Chapter 317: I Want to Fight More

TL: FoodieMonster007

It was forty-four against four, but in reality, it was a four-on-four fight. The evil spirits only pushed forward in a straight line. If the evil spirits could turn and focus on us, Father would not have split them into so many in the first place.

How could we possibly block forty-four evil spirits?

That was what I had thought.

The moment my four evil spirits clashed with the ones sent to meet them, I was startled. The other surging evil spirits stopped in place. I had assumed only the first four would collide while the rest swept past us.

So he can stop them like this!

My own realm was still low, so I did not know the technique could be used this way.

Then, could it be? They aren't going to rush us, are they?

Fortunately, the evil spirits remained still. The pressure was immense. Four evil spirits fought each other while forty more stood menacingly on either side.

KWANG! KWAKWANG! KWANG! KWANGKWANG!

A tremendous clash raged on. The evil spirits could sweep away anything, yet they could not push each other back. They fought like martial artists on a battlefield's front line, knowing that if they fell, everyone behind them would die. A deafening roar erupted and sparks flew each time their swords and bodies collided.

Beyond the evil spirits, I could see Father. He must have been consuming an enormous amount of inner arts to split into forty-four, yet Father remained serene. He was showing me what the Great Annihilation Stance looked like at complete mastery. He was also asking me what kind of Great Annihilation Stance I would master in the future.

My four evil spirits began to be pushed back. I poured my inner arts to the limit, but I could not match Father's evil spirits, which were born from complete mastery. Just as firewood cannot overcome lava's heat, I was not yet his match.

The four evil spirits held on until the very end before dissipating, as if they knew I would die if they collapsed. My only choice now was to use the Vanishing Step to escape. I had to get completely outside the range of the Great Annihilation Stance.

However, I did not want to do that.

At that moment, my eyes met Father's.

I will not run.

I drew upon the Heavenly Demon Defense Art and raised my protective enhanced qi. I also activated the Vajra Asura, the Fifth Form of the Thunder Arhat Fist, to temporarily make my body as hard as steel.

Come on! Let's see if you can kill me even with this.

KWAKWANG!

I collided head-on with a surging evil spirit. The shock vibrated through my entire body, but I endured it. If I could withstand this first clash, I could endure the rest. I blocked the evil spirit's descending sword with the Black Demon Sword. The terrifying power felt like it would tear my arm off, but I gritted my teeth and swung my sword.

KAANG! KAAANG! KANG! KAANG!

A series of sharp, metallic sounds rang out. The evil spirit's attacks were fast, precise, and powerful. It was as if Father himself was striking me down. It was a continuous, chaotic battle. I could never have experienced a fight like this if my opponent was not Father. Father pushed me to my limits, and I strove to defeat the evil spirit in return.

Just enduring is meaningless. I will destroy it, no matter what.

My lightning-fast attack struck the evil spirit. It felt like striking thousand-year-old cold iron. My own arm hurt more.

KAANG! KANG! KAAANG! KANG!

At the final moment of our exchange, the Black Demon Sword accurately pierced the evil spirit's heart.

PUUUUK!

It had felt like striking steel until now, but this time I heard flesh tear.

SSSSSSSSS.

The next moment, the evil spirit began to dissipate. As the evil spirit I fought disappeared, the others vanished with it. Strength left my legs, and I collapsed.

I could tell Father had withdrawn the Great Annihilation Stance at the last moment. That was why I could pierce its heart.

So this is Father's Nine Calamities Demonic Art.

Father walked slowly toward me. I breathed raggedly. My whole body ached as if I were dying, and I had felt death at my doorstep, but I looked up at Father and spoke.

"I want to fight more."

Father smiled. It was not his usual sneer, nor the laugh that escaped when he could not hold back my banter. For the first time, I felt he was smiling as one martial artist to another.

"Then you should get up."

I groaned and got back up. I could feel Father's fervor. Seeing me take on the Great Annihilation Stance with my whole body instead of running had ignited a fire in him too. He probably did not expect me to block it to that extent.

"Perform the Third Technique of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art."

This meant Father would oversee my practice of the Third Technique. This was a miraculous encounter only the Young Cult Leader could obtain, a reward for my fighting spirit. I performed the Third Technique of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art for the first time.

The Third Technique of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art, the Impenetrable Demonic Wall.

The Third Technique did not summon evil spirits or use a sword. The First Technique, the Human Destroying Stance, targeted a single person. The Second Technique, the Great Annihilation Stance, was for mass slaughter. The Third Technique, the Impenetrable Demonic Wall, was a defensive technique that erected a wall of enhanced qi. It was fundamentally different from a sword wall made of sword qi.

