Chapter 56 - Live a Long Life Then

The Dark Demonic Art was a forbidden demonic art.

Far more domineering and powerful than ordinary demonic arts, it came with side effects just as severe as its might. Most who learned it were consumed by it, suffered qi deviation, and met their end after going on murderous rampages. That was why the Divine Cult of the Heavenly Demon strictly prohibited its practice.

Dark Demonic Qi was the qi produced by mastering that art. Its power was so immense that I tried to undermine my opponent’s confidence first.

“Why would you learn this garbage?”

“Let us see whether you still say that when you die buried in it.”

“I came to kill you for nothing. Left alone, you would have died from its side effects anyway.”

“I will not die from the side effects. I succeeded in suppressing them with the internal energy I gained through the Heart-Soul Great Art.”

Sensing that this would not be an easy fight, I drew the Black Demon Sword.

The Soul-Seizing Demon extended his hand, and black qi coiled around it. When the qi vanished, a black sword rested in his grip. One glance told me it was no ordinary blade.

“I will kill you, and someday I will kill your father with my own hands and take his place.”

“You’re too afraid to do that. You’ll spend your entire life hiding your ambitions just to stay alive.”

Indeed, even in my life before regression, he had never revealed that he had learned the Dark Demonic Art. He had kept it as his secret trump card for self-preservation until the very end.

We were furious with each other, and we poured that fury’s worth of internal energy into our swords.

Our blades collided in midair.

BOOM!

An ear-splitting blast erupted. Neither of us yielded an inch. Our internal energy was almost evenly matched. Had he not spent his reserves on repeated soul-seizing sorcery earlier, his transformed self would have overwhelmed me with internal energy alone. Such was the power of the Dark Demonic Art.

I used the Heaven-Soaring Sword Art from the outset. This was an enemy I had to face with only my finest forms.

I unleashed its First Form, Heaven-Balancing Form.

SWISH!

A streak of sword light bisected the Soul-Seizing Demon. Yet by the time that perfect line was drawn, the man who should have been severed at the waist was soaring upward, swinging his sword. His deep voice thundered out a cry.

“Human Annihilation!”

His sword was as swift as light.

Six sword lines appeared where I had stood, then vanished. Had I not evaded them with Flicker Step, I would have died there, cut into six pieces.

“Ghost Annihilation!”

The Soul-Seizing Demon likewise made no mistake of giving me an opening with a sloppy attack. His second form hurtled toward me, stronger and faster than the first.

This time, the space where I had stood was torn into twelve pieces. Twelve sword lines appearing and disappearing simultaneously made for a magnificent sight.

Again, I evaded them with Flicker Step, but it was a closer call than before.

Before he could unleash his third form, I released the Heaven-Soaring Sword Art’s Second Form, Heaven-Changing Form.

My sword underwent twelve transformations before him.

Instead of dodging, he deflected every attack with his sword. Sparks flew each time our blades clashed.

As the transformations grew greater, the white light pouring from his eyes intensified. He parried the twelfth and final transformation and immediately counterattacked.

“Extermination!”

His increasingly powerful third form and the Heaven-Soaring Sword Art’s Third Form, Profound Heaven Form, were unleashed simultaneously.

Fortunately, I was not in the space that split into twenty-four pieces.

I had evaded him, but he had failed to evade me.

SLASH!

Profound Heaven Form tore through his shoulder. Yet no blood flowed. His blackened skin was as tough as protective armor. Relying on that toughness, he continued his assault. A metallic rasp overtook his voice as he cried out.

“Destruction!”

Forty-eight sword lines wove a dazzling pattern. His sword light occupied an ever-growing expanse.

Powerful though he was, he had one weakness. His lack of actual combat experience with this demonic art made his attacks somewhat monotonous. Had I been the one wielding that art, I could never have evaded it.

Barely escaping, I unleashed the Fourth Form, Blazing Heaven, which emitted sword qi.

The sword qi shot forth at terrifying speed and struck him with a heavy thud. He staggered so badly he nearly fell, then steadied himself. The part that should have been sliced away remained intact.

A trickle of black liquid ran from the corner of his mouth, but he still looked unshakable.

“Second Young Master, why aren’t you using the Nine Calamities Demonic Art?”

