Chapter: 823
Whoosh whoosh.
The heat spreads from Gu Cheol-woon’s toes. The energy gradually takes shape and transforms into flames.
The flames that have begun to scorch the floor soon morph into a blazing mirage, flaring up fiercely as if expressing the owner’s emotions.
How could one not feel anger? He wanted to incinerate everything right then and there.
Yet, he somehow managed to hold it back.
If one were to encapsulate Gu Cheol-woon’s life in a few words, it would be a never-ending tale of patience and agony.
This was the path all members of the Gu family would inevitably tread.
Amidst that, Gu Cheol-woon’s life was exceptionally so.
A family born to atone for the sins of their ancestors and inherit their burdens.
There has never been another like Gu Cheol-woon in history since the inception of the Gu family.
Everything about him was extraordinary.
His father, during the times he was still a father, would often tell Gu Cheol-woon this.
“There has never been anyone like you in the history of the Gu family.”
Indeed, to prove that statement right, Gu Cheol-woon was special. Not only did he possess a remarkably large skeleton for a member of the typically small-statured Gu family, but the moment he started to learn the Gu Flame Wheel Technique, he immediately entered the realm of reason.
It took less than a year for him to reach the level that usually takes an average of five years to attain.
Just breathing and sleeping made one stronger.
That was merely a joke that people tossed around.
A genius graced by heaven.
A monster that may never be seen again in history; perhaps even comparable to Yeonilcheon, who thwarted a bloody calamity.
Gu Cheol-woon was that kind of existence within the Gu family.
Just a mere foothold in Shanxi. A being far too precious to be lost in obscurity.
Thus, Gu Cheol-woon’s father, the head of the Gu family at that time, made a choice.
For the very first time in history, a direct blood relative of the Gu family was sent out into the world.
This was an unprecedented act.
Once one ascended to the position of family head, they could venture out, but never before had someone been sent out of the family entirely like this.
How could such a choice ever come about?
It did not compute. He wanted to ask, yet now was not the time.
Because the head of the family from that time was no longer present.
Even though he called him “father” and “former head of the family,” that man no longer existed.
This was because the head of the Gu family took on the burdens that were to be borne. Eventually, it was a path Gu Cheol-woon would necessitate walking.
Thus, following his father’s wishes, nineteen-year-old Gu Cheol-woon entered the world, devoid of any intent of his own.
He simply accepted his father’s wish for him to go out and experience life.
Thus, sometimes Gu Cheol-woon would ponder.
Did those experiences he underwent back then offer any real help?
Seeing things he didn’t need to see and enduring events he didn’t need to endure… did that truly yield the correct results as his father wished?
The response that surfaced was a resounding “no.”
Not a thing in the world had changed.
If anything, things had worsened, while not a shred had improved.
Only a version of himself that had changed remained.
Then, could that be deemed the right outcome?
No, he couldn’t claim that either.
From the outset, he had no means to discern right from wrong. He couldn’t even judge what was right within himself.
That was how all of life had been.
For what reason must one endure this much? What meaning can exist in beliefs without purpose?
He had no answers, nor did he strive to know.
Simply, he existed quietly, silently. Even without a conviction, wasn’t it alright to just live as is?
Such was the mindset of the young man who had lived with that heart.
Nice to meet you.
One day, he encountered a woman, and cracks began to appear.
Something started to fill the emptiness that had existed.
It didn’t take long for him to realize that it was emotion.
At the same time, a belief took form.
It wasn’t anything extravagant. Initially, all he did was listen.
“Don’t do that.”
Before he acted on anything, he started to think again, attempting to restrain himself whenever possible.
“Do you have to eat before you go? It’s cold, so be careful.”
“Got it.”
“You shouldn’t keep hitting people.”
“Understood.”
Strangely, even the little things filled his insides.
Oddly enough, this very absurdity had allowed him to endure a brutal life.
Before he realized it, he had ceased to ponder right and wrong.
For when he came to notice, there was only one thing that mattered to him.
There was no need to dub it lofty such as “belief.”
It was merely a desire.
Simply wishing to protect someone. Moreover, feeling the need to protect them.
A vow to protect them against all storms.
At that moment, that was ample for Gu Cheol-woon.
No, it wouldn’t just suffice then; it would still be enough now. The only difference was that it was no longer just her.
He had weathered fierce tempests.
He had lived solely focused on one matter, oblivious to right and wrong.
Living life for someone wasn’t entirely bad either. He would do anything if they wished for it.
That’s why.
“… Please.”
At the conclusion of the time he had painstakingly built, the fact that he had to send her away—someone more precious than life itself—with his own hands was ultimately his doing.
“Take care of the children.”
He echoed her last words.
Those were truly harsh words. How could he possibly manage without her? Gu Cheol-woon swallowed down the words that he dared not voice.
As they say, without her, Gu Cheol-woon was nothing.
An inept being who could do nothing while watching the children crumble and shatter.
It was only then that Gu Cheol-woon understood he had never truly lived as a father.
There was nothing that couldn’t be done. Even if something were seemingly impossible, if he wanted it, he could attain anything.
But as a father, that had simply not been possible.
Even his daughters began to fear him.
The son, filled with dread and resentment, also felt lost, not knowing what to do. The emptiness was sufficient to obliterate anything.
He turned away. It wasn’t simply because he had no other options.
He merely opted to ignore it.
He covered his visible eyes.
Closed his ears to the sounds.
Even though he could’ve acted, he chose not to.
Wouldn’t it be okay to just grow numb like this? Wouldn’t it be acceptable to be swept away, diluted, and crumbled?
Before he knew it, such thoughts brushed through his mind. He couldn’t even tell how many years had gone by.
He was gradually being buried. Nothing mattered anymore.
Thus, as he lived yet another day.
