1093——————==

Soul of the Evil God

Wooooo

I swung the heavy sword. When I say heavy sword, I’m referring to the large and cumbersome great sword type, but the heavy sword I’m training with now means I’m channeling my martial energy into the sword to suppress the flow of the blade. Doing this increases the sword’s power and strength, but it sacrifices agility, making it not so popular in the martial world.

Asura watched me practice the heavy sword from the side and said, “For a heavy sword, that’s way too fast. Slow down.”

“…Why should I intentionally slow down? The reason heavy swords are often slow is due to a lack of skill in handling Qi, and once you get used to it, even a heavy sword can become swift.”

“That’s true, but to master Dark Night Slash, you need to feel the ‘lack’.”

“……?”

“If my command feels difficult, pretend to be an unskilled person. If that works, great.”

Swoosh

I sighed inwardly while repetitively training under Asura’s guidance.

“What on earth is this Dark Night Slash? For a month, we’ve been stuck repeating ten basic sword styles, and not even one advanced technique.”

It felt like dealing with someone just starting to learn swordsmanship, yet I would be scolded if I swung the heavy sword quickly as before. It wasn’t particularly grueling training, but repeating these foundational techniques for a whole month was just plain boring, especially when I was already a peak expert! A peak expert shouldn’t even have to endure such training, and I felt a bit peeved.

After five hours of honing the heavy sword, it was finally break time. Asura sat across from me and spoke.

“You’re good at the Illusory Rapid Shadow within the sword styles, but the Heavy Reverse Swift Flow… not so much.”

“Of course. The former is used much more in real battles.”

“It’s more a matter of preference than skill, it seems. Subconsciously, that’s the sword style you prefer.”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“You should be able to balance your preferences evenly, even in your subconscious.”

“…….”

“You should distribute all ten sword styles or even more variations within you evenly, without deviation.”

I stared blankly at Asura’s words and then retorted, flabbergasted, “How on earth is that possible? What’s the point of doing that? It won’t necessarily make me stronger, will it?”

“It is possible. For instance, I can do it. That’s the fundamental requirement for the Dark Night Slash. And the reason for doing so…”

Asura crossed his arms and said, “If you were to fight an expert for several tens of seconds, what would you do if they could completely read your sword style’s flow and gain the upper hand?”

“Completely read it? How is that even possible? I can change my sword technique every moment!”

“Your subtle shifts in mind and biased preferences can be read, almost like reading the future…”

Asura replied with a sly grin.

“Someone like Yeodong-bin could probably do it.”

“……!!”

“Anyway, the flow of battle that you prefer is quite standardized. With Yeodong-bin’s Moon-Style Defense Technique, reading your moves wouldn’t be a challenge. Didn’t you notice that during your previous fight with him?”

“That…”

“You were far ahead of him in speed and strength, yet it felt like he knew exactly when and how your attack would come, and you couldn’t land a single hit.”

“…….”

That was an uncomfortable memory. I distinctly remember using the Great Destruction technique while challenging him one-on-one, only to ultimately lose. I grimaced and replied heavily, “Yeah, that did happen.”

“Actually, I can do something similar.”

“What?”

“Why are you surprised? The reason I’m training you is to help you grasp the Dark Night Slash, which I’ve already mastered. So, why shouldn’t I be able to do it?”

“Hmmm!”

“Don’t doubt your training too much. Even if your progress feels slow and you’re anxious, effort doesn’t betray you.”

I chuckled at Asura’s remark. “Effort doesn’t betray you? Hearing you say that is unexpected.”

“Why? Does it seem like I invented the Nirvana of the Absolute because I’m a genius?”

“No, it’s just….”

“I’ve been in martial arts training for at least three thousand years.”

Clattering

Asura picked up a chicken skewer that he had put over the campfire in the ruins. He took a big bite and continued, “It took me thirty years to gain trust within the Ushas Dawn Sect to obtain the Moon Blade Shadow Dragon Technique, and then eighty years to reach its level. In this way, the so-called Divine Arts Technique that appears impressive took decades of hard work to create the Nirvana of the Absolute.”

“…….”

