Chapter: 343
Whoosh whoosh-!
The energy that has built up in my upper body continuously spews out through my body like an outlet.
As the energy exits my body, it transforms into heat.
Sparks danced around.
I could feel my hair turning red.
Whoosh-!
A wheel of flames spun wildly around me.
Beneath one ring, a second ring formed.
The energy inside my body was creating a storm.
Pressure built up within me.
It’s a dangerous situation where I could vomit blood if I release even a little.
But I had nothing to worry about.
As I reached Hwagyeong, my power to hold onto the energy grew stronger.
My body had toughened enough to endure it.
I could hold on for as long as I wanted.
I was ready.
As soon as I realized this, I started speaking.
“Red sky.”
Boom-!
The ring that had been rapidly rotating around me.
The heat that had been radiating outward.
Instantly soared into the sky.
Following the form of the storm that raged inside me.
A whirlwind was formed as flames and heat intertwined.
It shot upwards.
Boom-!
It pierced through the black sky.
‘Hmm.’
I observed the process with my own eyes.
Like a crack forming in a frozen river.
It looked as though it was slowly crumbling under the flames.
‘Is the durability weak?’
It seemed like a type of formation, but something felt off.
It shouldn’t break that easily.
Am I merely jumping over the wall?
That’s not it.
There were already gaps from the beginning.
Breaking from the inside wasn’t too difficult.
‘What’s going on?’
How long has it been since I returned from the Demon Realm?
A few days, I guessed.
I hadn’t kept track of the days there, but I thought plenty of time must have passed.
So, what happened in just a few days?
I still couldn’t tell.
Though it had been years since I’d stepped on Central Plains earth, thankfully, I didn’t feel any discomfort.
Could it be the arrangement of the World Tree?
Recalling how I’d suffered a terrible sense of alienation in my previous life, now I could say it felt fortunate.
Or perhaps it was thanks to the stigmata bestowed upon me.
Suddenly, I closed my eyes.
‘Calm down.’
I pushed my thoughts aside.
Constantly questioning things could wait until after the battle.
It was wisdom I had finally grasped after a long time of mental training.
I had known it all along.
Something that didn’t easily settle into the body.
I vaguely caught it and draped it over myself.
The swirling energy in my danjeon.
The heat I emanated was intense.
Yet my mind remained cool.
Thud thud.
Fragments of energy fell from the sky.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t destroy everything.
I didn’t seem to have that much power yet.
I’d only had enough to pierce the sky above Shinryonggwan.
Beyond the proper gap.
A sky tinted red came into view.
It was the secret of the Gu Clan.
Due to reaching Hwagyeong, I finally gained the power to use it.
The effect from the Red Sky.
The sky looked like it was stained red, as if painted by the sunset.
It was different from the bloody sky I’d seen in the Demon Realm.
The pale pink color mingling was likely because of the ceramic mixed with my form.
I nodded slightly while observing that.
‘I’ve made it.’
I realized again that I had reached Hwagyeong.
Having broken through the peak in the Tomb of the Unmanned.
After everything and anything, I had finally reached Hwagyeong.
The sensations I felt had changed.
My feelings had intensified compared to when I had been at my peak.
My sense of energy had widened, becoming more distinct.
That’s how I could tell.
Just how dense and extensive the aura surrounding me was.
‘An attack?’
Some crazy fool must have assaulted Shinryonggwan.
Well, then again, most of the Sapa were likely crazy to begin with.
So this isn’t something shocking.
And the person in front of me now would be the same.
His size is roughly about that of a day laborer.
A level beyond humanity—literally like a bear.
The weapon he primarily wielded was likely a sabre.
I recalled the warrior from the Black Night Pavilion I had killed before in the volcano.
‘He’s a Silent.’
Looking at the black blade, it was quite a nice sabre.
The level of martial prowess was….
It was Hwagyeong.
From what I could tell, he was likely on a considerable level.
Moreover, seeing the Cheonghae Ilgeom, bleeding behind him.
It seemed the old man had subdued him.
‘Who could that be?’
If he’s a Sapa who has reached Hwagyeong,
most of them would be well-known monsters.
Could he be one of the Sima Wu emperors?
Among them, was there anyone who used a sabre?
“Red Sky…”
As I thought about the old man,
he quietly murmured.
“I felt that energy somewhere. You… Are you one of the descendants of the Gu family?”
“Do you know me?”
“There’s no way I wouldn’t know. It’s the only place capable of igniting fireworks and staining the sky red.”
Recognizing my features made me feel a slight swell of pride.
One thing that remained a bit concerning was…
‘Could he have seen the Red Sky?’
I wondered if anyone had seen the martial arts I currently employed.
Could it be my father?
That was a possibility.
If not…
‘Could it be my grandfather?’
That could have been the case.
Whatever it was, it didn’t matter.
