Heavenly Demon World-Extinction.
The strongest technique of the Nine Transformations Demon Art, annihilating everything in sight.
But it was a martial art that was not easy even to train in. One had to find a place where no one was around, and at the final moment, someone might still enter the area affected by Heavenly Demon World-Extinction.
Fortunately, that could not be a restriction for Geom Mugeuk.
After returning to his residence, Geom Mugeuk immediately performed the Space-Time Transposition Art.
Snap!
The moment Geom Mugeuk flicked his fingers, he was standing on a wide-open plain.
Whooooosh.
The wind that blew in sent Geom Mugeuk’s robe and hair fluttering.
‘Here, I can use Heavenly Demon World-Extinction to my heart’s content.’
Intending to determine precisely how far the power of this martial art reached, he created rocks at set intervals throughout the field.
He even made rocks so far away that he wondered whether the technique could truly affect them.
They were, quite literally, so distant they could scarcely be seen. And not just in one direction, but in every direction.
After completing all his preparations, Geom Mugeuk slowly drew the Black Demon Sword.
After taking a deep breath, he unleashed the Heavenly Demon World-Extinction he had learned from his father.
Flash!
Saaaaaaang!
A blinding light spread out in every direction.
Grass, trees, rocks. Everything created in this place began to vanish.
Just as the light that had illuminated all sides disappeared.
At that final instant, Geom Mugeuk used the Divine Eye Art and looked at the last rock he had set up far in the distance.
The rock he had created there was gone as well. Even a rock placed at a distance that could only be confirmed by using the Divine Eye Art had been annihilated.
Geom Mugeuk knew. Because the internal energy he possessed was so vast and pure, it had produced such tremendous power.
Ssssst.
The next moment, the Space-Time Transposition Art, having consumed all its internal energy, collapsed.
Geom Mugeuk circulated his qi and replenished his internal energy, then performed the Space-Time Transposition Art again.
Since he had been able to use it even while the Space-Time Transposition Art was active, it was not something he could only perform when his dantian was completely full.
Then just how much internal energy had to be in his dantian for him to use it?
After testing it again and again.
Ninety percent.
Only when more than ninety percent of his internal energy was filled could he unleash it.
And once the martial art was used, all of that ninety percent was consumed. Considering the terrifying power of the technique, it would be stranger if any internal energy remained.
‘Ninety percent. Can I reduce that?’
What if he could use it with eighty percent of his internal energy? If he could lower the requirement to seventy, sixty, fifty percent—if he could make it possible to unleash the technique that way?
Then he would be able to fight as usual and use Heavenly Demon World-Extinction as his final choice at the last moment.
‘First, I’ll have to achieve great completion in the Nine Transformations Demon Art to see whether this requirement can be reduced.’
And ultimately, Heavenly Demon World-Extinction was a martial art that could be used freely only upon achieving great completion of the twelfth level.
There would be no situation where killing everyone in sight would solve the problem. He had to achieve great completion of the twelfth level, just like his father.
For several days, Geom Mugeuk repeatedly trained in Heavenly Demon World-Extinction.
His goal was to make Heavenly Demon World-Extinction flow out as naturally as any other martial technique.
This training had another meaning as well. In the process of pouring out all his internal energy and then refilling it, he was naturally training his cultivation method too.
How many days had he been immersed in training like that?
Now, he could unleash Heavenly Demon World-Extinction as naturally as any other technique.
He had also determined exactly how far the power of Heavenly Demon World-Extinction reached, and exactly how much its power diminished as the distance increased.
Really, when had he ever trained in martial arts like this, as if he were studying?
Only when he was able to use Heavenly Demon World-Extinction freely did Geom Mugeuk finally leave his residence.
Standing before the towering wall called great completion, after focusing solely on martial arts training, there was someone he wanted to see.
* * *
The Fist Demon’s fist split the air.
Booooom!
The swiftly flying fist struck a woman directly in the stomach.
Thud!
The person who was shoved backward by the Fist Demon’s palm strike was none other than Cheon Sohui, the Fist Demon’s disciple and successor.
If one were to look only at this scene, every chivalrous hero in the world would rush in to save Cheon Sohui. After all, a terrifyingly large man was trying to beat a woman to death with his fists.
Thud!
This time, she was struck mercilessly in the side, and she clenched her teeth with a pained expression.
Thwack! Thud!
Fists struck her arm and shoulder in succession once more. Cheon Sohui staggered, but she did not fall.
Ordinarily, this was a situation in which she would have suffered serious internal injuries, but surprisingly, she endured it well.
But it hurt. It felt like being hit by a carriage, crushed under a giant pillar, and struck by a flying lump of iron.
Even so, she did not collapse. She endured, and endured again.
At last, the fists that had been flying at her without pause stopped.
“Haa, haa, haa.”
Now, only her rough breathing echoed there. If more fists had come, she would not have been able to endure and would have collapsed with internal injuries. The Fist Demon had driven her precisely to her limit.
“Well done.”
When she raised her head, the Fist Demon was smiling as though he had never beaten her at all.