“If we’re talking about effort, there are hardly any martial artists who worked harder than me throughout martial arts history. That is, except for Yeodong-bin. You can’t go around talking about effort in front of me.”

I truly had no rebuttal. What could I say when I had trained for a mere one hundred years in front of someone who had trained for three thousand years?

“Ha, but…”

I felt a sense of injustice and opened my mouth only to close it again. Seeing this, Asura chuckled.

“Ah, of course I’m a genius. Having talent and then also working hard is a cheat, isn’t it? You don’t have any talent, so I guess you’re a bit sore?”

Ugh!

I felt like he hit the nail on the head. I grumbled, “…I hardly see anyone who boasts about such things.”

“Come on. How long are you going to be stuck on this talent topic?”

“Hmm?”

Chewing

Clack

Asura chewed his chicken joyfully before swallowing it down. Then, he popped open a cold beer can and said, “When you die and get reborn, do you think you’ll be able to beat the early Jin So-cheong?”

“No.”

“Then that’s settled. If you can beat the peak talent that is Jin So-cheong, that’s all that matters; you don’t need to worry about having more talent, right? Are you living in fear of being doubted whether you’re a Grand Master amidst the mediocre Thunder God Lineage?”

“……”

“The Absolute Realm is a being that arises seldom during an era. You’ve already come very close to the peak of martial arts. The time to worry about talent is past. Yet your sense of inferiority doesn’t seem to fade away easily.”

Asura gulped down his beer and continued softly, “Talent really just helps you step into greatness faster. What’s truly important is your belief, Baek Woong.”

“Belief…?”

“And you can be called the embodiment of belief. Reaching the Absolute Realm with talent like yours was originally impossible, and yet you’ve achieved it. You’ve turned the impossible into the possible with your own belief, so is there room for talent to interfere now?”

“Hmmm.”

I felt some weight lifting off my shoulders from those words. Asura murmured, “In my eyes, that kind of sense of inferiority feels artificial. It’s an unusual sense of deprivation compared to the size of your belief…”

“…I can’t contradict that. But you’d be just as frustrated if you’d been told for several hundred years that you had no talent.”

When I gruffly replied, Asura casually tossed me a cold beer can. When I caught it, he looked at me as if to say to shut up and drink, and I, feeling thirsty, gulped it down.

“That’s quite delicious.”

Asura handed me a stick of chicken skewer and said, “Speaking of Jin So-cheong, you need to create Heuk Woong for the sake of Jin So-cheong.”

“Huh? Where is that coming from?”

“In case Jin So-cheong pops up later and stabs you right in the gut.”

“…Ew.”

Great, what a reminder of something I didn’t want to think about.

“I see Jin So-cheong as someone who can do various things, but once they focus on one thing, they excel. And in this life, Jin So-cheong has focused on martial arts rather than sorcery. So, their martial arts realm might be lower than you think, and they won’t be relying on martial arts as their primary skill.”

“…So a ultimate sorcerer, Jin So-cheong?”

“At least that’s my prediction. To counter Jin So-cheong, who’s reached the pinnacle of sorcery, having Heuk Woong is essential.”

“……”

Asura’s current level is among the highest I’ve encountered in the martial artists I’ve met so far. Given that there’s hardly anyone to compare him with, I believe his predictions.

“I guess the good news is that Heuk Woong will probably be weaker than Jin So-cheong, who’s been practicing martial arts for five hundred years.”

“Hmmm, that sounds vague.”

The issue is that even if I hear something like this, I can’t predict how strong it might be. I cautiously said, “Somehow it feels like both the Heavenly Demon Sagong Lin and Jin So-cheong can only be countered with Heuk Woong… does that mean pure martial artists can’t beat them?”

“Of course. They’re beings playing in the divine level, how can you win with just pure martial arts? It might be possible if your level rises high enough for a solid confrontation, though…”

Asura continued, “Normally, I would advise you to learn martial arts correctly to reach Divine Skill and break through difficulties, but in reality, it’s impractical. It would take at least a hundred years. If you’re aiming to resolve this task within seventeen years, you will need Heuk Woong.”

