Chapter 519: The Person in Father's Heart

TL: FoodieMonster007

It was Geom Woojin's Great Annihilation Stance. In an instant, his father's demonic spirits finished splitting.

The moment Geom Mugeuk saw it, he knew.

It's different.

His father had demonstrated the Great Annihilation Stance to him once before. On that day, his father's technique had clashed with his own. It was a confrontation of forty-four spirits against four.

His own demonic spirits were annihilated by his father's that day. He had pushed his protective enhanced qi to its absolute limit and fought until the very end.

Although Geom Mugeuk's demonic spirits were much stronger now, the same was true for his father's. The spirits were larger than before and looked far more powerful. He could tell they had grown stronger just by the demonic qi they emitted.

Father's Nine Calamities Demonic Art has surpassed the tenth star. It's reaching a new realm beyond complete mastery!

Geom Mugeuk spoke to his own demonic spirits.

You all need to eat more and grow bigger.

So, one could only imagine the pressure felt by the Chaos Demon and the other remaining masters.

WOOOOOOOO.

A low rumble accompanied the demonic qi that emanated from the lined-up spirits, sending shivers down their spines.

The Chaos Demon felt that they could never block the martial art now being displayed.

"It's the Nine Calamities Demonic Art! Towards the Young Cult Leader!"

The Chaos Demon desperately threw himself forward, and the remaining four masters moved with him.

They couldn't escape by breaking through the walls or ceiling. This was because when the Great Annihilation Stance was unleashed, the powerful demonic qi from the manifested spirits seized control of the space. An invisible wall trapped them, making it impossible to escape the area.

Since the Chaos Demon and the four masters had moved, Geom Mugeuk expected his father to stop the attack and unleash it again in a new direction.

Then, an unexpected sight unfolded.

SWOOOOOSH.

The lined-up demonic spirits changed their direction. Geom Mugeuk was startled by the sight. His own Great Annihilation Stance only went as far as splitting the spirits and immediately pushing them forward.

His father's Great Annihilation Stance, however, allowed the demonic spirits to change direction.

Geom Mugeuk realized his father hadn't pushed forward immediately to show him this. If the technique could already change like this, he couldn't imagine what the Nine Calamities Demonic Art would look like if it truly reached the Twelfth Star of complete mastery.

Of course, an immense amount of inner arts must be being consumed at this very moment.

Staring at the swords of the demonic spirits pointed at him, the Chaos Demon felt his entire body freeze. His gaze shifted to Gyo Cheon in the distance.

[Are you just going to stand there and watch? Use what you've prepared.]

Despite the incoming telepathic message, Gyo Cheon just watched the situation without any response.

From his reaction, the Chaos Demon understood. Gyo Cheon had intended to use them all as consumables from the very beginning. He planned to make them expend as much of their inner arts as possible before he finished things himself.

Gyo Cheon had sought him out when he was living alone in retirement. He was a man the Chaos Demon thought was dead, and the first thing he said upon seeing him was this.

[Let's take this murim together.]

He should have rejected those words outright, calling them madness. He should have told him to leave, saying he wouldn't report him to the cult out of consideration for their past friendship.

[Why can't we have such a dream? Why must such a grand dream belong only to them?]

Those words made his heart flutter. A thought occurred to him. If I use this man's thirst for revenge well, perhaps I can spend the end of my life in a spectacular way.

It's a life you only live once, anyway. A life I've already lived long enough.

He couldn't resist this powerful temptation. At the time of his retirement, he was living an incredibly dull and boring life. At an age when desire should be let go like flowing water, it instead burned his body like fire.

Now, looking at the demonic spirits lined up before him, the Chaos Demon awoke from his dream.

I thought I was using him, but in the end, I was the one being used.

For Gyo Cheon, revenge was everything. His goal must have been to make the Cult Leader expend his inner arts, even if it meant sacrificing everyone. Then he would step in at the end to get his revenge.

Could he really end it with just revenge after preparing so much? After gathering these people with such difficulty?

But it seemed that was the case. He was nothing more than an incarnation of vengeance who had scraped together old desires.

It was only at this moment that the Chaos Demon realized this.

"Cult Leader, withdraw your anger. You wouldn't be thinking of unleashing the Nine Calamities Demonic Art with your son here, would you?"

Now, there was only one thing he could believe in.

Geom Woojin was looking at the Chaos Demon with an unreadable expression.

Just then, Geom Mugeuk spoke from behind.

"That's because you don't know how heartless my father is."

Ignoring Geom Mugeuk's words, the Chaos Demon said to everyone.

"As long as the Young Cult Leader is here, he'll never unleash it."

Half of the four masters watched their backs, preparing for Geom Mugeuk and the Blood Heaven Blade Demon to attack them.

THUD.