His voice had become a metallic rasp that no longer sounded human. It meant he had merged with the Dark Demonic Art he had learned. At this rate, the art would eventually consume him. A demonic art this powerful always exacted a price.

Nonetheless, he kept pushing himself, and I was in correspondingly greater danger.

“Because I think I can beat someone like you without it.”

It was deliberate provocation. In such an evenly matched fight, the moment one lost composure, one lost one’s life as well. This particular provocation had another purpose, too.

“Your arrogance will ultimately lead you to your death—”

The instant he began speaking, I unleashed the Fifth Form, Azure Heaven, the Heaven-Soaring Sword Art’s fastest sword form. It was a carefully timed attack meant to interrupt his breathing as he spoke.

Azure Heaven sliced precisely across his neck. But it did not sever his head. Black liquid merely streamed from the wound.

Not even Azure Heaven could cut through his neck?

“You truly have become a monster.”

At my words, he charged toward me. He seemed to be exploding with rage, yet his breathing remained steady. Provocation did not work on him.

Watching for a chance to unleash our secret ultimate moves, we soared into the sky.

Even as we rose, our swords clashed endlessly. Like two dragons ascending while coiling around each other, we wound around one another, exchanging blows.

Our movements were invisible; only the sounds of clashing blades and flashes of sword light filled the space. A man known to use only soul-seizing sorcery had hidden such a demonic art as his final trump card. This was precisely the sort of place Murim was.

At the end of that dazzling melee, the instant we broke apart, the Soul-Seizing Demon’s eyes shone pure white.

‘Danger!’

He unleashed his final move, his cry ringing out in a wholly metallic voice.

“Heaven Annihilation!”

I did not evade him. His opportunity was also mine. We had seen the same opening, and we thrust our swords toward it.

Combining Underworld King’s Step with the Heaven-Soaring Sword Art’s Eighth Form, Yellow Springs Form, I poured in all my internal energy.

SWISH!

SLASH!

Two streaks of light crossed.

Dazzling sword light traced the place where I had stood. The space shattered into ninety-six pieces, an entire face of it sliced away. It was a truly breathtaking spectacle.

But the Soul-Seizing Demon was not watching the breathtaking spectacle he had created. He was looking down at his own heart.

Blood flowed from the heart pierced by my Black Demon Sword. Not black liquid, but red blood. His huge heart, which had pulsed so vigorously, was coming to a stop.

“How... how could you?”

I spoke calmly to him as he stared in disbelief.

“Your heart was so big, it was easy to stab.”

How could that truly be the reason? It was my way of saying that his greed for the hearts of innocent people had brought him to this end.

Black smoke leaked from his body as his transformation began to unravel.

More monstrous than a monster, he became utterly ordinary again—the sort of person I could find ten of in Demon Family Village.

“... That wasn’t the Nine Calamities Demonic Art?”

“It was a combination of Underworld King’s Step and the Heaven-Soaring Sword Art’s Eighth Form.”

“Underworld King’s Step?”

“From the Wind God’s Four Steps.”

“How did you obtain the Wind God’s Four Steps?”

“Heaven must have arranged it so I wouldn’t die at your hands.”

Those were not empty words. Without the Wind God’s Four Steps, I would have died in today’s battle. I had learned a lesson keenly: I must never let down my guard against a Demon Supreme.

To be honest, obtaining Blood-Eye Purifying Water had made me confident that I would defeat him.

Yet he possessed a secret trump card. It had been a truly deadly move, one that would have killed me without the Wind God’s Four Steps.

The Blood Heaven Saber Demon, the Single Flower Sword Supreme, and all the remaining Demon Supremes would surely have hidden moves that differed from what they showed the world.

Today, I had grown stronger.

Not because I had killed the Soul-Seizing Demon, but because I would never let down my guard again.

The Soul-Seizing Demon slowly crumpled.

As he died, the space he had created began to crack.

Life faded from his black pupils, which had once expanded and contracted so actively. Looking up at me, he spoke with difficulty.

“... If I am born again, I will kill you then. Without fail.”

I did not answer his curse with one of my own.

“If you are born again, live a long, long life then. Surely there are better ways than this.”

His gaze wavered at my words. He tried to say something, but it never passed his lips. Perhaps it was an even more vicious curse, or perhaps he meant to voice one last regret.

His head drooped, and he died. At the same instant, the world he had created vanished.

