Chapter 543: This Weak and Young Me
Chapter 543: This Weak and Young Me
“So, you’re still alive.”
Geom Mu-geuk recognized him instantly, despite the drastic change in his appearance.
It was the Combat King, returned from the very depths of hell.
Only now did Geom Mu-geuk understand why they had dared to hold today’s banquet despite knowing he was there. He finally understood why the recent undercurrents had felt so different—so aggressive.
It was all driven by this man’s thirst for revenge.
It also became clear why Bi Sa-in had been the one used in the Heavenly Flower Pavilion Master’s trap. After all, it was the Leader of the Unorthodox Path Alliance who had driven the Combat King to the brink of death.
The Combat King slowly stepped out of the carriage.
Clink. Clank.
Blue-glowing chains were wrapped tightly around his chest. The shimmering azure light made it clear these chains were forged from no ordinary metal. Geom Mu-geuk had a premonition that these chains would prove far more formidable than the protective robe or gauntlets the man had worn before.
A woman’s voice drifted out from inside the carriage.
“When we rescued this man using the Dark Path Return Art, his entire body was so saturated with extreme poison that not even a Great Luo Immortal could have saved him. Your Poison King’s toxins are truly dreadful.”
Indeed, the Combat King’s very breath still carried traces of a poisonous miasma that hadn't been fully purged.
If the Poison King ever found out about this, he would be absolutely furious. Geom Mu-geuk made a mental note; he had just found something new to tease the old man with.
“However, we decided to save him. It required immense effort and a staggering investment. He had to endure two grand rituals and six surgeries.”
The Combat King’s expression contorted as if the memory alone brought back the agony. He had endured pain so intense it would make any man beg for death.
He had survived it all for this very moment.
“As you can see, he was well worth the investment.”
The Combat King’s aura was overwhelming.
He felt more powerful than any enemy Geom Mu-geuk had faced thus far. If the Combat King of the past felt like a mere brawler, the current version felt as though he had transcended that stage entirely.
It was like looking at a Combat God who had moved beyond victory and defeat—perhaps even beyond life and death itself.
Death itself dwelt within his eyes.
There were white rings around his pupils. Geom Mu-geuk knew exactly what that signified.
‘He’s even mastered the Dark Heaven Night God Art!’
The Combat King was already strong to begin with. Having undergone those rituals and mastered the Dark Heaven Night God Art, he was now leagues beyond his former self.
On top of that, he was exhaling the Poison King’s toxins.
Geom Mu-geuk himself was immune to all poisons, so the miasma wouldn't affect him, but if Bi Sa-in or Jin Ha-gun were to fight him, they wouldn't last long against that toxic breath. It was as if the Combat King and the Poison King were attacking simultaneously.
The Combat King radiated the confidence of a man who believed he could crush everyone present single-handedly.
“Just how strong have you become?”
“Strong enough to justify the life I traded for it.”
By mastering the Dark Heaven Night God Art, he could no longer look upon the sun. All for the sake of this revenge.
The Combat King took a slow step forward. Every eye followed his movement. The fighting spirit he exuded was intense enough to pressure everyone in the area at once.
He looked around as if seeing the world for the first time, and then—
Swish!
Thud, thud, thud!
With a casual wave of his hand, the warriors of the Hundred Precepts Merchant Group standing nearby were instantly obliterated, their torsos exploding.
It was a move so fast and powerful that there was no time to even think about intercepting it. This single strike was a testament to his newfound strength.
Vice Leader Pyeong-wi let out a sharp scream. He was horrified to see the men he had brought killed in a single blow.
Geom Mu-geuk spoke to him in a low voice.
“Did you not realize it would come to this?”
Pyeong-wi had come prepared to die, of course. But he hadn't expected them to kill his subordinates first. If they were to die, it should have been at the end! They should have been allowed to witness the revenge first!
“You were deceived by them. It wasn't the Unorthodox Path Alliance that used you; it was these people. All to set the stage for today.”
“Don’t talk nonsense!”
The death of his men only made Pyeong-wi more desperate to cling to his delusions. Like a man possessed, he leaped forward and prostrated himself before the carriage.
“Kill them, as you promised!”
The Dark King was cold toward the man who had come crawling to her.
“The Young Cult Leader is right. You were merely a tool for us.”
Pyeong-wi’s face froze. To the stunned and confused man, she delivered the final truth.
“To be precise, it was the Unit Leader’s wife who used you.”
Pyeong-wi’s eyes bulged. His worst fears had just become reality.
