Chapter 344. The True Dragon Returns. (3)
Fwoooosh—!
The internal energy that had surged into his upper dantian poured out endlessly, using his body as an outlet.
When the internal energy left his body, it transformed into heat.
Flames enveloped him.
He could feel the color of his hair turning red.
Fwoooosh—!
Rings (輪) made of flames spun madly around his body.
Beneath one ring.
A second ring was created.
Because the internal energy was creating a storm inside his body.
Pressure built up in his body.
It was a dangerous situation where even the slightest lapse would cause a backlash to erupt inside his body, making him vomit blood, but there was no problem.
Having reached the Hwagyeong, the power to control his internal energy had grown stronger, and because his body had grown sturdier to endure it, he could endure as much as needed.
He was ready.
Realizing this, he immediately recited the words.
“Jeokcheon (Crimson Sky).”
Kwaaaaah—!
The rings that had been spinning rapidly around his body.
The heat that had been erupting around him.
Shot into the sky in an instant.
As if following the form of the storm he had felt inside his body.
Flames and heat intertwined, creating a whirlwind.
It shot straight up.
Kwadddd-deuk—!
Piercing the dark sky.
‘Nngh—’
He watched that process directly with his own eyes.
Like cracks forming on a frozen river.
It was the sight of something being pierced by flames and slowly breaking apart.
‘Its durability seems weak.’
It seemed to be a type of formation, yet something about it was subtle.
It didn’t seem like something that should break so easily.
Was it because I had crossed the wall?
That wasn’t it.
There had been cracks in it from the beginning.
So breaking it from the inside wasn’t all that difficult.
‘What happened?’
How much time had passed since I went to the demonic realm and returned?
My guess was a few days.
I hadn’t counted the days there.
But I thought that much time had passed.
Then what could have happened in just a few days?
I didn’t know yet.
Though this was the land of the Central Plains I was stepping on for the first time in years.
Fortunately, I didn’t feel any sense of alienation.
Was it the World Tree’s arrangement?
When I recalled how severely I had felt that sense of disconnect in my previous life and suffered greatly for it afterward.
I could call it a relief.
If not that, was it thanks to the stigma he had left on me?
As I thought of it, I suddenly closed my eyes.
‘Put it away.’
I set aside my thoughts.
Constantly questioning things.
Was something to do after the fight ended.
It was an enlightenment I had finally gained after polishing my mind for a long time.
I had known it from the start.
But it was something that hadn’t easily taken root in my body.
I had vaguely grasped it and draped it over myself.
The internal energy raging from my lower dantian and.
The heat erupting from my body were scorching, but.
My head was coldly clear.
Plip, plop.
Fragments of energy fell from the sky.
Unfortunately, I hadn’t been able to break everything.
It seemed I still didn’t possess that much power.
I had only broken the sky above the Divine Dragon Hall.
Beyond the suitable crack.
A sky dyed red came into view.
It was the Gu Family’s secret art.
A power he could barely use upon reaching the Hwagyeong.
The effect of Jeokcheon (Crimson Sky).
The sky was dyed red as if by a sunset.
It was different from the blood-colored sky he had seen in the demonic realm.
The faint pink hue mixed within it was probably due to the demonic energy mixed in his body.
Seeing that, he nodded slightly.
‘I’ve reached it.’
He felt once again that he had reached the Hwagyeong.
Having broken through the peak known as the Tomb of the Martial Artist.
And done everything to finally reach the Hwagyeong.
The five senses he felt had changed.
They were deeper than when he had been at the peak.
His energy sense grew broader.
And became clearer.
That was why he could tell.
How thickly and widely the killing intent around him had spread.
‘An attack?’
What kind of crazy bastard had attacked the Divine Dragon Hall?
Well, most of the demonic faction were crazy bastards to begin with.
So it probably wasn’t that strange.
And the person before his eyes now was likely the same.
His build was roughly similar to Iljangno’s.
A level transcending humanity—literally like a bear.
