Translator: FenrirTL
Editor/Quality Checker: Saphartlantis
Murim Term Consultant: Kopke
========================
Chapter 254: Yesterday Feels Like Today.
I decided to fully embrace the Evil Smiling Demon's advice.
Taking a step back from the Heavenly Time Secret Art.
Of course, it wasn’t as easy as he had said. We are martial artists, always pushing forward.
The first thing I chose to do was reduce my training time for the Heavenly Time Secret Art and instead, focus on mastering the Nine Calamities Demon Art.
Right, now is not the time for me to worry about other martial arts.
With that mindset, I concentrated on the Nine Calamities Demon Art.
Honestly, if it weren’t for the Heavenly Time Secret Art, I would’ve spent my entire day solely practicing the Nine Calamities Demon Art.
It was truly a profound and high-level martial art, and as difficult as it was, it had an allure that pulled me in.
Just the breathing technique alone couldn’t be compared to other martial arts. The internal energy accumulated through its training far surpassed any existing techniques.
If Father were here, I would’ve surely cracked a joke.
—So, you've been practicing this excellent martial art all by yourself this whole time, haven’t you?!
I found myself completely immersed in the training of the Nine Calamities Demon Art.
For now, rather than focusing on mastering the forms, I was trying to get my body fully accustomed to the breathing techniques, and even that was enjoyable.
Of course, this didn’t mean I had completely lost interest in the Heavenly Time Secret Art. The more I trained in the Nine Calamities Demon Art, the more I realized how necessary the Heavenly Time Secret Art was.
And then, I realized something else.
That reducing the training time wasn’t the correct solution to taking a step back.
This method was wrong.
* * *
When I arrived at the residence of the Blood Heaven Blade Demon of the Southern Heavens Blade Family, he was reading a book.
I stood at a distance, silently watching him.
Strangely, whenever I saw old man Blade sitting by the window reading, my heart felt calm. Maybe it was because I didn’t read as much as I wanted to, and I was living vicariously through him?
At that moment, a voice transmission from Gu Cheonpa reached me.
—Stop lurking and come over.
—Sending your voice so far... Could you be practicing the Thousand Li Voice Transmission Art too?
—Says the one who should be talking!
I walked over to him.
“You’re not busy? I’ve never seen such an idle Young Cult Leader before.”
“Of course, I’m busy.”
“Then?”
“No matter how busy I am, the place I should be is right here, by your side, Elder!”
I leaned against the window frame with my arms crossed.
“Honestly, I have some free time these days.”
“If you’re the Young Cult Leader, you should be looking for things to do.”
“No thanks. I’m sure the work will pile up suddenly out of nowhere. I’ll just rest while I can.” 1
“Then why are you here instead of resting?”
“Because being with you, Elder, is the most comfortable place for me. I’m here to rest.”
The Blade Demon shook his head, but I could tell he was glad.
As I entered the room, I couldn’t help but chatter playfully.
“Oh, this is great! How do you still smell this good, even as you get older?”
“You don’t need to feed a fish you’ve already caught.”
“I’m not flattering you; I really mean it.”
I started browsing the books on the shelf. I mentally noted the ones that seemed interesting, thinking of buying them later to add to my own growing bookshelf. If I buy them, I’ll eventually read them, right? 2
“Have you read all of these?”
“I don’t just buy them for decoration like someone I know.”
“Who said that? Buying a book is the first step to reading it.”
“You probably enjoy looking at books more than reading them.”
“I’ll read them all one day! I’ll read more than you, Elder.”
“Do you really think that’s all I’ve read?” 3
I looked at Blood Heaven Blade Demon in surprise.
“No way! You’re the Demon Supreme, after all. What if I open a secret stash of yours, and instead of weapons or elixirs, it’s piled up with books?”
“If a sword comes flying at me, I’ll block it with a book.”
At first, it didn’t suit him at all, but now the sight of him holding a book fits him better than wielding his Heaven-Extinguishing Saber.
“There’s some tea I brewed just now. Drink if you’d like.”
“I was just thinking how much I could use a cup of tea.”
I sat at the tea table and drank the tea.