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon planted the Heaven Destroying Dao in front of Geom Mugeuk.

"This won't be enough to block it, but it should help a little," he offered.

Geom Mugeuk said to the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.

"As expected, Elder, you know my father all too well."

He meant that he believed his father would unleash the attack even with his son present.

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon's reaction made the Chaos Demon even more desperate.

"Cult Leader, withdraw the Nine Calamities Demonic Art! If we all attack at once, the Young Cult Leader won't survive. You have to think of your son!"

However, his opponent was not someone who could be swayed by threats.

The moment the corner of Geom Woojin's mouth lifted slightly, the Great Annihilation Stance was unleashed.

KAKAKAKAKAKAKAKA!

The demonic spirits surged forward all at once.

The Chaos Demon, as well as the remaining masters, raised their protective enhanced qi and unleashed their own enhanced qi.

SHWAAAAK! SHWAK! SHWAAAAAK!

PWAAAK! KWAANG! KWANG! KWANG!

The unleashed enhanced qi collided with the demonic spirits. Their attacks held enough power to turn boulders into dust. However, the demonic spirits only staggered for a moment before continuing to push forward without being destroyed.

"No!"

A demonic spirit struck the Chaos Demon. He could not block this powerful mass of enhanced qi created by the Nine Calamities Demonic Art.

PAPAPAPAK!

The Chaos Demon's bones and flesh were shattered and scattered in all directions. The other four masters met the same fate, with only a slight time difference.

They swung their swords, but their blades broke. They endured with their protective enhanced qi, but it was torn to shreds. They threw their bodies to escape, but the demonic qi dragged them back and tore them to pieces.

KAKAKAKAKAKA!

The demonic spirits that had swept them all away now surged toward Geom Mugeuk and the Blood Heaven Blade Demon. Geom Mugeuk stood still and watched the demonic spirits of the Great Annihilation Stance rushing toward him.

The terrifying demonic spirits were surging in like a tidal wave. The demonic qi they emitted was so intense that even he, a practitioner of a demonic art, felt suffocated.

So this is what it feels like to be on the receiving end of the Great Annihilation Stance.

KWAAAAAAAAA!

The surging demonic spirits broke through the entire wall behind where the two men stood.

A single demonic spirit stopped. It had stopped right in front of Geom Mugeuk and the Blood Heaven Blade Demon. It was a demonic spirit larger than the Heaven Destroying Dao planted before them.

His father had stopped only the demonic spirit in the path of his son and the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon looked at the demonic spirit and respectfully performed a clasped hands greeting, paying homage to the Nine Calamities Demonic Art.

Geom Mugeuk silently stared at the demonic spirit standing before him. It stared straight ahead with a terrifying and cold gaze. The demonic spirit was so vivid it looked as if it had just emerged from hell.

He had originally intended to erect the Impenetrable Demonic Wall. However, at the last moment, he changed his mind. Surely he wouldn't kill his own son, right? He trusted his father.

SSSSS.

The proudly standing demonic spirit slowly vanished. Just before it disappeared, he had the illusion that the demonic spirit lowered its eyes and glanced at him.

Once the demonic spirit vanished, the scene inside the hall finally unfolded before his eyes.

In the silence left by death, blood that had not yet cooled was flowing. The twelve masters who were here had all been killed by Geom Woojin. Now, it was impossible to even tell how many there had been in the first place.

The only person left was Gyo Cheon.

"Kuhahahahaha!"

Gyo Cheon laughed. His reflection in the pool of blood made him look like a madman. He looked like someone who had given up on everything, and also like someone who had expected this all along.

Geom Woojin's gaze turned to Gyo Cheon. Geom Mugeuk and the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, who were behind him, also looked at Gyo Cheon.

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon asked Gyo Cheon in a loud voice.

"Did you truly not know it would turn out like this?"

Gyo Cheon stopped laughing abruptly and stared at the Blood Heaven Blade Demon with sunken eyes. His gaze suggested he had something to say, but he remained silent.

Just then, Geom Woojin turned to the Blood Heaven Blade Demon and said.

"Leave the rest to me."

Geom Mugeuk understood. It wasn't just about what Gyo Cheon had prepared as his final move or its danger. It was also to prevent the Blood Heaven Blade Demon from having to suffer the fate of killing his master again.

Even if he didn't express it outwardly, he could feel that his father was looking out for the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.

Geom Woojin walked slowly toward Gyo Cheon, his sword hanging loosely at his side. He was thinking of the Blood Heaven Blade Demon until the very end. He intended to kill him cleanly, leaving a proper corpse.

"Do you have any last words for your disciple?"

Gyo Cheon glanced at the Blood Heaven Blade Demon and scoffed. Then, with a meaningful look, he retorted.

"And you? Do you have any last words for your son?"

The moment his words ended.

PUK!

