Chapter: 697
Boom-! Boom-! Boom-!
My heart pounds like crazy when the flame touches my skin.
The Nine Flames Lun Gong begins to spin wildly, its energy rampaging like a wild beast.
My blood is boiling hot.
Beyond the twisted breathing, I face the flame.
“It is truly a perfect vessel.”
What is this flame that speaks to me?
I didn’t think too hard about it.
The one creating such resonance is the Nine Flames Lun Gong.
It’s undoubtedly the power of direct blood relatives.
The hot flame in front of me represents the power of the Nine Flames Lun Gong.
The problem is, I’ve never seen such flames before.
That implies.
“Even though we are blood relatives, I don’t know this one.”
That means.
“Then who could it be?”
There’s no need to dwell on this for too long.
In the past, perhaps I wouldn’t know.
But now, there’s one person who stands out as suspicious.
Woodduck.
I tried to move my body.
Blocked.
An unknown restraint was overpowering me.
I tried to open my lips, but it was the same.
My stiff lips would not open easily.
Woohoo.
I focused my strength in my heart.
Fortunately, my energy was still mobile.
Ki-ii-ii-iing—!!! I spun it faster.
I unleashed the bound energy, compressing it even tighter.
Hwaruk.
I gathered the burning flames into one point.
Bam-!
I detonated it right there.
Kwaaaaahh—!!!
Blue flames erupted from my body in all directions.
For a good while, it spun around, generating a typhoon-like effect.
A vast energy filled the surroundings.
Urgh!
The restraint over my body loosened at the flame’s core.
“Phew….”
Thanks to that, my mouth was free.
Suddenly using so much energy might be why not just my veins but even my joints felt numb.
I had to expend an enormous amount of energy.
“Hoo.”
As I moved my body about, I heard a tone of admiration.
“Impressive.”
“…”
Furrowing my brows, I looked at the entity and asked.
“Let me ask you something first.”
As I spoke, my entire body was teetering on the edge of heightened awareness.
I posed the question in that state.
“Are you my grandfather?”
“Hmm.”
Could it be a delusion?
The flames seemed to mimic a smile in response to my question.
Given it’s entirely composed of flames, I couldn’t see its expression.
Yet for some reason, that’s how it felt.
“Interesting. Your father probably hasn’t told you anything… How did you know?”
I couldn’t help but click my tongue at the flame’s reaction.
As expected.
This flame confirms that it is indeed my grandfather.
Upon hearing this, I exhaled sharply and asked.
“How are you still alive?”
“Heh heh.”
Seriously, why am I right here asking him why he isn’t dead?
I deemed it a ridiculously silly question but had to voice it nonetheless.
“Such a surprising inquiry.”
“I’m more confused than you are.”
In front of me stands a human-shaped flame claiming to be my dead grandfather. How on earth could I not be bewildered?
And…
“He mentioned I was an outsider.”
He looked at me and asked how I became an outsider.
This means he recognized that I was no longer human.
Could that be the reason?
“What’s the matter?”
My voice came out sharper due to the heightened alert.
“Why did you come looking for me?”
I inquired while squinting. The flame replied.
“Is it strange for a grandfather to visit his grandchild?”
That reasoning sounded somewhat sensible.
Hearing it made me chuckle.
“If that’s the case, it doesn’t make sense you haven’t shown up until now.”
I’ve never seen him in my life, not even in my previous existence.
And now he shows up claiming to be my grandpa? How should I react to that?
That too…
“With such a forceful introduction.”
“It was merely a sign of joy.”
“If you keep marking me, someone will end up dead.”
“Heh heh.”
I rolled my eyes at the chuckle that followed.
I looked around. There was still an eerie silence hanging in the air.
Refocusing my gaze on the flame, I mused.
“Grandfather.”
The former head of the Gu family.
I’ve never heard stories about him or what he did for a living.
Maybe that’s why.
Even now, staring at him, I felt nothing.
This unexpected appearance, purely abstract, just felt distant.
“Hey, kid.”
The flame addressed me.
“It’s been ages since I’ve seen you; it’s heartwarming to see how well you’ve grown.”
I frowned at the sudden and unexpected compliment.
What on earth was he saying?
“The flames you’ve kindled, symbolizing all the efforts you’ve made, are indeed beautiful.”
It should be a compliment, yet it left an unsettling sensation.
“The vessel is sturdy and the body upright; you need not worry about the next generation… but.”
A fiery grip seized my shoulder.
“How could you have become an outsider, given your potential? That’s what puzzles me.”
“…”
Tap tap.
The warmth of the hand on my shoulder felt intense.
I sought out the flame gushing inside me.
Turning the topic seemed futile.
“It happened as I lived my life.”
I nimbly danced around the truth; I had merely been thrashing to survive.
That was the extent of what I could say.
“Hmm…”
The flame tilted its head as if pondering my response.
Then, it blurted out.
“Indeed. Should I have burned that woman? Precious flames mixed with impurities.”
That was it; my body stiffened up at that remark.
“Woman?”
Instinctively, I had a pretty good idea of who he was referring to.
