I was momentarily speechless.

It was a silence of surprise and joy—because those words meant he had lost the bet.

“Careful! You’re about to step on ants!”

I flinched, almost crushing an ant.

I didn’t know why he let me win. Was it because of the relationship we’d built? Because of the Satanic Alliance’s Jin Dokgosa, whom he despised? Or because of that boy who lost his family? Or maybe the line of poisonous ants passing by?

In any case, the reason didn’t matter.

“Poison King!”

I suddenly embraced him. A strong, heartfelt hug.

“Thank you. Thank you so much.”

Before I knew it, he shook one of the poison pouches at his waist right next to my face.

“Wanna die? Can’t get it off?”

“Yes!”

I quickly stepped back.

The Poison King stood up and said,

“Let’s go. Let’s bark and then go to the sect leader.”

He meant to act immediately.

“Poison King, I’ll bark for you instead.”

“You will?”

“Since you so readily allowed it, I have to repay you. Until now, I’ve only learned from you.”

“Really bark for me instead?”

“Yes.”

At my sincere reply, the Poison King smiled.

“Aren’t you smiling too brightly?”

“I went from dog to human—I should be happy.”

“Let’s go.”

I had to move before his mood changed again.

We headed straight to the Great Training Ground.

“Wait here at a distance. I’ll go and bark loudly.”

As I tried to leave, the Poison King stopped me.

“You’re the only one here. I’ll bark. I’m a man who keeps his promises.”

“Are you sure?”

“Are you okay? You could become Cheonma.”

“You said you’d never support me even if you died.”

“I won’t.”

Our eyes met in midair. His face still looked youthful, but his gaze was deep. He wouldn’t support me, but he worried about me becoming Cheonma—that was the true nature of the Poison King.

“I’ll bark. You stay here.”

That Poison King, who hated going outside, walked toward the training ground.

Watching him, I added a new principle to my life.

Never hastily judge anyone’s world.

Look people straight in the eye, say what needs to be said without delay, and never judge anyone carelessly. I was adding principles one by one.

When the Poison King appeared, all eyes immediately focused on him. Even without any special display of power, he naturally drew attention. His presence as a Ma Jon was becoming apparent.

The demons were shocked. The Poison King, rarely seen, appeared right in the middle of the training ground.

People stopped in their tracks; some even leaned out of the windows. More and more gathered. Among them were those seeing the Poison King for the first time.

At first, they thought, “Is that the Poison King? He looks so young!” Then, covering their noses and mouths, they retreated slowly.

The Poison King waited for as many people as possible to gather. He could have barked quickly when fewer were around and kept his promise, but he didn’t. He was a real man—just a man who hated going outside.

News spread and more people poured in.

Among them was Ma Lord Jang Ho. Seeing him after a long time, as always, he looked dependable. I greeted him with a glance, and from afar he respectfully bowed his head.

Investigator Seo Daeryong, the investigators from Hwangcheong Pavilion, and the execution warriors rushed out together. Seo Daeryong sent me a shocked message.

—Master, what is happening?

—I’m going to uncover the mastermind.

—What? What do you mean?

—You said at the pavilion where the accident happened, you wanted to find out why this occurred.

—Right.

—I’m going to find out.

—At the training ground?

—Yes, starting here.

Seo Daeryong looked confused, but I gave no further explanation.

The area around the Great Training Ground became crowded with people. Everyone’s attention was on the Poison King. The young-faced Poison King who talked with snakes, the Poison King lost in thought watching poisonous insects, the Poison King decorating his poison pouch with cute drawings—he stood confidently without flinching despite the many eyes on him.

Everyone knew: if the Poison King decided to kill everyone here, and opened the twelve poison pouches at his waist, everyone present would be wiped out.

When he thought enough people had gathered, the Poison King raised his hand. The murmuring instantly stopped.

At the moment when all those people didn’t even breathe,

The Poison King let out a loud bark.

Everyone was startled. No one expected the Poison King to gather people and bark like a dog. Some fled in shock, fearing he would release poison.

Then another shout echoed.

“A tiger among hounds!”

Of course, that was me. I walked up to the Poison King and barked loudly too.

The Poison King looked at me, puzzled.

“How can I let you bark alone?”

“Let’s bark together.”

“No! You…”

“It’s okay.”

I gave him a confident smile—a smile of pride, certain that such a thing could never touch the dignity I had gained as Cheonma.

This wasn’t just about pride—it was friendship with the Poison King, a gesture of gratitude. I wouldn’t let him bark alone.

I barked first the second time.

The Poison King looked at me with a face that said he utterly couldn’t understand me. But an unmistakable smile appeared on his lips.

I would get closer to the Poison King. So that when I later declared, “I am untouchable by poison!” I would see joy, not anything else, on his face. That was my goal. A goal not easily reached, because the Poison King and ‘untouchable by poison’ were opposites.

We barked together.

Since we were barking anyway, we did it like wolves—long and cool. Not just any dog, but proud dogs loyal to the Cheonma Sect! Hellhounds that bite into evil.

Those watching murmured among themselves. They wondered what was happening, but no one dared to mock us.

Then, someone among the onlookers began barking with us.

It was Seo Daeryong. As he barked, the investigators from Hwangcheong Pavilion joined, then the execution warriors. The Poison Sons began to bark, and so did Jang Ho. When Ma Lord barked, everyone was surprised, and the loyal Ma Lords started barking too.

Other demons followed. In no time, the Great Training Ground became a cacophony of barking.

We barked five times in harmony.

That moment, barking together, was far more satisfying than seeing the Poison King lose the bet.

After making a ruckus, the Poison King and I entered Cheonmajeon.

Before opening the door, the Poison King took out several pills and swallowed them.

“What kind of medicine are you taking?”

