Geom Mugeuk stood in a field, reading a book.
Having mastered the Divine Eye Technique, his eyes never tired no matter how many books he read.
But for a man used to running and leaping across the martial world, sitting still was torture.
So he came up with the idea of reading while standing like this.
Even that had become tedious.
Geom Mugeuk took a step.
Not forward, but upward.
He walked slowly through the empty air, reading his book, and then threw his body back as if lying on a bed.
Geom Mugeuk rolled about in the air.
He read lying on his back, and sometimes on his stomach.
It was as if an invisible cloud supported him.
Within the Space-Time Displacement Art, while using the Heavenly Time Secret Art, he displayed such Divine Might even as he read a book.
Of course, since he wasn't training his martial arts, it was a kind of game played with his overflowing inner energy.
Geom Mugeuk had read over several hundred books so far.
One-third of them were unrelated to martial arts, and the other two-thirds were Martial Arts Secret Manuals.
Even the best things become tiring after a day or two, and he had faced several crises.
Reading books was harder than martial arts training.
It was boring, difficult, and frustrating, and with it came a powerful temptation.
‘Will reading a few books really help? You! Do you have time for this?’
But Geom Mugeuk did not give up.
He was the man who had walked that long road alone in his life before regression.
He was a man who did not know how to quit.
If he continued to read books like this, it would probably come to this:
If his father were to ask, "Where was that book?" he would answer, "It is on the eighth bookshelf, fourth shelf."
Of course, it was realistically impossible to read all the books here.
He couldn't just stay here reading books forever.
That was a task he should leave to someone else.
“Blade Demon Elder, when I become the Cult Master, I will grant you permission to enter the Heavenly Demon Scripture Pavilion whenever you wish. Read to your heart's content then. Read them all!"
If it weren't for the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, he would have never been interested in reading, nor would he have even thought of entering this place.
This training session was thanks to the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.
Moreover, all these books were of proven quality.
A few of the manuals Geom Mugeuk read were supreme martial arts that could cause a bloodbath if released in the martial world now.
Even the Moon-Severing Sword Technique he was reading right now had been a sword art that swept through the martial world three hundred years ago.
Geom Mugeuk, who had been reading the manual in mid-air, descended to the ground.
He seemed to stare straight ahead for a moment, then drew the Black Demon Sword as fast as lightning.
In a flash, a streak of light vertically split the space.
Swoooooosh.
The grass in the field lay down in one direction all at once.
Craaaaaack.
At the same time, the ground split open in a straight line that stretched far into the distance.
Examining the fractured surface, Geom Mugeuk shook his head as if displeased, and then swung his sword again.
Craaaaaack!
This time, the ground split anew next to the previous crack.
Comparing the second split with the first, Geom Mugeuk sat between the two lines and pondered.
The third split was created through such a process.
After checking the third split, Geom Mugeuk finally wore a satisfied expression.
It was the moment the Moon-Severing Sword Technique split the moon.
Snap.
With a flick of his finger, the split ground returned to its original state.
Geom Mugeuk placed the Moon-Severing Sword Technique on the desk and opened the next book.
This one was also a martial arts manual.
Recently, he had become completely absorbed in the fun of reading them.
When the mood struck, he would even try to perform the techniques, like he had just done with the Moon-Severing Sword Technique.
One might think that since it was his first time reading the manual, he could only perform the initial forms, but that was not the case.
On the contrary, it was easier for him to execute the profound and deep forms.
Because Geom Mugeuk's level of mastery was so high, the more difficult a technique was, the more easily he could perform it.
Conversely, simple forms made him think too much when he looked at them.
This was also due to his high level of mastery.
It wasn't just about performing them; thoughts like, 'This would be stronger if I changed it this way,' and 'That would be faster if I changed it that way,' would flood his mind.
This was also a new experience for him.
Most of what he was experiencing since entering the scripture pavilion was new to him, and this learning had a great impact on Geom Mugeuk.
He compared and researched, discovering flawed parts.
As he continued to read martial arts manuals, Geom Mugeuk's understanding of the origins of martial arts deepened.
How are martial arts created?
And going further from there.
How are martial arts passed down and developed?
Eventually, he came to think about the differences between those martial arts and the Nine Calamities Demon Art.