“Why is it that the same tea tastes better when you make it, Elder?”
“That’s because you’re trying to take advantage of this old man.”
I pretended not to hear that and stroked the surface of the tea table.
“I should get the same kind of tea table for my room too.”
At that moment, Blood Heaven Blade Demon suddenly asked,
“Do you have something on your mind?”
As expected, he knew me better than anyone else. Fiddling with my teacup, I asked him,
“Have you ever taken a step back?”
His gaze shifted from the book to me.
“From what?”
“From what you want most, Elder.”
He seemed to ponder the meaning of my question for a moment, then gave a firm answer.
“No.”
His expression was as if to say his life had always been a straight path forward.
To a stranger, Gu Cheonpa might seem like that kind of person. That stubborn old man certainly didn’t look like someone who would back down.
But he had already taken several steps back.
By accepting me.
In truth, it was I who had been moving forward. To open his heart, I had pressed on, and in turn, he stepped back by allowing me into his life.
If he had also pushed forward, our relationship would have turned out very different.
“Why do you suddenly ask that?”
“I’m wondering how I can take just one step back.”
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon, having gone through all sorts of experiences, probably guessed the meaning behind my words.
“Is there a book you've read about how to take just one step back?”
“There’s no such thing, is there?”
His gaze shifted toward the book he was reading but then returned to me. As expected, he was curious.
“For someone as sharp as you to be struggling with something, it must not be an ordinary problem.”
“It’s about martial arts.”
He probably thought I was talking about the Nine Calamities Demon Art. After all, it had been my primary concern since becoming the Young Cult Leader.
“Why are you trying to take a step back, then?”
“It’s too complex and difficult, and I feel stuck. I thought taking a step back might give me a clearer view. Maybe wanting it too badly is making things harder.”
“It’s not that you don’t want it enough?”
“I’m sure that’s not the case. I’m confident in the effort I’ve put in.”
After a moment of silence, the Blade Demon spoke again.
“But isn’t trying to step back in order to find a solution... in fact, drawing you closer to the martial art itself?”
“!”
Suddenly, a realization struck me.
I couldn’t hold back and shot up from my seat.
“You’re right! I wasn’t stepping back; I was clinging to it even more fiercely.”
I ran toward old man Blade.
“For allowing me to embrace this truth, I need to embrace you too, Elder! Elder!”
“Don’t come near me, that’s gross!”
He used Void Telekinesis to push me back into my seat at the tea table.
Then, with a mock-serious tone, he said, “Young Cult Leader, please mind your dignity.”
I quickly slurped down the remaining tea and replied, “No, I’m going to throw it all away. I’ve found the answer.”
* * *
“The prodigal son returns! I’m back!”
The three members of the Midnight Training Group stared at me.
I’d been too busy to join them lately, but today I showed up out of nowhere.
Lee Ahn spoke up.
“You became the Young Cult Leader, and you’re still doing midnight training?”
“Yup. Even when I become the Cult Leader, I’ll still do it.”
“We wouldn’t like that.”
Thanks to the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, I had come to a realization.
To step back from the Heavenly Time Secret Art, I had reduced my martial arts training and searched for other methods.
But now, the conclusion I’ve come to is that I should just go back to how I used to do things.
Like before I started learning the Nine Calamities Demon Art or the Heavenly Time Secret Art.
Back then, I trained diligently in martial arts. The difference now was that there wasn’t any pressure. I sparred intensely with the Demon Supremes and squeezed in training during any free moments I had. It was something I did naturally, without the burden of feeling like I had to achieve a specific goal by a certain time.
Even during that process, I continued to grow stronger and improve.
I needed to take a step back—not from martial arts, but from the burden and impatience. Just like before, if I continued to live recklessly as a habit, one day everything would fall into place.
“Please, teach me again. It’s been a while.”
Dan Woo-gang took off his shirt, as if ready to go all out. His fearsome face and perfectly muscular physique—it had been so long since I’d seen him like this.
I took off my shirt too. Compared to him, I was like a child, both in hands and body.
I felt guilty for neglecting my fist technique training. After all, I had begged him to become his disciple.
