Chapter 512 - Just Let Me Hold It Once.
Shhring—
He stretched out his hand.
The lifted tip of the sword responded, swinging smooth and true.
A space shrouded in darkness where nothing could be seen clearly.
Within it, the old man’s blade gleamed with light.
To a martial artist, darkness was never much of an obstacle.
Needless to say, the pupils within his flesh, invigorated by internal energy, could pierce through it completely.
Hwoook—!
Kwaaaaah—!
A tempest surged with a single sword strike. Wind gathered at the tips of his feet anchoring him to the ground.
His footwork had become a storm in itself.
Crackle.
Then lightning qi mixed with the wind.
Only after the old man swung his sword four or five times in that manner—
Shhick-shhhk!
—did the sound finally catch up.
As he moved, afterimages endlessly lingered in the air.
It was a sight made possible only because he had surpassed the speed of sound.
The Unhindered Azure Heaven Sword.
A sword art nurtured and honed in the Namgung family over many long years.
The essence of the art, wrapped in internal energy and brimming with lightning qi, unfolded endlessly from the old man’s hands.
Though age had wrinkled his skin and robbed him of the vitality of youth, the realm he possessed was so profound that there was no shortcoming in performing martial arts.
No, rather, it would be more accurate to say that he had become even more accomplished over the long years.
He had lost strength, but his methods of utilizing it had become superb.
The old man was utterly confident in his own sword.
He was certain it had become far sharper than in his younger days.
Tap.
The tips of his feet brushed the ground.
He leaned forward and shot out, infusing the soles of his feet with lightning qi to increase his speed.
Using this recoil, he drew his energy up to his right arm.
The Azure Dragon Step. Footwork researched to the extreme in order to better utilize leg techniques and lightning qi.
The steps of the old man who had mastered this were faster than anyone’s.
The remaining afterimages were so vivid that it seemed as though several of him existed.
That was how fast he was.
However.
‘It does not reach.’
Even as he gradually increased his speed, the wrinkles on the old man’s forehead showed no sign of smoothing.
It wouldn’t reach.
Not the blade wrapped in lightning qi, not his flesh shooting forward, not the footwork that surpassed sound.
Ultimately, he could not break past a certain line.
‘Heh heh.’
Was it because of the space?
Because he could not recklessly destroy this place, he had been suppressing his strength.
Could that be the problem?
‘Indeed….’
The old man shook his head inwardly.
He had drawn his sword out of humiliation, but he had not fallen into a frenzy to the point of losing his mind.
It simply did not reach.
His sword and his flesh simply could not reach that man.
That fact carried many meanings for the old man.
The old man’s blue eyes turned toward the man.
Amidst the pitch-black darkness that had settled thickly without a single light.
Within it, a pair of red eyes shone especially bright.
A gaze that did not waver in the slightest.
Even though it was only a brief exchange, how could he be so calm?
Seeing that, the old man had to change his calculations inwardly.
‘He has been hiding his strength all this time.’
Hohyeop (虎俠) Gu Cheolun.
More than ten years ago, he had come from the Divine Dragon Squad, a direct unit under the Alliance Leader.
Before that, he was a genius who had been called the greatest late bloomer and granted the moniker Divine Dragon.
Currently, he had been appointed Patriarch of the Gu family, and his presence had drastically diminished, but…
Cheonjon vaguely knew what kind of person Gu Cheolun was.
Though it was not properly known to the world.
Gu Cheolun was someone who had met and suppressed the entire Samaoje.
It was even said that there was a record of him enduring the combined assault of two such beings and claiming victory.
Nothing short of astonishing.
Cheonjon could also accomplish such things, but considering Gu Cheolun’s age at the time, it was an absurd level.
At that time, he must have only just passed the age of thirty.
Of course, since he had gradually hidden his presence after that, Cheonjon had also forgotten that fact for a time.
Perhaps that was why.
Cheonjon could not understand the current situation.
No matter how strong the Tiger Hero had been back then.
‘The current situation makes no sense.’
Shhick—!
The sword once again cut through the air.
