Friendly Martial Arts Tournament (7)
A sphere of flames completely enveloping the arena.
I couldn't even imagine how much internal energy must have been poured in to use those flames.
The blazing heat blocked the surrounding gazes.
Making it impossible to know what was happening inside.
"What? What's happening in there?"
"We can't see...!"
"Show us quickly! How is it going!"
The spectators watching with trembling eyes began to buzz at the unfolded situation.
It happened in an instant.
Lei Long had risen looking exhausted, and Gu Yangqian had suddenly grabbed Nangong Tianjun and locked him up.
This blazing flame controlled the internal situation.
Thanks to that, the Alliance's sword squad member acting as referee also wore a flustered expression, not knowing what to do.
"Quite impressive, isn't it?"
A young man watching from afar said with a suppressed smile.
He looked at the arena with a smile in his eyes, as if enjoying the wind.
"I didn't think it would be to that extent, but it seems I was wrong again this time."
The young man's black martial robe fluttered in the wind.
Interesting.
In all my life, I've never had an interesting opponent.
That boy always made my heart burn. Look even now.
Hasn't he far exceeded my expectations?
'If we clash, could I win?'
It seemed possible, at least for now.
Just for now, that is.
While the young man in black, Peng Wuzhen, calmed his excited mind, the boy standing next to him asked with a frown.
"Did you call me here just to say that?"
The one speaking in a somewhat low voice was none other than Zhang Xianyan.
Peng Wuzhen wiped his smile away slightly as he looked at the boy.
"No way. I wouldn't call the busy Young Master for such trivial matters."
"Then why?"
"Just thought it would be fun to watch together?"
Ultimately, it was a pointless remark.
At Peng Wuzhen's confident words, Zhang Xianyan immediately frowned.
Seeing that, Peng Wuzhen clicked his tongue and added.
"It was a joke."
"I know."
"Tsk, no fun."
"Get to the point. I cannot stay long either."
At Zhang Xianyan's words, Peng Wuzhen finally wiped away his smile completely.
It was the same face he had shown Nangong Tianjun in the past.
At the sudden shift in the air, Zhang Xianyan felt his chest tighten.
Did he emit his internal energy? That definitely shouldn't be the case.
Then it must be purely his presence.
"The reason I sought Young Master Zhang is because I have something to ask."
"Go ahead and ask."
"Why did you summon Young Master Nangong?"
At Peng Wuzhen's words, a strange light flickered in Zhang Xianyan's eyes.
After locking eyes for a moment, Zhang Xianyan soon turned his head slightly and answered.
"It must have been something necessary."
"With that trifling talent?"
"Lei Long is not trifling."
At Zhang Xianyan's words, Peng Wuzhen laughed out loud.
"Put away the words you don't even mean. It's enough to make one sick."
"...Young Master Peng, please watch your words?"
"Why? Feelings hurt? Because the mere Young Master of the Peng family is speaking such words."
Peng Wuzhen's words were full of thorns.
It felt completely different from the tone he usually showed Gu Yangqian.
Cold and seemingly bored.
"Young Master Peng."
"I don't think you know nothing. Right? Everything laid out in this board is for you."
"What exactly are you trying to say?"
"Words? There wasn't really anything like that. It's not my place to advise, and even less to empathize."
"Then what exactly are you trying to do?"
"If I had to categorize it, comfort?"
"Wha..."
Peng Wuzhen's gaze returned from Zhang Xianyan to the arena once again.
Then, as if he had been waiting, a smile slowly began to sprout again.
"How does it look to you?"
"..."
Zhang Xianyan looked at the arena according to Peng Wuzhen's words.
Even from a considerable distance, the blazing flames caught his eye.
Peng Wuzhen's voice also rang in his ears.
"I think Young Master Zhang is fortunately someone who knows his place, though Lei Long doesn't seem to be."
Was he saying he was lacking?
The mask he had struggled to create kept cracking in front of this man.
Was it because it felt like his weakness was continuously being prodded?
"That boy will gain a lot from this incident."
"I know. Because he seems like an outstanding person."
At Zhang Xianyan's calm voice, Peng Wuzhen let out a slight chuckle.
"Is that all?"
"What more do you want?"
