Chapter 833: Your Heavenly Demon Soul Has Perished

TL: FoodieMonster007

Geom Woojin passed the Ninth Technique to his son.

[Where the will of the demon soul goes, death follows, and no one shall be able to stop it. The qi begins at the Chonghoe acupoint. The result precedes the cause, and death comes before life. Do not fear the reverse flow of qi…]

He did exactly as his son wished, not intervening at all. Once his son overcame this battle, he would grow and become stronger.

This battle was a crisis of a lifetime, with his life and the fate of the murim at stake. At the same time, it was a miraculous encounter that would never come again in a martial artist's life.

Geom Woojin willingly gave that miraculous encounter to his son. He would never have left it entirely up to him if he didn't trust him.

As he taught his son the oral formula, the two Heavenly Demon Souls entered a full-scale battle where the loser would perish forever.

BOOM!

Swords clashed in the air, but neither Heavenly Demon Soul took a single step back.

"I'll definitely make your power mine!"

Hyeok Docheon's Heavenly Demon Soul wielded its sword with desire, while Geom Mugeuk's Heavenly Demon Soul fought with the will to protect its master.

Powerful demonic qi raged with every clash of their swords. The two similar yet different energies seemed to howl as if they were alive.

This demonic qi was also what prevented an opponent from escaping the Great Annihilation Stance. It was an absolute power that trapped them within that space.

The Heavenly Demon Souls raged with even more powerful demonic qi than the Great Annihilation Stance itself.

With two Heavenly Demon Souls emitting such demonic qi, Jin Paecheon, Baek Jagang, and the others could not go near the fight.

Jin Paecheon and Baek Jagang gave up on intervening and instead stood before Geom Mugeuk, blocking the shockwaves from the battle. They judged that Geom Woojin was passing something to Geom Mugeuk. If so, even the slightest gust of wind could be a hindrance.

The Fist Demon, the Sword King, and the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader also raised defensive qi barriers with the same thought.

Under their protection, Geom Mugeuk memorized the oral formula his father passed on. He had already mastered up to the eighth technique of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art, and his martial arts had reached the peak.

He understood the meaning of most of the oral formula the moment he heard it. However, some parts still eluded him.

He skipped the parts he didn't understand for now and focused on the rest of the oral formula.

Once Geom Woojin finished reciting the oral formula, Geom Mugeuk said, [Father, please guard this place for a moment.]

He immediately used the Spacetime Manipulation Technique and disappeared.

Geom Woojin thought his son had entered the Spacetime Manipulation Technique to focus on learning the technique.

Only the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader knew Geom Mugeuk's true intention.

He intends to unleash the Heavenly Space Secret Art inside there.

He felt gratified that his teachings were being used at such a crucial moment. He thought that perhaps destiny had led to this.

Indeed, Geom Mugeuk used the Heavenly Space Secret Art inside the Spacetime Manipulation Technique. He could have brought his father with him here from the start, which would have saved time, but there was a reason he didn't.

He had to avoid a situation where both he and his father were absent from the outside. His opponent was Hyeok Docheon's Heavenly Demon Soul, a cruel and heartless being. The moment it realized he and his father were gone, there was no telling what tricks it would use against the others.

One of them had to remain. He couldn't focus on the final technique's oral formula while worrying about the outside.

Having gained more time with the Heavenly Space Secret Art, Geom Mugeuk contemplated the oral formula. He reviewed the parts he knew and set aside the parts he didn't. He would ask his father about these parts when he returned, though it worried him that there were more of them than he had expected.

Can I understand all of this in time?

Geom Mugeuk suddenly felt a surge of fear. This wasn't just any martial art, but the final technique of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art. Had he been arrogant, overestimating his own skills?

A thought suddenly surfaced.

Maybe I should have spent this time figuring out how to use that other oral formula instead?

There was another oral formula he had learned from Saintess Ga Ye. While learning it, he had a hunch it was used to control Hwa Mugi.

But she only passed on the oral formula, not how to use it, as she didn't know how to do that either.

Right, the Darkness Palace Lord wouldn't have taught that method to anyone else. Still, should I have tried to find a way to use that oral formula?

The moment that thought occurred, Geom Mugeuk realized.

These are inner demons, born from the fear of not being able to master the ninth technique.

Since his Heavenly Demon Soul had already appeared, such thoughts were just belated regrets. Even if the oral formula worked on Hwa Mugi, it wouldn't work on the Heavenly Demon Soul.

He didn't know what help that oral formula would provide later, but for now, he had to focus on mastering the Ninth Technique.

Still,once he lost his concentration, it wasn't easy to compose himself. The more he tried to shake off the thoughts, the more they intruded.

Time inside the Heavenly Space Secret Art seemed to flow faster.