“Thank you, Master.”
The protective astral energy that had guarded her body even as she was being battered was none other than the Heavenly Steel Body. Today’s training was training in the Heavenly Steel Body.
Heavenly Steel Body.
A protective art Geom Mugeuk had brought back from the underground chamber he had descended into with the Sword King. At the time, Geom Mugeuk had taken only one martial art from that place: this Heavenly Steel Body.
The reason Geom Mugeuk had chosen the Heavenly Steel Body was that it could be used in conjunction with other protective arts.
It was a martial art that could be used simultaneously with the Heavenly Demon Protective Art and the Vajra Asura of the Thunderbolt Asura Fist. In conclusion, it meant three protective arts could be manifested at the same time.
Geom Mugeuk had first modified the Heavenly Steel Body, which consumed an enormous amount of internal energy, and then the Fist Demon and the One Blossom Sword Venerable discussed it further and improved its completeness even more.
At that time, Geom Mugeuk had passed the martial art on to the Fist Demon, the One Blossom Sword Venerable, Ian, and Seojin, and the Fist Demon had taught the Heavenly Steel Body to Cheon Sohui, the next Fist Demon, as well.
In truth, the people who needed the Heavenly Steel Body most were the Fist Demon and Cheon Sohui, who fought barehanded.
“It truly is an outstanding protective art.”
At Cheon Sohui’s admiration, the Fist Demon credited Geom Mugeuk.
“It is a martial art your senior brother passed down, so give your thanks to him.”
Just then, someone walked in from behind the Fist Demon and spoke.
“That’s too much, Master! How could you hit our delicate junior sister like that?”
The one who appeared was none other than Geom Mugeuk.
A slight smile formed at the corners of the Fist Demon’s mouth as he stood with his back turned, and Cheon Sohui’s face blossomed with delight.
“Senior Brother! Thank you for saying so, but I’m not exactly delicate.”
Her body had become even firmer and more muscular than before. Just by looking at her body, one could tell how diligently she had trained in fist arts.
“You look good.”
At Geom Mugeuk’s praise, Cheon Sohui answered humbly.
“I still have a long way to go.”
Geom Mugeuk began by picking a quarrel with the broad back of the Fist Demon, whom he had not seen in a long while.
“Surely you’re not aiming for Master’s body, are you? Absolutely not, Junior Sister. Aim for this sleek senior brother’s body instead!”
Only then did the Fist Demon turn toward Geom Mugeuk.
“Those baby hands can’t do anything.”
Hearing “baby hands” after so long made him so glad that Geom Mugeuk smiled brightly and greeted him.
“Master, your disciple left the cult and has now returned.”
As if he had arrived at just the right time, the Fist Demon turned to Cheon Sohui instead of returning the greeting and said,
“Seeing it directly will be the fastest way to learn.”
Geom Mugeuk immediately understood what the Fist Demon meant. He was telling him to give a direct demonstration of the Heavenly Steel Body.
“I was wrong. Junior Sister, if you’re going to become the Fist Demon, of course you should build your body like Master’s, not like my frail one! Your back needs to get at least twice as broad as it is now!”
The Fist Demon, looking as though it was already too late, clenched his fist and walked forward. Geom Mugeuk lowered his voice.
“I have come to see the Fist Demon in my capacity as Young Cult Leader.”
Of course, that did not work on the Fist Demon.
The Fist Demon leaped lightly and sent his fist flying as fast as lightning.
Whoooong!
Geom Mugeuk did not dodge the incoming fist. This was a demonstration of the Heavenly Steel Body, after all.
The fist, packed with tremendous power, struck Geom Mugeuk in the chest.
Thud!
He activated the Heavenly Steel Body and blocked the impact. But while he did not suffer internal injuries, the pain was transmitted fully through his body.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whooom!
The Fist Demon’s fists struck Geom Mugeuk’s torso in succession once more. They were fists incomparably faster and stronger than the ones he had used to attack Cheon Sohui earlier.
Boom! Bang! Boom!
Even as fists of tremendous power flew at him one after another, Geom Mugeuk did not fall. As if taking hits was also a skill, Geom Mugeuk truly took them well.
In truth, though he had acted as if he did not want to do it, this was extremely useful training for Geom Mugeuk. When else would he be able to test the Heavenly Steel Body against the Fist Demon’s fists? Each and every blow was priceless.
After he had thrown fists for a while like that, the Fist Demon asked Cheon Sohui,
“What was different between you and him?”
Cheon Sohui, who had been standing blankly with a startled expression, suddenly came to her senses.
“At first glance, it looked as though he was simply enduring with the Heavenly Steel Body, but Senior Brother seemed to be letting the incoming fists flow past him. By subtly twisting his body.”
The Fist Demon looked satisfied. Cheon Sohui had seen correctly.
“You saw well. Not only that, he adjusted the strength of the protective astral energy differently for each part of his body. It wasn’t that he strengthened the area being hit; he controlled it so the impact could be diverted more easily.”