Even if he’d seen it somewhere.
‘At this point, it’s pretty noticeable now, you see.’
Beyond merely igniting flames, I had even altered the color of the sky.
Naturally, that would be hard to miss.
The heat that reddened the sky.
Slowly came down and pressed heavily on the surroundings.
The influence of the Red Sky was unfolding gradually.
Each of the nine family secrets bore distinct meanings.
Among them was Jeokcheon.
To me, it felt like a sort of arrogance.
Jeokcheon—
it creates a realm with the energy surging in my upper body and the flames burning vividly.
The symbol of that realm was the red-hued sky.
In an area filled with heat beneath the color-changed sky.
The flames of the Gu Clan never extinguish.
They burn even hotter.
There wouldn’t be a single foe left standing.
All until they burned to death.
In a way, this might be seen as one of the martial arts representing each clan.
A similar martial art was the Emperor’s Sword Form of Namgung Clan.
It amplifies the absolute presence.
Slowing down the movements of the opponent.
That, too, was a manifestation of this realm.
The Gu Clan takes on the absurd form of dyeing the sky red.
The only difference is that it requires piercing through the upper energy to even use it at all.
‘How far have I come?’
I clenched my fists, checking.
Roughly.
The strength I’ve gained since my return.
Half of my previous life.
No, perhaps even a little less than that.
Is it quick?
Or is it slow?
I can’t quite tell.
There’s still a long path ahead of me.
“You….”
The old man looked at me and said.
“Are you the hero?”
Huh?
My father’s nickname popped out of nowhere.
I momentarily had a bewildered expression.
“Isn’t it hard for Hohyeop to come out of Shanxi?”
“Do I look that old?”
My father is certainly getting older, but he doesn’t look frail being a martial artist.
Still, I didn’t think I looked that aged.
“If you’re not a hero… Are you really the True Dragon?”
The old man’s eyes widened as he finally arrived at the right answer.
Seeing him, I nodded in agreement.
“That can’t be….”
The old man’s reaction was one of disbelief.
“I heard you haven’t passed the age of maturity yet.”
“But…”
“How… How did you cross the wall?”
Ah, that’s why he reacted that way.
It means reaching maturity before surpassing the limits.
Even if you scoured the records across the Central Plains now,
it’d probably be a feat unheard of.
So it wasn’t surprising for the old man to react as he did.
As for me, I didn’t feel particularly moved by it.
‘What meaning does what I’ve gained through regression hold?’
To others, might I seem like an incredulous genius?
In my previous life, I had yearned for such a situation desperately.
Now, it’s oddly lacking significance.
Nodding slightly,
I said to the old man in a rather blunt tone.
“This isn’t the time to worry about that.”
The heat that had been endlessly swirling in my body began to move even faster.
I could feel my body growing increasingly hot. Alongside it, a fighting spirit began to rise.
‘Ugh.’
Returning to the real world only to dive into brawls.
How has my life become so unpeaceful?
Did he sense the rising fervor?
The old man’s brows twitched slightly.
“What a rough child. You don’t ask who I am?”
“What’s the point of asking?”
As I said before.
“I don’t usually mingle with Sapa brats.”
Why would I bother chatting up those scumbags?
If there’s a need to converse.
I could just pulverize their limbs.
And figure out what I want. There’s no need for niceties in conversation.
“The important thing is that you are my enemy.”
“Why do you think so? I could also not be your enemy.”
I let out a laugh at the old man’s words.
An obvious scoff.
If he’s going to say foolish things like that,
“Remove the murderous intent from your eyes and then speak.”
As I said, the expression on the old man’s face turned icy.
That was enough.
That’s saying something.
What the Black Dragon Sword heard about the True Dragon is more than he expected.
Starting with the fact that he is the son of ‘that’ hero.
A lump of blood that caused Gu Chang-jun’s death, which was carefully woven together.
Thanks to that, the relationship with the princess became somewhat messy.
The Black Dragon Sword didn’t seem to care much.
He was known as the youngest who reached the peak.
Though he had the talent worth noting in history.
It was still only an index of reviews.
He judged that he still had a way to go before anything could obstruct his future.
Moreover,
To show that the Black Dragon Sword is alive.
Even when heading to Shinryongwan.
If that kid were a worthy opponent,
he could just sweep him away with a good thought.
Regardless of how audacious he seemed, he would still be just a cub of a tiger.
But.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Boom!
“Hoo…!”
A fist rushing in with an overwhelming presence.
It triggered a violent explosion.
The stakes felt serious.
The heavy body of the Black Dragon Sword lifted slightly.
Floating due to that petite fist?
The Black Dragon Sword concealed his surprise and gathered energy.
Although it was heftier than expected.
It wouldn’t be enough to pierce the foundation.
If I were to counter-attack like this.
Whoosh-!
“…!”
In an instant, a massive energy flooded me.
