After Ten Millennia in Hell

*Condition 1: Demonic Energy stat reaches 60.

*Condition 2: Perfectly merge three or more Authorities.

*Condition 3: Form a demonic crystal above a certain size (unfulfilled).]

'To think that the last condition was to create a demonic crystal inside my body.'

Oh Kang-Woo would've never figured it out if he hadn't learned the cultivation technique from Kim Si-Hun. After all, he didn't know that the demonic crystal used by the Demon Cult could be formed through cultivation.

'But is this the same demonic crystal used by the Demon Cult?'

Kang-Woo concentrated on the demonic crystal that was within his dantian. Both were concentrated demonic energy. In that aspect, they were similar, but in terms of the density of demonic energy, they were completely different.

'They may be the same kind of item, but the amount of energy concentrated inside them is completely different.'

It was like comparing an americano to an espresso.

The Demon Cult's demonic crystals felt as if the demonic energy had been watered down, while the demonic crystal in Kang-Woo's dantian was thick with pure undiluted demonic energy.

Because the concentration levels were different, the amount of power that he could extract from it was also on a whole other level.

Kang-Woo concentrated the demonic energy of the demonic crystal within his dantian into his fist. Although he hadn't used an Authority, a destructive amount of demonic energy gathered in his fist.

To test its power, Kang-Woo lightly struck the steel doll in the training room.

Wham!

The steel turned to dust from a single blow.

"A-Amazing, hyung-nim!" Si-Hun shouted in surprise. He could also cleanly cut steel, but Kang-Woo had turned it to dust. That was something he couldn't even fathom doing.

Si-Hun asked, "Did you have success with the cultivation technique?"

"Yeah, thanks to you. You were of great help."

He had only used the cultivation technique once, so there wasn't much demonic energy inside the demonic crystal yet. The demonic crystal was reduced to a third of its original size from just concentrating energy into his fist once.

'Well, I only just learned the cultivation technique.'

There was no need to rush.

Now that he'd learned the cultivation technique, he just had to use it and increase the size of his demonic crystal.

Kang-Woo used to control the boundless energy contained within the Ten Thousand Demon Core, so using a cultivation technique that controlled the energy within him was a simple task.

Kang-Woo once again sat down on the floor cross-legged and used the Heavenly Dragon Cultivation Technique.

He opened his eyes after focusing on the cultivation technique for a while.

'I don't really feel the need to sit like this.'

Kang-Woo uncrossed his legs and stood up.

He felt like he would be able to keep cultivating during everyday life but not during pressing situations such as while in battle.

"Th-That's dangerous, hyung-nim!"

"Hm? What is?"

"If you stand up while using the cultivation technique—"

Si-Hun was about to warn Kang-Woo that he could suffer from Qi deviation but became wide-eyed from astonishment.

Not only had Kang-Woo not suffered from Qi deviation, but he was perfectly fine.

"Did you… halt the Heavenly Dragon Cultivation Technique?"

"No, I'm still using it."

"Y-you can use it while moving?"

Si-Hun looked at him in disbelief.

There were some cultivation techniques that you could use without sitting in a lotus position, but the Heavenly Dragon Cultivation Technique wasn't one of them.

In exchange for the incredible amount of Qi one could accumulate and control with the technique, one could only fully take advantage of the effects through cultivating in the proper position.

However, Kang-Woo had completely broken the cultivation technique's characteristics.

"How…"

Kim Si-Hun looked at Kang-Woo, confused.

Using the Heavenly Dragon Cultivation Technique in daily life was something that not even the Martial God Tian Taihuang, who had transferred his knowledge of martial arts to Si-Hun, had been able to achieve.

"It isn't that hard. It circulates throughout your meridians, right? You just have to control it so that the flowing energy doesn't clash."

"… But your meridians also move when you move."

The reason why it was difficult to use cultivation techniques while moving was simple—the position of one's meridians changes along with one's movements.

Just like how it was difficult to get through a tunnel shaking from side to side, it was difficult to circulate one's Qi while the meridians moved. No, it was next to impossible.

"You just have to take your own movements into account."

"…"

Si-Hun remained silent after hearing the words Kang-Woo had said so calmly. Although Kang-Woo had said it as if it was nothing, Si-Hun knew how incredible the feat was.

It was like running full throttle along an extremely narrow road where one misstep could cause one to fall down a cliff.

"Just as I thought… I can't compare to you, hyung-nim."

Si-Hun shook his head.

Kang-Woo smirked.

Controlling demonic energy along with his movements was easy compared to controlling the boundless amount of demonic energy within the Ten Thousand Demon Core.

'I guess you could consider this a talent, but…'

Kang-Woo didn't consider it a talent. It was a product of what he had learned desperately for ten millennia so that he wouldn't be devoured by his own demonic energy.

It couldn't be explained with the word talent.

"How about you try giving qinggong a shot this time?" Si-Hun suggested.

"No. Let's leave that for another day. This is enough for now."

He'd obtained a new possibility for growth in the form of the demonic crystal, so he wanted to focus on researching the cultivation technique and making his demonic crystal bigger.

'And once I do…'

Kang-Woo recalled the final condition of the Ultimate Demonic Body.

He still didn't know what exactly it was or its effects, but he was sure it wouldn't be something that would harm his growth.

'Rather it's highly likely that it'll augment my growth.'

Also, he could only use the Trait he had acquired on his Sixth Awakening after achieving the Ultimate Demonic Body.

Now that he had a goal and knew what he had to do, he had no reason to focus on anything else.

'I'll focus on the cultivation technique first.'

Kang-Woo casually used the Heavenly Dragon Cultivation Technique.

Feeling the demonic energy spread throughout his body gathering around his new power, the demonic crystal within his dantian, made him feel good.

