Geom Ujin transmitted the mnemonic formula for the final, ninth form to his son.
“Where the will of the demon soul goes, there is death, and none shall be able to stop it. The true qi begins at the Chonghui acupoint. The result precedes the cause, and death comes before life. Do not fear the true qi flowing in reverse.............”
Geom Ujin was doing as his son wished. He did not interfere in the slightest.
When his son overcame this fight entirely on his own, he would grow and become stronger.
This fight was a once-in-a-lifetime crisis, with lives and the fate of murim hanging in the balance, but at the same time, it was also a fortuitous opportunity that would never come again in a martial artist’s life.
Geom Ujin willingly gave that opportunity to his son. Of course, if he had not trusted his son, he would never have been able to entrust it to him so completely.
While the mnemonic formula was being transmitted, the two Heavenly Demon Souls entered into full-fledged battle.
It was a fight in which the loser would be extinguished forever.
Kwaang!
Amid the clash of sword against sword in midair, neither of the two Heavenly Demon Souls retreated even a single step.
“I will make your power mine, no matter what!”
The sword of Hyeok Docheon’s Heavenly Demon Soul was filled with desire, while the sword of Geom Mugeuk’s Heavenly Demon Soul was filled with the will to protect its master.
Every time sword met sword, powerful demonic qi raged. The two kinds of demonic qi were similar, yet different, and seemed almost alive as they howled.
When the Great Annihilation Form was unleashed, it was because of this demonic qi that the opponent could not escape. Absolute demonic qi that sucked the opponent in and made it impossible for them to leave that space.
From the Heavenly Demon Souls, demonic qi even stronger than when the Great Annihilation Form was unleashed raged forth.
As not one but two Heavenly Demon Souls spewed out demonic qi, not only Jin Paecheon and Baek Jagang, but the others as well, could not approach the area where the Heavenly Demon Souls were fighting.
Jin Paecheon and Baek Jagang gave up on the thought of intervening in the fight and stood before Geom Mugeuk, blocking the aftermath of the impacts that came flying toward him.
Judging by the atmosphere, Geom Ujin was transmitting something to Geom Mugeuk. If that was the case, even the slightest breeze would be a disturbance to them.
The Fist Demon, the Sword King, and the Cult Leader Pungcheon were of the same mind, and raised barriers with their internal energy.
Under their protection, Geom Mugeuk was memorizing the mnemonic formula his father was passing on to him.
He had already mastered up to the eighth form of the Nine Hwa Demonic Art, and his martial arts had reached the pinnacle. The moment he heard the meaning contained in most of the formula, he could understand it.
But even for Geom Mugeuk, there were parts he could not understand.
For the moment, he skipped over the parts he did not know and focused on the next line.
And so, when the transmission of the mnemonic formula was complete from beginning to end.
—Father, please guard this place for a moment.
Geom Mugeuk immediately unfolded the Time-Space Transposition Art and vanished from that place.
Geom Ujin believed his son had entered the Time-Space Transposition Art in order to concentrate entirely on the formula.
But the Cult Leader Pungcheon knew Geom Mugeuk’s true intent.
‘He means to use the Sicheon Secret Art inside there.’
The Cult Leader Pungcheon felt pleased that the things he had taught were being put to precious use at the most crucial moment. He even thought that all of it might have been fate for the sake of this very moment.
Indeed, Geom Mugeuk unfolded the Sicheon Secret Art within the Time-Space Transposition Art.
From the beginning, he could have entered this place with his father and listened to the formula there. If he had done so, he could have saved the time it took to receive the transmission.
But there was a reason he had not.
It was to avoid creating a situation where both he and his father were absent from the outside.
Their opponent was Hyeok Docheon’s Heavenly Demon Soul. Its nature was cruel and heartless. The moment it realized that he and his father had disappeared, there was no telling what scheme it might use against those who remained.
At least one of the two had to remain.
Because he could not focus on the mnemonic formula for this final technique while worrying about the outside.
