The Profound Demon level—
It was a level higher than the Supreme Demon level, meaning that it went beyond the level of simply overcoming the demons.
It was often compared to the sect’s top most warriors, and there were rumors that it was possible to kill an opponent at any time.
It was said that it was difficult to find an opponent on the same level because of how extremely difficult it was to reach the place, and it spoke about reaching the unification of the body and sword.
Regarding the Profound Master, which was one level higher than that, it was generally only spoken of in legends. Literally, it was a state that could only be said to be experienced by the best in the best in the world, those blessed by the heavens.
And now, a clue to such a state had appeared in front of Seol-Hwi’s eyes.
“Warrior.”
“…!”
Seol-Hwi suddenly came to his senses as Songhwa was calling out to him with his hand placed on Seol-Hwi’s back.
This small boy of 12 years had a pale face like the blood in his body had been completely drained, and his body was trembling.
“Cultivate. I will adjust the energy of the other world when you do. If you can accept even some… you can cultivate.”
Cough
Songhwa smiled as he coughed up blood. The white face of the child in sorrow did not sit well with Seol-Hwi.
Kukung! Kwakwang
Contrary to his expression, the inside of Seol-Hwi’s body was close to a battlefield. The two energies he had at first were colliding, and in particular, this different energy of the other world which was taken from the Demon Lord was running out of control.
Crack!
However, perhaps thanks to Songhwa’s guidance, the energy of the other world which had been running wild the most, began to fade.
Only then was Seol-Hwi able to breathe. As soon as there was a chance to tune into his energies, he immediately focused his attention on protecting his meridians.
Kukukuk
When the righteous energy and the demonic energy were doing what he wanted, this energy of the other world stopped moving, and the one remaining energy of the Purple Cloud Divine Arts could not contend with him and was subdued.
“Euuuh!”
When Seol-Hwi, whose pale face was turning back to normal, stopped shouting, he looked back.
Cough! Cough.
Songhwa coughed up more and more blood. At first it was just a little bit, but now he was coughing up almost a bowl of blood.
Tremble
But even so, he did not take his hand off of Seol-Hwi’s back.
“Didn’t you tell me to not give up?”
“…”
“You also said that If I live while being taken advantage of, wouldn’t it be unfair to simply run?”
Songhwa’s face was full of determination because of the words Seol-Hwi said.
He felt responsible for that.
“This is the best way I can give you a chance.”
Tuk. Tuk.
Black bumps began to form on the face of the boy, and this was a symptom Seol-Hwi’s body went through a while back.
It was a phenomenon that occurred when the body accepted the collision of the different energies into the body.
“S-stop it, Songhwa! You will die if you continue!”
“This is my choice. My core has already been broken, and I will die! Even if I get out of here alive, the rest of my life will be similar to a simple life in slumber!”
“…!”
“To suffer like this until death… I will die cleanly here. Even if I die when I have it, it wouldn’t be in suffering. So handle the remaining energy.”
“So-Songhwa…”
“And take this one instead. It won’t be easy, but please. This is the last one, so be ready.”
Crack
Seol-Hwi bit his lip. Was it too late?
If this was the fate of Songhwa, there was no other way now. Seol-Hwi pushed his other thoughts aside and focused on the meridians in his body.
Little by little, very little.
The four energies which had so far collided within his body, began to slowly balance out while wobbling.
<Supreme Master [ON]> <Supreme Demon [ON]>
And in front of his eyes came this—
<Profound Demon [OFF]>
Dududu!
…!
It was then that Seol-Hwi sensed an abnormality within. Although it was temporary, the four energies began to flow into one.
The energy from the other world…
The trickiest one of all was calming down like a well natured puppy. If one thought of it, the power of the lost demon was being helped by them.
It was difficult for Seol-Hwi, a warrior, to handle, but Songhwa was a genius, and he was a Fangshi who could handle it.
Yes… it isn’t enough,
Seol-Hwi thought.
During this time, he had to take control of all the energies. Now that Songhwa was helping him, the energy of the other world was also calming down, but the energy was not fully merged.
The energies that clumped together would always seek a chance to move away and run rampant on its own. So how could he control it completely so it would not run wild in the future?
-One must have an eye to see the harmony within the future. In order to reach the level of Profound Demon or Profound Master, one needs to be able to move nature.
There, he suddenly remembered the words of Cheon Miryo.
First the eyes which saw the harmony of nature. Next, she said that he should be able to use the harmony of nature by moving on to the stage of adaptation.
Is this possible?
It was absurd that a normal human acted in harmony with nature.
At that time, a passage from the book of Taoism that he read in the library flashed into his mind.
[Everything in the world follows harmony in the end. See the universe with your eyes and put your heart into it.]
The first point and the body—
If he thought about it, the AI also said it in the past.
If you get all four of the Four Peak Demonic Martial Arts techniques, one could go up to a higher level.
They have… completely different attributes.
First of all, the attributes of water, this guy preferred a direction which did not break or distort itself; had anger, which literally burns and melts to change the surroundings; along with flame, which did not rage without wind; and the matter did not exist without space. Ultimately, if one of those things was lacking, the harmony of heaven and land will not occur.
Then what I need right now…
Seol-Hwi, who consulted himself, soon knew the answer.
The space.
It was because behind the conflicting and uncontrollable four energies, there was no space to confine them. Or if it was just a place but given the wide space to keep them far from causing a mess within his body, then he could harmonize them without controlling them.
And once harmony was achieved, the next thing would be change, a stage where one takes the step further to adapt.
Saaaa
Seol-Hwi’s eyes changed when he learned the direction. The space where the energy of the other world can overcome the upper level dantian, it was the direction to properly handle the dantian, which could communicate with the universe.
