Chapter 259 - What Father Wanted to See

Unfortunately, I couldn't see the evil spirit's face. Of all four, the first to appear was the one in front of the wooden dummy, so all I could see was its back. The dummy was cut in four places, and a moment later, the spirit vanished.

There was a difference between cutting it with an evil spirit present and cutting it with sword qi alone. The spirit's appearance made the attack faster and more powerful. Considering the demonic qi the spirits emitted, along with their visual and psychological effects, Human Annihilation would only truly be complete when the evil spirits manifested.

I unleashed Human Annihilation again.

SWISH!

The evil spirit appeared again, but once more, all I saw was its back. Joy at finally succeeding mingled with disappointment.

'I wanted to see what you looked like! I worked that hard to see your face, not your back!'

Then a thought flashed through my mind.

'Oh! I could put a bronze mirror there!'

I was about to fetch a mirror when I changed my mind. Going to such lengths to see it didn't feel right. I found myself willing to accept the order in which the martial art manifested. If you didn't want to show me, fine.

'I'll see the other spirits' faces first.'

* * *

"Has something good happened?"

The Single Flower Sword Supreme could tell that Geom Mugeuk looked particularly cheerful today.

"I've made some progress with the swordsmanship I was stuck on."

"Ah! That's a relief."

The Single Flower Sword Supreme was delighted. Sparring with Geom Mugeuk and discussing martial arts with him had brought her considerable progress. Making any progress at the level of a Demon Supreme was extraordinarily difficult. She had never dreamed she would advance to the next stage in such a short time.

"You really are impossible to predict."

When Geom Mugeuk first visited, she had expected him to come for a day or two and then stop. Having become young lord, she assumed he was simply tending to his connections.

But she had been wrong. What he had said on the first day was true.

["You're the only person I can talk swordsmanship with, Senior."]

Geom Mugeuk genuinely wanted to discuss swordsmanship with her. He sought both to teach her the deeper principles of martial learning and to learn from her. Though she had practiced swordsmanship all her life, this was the first time she had ever pondered, debated, and discussed the sword so earnestly. Through this experience, she realized just how deeply she had yearned for such moments.

A sparring partner.

Geom Mugeuk had approached her as a true sparring partner. From now on, those words would hold a deeper meaning for her than any other relationship. And so she meant every word when she said:

"Young lord, you're the only person I can talk with, too."

Geom Mugeuk smiled and drew his sword.

"Then shall we talk?"

When they soared into the air, all the Demon Swords came out to watch. Of course, they fought so high above that no one could make them out clearly. All that could be seen were countless swift flashes of sword light. Yet the Demon Swords watched, utterly absorbed, as though spellbound.

Whenever Geom Mugeuk left after these sparring sessions, he always told the Demon Swords he encountered:

"I've learned a great deal from the Sword Supreme. I envy you."

Hearing those words relayed to her made the Single Flower Sword Supreme happy. Whether flattery or sincerity, receiving such glowing praise from none other than Geom Mugeuk was a tremendous pleasure. A man who freely shared his martial insights and spoke that way to her followers... how could she not be won over?

* * *

My training continued. The outside events I was meant to attend as young lord kept being postponed. It was Father's consideration for me, after hearing that I was obsessed with training.

The Demon Supremes didn't seek me out either. I might have expected the Drunken Demon to come invite me for a drink, but even he stayed away. Throughout the Cult, everyone was talking about the young lord who had gone mad for martial arts.

I sparred only with the Sword Supreme, then returned to practice Human Annihilation like a madman. I cut apart so many wooden dummies that a metal dummy was delivered to my training hall. Made from a mixture of ten-thousand-year cold iron and steel, it was a special steel dummy that sword qi couldn't cut through.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

The crisp ring of metal sounded again and again. I had seen the evil spirit's back so many times that I even found myself thinking, Couldn't you turn your head just once?

I repeated it, over and over. And today, that tedious repetition delivered its gift.

SWISH!

The sound of Human Annihilation changed once again.

At that moment, I saw another evil spirit appear behind the steel dummy. The second spirit had manifested. And this time, I could see its face. It startled me.

It didn't look frightening. Amazingly, my first impression was:

'It's handsome!'

To my surprise, the evil spirit I had summoned was handsome.

