Chapter 252: That is the Nine Calamities Demonic Art

TL: FoodieMonster007

I followed Father down an unfamiliar path.

I had never walked the path behind the Heavenly Demon Hall before. Even before my regression, when I returned to the Cult for materials for the Great Art, I never came here.

Father led me to a beautifully decorated garden and told me it contained formations.

"Follow my footsteps exactly."

The garden's formations made up the Nine Lakes Evil Spirit Misdirection Formation. It was a terrifying, deadly trap. Anyone who failed to find the correct path of life would be chased by evil spirits until they died.

I carefully followed, stepping exactly where Father stepped.

Once we passed through the Nine Lakes Evil Spirit Misdirection Formation, the view changed completely. A large, castle-like building now stood where nothing had been moments before.

This was the Nine Calamities Demonic Palace, a place more secret than any other in the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.

Father pressed his palm against a small panel beside the door and injected his qi. The massive door slowly opened. Only those who had learned the Nine Calamities Demonic Art could enter this place.

I stepped into a new world.

A single sight overwhelmed me the moment I stepped inside.

A giant stone statue of the seated Heavenly Demon Soul dominated the room. It looked exactly like Father on his grand throne.

The Heavenly Demon Soul held out its hand. I knew instinctively that its palm was the place for the Heavenly Demon.

A thrilling shiver ran through my body when I saw the Heavenly Demon Soul. I felt a powerful urge to climb onto its outstretched hand and stand tall. A desire to meet my own Heavenly Demon Soul consumed me. It was difficult to keep my composure.

Then, Father's words made my heart tremble even more.

"I, too, received the Nine Calamities Demonic Art from Father in this very place."

A memory of the past flickered in Father's eyes as he seemed to recall that day.

What kind of person was grandfather to you, Father?

Father had never once spoken about my grandfather.

But I have so many things I could tell my children about you, Father.

I slowly looked around. In that vast space, the past and present coexisted.

One wall held a mural depicting the Demonic Cult's beginnings. The scene was frightening, bizarre, and primal. Its paintings and statues were so vivid they seemed ready to leap out and move at any moment.

Another image beside it showed the Demonic Cult in a later era. As time passed, the Cult changed, and the depictions of demonic people and spirits were different.

"The Nine Calamities Demonic Art has been passed down through long ages, changing and improving little by little, sometimes being lost and then reconnected."

Details of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art were also written on the wall.

The wall recorded when the Nine Calamities Demonic Art was born and detailed the era when it had nine techniques. It also described a time when the art was divided into the Nine-Transformation Demonic Sword Style, the Nine-Transformation Demonic Blade Style, and the Nine-Transformation Demonic Fist Style, becoming a demonic art with seven techniques in its first half and seven in its second. It even chronicled a period when the art was lost to darkness. The entire process, up to its restoration as nine techniques, was recorded in detail.

"So the Nine Calamities Demonic Art has continuously changed."

"It was inevitable. Fools and geniuses have appeared in every era."

Father's gaze returned to the statue of the Heavenly Demon Soul.

"But amidst all those changes, the one thing that never changed was the Heavenly Demon Soul."

The techniques changed with the era, but the Heavenly Demon Soul did not.

It was the ultimate existence, summoned only upon achieving complete mastery of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art.

I had already seen an image of the Heavenly Demon Soul several times before coming here. I felt it watching me in the Myriad Evil Sect Leader's cave, and I saw it again while enduring the Murim Alliance Chairman's tyrannical pressure.

I could not forget its gaze. It seemed to find me pathetic, yet it also seemed to long for me, and even pity me.

"Have you ever summoned the Heavenly Demon Soul?"

Father nodded.

This meant he had completely mastered the Nine Calamities Demonic Art and could summon the Heavenly Demon Soul.

Father, did you lose to Hwa Mugi even after summoning the Heavenly Demon Soul? Or did you fight without summoning it? What kind of battle took place that day?

Even now, I could not easily associate defeat with Father's resolute profile. I did not know if I would ever learn what happened that day, but one thing was certain.

That would never happen again.

"If I achieve complete mastery of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art, can you and I each summon a Heavenly Demon Soul?"

"That's right. It is known that the Heavenly Demon Soul differs slightly depending on the person who summons it. The Heavenly Demon Soul I summon and the one you summon will be different."

