Chapter: 497
Kuk-.
The pressure pushing the handle is considerable.
Goeseon needed to weigh whether or not to draw his sword.
‘Oh dear.’
He soon realized what his mistake was and frowned.
In that moment, he almost reacted instinctively to the aura radiating from the little monster in front of him.
Little monster.
That was spot on.
Looking at Guyangcheon, Goeseon once again felt certain.
‘This is, really…’
No matter how flustered he might have been by Namgung Myung’s actions, he hadn’t grasped Guyangcheon’s movements.
On the flip side, it dawned on him that Guyangcheon had discerned his actions and moved accordingly.
How could that be possible?
This wasn’t a matter that could simply be wrapped up by calling him the youngest painter or whatever.
Goeseon drew his gaze toward Guyangcheon and locked eyes.
He could see it.
The way Guyangcheon was looking at him.
His dark pupils had turned a shade of blue, and the boiling passion emanating from him was clearly palpable.
This guy was already a complete entity.
An equal martial artist.
He wasn’t some follow-up index that needed teaching.
This guy belonged on the same level as him.
The way Goeseon’s body, ugly in its reaction to the aura, attested to that.
‘Oh, this is a real problem.’
Was it because I hadn’t engaged in any swordplay for a while? My body was heating up uncontrollably.
Of all things, about someone my disciple’s age?
‘How embarrassing. So embarrassing.’
I thought I had left behind the fervor of youth, but it seems I’m still stuck at that spot.
Goeseon, both exasperated and incredulous, did not shy away from Guyangcheon’s gaze.
To look away would have been impossible, for Guyangcheon’s stare was resolutely unwavering.
“I asked what you were trying to do.”
His firm tone was laced with irritation.
Goeseon started to explain, thinking that no matter what he said would be disbelieved, but it seemed he needed to give an explanation first.
“…Um, you see… well, there’s a bit of a situation.”
“I’m not asking you.”
At Guyangcheon’s words, Goeseon abruptly halted.
So it wasn’t directed at him? Then who was he asking?
As Goeseon squinted in confusion, Guyangcheon turned his gaze toward Goeseon’s chest and exclaimed.
“I’m asking Brain Heaven Sword. What were you trying to do just now?”
“…!”
Goeseon swallowed hard at Guyangcheon’s query.
It was then that he recalled Guyangcheon could also hear Namgung Myung’s voice.
‘Or did that provoke him to move?’
Goeseon pondered why Guyangcheon had reacted so quickly.
Did he move after hearing Namgung Myung’s voice?
‘Could that be true?’
Immediately, Goeseon dismissed the thought.
His instincts were telling him that wasn’t the case.
Moreover,
‘If he moved after hearing it, it would be too late.’
If he had acted upon hearing Namgung Myung’s voice, the moment would have been delayed.
‘Just how strong is he?’
Once he acknowledged that, a sudden curiosity crept in.
Just how far had this kid come?
Initially, he thought it was visible, yet now, that perception shifted.
It was vague.
He couldn’t see clearly.
‘Then that means…’
His inability to fully grasp Guyangcheon meant that their realms were closely aligned.
It wasn’t simply a matter of having just crossed a threshold.
It implied a fully established state of mastery.
‘How is that possible?’
It was something hard to believe even when it stood right before his eyes.
He had heard that he hadn’t yet reached adulthood.
Where does one who hasn’t even hit adulthood stand? The disciple he once thought was genius had reached his pinnacle just around that threshold.
Just that alone suggested that this was a talent decreed by the heavens, with all hopes resting on the shaman.
Yet,
‘What the heck is going on with him?’
At such a young age, he shared the same level as the so-called top masters of today, Hwagyeong?
Goeseon found himself irresistibly intrigued.
Namgung Myung’s words flared to mind.
– There’s a bigger monster connected to him…
Namgung Myung had clearly articulated that when he referred to Guyangcheon.
Which meant.
‘Does it imply that this guy has something attached to him too?’
Just like himself?
As Goeseon’s emotions fluttered oddly.
Woof.
The brain nestled in his arms began to vibrate as if it were resonating.
“Amazing.”
It was Namgung Myung’s voice.
“Though it wasn’t a good sign that he wasn’t a review, it certainly seems that Shincheol raised him well.”
“Ha.”
It seemed Guyangcheon, having presumably heard Namgung Myung’s voice, burst into a dry laugh.
“I think you’re mistaken about something, senior.”
“What?”
A stark contrast marked his tone from their last interaction. Compared to the relatively polite phrasing last time, this one bore annoyance and a barely-there façade of courtesy.
“My Noya didn’t do much. I grew up just fine all on my own.”
“Huh…?”
The casualness of those words took Namgung Myung aback, letting out an audible exhale.
It appeared he hadn’t expected Guyangcheon to respond this way at all.
After hearing Guyangcheon’s reply, Goeseon felt convinced.
Sure enough, that guy had someone by his side.
Shincheol.
Hadn’t he heard that name before…?
Just as Goeseon was racking his brain to remember who it belonged to.
“I shall inquire once more.”
Guyangcheon wore an expression even more warped than before.
“Exactly what were you attempting to do?”
“It’s none of your concern.”
At Namgung Myung’s words, Guyangcheon chuckled. He appeared to be smiling, yet his expression suggested irritation.
“If you insist it’s not my place to interfere, then that means you intended to meddle with him?”
“…Do you not understand that I’m referring to family matters?”
“Ha-ha.”
Guyangcheon let out a small laugh.
In a low voice, he declared.
“Family matters are a load of crap.”
Thud.
The atmosphere instantly chilled as Guyangcheon spoke those words. Woo Hyuk, who had been watching from behind, covered his mouth in astonishment, eyes wide.