Together, the Fist Demon King and I unleashed the Thunderous Asura Fist. If it was like before, with my mind preoccupied with the Heavenly Time Secret Art, I wouldn’t have even considered practicing the Fist Demon King's martial arts.
Lee Ahn and Cheon So-hee were also diligently training beside us. Lee Ahn had improved again. Even from this brief moment, it was clear how much effort she had been putting into her training.
As we exchanged techniques, our eyes met for a brief second, and I smiled at her. She returned a slight smile.
Cheon So-hee, on the other hand, shot Dan Woo-gang a nasty look as if saying, ‘Did you see that? The Young Cult Leader is flirting!’ but then she startled herself, realizing she had unintentionally directed such a look at the terrifying Fist Demon King. 4
He, however, ignored it and continued his training as if nothing had happened.
And then, while we were in the middle of training—
Kwooooom!
A thunderous sound erupted from my fist.
Both Lee Ahn and Cheon So-hee, as well as I, were shocked.
“Was that sound... from me?”
“Yes, the sound came from your fist.”
Though everyone was surprised, I was the most startled.
“How did that happen? To be honest, I’ve neglected my fist techniques lately. Even today, it’s been a long time since I practiced. Why did my punch make a thunderous sound?”
Dan Woo-gang gave me a look as if to say, ‘How should I know?’ and quietly resumed his training.
Had I grown stronger without realizing it? Or had I taken a step back from fist techniques without knowing?
One thing was certain.
Ever since I began learning the Nine Calamities Demon Art, my martial arts had started to shift.
Kwooooom!
This time, the thunderous sound came from the Fist Demon King's fist. It was even louder than the sound my punch had made.
“Wait, why didn’t you make that sound before? You didn’t make any noise during training, so why now?”
Ignoring my protest, Dan Woo-gang blindly continued his practice as if he hadn’t heard me.
“Why are you making that sound on the same day I made mine? Are you... jealous...?”
Kwooooom!
My words were drowned out by the thunderous roar from his punch.
“This is too much...”
Kwoooooooom! 5
* * *
With my tired body, I was heading back to my quarters when I suddenly thought of someone and changed direction.
The one person who I knew would still be awake at this late hour—of course, he was.
“What are the stars saying to you?”
Song Sa-hyuk, who was floating on a boat, gazing up at the night sky, responded.
“They're saying, ‘You're the luckiest guy in all of the martial world!’”
He turned to look at me and greeted me with a wide grin.
“You’re here?”
Standing by the lakeside, I used Waterwalking to leisurely cross the water and hopped onto the boat in an instant.
“You’re finally showing your skills freely.”
On the day I was confirmed as heir, I displayed my full power before all the demonic martial artists. Now that I had become the Young Cult Leader, there was no reason to hide my abilities anymore.
“I was never one to hide my skills. I’m the type who enjoys being in the spotlight.”
“Honestly, I’m the same.”
“That’s why we’re so close! Let’s go to the Central Plains and get some attention next time!”
“I know plenty of great places. Let’s go!”
Could he possibly know more places than I do? I’ll have to take him to all the places I knew with great drinks and beautiful scenery and have a good time.
We filled each other’s cups to the brim.
“Congrats on becoming the Young Cult Leader.”
“You helped a lot, brother. Thanks.”
“Probably helped the fifth most, right?”
“You’re drunk, brother. The way you’re talking down about yourself says it all.”
We clinked our glasses and emptied them.
“Ah, this is great!”
“As expected! Drinking is best with you, brother.”
It had been so long since we shared a drink, and I was thoroughly enjoying it.
We talked about this and that, exchanging drinks back and forth. I even opened up to him about the struggles I was having with my martial arts training.
His solution was as typical as ever.
“Drink! The answer lies in the alcohol. Once you’re drunk, everything will unravel.”
“You really are the luckiest guy in the world.”
“Drink. Life’s in the wine, the martial world’s in the wine, everything’s in it.” 6
We drank more. Drinking with the Great Drunken Demon after so long made the alcohol go down like water.
He rambled on about all sorts of things—gossip about the Demon Supremes, stories of women he met in his youth, and even martial arts.
