Scarlett recalled the request Sima Ryunju had made to her during their journey North.
‘But how?’
Scarlett looked at Lee Sungmin with a stiff face. Ye-Hwa, who was pulling the wagon, was no longer able to stay still and was struggling with Lee Sungmin to break the boundary somehow.
Jehu stood firm and watched the fight between Sima Ryunju, Musin and Wolhu.
Everyone understood that Sima Ryunju was in danger. Wouldn’t he be tired of fighting such an endless battle? His left arm was cut off, and thin lines of blood were flowing from between his closed lips.
Although he did kill Wolhu, Musin’s body was still intact compared to Sima Ryunju, who lost an arm and suffered severe internal injuries.
“Argh!”
Lee Sungmin was swinging his spear without a break. Shoot, swing, and strike. He poured out every single technique he knew without rhyme or reason as to which was more powerful than the other and without regard to how they flowed.
He could not stop, no matter what. Right now, his master was in severe danger. A terrible hunch was starting to become a reality.
Sima Ryunju said that today would not be the day he died. But under all circumstances that kept coming, it definitely seemed to be today.
No, it was definitely today. If Lee Sungmin didn’t do anything now, it would definitely be today.
Heoju could not not open his mouth or give any thoughts on this matter. The boundary of the Heavenly Spirit was too firm. Next to him, Ye-Hwa was adding strength to breaking the boundaries with a cry.
Scarlett chewed her lower lip well when she saw the two.
She, too, felt the same.
She wanted to change the future of Sima Ryunju’s death. Although she was not very close to Sima Ryunju, Sima Ryunju was still quite friendly to Scarlett and showed her favor on occasion .
Scarlett also had another reason. If he died, who would protect her? Who would continue to teach Lee Sungmin?
What would even happen to Lee Sungmin if Sima Ryunju died?
“Hey…!”
Musin kicked the ground while gritting his teeth.
Bouncing up, he connected his internal circuits back to his dantian and started to circulate the internal energy.
Although he suffered internal injuries in the fight against Sima Ryunju, Musin still had enough room to fight as is.
Sima Ryunju also knew his own body’s condition. He knew that he was not in good shape and that he would likely die here today.
Yes, Sima Ryunju understood that. He didn’t think it would be today at first, but it now definitely seemed like it. Sima Ryunju smirked as he watched Musin unfold his several Martial Art techniques.
‘I’m quite embarrassed of myself.’
Before they arrived, Sima Ryunju had cockily told his disciple that he would not die here today and that he would deny any future that came his way, speaking ill of his own death.
‘Well, I hope you understand.’
Still, death was not something to be sorry about.
Musin, on his own, would never be enough to defeat Sima Ryunju. Even when Wolhu first appeared, it would have easily been a landslide victory for Sima Ryunju. Though in the end, the protection and blessing of the Heavenly Spirit was what had caused such a blunder and was spelling the word death for Sima Ryunju.
He didn’t mean to die easily. Even now, Sima Ryunju still didn’t want to think this would be his grave. Facing what could have been avoided, was his choice and his choice alone. Therefore, he was going to have to be the one to face the repercussions.
This was the tomb chosen by him. And it would be him, Sima Ryunju, not Musin, who chose how to die.
strrrrrnnng.
All the remaining internal energy was fired up inside Sima Ryunju’s internal circuitry. The circuitry extended throughout all facets of the body.
Compared to before, the speed and power were far from being satisfactory. He didn’t like it.
However, this was the best that the current version of himself could use. And whether or not it would be enough, was not up to him to decide.
Shh.
With a small sound, Sima Ryunju moved. There was no use for using the Lightning Gale. He jumped naked through the shattered remnants of space that Musin had created beforehand without even coating himself in a layer of internal energy to defend himself.
Such a Samaritanism behavior was tantamount to suicide in the eyes of the atheist.
Did you give up because you were in a tight spot? No, it can’t be. The atheist was convinced of him. There was no sense of despair in the eyes of Samaritanism.
It was a waste of his strength to do so, Sima Ryunju thought.
But would he be strong enough? It would be quite weak in the face of Musin’s attacks. It would be fatal if even a single attack landed properly.
‘Good.’The face of Sima Ryunju running through the air was full of laughter. Had he ever been in the face of such desperation in his entire life?
He dodged,
Dodging attack after attack. Sima Ryunju was able to avoid the techniques that were unfolding right before his very eyes. His body wasn’t as fast as before, but his senses were sharp and his eyes focused.
He moved forwards, penetrating through the gaps of the attacks he faced from Musin. The phenomenal movement that glided through the air unhindered, surprised Musin. It was both amazing and dangerous that Sima Ryunju was still so agile and had that much internal energy to spare. The death of Wolhu had tempered his anger within reason finally, so Musin was now completely focused on killing the man in front of him known as the Demonic Emperor, Sima Ryunju.Sima Ryunju clearly understood that he could not afford a head-on collision of strength at that moment. If he even tilted the fragile balance of his internal energy mud-f;ight, it would surely break his dantian and shatter. Both hands of Musin started to move and weave signs. Hundreds of smaller movements unfolded and he moved backwards as he did.
