Chapter 588: When You Realize Being Alone Is Harder
Chapter 588: When You Realize Being Alone Is Harder
Geom Mu-geuk and the Sword King walked through the dark passage.
Once again, the walls were covered in a chaotic array of patterns, characters, and drawings. The style echoed the murals they had seen earlier, yet possessed a subtle distinction. It didn't seem as though the same person had drawn them, yet they radiated a similar essence.
‘Are they fellow disciples?’
The thought occurred to him that it might be the case.
Since he had discovered the counter-dispelling method in the previous drawings, he didn't overlook a single character.
“Look here.”
Geom Mu-geuk pointed to a drawing. The pattern that had served as the counter-dispelling method earlier was etched here as well.
“It seems this symbol holds great significance for those who built this place.”
The Sword King merely nodded once, offering no further comment.
It happened just as the two of them reached the center of the passage.
Sssssss.
The moment they felt the formation activate, their surroundings shifted instantly.
‘This place is...?’
A boundless blue sky reflected beneath his feet. This realm, which made him feel as if he were standing amidst the heavens, was the same one that manifested whenever Geom Mu-geuk unleashed his aura.
Below him lay the sea. From above, it looked infinitely clear and peaceful, but beneath the surface lurked a bottomless abyss.
“Master!”
Geom Mu-geuk shouted, but the Sword King was nowhere to be found.
“Should I have tied the rope again?”
It was a joke, of course. Even if he had tied a rope, he wouldn't have been able to enter this space with the Sword King. This trial was undoubtedly one that each had to overcome alone.
“You aren't just playing around and watching me suffer, are you?”
As Geom Mu-geuk’s voice echoed through the void, someone appeared in front of him.
Surprisingly, the opponent was Geom Mu-geuk himself. Even though another version of himself had appeared, he wasn't startled.
He knew well that using one's own image was a common tactic in ancient illusions and formations. This trial was likely meant to test his inner fortitude.
This is inside my mind. Therefore, I must trust myself.
Steeling his resolve, Geom Mu-geuk approached his double first.
Staring quietly at that familiar face, Geom Mu-geuk spoke to himself.
“It’s been a while.”
At the greeting, the other Geom Mu-geuk wore a puzzled expression.
“I see you every now and then,” Mu-geuk added.
To anyone else, it would sound like the ramblings of a madman. In reality, whenever Geom Mu-geuk took a moment of solitary rest, he would occasionally stand face-to-face with the lonely self from before his regression.
Once, he had even stood across a massive pit from his past self and told him not to fall into that hole.
“You’ve come to put me in a bind today, haven't you?”
The moment the other self’s eyes flashed, the world changed instantly.
Geom Mu-geuk was running.
‘Where is this?’
He was heading toward the Heavenly Demon Hall within the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
‘Father!’
It was that day. The day Hwa Mu-gi slaughtered everyone in the Heavenly Demon Hall!
Desperately calling for his father, Geom Mu-geuk ran blindly toward the hall. He knew he shouldn't have, but at the time, he was too agitated to exercise judgment.
Bodies were strewn everywhere. From the elite warriors to those who knew no martial arts, every member of the Heavenly Demon Hall had fallen. The sight only fueled his rage.
‘The Outer Court is perfectly fine, so how was the Heavenly Demon Hall breached?’
As if answering that question, a figure appeared.
A man stood atop the wall surrounding the hall, looking down with his arms crossed. It was the previous Soul-Seizing Demon Lord.
This was a sight he hadn't seen on that day in the past. It was an illusion visible only within this formation. Since he had once considered the man a traitor, his image appeared here. This place was his own heart, after all.
In the distance, he saw Hwa Mu-gi.
The man's face was obscured, yet Mu-geuk could feel him smiling coldly in his direction.
Without a single word, a streak of Sword Qi flew toward him.
He saw Lee An throw herself in front of him.
‘Lee An.’
