Chapter 830: You’re Not Being Pushed Back in Internal Energy?
Hwa Moogi picked up the cup that Geom Mugeuk had poured for him.
“Right now, I can hear cries from within my mind, asking to be let out. I can feel intense rage and devastating sorrow. They’ve never revealed their emotions to this extent before.”
After speaking, Hwa Moogi drank the alcohol. In the end, the one who emptied a cup today was not the souls, but Hwa Moogi, who had sworn he would never drink.
“I didn’t drink this because of you. I drank it for them.”
Just as Geom Mugeuk had said earlier, this was the moment it became clear that those souls held great meaning to Hwa Moogi in one way or another.
As he set the cup down, Hwa Moogi asked:
“You could have attacked while I was drinking, couldn’t you?”
He had expected an answer like, *You were prepared anyway*, or perhaps, *That wouldn’t look cool*, but—
“Everyone’s watching, aren’t they?”
Geom Mugeuk glanced around. His father, the Alliance Leaders, the Demon Supremes, the Cult Leader of the Heavenly Wind Cult, and even the Sword King. All of them were watching the two without missing a single moment.
“I may look like I do whatever I want, but I’m very conscious of how people see me. You have no idea how hard I try to look cool in front of others.”
Hwa Moogi let out a hollow laugh. He had not expected that to be the real reason. Even if it was, the fact that he said it so honestly—
For the first time, Hwa Moogi revealed his own thoughts.
“Before meeting you, I had no particular thoughts about this martial world. But now, it’s suddenly become interesting.”
He meant it sincerely.
“If it’s a martial world with people like you in it.”
Geom Mugeuk smiled.
“Sorry for setting your expectations too high from the start. Still, after you kill me, look around. There are plenty of interesting things and interesting people. Don’t find enjoyment in killing people. Taking pleasure in bullying those weaker than you—that’s the lowest of the low.”
“You’re trying to lecture me again. You said we’d fight, and yet you keep spouting useless words.”
Though, in truth, this conversation had been started by Hwa Moogi himself.
But Geom Mugeuk readily admitted fault.
“Sorry. Thinking I wouldn’t get another chance to say these things, I talked too much. People who talk a lot tend to make mistakes. Since you don’t talk much, you don’t have to worry about that.”
For a brief moment, Hwa Moogi thought that having someone like him as a subordinate wouldn’t be boring. If he had to watch people trembling in fear and offering false loyalty, he could already imagine how frustrating that would be.
“Alright, now let’s really fight.”
Geom Mugeuk drew the Black Demon Sword first.
Perhaps sensing that its master faced a destined nemesis—
Hummm.
The Black Demon Sword let out a low hum.
“You must be strong. Seeing the Black Demon Sword cry like that.”
Hwa Moogi also drew his black sword.
The two blades, pointed at each other, gleamed sharply.
At that moment, Geom Mugeuk suggested:
“This is suffocating. Let’s go outside and fight.”
Hwa Moogi readily agreed.
“Fine.”
The two stepped outside again.
They stood facing each other in the middle of Maga Village’s road, while the others watched from in front of the Flowing Wind Tavern.
Geom Mugeuk fully revealed his aura.
The next moment, Hwa Moogi found himself standing in the sky.
Originally, Geom Mugeuk’s aura had been like a deep ocean. The illusion of standing in the sky came from the reflection of the sky on clear water.
But now it was different.
It was a real sky.
After undergoing body reformation and absorbing the mystical energy of the Six-Origin Energies, Geom Mugeuk’s aura had changed from an ocean into the sky.
It did not drag the opponent into an abyss or instill fear of suffocation.
It simply showed the sky.
Hwa Moogi looked around. It was an aura he had never imagined.
It truly felt like standing in the sky.
A martial artist’s aura was meant to pressure and suppress the opponent.
Yet this sky did him no harm.
And because of that, it overwhelmed him. It felt like standing alone before the vastness of nature.