He tried to face Sima Ryunju head-on earlier, but not this time. As he avoided Sima Ryunju, Musin spread the distance. Musin reached out with spatial essence in his hands and grabbed the axis of space.
Disssssstt!
The body pushed back is pulled toward the Musin. Spatial Essence was a power that one gained when they reached Transcendence and it consumed quite a lot of mental power and internal energy. Despite this, and both of their conditions being poor….
Sima Ryunju was sure he could still use it.
His internal circuits were pumping internal energy despite their circuits being dry and slow. And it was hard to move his body due to internal injuries. Despite all of this happening, he did not doubt it for even a moment.
Sim Ryunju knew for sure as he looked at Musin. Musin pulled the fierce winds produced along with the hundreds of shards of shattered and distorted space.
Sima Ryunju was convinced even in the midst of such a strong attack, that it could crush his body even if he brushed by it lightly, as it was a force that could explode like a bomb and detonate over half of the entire northern region if left unchecked.
‘Maybe….’Sima Ryunju thought that he should live here. There was still a lot he hadn’t done yet; was this really the place he should die? Then, wouldn’t Geom-Seong be disappointed? He hadn’t even fought against his friend from the Wudang in such a long time.
‘Would he even forgive me for that?’
He wouldn’t even know if he died here.
“This old man is….”
As the space axis was pulled and dragged by Musin into the vortex, Sima Ryunju opened his mouth. In the face of hundreds of cracked space shards that were distorting and crushing space in odd angles, Sima Ryunju murmured in a relieved voice.
“…satisfied.”
Towards the massive vortex of spatial essence and internal energy, Sima Ryunju reached out.
“You really are the best at satisfying me.”
He held out with a firm grip with his hand.
“But just like back then and even now… I am still the best.”
He disappeared.
Hundreds of spatial cracks suddenly disappeared into thin air. Musin couldn’t even understand what the hell was happening to his techniques at that moment.
Musin stopped moving his fist that was tugging onto the large force with his eyes widened.
“Ha-ha-ha!”
Sima Ryunju laughed out loud. He felt both relieved and happy to admit that this was the toughest battle of his lifetime, like this.
At that moment, Sima Ryunju felt that he had no regrets. Wudang’s Geom-Seong? Beyond the Heavens’ Martial God? The Hundred Man formation of the heavenly Fist Sect? It was meaningless to even think about it. He was stronger than all of them, and he was the best in the world indisputably.
His internal circuitry was dry. Sima Ryunju didn’t understand what the meaning of regret was, now that he had accepted and knew he was the strongest to walk this earth.
It was no longer necessary to hold onto worldly desires. Musin shouted at Sima Ryunju, who felt truly content at that moment.
He certainly rushed to kill Sima Ryunju as he felt something was going awry here. Sima Ryunju grinned at Musin, the man known as the Martial God, who was rushing towards him with a strong barrier of internal energy around his body and shouting at him.
It was simply….amazing, Sima Ryunju thought.
Musin reached out with his palm strike and met with Sima Ryunju’s fist.
Something ridiculous has happened. Hardly any use of internal energy was used, and Sima Ryunju’s hands were already tattered, yet….
Musin’s fist, which was thrown with all his might, failed to break through.
Musin’s eyes widened continuously in shock as he looked at his fist, which was unable to advance further. What the hell was this nonsense? Why…… couldn’t he move on? He definitely felt contact…. But why couldn’t he break through a tattered hand that could barely feel it’s own internal energy?
Sima Ryunju didn’t bother.
He was looking at something other than Musin. What he saw through his eyes, was nothing that anybody else could see. It was a dark and invisible road.
It was a black road that was endless.
Sima Ryunju looked behind himself and couldn’t see anything. He looked down at his body. The left arm was cut off earlier due to Wolhu’s attacks, but now his left arm looked completely fine.
“Hahaha!”
Sima Ryunju smiled at his own body and the road ahead.
Many people could be seen down this road…. But he didn’t know a single one of them. Some people were seated and resting at certain areas down the road, and some were moving forward slowly.
None of them were trying to come back the way they came though. They all knew it was late to go back, and now that they were there, they didn’t even want to go back anymore.
Sima Ryunju then noticed all the people turn their heads at once. Sima Ryunju looked in that direction, he saw a man standing at the end of the road.
It was a man with broad shoulders and a solid build. The man, who was standing with his back turned, turned his head to see Sima Ryunju, perhaps he felt Sima Ryunju’s odd presence and gaze turned towards him.
Sima Ryunju was thrilled by the vast and absolute power felt in the man’s eyes.
“Oh, I see.”
Sima Ryunju nodded. The road of ascension started here.