The gaze of the Black Dragon Sword flickered.
The moment my body began to rise.
An absurd amount of energy coalesced in Jinryong’s palm.
“Flame Jade.”
He concentrated all the heat, shaping it into jade.
He grasped it in his hand and launched it towards the Black Dragon Sword.
It was the same spot where he had been struck earlier.
Upon contact with the orb.
Boom!
An unidentifiable sound erupted.
Bang-!
A tremendous explosion blasted forth.
Everything was madness—intense heat fueled by the stakes.
Only a few remnants of scorched earth remained, yet the previously smooth plain became a chaotic mess.
Through the smoke and splendor generated as explosions erupted.
The Black Dragon Sword pulled its body out of harm’s way.
“Ugh…!”
Phew!
The winds laced with stakes gusted around the Black Dragon Sword.
Yet the flames clung stubbornly to its body.
It seemed there was something contained within the fire.
‘This is absurd.’
I cast my eyes toward the recently devastated spot.
What a wreck.
Traces of sizzling fire scattered around, while the ground appeared cratered, reminiscent of a meteor strike.
In the center of it all,
Something wrapped in flames caught my attention.
The figure before me had red eyes matching the color of its hair, fixed intensely on the Black Dragon Sword.
“This kid….”
The Black Dragon Sword furrowed his brow.
That was no longer a being who could be defined as merely a late index.
How could that be possible?
Setting aside my doubts, I tightened my grip on the sabre.
This was unprecedented.
I had to eliminate him quickly.
While he is a martial artist of the same Hwagyeong level.
He is still a rookie who just crossed the wall.
No matter how famous or skillful he might be, he couldn’t compare to me.
Thus, I had to dispose of him right now.
At that moment.
“You have a lot on your mind, huh?”
The voice of Jinryong came from behind the Black Dragon Sword.
The Black Dragon Sword jolted, turning around.
His gaze remained locked on the flickering flames, but the figure from moments ago had long since vanished.
I twisted my body.
With that, energy began to seep into the sabre.
It was an eerie dark energy that sent shivers down one’s spine.
This was the power of a martial art called the Black Iron Ghost Technique wielded by the Black Dragon Sword.
The profoundly heavy sabre contained an unfathomable sword technique.
This blow was immeasurably severe, even for any martial artist.
Bang-!
“Ugh!”
However, if it didn’t connect, it meant nothing.
The blade of my sword failed to reach Jinryong.
Before the weight of the sword could slice through him,
His hand brushed against the Black Dragon Sword first.
Jinryong’s fist struck the Black Dragon Sword squarely in the face.
Blood gushed out.
The energy in his hand pierced past the Black Dragon Sword’s protective energy and hit hard.
Just as the Black Dragon Sword’s head swung back violently.
Snap!
Jinryong’s hand seized the Black Dragon Sword’s hair, wrenching him midair.
And then.
Bang-!
A flame-enveloped fist struck the Black Dragon Sword’s face once more.
It was a far louder impact than before.
Smack-!
Again.
Smack-!
Yet another hit.
“Ugh…!”
The Black Dragon Sword erupted with a groan. The pain swelling just felt akin to my brain nearly exploding.
My mind reeled.
The harsh impact of the blow to my face was immense.
Yet, the true issue was the flame consuming his fist.
Even though he had been maintaining his defensive energy, things were not looking good.
Had I not been holding on with my energy, I would have lost consciousness from the pain a long time ago.
Gnash.
I gritted my teeth.
For this Black Dragon Sword to be humiliated by this brat…!
The sword master I had desperately wanted to slay.
Or any of the other formidable figures on par with him.
If not, then he didn’t even have the reputation of those hailed as the top masters of Central Plains.
To be crushed by this flesh of youth, who hadn’t even passed maturity.
Anger boiled over.
This couldn’t stand.
Haa!
Drawing the energy that spread throughout my body toward a singular point.
First, I needed to extricate myself from this dire situation, so I planned to unleash my energy, forcing Jinryong back.
Even if the backlash gained me some internal injuries, escaping was the priority now.
Black Iron Sound Wave.
A martial arts technique spreading black energy alongside a bizarre sound, causing damage.
I figured I’d face backlash, but that couldn’t be helped.
Just as the Black Dragon Sword readied itself to unleash power,
For some reason, Jinryong suddenly stopped moving.
Was he catching on to my intentions, trying to evade?
The Black Dragon Sword had a fleeting notion of this.
‘But it’s already too late.’
The spirit preparation had been laid out long ago.
If this exploded right up close, he was sure to suffer immense damage.
I immediately executed the martial art.
‘Black Iron Sound…?’
At the moment I attempted to quickly shift my energy and expel it from my body.
The Black Dragon Sword wore a peculiar expression at the foreign sensation that crept across him.
The energy.
It had not moved correctly.