Suddenly, a scene came to Geom Mugeuk's mind. It was the image of himself walking alone in a snowy field where a blizzard raged.

He remembered walking through that vague despair and desperate loneliness, wondering if he could truly find all the ingredients for the grand method.

My journey to reach this very place today… The oral formula of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art is important, and the oral formula of the Six Elements Origin Qi is important, but the most important thing is me, the one who walked this long road to get here.

I didn't travel this path using tricks, so believe in yourself, Mugeuk. If it doesn't work even after trying this hard, then so be it. I will gladly die. Didn't I try hard enough to be able to say that?

As these feelings arose, Geom Mugeuk's anxious heart calmed. He felt the distracting thoughts subside as his mind grew tranquil.

The time that had seemed to fly by now slowed once more.

Time, please flow slowly.

After organizing the oral formula in his head, Geom Mugeuk released the Spacetime Manipulation Technique and returned.

A fiercer battle was taking place outside. He could tell from a single glance that his Heavenly Demon Soul was being pushed back, but he had no time to worry about it.

[There are several parts I don't understand. First, it said the season stops at winter when moving from the Gihae acupoint to the Junggeuk acupoint. Does that mean I should stop the qi, or move it with cold qi?] he asked his father about the parts he was unsure of.

Geom Woojin earnestly explained, [It's both. You stop the qi while maintaining as much cold qi as possible, but that's not the important part.]

Geom Mugeuk understood ten things when taught one. [When spring comes is what's important!]

Geom Woojin nodded and added one more thing. [When is important, but so is how. The key is how softly you release the stopped, cold qi.]

[I understand what you mean, Father.]

Geom Mugeuk not only asked about what he didn't know but also confirmed his suspicions.

[Should I move the qi quickly when passing from the Yanggang acupoint to the Hwangmun acupoint?]

[That is correct.]

[Then when I have to move from the Taegye acupoint to the Taejong acupoint…]

Geom Mugeuk continued to ask questions, absorbing his father's explanations, displaying truly terrifying concentration. If his father had only been at the tenth star instead of the twelfth, or if he himself was at a lower level, this exchange would have been impossible.

SWISH! BAM!

Geom Mugeuk's Heavenly Demon Soul was pushed back toward them.

Jin Paecheon and Baek Jagang raised their defensive enhanced qi, blocking Geom Mugeuk's Heavenly Demon Soul with the softest qi possible to avoid injuring it.

Enduring the powerful demonic qi radiating from the Heavenly Demon Soul, the two pushed it forward again.

The Heavenly Demon Soul charged forward again, unafraid and unhesitating.

Geom Mugeuk knew why his Heavenly Demon Soul was being pushed back, even though he and Hwa Mugi had fought to a draw in their inner qi contest. His father had told him before that the strength of a Heavenly Demon Soul depended on the summoner's understanding of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art. It was being pushed back because he hadn't yet mastered the Ninth Technique.

Geom Mugeuk struggled to calm his impatient heart and sent another telepathic message to his father. [I'm going to organize my thoughts one last time.]

After saying that, he disappeared into the Spacetime Manipulation Technique again.

Geom Woojin was inwardly stunned. It was one thing to memorize the oral formula so quickly, but his son had also understood most of it and asked questions about the exact parts he had predicted.

However, there were still parts Geom Mugeuk hadn't asked about, parts that Geom Woojin felt he definitely should have. It would be fortunate if he had skipped them because he already knew them, but what if he had missed them? It would be difficult to fully master the oral formula then.

Hyeok Docheon's Heavenly Demon Soul saw Geom Mugeuk disappear and reappear while fighting. It sensed that Geom Mugeuk was plotting something.

I can't drag this out any longer.

Hyeok Docheon's Heavenly Demon Soul unleashed the the Seventh Technique of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art, Demonic Soul Realm Creation. Countless blades of enhanced qi formed in the sky like a spreading net.

The onlookers knew that if those countless blades flew at them, they would never be able to block them. The only question was whether their defensive enhanced qi could block the attack without injury.

Geom Mugeuk's Heavenly Demon Soul countered by unleashing the same technique, Demonic Soul Realm Creation.

Their movements were identical. The motion of extending the sword, even the angle of the arm. Even the countless blades of enhanced qi created behind them were identical.

The Demonic Soul Realm Creation unleashed by the two Heavenly Demon Souls looked like perfect mirror images.

SWIIIIISH! SWIIIIISH!

The countless blades of enhanced qi from both Heavenly Demon Souls surged toward each other.

CLANG CLANG CLANG CLANG CLANG!

The tremendous enhanced qi collided mid-air, creating a shower of sparks.

WHOOOOSH!

The aftermath of the collision spread in all directions. A tremendous shockwave spread out, shaking the very earth and cracking the ground.