What makes the Nine Calamities Demon Art special?
He had come to hold a question he had never once asked while learning the Nine Calamities Demon Art.
If he hadn't read other martial arts manuals, he would only have been able to answer this way:
Because it's an inherently strong martial art.
But now, he was experiencing the process of specifically understanding the reason.
Thinking and researching, reading and reading again.
And thinking again.
Then, at some point, he was able to make a guess.
A guess made possible only because he had read countless manuals.
'Is this why the Nine Calamities Demon Art is so strong?'
It wasn't a conclusion, just a guess, but in that moment, Geom Mugeuk felt the time had come.
A passion to draw his sword immediately rose from deep within his heart.
Geom Mugeuk immediately put down the book and performed the Nine Calamities Demon Art.
First Form: Annihilation Form.
The four evil spirits revealed themselves.
The frightening one, the handsome one, the mysterious one, and the intelligent-looking one.
They had become so familiar that they felt like family.
‘It’s been a while, East, West, South, North!’
Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!
After cutting the target from all four directions, they disappeared.
Whenever his martial arts mastery was about to rise, there was always a change in them.
And today was no different.
The look in their eyes as they gazed at Geom Mugeuk just before they disappeared was different from before.
A gaze that wanted something.
That tickled Geom Mugeuk's heart.
Geom Mugeuk knew very well what this ticklish feeling meant.
A sign that he was ready for his martial arts mastery to rise! The moment had finally arrived.
'I can't miss this opportunity.'
When martial arts mastery rose, it wasn't a gradual ascent like climbing a slope, but a single step up a staircase in an instant.
Geom Mugeuk entered a state of selflessness and trained in the Nine Calamities Demon Art.
He performed it again and again, meeting the evil spirits tens, hundreds, thousands of times.
“Ah, this is tough!”
Geom Mugeuk slumped to the ground.
“You’re comfortable just watching, aren’t you?”
The person Geom Mugeuk was talking to was the Secret Vessel placed on the desk.
When he got tired from training, he would talk to the Secret Vessel like this.
“What was that? You think I can achieve mastery in the Nine Calamities Demon Art just by reading a few books? You'd rather I go meet the Demon Sovereigns at this time? It's been so long since you came. You think the Drunken Demon is so upset he's drowning himself in a wine jar?”
If that was him voicing the devil's whisper through the Secret Vessel's mouth, then…
The will within Geom Mugeuk whispered.
“Think of your father? How hard he must be training in his seclusion. And you’re just playing around? When your father comes out, are you going to say, 'Father, your young son was tired, so I rested'?”
No, absolutely not.
Geom Mugeuk shot to his feet.
From the first day of his regression until now, the most powerful driving force that had lifted him up was his father.
Especially now that his father was also in seclusion training.
'Father, I will definitely succeed too.'
Geom Mugeuk swung his sword once more.
The four evil spirits cut through space with a single will, and the frightening demons charged in a line, sweeping through the world.
When the world's strongest wall was erected, a single streak of light cut through the deep darkness, and a rain of Sword Qi lightning fell.
Even when it felt like his arm would fall off, he swung his sword.
When his inner energy ran out, he practiced energy circulation and repeated the process.
If he gave up now, he felt that the four evil spirits of East, West, South, and North would never look at him with that wanting expression again.
He didn't want to see them look disappointed.
He didn't know how many days and nights passed after that.
It wasn't hard.
He didn't think it was hard.
Effort does not fall into the category of hardship.
What is truly hard is a situation where one doesn't even have the chance to try.
Geom Mugeuk poured all the training he had neglected while reading books at once.
As if gathering energy to release it all in one burst.
Only the Secret Vessel watched over his grueling efforts.
And then, the fateful moment arrived!
Geom Mugeuk's eyes, staring blankly at one spot, were trembling.
He had performed the form in the same way, but the Annihilation Form had changed.
The four evil spirits of East, West, South, and North had grown larger.
He closed and opened his eyes, wondering if he had seen wrong, but it was the same.
Moreover, they had become more handsome, more frightening, more mysterious, and they looked more intelligent.
Shwaaa! Shwaaa! Shwa! Shwaaa!
The power of the swords they swung was also much stronger.