Having gained more time through the Sicheon Secret Art, Geom Mugeuk mulled over the formula. He reconfirmed the parts he understood and separately organized the parts he did not.
Those were the parts he would ask his father about once he went out. There were more of them than he had expected.
‘Will I be able to understand all of this before it’s too late?’
A sudden fear came over Geom Mugeuk. This was not just any martial art, but the final form of the Nine Hwa Demonic Art. Had he been arrogant, overestimating his own ability?
A single thought suddenly sprang into his mind.
‘Wouldn’t it have been better to spend this time thinking about how to use that formula instead?’
There was a mnemonic formula he had learned from Gaye, the Palace Lord of the Divine Maiden Palace.
While learning that formula, he had sensed that it was a formula used to control Hwa Mugi.
But she had only transmitted the formula to him, and had not taught him how to use it. She herself had not known. Yes, there was no way the Dark Palace Lord would have told someone else even the method.
‘Still, should I have found a way to use that formula somehow?’
The moment that thought came to him, Geom Mugeuk understood.
This was an inner demon born of fear that he might not properly master the ninth form.
Now that the Heavenly Demon Soul had already appeared, such thoughts were nothing more than belated regrets. Even if it worked on Hwa Mugi, it would not work on the Heavenly Demon Soul.
He did not know what help that formula might provide later, but for now, he had to focus on mastering the ninth form.
But once he lost his concentration, it was not easy to steady his mind again. The more he tried to shake the thought off, the more it came to mind.
Time within the Sicheon Secret Art seemed to flow even faster.
At that moment, a scene appeared in Geom Mugeuk’s mind.
It was the image of himself walking alone through a snowy field where a blizzard raged.
That moment when he had walked amid vague despair and desperate loneliness, wondering if he would truly be able to find all the materials for the great ritual.
‘It was all to reach this very place today.’
The mnemonic formula of the Nine Hwa Demonic Art was important, and the mnemonic formula of the Six Paths Primordial Qi was important, but what mattered most was himself, who had walked that long road and arrived here.
Because that was not a road he had reached through tricks.
‘Believe in yourself, Mugeuk.’
If I have tried this hard and still cannot do it, then there is nothing to be done. I will gladly die.
Had he not worked hard enough to be able to say such words?
Once that thought came to him, Geom Mugeuk’s anxious heart calmly settled. His distracting thoughts sank away, and he felt his mind grow still.
The time that had seemed to flow quickly began to flow slowly again.
‘Time, please flow slowly.’
After organizing the formula in his mind from beginning to end like that, Geom Mugeuk released the Time-Space Transposition Art and went back out.
Outside, an even fiercer fight was taking place.
Even after seeing just one scene, he could tell. His own Heavenly Demon Soul was being pushed back.
But he had no time to worry about that.
—There are several parts I do not understand. First, when moving from the Qihai acupoint to the Zhongji acupoint, it says that the season stopped at winter. I do not know whether that means to stop the true qi, or to move the true qi with cold energy.
Geom Mugeuk asked his father about the parts that remained unclear.
Geom Ujin explained earnestly to his son.
—It is both. You stop the true qi while maintaining as cold an energy as possible. But what matters in this part is not that.
When one thing was taught to Geom Mugeuk, he understood ten.
—What matters is when spring comes.
Geom Ujin nodded and added one more thing.
“When is important, but how is important as well. The key is how gently you release the cold true qi you had stopped.”
“I understand what you mean, Father.”
Geom Mugeuk asked about what he did not know, but also confirmed what he found uncertain.
—When moving from the Yanggang acupoint to the Huangmen acupoint, must I move the true qi quickly?
—You saw it correctly.
—Then when moving from the Taixi acupoint to the Taizong acupoint.............
Geom Mugeuk continued asking questions, and absorbed the parts his father explained into himself.
Geom Mugeuk truly displayed terrifying concentration.
What if the father answering him had not been at twelve stars, but at the time when he had only achieved great completion of ten stars? Or what if Geom Mugeuk himself had only been at that level? This exchange today would have been absolutely impossible.