“Hmmm… then wouldn’t it be better to save time and resurrect Heuk Woong rather than wasting it on learning the Dark Night Slash or Eight Immortals Divine Art? This could all be a waste of time.”

“Don’t get cocky. You’ve been running around chanting about saving time, so I just made plans, but the Dark Night Slash is currently way beyond your level to learn.”

“……”

“The one time I reached the peak of attack power with the Nirvana of the Absolute was after going through the stages of Supari (守破離) and through decades of hard work acquired the knowledge needed. Be grateful for the chance to learn.”

“Alright, fine.”

I clicked my tongue then suddenly remembered. “Hey, by the way, you’ve never properly told me what the Master of the White Lotus Sect left you as a dying message. When will you tell me that?”

What I saw in the 500-year memory of Jin So-cheong was all scenes that Asura artificially inputted. And for some reason, Asura hadn’t included what the Master of the White Lotus Sect had told him before passing away, so I still don’t know what he was told.

“…….”

Asura unexpectedly took a long pause. He looked at me with sharp eyes and said, “If you want to hear it, pass the test from Sagong Lin and go join the Celestial Exploration Team. Only then will I have the mindset to tell you.”

“What? Just tell me. Why do I have to go through the trouble?”

“I told you. I’m watching you for six months. I want to see if you’re worthy of the Master of the White Lotus Sect’s will.”

“Hmmmm….”

“Think of it comfortably. Even if I say it like this, I’m still here to help you.”

Am I still being tested by Asura?

Well, I didn’t expect him to show such blatant signs at the beginning, so I don’t feel the need to get angry now. Instead, I felt fueled with a competitive spirit.

“Fine, just watch me! Even if it takes a year, I’ll accomplish something.”

“Your enthusiasm is nice. You remind me of a rookie commander who rushes into everything.”

“Huh? What did you say?”

“Nah, just talking to myself. Heh….”

Sometimes that guy says things I can’t quite get….

Anyway, I took a rest and began to learn the basics of Dark Night Slash again. After a month of training to control the sword styles, I spent another month reinforcing the basics of the Eight Immortals Divine Art from the start. During this time, I learned all sorts of tips that Asura discovered and, since I was already familiar with the Eight Immortals Divine Art at a basic level, the difficulty of acquiring it was not too high.

But with so many variations, it left me feeling perplexed.

“C-can I actually use all these applications appropriately in real combat? It feels like I’ve learned hundreds of different techniques by now….”

“Most training or instincts make it tough.”

Whew

Asura, who had been making the Reverse Celestial Wheel fly like a boomerang with five strands, re-captured his intangible energy and continued to speak.

“However, you’re a reborn person, so you’ll be fighting tens of thousands of times over thousands of years. With that many battles, your body will naturally adapt. You’ll learn to grasp it even without practicing it exhaustively.”

“…….”

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Hey, are you making it sound so easy? You think I’ll just be fighting for that long, huh….”

“Of course you will. Why do you ask that?”

Asura said firmly, “How many breaks have you taken in the 28 lifetimes you’ve lived until now? I was shocked seeing how hard you’ve lived in your memories. On the bright side, that’s probably what gives your past life companions their trust in you.”

“Hmm….”

“You’ve been continuously training, treasure hunting, and brawling without a moment of rest. And even when you did have some time for wealth and glory, it took you less than half a year to throw it all away. Following this lifestyle for fifty more lives will amass experiences in combat that nobody in this world could match. A million battles will be like eating cake.”

“…….”

“You’re a reborn person, hence the sense of time for humans is now meaningless. As a Demon King, here’s my advice: you should get accustomed to the transcendent sense of time as well. A year is but a fleeting moment for a transcendent being, like a fired arrow.”

The human sense of time is meaningless…

It seems Asura indirectly pointed out that my obsession with quickly achieving results isn’t a good thing. Realizing the meaning of Asura’s words, I felt a strong sense of clarity.

‘Am I also a transcendent being like Asura the Demon King….’

Thinking back, several prophets and divine beings I’ve met have said similar things. Reborn persons are not human; they are separate existences. But since I see myself as human, I found it strange every time I heard such statements. I can’t help but think that I am human.

I am human.

While I was deep in thought, Asura said, “Let’s try training for another two months before deciding what to do.”