Was his main weapon a greatsword?
He recalled the martial artist from the Dark Night Palace he had killed on Hwa Mountain before.
‘Mukcheol, huh.’
Seeing the black blade, it was quite a fine greatsword.
The martial artist’s level….
Was the Hwagyeong.
Judging by the fact that he couldn’t gauge it precisely.
It was probably a considerable realm.
Moreover, seeing Cheonghaeilgeom collapsed and bleeding behind him.
It seemed that old man was the one who had neutralized him.
‘Who could he be?’
If he was a demonic faction martial artist who had reached the Hwagyeong.
He was one of the known monsters.
Could he be one of the Samaoje?
Was there anyone among them who used a greatsword?
“The red sky….”
As he was thinking about the old man.
The old man muttered quietly.
“I wondered where I had felt this energy before. You…. Are you of the Gu Family bloodline?”
“You know me?”
“The place that can ignite flames and dye the sky red—there is only one such place. How could I not know?”
Hearing that he had recognized him by that characteristic, his shoulders rose slightly with pride.
What was slightly questionable was.
‘Is this someone who has seen Jeokcheon before?’
Was this someone who had seen the martial art he was currently using?
Could it be his father?
It could be.
If not him.
‘My grandfather?’
That was also possible.
Whatever the case, there was no problem.
Even if he had seen this somewhere before.
‘At this level, it’s quite eye-catching, after all.’
Beyond merely igniting and burning flames.
To the point of changing the color of the sky.
Of course it would stand out.
The heat that had dyed the sky red.
Slowly descended and heavily weighed down the surroundings.
The influence of Jeokcheon was gradually spreading.
The Gu Family’s secret arts each possessed a singular meaning.
Among them, Jeokcheon.
To me, felt like a kind of arrogance.
Jeokcheon.
Used the energy filling the upper dantian and the flames burned by it to create a domain.
The symbol of that domain was precisely the sky dyed red.
Within the domain filled with heat under the changed sky.
The flames of the Gu Family would never die out.
And burned even hotter.
Until not a single enemy who faced it remained.
Until they all burned to death.
In a way.
It could be seen as one of the martial arts representing the respective three families.
A similar martial art was the Namgung family’s Emperor Sword Form.
Which maximized absolute presence.
And slowed the opponent’s movements.
That too was an expression of a domain.
The Gu Family took the absurd form of dyeing the sky red with this.
The difference was that it possessed the ridiculous difficulty of having to reach the Hwagyeong and break through the upper dantian to use it.
‘How far have I come?’
He checked by clenching and unclenching his fist.
Roughly.
The power he had gained from his regression until now.
Was half of his previous life.
No, perhaps even a little less than that.
Was it fast?
Or slow?
He didn’t know.
He still had a long way to go.
“You….”
The old man looked at me and spoke.
“Are you… Hohyeop?”
Huh?
At his father’s nickname popping out of nowhere.
He had to put on a bewildered expression for a moment.
“Hohyeop shouldn’t be able to easily leave the west of the mountain?”
“Do I look that old?”
His father was indeed getting up there in age, but as a martial artist, he wasn’t old.
Still, he shouldn’t look that old.
“If you are not Hohyeop… don’t tell me, you are Jinryong.”
Had he finally reached the correct answer? The old man’s eyes widened.
Seeing that, he tilted his head slightly.
“It can’t be….”
It was a reaction of disbelief from the old man.
“I heard you had not yet passed the age of twenty.”
“Yet.”
“How… how… did you cross the wall?”
Ah, so that’s why.
Reaching the Hwagyeong before the age of twenty.
Even if you searched through all the records in the Central Plains now.
It would probably be unprecedented.
So it wasn’t strange for that old man to show such a reaction.
Though I myself wasn’t particularly impressed.
‘What meaning is there in something gained through regression?’
To others, he might look like an absurd genius.
In his previous life, it was a situation he had yearned for so much.
Yet now he felt hardly any excitement. What a strange thing.