Swaeeeeeek!
Kwaang!
Geom Mugeuk’s Heavenly Demon Soul was pushed sliding back toward where they were.
Jin Paecheon and Baek Jagang raised their protective astral qi and released their internal energy.
With the gentlest internal energy possible, they stopped Geom Mugeuk’s Heavenly Demon Soul from being injured.
Enduring the powerful demonic qi the Heavenly Demon Soul emitted, the two pushed him forward again.
The Heavenly Demon Soul charged forward once more. It did not fear, and it did not hesitate.
Geom Mugeuk knew the reason his Heavenly Demon Soul was being pushed back, even though he and Hwa Mugi had fought to a draw in their internal energy contest.
His father had once told him. The strength of a Heavenly Demon Soul depended on how deeply the one who summoned it understood the Nine Hwa Demonic Art. He was being pushed back because he had not yet mastered the ninth form.
Forcing his impatient heart to calm, Geom Mugeuk sent another voice transmission to his father.
—I will organize my thoughts one last time.
After saying that, Geom Mugeuk vanished once again into the Time-Space Transposition Art.
Geom Ujin was inwardly greatly surprised. Not only had his son perfectly memorized the formula in such a short time, but he had understood most of its contents, and he was accurately asking about the parts Geom Ujin had predicted.
But there were still parts he had not asked about. From Geom Ujin’s perspective, they were definitely parts that needed to be asked.
If he had understood and moved on, then that was fortunate. But if he had missed them? It would not be easy to fully comprehend the formula.
Hyeok Docheon’s Heavenly Demon Soul saw Geom Mugeuk disappear and reappear in the midst of the fight.
It was certain Geom Mugeuk was plotting something.
‘I must not drag this out any longer.’
Hyeok Docheon’s Heavenly Demon Soul unleashed the Nine Hwa Demonic Art in earnest.
Seventh Form of the Nine Hwa Demonic Art, Demon Soul Genesis.
Countless blades of astral qi appeared as if a net had been spread across the sky.
Those watching knew. If that countless number of blades flew at them, they would never be able to block them.
All that remained was whether they could withstand it with their protective astral qi without being injured.
At that very moment.
Geom Mugeuk’s Heavenly Demon Soul also unleashed the same Demon Soul Genesis without backing down.
Their movements were identical. The motion of thrusting out the sword, even the angle of their arms.
Even the countless blades of astral qi forming in the air behind them were identical.
The Demon Soul Genesis unleashed by the two Heavenly Demon Souls looked as if, were it folded in half, the two sides would overlap perfectly.
Swaeeeeeeeek.
Swaeeeeeeeek.
The countless streams of astral qi created by the two Heavenly Demon Souls poured toward each other.
Kakakakakakakakakakakang!
Tremendous astral qi collided in midair, sparks bursting from the impact.
The aftermath of that collision spread in every direction.
Hwaaaaaak.
A tremendous shockwave spread everywhere. The earth shook and the ground split open. The nearby cloth shop and hardware store collapsed outright.
Just then, as dust rose thickly.
Kwakakwakakwakakwak!
Something burst through the smoke.
Lined up in a single file and pushing forward, they were evil spirits.
What Hyeok Docheon’s Heavenly Demon Soul had aimed for with this move was not Geom Mugeuk’s Heavenly Demon Soul.
While Demon Soul Genesis had thrown their vision into chaos, it had unleashed the Great Annihilation Form toward the place where Jin Paecheon and Baek Jagang stood.
“Be careful!”
Jin Paecheon shouted, raising his protective astral qi to the limit and releasing his internal energy.
Baek Jagang likewise responded to the incoming Great Annihilation Form. Baek Jagang pressed close to Jin Paecheon’s side, intending to face a single evil spirit together.
“In a line!”
It was a wise decision. Because the evil spirits were larger than people, even if two people stood in the path one passed through, there was enough room.
If they did not divide their strength and blocked one evil spirit, while the others avoided behind them in a single line, they would be safe.