An absolute being’s transcendent aura that did not need to threaten.
That was Hwa Moogi’s impression of Geom Mugeuk’s aura.
Looking around, Hwa Moogi turned his gaze to Geom Mugeuk, who stood tall within that sky. The sky and Geom Mugeuk were indistinguishable.
The sky was Geom Mugeuk, and Geom Mugeuk was the sky.
‘He’s this young, yet he displays the aura of an absolute being?’
That realization angered him. It was genuine anger.
“You possess such an incredible aura, yet all you want is to travel, gather herbs, and drink all night?”
Geom Mugeuk answered calmly:
“I guarantee you, it’s much harder to find people to enjoy those things with than it is to rule the martial world.”
Hwa Moogi revealed his own aura.
Cold killing intent flowed from his black sword, spreading like a web in all directions. It became a fierce northern wind, freezing the surrounding air.
Crack. Crack.
A chilling killing intent that froze the very lungs.
The sky began to freeze. Ice blossoms bloomed everywhere.
His killing intent rejected the sky. It denied nature itself—and rejected Geom Mugeuk’s way of life.
“Don’t make me laugh. If heaven granted you strength, it must have been for you to use it where it belongs. You are deceiving the destiny of a martial artist.”
Hwa Moogi struck a frozen portion of the sky with his fist.
Clang.
Astonishingly, the sky shattered, revealing what lay behind it.
Pitch-black darkness.
Hwa Moogi looked through the broken space into the darkness.
“So this is your true self.”
As he tore apart the surrounding area, the sky collapsed like a falling wall of ice, revealing more of the darkness beyond.
Geom Mugeuk simply watched him break his aura.
“This abyss-like darkness is your true self, isn’t it? Why do you hide yourself?”
Geom Mugeuk answered casually:
“That side is me, and this side is me. Just like how there’s a you that wants to kill me, and a you that wants to talk to me.”
Geom Mugeuk slowly walked toward him.
Even as he came within arm’s reach, Hwa Moogi did not move.
Tension filled the air. It felt like at any moment, one would strike.
Geom Mugeuk reached out and smoothed over the broken space.
The sky returned.
“I just prefer this side.”
Then he looked at Hwa Moogi and asked:
“When I was fixing that, why didn’t you attack?”
Hwa Moogi flinched.
Because he didn’t want to fight like that.
He truly felt that way. He wanted a proper fight with this Young Cult Leader.
Then Geom Mugeuk’s earlier words came to mind.
“Because you’re thinking about what comes after killing us.”
And that his souls were watching him.
A smile formed on Geom Mugeuk’s lips.
“You’re doing well.”
“Killing you would be doing well.”
Hummmm!
Internal energy surged into Hwa Moogi’s black sword.
Hummmm!
The same happened with Geom Mugeuk’s Black Demon Sword.
As if by agreement, both swung their swords at each other.
Swoooosh.
Boom!
With a tremendous explosion, the blades collided.
Neither was pushed back.
Beyond the crossed blades, Hwa Moogi widened his eyes.
“You!”
He had unleashed a strike with his internal energy pushed to the limit—yet Geom Mugeuk did not yield at all. It was power combined from Hyeok Do-cheon, the Martial Emperor Divine Sword, Joo Ga-shin, and the Heavenly Will Palace Master.
“You’re not being pushed back in internal energy against me?”
Regardless of skill, this was shocking.
“I’ve eaten quite a lot. I’m the embodiment of greed, after all.”
Those watching were equally shocked.
Jin Paecheon and Baek Jagang exchanged glances, as if to confirm what they had just seen.
It was the moment they realized Geom Mugeuk possessed more internal energy than anyone present.
The Fist Demon King had expected him to be pushed back a step or two, but seeing him not budge at all—
‘As expected, the Cult Leader saw it correctly.’
Geom Woojin, standing beside him, watched silently, as if he had already anticipated it.
