I Became the Death God-Level Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult

Chapter 11: Madman

"Are you alright after being poisoned?"

When he opened his eyes after completing his meditation, Sa Hyeongseol was waiting for Dan Woojin, seemingly having stood guard.

At Sa Hyeongseol’s question, Dan Woojin examined his physical condition once more.

"I think I am fine."

Rather, the toxicity had transformed into inner Qi.

The internal power he lacked had filled up because of the poison Qi.

It was a blessing in disguise.

"It seems you have a tolerance to poison. If you have a certain level of tolerance, toxicity is as good as being absorbed."

The meditation had also ended quickly.

Currently, although Dan Woojin’s body was poisoned, it was in a state of neutralizing the poison through its own healing ability.

It seemed that killing the Eldest Young Master had played a significant role.

He was at a point where his movements were not hindered.

At Sa Hyeongseol’s words, Dan Woojin looked back at him.

"It is good to see you, Young Sect Leader."

"So you recognize me."

"There must be few people of my age who possess that much poison Qi after all."

"Sa Hyeongseol, the Young Sect Leader of the Poison Demon Sect, greets the Seventh Young Master Dan Woojin."

"There is no need for formalities. No other brothers or sisters have contacted you yet, right?"

"That is correct."

"Then I would like for us to work together."

Dan Woojin formally reached out to the Poison Demon Sect.

"I was actually wanting to have a discussion about poison with the Seventh Young Master. Regarding working together... is it the matter of suppressing the bandits?"

Sa Hyeongseol seemed to have a better grasp of the situation within the Cult than expected.

"Exactly."

"Since you reached out first, I will provide as much help as I can."

"Is that so? Then, let me ask for one favor first."

"What is it?"

"I would like for you to share some Bone Melting Powder."

Sa Hyeongseol tilted his head at Dan Woojin’s words, but he did not ask about its intended use.

"Do you think Bone Melting Powder is just some common item!"

Dan Woojin, who was about to receive the Bone Melting Powder from Sa Hyeongseol, turned back at the appearance of the All-Encompassing Poison Hand Sa Iljeong, who had reappeared.

"Is there a problem?"

"Are you saying that the Seventh Young Master, who has not even mastered poison arts, intends to handle poison?"

Bone Melting Powder is a poison so easy to use that it is embarrassing to even call it a poison art.

"...I have a place to use it."

"Where you use it is none of my business! However! If you learn the poison art I teach you, I will provide the Bone Melting Powder!"

Dan Woojin’s eyes flashed at the mention of the All-Encompassing Poison Hand’s poison art.

In fact, this part was the biggest reason he had chosen the Poison Demon Sect.

'What I need right now are various martial arts that allow me to survive.'

The Soul Killing Art was good, but in the current situation, poison arts were what could definitely protect him.

He also needed proper poison arts if he was to infiltrate the Orthodox Faction later.

"What poison art is it?"

Sa Hyeongseol’s eyes were also sparkling at the mention of a new poison art.

"It is the Poison Hand Demonic Art, a martial art for achieving the Thousand Poison Immunity."

"Wait, Hall Master. Surely..."

Sa Hyeongseol’s expression changed at the mention of a martial art for Thousand Poison Immunity.

The Poison Hand Demonic Art.

It was the secret martial art of the All-Encompassing Poison Hand.

"I will learn it."

'What is this sudden whim?'

It would not be for the sake of raising a disciple.

Or was there another intention?

'I did not expect that I would learn the Poison Hand of the All-Encompassing Poison Hand.'

This was because he had heard stories of a member of the Black Shadow Army from the Poison Demon Sect who had been passed down the martial arts of the All-Encompassing Poison Hand.

"Wait a moment, to learn the Poison Hand means..."

"It is fine. Did he not say he would learn it? While we are at it, the Young Sect Leader should learn as well."

Sa Iljeong seemed to stop Sa Hyeongseol from trying to say something.

Even without stopping Sa Hyeongseol’s mouth, he knew well what it meant to learn the Poison Hand Demonic Art.

'Learning the secret martial art of the All-Encompassing Poison Hand means being no different from a direct disciple.'

He had not performed the nine bows, nor was there any talk of forming a master-disciple bond.

Nevertheless, the fact that Sa Iljeong was passing down the Poison Hand Demonic Art to Dan Woojin meant he intended to make an investment.