Kwakakwakakwakakwak!
The very moment the evil spirit was about to engulf them!
Kwakakwakwang! Kwang! Kwangkwang!
Jin Paecheon, Baek Jagang, and everyone else all saw it.
Before the evil spirit could engulf them, it collided with something.
A wall of astral qi had been raised in front of Jin Paecheon and Baek Jagang.
Amazingly, it was Geom Ujin’s Great Demon Wall.
The evil spirits that collided with the Great Demon Wall began to vanish. Just as Geom Mugeuk had escaped the Human Annihilation Form that had been sent at him through the Great Demon Wall, the evil spirits of the Great Annihilation Form likewise could not break through it.
Jin Paecheon and Baek Jagang looked back. Geom Mugeuk was nowhere to be seen, and Geom Ujin was looking at them, lowering his head slightly. It was an expression of gratitude for their having tried to protect him instead of avoiding danger.
The two Alliance Leaders also expressed their gratitude to him.
For an instant, this thought occurred to them. What if that Great Demon Wall had been erected behind them?
The Great Annihilation Form in front, and the Great Demon Wall behind.
No, there was something even more horrifying than that.
What if Geom Ujin had unleashed the Great Annihilation Form from behind?
Could they have blocked that Great Annihilation Form rushing in from both front and back? It would have been impossible. They would have died between the evil spirits on both sides. If Geom Ujin had betrayed them, that is.
But Geom Ujin had raised the Great Demon Wall in front of them.
They were grateful for this situation, but they could not be purely happy about it. Not when they thought of what it would be like if such a man became their enemy.
Hyeok Docheon’s Heavenly Demon Soul did not waste any time and immediately unleashed the ninth form, Demon Soul Supreme.
Even if Geom Mugeuk’s Heavenly Demon Soul had mastered up to the eighth form, it would not have mastered the ninth.
“It ends now!”
The pitch-black eyes of Hyeok Docheon’s Heavenly Demon Soul began to shine pure white.
Everyone could feel it. No matter what kind of attack emerged, if that attack was allowed to land, Geom Mugeuk’s Heavenly Demon Soul would be extinguished.
Geom Ujin spoke in a low voice, but more urgently than ever before.
“Son, you must come out now!”
Flash.
Light burst forth from the pure-white eyes of Hyeok Docheon’s Heavenly Demon Soul.
It was the final technique for the Heavenly Demon Soul, which annihilated anything it gazed upon—Demon Soul Supreme.
The next moment.
Geom Ujin looked around. In an empty space where there was nothing, only Geom Mugeuk stood alone.
“Father.”
Geom Ujin realized his son had brought him into the Time-Space Transposition Art.
“I have not yet perfectly comprehended the ninth form.”
Yes, no matter how exceptional his son was, it was impossible to master it within this amount of time.
What was regrettable was this.
“Unfortunately, your Heavenly Demon Soul has been extinguished.”
Geom Ujin felt more pained than anyone. He should have stopped him instead. This was not his son’s mistake, but his own.
It was the first time Geom Mugeuk had seen his father look so regretful. In this final battle, he kept seeing expressions from his father that he had never seen before.
Geom Mugeuk conveyed unexpected words.
“There is still a chance.”
When Geom Ujin looked at his son with an expression asking what he meant.
“Look over there.”
Snap.
When Geom Mugeuk flicked his finger, the scene outside the Time-Space Transposition Art became visible. At the sight, Geom Ujin was startled.
By all rights, his son’s Heavenly Demon Soul should already have melted away under Demon Soul Supreme.
But the light flying from the Heavenly Demon Soul’s eyes had stopped in midair. It had not stopped completely. It was moving ever so faintly.
The others as well stood as if time had stopped, but they too were moving ever so faintly.
Regrettably, Geom Mugeuk had not fully comprehended the mnemonic formula of the ninth form within the allotted time.
But perhaps because he had cherished time with such desperate earnestness, he had gained another enlightenment.
“I have just achieved great completion of the Sicheon Secret Art.”