'Once the demonic crystal gets a bit bigger, I'll have to put it to the test.'

Kang-Woo smiled in satisfaction and turned to Si-Hun.

"Let's go home."

"Are you sure you're fine with not learning any other techniques?"

"Yup. Oh, this Heavenly Dragon Cultivation Technique of yours is the greatest one you have among the other cultivation techniques you know, right?"

"Yes. If I accept more of the Martial God's power, I will probably be able to learn a better one, but… right now, the Heavenly Dragon Cultivation Technique is the best one."

"I see."

That meant that if Si-Hun became stronger and learned better cultivation techniques, it would also help Kang-Woo.

'Keep on growing, Si-Hun!'

Kang-Woo looked at Si-Hun like a farmer praying for fruit to bear. Of course, he wasn't thinking of leaving him to grow all on his own.

"In that case, let's go to an S-rank Gate next time, Si-Hun."

"A-An S-rank Gate?"

"Yeah."

"I'm glad that you trust me, but our party isn't strong enough to hunt in an S-rank Gate yet."

"Don't worry. The one doing the carrying is none other than me."

"… Pardon?"

"All you have to do is sit back and relax."

Kang-Woo would be carrying Si-Hun for his explosive growth.

"I'll show you my incredible carrying skills."

Kang-Woo smiled while patting Si-Hun's shoulders.

* * *

"Are you done for today?" Park Hyun-Woo asked as they walked out of the training room.

"Yes. Thank you for letting us borrow your training room."

"You're not stopping by to see the guildmaster before you go?"

"I told her that I would be busy today, but I plan on meeting her next time."

"Haha. I'm sure she's disappointed."

Hyun-Woo nodded while laughing softly.

"Please feel free to come visit the Red Rose Guild any time you'd like."

"Thank you for always being so helpful."

Kang-Woo and Si-Hun shook hands with Hyun-Woo.

"Oh, right. Come to think of it, have you heard that people from the Heavenly Sword Clan have come to Korea?" Hyun-Woo said.

"Yes, I have."

The Heavenly Sword Clan was a Chinese guild led by Sword Emperor Tian Wuchen, one of the eight World Rankers. It was a guild made up of Players with the Qi unique stat like Si-Hun. It was more like a clan in martial arts novels than a regular Player guild.

"I've heard that the Heavenly Sword Clan have started to make their move," Hyun-Woo mentioned.

"Hmm… What is their goal?"

"We still have yet to figure that out."

Kang-Woo nodded.

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Please be careful. You might fall into danger if you associate yourself with them."

The Heavenly Sword Clan was far more powerful than any Korean guild.

First, they had almost ten thousand Player members. The Red Rose Guild had a little over a thousand, so the Heavenly Sword Clan was pretty much ten times bigger.

"Hahaha, you don't have to worry about that," Kang-Woo expressed.

"Well… I'm sure you would keep your distance from them."

"No. I won't need to keep my distance from them."

"…?"

"After all, I won't be the one in danger if they associate with me."

Kang-Woo laughed.

There was a heavy silence.

"Then we'll get going," said Kang-Woo.

Just because the Heavenly Sword Clan had made their move, there was no need for him to hide.

He only had one simple rule of survival: answer to evil with greater evil, and return bloodlust with even greater bloodlust.

The moment one yields one, one's enemy will take away two. If one bows one's head, it will get trampled on.

Of course, if it were an enemy Kang-Woo was no match against, hiding would be the right decision.

In that case, lowering one's body, crawling on the floor, and waiting for one's opportunity was the wisest decision.

'But not anymore.'

Kang-Woo knew how strong he was. It wasn't like he'd recovered all of his former power in Hell, but he wasn't weak enough to go around Earth while avoiding people.

"Let's go, Si-Hun."

"Yes, hyung-nim!"

After seeing Kang-Woo walking away, Si-Hun quickly followed him.

Kang-Woo got into his car after exiting the Red Rose Guild.

"I'll drive you home."

"It's okay, hyung-nim. It doesn't take long on the subway."

"I can't let you do that when you've taken the time to teach me martial arts. Oh, and I'll buy you a car soon."

"N-No, that's okay, hyung-nim. I'm already grateful to you for helping me find the right care for my mother, so a car would be…"

"It's because it's inconvenient for me. I'll get you one so that you can come to me as soon as possible whenever I call you."

"Hyung-nim…"

Si-Hun teared up a bit.

Kang-Woo smirked.

'I wonder what would've become of him if it weren't for me.'

Si-Hun had taught him martial arts. Taking that into consideration, buying him a car was nothing. But for Si-Hun to react like that… he was so gullible that he would fall for scams all too easily.

'Although I'm here to make sure that doesn't happen.'

While thinking that, Kang-Woo took Kim Si-Hun to his house.

"Hmm?"

There, he saw a group of people wearing martial arts robes.

Click.

"Who are you?" Si-Hun asked them after getting out of the car.

The men looked at Si-Hun.

One man with a slash scar on one eye approached Si-Hun and spoke in awkward Korean.

"I am the captain of the Heavenly Sword Clan's 3rd Squadron, Nangong Chen. The Sword Emperor wants to meet Korea's Sword Dragon. Follow."

"I'm sorry? Sword Emperor…? A-Are you talking about the Sword Emperor Tian Wuchen?"

Si-Hun flinched after hearing the name of one of the strongest people in the world.

Nangong Chen's eyes shone sharply.

"Do not dare speak his great name. Follow obediently. Plane is ready."

"Uhmm…"

Si-Hun hesitated.

Kang-Woo grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back.

Nangong Chen's eyes locked onto Kang-Woo.

"You've learned Korean all wrong, you son of a bitch," Kang-Woo stated.

"… What?"

"Why are you talking down to us, man?"