It had the sort of face an artist might produce if I showed them the Poison King's face and said, Draw an evil spirit based on this.

'Is this even allowed?'

Even I was genuinely astonished.

Could these evil spirits reflect the mind of the person using the martial art? I hadn't thought that their faces needed to terrify my opponent. I had focused solely on wanting to see them. Was that why a spirit like this had appeared instead of a frightening one?

Now I was curious about the spirit that kept showing me its back. Did it look the same? Or different? In any case, to find out whether all their faces differed, I would have to manifest the spirits on the left or right as well. Curiosity was driving my desire.

* * *

"I'm afraid today will have to be our last day of training."

The Single Flower Sword Supreme nodded as though she had expected it.

"Are you planning to enter closed-door training?"

"How did you know?"

"Intuition. I've felt your fervor building lately. The time has come for you to pour everything into one final effort."

"You really are remarkable."

The way the Sword Supreme looked at me had changed yet again since I first came to ask her to spar.

"Young lord, thank you. Truly."

"I'm grateful to you, too."

We had become incomparably closer than before. I now thought of myself as standing two steps away from her. That remaining distance came from her personality. Some people would never let you within one step, no matter how close you became.

"I'll come again when I get stuck in my martial arts."

"I'll be ready to welcome you."

I could read the resolve in her eyes. If she grew once more from here, the Cult would welcome a new Single Flower Sword Supreme.

Geom Mugeuk looked around the training ground. For the time being, he was done here as well.

"When you come next time, this might be the cottage's little yard again."

"Then I'll have an even more thrilling match with a free spirit."

The Single Flower Sword Supreme smiled and gazed around the training ground with him.

"Since this is our last day, could you spare me some time?"

In fact, I had prepared something for her today.

"Seo Daeryong, the new Pavilion Master of Yellow Springs Pavilion, is like my right-hand man. I'd like to hold a small celebration for him today."

"For something like that, of course I'll make time."

"I've invited the Blood Heaven Saber Demon as well. Since he's Seo Daeryong's master, I thought I should."

The Single Flower Sword Supreme understood. He wanted to bring her along to give her a natural opportunity to spend time with the Blood Heaven Saber Demon.

"Would you wait a moment? I'll change my clothes."

"Of course. Take your time getting ready."

Today, she took longer than usual to wash, apply her makeup, and choose her clothes.

* * *

Geom Mugeuk and the Single Flower Sword Supreme arrived at a hill with a green meadow below Mount Daecheon. Wine and food awaited them there—a feast Geom Mugeuk had asked the cooks to prepare in advance.

The Single Flower Sword Supreme looked around.

"Was there a place like this near the Cult?"

"There are plenty of wonderful places if you explore every corner. You should travel and relax from now on."

"What fun would that be alone?"

Just then, the Blood Heaven Saber Demon and Seo Daeryong arrived. With their great sabers slung over their backs, anyone could now tell they were master and disciple. The Blood Heaven Saber Demon wore a neat long robe unlike his usual clothes, and his hair was tidier than usual too. Geom Mugeuk forcibly suppressed the urge to comment.

"Welcome."

"Why go to all this trouble for a celebration?"

The Blood Heaven Saber Demon sounded needlessly gruff.

"Your disciple has risen to an important position. Why be so grouchy?"

He said nothing in response to the Single Flower Sword Supreme.

Seo Daeryong greeted her respectfully.

"Thank you for honoring us with your presence."

"Congratulations."

"Thank you."

Seo Daeryong poured wine for everyone.

After a few cups, I went for a walk with Seo Daeryong. We deliberately excused ourselves to leave the other two alone. Today's gathering was more for the Blood Heaven Saber Demon than for Seo Daeryong, which was why I had given Daeryong a hint beforehand.

"How's the work as Pavilion Master?"

"I'm still too busy adjusting to think of much else."

Seo Daeryong stopped and looked at Geom Mugeuk.

"I've been having nightmares lately. I dream that I'm wandering around looking for you during an emergency, young lord. It's something I should handle myself, but in the dream, all I do is look for you. When I finally find you, you look at me coldly and say, 'Why did you take that position when you weren't capable of it?'"

"Who says that would only happen in a dream?"

"Oh, come on. I'm being serious."

Geom Mugeuk smiled.