At those words, Geom Mugeuk asked in surprise,
“I did that?”
At Geom Mugeuk’s surprise, the Fist Demon nodded.
“You manifested it that way instinctively. It isn’t something you can do intentionally.”
The Fist Demon looked back at Cheon Sohui. Though he said nothing, the look in his eyes seemed to say this:
Now do you know the path you must take?
Cheon Sohui bowed respectfully.
“Master. Thank you truly for bestowing such a great lesson.”
Cheon Sohui also expressed her gratitude to Geom Mugeuk.
“Thank you, Senior Brother.”
“I’m glad I could help. Ugh, it feels like my whole body is about to fall apart.”
At Geom Mugeuk’s exaggerated whining, Cheon Sohui whispered her own complaint before leaving.
“Do you think it hurts as much as it does for me? I’m really in pain!”
Cheon Sohui left the place, groaning.
As Geom Mugeuk watched her back, the playfulness vanished from his face.
“I look forward to that day. The day that fist lands a blow upon the martial world.”
She was a Demon Venerable who would carry on the next generation together with the Soul-Capturing Demon Venerable. He would surely be able to witness her achievements.
“Let’s walk for a bit.”
“Yes, Master.”
Geom Mugeuk and the Fist Demon walked together through Donggwonmun, just the two of them.
The passing Iron Fists bowed respectfully at Geom Mugeuk’s visit. Because he had deep ties with them as well, Geom Mugeuk’s gaze as he looked at the Iron Fists was gentle.
Naturally, the place the two headed toward was the cliff the Fist Demon wanted to bring down.
As they walked there, Geom Mugeuk told him everything that had happened during this recent outing.
After hearing the whole story, the Fist Demon recalled events from long ago.
“In the past, when I roamed the Central Plains with the Cult Leader, we encountered unknown people several times. Back then, we simply assumed they were some mysterious organization coveting money and power and let it pass. Perhaps among them were descendants of the Dark Palace as well.”
“That was probably the case. No, they were definitely there.”
They must have been secretly expanding their organization while earning money and building strength all throughout the Central Plains.
The Fist Demon asked, puzzled,
“But why now?”
Surely there had been many opportunities over the course of three hundred years.
“It seems they believed in the prophecy of the Divine Maiden Palace.”
“That the prophecy would be fulfilled in this generation?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
The Fist Demon’s gaze turned toward Geom Mugeuk.
In an era that just so happens to have a Young Cult Leader like this? If they waited three hundred years, they should have waited another hundred.
Because such a thought naturally occurred to him, he could declare this with certainty.
“It must be a mistaken prophecy.”
He said it with Geom Mugeuk in mind, but Geom Mugeuk attributed the reason to the Fist Demon instead.
“Not a chance when Master is here.”
Of course, the Fist Demon knew very well that he was not the one who would change the prophecy.
He also knew that the person standing before the greatest destiny, the one who would change everyone’s fate, was Geom Mugeuk.
“Do you believe in fate?”
How could he, who had returned to the past, not believe in fate?
However, he did not simply say that he believed in it.
“While I’m young, I intend not to.”
When the Fist Demon looked at him as if asking what he meant,
“If I believe there’s a fixed fate, I feel like I’ll only end up with more excuses.”
Geom Mugeuk, who had been walking while looking ahead, turned his gaze to the Fist Demon.
“Even if we can’t decide fate, we can decide the mindset and attitude with which we face it. While I’m young, I’ll live as though nothing in the world is fixed. I’ll move my body relentlessly and refine my heart, and later, I’ll say this to fate: I worked this hard, so what are you going to do about it?”
It was also the conviction Geom Mugeuk had held consistently since his regression.
Though he said, What are you going to do about it? in truth, it was also something he said to himself.
If even after working this hard I can’t change fate, then at that time, there’s nothing I can do.
“When I reach your age, Master, I think I’ll look back on my life and believe in fate then.”
The Fist Demon was curious. When Geom Mugeuk reached his age and looked back on his life, what would he feel? What would he say then?
As they spoke like that, the two arrived before the cliff.
After looking up at the cliff for a moment, Geom Mugeuk abruptly said,
“You won’t bring down this cliff anymore, will you?”
“Why do you think that?”
“Because now you must be certain that you can bring down this cliff.”
Geom Mugeuk could feel that the Fist Demon had grown stronger.
In truth, even in the previous battle, the Fist Demon had not insisted on his pride and had fought flexibly.
The fact that the Fist Demon, who had never bent, had become flexible meant that he had grown that much stronger.
“I am still not confident.”
Knowing that those were words only someone who had become stronger could say, Geom Mugeuk smiled brightly and looked up at the cliff.
“Congratulations. Looks like you survived.”
A faint smile also formed at the corners of the Fist Demon’s mouth.
At that moment, one of the Iron Fists ran to where the two stood and delivered a written message.
“A message has arrived for the Young Cult Leader.”
It was a message sent by the Extreme Evil Little Demon, and the contents inside were brief.
—Please come to Cheonhwaru. Soma.