Though he seemed to be rambling drunk, he never crossed a line. That’s why I always think that if Song Sa-hyuk ever makes a mistake, it’ll be when he’s sober, not when he’s drunk.
SPLASH!
Eventually, he jumped into the water, and I followed suit.
We swam around the lake, floating aimlessly under the night sky.
“This place is still as great as ever.”
“When you spend time here, it feels like time stands still. One hour ago feels like now, and now feels like one hour later. Yesterday feels like today, and today feels like tomorrow.” 7
Brother, it’s at this moment that I need to stop time.
Perhaps because we were talking about time, thoughts of the Heavenly Time Secret Art resurfaced.
Above the night sky, the meridians within my body overlapped and appeared in my mind. I had tried everything—sending qi from this meridian to that, then from here to there. There were still so many methods I hadn’t tried yet.
‘Stop it, why are you thinking about that at a time like this?’
I was supposed to be stepping back from the Heavenly Time Secret Art by having fun with the Great Drunken Demon.
SPLASH!
I dove back into the water.
But the next moment, I emerged from the water again in a hurry.
I began picturing my meridians over the stars in the sky once more.
Not here, not there either... Where was it already?
Suddenly, one of the imagined pathways of my meridians lined up perfectly with a constellation.
‘Found it!’
A shiver ran down my spine.
Was it mere coincidence? Or something more?
What if I guided my qi following the order of those constellations? It felt like something might work.
Could it be that the Heavenly Time Secret Art was initially created by observing the unalterable stars?
“Brother!”
“What is it?”
“I think I’ve solved that problem I mentioned earlier.”
Song Sa-hyuk was startled, then he burst out laughing with joy.
“Didn’t I tell you? Drink, and everything will be solved!”
“I’m heading off first! Thanks, brother. We’ll talk later.”
I launched myself straight out of the water and into the air.
Changing my trajectory midair, I propelled myself toward the lakeshore.
From behind, I heard the Great Drunken Demon's voice.
“This brother will always be here.”
The starlight poured down on him as he floated atop the water.
* * *
Back at the training grounds, I prepared two sticks of incense.
I lit both at the same time, placing one in the incense burner, and activated the Temporal and Spatial Transference Technique.
The created space was an empty void designed to heighten my focus and minimize the internal energy required.
Within that space, I recited the incantation for the Heavenly Time Secret Art. This time, I moved my qi in the order I had realized from the stars.
Did it work?
I couldn’t tell just yet.
At my current level, I would only know after I left this space and compared the time. Even a slight difference would mean success. Once the Heavenly Time Secret Art started working...
Please!
It was my desperate hope, alongside my efforts to complete the Nine Calamities Demon Art and achieve its Ten Star, no, Twelve Star Greatness.
After the incense had burned for some time, I deactivated the Temporal and Spatial Transference Technique.
Sssshhhh
As the created world of the technique faded, I slowly approached the burning incense.
I crouched down before the burner and placed the second stick of incense next to it, aligning them at the same height.
My heart pounded as I stared at the burning incense.
The two sticks were burning at different lengths. 8
1 : Smart, IRL always has a way to mess up your schedule unexpectedly, make sure you rest as much as possible.
2 : I know that feeling…. I’m currently focusing on only finishing the series I started, but I still have more than 50 books I haven’t read yet…. And 50 more online novels too…..*Sadge*
3 : Indeed, a true reader only keeps his favorite books on his bookshelf. I can’t count how many series I’ve tried and discarded. It’s probably around 2k and 3k.
4 : Treating others with honesty is the base of stronger relationships. So if you think your boss is ugly, bald and incompetent, you should totally tell her/him *thumbs up* XDXDXD
5 : Lol, pettiness forever ^ ^
6 : Typically the kind of phrase a drunk person utters which, at first glance seems like nonsense, but has a surprising depth to it the more you dwell upon it.
7 : Would have been a good spot for Master Oogway ^ ^ “You are too concerned about what was and what will be. Yesterday is history, Tomorrow a mystery, but Today is a gift, that’s why it’s called a Present.”
8 : Success !!! Congrats dude !!! *send an excited back pat across dimensions to Mugeuk*