A Heavenly Demon Soul different from Father's. I imagined two Heavenly Demon Souls standing tall, facing each other, and eagerly anticipated that moment.

"My Heavenly Demon Soul… might be quite talkative."

A faint smile touched Father's lips, which for him was the equivalent of a hearty laugh.

"I don't know if I'll be able to see it in my lifetime."

He was teasing me, but his words also implied the difficulty of completely mastering the Nine Calamities Demonic Art.

Father leaped up, landing on the palm of the Heavenly Demon Soul statue.

"Come up here."

As if I had been waiting, I leaped up and landed beside him.

I reached out and touched the statue's hand. It felt cold like stone.

The symbol of the Heavenly Demon Soul was engraved in the center of the palm, shaped for a person to sit. It seemed Father had also received the Nine Calamities Demonic Art right here.

Father gazed at me and asked again.

"Are you ready?"

I looked at Father and replied.

"I want to feel the true sensation of the Heavenly Demon Soul."

Father's majestic pressure then filled the hall.

Finally, Father spoke the words I had so desperately longed to hear.

"From this moment, I will transmit the Nine Calamities Demonic Art to you."

My body trembled as I faced this great destiny. My once-calm heart began to pound again.

I sat down and straightened my back into a proper posture.

I breathed thinly, long, and steadily until my breath and consciousness became one. I was finally ready to accept my destiny.

This palm was no ordinary place. I did not understand the principle, but the flow of qi and demonic qi was much smoother here.

"A technique is a process for the sole result of killing and maiming, and the movements that optimize that process. Your achievement will depend on how well you understand this."

Father started with the profound principles of martial arts, then began reciting the incantations of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art.

I closed my eyes and began to memorize the incantations.

It was more difficult than any martial art I had ever encountered. I could usually grasp the basics just by listening, but the Nine Calamities Demonic Art was composed of entirely new concepts.

I focused all my mind on memorizing Father's words. Understanding and interpretation could wait.

"…The Shingwol must be cold, and the Subun must be hot. If the Hawan is the leaf, the Geonri must be the root. Only when chaos becomes order and a roar becomes silence will the Jungwan turn to life and the Geogwol to death. When the Jungjeong is clear and tranquil, the Danjung…"

The incomprehensible incantations continued endlessly. After a long time, the final incantation concluded.

"…To stand tall and alone in this world, that is the Nine Calamities Demonic Art."

When Father finished, I exclaimed without realizing it. Understanding could come later. I knew instinctively that the Nine Calamities Demonic Art was an incredible martial art. The dignity and grace of this absolute demonic art wrapped around me like an overwhelming emotion.

"How much did you memorize?"

"I've memorized all the incantations themselves."

Father acted differently than usual. He normally would have said, 'Then let's go,' and stood up. Instead, Father repeated the incantations.

"Now, listen again."

He was more serious than ever while teaching the Nine Calamities Demonic Art. This was likely because the art was taught directly, not through manuals. Misremembering or misinterpreting even a single character could be fatal.

Father repeated the incantations three times, then told me to recite them.

I began to recite the incantations.

Father looked satisfied when I recited them perfectly from beginning to end.

"Perfect."

I bowed deeply to Father.

"I'm so happy. Thank you, Father."

I was too overwhelmed with emotion to say anything else. I felt only joy and gratitude.

I thought the transmission would end there. I expected him to say, 'I've taught you, now it's up to you to learn it.'

But that was not the case.

Father then passed on a few key principles and the core of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art. He did not explain everything, but he precisely pointed out parts I might find confusing.

"Have you memorized this as well?"

"Yes, I have."

"I'm telling you this so you don't wander down unnecessary paths."

"Thank you, Father."

Father perched on the fingertip of the Heavenly Demon Soul, and I sat beside him.

"Father lectured me on the entire key principles of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art, from the first incantation to the last. He taught me how to interpret them and how to train. Even with all that, it took me a very long time to achieve complete mastery."

Father looked at me.

"I will not teach you the entire key principles."

This was not surprising, as it was just like Father. His reason, however, was truly astonishing.

"You must also know that even with the same martial arts, it can change greatly depending on how one interprets it."

Then he said the most surprising thing I had heard since meeting him.

"I want to see your interpretation of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art."

"!"

I was startled. Truly startled.