"Realistically, something like that might happen once in your entire life, if at all. Don't waste your mental strength on something that won't happen."

"What if it does?"

"Then you'll have to solve it with this."

Geom Mugeuk tapped the hilt of the great saber Seo Daeryong carried. Seo Daeryong gazed at the hilt, worn by his master's hand, and nodded.

"I suppose that's why every day has to be hellish training."

The two turned to head back.

"Let's stay a little longer."

In the distance, the Blood Heaven Saber Demon and the Single Flower Sword Supreme were drinking and talking. Both looked cheerful.

"Ah, those happy early days!"

Seo Daeryong laughed at Geom Mugeuk's remark.

"I went to see him earlier so we could come together, and he seemed to be grooming himself. I think he tried on several outfits too. I've never seen Master like that before."

Seeing the Blood Heaven Saber Demon smile lifted Geom Mugeuk's spirits as well.

Yes, forget everything that's passed. Lock the door to the past, and don't bother peeking into the future. Just live happily like this.

"I hope the spring breeze blows your way too."

"There's no hope for me. Leave me behind and go on ahead. I'm even busier now. My life is nothing but work and training!"

Seo Daeryong looked enviously at the youthful freshness in the distance that had forgotten all about age.

"Can I really go ahead without you?"

"You have to take me with you! I'm your right-hand man!"

* * *

Time flew. I had entered wondering when I would ever emerge, yet before I knew it, I was leaving the training hall after a hundred days of closed-door training. Without even shaving, I headed straight to Heavenly Demon Hall. Father was there, presiding over the hall as unchanged as ever.

"What happened to your appearance?"

"I missed you, Father, so I came running straight here. Besides, this way you can see how hard I've worked."

Delighted to see him, I began by bantering.

"I was dying for something tasty to eat. Please develop some food for closed-door training besides fasting pills and jerky!"

Father greeted me with that same familiar smile.

"A lazybones training for a hundred days. Impressive."

"Those fellows were so shy that it was terribly hard to get a look at them."

I had tried to let go of my desire for Father's approval, believing that burden was holding me back. Yet my heart trembled now. Apparently, I hadn't entirely relinquished my desire for him to acknowledge my martial skill.

"Let me introduce my friends."

I calmly settled my mind, then unleashed the first form.

SWISH!

A brisk rush of wind. Four streams of sword qi cleaved the air.

Four evil spirits appeared—the spirits I had longed so desperately to see. They looked different from the ones Father had shown me. Amazingly, my spirits each had a different appearance and feel. One was frightening, and another handsome. One exuded a strange mystique, while another looked clever.

Father was surprised by their differing appearances. Naturally, he must have expected them to look alike. In truth, I had been surprised too. I hadn't known that spirits with such distinct qualities would emerge.

Unlike Father's spirits, the four didn't vanish immediately. For a fleeting instant, they seemed to look at me as though trying to commune with me.

SWISH.

The next moment, they vanished as abruptly as they had appeared.

Father had risen from his grand chair. He made no attempt to hide his surprise.

"Was this what you wanted to see, Father?"

A Nine Calamities Demonic Art completed through my own interpretation, different from his.

Father looked down at me in silence, then slowly nodded.

"Yes. Something like this."

I recalled our conversation on the day he taught me the Nine Calamities Demonic Art.

["So the Nine Calamities Demonic Art has kept changing."]

["It could hardly have been otherwise. Every era must have had its share of fools and geniuses."]

I would become that genius and wield an even more advanced Nine Calamities Demonic Art.

I sensed a change in Father's qi presence. When it came to martial arts, at least, he wouldn't simply stand there admiring me. He would strive to show a transformation of his own. He would compete with me and try to win. Sincerely helping where he could, and winning where he could. Father was Father.

"Thank you for postponing the outside duties I needed to handle as young lord."

"The first step is always important."

It had been his way of allowing me to properly master the first form of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art. Thanks to him, I had fastened the first button correctly. Now I could calmly fasten the rest, one by one, while learning the Secret Art of Heavenly Time.

"I'll leave the Cult at once and take care of everything."

"Before you go..."

Father stepped down from his grand chair and said:

"Let's have a meal together. You've worked hard."

Father was even practicing the sinister sorcery he claimed to hate. With those few words, all the hardship of the past hundred days vanished.