Again, it cut nothing.
He turned his gaze.
It was to pinpoint Gu Cheolun’s location, but—
there was no need to go so far. Gu Cheolun had never once left Cheonjon’s sight.
This was almost as if—
‘If you can catch me, try.’ Was that what he meant?
It felt like that was the meaning.
‘Heh heh.’
Cheonjon let out a laugh.
To none other than himself? Truly, there was no end to his arrogance.
But though Cheonjon felt that way, he could not help but acknowledge it.
Even with a brief exchange, it was enough to know.
Gu Cheolun was someone who could have such arrogance.
Rather, it was nothing short of astonishing.
The fact that he possessed such a presence and yet had lived hiding it.
‘It would be impossible to continue like this.’
Strength entered Cheonjon’s grip.
He had no intention of killing Gu Cheolun.
He merely intended to teach him—that one must not dare look down on Namgung.
He was the one representing the Namgung family. This above all was something he could not back down from.
If the opponent had insulted the Namgung family, he had to deliver an appropriate punishment.
Therefore, Cheonjon could not back down.
Namgung was him, and he was Namgung.
Thud—! In that instant, Cheonjon put strength into his dantian.
If he could not reach him, the priority was to change things so that he could.
Hwoooook—!
A heavy energy nestled into his flesh through the acupoints. Cheonjon’s blue eyes glinted.
At the same time.
Kwaaaaak—!
An enormous pressure erupted from Cheonjon’s body.
A vast energy enough to crush space.
It was the secret art of the Namgung family called the Emperor Sword Form.
Rumble…
As the pressure exploded, the spatial walls shook.
Even though he had used it with the utmost restraint, the space could not endure it.
Controlling the internal energy that roared forth like a beast, Cheonjon changed his grip on the sword.
Gu Cheolun received the Emperor Sword Form’s pressure head-on.
For an instant, his flesh must have been constrained.
Just as the sword brimming with Cheonjon’s energy was about to unleash a flash toward Gu Cheolun—
A chill—!
"...!"
Cheonjon suddenly stopped his movement and twisted his body.
Because a sudden, chilling sensation had brushed past him.
As Cheonjon retracted all his movements and twisted his body by exploding his internal energy, something dug into where his chest had originally been.
Shhiiik—!
It was Gu Cheolun’s arm.
Then.
Fwoosh—!
A small flame sparked from Gu Cheolun’s hand, and—
Kwaaaaaaaah—!
A flame of enormous size burst forth.
The flames were hot enough to melt the walls and then some.
‘What…?’
Cheonjon’s eyes widened seeing that.
How?
He had definitely taken the Emperor Sword Form head-on—had he moved right after?
Cheonjon’s mind went blank.
It was a completely unexpected situation.
Moreover, what about the speed?
If he hadn’t twisted his body with all his might, he would have been struck as he was.
Hwaak.
The sound of sparks flitting past brushed by from the front.
Cheonjon immediately twisted his sword and switched to a defensive stance.
Crack—!
"...Kuhhk…!?"
The sound of bones shattering in his shoulder rang out.
Where had the flames gone—Gu Cheolun had struck Cheonjon’s shoulder.
He couldn’t block it.
Only then did Cheonjon realize.
That the spark from just now had been a feint.
But it was already too late.
His shoulder shattered and his stance collapsed.
He needed time to recover his stance.
It might have been an instant to others.
But in a fight between martial artists, it was the crossroads of life and death.
At that moment, Cheonjon had to intuit his own defeat.
However.
"...?"
Nothing happened after that.
Until Cheonjon regained his stance, Gu Cheolun had not taken any action.
Not only that.
As Cheonjon stopped attacking in bewilderment, Gu Cheolun simply stood still and watched him.
While Cheonjon was looking at Gu Cheolun with questioning eyes at this strange situation—
"Now."
Gu Cheolun slowly spoke.
"Is your sloppy lapse in focus over?"
"...!"
"If so, draw your sword properly once more."
The calmly uttered words pierced through Cheonjon’s chest.