Then two months passed. During that time, I didn’t skip practicing Nine Chambers of Thunder and Immortal Sword Technique, while also making time for training Dark Night Slash and Eight Immortals Divine Art. It seemed there was a lot to train in, but with twelve hours straight of practice, I managed to squeeze it all in.

Finally, Asura spoke up.

“Baek Woong. You can stop training the Dark Night Slash and Eight Immortals Divine Art from today.”

When I looked at Asura, he said, “Now we need to resurrect Heuk Woong.”

“Got it. Then let’s chant the text….”

As I turned my head, Asura grabbed my shoulder. Still holding me, he said, “No. That way you’ll never resurrect him.”

“How do you know?”

“The most likely way to resurrect Heuk Woong is to possess a stronger command than the one Cheon Woo-jin gave you, right?”

I nodded. Then Asura continued, “But you’re trying to perform the lower technique of chanting the text without having that command. Given your lack of proficiency or mastery in sorcery, it seems obvious it would take at least a hundred years to resurrect Heuk Woong through that method.”

“…You won’t know until you try.”

“The advice that Seong Jin had about extending the training period to regain control over spirit power could be likened to something like…”

“What?”

“Like the tale of the Foolish Old Man Who Moved Mountains. It’s about gaining strength because you need to move a heavy mountain, you see? But when do you think humans can get strong enough to move mountains?”

“…….”

“Considering your level of sorcery proficiency and talent, the possibilities are scant. If it’s going to happen, you’d be chanting for at least several decades.”

I instantly comprehended Asura’s analogy, my expression froze. Did Seong Jin mean something like that?

“Had Seong Jin been mocking me?”

“No. He was merely providing you with the theoretical method of practicing. If you lack proficiency in sorcery, then it makes sense to improve it, right? In the end, raising spirit power control means improving sorcery proficiency.”

“That’s true, but….”

“Seong Jin didn’t mock you. Even if you try risking yourself for a powerful command from a divine being, who knows what absurd obstacles might pop up in your path? There’s even a chance you might get caught with an Old Ruler because of a contract. You’ve already fallen into such traps several times.”

“Ah!”

“Since you’re a reborn person, time is on your side, so even if you lack talent in sorcery, you can just chant the text for hundreds of years. Seong Jin advised you from that perspective because it would be safer for a reborn person.”

“T-this is ridiculous. Just because I’m reborn doesn’t mean I want to spend hundreds of years in closed room training!”

When I felt exasperated, Asura spoke in a gentle tone, “But there’s a way to resurrect him quickly.”

I was intrigued by Asura’s words and asked back, “What is it?”

“The key is acquiring a powerful command. There are ways to obtain a powerful command not just from divine beings but also through other means.”

“What ways?”

“Through plunder.”

Asura crossed his arms and continued, “You could force a powerful divine being to the brink of death, then threaten them to hand over their name as a price for not killing them. Those who lose their name effectively lose their power and turn into a ghost, so they generally prefer not to offer it.”

“That might be, but that’s probably why Seong Jin didn’t mention this method.”

Asura nodded.

“Even if that’s the case, there’s only one being who would be willing to hand over their name.”

“Who?”

“A being from the [Outside]…. Such beings do not value their names, as the [Outside] does not recognize the sanctity of names.”

“……? You’re saying to capture a being from outer space?”

“There’s exactly one such being.”

Who could that be?

After a while of pondering, when I couldn’t deduce who it was, Asura finally spoke up.

“The [Serpent].”

“Serpent?”

Asura chuckled.

“The Apostle of Chaos, appointed by Lord Chi You. While not a part of the Eight Parts of the Divine, it held a similar position and served close to Lord Chi You, sealed away in Mount Ye.”

“……!!”

“It’s unclear when, but Lord Chi You summoned him directly. Nobody even knows the reason for his summoning. So, as for why he’s sealed in Mount Ye, that remains a mystery…”

What did you say?!

Suddenly I remembered that being and was taken aback. Asura continued, “Go to Mount Ye with Yeodong-bin’s assistance, defeat him, and obtain his [name]. Then, Heuk Woong will be immediately resurrected.”