"Didn't I say? If I had to categorize it, I was trying to give comfort."
"Comfort regarding what?"
"Comfort for the things you won't be able to gain from this incident."
At Peng Wuzhen's words, Zhang Xianyan's shoulders shook.
At the same time, a blue energy fluctuated in his eyes.
Swelling internal energy. The surrounding air gradually began to grow heavy.
"I clearly told you to watch your words."
"Oh... This is scary. It seems I've made Young Master Zhang quite angry."
Although fighting spirit grew thicker around Zhang Xianyan's body, Peng Wuzhen's expression didn't change.
He was even laughing as if it was nothing.
Seeing that, Zhang Xianyan clicked his tongue once and released his fighting spirit.
This was rashness.
For he still couldn't do anything about Peng Wuzhen.
"It seems Young Master Peng doesn't like me."
At Zhang Xianyan's words, Peng Wuzhen answered with a laugh.
"No way, I actually quite like Young Master Zhang?"
An absurd statement.
How could anyone believe words said after having a conversation like this?
"You seem to not believe me, but it's true. Though we aren't at the level to call each other brothers, I do quite like Young Master Zhang. Because you are surely someone who can shine as well."
It might already be too late, but Peng Wuzhen didn't bother to add the rest.
"As you said, it's not something I can believe. Your attitude towards me shouldn't have been good from the very first moment we met."
"I'm being quite nice with this. Why? Do you want to receive my love?"
At Peng Wuzhen's words, Zhang Xianyan took off his mask for the first time and made a rough expression.
His face was full of what could only be described as chilling.
"Don't worry, Young Master Zhang isn't to that extent."
Peng Wuzhen didn't lie.
Because he did view Zhang Xianyan somewhat favorably.
That boy was surely a star born to shine brightly.
However.
'In front of an even brighter light, it's just futile.'
It was merely for that reason.
"Speak honestly. You're just taking out your anger because you don't like it."
Zhang Xianyan's sudden words.
Peng Wuzhen sent a puzzled gaze at this.
"Isn't it because you don't like that Lei Long, who you belittled as talentless, received the Baptism first?"
"Oh..."
Peng Wuzhen let out an exclamation for the first time.
This wasn't because Zhang Xianyan had guessed Peng Wuzhen's inner thoughts.
It was closer to meaning, "How could he even think of that?"
"This only involved Tianzun's will heavily... Yuseong's will is..."
"You seem to be misunderstanding something. Young Master Zhang."
At Peng Wuzhen's deepened voice, Zhang Xianyan shut his mouth for a moment.
"I don't really care about some Baptism or whatever, Yuseong or whatever, I'm not interested."
"What in the world does that..."
"I'm sorry, but even without such trivial things, I am strong. And I will become stronger. I will climb higher than anyone else."
His arrogant words were full of confidence.
The presence he had been feeling since earlier grew even stronger.
Zhang Xianyan gulped dry saliva.
Just as Peng Wuzhen knew to some extent about Zhang Xianyan's true nature, Zhang Xianyan also knew to some extent about Peng Wuzhen's true nature.
That man was an abyss.
It was impossible to know what he was thinking. If you dug into him, he went endlessly underground.
That place was an endless darkness.
What was scarier was that he didn't even try to hide it.
"...Then, do you think I will lose to that young master?"
"I want to ask the opposite. Do you think you'll win? Against that monster?"
Monster.
Peng Wuzhen, who was cruel to the point of ruthlessness in judging others, dared to utter the word monster.
Gu Yangqian.
It was a name that strangely rubbed him the wrong way anyway.
Where did that name pop out from?
As far as he knew, he was just a child of the Gu family.
The Gu Family of Shanxi.
A truly unsettling place.
Even the abbot of Shaolin, who read a thousand miles, had told Jianfeng, who was ranked first right after Peng Wuzhen, not to touch him just because he was of Gu bloodline.
'Even so, at best, he's just an ordinary martial artist.'
Even if he crossed the wall, he wasn't scary.
He would admit that his talent was of a different class, but that was it.
Putting Peng Wuzhen next to him aside.
Was Gu Yangqian truly a being of such value? Zhang Xianyan thought not.
The incompetent Lei Long hadn't received the energy long ago, and wouldn't even know how to use it properly, hence that result.