And I knew what those words meant. Father acknowledged me as a martial artist. No, it was more than that.

"Show me, your Nine Calamities Demonic Art."

He wanted to see a Nine Calamities Demonic Art superior to his own. Father, a man of immense pride, was saying this to me now.

"So, carve your history into this place!"

My heart swelled with emotion. The joy of Father's acknowledgment was even greater than the joy of receiving the Nine Calamities Demonic Art. Tears I had held back before now threatened to fall.

Father stood up before I could answer.

"Let's go."

He had returned to his usual blunt self.

I did not say I would show him, because I truly intended to.

Thank you, Father.

I think… I've really done well by returning.

I left the Heavenly Demon Divine Palace and climbed to the summit of the Great Sky Peak.

I stood alone, reciting the incantations of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art over and over, striving to engrave them into my mind forever.

My life was on the line here. Everyone's lives were on the line here.

I also mulled over the key principles and insights Father had taught me. Without them, learning the Nine Calamities Demonic Art would have taken much longer.

I forgot even hunger as I immersed myself in the Nine Calamities Demonic Art. My mind was clear and pure, and I felt ecstatic.

I was not there, nor was Father. In the end, even the Nine Calamities Demonic Art disappeared. I entered a true state of selflessness and perfectly engraved the art into myself.

The first place I went after coming down from the Great Sky Peak was the Alluring Inn.

Jo Cheonbae rushed out to greet me as I entered.

"Young Cult Leader! My sincerest congratulations! When I heard the news that you had become the Young Cult Leader, I wanted to visit you within the Cult's grounds."

He looked like he truly wanted to hug me.

So I pulled him into a sudden hug. Jo Cheonbae looked shocked enough to faint.

"You shouldn't do this to someone as lowly as me."

"'Lowly,' this is the last time you'll say that. It's rude to say such things to a friend, isn't it?"

Jo Cheonbae exclaimed, "Aigoo," at the word 'friend' and waved his hands dismissively. Nothing more needed to be said. Emotion filled Jo Cheonbae's wrinkled face.

"There has never been anyone like you, Young Cult Leader, and there never will be again."

"Show me that emotion through your cooking! I'm starving to death!"

I went up to the second floor.

I looked at the wall where the Demonic Buddha and the Poison King had left their marks and saw a new message beside them.

Blood Heaven, had a drink with disciple and left.

Surprisingly, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, who had come with Seo Daeryong, had left the message.

It was amazing enough that they had come for a drink together, but he had even mentioned his disciple. I smiled, picturing the two of them.

A moment later, Jo Cheonbae came up with alcohol and side dishes.

He looked at the Blood Heaven Blade Demon's new writing on the wall and said.

"Elder Blade Demon came by a while ago and left that. It's all thanks to you, Young Cult Leader."

"It might have been thanks to me at first, but now it's because of our host's skill with drinks and cooking. Do you know how picky those people are?"

I tugged on Jo Cheonbae's sleeve as I spoke.

"Have a drink with me."

"Yes, I'll pour you a celebratory drink."

"Did you know? This is the first celebratory drink I'm receiving."

"Aigoo! This lowly… no, is it alright for you to receive your first drink from me?"

"I know, right? I thought of you, the host, before any of the Demon Supremes. I wonder why?"

Jo Cheonbae answered wittily.

"Could it be because you were hungry?"

"I have been starving for a few days, actually."

We laughed together.

I am different from before.

I had gone from Second Young Lord to Young Cult Leader, and now I had learned the Nine Calamities Demonic Art.

However, I will continue to live an unchanging life.

I will live a life where I can share a drink with Jo Cheonbae like this.

The tenth star of complete mastery of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art can be achieved in the training grounds.

However, I believe the twelfth star of complete mastery cannot be achieved in the training grounds. I believe the path to the twelfth star is found in a drinking session with Jo Cheonbae, in a single line drawn on the wall by the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon, and on a moonlit walk with Lee Ahn.

My absolute, unchanging principle regarding martial arts.

For the martial arts to change, the person must change.

And I also know.

That a demonic path that does not break the table is ten times harder than one that does. Jo Cheonbae is a milestone on the demonic path I will protect. When the smile disappears from his face, my demonic path will be heading the wrong way.

So, this is enough for my celebration. A grand one, with just the two of us.

"Now, let's have a drink, host!"