We were back where he had first intended to perform the Heart-Soul Great Art.

Even in death, the Soul-Seizing Demon offered one final mystery.

He sat dead in a cross-legged posture. Despite our frenzied battle, he had not a single external wound, as though he had died from qi deviation. He had died in the world he loved so dearly.

I picked up the child lying on the altar and quietly left.

* * *

I bought good liquor and food and returned to the Blood Heaven Saber Demon.

I had entrusted the child to Seo Daeryong and told him to find the parents discreetly. Since I had explained that the child had nearly been sacrificed to a great art, the perceptive, intelligent Seo Daeryong would handle things properly and in secret on his own.

“What took you so long? Did you actually make the food yourself?”

“How did you know?”

“What?”

“It took a while to prepare the food.”

“What are you talking about? What sort of food is it?”

He looked at the dishes I had bought with a puzzled expression.

“These dishes shouldn’t take that long.”

Smiling, I poured him a drink.

“Here, have a cup. The night is still young.”

“Does an old man have your stamina? If I stay up all night, I’ll be a wreck all day.”

“You’re still full of vigor, aren’t you? Come, let’s enjoy ourselves tonight.”

“Second Young Master, you seem to be in a good mood today.”

“Yes, I am.”

“Why?”

“I’m simply glad to see you after so long, sir.”

He looked at me as though wondering what on earth I was up to.

But how could he possibly know that I had killed the Soul-Seizing Demon while I was away?

Reunited after so long, we drank several cups in succession. I felt that this was the first time since meeting him that drinking together had been so refreshing and enjoyable.

We talked about all sorts of things: the state of Murim, martial arts, Seo Daeryong, and the Sword Supreme.

Others might have found it surprising, but we were both talkative, so we never ran out of conversation.

“Do you know why I took a liking to that little runt?”

“Why?”

“On the first day, I asked whether he could give his life for you. He said he couldn’t.”

“I’ll have to give the rascal a scolding.”

“I liked his honesty then.”

“Tell Investigator Seo yourself. He’ll probably be pleased.”

“No need.”

“Then I’ll tell him next time. Someone needs to say these things. A few words like that can change a life. Why are you looking at me like that?”

“You really do look after every sort of person. At this rate, you’ll be looking after the fellow who shovels horse shit in the stables. Why don’t you go help him feed the horses?”

“If I can, wouldn’t that be a good thing?”

“I’ve never met anyone like you in my life.”

“The Cult will be the same. It will become a Divine Cult of the Heavenly Demon unlike any you’ve ever seen. Wouldn’t it be all right for the Cult to be like that for one generation?”

He stared steadily at me. Whatever he was thinking, his gaze was deep.

“Second Young Master.”

“Yes?”

“Pour me a drink.”

I had poured his drinks every time until now. Yet this felt different from usual.

I could sense it. The liquor I was pouring now carried a different meaning.

So I told him,

“I pour this first drink for my Left Emissary.”

He might well have demanded to know what nonsense I was spouting, but he accepted the drink in silence. I filled his cup to the brim.

He gazed down at it for a long while.

Then he drained it.

Perhaps, in this moment, he had sincerely resolved to follow me.

Of course, I could only guess. He truly was an unfathomable man.

Then the Saber Demon suddenly spoke.

“Which ranks higher, the Left Emissary or the Right Emissary? If you’re going to give me a post, give me the higher one.”

I stared at him blankly for a moment, then burst out laughing.

“Ha ha ha ha!”

We drank all night.

Human relationships can be this good, only to sour one day over a single careless remark. That is why we must keep building them, until they become strong enough that one or two mistakes cannot break them. Whether through drinking together, fighting, gifts, cautious advice, or compliments we do not mean—whatever it takes, we must strengthen them, build them, and build them again. After all, either of us could make a mistake.

“You look handsome today.”

“You lunatic.”

The Blood Heaven Saber Demon raised his Heaven-Destroying Great Saber to reflect our faces.

“Now, take a good look at my face and say that again.”

“Ha ha ha.”

“Why are you just laughing? Come on, say I’m handsome!”

“I suppose I shouldn’t confess my feelings to a woman when I’m drunk.”

He laughed, declaring that he had caught a flatterer. I laughed along with him.

After all, the good fortune of finding someone truly on your side would surely fall to someone who had at least made this kind of effort.