“I should’ve dealt with it when I first saw her; it’d have been for the better.”
“…”
“How unfortunate. The vessel was pristine, yet it lost some of its luster due to the ugliness tainting it… Hmm?”
The flame that had been discussing turned its head in my direction.
“Why do you look at me like that?”
What could be so wrong with my eyes?
It was probably far from the desired admiration.
How could it be good?
“Your words are utterly crass. Doesn’t that make it hard to feel happy?”
Even if he’s my grandfather, how can you treat someone else’s mother like sludge?
Thud.
Stretching a little, I addressed the flame.
“You don’t exactly look human yourself, you know?”
My choice of title shifted.
It felt impossible to regard him as a valid grandfather.
Moreover, the body encircled in flames.
No matter what fancy words I used, he was not human.
He merely mirrored the ‘form’ of a human.
In response to my words, the flame stated.
“The reason you cannot see me clearly is purely because you lack qualifications.”
“Qualifications…?”
Does that hint at some kind of realm?
Or literally, ‘qualification’?
“Are you saying that’s because I haven’t inherited the position of Sogaju yet?”
I asked directly, without sidestepping.
The flame grinned.
“Correct.”
I couldn’t properly see myself because I hadn’t taken the position.
So if I inherit the Sogaju title, will I see beyond the flame?
I had no clue.
Even if I had reached the position of Sogaju in my previous life, I had never met my grandfather.
Thus, my curiosity deepened.
“Why did you come?”
What is that grandfatherly figure doing seeking me out now?
“I mentioned before that a grandfather….”
“Cut the unnecessary affection and get to the point.”
“…”
I couldn’t take it anymore, cutting him off.
This was becoming unbearable.
“There’s not a sprinkle of affection in your eyes or voice, so why do you keep acting all touchy? Do whatever you feel like. I’m about to lose my mind from this discomfort.”
“Hoo…”
I let it flow out with a blend of irritation and frustration. Then.
“Ah…”
The atmosphere around the flame radically shifted instantaneously.
“I suppose this isn’t the right approach.”
Any traces of gentleness disappeared from his tone.
Stiff and cold.
Emotions reminiscent of the Dark King enveloped the air, filling it with an eerie sensation.
“How unfortunate; I thought I was being quite clever with this approach.”
“You didn’t appear to even try to hide it. What nonsense are you spouting?”
The gaze he held differed significantly, and his tone had sharply changed.
Grandfather?
The very word conjured thoughts of Elder Il. When I reflect on my idea of ‘grandfather,’ he didn’t match that image in my head.
I might lack full knowledge about him, but plainly speaking, the look on his face wasn’t the kind one would expect from someone like a ‘grandfather’ gazing upon a grandchild.
“What’s this? What do you want from me?”
You can’t seriously want to see me.
If that’s not the case, then it must hold a purpose.
So I was redirected to ask.
“Because the time has come.”
The flame looked at me and began providing answers in the flow of conversation.
“I know you are ready. The time is up, and the additional time granted to your father has run out. Yet.”
Flicker.
I sensed the heat surrounding us grow ever denser.
“Child, you have yet to receive the key.”
“…”
Key.
The term blinked in my mind.
This sounded like it referred to the family seal a Sogaju should possess.
“It is time to continue the karma. That is our duty.”
Just hearing those words filled me with suffocating weight.
“Is that why you came to see me?”
Did that rival, who had pretended to be dead, journey all this way just to hurry me along?
Doubts crept into my mind as I posed the question.
“No, this was purely my curiosity.”
“Curiosity?”
“Those among us, who should detest and avoid outsiders more than anyone else, now find you, the up-and-coming legacy, transformed into something ugly.”
“Hah.”
So, he showed up just because I’ve turned into a dragon?
Does this mean that my transformation into a dragon would complicate my inheritance process?
How on earth did you even know?
I set aside the fact that I had become a dragon. He must have realized that I was no longer human, hence he took action.
Wait a second…
While lost in contemplation, a sudden thought darted into my mind as I questioned the flame.
“… Is it related to what happened to my master?”
My father mentioned he couldn’t get to Hanam due to some incident.
Lady Mi claimed it involved something a Sogaju would only be aware of.
Yet now, my grandfather appears before me?
Surely this can’t just be a coincidence? I doubted it.
Thus, I turned to my grandfather.
“Indeed.”
“…!”
The flame confirmed my suspicion.
It meant my guess was spot on.
“Why… what did you do to my master?”
“It was a necessary act according to the principles. Your father is guarding the ‘gate’ in my stead.”
Gate?
What gate is he referring to?
“Your father should’ve handled this long ago; it is something someday you will also have to attend to.”
“…So, you’re saying it’s simply about guarding a gate?”
“Is it appropriate to deem it as merely that? What I’m doing is critical to our duties.”
Protecting a gate, then.
Is there something significant about this gate I’m unaware of?
It’s something my father knows but remains hidden from me.
Such would infer that this truth could only be known by surpassing the Sogaju title and becoming the main head.
Contemplating this, I asked.
“If becoming an outsider is such a dilemma, doesn’t that make it impossible now?”