He felt the Sword Qi that pierced Lee An’s chest pass through his own as well. As they fell together, Lee An’s hot blood spilled onto his chest.
It was a day he had tried so hard to forget because of his utter helplessness, yet it was being vividly recreated within the formation.
Then, someone walked up to the fallen Mu-geuk and looked down at him. It was neither Hwa Mu-gi nor the Soul-Seizing Demon Lord.
It was the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, a massive great blade strapped to his back. His gaze was colder than ice.
Beside him, the Extreme Evil Smiling Demon stood looking down. The smile behind his mask felt alien and cruel. The other Demon Lords gathered around his dying form.
He saw the Fist Demon’s massive fists and the heavily made-up face of the One Flower Sword Venerable. The stench of the Drunken Demon’s alcohol was overwhelming, and the Demon Buddha’s body emitted a blood-red light instead of a golden one. The drawings on the poison pouches at the Poison King’s waist were not cute as they were now, but twisted into terrifying forms.
They were all looking down at him, mocking him.
Geom Mu-geuk could tell. This formation was trying to delude him—trying to convince him that everyone had been a traitor that day.
— Be enraged!
It was trying to make his blood boil like lava.
If he were an ordinary person who hadn't regressed, this agony and hatred would have consumed him. The mysterious energy emitted by the formation was relentlessly paralyzing his reason, drawing out doubt and rage. It was an energy an average person could never hope to block.
This was the Blood Wave Mad Soul Formation, designed to stimulate the deepest rage and hatred within a person’s heart to drive them mad.
But it didn't work on Geom Mu-geuk.
‘From the moment I first regressed, I already assumed they were all traitors.’
He had come this far with that mindset.
Then why had he treated them with such sincerity? Because this life was different from the last.
It didn't matter who betrayed him in his previous life. The Demon Lords of this life were different people. He had made them into different people. Their fates had all changed.
Geom Mu-geuk looked up at the mocking Demon Lords and gave a bright smile instead.
“Is there something worth seeing?”
Geom Mu-geuk stood up. Before he knew it, Lee An’s corpse had vanished, and the wound piercing his body had disappeared.
When Geom Mu-geuk faced them with a smile, the formation dug into another weakness.
— Do you really think you can protect them all?
He looked around to find that others had appeared.
Not just the Demon Lords, but Lee An, Seo Dae-ryong, Jang Ho, his brother, and even his friends were there. Bi Sa-in, Jin Ha-gun, Jin Ha-ryeong, and Han Seol. Even the escort warriors and Jo Chun-bae. Everyone he knew was present.
— You are arrogant. Life is hard enough just protecting yourself, yet you claim you will live while protecting so many others.
The other version of himself walked toward Geom Mu-geuk.
— Admit it. It’s hard. Admit that it’s so exhausting you can’t stand it anymore.
Splash.
The Demon Lords began to grab Geom Mu-geuk’s arms and legs, hanging onto him. He began to be dragged down into the abyss beneath his feet.
Everyone else joined in, pulling at him. They were all screaming for him to save them.
Thus, Geom Mu-geuk was submerged into the abyss.
Just as the other Geom Mu-geuk looked down at the water with a satisfied face—
Splash!
Geom Mu-geuk burst back out of the water.
Everyone who had been pulling him down was now supporting him, lifting him above the surface. They were no longer the creations of the formation that had been dragging him down moments ago. They wore the expressions of the people currently by his side.
The formation had failed to dominate Geom Mu-geuk’s heart.
“I am not struggling.”
— Do not deceive yourself.
Geom Mu-geuk could feel it. The moment one admits it is hard, the person trapped in the formation collapses. At the same time, the way to break this formation was to refuse to admit it—in a way that the formation itself would find convincing.
“It isn't as hard as you think. Not once you realize that being alone is harder.”
“!”
This time, Geom Mu-geuk walked toward his other self.
Behind this Geom Mu-geuk stood everyone, while the other Geom Mu-geuk stood alone.