The Cult Leader of the Heavenly Wind Cult did not miss the chance to boast. Unable to speak to Geom Mugeuk, he whispered to the Sword King:
“My divine relic is mixed into that internal energy!”
In truth, the Sword King could boast as well. He and Geom Mugeuk had consumed countless elixirs together while excavating the Secret Box.
‘He ate well that day.’
Of course, the Sword King did not say it aloud. He simply smiled faintly and watched.
The clash of swords flashed brilliantly.
Geom Mugeuk was not only powerful—his speed in movement and swordplay was beyond imagination.
Both thought the same:
‘Strong!’
Hwa Moogi found Geom Mugeuk more difficult than the Alliance Leaders. Even as he used all his hidden strength, it remained so.
Geom Mugeuk also realized that Hwa Moogi was far stronger than expected.
Each flash of the blade carried life and death. No mistake was allowed.
Clangclangclangclang!
Dozens of exchanges occurred in a single breath.
This was not a battle of limbs, or swords, or techniques.
It was a clash of wills—the will to kill each other.
Geom Mugeuk unleashed everything. He held nothing back.
He would finish this. He would not pass it to those behind him.
He knew his father wanted to kill Hwa Moogi to protect him. The Alliance Leaders, the Demon Supremes, the Cult Leader of the Heavenly Wind Cult, and the Sword King all felt the same.
But he would protect them instead.
That was why he had come this far.
‘I will save everyone.’
As the intense exchange continued—
Claaang!
A powerful strike pushed them apart.
At that moment, as if by agreement, both unleashed their ultimate moves.
Swish swish swish!
Four figures surrounded Geom Mugeuk.
They were evil ghosts—unfamiliar ones.
It was Hwa Moogi’s First Form of the Nine Calamities Demon Art: Human Annihilation.
As Geom Mugeuk was trapped, Hwa Moogi smiled.
‘You’re finished!’
It was a decisive move aimed at a moment of carelessness.
At the same time, Geom Mugeuk’s move activated.
Whoosh.
Darkness descended everywhere.
Swoooosh.
A single streak of light cut through it.
It was the Fourth Form of the Nine Calamities Demon Art: Dark Flash.
Nine Calamities Demon Art versus Nine Calamities Demon Art.
Everyone watching was shocked. No one had expected such sudden use of the technique.
The Sword King almost rushed in—but Geom Woojin remained still.
And it was already too late.
The evil ghosts were striking.
But then—
KABOOOM!
A white force overlapped one of the attacking ghosts—
Slash! Slash! Slash!
Only three ghosts remained.
The one that vanished was destroyed by the Great Demon Wall.
Geom Mugeuk had placed a wall large enough to block a person over the ghost, eliminating it instantly, then retrieved it and surged forward in an instant.
He had not been careless.
He had anticipated this moment.
Hwa Moogi also countered unexpectedly.
Four ghosts appeared around him.
Claaang!
Dark Flash cut through one—but did not reach him. He had used Human Annihilation defensively.
Both stared at each other in shock.
“How did you use two Human Annihilations at once?”
Geom Mugeuk could not replicate it.
‘Did he reach the Twelfth Stage?’
He glanced at his father. Geom Woojin shook his head.
“How did you do it?”
Instead of answering, Hwa Moogi charged.
His speed increased drastically.
Slash!
In a flash, his blade cut forward.
Geom Mugeuk twisted—but—
Spurt!
Blood sprayed from his shoulder.
A shallow cut—but nearly an arm lost.
Slash!
He barely avoided the next strike.
Everyone was shocked.
Hwa Moogi’s power had risen again.
Demonic energy surged like heat haze.
His eyes had turned completely black.
The moment Geom Mugeuk saw them, his Heavenly Demon Body Protection Technique activated to the extreme.
Hwa Moogi spoke, his voice echoing like from an abyss:
“Why didn’t you try to talk to me?”