The moment he saw that, Geom Mugeuk let out a gasp and muttered.
“... I’ve reached the Ninth Star.”
Indeed, the wanting look in the evil spirits' eyes had become calm again.
And just before the four evil spirits disappeared, they smiled with satisfaction, as if to say he had done well.
Was he so tired that he was seeing things?
Thud.
As the tension released, Geom Mugeuk collapsed.
An extreme sense of fatigue washed over him.
But soon, Geom Mugeuk shot to his feet.
He couldn't waste this precious moment sleeping.
He was so happy, he couldn't even feel sleepy.
Hoping it wasn't a dream, he performed the Nine Calamities Demon Art again.
Second Form, Great Annihilation Form.
The evil spirits that unfolded before his eyes were also larger in size.
And their number had grown to a staggering twenty-six.
Crashcrashcrashcrashcrashcrashcrashcrashcrashcrash!
With tremendous force, they completely swept through the area in front of him.
The ground where they passed was gouged out, not a single blade of grass remaining.
The power was incomparable to before.
“I really have reached the Ninth Star!”
Geom Mugeuk cheered.
He was truly happy.
He showed what result could be achieved when a Heavenly Martial Body bestowed by the heavens made a grueling effort.
The Secret Vessel had watched his efforts, and it was the Secret Vessel that smiled with him now.
Of course, this achievement wasn't accomplished just by reading books.
Nor was it solely due to his grueling efforts.
A lifetime of experience and learning gained from his life before regression.
In this life, the relationships he had with his father and various other people, and the life-and-death combat experiences he gained while facing the Twelve Zodiac Kings.
All of this combined to achieve this amazing feat.
'This is just the beginning.'
Achieving Great Mastery at the Ninth Star was a much more difficult task than what he had done so far.
Moreover, Geom Mugeuk's goal was not Ten-Star Great Mastery.
It was Twelve-Star Great Mastery.
He couldn't know how arduous the process ahead would be.
At this point, a single anticipation made Geom Mugeuk's heart tremble.
Just one more step, and he would meet the Heavenly Demon Soul.
What kind of Heavenly Demon Soul will mine be?
There were many people with whom he wanted to share this joy, but the person who came to mind first right now was his father.
What if his father asked how he had reached the Ninth Star?
‘It's thanks to reading books diligently.’
What kind of reaction would his father show?
And what kind of wall was his father overcoming right now?
'Father, I've overcome one hurdle!'
Just then, the report of Jeok-yeon, the head of his guards, came from outside.
“You are urgently summoned to the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion.”
When Geom Mugeuk arrived at the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion, a new flag was planted on the strategic terrain map.
A new flag, placed right next to his brother's.
Annihilation (滅).
It was the flag of Jin Ha-gun, signifying the Demon Slaying Branch Master.
“The two of them have met!”
Geom Mugeuk had sincerely hoped that his brother would meet Jin Ha-gun.
In the land of Wuhan where everyone was an enemy, he was the one person who would show some consideration for his brother.
“Two of the most boringly blunt people in the world have met.”
At those words, Sama Myeong smiled.
He was also aware of their personalities.
“How did they meet?”
Then, an unexpected answer came.
“The First Young Master sent word first.”
“My brother went first? That can't be right.”
Given his brother's personality, it was unlikely he would have sought out Jin Ha-gun first.
There must have been a reason for it.
At that moment, a new dispatch that had flown in from Wuhan arrived.
Sama Myeong's expression hardened after confirming its contents.
Just from his expression, it was clear that something serious had happened.
“A new figure has appeared.”
A subordinate strategist walked toward the strategic terrain map of Wuhan.
The Martial Alliance headquarters.
A dozen or so flags were planted there.
The masters of the Martial Alliance who were worthy of having their own flags.
In the center, in the Alliance Leader’s Hall, there was a magnificent flag with a dragon embroidered on it.
In the center of the dragon, the character for ‘Righteous’ (正) was written.
It was the Alliance Leader's flag of the Martial Alliance Leader, Jin Pae-cheon.
The subordinate strategist placed another flag next to the Martial Alliance Leader's.
It was a new flag that had not been in the Martial Alliance until now.
And it was placed right next to the Alliance Leader's flag.
Hwa (華).