Geom Mu-geuk looked at his double. He wasn't merely an illusion created by the formation. He was the image of himself before the regression.
“Because you existed, I was able to create these people. I mean that sincerely.”
Because of that, the gaze he directed at himself was infinitely soft.
“Is it hard? Yes, it is. Do I want to go somewhere alone? Sometimes, I do. But if you are me, you would know.”
Now, Geom Mu-geuk stopped speaking to himself and addressed the creator of this trial.
“You have likely never lived a life of being truly alone. You’ve never stayed up through those countless nights by yourself, nor walked an endless path conversing only with your own footsteps. You only know once you’ve experienced that terrible loneliness—that solitary time isn't actually that great, nor does it give a sense of freedom. You know as well as I do, don't you? That solitary time only holds value when there are people to walk with.”
With an even softer gaze, Geom Mu-geuk spoke to himself and to the formation.
“This formation doesn't work on me. Begone.”
The moment he finished speaking, the formation began to unravel.
Sssss.
The people around him began to vanish one by one. Geom Mu-geuk turned and watched them disappear. They were beings born from his heart, returning to his heart.
“I’ll see you all at the Main Cult!”
The others vanished first, and the Demon Lords were the last to go. Since they were creations of his own mind, they disappeared in the forms Geom Mu-geuk desired.
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon sat with his great blade thrust into the ground, offering a wine cup. The Extreme Evil Smiling Demon took off his mask. The Drunken Demon stumbled in a drunken stupor and fell over. Sorry, brother. The Poison King crouched down to look at a poisonous insect, while the One Flower Sword Venerable drew her sword and pointed it at him. The Demon Buddha carved a statue. The Soul-Seizing Demon Lord gave a cheerful greeting.
And his father wore that usual mocking smirk.
The moment his father vanished, the formation disappeared completely, and Geom Mu-geuk was standing once again in the dark passage.
“Whew.”
After letting out a light sigh, Geom Mu-geuk walked slowly to the end of the passage.
Clank.
The door at the end opened.
He had passed this trial even more easily than the first. Because he possessed a heart firmer than anyone else's, the Blood Wave Mad Soul Formation could not penetrate his spirit.
However, the Sword King had not yet appeared.
Instead of entering the door, Geom Mu-geuk sat down with his back to it, looking toward the passage he had just traversed.
“Stop wandering and come out already.”
Geom Mu-geuk sat and closed his eyes.
How long did he wait?
“Whew.”
With a long sigh, the Sword King finally revealed himself. From that sigh alone, one could tell how difficult this trial had been. Who was it that had grabbed him and tried to drag him into the abyss?
“I see you managed to shake it off.”
Seeing that Geom Mu-geuk was already out, the Sword King asked with a surprised expression, “Wasn't it hard for you?”
“My life is quite simple, you see.”
Is it really? The Sword King’s eyes seemed to ask as he looked at the open door behind them. The scent wafting from within was one no martial artist could resist—the unique, pleasant fragrance of spirit medicine.
“Why didn't you go in alone?”
“I have enough loyalty to resist that much temptation.”
The Sword King approached Geom Mu-geuk and said, “I’ll acknowledge your loyalty. I’ll give you half this time, too.”
The Sword King pushed the door wide open.
Looking inside, both Geom Mu-geuk and the Sword King were speechless once again. An even deeper wave of awe washed over them, surpassing what they had felt in the first chamber.
“You were right. That first room wasn't the one we were meant to enjoy.”
This room was truly a sanctuary for a martial artist. All sorts of spirit medicines were displayed on decorative stands on all four sides.
Geom Mu-geuk walked forward slowly.
“Can I really take half?”
The Sword King nodded.
“These are things money can't buy. Are you sure?”
No matter how much wealth one possessed, it wasn't easy to obtain the spirit medicines found here. Of course, they could be bought—if one were willing to pay hundreds of thousands, or even millions of taels for a single one.