Beside him, Namgung Bi-ah turned her head, eyes closed tight.
From her demeanor, one could strongly sense, ‘Here we go again.’
“What did you just say?”
Namgung Myung, seemingly unable to believe his ears, asked Guyangcheon again, but the latter’s expression remained unchanged.
“Ah, anyway, damn it. Are all men with the Namgung surname just not normal? Why is everyone so quick to draw swords? Can’t we all be a little more peaceful about this?”
Even the scant courtesy he had managed to maintain had shattered.
Was that really his true self?
“You…! Are you currently dishonoring Namgung-ga?”
“I’ve had enough done to me that I can afford to curse a bit. Family matters are nonsense; I’m trying to hold back, but this world isn’t lending a hand. Why would a guy who’s already dead even care about family matters? That’s outright foolishness, sir.”
“Wow.”
Goeseon couldn’t help but marvel at the rapid fire of Guyangcheon’s words.
All the things he wished to air out while speaking to Namgung Myung were encapsulated in there.
Though it felt a bit painful to see all men of the Namgung clan being insulted en masse.
Regardless of how much Namgung Hyung wanted to throw him away, his surname was still Namgung.
With a sparkle in his eyes, Goeseon looked at Guyangcheon.
Cursing out like that was something he himself couldn’t muster.
With gritted teeth, Guyangcheon suddenly stared into the air and growled.
“Oh, stop holding back! I’m barely managing to endure this crap of a situation. They started it, didn’t they?”
It seemed aimed at someone other than Goeseon or Namgung Myung.
“Why is that coming up? If it were Noya, wouldn’t you have held back? See? But why is it only directed at me?”
“Um, the little monster… I mean, Confucius. Please calm down for a moment.”
Goeseon attempted to pacify the escalating situation.
But that was where the problem sprang up.
“No, why is his entire family like this? No wonder his martial arts are distorted.”
Thud-!
Guyangcheon’s words hit Goeseon like a shockwave. Only then did he sense a twinge of regret arise.
It was already too late.
Guyangcheon had brought up the subject Namgung Myung least wished to discuss. His martial arts being distorted.
Whether that child was aware of the troubles of the Namgung family when he spoke was uncertain.
“Descendants.”
This would surely be a sore point for Namgung Myung.
His voice had subsided considerably.
Goeseon could tell from Namgung Myung’s tone that his anger was genuine.
Sure enough.
“It seems I’ll have to punish that child who hasn’t even dried his blood yet.”
At Namgung Myung’s words, Goeseon had to tightly shut his eyes.
‘Elder, I really don’t want to do this!’
In other words, it was an instruction to reprimand Guyangcheon.
The dilemma was that, unlike the boiling aura, Goeseon had no inclination to engage with Guyangcheon physically.
He aimed to treat him as an equal.
Alongside that, the thought of fighting with a close friend of his disciple was all kinds of awkward.
‘Well, he’s just a child saying something silly, so let’s let it slide…’
He wished to tie it all up lightly and move on.
“This is an order.”
‘…Huh?’
Goeseon stifled a gasp upon hearing Namgung Myung’s words.
‘Elder, are you out of your mind?’
An order.
That was a pact formed between Namgung Myung, Goeseon, and Namgung Hyung.
Exactly five times.
No matter what happened, Namgung Hyung would obey Namgung Myung’s commands five times.
It was an agreement made during their escape from the Namgung clan.
Regardless of what it was, if it was Namgung Myung giving the order, he would follow it.
That was the purpose of the promise.
Among them, three had already been utilized.
The first command was to learn the true swordsmanship of the Namgung clan as per Namgung Myung’s will and pass it down in the future.
The second was when they prevented the Great Demonic Cultivation Gate that erupted in a civilian area.
The third… was something he preferred to forget, so he chose to overlook it.
‘Ha, you’re saying you’ll use an order just to punish that guy?’
Goeseon expressed disbelief toward Namgung Myung.
But Namgung Myung remained steadfast.
“I may tolerate other things, but I cannot overlook insults to Namgung. That’s why it can’t be allowed.”
‘This is absurd.’
How could that detestable Namgung Chan-ga go unpunished?
Namgung Hyung genuinely felt that way.
There was no choice.
Because the pact was something not easily discarded.
Just then, when Goeseon made up his mind.
Taang-!
“…!”
The fingertips of Guyangcheon, who was pushing on the sword handle, were flung back.
Despite Goeseon not showing any action, the ghost’s hand was thrust backward by the recoil.
As he stared wide-eyed at his tingling fingers.
“I’m not sure if you heard the story, but it seems I’ll have to scold you.”
Goeseon calmly addressed Guyangcheon.
“…Goeseon.”
“Oh, how embarrassing it is to have to do this. Especially in front of my disciple.”
Goeseon scratched the back of his head, looking quite irritated.
Perhaps he hadn’t showered in quite some time, for flakes of dandruff tumbled down every time his grizzled hair shook.
Guyangcheon observed this and expanded his aura.
“…”
He halted his breath altogether.
He could feel it.
The aura gently surging from Goeseon’s body.
It was something far too coarse and unrefined to be the presence of a sage.
A completed state of mastery.
No, a degree even slightly higher than that.
The state of a transcendent being on the verge of reaching the sublime, as spoken of by Paejon. The weight of Goeseon’s aura, almost there, was tremendously heavy.
A chilling sensation tightened around his throat.
It seemed that Goeseon was genuinely considering battling him.
Guyangcheon felt a peculiar chill crawl along his spine because of it.
‘Phew.’
He could finally sigh in relief.
That much was presumably the case.
‘As planned.’
Thankfully, things were unfolding just as he had hoped.
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