In the moment the truth sank in—
“Aaaaaagh!”
He let out a gruesome scream. The Combat King had appeared behind him and seized him by the throat.
He didn't snap the man's neck. It might have been a mercy if he had.
The moment the toxins from the Combat King’s hand invaded his body, Pyeong-wi writhed in agonizing pain before dropping dead.
Thud.
The Combat King tossed the corpse in front of Geom Mu-geuk. Then, he shifted the blame for the death onto him.
“This is all because of you.”
Geom Mu-geuk, of course, wasn't about to just take that.
“With so many witnesses watching, how can you speak such nonsense?”
“If not for you, I wouldn't be here. If not for you, my body wouldn't be filled with this poison.”
He blamed Geom Mu-geuk for exposing his presence while he was hiding within the Unorthodox Path Alliance. It was Geom Mu-geuk who had drawn in the Alliance Leader and the Poison King.
“Why is it my fault? It’s your fault for hiding somewhere you shouldn't have been in the first place. And why is it my fault? It’s because of your own petty heart, unable to let go of someone you used once their job was done.”
The Combat King tried to burden Geom Mu-geuk with guilt, but he didn't gain an inch.
“And why are you taking it out on me? If you want revenge, go find the Alliance Leader or the Poison King. What? Are you scared of those two? Is that why you’re bullying this weak and young me?”
At the words "weak and young," Bi Sa-in and Jin Ha-gun couldn't help but let out a dry chuckle. Even in such a terrifying situation, Geom Mu-geuk had a way of making people laugh.
Of course, for the Combat King, those words touched a raw nerve.
“Shut up!”
Clink.
The sound of metal rang out as the Combat King clenched his fists. His expression, which had seemed unshakable, was now taut with rage.
“The Alliance Leader will die by my hand soon enough.”
The Combat King intended to kill everyone here and then move on to the Alliance Leader. He could feel it—this body, held together by forbidden rituals, wouldn't last long. He would kill everyone before he died. The organization had likely saved him for that very purpose.
Then, the Dark King spoke from the carriage.
“It seems the rumors are true—the Young Cult Leader’s tongue is even sharper than his blade.”
Geom Mu-geuk could tell that the Dark King had stepped in to calm the agitated Combat King. The Dark King was definitely the more troublesome opponent.
“Rumors? They’re just baseless lies.”
Geom Mu-geuk turned to Bi Sa-in and asked, “Isn't my sword much sharper than my tongue?”
Bi Sa-in firmly shook his head.
Geom Mu-geuk looked offended. “Why are you trying to be funny at a serious time like this?”
Bi Sa-in’s eyes replied: Isn't that your job?
Geom Mu-geuk then looked at Jin Ha-gun.
“I trust you to tell the truth.”
“I have no desire to get into an argument with you,” Jin Ha-gun replied.
He said it so calmly that it sounded like the absolute truth.
Laughter echoed from inside the carriage. Both Geom Mu-geuk and the Dark King seemed composed.
“Let’s see for ourselves which one is sharper.”
The moment she finished speaking, the carriage door opened again.
Rattle.
A hand parted the beaded curtain. It was a withered, wrinkled hand.
The person who revealed himself was an old man. Since it was impossible for the Dark King, the Combat King, and this old man to all fit inside a normal carriage, it was clear the interior was no ordinary space.
The old man’s eyes were incredibly sharp. His ancient robes were covered in bizarre patterns, and the fan he held was also inscribed with mysterious symbols.
A strange, wicked energy radiated from him.
Jin Ha-gun was the first to recognize him.
“The Heavenly Freak!”
He was a public enemy of the Murim, a man who had thrown the world into chaos with his mastery of sorcery and formations. His evil arts were so sinister and cruel that countless lives had been lost to them.
Now it was clear who had created the formations set up at the Hundred Precepts Merchant Group.
The Heavenly Freak looked at Jin Ha-gun and said, “You’ve worked so hard to catch me, so why don't you try?”
The warriors of the Demon Extermination Squad immediately stepped in front of Jin Ha-gun, leveling their swords. But the Heavenly Freak didn't look intimidated at all.
Another figure emerged from the carriage. This time, it wasn't human. Something leaped out with a bound.
Grrrr.
To everyone’s surprise, a black dog as large as a grown man emerged. It wasn't a normal dog. It was larger than a wolf, with massive fangs.
A black haze drifted off its large body like a shimmering heat wave. It was a hellhound, the kind that might guard the gates of the underworld.