'He is likely stating in advance that at least the Poison Demon Sect is friendly toward me, the Seventh Young Master.'

He had nothing to lose.

In any case, what was being leaked was only the martial arts that Sa Iljeong personally possessed.

"......If that is the Hall Master's wish, I will learn it as well."

Sa Hyeongseol also gave up at Sa Iljeong’s firm words and stood beside me with the intention of learning the Poison Hand together.

"Extend your hands."

At the sudden command to extend their hands, Dan Woojin and Sa Hyeongseol extended both hands simultaneously.

He had ended up learning poison arts unexpectedly, but it seemed like a choice that was not bad.

"To master the Poison Hand, I must first check the level of strength your hands possess."

Having said that, Sa Iljeong examined Dan Woojin’s hands.

The pure white hands, which did not even have calluses, looked like hands unsuitable for mastering poison arts.

At least, that was how it looked to Dan Woojin.

'If I can only master the Poison Hand Demonic Art of the All-Encompassing Poison Hand, I should be able to easily pass the trial given by the Cult Leader.'

Hoping he could master the poison arts, he looked back at Sa Iljeong, who was examining his hands.

He saw that Sa Iljeong’s pupils were greatly dilated.

"......What is the matter?"

"......Just what kind of training have you been doing all this time?"

At that answer, Dan Woojin let out a sigh and replied, thinking that there was no way the Seventh Young Master’s body would be in good condition.

"As expected...... my hands are likely not fit to master the Poison Hand huh."

"It is not that."

"Then......?"

"I am asking what kind of training you did to have hands so perfect for unfolding poison arts."

"......?"

Dan Woojin could do nothing but blink dumbfoundedly his eyes at Sa Iljeong’s question.

* * *

It was understandable that Dan Woojin was flustered.

An ordinary warrior could not possess such hands.

Hands that were completely free of calluses.

Hands that looked capable of delicate movements.

Furthermore.

'He possesses skin that looks like it would allow for very free circulation of poison.'

It could be called a Poison Hand bestowed by the heavens.

Namely, the Heaven-Bestowed Poison Hand.

"Prepare yourselves. It seems that the Young Sect Leader, as well as you, will be able to master the Poison Hand in no time."

Sa Iljeong submerged his hands in the poison bath.

Gurgle—

Subsequently, the poison bath began to fluctuate.

"Poison is like the boundary between life and death. It does not allow for a single mistake, and a moment’s carelessness can immediately take a life. Therefore, one must view it as there being no martial art as powerful as this."

Sa Iljeong’s hands turned black.

Dan Woojin could tell that those hands were indeed the All-Encompassing Poison Hand referred to by Sa Iljeong’s nickname.

"Listen carefully from now on. From what I have realized handling poison for decades, there are three true secrets to poison arts."

"Yes!"

"First is 'Character'. If the mind is disturbed, the poison is also disturbed. You must handle poison with a spirit as clear as calm water. Second is 'Breathing'. Your breathing must be deep to become one with the poison. You will never be able to know the depth of poison with shallow breathing. Third is 'Patience'. The work of building tolerance to poison involves pain like cutting flesh with a knife. Since I believe you have felt this pain sufficiently, I will not speak of it further. 'To know poison is to know life, and to know life is to master poison arts.' Poison arts are not simply techniques for handling poison, but also a path to realizing the logic of life."

Sa Iljeong, who finished speaking as if reciting a mantra, raised his hands.

Then.

Sizzle—!

Poison mist began to surround Sa Iljeong’s entire body.

The poison absorbed from the poison bath was winding around Sa Iljeong.

"This is the Poison Hand that has killed ten thousand people."

The invisible poison Qi flickered as if dancing through the air.

"Hold your breath and push back the poison mist!"

Sa Hyeongseol, the Young Sect Leader of the Poison Demon Sect, also seemed to find it difficult to endure and quickly stretched both hands forward.

Fighting fire with fire, poison with poison.

It seemed he intended to drive away Sa Iljeong’s poison mist by utilizing the principle of using poison to suppress poison.

However,

'Is that really the correct answer?'

It likely was not.

Sa Iljeong was standing there right now to pass down his secret martial arts to us.

In that case.

"Seventh Young Master?"