“… Do I really have to do it?”
He looked up at a sudden voice that reached his ears.
“Yes, I have to do it. I will.”
His hazy gaze gradually returned. It felt different from the usual.
“But do I really have to do it…?”
“…?”
“Yes. I’m going out.”
It was his son. He flinched and appeared to mumble as he went.
Gu Cheol-woon tilted his head at the sight.
What could this mean?
Something felt amiss.
And yet, he couldn’t pinpoint what exactly was different.
At a glance, he seemed just like any other son. Since that day, he was merely a child who had become broken like himself.
Knowing that, he felt unable to act. It was as if chains had shackled his ankles together.
By the time he realized the source of his fears, it was already too late.
Yes, that’s what he thought. He thought it was too late. That it was too late to take anything back.
Yet he thought that.
“The First Prince has had a duel with the Brain Dragon.”
In an unexpected twist, change had occurred.
“Brain Dragon?”
“Yes. Moreover, he emerged victorious…”
“….”
The child was transforming.
Fortunately, it didn’t take long for him to grasp this.
“The First Prince is currently in Shaanxi…”
“At this Yongbong branch meeting, the First Prince…”
“The First Prince is now at Shinryongwan…”
It truly happened in the blink of an eye.
From the moment the child recognized a change had taken place until now.
While he remained stuck in place, the child readied himself to stand alone.
There must have been wounds and resentments lurking there.
Whether it was an effort to endure or overcome, the son was trying to change.
Was there any emotional transformation or process involved?
Was it because he had accepted Geomjon and his granddaughter? Gu Cheol-woon was unsure.
The matter wasn’t pertinent for him to know, and only one thing remained significant.
The child, who perhaps had been in more pain than himself, was trying so hard to rise.
What was he just idly watching?
“Take care of the children.”
The voice he wished to forget echoed through his mind again.
He thought that after relinquishing what he had to protect, nothing would be left, yet that reality proved to be untrue.
There were countless things he should have cherished long before, many things he was meant to safeguard.
Yet, he had accomplished nothing.
Thus had passed ten years—a decade of doing nothing.
A time of inactivity while his child was changing.
“Father.”
One day, his son called him “father.”
It was a word he believed he would never hear, a sentiment he never wished to hear.
Since he was utterly unworthy of being called a father. However, the sound of that word struck him with surprising depth.
It marked a moment when he realized what he needed to safeguard.
“Please.”
A familiar phrase that surfaced daily remained unchanged, yet each time felt different.
What does it mean to be a father?
He couldn’t say he understood. He never had the experience himself.
Is it truly acceptable to only realize this now, after all this time?
Doubt crossed his mind, but there wasn’t time for hesitation.
It was far too late to hesitate now.
There can’t be a later time! So why hesitate?
“Speak.”
Thus, he must do what he is capable of.
Having been unable to do so before, he had to get it right this time.
Crack.
“Huh!”
A frail neck that could be snapped at will.
He tightened his grip and declared.
“If you intend to offer excuses, just erase them. Can’t you see that this, too, is your underlying intention?”
For he wished to incinerate everything then and there, but he managed to restrain himself.
The tendency to hold back before acting had been a habit ingrained for decades.
He slightly relaxed his grip.
“Huff… Hoo.”
It was merely to hear a reply.
“Speak.”
Depending on the answer, Gu Cheol-woon would make a choice.
Now, the moment lay before him: Would he erase the Murim Alliance from existence or endure its presence?
As he contemplated this while staring intently at the silence.
“…Lord Gu.”
Mukyeon addressed him. Upon hearing this, Gu Cheol-woon raised an eyebrow and retorted.
“Correct your title. Am I still a lord?”
“I apologize…”
“I’m not here to receive an apology. I asked for an explanation.”
At Gu Cheol-woon’s firm demeanor, Mukyeon hesitated in her response.
She pondered how to frame her words, and after a brief moment, she finally spoke.
“It’s said that Lord Gu was needed by the Murim Alliance. Knowing this, he chose that path.”
“Are you trying to pass off that it was the child’s choice after all?”
“Lord Gu had desires the Alliance wanted to fulfill. The main faction had expectations from him as well. It was simply for the sake of a deal…”
“I see.”
Mukyeon struggled with her explanation, but Gu Cheol-woon nodded along.
“You haven’t changed. Always shifting the blame onto others.”
At this, Mukyeon’s eyes widened.
“I was certain.”
Because she had realized the essence of Gu Cheol-woon’s choice.
“You are not needed. That was true back then, and it remains the same this time.”
Whoosh.
The ignition erupts.
Gu Cheol-woon’s body becomes enveloped in flames. He has made his decision.
Today, he will wipe the Murim Alliance off the map.
He will bear whatever consequences emerge from it.
As a spiteful father, that much he could certainly manage.
Moreover,
‘The same goes for the sins I carry.’
He would sever all the burdens and chains entwined within himself.
He shall not pass on that needless atonement to his son.
With that resolve, Gu Cheol-woon bursts forth with energy.
The swordsman shifts into action.
The broken sword fills with power.
Gu Cheol-woon, witnessing this, moves his hand first. The flames respond to his touch.
Before the swordsman could lift his arm, Gu Cheol-woon’s hand was already reaching for his face.
At that moment.
Whoosh—the—!!
A gust of wind surged from somewhere, forcefully separating Gu Cheol-woon and Geom-je.
“…!”
Seeing this, Gu Cheol-woon recoiled. Souring the expression on his face, he withdrew.
There was no need to dodge.
Had it been customary, he would have ignored the gust and simply decapitated the sword master.
He retreated one step.
The reason being that he had caught the owner of the gust.
The wind that had intervened to separate Gu Cheol-woon and Geom-je was undeniably a dazzling golden hue.
As though bathed in moonlight.
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