And what was needed in the process was the eyes to contemplate and watch it.
Ah! This.
Seol-Hwi’s eyes widened as he discovered a new path. And with joy, he looked back.
“Songhwa… hey?”
Drop. Drop.
Songhwa smiled with his teeth showing. Even though blood flowed from his eyes, nose, and ears, he continued to smile despite the intense pain he felt inside.
“I see you… did it.”
Songhwa collapsed this time for the last time. Seol-Hwi hurriedly supported him.
“Songhwa! Songhwa! Open your eyes!”
“…”
Songhwa did not say anything. Correcting Seol-Hwi’s runaway internal energy, he had already died before collapsing.
In the midst of that, Songhwa’s fist which was stretched out with difficulty, was reflected more clearly in Seol-Hwi’s eyes.
“Why like this…”
To see him die again.
The death was being contrasted with Seol-Hwi and himself. Thanks to the system, he had many lives. But on the other hand, Songhwa lived a valuable life with just one.
If one asked which life is more valuable… he would not be able to say anything.
“You… you! are always are helping me out…”
Seol-Hwi held onto Songhwa and wept like a child.
If he dies someday, he would be able to see Songhwa again. But the Songhwa then would be different from now.
Seol-Hwi knew better than anyone else, which was why he felt even more sad. The bold heart of the person who died alone at the cost of his life.
The last regrets seen in his clenched fist.
“So, the tearful conversation between the boy and the man is done now?”
As Seol-Hwi wept with Songhwa in his hands, he heard this condescending laughter come in.
“You see, I had a big heart for others, so I waited for the conversation between you two to finish. Shouldn’t you be thankful to me?”
“…”
Seol-Hwi slowly looked back.
This tone and voice, he recognized it to be the Demon Lord, and he saw Yupae standing next to him with a confused look.
“Ha? What are you looking at? Even if you look like that, I can do nothing.”
Cough!
As the Demon Lord raised his internal energy, black energy soared as if they were drifting all around. It was to the extent that one wondered where the limit of that other world’s power would be.
“How did you learn the Absorption Great Arts? I will search every corner of you! I will turn you into one who wants to die but cannot!”
The Demon Lord was speaking to his opponent enthusiastically, as if he was now analyzing every bit of him.
“…”
However, Seol-Hwi did not move at all. He was just sitting still holding onto the dead Songhwa.
“Tsk.”
The Demon Lord thought that Seol-Hwi lost his will to fight, so without a thought, he shot the internal energy at Seol-Hwi.
Tssss
This black energy flew for Seol-Hwi.
Shhh
Seol-Hwi glanced back behind him. Other than that, he did nothing. It sure looked like that…
Tssss!
The internal energy just scattered like it had never existed to begin with. Nothing collided with it. Nothing stopped it nor did anything else happenen. It simply just vanished.
“Uh?”
For a moment, the Demon Lord looked embarrassed.
But, soon became serious again and did the same once more. It was because he had not gotten used to this power yet, so he thought he did something wrong.
Swish!
However, the black internal energy scattered this time too.
Like it was never there in the first place.
“Hu…”
“I will do it.”
When the Demon Lord looked at Yupae in shock, he moved in the space and immediately attacked Seol-Hwi with enhanced sword energy.
The condensed energy was known to be the best and strongest.
That energy that no one could stop was shot at Seol-Hwi, and it was approaching at a tremendous speed.
However—
Swish
“…!”
It was hard to believe even after seeing it with his own eyes. The enhanced sword disappeared without a clash?
“No, you people,”
Seol-Hwi spoke. Even though he was disappointed, and his eyes were filled with despair, there was this sternness in his voice which the Demon Lord and Yupae could not help but pay attention to.
“Even if I step onto this level, the result is the same.”
Shhh
Seol-Hwi slowly lowered Songhwa to the ground. And after Songhwa’s body was swept away in the flames, he turned to the corpse of Dong Ryong, who had just bones remaining.
“The bad relationship ends here, right here.”
Seol-Hwi’s words could be said to be where had now lost his rationality.
“What nonsense!”
“This bastard!”
Of course, the Demon Lord and Yupae were shocked, but contrary to their anger, the air had changed.
“Uh? Uhhh?”
In particular, the black energy flowing from the body of Demon Lord had vanished as if it never existed in the first place.
“H-how is this…”
When the Demon Lord’s face turned red and he tried to raise the internal energy of the other world again—
“I don’t know anymore.”
Step
Seol-Hwi stood up from his place and began to talk.
“This space is mine. In this, no person is an exception.”
“…?”
Swish
—came this huge air flow from Seol-Hwi, who was speaking strange words. It was not just that.
Duduk! Duduk!
Dark clouds and gusts of wind began to form in this underground area. And then Seol-Hwi looked.
The wind was raging with flames, and it was raining too. This is when he felt it.
<Profound Demon [ON] successful.>
He reached the level which was regarded as legendary, but it was strange that nothing more appeared. He was able to find it though.
This space—
Where anything could be done.
Tssss
“Uhh! Uhhh!”
Dozens of whirlwinds were raging around them, and the Soulless, the subordinates to the Demon Lord were all swept up by the wind.
In this raging storm, the Supreme Demon Yupae could barely survive.
“What the hell… are you…?”
The Demon Lord asked with a trembling voice. He was witnessing a great power which could not be resisted.
Just talking was the best he could do.
“Me?”
Seol-Hwi tilted his head at the question and then nodded.
It would be good to answer. Not for the Demon Lord but for himself.
To prepare for the future.
“I’m the one who kills the Heavenly Demon.”
Tssss
The gust of wind raged on. In the midst of the wind which was like a sword—
“Start!”
At the shout of Seol-Hwi—
Wrrng!
The underground prison began to collapse in its entirety.
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