The nearby drapery and hardware stores collapsed amid thick dust rising into the air.

RUMBLE!

Something burst through the smoke.

A row of evil spirits pushed through the haze.

Hyeok Docheon's Heavenly Demon Soul had not been aiming for Geom Mugeuk's Heavenly Demon Soul. While their vision was obscured by the Demonic Soul Realm Creation, it had unleashed the Great Annihilation Stance toward Jin Paecheon and Baek Jagang.

"Be careful!" Jin Paecheon shouted, raising his defensive enhanced qi to its absolute limit.

Baek Jagang responded to the incoming Great Annihilation Stance in the same way. He stuck close to Jin Paecheon's side, preparing to face one of the evil spirits. "Stand in a line!"

It was a wise judgment. The evil spirits were larger than humans, so two people standing in the path of one would be enough. If they focused their power to block one evil spirit, the others could safely take cover behind them.

RUMBLE! BOOOOOOOOM!

The moment the evil spirit pounced, Jin Paecheon, Baek Jagang, and everyone else saw it collide with something just before it reached them.

A wall of enhanced qi had been erected in front of Jin Paecheon and Baek Jagang.

Surprisingly, it was Geom Woojin's Impenetrable Demonic Wall.

The evil spirits that struck the Impenetrable Demonic Wall began to disappear. Just as Geom Mugeuk had used it to escape the Human Destroying Stance, the evil spirits of the Great Annihilation Stance could not pierce it either.

Jin Paecheon and Baek Jagang looked back. Geom Mugeuk was gone, but Geom Woojin met their gaze and bowed his head slightly, a silent thanks for trying to protect him instead of dodging.

The two Chairmen returned the gesture of gratitude.

A sudden thought occurred to them. What if the Impenetrable Demonic Wall had appeared behind them instead? They would have been trapped between the Great Annihilation Stance and the Impenetrable Demonic Wall.

No, there was something even more terrible. What if Geom Woojin had unleashed the Great Annihilation Stance from behind?

Could they have blocked the Great Annihilation Stance flooding in from both front and back? It would have been impossible. They would have died, crushed between the evil spirits. That is, if Geom Woojin had betrayed them.

But Geom Woojin had erected the Impenetrable Demonic Wall in front of them.

While they were grateful, the thought was not entirely pleasant. The idea of such a person becoming their enemy was terrifying.

Hyeok Docheon's Heavenly Demon Soul wasted no more time and immediately unleashed the Ninth Technique, Supreme Demonic Soul. It knew that while Geom Mugeuk's Heavenly Demon Soul might have mastered the Eighth Technique, it could not have mastered the Ninth.

"It's over now!" The two pitch-black eyes of Hyeok Docheon's Heavenly Demon Soul began to shine with a pure white light.

Everyone could feel it. They didn't know what kind of attack was coming, but they knew that if it landed, Geom Mugeuk's Heavenly Demon Soul would perish.

Geom Woojin spoke quietly, but more urgently than ever, "Son, you have to come out now!"

FLASH!

Light shot out from the pure white eyes of Hyeok Docheon's Heavenly Demon Soul. It was the Supreme Demonic Soul, the final technique that annihilated anything in its gaze.

The next moment, Geom Woojin looked around. He and Geom Mugeuk stood alone in an empty space.

"Father."

Geom Woojin realized his son had brought him into the Spacetime Manipulation Technique.

Geom Mugeuk apologized, "Sorry, I haven't perfectly grasped the Ninth Technique yet."

Geom Woojin nodded blankly. Right. No matter how outstanding my son is, it's impossible to master it in this short time.

His regret was immense.

"It's a pity, but your Heavenly Demon Soul has perished," he sighed.

He was more heartbroken than anyone. He should have stopped the boy. This wasn't his son's fault, but his own.

Geom Mugeuk felt a pang in his heart. It was the first time he had ever seen his father so full of regret. Throughout this final battle, he had seen expressions on his father's face that were entirely new to him.

So he grinned. "No, not yet," he said.

"?" Geom Woojin gave his son a questioning look.

"Look over there."

SNAP!

Geom Mugeuk snapped his fingers, and the scenery outside the Spacetime Manipulation Technique became visible.

Geom Woojin was startled by the sight. Chronologically, his son's Heavenly Demon Soul should have been annihilated by the Supreme Demonic Soul, but the light shooting from the enemy's eyes had stopped.

No, it hadn't stopped completely. It was still moving, but only minutely.

The others also stood as if frozen in time, their movements barely perceptible.

Regrettably, Geom Mugeuk had not grasped the Ninth Technique in time, but perhaps because he had cherished every moment with such desperation, he had a different realization instead.

"I've just achieved complete mastery of the Heavenly Space Secret Art."