Tilting his head, he spoke to the old man in a somewhat blunt voice.
“This isn’t the time to be concerned about such things.”
He moved the heat constantly circulating in his body even faster.
He could feel his flesh gradually growing hotter. Mixed with that, fighting spirit slowly welled up.
‘Ha.’
A brawl right upon returning to the present world.
Why can’t my life ever be peaceful?
Perhaps sensing that fighting spirit, the old man’s eyebrows twitched.
“What a rough child. Don’t you want to ask who I am?”
“What’s the point of asking?”
As I said before.
“I don’t usually mix words with demonic bastards.”
Why bother speaking with trash?
If we absolutely needed to converse.
After breaking his arms and legs.
I only need to take what I want. It means there’s no need to speak kindly.
“The important thing is that you are my enemy.”
“Why do you think so? I might not be an enemy.”
At the old man’s words, I let out a scoff.
Clear mockery.
If he was going to say that.
“Wipe the killing intent lodged in your eyes first, then talk.”
At the words I spat out, the old man’s expression grew cold.
That was enough.
Words were just words.
What Heukryonggeom had heard about Jinryong was more than he had thought.
Starting with the fact that he was ‘that’ Hohyeop’s son.
That bloody bastard who had caused Gu Changjun’s death, whom he had usefully tied into his schemes.
Thanks to that, his relationship with the Palace Lord had become somewhat complicated, but Heukryonggeom hadn’t been too concerned about it.
Hadn’t he been called the youngest peak martial artist?
It was a talent worthy of being recorded in history, but at the end of the day, he was a late-stage expert.
He judged that there was still a long way before he could block his own path.
Moreover, when he had headed toward the Divine Dragon Hall to announce that Heukryonggeom was alive.
He had entertained the thought that if Hohyeop’s brat happened to be there.
He could clean him up together.
No matter how much he flew or leaped, he was still a tiger cub.
But.
Fwoooosh—! Kuwung!
“Huu…!”
The fist that struck the massive greatsword burst with fierce wind pressure.
The internal energy contained within was no laughing matter.
Heukryonggeom’s heavy body lifted slightly.
At that tiny fist, his own body lifted?
Heukryonggeom hid his surprise and drew up energy.
It was heavier than expected, but.
It shouldn’t be enough to pierce through his energy blade.
If he counterattacked like this—
Hoooo—!
“…!”
At the massive energy felt in that instant.
Heukryonggeom’s eyes wavered.
The moment his body lifted.
An absurd amount of energy began gathering in Jinryong’s palm.
“Yeomok (Flame Jade).”
Clumping heat together to form the shape of a jade.
He clenched it in his hand and thrust it toward Heukryonggeom’s greatsword.
It was the same spot struck by the fist earlier.
The moment the orb touched.
Ku-geugeugeugeuk—!
An indescribable sound rang out.
Kwaaaaah—!
An enormous explosion erupted in an instant.
It was an absurd heat made entirely of internal energy.
A plain that had been mostly flat with only a few sword marks.
Was turned into a mess in that brief instant.
Through the smoke filling the surroundings as flames erupted.
Heukryonggeom pulled his body out.
“Keuugh…!”
Hoooo—!
A wind made of internal energy swept past Heukryonggeom’s body, but.
The flames clinging to his body wouldn’t go out.
It seemed the flames contained something.
‘Absurd.’
He surveyed the spot where the exchange had just taken place with his eyes.
It was a wreck.
Traces of flames scoured all directions.
And the ground had a crater like a meteor had fallen, with cracks spreading from it.
From its center.
Something wreathed in flames was visible.
The bastard stared quietly at Heukryonggeom with red eyes the same color as his hair.
“This bastard….”
Heukryonggeom furrowed his brow.
That could not be called a mere late-stage expert.
How could this be?
Setting aside his doubts, he gripped his greatsword.
This was unexpected.
He had to kill him quickly.