If ugly, distorted notions arise, isn’t it a problem I became a dragon?
If so, can’t inheriting the karma itself trigger some anomaly?
As I spun my thoughts into this direction, I spoke.
“Yeah, it’s indeed a problem. That’s why I came.”
The flame casually continued conversing with me.
“To purge the impurities and return them to their original state. That’s why I desired to come personally.”
“Tsk.”
Hearing that made me feel invigorated in spirit.
To burn it down and erase it.
Was he hinting at killing me?
Knock.
I powered my heart and fixed my gaze on the flame.
Whoosh whoosh-!!
Blue flames enveloped my being.
Prepared for anything, I filled my entire body with energy and stared down my adversary.
“But.”
The flame continued, crossing its arms behind its back.
“I’ve made a deal with your father, so I will provide you with some extra time for now.”
“What did you say?”
You struck a bargain with my father?
“What the—.”
I was set to yell back at the flame when suddenly.
Snap—!
Pop—!
“…!!”
With a click of his fingers, the flames that cloaked my body vanished.
Surprise was short-lived.
I tried to reignite the flames.
Chirp-! Crackle-!
Only a muffled pop echoed, but no flames emerged.
The Nine Flames Lun Gong ring lay still, appearing lifeless as a dead mouse.
What’s going on all of a sudden?
My energy circulated, but the flames would not rise.
I had to hold back an acute sense of panic.
At that moment.
“So first, I’ll take the spark from you.”
I opened my eyes wide at the flame’s declaration.
It hinted my grandfather’s presence was blocking me from using the Nine Flames Lun Gong.
How in the world?
On one hand, I trembled at his words.
He raised a hand, revealing swirling blue flames.
A familiar sensation washed over me.
Could those be my flames?
“I sought you out today for that purpose. If you want it back, you must.”
As I gazed at the brightly glowing fireball, my grandfather instructed me.
“Come to ‘Xinjiang’ and find me.”
I had to take a deep breath at his words.
Xinjiang?
I felt more intrigued about what followed than the fact that I lost my spark.
Xinjiang?
If it’s Xinjiang…
“[Go to Xinjiang.]”
This was mentioned by Namgung Myung, who borrowed Woohyuk’s body from Bukhae, and also where the headquarters of the Demonic Cult existed in my past life.
To think my grandfather’s presence is also in Xinjiang?
How redundant and twisted is this connection?
It’s too absurd to chalk it up to mere coincidence.
“I can’t grant you that much time. Your father mentioned one year, so I’ll keep that in consideration.”
Listening to that, I retorted immediately.
“Wait.”
My grandfather tried to cut the conversation short.
This isn’t something I can just allow myself to lose without a fight.
It’s already bizarre that he appeared so suddenly; why all the demands and unbidden interruptions?
Boom-!
Focusing my strength, yet still unable to rekindle the flames.
Frowning deeply, I sought a different form of power.
There are things I can still do without flames.
I twisted my waist and balled my fist tight.
Takuh -! (Fighting with the sword and breaking the heavens!)
I infused the energy of Touma and swung it down.
Boom—!
It unleashed an explosion of energy from my fist, sweeping across the field.
Crack-!
“Hmm.”
My grandfather reacted slightly with a flick of his hand amidst the rush of wind.
Blast—!!!!
Flames erupted from the ground, forming a barrier.
Hmmm—!
The pressure of the wind did not break through the wall, dissipating into the air around it.
I noticed and swung my fist once more.
This time it wasn’t the Touma technique.
Heart Fist!
Drawing all my strength, I unleashed my energy explosively.
Boom—!
The heart energy surged toward the flame barrier it connected, colliding.
Ka-Pang—!!
The barrier shattered under the impact, and space was unveiled.
“Hmm.”
Seeing this, my grandfather expressed a brief reaction.
At that moment, I already stood before him.
In an instant, my hand grasped the flame from his grasp.
Crush-!
Holding the spark, its heat seeped into my heart.
Whoosh whoosh-!
Finally, the flames burst into being once again.
“Phew….”
As expected, that really was my flame.
Nevertheless, even with the flames returning, I could not relish the moment.
I had no clue how he achieved this; it appeared my grandfather could manipulate them at will.
Holding this thought as I heightened my tension.
“Haha.”
I heard my grandfather chuckle.
“Good.”
A chill crept up my spine as his voice echoed throughout.
My body reacted to the unease, forcing me to swallow hard.
What is this unsettling feeling?
“Of course. I’m pleased.”
His cryptic phrases cast him further into uncertainty, as he stepped forward.
At that moment.
Swish—!!!
Bam—!!
Suddenly, something fell from the air between us.
Growl—!!!
A dense black aura flailed around us, showcasing an aggressive disposition.
For a moment, I felt startled by that overwhelming force.
But soon that energy faded, letting me glimpse a petite figure ahead of me.
With flowing dark hair shimmering purple, and graceful shoulders, a small stature obstructed my grandfather.
In shock, I muttered softly.
“You….”
At the sound of my voice, the woman turned her gaze toward me.
We locked onto each other’s purple eyes.
Heavenly Demon.
It was she who stood against my grandfather.
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