Leaving Sa Hyeongseol’s question behind, Dan Woojin took a step forward and stretched out his hand.

Sa Iljeong had called this hand the Heaven-Bestowed Poison Hand.

Because he had realized that Dan Woojin possessed an unexpected talent,

"Come in."

He was no longer afraid of poison.

Inhale—

The Heaven-Bestowed Poison Hand began to suck in the All-Encompassing Poison Hand.

"You are quite impressive!"

Sa Iljeong, who witnessed this clearly, wore an amused expression.

"But it is a mistake to think you can follow this Hall Master's martial arts so easily!"

"I am not avoiding it."

Anyway, Sa Iljeong was attacking us using the poison from the bath.

To Dan Woojin, who had already fallen into the poison bath once, it was a poison for which he had developed tolerance.

Wriggle, wriggle—

Dan Woojin absorbed the poison emitted by Sa Iljeong exactly as it was through the medium of his hands.

"Absorbing poison?"

"I can also emit poison too."

This was a poison art he had mastered during his days as Am Yeong.

The reason Dan Woojin could be fine even in the poison bath was only one.

It was thanks to the numerous poisons Am Yeong had encountered while living.

Whoosh—!

The poison Qi emitted from Dan Woojin’s Heaven-Bestowed Poison Hand covered Sa Iljeong.

"Such a method will not work on the Hall Master!"

Sa Hyeongseol shouted urgently.

"Is that really so?"

It would have been so if it were an ordinary poison.

However,

"Ugh— Are you sure this is your first time learning poison arts?!"

This part was exactly what Sa Iljeong could not understand at all.

Even Sa Hyeongseol, who was second to none regarding poison arts, was not at a level where he could snatch away Sa Iljeong’s poison arts in a single day like this.

"Yes, it is my first time."

Dan Woojin lied without blinking an eye.

* * *

"Thank you, Hall Master. I will be sure to repay this favor."

After mastering the Poison Hand Demonic Art smoothly, Dan Woojin expressed his gratitude to Sa Iljeong.

By mastering the martial arts of the Poison Hall Master, the Seventh Young Master and the Poison Demon Sect were able to be reborn with a close relationship.

"Just make sure the Young Sect Leader is not in danger. He will likely do well on his own, but there will surely be an uproar once the Patriarch finds out the Young Sect Leader followed the Seventh Young Master."

It meant the Patriarch of the Poison Demon Sect had no faith in Dan Woojin.

"I will make sure."

Results had to be proven through skill.

"Young Sect Leader, you take care as well."

"Yes, Hall Master. Then I will be off."

After finishing his greetings with Sa Iljeong, Dan Woojin stepped outside the Poison Demon Sect with Sa Hyeongseol.

"It seems you are later than the other young masters, will you be alright?"

"Yeah, it's fine. But news spreads fast huh?"

"I keep my ears open. To survive, one must be fast with information."

It seemed the Poison Demon Sect and Dan Woojin were truly in the same situation.

"Currently, it is said that everyone with the exception of the Eldest Young Master visited each of the six Demonic Sects once and then left the Cult. If we pursue them now, it seems we will roughly be able to catch up."

Dan Woojin’s expression hardened at the mention of the Eldest Young Master.

Fortunately, it seemed he had not been caught.

"There is something I have to do before that."

"Something to do?"

"You will find out soon."

"The more I see the Seventh Young Master, the more he seems like an interesting person."

"In what way?"

"Other than the people of the Poison Demon Sect, the Seventh Young Master is the first person I have had a conversation with like this."

"That's understandable."

The Poison Madman, Sa Hyeongseol.

The saying that one might be poisoned just by standing next to him was true.

This was because Dan Woojin was absorbing all the poison Qi that was implicitly leaking from Sa Hyeongseol’s body and trying to spread to the surroundings.

"But where are we going?"

"I’ll show you why I needed the Bone Melting Powder."

Sa Hyeongseol wore a grim expression at Dan Woojin’s words.

This was because Sa Hyeongseol knew when Bone Melting Powder was generally used.

Having returned to Dan Woojin’s quarters like that, Sa Hyeongseol.

"...I will correct myself. The Seventh Young Master is not an interesting person, but a madman."

He spat out his impression upon witnessing the corpses of Jang Cheol and Dan Cheonwoo.