'...It was unexpected that Lei Long was pushed back, though.'
He thought they would be equal or he would be slightly more dominant.
He hadn't thought it would be to the point of overwhelmingly crushing him.
The muscles in his back gradually tightened.
It was because his muscles tensed the moment he recalled the sparring match just now.
As if that guy's very existence would become a threat to him.
Peng Wuzhen glanced at Zhang Xianyan like that and withdrew his gaze.
He just quietly watched the arena again.
'How did he do it?'
Holding a small question.
'How did you notice, Young Master Gu?'
Peng Wuzhen didn't know the details of the Baptism that was said to descend from underground the Martial Arts Alliance.
And he didn't want to know, either.
But he could feel it.
That fishy and cold energy.
It seemed others couldn't feel it, but he thought this was because those without talent would be like that.
'Then, did you feel it?'
Gu Yangqian was different.
Peng Wuzhen was certain. He must have definitely noticed too.
Because his movements right before were exactly like that.
The moment Lei Long pulled up his energy, he immediately unleashed his own power and charged in.
'That might also be insufficient to call his own true power, though.'
Gu Yangqian's realm, which used to be clearly visible in the past, was now hazy.
If even Peng Wuzhen, whose energy perception had clearly developed, could no longer easily see it...
'Good. Very good.'
The Haoxia, Jianfeng, and the Gu Family of Shanxi were clearly dragon cubs.
He coveted them.
To the point where, if the situation allowed, he would throw away the Young Master position right away and head there.
The reason Peng Wuzhen had run away from home, insisting on becoming the Gu Family's sword guard, was also because of that.
Although he failed.
Gurgle— Gurgle—
The constantly writhing dantian annoyed him.
Peng Wuzhen had to suppress the fighting spirit that was squeezing out of his body.
He had to kill the internal energy that was snorting and growling.
How long has it been since he felt this sensation?
Probably the first time since parting ways with Jianfeng at the Shenlong Temple.
Peng Wuzhen's world was gray.
Having lost color, it was only numb.
Rather than there being a problem with his eyes, Peng Wuzhen himself tended to see the world that way.
Such a vision made the world boring for Peng Wuzhen.
Adding to this, Peng Wuzhen's talent, which might reach the heavens, also played a part in making life tedious.
To such a Peng Wuzhen, there occasionally existed people who bore different colors.
They were like a ray of light in a life that was only boring and common.
They were the only reason Peng Wuzhen held onto and endured this boring life.
Zhang Xianyan next to him was also emitting light, but unlike before, he was extremely weak.
Probably because he had done something else.
Unlike him, that boy was extraordinary.
Not only did he shine the brightest himself, but even the people around him started to emit light.
Perhaps, was it contagious?
'Even those without color have started to take on color.'
Tang Xiaoye was a representative example.
The girl who once had only one eye shining, now had a bright color starting to spread throughout her entire body.
And it could be seen that it originated from that boy.
For Peng Wuzhen, it was his first time experiencing this. That was why he felt it even more intensely.
The process of color being applied to colorlessness.
It was so beautiful.
'If such a miracle is possible.'
Perhaps, could he apply color to himself as well?
Peng Wuzhen thought while looking at Gu Yangqian, who was radiating bright flames from afar.
Because the darkest thing in this gray world was none other than himself.
...
...
"What the hell is with this bastard."
I released the strength in the hand that was gripping Nangong Tianjun's neck.
"Why is he pissing himself?"
I was dumbfounded.
I charged in and suppressed him first because of the chilling energy.
But I didn't know it would end up like this.
"...No, seriously."
It was a somewhat urgent situation, so I was a bit rough, but I didn't expect him to piss himself.
And he's supposed to be a bloodline of a prestigious family.
"He threw away all his pride and self-respect. Unbelievable."
He even fainted.
What kind of total disaster is this?
'How do I handle this...?'
To drag him off and interrogate him right away was too rushed from the start.
Because the important thing was that we were currently in the middle of a sparring match in front of many people.
And in that situation, this bastard pissed himself and fainted.
Oh, my god...
I didn't care whether he fainted or not.
I wasn't interested in whether he pissed himself or not. Good! Our Tianjun can change his alias this time.