Then came an unexpected answer.

“A medicine to calm the mind.”

I was taken aback.

“You didn’t take any when you barked in front of all those people.”

“This is ten times more nerve-wracking than standing in the training ground. I’m not going to meet the sect leader now—I’m going to rebel against him.”

My father was sure the Poison King would never fall for me. But since he did, it meant he was ready to fight rather than just rebel.

“Besides, the sect leader hates me.”

“My father is a warrior to the bone, so he’s a bit harsh if you’re not orthodox. He dislikes poison martial arts, but he doesn’t hate the Poison King. My father often gets misunderstood like this.”

“No comfort, thanks.”

“It’s not comfort. Think about it: if the Poison King really hated you, would he have made this bet? Would he have allowed such an important wager with someone he truly hated?”

That sounded reasonable, so the Poison King didn’t object.

“And what if my father hates me a bit? It’s normal to be disliked sometimes.”

“But then you’ll get taken away quietly.”

“Don’t worry. Even if the others Ma Jons are thrown into the pot and boiled, they wouldn’t boil the Poison King.”

“Because they’re afraid of the poison?”

“No. If the Poison King wasn’t here, the Martial Alliance would immediately attack.”

“No need to flatter now. You’ll keep your promise anyway.”

“No, I’ll keep flattering. Today my gratitude will last forever.”

“You’re saying that because you know you won’t survive today?”

We entered Cheonmajeon.

We walked side by side along the blood-stained path toward my father.

My father had already heard we had barked at the Great Training Ground. The atmosphere was solemn and cold.

After bowing politely, the Poison King looked at my father and spoke respectfully.

“Sect leader, please grant the request of this disciple.”

My father glared fiercely at the Poison King.

“I trusted you above all.”

The Poison King looked uncomfortable.

“Sorry.”

“What on earth happened to you?”

My father asked with genuine curiosity.

The Poison King hesitated a moment, then answered.

“I was moved by the disciple’s mourning.”

Unexpected words surprised both my father and me.

“Many died in this incident. The disciple’s mourning for those unknown moved me.”

I had no idea the Poison King thought this way. Or maybe I did, but he had heard everything and was thinking deeply.

“I believe you can tell what kind of person someone is by how they mourn.”

The Poison King, who had trembled at the door, spoke confidently in front of my father.

My father’s gaze turned to me.

“Feeling good?”

“I feel like I could fly. With the Ma Jons supporting me, I have achieved something for the first time. This will be a day I never forget.”

I honestly shared my joy.

In fact, it was all thanks to my father’s sharp admonition.

How open is your world?

That one phrase made me realize the Poison King’s world was not closed. It wasn’t a truly closed world. If it were, he wouldn’t have barked in the training ground or stood here now. I had only seen him with closed eyes.

Thanks to my father.

But I didn’t say that now. It was time to give my father a chance to be angry.

I believed at least half of my father’s heart wished for me to win. I decided to believe that.

As always, my father kept his promise.

“Very well. I grant your request.”

I bowed deeply on the spot.

“Thank you, Father.”

My father knew it was not an easy decision. He also knew I had to handle this well.

“If you made such a request, you must be confident we won’t leave any evidence.”

“Yes, I will do my best.”

“Best effort is not enough. We must handle this without leaving any sign we were involved.”

The Satanic Alliance’s second-in-command Yaryul Han and his four subordinates, Sa Inbang, must be eliminated without anyone knowing.

This was °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° an almost impossible mission, but I answered vigorously.

“Yes! I will do it.”

To get this permission, all the Ma Jons stood behind me, Geukak Soma risked his life, and the Poison King barked in the training ground.

Then we must accomplish it perfectly.

My father had already returned to his usual self. Once he made a decision, he never looked back. He held no grudges.

“Who will you go with?”

“With Geukak Soma.”

“Two might be insufficient. Three would be more reassuring.”

At the moment the Poison King looked incredulous,

My father’s gaze turned to the Poison King.

“You will accompany and assist.”

“No! Sect Leader!”

The Poison King jumped in horror.

“No?”

My father asked softly.

The Poison King quickly answered,

“No. I’ll do it.”

Did my father really let that slide? His face said, “You’ll get a taste of this.” Correction: my father did hold grudges.

My father stood up.

“Poison King, listen.”

When my father revealed the Cheonma’s prayer, the Poison King bowed respectfully.

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

“From now on, I permit the use of the Twelve Deadly Poisons.”

“Under your solemn command.”

The Poison King’s main poison, the Twelve Deadly Poisons, could only be used with my father’s permission. That showed how terrifying the Poison King’s poisons were.

After respectfully greeting my father, the Poison King and I left Cheonmajeon.

“You said you were nervous but you speak better than me.”

“It’s all the medicine.”

The Poison King sighed deeply. He hated leaving Cheondokrim but was going to the central plains.

“Outside Cheondokrim is dangerous!”

“In fact, the Poison King himself is the most dangerous being.”

The Poison King shot me a glare that said it was all my fault.

“Sorry. I didn’t expect this either.”

“I won’t go. I hate it.”

“Yes. I’ll accompany Soma. Hide well in Cheondokrim.”

“If you do, you’ll really get taken away.”

The Poison King snapped for no reason.

“If I go out, I’ll kill them all. I’ll go from village to village and annihilate them all. You don’t think I can’t do it?”

He really didn’t want to go out.

“You must have worried because of the opponent. Seeing you send out even the sect’s most secret weapon.”

“That’s no consolation, no way!”

The Poison King walked toward Cheondokrim with slumped shoulders.

I shouted after him.

“Prepare to leave as soon as possible. Thank you so much for today!”

Then the Poison King barked as he walked away—a very angry dog.

Smiling at his back, I turned toward Evil Song Sect.