As the Third Technique, it was certainly difficult. Even when I circulated my true qi according to the mnemonic, the Impenetrable Demonic Wall did not form properly.

"I'll replenish my true qi for a moment."

I wondered if I lacked inner arts, so I sat cross-legged and circulated my true qi for one cycle, but it was not a problem with my inner arts. The Impenetrable Demonic Wall still would not form easily.

"Why is this so difficult?"

"Because defense is harder than offense."

Yes, that was right. I always felt offense was difficult, but defense was truly harder. I realized that more and more as my realm increased. I asked Father about the parts I did not understand, and he explained them in detail. In a single moment, I gained an understanding that would have taken months to achieve alone.

I tried again, asked about the parts where I got stuck, and repeated the process.

"It worked!"

HUUUUNG!

The Impenetrable Demonic Wall finally erected itself with a deep, magnificent sound of wind. It was a wall of sky-blue enhanced qi, the same color as my enhanced sword qi. It towered like a fortress, large enough to hide several dozen people. The more I trained, the sturdier the wall would become. I wanted to keep looking at it, but I had consumed too much qi and could not maintain it for long.

Suddenly, I grew curious about Father's Impenetrable Demonic Wall.

"I want to see your Impenetrable Demonic Wall, Father."

A wall ten times larger than this will probably be created, right?

Father was in a good mood today. He performed the Third Technique as if to say, Alright, I'll show you.

HWIIUNG!

The sound of the wind was more concise and light. I was startled when I saw the Impenetrable Demonic Wall that appeared before Father. It was a completely different Impenetrable Demonic Wall from what I had imagined.

Father's Impenetrable Demonic Wall was small. It was a shield just large enough to hide one adult. I could tell by the white energy flowing from it like mist. It was so concentrated with enhanced qi that no attack could ever break it. It was harder than diamond, harder than thousand-year-old cold iron.

"As your realm increases, the demonic wall will become smaller."

"But it will become harder instead, right?"

Father nodded and said resolutely.

"The Impenetrable Demonic Wall that has reached complete mastery cannot be pierced by any attack."

His words naturally brought a question to my mind.

"Even with the Great Annihilation Stance?"

"If both have reached complete mastery, it would be decided by whose martial talent is superior. The purity of one's inner arts would also be a factor."

My heart pounded. The Nine Calamities Demonic Art always made my heart race like this.

"I want to see my own Impenetrable Demonic Wall at complete mastery, and with it, I want to try blocking your Great Annihilation Stance."

I could feel an even hotter fervor in Father's eyes as he looked at me. He was probably imagining himself shattering my Impenetrable Demonic Wall. We were more than father and son. We were martial artists seeking the pinnacle of martial arts.

"I will repay the grace you've shown me today by not being pierced on that day. I will become an opponent you must fight with all your strength."

That seemed to be the answer Father wanted, because it was the first time he had ever said something like this.

"I will be waiting."

I will go to you, Father, and that won't be our final destination. You must go even further with me.

I walked out of the training grounds with Father. I could feel he was in a good mood, which made me feel good too.

"Have you solved the secret of the Secret Box?"

"I haven't solved it yet."

I took the Secret Box from my robes.

"Say hello to Father."

Father saw the eyes and mouth drawn on it and sneered openly.

Right, if I'm going to see Father, I have to see this smile too.

"What have you tried?"

"I haven't tried anything. Is that why this fellow is smiling so comfortably?"

I put the Secret Box back into my robes. I had a vague feeling that my connection with the Secret Box would come naturally. Until then, we would just be friends.

"Did the great soul-stealing ritual end well?"

As expected, Father knew everything. The All-Knowing Hall was an outstanding organization, and Go Wol never hesitated to provide it with information.

"The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader broke the soul-stealing technique cast on the Demon Supreme. He also took care of the mastermind."

Father's aura turned cold. He was naturally displeased that someone had dared to touch a Demon Supreme of our Cult.

"It seems they're in league with the one who plotted the incident in the Murim Alliance before. We've also discovered that those bastards have infiltrated the Heavenly Wind Cult. It looks like I'll have to go to the Outer Regions with the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader."

Father nodded.

"Take the Demonic Buddha with you."

As expected, he left no openings. Father knew precisely that the Demonic Buddha was strong against illusionary arts.

"And when you return, let's have a meal, the three of us, with your brother."