Rather than Lei Long, Yeolong (Urination Dragon) would suit him better.
"This isn't the time to be thinking like this."
It was a story that would make even myself laugh, but the situation wasn't good right now.
I had put up a wall to prevent them from seeing outside, but this consumed much more internal energy than the ultimate technique I used at the beginning of the spar.
Meaning I wouldn't be able to hold out for long.
Pushing away distracting thoughts, I first placed my hand on Nangong Tianjun's body.
For some reason, it felt quite gross to touch him, but it was an urgent situation.
'...As expected.'
I felt a different energy along with internal energy from Nangong Tianjun's body.
'Demonic energy... is not it.'
It wasn't demonic energy.
It was a part I had already expected.
If it was demonic energy, there was no way I wouldn't have felt it when I first saw him.
It was similar, yet something was different.
And I knew this kind of energy.
Having experienced it quite a lot, it was an energy somewhat familiar to my body.
"...Wei Xueya."
The three-syllable name that spilled from my mouth before I even knew it.
It was quite similar to the energy I could feel very slightly from Wei Xueya in my past life.
To be precise, a fainter feeling than that.
Just like.
The current Heiya Palace bastards' demonic energy was infinitely insignificant and of poor quality compared to the Heavenly Demon's, which came to mind.
Because it was the same feeling.
"Why?"
Why did Wei Xueya's energy come to mind here?
Why did this guy have such energy?
While questions birthed more questions, the flames surrounding the vicinity gradually thinned.
It was because my internal energy had started to slowly drop.
"...Tch!"
There's still a lot I need to find out.
I converted my remaining internal energy into heat and used it on Nangong Tianjun.
The stench of urine rose instantly, but it was no problem for drying his clothes.
'I don't care what happens to this guy.'
Honestly, even if he's called Nangong Bedwetter, or Urination Dragon, or whatever, I wouldn't feel an ounce of sympathy.
The problem was that his surname was Nangong.
Thinking of the woman who sleeps around me whenever she gets the chance, this was my last bit of consideration, holding it in and doing it for her.
Just like that, when Nangong Tianjun's clothes were about to dry in a fleeting moment.
Sseu—
"...!!"
At the heterogeneity crawling up my arm, I instantly jumped up and created distance.
Immediately after, the barrier blocking the surrounding gazes collapsed at once.
I felt gazes pouring in from all directions once again.
The Alliance person acting as the referee urgently squeezed between me and Nangong Tianjun to check.
I was standing fine.
Nangong Tianjun was lying there as if dead.
The match was already decided.
I had even controlled my strength when hitting him, so there wouldn't be any major physical problems.
Except for the last hit that I struck a bit hard, which could be a bit of a problem.
"...Top 8 Tournament, Shanxi Gu Family's Gu Yangqian wins."
A short single line of words containing internal energy that spread to the surroundings.
Because the meaning of those words was so great, the reaction appeared immediately.
-!!
The cheers of the crowd, impossible to even understand what they were saying, filled my ears.
This was what I had wanted from the beginning.
Gaining even a little fame was the reason I came here, and the goal I considered most important.
I could tell through the surrounding cheers.
That my three-syllable name had properly embedded itself in their minds right now.
However, both the cheering that seemed to tear my eardrums, and the fame of my youth that I hadn't felt in my past life.
Were not important stories to me right now.
I was enduring the chilling heterogeneity that was seeping into my body along my arm.
I tried to block it somehow, but the heterogeneity eventually pierced into my dantian and settled there as if it were its own home.
Right.
I had absorbed something that wasn't even demonic energy, which was embedded in Nangong Tianjun's body.
"...Ah, please, this crazy pig bastard."
I was already going crazy because there were so many bastards using my body like their own home.
And in an instant, another one was added.
"It's not even demonic energy, so why is it eating it up...!! Stop eating it up!"
When I yelled, the referee next to me shrank back in surprise.
Unfortunately, I couldn't care less about that.
An accident that occurred in a fleeting moment.
Because of that, I had to wipe my face amidst the pouring cheers.
And.
[Hehe... hehe...]
Was it an illusion?
It felt like I heard the sound of someone laughing in satisfaction from somewhere.