Gyo Cheon's form vanished into smoke. At the same time, everything around them began to disappear. The walls, the tables, the chairs, and the corpses on the floor.

PUK! PUK! PUK! PUK!

Even Geom Mugeuk and the Blood Heaven Blade Demon. Everything scattered into smoke, as if everything up to this point had been an illusion.

Geom Woojin said in a low voice.

"An illusion art!"

When everything vanished, he was in the middle of a deep mountain. Come to think of it, where was this? This was the Great Sky Peak, where the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was located.

Geom Woojin knew. This was the place where he had been hunting that day.

Not only his surroundings, but he himself had changed. The sword at his hip was not the Heavenly Demon Sword. He drew the sword and saw his younger self reflected on the blade. Himself, before he had learned the Nine Calamities Demonic Art.

It was right then.

"Woojin."

A startled Geom Woojin turned to see his older brother from his youth standing some distance away.

Geom Woojin's eyes trembled as he looked at him. His brother was standing there, looking exactly as he had on that day. He had hated him so much back then. He was a brother who never disappeared from his life, even as the years passed. In fact, the traces of his brother had only grown deeper.

His brother said the exact same words he had said to him that day.

"You knew it would turn out this way, didn't you?"

A cold killing intent flowed from his brother. That day, even though he knew beforehand, he had been angry seeing his brother try to kill him. But his feelings seeing his brother today were different.

"I thought so at the time."

And for the first time, Geom Woojin let out a sigh. Like his younger self who had readily shown his emotions, Geom Woojin revealed his regret.

"There must have been a way, brother."

It would not have been an easy path, but there must have been a way. His son had shown him by accomplishing that difficult task himself.

"There is no other path. Because neither you nor I would have ever yielded."

Still, he should have found a way. His younger self back then couldn't find it. What about now? Now that he had watched his son accomplish it all.

It was then. Someone appeared from behind.

"Second Young Lord, it is a pity things have turned out this way."

It was Gyo Cheon, holding a giant dao. Not his current, aged appearance, but him from his days as the Blade Demon, burning with ambition.

However, as if to show this wasn't a perfect reenactment of that day, Gyo Cheon said with a meaningful look.

"That day, I couldn't kill you because of that bastard disciple's betrayal, but today will be different."

Killing intent swirled in Gyo Cheon's eyes. He had tried to kill him just like this on that day, too. Because it was a day that both he and Geom Woojin remembered, the illusion art must have been manifested this vividly.

Just then, a voice was heard from behind.

"Today is certainly different."

Another person revealed himself there.

"Because in place of the disciple, his son has come."

Surprisingly, the one who appeared was none other than Geom Mugeuk.

"Perhaps because of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art, I've also entered this illusion."

The younger version of the father and his son stood facing each other. The two looked at each other with intense gazes.

"To see you in your youth, Father, I'm truly moved."

Geom Woojin's gaze as he silently looked at his son was endlessly deep.

Geom Mugeuk's gaze turned to Geom Woojin's brother.

"So this is what my uncle looked like."

Geom Mugeuk looked at him and greeted him respectfully with a clasped hands greeting.

"I greet you for the first time. I am Mugeuk."

He glared at Geom Mugeuk with a displeased expression. The reaction was as vivid as if he were a real person.

Geom Mugeuk asked his father.

"What kind of illusion art have we fallen into?"

Geom Woojin knew exactly what kind of illusion art he had fallen into.

"It's an illusion art called the Trauma Illusion Art. It's a martial art that kills its victim by using the person who holds the largest and deepest place in the target's heart."

In other words, it could be the person they hated the most, or the person they liked and loved the most.

"So the person who holds the largest place in your heart was your brother."

Most illusion arts belong to the unorthodox sects, but this Trauma Illusion Art was a martial art passed down in the orthodox sects. Since all demonic arts are powerless before the supreme demonic art, the Nine Calamities Demonic Art, he had unleashed a martial art of the orthodox sects. He must have trained his entire life to finish his revenge with the Trauma Illusion Art.

"But it seems he didn't account for the variable that is me."

Geom Mugeuk drew his sword and walked to Geom Woojin's side.

"Father, you may feel regretful, but it's time to forget the past."

Geom Woojin nodded and walked forward.

JEOBEOK JEOBEOK.

He took a step toward his brother. Within the illusion, only the sound of his footsteps could be heard. His brother also drew his sword, just like that day, and walked forward.

Just as Geom Woojin was about to face the two of them at once! The unimaginable happened.

Gyo Cheon also stepped forward from the side.

Geom Woojin thrust his sword as fast as light.

SHWIIIIIIK.

PUUUUK!

The one who coughed up blood as his chest was pierced was Geom Mugeuk.

Geom Woojin had turned as fast as lightning and stabbed his son, who was behind him.

"…Father?"