Even if he was a Hwagyeong martial artist like himself, the bastard was a fledgling who had just crossed the wall.
No matter how outstanding his talent was, he couldn’t compare to himself.
So he had to kill him now.
Then.
“You seem to have a lot on your mind.”
Jinryong’s voice was heard from behind Heukryonggeom.
Heukryonggeom flinched and moved.
His gaze was still fixed on the gap in the flames, but the one who had been there had long since vanished.
He turned his body.
Energy seeped into the greatsword accordingly.
It was a black energy that sent chills down one’s spine just by looking at it.
The power of Heukryonggeom’s martial art, the Heukcheol Gwimunggong (Black Iron Ghost Script Art).
The supreme sword energy contained in the heavy greatsword.
This was a heavy blow that no martial artist could easily block, but—
Ppaak—!
“Keuheok!”
If it didn’t connect, it was meaningless.
The blade of the greatsword did not reach Jinryong.
Before the heavy sword energy could cleave Jinryong’s body.
His hand reached Heukryonggeom first.
Jinryong’s flying fist struck Heukryonggeom’s face.
Blood flowed.
The energy contained in the hand had pierced through Heukryonggeom’s protective astral qi and struck him.
The moment Heukryonggeom’s head snapped back.
Kkwak—!
Jinryong’s hand grabbed Heukryonggeom’s hair and fixed him in mid-air.
Just like that.
Ppaaak—!
The flame-wreathed fist struck Heukryonggeom’s face once more.
A much louder sound than before.
Ppak—!
Once more.
Ppaak—!
Again.
“Keo-heok…!”
Heukryonggeom let out a groan. A pain like his head would explode at any moment.
His brain shook.
The shock of being struck in the face was one thing, but.
The flames wreathed around the fists were the problem.
He kept drawing out protective astral qi to layer on, but it was no use.
If he hadn’t held on with his energy, he would have lost consciousness from the pain long ago.
Creak.
He gritted his teeth.
For this Heukryonggeom to be humiliated by that mere brat…!
The Sword Lord he had so wanted to kill.
Or the other Three Lords of his caliber.
If not them, certainly not martial artists called the Ten Great Experts or Hundred Great Experts of the Central Plains.
But by a brat not even past the age of twenty.
Fury surged.
He couldn’t be treated like this.
Kuuuuu.
He drew the internal energy spread throughout his body to one point.
He intended to burst his energy to blast Jinryong away and escape the situation first.
Even if he suffered some internal injuries from the backlash, escaping was the priority now.
Heukcheol Eumgongpa (Black Iron Sound Wave Art).
A martial art that spread black energy along with eerie sounds to inflict damage.
There would be backlash to himself, but he had no choice for now.
Just as Heukryonggeom was about to unleash his power.
For some reason, Jinryong stopped moving.
Was it to dodge after sensing his intent?
Heukryonggeom thought so for a moment, but—
‘It’s already too late.’
The preparation of energy was already complete.
If he burst it at this range, Jinryong would suffer considerable damage.
He immediately executed the martial art.
‘Heukcheol Eumgong…?’
The moment he tried to rapidly move his energy and expel it outside his body.
At the sense of alienation in his body, Heukryonggeom’s expression turned subtle.
His internal energy.
His energy.
Was not moving properly.
“…What?”
Only then did Heukryonggeom recall the subtle sense of alienation.
That he was being so helplessly beaten by a martial artist who had just ascended to the Hwagyeong.
And that he had lost track of him and been grabbed from behind.
Something was strange.
Then.
“Why.”
Jinryong, who had stopped his barrage and was watching silently beside Heukryonggeom, spoke.
“Seems your body isn’t moving properly?”
Only then.
Did Heukryonggeom raise his head to look at Jinryong.
Blood flowed from his nose.
And blood flowed here and there on his face, making it hard to even open his eyes.
But.
The bastard’s eyes were all too clearly visible.
They blazed as if they would burn just by looking at them.
How could red pupils suit someone so well?