“…What?”
Only then did the Black Dragon Sword resonate with the strange feeling he could not shake off.
Now he cringed helplessly at the mere rookie who had just stepped into the martial realm.
Even missing the chance to escape out of caution.
Something was definitely amiss.
Just then.
“Why?”
Jinryong, who had halted his barrage, hovering silently next to the Black Dragon Sword, spoke.
“Is your body not moving correctly?”
Only then did the Black Dragon Sword lift its head to gaze at Jinryong.
Blood streamed from my nose.
Each part of my face was marred with crimson, making it difficult to keep my eyes open.
One thing stood out glaringly.
The intensity of his gaze was unnaturally piercing.
It felt dangerously close to combustion.
Just how could red eyes fit him so flawlessly?
Blood dripped from the hand he gripped.
It was the Black Dragon Sword’s own blood.
“…You…”
“Not too shabby.”
“No way…!”
It was only then the Black Dragon Sword connected the dots on the peculiar discomfort he felt—all due to Jinryong’s actions.
Did he inject poison?
Had he even released a toxin?
That couldn’t possibly be the case.
If poison had entered my body,
there was no chance I wouldn’t have sensed it.
There’s no way it could smoothly infiltrate thus.
“What did you do to me…!”
Bam!
“Ugh…!”
With a shocking force resonating in my chest.
The Black Dragon Sword was flung far into the air, crashing to the ground.
Even mid-flight, I could still sense the lingering heat present around me.
Struggling to rise,
I took frantic breaths to reassess my condition.
Just as suspected.
I could feel a slight dullness in my movements.
The energy felt similar.
It’s not as if I couldn’t muster it, but…
it felt as if something alien had wedged itself deep inside.
“…What have you done to me?”
Had he really unleashed poison upon me?
How could this have happened in such a short span?
The Black Dragon Sword looked at Jinryong with shock in his eyes.
Scanning the area around me.
Cheonghae Ilgeom was sprawled out on the ground, bleeding profusely.
The distance between us wasn’t untold.
Moreover, it was quite close, risking death from Jinryong’s earlier unleashed technique.
‘…That guy.’
The Black Dragon Sword was keenly feeling the disparity.
Cheonghae Ilgeom, who had seemed to reach Hwagyeong,
yet even he appeared vulnerable against that strike.
The reason he was in danger, with an arm lopped off, was
because everything weighed heavy on him.
His naive ideal of upholding chivalry and seeking justice.
An incompetent mindset that could easily result in one’s demise.
It cast aside those loathsome theories of honor unique to the righteous people, absolved with such disgust.
‘But Jinryong doesn’t embody any of that.’
Right now, that aspect was utterly absent from his demeanor.
Beneath his expressionless visage.
A chilling murderous intent that radiated the will to take my life.
Unyielding fighting spirit that stood defiantly alongside mine.
Movements that seemed unconcerned with anything but their target.
That guy.
Could he really be affiliated with the righteous faction?
It felt almost odd, having common ground with someone from the same line.
“Is he really the son of the hero?”
“Inom…!”
“Why do you keep yelling? It’s hurting my ears.”
“What in the world is your identity!”
At the Black Dragon Sword’s voice choking with anger,
Jinryong presented a strange expression.
He extended his palm.
Then—
Whoosh whoosh-!
“…!”
I felt a vast energy, utterly uncomparable to before.
Grazing the Black Dragon Sword’s cheek.
Wind pressure was being sucked into that palm.
The heat that had encompassed the area.
It began gathering onto that small palm.
Whoosh whoosh!
The flames shielding Jinryong.
The flames that were raging everywhere also converged.
It became a sphere.
The energy began to cluster in the palm, forming a round shape.
It resembled that little sphere which had previously annihilated the area.
But it was larger.
The amount of energy contained was of an entirely different magnitude.
The Black Dragon Sword’s mouth hung agape.
‘What exactly is that…?’
It was absurdly massive, too colossal to just be held aloft.
Yes.
It was the sun.
Jinryong was unmistakably holding a sun.
As the Black Dragon Sword grappled with the outrageous force,
“Finally, this size feels satisfying. I’d been annoyed with it being as small as a mouse dropping.”
Jinryong murmured quietly to himself.
“Did you ask me who I am?”
Being confronted by his heavy voice seemed to land heavy on the Black Dragon Sword’s shoulders.
This presence—something so vastly different.
It meant that it wasn’t the sort of presence that could be felt by someone of mere late stage.
“I still don’t know either.”
Clenching my fist tight, the Black Dragon Sword hastily gathered his more muted energy.
He had already sensed it was beyond a level that could simply be dealt with.
I needed to evade!
When the Black Dragon Sword took a step forward,
Jinryong’s fingertips moved in tandem.
“So now I’ll try finding out for myself.”
As his hand shifted,
The little sun plummeted to the ground.
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