Shameful embarrassment surged up to the crown of his head.
"Ha… hah… Well, this is…"
The pride he had barely held onto collapsed.
Cheonjon realized he had been making mistakes.
"I have shown a shameful sight… My apologies, Patriarch Gu."
A difference in conduct.
He had underestimated him too much.
Though he had realized from the first exchange that Gu Cheolun was not an opponent to be slighted, Cheonjon had committed mistakes against him.
Gu Cheolun, aware of this, had imparted a lesson to Cheonjon, albeit through a somewhat miserable method.
Realizing that, Cheonjon soon bit his lip.
In truth, hadn’t he realized the moment he saw Gu Cheolun?
Just from the fighting spirit he exuded and his immense presence, he had known that Gu Cheolun was someone fully capable of matching him.
And yet, petty pride had blocked that realization.
He had to let it go.
Oooong—!
Cheonjon’s entire aura changed.
Wind blew.
Lightning qi permeated his entire body, creating recoil, and strength surged into his aged flesh.
Releasing all the power he had suppressed despite feeling the space would collapse.
Grrrrrrick—!
Cracks formed in the air.
Light seeped out from the cracks.
Mind Sword (心劍).
The form of the Mind Sword that Cheonjon had unleashed illuminated the surroundings.
Internal energy escaped.
His chest burned hot.
His dantian trembled and he felt vibrations; to endure it, his internal energy leaked out like mad.
Feeling this, Cheonjon couldn’t help but swallow a groan.
When he had first used the Mind Sword, it hadn’t been this burdensome.
For some reason, using the Mind Sword felt more and more difficult.
‘Has a Heart Demon (心魔) come upon me?’
Since the Mind Sword drew power from the mind, if one fell prey to a Heart Demon, it became proportionally harder.
Recalling that, he gritted his teeth.
But it didn’t matter.
Now was not the time to worry about such things.
The sword form of light aimed its tip toward Gu Cheolun.
Sword light enveloped the sword in his hand as well.
Lightning qi pierced through Gu Cheolun’s heat and dominated the surroundings.
He took one step.
Hwoooosh—!
The Emperor Sword Form manifested once more.
Interlocked with the lightning qi, it grew in size.
Cheonjon’s presence, having burst forth with the power of his entire body, doubled.
Enough to devour the heat and presence that Gu Cheolun had been emanating.
He took a second step. The lightning qi sparked.
Cheonjon’s form disappeared from Gu Cheolun’s sight.
One Sword (一劍).
A sword light containing the enlightenment Cheonjon had achieved drew a slashing line toward Gu Cheolun.
At the same time, the Mind Sword also emitted light.
A narrow space with nowhere to dodge.
The wind leading the tempest mixed with lightning qi and transformed into thunder.
And so, just as Cheonjon’s thunder was about to dig into Gu Cheolun’s neck and erupt in a flash—
Gu Cheolun’s pupils moved.
Those red eyes were clearly looking at Cheonjon’s eyes.
And.
Thud—!
"Hup…!"
With a sudden blunt sound, Cheonjon’s sword bounced away.
At the uncontrollable recoil, Cheonjon let out a sound involuntarily.
What in the world?
Cheonjon swallowed dryly as he assessed the situation.
Gu Cheolun had struck the flat of the blade with his fist and sent it flying.
Moreover.
Crack—!
Then, as the shock spread, the protective qi surrounding the sword burst apart.
The protective energy honed over many years shattered from a single light punch.
Watching the fragments of protective qi scatter in the air, Cheonjon’s heart turned cold.
It would have been somewhat better if it had ended there.
Gu Cheolun swung his unused left arm in the opposite direction.
Kwajik.
As Gu Cheolun’s massive fist brushed through the air, an intense noise rang out.
Mind Sword (心劍).
Cheonjon’s mental image, his absolute power as a swordsman, was split in two by a single punch.
Kwaaaaaaaah!!
As the power collapsed, the gathered air pressure spread out.
Rumble—!
The internal energy that had lost its master crashed into the walls and destroyed everything around.