Blood dripped from the hand he held up.
It was Heukryonggeom’s blood.
“…You… bastard.”
“Not bad.”
“Don’t tell me…!”
Only then did Heukryonggeom realize the identity of this alienation.
That Jinryong had done something.
Poison?
Had he used poison?
That couldn’t be.
If poison had entered his body.
He couldn’t have failed to notice.
And it couldn’t have seeped in so naturally.
“What did you do to me…!”
Kwang.
“Keok…!”
Along with the great impact felt in his chest.
Heukryonggeom flew far into the air and rolled on the ground.
He could feel it while flying.
That the surroundings were still filled with heat.
Barely rising.
He caught his breath roughly and examined his condition.
As expected.
He could feel his movements had become subtly dulled.
His energy was the same.
It wasn’t that it didn’t move at all.
But there was a sense of something foreign mixed in.
“…What did you do to me?”
Did he really use poison?
How, in that short time?
Heukryonggeom looked at Jinryong with somewhat horrified eyes.
And sent his gaze around.
Cheonghaeilgeom, who had been fighting Heukryonggeom.
Was collapsed on the ground, bleeding profusely.
The distance wasn’t that far.
And moreover, it was a distance where he could have been caught up in the technique Jinryong had just detonated and risked death.
‘…That bastard.’
Heukryonggeom was acutely feeling the differences he kept noticing.
Cheonghaeilgeom, who appeared to be a Hwagyeong martial artist.
Moreover, one whom he had judged to be difficult to easily predict victory against.
The reason he had been so helplessly overpowered, his arm cut off and left at death’s door.
Was because he had too much to protect.
The foolish thoughts of protecting martial virtue and chivalry and seeking justice.
That incompetent ideology that cost him his life.
It was the sense of honor unique to those orthodox bastards that Heukryonggeom found disgusting, but—
‘That isn’t visible in Jinryong.’
He couldn’t see such a thing in the current bastard.
Beneath an expressionless face.
Only a terrible killing intent—a mind set on killing him.
A fighting spirit that absolutely wouldn’t lose to his own.
And movements that showed no concern for what happened around them.
That bastard.
Was he truly orthodox?
Even if he were demonic like himself, Heukryonggeom wouldn’t have felt this kind of quality.
Was that bastard truly Hohyeop’s son?
“You bastard…!”
“Why do you keep shouting? It hurts my ears.”
“What the hell are you?!”
At the voice Heukryonggeom roared out.
Jinryong made a strange expression.
He opened his palm.
Then.
Huaaaaack—!
“…!”
An enormous energy incomparable to before was felt.
Brushing past Heukryonggeom’s cheek, he felt the wind pressure being drawn into that palm.
The heat filling the surroundings.
Began gathering above that small palm.
Fwoooosh—!
The flames surrounding Jinryong’s body and.
The flames burning in all directions also gathered.
A sphere (球).
Energy clumped above his palm and began forming a round shape.
Its shape was the same as the small orb that had devastated the surroundings earlier.
But its size was different.
And the amount of energy contained within was different.
Heukryonggeom’s mouth fell agape.
‘What the hell is that…?’
It was an absurdly large size to say he was holding it in his hand.
That’s right.
It was the sun.
Jinryong was clearly holding the sun.
As Heukryonggeom received a shock from that absurd power—
“Now this size is more to my liking. The rat turd size was annoying.”
Jinryong muttered quietly to himself.
“You asked what I am.”
At the heavy voice, Heukryonggeom’s shoulders trembled.
The presence he felt was completely different.
Meaning this was not a presence one could feel from a mere late-stage expert.
“I don’t really know either.”
Heukryonggeom urgently gripped his greatsword and drew up his sluggish energy.
Because he had already realized that was not something he could block.
He had to avoid it first.
The moment Heukryonggeom took a step.
Jinryong’s fingertips moved as well.
“So from now on, I’ll find out a bit too.”
As his hand moved.
The small sun fell to the ground.