Once he started walking, Sima Ryunju knew it would be impossible to come back. If he walked this way, he would never be able to return to the Realm of Mortals.
‘Wait a minute.’
It would only be a moment since he had to return to the Mortal Realm to finish what he had started.
The dark and single road disappeared before his eyes. Had time stopped for a moment? Sima Ryunju stood still as Musin rushed in.
When Sima Ryunju caught onto the appearance of Musin, he jumped forward again.
Sima Ryunju smiled and stretched his hand forward.
Swish-
The unscrupulous left arm of Musin in front of him was caught.
“I’ll disable you a bit first.”
Sima Ryunju murmured to him.
“I don’t know if you’ll be able to make it down this road completely. Whew, but I know this much. If you die here, you won’t be able to go regardless.”
“What..…?!”
“I’ll take one. Just one from you.”
Sima Ryunju murmured like so and then moved.
Crack! Musin’s left arm was torn in vain. Sima Ryunju opened his mouth.
“I’ve made it disappear. It’s cheaper than this. I quit with one arm because this old man respects you quite a bit and, if I had to kill you. I wanted to leave it to my disciple, not myself, that way I don’t make it easy on him and let him get all relaxed.”
“Argh! Argh!”
Musin screamed at the terrible pain in his arm.
Sima Ryunju smiled and threw the left arm of Musin that had been ripped off. Then, Sima Ryunju turned his head with a relieved look.
What he saw, was Ganiella and Juwon standing at the end of a distant snow field.
Geniella’s eyes met those of Sima Ryunju’s.
“The future was denied.”
The future that should have been true and had been seen in Geniella’s visions, had been interrupted and denied.
Sima Ryunju laughed out loud as he saw Geniella’s expression change.
Geniella said that Sima Ryunju would be dying in the future she saw. He certainly was. He would vomit blood, collapse and die.
But…. She was wrong.
“Don’t be so sad or angry, you’re acting like a child.”
The voice was directed at Lee Sungmin.
“Didn’t this old man tell you? They cannot defeat me. Not even after Wolhu stepped in…. Though the Divine Spirit should not have intervened. The future of death has been denied by this old man. I will never die unless I say so.”
Lee Sungmin could see his master once more, but something was still wrong.
“I’m just going to go somewhere though. Maybe you’ll be able to find me one day, too. When that time comes, don’t hesitate. Don’t leave any regrets and ascend.”
“Master!”
Lee Sungmin shouted. He clearly heard the voice of Sima Ryunju in his head.
The ominous feelings he had were becoming a reality. Lee Sungmin shouted with his hands on the wall that would not budge no matter what he did.
“Didn’t you decide to go to the Shaolin with me after this….”
“You should go there. Just not with me.”
Sima Ryunju chuckled.
“Now that I don’t have to go with any regrets…..”
Musin, whose body was bloodied and torn to shreds, desperately tried to attack Sima Ryunju with bloodshot eyes. But his attack did not reach.
“Red Tower Master, I hope you’ll remember what I asked you to do. Do it right now.”
Sima Ryunju said to Scarlett and then looked to Ye-Hwa.
“I shouldn’t have brought you here. I showed you a scene you do not want or need to see. Don’t think of revenge. I don’t need any kind of revenge. A will… whew! To think I would have to ever see a day where I would leave a will. Be happy with the children I adopted into the Flower Unit. The world is pretty funny until you get tired of it.”
“Lord…”
Ye-Hwa sat down on the spot. Finally, Sima Ryunju looked towards Jehu.
“I’ll take back the Oath for you. It’s unpleasant to force your will.”
“…….”
Jehu did not reply.
“That’s it.”
Sima Ryunju thought about it, but there was nothing more for him to say. Sima Ryunju glanced at Musin.
Still, before he would ascend, he looked back at Musin.
“The old man’s martial arts was stronger than yours.”
“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”
Musin shouted and roared in anger.
Even the shouting sounded far away as Sima Ryunju felt himself ascending.
Sima Ryunju stared at the one-way road he faced in front of him.
He had no regrets, and he had always lived as the strongest.
He had seen the end of human martial arts. But it was still not enough for him. Now that he had seen a way forward, he was going to take that path.
“Let it be known. This old man, Sima Ryunju, was the best in the world.”
Sima Ryunju declared as he looked towards his disciple behind him and turned to face the dark road in front of him. He then focused his eyes. He looked right at the man standing at the end of the road.
“I will be known as the Demonic Emperor to all who face me.”
Sima Ryunju began to walk down the road.
Light disappeared from the eyes of the Sima Ryunju back in the world of Eria. The soul left for another place, but the body remained intact. The drooping body crashed to the ground.
“Wh- what.”
Musin stuttered and shouted when he saw the Sima Ryunju suddenly collapsed and fell.
“Why……?”
Musin didn’t understand what had just happened. Where did this man leave? He was just here and fine a minute ago, but his soul had completely left the mortal plane of existence.
Lee Sungmin sank down as he watched the falling body of his master.