432 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

# The World's Best Martial Artist's Childhood Friend - Chapter 432 > Northern Rabbit - Web Novel Archive ## Chapter 432: The Lake of Regret (Part 2) Dokwang's expression betrayed his displeasure with my request. Showing up at the crack of dawn to make such a request would certainly seem disrespectful from the perspective of a clan leader. However, I judged that he wasn't the type to turn down a request just because he was in a bad mood. And my judgment was correct. "From now on, you should be cautious of the poison." I heightened my vigilance in response to his warning. In this lifetime, I had virtually no resistance to poison, so a modicum of caution was warranted. Under guidance, I was heading towards the Lake of Poison (毒理湖水). Formed during the time when Dokjolcheon was the head of the Tang Clan, a mysterious body of water known as the Lake of Poison emerged in Sichuan. This mysterious lake continuously produced toxins. Although not extremely toxic, its endless supply of poison was highly valuable and was often used as an ingredient in the poisons produced by the Tang Clan. Once upon a time, the Tang Clan even garnered significant profit by selling their concoctions. However, due to treaties with the Martial Alliance, selling without permission had become a thing of the past. And now... ‘It's the resting place of the White Jade.’ In my past life, it was where the Heavenly Demon had given me the White Jade. That location lay beneath the Lake of Poison. ‘I never thought I'd come here of my own accord.’ I had always thought I would sneak in someday and steal it, but I never expected to attempt it before even reaching adulthood. It was fortunate that my growth was faster than expected, but... ‘And yet, it's putting my life at risk.’ I hadn’t realized that rapid growth and an increase in power would damage my foundation. Furthermore, it was aggravating that most of the power wasn't something I had willingly absorbed. ‘That's just how my life is.’ Nothing ever went as expected, and this time was no different. Lost in thought, I turned to the person leading me. “Aren’t you going to accompany me, Master Dokwang?” “The master has urgent matters to attend to…,” came the response. “I see.” The speaker was a woman I had met before. It was around the time I had gone to have dinner with Dokwang in Hanoi. Back then, she was among the elite assassins scattered throughout the inn to test me. Her skills were among the highest. I had never heard her name from Dokwang, but I knew it was Nahi. “Is it alright for you to guide me alone?” “…If you're unsatisfied, I can call for someone else.” “No, it’s not that. I was just wondering whether it's safe for only one person to watch over such a treasured item.” Even if the Lake of Poison was now considered just a peculiar item, it was still one of the Tang Clan’s representative treasures. It seemed odd to be accompanied by only one person for guidance and supervision. It felt too hasty to call it trust. ‘Besides, Dokwang isn’t here.’ Typically, if it were a favor granted out of gratitude, it would appear more appropriate for the clan leader to personally accompany me. Yet Dokwang claimed urgent business and did not show. 'Interesting.' At the very least, one of the secondary leaders or trusted figures might have been present. The absence of a close kin suggested something was amiss. ‘Is there something going on?’ I speculated whether it was related to the transported prisoners, but other thoughts kept flitting across my mind. ‘Has the Tang Clan truly ceased their plans?’ The Celestial Body project where Tang Deok was involved. The lingering thoughts of future Poison Devils often preoccupied me. ‘And the actions of the Heavenly Demon still bother me.’ When he deliberately destroyed Sichuan to eliminate the Tang Clan. Eventually, he scorched the Sichuan lands, attempting to investigate the underground secrets. At the time, I thought Jegal Hyeok had devised a plan, but... ‘…did the Heavenly Demon know something?’ Occasionally, the thought crosses my mind that he might not have been entirely unaware. There may have been more to know than what I'd learned. “This is the place.” Nahi's voice brought me back to my senses. Following her lead for a few minutes, I suddenly found myself before a small lake. Seeing the lake, my eyes widened slightly. ‘…This is it.’ The lake exuded a faintly green hue. Its size was not particularly large. With its softly shimmering surface and gentle ripples, it appeared simply as a beautiful lake. I had expected a place of boiling poison and stench, given its reputation. Contrary to my expectations, the lake was stunning in its beauty. ‘Was this its original form?’ When the Heavenly Demon and I arrived at the lake back then, it was already in a state beyond description. The water had drained, leaving only a deeply carved pit. Furthermore, the entire area had decayed or melted due to the poison drifting from the nearby poisonous mist. Witnessing such a breathtaking scene was rather surprising. As soon as I took a step toward the lake, Nahi cautioned me. “…You mustn't get any closer than this.” “Is that water all poison?” “Yes.” “It appears too clear to be poison.” It was clear — so clear one could see the bottom even from afar. Could it truly be poison? ‘I detect no scent whatsoever.’ Curious, I partially released my energy seal and let my inner energy flow slightly through my body. ‘…Ah.’ I felt something entering my body. Though barely perceptible, it was undoubtedly poison. Upon realizing this, I quickly reformed the energy seal, circulated my inner energy to expel the poison, and looked again at the lake. If poison would permeate merely from breathing at this distance… How long could I endure if I plunged directly into it? ‘In my current condition, at best…’ About a quarter of a moment. ‘Time is of the essence.’ The timeframe was shorter than anticipated. ‘Does this mean I must find the entrance to the treasury within that time?’ Back then, I had followed the Heavenly Demon without knowing the exact location. Despite the lake’s clarity, the treasury's concealment implied an illusionary formation was likely at work. ‘Hmm…’ As I wrestled with how to proceed, Nahi called out to me. “Sir.” Nahi approached me, bowing her head slightly as she spoke. "The time the master allotted for you is up. It's time to return." "Already?" "Yes." Haha. This man, honestly. Did he really only intend to give me a glimpse? Not even half a minute since I arrived, and now he's telling me to leave. ‘Is this because I showed up so early in the morning?’ It was obvious he was being petty about it. He was surprisingly narrow-minded. Well, it was a bold request to be shown such a lake so suddenly, so it was unlikely he would let me linger long. Besides. ‘Restrictions or not, it doesn't matter.’ I had anticipated as much. With composure, I turned to Nahi. "You know." “…What is it?" "How about we strike a deal?" Nahi looked at me with a puzzled expression, perplexed by my sudden proposition. I examined her face for a moment. She was an ordinary woman with shallow green hair and dark eyes. “…What do you mean by that, all of a sudden?" "Oh, it’s nothing major." I continued with a gentle smile. "I need to go into the lake for a bit. Can you pretend you didn’t see it?" “…?! What do you mean!" Nahi exclaimed, startled by my words, but I interrupted her. "In exchange." There was something I once asked Tang Deok. No matter how smart Tang Deok was, it would have been challenging to anticipate and plan around all of Dokwang's movements. Yet, contrary to expectations, he seemed to know with certainty when and how Dokwang would act. It was strange. How could he manage that? There was no need to ponder it deeply. After all, it was obvious. He must have planted a spy. Without eyes and ears close to Dokwang, it would be impossible. So, I asked Tang Deok. Who are your eyes and ears? And then he told me about his spy. "I won’t tell Dokwang that you're a traitor. How about it?" “…!" That spy was the woman right in front of me, Nahi. Nahi flinched at my words and tried to muster her killing intent. I swung my hand. Slap-! "Ugh!!" Her head whipped to the side from the slap, scattering her focus and energy. I grabbed her by the neck and pulled her close, meeting her gaze. "I’ll ask again." I showed no killing intent. "Are you going to make a deal or not?" "How… how did you…?" "How did I know?" How, indeed. "Tang Deok told me everything. Kindly." This was the truth. He truly did. Upon hearing the truth, Nahi suddenly shouted in denial. "Impossible! My brother…! He would never…!" Slap-! Her yelling was grating, so I slapped her one more time. Nahi collapsed onto the ground. I pressed my foot down on her chest and spoke. "Ugh…!" "What are you going to do if you don’t believe me?" "Haah…." "Don’t irritate me by shouting. I might accidentally twist your neck." Blood dripped from her lips, and her cheek was swollen red. It was a miserable sight, but it didn’t bother me. "It doesn’t matter if you refuse. I’ll kill you, deal with my business, and then tell Dokwang that his spy pushed me into the lake." I had anticipated that Nahi would be the one to guide me. Though I hadn’t expected her to come alone. If Tang Deok was captured as my escort, it was predictable that Nahi, unaware of the situation, would be sent alongside me. This situation unfolded conveniently for me. ‘Turning her into a demon is the quickest way, but…’ Unfortunately, I didn’t have the energy to do that. At this moment when I needed to head to the lake, if I corrupted Nahi, who appeared to be a master, into a demon, future complications would arise. My depleted energy would make enduring in the lake impossible. So, I opted for this approach. Should I regain excess energy, I would corrupt her. But since that wasn't feasible now, this was a considerate alternative. I pressed down harder with my foot. "Ugh…!" With a cheerful smile, I asked Nahi once more. "How about it? Will you do it or not?" I hoped for a quick answer. Deliberating wouldn't change the fact that there was only one option.