He was not just suggesting a meal. He meant that no matter how busy I was, I should also take care of my brother.

"I'll buy the meal!"

The next morning, we gathered in one place. The party heading to the Heavenly Wind Cult would be my bodyguards, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader, and the Demonic Buddha. The Demonic Buddha would have had to go anyway since Father told me to take him, but it seemed he had already agreed with the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader beforehand.

"I feel so reassured with you coming with us, Demonic Buddha."

"There must have been many other Demon Supremes who wanted to go with you besides me?"

He would not believe me if I denied it anyway.

"There were some, but our Cult Leader strongly insisted that he wanted to go with you, Demonic Buddha."

As I spoke, I glanced at the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader. He pretended not to hear and looked away, but I could feel his ears perking up.

"He said that you, Demonic Buddha, would protect us better than the other Demon Supremes."

The two of them were reserved and did not speak to each other, but they did not look uncomfortable. The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader and the Demonic Buddha. It was a combination that seemed like it would and would not work.

Just then, Cheokyeon came and reported.

"Preparations for departure are complete."

Just as we were about to board the carriage, someone arrived. It was, unexpectedly, the Poison King.

"The Poison King! You came all this way to see me off on my long journey."

The Poison King ignored my cheerful greeting and walked past me. His eyes were fixed on only one person. He gave a cursory greeting to the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader before approaching the Demonic Buddha. Surprisingly, he had come to see the Demonic Buddha.

"I heard you are leaving for the Outer Regions."

"I will be accompanying the Young Cult Leader to the Heavenly Wind Cult."

"So I have a favor to ask."

The Poison King took a few sheets of paper from his robes.

"I only found out last night that you were leaving, so I stayed up all night hastily preparing this."

Indeed, his eyes were bloodshot and his hair was disheveled. The papers he held out showed drawings of various poisonous herbs. They detailed not only their appearance but also where they grew and their characteristics.

"These are poisonous herbs that grow in the Outer Regions. If you happen to spot any while passing by, please get them for me."

The Demonic Buddha let out a hearty laugh at the request. The Poison King was probably the only person who could act this way toward him. It was the first time I had seen the Demonic Buddha laugh so heartily.

"Very well. If I spot them, I will be sure to dig them up for you."

The Poison King's expression brightened.

"Ah, I feel a bit sorry about this, but."

The Poison King took a few more sheets of paper from his robes.

"I left these out because I thought I was giving you too much, but since you're going anyway, maybe these too. Ah, is it too much? I'll just pick a few from here. This one is absolutely necessary…"

The Poison King agonized, picking one then another.

Just then, the Demonic Buddha took all the papers from the Poison King.

"Give them all to me."

"You'll do that for me?"

"Wouldn't that increase the chances of bringing back at least one more?"

I could feel it. The Poison King was genuinely happy. He was a man who was sincere about poisonous herbs.

"Hey, why don't you ask me?"

"The Demonic Buddha is someone who sees things you cannot. Just go and try not to get in the way."

I could not let that slide. I shouted to the Demonic Buddha.

"You're being used! Once he has no more need for poisonous herbs, you'll be abandoned just like me!"

The Demonic Buddha shuffled through the papers and said to me.

"Will a day ever come when the Poison King doesn't need poisonous herbs?"

At those words, I saw the Poison King give a strange smile. This was the Poison King who had stepped out of his own world and into reality. I liked this Poison King who stood on that borderline.

"I'll be back."

Instead of telling him to be careful, the Poison King said.

"Be sure to dig them up and return."

As the Poison King turned to leave, our eyes met.

"Aren't you going to say goodbye to me?"

"You? Of course you'll have a safe trip."

That 'of course' contained so much of his trust in me.

"Since you're already out, why don't you come with us?"

"No. I hate sand and dust."

"But you just gave him a mountain of papers asking him to dig in that very sandstorm."

The Poison King scurried away without a backward glance.

Watching him leave, the Demonic Buddha smiled faintly, folded the drawings, and tucked them carefully into his robes.

"When did you get so close to the Poison King?"

I thought perhaps the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader was a little jealous. He probably thought he was the one closest to the Demonic Buddha.

"We're not close."

"Then why are you doing him a favor like this?"

"I'm not close with you either, but I'm still going to the Outer Regions, aren't I?"

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader had a reply for that chilly remark.

"Don't change too much."

"Look who's talking."

And so, we departed, with these two already bickering.

"Alright, let's go pull out some hidden poisonous herbs."