Cracks spread here and there; it looked as though everything would collapse at any moment.
Cheonjon opened his mouth at the situation that had unfolded in an instant.
How could he be so powerless?
Watching his own protective qi scatter, the strength left Cheonjon’s body.
Thud.
"Kkeureuk…"
As his martial arts were forcibly blocked, recoil gradually spread.
With even the Mind Sword shattered, his vessel suffered a direct impact.
Shudder.
Blood flowed from the mouth of Cheonjon, who had fallen to his knees.
"Heok… heok…"
Pain rushed in as if cracks were forming in his vessel, but Cheonjon raised his head before anything else.
Before him, Gu Cheolun stood in the same pristine state as when he had started.
He looked down with his hands behind his back, his red eyes open.
So immaculate that it seemed as though he had not fought a battle at all.
Seeing that, Cheonjon let out a hollow laugh.
"...I see… There was much I did not know indeed."
He had shattered protective qi with his bare hands and crushed the Mind Sword.
They had been completely unremarkable movements.
Gu Cheolun hadn’t used anything worth calling martial arts.
Even though he was a martial artist who used fire arts.
Cheonjon asked without wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth.
"...How do you live in hiding when you possess such power?"
At this point, curiosity took precedence over surprise.
How could he not be curious?
At Cheonjon’s words, Gu Cheolun slightly furrowed his eyes.
Seeing that expression, Cheonjon spoke.
"Surely, there cannot be anyone in this world who can defeat you…."
There was no one under heaven who could win.
Cheonjon had finally acknowledged it.
That Gu Cheolun was indeed the current number one under heaven.
He had no choice.
To witness such power and still not acknowledge it would be something his pride as a martial artist could not permit.
Cheonjon was simply curious.
"Does… Wiga know of this as well?"
Wiga.
The question was about the former Martial Alliance Leader, the old man called the Sword Sovereign.
Did the Sword Sovereign also know of Gu Cheolun’s power?
To this, Gu Cheolun replied:
"He knows."
He answered in the affirmative.
Hearing that answer, Cheonjon fell even deeper into question.
"...Then, why…"
Why do you live hiding your power?
Cheonjon also knew that the Gu family carried much karma.
Was he living hidden like this for the sake of that karma?
Just as that thought arose—
"Because it is not very important."
Gu Cheolun replied in a calm voice.
"The things you value are of no use to me."
The title of number one under heaven.
The honor and fame that came to a strong martial artist.
The pride and presence as a martial artist.
None of that was important to Gu Cheolun.
It was incomprehensible.
At least to Cheonjon, these were words he could not understand.
"Then… what is important? Patriarch Gu, what is the goal you seek?"
"..."
What in the world was important?
At Cheonjon’s question, Gu Cheolun recalled.
Perhaps, for a while, there had been none.
That winter day when he had lost everything.
Gu Cheolun had even cast aside everything he had dreamed of.
He had lived averting his eyes for a long time, but now, even if belatedly, something he wished to find had emerged.
For that, he could not hesitate any longer.
Without offering such an answer, Gu Cheolun approached Cheonjon.
He had no intention of continuing this useless exchange.
Strength entered his palm.
Sizzle…
Cheonjon could see it.
Gu Cheolun’s hand was turning red.
What was that?
He couldn’t feel any heat, so it couldn’t be fire arts.
Not only that, but rather, he felt nothing—nothing to the point of fear.
Ah.
Cheonjon soon realized.
Looking at Gu Cheolun’s hand, Cheonjon judged that this was his death.
He couldn’t even guess what form of power it was.
Precisely because of that, it was more terrifying.
At the point where death loomed at his very throat, Cheonjon spoke in a weary voice.
"You may take my life…."
"..."
"But please… show mercy to the Namgung family…."
No answer came this time either.
There was no longer any way.
Cheonjon closed his eyes as if resigned.
Gu Cheolun reached his hand toward Cheonjon.
Just before the red-stained hand touched Cheonjon—
"...Father?"
Rigid.
The address that rang out nearby.
Hearing it, Gu Cheolun’s body stiffened.