also bore fruit.”
Yes, Daeryong. Take care to grow Hwangcheongak like that flower pot.
* * *
On the day I promised with the King of Dogs, I headed to Cheondogrim with a heart full of expectations.
In the meantime, I concentrated on martial arts training. I just ate and practiced. Sleep, practice, eat, and practice. I slept well in my new bed, woke up, and cooked and ate at least one meal of the day. Sometimes we brought our escorts and ate together.
And I practiced all day. I worked hard with the mindset that this was my last training. At least my failure shouldn’t have been due to not working hard.
“How are you, King Poison?”
The merchant marine answered my question.
“You’ve been busy so far. “This is the first time you’ve been out for this long.”
I felt sorry and cried for no reason. Because I knew how much you hated going outside.
That’s how we arrived at the poison king’s residence.
As I opened the door and entered, a different scent than usual hit my nose.