The Sword King nodded and said, “I have that much loyalty as well. Now, I’m hungry, so let’s eat some first. If we leave them behind, we’re just doing someone else a favor.”
The Sword King tossed a spirit medicine toward Geom Mu-geuk. The medicine he threw so casually was a Divine Fire Pill, which possessed efficacy comparable to a Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng.
“I never refuse spirit medicine when it's offered.”
“I told you, half is yours.”
“I’ll eat it with gratitude.”
As he chewed and swallowed the Divine Fire Pill, Geom Mu-geuk asked, “Is it alright to just give spirit medicine to an opponent you’ll eventually have to fight?”
“That’s why I’m eating too, isn't it?”
The Sword King also chewed on a spirit pill.
Geom Mu-geuk sat down first to circulate his Qi and begin refining the medicine’s effects. The Sword King was about to do the same but then approached Geom Mu-geuk. He stood before him, quietly looking down at the young man.
Since Mu-geuk was in the middle of meditating to refine the medicine, this was the perfect opportunity to attack. Naturally, a strange tension filled the air.
“What if I surprise you while you’re meditating?”
Geom Mu-geuk said nothing, his eyes remaining closed. The Sword King leaned down to look at his face and spoke again.
“You can talk while meditating, can't you? You can move, too.”
When there was still no response, the Sword King made a motion as if to poke him in the eye. At that moment, Geom Mu-geuk snapped his head to the side to dodge and opened his eyes.
“I trust that you aren't that kind of person.”
The Sword King shook his head with a look that said, I knew it. Talking and moving freely while meditating—this Young Cult Leader had already surpassed the level of ordinary martial artists.
As the Sword King sat down cross-legged beside him, Geom Mu-geuk asked, “What if I finish first and attack you?”
The Sword King closed his eyes and said, “Then go ahead and do it.”
He began his Qi circulation as if he truly trusted Geom Mu-geuk. After watching him for a moment, Geom Mu-geuk closed his eyes again.
The two of them focused on their meditation until they had fully refined the medicine’s effects. Once finished, the Sword King tossed another spirit medicine to Geom Mu-geuk.
“This one is delicious, too.”
This time, it was an Accumulated Cloud Pill.
“Based on the nature of the medicinal properties, I think we can refine these two together.”
He tossed another spirit pill to Geom Mu-geuk. This one was a Clear Brightness Pill.
“Are we really going to eat them all?”
“You don't want to? Then don't.”
When the Sword King reached out his hand to take them back, Geom Mu-geuk popped the pills into his mouth one after another.
“Of course I want to.”
The two of them repeated the process of consuming and refining, then consuming and refining again. They never imagined a day would come when they would feel full from eating spirit medicines.
By the time they finished their meditation, their eyes were incredibly clear and deep. In particular, Geom Mu-geuk’s internal energy was like his aura—so pure and deep that its quantity could no longer be measured.
There were still spirit medicines left, so Geom Mu-geuk packed his share separately.
“Who are you packing those for?”
“Surely there’s someone I can give them to.”
“It’s all a waste of effort putting things into other people’s mouths. Just eat them all yourself while you can.”
Regardless, Geom Mu-geuk tucked them carefully into his robes and stood before the door again. The dark passage ahead emitted an even more intense energy than before.
Geom Mu-geuk could feel it instinctively. This was the final trial. Whatever the Sword King desired would be beyond that point. The core of this underground treasure vault was neither the treasures nor the spirit medicines, but what lay ahead.
“You should confess at this point,” Mu-geuk said. “Say, ‘Actually, I could have passed all these trials easily, but I acted like I was struggling just to test you. Now that the test is over, I’ll just let us through the final gate.’”
The Sword King made a different confession.
“I nearly died in that last trial.”
“……”
“……”
Geom Mu-geuk entered the dark passage first and asked, “Are you giving me half this time, too?”