And it wasn't alone. Dozens of hellhounds poured out of the carriage one after another. It was a grotesque sight, making it feel as though the carriage was a direct portal to hell.
Bi Sa-in recognized the last person to emerge.
“The Dog Seller!”
He was an absolute master of the Unorthodox Faction who practiced dark sorcery and called himself a dog seller. He rarely showed himself to the world, yet here he was. The hellhounds he summoned were notorious for being able to tear even high-level masters to pieces.
The hellhounds looked up at a certain spot and growled low. They were staring at the roof where the Extreme Evil Smiling Demon stood.
The Smiling Demon merely looked down at the dozens of growling hellhounds in silence, his arms crossed.
The four men in black who had flown in with the carriage stepped forward to face Bi Sa-in, lanterns in hand.
The 13 Wolves of the Unorthodox Path drew their swords in unison, pointing them at the newcomers. Even though they were facing a force they couldn't possibly hope to defeat, the four men in black showed no fear.
That was when Bi Sa-in noticed it. Their shadows stretched long, connecting back to the carriage. It was a bizarre sight, as if they were one with the carriage itself.
The Heavenly Freak faced Jin Ha-gun; the Dog Seller faced the Smiling Demon; the four men in black who guarded the carriage faced Bi Sa-in.
And the Combat King faced Geom Mu-geuk.
The problem was that the Dark King was still inside the carriage. There was no telling how she would intervene in the fight.
Jin Ha-ryeong retreated as far as possible, taking Yeo-jeong with her. This wasn't a fight she could participate in. She knew that if they had to flee, she would have to carry the girl and run.
‘Brother! Be careful!’
At the last moment, she looked at Geom Mu-geuk. As always, she made a silent plea.
‘Please take care of my brother! I’ll protect the Pavilion Master until my last breath… no, even if I die.’
Geom Mu-geuk met her eyes, then shifted his gaze upward.
The Smiling Demon was standing on the roof. He remained there with his arms crossed, watching the situation below. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking, but he was the most reliable person in this fight.
Geom Mu-geuk and the Smiling Demon’s eyes met.
The eyes behind the mask were smiling. From that deep, abyss-like smile, Geom Mu-geuk knew.
He had already become the true Extreme Evil Smiling Demon.
That was enough. He didn't need to worry about what was behind him; he could focus entirely on the Combat King in front of him.
The Combat King was the first to move.
“Care for a taste of my fist?”
The Combat King thrust his fist forward. A cold, blue energy flowed along the chains wrapped around his arm. He was brimming with confidence and composure.
‘He must know I’ve mastered the Nine Calamities Demonic Art.’
Did he believe he could withstand it since Geom Mu-geuk hadn't reached Great Achievement yet?
“Then let’s have a little taste.”
Geom Mu-geuk didn't draw his sword; instead, he met him with his fist.
Fist against fist. A direct clash of strength.
Whoosh!
The Combat King lunged at Geom Mu-geuk, throwing a punch. Geom Mu-geuk didn't dodge; he threw his own punch.
The Combat King’s punch, powered by the Chain Wind and Cloud Fist, was met by the Thunder Asura Fist that Geom Mu-geuk had learned from the Fist Demon.
The moment their fists collided, an ear-splitting explosion erupted.
BOOM!
Geom Mu-geuk’s fist struck the chains wrapped around the Combat King’s hand. It was an attack infused with Gang Qi, but the Combat King didn't budge.
With their fists locked, Geom Mu-geuk and the Combat King glared at each other. Of course, it wasn't a full-power attack, but the same was likely true for the Combat King.
The Combat King twisted his body and threw another punch. The second attack was far faster and more powerful than the first.
The second set of fists collided. An even louder roar erupted, but the Combat King’s fist and chains remained unbroken.
Once again, their fists were pressed against each other in mid-air. Geom Mu-geuk felt the cold sensation of the chains against his knuckles. The sensation seemed to say: I will never break!
The Combat King’s third punch came flying in. It was even faster, even stronger.
Clang!
It wasn't the sound of fists colliding.
Geom Mu-geuk had leaped backward, and the Black Demonic Sword was already in his hand. He couldn't handle the Combat King’s technique with his still-incomplete Thunder Asura Fist.
Having exchanged blows, he felt it in his bones. The man was incomparably stronger than the Combat King of the past.
“You’ve become a monster.”
Geom Mu-geuk turned to Bi Sa-in.
“Friend, if I ever told you to just trust me, I take it back.”
Geom Mu-geuk didn't lose his composure until the very end. He offered these words of encouragement to everyone:
“Today, it’s every man for himself.”